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On Friday 17th April, the 12th annual ESTAS awards ceremony took place and the Suppliers of the Year were officially announced. We are delighted to confirm that Metropix won a ‘Best in Sector’ award for ‘Agency Floor Plans’, as well as making the Top Ten Supplier list.
We are extremely proud to have been recognised for our outstanding customer service to our clients by the largest and longest running award scheme in the UK residential property industry.
The ESTAS determines the best suppliers in the industry through research carried out amongst agents who are asked a series of questions about the service they have received from their suppliers. This years’ competition saw 25,000 surveys completed.
The winners were announced by Phil Spencer, the TV Property expert at the ceremony, which took place at the Hilton Park Lane.
Phil Spencer said “I think these awards help all firms to focus on customer service for the greater good of our own businesses as well as the wider industry. We must all drive standards higher, raising the bar in terms of the quality of advice we offer and the level of customer care we deliver”.
Simon Brown who owns the ESTAS said “The ESTAS are special because shortlisted and winning suppliers are selected purely on the service they deliver to their clients. In fact just taking part shows a firm’s commitment to their clients and to be shortlisted is a great achievement in itself. For the winners this is the highest accolade they can receive in the industry.”
Added Brian Farrell, managing director of Metropix: “Winning the ‘Best in Sector’ for floor plans as part of our tenth anniversary year is a great honour. We take our customer service very seriously because we know clients have a choice. This award proves that we are delivering on our promises and providing a service that our clients greatly value.”


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LG has affirmed that the organization will dispatch another W-arrangement telephone in India on June 26. According to mysteries posted on the authority LG India site, the up and coming LG W-arrangement telephone will pack triple back cameras that will bring a huge amount of highlights, for example, a committed night mode for better low-light photography results just as the capacity to take wide-edge photographs. Strikingly, LG’s new W-arrangement telephone will likewise give clients a chance to change the state of the waterdrop score on the telephone or even conceal it totally with a dark bar.
LG has effectively conveyed welcomes for the up and coming W-arrangement telephone dispatch on June 26 in India. Beside secrets on the organization’s legitimate site, a microsite has gone live on Amazon also with a similar item data and a ‘Tell Me’ catch.
According to the secret pictures, the new LG telephone will pack vertically stacked triple back cameras. And will be accessible in three shading choices with slope plan that resemble. A brilliant shade of blue, jade green, and dark. The telephone additionally seems to have a shiny edge going around the edges with a bended profile.
LG W LG
LG claims that the AI-helped cameras of the telephone bolster a huge amount of photography modes. And highlights, for example, night mode, representation mode, bokeh mode, and capacity to take wide-point photographs. The last affirms that one of the sensors on the telephone’s. Back board will be joined by a wide-edge focal point. However has not determined whether it will a be MediaTek SoC or a Qualcomm advertising.

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Luxury department store Harrods has reported a loss of £68m for the 52-week period ending 30 January 2021.
According to its latest set of accounts published on Companies House, it comes after its gross transaction value decreased by 51% to £1.09bn and its turnover also fell by 50% to £429m down from £870m the previous year.
It attributed the loss to the impact of Covid-19 with pandemic lockdowns and a severe reduction in the number of international travellers visiting the department store.
It also revealed its costs had increased by £500m due to an increase in import administration and taxes.
However, despite the impact of the pandemic the company said that growth remained “strong” and that its cash reserves also remained healthy. It has also extended the terms of a £620m loan and a £200m credit facility set to be repaid in April next year by 18 months.
The news comes after it was revealed that the department store could be facing strike action from a number of its restaurant workers. United Voices of the World, a members-led, campaigning trade union, confirmed on Twitter that it has written to the bosses at the luxury department store notifying them a dispute has started which could lead to strike action over Christmas.
It told The Guardian it was balloting members about a strike in Christmas week after demanding pay be raised to a minimum of £12 an hour, from just over £9 an hour at present.
A Harrods spokesperson told the paper: “Alongside the wider hospitality industry, Harrods has faced an extremely difficult 18 months, with long periods of closure that have entirely removed our ability to operate as normal. However, throughout this, our absolute priority has been the welfare of our staff and safeguarding as many jobs as possible.
“We are constantly reviewing our pay policies to ensure they are in line with industry best practice and as well as base salary, Harrods employees receive generous overtime, 100% service charge (minus a minor admin fee) and benefits package.”
Harrods has been contacted for comment.


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The government of Shenzhen, the southern Chinese tech hub where many cross-border online merchants are based, told the local “made in China, sold on Amazon” community that it will not intervene in their disputes with the US e-commerce giant, according to sources briefed about the decision.
An official from Shenzhen’s Commerce Bureau declared the government’s resolve to remain “neutral” in disputes with Amazon.com at a meeting with merchants last Friday, turning down requests that the city back these vendors’ legal actions against the US company, according to the sources who declined to be named because the discussions were private.
The same official told the merchants that the government cannot help their cause if they cannot prove that no rules of the US e-commerce platform were violated, the sources said. The government, however, will assist the affected merchants by introducing them to legal counsel.
While questionable practices like paying for positive reviews often go unchecked on Chinese e-commerce platforms, Amazon kicked off in May an extensive clean-up campaign targeting such activities. The crackdown has affected thousands of merchants, according to a report in July by the trade group Shenzhen Cross-Border E-commerce Association.
Neither the Shenzhen Commerce Bureau nor Amazon immediately replied to requests for comment.
It remains to be seen whether Shenzhen’s neutral stance will prompt Chinese online merchants to accelerate their efforts to seek alternative platforms to Amazon.
Amazon’s campaign has hit some of the biggest Chinese brands on its platform, including Aukey, Mpow and 340 stores owned by Shenzhen Youkeshu Technology Co. Youkeshu said more than 130mil yuan (RM84.67mil) of its funds have been frozen by the US e-commerce giant.
The Shenzhen government earlier this month offered cross-border e-commerce merchants a subsidy of 2mil yuan (RM1.30mil) for each independent online store, as Amazon continued with its crackdown on review fraud in its platform. Known as China’s Silicon Valley, Shenzhen is home to more than 40,000 firms involved in cross-border e-commerce, accounting for about 35% of the entire sector across mainland China.
Although some online merchants may disagree, the Shenzhen government’s stance is in line with that of China’s Ministry of Commerce.
As the country’s cross-border e-commerce industry has grown, differences in laws, cultures and acceptable business practices have led to Chinese companies facing serious challenges, said Li Xingqian, director of the ministry’s Foreign Trade Department, in a press conference last month. He indicated that China would help its companies comply with international standards and protect their “legitimate rights and interests”.
As more Chinese merchants have flocked to international retail sites like Amazon and eBay to reach overseas consumers, some have brought with them grey area practices common in Chinese online marketplaces. These include making up fake reviews and inflating sales numbers, according to industry insiders.
With Amazon less accommodating, some Chinese merchants are investing more on other online retail platforms, such as eBay and AliExpress. A global marketplace for overseas consumers to buy directly from manufacturers and distributors in China, AliExpress is a major business under Alibaba Group Holding, owner of the South China Morning Post. – South China Morning Post


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SEOUL, South Korea: Hyundai Motor Company on Thursday announced its financial results for Q2 (second quarter) of 2022.
The company’s revenue and operating profit from April to June rose 18.7 percent and 58 percent year-over-year to KRW 36 trillion and 2.98 trillion, respectively.
During the three-month period, Hyundai Motor posted operating profit margin of 8.3 percent, and net profit, including non-controlling interest, increased 55.6 percent to KRW 3.08 trillion.
Hyundai sold 976,350 units around the globe in the second quarter, a 5.3 percent decrease from the year earlier. Sales in markets outside of Korea were down by 4.4 percent to 794,052 units, and sales in Korea decreased 9.2 percent to 182,298 units. The decrease in sales volume mainly stemmed from the ongoing global chip and component shortage and geopolitical issues.
A robust sales mix of SUV and Genesis luxury models, reduced incentives from a lower level of inventory, and a favorable foreign exchange environment helped lift revenue in the second quarter, despite the slowdown in sales volume amid an adverse economic environment.
Hyundai’s EV model sales surged 49 percent from a year earlier to 53,126 units in the second quarter, accounting for 5.4 percent of its total sales volume.
The company maintains its financial guidance that was set in January for 13~14 percent of consolidated revenue growth and 5.5~6.5 percent annual consolidated operating profit margin.
Hyundai Motor’s board today approved a plan to pay an interim dividend of KRW 1,000 per common share.
Hyundai to optimize business operations with electrification leadership around the world
Hyundai Motor expects a gradual recovery from the global chip and component shortage. However, the company also anticipates external uncertainties to continue, including the supply chain disruption caused by the resurgence of a COVID-19 variant and fluctuation in raw material costs due to geopolitical issues.
In addition, the company expects currency rate volatility as well as increasing marketing costs due to fiercer competition among automakers as a burden for the rest of this year.
In order to cope with the uncertainties, the company will focus on the recovery of sales through an optimized production-sales plan in global operations that will enhance its product mix with SUVs and luxury models to secure robust profitability.
In addition, Hyundai will continue to strengthen its global leadership position in electric vehicles with its new IONIQ 6 battery electric vehicle, which will launch in the third quarter.


