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Before MWC, there’s always going to take place press conference’s, meaning that today Samsung will launch the most awaited Galaxy Tab 2 and Galaxy S2. Last week we’ve seen a lot of rumors, images, specification leaks, but today it’ll be official, hopefully along with the price and release date as well.
Galaxy Tab 2 features a 1GHz (Single or Dual Core) CPU, probably based on the new Samsung-Made chipset Exynos 4210. The Display is 10.1 inch with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, while the tablet will come in three different versions: 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB.
There’s a LTE 4G variant too, for those who need a very good connectivity speed. The handset runs the newly-introduced Android 3.0 Honeycomb, supporting the untouched version of it. That’s pretty cool, because what we’ve saw at Google’s event last month was very impressive. Both devices will be introduced at Mobile World Congress, tomorrow.
At last, we have the chance to take a closer look to the design of a 3D display capable Android tablet, the LG G-Slate. The operator that will offer the new tablet is T-Mobile, while having a dual camera which supports stereoscopic (aka 3D) video recording. Considering the technology it supports, LG G-Slate is one of the most exciting tablets that will be announced at MWC 2011, Friday.
The specifications of this device includes a Tegra 2 (1GHz Dual-Core) CPU, an 8.9 inch 3D Display, 32 GB storing space, a 2MP front-facing camera and the unique dual lenses for the 3D video recording. The OS is the newly-introduced Android 3.0 Honeycomb featuring a tablet-like based UI and experience. The design of this handset is very similar to the LG Optimus 2X due to its line of steel that can be found on the back.
Let’s take a look at the Hands-On video:
The gadget is very promising, the only disadvantage could be the price. We believe that it could be around $800, just like the Motorola XOOM. LG G-Slate will be introduced at MWC on February 14th. We’ll keep this updated.


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[Shanghai, 16/11/2023] – As Black Friday approaches, ForwarderOne, a leading global logistics company, reports a significant surge in shipments from China to the USA as (Fulfillment by Amazon) sellers increase stock levels. This spike underscores the confidence that e-commerce businesses place in ForwarderOne’s ability to seamlessly manage and expedite FBA shipments, ensuring timely deliveries to USA FBA fulfillment centers.
Black Friday has long been a pivotal moment for retailers and e-commerce businesses, marking the beginning of the holiday shopping season. The surge in orders reflects the strategic planning and preparation undertaken by FBA sellers, who rely on efficient logistics partners to meet the heightened demand during this critical period.
“ForwarderOne is proud to be a trusted shipping partner for FBA sellers during this bustling holiday season,” said Keven Chen, CEO of ForwarderOne. “The significant increase in orders we are experiencing is a testament to the reliability and efficiency of our logistics solutions. We understand the importance of Black Friday for e-commerce businesses, and our team is fully committed to ensuring that our clients can meet the demands of this busy shopping period.”
ForwarderOne, with its proven track record in FBA freight forwarding and supply chain management, has become a preferred choice for FBA sellers looking to streamline their shipping processes. The company’s commitment to providing end-to-end solutions, including air and sea freight, customs clearance, and warehousing, positions them as a comprehensive logistics partner for businesses navigating the challenges of international trade.
As the anticipation for Black Friday builds, Keven expressed confidence in the company’s ability to meet the increased demand:
“We have dedicated ourselves to providing top-tier logistics services that empower businesses to thrive, especially during crucial sales events like Black Friday. Our experienced team is fully prepared to handle the surge in orders and ensure that products reach USA FBA fulfillment centers in a timely manner.”
The surge in orders for ForwarderOne highlights the company’s ability to adapt to the dynamic needs of the e-commerce industry, providing reliable logistics solutions that contribute to the success of FBA sellers during the peak holiday season.
For more information about ForwarderOne and its logistics services, please visit www.forwarderone.com

domain: news


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Netflix The stock fell more than 9% on Thursday after quarterly reporting that was largely positive but left Wall Street disappointed and uncertain about key sources of income.
The sell-off in Netflix stock follows a 60% year-to-date rally, spurred by the rollout of the cheaper ad-supported plan and a crackdown on password sharing – both of which were supposed to hurt the streaming giant’s growth. stimulate.
related investment news
Netflix gave few details on those initiatives in its quarterly report on Wednesday, and second-quarter revenue fell short of expectations.
“I think people expected a lot more revenue growth in the third quarter, and that’s where the weakness was [average revenue per membership]said MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson.
Netflix’s average revenue per membership showed weakness in its most recent quarter, as the streamer focused on said sources of revenue rather than raising prices. The company removed its least expensive ad-free plan this week to push customers to opt for the cheaper ad plan instead.
CFO Spencer Neumann said on Wednesday’s earnings call that price increases were put on hold as the new sharing policy was rolled out. For advertising, he said, the company expects “gradual revenue growth,” adding “that this year is not expected to be a major contributor.”
The ad-supported plan, which launched late last year, has about 1.5 million subscribers signed up so far, a small fraction of the total number of subscribers, according to a report from The Information Wednesday.
Netflix executives declined to provide details about the ad-supported level during the company’s pre-recorded earnings call.
“Most of our revenue growth this year has come from volume growth from new paid memberships, and that is largely driven by our paid share rollout,” said Neumann. “It’s our primary revenue acceleration in the year, and we expect that impact … to continue over several quarters.”
But with uncertainty about how long it will take for monetization initiatives to gain a foothold, it’s difficult to predict Netflix’s revenue over the next two years, leaving the future murky, Wall Street analysts said.
“Buyside expectations are high,” Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall said in a note before Netflix reported results on Wednesday.
However, in a post-earnings report note, Cahall said that “patience is a virtue,” and he called on investors who were “too exuberant about paid sharing,” noting that revenue growth will take longer.
“It doesn’t happen overnight,” Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said during Wednesday’s investor call.
Netflix forecasts revenue of $8.5 billion for the third quarter, up 7% year-over-year.
The streaming giant has outperformed its traditional media competitors, and the boost in subscriber growth showed its strength as another battle and preparation for a tumultuous rest of the year as they look for streaming gains and cope with the strikes of Hollywood actors and writers.
Netflix said Wednesday it added 5.9 million customers, but after last year’s first subscriber loss in a decade that sent its stock into a tailspin, the company said it would shift focus to revenue growth and forecasting.
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By Keith Wiebe, IFPRI
Rapidly expanding global trade in the past three decades has lifted millions of people out of poverty. But trade has also reduced manufacturing wages in high income countries and made entire industries uncompetitive in some communities, giving rise to nationalist politics that seek to stop or reverse further trade expansion in the United States and Europe. Given complex and uncertain political support for trade, how might changes in trade policy affect the global food system’s ability to adapt to climate change?
The authors for the new Food Policy paper "Do markets and trade help or hurt the global food system adapt to climate change?" argue that the best way to understand food security in a changing climate is by looking at it as a double exposure: the exposure of people and processes to both economic and climate-related shocks and stressors. Trade can help us adapt to climate change, or not. If trade restrictions proliferate, double exposure to both a rapidly changing climate and volatile markets will likely jeopardize the food security of millions. A changing climate will present both opportunities and challenges for the global food system, and adapting to its many impacts will affect food availability, food access, food utilization and food security stability for the poorest people across the world. Global trade can continue to play a central role in assuring that global food system adapts to a changing climate. This potential will only be realized, however, if trade is managed in ways that maximize the benefits of broadened access to new markets while minimizing the risks of increased exposure to international competition and market volatility. For regions like Africa, for example, enhanced transportation networks combined with greater national reserves of cash and enhanced social safety nets could reduce the impact of ‘double exposure’ on food security.
The paper can be accessed online and downloaded in pdf from this page.
This article was originally posted on PIM Webpage.


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Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra Electric, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Ford were jointly working on the project.
Suzuki Motor Corporation‘s India outfit Maruti Suzuki which has a 50 per cent share in the domestic passenger vehicle market, will become the biggest beneficiary of this mega deal.
The company, which operates in India through a joint venture with the Kirloskar group, was among the worst hit by the Supreme Court ban on diesel cars and SUVs with engines of 2,000 cc and above in Delhi-NCR that lasted for eight months since December last year.
Toyota Motor Corporation was the first company to start local production of hybrid cars here with the Camry Hybrid in August 2013. The Camry diesel is also sold here.
2011 has been a rocky year for Japan and its auto sector. But the Tokyo Motor Show didn't disappoint. There were 176 exhibitors from 12 countries. That's more than last year. And the theme of the show was green technology, reports CNBC-TV18’s Swati Khandelwal Jain.


