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Microsoft has been trying hard lately to push for Windows Phone to gain market share. With the lack of sales of the Surface tablet, as well as Nokia’s flagship Lumia series phones that host Windows OS, Microsoft isn’t doing well right now. Nokia has been trying hard to attract customers, even going so far as to releasing their Nokia 1020 with an impressive 41-megapixel camera, but even that still is not enough to ‘wow’ customers. What’s the real problem here? Windows.
One of the most important things that many users look for in an OS platform is apps availability. Take the App store for Apple, for example. There are over 900,000 apps just for the iPhone/iPod, while there are over 250,000 apps specifically designed for the iPad. Now, just sheer numbers don’t mean anything unless many useful apps that you use on a daily basis are not available on the platform. Take Instagram for example. The app was first available only exclusively on the iPhone for the longest time, then was made available for Android and bought by Facebook. Instagram has become one of the most widely used apps on both Android and iOS. However, Windows Phone does not have this app.
App selection is one of the biggest problems for Windows Phone. While Nokia offering free music streaming service to its customers is nice, that small promotion alone is not nearly enough. Microsoft has been trying very hard to get developers to take interest in developing for Windows Phone, but it simply is not happening so far.
Nokia on the other hand deserves a lot of credit for staying with Windows platform and not giving up. The company recently had a 78% increase in shipments, which have grown from 4.9 million in the second quarter of 2012 to 8.7 million in 2013. That is quite impressive and very nice aggressive advertising. The partnership between Nokia and Microsoft shows hope for both companies. While Windows has been slow to start, BlackBerry has been going through much worse things. Their shipments shrunk from 7.7 million in Q2 2012 to 6.8 million in Q2 2013, a decline of 12%. So Microsoft isn’t in complete disaster, however, is slowly gaining traction while BlackBerry continues to lose market share.
A list complied by Infragistics shows us the top 100 apps that are currently trending. In the list, you will notice that while there are many apps available on both iOS and Android, quite a few still lack support for the Windows Phone platform.
With Microsoft working hard to gain market share, do you think they will be successful?


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A pair of Ohio cannabis entrepreneurs are holding four cannabis expungement workshops this month, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
The workshops — which will be held on February 16 in Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Cleveland — will be hosted by Ally Reaves, CEO of Cannabis Can! and the founder and president of Midwest Canna Women, and Nickole Ross, owner and COO of Noohra Labs.
Although cannabis possession is treated similarly in Ohio to a traffic ticket, a cannabis arrest can still have a negative impact on job prospects or housing. Furthermore, while decriminalization has spread across Ohio, many Ohioans are still arrested for cannabis crimes each year, the report says.
“It’s important for us to support our communities by helping them clean up their records. They have records that prevent them from participating in the cannabis industry and in life in general.” — Ross via the Dispatch
The clinics will have legal professionals in attendance to help participants navigate the expungement process. Applicants must submit a request for expungement and then a judge must approve the request in order for a cannabis crime to be expunged in the state. Additionally, cannabis business owners will be on hand to discuss getting a job in the cannabis industry, according to the report.
“We want to create opportunities for them,” Reeves said, adding that she’s held this type of clinic before and 40 people attended.
The clinics are free of charge but pre-registration is required to attend the events.
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Ohio Cannabis Entrepreneurs to Host Expungement Workshops

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How rock-bottom prices drive shortages of generic drugs used in hospitals
Steven Coventry spent 20 years at the Akorn pharmaceutical factory in Decatur, Ill., and worked his way up to operations manager.
The plant closed abruptly in February 2023, when the company shut down its four manufacturing facilities. In Decatur, Akorn laid off 400 employees.
But Coventry went back to work at the Decatur plant last summer because new owners hired him to essentially resume his old job and bring it back to life.
It was a surreal scene.
"Coffee mugs were left on tabletops, personal items," he said. "It was kind of like a ghost town and a little sad to go through and see, you know, people's lives just basically upended."
Coventry says the factory used to make 100 different products. The shutdown contributed to new drug shortages and made some others worse.
He's glad to be back.
"It's like home. It's where I grew up," he said. "I was really driven to ... bring it back up to its glory days of what it was in the past."
Low prices bring unintended consequences
When Americans think of drug prices, they usually think that they're too high. And for name brand drugs, that's often the case compared with the rest of the world.
