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White Star Capital has raised a $180m investment fund.
The VC firm will seek to back around 20 new companies, seeking to provide an initial investment of up to $6m.
White Star Capital has so far invested in 26 businesses over the past four years. UK investments include Butternut Box and Echo, the digital healthcare startup.
White Star Capital was founded by Eric Martineau-Fortin, a technology M&A banker; Jean-Francois Marcoux, the former co-founder of mobile game publisher Ludia; and Christian Hernandez Gallardo, a former Facebook executive.
Notable backers include institutional investors such as Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, the Business Development Bank of Canada, Korea Venture Investment Corporation, Investissement Quebec and ARKEA Group.
Martineau-Fortin, co-founder and managing partner, commented on the news: “We have purposely sought a diverse and global investor base for our second fund, many of whom are repeat investors from fund one, and we would like to thank them for their continued support.
“Our growing team has extensive operational experience and we are passionate about supporting ambitious entrepreneurs with truly global ambitions. Internationalisation represents a huge opportunity for many high-growth companies and our global reach means we can support companies looking to scale outside of their home market. We become active partners to all the entrepreneurs we work with and the new fund will enable us to help even more companies realise their potential.”
Based out of London, New York, Montreal, Paris and Tokyo, White Star Capital seeks to participate in rounds from Series A onwards .


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Proposals made by the Office of Fair Trading on a revised pricing system for branded, prescription medicines sold to the NHS will be considered by the industry, said the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) – but it strongly refuted suggestions that the NHS is paying too much for its drugs.
The pharmaceutical industry supports the desire of the NHS to deliver value for money, and is willing to discuss with Government how the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) should evolve while avoiding delays to patients’ access to new, innovative medicines.
However, medicines in the UK represent excellent value for money, and prices are on a par – or lower – than those of comparator European countries. The current system that controls medicines prices in the UK, the PPRS, has produced £1.2 billion savings for the NHS, according to the National Audit Office.
Other key points include:
“These facts clearly demonstrate that the UK gets its life-improving and –saving medicines at a fair and reasonable price, and that the broad assertions that the OFT has made in launching its study are wrong,” said Dr Richard Barker, Director General of the ABPI.
“However, the pharmaceutical industry wholeheartedly supports the desire of the NHS to deliver value for money, and we are ready to sit down with the Government to discuss ways in which this might be better achieved.”
The ABPI noted that the OFT is proposing that any changes are made to the PPRS at the time of its renegotiation in 2010, when the current five-year agreement expires.
Nevertheless, the ABPI warned that a system of product-by-product price setting of new medicines when they are launched, such as that favoured by the OFT, has resulted in significant delays for patients waiting for innovative treatments in some other countries.
Likewise, OFT proposals that appear to link branded and generic (off-patent) prices in a form of “reference pricing” have failed to work in other countries and result in not only disincentives to improve therapy but also to reduce competition in generics.
It is also essential that the UK-based industry’s world-leading record of discovering new medicines – some 20 per cent of the world’s top medicines were developed in the country – is not put at risk. The current PPRS has brought a stability that is essential to an industry that operates in the long-term, and it is vital that this is maintained. The industry generates a conservative £7.5 billion a year to the country’s economy a larger number than the cost of its medicines to the NHS.
“It is important that any new system does not delay patients’ access to new medicines and that it should not lead to major increases in costly bureaucracy and red tape,” said Dr Barker. “The current system has delivered major benefits to patients, the NHS and the UK as a whole and we expect Government to consider very carefully proposals to make wholesale changes to it so that those advantages are not put at risk.”
For further information, please contact: ABPI Press Office +44 (0)207 747 1410

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One of the world’s most popular and recognizable characters is returning to the Baybrook Mall right here in Friendswood. That’s right: the Hello Kitty Café Truck will be back in Houston to serve Instagram-worthy treats and delights for Hello Kitty fans of all ages.
The Hello Kitty Café Truck will be at Baybrook Mall on Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Get there early and grab a giant Hello Kitty-shaped cookie before they sell out, and be sure to share a few pics on social media before biting the adorable cat’s head in half in one satisfying crunch. There’s no better way to start some weekend fun in Houston than with a dose of sugar, spice, and everything nice.
The Hello Kitty Café Truck serves up an adorable selection of quirky baked goods that taste as good as they look. Some of the most popular items include massive Hello Kitty-shaped cookies, boxes of petit fours, macarons, and more. In addition to these cute, sweet treats, the truck also sells exclusive and limited-edition Hello Kitty collectibles including sequin headbands, t-shirts, key chains, Japanese-style thermal water bottles, and more.
The truck debuted in 2014 and has since been touring the nation to delight Hello Kitty and Sanrio fans with their adorable confections. So far, the truck’s cross-country tour has seen it stop in over 80 cities, including Houston.
The Hello Kitty Café Truck will be serving up cookies and collectibles at Baybrook Mall on Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. near Charming Charlies. The Baybrook Mall is located at 500 Baybrook Mall, Friendswood, Texas 77546. For more information visit the event’s official Facebook page.


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Broadridge and Pitney Bowes Launch New Interactive Technology Platform, Inlet™, To Drive Paperless Adoption
Inlet™ offers secure, customizable approach for businesses to distribute statements, bills and other documents to consumer-selected channels
NEW YORK, June 09, 2014 - Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) and Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI) today announced the formation of a joint venture and launch of a technology platform named Inlet™ that will make it easier for companies to distribute statements, bills and other documents to consumers via participating online channels. Inlet will enable companies to provide millions of consumers access to their most important documents from hundreds of providers in just a few clicks.
Broadridge Financial Solutions and Pitney Bowes also announced that iPay Solutions™ from ProfitStars, a division of Jack Henry & Associates, Inc., will be rolling out the Inlet platform to their financial institution clients starting in 2015.
For businesses, Inlet facilitates the distribution of documents to consumer-selected channels such as cloud storage and online banking sites, while also providing companies with the ability to maintain brand control and customize the document presentment experience. Additionally, they will have access to bank-level safety and security, rich analytics and a data exchange that can further optimize customer engagement. Inlet also offers the benefit of a streamlined implementation where companies only need to integrate with Inlet once to experience the advantage of reaching multiple destinations and millions of U.S. consumers.
For consumers, the Inlet platform works behind the scenes, connecting them to the online channels they already frequent and trust; easing the stress of managing a multitude of documents in today’s fragmented online experience. Inlet helps companies provide greater choice and efficiency to their consumers. For example, via Inlet, companies will give their customers the comfort of knowing that their key documents will be securely archived and easily accessible for up to seven years.
“With Inlet, companies will see an increase in paperless adoption, greater brand loyalty, lowered servicing and delivery costs, and clear insights into consumer behaviors and trends,” said Chuck Cordray, CEO of Inlet, LLC. “Inlet changes the way companies and consumers connect online by providing both businesses and consumers with a more effective and efficient way to communicate.”
iPay Solutions will execute a gradual roll-out of Inlet technology to the more than 4,000 financial institutions to which it provides bill payment services. Consumers will have the option to view full invoices from more than 170 billers initially, and there are plans to expand that number rapidly after the initial roll-out. The Inlet technology will allow consumers to not only receive the full invoices, but also view marketing materials that would have otherwise been sent via mail.
As part of the first phase of this launch, the Inlet platform will have content flowing from the following sources:
- FileThis™, a secure online service that fetches important documents, including bills and bank statements, from hundreds of the largest companies in the country. Through Inlet’s relationship with FileThis, the content will feed directly into the Inlet platform where it will be delivered to consumers via channels such as iPay.
- Pitney Bowes’ Mailstream on Demand solution gives small-to-medium sized billers a variety of delivery options, which in the future will include Inlet for digital delivery of their transactional documents. In addition to the FileThis content, approximately 3.8 million documents a year from Mailstream on Demand could flow into the Inlet technology platform.
- Broadridge will deliver investment industry content through its relationships with thousands of financial services companies, including banks, broker-dealers, mutual funds, as well as corporate issuers. Content will include monthly statements, trade confirmations, tax documents and regulatory disclosures.
The Inlet technology platform will be delivered through Amazon Web Services, a secure, cloud-based infrastructure. For identity verification, Inlet is working with ID DataWeb, whose technology is designed to enable the guiding principles laid out in the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC).
“With Inlet, we are bringing together leaders from a host of different industries to form an alliance and create innovative solutions to facilitate digital communications now and in the future,” said Doug DeSchutter, President, U.S. Regulatory and Digital Communications, Broadridge.
“Our goal is to serve our clients’ communications needs and to provide solutions for industry problems,” said Christoph Stehmann, President of Ecommerce and Shipping Solutions, Pitney Bowes. “Until today, the multi-channel communications delivery world lacked digital document delivery eco-systems that could provide a secure, streamlined, interactive and data-rich experience that benefits companies and consumers alike.”
As a joint venture, Inlet incorporates the industry and information security expertise of two trusted organizations - Broadridge Financial Solutions and Pitney Bowes. Each parent company holds 50% ownership. For more information about Inlet, visit: www.InletDigital.com.
The Inlet technology platform is designed to enable rich company and consumer relationships. Developed by Pitney Bowes and Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., Inlet allows consumers to access important documents through the online channels they already use, and offers companies a secure, customizable space to provide these documents and build relationships with customers on a daily basis. www.InletDigital.com.
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is the leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds and corporate issuers globally. Broadridge’s investor communications, securities processing and business process outsourcing solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridge’s infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America, and processes more than $5 trillion in fixed income and equity trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 6,400 full-time associates in 13 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.
About Pitney Bowes
Pitney Bowes provides technology solutions for small, mid-size and large firms that help them connect with customers to build loyalty and grow revenue. Many of the company’s solutions are delivered on open platforms to best organize, analyze and apply both public and proprietary data to two-way customer communications. Pitney Bowes includes direct mail, transactional mail and call center communications in its solution mix along with digital channel messaging for the Web, email and mobile applications. Pitney Bowes: Every connection is a new opportunity™. www.pb.com.


