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By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES In devising Ford Motor's (F) next family vehicle, designers didn't think McMansion. They thought urban loft.
That's because the car-like Edge, a new kid hauler that's critical to the financially troubled company, is 7 inches shorter and 367 pounds lighter than the Ford Explorer, the archetypal SUV that reigned last decade.
Designers wanted Edge to feel small on the outside, big on the inside and decidedly fresh, airy and hip.
PHOTOS: 'Small is beautiful'
Edge, and the next generation of vehicles like it, are the big hope of an auto industry that finds itself in a familiar situation. Car buyers, fearful of more gas price increases, are thinking small again. The last time that happened was in the 1980s, when motorists flocked to a horde of cheap small cars derided as econoboxes. Besides being bland, the cars carried no profit margins, wrecking automakers' bottom lines.
This time, automakers are pressuring their designers to come up with smaller vehicles that wow buyers — older and young, both families and singles, those with hefty disposable incomes as well as those on a budget. The designers are incorporating useful and desirable features, sculptured sheet metal and overall emotional appeal. The goal is make the small vehicles so sexy that that they'll sell for the same as or more than today's bigger sedans and SUVs.
"Small does not equate to cheap anymore," says General Motors (GM) interior design chief Dave Rand.
Though it may be smaller, Edge will have the same base price as Explorer, $25,995, when destination charges are thrown in. Edge arrives in showrooms by the end of the year.
Sure, SUVs powered Detroit profits until gas prices rose. But foreign automakers have shown that small cars can still make money.
"Sexy small cars like (BMW's) Mini have really caught on," says George Peterson, president of consultancy AutoPacific, which predicts the percentage of small cars sold will continue to rise through 2010. "There are buyers who are willing to pay a premium price for a small car because they are fun to drive" and have cachet.
Consider the cheapest Mini Cooper. It lists at $17,450, but by the time buyers add a higher performance model or options such as chrome trim ($250) or British racing green paint ($450), the price creeps up. The average price being paid for a new Mini Cooper as recently as September was $25,338, Power Information Network says.
But a hit such as the Mini doesn't come along every day. Designers are struggling to find the right size and features to attract customers who'll see value in smaller vehicles.
To make vehicles look big on the inside, designers are turning to lighter upholstery shades, more glass and other tactics that give the appearance of space. Just making the seats thinner can open up extra room, says Jerry Hirshberg, retired head of Nissan design in the USA.
To make them look small on the outside, designers play some visual tricks. Joel Piaskowski, Hyundai's designer, says that rounded corners make a car appear more compact. It also helps to push the wheels to the corners of the car.
Designers also have learned that a successful small car isn't just a downsized version of a larger one.
"In the '80s and late '70s, the idea was to take a big car and shrink it down," says Bruce Campbell, vice president of Nissan (NSANY) Design America. "Now when we start with fresh architecture, we do it right."
Just ask Chrysler's (DCX) design staff. They had a hit in the latest version of the Chrysler 300 sedan, a slab-sided car that took the hip-hop generation by storm. But when they tried to create a smaller version for the redesign of the Sebring, the translation proved too literal.
"I jokingly called it 'Mini-Me's limousine,' " says Chrysler designer Joe Dehner, a reference to the short-statured villain in the Austin Powers movies. Instead, the new Sebring was designed from the ground up.
How designers are trying to reach different segments with smaller vehicles:
They've been lured by bold design before. Volkswagen's New Beetle, Chrysler's PT Cruiser and Toyota's (TM) Scions have all gone on to small-car success.
Nissan hopes to have a similar hit in the redesigned Sentra compact. It aimed the car at twentysomethings who live on the run — to work, the gym, visiting friends. By following them around, Nissan designers learned that they need extra storage. "We heard things like, 'We have valuable stuff and no place to put it,' " Campbell says. They built in cubbyholes, such as a hidden compartment behind a folding rear seat.
Further catering to young buyers, designers are making sure their small vehicles have the latest audio features. In a Kia concept car called Soul, the audio system's components were prominently displayed, notes chief U.S. designer Tom Kearns. "Instead of trying to hide the equipment, we made it part of the design."
Likewise, Chrysler made a pair of tailgate speakers a big selling point for its new Dodge Caliber.
Families could be designers' toughest customers. Moving them from hulking SUVs into car-like crossovers won't be easy unless they can be convinced that smaller vehicles offer loads of space.
With two young kids and soccer teams to haul around, Steve Kempen, 35, of Kansas City, Mo., needs lots of space if he's going to trade in his minivan for a crossover. But he likes the idea: Crossovers "give you the versatility of an SUV without the gas costs."
To lure buyers such as Kempen, Ford's designers focused on giving the vehicle the feel of an urban loft to convey openness and airiness in a small package.
"We're beginning to see people changing their lives. We're seeing the end of the McMansion," says Patrick Schiavone, Ford's design chief for trucks, crossovers and SUVs. "There is a movement in cars as well as homes to smaller, better-appointed and environmentally friendly."
Ford made Edge taller and pushed the windshield out farther in front of the driver. The roof is translucent, allowing sunlight to pour in. "Not only does it get more space, but the feeling of more space," Schiavone says.
In envisioning Edge, the team was encouraged to think of stores such as home goods retailer Ikea and discounter Target, places buyers would typically hunt for stylish furnishings for a loft. They created an image board showing eye-catching items from the Milan Furniture Fair in Italy.
The loft idea made sense because the target buyers are young married couples in their early 30s.
But Ford also plans to show off customized versions of Edge at a car customizing trade show in Las Vegas next week. "It's not just a family vehicle. It's for young, hip people who are engaged in life," says Ford spokeswoman Whitney Drake.
With its CTS, GM's Cadillac showed that a domestic brand could compete in the entry-level luxury segment. In fact, CTS may change Detroit's thinking about luxury. "We don't rely on bigness to get across the idea of luxury," Rand says.
Building on the success of CTS' sharp-edged looks and powerful engine, Cadillac plans to focus on detail for the next generation, to be unveiled next year. Interior panels and seats will have a handcrafted look with more stitching in the leather inserts. The buttons and controls will be more "like a decorative piece of jewelry," says spokesman David Caldwell.
Other designers agree that details — fancy seats or paint colors — will make a difference in attracting buyers to pay upscale prices for small cars. "We believe the whole trend that small is beautiful," says J Mays, Ford's chief designer. "Small doesn't have to equal cheap."


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Drivers of change in our operating environment
Climate change is the most impactful megatrend in our operating environment. The goal of the Paris agreement on climate change is to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. The EU is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, compared with 1990. The United States is aiming to reduce emissions by 50%, compared with 2005. Both the EU and the United States are aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.
Time for solutions
Citizens and political decision-makers want solutions. Terrafame is a provider of solutions.
Emissions from transport must be addressed, because transport is a major source of emissions. According to the European Parliament, transport generates around 30% of the EU’s carbon dioxide emissions. More than 70% of the emissions generated by transport come from road transport. This is why political decision-makers in many countries have strongly promoted electric motoring.
The automotive industry has responded quickly to the expectations of consumers and legislators. Many car manufacturers have announced that they will completely abandon combustion engines after a transition period. In addition, numerous manufacturers have entered the electric car market from outside the traditional automotive industry. For example, there are around 500 electric car manufacturers in China.
Increased awareness among citizens and decision-makers has significantly accelerated electric car sales.
Sustainability spells success
The increase in electric car sales drives demand for batteries, which offers many opportunities for battery chemicals produced by Terrafame.
There is also another strong market trend that favours Terrafame: the growing significance of sustainability. Customers and investors are increasingly interested in companies’ sustainability. The EU taxonomy affects financiers’ decisions.
As the only major manufacturer of battery chemicals in the European Union, Terrafame can offer its customers a small carbon footprint and a transparent supply chain. Its climate impacts are the lowest in the industry, thanks to a unique bioleaching method that consumes considerably less energy than conventional methods.
Its production chain is transparent, because the mine and the battery chemicals plant operate on the same industrial site.
Nickel improves battery performance
Drivers expect their electric cars to have longer ranges. Nickel is a key raw material in increasing battery performance, and its share in batteries has grown rapidly. This has strengthened Terrafame’s position in the competition, because the company has the largest nickel reserves in Europe.
Facts about the electric car market
*Source: Rho Motion

domain: news


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Ryan Howard, who was ousted as CEO of Practice Fusion last August over differences in strategy with the board, has launched a new startup called iBeat. He's currently raising seed funding.
iBeat is a watch fitted with sensors that monitor heart rate and relay the data to a cloud platform. Howard wants to sell it directly to consumers. He’s betting that baby boomers facing mortality--even those without known heart issues, will buy the device to prevent death from cardiac arrest.
Like many healthcare entrepreneurs, Howard formed the startup because of personal experience. He was devastated by the loss of a childhood friend, who was only 40 when he passed away suddenly in his sleep last November. “Dying in my sleep is one of my mortal fears,” says Howard, who’s 41.
Still nursing his wounds from losing his job at Practice Fusion, a provider of cloud-based electronic health records, he'd sworn off healthcare. “I promised myself never to do something in healthcare again,” he says—an astonishing admission from an entrepreneur who was set on disrupting a stodgy industry.
Howard was on the verge of shutting down Practice Fusion when the HITECH Act, which provides incentives to purchase EHRs, revived it in 2009. Investors poured money into the startup. Howard signed up more than 100,000 medical personnel, who got the software for free. But generating revenue is a long slog in healthcare. Closing deals with paying customers, such as insurers, can take a year.
In 2014, following the launch of Apple’s HealthKit, Howard was skeptical of wearables, and a small Practice Fusion survey showed that only 15% of patients were asking their doctors about incorporating data from fitness trackers or health apps into their medical records.
The iBeat watch is different from the more than half dozen wrist-based heart monitors geared to fitness, or the ones that sync with Apple and Android phones, and can be shared with doctors. The self-charging iBeat watch, which Howard says will cost under $200, comes with a service. For a monthly fee, yet undisclosed, a full-time dispatch team at iBeat contacts emergency medical services if sensors signal cardiac arrest. The watch’s GPS provides location.
Howard is currently testing the monitoring system on 1,000 people before the product’s launch early next year. It is not a diagnostic tool, and he has no immediate plans to track heart rhythm abnormalities, such as atrial fibrillation, which would require FDA approval. AliveCor does. It sells an FDA-approved electrocardiogram device/app for smartphones for $99; consumers can share recordings with their doctor. An EKG band for the Apple Watch is pending FDA approval.
Although selling directly to consumers is not any easier than selling, say, to payers, a recent Rock Health study pointed at opportunities. Quantified-selfers are no longer a fringe movement. It also turns out that wearables which end up in a drawer after six months are typically presents, and therefore less motivational than buying one’s own Fitbit. For Baby Boomers, the specter of cardiac arrest should presumably motivate them enough to buy an iBeat.


