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Facebook today announced a major update for Instagram DMs that brings many of the Messenger features to it along with cross-messaging capabilities. Facebook says with this update, it is “connecting the Messenger and Instagram experience to bring some of the best Messenger features to Instagram.”
A lawsuit filed in California has accused Instagram of harvesting biometric data of users. Just last month, Facebook offered $650 million to settle a lawsuit that accused Facebook of illegally collecting biometric data by using a photo-tagging tool. This time around the lawsuit levies similar allegations against Facebook-owned Instagram.
Last year we had reported about Instagram testing a new TikTok rivaling feature called Reels. Amidst fears of the TikTok ban in the US, Instagram has launched Reels in more than 50 countries today, and the list includes the UK, US, Australia, and Japan.
Instagram is not going to give up on its IGTV app yet. Today the company has updated IGTV in a bid to rope in more people and persuade creators to make long-format videos. The homepage is now changed and will feature a creator on top. The Creator content on the home screen will be populated based on users’ choice and liking.
Apple released the first developer beta build of iOS 13.4.5 and iPadOS 13.4.5 a few hours ago, and the changelog had mentioned that the minor software update brings bug fixes and stability improvements to iPhones and iPads. However, it has now been revealed that it also introduces a new feature in Apple Music that makes it easier to share songs on Instagram.
New Co-Watching Feature Will Let You Browse Instagram with Friends While Practicing Social Distancing
Instagram is doing its bit to help users cope up with the COVID-19 crisis. Instagram has now launched a new feature called Co-Watching which lets you look at other pictures along with your friend. They have also launched other features that make credible information related to the COVID-19 outbreak easily accessible.
Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps in the world, and the company still doesn’t have an app for the iPad. And you would be surprised to know that the social media firm still doesn’t have any firm plans for developing the app for the most popular tablet platform.
In a bid to combat fake news, Instagram recently introduced a feature that flagged fake photos. Now it appears that the new feature is flagging photoshopped images indiscriminately. This has worried photographers who are finding it hard to share their photography.
There is no denying that the Internet is flooded with hate and abusive stuff. Especially social media is treated by some as a platform to abuse. Instagram has come up with a new feature that will warn you if your caption is abusive. And the best part is that it warns you before you even post the caption.
In a bid to compete with TikTok’s soaring popularity, Instagram is launching a new feature called Reels. The feature will be available on both iOS and Android, however, it will be restricted to Brazil in the initial phase.


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A recent survey has shown UK manufacturers are increasingly moving their businesses from being purely product centric to incorporating new service offerings to deliver business growth and new revenue streams.
A clear majority (72%) of British companies surveyed reported being committed to the implementation of manufacturing service business models, with 41% having already done so.
Over 70% of these ‘first movers’ reported achieving benefits from the new business models, which is encouraging the next wave of ‘fast followers’. Close to 77% of UK manufacturers yet to embark on servitization expect to be benefiting from it by the end of 2018.
According to the report, the availability of new tools to support growing product complexity, are encouraging manufacturers to embrace ‘servitization’ in order to deliver greater customer value and achieve higher margins through recurring revenue streams.
Servitization is a transformational and competitively disruptive business model for manufacturers – moving from a focus on products, production and transaction business, to one a more service-centric model.
It requires manufacturers to find new ways to connect their business, predict service and have the insight to respond to customer needs. By shifting to a more valuable and richer service-centric model, manufacturers can grow, create new revenue streams, increase margins and mitigate risks.
Want to know more?
On the 5th of July at 11am, The Manufacturer will be holding a webinar that will take an in depth look at the findings of the Servitization Report – the enablers, barriers and the transformational journey.
The webinar promises to provide a detailed look at Servitization and will also feature insight from Simon Green, Director of Digital Platform, Processes and IT at KONE. Simon will share his transformation story of how KONE, a leading manufacturer of elevators and escalators, has driven growth by turning itself from a product business into a connected and intelligent services business.
“Customer expectations have changed,” Simon Green, KONE’s director of digital platform, processes and IT, told the audience at Salesforce World Tour 2017 in London last week. “The elevator is no longer the product. Today, people buy the experience. For us, that’s an opportunity.”
In addition to this exclusive insight, everyone that registers for the webinar will also receive a free copy of the upcoming report.
Click here to register for the webinar now.

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Walt Disney World’s insanely expensive themed hotel, based on its woke Star Wars franchise, is shutting down operations after just 18 months in the latest financial disaster to befall the company. The closure was announced on May 18th.
The Galactic Starcruiser Hotel offered a nearly full-immersive experience for guests willing to pay an exorbitant cost for a two-night stay aboard a mock starcruiser, replete with light-saber training and space-themed fare.
The Daily Caller, citing Disney’s own website, pegged the cost of staying at the hotel as more than most people pay for their monthly mortgage, for just one night.
“Costs for the voyage came in at a staggering $1,200 per person, per night. Family packages began at a whopping $6,000,” the outlet wrote. “The price tag included food and drink, admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a planetary excursion to Galaxy’s Edge, the Star Wars-themed land, an exclusive magic band, and a two-night stay in either a cabin or suite.”
Disney’s website expanded on the experience guests could expect, boasting that it was the “most immersive Star Wars story ever created.” The website says:
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a revolutionary 2-night experience where you are the hero. You and your group will embark on a first-of-its-kind Star Wars adventure that’s your own. It’s the most immersive Star Wars story ever created—one where you live a bespoke experience and journey further into a Star Wars adventure than you ever dreamed possible.
Arrive at the Walt Disney World Resort terminal, board a launch pod and rendezvous with the magnificent Halcyon starcruiser. Stay in a cabin or suite with an exquisite view of space.
Throughout the ship, you’ll interact with an eclectic collection of characters, sit down to exotic galactic cuisine and perhaps even plot a secret mission together.
As the itinerary continues, you’ll take the story further and deeper. Choose your path. Seek out the inner workings of the legendary starship, learn the traditional art of wielding a lightsaber and even jump on a transport to the planet Batuu—where your mission continues at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!
Unfortunately for Disney shareholders, the hotel closure wasn’t Disney’s only recent financial flop. It also lost Disney+ subscribers for the first time ever in the first quarter of 2023, as Variety reported, saying:
Disney ended the quarter with 157.8 million subscribers at Disney+, significantly missing Wall Street’s estimate of 163.17 million subs. That projected figured would have been up from the 161.8 million subs Disney+ fell to the prior quarter.
This second sub drop was driven by a 4.6 million sequential decline at Disney+ Hotstar, the version of the service offered in India and parts of Southeast Asia. Last year, Disney lost streaming rights to Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches, which prompted it to lower growth targets for Disney+ Hotstar in India.
So, while Disney is still far from being in dire financial straights, it’s also not completely avoiding defeat.
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But it's from a brand you've never heard of.
General Motors produces plenty of cars for the domestic market, many of which are household names like the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Sierra. What you may not know is that GM also has an interest in lesser-known brands in markets abroad. One such brand is Wuling, based in China. This is a relatively new automaker, but it has big plans. As part of its plan to expand globally, Wuling has a new MPV called the Victory that has just been launched in China, and it looks very impressive. It's a little unconventional too, with rear doors that open on hinges rather than sliding - something that isn't common for MPVs.
As the pictures show, even up-and-coming brands have realized that the trend right now is for big grilles, but we have to say that this is one of the most stylish MPVs we've seen in a while, although some Kia Sedona styling cues are evident. That grille also houses the brand's new logo, but this new model is more than just a new offering for the eastern market. This is the car that Wuling hopes will take the brand global.
So what does the Victory offer? Well, it's got a three-row, six-seater layout, a 12.3-inch floating infotainment display, a digital driver info display, and a very sleek center console that ties in with the rest of the cabin's clean lines and features. In the second row, captain's chairs make long journeys a pleasure while a dual-pane panoramic glass sunroof improves the spacious feel of the cabin. This is also the largest sunroof in its segment, so Wuling is definitely out to make a statement.
Plenty of safety features are thrown in too, with four HD cameras and six radar sensors. Those sensors allow for adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking. You also get six airbags and a PM2.5 air filter with a negative ion generator that keeps the cabin's air as clean as that of a hospital ward. Power comes from a choice of two 1.5-liter turbo-fours making 145 and 174 horsepower respectively.
So what do you think? Is this newcomer good enough to take on favorites like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna? If all goes according to plan for the brand, we may get to find out firsthand soon enough.


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Joe Alwyn fronts Prada's Spring/Summer '18 menswear campaign
The menswear arm of Prada has just revealed its latest Spring/Summer '18 campaign for its multi-visual concept, 365. Fronting the images, British actor Joe Alwyn takes on the role of the Prada man, dressed in the brand's sleek cuts and fine tailoring.
Having created some of the strongest images for the Italian fashion house in the past, internationally renowned photographer Willy Vanderperre was tapped once again to capture the new face of the brand.
The iconic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan acted as the imposing backdrop for the campaign, aptly titled Ascension, whilst Alwyn was snapped dressed in the brand's latest pieces. From boiler suits to exaggerated collars and graphic shirts — as seen on the Spring/Summer '18 runway at Men's Milan Fashion Week — the campaign encapsulates the brand's graphic novel inspirations.
Take a look at the Spring/Summer '18 campaign images here...
Then, discover Dolce & Gabbana's new London-inspired campaign.


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AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile say that in a few years they may not have enough spectrum to handle consumers’ growing appetite for mobile data, The New York Times reports.
The wireless carriers say a dearth of spectrum — which carries voice calls and wireless data — could mean slower and less reliable service for smartphones and tablets, and potentially inflate the price of cellphone service, according to the report.
The government controls spectrum.
But some are skeptical about the claims, saying the carriers may simply be trying to keep competitors out, The Times reports.
AT&T operates nine retail locations in Albuquerque. There are six Verizon Wireless retail locations in Albuquerque. Sprint operates a call center in Rio Rancho.


