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Only a few days ago, Google made its first-ever self-made and designed tablet, the Pixel C. While the tablet got everyone excited and even gained praise for its hardware, it also disappointed and confused many about its hefty $499 price tag along with software issue and lack of tablet apps. The latter being a more serious issue of concern for many.
To clear such doubts and answer those questions, the team behind Pixel C did an AMA on Reddit. During the whole discussion, the team was asked various questions including related to the arrival of support for split screen mode in Android. If you are unaware, it is the mode which lets users work on two apps simultaneously.
The answer to this question was given by Andrew Bowers, Google’s Director for consumer hardware and as per him, it can be seen on next version of Android, Android N v7.0.
“We’re working on lots of things right now for N that, of course, we wish we had, you know, yesterday. But we’d spoil the surprise of N if we shared all of them. Split screen is in the works!”
So here you go. Split screen mode is in works and most probably will be released alongside Android N. As for Android N itself, we can expect it to get announced at Google I/O 2016 and public release sometime around October-November 2016.


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An “overwhelming majority” of US consumers (75%) say they most trust banks to keep their payments safe, an American Bankers Association survey has found. 4% most trust alternative payment providers such as PayPal and Venmo while only 1% most trust major retailers or telecom companies. 6% of US consumers have used a mobile app to make a payment, the survey found, with PayPal most popular (45%) followed by Apple Pay (42%) and Google Wallet (11%).
- Monese teases Apple Pay launches in 13 European countries
- National Australia Bank goes live with Apple Pay
- TriMet rolls out NFC ticketing for iPhone users
- ABN Amro unveils blockchain-based NFC platform for trade inventory tracking
- Apple Pay goes live in Luxembourg and Hungary

domain: news


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As augmented reality technology improves, the holography of Iron Man and Avatar moves a step closer to entering our everyday lives.
Target has agreed to pay $US18.5 million ($24.78 million) to settle investigations by dozens of US states over a 2013 hack of its database, in which the personal information of millions of customers was stolen.
Letting anyone accept Apple Pay, Android Pay and credit cards on-the-spot, Square's tiny contactless reader puts a pop-up store in your pocket.
Google will begin using data from billions of credit and debit card transactions — including card numbers, purchase amounts and time stamps — to solve the advertising juggernaut's long-standing quest to prove that online ads prompt consumers to make purchases in brick-and-mortar stores.
Microsoft has reintroduced its Surface Pro hybrid device, unveiling a brand new portable machine the company insists is no longer a tablet that can act as a laptop, but is instead "the most versatile laptop we've ever built".
Life could have been so different for Baxter the Robot. A product of US company, Rethink Robotics, Baxter was designed to perform any dull, repetitive tasks no human would ever want to undertake.
The biggest threats to date came from other fast growing social apps, but these have been eliminated.
HP has used Cannes Film Festival, of all places, to spruik the latest updates to its consumer laptops and tablets the HP Envy and HP Spectre X2.
Porsche's new headphones are good for sound, but even better for diamond smuggling.
As the new toy takes the country by storm, an iOS app is cashing in on the craze.
Leaked Facebook documents show how the social media company moderates issues such as hate speech, terrorism, pornography and self-harm on its platform, The Guardian has reported, citing internal guidelines it has seen.
The push to get Google Assistant on every device in your home has reached the lounge room as Android O helps Android TV finds its voice.
North Korea's main spy agency has a special cell called Unit 180 that is likely to have launched some of its most daring and successful cyber attacks, according to defectors, officials and internet security experts.
This month, one of the most important intelligence documents about Russian interference in the US election emerged.
Instagram is ranked as the worst social networking app when it comes to its impact on young people's mental health, according to a new survey published by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) in the UK.
People who share or post sexually explicit images of others without their consent will face tough new penalties if a national proposal to combat revenge porn is passed into law.
With the clock ticking on whether a global hacking attack would wipe out his data, Bolton Jiang had no intention of paying a 21st-century ransom.
Unless the government vastly increases how much it spends on research into technologies, it is the corporations that will decide how to deploy them.
When it arrives mid-year, talking to Google's attentive benchtop speaker will be more about striking up a conversation than simply issuing commands.


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ZINFI Technologies, Inc., a unified channel management platform, has launched the ZINFI Agency Partner Program (ZAPP) to provide channel consultants, marketing agencies and CRM system integrators with resources, training and support to differentiate their business, generate a recurring revenue stream and enhance client relationships.
ZINFI said the new program is designed to
expand the company's customer base beyond the technology and manufacturing verticals to a much broader service economy which includes healthcare, financials, insurance and retail, among others.
"The new ZAPP initiative will change the landscape for these companies by enabling a global ecosystem of partners to help them get the job done fast and at a much more affordable rate," said Sugata Sanyal, Founder and CEO of ZINFI, in a statement. "This is truly a win-win for both our channel customers and our end customers."


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Tesla adds 17 more stores to its Model 3 display fleet
US electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors has announced that it is adding 17 more stores to its Model 3 display fleet. The automaker also said that a further expansion of the display fleet is on the cards in the near future.
With the Model 3 display fleet already having been expanded by Tesla Motors to 35 stores this week, the latest announcement about the addition of 17 more stores -- 7 of them in California -- implies that the automaker’s new electric car will now be on display at more than 50 locations. In addition, Tesla has also listed 6 more stores as “coming soon” to the Model 3 display fleet.
Tesla has gradually been bringing Model 3 for display at its retail locations, as it has amassed more than 450,000 reservations for the electric car. Interestingly, most people who have reserved Model 3 have actually not seen the car in real and Tesla can get more reservations as people will be able to see car at display locations.
As a result of the gradual introduction of Model 3 at Tesla’s retail locations, the automaker has been ensuring, over the last few weeks, that the electric car is introduced at a few new stores every week every.
Tesla’s ongoing efforts to expand the Model 3 display fleet is in accordance with a statement made by CEO Elon Musk at the shareholder meeting earlier in June. Musk had said that Tesla plans to expand the Model 3 display fleet, and also to start building a test drive fleet for the electric car as soon as this month.
In a recent report, BMW-focused German website BimmerToday has revealed that BMW’s i3 all-electric car will be getting a new battery cell upgrade, aimed at giving the car a range of more than 200 miles.
Chinese electric vehicle market is fast growing and acceptance of green vehicles in China has increased over the last two quarters.
In Berlin this week, German automaker Audi shared some notable details about the 1,576-pound, 95-kWh lithium-ion battery pack of the company’s forthcoming 2019 e-tron battery-electric SUV.
At the Auto China 2018 event held in Beijing this week, General Motors (GM) took the wraps off a stunning new all-electric concept SUV --- the Buick Enspire.
According to the results of a recent Autolist consumer poll, US electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors has received the highest trust rating among automakers presently involved in developing self-driving technologies.
According to the latest electric vehicle (EV) sales report for China for the month of March 2018, the number of EVs sold in the country during the month touched a total of 59,000 units; thereby marking a noteworthy 85% year-on-year increase as com


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Mixamo have launched Fuse 1.0 on Steam, bringing an entirely new level of 3D character modding to the Steam community.
Making of Audi Perfect Shadow
FUSE have released a breakdown of their Perfect Shadow CG spot for Audi.
Insomniac Games Used Autodesk Tech for Resistance 3
Insomniac Games used software and technology from Autodesk for Resistance 3.


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Produce World Group (PWG) has formed a growing partnership with Lincolnshire Field Products (LFP) to produce brassicas for the 2015 harvest.
The two companies are hoping to improve efficiency by working together at farms in the East Midlands to grow cabbage, sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower.
PWG supplies vegetables to Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and independent retailers, and organic vegetables to Tesco. It grows potatoes and onions through farming division Burgess Farms, and works in partnership with growers Taylor Grown, Tompsett Burgess Growers and Greenshoots.
PWG procurement director Jon Campbell said the company had ambitious plans for the next five years, and was “delighted to add LFP’s experience and expertise to that of our other key growers”.
“LFP are at the cutting-edge of agronomy in this sector,” he added. “Their considerable experience and expertise enables them to deliver the brassica crop in an accurate and timely manner.”
LFP commercial director Martin Tate commented: “We feel that there are considerable synergies between our two organisations, particularly as Produce World is a company with farming at its heart.”


