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|By Esmeralda Swartz||
|March 29, 2014 05:15 PM EDT||
At the Geneva Motor Show Apple officially launched its new "CarPlay" product for cars, to some excitement. Apple has enlisted a number of big name auto manufacturers into the program, so you can expect to see CarPlay in your new vehicle sometime soon.
But what's new here? At first glance this is just a computer company providing its interface expertise to car companies, just like the deal between Microsoft and Ford that was announced way back at CES 2007. The list of features - entertainment, maps, messaging, voice control - looks very similar. So what's different, and why is Apple coming along seven years later?
I'm only guessing... but it seems rather obvious that it took some time for the car companies to realize that their traditional approach to in-car electronics was doomed. When in-car entertainment consisted of a combined radio and CD player, the car companies were within their comfort zone. Entertainment was just another module to be plugged in on the production line. But as soon as the dashboard started to contain software, the car companies obviously struggled. The navigation and entertainment systems hard-wired into cars were, and still are, a whole lot less functional and more klutzy than the equivalent apps available on smartphones and tablets.
The Ford arrangement with Microsoft brought in outside expertise to the design of an in-car system. But the mission was misdirected. Microsoft Sync gave us a version of Windows designed specifically for cars, and ran inside the car's dashboard computer. But what we all wanted and needed was different: we just wanted to plug in our smartphones.
With a smartphone or tablet safely cradled, a power supply, and an interface into a sound system, we have everything we need, already there in a compact and familiar Internet-connected package: stored music, online streaming, radio stations, navigation, reminders, address book, social networks... and so on. We don't need another device built into the car; we need the ability to use the device that's already part of our everyday lives. Apple realized this too, and maybe it took a while to convince the car manufacturers to face this reality. CarPlay provides that ability to plug in, and adds some usability features that, we are told, will also make it easier and safer.
Google seems to be headed in the same direction with their Open Auto Alliance, announced at CES 2014. While the press releases are a bit vague it's clear from this picture that this too is not Android built-in to the car, it's Android brought into the car in the form of a tablet that can be plugged in.
With Apple and Google aligned in concept, this has to be seen as a major shift in the car industry. Now those of us who regularly use rental cars, share cars with others, and use Zipcars can simply bring our entertainment and information with us.
Is it also, as suggested by at least one observer, the start of a "Smart Car War" to win space inside cars, with Google and Apple battling it out? Perhaps, but maybe not more than they are battling it out already. What we have here is actually a pretty simple idea, already implemented in a half-baked way by anyone who has used a smartphone for navigation, information and entertainment while driving a rental car or a borrowed car, in preference to digging out the car manual to work out how to use the moronic built-in GPS. What Apple and Google will give us is a safer and tidier way to use our own devices. The interface between the tablet and the car is also fairly simple, although not necessarily standardized. It seems to me that since smartphones are becoming more important in peoples' lives than cars, the auto manufacturers cannot afford to partition their target markets rigidly so that (for example) only iOS users can buy a BMW, and only Android users can buy an Audi. Moreover, many families contain a mix of devices and people sometimes change brands when they buy new devices. Will we have to buy a new car when we buy a new smartphone? Probably not.
The Smart Car wars are more likely to be around Apple and Google trying to maintain exclusivity, when it is clearly in the interests of the car companies to have a generic interface that can allow any device to be plugged in. Already we see that the "alliances" are not exclusive, with Honda, GM and Hyundai in both camps, Apple and Google. (Ford is also there with Apple, but is also now working with Blackberry, which seems not only to be a deliberately contrarian move, but also leaves Microsoft out in the cold in this market, for the time being.) We can assume there will be push-back from the car companies against any solution that limits their target market, or that increases costs by creating a need to provide different interfaces as options. Moving towards a single standard interface for all devices wouldn't be technically difficult, although that's no reason to be confident that it will happen soon. While we're waiting for standardization to happen, we can look on the bright side: here's another business opportunity for someone, because Amazon will sell adapters.
What both Google and Apple are hinting at though, is something even bigger than entertainment, and something that demands new capabilities and new products, not just a better way of using existing mobile devices. This is the incorporation of smart devices into autonomous car management. In discussing this, we need to keep driver and passenger features separate from car management features. Driver and passenger features - entertainment and information, essentially - are what Google and Apple are addressing in their recent announcements. But we can be sure that both companies see this as a way to get under the hood, and the ultimate aim is to deliver real built-in automotive management, which is not something you want or need on your smartphone.
Apple and Google want to create "Internet of Things" technologies for vehicles. These are technologies and features that aim to make driving safer, more fuel efficient and less stressful, such as systems that will allow cars to communicate and interact with each other and with external traffic management systems to reduce congestion and delays; systems that can sense the presence of other cars and act autonomously to avoid accidents; systems that could override driver commands in accordance with user-defined policies for safety and fuel consumption; systems that can enable cars to group into ‘platoons' or ‘road trains' which reduce accidents and cut journey times. Road trains have another advantage: the driver can kick back and watch a movie or visit Facebook or make a business call or two: the tablet will be right there on the dashboard.
In this new world of connectedness and fluid partnerships and services, the pace of business model shifts and service complexity is rising to a level unlike anything we have seen before. Monetizing the IoT opportunity requires a billing and partner settlement platform capable of supporting today's business model while easily adapting and future-proofing tomorrow's.
WebRTC services have already permeated corporate communications in the form of videoconferencing solutions. However, WebRTC has the potential of going beyond and catalyzing a new class of services providing more than calls with capabilities such as mass-scale real-time media broadcasting, enriched and augmented video, person-to-machine and machine-to-machine communications. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Luis Lopez, CEO of Kurento, will introduce the technologies required for implementing these ideas and some early experiments performed in the Kurento open source software community in areas ...
Sep. 2, 2015 02:15 PM EDT
Consumer IoT applications provide data about the user that just doesn’t exist in traditional PC or mobile web applications. This rich data, or “context,” enables the highly personalized consumer experiences that characterize many consumer IoT apps. This same data is also providing brands with unprecedented insight into how their connected products are being used, while, at the same time, powering highly targeted engagement and marketing opportunities. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Nathan Treloar, President and COO of Bebaio, will explore examples of brands transforming their businesses by t...
Sep. 2, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 262
17th Cloud Expo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy. Meanwhile, 94% of enterprises are using some form of XaaS – software, platform, and infrastructure as a service.
Sep. 2, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,570
The 3rd International WebRTC Summit, to be held Nov. 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, announces that its Call for Papers is now open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 15th International Cloud Expo, 6th International Big Data Expo, 3rd International DevOps Summit and 2nd Internet of @ThingsExpo. WebRTC (Web-based Real-Time Communication) is an open source project supported by Google, Mozilla and Opera that aims to enable bro...
Sep. 2, 2015 01:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,552
SYS-CON Events announced today that HPM Networks will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. For 20 years, HPM Networks has been integrating technology solutions that solve complex business challenges. HPM Networks has designed solutions for both SMB and enterprise customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Sep. 2, 2015 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 937
The 17th International Cloud Expo has announced that its Call for Papers is open. 17th International Cloud Expo, to be held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, brings together Cloud Computing, APM, APIs, Microservices, Security, Big Data, Internet of Things, DevOps and WebRTC to one location. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to plant your flag in this fast-expanding business opportunity. Submit your speaking proposal today!
Sep. 2, 2015 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,634
SYS-CON Events announced today that the "Second Containers & Microservices Expo" will take place November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities.
Sep. 2, 2015 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 620
While many app developers are comfortable building apps for the smartphone, there is a whole new world out there. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Narayan Sainaney, Co-founder and CTO of Mojio, will discuss how the business case for connected car apps is growing and, with open platform companies having already done the heavy lifting, there really is no barrier to entry.
Sep. 2, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 191
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Lee Williams, a producer of the first smartphones and tablets, will talk about how he is now applying his experience in mobile technology to the design and development of the next generation of Environmental and Sustainability Services at ETwater. He will explain how M2M controllers work through wirelessly connected remote controls; and specifically delve into a retrofit option that reverse-engineers control codes of existing conventional controller systems so they don't have to be replaced and are instantly converted to become smart, connected devices.
Sep. 2, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 201
Too often with compelling new technologies market participants become overly enamored with that attractiveness of the technology and neglect underlying business drivers. This tendency, what some call the “newest shiny object syndrome,” is understandable given that virtually all of us are heavily engaged in technology. But it is also mistaken. Without concrete business cases driving its deployment, IoT, like many other technologies before it, will fade into obscurity.
Sep. 2, 2015 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 412
Akana has announced the availability of the new Akana Healthcare Solution. The API-driven solution helps healthcare organizations accelerate their transition to being secure, digitally interoperable businesses. It leverages the Health Level Seven International Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (HL7 FHIR) standard to enable broader business use of medical data. Akana developed the Healthcare Solution in response to healthcare businesses that want to increase electronic, multi-device access to health records while reducing operating costs and complying with government regulations.
Sep. 2, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 271
SYS-CON Events announced today the Containers & Microservices Bootcamp, being held November 3-4, 2015, in conjunction with 17th Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, and @DevOpsSummit at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. This is your chance to get started with the latest technology in the industry. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the Containers and Microservices Bootcamp, led by Janakiram MSV, a Microsoft Regional Director, will include presentations as well as hands-on demos and comprehensive walkthroughs.
Sep. 2, 2015 11:30 AM EDT Reads: 381
With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo in Silicon Valley. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be! Internet of @ThingsExpo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with 17th Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the most profound change in personal an...
Sep. 2, 2015 11:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,996
With the proliferation of connected devices underpinning new Internet of Things systems, Brandon Schulz, Director of Luxoft IoT – Retail, will be looking at the transformation of the retail customer experience in brick and mortar stores in his session at @ThingsExpo. Questions he will address include: Will beacons drop to the wayside like QR codes, or be a proximity-based profit driver? How will the customer experience change in stores of all types when everything can be instrumented and analyzed? As an area of investment, how might a retail company move towards an innovation methodolo...
Sep. 2, 2015 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 494
As more intelligent IoT applications shift into gear, they’re merging into the ever-increasing traffic flow of the Internet. It won’t be long before we experience bottlenecks, as IoT traffic peaks during rush hours. Organizations that are unprepared will find themselves by the side of the road unable to cross back into the fast lane. As billions of new devices begin to communicate and exchange data – will your infrastructure be scalable enough to handle this new interconnected world?
Sep. 2, 2015 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 184
The Internet of Things is in the early stages of mainstream deployment but it promises to unlock value and rapidly transform how organizations manage, operationalize, and monetize their assets. IoT is a complex structure of hardware, sensors, applications, analytics and devices that need to be able to communicate geographically and across all functions. Once the data is collected from numerous endpoints, the challenge then becomes converting it into actionable insight.
Sep. 2, 2015 09:00 AM EDT
Contrary to mainstream media attention, the multiple possibilities of how consumer IoT will transform our everyday lives aren’t the only angle of this headline-gaining trend. There’s a huge opportunity for “industrial IoT” and “Smart Cities” to impact the world in the same capacity – especially during critical situations. For example, a community water dam that needs to release water can leverage embedded critical communications logic to alert the appropriate individuals, on the right device, as soon as they are needed to take action.
Sep. 2, 2015 08:45 AM EDT
As more and more data is generated from a variety of connected devices, the need to get insights from this data and predict future behavior and trends is increasingly essential for businesses. Real-time stream processing is needed in a variety of different industries such as Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Automobile, Finance, Online Retail, Smart Grids, and Healthcare. Azure Stream Analytics is a fully managed distributed stream computation service that provides low latency, scalable processing of streaming data in the cloud with an enterprise grade SLA. It features built-in integration with Azur...
Sep. 2, 2015 08:30 AM EDT Reads: 308
SYS-CON Events announced today that Pythian, a global IT services company specializing in helping companies leverage disruptive technologies to optimize revenue-generating systems, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 17th Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Founded in 1997, Pythian is a global IT services company that helps companies compete by adopting disruptive technologies such as cloud, Big Data, advanced analytics, and DevOps to advance innovation and increase agility. Specializing in designing, imple...
Sep. 2, 2015 06:45 AM EDT Reads: 344
WebRTC has had a real tough three or four years, and so have those working with it. Only a few short years ago, the development world were excited about WebRTC and proclaiming how awesome it was. You might have played with the technology a couple of years ago, only to find the extra infrastructure requirements were painful to implement and poorly documented. This probably left a bitter taste in your mouth, especially when things went wrong.
Sep. 2, 2015 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 483


