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NASCAR's new Generation-6 race car has the sport -- and the auto industry -- abuzz.
When the Gen-6 is unveiled in Sprint Cup Series competition next month, it will mark the first time since the late 1980s that the race cars on the track will so closely aesthetically resemble their production-model brethren.
With that, the hope is that two of the founding principles of NASCAR are rekindled: the manufacturer rivalry and brand identity.
Years ago, if you loved Ford, you hated Chevy. If you loved Dodge, you hated everybody else. Depending on allegiance, signs and shirts reading "FORD: FOUND ON ROAD DEAD" or "FORD: FIRST ON RACE DAY" adorned the stands. Over the years, the industry got away from that to a common-template car, culminating in the Gen-6's predecessor -- the Car of Tomorrow. Suddenly, the manufacturer rivalries that long drove the sport were generally nonexistent.
Re-establishing the visual difference between a Ford, a Chevy and a Toyota became imperative for NASCAR's decision-makers. Hence, the Gen-6.
"That was the whole reason for the new car," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition. "That was the goal. That was everything."
For men like Rick Hendrick, a Chevrolet dealer for 35 years and owner of what may be the most successful Sprint Cup organization ever, and Roger Penske, he of the 340-plus dealerships that sell some 40 different automotive brands across multiple countries (that sentence is not a typo) and fresh off his first Cup title as a team owner, it is a joyous change.
"It's always been the race car was the afterthought," Hendrick explained. "I don't know of any time in the history of Chevrolet this should show the commitment that Chevrolet has to racing, when they design a production car and a race car together, at the same time. I don't think it's ever been done."
What it means for the forgotten industry adage "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" or "Drive on Sunday, buy on Monday" is anybody's guess. The hope is that attractive race cars increase interest and, ultimately, sales. Hendrick says it's well on its way.
"After we tested Daytona [in early January], we started getting orders for deposits on the [production] car," Hendrick said. "We've got people who want to get in line to buy it. So that's a big step. You've got people who are enthusiasts all over the world looking at this car."
The interest in the Chevy SS is so overwhelming, Hendrick said, that Chevrolet is contemplating doubling its projected production of the car.
"From a dealer standpoint, it's going to bring people into the showroom," Hendrick said. "When I started racing, it was the Chevrolet guys against the Ford guys against the Dodge guys, and I think having a rear-wheel drive, 420-horsepower car in the showroom is going to help drive traffic to the track, and the car on the track is going to definitely bring traffic to the showroom."
Jamie Allison, Ford Racing director, said Ford Motor Co. has no doubt that there is a correlation between the aesthetics of race cars and interest in street models. Ford saw that dynamic directly when it introduced the Mustang into NASCAR Nationwide Series competition, and he expects the same with the Gen-6 Fusion in Sprint Cup.
"We're convinced that showcasing the new Fusion on the racetrack will translate into more interest and awareness in the [production] Fusion, and that winning will translate into showroom traffic. We've seen that with the Mustang," he said. "We heard from dealers who told us that when Mustang won on Saturday, they literally had people walk into the showroom as a result."
Allison said the Gen-6 Ford Fusion race car is patterned by the same designer who produced the street model, and while the parts aren't identical due to the competition-specific needs of the race car, the face of the cars -- including the grill, grill opening, the shape of the lower fascia around the fog light area, the hood character lines and side character lines -- looks the same as the production model.
Pemberton said the work required to place the Gen-6 bodies on racing chassis makes for a potent piece.
"The race car is like the production car on steroids," Pemberton said. "There's only one piece on the car that's not manufacturer-specific: the deck lid [trunk area]. Every other piece is manufacturer-specific -- the roofs, the windshield, the back, sides, rear, hoods, everything. The [COT] was more generic. Everything was the same, except maybe the nosepiece."
Penske, too, expects to see residual consumer interest due to the Gen-6.
"That's my business. So if I can win on Sunday, it drives morale for us at the dealerships," Penske said. "And there's no question as we look at this new Fusion, it looks exactly like the vehicle we're going to sell on Monday.
"To me, from the perspective of what the fans want, it's something they can now relate to and they can drive down the highway. The Gen-6 car delivers that."
That did not happen with the COT. Quite the contrary, in fact. The COT looked like a "Transformers" character.
"It was not a sexy car," four-time champion Jeff Gordon said.
It had a wing on the back and brackets on the front and drove like a school bus in traffic. And by the end of its five-plus years in competition, it looked strikingly similar to the fourth-generation car that owners had to scrap. But it didn't perform the same.
"I think it's an act of patience and reason on the part of Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota that they stayed the course as they had to give up their brand identification," Sprint Cup owner Jack Roush said.
So what impact, really, did the COT era have on the industry? What is its legacy?
"I don't want to build too much into it," NASCAR chairman Brian France said. "We love the Gen-6 car, and we have said that we made some errors in collaboration to getting the [COT] car. We achieved a lot of things with [the COT]: costs, as I said; safety went up; a lot of benefits that the industry and that the teams and drivers gained from that car.
"Obviously we got away from some things that historically had worked well for us: the manufacturer rivalry, which we're excited about; the relevance issue with the car manufacturers. And then I think we put a lot more focus in the new car into the rules package surrounding the car that we didn't put nearly -- I can tell you we didn't put nearly as much science into the old car as we tried to achieve better racing."
Unsolicited, NASCAR president Mike Helton added his thoughts on the topic.
"Brian is right: We shouldn't stick a dagger in the Gen-5 program and say, 'Man, we're glad you're gone,' " Helton said. "Because that era created a lot of great moments for NASCAR -- the last two championships for one -- a lot of races in its time in existence."
Helton added that without the COT, the Gen-6 likely wouldn't have happened, from the standpoint that it made the industry realize the importance of a close working relationship between the sanctioning body, the teams and the manufacturers when it comes to the impact car design has on the overall product.
The COT "also led to the evolution of the collaborativeness that we now operate the sport by, when it comes to the parts and pieces and the cars themselves," Helton said. "It also served very well in an era when the car manufacturers involved in our sport were struggling with their own businesses, and we weren't a front-burner topic to them.
"We had a car that could survive that era. So there's a lot of positives to the Gen-5 era that we shouldn't overlook as we celebrate the Gen-6."
Each time NASCAR introduces a new car, the owners assume the cost. NASCAR is a free-enterprise market with no franchising, so the owners assume the overhead. It's up to them to fund the inventory switchover. Immediately the old fleet of cars is obsolete, and thus, basically worthless.
One manufacturer executive who chose not to be identified explained the math: Last year's body was roughly $10,000 in sheet metal per car. This year's is $15,000. If the average well-funded team pumps out 50 new bodies per car, per season, the executive estimates some $250,000 per car number in expenses above the established budget. That's just for sheet metal. And that estimate is based on an aggressive team that produces new inventory consistently and stays current with technology.
In addition, with the Gen-6 car comes new rear-camber rules and thus new suspension components, and a new lighter-weight chassis to meet NASCAR's new weight requirements. Combined, those adjustments can cost upward of $500,000 per car. All in, that's $750,000 above budget -- per car. So if you're a four-car Cup team, for
example, you spend $3 million above budget to make the switch.
That led Sprint Cup owner/driver Tony Stewart to tell me this week the Gen-6 car is financially "great for NASCAR, not for the owner. There's a lot of added cost, a lot of parts that are a lot more expensive than in the past. But racers are very resourceful. These teams will find a way to make it work."
Despite the frustration of being behind in inventory, Stewart noted excitement for the new car based on how it drives, saying, "If these cars race as good as they drive, it's going to be an awesome year."
And Stewart isn't a car dealer. Hendrick is just fine with assuming the switchover cost this time around. Last time? Not so much.
"When we had to scrap our fleet to go to the COT, it was like having the flu," Hendrick said. "We were getting away from our product to a common template. I didn't like it. I'll spend the money now to get away from that, to a production car that fans love.
When we had to scrap our fleet to go to the COT, it was like having the flu. We were getting away from our product to a common template. I didn't like it.
”-- Rick Hendrick
"This is what's going to bring the fans back: seeing the cars they see in the showroom on the track. That's how I grew up watching it. I've been a Chevrolet dealer for 35 years, and I've never seen them announce the race car before they showed the production car."
Chevrolet will unveil the production-model 2014 SS during Speedweeks at Daytona in February. Hendrick said this is yet another example of integration between the production business and the racing business.
"You start with Chevrolet's identity, the gold bowtie in the center, and the rest of the front end wraps around it," he said. "They took the coves in the side -- and I never thought NASCAR would go for that, the gills and coves you see in the new Corvette, it went right into the race car.
"I got to go into the studio and watch them, through the computers, lay the car out with the coves and grill angles, and then NASCAR had to tweak it but they worked right along with NASCAR. It's amazing."
So will it drive production sales?
"I think that it does," Roush said. "NASCAR fans are the most brand-loyal consumers of anybody in the American economy. If we get [the cars] looking like they look in the showroom, I think that we'll have a chance to excite the consumer and have more interest in driving a test model and getting a price on a new car."
Allison added, "It's hard to quantify sales, but the interest in our cars, and the rising showroom traffic after a victory on the track, and the conversations that happen outside of normal NASCAR coverage, was obvious. The new car drives that."
Somewhat like it used to be.
"I go back to when I started [racing], and we had the Monte Carlo coupe, and Ford came out with the T-Bird, and we put the back glass in the car, sold 200 of them so we could race it," Hendrick gushed. "This is really exciting."


