text:
That helped propel Apple to become the world's first company with a market capitalisation above $1tn (£768bn).
However, China's Huawei still managed to overtake it in terms of overall smartphone market share in the April-to-June quarter, putting Apple into third place.
"Huawei was able to overtake it because Apple is not playing in the mid and low ends of the market," commented Francisco Jeronimo from IDC.
"But Apple is very well positioned in the premium segment, and we don't expect that to change over the next 18 months."
The XS Max will become the most expensive handset Apple has sold to date, with its price ranging from £1,099 to £1,449 depending on its amount of storage.
The XS will match the original X's £999-£1,349 cost, while the XR will be £749-£899.
Apple highlighted that the iPhone XS Max's display was significantly larger than the 5.5in display of the old iPhone 8 Plus despite the two handsets being similar in size.
"Even if the screen on the iPhone X last year was larger some people who were on the Plus models missed the feel of a larger device which is exactly what the Max is addressing," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at the consultancy Creative Strategies.
The iPhone XR also has a bigger screen but uses LCD (liquid crystal display) rather than the OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology found in the more expensive models. This will mean black appears less deep and its colours appear to have less contrast.
In addition, its chassis is made from aluminium rather than steel, which means it is likely to be less damage-resistant. However, unlike the more expensive models it comes in six different colours.
Analysts suggest the wider range may help encourage iPhone owners who did not upgrade last year to do so this generation.
"Retention has become very high for both Android and iOS - switching is largely a thing of the past," suggested analysts at UBS.
"Put simply, the replacement for iPhone is iPhone, the only question is when - and the when is driven in large part by form factor, namely the screen."
The latest phones feature a fresh processor - the A12 Bionic. It the firm's first to feature seven nanometre transistor technology, which should aid energy efficiency and computation speeds.
Its inclusion means the iPhone XS will last about 30 minutes longer on a battery charge than the X, Apple suggested.
The firm also said that its Face ID system would now work faster than before and it demoed several apps, showing off its augmented reality prowess.
Huawei recently announced it had developed a rival 7nm mobile chip of its own.
Despite rumours that at least one of the new iPhones would feature three rear cameras - like Huawei's P20 Pro - Apple stuck with two 12 megapixel lenses for the XS and XS Max. The XR only has one rear camera.
However, Apple did unveil a new feature that will allow users to alter the depth-of-field of their photos after they have been taken - effectively changing the degree to which the background is blurred.
"Apple will face some inevitable criticism that these products offer only small improvements on prior successes," said Ben Wood from the consultancy CCS Insight.
"However, the fact that Apple has sold almost two billion iOS devices to date is testament to the success of the iPhone recipe since 2007."
Earlier at its California event, Apple unveiled a new smartwatch whose display extends further towards its edges than earlier models.
he firm said the Watch Series 4's usable screen was more than 30% larger despite the device itself having similar dimensions to its predecessor.
It also gains the ability to detect if its wearer has fallen and to take electrocardiogram heartbeat readings.
Apple overtook Xiaomi and Fitbit to become the world's bestselling wearable tech company in the second half of 2017 thanks to strong demand for the last generation of its smartwatch. It has held on to the top spot ever since, according to IDC.
"The reason it performed so well is that many network operators are only willing to focus on smartwatches with their own [built-in cellular] connectivity," said Mr Jeronimo.
"That's why they are shipping about as many watches as the whole Swiss watch-making industry."


text:
Tuesday, 15th September 2015
In General Japan News,
Department store to offer English tours to promote kogei crafts
A department store in Tokyo is to offer guided tours in English to visitors in a bid to raise the profile of kogei crafts.
The Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store will be welcoming English speaking guests on September 19th and 20th with tours held at 1.30pm and 3pm reports the Japan Times.
It is in conjunction with 62nd Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition, which is being hosted on the site from tomorrow (September 16th) until the 28th.
The idea of the event is to highlight the beauty and skill that goes into traditional Japanese crafts known as kogei.
They can range from items made from bamboo or ceramic to silk fabric and lacquer designs carried out with perfect precision.
Some of Japan's kogei masters have been recognised by the country's government as living national treasures.
A selection of work from these honoured representatives will be on display alongside pieces by amateurs.
The Japan Kogei Association has been organising the exhibition every year since 1954 and carefully looks at all the pieces submitted before deciding what to display.
Visitors can expect to see around 600 items, which have been classified into seven categories: ceramics, textiles, urushi (lacquerware), metalwork, woodwork, which includes bamboo, dolls and other works.
The Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store was the first shop of its kind to be opened in Japan.
It is located in the commercial district of Nihonbashi, which translates as Japan Bridge - a local landmark nearby.
The English language tours will have a maximum of 15 people per group, so prior booking is recommended.
Tokyo Metro’s Mitsukoshimae Station is just below the department store, making travel to the site easy and convenient.
Related news stories:
English zones to be introduced across Japan (29th August 2014)
Japanese employees offered financial incentive to learn English (15th January 2013)

domain: news


text:
Aston Villa have clinched the biggest sponsorship deal in their history.
Villa have signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with FxPro Financial Services Limited - the biggest in the club's history.
Villa have agreed a three-year deal with the global retail broker which will start next month. It means they will become Villa's principal commercial partner. But Villa will continue their association with the Acorns children's charity.
They will become the club's official charity with FxPro committed to supporting the venture. Villa chief executive, Paul Faulkner, said: "We are extremely pleased to enter into this new partnership with FxPro. A lot of hard work has gone into it and we believe it will be a good for the club."


text:
A Transportation Security Agent (TSA) convicted of stealing more than $800.000 worth of goods from travelers said this type of theft is “commonplace” among airport security.
Almost 400 TSA officers have been fired for stealing from passengers since 2003.
Pythias Brown, a former Transportation Security Administration officer at Newark Liberty International Airport, spent four years stealing everything he could from luggage and security checkpoints, including clothing, laptops, cameras, Nintendo Wiis, video games, and cash.
Speaking publicly for the first time after being released after three years in prison, Brown told ABC News that he used the X-ray scanners to locate the most valuable items to snatch.
“I could tell whether it was cameras or laptops or portable cameras or whatever kind of electronic was in the bag”, he said.
Brown often worked alone, screening luggage behind the ticket counters. He was frequently told the overhead surveillance cameras, installed to prevent theft, were not working.
“It was so easy”, he said. “I walked right out of the checkpoint with a Nintendo Wii in my hand. Nobody said a word”.
With more electronics than any one individual could need, Brown began to sell the stolen items on eBay. At the time of his arrest, he was selling 80 cameras, video games, and computers online. Brown said the theft was comparable to an addiction.
“It was like being on drugs”, he said. “I was like, ‘What am I doing?’ but the next day I was right back at it”.


text:
Taubman Centers announced late last week that it has agreed to sell a 50 percent stake in the shopping centre assets of its Asian division to US alternative investment giant Blackstone in a deal valued at $480 million.
The transaction gives Blackstone significant holdings in three fully leased shopping centres – one each in the Chinese cities of Xi’an and Zhengzhou, and a third in the South Korean city of Hanam – as Stephen Schwarzman’s New York-based firm continues to buy up retail properties in Asia.
For Michigan-based Taubman, which began developing the first of the three properties through its Taubman Asia division in 2013, the investment from Blackstone allows the company to realise a capital gain on its Asian investments while allying with one of the world’s largest real estate investors for potential future expansion in the region.
Blackstone Adds Stake in Three Malls to Asia Portfolio
“We’re excited to partner with a best-in-class developer and operator in Taubman and add these high-quality assets to Blackstone Property Partners’ recently launched Core Plus real estate investment unit in Asia,” Chris Heady, Asia Pacific chairman and head of real estate for Asia at Blackstone said in a statement.
The deal gives Blackstone a 17.15 percent stake in Taubman’s Starfield Hanam project in Korea, a 25 percent interest in CityOn Xi’an in the capital of China’s Shaanxi province and a 24.5 percent holding in CityOn Zhengzhou, in the capital of China’s Henan province. The two mainland properties were developed as joint ventures with Beijing’s Wangfujing department store, while the Korean project was co-developed with Korean department store operator Shinsegae Group.
In mid-2018 Blackstone closed on $7.1 billion in investment for its Blackstone Real Estate Partners Asia II fund.
Mid-Range Properties Fully Leased
Starfield Hanam, which at 459,498 square metres (4,946,000 square feet) of total retail floor area (158,000 square metres of gross leasable space) is South Korea’s second-largest shopping mall, opened in September 2016, while the 93,000 square metre CityOn Xi’an debuted in April 2016 and CityOn Zhengzhou, which measures 85,000 square metres, held its opening ceremony in March of 2017.
All three facilities target mid-market consumers and are said to be 100 percent leased. The properties also benefited from having a high percent of restaurant and entertainment tenants among their retail offerings, which make them less susceptible to competition from e-commerce.
“In partnership with Wangfujing in China and Shinsegae in South Korea, Taubman has built an impressive platform of three world class and dominant shopping centers and we look forward to working closely together in the future,” Blackstone’s Heady added.
Taubman Expects Gain of $315M
For Taubman, the sale is expected to generate net cash proceeds of around $315 million, after transaction costs and the allocation to Blackstone of its share of third-party debt, according to the statement, with closings expected on an ongoing basis throughout 2019.
“This transaction not only confirms the success of our platform in Asia, it increases our liquidity and strengthens our balance sheet in an earnings-accretive manner,” said Simon J Leopold, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Taubman said in the statement.
The transaction, which values Taubman’s total holdings in the projects at $960 million, according to a presentation provided by the developer, is being conducted at a 4.1 percent cap rate, and provides for an additional $50 million bonus to the Michigan-based firm, which will continue to operate the assets following the transaction, based on 2019 results for the properties.
In its presentation last week, Taubman indicated that the deal realised value creation of around $325 million on its investment, and that it was recovering nearly all of its equity investment while retaining half of its ownership stake in the portfolio. JP Morgan acted as exclusive financial advisor to Taubman on the transaction.
The company’s figures show that the three projects involved a total investment of approximately $635 million, with $480 million of that as equity and the remainder as debt. Taubman’s development of the three properties, according to the percentage held in the projects, cost the company $148 million for CityOn Xian, $330 million for Starfield Hanam and $157 million for CityOn Zhengzhou.
Betting on the Future of Physical Retail in Asia
Despite the attention given to the rise of e-commerce in Asia, Blackstone’s investment in Taubman’s projects is the latest in series of bets that indicate that the firm, which has $136 billion in real estate assets under management according to its website, remains optimistic about the future of Asia’s shopping centres.
In late December Blackstone acquired the 120,000 square metre Vivocity Shanghai shopping mall from Singapore’s Mapletree Investments as part of a $1.25 billion deal for a mixed-use complex in the city’s Minhang district. Like the CityOn and Starfield Hanam projects, Vivocity Shanghai, which opened in May 2017, was fully leased.
Also in December, Mingtiandi reported that Blackstone had joined a consortium which also included Gaw Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs in purchasing a set of 12 Hong Kong shopping centres from Link REIT for HK$12.01 billion ($1.54 billion).
Several years earlier Blackstone had profited from its 2013 purchase of a 40 percent stake in Shenzhen-based mall developer SCP, forming a joint venture through which it developed a series of mainland shopping centres, before selling its holdings in the company to China Vanke for $1.9 billion in 2016.
Sources at Blackstone declined to comment on the potential for developing future retail centres in Asia with Taubman. However, in a statement, Robert S. Taubman, chairman and CEO of the firm that bears his family name said, “We think Blackstone will be a valuable strategic partner that can help us grow our platform in Asia.”