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A Kosher Winery Grows in Berkeley
on 03/04/14 at 9:42 amWine
Jeff Morgan’s story is one best told over a glass of wine — preferably a robust cabernet by Covenant, the kosher wine company he has co-owned for more than a decade. A roving jazz musician and writer turned vintner, Morgan has spent most of the past 10 years working with California vineyards and wineries to produce some of the top kosher cabernet sauvignons, chardonnays and sauvignon blancs on the market. This year, the longtime wine nomad is settling into new digs: his first permanent winery in Berkeley.
For years, Morgan rented out production space at other wineries, knowing that he ultimately wanted a space of his own. “We looked around and just could not find anything in Napa that made sense financially,” he said. It turned out to be a fortunate problem to have.
Last year, his wife and business partner, Jodie, suggested a different idea: moving Covenant’s operations south, to the Bay Area. The company’s associate winemaker was already commuting to the winery every day from Oakland (“a real schlep,” Morgan said). More to the point, the Morgans craved a vibrant Jewish life that Napa could not provide.
While driving through downtown Berkeley last fall, they spotted a 7,000-square-foot metal warehouse marked with a “For Sale” sign. They stopped the car. Within minutes, Morgan was envisioning how he might outfit the space with wine tanks and barrels — then he noticed a large empty plot of land next door.
On closer inspection, he found a poster attached to the fence. It announced the plot as the new home of Urban Adamah — a Jewish educational farm that launched in Berkeley in 2010. “A kosher winery right across the street from a Jewish organic cultural center!” Morgan recalled, excitedly. “We could do events together and give them our organic grape skins and seeds to compost. It would be one happy family.”
Covenant’s winery, which will enable the company to increase annual production over the next five years to 10,000 cases from 5,000, is scheduled to be up and running in time for the 2014 fall grape harvest. Most of this space will be devoted to wine making, with a small section reserved for a tasting room, offices and a dairy kitchen. “You can’t have wine without cheese,” Morgan said. The Morgans, meanwhile, put their Victorian farmhouse in Napa on the market (“We love it, but it happens to not be in Berkeley,” Morgan joked) and are relocating to the East Bay.


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Last week, clypd announced the industry’s first Application Programming Interface (API) for programmatic television advertising. The API marks a milestone in the landscape of television advertising towards bringing an automated, data-driven solution to the way television advertising is bought and sold, and BrightRoll is on board. Through this collaboration with clypd, BrightRoll will integrate linear and set-top-box VOD capabilities into the BrightRoll platform allowing clients to buy inventory from television providers like Cox, DISH and others. The API will allow for the automation of the full campaign workflow, from planning and targeting to execution, delivery, and reporting. Further details regarding the announcement can be found in the press release from clypd or in this article from ADWEEK, which features a quote from our VP of Business Development, Brent Horowitz: “The world of TV and digital advertising are colliding and major players in programmatic video are investing in technology to enable cross-screen execution—but there’s still a long way to go before standards, workflow and measurement allow buyers and sellers to transact across screens.”
We believe the power of video transcends screens and it will soon be table stakes for any major platform in the video advertising world to allow buyers and sellers to transact against inventory across screens, including traditional linear TV. BrightRoll is taking a leadership role to align digital and TV advertising in order to make linear TV inventory easy to buy, deliver and measure across all video ad campaigns. To reach this goal, BrightRoll is collaborating with a number of key companies and organizations across the broader ecosystem, including the IAB, SCTE, CIMM and others.


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New Delhi: EEPC India on Wednesday sought easing of GST refund rules to reduce difficulties faced by engineering exporters in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The engineering exporters body brought out the issue of procedural bottlenecks that have resulted in denial of GST refunds in the absence of flexibility of rules.
In a presentation before the BoT meeting presided over by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, EEPC India Chairman Mahesh Desai said: “We are also facing immense working capital blockage problems due to enactment or operation of ‘Rule 96(10) of the CGST Rules’.”
Under the said rule, exporters are barred from making transactions in specific manner, for availing of the GST refunds under the IGST regime.
“But the same is causing great hardship. More importantly, this provision is causing hindrance to the promotion of exports which cannot be the policy of our government,” said Desai.
“Flexibility in the hands of exporters cannot be taken away on account of procedural issues.”
In other submissions before the BoT, the EEPC India Chairman said the ‘Remission of Duties and Taxes and Exported Products’ (RoDTEP) rate should be announced at the earliest so that it is possible for exporters to factor in the benefits from January 1, 2021.
According to Desai, RodTep of minimum 3 per cent should be given to all engineering products made from iron & steel so that, as and when higher rates are announced, they can have higher RodTep.
As it is, the incidence of duties and taxes is much higher at 7 per cent and above, he said.
On higher cost of borrowing, Desai said banks should charge the “repo rate plus 2.2 per cent” and the same should be notified by the Reserve Bank of India for rupee export credit.


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LONDON, UK – Global e-commerce sales more than doubled to reach US$2 trillion in 2019 and are set to increase again to US$3.4 trillion by 2024, according to global market research company Euromonitor International.
“The growth of e-commerce across the global retail environment can’t be ignored. As more businesses go online to find their consumers, this creates unprecedented opportunities to gain deeper, actionable and real-time insights into their product assortment and pricing mix at a category, brand owner, brand and individual product level” comments Lee Linthicum, research director at Euromonitor International.
By tracking over 15 million stock keeping units (SKUs) across consumer goods industries globally, Via - a new pricing intelligence solution developed by Euromonitor International, will help organisations highlight price changes and discounting activities, benchmark against competitors, and inform investment decisions by providing context to an ever-challenging e-commerce environment.
“This product launch marks Euromonitor International’s move into the tactical data space, combining over 45 years of industry research expertise with advanced data science and AI techniques” concludes Mike Jozwik, vice president of consulting at Euromonitor International.
For more information about Via and its capabilities, register to our upcoming webinar.
For the Americas and EMEA region: http://bit.ly/2Np9ynZ
For the APAC region: https://bit.ly/2tAc6s0
– ENDS –
For further information, please contact:
Senior Communications Executive - Euromonitor International
Tel: +971 4 372 4363
About Euromonitor International
Euromonitor International is the world’s leading provider for global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights. From local to global and tactical to strategic, our research solutions support decisions on how, where and when to grow your business. Find the right report, database or custom solution to validate priorities, redirect assumptions and uncover new opportunities. With offices around the world, analysts in over 100 countries, the latest data science techniques and market research on every key trend and driver, we help you make sense of global markets.


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Peter Thiel’s Valar Venture leads $52M Series A funding in European cryptocurrency exchange startup Bitpanda
The story of BitPanda is one of the most fascinating stories in fintech startups. In 2013, three Austrian digital currency enthusiasts had problems with buying Bitcoins within the European Union. With all the government regulations surrounding buying and selling Bitcoin at the time, it was difficult to find an EU-compliant cryptocurrency marketplace. So instead of complaining about the problem, they decided to solve it. Their solution to this problem led to BitPanda, Europe’s leading digital currency platform.
BitPanda is a great example of how a gap in the market could be solved when an entrepreneurial mindset is mixed with talent and eagerness to understand not just a niche market, but the legislation as well. Bitpanda was later founded in 2014 by Eric Demuth, Paul Klanschek, and Christian Trummer. The startup has since grown into Europe’s leading trading platform for Bitcoin, Ethereum, IOTA, and more with over 900.000 users and more than than 160 team members.
Today, BitPanda announced it has secured $52 million in a round led by Peter Thiel’s Valar Venture and other fintech investors including Speedinves, and others. BitPanda said it will use the fund to drive its expansion and transform Europe’s financial industry, an important step for us to realize its ambitious plans.
In addition, BitPanda will also use the funding proceeds to bring its platform and all our services to a new level as it plans to launch new, industry-leading products, including a completely new and innovative way of stock trading early next year.
In a blog post on its website, BitPanda Co-founder and CEO Eric Demuth said:
“Our focus is currently on expansion, as we have made our way to countries like France, Spain and Turkey since the beginning of this year. We plan to keep on growing in more European countries during this year and, in 2021, bring financial empowerment across borders and secure a new sense of financial culture. Innovative and dynamic tech calls for high-calibre talent to support growth; if there is any question as to what this looks like, 70+ new team members is a good hint, with Bitpanda’s size increasing to more than 300 team members by the end of 2020 and continuing to rapidly scale thereafter.”
Based in Vienna, Austria, Bitpanda’s mission is to be the key driving force in the ongoing FinTech revolution by providing easy-to-use, safe and trustworthy access to any digital assets for both new and experienced users.


