text:
Nintendo has announced that they have a special Amiibo inbounds for Wii U owners eying a purchase of Mario Party 10. The Big 'N' will unleash a special golden Mario figurine that will be a retailer exclusive, starting March 20th, 2015.
The Oscars aren't the only film awards being doled out this weekend. Nintendo has decided to get in on the fun by announcing their own film awards.
Amiibos are all the rage these days, and Nintendo couldn't be happier. The success of these computerized figurines was the topic of much discussion during last night's investors meeting, where Nintendo execs discussed new functionality details, as well as which of the money-printing pieces of plastic are selling the best in various regions.
After managing to win over most of the critics and gaining a lot of positive feedback from gamers, Bayonetta 2 could have opened the doors for Bayonetta 3... well, that's according to the design director from the second game. As usual, the developers are definitely open for more stories involving the spicy combat witch.
The Sonic Boom games released on Wii U and 3DS this fall weren't great. Unfortunately for Sega, they also didn't sell very well.
With Club Nintendo shutting down in the coming months, the Big N has decided to go all out with its final crop of Rewards offerings, boasting more than a dozen physical goodies and over 100 games for diehard fans to spend their virtual Coins on.
Fans of Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U will discover a rather awesome surprise the next time they boot up their favorite fighting game, namely 15 new stages built specifically with eight-player combat in mind.
It’s a bitter-sweet day for Club Nintendo members, as the Big N announces the closure of the rewards service that’s been running for the past six years. Chin up, though, because a new rewards program is apparently just over the horizon.
Recently elected to office as the Vice President of the world, you’ve got a lot of work to do in the opening days of your first term, namely saving the planet from a number of oddball villains and nefarious schemes. Thankfully, Citizens of Earth offers all the help you could need in the form of average folks who put their array of talents to good use in activities like, um, pummeling a bear made out of honey or overthrowing a group of deranged girl scouts.
Smosh Games released a “Smash Rap” that celebrates Mega Man. Why Mega Man? Because once you figure out how to play him in Super Smash Bros. you'll become an unstoppable menace.
In the case of a gamer asking his parents to name Super Smash Bros. characters, there's tons of hilarity to be had at the results. See how well both his parents did naming the characters.
Not all gamers can approach their favorite hobby the same way, which is why it’s always nice to see developers take into account the variety of players who may be diving into their games, taking into account things like color blindness, physical disabilities and the like. As such, AbleGamers likes to acknowledge developers who go the extra mile to make their titles available to even more players, awarding this year’s Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year to a pair of indie titles and none other than Bayonetta 2.
New details are starting to slowly trickle out for the upcoming Wii U exclusive, Star Fox. Lead designer Shigeru Miyamoto has been very tight-lipped about some of the features for the space-fantasy shooter for the Wii U. Well, recently Miyamoto finally let loose some new details on the upcoming space-shooter.
Nintendo isn't shy about discussing their future plans. In a new interview, Mario and Legend of Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto talked about the company's next gaming console along with the future of their biggest franchise.
The PS4's winning streak in North American sales is at an end. The Xbox One managed to outsell Sony's console in November.


text:
Tim Cook hints more Apple apps are set to come to Android
Apple CEO Tim Cook has hinted that more Apple apps on Android are set to arrive, following the likes of Apple Music and Move to iOS.
Apple might have already dipped its toes into Android, but according to new statements from Tim Cook, even more Apple apps on Android could soon be a reality.
Presently, Apple already has three apps on Android; Apple Music, Move to iOS, and Beats Pill. According to Cook, the first of those three were a means of ‘testing the waters’ to see if the company could holistically expand its services to the Android. Read: Apple is once again the world‘s most valuable company
Apple Music received widespread critical disdain following its Android launch, largely due to its lack of quality and polish. However, Apple has worked to refine the app in subsequent updates.
Apple nor Cook, naturally, hasn’t opted to expand on those comments, which were made at a recent ‘Town Hall’ event for Apple employees.
However, a logical place and reason for Apple to begin creating Android apps would be its array of iCloud services – else, the company could focus on creating Apple TV – or, at a push, Apple Watch – compatibility apps as a means of expanding its revenue stream.
What are your thoughts? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

domain: news


text:
Apple today shared a teaser for the second season of the popular Apple TV + comedy “Mythic Quest” set to premiere Friday 7 May.
“Mythic Quest”, along with shows like “The Morning Show”, “Dickinson”, “See” and “For All Mankind”, was one of the first series to be available on Apple TV + .
The show follows a team of video game developers facing the challenges of running a popular massively multiplayer online RPG similar to World of Warcraft. The series was created by Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day, known for their work on the long-running “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” series.
McElhenney plays Grimm, the creative director of the studio, with David Hornsby …
Read more from source
Copyright @ www.macrumors.com
- According to this source Season 2 of “Mythic Quest” premieres on Apple TV + on May 7th
- Check the more updates related to Apple Tips and Apple news now.
I hope you love this news please Share your love by following us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest apple news informationon and updates like Season 2 of “Mythic Quest” premieres on Apple TV + on May 7th
from our channels.


text:
NEWTON, NJ (Sussex County) – A Newton man who allegedly stole a credit card and subsequently used it has been arrested, according to Newton police.
Robert Davis, 37, was charged with theft of moveable property, third-degree fraudulent use of a credit card, and fourth-degree theft of a credit card.
On Dec. 3 at around 8:45 a.m., a town resident reported that $129.00 was fraudulently withdrawn from her bank account, police said.
The victim told police that her friend’s son, who was identified as Davis, had been doing her shopping on Dec. 2 when he stole her debit card from her purse while dropping items off at her apartment, police said.
A further police investigation revealed that Davis used the stolen card to make two transactions, one for $30.00 and one for $90.00 ($9.00 in service charges) utilizing the ATM at the Quick Chek, located on Sparta Avenue in Newton, police said.
Subsequently, it was learned that Davis also had an active $2,500 Roxbury Township municipal court warrant. He was located on Spring Street and arrested on the confirmed warrant and for stealing the victim’s debit card while in her apartment, police said.
Davis was lodged in the Sussex County Jail.


text:
Publisher Forever Entertainment has announced that Magical Drop VI will be launching on Nintendo Switch this Winter, marking a return for the Japanese puzzle franchise after the most recent entry, Magical Drop V, released way back in 2012 on Steam.
The Magical Drop series features classic colour-matching gameplay and has previously seen launches on consoles like the Neo geo Arcade, Super Famicom, Sega Saturn, and Game Boy Color. The latest entry for the Switch look to be sticking to the tried-and-tested formula, albeit with multiple modes including Story, Arcade, Path od Destiny, and online play.
Here's a list of features from Forever Entertainment:
- More than 15 playable characters each with their own unique story and music tracks
- Local and online multiplayer modes
- Dozens and dozens of challenges
- 6 Solo game modes
- ...And many more surprises!
We'll be sure to update you once we have a firm release date!
Are you excited for the return of the Magical Drop franchise? Share your thoughts on this latest entry in the comments below!


text:
Americans’ obsession with pickup trucks has made the Ford F-Series the most-purchased vehicle for more than 40 years straight. Pickups were the top three selling vehicles in 2020 and were the top new vehicles purchased in 40 out of 50 states according to Edmunds.
F-150 Lightning Pro Hit Dealerships in May 2022
Last year, Ford Motor Company announced it would begin selling the F-150 Lightning electric vehicle (EV) pickup truck in May 2022. The auto industry was surprised by Ford’s aggressively low price tag on the F-150 Lightning Pro, its stripped-down work truck model intended to appeal to professional fleet purchasers and value-conscious drivers. Starting under $40,000, not including the federal tax incentive of up to $7,500, the Lightning Pro has a targeted 426 horse power, a range of approximately 230 miles on a full charge and also some standard features that offer extra value that only EV technology can provide.
Ford’s announcement of the F-150 Lightning EV unveiled the first EV pickup truck from a major auto manufacturer. The Lightning is more of an incremental change to the existing F-150 architecture, instead of being designed from the ground up like Tesla’s space-age Cybertruck.
“This is a big deal considering the number of F-Series pickup trucks sold each year. It could really make a difference in EV adoption by consumers and commercial fleets,” CFC Vice President of Industry Research and Consulting Mark Schneider said. “We studied the cost of ownership of the F-150 Lightning EV Pro model and a similarly equipped F-150 pickup with an internal combustion engine (ICE) over a 10-year period. Over that period, we project the EV version could save $8,000 when compared with the ICE version. Lower-cost electricity versus higher-cost gasoline, maintenance costs and purchase price contributed to the lower overall cost of ownership of the EV version.”


text:
Vokswagen's eight generation Passat is 85kg lighter
Volkswagen has unveiled the eighth generation of the Passat, which is expected to go on sale in Ireland early in 2015. The new car, according to Volkswagen, will offer executive car levels of refinement and creature comforts.
Shown in both saloon and estate guises, it will be 85kg lighter than the model it replaces, adding up to savings of up to 20pc in terms of fuel economy. While not remarkably bigger than the current model, some changes have added up to increased legroom and interior space.
The new car is actually 2mm shorter than the current Passat, but now comes with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs which is expected to make the handling more dynamic - helped by the fact that the car now sits 14mm lower. However, the new version is wider and comes with better interior space. Interior length has grown by 33mm and there is greater luggage space too. In the saloon there is 21 litres of extra space, bringing it up to 586 litres.
There will be a total of 10 TSI and TDI engines available ranging in power from 120bhp to 280bhp. Highlights include a new plug-in hybrid model that will offer 211bhp, 50km/h of pure electric drive and we can also expect emissions of less than 50g/km. There will be a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel putting out 240bhp, yet with emissions of just 5.3 l/100km.
Irish buyers will no doubt stick to their favoured 150bhp and 190bhp diesel engines.
There is no word on pricing, but we do know that order books are likely to open towards the tail end of this year.


