text:
Amazon on Tuesday announced it's upcoming Prime Day sales kicking off July 15 and it will have discounts on a host of products from smartphones, TVs, laptops, appliances, and more. Amazon further claims that customers during Prime Day 2019 sales next month can expect the lowest prices on some of the products available on the e-commerce retailer. The Amazon Prime Day 2019 will kick off on July 15 midnight until July 16 and will be a 48-hour long sale.
Amazon has also claimed that Prime Day will see over 1,000 new product launches ranging from different categories. Listing some of the offers, Amazon says that it will offer deals on OnePlus, Samsung M40, Oppo F11 pro, and latest laptops powered by Intel like HP i3 Windows touch laptop and Lenovo Legion Y540 gaming laptop. During Prime Day 2019, customers can also avail discounts on voice-enabled Alexa Smart TVs from Panasonic, smartwatch from Amazfit, Sennheiser Bluetooth-enabled headphones, and more.
During Amazon Prime Day, customers can get 10 per cent instant discount with HDFC Bank debit and credit cards, unlimited reward points with Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card and No Cost EMI on select credit/debit cards and Bajaj Finserv EMI cards.
Additionally, Prime members can avail up to Rs. 2,500 cashback using Amazon Pay on domestic flight bookings on Amazon.in. Further, customers using Amazon Pay they can avail cashback up to Rs. 850 on popular apps like Yatra, Box8, EazyDiner and Medlife.
"Leading up to Prime Day, members can participate in activities like signing up for annual Prime membership, shopping in select categories and collect ‘Prime Day offers’ which can be used to get additional cashback on their Prime Day shopping," Amazon says in a statement.
We can expect a detailed list of offers following up soon in the coming weeks which will give a better look at the deals available during Prime Day 2019 kicking off July 15.
Announcing Prime Day sale dates, Amit Agarwal, SVP and Country Manager, Amazon India said, “Get ready for Prime Day! – Our biggest festival for Prime members gets bigger than ever this year with a two-day celebration filled with the most phenomenal deals, over a thousand new product launches, blockbuster entertainment and more. Stay tuned as we reveal big savings, thousands of Prime Day launches, as well as blockbuster entertainment and more leading up to Prime Day on July 15 and 16.”


text:
LONDON — Britain has caught Michelle-O-mania.
With her plain talk, pearl necklace and all-American fashion taste, America’s First Lady wowed the Brits like no other since Jacqueline Kennedy during the Obamas visit to the capital that officially began Wednesday. From the moment she stepped off Air Force One in her Jason Wu chartreuse sheath dress on Tuesday night, Michelle Obama had the famously fickle British press oohing and aahing.
“A razzle dazzling performance from the mighty Michelle,” roared London’s Evening Standard in a headline Wednesday. The newspaper’s cover carried a full-page photo of the Obamas waving alongside Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah, and the headline “Welcome Mr. Prez.”
Even Britain’s Press Association — a wire service that usually reports stories in a staid, neutral tone — melted in her wake. “Mrs. Obama looked dazzling in a sequined champagne cardigan paired with a mint pencil skirt, both from American midmarket brand J. Crew,” said one report Wednesday morning.
It added: “Mrs. Obama did not put a foot wrong in low-heeled animal skin print heels and her signature pearls.”
The Times of London’s fashion department’s Twitter site called Obama’s cardigan “spring incarnate,” and told Brown — who was dressed in a navy blue suit by London-based designer Britt Lintner — to “lighten up, love.”
A Reuters blog carried the headline, “Michelle sparkles as hostess Sarah plays it safe,” and chided Brown for her lack of sartorial confidence, which has never been a hallmark of British prime ministers’ wives to begin with.
Jenna Lyons, J. Crew’s creative director, obviously was pleased at the First Lady’s fashion choices. “The topic of conversation is really the economy. It’s appropriate and also sends a message that she is wearing something from a brand that is approachable and known by American consumers, and a brand that people can be a part of.”
Lyons praised the First Lady’s fashion choices on her European trip so far. “She never looks stuffy, she looks modern and feminine,” she said. “It’s exciting to have a First Lady who isn’t all suited up and tightly coiffed.”
Even Queen Elizabeth II caught the bug. Although the Obamas are not in Britain on a state visit, she requested a private, informal meeting with the first couple at Buckingham Palace — marking the 12th U.S. president she’s met during her reign, stretching back to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Michelle Obama arrived for the visit wearing a Jason Wu black duchess satin opera coat over an Isabel Toledo silk satin crepe dress with a black skirt and white bodice, and a black Azzedine Alaïa cardigan, her chic monochrome look a sharp contrast to the queen’s decidedly dowdy salmon pink shift dress.
The British monarch, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Obamas met for about 20 minutes before the G-20 leaders and their spouses arrived for a cocktail party at the Palace — during which Michelle Obama chatted with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall — ahead of a dinner at Downing Street hosted by Sarah Brown. Brown, maybe hearing the criticism, made an effort, donning a Graeme Black brown beaded jacket paired with a brown Britt Lintner dress, accessorized with brown leather Jimmy Choo shoes, which her spokesman said she had “picked up in the January sales.”
Earlier in the day, Michelle Obama drew cheering crowds outside a cancer care center based at Charing Cross Hospital, where she paid a visit alongside Brown. Even the nurses were hanging out of the windows to watch her arrival. In her signature, straight-talking style, she chatted with the staff about her plans to install a beehive at the White House, a perfect accompaniment to the vegetable garden she’s planting: “We have a big lawn,” she joked, and happily quaffed a cup of tea — brewed by Sarah Brown. Later the Obamas briefly met Conservative Party leader David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, who also is creative director of British stationery and leather goods brand Smythson.
On Wednesday night, the First Lady joined Brown for a G-20 spouses dinner at Downing Street, with guests including high-profile British women such as “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, Olympic gold medalist Dame Kelly Holmes, film director Gurinder Chadha, broadcaster Emma Freud and, the sole representative of the fashion world, none other than Naomi Campbell.
Obama was seated between Rowling and Holmes. The guests dined on an all-British meal concocted by Jamie Oliver, including organic salmon from Shetland, vegetables from Sussex, Surrey and Kent, and Irish soda bread.
The main course was slow-roasted shoulder of lamb from Wales accompanied by Jersey Royal potatoes, followed by dessert of Bakewell tart and custard. Other G-20 spouses invited to the dinner included Margarita Zavala, the wife of Mexican President Felipe Calderón; Sonsoles Espinosa, the opera-singer wife of the Spanish prime minister; Laureen Harper, wife of the Canadian prime minister, and Liu Yongqing, the wife of the Chinese president.
But those ladies were clearly no sartorial competition for Obama, who wore the same Isabel Toledo tuxedo tank dress to dinner she’d worn earlier to Buckingham Palace — minus the black cardigan. The First Lady will face dueling dresses at dawn in a few days, though, when she will meet French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy at the NATO 60th Anniversary Summit events in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany. The Obamas then travel to Prague for a European Union Summit before ending their first European tour in Istanbul on Monday.
Not that everything about the visit has been love-and-kisses. The Obamas were winning hearts, they — along with the other G-20 leaders — were causing serious gridlock across town on Wednesday. The traffic, compounded with the chaos from various demonstrations in the City and central London, brought parts of town to a virtual standstill. “It was an absolute nightmare in the West End and the City,” said a spokeswoman for one of the local courier services.
The roads surrounding the Bank of England — the site of a series of anticapitalist, antiwar and climate-change protests on Wednesday — were cordoned off by police. Some 4,000 protesters descended on the City, the central financial district, for the demonstrations, and riot police were deployed in some areas.
On the retail front, the vast majority of stores surrounding the Bank of England were closed Wednesday. A wall of police officers lined the entrance to the Royal Exchange, the shopping arcade opposite the Bank of England that houses labels including Gucci, Hermès and YSL — all of which were closed. Retailers including Agent Provocateur, Smythson, and Lulu Guinness had even boarded up their windows.
The atmosphere in front of the Bank of England was scary at times, with some protesters brandishing makeshift horses’ heads and skulls, as drums pounded and the crowd shouted “revolution.” Other protesters carried signs that read “Consumers suck!” and “Stop the war!” A clutch of protesters dressed like ninjas and wearing balaclavas and hooded sweatshirts ran at walls of police officers with interlinked arms.
During the day, there were some clashes, with protesters using an office chair to break windows of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Threadneedle Street branch. The BBC reported that police sustained a few minor injuries during the protests.

domain: news


text:
It hasn’t even been a week since Mumbai’s microbrewery Doolally Taproom opened for orders. Beer lovers lined-up online and offline to grab their favourite ales and lagers.
However, the 10-day lockdown in Pune led to some panic buying, which resulted in the Taproom running out of beer.
However, like every dark cloud that comes with a silver lining, Doolally informed their faithful on social media that Great State Ale Works have sent over a special batch of their Belgian Witbier.
They wrote on Twitter, "We have almost run out of beer. Again. While last time we had only ourselves to blame, this time the new 10 day lockdown in Pune has messed up our delivery schedules. Also your enthusiasm, sophisticated palate (and panic buying) has almost emptied our kegs. Thank you."
It further added, “We are stocking beers from other microbreweries and the good folks over at Great State Ale Works have sent us a special batch of their Belgian Witbier. Order on.”
To place an order, visit the webstore, fill in your details and it will lead you to another page with their detailed menu. You can opt for offline or online.
Their menu is the standard one with one litre starting at Rs 500. The beer will be packaged in a PET bottle.
As of now, Doolally is only delivering 7km from their branches at Khar, Kemps Corner and Palm Beach Road. Orders near Andheri will start in a few weeks. You can place your order until 6pm.


