text: News Australia’s Recreational Vape Ban Is a Huge Milestone for Public Health Will the U.S. follow suit? By Julia Landwehr Julia Landwehr Julia is a news reporter for Health, where she covers breaking and trending news on health and wellness topics. Before joining Health, Julia held an internship position at Verywell Health, where she also covered news. Her work has been featured in The Heights, an independent student newspaper at Boston College, and Minnesota Monthly. health's editorial guidelines Published on May 10, 2023 Fact checked by Nick Blackmer Fact checked by Nick Blackmer Nick Blackmer is a librarian, fact-checker, and researcher with more than 20 years of experience in consumer-facing health and wellness content. health's fact checking process Share this page on Facebook Share this page on Twitter Share this page on Pinterest Email this page Australia’s Minister for Health and Aged Care recently announced the country’s plan to ban vape products in recreational settings.The ban will still allow vapes a means to quit smoking traditional cigarettes, with a medical prescription.Experts agree that vapes pose a dangerous threat to younger generations, whose attraction to fun flavors can easily lead to a serious nicotine addiction. In the name of public health, Australia is planning to ban the sale of vape products in “retail settings,” the country’s Minister for Health and Aged Care said in a media release. The ban is intended to reduce rates of vaping in Australia, especially among younger generations. Prescription vapes will still be available if they’re being used to help someone quit smoking cigarettes. Since October 2021, Australians have needed prescriptions to buy nicotine vapes, but the general public was still largely able to access them. “Vaping was sold to governments and communities around the world as a therapeutic product to help long-term smokers quit,” Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care, said in the press release. “It was not sold as a recreational product—especially not one targeted to our kids but that is what it has become.” To ensure that vaping will only be used in a prescribed manner, the government plans to increase quality standards, restrict flavors and colors, ban single-use vapes, and reduce nicotine concentrations. Switching from traditional cigarettes to vapes could be a step in the right direction for people who already smoke, experts say, but it’s a concern when people who didn’t smoke previously—specifically kids—become addicted to nicotine and e-cigarettes. “Introducing youth to an inhaled product kind of feels like deja vu,” Ravi Kalhan, MD, professor of medicine and preventive medicine, and a pulmonary and critical care physician at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told Health. “The argument that it helps people quit smoking—great, well then regulate it and use it in a medical context. [Don’t] sell it in stores.” Getty Images / whitebalance.oatt Vaping As a Matter of Public Health Unlike traditional cigarettes, vapes or e-cigarettes function by aerosolizing a liquid cartridge that usually contains flavoring and nicotine—the same addictive substance in regular tobacco products. Vapes can also be used to inhale other substances, like marijuana. Vapes usually contain fewer toxic chemicals than traditional cigarettes, which is why they’re deemed safer or healthier than normal smoking. That’s why some doctors recommend them as alternatives for people who smoke. Australia’s new ban still allows vapes as a means to quit smoking—the ban in retail stores accompanies a commitment to making it “easier to get a prescription for legitimate therapeutic use.” The issue is that in Australia—like in the U.S.—there’s growing concern that people who’ve never smoked in the past are beginning to vape. This would make vapes an additional vehicle for nicotine addiction instead of simply remaining a less harmful alternative. “Adults switching to these products is one thing. A young person becoming addicted right now—what’s going to happen to them in 30 or 40 years?” Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, MHS, associate professor of pulmonary medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, told Health. In a recent survey of 15- to 30-year-olds in Australia, 14% said they were current users of vape products, and 33% said they had tried vaping or had vaped in the past. The situation is equally troublesome in the U.S.—in 2020, 19.6% of high schoolers said they used e-cigarettes in the last 30 days, as did 4.7% of middle schoolers. Adolescents may also be more likely to start using traditional cigarettes if they vape already. And even though vaping is technically less dangerous than smoking, experts agree that it’s still not safe. Vaping has been shown to cause acute lung injury in some kids, which researchers believe could be linked to vape aerosol causing lung inflammation. Some e-cigarettes contain heavy metals such as lead and nickel, diacetyl—a chemical linked to serious lung disease—or other cancer-causing materials. Vaping could also cause increased rates of bronchitis, asthma, or other lung issues, Dr. Galiatsatos said. “These aren’t innocent chemicals,” he explained. “They still pose some level of toxicity to the lungs and depending on the amount you breathe in, depending on your lungs overall, you’re gonna feel those effects.” Vaping Linked to Increased COVID-19 Risk, According to New Study Managing E-Cigarette Use in the U.S. Unlike in Australia, Dr. Galiatsatos and Dr. Kalhan agree that a total retail ban on vape products in the U.S. would probably be unlikely. The U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about the vaping “epidemic” among youth back in 2018, and there are state laws that set age restrictions on vape products. They can range anywhere from 18 to 21 depending on the state. Besides an outright ban, experts agree that making moves to deter kids from vaping would be an important step toward preserving public health. In 2022, about 85% of kids who used e-cigarettes said they used flavored products. Getting rid of fun colors and flavors could be a way to discourage kids from using them. “If the strongest rationale is that it’s a way to facilitate smoking cessation, well then, we don’t need a million flavors out there that target youth pretty clearly,” Dr. Kalhan. “That’s where that whole issue of the gateway comes in, that people start with flavored, fun stuff, and next thing you know they’re addicted to nicotine.” As part of Australia’s ban, the government will restrict colored and flavored vapes and require “pharmaceutical-like” packaging. The ban on vape products of course has its critics. The Australian health minister explained that “measures will also be needed to prevent young people from trading their vapes for cigarettes.” The country will allocate resources to help people quit smoking and for public health messaging about the dangers of smoking. Despite the fact that vaping and vaping regulation is a frontier with a number of unanswered questions, experts agreed that Australia’s ban is a reminder for Americans to think about the ways that vaping hurts the health of our own public. “These products aren’t intended for young kids,” Dr. Galiatsatos said. “We need to put in the resources to have [that] kind of educational awareness to the young kids, and to the parents and families, and teachers, as well as doing what we can to make [vape products] unappealing to the youth.” A New Smart Necklace Could Help Smokers Avoid Relapse and Quit Tobacco for Good Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit 10 Sources Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Ministers Department of Health and Aged Care. Taking action on smoking and vaping. Department of Health and Aged Care: Therapeutic Goods Administration. Nicotine vaping products: information for prescribers. Filter. Australia’s experience with prescription-only vapes has failed. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Pettigrew S, Miller M, Alvin Santos J, Raj TS, Brown K, Jones A. E-cigarette attitudes and use in a sample of Australians aged 15-30 years. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2023;47(2):100035. doi:10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100035 Gentzke AS, Wang TW, Jamal A, et al. Tobacco product use among middle and high school students—United States, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69(50):1881-1888. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6950a1 American Academy of Pediatrics. E-cigarettes and vaping. Jonas A. Impact of vaping on respiratory health. BMJ. 2022;378:e065997. doi:10.1136/bmj-2021-065997 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Restrictions on sales to underage persons. Food and Drug Administration. Results from the annual national youth tobacco survey.


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NEWS & BLOGS
Well what a year 2020 is turning out to be! While many industries have been hit hard by the global pandemic, technology is flourishing! The need to work remotely, collaboratively and online is more pressing than ever before. In the last few months we've undertaken a...read more
The last 6-8 weeks have been a busy time for our team of Ghosts'. Not only have we been providing services to our existing customer base, we're also taken on two new clients! We're delighted to welcome Inspire Images and T5 Alive to our client list. Not only have they...read more
In a new report, eMarketer declares the use of voice assistants has reached a “critical mass.” Voice assistant use in 2019 is up 9.5% over last year. By comparison, the use of voice assistants grey 27% in 2018 and 24% in 2017. So voice assistant use is still growing,...read more
Instagram is currently testing a new feature that would hide "Like" counts on your page. Rumors have spread around for a while since a tester leaked screenshots of the news update, but it was officially announced at the Facebook F8 Developers Conference and will be...read more
Want proof that IoT addresses current business cases and generates new use cases? Just look at transportation companies. Technology drives business strategy now more than ever—and nowhere is this more apparent than in the logistics industry. As an early IoT adopter,...read more
Choosing the right company to host your website and business critical applications can be a minefield. There are simply so many options all with such a diverse price range. Often many businesses opt for the first company they come across, without understanding what...read more
From brands getting to grips with ecommerce and personalisation in podcasts, to growing interest in advertising-funded video-on-demand, we predict the media trends that will take shape this year. Ecommerce ads set to take off Advertising that sits alongside and...read more
Love it of hate it, it's that time of year again... family, friends, excessive drinking and dancing at Christmas parties, way too much food and of course gifts. So with that last point in mind, we thought we'd have a look at some of the tech gifts available this year,...read more
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Microsoft, in an effort to promote the launch of its New Xbox Live Experience, has announced a new contest that could net winners up to 500,000 MS points. The contest begins tomorrow, November 19th, at 6:01 AM EST and will run until 11:59 PM PST on November 23rd.
Eligibility is pretty loose, and all you have to do is download content via Live from one of six different categories: Movies, TV Shows, Full Arcade Games, Xbox Originals Games, Game Add-Ons, and Music Videos. So, essentially, if gamers end up downloading their weekly tracks for Rock Band, they'll automatically have the chance to win a grand prize of 500,000 MS Points, five first place amounts of 50,000 points, or one of the second-and-third place prizes of 10,000 and 5,000 points, respectively.
The New Xbox Live Experience is set to land tomorrow and features a ton of new content, the two most notable additions being Avatars and streaming video from Netflix. The Live Marketplace is also getting a significant face-lift and is set to be far less sluggish and less frustrating for users, something that's been particularly noticeable in the past few days for many Live Users who found themselves randomly getting kicked off the service. According to Larry Hryb, those issues have been resolved just in time for the contest to begin.


