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Food inflation declined by over a percentage point to 10.35 per cent during the week ended August 7 on cheaper vegetables,especially potato and onion,but the fall may not prompt the Reserve Bank to reverse its tight money policy stance at the next review on September 16. Inflation in food items declined by 1.05 percentage points compared to 11.40 per cent in the previous week. It was 14.18 per cent a year ago and had crossed 20 per cent in December 2009.
We will continue to see weekly fluctuations,ups and downs. Although the monsoon has been good,in certain agricultural areas like Satara in Maharashtra there have been supply disruptions due to floods, Axis Bank Chief Economist Saugata Bhattacharya said. However,we do not think the RBI is likely to go for any major policy change just due to the food inflation figure for a week. Factors like manufacturing output and WPI inflation will also factor in it, he added. The Reserve Bank of India,which has been tightening the monetary policy to tame the rising prices,is scheduled to come out with its first mid-quarterly review on September 16.
Commenting on decline in food inflation,Crisil Chief Economist D K Joshi said,while vegetable prices are down,wheat prices are up. This is part of the trend and the reason for fluctuation. However,we think the long term underlying trend is one of decline and it will get reflected well after the kharif harvest.
Food inflation data showed that vegetables become cheaper by 22.12 per cent,while the prices of potato and onion in the wholesale market declined by 49.81 per cent and 6.91 per cent respectively on yearly basis. Having remained in single digit for two weeks,the food inflation climbed by again to 11.4 per cent during the week ended July 31. It has remained in the double digit for most of the time since late last year when the government started bringing out separate figures for food inflation,which had shot up above 21 per cent in December 2010.
Analysts expect that food inflation will continue to fluctuate for some more time before showing declining trend on arrival of new crops. The overall inflation,which include prices of manufactured goods besides food items,fell to single digit at 9.97 per cent in July,after a gap of five months.


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According to a report from The Washington Post, a Maryland gun shop owner has decided against selling the nation’s first smart gun in his shop after gun rights advocates slammed his plan.
Andy Raymond, owner of Engage Armament, dropped his plan Thursday after receiving death threats and dealing with protests.
A similar backlash was experienced by a California gun store that put the nation’s first smart gun on sale. According to a Post report on the Oak Tree Gun Club, the sale of the Armatix iP1 smart gun led to attacks against the store in online forums and social networks.
“If the same reaction happens here, we’ll be out of business,” Raymond told the Post.
According to Armatix, the Armatix Smart System “consists of a radio-controlled watch that is responsible for gun access and use.” The Armatix iP1 smart gun will only shoot if it is within range of this watch. Therefore, the gun cannot be used by someone who steals the weapon, but does not have access to the watch.
Gun rights activists worry that the new technology will be mandated and will infringe on Second Amendment rights.
What do you think? Will lawmakers mandate Armatix’s technology? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Photo credit: Armatix

domain: news


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The developers behind Brad-ford’s eagerly-awaited £320m retail development on Broadway say they are keen to start construction work as soon as possible.
Preparatory ground works have almost been completed and Westfield says there will be less activity on the site, which is set to house a prestigious 587,000 sq ft shopping mall with around 100 retailers, for a short period.
The developer says construction will go ahead once more tenants have been signed up and their requirements have been finalised.
The Australian-based group said it had always made it clear that a number of pre-let tenants were required before construction went ahead.
In a statement, the company said: “We are currently working hard to secure the remaining pre-lets and finalise the designs, as it is our wish to commence the construction works as soon as possible.
“We have already spent in excess of £80m on the site and we remain committed to the project.
“This confidence is echoed by the number of retailers that have signed contracts to take new shop units within the scheme.”
The company has prepared marketing materials to help promote the scheme to retailers in order to secure the high-quality, national retailers which it is targeting for Westfield Bradford.
Sub-contractors have told workers that ground works will come to an end in three weeks and that some employees will be leaving the project at the end of next week.
The development, which forms an integral part of Bradford’s ambitious regeneration plans, has already secured commitment from several anchor tenants.
These include Marks & Spencer, Next and Debenhams, which will return to the city for the first time following the closure of Busby’s store on Manningham Lane in the mid-1970s.
Westfield has also signed up six retailers from the Arcadia Group, including Topshop/Topman, Dorothy Per-kins, Burtons, Wallis, Miss Selfridge and Evans.
The company also recently announced that River Island would be taking space.
At the beginning of this year, Westfield began preparatory works on the site.
In February the company rented 20,000 square feet of offices in Vicar Lane from where the project will be managed The offices will eventually house the construction team as well as architects, engineers and project managers.
A Westfield spokesman said: “We have made very good progress on site and we are getting to the stage when the majority of the enabling works have been completed.
“The next stage will be the start of the construction works including the structural steelwork.
“The major retailers have individual req-uirements and the structure must be designed accordingly to avoid expensive abortive work.
“We remain confident that we can deliver a modern, state-of-the-art scheme.”
Mark Martin, of the construction workers’ union UCATT, visited the Bradford site yesterday. He said he believed the slowdown in work was “not the end of the world.”
He said it was common in the construction industry for projects to be developed in planned phases.
He said: “Sub-contractors would normally transfer people to other sites but the downturn in the industry means that there are not so many other projects under way and this move throws that situation into sharp focus.”


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LittleBigPlanet 2 Demo Incoming
After LittleBigPlanet 2‘s delay from this November into January, 2011, Sony and Media Molecule have announced that PlayStation 3 gamers can still play the sequel this Christmas via a demo.
A playable demo of LittleBigPlanet 2 will be released on the PlayStation Store on December 22nd, SCEE has announced. The demo will offer a glimpse of the game’s new Story Mode levels as well as the some of the new gameplay types the developer has introduced. The Grapple Hook will be featured within the demo and players will also be given the opportunity to play some score-based multiplayer mode.
Even though it’s not the full game, Sony made a right move in releasing a demo so fans can get a short snippet of the full product. LittleBigPlanet 2 is currently scheduled for a release in January, 2011.


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As negotiators work to iron out a compromise on unemployment payments, school funding and other pressing matters related to the coronavirus pandemic, Republicans and Democrats are also trying to weed out items they say have nothing to do with the outbreak.
The latest stimulus package is expected to run north of $1 trillion, and large bills in Congress inevitably attract spending proposals that have little or nothing to do with the core thrust of the legislation. This time—and with not much else expected to get passed before the election—some lawmakers and President Trump included pet projects in their parties’ plans in the hopes they survive in any eventual deal.
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60% off running shoes and apparel at Nike
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New Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, who took over for Michael Duke earlier this year, told the audience at the Code Conference a couple of weeks ago that Walmart had to do a better job in the wide ranging digital world, and that one key to that is likely to be 3D printing capabilities in its stores and DCs.
That news came as Walmart continues to struggle a bit in the sales area, especially in the US. In its recently ended Q1, sales at US stores open at least a year slipped 0.2 percent in the quarter, the fifth consecutive quarter of decline the metric, considered a key gauge of a retailer's financial performance.
Walmart US store traffic also fell 1.4% during the first quarter, building on a 1.8% decline from the year before.
Walmart primarily attributed the poor results to bad weather in much of the US during the quarter, mentioning "weather' some 18 times during the earnings call with analysts. That said, the company expects flat US results in the second quarter in now better weather.
Meanwhile, on stage at the Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, McMillon was asked about what he finds most interesting right now.
His response: "3D Printing is interesting to me. We have had some tests in this country and a couple of others, just bringing 3D printers into the store to show them to customers and create a mini-me, a statue of you, and we can't keep them in stock."
He believes that relatively soon, 3D printers will be used to create products for customers at Walmart retail stores around the world. He also thinks that such technology will eventually play a key role in speeding up shipments by producing products at the company's distribution centers.
One might infer from that thinking that simpler products would be produced in stores, using less expensive and sophisticated printers, and higher volume and/or more sophisticated items at the DC-level made with more capable machines.
It should be noted that Amazon has launched its own pilot program to sell 3-D printed objects on its website. The site offers such products as 3-D printed jewelry, toys, games and home décor.
Earlier this year, office products retail Staples announced a partnership with a company called 3D Systems to offer 3-D printing services in two Staples stores in New York City and Los Angeles.
(Supply Chain Trends and Issues Article - Continued Below)


