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Qualcomm has been a force in the mobile processor space for many years now thanks to its ARM processors. They’re perfect for powering mobile phones, where battery life is often deemed more important than high-end performance. With mobile processing improving rapidly though, it makes sense that the company has been looking to step into the laptop market as well.
We have seen the company doing this through its Snapdragon 850 processor which the company made for entry-level Windows-based laptops. Something which didn’t get too much traction with laptop manufacturers despite its excellent claimed battery life as manufacturers proffered to stick with the more trusted Intel and AMD brands for most of their machines.
The company has just revealed two new processors which they hope will allow it to gain more traction in the competitive laptop market; new Snapdragon 8c and 7c processors (reported by The Verge), designed to cater for different ends of the market.
On the spec side, Qualcomm says that the 8c will offer up to 30 per cent improved performance compared to the Snapdragon 850. It’ll feature a Kryo 490 CPU, Adreno 675 GPU, and an integrated X24 LTE modem for connectivity, along with pairing potential with an X55 5G modem.
The 7c is aimed at the lower-end, with an octa-core Kryo 468 CPU, Adreno 618 GPU, and X15 LTE modem. (There’s no 5G option available here.) The advantage, however, is that Qualcomm says the 7c will offer a 25 percent increase in system performance and up to twice the battery life compared to “competing platforms” (e.g., traditional entry-level Windows PCs).
Combined with the 8cx that came out last year and caters for even more high-end performances, these new processors allow Qualcomm to provide a wider range of option to the market, across different price and performance brackets. Whether manufacturers will take the risk in adopting these new processors, remains to be seen.
Last Updated: December 6, 2019


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Tag: customer behaviour
Z’s Sharetank app is the not only the brainchild of the Kiwi fuel company, it’s also the result of what customers said they wanted and needed.
Global market research and analytics firm, Forrester, reports on how businesses can make the wisest of decisions, with recent insights covering advice on enhancing remote working, security and quality customer experience related to global Covid-19 disruptions. Here’s a roundup of their suggestions, followed by top tips from Umbrellar’s Head of Cloud on thriving in the emerging business landscape.
Fuelled by unrealistic marketing and customer service promises, today’s consumer expectation organisations will be always-on is running ahead of reality. Downgrading customer expectations is not an option, so organisations must consider a step change or risk considerable damage to their brand equity.

domain: news


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Mark Zuckerberg has joined Pinterest, a photo sharing website that is one of the hottest new trends in social media, CNET reported.
Zuckerberg has over 4,000 followers on the site, which allows users to "pin" photos and links from the internet they like onto different "boards." His profile seems to be authentic, and is linked to Zuckerberg's own Facebook profile, the Daily Mail reported.
Facebook creator and CEO Zuckerberg is known for joining other social media sites to scope out the competition; he has over 630,000 followers on Google+ and over 134,000 followers on Twitter, both of which he rarely uses. He has only tweeted once so far in 2012, and his last tweet before that is from 2009. He has also never shared anything on Google+.
There is still suspicion that Zuckerberg's profile on Pinterest could be a fake. Last week, "Mitt Romney" apparently joined Pinterest, only to tout caviar and yachts, The Atlantic Wire reported.
Pinterest is the fastest growing social network online, according to CNET. However, Facebook is still the most popular social media site by a long shot: data on referral traffic from last month put Pinterest at 3.6 percent, tied with Twitter and Google+, while Facebook had 26.4 percent, CNET reported.
More from GlobalPost: GlobalPost's Pinterest account


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Jennifer Garner, an American actress known for her stunning looks, recently warned against the use of fillers and injections. In this article, we will summarize her viewpoint on this issue.
In a recent interview, Garner revealed that she firmly believes in embracing natural beauty and aging gracefully. She explained that her decision to avoid fillers and injections stems from her desire to maintain an authentic appearance and set a good example for her children.
Garner highlighted the pressure that many women face to look perpetually youthful in Hollywood and society in general. She expressed concern about the unrealistic beauty standards that are often perpetuated in the media, leading to women resorting to fillers and injections to smooth out wrinkles and achieve a more youthful appearance.
The actress emphasized the importance of self-acceptance and being comfortable in one's own skin. She stated that she wants her children, especially her two daughters, to understand that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and ages. Garner believes that it is crucial for young people to develop a strong sense of self-worth and to resist societal pressures to alter their appearance artificially.
Furthermore, Garner expressed her fear that injectables and fillers can become addictive and lead to a never-ending cycle of altering one's appearance. She worries that chasing an ideal of perpetual youthfulness through fillers and injections can have a negative impact on one's self-esteem and mental well-being.
Instead of opting for these cosmetic procedures, Garner emphasized the importance of a healthy lifestyle and taking care of oneself from within. She emphasized the significance of a balanced diet, regular exercise, and proper skincare as key factors in maintaining a youthful appearance.
Garner concluded by stating that she supports personal choices regarding cosmetic procedures but encourages individuals to carefully consider the long-term effects and potential risks associated with them. She wants people to make informed decisions rather than being influenced solely by societal pressure.
In summary, Jennifer Garner warns against the use of fillers and injections, highlighting the importance of embracing natural beauty and aging gracefully. She encourages individuals, especially young people, to prioritize self-acceptance, self-worth, and a healthy lifestyle over societal pressures to alter their appearance artificially. By sharing her perspective, Garner hopes to inspire others to make informed choices and set a positive example for the next generation.


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So this is interesting,
It has been reported that Amazon has begun research on Alexa enabled smart glasses. Other companies have of course ventured into this category before. Google manufactured Google Glass for employers to assist patients, and clients by researching information hands free, Snap made some (kind of dumb looking) glasses to take pictures and record video for their SnapChat app. So it almost makes sense to see the company behind smart technology such as the Echo and the Echo Show, would create wearable technology as well.
As reported by the Financial Times, the device would pair wirelessly to the owners phone. When the owner asks a question, they would be able to hear the answer from Alexa via bone conduction which essentially transmits soundwaves directly to the owners skull, so no headphones are needed in hearing the answer.
It seems like Amazon is betting big (understandably so) on Smart Home Technology for its upcoming product launches.The Financial times also mentions that we could possibly see these smart glasses launch before the end of the year.
Sound interesting to you?


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We’ll look bleakly up into the heavens and say to our kids, “That there is an Amazon drone, dooming all of humanity.” That’s the future in store for us, and it could happen as soon as this year.
A senior official from the Federal Aviation Administration told a congressional committee on Wednesday that UAVs will be able to operate in public airspace “within a year.” That means companies like Amazon hoping to deliver your wares without someone physically handing you the product is nigh. And you have to wonder if something like that rules out the possibility of Amazon’s Uber for delivery idea.
Amazon said it plans on delivering packages to its customers as soon as the regulations for commercial UAVs are approved. If you weren’t already annoyed by the sight of your neighbor flying a drone high above your house, Amazon’s delivery service will surely drive you that much more insane.
Earlier this year, the FAA proposed regulations that would require drone operators to only fly during daylight hours, and would prohibit them from going above 500 feet. And, probably the key detail, drones need to be within the pilot’s line of sight. If that’s the case, why not just place the package in your hand, move your feet, and hand the package to the person expecting the delivery?


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StarHub posted earnings of $372.3 million for FY201S, a marginal increase from the $370.5 million reported in FY2014.
Revenue rose 2.4% to $2.4 billion, with the 34.5% increase in equipment sales to $228.3 million, despite the 0.1% dip in service revenue to $2.2 billion.
Mobile revenue decreased 0.6% to $1.2 billion for the full year to December, on the back of lower prepaid and roaming revenue, and broadband revenue was 0.8% lower at $200.3 million.
Pay TV service revenue grew 0.3% to $391 million, and fixed network service revenue was $6.6 million higher, arising from its data & internet services.
For the full year, revenue from equipment sales surged 34.5% to $228.3 million driven by increased quantities sold and the increased mix of higher end phones.
The group has declared a final dividend of five cents per share for the current financial period.
StarHub expects its service revenue to grow in the low single digits for 2016 with capital expenditure to be about 13% of its total revenue, excluding the $80 million spectrum payment due in 2016. It also intends to maintain its annual cash distribution of 20 cents.
StarHub’s shares closed 3.26% higher at $3.80 on Tuesday.
This article first appeared in The Edge Singapore Market Report.
Didn’t make it to the latest StarHub AGM? Read more to find out what was revealed there: 8 Quick Things I Learned from StarHub’s AGM 2015