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The central government’s big bang move on structural reforms announcing a spectrum of tax cuts in September this year has changed the narrative of the country and more so has converted the slowdown sentiment to a positive one. The advertising industry tends to be highly sentiment-driven and is estimated to see an additional Rs 5,000 crores in the advertising market between October and March of this financial year. The corporate tax cut to 22% from 30% and that of new manufacturing companies from 25% to 15% will lead to an increase of Profit After Tax (PAT) for companies, which can further be allocated towards advertising and marketing. Illustrating how the tax cut will impact companies and the industry at large, Lara Balsara Vajifdar – Executive Director, Madison World, says, “The corporate tax relief is supposed to cost the Government Rs 1,45,000 crore. This means PAT of India Inc. will go up by this amount. There will be several demands on this additional money. These are:
• Demand from shareholders for more dividend
• Demand from consumers to lower prices, which will also make the brand more competitive
• Demands for additional investment in capacity expansion, modernisation etc.
• Demand from marketing to increase advertising allocation
Whilst different companies, depending on their category will utilise the additional money differently, it will be fair to assume that consumer companies that use advertising to build their brands and competitiveness in the marketplace will use some of this money towards advertising. A realistic estimate would be that about 5,000 crores extra will come into the advertising market between October and March of this financial year. This will go a long way in meeting the shortfall in spends in the first months.”
BRINGING RELIEF IN TOUGH TIMES
This announcement has come on the back of three tough quarters, which were pulling the economy and company balance sheets towards red. McKinsey & Company, the American worldwide management consulting firm, in its recent article on ‘Resilience in TMT: Winning in downturns’ highlights, “Economic downturns hold substantial
opportunities for companies in the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) sector. By starting now to build an action plan and execute no-regret moves, companies can put themselves on a path to emerge resilient through the next slowdown.” The article further through McKinsey Research points how you manage through a slowdown largely determines how you come out the other side, not just in immediate recovery but for several years after. The key strategic actions pointed out by the article are increasing the productivity and amount of their sales and marketing investments, continuing to invest in their core product engine, creating capacity by reducing leverage going into the slowdown and remaining active in M&A and divestments.
The move has come on the back of a difficult quarter, when organisations across the spectrum are seeing a slump and are reeling from a tough quarter. Raj Nayak, Founder, House of Cheer, opines that this is a move that has come in a tad late but is a great initiative nonetheless. “This will definitely help all the corporates, and I’m sure that the money that is saved will be ploughed back into advertising, bringing back more customers and resulting in a positive sentiment overall. Everyone is hoping for change, and the proof of the pudding will only come at the end of the next quarter,” he remarks.
Days after the government’s corporate tax rate cut was announced, Maruti Suzuki reduced the price of select models by Rs 5,000 (on ex-showroom price), effective the same day. The reduction of price was over and above the promotional offers for the company’s vehicle range.
The auto industry has been facing the worst slowdown in the last two decades and many car makers have lined up heaving discounts to lure buyers. Charles Frump, MD, Volvo Car India, is upbeat about the impact of the corporate tax rate cut for the auto business at large. “The Indian government recognized the need and the business slowdown, and I am very happy that they decided so decisively, and I think it’s going to have a big impact on our business. We already see a change, a positivity that we haven’t seen in the past months, and quarters. The car business is an emotional business, and when that emotion changes you can feel it, and we are already feeling that. While we didn’t cut back from our marketing perspective at all during the downturn, so we do not plan to increase now that it is starting to get better.”
FMCG is the bedrock of Indian advertising, forming the stability factor. While the past couple of quarters haven’t shown very high growth for FMCG, de-growth hasn’t been very high either. The sector has seen relatively flat growth in this year so far, as Anupam Bokey, VP Marketing (CMO), FMCG Business of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group points out. “The last three quarters have been quite terrible, particularly for the FMCG industry. And the growth has been in low single digits, very different from the kind of growth FMCG has seen in the past. With the corporate tax cut, there will be bandwidth for organisations to reinvest in brands and thus kick start the consumption cycle.”
What remains interesting to see is whether companies will look to use this tax cut to reduce costs or for brand building. “If tax is saved, profits go up. If profits go up, it depends on what a particular company does with those profits. Brand savvy companies will invest in the consumer, and that investment could include short-term benefits as promos and incentives, or hopefully long-term investments in brand building. So, this kind of an initiative helps separate the men from the boys, with regards to a company’s perspective on brand building versus cost saving,” notes Ajay Kakar, Chief Marketing Officer, Aditya Birla Capital.
CONSUMPTION BOOST AHEAD OF FESTIVE SEASON
Reduction in the effective tax rate provides an additional earnings cushion to demand-challenged industries and has come ahead of the festival season. “In our view, the additional cushion will provide an opportunity for companies to provide better terms of trade to channel partners and customers and could lead to recovery in demand environment. We expect the fight to expand market share will ensure benefits are passed on in industries that are not oligopolistic,” says Karan Taurani, Vice President - (Research Analyst), Elara Capital in his report on Corporate Tax Cut.
Given that this is the festive quarter, there is positive anticipation from across sectors that the tax cut will give the season that much needed lift in consumer sentiment. Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Media India, observes, “First of course, we can see that it has already boosted the sentiment. If we look at the equity market and how well it has done in the last few days, you will note that stocks of a lot of companies have gone up.
CEO APAC and Chairman India, Dentsu Aegis Network
“Almost 40% of the entire year’s advertising budget traditionally is spent between Ganapati and New Year’s. I expect that this year the figure will be Rs 28,000 crore. Last year it was around Rs 25,000 crore. So, it will be a double digit increase because of that, if you just look at the festive season.”
CEO, IPG Mediabrands
“Consumer sentiment will definitely turn.
The timing is perfect. Whether it will be a dramatic increase or not – the numbers no one can tell – but definitely there’ll be a big fillip. The only downside is that Diwali is so close, and so the impact will only be limited.”
Secondly it will also pan out in the way how it impacts each sector. So whether the sector is going to take it their bottom line in the short run because they want to ensure that they are performing well and play to the equity markets or whether they are going to pass it on to the consumer and hence in turn drive further demand and grow consumption, that is something we will see in the next few months.” She adds that whatever each sector or company decides, it will inevitably result in a positive outcome.
The uplift and overall impact will be difficult to estimate at this point, but with Diwali being all about sentiment, brands and media planners are optimistic that the tax cut will see a change in the current economic climate. For example, Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Mediabrands tells us of a client that deals in two-wheeler vehicles, which chose to increase its ads post the tax cut. “Consumer sentiment will definitely turn. The timing is perfect. Whether it will be a dramatic increase or not – the numbers no one can tell – but definitely there’ll be a big fillip. The only downside is that Diwali is so close, so the impact will only be limited. Nevertheless it’ll be better than what it was,” Sinha points out.
Sandeep Sharma, President – RK Swamy Media Group, is optimistic about how the industry will shape up this festive season even while the mood and consumer sentiment has been at an all-time low. “The industry has been cautiously optimistic going into the festive season. However, you may remember that even in this gloom, MG Hector and Kia launched their new SUVs and hit record numbers. Flipkart has launched a mega campaign with
The role of Ads in the festive planning cycle
Ads play an important role in introducing consumers to brands, providing them with further information about the brands and nudging them to make a purchase during the festive season.
literally every major celebrity. October should kick start the ad investments with major festivals in this month. We expect pre and post Diwali to be a very busy season for advertising,” insists Sharma.
“The festive season becomes very important particularly this year. Almost 40% of the entire year’s advertising traditionally is spent between Ganapati and New Year’s, and that’s roughly where the festive season starts is different in different parts of the country. I expect that this year the figure will be Rs 28,000 crore. Last year it was around Rs 25,000 crore. So, it will be a double digit increase because of that, if you just look at the festive season,” adds Ashish Bhasin, CEO APAC and Chairman India, Dentsu Aegis Network.
The rate cut has put a lot of positive sentiments in the market, which was evident from the way stock markets have reacted. While there will be a spurt in advertising and marketing spends, it is unclear if any impact will be seen in terms of consumption growth. Mohit Joshi, Managing Director, Havas Media Group, says, “Last year advertising spends during the festive season were upwards of Rs 25,000 crore. I expect it to grow by 15% this festive season.” He adds that the auto sectors should benefit more from this tax cut.
“With more money now available to corporates, there may be increased allocations to advertising, marketing and promotion budgets,” adds Amod Khare, Tax Leader, Media & Entertainment, EY India.
BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD?
The issue with the current tax cut has been that while it does help companies improve their profitability because it reduces their effective tax rate, it does nothing to trigger and enhance demand on the consumer side. How will companies revive a subdued consumer demand? Pradeep Dwivedi, Founder & CEO, Divitiae IN, says a lot depends on how brands use this tax cut. “Some brands have come out and said very clearly that they will use the money to promote aggressively. Some of the brands have not been so vocal about it. The only hope is that every brand sees this as a watershed opportunity to retrigger the economic cycle by increasing demand,” Dwivedi remarks.
Markets have thus far responded favourably, and now it is for the companies to take a decision. While it is too early to speculate just how big a boon this will be, Vikram Sakhuja, Partner & Group CEO, Madison Media & OOH, explains, “What’s going to be interesting is that there are some companies which are going to get a full benefit of the 10% plus, and there will be others that will not be affected as much. One would hope that companies take in the windfall that they’re getting and invest back into marketing, and I think most people will.”
The reduction of corporate tax rate seems to be a cogent move to boost the investment demand in India, but many experts believe that the move may not reap fruits in the short term. “The ripple effects of this move may be seen in the medium term, over a year. The government has put the Indian companies on a better footing in the world market to compete against their peers. It is now upon India Inc. to step up and retaliate with price cuts, increased spends and new investments,” states Himanshu Parekh – Partner at KPMG.
With Maruti passing over the benefit of corporate tax rate cuts to its customers by slashing price of the cars, the signal from the auto industry is also clear. The positive effect may therefore specifically be seen in sectors like auto and FMCG. On the ad spends front, Jehil Thakkar, Partner, Deloitte India states, “Advertising is really dependent on B2C spends, so once there is revival in confidence, we will see some amount of turnaround in sentiment, something that I expect will happen towards the end of the year.”
Though it could be difficult to quantify the increase in the advertising spends attributable to the cut, things are definitely looking less gloomy given the opportune period for increased consumption, a good expected monsoon and under-utilised ad budgets. “We could expect sectors such as Auto, Real Estate, Jewellery, Fashion & Apparel, E-commerce and Consumer Durables to become more aggravated in terms of advertising this festive season. Also, with the viewership stabilising post-NTO and increase in the ad volumes in anticipation of the festive season, we could see improvement in the ad rates for television,” state Abneesh Roy, Executive Vice President and Prateek Barsagade, Research Analyst Edelweiss Financial Services.