But when it comes togeneric sterile injectables, medicines that are workhorses in hospitals, the opposite problem is true. They can be too cheap.
"For off-patent generic drugs, especially those used in the hospital setting, Americans actually pay lower prices than Europe does," said Rena Conti, a professor at the Boston University Questrom School of Business.
Companies compete with each other to offer hospital purchasers the lowest price, driving the prices to rock bottom. Over time, prices can get so low that it doesn't always make good business sense for the companies to keep making some drugs. So they stop.
"It's the same issues that we've been dealing with for many years, especially with these older generic drugs that are having fewer and fewer manufacturers making them," Valerie Jensen, associate director for drug shortages at the Food and Drug Administration, told NPR. "There isn't a lot of buffer when something goes wrong on the manufacturing line."
With fewer suppliers of generic drugs, a weather event – like the tornado that ripped through a Pfizer facility earlier this year or Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017 – can wreak havoc on an already fragile system.
On top of that, the bargain-basement prices don't encourage manufacturers to invest in new equipment and other things that would keep quality high and avert recalls and shutdowns.
"I would say, fundamentally, economics is causing this problem, and this problem is long-standing," Conti said. "We've been dealing with periodic and, more concerningly, persistent shortages in drugs ... for the better part of a decade or a little bit more. And fundamentally, the economics of this market has to change in order to get resilient supply."
What happened to Akorn?
Erin Fox is a hospital pharmacist who oversees purchasing drugs, medication safety and more for the University of Utah Health System. Like her peers across the country, she was caught off guard by Akorn's demise last winter.
"We actually got an email from our representative and he just said, 'Hey, we just walked in today. We learned that we're closing. Everyone has to leave today,' " she said. "So it was very abrupt."
The company went bankrupt after operating at a loss "for some time" and failing to get acquired by a company that would cover its liabilities, Akorn's CEO said in a letter to employees last February that was obtained by the Herald and Review in Decatur.
As soon as Fox got the news, she and her colleagues at University of Utah Health started poring over lists of medicines to see how the shutdown would affect them. Fox's team asked their Akorn rep if they could use what they had on shelves, and the answer that day was "yes."
The relief wouldn't last.
Six weeks later, Akorn recalled all the products it had made. There was nothing wrong with the drugs, and they hadn't expired. But no one was left at Akorn to answer the phone or initiate a specific recall if a problem did emerge.
"So you can't use it anymore," she said of Akorn's product line. "There's no gray area there."
Staffers at University of Utah Health had to log an extra 250 hours right away to deal with the fallout, taking Akorn products off shelves and finding replacements.
Products included things like the opioid sufentanil, which is often used in epidurals during labor and delivery. There are alternatives, but anesthesiologists prefer working with what they know best to reduce the chances for medical errors.
Akorn was also the only supplier of dimercaprol, an injectable antidote for lead poisoning. There are oral alternatives, but some patients are too sick to take them.
Rising from Akorn's ashes
A few months after Akorn shut down, Rising Pharmaceuticals acquired the former Akorn factory in Illinois. Rising plans to manufacture several of the generic products Akorn used to make there.
"Our intention is to really focus on those products of greatest need in the U.S. pharma marketplace and bring those back on," Ira Baeringer, Rising's chief operating officer, told NPR.
These include injectable forms of the antibiotic levofloxacin, the anesthetic tetracaine and droperidol, a medication to prevent nausea. Rising also plans to bring back several former Akorn eyedrop products in short supply.
But getting the factory up and running again is tricky because the water, air and mechanical systems had been shut down for so long. Normally, those systems run continuously.
"That takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of effort," Baeringer said. "And once a facility is shut down, it means all those systems have to be revalidated. And so that's the process that we're going through right now to bring ... this facility back up into commercial production."
He said Rising hopes the factory will be making products by the second half of 2024.
But what will keep Rising from going the same way Akorn did?
"Honestly, there's probably very little that can happen to prevent it," said Fox of University of Utah Health, explaining that it will depend on many factors, including which products Rising chooses and how it prices them. "So I think it's really hard to know if they'll be able to make it a success or not."
She said she hopes Rising can get a leg up from "people that want to keep manufacturing in the U.S."
The Biden administration has taken steps toward mitigating drug shortages, including expanding its use of the Defense Production Act to bolster domestic manufacturing of medicines deemed critical for national defense. The administration is also investing $35 million in domestic manufacturing of key starting materials for sterile injectable drugs.
