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Intel Security shares a variety of tips to help consumers keep their online data safe. Download All Images As cybersecurity remains a key issue for consumers, Intel Security encourages them to refresh themselves on ways they can better protect their personal information online, timed with Data Privacy Day.
In 2015, Intel celebrated its 30th year operating in China. Over the last 30 years, Intel has invested more than $7.5 billion USD in China and we continue to see tremendous opportunity in this important market.
Intel today introduced the Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1200 v5 product family for entry-level workstations – a powerful processing and graphics platform for designers, engineers, scientists and animators to develop more quickly their complex product designs and research. Based on Intel’s 14nm Skylake architecture, the product family delivers up to 27 percent higher compute and graphics performance compared to the previous generation Intel Xeon processor E3-1200 v3 product family. The processors feature 4 cores, ranging in frequency from 2.0 GHz to 3.7 GHz, and have an integrated Intel® HD Graphics P530 graphics solution with certification from the leading workstation software vendors.
Today, Intel Security announced the latest update to Battery Optimizer for Android. The enhancements have gone beyond battery life optimization, the app now cleans up memory and storage, which can help boost speed and performance; it will also make recommendations on how to track mobile data usage and help boost speed and performance on Android smartphones and tablets.
Intel announced today an array of new products that will bring high performance and power efficient solutions to the data center, network and home. The products include Intel® Visual Compute Accelerator , which will bring media and graphics capabilities into Intel® Xeon® processor E5-based servers for low-power, high-density, scalable solutions; the Intel® Puma™ 7 , an SoC for cable home gateways that will allow cable operators to ultimately increase broadband speeds; and the Intel® AnyWAN™ GRX550 , a network processor for xDSL and Fiber home gateways, which will enable cutting-edge quality of service, premium user experience, and unparalleled routing and data throughput. These solutions, which are on display at Intel’s IBC booth in Amsterdam, Hall 4.B72, will further the goal of enabling anytime, anywhere media consumption for consumers.
Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v3 Product Families Deliver Advanced Performance and Reliability for Real-Time Analytics and Mission-Critical Computing Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v3 wafer and CPU package Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v3 CPU package top and bottom SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 5, 2015 – Intel Corporation today announced the Intel® Xeon® processor E7-8800/4800 v3 product families, delivering accelerated business insight through real-time analytics and enhanced performance and reliability for mission-critical computing. Real-time business intelligence is a top priority for companies across the full spectrum of industries, from healthcare to retail to telecommunications, among others
Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v3 Product Families Deliver Advanced Performance and Reliability for Real-Time Analytics and Mission-Critical Computing Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v3 wafer and CPU package Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v3 CPU package top and bottom SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 5, 2015 – Intel Corporation today announced the Intel® Xeon® processor E7-8800/4800 v3 product families, delivering accelerated business insight through real-time analytics and enhanced performance and reliability for mission-critical computing.
News Highlights: Flat revenue year-on-year: PC business down, offset by growth in data center, Internet of Things (IoT) and non-volatile memory businesses Operating income of $2.6 billion, up 4 percent year-over-year Data Center Group revenue of $3.7 billion, up 19 percent year-over-year; Internet of Things Group revenue of $533 million, up 11 percent year-over-year SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 14, 2015 — Intel Corporation today reported first-quarter revenue of $12.8 billion, operating income of $2.6 billion, net income of $2.0 billion and EPS of 41 cents. The company generated approximately $4.4 billion in cash from operations, paid dividends of $1.1 billion, and used $750 million to repurchase 21 million shares of stock
First 14nm Intel® Xeon® Product Family Delivers Server-Class Capabilities in a Dense, Low- Power System-on-Chip Optimized for Cloud, Telco Service Providers and Web Hosters Intel® Xeon® processor D product family SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 9, 2015 – Intel Corporation today announced the Intel® Xeon® processor D product family, the company’s first Intel Xeon processor-based system-on-chip (SoC).


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Market suffers £1.3 billion revenue hit with 42,840 fewer new cars joining British roads last month
The UK new car market again saw a decline last month as registrations in November fell 27.4 per cent year-on-year, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
In a month when showrooms across England had to close due to new lockdown restrictions, the industry recorded 113,781 new registrations, taking trade back to levels last seen during the 2008 recession.
The decline was less severe than that seen during the first lockdown – when registrations fell by a record 97.3 per cent in April alone – largely because retailers and manufacturers were able to be better prepared to fulfil orders via delivery or click and collect.
Despite these innovations, private demand still fell by 32.2 per cent while registrations by large fleets saw a decline of 22.1 per cent.
More positively, market share for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) continued to grow significantly, up 122.4 per cent and 76.9 per cent respectively.
BEVs recorded their third highest ever monthly share of registrations at 9.1 per cent, while PHEV share increased to 6.8 per cent – a combined total of more than 18,000 new zero-emission capable cars joining Britain’s roads.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive said: “Compared with the spring lockdown, manufacturers, dealers and consumers were all better prepared to adjust to constrained trading conditions.
“But with £1.3 billion worth of new car revenue lost in November alone, the importance of showroom trading to the UK economy is evident and we must ensure they remain open in any future Covid restrictions.
“More positively, with a vaccine now approved, the business and consumer confidence on which this sector depends can only improve, giving the industry more optimism for the turn of the year.”

domain: news


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Cybersecurity technology company Crowdstrike filed to start trading public on Tuesday, along with the number of valuable technology companies joining the public markets.
Crowdstrike reported a full-year net loss of $140 million through January 31, as opposed to the revenue that rocketed to $249.8 million, as reported by the company. A great deal of the company’s sales originates from subscriptions sold to over 2,500 companies.
California-based company’s cloud-based technology is very effective because it detects breaches before they occur by tracking suspicious activities on desktops, server computers, and other devices. Once the breach is spotted, it gets analyzed in the cloud providing the company with more data to investigate the rising number of threats.
Crowdstrike was valued at $3 billion in June 2018. The stock will begin trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “CRWD.” The company expects to raise around $100 million in its IPO, though that’s just a placeholder.
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December 2015 Issue
The EContent 100 list of companies that matter most in the digital content industry is now in its 15th year. We added new judges and new categories. As a result, there are many new companies on the list. Among other changes this year, we thought it was important to recognize digital marketing technologies in their own category.
Posted Dec 01, 2015
An introduction to the EContent 100 judging team, and the list's categories.
Posted Dec 01, 2015
The EContent team suggests some sites, projects, and resources ?that, while outside the scope of the EContent 100 list, are worth a closer look.
Posted Dec 04, 2015
The last quarter of 2015 saw a flurry of notable media acquisitions. Time, Inc. shelled out a reported $20 million for Zooey Deschanel's HelloGiggles in October-and was also rumored to be circling Jane Pratt's xoJane, ready to make another purchase. A week or so before those announcements hit the street, Condé Nast bought Pitchfork. If you don't already see the trend, I'll spell it out for you: Old-media companies with big money are buying upstart digital media properties.
By Theresa Cramer
Posted Dec 01, 2015
Back in the golden days of tech blogging, there were a handful of intrepid entrepreneurs who started successful tech blogs. It was an easier undertaking back then. Today, it takes cash to scale, and even strong brands struggle to keep up.
By Ron Miller
Posted Dec 28, 2015
For as long as I have been covering digital media, the paid content question has been relentless. Will consumers ever really appreciate and pay directly for the costly journalism they crave? There have been many encouraging but false starts.
By Steve Smith
Posted Dec 17, 2015
The automated buying and selling of media inventory ("programmatic media") is creating a revolution in advertising. From 2013 to 2015, according to eMarketer estimates, programmatic ad spending in digital display has skyrocketed from about a quarter (24%) of the total digital display ad spend in the U.S. to slightly more than half (55%). From 2013 to 2015 (also according to eMarketer), programmatic digital video ad spending in the U.S. has risen from just 5% in 2013 to 28% in 2015, and it is expected to hit 40% in 2016.
By Sean Gelles
Posted Dec 03, 2015
Our industry has been at a crossroads for a number of years. We are tasked with aligning evolving technologies with the humans that interact with those technologies. In my previous column, I discussed how we're constantly lured into a false sense of security with a preponderance of tools that should make our lives easier-but, in truth, either duplicate effort or perpetuate poor digital behaviors. No matter how many tools we use to wrangle content, we still have one constant that is very much a variable: people.
By Matthew Grocki
Posted Dec 18, 2015
In 2008, when Seth Godin, marketing wizard, proclaimed that "content marketing is all the marketing left!" it was not a signal to brands and companies to create and distribute reams of messaging disguised as content to their target audience. But in many cases, that is exactly what happened.
By Peggy Anne Salz
Posted Dec 11, 2015
Fast-forward to the 2015 London Fashion Week and it certainly looked as if the industry had more than caught up, with wearable technology leading the way. British designer Henry Holland collaborated with Visa Europe to kit out VIPs attending his House of Holland show with wearable payment technology in the form of a ring. The rings, designed by Holland, included integrated near field communication (NFC) payment technology, enabling the lucky few to purchase items directly from the catwalk.
By Katherine Allen
Posted Dec 22, 2015
The online video industry had a very impressive year. With YouTube's 400 hours of content uploaded every minute and Snapchat and Facebook's 4 billion video views per day (each!), digital video is only getting more popular. While individual milestones are important, so are the overarching trends in the online video industry as it moves forward.
By Bree Brouwer
Posted Dec 15, 2015
Avid travelers have a unique lifestyle. They're curious. They're adventurous. And most of all, they value the experience of travel. Marriott rents hotel rooms. Or does it?
By Carla Johnson
Posted Dec 08, 2015


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The average tech salary in Silicon Valley is $145,000 but this varies significantly based on location, team size, career potential and company type.
Will tech salaries in Silicon Valley keep increasing?
Currently, Silicon Valley holds the unofficial title of "Tech Capital of North America", but will this always be the case? While the Silicon Valley tech scene remains unquestionably strong, recent changes in the market seem to be altering the status quo. In the past two years, job seeker interest in Silicon Valley has dropped, with a 5% decrease in 2019 and 2% in 2020, suggesting that the long-term picture is more complex. Moving into 2022, a larger amount of remote work opportunities and affordable living alternatives in other locations are projected to continue the drop in job interest, and potentially cause a decrease in tech salaries in Silicon Valley. Furthermore, amidst this shifting geography of tech jobs and the move to virtual work, a number of high-profile companies are leaving Silicon Valley. Hewlett-Packard, Palantir, Oracle and Tesla have already left the area, with others possibly soon to follow.
What will the future hold? We know that Silicon Valley isn’t going anywhere, but the tech landscape in the U.S. is shifting right before our eyes — and its workers are taking notice.
Are you interested in other local Tech salaries? Download our city-specific tech salary guides:
Tech Salaries Atlanta, Tech Salaries Boston, Tech Salaries Charlotte, Tech Salaries Chicago, Tech Salaries Dallas, Tech Salaries Los Angeles, Tech Salaries New York, Tech Salaries Orange County-CA, Tech Salaries Philadelphia, Tech Salaries Phoenix, Tech Salaries San Francisco, Tech Salaries Silicon Valley, Tech Salaries Toronto-CAN, and Tech Salaries Washington, D.C.


