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Americans 'still upbeat on economy'
AMERICANS remain surprisingly optimistic about prospects for the economy despite the gloom on Wall Street, according to the first major poll on the subject since the 11 September terrorist attacks.
A USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll found that although 52% of adults believe the country is now in recession, most think the economy will pull out relatively quickly. A total of 77% said economic conditions will be 'very good' or 'somewhat good' 12 months from now with only 20% expecting poor conditions to remain.
Despite huge job losses in industries most affected by the attacks, only 13% of Americans said they thought they might lose their jobs in the next year, up just 1% from a poll taken shortly before the terrorists struck a fortnight ago.
However, the poll underscored the belief on Wall Street that consumers pulled back sharply during the week of the attack and remain in no mood to spend. About 53% said now is a 'bad' time to spend money.
The poll comes as Wall Street awaits key consumer confidence reports due out on Tuesday and on Friday.
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This story was updated at 3:50 p.m. on Nov. 24, 2020, to correct that the new gathering limit of 10 is for indoor gatherings only. It was also updated on Nov. 24, 2020, at 4:26 p.m. to include details on capacity restrictions for open businesses and facilities and at 11:25 p.m. to clarify the use of masks outside.
Dr. Travis Gayles, Montgomery County’s health officer, on Tuesday released a new order that reduces the maximum limit on indoor gatherings from 25 to 10.
Residents will also be required to wear face coverings outdoors “when they are likely to come into contact with another person, such as being within six feet of another person for more than a fleeting time.” Face coverings are already required in public places indoors.
The new order on gatherings does not apply to businesses, establishments and facilities that are permitted to operate under the county’s executive order.
The new restrictions will go into effect at 5 p.m. on Tuesday — two days before Thanksgiving.
The limitations on capacity for open businesses, facilities and activities are:
• Food service establishments: 25% occupancy
• Fitness centers: one person per 200 square feet of indoor space or 25% occupancy, whichever is lower
• Hair salons, barbershops and other personal services: one customer for every 200 square feet of service delivery space or 25% occupancy, whichever is lower (only one person allowed in the waiting area at a time)
• Retail shops: one customer per 200 square feet of in-store space or 25% occupancy, whichever is lower
• Bowling alleys: 25% occupancy or a maximum of 25 people, whichever is lower
• Museums and art galleries: one person per 200 square feet of exhibit space or in-store space or 25% occupancy, whichever is lower
• Religious facilities: capacity is determined by dividing the total square footage of the worship space by 50, but the total number of individuals shall not exceed 25% of permitted occupancy.
• Cigar bars, hookah bars, vape shops: Open solely to sell retail goods; smoking on site is prohibited
• Sports: Outside sports must be limited to 25 people. The limit can exceed 25 people only to accommodate the presence of one parent or guardian per youth participant.
• Escape rooms: A maximum of six people are allowed for each private game
• Outdoor ice skating rinks: Limited to outdoor gathering limit, which is 25 people
Officials hope the restrictions will help curtail the high increases in COVID-19 cases. More than 2,000 new cases were reported in the past week.
As of Tuesday morning, the county has had 31,622 confirmed cases and 893 deaths from the virus.
“We are entering a phase of COVID-19 that is very worrisome, and we need every resident to understand what that means,” Gayles said Tuesday in a press release. “It is critical that each one of us takes this directive seriously and does our part to slow the spread. Contact tracing indicates that family and group gatherings are where a significant number of the state’s cases are occurring.”
Briana Adhikusuma can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.

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Defective Products – Top CPSC Product Recalls for 2018
Posted on: August 24, 2018
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) maintains a list of products recalled by manufacturers and government agencies. Some of the top recalls, by volume of affected units and danger to consumers, include:
- Vitamix Blenders: The producer of high powered blending containers announced a recall in August 2018 after receiving reports of laceration injuries. The blades of the containers would become exposed when separated from the base of the blender unit, but the recall only affected certain Vitamix models. Owners were alerted that they should stop using the blenders and contact the manufacturer for a free repair kit.
- Whirlpool Electric Kettles: The CPSC reported this line of products as being unsafe after receiving three reports of burns by users, caused by hot liquid spilling out when the kettle’s handle detached. Whirlpool followed up shortly after the CPSC report, offering to replace affected units.
- Amazon Battery Chargers: Portable battery chargers are handy when your phone, tablet, or other portable device runs low on power, but any product that contains a battery can be dangerous in certain situations. A line of chargers and power banks produced by Amazon was recently recalled when the company received more than 50 reports of the units overheating and bursting into flames. Though more than 260,000 units were affected, there was only one report of injuries. The victim suffered chemical burns when exposed skin came into contact with battery acid. Amazon instructed users to stop using the battery chargers and offered a full refund to individuals who purchased any of the affected units. Fortunately, being an online marketplace, the company was able to directly contact those who bought the units. This is not the case when you buy a product from a brick-and-mortar store, so the burden is on the consumer to keep an eye out for recalled products.
- Mandolin Slicers: With their sharp, knife-like blades, mandolin slicers are inherently dangerous when used improperly. A recent manufacturer’s recall revealed an additional risk with certain units, because the razor-edged blades were separating from their plastic casing. No injuries were reported, but the company requested that consumers return the product for a full refund.
- Kidde Smoke Alarms: Over 450,000 of these units were recalled by the manufacturer when it was discovered that they do not do the number one thing they are designed to do: Detect smoke. A cap that was left on in the manufacturing process covered up one of the sensors inside the alarm, interfering with its ability to detect smoke and issue an alarm. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
- Graco High Chairs: Recalls of children’s products often make headlines because there is an expectation of safety when purchasing items intended to protect young ones. Graco hurried to issue a recall of one model of high chairs after receiving reports of children injured when the product tipped over. Apparently, the legs could easily shift out of position, making the chair unstable and prone to toppling. Luckily for the five victims, the worst of the injuries was bumps and bruises. Graco’s recall included a recommendation for parents to stop using the high chairs entirely until the company could arrange a free repair.


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BUDAPEST, DANUBIUS HOTEL ARENA, 14th JUNE – PRESS MEETINGS & MUCH MORE
— Alessandro Mastropasqua – Head of Media & Institutional relations
PARMA, EMILIA ROMAGNA, ITALY, June 14, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — Custom Group is excited to announce the unveiling of their latest frictionless innovative solutions at the Budapest Danubius Hotel Arena on June 14th, catering to the evolving needs of the Hungarian vertical markets. With Hungary leading the way in digital transformation, Custom is well-positioned to provide the latest and most innovative technologies to help companies improve their business. Custom Group has been a leader in printing and scanning automation technologies already run in over 76 countries worldwide. One of the key technologies that Custom Group will be showcasing at the Custom Tech Tour in Budapest. These systems allow customers to complete their transactions quickly and easily without needing one-to-one staff assistance. The benefits of these solutions include a significant increase in total turnover, reduced queue times, labor cost savings, ultra-convenient management, and the best TCO. Custom’s surveys have also shown that close to half of all shoppers under 45 years of age prefer to use self-service solutions, making it an essential technology for retailers to consider.
Attend the Custom Tech Tour in Budapest and discover how Custom can help you improve your retail experience with the latest and most advanced retail technologies.Custom Group and Novoparts unveil exciting new solutions at exclusive event at Budapest Danubius hotel Arena.
Custom Group, a renowned leader in retail automation, joined forces with their esteemed partner Novoparts to host an exclusive event showcasing their latest cutting-edge solutions. As a key player in the industry, Custom Group has consistently provided integrated solutions for printing, scanning, and reading, as well as the automation of public services. With over 30 years of experience in retail automation, the company has gained a solid reputation for delivering exceptional value and pushing the boundaries of technological advancements.
Novoparts, a trusted partner of Custom Group with deep understanding of the Hungarian market, has established a strong presence in Hungary, supporting customer’s needs across various sectors to streamline their operations and enhance their experience. “We are thrilled to partner with Novoparts and host this event to present our latest innovations to the Hungarian market,” said Diana Lica Territory Manager Eastern Europe, “With Novoparts in-depth knowledge of the local landscape and our expertise in different markets, we are confident that our cooperation will empower Hungarian System Integrators, SW Houses and Retailers to stay ahead in an ever-evolving industry.”
Novopart’s General Manager, Miklos Dubai added, “Our partnership with Custom Group has been brilliant in delivering tailored solutions that address the unique needs of Hungarian customers. This event is on act to our shared commitment to providing cutting-edge technology and high-level service to our customers.”
Custom Group and Novoparts event marks a significant milestone in their collaboration, solidifying their position as frontrunners in the Hungarian market and reinforcing their dedication to supporting customers in their digital transformation journey. Together, they offer a comprehensive range of solutions that empower businesses to thrive in today’s fast-paced and competitive retail landscape.
The 30 years of printing and scanning experiences highlights the diverse range of markets and sectors in which the Custom Group has successfully implemented its technology solutions, from fashion and luxury brands like Damiani, Bulgari, and Dolce & Gabbana, to industrial automation in the automotive sector, transportation systems with more of 500 different airports, finance and banking, leisure, and even ticketing for major sporting events. The Group’s focus on providing stable, easily implemented, and innovative solutions has helped it establish long-term relationships with its clients, including the Calzedonia Group and major retail brands. These experiences emphasize the critical importance of the Group’s technology solutions, which are fundamental to the smooth operation of various industries and services, including retail, kiosk, industrial, transportation, lotteries, aviation, healthcare, banking and event ticketing. The Custom Group uses a ‘dissemination’ events to showcase their latest technological solutions present in over 76 countries worldwide. During the event, they presented recent highlights such as new printing technology, mobile solutions, innovative self-service kiosk solutions, and the development of new headquarters. Overall, Custom Group’s human technology customized for people simplifies and improves everyday life by providing personalized solutions that people often encounter in their daily lives, such as receipts, tickets, and cash withdrawals at ATMs.
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Article originally published on www.einpresswire.com as Embrace Change with Custom Solutions showcased today for the Hungarian market at Danubius Arena Hotel
The post Embrace Change with Custom Solutions showcased today for the Hungarian market at Danubius Arena Hotel first appeared on Social Gov.