"I'm hopeful," Fox said of the Illinois factory. "But we'll just have to see how it works out."
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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NEW DELHI: Skoda Auto India head Zac Hollis on Tuesday revealed that the Rapid will be replaced by a slightly bigger sedan in 2021. Zac Hollis confirmed this on Twitter while answering a query.
Starting at Rs 7.49 lakh (ex-showroom), the 2020 Skoda Rapid was launched in late September, and the sedan managed to fare decently in the market. The Czech automaker was forced to halt the production of the entry-level variant of the sedan, Rider, due to massive demand.
But according to this new development, Skoda doesn’t seem to have any plans for the mid-size sedan in the near future. The Skoda Rapid, instead of getting an update, will be replaced by a bigger sedan based on the MQB-AO platform.
The new sedan will be introduced in the country under the India 2.0 Investment program for which the Volkswagen Group had announced an investment of around €1 billion back in 2018.
The Skoda Auto India head went on to reveal that the upcoming offerings will only feature much more efficient and powerful TSI engines and the diesel units are being left behind in the new chapter. The current generation TSI engine offered in India is a 1.0-litre petrol engine offered with both manual and automatic transmission.
The new offering by the Czech automaker is likely to be an India-exclusive product and more likely to be built from scratch as there is no Skoda car currently that is based on the MQB-AO platform. The only 2 Skoda cars based on the MQB AO platform are Scala, a hatchback, and Kamiq, an SUV.
Skoda Auto India will also drive in a C-SUV to compete with the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. The fourth-generation Octavia is also scheduled for 2021.
“We will not have a new Rapid for India. At the end of next year, we will launch a new mugger sedan, based on the new MQB AO platform. We will launch only the efficient and powerful TSI engines under the India 2.0 Investment program,” said Zac Hollis, Head of Skoda Auto India, replying to a tweet.
With a plan to invest over USD 1 billion in electric vehicle ambition, Mahindra in July raised INR 1,925 crores (USD 250 million) at a valuation of up to INR 70,070 crores (USD 9.1 billion) from British International Investment into its electric four wheeler business. The first of the five new electric SUVs will be launched in December 2024 starting with the India market.
The company will stop producing Jazz after October 2022 while the crossover WR-V will not be produced beyond March 2023. The carmaker will also stop the production and sale of the 4th Generation Honda City by December 2022 in the country. However, the 5th generation of the sedan will continue to be available in the market, a source in the know of things told ETAuto.


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Bare Tree Media has launched its “emojiTap” app on Facebook Messenger following Facebook’s decision to open its platform to third party apps this year.
American Greetings and master toy partner Just Play have joined forces to re-launch a new series and consumer products program based on the 1980’s brand, Madballs.
Richmond Management Group has secured several new licensing partners in categories including toys and apparel for Tiniez, a new lifestyle brand for tween girls.
Bare Tree Media has announced that its “emojiTap” platform is now available to produce custom emoji apps for brands.
Boat Rocker Brands has added three new licensees for its TV series “Orphan Black,” in a series of deals brokered by Striker Entertainment, worldwide licensing agent for the show.
Genius Brands International has signed multiple new licensing partnerships for its new tween lifestyle and entertainment brand “SpacePOP.”
Bare Tree Media, in partnership with C3 Entertainment, has released new Three Stooges-themed mobile messenger stickers.
In honor of the return of “Empire” on the Fox network, Bare Tree Media has released “Empire”-themed mobile messenger stickers.
Bare Tree Media, in partnership with Fox, has released a new series of digital stickers featuring “Bob’s Burgers,” “Family Guy,” “American Dad” and “The Cleveland Show.”
Bare Tree Media has released a new series of Valentine’s Day-themed digital stickers featuring six top brands.
Bare Tree Media has launched "emojiTap," a new mobile offering that gives users access to branded emojis and digital stickers from a host of top brands.
Bare Tree Media has released a new series of digital stickers featuring popular National Football League players, under license with the NFL Players Association.
CBS Interactive has tapped Bare Tree Media for a series of mobile social stickers that feature the crew from the famed series “Star Trek: The Original Series.”
In honor of this weekend’s AFC Championship game, Bare Tree Media has released Tom Brady and Peyton Manning mobile messenger stickers.
Bare Tree Media has released a new series of digital stickers featuring this year’s leading presidential candidates.