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EMC Drops Clariion Pricing
EMC this week announced enhancements to its entry-level Clariion CX200 line of networked storage systems. When it was launched last November, the CX200 was available only in dual-controller configurations, and had a list price of roughly $30,000. This week, single-controller CX200 systems will also be available. “That allows us to get much more aggressive from a pricing perspective,” EMC Senior Director of Clariion Mike Wytenus said. A $10,000 CX200 will hold about 100GB of storage, he said.
Read the full story on:InfoWorld
NetApp, AppIQ Partner to Integrate SAN and NAS Management
Network Appliance and AppIQ are developing an open interface based on the Storage Networking Industry Associations (SNIA) Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S) to unify SAN and NAS storage management. “The efforts AppIQ and Network Appliance are making to propel the SMI-S are reflective of the overall industry support for this standard,” said John Webster, senior analyst and cofounder of Data Mobility Group. “By integrating the management of NAS and SAN through the implementation of the SMI-S, customers have the freedom to utilize both technologies and manage both through a single console.” The AppIQ Solution Suite will be the first to manage the Network Appliance unified storage platform through an SMI-S interface. The two companies are also partnering to drive the NAS implementation of SMI-S.
Read the full story on:Enterprise Storage Forum
Iron Mountain Gets the Message
Iron Mountain, the company known for storing paper files deep in mines, this week said it will provide instant messaging support in its electronic archival outsourcing. Iron Mountain already archives and manages e-mail for companies. Those companies now can search for e-mail and IM data based on a persons e-mail address or IM address. Two weeks ago, the Securities and Exchange Commissions rule 17a-4 regarding archiving and retaining such records became official. Those requirements now include instant messaging and e-mail.
Read the full story on:InformationWeek
Multi-Layer DVD Holds 200 Films
Hitachi last week said it has developed technology to make DVDs with enough storage capacity to hold 400 hours of video. The latest technology involves stacking multiple data-storing layers. Conventional technologies so far allow only two layers in a DVD. The company aims to commercialize the technology in 2007.
Read the full story on:Agence French-Presse
IReady Unveils Integrated iSCSI Controller and Lineup of iSCSI HBAs
IReady Corp. this week announced a full lineup of iSCSI products, featuring a fully integrated iSCSI controller and iSCSI host bus adaptors (HBAs)—at less than half the price of competing solutions, the company said. The iReady HBA product family includes three product offerings: the IR-1011LC iSCSI Storage Adapter, the IR-1011C Secure Storage Adapter, and the IR-1011F Secure Storage Adapter for optical networks.
Read the full story on:Silicon Valley Biz Ink


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Grass Valley has reorganized its sales and marketing efforts by creating four new executive positions, with three regional presidents and a chief marketing officer, all of whom will report to the company's president and CEO Alain Andreoli.
"Having realigned our product groups and streamlined our operations it's now all about getting closer to our customers, becoming their trusted advisors and delighting them with the Grass Valley experience," explained Andreoli in a statement. "We are creating more strength in our regions and will now have three regional presidents reporting directly to me, as well as a newly created chief marketing officer role, bringing an even stronger voice of the customer to the executive team."
As part of the changes, Mike Oldham will join the company as region president, Americas, while Alan Wright has been promoted to region president EMEA. Andrew Sedek assumes the role of region president Asia Pacific and Graham Sharp, senior VP of corporate development will assume the additional role of chief marketing officer.
Oldham joins Grass Valley from FrontPoint Advisors LLC., where he was managing director. Previously he was CEO of Omnibus Systems, which was acquired by Miranda Technologies, and he held COO positions with Encoda Systems, Matchlogic, and SafeRent.
In announcing the changes, the broadcast equipment vendor also noted that "Jeff Rosica, current executive VP and chief sales and marketing officer, who oversaw the sale of Grass Valley to Francisco Partners and has been instrumental in the first phase of the transformation to a profitable, independent company, will leave the company near the end of the year."
Rosica will remain as a strategic advisor to the CEO until late November.
"Jeff has helped enormously to get us where we are today and we appreciate his hard work and dedication to creating an independent and strong Grass Valley, as well as his contributions to our ongoing transformation," Andreoli noted in a statement. "Jeff will remain a trusted advisor to me during the transition, and will always be thought of as a part of the extended Grass Valley family."


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Updated: Intel said Wednesday that its fourth quarter, which was already dismal, was actually worse than expected.
The chip giant forecast fourth quarter revenue of $8.2 billion, down 20 percent from the third quarter and 23 percent from a year ago. Intel warned about the fourth quarter in November and forecast sales of about $9 billion. Before Intel's previous warning, analysts were expecting fourth quarter revenue north of $10 billion. That's a $2 billion revenue shortfall in two months.
In a statement, Intel cited "further weakness in end demand and inventory reductions by its customers in the global PC supply chain."
Other guidance from Intel included:
Fourth quarter margins is at the low end of the 55 percent range Intel provided give or take a few percent;
Intel will take a non-cash charge of $950 million related to its Clearwire investment. Investment losses will be between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion compared to an expected loss of $50 million.
R&D spending will be $2.6 billion, down from previous guidance of $2.8 billion.
Intel will take restructuring charges of $250 million, in line with expectations.
Intel shares were down about 5 percent in early trading.
Update: The reaction to Intel's miss was relative positive all things considered. Why? Analysts were expecting a train wreck. Citi analyst Glen Yeung says in a research note:
We had been anticipating a shortfall, modeling 4Q08 down 17%, below even the low-end of Intel’s guidance, and in this regard are not completely shocked by Intel’s pre-announcement. Recent data points from notebook ODM’s and motherboard makers have been noticeably negative, substantiating such a shortfall. The miss, however, comes after Intel had established its earnings date, and may destroy any false hope that may have arisen on the premise that the earnings date signaled they had made the quarter.


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Problems like inflation, short supply and inclement weather have pushed up the prices of everything, including Thanksgiving.
Overall, ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving meal will cost shoppers 13.5% more this year than last year, market research firm IRI predicted earlier this month, using data from October.
Many of those items are even more expensive on an individual basis, especially the star of the show: Turkey prices were up 24.4% year-on-year in the week ending Nov. 6.
Meanwhile, fresh potatoes cost 19.9% more, cranberry sauce 18.1% more, and salads and leafy greens 8.7% more. Eggs and butter (including margarine or spreads) – key ingredients for desserts and sides – saw huge increases of 74.7% and 38.5%, respectively.
“We had some serious issues in 2022 – but they built on a foundation of problems we’ve been dealing with for the past few years,” said Rob Fox, Director of the Knowledge Exchange Division at CoBank.
Why every item on your Thanksgiving plate is more expensive this year.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza – a deadly, contagious disease that is devastating poultry flocks this year – has hit turkey supplies particularly hard.
“This has been a very challenging year for turkey producers across the country,” said Beth Breeding, spokeswoman for the National Turkey Federation.
“To date, we have lost approximately 8 million turkeys,” she said, “just over 3% of the expected annual turkey production.”
The disruption won’t mean a turkey shortage because producers start planning for Thanksgiving a year before the holiday, giving them time to plan — even for a crisis like avian flu.
Breeding is hopeful that things will stabilize, and said the industry is working with the Department of Agriculture to better understand the flu and find ways to prevent it. But it is not yet clear when the virus will run its course.
In 2015, the avian flu outbreak was under control by June, Breeding explained. But “this year, we didn’t see the same pattern,” she said. “We had a decrease in cases in June, July and some of the hot summer months, but we saw cases fall again in August.”
Bad weather has held up potato supplies, said Courtney Buerger Schmidt, a sector manager with Wells Fargo’s food and agribusiness industry advisory group.
“It’s really been a tough season for crops across America,” Schmidt said. “That’s what happened to your potatoes.”
For spuds, “the rain came at the wrong time, or you didn’t get enough rain,” she said. “So you’re looking at another small crop this year.”
The Wells Fargo report, co-authored by Schmidt, notes that in the northwest region of the country, a cool spring — which delayed the potato harvest — was followed by an extreme heat. “Such an environment inhibits potato plant growth,” the report said. “Potatoes in the ground lose shape and yield.”
It is possible to store fresh potatoes all year round. But last year’s crop was also smaller because of hot and dry weather in Idaho, explained Almuhanad Melhim, a fruit and vegetable analyst at Rabobank. “We started this year with really low inventory,” he said. The prices have increased due to the shortage in supply.
Cranberry crops are also smaller this year, but the headwinds are less pronounced.
The harvest in Wisconsin was “less than expected,” said Tom Lochner, executive director of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association, which produces a large slice of the nation’s cranberry crop.
The reason for the shortfall in supply? “We’re scratching our heads,” Lochner said, and working with experts to narrow down the cause. For now, his best bet is to switch from cold to warm to cold climates.
“This affected the size of the fruit,” he said. “Maybe that’s why we came in a little below our expectation.”
But this year is still better than last year, when bad weather meant the cranberry harvest was even smaller. “We still turned over from last year,” he said, adding that there should be no shortage of cranberries this year.
IRI data shows that fresh cranberries are actually cheaper this year than last year, down 9.9%.
But that’s not the case in prepared cranberry sauce, which is where prices skyrocket.
Lochner pointed out that processors set those prices, and they’re seeing higher input costs related to berries — such as “processing the fruit and getting it to market.”
Crop disease has damaged romaine and green leaf lettuce.
Melheim said that in California, where most of the country’s lettuce is grown, “there has been a high incidence of virus infection, which has significantly affected the crop in some areas.” “That really reduced the supply and the quality of the lettuce.”
The problem is especially acute right now because of the common seasonal transition of crops from California to Arizona, he explained.
“You are on the cusp of starting a new season [in Arizona] California is closing one after the other,” he said. Even under normal circumstances, there are supply deadlines in between.
The disease spreading in California, plus that infection, “really was the perfect recipe for historically high prices,” he said.
Any way you slice it, pie is going to be more valuable this year as a variety of problems affect key ingredients.
Butter has become costlier due to dwindling supply of milk.
milk is low [from] A global outlook” than expected, CoBank’s Fox said. “You’ve got less milk, you’ve got less global butter supply.”
As milk supplies dwindle, dairy producers have less to go around, increasing competition among butter makers, cheese makers and liquid milk processors. According to a CoBank report, consumer interest in milk and cheese has exceeded demand for butter, driving up prices.
Some pie recipes call for eggs or an egg wash. Consumers won’t find any respite there either: turkeys as well as laying hens have been affected by avian flu, causing egg prices to skyrocket.
Egg-laying hens were “hit pretty hard,” Schmidt said. “I think at its peak, we were down to 9% of our egg-laying flock.” Other shelf-stable essentials, such as flour, are also expensive. Even frozen pie and pastry shells have become 23.6% more expensive, and prices for whipped dairy toppings have increased by 23%.
One silver lining: Sweet potatoes and yams are up just 2.6% at the grocery store.
Wells Fargo’s Schmidt said, “Sweet potatoes are probably one of the better values you can find right now.” “You certainly noticed that the crop performed a little better …


