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Canadian singer-songwriter Grimes has debuted her first piece of crypto art in the form of NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens) and has unsurprisingly sold out.
The collaboration, which she made with brother Mac Boucher, is not available as a physical release or via streaming services. Instead, profits made from the sales will be donated to environmental NGO Carbon 180, presumably in an effort to nullify the electricity and carbon dioxide consumed by using blockchain technology.
WarNymph consists of 10 different pieces and, as Grimes’ statement points out, Earth is accompanied by the unreleased track Ærythe, while Mars is complimented by Mars Theme. It took just 20 mins for the collection to sell out, making the brother and sister duo a massive $6 million via auction.
The collection is the beginning of the vast creative universe Grimes will continue to evolve. WarNymph is described as “the Goddess of Neo-Genesis”, who “battles the destructive force of obsolete ideas and systemic decay that threatens the future.”
“Grimes, with the WarNymph project, explores the fluidity of identity in the virtual age: the ability to create, augment, and splinter ourselves into unlimited avatars, create boundless worlds, and build rich, complex lore.”
— ☘𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) January 22, 2020
This is not the first time Grimes has auctioned her art online. In May 2020, the Canadian unveiled Selling Out, a project in which sold a piece of her soul.
Grimes is set to release new music in 2021, with singer-songwriter confirming via Stereogum, that she is in the process of finishing up the vocals for her next album. When asked when can we expect it, replied with “SOON.”
Btw I am a digital baby. Any and all opinions are my own and not a reflection of any flesh humans
— WarNymph (@WarNymph) April 20, 2020


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Blog: Obese? Don't blame your television
Olly Wehring | 22 February 2007
The drinks and food industries should not want for any more proof that they will be targeted by legislators on an increasing scale in the UK as the authorities seek solutions to unhealthy consumption habits.
Ofcom, the UK’s broadcasting regulator, is standing by its proposal to ban junk food ads during TV shows watched by under-16s, following the end of a consultation period of its plans.
Health campaigners had wanted a ban on junk food ads up to the 9pm watershed, but we have at least been spared those draconian measures. However, one has to wonder whether we are fooling ourselves if we think that extending the ban on advertising to teenagers will have any impact on child obesity levels. I hope I remember correctly when I believe that, by 15, I was old enough to make informed decisions on my soft drinks choices without the aid of a nanny state.
I am all for tackling the problem of obesity and there is no doubt that the role of advertising needs to be scrutinised. However, what concerns me is that advertising, whether it be of colas or Cuba Libres is being used in the UK as an easy scapegoat for the complex issues of obesity and alcohol harm.
Ofcom itself has noted TV advertising has a modest, direct effect on children’s food choices and is only one among many influences. This ban on advertising does nothing to address the root social causes of our increasingly unhealthy population.
Here's a round-up of the big stories on just-drinks last week, featuring AG Barr, Bombay Sapphire, Wines of South Africa and Pabst Brewing Co....
It seems there's not much in the world that can make people smile these days. Luckily, we're part of an industry that has just been scientifically proven to do just that. ...
Despite accounting for just a small percentage of overall sales, craft beer is making an impression on the US....
Here's a round-up of the big stories on just-drinks last week, featuring SABMiller, Orangina Schweppes, PepsiCo and Scottish devolution....
- No Home Comfort for TWE as Bids Collapse
- Treasury Wine Estates: Here I Go Again On My Own
- Bacardi Seeks Own History at Bombay Sapphire Home
- Will low-alcohol wines wither on the vine?
- Private-equity bids "over" - TWE head
- Diageo's Johnnie Walker hit by Travel Retail slump
- Carlsberg suspends production at Russian brewery
- Treasury Wine Estates pulls plug on takeover talks
- Quintessential Brands changes MD at Essential unit
- Mallya stays chairman at Diageo's United Spirits

domain: news


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The pumpkin spice trend has expanded even further.
A variety of limited-edition breakfast foods will soon be available in the quintessential autumn flavor, such as Cheerios, Special K, and Nutri-Grain bars, as reported by Delish.
After the success of Apple Cinnamon Crunch in 2015, Special K has decided to join the pumpkin spice craze with the launch of Pumpkin Spice Crunch. Rice and wheat flakes with a coating of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice will soon be available, much to the delight of Special K fans. Apple Cinnamon Crunch will also be available this year, for those who want more than one fruit-and-spice-infused cereal to choose from.
Several other cereals will also be available in pumpkin spice, including Frosted Mini-Wheats, Barbara’s Puffins, and Cheerios. As sales of the original Cheerios have decreased 18 percent since 2010, similar to other cereals, General Mills executives believe that pumpkin spice and other innovations may help reverse the downward trend, according to Bloomberg.
"There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with cereal," said Jim Murphy, head of the General Mills’ cereal division. "We just have to keep it relevant."
Kellogg’s announced that a Pumpkin Spice Nutri Grain bar will soon be joining its pumpkin-infused product lineup. However, compared to other products, these bars will have a real pumpkin filling. With only 140 calories, they will probably be one of the healthiest ways to indulge in the pumpkin spice trend.
According to Nielsen data, sales of pumpkin-infused food and beverage products have increased 79 percent since 2011, Delish reports.
"Pumpkin itself is a comfort food," explained Bill Chidley, brand consultant at ChangeUp, as reported by Bloomberg. "It’s just a perennial favorite, like turkey at Thanksgiving, eggnog at Christmas, fireworks on Fourth of July."
Wharton School marketing professor Jonah Berger, author of "Contagious," expanded on this sentiment and the tendency that limited-edition products increase sales.
"While you could probably make pumpkin spice foods year-round, they're typically only available in the fall, and that scarcity drives demand," Berger explained. "Fall has also become a trigger for pumpkin spice. People think about going pumpkin picking, and so when the season comes around, they're immediately reminded of the flavor and want to try it."


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The 1991 Persian Gulf War was the rather stellar debut of a US military truck/utility vehicle manufactured by AM General: the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or “Humvee” for short. The ubiquitous presence of the vehicle inspired AM General to create a civilian variant, the HUMMER series of truck/SUVs. Despite the popularity of the vehicles, they were affected by the bankruptcy of General Motors which bought the brand from AM, and the HUMMERs were discontinued in 2010. Since last year however there has been a buzz that a new HUMMER model will be introduced by GM, as an electric-powered truck.
According to The Verge, General Motors has confirmed the speculations from 2019 that they were reintroducing the HUMMER SUV as an electric vehicle. Teaser videos from GM began making the rounds online last Thursday, January 30, generating hype from prospective heavy-duty vehicle owners for the HUMMER EV. One particular preview shows a herd of galloping horses as a metaphor for the new model’s 1,000 horsepower, with the gallop sounds suddenly being muted in reference to the silent electric motor. The teaser ended with boasts of zero emissions and “zero limits” before revealing the telltale HUMMER letters in the SUV’s grill.
HUMMERs from the 1990s to the earlier half of the 2000s were once considered symbols of status and power. These original fuel-powered vehicles were notorious gas guzzlers as well. When the 2008 global financial crisis erupted, car owners became leery of gas-hungry behemoths like the HUMMER series which caused sales to tank for GM, leading to the line’s discontinuation after the brand was not picked up by other automakers. General Motors deciding to revive HUMMER falls in line with a recent trend in nostalgia for car manufacturers, giving classic vehicle brands an electric-powered makeover for the 21st Century and beyond.
A more in-depth commercial for the GM HUMMER EV is expected to be aired among the many high-profile ads for Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs February 2. An introductory event will happen next on May 20, before the HUMMER EV finally hits the market later in 2021.
Image courtesy of Washington Post


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Mobile shopping has experienced dramatic growth in the past few years: U.S. mobile e-commerce--defined as purchases made on mobile phones and tablet devices--is now a $40 billion market, poised to hit $50 billion in 2014, according to The Custora E-Commerce Pulse Mobile Report.
Those figures are up from only $2 billion in 2010.
Despite these promising indicators, is the situation truly all rosy in mobile e-commerce land? A few data points might indicate the contrary--at least at first glance. While traffic to online stores from mobile devices has been rapidly increasing--in Q1 2014, mobile visits comprised 37 percent of all e-commerce site traffic--mobile orders and revenue have not been keeping pace, accounting for only 23 percent and 18 percent of total e-commerce activity, respectively.
Why is mobile’s share of orders and revenue lower compared to its share of traffic? Three reasons:
• Mobile conversion rates are lower: In the time period of January 2013 to March 2014, the average desktop conversion rate was 4.3 percent, while conversion rate on tablets was 2.8 percent and on mobile phones a meager 1.4 percent.
• Mobile average order value (AOV) is lower: In the same time period, the AOV for orders made on tablets was slightly lower (-0.2 percent) than desktop AOV, but AOV for purchases made on mobile phones was 20 percent lower than desktop AOV.
• Mobile shoppers are less valuable: As a result of the previous two factors (low conversion and low AOV), the value of shoppers who buy exclusively on mobile phones, as measured by customer life time value (CLV), is 22 percent less than that of the average shopper.
What Does This Mean For Marketers?
We asked a few retail marketing leaders in the know about m-commerce to shed light on some of the reasons behind mobile’s seemingly subpar performance, and why it might not actually be as bad as it looks. Here is what they told us. (Disclaimer: The executives are all from companies that are Custora customers.)
• Mobile phone shopping behavior is inherently different: “Mobile conversions just keep getting better over time,” said Feng Chang, director of business strategy and analytics at Karmaloop. “However, we also expect conversion rates to be lower compared to desktop. We get more visits per each unique visitor, so the pie [of visits] is bigger for a mobile user. Plus, the mobile app is so much easier for people to take a browse on--waiting for the bus, between classes. It’s a much quicker fix--people can snack on it.”
Anthony Marino, CMO of thredUP, agreed: “Browsing on mobile versus Web isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison. Different intent and context drives mobile behavior. People come back early and often for a quick browse; then it’s search and destroy. We don’t view our conversion rates as somehow worse just because it’s mobile. It’s just a very different context.”
• Measuring and optimizing the right metrics and KPIs is key: Conversion rate and AOV are important metrics to track, but they do not reveal the full picture.
"We definitely measure metrics like CLV, along with visits, average order sizes, app downloads, engagement metrics, and how those metrics change over time," thredUP’s Marino said.
Karmaloop’s Chang said sales and ROI are his company’s primary metrics. Meanwhile, Vishal Agarwal, EVP and CMO of Nomorerack, had a different point of view: “Conversion is all that we judge. We just look at dollars we spend on a channel--in this case, mobile--versus dollars customers spend on that channel.”
• Cross-device shoppers are a small but highly valuable customer segment: It is true that mobile-only shoppers have lower life time value, but the flip side of that is cross-device shoppers--those who buy on multiple devices (e.g., phone and desktop, phone and tablet). This segment grew from only 4 percent of all customers in 2012 to 12 percent as of Q1 2014, and it’s 19 percent more valuable in terms of CLV than the average shopper.
"A customer will shop on multiple channels if they’re comfortable on the site, [though] the chances of someone coming in from mobile and immediately purchasing is pretty small,” Nomorerack’s Agarwal said. “If someone has bought on desktop, they’re much more likely to convert from mobile in the future. Then when you receive an email on desktop or tablet or mobile, you’re much more likely to buy."
While mobile e-commerce is well on its way to eclipse desktop commerce, it is important to remember that desktop, phone, and tablet shoppers represent unique customer segments who expect a different customer experience. Smart e-commerce marketers will continue to focus on optimizing the mobile experience, tracking the right metrics, and growing the cross-device customer segment.


