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BIG W has announced the launch of its new Toy Mania creative which brings to life the greatest race in the universe through a series of animated 15 second TVCs.
Developed by BLUE DOT, the campaign showcases toys loved by kids and parents in the Race to the Greatest Toy Event in the Universe – Toy Mania at BIG W.
Shot over three days at BLUE DOT Studios in Sydney, the four 15 second and one 30 second films combine both puppetry and stop motion to bring to life a squad of our favourite toys including Jurassic Park’s T-Rex, LEGO, He-Man, and Barbie. The films also give a cheeky nod to favourite movie scenes that parents will remember along the way.
BIG W’s head of marketing – brand & strategy, Claire West said: “BIG W’s Toy Mania event has been on the calendar for Australian families for almost two decades. We pride ourselves on providing kids of all ages with an exciting new range of toys every year and this year is no different. With over 1,300 products on offer and 150 exclusive toys to BIG W we’re expecting another bumper Toy Mania event.”
“We knew our creative needed to match the energy of not only customers but our team in the lead up to the Greatest Toy Event in the Universe. That’s why we’re thrilled to bring this exciting new creative capturing the hype and anticipation felt by families. And with over one million Barbies sold at BIG W each year, we have a feeling customers are going to love her starring role!”
BLUE DOT creative lead Ken Buchan said: “In previous campaigns, we’ve focused on the excitement surrounding new toys and the Toy Mania event itself. This year, we wanted to put the toy’s front and centre encapsulating the fun of Toy Mania, which is how the race to the Greatest Toy Event in the Universe was born.
“We wanted to keep the toys true to form, so we worked with great animators and stop motion puppeteers helped inform the creative. Paired with the punk edge variation of our brand track, ‘Happy Together’ from Song Zu, and post-production magic from Rumble and White Chocolate has really brought this to life and we’re thrilled with the result.”
BLUE DOT partnered with award-winning director and animator Jono ‘Dropbear’ Chong to create the campaign with his expertise and specialised experience in stunning stop-motion creations.
Jono ‘Dropbear’ Chong says, “I was attracted to this project because it was all being filmed in camera – real toys, real sets and a real craftivism project – something I’m very passionate about.”
“The tricky part was that the majority of what viewers see was created in camera. Having to make the impossible possible by bringing inanimate objects to life and making them do things they wouldn’t normally do, which required a lot of problem solving. For example, how do we make He-Man stand on top of a Barbie camper impersonating Priscilla Queen of the Desert, while making it look like it was in a suburban backyard?”
BIG W’s Toy Mania campaign will roll-out across TV, OOH, Radio, OLV Podcasts, Live Reads, Digital Display, In-store, Social, PR, Influencer Marketing and owned channels.
A new survey conducted by magazine and newspaper subscription service Readly found that celebrity gossip mags are a popular guilty pleasure with more than a third of Australians (37 per cent) indulging in the habit. Perhaps unsurprisingly the biggest cohort of gossip and entertainment magazine readers were women (41 per cent) aged 30-39 followed by […]
Market leading Australian content marketing platform Fabulate has named Marie Galinsky (pictured) to oversee its rapidly expanding national sales operation in the role of national sales director. Galinsky’s promotion will see her lead Fabulate’s growing sales team and comes just six months after she joined the content marketing startup to lead its Melbourne sales operation. […]
A new partnership between adidas and Indigenous Football Australia, which oversees the strategy and expansion of Australia’s most successful and longest-running Indigenous football initiative, John Moriarty Football, will ensure more Indigenous children in remote and regional communities benefit from the power of football. The partnership will see adidas and Indigenous Football Australia (IFA) work together […]
Start Beyond, Australia’s leading producer and distributor of VR and AR immersive learning solutions, today announces the internal promotion of Angus Stevens (pictured) to CEO. Stevens, who joined the business in 2016 as one of the founding members, is moving on from his current position of managing director effective immediately. In his new role, Stevens […]
Triple M has recorded the largest commercial AFL and NRL metro footy audience, delivering almost double the listeners of any other commercial competitor, according to today’s Survey 4 radio ratings results. Triple M’s AFL coverage across Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth reported a cumulative audience of 679,000, while Triple M’s NRL coverage has an audience of […]
Independent Australian-owned media company VMG has announced the appointment of Brendan Harper (pictured) as general manager and group business director to lead media planning & buying agency, Frontier Media in Queensland. His appointment follows the departure of Queensland director Alexandra Paton, who has been with Frontier Media for more than 15 years. Harper holds extensive […]
Havas Australia has appointed OIS, leaders in out-of-home (OOH) verification, as its independent, third-party verification partner across digital, programmatic, and classic out-of-home client campaigns following a competitive review. Australia is among the top 10 global out-of-home markets by size and one of the most advanced, highlighted by leading adoption rates of digital and more recently, […]
BetterBriefs will today unveil a new best practice guide, The best way for a client to brief an agency, co-authored by Mark Ritson and in partnership with the IPA, at the IPA Business Growth Conference. After shocking the world of advertising last October with the painful and alarming truths about the enormous misalignment between marketers […]
In uncertain times, trusted sources become even more significant in the world of media. Elise Bennett (pictured), head of account management (APAC) at Outbrain, reveals what advertisers need to know about the new trust exchange. Instability breeds uncertainty. From bushfires to the pandemic and war, there’s been plenty of both to go around in recent […]


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The interesting thing here is that VCR ownership hasn't fallen that much, it's just that DVD player ownership has caught up. Despite all the talk of the digital revolution, four in every five US households still have a VCR.
It's because the two don't really compete with each other - DVD players might be better for watching movies, but you still turn to the VCR when you need to record your favourite show. What I really want to know is how many household have made the switch to DVD or hard drive-based recorders. Annoyingly Nielsen hasn't included this in its survey results, which says to me the numbers must be negligible. Perhaps such devices are counted as DVD players.
I found a PDF on the Copy Protection Technical Working Group's website that says US DVD recorder penetration was 40 per cent in 2006, but that sounds a little high to me. If it was that high, I think Nielsen would have mentioned it. If DVD recorder penetration really is a 40 per cent in the US, that means at least 20 per cent of all households have a DVD recorder and a VCR.
DVD recorders have been around for five years, so will they have reached 80 per cent penetration in another five years? I don't think so. The advantages of DVD players were obvious even to the non-tech savvy and there wasn't a format war to confuse the issue. The latest Nielsen report shows that most people are still happy with their VCR and I'd say the confusion of DVD and HDD recorders, PVRs, digital television and high definition means they're happy to sit on their VCRs for a little longer until the upgrade decision becomes idiot proof. If you're the tech-savvy type then the time is almost right to move to a HDD/DVD recorder - but the general public still has a long way to go and I'd say there's still life in the old VCR yet.

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Coca-Cola and nonprofit organization 'RED' joined forces to raise monetary funding and awareness for AIDS and HIV. The two brands have worked together on similar initiatives, but this campaign is also a celebration of the Coke bottle's 100th anniversary.
Using the bottle as a motivational factor, the team created an insulated drinking cup that looks like a regular glass. However, contained inside the glass is an upside down Coca-Cola bottle. The Coke bottle is colored red to match Coca-Cola's distinct trademark hue, while also mimicking the nonprofit organization's name.
For every bottle sold, one dollar will be donated to the fight against HIV and AIDS. This campaign sees two brands working together to raise awareness for AIDS, while simultaneously honoring the iconic Coke bottle.


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Good Sam Club to Sponsor Talladega Sprint Cup Races
Talladega Superspeedway announced today (Sept. 13) a multi-year partnership with the Good Sam Club for sponsorship of the track’s fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. This year’s event, the Good Sam Club 500, is scheduled for Oct. 23, according to a news release.
“Talladega Superspeedway has long been known for our thousands of acres of free and reserved camping,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “To welcome a sponsor such as Good Sam Club is a real honor and a great fit for our two brands. We look forward to welcoming thousands of RV’ers to Talladega Superspeedway Oct 21-23.”
“We are excited to partner with the Talladega Superspeedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races,” said Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World & Good Sam. “This is a great opportunity to sponsor one of the most exciting races of the season coupled with exposing race goers to our broad selection of camping and tailgating products. All of which will be available at our on-site Camping World stores.”


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NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Apparel LLC filed for its second bankruptcy protection in just over a year on Monday, weighed down by intense competitive pressures facing U.S. teen retailers and a rocky relationship with its founder.
The second bankruptcy comes as the retailer struggles to overcome years of losses and rising online competition. The company became a part of popular culture for its racy advertising and mercurial founder, Dov Charney.
American Apparel, known as much for its sexually charged advertising, listed assets and liabilities in the range of $100 million to $500 million, according to a Delaware court filing.
Separately, Canadian apparel maker Gildan Activewear Inc said it agreed to buy intellectual property rights related to the American Apparel brand and certain assets from American Apparel for about $66 million in cash.
Gildan will not be purchasing any retail store assets, it said in a statement.
The bankruptcy filing allows American Apparel to hold an auction for its assets and business under which Gildan’s proposed acquisition would constitute the initial bid.
“Gildan has asked for the opportunity to maintain certain of our manufacturing, distribution and warehouse operations in and around Los Angeles,” American Apparel Chairman Bradley Scher said in a letter to employees, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.
Throughout the competitive sale process, American Apparel will run its business as usual in the United States and this will have no noticeable effect on day-to-day operations in the United States, Scher said in the letter.
American Apparel has been scouting for a buyer, and began discussing a possible sale with brand licensor Sequential Brands Group Inc as well as financial services company B. Riley Financial Inc after talks with brand licensor Authentic Brands Group LLC stalled.
The company said last week it was winding down its operations in the UK. The U.S. proceeding - a so-called “Chapter 22,” a play on words for a second Chapter 11 - is separate.
American Apparel filed its first bankruptcy in October 2015 following a steep drop in sales and drawn out legal battle with Charney, who was ousted in 2014. It emerged from bankruptcy in February under the ownership of a group of former bondholders led by hedge fund Monarch Alternative Capital LP.
Still, it continued to face declining sales, exacerbated by its costly manufacturing plant in Los Angeles. Under mounting pressure, American Apparel hired investment bank Houlihan Lokey earlier this year to explore a sale. [L1N1AY224]
The company has insisted that any deal keep its manufacturing plant in the United States.
At least eight U.S. teen retailers, including Wet Seal LLC and Pacific Sunwear of California Inc, have filed for bankruptcy in the past two years, as the spending habits of young people shift and they visit malls less often.
The case is in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, case number 16-12551.