©2016 UBM. All rights reserved. A UBM Company.


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European regulators are taking greater steps to clamp down on companies’ misleading environmental, social, and governance (ESG) claims, but experience shows different countries have differing priorities about tackling dishonest marketing.
While the focus of many countries is to target the biggest offenders capable of harm, there appears to be a split about which industries are most at fault and which regulators should take the lead.
Several European Union countries—including Denmark, France, Germany, and the Netherlands—and the United Kingdom have identified the financial services sector as being one of the biggest culprits, particularly regarding trying to entice pension funds to invest in supposedly green funds. As a result, financial regulators in these countries have been vocal in their desire to see the bloc pass EU-wide legislation to prevent greenwashing.
Some financial regulators have already taken direct action. In May, German authorities, including BaFin, raided the offices of both Deutsche Bank and its asset management subsidiary DWS as part of an investigation into financial institutions committing fraud by marketing investment products as more environmentally friendly than they really are. Both firms are cooperating with the probe.
In other countries, greenwashing is seen more as an unfair competition issue, with antitrust regulators taking the lead—especially against fashion retailers.
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets began investigating six clothing retailers over their green claims in November 2021. In July, the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened investigations into ASOS, Boohoo, and Asda.
In June, the Norwegian Consumer Authority (Forbrukertilsynet) ruled the basis used by clothing retailer Norrøna to back its environmental claims was “not sufficient” and asked it to either amend or remove the misleading statements. The regulator warned H&M of similar deficiencies.
Competitors keeping tabs
Legal experts believe focus on antitrust issues might make it easier—and cheaper—for companies to pursue legal action against competitors who use spurious green credentials to win customers.
Last year, in a landmark case, an Italian court upheld a company’s request for an interim injunction to stop a rival manufacturer of microfiber materials from continuing to make “vague, false, and non-verifiable green claims” that gave it an unfair competitive advantage.
The case is of interest, said Carolina Piovano, a senior associate at law firm Clifford Chance, because it provides corporates a simple (and relatively cheap) tool to use against competitors making environmental claims about themselves, their products, or their services, should the green image they portray not correspond to reality.
Sanctions for misleading claims can also be substantial. Most regulators favor simply calling companies out and forcing them to retract or correct statements, but there are signs some want to take a tougher stance.
Last year, France introduced a legal sanction under its consumer code that states organizations accused of greenwashing can be fined up to 80 percent of the cost of any false promotional campaign. Companies can also be forced to pay for a correction on billboards or in the media, as well as carry a 30-day clarification on their websites.
The U.K. government, meanwhile, is consulting on proposals to give the CMA the power to impose a penalty of up to 10 percent of turnover for consumer law breaches and 1 percent of turnover for noncompliance.
Emerging regulatory landscape
In terms of enforcement, European countries appear to be taking individual approaches based on their own priorities, but plans are afoot at the EU level to put pan-European rules in place.
“It’s … important to ensure everyone involved in making green claims—including advertising agencies—understands the law and has had the necessary training. Brands should check their agency contracts, ensure the compliance clauses are fit for purpose, and strengthen them if needed.”
Duncan Reed, Partner, TLT
In March, the European Commission agreed to introduce legislation to amend the Consumer Rights Directive and the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive as part of its Circular Economy Action Plan so that greenwashing is automatically classed as “unfair.” No timeline has been set as to when it could be implemented and come into force.
Experts say Europe is taking the lead in trying to combat greenwashing. However, they note initiatives remain new and untested, with very little case law to warn companies about what constitutes a breach.
Simon Taylor, partner at consultancy Forensic Risk Alliance, said, “A clear and well-established framework of laws is essential if criminal prosecutions are to be brought fairly and successfully. At present, this is not the case. While these laws are in a state of flux, prosecutions will remain problematic.”
There are still actions companies can take to avoid regulatory sanction and limit risks.
Taylor suggested organizations carry out a “stock take” of all factual claims currently made in product advertising or marketing materials concerning ESG issues and test whether these can be forensically supported. He added companies should critically examine other broader aspirational claims on ESG and question whether these might expose the company to legal risk.
He also advised companies to map legal and regulatory standards applicable in relevant markets, involve legal and compliance teams to introduce approval controls ahead of any ESG claims, and monitor litigation and enforcement trends in key markets.