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Singapore-headquartered Neuron Mobility, which operates a fleet of rentable scooters, announced today that it received USD 12 million in a Series A+ round co-led by Australian venture capital firm Square Peg and GSR Ventures.
This brings the company’s total Series A funding to USD 30.5 million. Neuron plans to use the fresh funds for expansion, especially in Australia and New Zealand, which serve as its main markets.
Founded in Singapore in 2016, Neuron runs an e-scooter rental platform and a fleet of 4,000 e-scooters. The company says it works closely with city councils on drivable areas, providing authorities features to implement slow, no-go, and parking zones. The scooters are equipped with swappable batteries that can travel up to 60 kilometers on a single charge.
With international and interstate travel restrictions still in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, local travel has seen an uptick. Neuron’s CEO, Zachary Wang, highlighted that e-scooters are a fitting option for short-distance tourism.
“Cities are increasingly open to micro-mobility—in the last two weeks, we have opened in Canberra and Townsville in Australia, and have announced our first location in the UK. The time is right to export our know-how to new cities across the globe,” he said in a statement.
Wang added that in Australia and New Zealand, the company saw an increase in average e-scooter trip distance by 23% to 2.6 kilometers, and average trip duration by 10% to more than 14 minutes.
Neuron is available in nine locations across Australia and New Zealand, and plans to add at least five new cities within the next 12 months.
Prior to this, the company received USD 18.5 million in a Series A round from GSR Ventures and Square Peg.


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Cloud game market may exceed 43 billion yuan in 2023, there are still many problems to be solved
Our reporter/Chen Yibo/Wu Kezhong/Report from Beijing
Recently, the 5G Cloud Game Industry Alliance released two white papers on the development of the cloud game industry. Among them, the “White Paper on Cloud Game Industry Development (2020)” (hereinafter referred to as the “White Paper”) shows that the scale of China’s cloud game market in 2020 will be approximately It is 3.26 billion yuan, which may exceed 43 billion yuan by 2023.
However, the “2021 China Game Industry Potential Analysis Report” previously released by a third-party data research organization, Gamma Data, gave statistics on the actual scale of China’s cloud game market in 2020 at 910 million yuan.
A reporter from “China Business News” was informed that the report also mentioned that the development of cloud games will bring a series of changes. At the same time, the current cloud game market still has problems such as ununified business models, high costs, and game infringement.
The market may exceed 43 billion yuan in 2023
According to the “White Paper”, the cloud gaming market will be about 3.26 billion yuan in 2020, and about 163 million cloud gaming users will be expected to reach 43.55 billion yuan in 2023, and cloud gaming users are expected to reach 670 million in 2023. In three years, the growth rate of the market scale may exceed 10 times.
According to the “2021 China Game Industry Potential Analysis Report” released by Gamma Data, in 2020, the actual size of the cloud game market will be 910 million yuan. Affected by the global epidemic, the speed of 5G construction has been delayed, and the layout of related companies in this field has also been affected to a certain extent; subject to the current unclear commercialization model of cloud games, game products and platforms launched by major domestic game companies are still trying At this stage, there was no large-scale customer acquisition behavior, and the lack of entry of new users made the market growth limited. Therefore, the report believes that although there has been a certain increase in the market size of China’s cloud gaming market of 540 million yuan in 2019, the revenue growth rate is still lower than market expectations.
Regarding the difference between the two reports, gamma data responded to reporters that the gamma data statistics are obtained by adding up the detailed revenues that actually occurred in the cloud game market that year, excluding some that are just playing cloud The situation of the related enterprises of the game concept is not too optimistic about the cloud game market.
Gamma data sources said that if some companies just take cloud games as a gimmick and are not actually engaged in this area of business, gamma data will not be included in the scope of statistics after screening.
According to the “White Paper”, the development of China’s cloud gaming market can be roughly divided into a budding period (2013 to 2018), an initial period (2019 to 2024) and a rapid development period (2025 to 2030). In 2019, the total amount of corporate financing that entered the cloud game reached 1.348 billion yuan, and the investment rate reached 54.6%. IT orange investment and financing data show that the cloud computing industry initiated a total of 206 investment and financing in the first three quarters of 2020, an increase from 170 in 2019. At present, there are 49 major game manufacturers and platforms involved in cloud gaming in China, with listed companies accounting for 57% and startup companies accounting for 43%. Among them, To C accounted for 60%, To B accounted for 22%, To B + To C accounted for 18%. Start-up companies mostly face B-end customers, and listed companies mostly face C-end customers.
The 5G Cloud Game Industry Alliance estimates that the overall monthly active users of cloud games are about 50 million based on data published by current platforms including NetEase Cloud Games, Migu Kuaiyou, and Tianyi Cloud Games. The proportion of resident users in user retention is less than half. Therefore, based on the scale of 650 million mobile game users in China, the penetration rate of cloud game users is less than 15%. This may be mainly due to the gap between the cloud game operating experience and the ideal state and the subscription system payment The model has not yet been fully accepted.
The aforementioned “White Paper” also mentioned that at present, the user portraits of the first-generation cloud game players have been initially clear. Compared with the overall game users, cloud game users have the following characteristics: First, the players are younger, 25 The proportion of game users under the age of nearly 80%; the second is that the proportion of male users is nearly 80%, which is much higher than the proportion of male game users; the third is that there are more moderate to heavy game players, especially shooting and role-playing; the fourth is The payment rate is low. 46.6% of the users surveyed have a cumulative payment amount of less than 50 yuan; fifth is that they are more inclined to the game’s fee-based model and the monthly payment is less than 200 yuan; sixth, the frequency and duration of user play are still relatively high Low level, which is related to the lack of game content, high cost, and poor experience.
“Content is king” will rise?
According to the “Cloud Game Key Technology White Paper 2020” released by the 5G Cloud Game Industry Alliance, cloud gaming is a cloud computing-based gaming method, essentially an interactive online video stream.
Unlike previous games, cloud games run on a cloud server. After the game scene is rendered into a video stream and a picture stream, it is transmitted to the player’s game terminal through the network, and the player’s input instructions are obtained to form an interaction.
In the cloud gaming scenario, players do not need gaming terminals with powerful graphics computing and data processing capabilities, and their devices only need to have basic streaming media playback functions and the function of sending instructions to the cloud server. Cloud gaming allows players to save downloads, installations, upgrades and other operations, and can experience games on multiple platforms anytime, anywhere.
It is precisely because of this feature that the “White Paper” pointed out that with the development of cloud games, the future game on channels and content will intensify the mainstream competition in the future market, and the current “channel first” situation may decline. “Content “Being the King” will gradually rise.
From the perspective of channels, cloud games get rid of the shackles of terminal hardware, and the entrances are gradually diversified. With the change of game promotion models by innovative gameplay such as trial advertising, the user retention rate of app stores, APP Stores and other distribution channel providers Will be further reduced, which will lead to a decline in the commercial value of traditional channels, weakened bargaining power, and gradually weaken the role of the industry. At the same time, in terms of content supply, more and more users will be more inclined to pay for high-quality games. Game developers, especially those with strong R&D capabilities, will tend to rise in the industry chain.
As for the split between game developers and channel parties, which has been widely concerned by the market recently, what impact will it have with the further development of cloud games in the future? In this regard, some people in the industry mentioned to this reporter that, in fact, not many current cloud game platforms participate in excessive sharing. Regarding the issue of sharing, you may refer to the model of the web game industry, which came out that year. You don’t need to download the game when it’s time, and it also has its own set of business models.
“A very important issue that may need to be considered here is payment, but it still takes time to solve. Only by reducing the cost to a sufficiently low level, then everyone can see that the overall business model has money to make, technology, The problems in these aspects of account payment have been solved, and the entire market has a certain scale. Maybe we can talk about the issue of sharing. Therefore, it may be a bit early to talk about this issue.” The above-mentioned industry sources added.
In addition, the “White Paper” also mentioned that in the future, large terminal screens will also become an important carrier for cloud games. “Large screen + Ultra HD” will bring higher visual presentation; “Large screen + controller” is recognized as the best game manipulation method in the industry; large screen cloud games based on edge node computing power distribution further reduces network latency , Provides high-quality guarantee for cloud game data transmission. In the future, cloud native games will become the ultimate development form of cloud games.
The business model still needs to be improved
The “White Paper” also mentioned that there are still many challenges in the entire cloud gaming market. Although many companies have deployed cloud games, the market as a whole is in a melee mode. From the underlying service providers, game developers, publishers, cloud game platform providers to terminal hardware equipment, etc., the cooperation between the parties is different, resulting in resources It cannot be effectively integrated; the subscription and payment system of cloud games has not yet formed a unified industry standard. Therefore, the business model of the industry still needs to be further explored and improved.
In addition to the business model, the high traffic tariffs and capital costs of cloud games restrict the entry of most small and medium-sized domestic manufacturers.
Due to technical limitations, compared with local games, cloud games currently have problems such as high latency and unstable picture quality, all of which have an impact on user experience.
In addition to the above-mentioned problems, the report also mentioned infringement issues. At present, in the Chinese cloud game market, the use and authorization process of game copyright is not yet standardized. The huge market potential of cloud games poses new challenges to the existing legal and intellectual property protection systems.
In addition, the “Cloud Game Key Technology White Paper 2020” also mentioned that with the development of the cloud game industry, some game developers blindly pursue short-term benefits, adopt “short, flat, and fast” development strategies, and are keen on “imitation” and ” Plagiarism”, the phenomenon of homogeneity of game products is serious, and problems such as insufficient game richness and innovation are gradually appearing.
At present, the existing cloud game products are still mainly in the form of “cloud games”, and in the future, cloud native games will be the development direction of high-quality game content. This kind of cloud game product based on cloud platform characteristics planning, development and operation, which can give full play to the advantages of cloud platform, will create a new era of cloud games in the future, bring game developers an update of development concepts; change the distribution mode of traditional channels; More new modes and scenarios will be created, and a new user experience will be opened; more innovative gameplay will be introduced to broaden the ideas of game development and attract more manufacturers and players to explore the possibility of combining multiple hardware operations.
Massive information, accurate interpretation, all in Sina Finance APP
Editor in charge: Li Tong