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THE mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf has commended the work of a charity that has helped more than 5,000 households across Rhondda Cynon Taf – while also helping to save the environment – in the last year alone.
Coun Simon Lloyd said he was honoured to attend the recent AGM of toogoodtowaste, a unique organisation that operates in partnership with a number of departments within the local authority, especially the Environmental Services directorate and Social Services Child Care.
The charity collects furniture, domestic appliances, textiles and other household items, that are still in good condition. These items are then cleaned, sorted and placed on display at their charity showrooms where anyone can call in and select the items they need.
Last year, the charity received 71 requests from social services and other support organisations to help families who had no furniture or were in crisis situations.
The charity was able to provide furniture packages and bedroom packages to assist.
In the last year alone, the charity’s two showrooms in Ynyshir and Aberaman redistributed over 16,500 items, helping to supply over 5,000 households with furniture such as beds, storage and sofas. However, it was unable to meet the demand for domestic electrical items, despite employing a domestic appliance engineer, due to the shortage of such items being donated.
As well as helping others, the work of toogoodtowaste has also meant that 216 tonnes of goods that would have gone to landfill were re-used, last year alone. Since this charity started in 1995, it has attracted £1.8 million of inward investment through various grant funding and in so doing has sustained the employment of 10 jobs, as well as establishing a re-use and recycling service for the benefit of the community of Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The charity provided voluntary placements to some 140 people in the last year, including young people looking for their first opportunity of work, people returning to work and those who have taken early retirement – they helped in their call centre, warehouses, retail, transport and as directors. This enabled them to gain skills, experience and confidence, as well as prepare for future employment.
Lynda Davies, Chief Executive of toogoodtowaste, said: “We are delighted to see an increase in the number of people who are choosing to re-use and support us by donating items that help benefit this local charity.”
The charity continues to appeal for furniture and domestic appliances that can be re-used
New customers are welcomed to visit showrooms that are open 9am – 4 pm Monday – Friday.
For more information, contact 01443 680090 or email email@example.com.


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US smartphone app sends police incident videos to lawyers
Civil rights campaigners on Thursday launched a smartphone app that can video record interactions between police and members of the public, and store them for potential use in legal action.
Apple, IBM, Japan Post team up to improve elderly care
Apple, IBM and Japanese insurance and bank holding company Japan Post have formed a partnership to improve the lives of elderly people in the country.
Microsoft opens Windows 10 to Apple, Android apps
Microsoft hopes to get more people using the next version of its Windows software on all kinds of devices by giving them access to many of the same apps they're already using on Apple or Android phones.
Dozens of American Airlines flights delayed by map glitch
More than 50 American Airlines flights have been delayed in the past two days by a glitch in navigation-map software loaded on pilots' iPads.
Review: Little-known Facebook apps might remain just that
You probably already use Facebook on your phone, along with its Messenger app for chatting with Facebook friends. You might also have Instagram and WhatsApp, two services Facebook bought in recent years.
Apple profit soars on iPhone, China sales
Apple on Monday reported a sharp rise in its quarterly profit, lifted by robust sales of its iPhones and a jump in revenue from China.
Startup marries digital, physical worlds
A startup business that wants to link the realm of physical objects to the digital world of the Internet is basing its future on low-cost, highly engineered, one-of-a-kind plastic stamps.
Mobile app could speed O'Hare passport lines
International travelers arriving at Chicago's O'Hare airport should find shorter lines at passport control thanks to a smartphone app.
Hello? Facebook launches phone-calling app for Android
Hello? Anyone there? Facebook unveiled a new voice-calling app for Android phones on Wednesday, the same day that its WhatsApp messaging service introduced voice-calling for iOS devices.
Energy-tracking app encourages sustainable behaviors
For a generation motivated by technology and fast-moving information, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has created an energy-tracking app to make reducing day-to-day energy usage more accessible.
Science of learning can help parents, developers grade educational apps
New apps developed for children come online every day and many of them are marketed or labeled as "educational" - but how can we tell which of these thousands of apps will actually help children learn? A ...
Literacy app improves school readiness in at-risk preschoolers
Using mobile apps in preschool classrooms may help improve early literacy skills and boost school readiness for low-income children, according to research by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Apple HealthKit app facilitates doctor-patient communication
(HealthDay)—The latest version of Apple's operating system iOS 8 allows physicians to connect with patients in many ways using the HealthKit app that collects user health and fitness data, according to ...
Startups put digital technology in the grocery aisles
Mike Hansen, a resident of this small, southeastern Wisconsin town, got a computer six years ago but has yet to set up an online connection.


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|4K Panasonic VariCam 35|
|3.2K Arriflex Alexa|
Over the last few years, as 4K (and higher) resolution digital cinema cameras from other manufacturers have flooded the marketplace, Arri has steadfastly (some might say stubbornly) resisted giving its cameras the ability to record at resolutions higher than 2K.
In answer to a question at IBC 2012 on when there would be a 4K version of Alexa, for example, camera system product manager Marc Shipman-Mueller said "...there is just not an urgent need for it...".
Suddenly however, the need must have suddenly become more "urgent" - because Arri has, in quick succession, announced UHD ProRes for Amira (August 2014) and 3.2K ProRes for Alexa (February 2015).
Perhaps coincidentally, the Amira upgrade was announced a few weeks before the new Panasonic VariCam 35 started shipping. This is a camera that Panasonic seems to have aimed squarely at Arri. With its 14+ stops of advertised dynamic range and true 4K 120fps ProRes recording, DPs are getting results like these:
For more examples of the stunning image quality this camera can produce - especially at its "dual native" ISOs of 800 and 5000, please join the new Panasonic VariCam 35 community I moderate over on Vimeo.
And if you're in the market for a high end 4K, 14+ stop cinema camera that can record 2K and 4K simultaneously, features slow motion at up to 120fps and a native ISO of 5000, you can buy or finance the VariCam 35 at Omega Broadcast for $55K.
As always, even if you're not in the market for a VariCam or an Alexa, please shop using the links above or the displays below and in the margins. It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help to keep these posts coming.
And for the latest deals, news, tips and techniques, please follow HCR on Blogger, Twitter and YouTube - and circle us on Google+.


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Bodog's music distribution channels and television production/distribution arm are already based in Europe, while the company's corporate headquarters has recently relocated to Antigua from Costa Rica. "This is another step aimed toward strengthening our business model," Ayre says. "This accords our gaming division a license in a safe, reliable and well-regulated jurisdiction and Antigua is also the right jurisdiction from where to run our European expansion."
While Bodog directs its attention away from the US, US-based company Las Vegas Sands Corporation has announced intentions to enter the online gaming fray with a UK-centric internet poker site. Las Vegas-based Sands Corp., which owns The Venetian and the Sands Expo Center, has entered into an agreement with Cantor Gaming, an affiliate of the global financial services company Cantor Fitzgerald, to launch an online casino and poker site initially aimed at serving the United Kingdom market.
According to a recent release from the Sands Corp, Cantor Gaming will provide a complete online casino and poker destination featuring Las Vegas Sands brands, including The Venetian, Sands, Palazzo, and Paiza brands. The site will offer the most popular casino games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, video poker, slots and online poker. The offering will be part of a full end-to-end gaming service, including customer age and location verification, online payment processing, and customer services. The site is expected to be launched during the second quarter of 2007. The site will be hosted, and the operator will be licensed, in compliance with the laws of Alderney, British Channel Islands. It will not accept U.S. customers.
"This is another opportunity for our company to create greater awareness of our global brands and further establish our presence and interest in the UK market," said Bill Weidner, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp. "Additionally, as the internet gaming landscape continues to evolve this effort will put us in a strong position to evaluate and react to other potential opportunities."
This is the not the first partnership between the two organizations. In May, Las Vegas Sands announced The Venetian's plans to become the first Nevada casino to provide mobile gaming based upon Cantor technology.
Lee Amaitis, President of Cantor Gaming said, "I am delighted to have reached another agreement with Las Vegas Sands organization, one of the most innovative hotel and resort casino operators in the world, to provide customers with an unparalleled online gaming experience. I am excited by the enormous potential of this partnership and look forward to developing this long-term relationship further."