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IMC Secures Purchase Agreement With Pharma Distributor In Germany
Medical cannabis company IM Cannabis Corp (OTC:IMCNF) (CSE:IMCC), a multi-country operator with presence in Israel and several European countries, announced earlier this week that its German subsidiary will provide IMC branded medical cannabis products to Zur Rose Pharma GmbH over the next year.
Zur Rose Pharma is a large German pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor licensed for the supply of medical cannabis. It is part of Zur Rose Group AG (OTC:ZRSEF), Europe’s largest e-pharmacy.
The purchase commitment between Adjupharm GmbH and Zur Rose GmbH is part of a longer-term sales agreement. it marks IMC’s fourth consecutive deal with a German medical cannabis distributor.
“Securing the three-year sales agreement with Zur Rose and its purchase commitment for IMC branded products are part of our growth strategy in the burgeoning German medical cannabis market," IM Cannabis CEO Oren Shuster told Benzinga. “Partnering with a European e-pharmacy powerhouse like Zur Rose also bears the potential for future expansion of the IMC brand presence across the continent as a leading provider of high-quality medical cannabis products."
Photo: Javier Hasse.
© 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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The biggest question in SA wine at the minute (after why Sanlam are bringing the Stellenbosch Wine Routes to Jozi, two weeks after WineX) is how many bottles of Obikwa Shiraz does Distell make? Christian Eedes, super versatile chairman of all of the tasting panels at WINE magazine, reckons 350 000 cases, which is either 2.1 or 4.2 million bottles. This figure was “told to me by a member of the winemaking team and then subsequently removed from the WINE magazine report on request from the Distell marketing department” as Christian notes.
Michael Bucholz, who makes the stuff, says Christian’s numbers “are not on the same page as the truth.” Yet a recent press release on the new 350g eco-friendly Obikwa glass bottles notes that the saving on carbon emissions is 109Kg for every 1000 bottles. The total saving across the range is listed as 654 tons, equivalent to 6 million bottles, so Christian’s number is certainly plausible, given that there are five wines in the range.
What is less clear is where the claim that the new bottle is 25% lighter than the old 450g bottle comes from. Surely a saving of 100g is a 22% saving? Anyway, the new lighter bottles will come as welcome relief to bibulous blue stockings in the SA financial press and Tim Atkin who was threatening a heavy bottle boycott (Champagne excepted) last year.
On a quality front, the 2010 Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc, full of refreshing pear drops with a racy acidity and at an abstemious 12% alcohol, confirms the huge revolution taking place in SA wine at the minute: the massive increase in quality in the cheaper brands (Obikwa, Two Oceans, Chateau Libertas) made by Distell. Quite who will pay over R100 for Sauvignon Blanc when you can access this quality for a shade over R20, is moot.
Fresh and grassy Sauvignon Blanc is the white wine analogue of coffee/mocha Pinotage: hated by anoraques and loved by people who pay for the bottles they drink. Obikwa have backed another winner here in hedonism’s horserace.


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Si-Ware, manufacturers of the NeoSpectra single-chip FT-NIR spectrometers, has announced a partnership with NutriControl Analytical Solutions, a laboratory network based in the Netherlands serving the animal feed, dairy and food sectors. The partnership will benefit from NutriControl’s calibration experience to provide users of the portable NeoSpectra Scanner with quick, accurate materials sampling capabilities for a broad range of applications.
“We’re excited to partner with NutriControl on this endeavour and pair their NIR calibration expertise with our user-friendly portable technology”, said Ralph Hewitt, vice president of global sales at Si-Ware.
NutriControl develops NIR calibration lines and NIR cloud services that can be used to analyse feed, grains, dairy products, silages, pet food and many other raw materials. The company’s calibration lines are based on a significant amount of classical wet chemical tests.
“Our customers have long understood the need for accurate materials analysis, and now more than ever, they are searching for portable solutions to conduct real-time sampling and accurate measurements”, said Jörgen van den Ende, managing director at NutriControl. “Through our collaboration with NeoSpectra by Si-Ware, we now have the opportunity to implement our calibration lines on a portable system that will bring value to all global users.”


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The six week run of wool price rises that took the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) from 940¢ to 1048¢ two weeks ago came to a sudden halt this week when the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) came back by 41¢ in Australian currency and by 41¢ in US currency. The sudden rise in the market had been a surprise to many in the trade; and there was uncertainty as to whether the factors driving the increase were short term or longer term.
The Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) fell by 2.2% on Wednesday. This was followed by a greater fall in the South African Market Indicator on Wednesday night and a fall of a further 2.1% in the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) on Thursday.
There were falls across all micron ranges and wool types on both days. The only exceptions were among the oddments where some types were quoted as firm or unchanged. Merino wools were more affected than crossbreds.
Sellers reacted by passing in a greater proportion of the offering, particularly on Thursday when the Pass-In rate was 28.5% in Melbourne and 36.2% in Fremantle. Presumably, some of the passed-in wool was wool that had come onto the market in response to the recent upward movement in the market.
Despite this week’s fall, the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) is 63¢ above where it was in mid-September. But, the fall has increased the difference between the current market and last year’s prices. The Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) is now 216¢ (-17.7%) less than in the same week last year and is 67¢ (-6.3%) less than at the start of the season. The WMI is 217¢ (-17.6%) less than in the same week last year and is 63¢ (-5.9%) less than at the start of the season.
In other countries, South African sales, the Cape Wools Indicator was down by 3.9% in Rand and by 3.5% in US currency since last week. In New Zealand, Wool Services International quoted fine crossbred fleece as “generally firm” and coarse crossbred fleece as “generally in buyers’ favour”.
Among other fibres, cotton Futures eased again during the week. December Futures closed at 69.58 US¢ on Friday, down by 1.1% since the previous week.
48,031 bales were on offer, compared with 51,336 bales last week. 22.4% were passed in, comprised of 16.4% in Sydney, 21.6% in Melbourne and 30.9% in Fremantle. Pass-in rates for Merino fleece and skirtings were 27.4% and 25.4%, respectively. 37,257 bales were cleared to the trade.
The year-to-date offering is is now 40,864 bales less (-5.8%) than at the end of the same week last year, as wool has come onto the market in response to the recent increases in price. The expected offering of 58,200 bales for the coming sale is the largest so far this season. It may not reach that level if this week’s falls lead to an increase in the number of bales withdrawn prior to sale.
Textiles | On 27th May 2017
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Highlights this week include hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Note II and Galaxy Camera, shopping at the bus stop, Quickflix update, LG’s impressive new 84" Ultra HD TV, Microsoft NZ and Telecom NZ launching Windows Phone 8...Read More
This week we talk about a local Robotics contest taking place next week, new Amazon Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire tablet and Silk browser, Xbox 360 annual dashboard update, Android and Mac security hiccups, iPhone 4S (and...Read More
NZ Tech Podcast: News, Reviews, Opinions
NZ’s number one source of technology news and opinions all wrapped up into a regular audio package for your listening pleasure. Featuring opinions, insights and reviews from the top experts, commentators and tech news journalists in New Zealand. NZ Tech Podcast includes opinions from host Paul Spain (Keynote Speaker, Futurist) and draws on the expertise of those from across the tech community – including founders, CEOs, technologists and journalists. Proudly published by Podcasts NZ.


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Tuesday, June 2, 2015
VSP's Marchon Working on a Eyewear That Tracks Health
VSP Global...has built a pair of glasses with activity tracking sensors built in. The project, called Project Genesis, comes out of VSP’s innovation lab The Shop," notes Mobi Health News. "'We’re looking at a really exploding market in the wearable space,' VSP Global CEO Jim McGrann told the Wall Street Journal in a recent video interview. 'One of our businesses is an eyewear company and we’re focused on building those wearables into the eyewear that people wear every day to improve their overall health and wellness. The glasses track steps, calories burned, activity time and distance traveled, all from a chipset built into the earpiece. The glasses, built by Marchon, another VSP company, look just like regular glasses. But they connect via Bluetooth to a smartphone app, where wearers can look at an aggregate view of their metrics." Read more.


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Economies in the Asia-Pacific region should work together to promote the sustainable development of small and medium-sized enterprises, given the unstable and unbalanced trend of the global economic recovery, industrial insiders said.
The 12th China (Guangzhou) International Finance Expo came to a successful conclusion in Guangzhou on June 11, attracting a total of 283 financial institutions and 46,000 visitors.
The latest policy measures to bolster the development of new energy vehicles and charging facilities in rural areas have boosted automakers' confidence, with officials and business leaders highlighting the immense potential of the rural market to shore up the growth of the sector.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Exchange Conference was held in Macao on May 25.
Despite the rise of e-commerce, the offline version of the massive China Import and Export Fair is still of paramount importance to trade, according to experts and company executives.
On April 17, the Information Office of Guangzhou Municipal Government and GDToday of Nanfang Media Group launched a story-sharing event at Zhujiang Park in Guangzhou.
Guangzhou's city government promises to advance reform and opening-up in the months to come to build the southern metropolis into the best destination for investment and development for enterprises from around the world.
Copyright © Foreign Affairs Office of Guangzhou Municipal Government,
Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Guangzhou Municipal Government All rights reserved.
Presented by China Daily.