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Last month, the B.C. Association of Integrated Marketers (BCAIM) and Ipsos ASI released a study that revealed the state of marketing in the province.
The study, which you can download via BCBusiness.ca, is the first-ever survey of local marketers in B.C.
Here are four stats from the study that caught my attention.
1. 80% of BC marketers get their marketing news from LinkedIn
In the past couple of years, LinkedIn has transformed itself from just another social network to a content powerhouse. It’s no wonder that marketers in Metro Vancouver are taking notice.
LinkedIn Today does a great job of aggregating news by topic and industry based on what your professional network is already sharing — an important curation tool given the amount of content being produced everyday. The addition of the Influencer program on the site last year gives LinkedIn users another compelling reason to check the site regularly.
2. Customer experience is still #1, but…
Marketers like to talk about how content (or in some instances, context) is king, but the survey seems to indicate that this isn’t necessarily true. 75% of respondents identified “customer experience” as an important factor to their business, with “product & service strategy” (61%), “brand strategy” (59%) and “innovation” (59%) following behind.
More than half of the respondents (55%) identified content strategy as an important factor.
3. Actually, PR is not dead
Only trailing behind social media, PR is utilized by 89% of BC marketers, according to the survey. This might come as a surprise to some who have declared public relations dead. As this survey shows, savvy companies recognize the importance of PR as newsrooms continue to shrink and as influencer outreach and localizing PR efforts become more critical.
4. Social is the future?
58% of respondents identified online social media as an important marketing medium — getting the most votes from all the choices provided. While online search engine marketing/ SEO (53%), direct marketing (46%), and public relations (46%) all trail closely, this stat makes it clear that social is the shiny new thing that marketers are currently chasing.
When asked how marketing spend in various channels will change in 2013, 73% indicated that they plan to increase social media budgets — far eclipsing the 59% of those who plan to increase search marketing budgets and 57% who plan to do so with mobile apps.
To no one’s surprise though, measurement of digital marketing efforts continue to dog marketers: 37% disagreed with the statement “Measuring ROI in the digital space is easy to do.”
From these stats, I offer the following takeaways:
There’s opportunity in content marketing. Almost half of those surveyed didn’t think content strategy is an important factor, but respondents also recognized the importance of LinkedIn, search marketing, and social media in other questions — mediums that are all somehow tied in to quality content.
Photo: Pew Internet
Differentiation will be key in social. The report concluded that “social is hot, and it’s where investment will increase the fastest this year.” But marketers need to keep the following in mind:
- Some reports indicate that consumers are suspicious of social media marketing.
- In the U.S., some demographics (such as those 18 to 29) are actually reducing their social media usage, according to Pew Centre. I can’t find comparable Canadian data, but this stat highlights the possibility that users are finally feeling some social media fatigue.
As more companies try to stake their claim in the social space, differentiation will be key. Using authentic, unique voice creatively will be critical for most companies. Also, producing engaging, high-quality content — sound familiar? — will distinguish top companies from the rest.
Offline isn’t dead. The survey clearly shows that traditional or “mainstream” mediums are still important. PR, direct marketing, and radio still ranked decently on the survey. And unless you’re an ecommerce company, customer experience is mostly an offline experience.
The future of marketing in Vancouver…according to you?
Now it’s your turn. Any thoughts on BCAIM’s 2012 State of Marketing Survey?

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Former Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh, who helped to revolutionize the online shoe and apparel industry, has sadly died at the age of 46 from injuries sustained in a house fire in New London, Connecticut. He was surrounded by family and friends in the hospital where he passed away on Friday.
Hsieh is remembered for his kind generosity and verve for life. A statement issued by DTP Companies, which he founded in 2012 to revitalize downtown Las Vegas, said “delivering happiness was always his mantra,” encouraging mourners to celebrate his extraordinary life and passionate outlook.
Current Zappos CEO, Kedar Deshpande, referred to his predecessor as “a tremendous visionary and incredible human being,” acknowledging those who have just lost their mentor and friend. Deshpande credited Tony Hsieh for helping to create the thriving business Zappos has today and praised his positive attitude and effort to always support and drive the company’s culture.
Hsieh, who joined Zappos in 1999 after graduating from Harvard four years prior, retired last August. The company had been purchased by Amazon in an all-stock acquisition in 2009, which was worth about $1.2 billion when the deal was transacted.
Ann Sullivan is a contributing staff writer covering national and world news topics. She brings dedicated experience having written international and domestic news, blogs, and web content for over 20 years. She’s also a published poet and graphic designer with degrees in Business and Graphic Communications and has been a music distributor, music industry sponsorship sales director and band manager.