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24,000 TEU ships for Asia-Europe trade
Ships up to 24,000 TEU capacity could soon be plying the Asia-Europe container trades, putting further pressure on rates, according to the latest analyst reports. Asia-Europe spot rates are currently down a third compared to a year earlier after precipitous declines in recent weeks as supply continues to overwhelm demand. Yet SeaIntel now forecasts that the addition of new 10,000+ TEU capacity ships next year could boost capacity by as much as 9.5% unless lines cancel services or increase the use of blank sailings as a tool to control supply and even larger ships could soon be on the way as shipping executives look to new orders to help reduce fuel and slots costs to remain competitive despite the existing excess of supply.
Liner representatives at a forum held by classification society DNV GL this week said demand for ever bigger container vessels continued to be strong. Jost Bergmann, Business Director of the classification society, said that it would soon be possible to build ultra large container ships with a capacity of 24,000 TEU. Based on a current 19,000 TEU vessel design, these ships could be one hold longer, two rows wider and one hold tier higher. Due to stability factors and steel thickness requirements, it is easier to increase the beam than to increase the length, said a statement by DNV GL. However, Bergmann said the deployment of ultra large wide beam vessels would be constrained by port and seaways limitations, such as crane outreach and drafts. For example, the Suez Canal is limited by draft while bridges in ports such as Hong Kong, Hamburg and Osaka would limit vessel heights.
East-West ship utilisation rises
Utilisation rates on the main East-West container trades showed major year-on-year gains in the third quarter, according to the latest research from SeaIntel. The analyst said Asia-Europe trade lane utilisation increased to 80.1% in the 3rd quarter compared to 77.6% in Q3 of 2013, while on the Transpacific trade utilisation rose 7.3% points compared to a year earlier to stand at 83.2%.
It has been found that the utilisation level on the Asia-Mediterranean trade has been relatively high in the last two quarters and well above the level we saw last year, said Alan Murphy, COO and Partner in SeaIntel. In Q3 of 2014 the utilisation level was 88.4%, which makes it the trade lane with the highest utilisation of the three that has been examined.
Hapag-Llloyd and CSAV merger complete
Hapag-Lloyd (HL) and the Chilean Compania Sud Americana de Vapores (CSAV) are joining forces by merging CSAV’s container business activities into HL. With this move, HL becomes the fourth largest liner shipping company in the world. The corresponding contracts for the merger of the two companies were already signed in Hamburg in April. With approval from all the relevant global authorities now in place, all condition precedents have been fulfilled.
The merger of Hapag-Lloyd AG with the container business activities of the Chilean shipping company, founded in Valparaiso in 1872, is expected to result in many synergies. Annual savings of at least $ 300 million are anticipated as a result of network optimisation, productivity improvements and cost reductions. The merged company will have around 200 vessels (with a capacity of approximately one million TEU) and will transport around 7.5 million TEU every year. It will set up its fourth regional headquarter in Valparaiso (Chile).
With revenue of around $ 12 billion, the combined entity joins the elite group of international shipping companies. In addition to integrating CSAV’s container business into Hapag-Lloyd, there are also plans to strengthen the company by raising capital of EUR 370 million by 31 December 2014, in which CSAV will take a share of EUR 259 million and Kuhne Maritime EUR 11 million. The ownership structure of Hapag-Lloyd AG will therefore change as follows: CSAV will become Hapag-Lloyd’s biggest shareholder with 34% after the cash capital increase. The other shareholders are HGV (23.2%), Kuhne Maritime (20.8%), TUI (13.9%), Signal Iduna (3.3%), HSH Nordbank (1.8%), M.M. Warburg (1.8%) and Hanse Merkur (1.1%).
2 m under Chinese scrutiny
According to the Vice President of the China Ship-owners’ Association (CSA), the 2M vessel sharing agreement of Maersk Line and MSC may face additional scrutiny by the Chinese regulators if they do not reduce their capacity shares on trade routes with China to 30% maximum. It seems to be unclear whether this People’s Republic of China’s international Marine Regulation rule considers individual lanes or combined coverage. In September, the duo’s then capacity share of the Europe-Far East trade was 36%; that of all North American (West and East Coast) routes 15% and combined 27%.
Meanwhile, the US Federal Maritime Commission’s (FMC) former (2009/13) Chairman and current Commissioner (one of the five) has called for a global regulatory approach of container shipping alliances. In his opinion, the current fragmented system of many countries having their own regulatory rules and others having little or nothing of the kind is no match against the growing powers of ever larger worldwide operating shipping companies.
Slow steaming set to stay despite lower bunker price
In the container sector, slow steaming has fulfilled the multiple functions of bringing down very high fuel costs, helping to manage capacity and reduce emissions. Lars Mikael Jensen, Chief Executive Asia Pacific Region for Maersk, explained: “We designed the network on the basis of slow steaming, if we were to make any change it needs to be a low bunker price for some consistent period of time. But slow steaming is also an important part of the industry and our customers for delivering on the CO2 agenda, he said. Added to this modern vessels in container shipping are designed with slow steaming in mind.”
Looking to the dry bulk sector, Nicholas Fisher, CEO of Masterbulk, said: “In terms of bunker prices, for an owner like Masterbulk - not a lot this is a charterer’s cost not an Opex cost. But of course any drop in the price of petroleum based products has an impact on costs. For owners like us, lube oil is the most obvious area of savings.” As to whether slow steaming would be reduced he said that while there was a case for it to do so it was unlikely to happen. “If this price level continues it may well reduce the need for slow steaming, but that in turn increases the other Opex consumables (lube oil) and also may increase available vessel capacity in the market and depress rates even more,” Fisher explained. “So there may be a business case to continue slow steaming to keep rates up, enjoy lower fuel and lube costs. Besides, cargo won’t pay for shorter transit times. I don’t think we will see a decrease in slow steaming.”
Meanwhile in the large tanker sector brokers Poten made the comparison of a 2007 built VLCC against a 2013 eco-type vessel and found that with the market moving upwards as it is at the moment there could be a reason to reduce slow steaming. “Earlier in the year, when the rates were lower, slow steaming made more sense as the additional revenue that could be earned during the additional 3.9 ballasting days was lower than the fuel savings.” At current market rates and lower bunker prices, this situation has shifted. At least for the vessel and voyage combination in our example increasing the ballast speed could prove to be beneficial.
IMO approves container weight regulation
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has announced plans to adopt new Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations by 1 July 2015 along with a new Polar Code to govern the operation of ships passing through Arctic or Antarctic waters. The SOLAS amendments include new rules for weighing containers and for inspection of bulk carriers and oil tankers. The amendment states that authorities will “required mandatory verification of the gross mass of containers, either by weighing the packed container or weighing all packages and cargo items, using a certified method approved by the competent authority of the State in which packing of the container was completed.”
The IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) approved the amendments during the 94th session committee meeting in London where adoption of the Polar Code was also agreed. The Polar code is intended to cover the full range of shipping related matters relevant to navigation in waters surrounding the two poles – ship design, construction and equipment operational and training concerns, search and rescue and equally important the protection of the unique environment and eco-systems of the polar regions.
[The writer, a Maritime Economist, is a Chartered Fellow (Logistics Transport), Chartered Shipbroker (UK), Chartered Marketer (UK) and a University of Oxford Business Alumni. He is also a Fellow of NORAD/JICA and Harvard Business School (EEP).]


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The IKEA in West Chester is now powering its lights, operating its cash registers and cooking its Swedish meatballs using a solar energy system that is located on the store’s rooftop.
Heather Spatz, West Chester’s IKEA store manager, officially announced Tuesday the activation of the solar energy system that is expected to produce approximately 1,334,300 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, that amount of clean electricity is equivalent to eliminating the yearly emissions of 180 passenger cars.
“We are excited to be the 14th IKEA store to do this project in the United States,” Spatz said. “This is the largest commercial rooftop (solar) operation in Ohio. On our roof we now have 128,000 square feet of solar program consisting of 4,186 panels that are generating approximately 1 million kilowatts of clean electricity annually.”
The 4,186 panels cover the store’s rooftop and could produce nearly 40 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in the next 30 years, according REC Solar senior project manager Fabian Kulynych.
“That’s equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 28,000 tons,” said Kulynych, whose company acted as the contractor for the project.
“In 40 years from now, IKEA will be producing its own electricity for free while electricity from fossil fuels is expected to cost five times more. These energy savings will allow IKEA to keep its operating costs down and continue to pass along competitive prices on its products to its consumers.”
The consumers shopping at IKEA Tuesday morning had no idea about the thousands of solar panels atop the store, but thought the project should be shared with the community.
“It is important to our community that our businesses are successful and if IKEA can find a way to do that then it should be communicated back to us,” Lynn Shank of Liberty Township said. “If things can be done more efficiently (with energy) I would definitely support it.”
Also, supporting the new solar energy system was West Chester Township Board of Trustees President Catherine Stoker.
“Today, we are celebrating IKEA taking another giant step forward in showing not only residents but also businesses on how they can make our environment cleaner and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels,” Stoker said. “This is important to our lifestyle and wellbeing because it allows to become more and more independent.”
An additional 23 IKEA locations in the United States have solar energy projects underway. Once completed, IKEA will have a U.S. solar presence of 85 percent.


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In a transfer which will counsel rising institutional curiosity in cryptocurrencies and NFTs, Nomura Holdings has introduced it’s establishing a brand new digital belongings staff to look into attainable alternatives within the asset class.
The wealth administration firm mentioned that it was restructuring its Future Innovation Firm right into a model new Digital Firm, which is able to start operations in April. The primary goal of the brand new firm will probably be to extend shoppers’ use of digital belongings and supply associated providers. Nomura Group President and CEO mentioned, Kentaro Okuda mentioned:
“The brand new Digital Firm will lead deeper collaboration amongst inside and exterior stakeholders, speed up our uptake of digital applied sciences, and improve our shopper providers.”
The wealth supervisor, which has about $641 billion in belongings underneath administration, acknowledged that it goals to extend digital adoption throughout all of its operations. The brand new division will reportedly discover alternatives in cryptocurrencies and NFTs, amongst different digital belongings.
Supply: stevepb, Pixabay
NFTs have gotten more and more fashionable in Japan, regardless of having a number of the most stringent crypto guidelines. The Japanese monetary providers conglomerate Nomura Holdings is the most recent main participant to have a look at NFTs within the nation. Final week, main Japanese e-commerce agency Rakuten introduced the launch of its personal NFT buying and selling platform dubbed Rakuten NFT.
Associated: Japan-based messaging app will supply trial run of native token beginning in March
Final month, Japan’s largest monetary conglomerate Mitsubishi UFJ Monetary Group (MUFG), introduced it might terminate its three-year-old blockchain fee venture to concentrate on stablecoins.


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What’s in the Chinese Seeds?
Have you seen the packages of Chinese Seeds on social media? It's a strange phenomenon that Americans are receiving packages of seed in their mailboxes. Considering the news coming out of China today, several folks have wondered what are in the seeds and are they dangerous? Just what types of seeds are in these unsolicited packages? Are they harmless or harmful? Well, the USDA has identified some of the seeds reports, Fox News. The mysterious seeds that have turned up in mailboxes across the United States have been identified.
The Department of Agriculture says that some of the packages are from China. They contain a collection of mustard, cabbage and morning glory seeds. Other packages have a mix of mix of rosemary, sage, mint, and lavender seeds. T
Folks across the country worried that the seed might contain some-type of plant that could be harmful to our crops in America. You can read more about the seed here from the USDA.