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There has been some good news on the high street in spite of the continuing downward trend in footfall. Some leading high street names are reporting increased profits even though sales are still sluggish.
Laura Ashley has surprised shareholders by turning in a profit last year in spite of a drop in sales. The improved profitability was all down to cost cutting and streamlining processes as well as repositioning some of its stores.
Laura Ashley reported a rise in pre-tax profits of 38% for the year ending in January while sales fell by 12%. This is a major turnaround for the company, which has been treading water for nine years.
Likewise WH Smiths has seen its pre-tax profits increase by 4% while its sales fell by 3% over the Last six months to February 2006.
Austin Reed has also turned a corner and is looking optimistically at 2006. The menswear retailer has achieved an increase in profits despite falling sales by controlling costs and reducing stock levels and net debt. The company is now beginning to see sales increase too with a rise of 11.9% for the early part of 2006.
BUSINESS FORUM COMMENT
There is a clear message here to retailers of all sizes. Profitability is not entirely dependent on footfall. In difficult trading periods it is important to have the right stock and a tight control on stock levels. It is also important to keep cost to a minimum by operating slick and efficient systems.
Electronic Point of Sale (EPoS) systems can help by giving better information to inform buying decisions but in the absence of this technology simply buying more judiciously can go a long way to keeping money in the till rather than sitting on the shelves.
Read related items on:
Retail, pubs, clubs and restaurants


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One morning in 2022, I walked into work to find an envelope of green coffee samples from a source I wasn’t familiar with. My boss told me they came from a Costa Rican coffee farmer who contacted her via Instagram. Alejo Castro Kahle runs Volcan Azul, a company that includes three farms and a mill, and he found Glen Lyon Coffee, the roastery where I work, by scrolling through his feed. Our location in the Scottish Highlands piqued his interest: his great-grandmother was from Scotland, and he had been looking for a Scottish roaster to partner with.
We just received our second shipment of coffee from Castro Kahle’s farms, the continuation of what we hope will become a longstanding direct relationship—all because of Instagram.
The stratospheric rise in global connectivity and social media use has been a boon to coffee companies, allowing them to expand their reach to a worldwide audience. But it has also benefited producers, who can connect with—and sell to—a much wider customer base.
“Social media has brought us many good clients,” Castro Kahle says, noting that platforms like Instagram allow him to reach out to potential partners in new markets instead of just sending out hundreds of samples and hoping someone gets in touch with him, which can be time-consuming and wasteful. “Because we have a limited quantity [of coffee], we cannot sell to everybody, but we are still growing, so every year, we try to find a new customer in a new market where we don’t have a presence.”
Social media allows farmers direct access to potential partners. For Castro Kahle, it helped him connect with Glen Lyon and fulfill one of his longtime ambitions: “I was always interested in having a roaster in Scotland because of our Scottish roots, so thanks to social media, we made a quick and direct connection.”
A Growing Platform
Many coffee-producing countries still struggle with basic web connectivity, an issue that greatly affects coffee farms, often in remote regions. However, internet and social media use continues to grow worldwide, and there are many programs designed to connect farmers to the World Wide Web. Instagram, the fourth most-used social media platform in 2021 with 1.21 billion monthly users, is especially popular in coffee-growing countries such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Mexico.
Instagram is also considered a highly effective entrepreneurship tool. It is an affordable way to reach consumers directly and allows connection with a far wider audience than many other marketing tools. “Instagram is a great tool for farmers because it is easy to use, and they can easily access customers across borders,” says Bamidele Adekunle, Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Design and Rural Development.
For coffee producers wanting to showcase their farms and processing methods, Instagram’s visual focus often makes it a more suitable solution than Facebook or other social media platforms that rely on text. Instagram tends to be more popular for producers “because of the nature of the product, market segment, increased client base, visibility, and engagement,” Adekunle says. There’s a reason roasters often share photos of coffee farms in their marketing and branding: nature is beautiful, and coffee plants and cherries are visually evocative—Instagram allows farmers to harness that beauty and share it with others.
Learning and Teaching
One of the most notable benefits of having producers actively use social media is that it allows consumers to learn about growing coffee from those doing the work. “What I post is the work I’m seeing at the farm or at the mill,” Castro Kahle says, noting that he doesn’t think too far ahead with his posts: “It’s very spontaneous.” Posts range from a carousel of coffee cherries to hype up their harvest to a behind-the-scenes look at Volcan Azul’s warehouse as they prepare coffee for export.
Many of Castro Kahle’s new connections also come from current partners posting about his coffee, tagging and highlighting Volcan Azul. In particular, Volcan Azul is featured on the feeds of Hard Beans Coffee in Poland, April Coffee Roasters in Copenhagen and Seoul, and Meets West Coffee in Indonesia. “Alejo Castro Kahle’s commitment to excellence is inspired by his coffee farming ancestors in the heart of Costa Rica,” a post from Meets West Coffee reads. “Our customers are marketing not only their brands but also our farm,” Castro Kahle says.
Komal Sable, co-founder of the South India Coffee Company, has also built connections through sharing on social media. Sable founded the South India Coffee Company to export her family’s coffee along with coffee from neighboring farms. She credits the company’s success to the educational content she posts, which has helped her secure direct partnerships with roasters. Sable shares videos about coffee varieties and native coffee species, updates from partner farms, and documents her farm’s harvests.
Sable says selling coffee is a happy byproduct of her educational focus. “I think most of my coffee roaster connections have come through social media, not through selling as such but really educating about Indian coffee,” Sable says. “That piqued a lot of interest with some of the roasters we work with. It’s not just ‘hey look, this is our coffee, do you want to buy it?’ but more like this is the Indian coffee scene, this is what Indian coffee is.”
Sable doesn’t come from a coffee background and says she began using Instagram as a learning tool. “I didn’t start Instagram to promote [South India Coffee Co.] actively. It was more that I wanted to keep track of things in coffee that I didn’t want to forget,” she says. “And I realized that a lot of people were also getting a lot of information about coffee from Instagram.”
As her Instagram presence grew, she found that coffee companies would find her page and reach out for a chat. “A buyer in Saudi Arabia reached out to me via Instagram, and we’ve been working with him for the last three years.” The same happened with a company in the Netherlands; closer to home, Sable has recently started working with a roaster in India, a connection that also came about through Instagram. Meanwhile, Castro Kahle says he gets several direct messages weekly from people wanting to buy his coffee—or sometimes from tourists who wish to visit the farm.
The Importance of Authenticity
The important thing for others wanting to make the most of Instagram, Castro Kahle says, is authenticity. He recommends documenting what’s happening on the farm and to avoid imitating others. “All farms have their own charm,” he says. “What makes this industry so nice is that we are all different, and every time I visit a different farm, I see they have something unique.”
It’s hard to predict how people will use Instagram (or other social media platforms) in the future, but there are clear benefits for coffee farmers. For folks like Sable and Castro Kahle, Instagram has increased awareness of their work, connected them with industry peers, and created long-lasting financial relationships. There’s also room for Instagram to surprise you and bring forth connections in new and unexpected ways.
When we first received Castro Kahle’s samples, we weren’t sure what to expect, but we were all blown away by the quality and clarity of his coffee. All the coffees were outstanding, but one lot stood out: a natural-processed microlot bursting with tropical fruit notes. We just received this year’s shipment and look forward to continuing this relationship—one that might never have happened without popping up on Castro Kahle’s Instagram feed.


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More than 100 growers, young plant producers, retailers and brokers will visit Danziger’s Israel facility during Novemberfest, the company’s annual open house event.
In the month-long event, beginning the last week of October, Danziger will reveal and present more than 1000 flowering pots, 500 varieties, 50 different crops and 60 series. During the event experts from Danziger and industry leaders will get together to discuss new genetics and plants for the 2020, 2021 and even 2022 growing seasons. Guests will also participate in discussions about upcoming trends and inspirations for future seasons, as well as tour Danziger’s main research and development site. That and more, this year the Danziger team will reveal during the fest their new creative retail concepts that are built to support sales.
“We are excited to welcome, the third year in a row, industry leaders to our blooming house in Israel to showcase the scientific breeding for our varieties, and enjoy the Israeli warm and openhanded hospitality”, says Ori Danziger, Deputy CEO. “Our guests from all around the world get to spend time with our team of experts, to brainstorm and discuss pioneering initiatives for the future of our industry.”
Guests will receive in-depth product information, such as growing tips on current and future varieties that were collected from the various trialing sites from around the world.
Visits are by appointment only.
To schedule your visit please contact: email@example.com
For more information:


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Updated from 10:31 a.m. EDT
Sumner Redstone's move to seize control of
( MWY) may end up rattling the entire video-game software industry.
Since November, Redstone has more than doubled his stake in Midway; a regulatory filing posted Monday revealed he now holds 71% of the company's shares. The
CEO has already nominated two director candidates and could ultimately handpick the successor to Midway Chairman Neil Nicastro, who announced his resignation Friday.
Though Redstone has denied it, some analysts believe his takeover of Midway is an attempt to get Viacom into the video-game software industry, which could have far-reaching implications.
In a narrow sense, Redstone's wheeling and dealing would most directly affect
, which has developed games based on Viacom's movie and television properties, and, more significantly,
. Of the $640.8 million in revenue that THQ posted last year, analysts estimate that 15% to 25% came from its Viacom titles.
If Viacom absorbs Midway, "the big risk is on THQ," said one fund manager, who has no position in THQ or Midway.
More broadly, the media mogul's Midway moves could touch off a bidding war by rival entertainment companies for the other video-game makers.
"I think they're in play," said Michael Pachter, who covers the video-game software industry for Wedbush Morgan. Entertainment companies "are all copycats. If one guy buys a TV network, the other one has to buy one, too." (Wedbush Morgan has no banking business with Midway or the other major video-game companies; Pachter does not hold shares in the companies he covers.)
Other video-game stocks may well benefit if Redstone rolls Midway into Viacom, or if Viacom makes other purchases in the sector. Such a move would "set a precedent" of a big entertainment company buying its way into the video-game publishing business, said Pachter.
The entertainment companies already feel that they are leaving too much money on the table when they license their titles to video-game makers, noted the fund manager, who requested anonymity. A move by Viacom could spur its rivals to try to bring that revenue in-house, likely sending the video-game maker's stocks -- which have already posted strong gains year to date -- even higher.
Redstone buys Midway, Activision and
( ERTS) will be in play," said the fund manager, who owns shares in Electronic Arts, Activision and
Of course, not everyone is convinced of Redstone's grand plan, much less its broader implications. Redstone himself has said that his Midway purchases are a "personal" matter, unrelated to Viacom. At least some analysts are willing to take his words at face value.
"Until he indicates that this is something other than strictly personal, you can speculate till the cows come home," said P.J. McNealy, an analyst who covers the video-game sector for American Technology Research, which does not do investment banking. (McNealy does not hold shares in the companies he covers.)
Notably, few entertainment companies have had much success by themselves in translating their box-office blockbusters into video-game hits, aside from closely held
, with its access to founder George Lucas'
To date, most companies have chosen to sell off the rights to their movies and TV shows to video-game software companies. Thus, THQ produces games based on
and Viacom titles. Even
-- producer of the PlayStation consoles and a game maker in its own right -- has sold off the rights to its upcoming
movie to Activision.
But the practice of farming out titles may be starting to change.
Warner Brothers division is attempting to build a game studio from the ground up.
built its own game division and recently released a new title in conjunction with its upcoming Vin Diesel movie,
The Chronicles of Riddick.
Then there's Redstone. The media mogul apparently is intent on getting into the video-game sector one way or another. Redstone said Thursday that Viacom had considered, but ultimately rejected, making an offer for Electronic Arts, according to published reports.
Meanwhile, since November, he's purchased more than 26 million shares of Midway's stock, helping send its price up more than 300%.
Strange Buy Brings New Blood
At first glance, Midway may seem a strange buy. Although the company makes the popular
franchise, it has posted a loss in 17 straight quarters. Midway's market cap, revenue and breadth of titles are dwarfed by the likes of Electronic Arts and Activision.
Redstone's method of purchasing the company has been even more perplexing. Instead of offering to buy the company in one fell swoop through a tender offer, he has made numerous open-market purchases since November. While he initially bought the stock at less than $3 a share, his latest purchases have been at more than $11 per share.
"It's hard for me to question his judgment -- but in this case, I do," said Pachter.
A representative of Redstone's National Amusements declined to comment on Redstone's purchases of Midway stock, directing inquiries to the mogul's office at Viacom. Viacom spokeswoman Susan Duffy pointed to Redstone's public statements that he feels he can improve Midway's performance by bringing in new talent.
Redstone is already taking steps in that direction. Last month, he nominated both his daughter Shari Redstone and Kenneth Cron, the interim CEO of
, to serve on Midway's board.
Nicastro's departure presents another opportunity to reshape Midway. Duffy declined to say whether Redstone had a role in Nicastro's departure. A Midway representative did not return calls seeking comment. In a statement, Nicastro said his resignation, effective immediately after the company's annual meeting on June 10, was due to "personal and professional reasons."
Regardless, Redstone promised in the statement that Midway would replace Nicastro soon after the company's annual meeting.
While the new blood may help, Midway could become more valuable if it got its hands on the Viacom properties, a distinct possibility. Activision last summer cancelled its agreement with Viacom to develop games based on the entertainment giant's
franchise. More enticingly, THQ's contract with Viacom to produce games such as those based on
will expire next year.


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But, despite the apparent severity of the breach, RSA's failure to detail what was stolen is generating an immense amount of customer frustration, because they don't know if their SecurID hardware fobs are still secure, or if they might provide attackers with a conduit through enterprise defenses.
Here's the worst-case scenario: "The worry is that source code to the company's SecurID two-factor authentication product was stolen, which would possibly allow hackers to reverse-engineer or otherwise break the system," said Bruce Schneier, chief security technology officer of BT, in a blog post. In that case, attackers could spoof SecurID to access corporate systems.
Until RSA coughs up more information, security experts advocate conducting a thorough and immediate SecurID risk assessment. "Our recommendation for customers which have RSA SecurID cards implemented is to first carefully analyze the situation and their specific risks -- [for example] which type of information is at risk if the RSA SecurID-based authentication is not only at risk -- like now -- but an attack actually takes place?" said Kuppinger.
Next, identify specific technologies and remediation activities for securing at-risk data or accounts. "These actions might range from increased threat analysis and forensics to adding other authentication technologies," said Kuppinger.
But rather than just shopping for a SecurID replacement, numerous experts are recommending that security managers turn this situation into an opportunity to create a more layered security defense. "Many organizations rely too heavily on two-factor authentication and they have historically seen it as a silver bullet," said William Beer, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) director of OneSecurity, in an emailed statement.
Stay tuned for more details about the extent of the attacks, their effect on RSA, and the security and IT management ramifications for their customers. "RSA Data Security, Inc. is probably pretty screwed if SecurID is compromised," said BT's Schneier. "Those hardware tokens have no upgrade path, and would have to be replaced."
That would be no small task. RSA had 40 million SecurID hardware token customers by 2009, as well as 250 million users of SecurID software.


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EU urged to consider GM foods
THE European Commission is to ask the European Union member states to consider authorising three genetically modified products next week.
This is expected to provide the first test of government attitudes on GM products since June, when some environment ministers suggested a freeze on granting licences.
The three GM products being put forward to the EUs regulatory committee next Friday are a Monsanto sugar beet for animal fodder and two swede rapes put forward by AgrEvo.
EU governments have not approved any new GM products for more than a year and before that had only approved 18 of them.
This week, the EUs executive will also propose rules for the labelling of GM products.
They are expected to say that manufacturers have to make a declaration if more than 1% of any of the ingredients of the products are genetically modified.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds director of conservation ,writing in The Times, says it is “crucial” that the biotechnology industry extends the moratorium on GM crops until 2003.
He urges the UK government to vote against AgrEvos application to get commercial approval of the swede rapes in the EU.
- EU ministers block GM licensing, FWi, 25 June 1999
- EU set for gene crop moratorium, FWi, 25 June 1999
- US outburst over European resistance to GM crops, FWi, 18 June 1998
- Financial Times 19/10/99 page 16
- The Times 19/10/99 page 27 (Letters)


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The Australian sharemarket looks set to open lower this morning following volatility on Wall Street last Friday. US sharemarkets fell after President Trump threatened tariffs on Mexico. The 5 per cent proposed tariff from June 10 would rise to 25 per cent unless illegal Mexican immigration to the US stops. The news saw auto stocks slump.
Meantime, global oil prices fell sharply as fresh trade worries raised concerns about the outlook for the global economy and oil demand.
Local economic news
There is a raft of economic data due out this week today the ABS issues the Business Indicators publication.
Also due out are surveys of manufacturing from AiGroup and CBA. CoreLogic issues the May data on home prices. ANZ job ads and the Melbourne Institute inflation gauge are issued. On Tuesday the Reserve Bank meets and economists are expecting a quarter of a per cent rate cut– the first move in almost three years.
In terms of data, the ABS releases the quarterly balance of payments On Wednesday the focus will be on the March quarter economic growth (GDP) estimates. Also on Wednesday, both AiGroup and the CBA release the May surveys on services activity. And the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries issues the May data on new vehicle sales.
On Thursday the April figures on exports and imports are released. And on Friday, the comprehensive April data is released on new lending by financial intermediaries to the household and business sectors with the Performance of Construction index.
To the figures from around the globe: Wall Street closed lower on Friday: The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.4 per cent to close at 24,815, the S&P 500 fell 1.3 per cent to close at 2752 and the NASDAQ retreated 1.5 per cent to 7453.
European markets closed lower on Friday: London’s FTSE fell 0.8 per cent, Paris also lost 0.8 per cent and Frankfurt was down 1.5 per cent.
Asian markets closed lower on Friday: Tokyo’s Nikkei fell 1.6 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.8 per cent while China’s Shanghai Composite shed 0.2 per cent.
Taking all of this into equation, the SPI futures are down 24 points. On Friday, the Australian share market closed 5 points (0.1 per cent) higher at 6397.
PVH has completed it's takeover of Gazal Corporation(ASX:GZL).PVH paid cash consideration of A$6.00 per share and Gazal will now be removed from the ASX. PVH is a fashion and lifestyle company listed on the New York Stock Exchange with a portfolio that includes the likes of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Van Heusen. Shares in Gazal Corporation (ASX:GZL) last trading at $6.17 since being suspended on the 15 of May.
ALS Ltd (ASX:ALQ) is paying 11.5 cents 35 per cent franked
NAOS Ex-50 Opportunities Company Ltd (ASX:NAC) is paying 1.35 cents fully franked
NB Global Corporate Income Trust (ASX:NBI) is paying 0.875 cents unfranked
NAOS Small Cap Opportunities Company Ltd (ASX:NSC) is paying 1 cent fully franked
One Australian Dollar at 7:40 AM was buying 69.35 US cents, 54.91 Pence Sterling, 75.13 Yen and 62.10 Euro cents.
Iron Ore futures suggest a 2.5 per cent fall.
Gold has jumped $18.70 to US$1311 an ounce.
Silver was up 8 cents to US$14.57 an ounce.
Oil has dropped $3.09 to US$53.50 a barrel.