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PrintWithMe, a Chicago, IL-based company building a network of mobile print stations in public spaces, raised $800k in seed funding.
The round was led by Network Ventures with participation from M25 Group, New Stack Ventures, Little Engine Ventures and other Chicago and San Francisco-based investors.
The company intends to use the funds to expand its sales, operations and technology teams, accelerate location growth, and establish partnerships with multi-unit businesses throughout the country.
Led by Jonathan Treble, founder, PrintWithMe places proprietary print/scan/copy/fax stations in widely-accessible locations such as coffee shops, residential buildings, college campuses, co-working spaces and hotels.
The company currently has stations installed in over 120 locations in Chicago, New York and 17 other cities throughout the US, reaching 20,000 customers. Notable location partners include 1871, Bow Truss Coffee Roasters, Greystar, the Lincoln Property Company in Chicago and The Bean and Pushcart Coffee chains in New York.


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It took less than a year after its September 2005 opening for Hong Kong Disneyland to be overtaken by red-shirted homos for the theme park’s first Gay Days in 2006. How long will it take for Shanghai Disneyland?
After more than 15 years of talks, a $3.6 billion park is coming to Shanghai, the company and the Chinese government announced today, which would be the media giant’s fourth non-domestic theme park.
Set to open in 2014 and cover 1.5 square miles. (For reference, according to our Wikipedia/Google calculations, Disneyland in California is just 0.13 square miles, Disneyland Tokyo is 0.17 square miles, while Disneyworld in Florida is a whopping 47 square miles.) Thank goodness China has so many gays, ’cause we need to blanket that shit.


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ANZ has expressed concern over privacy reforms that would extend the definition of personal information to ‘singling out’, arguing that doing so could paradoxically result in increased surveillance of individuals.
Singling out is a concept referred to in the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation where a person can be distinguished from others, even when their identity is not known.
Its inclusion in the Privacy Act is being considered as part of a root-and-branch review by the Attorney-General's Department that would see the definition of personal information changed from ‘about’ to ‘relates to’.
At present, it is possible for technical information to fall outside of the definition of personal information because it is not directly about an individual, even if that person is ‘reasonably identifiable’.
But privacy advocates like UNSW senior lecturer Dr Katharine Kemp believe that even indirect information can be used to create a detailed picture of the ‘consumer behind the device’.
In its submission [pdf] to the latest round of consulations for the review, ANZ said that “operational difficulties” could arise from amending the definition of reasonably identifiable to capture singling out.
It noted, however, that it was “not clear whether ‘identified, directly or indirectly', is intended to capture singling out”, and that the definition of ‘reasonably identifiable’ needed further clarification.
ANZ said that if singling out was captured, practical compliance some of the Australian Privacy Principles would be “challenging”, particularly where it has an obligation to communicate with an individual.
“What would be the appropriate response to an access or correction request or, if introduced, a right to objection or erasure, from an individual whose identity is not known?" the submission said
“What authentication method should an entity implement to ensure that access is being provided to the correct singled out individual?”
ANZ said there were also “questions as to how accurately the ‘consumer behind the device’ can be singled out”, while noting the concerns that exist around manipulation and discrimination.
It considers the concept the ability to “single out a person in the crowd, such that they can be tracked, profiled, targeted, contacted or subject to a decision or action which impact them, even if that individual’s identity is not known”.
“Devices are often shared by multiple people in a household (eg sharing use of a computer or children accessing a parent’s phone),” the bank said.
“Extending the APPs to singling out could have the unfortunate result of increasing surveillance to reduce the risk of incorrectly disclosing the personal information of one household user to another.”
The bank said that surveillance could include “monitor[ing] keystroke pattern and any authenticated environments visited”.
“It is unlikely that an entity will be able to identity the same singled out user from one visit to an entity’s website to the next,” it added.
“This would mean that notifications and, where necessary, consents would be required for each visit resulting in consumer frustration and notification/consent fatigue.”
ANZ also said the proposal would “require collection notices to be provide to every singled out visitor to a website, and possibly consent sought to collect and use information from that website visitor”.
It said this risks limiting the ability to collect data to improve websites and services and complaints by website users about the number of cookie pop-ups, as has been the experience in the UK.
“If the Privacy Act is amended to capture singling out, this type of ‘personal information’ would likely need its own regime of rules and constraints,” it concluded.
ANZ also raised concerns with the proposal to extend the definition of ‘sensitive information’ to financial transaction information, which it also said could lead to consent fatigue.
“If the definition... was amended to include financial information, the normal operation of the payment system and commerce would require much more explicit and granular consents,” it said.
“Financial system participants (e.g. banks, credit card schemes, merchants, payment intermediaries and fraud monitoring service providers) would require consumers’ consent to process payment information.
“This could result in consent fatigue for consumers and a significant compliance burden for financial system participants with minimal privacy benefit.”
This is consistent with the Australian Banking Association, which said in its submission [pdf] that such an expansion would not be appropriate and would significantly impede ordinary banking services to the detriment of [its] customers”.
ANZ said that raw transaction data was not sensitive information “per se”, and information “inferred through positive steps from that raw data and applied to an individual’s profile” is already provided under the Privacy Act.
“For example, transaction information may include subscriptions to political organisations. Alone, this raw data is personal information but not sensitive information,”
”However, if an entity forms an opinion from this information (e.g. through the use of analytics) that the account holder holds particular political opinions, this opinion would be a collection of ‘sensitive information’ and subject to the additional protections set out in the Act.”
ANZ also used its submission to argue in favour of continuing to use ‘de-identified’ rather than ‘anonymous’ for the Privacy Act to no longer apply to data.
It said that anonymisation could impact its ability to re-use data, and could even make data misleading by “conceal[ing] important differences between and among subgroup categories”.
“Requiring this higher standard of de-identification may impact data utility because it would require the application of more comprehensive de-identification techniques,” the submission states.
The bank recognised, however, that “current de-identification techniques can be inconsistent and lack the appropriate rigour”, leading it to suggest changes to existing practices.
“Consideration could be given to strengthening de-identification practices through legal standards, perhaps by drawing on the de-identification decision making framework,” it said.
“We also support [the proposal] to introduce a re-identification offence with appropriate amendments as a further safeguard against inappropriate re-identification.”