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After struggling through a drought in the mid-1990's, when readers bought fewer copies of consumer books, the publishing industry posted gains of more than 4 percent last year and is poised for more modest increases despite the rapid emergence of on-line booksellers.
In its annual snapshot of the word trade, the Book Industry Study Group issued cautious sales projections for the glamour side of trade publishing, which produces novels and nonfiction, and better prospects for college textbooks and business titles.
The unit sales of adult trade books are projected to grow more than 2 percent annually through 2003 -- an indication that on-line sales are not expected to increase the market for popular books.
''We don't see the total market expanding in any dramatic shape for five years,'' said Albert N. Greco, an associate professor of business at Fordham University who helped prepare the projections.
''If you say 10 years, it might be even more modest,'' he continued. ''I think people are reading less, and I just don't see that we're going to turn the corner and become a nation of readers.''Continue reading the main story
In 1998, the sales of adult hard-cover and trade paperback books -- the top moneymakers for trade publishers -- rose more than 4 percent from a year earlier, to 497 million copies. It was the second year of growth in unit sales after a two-period ending in 1996, when consumers cut back on their purchases.
Children's books also made gains, emerging from a 1997 slump to sell more than 364 million copies in 1998 -- a gain of 6 percent but still less than 1996 sales levels.
The study does not include figures for 1999, but several top publishers say they are experiencing a surge in sales that encompasses not only popular fare like ''Hannibal'' by Thomas Harris or the Harry Potter children's series by J. K. Rowling but also for histories like John Keegan's ''The First World War.''
''We've seen a strong market since last summer: all publishing divisions, all formats, all categories,'' said Peter Olson, the chief executive of Random House, the Bertelsmann A.G. unit that is largest trade publisher in the United States.
Mr. Olson gave credit for some of the strength to on-line retailers that now account for roughly 4 to 5 percent of the company's sales.
Mr. Olson said that the company's worldwide sales of $1.6 billion for the year ended in June had exceeded expectations. The North American side of the company -- in the United States and Canada -- accounted for about 80 percent of all sales.
''I think that the attention that Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com have generated has increased interest in books in general, and that has led to buying not just on line, but in stores,'' Mr. Olson said.
An earlier industry study this year, which relied on consumer diaries of book purchases, found that Americans bought fewer copies of books in 1998. But the Book Industry Study Group speculates that the discrepancy may be because that study did not include acquisitions made by libraries.
Though the industry study does not predict an expansion of the market because of on-line sales, its current sales figures indicate that electronic publishing and bookselling are reshaping the market in other ways.
For example, the unit sales of books about science and technology declined from a peak of 80 million copies in 1995, falling 8 percent, to 74 million copies, last year. And those drops are expected to continue, the result of a shift to electronic publishing -- that is, distribution of books by disk, CD-ROM or over the Internet -- by technical publishers like Bertelsmann's Springer Verlag unit in New York.
In the last few weeks, Springer has transformed ''Prokaryotes,'' a four-volume $2,000 set of books about bacteria, into an electronic version that will sell for less than half that price. Rudiger Gebauer, Springer's chief executive, said that no one was sure yet whether electronic publishing would expand the market. But he expected that the electronic versions would make such books accessible to many more people.
''The libraries, in theory, keep information to everybody,'' he said. ''but in reality it's only the people who go to the library. On-line publishing opens it up to virtually everybody.''
The Book Industry Study Group report also suggests that the Internet and on-line book sales may figure in the continuing fall-off in mail-order purchases, which has dropped 26 percent from a high of 105 million copies in 1993.
But the Internet does not affect all categories. Religious books, for instance, are not sold in high volumes by electronic booksellers, but sales in that category continue to improve, rising almost 16 percent, to 170 million copies since 1993. And those numbers do not include sales figures from thriving fundamentalist Christian publishers.
''You've got an aging population, and I think as people go on in life they turn to more spiritual matters,'' said Eric Major, director of the Doubleday religious division for Random House.
''Oddly enough,'' he added, ''we've seen a surge in books about the lives of saints or books about people's religious experiences. The great thing about this area of religion publishing is that it now includes business books, parenting books, dieting books and relationships books.''
The sales of business books and textbooks for college and elementary students also continue to grow. In 1998, the number of business books sold increased more than 12 percent from a year earlier with projections that this field will continue to thrive.
At the university level sales grew more than 19 percent, to 176 million copies, between 1993 and 1998. But those trends have not necessarily raised sales by the 80 or so university presses in the United States. The sales of university books grew by almost 4 percent to 18.5 million copies from a year earlier. And the report projects only modest increases for the next five years.
''That's an indication of a mature market,'' said Peter J. Givler, executive director of the Association of American University Presses, a trade organization. ''I think that it is very much a market in turmoil. The sales for university presses have been flat for a couple of years, and the presses are looking for new sources of revenues.''
Some university presses are starting to experiment by publishing electronic journals, he said, but to date it is unclear to the members whether on-line bookselling and electronic publishing will be a boon.
''On-line bookselling has had this extraordinary growth,'' Mr. Givler said, ''but nobody knows how that is going to play out. It seems that everybody thinks this is a logical way to purchase books and there ought to be some way to work it out, but we haven't found a way to do it.''Continue reading the main story


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Get the scoop from strategic media pros at Disney, YouTube and more just in time for upfront season at Convergent TV, March 21–22. Learn more.
While 2021 wasn’t quite the Great Resurgence we had hoped for, it nonetheless proved to be an exciting year, thanks to innovation—in both science and advertising.
Vaccines made room for optimism, and a little bit of certainty is all marketers needed to get their brands back out there as people reemerged. Out of home, a category that saw a 29% drop in spending last year, came surging back with new clients and eye-popping technology. TikTok built on its momentum as the new source of cultural trends, and fast-food giants took big marketing swings—with some hits and misses—to win back customers.


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Does your mobile network give your phone number to every website you visit? Check whether your mobile network is affecting using our HTTP header checker.
Today, millions of UK mobile users discovered that O2 is revealing their mobile number to every website they visit. Following a tweet last night from Lewis Peckover, O2 users have confirmed the security breach. This is a particularly serious vulnerability as it lets hackers and social engineers know your number, network and location (through IP address) or exposes you to spam marketers.
@O2 send my phone no in an HTTP header to every site I browse. WTF? Is this normal?So,
The leak occurs as O2 is silently proxying all web requests and adding in HTTP headers. For those that don’t know, HTTP headers are sent by all devices that access webpages and usually include important information to help with sending the request and receiving the internet site back. Web browsers can send any HTTP headers they like but they’re generally meant for things like language settings or for determining whether you’re on a phone or a computer. However, O2 have added an additional header called “x-up-calling-line-id” that reveals your personal phone number.
According to the UK’s Data Protection Act:
“A person must not knowingly or recklessly, without the consent of the data controller (a) obtain or disclose personal data or the information contained in personal data, or (b) procure the disclosure to another person of the information contained in personal data.”
As telephone numbers are classified as personally identifiable information under the Data Protection Act, this breach is also probably illegal. The furious reaction of O2 customers is currently going viral on Twitter and major news sources have already picked up the story. Meanwhile, a little-known talk given in 2010 by a Berlin-based security expert already warned against privacy leaks in mobile phone internet access.
O2 have already acknowledged the breach on Twitter this morning and we’ll update the site as we hear more.
UPDATE 13:00: This issue seems to have been fixed by now. Please let us know if you still find that your number is being exposed.


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The Supreme Court has asked the U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco to file a brief expressing the federal government’s views on Apple’s petition for review of Apple v. Pepper. This is good news for the electronics giant as the Court is traditionally more likely to grant certiorari after calling for the Solicitor General’s opinion.
In 2011 a group of consumers, seeking class action status, filed a lawsuit alleging that Apple monopolizes the market for iPhone apps in order to charge excessive commissions (currently at 30%). In January, the Ninth Circuit ruled that the consumers were allowed to pursue these allegations, in direct contrast with a long-held Supreme Court doctrine established in Illinois Brick Co. v Illinois.
If the Supreme Court upholds the Ninth’s Circuit decision it would leave Apple liable to lawsuits from developers and consumers alike. The Court’s decision in Illinois Brick attempted to avoid this very floodgate problem by holding that only direct purchasers of a good or service may file a private lawsuit under the Sherman Act. Non-direct purchasers do not have standing in antitrust disputes even if they demonstrate that they suffered economic harm from anti-competitive conduct.
The Ninth Circuit’s decision not only exposes Apple to claims from many parties but creates confusion on how to enforce the Court’s decision in Illinois Brick. In 1998 the Eighth Circuit used Illinois Brick to find that consumers couldn’t go after electronic distributors with monopolization accusations. The Washington Legal Foundation has filed an amicus brief supporting Apple’s petition for certiorari, asking the Court to create uniformity on this antitrust question.
Apple’s defense relies on a claim that consumers are not direct purchasers from the App Store and therefore do not qualify to bring a suit under the Sherman Act. The app developers pay commission to Apple and set the price for their app’s sale. Apple claims to facilitate the sale of the product while retaining no ownership of the app. The Ninth Circuit disregarded this argument, holding that Apple acts as a distributor and not as a mere collector of payments that ultimately end up in the developer’s pockets.
While seeking the views of the federal government might indicate the Court’s interest in reviewing Apple’s petition, it marks a departure from the Court’s reluctance in hearing antitrust cases in recent history. This is a doubly interesting decision on the Court’s part as the Court typically calls on the Solicitor General only when questions of review implicate significant federal interests. Here, the Court’s decision to review Apple’s petition ultimately has no effect on the government’s ability to enforce the Sherman Act.


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The world’s largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has agreed to place the over $120 million owed to it in unremitted dividends and fees by Delta Corporation into the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe savings bonds to reduce pressure on the demand of foreign currency.
By Freeman Makopa
In a statement, AB InBev said it remained a committed 40% shareholder in the Delta business.
“AB InBev has supported Delta through credit lines for the importation of raw materials since access to foreign currency became limited and continues to provide this support,” Delta said in a statement yesterday.
“AB InBev remains the anchor shareholder in Delta.”
Delta also refuted speculation on social media of asset stripping in favour of AB InBev.
“Delta, therefore, notes with concern the irresponsible conclusions reached in the social media claims, of asset stripping in favour of AB InBev. Rather, the Delta board is excited about the opportunities for growth as market leader in the traditional beer sector in the region,” the beverages manufacturer said.
“It is in the public domain that in certain African markets, AB InBev is divesting from the traditional beer sector, a market segment in which Delta has proven competencies. The Delta board has resolved to bid for any such assets as they become available. To date, AB InBev has divested from Zambia and Malawi.”