text:
Euro Games Technology Expands Presence in Georgia Casinos
Bulgarian gaming machine manufacturer Euro Games Technology (EGR) announced that it had placed significantly more than 130 of its gaming machines across a true amount of Georgia-based gambling enterprises. The sited devices are the organization’s Premier series P-24/24 Up and P-24/24 St Slim, also its progressive jackpot system understood as Egypt Quest, the Vega Vission+ slant top and upright cabinets, etc.
The products were set up in some of Georgia’s most popular gambling venues, with Casino Peace, Casino nevada, Casino Campione, Casino Grant Intourist being those types of. A lot of the facilities that had EGT video gaming machines installed are situated in Batumi.
Commenting on the announcement that is latest, Casino Peace General Manager Shota Amiranashvili stated that the EGT gaming machines have become an instant success at the casino’s premises because the day they certainly were set up. Mr. Amiranashvili further noted that the latest products had been welcomed by customers them the opportunity to ‘stay in game longer. because they gave’
This has maybe not been the very first collaboration between the gambling location and also the manufacturer. Yet, some of the Georgia-based casinos had EGT products installed for ab muscles time that is first.
EGT Georgia Director Radostina Valcheva told news that their primary purpose now is to make as a major supplier of casino video gaming machines in Georgia and they is capable of this only by ‘keeping the pace of [their] product sales growth.’ Ms. Sigue leyendo


text:
We just found an appetizing specs list of an unannounced Nokia Meego device. The specs have been unearthed from a MeeGo bug report. Could this be the Nokia N9 or Nokia has prepared an even meaner new device?
It seems Nokia is cooking up something big in an attempt to finally score some points against the pressing competition over at the Android and iOS camp.
A German website - NokiaPort.de - has dug up some pretty detailed hardware info from a leaked bug report.
The most prominent part of the specs include a 1.6GHz Intel CPU, 1GB worth of RAM, Wireless N connectivity, a WVGA resolution display and an FM transmitter. Could this be the Nokia N9?
Update 03 Feb: It seems that those specs belong to a developer's reference device and not a real product. It may not even be a smartphone, as rumors about devices with similar specs but weighing 200-300 g have been cropping up since last summer. The Intel Atom chip in question is probably part of the rumored Intel Medfield SoC.
The Finns are still at the top but the last couple of years we’ve witnessed them lose much of their market share to competition such as Samsung, for example. It may be because of their decision to continue supporting Symbian, while the rest of the manufacturers turned to Android or new proprietary OSes. MeeGo may be Nokia’s last chance to recover the lost ground and regain the once loyal masses that are now using Google-branded smartphones.
It’s been almost a year now since Nokia and Intel decided to combine their Linux-based work and announced Maemo and Moblin’s lovechild - MeeGo.
It’s also been almost 6 months since the N9 leaked for the first time. Maybe it's high time that Nokia announces a device that runs the new OS. Oh, we can't wait for this MWC to come.
Source (in German)
How should this article be interpreted, in light of Nokia's recently-announced near-abandonment of Meego, and jumping into bed announcement, with MS for Windows Phone 7?
When looking at the possible specs for this i am impressed. The same thing happened with the N8. While the phone specs look good on paper, Nokia doesnt seem to deliver. I really thought the N8 would change things aroung but it didnt. I hope tha...
I don't know much about webOS... I do know that when a product increase it's, already huge, sales you can't call it dead. Actually you csn but you won't be making any sense then...
Log in I forgot my password Sign up


text:
If you are one of those 40,000 people to have got yourself a Windows Phone 7 handset on launch day, here is your chance to start watching TV on your newly purchased mobile phone. EchoStar, the owners of Sling Media have announced that their SlingPlayer Mobile software that lets users control and watch television from their mobile phones is now available for download on Windows Phone 7.
The application will not work independently however. The app will need the television to be connected to a SlingBox HD or SlingBox Pro HD via the internet that will let them manage the software using the mobile phone over a Wi-Fi or 3G connection. You will be able to control channels, schedule recordings on DVR and watch TV over the WP7 handset.
The app is not free though. It will cost the user $29.99 in the US while the app is available in the UK and Canada at a price of £22.99 and CAD31.99 respectively. European users (outside the UK) may purchase the app at €21.10 plus local VAT.


text:
CT Gaming Interactive, a global game content provider, has sealed a strategic deal with the Avento NV thus expanding its share in the iGaming market. The commercial agreement and the following integration see the supplier`s slot games go live with multitude of online casino brands.
Players using cslotv.com, frankclubcasino.com, mrbit.bet, aplay.casino, drift.casino, casinocolum-bus.com can now enjoy the CT Gaming Interactive specially selected slot games, including recent hits such as Forest Wedding, Cherry Crown, Dancing Bananas, Treasure Hill, Magic Hammer. The latest agreement follows successful deals with a range of leading operators which has further cemented CT Gaming Interactive`s place in the online gaming environment. Lachezar Petrov, General Manager at CT Gaming Interactive commented: “We are happy to have the widely renowned Avento NV on board with its proven track of providing great entertainment to a large customer base. Our slot games caters to the full range of experience levels and we are confident that will prove a hit with the players”.
Mary Barr, Head of Partner Relations of Avento NV said: “We are looking forward for our mutually fruitful relationship with CT Gaming Interactive. We have introduced its games to our customers and we are very happy to witness the games becoming very popular among them.”
The post CT Gaming Interactive in strategic deal with Avento NV appeared first on iGaming Times.


text:
THE Agricultural Information Market System (AMIS) rapid response forum met last month with objectives including enhancing agricultural trade, managing the global supply chain and improving health, economic and social outcomes.
It took stock of the uncertain economic and trade environment caused by the global pandemic.
IMF estimates for 2021 point to a 6-per-cent world economic growth while WTO projects an 8pc rebound in the volume of merchandise trade.
However, renewed outbreaks already threaten to undermine this outlook.
A resilient, inclusive, and sustainable global economic and trade recovery remains conditional upon the pace and successful deployment of vaccines worldwide.
Defeating the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic and fully restoring trade flows will require strong international policy dialogue, information exchange, cooperation mechanisms and coordinated solutions in a range of WTO disciplines.
Ongoing efforts to strengthen existing multilateral trade rules would contribute to reactivating the global economy.
In reforming agriculture trade disciplines, the well-known overall policy spectrum remains under mandated negotiations aimed at a market-oriented trading system.
While government assistance in the form of direct payments, income support, public stockholding, and food assistance continues to be rolled out to counter health, social, economic, and food-security impacts, dismantling harmful support policies remains a clear priority.
A multilateral outcome to exempt World Food Programme (WFP) humanitarian food procurement from export restrictions is also potentially within reach.
A plethora of concerns continue to be raised on restrictive sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, including import restrictions, pesticide policies and maximum residue levels, testing and certification for GMO-derived food, listing and registration requirements imposed on export establishments, delays in approval procedures, COVID-related port-of-entry rejections, reportedly applied without sufficient scientific evidence.
Structured peer review and monitoring mechanisms are proving instrumental in resolving tensions, building common ground, and hence contributing to regulatory convergence.
In addition, fresh discussions were launched on ways to reaffirm the fundamental principles of the SPS Agreement in relation to the challenges facing sustainable agriculture in the 21st century.
On the ground, the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) proactively catalyses public and private support to assist farmers, producers, traders and governments in developing countries to meet SPS requirements, based on international standards; identifies and promotes good practices to improve SPS capacity development outcomes on cross-cutting topics, including public private partnerships, use of evidence to prioritize SPS investments, electronic SPS certification and good regulatory practice.
Since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, the STDF introduced a range of actions to manage the risk of COVID-19 across its work and emphasized the importance of investments to support economic recovery and longer-term resilience against future outbreaks of pests and diseases.
E-commerce helps trade
While the pandemic accelerated countries’ adoption of IT-based tools and technologies, the progressive implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement is expected to further expedite the movement, release and clearance of goods, foster cooperation between customs authorities, and streamline customs management.
An enabling and inclusive legal framework for e-commerce would also support the emerging digital economy. In this regard, the recent finalisation of a “clean text” on e-signatures and authentication constituted a major breakthrough.
Source: Market Monitor May 2021


text:
These are the two key trends pre and post lock-down car buying trends from online used car marketplace www.findndfundmycar.com as the business' Phil Morgan, observes;
"There is an obvious trend towards older, cheaper cars from car buyer search activity on our platform and its circa 130,000 vehicles. In difficult economic situations opting for such cars is a natural 'bangernomics' move by people watching their pennies. We have seen in the past that driving an older car in tougher times gains an almost 'tatty chic' appeal."
Findandfundmycar's current search data is backed up by sales data for June. Sales of cars aged 6-9 years old and 9-12 year old rose by 12.6 per cent and 8.6 per cent respectively year on year.1
The move to older cars has been helped by a shift from people moving from public to private transport. For some of these people, they may hope the move is a temporary measure, but in most cases, it is evident that people are seeking to minimise any major financial commitment. An older car can make sound economic sense, especially since even older cars have become increasingly more reliable and rust-free. Buying from a quality dealer brings valuable consumer protection as does the option of taking out dealer finance.
There may be some environmental concerns about fuel emissions in older cars. However, recycling and running a used car for as long as it is reliable and subject to correct, regular maintenance compares positively with the manufacturing and distribution requirements for a new car.
In closing, Phil points to the tightening of credit in the current economic climate, particularly for unsecured personal loan lending for the increasing attraction for dealer finance. Research by moneyfacts.co.uk noted that it has not only become more expensive for consumers to take out personal loans but people were also finding that their loan applications were being declined or held up for long periods of time as well, he concludes;
"Hire Purchase (HP) and Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), which dominate the used car financing options available from dealers, are linked to the vehicle being financed; typically this makes such options more accessible for car buyers when compared to a personal loan. Add to that the increased self-serve access to finance that we and others offer and buyers can now sort out both their car and finance in one easy, transparent process from their own home."
1 Source Indicata
*Article Source www.rocketperformance.co.uk


text:
Sony's silence on DriveClub is starting to leave a bad taste in PS4's player's mouths. Indeed, there's only so many times we can post news articles answering the question 'Any news on DriveClub's due date?' with a resounding 'Nope.'
IGN spoke to Sony's Scott Rohde for a status update on the stalled racer. Alas, we're still none the wiser but it does give an insight into Sony's thought process behind the delay.
“What I will say is that it all comes back to that fundamental principle, and that’s that we want to build great games,” Rohde said. “And we really don’t want to release a game before it’s ready. And sometimes, this happens in the normal course of business, where we think we’re on track to deliver what we think is going to be a great game, and when we get closer, we realize that we’d be doing everyone a disservice if we shipped it before it was ready.”
“So, I think that at PlayStation, perhaps more than at other places, we’re willing to kinda eat that [cost],” Rohde continued, “and go back to the drawing board and make sure the game is great before we ship it. And that’s what’s going on right now with that game.”
IGN couldn't resist probing Sony about a release date again, but were predictably knocked back with a standard “We’re not announcing any specifics on that yet” comment. Sony PR did mention, however, that further details are not long in coming. Again, could Sony be buying time for the unveil of their VR headset to announce DriveClub's final release date?