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Regulators and retailers will be able to access information about farms and what they are growing, as well as real-time data about where products are in the supply chain.
The project is a collaboration between NSW DPI, Food Agility CRC, Woolworths, FreshChain Systems, GS1 Australia and Cherry Growers Australia. It will use blockchain technology, quality sensors and GS1 Data standards, focussing initially on cherries and potatoes sold in select Woolworths stores under its own brand label.
NSW DPI Development Officer, Jessica Fearnley, said the need for an integrated traceability system was highlighted during the 2019 bushfires, when regulators needed immediate information about which agricultural properties were at threat and where food was in the supply chain.
“The system will be invaluable in emergency response situations such as bushfire, but also in a biosecurity incursion or food safety breach, which are complex investigations in which it can take weeks to identify the source of the threat,” Ms Fearnley said.
Food Agility Chief Scientist, Professor David Lamb, said the system aimed to protect consumers and industries and that the research team would conduct mock track and trace exercises.
“We’ll put the system to the test, simulating a bushfire response or a fruit fly incursion, and testing how much faster we can be in identifying individual properties and products,” Professor Lamb said.
Commercial Director of Fruit and Veg at Woolworths, Paul Turner, said the project would help deliver on its strategic priority of end-to-end product traceability.
"Because the system uses QR codes on packets, we will also be able to provide product knowledge, provenance and usage tips to our customers. This is a way to engage our customers with how and where their food is grown, while providing confidence in food safety and quality,” Mr Turner said.
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(courtesy of Jacksonville Business Journal)
While the push for health care reform and Supreme Court confirmation hearings continue to dominate this week’s Washington news cycles, a Senate vote on internet privacy matters taken today is drawing the attention of business owners and consumer advocates alike.
At issue are privacy rules that were put in place by the Federal Communications Commission last year, ahead of the fall elections. The rules required companies to get consumers’ consent before they could share a host of web-browsing data with advertisers and other third parties, but the move put consumer-privacy advocates in conflict with companies that insisted the rules stifled innovation and service.
ISPs like Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) were reclassified as “common carriers” in 2015, a measure that eventually put them under the purview of the FCC, whereas big websites like Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. Thus, as Wired notes, Google can sell consumers’ web-browsing data to third parties without the same level of consent requirements that ISPs face.
And it’s not just the ISPs that wanted the rules wiped out. Advertising groups also have lobbied against them, as AdAge reported recently. It cited a statement from several of the groups that read, “Without prompt action in Congress or at the FCC, the FCC’s regulations would break with well-accepted and functioning industry practices, chilling innovation and hurting the consumers the regulation was supposed to protect.” Broadcasting & Cable added that the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jeff Flake (R – Ariz.), suggested the rules prevent ISPs from adjusting services to customers’ needs.
At the same time, proponents of the rules largely took on the position that they were necessary to protect people from corporate overreach into private information. For example, Sen. Ed Markey (D – Mass.) argued that pulling back on those rules effectively means more companies get to decide how much privacy individuals can enjoy, TechCrunch reported.
That same TechCrunch report noted a further complication of the Senate’s vote: Republicans are pursuing the matter under the Congressional Review Act, which allows legislators to undo regulations passed at the end of a previous presidential administration. That means the stakes are even higher than usual because should Congress undo those regulations, the FCC would be barred from issuing those same rules in the future, the report said.
The resolution still needs to pass the House of Representatives to take effect.
David A. Arnott is the National News Desk Editor with The Business Journals.


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LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Deutsche Bank cut Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. GT, +0.94% to sell from hold, citing the company's fourth-quarter warning. The broker told clients that while details on the quarter remain sparse, it believes the rise in raw material prices accounted for most of the miss. "The raw material cost in the quarter is surprising given that the company generally has six-month visibility on raw materials based on forward purchases," the broker said. Deutsche added that Goodyear was also hurt by lower overhead absorption in Latin America and Europe.
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By Solomon Myers, Orange Media Network
From meme to mainstream, Dogecoin, a form of cryptocurrency, has climbed its way up in the market to become an investment asset worth about $50 billion as its value and popularity have rapidly increased.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Dogecoin was jokingly created in 2013 to poke fun at Bitcoin, the first kind of cryptocurrency. The logo was made from “Doge,” a popular meme at the time which featured a Shiba Inu dog.
To put it simply, cryptocurrency is a digital form of money that is encrypted and decentralized, meaning that people can trade their assets digitally in a secure and anonymous manner. It can be exchanged online for goods and services, as many companies offer cryptocurrencies, or “tokens,” for consumers to buy and use in exchange for whatever the companies have to provide.
Compared to traditional types of money like the euro or U.S. dollar, there’s no central authority that manages and maintains the value. The currency is broadly distributed by its users through the internet instead. These transactions are verified and recorded in a program called a blockchain.
Recently, Dogecoin’s buyers have gone a step further and transformed what was meant as a joke into a real asset. This has given some traders who piled in early an extreme amount of gains. Many people were more willing to participate because of the wave of stimulus checks that hit their deposits and the low borrowing costs of cryptocurrencies. This is on par with GameStop’s extraordinary strides at the beginning of the year, when traders on Reddit and other social media platforms turned GameStop, into a stock market powerhouse.
“Doge Day,” which took place on Tuesday, April 20 was the latest mania from the market. This was an attempt to raise the currency’s price up to $1 from nearly 39 cents on the Monday before that and from less than a penny in January. These events reflect the mass impact online communities have on market prices and the expectations that it will continue to rise.
According to a Forbes article, Dogecoin’s format is similar to Etherum and Bitcoin cryptocurrencies since it runs on blockchain technology too. What that means is all transactions are made using a decentralized digital currency and are stored in a distributed, secure digital ledger, which is an account or record used to document transactions.
All holders are able to carry an identical copy of the ledger which is often updated with new transactions. This network also uses cryptography to keep them secure like other cryptocurrencies.
The abrupt rise in Dogecoin reveals the most unconventional trades can sometimes produce promising results. To put this into context, someone who invested $10,000 in Dogecoin in late December would have amassed more than $821,000 as of last week.
The rise and fall of these assets have been contained, though. People in the market are keeping a close eye on fluctuations. A fall in prices in cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin or Bitcoin could prompt hedge funds and other large investors to reduce risky holdings, which would contribute to more pullback from the stocks.
Increased interest in cryptocurrency stocks is also based on the rise of social media trends and influence surrounding cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin. Those who contributed to its massive popularity include Elon Musk, Snoop Dogg and even Slim Jim. The avid activity and shares on Twitter along with Dogecoin’s large following can really help it head to the moon like many fans hope it does.
If you’re considering investing some of your money into this currency, here are a few things to consider. There is little incentive to pursue Dogecoin in the long run since there is no lifetime limit on how much of it can exist. This means millions of them can be created, which would ultimately decrease its value. Bitcoin, however, continues to rise in value because the system’s lifetime cap can be created according to the number of coins available.
Whether you’re a novice to the market or an experienced investor, the choice of buying Dogecoin is up to you. It’s important to keep in mind the risk that’s involved in this unique currency. Familiarizing yourself with the system and having a few coins would be a good place to start. It’s important to be prepared and informed if you’re thinking of entering this dog-eat-dog world.


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Another next gen console project emerged today, as news began to filter through that Cambridge-based studio Just Add Monsters is apparently some 18 months into a 'revolutionary' action adventure.
Sources today told our sister site Eurogamer.net that the Argonaut-owned studio has been hard at work on a next generation console game ever since it completed work on the critically-acclaimed Xbox-exclusive comedy beat-em up Kung Fu Chaos early last year. The title of the game has yet to emerge, but the team is also rumoured to be experimenting with online possibilities.
The smart money suggests that the team is leading development of the unannounced game on Xbox 2, following on from the experience gained from Kung Fu Chaos, and that publisher reaction has been such that several are currently involved in a tussle to sign a game that has been described by our source as "truly stunning and totally original". It's also understood that the untitled game - which is also thought to feature combat - will also be based on original IP.
Just Add Monsters declined to comment. We hope to bring you more news shortly of what is likely to be among the first wave of next gen titles, and certainly one of the first British-developed next gen console titles to be released, with work almost certain to be complete in time for the release of the next round of machines in 2006 - and could well feature prominently at next year's E3.


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According to reports over the past few years, Meta was not only building a smartwatch but also one with two cameras. Bloomberg claims that the project has been put on hold since Meta is now concentrating on other wearables.
According to the source, the long-rumored wristwatch was predicted to be an Apple Watch rival and was scheduled to go on sale in the spring of 2017 for about $349.
According to reports, a prototype included tools for activity tracking, calendaring, photo galleries, and heart rate monitoring. Its battery life is said to have been 18 hours.
There were apps for Spotify, Meta’s own WhatsApp, and Instagram Stories. According to reports, the prototype lacked a native app store. The plan was for you to control the device through your Facebook account. Naturally, you could have posted from the watch on Facebook and Instagram.
A replaceable watch face with two side buttons, one of which was a circular control (it’s unclear if this was an Apple Watch crown-style dial), and WiFi, GPS, and eSIM compatibility were also purported features of the device. It was rumored to have a 12-megapixel camera on the back and a 5-megapixel camera on the watch face. The latter was created to be functional without the watch face.
The arrangement of the second camera is said to have interfered with sensors that converted feedback from the wearer’s nerves into digital information, which is why it appears to have caused problems during development.
In order to operate avatars or interact with VR environments, the business has considered employing smartwatches as input devices for their version of the metaverse.
Along with technical difficulties, it appears that larger problems within Meta contributed to the gadget being delayed. According to a story from last month, the corporation has reportedly canceled some Meta Reality Labs projects in an effort to reduce costs. In recent weeks, Meta’s leadership team has also undergone changes.
However, the developers’ efforts on the dual-camera watch project might not have been in vain. Some of the characteristics seen in other wearables may be used by Meta. The project might perhaps be picked back up at a later time.
Additionally, Meta is rumored to have reduced its plans for augmented reality goggles. The business is no longer anticipated to deploy its first-generation augmented reality glasses in 2024, according to The Information. This particular device is reportedly intended for use as a demo item.
According to the article, Meta is instead concentrating on the second generation of AR glasses, so it might be a while before the product is available.
The report also claims that Meta would stop producing Portal devices for end users. According to reports, the company intends to develop the Portal smart screens into a line of commercially relevant products.
Independent of our parent business, our editorial team chooses all of the products that Engadget recommends. Our stories occasionally include affiliate links. We could get paid an affiliate commission if you use one of these links to make a purchase.