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CD Projekt Could Face Investor Lawsuits Over Cyberpunk 2077
Investors are concerned that CD Projekt may have misled them about the game's quality.
CD Projekt could soon be facing yet another Cyberpunk 2077 problem, arguably bigger than having to offer refunds to upset players: a class-action lawsuit. It isn't from other players, either, but potentially from investors who felt they were misled about the game's quality prior to release.
According to VGC, multiple law firms, as well as a CD Projekt investor, are looking into a class-action suit related to potential misrepresentation by CD Projekt. The company could be accused of breaking an SEC rule that makes it unlawful to operate "as a fraud or a deceit upon any person" during security transactions.
In other words, this potential lawsuit would see investors taking aim at CD Projekt rather than the customers who bought the game. Given the massive drop in share value for the company over the last week, this isn't a huge surprise. Several of the executives and co-founders of the company have reportedly lost over $1 billion in their own stock value since the game's launch.
CD Projekt Red admitted that it hadn't given the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Cyberpunk 2077 enough development time before their December 10 release, and we saw almost nothing from these versions prior to their launch. The games run particularly poorly on those platforms, with frequent drops in frame rate and stability issues. It isn't exactly polished on PC, either, as we pointed out in our Cyberpunk 2077 review, and it remains to be seen how the full next-gen versions turn out on Xbox Series X|S and PS5.
Last week, Xbox and PlayStation both began offering full refunds for the digital versions of Cyberpunk 2077. Best Buy followed suit on the physical version, as did CD Projekt itself. For those looking to request a physical refund, you have until tomorrow, December 21. After that point, you will likely be stuck with the game until it gets an update. Full next-gen versions won't release until at least 2021.


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Bikesh Lakhmichand is doing a lot to power the ecosystem but sees a lot more that can be done.
After becoming the first Malaysian to sell his startup to a Silicon Valley company in 2011, Azrul Rahim took too long of a break and is now making up for lost time.
The humbling but enriching entrepreneurial journey of Zafrul Noordin has taught him to be patient and value teamwork.
Academi turned entrepreneur aims to be the success story to inspire future engineering students.
MDEC CEO not afraid to take risks in order to make big impact, pushes MSC Malaysia companies to be bold, go global.
Wong Whei Meng, who started his entrepreneurial journey at 17, believes passion, a good mentor and ability to execute are key to success.
Warren Tan of VLT plays his part to grow ecosystem via creating better access to people and opportunities to pollinate ideas.
Viren Doshi reminds himself every morning that CatchThatBus is working to change the face of land transportation.
Tony Fernandes reminds entrepreneurs that dreams do come true, to not worry about failure and that it’s all about passion. With passion, you will find a way to work through challenges, he says.
An introvert by nature, Tengku Syamil has had to grow as a person, as an entrepreneur in running his startup, Skolafund.


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People aren’t impressed after seeing the gift that Apple employees received for their work on the ‘revolutionary’ Vision Pro, having been given something decidedly less hi-tech.
Apple’s Vision Pro is a spatial computer that ‘seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world, while allowing users to stay present and connected to others’.
Controlled by a user’s eyes, hands and voice, it serves as an ‘infinite canvas’ for apps, without the boundaries of a traditional display.
“Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before — with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the time it was unveiled last year.
“It unlocks incredible experiences for our users and exciting new opportunities for our developers.”
No doubt those who worked on the pioneering product are full of pride after their hard work – something Apple decided to acknowledge with a gift.
Pictures of said gift started to surface on social media this week, with Apple News’ Kevin Aubin posting a snap on X, writing: “Apple employees who worked for the Vision Pro get a nice gift.”
The picture showed… well, a picture.
To be more specific, it was an outline of the new gadget, with a message underneath that read: “Thank you for helping the world say hello to Apple Vision Pro.”
While some people seemed stoked with the present, many others were left pondering the same thing.
One commented: “Is that a picture/picture frame? Wouldn’t a nice gift be … a Vision Pro?”
Someone else asked: “But not a Vision Pro?”
A third wrote: “A picture frame? Lol.”
A fourth added: “I wonder if they’d rather have the real thing.”
You see, in many industries, those who work on a product – whether it’s a physical item, video game or a movie – sometimes get a copy of what they’ve produced for free.
The only thing is, the Vision Pro is pretty expensive, with prices starting from around $3,500, and is also in very high demand.
Instead of dishing out free headsets, Apple is offering employees 25 percent off the Vision Pro if they’re keen to get their hands on one, with Bloomberg reporting staff were told about the discount in a memo.
Mind you, some staffers were just happy with their framed picture, with one happily tweeting a photo of theirs to show it off.
“I love it!” they said.
UNILAD has reached out to Apple for comment.


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The Benzinga's #Premarket Prep hosts on Tuesday morning touched on Gold future's resistance around the $1,310 level.
Joel Elconin and Dennis Dick still single out Gold's blatant support level of $1,290.
Focusing on the equity market and the continuation of the less-than-celebration-worthy retail earnings season continues, the news from Home Depot (NYSE: HD) and Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) confirms the thesis that investors are punishing the sector as a result of missing Wall Street expecations for profit.
Reviewing the charts for SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSE: XRT) and the Market Vectors S&P Retail ETF (NYSE: RTH) shows the recent correction in retail continues; heading into the summer, J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP) works to dump expensive and old inventory in an effort to restock its stores with clothing of lesser cost and higher customer desirability.
- Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) was pushing the lower $45 handle in the pre-market on news the company earned $0.50 in Q1 versus $0.52 on $1.44 billion in revenue against consensus $1.46 billon, and the issuance of a cut to its FY'14 EPS outlook.
- Elconin was avoiding the stock in the pre-market. The Tuesday morning low was $44.64, but the fade trade isn't from this level.
- Home Depot's (NYSE: HD) $75 low print in the morning offers a bounce as $74.61 is the next level below $75. There was a supportive area around $75 and the trade may be to fade the gap from here up to $76.37. After that level, #Premarket Prep's eyes are on the April 15 low print of $74.61 and arre still looking at a long way to go before filling the gap to $76.37.
- Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) will need to hold the $45.55 resistance level from Monday's close. The lower bound ranges over the past three or four low points is between $44.77 and $44.99, which if breached, will leave tradings waiting until $44.13 to find a new support region.
- Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) has given confirmation to the thesis of selling the retailers. Q1 reports shows $0.18 versus $0.21 expected and $5.65 billion in revenue against $5.62 billion expected. The equity hit a pre-market low of $11.08. Traders should watch the $12.20 level.
- Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN) hit a $34.03 pre-market low. The heavy trading around $34.50 is just above the May 7 low of $34.47. There is some head room until topping out at a resistance of $35.56.
- Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) posts Tuesday night (watch for data to update on Benzinga's Earnings Calendar here) and was trading up in the pre-market resistance $54.21. Elconin liked the setup on the chart Tuesday morning.
- TJ Maxx (NYSE: TJX) reported a miss of $0.03, showing EPS for Q1 coming in at $0.64 in the face of expectations around $0.67.
Check out the video below for a recap of this morning's #PreMarket Prep trading ideas:
- S&P 500: 715 Days Since Last 10 Percent Correction
- Housing May Hold Some Keys - Ahead of Wall Street
- #PreMarket Primer: Tuesday, May 20: Credit Suisse Pleads Guilty; Will Pay .6 Billion In Fines
© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Google Now on Tap is easily the biggest feature of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and Google is working to make the service as useful as possible. Beginning today, Google is rolling out a few new features to Now on Tap that add some functionality to the service, particularly in light of the holiday season. First off, Now on Tap can track flights and packages. If you’re looking at a screen with a flight number, you can simply bring up Now on Tap and it’ll show you the status of your flight. The same goes for tracking numbers, which will bring up the current status of your package.
Another new feature is that Now on Tap will bring up related articles. For example, if you’re reading an article about all of the rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S7, opening Now on Tap will bring up related articles.
Finally, Google Now on Tap is now available in six new languages. This means that those who speak French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian or Korean will now have the ability to utilize Now on Tap, expanding its usefulness to a broader audience. It’s good to see Google adding more functionality to Now on Tap. In its current stage, Now on Tap is interesting and has a lot of potential, but the amount of use that it receives is actually surprisingly low, since a lot of functionality isn’t there yet. As time goes on, however, we should see Now on Tap becoming even more advanced and helpful.