text:
Weak demand for desktop computers caused PC sales to plunge more than 5 percent in this year's first quarter, reflecting the industry's ongoing struggles with the shift to smartphones, tablets and other mobile gadgets.
The Gartner research firm says the big reason for the decline was businesses buying fewer desktop computers. It says companies have mostly finished replacing older PCs that used the outdated Windows XP software.
Gartner reported an increase in sales of laptop computers and hybrid models that combine features of tablets and laptops. But that didn't make up for the rapid decline in desktop sales.
PC sales have fallen in all but two quarters of the last three years, according to Gartner, which projects a more moderate decline this year.


text:
Nicaraguan Free Trade Zones on the Decline
The closing of textile companies in the Free Trade Zones in the last three years has led 28 thousand people to unemployment.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
In 2006, 3 companies closed and laid off 1,401 employees. During 2007, 1,314 jobs were lost with the closing of 3 other maquilas.
Five Free Trade Zone companies have applied for temporary suspensions and, with these five, it would be seventeen that have already been affected in the first quarter of the year.
The closure of another maquila center, due to low orders in the world market, means 500 people will be made unemployed.
With the closing of enterprises during 2008 and so far in 2009, 20 thousand people were left unemployed.
The closure of operations of three other maquila companies is due to the 6% increase in the minimum wage agreed between government and labor unions.
- Daily Update
- Government Purchases
- Classified Ads
- Indexes & Statistics
- Press Releases
- Events Calendar


text:
Nubia N1 with 13MP front and rear cameras, 5000mAh Battery Launched for Rs. 11999
Along with Nubia Z11, the company has also launched Nubia N1 smartphone in India. This phone comes in Gold and Silver color options. It is priced at Rs. 11999.
Nubia N1 comes with 5.5-inch Full HD display and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Nubia Ui 4.0. It is powered by 1.8 GHz Octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor with up to 550MHz Mali T860 GPU and 3GB RAM.
It has 64GB internal storage with microSD card slot to expand storage. It comes with fingerprint sensor located at the back panel.
It offers 13 megapixels rear camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture and 5P lens. It also has 13 megapixels front camera.
This phone has 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C connectivity options. It has huge 5000mAh battery.
Check out best smartphones under Rs. 12000 in India.
The company has partnered with Amazon India to sell this phone exclusively. This phone will be available for pre-order on Amazon.in starting from this Friday, December 16th.


text:
Echo of Soul: Wrath of the Goddess Episode 2.5 Now Live
Aeria Games has released Echo of Soul‘s latest content update, Wrath of the Goddess Episode 2.5.
This update expands the game’s story even further with more new content, including:
- Three new dungeons: Temple of Cernunnos, Woods of Chaos, and Spring of Lethe
- Doomspire Keep: A 50-level challenge for the toughest dungeoneers
- Moon Festival: Defeat Moon Queen Luna in Ignea Plains and save its inhabitants from endless slumber
- A New PvP Season
See some of the new fights in action in this latest trailer!
Articles You May Enjoy
- Stormthrone: New mini-game details revealed
- Global game publisher Reality Squared Games (R2Games) has released the first gameplay teaser for Stormthrone: Aeos Rising, giving players a hi...
- Neverwinter: Elemental Evil Launching March 17th
- The Forgotten Realms will soon be overrun with the Elemental Evil cults when Neverwinter: Elemental Evil launches for PC on March 17.
Videos You May Enjoy
Aeria Games has released Echo of Soul's latest content update, Wrath of the Goddess Episode 2.5.


text:
Dealers are optimistic that the report will end months of uncertainty over new car prices, releasing pent-up demand. Mr Byers promised to “take immediate steps” to implement the Commission's recommendations.
These include “substantial changes” to new car distribution, “particularly in the relationship between manufacturers and dealers”, he said. “Suppliers' current arrangements are not delivering cars to the private consumer at competitive prices.”
The 737-page report found new car prices were “between 10% and 12% higher” in the UK than in some European countries. It concluded that UK buyers were “paying about 10% too much” on average, after taking account of discounts, trade-ins and finance deals.
This figure left manufacturers claiming victory, pointing out that 10% was significantly lower than the 30%-40% price differences claimed by consumer bodies.
Mr Byers believes dealer groups should be able to obtain similar discounts as those enjoyed by fleet operators.
But while he blamed Block Exemption for causing higher prices, he conceded Britain alone could not force its abolition. The DTI is discussing possible solutions with the European Commission, though Block Exemption will not be reviewed until September 2002.
Instead, Mr Byers intends to force carmakers to give dealers “who buy cars outright” the same terms, including bulk discounts, as large fleet buyers.
Carmakers and dealers have until May 19 to comment on the proposals.


text:
Supermarket powerhouse Tesco has confirmed the sale of outdoor furniture and garden centre retailer Dobbies to an investor group for £217m.
Midlothian Capital Partners and Hattington Capital both led the investor group over its acquisition of Dobbies, with the sale representing the entire share capital of Dobbies Garden Centres Ltd.
Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said: "Through their hard work and dedication to customer service, Dobbies colleagues have built a great business, and I would like to thank them for everything they have done.
“It was a difficult decision to sell the business, but we believe this agreement will give Dobbies a bright future, while allowing our UK retail business to focus on its core strengths."
Andrew Bracey and Barney Burgess, of Midlothian Capital Partners and Hattington Capital respectively, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen by Tesco to take ownership of the Dobbies business. It is a great business with fantastic colleagues. We're very optimistic about the potential of the business, and we look forward to growing the business across the UK from its base in Scotland."
Tesco said it will continue to offer customers a wide selection of Home and Garden products through its own stores and online.


text:
Foodem, which bills itself as the “only business-to-business online food marketplace,” launched version 2.0 of its online interface today, and has announced its raising of $600,000 in angel funding. One of the funding partners in Foodem’s angel round is Panacea Capital Investors, Inc., based in Bethesda.
As Technically Baltimore reported in August, the Foodem platform “allows wholesale buyers — like hotels, restaurants and catering companies — to connect directly with food manufacturers and distributors, and do it all through a single web interface where buyers can compare food prices across distributors for up to 50 different products at one time.”
CEO and founder Kash Rehman, who has experience in supply chain management and once ran a food distribution company, believes it’s a more efficient way for people in the food industry to compare prices, a task that would normally be done through numerous phone calls to different food vendors.
Watch Kash Rehman present at Baltimore TechBreakfast in July 2012:
Rehman launched the beta version of Foodem in November 2010. His client base is located mostly in the greater Baltimore city-Washington, D.C., area, and includes Capital Meat Company, Metropolitan Meat and Fells Point Wholesale Meats.
Foodem is “pre-revenue” right now, said Kiana Lewis, marketing specialist with Foodem, in an e-mail. The startup employs five people full-time and is one of many based out of the Emerging Technology Center‘s business incubator.
In summer 2012, Foodem received $75,000 from the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). At the time, Foodem announced in a press release it would use the money to launch Foodem 2.0 in Q4 of 2012.
JHU-born Treyetech picks up $30K at prominent business plan competition
PaverGuide looks to reduce stormwater runoff, pollution after the water hits the road
UMB startup NextStep Robotics raises $600K for device treating foot drop
Building a data acquisition system? Don’t make this mistake
Clean Creative is now clean.io, raises $2.5M seed round
emocha Mobile Health moves to Mount Vernon offices
Baltimore hosted Venture for America’s regional job fair connecting new fellows and startups
How SmartLogic accelerated these startups’ product growth trajectories
Sign-up for daily news updates from Technical.ly Baltimore


text:
The campaign to create a new Aboriginal flag has gained momentum this week after Harold Thomas defended his decision to give exclusive merchandising rights to a company owned by the same man at the centre of the fake Aboriginal art trade.
Birubi Art was recently fined $2.3 Million dollars for selling imported fake Aboriginal art from Indonesia. The company flooded the national market with products labelled as authentic and made in Australia. The company effectively undermined Aboriginal artists around the country over a number of years.
Despite knowledge of this case which gained national attention, Harold Thomas, the designer of the Aboriginal flag, transferred the exclusive merchandising rights from Birubi Art to the new company WAM Clothing. The owner of WAM Clothing, who is non-Indigenous, was quick to start exercising his exclusive rights by sending cease and desist letters to any company that was selling products that was using the Aboriginal flag.
It’s important to note that Birubi Art had been sending cease and desist letters in previous years before the company was fined, but now Harold Thomas has been criticised and questioned more than ever as to why he would continue his business relationship knowing that the man he is dealing with undermined genuine Aboriginal artists. The decision has resulted in many people calling Harold Thomas a sellout.
In a recent interview with CAAMA radio, Thomas didn’t seem to understand the outrage his business decisions have created amongst our community. In his interview, he simply reminded people that he was the designer and copyright holder. Instead of discussing why he chose to continue his business relationships, he criticised those who are calling him out.
Despite stating that he wanted the flag to unite our people, he also hinted that the flag was mostly connected to Aboriginal Nations in Central Australia and he even questioned why no one fought for the Aboriginal flag to be owned by all of our people in the past.
So now the calls that have been ongoing for over a year to create a new Aboriginal flag are suddenly gaining a lot of momentum. The flag which was aimed at uniting our people, has been tainted by what many are calling greed.
There is now a campaign for Aboriginal flags to be held upside down throughout NAIDOC week activities and a plan for the flag to be retired and replaced completely on Invasion Day (January 26) 2020. Interestingly, the protocol around retiring a flag includes burning the flag in a respectful manner until it turns to ashes (as shown below).
Welcome to Country is an independent Indigenous news/media website. While we wish we didn’t need to write this particular article we must continue to report on issues that are not being mentioned by mainstream media outlets.