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The natural character of online gaming offers birth to different frauds. Online gamblers don’t know whether the overall game in planning on reasonably or perhaps not? The most common type of scam is the punishment of charge card data and the neglect to pay out the winning amount to the champions, who are able to never method them obor138.
Over these tough financial situations, it’s no surprise that area centered casinos are losing money. You might have thought that people could be flocking to sportsbooks and casinos global to be able to risk and preferably win large as an help to surviving the recession that the financial disaster has spawned.
But, it appears that the contrary is true. The lack of money for amusement indicates that people are foregoing these weekend trips to Las Vegas and different gaming meccas. They’ve even become unwilling to pay the cash necessary for gas or community transportation to be able to get to area centered casinos which can be within operating distance of these homes. You can ask any sports book or casino manager the way the recession has treated their business, and most of them can tell you they are losing money.
Professionals in the gaming market have seen a ripple effect taking place across the world. Determining the styles of global gaming is the topic of a study that has launched some shocking factual statements about the gaming industry. Online gaming is increasing in acceptance in spite of the financial crisis. In reality, in 2008, the full total volume taken in global by online gaming was more than 20 billion pounds, placing a brand new large record.
Why are people shying away from land-based casinos and applying online casinos instead? Simply put, they could make their money move significantly more in an online casino. As mentioned over, people just do not want to part using their cash for airfare and for any other form of transportation to be able to get to the casinos. They are applying that money to visit online casinos, and having their gaming fun in the comfort of these homes.
The gaming market is predicting that online gaming can remain very popular for provided that the financial disaster continues, and even beyond. People aren’t planning to stop gambling. They might perhaps not wager as large an volume as they once did, nevertheless the lure of winning is too solid in order for them to end completely. They’ll change to online casinos as a way to carry on their gaming routine for less money.
All that is necessary for online gaming is really a computer and a relatively inexpensive broadband link with the Internet. Anywhere you need to use a laptop computer or a cell phone is also a spot where you can gamble. Unlike land-based casinos, online gaming lets you training lots of the most used games at number charge. You can get a feel for a game before investing any profit it, which could save your self profit the long run.
Those punters who’re smokers and have observed their favourite casino or sports book become a smoke-free establishment are also taking their gaming pounds to the internet casinos. Gambling via the Internet indicates number constraints on smoking, food or drink. There is number gown signal to follow, and several consider online casinos significantly safer than area centered casinos.
Many of the large online casinos are performing to the influx of new clients by making online gaming even more pleasurable and appealing. They are introducing delightful bonuses and different offers, holding tournaments, and presenting player personalized slot machines. Almost everything you’ll find at a land-based casino can be acquired at online casinos, plus a whole lot more.
Internet has brought gaming into homes, and has caused it to be open to everybody else and all around the world. The initial true online casino was shaped in 1995, and now you can find over 500 gaming sites on internet. In 1997, $200 million were received by that business.
Online gaming makes at least $3 billion of annual revenue. Gamblers log to the web site and deposit funds by utilizing bank cards, qualified cheques, money purchases, or through line transfers. Should they win/loose the total amount is instantly credited/deducted from their accounts.
As online gaming has gained acceptance, in addition, it gave birth to the gaming addiction. Now times, gaming addiction is the priority that comes in the situation of online gambling. It’s an undeniable fact that legalized online gaming websites are the significant source of online gambling.
In standard casinos gamblers use real chips or money, while online gamblers bets on a click of mouse in place of any concrete money. Movie gaming is popular as compared to other forms of online gaming due to the quicker feedback. Sociologist and psychiatrists refers it as ‘crack-cocaine of gaming addiction’ ;.
The reason why behind the acceptance of online gaming is that it’s simply and quickly available by everyone. The main advantage of online gaming is the infinite time, wherever as standard gaming has confined hours of operation.
It’s suggested that gamblers who have missing an amazing sum of money are more prone to keep betting on the pcs than if they were sitting at a table with the others watching. With infinite possibility of minors to access these online gaming websites, opponents of this market argue that the only method to keep children away is always to stop these websites to everyone.


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Transcript for Procrastination Nation: Marathon Finish to Complete Holiday Shopping
today, odds were you were shopping. Today could be the biggest shopping day of the year and abc's john schriffen tells us there are actually some benefits to waiting until the last minute. Reporter: If you still shopping list, you're not alone. According to consumer reports two-thirds of americans, 132 million people, still have shopping to do. It still seems like it's going to be a pretty strong holiday season. Even though consumers have gotten increasingly nervous about the fiscal cliff, but they still have been out there shopping. Reporter: To entice s to open their wallets some major retailers are offering deep discounts. How about aeropostale, a hit with teens, slashing 60% off everything. For the trendy adult in your life, banana republic, offering 40% off the entire store. As an added convenience some stores are going into shopping marathon mode. Toys r us is opened 43 consecutive hours. Macy's staying open 48 straight hours this weekend. Shopping in the middle of the night sounds crazy, but you're going to get a parking spot, there's likely more stock on the shelves. Reporter: Experts say, like always, it's important to do your homework. Many have decided to avoid the lines and shop online. Now santa's little helpers. Santa is here. I know him. Reporter: Not those helpers. These helpers, from delivery companies, are scrambling to get packages out of their trucks and under your tree. U.P.S. Knows how it is. You want your package. Reporter: With storms moving through the midwest, the question is -- is it going to arrive by christmas? If roads are clear, chances are, your package will get there. To give you an idea of just how busy these companies are, fedex expects to set a record this holiday season. If you want your special gift delivered by tuesday, fedex and u.P.S., Dan, said tonight's your last chance to ship it out.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


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Almost 22 million households in UK – some 86 per cent of the total – now have digital television on their main TV, according to research published by broadcasting regulators, Ofcom.
Says Ofcom, between July and September, there were some 2.4 million purchases of the Freeview multi-channel package alone.
On the previous quarter, the number of households with digital TV on their main set was up by 1.1 per cent.
But one of the biggest areas of growth is in the number of households whose secondary sets are now digital: nearly 12 million, up by 1.3 million during the quarter and up by 50 per cent over the past year.
* Send your Scottish media news and gossip, in the strictest confidence, to


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Microsoft will try to stop Yahoo! from hooking up with Google in Japan.
Bing daddy Microsoft told The Reg it will object to Yahoo! Japan's alliance with Google, announced this week, in a presentation to Japan's Fair Trade Commission.
A Microsoft spokesperson said: "We plan to present evidence to the Japanese FTC explaining why we believe that this deal is substantially more harmful to competition than Google’s deal with Yahoo in 2008 that the DOJ found to be illegal."
Microsoft told All-About-Microsoft's Mary-Jo Foley a tie up would give Google virtually 100 per cent of all searches in the country and deliver control of all personal searches by consumers and business to the internet's biggest search and ads company.
Earlier this week, Yahoo! Japan said it will switch to Google's search engine from the one it had developed and would use online advertising and distribution from Google.
It's a mirror of the agreement between Microsoft and Yahoo! elsewhere in the world, where Yahoo!'s search and ads platform is being lifted out and Microsoft's Bing is being slotted in. The switch-over is due for completion during September and October.
Yahoo! Japan isn't a fully owned extension of Yahoo! US. Japanese phone and internet service provider Softbank has a 40 per cent stake in the operation with Yahoo! on 30 per cent.
Yahoo! Japan has around 50 per cent of all searches in Japan, with Google on 45 per cent and Microsoft in single digits. ®


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Independence Day By The Numbers
When it comes to celebrating Independence Day, Americans love barbeque!
According to Forbes.com, Americans spent $6.6 billion in food during the 2015 Fourth of July festivities. This comes out to around $72.23 per household! Nearly 65 percent of Americans planned a BBQ event last year and that number is expected to rise for 2016.
During the holiday, people in the United States will eat approximately 150 million hot dogs, 190 million pounds of beef, 700 million pounds of chicken, and 5 million gallons of ice cream!
So America, get on the feed bag, light the fireworks, and enjoy the best part of summer.