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تحت رعاية سموّ الشيخ خالد بن محمد بن زايد آل نهيان، ولي عهد أبوظبي رئيس المجلس التنفيذي لإمارة أبوظبي
Under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council
Dubai Metaverse Strategy to benefit physical, virtual lives of people, businesses: Experts
Launched by the Crown Prince of Dubai, companies in the emirate look forward to becoming a part of Dubai’s vision of being a global hub in the metaverse and blockchain sector
Dubai’s recently announced plan to boost the contribution of the metaverse to the economy to $4 billion by 2030 will be supportive of the emirate’s overall growth and improve the lives of residents, experts explained.
Announced last month by Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the strategy aims at ensuring that the metaverse increases its contribution to 1 percent of the emirate’s overall GDP. Headed by the Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the strategy is built around five pillars – innovation, government implementation of metaverse technologies and talent development.
Bas Lemmens, general manager EMEA for blockchain data platform Chainalysis, said that these pillars had been “rightly earmarked,” and lauded the government’s proactive efforts to “pioneer new digital frontiers” in the metaverse revolution.
“This revolution is already gaining momentum, with VR technology, virtual real estate and blockchain all working together to bring us closer to a meaningful digital ownership,” Lemmens told Arabian Business.
The metaverse has a remarkable time ahead of it now that it is backed by the Dubai government, Lemmens added, explaining that is already getting attention not just in the emirate, but globally due to the emirate’s efforts of being a global market across all sectors.
However, an “emerging space” like the metaverse can only be a driver of GDP if it relies on current and future utilities, according to Lemmens.
In addition, those branching out in the fields of metaverse and blockchain must be well-versed in the sector and its functions.
“A deep understanding of blockchain, NFTs and other elements that will enable the metaverse is what will allow innovators in the field to envision and transform into reality powerful and impactful use cases for citizens, consumers, and businesses,” Chainalysis’ Lemmens said.
Bas Lemmens, general manager EMEA at Chainalysis
For Shadman Sakib, a tech entrepreneur and investor known for his short-video platform Vurse, the recently launched strategy reflect Dubai’s efforts to use and develop technology to ensure seamless living – be it physical or virtual.
However, the metaverse isn’t just another buzzword that will fade over time. It is “the next evolutionary step in the age of connectivity,” Sakib explained, for individuals and businesses alike.
“It [the metaverse] promises to bring our digital and physical lives closer together in terms of health, socialising, efficiency, shopping, and entertainment,” Sakib said.
Sakib also noted that the metaverse will drive more than just an individual’s identity and digital ownership, especially due to evolving technology.
“Just like the internet changed the way we shop and how it facilitated e-commerce, the metaverse will see new models of e-commerce evolve into something more,” Sakib said.
Today, businesses both in Dubai and globally are reinventing themselves to be part of the new-age revolution, while others remain sceptical.
On seeing this shift, Sakib expressed emphasised how companies must make use of this time to think, plan and execute their shift, right from marketing activations, to holistic brand strategies.
“We should all be getting ready to live in a vast digital world, rather than being the last ones to jump on the bandwagon, because [the development of the metaverse] is happening now,” he added.
The Dubai Metaverse Strategy is set to increase the number of companies in the emirate, five times over with over 40,000 virtual jobs adding a value of $4 billion to the emirate – all in a time span of five years.
Shadman Sakib, a tech entrepreneur and investor known for his short-video platform Vurse
The strategy, which aims to place the emirate as a global hub for companies operating in the metaverse and blockchain sector has already received $500 million by over 1,000 companies in the emirate, Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said.
“Brands in the country now have the potential to lead the way towards meaningful adoption of these game-changing technologies,” Lemmens concluded.
Dubai will now see the global presence of 300 experts and 40 specialised organisations in a discussion in September 2022 – aligned with the Dubai Metaverse Strategy. Hosted by the Museum of the Future, the discussion will speak of the unlimited opportunities of the metaverse, which are yet to come.
Source: Arabian Business


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If you’re looking for a last-minute hotel booking app, Airbnb just acquired it. According to the New York Times, Airbnb bought HotelTonight, its second announced acquisition in 2019. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In a statement to the Times, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said “a big part of building an end-to-end travel platform is serving every guest, whether they plan their trip a year or a day in advance.” For now, Airbnb told the Times that HotelTonight will continue to operate as a “stand-alone business.”
The HotelTonight deal marks Airbnb’s 20th acquisition, according to Crunchbase. HotelTonight raised nearly $127 million from investors. Previous rounds were led by investors like Accel and Battery Ventures.
Looking at Airbnb’s acquisition history, the HotelTonight deal is notable, but not out of left field. As far back as 2011, Airbnb acquired Accoleo, a German company that helps students rent out their spaces to other students. It has also purchased Luxury Retreats, which offers personalized villas; ChangeCoin, which zeroed in on micropayment services; and other competing marketplaces for rental homes like Gaest.
Yet none of these deals have come so close to Airbnb’s potential IPO, which we have written about before. What this does to the company’s timing of its public debut is anyone’s guess. But given that Airbnb has raised a known total of $4.4 billion, the travel rental giant likely has some cash, and time, to burn.
Stay up to date with recent funding rounds, acquisitions, and more with the Crunchbase Daily.


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Realme X50 Pro WiFi 6
Realme Vice President Xu Qi announced on Weibo that Realme’s first global conference will be held in Barcelona on February 24, and the 5G flagship Realme X50 Pro will be launched. Today, Xu Qi announced some details of this phone that Realme X50 Pro WiFi 6 is also arranged.
Realme X50 Pro Antutu Benchmark
Xu Qi also released Realme X50 Pro Antutu Benchmark. Realme X50 Pro prototype device achieved 574985 points on Antutu Benchmark test. Perhaps this is test results from Prototype device, final device results is expected more than this with power of Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor.
According to the current information, the new Realme X50 Pro 5G machine will be equipped with Snapdragon 865 and LPDDR5 memory + UFS 3.0 SSD, pre-installed Android 10 system. At the same time the new machine also supports dual card dual standby.
The official said that the X50 Pro supports dual-mode full Netcom 5G and full coverage of mainstream bands such as n1 / n41 / n78 / n79. The previously exposed phone details page also shows that the Realme X50 Pro is equipped with a large 12GB of memory.


