text:
Accredited Distributors, their suppliers, and customers converged on Etihad Stadium for Accredited’s Annual Trade Show and Cocktail Party on Friday 6 July. Returning to Etihad Stadium for a second year, excitement gathered as attendees strolled past the famous arena with its retractable roof on the way to Australia’s largest trade show. The buzz once inside […]
Accredited Distributors goes back in time with 1970s theme awards event to celebrate its 21st trade show and 40th birthday.
The Distributors are proud to announce their support of the Ride to Conquer Cancer® events being held across Australia this month. Rides are being held in Sydney on 11-12 October, Perth on 18-19 October and in Melbourne on 25-26 October 2014. Each Ride is held over 2 days and 200 kilometres and is for anyone


text:
Retailers who have been seeing less foot traffic because of the coronavirus pandemic might want to prepare for a last-minute holiday rush in the days leading up to Christmas.
Of the 79% who had last-minute gifts to buy in the final two weeks before the holidays, nearly two-thirds (64%) plan to make those purchases in-store rather than online despite a surge in coronavirus cases across the country.
This is all according to a mid-December survey of more than 40,000 shoppers by global payment solutions provider Klarna. Here’s what else we learned.
Procrastination common among women, men
Throughout the pandemic, there have been questions about whether the COVID-19 outbreak would affect holiday shopping behavior. For example, an earlier survey suggested consumers would start shopping earlier. Another survey found that consumers were planning to do all their shopping over a shorter period.
If that’s the case, the Klarna survey suggests that many consumers are cramming their shopping into the final days of the holiday season. Women (80%) were only slightly more likely to shop at the last minute this year than men (78%).
Of those with last-minute gifts to buy, more than a third (35%) said they’ll be doing their shopping Christmas week. Age appears to play a role in whether consumers do last-minute shopping in-store or online, with older adults having a higher risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19 than younger people.
Generation Zers are most likely to shop in-store, with 67% planning to do so, compared with:
- 64% of millennials
- 63% of Generation Xers
- 58% of baby boomers
- 57% of the silent generation
While shoppers aren’t planning to stay out of brick-and-mortar stores, safety remains a concern for some. Nearly 3 in 10 last-minute shoppers (27%) said they will only go to a physical store if they can utilize curbside pickup.
Online shoppers open to gifts arriving after the holidays
While in-store shoppers may be pressed to get their shopping done by the Christmas holiday, last-minute online shoppers appear to be less stringent about time. More than half of last-minute shoppers (55%) said they’ll purchase gifts online even if those items won’t arrive by Christmas. Men were less concerned about gifts arriving to their destination in time, with 64% saying so, compared with 53% of women.
Many of those whose gifts won’t arrive on time have a plan for how they will present the tardy present to loved ones:
- 45% will give a photo of the gift
- 28% will offer an IOU note
Among those shoppers waiting until the last minute, clothing and accessories were the No. 1 gift to buy, at 78%. That was followed by:
- Electronics: 45%
- Gift cards: 44%
- Home goods: 33%
Methodology: Klarna surveyed 40,448 adult shoppers between Dec. 12 and 14, 2020. The age breakdown for the generations is as follows:

domain: news


text:
Fri, Mar. 27, 3:12 PM
- Today's notable tech gainers include next-gen firewall leader Palo Alto Networks (PANW +3.5%), touchscreen tech developer UniPixel (UNXL +5.9%), solar microinverter leader Enphase (ENPH +5.8%), optical transport/switching hardware vendor Infinera (INFN +3.8%), telecom service/analytics provider Neustar (NSR +4.4%), and Chinese online classifieds leader 58.com (WUBA +4%). The Nasdaq is up 0.3%
- There are relatively few major decliners today. The group includes Infinera rival Ciena (CIEN -4.5%), Chinese sports lottery site 500.com (WBAI -5.3%), and Chinese online video leader Youku (YOKU -3.4%).
- Palo Alto is adding to Thursday gains seen amid a broader cybersecurity stock rally. Likewise, Enphase gained on Thursday following rival SolarEdge's IPO, Neustar gained after announcing a $150M buyback, and Infinera gained following a bullish MKM note.
- Ciena is reversing the Tuesday gains seen after Stifel reported the company's share of a major Verizon 100G metro contract (has been officially announced) could be larger than expected. 500.com is giving back major Thursday gains; yesterday morning, SA Instablog author/former i-banker MNS Global reported hearing Chinese authorities are thinking of indefinitely extending recently-placed bans on online sports lottery sales, after uncovering corruption.
- Previously covered: EMC, HP, Voxeljet, Skyworks, SuperCom, Stratasys, Qunar, Pandora, SanDisk
Fri, Feb. 27, 12:55 PM
Thu, Feb. 26, 6:07 PM
- UniPixel (NASDAQ:UNXL) states in its Q4 report the company and Kodak (NYSE:KODK) have "achieved integration yields in the high 80 percentile" with a previously-disclosed for an InTouch Sensor solution meant for a tablet OEM partner. "Our tablet customer understands the touchless plating line modifications we’re undertaking and remains patient with the process. We are currently working with the customer in planning follow-on integration trials."
- UniPixel also states a previously-disclosed all-in-one PC OEM partner "recently approved UniPixel’s all-in-one product design, and UniPixel is now working with two module integrators approved by the customer." Using Kodak's manufacturing facility, UniPixel plans "initial commercial shipments" to the OEM in Q2.
- Also planned for Q2: Commercial production of UniPixel's Diamond Guard hard-coat resin, and the modifying of an operational InTouch Sensor plating line to make its web handling touchless.
- UniPixel had no revenue in Q4, or in any other quarter within 2014. Q4 SG&A expenses fell 6% Y/Y to $2.88M, and R&D expenses fell 14% to $2.65M. The company's cash balance fell by $2.9M Q/Q to $23.7M.
- Shares have risen to $5.45 AH.
- UniPixel's Q4 results, PR
Thu, Feb. 26, 4:33 PM
Nov. 26, 2014, 2:24 PM
- UniPixel (NASDAQ:UNXL) is rallying ahead of a Dec. 4 analyst day (co-hosted with Kodak) where it will show off its InTouch manufacturing process, whose full commercialization has been repeatedly delayed. 138K shares have changed hands vs. a 3-month average of 108K.
- Many shorts have taken profits in recent months: While 2.4M shares (22% of the float) remained shorted as of Nov. 14, that figure is down sharply from 4.5M as of June 30, and 6.3M as of Nov. 15, 2013.
Nov. 14, 2014, 1:03 PM
- UniPixel (NASDAQ:UNXL) has signed memorandums of understanding to settle two shareholder suits. If/when the deals are finalized, UniPixel will pay $2.5M in cash and issue $2.3M worth of shares, and implement "certain governance improvements." The cash payments would be covered by insurance.
- Shares are adding to the gains they saw a week ago following UniPixel's Q3 report.
Nov. 7, 2014, 1:45 PM
- Though UniPixel (NASDAQ:UNXL) is still dealing with "a limited number of challenges" related to starting mass-production for its InTouch sensors, the company expects "low volume sampling to our development customers in [Q4] and ramping to commercial production in 2015."
- Citing the progress seen for an InTouch roll-to-roll pilot plating line at partner Kodak's (KODK +0.3%) NY facility, UniPixel is "in the process of moving plating lines from the Texas facility to the Kodak facility where they will be eventually commissioned for production."
- The company also states it's working with Kodak on "an initial [InTouch] development project for the tablet market while working closely with a certain tablet manufacturer," and claims it's "engaged with an all-in-one PC OEM customer and their touch module integrators" regarding development efforts for an InTouch product aimed at the all-in-one PC market.
- UniPixel's cash balance fell by $3.6M Q/Q in Q3 to $26.8M. SG&A spend rose 18% Y/Y to $2.9M; R&D spend fell 5% to $2.7M.
- UniPixel and Kodak will host an analyst day on Dec. 4.
- Q3 results, PR
Nov. 6, 2014, 7:01 PM
Sep. 19, 2014, 3:44 PM
- Dan Van Ostrand, a UniPixel (UNXL -9.2%) co-founder and until now its SVP of R&D, has "resigned to pursue other interests."
- He's being replaced by Arnold Kholodenko, whose resume includes stints as a director at chip equipment makers Applied Materials and Lam Research. UniPixel states Kholodenko "has been responsible for the granting of 72 patents in the U.S. and 39 internationally, and is the author of 115 scientific articles" over his 45-year career.
- The management change comes as UniPixel continues with its efforts to start mass-production of its InTouch sensors following multiple delays. The company's market cap is now at $82M.
Aug. 7, 2014, 5:58 PM
- UniPixel (NASDAQ:UNXL) says it's "working closely" with Kodak (NYSE:KODK) to transfer the pilot plating technology for its InTouch sensors from its Texas facility to the companies' NY production facility.
- The pilot line is said to be producing "appreciable quantities of sensors on a weekly basis to support yield ramp activities and sampling for our development customers." UniPixel adds it's making "measured progress" in improving yields.
- UniPixel and Kodak have provided InTouch samples to an unnamed tablet maker, and have "engaged an all-in-one PC OEM customer and their touch module integrators."
- Q2 GAAP opex rose 29% Y/Y to $6.07M. R&D spend totaled $2.99M, and SG&A $3.08M. UniPixel ended Q2 with $30.4M in cash, down from $34.4M at the end of Q1.
- Q2 results, PR
Aug. 7, 2014, 4:49 PM
Jul. 22, 2014, 12:47 PM
Jun. 26, 2014, 12:45 PM
Jun. 26, 2014, 9:17 AM
Jun. 25, 2014, 5:54 PM
- Citing a "technical breakthrough in roll-to-roll plating process," UniPixel (UNXL) says it has achieved roll-to-roll pilot production for its InTouch sensor film.
- The company claims it now has "a fully-functional, roll-to-roll pilot production line comprised of a plating line at the company's Texas facility, and printing, final testing and packaging at the Kodak (KODK) facility" in Rochester, NY.
- UniPixel will now focus on improving manufacturing yields. Its announcement coincides with an operational update CC (webcast).
- With 40% of the float shorted as of June 13, a short squeeze is quite possible tomorrow.
Jun. 17, 2014, 2:47 PM
- After Intel stated in a June 1 presentation UniPixel (UNXL) has begun production of its roll-to-roll metal mesh touch sensor film in Q2, UniPixel contacted Intel to tell them production hasn't begun, says SA author Richard X. Roe. Intel later removed the comment from its presentation.
- Roe doesn't expect a June 25 operational update call (previous) to reveal major progress towards mass-production, and declares "a failure to start production would simply be admission of another delay," given UniPixel and partner Kodak (KODK) have forecast commercial production would start by July 1.
- He adds recent CEO comments and the website of a UniPixel sub-contractor suggest improving roll-to-roll plating yields remain a challenge, and states the company's Diamond Guard film is "apparently nothing more than a commodity off-the-shelf acrylic coating."
UNXL vs. ETF Alternatives
Uni-pixel Inc is a pre-production stage company. It develops PEF products for the display, touch screen & flexible electronics market. It rebranded its PEF production process as Copperhead, & touch sensors made with Copperhead process as InTouch sensors.
Other News & PR