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ConversionWorks Shortlisted for Google Premier Partner Awards 2019
The finalists for the prestigious Google Premier Partner Awards 2019 have finally been revealed and we’re thrilled to announce that we have been shortlisted for ‘Shopping Excellence’.
The awards recognise the achievements of the very best digital marketing agencies and providers across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EMEA).
The ‘Shopping Excellence’ category showcases how we’ve used Shopping Advertising to drive more sales for our clients and helped them reach the potential customers who matter most: those searching for what a business is selling.
The full list of finalists can be found here: Google Premier Parner Awards 2019 finalists
The six winners from EMEA will be announced at Google’s award ceremony in Dublin on 1st October. We look forward to raising a Guinness (or two) to our achievements!


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On a final note, we have a special Christmas treat for you all! Our firstÂ Buffy The Vampire SlayerÂ sale will be this holiday weekend! Pick up the first 15 issues ofÂ BuffyÂ Season 8 for only 99 cents each. It starts this Friday, this weekend only. Happy Holidays!
Action Lab: Danger Zone has a new series starting this week – Lucifer’s Knight. It’s a digital-first exclusive and available on ComiXology this week. Begin a supernatural action-adventure about high schoolers fighting demons in LUCIFER’S […]


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Commuters battling their way through London during the tube strikes on Monday (January 9) may have thought taxi app Uber could be their saving graces.
But this has not turned out to be the case for many, after Uber's fares increased by up to four times more because of its “dynamic pricing” scheme.
Uber has defended the price surge, saying it is not a surcharge added because of the tube strikes, but is an automated to deal with demand.
Commuters have faced a nightmare morning after London Underground staff walked out at 6pm on Sunday (January 8) for 24 hours.
Severely reduced services and even station closures have troubled workers in the capital, many of whom thought Uber could help ease the rush hour stress.
Uber has now been accused of profiteering and many of those affected by the surge have taken to Twitter to voice their disquiet.
A spokesman for Uber said: “Uber uses dynamic pricing to ensure that people can always book a car when they need it.
“The fare increases automatically, and only in response to real-time demand when there are not enough available cars.
“As all of the licensed drivers who use the Uber app work independently, higher fares incentivise more drivers to go online so we can help more people get where they need to go.
“Without this pricing model there would simply be no cars available.”
How does dynamic pricing work?
Uber said a number of industries use the demand-driven pricing model, including train tickets, late night taxi tariffs and hotels during the Christmas period.
The company said it does not add surcharges based on the time of day, but instead adjusts to demand.
Uber's app uses an algorithm to analyse the demand, and when the number of people in an area outweighs the cars available, the fare will increase to attract drivers to that area.
The company claims to be 30% cheaper than its competition, and says even with increased fares it is still more affordable than competitors.
Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.
You can even set it to receive push notifications for all the breaking news in your area.


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Moves are under way to ensure Dubai’s hotels and restaurants run as smoothly as possible for visitors while also respecting the traditions of the holy month.
In 2020, Ramadan will fall over March and April, a popular period for tourists from Europe who come to the UAE for the spring break and Easter holidays.
Two years ago, food courts in some malls discretely opened, while last year hotel licensing laws allowed alcoholic beverages to be served before sunset in selected areas, something not formalised in other emirates.
Etienne Haro, food and beverage director at the Fairmont Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, said changes were vital for business but should be handled sensitively. “The market in Dubai is quite specific and is around seven to eight months long, so as Ramadan draws in to high season, it cuts the season shorter.”
Although licensing rules allow alcohol to be served on hotel premises, Mr Haro said doing so “comes with responsibility”.
Operators need to ensure food and drink is kept away from the public eye, respecting local customs, he said.
“It’s not business as usual, but last year we captured a lot more business at office closing times with sunset being pretty late,” he said. “Shorter working hours also allow that. We’ve missed that business until now so this generates extra footfall. Last year there were the Euros [football tournament] so it was very helpful.”
Nasif Kayed, founder and chief executive of The Arab Culturalist institution, said Dubai “should and can” find the balance between meeting the needs of tourists and respecting the most holy time of year for Muslims.
“To adapt and be creative is not against the religion but part of the Arab culture of hospitality,” he said.
He said Dubai did an excellent job of making visitors feel happy “by being an open society and an open market”.
“We are an evolving country and 12 months of the year people are visiting. It used to be that nothing was open and we saw that created hardship for the people visiting, not only businesses. “For us, we say let’s have a balance for people for when food and drink is essential, they can go and eat and drink discretely. I believe there’s a fine balance between that and making sure we have a fully executed Ramadan.”
Dubai Parks and Resorts are promoting food and drinks packages for summer, including Ramadan, and even in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World will have designated areas for food and drinks.
Patrick Antaki, complex manager of the Al Maha desert resort and general manager of Al Aqah Beach Resort in Fujairah, said Ramadan was no longer the quiet time it once was.
“The relaxation of rules in Dubai has had a positive effect on the hospitality business,” he said. “Over the past few years we have seen an increase in occupancy.”
Robin Sharma, a lecturer in hospitality and tourism for Amity University, said with about a million people visiting Dubai during Ramadan, it was important to accommodate everyone.
“Ramadan is a beautiful month, in which people enjoy doing things together, such as fasting, gathering for prayer, inviting friends to iftar to break the fast. Even non-Muslims are part of it.
“Dubai is promoted as a world-class tourist destination and the move to relax strict laws on food and alcohol is about ensuring a superlative visitor experience.
“The restaurants and food courts have dedicated sections where one can eat and drink; the laws relaxed for children and elderly people or anyone with medical conditions. This is where Dubai keeps on surprising us year after year by taking care of the entire community, but still adhering to their laws.”
Full article: http://www.thenational.ae/uae/dubai-develops-tourism-with-ramadan-in-mind


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Nov 06, 2014
CEA Statement on FTC Settlement Against Patent Extortionist
The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, regarding today’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement against the patent extortionist who used deceptive tactics to threaten small businesses of patent infringement: “We commend the FTC for focusing on the deception and harm caused by patent trolls – extortionists that bleed $80 billion a year from the U.S. economy and who engage in fraudulent conduct." Full Release
Nov 05, 2014
Let's Get to Work: CEA Stands Ready, Encouraged to Support New Congress
The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, in the wake of last night’s congressional midterm elections: “With the midterm elections behind us, we stand ready to embrace the incoming Congress with a renewed sense of optimism. While we congratulate the Republican Party on its victory in the Senate, we also urge GOP leaders to commit to changing the stifling, partisan atmosphere that has plagued the Senate with inaction – and the appearance of indifference.
Nov 05, 2014
CEA Congratulates FTC on 100 Year Anniversary
The following statement can be attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) 100th anniversary: “As the FTC celebrates this week its 100 years of service to the American people, we applaud the Commission’s consistent and balanced understanding that markets must have the flexibility to innovate, while still being responsive to consumer needs. We share the very same perspective in the consumer technology industry, because innovation is not only expected but encouraged."
Nov 03, 2014
Inventors, Pioneers, Industry Executives and a Hollywood Starlet Sharing Honors at 2014 Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame Awards
Without the contributions from the 2014 class of the Consumer Electronics (CE) Hall of Fame –produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® - digital photography, personalized Internet music streaming radio, computer routing, and secure communications via cell phone, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi might never have happened. Full Release
Oct 31, 2014
Industries Celebrate Anniversary of FAA's Policy Expanding Use of Electronics Products on Flights
Today, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® and airline industry celebrate the first anniversary of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to end restrictive in-flight policies on Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs). In 2013, CEA and other stakeholders served on the FAA’s PEDs Aviation Rulemaking Committee, helping pave the way for expanded use of electronics devices during takeoff and landing on commercial flights. Full Release
Oct 31, 2014
CEA: Ridesharing is Part of Nevada's Transportation Solution
The following statement is attributable to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO at the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, regarding this week’s ruling by Nevada’s Clark County District Court to end the state’s temporary restraining order on the ridesharing service Uber. CEA is the producer of the International CES®, the world’s largest gathering of the global technology community, which brings more than 150,000 visitors to Las Vegas each January.