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The market of coffee has just seen a price collapse. The thing is that the market is oversupplied with Arabica. At the same time, the next harvesting season is expected to bring record-breaking yields in terms of coffee production.
Let’s have a closer look at the current situation and prospects:
The coffee futures contract for December delivery has just break above the local low - 113.2 cents per pound. The reason for another was a weather improvement in Brazil. The rains are crucial for coffee plants during the blossom period. Apart from that, the list of bearish factors include:
More positive forecast for the Columbian yield (it will make up for the possible decline in all other coffee-growing regions).
More positive situation in Vietnam . The harvesting campaign is underway.
The currencies of all the coffee-growing countries are weaker than before, which makes exports cheaper.
At the same time, the following factors are supporting the international market of coffee:
Will foreign countries buy Russian oil and gas for rubles or not?
In response to the sanctions of the West related to the annexation of the Crimea to the Russian Federation, Russian exporters want to refuse the U.S. dollar as the main means of payment with foreign buyers of oil and gas. However leading Russian energy players offer different approaches to this issue.
More and more web sources join the growing army of those who spread rumors about Apple and its plans to introduce its own smart watch – iWatch. Apparently, these rumors heat up the interest in this long-awaited device.
YouTube, the world's most popular video hosting is about to get a «younger brother».
The thing is that Google, which owns YouTube, is about to introduce a YouTube version for children. In particular, the representatives of the world-famous tech giant say the new version of the popular hosting is made exclusively for children under 10 years old.
More and more web sources report that Apple is seriously working on a new portable device. It is said to be called iWatch. Until recently, there was no doubt that Apple would introduce its own smart watch.
Apple to Introduce 12-Inch MacBook with Retina Display
Apple is reported to be currently working on a new Macbook. This time it is going to be a 12-inch Macbook with the Retina display. Another new feature is that this laptop is not going to have a cooler inside.
The new mobile device by Samsung called Galaxy S5 has been discussed on the Web for several months already. The device is said to come into market in April 2014. At this point, all the fans of Samsung devices are left to be looking forward to the long-awaited release.
Gammers and Developers Got Interested in Microsoft DirectX 12
At this point, we know enough about DirectX 12 to start comparing and making conclusions. In particular, the developers promise wiser and more efficient use of CPUs and GPUs along with wider hardware support.
Lenovo ThinkPad 8 with 4G Available for preorder in China
Not so long ago (during CES 2014), Lenovo introduced another model of the ThinkPad series. Now, the new device is reported to be available for preorder in China. Apparently, this is the domestic market for the company, and that is why it decided to start the sales form it. Without any doubt the device will become available to other nations in the near future.


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Last year after the record-breaking launch of the iPhone 4S in October, Google responded with their next iteration of their Nexus lines of smartphones with the Galaxy Nexus. The Galaxy Nexus, manufactured by Samsung, was the first phone to ship with Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” and featured a slightly curved display. The Nexus line of smartphones have been touted as “developer-friendly” due to their purposeful lack of any modifications or UI replacements, giving users a “pure” or “vanilla” Google Android experience.
It appears that history again will repeat itself in 2012, with a recent story from TechCrunch reporting that Google may be in the process of getting ready to launch a new Nexus-branded smartphone this quarter. However, what is more compelling is the reports that unlike the past where there is only one Nexus smartphone released from one manufacturer, Google may be prepping to launch multiple Nexus-branded smartphones from different manufacturers.TechCrunch’s report cites a possible Nexus device from Samsung, HTC, LG, and the recently-acquired from Google Motorola Mobility.
This multi-manufacturer approach according to the report will allow for the Nexus brand to be on a variety of different Android devices with a variety of different form factors (sticking true to the “open” Android model). Upcoming smartphones like the HTC One-X, the LG Optimus-G, and a new Samsung Nexus, have all been mentioned as potential contenders for receiving the coveted Nexus branding from Google. The below screen shot from AndroidAndMe shows supposedly a leaked spec sheet for the upcoming Samsung model:
The release of a new Nexus product typically also means the ushering in of a new version of Android. The Galaxy Nexus began the Android 4.0 official release, followed by the Android 4.1 “Jellybean” release with the Nexus 7 tablet this past summer. History would then dictate that the release of a Nexus smartphone, or smartphones in this case, would bring Android 4.2. However, I agree with TechCrunch here that we probably won’t see Android 4.2 with this Nexus release. With Android 4.0 and Android 4.1 still running on a very small number of Android devices, along with a growing sentiment of upset Android users being left out in the cold from Android updates. Fragmentation has always, and continues to be, a big point of contention for many Android users and I don’t see why Google would want to stir the pot even further.
Overall, it appears that an interesting fourth quarter in the smartphone market is coming. With devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the possibility of these multiple Nexus phones, is Google preparing to take a bite out of the Apple iPhone 5? Only time, and consumer’s wallets, will tell.


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The U.S. Commerce Department is launching a Web-based service that connects exporters with foreign buyers, adding to a number of publicly supported trade assistance programs available in Western New York.
For an annual fee of $300, BuyUSA.com allows U.S. exporters to show their catalogs to 14,000 overseas merchants, sales agents and distributors, said Gale N. Seereiter, trade assistant at the Commerce Department's Export Assistance Center in Buffalo.
"It's free for international companies -- they just have to be aware of it," Seereiter said.
The federal service comes one year after Erie County granted $180,000 to a local business group to join a global trade network. The World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara, an affiliate of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, links local member companies with trade opportunities abroad. Member companies pay annual fees of $495.
The Commerce Department's service doesn't duplicate the efforts of the local group, said Robert L. Stevenson, board president of World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara.
"It's a little different," he said. WhileBuyUSA is based on government contacts, "the WTC works business-to-business," he said. Overseas companies participating inBuyUSA.com are qualified by the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, a Commerce Department arm that works through U.S. embassies.
In addition to providing trade links to business in 300 sister chapters worldwide, the WTC Buffalo Niagara hosts education programs and provides referrals to trade experts. It organized a trade trip to Brazil last week that six member companies attended.
However, the WTC and other area international groups are being asked by Erie County to work together more closely and to show concrete results.
"They (WTC) need to move from having an orientation toward educational programs to proactive development -- bringing companies outside the U.S. to do business in Western New York," said Lawrence K. Rubin, county commissioner of planning and development.
It also needs to show results in a business plan that includes concrete objectives such as gains in membership and local exports.
"Membership . . . is a pretty good sign of customer satisfaction," he said.
The push for local trade agencies to work together parallels the county's effort to get local development agencies to coordinate their efforts, Rubin said.
In addition to the WTC and the U.S. Commerce Deparment, the county Industrial Development Agency and the state's Empire State Development Corp. also support exports.
Meanwhile, Atlantic Corridor USA promotes business ties with Europe, while Buffalo Niagara WorldConnect arranges visits by international officials and business people.
The Commerce Department's BuyUSA.com service, a joint venture with IBM Corp., will grow in the future to include online transaction processing and databases of foreign tax and duty information, according to the Commerce Department.


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Something to look forward to: Those of a certain age may remember when the idea of photorealistic games was just a fantasy. Today, that vision has become close to reality, and Project: Mara, the upcoming horror from Hellblade developer Ninja Theory, could be the most realistic-looking title to date.
It's been almost exactly a year since Microsoft-owned Ninja Theory announced Project Mara, which it describes as a "real-world and grounded representation of true mental terror." The company wants to recreate the "horrors of the mind as accurately and realistically as possible."
In the latest developer diary video (top), Ninja Theory's creative director Tameem Antoniades reveals the incredible attention to detail that went into recreating the game's spacious city apartment, based on a real-world location.
In its efforts to create an exact digital replica, the team first analyzed and scanned materials from the apartment---a process that took several months. The challenge was then to ensure the dimensions of the in-game version are precise. This was achieved through a firm called Clear Angle Studios, which used LiDAR scanners to create a "point cloud" that allows "some of the best references we've ever seen."
Ninja Theory hasn't just recreated the obvious elements; it even created procedural tools to generate the floor's lint and debris. "Artists aren't there just to create an object, they're there to create systems that can create an object and infinite variations of that object," said Antoniades.
Hopefully, all this detail will translate into a good game. No word yet on a release date, but we should hear something soon.


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Elephone has just confirmed to us that both Elephone P8000 and Elephone P6000 Pro will be getting Android 6.0. Both these devices were announced a few months back, so its not surprising to see them getting the latest Android version. Also, there are other smartphones being tested for Android M but at the moment, we are not sure which other models will be upgraded. Also, we still don’t know when exactly these updates will roll out to the respective smartphones.
The company also confirms that its upcoming flagship, Elephone P9000 along with its variants like the Elephone P9000 Lite and P9000C will come with Android M 6.0 pre-installed. This is definitely good news for those who were planning to purchase this upcoming device from the company.
As for the P8000 users who are running Android 5.10 at the moment, the company has released a new update for fixing a few bugs like “screen flashing” and “no gallery response” while using front camera. If you had these problems, just head over to their forums, where there’s the download link to the ROM and flash it on to your device. There will be an OTA update too, so if you can wait for a few days, then go for the second option.


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Ben WoodsEurope Editor
Ben is a technology journalist with a specialism in mobile devices and a geeky love of mobile spectrum issues. Ben used to be a professional Ben is a technology journalist with a specialism in mobile devices and a geeky love of mobile spectrum issues. Ben used to be a professional online poker player. You can contact him via Twitter or on Google+.
YouTube has supported 60fps playback on videos for a while now, but until today, it didn’t offer a high-rate option for live streams. Now, it does.
Available from today in ‘early preview’, any time you start a 60fps stream, YouTube will transcode it into either 720p60 or 1080p60 for “silky smooth playback for gaming and other fast-action videos,” the company said. Streams will also be available at 30fps for viewers watching on a device that doesn’t support the 60fps option.
Clearly, the move is a push to recapture some of the eyeballs that now head straight to services like Twitch for live game streaming. To that end, the company says it has also worked with Elgato Game Capture, XSplit Broadcaster, and XSplit Gamecaster to ensure that they support 60fps live streaming to YouTube straight out of the gate.
Rounding off the list of changes is the new option to watch live streams using the HTML5 player, which allows you to vary playback speed if you jump back in time to re-watch any part of a live broadcast.
Read next: YouTube Kids app in trouble again over inappropriate content
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On Wednesday, there was information that the EU launched its plan for a discount of post-Brexit checks on items which is information that has been obtained properly by sterling markets.
GBP/USD is underneath demand from each a Brexit and a central financial institution enter with charges anticipated to be raised imminently by the Bank of England. and medicines arriving into Northern Eire from the remainder of the UK.
The BBC reported that Northern Eire has a particular Brexit deal that retains it within the EU’s single marketplace for items and permits free-flowing commerce with the EU.
”But it surely means items arriving from Britain face checks and controls.
The UK authorities stated it’s finding out the element of the EU’s proposals.
The brand new plan, which seeks to calm a long-running dispute over a key a part of the Brexit settlement, would take away about 80% of spot checks, the EU stated.
The EU stated customs paperwork would even be minimize by 50%.”
Nonetheless, one key sticking level stays – UK Brexit Minister Lord Frost’s demand to rewrite the Protocol to not less than dilute the function of the European Court docket of Justice (ECJ) in overseeing the foundations. If Lord Frost doesn’t again down on this, an EU official stated it is going to be “a really huge hole between the concepts we’re placing on the desk at present and what the UK Authorities is asking for.”
GBP/USD weekly chart
From a weekly perspective, contemplating the value dropped beneath all the assist constructions which it’s now testing once more as resistance, the bias stays bearish. A correction to the trendline resistance and a 61.8% Fibonacci is underway, however bears are possible making ready to feed at a reduction.