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Venues & Destinations
DuPage CVB Launches New Branding for County
The DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) has unveiled new branding for the county, aimed at promoting DuPage as a stand-alone destination for both leisure and business visitors.
DuPage County tourism is cutting ties with the Windy City, instead opting to let its own attractions speak for themselves and lure in state, national and even international visitors. This new "DuMore in DuPage" branding initiative, spearheaded by the DuPage Convention & Visitor's Bureau, marks the first major marketing shift for the area in more than 15 years and is the culmination of almost two years of planning.
DuPage County is home to the second largest tourism industry in the state, worth $2.5 billion. It creates 22,000 jobs and returns $42 million to local governments. The DCVB has created a new strategic plan for tourism in DuPage, GPS: A Tourism Roadmap, which aims to unify the industry in the county and to further promote DuPage as a top destination. A key pillar of the strategic plan involves launching a new brand for the county, which will act to unify the communities that make up DuPage while showcasing its many high-quality attractions.
For more information about the DuPage Convention & Visitor's Bureau, go to www.discoverdupage.com.
FIND IT - MARKETPLACE


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Dennis has an original Google Pixel but he's having issues where he has to reboot it. Turns out it's a motherboard issue with is the phone. But the recall has passed and he was never notified. Leo says that he isn't sure companies are required to inform their customers, though they should. Google is also going to retire that model anyway, so it's high time to get a new one. Leo recommends the Google Pixel 3A, and it's on sale right now for around $229. Best deal out there right now.
Google has agreed to a settlement that will pay original Google Pixel or Pixel XL owners up to five hundred dollars for a defective microphone in the phone that caused issues while calling. Other users may be eligible for up to $20.
Leo says yes, all Android phones can do this. He just needs to get a USB cable, either USB Type A or Type C depending on what his computer has. A Windows PC should be able to mount the phone as a drive, but he may need to get software for it if he's on Mac. He can look for "Android File Transfer Manager" which is a free program that allows the Mac to see the Android device.
Mark wants to know why he gets a different keyboard whenever he launches an app on his Google Pixel smartphone. Leo says this is a feature that developers can take advantage of so that the keyboard can be more contextual. For instance, when a number needs to be entered, the keyboard that comes up can be just a number pad. But there is a bug that causes keyboards to change randomly, so maybe that's the problem. More likely, it's something the app developer has done. Mark can try installing Swiftkey and see if that helps.
Kyle wants to know when the new "O" version of Android will be out. Leo says that Google has a beta program for Android O for recent Google Pixel and Nexus phones.
Ethan has a Google Pixel laptop and he's having an issue with water on the keyboard. He's tried airing out the laptop. He's also popped off some keys to try and dry it out. Leo says the sad part is that Google has stopped making parts for the Pixel, and has by and large stopped supporting it. A local shop could possibly fix it. But the problem is, he doesn't have parts. So he'll have to find old Pixels on eBay to swap it out. At the end of the day, it may be just cheaper to buy a new one.
Naomi bought a Google Pixel as her first smartphone. It takes great pictures, but she couldn't make a phone call unless she cleared the cache and rebooted. It was very frustrating. Leo says that there's clearly something wrong with Naomi's phone since it shouldn't do that. She can't get any help except through the online chat feature. She also got the wrong replacement phone. Leo says she'll have to go to where she bought it and have them replace it with the right model. Only the place she bought it can fix it.
Stacey says that when she's driving, her Samsung S5 phone starts to overheat, and her battery life has started to get really bad as well. Leo says that using the phone all the time, even while it's plugged in, will cause it to work harder. Phones are higher performing these days, while battery life has been steadily dropping. On top of that, her S5 was one of the worst phones Samsung has ever made.
Robert signed up for Google Fi and bought a new Google Pixel phone, but Google is having issues activating his account. Leo says that's disappointing, especially when they don't know what the problem is. Leo says it's a good system and Robert shouldn't give up on it yet.
Can he use it on Verizon until it does? Leo says yes. He should just ask them for a SIM and he'll be able to use it. It shouldn't add any software overlays, but it may download some apps. He'll be able to uninstall them, though.
Lee is looking at buying either the new Google Pixel or the Honor 8. Leo likes the Honor 8, but his ultimate choice is the Google Pixel. Though the Huawei Honor 8 is half the price and has nice hardware, camera and a big screen, the manufacturer hasn't committed to push Google security updates directly to the phone with immediate effect. They promise to update "in a timely manner," but what does that really mean? Google does, obviously.


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In the economic and trade agreement, China promises to buy certain quantities of U.S. goods and services. Over the next two years, these order inflows will amount to $200 billion in U.S. exports above their current level. « We need to make sure that this is properly implemented, » Lighthizer said. « This is the first agreement of its kind, and we need to make sure it works. » The agreement contains some victories for President Trump, but implementing and implementing the agreement could be difficult. WASHINGTON (AP) – The United States and China reached a trade agreement Wednesday that eases tensions between the world`s two largest economies, offers massive export opportunities for U.S. farms and factories, and promises to do more to protect U.S. trade secrets.
House of Representatives spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement that « in the face of the loss of thousands of jobs in the processing industry and the country farm, ravaged by the damage caused by President Trump, Americans have no choice but a striking television ceremony to try to conceal the total lack of concrete progress, transparency or accountability in this « phase 1″ agreement. » Trump campaigned for the signing of trade as a way to provide economic justice to American workers, whom he claims have been betrayed by previous governments and their trade policies. The agreement also contains obligations, at least on paper, to stop the forced transfer of U.S. technology to Chinese competitors. Companies have long complained about having to issue valuable business secrets and technologies to do business in China. China has pledged not to require such transfers, even if companies apply for certain government licenses or authorizations. Unlike other trade agreements that generally refer disputes to a neutral third party, the United States and China have decided to develop all the problems themselves. The agreement creates bilateral dispute assessment and resolution offices to respond to and assess complaints. The agreement also includes an appeals process that will increase questions from mid-level officials to the offices of the U.S.
trade agent and the Chinese vice premier. Read the nearly 100-year trade agreement between the United States and China. Trump`s agreement is intended to facilitate the identification and punishment of theft and counterfeiting of intellectual property. For example, several provisions relating to the protection of confidential information are added, considered trade secrets and which, according to AMERICAN companies, are not well protected by Chinese law. These safeguards also include « electronic intrusions, » a reference to hacking computer systems. To date, the U.S. merchandise trade deficit over the previous year has decreased by 16% from the previous year to $321 billion. The deficit will continue to shrink if Beijing meets its commitments to buy significantly more U.S. imports. The 86-sided agreement facilitates criminal prosecution in China against those accused of stealing trade secrets.


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As you should all know by now DJ AM was found dead on August 28th in his NYC apartment from what many are calling a drug overdose. Since DJ AM was such a big part of our community we have since put together a few posts in his honor such as the DJ AM Sneaker Collection Video and the DJ AM Sneaker Collection Pictures.
As you may or may not know, DJ AM was working closely with Nike on a new pair of Dunks for the East/West Rivalry Pack. In this audio clip DJ Premier, a close friend of DJ AM, speaks about his surprising death and the upcoming Nike collaboration him and DJ AM were working on. DJ Premier reveals that DJ AM designed a pair of Nike Dunks while he designed a pair of Nike Air Force Ones. According to DJ Premier to release is still going to happen since DJ AM had finished his design before his untimely death.
Check out the audio clip above. Be warned, if your at work you may want to turn the volume down a bit as the language used is not SFW.