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The DFF is a proudly eThekwini initiative developed to grow the fashion industry at large and to formulate employment opportunities and entrepreneurship in our city.
Scores of young designers put their names forward in November last year and 19 were chosen to take part in the programme, which includes working closely with some of the city's top fashion gurus as well as their fellow designers.
As the programme progresses, a minimum of nine aspiring designers will be eliminated from the programme until the maximum of 10 head to Milan for a first hand experience of the international world of fashion between September & November.
The interns, who range in age from 23 to 35, are all currently working in the fashion industry. Selection was based on three pillars - creativity (which was judged on story boards and garment construction) as well as business acumen (a traceable client base, business plan and business skills).
This month, two of the above 2015 mentees will join the four interns from last year who went to Milan together with invited and established designers in showcasing their creations at an exciting fashion show, hosted by Gelvenor Textiles who are currently celebrating 50 years within the textile industry.
Themed Fashion Over the Decades, this will see the interns divided into groups with each group showcasing fashion from a particular decade, starting with the swinging sixties and ending with the start of the 2000 and beyond. It will bring together the city's fashionistas as well as buyers, suppliers and industry leaders and media.
All the successful interns from last year and this year will also see their work on the ramp at the Durban Fashion Fair later this year!
According to Sindi Shangase, the Programme Manager for the Business Support Tourism and Markets Unit and who has driven the DFF since inception in 2012, the mentorship programme is intended to train enterprising young designers in all aspects of the fashion business and prepare them and their collections for the DFF and, finally, for mentorship in Milan.

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Photo courtesy: Krishna Hari Pushkar, Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi
KATHMANDU, Feb 9: Nepal has proposed India to allow two additional seaports to do business with third countries, senior government officials said on Saturday.
Rabi Shanker Sainju, joint secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, told Republica Online that they proposed the Indian side to allow Mundra port (Gujarat) and Dhamra port (Odisha) to do business with third countries during the bilateral trade treaty review meeting with India which concluded in Pokhara on Friday night.
"We proposed the Indian side to allow two more seaports to do business with third countries. The Indian side responded positively on our request," Sainju said. Currently, Visakhapatnam Port in Andrapradesh and Haldia Port in Kolkata are the two seaports from where Nepal brings in or sends goods to third countries.
During the meeting, it was discussed that Nepal would soon propose the draft of the revised trade treaty to the Indian government.
"We will share the Indian side about what provisions precisely Nepal wants to amend in the exisiting trade treaty," Sainju said adding that the next meeting will discuss about revising the trade treaty.
The two sides were agreed declaring inland waterways as ‘trade route’ in Nepal-India Trade Treaty, according to Sainju.
The Nepali side raised the issue of the country's ballooning trade deficit with India while seeking help to reduce the same.
"We also discussed about measures to address Nepal’s agenda to drop the zero-tariff facility on Indian agricultural goods and some other primary products," Sainju said.
During the meeting, the Nepali side sought India's assurance to increase export of Nepal's agricultural goods to the Indian market to address huge trade deficit.
The two sides also discussed about enhancing cross-border air and railway connectivity.
The two countries had agreed to revise the trade treaty along with the transit treaty and Railway Service Agreement in April 2018. The two countries revised the trade treaty last time in 2016.


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Qualcomm a few days ago announced that the first Snapdragon 835 laptops are finally happening. Devices powered by the same platform found inside this year’s Android flagships including the Galaxy S8 and Note8 will have all-day battery life and always-on LTE connectivity.
That’s excellent news, and it opens up a brand new type of mobile computing. But don’t get too excited just yet. In fact, the best thing you could do about these devices is to ignore them for about a year.
That’s because the next best thing is just around the corner. I’m talking about the Snapdragon 845 processor that will power next year’s Galaxy S9 and many other Android devices. And if you thought Snapdragon 835 Windows 10 laptops sound exciting, then Snapdragon 845 laptops will be even better. Qualcomm further perfected the Snapdragon chips, and the 845 platform will be even better suited for mobile experiences on laptops.
The new processor is 25% more powerful than its predecessor, and graphics performance is up by 30%. These are relevant parameters, especially when talking about machines that should run Windows 10 apps. And there’s support for AR and VR features built into Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 platform, and we all know Microsoft is betting big on such experiences for the future of Windows 10.
Moreover, the chip comes with a new built-in Snapdragon X20 LTE modem that supports theoretical LTE speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. Wi-Fi speeds now support the 802.11ad standard, and there’s Bluetooth 5.0 support inside the 845.
Other specs include a new image signaling processor, a new secure processing unit that can handle biometrics, encryption, and mobile payments, and support for artificial intelligence.
The Snapdragon 835 isn’t comparable with Apple’s A10X and A11 Bionic chips. But even so, it’ll still be able to offer you a decent Windows 10 experience, as long s you don’t need the power of an Intel chip inside your laptop. But if you’ve waited this long for ARM-based laptops that support 4G LTE and offer excellent battery life, what’s another year? It sure looks like the Snapdragon 845 will offer an even better overall experience.
Just like the Snapdragon 835, the new chip is made by Samsung on an improved 10nm process, and the Galaxy S9 will probably the first handset in the world to make use of it. Snapdragon 845 laptops will probably arrive only much later down the road. Until then, however, rumors say Galaxy S9 buyers will be able to enjoy an even better Android desktop experience thanks to a brand new accessory.


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ATLANTA, October 2, 2013 – The Atlanta Falcons have partnered with the world’s leading consumer transaction technologies company to enhance the fan experience at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons signed a four-year partnership with Duluth, Ga.-based NCR Corp. to implement new technology available starting on Monday, Oct. 7,when the Falcons host the New York Jets.
NCR’s technology will allow fans on the Georgia Dome’s main level to select, purchase, and pick up merchandise from a self-service kiosk at their own convenience or, for suite holders, be delivered directly to their seats.
Research shows that the longer fans have to wait in line to purchase merchandise, the more likely they are to leave before they make a purchase. This new technology will reduce the amount of time fans wait in line, according to NCR and the Falcons.
“We aim to transform everyday consumer purchases into exceptional experiences – whether shopping, dining, banking, traveling or enjoying one of America’s most popular sports,” said Susan Somersille Johnson, Vice President of Global Marketing for NCR. “We are teaming up with the Atlanta Falcons to make the game day experience even better by bringing new technology into the stadium to simplify purchases.”
The Falcons have also installed NCR’s Wayfinding interactive digital technology, geared toward making it easier for fans to navigate the multi-level Georgia Dome with the touch of a finger.
“The Atlanta Falcons organization wants to provide its fans with the best game day experience possible,” said Tim Zulawski, Vice President of Sponsorship Sales & Service for the Atlanta Falcons. “With the help of NCR, we have an opportunity to make the selection, purchase and pickup of Falcons merchandise easier and more convenient for our fans.”
NCR, which powers more than 450 million consumer transactions per day, is also working with interns from Georgia Tech, who will assist suite holders with orders. This will provide the interns with an opportunity to learn how innovative technology enhances the fan experience, Johnson said.
Copyright 2013 Communities Digital News
• The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or management of Communities Digital News.
This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities Digital News, LLC. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
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nearly half of user terminals have been rolled out for the army Nearly half the user terminals for the delayed armed forces communications network have now been installed, according to contractor Fujitsu...
Bitdefender's decryption tool can neutralise the latest versions of GandCrab, as well as retrieve files encrypted by earlier versions
Zhengfei admits he underestimated potential impact of being placed on US 'Entity List'
Huawei is considering pulling launch of Honor 20 smartphone from Europe in order to focus on China
President Trump labelled the New York Times report "a virtual act of treason"


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LeBron James, Luka Doncic lead NBA in jersey sales this season
The new guard is rising fast — a lot of people are buying 21-year-old Luka Doncic jerseys.
But the old guard, led by 36-year-old LeBron James, still lead the way.
The NBA released its jersey sales results from the first half of the season — based on NBAStore.com sales — and LeBron was on top, while his Los Angeles Lakers are the top team in merchandise sales. Brooklyn is second on this list, the highest the franchise has ever been, but it’s not a surprise with three players — Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden — on the jersey list.
Zion Williamson also has cracked the top 10 for the first time.
Results are based on NBAStore.com sales for the First Half of the 2020-21 NBA season.
Top 15 most popular NBA jerseys:
1. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
2. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
3. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets
4. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
6. Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
7. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
8. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
9. James Harden, Brooklyn Nets
10. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
11. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
12. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
13. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
14. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
15. Russell Westbrook, Washington Wizards
The top 10 most popular franchises in team merchandise:
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Brooklyn Nets
3. Golden State Warriors
4. Boston Celtics
5. Philadelphia 76ers
6. Miami Heat
7. Chicago Bulls
8. Dallas Mavericks
9. Toronto Raptors
10. Milwaukee Bucks
It’s interesting that the New York Knicks — which traditionally finish high on the NBA jersey sales list because of the size of their very loyal fan base — did not make the cut despite the team having its best start in nearly a decade.