text:
This video is part of a series examining the world of the entrepreneurial family. Click here to view more.
When a family conflict at Market Basket, a New England supermarket chain, led to the ouster of Arthur T. Demoulas, the company’s longtime president, the ensuing backlash drew headlines nationwide. Customers and employees rallied to his defense — and won his job back.
Many of Mr. Demoulas’s most profound leadership gestures were made far from the spotlight, employees say.
Terry McCarthy, a store manager who has worked at Market Basket for more than 30 years, recalls Mr. Demoulas’s reaction when Mr. McCarthy’s daughter, Devin, was critically wounded in a car accident.
“He said a couple of things to me that I’ll take to my grave,” Mr. McCarthy says. The boss worked personally to make sure that Devin had the best possible medical care.
“He stood for me in my worst hours,” Mr. McCarthy says. “I’ll stand for him in his worst.”
6 Entrepreneurship Lessons From Family Businesses
Entrepreneurs who have built companies that touch multiple generations share what they have learned along the way.


text:
The Philippines’ inflation rate surged to a nine-year high in August, which will affect the remittances sent by Filipino migrant workers to their families.
On Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that the inflation rate had risen to 6.4% in August from 5.7% in July. The last time the rate was this high was in March 2009 when it hit 6.6% during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Rappler reported.
With the jump in prices, many Filipino migrant workers are being urged to increase their remittances so their families can cope with the rising cost of living.
Year on year, prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 8.5% in August, alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose by 21%, furnishings and household equipment 3.5%, medicine and health-related commodities 4%, restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services 4%, and recreation and culture 2.4%.
Dennis Mapa, dean of the University of the Philippines School of Statistics, said most Filipino households spent 60% of their budget on food and the high inflation would plunge more families into poverty, Business Mirror reported.
“The government will have a hard time achieving its commitment to significantly reduce poverty by 14% by 2022,” Mapa said.
In June, an expert on migrant labor suggested that workers should increase the amount of money they send by 10-20% after the inflation rate hit 4.6% in May.
It is believed that 10% of Filipino households have at least one family member working overseas. In 2017, Filipino migrant workers remitted a total of US$28.1 billion back to the Philippines.
Read: Filipinos urged to send more money home to help families


text:
Forever 21 plans to increase its footprint at Hawaii's largest shopping mall in a new two-story space at Ala Moana Center that is five-times the size of the current store, while nearly tripling the number of employees there.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the Los Angeles-based trendy fashion retailer plans to staff the new 35,000 square-foot store — which will be located on the mall level between Banana Republic and the Disney Store, and on the street level between Old Navy and See's Candies — with 200 employees, nearly three times the 70 employees that staff the retailer's current 7,700 square-foot Ala Moana store.
The newspaper reports Forever 21 plans to open the new store in November on the day after Thanksgiving, which is commonly known as "Black Friday."
Forever 21's largest Hawaii location is the 42,520 square-foot store at the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki, which opened in December 2010. Forever 21 also has stores at Pearlridge Center and the Kaahumanu Center on Maui.


text:
Release Preview Ring for Windows Insiders is for Windows Phone users who want to remain on the original Windows 10 Mobile Build but get the latest bug fixes and improvements (10586.xxx)
While the Fast and Slow Ring are for users who want the latest new features along with all the bugs and issues with it (14xxx)
Today, Microsoft released a new update 10586.338 for Windows 10 Mobile users on the Release Preview Ring, there are no changelogs from Microsoft, though it is safe to say it consists of more bug fixes and stability improvements.
There have been unconfirmed reports that this improves battery life.
I have updated to this latest update and after a few hours I can only confirmed user experience is a bit more snappier, but I have nothing to report on the battery life, seems about the same before the update.


text:
The budget-friendly smartphone Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, going back to the 2016 version. New Galaxy Grand Prime appeared in 2016’s features. Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, when launched in 2014 without ever making a bad yield, Samsung was able to put a smile on the face.
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime when so successful, we were expecting the company to remove a second version. For the first time in August of the head from ear to ear on the phone spreading rumors gfxbench the leakage of the list has become a reality.
New Galaxy Grand Prime will be cheaper than expected and in the Galaxy Grand Prime 2016 model, MediaTek chipset will be used. In fact, this chipset is not something usual for Samsung, but according to the list; Grand Prime Glaxy 2016 octa-core MT6737T seems clear is used.
clocked quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 cores (28nm) perhaps it may not seem like very fast but it is obvious they are cheap. If you like the right choice if you want to take down Samsung price segment.
The phone’s other notable features 540×960 resolution, a 5-inch screen, 8MP rear / 5MP front camera and 2GB of RAM seems to be. In addition to 16GB of internal memory and MicroSD will also support card.
Posted by Kamaldeep Singh on August 24, 2016


text:
Mar 1, 2013 We asked for songs that reflect your feelings about the sequester -- and you recommended everything from Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" to The Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House." Listen to the full playlist now.
Feb 27, 2013 As ads shrink to fit our mobile screens, are they still effective?
Feb 25, 2013 From Haight-Ashbury to hip-hop, the legendary record producer looks back on 50 years of music.
Feb 21, 2013 The site is a mecca for musical artists. Now their YouTube hits can send them to the top of the Billboard charts.
Feb 21, 2013 Packaged food makers are giving new meaning to thinking outside the box. Everyone from Campbell's to Cadbury is ditching cans, bottles, cups and containers and getting in on the pouch parade.
Feb 20, 2013 The racing series looks to broaden its appeal to a younger and more diverse audience.
Feb 22, 2013 Losing market share, Campbell has launched a new 'Go Soup' line aimed at millennials. The marketing campaign missed the mark -- but got people talking.
Feb 18, 2013 Did you spot any sales using presidents to hawk their wares? Ever wonder if that's... legal?
Feb 15, 2013 The company that was founded by a former football player and is known for its hard-core, performance sportswear is testing a new branding strategy geared towards women.


text:
Best Buy is making major changes to the high-end loyalty program it launched in 2021, making it affordable for more customers.
Totaltech initially launched with a $199 annual price tag.
The new offers are called My Best Buy Plus, at $49 a year, and My Best Buy Total, at $179 per year. The company also continues to offer a free loyalty program, My Best Buy.
At their launch, observers called the loyalty offers a potential game-changer for the Minneapolis-based retailer as it continues to differentiate itself from the competition, especially Amazon.
“We’ve learned a tremendous amount from our members over the last couple of years, especially that different customers value very different benefits when it comes to their technology,” saod Patrick McGinnis, senior vice president of memberships, in the company’s announcement.
While Best Buy has 100 million members in its free program, with 40 to 45 million considered active users, it said in its more recent earnings call that it has just 5.8 million members in Totaltech. That’s an increase from 4.6 million.
At the priciest level, the new iteration continues to offer unlimited tech support, VIP access to support, free installation and free warranties.
The lower-priced plan offers less, but it does include access to highly anticipated product releases.
In its most recent earnings call several months ago, Best Buy hinted at coming changes to the program, designed to increase the frequency of interaction with Totaltech members, enriching the experience to make it feel more valuable.
It says the new offers better reflect the different ways customers shop. Some are most interested in lower prices and product protection. Others are most excited about the tech support provided by the Geek Squad.
“Creating these new membership options allows us to be there for all of our customers in the ways that are most important to them,” McGinnis said.
Some observers have questioned Best Buy’s approach.
“We continue to wonder if a program designed to increase customer frequency in a high-price, low-frequency category—at the expense of high-margin warranty sales—is cogent,” wrote Sean Dunlop, an analyst who follows the company for Morningstar.
Best Buy says the new offers will take effect next month and that it’s notifying members through email. And current Totaltech members will get their current benefits through the end of the year.