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CLAPs' Move to Take Over Food Distribution Sparks Disturbances in Fuerzas Armadas Avenue
As the new Local Committees for Supply and Production moved to divert price controlled food deliveries from Avenida Fuerzas Armadas, tempers boiled over and a riot ensued.
Translated by Javier Liendo
Read the original in Cronica.Uno
Early this morning, like every morning, people stood in line outside shops at the Fuerzas Armadas avenue in Caracas. There are more than 70 shops along this main downtown avenue, and there were lines outside many of the shops.
At around 9:00 am, when delivery trucks started to arrive, members of the Local Committees of Supply and Production (CLAP) appeared and intercepted the drivers, attempting to divert the trucks. Some said that they were meant for warehouses in the Ciudadela de Catia and others said they were for the Fundación de Desarrollo Endógeno Agroalimentario (Fundeca), an institution belonging to the District Government.
The plan is for no more price controlled food to be sold on some of Caracas’s main shopping avenues.
Almost 20 CLAP members tried to negotiate with shop owners and drivers.
One of them, who declined to give his name for safety reasons, reported that last Wednesday, June 1st, there was a meeting with Daniel Aponte, chief of the Government of Caracas District in which they decided to roll out a civilian-military deployment to take control of the transport and distribution of price controlled products.
The plan is for no more price controlled food to be sold on some of Caracas’s main shopping avenues – Baralt, Urdaneta, Sucre, Libertador, San Martín, Universidad, Lecuna, Andrés Bello and Fuerzas Armadas avenues – as a way of eliminating queues permanently.
According to a leak of this meeting, “providers have been supplying stores in downtown Caracas much more frequently as part of a destabilization plan, and therefore no vehicles or trucks will be allowed to park before shops from Wednesday night.”
Unofficially, we heard that each truck containing price-controlled food will be inspected. The order was “They’re not to enter the avenue. They must be intercepted and redirected to Fundeca.”
We ask for food and they send in the National Guard.
The CLAP member said that food will be supplied door to door.
“The Capital District teams, the Mayorship of Libertador municipality, the SUNDEE, SUNAGRO, the National Police, the National Guard, SAIME and the PSUV will be deployed along the avenues until the task is fulfilled,” said the source, who refused to identify himself, citing safety reasons.
This information, revealed all at once, sparked unrest and caused despair in the people waiting in line to buy food. No dialogue was possible because angry and frustrated people took to the street and blocked traffic near San Ramón corner.
At around 9:00 am, the protest was on. There were fights, screams and chants against president Nicolás Maduro’s administration. The protest grew stronger as the National Police’s riot squad arrived.
“We ask for food and they send in the National Guard,” said some of the older protesters, who were joined by some shop owners, because they were informed that SUNAGRO routes in this avenue were to be blocked and redirected to Fundeca.
At 12:00 noon, despite the National Guard’s efforts to contain the protesters, a sizable group of people went to the Urdaneta avenue, near Plaza España and also blocked traffic there.
They called on passersby and residents to join to the protest for food. “The people are hungry and we’re going to Miraflores from here,” they said.
A National Police barricade stopped the march, but a group of students arrived to the place and the manifestation immediately took momentum, so much so that they decided to run towards Miraflores.
At La Pelota corner, near CICPC headquarters, they were pushed back with tear-gas.
Marchers dispersed after 1:00 pm. After that, there were isolated riots in Fuerzas Armadas avenue. No fewer than 19 journalists and photographers were attacked, robbed and intimidated during the disturbance, according to reports by NGO Espacio Público. Three photographers from El Universal were robbed, while journalists from VivoPlay, El Nacional, 2001, Caraota Digital and Crónica.Uno were forced to leave the scene.
Reports say that this Thursday night, the CLAPs were to take over Sucre, Urdaneta, San Martín, Fuerzas Armadas and Baralt avenues.
There were also protests during this Thursday morning in San Martín and Sucre avenue. Buscaracas service was suspended and shops closed all over the area.
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Al Wehda news site offers you the latest technology news
After being hinted at by the leaks that we got in the last few years, Huawei finally today officially unveiled its latest flagship smart watch under the name Huawei Watch GT2 Pro, as part of the activities of its annual Huawei Developer Conference 2020 currently held in China.
As you can see, the new Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro has a smaller frame compared to the regular Huawei Watch GT2, and has a 1.39-inch circular OLED screen with a resolution of 454 x 454 pixels protected by a sapphire glass layer that is very resistant to scratches and cracks. Moreover, this new smart watch also comes with a titanium case, and a ceramic back face with the knowledge that it also comes with built-in GPS, and song controls.
This smartwatch is equipped with the HiSilicon Kirin A1 processor, and includes 32MB of RAM, and up to 4GB of internal memory. In addition, it supports the traceability of more than 100 exercises from swimming, skiing and snowboarding to golf. Hikers will also enjoy a return feature which can track the starting point of your path. There’s also TruSeen 4.0 + for tracking your heart rate plus sleep and stress and tracking blood oxygen.
Huawei says that the smart watch Huawei Watch GT2 Pro works with its LiteOS system, and includes a battery that provides up to 14 days of use under normal use or 30 hours with GPS activation and 24 hours of music playing. But this time, Huawei Watch GT2 Pro also got support for wireless charging technology.
The price of Huawei Watch GT2 Pro starts at 329 euros for the sports version, and goes up to 349 euros for the classic version. Both versions will be available for purchase later this month.
The source of the original news site: electronic


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Multiple tracks lead to sales of Wisconsin cheese
GREEN BAY – In a competitive market where there's often a battle between quality and price, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's national retail and foodservice promotion program for cheese relies on numerous types of appeals to customers and cooperative ventures in the marketplace.
Details on those points were reviewed by Kirk Scott, the WMMB's director of retail sales, at the 2016 regional conference for representatives of county dairy promotion groups. He has 25 years of experience in consumer marketing with several entities, including nearly two years with the WMMB.
Scott oversees the WMMB's eight regional retail marketing managers. He explained that they work directly with thousands of retail outlets, distributors and chefs to create an awareness of Wisconsin brand of cheese in order to boost sales.
Matchmaking for cheese sales
The regional marketing managers strive to act as matchmakers to convince consumers to recognize Wisconsin as the top source in the nation for quality cheeses, Scott indicated. He said there was a major increase in the promotional activities for foodservice, restaurants and dairy case displays during 2016.
In addition to the marketing challenges posed by geography, there's often a struggle between price and quality, he said. To cope with those challenges, he added messages about “the milk, the heritage and the standards” are used to persuade consumers that cheese from Wisconsin is their best choice.
To emphasize the quality of Wisconsin cheeses, attention is given to the numerous high placings in multiple cheese contests, Scott remarked. He noted Wisconsin is only state that requires a licensed cheesemaker must be on-site when cheese is made.
Scott pointed out that this authenticity is conveyed by the requirement that only cheese manufactured in the state is eligible to carry the identifying Wisconsin logo. For fluid milk, the requirement is that it was produced in the state.
A Minnesota food distributor which serves nearly 2,000 stores carries 28 cheeses with a Wisconsin identity, Scott said. Market research indicates that this identity (the logo) increases the sales by 6 percent.
Wisconsin-based company names such as Sargento and BelGioioso also attract cheese buyers, Scott continued. With store brands, an awareness that the cheese came from Wisconsin also enhances sales.
Within supermarkets, the deli counter is often the easiest place for a Wisconsin cheese promotion, he disclosed. At dairy cases, in-store displays and signage convey the message.
While June Dairy Month is an obvious attention-getter, the WMMB has 85 different time-related themes available for retailers throughout the United States (the WMMB doesn't engage in international promotions), Scott said. Those time-themed promotions are supplemented with a choice of 28 recipes.
Cross promotions for the sales of cheese and accompanying foods are another standard practice, he said. The most frequent partners in those promotions are bread, wine and beer.
The grilled cheese recipe showdown contest has become a national event, Scott reported. The entry period for 2017 opens March 30. Cheese carving at special events such as grand openings or anniversary celebrations continues to draw crowds, he added.
At five Stew Leonard's supermarkets in the New York area, a singing Miss Diva cheese amitronic puppet is a popular attraction, Scott reported. It has a special appeal to children, who merely need to tap a red button to start Miss Diva's performance, he noted.
Mammoth cheeses, all made at Henning's Cheese at rural Kiel in Manitowoc County, serve as a promotional event at The Anderson's stores in Ohio, Scott stated. He said the 4,800-pound Cheddar mammoth sold out in 24 hours in 2016, setting the stage for the arrival of a 5,600 pound mammoth in 2017.
In the foodservice sector, the WMMB is a connection for sales of Wisconsin cheese with the Five Star pizza chain in Florida, Cousins Subs, Giordano's in Chicago, the Atlanta-based Mellow Mushroom with more than 150 outlets in 26 states and the Chicago-based Cooper's Hawk winery and restaurant chain with 28 outlets in eight states, Scott said. In Wisconsin and beyond, Culver's is a major user and promoter of the state's dairy products.
Scott noted a national Cheese Curds Day was held Oct. 15. As evidence of their growing popularity, cheese curds are outselling French fries at A&W restaurants.