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Rodeo draws big crowds, payouts
September 8, 2022
The PRCA Rodeo at the Sanders County Fair always draws big crowds and this year was no different. Fair goers grabbed their favorite fair dishes and a quick drink from the beer garden before settling down for the show.
This year's three-night rodeo saw big names and some big moves. Those who c...


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Launched in 2016, Instagram Stories became an instant hit, adored by 300 million daily users.
On average, users under 25 spend around 32 minutes a day on Instagram, while those in older age groups spend more than 24 minutes per day.
Considering these stats, it’s clear that this feature offers an amazing opportunity for businesses to reach a broader range of audience and promote their brand, taking the engagement to a whole new level.
In fact, according to Instagram, 1 in 3 of the most viewed Stories are from businesses. So, not using Stories could mean you’re left behind your competition.
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The Customer Success profession has grown exponentially year-over-year, expanding beyond traditional job titles and taking on a larger strategic and financial role in an enterprise's business success. But even though great strides have been made in the recognition and...
Salespeople must be able to read buying cues from their clients to determine whether a lead is worth chasing or not. If they don’t get positive buying signals from a prospect, they need to move to the next target and not waste time and resources trying to woo an...
Blogging has transformed from a simple online pastime to a feasible career option, with countless people from all walks of life spending time sharing their thoughts, feelings, and stories through their personal blogs. PR agencies and bloggers can develop very healthy...


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Noreena Hertz: I paid a woman to cuddle me
The economist tried everything in her search for an end to loneliness, she tells Julia Llewellyn Smith
In Manhattan last year the academic Noreena Hertz, dubbed the “Nigella Lawson of economics”, was on a fun, girls’ shopping trip with Brittany, a bouncy 23-year-old. The women had never met before, but Hertz, 52, enjoyed Brittany’s company.
“She was attractive with a big smile, she was an Ivy-league graduate, she was smart and funny,” she says. “We spent three hours wandering around shops. It was fun. I felt like I was making a new friend.”
The women were in Urban Outfitters when everything changed. “We were trying on sunglasses and bucket hats when suddenly she looked at her watch and it was like the meter had stopped. She said, ‘That will be $120.’ Suddenly I remembered this wasn’t a friendship, it was a transaction.”


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Chinese smart electric vehicle (EV) builder Xpeng has launched an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that is similar to Tesla's full self-driving software, allowing its cars to navigate their way automatically along city streets.
Some of Xpeng's P5 sedans that are fitted with lidar sensors can now access city navigation guided pilot (NGP) software through over-the-air updates and drive without human intervention in urban areas, the Guangzhou-based carmaker said. It is the first Chinese automotive firm to launch an ADAS for city-level driving.
"With the roll-out of city NGP, Xpeng is spearheading a strategic roadmap to expand ADAS usage scenarios from covering highways and parking lots to much more complex city driving environment, offering our customers enhanced safety and optimized driving experience," He Xiaopeng, co-founder and chief executive of Xpeng, said in a statement.
In March last year, a fleet of Xpeng's P7 mid-sized cars completed a weeklong 3,675-kilometre autonomous driving test from Guangzhou to Beijing. The frequency of human intervention was just 0.7 times per 100km.
"Chinese regulators must have been extremely cautious about giving carmakers the green light to launch an ADAS system for city-level driving," said Gao Shen, an independent analyst in Shanghai. "Xpeng's city NGP marks a milestone in China's development of driverless cars, although there is still a long way to go before fully autonomous cars can be built."
Xpeng said the launch of the city NGP, which is part of its Xpilot 3.5 system, was still on a trial basis, and the G9 sport-utility vehicle (SUV), a new model due to hit the market later this month, will also come with the ADAS function.
Typically, a driver assistance system uses algorithms to analyse traffic data collected in real time by on-board sensors. Environment detection sensors help the vehicle decide whether to pass a slow-moving car, but it still requires human intervention.
City NGP and Tesla's FSD still require active driver supervision and have yet to make the vehicles fully autonomous.
Xpilot is the first full-stack, self-developed autonomous driving technology mass-produced in China, Xpeng said.
Since 2020, Xpeng has been actively developing new products based on its smart EV business, including a flying car and a robot pony, creating an ecosystem that He envisions as fully catering to people's transport demands.
Xpeng, the best-performing smart Chinese EV maker this year, delivered 9,578 vehicles in August, down 17 percent from a month earlier.
For the first eight months of this year, it delivered 90,085 units to customers, up 96 percent from the same period in 2021.


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Coca-Cola, Infosys, and others join in as India buckles up to fight the Plastic Pollution on June 5th
Single time usable plastics are the disposable wastes that we often use in our day to day life. We use it in form of plastic bags, bottles, straws, etc. and later dump it after its purpose is fulfilled. Generally, we think, once dumped we got rid of these wastes but these are one of the menaces that don't go down that easily.
Not many of us know but these disposable wastes are non-biodegradable in nature. Plastics can't be decomposed that easily and it takes almost 500 years for it to break down into its constituent pieces. Even after getting decomposed, they pollute the environment by getting mixed with the oceans, drinking water sources, etc.
On an average, around 300 million tons of plastics are produced yearly and 79% of it ends up in landfills and dumps. Only 9% of them is recycled and the remaining 12% is incinerated which releases toxic fumes that later go on to pollute our environment.
The leftover plastics are the major cause of environmental pollution and are one of the important agents that hamper the marine environment. Keeping this in mind, United Nations have come up with the #BeatPlasticPollution agenda on this World Environment Day which will be celebrated around the World on June 5th.
India, being the global host of this year's World Environment Day is already up for this initiative. The nation will be making its 100 monuments litter free within 500 meters of the sites. The major announcements came from the companies like Infosys and Coca-Cola India which announced their co-operation in this movement.
Coca-Cola, if we remember, where the ones who supported the global initiative of implementing the Solar-Light bottles using plastic water bottles, an idea which first brought to effect by Brazilian engineer Alfredo Moser. This time they have also come up with a great initiative as they announced that all their packages will now be recyclable.
Company's bottling partner, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages has already started to work on it by establishing recycling plants at Mumbai, Goa, and Bhopal. The initiative is also jointly supported by the United Nations Development Program and Indian Center for Plastics in the Environment. An NGO named Stree Mukti Sanghatan is also associated with this mission which aims to reduce the amount of litter present in the environment.
Not only Coca-Cola India, but Infosys also has announced that they will stop using disposable plastics completely by 2020. They will also reduce the use of single time usable plastics and will instead introduce and use environment-friendly materials as the alternative.
Coming to the hotels, The Beer Cafe has announced an offer to help fight against Plastic pollution. They will greet their customers with exciting discount offers and free beers in exchange for disposable plastic bottles. The organization will later get those plastics recycled. Hotel giants like Hilton will also try to curb the use of plastics to support this initiative.
Plastic wastes not only damage our ecosystem but leads to the generation of toxic fumes like styrene and benzene which have long time effect on the environment. They also produce carcinogens that damage our nervous, respiratory, and reproductive systems. It is now time to minimize the uses of disposable plastics and use bio-degradable alternatives like jute and paper bags. Many have joined the mission and we hope everyone will be successful to #BeatPlasticPollution on this World Environment Day.


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2016 has been a landmark year for Netflix, who added a few more instaclassics to its roster of critically acclaimed original series while inspiring headlines about the decline of cable. According to Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos, the streaming giant is looking to outdo itself in 2017 by launching 20 (yes, 20) unscripted series and doubling its slate of scripted productions.
"Unscripted television is a very interesting business," Sarandos said at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference Monday, the Wrap reported. "The content itself seems to be largely interchangeable. Meaning, if you want to see a show about hoarding, there are three different shows about hoarding." True. But where does 20 hours of reality TV fit into Netflix's larger plans for the future?
For Sarandos, the important thing moving forward is to avoid getting trapped in any particular "model" by constantly taking logical steps toward reinvention. "What we try to do is take very measured swings for the fences, if that's possible," Sarandos said Monday, according to Variety. As part of their big unscripted push, Netflix is betting on global success for upcoming series like Sylvester Stallone's Ultimate Beastmaster. "When Beastmaster hits in Korea, they'll never have seen anything like it," Sarandos added.
This promise of a swath of fresh original content for 2017 comes just one week after Netflix announced the launch of downloads, just in time for the woes of migraine-inducing holiday travel. "While many members enjoy watching Netflix at home, we've often heard they also want to continue their Stranger Things binge while on airplanes and other places where internet is expensive or limited," Eddy Wu, director of production innovation at Netflix, said in a press release last week. With all this new shit that’s purportedly coming out next year, we all might need to start making room on our respective devices for some offline binging.