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Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 2200 chipset with the AMD mRDNA GPU is making some noise even before it is unveiled. Benchmark data published on Korean forum Clien (via Tron) has revealed that the upcoming Exynos 2200 chipset with AMD GPU has outscored even the powerful Apple A14 Bionic chipset.
The benchmark results show that the Exynos 2200 hit 170.7 fps on Manhattan 3.1 whereas the A14 Bionic managed to score only 120 fps.
The same disparity was found in the Aztec Normal Tier benchmark with A14 Bionic scoring 79.9 fps. The Exynos 2200 comfortably touched 121.4 fps in this test. Lastly, the Exynos chipset scored 51.5 fps in the Aztec High Tier benchmark while the Apple chipset settled for 30 fps.
The Exynos 2200 outperformed the Apple A14 Bionic in all three departments
These scores make the disparity between the two chipsets pretty evident. FrontTron clarified that these results were from June 2021 adding that the Exynos chipset was running on AMD’s development beta drivers.
This tells us that these scores cannot be considered final. Not until we see how it performs during everyday use. Regardless, a performance surplus of 45% is certainly encouraging for Samsung’s new chipset.
Samsung will reveal the Exynos 2200 chipset by December 2021, just a month or so before the arrival of the Galaxy S22 flagship. We first learned about Samsung’s collaboration with AMD in January this year. We’ve come across a slew of leaks about the chipset since then.
The new Samsung chipset should make its limited debut with the Galaxy S22 early next year. The company will also have a variant with Qualcomm’s 4nm Snapdragon 895 SoC onboard. South Korea and North America are likely to receive the Snapdragon 895 version of the Galaxy S22. Meanwhile, the flagship will launch with the Exynos 2200 in other markets.
Much like in the years past, Samsung’s upcoming flagship will be decked with a ton of new features. A lot is riding on the Galaxy S22 since there’s no Galaxy Note flagship launching in 2021. This is partly due to the launch of the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 earlier this month.


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Comprehensive M&A data with integrated detailed company information
Dassault signs agreement to buy Medidata
Posted on Wednesday, 12 June 2019 11:51
Dassault Systèmes has reached an agreement to acquire the digital transformation clinical development group Medidata Solutions in a deal worth USD 5.80 billion.
Under the terms of the transaction, the buyer is offering USD 92.25 per item of stock held in the target, representing a slight premium to its closing price of USD 90.79 on 10th June, the last trading day prior to the announcement.
Shares in Medidata rose 4.2 per cent when the bell rang yesterday to USD 94.75, giving the business a market capitalisation of USD 5.90 billion, following the news of the takeover.
According to Zephyr, the M&A database published by Bureau van Dijk, the deal represents the second-largest to be announced in the global data processing, hosting and related services sector in 2019 to date and the number one of these companies to feature in the healthcare market.
So far, the largest of these transactions involves Softbank, via West Raptor Holdings, selling shares in online e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding worth JPY 1,200 billion (USD 11.05 billion).
Dassault is expecting Medidata to accelerate its life sciences capabilities for patient-centric experience.
The New York-based target claims to be a market leading clinical cloud company used by over 1,300 customers worldwide to develop their therapeutic innovations and clinical operations performance.
Dassault has been applying its knowledge for transforming the product sphere to collaborative, multidisciplinary innovation in the biosphere.
It works with the world’s top 20 biopharmaceutical companies, hundreds of biotechnology groups and other businesses in the industry to develop and bring to market health products using virtual universes to transform patient experiences.
The company believes the acquisition will complete during the fourth quarter of 2019, following the receipt of shareholder and regulatory approvals.
Medidata is powered by artificial intelligence and has roughly 100,000 certified users every day.
It has run over 17,000 trials, on 5.00 million subjects and claims to use its technologies to power 13 of the top 15 drugs sold globally.
Medidata recorded revenue of USD 173.50 million in the three months ended 31st March 2019, a 16.3 per cent increase on USD 149.20 million in the corresponding period of 2018.
Net income for the timeframe totalled USD 11.15 million, up 7.9 per cent from USD 10.33 million in Q1 2018.
© Zephus Ltd


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Samsung says to invest $296 million to expand India plant
- Top 10 News for 10/17 - 10/21: Merger Rumors Abound; CEOs Depart; Tesla Kicks Autopilot Up A Notch
- Wall Street ends little changed; Microsoft hits record
- AT&T (T) in Advanced Talks to Acquire Time Warner (TWX) - DJ
- Rockwell Automation (ROK) Said to Attract Takeover Interest from Schneider Electric - Source
- British American Tobacco Offers to Acquire Remaining Shares of Reynolds American (RAI) for $56.50/Share
The logo of Samsung Electronic is seen at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, in this file photo taken on April 4, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo
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MUMBAI (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will invest 19.7 billion rupees ($295.83 million) to expand its plant in northern India, the company said in a statement.
The plant in Noida, near the Indian capital New Delhi, makes mobile phones, refrigerators and televisions.
(Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
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Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. will release its third quarter 2018 financial results on Wednesday before the market opens. While the company’s financial results will not reflect the benefits of China’s record domestic and outbound travel figures for the National Day holiday, which will be recognized in the fourth quarter, it should see a boost in revenue from the end of the summer travel season.
The company opened its 100th hotel in China in earlier in the summer as well as its first Doubletree Resort in China in Hainan Province in September. It is looking to expand its luxury portfolio in the Asia-Pacific region to attract high-end Chinese travelers.
Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta went on CNBC’s “Managing Asia” last week and emphasized the importance of the China market to the hotel company. Nassetta said, “Same-store results are very strong in China. They lead the world for us.” He added, “Our unit growth this year in China will probably be up 50 percent, I expect. It’s up a similar amount next year.” He expects that building brand loyalty in China will help Hilton succeed with Chinese outbound tourists, thus boosting its earnings globally.
In an interview with Jing Daily in August, Daniel Welk, vice president of operations, luxury, and lifestyle of Hilton Asia Pacific, also stressed the importance of the China market. Welk noted that the company is working on connecting with customers through Chinese social media channels such as WeChat, and has even launched a mini-program on the app. In addition, the company hopes to benefit from its flagship store launched last year on Alibaba’s online travel agency Fliggy.
The outlook for Hilton is optimistic, according to company management. And some of that optimism stems from its China-related business.
During the Q2 2018 earnings call, CFO Kevin Jacobs said, “Revenue from international inbound travel also helped results, growing over eight percent in the quarter, due largely to increases from China, Europe, and Canada.”
Hilton has been leading in hotel construction in China this year, according to a report by hospitality industry magazine Hotel Management. Nassetta told CNBC, “[China] is way undersupplied in hotel rooms relative to the demand that’s in place and the demand that we anticipate over the coming decades.”
This year, shares of Hilton hit a high of $87.69 on January 22 but dipped a further 1.8 percent on Tuesday to close at $68.87, still above its 52-week low of $66.87. Reuters has the consensus EPS estimate for Q3 at $0.71.


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newsXpress has been running a social media campaign supporting the latest HOT Ink! catalogue. This paid Facebook campaign is in addition to a promotion of the ink offer through hundreds of thousands of home-delivered HOT Ink! catalogues.
The Facebook campaign is an extension of an already successful social media campaign designed to further raise the national profile of newsXpress. The group has already successfully used Twitter and Facebook to drive shopper engagement with our stores around a select number of product opportunities.
The Facebook HOT Ink! initiative was kicked off late last week and in just a few days had achieved an engagement reach of thousands. In using Facebook to promote the HOT Ink! offer, newsXpress is practising what it preaches to its members and doing so solely for the benefit of members … and at no cost to members.


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Lamia Begum cries holding on to a barbwire fence in front of Rana Plaza building. The collapse killed 1,131 workers and nearly 2,500 were rescued.
The Rana Plaza anniversary is a reminder of the transparency lacking in the garment supply chain for the clothes we wear.
A woman holds a picture of her relative missing in the Rana Plaza collapse.
The horrific collapse of a factory in Bangladesh that killed hundreds sent American scrambling for ways to ensure this doesn't happen again. A professor explains why boycotts are not the answer.
Voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility - because retailers care.
Tim Ireland/PA Wire
After years of campaigning and lobbying, several evidence reviews, a draft government Bill (last September), and pre-legislative scrutiny from a joint select committee of peers and MPs, the UK government…