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Forget what side of politics you play on. I am tossing my views aside for this article, just laying out the “logic” cards. Apple is supporting the Hillary Clinton campaign, and even more so Tim Cook. If you thought Apple’s best interests would be to support Trump, who talks about fighting tough on trade imbalance, or better tax rates, there is a lot more to it than that.
First and perhaps foremost is viewing how Cook separates Apple’s needs and wants with his own personal politics. Cook is involved in LGBT politics, and Apple is squarely in support of many LGBT ideals. But many shareholders wonder what this has to do with company profits? And which Presidential candidate should Apple support for maximum financial gains? But maybe Cook and many others on Apple’s board think beyond financial goals with their politics, but there are a few items we can clearly understand (well, as best we can in this crazy Presidential race).
If you walk into any Apple Store looking to buy a Mac, it is like stepping back in time two years — and those two years are not just regular years, they are technology years. In comparison to regular calendar years, technology years have like a 10:1 ratio. For example, this would like be walking into your local car dealership and the most current model they were selling was from 1996!
In the wake of Apple’s WWDC keynote event this past Monday, it appears we are in for a storm of hardware releases coming this fall. A Tsunami of products are now overdue, but launching so many highly needed updates together brings tremendous risk.
No big game changers have come about with Apple’s updates over the past few years. Apple TV’s big moment was Apps, yet it does not support 4K nor does Apple have it's own streaming package. This Fall, Apple Watch will be 18 months old. iMac’s are becoming ancient, and the current MacBook Air was just entered into the Smithsonian. Walking into an Apple store today feels like being time-warped back to 2014. The only thing you may notice is a slimmer MacBook in three different colors and a larger iPad. Modern hardware updates have been sloth slow.
Given Apple’s overall history, the company has methodically moved from aggressive innovator under Steve Jobs, to caretaker under Tim Cook.
Apple’s Mac lineup is stale, and that is putting it mildly. The Mac Pro is now a staggering 2 1/2 years into its lifecycle without a single upgrade. The MacBook Air has seen almost no changes, save for incremental processor updates since 2010. The iMac form factor has not changed since the fall of 2012. The newly minted MacBook and MacBook Pro's have seen only slight incremental upgrades this past year, and the Mac mini is a mere afterthought. What's going on?
The only significant new release to Apple’s Mac lineup has been the MacBook (of which I use and love), in April of 2015. It recently received a slight Intel processor update. Wow... In fact, all Apple has been keen to do the past few years is release Intel processor updates to products, with the MacBook Air still living in an ancient design, with what can now only be described as a horribly low-resolution display. Apple’s Mac lineup has become a cash cow with little invention, but that may be about to change.
Call it a sophisticated workstation, call it a silent powerhouse or video editing marvel, but now-a-days, do not call it relevant. Apple has again let its cutting edge flagship Mac Pro tower languish into obscurity due to a lax approach to updating, reminiscent of predecessors. How relatively lax you may ask? Since its release on December 13, 2013, the Mac Pro has had not three, not two, not one, but zero updates — as in none.
The good news, according to financial site The Motley Fool, is that the long overdue refresh may be arriving soon. Today is supposedly the day Intel will release its 14nm "Broadwell EP" lineup. As workstation class chips go, the Broadwell-E looks to be impressive as ever, sporting up to 10 cores per processor, with an overall 18% raw speed increase. But Intel has seen delays with this processor refresh, and as of yet there has been no press release for the processor. Will Intel suffer upon us yet another delay, thus delaying the Mac Pro update?
Sometimes you can learn just as much about a company by what is not said as opposed to what is said. Case in point is Tim Cook & Co.’s most recent special event held this past week. At the special event we were dazzled by an updated iPhone line and a new iPad Pro size. Like a magician, Apple said, “Look over here!” However, what one product line — product category — did Apple not talk about at all, as if it didn’t even exist. Macs.
Every model in the Mac product category is now over a year old — even their newest items. Some Macs, like the Mac Pro are now over two years old. It seems like the Mac line-up has been relegated to cash-cow status and therefore Apple is putting as little effort (aka little money) into Macs as possible and reaping as much margin and cash as possible. Or is something else afoot?
If you are in the market for a new Mac, now is probably the worst time in recent history to purchase one. Following Apple for over two decades now, it is clear that the culture of our favorite fruit company allows it to only really focus on one major project at a time. While the iPhone is on an annual update schedule, Macs updates have fallen by the wayside like the ugly step sister from the fairytale Cinderella.
I know, I know,... the turkeys have not yet entered the ovens, and I am talking about Christmas. Shame on me. But as we finish off the month of November and move quickly into the gift-giving (er, getting) season, my mind wanders to what could be and what should be in the Apple server space.
Until 2011 Apple made a very sturdy, ultra-dependable server solution: XServe. It did all the things a good server would do: RAID, redundant power supplies, 1U enclosure and all around robust hardware (fans, circuits, etc). The problem was Apple was not selling many and was about to make a major push to delivering consumer-based cloud services with iCloud. Inside the hallowed halls at Apple the decision was made to build Apple’s cloud on UNIX rather than OS X. While understandable that sealed the fate of the XServe.
Apple’s all-new iPad Pro has been breaking some land-speed records. Testing has revealed the iPad Pro’s processor runs laps around Intel’s Core-M chipset (found within Apple’s MacBook), while coming perilously close to Intel’s flagship Core-i5 series of chips.
The simplified history is Apple’s ARM-based designs have been moving north faster than Intel can move south into the mobile space. The question one must ask is, how long will it be until Apple equips their Mac notebooks with their own A-series processors? There are a number of factors that go into such a massive foundational decision, but the positives — assuming the A–series chips continue their northerly trajectory — should quickly outweigh the negatives.


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Skepticism and a lack of evidence regarding the health benefits of a gluten-free lifestyle for the general population haven’t diminished sales in the gluten-free food category, which has grown 136 percent since 2013.
Still, nearly half (47 percent) of consumers polled in a recent study by Mintel Group said that gluten-free diets are “a fad,” up from 31 percent in 2013.
But for now, we still seem to be riding the gluten-free wave, with Americans’ consumption of gluten-free foods at an all-time high, according to the Mintel report. In fact, 25 percent of the consumers questioned said they, at least sometimes, consume gluten-free foods, a 67 percent increase from 2013.
Some other key takeaways for restaurant operators include:
• It’s not only those with an intolerance or sensitivity to gluten who are buying gluten-free foods. Mintel says consumers perceive foods with any “free-from” claim to be both healthier and less processed.
• 26 percent of Americans are willing to pay more for gluten-free foods.
• 35 percent of consumers agree that the quality of gluten-free foods is “higher than before.”
• Only 11 percent of consumers eat gluten-free foods because a healthcare professional suggested they eliminate gluten from their diet.
• 37 percent of those polled said they eat gluten-free foods because it’s better for their overall health.
• 16 percent of those polled eat gluten-free foods because “gluten is bad for you.”
• When dining out, 28 percent of consumers with celiac disease are less strict about eating gluten-free foods compared to when eating at home.
• “Gluten-free” as an ingredient claim on menus grew 127 percent from the second quarter of 2012 to the second quarter of 2015, and is now the top nutritional claim.
• The number of consumers who eat gluten-free foods for weight loss dropped from 25 percent in 2014 to 19 percent in 2015, “suggesting that consumers are more likely to view gluten-free products as a contributing factor to their overall well-being than simply as a weight loss tool,” the Mintel report states. “This is evidenced by the 23 percent of consumers who report that they only incorporate gluten-free foods into their diet some of the time.”
“While some consumers view the gluten-free diet as a fad and are looking for improved nutrition and ingredients in gluten-free foods, consumption continues to trend upward,” says Amanda Topper, senior food analyst at Mintel.
“While finding gluten-free foods away from home can prove difficult for gluten-free food consumers, there has been growth in gluten-free restaurant options as gluten-free diets have become more popular…Moving forward, there should be more expansive gluten-free menu offerings as the foodservice industry competes with retail for the rising number of gluten-free Americans,” concludes Topper.


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Manchester United — a soccer team, we think — and Nike unveiled new jerseys sporting a $560 million Chevy bow tie in front. If you’ll remember, this was the same sponsorship deal that helped get global marketing chief Joel Ewanick let go two years after joining the Chevrolet team.
The logo will adorn the jerseys for seven years starting next season. Chevy follows Sharp, Vodafone, AIG and Aon as title sponsors.
The uniforms were revealed in a video showing fans throughout history singing the team’s fight song.
The story “Man U unveils Chevy-sponsored jerseys” originally appeared on Autoweek.com.


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State of Hawaiʻi’s Digital Currency Innovation Lab extended two years
The Digital Currency Innovation Lab, a pilot program, will be extended two years to operate until June 30, 2024, according to an announcement by the Hawai‘i Technology and Development Corporation and the state Division of Financial Institutions in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
The Digital Currency Innovation Lab (DCIL) was created in 2020 through a partnership to gather data for the purpose of establishing a regulatory scheme and exploring the potential economic opportunities brought about by digital currencies.
With successful admission into the DCIL, digital currency companies are permitted to conduct business in Hawai‘i without obtaining a state money transmitter license.
The extension comes at a critical point in time, with the demise during the 2022 Hawai‘i state legislative session of a bill that called for the licensure of digital currency companies.
Without a licensing scheme in place, the DCIL is scheduled to close on June 30, 2022. As of December 31, 2021, there were approximately 134,000 Hawai‘i consumers who transacted over $800 million in digital currencies through participating companies in the DCIL.
In an effort to mitigate consumer harm and enable the continuation of digital currency activity in the state, the Division of Financial Institutions and the Hawaiʻi Technology and Development Center have pulled resources together to extend the pilot program.
“We are relieved for the opportunity to extend the DCIL for participating companies and consumers,” said Iris Ikeda, Commissioner of Financial Institutions. “A number of puzzle pieces had to fit together in order to make the new DCIL happen, but I am glad we are able to pull it off.”
Len Higashi, Acting Executive Director of the Hawai’i Technology and Development Corporation said the lab has proven to be an economic driver.
“We recognize the potential it brings for the future of Hawai‘i,” he said. “The continuation of the DCIL will provide us opportunities to build on the progress we have achieved over the past two years.”
Existing participating companies have the option to continue in the extended DCIL, subject to the acceptance of a new agreement and additional fees. Companies who choose to withdraw from the program will have to abide by the terms of the DCIL and commence its wind-down procedures starting on July 1, 2022 and concluding on December 31, 2022.
In due course, the DCIL also will start accepting applications from new digital currency companies who seek to be considered for admission into the pilot program.
“This move to extend the digital currency pilot is fully in keeping with legislative intent to support the growing and dynamic industry as Hawai‘i and the nation best explore how to effectively balance consumer choice and financial innovation with consumer protection,” said Representative Aaron Ling Johanson (House District 31), chair of the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce. “This extension gives Hawai‘i the needed time to arrive at an ideal mutually agreeable solution.”
“I am supportive of today’s decision to extend the DCIL until June 30, 2024, which will allow for the more than 134,000 Hawai‘i residents who participated in the pilot program to not only continue digital currency activity in the state, but hold on to the over $800 million in digital currencies transacted during this time,” said Senator Bennette E. Misalucha (Senate District 16), vice chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development and Tourism. “Many of our residents have shared concerns over the past month on the future of digital currencies and what would happen to all of their investments made, so this decision will allow us to continue the conversation on how to best regulate this growing industry and reduce consumer harm.”
Although a number of measures were introduced during the recent legislative session, including several licensure bills (HB2108/SB3076), none survived except for SB2695 SD2 HD1 CD1, introduced by Senator Misalucha. This bill establishes a blockchain and cryptocurrency task force with the intent to complete its work by 2024. The bill has been enrolled to Governor Ige, who has until June 27, 2022, to signify his intentions.
“We are convinced about the bright future of crypto commerce even as a possible economic diversification strategy for the state. We believe that the task force established by SB2695, will allow a collaborative approach amongst state, industry and community stakeholders to recommend an appropriate regulatory framework so the industry can continue on its trajectory of growth,” said Senator Misalucha.
For more information about the DCIL, visit the website at www.htdc.org/digital-currency-innovation-lab


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A cargo flight containing more than 6 million medical items arrived Sunday in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. The supplies from Ma, the founder of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba, will be distributed to African countries in need of supplies to battle the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.
An Ethiopian Airlines cargo flight from Guangzhou, China arrived with 5.4 million face masks, 1.08 million testing kits, 40,000 sets of protective clothing and 60,000 protective face shields, according to Ethiopian officials and the Jack Ma Foundation.
Community Interviews with Moose FM
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last week pledged to distribute the supplies to other countries in Africa. Ma has sent similar shipments of medical supplies to countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America.
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The virus has been slow to reach Africa but has now spread to at least 42 of the continent’s 54 countries, with more than 1,100 cases confirmed. In response many African countries are imposing restrictions.
Rwanda and Tunisia have announced lockdowns, ordering people to stay at home except for essential reasons.
1:49Coronavirus outbreak: Canadian government’s efforts to fly Canadians home continue
Coronavirus outbreak: Canadian government’s efforts to fly Canadians home continue
Kenya has banned public gatherings but has permitted normal church services to continue as long as hand sanitizing or washing facilities are provided to worshipers.