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I want to take this opportunity to congratulate our partners at NVIDIA on a great GTC Conference last week in San Jose, California. A tremendous amount of news was announced at the show that highlighted NVIDIA’s vision for computing in the coming years and industry leadership.
Among the many innovative announcements made at the conference, VMware and NVIDIA unveiled the industry’s first desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) offering that brings accelerated graphics powered cloud-based desktops to users everywhere.
DaaS allows customers to enjoy the benefits of desktop and application virtualization without the up front costs or the need to deploy the full physical desktop infrastructure required for remote desktops. Instead, they can simply provision and manage desktops from a service provider through the cloud and consume them as a monthly subscription service. As customers begin to realize the benefits of DaaS, they are also looking to solve additional use cases that include high performance 3D design and DaaS can help there as well.
Imagine this – a global automotive firm is in the process of designing its next generation vehicle. In order to accelerate development of a particular component, the firm needs to rapidly enlist available engineering talent from different parts of the world to help with the R&D process. Instead of building out a physical desktop infrastructure for this new group of users, the firm simply goes to a service provider that is powered by VMware Horizon DaaS and provisions high performance 3D virtual desktops for them. Not only does this help the firm maintain protection of its intellectual property, but also allows the firm to be significantly more agile and only pay for and use what they need for the project.
Delivering 3D Desktops To A DaaS Provider Near You
VMware is able to rapidly address the high-end 3D graphics use case due to the combination of VMware’s unrelenting focus on desktop innovation and advanced 3D graphics solutions from NVIDIA.
Today, VMware offers two ways to leverage the power of NVIDIA GRID GPUs with virtual machines.
First, vDGA (virtual dedicated graphics acceleration) dedicates a NVIDIA GPU to an individual user giving them the full power and performance needed for the most demanding 3D graphics and engineering design applications.
Second, vSGA (virtual shared graphics acceleration) allows multiple users to share physical graphics cards and this is appropriate for users who typically access CAD/CAM images for reference or to review designs from engineers.
Leveraging vDGA direct graphics and vSGA shared graphics from VMware vSphere with VMware Horizon View combined with NVIDIA GRID GPUs, DaaS service providers can deliver advanced 3D graphics to customers with complex graphics application needs. Most notably, we are excited that Navisite will be the first DaaS provider to offer this solution in the coming weeks.
The innovation between NVIDIA and VMware doesn’t end there. We are collaborating to bring NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology to VMware virtual machines. GRID vGPU enables GPU acceleration sharing for up to 32 users with NVIDIA GRID K1 and 16 users with NVIDIA GRID K2 while delivering a high fidelity 3D graphics experience. This further drives down the cost of advanced 3D virtual desktops, while users get a superb user experience. Early access to GRID vGPU technology with VMware virtual machine will be available to select customers later in 2014.
I’m excited about our joint development efforts as the first of our two projects have already come to fruition. Customers can expect continued innovation from the two companies as we work together to advance desktop computing and push the technology envelope. So be sure to stay tuned to VMware and NVIDIA to make sure you don’t miss any of the exciting news ahead.


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China Automotive Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAAS), a leading power steering components and systems supplier in China, announced its net loss for the fourth quarter was $3.2 million, or 10 cents per American depositary share, compared with $39 million, or $1.23 per ADS.
The net loss were down 92 percent was primarily due to at 2017, there was a one-time accrued tax of $35.7 million mandated by the 2017 U.S. tax reform, and accrued withholding tax of $4.0 million related to the planned dividend distribution from PRC subsidiaries in order to fulfill the payment of a one-time accrued tax.
The Hubei-based company said it net sales decreased to $124.3 million at last three months of 2018, compared $143.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2017. The decrease on net sales was mainly due to Chinese auto market performanced weaker year-over-year.
Despite the lower net sales, China Automotive System said its selling expenses went down to $4.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, compared to $6.8 million in same period of the year before. The decrease was primarily due to lower transportation expenses related to decreased volume.
Qizhou Wu, chief executive officer of CAAS, said, "Our performance in 2018 reflected the slower growth of the automotive industry in China as the world's largest automotive market experienced lower overall sales for the first time in more than two decades.”
Shares of China Automotive Systems reached at $3.17 eaier today, drop 13 cents per share.
For the full year 2019, China Automotive Systems provided revenue guidance of $510 million
Jie Li, chief financial officer of CAAS, mentioned, "We continue to focus on generating cash flow from operations to further build our financial strength. Our joint ventures and product development contracts are solidifying relationships and enhancing our abilities to meet the current and future needs of our diverse customer base."
China Automotive Systems is a company offers a full range of steering system parts for passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles. It currently offers four separate series of power steering with an annual production capacity of over 6 million sets of steering gears, columns and steering hoses.


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Folks over at Androinica discovered something good on HTC Spanish Twitter account which is a good news for folks, who are currently using a HTC Android device, with HTC Sense UI and Android 2.2. The good news is that all these users will be able to get a taste of new Sense UI, which was launched by HTC a few days ago. Here’s what HTC Spain said:
The Desire and rest of terminals with version 2.2 (Froyo) will be able to enjoy the #Htcsense a greeting
It’s not confirm though, but you can take it as a healthy grain of salt. Well, HTC Russia said that there is no final decision yet, but I know HTC, they are kind people and they love their customers. Also a bad news is that the HTC Hero will not be receiving the Sense UI update, which is obviously a bad news for all Hero users, but who knows may be HTC change their mind. So folks stay tuned with us for latest information.


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Sprint hopes to use the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to help springboard back into competition with Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile. The company said new and current subscribers will be able to purchase either new iPhone and pay $50 per month for unlimited talk, text and data, which is $10 cheaper than the entry-level unlimited plan.
In addition, Sprint also has an "iPhone for Life" plan so customers can pay $20 per month for 24 months - and then they can turn the older model in for a newer iPhone. It's a rather neat promotion as carriers become more aggressive to ensure consumers are likely to join their network and stay as a long-term subscriber.
"They're great phones to be able to show off the value that we have compared to our competition," said Jeff Hallock, Sprint chief marketing officer. "We made a strategic investment in the data part of service pricing and bringing that to customers with the best value, certainly you take the devices like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which we expect customers to do a lot on."


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By Bishal Deep Basnet on Aug 28,2018 - 16:31
Unilever Nepal is continuing to earn a profit in Nepal. It has officially hit the 999 million mark, now earning Rs. 999.4 million. They hit the benchmark in the fiscal year 2074/75. The net profit of Unilever Nepal stood at Rs. 9.65 million in the last fiscal. Unilever says there has been a 3.54% rise in profit.
During the review period, Unilever Nepal attributed to the increase in profit to increase in production and sales of the goods by 9% during the review period.
The sales of Unilever has reached Rs. 4.8 billion, which is 0.4 billion more than last fiscal.
Unilever now has a total reserve fund of Rs. 1.8 billion, with a paid-up capital for Rs. 92.1 million. As of right now, the assets of Unilever is worth Rs. 3.2 billion.Tags - Unilever Nepal , Business
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) is to implement the inclusive rule in exchanging the new bank notes. The central bank, which had been providing the facility of exchanging new notes in large quantity only during the Bada Dashain period before this, is to extend this facility on the occasion of festivals of other indigenous nationalities and linguistic communities also.
by RSS | Nov 12


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Radiohead must drive music executives bonkers. Their last album, “In Rainbows” was downloadable on the web for whatever the buyer wanted to pay. For their follow up, “The King of Limbs”, they have created a very limited printed newspaper that will be given away to customers purchasing the CD and vinyl versions. Called The Universal Sigh, the paper (a poetic homage to trees and the environment) features 12 pages of short stories, lyrics, and artwork from the likes of Robert McFarlane, Jay Griffiths, and longtime collaborator Stanley Donwood. (The website Rip It Up has posted a pdf version online).
The release of the newspaper is the latest in a series of zingers from perhaps the world’s most iconoclastic mega band. After ditching their record company, EMI in 2007 because the company didn’t want to give “In Rainbows” away for free, Radiohead is back turning the music industry furniture upside down. And to add to the spectacle, Donwood and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke personally handed out copies of the publication Monday morning outside London’s Rough Trade East record store.
In late April, the band will further exasperate the music suits by releasing a “newspaper album” version of “The King of Limbs” which will feature a different paper than The Universal Sigh, as well as a CD, two vinyl records, and a number of pieces of art.


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Asia Optical and Coreophotonics are developing a 5x optical zoom lens for use in smartphones. The certification process will start by the end of this year while shipments to manufacturers are expected to begin in Q3 2018.
The lens will have aspherical glass lens piece and four plastic ones, said Robert Lai, Asia Optical chairman. The company has the capacity to build 12 million pieces per month due to 220 aspherical glass injection molding machines – 160 based in Taiwan and another 60 in Myanmar.
Asia Optical currently ships between 500-550K glass modules for the automotive industry. Coreophotonics, on the other hand, made the news last week after its lawsuit against Apple for the usage of the dual-camera setup.