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We found an error in our wireless test process and have retested affected routers.
The WXR-1900DHP Gigabit Dual Band Wireless Router is Buffalo's latest, but not greatest, AC class router.
Our test of eight AC580 class USB adapters shows size does matter.
Buffalo has announced a new entry-level NAS line.
The Buffalo WMR-300 and NETGEAR PR2000 take two different approaches to N300 travel routers.
Buffalo has started to use helium-filled drives in some of its enterprise NASes.
Buffalo has announced three DD-WRT based routers.
Updated - Buffalo announced new NASes, AC routers and a wireless hard drive for CES 2014.
Updated - Buffalo's LinkStation 421e Diskless Enclosure is a BYOD alternative to Buffalo's LS420.
Buffalo's WZR-1166DHP is an AC1200 router with uneven wireless performance.
You could win a NETGEAR R7500 Nighthawk X4 Router


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At the beginning of the week, perhaps the most exciting smartphone of the year, namely the Phone 1 from Nothing, was officially unveiled. Meanwhile, reports are also piling up in this country that the device, which is actually only available from July 21, has already been shipped. Some have already received the smartphone on July 14. However, this is also accompanied by numerous Nothing Phone 1 problems. There is talk of display errors, dead pixels and even moisture under the transparent back.
Nothing Phone 1 problems: The launch is bumpy
The Nothing Phone 1 officially launches worldwide starting July 21. However, more and more users report having received the smartphone already these days. However, the launch is apparently quite bumpy, because the mid-range model unfortunately suffers from several problems.
Reports about Nothing Phone 1 problems are currently piling up on the short message service Twitter. User IronHrt2018, for example, reports a greenish cast of the display. This is a problem that OnePlus devices already had when Nothing founder Carl Pei was still working there.
While the lower third of the AMOLED display is affected, user ViaHeart reports a similar greenish cast in the upper area. Piquantly, its device has even been replaced, with the replacement device also coming with a green cast.
- Also interesting: Asus Zenfone 9 Launch: Compact Android smartphone launches on July 28
I see dead pixels
IronHrt2018’s replacement device, on the other hand, offered a very different bug for this, in the form of dead pixels right next to the punch hole that is home to the front camera.
This Nothing Phone 1 problem is again confirmed by beebomco from India, also via Twitter. He too shows pixel errors around the punch hole camera.
Humidity on the back
The transparent back of the Nothing Phone 1, in conjunction with the gylphe interface littered with around 900 LEDs, is the flagship of the new smartphone. But even here, the first models are experiencing huge problems.
Here, the tweet shows that water residue can apparently form on the top and behind the rear cameras. And this is apparently not because the IP53-certified Phone 1 has been exposed to splashing water, but simply because the camera has been “used for a while”, the person concerned writes.
Nothing has not yet commented on the Nothing Phone 1 issues. However, it should be mentioned that many smartphone releases have had to deal with problems in individual cases and errors, especially in the initial delivery contingent are truly not uncommon. It is also possible that these are only isolated cases.


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German engineering firm, ElringKlinger, has sign a £10 million contract with GM to supply the US automaker made-to-order vehicle parts.
ElringKlinger has about 140 employees in Redcar, located east Cleveland, and it will manufacture turbo heat shields and exhaust manifold gaskets for GM. The company has invested £1.5 million to add a production line at the Redcar plant, which will produce about 500,000 parts annually and create 60 new jobs. The company will begin production later this year, part of the 5-year agreement signed with GM.
Ian Malcolm, managing director of ElringKlinger (GB), said: “The introduction of these new processes and advanced assembly lines take the business to the next level and will result in higher quality robust designs and increased value for money for the customer.
He added that in the past such parts were assembled manually, and it took workers up to 5 minutes to complete one part. Now, with the new assembly line the entire process has been reduced to 30 seconds. Elring Klinger also signed a deal with BMW for its Mini model, making the company the only volume producer of under-body heat shielding in the UK. The company also said it will help GM with its diesel engine production at its Hungary plant.
“We are firmly committed to the reduction of CO2 emissions, both in terms of the product and how it is delivered, and we will be assisting the Hungary team with a new range of 1.6 mid-size diesel engines to cut fuel consumption by up to ten per cent,” said Ian Malcom.


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Local author and educator Joan McCall will speak at Barnes & Noble in Redlands on Sunday, July 29, to launch her new book and raise money for the Redlands High School Mural Project.
McCall has made arrangements with Barnes & Noble to donate a portion of the sales of her book "Redlands Remembered: The Jewel of the Inland Empire" to the project at Sunday's event to launch the book.
McCall writes of Redlands residents' commitment to culture, civic involvement and historical preservation.
Books may also be purchased Friday, July 27, at Redlands High School's Clock Auditorium prior to a concert featuring award-winning artists Belinda Gail and Dave Stamey.
According to Laurie Aldern, Community Relations manager for the store, up to 20 percent of any purchase at Barnes & Noble made from Friday through Wednesday, Aug. 1 will be donated to the Mural Project when customers mention RHS at the register. This includes café, NOOK, gift, game and all book purchases.
At Sunday's event, the author will read excerpts from her book, followed by a discussion and signing. Seating is limited and books are available for sale prior to the event. For more information, contact Aldern at 909-793-4945 or email@example.com .
McCall has spent more than 30 years in Redlands as an educator and community volunteer. She has been a member of the Redlands Heritage Auxiliary, serving as scriptwriter, school tour chair and board member.
Her monthly column, “Regarding Redlands,” and numerous feature articles have appeared in the Redlands Daily Facts.
McCall has been a history teacher and a teacher librarian, most recently serving as librarian for all four Redlands middle schools. She holds a bachelor's degree from Pomona College and a master's degree from Azusa Pacific University.


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NFT market data shows that the sales of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the third quarter have sharply declined, showcasing the continued impacts of the general crypto winter that began in mid June this year.
NFTs are blockchain-powered assets representing ownership of digital files such as images, videos, or an item in an online game. These digital assets came into the spotlight last year following the general market bull run that left many digital assets recording new all-time highs.
NFT Sales Plunge By 60% In Q3
Unfortunately, sales of these digital assets have slumped following the general market meltdown, which has left many non-fungible tokens shedding more than 70% of their floor prices. Even the largest cryptocurreny asset Bitcoin was not immune to this market correction, now trading at $19,000 versus $69,000 in November.
According to DappRadar, a blockchain data aggregator, the third quarter of 2022 saw $3.4 billion in NFT sales, down from $8.4 billion the previous quarter and $12 billion at the market peak in the first quarter of the year. These figures represent around a 60% decline in Q3,2022.
Since the NFT market benefited from crypto price gains and high-risk appetite among investors in 2021, these conditions have reduced sharply as central banks raise rates in the hunt for revenues to sustain economies amid the recent high inflation.
OpenSea Shrinks Further In September
The largest NFT marketplace, OpenSea, continues feeling the impact of crypto winter, felling for the fifth consecutive month in September. While commenting about September performance in a short interview with Reuters, Devin Finzer, the CEO of OpenSea, remarked:
“I think what’s unique about this environment is it’s the intersection of both the macro economic downturn and the crypto winter. The previous crypto winters were a little more isolated to just crypto prices so for that reason, I think it’s wise to be conservative about how long this could last.”
Before summarizing, the top executive maintained that the NFT marketplace is in a good spot financially. He is excited about the potential of NFTs in the longer term, describing the recent market downturn as a “building phase.”
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It’s been four years now since Disney decided to close down longtime Star Wars gamemaker LucasArts and instead sign an exclusive licensing deal with video game factory Electronic Arts. At first things showed some promise, with multiple titles expected including first-person shooter Battlefront, a third-person game from Dead Space developer Visceral Games, and more.
But in the four years since it’s all been a bit of a nightmare scenario for fans. And it keeps getting worse, as EA has announced that they’ve decided to shut down Visceral Games. Though there is some good news: the Star Wars game they’ve been working on is not being killed off with the developer. Not yet, at least. Read the full announcement below.
During the ongoing Star Wars Celebration convention today, the first trailer for developer DICE and publisher Electronic Arts’ first-person shooter sequel Star Wars Battlefront II was unveiled.
The first game looked and felt about as Star Wars as any fan could have hoped, a remarkable technical accomplishment. But the game as a whole, especially considering they didn’t even bother making a single-player campaign, was a bit hollow. The follow-up however, has already been confirmed to include a single-player campaign. So we can only hope that it will be much closer to DICE’s Battlefield 1, only set in a galaxy far, far away.
Continue below to check out the first trailer for Battlefront II.
Multiple games are still on the way, but in the almost four years since that deal was announced only the new Battlefront has been released. While await more on those other games, it’s been revealed—believe it or not—that Star Wars: Battlefront 2 will in fact have a sing-player campaign.
You might think that you’ve seen it all with video games. Especially in the last handful of years with unpopular trends popping up left and right. Then this slaps your eyes.
Collector’s editions of video games are a great way for people who are fully sold on an upcoming release to acquire some added goodies for a little bit more coin. Usually these come with collectible replicas of items found in the game, statues, and various other things. Oh yeah, and the game itself! Obviously. But a new Amazon exclusive Battlefield 1 collector’s edition is changing this up a bit. It’ll cost you $130 ($104 if you’re a Prime member), and does come with the aforementioned collectible goodies. What it does not come with, however, is the freakin’ game.