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Ola Electric, an emerging player in the electric mobility sector, has taken a significant stride towards its Initial Public Offering (IPO) by transforming itself into a public company. This momentous development involved a corporate restructuring and a change in the company’s name from Ola Electric Mobility Private Limited to Ola Electric Mobility Limited.
To be listed on the stock exchange, the conversion from a private limited company to a public company is a necessary process. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued a certificate of incorporation on November 17, confirming the change in status. This conversion paves the way for Ola Electric’s IPO, which is anticipated to occur in early 2024 and is projected to generate up to $700 million.
By going public, Ola Electric aims to acquire the capital essential for rapid expansion, technological advancements, and market dominance within the competitive electric mobility industry. The IPO will comprise a combination of primary and secondary share offerings, as previously reported when the company enlisted the services of Kotak Mahindra Capital and Goldman Sachs.
Recent developments have further bolstered Ola Electric’s financial standing. The company recently concluded a funding round, raising Rs 3,200 crore (approximately $380 million) through a mix of debt and equity investment. Renowned investors led by Temasek, along with debt from the State Bank of India (SBI), contributed to this successful round. These funds will be utilized to expand Ola’s EV business and establish India’s first lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu.
With the expansion of its scooter portfolio and the ongoing development of a separate battery manufacturing unit, Ola Electric continues to solidify its position in the market. The company, founded by Bhavish Aggarwal, has gained immense popularity in India, where the use of electric vehicles is actively promoted.
Q: What does Ola Electric’s transformation into a public company mean?
A: It marks an important step towards its IPO and allows the company to be listed on the stock exchange.
Q: When is Ola Electric expected to launch its IPO?
A: The IPO is projected to take place in early 2024.
Q: How much funding does Ola Electric aim to raise through its IPO?
A: Ola Electric intends to generate up to $700 million through its IPO.
Q: What will the funds from the recent funding round be used for?
A: The funds will be utilized to expand Ola Electric’s EV business and establish the first lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility in India.
Q: Who are the major investors involved in the recent funding round?
A: The funding round was led by Temasek, with debt investment from the State Bank of India (SBI).


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His new show hasn’t even aired yet and Jeremy Clarkson is already droning on – but it looks like this time he might not be such a hit with the birds.
Jeremy, 56, was spotted filming at Beachy Head with a team from his new Amazon Prime series The Grand Tour.
But their outing caused a bit of a flap – because the remote-controlled machines are usually banned at the East Sussex beauty spot, which is a key nesting site for peregrine falcons.
The rare birds of prey – the fastest animal on earth with a top speed of 242mph – are heavily protected in the UK.
Council officials are understood to have complained about Jezza’s cliff-top drone activity.
But the hands-on presenter may have a remote chance of escaping criticism over the stunt since it looked like he might not even have been the one in charge of the craft – with another crew member sneakily keeping hold of a controller.
Clarkson returns to the screen this autumn with ex-Top Gear pals Richard Hammond and James May, heading up their new offering on Prime.
But Jezza’s not one to put all his eggs in one basket.
Amazon has been trialling direct delivery of orders using drones – perhaps if The Grand Tour doesn’t hit the heights he hopes for, he can take on a new role as head of despatch.


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MAYOR OF STEPANAKERT BANNED OUTDOOR TRADE
Recently boxes with produce sold on pavements near shops have
The deputy mayor of Stepanakert Georgy Hairyan told Karabakh-Open.com
that by an order of the mayor outdoor trade is banned except for
special places, such as the marketplace, stalls, other.
In answer to the question how the city hall is going to deal with
people who arrive from regions to sell organic food on the Square
of Victory, Georgy Hairyan said a marketplace will be set up in the
backyard at 4a Isakov Street where farmers will sell their produce.
According to the deputy mayor, so far nobody has been punished
for violating the order. There are records but the commission on
administrative issues has not studied them yet, said the deputy mayor.


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Prices at the pump have sent sales of larger vehicles into a tailspin in recent months. Now, General Motors (NYSE: GM ) has adopted a novel plan to tackle the problem. However, the vehicles included in the promotion indicate that the problem at GM has more to do with design than gasoline costs.
GM announced yesterday that consumers in Florida and California who purchase certain 2006 and 2007 vehicles by July 5 will be reimbursed by the company for gas purchases so that they will pay only $1.99 per gallon for a full year. The catch is that owners have to agree to enroll in the company's OnStar service so mileage can be monitored and the company can credit the buyer appropriately.
Of course, the gas promotion, while creative, is just another incentive. Analysts rightly cite these giveaways as hurting profitability at GM, as well as at competitors Ford (NYSE: F ) and DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX ) . Such deals are also hard habits to break, as they provide people with an incentive to wait for generous offers before buying.
Still, perhaps GM could be forgiven to some degree in this case. The company will be offering a new hybrid option in large SUVs as a way of addressing higher pump prices, but in the meantime, current gas guzzlers have to be moved off dealers' lots.
But the puzzling part of the new incentive is the vehicles included. In California, in addition to covering heavy trucks like the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, the cheap gas deal also encompasses the Pontiac Grand Prix and the Buick Lacrosse sedans. In Florida, several sedans are included: the Impala, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, and LaCrosse. These models aren't in the same league as trucks when it comes to fuel economy. All of them are rated at 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway, so it hardly seems like gas prices should be as big an issue.
In fact, it's likely that these vehicles aren't selling as well as GM hoped, and the reason is that consumers just aren't interested in what the cars have to offer. This is particularly bad news because the Impala, Lacrosse, and Monte Carlo were all redesigned for the 2006 model year. For GM, the lesson should be clear: If it wants to wean itself off of incentives, its new models have to be bold and compelling.
Check out our suite of investing newsletters with a 30-day free trial to the newsletter service of your choice.
Fool contributor Brian Gorman is a freelance writer in Chicago. He does not own shares of any companies mentioned in this article.


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Autonomous vehicles are not quite at their peak, but they are still riding high as they crest the hill of maximum expectation.
It’s perhaps not surprising, with the Brookings Institute estimating in 2017 that around $80 billion had been invested in the technology in three years. What’s more, the pace of investment quickened considerably during that period, with 160 separate deals, investments and partnerships completed.
With so many of the hottest names in technology engaged in the pursuit of driverless tech, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that autonomous vehicles are the only way AI is impacting motoring.
The reality, however, is that there are a wide range of fascinating applications emerging in the sector that are improving our driving experience right now.
How AI Is Working in the Automotive Industry
While autonomous vehicles have grabbed most of the headlines, there has been a wide range of developments in driver assistance features in the past few years.
Most manufacturers are making a gradual transition toward fully-automated vehicles via features such as automatic braking, pedestrian alerts, intelligent cruise control and collision avoidance.
These advanced driver aids are akin to an autonomous sidekick on hand to help us stay safe on the road. Such features were previously the preserve of luxury vehicles, but they are increasingly mainstream.
The cloud has rapidly become the platform of choice for many AI deployments in other industries, and it’s increasingly so in the automotive sector, too.
The fast processing speeds and connectivity make it ideal for crunching the kind of big data generated by connected vehicles.
Early instances of this in action include the partnership between General Motors (GM) and IBM where GM utilizes the Watson platform to perform a range of AI-based tasks. Potential use cases include easier access to gas stations or locating the restaurants you typically visit.
As vehicles become more connected, they become yet another medium by which our lives get played out.Whether it’s checking our bank accounts or ordering groceries, our car will be a conduit to perform our daily tasks. Click To Tweet
The Internet of Things
Gartner estimates that there will be around 250 million cars connected to the Internet by 2020, with PwC predicting the connected car market will be worth $149 billion by then.
The connection of IoT and cloud-based supercomputers will have powerful implications for the driving experience, with companies like NVIDIA leading the way in this field.
A recent report from Deloitte suggests that as cars become connected, it will mark the transition of automakers into tech companies as they battle to avoid selling commodified hardware and losing out on the real value provided by the software.
This transition opens up a range of new revenue opportunities, whether it’s in predictive vehicle maintenance, remote repairs or more efficient fleet management.
One of the main promises of autonomous vehicles is that they will free us up to do much more as we travel, whether it’s checking emails or writing that next report.
It’s increasingly common to have WiFi connectivity in a car, with a growing number of automakers offering voice activated functionality.
Arguably the biggest improvement is coming in terms of safety, with connected cars able to communicate with one another. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology promises to significantly reduce accidents by giving the vehicle greater awareness of its surroundings.
Bridging to the future
Most industry estimates suggest that driverless cars are expected to go mainstream around 2025, but the examples above showcase the innovations that are entering the sector right now to ensure our driving is safer, more efficient and generally more enjoyable.