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A new report claims that Sony is gearing up to launch a flagship smartphone at the upcoming CES 2014 event next week. The report claims that Sony will launch two devices in total by Q1 2014 codenamed Sirius and Canopus with the latter rumored to break cover at the CES next week. This smartphone will apparently pack a 5.2 inch 1080p display as well as the Snapdragon 800 SoC and possibly a superior grade camera like the Xperia Z1.
The Canopus however will reportedly break cover a month later at the MWC 2014, with a 5 inch 1080p display and the upgraded Snapdragon 805 chipset. The strange part is that this device will reportedly have no cellular data or a SIM card slot, so it could well be a media device and not a full blown smartphone, which strikes as surprising.
There’s not a lot of information available right now besides this, but it’s clear that the company will also possibly announce the Xperia Z1 Mini or the Xperia Z1S at the CES. The company very recently launched the Xperia Z1 f in Japan which is the mini variant of the Xperia Z1 which gave rise to speculation that Sony will soon launch a global variant as well.
Source: Digi-Wo – Translated
Via: G For Games


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Lijit, a two-year-old startup based in Boulder, Colo., recently raised $7.1 million, bringing the total venture capital it has raised so far to a shade above $10 million.
Whatever way you look at it, that is a lot of money for a company that, on face value, is nothing but a widget that allows bloggers to offer search on their blogs and their profiles on other social media sites such as Flickr.
Curious as to how it plans to build a business to justify the money it raised from VCs such as Brad Feld’s Foundry Group and Boulder Ventures, I jumped at the chance when company CEO Todd Vernon emailed last week to let me know that he was in town. Why not — after all it would give me a chance to grill him in person. While our chat was short, it was quite revealing (including their growth metrics!) and left me a lot less skeptical of the 22-person startup.
Vernon, who in his past life started Raindance Communications, turned out to be an affable fellow who not only answered my questions but also did a good job of convincing me that Lijit’s not just a widget company and indeed has a viable business model. At first blush, Lijit doesn’t look like anything more than just a cute widget using the Google Custom Search Engine. But Vernon said that in addition to Google Custom Search, Lijit has its own search infrastructure (running on about 200 servers), mostly because it needs to customize search results for some of its larger publishing partners, something that isn’t quite possible with Google’s custom search offering.
“Our search implementation is based on a customized version of the Lucene open source platform,” he said. “To date we have spent a little under a $1M on crawling and indexing infrastructure but we expect another $1.5M with this new investment.”
In other words, the cute widget is hiding a monster called “a white-label search solution,” which takes the topicality of blogs, their intertwined relationships with other blogs and web content and build their own more focused index. In order to make money off its search service, Lijit is going to offer an ad network for publishers, including some bespoke versions for larger publishers in their network.
The company’s widget is used by more than 4,500 publishers, mostly blogs, with 60 new ones joining every day. So far, they are seeing about 330,000 searches a day, and the company plans to build an opt-in ad-network around these searches.
Vernon explained that since the company has more contextual information -– such as the topic of a blog and the very content being created by the blog writers — it can target advertising at a more granular level and, as a result, get better click-throughs.
He promised to give more details when the ad network, currently in alpha testing, launches in about a month. The ads will be showed against the results of searches, based on matching keywords. There are plans to allow publishers to sell their own keyword inventory in addition to giving them an option to use Lijit to back-fill the advertising spots. While this ad network seems like a good idea, Lijit has a long way to go before it can start making major bucks.
At 330,000 searches a day or 9.6 million searches a month, Lijit doesn’t have enough search volume (and thus resultant clicks) to have meaningful revenues. For now, finding hyper growth remains a challenge for the company. Good thing it has money in the bank (and hence time) to keep it going.


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Apple’s New iPhones Don’t Have Headphone Jacks, Because “Courage”
We’ve reached the point in the iPhone’s evolution where the latest generations are more notable for features they don’t sport than for any they do.
Apple on Wednesday announced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and as expected, they look a lot like their immediate predecessors. Also as expected, based on a preponderance of credible rumors: They’re the first iPhones to dispense with an analog headphone jack.
In place of the venerable 3.5mm port, Apple proposes two alternatives.
First, the new phones will come boxed with a set of earbuds that connect via the Lightning port, as well as an adaptor for your old headphones. Yes, the Lightning port is the same one you use to charge the phone. Yes, that means you won’t be able to charge the phone and listen to headphones at the same time.
Second, Apple will begin pushing wireless earbuds, which you’ll have to buy separately if you want them. Conveniently, Apple now owns Beats, which specializes in making headphones, a new line of which will be wireless.
Conveniently for them, I mean. Not for you.
Apple will also launch its own brand of wireless earbuds, called Airpods. (I was rooting for Airbuds.) These come with a chip that Apple says will allow them to switch seamlessly between your iPhone and Apple Watch, and to pair with your devices without the hassle of Bluetooth. These will set you back $159, or “just $159,” as Apple VP Phil Schiller half-heartedly put it. They look nifty, and they just might be the future, if for no other reason than that Apple has decreed them thus.
Apple’s own explanation for the change was a little baffling. Schiller said the rationale for jettisoning the headphone jack could be summed up in one word: “courage.” What kind of courage? “The courage to move on, and to try something new that betters all of us,” he elaborated. OK then!
For the most part, though, we knew or suspected all of this going into Wednesday’s event. So for those mourning their soon-to-be obsolete headphones, the real question was: What would Apple offer in exchange?
Well, for one thing, you can now drop your iPhone in the toilet. I mean, you could do that before, but now when you get it back out, there’s a decent chance it will continue to function. Eliminating the headphone jack enabled Apple to seal the phone at last, making it “dust and water resistant,” albeit not fully waterproof.


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Genesco Inc.’s board has gained three new retail industry veterans — none of whom were part of the pool nominated by an investment management firm last month.
The Nashville, Tenn.-based company said today that it has named new independent directors: Angel Martinez, former chairman and CEO of Deckers Brands; Mary Meixelsperger, CFO of oil manufacturer Valvoline and former CFO of DSW; and Greg Sandfort, former CEO of Tractor Supply Company.
The move comes a month after Legion Partners Asset Management LLC informed the company of its intention to nominate a controlling slate of seven individuals for election to the board of directors. Legion, which owns about 5.6% of outstanding common shares of GCO, said in a statement at the time that the company had failed to make progress.
Genesco refuted that sentiment, telling FN that under Mimi Vaughn’s leadership as CEO, the stock increased 35% from Jan. 31, 2020 through yesterday’s close. In addition, the stock has risen over 200% the past year, ending trading yesterday at $52.99.
In another statement today, Genesco wrote, “The committee noted, among other concerns, that Legion’s candidates lack the relevant skills, experience, track records and leadership to serve on Genesco’s board. Throughout Genesco’s board refreshment process, which intensified last year prior to Legion’s recent investment and current campaign, the company has repeatedly offered Legion an opportunity to participate, but Legion has consistently rebuffed Genesco’s efforts to engage constructively.”
Along with the appointments, current directors Kathleen Mason and Marty Dickens will retire at the start of Genesco’s annual shareholders meeting, which has yet to be scheduled. At that time, the board will be comprised of nine directors — the majority of which will have been members since 2019.
According to the retail group, the updates and changes will “strengthen the skillset, enhance the diversity and substantially reduce the average tenure” of the board, which will be five years following the annual meeting. (That is below the average in the S&P 500.)
In a statement, board chair, president and CEO Mimi Vaughn called Martinez, Meixelsperger and Sandfort “three seasoned retail and brand executives who bring tremendous knowledge and experience into the boardroom and whose perspectives will be invaluable as we work to accelerate Genesco’s transformation as a footwear-focused company and capitalize on synergies to drive growth and profitability across our portfolio.”


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About a third of PR businesses have warned the Brexit deal is likely to have a negative impact on their revenues this year, new research has found.
In a poll of 188 PR professionals, 33.5 per cent predict revenue declines this year due to Brexit. A similar proportion said they are less likely to hire talent from Europe.
Although it is too early to understand the full impact of leaving the European Union, the study provides an indication that a third of the PR professionals have a negative view of the Brexit deal and how it will affect business.
An Oxford Economics report predicts Brexit’s impact could result in a fall in GDP of between 0.1 per cent and 3.9 per cent, while economists at Citigroup estimate the UK economy will produce two per cent to 2.5 per cent less in 2021 than if the UK had extended ties with the EU.
Not all doom and gloom
Not all businesses in the communications sector will be negatively affected.
Brendon Craigie, the co-founder and managing partner of Tyto PR, told PRWeek his agency had experienced a positive impact, growing revenues and its team by about 50 per cent year on year.
He puts this down to Tyto’s pan-European model, where it operates without a headquarters and has a multinational European team working across borders.
Craigie also said the UK’s stock as a gateway to Europe has diminished.
“Our primary client base is international technology businesses entering Europe, so we’re a pretty good barometer for how the external world views Europe post-Brexit. In the past 12 months while Brexit has been in progress, we've identified three main shifts,” he said.
“First, whereas previously the UK would always be the gateway for new entrants to the European market, we're now seeing Germany emerge on par as the primary entry point. Historically, Germany would almost always be the secondary priority after the UK, then followed by France, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy.
“Second, we’ve seen clients proactively ask to have multinational teams lead their account in Europe, as opposed to the traditional approach of having a UK-led European approach. In our mind, this is because the UK no longer has the same authority to lead.
“This is one of the softer impacts of Brexit in terms of the UK's perceived influence and leadership in the region.”
Mark Pinsent, managing director of The Hoffman Agency Europe, has also noticed a trend for UK-based clients to “explicitly tell us that they're keen to be positioned as European companies rather than UK”.
“That can be tricky if they're headquartered in the UK [or] don't have a significant presence on mainland Europe,” he said. “It'll be interesting to see whether, over time, the UK becomes less of a priority market for international businesses looking to market in Europe… certainly for UK-founded start-ups, I could see it accelerating their need to have EU-based businesses.”
Another impact, according to Craigie, has been diminishing PR budgets, although this has more to do with COVID-19. This has provided agencies like Tyto with the opportunity to serve larger clients, as businesses “trade down from large and mid-sized multinational” firms.
Cognito’s EMEA managing director, Sebastian Mathews, told PRWeek that opportunities presented by the COVID-19 crisis in content, digital marketing and reputation “far outweigh” any downside from the Brexit deal.
“And, as such, we’re budgeting again for similar revenue growth in 2021,” he added.