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In June 2018, Advans Cote d’Ivoire's shareholders’ approved the decision to increase the share capital from 5 to 7 million FCFA.
Advans Ghana has introduced a combination of new alternative delivery channels to encourage clients to transact more often.
Eelko Bronkhorst, independent Board Member, was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Advans SA as of 1 August 2018.
Read our latest article on the microfinance sector in Tunisia and Advans Tunisie. (Published by Jeune Afrique)
On 1 September 2018, Advans Myanmar teamed up with Trash Hero Mandalay to raise awareness on environmentally friendly practices.
In August 2018, Advans Ghana announced the beginning of its 10 year anniversary celebrations.
Advans Ghana launched the new Advans brand identity and logo on 24 July 2018.
Amret inaugurated its new state of the art head office building on 29 June 2018.


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Blog: US$15m for Coca-Cola's original recipe? Not these days
Andy Morton | 15 May 2013
You can get all sorts of things on eBay - a new laptop, a car, the original recipe for Coca-Cola.
Yes, really. Well, probably. A man called Cliff Kluge claims to have found the soft drinks equivalent of the holy grail in a pile of letters bought at an estate sale in Georgia and is now selling it on the online auction site for up to US$15m.
Sorry, how much?
Cliff is obviously unaware of the declining value of full-sugar cola CSDs that has seen The Coca-Cola Co embrace low- and no-calorie ideals and PepsiCo attempt to reinvent the category with a sweetener shakeup.
Now, if he were to find a recipe for a zero-calorie carbonated soft-drink that uses all-natural ingredients and shifts over a billion cans a day, then I'm sure he could name his price.
I can think of at least two companies that would be very interested.
Whisk(e)y companies spend a lot of money and effort ageing their products for that premium taste....
PepsiCo created a stir last week with the news it is testing a product called Caleb's Kola, with some in the media claiming it was the beginning of a new “craft soda” category....
SABMiller's bid to widen the appeal of beer is very much in evidence at its latest 'House of Peroni' - with beer cocktails and a bigger bottle for the Italian lager brand on offer. ...
Here's a round-up of the big stories on just-drinks last week, featuring PepsiCo, SABMiller, the Scotch whisky category and the US wine market....
- Analysis - Remy's Cognac "dead-cat bounce"
- Comment - How Hand-Made is Tito's Handmade Vodka?
- Diageo's future brighter than present suggests
- Diageo's Q1 Results by Region
- SABMiller's troubles fuel M&A rumours
- Moët Hennessy unveils first Travel Retail outlet
- Diageo puts Beckham centre stage in Haig Club ad
- United Spirits sees Q1 net loss
- Beam Suntory, Edrington part ways in Travel Retail
- TWE unveils Penfolds range after CEO's "bold move"


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Cotton imports to other Asian countries are taking on a larger share
China will likely remain the world’s largest cotton importer in 2015/16, but its share of world imports has fallen from 55% in 2011/12 to 22% in 2014/15, and may only reach 17% this year, new forecasts suggest.
The update comes after China last month announced that its 2016 cotton import quota would be limited to 894,000 tons, the same as in 2015, in order to encourage consumption of domestically produced cotton.
Instead, the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) expects imports into other Asian countries are taking on a larger share and will partially offset the decline.
In 2011/12, imports by the rest of Asia accounted for 31% of world imports. In 2015/16, Asian imports excluding China are expected to reach 4.5m tons, representing 60% of world imports, the ICAC says.
Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia are the three largest importers in the region outside of China. Imports by Bangladesh may slightly exceed 1m tons in 2015/16, up 4% from last season, while imports by Vietnam are projected up 5% to 990,000 tons. After declining in 2013/14, imports by Indonesia increased 13% to 735,000 tons in 2014/15 and may reach 780,000 tons in 2015/16.
Mill use in Asia outside of China is forecast to rise by 4% to 12m tons, representing 48% of world consumption projected at 25m tons in 2015/16. Mill use in India is expected to reach 5.6m tons, up 3% from 2014/15 and in Pakistan, 2.6m tons, up 2% from 2014/15.
“The cotton trade remains competitive as China’s cotton policy evolves and cotton-exporting countries continue to seek new markets,” the ICAC notes. “However, world production is forecast down 9% to 23.9m tons, about 1.1m tons below consumption. Although production in the US is projected down by 11% to 3.2m tons and exports down by 9% to 2.2m tons, it will likely remain the world’s largest exporter.”
India, the world’s second largest exporter, could see a small recovery in 2015/16, with exports forecast to increase 15% to 1.1m tons. Exports from Francophone Africa are anticipated to reach 1.1m tons in 2015/16. Production in the region has grown steadily from 494,000 tons in 2010/11 to 1.1m tons in 2014/15 and 2015/16. As production has grown in this region, its share of world exports, which used be 6% in 2010/11, is expected to rise to around 14% this fiscal.
Despite its forecast for a decline in China’s market share, the ICAC believes China will likely remain the world’s largest importer in 2015/16 since demand for high quality cotton will be partially met by imports – particularly given concerns over the quality of this year’s domestic crop. Chinese imports are projected to fall by 24%, to less than 1.4m tons.
Cotton production in China is estimated at 5.4m tons in 2015/16 and the Chinese government still holds around 11m tons in its reserves. The total supply of cotton in China for 2015/16, excluding imports, is estimated at 18m tons, which would be more than double its annual volume of consumption, forecast at 7.7m tons.


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Venmo of PayPal launches its crypto services. Integrates four major cryptocurrencies of the world which will be available to more than 70 million customers of PayPal. Services include crypto trading, their selling, and purchasing as well as custodian services.
Venmo is an app that is developed for the 70 million-plus customers of PayPal who are interested in crypto trading. The crypto trading and custodial services have been launched today as announced by Venmo. It was announced by Venmo on the service launch occasion that:
PayPal customers would be at liberty to conduct their crypto trading in four major cryptocurrencies which also include Bitcoin (BTC) as well. Other currencies include cryptocurrencies for example Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and Litecoin (LTC). Another interesting feature has been introduced through which the customers can share their crypto trading transactions with any person they like via Venmo feed.
The application is accepting investments from US$ 1/-. It was further pointed out by the Venmo team that there are three known methods of investment. The first method is that a customer can deposit funds into his or her Venmo account. Secondly, the customer has the option to add his or her bank account(s) in the Venmo app. Thirdly, the customers can use their credit and/or debit cards to fund their Venmo accounts for availing crypto services.
Venmo’s GM and SVP, Darrell Esch stated that the company’s objective is to provide an easy-to-use crypto trading platform. In addition, the trading platform can be used to buy and sell crypto assets in the easiest way possible. Crypto trading services through Venmo will be available to PayPal’s entire customers except for the customers in Hawaii. For trade services, Venmo has obtained approval for carrying out its business from the Financial Services Department of New York.
It was further pointed out that Venmo’s crypto services have been backed by a company namely Paxos Trust Company. This Paxos Trust Company is in return a partnership concern of PayPal itself.
It was noted after the announcement that 30% of Venmo’s customers have already engaged themselves in crypto trading. These customers are not only buying and selling cryptocurrencies but also started investing in equities.
The Venmo team also apprised that the launching of crypto trade services at Venmo shows the commitment of PayPal towards crypto promotion and adoption. The team said that PayPal is educating its customers on how beneficial digital assets are and how they can boost their net worth.
PayPal’s induction of crypto trading was a game-changing initiative that brought considerable changes in the crypto industry. After PayPal now Visa Inc. too is on its way to introduce crypto services very soon. Visa told that it has millions of customers and vendors all over the world which it will be taking into confidence for promoting its crypto trade initiatives.


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More than two thirds of UK shoppers abandon their online shopping carts before making a purchase, according to a survey commissioned by Cloud.IQ.
The study, which polled 2,000 online shoppers, revealed that 23 per cent of respondents backed out of a purchase because they were unable to speak to the retailer.
For larger-ticket items priced £50 and above half of respondents said they were more likely to complete a sale is they were offered a free call back form the retailer. This was classed as even more important by “digital natives” who expect to have direct contact with the retailer, according to the report.
James Critchley, CEO of cloud.IQ, said: “With Britons spending on average £1,000 each year online, it is crucial retailers make it as easy as possible for consumers to get in touch.
“People want to do business with people. The reality is that even when we’re buying stuff online - and particularly something that costs more than a few quid - we usually want to talk to someone as part of the transaction. It’s worrying that many retailers fail to offer this option.”
Callback buttons on a retailer’s site, which automatically direct customers straight through to a retailer’s representative, will help curb the drop-off in online shopping cart purchases, according to Critchley.
“With the use of a Callback button, the responsibility of contact falls back to the retailer. Agents can listen to customers’ needs and concerns and pitch accordingly. They ensure the customer receives a response quickly – before they get the chance to browse to a competitor site. By putting in that extra effort, retailers can expect to see less shopping carts abandoned and a real improvement in sales conversions,” he said.
Women are 7 per cent more likely to abandon an online shop than men, according to the study.


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Visit London—-the organization charged with developing tourism to the city—-announced today that it has formed a strategic alliance with the U.K. chapter of ISES to promote the value and professionalism of the event industry in London.
ISES will now support Visit London in the promotion of the capital as well as offering assistance in the bidding for major conferences and events in London.
“Whilst ISES UK is a national association, we fully recognize the exceptional role that London plays in staging live events for global organizations, and we are delighted that Visit London has identified our industry as a key selling point for the capital,” said Philip Hughes, ISES U.K. president.
The new partnership will also feature benefits for both ISES and Visit London members, including membership/partner offers and joint networking events.
David Hornby, commercial director for Visit London, said, “London has the most creative events industry in the world, a key factor in attracting business visitors and corporate events to the capital. ISES represents all that is quality within that industry, so it makes good business sense to form a partnership with them and jointly promote all that London has to offer.”