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In previous reports, foreign media had mentioned that Apple asked TSMC to produce chips, and shipped 80 million A14 processors on the iPhone 12 and iPad Air to them this year. However, foreign media also said in the report that TSMC has the most this year. It can manufacture 74 million A14 processors for Apple, and the unfinished part will be postponed to next year.
It is worth noting that TSMC has currently purchased 35 EUV equipment, accounting for more than half of ASML’s production, and the total purchases will exceed 50 by the end of 2021.
There is still close to a month before the end of this year. It is still difficult to determine how many A14 processors TSMC will supply for Apple. However, foreign media gave the latest news on the shipments in the fourth quarter.
In the latest report, foreign media said that the foundry contract signed by TSMC and Apple will ship 150,000 wafers of A14 processors to Apple in the fourth quarter of this year.
The Apple A14 processor and the Kirin 9000 processor equipped with the Huawei Mate 40 series use TSMC’s 5nm process. The Kirin 9000 integrates more than 15 billion transistors, and Apple’s A14 integrates 11.8 billion transistors.
For Huawei’s Kirin 9000, chip industry insiders have previously revealed that after TSMC stopped its foundry, Huawei had a total of 22,000 wafers of Kirin 9000 processors, and each wafer had about 400 good products.
With reference to the Kirin 9000, TSMC shipped 150,000 wafers of A14 processors for Apple in the fourth quarter, and the shipment volume was about 60 million. But considering that Apple A14 does not integrate 5G baseband, the number of transistors is also lower than Kirin 9000, so there is a high probability that it will be higher than 60 million.
The Links: NL6448BC33-97D KCG057QV1DB-G77


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Apple has lost their legal claim to the iPhone name in Mexico
0. phoneArena 01 Nov 2012, 15:00 posted on
A court in Mexico City has denied an injunction that would allow Apple to continue using the "iPhone" name, as a lawsuit against telecommunication firm iFone backfires against the tech giant...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here


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Toyota is recalling an estimated 168,000 2018 to 2019 Tundra pickups and Sequoia large SUVs and 2019 Avalon sedans because of inappropriate programming in the airbag electronic control unit.
Specifically, a fault in the system during vehicle startup could potentially disable one or more of the sensors used to detect crashes. If this scenario occurs, it could result in the side and curtain shield airbags or the front and knee airbags failing to deploy, increasing the likelihood of injury during a crash.
To fix the problem, Toyota will notify owners by first class mail in later October, and Toyota dealers will update the electronic control unit programming at no cost to owners.
Owners can reach Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331.


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Here you will find a chronological list of articles from The Beverage Journal, Inc. Feel free to tag, comment and share.
By Kathleen Willcox
Forced into survival mode by the coronavirus pandemic, many restaurants and bars shuttered. Those that stayed open have had to drastically rework their businesses, many pivoting to takeout and delivery for the first time. Menus were scaled down and revamped, pricing was adjusted, and beverage service was completely reimagined.
Canlis in Seattle was an early adopter, making the switch on March 12 from a $140 prix-fixe menu to $12 burgers-to-go in order to retain their entire 115-person staff. The menu has since evolved to more elaborate fare, and word has quickly spread that the restaurant is now offering elevated family meals for curbside pickup and “no-contact” delivery along with sommelier-paired bottles of wine.
“We already have a waitlist 1,000-1,700 people long for every night next week,” shared co-owner Brian Canlis. “The enchilada night is the most popular. Clearly people need comfort, but they also need for it to be special. We’ve been getting pictures from guests who dress up, open our box and then open up our livestream, where we have our in-house piano players performing. They’re recreating Canlis at home and bringing just a moment of joy during this terrible time of uncertainty and stress.”
Third-party delivery services, such as ChowNow, Seamless, Instacart, GrubHub, Caviar, DoorDash, and UberEats, charge as much as 35 percent per order. (Under pressure from mayors in major cities, many providers dropped the steep fees for non-chain restaurants during the pandemic.) “We experimented with UberEats and a few others, but the 33 percent cut they want is insane,” says Matt Stamp, Master Sommelier and co-owner of Compline Wine Bar in Napa. “It shows a complete lack of understanding about a restaurant’s revenue structure. I’d rather just handle the deliveries myself, even if that means a lower volume.”
Besides, keeping deliveries in-house can mean retaining jobs. By shifting front-of-house staff to drivers, Colorado’s I.E. Hospitality Group, with Dry Storage, Basta, Bruto, and The Wolf’s Tailor, was able to keep most staff employed. Other operators use some delivery services, while encouraging customers to order directly as much as possible. Stacey Sosa, who has owned Argentinian Estancia 460 since 1995 in New York City, listed with Seamless years ago, in order to retain one of her biggest clients, CitiGroup. But she incentivizes customers to order directly: “We offer customers a 25 percent discount on orders over $40 if they order through us, and for orders over $75 we include a free bottle of wine.”
New emergency rules in some states have made temporary exceptions that allow restaurants to deliver alcohol during the shutdown period, providing a window of opportunity to increase profitability, and get creative. Sosa reported offering cocktails in coffee cups at happy hour prices from 12 to 7pm has led to an impressive “uptick in orders.” Some restaurants are offering bottled cocktails.
In general, at restaurants that already leaned toward upscale comfort, like Compline and Estancia, the menu shifts have been subtle: replacing fish entrées with sturdier proteins and pastas which hold up better while traveling.
In Los Angeles, the Michelin Star-winning chef Anthony Alaimo’s 101 North Eatery & Bar is also offering a slightly condensed and discounted version of its regular menu. “We want to accommodate the masses and ensure our food is accessible to all during these times,” Alaimo says. The menu is diverse, with $12 short rib sliders and an array of salads and pizzas for $14 to $22, and cumin-rubbed rack of lamb for $31. When Alaimo and his team added beer, wine and cocktail kits to their menu, he says, “business and revenue picked up.”
Forgoing delivery apps puts the marketing burden on restaurants, but many restaurants are finding that their customers are eager to help spread the word.
In Colorado, Dry Storage is relying on social media as an informal advertising vehicle. “We’ve been using social media to promote our takeout and delivery, and our community has been very helpful in spreading the word on social media themselves,” says Colton Steiner, head miller. “This has been a huge learning experience for us, and it has made me realize how much we rely on each other, and our community.”
While no one can predict when the shutdown will end, or what the restaurant landscape will look like when it does, one thing is certain: The key ingredient for survival now is flexibility.
Click Here to check out the article as it appeared in The Journal.


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Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) reported financial results for the second quarter ended July 31st, 2020. Total revenue for the second quarter amounted to USD 663.5 Million, a 355% increase year over year. GAAP net income reached USD 185.7 Million. The total revenue increase was driven primarily by 370,200 customers with over 10 employees, up 458% from the same period last year. 988 customers contributed over USD 100,000 in trailing 12 months revenue, a 112% rise compared to the same period last year.
“Organizations are shifting from addressing their immediate business continuity needs to supporting a future of working anywhere, learning anywhere, and connecting anywhere on Zoom’s video-first platform. At Zoom, we strive to deliver a world-class, frictionless, and secure communication experience for our customers across locations, devices, and use cases,” said Zoom founder and CEO, Eric S. Yuan. “Our ability to keep people around the world connected, coupled with our strong execution, led to revenue growth of 355% year-over-year in Q2 and enabled us to increase our revenue outlook to approximately $2.37 billion to $2.39 billion for FY21, or 281% to 284% increase year-over-year.”
For the third quarter the company expects total revenue to range between USD 2.37 to USD 2.39 Billion as the revenue outlook has calculated the increased demand for remote work solutions for businesses. Diluted EPS is expected to range from USD 2.40 to USD 2.47.
Written by Nikita Medvedev.
View the original article at here.


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Starbucks tends to be really cryptic about their new beverage releases, especially the ones we're most anticipating, like the Pumpkin Spice Latte. So when their official Pumpkin Spice Latté Twitter feed posted a not-so-cryptic announcement about something happening on Sept. 1, we all knew deep in our hearts that it's a sign that the PSL is going to be hitting the fall menu at Starbucks real soon. I know, I'm literally waiting with baited breath, too. I'm so ready for that pumpkin, and I'm so ready for that spice — I'm so ready for a change of season at Starbucks.
If you're one of those fall-avoiders who hates when people rush the end of the summer by talking about sweater weather, and black nail polish season, and spiced coffee drinks, I'm sorry but you're just going to have to come around to it. You cannot beat us pumpkin enthusiasts, so just join us already! With temperatures dropping, even Starbucks knows we're heading into an early fall, which is clearly why they're releasing our favorite fall drink in advance. Last year , the PSL came out officially on Sept. 6, making it the perfect tailend summer drink. I mean, it can be ordered on ice, after all!
TBH, I'd rather than a PSL over ice or blended with ice than wait another day for it. Sure it's a fall-themed drink but let's be real, it tastes good year round. Which is also probably why Starbucks has made so many PSL items available at grocery stores because, well, we want our fix when we want our fix!
But OK, back to the tweet in question: On Monday, the beloved PSL account posted this:
Using my advanced daytime TV crime show watching skills and learned sleuthing and decoding abilities, I think we can deduce that Starbucks is planning something huge for the return of the PSL. They clearly aren't ready to let the masses know, but they're letting PSL's biggest fans know — you know the people who love the drink enough to follow its personification on Twitter.
Mind you, this Twitter account has more than 110k followers, so that really says something about the PSL fandom. And the feed, which features a combination of PSL-related news updates and pictures of a PSL cup wearing glasses and doing fun seasonal things, gets thousands of retweets and likes on every post. The PSL has grown a rockstar following, so it would make sense for Starbucks to offer a hint about the re-release of the seasonal drink.


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NY Gov Wants To Tax iTunes
December 19, 2008 at 9:24 AM (PT)
The record labels couldn't do it, but NEW YORK's Governor wants to make APPLE iTunes shoppers pay more than 99 cents per song, reports CNN. Much of WALL STREET is gone now and so are the fat tax revenues it used to earn for NEW YORK state.
In order to close a resulting $15.4 billion budget gap, NEW YORK Govenor DAVID PATERSON has proposed 88 new fees and taxes. Among them, an "iPod tax" on the sale of downloaded music and other "digitally delivered entertainment services."