text:
According to the Los Angeles County Public Health Service, 12 restaurants in Los Angeles County have been shut down for a period of four months due to various hygiene regulations, and hygiene problems in Korean restaurants are still being handled by health authorities.
According to the results of sanitary inspection of the catering business of the LA County Public Health Department, according to the data of the sanitary condition checkups of restaurants, pubs and markets in Los Angeles County from March last year, , 90005, 90006, 90010, 90019, 90020, 90057) A total of 12 local restaurants and restaurants were closed for business interruption.
A total of 8 restaurants in the Korean restaurant received sanitary problems and were temporarily suspended from business.
The restaurant in Wilshire Blvd was suspended for two days because of the discovery of a pest, and a Korean BBQ restaurant in Korean Town was shut down due to the discovery of pests from March 14 to 16. In the case of a restaurant located in the Korean Market Food Code, I was also ordered to suspend my business from May 22 to 24 after I found a pest.


text:
The Tron China connection is worth exploring. It has been a disastrous two weeks for Tron, bitcoin, ethereum, and just about every other cryptocurrency out there. In this column we explore the role of theTron China relationship. Is the link Between Tron and China that strong?
Tron’s CEO Justin Sun is a student of Jack Ma, the Chinese billionaire behind Alibaba. While this might seem disconnected to Tron’s value, it actually is a big deal considering that China has been cracking down on cryptos and ICOs for some time now.
If Tron has any, even the tiniest of links to a person as powerful as Jack Ma, then you can rest assured that Tron is one of the coins that won’t face the wrath of the Chinese government. It’s the same reason why Neo and Vechain have a very good growth potential. They too seem to have the favor of the Chinese government, which guarantees them operations in one of the world’s largest crypto currency markets.
Tron wants to decentralize the content market by allowing content creators to be in control of their content, taking that power away from multinationals. Across the world, most content creators who make up Tron’s users are people between 18 and 35 years and China has a very big number of people in this demographic.
In specifics, there are around 400 million Chinese people within this demographic. Essentially this makes China a prime market for Tron (TRX), and as this coin becomes more visible to the masses, you can be sure that its value will skyrocket. In fact, on this basis alone, one can argue that TRX is undervalued, and that at current depressed prices; it is a perfect buy.
Now that we are in the clear that China is indeed on of the largest markets in the world for crypto markets, it is best to invest in a coin that aligns with its interests, and TRX does exactly that. A quick analysis of China will tell you that they prefer companies that give power to their people, over foreign businesses.
Tron seems aligned with this because it essentially takes the content market away from Apple’s Apple store and Google’s Google store. This aligns it perfectly with Chinese interests and gives it the stability it needs to grow in value in the long-run. On this basis alone, you are unlikely to here of any FUDs related to the Chinese government banning Tron (TRX).
Clearly, the Chinese connection is a good thing for Tron. This is one coin that could surprise many with exponential growth in 2018 and beyond!


text:
Information provided by Bay Area Brewers Guild.
Breweries and beer businesses from Half Moon Bay to San Juan Bautista are hosting events to showcase their craft during San Francisco Beer Week from Feb. 1 through Feb. 10. Put together by the Bay Area Brewers Guild, SF Beer Week aims to highlight breweries and businesses across five regions including San Francisco, East Bay, North Bay, Silicon Valley and the Coast.
“I’m excited to be a member of a wide region of amazing brewers and to have the support of the Bay Area Brewers Guild in bringing beer lovers to my area,” says Fran Fitzharris, owner of Brewery Twenty Five.
According to a press release from the Bay Area Brewers Guild, "The coast region is rich with world class, award wining breweries and businesses that highlight craft beers. Driving beer related tourism to the coast region and shining a light on the rich culture of local breweries are the primary goals."
Breweries like Discretion Brewing, Shanty Shack Brewing, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, Brewery Twenty Five, Sante Adairius, Woodhouse Brewing and Elkhorn Slough Brewing and beer based businesses Lupulo Craft Beer House, Brew Cruz, Aptos Street BBQ, and Cremer House have will also be hosting events throughout the region.
For the complete list of events visit sfbeerweek.org
The Bay Area Brewers Guild, formed in 2004 as the San Francisco Brewers Guild, is a nonprofit trade association representing the region’s independent craft breweries. Our mission is to preserve the Greater Bay Area’s brewing heritage; advocate on behalf of members; partner with artisan producers in the food, beverage, hospitality and agricultural industries; educate the greater public; and unite those who make local beer with those who love it.


text:
HONOLULU -- Seventy local Hawaii businesses hope to land some space on commissary and military exchange store shelves at installations, here.
All displayed their products and services at the 2019 Daniel K. Akaka American Logistics Association Hawaii Food Show and Conference, here, Aug. 13, amid a crowd of more than 75 buyers from the Defense Commissary Agency and the military exchanges.
To date, more than 3,500 vendor items have established a market within military stores, said retired Rear Adm. Robert Bianchi, interim director and CEO of DeCA, and CEO of Navy Exchange Service Command.
"By connecting Hawaii businesses to a larger market and allowing them to form lasting partnerships within the military community, the ALA Food Show has helped (Hawaii's) businesses and communities grow," said the representative for Sen. Brian Schatz.
Sen. Mazie Hirono's rep added, "Because of this relationship, Hawaii entrepreneurs have the opportunity to feature their unique products around the world."
The food show honors the late former senator because he brought together Hawaii businesses 22 years ago to "share the talent, innovation and quality of goods" produced here in Hawaii. Congressman Ed Case's representative added that Akaka hoped to "share the unique tastes, culture and aloha spirit of Hawaii-made products with military patrons."
Every year, a core of about 50 existing companies come back with new items, explained host Sharon Zambo-Fan. About 20 brand new companies, which have not sold to the military before, come to showcase their goods. They also have non-food items, like gift apparel, T-shirts and novelties.
Brad McMinn, store director, Schofield Commissary, normally picks up about 10-15 new vendors. Another positive, since vendors are local businesses, their distribution systems can react to changes in the market pretty quickly. Plus, they don't usually have logistical challenges, said Chris Holifield, general manager, Hawaii Exchange, like some products from the mainland.
Akaka's daughter, Millannie K.A. Mattson, said her father worked with former DeCA manager Rick Page to bring together the commissaries, exchanges, local food vendors and farmers.
"It's been a labor of love," said Page, now the senior vice president, Customer Services, Coastal Pacific Food Distributors. "The senator had been very encouraging of the commissaries and exchanges to engage in outreach with local businesses, to improve the partnership between public-private enterprises. That opened doors with the chamber of commerce, local farmers, with lots of local businesses, so the idea of the food show came up."
Today, the ALA food show "protects, preserves and enhances the benefit," said Marty Johnson, chairman of its board.


text:
Located in Mumbai’s bustling Bandra Kurla Complex, the 20,000 sq. ft. store is one of the most energy-efficient Apple outlets in the world, with a dedicated solar array and zero reliance on fossil fuels for store operations
The wait is finally over. After teasing Indian consumers for a while, the first Apple Store in India is all set to open its doors at Jio Drive in Mumbai. We were among the first to get a sneak peek of Apple BKC, that will be ready to receive customers from Tuesday, April 18. The 20,000 sq. ft. store is one of Apple’s most sustainable yet, anywhere in the world.
Located in Mumbai’s bustling Bandra Kurla Complex financial, arts, and entertainment district, Apple BKC will serve as a dynamic space where customers can come together, explore Apple products and services, enjoy and learn how to get more out of their devices through free Today at Apple sessions.
Apple BKC will offer a special Today at Apple series, “Mumbai Rising,” running from Tuesday, April 18 through the summer. Bringing visitors, local artists, and creatives together, these free sessions featuring Apple products and services will offer hands-on activities that celebrate the local community and culture. Apple BKC features more than 100 team members who collectively speak over 20 languages.
Apple BKC is one of the most energy-efficient Apple Store locations in the world, with a dedicated solar array and zero reliance on fossil fuels for store operations. The store is operationally carbon neutral, running on 100 percent renewable energy. The India store sticks to it’s instantly recognisable global format with immersive experience zones for it’s entire product range.
Apple BKC features a triangular handcrafted timber ceiling that extends beyond the glass façade to the underside of the exterior canopy, reflecting the unique geometry of the store. Each tile is made from 408 pieces of timber, forming 31 modules per tile with a total of 1,000 tiles that make up the ceiling. There are over 450,000 individual timber elements, all of which were assembled in Delhi. One of the showstopper elements that caught our attention is a 14-meter-long stainless steel staircase connecting the ground level and the cantilevered mezzanine.
Apple will follow up the launch of the Mumbai store with a store in Delhi at Select City Walk Delhi. Apple Saket will debut on Thursday, April 20 as Apple gets set to expand its retail footprint in India.
Apple BKC in Mumbai opens for customers on Tuesday, April 18.