text:
The number of unemployment-benefit recipients is falling at a faster rate in Missouri and 21 other states canceling enhanced and extended payments this month, suggesting that ending the aid could push more people to take jobs.
Federal pandemic aid bills boosted unemployment payments by $300 a person each week and extended those payments for as long as 18 months, well longer than the typical 26 weeks or less. The benefits are set to expire in early September, but states can opt out before then.
Continue reading your article with
a WSJ subscription
Already a subscriber? Sign In


text:
As bitcoin continues to grow in popularity, small businesses around the world have begun accepting the digital currency as a method of payment.
Many of these businesses have seen only a very small portion of their customers pay with bitcoin, but that doesn’t necessarily make the venture into cryptocurrencies a failure.
Dr J Anthony Allen, CEO of the Minneapolis-based music production school Slam Academy, said bitcoin payments at his business have been “very successful,” yet Slam Academy has seen just one customer pay with the digital currency since Allen began accepting it in November of 2013.
With only one total sale it may be hard to see why Allen considers his foray into bitcoin a success, but the answer doesn’t actually lie in the money. Allen said:
Allen first began accepting the digital currency when he made a post on reddit in hopes of finding new ways to promote his business. A user suggested he accept bitcoin and another joked that he should accept McDonalds gift cards as well.
“It really got me thinking,” Allen said. “I thought, ‘They are both right, actually. I would totally accept McDonalds gift cards if I could pay my rent with them. I would accept just about anything if I can pay my rent with it. Who am I to turn a customer away no matter what they want to pay with?’ So I looked into bitcoin, and when I realized it wouldn’t be very hard at all to actually pay my rent with it, we implemented it into the site.”
Other business owners have had experiences similar to Allen’s. Robert Hohne, owner of New Orleans general store Homestead, mentioned that accepting bitcoin has brought in customers who otherwise might not have shopped at his store.
“We’ve been fortunate to have met some great customers who only found us because we accept bitcoin, and have also sparked the interest of customers who come in and ask us what this bitcoin phenomenon is all about,” Hohne said.
Other than simply being a tool to bring in publicity, bitcoin provides other advantages for both businesses and their customers.
Nick Pappas, owner of the Flamestone American Grill in Oldsmar, Florida, began following bitcoin when it was valued at about $30. As he watched the value rise over time, he began to see how it could be incorporated into his restaurant. Pappas said:
“From a business standpoint, it cuts out the middle man and eliminates any transaction or credit card fees. Also, by accepting bitcoin we are the ones accepting the volatility and the risk, not my customers. That was important to me.”
Like Allen, both Pappas and Hohne have only had a handful of customers pay with bitcoin, but each mentioned that they think bitcoin payments will become more popular and widespread in the future as the general public becomes more educated about cryptocurrencies and their benefits.
“I think once people understand bitcoin better they will embrace it more,” Pappas said. “Let’s face it, this is something that has never been done before and it is difficult to comprehend how it works. Once people do start understanding, I think the popularity of it will boom.”
Mobile payment image via Shutterstock
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.
Learn more about Consensus 2023, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.


text:
We commend Panera Bread on their animal welfare progress
With expertise from World Animal Protection, Panera Bread is committed to improving animal welfare by sourcing eggs and beef from cage-free hens and grass-fed cows, and phasing out gestation crates for sows in 2015.
We commend Panera Bread on its sweeping progress this year, announced today, to increase the welfare of the farm animals in its U.S. supply chain. Panera Bread’s actions in 2014 include sourcing 18% of the more than 70 million eggs the company served from cage-free hens and sourcing more than 80 percent of its beef from grass-fed cows. Panera also announced that as of 2015, it expects to have phased out the use of gestation crates for pregnant sows completely.
“These comprehensive moves by Panera Bread set a strong example for businesses around the world,” says Darren Vanstone, Corporate Engagement Manager. “Panera’s increasing use of more humane animal housing systems shows that kinder farming isn’t just possible, but crucial. We applaud the positive impact Panera’s progress will have on the lives of so many animals.”
Over 300 million hens in North America are housed in small battery cages, typically shared between 5-7 birds. As of January 1, 2015, the state of California will require that all eggs sold there come from hens with enough space to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs.
“No cage, regardless of its size, allows hens to live naturally,” says Vanstone. “We thank Panera Bread for taking our research into account and seeking our input on the growing consumer demand for cage-free eggs as they made this important decision to strengthen their animal welfare policies.”
Through our Choose Cage-Free campaign, we consult with businesses on transitioning to cage-free eggs and empowers consumers to select humanely produced eggs. Earlier this year, we announced a global partnership with Nestlé to improve the welfare of the animals in its supply chain. That partnership is the first-ever commitment between an animal welfare NGO and a major food business. We also announced this year a partnership with BRF, Brazil’s largest pork producer, through which BRF will transition away from using sow gestation crates.


text:
Sean Blanks, marketing director of cartridgesave.co.uk, explains why innovating with practices such as Google Adwords has helped the business stay ahead.
With a mission to surface the best art for the most people, whether for sale or not, ArtStack has experienced rapid uptake and built a global community of art appreciators.
It was a moment that most parents have experienced, when they turn around and their child has disappeared out of eyeshot. While Sara Murray was just as worried as the next mother, she also used the incident as inspiration for a new business.
Europlus Direct and Jim Hart's investment in native speaking salespeople has led to export success and growth of revenues to £8 million. It's a move which Hart believes is his best ever, and has also led to the founding of a company supplying recruitment and translation services.
GrowthBusiness speaks with new DFJ Esprit partner Scott Sage to find out where he's carved out an investment expertise and how he compares the London set-up with Silicon Valley.
The success of British cyclists and disruptive tube strikes have seen a growing number of people take to the streets and bike to work.
Despite operating in a heavily competitive space, HouseTrip has raised $60 million of investment and is set firm on becoming the leader in the holiday rental market.
In an era where there have never been more options when it comes to business finance, Jonathan Kettle, founder of Taxicode, argues that no external investment at all is the best course to sail.
When a company reaches a certain stage, XLN Business Services founder Christian Nellemann believes it is critical to take a step back and allow the talent assembled to flourish.
Isla Wilson, founder and director of Ruby Star, examines the simple steps companies must address when looking at growth.
Philip Wye, COO at iOra Software, taps into his own personal experience of growing a global company to analyse three key topics key to success.
Businesses should focus on international markets before doing business in the UK says Andrew Jennings, managing director of BerryWhite.
Having set up shop in 2009, P2P Mailing managing director Paul Galpin discusses how the company has experienced fast growth and shares his tips on how to do the same.
A career in business will put you into contact with a wide range of people, so maintaining contact with them can prove useful, explains Academy for Chief Executives CEO Andrew Morris.
Having recently become a Business is GREAT Britain ambassador, Divine Chocolate managing director Sophi Tranchell reveals her tips for building a successful social enterprise.
Following in the footsteps of Anita Roddick, Jacqueline Gold and Martha Lane Fox, we profile five female business builders who are going it alone.
As the 'B' in the BRIC emerging market group, Brazil presents an attractive market for businesses looking to start or increase exporting. GrowthBusiness meets two companies which are hoping to capitalise on the nation following trade missions.
Apprentices study your business in your business. By learning your way of working they can help your company to grow. Kick-start the process here >>
Receive regular guides, whitepapers and advice to help you run and grow a successful business.
Tailor your policy, compare quotes and buy in minutes! Up to 50% No Claims Discount. Compare quotes now or call 0845-0723340 today.
Once traditionally the finance of choice for lower mid-market buy-out businesses, Alex Macpherson, head of the ventures team at Octopus Investments, explains how his funds are now backing enterprising and dynamic younger firms.
In a year when so many exciting company's raised big sums of money, and were sold for eye-watering sums, deciding which were the best was hard work.
Research report into the top-performing 100 companies below the FTSE 350 and on AIM.


text:
A global comparison of reported food fraud across 80 countries and 72 seafood species is the subject of a new paper published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, which found that seafood fraud is a growing international problem impacting food safety.
“The 11 sins of seafood: Assessing a decade of food fraud reports in the global supply chain” examined seafood fraud incidents over the past 10 years reported via the E.U.’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, Decernis's Food Fraud Database, HorizonScan, and LexisNexis databases, in order to analyze the types of fraud that commonly occur.
A majority of these violations were intercepted during border inspections when fraudulent or insufficient documentation was identified. More than half (53 percent) of the issues reported across all four datasets involved the presence of illegal or unauthorized veterinary residues in seafood originating from Asia, particularly Vietnam, China, and India, where antibiotics are employed for both prophylactic and therapeutic use. The top five illegal or unauthorized veterinary residues in aquaculture products were nitrofurans, chloramphenicol, Malachite green, fluoroquinolones, and sulphonamides. Prawns and shrimp were the species implicated the most in reports of seafood adulteration, followed by catfish and tilapia.
Such occurrences mask deceptive and illegal practices in the supply chain, identified by Young’s Seafood in 2013 as the so-called “seven sins” of seafood: species substitution; fishery substitution; illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; species adulteration; chain of custody abuse; catch-method fraud; and undeclared product extension. Modern-day slavery and animal welfare were added to the list in 2018, and the new study suggests adding illegality related to processing methods, and illegal or unauthorized international trade, as further markers of misrepresentation.
Of all the “sins,” species substitution and adulteration in particular have implications for food safety. As one of the top food allergens, seafood poses a risk to human health through accidental exposure if a species is mislabeled, resulting in potential systemic immunological reactions and anaphylaxis in vulnerable persons. Allergic reactions can also be triggered by consumption of fish treated with illegal or unauthorized antimicrobials routinely used in aquaculture. Alternatively, high-level predators such as swordfish passed off as other species, with the risk of exposing consumers to methylmercury that gathers at the top of food chains.
The paper cites examples of substitution including monkfish substituted for pufferfish in Senegal and the Gambia, and 10 metric tons of fake jellyfish made from sodium alginate, calcium chloride, and aluminum sulphate produced and distributed in China in 2015. A report of snapper substitution in New York City, U.S.A. found higher mercury levels than typically present in the species, and Vietnamese catfish sold as grouper in the United States tested positive for malachite green and enrofloxacin.
Additionally, the report noted aquafeed had been found containing the banned pesticides hexachlorobenzene and β-hexachlorocyclohexane, which are associated with adverse health outcomes when consumed by humans. Other reports noted the presence of ruminant DNA, which is not permitted in aquaculture to prevent the transmission of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
The largest number of reports were found in 2018, particularly for species adulteration, with 69 percent of these due to the presence of unauthorized or illegal veterinary residues. There was also increased reporting of nitrates on fraudulently treated tuna in that year.
Processing, which provides ample opportunity to mix or substitute cheaper fish or bulking ingredients, was the third-most vulnerable area of the supply chain, with more reports in secondary than in primary processing. Fraud can be hard to detect when seafood is processed and other textures and flavors are introduced, the report found. Squid and anchovy were the species found to be most-often involved in illegal processing cases, notably in China.
Ghana and Nigeria were the source of most reports of discrepancies in African products, mainly related to the illegal import of smoked and dried fish destined for ethnic communities in Europe. Traditionally smoked fish from these countries can contain unsafe levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogenic and genotoxic.
The study also identified supply chain pathways vulnerable to criminal practices. In response to its findings, it urged better recording of fraud cases through a standardized dataset and for additional study of the current vulnerabilities and risks in the seafood supply chain, with the aim of preventing and mitigating fraudulent practices.
The researchers concluded with the warning that as seafood production increases to meet rising global demand, the opportunity for deceptive and illegal activity compromising the food safety of global seafood supply chains will also increase. Globally, the external pressures of COVID-19 are likely to increase the possibility of food fraud, and this risk is compounded for European seafood producers and U.K.-based seafood exporters by the ongoing economic and nontariff barriers imposed by Brexit, the paper found.
Photo courtesy of YARUNIV Studio/Shutterstock