text:
The company is planning to pour 17 billion pesos ($863 million USD) into Mexico this year.
Retail giant Walmart’s Mexican subsidiary Walmart de Mexico SAB (Walmex) announced last week that the company plans to sizably increase its capital expenditures—investing in new store openings and remodels and making strides to bolster the company’s logistics and online presence in the region.
According to news source MarketWatch, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company is planning to pour 17 billion pesos ($863 million USD) into Mexico this year—up 19 percent from 2016.
The investment is part of an ongoing 10-year plan to double annual sales from 2014 to 2024. Walmex sales grew 12 percent last year to around $27 billion. The company currently operates 3,029 stores in the region—including 735 in Central America.
The company’s $863 million is expected to be invested in the following ways:
The announcement comes on the heels of Walmart subsidiary Jet.com’s acquisition of ModCloth—an online retailer Business Insider describes as “a bohemian vintage clothing brand.” Investments in e-commerce in the Mexican market are part of a broader push to prioritize the segment and to secure online marketshare throughout North America.
You might also be interested in:
If you want to win the war for talent, skills-based hiring must be a part of your strategy. Judging talent by degrees alone is not enough.
The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the world is mind blowing. It is hard to fathom. Industry has changed, and the way we do business is different.


text:
25 January 2018
DR SUZAN HORST JOINS SYNLAIT LEADERSHIP TEAM
Synlait (NZX: SML; ASX: SM1) will welcome Dr Suzan Horst to the Senior Leadership Team on 1 April as Director of Quality, Regulatory and Laboratory Services.
Managing Director and CEO John Penno says Dr Horst is a leading authority in the global dairy industry and has much to offer Synlait.
“Suzan’s executive experience with large multinational dairy companies complements the breadth of leadership and commercial capability we already have in our senior team,” says Mr Penno.
“Our organisation will be in an even stronger position as a result of Suzan’s expertise, which is defined by her extensive oversight of food safety in infant formula and fresh consumer dairy products.”
“Suzan’s role is significant and carries considerable responsibility across our value chain,” says Mr Penno.
“Having the right food safety systems and risk management in place throughout the business is critical.”
“Not only do we repeatedly test all facilities, raw materials and finished products, but we also have a full quality assurance and traceability programme for everything we produce.”
Synlait’s quality testing laboratory, which was commissioned in 2015 and consists of chemistry and microbiology laboratories, carries out almost 200,000 tests a year.
“Our on-site laboratory gives us greater control and visibility around our products, as well as the benefit of having substantial technical competence within the organisation,” adds Mr Penno.
Synlait also plays a leading role in providing market access for customers and securing regulatory approval for products, which means Dr Horst’s position will also have an international regulatory focus.
“As we become a more diversified and balanced business, Suzan will ensure we continue to have the right capability in all of these areas.”
“This underpins the integrity and confidence in food safety we provide to not just our customers, but their consumers as well,” says Mr Penno.
Dr Horst says “I feel really honoured to join the Synlait team. The company has an impressive track record over the last decade and has exciting plans for the future”.
“It’s great that sustaining the high performance of quality, regulatory and laboratory services is defined by the senior team as a critical factor for the ongoing success of the company, especially as our portfolio becomes more diversified.”
“I look forward to supporting the company in building and maintaining solid quality systems that result in safe products and highly satisfied customers,” says Dr Horst.
Dr Horst is currently Director Quality Affairs, Business Group EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) for FrieslandCampina. She has held other senior roles since joining them in 2005, including Director Corporate QA, crisis and issue management and Corporate Quality Assurance Manager.
Prior to joining FrieslandCampina, Dr Horst was Global Food Safety Competence Manager for Nutreco B V and lectured agricultural economics and food safety before that.
Dr Horst holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry from the Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands, part of which involved study at Massey University in New Zealand.
For more information contact:
Communications Manager, Synlait Milk
P: +64 3 373 3069


text:
The Virtual Piggy payment option will be available in the online stores for two of Les Atelier Montreal’s brands: Dom Rebel Threads and City of Mary. The Dom Rebel brand offers detailed, hand drawn, rock inspired t-shirts, and is sold at retail stores in over 20 countries. City of Mary is an upcoming creative collective, offering clothing inspired by architecture, and life itself.
The Prince Peter Collection offers unisex t-shirts inspired by classic rock photography. The brand has been worn and supported by many celebrities, including Rihanna, Katy Perry, Lil Wayne and Selena Gomez. With Virtual Piggy integrated into their online store, teen consumers will soon be able to safely purchase these shirts online.
“These fashion brands are a great offering to our teen customers as we expand our footprint in the apparel category,” said EVP of Sales Tom Keefer. “Giving them the ability to safely purchase items online from Dom Rebel, City of Mary and Prince Peter means access to the cutting edge fashion they want.“
Virtual Piggy, Inc. is the first e-commerce solution that enables kids to manage and spend money within a parent-controlled environment.
Virtual Piggy Inc
Textiles | On 25th May 2017
Huntsman Corporation and Clariant have announced that their boards of ...
Apparel/Garments | On 25th May 2017
European cities were the preferred new destination for international...
Fashion shows are also encouraging and highlighting sustainable fashion
Mukesh Agarwal & Rajesh Agarwal
Madhuram Fincap Pvt Ltd
Increasing prices and lack of demand main issues facing industry
Key Textile Accessories Private Limited
Chinese imports are destroying the supply chain
InvestKonsult Sweden AB
Investkonsult Sweden AB has been buying and selling second-hand textile...
Steve Cole of Xerium Technologies discusses the industry. Xerium is the...
Schlegel und Partner
Silke Brand-Kirsch, executive partner of Schlegel und Partner, a leading...
Label Ritu Kumar
‘Classics will return’ "There are a lot of people wearing western clothes ...
Rupa Sood and Sharan Apparao
Nayaab, an exhibition meant to celebrate Indian weaves, is in its second...
Gildan Activewear SRL
Gildan Activewear, a manufacturer and marketer of branded clothing and...


text:
On Tuesday 16th January MPs will debate the impact of junk food marketing on children’s obesity. As members of the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), the British Liver Trust are calling for existing regulations to be extended so that junk food marketing is restricted until after the 9pm watershed on TV. The OHA has written to all MPs asking them to speak at the debate in support of this policy.
The levels of overweight and obesity are at a devastating all-time high, with more than one in five children overweight or obese when they start primary school. This figure rises to one in three when they leave primary school. Children living in the most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to be affected by obesity as those living in the least deprived areas.
The marketing of food and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) has a major impact on childhood obesity rates. There is a clear link between food promotion and children’s food preferences, what they buy and what they eat. Advertising also influences how much children eat, and can lead to them ‘pestering’ parents to buy unhealthy products.
The Government already acknowledges that children need protecting from junk food marketing through restrictions on HFSS adverts during programmes watched only by children. However, these restrictions do not apply to adverts shown during “family viewing time” – programmes broadcast between 6pm and 9pm, such as The Voice and X-Factor. Significantly more children watch these shows than even the most popular children’s programmes. In fact, current restrictions only apply to 26% of children’s total viewing time, meaning there is a serious loophole in the regulations.
A recent OHA report – ‘A Watershed Moment: Why it’s Prime Time to Protect Children from Junk Food Adverts’ reveals that the majority (59%) of food and drink adverts shown during family viewing time would be banned from children’s TV, yet hundreds of thousands of children are exposed to these ads every week. In the worst case example, children were bombarded with nine junk food adverts in just a 30 minute period including pizzas, burgers and crisps.
We are calling for junk food adverts to be restricted until after the 9pm watershed. We have an opportunity to gather support from MPs for our call with the upcoming debate in Parliament. We are asking all supporters to join in our campaign by writing to their MP using a template letter, asking them to attend the debate and speak in support of restrictions on junk food marketing.
To actively support the campaign supporters can use one of two ways:
- Use the RCPCH e-action page which will automatically generate an email to your MP: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news/take-action-lobby-your-mp-about-junk-food-marketing
- Adapt the attached template email and send directly to your own MP. Find out who your MP is here: http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/
If you would like more information about the impact of junk food marketing or the work of the Obesity Health Alliance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch here: http://obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/