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Google has announced that they have acquired Zenter, an online presentation software company.
The acquisition will enable them to add presentation software to their Google Docs & Spreadsheets offering. In mid-April, Google purchased Marratech, a video conferencing company and purchased Tonic, a company that built software for presentation creation and document conversion. One would think that these three acquisitions would allow Google to offer a Webex like application for online presentations. Google said, they are "working to add presentation-sharing capabilities to Google Docs & Spreads [...]
Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Docs & Spreadsheets


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Device Authority, a global provider of policy and device-driven security automation for the Internet of Things (IoT), has appointed Rao Cherukuri as chief product officer (CPO).
This year Device Authority will reportedly strengthen its KeyScaler platform technology and continue to develop solutions for securing the Internet of Things with device identity and access management being a key area of focus. To take the lead, Rao Cherukuri joins Device Authority as CPO responsible for product management, marketing and technical strategic alliances.
“Rao is a technology innovator, entrepreneur and seasoned executive in Silicon Valley. His vast experience will be instrumental in our success this year as we securely connect the IoT and IAM,” said Darron Antill, CEO of Device Authority.
“With his experience in Product Management and Marketing it is important we align our leading IoT security automation platform with our Go to Market strategic alliances and partners. As we continue to OEM and co-brand our solution with key strategic alliances and their solutions, this role will become increasingly more important to all partners.”
“Device Authority has built a leading security automation platform for the IoT. I am extremely excited to be part of a dynamic, dedicated team who play a vital role in securing the IoT and push the boundaries every day”, said Rao Cherukuri. “IoT IAM is substantially different from traditional IAM as it is device-centric, and Device Authority is well positioned with a proven product to address this emerging market.”
Rao will be working alongside the sales, marketing and product development teams to further reinforce Device Authority’s position within the IoT security market. He will work closely with key partners and alliances, including Intel and Digicert.
Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @IoTNow_ OR @jcIoTnow


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Cat Emissions to acquire CleanAIR Systems
Caterpillar Emissions Solutions has signed an agreement to purchase CleanAIR Systems.
Once the transaction has been completed–which Cat says is expected to close July 1, 2010–CleanAIR Systems will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. within the Customer Services Support Division, according to Cat.
CleanAIR Systems is a privately owned company in Santa Fe, N.M., which designs and manufactures customized stationary aftertreatment solutions for internal combustion engines.
CleanAIR Systems will remain headquartered in Santa Fe and will be known as CleanAIR Systems, Inc.- A Caterpillar Company.
The broad product line includes California Air Resources Board (CARB) verified particulate filters, oxidation catalysts and silencers as well as a hybrid selective-catalytic-reduction/particulate-filter/silencer system.
In 2008, Caterpillar Emissions Solutions signed an Allied Vendor Agreement with CleanAIR Systems that Cat says was intended to strengthen the stationary aftertreatment business.
About 70 percent of CleanAIR products were going to Cat dealers under the agreement.
Caterpillar Emissions Solutions will provide marketing and engineering support to CleanAIR Systems, assist with CARB and EPA Verification, and jointly develop next-generation products for Caterpillar customers.
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As Jackie Sprovieri cut the bright blue ribbon to symbolically open Flavorchem’s newest production facility, she held back tears as she remembered her late husband, Salvatore Sprovieri, who founded the company.
She told the crowd how the completion of the project would no doubt make Salvatore, who passed away in Oct. 2009, proud.
“I want to express how very proud I am that we’re doing this today, in light of the economic times we’re in,” she said. “It may seem small to some people, but it’s very large if you think about it’s just a group of people building [a company].”
The new 44,000-sq.-ft. liquid production facility in Downers Grove, Ill., features a state-of the art production facility, a more dedicated area for its quality control and regulatory departments, as well as a better training facility for employees.
It’s also flooded with natural light as a result of the numerous skylights, features a spacious conference room with a wall-size window overlooking the production floor, and dairy brick floors that can sustain spills and forklifts.
“When I was 13, my brother had a dream, that he shared with me,” explains Salvatore’s brother, Phil. “My brother’s probably here in spirit, and he’d be proud.”
The new building is part of the company’s Downers Grove campus, which includes: Flavorchem’s corporate headquarters; the sales and customer service and marketing offices; technical and production facilities; and distribution and packaging centers. Flavorchem also has a production facility in San Clemente, Calif.
The company, founded in 1971, specializes in creating and manufacturing flavor and color solutions for the food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries.


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Indonesia Imposes Three-year Safeguards Tax On Imported Ceramic Tiles: 23%, 21%, 19%
On July 16, 2018, the WTO (WTO) Safeguards Commission issued a final notice of safeguards submitted to it by the Indonesian delegation on July 10, 2018. The Indonesian Safeguards Committee finalized the safeguard measures for imported ceramic products (Ceramic Flags and Paving, Hearth or Wall Tiles) and recommended that the Indonesian government levy a three-year safeguards tax on the products involved. The specific measures are as follows: First year: 23%, 21% in the second year and 19% in the third year.
On March 29, 2018, in response to an application submitted by the Indonesian domestic Ceramic Industry Association on March 26, 2018, the Indonesian Safeguards Commission initiated an investigation into the initiation of safeguards for imported tiles. Elisa Sinaga, chairman of the Indonesian Ceramics Industry Association ASAKI, believes that when the real estate market rebounds, its output will exceed 500 million square meters. However, Indonesia was the fifth largest consumer country last year, with consumption reaching 369 million square meters, second only to Vietnam's 412 million square meters.
The Indonesian tax number of the products involved is 6907.21.21, 6907.21.22, 6907.21.23, 6907.21.24, 6907.21.91, 6907.21.92, 6907.21.93, 6907.21.94, 6907.22.11, 6907.22.12, 6907.22.13 6907.22.14, 6907.22.91, 6907.22.92, 6907.22.93, 6907.22.94, 6907.23.11, 6907.23.12, 6907.23.13, 6907.23.14, 6907.23.91, 6907.23.92, 6907.23.93, 6907.23 .94, 6907.30.1, 6907.30.19, 6907.30.91, and 6907.30.99. The investigation period of this case is from 2015 to 2017.
According to the relevant statistics of customs, the ceramic tile products exported to Indonesia in 2017 were US$244 million. Although it was 75.97% lower than 2016, it still ranked fifth in exporting countries, accounting for 5.52% of total exports.
According to relevant data, Indonesia was the fifth largest consumer of ceramic tiles in 2016, with consumption of 369 million square meters, second only to Vietnam's 412 million square meters. Elisa Sinaga, chairman of the Indonesian Ceramics Industry Association ASAKI, believes that local ceramic tile sales remained stable in 2017, but imports are rising. Indonesian tile manufacturers have to compete at the expense of profits due to lower import prices.
Previously, ASAKI of the Indonesian Ceramics Industry Association said that the import tariffs for ceramic products shipped from other ASEAN countries and China to Indonesia will be cancelled in 2018, which means that Indonesian ceramic tile manufacturers will find it increasingly difficult to compete with their ASEAN and Chinese counterparts. With the rising cost of ceramic tile production in Indonesia, imported ceramic tiles are occupying a large market share every year. Local manufacturers are worried about the increasing cost and quality competitiveness of foreign ceramic tiles.


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Not for long, on February 20 Samsung will introduce us to its first foldable smartphone: Galaxy F which has been certified by CMIIT ( China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology). This certification came a month before the company’s official announcement and did not reveal much information about the device that was registered as SM F9000.
Although it has been certified in China and is expected to be released first in the Chinese market, the certification file does not place any letter that specifies where the device will be made available. To be sure, the device needed to be registered as SM F9000 A, for example, which indicates that it would be ready for the Asian market, each location has a specific letter.
The slogan that Samsung is using to advertise the folding smartphone is “The future doubles. ” It will have two possible screen sizes, 4.5 inches, or 7.3 inches, when fully open, in “tablet” format.
There are some rumors that Samsung’s foldable smartphone will come with 512GB of internal storage and will be equipped with Qualcomm’s SoC, Snapdragon 855, which allows the 5G connection. It is also possible that the battery is up to 6000mAh, it makes sense for the battery to be large since the screens must consume a lot of energy.
The official announcement of Galaxy F is due Feb. 20 in San Francisco, so there is still no availability and value information. Some information says that this model will be experimental and limited to only 1000 units, and can cost more than $1800.
Do not forget to follow us on our Facebook Group and Page to keep you always aware of the latest advances, News, Updates, review, and giveaway on smartphones, tablets, gadgets and more from the technology world of the future.