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2008 to 2011 Harley-Davidson VRSC, Touring, and CVO Touring models being recalled due to finicky ABS
So far 2018 isn’t off to a great start for Harley-Davidson. On top of a steadily declining customer base, the announcement of the Kansas City plant closure, and the president’s recent metal tariffs, the MoCo has just issued a massive recall of roughly 250,000 motorcycles worldwide on account of a brake problem that can supposedly result in sudden failure. The recall affects the ABS on 2008 to 2011 model year Touring, CVO Touring, and VRSC machines. Sadly, this isn’t Harley-Davidson's first ABS recall in recent years.
NOT THE ANWSER: Harley tries to right the ship with electric model
The quarter-million unit recall—175,000 of which are in the US—is expected to cost the company just shy of $30 million which, like having your brakes fail, is less than ideal. The issue reportedly stems from a faulty ABS module and/or neglected maintenance, both of which have the potential to result in failing calipers. The manufacturer started the recall back in mid-February, and owners of affected vehicles can bring them to a local dealership to have fixed.
MORE BAD NEWS FOR THE MOCO: Why a business genius’s metal tariffs kinda suck, a lot
“This condition is associated with delayed or neglected brake fluid maintenance as specified in the owner’s manual,” stated Carolyn Duranowski, director of marketing at Oakland Harley-Davidson. “Harley-Davidson is offering the remedy fluid flush free of charge to all motorcycles within the recall population, regardless of their maintenance history.”
STILL NOT THE ANWSER: Harley releases two “new” Sportster variants
Harley-Davidson was already struggling to sell bikes, and multiple recalls in just eight months definitely isn’t helping to attract new buyers. Luckily the marque has its fully-electric Livewire model on the way, which is sure to turn everything around, so this whole snafu should work itself out. Right?
Harley put together a video about how its ABS system works for anyone that’s interested.
Photos and video courtesy of Harley-Davidson


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Blog: just-food's new-look mobile site
Dean Best | 17 November 2011
"The future of the web is mobile." So said a top executive a Google UK last month at an industry conference on online food retail. And, in many ways, his words ring true, not just for the buying of groceries but also for accessing news and information.
In that vein, just-food's mobile presence has been updated and upgraded. Our new-look site, which our subscribers can find at m.just-food.com, features all our news and insight coverage, as well as the latest musings on these blog pages.
So, if you are on the road, in a departure lounge or commuting to and from work, you can access the latest food industry news on your iPhone, Blackberry or Android - and any other mobile with the internet.
We hear a lot in the food industry about two interconnected trends: and social media and “foodie” culture....
Nestle, set to welcome a new CEO on 1 January, has announced more changes to the make-up of its senior management team....
Blue Bell Creameries is trying to win back the trust of consumers after a fatal listeriosis outbreak last year was linked to its products - but in recent days the US ice cream maker has issued another...
The UK's competition regulator has given the all-clear to Hain Celestial's bid to buy UK food and beverage group Orchard House Foods, nine months after the US group announced the deal....
- General Mills on Q1, innovation, margins
- Interview: Mondelez's outlook for China
- Aryzta FY results, outlook for 2017 - 6 takeaways
- What next for Bernard Matthews? - comment
- Interview: Mondelez eyes sweet success in China
- ConAgra acquires Frontera Foods' "gourmet" brands
- Nestle revamps foodservice arm
- Aryzta FY profits fall
- Nestle close to finalising Garoto deal
- Nestle launches Nesquik Protein Plus for adults
- The Big 15: Strategies and Priorities of Top Packaged Food Players in Comparison
- Global Chocolate Confectionery Overview: Challenges, Opportunities and Risks
- Global Foodservice Market 2016-2020
- Constellation Brands, Inc. (STZ) - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review
- Global Food and Drinks Closures: Performance and Opportunities


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In the wake of sweatshop charges at iPod factories in China, Apple is advertising for a manager of a "Corporate Social Responsibility program."
Sometimes known as "business ethics," CSR often involves policing human rights at overseas suppliers or assembly plants.
In a job posting at Ethical Performance.com, Apple says the candidate will have a "strong desire to improve human rights and worker conditions."
The post calls for "experience in auditing practices and supplier management."
CSR first emerged a decade ago in the apparel and footwear industries during the fallout from Nike's sweatshop charges, said Christopher Foss, spokesman for Social Accountability International, a non-profit human-rights organization.
Since then, several companies in the toy and food industries have implemented CSR programs, and now technology companies are starting to also.
"The tech industry is on board now, which is a good thing," he said. "There's problems, but there's also progress, and it's sincere."


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EMI Group will soon sell digital music with better sound quality and no digital rights management restrictions through Apple's iTunes Store.
EMI's entire digital music catalog will be available in premium DRM-free form via iTunes in May, the music label said Monday at a press conference in London. Beatles tunes under EMI's control, however, are not part of the plan.
Higher-quality music files, which will play on any computer and any digital-audio player, will not replace the copy-protected EMI music currently sold through iTunes. Rather, they will complement the standard 99-cent iTunes downloads and will be sold at a premium: $1.29 per song.
Consumers who have already purchased EMI tracks containing Apple's FairPlay copy protection will be able to upgrade them to the premium version for 30 cents, EMI said. Full albums in DRM-free form can be bought at the same price as standard iTunes albums.
"We are committed to embracing change, and to developing products and services that consumers really want to buy," said Eric Nicoli, chief executive of EMI. Nicoli cited internal EMI tests in which higher-quality, DRM-free songs outsold its lower-quality, copy-protected counterparts 10-to-1.
The higher sound quality of EMI's premium tracks is produced by increasing their bit rate, which translates to larger files with reduced compression.
After initially selling the premium DRM-free music through Apple, EMI plans to expand the program to other music outlets. Retailers partnering with EMI, which also plans to remove DRM from its video downloads, will be able to choose from a variety of levels of sound quality. Retailers will also be able to choose whether to sell files in the MP3, WMA or AAC format.
In iTunes, music will be sold in a 256 kilobit-per-second AAC format.
The packed press conference at EMI's London headquarters featured a performance by EMI recording artist The Good, The Bad and The Queen, as well as a guest appearance by Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
Jobs, who stressed the need for higher-quality music with the rise of high-fidelity home speaker systems, called EMI's move "the next big step forward in the digital-music revolution--the movement to completely interoperable DRM-free music." He added that "Apple will reach out to all the major and independent labels to give them the same opportunity."
Jobs expressed confidence in Apple's plan to offer the premium DRM-free tracks alongside standard ones. "What we're adding is a choice--a new choice," Jobs said regarding Apple's decision to make available two levels of sound quality and of DRM restriction. He suggested that half of iTunes' music tracks will be available in both DRM-loaded and DRM-free form by the end of 2007.
"EMI is pioneering something that I think is going to become very popular," Jobs said when asked if other music labels would likely add DRM-free music to their iTunes catalog.
But James McQuivey, an analyst at Forrester Research, said he believes that other labels may approach the prospect of DRM-free music sales with trepidation.
"The timing of when they sign on is going to be what's interesting to watch," McQuivey said. "They will eventually, but eventually could mean a year from now. Now that a major label has done it, they're all going to want to wait and see the proof that it worked."
In February, Jobs released an open letter to record companies, encouraging them to abandon DRM restrictions and claiming that Apple had only implemented the controversial system because the four major record labels would not have otherwise signed up with iTunes.
In the recent past, EMI has put forth some initiatives in digital-music distribution that could be considered somewhat experimental, most notably offering its music catalog to peer-to-peer services like Mashboxx and iMesh. But until this point, DRM-free music had been largely the domain of services like eMusic, with songs limited to those from independent labels.
"This is something that Apple wants, but it's something that EMI needs," McQuivey said.
"Together with the RIAA, (EMI) was one of the loudest voices among the labels sponsoring the aggressive lawsuits against people who were file-sharing music," McQuivey said of the Recording Industry Association of America's persistent legal battles against music pirates using peer-to-peer networks. "It's not to say that you can't aggressively pursue file sharers and develop a digital strategy, but they didn't. They chose to focus on the lawsuits, hoping to keep the CD business alive."
Last year, iTunes rival Yahoo Music tested the DRM-free waters by offering a Jesse McCartney album and a Jessica Simpson single for sale with no copy protection.
EMI announced the press conference on Sunday, leading to much speculation of whether it was a prank--"We are acutely aware that the invitations were issued on April Fools' Day," Nicoli observed--and whether the event might have been held to unveil the availability of songs by The Beatles on iTunes.
Music from the Fab Four has been released by EMI since 1962 and is currently unavailable for legal digital download anywhere on the Internet. When a reporter asked Jobs whether a Beatles deal with EMI was upcoming, Jobs replied, "I want to know that, too." Nicoli stressed that "we're working on it."