text:
Sunnyvale, Calif. (June 9, 2010) - Leading online game publisher, GamesCampus.com ( www.GamesCampus.com), today announced that the closed beta for Heroes in the Sky, will launch Thursday, June 10 at 11 a.m. PST. The closed beta for the highly-anticipated MMOTPS, (Massively Multiplayer Online Third Person Shooter) WWII flight combat simulator will run through the 24th of this month. To celebrate, GamesCampus is hosting a special event on June 10, where the first 10 users will win $100 in GamesCampus credit. Additionally, throughout the day, 100 random users will be chosen and will win $10.
The aerial combat game features hundreds of exhilarating war planes and is scheduled to launch mid-summer 2010. Players can enter to win a key for the closed beta testing with select partners. To grab a key or for more information, visit http://HIS.GamesCampus.com
"We're excited to provide an opportunity for some lucky players to check out the closed beta testing stage of Heroes in the Sky," said David Chang, EVP of Marketing and Business Development for GamesCampus. "We know they're going to enjoy a WWII adventure where we've pulled out all the stops to make it a fun and exciting online aerial combat experience!"
Heroes in the Sky is an intense airborne MMOTPS that combines high impact PVE and fast paced PVP as it chronicles the events from the beginning to the end of World War II. PVP combat is taken to a new level as players must not only worry about the basic dangers from the front, behind, and sides, but also from above and below. Heroes in the Sky is dog fighting at its finest; cannon fires, machine gun blasts, missiles, and bombs flood the skies as up to 16 players shoot it out for air superiority! If that isn't enough, players will soar across the sky with WWII war planes. Cities to bomb, boats to sink, blimps to burst, and fighters to be torn asunder -- all this and more unfold as players compete to become the top Ace in Heroes in the Sky. Heroes in the Sky will also feature some of the most famous WWII aircraft in history. Players will choose from a variety of intense and realistic planes including both experimental and field tested all while reliving history and participating in intense aerial combat.
The free-to-play game features fast-paced aerial combat that embodies the intense danger akin to WWII dogfights. In Occupational War Game Mode, players will recreate critical battles of the European and Pacific front complete with WWII planes to help their side take control as they experience epic battles across the history of WWII from both sides! Players will find an easy-to-use upgrade system to help tweak planes and become the ultimate airborne marauder along with additional modifications that will allow players to, not only jam the electronics of their opponent, but also let them keep their own engines cool during boosts. Heroes in the Sky will give players a chance to relive history as they fly dozens of planes from WWII- both experimental and battle hardened - that can be customized to meet their own creative standards.
http://gamescampus.com is a thriving Free-to-Play games portal operated by OnNet USA and serving the Western gaming market. Headquartered in California, OnNet USA was founded in 2006 with the launch of its highly successful golf simulation game, Shot Online and recently expanded its operations with a new office in Germany where its third person shooter, Manga Fighter will launch this spring. Games Campus'
diverse game portfolio includes MMOs ranging from sports titles such as Shot Online and MLB Dugout Heroes, to fantastic fantasy MMOs and 3rd person shooting games like Asda Story and Manga Fighter NA. All of GamesCampus.com titles are completely free to play, and can be accessed at http://gamescampus.com or in Europe at http://www.GamesCampus.eu


text:
Caraa, Mashable and R/GA are named Most Innovative at the 2017 Digiday Awards
Luxury fitness brand Caraa, media company Mashable and digital agency R/GA were honored for their innovations in media and marketing tonight at the Digiday Awards gala. The Digiday Awards, Digiday’s biggest awards program of the year, honor the best creative marketing and advertising being done today by brands, agencies, publishers and platforms.
This year’s Most Innovative winners demonstrate the importance of charting new paths. Caraa makes bags priced around $400 that function as both gym bag and purse for the fashion-conscious, practical individual, using the same high-quality luxury materials as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. “Fashion is all about beauty and style, but not function. The modern woman is changing,” said Aaron Luo, co-founder and CEO of the brand.
Mashable’s pivot to video has paid off, according to the company, with the launch of vertical video format Mashable Reels, a growing Snapchat Discover presence and content partnership deals with National Geographic and Crackle resulting in a highly engaged audience for the publisher. “Mashable is nimble and flexible. We’re responsive to a changing market and it helps to have an incredibly creative team,” said Jessica Coen, executive editor of Mashable.
Digital agency R/GA has helped some of the world’s largest brands with their innovation ventures, including Walmart, Macy’s, Verizon and Bank of America. In the last 12 months, the IPG-owned agency has built separate business ventures around innovation consulting, new business incubators and architecture, allowing it to go head-to-head with competitive industries outside of the agency world.
View the full list of winners below. To learn about entering future Digiday awards programs, visit the awards website.
Most Innovative Brand
Most Innovative Publisher
Most Innovative Agency
The Atlantic – “Question Your Answers”
Best Brand Platform
Chive Media Group – Chive TV
Best Branding B2B Campaign
All Boats Rise and Michelson Found Animals Foundation – “Found Animals Conference Campaign”
Best Branding Consumer Campaign
Ally Financial – “Lucky Penny”
Best Direct Response Campaign
Domino’s – “Domino’s Wedding Registry”
Best Use of Mobile
Ansible and Kia – “The Virtual Kia Showroom”
Best Product Launch
Electus, Hudsun, Mattel, ABC, Toys R Us – “The Toy Box”
Best Publishing Platform
Hyfn – Hyfn8
Best Use of Social
R/GA and Nike – #MambaDay
Best Social Good Campaign
The Martin Agency – “The World’s Biggest Asshole”
Visionary Award – Sponsored by GumGum
Best Creative Collaboration – Sponsored by Hightail
Twitch and partners Wieden+Kennedy, Procter & Gamble, MediaMonks –”Old Spice Kraken”
People-Based Marketing Pioneer – Sponsored by LiveRamp
Target – Target Guest Access
The New York Times, Vice Media and PopSugar are Digiday Media Awards winners
In a year when many media brands struggled, the honorees of the 2020 Digiday Media Awards challenged adversity, diversifying revenue by telling relatable stories and formulating personalized targeting strategies.
HBO, TurboTax and Mattel are Digiday Content Marketing Awards winners
Many of this year’s Digiday Content Marketing Awards winners explored themes of social consciousness, seizing on subjects ranging from climate change to racial justice. Others simply captivated consumers with innovative, creative — and often hilarious — executions.
Chipotle, VH1 and Hulu are Digiday Video Awards winners
This year’s Digiday Video Awards honored brands, publishers and platforms including Chipotle, VH1 and Hulu.
SponsoredPublishers: Assessing risk and ensuring payments in times of crisis
As the industry navigates the continued impacts of COVID-19, here’s the questions publishers should ask their programmatic partners or ad management providers to protect themselves from clawbacks and lost revenue.
The Telegraph, Financial Times, Hearst headline Digiday Media Awards Europe finalists
A digital-native brand, a TV trailblazer and an age-old print stalwart broke onto the 2020 shortlist for Digiday Media Awards Europe. The honorees all shared a commitment to embracing new platforms and formats — often with a social-media and video-first mindset.
Digiday Media Awards: Expanding revenue and driving engagement, these media companies are highlight nominees
In a time of turmoil for media companies, this year’s Digiday Media Awards are marked by the vital decisions made by our shortlist of nominees across the course of 2019.


text:
Company currently pursuing new industry standard MedAccred certification for its other medical device facilities worldwide
ASHEBORO, N.C. (Jul, 6, 2021) – Technimark announced today that its production facility in El Paso, Texas, received its MedAccred certification from the Performance Review Institute. The facility, which is also ISO 13485:2016 certified and 21 CFR 820 compliant, specializes in medical contract manufacturing, including services such as custom injection molding, assembly and logistics operations for the medical device industry.
“Patient safety and quality are our highest priorities, and we are excited to partner with MedAccred to ensure our critical processes are best-in-class,” said Kris Peavy, president of Technimark’s Healthcare division. “The significant growth of our medical device business around the world, and specifically in our El Paso facility, made MedAccred certification a perfect fit. The accreditation helps us further demonstrate our expertise as a trustworthy and high-quality supplier in the medical device industry. We’re currently pursuing accreditation at all of our medical facilities, and we expect them to be certified in the near future.”
The MedAccred certification program was developed by the Performance Review Institute, a non-for-profit organization that facilitates collaborative supply chain oversight programs, quality management systems approvals and professional development activities in industries that rely on high-quality, high-safety protocols. MedAccred is managed by the medical device OEMs, contract manufacturers and suppliers who collaborate to provide the sector with a trustworthy, evidence-based tool to ensure the suppliers’ processes and products meet the highest standards and improve product quality.
“Technimark is clearly committed to quality and improving patient safety by meeting the rigorous requirements set by technical experts in the medical device industry,” said Connie Conboy, director, MedAccred. “Technimark is a true leader in the medical device industry as demonstrated by their MedAccred Accreditation for Plastics Injection Molding at their El Paso, Texas facility.”
In describing the MedAccred certification process, the Performance Review Institute notes that preventing output deficiencies requires that critical processes and products be validated during manufacturing to prove that they are fit for purpose, satisfy regulatory requirements and reduce overall risk. The MedAccred certification does just this by:
- Providing consistent, standardized critical process accreditation accepted by the Medical Device Industry resulting in fewer redundant onsite audits by multiple OEMs
- Having Subject Matter Experts conduct in-depth critical process audits that are compliant and consistent with accepted industry/technical standards
- Providing greater visibility of the supply chain to all levels and sub-tiers that provide critical processes, consistent with regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, ISO 13485, MDD/MDR, etc.)
- Improving the flow down of OEM requirements to sub-tier suppliers
- Applying medical device industry-accepted and consistent technical requirements that yield process discipline, greater operational efficiency and continuous improvement resulting in higher quality and lower overall cost
Mr. Peavy explained that the audit is very thorough and drills into each individual process under review. “While MedAccred certification requires an ISO-certified quality management system, the process is not simply a QMS audit. Rather, it focuses on the key elements of the manufacturing process itself,” he said.
Audits are conducted by industry-approved and trained SME auditors on behalf of its subscribing OEM members using collaboratively created audit criteria. The accreditation is granted and accepted by the program’s subscribing OEM members. The audit criteria incorporate industry-accepted performance standards and manufacturer specifications that meet regulatory requirements.
“On behalf of Technimark and our clients, I want to thank the entire El Paso team for leading the way on this notable achievement,” Mr. Peavy said.
Technimark is a global manufacturing solutions provider for the healthcare, consumer packaging and specialty industrial market. Technimark specializes in precision injection molding, value-added assembly and full supply chain services. Technimark provides clients with customized, end-to-end solutions based on technology and innovation that improve quality, reduce risk, lower costs and speed products to market. With facilities in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and China, Technimark delivers high-quality products worldwide. For more information, visit technimark.com.