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The adventurer is now "super against" vegetables, grains and nuts and in favour of red meat, dairy, and eggs
Bear Grylls has revealed he has ditched his vegan diet and returned to eating meat and dairy.
The Man vs Wild presenter spoke with GQ to share that his previous vegan diet of raw juices and vegetables lead him to kidney pains. Additionally, Grylls claimed his ‘health tanked’ when following a plant-based diet.
Instead, the adventurer now eats a lot of red meat, eggs, and dairy – foods that have been criticized by professionals for contributing to several health issues such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and even cancer.
What’s more, Grylls is now “super against” grains and wheat – similar to those who follow a paleo diet.
“We’ve had millions of years of evolution where we’re designed to eat meat”
During the interview, Grylls shared: “I changed my mindset away from vegetables are great to realizing we’ve had millions of years of evolution where we’re designed to eat meat and milk and eggs.”
Moreover, Grylls explained what a typical meal at home now includes: “A burger from grass-fed mince, with cheese and an egg on top, cooked in tallow, fry some white rice in it. A scoop of bone marrow, a massive tub of Greek yoghurt, and honey and berries.”
In the interview, Bear revealed that his new diet had been influenced by Paul Saladino, AKA the ‘Carnivore MD’.
Saladino is an advocate for carnivorism, claiming it can “attain radical health, strength, & vitality”. Additionally, he has featured on the notorious Joe Rogan Experience to explain the ‘negative effects’ of eating too many plants – a theory which is often debunked by researchers and experts.
Supports of the carnivore diet often cite that vegetables are toxic because of lectins and phytic acid that are often found in plant-based foods.
According to McGill, there is little research to suggest that we should avoid lectin foods and that unless you’re living where deficiencies are common, phytic acid should not be a concern.
Kevin Klatt, Ph.D. in Molecular Nutrition, added: “Vegetarians and vegans do not typically have higher rates of anaemia. Phytic acid is a common bogeyman in circles trying to demonize any plant-based food.”
Want to improve your health? Read our guide on what makes a healthy vegan diet
Feature image credit: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images


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The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Ghana, on World Intellectual Property Day is calling on the Ministry of Finance and the Parliament of Ghana to remove the high taxes and duties on software imported into the country in conformity with the World Trade Organization Decision on Valuation of Carrier Media Bearing Software for Data Processing Equipment (WTO Decision 4.1).
World Trade Organization Decision on Valuation of Carrier Media Bearing Software for Data Processing Equipment provides guidance to custom authorities on the valuation of software which should be based the cost of the medium on which the software (data) is stored.
For example software information stored on a CD-ROM, will be valued based on the cost of the CD-ROM, according to this WTO Decision.
However, this Decision is not being applied in Ghana. Ghana Customs valuation of software includes the intellectual property component and a number of taxes which sum up to about 42% of the cost of media increasing the price of software on the Ghanaian market.
The increase in taxes has contributed to the high cost of genuine software products available in Ghana, making many software users susceptible to pirated software products which usually come at a low cost.
Some industry experts estimate that, at least 80% of all computers in Ghana are running on pirated software.
There are significant risks for government institutions, businesses, and individuals using non-genuine and pirated software.
Pirated license does not benefit from online upgrades provided by genuine software companies from time to time to protect against malware and other security viruses.
Also, pirated software could easily open the door to cybercrime which has far reaching consequences for government institutions, and individuals including system crashes and hacking.
The American Chamber of Commerce is an affiliate of the U.S Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC and the representative arm of U.S businesses in the country.
The Intellectual Property Hub (I.P Hub) of the Chamber seeks to advocate for enforcement of intellectual property rights in the country, and works with like minded organizations to raise awareness about I.P issues in the Country.


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- Mexico is considering placing tariffs on U.S. imports in retaliation for the slowdown at the U.S. border, Mexico News Daily reported.
- Truck crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have slowed to a crawl over the last month after roughly 750 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents were reassigned to handle incoming migrants instead of processing incoming goods, leaving official points of entry (POEs) drastically understaffed.
- Mexico's foreign trade undersecretary, Luz María de la Mora, is confident tariffs will ultimately not be necessary because U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross committed to Economy Secretary Graciela Márquez Colín that the U.S. would send more customs officials to the border, Mexico News Daily reported.
Mexico is already expected to issue a new list of retaliatory tariffs in the coming weeks in reaction to the Trump administration tariffs on Mexican steel — the same tariffs that have caused Sen. Chuck Grassley to issue an ultimatum holding up a vote on the United States Mexico Canada agreement (USMCA) until the tariffs are dropped. Any further animus between the U.S. and Mexico can only serve to further delay or endanger passage of the deal.
Mexico is the United States' second-largest export market with exports totaling nearly $265 billion in 2018. Top export categories were machinery, mineral fuels, vehicles and plastics, but agricultural exports like corn, soy and dairy are also significant. There's no predicting right now what sector of the U.S. economy these potential tariffs would hit, but industrial, automotive or agricultural would be sound guesses.
According to Jon Barela, CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, $1 million in goods is traded between the U.S. and Mexico every minute, so the economic toll on border communities is severe.
On April 4, the wait time for trucks crossing into the U.S. from Mexico was five hours, and CBP staff reassignments were beginning to affect small businesses along the border. Barela testified earlier this week to the House Subcommittee on Border Security he has heard about 12- to 24-hour wait times. Local media reports some see sections of the border as effectively closed.
Businesses are operating at 20-50% capacity, Barela said, adding, "One employer is furloughing hundreds of employees and reducing their hours," in his written testimony.
Sheriff Mark D. Napier of Pima County, Arizona, in his prepared remarks submitted to the committee, defended Trump's characterization of the situation at the border as a "crisis," but also said ports of entry (POEs) need to be staffed up.
"Commerce with Mexico through the POEs is vital to Border States and pumps billions into our economy. Allowing Mexican citizens the ability to cross into the United States to engage in legitimate commerce is also vital to the economy of border regions. The POEs need better staffing and technology to support the efficient flow of legitimate transnational commerce while having the ability to detect and interdict illegitimate/criminal transnational activity," he wrote in his prepared testimony.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration requested an additional $4.5 billion in emergency funding, the majority of which would be allocated to caring for unaccompanied minor children crossing the border.


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Electronic Arts has denied it has next-generation Xbox consoles.
Rumors of a new Xbox console kicked off on Friday when gaming site Develop claimed that an unnamed Electronic Arts studio had taken delivery of a new Xbox console. It’s claimed that the new hardware was sent to EA last month and is packaged and stored inside a PC shell. EA developers are allegedly getting to grips with the hardware to create first-generation software says Develop.
Microsoft has declined to comment on the story but EA spokespeople claim the story is false. “This story is a total fabrication – 100 percent not true,” said EA corporate spokesman Jeff Brown. Develop still maintains that an announcement about the future console will be made, in some form, at E3.
Microsoft has previously posted several job listings to hire staff for the next-generation Xbox. The software giant is currently in the early stages of pre-production for the next-generation Xbox. The company advertised for a hardware verification engineer in March. The role is part of the development and verification of the Xbox and future platforms. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 gaming console dominated U.S. charts in 2010. Microsoft revealed at CES in January that the company has sold over 50 million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide since launch. Microsoft also has 30 million active Xbox LIVE members and has sold 8 million Kinect sensors in just 60 days on the market.


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Home > News > Nation
Monday November 11, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Monday November 11, 2013 MYT 7:20:26 AM
Najib and Rosmah touring the St Regis Hotel project site after the ground-breaking ceremony. — Bernama
LANGKAWI: To add to its attractions, Langkawi can also be a top nautical tourism destination in the world.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak expressed his optimism here and outlined the prerequisites necessary.
“We need a few anchor investments and top-class brand names to be the game-changers to bring Langkawi on par with the likes of Bali and Monaco,” the Prime Minister said at the ground-breaking ceremony for the St Regis Hotel and Langkawi International Convention Centre (LICC) in Kuah yesterday.
With 84 suites, 11 villas and a convention centre, the hotel has been estimated to cost more than RM400mil.
To be developed by the Rajawali Group and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, the project is targeted for completion before the Asean Summit scheduled here in April 2015.
Najib said the impact of turning Langkawi into a luxury nautical holiday spot would benefit many, particularly the local population.
“Thousands of tourists come here to spend, generating revenue not only for companies but also the Government.
“If we have a large number of high-end tourists spending their money here, Langkawi can really be transformed,” he said.
The Prime Minister said tourist arrivals in Langkawi had exceeded the target set under the Langkawi Tourism Blueprint 2011-2015 with 3.06 million people, which was the target set for 2015.
He said the Government wanted to attract more high-end tourists to Langkawi and get them to spread the word “about Langkawi being among the very best in the world”.
Najib said the St Regis Hotel project would be a race against time with 15 months left before the Asean Summit.
He said the reward would be the Asean Summit also bringing the international spotlight on Langkawi.
Also at the event were Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Rajawali Corp chairman Tan Sri Peter Sondakh and Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.
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The media buying revolution continues. The American Marketing Association’s “Brilliance in Marketing” segment on Zicam’s revolutionary approach to buying television time comes at the end of the long-standing television upfront market. This 50 year old tradition has already been assaulted by the shift of ad dollars from television to digital. Now sophisticated algorithms paired with big data are allowing brands to buy television like they buy internet. The CEO of the makers of Zicam, M’Lou Walker, told me how they have changed the way they buy advertising in a recent interview in her office.
The growth of digital spending has slowed dramatically. Deadline Hollywood quotes Standard Media Index stats: “Last year’s Q4 revealed “the first glimpse of a flattening Digital market,” with year-over-year sales up 9% vs. 35% in the same period in 2015, SMI says. That continued in Q1: Digital sales improved 6% in the first three months of 2017 as opposed to 19% in the same period in 2016.”
The new technology could help shift dollars back into television. Digital’s allure is its ability to specifically target people and provide detailed metrics. As television technology develops, those benefits are increasingly available to television advertisers. With television’s proven ability to move the needle, we may soon be looking at ad rush back into television when more companies adopt Zicam’s approach.