text:
The “shadow” of a no-deal Brexit has fuelled fears of rising input costs and soaring inflation, according to a new survey by the FDF.
The survey shows more than three quarters (76%) of manufacturers expect input prices to rise in the remainder of the year 2018, whilst 56% expect to see rises in consumer inflation.
Almost a third of businesses expect economic growth to slow in 2018.
The UK’s future relationship with the EU was unsurprisingly a dominant factor when businesses were polled about their key concerns.
Despite this, respondents felt general business confidence had remained static during the last two quarters (66%) and many companies said they were still looking to invest, with investment in new machinery and product launches two of the three opportunities identified by those the FDF spoke to.
It said 54% of businesses had also seen an increase in sales in the UK, while 42% reported an increase in new product launches.
However, more than half of those polled had seen increased ingredient costs (62%), increased packaging costs (61%) and increased energy costs (51%).
“The shadow of a ‘no deal’ Brexit looms large over business confidence amongst the UK’s food and drink manufacturing industry,” said FDF chief executive Ian Wright.
“This should be no surprise: there are so many crucial questions to which businesses need answers.
“Despite this, manufacturers remain resilient. It is encouraging to see so much future investment planned. Now government must start providing the clarity needed to navigate uncharted waters as we look to prepare for our future outside the EU.”


text:
A job listing for the Battlefield game has hinted at the return of a single-player campaign to the game.
The game has pivoted more towards a solely multiplayer offering in recent years, focusing on the PvP combat as opposed to offering a narrative within the game.
The Bad Company series of Battlefield games, for example, had a number of meaty, focused stories that players loved, while Battlefield 1 also put players in the shoes of a variety of soldiers in the first World War.
And it now appears that we could soon see the return of single-player campaigns to the first-person shooter.
A job listing for a position at EA’s Battlefield Seattle studio has suggested that there will be a focus on a story-based mode, per GameRant.
The job is for a Design Director and the listing claims that they will help to “design efforts necessary for creating a best-in-class single player campaign experience.”
Pretty simply, this is going to be a job for a developer focusing solely on making single-player stories for the series.
The role is also said to “embrace the core tenets of the Battlefield franchise” and to make sure “they are woven through all layers of a masterfully designed single player campaign.”
It seems as though the next Battlefield game, whenever it comes, will have a real focus on the narrative-led mode, and that could be exciting for most fans.
Battlefield 2042 has not exactly been rapturously received, gaining a 63 Metacritic score from critics and a user score of just 2.6 from 1,211 ratings.
That’s a remarkably low score from a fanbase that is usually incredibly passionate about their games, so a move back to the good old days of single-player campaigns can only be good news.
Keep it tuned to GiveMeSport for all the latest gaming news!


text:
DETROIT (AP) — Millennials were once a source of panic in the auto industry. Dubbed the “go nowhere” generation, they weren’t getting driver’s licenses, never mind buying cars. Headlines declared it was “The End of Car Culture.”
New data suggests at least some of that worry was misplaced. Millennials — especially the oldest ones — are these days buying cars in big numbers. They just had a late start.
Now the largest generation in the U.S., millennials bought 4 million cars and trucks in the U.S. last year, second only to the baby boomers, according to J.D. Power’s Power Information Network, which defines millennials as those between 21 and 38 in 2015. Millennials’ share of the new car market jumped to 28 percent. In the country’s biggest car market, California, millennials outpaced boomers for the first time.
Industry watchers say it’s been hard to get a read on millennials because the generation is big and diverse, ranging from recent college graduates to settled-down suburbanites. Automakers were also unsure about the impact of new transportation choices, like ZipCar and Uber, which helped millennials delay car buying. But as they got jobs and started families, millennials headed into car dealerships just like previous generations.
“This whole idea that they’re not going to need cars is absolutely ridiculous,” said Steven Szakaly, the chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association. “The new car buyer age is just happening much later.”
It’s a very different story from 2010, when millennials — who make up around 30 percent of the population — bought just 17 percent of new cars. Auto executives wondered aloud if the trend would be permanent.
In 2011, a University of Michigan study showed a steady decline in the number of young people getting their driver’s licenses. In 1983, the survey found, 87 percent of 19-year-olds had a license. By 2010, that had fallen to 69 percent. Millennials told the study’s authors that they were too busy to get licenses and were happy to hitch rides from others.
But there was more to the story. The advent of graduated licensing laws — which make teens practice driving in stages before granting a full license — was one reason millennials were getting their licenses later. An even bigger reason? The economy.
For many millennials, the Great Recession hit just as they were getting their first job or graduating from college. By 2010, millennials’ unemployment rate reached 13 percent — 4 percentage points higher than the national average — according to a report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers. For teens, things were even worse. The teen unemployment rate rose from 15 percent to 26 percent between 2006 and 2012.
Millennials’ unemployment rate has improved to around 8 percent. Add low interest rates and low gas prices to the mix and the car market suddenly looks more enticing to young buyers.
Lucy Mueller, 26, lived in Los Angeles for eight years without a car. She took buses and trains, hitched rides with friends and used ride-sharing services like Lyft. Her commutes lasted more than an hour each way. Finally, last July, she bought a slightly used 2015 Fiat 500.
“Now that I have a car, it’s almost bewildering to me. I feel like a grown-up,” said Mueller, a project manager and video producer for financial software maker Intuit.
Several things kept Mueller out of the car market. She didn’t have a credit card until a year ago; without any credit history, financing a car would have been difficult. Also, like many recession-weary millennials, Mueller wanted to avoid accruing debt, so she saved enough for a substantial down payment.
Szakaly says it will take millennials another four to five years to match the spending power of boomers. According to government data, the median household income for people ages 25-34 is $54,243. For those ages 55-64, it’s more than $60,000. In addition, the average 25-year-old has more than $20,000 in student debt, according to Goldman Sachs. That’s enough to buy a new Kia Optima sedan.
Automakers are improving in-car technology to make it easier for young drivers to stay connected to their friends and music while they’re driving.


text:
Drone news for hobbyists, professionals, and investors
From consumer quadcopters to military UAVs, we're tapped into everything happening in the world of drones.
We know all the best bloggers and photographers, we're on all the best drone communities and forums, and we know where and when drone news breaks.
Two or three times each week, we publish a synthesis of all the biggest drone news. This is not just a list of cool links – we have a top-notch editorial team working around the clock to deliver the best product to you.
We're always working to improve the newsletter, so hit reply and let us know what you think.
Here's what our subscribers say


text:
Contestants welcome for Butte County Fair Destruction Derby
GRIDLEY — There are still opportunities to participate as a driver in the Butte County Fair Destruction Derby.
Drivers of both cars and trucks are being recruited.
The event awards more than $9,650 in prize money, and takes place Aug. 24 and 25 in the grandstands.
The entry fee is only $50 if paid before Aug. 16.
Entries after that date will be accepted at the pit gate and the fee will be $60.
Admission for the audience is $21, which includes admission to the fair.
What is ”gluten-free”: FDA issues new rules
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today released a final rule, “Food Labeling; Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods,” defining what characteristics a food must have to bear the label “gluten-free.” The final rule provides a regulatory framework for the industry to label products as gluten-free under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, the US Rice Federation reported in their weekly online newsletter.
As one of the criteria for using the claim “gluten-free,” FDA is setting a gluten limit of less than 20 parts per million in foods that carry this label. This is the lowest level that can be consistently detected in foods using valid scientific analytical tools and is consistent with those set by other countries and international bodies that set food safety standards, the newsletter states.
World Trade Organization ruling helps chicken farmers in U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United State Department of Agriculture announced that the United States won a major case at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on behalf of American chicken producers, proving that China”s imposition of higher duties on chicken “broiler products” — which was followed by an 80 percent drop in American exports of those products to China —is unjustified under international trade rules.
A WTO dispute settlement panel agreed with the United States, finding that China violated numerous WTO obligations in conducting its investigations and imposing anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties on chicken imports from the United States.