Duncan Reed, partner at U.K. law firm TLT, said, “It’s also important to ensure everyone involved in making green claims—including advertising agencies—understands the law and has had the necessary training. Brands should check their agency contracts, ensure the compliance clauses are fit for purpose, and strengthen them if needed.”
Elaina Bailes, partner in commercial litigation, fraud, and securities litigation at law firm Stewarts, said, “Climate-related law and regulation is a fast-moving area, and it is easy for companies to slip up. Companies need to take early legal advice on the potential implications of product descriptions, stay up to date with legal and regulatory developments, and provide training for marketing teams and boards to ensure their green claims stay up to speed with legal standards and public opinion.”


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In an attempt to bring in additional revenue, New York is considering taxing Internet downloads.
NEW YORK — Faced with one of the bleakest financial pictures in memory, New York Gov. David Paterson on Tuesday released a $121 billion proposed budget that would hit the entertainment industry and consumers in the pocketbook.
The budget would tax digital downloads such as iTunes movies, TV shows and music and would end sales-tax exemptions on movie tickets, cable TV, satellite TV and radio, and entertainment and sporting events. All have been exempt from the state’s sales tax.
But things quickly have reached crisis level in the Empire State: There’s a $1.7 billion shortfall in the current budget and a deficit of nearly $14 billion for the next year. Most of that can be blamed on the economic crisis, which has reduced revenue the state receives from Wall Street.
Will it pass? Will other states follow suit?
and the even more frightening question:
Will the government try to regulate online content?Published in


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Lab-grown meat, also commonly referred to as “fake meat,” is going to be examined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a meeting open to the public.
On July 12, a public meeting entitled “Foods Produced Using Animal Cell Culture Technology” will be held by the FDA. The meeting will allow members of the public to provide comments on food production utilizing animal cell culture technology.
In a statement, the FDA shares it has previous experience with technological food advancements such as plant biotechnology and that food safety is a key component of the agency.
“The FDA has multiple authorities and programs that can support efforts to safely bring products with new ingredients to the market. Food safety is at the core of the agency’s mission to protect and promote public health for our nation’s consumers,” the FDA statement says.
The FDA hopes to have the following questions addressed by the meeting:
- What considerations specific to animal cell culture technology would be appropriate to include in evaluation of food produced by this method of manufacture?
- What kinds of variations in manufacturing methods would be relevant to safety for foods produced by animal cell culture technology?
- What kinds of substances would be used in the manufacture of foods produced using animal cell culture technology and what considerations would be appropriate in evaluating the safety of these uses?
- Are the potential hazards associated with production of foods using animal cell culture technology different from those associated with traditional food production/processing? Is there a need for unique control measures to address potential hazards associated with production of foods using animal cell culture technology?
Lab-grown meat has received pushback from a number of agricultural organizations in the past year including the United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
In February, USCA sent a petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) seeking fair labeling of both lab-grown and plant-based meat.
NCBA has made alternative meats a policy focus for 2018 and officials with the organization are welcoming the opportunity to be part of the meeting.
“NCBA looks forward to participating fully in the public meeting, and will use the opportunity to advocate for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversight of lab-grown fake meat products. The Food and Drug Administration’s announcement disregards the authorities granted to USDA under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, as well as USDA's significant scientific expertise and long-standing success in ensuring the safety of all meat and poultry products. Under the current regulatory framework, FDA plays an important role in terms of ensuring the safety of food additives used in meat, poultry, and egg products. All additives are initially evaluated for safety by FDA, but ultimately FSIS maintains primary jurisdiction,” says Danielle Beck, director of government affairs for NCBA.
The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. EST at the following address:
- Harvey W. Wiley Federal Building
- 5001 Campus Drive
- Auditorium (first floor)
- College Park, MD 20740
Advance registration is open until July 5 and requests to make an oral presentation at the meeting are being accepted until June 28.
Additionally, public comments can be made following the meeting either in written or electronic form until September 25.
More information about the meeting can be found in the following briefing from FDA:
For more news on fake meat read the following stories:
- 'Fake Meat' Labeling Bill Passes in Missouri
- AgriTalk: Trade, Fake Meat Top of Mind for Cattlemen
- Cattlemen’s Groups Worried About “Fake Meat”
- Fake Meat: A Threat To The Beef Industry?