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Not satisfied with just men drinking its beer, Heineken is looking to attract more women to the brand with the launch of a new mid-strength, low-carb, low-calorie option, and has picked the Aussie market as the first in the world to taste it.
Heineken 3 is the first beer the company has introduced in Australia in over 20 years, and will be supported by an 18-month nationwide campaign that kicks off this afternoon in Sydney.
The launch event is aiming to create an iconic Australian summer experience in the last week of winter, mirroring the beer’s tagline ‘Have it All’. Social, digital, outdoor, retail and experiential activations will heavily feature throughout the campaign, with the primary target being inner-city consumers.
With only 86 calories and 3.3 per cent alcohol per bottle, Heineken 3 represents a big opportunity to capitalise on the growth potential of occasional beer drinkers across Australia, according to Alessandro Manuta, marketing manager at Heineken Lion Australia.
“This is a huge opportunity for us because we’ve identified that the daytime drinking occasion accounts for roughly 50 per cent of total beer volumes, and is dominated by the mid-strength segment,” he told B&T.
“I read some research recently which I think highlights the big opportunity really well. It was asking consumers what their plans were for the summer, and roughly 50 per cent said they were planning to do more exercise and live a healthier lifestyle, but the majority of these consumers – around 70 per cent – also said they were planning to go out more and drink more.
“This is because consumers these days want to have it all, and this is exactly our proposition. Consumers want a beer that is low in calories and carbs, but still tastes great, and that’s where we’re going with Heineken 3.”
Manuta said that while Dutch beer giant’s core target market remains men aged 18 to 34 years old, the new product is also a fantastic opportunity to recruit more female drinkers into the brand, “because they’re generally looking for an easy-drinking, low-calorie beer”.
“Our research testing [for Heineken 3] also showed that the results were positive for both males and females,” he added.
Furthermore, the beer was named the best lower-calorie lager at the World Beer Championships in 2013 and 2014 and won a gold medal at the 2015 European Beer Star Awards.
But with the likes of Hahn SuperDry and Pure Blonde already well-established in Australia’s low-carb beer market, how does Heineken plan to differentiate it’s new offering from the rest?
“The approach of Hahn SuperDry 3.5 or Pure Blonde is very much functional,” Manuta explained.
“The angle that we’re going to take is not functional – we’re not going to go out and compare the carbs and calories in our beer with those of our competitors. The approach that we’re taking is about the taste, because what we know from research is that calories and carbs are just a reassurance element – what consumers want is a product that delivers on taste.
“For example, when you buy a chocolate bar that is low in fat and sugar, you automatically doubt that it’s going to taste good, so that’s why we think that by going with the taste angle that this product is going to be really strong.”
As part of its commitment to meet more shopper needs, Heineken will also introduce a number of pack sizes in retail stores, including regular six and 24-packs along with a new 12-pack, to elevate purchase consideration amongst females and play a role in more occasions.
The Monkeys has been named Effective Agency of the Year at the 2020 Australian Effie Awards, scooping four Golds, two Silvers and one Bronze across three clients, Beam Suntory, NRMA Insurance and Telstra. One Gold was awarded to BMF for ALDI Australia for ‘ALDI Good Different’, which also went on to win the coveted Grand […]
Inner Health has revolutionised its famous blue bugs as part of a new brand platform launching this week. Developed by VMLY&R, the new platform ‘Listen to your Gut’ re-introduces the bugs in a whole new environment. VMLY&R Client Service Director Jo Millington said the new platform aimed to reposition Inner Health as an overall health […]
Insight-led communications consultancy, The Mint Partners has expanded its technology portfolio with the addition of luxury audio lifestyle brand Bang & Olufsen. Founded in 1925 in Struer, Denmark, Bang & Olufsen has pushed the boundaries of audio technology for almost a century. The company continues to be at the forefront of acoustic innovation with its […]
WA car and home insurer, RAC has launched a new campaign to show locals that they understand the priceless relationship members have with their belongings. Created by Wunderman Thompson Perth, the campaign titled ‘We See What You See’ uses computer generated imagery (CGI) to depict the unique relationship a family has with their insured items – […]
Paper Moose has created a campaign for the recently announced carbon-neutral telco brand, felix, due to go to market towards the end of the year. This is the first work from Paper Moose since winning a competitive pitch for the new TPG Telecom brand. The teaser campaign raises awareness of the nearly 1 million tonnes […]


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Shop Qatar’s Design District has attracted many fashion and art enthusiasts in the country who have already expressed interest to take part in the next edition, Noor al-Thani from the Qatar National Tourism Council ...
An Italian court on Monday found a Polish man guilty of kidnapping British model Chloe Ayling in July 2017.
Doha Festival City, a popular destination for fashion, dining and entertainment, has announced the first lucky winner of the month-long Shop & Win campaign.
The city has surely come back to life and it’s a thriller because there is no place quite like Karachi. After years of nothing happening and cynosure of fashion recently, there is a definite revival of sorts.
Kalyan Jewellers, a leading jewellery brand in India and West Asia, has signed film actor and popular style icon Sonam Kapoor as a global brand ambassador to endorse an exquisite range of gold and diamond jewellery.


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The week has ended with a bang in the exciting world of Web3. As the public mulls over the future of the blockchain, some of the most established brands just keep on entering the space.
Well-known entities such as Christie’s, Kids Foot Locker, Aspen Lakes, Chivas Regal, and the Oxford University Press, made some impact on the Web3 scene today. They are joined by talents ranging from Blackpink to Jimi Hendrix, as well as various Non-Fungible Token (NFT) and metaverse projects.
Web3 games and blockchain projects covered in this roundup includes Shiba Inu, Walken, Fenix Games, Polkastarter, Illuvium, and Rumble Kong League, among others.
Let’s look at the stories that shape Web3 today.
- Seoul-based K-Pop girl group tripleS, which boasts a 24-member Asian talent pool, has reached over 28 million YouTube views on their first album’s single “Generation.” The group is also known for utilizing blockchain technology for various campaigns (including fan-voting and NFTs, among others) (CS).
- In other K-related news, Lisa of renowned K-Pop group Blackpink, is bringing established whisky brand Chivas Regal to the metaverse. As part of their existing partnership, Lisa and Chivas have launched an immersive virtual experience called “Regal Planet.” Basically, the project features various areas where fans can hang out, explore, and interact with fellow supporters (HB).
- Geneva, Switzerland-based lobbying organization the World Economic Forum has invited popular cryptocurrency Shiba Inu ($SHIB) to be its partner in creating a Global Metaverse Policy. The initiative will also involve social media giant Meta, as well as virtual world projects Decentraland and The Sandbox (BC).
- Children’s sports apparel retailer Kids Foot Locker has launched its virtual experience on online game platform/game creation system Roblox. The footwear store dubbed the project “Kids Foot Locker House of Play.” Basically, the project offers immersive gaming experiences, interactive virtual spaces, and digital sneakers (NFTG).
- Decentralized fundraising platform PolkaStarter’s annual GAM3 Awards has announced the nominees for 2022. 32 titles in 16 categories were shortlisted for the final selection. Games that made it to the lineup includes Gods Unchained, Guild of Guardians, lluvium, My Pet Hooligan, Shrapnel, Star Atlas, and Thetan Arena, to name a few (TW).
- Web3 game publisher Fenix Games has raised $150 million to bolster their publishing capabilities. According to the company, they “plan to acquire, invest, publish, and operate in select cases, games and studios.” Firms that pledged support for the project include Phoenix Group and Cypher Capital (WB).
- Move-to-Earn platform Walken hit a new milestone after surpassing two million registered users. Recent reports state that the project’s sustainable tokenomics and addictive gameplay contributed to its steady following. Furthermore, the game is still evolving and its creators are continuously building to improve the product (CJ).
- GameFi platform BinaryX has released the concept art for its upcoming open-world MMO project CyberLand. The teaser video gave a glimpse of the game’s terrain and features. Currently, BinaryX is preparing for CyberLand’s beta release. This version will also introduce SocialFi features that allows users to create content and share it with the community (BIC).
- Taiwanese game studio X-Legend Entertainment, the creators of Aura Kingdom and Grand Fantasia (as well as other MMO titles), announced the launch of Web3 mobile MMORPG Honor of Heirs. The Microsoft-backed blockchain gaming platform WEMIX powers the Play-to-Earn project’s crypto features (MMOS).
- Much-awaited collectible basketball game Rumble Kong League announced the launch of its Pre-Alpha version. The dev team will spread the game over multiple testing periods. Moreover, the project will focus on the core game loop and basic team management. Additionally, Kong and Rookie NFT holders are eligible to sign up for the Pre-Alpha (RKL).
- Entertainment and lifestyle magazine Essex Magazine announced the launch of rare Jimi Hendrix photographs in the form of NFTs. Taken from the collection of acclaimed photographer Donald Silverstein, the iconic images are set for release in three releases. The drops are as follows: “The Puzzle,” artist collaborations, and exclusive 1 of 1 NFTs (EM).
- Metaverse blockchain technology company Marvion has formed a partnership with graphic novel publisher ComicAsia to launch the “DRACULA: Rising Sun NFT” collection. The project is slated for release on Marvion’s decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) metaverse platform MetaStudio (PRN).
- Strategy Web3 game Project XENO has partnered with prominent Japanese YouTuber Hikaru to release a limited edition NFT collection. Dubbed “Project XENO x Hikaru,” the collection features three types of NFTs namely: XENO version, GENESIS version Ver.I, and GENESIS Ver.II (NFTE).
- World-class golf course Aspen Lakes’ new owner Rhue Resorts are introducing NFTs into their business model. The company plans to offer digital assets as a form of membership for the luxury resort. Moreover, Rhue is also offering a holiday discount which crypto users can avail using Ethereum’s native token Ether ($ETH) (G).
- Leading auction house Christie’s announced an NFT auction event dubbed “Next Wave: The Miami Edit,” which will run from November 30 to December 7. Christie’s digital art director Nicole Sales stressed that the current bear market has not diminished interest in NFTs. Furthermore, she also believes that “collectors want to own the best artworks and Christie’s 3.0 is the venue” (AN).
- The Oxford University Press has announced the three finalist words/terms for 2022 and “Metaverse” seems to be a strong contender against “#IStandWith” and “Goblin Mode.” In a statement by the world’s largest university press, the institution maintained that, “usage of this word has quadrupled in October 2022 compared to the same period last year” (E).
- South Korean wireless telecommunications operator SK Telecom has announced the launch of a new social metaverse platform called “IFLand.” The project, which is now available in 49 countries and regions, will provide users with content based on K-culture (NFTG).
- Hyper-realistic metaverse builder Everdome showcased its innovative products at a recent Formula One event in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The team gave a taste of the company’s virtual reality (VR) offering at the Grand Prix. “As a believer in the technology, we believe it’s our role to help build the wider blockchain community,” Everdome COO Jeremy Lopez stated (BSCN).
More From the Blockchain
- Tech giant Amazon has ordered the production of a tv miniseries about the downfall of crypto exchange FTX. The company selected the “Russo Brothers” to produce the project. The Russo Brothers gained prominence in the movie industry for their work on the Avengers and Captain America franchises (DC).
- Web3 network Everscale announces last call for its ongoing Elysium online hackathon. Launched earlier this month, the event is set to end on the 28th of November. Basically, the developers are competing for a shot at the $43,000 prize pool (BIC).
- Cryptocurrency exchange OKX is one of the sponsors for the Financial Times’ “Crypto and Digital Asset Summit.” The event will take place on November 28 in London, and will feature experts from the field of crypto and finance (BF).
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(Filed Under wholesale Lingerie News). Intimate apparel company Hanky Panky celebrated its 25th anniversary with a designer collaboration line by Anna Sui, a breast cancer research initiative and a party in New York City.
Anna Sui’s "Anna-ver-Sui" line consists of seven violet-colored pieces in Sui’s signature floral print that retail from $25 to $97. Models displayed the Anna Sui line at Hanky Panky’s anniversary party, which was held at 91 Horatio St. in New York City.
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Hanky Panky additionally announced that 10 percent of the total sales of the Anna Sui collection will be donated to the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative. The collection has already generated over $100,000 in sales at specialty shops and lingerie boutiques across the U.S., as well as HankyPanky.com.
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Now that all theare out, the question for current Android phone owners inevitably turns to "When do I get it?" Well, there is good news for some, bad news for others, and no news for the rest.
Starting with the good, Google announced via its Google I/O Twitter account that Froyo will be served to
HTC has also come out to say that most of its 2010 Android models will be eligible for an upgrade. Responding to an inquiry from Android Central, a company spokesperson said that some of the supported devices will include the
HTC added that it will release a full list of phones and availability dates closer to launch but that it hopes to have all updates released by the second half of the year. According to Gizmodo, the T-Mobile G1 will definitely not be getting Froyo due to the limited Flash memory.
We have yet to hear anything official from Motorola and Samsung, but we'll be sure to let you know as soon as we hear anything. In the meantime, be sure to check out Jessica Dolcourt'sand .