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Alphabet’s self-driving-car subsidiary, Waymo, has kicked off speculation about its ambitions for the Chinese market by creating a small outpost in Shanghai.
What’s it mean? If Waymo is aiming to break into China, then this would be a very preliminary step. The new office might also be something less exciting: a means of working with Chinese hardware suppliers, for instance.
Auto revolution: That said, it would make a lot of sense for Waymo to target China. It is the world’s largest auto market and a hotbed of technology and market innovation. And while Google’s plans to re-enter the Chinese market have proved controversial, the truth is that China cannot be ignored by any tech company that wants to be a global force.
Moonshot: Waymo has something of a head start in autonomous driving, but an open-source self-driving platform released last year by Chinese rival Baidu could be a threat. This platform, called Apollo, will be attractive to China’s domestic carmakers, many of which may lack the resources to develop self-driving tech from scratch.
DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.
“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.
Deepfakes of Chinese influencers are livestreaming 24/7
With just a few minutes of sample video and $1,000, brands never have to stop selling their products.
AI hype is built on high test scores. Those tests are flawed.
With hopes and fears about the technology running wild, it's time to agree on what it can and can't do.
You need to talk to your kid about AI. Here are 6 things you should say.
As children start back at school this week, it’s not just ChatGPT you need to be thinking about.
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Springfest Norwich 2018: City’s first global food and drink festival has been cancelled
- Credit: Simon Finlay Photography
In 2017 it was announced that OPEN in Norwich would be hosting a new festival inspired by Oktoberfest.
Springfest was set to be a one day extravaganza celebrating global food, drink and entertainment.
However a lack of ticket sales have prompted organisers to cancel the event.
Hayley Gerrard, Head of Marketing at OPEN, said: 'Due to the sell-out success of Oktoberfest last autumn we were encouraged to explore the opportunity of staging another international drinks and food festival - Springfest - in March.
'Unfortunately, our optimism has been unfounded and sales have not been as strong as we would have wished.'
She added: 'We'd like to thank everyone for their support of Springfest, but sadly in light of the ticket sales and with a heavy heart we have decided to cancel this event.
'All those who have booked tickets have been offered an opportunity to exchange them for Oktoberfest tickets which are proving extremely popular once again or receive a full refund.'


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And there's more supporting evidence for this. Don't expect a bigger screen on iPhone 5S, even though. We've also heard from another source that there will be. The question I wonder: is this still coming? Yes, Apple is rumored to be releasing not one but two iPhones this year. Sure, it could happen, but we hope not! However we've also that only the highest-end iPhone 2019 which we'll call the iPhone 11 Max for now will have three rear cameras, so it's possible the 'lite' and standard phones won't.
Hope to see you there. Cameras: An eye on three lenses offer solid cameras, but they're not the out there. Battery power and fast charging We haven't heard very much about how Apple plans to improve battery life in this year's iPhones. Apple competitors OnePlus, Huawei and Samsung have phones that deliver the feature, and Samsung is rumored to be bundling it into a future device of its own. It will continue to have a glass back with stainless steel edges and dual cameras on the back. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.
For something else a little bit weird, a patent filed by Apple shows , in order to 'smell' odors — including body odor. The rumor was given more credence in a , which seemed to confirm Kuo's original prediction. The usual suspects are here, too, when it comes to iPhone 11 leaks: a specs update to make the phone faster than the already-fast previous versions, and new colors to catch the eye of consumers hesitant to upgrade to the newest iPhone. From : On iPhone Xs Plus: There'll be a new high-end iPhone, internally dubbed D33, with a display that measures about 6. At this moment in time, we're seeing most of you searching for 'new iPhone', and that's a strong contender.
Kuo believes that the 6. In it, he claims Apple could be prepping two versions of the lower cost 6. All iPhone models remain available to customers through carriers and resellers in 4,300 locations across Germany. It makes sure the color temperature of the display matches the ambient color temperature. So what other new features will the iPhone 11 have, and will it still have a notch? We've highlighted a few more of the And don't just swipe away the importance of the software this year.
However, Apple's technology would make it feel more like a pencil, according to the report. Demand likely wouldn't be too high, but the extra space will be worth the higher price to power users since the iPhone doesn't have expandable storage like Android phones. Business Insider reported the rumor via Chinese tech blog Tech163. That appears not to be the case with though. The shutdowns were caused by batteries below optimal health drawing too much power.
Effectively, Apple has forced the obsolescence of iPhones by secretly diminishing their performance. Offering the capability could enhance Apple's appeal, especially at the lower price tier. The big difference on the software side will be the ability to view content side-by-side in apps like Mail and Calendar. The iPhone 5S The iPhone 4S is to the iPhone 4 as the iPhone 5S is to the iPhone 5. One very important caveat is that Office Depot and OfficeMax are not Apple Authorized Service Providers, meaning their replacement batteries are not supplied by Apple, and having an aftermarket battery installed can void your iPhone's warranty, although iFixit argues that Apple.
Speed comes at the expense of longevity, of course. Apple will use this technology in and all of their other devices according to MacDailyNews. At the time, Kuo, whose comments were reported on by , said that Apple would move away from 3D Touch in the handset. Sonny Dickson July 16, 2013 The iPhone 5S is reportedly delayed due to a manufacturing change in screen size from 4 inches to 4. It's a claim that there's now more evidence for, as another source has since said that the iPhone 11R , making it around 5.
Also: Apple is bound to adjust the prices of this model to meet the market expectation and to further expand its market share. Also keep in mind that Apple's discounted rate is available until December 31, 2018, so unless you absolutely need a battery replacement now, you may wish to consider waiting until later in the year to initiate the process. Next model of iPhone X 5. New SoC typically take advantage of better processes that let them be faster and more powerful but also more energy efficient. It's not just features that is the problem. Apple often changes iPhone storage options based on the price and volume availability of flash memory chips. It helped to have a known orientation and optimize for it.
But one possible change would be a welcome one — Kuo says the new iPhones will offer bi-directional wireless charging that lets the phone charge other devices. A bigger change could be coming in 2020. But while appear to be all the rage in 2019, Apple's plans point to a 2020 release at the earliest. Ditch the notch: Apple's notch has become iconic and has been copied many times, but it can still be distracting when you're using apps with a white background or watching movies at full screen in landscape mode. Also, a phone doesn't stop working when it quits getting updates. Doing so, the report said, might allow Apple to condense the front-facing components and ultimately reduce the size of the notch. If you have any extra iTunes gift cards laying around, this a good way to make the most of that credit.
When Apple chose not to price drop iPhone 5 and, instead, replace it with iPhone 5c, it when full-on rainbow with the color options. Prices vary outside of the United States. It seems unlikely, but there has been some talk that Apple could ultimately ditch the notch in 2019. They also snagged what looks like a marketing image. For those who have questions about the next iPhone, when it is coming and if you should wait, you've come to the right place: Here's a guide just for you. The power management changes fueled an argument that Apple intentionally slows down older iPhones at wholesale to encourage customers to upgrade to newer models. And according to industry analysts, that won't change anytime soon.


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In recent years, the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has gained significant momentum, with governments and individuals alike acknowledging the importance of transitioning towards sustainable transportation. As a result, there has been exponential growth in the development of electric vehicle charging stations, which brings forth a crucial analysis of its impact on existing gas stations and hydrogen refueling stations.
The rise in electric vehicle charging stations inevitably leads to a reduction in demand for traditional gas stations. As more and more drivers switch to EVs due to their environmental benefits and efficiency, the needs for gasoline and diesel fuel decrease. Gas stations will experience a decline in business, subsequently impacting their revenue and profitability. Institutions and stakeholders closely related to the petroleum industry must recognize this shift and plan for alternative business models.
While the demand for gasoline decreases, gas stations can adapt to the changing landscape by integrating EV charging infrastructure into their existing facilities. For gas station owners, installing electric vehicle charging stations can diversify their revenue streams and attract EV users. By offering a mix of traditional fuel and EV charging services, gas stations can position themselves as convenient hubs for all types of vehicles, catering to a broader market. Adequate planning, investment, and collaboration with electric vehicle charging service providers are vital for gas stations to navigate this transition successfully.
The development of electric vehicle charging stations also has implications for hydrogen refueling stations. Though EVs have gained significant popularity, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles still hold promise for certain applications. However, the growth of electric vehicle charging infrastructure may lead to a slowdown in the establishment of hydrogen refueling stations. This situation can be mitigated by promoting the coexistence of both technologies and encouraging investments in hydrogen fueling infrastructure alongside EV charging stations.
As the electric vehicle charging infrastructure expands, it is essential to analyze and understand its impact on existing gas stations and hydrogen refueling stations. While gas stations may face challenges due to the decreased demand for traditional fuel, there are opportunities for them to evolve by incorporating EV charging infrastructure. Moreover, the growth of electric vehicle charging stations should not hinder the development of hydrogen refueling stations, as both technologies can coexist to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable transportation network.