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Orders received fell short of expectations and revenue declined.
The company will restore the full-year outlook it canceled in March and also anticipate a decline in net sales for the full year.
Profit before taxes rose from zero a year ago to EUR 34 million, which its Swedish forecasting service Infront Data's 12 analysts' median forecast predicted to reach.
Earnings per share improved from EUR -0.01 to EUR 0.04, while analysts expected EUR 0.05.
Operating profit excluding non-recurring items increased from 39 million to 61 million, while the market expectation was 58 million.
Net sales decreased by 11 percent to EUR 995 million.
Net sales from services decreased by 14 percent to EUR 499 million due to lower equipment utilization rates and corona measures.
Equipment sales decreased by 8% to EUR 496 million, mainly due to lower sulfur scrubber deliveries.
Orders received amounted to EUR 981 million instead of the expected EUR 985 million.
One year earlier, order intake was EUR 979 million.
Order intake for services decreased by 23 percent to EUR 521 million, while order intake for equipment increased by 54 percent to EUR 460 million.
Wärtsilä now expects short-term demand to improve from current levels in the marine and energy markets.
However, the predictability of demand is still limited and current market conditions make the outlook uncertain.
Based on the order backlog received, the company expects full-year net sales to decrease by approximately 10 percent from last year's EUR 5,170 million.
The effects of the coronavirus are expected to continue to weigh on the company’s profitability, and although demand for services is expected to improve, seasonal growth is unlikely to be as strong as in previous years.


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Hole-in-the-wall Restaurant Ranks Idaho’s Best 24-Hour Restaurant
24-hour restaurants are basically a thing from the past, as the pandemic really shook things up. Remember when McDonald’s was 24/7 and all-day breakfast? Yeah, not anymore. For local, family-owned restaurants it would prove to be even more of a challenge to have those kinds of hours.
However, there’s a restaurant here in Boise that ranked “the best” 24-hour restaurant in all of Idaho.
They say, “Whether you're craving some late-night grub after a night at the bars or searching for an early-morning breakfast spot to fuel up during a road trip. According to Yelp, these popular diners, burger joints and restaurants serve amazing food to customers around the clock (at least one day per week). Come in, they're open!”
So, who made the list for Idaho?
Cosmopolitan says, “This unassuming hole-in-the-wall serves up stellar Dutch babies and cinnamon scones that taste "like a churro with butter on it," as well as chicken fried steak and steak and eggs to satisfy savory cravings.”
However, there seems to be some confusion on the hours they’re open. Their Yelp says 6am-6pm. Their Facebook page says 6am-12am, and there are users on Google saying they’re open on Friday-Saturday 24-hours. Either way, they made Cosmopolitan’s list of the best 24-hour restaurants in each state.
Keep scrolling for a list of the most common fast food restaurants in Idaho and more 👇


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Kumuka has confirmed tours up to July 22 will still run. As well as the UK the worldwide company has branches in Canada, South Africa and Australia.
“Passengers travelling after this will need to contact the Travel Compensation Fund and their agent will need to make alternative travel arrangements,” the company said in a statement. However, this is an Australian fund – the firm are ATOL protected under their Air Travel Organiser’s Licence
The small company offered more than 600 tours to Africa, Asia, Australasia, Antarctica, North America, Latin America and Europe.
On its website, Kumuka branded itself as: “Established since 1983, Kumuka, whose name originates from Africa, and translates in to ‘the start of a journey’, has taken travellers to many parts of the globe, offering an extraordinary range of trips.”
Travel Compensation Fund chief executive Glen Wells told The Australian he had heard from “very concerned” travellers.
“As long as they have all their travel documents in order they should loge a claim to the TCF and in most cases the consumers will be protected,” he said.
“We don’t know the size of the collapse yet. It’s a huge company.”
Disatisfied customers have been posting on the firm’s Facebook page “I have 3 tours booked now what? one can only hope for a full refund” said Faye Anderson.
“There goes my honeymoon!” said Nic Howard.
Other travel companies are coming to the rescue of affected travellers.
Tucan Travel, which offers similar tours in Africa and South America, has extended its five per cent loyalty discount to Kumuka customers affected by the insolvency.
“This Kumuka offer can also be combined with our current 25% off All Group Tours promotion to give you 30% off. Booking period for this Kumuka Worldwide offer is extended to Wed 1st August,” Tucan said on its website.
Intrepid Travel has launched a hotline for agents and travellers, offering a 20% discount on equivalent tours to passengers who are travelling before 18 September, and a 15% discount for Kumuka passengers travelling between 19 September and 31 December.
“It is sad to see the closure of a company that we have long respected as a collaborator in building the adventure travel sector,” Interpid Travel managing director Geoff Manchester told Travel Weekly.
On The Go Tours released a statement on their Facebook page saying that they “would like to assist Kumuka customers by offering 15% discount off any Egypt or Jordan group tours. What’s more, we will match the tour price for any customers travelling on equivalent tours to alternative destinations.”
Topdeck Travel is offering 10% discount on all trips to anyone with an affected Kumuka booking, saying “We understand that many Kumuka passengers will need to look for alternative trips and so please contact us for advice on alternative trips for 18-39 year olds so that you can still have your dream trip.”
“It is sad to hear that Kumuka have ceased trading after nearly 30 years in the travel industry. Our thoughts go out to the staff and passengers of Kumuka at this time.” said Topdeck General Manager Bec Whiffin.
“We are hoping to offer clients caught up in the crisis the best deals and the most efficient options to coincide with their travel arrangements,” said Leanne Haigh of Acacia Africa. The company is offering a 20% discount on the majority of its overland tours booked by 31 August.


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September games sales actually showed the first decline since March of 2006 according to the NPD Group, however things are still not looking too tough for the gaming industry. September of 2007 saw a huge hike in sales due to the release of Halo 3 which is contrasted by slightly lower sales this last September of 2008.
The drop is sales was not the only change of events for September, either. Due to the price cut of the Xbox 360 models, Microsoft saw a significantly noticeable boost in sales for its console from 195k units sold in August, to 347k units sold in September of this year, bringing it ahead of Sony’s PS3. Microsoft dropped the price to $50 less than the Wii and half of what the PS3 costs, making it the least expensive current-generation game console on the market.
Despite the surge or sales for the Xbox 360, Nintendo still stole the show once again by leading game console sales with the Nintendo Wii, selling 687k units last month. This first position was followed up by none other than Nintendo as well by selling 537k units of the Nintendo DS handheld game console.
The list follows with the Xbox 360 at 347k units sold, Sony PSP at 238k, Sony Playstation 3 at 232k and of course the Sony Playstation 2 still holding in strong with 174k units sold.


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Dunkin’ Donuts aims to open 100 stores in India during the next five years as the company targets India’s fast-growing middle class with goods adapted to local tastes, Agence France-Presse reported.
The US baked food and coffee chain has opened three stores since entering the Indian market earlier this month and is already seeing 20-30 percent higher sales than expected, according to The Economic Times.
Dunkin’ Donuts President Nigel Travis told the Times of India that the company would focus on “localization of product categories especially to cater to the India youth.”
"We see India as one of the fastest growing countries in the world with a fast-growing middle class. It's got a population which is clearly urbanizing and is becoming more and more familiar with quick-service restaurants," Travis was quoted by The Economic Times as saying.
AFP said the company has created as spicy sandwiches, among other things, mirroring efforts in China to woo customers.
Dunkin’ Donuts is among a growing number Western fast-food chains heading to India to cash in on the increasingly affluent urban population.
The Indian economy is growing much faster than those of developed countries and will help to drive revenue for Dunkin’ Donuts.
More from GlobalPost: India's rupee woes presage period of stagflation


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Sega has released a new line of merch for their biggest game franchises, allowing you to smell like Sonic, if that's what you're into.
The line of colognes offered through the Sega Europe store gives fans of Shenmue, Yakuza and Sonic to get a whiff of what their favorite game series might smell like.
Made in collaboration with merch merchants Numskull Designs, each cologne has scents that Sega has decided best fit with the worlds they represent.
Smells like something new has landed!Load Comments
Introducing the Yakuza, Shenmue and Sonic the Hedgehog unisex Cologne from @numskulldesigns!
With three awesome scents, which is your favourite?


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This afternoon Google has officially announced and confirmed Android 5.1 Lollipop. For months we’ve been hearing small reports and rumors about a new version of Android coming to fix many of the problems that have plagued the initial Android 5.0 Lollipop update that arrived in November, and that update will start rolling out today.
Back in February the first news of Android 5.1 Lollipop surfaced, and over the past few weeks we’ve continued to hear small reports about the bug fixing and performance improving update, when it could be coming, and more about Android One smartphones for emerging markets.
Following Apple’s announcement of the new Apple Watch today, Google took a moment to post a very short and brief blog post confirming not only Android 5.1 Lollipop, but that it will start rolling out to users today. However, they didn’t confirm much more than that.
Google first released Android 5.0 Lollipop in November, but that was quickly followed up with updates to the software, which were Android 5.0.1 and Android 5.0.2 Lollipop aimed and fixing bugs. However, many users have been plagued with stability problems, device crashes, freezing, reboots, app crashes and much much more. There’s a major memory leak problem they’ve recently curbed, as well as improved battery life.
Many of the things mentioned above are expected to be in the Android 5.1 Lollipop update, which is officially rolling out today, and here’s what Google had to say:
“Today we are rolling out Android 5.1 – an update to Lollipop that improves stability and performance and offers a few new features like support for multiple SIM cards, Device Protection and high definition (HD) voice on compatible phones.”
The stability and performance issues have reportedly all been curbed, battery life improved, and they’ve tossed in some new features. The blog post was rather small, and light on details, but surely we’ll be learning more in the coming days as the Android 5.1 Lollipop update starts arriving for the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, both Nexus 7 devices, as well as the Nexus 9 and Nexus 10.
Google didn’t specifically state which devices are getting Android 5.1 Lollipop today, but a recent post over on the T-Mobile support forums shows the Nexus 5 Android 5.1 update will be available today, and one can only assume Google will also start pushing it out to the Nexus 6, its latest flagship device.
Again, the announcement was just made moments ago, and surely there will be tons of changes not mentioned by Google’s short blog post, but they did highlight a few noteworthy features. For one, Android Lollipop 5.1 now lets you use more than one SIM card on a device with multiple SIM slots. Switching between the two will be a breeze, which is a helpful feature for many devices outside the US with dual SIM slots.
With Device Protection, your lost or stolen device will remain locked until you sign in with your Google account – even if someone resets your device to factory settings. This feature will be available on most Android phones and tablets shipped with Android 5.1 in addition to Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.
High Definition voice calling is now on your mobile phone. Get crystal clear calling with HD Voice between compatible Android 5.1 devices like the Nexus 6 on T-Mobile or Verizon. The update will also slightly change the phone app, make some small visual changes to the overall look and feel of Material Design, as well as tweak the quick settings menu in your pulldown bar.
For now we don’t have all the details, but all Nexus smartphone and tablet owners can expect the Android 5.1 Lollipop update to start arriving today, and over the course of the next week. Google typically does slow and staggered rollouts, so if it doesn’t arrive today, be patient as it will arrive soon enough.
This is a mandatory over the air software update. Users can head into settings > about phone (or tablet) > and tap check for updates to see if it’s available today. Drop us a comment below if you’ve received the update to Android 5.1 Lollipop.