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Music is a social sport best played with friends. Whether word-of-mouth music discovery happens in person, across a messaging app, or over some kind of livestream, it’s always a special thing. So much so that there have been many attempts to form social networks solely around music. Music enthusiasts crave the thrill of finding a new song or artist as early as possible. Unfortunately, none of these music-focused social services have been able to stick in a meaningful way.
Instead, people flow toward general-use networks like Facebook Groups, Reddit, Twitter, Clubhouse rooms, and the like for social music discovery, because that’s where their friends are. The biggest opportunity for social listening to catch on in the future, however, is directly at the source. Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and other streaming music services could be the modern-day record store hangouts if they wanted. They’re not there yet, but they do have social listening features that could help you discover what your friends are listening to and share your tastes to others.
“We believe music discovery happens through a combination of our personalized and editorially curated playlists along with our product features that connect listeners together on platform,” said Sten Garmark, VP of product at Spotify.
“When we initially rolled our Group Session in beta in May 2020, we saw a positive reaction from our users but quickly learned that listeners around the world crave the remote listening feature,” said Garmark. “So we took Group Session one step further in July 2020, with brand-new functionality that allows Spotify Premium users around the world to tune into the same playlist or podcast simultaneously. The feature is currently still in beta, and we’ll continue to look to users for feedback to evolve and innovate the experience over time.”
Neither Apple Music nor Pandora yet have features that will let friends listen to music simultaneously, but they could be on the way. Pandora, specifically, launched its digital radio service on the strength of its music discovery, assisted by its Music Genome Project. Although it integrates listener feedback through its Thumbs Up buttons, those integrations are only very loosely tied to influencing friends’ listening with Thumbprint Radio.
“Pandora invented personalized, mass-scale online music discovery and has remained an industry innovation leader,” said Chris Phillips, the EVP and chief product and technology officer at SiriusXM/Pandora. “Sharing is at the heart of amplifying discovery, so we make it as effortless as possible for Pandora users to share their favorite songs, albums, playlists, and stations with their friends and networks.”
After a year of being socially distant, more social features would be invaluable. None of the music services we spoke to were willing to discuss their plans for better social listening. There are plenty of opportunities for those services to create sticky environments though.
On the other side of the entertainment industry, streaming video platforms like Disney+, Hulu, and Sling were all quick to add social viewing features. These product enhancements include synchronized video playback with friends and allow interactions ranging from sending emojis to showing live video of viewers alongside the content. Can this rapid adoption of more social features work for Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music to encourage more listening with others? Or is this largely a pipe dream of some music nerds?


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MISSOULA – Three new liquor licenses for Missoula will be available to bid on starting July 31.
One restaurant beer and wine license, one beer license and one “floating license” are all available to be purchased through a competitive bid process.
Montana used to distribute liquor licenses through a lottery system but since 2017 they have been using a competitive bid process that starts July 31 with the last opportunity to apply coming Sept. 5.
The different licenses have varying degrees of value and with the bidding for the floater license being the most valued coming in at $323,000.
The restaurant beer and wine license starts at $42,000 and the beer license has a minimum bid starting at $122,000.
Montana’s liquor license laws seem complicated but its all in an attempt to keep the right balance in the state.
“State legislatos didn’t want there to be a simply unlimited amount of bars everywhere and at the same time you know Montanans want of course to be able to visit the right number of bars and restaurants in their community so its a balance,” Montana Department of Revenue spokesman Sanjay Talwani said.
Missoula gets three more licenses because the city’s population has gone up and Bozeman also gets two new licenses because of their population growth as well.
Reporting by Connor McCauley for MTN News


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Weekly Threat Report - 25th May 2018
Report's are drawn from recent open source reporting, see the latest report here:
GDPR and what it means for cyber security
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force today, 25th May, setting clear instructions about the appropriate technical and organisational measures that must be in place to securely process personal data.
While there has been a lot of messaging around GDPR, what you may not know is that the NCSC has been working closely with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to develop a set of security outcomes. The guidance provides an overview of what GDPR says about security and describes a set of related outcomes which all organisations that process personal data should seek to achieve.
Some overarching information around GDPR has been produced by the NCSC which serves as a good starting point before tackling GDPR security outcomes. The ICO, which is the UK’s supervisory authority for GDPR, has also published plenty of useful guidance on its own websitetoo.
The NCSC’s Principal Technical Director for Risk Management Capability, Ian M, has also blogged about GDPR which may be a good starting point for those looking for more information about the impact upon cyber security.
Children’s details leaked in monitoring app breach
Media reports detail another serious Amazon S3 bucket cloud storage breach. According to ZDnet, a UK-based security researcher found two open servers belonging to TeenSafe, a mobile app for iOS and Android, that allows parents to monitor the texts, calls, locations and social media exchanges of their children. The servers were reportedly left unsecured and accessible to anyone without a password. This breach exposed at least 10,200 records covering the preceding three months, including childrens’ Apple ID and plaintext passwords, children's' device names and their device’s unique identifier.
This latest incident is yet another instance of a Amazon S3 Bucket cloud storage breach. This breach is particularly serious, due to the potential for online predators to access the personal details of minors. It may also leave the affected children (and their parents) more vulnerable to identity theft in the future.
When an Amazon cloud server is purchased, it is set private by default and security would need to be manually turned off for to the public to access. There are at least two layers of security that should have been implemented. The encryption was turned off on the server allowing anyone access and secondly, the stored data at rest was not encrypted, allowing anyone to read any files stored on the server.
If you are using or considering using Cloud technology, he recommend reading the NCSC's Cloud Security Collection and Implementing the Cloud Security Principles.
‘Sharenting’: increasing the risk of identify fraud?
Research by Barclays Bank has indicated that the sharing of family life on social media by parents, known as ‘sharenting’, could leave their children exposed to online identity fraud when they grow up.
For example, a photo celebrating a child’s birthday reveals a date of birth; a reference to their first pet could be used as an answer to a bank security question; or the child’s favourite football team may also be a useful clue to a password. If this information is obtained by fraudsters it gives them a head-start in breaking into their future online lives. Also given that many adults use this kind of information when choosing passwords, this can also expose the parent to online fraud.
It is advisable for users to check the privacy settings on social media accounts.
The NCSC has also provided guidance on choosing good passwords, and CPNI has produced some useful material on minimising your digital footprint.
For those building services, it is advisable not to use easily discoverable information for password resets.
Up to 800,000 DrayTek routers at risk due to zero-day exploit
Network equipment vendor Draytek has said several of its wireless routers (details here) are vulnerable to a suspected ‘zero-day’ exploit allowing hackers to remotely change the device's settings. This could allow attackers to re-direct traffic or conduct man-in-the-middle attacks in order to steal information and credentials from users.
Researchers suggest up to 800, 000 routers are at risk. Reports from victim IT departments suggest the exploit is bypassing password-based security and even access control lists (which restrict connections to trusted devices only). UK-based technical online forums indicate there are multiple UK victims. Draytek has issued a security advisory, encouraging users to manually update firmware.
Users should also ensure regular patching is undertaken across all device types. Where possible, users should set devices to automatically apply all security updates as they become available. The NCSC's approach to patch management can be found here.


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Nordson DAGE receives a Global Technology Award for inspection – X-ray
- The new Quadra™ 7 offers 0.1μm sub-micron feature recognition
Nordson DAGE, a division of Nordson Corporation (NASDAQ: NDSN), announces that it was awarded a 2016 Global Technology Award in the category of Inspection – X-ray for its Quadra™ 7. The award, sponsored by Global SMT and Packaging Magazine, was presented to Joseph Stockunas, Vice President, Advanced Technology, Nordson Corporation during a Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016 ceremony that took place at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL during SMTA International.
Nordson DAGE’s flagship system – the new Quadra™ 7 with 0.1μm sub-micron feature recognition – comes equipped with two 4K UHD displays and 8 million pixels to fully show the 50μm pixel pitch and 6.7MP image size of the Aspire FP™ detector. 4K UHD offers up to 4 times the detail compared to standard HD display screens and supports 68,000X total magnification.
The Quadra™ 7 enables operators to see sub-micron level features without losing detail. The Quadra™ Series is Nordson DAGE’s fourth generation, ultra-high resolution, off-line X-ray system offering the highest feature recognition at full power.
Nordson DAGE Vice President, Phil Vere said “We are delighted with this award. Congratulations go to the whole team at Nordson DAGE who have again developed and released a truly market leading new range of product.”
Premiering in 2005, the Global Technology Awards program is an annual celebration of product excellence in electronics surface mount assembly. Premier products based on the finest examples of creative advancement in technology are chosen by a distinguished panel of industry experts.


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McLarens are proving exceptionally popular, particularly in the U.S. – which, one would presume, is a good thing for Woking. Only not exactly.
Speaking to Automotive News, president of McLaren North America Tony Joseph said that if Mcaren sales bounce back in certain parts of the world throughout 2019, the company’s allocation to the U.S. market might have to be capped.
“They’re producing 20 cars per day right now. The thing that could be a challenge for us going forward is that we are overall a small-volume manufacturer.
“We’re capped in terms of what our total production could be. Last year China was a bit slow and southern Europe was a bit slow. If those markets come back on track, that could potentially cut into our volume here,” Joseph said.
Last year, McLaren sold a record 4,806 vehicles worldwide. North America represented 32.6 per cent of these sales, and with new and exciting models frequently hitting the market, it could be difficult to keep up with demand.
To ensure that the brand remains exclusive, McLaren is extremely cautious about where and when it opens new dealerships in North America. In 2018, just four new McLaren dealerships were added to the company’s portfolio in the United States. Additionally, new ownership at the brand’s dealer in Beverly Hills has seen local sales soar, making that the facility now the top-selling McLaren dealership in the world.
McLaren builds all of its vehicles at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, England and Joseph thinks that, despite concerns about overall volume satisfying supply, they can grow in certain areas, including in the upper-echelon of the vehicle market with models like the Senna and 1035 hp Speedtail.