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Nissan has developed a compartment that blocks mobile phone signal whilst in the car.
The prototype, called Signal Shield, is built into the arm rest of the car giants Juke crossover vehicle, will eliminate distractions caused by incoming calls, messages, and social media notifications.
The armrest is lined with a Faraday Cage, which was first invented in the 1830s. It is a device used to block electromagnetic fields.
Penalties and fines for illegal phone use by drivers doubled to six points and £200 on March 1.
Alex Smith, managing director at Nissan Motor GB, said: “Mobile phone use at the wheel is a growing concern across the automotive industry, and indeed society, particularly with the high number of ‘pushed’ communications, such as texts, social media notifications and app alerts that tempt drivers to reach for their devices.
“The Nissan Signal Shield concept presents one possible solution for giving drivers the choice to remove all smartphone distractions while driving. This is about delivering more control at the wheel, not less.”
The rationale behind the Signal Shield is supported by data from the RAC, which says the number of drivers admitting to handling their phones while driving has risen from 8 per cent in 2014 to 31 per cent last year.
While the Nissan Signal Shield blocks any Bluetooth or network signals from reaching the smartphone, motorists still have the ability to stream music from their device by connecting to USB or auxiliary within the compartment.
Mr Smith said: “Some drivers are immune to the activity of their smartphone, but for those who struggle to ignore to ignore the beeps and pings, this concept provides a simple solution in this very connected world we live in.”
An RAC survey of more than 1,700 UK motorists found that the proportion who admit to using a hand-held phone behind the wheel increased from 8 per cent in 2014 to 31 per cent last year.
Source: ADI News
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Silicon Valley Lidar Company Velodyne Signs 3 Year Supply Deal with China's Baidu
【Summary】Silicon Valley-based lidar company Velodyne Lidar Inc. was one of the first companies to supply lidar to developers of autonomous vehicles and today the company announced it will supply its lidar to China’s Baidu, a company that’s often referred to as the “Google of China.” Velodyne announced a three-year sales agreement with Baidu for its Alpha Prime lidar sensors for autonomous driving applications.
As automakers, tech companies and startups continue to develop self-driving vehicles, the importance of lidar technology to support perception systems for autonomous vehicles has grown.
Silicon Valley-based lidar company Velodyne Lidar Inc. was one of the first companies to supply lidar to developers of autonomous vehicles and today the company announced it will supply its lidar to China's Baidu, a company that's often referred to as the "Google of China."
Velodyne announced a three-year sales agreement with Baidu for its Alpha Prime lidar sensors for autonomous driving applications. The Alpha Prime sensor can help autonomous vehicles navigate at highway speeds.
Baidu is launching a robo taxi service in China called "Apollo Go" as part of its Apollo open-source autonomous driving platform. The fleet of self-driving vehicles will use the lidar sensors from Velodyne.
Baidu Apollo said it selected the Alpha Prime lidar for its range, resolution and field of view that collectively address the high-performance requirements for Baidu's autonomous vehicles.
"Velodyne greatly values our relationship with Baidu, a strategic business partner and investor, and we are deeply committed to our combined work in the Chinese market," said Wei Weng, Executive Director of Asia, Velodyne Lidar. "They are a trailblazer of intelligent driving technology and deployment, and their accomplishments and influence span global markets. Alpha Prime provides safe, efficient navigation for autonomous vehicles."
The name Lidar is an acronym for "light detecting and ranging." The technology works by bouncing pulses of laser light off of objects millions of times per second and measuring the time its takes for the beams to reflect back to the sensor. By measuring time-of-flight, distance of objects can be measured.
The laser technology also works well in rain, snow and low light conditions, unlike camera-based perception systems that rely on cameras as the primary sensor.
Velodyne's Alpha Prime lidar uses 128 laser channels and can generate millions of data points per second, enabling precise navigation. It utilizes Velodyne's 360-degree surround-view perception technology.
The data points are used to continuously generate a precise, three-dimensional lidar image of a vehicle's surroundings in real time. The lidar sensor can be used to identify other vehicles, buildings, trees, pedestrians, mailboxes, as well as the road ahead.
Outside of autonomous vehicles, the lidar market is rapidly growing for use in advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) designed to reduce accidents and pedestrian deaths. ADAS features are standard on many new vehicles today and are considered to be a precursor to fully-automated driving systems. The 3D vision capabilities of lidar make it an important sensor to help drivers detect roadway hazards and increase safety.
Baidu has been a strategic investor in Velodyne since 2016. U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co is also an investor. The two companies each invested $75 million in Velodyne.
"In fulfilling our intelligent driving mission, Baidu works with innovation leaders like Velodyne to bring a safe, efficient autonomous driving experience to everyone," said Yaoming Shen, Sr. Optical Engineer, Baidu.
San Jose, California-based Velodyne is one of the pioneers of lidar technology. When Google began working on self-driving cars way back in 2009, Velodyne was chosen as its lidar supplier. The project has since spun off as a separate division now known as Waymo.
At the time, Velodyne's lidar units were bulky mechanical devices, which spun to send out laser beams in all directions for complete 360 degree coverage around a vehicle. The units resembled a spinning bucket mounted on the roof of Google's first self-driving vehicles.
However, Velodyne's newest lidar units as well as those of its competitors are much smaller and some even include more advanced solid state lidar technology, with no moving parts. These newer designs are much more reliable and less expensive for use in automotive ADAS and other industries.
As the inventor of lidar 15 years ago, Velodyne has over 300 customers, including major automotive OEMs and leading tech companies developing perception technologies for self-driving vehicles, autonomous shuttles and ADAS, including lidar units for autonomous delivery vehicles designed to carry goods rather than people.
Velodyne has worked with roughly 25 self-driving car programs. Lidar is also being used for robotics, drones, mapping and security systems.
Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.
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Intel-owned Mobileye Unveils its New Lidar and Radar Technology for Autonomous Vehicles at CES
- General Motors Changes Course, Sides With California on Fuel Economy Regulations
- Volkswagen Aims to Be the World’s Biggest Producer of Electric Drivetrains, Production Begins in China
- Tesla’s Market Value Tops $500 Billion as the Company Nears its S&P 500 Debut
- Audi to Build Electric Vehicles in China in a New Joint Venture with Automaker FAW Group
- Luxury Electric Automaker Lucid Motors Opens its Studio & Service Center in Southern California
- Daimler’s U.S. Truck Unit Fined $30 Million by the NHTSA for Delaying Recalls
- Autonomous Driving Developer AutoX Expanding its Robotaxi Testing to 4 New Cities in China
- Waymo to Open New Autonomous Testing Facility in Ohio
- iPhone Assembler Foxconn Signs Deal With EV Startup Byton to Build its M-Byte SUV
- Robotaxi Startup AutoX is Now Picking Up Passengers in its Autonomous Vehicles Without Safety Drivers


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Louisiana-Pacific Corp. LPX, +1.20% said it would sell its vinyl siding business to KP Building Products Inc., an affiliate of Kaycan Ltd. Louisiana-Pacific did not reveal a price, but said the letter of intent covers the sale of its two vinyl siding mills, in Holly Springs, Miss., and Acton, Ontario, and a warehouse in Milton, Ontario. Shares of the company fell 43 cents Friday to $24.85.
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The awards were presented by the Illinois-based dealer buying group Allied Buying Corporation (ABC) and took place this week.
With registration now open for next year’s event, CI USA takes a look at the highlights from this year’s schedule.
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Salam World: The Facebook of them Muslim world… seriously?
When I heard the news about yet another social network site with Islamic content, honestly I accepted it skeptically. Even more so when I read that Salam World that is to be Facebook with an Islamic concept. As cited from some media, Salam World management is now visiting Indonesia, including Majelis Ulama Indonesia (Indonesian Ulema Council), the Ministry of Religion, Bank Muamalat to promote its product that will launch in April 2012.
Salam World is owned by some Russians and Turks who will invest $ 15 million to open its branches in 16 countries with large Muslim populations, including Indonesia. Beside that, in two years Salam World will spend $ 40 million on infrastructure and further expansion. It is a bombastic number for me. Next, Salam World is going to develop the internet payment concept using a kind of electronic gold or electronic dinar. Therefore Salam World is trying to collaborate with Bank Muamalat as a partner in Indonesia.
My skepticism is reasonable. If you visit the site SalamWorld.com, it does not look like a multi-million dollar project. It looks more like a 1990s design and not interesting for users…
Continue reading at Daily Social EN
- NVIDIA achieves a breakthrough in chip manufacturing for ASML, TSMC, and Synopsys
- Adobe Firefly uses generative AI to create images
- GitHub Copilot X: Revolutionizing software development with GPT-4 integration
- Russian ransomware group Lockbit 3.0 leading cyber attacker in Malaysia
- Google Bard is here, but with plenty of disclaimers