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Crosstown are launching all-American doughnuts for Independence Day
Crosstown are launching a special box of doughnuts we can’t refuse!
The clever bakers have been working to come up with three limited edition doughnuts for to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Featured in the three new bites are a Mississippi Mud Pie doughnut, xhocolate sourdough with a dark chocolate custard filling, topped with a thick layer of dark chocolate ganache, chocolate soil and dark chocolate flakes.
Plus the all-American Apple Pie which will be filled with a traditional apple and cinnamon compote, topped with a vanilla glaze and vanilla pie crust crumble topping.
Finally there’s, a Red, White & Blueberry sourdough ring, hand-dipped in a classic vanilla glaze and finished with freeze-dried raspberries and a blue cross.
The new flavours will be available at all Crosstown shops on 4th July, while stocks last.


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[qi:_newteevee] Profits may not have arrived for online video, but venture capitalists are still happy to pick up the bill. More and more U.S.-based, venture-backed online video companies are attracting more and more financing each year, according to Dow Jones VentureSource. Some $460.5 million was invested in such startups in 2007, up from $266.9 million in 2006. And already, in the first quarter of 2008, another $217.3 million rained down on the category. NewTeeVee has the exclusive.
This venerable New York-based newspaper has provided its readers news in a balanced and objective fashion for the last 170 years. As…Read More
VP of Research Jon Collins speaks with the brilliant Saahil Panikar about digital transformation in the COVID climate, and how to apply…Read More
The fundamental underpinning of an organization is its transactions. It must do them well, with integrity and performance. Not only has transaction…Read More
The business world is in a constant state of change. It’s moving faster than ever with more elaborate legal and compliance requirements…Read More
The world has changed. Almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of workers worldwide out of their offices and into their dining…Read More


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SnapShot Gmbh, the hotel data and analytics company, has planned a series of roadshows to demonstrate SnapShot Analytics to hoteliers in Hamburg, Vienna, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and Brussels.
BERLIN, GERMANY – In the upcoming months, teams of experts from SnapShot GmbH will conduct a series of briefings on hotel analytics and hotel data usage in key cities in Germany, Austria, the UK, and Belgium. The company will also demonstrate the full capabilities of its flagship product, SnapShot Analytics, and will offer a series of one-on-one demo sessions.
“The presentation part will give valuable insights on how hotels are impacted by big data and how they can use it to benefit their operation,” said Dr. Stefan Tweraser, CEO. “Hoteliers will then have the chance to experience the functionalities and benefits of SnapShot Analytics first-hand in one-on-one demo sessions.”
SnapShot Analytics, the highly anticipated, flagship product of the company, is a cloud-based hotel analytics tool that presents a comprehensive overview of a specific’s hotel data on a powerful yet intuitive dashboard. The product was publicly introduced for the first time at ITB Berlin 2016, the global travel’s industry leading trade show, where it was received with great interest by hoteliers and data experts. The upcoming roadshows are part of SnapShot GmbH’s strategy of growth, and aim to raise awareness among hoteliers on the key features and benefits of SnapShot Analytics, a new, essential tool for any hotel management team.
“Access to SnapShot Analytics offers new, previously unavailable ways for hotel management teams to unlock new potential for any hotel,” said Dr. Stefan Tweraser.
SnapShot will be in Edinburgh on April 12th, Vienna and Glasgow on April 13th, Liverpool on May 11th, Manchester and Brussels on May 12th and in Hamburg on May 24th.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.


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Since the mainstream arrival of chartered aviation services, jet cards have been an industry staple. They enable holders to fly privately on different craft at fixed rates with certain perks or opportunities depending on their card level. Jet cards make the benefits of private aviation broadly available to those who don’t own their own jet. This convenience is causing an explosion in popularity for jet card membership as lingering pandemic concerns fuel the rise of private aviation.
Demand for jet cards is booming
The global pandemic has had a drastic effect on consumer habits in every sector, including private aviation. The private jet industry is seeing record highs for flight demand fueled by pandemic fears and an increase in personal wealth creation due to a rising stock market. Those who can afford to charter an aircraft have done so to avoid the health risks of crowded airports and packed commercial flights.
It’s clear both business and leisure travelers are willing to pay more for the safety, convenience, and comfort private jet travel affords. Nowhere is this more evident than in the rising demand for jet cards and membership to various charter jet agencies.
The travel boom has fueled interest in private jet cards, leading charter companies, such as NetJets, to temporarily pause their programs to best serve the needs of existing clients. The pause allows NetJets to take time to reassess and consider how to meet new demand. Charter company Wheels Up has also seen a surge in demand — and revenue — with membership growing over 50% in the last year. Customers are flying longer distances and demand is up for all fleet categories — a trend private jet experts believe will continue to grow in the months ahead.
A lucrative opportunity for flyers and sellers alike
As more people shift from commercial to private aviation, companies have an opportunity to promote the jet card membership model.
A private jet membership is one of the easiest ways for newcomers to get a taste of private jet travel. Many companies offer a tiered membership model for cardholders to access flights and specific lifestyle and hospitality benefits. Members who invest in higher tiers can take advantage of a dedicated concierge service, automatic President’s Circle status with Hertz, meet-and-greets with celebrities, bucket list travel opportunities, and other perks.
For members at all levels, aviation companies must keep their focus on reliability. As more people ditch commercial flights in favor of charters, companies must ensure they have the capacity to handle increased demand. This includes accommodating travelers even on peak days when demand is at its highest.
The new norm for private aviation?
The aviation industry — and private aviation in particular — is experiencing a historic post-pandemic boom. As more people choose safety, convenience, and luxury over commercial travel, the popularity of jet cards will continue to rise. Card memberships and perks are likely to change in the near term as the industry seeks to accommodate the influx of new patrons.


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On February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna was born. Robyn Rihanna Fenty is who she really is. Evan Rogen, an American record producer, discovered Rihanna and brought her to the country to create demo tapes. She is a pop vocalist who is well-known throughout the world. She is one of the most well-known pop singers of this time period, but she is also well-known for her social activities.
Rihanna’s Net Worth 2023
In “Black Panther 2,” Marvel has already delivered happy news to its followers. Now that yet another piece of information has surfaced, Rihanna fans are in for a real treat. Apparently, after a long absence from the music industry, pop superstar Rihanna has announced the release of a new single. She can actually be heard singing “Black Panther, Wakanda Forever” in the song.
With the lead track “Lift Me Up” from Marvel’s blockbuster follow-up “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which will pay homage to Chadwick Boseman’s life and legacy, Rihanna makes a comeback to music. Prior to the movie’s October 2023 premiere, the song was released. A snippet of the song has also been posted by Rihanna on social media. Here, we’ll discuss Rihanna’s estimated net worth for the year 2023, as well as her biography, career, albums, and earnings.
Rihanna Early Life
The Irish and Barbados-born daughter of Monica Braithwaite and Ronald Fenty, Rihanna has three half-brothers on her father’s side in addition to her two biological brothers. She went to the Comber mere School, where she won the talent competition, and the Charles F. Broome School, where she went to primary school. Unfortunately, Rihanna’s parents separated when she was 14 years old.
After growing up idolizing artists like Madonna, Bob Marley, and Janet Jackson, Rihanna made a splash in the mainstream music world in 2005 when she released her first two albums, Music of the Sun and A Girl Like Me. Both of these albums, which drew inspiration from Caribbean music, made it into the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart.
After this, however, Rihanna took the globe by storm with her album “Good Girl Gone Bad” in 2007. Rihanna won her first Grammy Award as a result of her single umbrella. On the UK Singles Chart, Umbrella held the top spot for 11 weeks in a row. She eventually rose to second place in the list of the 100 Hot Female Artists of the 2000s in 2009 because of her single Russian Rowley.
Rihanna Personal Life
In addition to Fenty Beauty, Rihanna’s numerous brand alliances and commercial endeavors have boosted her net worth. According to Bloomberg, the lingerie brand Savage x Fenty, of which Rihanna owns 30%, may be worth more than $3 billion. The multibillionaire also has a stake in Tidal, the Jay-Z-led music streaming business.
In 2014, Rihanna signed a four-year deal to become the worldwide ambassador and creative director of the athletic wear manufacturer Puma. With them, she also introduced her own collection of clothing and shoes, Fenty x Puma. Rihanna was Dior’s first Black ambassador and has worked with other well-known brands, including a capsule collection with the upscale shoe company Manolo Blahnik.
The actress has been in a number of motion pictures, including Ocean’s Eight, Guava Island, and most recently, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever from Marvel Studios, for which she recently released a song. Also, she gave a performance during the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show on February 12, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona.
Read More: Judy Garland: The Tragic Muse of Hollywood!
How tall is Rihanna in feet?
Rihanna stands at 5ft 8in, or 1.73 m, which is actually above average height for women in Hollywood!