- Tyson Invests in Cultured Meat Leader, Memphis Meats
- Cargill Invests In Alternative Meat
- Do-good Meat: Are Investors Only After Their Pound of Flesh?


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Brazil’s Ebanx launches beta digital wallet Ebanx Go
Ebanx, a cross-border payments start-up based in Latin America, has launched the beta test for its digital wallet Ebanx Go to a capped 10,000 customers, Reuters reports.
Securing unicorn status at a one billion dollar valuation last October, the Brazilian fintech started out by helping international merchants sell locally in Brazil.
Figures released last year suggested the company’s Brazilian business accounts made up nearly 90% of its overall revenue, processing payments for Brazilian customers on the behalf of global merchants such as Spotify, Airbnb and Alibaba’s AliExpress.
But now the 2012-founded start-up is expanding its product offering in the e-commerce space. Recently extending its offering to process payments for Brazilian e-commerce platforms too, the fintech is now ready to take on the digital wallets arena which has seen huge success from big tech players in East Asia, Europe and the US.
RecargaPay, Zuum and PagSeguro are all big digital wallet players in Brazil.
In Brazil, more than 100 local companies currently offer digital wallet accounts, having attracted roughly 50 million customers collectively so far according to Reuters.
Initially, Ebanx Go will issue a virtual card on which users can receive five percent back of the amount they spend through Ebanx’s global customer websites, such as AliExpress, Gearbest, Spotify, and Udacity, among others.
“In 18 months, I see Ebanx[‘s] wallet reaching one million clients,” says co-founder Wagner Ruiz, who suggests Ebanx could eventually offer savings accounts and potentially expand into more Latin American countries besides Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, where it already operates.


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Blimey, 2020 was a bit of a slog, wasn't it? It's unlikely to be remembered as a particularly bumper year in mankind's history, what with a global pandemic effectively shutting the entire world down. We've had to curtail things we love to do in order to keep people safe, and many of us will have lost loved ones to a virus which, 12 months ago, wasn't viewed in quite as dramatic a light.
2021 doesn't look like it's going to be all that different – from where we are in the UK, a national lockdown has effectively been put in place which means we're kicking off the new year in very much the same fashion as we spent most of 2020 – but there are still reasons to remain cheerful. The earth's top boffins have discovered a vaccine and, fingers crossed, the new year's message we post in 12 months will be a little more upbeat.
Anyway, enough of all that, let's take some time to look forward to 2021. What new games do you think we'll see? How will events like E3, Gamescom and PAX pan out this year? Will Bayonetta 3 finally see release, or will we just be told that "development is going well" again? How many more staff will Retro hire to work on Metroid Prime 4? Will the accursed Switch Pro actually materialise?
We're not sure 2021 has the answers to all of those questions, but we'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a prosperous and enjoyable year – and thanks for making Nintendo Life the site it is today. On that topic, it's worth pointing out that we've had a record year for traffic across the entire Nlife Network – our sister sites Push Square and Pure Xbox have enjoyed their biggest ever years, and all three sites racked up a combined 361,424,293 pageviews over last 12 months – so 2020 wasn't all bad, we guess.


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The consensus Wall Street analysts’ estimate for Dr Pepper Snapple’s 1Q15 adjusted EPS is $0.76. The estimate for full year 2015 adjusted EPS currently stands at $3.86.
The impact of currency headwinds was less on Dr Pepper Snapple’s sales than the two beverage giants. It gets 12.4% of net sales from international operations.
Yahoo (YHOO) is expected to announce its 1Q15 earnings on April 21 after the market close. It expects to earn $1.11–$1.15 billion in GAAP revenue.
The impact of adverse forex movements on UA’s financial performance may be mitigated somewhat by the stronger retail environment in Europe.
Under Armour (UA) projects 2015 revenues to come in at $3.76 billion, a 22% increase over 2014. Analysts’ 2015 estimates are slightly higher at $3.81 billion.
Valuations for Under Armour (UA) have been spiking lately. The company’s valuation reached a new record of 78.2x forward earnings on April 16.
In 1Q15, Under Armour acquired two digital fitness companies, Endomondo and MyFitnessPal, to create the world’s largest fitness community.
Under Armour (UA), will report 1Q15 earnings on April 21. UA has recently touched new highs with its stock at an all-time record high of $85.71 on April 16.
Aetna is expected to release its 1Q15 earnings on April 28, 2015. Since the release of its 4Q14 earnings on February 3, 2015, the company’s shares rose by 12.6%.