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This time of year – Americans are usually working out their final holiday travel plans and looking forward to spending time with loved ones…
… except America is on the brink of financial ruin with Biden’s record-high inflation trickling into every area of life – including travel.
As a result – yet again Americans are feeling the disastrous impact of Biden’s radical politics – and here’s how his leftist policies are hurting everyday Americans.
No Money To Travel
Generally speaking, vacations are considered more of a bonus – not a necessity.
Meaning – if people don’t have extra money in their paycheck – they don’t travel.
And thanks to soaring gas prices and the highest inflation we’ve seen in decades – the reality is most Americans don’t have the extra cash on-hand to travel.
Sure – some will rack up even more credit card debt and charge it.
But even people’s credit cards are maxed out.
While it’s frustrating to not be able to take a winter vacation, some people are devastated when they realize they can’t even afford to fly – or even drive a few hours – just to see their loved ones during the holidays.
Not everyone gets paid time off.
Hourly workers used to be able to plan ahead and take off a few unpaid days without going under.
Employees can no longer afford to take unpaid time off work and still make ends meet.
And even those who do get paid time off can’t afford to take long trips.
With food and lodging costs soaring from inflation – many travelers are forced to shorten their trips because they can no longer afford the once-typical “2-week vacation.”
Fear Of Future Shutdowns
Having spent more than two years traumatized by Biden’s radical overreaching mandates and shutdowns, many travelers are still recovering emotionally and financially and are leery to trust he won’t do it again.
Many local businesses couldn’t survive and were forced to shut their doors.
As a result, many Americans are hesitant to book a holiday flight too far in advance – not knowing what’s coming down the pike.
While we were all used to experiencing minor travel inconveniences when flying – Biden’s reign of terror is still impacting how American’s view travel.
But Travel Will Continue
While it’s inarguable travel is impacted in a major way for most Americans – the resilience of American travelers will still shine through.
Sure – perhaps vacations will be shortened – or people will book last minute.
Many will choose to drive – or even get creative and find local “staycations” to take.
But travelers already sent Biden a message that “revenge travel” is alive and well.
It’s just too bad right after the mask mandate dropped (for now) – Biden’s failed economic policies present yet another hurdle to overcome.
Will your travel be impacted this holiday season?
Do you think Biden’s reckless financial policies are destroying our economy?
You can post your response and stay current on the latest Proud American Traveler stories on Facebook!
And if you think your friends or family would be interested in receiving our newsletter directly to their inbox, please forward this email and encourage them to subscribe to our newsletter here.


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Electronics Production | November 12, 2009
Western Europe PC Market declined slightly in 3Q/2009
PC shipments in Western Europe totalled 16.7 million units in the 3Q/2009, a slight decrease of 0.3% compared with the same period in 2008, according to Gartner. However, the 3Q showed a return to seasonal growth patterns with a sequential increase of 30%.
“The Western European PC market saw varied results across Europe with two of the largest markets, Germany and France showing growth, and smaller markets like Spain and Northern Europe exhibiting a decline,” said Ranjit Atwal, principal analyst at market researcherGartner, based in the UK. However, the market dynamics were similar across most countries, with weak professional markets and more positive consumer markets. “What will vary going forward will be the speed at which the professional market will grow,” Mr Atwal said. “Some markets will see growth much faster than others creating bigger opportunities for vendors. The time-span of the decline varied across countries in the third quarter of 2009, with countries such as France that have only had one quarter of shipment decline before returning to growth, whereas the UK, Spain and Ireland have seen a prolonged negative performance in the market.” Mini-notebooks were the driving force behind the sustained growth in the consumer market in the third quarter of 2009. The success of mini-notebooks continued to surprise many vendors that have only reluctantly joined the market with products, fearing further revenue declines per unit without sufficient profit margins. Vendors like Acer and Samsung have taken the greatest advantage of the mini-notebook boom, generating significant sales through the telco channels. “Samsung is growing significantly in the PC market with 138 per cent growth year-on-year. Its brand presence created by its mobile phone, televisions and other consumer electronics markets is certainly being leveraged by Samsung’s PC department,” said Ranjit Atwal. In the third quarter of 2009, apart from Acer, the biggest winners, Apple and Samsung, were outside the top five. HP just managed to get ahead of the market average while Dell continued to suffer in the professional market. Toshiba managed to see growth in Western Europe but saw a weak performance in other regions. Overall the vendors remain cautious as there is still uncertainty in the overall market conditions. Gartner expects the Western European PC market to exhibit growth in the fourth quarter and reach more-sustained growth in 2010. ----- This article is part of a series: - Western Europe PC Market declined slightly in 3Q/2009 - Acer now tops UK list of PC vendors - France: Mini-notebooks drove return to growth - Germany: PC shipments saw return to growth


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Microsoft Unveils 'Project Scorpio' Game Console Also in this episode, Daily Harvest scores celebrity investments and Lyft gets $25 million in backing from Jaguar.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Microsoft unveiled its "Project Scorpio" games console this week -- officially named Xbox One X. For all my gamer friends out there worried about size, the "smallest Xbox ever" packs more punch than any competitor. It uses a custom GPU engine and 1 terabyte of storage (whatever the heck that means). The console is $499 and is expected to debut worldwide on Nov. 7, just in time for the holiday season.
A health food startup, Daily Harvest, just scored celebrity investors and closed a Series A funding round. The health-conscious celebs, Gwyneth Paltrow and Serena Williams, invested in the New York-based startup debunking the myth that frozen food is not nutritious. Daily Harvest delivers organic, ready to blend smoothies and frozen soups to your front door that you can prepare and eat in minutes.
Lyft's new partnership with InMotion Ventures will supply Lyft's Express Drive platform with Jaguar and Landrover vehicles. The $25-million investment will go towards testing autonomous vehicle technologies. Lyft's collaborative deals include nuTonomy, Waymo and GM as the race for self-driving technology is coming to a city near you.
Watch more interviews on Venturer's YouTube channel.
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Add the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to the list of agencies warning consumers about the perils of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
"Virtual currencies may have potential benefits, but consumers need to be cautious and they need to be asking the right questions," CFPB Director Richard Cordray said in a statement today as his bureau issued a consumer advisory on the subject. He called the cryptocurrency market "the Wild West."
The CFPB is now accepting complaints from consumers who have had problems related to virtual currencies, including with exchange services where consumers can buy and sell bitcoin, and with online digital wallets.
© LUCY NICHOLSON/Reuters/Corbis
It highlights several concerns it says it has about the risks of virtual currencies, including the volatility of their prices, the possibilities of hackers or scammers, and the trouble with getting refunds if virtual currency is stolen or if a consumer disputes a charge.
Not the first advisory
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in June brought up the issues of bitcoin regulation and called out the CFPB for not having waded into the discussion:
Federal agencies also have begun to collaborate on virtual currency issues through informal discussions and interagency working groups primarily concerned with money laundering and other law enforcement matters. However, these working groups have not focused on emerging consumer protection issues, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) -- whose responsibilities include providing consumers with information to make responsible decisions about financial transactions -- has generally not participated in these groups.
The CFPB's advisory is by no means earth shattering. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also has released a warning that bitcoin "does not have an established track record of credibility and trust" and could be ripe for scammers. And last month, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network noted in a report that "suspicious activity" related to bitcoin appears to be on the rise.
Bankrate has been focused on helping consumers understand bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. To see what it's like to buy, sell and use bitcoin, see my first-person account here.
And if you're tired of the word "bitcoin," check out some of the cryptocurrency alternatives.
Follow me on twitter: @allisonsross.


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Hearst Corporation has launched the Elle Glassware app exclusively designed for Google Glass. The publication is the first magazine to launch a Google Glass app, though it joins other media companies including The New York Times and Mashable both of who already have Google Glass apps.
Hearst Corporation worked with Google on the app, which includes content from the magazine’s most widely read and shared sections online. The app features stories from ELLEDispatch, Street Chic and Lookbooks, as well as horoscopes. Users can share articles and photos and create reading lists and shopping wish lists using the app. The app is now available to as part of Google Glass’ Explorer launch.
“Hearst always strives to be on the leading edge of innovation—it is at the core of our company,” explained Phil Wiser, chief technology officer, Hearst Corporation, in a statement. “Across our media businesses, we are working to engage consumers everywhere content is consumed, now and in the future. Google Glass encourages us to think about our content in a new way. We are very pleased at the experience of partnering with Google on this project.”