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Xperia fans in the Philippines are in for a treat: They can now purchase Sony’s most premium smartphone to date!
With smartphones transitioning to the size of tablets, it can be hard to navigate your way around one with convenience. It’s a petty complaint but if you have small hands, want to just check your phone, and reply quickly without having to fumble with both hands, you’ll get why.
NBA All-Star Steph Curry might find himself back in the Philippines sooner than later, and Filipino fans can thank Chinese smartphone maker Vivo for it.
Sure, we got our hands on the ASUS ZenFone AR back when it was first announced in January, but it didn’t have that one feature everyone was talking about: Project Tango.
Did you know that the OPPO R9s is the best-selling Android smartphone in the world so far this year? You should if you read our recent article about it! More amazing, though, is how secluded it is to certain countries despite the worldwide success. We decided to get to the bottom of this.
We recently detailed the release dates for the new 3310 in four different countries, and while we were expecting those nations to get the revived Nokia classic first, India cut the line for an earlier release. It’s cheaper than expected, too!
Now that GadgetMatch has confirmed its full participation at Computex 2017, we’re rounding up the biggest announcements we’re expecting at the multi-day tech convention in Taipei, Taiwan.
I could just post a bunch of beauty shots of Xiaomi’s near-bezel-free Mi Mix (the Exclusive Edition!) and get away without writing an actual review — it’s that stunning. But this is GadgetMatch, and I have to describe my experience with it, as well.
OnePlus fans rejoice! The company has confirmed to The Verge that its next flagship is coming soon and will be named the OnePlus 5.
We recently crowned the Samsung Galaxy S8 as the best single-lens camera phone today after beating the former champ, the Pixel. Wait, hold on a second: Aren’t dual-camera smartphones supposed to be all the rage these days? Yes, and that’s why we’ll compare two of the very best right now.
Welcome to GadgetMatch’s list of the best smartphones priced below $300! Each month, we update our selection with the budget-friendly phones we believe are most deserving of your hard-earned savings.
When premium phones are out of financial reach and entry-level handsets just don’t make your cut, something in between is the next best thing. This is our updated list of the best midrange smartphones retailing from $300 to $600.
If you’re looking for the very best high-end smartphones available, you’ve come to the right place! Every month, GadgetMatch updates this list with the finest devices money can buy, no matter how much they cost.
Samsung’s pair of Galaxy S8 smartphones didn’t just change the landscape for flagships to come, but also upped prices like never before. As nice as they are to look at, they’re simply too expensive for the average consumer. Suddenly, Samsung’s midrange lineup is looking a lot more attractive.
With the advent of Snapchat and cute doggie stickers that become instant face filters (sorely needed on days I’m not feeling a hundred percent), simple photo selfies have become a rarity in my camera roll — I mean, who has time to airbrush and edit said selfies after shooting?
The Mate 9 has a lot going for it, from the large 5.9-inch display to the incredible battery life, but there’s one feature Huawei is most proud of: machine learning to make the phone faster the more you use it. Does it really work, though?
Xiaomi has done it again; its Mi 6 flagship smartphone takes the best features of today’s hottest handsets, mashes them into a sleek design, and sells it at a fraction of the others’ cost.
Did you think we’d pit the ZenFone 3 Zoom only against the OnePlus 3T? Think again!
Here’s a matchup you probably weren’t expecting, but both have something to prove in terms of camera quality.


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City of Waynesboro and Staunton-based app launch Street Art Scavenger Hunt
WAYNESBORO, Va. (WHSV) — The City of Waynesboro and Traipse, a free, Staunton-based smartphone app for “puzzle hunt” tours of local attractions and businesses, are teaming up to launch a Street Art Scavenger Hunt.
Traipse works by allowing users to engage with their current location. When a user is physically at a specific location, they can use the app to answer questions and interact with articles, photos and videos about the site they are at. The app leads users on a walking tour of landmarks and local businesses throughout Waynesboro.
“We wanted to provide a way for everyone to get out and experience all of our wonderful murals, and by using the Traipse app, we’ve created a fun and free activity for people of all ages,” said Jennifer Callison, Tourism and Marketing Manager for the City of Waynesboro. “We also feel that in the time of COVID-19, a self-guided smartphone app provides a safe and socially distanced way to explore the city.”
The app is available for iOS and Android devices.
Copyright 2020 WHSV. All rights reserved.


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When it comes to AIM (formerly known as the Alternative Investment Market), the opportunities to lose money are numerous. Thankfully for well-informed investors, the market does provide opportunities to invest in companies with huge growth potential. Often seeking out companies that already pay a dividend is a shortcut to finding the better stocks.
Abcam (LSE: ABC) is a great example of a successful and profitable AIM company. It provides the tools needed by life science researchers across the globe, and it’s a market leader in the field.
One notable billionaire made 99% of his current wealth after his 50th birthday. And here at The Motley Fool, we believe it is NEVER too late to start trying to build your fortune in the stock market. Our expert Motley Fool analyst team have shortlisted 5 companies that they believe could be a great fit for investors aged 50+ trying to build long-term, diversified portfolios.
The company’s upward share price trajectory was recently abruptly reversed. Alongside results, it stated that its profit forecast for the new financial year will be “well below” expectations.
That’s always a catalyst for an immediate share price fall. Abcam was no exception. However, it may also provide a perfect entry point for picking up the stock at a cheaper price.
Providing the right ingredients for growth
Being a supplier to the life science market is a fundamentally attractive market to be in, with high margins, a global marketplace and significant barriers to entry. Abcam enjoys and profits from established relationships and reliance on its expertise to help researchers in the industry with their work.
The company has certainly made the most of its position within the market, and rewarded shareholders with a share price that had been rapidly climbing consistently for several years.
Despite the warning on expectations, the company’s results were actually pretty good and analysts have not rushed to downgrade the stock, which is a reassuring sign. The preliminary results for the year ended 30 June saw revenue up 7.4% on the previous year at £233.2m, EBITDA up 15.9% at £81.7m and profit before tax growing 33.1% to £69.1m.
As a dividend-paying AIM stock Abcam should continue to reward its investors, and already the share price is starting to recover from its recent plummet.
Another AIM success
Boohoo (LSE: BOO), the fast fashion retailer, is another AIM success story and has seen its share price rise even more quickly than Abcam’s since it listed on the stock exchange. This week the company announced the appointment of Primark’s chief operating officer, John Lyttle, for the role of chief executive. He’ll start in March 2019, which should boost growth and the share price in my opinion.
The latest results from Boohoo back in June saw it posting a 53% jump in first-quarter revenue. In the three months to the end of May, total group revenue rose to £183.6m from £120.1m the year before.
Investors will also have been buoyed by the strong performances from the group’s other brands, PrettyLittleThing and Nasty Gal. Their revenues grew by 158% and 149% to £79.2m and £7.2m, respectively.
When it comes to finding AIM stocks that will enhance your wealth, it can be tricky. Boohoo and Abcam, however, are both established companies with strong growth potential.


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Severe thunderstorm in the forecast for Mississauga
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Halton and Peel (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills).
Environment Canada says conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce strong wind gusts of up to 90 km/h.
The storm could begin mid-afternoon and persist into the late evening hours of July 27.
A heat warning is also in effect in the area.
“Very strong wind gusts can damage buildings, down trees and blow large vehicles off the road. Locally heavy rain is also possible. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors,” Environment Canada said on its website.
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What to expect at AFI Fashion Week
Provided by African Technology and Media Holdings Pty Ltd Dr_Precious Moloi-Motsepe seated front row with designer Gavin Rajah and Vogue International Editor Suzy Menkes during AFI Fashion Week Cape Town. Supplied picture.
More than established and up-and-coming designers from across Africa will showcase their Spring Summer collections at the African Fashion International AFI Fashion Week next week. The three day fashion experience will be held from Thursday to Saturday October – , at the Sandton Convention Centre.
One of this season’s highlights is a showcase by seasoned and renowned designer David Tlale who will showcase his latest collection titled “JOYCE”, a tribute to his late mother who passed away recently. The local designer line-up also includes AFI regulars such as Rich Factory, Orapeleng Modutle Style Avenue, BeachCult, LSE by Paledi Segapo and La Art Neviole Emporium Invited designers include Mozambican designer Taibo Bacar, Nigeria’s Ituen Basi and Kreyann from Cameroon.
Provided by African Technology and Media Holdings Pty Ltd Actress Nomzamo Mbatha wearing Rich Factory at AFI Fashion Week. Supplied picture.
Since its first runway shows years ago, AFI has been instrumental in creating and propelling many designers to legendary heights through this global platform which showcases the best that African fashion has to offer. AFI Fashion Week also takes luxury African fashion to the world through AFI’s Designer Boutique, leveraging off the global network that the organization has built over the years. Keeping to it’s #IAMAFRICA theme, AFI Fashion Week is a celebration of African talent and a sure path to commercial success for the talented designers.
African Fashion International will open its Fashion Week experience on the th of October with the highly billed African Fashion Unites show. The show will be a tantalizing fusion of African cuisine and music which will accompany a Pan African fashion showcase with designers; Christie Brown Ghana, Maxhosa SA, Gavin Rajah SA, Eric Raisina Madagascar, Mai Atafo Nigeria, Kahindo Mateena DRCUSA, Laurence Airline Ivory Coast, KLûK CGDT SA, Moshions Rwanda and Neo Serati SA.
The opening show will see performances from renowned artists such as Cassper Nyovest, Femi Kuti and the highly popular Ndlovu Youth Choir, with a special Pan African menu designed by Chef Coco of Epicure Restaurant.
The Motsepe Foundation in a call for Africans to unite, will support the African Fashion Unites show. The Foundation, which focuses on programs in tertiary education, Women’s empowerment, support of small-scale farmers and SMEs, has in the past promoted initiatives that promote social cohesion viz Global Citizens Concert amongst others.
“Africa belongs to Africans” declares Executive Chairman of AFI, Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe. “The continent needs to unite in its diversity.” With six of the fastest growing economies in the world hailing from Africa and the youth population estimated to reach million by , the economic growth and development of the African continent through local production and consumption could see a self-sufficient continent, with substantial reduction in poverty levels. Add technology and innovation in this picture and the future looks promising for Africa.
Provided by Independent Media -Laartneviole Emporium showing his great designs at the AFI fashion week .Photograph :Phando JikeloAfrican News AgencyANA
“AFI believes in the promise of Africa. With the recently concluded continent wide AfCFTA African Continental Free Trade Area, the continent has a large enough market to increase intra African trade” Says Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe.
The creative industries, including the fashion and clothing sector which is estimated at $.Trillion globally and $Billion in Sub- Saharan Africa, will seize major market share as local consumers forgo highly taxed imports and embrace locally produced, good quality, unique and competitively priced clothing.
“The creative sector can create jobs along its value chain, with collaboration between countries and using the expertise and local knowledge that exist on the continent. This will go a long way to reducing current high unemployment levels especially amongst women and youth” says Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe.
For more information and full program visit .africanfashioninternationalm
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Source: judi slot pulsa