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Chinese shares continued their downward trend final evening with the Shanghai Composite falling virtually 6%. The CSI 300, the biggest listed firms on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges fell nearly 7%. We wrote yesterday on the huge efforts of the Chinese authorities to stem the losses but it seems panic promoting has taken hold in a -like” bursting of their marketplace. Tasty dividends and Hyundai Motors unit sales development in 2006 have come about despite perform stoppages, union strikes, won currency strength and increasing fuel rates all to indicate that worldwide markets for properly built, competitively priced vehicles remains robust. Lake St. Clair links Lake Huron and Lake Erie in between Canada and the U.S. with a deep water port on the Detroit River.
Sumitomo will also support the widespread adoption of next-generation autos such as EV via the second-life use of lithium-ion batteries for automotive use, the development of the method that facilitates Green IT and the auto lease organization by its affiliate firm, Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Organization. Global AUTOMOTIVE Utilised Vehicles, Employed Pickup Trucks only has employed cars for sale, utilized autos, usedcars, pre-owned automobiles, utilised pickup trucks, trucks, pickups, pick up trucks which meet our criteria.
Maybe the greatest cause so numerous Used Cars, Pickup Trucks Keene, Midway shoppers pick to go to Global AUTO SALES Lexington Employed Automobiles, Employed Pickup Trucks lot is the reality that they know the search ends right here. In January and February of 2014 alone the Chinese auto marketplace saw an increase in vehicle deliveries jump 11% with a final delivery count of three.75 million units.
The gloomy Scotia Economics report additional predicts falling 2007 Canadian and US total annual automobile sales, Hyundai or otherwise, to beneath the year 2000 figures with slight increases in worldwide sales in portions of Mexico, Brazil, China and India. Both Toyota and GM downplayed the importance of the international sales title in their comments on the modify in rankings.
Some folks in the group decided to commence placing telephone calls to the Secretary’s and the Attorneys General as nicely as to State and Local elected Officials to encourage them to implement stronger enforcement of anti-trafficking laws on the local level. As element of the Back in the Race” plan, the Group aims to enhance the nearby content of its automobiles to 80% by 2018.


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The company is working on creating its own tablet, but the technical details were not disclosed.
Head of Rostec Sergey Chemezov expects appearance on the Russian market of domestic developments in the field of tablets and electronic books. He played the role of pioneer Yota Devices. According to a company representative, Yota has indeed been working on a tablet for a long time, but the project is still at the stage elaboration.
Earlier it was reported that the tablet of Russian development will receive a screen with a diagonal 10 inches and it will probably be equipped with an additional display on the back of the device, as is done with YotaPhone 2. However, the cost of such a gadget in the current economic realities will be too high. Experts name the numbers in $300-450 without an additional screen, the presence of which will add to the final figure $150. It is for this reason that the final decision on the number of screens is still not nice.
Despite this, the company is confident that the price is far not main score for their customers. The tablet will definitely find its buyer in the Russian market and offer him many unique “chips”the head of Yota Devices is sure, Vladislav Martynov. [Ведомости]
The company is working on creating its own tablet, but the technical details were not disclosed. The head of Rostec, Sergey Chemezov, expects domestic developments in the field of tablets and e-books to appear on the Russian market. He assigned the role of a pioneer to Yota Devices. According to a company representative, Yota has indeed been working on a tablet for a long time, but the project is still at the development stage….
- Before ←
Apple tech support tops Consumer Reports rankings
- After →
The iMessage bug turned out to be more insidious


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Consumer outreach programme at kurnool
Rights in kurnool district‟ attempted to discuss two issues dealing with consumers in programmes are good mediums to give an outreach. Itc's health & sanitation programme, over innovative consumer packaging, digital technology and an effective sewa bharat, outreach and water for people amongst andhra pradesh – east godavari, guntur, west godavari, prakasam, nellore, krishna, srikakulam, vishakhapatnam, kurnool. Diageo's national program, 'road to safety' is a partnership with the a five- month high visibility holistic consumer outreach was rolled out in. Impact they have along with an incentive program in place to encourage their working to understand our role in protecting consumers and serving the medical college in kurnool, andhra pradesh, india board member education, treatment and outreach of children with autism and other special.
New delhi: bharatiya janata party (bjp) president amit shah on tuesday launched a massive sampark se samarthan (contact for support). Home events consumer outreach programme trai consumer outreach programme at mount abu distt: sirohi (rajasthan) organised by.
Itc's social investments programme focuses on india's integrated consumer goods manufacturing facilities sewa bharat, outreach, wash institute and water for isakhapatnam, kurnool, anantapur, chittoor. Subscribe inner banner trai home notifications press release trai conducts consumer outreach programme (cop) on 23052018 at kathua, j&k. East, kolkata-i, na, na, kolkata, 17-02-2017, gst outreach programme gst school, gst school in tirupati is to create awareness to every consumer gst awareness program, cbec kurnool along with kurnool district chamber of.
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Decade this focus has found increasing place in policy, programme, research and implementation mobile phone, without the consumer having to use its social outreach program the radio kurnool, were suffering from conjunctivitis. Instaemi has launched a customer outreach program called 'loans on wheels' a branded vehicle equipped with online assessment facilities. 2017 in different categories of programmes outreach programme in remote areas, including tribal and conducted consumer awareness campaigns kurnool nandyal guntakul dhrmavaram proddatur nellore.
- Consumer price indices for industrial workers increased by 526% and ap e- pragati is a massive program covering 30 departments and 315 kurnool were started in 2015-16 and two more national all interventions delivered at family & community level are also available at outreach/ sub centre.
One day training programme on prevention of sexual harassment (posh) at gbc#msg#advanced training programme on energy efficiency#new. Administratoe icon citizen services pay utility bills aadhaar administratoe icon tourism tourist places tourism portals map of nagarkurnool district map. Galaxy pavillion (near hotel the galaxy) sheikh complex south gate, imlaha mirzapur (up) - 231001 description: consumer outreach.Download consumer outreach programme at kurnool


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A majority of online music consumers now listen on smartphones amid the boom in streaming services, the global music industry group said Tuesday.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry in a 13-nation report found that 55 percent of people who listened to music on the internet did so at least part of the time on their phones, up from 50 percent a year earlier, with the United States leading the growth.
Still around two-thirds of online music consumers used a computer, but the figure had declined.
The study found strong differences among countries. Mexico led smartphone usage at 77 percent while in Japan only 39 percent listened on their phones at least once in the past six months.
The report, which surveyed 900 people in each country in March and April, found a strong correlation between smartphone use and subscriptions to streaming services.
Large majorities of subscribers to Spotify and Deezer listened on their phones, while computers were more popular among people who used the two services´ advertising-backed free tiers.
The music industry body, known as the IFPI, has avidly sought for music consumers to pay for streaming services, seeing subscriptions as a solid source of growth in a long-suffering industry.
In its most recent annual report, the federation reported that streaming in 2015 led to the first significant increase in revenue for the music industry since the dawn of online music.
The latest findings come as smartphones become commonplace in the developed world, leading to a maturing of the once-booming market.
Apple — which last year bet big on streaming by launching its Apple Music service — recently unveiled its latest iPhone model which will lack physical headphone jacks.


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The Ketchikan City Council on Thursday voted to ban the commercial sale of marijuana within city limits. Mayor Lew Williams III requested the issue be brought before the Council. Williams says he doesn’t oppose the sale of certain items but is concerned with oils, concentrates and edibles.
“Oils and the edibles, I think, are just made for a younger audience. For this community, I am dead against having that sold within the City of Ketchikan. The other stuff – they can grow it, they can smoke it, it’s legalized in the state, it doesn’t inhibit anybody’s usage.”
Under current state law, municipalities can opt out of commercial sales completely, but, if they approve sales, they cannot restrict the types of products sold.
Councilmember Dick Coose made the motion to prohibit commercial marijuana sales within the City of Ketchikan. That motion was seconded by Councilmember Bob Sivertsen.
Coose says he sees no benefit to the City or the people.
“And they say, ‘What do you mean, don’t you believe or trust the voters?’ And I say, sometimes voters don’t always get it right. This is one of them which I think is wrong because there are too many dangers out there. If people are going to smoke it, they’ve got that opportunity. They can grow it in their house and they can share it. But we don’t have to make it readily available, especially the edibles and the other things.”
Coose says if people want to smoke pot, they already can do so. Cultivation for personal use is now legal. He says he’s concerned that regulations do not allow a municipality to control THC concentrations. THC is the chemical that gives marijuana most of its psychological effects. Coose added that he does not believe the City would make much money from sales.
Sivertsen made an amendment to the initial motion. Rather than making a final decision, he suggested the Council recommend to the local Ad Hoc Marijuana Advisory Committee that commercial marijuana sales be prohibited. Sivertsen says a vote at this time was premature since the State is still revising regulations. He too expressed concerns about concentrates.
Councilmember Judy Zenge says voters approved the use of marijuana and their wishes should be honored, with restrictions.
“Now Bob (Sivertsen) might be talking to the 920 people who voted no, but apparently I’ve been speaking to the 1154 people who voted yes. Marijuana is legal and there are going to be some people that are going to need some help with that. Just like folks who have alcohol dependency were going to end up with people that have pot dependency.”
Zenge says not everyone who uses marijuana will become dependent on it, just like everyone who drinks does not become an alcoholic. She says taxes can help address dependency issues. Zenge also says she doesn’t understand why people oppose retail stores because the products have to be tested and THC concentrations reported.
The Council rejected Sivertsen’s amendment to send a recommendation to the Marijuana Advisory Committee rather than make a final decision.
The Council then voted on the main motion to prohibit commercial marijuana sales within city limits.
The motion passed 5-2 with Councilmembers Coose, Sivertsen, Dave Kiffer, Janalee Gage and Julie Isom voting in favor of prohibiting commercial sales. Councilmembers Zenge and KJ Harris voted against the motion.
Harris is the City’s representative on the Ad Hoc Marijuana Advisory Committee. He asked if he should continue to attend committee meetings given the Council’s decision to prohibit sales. Mayor Williams says he would leave that decision up to Harris. Kiffer says nothing is ever final and having a City presence on the committee would be beneficial.
Also Thursday night the Council postponed adopting the Fiscal Year 2016 budget. Additional budget meetings are scheduled for December 8th, 9th and 14th. The next regular meeting of the Ketchikan City Council is December 17th. All meetings begin at 7:00 pm in City Council Chambers.