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According to the state-owned China Daily, Huawei is working on a Google Maps alternative with Yandex and Booking.com. The service is expected to be unveiled in October. CNET reports: It’s apparently designed to use a tool for software developers to create apps based around its mapping capabilities, rather than for consumer use. It’ll connect to local mapping services, cover 150 countries and regions, and be available in 40 languages, the report said.
Huawei didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but the company’s ability to access Google’s services has been threatened since President Trump blacklisted it in May. That came as a result of U.S. lawmakers’ concerns about Huawei’s tight relationship with the Chinese government and fears that its equipment could be used for spying. Trump has since said the ban will be eased.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.


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The next macOS will be called Big Sur, Apple announced at WWDC 2020.
It’s official. The next macOS will be called macOS Big Sur as Apple unveiled it today at WWDC 2020. macOS Big Sur brings an all-new design, new features to Safari, Messages and Maps.
For starters, macOS has a new spacious design, which Apple claims to make navigation easier. The curvature of windows corners has been changed as has been the palette of colours. The icons in Dock have also been redesigned. The idea behind the all-new design is to make macOS look more fresh and reduce visual complexity.
“macOS Big Sur is a major update that advances the legendary combination of the power of UNIX with the ease of use of the Mac, and delivers our biggest update to design in more than a decade,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “With its modern and clean look, huge improvements to key apps including Safari, Messages, and Maps, and new privacy features, we think everyone is going to love the breakthrough experience that macOS Big Sur offers.”
MacBook users also get an all-new Control Centre with macOS Big Sur. The Notification Centre too gets redesigned widgets and notifications.
The biggest highlight of macOS Big Sur, however, is the new features coming to Safari. Now, Apple’s browser is way behind Google Chrome in terms of adoption but Apple claims it has made it faster and it is now the world’s fastest browser. Tabs have been completely redesigned to make navigating with Safari faster and more powerful by showing more tabs onscreen. Users can customise the new start page with a background image and sections like their Reading List and even iCloud Tabs. With built-in translation, Safari can detect and translate entire webpages from seven languages. Apple has also improved support for extensions — something that Chrome has been doing for a while — on Safari.
Safari will also enhance privacy and security with macOS Big Sur Users can choose when and which websites a Safari extension can work with, and tools like data breach password monitoring never reveal your password information.
The Messages app too gets a refresh on Mac with iPhone like features.Message effects let users add personality to their messages with balloons, confetti, and more. Users can now create and customise their Memoji on the Mac. Group messaging features will arrive on MacBooks with macOS Big Sur as well.


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The Great Eastern Garbage Patch. Have you ever heard of it? Most haven’t. Located at a natural collecting point right in the center of revolving currents called the North Pacific Gyre, the Great Eastern Garbage Patch is a floating island of waste estimated to be twice the size of Texas. That’s right- TEXAS. Somehow this massive garbage heap had shied away from the media for years, but has now been brought to the public’s attention via Captain Charles Moore of the Oceanographic Research Vessel Alguita, who is credited for its discovery.
Thousands of miles from land this garbage patch is littered with debris that many would assume is from people aboard passing ships, but researchers think not. They estimated that 80 percent of the trash is actually due to land dwellers and has eventually found its way over the years to the North Pacific Gyre. This is nothing but bad news considering that there is even more trash riding the currents as you sit and read this now, destined to add to the island’s growth.
A 10 mile-wide fleet of plastic Taco Bell take-out bags.
80,000 Nike running shoes involved in a containership spill in 1990.
Discarded fishing nets and lines that run miles long.
“Nurdles”, or tiny plastic pellets that resemble tapioca and carry high concentrations of deadly chemicals, one hundred billion pounds of which are used each year to make things like CD cases and plastic pipes.
This is just some of what can be found on and near the Great Eastern Garbage Patch, but they all equal this: roughly one million pieces of plastic per square mile across hundreds of miles of the Pacific Ocean. Countless animals in and out of the water have confused these floating plastic objects as food or have gotten tangled or strangled in plastic lines and nets only to lose their lives. According to Marine Biologist David Barnes of the British Antarctic Survey, “Plastic is not just an aesthetic problem. It can actually change entire ecosystems.”
Right now we can only expect the trash to continue invading the ocean. There are bans in place to prevent the dumping of plastics but enforcement on the open ocean is not taken seriously and when accidents occur they do not need to be reported. This means people like Captain Moore, who are trying to stop plastic from taking over our ocean, don’t even have a chance to clean up the debris left by others, even if by accident.
What is ironic is that people value plastics for the same reason plastics are causing so much harm to our oceans: its durability. While manufacturers place the blame of plastic debris on consumers, Captain Moore makes a good point saying that, “there’s no reason why a six-pack ring or a peanut butter jar should have to last for 400 years.” While manufacturers have attempted to perfect biodegradable packaging there is only one company, EarthShell, which has made real progress. The company has already begun work with the National Park Service who uses their biodegradable plates and has even provided many McDonald’s restaurants with their clamshell boxes. The Environmental Cleanup Coalition has also made a huge impact by taking the initiative to collaborate with other organizations who try to come up with ways to safely remove plastic and other pollutants from the ocean.
Recycling for Charities is passionate about helping to eliminate waste in any way possible. While we are limited to recycling electronic waste we have tips to help consumers prevent the growth of this plastic-waste island too. You can buy products with less plastic packaging and therefore decrease your plastic waste. For example, instead of buying pop or soda that has a six-pack ring around them, buy the case in the cardboard box that can later be broken down and recycled. Also, you can practice and promote the proper disposal of plastic items. Recycle your plastic waste when possible and never litter, especially near places like the beach where wildlife can mistake your trash for food. If you do not have the means to donate money to an environmental organization you can always donate your time by helping with a local clean-up at a park or beach. Remember, your small effort can make a big difference.