text:
Gemini Announces Details on Upcoming Crypto Credit Card
Earlier this year, the cryptocurrency exchange platform Gemini opened the waitlist for its planned crypto rewards credit card. Since then, a reported 140,000 people have joined said list. In turn, Gemini has now revealed more details on the products, including the rewards multipliers and some clever elements that make it unique.
In terms of rewards, the Gemini Credit Card will earn up to 3% back on dining as well as 2% back on groceries. Additionally, cardholders will earn 1% back on everything else. Not only will all of these rewards be issued in cryptocurrency — including Bitcoin or any of the more than 30 cryptocurrencies Gemini offers on its platform — but they’ll also be automatically deposited in real-time. As Gemini notes, this will allow customers to benefit from any price increases that may occur after they earn their rewards. Meanwhile, this also gives users the opportunity to deposit their crypto rewards into a Gemini Earn account and earn interest on their funds.
Also notable is that the Gemini Credit Card will carry no annual fee. Elsewhere, perhaps taking a page from Apple, the physical card will be made of metal and only display the cardholder’s name (the 16-digit card number can be accessed via the Gemini app but will not be printed on the card). That said, unlike the Apple Card which currently only comes in white, cardholders will be able to choose between black, silver, and rose gold card designs. Additionally, the card will be a Mastercard, entitling customers to World Mastercard benefits, including recently-announced perks on DoorDash.
While the Gemini Credit Card isn’t the only crypto rewards card making its way to market, these latest details do seem to put it ahead of competitors such as BlockFi. With a $200 annual fee and only 1.5% in rewards, the BlockFi credit card may not look nearly as attractive when compared to what’s planned with the Gemini card. That said, it should be noted that BlockFi’s product does include other benefits such as increased APY rates for its interest-earning crypto accounts and more.
Overall, the Gemini Credit Card is starting to look like a pretty solid option for those interested in the cryptocurrencies. With no annual fee and rewards up to 3%, it’s on par with (although perhaps slightly below) more traditional options such as the Capital One SavorOne. However, the real-time rewards aspect helps make it unique in addition to the crypto-earning elements. Naturally, the metal card design is also likely to attract users of a certain stripe. So, while this card does come with some risks inherent to the cryptocurrency market, it could certainly serve to bring some current credit card enthusiasts and beyond into the world of crypto


text:
India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have formally launched negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that aims at expanding bilateral trade and investment between the two nations.
The first round of CEPA negotiations will be held on Thursday and Friday. Both nations aim to sign a deal in six months.
A new strategic economic agreement between both nations is expected to increase bilateral trade in goods to $100 billion within five years of the agreement being signed and increase trade in services to $15 billion.
"Both sides will aim to conclude negotiations by December 2021 and sign a formal agreement in March 2022 after the completion of internal legal procedures and ratification," commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said after a meeting with Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE's minister of state for foreign trade in the national capital.
A trade deal, if worked out between both nations, will be the first of the bunch of trade agreements that India aims to ink with other developed nations over the next few months. The UAE is currently India’s third-largest trading partner with bilateral trade and the second-largest export destination after the US.
On UAE's part, India was its second-largest trading partner in 2019.
UAE is also the eighth-largest investor in India, having invested $11 billion between April 2000 and March 2021, while investment by Indian companies in the UAE is estimated to be over $85 billion.
Goyal said that both nations decided that discussions should focus on items that would have an early impact on trade. "We decided that items in which we have a clear competitive and comparative advantage for trade between the two nations on both sides in goods and services, will focus on getting items of immediate importance to be agreed upon," he said.
For India items of interest will be textiles, jewellery, footwear, leather products and handicrafts. On UAE's side, there will be focus areas such as fintech, food, medical equipment, petrochemical equipment and byproducts, among others, Thani said.
India's major exports to the UAE include petroleum products, precious metals, stones, gems and jewellery, minerals, food items such as cereals, sugar, fruits and vegetables, tea, meat, and seafood, textiles, engineering and machinery products, and chemicals. India's top imports from the UAE include petroleum and petroleum products, precious metals, stones, gems and jewellery, minerals, chemicals and wood and wood products. India imported USD 10.9 billion of crude oil from the UAE in 2019-2020.
Both ministers emphasized that concluding CEPA negotiations quickly and constructively will further strengthen the deep trade and economic ties between both countries.
"Reaffirming their commitment to working together, both Ministers agreed to strengthen the rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open, and inclusive multilateral trading system embodied by the World Trade Organization. They also agreed to work towards a balanced and inclusive outcome at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva, Switzerland," an official statement said.
"Both Ministers emphasized that CEPA will create new jobs, raise living standards, and provide wider social and economic opportunities in both nations," the statement said.
Goyal said he will co-chair the ninth UAE-India high level joint task force on investments with Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
On the investment front, Thani said UAE's regulations have been designed to welcome enterprise and innovation, including 100 per cent foreign ownership laws, efficient business set-up procedures, and long-term visas for investors, key professionals and high-achieving students. "It (CEPA) lays the foundations for an ambitious new era, one in which we are able to attract investment and talent to the region, accelerate growth and spur a broad-based economic recovery," Thani said.


text:
California limited liability company RICMIC LLC on Wednesday sued Vigil Health Solutions Inc. and Seacrest Village Retirement Communities in federal court for alleged patent infringement of a wireless emergency call system designed for the senior living and healthcare industries.
RICMIC LLC claims that Vigil sells a number of emergency call systems that violate patents held by RICMIC manager Michael Halverson. Seacrest, which is operated by defendant San Diego Hebrew Homes, uses the infringing products, such as the Vigil Wireless Nurse Call System, despite the fact that it was notified of the alleged patent infringement, according to the complaint.
“Defendants’ continuing infringement has caused and will continue to cause plaintiff irreparable harm for which there is no adequate legal remedy in that such continuing infringement undermines plaintiff’s ongoing efforts to sell or exclusively license the Asserted Patents and other related patents for full value or at all because without an injunction RICMIC is unable to exercise its fundamental right to exclude others from practicing the Asserted Patents,” the complaint states.
Patent numbers in question are 9,305,450 B2 and 10,380,873 B1. The emergency call system described in the patents consists of a patient safety device, such as a pendant or smoke alarm, and a caregiver communications device, such as a tablet or a smartphone, that are connected to a central coordination server. When a patient safety device generates an alarm, the caregiver device receives an alert.
“The patented invention provides substantial information delivery benefits, logging, recording and reporting functionality, and overcomes other functional and technical limitations inherent in one-way pager, two-way radio and cellular phone ‘nurse call’ and other call systems commonly used in assisted living facilities,” the complaint states.
RICMIC is seeking to enjoin Vigil from making, selling or using its emergency call systems that utilize the Vigil Mobile alert notification tool in the United States and to enjoin Seacrest from using said products. The plaintiff is also seeking damages for patent infringement.


text:
Last week, the NAEA announced a thirteen year high on the number of sales agreed per branch during July. On average, branches sold thirteen houses throughout July, a number not previously reached since June 2007, before the financial crisis.
Year-on-year, there has been a 44% increase when compared to July 2019, signifying just how pivotal the Chancellors decision to remove stamp duty has been on the property market.
Despite the increase in sales, sale prices seem to have fallen. Only 8% of properties sold for over their asking price, down from 10% in June of this year. Additionally, 60% of sales were completed for less than their asking price.
Interestingly, the slight decline in sale prices has come with a rise in demand. From June of this year to July, the NAEA reports an increase of 13% in new house hunters registering. Couple this with an increase of 35% in new signups from July 2019 and the increase in demand is evident.
While demand rose, so too did supply. There was an increase of six available properties per branch between June and July, rising from 37 to 43. Although, it must be noted this is only a marginal increase when compared to last years stats.
These figures certainly show a willingness to buy in the current market and with no stamp duty its no wonder why. If you’re looking to take advantage of this, why not pop down to our Teignmouth office or get in touch via phone? We’d be happy to help.


text:
From jewelry designers to television producers, these 4 women have helped shape their pertaining industry. They defeated the odds of creating multi-million dollar companies by simply standing up for what they believe in and chasing their dream! Take a look at their stories.
Writer, director, and producer
After finding fame with the FX series Pose, Janet Mock made history for becoming the first trans woman of color to write and direct for a TV series. This June, she signed a multiyear development deal with Netflix, yet another historic milestone for Mock and the communities she identifies with.
“I hope [my work] becomes a beacon for anyone out there, like I was, seeking and searching for reflections.”
Cofounder and CEO / Canva
Canva, the Australian-based graphic design platform, was created in 2013 to help anyone, with any level of design knowledge create and publish creative materials. Canva has grown to become a $2.5 billion company, and has 15 million active monthly users around the globe.
Founder and CEO / Kendra Scott
From designing her first jewelry collection in 2002, to building a $1 billion brand, Kendra Scott has grown to run a majority-women empowered company! Of the Austin-based brand’s 2,000 employees, more than 90 percent are women.
In September, Kendra Scott announced the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program in partnership with the University of Texas. The programming will feature speaker series and courses on everything from building a business to advocating for equal pay and will be available to University of Texas students. “We want women to be able to access this information,” Scott says.
Founder and executive chairman / ClassPass
Back in 2010, Payal Kadakia gave herself two weeks to come up with a viable business idea when she came up with ClassPass! ClassPass is a subscription-based service that helps users in 2,500-plus cities book exercise classes. This year, Kadakia launched a corporate wellness service that gives employees access to classes with 22,000 studio partners.
ClassPass is also closely approaching the milestone of 100 million class reservations, a figure that keeps the founder motivated.