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Jeep’s 2022 Wagoneer will have Amazon Fire TV built in
The upcoming Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are set to be formally revealed on March 11th, but Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis, has given a preview by announcing the new Amazon integration today.
Amazon’s software will be accessible from both the main display and rear seat screens. (Jeep says a privacy filter will prevent the driver from watching Prime Video content while driving, although they’ll be able to watch when the cars are parked.)
Fire TV for Auto is designed to work alongside Uconnect 5, with added support for Amazon’s…


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Vitamin D might not be all it’s cracked up to be.
A new study published Thursday in The Lancet - Diabetes & Endocrinology asserts the supplement does not play a serious role in reducing the risk of diseases or fractures. The findings conclude that any future studies on the vitamin are futile.
“So there seems little justification currently for prescribing vitamin D to prevent heart attack, stroke, cancer, or fractures in otherwise healthy people living in the community,” lead researcher Mark Bolland of the University of Auckland told the Globe and Mail.
Vitamin D has long been thought of as a cure-all for a host of diseases and disorders, including heart disease, stroke, cerebrovascular disease, cancer and fractures. But the latest study, which reviewed data from 40 previous studies on the effectiveness of vitamin D, shows that "healthy people are very unlikely to get a benefit from it," Bolland told USA Today.
This isn’t the first study to question the effects of vitamin D. Last year, a study published in the Lancet also conducted by Bolland found that vitamin D did not reduce the risk of osteoporosis. A separate study published in December by French researchers found that the vitamin did not lower disease rates.
“Existing evidence does not lend support to the commonly held belief that vitamin D supplementation in general prevents osteoporosis, fractures and non-skeletal diseases,” Karl Michaelsson, a professor of orthopedics at Uppsala University in Sweden, said in a comment accompanying the article.
The new study focused on randomized trials where people were given vitamin D or placebo pills and followed to see if their health changed. The results showed that giving people vitamin D did not prevent heart attacks, strokes or cancer or reduce the risk of bone fractures equivalent to 15 percent. The study also concluded there was “uncertainty as to whether vitamin D with or without calcium reduces the risk of death."
Michael Holick, a professor of medicine at Boston University and proponent for vitamin D, disagrees with the study’s findings. He says the studies' administered doses were too low to garner accurate results. Instead of 200 to 400 international units (IU) a day, he believes higher doses, such as such as 2,000 IU a day, will show the supplement’s benefits.
It's unknown if the vitamin D industry – which makes $600 million a year -- will be affected.
"The debate is likely to continue," Michaëlsson said. "The impression that vitamin D is a sunshine vitamin and that increasing doses lead to improved health is far from clear."


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Logistics-technology startup Freightwalla has raised $4 million (approximately Rs 28.30 crore at current exchange rates) in its Series A funding round from a clutch of investors.
Venture capital firms such as the US-based Amplo, FJ Labs and Rogue One Capital participated in the funding round. Existing investors such as Kae Capital and Tekton Ventures also contributed to the round, Freightwalla said in a statement.
Sanjay Bhatia, co-founder and chief executive officer at Freightwalla, said the latest funds will be used for geographical expansion and enhance the technological infrastructure. “Since the last round of funding we have witnessed a nine-time growth in our volumes, eight-time growth in revenue and a five-time growth in our team size,” he said.
Company co-founder and chief executive officer Sanjay Bhatia said the Series A funds will be used to expand Freightwalla’s geographical reach as well as upgrade its technological infrastructure. “Since the last round of funding we have witnessed a nine-time growth in our volumes, eight-time growth in revenue and a five-time growth in our team size,” Bhatia said.
Separately, Sheel Tyle, founder and CEO at Amplo, said the firm was confident in its investment in Freightwalla because of its being well-positioned to bring “price visibility and shipping accuracy” to importers and exporters of Indian cargo.
Freightwalla, operated by BTJ Logistics Pvt. Ltd, was founded by Sanjay Bhatia, Bharat Tanvi and Punit Java in 2017. The firm says it runs a full-stack digital platform that lets businesses plan, book and manage their international freight shipments online.
Mumbai-based Freightwalla says its platform helps in minimising operational errors, reduce overall logistics costs and the time taken for freight to ship.
It currently covers door-to-door movements in western India, and its clients hail from a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, engineering and manufacturing, textiles and food and agricultural products.
In 2018, Freightwalla raised an undisclosed sum from venture capital firms Kae Capital and San Francisco-based Tekton Ventures. At the time, it said it would use the capital to push sales, improve operations and to further develop its technology platform.
Deals in the logistics-technology segment
Investor interest in the logistics-technology segment has increased in recent months as startups seek to provide new-age services at scale and affordable prices.
Last month, reports said Blackbuck raised Rs 56 crore (around $7.83 million) in mixed equity and debt funding round from venture debt fund Trifecta Capital. Blackbuck’s board has approved allotting Trifecta 322 Series D compulsorily convertible preference shares and 500 Series A non-convertible debentures.
In the same month, Info Edge (India) Ltd, which owns and operates portals such as job site Naukri.com, led a pre-Series A funding round in the digital logistics platform Shipsy. The Gurugram-based Shipsy said in a statement that it would use the funds for its sales and marketing efforts, and broadening the product offerings under its exporter-importer platform.
In May, logistics management startup Locus raised $22 million (around Rs 196 crore) in its Series B funding round led by Falcon Edge Capital and Tiger Global Management LLC.


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Fans and press clenched their phones in anticipation of Teyana Taylor‘s new mixtape, “The Cassette Tape 1994” on August 10th. To many fans dismay, G.O.O.D Music postponed the release of Tey’s project. She took to twitter to let fans know of the label interference. Teyana ended up releasing at 12 a.m. Fans took to Twitter and IG to congratulate her on such a wonderful piece of nostalgia. G.O.O.D’s first lady seems to have revived a 90s-esque R&B sound (which fans of music have been craving) with the five track EP. “1994 Cassette” is available on iTunes & Android. Listen below.
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Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
, London, said it is selling London-based worldwide Adidas agency Leagas Delaney to its management for $6.7 million. The deal includes AMV BBDO
's 30% stake in Leagas Delaney's U.S. operation, launched in San Francisco in 1996 primarily to service its global Adidas business, now worth $100 million. AMV BBDO said the disposal was driven by Leagas Delaney's push for international expansion. Leagas Delaney opened offices in Barcelona, Paris and Rome at the end of last year. The sale is to close April 7.
Copyright March 1998, Crain Communications Inc.


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Instead of teddy bears, today’s kids sleep with their smartphones tucked into bed with them. A recent story about children being addicted to smartphones in USA TODAY highlights a growing concern for parents — kids who exhibit signs of addiction when it comes to their phones.
The 11-year-old girl in South Korea highlighted in the USA TODAY story is almost constantly connected to her smartphone. She writes messages to her friends and even takes time to “feed” a digital hamster.
Her story is not uncommon. Parents of children with smartphones know it can be a challenge to get their kids to take a break.
Common Sense Media, an organization that works to improve the lives of kids and families through technology and media education, conducted a study asking teens about their attachment to their mobile devices. The results showed 41% of teens said they’re “addicted to their mobile device.”
“What we’re hearing from teens is that they do wish they could unplug and they wish their lives weren’t so emeshed with digital and social media,” Common Sense Media’s Parenting Editor Caroline Knorr told Mashable. “We need parents to hear that message. Teens are really asking for their parents to model good behavior and set limits on social media.
“Parents need to remember they’re kid’s role models in the digital age,” she says. Kids are modeling their parent’s behaviors when it comes to how often they check their gadgets and social media accounts.
“It’s really hard for teens to set limits on themselves,” she says, adding that for teens in particular, any social activity is extremely important to them.
Parents should set limits and talk about responsible usage before giving their children smartphones. One tip Knorr offers parents with digitally obsessed kids is to have them charge their phone in their parent’s bedroom every night and tell them they can have the phone back in the morning.
“The ultimate goal is you want to help your kid regulate his or her own usage,” Knorr said.
If parents notice their child is only happy when they’re using their cellphone, or if their child is upset because their smartphone gets in the way of accomplishing other activities — those are signs of addiction and parents need to intervene, she says. The first step would be to talk to your pediatrician.
“There are a lot of Internet sites that promise help for all kinds of technology addictions, but the best way to proceed if you’re feeling there is a problem — start with your doctor who can give an assessment.”
We know excessive smartphone use is something to be monitored and aware of, since smartphone addiction is real — although according to psychology manuals, more research is needed.
For today’s kids, life before modern technology is difficult to imagine. Conversely, adults remember a time when there was greater balance between real life and screen time — and even for us, taking a break from our devices is difficult.
Do you worry your kids use their smartphones obsessively? Tell us in the comments.
Source: Mashable, Kate Freeman


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The U.S. merchandise-trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed to the lowest in more than a year as imports plummeted, signaling the impact of tariffs on shipments. The gap decreased to $66.5 billion in October from $70.5 billion the prior month, Census Bureau data showed Tuesday. That compared with forecasts of a widening to $71 billion. Exports of goods eased to $135.3 billion, down $0.9 billion from September. Imports dropped to a two-year low of $201.8 billion.
The US trade deficit actually recently recorded its first rise in four months. Prior to this, the narrowing largely should stemmed from increases in agricultural exports. Farmers, in anticipation of new tariffs, particularly on soybean products, imposed by China had rushed to ensure the completion of new trade contracts prior to their introduction.