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A customer signs up at a Reliance Jio store in Delhi
DMK MP Kanimozhi along her husband G Aravindan after she was acquitted by a special court in the 2G scam case, in New Delhi
DMK MP Kanimozhi leaving court premises after being acquitted in the 2G scam case, outside Patiala House courts in New Delhi
Supporters celebrate outside Patiala court after verdict on 2G spectrum case in New Delhi
Former Telecom minister A Raja celebrates along with his supporters after he was acquitted by a special court in the 2G scam case, in New Delhi
Finance minister Arun Jaitley addresses media on 2G scam verdict at Parliament in New Delhi
Congress leader Kapil Sibal addresses the media on 2G outside the Parliament House in New Delhi
Reliance scions Akash and Isha Ambani at the Jio Phone launch
Union Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal climbs a tree to get proper network connectivity for a phone call in Bikaner.
Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad addresses a press conference on the achievements of the Ministry during 3 years of NDA Government, in Ne...
Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad with Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Aruna Sundararajan at a press conferen...
(left) Kumar Mangalam Birla; Sunil Sood, Vodafone India
Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani at the Jio launch
A notice outside a shop depicts the high demand for the Jio sim
Customers out to get their free Jio SIM at a Reliance Digital Store
Union Minister for Communication & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad with BJP MP Hema Malini to inaguration and Foundation stone laying, Lauching of new services and schemes & distribution b...
TRAI chairman Ram Sevak Sharma
Commuters on a fast train grapple with slow internet
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ArmInfo. At the 5th Intergovernmental Session of EEU Council the sides agreed on the draft concept of establishing common market of petroleum and petroleum products, the terms of adopting the common customs code and a number of other important documents for deepening further cooperation, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov and Chairman of Eurasian Economic Commission Collegium Tigran Sargsyan informed after the end of the meeting in extended format.
As the Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan stated during the session a solid legal framework has been created within EEU, which reflects the mechanisms of cooperation between the EEU countries. The prime minister said that the agreed issues will undoubtedly have impact on social economic development of the EEU. In this context he stressed the importance of establishing common market of petroleum and petroleum products. Abrahamyan emphasized also the necessity to extend international multi-format cooperation, both within the EEU and separate countries. Abrahamyan considered the development of cooperation with China as the key issue of today's discussions. According to him this will allow not only increasing the amount of trade but also attracting investments for large investment projects along with diversification of logistic capacities. From this point of view the work on aligning the Eurasian project with the Silk Road Economic Belt, which will link Europe and Asia, is very important according to the Armenian Prime Minister. "Having historical experience and being the only country of the Union which has land border with Iran Armenia is ready to implement this project", Abrahamyan said. Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov stated about the necessity to create free trade zones with such countries as India, Israel, China, Egypt and Iran. "Kazakhstan has always supported the idea of attracting new participants in Eurasian integration", he noted. According to him the establishment of cooperation between the EEU and EU may become a serious factor for economic development and competitiveness.
According to Belarusian Prime Minister Andrey Kobyakov adoption of EEU customs code is being delayed all the time, which as a result leads to revision of already reached agreements. In this context he emphasized the necessity of approving strict deadlines for terminating the unification of the EEU customs space.
"Adoption of the customs code is an important goal", Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stated. According to him it is necessary to unify customs space and facilitate the customs procedures making them more convenient for the business community. Medvedev also stressed the importance of establishing common market of petroleum products with "clear rules" and building cooperation with external partners in particular with China and the countries of ASEAN.
Kyrgyzstan's Prime Minister Sooronbai Zheenbekov, in his turn expressed hope that the decision on the issues of enlarging the sales markets will be made based on consolidation of interest of all the sides.
"The EEU customs code may be approved at the regular session of Intergovernmental Council on October 28 in Moscow", Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission Collegium Tigran Sargsyan informed. He also said that a conceptual agreement has been reached on the key issues and only some additional issues are left, which the sides will continue discussing in Sochi on August 12. According to Sargsyan another key agreement, which was finally agreed today relates to establishment of common market of petroleum and petroleum products. This document will be submitted to approval of our presidents at the meeting at the end of month in Astana, Tigran Sargsyan stated.


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By Byron Kaye
SYDNEY: The Australian government said it will shut Telstra Corp Ltd , the country's dominant telecoms firm, out of a government auction of mobile phone airspace worth at least A$860 million ($645 million) in a bid to stoke competition.
The government will call for applications to buy the spectrum - freed up since television stations went digital in the past few years - in January 2017, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said in a statement.
He said the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has recommended excluding Telstra as it holds more than 50 percent of available low band spectrum and that gaining more 700 MHz spectrum would increase its dominance of mobile markets.
The exclusion would allow Singapore Telecommunications Ltd's Optus and Vodafone Hutchison Australia, a venture owned by Vodafone Group Plc and CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd to bid and improve their ability to compete, it said.
It also said Australia's TPG Telecom Ltd, which doesn't yet have a full 4G network, could bid as a new entrant would promote competition and fundamentally change the structure of the market.
A Telstra spokesman said the company was disappointed and the restrictions would likely to reduce the amount of money raised for taxpayers.
The rules "may also mean the spectrum isn't used as efficiently as possible," he said in an email.
A spokeswoman for Fifield said if all the spectrum was sold at the minimum price, the auction would raise A$857.7 million.
Telstra shares showed little reaction to the news, closing 1.2 percent higher to slightly outperform the broader market on Wednesday.


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Blueair has announced the launch of Blueair Pro XL air purifier at Rs 1,50,000. The Blueair Pro is an addition to company’s Pro series – Pro L and Pro M- priced at Rs 1,10,000 and Rs 80,000 respectively. The models are designed for different room sizes.
Blueair’s flagship Pro XL can purify a room as large as 1180 square feet of impurities such as PM2.5 dust particles, chemicals and viruses every 12 minutes. The company says that the device cleared smoke at 800 cubic feet per minute (cfm), dust at 950 cfm and pollen at 900 cfm during testing.
“As outdoor air pollution hits outrageously high levels in cities across the world, research confirms Blueair’s contribution towards helping people stay healthy and at optimal immunity in the home and at work regardless of outside or inside air contamination,” Bengt Rittri, Founder and CEO of Blueair said.
Blueair Pro XL comes with HEPASilentTM technology, which can purify the air without making any noise. It also has an ‘Air Intelligence Module’ that automatically adjusts air purification performance depending on the amount of pollutants in the air.


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Mike Tyson's old Ferrari F50 is set to fetch a fortune at auction 26 years after he bought the limited edition model during the peak of his boxing powers in 1996.
Iron Mike was the second owner of this particular F50, which has just 6,200 miles on the clock and has recently had £70,000 worth of renovations at a Ferrari dealership in Florida.
With this F50 being one of only 349 ever built and one of only 55 that were made to United States specifications – it is set to fetch between an astonishing £3.7billion and £4.53b.
READ MORE: Boxpark bouncer Julius Francis 'more than willing' to take on Mike Tyson rematch
The car is being put up for sale by Gooding & Company, who are using Tyson's former ownership as one of it's biggest selling points.
Since Tyson sold it back to it's original owner back in 1999, it has passed hands on seven occasions and came into it's current garage back in 2018.
The F50 has 513 brake horsepower and 8,500 revolutions per minute, as well as a fully independent double-wishbone suspension with pushrod-operated coil-overs.
Who would win between a peak Mike Tyson and Tyson Fury? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
At the peak of his earnings, Tyson had a fortune of £320million which he blew before filing for bankruptcy back in 2003.
Tyson even had a debt of around £18m at his lowest point but is now back in the positive and is slowly building his net worth back up.
As well as his huge collection of super cars, Tyson's Nevada mansion set him back a cool £1.9m with other pads in Los Angeles and a giant spate in Connecticut.
Tyson said back in 2020: "I had everything and (then I was) $60 million in debt.
"For some reason, they thought I was trying to make a deal to get out of this bankruptcy. They thought I was going to fight it, but I had no intention of fighting it."
The 56-year-old, who reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990, stepped back into the ring to impress in an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. back in 2020.
Jake Paul paid sparring partner less than £100-per-round – and had strict instructions
Boxpark bouncer Julius Francis never wanted to KO punter but "landed on the button"
Boxing legend Mike Tyson convinced his "expiration date" is coming really soon
Source: Read Full Article


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Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system is about to die out completely from the market yet one of the thing that stood out for them was the software update support. Nearly all the Windows Phone used to receive the latest software update and security update from Microsoft and that too for a long period of their lifetime.
A new report from securitylab has today posted a table for the month of Jan/Feb 2018 that shows the security update policies of the existing mobile operating systems. Apple’s iPhone topped the list in nearly every column of the table like “support duration for security updates”, “shortest time to publish a software update”. “maximum worldwide availability delay” and “device software update availability rate after 1 month”.
While Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS was second OS on the list and equalized with iPhone in few of the above mentioned columns. Both iPhone and Windows Phone software updates are independent of their carrier for all its devices. For Android Operating System, only Google and the new smartphone manufacturer Essential were able to match some of the stats of security updates when compared with iPhone and Windows Phones.
One of the reasons for why iPhone and Windows phone were on the top is because of being not as open when compared to Android OS. Android has another disadvantage of having a huge number of OEMs which decide by themselves when to publish or how to publish a software update for their smartphones. Long support for security update and cheaper than iPhone was the reason why Windows Phones were chosen by many enterprises across the world.
Because of Microsoft’s recent abandonment of Windows Phone OS Enterprises are now left other with either selecting costlier iPhones for longer security update support or rely on cheaper Android alternatives with shorter duration of security update support. Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system lost its significance in consumer market because of its so called app-gap problem which is still haunting Microsoft when they are busy creating a new device category with full Windows 10 on it.


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With the Stagefright bug posing some jual charger iphone 5 original actual threat to hundreds of thousands of Android smartphone customers, Google is beneath the stress of rolling out protection updates on a normal foundation. The stagefright bug is acknowledged to be the worst Android bug at any time uncovered and has supposedly troubled as many as 950 million units. Scientists functioning on cell safety have raised general public alerts, leaving Google underneath the stress of functioning concretely on this situation.
A few times in the past, researchers at Zimperium issued warning towards the Android working method. They claimed to have found significant safety worries at the centre of the Android working method. The bug is thought to be so notorious that it enables hackers to attack practically 1 billion mobile telephones just by sending a viral MMS message. In truth, it can even have an effect on the smartphone even if the consumer does not open up the information. The codes in the concept are so malicious that it will let the hacker have full management in excess of the device without having the owner's knowledge.