text:
Tim Westergren, co-founder of Pandora Media Inc. (Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)
Pandora has announced that it will celebrate it’s 10th anniversary on Wednesday September 9th with a day that’s free of ads for its freemium tier. While many will look at what’s being called “Listener Love Day” as a nice gesture to celebrate a decade in business, there may be more to it than meets the eye.
While a day without ads might give Pandora’s freemium listeners (who make up 95% of its active users) a sample of what the premium paid-subscriber tier is like, it can also be viewed as an all-out effort to get at least some of those users to finally buy in.
Pandora currently has about 250 million subscribers but only 80 million are active, according to the company’s own numbers. Of those, just around 4 million, or 5%, have chosen the $4.99 per month ad-free premium tier (and many of them subscribed at the previous $3.99 level). This ratio has been surprisingly steady throughout its history, and the service hasn’t proven that it has the ability to up the conversion rate.
What’s even more out of balance is that those 5% of paid subscribers are responsible for just over 20% of Pandora’s revenue for the first half of 2015, according to the company’s Q2 financial statement.
In comparison, Spotify has around 75 million users and about 20 million are subscribed to the paid tier, which is more than 26% of active users. Those subscribers are also willing to pay twice as much at $9.99 per month.
Pandora is also hampered by how big it can grow its audience, since it’s limited to a territory of North America, Australia and New Zealand by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. That’s why a higher conversion rate is a must if the company is ever going to be profitable.
With high content costs in the form of royalties paid to record labels, artists, songwriters and publishers (which are likely to increase in the future), the company’s best hope for turning an ongoing profit is to convert more of its free subscribers into paid subscribers.
Giving them a one day taste of what that level of service seems like it may be the best way for that to happen. If it doesn’t go as planned though, the next question is going to be “What now?”
Copyright © 2015 China Music Business News


text:
Can't get enough of sweet chocolate and salty potato chips? Blame it on your genes.
According to a recent study from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, researchers have found links between food preference and genetics, specifically surrounding hormone regulation, depression and obesity risk.
"Most people have a hard time modifying their dietary habits, even if they know it is in their best interest," explained lead researcher Silvia Berciano. "This is because our food preferences and ability to work toward goals or follow plans affect what we eat and our ability to stick with diet changes. Ours is the first study describing how brain genes affect food intake and dietary preferences in a group of healthy people."
As a part of their study, Berciano and her team analyzed the genes of more than 800 European adults against a questionnaire about their eating habits. The findings showed adults who consumed more chocolate tended to have a larger waist size and the oxytocin receptor gene, which is linked to obesity.
Berciano says the study's findings could one day help dietitians provide individualized diet advice based on genetic testing. “This information will contribute to a better understanding of eating behaviour and facilitate the implementation of personalized dietary advice that should result in better compliance and more successful prevention and therapy of chronic disorders,” she explained.
The findings can also be used in preventative care as doctors can tailor a diet for patients to reduce disease risk.
Currently, many dietitians and nutritionists attempt to form specialized diets based on responses to questions about their client's diet.
Also on HuffPost


text:
The rate of decline in import prices in Germany during last June exceeded 11%, marking the largest decrease in this indicator since September 2009. This significant drop followed a 9.1% decrease in the previous month of May.
It is worth mentioning that import prices to Germany have increased by over 30% in some cases during the past year. This rise is primarily attributed to the disruptions caused by the Russian war in Ukraine, which led to a significant increase in energy and raw material costs.
The current decline in import prices is attributed to a fundamental impact resulting from the high prices recorded in the previous period, making the current difference stand out compared to the elevated price levels from before.
This effect is clearly manifested in energy prices, which decreased by 44.9% in June compared to the same month last year. Natural gas import prices also declined by 50% on an annual basis and 15.5% on a monthly basis.
You can also learn more about how to import cars from Germany with the easiest procedures.
The import prices directly affect consumer prices, a factor that the European Central Bank considers in designing its monetary policy. To tackle high inflation, the European Central Bank has significantly raised its key interest rates since the summer of 2022.
However, in recent times, the bank has increasingly been considering current economic developments to determine its future monetary policy, leading to a reduction in its expectations regarding potential interest rates in the future.
You can also follow the latest news in Germany today on a daily basis by subscribing to our free notification service.


text:
For the week ending May 8th - the S&P 500 increased by 1.2%, the NASDAQ declined by 1.5% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 2.7%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury Yield Rate hovered around 1.60% through Friday, May 8th.
Abel Chosen As Buffett's Successor
Greg Abel, Vice Chairman of Non Insurance Operations at Berkshire Hathaway (ticker:
), was implictly announced as successor of Warren Buffett as the CEO of the company during the company's
2021 Annual Shareholders Meeting
on last Saturday, May 1st. In the meeting, Charlie Munger, Executive Vice Chairman of Berkshire, on the topic of who will maintain Berkshire's culture in future (after passing of Munger and Buffett) commented - "
Greg [Abel] will keep the culture.
" Buffett later confirmed to CNBC that "the [Berkshire's board of] directors are in agreement that if something were to happen to me tonight, it would be Greg who’d take over tomorrow morning."
Verizon Sells Yahoo to Apollo
) and private equity giant Apollo Global Management (ticker:
that Apollo will be acquiring Verizon Media for $5 billion. Verizon Media, which consists of Verizon's media assets from Yahoo and AOL acquisitions, will be renamed as Yahoo after the acquisition is complete. Verizon will retain 10% stake in the new Yahoo and Verizon Media's current CEO, Guru Gowrappan, will lead new Yahoo as CEO.
Peloton Issued Recall for Tread and Tread+
that the company halted the sale and issued a recall of its treadmill products - Tread and Tread+ due to risk of injury according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Wednesday, May 6th. During
third quarter 2021 earnings call
, company announced - "
We estimate the revenue impact of the Tread and Tread +Plus recall will be approximately $165 million.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released Non-farm Payroll data for April 2021 on Friday, May 7th and it showed U.S. economy added 266,000 jobs (much lower than the gain of 978,000 jobs expected by analysts). It is maybe a sign that workers are not joining the economy due to unemployment benefits and stimulus checks.
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) announced U.S. Balance of Trade for March 2021 on Tuesday, May 4th. The trade deficit was (i.e. imports exceeded exports by) $74.4 billion, $3.9 billion more than $70.5 billion (revised) in February 2021, according to the report.
Please feel free to share any feedback or comments about the newsletter by sending an email to email@example.com


text:
Microsoft Sues Motorola over Android Related Patents
With Windows Phone 7 launching next week, one has to question the timing of Microsoft's patent salvo against Motorola. Citing that the Android operating system used in quite a few of Moto's smartphones infringe on its patents, Microsoft's move can be interpreted as a 'punishment' for those manufacturers going Android and forsaking Win Phone 7. After all, we haven't seen Samsung or LG getting the same treatment despite their use of Android too.
Ars Technica - Microsoft has announced a lawsuit against Motorola, alleging that several of the mobile company's Android devices infringe on nine of its patents. The software giant is suing in US District Court in Washington, and is also bringing a complaint before the International Trade Commission (ITC). The patents are all related to key smartphone experiences that include syncing e-mails, calendars, and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications about changes in signal strength and battery power. Microsoft specifically names two Motorola devices, the Droid 2 and the Charm, but says these are just examples and not a comprehensive list.
Click here for the full story.


text:
Save 50% on your Social Media Week pass! Join leading brands and agencies in NYC this April 9–11 to learn about emerging trends, tools and strategies. Register now—savings expire Dec. 11.
More than a year into the pandemic, self-care is no longer just for Sundays.
Lockdowns and quarantines have led many to trade in matte foundations for liquid exfoliators and curling irons for clarifying conditioner. After a year of social distancing, virtual happy hours and Etsy pages dedicated to custom face masks, Covid-19 has changed the way people shop—and what is considered a necessity.
WFH habits are shaping retail sales
Ecommerce website Shopify, which houses more than 1.7 million merchants across the world, released a new report this week illustrating how these changes in shopping habits are remaking the retail landscape.


text:
Apple imposes new limits on its online orders due to coronavirus-induced supply issues
Apple's mobile-device revenues have been projected to fall this year and next thanks to the ongoing public health situation. The pandemic in question has also reportedly affected this company's supply chains, which may make the production of iPhone 12 units more difficult than usual. Now, it appears that these rumors may have some weight.
The Cupertino giant has added new restrictions on the online purchases conducted via its own website. They allow a user to order only 2 units of any given device. These limits have been found to apply to the 8- to 11-series iPhones listed on these pages.
Similarly, only 2 new iPad Pros (which come in 11- or 12.9-inch variants) can be ordered per Bag. These measures are only normally taken immediately after iPhone launch events on apple.com, in order to curb order-system abuses on the part of resellers.
Therefore, the fact they are in place now is is a fairly solid indication that their maker is experiencing supply issues at present.


text:
A team of chemists from the University of California, Davis, recently demonstrated that a new synthetic analogue of cannabidiol (CBD) may be just as effective for medicinal uses as its naturally extracted counterpart. This synthetic CBD compound also promises to be easier, cheaper and faster to produce.
Last year the FDA approved CBD for the treatment of two rare forms of severe childhood-onset epilepsies. This milestone moment marked the first approval of a marijuana-derived compound for clinical purposes in the United States. Alongside this approval there is a rapidly growing body of research exploring a whole host of different beneficial medical uses for CBD, from controlling chronic pain to improving anxiety disorders.
Producing CBD in large quantities presents a challenge as it still primarily comes from the marijuana plant, a reasonably energy-intensive crop to grow. Purity of extraction is another issue faced by mass producers, as well as the fact that the legal status of marijuana, and its associated compounds, varies greatly from country to country.
The UC Davis research reports on a newly developed way to produce a synthetic compound called 8,9-Dihydrocannabidiol (H2CBD). In the past H2CBD has been produced using natural CBD, however, the newly published study now demonstrates an efficient new process to create the compound using inexpensive, non-cannabis derived precursors. This means H2CBD can be easily, and legally, produced in regions where marijuana and CBD are still regulated substances.
One of the unique aspects of H2CBD noted by the researchers is the fact it cannot be converted into tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. While CBD does not produce notable narcotic effects, there are documented cases of it sometimes having a mild sedative effect. It is hypothesized this is caused by the conversion of CBD to THC in the acidic environment of a person’s stomach. Since H2CBD fundamentally cannot undergo this chemical conversion it presents as a promising clinical alternative to CBD.
“Unlike CBD, there is no way to convert H2CBD to intoxicating THC,” says Mark Mascal, one of the UC Davis researchers working on the project. “It’s a much safer drug than CBD, with no abuse potential and doesn’t require the cultivation of hemp.”
As well as demonstrating the new method to synthesize H2CBD, the researchers tested the compound’s efficacy in treating seizures against conventional CBD. In a series of experiments inducing seizures in rats the study found H2CBD was just as effective as CBD in reducing the number and severity of seizures.
Further research is underway to verify the safety and efficacy of H2CBD in both animals and subsequently humans, so it may still be some time before the synthetic compound is readily available. However, if the promising broad medical uses of CBD continue to expand then an effective and easily produced alternative will prove very useful.
The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Source: UC Davis
(For the source of this, and many other interesting articles, please visit: https://newatlas.com/synthetic-cbd-effective-seizures-study-uc-davis/59889/)