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From the desks of the Hotel News Now editorial staff:
- Hilton to repurchase 10 million shares from HNA
- Hilton tinkers with Tru prototype to keep costs down
- New York’s proposal for hotel training to spot human trafficking
- Global preliminary March data for London hotels
- A look at the Wyndham brand portfolio
Hilton to repurchase 10 million shares from HNA: Hilton announced it has entered into an agreement to repurchase 10 million shares from the HNA Tourism Group affiliate making a secondary offering of Hilton shares, according to SEC filings and a news release. The HNA affiliate will make a secondary offering of 63,050,000 shares of Hilton stock, and underwriters will have a 30-day option to purchase an additional 9,450,000 shares.
Hilton also has the right to increase its number of shares repurchased, up to 16.5 million shares. Pricing for the offering has not been set and is conditional on the closing of the offering; however, the closing of the offering will not be conditioned on the closing of the share repurchase, according to the news release.
Hilton tinkers with Tru prototype to keep costs down: Tru by Hilton started out with a fast-paced launch, but that hasn’t stopped the brand’s management team from tweaking the prototype to keep development costs down, Hotel News Now’s Jeff Higley reports.
Alexandra Jaritz, global head of Tru, said 16 properties are open under the brand and there are 470 deals in various stages of development.
“We are going to be opening more than 50 this year, and by 2020, we hope to have more than 300 hotels open,” she said.
The brand has brought in developers, owners, general contractors, architects and engineers to rein in the costs, she added.
“We went in and immediately started saying, ‘Where can we (value-engineer), and how quickly can we translate those savings into real time as these hotels are being built?” Jaritz said. “Since having gone through that exercise, we have gotten the numbers to where our owners are now telling us, ‘We don’t believe there is any more you can cut.’ That shows how nimble we have been.”
New York’s proposal for hotel training to spot human trafficking: Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and Sen. Jesse Hamilton are sponsoring a New York state legislative proposal that would require hotels to train staff on how to recognize signs of human trafficking, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Lawmakers could vote on the proposal as soon as 16 April once they reconvene. If passed, the training would help front-desk employees, housekeepers and other staff members look for signs that human trafficking is taking place in the hotel, such as “large numbers of people coming and going at all hours, or young female guests with no credit cards or identification,” the newspaper reports.
London reported a 1.9% increase in supply and a 0.9% increase in demand, according to STR data. Occupancy declined 0.9% to 79.8%, average daily rate decreased 1.2% to £138.55 ($196.05) and revenue per available room decreased 2.2% to £110.52 ($156.38).
A look at the Wyndham brand portfolio: Wyndham Hotel Group has acquired several brands since Wyndham Worldwide began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 2006, and the company now has 20 brands, USA Today reports.
Wyndham acquired AmericInn and its management company, Three Rivers Hospitality, in July 2017, and is currently in the process of acquiring La Quinta Holdings’ franchise and management business, which is expected to close by the second quarter of this year.
The company is also selling its Knights Inn brand to RLH Corporation for $27 million.
Compiled by Danielle Hess.


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Posted on May 08, 2012
Welcome to our first Market Update at the JMBullion.com blog. Moving forward, we will post regular updates on both gold and silver price movements as well as the future outlook for both metals. In today’s update we will discuss today’s price dips for both gold and silver, as well as take a look at the longer-term picture for both metals.
Gold has slipped from its open of $1,632 to its current price of $1,607.94, representing a dip of over $20. When you look at the longer term picture, gold is now $67 off of its April 2012 high of $1,675.
Silver has patterned gold fairly closely in 2012, and today is no exception. Silver has fallen nearly $0.50 from its opening price of $29.81 to its current price of $29.34, which also puts it $3 off of its April 2012 high of $32.38.
Despite these short term dips, the overall outlook for both gold and silver remains strong, meaning that today could turn out to be an excellent buying opportunity for physical gold and silver investors. To place an order and lock in these reduced prices, shop at JMBullion.com today.


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The generation of gaming is already switched, but Sony actually makes their old console – Playstation 3 as a gaming product that looks more attractive. How come? With an increasingly friendly price, this one black console can indeed be called mature at the end of his age. With the best exclusive games released a year before the Playstation 4 released, you can get The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls who managed to get a very positive response. Interestingly again, Playstation 3 is still making some exclusive series of Japanese developers are still worth anticipating. One of them? NBA Live Mobile.
Of all the existing JRPG game franchises, the Bandai Namco Tales series has become one of the most consistent frnaches of the new series. When the latest series – Tales of Zestiria currently being worked on, the new Western market will get the series that was released in 2012 ago – Tales of Xillia 2. Being a direct sequel to the first Tales of Xillia, Bandai Namco will also release a Collector Edition that will Loading some extra content – like figurine and CD music. One for sure, they finally set a definite release date for NBA Live Mobile coins hack .
Through an existing press release, Bandai Namco finally confirmed the date of August 19, 2014 as release date Tales of Xillia 2 English version, remain exclusive to the Playstation 3. Curious what kind of gameplay he offers in a language that you can understand? Some of these videos will be of little help.


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Posts Tagged ‘XFX HD6850’
10 CommentsPosted by Zardon on April 28, 2011 under Announcements, Graphics
AMD's new HD6790 has already proven to be a great performer for the gaming masses, delivering HD gaming capabilities without breaking the bank. Today we are looking at the new XFX HD6790 Edition w... more.
20 CommentsPosted by Zardon on December 21, 2010 under Graphics, Highlights
Without question, 2010 has been a great year for gamers. Both AMD and nVidia have released fantastic graphics cards at all price points and there really has never been a better time to upgrade you... more.
13 CommentsPosted by Zardon on October 26, 2010 under Graphics, Highlights 2
Last friday AMD released the HD6870 and HD6850 series to a warm reception. Many journalists (including myself) admired the competitive price points with class leading performance ... finally AMD h... more.
2 CommentsPosted by Carl on October 22, 2010 under Graphics
It would be hard to miss the launch today of the AMD HD6850 and HD6870. You will probably have already read our reviews of several of the partner cards. If you haven't then check out the front page of... more.
21 CommentsPosted by Zardon on October 22, 2010 under Graphics, Highlights
When nVidia released the GTX460, everyone was literally blown away - this was a mid range card that utterly dominated the market and delivered staggering levels of performance, particularly when o... more.
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- 2:48 pm Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
With Earth Day coming up Tuesday for the 44th year, it’s a good time to take small, easy steps to shrink your carbon footprint at home and put money back into your pocket year-round, says Noah Horowitz, energy efficiency expert with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Here are his tips about how to save energy in your home:
*Adjust your TV. Although today’s flat-panel televisions use far less energy than previous models, you can easily increase the savings even more. Go to your TV’s picture set-up menu and choose the “home” or “standard” screen setting – the “vivid” or “retail” settings are [More]
- 1:28 pm Monday, April 7th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
Have you ever been called a jerk? Not a nice feeling. What if someone called you a jerk on Facebook, then tried to charge you a fee to remove the info?
The operators of the website Jerk.com did exactly that to millions of people, the Federal Trade Commission said today.
The FTC charged the operators of the Jerk.com with harvesting personal information from Facebook to create profiles labeling people a “Jerk” or “not a Jerk,” then falsely claiming that consumers could revise their online profiles by paying $30.
The profiles also included millions of photos, including photos of children and photos that consumers [More]
- 12:30 pm Monday, March 17th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
St. Patricks’s Day, huh?
Americans spend an estimated $3 billion celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, but over half of those who celebrate don’t know what the holiday represents, says a study released today.
A survey conducted by vouchercloud.net of 2,311 men and women across the U.S. found that 53 percent of those surveyed failed to correctly identify what the holiday signifies.
All those taking part were asked, “Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?” to which 34 percent said ‘yes’. When asked what they did to celebrate, the most common answers were:
1) Dress up/ wear green- 53 percent
2) Go to Bar/ Night Out- 35 [More]
- 10:33 am Tuesday, March 4th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
Tax season is one of the most profitable periods for car dealers, because many consumers use their tax refund as a down payment for a new vehicle, AAA said today.
Last year, Americans received an average tax refund of $2,800, according to the IRS. During this time, auto sales rose 22 percent from February to March 2013, according to Automotive News. The same trend is expected this year.
“January and February car sales tend to dip because they are typically the worst weather months of the year and consumers are still paying off their holiday bills,” said Gerry Zeoli, manager, Auto Financial [More]
- 1:08 pm Tuesday, February 25th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
“If You Can Spare 60 Minutes A Day, We Can Offer You a Certified, Proven And Guaranteed Home Job To Make $379/Day From Home!”
Consumers who fell for that deceptive claim lost thousands of dollars each, the Federal Trade Commission says.
Work-from-home schemes sound enticing, but many are scams.
At the FTC’s request, a federal court entered a temporary restraining order earlier this month halting a deceptive work-from-home scheme that conned millions of dollars from consumers by falsely telling them they could easily earn thousands of dollars a month by purchasing bogus business coaching services and establishing their own Internet businesses.
Most of the [More]
- 1:05 pm Thursday, February 20th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
It’s time for a light bulb company that made false claims about its LED bulbs to pay up!
Lights of America, a light bulb manufacturer whose LED (light emitting diode) bulbs were sold in big box stores, including Costco, Sam’s Club and Walmart, made misleading claims about the bulbs’ light output, life expectancy and brightness, the Federal Trade Commission said Thursday.
A federal court in California has ordered the company to pay up to $21 million to consumers after the FTC sued the firm for violating federal law by making deceptive claims.
On packaging and in product brochures, the defendants initially claimed [More]
- 10:44 am Thursday, February 20th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
The Florida Supreme Court is warning consumers today about several email and scams that falsely claim that the intended victims have court cases or other legal issues pending in Florida and must pay money or hand over private information.
The court has received complaints about these scams from as far away as the United Kingdom, spokesman Craig Waters said today.
Anyone receiving a “notice” of this type should not respond until further investigation. They also should not open any links in the emails, which may contain computer viruses or stealth programs to steal personal information for possible identity theft.
Concerns about any contact [More]
- 4:47 pm Tuesday, February 11th, 2014 by Susan Salisbury
Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy division of Consumer Reports, praised Chick-fil-A Tuesday for its announcement that within five years it will no longer sell chicken that has been raised on antibiotics.
Public health experts have warned that the overuse of antibiotics by the meat industry on healthy livestock is making these medications less effective for treating disease.
Consumers Union has been working to get grocery stores – starting with Trader Joe’s – to make a commitment to stop selling meat and poultry from animals that have been routinely fed antibiotics. Over 650,000 consumers have signed petitions, postcards, and flyers [More]
- 4:36 pm Thursday, November 21st, 2013 by Susan Salisbury
During the holiday season, fraudulent “drive-by” web stores pop up on the Internet.
Anti-virus and security company Thirtyseven4 says that online shopping is at an all-time high this time of year, and it anticipates the number of fake e-commerce websites to increase by 100 percent.
The dangers often come when a user downloads and installs unwanted or malicious software simply by visiting the website or by tricking a user into a fraudulent credit card transaction for merchandise that will never be shipped.
“If a brand new brick-and-mortar store popped up out of nowhere one day and offered unbelievably good deals on Coach handbags [More]
- 1:06 pm Friday, November 15th, 2013 by Susan Salisbury
If you’re planning to venture out on Black Friday to snatch up some deals, you might want to know about a few freebies.
One of the best-known, the JC Penney snow globe, is back after disappearing in 2012.
Deal News has rounded up some free stuff, gift cards and BOGOS. Go to http://dealnews.com/features/The-Best-Black-Friday-Freebies-JCPenney-Snow-Globe-Pet-Smart-Pet-Stocking/892322.html.
Some of these offers are only rumors, and Deal News has marked them as such.
JCPenney snow globe
Freebie: No word yet on when you’ll have to show up in-store to bag one, though, so stay tuned for more details on how to get yours.
Seattle’s Best Coffee
Freebie: Whether [More]