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Gamescom 2021 Awards Winners Revealed
Iltutmis, 28 August 2021, 21:13
This year's awards at gamescom were dominated by Elden Ring, winning in a number of categories. We also got to know the other winners.
Elden Ring With Most Nominations at Gamescom Awards
Adrian Werner, 25 August 2021, 14:14
The list of games nominated for the Gamescom 2021 awards has been published, and the leader is Elden Ring, which will compete for a statuette in five categories.
Hades is GDC's Game of the Year; Umurangi Generation as the Best Indie
Adrian Werner, 22 July 2021, 14:14
The winners of the GDC and IGF awards have been announced. The list of winners includes games such as Hades, Ghost of Tsushima or Umurangi Generation.
E3 2021 Game Awards - Forza Horizon 5 as Most Anticipated Game of the Show
Milosz Szubert, 16 June 2021, 14:38
Journalists from IGN, GameSpot, PC Gamer and GamesRadar chose the best games of the past E3 in their opinion. The list of awarded titles includes Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 and Forza Horizon 5.
Genesis Noir Rakes in Nominations at Independent Games Festival
Adrian Werner, 10 May 2021, 17:20
The list of nominations for the Independent Games Festival awards has been published. The leader is Genesis Noir, which will compete for the award in four categories.
The Last of Us 2 Secures Most GotY Awards in History
Agnes Adamus, 24 April 2021, 16:47
The Last of Us 2 has collected the most „Game of the Year” awards in history. Naughty Dog's work beat the record held by The Witcher 3.
Hades Wins Game Of the Year on DICE Awards 2020
Adrian Werner, 23 April 2021, 13:28
The winners of the D.I.C.E. Awards have been announced. Hades turned out to be unrivaled, beating such greats as Ghost of Tsushima or The Last of Us Part II.
Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us 2 and Hades Among GDC Awards Nominees
Milosz Szubert, 21 April 2021, 15:51
The titles nominated for the 21st edition of the prestigious Game Developers Choice Awards have been announced. Ghost of Tsushima, Hades and The Last of Us 2 have a chance to win the most statuettes - six each.
BAFTA 2021 Declares Hades the Game of the Year, The Last of Us: Part II With Audience Award
Ness, 26 March 2021, 09:41
Today, we learned which games received the prestigious British BAFTA awards. The gala was dominated by Hades, which won as many as five awards, including the one for game of the year.
The Last of Us: Part II and Ghost of Tsushima Dominate BAFTA 2021 Nominations
Karol Laska , 02 March 2021, 18:19
The nominations for the 2021 BAFTA Games Awards for 2020 have been announced. The greatest number of mentions refers to such hits as Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us: Part II or the slightly smaller, but also popular Hades.
The Last of Us 2 With More GotY Titles Than The Witcher 3
Paul Musiolik, 27 January 2021, 15:00
The Last of Us: Part 2 dethroned The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Naughty Dog's latest PS4-exclusive boasts the most awards in the game of the year category in history.
The Last of Us 2 With Record Number of NAVGTR Nominations
Jacob Blazewicz, 20 January 2021, 22:19
After winning major awards at The Game Awards and the Golden Joystick, The Last of Us: Part II restablishes its dominance. Naughty Dog has received a record number of nominations in the NAVGTR poll.
First Nominations for Steam Awards 2020 Revealed
Paul Musiolik, 20 December 2020, 14:47
Valve has announced the first nominations in six categories of Steam Awards 2020. Soon we will be able to vote for our favourites, and get some collector's cards for it.
The Last of Us 2 Hailed GotY by PlayStation Blog Readers
Paul Musiolik, 19 December 2020, 18:38
The Last of Us: Part 2 dominated the next vote for game of the year. This time, it won on the official PlayStation blog.
The Last of Us 2 Wins Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2020
Paul Musiolik, 11 December 2020, 16:35
The Last of Us 2 dominated The Game Awards. Naughty Dog's game won in 7 categories, winning the statuette for the best title of 2020.
Community Chose Ghost of Tsushima as GotY on The Game Awards 2020
Bart Woldanski, 08 December 2020, 18:48
Players have chosen the game of the year as part of The Game Awards 2020. The title was won by Ghost of Tsushima, a PS4 by Sucker Punch and Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The Game Awards is Not Only Dragon Age 4
Adrian Werner, 08 December 2020, 12:20
Geoff Keighley revealed that over a dozen new games will be revealed during The Game Awards 2020. The gala is to last 2.5 hours.
Genshin Impact Wins GOTY on Google Play
Adrian Werner, 01 December 2020, 17:19
Google Play informed that the prize for the game of the year was awarded to Genshin Impact, a game by the Chinese studio miHoYo.
The Last of Us 2 Wins GOTY at Golden Joystick Awards 2020
Bart Woldanski, 25 November 2020, 14:46
We got to know the winners in this year's Golden Joystick Awards. The biggest winner was Naughty Dog's The Last of Us 2, which received a record six statuettes, including the most important one.
The Game Awards 2020 Will be a Bit Unusual This Year
Adrian Werner, 24 November 2020, 12:38
Geoff Keighley provided some details about this year's formula for The Game Awards. This year's gala will be virtual, but still there will be many attractions.
Steam Autumn Sale 2020 and Steam Awards Begin Tomorrow
Adrian Werner, 24 November 2020, 10:28
Tomorrow, Valve will start accepting nominations for the Steam Awards 2020. At the same time, the great autumn sale is to start.
Cyberpunk 2077 Loses Its Chance at Game Awards 2020
Paul Musiolik, 28 October 2020, 14:26
Cyberpunk 2077 lost the chance to win the Game of the Year title at The Game Awards 2020. CD Projekt RED's game will be unable to compete for the statuette until 2021.
The Game Awards 2020 Schedule Revealed
Jacob Blazewicz, 24 September 2020, 10:30
Geoff Keighley revealed the date of The Game Awards 2020 and confirmed that the celebration will start a little earlier with new game demos.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian Wins 5 Emmy Awards
Karol Laska , 17 September 2020, 17:54
There was a lot of buzz around the Mandalorian. The series was awarded five times during this year's Emmy Awards Gala, and the trailer of the second season had the fans search for Boba Fett.
Cyberpunk 2077 Wins Gamescom 2020
Bart Swiatek, 31 August 2020, 17:51
The upcoming RPG Cyberpunk 2077 developed by CD Projekt RED, turned out to be the biggest winner of this year's edition of gamescom. The title was won by the most important „Best of Gamescom” award.
Gamescom Awards 2020 Nominations
Milosz Szubert, 27 August 2020, 19:09
We got to know the games nominated for the gamescom awards 2020. The winners of some of them will be announced today during the opening ceremony. The others will be announced on Sunday, August 30, the day the event ends.
Chat's Choice Awards - Twitch Announces Its Own Awards
Milosz Szubert, 21 August 2020, 21:00
Twitch has announced the first edition of Chat's Choice Awards - prizes awarded by visitors to this platform. Interestingly, there will be more than one winner in each category. The community of any streamer who decides to participate in the game will be given a chance to choose their own favorites.
Ryzens Hits it Big on The European Hardware Awards
Mikolaj Laszkiewicz, 30 June 2020, 15:05
AMD is reaping the fruits of its CPU development and has just won numerous awards at The European Hardware Awards for 2020.
D.I.C.E. Awards - Untitled Goose Game Wins Game of the Year
Milosz Szubert, 14 February 2020, 17:35
We've learned the winners of the next edition of D.I.C.E. Awards. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has chosen Untitled Goose Game as the best game of last year. The title from House House Games has won three statuettes.
Death Stranding and Control Dominate D.I.C.E. Awards Nominations
Paul Wozniak, 10 January 2020, 23:47
We've just learned the nomination for D.I.C.E. Awards, which are awarded by The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. This year, Death Stranding and Control have the most chances to win the statuettes.
Death Stranding Becomes Top Nominee on GDC Awards 2020
Frozen, 09 January 2020, 11:09
We have learned a list of productions that will compete for Game Developers Choice Awards statuettes on March 18. This year the most nominations were won by Death Stranding, Control and Outer Wilds.
Mutazione Rakes in Highest Number of IGF Award Nominations
Adrian Werner, 08 January 2020, 11:25
The list of games nominated for IGF Awards, i.e. the most prestigious awards granted to independent games, was revealed. Titles such as Mutazione, Eliza, Slay the Spire and Untitled Goose Game will compete for the awards this year.
Steam Awards 2019 - Best Game of the Year Goes to Sekiro
Adrian Werner, 02 January 2020, 10:53
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice won in the game of the year category at 2019 Steam Awards. Other awarded titles included DayZ, Grand Theft Auto V, Gris, My Friend Pedro, and A Plague Tale: Innocence.
Steam Awards 2019: All Nominations Revealed
Konrad Serafinski, 19 December 2019, 11:48
Steam has published the complete list of games nominated in this year's edition of Steam Awards. The vote will begin today and the winners in all eight categories will be announced on December 31.
Winners of The Game Awards 2019
Paul Wozniak, 13 December 2019, 11:00
This year's The Game Awards gala is behind us. We got to know the games recognized in the best game of the year and 28 other categories, for a total of 29 statuettes awarded during the gala. The full list of winners can be found in this message.
Let's Watch The Game Awards 2019
Konrad Serafinski, 12 December 2019, 23:29
The Game Awards gala will take place tonight, revealing the best game of 2019. Apart from getting to know the winners in 29 categories, we will also see announcements of new titles.
First Nominations for Steam Awards 2019
Christian Pieniazek, 12 December 2019, 22:47
Valve has published a list of five Steam Awards 2019 nominations in the Outstanding Visual Style category. In addition, it was revealed when the voting for the winners will start - the date concides with the beginning of Steam Holiday Sale 2019.
Apple Presents Best Apps and Games of 2019
Laty, 04 December 2019, 23:26
Apple published a list of the best apps and games available on the App Store in 2019. Let's see which apps are worthy of attention according to Apple.
Nominations for Steam Awards 2019 Begin
Michael Kulakowski, 26 November 2019, 23:59
At the start of the Autumn Sale, Steam has announced the start of the collection of nominations for the Steam Awards 2019, which will be awarded in eight different categories. This year, the website will provide developers with new tools that will enable them to encourage players to vote for their works.
List of Titles Nominated to The Game Awards 2019
Bart Woldanski, 19 November 2019, 23:03
Today, the nominations for The Game Awards 2019 have been revealed, and we have seen games that will compete in more than twenty categories. Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, Resident Evil 2 remake, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and The Outer Worlds will compete for the title of the best.
Capcom Triumphs on Golden Joystick Awards 2019
Agnes Adamus, 15 November 2019, 21:50
The winners of this year's Golden Joystick Awards have been announced. The biggest winners of this edition of the poll are Capcom, which received three statuettes.
Platige Image Awarded for Metro Exodus Trailer
Konrad Serafinski, 05 November 2019, 11:12
Platige Image won the main prize in the Best Game Cinematic category at the animago conference, ending today in Munich. The studio was awarded for Artyom's Nightmare trailer for Metro Exodus.
Geoff Keighley Reveals Date of The Game Awards 2019
Agnes Adamus, 12 September 2019, 22:24
We learned the date of the fifth edition of The Game Awards. Geoff Keighley, the organizer of the event, announced that it would take place on December 12 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Winners of Dota 2 The International 2019 Tournament Claim $15 Million
Paul Wozniak, 26 August 2019, 14:51
By defeating Team Liquid in the finals of The International 2019 Dota 2 tournament, OG earned more than $15 million. The players of the winning team went down in history, as they were the only ones to reach for the trophy for the second time.
Gamescom Awards 2019 Winners - Triumph of Sony and Dreams
Milosz Szubert, 20 August 2019, 12:45
The Gamescom Awards 2019 have been awarded. Sony has the highest number of reasons to be satisfied - its games have won three awards. Ubisoft will leave Cologne with two awards.
Record Prize Prepared For the Winners of Dota 2 Tournament
Paul Wozniak, 15 August 2019, 16:22
The winners of the on-going Dota 2 tournament, The International 2019, can expect a huge amount of money to win. Practically the entire prize pool is funded by fans of the game.
Final Fantasy VII Wins Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2019
Christian Pieniazek, 28 June 2019, 10:35
We met the winners of Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2019. Final Fantasy VII Remake won the most, as many as three awards, while Cyberpunk 2077 received a special award for graphics.
Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2019 Nominations
Adrian Werner, 26 June 2019, 12:41
The list of nominations for the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2019 has been published. The Outer Worlds has the biggest chance of winning the most awards. Games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel's Avengers and Dying Light 2 were not considered because of the rules of awards.
BAFTA Awards 2019 - God of War Unchallenged
Adrian Werner, 05 April 2019, 15:32
BAFTA awards winners have been revealed. An undisputed leader in the ranking turned out to be God of War. The game was hailed as the best game of 2018 and won in four more categories.
God of War Awarded D.I.C.E. GoTY
Adrian Werner, 14 February 2019, 14:19
This year's D.I.C.E. Awards have just been announced. God of War turned out to be unstoppable, winning in nine categories, including Game of the Year.