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Many of us have heard about the potentially harmful effects of blue light that comes from using electronic devices like our phones and laptops much of the day. In fact, Nielsen conducted a study in 2018 and found American adults spend more than 11 hours per day on their devices watching videos, responding to emails, reading articles, and scrolling through social media. It makes sense that there may be potential to harm our eyes in the process.
Given that today, most of us are even more dependent on our devices working from home during the pandemic, it’s being given more consideration. In fact, many ophthalmologists are recommending lens with blue light filters to help block us from harmful light. But is blue light bad?
Harvard researchers conducted a study in 2019 to see whether blue light can have damaging effects on our eyes. They found “the amount of blue light from electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets, LCD TVs, and laptop computers, is not harmful to the retina or any other part of the eye,” and doesn’t actually contribute to macular degeneration.
The reason, they found, was because the amount of light emitted from consumer electronics isn’t enough to be harmful. “Recent iPhones have a maximum brightness of around 625 candelas per square meter (cd/m2),” researched stated. “Brighter still, many retail stores have an ambient illumination twice as great. However, these sources pale in comparison to the sun, which yields an ambient illumination more than 10 times greater!” Being outdoors is where most of us get blue light exposure, however, we aren’t staring into the sun as we often do with our electronics.
The issue with blue light is that it passes through the cornea and lens all the way back to the retina. “The fact that blue light penetrates all the way to the retina (the inner lining of the back of the eye) is important,” say experts, “because laboratory studies have shown that too much exposure to blue light can damage light-sensitive cells in the retina. This causes changes that resemble those of macular degeneration, which can lead to permanent vision loss.”
The jury is still out on how much blue light is “too much,” so there are varying opinions as to whether people should take preventative measures to protect our eyes.
For those concerned or feel like they have significant eye strain or discomfort after staring at your screens all day, there are preventative measures you can take. Blue light filters are available on many smartphones and laptops and are built into the devices themselves. Others can be purchased wherever you bought your device. These can help reduce the amount of blue light without impacting your visibility.
As mentioned above, some doctors are recommending blue light-lens for your computer glasses as a way to reduce blue light exposure. Anti-reflective coatings are another option that can filter out blue light as well. As with anything, talk to your eye doctor about the options first to know which is best for you and what the potential cost will be to add this to your prescription.
Blue light is all around us and is transmitted by the sun, fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs, and other sources. It’s nothing new, but the fact that we spend so much time staring at our screens makes it a subject worth discussing.
A 2020 study published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology found that during COVID-19 lockdowns, “32.4 percent of the study population used a blue-light-emitting device 9 to 11 hours a day. Another 15.5 percent used the devices 12 to 14 hours a day,” due to working from home. Add to that the fact that kids who are distance learning from laptops and other devices instead of looking at a teacher are being exposed to blue light at a much greater rate, and it becomes a cause for concern.
Luckily, it seems the experts agree that blue light in and of itself isn’t a major worry. If you do have concerns or have a history of eye-related illnesses in your family, speak to your doctor and find out options that may work for you as protection. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Maybank is eyeing to raise the participation of small and medium enterprise (SME) clients in Malaysia on its digital platform to 80% in the next 12 months through the launch of the Maybank2u Biz app.
Group chief executive officer of community financial services Datuk John Chong said at present, nearly 60% of SMEs in Malaysia are Maybank customers.
Of these, 67% to 68% are already on its digital platform, he told reporters after the launch of the all-new business banking app yesterday.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, there were about 1.15 million SMEs in Malaysia in 2020, representing 97.2% of total business establishments.
Group president and chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Farid Alias said the launch of Maybank2u Biz reaffirms the bank’s commitment to supporting the backbone of the country during this period of significant change.
“With its intuitive interface, easy navigation, and useful business tools, we believe Maybank2u Biz will be well-received by the SMEs,” he added.
Abdul Farid said Maybank2u Biz was developed to help business owners manage multiple tasks while on the go.
It is suitable for partnerships, private limited companies, professional firms, educational institutions, clubs, societies and associations.
Maybank2u Biz helps simplify day-to-day banking and is equipped with the invoicing tool, which allows business owners to create, issue and track invoices.
The bank said SMEs could also easily access its in-depth financial information through the application.
Maybank has also introduced Secure2u feature on the app to safeguard transactions.
Maybank2u Biz application can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and Apple AppStore. — Bernama


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Viamedia | September 20, 2022
Viamedia, the leading fully-integrated independent cross-media local advertising company, today announced a long-term partnership with HolstonConnect, a wholly owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of Holston Electric Cooperative. Viamedia’s technology uniquely allows the operator to seamlessly integrate local ads using Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) tools into the MobiTV streaming platform and expands Viamedia’s ad sales representation into Knoxville and the Tri-Cities region, adding to its growing national footprint.
“Viamedia has always been at the forefront of innovation, delivering advanced solutions that make advertising simpler, more effective, and more profitable. Selecting Viamedia to represent our ad sales was an easy decision,” said James Sandlin, General Manager at HolstonConnect. “With Viamedia’s undivided support, our advertisers, businesses and communities have the solutions they need to ensure success, at a time when it’s never been more critical.”
“Holston is essential to residents and businesses throughout Tennessee,” said David Solomon, Viamedia’s president and CEO.
“Holston is essential to residents and businesses throughout Tennessee,” said David Solomon, Viamedia’s president and CEO. “The company represented a unique challenge and special opportunity. With Viamedia’s innovative, cross-media advertising technology and sales representative team, Holston can not only increase revenues, but also integrate fully with MobiTV. We hope Holston’s success will become a roadmap for other operators looking to maximize local ad sales. Especially on the MobiTV platform.”
HolstonConnect is a not-for-profit, East Tennessee broadband fiber network provider offering high-speed Internet, TV, and phone services. Headquartered in Rogersville, Tennessee, Holston continues to deliver the most popular content, advanced services and new solutions to its customers in Knoxville and the Tri-Cities region.
The expanded partnership reinforces Viamedia’s national footprint. Today, the company manages sales and operations for more than 60 cable companies across 69 of the nation’s top designated market areas (DMAs), bringing invaluable opportunities for advertisers to reach local audiences in markets across the country.
Viamedia places over 1MM ads a day in more than 130 zones in 28 states across 60+ markets nationwide, aggregating all forms of TV audiences and providing a single point of sale to more than 6,000 local, regional, and national advertisers. It provides a comprehensive portfolio of audience and impression-based local video cross-media advertising solutions that bridge the gap between linear TV and digital programmatic advertising.
Viamedia’s patented, cloud based QTTTM platform utilizes a proprietary technology stack and is designed to enable ad campaigns to be more efficient and easier to execute, by utilizing rich data to deliver targeted, dynamic ads to consumers via linear television.
Viamedia also offers a complimentary suite of impression-based digital products for streaming, mobile, display, email, search, social and more. Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, the company’s success is built on its people, processes and proprietary software.
For more information, please visit https://viamediatv.com.
Holston Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit distributor of TVA power that provides safe, reliable and affordable energy to more than 30,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Hawkins and Hamblen counties. Visit www.holstonelectric.com to learn more.
LG Ads Solutions | September 16, 2022
LG Ads Solutions, the connected TV and cross-screen advertising service, today announced a global rollout of its proprietary automatic content recognition (ACR) technology across LG TVs globally. The rollout will replace legacy technology, and put the new ACR solution on millions of smart TVs across Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Australia.
As of September, LG Ads Solutions will be the exclusive provider of all LG CTV inventory and data on a worldwide basis. The rollout covers 27 countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Australia. ACR provided by LG Ads Solutions is already active on LG smart TVs in the U.S.
Chief Executive Officer Raghu Kodige said, “This ACR rollout marks the next major phase of our global CTV advertising business with LG Ads Solutions."
Chief Executive Officer Raghu Kodige said, “This ACR rollout marks the next major phase of our global CTV advertising business with LG Ads Solutions. It is a highly significant moment for brands across four continents, who increasingly need to reach cord-cutters and light-TV viewers who have migrated to OTT services, and to understand incremental reach over traditional linear TV services. Now with LG Ads Solutions, brands globally can plan, activate, and measure CTV advertising using the industry’s best ACR data set to help guarantee campaign success.”
Chris Jo, Senior Vice President, Head of Platform Business at LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company, said, “Since the LG Ads Solutions launch, the team has created tremendous momentum for the business globally. This ACR rollout is another great milestone that demonstrates their drive, commitment to excellence, and dedication to bringing the best possible advertising solutions to brands and agencies around the world.”
The ACR data, which is in global and regional compliance with all consumer data privacy regulations, helps brands understand, in an anonymized fashion, which TV ads have aired, or not aired, and how many times, in any given household. For brands, this means it can increase frequency levels for underexposed households, cap frequency for overexposed households, conquest households that are exposed to competitor’s ads, and more. Of major importance, it informs brands and agencies which households they are missing completely due to cord-cutting.
The data can also be used to measure the effectiveness of the ad. Two use cases, for example, are that it can determine if an ad drove viewers to a particular TV show or movie, or if it drove downloads and registrations to an OTT app or service.
LG Ads Solutions already powers CTV campaigns in over 40 countries globally. Now, brands in any country covered by the ACR rollout can immediately begin working with LG Ads Solutions to understand TV audience viewership in their country at a granular level, in order to pinpoint granular audience segments and to optimize reach, frequency, and ad effectiveness across linear and streaming television.
About LG Ads Solutions
LG Ads Solutions is the leading connected TV and cross-screen advertising service, helping brands find hard-to-get unduplicated reach at optimal frequency across the fragmented TV landscape, and maximize return on ad spend. The company brings together LG’s years of experience in delivering premium home entertainment products to consumers worldwide, with big TV audience data and Video AI designed to connect brands with audiences across all screens and understand resulting business outcomes. We are growing fast globally, and we are hiring! Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Human Security | September 26, 2022
HUMAN Security, Inc. (formerly White Ops), the global leader in safeguarding enterprises from digital attacks with modern defense, today announced the discovery and disruption of a highly sophisticated fraud operation targeting advertising software development kits (SDKs) within 9 apps on the Apple App Store and 80 Android apps on the Google Play Store, which collectively have been downloaded more than 13 million times. The attack, nicknamed Scylla, is an adaptation of a fraud scheme first observed and disrupted by HUMAN’s Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team in 2019. While the attack is ongoing and actively being monitored by the Satori team, HUMAN has collaborated with Apple, Google and others to take down the fraudulent apps from their respective app stores.
“Our number one goal is to protect our customers and the digital ecosystem from cybercriminals such as those behind these attacks. The only way we can do this is with modern defense where we can work together across the industry on disruptions like Scylla,” said HUMAN Co-Founder and CEO Tamer Hassan.
“Our number one goal is to protect our customers and the digital ecosystem from cybercriminals such as those behind these attacks. The only way we can do this is with modern defense where we can work together across the industry on disruptions like Scylla,” said HUMAN Co-Founder and CEO Tamer Hassan. “We will continue to remain vigilant for other similar attacks and harness the work of collective protection—where an attack on one is a protection event for all—disrupting the economics of cybercrime. That’s the only way we win. ”
Scylla is the third wave of an operation HUMAN first uncovered in 2019, in which a collection of 40+ Android apps openly committed multiple types of ad fraud. That scheme, nicknamed Poseidon after elements of the code within the apps, was disrupted by the Satori team’s reverse engineering efforts, resulting in Google removing the apps from its Play Store. A 2020 adaptation of the scheme, nicknamed Charybdis after the daughter of Poseidon, incorporated additional code obfuscation and SDK targeting techniques.
Today’s announcement of the disruption of Scylla—named after the granddaughter of Poseidon—reflects a new evolution from the threat actors behind the scheme. While the Poseidon and Charybdis operations centered wholly on Android apps, the Satori team has found evidence that Scylla additionally targets iOS apps and has expanded the attack to other parts of the digital advertising ecosystem.
HUMAN’s Satori team worked closely with the Google Play Store and Apple App Store to ensure all of the apps identified as being associated with the Scylla operation have been removed from public access. HUMAN also closely collaborated with impacted advertising SDK developers to mitigate the impact of the operation to their processes and their advertising partners. Customers of HUMAN’s MediaGuard solution are protected from fraud associated with Scylla and with its predecessors.
Apps within the Scylla operation committed fraud through a variety of tactics, including:
App spoofing, in which the Scylla apps pretended to be other apps for the purpose of digital advertising,
Hidden ads, in which the apps would render advertisements in places a user couldn’t actually see them, and
Fake clicks, in which the apps would keep track of real clicks on advertisements in order to fake additional clicks later.
These tactics, combined with the obfuscation techniques first observed in the Charybdis operation, demonstrate the increased sophistication of the threat actors behind Scylla. This is an ongoing attack, and users should consult the list of apps in the report and consider removing them from all devices. As this attack has evolved multiple times already, the Satori team has withheld certain details about the operation in order to better track and report on further adaptation.
HUMAN verifies the humanity of more than 15 trillion digital interactions per week, offering enterprises a platform with unmatched visibility into fraudulent activity across the Internet. HUMAN achieves this scale through its continued expansion in cybersecurity, including its recent merger with PerimeterX, now offering a suite of products to protect the complete digital customer journey. With new partners and enterprises now able to leverage the Human Defense Platform, comes an even deeper understanding of the cybercrime landscape, enabling HUMAN to adapt continuously, staying ahead of adversaries with modern defense (leveraging internet visibility, network effect, and disruptions), and safeguarding clients with collective protection against threat models they have yet to encounter.
The Satori team used numerous tools to identify Scylla and its operators, whose information has been shared with law enforcement. To learn more about the Scylla operation, visit the HUMAN blog.
HUMAN is a cybersecurity company that safeguards 500+ customers from digital attacks including sophisticated bots, fraud and account abuse. We leverage modern defense—internet visibility, network effect, and disruptions—to enable our customers to increase ROI and trust while decreasing end-user friction, data contamination, and cybersecurity exposure.Today we verify the humanity of more than 15 trillion interactions per week across advertising, marketing, e-commerce, government, education and enterprise security, putting us in a position to win against cybercriminals. Protect your digital business with HUMAN. To Know Who’s Real, visit www.humansecurity.com.