text:
ACG is proud to offer the premier anti-skimming solution available in the market today.Last fall the FBI shut down the notorious Silk Road black market website, arrested its founder for money laundering (among other charges), and confiscated the company.It allows you to cash out using Bitcoin. Instantly Cash Out Bitcoins for FREE while Traveling the Philippines.Sell bitcoins using Bank transfer Brazil with Brazilian Real (BRL) LocalBitcoins.com user ticofortes wishes to buy bitcoins from you.You can then transfer Bitcoin to a bank account to exchange it for real money. After.Most Damaging Ransomware Families: According to the research, two families of ransomware.Background On Tuesday August 1st, 2017, at 12:20pm UTC, Bitcoin Cash, a new digital currency which has been gaining a lot of attention recently, will come to existence.
Huobi and Electrum have signaled their position on Bitcoin Cash amid widespread mixed reactions. Bitcoin Brasil.Cash Out Bitcoins From Coinbase and Blockchain to Bank Wire, Blockchain to Bank Wire, Coinbase to Bank wire, transfer bitcoins and get cash, sell bitcoin.
First Cash-Out Bitcoin ATM Launched in Singapore | CoinA Fast, Simple Way To Cash Out Bitcoin to Paypal: Exchange Service KoukanExchange.com Enables Anyone To Exchange Bitcoins For MoneyPak Codes Quickly And Securely.Bitcoin cash came out of left field, according to Charlie Morris, the chief investment officer of NextBlock Global, an investment firm with digital.
Bitcoin ATM Map – Find Bitcoin ATM, Online Rates
After placing an order with a seller, make a cash deposit to the specified account.
cashout cvv to bitcoin – Mailer 2017 Random Email Sender
Bitcoin withdrawal help - Poker Forums - CardsChat.comMany deployers think antiskimming solutions require a tradeoff between uptime and security — is it really just wishful thinking to imagine having both.
Bitcoin splits, but clone off to slow start | Reuters
Best Gift Card Exchange webiste, Best Sites to Sell Gift Cards for Cash, bitcoin to perfect money usd,. how to cash out bitcoins to paypal,.The fear of Bitcoin Cash going down in price after another large exchange lists it is seen as the reason why it was in a rather long consolidation phase.We trade Western Union, Moneygram, Paypal MyCash, How to buy Bitcoins, Perfect Money for Bitcoin, Sell Bitcoin for cash, How to cash out Bitcoins at a low fee.Coinbase sends payouts to your local bank account once per day when you enable automatic.
Sell bitcoin fast with PayPal (cAsH OuT YouR COIN) by aschmidt86.
$4426.33 Sell Bitcoin, Bitcoin to PayPal Exchange, BuyA Bartini Kitchen patron trying out the new Bitcoin ATM Press Release Download Singapore, March 24, 2014: In the push to bring Bitcoin mainstream, local.
What is Bitcoin and How to Cash Out Your Steemit CurrencyBitcoin cash climbed Friday to its highest since the day after bitcoin split into bitcoin and bitcoin cash.
Google researchers find BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange was helping hackers to cash out millions of Bitcoins received in ransomware attacks.
Dash Reaches New All-Time High From Bitcoin Cash-Out
Bitcoin - Open source P2P money
GoldxCash.com - Sell Bitcoin through Cash Deposit UnitedExchange and sell Bitcoins to PayPal transferred directly to your PayPal account. Sell bitcoin PayPal - Exchange from Bitcoin to PayPal USD.
CVV TO BITCOIN PRIVATE CASHOUT METHOD – HenryleakIt is a digital currency that is created and held electronically.
Cash Out Bitcoins From Coinbase and Blockchain to Bank Wire
Instantly Cash Out Bitcoins for FREE while Traveling theDepending on the settings you will either get cash out of the machine immediately.Keep your eyes out in the coming months for these. and collecting the cash out of its.
Bitstamp allows me only to send the Money to the bank account which i use.A new development in the bitcoin space is the advent of sites like Brawker and Purse, which set out to bring together. send them the bitcoins and collect your cash.
How Hackers Cash Out Thousands of Bitcoins Received in
[CA$H OUT] How To Buy Or Sell BitCoins - Video Tutorial
bitcoin cash will not be backed by Coinbase - Business InsiderDouble Your bitcoin in a real site and get paid in 24 hours when you 0.1 and.earn double.of.it.
ECS4-in-1 is an award-winning anti-skimming device and the ONLY stand-alone solution with Photo-Sensing Detection Technology.Sell bitcoins using Bank transfer Brazil with Brazilian Real (BRL) LocalBitcoins.com user GlobalMoney wishes to buy bitcoins from you.Everything you need to know about Bitcoin and how to start making money with them in no time.
The first cash-out capable Bitcoin ATM in the Middle East was installed Wednesday in Tel Aviv, allowing Bitcoin users to sell, purchase and deposit coins in a virtual.The chart shows that the price has remained withing a certain range and is now reaching a break out point.


text:
Google has filed an application with the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) for embedding advertisements into syndicated RSS and Atom feeds.
The USPTO application was filed by Google employee Nelson Minar approximately 18 months ago. It’s titled “Embedding advertisements in syndicated content.”
According to the abstract, the patent deals with a method for “incorporating targeted ads into information in a syndicated presentation format in an automated manner.” Beyond just RSS and Atom feeds, the method described also pertains to syndicated formats that are XML compliant.
Google will likely face prior art challenges on any patent award. The company rolled out the beta version of its AdSense for RSS offering to all publishers in May, but the firm was not the first to introduce RSS ad insertion to Web sites and advertisers. Pheedo and Kanoodle are among the networks with longer-standing offerings.
The abstract explains that the automated ad insertion process keeps the ads “current and timely,” and it describes the tracking of user response to embedded ads “in an automated manner for billing.” Additionally, it makes reference to earlier patents on technologies that target ads based on content and keywords.
Google has been testing its contextual ads for feeds since at least April of this year.
While ad fraud has become part of every marketer’s vocabulary, attribution fraud—the practice of gaming outdated attribution models to justify self-serving means—has ... read more
On Monday, Netflix reported that it added 370,000 new subscribers in the U.S. in the third quarter, 20% more than the 300,000 it ... read more
Snapchat Discover has been a hit with publishers that want access to the popular messaging app’s highly-desirable audience, and some reports even ... read more
Little more than a year ago, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg streamed the first live video from Facebook headquarters. In April of this ... read more


text:
Roche convinced to sell affordable pills
MUMBAI - Reuters
Roche CEO Severin Schwan. REUTERS photoSwiss drugmaker Roche Holding plans to offer cut-price versions of two blockbuster cancer drugs for the Indian market soon, a company spokesman said on March 23, days after the government moved to slash the price of another cancer treatment.
India stripped German group Bayer of exclusive rights to Nexavar earlier this month and licensed a local company to produce a cheap, generic version, on the grounds poor that Indians could not otherwise afford the life-saving drug.
Roche, the world’s biggest maker of cancer drugs, said it would offer “significantly” cheaper, locally branded versions of its two cancer drugs, Herceptin and MabThera, by early next year, under an alliance with India’s Emcure Pharmaceuticals.
“The scope is to enable access for a large majority of patients who currently pay out of pocket as well as to partner with the government to enable increased access to our products for people in need,” spokesman Daniel Grotzky said by phone from company headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.
Monthly doses of Herceptin, for breast cancer, and MabThera, for cancers of the blood and lymph system, cost around $3,000 to $4,500 per patient at wholesale prices, Grotzky said.
“With this strategy, we expect to significantly increase the number of patients treated with our therapies and help patients currently under treatment to continue to use our products properly,” he added.
He would not be drawn on how much the local versions would cost, nor whether Roche was responding to the Bayer case.
The move highlights a growing debate about the cost of modern cancer medicines, which often work far better than traditional chemotherapy but come at a much high price.


text:
WINDSOR, Colo. (CBS4) – Residents in a north-Windsor neighborhood told CBS4 they have had issues with receiving damaged packages from several mail carriers.
On Friday, a home surveillance camera may have located one of the sources to the damage.
Cory Andrews' "Ring" doorbell, which he just installed, recorded a FedEx driver tossing his package to his door from the front yard. The package makes a loud sound upon landing and rolls several times.
Andrews said he specifically installed the camera for this issue, which he said had been a hot topic shared among many on social media in his neighborhood.
"(The packages) come heavily damaged," Andrews told CBS4's Dillon Thomas. "It is a daily occurrence now."
Andrews said his wife first saw the recording on her phone, shortly after the doorbell's motion sensor activated the recording feature.
"The FedEx driver stopped about 10 feet shy of our door, and tossed (our package) right up to our door," Andrews said. "It is just sad, because she is literally 10 feet from the door. A couple extra steps and setting it down would've fixed it."
Andrews said he was also concerned by the deliverer's conversation she was having on the phone at the time of the delivery, which was also recorded by the security system. The recording suggested the FedEx employee was speaking on the phone while carrying the box and while returning to the truck.
"She is still on her phone having a very vulgar conversation with somebody," Andrews said.
Andrews claimed the issue of damaged packages was not only linked to FedEx. He said his residence and several other neighbors have also had some issues with USPS and UPS.
With porch theft, and other delivery issues, on the rise, some have resorted to other delivery methods like Amazon lockers which are quickly growing in popularity.
The lockers are installed at local stores or gas stations. Someone ordering off Amazon can ask for their purchase to be delivered to the electronic lockers. Then, they can use a code to unlock their purchase from the locker.
The Town of Windsor does not have Amazon lockers yet. Andrews said, even if his town did, he didn't want to have to rely on that service, when it should be feasible to expect a safe delivery of his purchases to a home.
"I pay a value to that package," Andrews said. "A lot of the things we buy may not be life savers. But, somebody might be needing that medication, and seeing somebody throw it is sad."
Andrews said he contacted FedEx on social media, and was quickly responded to by a customer support member. He said he was not sure what their resolution was going to be.
FedEx did provide a statement in relation to the surveillance.
"FedEx Ground contracts for and expects the highest levels of conduct from service providers and their employees. We are reviewing this incident and will take the appropriate steps to address this matter," wrote David Westrick with FedEx Ground Media Relations.
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.
for more features.