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McDonald’s to break ground on new Rankin Highway location
Officials will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, Jan. 8 for a new McDonald’s restaurant to be built at 2307 Rankin Highway. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m.
Owned by Jesse and Anne Carrillo, Midland’s newest McDonald’s will feature a modern design, a family environment and the menu McDonald’s is known for. It will be one of the company’s largest models, seating between 94 and 101.
“It is with great pride and joy that McDonald’s will build a new restaurant at this location to serve the wonderful people of Midland and surrounding areas,” said Richard Rodriguez, who serves as chief executive officer and chief financial officer for the Carrillos’ company, McDonald’s West Texas. “The Carrillo family has proudly served the Midland-Odessa area for the past six years and they have come to know the amazing people who live here and have come to love this community. For this reason, McDonald’s is growing and will continue to grow to provide more locations and the best service.”
Rodriguez noted that McDonald’s doesn’t traditionally hold groundbreaking ceremonies, “but for the exposure, I wanted to have one. Out here right now, restaurants need exposure” especially in hiring staff.
He said the new restaurant will create 50 to 70 new jobs and all other Midland-Odessa locations are also always hiring. Anyone interested in working at McDonald’s can apply at any local McDonald’s.
The new restaurant is expected to open for business in late April.
Just opened in a new location is Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, which has relocated to 1202 Andrews Highway from 111 N. Midkiff Road.
Tommy Yorkman, owner of the local Jackson Hewitt franchise, said the new location is “more updated.”
His, he said, is the second largest tax preparation service in Midland and has been in business more than 22 years.
Jackson Hewitt offers tax preparation, including e-filing, at competitive rates. Yorkman said all work is done by licensed tax preparers.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday during tax season.
The office, he said, will be open year-round.
More information is available by calling 683-9300.


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Seems like an age ago that 10 Yetis launched a PR campaign for The Shoppers Bible and it goes to show how over-arching that campaign was as we are still getting cuttings coming back in and calls about the site.
This week the highly influential BIOS e-zine ran the story and with a confirmed subscription of over 150,000 people that is a great result.
You can read the article in full by clicking here.
We have also heard that a well respected small business trade magazine called Progressive Gifts and Home Worldwide has ran the story and with it going to just under 10 thousand local shop owners it looks like The Shoppers Bible is spreading its gospel even further.
Cutting to follow for Progressive Gifts and Home Worldwide magazine.


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As a part of its series of sensitisation programmes that are aimed at promoting the export of millets and its value-added products, the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), on Thursday, organised a virtual buyer-seller meet to harness export opportunities in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The buyer-seller meet was organised in association with Indian Mission in UAE under the leadership of the Indian Ambassador to UAE Sanjay Sudir.
APEDA, which works under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, is working in tandem with different stakeholders to accomplish the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote the consumption of millets worldwide.
On the occasion, APEDA also launched an e-catalogue for the UAE which contains information on various Indian millets and the range of their value-added products available for export, a list of active exporters, startups, farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and importers, retail chains and hypermarkets.
The e-catalogue for UAE has been circulated to the Indian embassy and potential importers, exporters, startups and other stakeholders in the millet supply chain.
During the buyer-seller meet, several importers, exporters, startups and other stakeholders in the millet supply chain participated and interacted with each other to explore the export opportunities of millet and its value-added products.
Noting that India has always been a trusted partner of UAE, Indian Ambassador Sanjay Sudir said that there are huge export opportunities for Indian millets and its value-added products to UAE and other markets in the region.
Speaking on the occasion, M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA said, “It’s a mission to promote millets in the international market. The APEDA team is ready to provide all required help to exporters, millet producers, and women FPOs to promote Indian millets across the globe.”
Stressing on coordinating with buyers, sellers, and producers, to take forward the export of millets and value-added products of millets, Angamuthu said, “It’s a good opportunity to boost our exports as India has very distinctive traditional varieties of millets which are loved by health-conscious people. The export of millets will help in increasing the income of farmers.”
APEDA has also planned to organise millet promotional activities in South Africa, Dubai, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Sydney, Germany, United Kingdom and United States by facilitating the participation of different stakeholders from India in some of the significant food shows, buyer-seller meets and roadshows.
India is one of the leading producers of millets in the world with an estimated share of around 41 per cent in global production. As per FAO, world production of millets in the year 2020 was 30.464 million metric tonnes (MMT) and India’s share was 12.49 MMT. India recorded a 27 per cent growth in millet production in 2021-22 as compared to millet production in the previous year was 15.92 MMT.
India’s top five millet-producing states are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The share of export of millets is nearly 1 per cent of the total millet production. Exports of millets from India include mainly whole grain and the export of value-added products of millets from India is negligible.
However, it is estimated that the millets market is set to grow from its current market value of more than USD 9 billion to over USD 12 billion by 2025.
The government is also mobilising startups for export promotion of value-added products in the ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-serve (RTS) categories such as noodles, pasta, breakfast cereals mix, biscuits, cookies, snacks and sweets.
As per the DGCIS data, India registered a growth of 8.02 per cent in the export of millets in the financial year 2021-22 as the export of millets was 159,332.16 metric tonne against 147,501.08 metric tonnes during the same period last year.
India’s major millet exporting countries are UAE, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Oman, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, UK and USA. The varieties of millets exported by India include bajra, ragi, canary, jawar, and buckwheat.
There are 16 major varieties of millet, which are produced and exported, including sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi) minor millets (kangani), proso millet (cheena), kodo millet (kodo), barnyard millet (sawa/sanwa/jhangora), little millet (kutki), two pseudo millets (buckwheat/kuttu), amaranthus (chaulai) and brown top millet.
APEDA has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) to boost value-addition and farmers’ income. APEDA launched a variety of millet products for all age groups at affordable prices ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 15 during AAHAR food fair, which is Asia’s biggest B2B international food and hospitality fair.
Read more: Khadi Fashion Show fascinates the audience on Rann of Kutch
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El Nasr Clothes & Textiles reports growth in net profit
El Nasr Clothes and Textiles (Kabo) has reported a year-on-year growth of 9.2 percent to earn consolidated profit of 46.5 million Egyptian pounds during the first half of this year.
Company's products include under and outerwear for men, women and children, which are made of all kinds of kitting, (single jersey, fine rib, derby, interlock and warp knit).
Textile company shares slid down 1.4 percent to close at 2.19 pounds on Tuesday. Market capitalization stands at 751.72 million pounds.
Considered one of the giants, the company's net profit in the first half of 2006 was 42.57 million pounds.
Kabo items are sold under international trade marks like Jill, Super Kabo and Kabo, which are well known.


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Skoda Karoq: First Drive Review
- May 31, 2019
- Views : 7328
For those who eyed the Kodiaq and then turned away looking at the price tag, we've got some news for you. The little cousin of the big Skoda, called the Karoq, is arriving soon. How soon, you ask? In the next 12 to 18 months, says Ashutosh Dixit who heads the sales, service and marketing division at Skoda India.
The Karoq, much like its elder sibling, will be brought in via the CKD route. We aren't expecting prices to be super competitive, but it should land up in the whereabouts of Rs 20 lakh. That should see it square off against a mixed bag of competition ranging from the XUV500, the Hexa to conventional SUVs such as the Tucson and the Jeep Compass.
The small SUV is based on Volkswagen's acclaimed MQB platform. We're expecting Skoda to opt for the 2.0-litre TDi engine for India with 150PS on tap. That said, Skoda could also opt for the lower-spec 1.6 TDi just to ensure that the Karoq isn't as powerful as the big Kodiaq. Transmission options globally include a 6-speed manual and the slick-shifting DSG.
In terms of features, the Karoq is stuffed to the gills. Highlights include a 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof and all-LED headlamps. How many of these features make their way to India, however, remains to be seen.
Speaking of India, Skoda recently confirmed that they're working on localising the MQB A0 platform. The first product based on the platform is expected to roll out by 2020. Now, it isn't clear if it'd wear a Skoda or a Volkswagen badge on its nose. But hey, as long as there are new cars, we're happy!