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General Motors is recalling Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain models for their failing tire pressure monitoring systems, which might not work as intended.
Read This Article
We've already sampled the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, but its upmarket twin, the 2014 GMC Sierra made its official debut today.
General Motors has announced that it will be producing the all-new Chevrolet Trax compact crossover, along with a new generation of full-size pick-up trucks, at its assembly facilities in Mexico.
You're looking at getting a crossover that will share parking lot space with your friends' Land Rovers and Audis.


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By JAMIE NULL
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD,Va. — Randy Rose’s first car ride was in 1966 Ford Mustang. It was April of 1973. Rose, now 41, was a baby, riding home from the hospital. The Mustang was his parents’ car.
“I probably took many rides as a baby. It was the first car I remember riding in,’ Rose said.
A resident of Bluefield, Va., Rose said his first tangible memory was riding in the car to a small grocery store in Tazewell with his mom and grandma.
When the car started to show some wear and tear, Rose begged his dad to keep the ’66 model.
“It had high miles, but he kept it for me. In my middle school years, we pulled it in the garage and restored it. I spent my high school years in the garage working with my dad,” Rose said,
He even wrote his term paper about the classic car. His teacher wasn’t sure if his topic would render a high grade, but Rose ended up getting an A plus. The red Mustang, with white interior, became Rose’s pride and joy in high school and in his early 20s. He experienced a lot of firsts in the car — prom, graduation and his first date with his wife Stacy.
“The car is tied into the family,” he said.
Since those early years, Rose has owned five Mustangs. He had to sell a few along the way. But he still has two — the family ’66 and a special edition Cobra. On his wish list is a 1967 Mustang Shelby GT350.
This year, Ford Mustang celebrates 50 years. In April, the company debuted the 2015 Mustang. Celebrations were held in Las Vegas, N.V., and Charlotte, N.C.
Richard Smith, 38, of Bluefield, said the anniversary is important because the Mustang has been in production for 50 continuous years while other sports cars have seen their production stopped by manufactures.
“Besides the Corvette, the Mustang is probably one of the most American cars on the road and being able to say it has been on the road for 50 years is something special,” Smith said.
Ford released the Mustang on April 17, 1964, for $2,368. On the first day, dealers took 22,000 orders. It was a win for Ford.
“The car was developed by Lee Laccocca, as a sporty car for the baby boomers,” Smith said. “It was actually based off European designs from the Ferrari and Jacquar. The car was built off the Ford Falcon chassis and redesigned as the Mustang. The name came from the P-51 Mustang fighter plane from WWII,” Smith said.
An avid Mustang fan, he fell in love with the car in his early teens. His first car was the ’66 coupe. Then, he wanted a 1967-1968 Mustang Fastback. It took three years of work and a lot of time to get the car ready. Smith, his dad and brother built the car. His aunt’s husband painted the car and his best friend’s dad from high school built the engine. Nicknamed “Old Red”, Smith takes that Mustang to car shows and cruise-ins.
“I am currently working on a 1967 Fastback Mustang that I am building into a Shelby GT-500 replica. When completed the car will look like the one from the move ‘Gone in 60 seconds,’ which is known as ‘Eleanor,’ probably one of the most famous Mustangs ever built ... It will be pepper gray metallic with black stripes and should be a blast to drive,” he said.
Both Smith and Rose attended the April 17 anniversary celebration in Charlotte.
For Rose, the highlight of the event was the special edition 2015. Thousands of Mustang fans attended the celebration.
Smith said, “It was a neat experience.”
“You got to see all those Mustangs in the same location. It was a lifetime experience,” Smith said.
Rose believes the Mustang won’t be forgotten in the years to come. With so many different models and packages, the car is obtainable to folks in the middle to upper income levels. Not to mention it is iconic and part of America’s culture.
For his family, it is a car full of personal history.
“Even my son learned to drive in the Mustang,” Rose said. “One day it will be his.”


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Apple stock closed at $146.10. At close: October 4 04:00PM EDT
Since the European Union has unanimously approved a reform requiring tech businesses to use the charging standard in what it claims will reduce costs and electronic waste, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and other consumer electronics companies will be compelled to use a USB-C charging connection for their gadgets.
The legislation, which was approved on Tuesday, is anticipated to help the EU eliminate 11,000 tons of electronic waste annually and save consumers $250 million, or 250 million euros, on what the bloc called “unnecessary charger purchases.”
According to the change, laptops will be exempt from this need until 2026, while all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras marketed in the EU must enable USB-C charging. The law also applies to other consumer electronics, such as e-readers, handheld video game consoles, headphones, and more.
Samsung (OTCPK:SSNLF) and other device manufacturers may also be impacted due to the broad range of consumer electronics being touched.
The report’s author, Alex Agius Saliba, said in a statement that “we have waited more than ten years for these guidelines, but we can finally leave the current variety of fees in the past.” “This future-proof regulation enables the development of cutting-edge charging methods in the future, and it will benefit everyone – from disgruntled consumers to our vulnerable environment,” says the author.
Previous chargers that could be used with older models of devices won’t be permitted under the new regulations. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has previously claimed that mandating USB-C charging connections on iPhones—which use the firm’s exclusive Lightning connector—would increase electronic waste and stifle innovation.
According to recent sources, Apple is developing an iPhone that would accept USB-C charging, and the product might be available as early as 2023. n602 members voted in favor of the reform, 13 opposed it, and 8 abstained. According to third-party figures cited by Morgan Stanley on Monday, net revenue for Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store fell 5% from the same month last year.
Apple Stock Analysis
The IBD Shares Checkup gives Apple stock a 76 out of a maximum potential 99 IBD Composite Rating. A blend of important technical and fundamental criteria called the Composite Rating, which makes it simple to find top growth stocks and aids investors in determining a stock’s strengths.
Featured Image- Megapixl @ Andreistanescu