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Updated 10/19/15. New flight-searching site Fareness.com was reborn last week with an ambitious aim: to change the way we think about booking a vacation. Rather than arriving at the Kayaks and Expedias of the world with specific dates and cities in mind—let's call it the Type A approach—Fareness wants you to sit back and think: Where should I go in December? You can put in a wide range of destinations and travel periods—say, "the beach" from November through February, or Europe in April—and instantly get back results showing the lowest fares for dozens of different gateways and trip durations. This Silicon Valley startup has essentially created Type B Travel.
For example, we did a test search for flights from New York to the beach in February, when we all hate life and want to escape the polar vortex. We plugged in a vacation range—in this case, three days, or a long weekend—and sorted by price. Voila: A grid of beautiful, palm-filled photos appeared, touting $98 fares from New York to Miami on the cheaper end, up to New York to Puerto Vallarta for $383. Clicking on a deal brings up a scrollable calendar that allows you to compare prices across dates and months. (Looks like early December is great time to go to Puerto Vallarta as well.)
Since launching in August, the site has added flight times and airlines, and an updated interactive map feature shows hotel accommodations, which can be sorted by price, location, and number of stars. The only thing you can't do yet on Fareness is actually book—after clicking on a fare, travelers are directed to CheapOair or Priceline to clinch the deal—but plans are underway to add direct booking capability within a few months, according to Fareness.com CEO Scott Wainner, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and founder of ResellerRatings.com
In an interview in August, Wainner acknowledged that he’s entering a field already crowded with dozens of players like Kayak, Google Flights, and Adioso. But he said he was motivated by years of experience with booking his own travel. “Travel is my passion,” he said, estimating that he takes 20 to 40 flights and four to five “big trips” each year—and, as a self-styled travel geek, insists on doing it himself. “So I know how difficult it is even for a savvy traveler to use these sites,” he said. “It takes me days to book even basic trips” and Fareness.com, he said, “was really born out of that frustration.”
Indeed, research shows that that the average traveler visits more than 20 sites to research and book a typical holiday trip. “If you go to any online travel agency, it’s a very narrow search; it assumes you know exactly where and when you want to go,” he said. “But how can you know if you can’t compare the vast differences in air fare between dates, trip lengths, and destinations?”
Wainner's main aim was to make searches fast and simple, he says, claiming the site gives consumers the ability to browse, simultaneously, the lowest prices for over 190 departure dates. The other goal was to eliminate clutter—the site is free of ads—and to use the space instead for appealing visuals like gorgeous photos and maps. Revenue instead will come from commissions on flight and hotel bookings.
Wainner said that while he’s been thinking of the idea for years, he and his partner, software engineer Steve Bitner, began serious work on the project about six months ago, using $250,000 of seed money from the angel investment fund that he created after selling ResellerRatings to Answers.com.
The next step, he said, will be to build awareness among vacation travelers, and to establish partnerships with suppliers. Fareness.com is currently available on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices, with a companion app soon to follow.


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Long-time partners Nvidia and TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) have proudly announced that they have now shipped their one billionth GeForce graphics processor. This milestone required 12 years to be reached and covers five DirectX generations.
"Since inventing the GPU more than a decade ago, Nvidia has driven innovation in these processors at a rate virtually unmatched in the technology industry," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and chief executive officer, Nvidia. "With our close partnership with TSMC, the complexity of these devices has increased more than 1000 times, enabling enormous progress in computers ranging from handhelds and PCs to workstations and data centers."
The GeForce family debuted with the DirectX 7-supporting, NV10-powered GeForce 256 (SDR) in August 1999 and has since found its way into homes of millions of gamers.


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WALTHAM, Mass. (CBS.MW) -- Faced with a sharp economic downturn, Terra Lycos is striving to reduce its heavy reliance on advertising by boosting revenue from subscriptions and direct marketing, the Internet firm's U.S. president said Wednesday.
"We have a diversified revenue stream," Stephen Killeen, president of Terra Lycos' U.S. operations, said in an interview with CBS.MarketWatch.com.
"We've moved away from 100 percent reliance on traditional advertising."
Killeen said Terra Lycos TRLY believes the millions of users of its Web sites are an attractive audience for direct marketing campaigns. He also said the company is eager to sell premium subscription services that could include "pay-for-view" video that would allow users to watch sporting events or concerts on the Web.
Created through the combination of Spanish Internet service provider Terra Networks and U.S. portal operator Lycos, Terra Lycos has been hard hit by the downturn in Internet advertising. The difficulties have led the Barcelona-based company to distance itself from a previously stated goal of breakeven operations, before certain expenses, by mid-2002.
Killeen said the company is "not backing away" from the break-even target, but he also said Terra Lycos couldn't reaffirm the goal because the global economic situation is "too murky."
"I don't think anybody foresaw such a rapid deterioration in the world economy," said Killeen, who became president of the U.S. division in February.
While the company has pushed to diversify beyond selling advertising space on its Web sites, Killeen said advertising will remain an important piece of Terra Lycos' business. He said the company recently redesigned its Web sites, in part, to make them more flexible in accommodating the needs of advertisers. He also said the new design better integrates the company's disparate Web sites, which range from a dating service to a stock market data provider to an e-commerce hub catering to Spanish-speakers.
The redesign for Lycos.com, which was completed earlier this month, illustrates the value of the Terra Lycos combination, Killeen said. He said the new design borrowed heavily from the structure of Terra.com and employees in the United States and in Spain worked in close collaboration on the effort.
Terra Networks completed its acquisition of Lycos in late October of 2000. When the deal was first announced in the heady days of the dot-com craze, executives had boasted that Terra Lycos would challenge Internet giant America Online, now AOL-Time Warner AOL, -1.75%.
Today, ambitions seem more modest and, perhaps, more focused.
"We're much more targeted now," Killeen said. "We're not trying to be all things to all people."
Reflecting the more sober climate for Internet businesses, Killeen said the company is working to hold down spending. Terra Lycos shed about 200 jobs, or 20 percent, of its U.S. work force of 1,000 this year. Killeen said the company still had about $2 billion in cash as of the end of the third quarter.
Terra Lycos officials had said earlier this year that the company would use some of that cash to buy up other Internet companies before the end of the year. But with 2001 nearly over, Terra Lycos has only announced one acquisition recently -- the purchase of Decompras.com, a Mexican e-commerce company. Terra Lycos didn't disclose financial terms of that deal.
Killeen said Terra Lycos considered making a number of buyouts, but, after close scrutiny of the potential targets, decided not to go forward either because the price was too high or because the company wouldn't have fit well with Terra Lycos' strategy.
"We would still do an acquisition, if it was the right company," he said.
The U.S.-listed shares of Terra Lycos closed up 16 cents to $7.51.


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Following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and, therefore, the end of free movement, there have been questions as to how and when a postgraduate visa would be available to help international students currently studying in the UK. In September 2019, the UK government announced plans for a post-study work visa for international students as part of a new points-based immigration system.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (also known as the “furlough scheme”) has been in operation since April 2020, as part of the United Kingdom government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme has enabled employers across the UK to retain their employees and protect jobs preventing unemployment and mass redundancies or reductions in force.
The United Kingdom is operating a traffic light system for foreign travel, and what passengers must do upon arrival in England depends on where they have been in the 10 days before they arrive.
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has held in Asda Stores Ltd v. Brierley and others that Asda supermarket retail employees can appoint Asda depot workers as their comparators in an equal pay claim despite their working in different ‘establishments’ of the business.
Following the Home Office’s 2020 response to the 2019 ‘Transparency in Supply Chains Consultation’, the UK government has launched an online central registry of statements published in compliance with requirements under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The aim of the registry is to make it easier for businesses and the public to find and review commercial organizations’ modern slavery statements. Reporting organizations are not yet legally obliged to upload their statements to the official registry. However, the Home Office is encouraging reporting organizations to do so voluntarily before the final amendments to the Modern Slavery Act take effect and make utilizing the government’s registry obligatory.