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Let Bigots Expose Themselves
So instead of having government force businesses to serve anyone, I want it to let them discriminate in the open. This way, I know exactly where not to do business.
Because even if I were heterosexual, I would very likely boycott businesses that discriminate on arbitrary traits like sexual orientation or skin color. It’s not a crime – no one’s life or property is endangered by this refusal of doing business – but it goes against my moral standards of treating every human being as an equal.
It worked wonders in the 1970s when LGBT groups and businesses boycotted Coors for its hostility towards them. Seeing that their anti-LGBT policies caused a slump in their revenues, Coors had no choice but to backtrack. “It’s basic good business practice,” famously said CEO Peter Coors when Republicans decried the company’s gay-friendly policies in 2004.
Now, imagine how easy it would be to organize such massive boycotts thanks to the Internet and social media. Any business, big and small, that shows hostility towards LGBT or any easily identifiable group would promptly see a decrease in its revenues when more and more people learn that it discriminates based on arbitrary traits. Neighboring business would happily get on board, maybe by putting signs that everyone is welcomed as long as they are peaceful. This would leave two choices to the discriminating business: either it backtracks or it will likely face bankruptcy. Or the “fabulous wrath” of trolls.
Of course, it could go both ways; learning that their favorite business is boycotted because it discriminates against certain people, patrons who are also hostile towards the same group(s) of people will increase their business. Chick-fil-A is a good example; after left-wing groups called for a boycott of the fast-food chain in 2012 because of its funding of “hate” groups, conservatives struck back and actually helped the business gain popularity.
Liberals Already Boycott Conservatives
In short, the government has no business deciding who private citizens, by themselves or when they sell products or services, can and cannot serve as long as they don’t voluntarily endanger people’s lives or property. The obligation not to discriminate only applies to governments, not private citizens.
The obligation not to discriminate only applies to governments, who are bounded by the Constitution and laws, not private citizens.
Besides, the very same people who decry Philipps’ discrimination toward gays are usually prompt to call for a boycott of businesses and states that discriminate. When North Carolina passed its infamous bathroom bill, Michael Moore was celebrated when he asked his distributor to not distribute his movie in the state. Similarly, California has restricted publicly-funded trips to states like Texas since they have policies considered discriminatory towards LGBT people. Hell, even the local LGBT center in San Jose, CA, has a sign stating, “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”
If liberals themselves show that it’s possible to peacefully boycott places that act (in their view) in a reprehensible way, why won’t they let conservatives do the same, as seemingly bigoted as it makes them look like? In the end, a business person refusing to do business is the one worse off.
Pierre-Guy Veer is a Canadian-born libertarian now living in the US.
This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.


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The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the first Bold from RIM to feature a touchscreen. But more than that, the new Bold also comes with the latest BlackBerry 7 OS, a single-core Snapdragon processor 1.2Ghz with 768MB or RAM, 8GB of on-board memory (expandable to 32GB with MicroSD) and a 2.8-inch screen pushing out 640×480 resolution not to mention a 5MP camera with 720p video recording capability. This makes the 9900 the most powerful Bold to come out of the Canadian company.
How does all these enhancements translate to the real world? Many that have been lucky enough to get a hands-on of the device say that the 9900 is very fast and responsive. The “Liquid Graphics” responsiveness claimed by RIM is something one would notice right away with the 9900.
Take a look at the video and tell us what you think.
We’re expecting Celcom to make an announcement on the Bold 9900 in the next couple of months.


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The Consumerist, one of our favorite consumer news sites, has reported on Kenneth Hammels’ victory against Cherry Hill Triplex. You can read all about it by clicking here. Of course, in addition to being very proud of being featured, we always love to read the comments people post. Congratulations Mr. Hammel!
Archive for ‘cherry hill triplex’
HANDICAPPED SENIOR CITIZEN FROM BUCKS COUNTY WINS TENS OF THOUSANDS IN DEALER FRAUD LAWSUIT AGAINST CHERRY HILL TRIPLEX Consumer Sues For Fraud And Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices


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Judgment day arrived for Microsoft Corporation in dramatic fashion Monday as Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson issued his conclusions of law for the company's antitrust trial. But the verdict, while not unexpected, was particularly harsh in its language and condemnation of Microsoft, which the court described as a bullying monopoly that illegally abused its power to harm competitors, partners, and consumers while it crushed innovation in the computer industry. While the government cheered its clear victory, Microsoft's camp rallied around the appeals process, which it hopes will offer a turnaround for the disastrous turn of events that has greeted it at every stage of the trial so far. For Microsoft, however, Monday was the darkest day of all: The company was finally found guilty of two of the three charges that were brought against it.
"The Court concludes that Microsoft maintained its monopoly power by anticompetitive means and attempted to monopolize the Web browser market," Jackson wrote in his ruling. "Microsoft also violated \[Section\] 1 of the Sherman Act by unlawfully tying its Web browser to its operating system. The facts found do not support the conclusion, however, that the effect of Microsoft's marketing arrangements with other companies constituted unlawful exclusive."
The ruling begins with descriptions of the charges, and explains the conclusions in the findings of fact, which were issued in early November. "The \[government\] proved at trial that Microsoft possesses a dominant, persistent, and increasing share of the relevant market," the ruling states. "Microsoft's share of the worldwide market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems currently exceeds ninety-five percent." Of course, simply having a monopoly isn't a violation of U.S. law. The government maintains, however, the Microsoft maintained its monopoly illegally. The judge agreed, stating that Microsoft acted in a "predatory" manner to protect its monopoly, to the extent that it hurt competitors, consumers, and even some of its own products in an attempt to maintain its Windows dominance.
"Middleware \[such as Netscape Navigator and Java\] threatened to demolish Microsoft's coveted monopoly power," Jackson writes. "Alerted to the threat, Microsoft strove over a period of approximately four years to prevent middleware technologies from fostering the development of enough full-featured, cross-platform applications to erode the applications barrier. In pursuit of this goal, Microsoft sought to convince developers to concentrate on Windows-specific APIs and ignore interfaces exposed by the two incarnations of middleware that posed the greatest threat, namely, Netscape's Navigator Web browser and Sun's implementation of the Java technology. Microsoft's campaign succeeded in preventing - for several years, and perhaps permanently - Navigator and Java from fulfilling their potential to open the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems to competition on the merits. Because Microsoft achieved this result through exclusionary acts that lacked procompetitive justification, the Court deems Microsoft's conduct the maintenance of monopoly power by anticompetitive means."
Much of Jackson's ruling concerned Microsoft's successful attempt at destroying Netscape, which had previously refused a Microsoft offer to divide up the browser market. "Microsoft's campaign proceeded on three fronts," Jackson writes. "First, Microsoft bound Internet Explorer to Windows with contractual and, later, technological shackles in order to ensure the prominent (and ultimately permanent) presence of Internet Explorer on every Windows user's PC system, and to increase the costs attendant to installing and using Navigator on any PCs running Windows. Second, Microsoft imposed stringent limits on the freedom of OEMs to reconfigure or modify Windows 95 and Windows 98 in ways that might enable OEMs to generate usage for Navigator in spite of the contractual and technological devices that Microsoft had employed to bind Internet Explorer to Windows. Finally, Microsoft used incentives and threats to induce especially important OEMs to design their distributional, promotional and technical efforts to favor Internet Explorer to the exclusion of Navigator."
Most damning is the rationale for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, which Microsoft never explained to the judge's liking. During the trial, it was revealed that Microsoft delayed the release of Windows 98 for seven months solely so that it could meld Internet Explorer into Windows 98 and thus harm the market for Netscape. No benefit to consumers or Microsoft partners was ever considered in this decision, which prevented sales of Windows 98 during the lucrative Christmas 1997 season. The judge concluded that Microsoft would only have acted in such a manner--deriving even the company itself from additional revenue--if it was simply trying to protect its monopoly at all costs.
"Microsoft fails to advance any legitimate business objectives that actually explain the full extent of this significant exclusionary impact," the ruling reads. "The Court has already found that no quality-related or technical justifications fully explain Microsoft's refusal to license Windows 95 to OEMs without ... Internet Explorer, or its refusal to permit them to uninstall \[IE\]. The same lack of justification applies to Microsoft's decision not to offer a browserless version of Windows 98 to consumers and OEMs, as well as to its claim that it could offer 'best of breed' implementations of functionalities in Web browsers. With respect to the latter assertion, Internet Explorer is not demonstrably the current 'best of breed' Web browser, nor is it likely to be so at any time in the immediate future. The fact that Microsoft itself was aware of this reality only further strengthens the conclusion that Microsoft's decision to tie Internet Explorer to Windows cannot truly be explained as an attempt to benefit consumers and improve the efficiency of the software market generally, but rather as part of a larger campaign to quash innovation that threatened its monopoly position." Microsoft's copyright defense--which was feebly first brought up in the waning days of the trial was also dismissed.
With regard to Microsoft's contractual agreements with PC makers that prevented them from altering the Windows desktop or boot-up process, Jackson ruled that Microsoft coerced PC makers into restrictive contracts specifically to keep Netscape off of new PCs. Microsoft, the judge says, used the availability of Windows itself, as a bargaining chip to ensure that Netscape made no inroads in the lucrative market for new PCs. Microsoft entered into similar pacts with Internet Access Providers (IAPs) as well, in some cases simply paying these companies to choose Internet Explorer over Netscape. And Apple Computer was forced to sign a technology sharing agreement with Microsoft that kept that company from openly supporting Netscape on the Macintosh platform as well; Apple signed the agreement to ensure that Microsoft would continue developing its much-need Office software for the Macintosh. "By extracting from Apple terms that significantly diminished the usage of Navigator on the Mac OS, Microsoft helped to ensure that developers would not view Navigator as truly cross-platform middleware," Jackson explained. "By granting \[Internet Content Providers\] and \[Internet Service Providers\] free licenses to bundle Internet Explorer with their offerings, and by exchanging other valuable inducements for their agreement to distribute, promote and rely on Internet Explorer rather than Navigator, Microsoft directly induced developers to focus on its own APIs rather than ones exposed by Navigator."
Microsoft, Jackson ruled, followed a similar tact with Java, Sun Microsystem's cross-platform development platform. By creating a version of Java that was secretly specific to Windows, Microsoft impeded the adoption rate of Java to protect its Windows monopoly from a perceived threat. "These actions cannot be described as competition on the merits, and they did not benefit consumers," Jackson writes in the ruling. "In fact, Microsoft's actions did not even benefit Microsoft in the short run, for the firm's efforts to create incompatibility between its JVM for Windows and others' JVMs for Windows resulted in fewer total applications being able to run on Windows than otherwise would have been written. Microsoft was willing nevertheless to obstruct the development of Windows-compatible applications if they would be easy to port to other platforms and would thus diminish the applications barrier to entry."
"Only when the separate categories of conduct are viewed, as they should be, as a single, well-coordinated course of action does the full extent of the violence that Microsoft has done to the competitive process reveal itself," the judge continues. "In essence, Microsoft mounted a deliberate assault upon entrepreneurial efforts that, left to rise or fall on their own merits, could well have enabled the introduction of competition into the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems. While the evidence does not prove that they would have succeeded absent Microsoft's actions, it does reveal that Microsoft placed an oppressive thumb on the scale of competitive fortune, thereby effectively guaranteeing its continued dominance in the relevant market. More broadly, Microsoft's anticompetitive actions trammeled the competitive process through which the computer software industry generally stimulates innovation and conduces to the optimum benefit of consumers."
With regards to Internet Explorer, Jackson rules that Microsoft specifically and purposefully leveraged its Windows monopoly to enter a second market, that for Web browsers. And it did so by illegally tying the two products together, in clear violation of the Sherman Act. In the most compelling portion of the ruling, Jackson discusses the controversial appellate court decision that previously ruled that Microsoft's tying of IE and Windows constituted a legal "integration." Jackson's rulings against Microsoft have invariably been reversed during the appeals process, and it seems that he wanted to address the most pertinent appellate ruling head on. Essentially, Jackson concludes that the appellate ruling was "undemanding" and inconsistent with related Supreme Court rulings. Jackson says that operating systems and Web browsers are "distinguishable in the eyes of consumers."
Jackson's 26-page brief was delivered at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday, setting off a frenzy of posturing on both sides of the fence. The Justice Department was up first, with a press conference featuring U.S. attorney general Janet Reno and Joel Klein, the DOJ trustbuster leading the fight against Microsoft. "We're pleased that the judge agreed that Microsoft abused its monopoly power, that it violated the antitrust laws, and that it harmed consumers," Reno said, introducing Klein. "Microsoft has been held accountable for its illegal conduct in a court of law."
"We are, of course, very pleased with the court's opinion," Klein said. "It will benefit America's consumers by opening the door to competition, increased innovation, and increased software choice in the software industry. This landmark opinion ... will also set the ground rules for enforcement in the information age. No company, no matter how powerful, or how successful, can refuse to play by the rules and thwart competition for America's consumers."
Klein admitted that no remedy had been decided on, but explained that the government would prevent Microsoft from abusing its market power as it had in the past. "The \[DOJ\] is committed to finding a remedy that will protect consumers, innovation, and competition by putting an end to Microsoft's widespread and persistent abuse of its monopoly power, and to rectifying its unlawful attempt to monopolize the Internet browser market."
About a half hour after the DOJ end zone dance, Microsoft president and CEO Steve Ballmer joined chairman Bill Gates in a press conference at Microsoft's Redmond campus. Though many analysts were expecting some sort of humility on Microsoft's part--Gates was himself responsible for the most embarrassing episode of the trial, a laughable taped deposition that clearly rankled the judge--both Ballmer and Gates were instead defiant, sure that the company would win on appeal.
"Today's ruling was not unexpected, given the court's earlier findings" Gates admitted. "But there are several steps ahead in this case. While we did everything we could to settle this case, and will continue to look for new opportunities to resolve it, we believe we have a strong case on appeal. The appeals court has already affirmed Microsoft's right to build Internet capabilities into the Windows operating system to benefit consumers. This ruling turns on its head the reality that consumers know, that our software has made PCs more accessible and affordable to millions ... As we look ahead to the appeals process, innovation will continue to be the number one priority at Microsoft. Our future success depends on our ability to keep innovating in the fastest changing industry on earth."
Gates alluded to Netscape's purchase by AOL and other "record breaking mergers" as examples of a constantly changing PC industry. He noted that the antitrust case was the responsibility of the legal team; the rest of Microsoft, he says, will work on building great software. Ballmer, meanwhile, spoke of his pride in the company, its technology, and its people.
"The ruling does not change the challenges and opportunities before us," Ballmer said. "At the same time, we do recognize that we have a special responsibility to set a positive example in our industry. We've spent the past twenty-five years thinking of ourselves as a small, aggressive company playing catch-up to industry giants, even though, at some point along the way, we became a large company."
Looking forward, Microsoft faces several months, perhaps, of trial time, during which it will face off once again against the U.S. government during the penalty phase of the trial. The company says that it is still "open" to a settlement, though ongoing talks are not currently scheduled, and certainly, it's still entirely possible to end the trial with a settlement. At this point, however, it seems that Microsoft's best chance now falls to the appeals round, which could drag on for years. And in the ongoing soap opera of the Microsoft antitrust trial, that's perhaps the most monotonous news of all