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Manufacturers shipped 216.2 million smartphones worldwide in Q1, 2013, compared with 189 million regular cellphones, according to IDC. IDC Q1, 2013 numbers compare facorably to 402.4 million units in the Q1,2012 (YoY) and down from 483.2 million units in the Q4, 2012.Smartphones thus made up 51.6 percent of the 418.6 million mobile phones shipped. The shift to a global majority of smartphones is now being driven by consumers in developing countries such as China, India and Indonesia.
Samsung retains the smartphone crown taking 32.7% of the market shipping out 70.7 million smartphones – thus becoming the defacto Android standard. Samsung’s up 61% over a year earlier.Apple slipped in its numbers to close Q1, 2013 at 17.3% of the smartphone market share with 37.4 mln units. Apple’s market share market share fell to 17% from 23% a year earlier. Samsung’s dominance of the smartphone markets is so superior that it ships more smartphones than its next 4 competitors put together.
Total Mobile phone shipments increased 4% YoY driven solely by 41% increase in smartphones compensating 19% drop in dumbphones.
This is third and concluding part of a series of posts that discuss the Rise and Fall of Educomp track the growth of the prodigal education services company and track the factors that led to its fall. Read Part I and Part II here.
A Capex intensive balance sheet and a diffused sense of direction aside, it was Educomp’s financial wizardry and creative accounting that puts the spotlight on Educomp taking what is clearly a unsustainable basis for business. Educomp formed Edusmart, an ‘unrelated’ company headed by one of Educomp’s senior executives. The new company took over all of Educomp’s newer five-year school contracts, pledged the receivables with banks in return for roughly 75 percent of the amount as a lump sum, most of which it meekly handed over to Educomp. This innovative technique even ended up making its debt disappear for a while. Educomp itself was the guarantor of the bank loans to Edusmart.
The model’s sole purpose seemed to allow Educomp to book three-fourths of a school’s five-year annuity revenue right upfront, thus inflating revenue and profits. Clearly, the move was amied at keeping the securitised debt off Educomp’s books as contingent liability, otherwise the higher leverage ratio would have meant banks wouldn’t lend money for their K-12 schools business. This is why Educomp’s total debt as of March 2012 is just Rs 337 crore, while its total liabilities were Rs 2,148 crore. When Educomp saw growth slowing down because they’d penetrated most premium ICSE and CBSE schools, a better way would have been to educate the market and make itself more sustainable instead of changing their accounting model by using a private company to book revenue upfront.
And just when, you would think the list of follies was closing, Educomp stepped into even more capital-intensive setup by deciding to buy the land on which to put up its schools instead of long-term leases like most competitors. Schools are valued on the basis of their cash flows, not land banks. Because whatever the land’s real value, on the school’s books it can only be notional because it can’t ever be de-linked and sold. Today, the 47 schools run by Educomp have nearly 50,000 seats between them, filled with only 22,000 students.
In India any educational services company should be a private and not public listed business. While listing might bring capital, it will inevitably also force businesses to take unsustainable steps to drive higher growth and valuation. In Educomp’s case it was a combination of poor execution, lack of adequate planning and oversight, and overreach as its businesses grew at a faster pace than its management capability.
Lately and Belatedly Educomp seems to have realized its mistakes. Post a $155 million infusion by International Finance Corporation, Proparco and Mount Kellett – Educomp seems to be focusing on a transformation plan that seeks to focus the company’s attention on two primary businesses: The content-based Smart Class and the asset-backed K-12 schools. Most other businesses will be sold off progressively.
Since July last year Educomp has sold off its stake in Eurokids, a pre-school chain and raised Rs 22 crore for its online learning subsidiary authorGen in a funding round led by private equity firm Kaizen. Pearson is likely to acquire its entire stake in the loss making IndiaCan venture imminently. Also up for sale are Educomp’s majority stake in coaching firm Vidyamandir Classes and test preparation company Gateforum.
But would that be enough? I guess not. Educomp will find it difficult to bounce back to its former glory – the market today is more crowded and perhaps more specialized. Educomp will be one of the bigger players (perhaps the biggest), but the markets would have split into fragments – all of which Educomp will not recover.
Reproduced from Article on Forbes: The Rise and the Fall of Educomp (April 8, 2013)
This is Part II of a series of posts that discusses the Rise and Fall of Educomp track the growth of the prodigal education services company and track the factors that led to its fall. Read Part I here
From an asset light services to a capex laden balance sheet player – Educomp was getting its business mode wrong – Why did Shantanu Prakash (CEO, Founder) and Educomp move to this business model which would take in more capital and where the money would not come in quickly? The Answer – The lure of high valuation. In January 2008, it’s price-earnings multiple was 27.8 (today it is just a fraction of that at 6.77).
Buoyed by Educomp’s rosy growth numbers, between 2008 and 2009 investment banks and broking firms started putting out fat reports on the massive pot of gold at the end of the education rainbow. And Educomp was buoyed by its greed to ride the wave. The potential market was estimated at $30-35 billion across various education segments like multimedia-in-classrooms, privately run K-12 schools, vocational training, preschools, coaching classes and higher education.
Secondly Shantanu Prakash and Educomp diffused the effort over too many businesses in education using every conceivable strategic tool. For instance, Educomp’s joint ventures list reads-
IndiaCan with Pearson Plc (Vocational training)
Raffles Millenium colleges with Raffles Education
Topper TV with Network 18 in the TV space.
There were investments and acquisitions
PurpleLeap in vocational training
Vidya Mandir and Gateforum in test preparation
Eurokids in preschools.
And of course there were numerous new subsidiaries of which its own brand of K-12 schools was the most significant one.
Educomp’s annual report for 2009-10 listed 15 directly held subsidiaries, 28 indirectly held ones, five joint ventures and 14 associate companies spread across India, Singapore, Canada, USA and the British Virgin Islands.
Diffused sense of direction alongwith an awry business model is one of the worst cocktails and Educomp was brewing this.
Continued in Part III
Reproduced from Article on Forbes: The Rise and the Fall of Educomp (April 8, 2013)
This is part 1 of a series of posts that will discuss the Rise and Fall of Educomp track the growth of the prodigal education services company and track the factors that led to its fall.
For a company that almost single-handedly created the hype around money-making opportunities in school education, Educomp’s stock is down 72% YoY; 84%over two years; 91% over three years. Its market capitalisation has fallen from Rs 7,000 crore in November 2009 to just Rs 786 crore as of May 1st 2013. Of the $150 million in new funding it raised in July 2012 from three foreign investors, two-thirds would go to pay back a five-year-old foreign currency loan it couldn’t repay on its own, given the debt and liabilities on its stressed balance sheet.
Educomp’s rise to glory is a story not too far away in history – From 2006 to 2012, revenues jumped 30X (from Rs 51 crore to Rs 1,500 crore); profits jumped 30X (from Rs 6 crore to Rs 180 crore); school customers increased 200X ( from 75 to 15,000) plus 250 preschools, 47 schools with 22,000 students and 350 vocational training centres. However, the devil they say is in numbers – and Educomp’s net profit margin has fallen 61 percent during the last four years; the net cash generated by its operations has been falling significantly for the last three years; the time taken to collect its money from customers almost doubled in the last four years; and most importantly, its overall liabilities in 2012 were over twice its revenues.
Educomp’s biggest star is the Smart Class – an interactive multimedia heavy digitally powered teaching experience which supplement the normal textbook and blackboard approach. To make things easier, Educomp does not charge for the infrastructure and works on a per student monthly fee for a contract period. The school in turn would pass the cost as a monthly fee increase of Rs.150-Rs.200 per student. Driven by the paucity of good teaching mediums, the technology enabled Smart-Class grew from 100 schools in 2006 to over 6550 schools in 2011.
While all that business and growth is hunky dory – the reality bites in when one accounts for delayed payments from schools and sometimes no payments from schools. The risk is that this technology sales model becomes akin to the sub-prime mortgage scenario that caused the credit crisis in the US. Like in the US where loans were given to people who did not have the repayment capacity, there is some danger that ambitious schools looking for a magic bullet are buying hardware and software they ultimately can’t afford.
It is the job of a financing institution, not an educational services vendor, to finance a school. Otherwise you end up bearing business risk, execution risk and financing risk. Unfortunately the business model of Educomp was treading the risk bit a little too high. Educomp initial assent on the bourses was because it was supposed to be ‘asset-light’ education software company that would scale with lightning speed. Unfortunately the business model chosen was driving Educomp from an ‘asset-light’ education services player into being a balance-sheet player.
Reproduced from Article on Forbes: The Rise and the Fall of Educomp (April 8, 2013)
ABi research reports that the tablet market will grow this year by 38% to 150 million units. But the Microsofts and Blackberrys will contiunue missing the boat! With 3% of the current Tablet markets globally, Microsoft, Blackberry and other unidentified OS implementations don’t show signs of significant growth.
The ABI Research report says that an estimated 150 million tablets will ship in 2013, worth an estimated $64 billion.The total number of tablets will grow by a projected 38% over 2012, and the total revenue will grow a projected 28%. Last year, according to ABI, 60% of tablet used iOS, 37% used Android, and the remaining 3% was made up of “others”.
App publisher Animoca recently calculated the top 12 Android tablets, based on app usage, and it found that five of the top six are 7-inchers- and with iPad Mini touting the 7″+ form factor – Tablet markets in the foreseeable future could look to stabilize at 7″ form factor.
Theoretically, that could bode well for Microsoft, because the company is said to be at work on a 7-inch Surface tablet. Surface tablets haven’t sold well, but perhaps a less-expensive and smaller form factor would help. A possible winner would be a 7-inch Windows tablet that takes advantage of Microsoft’s partnership with Barnes and Noble and taps into B&N’s vast book repository and growing video offerings, as well as into Microsoft’s successful Xbox-based gaming ecosystem.
Still, if ABI Research numbers are right, Microsoft so far hasn’t been able to tap into people’s growing desire for tablets, and won’t in the foreseeable future.
As the industry waits with baited breath for reliance Jio to create the landmark disruption, there has been an uproar over VoLTE i.e Voice service over LTE spectrum. Reliance Jio paid Rs 1,658-crore fee to the government for supporting 4G VoLTE on its universal services licence. VoLTE was the final piece that would complete Reliance Jio’s portfolio of services. However is that really a disruptor as it is purported to be?
Voice Telephony on LTE is made possible through apps such as Skype. However, with prohibitive CAPEX on full carpet area coverage – Data connectivity in a wide carpet area will be patchy at best. It means no voice calls when driving or outside city limits.
The 2,300 MHz spectrum, is one of the worst when it comes to creating a large area network. Compared to a GSM/HSPA 900 MHz; LTE on 2300MHz requires exponentially higher number of towers in one shot. Voice is not profitable enough, to support such high infrastructure costs.
Thirdly, Voice requires a better quality of experience. A data subscriber rarely notices fluctuations in speed, but a user in a moving vehicle will expect the same call quality throughout. Thus, for data services can afford lower initial investments and expand incrementally afterward, but for voice telephony, all investments are needed up front.
The one way VoLTE might make commercial sense is if Reliance acquires or partners with an existing mobile operator, such that its current 2G or 3G network becomes the fallback network that will carry voice calls or data when 4G airwaves aren’t around. That appears to be the only way Voice can happen for Reliance Jio. (Or alternatively, a tie up with Reliance (Anil Ambani) could provide Mukesh Ambani the where with all to su[pport voicee services).
Thus VoLTE under the current understanding is not the disruption as many earlier thought it to be.
For many of the marketers out there – there is not a great case for Tablets and Smartphones together. Most of them view tablets as a passing fad. This equation is perhaps complicated by the announcement of Phablets as a hybrid form and use factor! However, is Tablet really a fad?
A recent report published by the Adobe Digital Index is an eye opener. For February 2013, Tablets are attributed to be driving more traffic to websites than smartphones. The report is based on 100 billion visits to more than 1,000 websites worldwide over the last year – hence this isnt a fluke that you had blow over. Adobe attributes this shift in web browsing patterns primarily to the device’s form factor, which lends itself to leisurely (and more comfortable) browsing than smaller touch devices.
Listing down a key points on how and why Tablets are not a fad. They are here for good-
1. Frankly, with both WiFi Tablets and Entry-level Smartphones penetrating the $50 price point – the screen size is a big enabler for tablets.
2. As WiFi hotspot roll outs gather momentum – Tablets will push more and more of data.
3. So while Smartphone gathers numbers in the low end – it is the larger screen size devices (3.5″ – 4.0″ – 5″ – 7″- 9.7″) which will posssibly drive higher data consumption.
4. The customer at the economy end of connected devices ($50-$100) tends to use his device as a media machine – again for the $50-70 price – a tablet provides greater value than a 2.8″-3.5″ smartphone given the profusion of pirated content.
5. Tablets are also driving penetration across segments such as education, insurance for the large screen internet access advantage
6. For the Phablet space – this is a sub-category branching out into becoming a category by itself – but its numbers will take some building up – and the pricing still is $200 & above.
7. With tablet growth rates still well above smartphone growth rates, expect this gap to widen
8. Traditionally because of the higher screen size the engagement time on tablets has been higher than the smartphones as well.
Interestingly enough, in mature economies, Tablets have found yet another niche. Tablets are increasingly being used shopping activities.Adobe found that 13.5% of all online sales were transacted via tablets during the recent holiday season. Furthermore, as of January 2012, researchers found that consumers using tablets spent 54 percent more time per online order than their counterparts on smartphones, and 19 percent more than desktop/laptop users.
Thus the key take away from the Adobe report is this – tablets and smartphones are two different animals. Based on consumer use cases, one does not replace the other because mobile device owners are using tablets and smartphones to accomplish different tasks. This has implications on the way e-commerce companies as well as media companies and online content distributors would play up to serve the user. So this really gets into single device – multi use cases scenarios – all of is still building.
Thus i come back to my initial point – Marketers who are apprehensive of the scale and scope of tablets and are unable to fix “proper” answers to tablets, need to understand, there is no single answer… and the answers too are evolving at a fast clip! The risk that they run in trying to perfect the business cases and create understanding is that they could be left out of the markets. Proposition here is possibly not a case of inspiration but of evolution!