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Online giant eBay.co.uk is altering its fee structure to encourage more High Street retailers to sell through its website.
The auction specialist has done away with Gallery costs, improved its Buy It Now service and cut up-front listing fees, in an initiative designed to reduce the risk for retailers. eBay will instead take a larger cut from items sold, which the firm hopes will persuade indies to sell more stock online.
eBay connects buyers and sellers,” said eBay UK’s director of marketplace Clare Gilmartin. Alongside the magic of auction-style sales, buyers increasingly want the convenience of shopping for great value, often new, items at a fixed-price, and that is fuelling a big growth in the number of large and small sellers using eBay in this way.
The improvements will remove barriers for sellers, so they can make the most of this opportunity and offer even more goods for sale on eBay. That means even greater choice for buyers, and in turn, greater success for sellers.”
eBay has estimated that 178,000 people in the UK are earning a living by running a business on the site. And the firm feels these new changes are ideally suited to retailers in need of clearing stock.
The changes to eBay’s service are set to take place on Wednesday September 24th.


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Andy Rubin has just announced a new phone from his new start-up: Essential.
Being unveiled by the new start-up Essential, Andy Rubin’s new company, the Android device is intended be a direct competition to top smartphones from Apple and Samsung. The phone has been unveiled after months of teasing.
The screen takes up the whole front of the device. There is a slight curve on the top which houses the front-facing camera, and some bezel at the bottom. Other than that, it’s all taken up by the massive 5.7 inch screen. In fact, the screen is bigger than the current iPhone 7 Plus’ screen, which is 5.5 inches.
The back of the phone is modular, that is, you can attach any accessories you want. There are magnetic connectors which will let you attach accessories such as a 360-degree camera. These can be ordered alongside the phone.
The phone comes with 128GB of internal storage, 4GB of RAM, and a Qualcomm 835 processor. There are four colours to choose from: ‘Black Moon’, ‘Stellar Grey’, ‘Pure White’, and ‘Ocean Depths’. The casing is made out of titanium and ceramic, so the phone will surely have a premium feel to it. The front facing camera is an 8MP camera, while the back camera is a 13MP camera. Both cameras are able to shoot 4K video.
At the moment, the phone may only be bought from the United States, and prices start at $699 without the 360-degree camera. If you are tempted to importing the phone to Malta via a service such as Maltapost’s sendOn, you will be looking at around €800 to €900 with shipping and taxes.
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Brokers join Railtrack battle
STOCKBROKERS Charles Stanley, Brewin Dolphin, Hargreaves Landsdowne and Killik & Co have joined City institutions in their fight with the Government over its decision to put Railtrack into administration.
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During the Samsung Media Day event held in Seoul today, the President of Mobile Business, Koh Dong-Jin was asked about the possibility of a foldable Galaxy device, and when such a project would come to fruition.
The Android 8.0 Oreo comes along with astounding features. Only two colors are available as of now. The phone is available in two different colours: Midnight Black, and Maple Gold. Most probably, the UX ought to be Samsung Experience 8.1.
It has been reported that the on-the-air update already arrived in Russia and Samsung Galaxy A5 owners have already posted videos online with their upgrade.
Despite this fact, many have shown a great deal of interest in adopting the Galaxy Note 8. Other features include a dedicated Bixby button, to access Samsung virtual assistant. For one, Apple is rumored to bring in a number of long overdue features that iPhone users have long begged the company for. The OTA update weighing nearly 1.4GB is gradually taking a round over India. According to an Associated Press report, Samsung mobile chief told reporters that a Galaxy Note phone with a bendable screen will be coming out in 2018.
"Galaxy Note8 with its stunning Infinity Display, enhanced S Pen and a true Dual Camera, is designed for those who want to do bigger things". So, it could be that the phone will get above budget level price.
In terms of specifications, the Note 8 features a 6.3- inch screen with 'Infinity Display'.
There is 64GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 256GB via a MicroSD card slot.
Now, for the additional Rs 2,000 that you pay for the Galaxy Note 8, you get a dual-camera featuring twin 12-megapixel sensors with optical image stabilization (OIS) - one is a wide-angle lens with aperture f/1.7, whereas other is a telephoto lens with aperture f/2.4. Both smartphones also support fast charging technology and wireless fast charging facility and wireless charging technology. Connectivity options are - Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, USB Type-C, NFC, and GPS.
"The Galaxy S8 has helped catapult our share in the premium segment to 68 per cent in value terms (as per GfK data)".


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China Unicom plans to charge 2,500 yuan, or roughly $366, for the 8GB iPhone 3G when it launches the device in China, according to a new report. Chinese-language cnBeta reports (Translated Link) that the company will be offering that price with a two-year contract agreement, at a minimum monthly rate of 186 yuan, or roughly $27.
Based on numbers reported in an earlier article, this would place the iPhone 3G below the cost of most high-end phones on the Chinese market, but above the cost of non-smartphones; the monthly charge would be roughly four to five times current average monthly service fees. The report also suggests that pricing could possibly be adjusted before the official announcement, and does not offer any specifics on whether 16GB or 32GB models will be offered.
According to a Reuters report, an official announcement regarding the Apple and China Unicom deal could come as soon as tomorrow..


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- 16% of SA's population under 35 have funeral cover, but half of them don’t know what a unit trust is, a study on 'millennials and their money' has found.
- Irrelevant financial products like insurance are aggressively pushed on young people, crowding out investment products.
South Africans under 35 tend to be educated, tech-savvy, and optimistic. Yet 47% of this group has no idea what a unit trust is, according to a study by Old Mutual.
At the same time, although their risk of death is relatively low, 16% of the same group hold funeral insurance policies.
South Africans under 35 make up 7.1 million of the country's workforce. Those who engage in credit-related activity end up on databases targeted by service providers targeting the middle and lower-income segments. The funeral insurance industry is among the most aggressive of those.
“Financial service providers actually start pouncing on the youth with financial products in their final years of study because they know that they can repay them soon after entering the labour market, says Visoni Luneta, a young participant in the study.
Only one in four South Africans under 35 have a unit trust. The remainder tend to save for specific purposes rather than invest: 37% are saving towards a holiday, 32% towards a car, and only 31% towards retirement.
'Financial and investment firms also need to reconsider how they sell long-term investment products to young economic participants," says personal finance coach Mapalo Makhu of the firm Woman & Finance.
Firms should listen more to the needs of young potential clients and come up with an investment vehicle that is better suited to them instead of rushing to close deals by making them sign up for futile and arbitrary products, she says.
- Uber just bought an online restaurant ordering system part owned by Mark Shuttleworth
- This is what beer costs in every province – and the Western Cape and Gauteng are by far the most expensive
- McDonald's can reference dead popstar Prince – who was an outspoken vegan – to sell burgers, the ASA says
- Castle says it isn’t taking Ashwin Willemse’s side with its new label-free beer. But it is worried about the race debate in SA.
- Bread prices are falling as South Africans switch back to pap


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Shopping centre welcomes new names to bolster fashion, wellbeing and food offer
Shopping site The Trafford Centre has welcomed a range of new retailers.
The new openings include the North West-based fashion retailer Forever Unique, luxury cosmetics brand Rituals, Manchester-born burger and shakes chain Archie’s and the launch of US-based Slim Chickens.
The bricks and mortar launch of women’s occasion wear retailer Forever Unique has seen the Manchester e-commerce brand sign for a unit near Selfridges on the upper mall.
The rapidly growing retailer was founded by husband and wife team Seema and Sandeep Malhotra 10 years ago.
The company has since grown rapidly as an online-first brand, successfully breaking into international fashion markets and securing stockist partnerships in more than two dozen countries.
The Trafford Centre is expecting a boom in wellbeing purchases this year as consumers look towards post-pandemic treats, with Kantar suggesting good value holistic care as a key retail theme for 2021.
Luxury cosmetics and home brand Rituals has also joined the Trafford Centre and will cater to this wellbeing trend as consumers seek mood boosting personal care products. The brand has taken up a 1,500 sq ft unit located close to the main dome near Selfridges.
As for new eateries, local Manchester brand Archie’s has taken a 6,500 sq ft unit in the upper level of The Orient, and Slim Chickens, which focuses on Southern US hospitality to deliver a fast casual dining experience, has agreed a lease on a 3,500 sq ft space in The Great Hall for its first restaurant in the north of the UK.
Having opened late last year, Archie’s and Slim Chickens have joined other eateries in The Orient, Europe’s largest food court, and will be providing deliveries and click and collect services during lockdown and until normal service is resumed.
Nick Williams, senior director-CBRE, The Trafford Centre asset manager, said: “As one of the UK’s most popular retail and leisure destinations, The Trafford Centre continues to enhance the vibrant mix of brands available to its visitors to reflect consumer trends and create opportunities for emerging brands to reach a wider audience.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome these new brands and look forward to our visitors enjoying their unique offerings.”
Nick added: “Across the retail and F&B (food and beverage) categories, we’ve seen some exciting additions to the centre’s brand line up this year from both regional and internationally recognised brands. These signings demonstrate confidence in the long term outlook for The Trafford Centre as we look forward to 2021 and beyond.”
Founders of Forever Unique, Seema, star of the Real Housewives of Cheshire, and her husband Sandeep Malhotra, said: “Over the last 12 years our main priority has been to successfully expand into new markets and raise the profile of the brand.
“Our goal is to explore new and innovative ways to engage a wider market, allowing consumers more diverse ways to shop and interact with Forever Unique and we’ve seen increased demand for accessible ways to shop, so we’re excited to be offering a store at The Trafford Centre where customers can physically see and shop the product in a more intimate retail experience.”
Cushman and Wakefield advised The Trafford Centre on retail leasing and Metis Real Estate Advisors on food, beverage and leisure leasing.