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BEIJING China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) must be green and sustainable, President Xi Jinping said in opening a summit on his grand strategy, adding that the massive infrastructure and trade plan would deliver "high-quality" growth for all. | Video
SAN FRANCISCO/BEIJING/HONG KONG Amazon.com Inc said it will shut its China online store by July 18, as the U.S. e-commerce giant focuses on the lucrative businesses of selling overseas goods and cloud services in the world's most populous nation. | Video
BEIJING The personal life of JD.com chief Richard Liu returned to the spotlight of China's social media on Wednesday, drawing 360 million views to briefly become the top trending item on the Twitter-like Weibo, after a civil lawsuit accused him of rape.
BEIJING Chinese technology workers are protesting online against grueling overtime hours at some companies, a rare push back against the work culture in the country's tech industry.
BEIJING Apple and luxury labels such as Gucci have lowered their prices in China after a cut in its value-added tax (VAT) rate came into effect from April 1.
BEIJING In a bright red office in south Beijing, some of China's most studious Communist Party members are gathered around their smartphones. | Video


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AMD has launched a chipset designed for mainstream Windows 7 PCs. The 785G features ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics, and supports a range of CPUs including AMD Athlon II processors, and SidePort Memory support for DDR3 or DDR2 performance cache.
This latest version is the successor to the 780G which embedded graphics from the Radeon HD 3200 family.
The new chipset focuses heavily on media with support for high-definition video, including HDMI 1.3 and DisplayPort, as well as DirectX 10.1, GPU-enabled decoding, thermal management, eight-channel audio and hard drive Raid functionality.
Motherboards using the new chipset are due out later this year, the firm said.
AMD also announced planned support for the OpenGL 3.1 3D graphics API for its ATI FirePro graphics chips for graphics-based business users. Support for version 3.2 is expected to follow later.
"OpenGL 3.1 helps developers to take full advantage of powerful ATI FirePro graphics accelerators that provide performance, stability and visionary innovation for graphics professionals," said Janet Matsuda, senior director for AMD Professional Graphics.
"AMD continues to deliver OpenGL support that in turn enhances computer-aided design, digital content creation and scientific application provider offerings. Further, AMD's OpenGL extensions, such as tessellation, help developers increase the visual quality of 3D objects, and enable the creation of highly realistic looking characters, objects and scenery.
"We look forward to future enhancements that we expect to be available in OpenGL 3.2 and beyond."
A new set of drivers will be available for ATI FirePro graphics accelerators on 12 August, including support for OpenGL 3.1.
The flight will take off from California's Mojave Air and Space Port and could happen as soon as 13th December
Earth was showered with heavy particles called muons, which could have caused mutations and cancer in animals
Uber manager raised concerns about self-driving vehicle programme five days before fatal Uber crash in Arizona
Uber manager complained about series of near misses by autonomous vehicles that had not been properly investigated
Privilege escalation bug already being exploited in the wild


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In the traditional interior design world, the kitchen has always been seen as the heart of the home.
With open-planned living becoming more and more prevalent, however, traditional room boundaries hold less relevance and more and more people are gravitating towards the lounge room.
As lounge rooms take over as a home’s central living space, it would stand to reason that the kitchen would lose its appeal – or at least its traditional role. According to a study by the American Institute of Architecture (AIA), however, reveals the kitchen still takes the cake when it comes to a household’s central space.
The study found that instead of being stunted by open-planned interior layouts, the amount of space dedicated for kitchens is growing and the traditional kitchen is morphing from a room dedicated solely to cooking and eating to a multi-functional central living hub.
The reason for this increase in kitchen-focused design, particularly in the United States, is due to simple economics. In maximising kitchen space by including elements of other traditional living spaces – for instance, moving the office computer into the kitchen – houses are made more efficient in terms of space, energy and money.
“During the lowest points of the housing downturn, kitchen design fell as a priority,” says AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker. “However, this space is once again the real heartbeat of a home, with open design and integration with other living space.”
“The last few years have seen kitchens take on new functions with dedicated computer areas and recharging stations.”
The study shows that ‘adaptability or universal design’ was becoming a greater interior design priority in US kitchens. In the same vein, more and more kitchens are becoming ‘integrated with family space.’
It is clear that in a resource-short modern world, multi-funcitonalism is affecting the way people design and live in their homes. In order to truly be efficient with money and space in a world that is becoming increasingly densely populated and short on natural resources, living efficiently is becoming the new standard – or perhaps even the new dream home.
Modern first world society has become accustomed to added comforts and a certain standard of living. However, due to the aforementioned reasons, these things are not always easily attainable and often difficult to include in our homes. By giving extra space to the kitchen, sentimental values identifying the kitchen as the heart of the home are upheld. By transforming those larger kitchens into multi-purpose rooms, a high standard of living can be achieved in the most efficient way possible.


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MacDailyNews Take: Which, ironically, was secretly “developed” during several Apple BoD meetings, unbeknownst to Apple.
“Eduardo Tude, president of Brazilian telecommunications consultancy Teleco, says Thursday that the ‘most likely scenario’ is that the two companies will reach an agreement whereby Apple will pay Gradiente for the use of the brand,” AP reports.
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
IGB to sell ‘IPHONE’ brand of Android phones in Brazil – December 18, 2012


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HMD Global announced that Nokia-branded phones would arrive on shelves in the second quarter of this year and now it seems that at least one such device will be made available next week in Europe. The modern Nokia 3310 feature phone will arrive on April 28 in Germany and Austria.
The modern version of the iconic Nokia 3310 is already listed at a number of retailers in Austria, with a price tag of €59 and will start selling next Friday, April 28. Some retailers are offering the phone for a slightly lower price of €53.
However, the price tag is still higher than HMD Global’s recommended retail price of just €49 for the modern version of Nokia 3310 feature phone. In Germany, the device will be available for just €58 and many … (read more)
Read more at: Source link
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Sèvis Finansye Fonkoze, S.A. (SFF), a leading microfinance institution in Haiti, has chosen SG NewTech, a global IT company.
Retail, corporate and private banks were already under pressure to deploy new technologies and reshape their company cultures in order to compete with big tech firms and payment players. Now, as digital banking surges due to the coronavirus pandemic, this task is more pressing than ever.
In 2017 NATCCO launched the Kaya Payment Platform, a cloud-based payment service, in cooperation with Software Group.
Temenos announced that it has published the Latin American results for its annual retail banking survey


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Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. is partnering with a product stewardship firm to provide collection and recycling options for packaging and printed paper in British Columbia.
The Vaughan, Ontario-based Progressive Waste is the first recycling provider to work with the Burnaby, B.C.-based StewardChoice Enterprises Inc., which has developed a stewardship plan for producers to meet the requirements of British Columbia’s recycling regulation to recover at least 75 percent of their packaging and printed paper, according to a news release. Producer-funded service began being provided earlier this year after the province passed the law in 2011.
The initial goal of the proposed program is to provide producer-funded collection and recycling to residents currently not being served, particularly those living in multi-family dwellings. Currently more than 20 percent of British Columbia households don’t receive a producer-funded recycling service.
“We are very pleased to have Progressive Waste Solutions, a leading BC waste and recycling services provider, come on board to support the development of the new EPR (extended producer responsibility) program,” said Neil Hastie, development director for StewardChoice.
Said Tom Loewen, Progessive’s BC area manager, “We believe that open and competitive markets provide producers and other stakeholders with cost-efficient collection and recycling services and facilitates more innovation in the marketplace.”