text:
Prioritizing Sustainability in a Post-Pandemic World
By Ana Granados Hospitality Sales National Manager, Cosentino North America | June 21, 2020
There is not a single business that hasn't been affected by COVID-19 in one way or another. The impact is still in the very early stages, and we really won't know the true long-term effects until down the line. But, even in the first few months of the pandemic, as the world went through a pause, some good did come: our environment began to heal in a small but impactful way.
From the clear water in the Venice canals, blue skies over Delhi to visibly less pollution in China, these changes over the course of a few months show the true impact we have on our environment and how previously we've been abusing our resources. It's truly eye-opening. Sustainability and the commitment to our environment should be a priority year-round and returning to a world post-pandemic is our time to implement real change.
So where do we start? We can start by examining what daily changes have had such positive impacts on the environment. Most, if not all, interactions are now taking place on the phone, through video conferencing or via email. And what at first seemed alarming, to take all conversation digitally, has actually brought people closer together. We're less likely to drive straight into business and instead, begin calls by having a real conversation about the current climate and how everyone's holding up. We're dedicating our time to learning more about each other. And this new way of communication has had a direct impact: less traffic and less travel has resulted in a drop in pollution.
As recently reported in the New York Times, a satellite that detects emissions in the atmosphere linked to cars and trucks shows huge declines in pollution over major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Chicago and Atlanta (source: The New York Times ). In New York City specifically, the article notes emissions of carbon monoxide declined more than 50 percent below typical levels the last week in March. And that drop is solely linked to less car traffic. So, does the future of business embrace more virtual connections? Can we be successful in business and more kind to the environment if we replace 50% of travel?
Another factor to consider is prioritizing guest well-being while prioritizing sustainability. In a recent survey by Skift Research, the research company that provides news, research, and marketing services for the travel industry, one-third of Americans said they hope to travel within three months after restrictions are lifted, which begs the question, how will hotels receive this change? Cleanliness has already become a top priority for the industry and will remain one for the foreseeable future. Hoteliers will likely have to double-down on cleaning products and should consider materials that can help to eliminate the spread of germs.
When making this switch though, manufacturers that keep sustainability top of mind should be considered along with eco-friendly cleaning supplies and products that reduce water consumption. In addition to cleaning, there will be a rise of new technologies and protocols as well. Whether that's a new touchless check-in process, room service or a seal on room doors that indicates the room hasn't been entered since they were last cleaned. Hilton properties actually are already implementing this new "seal of cleanliness" idea. While there's a lot to consider, the opportunity to re-evaluate routine practices now and post-pandemic is a chance to prioritize sustainability.


text:
Insurance giant Aviva today moved to reassure over its financial strength in “unprecedented times” as it reported a 12% rise in nine-month life and pensions sales.
The Norwich Union parent reported better than expected sales of £25.7bn (€32bn) and insisted it was strong enough to withstand even further substantial stock market falls.
But the recent devastating equity declines have already wiped £600m (€748.5m) off its required capital buffer since the end of September, to £1.3bn (€1.6bn) as at October 24.
Andrew Moss, Aviva chief executive, said: “These are unprecedented times. Our share price has been affected by the huge uncertainty in financial markets, but people around the world are still saving and buying insurance from brands they trust, like Aviva.”


text:
July sales figures for automakers are rolling in, and the results appear to be as grim as industry analysts expected.
The worst news yet came mid-afternoon from General Motors. The nation's largest car manufacturer said sales declined 22 percent from a year earlier, standing at 315,870 in July. G.M. sold 406,298 cars and light trucks during the same period last year.
Analysts expected G.M. to report only a 17 percent drop in U.S. sales for the month.
Ford posted a 19 percent drop in U.S. sales during July, which marked the company's ninth consecutive month of declines. The struggling firm sold 195,245 vehicles during the month, down from 241,339 last July.
The company, which is in the process of off-loading Chrysler Group to Cerberus Capital, sold 156,314 total vehicles in July, from 171,940 vehicles a year earlier.
Sales at Chrysler Group, which consists of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands, fell 8 percent in July. Chrysler Group sold 137,728 vehicles during the month. Sales at DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes subsidiary fell 14 percent, to 18,586 vehicles in July.
Industry analysts expected grim sales figures on account of high gas prices and the continuing housing slump, which continue to weigh on the auto market.
Even Toyota, one of several Asian companies to have taken significant market share from U.S. automakers in recent years, saw sales slump 7 percent in July.
For the first half of this year, the market share for domestic car manufacturers slid to 51.9 percent from 53.7 percent a year earlier, according to Bloomberg.
Sign up to receive Upstart Business Journal’s free daily email newsletter, weekend edition and breaking news alerts.


text:
Wins big, thanks to 10 duplicate tickets So many things about his workday change so frequently, a U.S. Postal Service employee from Baltimore told Lottery officials. The types of packages […]
This Parkville couple will have extra money to spend on their wedding this year, thanks to his $52,000 Pick 4 win.
New on-air presentation, personalities, drawing machines make their debut The Maryland Lottery’s daily televised drawings have a whole new look. For the first time in more than a decade, the […]


text:
Red Lion Hotels Corporation has received an unsolicited takeover offer valued around $173 million, the Spokane-based hospitality chain announced...
Red Lion Hotels Corporation has received an unsolicited takeover offer valued around $173 million, the Spokane-based hospitality chain announced today, sending its shares up 23 percent .
Columbia Pacific Opportunity Fund, a Seattle-based investment group with a 12.7 percent stake in Red Lion, is offering $9.50 in cash for the rest of Red Lion’s 18.2 million shares, a 35 premium over Friday’s closing price of $7.05. On news of the offer, which was made in a June 27 letter to the company , Red Lion’s stock price rose 92 cents, or 13 percent, to close Monday at 7.97.. The trading volume topped 323,000, blasting past the average of about 11,000.
The bid follows a round of buyout talks, initiated by Columbia in April, that Red Lion had turned down.
Red Lion, which owns and operates 53 hotels located in nine states and one Canadian province, said its board of directors would evaluate the proposed deal. Columbia Pacific said it expected a decision within 60 days.
Most Read Business Stories
- 6 Dr. Seuss books won't be published for racist images
- Amazon sued by Black cloud-computing manager over alleged racial discrimination and sexual harassment
- The penthouse atop Smith Tower is on the rental market for the first time
- Frontier cancels flight, citing maskless passengers
- Biden vows enough vaccine for all US adults by end of May
One of the principals for Columbia Pacific, Daniel Baty, is the founder, chairman and co-CEO of Emeritus Corporation, a Seattle-based operator of assisted-living communities. His family also owns several wine brands through Corus Estates & Vineyards.


text:
- Hindenburg Research on Thursday released a scathing report about Block, saying it inflated metrics.
- In response, the payments company said the report was "factually inaccurate and misleading."
- Here are some of the biggest claims in the short-seller's report.
Hindenburg Research on Thursday released a scathing report on Block's Cash App platform, alleging inflated metrics, fake accounts with names like "Donald Trump and "Elon Musk," and lack of enforcement so prevalent that rappers bragged about it in hip-hop songs.
The short-seller financial research firm led by Nathan Anderson said it has taken a short position on Block shares after its two-year probe. Block shares plunged after the report was released.
In a statement to Insider, Block called the report "factually inaccurate and misleading," and said it plans to work with the Securities and Exchange Commission and "explore legal action" against Hindenburg.
"Hindenburg is known for these types of attacks, which are designed solely to allow short sellers to profit from a declined stock price. We have reviewed the full report in the context of our own data and believe it's designed to deceive and confuse investors," Block said in a statement that was also posted on its website.
For its part, Hindenburg said it conducted dozens of interviews with former employees, partners, industry experts and reviewed records, including regulatory and litigation documents.
"In sum, we think Block has misled investors on key metrics, and embraced predatory offerings and compliance worst-practices in order to fuel growth and profit from facilitation of fraud against consumers and the government," Hindenburg wrote.
Here are some of Hindenburg's allegations against Block:
1) Block embraced 'unbanked' criminals
Hindenburg said Block's "Wild West" approach to compliance makes it easy for "bad actors" to mass-create accounts for scams, including identity fraud, then extract stolen funds quickly. It said Cash App's "frictionless approach" lets users join with only an email or a phone number.
The firm said even when users were caught engaging in fraud or other prohibited activity, Block blacklisted the account without banning the user.
"We also believe Jack Dorsey has built an empire—and amassed a $5 billion personal fortune—professing to care deeply about the demographics he is taking advantage of. With Dorsey and top executives already having sold over $1 billion in equity on Block's meteoric pandemic run higher, they have ensured they will be fine, regardless of the outcome for everyone else," Hindenburg wrote.
2) Up to 75% of accounts are fake
Hindenburg alleged the byproduct of Cash App's approach to permitting duplicate and scam accounts is that it has reported inflated active user counts for years.
"Former employees estimated that 40%-75% of accounts were fake, involved in fraud, or were additional accounts tied to a single actual individual," it wrote.
3) It's easy to impersonate high-profile people, including Block boss Jack Dorsey
Former employees told Hindenburg that Cash App's system lets users change their names to ones that don't match those provided when they created their accounts.
Hindenburg said in testing the system, it created two accounts and changed their outward-facing personas to "Elon Musk" and "Donald Trump," and that it was able to successfully exchange funds on the platform. The firm also said it ordered and "promptly received Our Donald J. Trump Visa Cash App card in the mail."
It saw multiple Cash App accounts bearing the name "Jack Dorsey" as well as dozens of "Elon Musk"' and "Donald Trump'" fake accounts as well.
The firm said Block recently began asking Cash Card users to provide full Social Security numbers and now acknowledges that action is a legal requirement.
4) Block ignored obvious signs of fraud related to pandemic-relief funds
Dorsey's tweets urging users without bank accounts to receive COVID-relief money through Cash App "served as a siren song for scammers," said Hindenburg.
The researcher said obvious lapses in Cash App's compliance processes facilitated its "disproportionate pandemic-related fraud," adding that the biggest failure was the company's willingness to allow multiple individuals to receive payments into a single account.
"Rather than responding to warnings regarding these lapses, Block management mostly ignored them in the interest of preserving its growth engine, despite the consequences to taxpayers, according to interviews with former employees," said Hindenburg.
Hindenburg even noted that a rapper named Nuke Bizzle who made a music video about committing COVID fraud was later sent to prison for more than six years on fraud and other crimes.
"The only payment provider mentioned in the indictment was Cash App, which was used to facilitate the fraudulent COVID relief payments," wrote Hindenburg.