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Digital TV News: Hot
Cisco releases Annual Internet Report
Feb 18, 2020 – According to the Cisco Annual Internet Report, 5G will support more than 10% of the world's mobile connections by 2023 and social networking, video streaming and downloads, business productivity, e-commerce and gaming will drive the continued growth of mobile applications.
News categories: Cisco Systems, Roland Acra, 5G, Digital TV, Market Research, OTT, Worldwide
AfricaXP adds DTH capacity from Eutelsat for Sub-Saharan Africa
Feb 13, 2020 – AfricaXP has signed agreements with Eutelsat (Paris: ETL) for Ku-band capacity on two Eutelsat satellites, positioned at 16°E and 7°E. The capacity will enable AfricaXP to extend the reach of its DTH FTA TV platform, Premium.Free, currently broadcast in West Africa.
News categories: Eutelsat, AfricaXP, Nicolas Baravalle, Craig Kelly, Africa, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Satellite
Disney+ amasses nearly 29 million paid subscribers since launch
Feb 4, 2020 – The Walt Disney Company has announced that Disney+ had amassed 28.6 million paid subscribers, as of Monday, February 3. The service launched on November 12, 2019. Paid subscriber numbers for ESPN+ and Hulu were 7.6 million and 30.7 million, respectively.
News categories: The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger, Digital TV, OTT, Subscribers, USA, Worldwide
Vewd wins Emmy for work on HTML5 for TV
Jan 30, 2020 – Vewd has announced that the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) has granted Vewd a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for its pioneering work on HTML5 for the presentation of online content on the TV screen.
News categories: Vewd, Aneesh Rajaram, Digital TV, HTML5, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide
Hot submits offer for 100% of Partner Communications.
Jan 29, 2020 – Responding to market speculation, Altice Europe (Euronext: ATC & ATCB) has confirmed that its subsidiary Hot Telecommunication Systems Ltd has submitted an offer for 100% of the share capital of Partner Communications.
News categories: Altice, Partner Communications, Digital TV, IPTV, Israel, MnA
Technicolor shows Wi-Fi 6 STBs running Android TV and RDK at CES
Jan 7, 2020 – Technicolor (Paris: TCH, OTCQX: TCLRY) has announced live demonstrations of its JADE set-top-box (STB) - one running Android TV and the other with Reference Design Kit (RDK) middleware - during the CES conference in Las Vegas.
News categories: Technicolor, Christian Lefebvre, Android TV, CES2020, Digital TV, RDK, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide
Amazon expands features and solutions for Fire TV Edition partners
Jan 6, 2020 – Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has expanded its Fire TV Edition program, delivering opportunities for developers, operators, device makers and manufacturers across multiple categories including automotive, smart TVs, soundbars and streaming media players.
News categories: Amazon, Marc Whitten, Luke Motschenbacher, Fathi El-Dwaik, Tony Wang, Ed Mas, CES2020, Digital TV, In-Car, Middleware, OTT, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV, Worldwide
Synaptics announces video SoCs with built-in secure AI framework
Jan 6, 2020 – Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA) has announced its VideoSmart VS600 family of multimedia SoCs designed with human perceptive intelligence for smart displays, smart cameras, video soundbars, set-top-boxes, voice-enabled devices and computer vision IoT products.
News categories: Synaptics, Saleel Awsare, Blake Kozak, CES2020, Digital TV, ICs, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Worldwide
Synamedia joins Phoenix Model Market NEXTGEN TV initiative
Jan 6, 2020 – Synamedia has announced that it has entered a partnership with Pearl TV to join the Phoenix Model Market Initiative. Synamedia will provide encoding expertise and services and build future ATSC 3.0 applications based on market needs.
News categories: Synamedia, Pearl TV, Dave Longaker, Anne Schelle, ATSC, CES2020, Content Distribution, Digital TV, USA
- Disney+ available directly on VIZIO SmartCast TVs
- Comscore announces renewal with CBS TV stations
- TVSquared releases pan-European TV advertising performance analysis
- Imagine Communications agrees ad insertion deal with the NCTC
- DISH Network pay TV subscribers down 194,000 in 4Q 2019
- One third of Taiwanese online consumers have accessed TV piracy sites
- Redbox launch Redbox Free Live TV across the U.S.
- Cisco releases Annual Internet Report
- Pixelworks and Qualcomm integrate Live Local TV with 5G broadband
- Kantar to measure TV audiences for MINTIC in Colombia
- NCTC to offer discounted Amazon Fire TV devices to members
- Viu reaches 41.4 million monthly active users
- Roku ends 2019 with 36.9 million active accounts
- Online viewing continues to gain ground on traditional broadcast TV
- Vianeos provides revamped UX for Batelco TV in Bahrain
- VUALTO partners with ATEME for automated encoder integration
- STV selects Arqiva Hybrid TV Service for HD restart feature
- AfricaXP adds DTH capacity from Eutelsat for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Altice USA residential video RGUs down 44k in 4Q 2019
- 'Tapering subscriber acquisitions' for Dish TV India in 4Q 2019