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Makism3D Acquires Umicron
(ConsumerElectronicsNet) Makism3D, a manufacturer of consumer and professional grade 3D printers, announced that it entered into a voluntary share exchange transaction with Umicron Ltd., a private limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (“Umicron”). Umicron is a 3D printer manufacturer based in Cambridge, UK whose stated mission is to design and build, “The most desirable consumer and professional level 3D printers.” Gary Anderson of 3DPrintingStocks commented, “At this point there is very little information available for me to make an informed investment decision regarding Makism 3D Corp. (MDDD). This is an acquisition of a development stage company with no meaningful sales reported to date, and Makism 3D Corp. is thinly traded, and as yet, unknown. That said, I think it’s a company investors in 3D printing stocks may want to keep an eye on for future developments/announcements.


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For all its growth, Amazon has yet to make a dent into brand budgets
With its wealth of purchase data, Amazon has focused mostly on carving out a piece of direct response advertising. For now, that’s overshadowing efforts it has made to attract brand advertising budgets, according to media buyers.
There are certain ad buys being pitched by the online retailer’s executives that look attractive to buyers focused on branding that don’t necessarily impact sales. In those instances, Dan Pereira, group director for commerce strategy at VMLY&R, said advertisers are more likely to stick to direct-response ads where they’re able to double or even quadruple their return on investment versus some of the larger display or video buys that struggle to break even.
“There’s an internal struggle at Amazon’s advertisers of ‘do I really need to do this cool new offering thing that’s going to get lots of eyeballs but won’t necessarily get a direct sales return,’” said Pereira.
It’s a struggle Amazon has repeatedly tried to ease. The online seller is constantly releasing new ad features and is recruiting more executives to sell them. But as interesting as those newer features are, it’s hard for ad buyers to ignore just how lucrative Amazon’s search-based ads are.
Three search ad formats — sponsored products, headline search ads and product display ads — have powered the growth of Amazon’s advertising business to $2.5 billion. Some advertisers are spending as much as 60 percent of their search budget on Amazon now due to the prolific performance of those ads.
“The return on advertising spend for some of the more brand-focused placements is sometimes less than $1,” said one agency executive on condition of anonymity, for fear of damaging commercial relationships with Amazon. “For the year, we will probably spend about $6.2 million with a $4 ROAS with a majority of focus on unbranded search terms. These types of returns are pretty much impossible to replicate everywhere else, so I think a lot of our brands want to focus their spend here.”
The more premium display ads, however, have not benefited from the same demand.
Ad buyers at iCrossing don’t spend a huge amount on those more premium placements and when they do it’s largely tactical, said James Marshall, senior paid search director at iCrossing U.K. At Amazon-focused agency Quiverr, digital brand manager Daniel Tejada, puts the majority of his client’s spend through Amazon’s demand-side platform: the self-service version of Amazon’s display network so that he can buy the retargeting, lookalike audiences, and in-market segments that see strong returns.
Part of the issue may be that advertisers aren’t measuring the impact their brand-centric buys correctly. For display advertising, Amazon uses a post-view attribution model by default, whereas the performance-focused sponsored products, headline search ads and product display ads use the last click. The disparity between the two metrics has left some brands wondering “how do I compare apples to oranges” and “how should I think about budget allocation across the different ad products,” said founder of ad platform Downstream Connor Folley.
Furthermore, those same Sponsored Ads steal the attributed sale from display if a paid search unit is clicked within the attribution window, further tipping the scale in favor of the performance formats.
“Selling top-tier display activations has long required advertisers [to] have faith in the somewhat ethereal concept of branding, which is tough to quantify and thus challenging to sell when viewed alongside click attributed performance advertising,” said Folley.
Amazon is working on a solution as it sets its sights on larger brand budgets.
Beyond purchase conversions on its site, the business is still figuring out how some of its other touchpoints fit into people’s lives and subsequently how those platforms fit into its broader ad business. For example, Amazon is encouraging businesses to develop Skills for its Echo smart speaker. The company knows it needs advertisers to help it turn voice into a larger revenue stream, but so far there are few brand building or commercial effective examples in the space.
Now that Amazon has consolidated the Amazon Media Group business that sold its brand-focused ads and the Amazon Marketing Services platform that handled its performance-focused ads into one marketplace, advertisers expect a clearer pitch for brand budgets.
“My understanding is that Amazon are looking for ways to take branding pots off brands as well as performance pots and it would make sense for their programmatic offering to be the product to do this more so than search,” said Marshall.
Travel marketers turn to ‘inspiration’ to stay top of mind
The point of the light marketing tactics, of course, are to inspire people to book through that travel brand or travel to that destination in the future whenever they are ready to travel again.
Facing a fundraising squeeze, charities turn to TV ads
Nonprofits face an unprecedented challenge: Donations are down, but their services are needed more than ever. Some organizations have been able to take advantage of relatively cheap TV ad rates to get their message out there.
‘Every state is different’: Inside Pepsi’s regional approach to increasing its advertising
Now that states like Texas and Georgia are lifting the stay at home order, the company is starting to spend more on advertising in those areas
SponsoredInterview: A media company weighs in on the power of automated publishing tools and cooperative thinking
In a new interview, an owner of seven media brands weighs in on the best strategies and toughest challenges around integrating automation and technology into publishers' workflows.
Miller High Life is starting to advertise again
The return to advertising was motivated by an increased interest in Miller High Life as well as a creative idea from adam&eveNYC and directed by Errol Morris that spoke to the time.
Member ExclusiveHow Anheuser-Busch adapted its ad messaging
DraftLine, Anheuser Busch InBev's in-house agency, has never been busier. This is because the role of the in-house agency has never been more crucial.