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Bitcoin price was displaying fresh volatility May 6 as global political and economic factors sparked broad uncertainty across markets.
Bitcoin Comes Down From Weekly High
Data from cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp, which tends to act as a lower benchmark for Bitcoin markets, put the cryptocurrency trading around $5600 at press time.
Bitcoin is down around 1.8 percent over the past 24 hours, having reached weekly highs of $5812 May 4.
BTC/USD 00 is currently trading near the bottom of its 3-day range, while longer-term performance remains strong. Over the past month, Bitcoin price remains up almost 12 percent.
The break in Bitcoin’s winning streak came on the back of panic inside traditional markets as US president Donald Trump unexpectedly announced new trade tariffs on Chinese goods over the weekend.
In a move which could heighten the likelihood of a trade war between the countries intensifying, Trump said he planned to raise 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25 percent.
The result was Asian…


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Some of the world’s biggest brands, including Tesco, Asda and Ogilvy, will take part in the first-ever B2B conference on Muslim lifestyle – a sector worth trillions of pounds.
Taking place next week, MLE Connect brings together famous brands, businesses, sector experts, entrepreneurs and industry specialists to discuss how to tap into one of the fastest growing sectors in the world today.
The event is the first event of its kind ever held in the UK and will feature seminars from industry experts, workshops, panel discussions and networking sessions across a number of sectors such as fashion, food and drink, travel and finance.
Confirmed names set to attend include supermarket giants Tesco and Asda alongside investors, SMEs across a variety of sectors, social enterprises and entrepreneurs from across the country.
The Muslim consumer lifestyle market is today one of the fastest growing sectors globally with a recent report estimating the global expenditure on food and lifestyle sectors at £1.36 trillion.
The UK is seen as key market with brands and businesses keen to connect with consumers.
Tahir Mirza, founder and director of MLE Connect, said: “We are delighted to welcome some of the biggest brands, investors and SMEs which is shaping up to be a key ground-breaking event.
“The UK is a very important market which brands are keen to tap into and this is a great forum for networking, gaining expertise and sharing business knowledge.
“This conference is open to anybody regardless of faith and will be a great way to network and develop new partnerships. We expect a number of companies to generate business from this event.”
The event will attract entrepreneurs and businesses from across the UK keen to understand the Muslim lifestyle market.
It will feature a series of seminars and panel discussions on a range of topics including how to reach the Muslim consumer, business start-ups, crowdfunding, modest fashion, halal food, halal travel Industry and Islamic finance.
Guest speakers at the event include Sultan Choudhry, CEO of Al Rayan Bank, Altaf Alim, Commercial Director of modest fashion brand Aab, Shelina Janmohammed, Vice President of marketing agency Ogilvy Noor, award winning TV producer Navid Akhtar and Moe Nawaz, Mentor and Strategic Advisor to FTSE 100 Leaders.
MLE Connect 2016 will take place at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London on April 7,2016 with Human Appeal as the headline partner .
Last year, the team behind MLE Connect, organised the Muslim Lifestyle Expo 2015 that took place at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.
It brought together 7,000 visitors from across the UK and 85 exhibitors from countries including Malaysia, Norway, Turkey, USA and South Africa. Earlier this year, the Expo won the Services in Creativity and Technology category at The British Muslim Awards 2016.


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State dealer associations are going to their legislatures seeking -- and getting -- new protections they say dealers need to cope with the burden of unrepaired vehicles on their lots, especially as the Takata airbag recalls...
In response to dealer pushback, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Dietmar Exler is working on a plan to shift dealership leadership training from West Point to regional sites across the country.
Mercedes-Benz USA's new CEO says no timetable exists for deciding whether to bring a new midsize pickup under development to the U.S.
Porsche's U.S. leader thinks sales of the iconic 911 can go higher. Potential buyers nervous about the nameplate's move to turbocharged engines who test out the cars will be won over by its improvements, he says.
Porsche continues to expand its product offering outside traditional sports cars. The brand's U.S. CEO confirms Porsche will begin selling a wagon variant of its Panamera sports sedan in the U.S.
Here's how TrueCar successfully wooed AutoNation to resume using it as a third-party lead provider, reversing their bitter July 2015 split.
Mercedes-Benz USA will pay dealers as much as $1,775 per month for new and used vehicles with recalled Takata airbags that are stuck in their inventory under a stop-sale order.
AutoNation is changing one of the key tenets of its policy not to sell any vehicle with an open recall.
After rejecting acquisition overtures for years, Dave Smith Auto finally found a suitor that shared its rapid-expansion goals.
The dealership labor market is tightening as retailers hire additional employees and pay them more, the annual NADA Data report shows.
A CARB certification slowdown has frozen shipments of 2017 model Porsche Macans bound for 13 states. The slowdown is part of the fallout from the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal.
Porsche is changing its loaner program to get more vehicles into dealer fleets. New vehicle launches could mean another sales record in the U.S.
The average dealership in the U.S. set another profit record in 2015 as total dealership sales continued to rise. But the average dealership profit margin remained flat for the fifth straight year at 2.
With two new models and increased U.S. allocation, the Porsche Macan is likely to become the brand's top-selling nameplate in 2016. The compact crossover would bump its big brother, the Cayenne crossover, from the top spot.
For G.P. Anderson, juggling a variety of customers -- from the most credit-challenged to a well-heeled doctor -- is all in a day's work.
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Itec SA has announced the expansion of their Carbon Neutral programme, an initiative that will now reduce their customers’ printing related carbon footprint by offsetting this – at no additional charge – through sustainability specialists and partner, impactChoice.
This move is aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the equipment Itec supplies to its customers – without them having to bear the cost – and ensuring that they are driving innovation around becoming a responsible corporate citizen, as well as passing this key environmental benefit and value-added service onto their customers.
Says Phillip Perkins, CEO at Itec SA: “There is no doubt that South African businesses can no longer dig their heads in the sand about the impact of organisations, products and services on the environment. In fact, we are already seeing a shift in many industries such as construction, retail, motoring and the like however, in our industry there has not been as much focus – and so we are proud to be able to offer our clients this type of solution without affecting their digital expenditure.”
Furthermore, the South African Government has committed to carbon reduction targets of 34%1, from 2010 levels by 2020, indicating a real need for businesses to step up to the plate and provide tangible working solutions to reduce carbon emissions and practice responsible business – this is even more important for the producers, manufacturers and providers that are at the source of the carbon emission output.
“For Itec, this is a no brainer and we are committed to reducing not only our own, but very importantly, our customers’ carbon emissions,” adds Gavin Meyer, executive director at Itec SA.
“Just think about the impact of such a move; based on last year’s figures, we offset 594 977kgs of CO2-e – which is the equivalent amount of Carbon that would be sequestered by over 15 000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years. And this represents only a portion of our customers, where going forward our full customer base, as well as future customers, will all make use of this benefit,” states Perkins.
Supported by environmental agency, impactChoice, Itec SA’s carbon offset will be audited each year to ensure validity of the initiative so that customers can be assured that their solution is in fact 100% carbon neutral. To this end, Itec SA will be awarded a certificate that will indicate the carbon offsets purchase.
Says Peter Newell, GM at impactChoice: “Having worked with Itec SA on their Carbon Neutral programme for the past 6 years, we are proud to see the organisation taking an even larger leap towards environmental sustainability and are glad that we get to be part of this fundamental business journey.”
“Today, to succeed in business, it is all about demonstrating not only new products and solutions but also about being a role player in critical issues that face the country and the globe. We believe that the Carbon Neutral initiative demonstrates just this; our commitment to our customers and the larger environment in which we all operate,” concludes Perkins.


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AUSTIN – Two of the biggest cloud companies on the planet have agreed to support the work of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, adding their names to a list that includes nearly everyone shaping the direction of modern cloud computing.
Alibaba is now a platinum member after joining at the gold level earlier this year, and Chief Architect Hong Tang will join the Governing Board, which includes leading cloud technologists from the likes of Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, Docker, and a host of other companies. Tang estimated that Alibaba is running hundreds of thousands of containers in production at any given moment, not including spikes like the company recent saw during Singles’ Day, which is like Black Friday meets Valentine’s Day in China.
Baidu has also agreed to join the CNCF at the gold level, which requires less of a commitment; backers of the foundation contribute money and time toward advancing the projects and choosing new ones to incubate. Other companies that joined the foundation Wednesday include Salesforce and JFrog.
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation hosts 14 open-source projects that are giving users the tools to build businesses on cloud technologies. The key project is Kubernetes, the container-orchestration software originally developed at Google and open-sourced in 2015 to create the CNCF.
“We are aiming to construct the software infrastructure for the next decade,” said Dan Kohn, executive director of the CNCF, opening the show before 4,000 cloud enthusiasts. That’s actually more people than have attended the first four CNCF events around the world combined, he said.


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27 June 2017, India:
The European Union’s antitrust regulator has fined Google a record $2.71 billion for favoring its own comparison-shopping service in search results and ordered the search giant to apply the same methods to rivals as its own when displaying their services.
By artificially and illegally promoting its own price comparison service in searches, Google denied both its consumers real choice and rival firms the ability to compete on a level playing field, European regulators said.
Google is also now liable to face civil actions for damages by any person or business affected by its anti-competitive behavior as per the report by The Guardian.
As the EU official in charge of competition policy, commissioner Margrethe Vestager, spelled out the case against Google, she denied accusations that Brussels had a bias against US firms, claiming the tech giant had been guilty of an “old school” form of illegality.
Related read- Google Comes with Four Measures to Counter Online Terrorism
“Google has come up with many innovative products and services that have made a difference to our lives. That’s a good thing,” Vestager told reporters, as she announced the fine, the largest ever made in an antitrust case. “But Google’s strategy for its comparison shopping service wasn’t just about attracting customers by making its product better than those of its rivals.
Google had previously suggested that Amazon and eBay have more influence over the public’s spending habits and has again said it does not accept the claims made against it.
“When you shop online, you want to find the products you’re looking for quickly and easily,” a spokesman said in response to the ruling.
“And advertisers want to promote those same products. That’s why Google shows shopping ads, connecting our users with thousands of advertisers, large and small, in ways that are useful for both. “We respectfully disagree with the conclusions announced today. We will review the Commission’s decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to continuing to make our case.” (Image- TripSavvy)
Also read- Google Will No More Customize Ads by Reading Your Mails


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Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is out in Japan this week, bringing a delightful bonus along: the promised Crystal Bearers trailer, which a helpful YouTube friend has uploaded (though with a watermark to forever remind us of his helpfulness). Head past the break to see the new footage.
We haven't seen footage of this game since May 2007, and it wasn't really enough to get a good idea of gameplay. But this trailer features entire, sumptuous minutes of in-game footage, revealing one of the weirdest Final Fantasy games ever -- and that's even if we ignore the incongruous soundtrack!
It appears to be an action game in which players pick up items and monsters with a sort of telekinetic power, and toss them. We very much hope that it turns out to be better than Square Enix's other recent physics (and tossing-stuff)-based action game, Dawn of Mana. Unfortunately, the trailer doesn't offer new information about any release plans, but its very inclusion suggests it's coming soon!