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In a previous article, we spoke about the $1.2 deal struck by Brocade to acquire Ruckus Wireless. To date, this deal continues to be one of the largest acquisitions in the recent years and is expected to close by the end of this month.
Thanks to this acquisition, Brocade Communications Systems Inc.’s product portfolio will expand, namely with wireless products, and it will now be able to compete
with the extensive product portfolios offered by larger networking companies like Cisco and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. Before Ruckus’ acquisition, Brocade “lacked a viable wireless offering,” state Mark Hung, an analyst at Garner.
Brocade will also support Ruckus’ interoperability as it plans to continue supporting existing Ruckus customers, even those who are currently using competitor’s networking gear. The objective is to make this integration as much of a smooth transition as possible for all the parties involved.
Despite Brocade’s acquisition of Ruckus, a distinguished player in the WLAN space, it is not for certain that Brocade will succeed in the WLAN and wired market as it is likely that it will not be considered an immediate contender among enterprise vendors. Most of Ruckus’s wireless systems are used for large-scale deployments for organizations in education, hospitality and manufacturing.


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Shares of ZEE Entertainment Ltd rose 3 percent in Monday’s trade on reports that the media company had paid all IndusInd bank dues on June 30. ZEE Entertainment and IndusInd Bank have reportedly announced a settlement and NCLAT has withdrawn IndusInd Bank’s bankruptcy petition. As of the publication of this report, ZEE Entertainment has not confirmed the matter on the stock exchange.
In a knee-jerk reaction, shares of ZEE Entertainment rose 3 percent to a high of Rs 182.70 on the BSE. The stock subsequently rose 2.5 percent to 181.80 rupees.
In March this year, ZEE Entertainment and IndusInd Bank stated that they had jointly entered into a settlement agreement in accordance with the above terms, and all disputes and claims between the company and IndusInd Bank, ZEEL have been resolved, adding that no payment has been made. Fines and no major incidents occurred. The impact of developments on the company’s financial position.
IndusInd Bank approached NCLT in February seeking to initiate insolvency proceedings against ZEEL.
JM Financial said in a report on June 28 that the merger of Sony and Zee is crucial for ZEE Entertainment, but it is also important for Sony.
“Sony has an unenviable market position with TV ratings of 7% (the lowest among major broadcasters). India’s changing media landscape makes it precarious. Pay-TV households (HH) appear to have reached Peak. TV viewership is on the decline as digitization grows. Consumption is fading away on TV time. Sony’s core TG urban households are moving to OTT/CTV in droves. Sony’s OTT platform, Sony LIV, has built a strong subscription base, but the road ahead is tough. JioCinema, offering free IPL streaming “Sony LIV still has gaps, especially in terms of regional content. ”
According to JM Financial, ZEE Entertainment perfectly complements Sony’s product portfolio in terms of online and OTT. Combined, merge-co will have the highest TV ratings, one of the largest content libraries, global intellectual property and access to world-class technology. It noted that corporate governance concerns would be eased as Sony nominated the board to take over.
“Puneet indicated that his legal status would not prevent a merger (here), an opportunity we believe Sony should not pass up,” it said.


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Twitter introduces 24/7 live stream
Twitter just announced new 24/7 live streams are available across sports, news and entertainment, bringing hundreds of hours of new premium video content to the platform. Advertisers will be able to buy pre and mid-roll, and The Wall Street Journal is one of Twitter’s first partners pushing their round-the-clock streaming.
It seems like Twitter is trying to take over traditional broadcast TV, tapping into the popularity of live streaming. Is this also Twitter’s final attempt to keep people on the platform?
Twitter has been lagging behind other social platforms in terms of updates, resulting in a rapidly diminishing active user base. Time will tell if this new addition reignites Twitter’s share in the market. Either way, this is an exciting step forward for the platform.
Snapchat takes on TV
Snapchat wants to takeover TV too, but in a different way. Where Twitter is focused on live streaming, Snapchat is looking to compliment television with a focus on original and pre-recorded shows, many of which are tie-ins of existing content broadcast on network TV.
Snapchat seems to be heavily guiding this added TV element, and are working on content creation themselves rather than leaving the content creation to the media partners. This highlights Snapchat’s confidence in understanding their audience, and what type of content will be engaging to them.
Instant Games for Facebook Messenger
Facebook is rolling out Instant Games on Messenger, with new rich gameplay features that allow developers to create unique and sophisticated experiences for users. Depending on the device you use and where you are located, there are now up to 50 games available on Messenger, with more being added every week.
Game Bots are helping elevate the gaming experience even more, re-engaging players and encouraging competition. The most requested feature was to add turn-base games, and now in Messenger you can have leader boards, tournaments, and have the ability to send others game messages during play.
Words With Friends, one of the most popular game apps of all time, is now available as a feature-rich, turn-based game right in Messenger. Get playing!
Snapchat launches Ads Manager
Snapchat launches self-serve ads manager, shifting their focus to smaller businesses from giant brands. Advertisers will now be able to buy, manage, optimise, and view reports on campaigns for all Snap Ad types, including video, app installs, long-form video, and web views.
Snap Ad Manager has targeting capabilities and goal based bidding. Rolling out in June to the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany and Australia, Snapchat Ad Manager gives anyone the opportunity to self-serve Snap Ads.
Broadening their range of advertising capabilities will ideally help Snapchat boost its revenue and kick-start its slowing user growth.
Now it’s up to small businesses and agencies to create compelling video content, using Snapchat’s vertical video format and keeping their largely teen audience in mind.
Facebook offers Ads Manager for Excel
Facebook introduces Ads Manager for Excel. If you’ve ever done a social report, you know the feeling of drowning in downloaded spread sheets. Now there is a Facebook Ads Manager plug-in for Excel 2016 that can help advertisers report on their campaigns.
This add-in seamlessly integrates with Excel to provide reporting capabilities where you can directly have data from Facebook, and combine data from multiple ad accounts without manual integration.
And it gets better! There are even pre-designed templates that can quickly pull common metrics, otherwise you can customise your reports to show exactly what you need.


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A nonprofit gun rights group still plans to sue the city of Baraboo for an ordinance requiring surveillance cameras at gun stores, but first it needs to find a retailer that has a problem with the law.
Wisconsin Carry Inc. President Nik Clark said the group believes the ordinance violates a state statute that does not allow any type of regulation on gun sales put in place by local governments.
“The problem is you have to have standing,” Clark said Tuesday. “You can’t just sue because you want to sue.”
That standing would be provided through support by a gun seller in the city. However, neither of the two facilities that currently sell firearms have been willing to join the lawsuit as plaintiffs, something Clark said the group’s lawyers would want to pursue legal action.
“I don’t think they’ve thought of the greater implications,” Clark said. “I think gun store owners are being short-sighted in allowing this ordinance.”
Jim’s Gun Supply along Eighth Street, owned by Jim Astle, has operated for about two decades. Astle has said in recent weeks that if Wisconsin Carry had asked whether he wanted to take part in a lawsuit, “the answer would have been a firm no.”
DEZ Tactical Arms is currently building a new 9,000-square-foot facility along South Boulevard set to open in coming weeks. Plans for the indoor range and store presented to the city included security systems.
Baraboo Police Chief Mark Schauf said the city had received an open records request for a copy of the ordinance, but that no other correspondence had followed Wisconsin Carry’s initial letter to City Attorney Emily Truman denouncing the proposed ordinance and threatening a lawsuit if it were implemented.
Baraboo Common Council members passed the ordinance unanimously Oct. 8.
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Clark referred to the law as “pretty draconian” for business owners. Ordinance requirements include storage of footage for a minimum of 90 days, operation of cameras whenever the facility is operating and use of motion-activated technology when the shops are not open and placement of cameras in any area where firearms are present.
While Clark expressed concern the store could be shut down if the camera system fails, Schauf said the method of dealing with non-compliance would be multifaceted. First, the city would issue a citation. If the store owner were to neglect repairs to the system, they could face a court order. The goal would be to avoid that by speaking directly to the owner, Schauf said, noting the aim of authorities would be to explain the reasoning behind the need for surveillance.
The ordinance was drafted after concerns aired by Schauf. A theft at Jim’s Gun Supply when the seller’s back was turned prompted discussion of cameras at stores.
While the alleged thieves were apprehended by law enforcement in a timely manner, officials could not ascertain which person actually took the firearms. Schauf said surveillance footage would have made it easier to know which person committed the act.
“We just had a real-life example of a crime that could have been solved better with cameras,” Schauf said.
The city has received no complaints regarding the ordinance from local residents, Schauf said, adding that the sole criticism has been lodged by Wisconsin Carry Inc.
Other concerns Clark raised include the use of surveillance footage against store owners. He also criticized Schauf’s assertion that footage would resolve crimes, pointing out that under the Fourth Amendment, the store owner is not required to provide the footage to officers just because they ask.
“I think it’s disingenuous of the police chief to say that,” Clark said. “He knows he can go to a judge and request a warrant and get that footage.”
Schauf said a warrant would require probable cause as it always does for a judge to approve the request.
The group’s lawyers have told Clark that a potential customer in the area could be listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit. Clark said Wisconsin Carry has someone willing to take part in the suit. But without participation from gun store owners, the group may have to simply wait, he added.
“We knew before we threatened suit that the stores didn’t seem on board with it,” Clark said. “We’re currently discussing the opportunity with anyone interested in a future store in Baraboo. It affects anyone who may even be thinking about opening one there.”
Follow Bridget on Twitter @cookebridget.