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For months now, the Treasury Department has been grappling with the consequences of “Too Big to Fail” — the idea that some enterprises are too large to allow to fail. Now here’s comes the Justice Department with “Too Big To Succeed,” the idea that some firms are too large to allow to suceed.
That at least is the implication of a policy change announced this week by new DOJ Antitrust Division chief Christine Varney. Specifically, in two speeches, she renounced a report developed by the Bush DOJ last year on monopolization law. That law, enacted as section two of the 1890 Sherman Act, is famously broad, making it illegal to “monopolize.” But finding the fine line between forbidden monopolization and pro-competitive success is a difficult if not impossible task.
Courts have long recognized the danger of making size alone — and by implication success in the marketplace — illegal. Instead, monopolization cases must rely on specific improper actions. Even these, however, are tricky. As shown in the 1990’s DOJ prosecution of Microsoft — delineating unfair competition from tough competition is not easy.
Because of these very real concerns, the Bush report articulated policies to protect against overzealous enforcement of section two, urging that claims be based on objective criteria and identifying types of conduct that typically enhances rather than harms consumer welfare.
Antitrust chief Varney has now rejected this report. In strongly-worded speeches she specifically stated that it no longer represents Department policy. Remarking favorably on federal antitrust policies of the 1940s, she then calls for more “vigorous” antitrust enforcement, stating that “…as antitrust enforcers, we cannot sit on the sidelines any longer – both in terms of enforcing the antitrust laws and contributing to sound competition policy as part of our nation’s economic strategy.”
Oddly, she points to the current financial crisis in support of this change, arguing “inadequate antitrust enforcement” contributed to the current conditions. But wait a second. No amount of stretching can make the financial crisis a problem of monopolization. Whatever else went wrong — and a lot did — no one monopolized anything. If anything, the crisis shows that no firm is so big it can’t fail (unless of course the government intervenes).
In any case, indications are that Varney’s first targets won’t be in the financial industry. Instead, the folks in Silicon Valley are likelier targets. And number one on the most wanted list is probably Google (which has taken Microsoft’s place among the too-big-to-succeeders).
Don’t expect Varney to talk much, though, about the evils of Silicon Valley. Most Americans know that more innovation and consumer benefits come out of there in a year than out of Washington in a century. Expect the rhetoric to stay on the evils of Wall Street.
But either way, when the lawsuits start flying, it is the consumer who will lose.


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Optimism among small business owners is reaching new highs. According to a recent USA TODAY/Allstate survey, 64 percent of companies with 100 or fewer employees say their businesses are doing well, up from 61 percent in late 2015. Looking forward to the future, 72 percent of the respondents believe the next year will be a great one for their companies, up from 64 percent in late 2015.
The USA TODAY survey mirrors the results of other surveys targeting small businesses nationwide. Small business optimism is showing its first consistent increases since the Great Recession. According to Capital One’s latest Small Business Growth Index, 50 percent of small business owners feel current business conditions are good or excellent, up from 41 percent a year ago. The same percentage of business owners expect business conditions to improve in the next six months – the highest level since spring 2012.
That optimism is for the first time translating into consistent hiring activity. In a national survey of 16,000 businesses with fewer than 500 employees, the New York Fed found that more than 60 percent expect their revenues to grow in 2017, and 40 percent plan to hire more employees. Payroll provider ADP said that small businesses are hiring an average of 93,000 workers each month in 2017, up from an average of 61,000 last year.


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Profiled thermoplastic markings that consist of a thin plain basic line plus the regular round agglomerates on top can now be applied in one pass. ...
Online PR News – 17-June-2010 – – HOFMANN, the market leader for road marking technology located in Rellingen, Germany, specifically developed the new MultiDotLine®-Plus agglomerate markings that not only enable faster trial markings but can be used successfully for permanent road markings as well.
"Next to consolidating both steps to one pass, easy adjustability and good reproducibility will significantly increase the application speed, resulting in an even better quality," says Torsten Pape, Head of Sales and Marketing at HOFMANN.
This technology has already been proven in use on the motorway (BAB) in the metropolitan region of Hamburg.
Download more information and images of the MultiDotLine®-Plus agglomerate markings from HOFMANN at:
HOFMANN, the leading manufacturer of road marking technology (www.hofmannmarking.de), has been operating successfully for more than 50 years as an internationally recognized and competent partner for marking technology. The traditional company located in Rellingen, Germany, supplies the entire product range required for road marking across the globe.


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Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital has gone quiet following the announcement that a new Gran Turismo game will be coming to PlayStation 4 in 2014. Studio head Kazunori Yamauchi has broken the silence and talked a little bit about the next game in series in a recent interview.
Speaking to GamesTM magazine in an interview, Yamauchi talked about how difficult the PS3 was to work with, and how that completely changed with PS4.
“Everything will be running naturally,” Yamauchi said about the PS4. “PS3 was much, much more difficult. The high quality of data that we have being rendered on the PS4 I think is going to make an incredible difference.”
“For GT7, myself and my staff have a clear vision: to do everything we couldn’t do in GT6,” he added. “We want to make it very Gran Turismo. By that I mean it’s going to be a game that matches the very era that we live in, in 2015 or 2016.”
Towards the end of last year, Yamauchi said that a new Gran Turismo game will be coming out in 2014, so 2015 or 2016 is quite the extension but not an unusual one for Polyphony Digital who tend to take their time making those games.


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For those that have not heard, the Disney Company has recently penned a deal to acquire Lucasfilm LTD. At a transaction value of $4.05 billion, the purchase marks a significant investment for the company.
In news that will delight many Disney Fans, Netflix, Inc. and Disney-ABC Television Group have penned an agreement that will allow Netflix to offer streaming of hundreds of new television episodes never before previously available to Netflix.
This includes shows from the ABC Television Network, the Disney Channel and ABC Family, the latter of which has never before been available in streaming format to anyone. The agreement will allow the new shows to be streamed beginning 15 days after they initially air.
Offering an interactive reading experience to kids of all ages, Disney Publishing Worldwide launched Disney Digital Books (www.disneydigitalbooks.com) last week. Over 500 books are available now on the site which are geared towards varying interests and multiple reading levels.
Utilizing common web browser technology, the Disney Digital Books allow subscribers to interact with the books in several ways including looking and listening to a story as it is read by a narrator, creating unique stories themselves and an age-appropriate dictionary that enables readers to select words they do not know, and have it read to them along with a definition they should be able to understand. Since it is web-based, most any internet capable computer will be able to be used on the site. Continue reading “Eager Young Readers Now Can Get Disney Digital Books Online” »


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Bollywood Actor Pankaj Tripathi and Ali Fazal starrer Mirzapur 2 released on Amazon Prime Video in Thursday, October 22. The expected season 2 hit online on Thursday night and created just the right buzz. However, it has been leaked online for free HD downloading on piracy sites Tamilrockers and Telegram among others. Mirzapur season 2 is the top-rated show on Amazon Prime Video and also features Shweta Tripathi, Lilliput, Vijay Verma, Divyendru Sharma, Rasika Dugal, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda among others.
Mirzapur season 1 was also leaked online after it hit the screens last year. The show has set a creed fan following and created a strong buzz in the league of the heartland crime dramas. It is based on a small town Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh where a powerful gangster establishes a drug-smuggling chain in the garb of his carpet business and emerges as the biggest lord of the city. However, now he has to try hard not to let this empire slip out of his hands while other powerful figures try to snatch the city out of his hands.
Various strict actions against the site has been taken in the past, but it has been found that the team behind the site appears with a new domain every time the existing Tamilrockers site is blocked. If they are banned, they take a new domain and runs the pirated versions of the movies. In the case of the theater releases, Tamilrockers is known to leak the films just a few hours after the films hit the big screens.


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Billings, Montana — February 12, 2017 — Nothing highlights the need for scanning like cold, hard data. Our US-based content partner, Repairer Driven News (RDN), reports on a repairer that gathered stats on ever repair order that came through his three shops “… to examine the necessity of pre- and post-repair scanning and whether the dash light can serve as an indicator of fault codes.”
According to the report, “McDonnell Group President Matthew McDonnell, who uses one of Collision Diagnostic Services’ asTech devices, shared the results with us last month. They’re presented here with the customers, insurers, and repair order numbers redacted to protect privacy, and minor stylistic edits for easier sorting. Gaps in the data typically indicate vehicles received at the shop but which have not yet received a particular step in the repair process.”
The RDN report notes that McDonnel’s company had already studied the variance between labour times given by different estimators at the company. Differences of up to several hours were noted. After an “extensive study of P-pages and OEM requirements,” the facilities were able to calibrate their estimates.
“The McDonnell Group later took an interest in scanning, and decided to perform a similar study to analyze the issue,” according to the RDN report.
“We were really the tip of the spear here,” McDonnell told RND, noting that scanning wasn’t getting much attention from industry at the time the study was initiated. The business began scanning every car and comparing codes, both pre- and post-repair. According to the RDN report, “49 out of 50 cars came back with codes related to the repair or collision.”
The McDonnell Group also looked into dash light data and “found that a vehicle typically needed a ‘pretty hard hit’ before dash lights would appear,” as reported by RDN.
A follow-up story by RDN notes that after insurers were shown the data, they “grew amenable to the idea” of scanning, with State Farm leading the way on agreeing to pay for pre- and post-repair scans, according to the story.