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Woolworths and Coles have removed more limits on some items as shoppers return to their normal habits.
The supermarket giants were forced to impose strict limits on many items during the coronavirus crisis as Australians stripped shelves bare.
Woolworths will now raise the limit on toilet paper from Wednesday from one packet to four while Coles has removed its limit completely.
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Woolworths has lifted all limits on pasta, frozen vegetables, tissues, baby wipes, baked beans, canned spaghetti, paper towels and disposable gloves.
A limit of two products remain for eggs, flour, sugar, pasta sauce, handwash, cleaners and disinfectants.
Coles has retained a two product limit on pasta, flour, dry rice, eggs, frozen vegetables, frozen desserts, sugar, tinned tomatoes, liquid soap and anti-bacterial wipes.
Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director Claire Peters says they are pleased to be able to ease more of their product limits.
“This is a positive sign following weeks of hard work from our teams, customers and significant support from our suppliers in meeting this unprecedented demand,” Ms Peters said.
“We are now in a position where our customers will see better product availability across the categories that have been challenged by the increased demand over the past two months.”
Ms Peters says it will still take some time before supermarkets return to full supply, with some products still unavailable from time to time.
Coles also says it’s glad to be able to make these changes.
“(We) expect to remove further limits as customer demand continues to stabilise and more categories see supply levels return to normal,” a Coles spokesperson said.
“We are grateful for the efforts of our suppliers to deliver significantly increased volumes to meet the recent unexpected surge in customer demand.


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Rare’s GoldenEye 007 remains one of the most memorable shooters of all time, and according to the latest rumors, an exciting update of the game will soon be making its way to not only Xbox, but Nintendo consoles.
That’s according to VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb, who claimed in the latest episode of his GrubbSnax show last week that the heavily rumored GoldenEye 007 remaster is gearing up for an official release and should be announced quite soon. The shooter has had a bit of an interesting history due to the IP and how Rare was previously under the house of Nintendo before switching to Microsoft, but the companies have reportedly come to an agreement that will allow GoldenEye 007 to resurface on Xbox and Nintendo consoles as part of a new HD edition.
Adding credibility to the report is an achievement list for GoldenEye 007 that was published by True Achievements last month. According to that list, GoldenEye 007 is set to feature 55 awards for a possible 1,000 GamerScore.
GrubbSnax 33: Nintendo Direct (February 2022) (Giant Bomb)
- The big question, and this one, I think is not too surprising, it didn’t show up [at the Nintendo Direct], but GoldenEye 007. I think that Microsoft is going to be the one to announce that first because GoldenEye 007 is a cooperative agreement between Nintendo, Microsoft, and MGM. Under Microsoft, it’s obviously developer Rare who made the game.
- This was, like, a long-time deal […] where all these companies were working together, and then, they got the game pretty much ready to go for a remaster on [Xbox 360], and then Nintendo kind of pulled the rug out from everyone and said, “Actually, we don’t want this game showing up anywhere but on a Nintendo console.” And so, nothing really happened with it.
- Now it seems like Nintendo and Microsoft are pretty buddy-buddy. They realize they’re not directly competing. They’re finding reasons to put their characters in other games. We got Banjo-Kazooie in Smash obviously. […] We have Rare games in Nintendo Switch Online. And so, I think what we can expect is, as part of getting those Rare games on Nintendo Switch Online, they’ve come to this agreement about GoldenEye. And, I just think that this also means that Microsoft is going to come out and announce it first, coming to Xbox, Game Pass, and then Nintendo will say, “We’ve also got it coming to the Switch.” Or they’ll say it at the same time, it will be a joint announcement. I think this game is still probably coming pretty soon. Next couple of weeks.
GoldenEye 007 Xbox achievements leak points to new port (Eurogamer)
- The achievement list, which was scooped off Microsoft’s servers by True Achievements, includes 55 new awards and 1000 Gamerscore for completing the game’s campaign and playing its various multiplayer modes.
- Achievement artwork even includes screenshots from the classic James Bond shooter.
- While developed by Rare, the messy rights situation surrounding GoldenEye 007 has long held back the game from being officially ported.


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Subway: sandwich franchise celebrates 20 years in Oz
Back in the days of great Aussie foods (think Chiko rolls, meat pies and Vegemite sandwiches) an American style sandwich gave Australians an alternative — and one which was to capture the idea of a fresh and customised sandwich. Subway was born in Australia thanks to an entrepreneurial dream of a local franchisee who opened the first Subway store in Perth in 1988.
It might not have gone off with a bang due to early consumer scepticism but the Subway sandwich soon attracted a core base of loyal supporters, “meeting their needs for a healthier lifestyle”, says Brian Tap, the regional director responsible for the Australian and New Zealand business.
Like any brand establishment it was a slow process. But there was explosive growth in the early 2000s, “once we had opened over 130 stores” he says. It was around this time that a shift in market perception saw the fresh and healthy offering enter the mainstream. And because Subway had achieved a higher level of visibility with more stores, purchasing a healthier sandwich just became more convenient. It took 10 years to get people aware,” says Tap. “More stores support growth.”
How times have changed
Australia was the first to hit 1000 stores outside of North America. “WeÍll open 80 stores this year and that growth rate is our target for a few years,” Tap reveals. I started in 1998 in operations in Queensland and there was no regional office for 10 years. We set them up here first when the Queensland territory was taken back by the company, and they needed an office.
As regional director he reports to the international director and the Australian business is conducted in a license agreement. Now the distinctive brand accounts for 14 per cent of visits by Australians to a quick service restaurant (QSR) and is the third highest and growing, behind McDonalds and KFC, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, 17th September, 2008.
It is the product that has been the key business driver over the past 20 years, distinguishing itself in its field as the healthy choice on the go. A Research International study conducted in October 2007 confirmed this positioning, with Subway found to be the number one healthy QSR in the minds of Australian consumers.
Tap acknowledges that the obesity epidemic and the increasing demand for health and wellbeing products has partly contributed to the growth of Subway — with its popular ïeight Subs with six grams of fat or lessÍ range and sides such as low fat Vaalia yoghurt. “As a group, consumers have all moved into the health space — Subway fulfils these needs with our offerings of fresh salads and protein [sandwiches] made in front of you, exactly as you like it,” says Tap.
Getting in on the deal
While the appeal of a healthy lunch or snack option seems to grow daily, and Tap is confident the Australian market has plenty of room to take more Subway outlets, it isnÍt that easy to get into a brand new or greenfield site. Particularly in New South Wales and Victoria, he reveals, where existing franchisees are out looking for new sites all the time. “The only way to get in is to buy an established store.
It speaks volumes for the brand that multi-unit franchising is almost a byword at this business with some franchisees counting up to 20 stores in their portfolio and 70 per cent of franchisees reinvesting by opening up another store. This suits the mantra of “build stores, build sales, and build profits”.
The company has appointed development agents who are contracted to a territory to find fresh sites and help franchisees through the business.
What is the profile of a typical Subway franchisee? Unsurprisingly, Tap admits, there is not one age, ethnic background or geographical location that fits a Subway franchisee profile. What is important is that the franchisee is someone who wants to be independent, to be hands-on and to work within the business, and who can understand the customer.
So what will a franchisee pay for a Subway outlet? A spend of $250,000 gives a franchisee a turnkey operation. The company has a flat management structure and entrepreneurial model, providing prospective franchisees with a low cost entry, simple and flexible system with extensive training support and development. This includes a specific application process and several initial meetings with a potential franchisee. Franchisees are also encouraged to do 40 hours of practical experience at another store to arm them with tools and knowledge in their own environment prior to any purchase.
Another training tool available online to all Subway franchisees and their staff is the University of Subway — which provides them with courses on everything they need to know, from how to make a Subway sandwich to business courses on running a franchise.
Local marketing boards made up of franchisees follow the company adage that money given in one area serves that area. For the last 18 months a country board has been pulling together marketing plans with the 43 local boards so there are, in TapÍs words: “More strategic actions, growth in TV and radios. WeÍre leveraging the size of our accounts and looking for localised support with the same TV ads etc.
In tough economic times the sandwich business is experiencing the same problems associated with rising costs as their counterparts. However, Tap asserts that its franchise model combats labour problems other companies may be experiencing. This category performs well in tough economic times,” he says. “But there is pressure with rising wheat and protein costs. Subway is the right product, the franchise concept is right, the owners are in-store and dealing with the vagaries of trading every day, theyÍre fixing the problem. This flexibility makes it well-suited to the current climate.”
Despite the companyÍs phenomenal growth, Tap acknowledges that for most of its 20 year history, the ïSubÍ product has led the brand with little or no marketing assistance; but the store that has reached 86 countries isnÍt standing still.
Plans on improving the menu to give a simplified option on the in-store panels are underway and Tap promises there will be some new concepts early in 2009. Yet with all the choice, there are five big winning sandwich combinations that account for 60 per cent of the turnover; and teriyaki chicken and chicken fillet are the two biggest sellers. The customer is persistent,” explains Tap.
* Subway is the world’s largest submarine sandwich franchise, with more than 29,640 locations in 87 countries.
* Established in 1965 in Connecticut, its Australian headquarters are in Brisbane. It has an annual turnover of $600m
* First Australian Subway store opens in Perth 1988; opening of 1000th store in Tarneit, Victoria: February 2007
* Franchise training centre in Brisbane launched in October 2000; regional head office opened in July 1999 in Brisbane with only a couple of staff. Today 40 staff are employed in the office.
* Subway brings on Adro, AustraliaÍs original biggest loser, as a brand ambassador in 2007 — to promote the ï8 under 6g of fat or lessÍ Sub range and the Fresh Fit menu launch
* There are about 10,000 different Subway sandwich combinations
* More than 12,000 staff work in 1060 stores in Australia
* Subway® was found to be the number one healthy QSR in the minds of Australian consumers — Research International study, October 2007
* The Subway franchise was named the top Global Franchising Opportunity by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2008