Aetna (AET) projected that its total membership will remain flat at the 2014 levels. Its membership will be around 23.4 million in 1Q15.
Aetna will experience a drop in EBITDA margins in 1Q15. The drop is mainly due to the health insurance fee and commercial enrollment pressures.
The rise in Aetna’s EPS is mainly attributed to the increase in the company’s government-sponsored MA (Medicare Advantage) and Medicaid enrollments in 1Q15.
Aetna (AET) is one of the largest health insurance companies in the US. It has a total market capitalization of $37.6 billion.
The expected decline in AT&T 1Q15 adjusted EBITDA stems from a margin contraction. The AT&T adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to decrease from ~33.8% in 1Q14 to ~31.6% in 1Q15.
AT&T had the best churn among national wireless carriers in 3Q14. According to Wall Street analysts, AT&T 1Q15 churn will decline year-over-year.
According to Wall Street analysts, AT&T postpaid net additions will shrink by ~22%, year-over-year to ~0.49 million in 1Q15.
In this part of our series, we’ll look at some of the key factors that could affect AT&T 1Q15 wireless revenue.
Based on consensus estimates as of April 14, 2015, AT&T 1Q15 revenue will grow by a marginal ~1% year-over-year during the quarter.
Wall Street analysts expect Verizon’s (VZ) postpaid churn to increase YoY in 1Q15. This is based on analysts’ consensus estimates as of April 13, 2015.
PepsiCo (PEP) plans to generate ~$1.0 billion in productivity savings in 2015. The company expects these savings to offset commodity cost inflation.


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Applause Incorporated (Woodland Hills, California, 818-992-6000): Jonathan Mather has been named president and CEO of the licensed giftware company Applause. Mather led the management buyout of Applause in September, 1997, and was responsible for placing the Frontenac Company in its current senior equity position.
Buena Vista Television (Burbank, California, 818-560-1676): Brooke Karzen has been named VP, development, and is now responsible for creating and developing syndication, cable and network television programming.
Cartoon Network (Atlanta, Georgia, 404-885-2263): Dea Perez has been promoted to VP, programming, filling a position that has been vacant for some time. Formerly program director, Perez will continue to direct all aspects of programming for the network, including scheduling, acquisitions and program operations. Before coming to Cartoon Network in 1997, Perez worked as director of acquisitions at Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite and TV Land.
Children’s Television Workshop (New York, New York, 212-595-3456): Steven Miller has been promoted to group VP, international television and licensing. Formerly regional VP for Europe and Africa, Miller will now take responsibility for overseeing CTW’s television and consumer product licensing activities outside the U.S. Anna Maria Cugliari has been appointed to VP, strategic marketing and brand management. She will be responsible for further branding of all CTW media products, including Sesame Street. Cugliari previously served as senior VP, marketing and communications for the Ad Council, the largest U.S. provider of PSAs.
Columbia Motion Pictures Group (Culver City, California, 310-244-4000): Alan Dinwiddie, a former Nickelodeon marketing executive, has been named senior VP, worldwide marketing. Dinwiddie’s new position is part of Sony’s worldwide marketing department.
Discovery Communications (Bethesda, Maryland, 301-986-1999): Donald Baer has been named senior VP, public policy and communications for Discovery Communications. Baer, a lawyer, former journalist and White House advisor, will have responsibility for corporate communications, government relations and managing philanthropic efforts.
Disney Channel (Burbank, California, 818-569-7500): Tonya Dobine has joined as human resources representative. Dobine, formerly at Spelling Entertainment Group, is responsible for recruitment, employee relations, compensation and training.
Distraction (Montreal, Canada, 514-844-5800): Arabelle Pouliot has been promoted to director of international sales after a year on the sales team. Distraction was formed just over a year ago as a joint venture between The Multimedia Group of Canada and DDI Television. Since then, it has compiled a catalog of 40 formats, acquired the world’s largest bank of comedy clips and established a library of about 100 children’s games. Distraction developed the Love Bugs modular sitcom and the Hot Pepper game show, as well as the new shows La Saga de Los Clarks and Pop Corn.
Energee Entertainment (Sydney, Australia, 61-2-9906-6800): Senior executive John Travers is heading up a new London office for independent production and distribution company Energee Entertainment. Travers was formerly the executive producer for Energee’s Crocadoo series.