text: View all of our soccer bras on our online wholesalers. We also have wholesale bras for soccer teams, for those who want to dress the whole team in matching clothing. We have been in this market for years, therefore, our name has become a brand in itself moreover we don’t believe in taking advantages of our customers. NBA superstar Kevin Durant became a minority owner of National Women’s Soccer League club Gotham FC in May 2022. Durant joins an ownership group led by New Jersey Gov.


text:
Global ecommerce business recorded a significant 23.6% increase to EUR 1.55 billion in 2013, ecommerceeurope.eu reports.
Asia is expected to outperform North America and become the largest global ecommerce market at the end of 2014, indiatimes.com reports.
Volvo, a Swedish car manufacturer, will start selling vehicles via a new global online platform, e-commercefacts.com reports.
The Paypers. All rights reserved. No part of this site can be reproduced
without explicit permission of The Paypers(V2.3).


text:
Soylent halts sales of its powder as customers keep getting sick
Liquid meal maker Soylent is stopping sales of its flagship powder, warning that a handful of customers reported stomach sickness after consuming it.
Soylent had already halted shipments of its months-old nutrition bar because of customer complaints of diarrhea, vomiting and upset stomachs. In an announcement late Thursday, the Los Angeles company said there appears to be a common ingredient that’s causing trouble in the latest version of its nutritional powder and its snack bar. The products share several common ingredients, Soylent said, but the investigation isn’t complete.
Backed by more than $20 million in venture capital, Soylent has emerged as one of several popular start-ups hoping to change what and how people eat. Meant to be mixed with water or other liquids, the powder has enough fats, carbohydrates and other nutrients to replace a traditional meal, according to the company. People looking for a quick fix, such as software programmers in Silicon Valley, have become devotees.
On online forums, many Soylent users have continued to support the company -- some expressing disappointment that they won’t be able to restock their pantry with bars immediately.
Soylent said there shouldn’t be any issues with its premade drinks, which cost slightly more than just the powder. Twenty-eight meals worth of powder sells for $54.
The bar’s manufacturer, Betty Lou’s, has reportedly told other clients that it passed an FDA inspection this year and that the suspected issues don’t originate from its work. Soylent’s latest blog post backed the assertion. “Our tests all came back negative for food pathogens, toxins or outside contamination,” the company wrote.
Soylent urged customers discomforted by version 1.6 of its powder to toss it. A newly formulated powder and bar that removes likely culprits will be available early next year at the latest, the company said. It vowed to share findings of its ongoing investigation with the FDA.
A new meal-in-a-bottle wants to be the new Soylent. With less carbs!
Soylent CEO shakes up Montecito Heights with shipping-container home
Family sues Amazon over hoverboard blamed for burning down their house


text:
In The Real World, Porsche Will Be Another VW Brand.
Crushing Debt Burden Forces Porsche To End Quixotic Pursuit Of VW.
Final Structure For Merger Expected Within A Month.
You could call it a bridging loan too far. Little Porsche’s ambitious, some would say outrageous, 3-1/2 year attempt to take over the massive Volkswagen has fallen at the last fence.
News that Porsche had halted its attempt to take over VW, and the Piech and Porsche families had agreed to create an integrated car manufacturer, signals the end of Porsche’s gallant, against-the-odds attempt. Porsche came pretty close and after establishing a base camp for a merger with VW with its 51 per cent stake, it had big problems stretching the finance to achieve 75 per cent for a “domination” agreement. For a small company with revenues 16 times smaller than VW, that was an impressive effort. But Porsche was left with €9 billion of debt after accumulating the VW shares.
Most observers reckoned that the family deal will lead to a merger of Porsche and VW, and also that the position of Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking looks shaky.
“After masterminding the acquisition of a majority 50.76 per cent shareholding in VW during January, they (Wiedeking and allies, were) in a position where they struggled to refinance Porsche’s existing debt and where they were still looking to finalise an extra €2.5 billion tranche of the refinancing package,” said IHS Global Insight analyst Tim Urquhart.
VW the dominant mother brand
“VW is now effectively first among equals once more as the dominant mother brand in a large vehicle group comprising 10 brands and covering all segments and sectors of the market. However, this deal now raises questions over the strategy of Wiedeking, which had previously looked like a masterstroke. Did Porsche really need to spend around €20 billion in order to effectively become a brand in the VW Group? This is something that the markets and the other shareholders of Porsche will no doubt have an opinion on,” said Urquhart.
UniCredit of Italy felt there many unanswered questions about the deal, with potential problems from union representatives, and the attitude of Lower Saxony which has a 20 per cent blocking stake in the current VW share structure.
“After the news, there are more new riddles than answers, especially if Lower Saxony is included in the discussions in the coming four weeks,” UniCredit said in research note.
VW said a joint committee will work over the next month towards coming up with a finalised structure for the new company, as well as consulting with Lower Saxony and the workforces of both companies.
Experts believe negotiations on a merger could stretch well into next year and involve a capital increase of up to €4.5 billion at Porsche to relieve its debt burden. There is also a question mark over the 20 per cent of VW options that Porsche holds.
“If there is a merger scenario and a new holding company, we see the risk that Lower Saxony’s stake might be diluted, putting its VW Law in danger,” UniCredit said.
U.S. rating agency Standard & Poors didn’t like what was going on at VW and cut its credit rating, although it assumed there will be a merger.
“The VW (action) reflects our overall concern about the potential impact on VW of Porsche’s credit quality and its prominent role as VW’s largest shareholder,” said Milan-based S&P credit analyst Barbara Castellano.
Complex balance of power
“Due to the complex balance of power among VW stakeholders, the structure of the merger will, in our view, probably have to reconcile a number of diverging interests. We believe that, over the past two years, Porsche has departed from its formerly relatively conservative financial policy by debt financing its stake increase in VW. We see that Porsche is now under pressure, due to the large amount of financial debt it accumulated to buy these shares. Any merger solution could, in our opinion, incorporate actions to alleviate this pressure,” Castellano said.
The Financial Times’ Lex column said Porsche’s failure meant VW chairman Ferdinand Piech was posed to emerge as the ultimate victor.
“By agreeing to a merger, Porsche and its family shareholders have implicitly admitted that, with debt topping €9 billion, they over-reached themselves by trying to acquire a much larger company. In spite of pointed references to the Porsche brand retaining independence, their sports cars will become one of the 10 marques under, in essence, a VW umbrella,” Lex said.
Global Insight’s Urquhart said the plan for Porsche/VW should allow all the separate parts of the business to operate independently, while still working on significant synergies.
“If this structure can be made to work with minimal management infighting, it should leave the VW Group in a position to prosper in the post-credit-crunch automotive market,” Urquhart said.
Neil Winton – May 12, 2009


text:
After being introduced and marketed online late last week, Angry Birds Space is making its way to every phone with different OS so more people will feel the awesome adventure of the Angry Birds in Outer Space.
According to technology related site, ‘PC Magazine’, some Reuters report caught Rovio‘s chief executive ‘Mikael Hed‘ saying that they are working to get the Angry Birds Space to WP7 but he did not gave any date/time for its releasing.
Mikael Hed quoted saying, “We are working towards getting Angry Birds Space to WP7.”
To everyone using WP7, don’t lose your hope, for the chief executive himself promise to take this great game to your phones soon. So wait with a smile and bookmark this page for more updates.


text:
Star Wars Battlefront Goes Gold
Prepare for battle. LucasArts is excited to announce that the highly anticipated action/shooter, Star Wars Battlefront has officially GONE GOLD on PS2, Xbox and PC and is scheduled to blast its way onto store shelves on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 --- day and date with the Star Wars Trilogy, which marks the first time all three classic films will be available on DVD.
|All times are GMT +1. The time now is 17:59.|
Powered by vBulletin® - Copyright ©2000 - 2022, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO


text:
New project in Guelph hopes to put a dent in disposable waste
A Friendlier Company offers reusable takeout containers to restaurants
A new project in Guelph — A Friendlier Company — is partnering with restaurants and cafes to offer reusable food containers in a bid to reduce the amount of food takeout containers littering the streets and ending up in landfills.
Founders Jacquie Hutchings and Kayli Dale are both graduates from the University of Waterloo who wanted "to do something meaningful that would help the environment."
Participating businesses provide customers with the reusable food takeout containers and collect a deposit – 50 cents or $1 each, depending on the size. When people are done with their food, they scan a QR code on the back, which is linked to an account they've registered, and return the container to any participating business.
"We're both really passionate about sustainability so we wanted to work on something in that space," Dale told CBC News.
"When COVID hit, we realized this was kind of the perfect time to tackle it because everyone was using takeout and disposables were going through the roof.
"So that's when we started working on building out this reuse process for takeout containers," Dale added.
A Friendlier Company cleans the containers and Dale says the University of Guelph has allowed them to use their facilities for the washing and sanitation process.
"The University of Guelph has been incredibly helpful and supportive in getting this program off the ground," she said.
The containers are all polypropylene plastic and are manufactured in Ontario.
"We really wanted to get a local manufacturer to reduce emissions even further," Dale said.
"They are very similar to what you would typically get in terms of the black containers. They are stackable, lightweight and you can microwave your meal."
"But they are very durable. They have been tested for use up to 100 times so they're completely safe to reuse." Dale said.
Hopes to expand in K-W
A Friendlier Company is currently partnering with five restaurants and now looking to launch at two others.
"Right now we've been completely in the Guelph area but now we're looking for our initial group of restaurants to launch in K-W, so we are always looking for restaurant owners that are interested and would like to start the program in their restaurant," Dale said.
"We also have launched our app. We want to get as many users in the area on our app so they can find all the participating locations and see the restaurants that are really sustainable and who care enough to participate in a program like this."