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Hello and welcome to Daily Crunch for Tuesday, February 8, 2022! Today we’re talking layoffs, blockchain infra, a called-off mega-deal, and chip-based national security. It’s a killer group of stories, bringing us around the world and from the earliest stages of startup activity to the top of governance.
A quick reminder before we begin that our podcasts Equity and Found are doing live tapings this year. Equity is up first this Thursday. All the cool kids will be there, so, be cool and come! – Alex
TechCrunch Top 3
Peloton CEO steps down, employees fired en masse: After reports broke that Peloton was halting production of its hardware due to falling demand, some sort of reshuffling of the home exercise company was on the horizon. How much damage was the question. As it turns out, the CEO is out, as are thousands of other employees. Call it the McKinsey tax, if you will.
What’s ahead for insurtech: Following our dive last week into the issues hitting some insurtech startups and continued venture interest in the category, TechCrunch took a look into which startups in the sector are set to thrive in today’s changing market.
All aboard the crypto infra boom: Backing individual crypto projects is good fun, as is buying up tokens in a new blockchain you believe in. Party on. But perhaps more interesting is the capital flowing into the infra companies atop which much is being built. Today Alchemy raised a huge grip of cash at a massive valuation – but it’s hardly alone in doing so.
And in case you missed it overnight, the Nvidia-ARM deal is kaput.
Before we jump into news items involving one startup or another, let’s talk about Africa. It’s well-known by now that the continent is seeing rising venture capital totals. But we recently learned just now big a 2021 startups from Africa had. Billions of dollars were put to work, indicating that there’s still lots of room for startups to tackle big challenges around the world.
Fantastical v. Calendly: The explosive growth of meeting-booking service Calendly was bound to attract competition. An example of that fact is what Fantastical – a Flexibits product – is building with its new “Openings” feature. Expect to see more related competitors in time.
$50M for better chickens: Not all tech resides inside of computers. Some tech is inside of chickens, it turns out. Cooks Venture has created a better chicken type, which is more food-flexible and should taste better. Not all things that are good for the environment mean we have to enjoy life less; sometimes we can have our chicken and eat it, too.
Transit security is big business: Flush with a $50 million Series B, Shift5 is working to build transportation security. As our own Zack Whittacker notes, the company wants to protect “systems critical to transportation networks today,” which it appears is a lucrative niche, if the company’s latest venture round is any indication.
$100M for open source e-commerce tooling: Well, this one took me by surprise. Shopware just raised nine figures for its “open source tools [that] power online shopping experiences for some 100,000 mid-sized and larger brands.” Ingrid Lunden reports that the round is the company’s first outside funding. Open source is hot. E-commerce is hot. Their intersection point appears to be molten.
And to close, an op-ed arguing that news orgs “should participate actively in the conversation and development of web3 and metaverse as soon as possible with concrete ideas and solutions.” I am skeptical, but give the piece a read regardless.
Entrepreneurs who are fortunate enough to make it across the finish line of an exit often still find themselves running uphill: Reorganizations and layoffs create profound cultural shifts that few are prepared for.
Last month, enterprise reporter Ron Miller spoke to executives who’ve managed acquisitions to learn about how they oversee the process.
For balance, he also interviewed three executives who worked at the companies that were acquired:
Will Conway, CEO, Pathwire
Matthew Gonnering, former CEO, Widen
Nick Gaehde, president, Lexia Learning
The trio generally agreed that transparency is key for a smooth transition. Fundamental changes are inevitable, but a collaborative process can smooth out some of the bumps and potholes on the journey.
“Though they aren’t about to talk crap about their new overlords, you do get the sense that they landed in a pretty decent spot, all things considered,” writes Ron.
(TechCrunch+ is our membership program, which helps founders and startup teams get ahead. You can sign up here.)
Big Tech Inc.
And to close us out today in news terms, AmEx is getting into checking. Which, I mean, all right. It’s very 2018 neobank, but all good, you have to try new things at times, right?
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By Nico Grant
Google’s employees were shocked when they learned in March that South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung was considering replacing Google with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine on its devices.
For years, Bing had been a search engine also-ran. But it became a lot more interesting to industry insiders when it recently added new artificial intelligence technology.
Google’s reaction to the Samsung threat was “panic,” according to internal messages reviewed by The New York Times. An estimated $3 billion in annual revenue was at stake with the Samsung contract. An additional $20 billion is tied to a similar Apple contract that will be up for renewal this year.
AI competitors such as the new Bing are quickly becoming the most serious threat to Google’s search business in 25 years, and in response, Google is racing to build an all-new search engine powered by the technology. It is also upgrading the existing one with AI features, according to internal documents reviewed by The New York Times.
The new features, under the project name Magi, are being created by designers, engineers and executives working in so-called sprint rooms to tweak and test the latest versions. The new search engine would offer users a far more personalized experience than the company’s current service, attempting to anticipate users’ needs.
Lara Levin, a Google spokesperson, said in a statement that “not every brainstorm deck or product idea leads to a launch, but as we’ve said before, we’re excited about bringing new AI-powered features to search, and will share more details soon.”
Billions of people use Google’s search engine every day for everything from finding restaurants and directions to understanding a medical diagnosis, and that simple white page with the company logo and an empty bar in the middle is one of the most widely used webpages in the world. Changes to it would have a significant impact on the lives of ordinary people, and until recently, it was hard to imagine anything challenging it.
Google has been worried about AI-powered competitors since OpenAI, a San Francisco startup that is working with Microsoft, demonstrated a chatbot called ChatGPT in November. About two weeks later, Google created a task force in its search division to start building AI products, said two people with knowledge of the efforts, who were not authorized to discuss them publicly.
Modernizing its search engine has become an obsession at Google, and the planned changes could put new AI technology in phones and homes all over the world.
The Samsung threat represented the first potential crack in Google’s seemingly impregnable search business, which was worth $162 billion last year. Although it was not clear whether Microsoft’s work with AI was the main reason Samsung was considering a change after the past 12 years, that was the assumption inside Google. The contract is under negotiation, and Samsung could stick with Google.
But the idea that Samsung, which makes hundreds of millions of smartphones with Google’s Android software every year, would even consider switching search engines shocked Google’s employees.
After some workers were told that the company was looking for volunteers this month to help put together material for a pitch to Samsung, they reacted with emoji and surprise. “Wow, OK, that’s wild,” one person responded.
A Google spokesperson said that the company was continuously improving its search engine to give users and partners more reason to choose Google and that Android phone makers were free to embrace technologies from different companies to improve their users’ experience.
Samsung and Microsoft declined to comment.
Google has been doing AI research for years. Its DeepMind lab in London is considered one of the best AI research centers in the world, and the company has been a pioneer with AI projects, such as self-driving cars and the so-called large language models that are used in the development of chatbots. In recent years, Google has used large language models to improve the quality of its search results but held off on fully adopting AI because it has been prone to generating false and biased statements.
Last week, Google invited some employees to test Magi’s features, and it has encouraged them to ask the search engine follow-up questions to judge its ability to hold a conversation. Google is expected to release the tools to the public next month and add more features in the fall, according to the planning document.
The company plans to initially release the features to a maximum of 1 million people. That number should progressively increase to 30 million by the end of the year. The features will be available exclusively in the United States.
Google has also explored efforts to let people use Google Earth’s mapping technology with help from AI and search for music through a conversation with a chatbot, a Google director wrote in a document.
Other product ideas are in various stages of development. A tool called GIFI would use AI to generate images in Google Image results. Another tool, Tivoli Tutor, would teach users a new language through open-ended AI text conversations.
Yet another product, Searchalong, would let users ask a chatbot questions while surfing the web through Google’s Chrome browser. People might ask the chatbot for activities near an Airbnb rental, for example, and the AI would scan the page and the rest of the internet for a response.
Jim Lecinski, a former Google vice president of sales and service, said the company had been goaded into action and now had to convince users that it was as “powerful, competent and contemporary” as its competitors.
“If we are the leading search engine and this is a new attribute, a new feature, a new characteristic of search engines, we want to make sure that we’re in this race as well,” Lecinski, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University, said in an interview.


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Existing-home sales gained in October on a monthly basis as prices fell and cheaper homes predominated sales. Elevated inventory levels also declined.
Existing-home sales gained 10.1%, reflecting in large part an outsized seasonal adjustment. Sales were 23.5% above the 4.94 million-unit level in October 2008, when the collapse of Fannie, Lehman, AIG, Bank of America and Citigroup had paralyzed the nation.
Median existing-home price was $173,100 in October, down 7.1% from October 2008.
The biggest gains were found in the cheapest homes – especially condominiums and co-ops. Their sales surged 13.2% (seasonally adjusted) and were up an astonishing 40.8% above a year ago. Median prices for condos fell 10.4% below October 2008.
As expected, the prior month’s initial report was revised downward to annual pace of 5.54 million in September (originally reported as 5.57mm annualized). These revisions effectively eliminated the upside surprise of 220k sales last month.
It is noteworthy that the NAR claims the seasonally adjusted sales activity is at the highest level since February 2007 (6.55 million). CNN bought this nonsense hook line and sinker (Existing home sales at highest level since 2007) but it is not actually true without some accounting sleight of hand.
As the chart at right shows, the NSA data is quite unimpressive relative to the past few years.
Ultra low interest rates are helping sales somewhat. A 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 4.95% Last week, the 30-year rate dropped to 4.83%.
In addition to the low rates and the now extended first time homebuyers’ tax credit, a big spike in foreclosures is attracting bargain hunters. In parts of the country, some foreclosed units are selling for less than 50% of the peak 2005-06 price – especially on the low-end of the price scale. Foreclosure units have been selling briskly in California, Florida, Arizona, and Las Vegas.
Total housing inventory for sale fell 3.7% to 3.57 million existing homes, a 7.0-month supply at the current sales pace. This does not include a variety of so-called shadow inventory: REOs, rental units, vacation properties, and bank-owned strategic non-foreclosures.
Seasonal Adjustments Continue to Skew Data:
Mark Hanson notes the ongoing skew of Seasonal Adjustments, and the continuing spin of the NAR:
1) The month of October was thought to be the end of the stimulus, so it reflects a last minute dash to get in before the tax credit sunset
2) Rates fell sharply to below 5% in Sept/Oct 2009
3) Despite this, Oct YTD sales are DOWN a whopping 716k from 2007
4) NSA sales were up 31k sales MoM to 499k in Oct — the exact same as Aug
5) NSA sales were up 86k sales from Oct 2008 – but in Oct 2008 rates were high (pre Fed QE) and there was not stimuli of any kind
6) Median and Avg prices fell again – about 1.5% MoM and 6% YoY – price drop accelerated into shoulder season as price dumping and short sales picked up
7) Year to date Oct 2008 vs Oct 2009 – 2009 sales finally passed 2008 sales by only 61k houses.
So in a nutshell, prices keep falling month after month and 2009 has produced 61k more real sales over 2008.
Existing-Home Sales Record Another Big Gain, Inventories Continue to Shrink
National Association of Realtors, November 23, 2009