text:
As the New York Times reported a couple of weeks ago, Google's founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have put $1 billion into a charitable organization whose mission is to tackle big, global issues such as poverty, energy and the environment.
This is good news, of course. What is different about Google.org is that instead of being a traditional, non-profit foundation, this is a for-profit entity -- a business that will be in the business of alleviating humanity's voes.
"We hope that someday this institution will eclipse Google itself in overall world impact by ambitiously applying innovation and significant resources to the largest of the world's problems," say the founders.
Nonprofit companies are classified as such by a tax code; one that makes it appealing for the contributors to give in exchange for a deduction and that shelters the organization from having to pay taxes on the funds it may have in its coffers each year. I worked in a nonprofit environment for several years and to this day I find it hard to describe whether the status guarantees effectiveness. In fact, I know it doesn't per se -- status does not hire the right people, nor it builds a team that can tackle the organization's mission with energy and passion for results.
Is the answer to charity and socially responsible work to go the for-profit route? There's an interesting thread on this in Australian blog The Age.
Google.org, led by Dr. Larry Brilliant, plans to begin work on a project to develop a high-efficiency vehicle that, if a success, could be produced and sold directly thanks to its legal status as for-profit. The organization would then be able to invest the proceeds back into the business of charity.
The indication is there that we're seeing a 'greening' of business. Socially and environmentally responsible organizations are becoming more mainstream. I knew we had hit some sort of tipping point when Wal*Mart announced it was going organic in its produce aisle. A recent joint effort by the retail giant and GE to produce and sell energy-efficient lightbulbs has the potential to change the world, as Charles Fishman says in the September 2006 issue of Fast Company magazine.
Tom Friedman's closing remarks at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia May event can be summarized in one word: green. What he's observed during his research and follow up on the trends that have made and continue to make our world flat is that sustainability is not a mere trend anymore, it is the future of business.


text:
As the entire planet has essentially shut down during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many businesses are shuttering, forced to close their doors in hopes of riding this whole thing out. However, one bit of silver lining is that many businesses are shifting gears to adapt to the situation. Some of these companies are using their resources to produce products that are in short supply for the astronomical demand. And it’s no secret that the medical community is in dire need of instrumental supplies—particularly medical masks.
And on Thursday, outdoor company Cascade Designs Inc. (CDI) announced that it has converted its Seattle, WA factory into a full-time medical mask production facility in order to aid and assist those in the medical field who are currently reeling from the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Cascade Designs has been manufacturing quality outdoor gear in its Seattle factory for more than 50 years,” Doug Sanders, vice president of Medical and Military at CDI, said in a press release. “Our team is experienced and fully committed to supporting the medical community—the doctors, nurses, health-care workers and first responders—that need personal protective equipment to safely and effectively care for their patients.”
Since March 31, the parent company to brands like Mountain Safety Research, Therm-a-Rest, and Platypus has dedicated its 44 highly skilled sewers in the Seattle factory to stitch each individual mask, currently pumping out 1,000 Level 1 medical masks per day, with the projection of reaching 20,000 per day once in full production. They’ve partnered with Kaas Tailored, which is providing materials and handling distribution.
These Level 1 medical masks will provide basic bacterial filtration and sub-micron particulate protection for general medical use. The masks will be distributed to 51 hospitals within the Providence network.
With everything going on during this world-wide crisis, it’s assuring to see that people are still willing to step up and remain nimble in order to get through this difficult time. It’s as important as ever to constantly remind ourselves we’re all in this together.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!


text:
Jaan Albrecht, Aero-Peru's general manager, has announced that American Airlines is studying the possibility of purchasing a large chunk of Aero-Peru. He says the letter of intent does not commit the U.S. company to an agreement.
Once Peru's flagship airline, Aero-Peru has been on the brink of bankruptcy since Jan. 14, when its major shareholders, Aeromexico and Delta Airlines, rejected a plea for an additional $10 million to keep the company afloat.
Aero-Peru has just launched an ad campaign, thanking customers for continuing to fly with the company despite it problems.
The campaign, designed by Interandina, which just joined the TBWA family, is aimed at playing up Aero-Peru's record. In January 1999, Aero-Peru transported 145,438 passengers, had a 70% occupation rate and 95% of its flights arrived on time.


text:
MANHATTAN (CN) - Dow Jones & Co. sued Real-Time Analysis & News dba Ransquawk for $5 million, claiming the British company republishes Dow Jones financial news "within seconds" to its paid customers, "without ... doing any reporting, commentary or analysis of its own."
In the federal lawsuit, Dow Jones accuses Ransquawk of tortious interference with business relationships and misappropriation of hot news.
Dow claims Ransquawk is a "pirate" that "unfairly ride(s) for free" on Dow's back, by "nearly instantaneously cutting, pasting and broadcasting via (its) own channels the reports of news events that other have uncovered at significant investment and expense." This "business model" allows Ransquawk to report the news at a cheaper price.
"The misappropriation of news and content not only devalues news products, it also threatens the very economic structure upon which journalistic enterprises such as Dow Jones are built and upon which its customers depend," according to the complaint.
Ransquawk republishes the Dow's content on its own website and through audio broadcasts, or "squawks," Dow says. It seeks disgorgement of unjust profits, an injunction and attorney's fees.
Dow Jones is represented by Robert LoBue with Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler.
The 17-page lawsuit has 15 pages of exhibits, including a list of the defendant's rebroadcasts, almost all of them within 1 minute of the Dow Jones report - some within 6 seconds - a Nov. 11, 2013 cease and desist letter from Dow Jones' attorneys to the defendants, and a denial from the defendants that it cadges Dow's reports.
In its letter, the defendant claims it gets its stuff elsewhere, for example, from "various twitter sources."
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday.


text:
Chip switch to bigger — and better
Change in industry standard could generate jobs, billions of dollars for Capital Region
Published 8:21 pm, Friday, January 20, 2012
ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent shock waves through the semiconductor industry when he announced in September that the world's most powerful computer chip manufacturers were coming to New York state as part of a $4.8 billion plan to revolutionize the industry.
Chip giants Intel, Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and IBM have all decided to set up shop at the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering to work on switching the industry from making chips on 300 millimeter silicon wafers to larger, and more lucrative, 450 millimeter discs.
The program, which will require billions of dollars in private capital and could create thousands of jobs, is called the Global 450 Consortium, or G450C. The new building going up at the NanoCollege will house the effort.
But in a development that could mean even more jobs and corporate spending in the Capital Region and other upstate cities, G450C could expand to also include the companies that supply computer chip factories — the so-called "tool" manufacturers such as Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron. Last year, semiconductor equipment suppliers had worldwide sales of $41.8 billion, the bulk of which came from wafer processing equipment, or "tools," that can sell for as much as $50 million apiece, or even more.
At an equipment supplier conference held earlier in the week in Half Moon Bay, Calif., the chief executive of Applied Materials, Mike Splinter, urged the tool makers to participate in G450C, according to the publication Semiconductor Manufacturing & Design. None are part of the new consortium.
Alain Kaloyeros, chief executive officer of the NanoCollege, confirmed Friday that Cuomo has directed school officials to engage in talks with the tool makers about locating their 450mm research efforts in New York state, including possibly moving some operations from Europe and Asia.
"The interest by the equipment suppliers is another great example of how what Governor Cuomo says about the Empire State being open for business again is a reality and is happening," Kaloyeros said. "To the governor's credit, it's triggering a revolution. The talks are ongoing and promising."
The current 300mm wafers measure about 12 inches across, while the 450mm discs would measure 18 inches in diameter. New tools would have to be designed to handle the larger wafers, which also pose additional challenges that need to be solved.
Many of the tool makers already have research operations at the NanoCollege for 300mm manufacturing. And those that have installed tools at the recently completed $4.6 billion fab built by GlobalFoundries in Saratoga County have opened up offices near that facility. For instance, Applied Materials has an office with several dozen employees at the Stewart's office complex just off Exit 13 of the Northway in Malta.
But the 450mm effort would mean substantially more investment and jobs. Industry analyst VLSI Research says the jump from 200mm wafers to the current 300mm size took $12 billion in spending, and the cost of the 450mm transition could cost $8 billion or more through 2020.


text:
April 4, 2019: Sony started rolling out Pie to the Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra and XA2 Plus in late February, but it was discovered to have major issues and subsequently halted. Today, the rollout has resumed, arriving as version 50.2.A.0.352 and also installs February 2019 security patch.
February 23, 2019: Sony has a new update for the Xperia XA2 and XA2 Ultra in Russia that installs Android 9 Pie update to the duo, but early adopters are reportedly experiencing issues with the initial update. The update rolling out has software version 50.2.A.0.342 and weighs about 950MB, tagging along new stuff like a new notification menu and app UI, new volume slider design, a new camera app, and so on.
While some users are enjoying the goodies of Pie and all, unfortunately, the same update is also bricking devices of others, leaving the screen unresponsive and sometimes issues begin at boot level. Some users say the update breaks TWRP and even worse is that they cannot recover the handset using Sony Companion software since you end with the same firmware.
The Sony Xperia support team has picked up the issue and promised to release a fix soon, so better skip the current rollout if it comes your way.
Software update timeline
- Both Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, and XA2 Plus receive the same software update/version.
|Date||Software & Android OS version||Changelog|
|04 Apr 2019||50.2.A.0.352 | Android 9||Android 9 Pie rollout resumes. It also installs February 2019 security patch|
|23 Feb 2019||50.2.A.0.342 | Android 9||Installs Android 9 Pie update, but the rollout was halted|
|24 Dec 2018||50.1.A.13.123 | Android 8.0||December 2018 security patch|
|20 Sep 2018||50.1.A.13.83 | Android 8.0||September 2018 security update, adds high-resolution audio and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX)|
|04 Aug 2018||50.1.A.10.51 | Android 8.0||July 2018 security patch|
|25 Jun 2018||50.1.A.10.40 | Android 8.0||June 2018 security patch|
|28 Mar 2018||50.1.A.5.59 | Android 8.0||March 2018 security patch|
|08 Mar 2018||50.1.A.4.102 | Android 8.0||January 2018 security patch|
Waiting patiently for a slice of Pie on my XA2.
Comments are closed.