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Apple Watch Series 3 has been launched at an event at Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Campus on Tuesday. The major highlight of the smartphone is its cellular connectivity feature, which makes it a complete standalone device. Users can make and receive phone calls without the help of an iPhone. This feature won’t be available in India, may be because the device doesn’t use conventional SIM cards, instead it uses a built in electronic SIM (eSIM).
Apple Watch Series 3 Price and Availability
Apple will be selling the GPS-only variant in India priced at Rs. 29,990. In US, the LTE variant has been priced at $399 (approx. Rs. 25,500) and $329 (approx. Rs. 21,000) for the non-LTE model. It will be available in Gold, Silver or Space Grey aluminium cases with a Sport Band and will be available starting September 29. Meanwhile, the original Apple Watch Series 1 will get a new pricing of Rs. 21,900. In US Series 1 has a slashed price tag of $249 (approx. Rs. 16,000).
Apple Watch Series 3 Specifications
Another big highlight of the latest operating system is the integration of Siri, Apple’s voice assistant. Apple added a 70 percent faster dual-core processor in the new Series 3 Watch. The Apple Watch Series 3 also has a more power efficient wireless chip and an all-day battery life. But the company didn’t reveal how low it will last on a single charge with LTE connectivity, most probably the numbers might not be that impressive. Apple made several improvements in applications to help detect health problems such as heart arrhythmia.
The Series 3 also comes with a variety of cases and bands including a space gray band, a new sport loop band, new Nike Plus and Hermes models, and a new gray ceramic Watch.


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Fraudulent Avian Flu Therapies
Audience: Consumers and all healthcare professionals
[Posted 12/29/2005] FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients that it issued warning letters to nine companies marketing bogus flu products behind claims that their products could be effective against preventing the avian flu or other forms of influenza. FDA is not aware of any scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety or effectiveness of these products for treating or preventing avian flu and the agency is concerned that the use of these products could harm consumers or interfere with conventional treatments.
[December 13, 2005 - Press Release - FDA]


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Talk about star-bucks.
Something about this smacks of poor taste, and it's not just those over-roasted beans.
Seattle's Best has landed in Brooklyn. Enjoy a small one on them.
In Seattle, obviously.
The coffee giant just yesterday announced the purchase of a small San Francisco café chain specializing in French pastries.
Owner Pascal Rigo is now a wealthy man.
The singer ignores everything but the food at a Brentwood barbecue.
Starbucks will call their non-branded location Herald Square Café.
Maybe The Food Network star was doing an episode of The Secrets of a Restaurant Chef with the restaurant's Scott Lindquist?
Starbucks will no longer use cochineal extract in Frappuccinos. Are you happy now, America?
The meatless go crazy when they learn Starbucks has spiked their shakes with coloring from a beetle.
Plus: The Quaker Oats dude is getting a makeover; and the U.S. nixes plans to send food to North Korea, all in our morning news roundup.
Also, Starbucks arrives on Pier 1.
Earlier reports suggested the staffer had been shot, then beaten, to death, causing much undue alarm.
Plus: Starbucks is now selling energy drinks, McDonald's CEO stepping down, and more, in our morning new roundup.
Plus: Is there a beverage market that Starbucks won't get into?; and Zitner's new owner isn't going to tamper with the original candy recipes, all in our morning news roundup.
"Juice partners" are likely pouring this very moment in Bellevue, Washington.
And the strains could be increasingly drug-resistant.
Rounding up news from all around Philly's neighborhoods.


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The sound library features the sounds of the most populous city in Turkey. Istanbul is known for [Read more…]
Find Indie Sound Fx Libraries
Not too long ago, the folks from Hzandbits Sound Effects released their first sound library from Japan. They’ve recently returned for an encore, releasing Tokyo Tourist (34 sounds, 2.5 gigabytes, $52).
The second collection features ambiences from popular locations visitors visit in Japan. It features: [Read more…]
Providing a snapshot of stealth field recordings of Setagaya Ward, Greater Tokyo, the audio bundle highlights the relaxed, suburban character of a single neighbourhood in Japan.
The collection includes crowds and traffic, as well as nature sounds. Hzandbits also includes the evocative sounds of a Buddhist cemetery.
Demo the audio preview below to get a feel for the audio snapshot of Japan:
Learn more about the Tokyo – Outdoor Ambiances sound fx bundle.
Earlier this week, Sound Effects Search added a new Web shop to the search engine, bringing the total amount of stores to 108. The new publisher is SoniK Sound Library.
Formed by a team of Spanish sound pros, the shop currently offers three sound effect libraries. Today’s post will share their offerings.


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09/22/2016, 05:09 pm
Apple on Thursday added ABC News to the roster of apps supported by Live Tune-In, a feature of the fourth-generation Apple TV.
07/13/2016, 11:07 am
In a move to appeal to cable cutters, ABC has refreshed its streaming video service with a new user interface designed specifically for Apple's iOS and tvOS, as well as more on-demand content and an expansion of markets eligible for a local live feed.
02/24/2016, 04:02 pm
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook will take to the airwaves this evening in an exclusive interview with ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir, where he will explain why his company refuses to create a "backdoor" to unlock iPhones for the FBI.
07/14/2015, 10:07 am
After being mired for months, talks with major networks regarding an Apple streaming TV service are finally making major advancements ahead of an anticipated launch this fall, according to a new report.
05/14/2013, 03:05 pm
Tuesday saw the launch of a new version of broadcaster ABC's iOS app, one that for the first time will allow users in select markets to watch live television from a U.S. broadcaster.
03/19/2013, 01:03 pm
Walt Disney Co. is said to be working on a new live streaming television app for its broadcast network ABC that will make content available to cable and satellite subscribers.
02/20/2012, 09:02 am
ABC has offered a preview of its forthcoming special "iFactory: Inside Apple," which will offer an examination of the working conditions inside the factories of Apple partner Foxconn.
02/18/2012, 12:02 am
Television network ABC has announced plans to broadcast a special edition of "Nightline" next week after having gained unprecedented access to document the working conditions inside factories at some of Apple's suppliers.
11/03/2011, 10:11 pm
CBS boss Les Moonves revealed in an earnings call on Thursday that his company had been approached by Apple about a potential streaming TV service that would share ad revenues, but the network declined to strike a deal because it prefers to license its content.
09/13/2011, 12:09 am
Television studios have quietly begun adding closed captioning to a small selection of the TV shows on offer in Apple's iTunes Store.
11/10/2010, 09:11 pm
Apple announced Thursday that movies are now available on the iTunes Store in Japan, while the major TV networks in the U.S. have blocked Google TV from playing content from their websites through the Chrome browser.
09/29/2010, 09:09 pm
Time Warner chief executive Jeff Bewkes has warned other media execs that low cost rentals from Apple threaten sales of TV shows to branded networks.
09/23/2010, 08:09 pm
Viacom's chief executive explained that Apple's 99 cent TV rental plan "doesn't work" for the company, while CBS is waiting to see the numbers for rentals of ABC and Fox show.
09/22/2010, 04:09 pm
NBC Universal is unlikely join a pair of its peers in serving up a la carte TV show rentals to Apple TV users for 99 cents for pop through Apple's iTunes Store later this year, according to comments from the company's top executive.


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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'tata nexon'.
Tata Motors launched its most anticipated compact SUV, the Nexon at an introductory price of Rs 5.85 lakh for the Petrol variant, while the diesel starts from Rs 6.85 lakh (All Prices, Ex showroom, Delhi). TATA – the leading Indian automobile brand is all-set to heat up the sub-compact SUV segment with their big launch Tata Nexon in India. Recently, the company has officially flagged-off the first batch of their highly awaited compact SUV Tata Nexon from the Ranjangaon facility. This is Tata’s fourth car based on their IMPACT design philosophy. The engineers at Tata have left no stones unturned while conceptualizing, designing and manufacturing the Nexon. The Tata Nexon features are built with a strategy to rule the sub-compact SUV segment, and it will definitely offer a tough time to Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, which is currently the best in the segment. Source: 2017 Tata Nexon price, variants explained Source: Tata Nexon launched at Rs 5.85 Lakhs
Tata Motors has launched the Aero kit packages for Nexon compact SUV for the Indian buyers. The Aero kit packages for Tata Nexon are available in three different options and prices range between Rs. 30,610 and Rs. 55,625 (ex-showroom, New Delhi). This comes almost immediately after the homegrown auto manufacturer displayed Tata Nexon Aero edition at the 2018 Delhi Auto Expo earlier this month. Tata Motors hopes this new Aero kit customization options will enhance the appeal of Nexon and these will also help in boosting sales for the car. Source: Tata Nexon Aero option packs launched Tata Nexon Aero Kit Launched In India