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Ionic left us this year, but remained in the top ten in the annual summary (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
New-old sales queen for the Israeli car market: preliminary data from the licensing office reveal that the Kia Picanto delivered approximately 12,500 units in 2022 and became the best-selling car in Israel.
This is already the third time that the Korean mini car has achieved the top step on the dedication podium, after it was already the best seller in Israel in 2013 and 2018.
The year 2022 clearly expressed in the showrooms and delivery facilities of the car importers the era of transition from gasoline and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles.
The queen of sales is a small gasoline car, one of the cheapest on the market, but electric car sales jumped 150% to more than 27,000 cars, compared to 11,000 in 2021 and 1,500 in 2020.
Sales of flagship vehicles increased by 20% to approximately 13,500.
Indeed, among the ten cars sold in Israel this year, an electric one, the Geely Geometric C, was placed among the first five for the first time, with approximately 7,000 deliveries.
This is not the first time that a streetcar has entered the opening ten, Tesla did it with the Model 3 last year, but then 6,300 passes were enough for it to place only eighth.
Geely, on the other hand, is placed fifth.
This year, the Model 3 suffered from service problems, as well as a spike in price and supply difficulties after the Corona wave shut down the factory in Shanghai for a long time - and again in recent days - which reduced the number of deliveries of the model to about 5,000.
Another Chinese electric company, BYD Auto 3, delivered close to 4,000 cars within three months.
Geely Geometry C is the best-selling electric car this year, and the first to break into the top five best-sellers overall (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
Also one plug-in model on the list: MG EHS, the big Chinese crossover, with more than 6,000 deliveries.
In fact, of the ten cars sold in Israel, only three are sold with only classic and polluting gasoline and diesel engines, Picanto, Mazda 2 and Hyundai Tucson.
And since the Plug-in is also a hybrid vehicle, 60% of the top ten are gasoline-electric cars: the Toyota Corolla in second place, the Toyota Yaris Cross in third place and the Toyota Rav4 in tenth place offer hybrid versions as well, but all three recorded a hybrid sales rate of over 95%.
The passing of the baton between Hyundai's pair of hybrid family cars, Ionique and Elantra, divided the dedication between them and prevented a family Hyundai from competing for a place on the sales podium this year.
The list also expresses the rise of Chinese women and the decline of European women.
Tucson and Yaris Cross do come to us from Europe, but from foreign factories of foreign manufacturers.
In 2022, no car from a European manufacturer was able to qualify for the list of ten best-selling in Israel, compared to two from Chinese manufacturers.
And this is just the beginning.
In February, another Chinese car that aims to be one of the best sellers in the country, Great Wall's Ora Funky Cat, will be launched, and together with BYD Auto in a full year and Geely Geometric C in a renewed model, it will compete on the podium against Toyota Corolla, which will also undergo a facelift.
Three Chinese electric cars against one Japanese hybrid, a skirmish that may end again with the victory of the gasoline Picanto.
More in Walla!
A smart test detects an increased risk of stroke - now on special sale
Served on behalf of Shachel
MG EHS is the best-selling plug-in car this year (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
and the table:
1. Kia Picanto (12,500)
2. Toyota Corolla (10,750)
3. Toyota Yaris Cross (6,500)
4. Hyundai Tucson (7,600)
5. Geely Geometry (7,000)
6. Mazda 2 (6,800)
7. MG EHS ( with 6,200)
8. Hyundai Elantra (5,750)
9. Hyundai Ioniq (5,750)
10. Toyota Rav4 (5,700)


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Xiaomi launches Redmi Note for Rs 8999, Note 4G for Rs 9999
New Delhi : And the day has come when Xiaomi launched two new smartphones to add up small liitle tech family in India. Redmi Note and Note 4G has been launched for Rs 8999 and Rs 9999 respectively. Both the version of the phones will be sold through Mi’s e-commerce partner Flipkart. Registration of the phone will begin on November 25 at 6 PM and the sale of the product will kick start from December 2, 2014.


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“On Wednesday, US Federal District Court Judge Lucy Koh ruled on two motions in the ongoing leftover matters related to the first Apple vs. Samsung patent trial from 2012,” Electronista reports.
“The first ruling denied Apple the opportunity to recover attorney’s fees from Samsung related to its guilty verdict on trade dress claims, and the second returned a $2.6 million Apple bond the company had put up to enforce a sales injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which was found to have copied Apple’s iPad technology,” Electronista reports. “Apple and Samsung recently agreed to drop all non-US patent disputes, which leaves both companies free to pursue appeals to the first and second Apple-Samsung trials.
Read more in the full article here.
“Apple’s bid to make Samsung pay US$16 million for attorney fees it racked up in the 2012 trial accusing the electronics maker of copying the iPhone’s design was shot down by Federal Judge Lucy Koh this week,” Jeff Gamet writes for The Mac Observer. “The Judge said one of the reasons Samsung doesn’t need to cover Apple’s attorney costs was because the iPhone’s design wasn’t famous before the copycat devices were made.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “Judge Koh blocks Apple attempt to recover attorney fees from Samsung.” Of course she did.
It’s okay, though: Tim Cook will finally trigger the real detonator on September 9th. Sleep tight, slavish copier.
And, BTW, there has been no product more famous than Apple’s iPhone during the run up between its unveiling in January 2007 and the absolutely crazy launch days around the world starting in June 2007 and beyond. iPhone has been the epitome of “famous” since the moment Steve Jobs unveiled it.
Apple’s products came first, then Samsung’s:
Here’s what Google’s Android looked like before and after Apple’s iPhone:
Here’s what cellphones looked like before and after Apple’s iPhone:
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Brawndo Drinker” for the heads up.]
Apple, Samsung agree to end patent suits outside U.S. – August 6, 2014
This judge really has a hate on for Apple. Is there anything that can be done about her (and Cote too)?
Anything other than following the rules of law, on Apple’s part, is a slippery slop. The judge has hung Apple out on a precipice and it will take an appeals court to over rule her…
What I mean by slippery slope, is not about moral ground, it’s about seeking justice outside the confines of the court room.
Of course we all know Samsung has followed the path of slippery slopes, so I wonder what kind of justice will be met of them in the long haul.
She’s absolutely biased against Apple, without a doubt. About half of her rulings in Apple cases simply fly in the face of all reason.
Koh’s real title is “Korean-American US Federal District Court Judge Lucy Koh”, clearly. Or what?
Lucy Koh will not even be an asterisk in history five years after she passes on, while Apple will have books written about it for many decades. It is too bad that people like her can have such adverse affects oh immediate issues. I give Apple credit for fighting the good fight. But as I have said here before, justice is at best an illusion.
This judge has no hate for Apple. What this judge has is a responsibility to the court and to the law.
Get over it.
What part of…. “Samsung was found GUILTY” of ” Willfully Infringing Apples IP” don’t you understand?
terrym10 Registered User
Thursday, August 21, 2014 – 1:07 pm · Reply (joke)
This judge has no hate for Apple. What this judge has is a responsibility to the court and to the law. Get over it.
(should have been /s)
terry, so true. Sadly she is totally ignoring and abusing her responsibility to the court and to the law. Also, she appears to be a total techno lacking person. You know, the ones that are sure we have anti-gravity and engines that can get 150 miles to the gallon, if only the evil government would let us buy them…. Yep. totally. /s
PS, look at her comment that Apple was not famous before people started blatantly copying them…… So Samsung copies the failures and non popular phones??? Yeah, no intelligence on her part, just a bitchy attitude to get back.
Just a thought.
Ol Lucy has basically given Samsung the world’s most expensive BJ..
The riposte to your comment is spherical and in the plural!
The facts contradict your statement.
One begins to think that Judge Koh has very dear relatives locked up in the Home Land waiting for a zero dollar Samsung penalty so they can get out and enjoy the rest of their lives.
No wonder Apple gave up its disputes with SameSung. Better to invest the money spent on attorneys on more advanced production machinery giving APPLE a real edge over the wannabes
I bet if someone checked her off shore account you’d see a fist full of deposits from SamsungI don’t think has anything to do with whats right. Its whats right for her pocketbook
No surprise here.
Money buys rulings from judges. It always has and it always will. Samdung has probably made her a very very rich woman.
It’s like Judge Koh is enforcing some sort of prenuptial agreement against Apple by not allowing them to recover attorneys fees and costs.
She might have some family or grandparents still in South Korea. Samsung could have offered them some financial benefits if Judge Koh gives Apple an unfavorable outcome. Samsung is already very influential in South Korea. Then again, she could just be an Apple hater.
“iPhone’s design wasn’t famous before the copycat devices were made”
How it is possible that a Judge does not know how to read or have no contact with the outside world and even that they let her rule?
The iPhone design was famous even after it was on sell.
@troy, you’re falling into Koh’s trap: the real question is exactly what chapter & verse within the IP laws specifically required said IP to be _famous_ as an additional condition?
Willful infringement is exactly that, and the expectation is that the damaged party will be made whole. Traditionally that is intepreted to mean that they’re compensated for their expense of litigation against the infringer.
Anything less is simply begging for a phyrric victory.
You’re right. Thanks.
She is a nutcase …. iPhone was not famous.. ..???
iPhone was an instant revolution .. Shook up the whole industry overnight!
What rock was she sleeping under?
To simplify what I wrote above,
Koh has “Moved the Goal Posts”.
just another Obama Injustice Department payee-off.
Now Samsung needs to pay Apple the 900 million dollars it is legally required to do by court order after being found guilty in multiple cases in multiple courts. PAY UP Samsung!
This judge is clearly prejudicial in this case against Apple & should have been challenged in court & removed from this case as well as disbarred from the legal profession. shameful.
The Judge said one of the reasons Samsung doesn’t need to cover Apple’s attorney costs was because the iPhone’s design wasn’t famous before the copycat devices were made.
Anagram! Can you guess the hidden word?
T C H I B


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TILTON — The south Stock+Field store is expected to reopen next week, but the Danville location will not be reopening after all.
R.P. Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of R.P. Lumber Co., Inc., previously announced its pending acquisition of the assets of the Stock+Field family of stores and plans to begin operations under new management April 1, 2021.
Officials said 22 of the 25 stores in the acquisition are reopening. The Danville site is now one that will not.
The stores will continue to operate in the farm and ranch space, providing the same products and services they have been providing communities for many years.
The focus has been on trying to keep Stock+Field stores open and serving the many communities they have served for years and, in some instances, decades, said Robert L. Plummer, chairman of R.P. Acquisition Corp., through a press release.
“The Stock+Field teams at each store are personally connected to their customers and their communities, and we see tremendous value in maintaining and strengthening those bonds. Many great R.P. Lumber team members have worked and continue working hard every day to build a strong reputation in the communities where we operate. We intend to bring the same culture and community mindset to Stock+Field,” Plummer added.
Stock+Field will be changing its name. The new ownership group – the R.P. Acquisition Corp. – is planning for the future of the brand and wants to hear from each community they will serve. They have invited the public to submit suggestions for a timeless new store name via www.StockAndField.com/ItsYourStore through June 18 with the intention of announcing the new name the first week of July.
The R.P. Acquisition Corp. – a wholly owned subsidiary of R.P. Lumber Co., Inc – purchased the Stock+Field assets out of bankruptcy court in April and is in the process of reopening 22 locations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.
“We will continue to offer the brands that farm families and outdoor recreational enthusiasts find essential,” said Jason Plummer, vice president of the R.P. Acquisition Corp. “We also want to involve our customers in the process of defining our new identity. Their voices are important, and we want them to know we are listening.”