text:
- News in Photo
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol on Tuesday ordered the immediate cancellation of import permits of all agricultural products.
In a press conference, Piñol said the move aims to prevent unscrupulous individuals or groups from permit-recycling and technical smuggling.
“We will be cancelling (import) permits but we will require those holding valid permits to come to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Central Office in Quezon City for an immediate review of their permits to make sure that all permits are no longer being recycled,” the DA chief explained.
Piñol has ordered a technical working group led by DA’s Legal Division to review the possible imposition of uniform tariff rates for good meat and offals.
Offals are variety meats, pluck or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal.
“I was informed by Senator Cynthia Villar of a recent United Nations (UN) report on the alleged discrepancy in the volume of exported or imported meat and offal meat over the last few months,” Piñol said.
He noted that there seems to be a greater volume of offals than good meat, which would indicate that “there is technical smuggling, meaning there are good meat being declared as offal when it enters the country.”
Piñol also noted that recycling of permit usually happens during Christmas season because of the higher demand for meat products.
Currently, application for import permit is conducted online with a minimal fee of P300. The import permits for various agricultural products are issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Plant Industry, National Meat Inspection Service, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
“Some importers use their permits all over again. The only way to check this is to cancel all permits previously issued. I will personally make sure that every import permit that will be issued is valid,” he added.
Piñol said unscrupulous individuals sometimes apply for a number of import permits then try to sell it to importers.
Piñol said the Department will conduct a two-month review of the proposal. (Ellalyn B. de Vera)


text:
December 28, 2012 |
Smoked salmon sold at Wal-Mart's Sam's Club stores nationwide is being recalled in 42 states, including California, and Puerto Rico amid listeria concerns. The fish was produced by a Miami subsidiary of Multiexport Foods Inc. in conjunction with Tampa Bay Fisheries Inc. The companies are pulling the product “with an overabundance of caution,” according to a Wal-Mart statement . The listeria monocytogenes bacteria - which can cause fatal infections in the elderly, the young and those with weak immune systems, and lead to fever, nausea and diarrhea in other victims - was discovered during a standard lab test on a shipment of the salmon that hadn't been distributed to stores, according to Wal-Mart.
July 22, 2010 |
A fraction of a penny is amounting to one big headache for 99 Cents Only Stores. Two years ago, the City of Commerce retailer — faced with rising inflation and higher costs — raised the top price of its goods to 99.99 cents from 99 cents. Company executives thought it was a clever way to increase sales while staying loyal to the chain's love for the number 99. But the move seems to be riling some customers who say they weren't aware of the nearly one-cent increase and felt duped into believing they were still paying 99 cents "only."
December 7, 2012 |
Procrastinators rejoice. Just when you thought the frenzy of Cyber Monday and Black Friday shopping was over, Macy's said it would expand its tradition of staying open 24 hours a day on the weekend before Christmas. Starting Dec. 21 at 7 a.m., most Macy's stores around the country will stay open for 48 hours straight. And 57 stores will welcome customers for another 24 hours after that up until Christmas Eve. "For the first time ever, Macy's will keep most stores open around the clock for the last weekend of holiday shopping," the company said in a statement.
September 25, 2012 |
Staples Inc. is speeding up store closures, shaking up management and boosting its online business as the office-supply chain implements a multiyear plan to cut costs. The Framingham, Mass.-based company is looking to save $250 million, before taxes, by the end of fiscal year 2015. At that point, Staples said it intends to have shaved down its retail square footage by 15%. For now, the chain is looking to accelerate the shutdown of 15 U.S. stores. By the end of its fiscal year, Staples said it expects to have 30 net store closures and 30 downsized or relocated stores in North America.
March 26, 2011 |
As it heads toward the auction block in early April to end its troubled bankruptcy process, Blockbuster Inc. is closing 186 stores nationwide. The struggling home video chain based in Dallas revealed in court filings that it would reject the leases and abandon its properties at the end of the month in an attempt to reduce its ongoing losses. Among the Blockbuster locations that will close are 15 in California, six of them in the Los Angeles area. Those stores are in El Segundo, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Corona, Anaheim Hills and L.A.'s Larchmont neighborhood.
February 24, 2010 |
Blockbuster Inc. said Wednesday that it will close at least 500 stores and is exploring ways to restructure debt. Blockbuster has been working with Rothschild Inc. since February 2009 on financing and strategy, the Dallas-based company said. The company has total debt of $963.9 million, including leases. The company closed 253 stores in January as more consumers turned to Coinstar Inc.'s Redbox movie vending machines and mail-order and online rental services such as Netflix Inc. Blockbuster, which licenses its name for rental kiosks owned by NCR Corp.
March 15, 2012 |
Stylish tots and their mothers rejoice -- a collection designed by Diane von Furstenberg hits BabyGap and GapKids stores and the Web today. In this latest partnership between high-end design and mainstream retail, Von Furstenberg, best known for breezy wrap dresses, distilled her aesthetic to create colorful printed apparel, accessories and shoes for the under-14 crowd. Von Furstenberg also reinterpreted her signature wrap dress with a higher waist for young girls to match their mothers.
March 13, 2012 |
Struggling Barnes & Noble Inc., in its latest attempt to draw shoppers into bricks-and-mortar stores, is adding 25 in-store boutiques that sell products from Penguin publishing house, a report said. These boutiques, which have already been tested in 10 Barnes & Noble stores, are stocked with books published by Penguin and other gift-type items such as mugs and totes, the Wall Street Journal reported. Each one occupies about 200 square feet. The test boutiques have proved successful thus far, and Barnes & Noble decided to expand the concept into more than two dozen other stores, said Patricia Bostelman, a vice president of marketing for the bookseller.
October 29, 2012 |
Hurricane Sandy is bearing down hard on the East Coast. Atlantic City, N.J., casinos have been evacuated. Jersey Shore is abandoned. Some Manhattan streets are starting to flood. The mega-storm has already smashed through construction sites, shut down stores and Wall Street and left even jaded residents slightly panicky. Vendors of essential items such as food, water, gas and batteries are prohibited from price-gouging during the tempest, warned New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
June 14, 2013 |
The gale force of controversy that's battered Lululemon Athletica Inc. in recent months would have left most executives curled up in a ball, bedridden and buried under a mound of crumpled tissues. Instead, the company's leadership team, which had to recall its too-sheer black yoga pants in March and has been suffering ever since, appears to be in stitches. On Monday, Chief Executive Christine Day said she would step down from her post once a replacement was found. The announcement came two months after Chief Product Officer Sheree Waterson was removed.


text:
- 3 updates
Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Letchford, Territorial Policing crime lead for the Met, said:
"Many of these phones and other devices are worth hundreds of pounds and not only contain personal information but may also have photographs of sentimental value that can't easily be replaced.
"People need to take as much care of their phones in the same way as they would their other valuables. They would be reluctant for example to openly display hundreds of pounds worth of cash in the street.
"There are a number of practical steps you can take to help protect against theft of your phone and which will give us the best chance in the event of a robbery or theft of getting it back for you. I would urge all owners to take the time to carry these out."
The people in this footage are in no way connected to the crimes mentioned by the Met.
Between April and September 2012, 28,800 iPhones alone (out of a total number of 56,680 mobiles) were reported stolen in London, that is 170 a day on average.
There were also 139,345 burglary, robbery and theft and handling stolen goods offences related to all phones, laptops and MP3 players between 1 October 2011 and end of September 2012, compared with 131,506 over the same time period the previous year, a rise of around 6%.
In England and Wales there are approximately 330,000 phones reported stolen a year. In London statistics show phones are stolen in around 70% of personal robberies.
The Metropolitan Police Service is warning owners of new electronic gadgets given as Christmas presents, to take steps to protect themselves from thieves as figures for personal robbery and theft start rising over the next few weeks.
The Met says there is a spike in figures at the end of December into January as children return to school and residents to work with their brand new acquisitions - making London attractive to robbers aiming to get their hands on the latest gadgets.
MPS figures show a historic pattern of increases in mobile phone crime offences in the month of January compared with the month of December. Latest available figures show that in December 2010 offences stood at 8,078 and rose to 8,613 in January 2011.


text:
Chain Store Age
HOUSTON - Stage Stores, Inc. has completed its previously announced acquisition of privately held B.C. Moore & Sons, Inc. The company acquired 78 retail locations, which are located throughout Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, as a result of the B.C. Moore purchase. The integration plan calls for 69 of the acquired locations to be converted into Peebles stores. The remaining nine locations will be closed.
The acquisition expands and strengthens the Stage Stores’ position in the Southeast and furthers its strategy of increasing the concentration of its store base into smaller and more profitable markets.
"We are pleased to have completed this acquisition so quickly, and we enthusiastically look forward to entering these new markets with our Peebles store format, Jim Scarborough, chairman and CEO of Stage, said. “Our new customers in these markets will enjoy our exceptional service, exciting brand names, merchandise selections and value in easy-to-shop and conveniently located stores."


text:
The CRN Test Center Lays Out Less-Hyped Areas That Can Bring Big Opportunity
Printer-friendly version Email this CRN article
In less than four years -- the same amount of time as a typical corporate IT refresh cycle -- we’ve seen more new software platforms, hardware platforms, device models and changes to use models than we’ve seen during any span in the industry’s history.
And while some new markets, like cloud computing, have gotten their share of attention and growth, others have been flying under the radar for many solution providers.
The CRN Test Center has had an opportunity to track a number of these emerging and growing areas, particularly those that have not gotten the same amount of ink or hype.
As the economy continues its slow turnaround from recession, and enterprises invest in real technology upgrades for the first time in several years, the opportunities for value that haven’t been considered are endless. Based on products and technologies we’ve actually reviewed in our lab, here is a list of 10 different segments that many VARs and enterprises have not yet considered as great areas of investment:
When Cisco first rolled out its Telepresence technology in 2006, it opened up to a greater market the possibility of high-definition videoconferencing. The astonishing clarity of the video and audio is breathtaking and so utterly cool that it has been a focal point of Hollywood productions and television programs like “24.” But with bandwidth requirements that are 150 times greater than voice calling, and significant infrastructure commitment, it’s clearly out of reach of most small and midsize businesses.
Two major developments have begun to occur, though, over the past six months that will put high-definition videoconferencing into more SMB enterprises. First, some vendors -- such as LifeSize, a division of peripheral maker Logitech -- have begun to ship HD-quality videoconferencing solutions that can be built into existing network infrastructures, even at small or midsize enterprises. Second, Apple and Skype have launched bold, aggressive videoconferencing solutions for smartphones -- including Apple’s FaceTime for iPhone and Skype for iPhone.
The CRN Test Center has examined LifeSize Passport, a solution with a street price ranging from $2,300 to $3,000. While a fraction of the cost of Telepresence, it’s still an investment. So we wanted to know: Does it eliminate cost and complexity and unleash the power of video communication? The answers: Kind of, yes and yes.
Passport is easy to install: It’s a matter of connecting the 14-ounce console to the network, the included camera to the console and the LCD to the console. Passport supports Skype, which cuts through even more complexity. Because it’s so light and compact, it’s easy to take when traveling as well -- not just on road trips but even from conference room to conference room.
The video is crisp and clear, and it supports audio devices that provide HDlevels of quality as well. For small or midsize businesses to find ROI in the LifeSize Passport solution, concerns including travel budgets, the importance of collaboration and a business’ culture are all important to consider.
As for Apple’s FaceTime and Skype for iPhone, it’s clear that mobile video calling and conferencing are here to stay. After taking a good look at both, there’s very little not to like with each.
Having video-anywhere capability will change expectations and use patterns; count on that sparking (for lack of a better phrase) a video revolution.
With what we’ve seen in just the past few months alone, this is an avenue that’s ripe for opportunity in the channel.
NEXT: Virtual Appliances