text:
Just hours after the reveal of Apple’s new services bundles, the tech giant has already taken criticism for evidently favoring its own apps over those with which it directly competes in its App Store. Read more…
1inch, 5g, AMM, Apple One, Benzinga, Benzinga Global Fintech Awards, Boston Fed, ByteDance, CBDC, Coinbase, ConsenSys, Cube, FBI, Federal Bank, Fintech, Fiserv, InFirst, IPC, JPM, Kona, Maya Angelou, michigan, Mooniswap, NASA, NuPoint, QuickBooks, Silobreaker, SpaceX, spx, The Hustle, Trump, Vela, Vertical Spreads, Visual Capitalist
Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, apple music, apple news, Apple One, Apple TV, bundle, Business, category-/Computers & Electronics/Consumer Electronics, icloud, revenues, services, subscriptions
New Apple subscription services launched in 2019 as dull thuds. But at the right price, bundles with its Music and iCloud services could win over holdouts.


text:
By Hannah Thompson-Weeman
It’s the start of a new year, which means many people are trying to turn over a new leaf when it comes to health and fitness. Unfortunately, activist groups have resolved to spread more and more misinformation about meat’s role in a healthy, balanced diet, which may lead to some fitness enthusiasts wondering if going vegan is the only way to reach their goals.
After decades of pushing a simple “go vegan because we shouldn’t eat animals” message, animal rights activist groups realized it wasn’t working out for them. Over the past several years, they have adopted different tactics, such as focusing on the environmental impact of meat consumption or its impact on human health. By attacking meat, dairy, poultry and eggs from all angles, activist groups hope to make consumers second-guess putting them on their plates.
The latest activist-driven attempt to scare consumers into going plant-based is a “documentary” called “The Game Changers” which is now available to view on Netflix. The film is about athletes who gave gone vegan and urges everyone to do the same in order to be healthy. In addition to the film having HSUS-affiliated executive producers, pretty much all of the so-called “experts” that appear in the film are affiliated with vegan companies and clearly have something to gain from promoting veganism.
While the nutrition community has widely criticized the film for its shoddy science (such as an experiment on meat consumption and penis function) and exaggerated claims, it is very well-produced and hits the right notes of emotion and inspiration (not surprising given James Cameron’s involvement as director). Many consumers may choose to check it out as colder weather sends us to our couches looking for something to watch, leaving people more confused than ever about whether they should be eating meat.
It’s on all of us to take the time – especially this season of the year – to reassure our consumers and communities about the nutritional value of meat. A few great resources to refer to are hhttp://www.MeatPoultryNutrition.org and AnimalAgAlliance.org/Issues/Nutrition. I also highly recommend following science-based dietitians on social media such as @LeahMcGrathRD, @NRodriguezRDN, @RustNutrition and @AmyMyrdalMiller (to name just a few). Let’s all make a New Year’s resolution to remind people that meat matters!
More from Farm Journal's PORK:


text:
Caterease, the world’s most popular catering and event planning software program, is now also one of the world’s least expensive. The industry giant announced this week an all-new aggressive and simplified pricing structure that allows new users to get into the program for surprisingly little money down.
“This is huge,” says Phil Russo, Caterease Sales Manager. “It’s the first time in a decade that Caterease has changed pricing for its hosted program, and we’ve actually made it less expensive for people to come onboard!”
Under the new pricing, new Caterease users can get a fully customized copy of the industry-leading program for as little as $85.00 (US) per month, after a one-time $200.00 (US) configuration fee. Even the most advanced version of Caterease, the Professional version, is only $165.00 (US) per month after the same minor one-time fee.
In addition to these amazing new prices, huge discounts are available for users who opt to pay the first year upfront, rather than going month-to-month. Annual subscriptions of Caterease offer an additional 20% off of all subscription prices – bringing the starting price for this incredible program down to a stunning $68.00 (US) per month.
“To think that users can get more than 25 years of development, the most feature-rich program available and the largest and best support team in the industry for only $68.00 a month is amazing,” Russo notes.
How is it possible to get the most popular program in the industry for such a low price? Among other things, Caterease Director of Corporate Sales Chris Kopriva credits economies of scale.
“There’s an advantage to having such a popular program with such a huge client base,” Kopriva says. “Not to mention the fact that in over 25 years we have never taken a penny of venture capital, leaving us indebted to no one. That financial independence, combined with our incredible market share, gives us the freedom to pass tremendous savings on to our customers.”
“Caterers and Event Planners want the best software program to help their businesses grow,” Russo adds. “And now – they can get the best for less money than they probably ever dreamed.”
For more information or a detailed quote of Caterease prices, contact Caterease Sales at 800.863.1616 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
(Information sent by the signatory company)
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pimax, a leading innovator in the Virtual Reality (VR) industry, is excited to showcase its latest technological advancements at CES 2024, taking place from 9-12 from January.
In an exclusive event for special guests, attendees had the privilege of experiencing the revolutionary 60G AirLink wireless module, combined with Pimax's current flagship product, Pimax Crystal. The integration of 60G AirLink with the Crystal's standard eye-tracking feature makes it the world's first ultra-high-definition virtual reality headset with wireless connectivity.
Using cutting-edge 60G millimeter wave (mmWave) technology, highly anticipated in the virtual reality domain, the 60G AirLink ensures high-speed, low-latency data transmission critical for video streaming and gaming experiences. immersive virtual reality. It features impressive bandwidth and strong anti-interference capabilities, giving users an unparalleled audiovisual journey and an ultra-realistic virtual reality experience, all free from the limitations of cables. According to Pimax representatives, these innovative products are planned to be officially launched to consumers in the near future.
CES 2024 not only served as a key stage for Pimax to showcase its current and future products, but also offered a glimpse into the future of virtual reality. An exclusive, invitation-only demonstration featured Pimax's next-generation flagship, the innovative 12K-EVTθ (Engineering Verification Test Zero) prototype. This prototype sets a new benchmark in the virtual reality industry with superior specifications such as unmatched resolution and expansive field of view (FOV) and a revolutionary interchangeable optical system.
In addition to the new revelations, visitors to the Pimax stand (
The Pimax booth attracted significant attention from renowned media outlets, including Forbes, PC Gamer, IGN, ZDNET, The Daily Beast, CHIP, and numerous industry heavyweights and influencers.
Media ContactDaisy Daidaisy.firstname.lastname@example.org
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2316501...Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2316502...
View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pimax-presenta-lo-ultimo-en-realidad-virtual-en-ces-2024-302033034.html


text:
Five Points business and neighborhood leaders are calling on the city of Columbia to implement a 10-point plan that they believe will revitalize the downtown enclave.
The plan calls for streamlining the permitting process for new businesses, fast-tracking permits based on their value, as well as for waiving water and sewer expansion fees when applicable. City parking lots would also be upgraded in appearance, including replacing meters with a central payment kiosk, and parking access would be increased while on-site parking requirements would be waived.
City Councilman Daniel Rickenmann, who represents District IV and once owned Five Points-area businesses including the Birds on a Wire and Yo Burrito restaurants, said the plan’s goal is to make it easier for new businesses to open in Five Points, thereby transforming the area known for late-night bars into a destination bustling with activity 18 hours a day.
“There are a lot of opportunities here, and we have to make sure we open that up,” said Rickenmann, who works as a business consultant. “We need to fill the spaces that we have and grow within our community.”
A collaboration of merchants and neighborhood associations developed the plan, presented in a rutted parking lot between two shuttered bars on Harden Street as car horns honked and pedestrians ambled by.
“Closed doors, dirty sidewalks – these things flat-out don’t make a good impression when you bring retailers to town,” said Rox Pollard, retail services manager for Colliers International South Carolina, which is marketing several vacant properties in the area. “We bring retailers in here all the time, but they notice when you drive down Harden Street that something doesn’t feel quite right.”
Would-be retail investors also face higher tax rates because of Columbia’s makeup, which includes several tax-exempt colleges and universities as well as government and hospital agencies. While Rickenmann called the city’s tax base “a hurdle that we can’t get over,” he said other issues can be addressed.
That includes waiving fees that organizers of Thursday’s news conference said can total nearly $128,000 to open a new business in Five Points. That number, based on permitting costs to redevelop a 3,000-square-foot space into a food service operation, includes $75,000 to install a city-standard grease trap.
“The city doesn’t need to act as a barrier, but function as a partner,” said Steve Cook, president of the Five Points Association and owner of fine dining restaurant Saluda’s. “When I see empty storefronts, I don’t see a coming apocalypse. I see tremendous opportunity.”
The plan also calls on the city’s universities and colleges to encourage on-campus social activities, particularly in Greek villages, to curb the flow of students, some of them underage, into Five Points’ bars.
“The university hosts hundreds of on-campus events for students each year, including on weekends,” Jeff Stensland, University of South Carolina public relations director, said via email. “We’re always interested in exploring how programming can be enhanced to appeal to our diverse student population and look forward to future discussions with community members about current and potential offerings.”
Area leaders also want the city to review and modernize the Five Points zoning overlay, establishing a committee to make sure that regulations such as those relating to height and density are relevant. The plan also urges the city’s Office of Economic Development to create and implement a strategy to recruit new businesses to Five Points.
“We’ve got to make it easy to invest here,” said Joe Taylor, a former S.C. Secretary of Commerce and CEO of Southland Capital Partners who is developing several West Columbia properties through real estate holding company State Street LLC. “I’ve seen it take five months to get a simple building permit.”
Speakers, who also included Gourmet Shop owner and former Five Points Association executive director Amy Beth Franks and Kit Smith, president of the Five Points Coalition of Neighborhoods, said Five Points has plenty to offer would-be investors now.
“The key is not more incentives,” Taylor said. “It’s removing the disincentives.”
Taylor pointed to the mixed-used Brookland development, site of newly opened French-inspired restaurant Black Rooster along with residential space and a new city parking garage, as proof that measures outlined in the plan can work. The West Columbia development, across the Gervais Street Bridge, overlooks that city’s Riverwalk and is a gateway to a burgeoning State Street renaissance.
“West Columbia had an awful-looking parking lot. They came in and turned it from an awful parking lot a park with parking spaces,” Taylor said. “As soon as they did that and raised the appearance standards, private property owners began to invest their own money, and there’s nine restaurants now either renovating or locating in that area.”
Taylor emphasized, however, that he isn’t looking to personally invest in Five Points anytime soon.
“I used to own a whole city block down here. I can’t come back down here until everything’s fixed,” Taylor said. “This is my hometown, but I’m not going through a six-month permitting process to renovate a building again. Capital goes where it’s most welcome, and right now I think my capital is welcome in some other places a little bit more than it is here.”
Rickenmann said costs to the city to implement the plan would be minimal, limited to parking lot improvements which he said have already been budgeted and offset by monthly fees new businesses would pay.
Rickenmann and other leaders said that while parts of the plan could prove feasible in other areas of the city, it is Five Points-specific.
“This is the most iconic neighborhood that we have in this city, and it has been for a long time,” he said. “Everybody’s invested, and if this core can grow, we can encourage a lot more investment everywhere else.
“If you work and travel, there are a lot of communities growing right now, and we want to have those same opportunities. I think this is where we start.”
The 10-Point Plan to Renew Five Points would:
- Set a 36-month program duration.
- Improve the appearance of the city’s Five Points parking lot through resurfacing, landscaping, lighting and new signage, as well as replacing meters with a central payment kiosk.
- Waive water and sewer expansion fees for business when applicable.
- Make the city’s grease trap requirement for food service operations flexible without compromising water quality or harming the environment.
- Streamline the permitting process. Small business permits less than $20,000 would be fast-tracked to city approval in seven days, permits less than $250,000 would be approved in 30 days, and permits of greater value would be approved in 60 days.
- Increase parking access and availability. Waive on-site parking requirements for businesses, charge for street parking 24 hours a day to encourage use of municipal lots and turnover of spaces, and dedicate parking revenue to Five Points parking improvements.
- Review and modernize the Five Points zoning overlay.
- Expand sidewalk dining by creating an annual permitting process.
- Have the city of Columbia’s Office of Economic Development create and implement a plan to recruit new businesses to Five Points, targeting destination retail stores, hotels and daytime restaurants.
- Encourage the University of South Carolina, Benedict College, Allen University of Columbia College to promote on-campus social activities on weekends.