text:
The ReStore is OPEN!!!!!
Come visit us in our new location in St. Mary's Square.
Store hours Tuesday - Saturday 10a - 5p
THANK YOU Stage Stores and Peebles Lexington Park!
Stage Stores recent 30 Days of Giving campaign was held March 1 through 30 and resulted in a total of $399,668 being donated to over 700 local organizations across the country. Customers who visited any one of the company’s department stores, which include well known names Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage were invited to donate $1, $3 or $5 to a local group in their community that store associates selected. Thus far, Stage Stores Community Counts program has raised a total of over $3.0 million in donations.
Peebles in Lexington Park was able to collect and donate almost $300 to Patuxent Habitat for Humanity in March. THANK YOU!!!!!
Volunteers at the new ReStore; getting it ready!
Local contractors T.N. Bowes, Inc. and APEC, All Phase Electric Co. have been hard at work at our new location. Many thanks for all their support, and we look forward to opening our new location this spring!
Christina and Alexis, our newest partner family


text:
While large ports are becoming more commonplace for Nintendo’s hybrid console, it was pretty surprising to see an announcement video stating that Obsidian’s latest RPG, The Outer Worlds will be coming to the Switch!
In a partnership with Virtuos, Obsidian’s Senior Producer Matthew Singh announced that they would be working together to bring their new Sci-Fi RPG to the Nintendo Switch. In the 4-ish minute video below he goes into detail about the exciting new world, Obsidian has created. It sounds like Obsidian has created a game that will react to characters in a way no game has really done before, detailing how being shot in the head too much would give you a concussion, but granting a stat boost in another way. This would then play into how NPC’s and compatriots would react to and treat you from there on out. It’s an interesting premise and one that might not work as well as we would like if Obsidian wasn’t the developer pushing this type of experience.
The Virtuos partnering also sounds promising. This is the same company that has ported titles like Final Fantasy XII, L.A. Noire, and Dark Souls: Remastered to the portable console. Needless to say, I think this title is in safe hands all around. Regardless of which way you choose to play, it’s exciting to know that we’ll be able to take this new RPG experience with us on the go.
The only unknown as of right now is if the Switch port will drop alongside the other console releases or if Obsidian will release it on the Switch at a later date. In the video Singh states “following the launch on the other platforms, the Outer Worlds will be coming to Nintendo Switch.” That phrasing leads you to think we might be waiting a while to see this new Sci-Fi RPG drop on Nintendo’s newest console, but it’s an exciting surprise nonetheless! You can check out the full announcement trailer below.
The Outer Worlds will launch on PlayStation 4, XboxOne, and Windows on October 25, 2019. Be sure to check back with us here at n3rdabl3 to see when we can expect this new Obsidian title to grace our Switch consoles.


text:
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - On November 18th, Coast to Coast Cabinets opened a new location at 2398 Jolly Rd. Their opening started off with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, a time honored tradition well over one hundred years old.
Coast to Coasts Cabinets is a Michigan based national company that got their start in 2009. The store sells primarily cabinets and counter-tops. They are a local company with their headquarters in Okemos.
Founder Robert Nedds tells us how he started the company, “I started the company back in 2009, we started during the economic down turn. I was working for another company that went out of business. Couldn’t find a job in the kitchen and bath market so we started our own company to provide for my family. Since then it’s taken off.”
And taken off it has having expanded out of Michigan to multiple different states.
Robert Nedds shares some advice for anyone who would also like to start a business “If you have a dream, chase after it. Don’t stop until you grab a hold of it. There is nothing more fulfilling than that”
To learn more about Coast to Coast Cabinets, visit the website located in additional resources linked below
OKEMOS, MI - High Caliber Karting & Entertainment held a First ... [More]
OKEMOS - Mark your 2023 calendars: June 23 is National Detr... [More]
OKEMOS - On April 26, the Meridian Township Board approved ... [More]


text:
A significant expansion in Asian Pacific sales of the Cobb500 broiler breeder during the past three years has led Cobb to become the region’s breed of choice for the first time. The Cobb Asia team recently gathered at Palawan in the Philippines to celebrate this accomplishment.
“The Asia-Pacific region is the world’s largest chicken market. In 2014, we set an ambitious goal to become Asia’s breed of choice by 2017,” said Pelayo Casanovas, Cobb general manager of the region. “In the last three years, through our team effort and the support of our customers, we have proudly achieved this goal. With the launch of the MV male, which is showing great results in feed efficiency, coupled with our team’s focus on serving our customers, we believe we can now continue to grow our market share in the region.”
Joel Sappenfield, president of Cobb, expressed his own appreciation. “I would like to thank our team members who worked tirelessly to achieve this accomplishment,” he said. “Members of the Cobb Asia team treat each other, and our distributors, like family. I have the utmost confidence in this team to fulfil the growth strategy they’ve outlined. Our Asian team has never been stronger.”
Roy Mutimer, Cobb vice president of the Asia-Pacific and Europe-Middle East-Africa regions, spoke of the plans to augment the supply of breeding stock to Asia. “With our New Zealand project progressing, we will be able to better protect security of supply to the whole region. This complex now under construction is expected to produce over one million grandparent packages each year, which, with support from US and Europe, we are confident will position us to deliver Cobb products to our customers whenever they need them.”
In 2018 Cobb will launch an advertising campaign focused on thanking customers for making the Cobb500 the breed of choice in the Asia-Pacific region. The ongoing growth in poultry production in Asia has made it the world’s number one chicken producer.
In China this growth has been helped by the price advantage of chicken meat, now being only one-third of the price of beef. Throughout the region poultry consumption is increasing by more than 3 percent a year, helped by greater availability to a wider range of the population. This rising demand is being met in large part by expansion of integrated operations displacing backyard production.


text:
We’ve barely heard a peep out of Nvidia on the CPU front for years, after the lackluster arrival of its Project Denver CPU and its associated Tegra K1 mobile processors in 2014. But now, the company’s getting back into CPUs in a big way with the new Nvidia Grace, an Arm-based processing chip specifically designed for AI data centers.
It’s a good time for Nvidia to be flexing its Arm: it’s currently trying to buy Arm itself for $40 billion, pitching it specifically as an attempt “to create the world’s premier computing company for the age of AI,” and this chip might be the first proof point. Arm is having a moment in the consumer computing space as well, where Apple’s M1 chips recently upended our concept of laptop performance. It’s also more competition for Intel, of course, whose shares dipped after the Nvidia announcement.
The new Grace is named after computing pioneer Grace Hopper, and it’s coming in 2023 to bring “10x the performance of today’s fastest servers on the most complex AI and high performance computing workloads,” according to Nvidia. That will make it attractive to research firms building supercomputers, of course, which the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) and Los Alamos National Laboratory are already signed up to build in 2023 as well.
A Grace Next is already on the roadmap for 2025, too. Here’s a slide from Nvidia’s GTC 2021 presentation where it announced the news:
I’d recommend reading what our friends at AnandTech have to say about where Grace might fit into the data center market and Nvidia’s ambitions. It’s worth noting that Nvidia isn’t releasing much in the way of specs just yet — but Nvidia does say it features a fourth-gen NVLink with a record 900 GB/s interconnect between the CPU and GPU. “Critically, this is greater than the memory bandwidth of the CPU, which means that NVIDIA’s GPUs will have a cache coherent link to the CPU that can access the system memory at full bandwidth, and also allowing the entire system to have a single shared memory address space,” writes AnandTech.


text:
PUBG Mobile | BattleGrounds Mobile India iOS Release Date News
The good news in India for PUBG Mobile lovers is that game developers have recently released the stable version of Battlegrounds Mobile India, which appears to be the Indian version of PUBG Mobile for Android users. The official version of BGMI can now be downloaded for Android devices on the Google Play Store. But, BGMI iOS version is still in development, and KRAFTON is not releasing any official statement regarding the BattleGrounds Mobile India iOS release date. The reason for their despair is that iPhone users have been left out of the first phase of the Battlegrounds Mobile India launch by Krafton.
It should be noted that Android users have been able to access Battlegrounds Mobile India since early in the morning, but iOS users have not even been able to access the Beta version of Battlegrounds Mobile India.
Players may recall that KRAFTON had earlier announced in May that they would open pre-registration for the Android version of Battlegrounds Mobile India on the Play Store. At the time, there was no mention of early access tests for the iOS version of the game, which has garnered more than 10 million downloads from the game store. Unfortunately, there is no confirmation of the release date of the game for iPhone owners, and few PUBG Mobile India streamers said that the Battlegrounds Mobile India iOS release date is not yet confirmed.
BattleGrounds Mobile India iOS Release Date
KRAFTON mentioned that the company is working on an iOS version of Battlegrounds Mobile India, but the South Korean company has not given a specific date for its release. It should be noted that the main version of Battlegrounds Mobile India will be compatible with the trial version. Battlegrounds Mobile India is unlikely to reach the iPhone soon. Discussions at the Battlegrounds Mobile community in India – there is no confirmation of the release date of the iOS version of Battlegrounds Mobile India.
Earlier Krafton has announced that the iOS version of Battlegrounds Mobile India will be released soon. Interestingly, there was no pre-registration for iOS users, and this prompted players to turn to content creators for some reassurance.
In other recent news related to Battlegrounds Mobile India, game developers will finally turn off PUBG Mobile’s data transfer to BattleGrounds Mobile India due to recent allegations of sending the user data to China. This means that players who do not transfer their data from the old game must, of course, complete the process because the company has not yet announced a plan to return the service. Android devices with 2 GB of RAM and more than 700 MB of free space should download BGMI APK when running Android Lollipop (5.1) or higher on a recently released mobile device.