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We are sure that lots of players anticipate the launch of the next instalment in the popular Tomb Raider series. And naturally, they would like to know when Rise of the Tomb Raider game will become available for purchase.
Thus, recently, Rise of the Tomb Raider release date has been noticed on the game’s official page in the French department of Amazon store. Let us remind you that the upcoming game is a temporary exclusive of Xbox, and it is supposed to be launched on these platforms sometime at the end of this year. And according to the details, which are published on the game’s page at Amazon France, Rise of the Tomb Raider release date is set for the 13th of November 2015.
Besides, the same department of this store contains the information about the launch dates of two more Xbox exclusives - Forza Motorsport 6, more about which you can read here, and Halo 5: Guardians. As it’s mentioned there, Forza Motorsport 6 release date is planned for the 18th of September, while Halo 5: Guardians launch will take place on the 27th of October 2015. So far, this information is neither confirmed nor denied, that’s why we ask you to treat it with a grain of salt.
What do you think about it? Do you believe that these projects’ release dates are trustworthy? Let us know below.


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Alexa's bill pay addition nudges it closer to retail payments
A few weeks after debuting voice-supported recurring bill payments in India, Amazon is extending a similar feature to most of its markets.
Through a connection between Alexa and Amazon Pay, users can ask when a bill is due, the amount and the difference between a current and prior bill. The feature also enables direct payment commands, such as "Alexa, pay my phone bill." Amazon will use billing management company Paymentus to power the feature.
The global feature will likely differ from the initial India deployment, which has closer ties to that country's national initiative to digitize payments. Amazon enabled Amazon Pay for utility bills in India earlier in October. Amazon Pay in India is also connected to the country's national UPI interface through a partnership with Axis Bank.
Supporting utility bills payments through Amazon Pay incrementally advances Alexa's utility as a voice payment tool. Alexa has offered limited bill payments for about a year through a collaboration with Synchrony. Adding Amazon Pay potentially broadens the user base, since it follows a merchant acquisition deal in the spring between Amazon and FIS/Worldpay.
While most voice payment technology has been for general recurring bills such as cable TV and electricity bills, the combination of Alexa/Amazon Pay and a broad-based merchant acquisition play brings Alexa-powered voice payments one step closer to overall e-commerce and Amazon's brick and mortar strategy.
Voice-aided shopping is rare, but is expected to expand dramatically in the next three years, pushing Amazon to find ways to combine habit-forming utility bills to attract consumers with Amazon's trove of shopping data to lure merchants. Beyond utility bills, consumers have also shown an interest in using voice to shop and pay for groceries, electronics and entertainment.


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Former Starbucks space for lease
The SkyWorld complex is in the heart of Auckland’s entertainment hub. Photo / Supplied
A high-profile premises for lease at 291 Queen St, Auckland, was previously occupied by Starbucks’ flagship New Zealand branch.
The global coffee retailer used the ground-level space — at the corner of Queen St and Aotea Square — until it vacated late last year.
Now the 232.62sq m space is being marketed for lease by sole agency Bayleys Auckland, with leasing specialists Sarah Boles and Nelson Patchett running the campaign.
Boles says the property consisted of 183sq m indoor and 48sq m of exclusive outdoor seating.
Branded food and beverage chains — including licensed bar operators — have been eyeing the vacant site, which overlooks Queen St and which is directly adjacent to the entrance of the SkyWorld entertainment centre.
“The SkyWorld complex is in the heart of Auckland’s entertainment hub, within 150m of The Civic, The Auckland Town Hall, The Aotea Centre, Q Theatre, the Auckland Art Gallery the Classic Comedy Club and the planned new outdoor performance venue adjacent to the Aotea Centre,” says Boles.
Last year SkyWorld recorded four million visitors, she says.
Within the seven-level hub are a wide variety of complementary entertainment options. The complex also has a food court with 10 individual outlets. Burger operators Carl’s Jr and BurgerFuel are immediately adjacent to the front of the entrance to SkyWorld.
Patchett says the property is at the gateway to all these attractions, “so it benefits from being the first visual point of contact for patrons entering the premises from Queen St”.
A consent if being sought from Auckland Council for the installation of a massive LED screen on the side of the building directly above the space offered for lease. The screens will replicate those in New York’s Times Square or London’s Leicester Square and will be a first for New Zealand.
Patchett says the intention is to use the screens as advertising platforms for generic consumer brands, to promote the SkyWorld tenancies, “and to screen major sporting events such as All Black matches, Superbowl, and NBA play-off games, for example.”
He says the site available for lease consists of a circular “cathedral-like” hub accessed from three points: Queen Street, Aotea Square and internally from within the SkyWorld Centre.
“The substantial foot traffic coming both into and past the SkyWorld property delivers the potential for vast co-branding food and beverage brands and products within the location through the usage of branded collateral such as table umbrellas and banners,” Patchett says.
“It’s the type of location brewery labels are constantly seeking to support their brand presence – with the likes of Lion, DB and now up and coming Waikato hospitality operators Good George all vying for consumers’ eyes — and wallets.
“The internal architecture of the property lends itself to some visionary decor styling or space use.”


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East India Retail Summit is the only regional retail forum for East India, the second edition of which will be held in Kolkata on January 11 & 12, 2012, marking the region’s rise in the country’s retail economy.
Taking this unique opportunity, Simplify360 social research team has been tracking 143 CPG Brands and 32 Retail Brands across all the social media platforms using Simplify360.
We have introduced new KPIs to measure the brand prominence and opinion scores using advanced analytical methods which will soon be making their way into the core analytical engines of Simplify360.
The report will be launched during the Event and will be provided for FREE to all the attendees at the event. Similar to our Smartphone Report, the most Social Retail Brands report will be available in future for download.
In addition, we are also launching another generic Top 50 Social Brands in India report at up-coming Click Asia Summit 2012. So stay tuned to our updates. You can follow us in Facebook, Slideshare or Twitter.
Our recent research paper:
Social Media Buzz report on Smartphones in India View the Paper
Something REALLY interesting is coming up, stay tuned :).


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Competition Commission of India Fines Google $21.7 Million for “Search Bias”
When companies reach a certain size in an industry, they run the risk of breaking antitrust laws. It’s been an issue for chipmaker Qualcomm in multiple countries, and Google, too. The Mountain View tech giant recently had a run-in with the European Commission over alleged shopping search results manipulation, and now faces a fine from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for giving its commercial flight search function preferential treatment in Google Search.
Four members of the six-person watchdog found Google guilty of “infringing anti-trust conduct” and ordered it to pay ₹1.36 billion (~$21.7 million), which amounts to 5% of the average total revenue generated from the company’s Indian operations from 2013 to 2015. Google has also been instructed to “display a disclaimer in the commercial flight unit box” indicating that the “‘search flights’ link placed at the bottom” leads to Google’s Flights page.
“Google was leveraging its dominance in the market for online general web search […] to strengthen its position in the market for online syndicate search services,” the CCI said.
The ruling caps off an investigation that started back in 2012, when Matrimony.com and nonprofit Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) filed a complaint against Google and two of its international divisions, Google India Pvt Ltd and Google Ireland Ltd.
Antitrust laws are important, as they prevent companies from abusing their power. But the nature of search engines (and online services in general) could be the culprit: Google’s algorithm ranks websites and services by relevance, generally speaking. Even if Google’s commercial flight search function is the logical top result for a given search term, some agencies might see it as a violation of antitrust laws.
In any case, a Google spokesperson said the company was reviewing the “narrow concerns” identified by the Commission and assessing its next steps. “The Competition Commission of India has confirmed that, on the majority of issues it examined, our conduct complies with Indian competition laws,” the spokesperson said in a statement.


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Lockdown has been implemented in the country due to Corona virus. The lockdown, which began on March 24, will run for the next 21 days, during which no one is allowed to leave the house. However, necessary field work will continue. Meanwhile, Police has released a list of some retailer companies, which can continue their service during this lockdown.
Significantly, due to the lockdown, all markets, shops are closed, in such a situation people are having difficulty in getting the goods needed. In such a situation, if online service starts now, it will be a news of relief for the people.
A service has been started by Police, under which passes are being given to such people who can start their service during lockdown. In these, passes are being given to people from media, doctors, banks and other areas and now these online services will also get this facility.
Due to the lockdown, dairy, vegetable shops, everyday goods shops are open. A crowd of people are seen at these shops every morning and the scene of social distancing is also visible here.