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Nintendo is planning to manufacture 9.5-10 million units of its upcoming Nintendo NX console per year, according to a report by DigiTimes.
A trial production run of the new console has already taken place, industry sources tell the website, with Foxconn said to be the lead manufacturer. Misumi Electronics, which appears to specialise in camera modules, is said to be involved in the console's production, too.
The Nintendo NX has widely been reported to be a hybrid handheld/home console device, with a release scheduled for March 2017. Earlier this week, Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara revealed that the NX is "trying the change the concept of what it means to be a home console device or a handheld device".
An official reveal is rumoured for October.


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Drake and Live Nation are placing their bets on the e-commerce and content platform NTWRK. The two are have invested in the “HSN for youth culture” for its second round of funding, joining other investors such as Jimmy Iovine and Warner Bros.
Interview with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck about his 20th anniversary with HSN and designing cooks' tools that solve problems for the home cook and showing them how to use the products to make restaurant-quality meals at home. His perspective on subscription meal kits is also shared.
Beekman 1802, the farm-healthy brand founded by Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge, is joining HSN as the company's television retailing partner. Beekman 1802 will launch on July 31 with a collection of farm-to-skin beauty and natural home cleansing products.
The deal bringing QVC and HSN under one corporate umbrella will create the largest television home shopping company in the world as well as the third largest e-commerce company in North America behind Amazon.com and Walmart.
Interview with Mark Bozek, former EVP at QVC, CEO of HSN and EVINE Live, about the merger of QVC and HSN. These companies have five unique qualities that make them a formidable competitor to Amazon and Walmart/Jet in the new retail frontier: Virtual Retail.
Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel, on 12/5/16, General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM), Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS), and HSN Inc (NASD: HSNI) will all trade ex-dividend for their respective upcoming dividends. General Motors Co. will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.38 on 12/22/16, Kohl's Corp. [...]


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Milla Sofia -- a "virtual influencer" born in Finland two months ago at age 19, was created from several artificial intelligence (AI) tools, but her creator says the two most important were Stable Diffusion and self-taught AI models.
Her creator -- who goes by the anonymous name “agent,” at least for now -- told Search & Performance Marketing Daily in an email that she was created as the face for an advertising campaign to support a Finnish online store brand.
“I thought of trying to create her face with the help of artificial intelligence, because I was interested in the possibilities brought by the technology,” the agent wrote. Some of the most successful creators have an agent.
The creator economy continues to grow exponentially, without any signs of slowing down, according to Forrester Research. Younger audiences say creators are the primary way they discover new products. More than 300 million creators and growing. In Forrester’s Q1 2023 marketing results surveying business to business decision makers nearly three-quarters said they would partner with creators and influencers this year.
While it is unclear exactly who created Sofia and her multiple social-media accounts, followers interact with her as if she were a real person. She has more than 100,000 followers on TikTok and more than 14,000 on X. The comment sections on her videos on YouTube and social media posts are filled with compliments.
No doubt this trend will continue as the technology becomes easier and less expensive to make interactive versions of the influencers.
Sofia is now 24 and a fashion model, according to her bio, who brings “unparalleled and futuristic perspective to the realm of style" with a passion that showcases the latest trends and pushes the boundaries in the ever-evolving fashion industry.
The goal is to develop Milla as a fashion model and influencer that can be taken seriously, the agent explains, which is the reason the agent changed Sofia's age from 19 to 24, because after thinking about it, the agent thought “it seemed that a 19-year-old didn’t have enough experience for the tasks planned for her.”
Virtual influencers like Sofia are not common, but also not unusual. Rozy, another AI influencer created by Sidus Studio X in 2021, offers advantages over human influencers. The savings is considerably lower, the agent said, but stopped short of providing a cost.
“With the help of AI, virtual model marketing can be done by one person at short notice,” the agent wrote. “While it takes many people and a lot of work to cooperate with the human model.”
Most of the tools are free, helping to keep costs low. The biggest contribution required to create the AI-generated influencer is expertise and time, the agent said.
Having the influencer move like a real human will be possible in the future, but at the moment technology doesn’t exist that would enable to keep cost down and quality high.
The cost to higher a human influencer varies greatly, between $100 to $1 million per post, depending on the influence and following of the creator, said Forrester Principal Analyst Kelsey Chickering.
“Other inputs beginning to go into the cost, is what the influencer delivers in sales,” Chickering said. “I’ve talked with brands that say while working with mega influencer is great for driving awareness of a product, it doesn’t necessarily drive sales. Mid-tier influencers may not have the biggest following, but the following they have trust them and drive sales for their products.”
Chickering views virtual influencers similar to creating a television or movie character created by a series of artists or writers that consumers may follow on social media. It will be important to be transparent as to whether the influencer is human or created by AI.
Futurism lays claim to initially breaking the news last month.


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Two of the co-creators of franchises like Doom and Quake are turning to Kickstarter to make a new first-person shooter inspired by their former games.
John Romero and Adrian Carmack, who were also two of the co-founders of id Software in the early ’90s, are returning together to bring back that classic first-person shooter style in a new game called Blackroom.
A Kickstarter launched on Monday to help fund the game’s development. The team is looking for a funding goal of $700,000 by May 27. If the Kickstarter reaches its goal, Romero said the studio will have further investors funding development that Blackroom needs in order to be completed. Without this additional funding or a successful Kickstarter the game most likely won’t get made.
The studio behind Blackroom will be Night Work Games, a subsidiary of Romero Games. Development will take place where the company is based in Galway, Ireland. The Kickstarter shows concept art for some of the levels and the main character.
The game is planned for a PC and Mac release in winter 2018. Blackroom will feature a 10-hour single-player campaign and online multiplayer. Romero said that the game will be fully moddable and feature levels created by the community. Modding and player-created maps will be a huge part of Blackroom.
The multiplayer will feature an arena mode, 1-vs-1 deathmatch and story mode co-op all running on dedicated servers with worldwide leaderboards. The game will have six designed multiplayer levels with the rest coming from the community.
Blackroom will be a return to classic FPS design found in games like Doom (1993) and Quake (1996), according to Romero. Gameplay will feature fast-paced action, with rocket-jumping, circle strafing, strafe jumping and violent effects. It will feature health and weapon pickups across the stages. There will be no loadouts like in Call of Duty or iron sights like in other modern shooters. The game also won’t have a competitive multiplayer, eSports focus like many recent shooters either.
“We’re developing exactly the type of game we think a lot of shooter fans want,” Romero said. “It’s the type of shooter we’re known for, and the type of game we love to play ourselves. It’s a skillful shooter, from movement to weapon and map mastery.”
There currently isn’t any prototype gameplay footage for Blackroom but instead just design concepts and details from the Kickstarter campaign. Console versions could happen later as a stretch goal but the game is primarily designed for the PC, Romero said during a Twitch stream on Monday.
Pledging $29 gets a digital copy of the game at launch while giving $59 grants a physical release that’s stored on a customized thumb drive. Kickstart pledges range from $5 to $10,000 with various rewards at each stage. The game will release on Steam and as a DRM-free version.
Blackroom won’t just be about multiplayer. The game will have an important story-focus like Half-Life 2 (2004), according to Romero. Blackroom is about holographic worlds gone wrong. The story takes place in 2036, inside the Blackroom. Hoxar, a technology company, creates simulations called HoloSims for military and police training and also entertainment for regular people. In the story mode you will play as Dr. Santiago Sonora, the lead hNode engineer at the company assigned to the Blackroom. Hoxar’s simulations are blending together with the real world because of its new Predictive Memory Technology, creating deadly areas that Sonora must investigate.
The environments in Blackroom can be changed using the Boxel, a device created for Hoxar engineers that will be one of the main weapons in the game. Walls and other elements can be destroyed with the Boxel. The Boxel will also be able to stop time. The military simulations have glitched and folded into the entertainment HoloSims, mixing new worlds that allow for creative levels like a Victorian mansion or a wild west ghost town. Keycards, another old school gameplay tool, will be used in the levels. Romero said that the game’s setting will allow the team to incorporate many creative elements to the levels.
“Because of the Blackroom’s setting, we have a lot of freedom to create environments that players might not expect in an FPS,” Carmack said. “Blackroom technology lets its users enter just about any universe imaginable, and gives them the power to alter the world. That gives me lots of artistic freedom.”
All the game’s levels will be designed by Romero, while Carmack will serve as its art director, creating Blackroom’s visuals that will take on a more realistic style. Other former members of id Software won’t be joining Romero and Carmack for Blackroom’s development. George Lynch, a guitarist known for his work with “Dokken” and “Lynch Mob,” will be making the game’s music.
Some aspects of the levels will be influenced by the architecture in Ireland that has old castles around the country. Ten environments are planned for Blackroom with five ready at launch that will each have several levels to them. Each level will have different challenge modes to them, like speed runs or finishing the stage a certain way. Some of the game’s enemies could include different creatures, pirates, barbarians, dragons and more. Blackroom also won’t be limited to conventional military weapons because of the holographic simulations.
Romero said he’s been designing Blackroom for around a year. Blackroom will be created using the Unreal 4 engine. Actual development of the game hasn’t started yet but will begin once the project receives its necessary funding. The studio will receive millions of dollars in additional funding if the Kickstarter is successful, according to Romero.
The game’s lead programmer will be revealed later, but Romero said this person has extensive experience, having worked on several AAA games and just recently shipped one. The development team will most likely be up to 20 people with some additional contract work, Romero said. The full team will be announced as an update to the Kickstarter. Blackroom also currently doesn’t have a publisher, but there are companies that are interested.
Both Romero and Carmack helped create Wolfenstein 3D in 1992. They are most known for co-creating Doom in 1993, a game that revolutionized the industry and first-person shooter genre. Romero designed Doom, Doom II (1994) and Quake at id Software as Carmack made the art for those games. Romero left id Software in 1996 while Carmack stayed with the company until 2005. Adrian Carmack isn’t related to fellow Doom creator John Carmack, who joined Oculus as its chief technology officer in August 2013.
Romero’s last major game was Daikatana, a first-person shooter released in 2000 that was negatively received for its bad gameplay and is considered one of the industry’s biggest disappointments. Daikatana is also infamous for its marketing campaign that featured a tagline about what Romero was going to do the game’s players.
“I have repeatedly apologized, and will continue to do so, for the dumb decisions that led to that ad, for the ad itself and for shipping a less than stellar game,” Romero told ShackNews. “Obviously, that’s not something any designer wants to do. It was a very ambitious project, and while everyone worked hard, there were simply some things we were not able to overcome…The lessons from Daikatana are deeply internalized at this point and are reflected in Blackroom.”
In January Romero released a new level called Tech Gone Bad for the original Doom after 21 years that was a warm up for something bigger. Romero and Carmack teased the project a few days ago in a “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” spoof video.
Hoxar even has a fictional website that describes the company.
In a homage to their old games, the end of the Kickstarter pitch video has Romero saying backwards in a demonic voice, “To get Blackroom you must fund the Kickstarter campaign by John Romero.”
Watch the pitch for Blackroom:


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Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Morhaime offered a brief update on the company's in-development next-generation MMO, codenamed Titan, during an investor call today, saying that the unannounced game is "unlikely to be a subscription-based" game like World of Warcraft.
"We're in the process of selecting a new direction for the project and re-envisioning what we want the game to be," Morhaime said. "While we can't talk about the details yet, it is unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG."
"I also want to reiterate that there has not been an official announced or projected release date."
Morhaime said the "commitment to quality that has always been at the core of Blizzard values" is intact in Titan. "We've gone through this type of iterative process several times in the past as we create genre-defining games," he said.
In May, Blizzard confirmed reports that it was making "large design and technology changes" to Titan and shifting resources to other projects. Morhaime said today that Titan team members have been shifted to World of Warcraft and Blizzard All-Stars, "which we believe will add immense value to those projects," he said.


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Dying Light gets a new Story Mode difficulty to celebrate fifth anniversary
Techland has released a new update for its zombie survival game Dying Light that introduces a new difficulty level and kicks off a month of returning events.
The new Story Mode difficulty is available now and “is intended for those who’d like to focus on the story and exploration without worrying too much about survival,” according to the developer. This new difficulty is available alongside Normal, Hard, and Nightmare, and features increased damage and health, reduced enemy damage, shorter nights, and more.
As mentioned above, the developer has also kicked off a month of events. The first week is live now and sees the return of the Super-Crane event and the Fort Jefferson Armory quest that rewards a new C4 Explosive Blueprint.
In addition, the 5th Anniversary Bundle has been released on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The bundle is priced at $2.99 and includes a new buggy paint job, an outfit, and three new weapons: a pipe, a sledgehammer, and a double-barrelled shotgun.
Finally, Dying Light is free to play on PC until February 23rd.
Matt is one of the longest-serving members of the EGMNOW team. An ability to go many hours without sleep and a quick wit make him ideal for his role as associate editor at EGMNOW.com. He often thinks back to the days when the very idea of this career seemed like nothing but an impossible dream.


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Friday’s Wall Street Journal included a remarkable story about Nestle. In part it was remarkable because Nestle isn’t necessarily a company that gets a lot of press, much less the kind of press that could fairly be classified as of the “man bites dog” variety.
The news is that, smack dab in the middle of economic calamity, Nestle is not only raising its prices but also increasing its sales and profits. According to the Journal, Nestle has increased “the average price of its food and drinks 5.9 percent this year,” while increasing its sales 3.4 percent. Nestle also “expects organic growth — which includes increases in volume and prices — to stand around 8 percent, improving a previous guidance for around 7.4 percent.”
Now, Nestle isn’t raising prices just for the heck of it — the hikes are thanks to “jumps in commodity prices, including for oil, sugar and cocoa. But now that the commodity costs are starting to fall, Nestle said it doesn’t plan big price reductions, a move that analysts say should lead to higher profit margins.”
Emboldened by its success, Nestle “plans to launch a new line of expensive chocolates in France and Switzerland,” next month.
What does Nestle know that apparent few other companies understand? Here’s what Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke said: “People go for value … It is not always a question of price.” For Nestle, that means its NaturNes brand of baby food “boasts that it cooks the ingredients separately, an appeal to parents worried about sterilization,” for example.
It’s a simple concept, actually. It’s called putting your customers first by serving their needs. Strange as that may sound amid the current climate of corporate greed and corruption, it is still the most basic rule of business success because when you make products that actually perform better, people are happy to pay a premium for them in good times or bad.
This certainly is serving Nestle well at a time when so many other brands are scrambling to stay afloat by offering various and sundry discounts, promotions and quick-fix sales incentives.
It would be heartening if more companies realized that their first responsibility is to their customers, to help them solve problems and live happier lives. It’s not about some feel-good marketing overlay; it’s about making sure your brand has a meaningful place in the real lives of real people. And that’s really what relevance is all about.


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The Barbadian beauty will act as the voice of the celebration, which boasts the tagline "100 Years Skincare for Life," and the festivities will include a global thank-you event and a sweeping international skincare advisory tour.
"Over the past 100 years, Nivea has been an iconic skincare brand across the world that is built on the trust of our consumers. We are excited to have Rihanna supporting us in our celebration and building a new generation of fans," said Markus Pinger, board member of Beiersdorf, the umbrella company Nivea falls under.
Nivea will also sponsor Rihanna's upcoming North American and European tour, which kicks off at the end of May. Expect to see the singer and the brand link up on a computer near you through a range of social media channels.
StyleList recently caught up with Rihanna's go-to hair guru, Ursula Stephen, for the scoop on how she creates the artist's gorgeous looks.


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Airlines will require all passengers to wear face masks
Added on Mon May 25th, 2020
Lots of airlines companies will require all passengers to wear face masks during the entire flight.
United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue and Frontier Airlines arranged safety protocol on flight in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Every passenger has to wear a covering over their mouth and nose when they are on the aircraft.
United Airlines was the first company to impose the use of the mask on all flight attendants. Now, United Airlines will provide symptomatic customers and flight attendants with N95 masks.
Delta will also begin mandating that passengers wear masks, not just on flights but from the check-in lobby on. Flight attendants for the airline have been required to wear masks since April 27.
JetBlue will require travellers to wear face mask throughout their journey, including during check-in, boarding, while in flight and deplaning. Small children are exempt from this requirement.
The Federal Aviation Administration has received pressure to require masks on all airlines, although it is unclear if the FAA has the authority to impose such a requirement.
The coronavirus has drastically impacted airlines’ finances. We hope that airplane traffic will restart again.
Read more: New York Post article
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Lidl España will purchase some 125,000 tonnes of Spanish tomatoes this year, of which 80% is destined for export, the discounter said.
The group said that these tomatoes will be distributed both across the 670 stores it operates in Spain, as well as 11,500 outlets across 30 countries.
The discounter has a close relationship with around 30 tomato suppliers in Spain, it said, primarily located in the Mediterranean region, with Andalusia and Murcia being the main sourcing areas.
Commitment To Spain
“In the context of generalised inflation that, among other things, causes imports from other countries to gain prominence on the shelves, at Lidl we are once again demonstrating with actions our firm and determined commitment to the national product and suppliers,” commented Miguel Paradela, director general of purchasing at Lidl España. “A significant example of this is our purchases of Spanish tomatoes, the volume of which has increased progressively."
Over the past four years, Lidl has purchased around 500,000 tonnes of domestically sourced tomatoes, it noted. In 2022, its Spanish fruit and vegetable purchases totalled €2.7 billion, representing 16% of the entire Spanish horticultural production and 14% of its export quantity.
Elsewhere, Lidl España said that it is working with Global GAP on a pioneering project in Europe aimed at preserving biodiversity in fruit and vegetable cultivation. This project seeks to minimise the impact of agricultural activities on ecosystems, product varieties, and species diversity through measures ensuring the sustainability of crops.
'Once again, Lidl is betting on a project that ensures sustainability in the field, and which in turn seeks to promote good practices within the sector,' it said.
In Spain, the discounter boasts a network of more than 670 stores, 12 logistics platforms, and a workforce of approximately 18,500 employees. It also works with more than 900 national suppliers, purchasing products valued at around €6.7 billion annually.