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Intel Sends Tech Stocks Surging
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Better than expected quarterly results from Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) sent major stock indexes to fresh 18-month highs on Wednesday, as stocks continued their year-long recovery from the worst bear market since the 1930s.
Intel's strong results sent the S&P 500 above 1200 for the first time since Sept. 2008 and extended the Dow's recovery above the 11,000 level.
The Nasdaq has now nearly doubled since the March 2009 stock market bottom.
Intel gained 3.3 percent on the day, while a long list of tech stocks fared even better, among them Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), Micron (NASDAQ: MU), Seagate (NASDAQ: STX), Marvell (NASDAQ: MRVL) and Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT).
Kulicke and Soffa (NASDAQ: KLIC) soared 19 percent on its results, and the entire chip sector gained more than 4 percent.
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and AMD (NYSE: AMD) will report their quarterly results after the close on Thursday. Analysts are looking for 21 percent sales growth from Google, and 30 percent from AMD.


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Apple held its annual developer conference, WWDC, in San Jose last week. A conference usually focused heavily on Apple’s software game, WWDC 2017 was exceptionally hardware-centric. The team calls up MobileSyrup Senior Editor and CanCon regular, Patrick O’Rourke, who is currently on the west coast covering the event, to get the inside scoop.
In other announcements from Apple this week, Safari will soon stop playing audio and video content without the user’s express permission. This follows Google’s reveal last week that Chrome will begin blocking ads. In an effort to understand the weight of these changes to world’s most popular web browsers, the CanCon team invites the former VP of Firefox, Johnathan Nightingale, onto the podcast. Will these decisions change the web as we currently know it (again)?
Tune in as CanCon’s podcast crew – Rob Kenedi, TWG’s Entrepreneur in Residence and host of the amazing #smallrooms podcast, Nick Kuhne, Product Manager at TWG and producer of the #smallrooms podcast, Patrick O’Rourke, MobileSyrup Senior Editor, and Douglas Soltys, BetaKit Editor in Chief – asks “what would Steve Jobs do?” and pours one out for the web that was.
Have some hot takes on the topics that we covered? Maybe you want to suggest something for a future podcast! Perhaps you have a burning question about something you read in tech news that we didn’t cover. Email us, post a comment below with the answer or question, or better yet, rate CanCon 5-stars on iTunes and post your thoughts there.
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CanCon Podcast Episode 71 (06/12/17)
Adblock ft. Apple and Google
The New Chrome and Safari Will Reshape the Web
Canadian Content music clip (under fair dealing): “Drinking in LA” by Bran Van 3000


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There are no current plans to reduce parking charges in Blackpool to encourage more shoppers back to the town centre – despite a 50 per cent reduction in footfall at the Houndshill Shopping Centre.
Councillors were told parking revenue was actually up in July and August in council car parks suggesting charges were not deterring visitors.
Members of the tourism, economy and communities scrutiny committee heard 5,203 more people had used car parks so far this year compared to last year as the resort enjoyed a boost from staycationers.
Coun Gerard Walsh said: “There is reduced footfall at the Houndshill, down by 50 per cent. Will there be any revision on the car parking charges?”
Coun Mark Smith, cabinet member for business, enterprise and job creation, said he would not rule out reviewing charges if it became necessary.
He said: “Parking fees have been frozen for the last four years and during the early part of lockdown there was no enforcement.
“After the shops re-opened we have reverted to normal tariffs. There is no current plan to reduce fees but we are always reviewing plans if we need to do so.”
He said free parking did not help businesses because spaces tended to fill with workers leaving their cars all day, meaning customers could not find spaces.
Alan Cavill, the council’s director of communication and regeneration, said: “Parking revenue is up for most weeks in July and August.
“There is no immediate evidence that parking charges are stopping people coming to the town centre.”
He added although the council owned the Houndshill Centre, its management controlled the car park and had the powers to operate their own parking offers.
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Jan 02, 2007Bruce Schneier, a well-known security technologist and author, has been taking aim at RFID in his blog Schneier on Security. On Dec. 12, he pointed out that researchers at the University of Washington demonstrated that you could track people using a unique ID broadcast by the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, which runners can use to get information on their run (see Tracking People by their Sneakers).
RFID Journal contacted Nike a few months ago, and the company denied that the system uses RFID. It refused to elaborate, but clearly the system uses radio waves and there has to be a unique ID, to make sure one runner doesn't get information from another runner's sneakers.
In his blog, Schneier didn't describe the Nike system as RFID, but wrote: "The people who designed the Nike+iPod system put zero thought into security and privacy issues. Unless we enact some sort of broad law requiring companies to add security into these sorts of systems, companies will continue to produce devices that erode our privacy through new technologies."
Then, on Dec. 27, Schneier pointed out that RFID tags used to broadcast the temperature and pressure of tires could be used to track cars because each transponder has a unique ID (see Tracking Automobiles Through their Tires).
Schneier's point is valid. Companies often adopt new technologies without thinking through all the implications. The question is not whether Nike or Apple would use the Nike+iPod kit to spy on people, but rather who else might be able to. The kit reportedly transmits its signal 60 feet.
Some might feel that there is little or no danger of people being tracked by these devices or from transponders in cars. But Schneier's point is we don't know what will happen in the future, and it doesn't make sense to have a technology proliferate and then find there is a potential threat to personal privacy.
The problem with his proposal for a law, however, is that it is difficult to legislate against a problem that doesn't exist. Until a technology starts to be adopted, you can't tell what kind of security you need, when you need it or how much you need.
RFID is starting to proliferate and people are raising the security issue—and researchers, standards bodies and technology providers are responding. EPCglobal, the nonprofit organization that is commercializing Electronic Product Code technology, has a subgroup looking at whether additional security is needed for certain applications.
The problem, of course, is that security comes with a cost. EPC tags were first designed for use on cases and pallets in the supply chain, so it didn't make much sense to put a lot of security on them. Making tags really secure would require more sophisticated chips in the tags, which would make the tags more expensive. That cost eats into a company's profits.
Now that companies are looking at such RFID applications as drug authentication and anti-counterfeiting, EPCglobal and researchers at the Auto-ID Labs are reexamining the issue. The Auto-ID Lab at The University of Adelaide is developing novel encryption mechanisms based on the concept of lightweight cryptography to ensure only authorized interrogators read a tag. That would prevent people from skimming data off a tag without someone's knowledge.
RFID vendors are also addressing the issue. In November, RFID Journal reported that Texas Instruments (TI) worked with Certicom, a Mississauga, Ontario, provider of wireless-information security solutions, to develop a new security platform application for companies using passive, high-frequency ISO 15693 RFID tags to track and trace products in the retail supply chain (see Certicom and TI Announce Data Security for HF Tags).
The system utilizes public-key elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC) to encrypt a drug's National Drug Code (NDC) written to a tag. Supply-chain partners can read the encrypted tags as they receive tagged goods, allowing them to authenticate that the goods are genuine product made by the manufacturer, not counterfeit. With the right software, the partners can then decrypt the encrypted part of the tag data if they need to.
There is no magic bullet to solve the security and privacy issues. There will be different solutions based on different needs for different applications. It's highly unlikely that legislators would be able to craft a law that would protect consumers and still allow consumers and businesses to benefit from RFID. Security will evolve over time, as the need arises. It's fine for Schneier to point out the need for greater security in RFID systems, but I think he's off base in calling for a legal remedy.


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Blockchain Platform VeChain Unveils Completely Decentralized Digital Asset Wallet
The year 2023 “appear[s]” to be a thrilling one for the VeChain Foundation. They have numerous technological advancements “in the queue, including the imminent release of some innovative tools that guarantee to lower entry barriers and raise the VeChainThor environment even further.” Their objective has consistently been to “take the blockchain out of blockchain,” and the newest member of our technology portfolio continues this tradition. As is common knowledge, the initial step on any blockchain voyage “starts with a wallet, and we’ve labored to present one of the finest in the sector.”
The Vechain core group is pleased to announce the arrival of VeWorld. VeWorld is “the Foundation’s latest entirely decentralized self-custody wallet — appropriately titled as the doorway to the world of VeChain.” This novel wallet “unveils numerous enhancements to the VeChain environment’s functionalities, with an exhaustive plan of upcoming features.” VeWorld debuts originally as “a web wallet” and will be enhanced bi-weekly by a group of Foundation devs. ”
The smartphone and desktop variants of the wallet will be available for consumers to download in the third quarter. VeWorld allows customers to create and import wallets, manage cryptocurrency portfolios, transmit and receive crypto assets, safely deal on decentralized applications (DApps), and manage cryptocurrency in conjunction with a Ledger hardware gadget. The VeChain Foundation wallet group is “working on an endless array of unique features, such as a fossil calculator that will enable users and businesses to monitor their related greenhouse gas emissions, a straight cash on-ramp, native NFT connectivity, DEX incorporation, cross-chain connections, and a lot more”
VeWorld is “the initial new generation of technological developments facilitated by a rapidly expanding team of experts at our Tech Centre in Ireland, Europe.” From the time of relocation, the rate of growth at VeChain has accelerated substantially, and we anticipate this trend to continue in the coming months and years. As blockchain technologies gain traction in the physical world, they anticipate “adopting a huge tide of acceptance by enterprises shifting between Web2 and Web3.”
As stated, the VeChain Foundation, “based in San Marino, Europe, is the non-profit organization behind the advancement of VeChainThor, a top-notch smart contract framework that is promoting the use of blockchain technology in the physical world.” By harnessing the abilities of ‘trustless’ data (details without third-parties), smart contracts, and IoT technologies, VeChainThor has “presented options in a variety of industries and is now focusing on perhaps the most important dilemma of all: developing technologies and environment to push ecological sustainability and digitalization on a worldwide scale.”
Kelly is our in house crytpto researcher, delving into the stories which matter from blockchains being used in the real world to new ico coming out.