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Consultant Nick Parker has identified that UK investment cash is leaving the country in favour of Scandanavian and German opportunities - largely because UK companies have been slower in adapting to new market movements.
Speaking at Evolve in London, Parker argued that whilst Scandinavian companies have embraced mobile markets and German companies have seen great success with browser titles, the UK has been less agile, meaning that companies like London Venture Partners have seen better return from external investments.
"Looking at the London-based investment comapnies... They're not investing in the UK," said Parker. "They're investing in Scandinavia and Germany. I can think of Jagex and maybe a couple of other examples, but primarily they're not investing here and there must be a reason behind that."
Parker was stark in his assessment of where and how investment money is being spent, claiming that "nobody is investing in traditional sector anymore." Whilst that is perhaps a slight overstatement, the figures presented to back it up certainly showed a huge trend towards investment in growth areas largely outside the UK.
"Unfortunately our development community has not been able to rise as quickly, in terms of responding to what's happening with the gamer," Parker continued. "It seems that mainland Europe has. They've managed to create, define and pioneer business models.
"We've taken a bit too much time to latch on. If you think of one of our major online companies, Jagex, they're still in a subscription mode. They might be changing, but we still haven't got any major primary developers in this country of the likes of Wooga or Bigpoint."
Bigpoint's Philip Reisburger, also speaking at the event, thinks this divide is the result of the difference in tastes between the markets. Whereas the UK's development community was focused on AAA console development - as was its consumer market - Germany had a much stronger basis in PC development and the sort of strategy and resource management titles which formed much of the foundation of social and casual gaming's nativity.
As such, says Reisburger, the industry in Germany was far better equipped to take advantage of new developments, whilst the UK was entrenched in a more traditional mindset, which its community clung to for too long to be an early adopter of new models.


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Idaho’s Best CBD Store is Canyon CBD May 1, 2023 Recent years have witnessed an exponential surge in interest in CBD as an alternative treatment option for various ailments. Produced from hemp plants, this non-psychoactive chemical compound can be added to various products from oils to creams and even candies for consumption. CBD is quickly […]
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CBD products have become increasingly popular for their potential health benefits, but are they legal in every state?
From anxiety and relief to neuroprotective properties, CBD has many health benefits.


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The Tourism Authority of Panama is putting out to tender services for the design and production of an advertising campaign, development of media plans, guidelines on traditional and digital media and media monitoring.
Added to the small level of influence that social networks have on consumer purchasing decisions there is also the ever latent danger posed by situations where communication can seriously damage the company's image.
The adjustment to the Advertising Standards Code includes changes to the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages and those targetting minors.
"All of the documents from responsible sources that give us indications, that tell us of existing trends or what's happening in the world, with the research that is being carried out, are important tools for dealing with the reforms and allowing the Code of Ethics to always be up to date" , said Sherman Calvo , president of the Salvadoran Association of Advertising Agencies (ASAP) and Senior Vice President of National Advertising Council (CNP) to Laprensagrafica.com .
Of all the advertising spending in mass media in the region, Nicaragua's share is 8%.
Guatemala's is 28%, Costa Rica's 22% and Honduras' is 16%.
Despite this reduced participation, the Nicaraguan media market has grown by 15% over the last two years, said Cesar Espinosa, CEO of Cem Communications and president of the Nicaraguan Organization of Advertising Agencies (ONAP), during an interview with Humberto Galo for Laprensa.com.ni.
During the event organized by the Guatemalan Union of Advertising Agencies (UGAP), the Jade Awards will be held, which reward creative ingenuity, plus there will be an industry fair for communication suppliers.
Annual expenses have superseded $900 million a year: 70% on television, 15% in print media, 2% on radio, and the rest on other media including the internet.
According to Rodrigo Gordon, president of the Association of Advertisers in Guatemala (AAG), "such good investment in marketing and advertising is related to a country's economic growth. The more and better marketing there is, the more opportunity a country has to grow, as it means that there is more competition between companies. That means consumers will have more and better products, we play an important role in media. Companies who pay for advertising keep the media in subsistence, without us it would be difficult for them to continue to operate as they do. "
The Guatemalan Tourism Institute plans to spend $1 million on online campaigns to promote Guatemala as a tourist destination.
According to Peter Duchez, director of the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (Inguat), as time passes Guatemala must be promoted online, as 95% of the decisions taken by tourists are based on the Internet.
The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama has rejected the public airing of legal proceedings.
A statement from the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama reads:
The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama, considers it unacceptable that any legal processes be publicly aired, when they should be handled by the appropriate entities, as was the case last week with the Ministry of Labor and the company Varela Hermanos S.A.
Private companies and government agencies spent about $200 million in 2011 on different media, an increase of 8% compared to 2010.
The slicing up the country’s advertising pie, according to type of media, was as follows: television received 72.7% of the ads, being the favorite, next came newspapers, with 15.35%, then radio, with 4.67%; followed by magazines, with 3.8% and outdoor advertising, with 3.41%.
Web portal on business in Central America. News, analysis, business opportunities, economic indicators, press releases, events calendar and training activities.
Operates in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama
Phone: (506) 2225-4786 - (506) 2258-2314


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Bosch reports strong growth, has big plans for Malaysia
By Digital News Asia June 13, 2013
- Bosch had 8% sales growth in Malaysia for 2012
- Plans to expand footprint in country and region
BOSCH, a global supplier of technology and services, achieved sales of €132 million in Malaysia in 2012, up 8% from the €122 million the previous year.
[Note: €1 = US$1.33]
“With this continued growth, Malaysia remains the third largest contributor out of the 10 countries in South-East Asia that Bosch is present in, after Singapore and Thailand,” said Martin Hayes (pic), president of Bosch in South-East Asia and managing director of Bosch in Malaysia and Singapore.
Despite the challenging global economic situation, Bosch projects a positive outlook for 2013 with continued growth and the expansion of its footprint in Malaysia, the company said in a statement.
Currently, 44% of Bosch’s more than 5,500 associates in South-East Asia are located in Malaysia. The country will continue to be the stronghold for Bosch in housing the most sizeable pool of its workforce in this region. It also expects a continued steady growth in headcount over the coming years.
Sales revenue across the various business divisions developed positively, with the Thermotechnology division posting the highest increase of nearly 40% due to key projects in the food and beverages industry.
The Car Multimedia, Original Equipment, Security Systems and Drive & Control divisions enjoyed double-digit growth. The Power Tools and Automotive Aftermarket divisions also performed well in 2012, Bosch said.
“We are maintaining a steady momentum in Malaysia and intend to make further inroads into other markets such as Kelantan and Johor Baru, as well as beyond the peninsular into Sabah and Sarawak,” said Hayes.
“We expect to progressively expand our footprint in line with the rising affluence of Malaysia and its increasing demand for cutting-edge technologies in everyday life,” he added.
Bosch will be introducing its latest line-up of web-based surveillance cameras designed for high performance under extreme low-light conditions, as well as a series of automotive spare parts for local and Asian-made passenger cars within this year.
The Automotive Aftermarket division will expand its distribution network to enhance the availability of products such as spark plugs, wipers, batteries and other spare parts to customers. Partnering local workshops across the country, motorists will be able to access Bosch’s high quality and reliable products, installed by their trusted workshop, the company said.
With the Iskandar Malaysia, Sabah Development Corridor (SDB), East Coast Economic Regional (ECER) and Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) development projects attracting substantial investments in manufacturing and infrastructure, these projects also present opportunities to Bosch as a one-stop solutions provider with a diverse portfolio of products and solutions to offer.
“Malaysia is well-entrenched to be a key growth market in South-East Asia. The country is undergoing further industrialisation and rapidly expanding its infrastructure to be increasingly competitive, regionally and globally,” Hayes added.
Bosch closed its 2012 fiscal year with €702 million in sales in South-East Asia, an increase of almost 30%. Amidst rapid growth within the region, the company also saw an overall healthy increase of some 9% in manpower for the region.
In Asia Pacific, Bosch increased its sales by 5.6% to some €12.6 billion. Sales in the Chinese and Indian economies developed less dynamically in 2012 than in previous years. To reach its long-term target of generating 30% share of its sales in Asia Pacific, the company invested some €780 million here last year, on par with the previous year.
Global blueprint for 2013
In 2012, the Bosch Group saw a sales boost of 1.9% to €52.5 billion while pre-tax profit came to €2.8 billion.
Developments in the business sectors differed. In 2012, Automotive Technology, the largest business sector, increased its sales by 2.1% to €31.1 billion. Sales of the Industrial Technology business sector stagnated at €8 billion. The Consumer Goods and Building Technology business sector generated sales of €13.4 billion, a 2.5% increase.
Headcount, adjusted to match the company’s business development over the course of the past year, rose only slightly by 3,400 to 305,900. In total, Bosch invested some €8 billion in the company’s future in 2012: €4.8 billion for research and development and €3.2 billion in capital expenditure.
For 2013, Bosch expects global sales growth of 2%-4%, with measures to improve result that were started in 2012 – such as limits on fixed costs, capital expenditure and company acquisitions – to be continued.
The supplier of technology and services will also continue to pursue the main lines of its strategy, with systems for environmental protection, energy efficiency and safety.
Bosch believes that there is huge energy efficiency potential, as well as sales potential, in modernising the power supply, energy management and insulation of buildings. In January, Bosch brought together the areas of its business that deal with this to form a fourth business sector, Energy and Building Technology. This new business sector generated sales of €5 billion in 2012.
The company also expects sales growth to come from innovative and beneficial products, web-based business models and the further expansion of its international presence.
At the company’s recent annual press conference in Germany, Dr Volkmar Denner, chairman of the Bosch Board of Management, said: “Bosch’s broad footprint has never been as valuable as in the age of connected life.”