text:
MTN Nigeria reported a half-year revenues of N638 billion in 2020 compared to N566.9 billion reported same period last year. The 12.5% pop was driven by growth in data revenues in the first and second quarters of the year.
The company reported a 49% growth in data revenues in the second quarter of 2020 as its Nigerian customers guzzled more data in the ensuing Covid-19 economic shutdown.
The revenues reported in the first half of 2020 now translate to about N100 billion monthly in revenues, a company and Nigerian Stock Market record, according to Nairametrics Research. Revenues averaged N97 billion monthly in 2019 and N86.5 billion in 2018.
In the second quarter of 2020 total revenues rose 8.5% to N308.9 billion driven largely by higher data revenues.
Data revenues jumped from N56.7 billion to N79.9 billion in the quarter under review confirming the growing reliance Nigerians have on data for communication.
Call revenues, the company’s mainstay suffered a 1% drop to N176.2 billion suggesting a drop in its average revenue per user. Call revenues make up about 68% of its service revenues. Mobile subscriber growth was just 3.8% in the quarter.
Revenues from its Fintech division fell 7.7% to N10.2 billion in the quarter. It however rose by 29.6% in the first half of 2020 compared to the year before.
MTN has aggressively pushed its Fintech business leveraging on its economies of scale to gobble market share.
Pre-tax Profits for the quarter was N62.2 billion down 13.4% YoY.
Earnings per share N2.11/N2.4 15.6% up QoQ. The earnings per share dip was due to higher operating expenses


text:
FACC AG, a supplier to the aviation industry, including key Airbus cabin areas, reports it successfully continued its growth path in the 2023 financial year, achieving a 22.8% increase in revenue, taking it to €745.6 million. This annual revenue generation is the third-highest in the company’s history since it was founded in 1989 (find out more in our Showcase issue), and reflects the rapid recovery of the international aviation industry.
The company’s FY2023 EBIT more than tripled compared to the 2022 financial year, reaching €17.5 million – and the figure was impacted by inflation-driven cost increases and global supply chain issues affecting the availability of materials.
Positive market environment
The company says that the strong manufacturing rate increases recorded by all major aviation companies worldwide led to a record order intake in 2023, with its long-term order book now standing at a record value of more than US$5.8 billion. This strong order book meant that FACC was able to expand its workforce by 536 employees in the 2023 financial year.
FACC says that, according to the latest forecasts, growth in the international aviation industry is set to continue in the coming years. In line with general projections and customer forecasts received, the management of FACC expects further revenue growth in the range of 10-15%, and continued improvements in earnings in the 2024 financial year


text:
When it comes to the drone world, Intel typically makes news due to its fireworks-inspired drone light shows (the chipmaker recently set a record for largest drone light show during the Olympics).
But today, Intel’s news is more about enterprise software and hardware for drones. Intel today released more details on its Intel Insight Platform, which was first announced last year at Interdrone.
Intel describes the Intel Insight Platform as a cloud-based digital asset management system that enables customers to store, share and manage data collected by drones. With that aerial data, Intel Insight Platform can generate 2D and 3D models, take measurements, share the information with teammates, and run data analytics.
The company also released its Mission Control flight planning software, which enables pilots to create automated 2D and 3D flight plans for commercial surveying, mapping and inspection missions.
On the hardware side, Intel released three new payloads for the Intel Falcon 8+ system, designed to allow drones to carry better quality cameras, and is based on the full-frame Sony RX1R II camera which generates highly -detailed inspection data. Additionally, the Falcon 8+ system will also now have obstacle avoidance.
The Falcon 8+ drone is designed for commercial applications that aren’t quite as sexy as light shows — but rather inspections, land surveying or mapping.
Of course, Intel couldn’t make a drone-related announcement without bringing up light shows in some capacity. The company also says that it intends to break its previous record for most drones flown simultaneously, which was done during the 2018 Winter Olympics, again this summer. The company plans to fly more than 1,500 drones in celebration of its 50th anniversary this summer.
Intel made today’s news at the AUVSI Xponential 2018 conference in Colorado.