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How much would Apple’s overseas cash help the U.S. economy?
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Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company pays all the taxes it legally owes. Tuesday, he was on Capitol Hill to face questions on some $100 billion that Apple holds overseas, safe from American tax collectors.
Apple, of course, is hardly the only American firm that moves money around the globe to lower its tax bills. And there are surely Washington bureaucrats who would love to get their hands on a potential new source of revenue. But getting that money into America and onto the tax rolls would solve some problems and create new ones. The issue of corporate taxation underscores just how difficult it is to change the tax system.
It helps to first get a sense of just how much U.S. corporate money is overseas.
“The scale is gigantic,” says Ed Kleinbard, former chief of staff of Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation and now a USC law professor. “That number is about $2 trillion right now.”
Tax that at the top corporate rate and suddenly America has an extra $700 billion. That’s as much as the financial crisis bailout in 2008. In reality, hardly any companies actually pay the full 35 percent tax rate. Our hefty tax code is filled with loopholes that companies fight hard to keep. But the tax revenues on this foreign money could still be hundreds of billions of dollars, which would be some shopping spree.
“It would have a tremendous impact on improving the federal budget, reducing the deficit and of course it’s money we could be investing in our future,” says David Cay Johnston, a Syracuse University law professor and columnist for Tax Analysts.
America’s armchair budgeters could take their pick and spend the haul on education, health, or the military. Or new corporate tax revenue could be used to cut taxes for actual humans.
Whether by funding programs or cutting their taxes, most Americans would probably choose to help people over companies. But it’s not quite that simple, because people’s income and savings are connected with companies, whether they know it or not.
In today’s hearing, Republican Senator Rand Paul said companies like Apple are being wrongly vilified for following the law. Then he started talking about the man in the mirror.
“Is there a Mr. Apple out there? No, it’s us,” Senator Paul said. “If you have a mutual fund, you probably own some Apple shares. If you’re a teacher with a pension fund, you own Apple shares. If you’re a fireman with a pension fund, you probably own Apple.”
Boost a company’s tax bill and the hit to the stock price can hurt ordinary people’s retirement savings. Or it might jeopardize the jobs of people who work for and with the company. Changing any tax law squeezes somebody. That’s why simplifying taxation is so hard, and why Apple and other companies have such big lobbying bills.
As a nonprofit news organization, our future depends on listeners like you who believe in the power of public service journalism.
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The massive Chinese car market could take a big turn toward electrification. That’s according to new reports that suggest the Chinese government is evaluating when the country might end the sale of internal combustion vehicles.
According to the Associated Press, China has not yet set a precise timetable for the move, but a minister told press that the government has started, “research on formulating a timetable to stop production and sales of traditional energy vehicles.” With China now the largest auto market in the world, any changes made there could help big implications for the global car market.
Last year, reports said that China wanted “new energy vehicles” – hybrids, plug-in hybrids, EVs and fuel-cell models – to account for 40 percent of all sales there by 2030. But a total stoppage on sales and production of traditional-fueled models could accelerate that timeline dramatically.
The announcement is not without precedent, as both France and Britain have said they will halt the sale of new diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles by 2040, forcing all new cars from that time to have some form of electrification. But the Chinese car market is far larger than either of those European countries, meaning a switch to electrified cars only would have an outsize impact on the development of new models globally.
However, several automakers are on board with that timeline to reduce dependence on gas and diesel: Volvo has said that every new car it launches from 2019 onward will have some form of electrification. Aston Martin likewise expects its lineup to be “100 percent hybrid” by the middle of the next decade.
According to the AP, sales of electric and hybrid vehicles in China grew by 50 percent last year, to 336,000 nationwide. The country’s government has reportedly asked power companies to accelerate the installation of charging stations to ease the roll-out of more electric vehicles. The goal is to have 5 million chargers by 2020, and 80 million by 2030.
Some earlier studies were less optimistic about the spread of electric cars. A 2016 study said that only 15-30 percent of new-car sales would be electrics by 2040.
Source: Associated Press


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Last week, Sonic Drive-In added Broccoli Cheddar Tots and Fried Cookie Dough Bites to the menu, expanding its popular lineup of craveable, bite-size snacks and sides. On Wednesday, Sonic’s Oklahoma City-based culinary team came to New York City to cook up these menu additions and others in the pipeline for members of the media to taste.
On the sipping side were samples of Sonic-branded hard seltzers, hard sweet tea and hard slushes, only available at retail—for now.
When asked if Sonic customers would ever be able to purchase these hard drinks at the chain’s more than 3,500 drive-in restaurant locations, the team didn’t say yes—but they didn't flat-out say no, either. The current logistics and legalities make it difficult, but the idea has come up, they said.
Sonic partnered with COOP Beverage Works to license the hard seltzers, launched in select markets in 2021 and rolled out to 38 states earlier this year. The 6% ABV drinks come in ready-to-drink cans in eight flavors inspired by the chain’s iconic soft drinks, such as Cherry Limeade, Lemon Berry and Classic Lemonade and are available at Walmart, Target, Costco and smaller outlets, including c-stores.
Just this month, two more boozy beverages joined the retail collection: Sonic Hard Southern Sweet Tea and Hard Slush. The iced tea is 5% ABV and has a hint of lemon, while the 6% ABV slushes come in three flavors: Cherry Limeade, Blue Raspberry and Watermelon. They’re sold in ready-to-drink frozen pouches.
Tots continue to be a platform for innovation, and a new variation is launching in January 2023: BBQ Potato Chip Seasoned Tots. These crispy bites have a savory-sweet coating that’s similar in taste to their namesake barbecue potato chips.
The culinary team is also exploring other tot variations, and the media was treated to a preview of three: Dill Pickle Ranch Seasoned Tots, Sweet Heat Seasoned Tots and Garlic Parmesan Seasoned Tots. It was hard to choose a favorite; all boasted unique flavor profiles, crunchy coatings and creamy insides. Perhaps one will make it to the menu in the future.
Definitely coming out of Sonic’s R&D pipeline sooner is the Steak Butter Bacon Cheeseburger, debuting next month. It features a grilled beef patty topped with bacon, American cheese, mayo, steak-seasoned butter and grilled onions on a toasted bakery bun.
And playing off that is the Steak & Bacon Grilled Cheese, launching in December. It’s a combo of grilled steak, bacon, grilled onions, mayo, American cheese and honey barbecue sauce on grilled Texas toast.
The Fried Cookie Dough Bites are Sonic’s way of offering a warm baked treat when units are not equipped with ovens.
Mackenzie Gibson, VP of culinary for the chain, said that cookie dough was a crowd favorite when pieces were added to Sonic’s soft-serve and other dessert items. Forming the chocolate chip dough into small discs and tossing them into the deep fryer ups their craveability and portability—especially when the cookie bites are served with vanilla ice cream for dipping.
“They’re the perfect way to enjoy cookies a la mode on the go,” she said.
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From cathode-ray tubes to flat-screen televisions to smart screens. From dial-up Web access to Wi-Fi.
In-room technology in hotels has evolved over the years, and it will only continue to do so. But what are the changes hoteliers can expect next? And in an industry often accused of being behind the curve when it comes to technology, what do hoteliers need to keep top of mind to add to the guestroom experience?
Five leaders, including our co-founder and Managing Partner Euan McGlashan, responded to these questions in a Hotel News Now virtual roundtable. Click here to read what they had to say.


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Meg Whitman Sells McCain's Plan for Small BusinessCatherine Holahan
As national co-chair of John McCain’s campaign, Meg Whitman has championed the Republican candidates’ ideas for small business owners. During her convention speech Sept. 3, she continued to promote a McCain/Palin administration as the best bet for small American entrepreneurs.
“They will push Congress to reduce business taxes so that entrepreneurs and especially small businesses have the money they need to create jobs,” said Whitman. “Higher taxes encourage wasteful spending… and destroys your prosperity.”
Whitman, herself, has a mixed record with small business owners. As CEO of eBay for 10 years, Whitman helped millions of would-be entrepreneurs become full-time online retailers. Under her tenure, eBay expanded from a small U.S. Web site on which sellers auctioned off several million worth of collectibles each year to a global e-commerce powerhouse on which more than $14 billion in goods are sold each quarter.
At eBay Live, the company’s annual event for its seller and shopper community, many sellers often speak fondly of how the company has helped them launch successful home-based businesses and provides much needed supplemental income.
But, in the last five years of Whitman’s eBay career, she angered many small business owners who make their living selling merchandise on eBay. Many argued that Whitman bolstered eBay’s bottom line at the expense of their businesses, raising eBay’s commission and forcing them to close shop. “EBay has over the last year done everything they could to put me and everyone else out of business except for themselves,” says Scott Grunin, an eBay seller who described himself in an email with a BusinessWeek reporter as a stay at home dad and full time eBay seller with two little kids. “Rich get richer, poor get poorer.”
Democratic nominee Barack Obama is arguing that McCain’s economic policies will do just that: aid the rich at the expense of the poor. During his speech last week at the Democratic National Convention, Obama maintained that tax cuts for businesses and wealthy individuals have constituted a policy of “your own your own” that has hurt the middle class and small business owners.
Whitman and other Republican supporters counter that Obama’s plans will handicap businesses with higher taxes to support bigger government programs. “Republicans understand that government does not create wealth or prosperity, individuals do,” said Whitman Wednesday night. “America is all about the inspired individual.”
Whether Whitman’s speech inspires individuals to vote for John McCain may depend on how much they trust her view that he is, in fact, the best candidate for American business owners.