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If you live and surf in Thailand you might be doubtful about Thailand pledge to become an internet hub for other countries. Waiting forever for the page to load is probably what you are doing right now. Nevertheless some people think that Thailand looks set to become a key international internet gateway (IIG) hub connecting countries across the region, which is needed in advance of the upcoming Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, say industry leaders, says the Bangkok Post.
To serve increasing internet bandwidth demand, CAT Telecom and True Corp plan to spend a combined 70 million baht to expand their IIG connection points to Myanmar and Laos. Expected 3G licensing in Thailand later this year is driving demand for internet bandwidth here, increasing opportunities for international gateway business in Thailand. Overall internet bandwidth demand in Thailand surged by 100% per year over the past two years thanks to the surge in mobile connectivity and social networking. However, bandwidth rental costs dropped each quarter. Thailand’s international gateway market value is expected to grow by 5% this year, up from 3 billion baht in 2011. Thailand could become internet gateway for region | Bangkok Post: business
Thailand has probably the worst and the slower internet service in all Asean countries, except maybe for Myanmar. 3G is still a distant dream, while even Cambodia and Laos have their third generation data netwok. Not to mention widespread censorship wich can hardly stand for an example for other countries of the region. To promote Thailand as a regional hub for internet would sound like promoting North Korea as a gastronomic destination.
Internet censorship is nothing new in Thailand, but lately it has gone from bad to worse. Many of you probably wonder why Internet is so slow and unreliable in Thailand, resulting in a lot of request ending on a blank page or truncated content. This not only because of poor infrastructure. Just look at the bottom of your screen and get the answer : waiting for w3.mict.go.th….
This is the address of the Ministry of Information and Technlogy of Thailand…..Instead of investing money for a better internet, Thailand is investing a lot of money in worst and slower Internet by putting a filter on every connection from inside Thailand, using the so called “war room”, a huge tech center in Bangkok suburbs specially equipped for filtering and censorship.
Technicians in the war room have blocked 70,000 Internet pages over the past four years, and the vast majority — about 60,000 — were banned for insults to the monarchy, according to Mr. Surachai. (Most of the other pages were blocked for pornography.)
Thus even you are not browsing pornography or dodgy content, your request has to go through “The ministry” filter for approval and checking that it is not on the banned list.
3G in Thailand ? 555
Thailand 3G debacle has been the most laughable and ludicrous Thai soap for several years. Believe it or not but Thailand is actually the only Asean country without a commercially available 3G offer. Even Laos has one.
The long-delayed 3G service license auction has made Thailand among the last countries in Southeast Asia to fully deploy advanced wireless technology. The process has repeatedly been delayed due mainly to the absence of an independent body to regulate broadcasting frequencies, as well as changes in state administrations.
Most of Thailand’s Southeast Asian neighbors already have 3G capabilities, and 4G is already being used elsewhere in Asia. So why bother and just call it a day for 3G and for Thailand to become a regional gateway for internet.


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Brightline has made a significant announcement regarding the launch of its passenger rail service, connecting Orlando and Miami. This newly introduced route covers an impressive 235 miles, connecting the bustling cities of Miami and Orlando. Travel time on this route will vary between three to three and a half hours, depending on the stops made at South Florida stations.
Brightline originally commenced operations in South Florida back in 2018, linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Last year, they expanded their network further with the addition of stations in Boca Raton and Aventura. The ambitious 170-mile extension project from West Palm Beach to Orlando, with an estimated cost of $6 billion, began construction in 2019. This substantial undertaking has brought about significant economic benefits in Florida, contributing to the creation of 10,000 jobs and generating approximately $6.4 billion in direct economic impact for the region.
Brightline stations and trains, designed by the Rockwell Group, are equipped with a range of passenger amenities. These include Starlink Wi-Fi, charging outlets at every seat, and a selection of food, beverages, and cocktails. Food and beverages are available for purchase for “Smart” travelers and complimentary for “Premium” travelers. Passengers can indulge in a variety of light bites, drinks, and cocktails throughout the day at Brightline’s signature in-station Mary Mary Bars. Additionally, travelers can pick up last-minute gifts, sundries, and refreshments at MRKT shopping retail locations.
The newly opened Brightline Orlando Station, in partnership with Orlando Health, is strategically situated at Orlando International Airport. This impressive 37,350-square-foot train station, located adjacent to the airport’s new Terminal C, stands out as the only intercity passenger rail station within a U.S. airport. It boasts a three-story design, including a spacious 72,000-square-foot platform area, making it the company’s largest train station. Moreover, the station offers convenient access to the airport’s Parking Garage C, providing more than 350 parking spaces designated for Brightline guests. Travelers can access airport Terminals A and B swiftly via the airport Terminal Link, an automated people mover, taking less than five minutes.
MiamiCentral, situated on an expansive 11-acre complex in downtown Miami, serves as Brightline’s southern flagship terminus. For travelers seeking connections, various options are available, including Brightline+, the Miami Metromover, and Metrorail, all seamlessly integrated with the station.
In 2022, Brightline introduced a concierge service known as Brightline+, designed to facilitate the transportation of guests to and from stations. This mobility service offers additional options within the booking platform, catering to travelers’ unique needs. Ground transportation and mobility services at the Orlando Station have been enhanced with the introduction of new Brightline+ products, including Mears shuttles, Uber rideshare, and car rental options through Avis. Upon booking a Brightline ticket, guests will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to add extras, such as parking, checked baggage, and Brightline+ mobility options closer to their travel date.
Furthermore, the company has unveiled an enhanced digital experience for guests, featuring a redesigned website and a native mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.
Notably, Brightline’s expansion into Orlando represents a significant milestone for the company, which has ambitious plans to revolutionize high-speed rail travel in the United States through Brightline West on the West Coast. This groundbreaking project will establish the nation’s first high-speed rail network with fully electric trains operating at top speeds of 200mph. Set to commence construction by the end of 2023, this line will connect millions of travelers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas annually.
Brightline’s commitment to the environment is evident in the significant benefits it offers, including reduced highway and city congestion and a reduction of approximately 72,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year. Studies have shown that the system will take more than three million cars off the roadways annually.
For more detailed information, please visit www.gobrightline.com.


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Yesterday, there was a wall of Tesla patents in the lobby of our Palo Alto headquarters. That is no longer the case. They have been removed, in the spirit of the open source movement, for the advancement of electric vehicle technology.
What are the estimated outcome of releasing information for a start up like Tesla ?
Elon Musk says that his true competitor is the massive worldwide fleet of gasoline vehicles, but he may be understating a threat posed by development of hydrogen-powered vehicles, considered by many to be a viable alternative to lithium ion electric vehicles.
Toyota plans to release a hydrogen-powered sedan in 2015 in Japan which can be refueled in three minutes, providing a 430-mile range. The sedan, which will likely be priced at about $70,000, offers a quicker charge time and a further driving range than Tesla’s Model S and only produces water vapor as exhaust. By encouraging the implementation of lithium ion technologies by American car manufacturers, Tesla may be attempting to secure a stake in alternative energy industries against hydrogen fuel cell energy storage.
Within five days of Elon Musk’s blog post announcing Tesla’s open source philosophy, the company’s stock price improved by almost $30 per share. There’s little doubt that Musk’s announcement contributed to an increase in Tesla’s short-term value, or at least didn’t hinder stock value.
As well, Musk has positioned himself as the open source provider of electric vehicle technologies, at least for the American market. The proliferation of electric and electric-hybrid vehicles on our streets may be a noble goal, but Musk’s comments on patents don’t exactly align with the patent filing activities of Tesla Motors, and it seems clear that he has a financial interest in encouraging lithium ion battery use in vehicles.