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Nissan has just launched a new CVT version of its Micra hatchback in the XL avatar with more features and an affordable price tag. You can read more about it ...
Image gallery: 2017 Range Rover Velar
2018 Jaguar E-Pace unveiled in the UK
2017 Maruti Suzuki Baleno AT Alpha launched in India at Rs 8.34 lakh
2017 Volkswagen Tiguan road test review
2017 Suzuki Swift Hybrid unveiled
2017 Tata Nexon first drive review: Can the Nexon take the fight to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza?
2017 Kawasaki Z650 road test review
2017 Tata Nexon rolls out from Ranjangaon facility
Comparison: Tata Tiago AMT vs Maruti Celerio AMT


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Representatives of Making Change at Wal-Mart, a grassroots effort supported by national labor unions, indicated that 200 Wal-Mart employees would hold a protest outside company headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, during the retailer’s annual meeting.
Additional protests could hit Wal-Mart stores on the Friday after Thanksgiving, potentially damaging holiday sales.
Investors appeared unconcerned by the protests. Wal-Mart shares rose more than 3% in Wednesday mid-day trading.
The employees who failed to appear at work this week were on strike, Making Change at Wal-Mart said. Last week, 63 store workers in Los Angeles missed work.
Protesting employees say they want higher pay and better working conditions.
Wal-Mart employs 1.4 million workers at its 4,000 stores in the U.S. The company dismissed the action as a stunt meant to garner media attention and accused unions of using its workers to advance their own political goals.


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FOX has officially announced plans to bring the 2010 Tony Goldwyn directed film “Convicted” (based on the real life story of Betty Anne Waters) starring Hilary Swank in the lead role, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo, Peter Gallagher, and Juliette Lewis to Blu-ray Disc on February 1st, 2011. Tech specs for the release include full 1080p Hi-Def video and DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound. The title is not yet available for pre-order over at Amazon but stay tuned and we will keep you updated. The bonus materials set to be included on the release is only set to include the following listed below.
“A behind-the-scenes interview with the real Betty Anne Waters”


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A recent rodent study indicated that a combination of probiotics may impair memory in healthy animals – conclusions that industry experts say go ‘a bit too far’, and are at odds with the totality of the evidence.
Researchers from Unigen analysed the effects of botanical composition UP446 on the respiratory, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems in dogs and rats and found minimal to no pharmacotoxicolocal effect.
Evidence continues to mount that the gut microbiome affects gut health in a number of ways, one of which appears to be by inducing the nervous system to send signals to the brain via the vagus nerve and other pathways. Can the makeup of this microbial...
New research commissioned by ingredient supplier Kyowa Hakko confirms what other recent surveys have shown: The specter of cognitive decline now looms largest in consumers minds when they consider the slings and arrows of aging. And cognitive hiccups...
The gut is teeming with bacteria, good and bad, and these organisms and their cousins living elsewhere on and in the body outnumber the body’s own cells by an order of magnitude. It is only recently that the notion has come to the fore that these microorganisms...
Two firms have joined forces to bring the multifunctional molecule pyrroloquinoline quinone, or PQQ, into the sports nutrition market via beverage applications. The partnership pairs Virun’s delivery technology with Nascent Health Sciences' supply...
One of the nutrition industry’s biggest sellers – vitamin C – may help nerve cells in the eye to function properly, says a new study that suggests the vitamin may also be important for brain function, too.
BioReal has been given the green light to market its AstaREAL L-10
for supplements in Europe, after the astaxanthin was found to be
substantially equivalent to other sources on the market under
novels foods legislation.
Scientists in the US believe they may have found a new type of
diabetes after discovering that insulin and its related proteins
are produced in the brain and that reduced levels of both
contribute to Alzheimer's.
Curcumin, the spice that gives curry its yellow color, may activate
a key enzyme that protects the brain against oxidation, thought to
be a major factor in ageing and responsible for neurodegenerative
disorders like Alzheimer's...
A combination of B vitamins has been found to reduce the severity
of chronic pain in rats. The new research suggests that relief from
chronic pain, which affects millions every year, could be provided
in the form of vitamin tablets.
OleoMed America, a subsidiary of healthcare product distributor The
Pharmed Group, has added herbs and vitamins to its
pharmaceutical-grade olive oil to produce three new formulas
designed to fight weight, wrinkles and restless nights.
A research project investigating how a member of the vitamin E
family, alpha-tocotrienol, helps protect against neurodegenerative
diseases has received $1 million in funding from the US National
Institute of Health.


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LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Drinks Americas (OTC: DKAM) a leading U.S. broker for authentic Mexican craft beer sold out of their... ...http://in.sys-con.com/node/2895740
This deal will help Orient offer bespoke solutions in social networking, mobility, analytics and cloud computing. Mumbai-based system integrator... ...http://www.vccircle.com/news/technology/2013/12/12/orient-technologies-acquires-enterprise-mobility-solutions-firm-orbis
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK) today announced that it plans to add new partners to SEEiT, the platform that connects social... ...http://in.sys-con.com/node/2895035
Glassworking torch manufacturer Bethlehem Burners is pleased to announce the release of the Champion glassworking torch. The new Champion is... ...http://www.bizwireexpress.com/showstoryPRWeb.php?storyid=105335
NORFOLK, Va., Dec. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueOptions®, Inc., a health improvement company specializing in mental and emotional wellbeing and... ...http://in.sys-con.com/node/2894918
We are Excellent in Providing.... 1....
The Global 100 Awards were initiated...


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Monster Hunter: World is getting its huge Iceborne expansion in January 2020, but if you were looking forward to a similarly-sized DLC after it, you may be out of luck. The game's producer, Ryozo Tsujimoto, said so in a recent interview.
Namely, Tsujimoto was asked whether World was, at its core, a live service game, to which he said that this Monster Hunter game won't be supported for another decade.
The interviewer asked Tsujimoto for how long does he think World would run for, and whether Capcom is aiming for it to be a live service, or if there will be a sequel down the line.
"It's still a single game in our mind," said Tsujimoto. "It isn't like it's a service where it's going to be live for 10 years, so right now our focus is once we get Iceborne out, we want to bring the same level of amazing free post-launch support."
We should expect more quests and seasonal events following the release of Iceborne, but Capcom was clear about the fact that they do not consider Monster Hunter: World to be a live service title. Furthermore, World will also clearly follow the usual Monster Hunter content release schedule.
"This is the only massive expansion we have in mind at the moment, and keep in mind it's not an MMO where we're saying 'here's a five-year roadmap of huge updates', it is still an action game and we've released it, and we've supported it, and then we've released this expansion which is equivalent to the way we've done it before with Master Rank and G-Rank," said Tsujimoto.
There was no word on a follow-up release to World, either, but judging by how the producer worded his answer, we're betting there's something in the works. At least conceptually.


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Landlords are reportedly weighing up whether they should take legal action against House of Fraser in light of plans to close 31 of its 59 stores through its CVA.
According to The Sunday Times, a dozen landlords are currently talks with law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner about a possible block of the CVA.
The law firm reportedly told landlords that had a “very strong case” on the basis that they were being treated unequally compared to other creditors – such as banks, bondholders and shareholders.
At least 75 per cent of creditor approval is needed for House of Fraser’s CVA to proceed, with the vote set to take place on June 22.
Meanwhile, a group advising House of Fraser landlords has criticised the department store’s CVA proposals as it would see them “take all the pain” while shareholders benefit from £70 million injected into the embattled retailer.
According to the Guardian, property advisory firm JLL and consultancy firm Begbies Traynor were in talks with landlords to begin negotiations with House of Fraser for a better deal for them in the CVA.
On the other hand, real estate advisor Altus Group has blamed the government for a policy that allegedly denied House of Fraser £3 million of tax reductions on 28 out of the 31 stores earmarked for closure under the CVA.
The firm said the government’s scheme of ‘Transitional Relief’ in England, part of last year’s business rates revaluation, had an adverse effect on the earmarked stores as they were located in in England and the transitional relief arrangements limits how quickly tax bills can both rise and fall after a revaluation.
The news comes as a growing number of CVAs from UK retailers continue to attract the ire of landlords, who feel they have to bear the brunt of rent cuts to help a tenant avoid financial collapse, while other creditors who also get to vote on CVAs can do so without the same pain.
Unveiled last week, House of Fraser’s CVA would ultimately see it reduce store estate by over a half to just 28 branches, and axe up to 6000 jobs.
The CVA also includes proposals to reduce rent on 10 stores that will remain open, as well as relocate the Baker Street head office and the Granite House office in Glasgow to new locations in order to further reduce costs.
Once approved, Hamleys parent company C.banner will undergo its transaction to acquire a 51 per cent stake in House of Fraser and invest £70 million into what remains of the department store retailer.
House of Fraser chief executive Alex Williamson warned that the heritage department store chain would face collapse if its CVA proposals were to be rejected.