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Volkswagen says can build up to 15 million cars on electric car platform
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen <VOWG_p.DE> on Friday said it can build up to 15 million electric cars using its new MEB vehicle platform, revealing the extent of the carmaker's push to mass produce zero-emission vehicles.
Volkswagen is investing more than 11 billion euros ($12.52 billion) into electric connected and autonomous vehicles by 2023, of which 9 billion euros will be allocated toward developing a family of electric cars, the carmaker said.
(Reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Arno Schuetze)
© Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained in this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Reuters Ltd.


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Fidelity Investments plans to hire another 9,000 employees this year to help its businesses keep pace with the surge in demand for stock-trading and other personal-investing services.
Fidelity’s hiring spree is its third in the past year, when millions of new investors flocked to brokerages like Fidelity, Charles Schwab Corp. and Robinhood Markets Including the latest push, Fidelity’s total workforce is expected to grow more than 22% this year, to over 60,000 employees.
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Following the announcement of the RGG Studio-developed Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, rumors have been circulating that it will be a digital-only release for the West.
In a recent tweet by the developer’s official Twitter account promoting the game, they specify it being “available for download Nov 9, 2023.” While there has been no explicit confirmation regarding a lack of physical release for the West, it seems pretty likely after this tweet.
When rumors of a digital-only release began making waves, we reached out to Sega for a comment. After our inquiry, we were told they would get back to us, but unfortunately, they never did.
Hopefully, we’re wrong, and a physical release for the West does occur. However, at this point, you should only expect a digital launch. This is upsetting since the series has seen physical releases here in the West, so just cutting it off here will ruin many fans’ collections. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a physical release planned after the digital launch, but we won’t hold our breath.
Even if the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth does receive a physical Western release, there will always be a noticeably newly skipped entry.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name features two fighting styles where players can switch between the Yakuza and Agent fighting styles in visceral melee combat. With the Yakuza style, strike fear into enemies by unleashing wildly aggressive moves powered by Kiryu’s unparalleled strength and flair.
Or up the ante with the Agent style by delivering blows with absolute speed and precision while using an array of high-tech gadgets like electrified bind wires to stun enemies and then send them flying.
- Check out our previous coverage for screenshots and a trailer.
- Shishido Actor Interview
- Tsuruno Actor Interview
- Akame Actor Interview
- Character Profiles
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will launch for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Windows and Steam on November 9, 2023.
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate Noisy Pixel earns from qualifying purchases.


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Lear Corporation LEA announced its acquisition of Xevo Inc., an automotive software supplier crafting solutions for cars, clouds and mobile devices.
Lear will purchase all outstanding Xevo shares for $320 million funded through debt financing.
"This transaction is consistent with our stated capital allocation strategy,” Lear CEO Ray Scott siad in the press release. “It allows us to enhance our capabilities in software, services, and data analytics and strengthen our market position in connectivity.”
Why It’s Important
With Xevo, Lear also subsumes two major platforms. One is the Journeyware product suite, which integrates a cloud framework and interface using real-time data for drivers to engage with mobile apps and in-car content.
The second is Xevo Market, a commerce and service platform using OEM-branded apps to connect drivers with food, parking, gas, hotel and retail spots.
"The acquisition of Xevo broadens Lear's connectivity portfolio, bringing together Xevo's leading e-commerce vehicle platform technology with Lear's expertise in electronic systems," Lear CTO John Absmeier said in a press release. "Xevo's user interface establishes a connected marketplace for consumers in their vehicles, unlocking previously unrealized value from vehicle data and opening up new revenue streams."
Xevo is installed in more than 25 million cars primarily in the U.S., and management targets expansion in Asia and Europe.
"Today, with Lear's reach, we can scale Xevo's innovative technology and business model to a global customer base,” Xevo CEO Dan Gittleman said in a statement.
Lear’s transaction is scheduled to close in the second quarter.
BofA: Global Environment Presents Challenges For Automotive Suppliers
KeyBanc Looks For Winners And Losers In The Auto Parts Space
© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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As the new owner of the Prospect Hill Golf Course in Auburn prepares for next month's opening, she's also on the lookout for land suitable for building a 15-acre mushroom-growing facility.
The Lewiston Sun Journal reported that Fang Cheng Morrow, president of the Mingjing Industry Group Co., and her business partner Nianping Wang, are hoping to build a facility for growing mushrooms that could create 150 jobs in the next two years.
Morrow told the newspaper that she and her partner closed on the golf course in December and see it as a long-term investment. But they also see Maine as being ideally suited for growing mushrooms, with Morrow saying that 40% of mushrooms consumed in the United States are imported from Asia.
Morrow added that it would take a year to build a facility that could grow enough mushrooms to ship up to 15 tractor-trailer loads out per week.
|Today's Poll||Should ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft be regulated the same as commercial taxi drivers, hotel shuttles and rental car services?<


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The Finance Ministry on Sunday poured some cold water on the unusually strong economic-growth figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics last week, warning that the pace of growth will probably not continue much longer
- Clutch of New Data Mostly Points to Accelerating Growth for Israel's Economy
- Treasury Budget Sees Faster Economic Growth in 2017-18
- Israeli GDP Expands Unexpectedly Fast in 2nd and 3rd Quarters
“The data on growth for 2016 indicate that the current rate of growth isn’t necessary durable,” treasury Chief Economist Yoel Naveh said in a report. “Two significant but unsustainable factors influenced growth in recent quarters – the purchase of vehicles and the upgrade of Intel’s plant [in Israel].”
The treasury report came days after the CBS said gross domestic product grew at a 3.2% annual rate in the third quarter and revised its figure for the second quarter to a 4.9% rate. That compares with growth last year of 2.5% and caused many economists to revise their growth esti mates upward. Given the recent history of revisions, such as the first-quarter figure being raised from a preliminary 0.8% to 3.2% now, it is likely that the third quarter’s 3.2% will also be adjusted higher.
But Naveh said there were already signs that the consumer boom that began just over a year ago and had been leading overall economic growth was levelling off. He noted that consumer spending only contributed 1.7 percentage points to growth in the third quarter, as evidenced by slowing sales growth at chain stores, imports of consumer goods and purchases made with credit cards.
Purchases of consumer durables, particularly cars, also slacked in the third quarter. New-car purchases reached record highs in the quarter, but the rate will now either plateau or start falling back, the treasury said.
The huge increase in the number of new cars purchased – over 300,000 new cars will be added to the country’s roads in 2016, from 254,000 last year and 205,000 in 2012 – also boosted the figure for investment, not just for consumer spending. That is because about a third of all new cars are bought by leasing companies, which record them as a capital expense.
Meanwhile, the Intel semiconductor plant in Kiryat Gat formally dedicated its new $6 billion production line last week, meaning its massive spending on machinery and equipment is winding down. On the other hand, as the treasury report noted, Intel should begin stepping up exports, which will help Israel’s flagging level of exports overall.
After a brief recovery, Israel’s exports of goods and services contracted at a 4.7% annual rate in the third quarter. Regarding the biggest components of exports, the treasury noted that pharmaceuticals had recovered showing annualized growth of 112% while exports of chemicals were down due to lower global prices for potash, Israel’s main chemicals exports. Exports of electronics and electronic components were also down, but the Finance Ministry said it expected to see that recover as the new Intel production lines ramps up production.
Exports have traditionally been Israel’s economic growth engine, and economists have warned that the consumer boom cannot last indefinitely and exports will eventually have to take over if growth is going to be sustainable. But the outlook is for slower world trade growth generally, especially after the election of Donald Trump and his promise to crack down on what he says is abuse of trade agreements by other countries and opposition to new trade initiatives.
The treasury noted that the consumer-led economic growth over the past two years had helped swell treasury coffers and given Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon far more latitude with budget planning and allowed him to cut taxes. In the 12 months through October, Israel’s fiscal deficit was just 2.1% of GDP, much less than the 2.9% the treasury is budgeting for 2017 and 2018. But Naveh warned in the report Sunday that as the consumer boom wears off the tax windfall is unlikely to repeat itself during 2017 and 2018.