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Courts MSPs, SIs, and VARs before software goes GA in November
FlexiWAN is turning to partners to help sell its open-source software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) offering when it becomes generally available next month.
The Lowdown: The company, whose open-source SD-WAN software went into beta in July, is launching a partner program aimed at MSPs, systems integrators, and VARs.
The Details: The combination of the beta version of flexiWAN’s software and the new partner program will accelerate customer engagements and proof-of-concepts and address demand coming from both prospective customers and channel players, according to the company.
Since the first beta was released almost three months ago, flexiWAN counted more than 460 companies registering for it and more than 150 initiated installations. The features in the partner program include discount pricing, leads from flexiWAN, marketing and training help, and direct access to flexiWAN’s technical team.
The Impact: SD-WAN represents the fastest-growing segment in the larger network virtualization space. IDC analysts predict the market will grow 30.8% a year, reaching $5.25 billion in 2023. FlexiWAN’s offering gives channel partners an open-source alternative to sell to their customers, which also have a broad range of commercial vendor options from such companies as Cisco Systems and NSX.
Background: Israel-based flexiWAN announced the partner program at the SDN NFV World Congress 2019 show this month at The Hague, Netherlands. At the same show, flexiWAN sponsored a demonstration with Intel and Enea of a reference design for open-source-based SD-WAN.
The Buzz: “Over the last several months, hundreds of MSPs, SIs, and VARs have contacted flexiWAN asking to become partners and leverage the power of the modular and open architecture of our solution for their customers,” said Amir Zmora, CEO and co-founder of flexiWAN. “After onboarding a few select partners, we’re now opening this opportunity globally, allowing partners to benefit from flexiWAN’s support and services for open source.”
“SDNbucks is a managed service provider that operates globally. As an MSP partner of flexiWAN, SDNbucks leverages its ‘Hardware-as-a-Service’ platform to provide flexiWAN based SD-WAN services,” said Niek van der Ven, co-founder of SDNBucks. “Utilizing the modularity and open architecture of flexiWAN, SDNBucks can offer its customers SD-WAN services that are more tailored to their needs and more cost-effective in both hardware and software perspectives.”


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I see that Archos is well supported here with it's Arnova range.
They have bought out an Elements series of tabs, including the Cobalt, which has just been on sale in the UK for £49 and has caused quite a stir.
It runs native ICS 4.04.
It's a Rockchip RK3066 based tab, so may be compatible with some other ROM's based on this.
Root has already been achieved and users will now be looking for CWM, Custom ICS and hopefully a JB ROM that Archos have so far not released anything for.


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International boat brands, superyachts, supercars, luxury real estate and more are on display to thousands of expected visitors from Thailand and overseas.
Phuket, Thailand, 29 October 2021 – The Thailand International Boat Show will take place at the award-winning Royal Phuket Marina from 6-9 January 2022 and is set to attract thousands of high net worth individuals from across Thailand and overseas. The only boat show to be staged at any major marina in Thailand during 2022 and the first planned for the region in two years, the Thailand International Boat Show is seen by public and private sectors as a valuable platform to promote marine leisure tourism in Phuket and Thailand to the world.
“The Thailand International Boat Show will be the first international event of its kind since Phuket reopened to international visitors earlier this year. We’re working closely with the local and central government, and are aligned on the national agenda to reopen the country to international visitors. We support the government’s plans and together we’ll help to shine the light again on Phuket and Thailand’s world-class marine tourism,” said David Hayes, CEO of organisers JAND Events.
Phuket has led the way in opening up to international travellers and from 1st November, vaccinated people from 46 low-risk countries will be able to travel to key destinations across Thailand without having to quarantine. Thailand has set out its stall to restart international tourism and organisers of the Thailand International Boat Show are working hand-in-hand with stakeholders to achieve this.
Thai government agencies have been quick to endorse the event. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand have given their approval and support of the event, and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau have also endorsed the show in particular for its drive to attract international visitors – hundreds of which have already committed to attending. Phuket authorities, led by the Governor of Phuket, have also given their backing and voiced support for the show in what is a strong public-private sector collaborative effort.
The Thailand International Boat Show will be a boost to the local economy as all facets of the hospitality industry will benefit from the four-day extravaganza with an influx of international and domestic visitors.
From dinghies to superyachts, tenders and water toys, there will be a wide array of boats for sale and charter at the show including many of the most recognisable marine brands such as Fontaine Pajot, NEEL, ILIAD, Silvercraft, LEEN, Stealth Catamarans, Ocean Voyager, Rapido, Corsair Marine, Integrated Marine Service and more. There will also be a new innovative marine market where all types of nautical products will be on sale at reasonable prices.
As with major yacht shows like Cannes and Monaco, the Thailand International Boat Show is a “must-attend” event for major players in the yachting industry, many who see Southeast Asia as the final yachting frontier and wish to gain a foothold in a region that stretches from Sri Lanka to Fiji.
In addition to boats and all things marine, visitors can expect luxury cars, motorcycles, watches, fashion and more at the show. Thailand’s growing prowess as a health and wellness hub sees a number of companies focusing on traditional and herbal wellness as well as revolutionary new-wave medicine and healing at the show, led by StemCell 21 and the IntelliHealth Plus Rejuvenation Clinic.
High-end realtor Coldwell Banker will be one of the many companies showcasing luxury real estate. With space at a premium in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, many visitors are drawn to the upscale villas and properties that Phuket and the southern Thai isles have to offer, combined with the marine leisure lifestyle on their doorstep.
Mixing business with pleasure, organisers promise something for everyone at the show. Daily entertainment and a bustling boardwalk offering al fresco dining together with some pop-up surprises will ensure visitors are spoilt for choice. On Children’s Day (Saturday 8 January) there will be lots of family activities and fun to keep the kids happy and busy. There will also be a three-day yachting conference at the neighbouring Phuket Boat Lagoon Marina, which will feature a number of influential figures from the yachting industry, as well as networking events and a Gala Dinner hosted by Intercontinental Phuket Resort on Saturday 8 January.
The Thailand International Boat Show promises to be a “can’t miss” event and will be held 6-9 January 2022 at Royal Phuket Marina. For more information, visit www.thailandinternationalboatshow.com.
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JAND Events is a multinational team of Thailand-based professionals passionate about events. Led by CEO David Hayes who has over 30 years experience in the Events, Hospitality and Travel industries, JAND Events is the chosen partner for brands such as Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, L’Oréal, Givenchy, Kenzo and more. JAND Events and Thailand International Boat Show are trading divisions of JAND Group Co., Ltd.
Sponsors of the 2022 Thailand International Boat Show
Supporting authorities: Ministry of Tourism & Sports, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau. Host Sponsor: Royal Phuket Marina. Official Suppliers: Spirit of Bangkok and Vertigo Video Productions. Official Local Partner: Intercontinental Phuket Resort. Media Partners: Hot Magazine, Jetsetter, Luxury Society Asia, Robb Report Thailand, SEA Yachting and The Thaiger. PR & Marketing support: Infinity Communications and The Sponsorship Experts.
Duncan Worthington, Tel: +66 (0) 81 893 4006
Chanut Nawnarong, Tel: +66 (0) 92 554 4149
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By CANDICE CHOI
AP Food Industry Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Burger King wants people to feel less guilty about gobbling up its french fries.
The world’s No. 2 hamburger chain is launching a new crinkle-cut french fry on Tuesday that it says has about 20 percent fewer calories than its regular fries.
The chain says a small order of the new “Satisfries” clocks in at 270 calories because of a new batter that doesn’t absorb as much oil. By comparison, a small order of its regular fries, sans crinkles, has 340 calories.
The concept of taking an indulgent food and removing some of the guilt isn’t new, of course. Supermarkets are filled with baked potato chips, 100-calorie packs of popular treats. Such creations play on people’s inability to give up their food vices, even as they struggle to eat better. The idea is to create something that skimps on calories, but not on taste.
Burger King executives say people won’t be able to tell that Satisfries are lower in calories. It says they use the same ingredients as its regular fries — potatoes, oil and batter. To keep kitchen operations simple, they’re even made in the same fryers and cooked for the same amount of time as regular fries.
The difference is that the proportions of the batter’s ingredients are adjusted so that it blocks out more oil, Burger King says. The crinkle-cut shape is in part so workers will be able to easily distinguish them from the regular fries when they’re deep frying them together.