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The Australian government has outlawed citizens from using cash to buy expensive goods as part of a crackdown on money launderers and organized crime.
From now on, anybody trying to purchase goods or services that exceed $10,000, must use electronic forms of money to pay.
Perthnow.com.au reports: Those wanting to spend up big will have to use either electronic transfer services or a cheque to make a purchase.
It is understood there was a push-back within the Government at the $10,000 limit, with some West Australian MPs arguing it should be higher.
However, in the wake of the Commonwealth Bank’s money laundering allegations, which involved the withdrawal of more than $10,000 through ATMs, the Government stuck with the new limit.
It will apply to purchases of goods and services from businesses. Transactions with financial institutions or between consumers for non-business transactions will be exempt.
Revenue Minister Kelly O’Dwyer said the limit would start from July 1 next year.
“This cash payment limit will capture high-value transactions and help stamp out opportunities for criminals to launder the proceeds of crime into goods and services, or for businesses to hide transactions to reduce their tax liabilities,” she said.
The move is in response to the Government’s Black Economy Taskforce, which also backed measures to bar firms with a dodgy tax record from tendering for big Federal contracts.
Firms looking to win a contract worth more than $4 million will need to show evidence of a “satisfactory tax record”.
The Government will sink an extra $319 million into the Tax Office to help develop new ways to target the black economy.
Data matching will also be increased in a package the Government says could net it $3 billion in extra tax over four years. Also helping will be the illegal tobacco trade. Better policing of so-called chop-chop tobacco and payment of excise is expected to reap $3.6 billion.
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Following Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote event on Monday, several sharp-eyed viewers noted that there were references to the navigation company TomTom in some of the iOS mapping images shown during the event. TomTom has followed up by confirming that it does have a deal with Apple, although the company isn’t sharing any details.
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote event from Monday morning saw the introduction of new Macs laptops, highlighted features in OS X Mountain Lion and iOS 6, unveiled new technologies and services that make Apple less reliant on Google, and more. Today TMO readers are sharing their reactions to the announcements, so head on over to the forums and let us know what you think.
Apple named eleven developers in the 2012 Apple Design Awards on Monday. The company picked a variety of games, puzzles, music, and educational apps for this year’s awards, and one iPad book. The awards were broken down into four categories including iPhone Developer Showcase, iPad Developer Showcase, Mac Developer Showcase, and Student Showcase.
We have two more odds and ends for you on this WWDC keynote day: Apple quietly updated its AirPort Express Wi-Fi router to a new form factor, and the company released a new iPad smart case.
Apple hosted its 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference keynote presentation Monday morning, but didn’t stream the event as it happened. By Monday afternoon, however, the video of the presentation was available online at the Apple website.
Apple announced iOS 6 on Monday, a major upgrade for its mobile platform that includes a number of new features. As part of the company’s annual World Wide Developer Conference keynote, Apple showed off new Siri features, a new mapping service, Facebook integration, FaceTime enhancements, Notification Center improvements, and new app called Passbook.
SAN FRANCISCO - Apple announced a new Maps app for iOS 6 that will replace the current Maps app powered by Google Maps. The service will offer “Apple-designed cartography,” including vector-based map elements that Apple says will look better, turn-by-turn navigation, crowd-sourced traffic information, and a flyover mode with photo-realistic 3D views.
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple is bringing the iPhone a step closer to being your digital wallet with the introduction of Passbook, a new app that will be included with iOS 6. The app manages customer loyalty cards and digital tickets for services such as airlines and movie theaters, and can display the appropriate card or ticket using iOS 6’s geofencing feature.
SAN FRANCISCO - Apple announced on Monday that Siri, the company’s digital personal assistant technology, will be coming to the new iPad. The feature will be included as part of iOS 6, which was also announced on Monday during Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference.
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple showed off several new features in the upcoming version of OS X dubbed Mountain Lion during the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote presentation Monday morning. While several features had already been detailed at previous events, Apple dove deeper into Mountain Lion’s iCloud support, and also showed off iPad-like dictation and system-level Twitter support.
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CFPB Proposes Delay, Potential Tweaks on Prepaid Rule
Prepaid stakeholders scrambling to meet the Oct. 1, 2017, effective date for the CFPB’s final rule on prepaid accounts can take a breath. The CFPB has proposed delaying the effective date by six months—and has signaled it might be open to tweaking some aspects of the rule.
In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) released on Mar. 9, the CFPB proposed pushing back the effective date of the final rule to April 1, 2018. Citing industry participants’ concerns about difficulties complying with certain provisions of the rule, the bureau characterized the potential six-month delay as a way to “facilitate compliance … and to allow an opportunity for the bureau to assess whether any additional adjustments to the Rule are appropriate.” The CFPB is seeking industry input on the proposed delay and whether six months is the appropriate amount of time for such an extension.
A delay would be a welcome reprieve for prepaid issuers, program managers and other stakeholders, many of whom have expressed concern over the original implementation period, which would have been less than a year from the rule’s issuance on Oct. 5, 2016. Specifically, many parties noted potential difficulties in pulling and replacing prepaid access products and packaging materials that are covered under the final rule’s disclosure requirements but were produced before the final rule’s release, according to the NPRM. Stakeholders also raised related concerns about the production capacity of packaging manufacturers and other supply chain limitations leading up to the Oct. 1, 2017, effective date, due to increased demand by the industry on a limited number of manufacturers.
Along with giving stakeholders more time to prepare, a delay also would enable the CFPB to “more closely evaluate” concerns raised by industry participants about “substantive aspects of the final rule that they assert are posing particular complexities for implementation or may have negative consequences for consumers” that were not anticipated or fully explained by commenters during the original comment period after the NPRM on prepaid accounts, issued in November 2014. Furthermore, the bureau could “propose revisions to those provisions of the Prepaid Accounts Final Rule if it determines that amendments are necessary and appropriate.”
The Network Branded Prepaid Card Association (NBPCA) was among those that actively voiced industry concerns to the CFPB over what its members view as problematic aspects of the rule and its implementation. The industry group welcomed the bureau’s proposal to delay the effective and re-examine elements of the rule.
“NBPCA appreciates the CFPB for listening to our members’ concerns and giving providers an additional six months to comply with the nearly 1,700-page rule,” said Brad Fauss, president and CEO, NBPCA. “Since the final rule was released last fall, NBPCA and its members have been in close contact with the bureau, frequently meeting to highlight the challenges of a rushed implementation date and the potential impacts to the industry and, most importantly, consumers.”
Fauss said the industry group was “especially appreciative” of the efforts of U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colo.) and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), along with “dozens of other members of Congress who have weighed in with their support for common-sense, balanced prepaid regulations which both encourage continued innovation and protect consumers.” Looking ahead, Fauss said the NPBCA looks forward to “continuing our work with the bureau to address our other substantive issues with the final rule during the upcoming notice-and-comment period.”
Legislators, with support from the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), have introduced three joint resolutions in Congress that would repeal the final prepaid accounts rule using the Congressional Review Act. The ETA described the rule, which covers mobile wallets and person-to-person payment products, as “overly prescriptive and sweeping” regulation.
Comments on the NPRM to delay the rule are due 21 days after its publication in the Federal Register and may be sent to the CFPB by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include Docket No. CFPB-2017-0008 or RIN 3170-AA69 in the subject line of the email.
Electronic: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Monica Jackson, Office of the Executive Secretary, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20552.