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As the Coaching Department strives to support learning and development amongst instructors, coaches, leaders and guides, we have been busy working with the Technical Groups over the past twelve months to design and create a range of resources.
Ocean advocate, stand up paddleboarder and plastic pollution campaigner, Cal Major has enjoyed a fantastic paddling career including becoming the first person in history to SUP the length of the UK.
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It was great to see access debate on the BBC Six O'Clock News last night.
With a range of social restrictions still in place, there's never been a better time to support your learning and development from the comfort of your sofa.
British Canoeing has marked one year to go until the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by launching by launching its Paddle to Tokyo Campaign and new Tokyo hub.
Hear from Ronny, who has been delivering courses in Norway, following the relaxation of Covid restrictions from the Norwegian Government.
The NEW Performance Coach Award is now available so why not start your Performance Coach journey today from the comfort of your sofa!
UK Coaching have published a series of new infographics on the timely topic of returning to coaching.
Canoe slalom athlete Kimberley Woods has been announced as a Jaffa Ambassador as part of fruit brand’s ongoing support of British Canoeing.
Paddling, whether that be canoeing, kayaking or stand up paddle boarding (SUP) has been listed as one of the top 10 things you CAN do this summer by the BBC.


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Online casino operator Metal Casino has today confirmed the signing of the self styled ‘Prince of Darkness’ Ozzy Osbourne as its new brand ambassador.
As part of the deal, Ozzy Osbourne will become a part owner of Metal Casino.
Metal Casino which launched in August this year, has partnered with some of hard rock’s biggest names to bring their players exclusive concert tickets, backstage access and l band merchandise along with cash prizes .
After leaving Black Sabbath, Ozzy went on to have a hugely successful solo career, selling more than 100 million records and winning three Grammy Awards. In 2006, Ozzy, along with Black Sabbath, was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Ozzy went on to reunite with Sabbath in 2013 for the release of the its first worldwide No.1 album, ‘13’, and embarked on world tours which ended with a final performance in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England, back in February.
Speaking about his latest rock collaboration with Metal Casino, Ozzy said: “The guys at Metal Casino told me that their brand was all about being true, relevant and dedicated to the customer and that really resonated with me.
“To me, that translated as keeping it real, keeping it original, and doing it all for your fans, and that’s all I’ve been trying to doing my whole f*ckin’ life.”
Clas Dahlén, Chief Marketing Officer at Metal Casino, added: “Ozzy Osbourne is a legend and now he’s a partner with Metal Casino. As far as we’re concerned, this is the biggest sponsorship deal in the world and we’re still in awe that our all-time hero is on board with the project.
“But the most important thing is, when we started Metal Casino, we knew it had to be more than just a casino, but a platform for a global community of metal heads and casino lovers to share their passion. With Ozzy’s help, we’re going to make this happen.”


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Computer Pundits Corporation Revenue and Competitors
Estimated Revenue & Valuation
- Computer Pundits Corporation's estimated annual revenue is currently $1.3M per year.
- Computer Pundits Corporation's estimated revenue per employee is $145,000
- Computer Pundits Corporation has 9 Employees.
Computer Pundits Corporation Competitors & Alternatives
|Competitor Name||Revenue||Number of Employees||Employee Growth||Total Funding||Valuation|
What Is Computer Pundits Corporation?
Number of Employees
Employee Growth %
Computer Pundits Corporation News
Some conservative pundits and legislators objected to this ... the Disney corporation has become a target after issuing a critical statement...
... an assistant professor of computer science at Binghamton University in New ... However, pundits on Fox have misleadingly conflated that...
The scandalous computer's contents included emails, text messages, ... MRC analysts found that anchors, reporters and pundits spent 18...
|Company Name||Revenue||Number of Employees||Employee Growth||Total Funding|


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Sega have released their earnings report for last year. Here’s a look at how their major games performed:
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (US/EU) – 3.28 million [Wii/3DS]
Sonic Generations (US/EU/JP) – 1.85 million [360/PS3/PC/3DS]
Virtua Tennis 4 (US/EU/JP) – 1.04 million [360/PS3/Wii/PC/Vita]
Football Manager 2012 (EU) – 710,000 [PC/PSP]
Yakuza: Dead Souls (US/EU/JP) – 550,000 [PS3]
Last year, Sega sold 17.2 million copies of packaged games, worldwide. For their ongoing fiscal year, they presently forecast a far lower 8.9 million. Of course, this estimate may change as the year goes on, but as previously reported, in the face of weak overseas sales, Sega are undergoing a major restructuring in order to focus on established brands.
Something of interest jumped out in Sega’s platform mix for the ongoing fiscal year, too. Sega estimate they’ll sell 380,000 units of software across three games on the Nintendo 3DS. Meanwhile, Sega estimate they’ll sell just 600,000 units of retail software across eight games on the PlayStation Vita. Next Hatsune Miku: Project Diva will be among Sega’s Vita releases this year, and should account for a fair portion of that 600K estimate.
This makes one wonder just how low sales of their other packaged Vita titles will be. Perhaps more of Sega’s Vita games will rely on digital revenue like Samurai & Dragon? For instance, Phantasy Star Online 2, which is scheduled for release sometime in 2013, will be a freely downloadable title powered by micro-transactions.
On a related note, while Sega’s packaged games business is suffering, their social games are thriving. One such title, Kingdom Conquest, has achieved 2.5 million downloads as of March. As a result, Sega said they will restructure themselves to focus on the development of digital and social games for mobiles, smartphones and PC.


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Back in 2015 it was officially confirmed that Nintendo would have attractions at Universal resorts / theme parks, and from late 2016 it started to get more official attention. Though not due until 2020, Nintendo even attended a ceremony and released a trailer (above) for the Tokyo attraction.
Super Nintendo World is also coming to Universal Orlando, of course, and according to WFTV (Hat-tip to GameXplain) recently released planning documents show that the Nintendo areas will be bigger than previously expected. A large area seems to be set aside for the project, including a Super Mario Land, along with Donkey Kong and Mario Kart areas.
It's all a good while away, of course, but it'll be interesting to see how these resorts turn out. Along with recent reports that Nintendo is close to a deal with Universal and Illumination to produce a CGI Mario movie, we could be looking ahead to a major multimedia push from the company.
Let us know whether you're excited about the prospect of Super Nintendo Land at Universal resorts.