text:
|Day Low/High||0.00 / 0.00|
|52 Wk Low/High||23.06 / 26.75|
The weak outlook for oil prevails, and oil prices are sliding back toward an 11-year low.
Pep Boys (PBY) now prefers a deal with Carl Icahn, after the activist investor sweetened the bid for the auto parts maker for a valuation of about $1 billion.
Stocks were sharply lower after reopening following the Christmas break week nd.
The proposed takeout transaction of Pep Boys (PBY) highlights the valuation inconsistencies that now prevail in the retail sector. PBY undoubtedly has unique strategic merit to the parties bidding for it. But the fact remains that it's a pretty poor...
The board of Pep Boys (PBY) said on Wednesday that they support a newly sweetened offer by billionaire insurgent Carl Icahn.
Stocks ended sharply lower Monday after crude oil closed at its lowest level since February 2009.
U.S. stocks opened lower Monday as investors look to continue the monster rally after Friday's jobs report.
Oil prices continue to fall as OPEC nations fail to reach an agreement on production.
Stocks moved slightly lower in midday trading Monday as the energy sector sold off ahead of several key earnings reports from the industry's largest players later this week.
For Wednesday September 9, TheStreet awaits quarterly results from Barnes & Noble (BKS), Francesca's (FRAN), Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and Box (BOX).
For the week of September 4, TheStreet highlights more companies set to release earnings and some key economic reports.
For the week of June 8, we await earnings reports from Lululemon Athletica (LULU), Burlington Stores (BURL), Men's Wearhouse (MW), Box Inc (BOX) and Restoration Hardware (RH).
PEP Boys -- Manny Moe & Jack triggered our Day 1 alert on April 15.
A gunmaker preps preholiday sales figures, more aftermarket auto-parts news, a big loser after the bell yesterday, and Cramer's shopping ... where?
The auto parts retailer gets set to report, Cramer has big holiday sales expectations from one tech company and a big bunch of brands announce earnings.
It's a big week for retailers and homebuilders with a slew of big names reporting -- including Toll Brothers, Hovnanian, Costco and Lululemon.
Let's take a look at the overnight and early-morning price action in the major asset classes. The rundown: S&P futures are up 4; Nasdaq futures are up +15; Nikkei is up 2.48% -- Olympic fever (see below, all sectors higher); China Shanghai is up 3.3...
A few more companies report earnings next week, including Pep Boys and Pier 1 Imports. Brittany Umar details what lies in the week ahead.
Here is this week's roundup of the dumbest actions on Wall Street.
When the dust settles, investors will be thankful to Europe for the opportunities it's leaving in its wake.
A look at the day's most searched trends on the Web, including Dunkin' Donuts' plans for expansion targeting countries outside the U.S.
Arbitrage is the holy grail of investing -- constantly sought after but seldom discovered.


text:
A new study finds that just thinking about your mobile causes a drop in mental ability, as Lynn Elsey discovers.
Perhaps Steven Jobs is having a last laugh.
A team of researchers have found that the presence of a smartphone leads to a significant reduction in cognitive capacity – even if the phone is switched off.
The team, from the University of Texas at Austin, wanted to measure how smartphones affected the ability to complete tasks. Their results won’t impress phone addicts.
The research, which was recently published in the “University of Chicago’s Journal of Association for Consumer Research”, found that participants who had their phones on the desk, either face up or down, performed significantly worse on tasks than subjects who left their phones in another room and slightly worse than those who kept their phones in a handbag or in a pocket.
They surmise that the mere presence of a phone may overwhelm limited-capacity cognitive resources, “thereby leaving fewer resources available for other tasks and undercutting cognitive performance.” It could be that the presence of a smartphone channels brain activity away from tasks at hand and towards focusing on avoiding picking up or using the phone.
“Out of sight, out of mind”
“Your conscious mind isn’t thinking about your smartphone, but that process – the process of requiring yourself not to think about something – uses up some of your limited resources,” said Adrian Ward, an assistant professor of marketing and the leader author on the study.
The results weren’t affected by the phone being turned on or off, indicating that simply having a phone within sight or easy reach reduces the ability to perform tasks and to focus.
The researchers conclude that because smartphones transcend the normal realm of how new innovations impact consumers’ lives, “they have become “constant companions, offering unprecedented connection to information, entertainment and each other,” and therefore have an enormous potential to influence consumers.
The study authors suggest enacting “defined and protected periods of separation”, including using apps to track, filter and limit smartphone use.
The research adds to an increasing level of research about the negative impact of digital devices on concentration levels, including a study by De Montfort University (UK) that found a link between the time someone spent on a mobile phone or the internet and cognitive failures. Anyone looking to compound their concerns about smartphones should read psychology professor Jean Twenge’s recently published article in The Atlantic.
This article was originally published in the online journal of the Law Society of NSW.


text:
Lagoonfest Texas Introduces Pop-Up Shipping Containers for Restaurant, Bars, Party Decks
Visitors to Lagoonfest Texas at Lago Mar this summer will be greeted by a new entry plaza constructed of materials that could just as easily be sitting atop railcars.
Sixteen shipping containers have been customized specifically for Lagoonfest Texas — opening May 28 — and will be used as bars, a restaurant, entertainment stage, rooftop party decks, ticket booth and restrooms to frame a diamond-shaped courtyard. Transportable, the containers lend a more permanent appearance than tents, said Uri Man, CEO of The Lagoon Development Company.
“Our company’s mission is to bring family-friendly luxury beach life to the general public at an affordable price,” he said. “This year we want to deliver a more elevated experience to people visiting Lagoonfest Texas than what we offered during last year’s Summer Lagoonfest. These containers will be configured into a beautiful courtyard where people can relax, listen to live music and enjoy the resort-style ambiance.”
As the land around the lagoon is developed into a planned entertainment district with a boardwalk, restaurants, a hotel and more, the containers can be moved to another location along the lagoon or to a Crystal Lagoons® amenity in a different Land Tejas community.
“Last summer’s Lagoonfest served as a beta test for the future beach club we plan to build on the shores of Lago Mar,” Man said. “With these new container systems and expanded beaches, we expect to have more than 150,000 visitors this year, proving out the viability of the public beach club concept.”
All involved with Lagoonfest are excited about the expanded capability the containers bring.
“The new facility was designed to enhance the overall guest experience and improve onsite operations,” said John Hughes, President of Cleartide, which is engaged to manage day-to-day operations of Lagoonfest Texas.
Eighteen-wheelers delivered the containers to the site, originally traveling from Hong Kong by cargo ship. Ten of the containers measure 20 feet wide and six are 40 feet wide. All are 10 feet deep and all come plug-and-play for the purpose they were designed for.
“Lighting and cabinetry were installed in the USA and there are already power and water hook-ups,” Man said. “The kitchen container even has a fryer and grill.”
Cranes and forklifts were used to unload the containers from the trucks and place them on the ground, which had already been leveled and prepared for their arrival. Man said it’s then just a matter of bolting the containers in place and installing the subfloor and decking on the roofs that will be used as party decks. It is expected to take about four days to complete.
All of the containers were originally manufactured as shipping containers before being repurposed.
“Seeing them now, it’s hard to imagine they could have been used to actually ship coal or manufactured products,” Man said.
The exteriors feature white shiplap and the interiors sport a white and natural wood color theme with black railings, white awnings and comfortable furniture.
Visitors to Lagoonfest Texas will be able to enjoy the plaza amenities during the day and after the sun sets and the lagoon closes, hang out in the courtyard to relax, eat and drink and listen to live music.
The containers and courtyard are part of $2.2 million in enhancements to Lagoonfest Texas, rebranded from last year’s Summer Lagoonfest. Other improvements include deeper white-sand beaches that triple the amount of available beach; a greater selection of luxury cabanas and seating; more kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and sailboats; a 185-foot, five-story waterslide; and a new electric ferry that will transport people to a VIP luxury beach experience where patrons can enjoy bottle service. Lagoonfest Texas also boasts the largest floating obstacle course on a lagoon in the U.S.
Admission for Lagoonfest Texas, which takes place within the Lago Mar community at 3240 Lago Mar Blvd., starts at $15 for children under age 13 and $20 for those age 13 and older. Prices are subject to change and will vary based on day of week and demand. Children age 2 and under get in for free. Advance tickets are available at www.LagoonfestTexas.com.
COVID-19 guidelines will be enforced, including no cash transactions, frequent cleaning and enhanced sanitation of high-traffic areas and the requirement of masks for entry, exit and in all common areas.


text:
Kathmandu, February 23
Nepali-born British fashion designer Sanyukta Shrestha has been announced as a finalist for the ‘Wedding Outfit Designer of the Year 2024’ and ‘Wedding Boutique of the Year Award’ 2024 by Britain’s Asian Wedding Awards 2024.
Shrestha in a press statement stated that she is very excited and honoured to be the finalist again for not just one but two great awards this year after winning Britain’s Asian Wedding Award 2023.
“Winning this prestigious award in 2020 and 2023 was an unforgettable moment and being voted by the brides, this nomination again has added another milestone for our brand,” reads the statement.
Winner of the Peta Luxury Vegan Wedding Award, Shrestha is the first designer of Nepali origin to have her design preserved and documented amongst over 100,000 objects in the history of The Fashion Museum, UK since the 16th century to date.