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Remember. … 2,997 flags in Malibu, Calif., to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attacks on this day in 2001.CreditCreditFrederic J. Brown/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Check out the Nike ad on Caster Semenya. Yes, it’s touching, but were those really Semenya’s touching words or that of a copy writer? But more to the point, how do the other 800m runners (many being Nike sponsored) feel about it?
Walking Might Be the Best Exercise There Is. If so, gardening might be second best. …Now harvesting grapes, corn, pears, apples, plums, tomatoes…
Consider The Other Path
“It has long been our desire to see cross country running back in the Olympic Games,” said IAAF President Sebastian Coe. More.


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SanDisk, in collaboration with Toshiba, at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference announced its latest memory technology that combines X3 and 32 nanometer manufacturing processes. The multi-level cell NAND flash is designed to offer 32Gb capacity with three bits of memory per cell, all in a package small enough to fit the microSD memory card format.
THQ Wireless has released SpongeBob Atlantis Treasures, an application for the iPhone and iPod touch that features characters from the Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants. Atlantis Treasures takes place in five different rooms in the Atlantean fortress. Users must solve puzzle challenges by matching up falling objects, eventually discovering the hidden treasure. To match the objects, the 3D game board can be spun with a finger swipe.
TeamViewer GmbH has announced the availability of TeamViewer 4, its browser-based sharing application. The program can be used to transfer files, train employees, collaborate with team members or view presentations, with support for up to ten people. Users can access a partner list to store information, view the online status of each member, or enter an unlimited amount of users into the account. All users have the ability to connect with any other online partner.
Luxology is now previewing modo 401, the next major revision of its 3D software, at the SolidWorks World 2009 show in Orlando, FL (booth #1207). Along with the announced SolidWorks importer, initially a Windows-only feature, the software will also feature updated capabilities for modeling fur, volumetric lighting and replication. Fur technology allows users to build hair or fur from fiber models that can also be built as grass, roots or tinsel. Controls are provided for the texture, displacement and various attributes of the fibers.
People aware of the situation have told the New York Times that satellite radio provider Sirius XM is readying itself for the possibility it may declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Although still solvent, the company is believed talking with experts in bankruptcy cases and restructuring and has made enough progress in the necessary documents that it could make its declaration "within days." No official signals have been given regarding a potential collapse.
Apple's App Store offerings this week exceeded the 20,000 mark, as the number of daily releases seems to follow an exponential curve, according to tracking statistics charted by Apptism. The company reached 15,000 titles less than a month ago, up from the announcement of 10,000 apps on December 5th. In comparison, the App Store only contained a few hundred apps when it was opened for business seven months ago.
Barclays' analyst Ben Reitzes has suggested that Apple can rely on the success of the App Store to add "stickiness" to the iPhone and iPod touch. He uses the term in reference to the lock-in effect that is likely to prevent the majority of current owners from switching to products offered by competitors, a concept he believes is a "key differentiating factor."
Vertus has released a new photo-taking and photo-editing application, Play With Pictures. Designed to help provide a simple way to create custom photos, the program lets users cut out an unlimited number of people or objects from various pictures and combine them into a preferred background. Once users have placed their desired pictures in the background, an automatic blend tool is used to help smooth out any hard edges and makes the picture fit more realistically with the background.
ASUS has announced the N81Vg notebook, featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce GT 120M GPU. The device offers a 14-inch LED-backlit display that supports 1080p video playback. Customers can choose from a variety of Intel Core 2 Duo processors, while available hard drive capacities range from 160GB to 500GB. Two DDR2 SO-DIMM slots allow RAM expansion up to 4GB. The DVD Super Multi drive can also be used to play Blu-ray discs.
The hot-selling Nokia 5800 XpressMusic that sold more than one million examples in the UK in about two months will be coming soon to North America, according to a slip by a reseller. The full touchscreen handset will reportedly be available on February 26th in the US in a version with 3G using HSPA on supporting North American networks. The phone will tentatively cost $399 as an unlocked, unsubsidized device rather than receive a discount through a tie-in with AT&T.
A new cell phone from Sony Ericsson has been uncovered at the same time as the company's pre-MWC launches. The C901 has a 5-megapixel camera like the C903 and likewise sports 3G data network support and quad-band GSM for voice. The camera's functions are similarly high-end and involve an LED flash, autofocus, face and smile detection and geotagging using built-in GPS.
Earlier reports that forecast paid applications will become available in the first quarter of the year at to the Android Market have held true, as a Monday report from the Wall Street Journal says developers will be able to charge for their software very shortly. While the report focuses on Microsoft's strategy, it mentions the paid applications are coming later this week, citing unnamed sources close to the Android Market. The application store is hosted and operated by Google, having been launched at the end of October.
Sony is about to release its latest geotagging accessory for its Cyber-shot line of digital still and video cameras, the GPS-CS3KA. The device is available for pre-order via Amazon and is the long-awaited successor to the Sony CS1, itself released in 2006. The device can add the location of photos and videos captured by users' cameras as well as their date. It is powered by a single AA battery rated at 15 hours of life and can accept both MS and SD memory cards.
A new, previously unseen handset, the Samsung Instinct Mini, is coming to wireless provider Sprint, BGR says in a new leak. Little is known about the new phone, other than that it will be sold alongside current Instinct models and will be available in two colors: copper or graphite. The phone will only support EVDO Rev 0 data networks, however, and is due for a release at the carrier on April 19th. More information about the new phone is expected soon, and may surface as early as next week at Mobile World Congress in Spain.
Psyclops has launched an iPhone app based on its website and iPod cases, Psyclops Dance Mixer. The program lets users create their own music video using a selection of characters, beats and animated movies. In order to create a video, users simply pick a character, combine a variety of instruments in a 30-second four-track mix, and choose from a list of dance moves.
An Amazon spokesperson said the Kindle 2 e-book reader officially announced just yesterday will be launched in countries outside of the US, says a Tuesday Reg Hardware report. While there is "ambition" for an international introduction, no specific dates for the widespread launch were mentioned. The original and popular Kindle was only sold in the US via Amazon.
Currently Apple's online store is offering six refurbished Mac models for $1,399 or less. Three MacBook Airs with different configurations to chose from lead the list. The first of the three is only $999 and has a 1.6GHz processor with 2GB of memory and 80GB PATA hard drive. Next up is the 1.8GHz model with the same storage and memory options as the first, priced at $1,099.
Accessory maker Mophie has announced the Juice Pack air, a revised version of its earlier battery pack for the iPhone 3G. Both Juice Packs latch onto the back of an iPhone, supplying extra power without dangling any cords or protrusions off of the dock connector. The batteries extend operational time by several hours, eliminating the need to recharge as frequently or avoid using functions to conserve energy.
Today's deals at DealNN include a variety of deals on electronics from iPods to external hard drives. Most notable today is the Western Digital My Passport Studio external hard drive. This hard drive is pre-formatted for Mac users and offers FireWire, and USB interface options. It is currently priced at $99.99, which is a price reduction of $55 off the original price of $154.99, and includes FREE shipping after mail in rebate from MacMall.
LG's KM900 Arena should beat out the Palm Pre to be one of the first non-Apple phones to support multi-touch input, LG Korea's press site shows. The interface, known as S-Class, will let users pinch to zoom in the web browser and while viewing photos. While its main home screen has a conspicuously iPhone-influenced design, the 3D aspect divides the front end into core phone tasks, apps, media playback and a section for widget apps like clocks and calculators.
MonkeyBread has launched v9.1 of the MBS plug-ins for REALbasic, said to add over 50 new capabilities and bug fixes. Changes include fixes for REALbasic 5 compatibility issues, a UniMotionMBS module to detect the movements of a Mac, an updated dynaPDF version, and more scripting functions. The plug-ins extend the REALbasic development environment with some 1,500 classes and over 28,000 functions.
Nisus has released an update to Writer Express, its stripped-down companion to the Writer Pro word processing app. The v3.2 release introduces several new features, most notably customizable document properties, which allow users to to assign attributes like authorship, company and copyright. The software has also been expanded with per-language control over smart quotes, and extra backup options.
Intel at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference today provided some of the first concrete details of Westmere, the codename for its 32 nanometer processor family. The design is primarily a smaller, more efficient adaptation of the Nehalem architecture in the Core i7 but, in the dual-core desktop (Clarkdale) and notebook (Arrandale) offerings, will include both a two-channel DDR3 memory interface and an integrated but switchable graphics core. Like NVIDIA's Hybrid SLI mode or AMD's Hybrid CrossFire, the technology will let systems with dedicated graphics chipsets revert to Intel's own core in low-demand situations or when on battery.
MachineWorks Northwest has developed an iPhone version of the Human Head game Prey, according to IGN. Published by Hands-On Mobile and based off of the Xbox 360 version, Prey is a first-person shooter that follows Tommy, a Cherokee who must rescue Earth and his girlfriend after an alien invasion. The iPhone game starts with Tommy crash-landing in a canyon covered in ancient writings. Equipped with only a wrench by default, Tommy must kill the aliens around him to secure better weapons.