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Holiday Inn Palm Beach International Airport, which opened for business earlier this month, is trying to attract business travelers with a package deal.
Called the "Easy Meeting Package," it offers a single room, breakfast, meeting Hotel building boom in Caribbean.Page 10room, wine and cheese reception, daily coffee break and other amenities for $86 a person a day. Sold as a package, the business expense is deductible from a corporation's income taxes.
"When you're the new kid on the block, you'd better be innovative," said Cesar Martino, general manager of the new 200-room Holiday Inn at Belvedere Road and Interstate 95 in West Palm Beach.
Innovation may be the key to staying in business for hotels situated around Palm Beach International Airport.
"It's going to be a case of whoever is the best marketer and salesperson," said Leo Gillespie, president of the Palm Beach County Hotel and Motel Association.
In the past year, three hotels have opened, adding more than 500 hotel rooms to the area. The hotels now situated around the airport are the Royce, Airport Hilton, Hyatt Palm Beaches, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn and Comfort Suites. At least two more large mixed-use projects that include hotels are proposed.
The new properties - Holiday Inn, Comfort Suites and Hampton Inn - have opened with an eye toward expansion of the airport, scheduled to be completed in 1988. Hotel analysts say there may be a larger supply than demand for hotel rooms for awhile, but each hotel should find its own niche.
"The airport expansion will double air traffic capacities and ultimately attract new airlines and carriers," said John Johnson, director of consulting services for Laventhol & Horwath in West Palm Beach.
Johnson said the airport area will be a very competitive market for the new hotels. "In the first year, occupancies will be tough. In the second year they will be a lot better," he said. "They need to contain their costs as efficiently as they can."
But some of the lowest occupancies have been reported around the airport, said Frank Compiani, manager of Pannell Kerr Forster in West Palm Beach. Compiani said he expects hotel room supply to exceed demand for the next three to five years.
The interest in the airport's expansion has caused prices for nearby land to skyrocket. Land is selling for as much as $18 to $28 a foot - triple and quadruple that of other areas in the county, Gillespie said.
Besides the airport expansion, the new hotels also are banking on a convention center to be built eventually in West Palm Beach and to bring large groups to the area. The four viable sites identified in a study by Laventhol & Horwath include two near the airport: at Belvedere Road and Australian Avenue (site of the proposed Gateway Center project) and just south of the airport. The top-ranked site is downtown.
Holiday Inn and the proposed Gateway Center are focusing on small business groups - the conference business. Holiday Inn has teleconferencing facilities and meeting rooms designed for use by state and regional groups.
Gateway Center, to be located on the southwest corner of Belevedere and Australian, is a $100 million mixed-use project. The first phase calls for a 300-room luxury hotel with teleconferencing facilities, audiovisual equipment and graphics studios.
The project is being planned by International Commercial Development, a Boca Raton firm whose president is Michael Carey. A limited partner in Gateway Center, which is currently seekly approval by the County Commission, is Ralph Biernbaum, owner of the Airport Hilton at Southern Boulevard and Australian Avenue.
A controversial provision in the Airport Hilton's 1981 lease with the county gave Biernbaum the right to refuse other hotels on airport property. The provision, being studied by the county attorney, calls for this exclusivity right until the Hilton has an 80 percent occupancy rate for three years.
Biernbaum said the hotel had an occupancy rate of 68.5 percent in 1986. Even so, Biernbaum may be considering selling the hotel, according to John Sansbury, former county administrator and a real estate broker. Biernbaum said the Airport Hilton was doing well, but that "anything's for sale" for the right price.
Another large, mixed-use project is being planned across the street from the Royce Hotel: Centrepark. It will be a 40-acre complex of office buildings, restaurants, retail shops and a 250-room luxury hotel. The project is being developed by John W. Galbreath & Co. of Columbus, Ohio, and the Hanna-Kent Co. of West Palm Beach.
Kent Wilmering, president of Hanna-Kent, said the developers are negotiating with a hotel company for an "upscale business class hotel" at the site. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer on the first office building and next year on the hotel.
Wilmering said he has no concerns about the airport hotel market becoming overcrowded.
"Everybody does a little different thing," he said.
But Arthur B. Pye Jr., co-owner of the first hotel to open in the airport area, the Hyatt Palm Beaches, said the oversaturated market has caused trouble. The Hyatt, which opened off Australian Avenue near Okeechobee Boulevard in 1981, is now the farthest away from the airport. It's also in foreclosure proceedings. Pye and partner Thomas E. Vavra III of Orlando said they're refinancing the property.
Johnson of Laventhol & Horwath said while the new properties will hurt for awhile, there isn't a long-term problem because the hotels each address different markets.
"The lodging industry is getting to be very product-oriented. Different products, bells and whistles for different markets," Johnson said.
The Royce, Airport Hilton and Hyatt are at the high end of the market, with rooms ranging from just under $100 to $145 for a single. The Holiday Inn, developed by Carrollton Enterprises of Boynton Beach, views those hotels as competitors although it has a lower average room rate of $80 for one person.
Martino of Holiday Inn said, "We're going against two formidable friendly enemies: The Royce and Hilton have good reputations. We have to reach for the biggest star, but we have no doubt we'll be very much in the same league."
The Hampton Inn, which opened in July 1986 and is situated next to the Holiday Inn property, was the first airport hotel offering moderate price rooms: an in-season rate of $65 for a single.
Comfort Suites, a new 175-suite hotel less than a mile north of the airport on Australian Avenue, offers single suites ranging from $79 to $89. The hotel, developed by The Cedarwood Cos. of Akron, Ohio, is the first all-suite entry into the market. About half of the Royce Hotel's 220 rooms are suites.
Stephen Selka, who manages the Royce Hotel chain, said the test for both the old and new properties will come this summer when the tourist traffic slows.
"There's demand in season. The real question is what happens in the summer. The lenders must come down and make their loans in March," Selka said. During the off-season - from May to October - the new rooms "will make it more difficult for everyone."


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GUATEMALA CITY — Seventh floor: geeks, computer screens, embryonic businesses — including one offering digital monsters from artists who worked on “The Chronicles of Narnia” film series.
Fifth floor: Milkn’Cookies, a more established company with 50 employees and an online game that teaches children how to recycle.
All the floors combined? Guatemala’s attempt to create a local Silicon Valley.
For now, it is just a single brick building called Campus Tecnológico, with workspaces, programming classes and eco-friendly signs asking people to turn off lights in unused bathrooms. But the developers’ goal is to turn this five- or six-block area in the city’s center into an entrepreneurial campus, and a residential outpost for the hip, savvy, successful and young.
“For people here, it’s the same as in Silicon Valley,” said Juan Mini, Campus Tec’s founder, who returned to Guatemala after starting a successful Internet company in California called ZipRealty. “What matters is your brain.”
A zone for meritocracy — that alone would be an achievement in Guatemala. Since the first coffee boom that began around 1875, Guatemala’s economy has been defined by wild swings, cronyism and wide income disparities, with ethnic and class divisions that have mostly kept the poor poor and the rich rich.
The current era of drug-fueled violence has added another challenge. Indeed, for all its left coast breeziness, Campus Tec is still a place that must be protected with shotgun-toting guards and biometric keypads that require approved thumbprints for entry. Even Mr. Mini admits it is not exactly what venture capitalists from Palo Alto, Calif., like to see.
And yet, as an urban microprocessor — a catalyst for change — Campus Tec is showing signs of promise. After about a year of operation, neighbors say it is already stirring a small revival in a district called 4 Grados that has had its ups and downs.
A San Francisco-style apartment building a few blocks away, with glass-fronted lofts (built by Mr. Mini’s cousin), recently filled up, selling out faster than many expected.
Certainly the young people in skinny jeans and too-tight plaid button-downs walking around at lunchtime on a recent afternoon were a welcome sight for business owners like Patricia Laparra, 43.
The owner of a designer glasses boutique near Campus Tec’s main entrance, Ms. Laparra was one of many surprised by Campus Tec’s impact. October was her second best month for sales since opening seven years ago. After a time when she thought she would have to close, she now says she has no plans to leave.
“They’re geeks,” she said, referring to Campus Tec’s 375 inhabitants. “They care about style. They’re cool.”
Many of the companies inside, under exposed air ducts meant to signify Important Creative Work, were founded by Guatemalans with foreign experience. The motion graphics start-up on the seventh floor, BigoMo, consisted of two people: one, Pedro Méndez, 28, had worked in Spain; the other, Kristoffer Hormander, 25, recently returned from three years at Full Sail University outside Orlando, Fla.
Both said that they came back to Guatemala because they felt there were more opportunities for creativity, and less competition for business. One recent independent report, from The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, found that the average cost to start a business in Guatemala is only $7,569, compared with $17,513 in Brazil and $39,670 in Costa Rica.
Technology in particular, Mr. Méndez said, offers a new path to success, a way for many young Guatemalans to overcome the usual social divides. “There’s a window of opportunity,” added his partner, Mr. Hormander.
Other company founders agreed. At Milkn’Cookies, Wendy Beatriz Ruiz Cofiño, 38, praised Campus Tec for showing that local entrepreneurs could come together, and grow. As the motto on her company chalkboard put it, in almost perfect English: “keeping together is a progress.”
And profits are not necessarily the only measure of success. Since the peace accords of 1996 ended decades of war in Guatemala, many entrepreneurs have been focusing on the union of technology and social policy, creating things like affordable water filters, or a program for distributing health information to cellphones.
Campus Tec has a taste of this as well. Tech4Mobile, a company on the other side of a grassy patio from Mr. Méndez and Mr. Hormander, recently built a computerized system to record votes in the Guatemalan Congress. Before the government installed the software, votes were rarely recorded.
María Mercedes Zaghi, the business development coordinator for Campus Tec, said that she hoped to recruit more companies with a similar focus. But for now, Campus Tec is full with a waiting list. That is partly why there are plans to add another building, with three times as much space.
“We need to make it bigger,” said Mr. Mini, who combines a family history in real estate with an M.B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. “It needs critical mass.”
But to get to that point, a final element is needed: financing. Apparently the Silicon Valley concept still requires Silicon Valley money.
Mr. Mini acknowledged that this would be the next significant challenge. Guatemala, after all, is still a place where progress can be upended by risk.
Just a few years ago, the 4 Grados area experienced a different kind of boom, with restaurants offering wine and middle-class families flocking to the cobblestone streets. Then the drunks and drug dealers came, the restaurants closed and the customers disappeared, residents said. Can Campus Tec and its geeks break the pattern? Mr. Mini sounded cautiously optimistic.
“I honestly think a new Guatemala is being born right now,” he said. “But,” he added, “it’s going to take time.”


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World’s best Comedian Daniel Tosh is riding repulsive Web video clips..
The great comedian Tosh Tour 2010 is soon to kick off and hecks of a lot of people are super excited about it. The tour is going to be from August 27 to Oct 3 in many cities including Philadelphia, Tucson, Phoenix, Dallas, Austin Houston and even East Retford, UK. Daniel Tosh is definitely going to be super busy for the next two months and it all because of his fans all around the world. Daniel Tosh is to 2010 what Dane Cook was a few years ago. He is one of, if not the most, famous comedians right now. This is mostly in part thanks to his show on Comedy Central, "Tosh.0," in which he features viral internet videos and puts his own humorous twist on them. Tosh will be performing two shows in St. Louis at the Pageant on Oct. 6, one at 7:30 p.m. and one at 10:30 p.m. I would encourage you to get cheap Daniel Tosh tickets fast, as he is sure to sell out both. Do not wait get tickets from ticketloot.com now and see the Tosh hilarious shows.
Ticketloot provides cheap Concerts, Shows, Sports and theater tickets.
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