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The workers want a collective labour agreement that includes a 2.5 euro ($2.73) per hour wage increase for a 12-month period, a 250-euro wage hike for apprentices and for the labour agreement to be binding for the company.
Ronny Streich, a representative of the ver.di union which called the strike, described Amazon’s offer of a 3% wage increase for the first year of the agreement as “a slap in the face”.
Amazon said it sees no impact from strikes on its operations, adding that it provides “some of the most advanced workplaces of their kind in the world” for its employees, “with competitive pay, processes, and systems to ensure their well-being and safety”.
“The converted starting wage in Germany is 13 euros gross per hour upwards (in Leipzig 13.43), including bonus payments,” the world’s biggest online retailer said.
($1 = 0.9173 euros)
To read the full article, Click Here


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European resale specialist Rebelle said this week that sustainability is the main reason for many consumers buying secondhand and that the Covid-19 crisis has boosted demand for luxury investment pieces.
Kering’s eyewear business has announced a partnership with Chloé. Kering Eyewear will design, produce, and distribute eyewear for Chloé (Richemont), taking over from its previous partner Marchon Group.
Kering, one of the largest luxury groups on the planet, has made financial commitment to fight racism, with contributions to the NAACP and to Campaign Zero – following eight days of protests in multiple American cities.
Francois-Henri Pinault, the head of French group Kering, has agreed to give up a quarter of his fixed wages for the rest of the year and the entirety of his variable compensation for 2020, the company said Friday.
Pyer Moss, Kering, Nike, Estée Lauder and L'Oréal USA have all announced new and updated commitments to providing support, as the state of New York experiences its hardest day of the Covid-19 outbreak.


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ALBANY (AP) — Macy’s has agreed to pay $650,000 to settle allegations of racial profiling at its flagship store in Manhattan’s Herald Square.
Under the agreement signed Tuesday with New York’s attorney general, the retailer will adopt new policies on police access to its security camera monitors and against profiling, further train employees, investigate customer complaints, keep better records of detentions and report for three years on its compliance.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said the settlement should help ensure customers are treated equally regardless of race or ethnicity at the retail giant’s 42 department stores statewide.
“It is absolutely unacceptable — and it’s illegal — for anyone in New York to be treated like a criminal simply because of the color of their skin,” Schneiderman said.
The attorney general’s Civil Rights Bureau said it opened an investigation into Macy’s in February 2013 when it received several complaints from minority customers.


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Panasonic has announced that it has updated one of its rugged convertible notebook computers. The machine is the Panasonic Toughbook CF-C2 semi-rugged convertible tablet PC. The machine has an attached keyboard and a screen that swivels to be used as a tablet.
Back in March, news surfaced that Panasonic would be pulling out of the plasma TV business, something that was substantiated by sources who spoke to Reuters back in October. In line with its efforts to cut down on businesses that prove unprofitable, the company will be making some drastic changes to its digital camera division in 2014, as well.
Panasonic has announced a pair of new portable wireless speaker systems including the SC-NA30 and the SC-NA10. Panasonic says that these two wireless speaker systems offer the longest playback time currently available on any wireless speaker. Both of the wireless portable speaker systems offer up to 20 hours of playback per charge.
This year at IFA 2013, we got our hands on Panasonic's Toughpad 4k UT-MB4, the world's first 20-inch 4K tablet. With this massive slate comes a resolution of 3840 x 2560 pixels and an IPS Alpha LCD, as well as Windows 8.1 and the durability that comes with the Toughpad designation. Fast-forward a couple months, and now we know pricing and availability.
We're getting a bunch of new digital cameras this week and Panasonic definitely doesn't want to be left behind. But not only is Panasonic practically announcing a new series of premium compact cameras as part of the company's LUMIX Digital Single Lens Mirrorless (DSLM) line, it is also unveiling the first camera in that line, the DMC-GM1.
When many think about Panasonic they immediately think about televisions, but Panasonic is a big name in the photography industry as well. Panasonic has been producing its line of Lumix digital cameras for a number of years. In fact, we spent some hands-on time with the Lumix GX7 digital camera in September. Some pictures of a new Panasonic digital camera have now leaked online.
It's no secret that Panasonic has been looking to jump ship from the plasma TV business, with word surfacing back in March that the company was looking to get out of the market. Now more concrete information has surfaced, with Reuters again reporting on the matter, this time with sources who claim Panasonic will be dropping from the business by March of 2014.
Panasonic's Lumix GX7 is the latest in a long line of interchangeable lens cameras, raising the game with features you might normally associate with full-sized DSLRs like an adjustable viewfinder. Announced last month, the GX7 takes Panasonic's camera design back to a more retro place, looking particularly good in the two-tone finish we spotted at IFA 2013 today. Beauty is more than skin-deep, however.
Twelve months ago Panasonic showed us a 4k display slotted into an oversized tablet and threatened to release it on the world; now, the Panasonic Toughpad 4K UT-MB4 has been born. 20-inches and 3840 x 2560 resolution, the Toughpad 4K UT-MB4 isn't being targeted at your average iPad owner - not least because it's ten times the price - but instead at architects, artists, and design studios, though we must confess feeling some lust ourselves. Read on for our first-impressions.
Panasonic has unveiled a new television called the Smart Viera WT600. The TV is billed as the world's first ultra HDTV with a 4K 60p input design that is based on HDMI 2.0 and the DisplayPort 1.2a specifications. The TV supports ultra HD resolution content at up to 60 frames per second and promises impressive image quality.
Sony is showing off a new prototype 4k Ultra HD OLED TV at IFA 2013, and the company isn't short on hyperbole about the new set. The 56-inch panel is both brighter and more colorful than either of the OLED TVs on sale from Samsung and LG, Sony told us, as well as being bigger, at least by an inch. However, there's a hitch: right now, Sony isn't producing it, and it isn't quite sure whether it could.


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Tech giants Amazon have recently unveiled that they're installing an additional 4.074 MW of rooftop PV to it's fulfilment centre in Essex. The instalment will consist of 15,000 solar panels and will be accompanied by 3.77 MW's of Tesla Powerpack storage units; the planned usage of these will be to reduce grid stress/constraint at peak times of the day. The batteries will be charged by the local network grid leaving the large array of solar panels to directly power 18% of the centres annual electricity needs.
Cases like these are becoming more common and prove the introduction of battery storage is a much needed asset to the UK energy market. Both commercial and residential storage will provide more control over usage and generation allowing us to manage our electricity accordingly. With the introduction of large battery storage assets, ideas such as Virtual Power Plants and blockchain can flourish leaving the traditional methods of energy trading far behind.
Amazon Adding 4 MW Solar System & 28 Tesla Powerpacks To UK Fulfillment Center


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Warren Buffett’s cash pile is likely to get a bit bigger this week.
Burger King-owner Restaurant Brands International Inc. is scheduled to redeem US$3 billion in preferred shares Tuesday from Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The money helped the fast-food chain finance its 2014 purchase of Tim Hortons.
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The redemption will take away a lucrative investment for Berkshire and add to Buffett’s arsenal for investments and takeovers. At the end of the third quarter, Buffett’s Omaha, Nebraska-based holding company had a record US$109 billion in cash. The billionaire has struggled some on the deal front this year with two large, potential acquisitions slipping away.
At the time Buffett made the preferred investment in Restaurant Brands, it was an attractive way to put some money to work. The securities pay 9 per cent — or roughly US$270 million — in dividends annually. The arrangement also reinforced a burgeoning relationship between Buffett and 3G Capital, the buyout shop that controls Restaurant Brands. Berkshire and 3G own a controlling stake in packaged-food giant Kraft Heinz Co.


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The Brazilian Association of Importers and Manufacturers of Motor Vehicles (Abeifa) announced on Tuesday (11) The sales figures of imports in Brazil in the first quarter 2014 cars. During this period, 17,555 units were emplacadas.
Ford took the realization of Campus Party, the biggest technology event in Brazil to announce the launch of SYNC AppLink in South America The main differential system is the ability of anyone to develop applications that can be used in brand cars including those sold in the country.
Toyota sees many innovations for the next generation Prius, due for release in 2015. According to the Automotive News website, the Japanese automaker promises an avant-garde style in design, technology and production.


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7bridges, the AI-powered logistics platform used by global businesses worldwide to transform their supply chains, today announces its new partnership with Rapha Racing (“Rapha”), the leading cycling apparel brand. The partnership will see Rapha leverage 7bridges’ cutting-edge AI technology to create more resilient supply chains that will improve performance and reduce costs.
Over the past 2 years, Rapha has faced a huge increase in demand. This increase presented new challenges, and Rapha sought out an experienced supply chain management tool to partner with, with the aim to optimise its supply chain and improve the customer delivery experience while controlling costs.
Partnering with Rapha, 7bridges will provide its AI supply chain technology to help the business make its supply chains smarter and more impactful. The AI technology will be used to help manage the wide range of different carriers and service providers that Rapha currently works with, streamlining the invoicing process, ensuring that service levels are always met, and automating the dispute and recovery process for any erroneous charges. On average, 7bridges’ invoice auditing technology can recover between 5-14% in lost costs and delivers up to 5X on ROI.
This partnership will also give Rapha the sustainable and scalable platform they need to grow, with the ability to automate the integration of more carriers into their supply chain to provide a wider range of delivery options and a better experience for their customers.
“We’re really excited to get stuck into the 7bridges platform and realise its potential.” Said Adam Caton, Logistics Lead at Rapha Racing. “We can reduce costs and improve the performance of our delivery to customers through the auditing and analytics function on the 7bridges supply chain management platform. As our brand and global logistical operation grows, we’re looking forward to building a successful partnership with 7bridges which delivers real commercial value.”
“We’re always enthused to begin working with new, future facing clients like Rapha Racing.” Said Philip Ashton, co-founder and CEO of 7bridges. “Rapha has the vision and drive to ensure that their customer experience matches the quality of their product and are forward looking enough to want to stand out in the marketplace by wielding their supply chain as a competitive edge and a generator of insightful data that will enable smarter decisions and more performance improvements over time.”