Sony Ericsson as part of its launches on Tuesday unwrapped the AB900 Bluetooth speakerphone. The device serves as a typical speakerphone for the desk or car but can pick up stereo Bluetooth audio and pipe it through FM radio to send it through the car's speakers. Incoming calls work on the more ubiquitous hands-free Bluetooth standard and switches both to and from music on the fly.
Google today said it's making efforts to bring more information about home energy use to homeowners, in an effort to save energy and therefore help reduce pollution as well as slow the waste of natural resources. The company is developing a PowerMeter program in conjunction with the US government and public works companies who supply energy to homes. The software would let users view their exact power consumption in real time by teaming smart meters with software to automatically relay how much power is being drawn by a given device at any one time or over a certain period.
OEMs should not expect price drops on Intel notebook hardware until at least June, according to industry sources. Cuts had been rumored after a drop in the company's net income for the fourth quarter, as a means of boosting sales. Simultaneously, however, it was worried that a reduction would cause significant damage to notebook builders, who in some cases may be carrying large inventories of full-priced components.
EasyiShop is taking pre-orders for Griffin's new version of the iTrip FM transmitter, now designed to fit the iPod nano 4G. The device allows iPods to stream audio to a nearby FM receiver; users simply plug an iTrip into an iPod, and tune to the nearest radio. A distinguishing feature is SmartScan, which hunts automatically for the cleanest frequencies. LX and DX modes can be used for further quality adjustments.
After teasing the device at CES, Dell today launched its Wasabi PZ310 printer. The handheld, 7-ounce design is a companion to digital cameras that support PictBridge over USB as well as most Bluetooth-equipped devices, letting users print away from home. Dell uses a relatively new ZINK (zero-ink) technology borrowed from Polaroid that relies on a layer in the paper itself to print an image without having to use either an inkjet tank or a laser toner cartridge.
CLC bio has released a new set of tools for high-performance computing-based analysis of next-generation sequencing data, CLC Science Server and CLC Genomics Server. The software is geared for enterprise use and offers three-tiered functionality including Workbench clients for individual users, a database and a server for completing complex calculations and integrating third-party tools.
A cheaper iPhone will debut sometime this summer, according to RBC analyst Mark Abramsky. Citing checks, Abramsky says the device will not be a rumored iPhone nano, but instead a pared-down regular iPhone. The model could omit 3G and GPS functions, reduce camera resolution, and impose a cap on data usage; the tradeoff, however, would be a $99 entry price, attached to a lower-cost data plan, worth approximately $15 per month.
First appearing late last year, the Nokia E63 is now available for purchase in the US, the handset maker announced on Tuesday. Marketed as a less costly option to the company's E71 smartphone, the E63 has support for North American 3G data networks using HSPA and includes a Wi-Fi module for even faster access. The QWERTY device has a full HTML web browser and can access multiple e-mail accounts with Mail for Exchange support.
Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 could ship as soon as the end of this month, a conversation with a Dell online sales rep may show. UK blogger Paul Synnott has posted a chat log which suggests Dell agents have been told the Mini 10 will be available on the 27th, or the last Friday of the month. Publicly, the company has remained uncharacteristically vague on the release date for the 10-inch netbook and has provided only a small degree of information at a CES press event in January.
Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini on Tuesday announced the chipmaker will make its biggest ever investment for a manufacturing process for its 32 nanometer chips. The plan is to spend $7 billion on retrofitting existing production plants to build the new chips in the US over the next two years. The manufacturing plants due for the upgrade are based in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico and will create about 7,000 jobs across the three states.
Apple is mostly recession-proofed, claims Kaufman Brothers' Shaw Wu. The analyst agrees with recent views that Apple may not be as dependent on Steve Jobs as has sometimes been thought, and that the company's real threat at present is simply the global recession. Even then, the company should be mostly immune to any serious impact, says Wu.
Sony Ericsson's pre-MWC efforts have begun with the launch of two sliders in its Cyber-shot and Walkman lines. Topping the list, the C903 steps up the quality of the company's mid-range cameraphones with a 5-megapixel sensor, flash and a sliding lens cover like on some of Sony's dedicated still cameras. It also includes face and smile detection, TV output and built-in GPS that can geotag shots in addition to locating the owner's position.
Along with Toshiba, SanDisk at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference today announced plans to ship an ultra-dense form of NAND flash memory that promises a breakthrough in storage. Called X4, the technology uses a special memory controller that maintains data traffic speed while still fitting four bits of data per cell. The approach lets SanDisk and Toshiba place 8GB of memory on a single chip, twice as much as before, and while still maintaining a transfer speed of 7.8MB per second.
An iPhone version of The Oregon Trail is in development, says IGN. No information on pricing, release dates or even many specific features is available, but the title is being developed by Gameloft, and represents a significant cosmetic upgrade over the famous Apple II version of the game. Players assume the role of a family traveling across the US by wagon, and learn about some of the basic realities of 19th century life.
Preparing itself in the run-up to next week's Mobile World Congress, Nokia today launched the 5630 XpressMusic. The new mid-range phone in the company's media-focused lineup centers around a rare voice recognition system that will play artists, songs and other music content just through speaking its name. Its visual interface also borrows from the N97's social component by including a new Contacts Bar on the home screen that provides quick access to the recent calls, messages and photos from as many as 20 favorites.
(Updated with pricing) Dell as promised has launched the Latitude XT2 as the second-generation of its convertible tablet PC. The new version comes with multi-touch support out of the box and uses pinches, swipes and other gestures to zoom and scroll through apps that support the features, such as web browsers and photo viewers. It also continues to carry a second digitizer and will work with a bundled stylus for more precise control or for drawing.
Google may have consciously stripped multi-touch input from its Android mobile operating system solely to avoid a conflict with Apple over patents, a member of the Android development team claims. The iPhone maker reportedly asked Google not to use multi-finger input and, according to the source for VentureBeat, was granted its wish. The exact reason isn't known, though Apple has both the incentive of an early competitive advantage as well as patents that might have forced it either to negotiate a patent license or else challenge one of its closest partners in court.
Now AAPL Stock: 97.25 ( + 0.82 )
Ultimate Ears debuts UE Roll 2 speaker
On Tuesday, audio accessory maker Ultimate Ears unveiled a new version of the UE Roll Bluetooth speaker. The new UE Roll 2, which sells for $100, looks identical to the previous version, but gets about 15 percent louder. In addition, the unit now supports a Bluetooth source signal up to 100 feet away, an improvement on the original's 65-foot limit. While both the old and new versions of the UE Roll offer an IPX7 waterproof rating, the company now includes a blow-up "floaty" with the speaker to avoid the risk of prolonged exposure. The new unit will begin general shipping next month. http://bit.ly/1TJWE0Z
Philips launches Hue White Ambiance bulbs
Philips latest HomeKit-compatible Hue light bulbs have hit the market. The new Hue White Ambiance bulbs are designed to allow users to control their color temperature to enhance either focus, or create a more relaxing tone. Combined with the latest update to the Philips Hue app, the new bulbs can be set according to user "routines." The "wake-up" mode gently turns up the brightness of the bulb, while conversely, the "go to sleep" mode gradually reduces the color temperature and brightness. The Philips Hue White Ambiance starter kit retails for $130, while single bulbs sell for $30. http://bit.ly/1TJT3Qn
Pluggable Technologies three-display USB-C dock
Peripheral company Plugable Technologies today launched the industry's first wave of USB-C docking stations with both Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode support. The Plugable UD-CA1 Docking Station integrates support for both of these new capabilities, along with the full set of standard USB docking features like wired network, audio, and extra USB ports. Model UD-ULTCDL builds on this, adding support for three total displays using DisplayLink USB virtual graphics technology. The UD-CA1 retails for $129, with the UD-ULTCDL selling for $179, and available soon. http://bit.ly/1TrVVTJ
Spotify deploys new $15 family plan
Spotify has today launched a new family program. Up to six family members can have individual accounts for $15 per month for the group. All current "Premium for Family" members will be migrated to the new program. The new plan is available today globally, minus Canada. http://spoti.fi/1OSJrCK
Speck CandyShell Clear with Glitter case
Speck today announced CandyShell Clear with Glitter. Thousands of tiny pieces of glitter are embedded within the case, with what the company calls "military-grade drop protection in a slim profile." CandyShell Clear with Glitter is available now on Speck's website for $40 and up. http://bit.ly/1OSHIgM
Three UK nudges MMS users toward apps
British carrier Three has suggested its users take advantage of messaging apps, as part of an announcement regarding multimedia messaging (MMS) price rises. While the price of a message will increase on June 13 from 17.4p ($0.25) to 40p ($0.58) per MMS, Three notes that customers can avoid the hefty fees by using Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other services. http://bit.ly/1Rk0TKM
Belight Soft launches Art Text 3
Belight Soft has launched the latest version of its graphic design software, Art Text 3. The new version sticks with the goals of the previous iterations in developing a creative art text tool that is easy to use for beginners, but produces powerful results that will also appeal to pros. Among its key features are over 70 customizable templates to assist with logo design, word art, web elements and picture captions. Users can customize 3D materials using over 200 textures, over 140 bump map surfaces and over 80 environment map textures. Users of either of the two previous versions can upgrade to the new version for $30, a $20 savings. New users can also enjoy the $30 price as an introductory offer through the Mac App Store until May 31. http://bit.ly/1U6jFqu