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BEIJING (AP) — The crew of the U.S.-owned Horizon Spirit be expecting to expend Christmas searching after their 800-foot (240-meter) long container ship in a southern Chinese shipyard, barred, like hundreds of sailors worldwide, from heading ashore due to coronavirus limitations.
Most of the 22-member crew that still left Los Angeles on Oct. 22 have been confined to the ship whilst it is staying overhauled in Nantong in japanese China, mentioned its third mate, Harvey Smith. Ordinarily, they would have moved to a hotel to prevent welding, portray and other operate.
“Just now, the paint fumes are so bad that we have to use a mask to the galley to decide up our food stuff,” stated Smith, of Wilmington, California, by telephone from Nantong, northwest of Shanghai on the Yangtze River.
Around the globe, almost 400,000 merchant sailors who transportation foodstuff, healthcare materials and other items are blocked from going ashore, according to the International Chamber of Transport, an business group. Some have been aboard their ships for up to 17 months.
Anti-virus controls and visa limitations in quite a few nations avoid foreign sailors from traveling in to exchange ship crews. The secretary-normal of the U.N. Intercontinental Maritime Business, Kitack Lim, has termed it a “crew improve disaster.”
Chinese factories and shops have reopened due to the fact the ruling Communist Occasion declared the virus beneath manage in March. That has pushed a surge in demand for imported oil, industrial parts and buyer merchandise. But number of new visas are staying issued, that means several international sailors are not able to depart their ships.
China stopped issuing new visas in March. In October, it eased limitations to enable shippers switch crews in Shanghai and 9 other ports, but not Nantong.
Aboard the Horizon Spirit, Smith mentioned he spends his times as a hearth lookout although dozens of Chinese electricians, welders, painters and other employees overhaul the ship. The crew set up blowers to continue to keep fumes out of living regions.
“There are heaps of other ships right here. As I do my rounds, I see crew customers on other ships,” explained Smith. “It seems like they are limited also.”
Smith reported he had visited China earlier but his latest 5-12 months, many-entry visa expired in April. The Chinese visa workplace in Los Angeles was shut, but he and other crew associates experienced expected to however get permission to leave the ship in Nantong. Chinese health and fitness officials have analyzed them 6 instances for the coronavirus and uncovered none contaminated, he claimed, but there was no phrase on regardless of whether they may possibly be allowed to apply for visas.
“Normally, when a ship goes into a shipyard, they deliver the whole crew ashore to stay in a lodge,” explained Smith. “We’ve been in this article more than 40 days.”
A number of crew customers have produced makeshift Christmas decorations, but Friday will be a normal do the job day, Smith explained.
“We definitely do not have any strategies,” he said.
5 sailors have been authorized to go to a resort simply because their visas however have been valid, Smith stated. The other folks are “confined to the vessel, are unable to even depart the gangway,” he said. He reported the ship is scheduled to return to Los Angeles subsequent month just after choosing up cargo in Shanghai.
The Nantong port administration and visa bureau didn’t react to inquiries about how many sailors may possibly be afflicted and no matter if any experienced been granted visas soon after arriving.
On Dec. 1, the U.N. Normal Assembly termed on governments in a resolution to designate ship crews as “essential workers” to relieve their journey. It claimed service provider ships moved 11 billion tons of goods very last year, which is “vital to the normal performing of culture.”
“Land is right there, and I just cannot even go down the gangway,” stated Smith. “Too lousy.”
Copyright 2020 The Connected Push. All legal rights reserved. This product may not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed devoid of authorization.


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New Delhi: Homegrown ecommerce titan Flipkart plans to foray into financial services space to take advantage of opportunities arising from the country’s rapidly growing online retail market. The Bengaluru-based company has applied for a non-banking financial company (NBFC) licence to focus on consumer lending. According to a report in The Economic Times, the online retail company will begin with micro-lending and micro-insurance for ecommerce purchases on its website, with a long-term strategy of moving to products such as general and life insurance.
The financial daily quoted Flipkart senior vice-president Ravi Garikipat as saying about 60 per cent of Flipkart’s over 100 million customers do not have any access to formal credit, and the company is ready to fill the gap by providing financial products to them as well as its sellers.
“The roadmap is to take consumer financing to other online ecosystem players after extending it to portfolio companies (Myntra and Jabong),” he told ET. Garikipati highlighted that Flipkart is also planning to co-create new insurance products aligned with ecommerce, such as mobile protection insurance, including theft insurance, and return shipping coverage for sellers. The country's largest online marketplace is poised to revive its seller financing and look to be competitive in the SME lending segment.
Many observers are of the view that India’s consumer lending space will see a shake-up as Flipkart is betting on the financial services sector to drive a growth in 2018. It may be noted American retail titan Walmart acquired 77 per cent stake in Flipkart in May for about USD 16 billion (over Rs 1 lakh crore) in the country’s largest acquisition and the world’s biggest purchase of an ecommerce company.
In November, in a significant move towards making financial services a top priority, Flipkart named its chief technology officer Ravi Garikipati as the head of its fintech department. It is worth mentioning here that Flipkart’s mobile payments arm PhonePe received Rs 518 crore of fund infusion from Flipkart Payments in May.
A Morgan Stanley study last year suggested that the growing scope of the internet and a boom in smartphone adoption, in addition to rapid economic growth, could make India's burgeoning e-commerce sector worth USD 200 billion by 2026.


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HMD Global is all set to release the Nokia 3, 5 and 6 Android smartphones simultaneously in 120 markets. The release is slated to happen sometime in the second half of this quarter.
While we are still not clear about when exactly we can expect to see the release of these smartphones, there is an interesting information that has come up online. The Nokia 6 already received the necessary certifications. Then, it was the turn of Nokia 3 to get certified. We say this as the Nokia 3 variants meant for markets such as Latin America, Asia Pacific and the rest of the world have been spotted passing FCC.
In addition to the Nokia 3, the Nokia 5 has also been spotted passing Wi-Fi certification. The Nokia 5 variant TA-1044 has been spotted in the certification listing. This one is meant for the Latin American market. Earlier, a variant of the Nokia 5 with the model number TA-1053 was spotted in the benchmarks. We can soon expect the Asia Pacific and rest of the world variants of Nokia 5 also getting certified soon.
While four variants of the Nokia 3 received the Bluetooth certifications, only three of them were spotted passing the Wi-Fi certifications. As the second quarter of this year has already debuted, the release date of the Nokia smartphones is nearing. We can expect to see more models passing certifications.


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The biggest update to Windows 10 so far - the “anniversary update” - becomes available in the UK today, a year after the software was first released.
The much-touted free update is actually little more than a few tweaks, bug fixes and re-workings of ideas from older versions of Windows.
Microsoft’s “virtual assistant” Cortana become more central, being used as part of any search, while a new feature called Windows Ink enables users to annotate on their screens more freely, and across different apps, with a stylus - though only on certain devices.
Stylus, or “pen computing”, has been a Microsoft obsession since the days of Windows 7, but few users have shared their enthusiasm - with most preferring keyboards or, in the case of phones and tablets, a finger.
Only Microsoft’s own hardware, the Surface laptop-tablet hybrid, makes extensive use of a stylus, and today’s update appears in part to be an attempt to boost its sales.
The Microsoft Edge web browser, introduced in Windows 10 to replace Internet Explorer, is also being tweaked so it becomes more power efficient. The take-up on Edge has been slow, with by far the majority of users preferring rival browsers like Google Chrome.
The latest update will see Edge finally introducing third-party browser extensions, which have been standard on Chrome for several years.
Microsoft said: “Everyone running Windows 10 will get these new features for free.”
The anniversary update comes days after Microsoft ended a free upgrade program for users eligible to update to Windows 10. Now, anyone wanting to move to the software from either Windows 7 or 8 must pay for Windows 10, with prices starting at £99.99 in the UK.
• What’s in the Anniversary Update?
Microsoft has focused on several key areas of improvement for this upgrade, the first of which is Cortana. This is the firm’s virtual assistant, which can be used to answer questions on your schedule as well as help you find files and information on the web.
In the Anniversary Update, Cortana is being pushed out far wider, including to the Xbox One console for the first time, and will now handle any and every search you make on your Windows 10 device via the search box in the command bar, at the bottom of the screen.
Another core feature for the update is security. Microsoft already has facial recognition software to enable users to unlock their device using just their face. This feature can now be used to log in to websites and apps as part of the Anniversary Update.
The Edge web browser - the replacement for Internet Explorer - is also being made more power-efficient.
Meanwhile, users can also write and draw on their screens more freely thanks to Windows Ink, a feature which makes the software more stylus friendly.
• Do I need Windows 10 to get the upgrade?
Yes, in order to upgrade via the Anniversary Update you need to already have Windows 10 running on your device.
If you don’t, you can still get Windows 10; however, it is no longer free to download. The standard edition of the software costs £99.99.
• Is the Anniversary Update free?
To anyone already running Windows 10, the update is free; those not yet on Windows 10 must upgrade to that software first before they can access the Anniversary Update.
• How do I get the update?
Windows will notify you once the update is ready and available to you via a pop-up on your screen.