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The world’s largest on-line cryptocurrency alternate has launched a New Zealand model of its market to assist form future business regulation.
Binance, which is ranked the biggest alternate of its type on the planet, has registered as a monetary providers supplier with the Ministry of Enterprise, Innovation and Employment.
Native buyers might already entry Binance earlier than it registered, and the choice meant the corporate must adjust to native rules.
Binance NZ will be part of an exterior disputes decision scheme, perform buyer due-diligence, adhere to native anti-money laundering guidelines and share buyer data with the tax division.
Basic supervisor Ben Rose advised RNZ the corporate needed to register the place its customers had been.
“We’re actually targeted on working with regulators and governments on constructing the business in a sustainable method,” Rose stated.
“Regulation is completely the way in which ahead for the business, so we’re wanting ahead to engaged on that in New Zealand as properly.”
Current surveys confirmed one in 10 New Zealanders have a crypto funding, which was under the worldwide common of 15 p.c and Binance NZ needed to make up the distinction, he stated.
The corporate’s current clients will now entry its market by the New Zealand platform, the place they will commerce cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Binance, not like crypto brokers, is a custodian of funds, which means buyers can maintain their cash inside the platform, permitting them to interact in staking.
Nonetheless, clients can not commerce extra speculative merchandise, corresponding to derivatives and futures, as a result of this requires a particular license from the Monetary Markets Authority.
“We’re eager on buying that license and that’s one thing we’ll look to do sooner or later,” Rose stated.
When requested if clients might circumvent the native platform to entry these providers overseas, Rose replied: “Individuals can all the time do the fallacious factor, folks can all the time break the legislation.”
“We’re targeted on not doing that. We’re working to make sure that all New Zealand customers are ready to make use of merchandise from Binance that we’re allowed to supply.”
Binance’s enlargement comes at a difficult time for the broader cryptocurrency business.
Bitcoin – typically thought of a benchmark for crypto property – had misplaced near 60 p.c of its value within the yr thus far.
The sell-off coincided with the aggressive tightening of financial coverage by the US Federal Reserve, which had additionally dealt a blow to other capital markets around the globe.
The downturn had critical implications for crypto platforms and lenders globally, who had been hit by a sudden downturn in buying and selling volumes and excessive volatility.
Christchurch-based alternate BitPrime was amongst these caught within the cross-fire.
Gyrating markets, in addition to rising prices and a fall in enterprise exercise created a liquidity crisis for BitPrime, forcing it to droop buying and selling.
The enterprise, which at one level managed between 1 / 4 and a 3rd of the home market, had just lately been put up on the market as a going concern after it struggled to safe a capital injection.
Rose stated identical to all asset lessons, cryptocurrencies skilled market cycles.
“Volumes have completely decreased within the bear market however for us we function in world liquidity. So, we’re seeing $76b traded per day on our platform … so when it comes to liquidity, we do not face any points.”
He stated he was assured the market would bounce again and was bullish about Binance’s development prospects.
The Monetary Market Authority didn’t often touch upon particular entities however stated it was conscious of Binance’s intention to register in New Zealand.
In recommendation to buyers, a spokesperson stated cryptocurrencies had been excessive threat and very risky.
“If you wish to buy cryptocurrencies, then use a New Zealand-based buying and selling platform as this presents a minimal stage of safety.”
In addition they warned that these property, and the platforms they commerce on, had been typically targets of hacks, scams and on-line frauds.


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Procter & Gamble will build a multi-category manufacturing facility in Berkeley County, W. Va., marking the company’s first plant in West Virginia and only its second new site in the United States since 1971.
MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic of CVS Health, opened its first location in Rhode Island on Wednesday inside the CVS/pharmacy store in Woonsocket. Two more walk-in clinics will begin seeing patients Thursday in CVS/pharmacy locations in Cranston and Wakefield.
In the wake of CVS Caremark’s announcement Wednesday morning that it has changed its name to CVS Health to better reflect its broader healthcare commitment and stopped selling tobacco in all its stores about one month earlier than anticipated, the company is embarking on a marketing initiative that includes a new commercial and a social campaign.
CVS Caremark president and CEO Larry Merlo, along with CEOs from more than a dozen of America's largest corporations and organizations, announced on Tuesday the creation of the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable, an initiative to create a workplace culture that is focused on health.
In an article published Wednesday in the Health Affairs blog, CVS Caremark chief medical and scientific officers and others commented on a missing piece in the current approach to accountable healthcare models.
CVS Caremark was honored on Wednesday by the National Business Group on Health, a nonprofit association of large U.S. employers, for its commitment and dedication to promoting a healthy work environment and encouraging colleagues and their families to maintain healthy lifestyles, the retailer stated.
A Kensington, N.H., resident and her family recently took the field with CVS Caremark and American Lung Association at Fenway Park to inspire fans to join Lung Force. This year, CVS/pharmacy is teaming up with the American Lung Association for a new in-store fundraising campaign to support Lung Force, a recently launched initiative that strives to make lung cancer in women a public health priority.
Looking to further spread awareness about how CVS Caremark can leverage its unique business model to help consumers, health plans, physicians and hospitals cut healthcare costs and improve health outcomes, CVS Caremark president and CEO Larry Merlo took to the stage as the guest speaker at Thursday’s Detroit Economic Club meeting.
After CVS Caremark was given the green light to open MinuteClinics in Rhode Island — with imposed conditions — the state’s Department of Health has now revised its ruling and dropped some key conditions.
CVS Caremark is on a mission to reinvent pharmacy and help people navigate a path to better health, and with its unique assets and robust team in place, the company is well-positioned to succeed in the midst of today’s changing healthcare environment.
As the cost for specialty medications continues to rise, implementing an effective "channel transition" approach — the process of moving prescriptions from the medical benefit to the pharmacy benefit — can produce significant savings for healthcare payers by improving management of these complex and costly drugs, according to a new report commissioned by CVS Caremark.
The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, a private foundation created by CVS Caremark, has announced the recipients of nearly 70 grants awarded to free and charitable clinics, school-based health centers and community health centers as part of a $5 million commitment to increase access to health care in communities nationwide.
New research conducted by CVS Caremark and Brigham and Women's Hospital identifies five key features of Value-Based Insurance Design plans that are associated with the greatest impact on medication adherence.
CVS Caremark released on Tuesday fourth-quarter results, which came in at the high end of expectations and helped produce a record year, but as expected, among the key topics of discussion during the conference call with analysts was the company’s recent decision to stop selling tobacco products in all of its stores by Oct. 1.


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Microsoft is reviewing a lawsuit filed against it by Lucent Technologies. The suit alleges that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 video game console contains technology that infringes on a Lucent patent.
Lucent filed the suit in the U.S. District Court in San Diego on March 28. The company is seeking an injunctive relief and unspecified damages.
The name of the patent is “Adaptive Coding and Decoding of Frames and Fields of Video.” The telecom titan claims Microsoft is using the technology in the Xbox 360’s built-in MPEG-2 decoding capability.
“The company vigorously defends its intellectual property because it is the lifeblood of our research and development,” Lucent Technologies spokesperson John Skalko told The E-Commerce Times.
Lucent filed a suit back in 2003 against Microsoft’s hardware partners Gateway and Dell. That sued alleged the PC makers infringed on three patents, but did not seek damages from the software giant.
At that time, Dell and Gateway requested help from Microsoft since the technologies named in the suit were components of Microsoft’s products. Microsoft’s response was the filing of a declaratory judgment complaint in San Diego.
Judge Rudy Brewster threw out part of Lucent’s complaint in August 2005, noting that the patent at issue contained a typographical error. Lucent, however, did not take the ruling lying down.
The company pursued the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a certificate of correction. Lucent was granted the certificate and has filed a new suit based on the same alleged infringements, this time against Microsoft.
According to papers filed by Lucent, it notified Microsoft of what it believes is a “willful” infringement of its patent. Since Microsoft did not cease distribution or production, Lucent took the matter to court. Lucent is requesting a jury trial to resolve the ongoing issue.
“The patent at issue is one that previously had been asserted by Lucent in connection with patent litigation between the parties since 2003. We continue to believe we did not infringe on their patent and that the patent is invalid. Microsoft is an intellectual property company and we respect the intellectual property rights of others,” a Microsoft spokesperson told The E-Commerce Times.
Lucent has nothing to do with the video game business. It designs and delivers networks for communications service providers. The company on Sunday announced it entered into a definitive merger agreement with Alcatel, which provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers.
The primary driver of the deal is to generate significant growth in revenues and earnings based on the market opportunities for next-generation networks, services and applications.
The transaction seeks to build upon the complementary strengths of each company to create a global leader in the transformation of next-generation wireless, wireline and converged networks.