text:
TORREVIEJA’S department of commerce and business has launched a campaign to promote the upcoming Black Friday.
Over the past few years, the municipality has joined many others across Spain and across the world in adopting what was a traditional American event that encourages shops and stores to sell things at much reduced prices ahead of the Christmas season. For the USA, it’s always held the day after the Thursday Thanksgiving holiday.
Torrevieja Councillor Manuel Osuna, said: “We are aware that we can’t compete against the aggressive advertising campaigns of the big brands, but what we have done is to make a dedicated website available for Torrevieja business people to use. This will be promoted throughout a campaign both on social media and the other usual outlets.”
The website will contain all the shops in Torrevieja that will have special ‘Black Friday’ offers that will be held on Friday November 24 and Saturday November 25. Those wishing to advertise on the web page can elect whether to be part of it from the beginning of the campaign or just from November 22.
Any business interested can register by sending an e-mail to [email protected] with an accompanying photo of the product or trade, a sign or logo, location, and type of business. Further information can be obtained by calling 96 507 4310.


text:
Interesting choice of clothing, Kendall Jenner!
When the 20-year-old stepped out for a breakfast date with niece Penelope Disick and big sister Kourtney Kardashian on Monday, we were a little shocked to see the model's nipple ring so prominently displayed underneath her figure-hugging, flesh-colored dress.
RELATED: Harry Styles is Getting a Tattoo in Honor of Kendall Jenner
(Photo Credit: Splash)
Given that Penelope is an impressionable three-year-old, we're not entirely sure why Kendall decided to forgo a bra during this particular outing — but it's certainly raised a few eyebrows!
Kourtney was more appropriately dressed in a pair of high-waisted jeans and a white t-shirt with a suede jacket resting over her shoulders.
The 36-year-old has been killing it in the fashion department recently, turning heads in a metallic silver dress at a Golden Globes after party.
Kendall could benefit from learning a thing or two about covering up from her older sis!
Your life just got exponentially better and more stylish now you've signed up for our newsletter. Fabulousness awaits!


text:
To print this post
US Stock Markets Ended August 10, 2018
Small-cap equites outperformed large-caps last week as the S&P SmallCap 600 Index returned 0.78% and the S&P 500 Index returned -0.18%. The S&P 500 index showed a gain of 65 bps through Tuesday as consumer discretionary, energy, information technology, and financials sectors led the climb. However, equities leveled off on news of more Chinese import tariffs from the Trump administration. The S&P 500 Index opened down on Friday as equity markets around the globe declined on negative news of Turkey's financial crisis. Turkey's economy is struggling as their currency continues to lose value, increasing the amount Turkish companies owe on their foreign debts. US initial jobless claims of 213K were lower than the consensus estimate of 220K and the previous week's 218K. Crude oil prices closed the week at $67.63 per barrel, declining 1.26% for the week. Tesla Inc., an electric vehicle manufacturer, jumped 10.99% on Tuesday after CEO Elon Musk tweeted he is contemplating taking the company private and claiming to have secured funding. Media outlets began reporting that regulators are looking into his use of social media instead of a filing to announce his possible intentions. CenturyLink Inc., a telecommunications company, was the week's best performing stock in the S&P 500 Index. The stock returned 13.54% last week after announcing stronger than expected second quarter earnings and increasing their profit outlook for 2018. Michael Kors Holdings Limited, a designer and distributor of apparel and accessories, returned 13.12% last week. The company announced better than expected quarterly earnings on improving adjusted gross margins, decreased product discounting, and strong sales in their Jimmy Choo shoe line. Among the companies reporting this week are Walmart Inc., The Home Depot Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., NVIDIA Corp, Applied Materials Inc. and many others.
Monday, August 13, 2018 @ 8:34 AM
These posts were prepared by First Trust Advisors L.P., and reflect the current opinion of the authors. They are based upon sources and data believed to be accurate and reliable. Opinions and forward looking statements expressed are subject to change without notice. This information does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security.


text:
Independent Canadian developer Daniel Mullins, known for horror adventures Pony Island and The Hex, has released the insane card horror Inscryption. The game takes place in Lesheis hut, where youll have to find a way out. Players must assemble a deck of cards of forest creatures that will help unlock the secrets of the madness going on.
But it will have to be extracted in a variety of ways, such as surgery and self-harm. Inscryption is already available on Steam and can be purchased for just $494 until November 1.
More on Gamemania For Dead by Daylight, Hour of the Witch chapter is released with a new Microsoft survivor: On November 15, there will be a festive broadcast to celebrate Xbox and Halo Hunter Bonuses heads — whats new in Red Dead Online.


text:
The fully interactive video will be available online at Who What Wear beginning next Thursday.
The shirts have names such as The Verb, The Preposition, The Dangling Modifier, The Conjunction and The Split Infinitive.
G-III will own 49 percent of the joint venture, while Amlon will own the balance.
G-III is taking a two-prong attack this fall: DKNY for Macy’s and Donna Karan for other department stores.
One Jeanswear Group is producing the juniors collection of denim targeted to midtier department stores.
Los Angeles-based Mizrahi counts Katy Perry, Nicole Richie and Riley Keough as clients. Her first Juicy collection hits stores in spring 2018.
Her first apparel collection was inspired by her character on “Being Mary Jane,” where she plays a news anchor.
The line has blurred between resort and ready-to-wear, whether beach-to-street styles or a swimsuit and bodysuit hybrid.
As the category outpaces the struggling retail sector, three trade shows — SwimShow, Hammock and Cabana — begin July 22.


text:
The 4G variant of the Nokia 3310 smartphone has surfaced on TENAA. The listing exposes the core specifications of the upcoming device. The Nokia 3310 4G with model number TA-1077 has been exclusively designed to deliver an improved experience via the integrated dual-core processor.
The main attraction of the handset is that it will ship with enhanced RAM and storage capacity when compared with the currently available Nokia 3310. According to reports, the Nokia 3310 4G model will be released during the upcoming MWC 2018 towards the end of February.
Upon inspection of the TENAA listing, we can infer that the Nokia 3310 4G variant is designed to support a wide range of bands such as Band 38, 39, 40 and 40 including standards like GSM, TD-LTE, and TD-SCDMA. We can expect the device to offer support for few 4G networks in India. As per reports, HMD Global will release a new model to cater to the demands of the Indian market.
Talking about the specifications, the Nokia 3310 4G features a 2.4-inch display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 256MB RAM paired with 512MB internal storage. If you compare the previously released Nokia 3310, the device was shipped with a 360MHz single-core processor with 64GB RAM. Based on rumors, the upcoming Nokia 3210 will be pre-loaded with YunOS 5.2.0 and will be powered by a 1200mAh battery.
Even though the memory and storage have been enhanced, the new Nokia 3310 4G will have the same design as the currently available counterpart. If rumors are to be believed, HMD Global will unveil the Nokia 3310 4G model during the MWC 2018 in Barcelona. The company is scheduled to conduct an event on January 19 in China. We can expect the launch of several new Android smartphones, which includes 2018 editions of the Nokia 6 and Nokia 8 smartphones.
more recommended stories
Odysseus Lunar South Pole Odyssey: Historic Mission in Tilted State
Odysseus managed to land on the.
Odysseus Makes History: Soft Landing on Moon Ends 50-Year American Lunar Hiatus
The United States marked a historic.
Microsoft’s Copilot in Windows Now Manages System Settings and Accessibility with Ease
Microsoft has announced a new runtime.
Microsoft Copilot: A Year of Enhancing Productivity and Unleashing Creativity
Microsoft Copilot is celebrating its birthday..
Chandrayaan-3: NASA’s Laser Beams Confirm Vikram Lander as Lunar Focal Point
The Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3 has.
Microsoft Unveils Copilot Pro: Elevating AI Capabilities for Microsoft 365 Users
Microsoft has rolled out Copilot Pro.
India Blocks Access to Binance, Kucoin, and OKX For Financial Violations
Google has removed access to foreign.
ISRO and SpaceX Join Forces: GSAT-20 to be Launched via Falcon-9
ISRO has established a strategic partnership.
Microsoft Copilot Android app now available: Check out how it works
Microsoft recently released Copilot Android app.
Microsoft Copilot Android app Quietly Lands on Google Play: What You Need to Know
Microsoft Copilot Android app is now.


text:
The Stem in the Sky eclipse event at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center is from noon to 4:30 p.m.
This time, the path of total eclipse will be about 70 miles wide and begins in OR on the west coast and travels to SC on the east coast, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reports on its eclipse website, eclipse2017.nasa.gov.
At Lake Mead, 71 percent of the sun will be eclipsed.
The next solar eclipse visible from the continental United States will be April 8, 2024.More news: Secretary Mattis says United States is 'ready' to counter North Korean threat
As a measure of excitement surrounding the event, a leading supplier of solar lenses, Arizona-based Thousand Oaks Optical, has sold enough of its filters this year alone to produce roughly 100 million pairs of glasses, company owner Pat Steele-Gaishin told Reuters. Special eclipse shades will be available.
The public is encouraged to come and learn about the Solar Eclipse that will take place on August 21, and how to view the eclipse safely.
NPS said to view the sun during the eclipse, use eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer.
The American Astronomical Society has listed manufacturers of eclipse glasses on their site, which are verified to be compliant with the ISO 12312-2 worldwide safety standard. If you stare at the sun without protection, you may experience damage to your retina (the tissue at the back of your eye) called "solar retinopathy".


text:
Square Enix will have its own E3 showcase on Sunday, June 13, during the kickoff weekend for E3 2021, the organization reported Thursday.
Known as Square Enix Presents, the show will go live at 3:15 p.m. EDT/12:15 p.m. PDT on June 13. In its declaration, Square Enix called out a few items that will show up at the feature, most eminently a “world premiere” coming from Eidos-Montreal. The showcase will last around 40 minutes, and fans can watch on YouTube or Twitch.
Eidos-Montreal is the studio behind Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. After Mankind Divided’s launch in 2016, Kotaku and Eurogamer revealed that Eidos-Montreal was working on a new Marvel project instead of proceeding with the Deus Ex franchise. The studio’s next game is supposedly founded on Guardians of the Galaxy.
Square Enix will uncover something other than Eidos-Montreal’s most recent title at its E3 2021 show. The showcase will feature reports on Babylon’s Fall from PlatinumGames, Life is Strange: True Colors from Deck Nine, and Marvel’s Avengers from Crystal Dynamics. The latter will comprise of subtleties on the upcoming Black Panther – War for Wakanda expansion, which will at long last add Black Panther to the roster.
Thursday’s declaration didn’t specify the upcoming Final Fantasy 16 at all, which is somewhat odd, considering fans haven’t seen a large part of the game since October . While the game could in any case show up during the showcase, it’s conceivable that Square Enix might not have anything to show. With Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade coming just days in front of the show, it appears to be far-fetched that we’ll get a report on the next entry in Cloud Strife’s adventure.
Fans will get familiar with what Square Enix does — and doesn’t — need to show when E3 2021 beginnings one week from now.