text:
First time accepted submitter TimBur1e6 writes "Suppose you had just moved 1000 miles away from your significant other, but you wanted to continue to create shared life experiences. You could text, or talk by voice, or even video chat. And those would all be good things to do. However, there's a difference between telling someone about your day, and actually spending time together. What are some fun and constructive ways of spending time together on the net? In particular, what are good things to do with a significant other who is less into combat, and more into collaboration, exploration, creativity, and storytelling?"
Have you META-MODERATED today? Sign up for the Slashdot Daily Newsletter! DEAL: For $25 - Add A Second Phone Number To Your Smartphone for life! Use promo code SLASHDOT25.×
New submitter cadenceaniya sends this excerpt from Polygon: "Online games are a 'playground' for organized crime and cyber criminals, JD Sherry, vice president of technology and solutions at Trend Micro said following the news that League of Legends accounts were compromised. Earlier this week, account information — usernames, email addresses, salted password hashes, and some first and last names — for some North American League of Legends players were 'compromised' by hackers. Riot was also 'investigating that approximately 120,000 transaction records from 2011 that contained hashed and salted credit card numbers have been accessed.' The increase of free-to-play online gaming across all platforms over the years 'have opened the doors to micro-transactions in-game.' The simple and functional systems created so players can spend money effortlessly creates 'playgrounds' for cyber criminals take advantage of. 'Game platforms can have millions of users all storing sensitive information or code access for more features,' Sherry said. 'These are highly sought after in the cyber-crime underground for trading and selling in the black market. These platforms can fall victim to cyber-attacks just like any organization, especially if they have vulnerabilities that go unpatched.'"
Today at Gamescom in Germany, Blizzard announced the first expansion to Diablo III, titled Reaper of Souls. The story will follow a fallen archangel called Mathael who has returned as the Angel of Death. The level cap will increase to 70, and the expansion will bring a new playable class to the game called the Crusader, whom they described as a "natural walking tank." Reaper of Souls will also bring vast improvements to the loot system; in addition to having a better chance to find good, useful gear for the character you're playing, the items themselves are getting an overhaul to make for more interesting gameplay. Instead of being simply loaded down with combat stats, legendary items will include unique ways to modify how your character functions. They're also implementing something the community has been asking for since shortly after the game came out: randomized dungeons. Further, the Paragon leveling system, put in place after launch as a way to provide character progression after reaching the level cap, will be made account-wide, rather than on a per-character basis. A new profession NPC has been added as well: the Mystic, which lets players reroll one of the stats on a powerful item. As you might expect, Blizzard did not mention a release date. The Reaper of Souls opening cinematic is available on YouTube, as is a brief gameplay video.
Today Sony announced the official release dates of the PlayStation 4 console: November 15 in North America and November 29 in Europe. From the article: "The system will be available for $399/€399/£349 in 32 countries by the end of the year, the company said. The date comes just days before the Black Friday post-Thanksgiving sales, but given the strong pre-order interest for the system already, the PS4 might be hard to find on store shelves in the days after it drops. Sony revealed that one million PS4 systems have already been pre-ordered worldwide. The company notably did not mention a release date or price point for the system's launch in its native Japan."
New submitter herbalt writes "The code of the free FPS game Urban Terror (a standalone game based on a Quake 3 mod), has been stolen. The development team, Frozen Sand, at first stated their Git Repository had been hacked, but later issued an announcement stating the perpetrator of the leak was a member of the development team. Frozen Sand also states they have found chat logs indicating there had been 'a plot to get B1naryTh1ef to steal the code so they could sell Urban Terror under a different name on Steam.'"
Sockatume writes "Marcus 'Notch' Persson of Minecraft fame has indefinitely postponed his planned space game, 0x10c. Taking time to chat during a streamed TF2 game, Notch explained that he didn't have the energy to keep up with the community's interest; fans had gone so far as to transcribe the source code from his development livestream. The game's development had been stalled since April this year, when Notch explained that it simply wasn't fun to play, but other staff at Mojang can resume the project if they wish. He intends to continue his pre-Minecraft habits and 'make small games and talk to other game developers about them'."
msheekhah writes "I have a friend who, when he gets out of college, has been promised a job at well known electronics company with a salary around $70k. However, he wants to instead go work for Blizzard or some other game company as a game programmer. I've read enough on here and on other tech websites to know that he should take the job he's been offered. Can you share with me your experiences so I can give him real life examples to convince him to take this job? If your experience is contrary to mine, I'd appreciate that input as well."
chicksdaddy writes "Haters keep buyin' — that appears to be the dynamic playing out in the ever-hot video game industry, where game developers say harassment and trolling from their rabid fans is turning them off of development completely, according to a report over at Polygon.com. 'Fans are invested in the stories and worlds that developers create, and certain design decisions can be seen by fans to threaten those stories and worlds,' said Nathan Fisk, lecturer at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and co-author of the book Bullying in the Age of Social Media. 'Harassment silences and repositions content creators in ways that protect the interests of certain fan groups, which again is no justification for the kinds of abusive behavior and language seen online today.' The problem is widespread enough that it may even pose a threat to the future of the industry. Developers, both named and those who wish to remain anonymous, tell Polygon that harassment by gamers is becoming an alarmingly regular expected element of game development. Some developers say the problem was among the reasons they left the industry, others tell Polygon that the problem is so ubiquitous that it distracts them from making games or that they're considering leaving the industry."
SmartAboutThings writes "Microsoft is definitely changing things in its gaming department: it has now announced in a support note on the Xbox site that it will be shutting down the Xbox.com PC Marketplace on August 22nd. This comes shortly after news that Microsoft hired former Steam boss Jason Holtman, whose mission at Redmond is to 'make Windows great for gaming.' The Microsoft Points system will be retired on August 22nd as well. The Games for Windows Live client software will not be affected, at least initially, letting you play previously purchased games."
Nerval's Lobster writes "Three years ago, game designer and author Jane McGonigal argued that saving the human race is going to require a major time investment—in playing video games. 'If we want to solve problems like hunger, poverty, climate change, global conflict, obesity, I believe that we need to aspire to play games online for at least 21 billion hours a week [up from 3 billion today], by the end of the next decade,' she said in a TED talk. Her message was not ignored—and it has indirectly contributed to the formation of something called the Internet Response League (IRL). The small group has a big goal: to harness gamers' time and use it to save lives after disasters, natural or otherwise. The idea is to insert micro-tasks into games, specifically asking gamers to tag photos of disaster areas. With the IRL plugin, each image would be shown to at least three people, who tag the photo as showing no damage, mild damage, or severe damage. The Internet Response League has been in talks with a couple of indie developers, including one that's developing a new MMO. Mosur said they've tried to get in touch with World of Warcraft maker Blizzard, but haven't had any luck yet. Blizzard did not return a request for comment from Slashdot."
UnknowingFool writes "Microsoft has reversed course on another aspect of the Xbox One. Though Xbox One will come bundled with a Kinect sensor, the console will work without it. Critics were had suggested that an always-on video and audio sensor could be used to spy on users. Microsoft's Marc Whitten said, 'Games use Kinect in a variety of amazing ways from adding voice to control your squad mates to adding lean and other simple controls beyond the controller to full immersive gameplay. That said, like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn't plugged in, although you won't be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor.' This is the latest reversal from Microsoft since they killed the phone-home DRM and made it region-free."
First time accepted submitter briglass writes "Imagine being a total non-gamer and then suddenly playing an hour of StarCraft a day for almost two months. A new study of mine demonstrates that a group of female gaming novices (seriously novice, as in 0 to 1 hour of gaming per week novice) demonstrated increased cognitive flexibility after playing StarCraft, a sort of fast-paced chess on steroids. The control group played The Sims. It's been well known that video gaming can lead to psychological benefits, such as faster perceptual information processing after playing first-person shooter games. But this new study, published in PLOS ONE, shows that video gaming can also affect higher-level cognitive functions. The StarCraft game was customized to be adaptive and remain challenging as the newly minted gamers honed their skills, and in-game behavior was recorded to determine what aspects of StarCraft leads to the boost in flexibility."
First time accepted submitter tocsy writes "Microsoft has seemingly not learned from their previous PR fiasco. According to the official site, some features as basic as recording and sharing gameplay videos will require a $60/year Xbox Live Gold account. PS4 owners will of course also have to pay for some online services, but recording and streaming will not be exclusive to Plus subscribers."
hypnosec writes "NVidia has now open-sourced the operating system that powers the gaming console to encourage its modification and further development. Powered by NVidia's homegrown Tegra 4 processor, the console runs Android, which shouldn't surprise many as the company moves ahead with its open-sourcing intentions. The GPU company has said that the SHIELD is an 'open gaming platform' that allows for 'an open ecosystem,' enabling developers to develop content as well as applications that takes advantage of the underlying hardware and which can be enjoyed on bigger displays as well as mobile screen." Playing with it isn't without risks (like potentially voiding the warranty), but NVIDIA's blog post says they're also providing a recovery image to fall back to.
Guspaz writes "In a surprising move that in retrospect makes a lot of sense, Oculus VR has announced that John Carmack will be joining the company full-time as CTO. Carmack also tweeted that his time division would be 'Oculus over Id over Armadillo. Busy busy busy!'" From the press release, quoting John Carmack: "I have fond memories of the development work that led to a lot of great things in modern gaming — the intensity of the first person experience, LAN and internet play, game mods, and so on. Duct taping a strap and hot gluing sensors onto Palmer's early prototype Rift and writing the code to drive it ranks right up there. Now is a special time. I believe that VR will have a huge impact in the coming years, but everyone working today is a pioneer. The paradigms that everyone will take for granted in the future are being figured out today; probably by people reading this message. It's certainly not there yet. There is a lot more work to do, and there are problems we don't even know about that will need to be solved, but I am eager to work on them. It's going to be awesome!"
Rick Zeman writes "Those of us of a certain age recall The Oregon Trail with fondness as the pioneering educational game that had the audacity to make learning fun! This article takes a look at the history behind the game, even going back to its initial text-based offering, showing how some programming magic pulled a generation of kids together. Quoting: '[F]or two weeks, the roommates holed up in a former janitor’s closet at Bryant Junior High School, where the school’s teletype was stored, and spent their evenings programming. Using Rawitsch’s historical knowledge, Heinemann and Dillenberger developed a series of algorithms, punching hundreds of lines of code into the teletype. But just because they created the program didn’t mean they could breeze through it. When Heinemann tried The Oregon Trail for the first time, he died of pneumonia midway!'"
jones_supa writes "QuakeCon 2013 is running full tilt. John Carmack kicked off his speech by addressing the 'elephant in the room,' discussing the arrival of a new console generation to a crowd of attendees at the largely PC-focused event. He's optimistic about the coming console cycle, commenting that it's 'obviously going to be a good thing for gamers, developers, and an excellent thing for AMD.' John said he hasn't run quite enough tests on the hardware for the two consoles, but said they're both 'very close, and very good.' In his traditional long talk (watch on YouTube), Carmack also commented on Microsoft's always-on Kinect, its recently reversed DRM policies for the upcoming Xbox One, the death of optical media, and the state of handheld gaming."
The EFF posted a biting response to yesterday's Ninth Circuit ruling that heavily weights celebrities' right to privacy, and construes that right very broadly. From the EFF summary of the case: "The plaintiff, Sam Keller, brought the case to challenge Electronic Art (EA)'s use of his likeness in its videogame NCAA Football. This game includes realistic digital avatars of thousands of college players. The game never used Keller’s name, but it included an avatar with his jersey number, basic biographical information, and statistics. Keller sued EA claiming that the game infringed his right of publicity — an offshoot of privacy law that gives a person the right to limit the public use of her name, likeness and/or identity for commercial purposes. ... Two judges on the panel found that EA’s depiction of Keller was not transformative. They reasoned that the 'use does not qualify for First Amendment protection as a matter of law because it literally recreates Keller in the very setting in which he has achieved renown.'" The piece later notes that this reasoning "could impact an extraordinary range of protected speech."
rescendent writes with news that the Wii U still isn't selling very well. From the article: "Nintendo's Wii U console sold only 160,000 units worldwide during the past three months, with the company blaming a lack of first-party releases for the poor performance. Software sales for the system were just 1.3 million units. During the period Nintendo sold 90,000 Wii U consoles in Japan, 60,000 in the US and only 10,000 in Europe and Australia." El Reg reports that the Wii sold 210,000 units in the same quarter. On the bright side, Nintendo is once again profitable.
An anonymous reader writes "Today, Nvidia officially releases the SHIELD. After an unexpected delay last month, the company dropped the price of its hotly-anticipated handheld gaming system from $350 to just $300. Sporting a 5-inch 720p touchscreen attached to an XBox-style controller, the SHIELD is the first serious Android-based handheld gaming device. The SHIELD is also the first major device top ship with Nvidia's new Tegra 4 SoC. But the potentially killer feature of the SHIELD is its ability to steam heavy-duty PC games from your desktop right into your hands. Right now the selection of PC games is pretty scarce, with just 21 titles to choose from so far, though Nvidia promises more to come. Tom's Hardware just posted an exhaustive review of the Nvidia SHIELD, which includes demos of both Android gaming and PC streaming, display and battery testing, plus the usual bevy of performance tests versus the Tegra 3-based Nexus 7 (2012), the new Nexus 7 carrying a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, the iPhone 5, and a Wintel tablet with the Atom Z2760. Tegra 4 presents nearly four times the performance of Tegra 3, and leaves most of its competition in the dust. However, it also means that Nvidia is now the only ARM competitor without an OpenGL ES 3.0 implementation on the horizon, making Nvidia's new position as top dog quite uncertain."


text:
Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who serves as the chairman of the House telecommunications and Internet subcommittee, has introduced a new bill that aims to force carriers to offer consumers "the opportunity to purchase subsidy-free wireless customer equipment." The Wireless Consumer Protection and Community Broadband Empowerment Act instructs carriers to disclose rate plans in a "clear, plain and conspicuous manner" by breaking out ETFs as well as state and local taxes.
The most controversial language in the bill instructs carriers to offer customers the choice of buying handsets with no subsidies as well as the option of signing up for rate plans that are priced comparable to longterm plans but don't require the customer to ink a longterm contract with the carrier.
For more on the bill:
- read this article from CNET