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The field of Technology News covers numerous areas. It includes everything from manufacturing, to telecommunications, to the science and technology aspects of technology. These days, much of what is considered “Tech” is actually just a simple matter of communication, but technology news reporting has tracked the development of new communication and information technologies through the years. Some tech news sources are news organizations that have developed their own technology news organization; others are simply independent agencies that specialize in the technology field. To check out more about Kirkendalleffect – Improve Reading Experiences On The Web click here.
One area where constant technology development is taking place is in the area of entertainment. Video games and high-tech home televisions are transforming the way we live. Many people now play video games on the Internet or can view high-definition television programs in their living rooms. Technological advances have also opened the door to interactive television and CD-ROMs.
The innovations of technology
Technological innovations also affect nearly every industry. Just recently, a group of California high school students created a robotic assistant that can cook food and drink coffee. In addition, many companies now produce appliances, such as washers and dryers, that are more energy efficient and can help save consumers money. Carpet cleaning equipment has also improved in recent years, and manufacturers are constantly coming up with ways to make carpeting last longer and cleaner. In addition, companies are now producing computers with built-in speakers so that users can hear themselves talk on the phone without having to speak directly to someone in order to accomplish such a task.
What does Tech News Cover?
Technology news also covers the medical field. A new way to treat Crohn’s disease was recently introduced in the United States. This treatment is much more effective than its predecessors and is expected to become more widely used in the future. Other areas of the medical field are also transforming. A robot that is programmed to perform certain tasks may soon be used to treat patients with physical injuries who are unable to walk, talk, or take care of themselves. Other areas of technology, such as computer chip implants, are changing the way that people get medical care.
Tech News is also important because it often involves new applications for hardware and software. The latest technology drives the improvements that take place in these fields, making them easier and more efficient. A new type of printer that is made by Apple Computers Inc. makes printing faster and cheaper than ever before. This news is important to those who use computers and who want the best types of printers available. It also can drive sales of certain types of software programs.
The industry also benefits from technology news. The news about how appliances work, for example, is extremely beneficial to appliance manufacturers, who benefit from the consistent improvements made to these appliances. Many companies are also making their products more accessible to those who have limited mobility. One example is the new Microsoft Office, which is designed to be easy to navigate because of its keyboard layout. Accessibility to computers is also important to many disabled individuals who want to purchase and use computers.
What areas are helped by Technology News?
There are many other areas that are helped by technology news as well. Some examples include medicine and pharmaceuticals. News about new medications that are proven to treat illnesses are helpful to those who may be suffering from a certain illness but cannot afford to spend a great deal of money on medications. New treatments that are being researched and possibly even discovered are also helpful to those with diseases and disorders that could potentially be affected by these illnesses. News about these drugs and medications, however, should not be considered to be absolutely true and should be viewed with some skepticism.
There are many instances where the information in certain pieces of technology news can be inaccurate or biased, but even when this is the case, the importance of the piece of information still outweighs the opinions or views that may be formed because of it. There are many debates and discussions on many topics of interest and importance. Individuals who discuss issues in hopes of coming up with solutions to problems often rely on technology to support their theories. When facts contradicting each other are presented, the reader is left to draw their own conclusions based on real-world information that they have gathered through the use of technology.


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On-demand delivery app Postmates raised an additional $140 million in a new funding round led by Founders Fund, as reported by TechCrunch.
Despite Postmates’ “very fast growing” business, CEO Bastian Lehmann told TechCrunch that it was a challenging environment to raise financing. We’re seeing a “fundraising environment that has cooled, specifically in the on-demand space," Lehmann told TechCrunch.
Once a hot investment category, venture capitalists have turned sour on the on-demand space because many startups struggled to make their unit economics work. Postmates, in particular, was one of the companies that had a lot of naysayers in VC community.
Now completing over 1.5 million deliveries per month, the company could hit profitability as soon as next year, “if we choose to do so,” claimed Kristin Schaefer, Postmates’ vice president of growth and strategy. But she said the new capital will mostly be used to improve engineering and expand to new markets. Emphasizing their efforts to compete with Amazon Prime.
But Amazon is not their only competitor. From DoorDash to GrubHub, there are countless delivery apps and Uber has become a formidable opponent, with the expansion of Uber Eats.
“You will see us become very aggressive in defending and growing our market leadership,” said Lehmann.
To read more, click here.


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In order to achieve the above results in the face of difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Directorate of Fisheries regularly monitors localities’prodution, proactively and promptly reports to the Ministry for guidance and direction for localities.
Typically, the Directorate of Fisheries adjusts aquaculture production seasons, strengthens control of fishing vessels at ports, ensures pandemic prevention and control without affecting production activities while maintaining growth and increasing the value of seafood production.
The Directorate of Fisheries has advised the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to promptly organize conferences on removing difficulties and promoting production to ensure seafood production and unbroken supply chains in 2021 and the year 2022.
In particular, the world’s shrimp import demand in 2021 will increase again, especially in major markets such as Europe, the United States, Japan, China and South Korea. While shrimp supply from some countries such as India and some other suppliers will decrease due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam’s shrimp production will continue to grow well due to advantages from Free trade agreements, ensuring stability in commercial shrimp farming and seafood processing.
In addition, functional units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development actively worked with the US Food Inspection Agency (FSIS) to identify Vietnam’s Food Safety Management System and implement regulations in Vietnam’s Tra fish production, processing and export chain to ensure that Vietnam’s Tra fish is eligible to continue exporting to the United States.


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Google’s Phone application is installed by default on Pixel devices but is also available as a download on the Google Play Store for other Android hardware.
The app was recently treated to the tech giant’s new Material Theme that introduced a more modern aesthetic to the software.
But now users are set to receive a “dark mode” option for the app in a forthcoming update.
In the description for the app on the Play Store, Google insisted the new feature was “coming soon”.
The post reads: “The Phone app has a fresh new look. And coming soon – Dark mode.”
Unfortunately a more precise date for the new look’s arrival was not given by the tech giant.
But Google Pixel and Pixel 2 owners will surely be able to switch the lights off the moment an update adding the feature is released.
Dark modes appear to be rising in prominence – Apple is set to include such a feature in the latest update to macOS and Google recently starting rolling out the mode in its Android Messages app.
Version 3.5 of Android Messages was made available earlier this week and allows users to text with less strain on their eyes.
A new Material Theme has arrived with the update, giving it a whiter look with more rounded corners.
But dark mode can be enabled by pressing the options toggle in the right-hand corner of the app at the top.
Once this button is pressed users will have the option to “enable dark mode”.
This toggle can be tapped once again to disable to the new look.
Google regularly updates it plethora of useful apps with brand new features with some changes being more subtle than others.
It is currently unknown whether the company has plans to implement a dark mode option in more of its software.


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A lot of things have changed in the past ten years and New York City’s dining scene is most definitely up there – we’ve all taken note as city staples have repeatedly closed their doors for good, giving way to swanky new hotspots serving small plates and in-vogue veggies. While there’s no debating that the restaurants themselves have changed considerably in the last decade, another significant question has snuck under the radar a bit more: how have the city’s diners changed?
An anonymous post on Craigslist – from “a popular [NYC] restaurant for both locals and tourists alike” – made the rounds this weekend. The establishment was able to locate surveillance tapes of its dining room from exactly ten years ago, and compared the footage with meals served today. The results were shocking, albeit somewhat predictable.
Among some of the eye-opening statistics about today’s city diners:
Total average time from when the customer was seated until they placed their order is 21 minutes (up from 8 minutes, ten years ago).
26 out of 45 customers spend an average of three minutes taking photos of their food.
27 out of 45 customers asked their waiter to take a group photo. 14 of those requested the waiter retake their photo.
The post concludes that the average dinner today is almost exactly double the length from a decade ago. Almost all of this difference can be attributed to something to do with diners’ phones, whether it consists of browsing, messaging, photo-taking or Instagramming.
While we’re sad to say that the results don’t exactly come as a surprise, we’re still at a loss to describe the evolution of dining patterns. Are meals bound to get even longer as customers concern themselves more and more with their mobile devices? Will restaurants begin to enforce bans on these devices in the dining room? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
Read these stories about NYC restaurants on Food Republic:


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Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s finance minister announced that the province will move forward and start selling beer and wine in corners stores, big box stores and more grocery stores. According to him, this will allow a price reduction at all levels and most importantly avoid the LCBO from going private.
Credit: What's Brewin
Even if there is no effective date just yet, Vic’s Progressive Convervative governement claims they made a commitment during the campaign to provide consumers with greater choice and convenience, and they plan on delivering. According to him, Ontario has the lowest density of retail outlets selling beer, wine, cider and spirits in Canada, with less than 3,000 outlets selling alcohol compared to 8000 in Quebec.
Opposition is criticizing this decision, claiming the government’s priorities are not in the right place…but according to Vic, they are taking steps to revolutionize the way they deliver services, and that includes how people buy alcohol.
Do you agree with Vic’s vision?