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Bharti Airtel is set to invest £200 million in a new data centre in India, its biggest investment since it began construction of a data centre in Kolkata in November 2022.
The company revealed at Davos on 18 January that it’s set to invest ₹2,000 crore (£200 million) in a large hyperscale data centre in Hyderabad, as reported by The Economic Times. It will have a 60 MW capacity and is expected to be completed in five to seven years.
Bharti Airtel will make the capital investment through Nxtra Data Centers, its data centre arm that has more than ten large data centres and 120 edge data centres across the country.
“I think it is inevitable that Bharti Airtel is going to want to attract cloud hosting organisations as they constitute the lion's share of DC deals globally,” Tiny Haynes, principal edge computing infrastructure and services analyst, at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence, told IT Pro.
“India is also promoting investment in sovereign cloud hosting organisations, although it does not forbid data transfer to other countries so long as there is consent and adequate security measures in place. Being a telco, they will be in a strong position to offer well-connected cloud hosting services sitting on their network backbone.”
"I am very happy to see Airtel-Nxtra Data Centers invest in Telangana. Hyderabad is now the hub for hyperscale data centres in India and Airtel's investment adds to the pace we look to keep up,” said K T Rama Rao, minister for IT and industries at the state of Telangana.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Airtel said: "This is one of our biggest greenfield data centre projects in India and we are happy to be working with Telangana".
Data centre "expansion spree"
Nxtra Data Centers, Bharti Airtel’s subsidiary focused on building data centres, started constructing a new data centre in Kolkata in November 2022. This was valued at ₹600 crore (£5.9 million) and is expected to serve the east and northeast regions of the country. The facility, with 25 MW of capacity, is set to be operational by 2024.
The data centre arm revealed in November 2022 that it was set to embark on an “expansion spree” and spend over ₹5,000 crore (£498 million) over the next four years to triple its capacity to over 400 MW.
Global investment firm Carlyle Group announced in 2020 it would invest $235 million (£190 million) into Nxtra, a deal which took two years to officially complete in June 2022, giving the firm 24% ownership of the data centre company.
“India is witnessing a considerable surge in demand for secure data centres as businesses undertake digital transformation and consumer demand for digital services continues to increase,” Carlyle Group said when it made its initial investment.
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“The expansion of hyperscalers across the region following the government’s directive on data localisation is propelling a lot of this demand, with other market drivers including the growth in user data and increase in cloud penetration.”
Bharti Airtel’s move to Telangana follows in the footsteps of Microsoft which announced in March 2022 it would establish a fourth data centre region in Hyderabad as well.
The new region joined the company’s existing ones in Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai. Microsoft tapped Telangana as it called it a “challenger” to the country’s IT sector thanks to a 7% increase in software exports in 2021.
"Data consumption in India is rising at an exponential rate primarily on the back of cloud adoption, digital payments, data localisation, and adoption of 5G Networks," said Arif Khan, India sales director at Colt Data Centre Services, to IT Pro.
"Therefore all segments, specifically hyperscale, enterprise, and consumers are demanding a reliable data and network infrastructure which makes India an attractive market for investments."
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Zach Marzouk is a former ITPro, CloudPro, and ChannelPro staff writer, covering topics like security, privacy, worker rights, and startups, primarily in the Asia Pacific and the US regions. Zach joined ITPro in 2017 where he was introduced to the world of B2B technology as a junior staff writer, before he returned to Argentina in 2018, working in communications and as a copywriter. In 2021, he made his way back to ITPro as a staff writer during the pandemic, before joining the world of freelance in 2022.


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SolarWorld USA president Gordon Brinser and Fortune Data Centers CFO Bruce MacLean expressed appreciation for Hillsboro's business-friendly climate.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture awarded more than $1.49 million in specialty crop grants.
Nike introduced a revamped retail website this month.
The U.S. Department of Commerce will issue its final decision on what tariffs to levy on Chinese solar panels.
U.S. wholesalers increased their stockpiles in August.
Gov. John Kitzhaber issue an executive order directing state agencies to promote and expand the market for Oregon wood products.
When residents of Washington, Oregon and Colorado vote whether to legalize marijuana, they are also voting on whether farmers can grow hemp for clothing, food, biofuel and more.


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Disney has always been linked with innovation and forward thinking developments. However, it doesn’t always come from Imagineers. While they remain the dreamers and doers, some of us continue to dream of other new possibilities. Some are more practical than others, and some hit pretty close to the mark. Here are the top Disney World rumors circulating about.
Disney World Rumor Round Up
Speculating what Disney Imagineers will cook up next is a favorite past time for Disney fans. Rumors of new countries coming to Epcot or new attractions taking over are always making the rounds.
With Universal Orlando focusing on it’s fourth park and teaming up with Nintendo, the Orlando theme park community has new turned into a “keeping up with the Joneses” and it’s Disney’s turn to answer the call.
Rumors about Monsters Inc. Disney attractions have been circulating since Monsters Inc. premiered in 2001. Sure there are a couple of representations of the popular Pixar production worldwide, but we still never got that door chase rollercoaster we wanted. The new rumor is that Disney’s Hollywood Studios will expand Pixar Place to the Animation Courtyard. The expansion would be to make way for a Monsters Inc Land. This might include a relocation of the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor to the current Star Wars Launch Bay, and a re-theming of the Rockin’ Rollercoaster. It also might mean a new Sushi restaurant. If this happens, I hope they relocate One Man’s Dream to where the Laugh Floor is today.
The new Pandora rumor is that a new attraction and table service restaurant will be coming to Pandora. This rumor stems from Disney apparently underestimating the allure of the world of Avatar. As December release dates for four new Avatar films have been announced, it’s likely that Disney will double down on it’s investment. Especially, when the first one is scheduled to hit theaters just before Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
Indiana Jones Themed area
Another Animal Kingdom Rumor is that DInoland USA will soon be no more. Speculators suggest that Indiana Jones will be taking over the Land. It’s not surprising that there are rumors considering how divisive Dinoland USA is, either garnering high praise for innovation, or disgust. While there are connections between the Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom, it is unlikely that the park will remove it’s American presence, especially with the popularity of Donald’s Dino Bash.
Brazil in Epcot
Imagineers have taking a larger scale interest in Epcot, a park that for many surpasses even the Magic Kingdom as their favorite. While the current changes involve replacing or expanding existing attractions, there has long been anticipation for new pavilions in the World Showcase. Disney’s landscaping hides it well, but there is currently a lot of vacant real estate around the World Showcase Lagoon. Disney always planned to add more pavilions, but they have put these plans on hold since day one. At one time Venezuela was the front runner for a new pavilion, with Spain another possibility. Now Brazil has taken center stage as the next most likely candidate. There are still no confirmations, but Epcot turns 40 in 2022, so Disney is bound to cook up something.
Wreck -it -Ralph Attraction
Stitch’s Great Escape, was supposed to be a kid friendly alternative to the attraction’s predecessor Alien Encounter. It is unfortunately the most hated attraction in Disney World. Disney has slowly phased out Stitch and it’s currently closed. It’s only a matter of time before Disney removes it. The leading candidate to replace the ride is Wreck-It-Ralph. There are no particulars as to the attractions specific theming, or type of ride, though if it is in Tomorrowland it will probably feature a Hero’s Duty motif, Tron, or something we haven’t seen yet. Rumor has it that the ride will also feature VR technology. This is most likely not the case, given that it is a Disney attraction. However, the video game theming may open the door to some type of VR experience.
Disney rumors come and go, but we never know what is true until Disney makes the announcement. With all of these rumors floating around the Disney Parks panel at the 2019 D23 Expo the place to be!


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As we previously reported, Cebu Pacific Air and PUBG Mobile Philippines have teamed up for a first-of-its-kind themed flight to introduce the game’s newest IP, Phoenix Adarna.
Last June 15, the Phoenix landed in Cebu via flight 5J 573, the first game-themed flight in Southeast Asia. There were Adarna-inspired costumes, trivia games, and merchandise giveaways in the airport and in-flight.
“In PUBG Mobile, we continue to make the game relevant to our target audience: young adults. The Ibong Adarna, our country’s very own phoenix, symbolizes hope and rebirth and holds a significant place in Philippine literature,” said Benj Dalmacio, senior business development manager for PUBG Mobile Philippines.
“We are proud for our platform to become a place of appreciation and learning of Filipino culture as well as helping in promoting the Philippine tourism industry. We are honored to partner with the country’s leading airline as they recognize the growing gaming community and live up to their fun brand,” he added.
Winner winner seat sale fever
PUBG Mobile is blasting a special seat sale this June.
From June 20 to 30, Cebu Pacific is offering one-way and roundtrip fares for any flight within its network in Asia (excluding Dubai and Sydney). Seats on sale will vary depending on availability.
The flight travel period is from June 1 to November 30, 2022 for domestic flights and July 1 to October 31, 2022 for international flights. PUBG Mobile gamers are encouraged to check the app or visit the PUBG Mobile Philippines Facebook page for more details.
Aside from Cebu, tourist destination favorite Boracay will be the venue of offline events, with the appearance of a pop-up gaming truck for a battle royale game with top PUBG Mobile players and meet-and-greets. The island will also become the nesting place of Phoenix Adarna, with tourists spotting from afar tour boats, parasails, giant sandcastles, beach flags, kayaks, and gliders bearing the theme.
Phoenix Adarna items, with its bright plumage, will be available for PUBG Mobile gamers until June 30.


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There is a massive shortage of semiconductors and a lot of the auto original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) use these semiconductors and therefore it is expected that there could be a production hit.
Speaking in an interview to CNBC-TV18, Rakesh Sharma, ED of Bajaj Auto said, “There is a scramble for semiconductors right now and this is putting a lot of pressure on the supply chain.”
“If it becomes very serious then it impacts the production, but the acute issue for us is in the high-end bikes and it’s putting a lot of pressure on planning,” he said.
“However, we do not buy these things directly. We are impacted indirectly because they are sourced by our tier-one vendors and this big surge, we have been told, is occurring in range of electronic items across the world and that has swiped away the capacity,” said Sharma.
On the production front, Sharma said, “I do not think this is going to disrupt production. It might disrupt a few models but about 95-97 percent production is not getting impacted.”
Meanwhile, NK Minda, CMD of Minda Industries said, “We are not affected but there has been pressure in supply chain and this is mainly because electronics production is increased in China and in an auto segment, we use less electronic components, semiconductors vis-à-vis telecom.
Minda expects this issue to get resolved by the end of January 2021. “We will see what exactly China is producing and how long this will sustain,” he said.
For entire discussion, watch video
(Edited by : Abhishek Jha)


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Medicines worth Rs 3 lakh were destroyed in a fire which broke out at a chemist shop in Shimla, the police said today.
The fire broke out around 10pm on Tuesday at Mehar Chand and Sons Chemist located on the ground floor of a four-storey building in the congested Ram Bazar area.
The shop was closed at the time of the incident and there are no causalities, the police said.
Seven fire engines were called in to douse the flames.
The cause of the fire is not clear, officials said.
The owner of the shop has not ruled out the possibility of foul play.