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Rumor: Assassin’s Creed remaster or remake is in development
It's been 15 years since Assassin's Creed debuted, and a rumor has it that Remake and Remaster versions of the game may be in development.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise is blowing out fifteen candles this year, and of course Ubisoft should celebrate it. It’s already been announced in September that we’ll learn more about the future of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, but that doesn’t stop the rumor mill. This is thanks to the video below that Ubisoft released in honor of the anniversary.
Attentive viewers immediately took to Twitter to highlight the differences between the original game and the presentation of the same game in this video. If you take a look at the tweets below, there is a clear difference that could indicate that it is indeed a remaster or a remake. Do you see this and what do you think about it? Let us know in the comments.
— Ikraik #ABetterUbisoft #ACSisterhood (@Ikraik_original) June 14, 2022


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Telecoms.com periodically invites third parties to share their views on the industry’s most pressing issues. In this article, Helen Gaden of the MVNOs Series talks us through some of the key findings of a recent report they conducted into eSIM and the opportunities and challenges it presents for IoT.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is opening up entirely new markets for mobile connectivity, and in doing so is reshaping the mobile industry ecosystem almost from scratch. From mobile phones, tablets and a handful of other gadgets mostly focused on consumer markets, demand for mobile services is now coming from dozens of different industry verticals, for hundreds of different purposes – everything from automated smart appliances in our homes to industrial machinery, connected vehicles and self-driving drones to monitoring systems in agriculture, healthcare, utilities and more.
It is a truly massive economic opportunity for the mobile industry and beyond. By 2025, it is predicted that there will be 25.2 billion connected devices in circulation. With all of them relying on mobile networks to stay on line, the mobile industry will be contributing close to $5 trillion in economic value – almost 5% of global GDP.
The catch is how the mobile industry embraces this opportunity and provides for all these new connections across so many new devices. The emergence of 5G, with the massive increases in network capacity and speed it will bring, will certainly help. But that does not resolve another, perhaps more fundamental challenge – how to provision, authenticate and manage network access for the mass deployment of billions of new devices when traditional mobile ecosystems have been based on a one-connection-per-user model.
That’s where eSIM comes in: to many analysts and observers, the switch from a removable SIM card to a user identification module hard-wired into a device has transformational potential for IoT. By 2025, it is estimated that eSIM will be present in two billion devices, with the proportion of total connections expected to rise steadily. But just how far do the opportunities for this virtual technology reach?
According to IoT solutions specialist Arm, eSIM will pay an integral role in revenue success for IoT, the technology they have called the “trillion device opportunity” for the mobile market. Arm predicts that revenues from IoT alone will be worth $10bn by 2025, but insists that embracing eSIM will be integral to that coming to pass.
So, what makes committed eSIM evangelists like Arm put so much faith in the technology when it comes to IoT? The added flexibility eSIM creates in the relationship between device/client and network provider might loosen the grip operators have traditionally enjoyed on network access, but it also opens the door to many more use cases for mobile technology.
For example, the connected car sector has stood out as an early adopter of e-SIM, with predictions that there will be 250 million connected vehicles on the road by 2020, while the total number of connections is expected to increase by a CAGR of 31%. Major manufacturers like General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Renault Nissan, Scania, Volvo, BMW and Daimler have all enthusiastically backed eSIM, partly because of the convenience of being able to embed a single, secure connection module in all vehicles ready to be shipped to any market.
But the connected vehicle sector also underlines the value of flexibility in network connectivity for IoT use cases. Connected cars rely on networks to provide a variety of services to vehicle owners, such as infotainment, real-time navigation, pay-as-you-drive insurance and breakdown services, telematics and diagnostics. With critical real-time services like navigation and breakdown provision, there’s a great deal of value in the subscription modules automatically picking up the best available network connection as the vehicle moves from place to place – especially when crossing international borders. This is of particular concern to the logistics and transport sector where fleet management and asset tracking systems need to be effective everywhere the vehicle or shipment goes.
There is also the potential for different services available in a vehicle to use different types of network according to their requirements, all provisioned through the same e-SIM. For example, while infotainment services like video streaming require the kind of high-bandwidth data services offered by 4G LTE, sending diagnostics and telematics data is much less bandwidth-intensive, and use of low-power networks like NB-IoT would be much more efficient and cost effective. The ability of eSIM to store multiple operator profiles at once opens the door to these kind of flexible choices, meaning network services can be matched closely to specific requirements.
The opportunities and advantages of a highly agile, adaptable connectivity ecosystem extend well beyond vehicle and transport industries. In utilities and agriculture, the use of self-driving drones to monitor pipelines, crops and other assets over large geographic areas offers a similar example. Automated drones require guaranteed connectivity wherever they go, with seamless transition between networks as required. Again, simple observational data such as that transmitted from sensors might be most efficiently carried on IoT-specific LPWAN networks, while streamed video would require 4G LTE or, in years to come, 5G. Goldman Sachs sees the value of the self-driving smart drone market as potentially rising to $100bn.
In manufacturing and industrial IoT, e-SIM is seen as a key enabler of so-called predictive maintenance, the use of predictive analytics and AI technologies to anticipate system issues in advance and take action before outages occur. A step beyond proactive maintenance, which seeks to resolve performance issues in the shortest possible time frame using advanced system monitoring, predictive maintenance promises to push availability, efficiency and performance guarantees to new heights.
The prerequisite for predictive maintenance is exceptionally high and consistent levels of data capture, which according to Arm poses a major obstacle. With the sophistication of modern digital processing systems, it often falls to OEMs to provide maintenance for equipment and machinery as an aftercare service. But their issue is that they ‘lose sight’ of their product as soon as it leaves their factory for the client. With e-SIM, data monitoring and analysis can be switched on instantly, providing a full picture throughout the lifecycle of the product, and with no interruptions even if it moves locations. It is this level of continuous performance data streaming that effective predictive maintenance relies on.
So overall, the widespread adoption of e-SIM gives equipment manufacturers opportunities to innovate with the type of devices they can add value to with connectivity and the range of form factors they can give those devices, including shrinking sizes and improving efficiency. It lets them rationalise product ranges with single designs that can be deployed across a wide range of markets, and it allows them to improve service and maintenance SLAs through predictive maintenance.
For operators, more connected devices across more industries opens the door to new markets and potentially enormous increases in their client base. Yes, e-SIM challenges the one device, one network model around which operators have built their traditional business models, loosening ties with customers and introducing more competition. But that in itself should be seen as an incentive to transition to the more service-oriented business models that best suit B2B markets.
Rather than jealously guarding activation to their networks through their own proprietary SIMs, operators should be encouraged to work in partnership with IoT service providers offering their expertise to support flexible, scalable ‘Network-as-a-Service’ platform models that meet the demands of business and enterprise clients.
For more insights into the relationship between eSIM and IoT, download the full report: “eSIM: Challenges and Opportunities for IoT.”


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News & Reviews: e-wallet
Apr 28, 2022
As you know, Hari Raya is just around the corner. Have you gotten around to shopping yet? For most people, going out to the malls is still the preferred pre-Raya experience. On the other hand, others may prefer shopping online from the comforts of home.
If you like shopping online, you probably frequent sites like Shopee a lot. The platform provides us with a variety of payment methods, but did you know it has its own e-wallet? Here are 3 reasons to use ShopeePay for your Raya shopping.
Feb 17, 2022
Recently, Menteri Besar Selangor Inc (MBI Selangor) has made an investment agreement with Wavpay Fintech Holdings regarding the e-wallet Super App Selangor. This business initiative will see WavPay collaborating with Selangor E-Wallet Sdn Bhd to develop the e-wallet app.
Dec 09, 2021
Some may find it a hassle to open the e-wallet app when wanting to pay. If there's a slow internet connection, the payment process would be awkward, especially when there's a long line behind you. Luckily, more and more e-wallet platforms are rolling out physical cards nowadays. Boost has become the latest platform to join the force by announcing a partnership with Mastercard.
May 12, 2021
Hari Raya will commence tomorrow but under this MCO 3.0, visitation is not allowed at all. Despite this, Malays across the nation can still send e-Duit Raya through Boost's Raya campaign ‘Raya dengan Tenang, Di Rumah kan Senang’ with exciting rewards. Here's what you need to know.
Dec 30, 2020
E-payment services have become more and more popular nowadays. Besides letting users make payments, some services have also been offering various features like transfer and cashback. Now, it looks like the parent company of TikTok is interested in starting their own e-payment service as well. It is spotted that ByteDance has applied for a new trademark under the name "Tik Tok Payment".
Dec 28, 2020
As more people start buying digital content and use e-wallets, there's a need for alternative methods to get our precious e-currency. For some of us, we use these to buy games or in-game items from Google or iOS. So it's great that Boost will now let us directly buy Google Play codes.
Oct 06, 2020
Launching debit cards is now probably the trendiest stuff to do for e-wallet platforms. Earlier, we have seen companies that own an e-wallet platform like Grab, Apple, Samsung have done so. Now, Razer is jumping on the bandwagon as well but they are offering something more attractive both design-wise and reward-wise.
You will not be able to pay for parking via the DBKL parking payment machines from 1 October 2020 onwardsOct 01, 2020
It seems that DBKL has recently released a statement on their Facebook page stating that motorists will not be able to pay for parking via the parking payment machines, starting from 1 October 2020. Instead, DBKL will only accept payments via apps such as EZ Smart Park, Flexiparking, Wilayah Parking, as well as M-Cash in order to pay for their parking.
Jul 18, 2020
It seems that a statement by Berita Harian, the Malaysian government will be sending RM50 e-wallet to Malaysian citizens somewhere around the end of the month. While not much is known in regards to the exact date, the Finance Minister mentioned that more details on the in regards to how to obtain the e-wallet will be announced somewhere in the near future.
Government will be giving away RM50 e-wallet, tax deduction up to RM5000, and up to RM1000 for new employeesJun 05, 2020
Earlier today, Prime Minister Muhyiddin has officially announced that the government will be giving away e-wallet worth RM50 to all Malaysians in order to encourage the usage of cashless payments. The RM50 will be given out starting from July 2020 onwards through selected e-wallet platforms such as Grab, Touch ‘n Go, and Boost.