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Thanks to German software distributor Markement, Sun has sold more than a million copies of StarOffice in Germany.
Lower acquisition costs, lower total cost of ownership and greater flexibility in choosing hardware and software are the top reasons companies are deploying open source software, according to a recent survey.
Hello again, welcome back to PHP Foundations. In my last column, I introduced some of the basic functions used when accessing a MySQL database from PHP.
Sun Microsystems Inc. trumpeted its latest desktop Linux milestone Thursday, declaring that German originalequipment manufacturer (OEM) Markement GmbH had sold over one million units of its StarOffice productivity suite. But Germanyis StarOffice's home market -- the software has been available form its original Hamburg-based developer since 1993 -- andit remains to be seen if Sun can replicate its success elsewhere.
Massachusetts' new software repository is designed to let government agencies make more efficient use of open-source software. By Larry Greenemeier.
In this week's edition are two fixes for the upcoming PHP5 – the first one is a patch created for those out there working with a 64-bit environment to ensure that PHP will run on these platforms.
...the company will release YAST under the General Public License (GPL), sources familiar with the plan said.
Evans Data Corp (EDC) has released the results of its 2004 Linux Developer Survey. Athough not specific to embedded developers, the report includes fascinating observations about Linux developer preferences that likely apply to embedded development as well.
Today AMD unveiled their latest Athlon 64 FX processor and we're here to take our first look at AMD's top desktop processor. We want to find out why AMD crowns it king of their processor lines and we'll show you how this new chip fairs against the Athlon 64 3400+ in our favorite 64-bit OS.
IP insurance isn't new, but Open Source Risk Management's plans to offer open-source indemnification insurance is news.
With such an exciting roadmap now being planned for the future developments in the Trustix range of Secure Linux solutions it was apparent that a separation of the products was essential to establish the Trustix brand across multiple market sectors.
The isag script shipped with sysstat was creating temporary files in the /tmp directory in an insecure way. As TSL does not include the prerequisites for runnining the script, we have removed it from the distribution.
Several holes were discovered that could lead to denial of service (DoS) attacks on SSL-enabled services.
Legislative remedies may be needed to address the murky issues over intellectual property that have arisen out of SCO’s lawsuit against IBM, an attorney said during the Open Source Business Conference 2004 event here on Wednesday.
A new power structure could develop as the Linux desktop computer gains momentum, particularly in Asia. More than a cliche, less than a trend - Linux advocates have been preaching the 'Linux will take over the desktop ... eventually' message for a while now.
The PHP development team is proud to announce the release of PHP 5 Release Candidate 1.
Thin client vendor Wyse Technology Inc. is expanding the capabilities of its Rapport management software to include Linux-based appliances from rival Neoware Systems Inc.
The Wrap Multiradio Access Server from Bluegiga Technologies is a Linux-based network bridge that connects bluetooth-enabled devices such as smartphones with GPRS networks and IP networks such as VoIP, corporate intranets, and/or the Internet.
Oracle and Dell kicked off a Linux-based alliance in China on Thursday that may spell trouble for Microsoft in the world's No. 2 computer market and also curry favor with Beijing.
Chinese Government Science and Technology Group to Improve Linux Quality and Testing as it Prepares Chinese Software for Worldwide Markets


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NANTWICH-BASED Joseph Heler Farms took home a cabinet full of trophies at this year’s Cheshire Show.
Joseph Heler, of Hatherton, entered three dairy cows into the Cattle Awards, but between the pedigree cows – Helton Goldwyn Clarisa, Helton Allen Roz and Helton Baltimore Lisette, who are affectionately known as Clarisa, Roz and Lisette – they came home with a grand total of 10 awards.
The awards included first places for Heifer in Milk, Group of Three Female Cows and Exhibitor Bred Female Champion.
Cows are judged on their ‘dairyness’ – meaning the judges are looking for the perfect example of a dairy cow, including such traits as good locomotion, straight top line, depth of heel and a well structured udder.
Mike Heler, managing director of Joseph Heler, said: “We take as much pride in the care of our cows as we do in our cheese and, as such, we are extremely proud that the quality of our herd has been acknowledged at a diary event, recognised the length of the country. Our team of farmers work around the clock to ensure our cattle are not only content, pampered but also continue to be best in class.”
The business also picked up awards for three of its Cheshire cheeses as industry peers recognised the exceptional quality and taste of each.
Its White Cheshire picked up two awards, silver and bronze, while the unique Blue Cheshire and the traditional Coloured both picked up bronze.
In addition, Joseph Heler Farms was noted for its other regional cheeses with silver wins for both Red Leicester and Double Gloucester.


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Ritual is betting on the sleep category.
The supplement brand is launching its first sleep supplement, Ritual Sleep BioSeries Melatonin, $25 for 20 capsules.
While the sleep category may seem saturated — pharmacy aisles are filled with melatonin gummies and magnesium drinks — a report from McKinsey & Co. suggests 45 percent of consumers call better sleep “a very high priority” and that sleep is the “greatest unmet consumer need.”
Ritual chief executive officer and founder Katerina Schneider said she saw the need from the brand’s customers.
“Sleep came definitely out of our consumer research as something that was one of the pain points that our customers were suffering from,” she said. “When we started looking into the category, it was really interesting because we saw an opportunity to solve for and reimagine this category similarly to how we reimagine other categories through traceability.”
With that, Ritual is aiming to bring consumers something new. To differentiate the product from all other gummies, capsules and powders on the market, Ritual is doubling down on traceability and employing its BioSeries technology, which times the melatonin release overnight to help users fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up refreshed, the company said. Specifically, the capsule features three tablets, each with different amounts and forms of melatonin.
“Melatonin is the most scientifically studied ingredient when it comes to to sleep overall, so that’s why we decided to lean into it,” Schneider said.
The first tablet uses one milligram of instant release melatonin for a user to fall asleep. The second tablet uses 3 milligrams of extended-release melatonin for quality sleep throughout the night. Finally, the third uses 1 milligram of extended-release melatonin that tapers off into the morning so users wake up feeling more refreshed. The brand claims this type of release technology is the first of its kind and competitors feature instant release melatonin, which can result in middle-of-the-night wakeups or groggy mornings when taken again in the middle of the night. Ritual is in the process of patenting the technology.
“Each tablet has a different amount of melatonin in it and a different release profile, so it allows us to get really granular and customize the way that the melatonin or really any ingredients that we wanted, but in this case, melatonin, it allows us to customize how and when it’s released from the product,” explained Arianne Young Vance, senior scientist at Ritual.
According to Schneider, the impetus behind the technology was to help consumers actually stay asleep, as that was a major pain point.
“A third of consumers said that they would fall asleep because melatonin has an impact so it obviously works…but then people wouldn’t necessarily stay asleep,” she said. “[BioSeries] literally allows us to mimic your body’s natural release of melatonin to really help us with that, to help people stay asleep.”
In line with Ritual’s overall mission, this melatonin is traceable. According to Schneider, it is sourced from Italy, is more than 90 percent pure and has previously been used in pharmaceutical settings. As the brand launches this new supplement, it will also further its commitment to traceability by adding all carbon emission information on its site — the brand offsets all carbon emissions, but now consumers will be able to explore exact amounts for each product.
Ritual declined to share specific sales figures for this launch but noted the company crossed nine figures in revenue in 2021.


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Illinois is looking to pump-up its coffers by adding a 25 cent tax to all sales of sneakers, reports
the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Democratic State Rep. Will Davis has introduced legislation that would tack on a quarter dollar tax to sales of athletic shoes as a method of funding a youth jobs program. And since youth are the biggest purchasers of sneakers, says Davis, the tax would be levied on those who'd benefit the most from his efforts.
"Who wears athletic shoes the most? It's probably kids," said Davis. "Funding is challenged; I see [this] as a uniquely creative way of helping youth."
That may be, but others aren't so taken by the idea. Like certain members of the state's Retail Merchants Association, not surprisingly.
"It imposes significant administrative burdens on the retailer," said Rob Karr, IRMA's Senior Vice President, who plans to fight the proposal.
Via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch


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If there is a reason why some are holding back from using Windows Phone, despite it being a pretty decent operating system, is that apps released on iOS and Android are usually released on Windows Phone as an afterthought. Well Spotify was one of those apps and while there has always been a Spotify app for Windows Phone, you would require a paid subscription to the music service in order to use it.
At least until now. Spotify has recently updated its app and with the update, Spotify has enabled the free music streaming service for its mobile app for Windows Phone. This is a feature that has been available on iOS and Android devices since December 2013 and it basically allows Windows Phone users to stream songs from their mobile device for free.
Previously only premium subscribers had access to that feature, but with the update, everyone can enjoy streaming on the go. Of course there are alternatives that users can choose from, but given Spotify’s popularity, we can understand why this is a big deal for some users. Spotify has also made some changes to the way search results are presented and has also made discovering new artists easier.
For those who have yet to download the app or update, you can do so by heading on over to the Windows Phone Store for the download.