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Top Selling Electric Cars: The electric car segment in India continues to be dominated by budget and mid-range electric cars like Tata Motors’ Nexon EV Prime and Nexon EV Max as well as Tigor EV and Tata’s electric cars sold well in last September as well. The sales of Tata’s recently launched Tiago EV have not started yet. Along with MG Motor India, Mahindra and BYD electric cars also sell well in India. In such a situation, if you are also planning to buy a new electric car these days, then we are going to tell you about the top 10 cars according to the September 2022 Electric Car Sales Report.
Tata Nexon EV Best Selling
Looking at the September 2022 Electric Car Sales Report, Tata Nexon EV Prime and Nexon Max (Tata Nexon EV Prime and Nexon EV Max) as well as Tata Tigor EV (Tata Tigor EV) have sold a total of 2831 units last month. After this, a total of 280 units of MG ZS EV were sold in September last. Mahindra e-Varito was the third best selling electric car last month with a total of 112 units sold. It was followed by Hyundai Kona, with a total of 74 units sold last month. A total of 63 units have been sold in the last September of the electric MPV BYD E6.
Electric Cars from BMW, Audi, Porsche and Mercedes
Looking at the September 2022 Electric Car Sales Report, in the luxury EV segment, the BMW iX4 and i4 (BMW iX And i4) together have sold 27 units. After this, a total of 10 units of Porsche Taycan have been sold in September last. A total of 7 units of the Audi e-Tron have been sold. After this, a total of 7 units of Mercedes EQ have been sold last month. Finally one unit of Jaguar I Pace has been sold last month.


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The concept of cryptocurrency is not new. They are in the international market since past two decades. But it gained popularity few years ago in 2009 after the introduction of bitcoin, world’s first decentralized cryptocurrency. This cryptocurrency even reached the level of around 12,000 USD. Few other cryptocurrencies are also quite popular including Ethereum, Ripple etc. But despite their extensive use in public, there are lots of doubts and fears about the use of these electronically-controlled currencies and governments and banks around the world generally discourage the use of such currencies due to various reasons.
But no one can deny the importance of such currencies and there are indications that governments are quite lenient on stopping the flow of such currencies. The latest example is the step taken by the government of Dubai. According to a latest report, Dubai has offered investors to store their cryptocurrencies in a vault present in the world’s best free zone DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre). After this new regulation, a gold trading company Regal RA becomes the first company in UAE and the whole Middle East region to acquire license to deal in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Etherium and Ripple. It is basically a trading license where the share capital is AED 50,000.
Apart from UAE, Regal RA also has offices in US and Canada. After acquiring the license, the company will offer storage of all the famous cryptocurrencies in a vault located in DMCC headquarter. Manager of Regal RA, Ksenia Kiseleva, expressed her pleasure on achieving the milestone of becoming the first licensed dealers of cryptocurrencies in the Middle East. She had the view that cryptocurrencies should be termed as “crypto-commodities” because they are like storing a value which is quite similar to that of gold bullion. It is not a unit of exchange like money. She added that they will put these crypto-commodities offline in a cold wallet in the same way that they store gold.
Such measure by the government of Dubai will surely regulate the use of cryptocurrencies that will ultimately result in reducing or eliminating the dangers related to such e-currencies.
Dubai remained at the forefront of adopting new technologies and ideas and the recent step is an example of the open-mindedness of the rulers of Dubai. If you are among those who want to take advantage of these latest proceedings in Dubai, then you can take assistance from Riz & Mona Consultancy to acquire license of Cryptocurrencies. We have years of experience in providing different types of licenses including trade license in Dubai and other emirates of UAE.


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- 07 Oct 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
Securing Online Advertising: Rustlers and Sheriffs in the New Wild West
Overview — Online advertising remains a "Wild West" where users are faced with ads they ought not believe and where firms overpay for ads without getting the results they were promised. But it doesn't have to be this way. Enforcement by public agencies is starting to remind advertisers and ad networks that long-standing consumer protection rules still apply online. And as advertisers become more sophisticated, they're less likely to tolerate opaque charges for services they can't confirm they received. During the past five years, Edelman has uncovered hundreds of online advertising scams defrauding thousands of users, including all the Web's top merchants. This chapter summarizes some of what he has found and what users and advertisers can do to protect themselves. Key concepts include:
- Advertising security gaps are widespread.
- Many companies don't view advertising fraud as a priority. Marketers often write off advertising fraud as an unavoidable cost of doing business. But effective fraud reduction can transform "unavoidable" losses into a bigger bottom-line and a real competitive advantage.
- Some advertisers compensate ad buyers in ways that discourage ad buyers from rooting out fraud. Furthermore, ad networks operate under mixed incentives in their supervision of partners, affiliates, and syndicators. Often, a marketer's partners and even its own staff have strong incentives to ignore problems rather than to take effective action.
Read the news of recent computer security guffaws, and it's striking how many problems stem from online advertising. Advertising is the bedrock of web sites that are provided without charge to end users, so advertising is everywhere. But advertising security gaps are equally widespread: from "malvertisement" banner ads pushing rogue anti-spyware software, to click fraud, to spyware and adware, the security lapses of online advertising are striking. During the past five years, I have uncovered hundreds of online advertising scams defrauding thousands of users—not to mention all the web's top merchants. This chapter summarizes some of what I've found—and what users and advertisers can do to protect themselves.


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Main » 2011 » December » 09
Transformers and gaming fans will love this new Xbox 360 case mod,
inspired by Bumblebee from the Transformers movies, this latest Xbox mod
was created by Mark Bongo from Major League Mods.
Mark decided to install an Xbox 360 Slim inside a remote control
Camaro, and in the video below you will see that the DVD tray comes out
of the front of the car, and the rear window is an 8 inch LCD display.
You can find out more information about this fun Bumblebee Xbox 360 mod over at Major Leage Mods.
As well as announcing that the Windows 8 public beta will be available in February, Microsoft has also announced that the Windows Store will launch in February of 2012, and Microsoft has shared some more details about the Windows Store.
It looks like the deals with application developers for the Windows
Store will be similar to what Apple offers, Microsoft will pay
developers 70 percent of the revenue and keep 30 percent themselves,
although the deal does look better as when a particular app reaches
$25,000 in revenue, Microsoft will pay developers 80 percent of the
Applications in the Windows Store will be available in all languages
and apps will be available in a total of 231 markets around the world,
and when the Windows Store launches in February it will be a beta store,
all applications will be free initially.
Read more »
There have been rumors recently that Microsoft would be launching the public beta of Windows 8 around February of next year, and now Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 8 public beta will be available in February of 2012.
Microsoft’s Windows 8 developer preview has already become extremely popular with more than 3 million downloads since it was launched, and we suspect the public beta will be even more popular.
Microsoft has yet to confirm the official launch date of Windows 8,
although we have heard previously that Windows 8 RTM is expected to be
released to hardware manufacturers in July, which could mean we will see
Windows 8 launch in the fall of 2012.
Source The Verge
We previously showed you some photos and some press shots
of Sony Ericsson’s latest Android smartphone, which is codenamed
Nozomi, and now it would appear that the device will be called the
Xperia Arc HD.
The photo below gives us a much better look at the new Sony
Ericsson Xperia Arc HD (Nozomi), which is rumored to feature a 4.3 inch
HD display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, and it will feature a
dual core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM.
The Xperia Arc HD will come with dual cameras,
the rear camera is reported to use Sony’s new 12 megapixel sensor, and
it is expected to launch with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, we are
expecting the Xperia Arc HD to be unveiled at CES 2012 in January.
Read more »


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Denim Expert Ltd, a denim exporter, has joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce carbon emissions in manufacturing garment items.
Climate Change is the much talked issue right now, which is badly affecting the ecosystem, and also when global consumers are more cautious about environment and sustainability, managing director of Denim Expert Ltd Mostafiz Uddin said in a statement.
"Considering the betterment of the earth for the next generation, our company has joined the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action alongside other brands and suppliers," he said.
Denim Expert Ltd is the first denim producing company in Bangladesh that joined the UNFCCC, urgently taking climate action in line with the goals established by the Paris Agreement, according to the statement.
"We pledge to limit our Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and support the world reaching climate neutrality by 2050," Mr Mostafiz added.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express


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McDonald's profits inch ahead in tough year
SALES AT McDonald’s Ireland rose by 3.3 per cent to €209 million last year, boosted in part by the opening of four new restaurants during the year.
McDonald’s had 81 stores in Ireland at year end, 12 of which were run by the company and 69 by franchisees. The chain has opened two more restaurants this year.
Adrian Crean, managing director of McDonald’s Ireland, said it was a strong performance in a challenging market. “On a like for like basis we were slightly positive. This in the context of a tough eating-out market, which has seen high single digit declines across the sector generally.”
Figures for McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland (MRI), which covers the 12 company-owned stores, show that sales dipped by 8 per cent during the year to €77.9 million, down from just under €85 million in 2010. Pre-tax profits were relatively flat on the year at €13.8 million, with cost of sales down 16 per cent at €22.3 million.
The figures for MRI include products sold in its 12 restaurants, as well as revenues generated by franchising activities.
The company refurbished 17 restaurants in Ireland during 2011 at a cost of €5 million, with plans to refurbish a similar number this year. The company continued to see double-digit growth in its coffee business last year, he said.
McDonald’s recently embarked on a high-profile advertising campaining, highlighting its links with the Irish agri-food sector. Some 10 per cent of Irish beef is now sold to McDonald’s restaurants.