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The four senators are Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairman of the Intelligence Committee; John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet; and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Science and Space.
The dual thrust of the legislation is that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should issue obligatory security standards for the protection of personal information, and that breached organizations should be required to notify customers if ever and whenever that data is compromised. Different states currently have different breach notification requirements, and this new bill would appear to be an attempt to consolidate them into a single federal law.
Under the proposal, businesses would receive "incentives to adopt state of the art technologies [such as encryption] that would render consumer electronic data unreadable or unusable in the case of a breach."
The move follows a series of major security breaches. “Recent massive data breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus have put the personal information of tens of millions of Americans at risk,” Senator Feinstein said announcing the plan. “This is a real and growing problem. The legislation I introduce today with Chairman Rockefeller will ensure that Americans’ sensitive personal and financial information is stored securely, that Americans receive prompt notification when this information is compromised and that law enforcement is promptly notified in order to prosecute cybercrime... The breaches are getting more frequent, and members of Congress—of both parties and across different congressional committees—must come together to pass this common-sense plan to protect the American consumer.”
Whether this proposal will ever become law, is, however, another matter. To what extent any new rules from the FTC could improve on the PCI DSS standard, with which the hacked retail companies must already comply – but which evidently failed to protect them – is another question. Furthermore, since the notification requirement will undoubtedly be based on the California model, and since public notification can be delayed on advice from law enforcement, it is questionable whether this would have much serious effect for the consumer.
The proposed law would require breached companies "to notify a central, designated federal entity (established by the Department of Homeland Security), which would in-turn notify other relevant law enforcement and government agencies of the breach." With early required notification to law enforcement, it is quite likely that such agencies would request delayed public notification while they investigate the breach.
Nevertheless, the proposal introduces strong sanctions. "The bill would impose civil penalties for violations of the law as well as criminal penalties on corporate personnel that deliberately conceal a data breach."


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Hungary May Lower Phone-Call Tax Limit in 2012, Portfolio Says
Hungary may lower the upper limits of a recently approved tax on phone calls in 2012, news website Portfolio reported today, citing amendments submitted by lawmakers.
Under the proposed changes, the maximum monthly charge for individual customers would be 400 forint, compared with the approved 700 forint per subscription, and for companies it would be 1,400 forint versus 2,500 forint per subscription, Portfolio said.
Hungary will introduce the phone-call tax as of the start of July. The lower limits would be in effect only until the end of 2012, according to the website.
To contact the reporter on this story: Edith Balazs in Budapest at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: James M. Gomez at email@example.com


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Gameboy emulators are pretty common for both desktop and mobile platforms -- but one dev has built one compatible with the Oculus Rift.
This free utility brings Jelly Bean to Windows and Mac so you can run apps, play games, and more.
Nintendo fans rejoice: GBA4iOS 2.0 -- a project of indie developer Riley Testut for the last two years -- just went live, and it's the easiest way to play Game Boy games on the iPhone.
Google's Portable Native Client technology gives a new Web-based lease on life for an old operating system and the games it could run.
A storage app that also happens to run Super Nintendo games by emulation has managed to get on the App Store and is the top-selling app.
Emu master yongzh's account deleted by Google without warning along with his franchise emulators.
PlayStation emulator PSX4Droid has been removed from the Android Market store by Google for "content policy violation", just in time for the Xperia Play to go on sale.
Developer Samuel Blanchard has coded a Game Boy emulator in Silverlight that runs on Windows Phone 7 smart phones. The question is whether you'll ever be able to use it.
Retro gaming on the iPhone continues to go from strength to strength, with a version of classic SNES shooter Earth Defense Force just out, and an official Amiga emulator on the way.
The iOS app that brought a very early version of Windows to iPad users didn't last long before being pulled, but the app will remain in development and for sale through a third-party.


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AHMEDABAD: Stepping into the digital world, Adani Group
has set the ball rolling to build a super app, for which the Ahmedabad-based diversified conglomerate has created a new arm, Adani Digital Labs.
Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani had addressed the young employees of Adani Digital Labs a couple of days ago.
He had recalled that it all began in January this year when a mockup of a super app was presented to him.
“It took less than 30 minutes for me to decide that we must become a player in this space,” he told the employees.
A super app is a unified platform or application that allows users to access several services in one place.
The Adani Group patriarch said that the group has a mix of 400 million endconsumers that use the group’s products or services across its businesses spanning airports, gas, realty, electricity, financial services, and consumer products.
“It was a no-brainer that the unified digital platform-based approach was required to leverage the unprecedented possibility in this space,” the chairman told Adani Digital Lab’s 78 employees present in the meeting.
“Today, our consumer base is growing at15%. If we can onboard every Adani consumer on our digital platform, we will have a billion consumers well before 2030,” said the chairman. His son Jeet and nephew Sagar Adani have been entrusted with the responsibility of spearheading this digital initiative.
“We must design to connect every human in India’s vast ecosystem,” the Adani Group chairman added.
He also emphasized that Adani Digital Labs has the potential to become the biggest business that the group has built till date and be a crucial part of the group’s trillion dollar valuation ambition.


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Even as the gold continued to show correction as there were hopes of a sooner than expected US-China trade deal, the fresh concerns after the US imposed fresh tariffs on the European Union and important metrics from the US on its employment number has again pushed the safe haven appeal of the yellow metal.
There remain now a further rate cut anticipation on the back of slowing economic growth.
Spot gold was up 0.1% at $1,500.59 per ounce at 0105 GMT. In the previous session, prices climbed the most since August 23.
Back home, the yellow metal's December futures traded at Rs 38,287 per 10 gram, up by Rs 395 or 1.04 percent on the MCX around 09:20 AM IST.
The impetus has been provided by the fresh trade war between the US and European Union as also the weaker rupee which is providing an upside support to the yellow metal.
Given the weak geo-political outlook, experts suggests to maintain a dip on buy call for both silver and gold as it may provide bountiful gains for the investors in the long run.