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Qorvo RF Fusion has been successfully applied in many new smartphone designs
Время публикации: 2019-06-11
Breakthrough rf front-end solutions are widely used in the industry as manufacturers pave the way for global 5G deployment.
Qorvo, inc. today announced the successful adoption of the latest generation RF Fusion™ RF front-end (RFFE) modules in several new smartphone designs.These latest applications demonstrate that Qorvo is now able to support a wide range of new product launches for leading smartphone manufacturers with highly integrated if/hf module solutions.The latest generation of RF Fusion modules, including power amplifier, switch and filter components, combine Qorvo's unique core functions to provide superior performance in a compact solution size and smaller footprint.As the industry moves toward 5G, it will help manufacturers integrate complex RF content into their phones.
"Mobile devices now use more than 40 combinations of frequency bands and common carrier aggregations, leading to exponential growth in the complexity of the RF front end. As a result, some vendors are moving to an integrated RF front end."According to Chris Taylor, RF component Strategy director at Strategy Analytics, "oems want integrated front-end solutions that meet operators' increasingly demanding RF requirements while still accommodating narrow space constraints."
RF Fusion supports a wide range of applications, including implementing a series of regional carrier aggregation combinations in a pre-validated RF subsystem.This helps smartphone makers shorten time-to-market, optimize their phone SKU portfolio, and improve manufacturing yield.The latest generation RF Fusion™ utilizes Qorvo's advanced BAW and SAW filter technologies to cover the entire main path through the QM77033 low-band module and QM77031 if/hf module.Other recent applications include the QM17001 if/hf duplex and RF8129 envelope tracking (ET) power management module.
Qorvo combines system-level expertise, extensive manufacturing scale and the industry's richest product and technology portfolio to help leading manufacturers accelerate the release of new generation LTE, lte-a, 5G and Internet of things products. Qorvo's core RF solutions set the next generation connectivity standard, providing unparalleled integration and performance for the core segments of the connected world.
- 1.Qorvo Adds GaN Power Amplifiers for Ka-Band and X-Band Applications
- 2.QORVO launched MMIC power amplifier to provide the industry's highest power solutions
- 3.Qorvo's first digital predistortion (DPD) amplifier won another award
- 4.The Qorvo? module helps major auto manufacturers to conduct cellular car networking tests
- 5.Qorvo RF Fusion has been successfully applied in many new smartphone designs
RF Amplifier 2-22GHz NF 2dB GaN P1dB>22d >
RF Amplifier 7.9-11GHz 100W GaN PAE >35% >


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Beginning next week, players in North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia and other supported regions* can join Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – First Assault Online (First Assault) for free on Windows PC via Steam or the Nexon Global Platform. The online squad-based first-person shooter is nearing the end of its paid Early Access phase and will enter a free-to-play open beta on Thursday, July 28.
After working with fans throughout Early Access and implementing their feedback to help shape the game, Neople is now ready to introduce First Assault to a wider audience, as the developer continues to add and improve content. Now in an extended free weekend promotion, players who join this week can also take part in the “Major Reflection” in-game event and compete for a chance to win signature skins and other rewards.
As a member of Section 9, First Assaultplayersare part of an elite force of cybernetically enhanced combat operatives taskedwith protecting society and fighting terrorists on the bleak streets of a futuristic Japan.
Currently featuring eight distinct operatives to choose from, each with their own unique cyber-skills, and three modes to play across several futuristic locations in the Early Access release, Neople and Nexon America also announced a new update for the game will come with open beta. This update will introduce a new original operative, an innovativemode inspired by the classic “The Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” series that brings a new hacking element into the game, new systems and optimizations based on feedback from Early Access and more.
About Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – First Assault Online:
In First Assault, society has embraced new technology, leaving themselves vulnerable to malicious super-hackers. Cyber terrorism has evolved and so must you! Dive beyond humanity as you upgrade and augment yourself into a walking weapon, capable of super human feats. Deliver the first assault by coordinating strategic attacks, hacking enemy weaponry and utilizing SkillSync to link-up and share cyber skills with your allies, in this gripping team shooter inspired by “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex”, the critically acclaimed series based on Shirow Masamune’s original comic “The Ghost in the Shell”.
To learn more about First Assault, and to stay up-to-date on the latest news and announcements, join the community today: http://firstassaultgame.com.


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Researchers at Jacobs University Bremen in Germany aim to develop a new disinfectant using plant waste such as coffee.
The research aims to create a disinfectant that’s more effective and widely applicable than previous products.
“We can apply our many years of research to an important topic that has become increasingly prominent with the corona crisis,” says Chemistry Professor Nikolai Kuhnert. He is leading the project at Jacobs University with his colleague Matthias Ullrich, Professor of Microbiology.
The duo has long been concerned with the antibacterial and antiviral effects of natural substances. They say coffee waste products contain various antibacterial substances.
“For example, we will use the outer skin of the coffee bean. It is removed before roasting and accumulates as waste at the roasting companies in Bremen,” says Kuhnert. The researchers also want to use compounds made from the remains of quince and rhododendrons. This way the scientists' many years of research will result in a practical product. “And it will be green, organic and sustainable,” says Kuhnert.
The research is being held in cooperation with Bremen companies ProPure – Protect and Just in Air, and with funding from the Bremer Aufbau-Bank, a public bank of the Federal State of Bremen.
The contact to the two Bremen-based companies was established through a television report about their research on rhododendrons. ProPure – Protect and Just in Air are specialised in hygiene processes in the food industry. Among other things, they have developed technologies that allow the spraying of disinfectants during the production process while people are working.
As part of its Applied Environmental Research funding program, the Bremer Aufbau-Bank is supporting the project with €100,000 (about US$113,000) over a period of two years. The aim is not only to increase the effectiveness of the disinfectant, but also to further develop the technology. Thus, for example, spraying in airplanes, public transport or hospitals during operation is to become possible.
Images: Jacobs University


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It’s not very often that Google shows care for anything besides its bottom line these days, but on Thursday, the company made a small step in the right direction by announcing a new setting that lets people limit the alcohol- and gambling-related ads they come across.
Per the announcement, the feature will first roll out for YouTube ads in the U.S., before globally expanding to ads across YouTube and Google search in “early 2021.” Countries that already have legal limitations on ads in these sorts of categories—like say, Norway or Sweden—won’t see any change in their policies as a result, Google added.
Up until this point, people who saw one of these ads had the option to “mute” them, which would keep that specific ad from cropping up across Google’s properties, or any of the countless web publishers that Google partners with. On top of that, it also kept users from seeing any ads that Google deemed “similar” to the ad in question, either because they looked the same, or were from the same advertiser.
This new feature, Google explained, is an “extra step” that puts more choice in the user’s hands. In reality, though, it’s closer to something of a half-step. Google doesn’t quite qualify what it means by “limiting” these ads in the blog post, but it’s safe to assume that some will still slip through. That means Google could still pocket the money made from an addict being served ads for a substance or behavior they’re trying to avoid, but the numbers will be “significantly reduced,” according to the company.
“While our intent is to be able to block all ads from a given category, there are certain ads that can be difficult to categorise,” a Google spokesperson said in an email, giving the example of an ad for an airline featuring a flight attendant serving champagne.
“We want to be fully transparent so we’re using ‘see fewer ads’ rather than ‘see no ads’ or ‘block ads’ to appropriately set expectations that while significantly reduced, people may still see ads related to a selected category,” the spokesperson added. “But of course, we’ll continue to work to get as close as possible to blocking all ads within a selected category.”
That said, it’s pretty significant that Google’s introducing this setting now. While we’ve seen the global pandemic take a mental toll on just about everyone, many people in recovery from any sort of addiction have found the months-long stretch of isolation a particularly lonely struggle. Targeted ads don’t help. As one Reddit user who said they’re in recovery put it, being pelted with ads for the substance you’re trying to abstain from makes the site—be it Reddit, YouTube, or anywhere else—feel like much less of a “safe haven.”
The brands responsible for serving these sorts of targeted ads don’t really have any incentive to stop. Online gambling in the U.S., in particular, has seen a surge of popularity during the course of the pandemic, drawing in billions of dollars as a result.
Google, for its part, claims that many advertisers it works with “are also invested in respecting people’s choices and cultural differences when it comes to the ads they see,” and credited members of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), along with “the leading beer, wine, and spirits producers” for lending their support to the new ad opt-out settings.
There are, of course, ads in other categories that people can find pretty disturbing, too. There are women who get targeted with ads for baby products following a miscarriage, or people who get targeted with ads for gravestones after their parent dies. A two-category ad setting is a good start, but if Google wants to help these people also feel at home on the internet, then maybe we need a few more.
When asked whether it would consider expanding ad limitations into other categories, the spokesperson noted that Google’s “always looking for new ways to improve the user experience,” but doesn’t “have anything to share right now.”


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Ikea recalls faulty lighting system due to electric shock risk
Ikea is recalling a faulty track lighting system, warning that it poses a risk of electric shock.
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BURLINGTON, ONT.—Ikea is recalling a faulty track lighting system, warning that it poses a risk of electric shock.
However, the Swedish home furnishing retailer says that so far there have been no reports of injuries as a result of the defective product.
The problem is with a faulty ground connection.
Ikea Canada says the recall involves the Ikea 365+ SÄNDA 70-centimetre and 114-centimetre track lighting from supplier 212338 with the date stamp 1134-1208 (YYWW).
The lighting units, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Ikea stores from September 2011 to March 2012.
The company says customers should stop using the track and return it to any Ikea store for a replacement or full refund.
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Auction will begin on March 3, with 60 per cent of spectrum set aside for smaller companies as previously announced.


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Three is the magic number for Made for Trade at this years Made in The North East Awards.
Made for Trade, the leading manufacturer and supplier of roof lanterns and aluminium bi-fold doors, has been shortlisted for three prestigious awards at Insider’s Made in the NortheastAwards 2023, The Digital Engineering Technology Award, Manufacturer of the Year Award, and Innovation Award.
This recognition reflects the dedication and hard work from the team at Made for Trade, who continuously strived to deliver high-quality products and exceptional customer service.
The Insider’s ‘Made in the Northeast Awards’ celebrating the very best in manufacturing and recognition of outstanding achievements in the industry as well as highlighting companies that are driving growth, creating jobs, and contributing to the region’s economy.
Made for Trade wishes all the shortlisted companies the very best of luck. The company is excited to be part of the awards taking place on the 16th March at the Hilton Hotel, Gateshead and celebrate the achievements of the manufacturing industry in the Northeast. Proud to be amongst peers and key businesses of the sector nominated for dedication to innovation, technology, and excellence in manufacturing.
Winners of the Made in the North East Awards go through to the national final, to be held on 29th June 2023 at the Titanic Hotel, Liverpool.