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As more and more foldable phones appear in the smart phone market, many new products from manufacturers that have not yet released foldable phones are also attracting attention. The Xiaomi brand has a strong presence in the mobile market, but it has yet to release a phone with a foldable screen design, and many Mi fans are already saying they can’t wait to buy a foldable phone. Recently, a netizen posted a picture of what appears to be a Xiaomi phone with a folding screen. Let’s take a look.
According to the photos posted by the user, the phone has a fold-in screen, which seems to be a good size. When the screen is expanded, it is probably around 8 inches. On the back of the phone, there is no display, but according to the market development direction, this phone should also be equipped with a secondary screen, on the right of the camera. It’s worth noting that while the authenticity of the photo is up for debate, the phone on the back is marked “Xia,” which bears a strong resemblance to Xiaomi.
Read Also: Chuwi Hi10 Go 2in1 Tablet Comes with World’s First Jasper Lake Processor
In addition, this period of time on the Internet appeared a lot of information about the new mi mobile phone exposure, part of which is the phone’s parameters, part of the phone’s appearance design. Judging from the leaks, there has been no official confirmation of the appearance of Xiaomi’s fold-screen phone, and a lot of content is just speculation.
The post Xiaomi Foldable Phone Spy Photos Released? appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.


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The Alliston Nikolettes Gymnastics Club recently held a toy drive in support of the Rock 95 Kool FM Toy Drive. The toys were dropped off today to the Canadian Tire Store in Alliston. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the toy drive and helped brighten a child’s Christmas. Another big thank you to Jeff Sirelpu and Kim Collis for initiating this year’s toy drive at the gym club.
From left to right: David Connolly, Club President, Gymnasts Chelsea Barnes and Brooklyn Downey, Kristina Haza, Customer Service Rep and Catherine Wallace, HR Manager Canadian Tire Store Alliston.


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Latest Gmail interface Stories
Individuals no longer have to use the traditional fax machines of the past in order to send high quality faxes.
Fast-growth support platform launches new integrations focused at Google business users Walnut, CA & Chennai, India (PRWEB) April 04, 2012 Four million
Google unveiled a new look and feel to its popular GMail service this week. The upgrades will be changed for everyone soon, but there is the option to switch immediately.
Newest Member of the RecMan Suite of Applications, RecMan for Gmail, Meets Regulatory and Compliance Requirements for Companies of All Sizes San Francisco, California (PRWEB) August 17, 2011 RecMan Inc., developer of RecMan for Google Appsâ„¢, an enterprise-level platform for the management of document compliance processes for Google and the cloud, today announced the release of RecMan for Gmail.
LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the last decade, we have seen a dramatic change in philanthropy and today, with the launch of GiveBackMail, another significant milestone has been reached. Let's face it, almost everyone uses email.
Google has announced that it will start blocking Facebook and other Web services from accessing its users' data, which helps to add more heat to an already excited rivalry between the two Internet companies.
Google Inc is allowing its users to have more control over how their inboxes are organized.
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Good50, a user-friendly alternative to Google, created by 16-year-old high school student Sunmee Huh, announced new additional features today. Good50 features large font in the search box, no text ads at the top of the search results, and a high contrast option for those with low vision.
- A young chicken: also used as a pet name for children.


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by Matina Stevis
JOHANNESBURG — Kenya’s Vodafone subsidiary, Safaricom, announced on Tuesday that it will drastically cut fees for smaller transactions on its mobile-money service, M-Pesa, as it prepares to head off competition from Equity Bank’s new rival service.
Equity’s yet-to-be-launched service boasts lower transaction fees than M-Pesa. It plans to charge a 1% fee capped at 25 Kenyan shillings—about 20 U.S. cents. M-Pesa doesn’t cap charges, and they can be more than 100 shillings on large transactions.
Equity Bank’s rollout of its mobile-money product, planned for last month, has been stopped in its tracks by a complaint by Safaricom.
The 19.3 million M-Pesa users, many of whom use the service for very small transactions, will be charged up to 67% less starting Thursday, according to a written statement by Safaricom.
The new tariffs will apply to transactions from 10 Kenyan shillings to 1,500 Kenyan shillings, which the company said make up 65% of all M-Pesa transactions.
“By lowering the cost of these transactions we will provide an increased number of Kenyans with affordable access to basic financial services,” Safaricom’s chief executive, Bob Collymore, was quoted as saying in the statement.
He added that financial services make up 20% of the telecom company’s revenue and the significant tariff reduction “is an expression of confidence in our longer term strategy to drive the growth of a cash-lite economy.”
A spokesman for Safaricom didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on how large the profit margins for these very small transactions were and what they will be after the tariff change; or how the move will affect the company’s profitability.
Source: Wall Street Journal Blog


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SCOTUS Deals Class Actions Major Blow
December 15, 2015
The Supreme Court this week voted 6-to-3 to strike down efforts by DirecTV customers to band together in a class action against the telecom, saying instead that they must pursue individual arbitrations. The case, DirecTV v. Imburgia, was filed in 2008 by customers who objected to the company’s early termination fees and sought to represent a class. DirecTV asked a California judge to dismiss the lawsuit and require arbitration, citing a 2011 Supreme Court decision that allowed companies to use their contracts to forbid class actions and other adjudications. In her dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that “these decisions have predictably resulted in the deprivation of consumers’ rights to seek redress for losses and, turning the coin, they have insulated powerful economic interests from liability for violations of consumer protection laws.”
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Dengeki Online has posted a new image of a surprising development at the Tamashii Nations 5th Anniversary event, Figuarts ZERO Sol Badguy from none other than Guilty Gear! When’s the last time you ever saw a Guilty Gear figure? I can’t remember either!
Since fighting game characters are known for dynamic poses and whatnot, perhaps D-Arts Guilty Gear figures are on the way too? Stay tuned….


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On Thursday, August 25th, California air regulators voted on a historic plan to address climate change. With this, the state set itself on a path to end the era of gas-powered cars, adopting the world’s most stringent rules for transitioning to zero-emission vehicles. This regulation will phase out the sale of all new gasoline-powered cars, trucks and SUVs in the most-populous state of USA, culminating in a total ban of new sales of non-EV vehicles by 2035.
“California now has a groundbreaking, world-leading plan to achieve 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035,” said the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom.
This move is likely to reshape the US auto market, which gets 10% of its sales from California. Auto makers will probably look at this regulation and target uniformity across their manufacturing fleet. Although this is good news for accelerating the switch to EVs, such a radical transformation in what people drive will also require at least 15 times more vehicle chargers statewide, a more robust energy grid and vehicles that people of all income levels can afford. Additionally, external factors like inflation, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage will all inform the implementation of such a radical regulation.


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The parent company of one of Nigeria’s telecommunications services providers, 9mobile, Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), is marking its 10th year in operations in the country.
EMTS, formerly trading as Etisalat Nigeria, in a statement, attributed its successes and achievements over the past 10 years to the support and patronage of Nigerians and other stakeholders.
The firm further said in just 10 years of operations as Nigeria’s innovative Mobile Network Operator (MNO), it has revolutionised the nation’s telecommunications industry with an array of ground-breaking products, services and solutions to empower our youth, entrepreneurs, SMEs and indeed all segments of the Nigerian society.
“Our total commitment to leveraging technology in building businesses across the country and empowering the youth has been widely acknowledged and rewarded with several awards.
“We have recorded many firsts in the industry including our most daring masterbrand campaign ‘0809UChoose’ which put power in the hands of subscribers to choose their numbers. Others are 9Cliq, the first-of-its-kind educational tool in the youth market; and GEM, a unique loyalty proposition in the Nigerian telecommunication industry for high-value customers.
“Moreblaze, our revolutionary data bundle that offers the fastest data; and our 4G LTE service which does not require a SIM swap for customers to enjoy 4G connectivity; also rank on the list. Our innovative multi-device product that allows customers use a single data subscription on up to 5 different devices concurrently remains unique, and our first ever smartpaks product that offers customers different applications including WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc., based on their lifestyle at affordable rates, is unbeatable in the market.
“Our enterprise solutions including Market Access and SME Arena have served as growth enablers for small businesses; while easy payment solutions like 9pay, a mobile wallet that allows people to make seamless payments, continue to drive financial growth.
We have also left significant footprints on education, arts and culture with the 9mobile Telecommunications Engineering Postgraduate Program (9TEPP) – a first in West Africa; our flagship pan-African 9mobile Prize for Literature which promotes literacy and encourages writers to hone their craft across Africa; and the 9mobile Photography Competition,” the statement highlighted.
While thanking and celebrating its pioneer customers and others, EMTS promised to continue to consolidate its successes and milestones in the coming years.
Recall that in October 2008, EMTS shook the industry by surprise with its 080ja campaign, which many Nigerians quickly keyed into.


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Virgil Abloh, creative director of the men’s line of fashion house Louis Vuitton, died on Sunday at the age of 41 from cancer. That let his relatives know on Instagram.
“He chose to keep his fight private after being diagnosed in 2019”
The fashion icon spent two years battling a rare and aggressive cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. He chose to keep his battle private after being diagnosed in 2019. He underwent numerous severe treatments, while continuing to work for several important fashion, art and culture organizations,” writes his relatives. “His work ethic, infinite curiosity and optimism have never wavered.”
In a statement, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy boss Bernard Arnault said he was shocked by the news. “Virgil was not only a genius designer and a visionary, he was also a man of beautiful soul and great wisdom.”
Abloh had been working at Louis Vuitton since 2018, as the first black artistic director. He was also creative director of Kanye West and owner of his own label Off-White. Abloh leaves behind his wife Shannon and his children Lowe and Gray.
Abloh learned about the terrible diagnosis in 2019. He underwent difficult treatment. Medical procedures did not stop the fashion designer from continuing to work. He went on to lead important projects in the fields of fashion, art and culture. The native of the American city of Rockford did not advertise serious health problems.