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Ecommerce marketplace, Snapdeal, raised $200 Mn from Canada-based pension fund – Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Venture capital fund – Iron Pillar and Singapore-based investment entity – Brother Fortune Apparel. The round also saw participation from Bennett Coleman & Co. The new round values the company somewhere around $6.5-$7 Bn.
This week, 30 startups raised about $240 Mn in funding altogether (the funding amount is based on the startups that disclosed their funding amounts).
Startups That Raised Funds This Week
Xpressbees: Ecommerce logistics startup, Xpressbees, raised about $12.38 Mn (INR 85 Cr.) in a funding round led by its existing investors SAIF Partners, IDG Ventures India, NEA, Vertex Ventures and Valiant Capital. The startup will utilise the funds to upgrade its technology and to expand its operations.
Buddy: Student micro-lending startup, Buddy, raised $500K from Blume Ventures, TracxnLabs and other angel investors in its Pre-Series A funding round. The newly raised funds will be used to expand its credit risk & technology.
RentSher: Online rental marketplace RentSher raised more than $300K in a seed funding round. The round was led by Dubai-based ex-McKinsey investor Vaibhav Doshi, along with a clutch of other well-known entrepreneurs turned investors. The capital raised will be used for product development, fulfilment and growth.
Docket: On-demand documentation and registration service provider, Docket, raised an undisclosed amount of funding. Docket was previously known as Notarymama. With the raised funds, it plans to expand its services in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.
TableHero: An intelligent operating system for small local businesses, TableHero raised about $1 Mn in seed funding, led by growX ventures. The round also saw participation from Kunal Shah, Sandeep Tandon, Haresh Chawla, Powai Lake Ventures and GlobeVestor. The startup is initially targeting nearly million table service restaurants in the US.
BetterPlace: A digital background verification startup, BetterPlace, raised about $1 Mn (INR 6.6 Cr) from Unitus Seed Fund. The startup will utilise the amount for developing analytics as a layer on the data as well as the geographical expansion.
Icustommadeit: An ecommerce portal that sells customised merchandise, icustommadeit.com, raised $4 Mn in its Pre-Series A funding round from Times Group’s Brand Capital, Siddhivinayak Skyscrapers, and Dinesh R. Challa, IIT Roorkee alumnus. The startup has plans use the funds for marketing and to expand its presence in 18 target cities.
Medinfi: Healthcare provider discovery app, Medinfi, raised an undisclosed amount in a fourth round of angel funding from Rajnish Sinha and others. It will use the raised capital for launching iOS app, and further to expand its operations to 13 Indian cities in coming months.
Gamezop: Gaming platform, Gamezop, raised $350K (INR 2.3 Cr.) in a seed round funding led by talent management firm Kwan. The round also saw the participation of Anand Chandrasekaran, Phanindra Sama, Powerhouse Ventures, TracxnLabs, AECAL and Vinay Menon. The raised capital will be used by the company towards further building up its technology, distribution alliance and talent.
TheViralFever: Online digital entertainment startups TVF has received a commitment of $10 Mn (INR 65.6 Cr) from Tiger Global Management and Temasek Boulevard. The company is now valued somewhere around $45 Mn (INR 310 Cr).
Tracxn: Tracxn Technologies Pvt. Ltd raised an undisclosed amount of funding from a group of angel investors including Nandan Nilekani, Mohandas Pai, WhatsApp vice-president Neeraj Arora and Junglee co-founder Anand Rajaraman, among others.
Timemytask: On-demand home cleaning services platform, Timemytask raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Lead Angels. The startup will use the funding to expand in Mumbai and launch the technology applications for both customers and cleaners.
AlmaConnect: Alumni networking social network, AlmaConnect, raised an undisclosed amount in pre-Series A funding from Mohandas Pai and Aspiring Minds co-founder Varun Aggarwal. The startup will utilise the newly raised capital to scale its user base, as well as expand geographically, with US being the primary target.
CareOnGo: Online wellness platform and aggregator of pharmacy stores, CareOnGo, raised $300K in seed round of funding from a group of investors led by Farooq Oomerbhoy. The newly raised capital will be used to increase the number of co-branded stores across various cities.
Unlaze: Unlaze, an upcoming personal networking app that seeks to help like-minded people, living nearby, connect over common interests and hobbies, has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding led by Dino Morea (Fitness Icon & Entrepreneur) and Sujal Shah (CXO of MissMalini Media).
Aasaanjobs: Online marketplace for recruitment, Aasaanjobs, raised $5 Mn in Series A round of funding led by Aspada Advisors with participation from existing investors – Inventus Capital Partners and IDG Ventures India. The raised capital will help the startup to take its HR services on the cloud.
Advantage Club: A mobile platform for corporate employee benefits, Advantage Club, raised about $400K (INR 2.7 Cr) in funding from a round led by Purvi Ventures, Mumbai Angels and other angel investors. The newly raised capital will be used to enhance the product with analytical features and for pan-India expansion.
HealthKumbh: Online platform that helps doctors, clinics and hospitals network with peers and people, HealthKumbh, raised $73K (INR 50 lakh) in seed funding from an Ahmedabad-based angel investor. The funds will be used for product development and expansion into surrounding cities.
Tring: Yet to be launched instant messaging app, Tring, raised an undisclosed amount in funding from ValueFirst founder Vishwadeep Bajaj and other angel investors. The startup will use the money raised to complete product development and launch of the startup.
Salebhai: Salebhai Internet Pvt Ltd, which runs an ecommerce marketplace for sweets, eatables, handicrafts and pooja items, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from a group of HNIs and customers.
GoYaNo: GoYaNo, an online marketplace for discovering events and restaurant deals, raised around $50K (INR 35 lakhs) in seed funding from Carclubindia.com founder Mukesh Kumar Gupta. The startup will use the money raised to develop new products and expand its business.
OyePlay: Zaikenn Management Services has invested an undisclosed amount in OyePlay, a playground and sports trainer aggregator. The investment was facilitated by the startup marketplace – Brand Accelerator.
LocalRamu: LocalRamu, a mobile based aggregator for local service providers, raised an undisclosed amount of funding from three individual investors. The raised capital will be used to build up the team, set up the office and develop its technology.
Jaypore: Online retail store Jaypore that offers products include home decor, accessories, jewelry, apparel, gifts, vintage items etc., raised $5 in series A round of funding from social VC firm Aavishkaar. The funding will be made in two tranches, and will be used to further scale up its technology infrastructure, brand building, as well as to expand its team.
GetVee: Matrimony app maker GetVee raised funding from existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Portea chairman K Ganesh and CarDekho CEO Amit Jain. The new funding will be utilized for product development.
Finance Buddha: Hybrid marketplace for financial services, Finance Buddha, raised an undisclosed amount in Pre-Series A round of funding led by The Chennai Angels. It has presence in 12 cities and disbursed more than INR 1,000 Cr. loans in the current financial year.
Also, iKure, a homegrown startup targeting rural healthcare space, is planning to raise $3-5 Mn from global investors in the next six months. The startup plans to use the proceeds to scale up operations, strengthen team size, upgrade technological capabilities, and train some 500 community members.
Packaging material maker, Bollant Industries, raised an undisclosed amount in funding from Ratan Tata. This is the third non-tech investment by Ratan Tata
A crowd-sourced app that allows users to recommend, organise and discover the best dishes/drinks, Woozoe, is planning to raise $3 Mn in the next series of funding.
Acquisitions Of The Week
- On-demand home services startup, Zimmber, acquired FindYahan for an undisclosed amount, in a cash and stock deal. Post acquisition FindYahan’s core team of 5, and its two founders – Rachit Mathur and Snehil Khanor will join Zimmber. Rachit will join the growth and revenue initiatives team and Snehil will be part of product team.
- Amazon Inc, is in the process to acquire EMVANTAGE Payments Pvt Ltd, an online payment solutions provider, for an undisclosed amount. As part of the deal, Emvantage’s employees will join Amazon’s payments team to develop solutions, tailored for the Indian market. According to the reports, the acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2016.
- On-demand service provider Housejoy acquired Orobind, at-home personal fitness tech startup, for an undisclosed amount. As a part of the deal, HouseJoy has acquired the trainers of Orobind, the customers base and the technology. The entire Orobind team will also be moving to Housejoy.
- Video analytics startup, Vidooly, acquired over-the-top (OTT) content company iCouchApp, for an undisclosed amount. As per the deal, all assets and intellectual property including iCouchApp’s technology that powers mobile apps of TV giants like Zee TV and HistoryTV18, will come into Vidooly’s fold.
- Cross Roads India Assistance, popularly known as CRIA, acquired based MeriCAR.com, a marketplace and aggregator for the after sales automotive for an undisclosed amount.
Also, logistics major Gati plans to invest in startups in the delivery space as the firm tries to achieve its target of delivering 1 Mn packages per day by 2020.
Other Developments Of The Week
- VCats has added 50 high profile angels on board. In addition to its founder-members, other prominent angels who are currently associated with VCats include Anirudh Damani, Sameer Shah, Vishal Maheshwari, Daud Ali, Ankush Tiwari, Abhishek Bhagat, Anand Ladsariya, Vikas Kapoor, Manoj Agarwal and Vikram Lakhotia amongst others.
- To contribute to India’s Startup Indian and Make In India initiative, Oracle is opening incubation centres throughout the country to support entrepreneurship and development of innovative startups.It willprovide software, tools and training to new software and technology companies utilising Java and the Oracle platform.
- Kalaari Capital’s seed program initiative, Kstart, has roped in Google as its technology partner. The association will help seed-stage Kstart portfolio companies to have access to Google’s mentors, investors, a network of partners and products.
- As a part of the Startupreneur Series, MindBatteries, launched the ‘Chase Your Dreams Contest’ to boost the startup ecosystem at an individual level. In the first episode of the series, Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma was interviewed, who is offering an investment of $145K (INR 1 Cr) to the winning startup. Apart from the winning amount, 5 selected candidates will get an opportunity to be mentored by Sharma. Microsoft Ventures, DLabs at the Indian School of Business, and Ashoka University have joined hands to launch “AIM Smart City accelerator programme” to identify, invest in and support the best startups focused on making cities a better place.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 2nd, 2023
National Safety Apparel Inc. (NSA) Acquires Paulson Manufacturing to Further Expand NSA’s Portfolio of Innovative Safety Products
Cleveland, OH: National Safety Apparel (NSA), a leading manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety apparel announced today it acquired California-based Paulson Manufacturing. This acquisition further strengthens NSA’s commitment to manufacturing American-made products.
Founded in 1947, Paulson Manufacturing is the world’s foremost authority on transparent face & eye protection for industrial workers and first responders. Paulson products are synonymous with quality, comfort, innovation, and protection. Paulson will continue manufacturing operations at its plant in Temecula, California.
“The acquisition of Paulson complements our growing portfolio of innovative safety products” said NSA CEO Chuck Grossman. “Paulson is a great strategic fit for NSA on several levels. Paulson brand products have decades of proven performance, and they’ve earned a great reputation for quality and innovation. We’re excited to welcome the Paulson team to NSA, and to expand our USA manufacturing footprint.”
“All of us at Paulson look forward to joining NSA”, said Roy Paulson, President and CEO. “NSA’s culture of continuous improvement, safety, quality and American manufacturing aligns very well with Paulson. Our entire team is excited about what this acquisition can do to advance safety through innovation.”
“Paulson has always been known for making the best shields on the market” said NSA President Mike Enright. “This isn’t a surprise when you visit their plant in Temecula, CA. It’s loaded with advanced technology, knowledgeable people, and you can feel Roy’s passion for innovation and quality as you walk through on a tour.”
About National Safety Apparel
National Safety Apparel (NSA), established in 1935, is a market leader in flame-resistant clothing (FRC), electrical PPE and products, thermal & industrial PPE and military apparel. The vast majority of NSA’s DRIFIRE®, Enespro®, and Wild Things® brands are made in the USA, reflecting a commitment to quality that distribution partners and end users have trusted for decades. For more information, visit www.thinknsa.com.
About Paulson Manufacturing
Paulson is vertically integrated in all phases of production, from designing the products to making the tooling, injection molding, machining, assembling, packaging/labeling, and shipping are all done at our factory in Temecula, CA. Not only does this allow us to maintain a rigorous quality control program in accordance with ISO-9001, but gives us flexibility in offering innovative engineering solutions.
Gary Medalis, Vice President of Product and Marketing
Phone: 216-658-2671 Email: firstname.lastname@example.org


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Diageo to re-launch non-alcoholic Guinness after major recall
A NON-alcoholic stout withdrawn by Guinness over contamination fears late last year will finally be rolled out in pubs this July.
Drinks giant Diageo recalled all of its newly launched Guinness 0.0 drink in November 2020 after warning that it may be “unsafe so consume”.
Launched just weeks earlier after four years of development, consumers who had bought the new non-alcoholic drink were advised to dump it or return it to the point of purchase.
Diageo described it as "a precautionary measure" linked to "a microbiological contamination which may make some cans of Guinness 0.0 unsafe to consume".
The drinks giant has now announced that Guinness 0.0 will begin appearing in pubs around the north from mid-July.
It’s expected to appear again in supermarkets and off-licenses from the end of August.
Alan McAleenan, marketing director at Guinness Ireland, said: “Guinness has always maintained the upmost commitment to quality. We are 100 per cent confident that consumers’ expectations of our quality standards will be met with our new non-alcoholic Guinness 0.0.”
Pouring a pint of non-alcoholic stout isn’t straightforward. Diageo say non-alcoholic beers cannot be poured through traditional lines and keg systems.
To get around this, the drinks giant has developed a standalone pouring unit for pubs it calls Guinness MicroDraught.
It’ll pour a pint of Guinness 0.0 from a large can. Diageo said it has developed a “world-first patent-pending double coaxial piercing of the can” to produce a traditional Guinness pour.
An air pump is also used instead to the traditional gas cylinder.
“We are delighted to bring Guinness MicroDraught, another world-first innovation from Guinness, to pubs around the island of Ireland, meaning that consumers will now have the chance to enjoy a beautiful, non-alcoholic Guinness 0.0, whether in pub or at-home, this summer,” said Mr McAleenan.
Diageo said the non-alcoholic stout is brewed using the same ingredients; water, barley, hops, and yeast; before gently removing the alcohol through a cold filtration method.
“The cold filtration process allows the alcohol to be filtered out without presenting thermal stress to the beer, protecting the integrity of its taste and character,” said the drinks group.
“The brewers then carefully blend and balance the flavours to ensure the distinctive flavour profile and taste characteristics of Guinness.”