text:
YouTube now supports 3D virtual reality video, Google has announced. It's not the most surprising announcement in the tech year, admittedly: Google had already embraced virtual reality, 360-degree video and immersive content, after all. This announcement merely brings them all together, and makes it possible to make, share and watch 360 videos that also have depth and three dimensions in the manner of most games and other VR experiences.
"Using the same tricks that we humans use to see the world, VR video gives you a sense of depth as you look around in every direction," Google said in a blog post.
The core idea is to give video a sense of true distance and physicality. "Near things look near, far things look far," Google says.
The new videos which include some custom paid-for 'content' by the likes of TOMS Shoes and the latest Hunger Games movie can be seen already via the YouTube Android app, available on Google Play. Tap the new 'Cardboard' icon and you'll be dropped into the video. More and better films will follow though, and with capable cameras coming onto the market it won't just be marketing companies using this tech for long.
In fact there is some better content already, including a 3D VR video of the Apollo 11 Moon landing and Waves of Grace, a VR trip into the heart of the Ebola crisis.
Google also announced that existing YouTube videos will be viewable in Google Cardboard via a new virtual movie theatre, which drops viewers into a sparse, 3D setting where they can pretend to sit back, alone, in a dark place, and watch their chosen video on a distant screen, blinking in the dark. Sounds neat.
"Both of today’s updates make it easier to be there. In some cases, really there," Google said. The new YouTube App can be seen in Google Play.


text:
Amazon is selling books that teach parents how to subject their autistic children to harmful “treatment” regimes that include drinking, bathing in and making enemas out of a toxic, bleach-like substance. Other pseudoscientific books available on the website instruct parents to force their children to undergo chelation – a treatment intended for arsenic and lead poisoning that caused the death of an autistic boy in 2005.
A search for “autism cure” on Amazon brings up dozens of books positing pseudoscientific solutions for autism spectrum disorder – a complex and lifelong developmental disability that has no known cure. But Amazon’s virtual bookshelves are stacked high with titles that recommend a long list of unproven and dangerous autism cures, including sex, yoga, camel milk, electroconvulsive therapy and veganism.
One book, Healing the Symptoms Known As Autism, instructs parents in how to make chlorine dioxide – a bleach-like substance that is sometimes marketed as “Miracle Mineral Solution”. Although the substance has never been scientifically verified as a treatment for any condition, an Amazon search for “Miracle Mineral Solution” turns up more than 25 books extolling its supposed benefits.
In 2010, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that chlorine dioxide, used in this manner, “can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and symptoms of severe dehydration” and that it “poses a significant health risk to consumers who may choose to use this product for self-treatment”. On its product page, Amazon’s recommendation system suggests that people interested in the book might also like to purchase chlorine dioxide drops intended for water purification.


text:
After a year where people confined to their homes, there is definitely a lot of catching up to do in 2021. With news about successful vaccine trials across the globe, 2021 has dawned with light at the end of the tunnel, ringing in renewed hope and aspirations. It is now time to celebrate and pamper those well-rested feet that are itching to step out. There can’t be a better time to revamp your footwear collection and step out with your best foot forward!
To help you do just that, South India’s Largest Multi Brand Footwear Chain –
CENTRO has announced its
End Of The Season Sale with upto 60% off on its wide range of Fashion Footwear Brands, in both its online and offline stores.
Bringing ‘Fashion For Your Feet’, CENTRO has launched its digital campaign ”FESTIVE SALE” to accelerate its end of season sale. Through this campaign, consumers have access to a wide range of fashion footwear collections across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The decade-old brand is part of V-Retail, a distribution company started by Sridhar Ganesh Bollam vidya sagar Bollam and Srikanth Bollam.
In 2000, v retail went on to become one of the largest retail, distribution and franchise companies for brands including Brikenstock, Max, Skechers and Westside in South India. They set up Centro in 2009, almost 10 years later, as the family wanted to venture into retail to “adapt themselves to changing times.”
CENTRO, a brand known for quality and durability, has been India’s Multi Branded Footwear Specialist for over 30 Years and has built a massive retail chain by opening stores in some of the South India’s busiest markets, metro towns and malls. With its flagship store in Hyderabad, Centro is now gearing up to establish itself as the market leader across India over the next two years. The company, which already leads in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka with a 20% market share, is turning its focus to other metro cities and towns to expand its presence in South India further.
Being the largest multi-brand footwear chain in South India, Centro offers the widest footwear collections in India, ranging from latest designs of festive Indian, formal, casual, party, sports, wedding and comfort footwear, from over 150 brands, for men, women and kids. To tap more multi-brand outlets – those that sell different footwear brands under one roof, CENTRO is now stepping up efforts to reach out to more consumers through its owned outlets, franchised stores, and its distribution network.
Whatever your style – from boots to sneakers, loafers to sandals, check out the wide range of premium styles on sale at Centro, and treat yourself to the best fashion in the footwear industry today.


text:
Rinascente launches online store
Italian department store Rinascente has launched its first online store. The ecommerce website is part of parent Central Group’s omnichannel strategy. Rinascente’s online shop is only aimed at Italian customers for now.
For a long time, Rinascente has been skeptical of ecommerce. But now, due to the omnichannel plans of Central Group, the department store is finally online. The webshop from Rinascente is also a model for the KaDeWe, the famous department store in Berlin, which is also owned by Central Group.
The online shop only covers Italy
The launched ecommerce website initially will cover only Italy, but that might change in the future. The online shop offers around 15,000 products from 650 different brands in segments like fashion, beauty, food, and design. And since the luxury brands in the physical outlets mostly control their space themselves, the department store also want to use this concession model online. This means the top brands will have their own digital shop-in-shop at Rinascente.it.
Rinascente.it offers around 15,000 products.
‘We are finally able to unveil our online shop’
“After two-and-a-half years we are finally able to unveil our first ecommerce website. We have stalled for a while, but our top priority over the past few years was to complete the renovation of our physical stores. Now that we are happy with them, we can definitely launch the online store, which is meant to deeply reflect our brick-and-mortar experience”, CEO Pierluigi Cocchini said.
Part of omnichannel strategy
The physical stores from Rinascente will work synergistically with the online shop, which is part of the omnichannel strategy developed by Central Group, which acquired the Italian department store in May 2011.
Central Group acquired Rinascente in May 2011.


text:
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has filed a lawsuit to get a Florida pizza company to stop using logos similar to Garden State Parkway signs.
The suit, filed this week in federal court in Newark, claims Jersey Boardwalk Pizza is infringing on the authority's service marks with its signage online and at its Tavernier and Florida City, Fla., shops.
The agency says Jersey Boardwalk Pizza's green and yellow logos are "virtually identical" to the "iconic" Garden State Parkway logo. The company is making money off the logos using the highway's logo to attract customers, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit says the Garden State Parkway logo "has acquired substantial consumer recognition and goodwill and has achieved the status of being a famous mark."
The pizza shops, according to the suit, "blatantly copy and appropriate" the logos, a move "likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception as to the source or origin of Defendants' services."
In an email included in the lawsuit filing, an attorney for the pizza company says the logos are unlikely to cause confusion.
"Given the very distinct difference in the goods and services offered by our respective clients (yours being a governmental agency providing highway maintenance and travel related services exclusively in the state of New Jersey -- ours being a franchisor of pizza restaurants providing the opportunity to provide delicious pizza and Italian food to patrons of its licensed restaurants), there is no plausible likelihood of confusion," JoyAnn Kenny wrote in response to a cease-and-desist letter sent in April.
Kenny calls the turnpike authority's pursuit of the pizza company "an unnecessary, fruitless and unwarranted waste of public resources."


text:
Rockar will use valuation and provenance data from Cap HPI to underpin its online retail platform as it plots growth with franchised retailers in 2018.
The omni-channel car retail specialist, which recently sruck up a partnership with Mitsubishi following its success as a new car sales channel for Hyundai and Jaguar Land Rover, said that the data stream is an important part of its online part-exchange process.
The offering demands an accurate data set to underpin accurate used car valuations, Rockar said.
Founder Simon Dixon added: “Rockar is an enabler. We facilitate better customer relationships with our digitally-led, pressure free car buying solution. Using data sources such as Cap HPI to power our platform makes us truly unique and helps us to increase sales and improve customer loyalty for car manufacturers and dealers.”
Steve Hrywnak, head of inside sales at Cap HPI said: “Rockar is a true innovator and it is great to see Cap HPI used in such a revolutionary way. Great retail is based on trust, and this data helps the process become more transparent.”
In an interview with AM last week, Dixon said that he was expecting to “realise the potential” of his innovative automotive retail model in 2018.
In its first three years of trading, the company has logged 1.2 million user journeys through its one-of-a-kind online platform and has welcomed over a million customers through its retail-focussed stores across Hyundai, Jaguar and Land Rover.
But Dixon believes that the roll-out of Rockar’s online retail platform to franchised car dealers in the new year will see a tipping point in the development of his business.
He said: “When we entered the market three years ago I think retailers were suspicious. They saw us as a rival, a disruptor. That’s never what we wanted to be. I never wanted to be answering questions about sales volumes. We want to be a facilitator of online sales for manufacturers and retailers and I think 2018 will be the year that we realise that potential.”
If you are not a registered user your comment will go to AM for approval before publishing. To avoid this requirement please register or login.
Login to comment
No comments have been made yet.