text:
Fiji ginger is getting recognition in the international market, says Minister for Agriculture, Inia Seruiratu, at a session in Talanoa. He sees the trend growing further and hopes to increase production in the country.
He said the government was encouraging farmers to produce this product that was a fast growing export commodity in order to meet demands around the globe.
"Ginger syrup is being marketed into Australia where it is currently selling like hot cakes, including ginger juice and puree," Mr Seruiratu said.
The Minister went on to discuss their focus on increasing the countries value added sector which he states they had neglected before, stating: "Previously we were focusing too much on production and neglected the whole value chain - things like transportation, packaging, cold strage systems and most importantly the market and linking producers to the market"


text:
AHF Products announced the completion of the expansion of its Cambodian engineered wood flooring manufacturing capabilities to offset the impact of tariffs on imports from China. This expansion allows for more sliced and sawn face visuals to be produced, reported Hardwood Floors Magazine.
According to AHF General Legal Counsel Jennifer Zimmerman, the recently announced Antidumping Duty increased from zero to 42.57 per cent. Since the rate for the past two years has been zero, this duty may be off most retailers’ radar. AHF Products estimates 55-65 per cent of the U.S. engineered wood flooring market imported from China may be significantly impacted by this new duty rate.
“Our team stands ready to work with customers to provide the best flooring solutions from our own U.S. plants and our Cambodian facility, all of which are tariff and duty-free,” said Carson. “Although increased prices due to the tariff are unavoidable for certain flooring purchases from China, we are committed to helping our channel partners find opportunities to mitigate the impact.”
With the LM Flooring acquisition, AHF Products added a Cambodian manufacturing plant and immediately doubled the manufacturing volume from 12 to 24 million square feet.
“Our new additional Cambodian capacity allows us to expand sliced and sawn face product offerings with our customers. We will be further growing the footprint of this plant in 2020 to the tune of 50 million square feet of total capacity,” said Mike Bell, Chief Operating Officer.


text:
Things might be looking up for Dixons as it reports improving performance, but now that Best Buy is out of the picture and Comet has been sold, perhaps it should be looking towards Tesco as the real competition in the electricals market.
Dixons’ results today (24 November) at least show progress, which is a far cry from the demise of Best Buy, and the sale of Comet after a drawn out spell of underperformance.
But a closer look at Tesco’s operations in the market make me think that Dixons’ real enemy is the supermarket moving into its space.
Tesco’s aim is to be seen as a “credible” electricals retailer, not just a supermarket that sells some tech products, and it has been steadily ramping up its presence in the sector. It is launching a marketing blitz to push its specialist service as well as a raft of services to rival the specialists in a bid to attract shoppers.
It has improved its range and while a year ago, it wasn’t even able to sell iPads, it now sells more than 3,000 of the tablets every week. Tesco also sells 60% of the Amazon Kindles in the UK that aren’t sold directly on Amazon.co.uk.
It has also introduced a six-month interest free credit option for electricals products so that cash strapped customers can still get their hands on the latest tech without pushing themselves into the red.
Ian Ditcham, category director for Tesco’s electricals division, says that since it was introduced, 60% of the iPads it sells are bought on the credit offer, meaning Tesco shoppers can purchase an iPad2 outright for £65 a month over six months.
Tesco now offers a trade-in service, which offers customers up to 25% of the value of old electricals in the form of cash, as gift cards, or Clubcard points, that can be spent against new electricals, or general Tesco shopping. More than 5,000 customers have traded in old tech gadgets since it launched less than a month ago.
It’s investing £12m this year alone in its Tech Team – a 1,000 strong team of fully trained in-store tech specialists, and £4m in its in-store displays for TVs and gadgets. It is also trialling new augmented reality technology in an effort to expand the information it can give shoppers about items it stocks without taking up more floor space.
It is running a series of TV ads promoting its Tech Team, a mega-deal on a 3D TV and Blu-Ray player, and one will follow to promote its recently introduced six-month interest free credit option.
These initiatives and gradual investment in electricals have boosted sales and seen Tesco’s return rate fall to 4%, down from 12% four years ago.
Dixons is clearly already aware that it needs to change and is taking huge and successful steps to improve its business, but so is Tesco, and it’s already a bigger threat than Best Buy ever was.


text:
It’s a huge auditorium at the Mobile World Congress 2015, Barcelona. Beneath a high ceiling, in all darkness and camera flashes, the humongous screen shows some amazing animations. A high resolution display with phenomenal graphics and a female background voice adds to the aura in the auditorium. “Welcome to Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2015.” After a seven and a half minute presentation, Samsung’s CEO JK Shin launched the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
People said ‘they’re never coming back to where they were’. People said ‘their flagship has failed’. People said Samsung’s reign is over. Samsung was labelled lethargic, unimaginative and a mere cheap Apple ripoff. We wrote them off ourselves, when we wondered if Samsung’s dominance was over. In fact, we even went on to debate on who would pick up Samsung’s Android crown.
All this started with Samsung Galaxy S5’s failure. With the S5, the world’s largest mobile manufacturer saw a 60% plunge in its annual profits. According to Wall Street Journal, 40% of Samsung’s S5 units remained in the warehouses. While Apple and Xiaomi, the world’s second and third largest mobile manufacturers respectively, were reporting higher sales; Samsung’s sales were in free fall, with over 40% of its S5 inventory going unsold. That’s a flagship we’re talking about.
Samsung had increased production and reduced its portfolio in order to concentrate on S5, and create more market for it. This wasn’t the best idea. Product Critics and Tech Experts stated Samsung’s crown was under attack and if they don’t react quickly they might step towards a huge downfall. To all those critics, Samsung came up with a 3 word answer- S6 & S6 Edge.
And boy, did they make all those jaws drop. Samsung hadn’t created something entirely new, they had merely innovated to a very high degree. After all those plastic and waterproof stunts, Samsung listened in on criticism and delivered.
So the S6 Edge arrived, made of glass and metal. Samsung has pushed the envelope (I’d say – torn it apart) to make S6 Edge its most beautiful and smartly designed phone. Despite the ergonomical change, it’s comfortable for use on both hands, and isn’t too large either. The 5.1 inch screen houses a Super AMOLED display with an impressive QHD (1440 x 2560 pixels) resolution, offering an amazing 577 pixels per inch. With a finger print scanner for security, a heartbeat censor for all the fitness enthusiasts, Android 5.0.2, TouchWIZ UI, a freedom to uninstall maximum of preinstalled apps, a 16 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front camera, a 2600 MAh battery that can be charged to 100% in an hour- one has to say, the 132 gram S6 Edge has a lot to offer.
Analysts have anticipated annual sales of 55 million units for S6. At a price of $680 (approx), this would mean Samsung making an approx $37 billion in sales by the end of this year. Speculations may not be accurate enough, and many other things might play a deciding role, but these numbers show a high rate of optimism for Samsung all together. Although Samsung will be releasing its quarter one 2015 financial report on April 29, 2015, people have already speculated huge sales and profits.
At the same conference, there resided another hero. Probably from the past, but it was once a hero – HTC. The HTC One M7 had redefined innovation, and M8 had tried to sustain it, but M9 dumped much of repo its forefathers had generated. With a slippery surface, a 1080p screen (Not close to Nexus 6, G3 and S6 in the same price cap of $650), and the rear cam’s unimpressive performance in low light, HTC One M9 has tried to improvise on the legacy of M8 and M7, but has failed to keep up with its competitors.
All the numbers – sales, predictions, earnings, may fluctuate. But the important takeaway is Samsung’s response in the face of adversary. This was Samsung’s battle to save the crown, to retain the throne and to come back with a vengeance. Are the S6 and S6 Edge worth the upgrade? You decide. All we can say is – well played Samsung, well played.


text:
Published in News
Office 365 (2013) goes RTM
by Fuad Abazovic on12 October 2012
Office 2010 after 19 Oct gets you free upgrade to 2013
The big boss of Microsoft’s Office business and corporate VP Kirk Koenigsbauer has confirmed that the new Office has just reached Release to Manufacturing (RTM) build.
Koenigsbauer calls this release the most ambitious that Microsoft ever done. It’s not just the traditional Office suite you install on your computer, it’s a whole family of applications, servers and could services. General availability is expected in Q1 2013 but starting October 19th, customers purchasing Office 2010 from local retailers or resellers will receive the new Office version free of charge upon availability. The Windows RT version of new Office 365 will show up with the launch of Windows 8 on the October 26th.
Enterprise customers will get new capabilities of Office 365 in the next service update staring in November. Volume Licensing customers with Software Assurance will be able to download the Office 2013 applications, as well as other Office products including SharePoint 2013, Lync 2013 and Exchange 2013 through the Volume Licensing Service Center by mid-November. These products will be available on the Volume Licensing price list on December 1. IT professionals and developers will be able to download the final version via their TechNet or MSDN subscriptions by mid-November.
We have played with the new Office suite and the fact that it is ready for the artist formally known as Metro will bring a controversial and unfamiliar look to many old customers. The new Outlook looks pale but it does the job well, as does Word and Excel. It’s up to you to make your mind if the upgrade from 2010 to 2013 will be worthwhile.
If you haven’t tried it yet, you can get a preview release for home, small business or the enterprise here.


text:
Kerala Tourism is all set to showcase the tourism destinations of the Malabar region with a major marketing initiative
Kerala Tourism has launched an initiative to host 500 tour operators from India and abroad to showcase the tourism destinations of the Malabar region under the FAM2 Malabar 500 initiative this year.
Mystical Malabar will shine the spotlight on seven districts – Trichur, Palghat, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad (above), Kannur and Kasargod – and showcase their potential as tourism destinations.
The Malabar region has been, until now, a largely unexplored area even in Kerala, which, as ‘God’s Own Country’, is perhaps one of the states in India with a full-fledged tourism infrastructure in place. It has a picturesque landscape and a distinct history, culture (below) and heritage.
FAM 2 Malabar500 will host 500 travel agents and tour operators from India and across the world to help them see the destinations for themselves so that they can better showcase them to potential clients.
At a function to release the logo of the initiative, Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas is quoted to have expressed the hope that the initiative will help attract domestic and international visitors to the Malabar region and place it firmly on the global tourism map,
The idea of tourism to the region has been further boosted by the success of the Beypore Water Fest on the Chaliyar River in the Kozhikode district in the last week of 2021. Hosted in 10 venues, the festival featured races and celebrations including kayaking, paddle and boat races, display boats, music by the naval band and an exhibition of naval ships. Interestingly, the Beypore Water Fest also featured a sailing regatta curated by retired naval officer-yachtsman Commander Abhilash Tomy, who is well known as the first Indian to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world under sail. The event enjoyed the enthusiastic support of the local communities.
The success of the first edition of the festival has also encouraged Kerala tourism to look at the development of water tourism as part of its offering to visitors. In a bid to tap into the potential of the state’s many water bodies and growing interest across the world in water tourism, the tourism plans to set up a surfing school in Beypore as well.
Also see: This Lockdown, Are You Embracing ‘Kalsarikännit’?