text:
By Mary Carroll, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Starbucks first opened their doors for business in Brazil back in December 2006 starting off in São Paulo and since expanding to several cities across the country. The latest venture has been in Rio de Janeiro, with the arrival of Starbucks in Ipanema on Rua Visconde de Piraja.
The coffeehouse which is famed the world over for its delectable coffee, cozy atmosphere, and savory and sweet treats – seems a good match for the locals in Ipanema and travelers alike.
After opening a Starbucks at Leblon Shopping in December 2008, the new opening in Ipanema is evidence of the success in Rio.
Martin Coles, president of Starbucks Coffee International, said that bringing the business to Brazil in 2006 represented “another significant milestone for Starbucks in our goal toward building a global brand.”
Starbuck’s determination to expand in South America’s biggest economy should come as no surprise, as most Western countries have been affected by the economic crisis, it makes sense to look to growing markets. Especially, in the affluent neighborhoods of Zona Sul (South Zone), home to Rio’s middle and upper classes, and Starbucks’ target market.
Initially Starbucks came to Brazil as a limited company, 51 percent owned by Café Sereia do Brasil (company formed by a group of investors to bring the chain to Brazil) and 49 percent by Starbucks International. However, in August 2010, Starbucks Corporation announced that it had assumed 100 percent ownership through the acquisition of Café Sereia do Brasil.
It was believed the move would accelerate growth for Starbucks across Brazil, a move that may have been inevitable. Though it was the the Brazilian investors sought to bring Starbucks to Brazil, it was probably also an easier option for Starbucks to tap into the Brazil by partnering up with investors who knew the market well and spoke the language.
Pablo Arizmendi, Vice President of Starbucks Coffee Latin America, went as far as to thank Peter Rodenbeck, a Café Sereia partner, “for establishing Starbucks as a trusted and respected brand in Brazil.”
Starbucks prides itself on what it claims to be the ethical sourcing of products. They continue to demonstrate the ethical business aspect by supporting community social projects in Brazil. Prior to opening its operations in Brazil, Starbucks partnered with Todos pela Educacao (Everybody for Education), a non-governmental organization committed to supporting educational initiatives.
The man who brought McDonald’s to Brazil in 1979, Peter Rodenbeck who is a native of Michigan and naturalized Brazilian, explains that one of the key factors to Starbuck’s success in Brazil has been the adaptation of the menu to suit the Brazilian market. The man responsible for this adaptation was the managing director Ricardo Carvalheira.
Carvalheira recognized the need for more savory products to draw Brazilian consumers into the coffeehouse culture. “Our concern was to bring products that customers would make an immediate connection with.”
As a result, he developed a series of new products in the line of snacks, sandwiches, savory muffins which can now be found on the menu. “Today on our food menu, pão de queijo is our top seller so it was a sure decision,” he said.
In terms of the local tastes for dark, strong coffee, customers can request a strong, extra-roasted “Brazilian blend” coffee made from locally sourced beans.


text:
Southlake is bringing bock its Oktoberfest fall festival.
The city’s Chamber of Commerce has announced the fall event, which before last year’s hiatus due to the coronavirus routinely drew more than 100,000, will return in 2021 to Southlake Town Square.
The chamber organizes the free festival, which is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year from Oct. 15-17.
Another welcome return for festival goers, organizers say, is the popular wiener dog race. Food, artisan vendors and music round out the event’s programming. A ticket system is used to purchase food and alcohol.
Free parking and a shuttle will be available from White’s Chapel United Methodist Church.


text:
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is Teaming with UEFA Europa League
Photo courtesy of Enterprise
Enterprise Rent-A-Car will be increasing its international advertising exposure dramatically as it has signed on to become the official worldwide sponsor of a hugely popular European soccer league.
According to Enterprise, the company and the UEFA Europa League signed a three-year agreement starting during the 2015-16 season and concluding at the close of the 2017-18 campaign.
Enterprise hopes the conspicuously-placed logos will do their part to engage potential customers. The brand name will be found on perimeter boards during matches, post-match interview backdrops and throughout UEFA’s digital platforms.
This is an all-encompassing sponsorship that includes every game from the group stage matches to the championship. Overall, the deal will cover all 205 games, and Enterprise is hoping to reach the estimated 175 million football fans in Europe.
Jim Stoeppler, Enterprise Rent-A-Car vice president of European brand marketing, released a statement about the sponsorship and the company’s dedication to the European market:
“Sponsoring the UEFA Europa League is a big moment for Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Europe. Our first European office was established in the UK over 20 years ago, and now, through organic growth, acquisition and franchise partnerships, we have a business that spans almost every nation on the continent. We anticipate that this sponsorship will cement awareness of the Enterprise brand across Europe and further engage with customers.”
The advertising deal is just the latest installment of Enterprise’s expansion across Europe. The company can now be found in 32 European countries, with more than 1,000 locations and a fleet of more than 170,000 vehicles.
More by Donald Wood
Get Travel Deals and Travel News
Recent Travel Opinions
Airlines & Airports
Features & Advice
Destination & Tourism


text:
Euronet Worldwide’s proposal to outbid a Chinese behemoth for control of Dallas-based MoneyGram International Inc. moved a step forward on Monday.
MoneyGram’s board of directors announced that Euronet’s bid last week to buy the money services company for $15.20 per share “could reasonably be expected to result in a...superior proposal” compared with a competing offer of $13.25 a share from Ant Financial earlier this year.
The announcement said MoneyGram’s board plans to further consider Euronet’s all-cash offer, including holding discussions with the company.
Euronet’s $15.20 a share offer places a nearly $2 billion value on MoneyGram, according to analyst Peter Heckmann, with Avondale Partners.
Meanwhile Monday, Ant Financial reportedly is considering whether to make a higher offer for MoneyGram, according to a Bloomberg News report that cited unidentified sources.
The source said it’s likely that Ant will either counter the bid with a higher offer, or say that it will wait until Euronet finishes carrying out its due diligence before delivering a rival bid.
Leawood-based Euronet is a financial payments company that has a network of more than 35,000 ATMs and 800,000 point-of-sale terminals. Euronet had previously bid for MoneyGram in 2008 and again in 2013.
Ant Financial serves more than 450 million customers and provides services from wealth management and insurance to credit checks and consumer loans. It is controlled by Chinese billioniaire Jack Ma, who also runs online merchant Alibaba Group.
Ant's plan to take over MoneyGram was presented by the two companies as a fait accompli when it was announced on Jan. 26, with the deal expected to be completed this year once regulators approved it. That acquisition was aimed at helping Ant expand outside China, but it probably faces scrutiny from a Treasury Department agency that reviews foreign purchases of U.S. companies.
MoneyGram said in its announcement Monday that its board still supports the proposed merger with Ant, and directors have not made any recommendation regarding Euronet’s higher offer.
Heckmann wrote in a report Monday that Euronet’s bid represented not only a 15 percent premium to Ant’s offer, but offered a “much clearer path” to regulatory approval.
“Euronet, unlike Ant, will not need to undergo Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States review” to acquire MoneyGram, Heckmann said.
He also said the deal appeared to be “very attractive” for Euronet shareholders.
Euronet did not have an immediate comment on Monday. Last week, the company said a combination with MoneyGram would lead to more services at more locations and would save $60 million in cost synergies.


text:
Can Foxconn turn Sharp's fortunes around?
Two bailouts in three years, chronic losses and debts and a century old legacy - the board of Japan's Sharp Corp certainly has its work cut out.
Trying to save one of the giants of the Japanese tech sector has been challenging to say the least, but even harder if the defacto response in your industry to any foreign takeover deal is usually a no.
That's because Japan's technology sector is historically extremely insular, and has been reluctant to let outsiders in.
But when times are tough, business acumen trumps nationalistic tendencies.
Sharp, a major producer of display screens for smartphones, tablets and TVs, has struggled to turn a profit for some years now.
A takeover by Foxconn, which assembles smart phones and TV sets for the likes of Apple and Sony could help Sharp to sell its liquid crystal display panels elsewhere in the region, and inject fresh funds and ideas into the ailing electronics maker.
What Sharp used to make:
1915 TO 1919: The Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil, which is where the company got its name from, was one of Sharp's founder's first inventions
1925 TO 1930: First generation Japanese radio sets
1953 TO 1954: Japan's first commercially produced TV set
1960 TO 1961: Mass production of colour televisions.
1964 TO 1966: The world's first all transistor-diode electronic calculator.
1976 TO 1978: Sharp develops a TV employing an EL panel that is a mere 3 cm thick.
1992: LCD ViewCam, ushering in a new era in video cameras.
1999: Sharp announces the world's first 20-inch LCD TVs
2007: Sharp develops a 108V-inch LCD TV that it shows at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Although this deal is the biggest foreign takeover of a major Japanese tech firm it's not the first time we've seen a foreign company get involved with a Japanese one.
Remember Nissan back in 1999? It formed a strategic partnership with France's Renault, and the two firms are joined together through a cross-shareholding agreement. To be fair though, Renault owns 43.4% of Nissan, with full voting rights, whereas Nissan owns a 15% stake in Renault - and has no voting rights. So guess who controls that relationship?
That the Nissan-Renault deal was structured in such a way was likely to assuage concerns at the time of foreign interference in Japanese business. Almost two decades later it will be interesting to see what form the Foxconn-Sharp deal will take if it happens.
But Sharp has been burned by Foxconn before, so it may be more cautious this time round and push for more on the deal table.
In 2012 Sharp nearly entered bankruptcy struggling against the competition from cheaper South Korean and Chinese rivals. According to reports, Foxconn agreed to buy a 10% stake in Sharp for some $800m (£573.5m). But after Sharp's share price continued to fall the two companies failed to come to an agreement on the renegotiated share price both sides were willing to accept.
But turning Sharp around won't be easy. Even after two bailouts it has been unable to turn its fortunes around. Will Foxconn be able to succeed where others have failed?
Some analysts say that Foxconn's offer doesn't pass "the smell test." Atul Goyal, at Jefferies is a Sharp watcher, and points out "Given Foxconn's track record with earlier panel acquisitions..it doesn't bode well for shareholders of Sharp."
He adds that it isn't entirely clear "what Foxconn wants….It doesn't have experience in any of Sharp's businesses."
One of the reasons perhaps, why Sharp's shares were so volatile today.