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Google's ever growing list of popular Google Doodles has added a new member as the search giant creates a massive real life doodle to celebrate Halloween in true American fashion
Google has got into the Halloween spirit with the search giant creating a real world Google Doodle, carving six monstrously sized pumpkins into a festive themed rendition of the company’s infamous logo.
Renowned for its eye catching doodles, Google’s latest take on the brand logo is currently on the Google homepage in the form of a sub one minute time capture video showing the pumpkins being carved to read a eerie version of the name.
The six giant pumpkins, each of which weigh over 1,000 pounds (454KG) were snapped up in the Half Moon Bay area of California before being shipped to Google’s nearby Mountain View complex.
From arty depictions of the Google logo to commemorate the lives of world changing engineers, authors, artists and musicians, Google Doodles have fast become a must-see aspect of the world’s most visited website.
Most famed to date is the interactive Pac Man Google Doodle which allowed users to play a Google branded version of the classic arcade game. The yellow dot munching doodle proved so popular it was reported to have cost the global economy $120 million (£75 million) in lost labour.
What has been your favourite Google Doodle so far? Let us know via the comments box below.


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The highest demand for PV inverters this year will come from both the smallest and the largest three-phase inverters, according a recently released report on the market from IMS Research. Shipments of inverters rated below 35 kW and above 500 kW are growing nearly 50% faster than the rest of the market.
The PV inverter market has achieved remarkable growth in the past few years, overcoming the collapse of the Spanish market to produce record shipments in 2009 – a feat set to be broken again in 2010 with close to 17 GW of shipments, IMS Research says. This growth has attracted many new entrants to the market, especially suppliers already active in similar markets.
However, although these suppliers have transferred their expertise in high power and produced large central inverters, it is the smaller three-phase products that are predicted to capture a greater share in the short term.
IMS Research's recently published report has revealed that shipments of small three-phase inverters rated around 10 kW to 20kW are forecast to grow by around 170% this year. Inverters rated at over 500 kW are projected to grow at a similar rate but will capture a smaller share of the market.
In the longer-term, however, much faster growth is predicted for these larger inverters, with utility-scale installations emerging rapidly – although, due to their inherently lower price per watt, these inverters will still only account for 10% of revenues in 2014, the report says.
‘Recently, demand for PV inverters in commercial installations appears to be splitting into two clear categories: very small three-phase products or very large central inverters,’ says Tom Haddon, PV research analyst at IMS. ‘While mid-sized central inverters offer a lower initial investment cost, shipments of inverters in the 10 kW to 20 kW range have increased massively in 2010, with aÂ range of new models being released by major suppliers such as SMA, Kaco, SolarMax and Power-One.
‘These products offer greater system design flexibility, easier installation and higher energy yields, and also better grid integration – a crucial factor, given the medium-voltage directive and reactive power legislation in Germany,’ Haddon adds.
Although it is forecast that these units will lose some market share to larger central inverters in the longer term as the emerging markets of the U.S., India and China drive demand for megawatt-sized substations, in the medium term, smaller three-phase models are forecast to be one of the prime revenue generators, as their adaptable nature can be applied to installations ranging from small commercial to multi-megawatt utility-scale installations.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
SOURCE: IMS Research


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Lori Prichard reporting
Produced by Kelly Just
SALT LAKE CITY -- There are things in life we need to keep a close eye on: our businesses, homes and families. But if you rely on a wireless camera system to provide an extra level of security, you might instead be opening yourself up to more crime.
A KSL 5 News investigation reveals a shocking twist that comes with some of these affordable and easy-to-install wireless camera systems.
"It was kind of scary to know that anyone could see what is going on," mother Erica Patten said when KSL showed her the image being transmitted by her video baby monitor.
"Especially in your child's room?" reporter Lori Prichard added.
"Right," Patten said.
Spying on people's wireless camera signals is relatively easy.
As security consultant Shane Larsen explained, "With a simple device, maybe $100 to $200 at the most, you can go around town and look at people's wireless cameras, and they have no idea that you're doing it."
By using two devices -- a simple receiver bought off the Internet for $49.95 and a more sophisticated "wireless camera hunter" that sells for about $450 -- KSL was able to look inside homes and businesses throughout the valley. The "hunter" device beeped periodically to indicate the presence of a video signal.
Before looking at any images, KSL got permission to lock onto the signal and take a peek. That required knocking on doors to inquire if the home or business owners had a wireless camera running and if they might allow KSL try hacking into it.
"Oh, that's your cash register," observed Prichard to restaurant owner Yaser Nisar.
"Yeah it is," said Nisar. "Yep, oh wow!"
"A little disturbing?" asked Prichard.
"Yeah, it's kind of scary that people can see that."
"That is your house," said Prichard to father Chris Patten, as the two watched his daughter play in her bedroom while standing outside the house.
"Yeah, I don't like that very much," he replied.
"That's my jewelry display," said another store owner. "That's that camera. Maybe I should unplug it."
"Unplug it," said Prichard.
All the cameras KSL tapped into were wireless, transmitting unencrypted analog signals on public frequencies that anyone can intercept.
According to Larsen, "It (the camera) sees a picture. It transmits it to the receiver. It works fine. The problem is you can grab it when it's being transmitted from point A to point B."
The idea that someone from the outside could be looking in surprised nearly every home and business owner KSL spoke to.
Chris and Erica Patten use a video baby monitor to keep an eye on their little girl, Ivy. They were shocked to learn that KSL could also see Ivy in her bedroom while standing outside the couple's home.
"Never would I think that someone would be able to see through what we have in our house through the monitor," Erica said.
"I think we'll definitely consider not using it," Chris added.
Restaurant owner Yaser Nisar had his wireless camera pointed directly at his cash register so he could see if anything happened while he was away. He said it never occurred to him that someone else could have been monitoring that same view.
"If you guys hadn't come along, I probably wouldn't have noticed," Nisar said.
"Better us than criminals," said Prichard.
"Yeah, exactly," he said.
Nisar went on to say, "If you had your cameras pointed at your security codes or anything like that, someone could be watching your security codes, and they can just come in later and do whatever they please. So yeah, it's really disturbing to see that."
Not everyone believed their cameras were safe. Homeowner John Coles said he figured someone could steal the signal, so he took precautions and put the cameras only on the outside of his home.
"I wasn't warned about it, but I had ideas that could be done, and that's why I wanted it outside, not in," he said.
The wireless camera systems KSL tapped into were all pretty cheap, purchased from big-box retailers.
Security consultant Shane Larsen said these wireless cameras work well and can serve a purpose, like keeping an eye on a front door or backyard. But when it comes to providing actual security, Larsen said people need to understand it is possible for others to access their video.
"You can get a nicer wireless system that will encrypt what you're sending over the airwaves," Larsen said.
Not surprisingly, nicer means spending more money. Encrypting a wireless video signal can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars more.
Larsen suggested something he says will cost more than the cameras KSL tapped into, but not nearly as much as a protected wireless system.
"For a normal person who wants to keep their home or maybe their office safe, you're a lot better going away from the wireless and getting something that's hardwired," said Larsen. "Then it's a secure connection from the camera to your viewing device."
All of the business and homeowners interviewed by KSL for this story have pulled the plugs on their wireless cameras after this investigation; the wired ones stayed put.
The Utah County Attorney's Office told KSL that tapping into someone's security camera is illegal. In some cases, doing so would be a misdemeanor; in others, it is a felony. That is why KSL asked for permission before picking up the images from unencrypted wireless security cameras.
What should you do if you own a wireless security camera? Some of these systems do come with an encryption option. However, if you fail to select that option during set-up, the system will default to an open signal anyone can access. If you are unsure about your camera, call the manufacturer to find out if it can be encrypted.
If you think no one is going to bother looking at wireless camera signals, you should know this has turned into a hobby for some. Since 2002, groups around the country have been meeting, trying to tap into these wireless security cameras. They call it "warspying."


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LXer: Coms processor gains commercial embedded Linux support
Published at LXer:
TimeSys has added support for another Freescale communications processor to its suite of low-cost embedded Linux developer services. The company's subscription-based LinuxLink service is now available to customers of Freescale's MPC8548E PowerQUICC III communications processor family, the company says.
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