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A rebound in new boat retail in May, combined with boatbuilder shutdowns in April due to the novel coronavirus, prompted half of marine dealers to say inventory was too low while 23 percent said it was too high.
The response ratio was the leanest new inventory reading since 2008, according to the Pulse Report, a survey administered by Baird Research in conjunction with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Soundings Trade Only.
Factory rebates and incentives were helping to drive interest, one respondent said.
“Finance penetration is very high,” the dealer wrote. “Frankly, we are not lying when we tell people we will be out of key models of boats and motors very soon.”
Of the 67 dealers who responded to the questionnaire asking about May market conditions, 81 percent said used boat inventory was too low, versus just 8 percent who said it was too high — the largest gap recorded in survey history.
“If it floats, it sells,” one dealer wrote.
Still, dealer comment was spotty, indicating that the rebound was inconsistent among regions and industry segments.
“Get this virus over, we are locked down,” one respondent wrote.
Another wrote: “There still seems to be interest, although many potential customers are shopping and waiting to see what happens.”
Dealers also reported stronger consumer interest in listing late-model boats, as well as an increase of trade-in activity. Almost half — 48 percent — said there had been a significant or moderate increase in people wanting to list models five years old or fewer. Fifty percent said they had seen an increase in trade-ins of boats five years old or less.
If the industry sees a rise in customers looking to sell later-model boats, it could be a bellwether about what will happen in the market, says Jack Ellis of Info-Link, a Florida firm that tracks new and used boat registrations.
“It can indicate whether people are having to sell boats because they lost their jobs, or what have you,” Ellis says.
Many dealers say they were seeing trades on older boats, and stronger consumer interest in boats older than five years.
“Older used boats are in demand but also harder to finance,” one dealer wrote. “Lenders have tightened up on units 12 years and older.”
Some customers have been able to sell boats on their own before trading them in, costing the dealership the trade, one dealer wrote.
“We are being more cautious on trade-in values, so it may be tempering some trade activity,” another wrote. “Most of the interest in trading is older-model boats, not five years or newer.”
The uptick in new boat retail demand prompted a jump in dealer confidence both in the short- and long-term; sentiment on current conditions took a gaint leap from 19 in April to 76 in May, and the three- to five-year outlook edged up to 64 from 60 in April.
Still, dealers were cautious about whether the trend would last.
“I’ve never seen a buying frenzy like this,” one dealer wrote. “Is this a short-term bump or is it a long-term change in consumer habits?”
Another expressed “real concern” about the continuing issues associated with covid-19 and how they would affect late-summer and fall buying trends.
The dealer asked, “[With] the recent retail selling surge, how deep into the summer will it continue? 2021 inventory ordering raises a number of questions for both the dealer and the manufacturer.”
This article was originally published in the July 2020 issue.


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Thoughts on how to keep cats safe and happy
Inset fence posts can be a challenge for cat-proofing, but Purrfect Fence handles them easily. Rory installed this system last month.
Last year we supplied this Oscillot cat proof fence system to customers in Richmond, Tasman. See the results as one of their cats takes a running jump.
New Zealand fences are often stepped or sloped. With Purrfect Fence, that’s no problem at all.
Here at CATFENCE headquarters, our three kitties love to hang out with us – so much so that sometimes we can’t even find a place to sit down.
Cat owners in Wellington are being encouraged to participate in an online survey run by the city council, as part of a review of the animals bylaw. The survey will be open until 28 April.
Cat Containment Systems (catfence.nz) sells four types of cat fence system that we believe are the best on the market. Some times, a combination of systems will be the best solution. In this blog post we look at the important issue of fence height.
In a recent broadcast on RNZ National, producer Liz Garton went looking for a native New Zealand bat and found out how free-roaming cats endanger this elusive little mammal.
If you live at a rural address and want to purchase from us, you may need to nominate a non-RD address for delivery. This is due to a sudden change in size limits imposed by CourierPost yesterday.
Cat containment rules remain patchy but, since 2018, six local councils have introduced bylaws requiring that pet cats be microchipped and the chip registered with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register (NZCAR).


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A GOOD economic policy must strike the right balance between conflicting interests, encourage investment and protect jobs.
In Pakistan, however, government policies on most economic issues entrench conflicts between the differing interests, instead of narrowing the gap between the lobbies representing them. This is because most decisions are made under political pressure of one lobby or another, instead of on the basis of economic rationale.
In 2010, for example, the government imposed a temporary quota on yarn exports under pressure from garment producers despite the monthly yarn production surplus of 60,000 tonnes. The idea was to compel yarn producers to cut their domestic prices. While the restrictions did hurt spinners a little bit, they didn’t help reduce domestic prices because of a global shortage and higher prices.
The quota controls were lifted once the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) effectively lobbied the country’s top political leadership against it. In the process, textile minister Rana Farooq lost his job. Investors’ trust in the government was shaken because it had allowed the free trade mechanism to be breached for political gains.
A similar situation has surfaced again owing to the unhindered inflow from India of cheaper fine count yarn, which is used to make lawn for the domestic market. This again underlines the divide between upstream and downstream manufacturers, with spinners demanding restrictions on Indian yarn to protect 30 spinning factories, mostly in Punjab, from going out of business.
Yarn imports for exporters of value-added textiles under DTRE and manufacturing bond schemes should remain exempt from any import restrictions for domestic consumption — Gohar Ejaz
Indeed, the increase in yarn imports from India appears abnormal. Pakistan’s yarn imports doubled to nearly 31,000 tonnes — or 43pc of its annual domestic output of 72,000 tonnes — in 2013-14 from a year earlier. Almost 80pc of the total imports came from India. In the first seven months of this fiscal, the imports have surged to 15,242 tonnes, with almost 13,000 tonnes coming from India.
Obviously, the significant price difference is driving imports of Indian yarn. Ilyas Mahmood, former chairman of the Faisalabad-based Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), says while the price difference between local and Indian fine yarn had narrowed in the last year, imported yarn still had a price advantage of Rs25-30 per pound.
A recent BMA Capital report described cheap Indian imports as an ‘additional threat’ to the spinning industry, which is struggling to cope with the energy shortage and dwindling Chinese demand for its yarn.
There are two reasons for the difference in prices. “First, the production cost is much lower in India than in Pakistan because of lower electricity prices, cheaper credit and other factors. Furthermore, federal and state governments in India have allowed unstructured [not covered under the WTO regime] subsidies to yarn producers with a total impact of 12.5pc on prices, cutting their production cost from Rs279 to Rs244 a kilo,” Aptma chairman SM Tanveer said. He was citing a study on federal and state subsidies and rebates for textile exporters by a leading Indian textile manufacturer, Chiripal.
Compared with that, it costs a manufacturer here in Punjab Rs293 to produce a kilo of the same yarn.
Besides subsidising its textile exports, India discourages yarn imports by imposing various taxes, with a cumulative impact of 30pc. Pakistan has only a nominal duty of 5pc, making it an ideal place for India to dump its subsidised yarn.
“Over 40pc of the fine count yarn capacity has already closed. The government should implement remedial measures like imposition of 15pc regulatory duty on imports,” Tanveer said.
But weavers — especially the unregistered power loom sector and value-added textile producers — are opposing an increase in duty on yarn imports. They argue that such a measure will damage exports and is against the free market principle.
Ilyas doesn’t consider restrictions on Indian yarn as a solution to the issue. “It will affect our domestic market [of manufactured textiles]. The solution lies in the provision of uninterrupted energy to the industry at affordable prices and the implementation of policies to restore the industry’s competitiveness.”
Pakistan exports over a quarter of its yarn production of 2.4-2.5m tonnes because of underdeveloped downstream, value-added textile manufacturing. But exports are plunging, having dipped by 22pc to $874m in the first half of this fiscal from a year ago.
Aptma leader Gohar Ejaz views the situation from what he calls a bipartisan position. “It could be a tricky situation [for the government]. It must protect several hundred jobs and investment of mills affected by cheap imports without disturbing the free market mechanism in the textile trade.”
He doesn’t see any harm in restricting the entry of subsidised Indian yarn for domestic consumption because “it is causing injury to the domestic industry”.
Nevertheless, Gohar says the value-added exporters must not suffer at all. “Their access, under the free market trade principle, to their raw materials from whatever source they want to buy it from should be safeguarded. Thus, yarn imports for exporters of value-added textiles under DTRE and manufacturing bond schemes should remain exempt from any import restrictions for domestic consumption.”
Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, February 9th, 2015