text:
Almost everything about the Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S21 series has continue to spill out even before the next month announcement. Now, a recent leak by 91mobilesÂ citing information shared by popular tipster Ishan AgarwalÂ has revealed the pricing of theÂ Galaxy S21 5G,Â Galaxy S21+ 5G, andÂ Galaxy S21 Ultra 5GÂ for the European markets.
According to the leak, the;
- Galaxy S21 5G (128GB model) will go for 849 euros
- Galaxy S21+ 5G (128GB model) will be priced at 1,049 euros.
- Galaxy S20+ (128GB model) will be priced at 1,099 euros
- Galaxy S21+ 5G (256GB model) will be priced at 1,099 euros.
- The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (128GB model) will cost 1,399 euros.
Shown below is another image shared by Agarwal. The image showcases the violet-colored Kvadrat case designed for the Galaxy S21 Plus.
Galaxy ClubÂ recently reported that the 128GB versions of the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra will be priced at 879 euros, 1,079 euros, and 1,399 euros. The differences in the pricing between the two leaks could be because of the taxes.
It is likely that the Galaxy S21 lineupÂ may go official on Jan. 14Â and it may release in different markets by the end of January. Samsung is expected to confirm the Galaxy S21 series launch date in the coming week.


text:
American media planning and analytics platform Comscore has announced that it has acquired Shareablee, one the industry’s top strategic marketing intelligence platforms for social media. By joining forces with Shareablee, Comscore aims to empower its Media Metrix and Video Metrix currencies with powerful social media engagement and video insights.
“Comscore is committed to the future and helping customers have a comprehensive view of the consumer across platforms, while understanding the unique engagement on premium video. The future of measurement would not be complete without including the impressions delivered by the social media platforms,” said Bill Livek, CEO and Executive Vice Chair, Comscore.
“For marketers, this inclusion into our currencies will present great opportunity to maximize their outcomes on advertising investments. We see many opportunities to help our clients grow their viewing audiences and maximize their impact using social platforms.”
For many top companies such as Mondelez, GroupM, ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Vox Media, Shareablee is a vital part of their social media analytics strategies. Its comprehensive platform helps brands measure and use real-time data to create actionable insights for social media strategies.
Around the world, the solution monitors over 20 million brands and 9 million influencers in more than 70 countries. Its corporate partnerships with companies such as the Facebook Media Measurement Program, Microsoft Partner Network and the Bloomberg Marketplace help the company empower brands with social performance data.
The company joins one of the world’s largest media analytics platforms in Comscore. Comscore’s media planning, transacting and evaluation tools are used around the world to help brands keep track of cross-platform audience and advertising data.
“At our core, we believe that content matters, and that data and insights can make storytelling more impactful. We are thrilled to join forces with Comscore and look forward to finding new ways to jointly drive innovation,” said Tania Yuki, CEO and Founder of Shareablee.
“Our large-scale social measurement capabilities provide critical insight into changing content consumption and consumer behaviors, particularly when it comes to shedding light on Gen Z, and fit perfectly alongside Comscore’s comprehensive cross-platform intelligence. Bringing the resources and measurement sophistication of Comscore to our product development capabilities will be very exciting for the whole market.”


text:
YotaPhone 3 to cost around $550, release scheduled for next year
If you liked the first YotaPhone and the YotaPhone 2 (pictured above), you might want to know that a YotaPhone 3 is currently in the making. According to Bloomberg, the YotaPhone 3 should be released sometime next year. Not long ago, we heard that Yota would team up with ZTE to manufacture the new handset, and Bloomberg mentions that the Chinese company will indeed be one of Yota's manufacturing partners (among others that haven't been named).
While we don't know much about the features of the YotaPhone 3, the device will almost surely offer the same dual screen setup seen on the YotaPhone 2 and the original YotaPhone - with a main, regular display on the front, and an e-ink one on the back.
Bloomberg has it that the next generation YotaPhone will cost around $550, so there's no significant change compared to the price of the YotaPhone 2. Reportedly, Yota CEO Vlad Martynov said that the company is now hoping to reach global sales of over 1 million handsets per year. More than half of those sales may come from China, says Bloomberg.
65% of Yota (initially an all-Russian company) is now owned by a Honk Kong-based investment firm. While the launch of the YotaPhone 2 in the US was cancelled, the YotaPhone 3 might be released Stateside. However, at the moment, there's no confirmation on this.


text:
Spotify Unveils New Streaming Royalty Policies
21.11.2023 - 15:07
Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music As expected, Spotify unveiled its updated streaming payment policies for artists and labels on Tuesday morning, and they are essentially the ones that have been previously reported in recent weeks: efforts to cut down on fraudulent streams; increasing the minimum payable track length for what is called “noise” content (the often-cited “rain falling on a rooftop” recordings); and eliminating payment for songs with less than $1,000 streams. The company claims the updates will drive an additional $1 billion toward artists, by re-directing the payments that had previously gone to fraudulent streams, noise content or distributors that do not distribute royalties below a certain amount.
While there has been significant uproar around the last element in particular, it should be noted that 1,000 streams generates an average of $3 annually in royalties, while many distributors do not distribute such low amounts — which means that money remains with the distributor. While those amounts are very small for the average artist, added up across thousands of artists per year, it’s a substantial total.
Spotify also claims that just .5% of all tracks have less than 1,000 streams. (Head here for an analysis of what Spotify’s payment updates really mean.) Relevant excerpts from the announcement, which can be found in full on Spotify’s Loud & Clear blog, appear below.
As the royalty pool and catalog on Spotify have surged, three particular drains on the royalty pool have now reached a tipping point. So, we’re working in close collaboration with industry partners — artist distributors, independent labels, major labels, label distributors, and artists and their teams — to introduce new policies to (1) further
The website celebfans.org is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint
on the news if you find it unreliable.


text:
Subscribe to the Restaurant Business newsletter
Search Restaurant Business
Operators grapple with the challenges of adding veg-centric entrees to the menu.
Bartenders put in the effort and leave out the booze to craft options for the nondrinking crowds.
With the growing popularity of brunch, operators are turning to the bar—not just for dining room overflow or selling bloody marys, but as a focal point.
Operators in two urban food halls have found that the profits and brand recognition of signature beverages make adapting them to smaller digs worthwhile.
With the move toward a more “natural” definition of health, diners are warming in their reception to animal fats, suggest the trends that Technomic and RB predict.
As storage space contracts, chains are getting resourceful with everything from shelves to ceiling height and inventory.
Up-and-coming restaurant chains and what’s propelling their growth
Food trends and recipes to keep menus fresh
New restaurants and soon-to-open concepts worth monitoring
RB’s exclusive ranking of the highest-grossing independent restaurants
Peter Romeo highlights the moments restaurateurs miss at their own peril
These 50 ideas go beyond what’s “cool” to deliver smart, trend-forward solutions that might just serve as an inspiration for others.


text:
British shirt maker Thomas Pink has won his infringement suit against the internationally known and loved brand Victoria’s Secret PINK. Famous for his high quality men’s and women’s shirts, Thomas Pink filed his case back in 2012 when the American brand began opening their PINK stores in the UK which we all know is targeted toward the younger, more fun and flirty girl. 29 more words
Tags » Victoria's Secret
The Victoria’s Secret babe Alessandra Ambrosio who stepped out in Brentwood, she was spotted with an icy cold coffee after her SoulCycle workout session.
Previously Alessandra posted a photo of her’sand a few of friends sunbathing topless over the weekend. 18 more words


text:
In just three years, Kylie Jenner has transformed her makeup line, Kylie Cosmetics, into an $800 million brand. Combine that with her reality television paycheck and social media endorsements, her net worth adds up to be around $900 million. According to Forbes, Jenner is expected to be the world’s youngest self-made billionaire at nearly 21 years old.
But is she really self-made?
There’s no denying that Kylie’s accomplishments are huge. To put her $900M wealth in perspective, her older sister Kim Kardashian West’s net worth is $350M. However, some argue that since she was born rich and is a member of one of America’s most famous families, she’s not actually self-made.
Does Forbes know what Self Made means? https://t.co/r9g3hSytR3— Kimberly Drew (@museummammy) July 11, 2018
erm. being born into extreme wealth & instant fame is the exact opposite of “self made” https://t.co/c9rZyx03Al— Franchesca Ramsey (@chescaleigh) July 11, 2018
Calling Kylie Jenner self-made without acknowledging anywhere the incredible headstart she had is what allows people to turn around and look at poor people and ask them why they haven’t become billionaires yet. Her story is not inspiring or motivating for anyone https://t.co/YMnTSzHlKP— L’Aquarius (@lauxla) July 11, 2018
Even the Dictionary weighed in on the issue.
Despite the critics, Kylie still has wide support from her fans.
Kylie Jenner did EXACTLY what she was supposed to do when you’re born rich. Use that wealth to generate your own. Now she’s the richest in her family 🤷🏾♂. We have to be the generation to lay the foundation for our kids so they can be better than us..— JustxDyl (@justxdyl) July 11, 2018
One passionate fan even set up a GoFundMe account to raise $100M to “get Kylie Jenner to a billion.”
What do you think about Kylie Jenner’s latest accomplishment? Do you think she is truly a self-made woman or do you think she had a boost from her family? Sound off in the comments!