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Rose says 'sorry,' but it'll cost you
Published 5:30 am, Thursday, September 21, 2006
For the right price, Pete Rose is willing to write on a baseball that he's sorry.
The hits king unveiled his latest marketing venture on his Web site. For $299, plus $4.99 shipping and handling, fans can order a baseball inscribed "I'm sorry I bet on baseball" along with Rose's autograph.
The offering came two days after an auction house confirmed that 30 baseballs inscribed the same way will be available for bid next April.
"Now you can get the baseball collectible everyone's talking about — Pete Rose's personal apology for betting on baseball, newly inscribed on an actual baseball — at a fantastic price," the Web site says.
Rose's business agent, Warren Greene, didn't return a phone call to discuss the hit king's change of heart.
On Monday, Greene told the Associated Press that Rose had inscribed baseballs with the apology for some of his collector friends about a year ago. Greene said that Rose never intended for the balls to be sold publicly.
One of the collectors gave 30 of the balls to a friend, who died last December, and his family is selling his sports memorabilia through Robert Edward Auctions. The collection includes the 30 apology baseballs.
Rose also offered to inscribe "I'm sorry" on baseballs during his autograph appearances at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Rose accepted a lifetime ban for gambling in 1989 but denied for nearly 15 years that he bet on baseball. He acknowledged in his 2004 autobiography that he made baseball wagers while he managed the Cincinnati Reds.


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AdKnowledge Inc. Monday released findings that the cost of 1,000 ad impressions continued to soften last year while the number of sites seeking advertising increased dramatically.
The Palo Alto, CA, company, which helps marketers carry out and measure the results of Web advertising campaigns, found in its 1999 Online Advertising Report that average CPMs declined 4 percent last year to $33.75 in the fourth quarter. The number of sites seeking advertising mushroomed 135 percent last year, the company said.
AdKnowledge did not mention any information on click-through rates, however. The firm’s technology can measure what percentage of banner impressions get clicks, but AdKnowledge did not include those numbers among its major findings in the report, which it touted as a compilation of 1999 online advertising statistics. Overall, click-through rates are well below 1 percent and have slid in recent years.
“We’ve really found that [click-through rates] are quite misleading and they don’t have much of a meaning in the real world,” said Michele Schott, AdKnowledge director of marketing communications. “If you really want to optimize online advertising, you have to look beyond the click-through.”
Schott pointed to an earlier AdKnowledge study that found little correlation between click-throughs and conversions. She said banners with the highest click-through rates also generate the most favorable conversion rates only 14 percent of the time. A conversion can mean a sale or a user registration, depending on an advertiser’s goals.
Since the first quarter of 1997, average CPM rates have slipped a total of 14 percent, AdKnowledge said. But the rate of decline was slightly slower in 1999 than in 1998. Since the first quarter of 1997, the number of sites seeking advertising has increased 306 percent.
Among its other conclusions, AdKnowledge discovered that rich media – banners with transactional capability, sound or video streaming – gained wider acceptance last year. The number of sites that will take audio ads grew 40 percent, while those accepting video ads swelled 52 percent.
Sponsorship ad formats smaller than the typical 468-by-60 pixel-sized ads gained popularity in 1999, according to AdKnowledge. Sites accepting ads measuring 88-by-31 pixels grew 116 percent, and those accepting 120-by-60 ads increased 77 percent.
AdKnowledge pulled statistics from more than 3,000 sites for its 1999 report.


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While some of the most successful consumer Internet companies are capturing the headlines today, more than 70 per cent of venture exits in the last two years valued at over $500 million have been in the enterprise sector.
When you consider technologies that make corporate IT more efficient by improving utilization of computing resources, <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/060710-tech-argument-citrix-vmware-microsoft.html?source=NWWNLE_nlt_daily_am_2010-06-...
The Queensland Government is to spend $12 million on consolidating its technology infrastructure under its state-owned ICT services provider CITEC.
With a new range of hardware announced Thursday, Dell's is targeting high-performance and cloud computing environments that share similar hyperscale characteristics.
Amazon Web Services says its latest cluster computing service, which it announced Tuesday, can provide the same results as custom-built infrastructures for high-performance applications at organizations that don't want to build their own.
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Electronics manufacturing giant Flextronics International said on Oct. 13 it will hire more than 6,000 migrant workers in mainland China this month because of a rise in demand ahead of Christmas.
The company will also take on an additional 1,000 workers in the next two months, Valerie Kurniawan, senior communications director for Flextronics Asia, said.
"The demand is coming from all over the group, it's all segments and industries," Kurniawan said.
Flextronics makes parts and equipment for the automotive and mobile phone industries among others and its clients include Hewlett-Packard, Motorola and Microsoft Corp.
The company's latest hiring spree has focused on its Zhuhai Industrial Park in the Pearl River Delta in the south of the country.
Chinese factories have been rushing to hire migrant workers laid off during the global crisis as they ramp up production but analysts have warned that the labour shortage stems from a short-term rise in demand from Christmas orders rather than a recovery in China's key export sector.
Nearly 20 million migrant workers lost their jobs at the start of the year as factories closed or slashed production in response to plummeting export orders from key markets in Europe and the United States.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009


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Carving out new benchmark for glyphosate transparency:
Bayer provides access to its glyphosate safety study reports
Monheim, March 28, 2019 – As of today, all 107 Bayer-owned glyphosate safety study reports that were submitted to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as part of the substance authorization process in the European Union (EU) are accessible on the Bayer dedicated transparency platform. In doing so, the company delivers on its commitment to more transparency, including continued transparency with its crop protection safety studies following the acquisition of Monsanto.
“Transparency is a catalyst for trust, so more transparency is a good thing for consumers, policy-makers and businesses. As an innovation company, safety is our top priority and we are completely committed to doing everything we can to ensure that our products are safe for people and the environment,” said Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and president of the Crop Science Division. “By making our detailed scientific safety data publically available, we encourage everybody interested to see for themselves how comprehensive our approach to safety is. We embrace the opportunity to engage in dialogue and hope this will contribute to more trust in sound science.”
This new addition to the Bayer Transparency website follows last December’s publication of more than 300 glyphosate safety study summaries submitted under the EU substance authorization process for plant protection products. Access has now been enabled to all the related in-depth glyphosate safety studies to which Bayer wholly owns the rights. Due to legal restrictions, Bayer cannot release the glyphosate studies conducted and owned by third parties. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.
About the Bayer Transparency Initiative
Bayer has made a voluntary commitment for transparency in 2017 by setting a new standard with its Bayer Transparency Platform. The company has made its safety data, which was previously only shared with regulators, available to the general public in order to connect with the scientific community, build trust and foster an open, science-based dialogue about plant protection products. To date, Bayer has made information on 28 active ingredients available on its transparency website with more to come.
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2018, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of 39.6 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.6 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.


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Apple's iPhone is outdated, according to the chief executive of BlackBerry maker, Research In Motion (RIM) Ltd.
Thorsten Heins made the comment last Thursday on the eve of the much-delayed launch of the new touch-screen BlackBerry in the United States. AT&T begins selling the Z10 touch-screen BlackBerry on Friday, more than six weeks after RIM launched the devices elsewhere.
Heins also told The Associated Press that a new keyboard version of the BlackBerry won't be released in the US until two or three months from now. He previously said it would be eight to 10 weeks, but now he's saying it could be delayed an additional two weeks.
Both the touch-screen and keyboard models are part of RIM's attempt at a comeback after the pioneering brand lost its cachet not long after Apple's 2007 release of the iPhone.
Heins said a lack of innovation at Apple has left iPhone's user interface outdated. He noted iPhone users have to go in and out of applications and the device doesn't allow for multitasking like the new BlackBerry Z10 does.
"It's still the same," Heins said of the iPhone. "It is a sequential way to work and that's not what people want today anymore. They want multitasking."


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Israeli startup Intuition Robotics, the company behind the digital companion ElliQ, announced Thursday it has secured a total of $36 million in a Series B funding led by Sparx Group and OurCrowd.
In a press release, the startup disclosed it will be using the fresh capital for technology development and platform expansion, with plans to extend its reach towards other sectors, including automotive, home robots, education, home appliances, hospitality, and toys.
“This investment will fuel the evolution of agents from utilitarian digital assistants to full-fledged digital companions that are at our side, anticipating our needs and seamlessly, proactively improving our lives by helping us achieve certain outcomes,” said Intuition Robotics CEO Dor Skuler in a statement.
“Our cognitive AI technology has the potential to transform the way people and machines interact through empathetic relationships built on trust, exhibiting highly personalized and delightful experiences that amplify our customers’ brands,” he added.
Along with the newly raised funds, the Israeli startup also announced it is currently working with the Toyota Research Institute to “revolutionize” the car-experience and bring its technology to the automaker’s LQ concept.
“Intuition Robotics is creating disruptive technology that will inspire companies to re-imagine how machines might amplify the human experience,” said Jim Adler, founding managing partner at Toyota AI Ventures. As part of the deal, Adler will be joining Intuition Robotic’s board of directors.
Founded in 2016, Intuition Robotics operates as a provider of digital companion technologies. It’s product, called ElliQ, serves as an artificial intelligence-based robot companion designed for elderly people. The latest capital secured in the round brings Robotics’ total raised to $58 million.
Other investors who have participated in the funding include Samsung Next, Toyota AI Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, iRobot, Sompo Holdings, Union Tech Ventures, Happiness Capital, and Capital Point.