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Jay Samit may be in charge of all things Internet for EMI, but his first career incarnation -- magician -- might be more appropriate to the business of music on the Web.
"Community" is a significant buzzword in the cyberage, a suggestion that the online world can bring together like-minded individuals in a way the U.S. hasn't seen since it abandoned town squares and…
In a what may be a harbinger of the way that international literary rights are bought and sold in years to come, HarperCollins has entered into a global agreement with Rightscenter.com to list all…
In its most expensive new-product launch ever, Microsoft is spending $500 million to promote the Xbox, its videogame console which is scheduled to appear on store shelves this fall.
A host of major Internet consulting outfits, including KORE, New York's Razorfish, and Atlanta-based iXL Enterprises, have recognized a lucrative potential market in helping shepherd entertainment…
For Hollywood new-media heavies, the world is a test market. Feeling as though they were left behind with the advent of entertainment on the Web, the movie studios are pushing to the forefront to…
Blaming debts on its previous management, Entertainment Internet Inc., parent of online casting service CastNet.com, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
With final agreement on a digital copy-protection system still pending, studio types cast a wary eye on the recordable DVD systems, digital VCRs and growing number of cable and satellite set-top…
Over the past 18 months, many entertainment execs left their posts in traditional entertainment for startups, but now, as Netcos close and the pink slips pile up, many of these people are trying to…
Canuck telecom giant BCE announced Tuesday that the deal to create Bell Globemedia by merging BCE, the CTV network and national newspaper the Globe & Mail has been finalized.
Running out of loot is no laughing matter. Just ask cartoon Netco Dotcomix. The company recently laid off its staff and ceased operations after its venture capital ran dry. The company reportedly…


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NexTech is on a mission to take augmented reality in e-commerce to the masses—and its latest move is debuting a virtual try-on feature using what it describes as sentiment-based technology.
In the first wave of AR innovation in digital commerce, augmented reality experience mostly live inside native apps, like those on offer from Amazon and Zara. AR designed to work in any web browser versus an environment is far more scalable, NexTech founder and CEO Evan Gappelberg told Sourcing Journal. It also levels the tech playing field for any business, large or small, that wants to offer rich 3-D product imagery to customers.
Building a virtual try-on experience is a natural progression for NexTech, which holds three patents in addition to two that are pending. Gappelberg said interest in AR e-commerce is rising because it’s still so difficult to know exactly what you’re getting when shopping online—a key reason the majority of retail sales still occur in physical stores.
For its first foray into virtual fitting features, NexTech is focusing on products worn on the face and head, like hats, earrings and sunglasses. The firm’s sentiment-based technology employs Watson’s machine learning algorithms to aid in deciphering facial expressions that indicate how the consumer is feeling. NexTech will conduct live sampling of consumers’ facial expressions to learn more about sentiment’s role in commerce and to “prompt shopper actions such as ‘buy’” when their sentiment indicates they’re pleased with the product in question.
Gappelberg described the facial tracking technology as a “stepping stone” as it moves “aggressively” to launch full-body clothing try-ons. Most people are familiar with finding their best face in their camera app, thanks to our selfie-loving culture, he said, but getting a full-body view from a smartphone or desktop computer requires a bit more practice.
Today, of the roughly 4 billion mobile phones on this planet, only about 20 percent are AR-enabled, Gappelberg said, but NexTech allows retailers to bypass those technical requirements and offer AR for anyone with a browser. The market for AR and virtual reality is poised to reach $202.9 billion by 2022, according to data from Statista.


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For some developers, gone are the days of buying a game disc and being able to simply play the game from said disc from the get-go. Bethesda is no stranger to this, and now we’ve learned that PC users looking to pick up Fallout 4 are going to have to download things to install it.
The news comes via Pete Hines, Bethesda’s Vice President of PR and Marketing, who said over on Twitter last week that even if you pick up the physical PC release (which includes a Steam key anyway), despite the disc having “actual install data,” you’ll still need to download files from Steam.
In a follow-up response, he said: “You will still have to download from Steam. The disc doesn’t contain the entire game.”
While this isn’t completely unexpected, the main reasoning behind this kind of install (aside from the data cap for DVDs, as compared to Blu-ray discs for consoles) was confirmed by Hines: “Piracy.”
In another response to fans reacting to his piracy statement, Hines was pretty firm and wouldn’t back down. “We’ve been doing it this way more or less for 10+ years,” he said. “Seems to be doing ok. Lots of people bought Skyrim, Wolf, etc.”
Are you looking to get Fallout 4 on PC? If you had the option to own the game DRM-free, would that (clearly) be a superior option?
Fallout 4 is launching across PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 10th. The game just recently went gold, so it’s primed for release.


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A new version of the Microsoft Authenticator app has been spotted on the Windows Store. However, it seems that the tool isn’t quite ready for public consumption just yet, as it’s listed as a preview version currently being used in an internal beta test of its functionality.
The app provides an easy way for users to confirm their identity to help carry out a two-factor authentication process, according to a report from WinBeta. Pair your smartphone with your PC via Bluetooth, and you’ll be able to use the app to log in to your home computer, safe in the knowledge that your account is protected against outside threats.
It seems that the new app will take a step towards removing passwords from the login process. A description on its store listing suggests that after pairing a device with a Windows computer, it’ll then be possible to log in with little more than a single tap of the Authenticator app.
It’s easy to see why Microsoft is implementing an internal beta test on an app containing this sort of functionality. Despite the fact that it’s not really anything new, it’s imperative that the tool works exactly as it’s intended to, as any sort of security breach would be disastrous.
Back in 2013, Microsoft released a similar product intended for use with Windows 8. As well as the aforementioned addition of one-touch access to your Windows PC, the look and feel of the app will of course be brought in line with the standard interface used across the Windows 10 family of devices.
While the app is listed publicly on the Windows Store, it’s still in beta, and as such, it isn’t available to the masses just yet. The finished version of the tool will also provide support for Microsoft account logins, solutions for signing in via a browser or VPN, and MFA approval via notifications.
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- How many folds can the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 survive? Spoiler — it’s a lot


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By Spy Uganda
Kampala: After an alarming public outcry from the farmers and other stakeholders, the Ugandan government has blocked a coffee agreement with controversial investor Enrica Pinette’s Vinci coffee company.
On 10th February 2022, the government through Minister Kasaija signed an agreement with Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited (UVCC) owned by Pinneti giving exclusive rights to the company to buy all of Uganda’s coffee.
In the highly criticized agreement, Pinetti’s Vinci coffee company is expected to construct an 80 Million US Dollar integrated coffee processing plant at Namanve Industrial Park and also market the finished coffee products in Europe and the Middle East. Don’t forget that Pinetti is the ‘investor’ behind the stalled Lubowa hospital.
In the same agreement, the company was given a 10-year tax holiday as well as a subsidized power tariff of five cents per unit of power for 10 years. The MPs wondered why neither the Attorney General nor the Solicitor General was involved in the signing of the agreement.
Now, we have learnt that the government has set up a ministerial committee comprising the energy ministry, agriculture, Attorney General, and Ministry of Finance among others to review the agreement on Tuesday next week.
Last week, the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, Ramathan Ggoobi, defended the agreement, saying it intends to improve the quality of Uganda’s coffee.
“The recent surge in the growing of coffee has gone hand in hand with the efforts to improve quality. The aim is to push the current annual production of 420,000 tonnes up to 1.2m tonnes in the year 2030. We want to produce more coffee, and get the best out of it. We’re targeting $2b. I’ve seen many tweets underscoring the competitiveness of our coffee on the world market,” he said.


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New Car Reviews, New Car News Items, New Car Release Dates, New Car Prices. Search Archived Items By Manufacturer and Model.
Yes, it’s a 404bhp Pogea-tuned Fiat 500 Abarth with 445lb ft of torque (electronically limited to 328ib for stability) with an eye-catching ‘beefy’ wide body, nearly two inches of flare on the fenders, super sport tyres and a full carbon body. I’m sure you gathered that it’s built for speed and in the right conditions is capable of propelling you from 0-62mph in 4.
New Fiat 500 Intro This new Fiat 500 is brighter and bolder than ever – with new stand-out colours available across the range and the same curvy, bold exterior that so many have fallen in love with. All-new interiors inspired from the catwalk are available on the new Fiat 500, from burgundy leather with blue trim to a fresh lively chequered pattern with different coloured inserts available.
A Californian tuning company decides that Fiat 500 needs 247bhp and ridiculously aggressive carbon fibre styling Road Race Motorsports has become the latest tuning company to join the crazy tuning club by releasing this pocket rocket take on the Fiat 500.
The new soft-top Fiat 500 will go on sale in late April this year and is likely to be called Fiat 500C. The new soft-top will have a simple roof mechanism as seen on its Fiat Topolino ancestor, where the roof rolls back like a sardine tin and lies on top of the parcel shelf.
There is a funky new Fiat going on sale in the UK this month called the Qubo. Measuring just under 4 meteres long it is larger than the Panda but shorter than the Grande Punto. With a large glass area the Qubo feels spacious and comfortable with ample legroom for a tall adult in both the front and rear seats.
The New Fiat Panda Cross has won its first major award only 3 months after being launched in the UK. A panel of expert judges from 4x4 and MPV Driver magazine, has voted the new all-terrain Panda 4x4 of the Year 2009. The Panda’s off road capability, style and affordability were all highlighted with particular attention paid to the brilliant 1.3 16v Multijet turbodiesel engine.
Two Fiat models have recently come within the top 10 best cars for fuel economy in the Which? Complete Guide to Greener Driving. The Which? Guide looks at the top 100 most economical cars. It revealed that 3 cars break the 60 miles per gallon barrier – one of these is the Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet giving 60.1mpg. See UK Car Discount for new Fiat Panda deals.
Fiat is launching the new Panda Cross in the UK that Fiat says will offer a combination of serious 4x4 potential with manoeuvrable city car know-how. The new Panda Cross features Fiat’s acclaimed 1.3 litre 16v Multijet turbo diesel engine along with the proven permanent 4-wheel drive system of the Panda 4x4. See UK Car Discount for the latest new Fiat Panda offers.
A new diesel engine, introduced for use in the Fiat Bravo range, has again demonstrated Fiat’s commitment to the production of increasingly environmentally-friendly cars. Fiat’s new 1.6 Multijet 16v unit, announced recently, promises sparkling performance, outstanding torque, increased noise suppression and lower running costs for the Fiat Bravo range.
Fiat Group has launched its new Fiat 500 in the UK – with a flight in one of the capsules on the British Airways London Eye. The new Fiat 500, which has recently been voted Car of the Year 2008, took to the air on Monday 21January at 8pm – exactly 500 hours into the New Year.