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August 02, 2022 11:40 ET | Source: Societe BIC Societe BIC
TSA officials displayed some of the most common prohibited items that have been brought to checkpoints at Richmond International Airport. Photos were taken during a press conference Wed. March
Oppo and OnePlus are currently banned from selling their smartphones in Germany on an official basis; as they are currently sold only via third parties. The source of this? A patent lawsuit from
When soft hair hits the blade’s weak points, it causes the metal to chip apart
The blades in everyday razors are made of Martensitic stainless steel, a heat-hardened metal also used in s
Luke Cuenco 04.28.22
The hunting season has probably been pretty rough on your blade. Everything from trimming small limbs off that is in your way to peeling open that
Michigan will enable four new mobility services to help address challenges across the state related to sustainable transit, roadway safety, parking and staffing shortages in the service industr
Abbott said the money would be taken from the budgets of other Texas agencies, including nearly $210 million from the state’s Health and Human Services Commission over two years and a
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Distillers at Yorkshire's first single malt whisky distillery have revealed details of their latest bottling.
For its penultimate release before Christmas, Hunmanby-based Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery has launched limited edition bottles of Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve 4.
Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve 4, 46% vol, is the fourth of the distillery's annual autumn Sherry Cask Reserve series and is a marriage of ex-PX, ex-Moscatel and ex-Oloroso sherry hogsheads and butts from the warehouse. The result is a rich and complex whisky with flavours of dried fruits, black treacle, cranberry, cocoa, and cola sweets.
"This year's Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve shows a completely different side of our warehouse and is a complex marriage of casks built around some of our rarest stocks of sherry casks. It includes one of our most precious Oloroso sherry butts which was filled in the first autumn of our distillery's production. It is incredibly rare and distinctly special, with its rich, warming flavours perfect for the winter months," said whisky director, Joe Clark.
Limited to just 2,000 bottles, Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve 4 costs £80 and is available online at spiritofyorkshire.com, from the distillery shop and from specialist retailers nationwide. It will also be on sale at the York St. Nicholas' Christmas Market from 16th November to 22nd December 2023.
Spirit of Yorkshire is a collaboration between farmer and brewer, Tom Mellor and business partner, David Thompson. It is a true field-to-bottle distillery and one of only a handful of distilleries that uses 100% homegrown barley to produce its single malt whisky. Filey Bay single malt whisky is now available throughout the UK and in a growing number of export markets.


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Nigeria World Cup jersey sells out after just three minutes
The Nike-designed jersey had a record three million pre-orders long before it went on sale and it sold out after just three minutes with the World Cup closing in.
Nigeria's World Cup kit had plenty of people talking before it was released on June 1st with a couple of weeks to tournament's first game. There was a record three million pre-orders for the stylish and unique jersey and it sold out after three minutes when it eventually did go on sale. It is no longer available on Nike's official website.
There were rumours that counterfeit jerseys were being sold that would undermine the release date sales for the jersey but that was clearly not the case. NFF Vice President Shehu Dikko told KweséESPN that "it is the best selling kit due to uniqueness" and the appetite for the jersey has been obvious in Nigeria and online with queues down the road in the Nike shop in Nigeria.
Nigeria recently played DR Congo and drew 1-1 have Iceland, Argentina and Croatia in their group. Nigerians, and those who have adopted the country as their second team, will be hopeful that they can get a little extra wear out of the jerseys by making it to the knock-out stages.


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The sixth annual Vermont Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival, held Sept. 26-27 at the Union Arena in Woodstock, Vt., featured the wares of more than 45 Vermont woodworking companies ranging from high-end furniture and cabinetry to bowls and carvings.
More than 15 new companies joined the event this year. In addition to the many exhibitors inside there were numerous activities occurring outside. The demonstration tent was filled with woodworkers carving bowls, demonstrating inlay technique, weaving baskets, assembling wooden boats, and much more.
Once again, attendees had an opportunity to cast a vote for their favorite booth presentation and this year's award went to Jim and Billie Maas of Birds in Wood in Morgan, Vt. Maas, a retired surgeon born in Pennsylvania, has won numerous awards at various carving championships and his work has been featured in a recent publication, "Illustrated Birds of Prey."
For information, visit www.vermontwoodfestival.org.


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With the arrival of the One UI 5.1 update, the South Korean tech conglomerate Samsung has altered too many elements of its Galaxy device, or we can say they are now further improved. For example, the animations of the Galaxy devices are now smoother than ever, the lock screen will now be customized to the end, and the abilities of the device, including multitasking, connectivity, and sharing, have also been enhanced than before.
One UI 5.1 Edge Panel
Recently, a user, Vertox360, shared some images of a Galaxy device having One UI 5.1 in it on his Twitter account. He also said that Samsung has started to shift to a darker (or we can say pure black) and blur-styled theme for the Galaxy device’s edge panels and killing the older one. The images that he shared are also justifying the above-mentioned point about the change that the company has altered the edge panel.
We can also see in those shared images Samsung is slowly diminishing its old and outdated grey theme of edge panels and moving on to the bolder option, which surely is an advantageous option. Now, the edge panel can be seen in a pure black theme, which is trendy nowadays. The panel also seems to have quite a blurry effect, which differentiates it from the older one. You can see the new edge panel’s images below.
Don’t miss our latest news on Samsung technology. Follow SamLover.com on your favorite social media platforms for instant notifications.


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GMO Labeling Hearing: Transparency Front and Center
Today, EWG’s Scott Faber testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in opposition to H.R. 4432, an anti-GE labeling bill.
“A modest disclosure on the back of food packages will not only give consumers basic information about what’s in their food and how it was produced, but will also cure the consumer confusion caused by the widespread use of misleading claims like ‘natural’”
Read EWG’s press release here.
TakePart reports that six of the largest school districts in the nation plan on transitioning to antibiotic-free chicken in their school lunches.
EWG’s Rate Your Plate Series breaks down the pros and cons of fat.
Tweet of the Day
Herd Around the Hill
Check out the most creative pizza pies in the District!


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Xiaomi India will launch two new wireless audio products in India on February 22. The company hints at a Bluetooth speaker and a wireless earphone. Xiaomi’s launch spree for 2021 is just beginning. After the Mi 10i smartphone, the Mi sub-brand is venturing into wireless audio products. A recent teaser on Xiaomi’s social media channels confirms two new audio products launching on
Xiaomi’s launch spree for 2021 is just beginning. After the Mi 10i smartphone, the Mi sub-brand is venturing into wireless audio products. A recent teaser on Xiaomi’s social media channels confirms two new audio products launching on February 22. A teaser video hints at a Bluetooth speaker as well as a neckband style wireless earphone. The launch will be conducted via an online Livestream at 12 pm. Also Read - Redmi 10 Prime in-pics: Here's a close look at the new budget Redmi smartphone
Xiaomi does not reveal the name of these products but based on the teaser, it seems these are two completely new products. The Bluetooth speaker seems to be a dual-driver model and may have a portable form factor. The neckband earphone looks similar to the Redmi SonicBass neckband earphone. However, it could deliver a superior audio experience, given that Mi branded audio products have to offer a better experience. Also Read - Best gaming phones under Rs 35,000 to buy in September: Poco F3 GT, Mi 11X, and more
It has been a while since the Mi sub-brand gets to offer new audio products. Previous audio products from Xiaomi have all been offered under the Redmi sub-brand last year. Xiaomi’s Mi currently has a couple of affordable single-driver wireless speakers on sale. There’s also the Mi Smart Speaker that launched last year that relied on the Google Assistant as well as a dual-driver setup. Also Read - Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro with AptX Adaptive codec support, up to 30 hours backup launched: Price in India, features
The biggest upcoming launch from Xiaomi, however, is the Redmi Note 10 series. Xiaomi’s most popular lineup of smartphones will be launching in India first and there are some wild speculations floating around. Xiaomi has no information to share yet but leaks suggest there will be two models at launch this year. The standard Redmi Note 10 is expected to rely on the Snapdragon 732G chipset and might offer a 120Hz LCD display.
Did you hear that?
A new sound wave, coming soon.
The #MiSoundUnveil | 12 PM on 22.02.2021
Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/6wZTUNnZBl
— Mi India #Mi10i is Here! (@XiaomiIndia) February 11, 2021
Joining the standard version will be a Redmi Note 10 Pro that is said to feature an AMOLED display – a huge upgrade for the Redmi Note series. There’s no detail about the choice of the chipset on the Pro variant but we expect Redmi to borrow some components from the Mi 10i that launched earlier this year.
Xiaomi says the Redmi Note 10 series will launch in early March and leaks have suggested Amazon to be the sale partner for these new smartphones.Xiaomi to launch audio products in India: Bluetooth speaker, neckband earphones teased View Story


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12. Plastic Credit Cards
You’ve probably heard lots of times in your life that cash will become obsolete someday. But, what you may not know is that credit cards may soon become a thing of the past, too. In fact, according to an article published by PC Magazine, plastic credit cards are becoming digital.
In other words, you’ll start to see more people paying with mobile or wearable technology and fewer people paying with actual plastic cards. And, according to PC Magazine, this is actually a good thing.
“These technologies have the potential to cut down on fraud. They negate the need for any third-party vendor to ever see your credit card number, and your pocket supercomputer has the ability to use biometric data (e.g., fingerprints) to prove that you are indeed buying that bulk-sized jar of Nutella,” the magazine wrote on its website.
11. In-Person Voting
With us working, going to school and grocery shopping from home, you knew it would only be a matter of time before we started voting from home. In fact, several states have already moved to voting to mail.
Here’s how it works: You receive a ballot in the mail, mark the ballot, then put it back in the mail. It’s as simple as that. And, there’s even a nifty little feature that lets you track your vote online so you can make sure it gets counted.