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Appnox Technologies: The Indian Startup Taking on Tech Giants
In the tech industry, it’s not uncommon for startups to go up against industry giants. However, it’s rare to see a startup from India, a country better known for its outsourcing and back-office services, take on the tech giants of Silicon Valley. But that’s exactly what Appnox, the brainchild of Shivdeep Singh, has been doing.
Appnox Technologies, an AI/ML startup based in India, is taking on tech giants with their own products in the field of Artifical intelligence and at the same time offering their professional services globally. The company, founded in 2018 by Shivdeep Singh with background in Sales and Rishabh Bharadwaj, an IIT alumni, has developed a range of its own Al tools in a short time-spam, that are designed not just for businesses but also indivisuals appealing the global audience. Few of them worth mentioning are Yamak.al and Edgent.al which helps digital marketing experts and other content creators.
Yamak.ai uses artificial intelligence to analyze website content and provide real-time feedback to optimize it for search engines. The tool uses natural language processing and machine learning to understand the context of the content and suggest changes that will improve its search engine ranking. Apart from that, Appnox has developed more than 110 mobile and web applications with the latest technologies, helping businesses unlock their potential.
Appnox’s success can be attributed to its unique approach to app development. Unlike other app development companies that focus solely on just developing the platform., Appnox takes a more holistic approach. The company works closely with its clients to understand their needs and develop a strategy that will help them achieve their goals.
Appnox’s approach has earned the company several high-profile clients, including the governments of Taiwan, government of India, applications for Croatian fresh produce market and Canada, as well as few Fortune 500 companies. The list goes on and on.
Appnox’s success is also a testament to the growing startup culture in India. In recent years, the Indian government has made significant efforts to promote startup growth in the country, launching initiatives like Startup India to support entrepreneurs and encourage innovation.
Appnox’s success has not gone unnoticed, either. The company recently caught the attention of OpenAl, the organization behind the development of GPT-3, one of the world’s most advanced language models. Appnox has been working with OpenAl to integrate its technology, including GPT-4, into Yamak.ai since 2019, making it even more powerful.
Overall, Appnox is a shining example of what can be achieved when a startup combines innovation, a unique approach, and a dedication to its clients. As the Indian startup scene continues to grow, it’s likely we’ll see more companies like Appnox taking on the tech giants and disrupting the industry.
Appnox Technologies Website:
Appnox Technologies LinkedIn:


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Trader Joe’s to open Dec. 12
Christmas is coming early for fans of Trader Joe’s.
The popular grocery store chain is set to open its Gainesville store on Dec. 12. The store, located in Butler Plaza next to PetSmart, will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, according to a company press release.
Trader Joe’s is famous for its specialty items, including “two buck Chuck” wine. The company has more than 300 stores across the country.
Trader Joe’s has two other locations in Florida: Naples and Sarasota. The company is opening a fourth Florida store, in Miami, next year.
Trader Joe’s began accepting job applications for the Gainesville store on Nov. 7. To download an application, visit www.traderjoes.com
Clarification: Trader Joe’s has more than 300 stores in more than 30 states. The number originally used in the article was outdated as the company continues to expand.
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Revolutionizing the Gaming Landscape: How Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Have Redefined the Industry’s Love for ‘We Sell Loads’ and ‘It’s a Great Tool
Xbox Game Pass has been the talk of the town for a while now. Offering subscribers an ever-growing selection of games – both standalone and trilogy – at a relatively low cost, there are millions of people around the world now playing exciting new games at a fraction of the cost they would have charged ten years ago. With new initiatives being announced all the time (Xbox Game Pass Core being the latest), it certainly seems like Microsoft is doing what it can to make the barrier to playing new titles as low as possible.
The deal for consumers is sweet, but consumers only see one side of the benefits of such a program. As highlighted in a recent Microsoft FTC court hearing, Jim Ryan at Sony claims that publishers aren’t fans, and that concerns surrounding the perceived value of big-budget titles are inside the offices of industry giants.
Was this just a statement intended to prevent a Microsoft / Activision Blizzard takeover? Or is there some truth to these fears? To find out, I traveled to Develop Brighton to talk to developers and publishers, hoping to hear first-hand from the people who see the stats and live with the realities and consequences of Game Pass.
“It’s very difficult right now because what’s happening at the same time is that these subscription services are getting bigger, and nobody has any money,” says Mike Rose, corporate director at No More Robots. “So you can try to blame[Game Pass]for that, but also all video game sales are down.”
Rose has been behind several indie game releases, and has stated that No More Heroes aims to bring all future releases to Game Pass after the massive success of Descenders on the service.
Rose continues: “There aren’t a lot of Game Pass subscribers. Most people no Use Game Pass. When we look at Descenders, which has been around on Game Pass for a long time now, it’s one of the top 20 most downloaded games on Game Pass every month – and we’re selling a lot on Xbox and PlayStation. We don’t see any drops.
However, Rose acknowledges that, as an independent publisher, his situation is very different from some of the larger publishers out there. “We put kind of low six-figures on a game. So Game Pass ends up doing pretty well for us. If you put $5,000,000 into a game, it’s even more difficult.”
So let’s expand it a bit with a developer who has published a bigger game in recent years. Enter Josh and Mike Grier, the brothers who lead the charge at Emberlab. In 2021, the studio released Kena: Bridge of Spirits to the PlayStation and Epic Game Store platforms. And for Emberlab, PlayStation Plus was a positive take on the action-adventure title.
“It was just a whole new wave of people,” Mike Greer says. “We definitely had to watch for crashes at that point, and make sure we kept doing well (laughter). But yeah, I think PlayStation Plus is just providing a new audience, and we’ve had some success there.”
His brother Josh quickly followed by explaining the power PlayStation Plus has to bring games to life after launch. “It was exciting for us. You know, the game was off for a while when (PS Plus) happened, and just to see that there are people re-energizing the crowd — getting new people to play the game as it is — that’s what’s exciting for us.”
Finally, Mike Greer concluded by focusing on a case-by-case approach. “I think[the advantage of these services]is definitely something you have to consider since Game Pass has grown so big. So, you have to look at your goals as a developer. Looking at sales is really important, of course, but also what opportunities do you have to promote the game? Game Pass and PS Plus are a great tool for that.”
Let’s take it a notch higher, to a major studio about to release their first major project. Enter Arctic 7. You may not have heard of this new outfit, but the new studio led by former EA and Sperasoft bigwigs aims to create multimedia experiences across video games, TV, and other platforms (not in a different way than Remedy). Rushing into the current market, company director John Burns provided consumer-focused opinion.
“With my background in games as a service at Jagex and other companies (…). I think what we’ve seen is more choices that you can offer players, whether it’s platforms, whether it’s different types of game genres, innovation and styles of play, with how you pay And to consume (…), it’s really cool.”
Burns continues: “Whether you look at: Well, I can go to a store and buy a physical copy (which is still the norm in some parts of the world) or guess what? I can subscribe, I can do a microtransaction. Better. We’ve seen PS Plus and Game Pass fuel growth. They fuel innovation. I think the more, the better.”
What do you think of the service? Tell us below, and while you’re at it, why not check out our articles: Exoprimal Dino Shooting feels right at home on Xbox Game Pass, but does it have staying power? , plus our top 30 Game Pass games for July 2023.
Please note: the interviews in this article have been edited for clarity and brevity.”


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Free Parking for Electric Cars Is a Bad Idea Any Day of the Week
In a city where street space is at a premium, parking incentives for EVs are the wrong way to go.
A proposal from two City Council members to incentivize electric car ownership with free parking may be well-intentioned, but it’s a terrible idea.
Intro 1602, sponsored by Mark Levine and Costa Constantinides, would let drivers of electric vehicles park for free in metered spaces on Saturdays. It’s a small gesture meant to encourage more New Yorkers to buy electric cars. There are currently just over 2,000 EVs registered in NYC, according to Levine.
But in a city where street space is at a premium and most people get around without driving, it’s a small gesture that takes us in the wrong direction. As Charles Komanoff wrote for Streetsblog when Denmark decided to waive parking fees for electric cars in downtown Copenhagen, it’s a policy that “will take mode share from cycling, walking and transit.”
The parking equation is straightforward. Giving away metered parking causes people to consume more parking, and to circle streets in search of free spaces for longer, generating more traffic and congestion. That means buses move slower and walking and biking become less appealing. The greenest modes — and the ones that enable the city to function without freezing up in gridlock — will get crowded out.
In 2010, the Bloomberg administration rejected parking incentives for electric vehicle owners as contrary to the city’s goal of reducing car traffic. Even as an inducement to buy electric, free parking makes no sense: Any perks would be “superfluous” for people already inclined to purchase electric vehicles, Neil Parikh of the Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability said at the time.
New Yorkers have low carbon footprints in large part because because we already make most trips without getting in a car. Tilting the playing field toward driving is the wrong way to go, regardless of whether the vehicle emits carbon from the tailpipe. That was true in 2010 and it remains true today.


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All financial press releases sorted by date
Lectra announces the acquisition of Neteven
The Group enhances its e-commerce offer for fashion companies and reinforces its positioning as an essential Industry 4.0 player.
Lectra completes the acquisition of Gerber Technology
Lectra confirms receipt of regulatory approvals for the Gerber Technology acquisition project
Q1 2021: strong improvement in earnings
Lectra shareholders’ vote on Gerber Technology acquisition project postponed
Lectra confirms its eligibility for PEA-PME scheme
Lectra signs the agreement to acquire Gerber Technology
2020: strong resilience in earnings and free cash flow, despite the consequences of the health crisis
Lectra announces its plan to acquire the entire capital and voting rights of US-based Gerber Technology
By uniting, the two companies would become the ultimate Industry 4.0 partner for their customers.


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2. Nike chooses Colin Kaepernick as the face of its advertising campaign
Some people are thrilled about it and others are burning all their Nike attire. In 2016, the former San Fransisco 49er started kneeling during the National Anthem to raise awareness about police brutality against African-Americans. Here's more.
3. Want a say in Denver Public Schools' next superintendent?