text:
JELL-O CHIPS IN
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 11:00 p.m.
The folks at Jell-O have produced a set of new flavors of instant pudding. The new entries are chocolate caramel chip (chocolate instant pudding with caramel chips) chocolate mint chip (chocolate fudge instant pudding with mint chips), vanilla chocolate chip (vanilla pudding with “chocolatey chips" -- they aren’t made with chocolate), and Oreo cookies and creme (cookies and creme instant pudding with pieces of Oreo cookies).
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Comments are currently unavailable on this article


text:
Apple could soon unveil its first new product for the year 2017. While there’s no official confirmation yet, the Apple Store in the US is currently down. At the time of filing this story, the Store is still down, and instead there’s a message that ... ( read original story ...)
Seasoned Apple-watchers know that Apple’s Store doesn’t mysteriously go down ‘for maintenance’ by accident. Mother and son guilty of incest say they'll stay together When it does, it’s usually a sign that some big new product is incoming – and ... ( read original story ...)
The Apple Store has gone down, probably signalling new iPhones are on the way. It's not possible to buy anything from Apple online at the moment. And while that might just be because the store is being updated, it's far more likely that it signals new ... ( read original story ...)
The Apple online store will go down for scheduled “maintenance” tomorrow morning, and while it’s offline, you might want to get your credit card ready. Recent rumors have promised Apple will launch new products this week, and although there are no ... ( read original story ...)
Apple has pulled down the online Apple Store this morning. The downtime, which was revealed last night via an update to its System Status webpage, is for "maintenance". Apple will keep the online retail pages offline between between 3:00am and 8:30am ... ( read original story ...)
Apple is now letting everybody know when the Apple Store goes down for maintenance ahead of time. The Apple System Status page shows besides the current status of a service also upcoming maintenance. Don't Miss: Find a NES Classic in stock online This is a ... ( read original story ...)
Apple recently announced that it will be closing its Apple Store today, and customers won’t be able to place orders for Apple products from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. Eastern. The company didn’t reveal the reason for the scheduled maintenance downtime, but it ... ( read original story ...)
When will the iPhone 7s be released in the UK, and how different will it be from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus? And what tech specs and new features should we expect from Apple's new iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus handsets for 2017? Apple unveiled the new ... ( read original story ...


text:
OLPC Raises Laptop Price to $175
April 28, 2007 4:55 PM
comment(s) - last by
Even though the price of the OLPC has risen to $175, it is still cheaper than alternative projects
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) group recently announced that its low-cost laptop would be raised from $100 up to $175, but the group is still confident that enough orders will be placed for the group to begin mass production before September. The goal behind the project is planning to offer inexpensive notebook computers to school children in developing nations.
Even with an
increased price tag of $175
, the notebooks are still much cheaper than what the computer industry has traditionally offered. OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte previously stated the price of the notebooks could drop almost 25 percent per year.
A number of factors have caused the increase in the laptop, including design costs and a raise in price of nickel.
"We are perhaps at the most critical stage of OLPC's life," said Negroponte.
Using a modified version of Red hat Linux, the Quanta Computer-built laptop offers users an interface that has pictographic icons instead of traditional windows and folders.
OLPC reportedly already has 2.5 million unit orders, but has to reach the 3 million order mark before May 30, or the group's hardware suppliers will not have enough time to get parts ready, according to Negroponte.
OLPC officials said on Thursday that it may offer
laptops to U.S. schools
, even though the group previously said that the laptops would be for foreign children only.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Classmate PC has a competetive edge in the U.S.
4/29/2007 5:15:16 AM
1)Intel has targeted schools in developed countries incl the U.S. with its "Classmate PC".
2) With twice as much memory, twice as much storage capacity, and a significantly faster processor, the Classmate PC outstrips the 2B1 in terms of specs, and manages to do so for just over $100 more. Although some might say that the Classmate PC is a better value than the 2B1 given the pricing.
Classmate PC features a 900 Mhz Intel Celeron M processor, 256 MB of RAM, and an embedded version of Windows XP.
3) The Classmate PC's ability to run mainstream commercial software marks a different approach than the One Laptop Per Child project. One hopes Intel will create strong relationships with independent software vendors and get free academic software licenses so that quality applications can be shipped with the machine at no additional cost.
4)Consumers are more interested in affordable computers that can run mainstream desktop software.
"It looks like the iPhone 4 might be their Vista, and I'm okay with that." -- Microsoft COO Kevin Turner
Report: Next-Generation Surface RT Tablet to Feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon Processor
June 19, 2013, 8:41 AM
Google Starts Testing Balloons to Provide Internet Service to Ground Users
June 19, 2013, 8:20 AM
Lenovo Introduces $900, 15" ThinkPad S531 Ultrabook
June 18, 2013, 3:46 PM
Just How Powerful is the Xbox One? Microsoft is Confused
June 18, 2013, 11:30 AM
Microsoft Offering Schools/Colleges $199 Surface RT Tablets
June 18, 2013, 10:24 AM
Quick Note: First "Apple Approved" iOS Game Controller Pictured
June 17, 2013, 10:20 AM
Most Popular Articles
Source: Don't Worry, NSA Spies on "99 Percent" of Americans' Locations, Call Records
June 14, 2013, 3:57 PM
Xbox Chief: If You Can't Get Online, Don't Buy an Xbox One
June 12, 2013, 9:57 AM
GigaHertz Wars 2.0? AMD Releases World's First 5.0 GHz FX Processor
June 11, 2013, 3:16 PM
Former Palm CEO: Selling Palm to HP was a Waste
June 12, 2013, 10:19 AM
Report: Apple to Release Larger iPhone Screens, Cheaper iPhone for $99
June 13, 2013, 9:41 AM
Latest Blog Posts
Lumosity: Does it Work?
May 22, 2013, 8:20 PM
Quick Note: Sony "Teases" PS4 Ahead of Xbox Reveal in New Video
May 20, 2013, 12:33 PM
Nokia Introduces Instagram-Like App of Its Own to Help Lumia Sales
May 20, 2013, 7:10 AM
Parents of Pre-Teen Drivers Commonly Practice Distracted Driving Says Study
May 9, 2013, 7:16 AM
Apple's iOS 7 Running Into Internal Delays Due to Massive Overhaul
May 1, 2013, 4:26 PM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2013 DailyTech LLC. -
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information


text:
Instagram seems to have accidentally leaked a new mobile app it’s currently testing, as last week several Android users posted snapshots of an Instagram banner ad that said, “Introducing Bolt.”
“Bolt” is described as a “one-tap photo messaging” app, and looks a lot like ephemeral service Snapchat. But when users tried to click through to learn more about the product, they were linked to a dead end on the Google Play store.
The leak of “Bolt” may sound familiar. In June of this year, Instagram’s parent company Facebook mistakenly unveiled its own Snapchat clone, “Slingshot,” but pulled the new mobile app shortly after the premature release.
Facebook has clearly been focused on creating a product to rival Snapchat after the start-up turned down its $3 billion takeover bid in 2013, and many are speculating that “Bolt” is the platform’s latest attempt. However, so far neither Instagram nor its parent company Facebook has confirmed the launch of the new app.
Meanwhile, some in the industry think that rather than a new mobile app, the “Bolt” banner ad was simply a test of mobile app install ads. If that’s the case, the launch of mobile app install ads within Instagram also makes strategic sense for Facebook, whose most recent earnings report shows that mobile advertising accounted for 62 percent of the total ad revenue during the second quarter of 2014.
So what do you think of the leak of “Bolt”? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Many companies use SMS, email and push notifications to deliver updates to customers and stakeholders, and such notifications are especially important to publishers ... read more
Every year, the average business spends thousands of dollars on Facebook ads but has little or nothing to show for it. If this is true for your business, what can you do about it?
Twitter's own statistics say that videos are six times more likely to be retweeted than photos, and three times more likely than GIFs. But what is it that makes video on Twitter so effective?
Snapchat started as a simple messaging app that made the idea of ephemeral messages into a trend among social platforms.


text:
Anonymous hacks companies and forces them into charitable donations
Uh-oh! Thousands of private and government organisations are furiously flicking through their accounts and statements after hacktivists linked to the Anonymous collective made off with a load of credit card information from an American security firm on Christmas Eve.
Then, they went and made a load of donations to charities, which is pretty funny. Apparently, the hackers donated $500,000 to charities online using the stolen data.
The attack went after Stratfor, a Texas-based company which helps to do the security for banks, oil companies and police agencies and of course, a fair chunk of the hack was posted online with files including more than 50,000 credit card, 87,000 email addresses and 44,000 encrypted passwords. British firms such as BP, HSBC and Tesco are named in the files.
“Just a small preview of the mayhem to come,” a message posted with the sample said, “one out of 2.7 million”.
The action was given the name of “Operation Robin Hood” by supporters, but critics chided the hack by saying that the fraudulent donations would only tie up charity staff with administration.
“At the first glance, actions like this look a bit like the actions of Robin Hood - steal from the rich, give to the poor”, said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure and a leading commentator on cyber crime. “In fact, these actions will just end up hurting the charities, not helping them.”
“When credit card owners see unauthorized charges on their cards, they report them to their bank or credit card company. Credit card companies will do a chargeback to the charities, which will have to return the money. In some cases, charities could be hit with penalties. At the very least, they will lose time and money in handling the chargebacks.”
Or, each firm could sort their security out and let the charitable donations stand as a nice gesture?