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Seems like Facebook Messenger has set out to be the professional matchmaker. According to Bloomberg, the app has announced a partnership with pro.com, which will help Messenger users find handymen in their area to assist them with home fixes.
Such developments should not come as a surprise. Only a couple of months ago, Facebook announced that the addition of a Personal Assistant feature to its Messenger platform, that helps users with their questions, using artificial intelligence and internet data.
So, right now, it would onle make sense if Facebook leveraged this feature, along with the professional database provided by pro.com, to offer its users a helping hand when it comes to fixing things around the house, along with information regarding charges and availability.
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Although the details of the partnership have not been announced yet, it would be natural for the social network to make a cut out of each appointment completed. While Facebook offers the option to make payments between friends, it does not offer a e-commerce or wallet solution yet.
However, it’s not secret that Facebook has big plans for Messenger. Back in March, top execs revealed how they wish for the platform to become the bridge that connects users with brands and companies, offering information about shipping and tracking of orders and opening an active channel towards more effective customer service.
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In a world where the digital landscape evolves daily, the vulnerability of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to cyber threats has never been more pronounced. Recognizing this critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, SecureClaw’s groundbreaking BDSLCCI framework has emerged as a beacon of hope, recently crowned with the prestigious ‘Excellence in Innovation in Cybersecurity’ award by the Asian-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACCI) during the MSME Summit 2024. At the heart of this accolade is Dr. Shekhar Ashok Pawar, the visionary behind BDSLCCI, whose dedication to securing the digital frontiers of MSMEs worldwide has now received international acknowledgment.
Unveiling the Shield: The BDSLCCI Framework
The BDSLCCI framework is not just another cybersecurity solution. It is a meticulously designed, AI-ML-based web platform that caters to the unique cybersecurity needs of MSMEs across various business domains. What makes BDSLCCI stand out is its ability to offer a cost-effective and efficient pathway towards implementing cybersecurity controls, specifically tailored to protect an enterprise’s mission-critical assets. This innovative approach ensures that MSMEs, which often operate with limited resources, can fortify their digital operations against the ever-growing cyber threats without breaking the bank.
Securing the Future: Dr. Shekhar Ashok Pawar’s Vision
At the helm of this transformative journey is Dr. Shekhar Ashok Pawar, whose foresight and passion for cybersecurity have been instrumental in developing the BDSLCCI framework. Accepting the award, Dr. Pawar emphasized the framework’s mission to cybersecure MSMEs globally, highlighting the critical role these enterprises play in the world’s economy. “Our goal is to democratize cybersecurity for MSMEs, making it accessible, affordable, and adaptable to their specific needs,” Dr. Pawar stated, underlining the potential of BDSLCCI to change the cybersecurity landscape for MSMEs around the world.
More Than Just an Award: A Call to Action
The accolade bestowed upon SecureClaw by the AACCI is more than just a recognition of innovation in cybersecurity. It serves as a clarion call to MSMEs worldwide to prioritize their digital security. In an era where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, the necessity for robust cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated. SecureClaw’s suite of services, including Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (V-CISO), Source Code Security Review, and vulnerability assessment and penetration testing (VAPT), offers MSMEs a comprehensive arsenal to defend against cyber threats. With the BDSLCCI framework, SecureClaw is not only providing a solution but also spearheading a movement towards a safer digital future for MSMEs.
In summary, the recognition of SecureClaw’s BDSLCCI framework by the AACCI underscores the pressing need for innovative cybersecurity solutions tailored for the unique challenges faced by MSMEs. Dr. Shekhar Ashok Pawar’s relentless pursuit of a cybersecure world for MSMEs has set a new benchmark in the field, promising a more secure digital landscape for enterprises worldwide. As the digital realm continues to evolve, the role of frameworks like BDSLCCI in safeguarding the future of MSMEs will only grow in importance, heralding a new era of cybersecurity that is both inclusive and effective.


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Oprah’s go-to “leisure suit” now has similarly cozy counterparts.
Following the media mogul’s rave review of the Spanx AirEssentials Wide Leg Pant ($118) and Half Zip ($118) on her 2022 “Favorite Things” list, the brand stretched the collection to include two new similarly cozy styles: the Mock Neck Dress ($128) and the Cropped Wide Leg Pant ($118).
The fine-knit bottoms come in black and navy, while the breezy dress is also offered in a third off-white hue.
Both designs feature pockets and are made of the same lightweight, four-way-stretch material Winfrey previously praised on her roundup — where she gushed that the brand “does fantastic cozy clothes” in addition to its signature shapewear.
AirEssentials Mock Neck Dress ($128)
“When I tell you this set feels light as air, I’m not kidding,” the former talk show host added at the time. “It’s my new leisure suit. The perfectly loose-and-lightweight fabric is like buttah!”
AirEssentials Cropped Wide Leg Pant ($118)
The latest additions come after the brand launched its AirEssentials Crew ($110) — a colorful sweatshirt style — earlier this month.
AirEssentials is far from the only Spanx line Winfrey counts as essential, as she’s also dubbed the Perfect Pant (from $148) and Power Capri ($26) “favorites” over the years.
She’s in good company when it comes to sporting Spanx; Kylie Jenner, Kelly Clarkson and Katy Perry have kept their love for the brand’s leggings and shapewear anything but hidden over the years.
Reese Witherpoon is similarly captivated by its collections, having invested in the brand alongside Oprah and Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2021.
With the AirEssentials collection adding so many new styles, we’re guessing these Spanx-loving stars will be making room in their closets.
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Reliance Jio suffers major outage
Reliance Jio went down in some parts of India on Wednesday as users reported problems with the network.
New Delhi: Reliance Jio went down in some parts of India on Wednesday as users reported problems with the network.
According to Down Detector, 56% of users report that they are having problems with their mobile Internet, 35% report no signal problems, and 9% mention problems with their mobile phones.
Users across the country have taken to social media platforms to complain that they cannot access the Jio network.
“@JioCare internet has been down since last night. Complaints cannot be registered on the Jio App and cannot be responded to by customer care. App says no issues,” one user tweeted.
“@jio @jiocare in jio network, I’ve been having problems for 1 week. lost life, dropped calls, lost voice After receiving a call”, one user said.
Cities that are facing outages are Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, among others, according to Down Detector.
Pinkvilla News News


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Sarah Palin sold 300,000 copies of Going Rogue on its first day of sale. More details on the media rollout that’s doubled as a $25.6 million economic stimulus package.
Gross Vampire Product
With the Twilight juggernaut returning to theaters this week, we crunched the numbers for movies, books, and television to determine the size of America’s vampire economy.
The New York Times Book Review calls my book “memorable” — along with a few other things that aren’t so complimentary.


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Afternoon is a good time for retailers with a coffee-to-go solution, according to Aryzta Food Solutions – the firm behind Seattle’s Best Coffee.
The personal touch is not something to be underestimated in convenience retailing.
Whether it’s for lifestyle reasons or a deep concern over animal cruelty, more and more shoppers are including vegan options in their diet.
Retailers are quickly realising that coffee is one of the most lucrative categories in convenience.
Unilever, the firm behind PG Tips, has been improving its sustainability credentials in a bid to better meet the demands of today’s consumer.
Tetley has launched a new clip strip in a bid to help convenience retailers get in on the cold infusion action.
Environmentally-conscious consumers can now buy a pack of tea that contains absolutely no plastic.
Tea purchases don’t have to be ‘something for tonight’, the category can also appeal to those on the hunt for a gift.
TEA shoppers are valuable to retailers. Whether it’s a black tea or a more exotic blend, customers picking up tea in convenience offer plenty...
Tetley NPD brings innovation to the category
Pure Leaf has released three new Japanese-style Matcha tea variants
HEALTH conscious millennial consumers are ditching the breakfast brew in favour of wellness teas, according to the founder of National Tea Day
Coffee to go firm Expresso Plus gets a new look
Carte Noir is revived to meet consumer demand .
Tetley reckons having a clean, fuss-free hot beverage is crucial to retailers who want to fully capitalise on the breakfast-to-go market .
Hot beverages highly valuable in the UK .


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How do you define who makes up Mexico’s growing middle class? The simple answer to the question, which has been the subject of some debate, is people who are neither rich nor poor, says Sarah Boumphrey of the market intelligence firm Euromonitor International.
But the definition is an important one, as Milenio business columnist Barbara Anderson points out, because it has become an important economic driver.
Euromonitor has gone beyond the rich-poor definition to suggest that Mexico’s middle class is made up of those whose household income is between US $15,000 and $45,000 a year. It’s enough to keep one away from poverty but not enough that you’re rich, says Boumphrey, who was speaking last week at the Mexico Business Summit in Guadalajara.
She estimates that 14.6 million Mexican households — 47% of the total — fall within that income definition, up from 9.1 million 15 years ago. The average household income of the middle-class family is $20,000, a figure that is comparable with India, Russia, China, Indonesia and Turkey.
What the middle class spends its income on is an important question as well because the sector, based on Euromonitor’s figures, is the biggest single contributor to Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product, ahead of petroleum, automotive and tourism, at 70%.
A Euromonitor survey of middle-class Mexicans found that half of household income goes toward discretionary spending on goods and services, meaning they spend more on education, eating out, communications and entertainment.
Middle-class homes are likely to have a refrigerator, a color television set and a cell phone. Only half have a vehicle, which Boumphrey found surprising because of Mexico’s burgeoning automotive sector, they live in urban areas and participate in the formal economy. To have a dishwasher is rare.
Another finding by the research firm was that for six of 10 middle-class Mexicans financial security is important. In spite of that, however, more than half those surveyed said they preferred spending time with their families over making more money.
Indeed, one of four said they would turn down an employment offer if it meant giving up time dedicated to their personal lives.
Five of 10 respondents said planning their purchases is something they do as a habit. When buying consumer goods most view quality and design as more important than price.
What do they want from government? A social security net, health care, education, law and order and stable economic growth.
Growth in Mexico’s middle class is not expected to slow. Boumphrey forecasts that another 3.8 million households will join their ranks by 2030.