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If you're a fan of Apple products (like me!), you surely know that the Macintosh operating software comes with some fantastic feline names. My pal GeekSugar is at Back to the Mac today and told me all about the latest Mac OS X v10.7, named after the big cat seen below. I've gathered all the kitties featured thus far, so see if you can match their names to the pictures in this quiz.
At this morning's Apple event, Steve Jobs told us that if a MacBook and an iPad hooked up, we'd get the new MacBook Air. But they've been busy — there are two! Introduced today, the 13.3-inch and 11.6-inch MacBook Airs come in at less than three pounds and are wedge-shaped — 0.68 inches at its thickest and 0.11 inches at the thinnest for the 13.3-inch — and come with an all-aluminum unibody. With HD backlit LED displays (with more pixels than the new MacBooks), core 2 duo processor, and FaceTime cameras, the new MacBook Airs are meant to be taken on the road.
There's no optical drive and no hard drive, but the new MBAs have flash storage (which comes in the iPhone and iPad), making them more reliable and super quiet. Both Airs come with up to 30 days of standby time, while the 13.3-inch Air has seven hours of battery life and the smaller 11.6-inch model boasts five hours.
Get the lowdown on prices after the break.
Over 19 million devices have been shipped with FaceTime, and now that feature will also come to the Mac — as predicted. Just like iChat, you launch the FaceTime app and select a user to chat with — whether it be on an iPhone 4, a new iPod Touch, a laptop, or iMacs — and talk away, face to face.
Head to Apple.com and get a beta release of FaceTime for Mac starting today.
Steve Jobs introduced Mac OS X Lion this morning, which will be bringing iOS features to the Mac.
Key features include:
- Multitouch gestures — Used with new Magic mouse, trackpad, and tablets, not by touchscreens on computers.
- App Store — Seven billion apps have been downloaded from the App store, so now Apple will bring a store to the Mac. One-click downloads, free and paid apps, auto installs to your computer, auto app updates, licensed for use on all personal macs, and developers get 70 percent of the profits for their apps.
- App home screens — Called the launch pad (which looks a lot like the widgets launcher), this icon allows you to get to all of your apps with a click. Just like iOS, you can create folders and organize your launch pad for easy access.
- Full-screen apps — All of your apps can be opened up to full screen, and switching between apps, home screens, and documents can be done by "flicking" your trackpad.
Learn about Apple's new Mission Control feature, when you can expect Lion, and a few more screenshots, when you read more.
The first new product to be introduced at the Back to the Mac event is iLife. Coming with a bunch of new features, iLife is better than ever. Check out what's new in each application below.
New features include new full screen modes, Facebook enhancements, new slideshows, and new ways to email photos and print cards, including new custom letterpress cards (!) and postcards. Cool new maps let you see geo-tagged pics, and enhancements to the Faces feature recognizes faces even better. Additionally, you can customize books even further, add text, and move pics around with ease, then see all of your custom books in a bookshelf (just like in the iBookstore).
Hear about the rest of the iLife '11 features, including iMovie, Garageband, availability, and pricing after the jump.
Steve Jobs and Tim Cook opened up the Back to the Mac event by going over the company's successes. Apple has grown 18 percent every quarter and now has over 20 percent of the market share. To put that into perspective, one in every five personal computers bought is a Mac.
Additionally, the ACSI has scored Apple number one in customer satisfaction for the seventh year in a row, and number one in customer support, according to Consumer Reports.


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Innovative technology brand TECNO today announced a partnership with Dolby Laboratories, a leader in immersive entertainment experiences. The collaboration will provide TECNO’s global users with a breathtaking Dolby Atmos spatial sound experience that you can feel all around you — revealing depth, clarity, and details like never before. Dolby Atmos will first be delivered to users through TECNO’s upcoming POVA 6 Series, which will be officially launched at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024.
Dolby Atmos transforms the mobile entertainment experience with moving audio that flows above and all around you. When listening on mobile devices, Dolby Atmos delivers an immersive sound experience wherever users go — over stereo earbuds or headphones, or over built-in device speakers. The up-leveled audio experience isn’t limited just to Dolby Atmos content – Dolby’s holistic audio solution also greatly improves the sound of all music, games, movies, and shows on your phone. It provides a more natural listening experience with crisper dialogue, a more enveloping soundfield, greater subtlety and nuance, maximized loudness without distortion, and consistent playback volume for a very wide variety of content.
For TECNO’s global users, Dolby Atmos is set to revolutionize the listening experience for their favorite entertainment, including movies, shows, music, and games. The brand’s first device to feature Dolby Atmos will be the upcoming TECNO POVA 6 Pro 5G, which will be officially released in late February at Mobile World Congress 2024. The new device, which will be on show at TECNO’s MWC 24 booth, promises an exciting gaming experience for modern youth with Dolby Atmos that puts users inside the action.
Following the global launch of POVA 6 Series, the collaboration with Dolby will also see all future TECNO CAMON and PHANTOM Series devices equipped with Dolby Atmos. With a shared vision to create premium experiences for users, the collaboration between TECNO and Dolby will enhance mobile entertainment for global consumers seeking unprecedented innovative entertainment experiences. It is estimated that the Philippines is most likely to become the country where the POVA 6 series will first launch in the world after MWC.


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Tecno Mobile launches first full-screen display smartphone
Tecno mobile phone brand under the Transsion Holdings, has released its first frameless full-screen display smartphone, known as TECNO CAMON CM. The device is the latest in the CAMON Series family and reemphasises the brand’s knack for designing high-end smartphones with sophisticated cameras. Speaking at its launch in Lagos, the Brand Manager, Tecno…
Smartphone markets in Nigeria, South Africa enter early stages of recovery
Smartphone markets in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and other part of Africa, bounced back from two consecutive declines to post quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth of 4.4 per cent in Q3 2017. According to insight from the International Data Corporation (IDC), in its Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, it showed that smartphone shipments for the quarter reached 21.7…
iPhone X arrives Nigeria, as Apple launches new smartphone in Lagos
The world’s biggest smartphone maker unveiled its latest smartphone device at the Victoria Island, Lagos. The iPhone X is Apple’s most recent product right after the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 plus. It comes with the most advanced technology with flawless hardware design and a range of new service offerings. Speaking at the launch, ,…
Smartphone nearby reduces memory
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, United States (US), set out to examine the effect that having one's smartphone nearby can have on one's ability to concentrate.
How smartphone can aid your efficiency
Interestingly, research shows that the majority of smartphone users explore less than 40 per cent of the utility of these devices. Whereas the majorities are comfortable with making calls, watching online movies or taking that occasional selfie; there is a lot more benefits locked in your smartphone.
Smartphone maker Huawei catching up on Samsung, Apple
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei managed to gain ground on Samsung and Apple in terms of market share last year, following the problems encountered by the two sector giants, the Gartner consultancy group said on Wednesday.
Smartphone market to be worth $355 billion in 2020
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Smartphone-obsessed Finns rank tops in screen time
On the crowded morning metro in Helsinki, silence prevails. Everyone is hunched over their smartphone screens, reading the news, checking emails or watching videos.
Pixel phones and smart machines: Google announcements
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Tesla has plenty of competition these days, but the electric automaker now has one more metric to show why it is a market leader.
The company’s flagship sedan, the Model S, can now boast 390 miles of range before requiring a recharge, a 17-mile improvement over its predecessor. The announcement comes on the heels of months of chatter from founder Elon Musk hinting that a new version of the vehicle would boast longer range.
The new Long Range Plus model comes with more than the raw ability to go the distance, too. A dual-motor all-wheel-drive system helps this Model S grip the road as it accelerates from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 155 miles per hour.
And the Model S isn’t the only vehicle in the Tesla lineup to see improvements. “All S/X cars made in recent months have actually been above stated EPA range,” Musk said in a tweet. “Will be unlocked soon for free via software update.” When a customer asked how the improvement came about, Musk answered: “Many small hardware improvements throughout the car that have been introduced gradually over past several months.”
The automaker has the ability to offer performance upgrades via software upgrades if the foundation hardware is already in place, as is the case here. Musk did not, however, specific a time frame for when customers could expect to see these improvements “unlocked.”
News of the boosted Model S range is just the latest in a string of headline-grabbing positive news for the California-based marque. Earlier this year, Tesla became the first US automaker to pass the $100 billion valuation mark. The enormous figure means that the company is now worth more than Ford and General Motors combined. And Musk, for his part, is set to receive a $50 billion payout. Not a bad way to start the electric revolution.


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Elon Musk is definitely no stranger to video games. A somewhat pop-culture sensation, the CEO of Tesla recently revealed that he's only played games on one console.
Despite being a part of the 'PC Master-race,' Musk revealed that he had played Halo on a console.
Halo: Combat Evolved was released in 2001. The game was way ahead of its time in terms of scope and ambition.
The tweets started to fly soon after Musk revealed that the Tesla Model S could run Cyberpunk 2077. The car comes equipped with a 2,200 x 1,300-pixel central touch screen, just like a real computer, and games could be played on it.
It's not a secret that Musk loves playing video games. In the past, he has clarified that he primarily spends his gaming time on PC.
However, most of the mainline Halo series is not playable on consoles. Recently, the developers 343 Industries have brought Halo's entirety: The Master Chief Collection to PC.
Here's a beautiful rendition of The Halo Theme song:
Elon Musk's gaming monkey
Not satisfied with bringing gaming to his automobiles, the entrepreneurs now hopes to bring gaming to monkeys.
In a rather peculiar development during an interview on the “Good Time Show” on the Clubhouse app, Musk revealed that a Neuralink implanted in a monkey’s brain could enable the primate to play video games using his mind.
"We've already got a monkey with a wireless implant in their skull, and the tiny wires, who can play video games using his mind. He’s not uncomfortable, and he doesn’t look weird. And you can’t even see where the neural implant went in. He’s a happy monkey.”
The bigger picture: Neuralink
While Musk may be conducting his monkey business (pun intended), the entrepreneur has an earnest goal for Neuralink. The main objective of the technology is to decrease latency in human-machine communication. Training monkeys to play video games only scratches the surface of that larger goal.
Musk teased that his neurotechnology company could begin implanting computer chips in humans later this year. A Twitter user even reached out to Musk, volunteering for "clinical studies," if required.
In essence, Neuralink is a technology that can aid humans' interact with machines by using the human brain. A device is surgically implanted into the brain by which users will communicate with machines, and even control them.
The device will also aid the study of electrical signals in the brain. This could provide solutions for various brain-related diseases that are currently incurable.
Musk claims to be doing it all for the betterment of humanity. From creating reusable rockets to seamless integration between man and machine, Musk is paving the way forward for future generations.