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LAST UPDATED : Nov 08, 2019, 02:08 PM IST
- Bajaj Auto sales up 10% in Feb at 3,93,089 units
Bajaj Auto Friday reported a 10 per cent increase in total sales at 3,93,089 units in February against 3,57,883 units in the same month last year. The company's motorcycle sales were up 10 per cent at 3,27,985 units, against 2,97,514 units during the same period a year ago, Bajaj Auto said in a BSE filing.
- Changing to electric 2-wheelers from conventional mode not like Aadhaar, printing cards: Auto companies
Strongly objecting to government think tank Niti Aayog's proposal to transition to electric vehicles (EVs) for three-wheelers by 2023 and two-wheelers by 2025, TVS Motor Company and Bajaj Auto said the policy has not been made with adequate study and diligence.
- Bajaj Allianz General net jumps 62% to Rs 213 cr in Q1
Mumbai, Jul 24 () Private sector Bajaj Allianz General Insurance today said its June quarter net profit rose 62 per cent to Rs 213 crore, helped by an underwriting profit of Rs 12 crore against a loss of Rs 28 crore a year ago. Gross written premium increased 29.
- Maruti posts first positive domestic sales in 7 months; M&M, Toyota improve performance in October
Automobile manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki India, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota Kirloskar Motor, on Friday reported improved sales in October driven by festive season demand amid a prolonged slowdown in the sector.


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on 5 Jan 2024
Williams Jet Tenders has partnered with Spared to transform plastic waste into stunning tabletops in time for Düsseldorf.
Williams Jet Tenders, a leading jet tender manufacturer, has teamed up with Spared, a start-up by Volume Creative, to embark on an eco-friendly initiative at this month’s Düsseldorf International Boat Show.
Spared, commissioned by Williams, took on the responsibility of cleaning and chipping the plastic waste from the boat builder’s factory, transforming it into exquisite tabletops that will be showcased at the event. The initiative reflects Williams’ commitment to sustainability, highlighting how waste can be transformed into extraordinary products rather than contributing to environmental challenges.
“We are conscious that exhibitions are among the worst sectors for the environment, and we are working hard to reduce our overall impact,” says Tom Dowdell, Head of Marketing at Williams Jet Tenders. “This collaboration with Spared is an example of our commitment and proves waste can be an opportunity to produce something extraordinary, rather than having to buy new.”
Spared, a start-up by Volume Creative, is driven by a commitment to support brands in reusing their own waste in their own environments. Volume Creative, appointed as brand guardians to Williams in 2022, played a pivotal role in developing Williams’ brand assets. With a focus on reusing waste, Spared aims to provide innovative solutions to address the global issue of 2.12 billion tons of waste ending up in landfills each year.
“This collaboration with Williams is a testament to the transformative power of conscious initiatives,” says Callie Tedder-Hares, Founding Partner and Creative Director at Spared and Volume Creative. “By repurposing plastic waste into stunning tabletops, we showcase the potential for waste to be spared from landfills and given another life as something beautiful.”
This marks the second project between Spared and Williams Jet Tenders. In a previous initiative, Williams utilised seafood shell waste to produce 50 marine-inspired plant pots. These aesthetically crafted plant pots, gifted to selected partners and suppliers of Williams, not only served as unique keepsakes but also contributed to environmental conservation efforts. As part of its commitment, Williams included an end-of-year donation to the Blue Marine Foundation.
For more Blue Planet coverage click here.


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GPA Posts Biggest Drop Since October On Decline In Profitability
Cia. Brasileira de Distribuicao SA, the Brazilian retail giant, fell the most in seven months in Sao Paulo trading after the company said increased competition hurt profit margins in the first quarter.
GPA, as the company is known, fell as much as 7.9 percent to 45.53 reais, the biggest intraday loss in the benchmark Ibovespa index and the stock’s largest decline since October. The shares traded down 3.9 percent to 47.51 reais at 2:12 p.m. local time.
GPA’s appliance and electronics unit Via Varejo posted a 13 percent drop in net revenue in the quarter from a year earlier. A decline in sales of more expensive items at Via Varejo, combined with aggressive price discounts in GPA’s supermarket operations led to a 2.2 percentage-point slide in the company’s gross margin to 21.8 percent.
Brazilian retailers are battling for customers attention amid Brazil’s deepest recession in at least a century. Retail sales fell 5.7 percent in March from a year earlier, the national statistics agency said Wednesday. Consumer confidence fell to its lowest level on record in April as unemployment continued to rise.
“With a negative gross domestic product and a drop in consumption, shares are going down,” said Ari Santos, a trader at brokerage H.Commcor in Sao Paulo. “First-quarter results are also weighing” on the stock.
Chief Executive Officer Ronaldo Iabrudi said GPA had to sacrifice margins to curb market-share losses. On a conference call with investors, he said the company recovered market share during the past two quarters.
Profit margins should start recovering by the third quarter, Chief Financial Officer Christophe Hidalgo said on the same call. The company is renegotiating agreements with suppliers and trying to reduce operational expenses, he said.
GPA posted a 59 million reais loss in the period, the company’s first quarterly loss since 2006.
News by Bloomberg, edited by ESM. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.


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The money Americans spent in 2012 putting gasoline in their cars took the biggest bite out of U.S. household income in several decades, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The EIA reported Monday that the average household spent $2,912 for gas in 2012, which accounts for nearly 4 percent of pre-tax income, tying 2008 for the highest percentage in almost 30 years, reports The Hill.
In the early 1980s, gasoline expenditures as a share of household income were above 5 percent.
: Massive New Rules Revealed for 2013
Although gasoline prices were high enough last year to push the share of household spending to the highest level in decades, overall gasoline consumption remained on the decline.
The good news -- consumers were using less gasoline. The bad news -- the price of gas at the pump rose sharply.
“Efficiency gains have accelerated in recent years, such that total U.S. gasoline consumption fell in 2011 to 134.2 billion gallons, its lowest level since 2001.
However, at the same time, EIA's average city retail gasoline price rose 26.1 percent in 2011, and another 3.3 percent in 2012, when it reached $3.70 per gallon.
The effect of the higher prices in 2011 and 2012 outweighed the effect of reduced consumption,” EIA reports.
“As a result, expenditures increased to a record annual average of $2,655 per household in 2011, rising to an estimated $2,912 in 2012.
© 2023 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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Police: DeLand trio steal from downtown businesses
Three DeLand residents were arrested this week after police said they stole from downtown stores and tried to sell the stolen goods to next door businesses.
Torrey Davis, 26, and his girlfriend Kimberly Rood, 29, and their friend, Shane Fryxell, 29, were charged with the crime, arrest reports show.
Davis and Fryxell were each charged with first-degree misdemeanor petit theft. Davis was additionally charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, while his girlfriend, Rood, was charged with dealing in stolen property.
Both Davis and Fryxell were being held Friday without bail. Rood was out on $1,000 bail, court records show.
According to DeLand police, detectives got a tip on Tuesday that the trio were trying to sell stolen merchandise to downtown business owners.
Police found the three on Tuesday at 10 a.m. sitting at a table outside a fast-food restaurant that had not yet opened for business. Police were familiar with David, Rood and Fryxell and knew they were unemployed, reports state.
The three had grocery bags containing respirator masks used for painting with two boxes of filters, marine sealant, welding rods and sensors, reports state.
When contacted, each of the three denied stealing the items but blamed each other for trying to sell them to downtown merchants, police said.
Rood said all three of them went to a nearby Sherwin-Williams paint store but she left when she figured Davis and Fryxell were going to steal, so she waited for them and saw them exit the store with several items including the masks, investigators said.
An employee from the paint store identified some of the stolen property as theirs but the other were traced to a downtown hardware store, police said.
Rood said Fryxell tried to sell the stolen property but when police spoke to the merchant, they learned it was Rood who tried to sell the stolen goods, report said.
Both Davis and Fryxell denied stealing the goods they were found with, police said.
Police were also able to connect Davis to the theft of a ukulele earlier this month from a downtown store. Davis tried selling the musical instrument to the same merchant who called police on Tuesday, reports said.
Detectives discovered that Davis sold the instrument to another downtown merchant for $20. The instrument was recovered by police, reports detail.


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Hulu has been promoting its October #Huluween programming, and on Tuesday the company tweeted out what seemed like an innocent enough suggestion: “If you’re dressing up for #Huluween this year, this is your reminder to wear a costume that is culturally appropriate and respectful to others. Let’s celebrate the holiday in a way that we can all enjoy.”
The tweet has since been deleted, but many people were apparently triggered by being told what to wear on Halloween.
The tweet was pummeled by people who believed this was another example of liberal Hollywood telling them what to do, and at one point it had more than 3,000 comments. It was also posted to r/The_Donald, Reddit’s hive for pro-Trump sentiment, where one commenter stated: “Hey Hulu: Democrat fascism isn’t our culture. Take your thought policing back to Hollywood.”
Some people tried to explain the true origins of Halloween to a Twitter account. Others claimed they were canceling their Hulu accounts over this offending tweet.
Nice subtweet of Elizabeth Warren https://t.co/wzXoS3qRNk— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) October 17, 2018
Every year someone is called out for an offensive Halloween costume and this year will be no different, but hopefully no one tries to repeat this one.
We’ve reached out to Hulu for comment.