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June 29, 2018
Canal Plus will close its SVOD service CanalPlay, due to waning subscription numbers in the face of competition from global players such as Netflix and Amazon, CEO Maxine Saada said during a hearing with the culture commission of the French senate, according to reports.
First launched in November of 2011, Canal Plus’s CanalPlay beat Netflix’s launch in France by nearly three years, reported Screen International.
CanalPlay at one time had some 800,000 subscribers but numbers have fallen to just 200,000 subscribers following Netflix’s arrival, Saada told the commission, according to reports. He said French regulations preventing CanalPlay from offering Canal Plus’s high-end originals on the service in the early years of its existence had hindered the ability of the service to compete with the global digital players, according to Screen International.
“At the moment when Netflix arrived on French soil, the only French SVOD player at the time was CanalPlay,” he said. “It had 800,000 subscribers, and we were banned from including originals in the face of Netflix and Amazon.”
That ban has since been lifted, but Saada said the change had come too late, Screen International reported.
“It’s over for CanalPlay. In two years, it has been erased from this market which is in the process of replacing that of television,” he told the French legislators.
“The announcement that CanalPlay is to close in France is another reminder of the growing requirement for major content investment to compete in the increasingly dynamic subscription video sector, particularly amongst local services,” stated Futuresource Consulting after the announcement. “CanalPlay will join the list of high profile closures worldwide over the last couple of years, all with significant parent companies; that includes Shomi (Canada), Watchever (Germany) and KPN Play (Netherlands). Futuresource estimates that CanalPlay had approximately 600,000 subscribers at the end of 2017, but has struggled to maintain pace in 2018 as Netflix momentum continues to build. Netflix doubled its subscriber base in France in 2017 hitting 2.5 million, with more subscriber growth expected for 2018.”
“Offering content that is unique, high quality and ideally, exclusive or original” is key, the Futuresource commentary noted.
“Such a strategy does not come cheap though, something that Canal+/Vivendi was seemingly not willing, or able to fund, particularly when its addressable market is more localised than the likes of Netflix or Amazon Prime Video,” Futuresource stated.


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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The national unemployment rate is down to 7.7 percent, the lowest it's been since December 2008.
Wells Fargo economist Mark Vitner said, "The headline looks good," that things are going in the right direction. He also said to "expect fits and starts," and there will probably will still be months where the numbers don't look good.
Darryl Cassell is looking for work.
"When you got four kids, it really is stressful," he said.
Cassell said he doesn't want unemployment, he wants a job.
Denetria Dixon gave the same impression.
"I'm not used to this. I'm used to work and depending on myself," she said.
But then there's her sister. She not only has a job, she seems close to landing another one, even though it is still tough.
"I've actually been on three interviews within this whole month so it's still kind of hard. I was expecting a call back from one place. They said to call them next week. They should have some work," Nisha Dixon said.
Industries that did well last month include education, health care, auto manufacturing, temp work and retail.
Some of that retail may be due to seasonal employment, but maybe not if Matthews-based retail giant Family Dollar is any sign. It opened 475 stores and a distribution center last fiscal year. It plans to add 500 stores and a distribution center this fiscal year.
"I think that there's a level of optimism at Family Dollar. You know, we're excited about the future of our company and excited about the growth and the potential that we have," spokesman Josh Braverman said.


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'FarmVille' creator Zynga to go public
Zynga, the online game maker behind “FarmVille” and other popular Facebook pastimes, is going public.
Based on IPO papers filed on Friday, Zynga Inc. hopes to raise up to $1 billion in an initial public offering.
This amount will likely change. That’s because its bankers will now determine how many shares should be sold and at what price.


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J.C. Penney: A Tale of Battle and Victory
The team at J.C. Penney was geared up for battle — and survival was the only option.
Struggling since 2012, the company was staring down the barrel of Holiday 2014 with a lack of tech competence. J.C. Penney was solvent, but nothing had happened in the digital arena in almost three years.
“When you’re in such bad shape, it is very, very motivating,” said digital retail executive Lance Thornswood, who has worked with both J.C. Penney and Target. “We really had to make unbelievable changes in essentially no time.”
Thornswood, part of the team specifically brought in to help “get the car out of the ditch,” shared his experiences at the Digital Experience Workshop as a case study of driving rapid, sustainable innovation.
The session, “Driving Radical Change in Customer Experience,” was the tale of 90 days in a war room, with about 45 members of a carefully assembled, multi-departmental S.W.A.T. team sharing both physical space and dedicated mission. Decisions were to be made on site, in real-time, as much as possible — and if outside approval was necessary, it had to be brought back to the daily stand-up meeting within 24 hours, or the group would move ahead. The time together bred a true shared sense of ownership.
“By the third week, it kind of became almost its own organization,” he said. “The number of decisions that had to leave the room by week three was almost nil.”
All the time rather than one-time
At the close of the three months, part of the result was a completely redesigned app with, for example, enhanced predictive search; a new layout that “makes the product the hero”; greater ease in finding matching items; the ability to scan a bar code in-store and discover size and availability; coupons; and advanced filter options. The app has continued to develop since.
That last point is essential: Rather than looking at change as something that has to be a one-time, expensive proposition, Thornswood spoke of a “good enough is good enough for now” mindset, in which change continues in increments. Just like with the subway, there will always be another train — and another opportunity to improve.
And while hanging out at that station, a number of other best practices for rapid and sustainable change emerged:
- Focus on a few key measurable things, and let the rest go. This begins, Thornswood said, with a thorough understanding of the company’s business levers, as well as what areas can have the greatest impact. For J.C. Penney, this involved both an m.com and the iPhone app.
- Ask what a “win” looks like — and seek an answer in purely observable, objective terms. The team should be able to clearly tell whether a process has worked.
- Assemble a team with an agile-style mindset. In J.C. Penney’s case, members of the team were able to give up all other duties to focus on the task at hand, with full support of management.
- Recognize that everyone has a voice, but not everyone has a vote. This isn’t about steamrolling others, Thornswood said. But when it comes to user experience and customer experience, everyone has an opinion. That doesn’t mean they should necessarily make the decisions.
Today, the goal is to “keep it going, keep it fast and keep winning” with new capabilities every month. Iterating small and fast has continued to deliver the desired results.
War room or not, the mindset remains as the spoils of war.
Retailers that want to stay relevant to modern consumers are rethinking every aspect of the shopping experience, and NRF’s playbooks offer a quick summary of ideas and tactics that can inspire innovation.


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Cybersecurity threats growing in the travel industry
A new survey reveals that more than 70% of travelers have been exposed through high-risk behavior
IBM Security today issued new research highlighting that the travel industry and its customers are increasingly the targets of cyberattacks as criminals seek to monetize highly valuable travel data. Compounding the problem, a new survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of IBM Security1reveals that travelers are still blind to the risks they face on the road. The survey found that only 40% of respondents believed it was likely they would be targeted for cybercrime while traveling, yet 70% are engaging in high-risk behaviors while on the road.
Attacks in the travel and transportation industry are becoming more frequent, opening already unwary travelers to cybersecurity threats during their journeys. According to the 2019 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, the transportation industry has become a priority target for cybercriminals as the second-most attacked industry—up from tenth in 2017— attracting 13% of observed attacks. Since January 2018, 566 million records from the travel and transportation industry have been leaked or compromised in publicly reported breaches.
"Traveling has always been when people are more vulnerable. A few hundred years ago, the perpetrators were pirates or highwaymen. Now those criminals are still out there, but they've changed their methods to focus on digital attacks instead," said Caleb Barlow, Vice President of X-Force Threat Intelligence at IBM Security. "People carry a goldmine of data when traveling including passports, payment information and detailed travel itineraries. When placed in the hands of a cybercriminal, all of this information can be patched together into a complete picture of the traveler's life to inform identity theft, initiate spear phishing attacks, or be sold on the dark web."
Traveling a Dangerous Road
Traveling can make people more vulnerable to security threats than they are at home. On the road, people tend to be distracted and overwhelmed, often opting for convenience over security. At home, they may have safeguards like controlling physical access to devices and setting up firewalls to prevent digital intrusions, but on the road, they might be more exposed.
Morning Consult conducted an online survey on behalf of IBM Security to understand exactly how much risk travelers expose themselves to while away from home, and found most Americans engage in high-risk behaviors while traveling. More than 70% of Americans surveyed have connected to public Wi-Fi, charged a device using a public USB station, or enabled auto-connect on their devices which puts their information at risk.
Business travelers are even more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Nearly half (45%) of business travelers carry a device with valuable or sensitive information on it, yet business travelers admitted much more frequently to risky behaviors such as:
Connecting to public Wi-Fi—42% of business travelers do this every time or very often vs. 34% for personal travelers do this every time or very often
Charging a device using a public USB station—40% of business travelers do this every time or very often vs. 28% of personal travelers do this every time or very often
Enabling auto-connect on their devices—39% of business travelers do this every time or very often vs. 30% of personal travelers do this every time or very often
Travelers are acutely aware of the risks to their financial information with more than half of those surveyed saying that they are extremely or very concerned that their credit card (53%) or other sensitive digital information (52%) will get stolen when traveling. That number drops significantly when they are not traveling, with only 40% similarly concerned that financial information will be stolen at home and 41% that their digital information will be stolen at home.
Digital Guardrails for a Safer Trip
As the 2019 summer travel seasons begins, it is important for travelers and travel and transportation companies to understand the threats facing them and take precautions to help protect their sensitive data. Cybercriminals are drawn to the travel industry because of the wealth of data it holds and the economic value it drives.
Travel is a profitable industry, with travelers spending $1.1 trillion in 2018 and supporting 15.7 million jobs in the U.S., according to the US Travel Association. This year, 43 million Americans will travel during the Memorial Day weekend to kick off the summer season, giving financially motivated hackers plenty of individual targets for their attacks.