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As the world grapples with the pandemic, many retailers face uncertain futures — but hometown brands Shinola, Detroit Vs. Everybody and Hope for Flowers by Tracy Reese are embracing change in an ever-shifting industry
By Leena Rao
Featured photo via Detroit Vs Everybody Facebook
When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer shut down retail businesses across Michigan in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in March, Shannon Washburn, CEO of Shinola, didn’t know what the future would look like. “Everything changed in a matter of days,” she recalls.
Washburn was far from alone: As the world grapples with the effects of a global pandemic, many retailers are facing uncertain futures. The fashion industry, in particular, has been hit hard. Even pre-pandemic, retailers were fighting for survival as more customers flocked online. But now, with a struggling economy, the constant threat of shutdowns and major losses on the horizon — the fashion and luxury industry is on track to lose between $450 and $600 billion in sales this year, according to global consulting firm Boston Consulting Group — viability for retail fashion brands has been put into question.
This, of course, includes local companies. “There’s so much uncertainty for any local brand right now,” says Meegan Holland, a spokesperson for the Michigan Retailers Association.
But in true Detroit fashion, hometown brands like Shinola, Detroit vs. Everybody and Hope for Flowers from Tracy Reese are leaning into the challenge and embracing change in an ever-shifting industry: They’re producing masks, doubling down on e-commerce and expanding into new products to adapt to customer demand. Here’s how three businesses are proving that even a pandemic can’t hold them back from building a brand
Created in 2011 by Fossil Group founder Tom Kartsotis, Shinola built its brand on selling Detroit-assembled watches and quickly gained a cult following (fans include former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama). The company, which is based in Detroit’s New Center and operates more than 20 retail stores worldwide — including its flagship store in Midtown — has expanded its business into leather goods, journals and home accessories.
Once the shutdown was mandated, says Washburn, the company had to quickly double down on how they communicated with home-bound customers. This included sending marketing emails to customers highlighting products — like leather-bound journals and planners — that could make a home office feel more like a workspace. The bet paid off: “Basically anything that has to do with home is selling really well,” she says.
Unsurprisingly, bikes have been a particularly hot item over the past six months. “We saw a huge uptick in our bikes business,” says Washburn, adding that bike sales are up 60% from 2019. In fact, Shinola’s online business has doubled to what it was during the same period, pre-COVID-19.
That’s not to say there haven’t been some bumps along the way. Washburn says that factory closures statewide resulted in delays for leather products like watch straps, which are made in Michigan. Additionally, many of the brand’s watch components come from Asia, so that caused some “gaps” in production
The company’s retail stores have also adapted to the new world of social distancing and hyper awareness of germ transmission. Like other brick-and-mortar retailers, Shinola has put up screens to protect employees at point of sale. Retail staff are fully cleaning every watch or item that a customer touches, sometimes even putting the items away for some time to sterilize.
Despite the challenges the brand has faced over the past few months, Washburn remains optimistic. “This has been and is going to be a learning experience for our organization,” she says. “I know we will be better and stronger when we come through.”
In January, Detroit vs. Everybody announced it would shutter four of its six metro-area locations to refocus on building a larger online presence and producing custom prints. But even the prescient shift to digital didn’t make the brand immune to the effects of COVID-19. “[It] has hit our business just as hard as any retailer’s,” says JaKira Mingo, the company’s communications chief.
Founded in 2012 by Tommey Walker, Detroit vs. Everybody — which prints its slogan on everything from hoodies to baby onesies — has come to symbolize the Motor City’s scrappy mentality. So when retailers statewide were forced to shut down their shops the company channeled Walker’s motto: “Don’t complain, contribute.”
To that end, Walker and his team decided to put the business on the back burner and partnered with the city of Detroit to organize a two-day music festival that raised awareness of the pandemic as well as the importance of the 2020 census. (Streamed online in May, the Digital Unity Festival featured artists with area ties including Big Sean and Mayer Hawthorne.) The company also started selling Everybody vs. COVID-19 apparel, with a portion of proceeds going to the Detroit Small Business Stabilization Fund launched by TechTown Detroit.
Currently, the brand is operating at its 10,000-square-foot warehouse with a “skeleton crew” in Southfield, says Mingo, and will eventually open its location at Detroit’s Eastern Market. The company also started selling masks with its slogans in March and has seen
the product line “take a life of its own” with thousands of orders, says Mingo.
“We’re the underdogs,” she adds. “We’re constantly trying to change and move.”
In 2019, New York-based designer Tracy Reese — whose collections have appeared on runways and in major retailers worldwide — returned to her native Detroit to create a sustainable clothing line called Hope for Flowers. Her ambition was to develop a more ethical brand (pieces are made from natural fibers and produced on a smaller scale for specific retailers, like Anthropologie and Detroit is the New Black), while also mentoring the fashion community in Detroit.
Then COVID-19 hit. Reese started feeling the pandemic’s effects as early as last fall, when manufacturing in China started shutting down. Store-bound shipments of her Summer 2020 line ended up getting delayed by a few months, which forced her to “put the brakes on,” she says. “The retail industry had been hit hard for years, [and] this was a nail in the coffin.”
Despite the setbacks, Reese’s Detroit-designed collection of women’s clothing, as well as a smaller “capsule collection” for Anthropologie, garnered a “great response,” she says — many styles even sold out. “I didn’t know if anyone would be shopping because it’s a heavy moment,” she adds. “But as people are being more contemplative about purchases, I think our message of creating clothing responsibly and making pieces that are meant to last has been well received.”
The pandemic also accelerated the company’s plans for an e-commerce site, which launched on June 1. Looking forward, Reese is expanding wholesale sales of her line to online stores (exactly which ones are TBD) and is starting to produce items exclusively for the brand’s site. “I had no idea what was going to happen,” she recalls of the early days of the pandemic. “But we are riding out this wave and cautiously moving forward.”


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Conditions in Russia's services industry declined for the second month running in November, a business survey published Monday showed, as companies continue to face pressure from Western sanctions, weak consumer demand at home and logistics challenges.
The S&P Global Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for Russian services climbed to 48.3 after hitting an eight-month low of 43.7 a month earlier - but remained below the crucial 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction.
In a significant turnaround from a month earlier - when the impact of President Vladimir Putin's order to call up more than 300,000 reservists to fight in Ukraine was weighing on the economy - firms reported only a "marginal decline in new business" during November, S&P Global said.
The mobilisation order saw demand fall across the economy, as hundreds of thousands of men joined the army or fled Russia and a fresh wave of economic uncertainty hit the country.
The latest PMI surveys - closely watched indicators of economy performance - show signs that Russian firms are tentatively recovering from the initial economic blow.
A sister survey published last week showed Russia's manufacturing industry expanded at its fastest pace in almost six years during November.
But Russian service companies are far from out of the woods just yet, as they face a host of challenges due to sanctions and the ongoing impact from what Russia calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
Export orders fell faster in November than a month earlier, S&P Global said, while domestic demand remained weak, with employment levels falling and prices for supplies and logistics on the rise. (Reporting by Jake Cordell; Editing by Toby Chopra)


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The Safeway turnaround continues
The 14-month turnaround at Safeway since the arrival of Argentinian chief executive Carlos Criado-Perez has continued apace with the supermarkets group reporting like-for-like sales growth of 5.9% for its third quarter to 6 January.
Finance director Simon Laffin said growth had come on the back of the first phase of its recovery strategy of getting customers back into its stores through offering fresh fruit, vegetables and bread.
Laffin said the chain is now moving into a second phase of refitting its stores from a 'food-to-go' convenience store format in its smaller supermarkets, to expanding its larger superstores into hypermarkets selling a wide range of household goods but avoiding clothing and bigger-ticket electricals.
Safeway shares rose 11 1/2p to 311 1/2p.
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Windows 10 is the last version of windows ? Yes its right , No jokes Mr Nixon’s assertions were reiterated by a Microsoft statement which confirmed that Windows 10 is the last version of Windows . Why they are doing this ? well this is a plan of company to rebrand “Windows as a service.”
No More Windows 11 or 12
“Right now we’re releasing Windows 10, and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we’re all still working on Windows 10.”
Now the folks working in Microsoft can freely talk about the future updates , as there is no secrets updates coming next . So now Instead of big releases, there will be regular improvements and updates.
Things are just like the how Google’s Chrome browser gets updated regularly with version numbers nobody really pays attention to, Microsoft’s approach will likely result in a similar outcome. This is really the idea of Windows as a service, and the notion that Windows 10 could be the last major version of Windows. Microsoft could opt for Windows 11 or Windows 12 in future, but if people upgrade to Windows 10 and the regular updates do the trick then everyone will just settle for just “Windows” without even worrying about the version number.


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Hogan gets behind ‘digital transformation’ of EU agri-economy
Phil Hogan, EU commissioner for agriculture, has talked-up the creation of a digital single market, and the digitisation of European agriculture.
Speaking at the 2018 Agridata Summit in Cordoba, Spain, Hogan said that the European Commission has a mission to digitally transform the EU economy, including the agricultural sector.
“One of the ten priorities of this commission is to establish a digital single market,” he said, adding that the European market is more fragmented than in the US, due to cultural, economic and institutional reasons.
This, he argued, can be a challenge to many sectors.
Establishing a real single market with minimal obstacles to work across boundaries is therefore essential to unlock the substantial economies of the scale the digital sector can achieve.
Hogan continued: “Within this overarching goal, the digitisation of the rural economy, including farming and food production, is a key challenge.”
Hogan pointed out that this type of technology has already had significant influence on how people farm, particularly in the areas of food production, land management, and consumer behaviour.
Hogan argued that this initiative, and others, would make data more accessible, allow for the creation of apps, and connect users and apps to developers.
The EU is also creating a network of agriculture-based ‘Digital Innovation Hubs’, which would, Hogan claimed, allow technologies to be shared across borders.