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Montreal, Canada – “I was told to always look him in the eyes. He had a very heavy handshake, was very respectful and would always stand up to greet his guests,” says Daniel Cote, recalling his first meeting with Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother and now leader of Cuba, in 1990.
The colourful 64-year-old businessman and Elvis Presley fan has owned Ameublement Elvis, an iconic used-appliance store located on the corner of Montreal’s Marianne Street and Papineau Avenue, since 1976.
But the neighbourhood store hides an unexpected business. For almost 30 years, Cote has been exporting all sorts of used merchandise to Cuba.
An unexpected meeting
He remembers how it started. “Cubans would come to Montreal by boat to do business,” he says. “They would sell Cuban cigars, sugar, and all sorts of things here.
“They would also come to my store and buy up to 30 used appliances at a time. That’s what made me think that Cuba was probably a huge market for my merchandise.”
In 1990, Cote took part in an international commerce exhibition in Cuba. With the United States embargo and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba needed to be supplied with cheap goods. Cote’s timing was perfect.
While he was there, two representatives of the Empresa Importadora de Abastecimiento Tecnico-Material (EMIAT), an import-export firm owned by Cuba’s Interior Ministry, knocked on his hotel room door. They took him to see Raul Castro, the brother of Cuba’s then president, Fidel Castro.
“I brought an interpreter with me to the meeting,” Cote remembers. “The first thing Mr Castro said to me was that I was disrespecting him and his country. He said I should learn Spanish if I wanted to do business with him. I was so embarrassed.”
Then, the grandfather of seven admits: “There are so many people called Castro in Cuba, I had no idea he was Fidel Castro’s brother.”
But despite this uncomfortable first encounter, Cote left Cuba having made a deal with the government. He soon started shipping containers full of not only used appliances but also buses, army boots, school furniture, and even fire trucks to the country.
The end of an era
Today, a quarter of Cote’s business comes from his dealings with the communist state. And he has learned Spanish – by translating songs with a neighbour who gave him lessons.
“When I went back to Cuba, Raul Castro told me I spoke like a Spanish cow and nicknamed me el bigote, which means the moustache,” he says proudly.
Cote says he met Raul Castro seven or eight times, but regrets never having meet Fidel. “I saw him giving live speeches in front of hundreds of thousands of people,” he says. “He didn’t have notes. He knew everything by heart.
“One can disagree on his policies but he was a very impressive and charismatic man. His speeches were like shows.”
At the back of the store, between used ovens and fridges, two of Cote’s employees, one of whom is Cuban, are wrapping electric bicycles to be shipped to Cuba. But Cote knows his days of doing deals with the country might be numbered. In March, US President Barack Obama called on the US Congress to lift the decades-old trade embargo on Cuba during a historic visit to the island-nation.
“When the US lifts its embargo, I will be out of business in Cuba,” Cote reflects. “It’s life. There is nothing I can do about it. It doesn’t mean I won’t keep dropping by [Cuba] from time to time to say ‘hi’.”


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A consortium of three property companies, including two linked to Temasek, has submitted a competing S$3.4bn (€2.2bn) bid for the real estate business of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).
The Cuscaden Peak consortium is made up of Temasek-linked entities CLA Real Estate and Mapletree, and Tiga Stars, a subsidiary of Hotel Properties Limited (HPL).
Cuscaden Peak has offered S$2.10 per share in cash, topping an earlier bid from Keppel Corp, which in August offered S$2.099 per SPH security in cash and shares in Keppel.
The new offer for SHP is conditional, among other things, on completion of the company’s demerger of its media business, which was approved by shareholders last month.
SPH has a market capitalisation of S$3.16bn. It holds stakes in a number of shopping centres in Singapore and Australia, and owns student accommodation in the UK and Germany, as well as a private nursing home in Singapore.
Cucaden Peak is 40% held by HPL, a Singapore-based hotel group led by a billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng, 30% by Temasek unit CLA Real Estate Holdings and 30% by the Mapletree, which is also owned by Temasek.
Separately, Keppel, which also counts Temasek Holdings as a major shareholder, said it would review Cuscaden Peak’s all-cash offer and make an announcement at an appropriate time.
To read the digital edition of the latest IPE Real Assets magazine click here.


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An Indian businessman buys a $250,000 solid gold shirt.
Sure, gold looks nice and expensive but I doubt you like it as much as one man from India.
He purchased a $250,000 solid gold shirt and wore it during the New Year’s celebration. According to The Times of India, it took a whole team of goldsmiths who worked 18 hours a day for more than two weeks to complete the gold garment.
The shirt features a gold belt and six Swarovski crystal buttons. The businessman is excited to expand his already impressive gold collection and refers to his newest addition as “an investment”.
He stated “The gold shirt has been one of my dreams. People buy cars or go on holidays abroad. For me, gold is the ultimate passion.”
The gold craze is leading to more availability. Last year, the GOLD to go vending machine gained massive popularity.
The machine dispenses gold for cash. It literally is that simple - you put in your cash and you get your security-backed gold. Buyers can get a variety of products including gold bars ranging from 2.5 grams in weight to 250 grams.


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Concern over rates change for empty business premises
Companies face paying a total of £36m in extra business rates over the next two years, according to CBI Scotland.
The Unoccupied Properties Act has come into force, removing the 50% rates discount for empty premises and making firms liable for 90% of the charge.
The business lobby organisation has described it as a "tax on distress".
The Scottish government said it had the most generous business rates relief in the UK, and its Fresh Start scheme would help get buildings back into use.
A spokesman said: "We have the most competitive business rates regime in the UK, worth more than £560m next year.
"Incentives to encourage investment include a relief for new empty properties built in Scotland from 1 April 2013 and our 'Fresh Start' scheme, which focuses on helping landlords or developers attract occupiers to certain long term empty properties."
'Carrot and stick'
However, CBI Scotland Assistant Director David Lonsdale described the increase in empty property rates as "bewildering and disappointing" and "wholly at odds with Scottish government promises to promote private sector investment".
He said: "When unveiling this tax rise the Scottish government's finance secretary said it would 'incentivise' the use of empty commercial premises, however for our members it feels more like a stick than a carrot.
"After all, commercial premises are rarely left empty on purpose and particularly where they do not generate an income."
Mr Lonsdale said that when coupled with the supplementary rates levy on larger retailers introduced last year, it meant £131m additional business rate taxes were being introduced over three years.
As well as the changes to business rates relief, the act has given local authorities the power to increase the council tax on homes that have been empty for a year or more by up to 100%.


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Canonical has released the final beta version of Ubuntu 16.10 ahead of its public release. This new beta build includes the awaited Linux 4.8 kernel to deliver an upgraded computing experience.
As reported last week, Canonical has added the upcoming Linux kernel to Ubuntu 16.10 final beta. This has uplifted the previous 4.4 kernel version and brought an improved Linux environment that supports the latest hardware with Intel Skylake processors. Also, there are new features and several bug fixes to enhance Ubuntu’s presence.
“Codenamed ‘Yakkety Yak,’ 16.10 continues Ubuntu’s proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution,” reads the official announcement.
Apart from the Ubuntu desktop, server and cloud offerings, the newest beta release includes images for Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu GNOME, Ubuntu Kylin, Ubuntu Mate and Ubuntu Studio flavours.
It appears that Linux 4.8 kernel is initially limited to Ubuntu system. However, the upgraded Linux is likely to be available across all open source images in the coming days.
Meanwhile, you can install Ubuntu 16.10 final beta on your system to experience the features of the upcoming kernel. You could else wait for the public release of Ubuntu 16.10 that would debut as early as October 13.


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RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) – The Virginia Lottery is going digital on July 1.
According to a release from the Virginia Lottery, some of the most popular games offered will be available online by clicking here.
Fans of the lottery will be able to play Mega Millions, Powerball and Cash4Life as well as instant-win games like scratchers.
The lottery says new instant-win games will be added every few weeks.
“We’re excited to be introducing this new way of playing our games on July 1, the very first day it’s allowed under legislation we requested from the 2020 General Assembly, ” said Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kevin Hall. “We feel it’s important to continue to meet Virginia consumers where they already are, and where they expect to find us: online.”
Lottery games will still be available in stores across the state, so for anyone that likes the physical tickets, no need to worry.
“Virginia is the seventh state to offer lottery games online so consumers can play whenever they want wherever they are,” said Hall. “Online lottery is not just convenience. Updating the way we deliver our products will help support our responsibility to generate additional resources for Virginia’s K-12 public schools.”


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Darren Criss spent most of his time on Glee proving how cute he was. Now that he’s shooting American Crime Story: Versace, he seems keen to show he’s not just cute, he’s one hot mother…
A couple of weeks ago the web was filled with pics of Criss on set wearing the skimpiest speedos the world has ever seen. However, Darren has now decided that he was perhaps wearing too many clothes as that point, as he’s now posted a pic where the speedos are off and only just covering his modesty.
As Criss asks in the instagram snap, ‘So what’s more red? My sunburn, my speedo, or YOUR FACE???’
The actor is playing Andrew Cunanan in American Crime Story: Versace who went of a killing spree that took the lives of at least five people, including famed fashion designer Gianni Versace. It will air on TV later this year.
Take a look at the very hot (and red) pic below. [Read more…]