text:
The need to replace aging machines and upgrade to Windows 7 drives uptick in corporate market.
Although the overall market for PCs is contracting amid competition from tablets and phones, sales of desktops to businesses were up significantly in the most recent quarter, Microsoft said in an earnings report.
For the three months ended March 31, business PC sales to enterprises and SMBs increased 9% worldwide, according to the company. "On the business desktop, customers continue to embrace our offerings," said Microsoft, on a conference call Thursday with analysts.
Industry watchers said the gain was driven by the fact that most companies are long overdue for new PC hardware because they held off on technological investments during the recession.
Sandeep Aggarwal, an analyst at Caris & Company and former strategic planner at Microsoft, said businesses typically purchase new PCs about every 36 to 40 months, but many have now stretched that out to 45 months or longer due to the economic downturn.
"There is a very aging population in the business installed base right now, that's what's driving the growth" said Aggarwal, in an interview. He estimates that the U.S business PC market grew about 6% to 7% in the quarter while emerging markets grew at about 11% to 12%.
Additionally, businesses are becoming sufficiently comfortable with Windows 7, which debuted in October 2009, to adopt it organization wide. "Enterprise deployments [of Windows 7 PCs] have more than doubled in the past six months," said Klein.
In many cases, that has required new hardware. "Most vendors aren't even shipping Windows XP anymore," said Aggarwal. Microsoft ended "mainstream" support for XP in 2009 and will terminate per-incident extended support in 2014.
The uptick in business purchases of PCs was not enough to offset a decline in the consumer market, where the iPad and Google Android tablets are capturing the buzz of late. Consumer PC sales fell 8% in the quarter, and sales of netbooks, in particular, were down a whopping 40%.
Microsoft shares were off 4.49%, to $25.51, in late afternoon trading Friday on investors' concerns about weakness in the consumer PC market.
How Enterprises Are Attacking the IT Security EnterpriseTo learn more about what organizations are doing to tackle attacks and threats we surveyed a group of 300 IT and infosec professionals to find out what their biggest IT security challenges are and what they're doing to defend against today's threats. Download the report to see what they're saying.
Digital Transformation Myths & TruthsTransformation is on every IT organization's to-do list, but effectively transforming IT means a major shift in technology as well as business models and culture. In this IT Trend Report, we examine some of the misconceptions of digital transformation and look at steps you can take to succeed technically and culturally.


text:
An array of synchronized aerial drones from Intel played a starring role in the Super Bowl halftime show Sunday.
In a prerecorded stunt, halftime headliner Lady Gaga appeared on the roof of Houston's NRG Stadium before appearing to descend into the stadium for her actual performance. Three-hundred Intel Shooting Star drones, lit in various colors, created a colorful background and ultimately took the shape of the American flag.
Intel is promoting drones as one of several emerging technologies that could help the company compensate for a long-term decline in its core business, building microprocessors for PCs. It has touted its coordinated drones as a potential alternative to fireworks for nighttime events.
Producers filmed Sunday's drone show - and Gaga's bit on the roof - Jan. 30, according to USA Today. Intel general manager Natalie Cheung explained why:
"In February, you don't know what it will be like during Super Bowl day. We'd hate to plan all this and, if the wind speeds are too high or if it's raining and the roof is closed, no one can see this spectacular show. So our creative team as well as the Super Bowl creative team felt this would be best to be filmed. Lady Gaga also was on the roof when this was filmed, and from a logistics and creative perspective, it's a bit hard for her to go from the roof all the way down to the floor of the stadium."
Theoretically, though, Cheung said the drones could have performed live. The company staged a regular drone show at Disney World in Florida from November until January.
Intel also won plaudits for a commercial featuring Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady.


text: A post by an anonymous Quora user, introducing himself as a risk-investigation team employee with Amazon, answering the question “Why are Amazon and Flipkart not delivering products in Noida?” has gone viral in the past two days. Having been fed on the usual stories of how e-commerce websites were ripping customers off, it was a welcome change for people to read the other side of the story – truant customers filing false complaints and ripping off e-commerce platforms.The answer on Quora, with over 6,500 upvotes and nearly 45,000 views at the time of writing gives the reasons as to why in ‘these regions including’ delivery does not happen.The anonymous user on Quora says that Amazon has received “bricks, biscuit packets, cardboard pieces” in return packages from customers. These customers would have earlier filed a complaint stating that they got a Nokia phone instead of the iPhone they actually ordered, thus seeking to return the package to the company. While the order would have been an iPhone indeed, what they would return would be something elseThe user also says, “Our delivery boys were locked up in the bathrooms, some beaten up, for the most silly reasons ever, give me my change of 2 rupees, the POS not working, the order was late, order was not functioning,” adding, “Due to this, lot of logistics and Supply chain is lost.” This was the reason for limits on Cash-on-Delivery purchases also, according to the Quora post.Spokespersons of both Flipkart and Amazon have told The News Minute that they do deliver in Noida. There are however some limits on Cash-On-Delivery due to state laws.In a statement to The News Minute, Flipkart said, "Flipkart has a large base of happy and loyal customers in Uttar Pradesh. We deliver to multiple cities in the state, including Bareilly, Varanasi, Allahabad, Agra, Lucknow and Noida," adding that, "However, for any shipment sourced from outside the state, the government has set a limit of Rs. 5000/-, as per the commercial tax department."A spokesperson from Amazon also conveyed that they deliver products in Noida.However, TNM has learned that the Quora post is not entirely wrong. A member of Amazon's logistics team told TNM on conditions of anonymity that they have faced problems in several locations in the country."For every 1 case of a brick being delivered to a customer or a product-mismatch, there are several other cases of fraudulent claims by customers. They simply lie. Many of their claims are not true." says the Amazon employee. He also added that several vendors have refused to deliver products in certain areas. "This is a serious problem but because this could be seen as an anti-consumer stand, we don't make too much noise about it," he adds.


text:
Calls have been made for Dundee City Council to double down on efforts to fill vacant units at the Waterfront after a seemingly surefire retail deal fell through.
V&A Dundee has become an accredited Living Wage employer, announced today as part of Living Wage Week, which runs from November 11-15.
The future of one of the Overgate’s most prominent stores is still unclear weeks after Sports Direct announced it was to open a new shop in Dundee.
Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce (DACC) has teamed up with Scottish airline Loganair to sponsor one of the Oor Wullie Big Bucket Trail statues in Wullie’s home city.
The council has unveiled plans to boost Technology Park by allowing a wider range of businesses to use the site.
A popular Dundee restaurant has reopened its doors.
Brexit: Dundee chiefs prepare for martial law, empty shelves, no fuel and food rationing if there is no deal
Dundee chiefs are preparing for the prospect of martial law, empty supermarket shelves, no fuel and food rationing in a “worst case scenario” no-deal Brexit.
Plans have been tabled to convert a derelict city centre “eyesore” site into shops and housing.
This time last year, the Dundee Partnership unveiled its plan for making the city a better place to live and work across the next decade.
Dundee’s food and drink industry grew by £43 million in the space of just one year, as the revitalised city satisfied the appetites of hungry investors.
Dens Park could be set for a historic name change ahead of next season’s kick-off.
The Overgate shopping centre is potentially just a unit away from maximum capacity – with a raft of new tenants due to arrive.
Reform Street is soon to be home to a new eatery following the approval of another planning application.
A group representing local businesses across Dundee and Angus has succeeded in its efforts to gain a prestigious industry recognised accreditation.
The wait is over for a brave group of business entrepreneurs.
Unemployment in Dundee has fallen — with Job Centre staff claiming things are “on the up” in the city.
The number of Dundonians claiming unemployment benefit has dropped by 44% in the last five years.
Dundee business chiefs have insisted the axing of 252 call centre jobs was not a reflection of the city’s economy.
Entrepreneurs are being offered the use of office space for three months — completely free.
More than half of Dundee’s largest employers have made a commitment to turn around the city’s youth unemployment figures.


text:
THE Ministry of Defence came under fire from a parliamentary committee yesterday for buying billions of pounds worth of equipment that it does not need.
Between 2009 and 2011, the MoD bought £1.5bn worth of raw materials and consumable supplies – like uniforms and ammunition – more than it used, the Commons Public Accounts Committee found.
In a report yesterday, the cross-party committee of MPs found that the department was “wasting significant amounts of public money” and urged it to sell off supplies with a total value of £3.4bn which it has identified as appropriate for disposal.
By the start of last year, the department had built up an inventory of supplies with a gross value of £40.3bn and a net value of £16.8bn, and it was running out of storage space to put equipment due to come back from Afghanistan and Germany, found the report.
The MoD does not always dispose of items it no longer needs, the MPs found. Over £4.2bn worth of non-explosive supplies had not moved for at least two years, and storehouses held other items in sufficient quantities to last for the next five years.
The massive stockpile has grown up over a number of years, despite warnings as far back as 1991 by spending watchdog the National Audit Office of the need for action.
The MPs said they were “disappointed” that the MoD had failed to act over the past 20 years and “surprised” that it had only recently developed a strategy to tackle the problem.
Committee member Richard Bacon said: “It is unacceptable that the Ministry of Defence is wasting significant amounts of public money buying equipment and supplies that it doesn’t need.”
The MoD purchases, holds and uses more than 710 million items of 900,000 different types, from bullets and missiles to medical supplies, clothing and spare parts for vehicles, ships and aircraft.
But the report found that, for years, the department’s purchasing system had focused on ensuring it had enough supplies to meet demand, rather than preventing over-ordering. Project teams had no incentive to limit purchasing because they were only billed for equipment when they used it.
The department is now introducing internal controls expected to reduce spending on inventory by £300m in 2012/13 and £500m a year by 2015.


text:
Maldives Customs Service has said that the number of goods imported in February this year was 18 percent higher than in the same period last year.
According to customs data, goods worth MVR 4.2 billion were imported in February this year. This is an 18 percent increase over the MVR 3.6 billion worth of goods imported in February last year.
Although imports increased in February, exports saw a decline during the period. The Maldives exported goods worth MVR 233 million in February last year. However, the amount exported this February was 0.9 percent lower than the same period last year, standing at MVR 231 million.
The decline in exports also led to a decline in revenue in February. While the state received MVR 326 million from import and export trade in February 2022, the amount stood at MVR 301 million in February this year. This is an eight percent decrease over the previous year.
The Maldives' largest export is varieties of tuna. Skipjack tuna accounts for the majority of fish exports. Statistics show that the largest exports in February were to Thailand.