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During the Chicago-Pandemic, electric bikes have become a popular item, and increasing demand has made it difficult to obtain them. Eco-friendly vehicles can be expensive, but efforts are underway to make them more affordable to the average consumer.
Avid e-biker Eve Santiago was bored during the pandemic.
“I started working from home.” I need to get out of the house, “she said.
In her quest to avoid the pitfalls of urban congestion and parking problems, she found a solution on her electric bike.
“I actually sold my car because it was so convenient. You can park it on the sidewalk,” said Santiago.
She cost thousands of dollars, but she says the investment in an electric bike is worth it. After making some changes such as new headlights, seats and upgraded batteries, she turned off.
“Because it’s an electric bike, if you need to bypass the traffic, you can easily get into the bike lane, so it’s just much more convenient.”
That’s what caused the boom in the e-bike industry, as Americans are looking for ways to get out while avoiding crowded commuters.
“The catalyst is clearly COVID and people are becoming more aware of alternative transportation,” said Don Di Costanzo, CEO of Pedego Electric Bikes.
During the pandemic, a California-based electric bike company with about 200 retail stores nationwide reported sales of $ 121 million.
“Our store is doing twice and three times as much as they did. It took a year to reach the break-even point. Now, even in the first month, we reach the break-even point. , We will start making money in the second month, “said Di Costanzo. “I have never seen anything like that.”
Proponents say e-bikes are ideal for users with limited capacity and mobility, and can even lead to homes without cars.
Noa Banayan, Director of Federal Affairs for People For Bikes, a Washington, DC-based advocacy group, said:
It is also environmentally friendly.
According to a 2019 study by the Transportation Research and Education Center, a 15% increase in the use of electric bicycles across the United States will reduce transportation-related CO2 emissions by 11%, and vehicles that should have moved for strictly practical purposes. It turns out that 72% of the miles will be replaced. Purpose.
Electric bike prices, excluding customization, range from about $ 600 for the very low end to $ 8,000 for the high end e-bike.
However, if you are in the electric bike market, it is important to note that there are efforts to make this type of transportation more economical for the average consumer.
The E-Bike Act, introduced in the Senate, prioritizes electric bicycles as a zero-emission transport mode, along with ancillary bills in the House of Representatives. If successful, consumers will receive a 30% tax credit of up to $ 1,500 on the purchase of a new electric bike.
“So we’re thinking of low-income Americans, you’re still eligible to receive this credit,” Banayan said.
Proponents like Banayan say the goal is to replace short car trips with CO2 and eliminate electric bike trips.
“You can do it with the cargo behind. You can do it with your groceries for a week. You could do it for delivery, such a thing.” She said. “It makes the hills much easier, makes the distance longer, and makes it a little shorter.”
For enthusiasts like Eve Santiago, it just charges.
It’s much more convenient to say, “Hey, I have to go do some errands.” I’m going to jump on my bike, “she said. “You don’t have to worry about parking on the street. That’s a big deal.”
E-bike sales boomed during pandemic, could help reduce carbon emissions Source link E-bike sales boomed during pandemic, could help reduce carbon emissions


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A new tax on sugary soft drinks is now in force across the UK.
While the tax was to be introduced here as well today, its introduction in Ireland has been pushed back to May 1 to ensure the levy does not infringe EU state aid law.
So with the debate very much a live issuein Ireland here are the answers to some key questions about the levy and what it means for manufacturers and consumers.
- What is the sugar tax?
From April 6, soft drinks companies will be required to pay a levy on drinks with added sugar.
- Why are the British Government introducing the tax?
The move aims to help tackle childhood obesity. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are now the single biggest source of dietary sugar for children and teenagers.
It is hoped the tax will encourage drinks companies to cut down on the amount of sugar in drinks, and consumers to choose lower sugar alternatives.
- How much is the tax?
Companies will have to pay 18p per litre of drink if the product contains more than 5g of sugar per 100 millilitres and 24p per litre if it contains 8g of sugar per 100 millilitres.
Prices of popular drinks may rise and the size of portions shrink as a result.
Ireland is set to introduce the same two tier levy.
- Will it apply to all drinks?
The new levy will not be paid on milk-based drinks and fruit juices.
However British chancellor George Osborne, who unveiled the tax policy, has predicted that the tax will be extended to include milkshakes with large quantities of sugar.
- Will the tax work?
The Government has said the tax is already working, with over 50% of manufacturers reducing the sugar content of drinks since the levy was announced in March 2016.
The expected amount of revenue from the tax in the first year has declined from £520m to £240m.
- What products will be affected?
Original Pepsi, Coca-Cola Classic, Red Bull and Sprite are among those which will be affected by the tax, but sugar-free drinks such as Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero will be exempt.
- Which brands have reformulated?
Tesco has reformulated all of its own-label soft drinks to come in below the threshold for the levy, as have Morrisons, Asda and The Co-op.
Irn-Bru is one of the big name brands to change its recipe, cutting the sugar in a can from 8.5 teaspoons to four despite a consumer backlash and reports that fans were stockpiling cans and bottles of the original.
- What will the proceeds of the tax be used for in Britain?
The money will help fund healthy school breakfast clubs and be reinvested in sport in schools.
If revenue from the levy drops, the British Government said funding for schools and children will stay the same.
In Ireland it has been estimated that the tax could bring in €30m in 2018 and €40m over the course of a full year.
- Is the British Government the first in the world to introduce such a tax?
No - other countries have experimented with sugar taxes. Scandinavian countries have imposed similar taxes, as have France and Hungary.
In 2014 Mexico also introduced a sugar tax levy on soft drinks.
Ireland is expected to introduce the tax in May.
Some soft drinks contain too much sugar 👎🏾April 5, 2018
- Press Association & Digital Desk


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BioWorld International Correspondent
MUNICH, Germany - The initial public offering window for biotechnology companies in Germany might have opened. Epigenomics AG, of Berlin, is planning to sell 4.6 million new shares, or 29 percent of the company, on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Shares will be offered between €11.90 and €14.50, which would raise between €55 million and €67 million. The offer period began on July 5, and the company expects the first day of trading to be July 16. Epigenomics is the fourth IPO in Germany this year, and the first biotechnology IPO in more than two years.
Using a DNA methylation platform, Epigenomics is developing tests for diagnosing prostate, colon or breast cancers; a test for staging prostate cancer; and a test to predict the probability of relapses in women treated with tamoxifen, the standard breast care treatment.
Methylation is a natural process that occurs when a methyl group binds to cytosine, and turns off individual genes. By measuring differences in methylation patterns between healthy and diseased tissue, a change in gene activity that could trigger diseases is detected. Epigenomics has developed an industrial process to read and interpret methylation patterns.
"Our fundamental technological risk has been overcome," said Alexander Olek, Epigenomics' CEO. "The successful developments that we have undertaken mean that the technical risk is not there anymore, and this helps all of our other products in the pipeline." That positive assessment was the key reason Olek gave for offering shares to the public.
"Our data are based on hundreds of patients," Olek added, "putting us in many ways far in advance of a [drug] development company with a product in Phase II clinical testing."
Operationally, life as a public company would not be a tremendous change for Epigenomics, Olek said. "We have kept our books as strictly a public firm for several years already, and we are also already very transparent for investors," he said.
Olek said that the proceeds of the offering would be devoted to product development.
Oliver Schacht, Epigenomics' chief financial officer, said the earliest date that the company expects royalties is in 2006, but with 2007 or 2008 being more likely. Both Olek and Schacht repeatedly declined to speculate on when the company would break even. However, Schacht said that the money raised in the public offering should be sufficient to finance the company until it reaches profitability.
Epigenomics has an agreement with Roche Diagnostics covering a range of cancer molecular diagnostics and pharmacodiagnostic products. Roche obtained worldwide marketing rights to several products aimed at the early detection, molecular classification and treatment response of tumors. In return, Epigenomics received an up-front payment, contributions to research and funding, as well as potential milestone payments totaling up to €100 million, and royalties.
Olek said Epigenomics likely is to announce partnerships with other pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies this year, although not in the size of the Roche partnership. The alliances would each focus on a single product. Over the longer term, he expects Epigenomics to retain more rights to its products, but said Epigenomics did not plan to build its own sales force.
"Long-term, we would probably work together with a larger diagnostic company to sell our products," Olek said.
The company examined a public offering on the Nasdaq exchange, but concluded that the listing and the additional requirements would have been too expensive for an offering of their size. Also, the company would have had to become a U.S. corporation, rather than a German one.
The IPO is being led by Morgan Stanley Bank AG, with Lehman Brothers International (Europe) and DZ Bank AG as additional managers.
Epigenomics would trade on the prime standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "ECX."


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Some bad news for those who like physical copies of games as according to multiple listings on the Ubisoft Store, three upcoming Ultimate Editions...
Thanks to a new report by Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, we have learned that Assassin’s Creed Director Ashraf Ismail has been fired from Ubisoft...
Some major news as in-game advertising platform Anzu.io have announced they have entered a partnership with Ubisoft. The first part of this partnership...
Ubisoft and Blue Mammoth Games have announced that their fighting game Brawlhalla will be coming to Android and iOS. The game will launch on August...
According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Ubisoft sent a message out to their employees regarding recent allegations made against certain team...
In a recent Q&A held during their latest financial call, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot revealed that the company are open to the idea of acquiring...
Ubisoft have announced they will be hosting their own special event called Ubisoft Forward on July 12 at 3:00 pm ET.
This event will feature exclusive...
Ubisoft debut the first trailer for their next Assassin’s Creed game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. However, the trailer has received mix...
Ubisoft have released a first look gameplay trailer for their recently announced game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla...
While everyone seems to be talking about Ubisoft’s recently announce Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, some have noticed that might not be the...
Sony Interactive Entertainment


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Barack Obama still a BlackBerry user
U.S. president says 'they’re going to pry it out of my hands.'
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There’s security — and then there’s national security.
U.S. President and secure email addict-in-chief Barack Obama says he’s still using an old-school BlackBerry, even though daughters Sasha and Malia are hooked on their Apple smartphones.
“I'm not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone,” Obama said during a Wednesday meeting with a group of young people at the White House to promote his troubled health care law. Obama, however, said he does use Apple’s tablet mobile computer, the iPad.
“I’m still clinging to my BlackBerry,” he said later during an interview with CNBC. “They’re going to pry it out of my hands.”
Speculation on blog sites said Obama is prohibited from using an iPhone because his security officers fear the consumer device might reveal his real–time location.
According to German news magazine Der Spiegel, U.S. National Security Agency agents can access scripts that allow them to spy on 38 different features of the iPhone operating system.
BlackBerry, previously Research In Motion, built a loyal following with its secure, push email handsets that became a mainstay of business and political leaders worldwide.
But the Waterloo, Ont.-based company lost its market stranglehold as rivals launched more consumer-friendly devices such as the iPhone and handsets using Google’s Android software.
BlackBerry last month shelved sales plans after failing to find a suitable buyer and is attempting to engineer a rebound by focusing on business and government clients.
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All 133 locations across the country will be shut down as early as mid-April, a month ahead of schedule.