text:
Vancouver loves it some cinnamon buns, which means most of us are going to be stoked to hear about an exciting pop-up coming to our city.
Local maker Flourgirl Baking makes next-level vegan buns that can be ordered for delivery or purchased at several local businesses around the city such as NADA, Dalina, and Milano Coffee Roasters locations to name a few.
Now, the celebrated purveyor is getting its very own pop-up.
View this post on Instagram
Flourgirl will be popping up at the West Bank Corp Shipping Container at West Cordova and Thurlow Street (outside of the Shaw Tower) for eight whole days.
Patrons can head to the container from June 16 to 23 where they can enjoy a rotating daily special.
More details are to come, but mark your calendar!
When: June 16 to 23
Where: West Bank Corp Shipping Container at West Cordova and Thurlow Street


text:
New Toyota Production
Published: March 2, 1994
GEORGETOWN, Ky., March 1— The Toyota Motor Corporation today began making the first cars at its $800 million expansion plant in Georgetown, Ky. The new factory will allow the auto maker to almost double its annual United States production capacity to 400,000 by 1995. The expansion, in addition to the $1 billion Georgetown plant that started making cars in 1988, will result in total production of about 300 cars a day by this summer, company officials said.


text:
By Hannah Ash, contributing writer
Bigger May Not Always Be Better When It Comes To Dollars And Cents
Throughout the 80s, 90s, and beyond, there was a small frenzy for most retailers — who could open the biggest store first? There was a whole sea of undiscovered retail space just perfect for the newest supersized center to call home. The tides, it seems, are changing. As leading retailers Walmart and Target Corp. begin to scale back and reevaluate the size of the stores they are opening, others are following suit. Staples, for instance, is closing a large amount of their North American stores and limiting the products it does keep on shelves. Large supermarket chain, Hy-Vee seems to be taking a cue from the giants by scaling back the sizes of the markets it is opening and paying close attention to each new location it selects.
On Tuesday, Hy-Vee opened its first ground-up neighborhood market concept store in Sioux City, Iowa. The mainstreet concept, Hy-Vee Mainstreet, wants to insert itself in a location where shoppers are out and about — largely walking — on a daily basis. To fit a large product offering into a small space, Hy-Vee needed to limit its varieties and products to those that are most relevant. The typical Hy-Vee store concept is anywhere between 70,000 and 80,000 square feet; Hy-Vee Mainstreets hover around 14,000 square feet. "In one of [the larger] stores, we may have 40 kinds of hamburger helper, [in the smaller stores] we have ten. Or, instead of having four different types and styles of bananas, we have two. We have pretty much everything those stores have, but we don't have as many varieties,” explains Tim Stupka, Assistant Vice President of Operations for Hy-Vee’s northern district.
While retailers across the board, from Kohl’s to Target to Walmart, begin to downsize their floorspace needs, omni-channel is partially responsible. As more and more shoppers browse online before picking up in-store, less showroom space is required. Streamlined check-out processes and mobile payments all help cut the functions the supercenter stores were once known for. Streamlining products and entering into more relevant locations is a strategy that seems to make sense. On its new smaller-format stores, Bill Simon, President U.S. Walmart, stated previously, “They compete really well against multiple channels.” As Walmart continues to set the pace for other retailers to follow, Carol Spieckerman, CEO of NewMarketBuilders, comments, “Given Wal-Mart’s highly-developed supply chain, particularly in fresh (food), it will go in with a huge advantage. This is particularly true as convenience stores evolve from selling beef jerky, cigarettes, and hot dogs on metal rollers into destinations for healthy snacks and meal occasions.” In the supermarket business, Hy-Vee may be an early adopter of a trend that could soon make waves — smaller format Sprouts Farmers Market (boasting a limited inventory) has been cited as one of the country’s fastest growing retailers.


text:
[CES 2012] Coming up in CES 2013, there will be a new LG HDTV that features edge-to-edge displays, but while we await that magical moment to arrive in home entertainment history, there is still the matter of going through what CES 2012 delivers. LG does not disappoint those who want visually appealing TVs in their living room this year, introducing the Cinema Screen Design that will reduce the bezel to an amazing 1mm, paving the way for a more optimal and comfortable environment – especially for immersive 3D viewing. Ever wonder what is up next LG’s sleeves?
The Cinema Screen is said to translate the latest advances in LG’s display technology into an aesthetically superior form. Expect to see the new family of CINEMA 3D Smart TVs that have gone through the fat house, where physical obstructions have been removed to enable a greater immersion of 3D effects that might just bring you back to the first time you were wowed by a 3D movie at the silver screen. Expect the new Cinema Screen design to be followed by new CINEMA 3D glasses for this year, where the latter will come in three more models that are 20% lighter than their predecessors. [Press Release]


text:
Anatel committed itself to resolve within two weeks the issue involving the cut of mobile internet after the consumption of the franchise applied by the operators. This seems to be good news for customers who, since the end of 2014, have had data traffic interrupted by operators in the country.
According to the vice president of Anatel, Marcelo Bechara de Souza Hobaika, the operators were wrong in the way they communicated to their customers about the new procedure. The company’s resolution that regulates consumer rights (Resolution 632/14-article 52) was not well interpreted by operators, who failed to alert their customers via SMS, 30 days before the cut. Regarding changes to the terms of consumer contracts, Marcel Bechara said:
«I needed to do (update the business model), but not in the way it was done. It was done wrong and we will have to find a way for the consumer to be well informed and know what is happening. The Ministries of Communications and Justice and Anatel are involved with the companies. We believe that in one week, two, we already have some measure of market consensus, involving the agents and now, perhaps, bringing to the table the parliamentarians themselves, Procon. debate that has to be done in an open and frank way as it was done here. «
On the other side are the commission’s parliamentarians, who promise a strong reaction against Anatel if the problem is not solved soon. According to Marcos Rotta (PMDB / Amazônia), the measure was taken with the objective of making feasible the demand and the financial investments of the operators that are losing more and more customers with voice plans for mobile internet users only.
Since the action to cut mobile internet was adopted by Brazilian operators, a wave of complaints and lawsuits have been moved by users dissatisfied with the way these rules came into force. We had already reported here on the website that, recently, PROCON in Rio de Janeiro filed a public injunction requesting clarification from operators about the new measures taken to cut consumption. With this statement from Anatel, now it seems that we will have a review of the decisions that led national operators to review contracts of what they identified as unlimited internet when they were sold.
As soon as new information appears, we will update this article.
And then, will this time Anatel go in defense of the consumer?


text:
Ignition co-founder Ajay Chadha has opened a new mobile development and publishing studio.
Called Balloon 27, the studio is already set to launch its first game, motorcycle trick jumping title Hill Bill on iOS and Android next month. Further in-development games are also set to be released by the end of the year.
“We are proud to announce the formation of indie development and publishing outfit, B27,” said Chadha.
“Our first release, ‘Hill Bill’ is inspired by Evel Knievel and the simple, yet intuitive, principles of game design. I believe users will be quickly captivated by our striking visuals and intuitive gameplay.”
Chadha previously founded game publisher Ignition Entertainment in 2002, eventually leaving the company in 2010.


text:
If there is an achievement for speed-runs of a game, there should be an achievement for speed porting of a game. If that’s the case, Super Meat Boy Forever’s, Team Meat ought to be commended for a tremendous job.
In an interview with Game Informer, Team Meat’s Tommy Refenes told the publishing that he ported the game to the Nintendo Switch in just two days. Refenes was actually praising the Nintendo Switch’s development tool and how it was so much better than back in the Wii U days.
“I ported [Super Meat Boy Forever] in like two days – from nothing to working in two days. Microsoft used to always be the people with the crazy good tools because they make Windows, so of course they’re going to have good stuff, but Switch’s tools… I’m legitimately surprised by how well-thought-out everything was.”
Refenes even took the opportunity to compare Nintendo’s new attitude compared to their main rival, Sony.
“It used to be Sony was the one that was pushing the indie devs so much. I think Nintendo is pushing harder than Sony is now. […] I think right now they’re just offering more exposure.”
The comment was in-line with what NIS America said recently in an interview with MCV. In any case, it was still an extraordinary feat by Team Meat, so keep up the great work.


text:
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market:
Las Vegas Sands Corp., up $2.59 at $48.75
Casino revenue in Macau, where the casino operator owns four properties, rose 13.5 percent last year to a record $38 billion.
Marriott International Inc., up $1.52 at $38.79
An analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey upgraded the hotel operator's stock to "Buy" from "Neutral," citing its valuation.
ArcelorMittal, up 38 cents at $17.85
The steel company will sell a 15 percent stake in one of its iron ore operations to an Asian-led consortium for $1.1 billion.
Zipcar Inc., up $3.94 at $12.18
Avis Budget Group Inc. is expanding its offerings from traditional car rentals by buying the car sharing company for $491.2 million.
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc., up 95 cents at $6.21
The New York-based drug developer said that its treatment for chronic constipation outperformed a placebo in a late-stage study.
Parexel International Corp., up $1.53 at $31.12
A Citi Research analyst raised his rating on the pharmaceutical research contractor's stock, saying its core business is improving.
Skullcandy Inc., down 99 cents at $6.80
A Jefferies analyst downgraded the headphone and iPhone accessories maker to "Underperform" from "Buy" citing increased competition.
Qualcomm Inc., up $2.89 at $64.75
An analyst at Citi Research added the mobile phone chip maker to its Top Picks Live list citing the firm's opportunities in China.