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If You Have These Chips at Home, the FDA Says Check Them Immediately
There's a contamination risk in bags of this popular brand.
What with winter, and the ongoing COVID news, we can all be excused for having let the New Year's resolutions around healthy eating slip a little. But if you've picked up some potato chips at the store this week, make sure you check their packaging before diving in. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall notice on a popular brand of potato chip due to a potential contamination issue that could cause allergic reactions. Keep reading to make sure your savory snacks are good to go, and for more on potential risks lurking in your kitchen, check out If You Have This Meat in Your Fridge, Throw It Away Now, USDA Says.
Frito-Lay issued a voluntary recall of their Ruffles Original Potato Chips on Jan. 21 because they may contain undeclared milk ingredients. The bags in question are the 13.5 oz. "Party Size" variety, with no other sizes or flavors affected. The recall was triggered after 50 bags of the potato chips were inadvertently filled with another flavor, raising the possibility of contamination with dairy ingredients. While no adverse reactions have been reported yet, milk allergies should be taken seriously—milk is the third most common food after peanuts and tree nuts to cause anaphylaxis, a medical emergency requiring treatment with adrenaline to avoid a sufferer's breathing becoming restricted. Less extreme symptoms include hives, wheezing, itching or swelling around the mouth, coughing, and vomiting.
The potentially affected chips were distributed in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The bags have the UPC 0 28400 03400 5, a "Guaranteed Fresh" date of Mar. 23, 2021, and the Manufacturing Code 225335014 73 03:xx (with xx being a number between 00 and 13). Any customers with these chips should return them to the retailer for a full refund, or contact Frito-Lay directly. Read on for more recent recalls that should be on your radar, and if you are a milk drinker, know that If You Have This Milk in Your Fridge, the FDA Says Get Rid of It Now.
Nestlé Prepared Foods has recalled approximately 762,615 pounds of Hot Pockets that may be contaminated with pieces of glass and hard plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Jan. 15. The potentially contaminated Hot Pockets are the "premium pepperoni pizza" variety produced from Nov. 13, 2020 through Nov. 16, 2020 and shipped to retail locations nationwide. The boxes in question have a Feb. 2022 expiration date and lot code 0318544624, 0319544614, 0320544614, or 0321544614 printed on the carton. They also include establishment number "EST. 7721A" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Publix Steam-in-Bag vegetable meals
On Jan. 14, the supermarket Publix announced the voluntary recall of three of its Publix Steam In Bag meals due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a species of bacteria that can "cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems." The affected meals—Publix Steam In Bag Green Bean Butternut Squash, Publix Steam In Bag Season Butternut Medley, and Publix Steam In Bag Butternut Brussel Pecan—were sold between Jan. 3 and Jan. 14, 2021 and have GTIN codes 002-24887-00000, 002-25399-00000, and 002-25677-00000 on the packaging, respectively. And for another ready-to-eat meal that was recalled, see why If You Have This Pre-Made Meal at Home, Throw It Out Now.
The FDA also announced a product recall of Lavva's Blueberry Plant-Based Yogurt due to potential mold contamination on Jan. 11. Though no illnesses related to the yogurt had been reported at the time of the recall, the FDA cautions customers not to eat the blueberry flavor sold in 5.3 ounce containers with the expiration date Feb. 21, 2021 and lot number 022121 printed on the bottom of the cup. The yogurt was voluntarily recalled by Lavva's parent company, EVR Foods. And for more regular recall news, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Weis ice cream
Two beloved ice cream flavors were also the subject of a recall recently. On Jan. 10, the FDA reported that Weis Markets' cookies and cream and vanilla ice creams could potentially be contaminated with metal equipment parts after an intact piece of metal was found in the cookies and cream flavor. The recall includes 10,869 containers of Weis Quality Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (48 oz.) and 502 bulk containers of Klein's Vanilla Dairy Ice Cream (3 gallon) sold at nearly 200 Weis Markets' stores in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The affected products are marked with the UPC number 041497-01253 and an Oct. 28, 2021 sell-by date. And for more products to steer clear of, check out why If You Bought This Home Product From Amazon, Return It Now.


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A new joint report from the Bipartisan Policy Center, SAFE, and the Electrification Coalition (EC), Commercial Goods Transport: Widening the Road to Electrification, makes the case that medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) commercial vehicle electrification should be a key policy priority for the transportation sector as it embarks on its most important shift since the invention of the internal combustion engine itself: the transition from a gasoline and diesel past to an electric future.
Congress has an opportunity to put the United States in the lead by creating a pathway for the expedited electrification of commercial goods transport. By providing the incentives necessary to accelerate demand for electrified trucks, the United States can more quickly and effectively achieve the goals of creating more automotive and truck industry jobs, competing with other nations on a global scale, building out domestic supply chains while meaningfully reducing emissions. The 2020s will be a crucial decade for electric vehicle (EV) technology and supply chain maturation, and any strategy should include a focus on the movement of goods, from freight to last-mile delivery vehicles.
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About the Electrification Coalition: The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to policies and actions that facilitate widespread deployment and adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) to combat the economic, public health, and national security threats posed by America’s dependence on oil. For more information, visit electrificationcoalition.org.


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Google I/O 2021 kicked off with a ton of information and announcements, and among these was some new information about Android Auto and Android Automotive OS.
For starters, Android Auto is now available in more than 100 million cars, supported by nearly every major manufacturer with Porsche being the latest. Even better, brands such as GM, Ford, Honda, and more will support Android Auto wireless. No more having to lug a cord around like some caveman when you want to use Android Auto in your car.
Of course, you’re still going to have to pair your phone up to your car, and that in itself can be more of a pain than using a cord. Thankfully, car manufacturer’s like BMW and Ford are both working on adding Fast Pair to its vehicles. Much like with headphones, Fast Pair will make it quick and relatively painless to connect your phone to your car with a prompt that walks you through the process.
Now that you have an easy way to get Android Auto on your car with Fast Pairing, what could make it even better? How about unlocking or starting your car up with your phone using a digital car key? That’s what Google is working on for Android 12 using Ultra-Wideband technology that will allow you to get into your car and start it up without even touching it. There will also be a version that uses NFC for cars that support it that will require you to tap the phone to the door handle, not quite as cool, but I’ll take it.
That’s not all though, using this technology you’ll also be able to securely share your digital car key with friends and family if they need to use your car.
Don’t get too excited just yet though. Currently, Google says it’s working with car manufacturers to make this a reality, but the only one it mentions by name is BMW. Plus, so far, it looks like digital car keys will only become available later this year on select Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones.
Furthermore, Android Automotive OS, the standalone car infotainment system, has been making more strides in getting itself into some new cars. The latest are the Polestar 2, Volvo XC40 Recharge, and the Volvo XC60. Additionally, by the end of 2021, it will be available in “more than 10 car models from Volvo, General Motors and Renault.”
Google also showed off Android Auto projecting onto the display of a BMW iX and running Android Automotive OS on the all-electric GMC Hummer EV.


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The US has done it, and so has the UK. Now two months on, Australia are also looking into “implementing a ban on passengers bringing laptops into the airplane cabin on certain international flights.”
Memory jog: UK and US ban laptops from cabin-baggage
Australia’s Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said that the country was “taking into account all the information and advice” relating to the possibility of going ahead with the ban.
And there may be more to come. US President Trump has said that he will expand the ban to flights from Europe as well. Major European carriers, such as Lufthansa, British Airways and Air France-KLM would be affected, as well as US airlines that fly from European airports.
The issue of laptops and phones on planes is becoming confusing, We answer your questions below and will keep you posted as more news is released:
Which countries have implemented the ban?
The US banned laptops in March this year from being carried in cabin bags on flights from Muslim-majority countries. British followed suite choosing its own routes to implement the ban. Australia may be next.
Why have they done this?
Compelling intelligence was received that a clutch of terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, were planning to implant explosives into electronic devices, in effect creating a laptop bomb.
Only last year, al-Shabaab, the Somali insurgent group managed to detonate an explosive-filled laptop on a flight out of Mogadishu. The explosion made hole in the side of the plane killing only the bomber. Further loss of life was avoided because the plane had not quite taken off and so was still low. This meant the pilot was able to land the plane safely.
Had the flight been in mid-air the result would have been catastrophic.
Will this effect security measures?
There are fears in the airline industry that chaos will ensue with longer security lines, more delays and even confusion especially during the peak times such as the summer months.
What devices are banned?
UK: All electronic devices that have built-in batteries and plugs that are bigger than 16cm long, 9.3cm wide or 1.5cm deep. The range includes laptops, tablets, phones, e-readers and DVD players. To give you an idea of perspective, the iPhone 7 Plus is not affected because it only measures 15.8cm x 7.8cm x 0.73cm. So get your tape measure out to be sure.
US: The following items are detailed by The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) but they have said that this list is not exhaustive: laptops, tablets. e-readers, cameras. portable DVD players, game consoles larger than a smartphone, travel printers and scanners.
Our advice: if in doubt, do without and leave your devices behind.
Which routes are affected?
If you are flying into the UK from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia you will not be able to carry your laptop or other large smart device in your carry-on.
The US ban applies to all direct flights from Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait; Casablanca in Morocco; Doha in Qatar; Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Istanbul in Turkey; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Which UK airlines are affected?
In the UK, all passengers travelling on the following airlines from the listed countries will not be allowed to carry large electronic items in their cabin luggage: British Airways, Easyjet, Jet2, Monarch, Thomas Cook, Thomson. The ban also covers eight overseas airlines that fly to and from UK airports including: Turkish, Pegasus, Atlas Global, Middle East Airlines, Egyptair, Royal Jordanian, Tunis Air, Saudia.
You can still take your USB sticks with you which is handy as Emirates is lending passengers on flights from Dubai to the US Microsoft Surface tablets to use in-flight.
Is luggage carried in the hold affected?
Will travel insurance cover electronics in hold luggage?
As a general rule most travel insurance will not cover theft of unattended items which you can’t see or aren’t close to you. However it’s worth checking with your insurance company before you travel.


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Royal Mail expressed its disappointment today after members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) unanimously voted in favour of holding a national strike ballot this year. In a CWU forum meeting this morning (1 August), around 500 reps voted to hold a strike ballot no later than September, unless the union and the postal operator can come to an agreement over job security and service. A CWU members briefing said that despite taking legal advice not to hold a boycott […]
Union Unite has announced a fresh week-long strike at five Argos distribution centres in its latest protest over the retailer’s ongoing supply chain transformation programme.
Royal Mail has warned for a second time that competition from other carriers, this time Amazon’s own delivery network, will damage its growth prospects.
Royal Mail Group has warned of overcapacity in the parcel market, which is leading to downward pressure on pricing, despite it handling over one billion items in a financial year for the first time.