Film Roman (North Hollywood, California, 818-761-2544): Former senior VP Jon Vein has been promoted to executive VP. In his new position, he will continue to oversee feature films such as There Goes the Neighborhood, a live-action/animation film being developed with Universal.
Fox Broadcasting (Los Angeles, California, 310-369-6000): Mike Darnell has been promoted to executive VP of specials and alternative programming. Darnell, who joined the network in 1994 as director of specials, will oversee new projects such as Family Guy, The PJs, and Futurama.
Fox Family Worldwide (Los Angeles, California, 310-235-5100): A former director of research at MTM, Steven Huerta has been named director of program research. In this newly created position, Huerta will oversee all secondary research efforts, including ratings analysis of programming for Fox Family Channel and Fox Kids Network.
Golden Books Family Entertainment (New York, New York, 212-547-6700): David Callahan has been named director of sales, home video & audio. Formerly a director of sales for Fox Interactive, Callahan will now act as liaison between the Golden Books and Sony Wonder sales teams, coordinating sales and distribution.
Hollywood Entertainment (Wilsonville, Oregon, 503-570-1600): James Buettgen has been named senior VP, marketing for Hollywood Entertainment, which operates the Hollywood Video chain. Buettgen formerly held the same position with Darden Restaurants’ Olive Gardens chain. Lon Weingart was appointed VP, merchandising at the same time. He formerly managed merchandising, product development and new concept development for Starbucks Coffee.
Hollywood Ventures (Los Angeles, California, 310-275-8090): Doug Neil, formerly VP, marketing and student sales for Student Ambassadors International, has been named VP, marketing. Brandon Cohen, formerly senior VP worldwide distribution and business affairs at Nu Image, has been hired as VP, sales and business affairs. Former manager of publicity and promotions for GS Entertainment Marketing Group Nan Rohr was named manager, public relations. Finally, Hayden Satterfield was promoted from consumer products coordinator to manager, consumer products.
Interactive Television Entertainment (Copenhagen, Denmark, 45-33-26-5600): Preben Henrichsen, a former sales and marketing manager for Denmark’s Kanal2/TV, has been appointed to the newly created position of manager, promotion and new business.
Link Entertainment (London, England, 44-181-996-4800): Geneviève Dexter has been promoted from sales manager to head of sales and acquisitions. Dexter joined Link just over a year ago from EVA Entertainment, where she was sales manager. Annika Bluhm has been promoted from script development executive to head of script development. She has worked at Link since July 1996, and formerly worked as a script editor for the BBC.
Nelvana (Toronto, Canada, 416-588-5571): Nelvana has named Emmanuèle Pétry as managing director of its Paris-based office, Nelvana Enterprises. She will now develop co-production and distribution opportunities in France and Italy. Pétry has already secured French co-production partners for four new animated series debuting on CBS this fall, and will continue to supervise the operations of the Paris office. As well, Marie-Laure Marchand was named director of international sales for Nelvana Enterprises. She is responsible for Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Spain and Portugal.
Nickelodeon (New York, New York, 212-258-8000): Marjorie Cohn has been promoted to senior VP, current series. Cohn has been at Nick for 10 years, most recently serving as VP/executive producer of current series. Alison Dexter moved up to senior VP, production operations and planning and Sergei Kuharsky has been upped to senior VP, brand and franchise management. Prior to the promotion, Kuharsky served as VP, marketing for U.S. TV.
Scholastic Inc. (New York, New York, 212-343-6100): Martha Atwater has been promoted to VP, programming and development of Scholastic Entertainment. In her previous role as director of the division, Atwater has worked on series like Goosebumps and Animorphs. Executive VP Hugh Roome has been named head of Scholastic Consumer and Professional Magazines, Scholastic’s new publishing unit. The unit will pursue corporate partnerships, acquisitions and joint ventures in an effort to build on the Scholastic brand and establish new publishing franchises. Also at Scholastic, Maura Regan, former director of consumer products for MTV Networks, has joined the entertainment division as director of international licensing. Regan will be responsible for working with licensing agents worldwide to build franchise properties for titles such as The Magic School Bus, Animorphs, and Clifford the Big Red Dog.
Southern Star (Sydney, Australia, 61-2-9202-8518): Producer and director Noel Price has been named executive producer of Southern Star Pacific. He replaces Ron Saunders, who moved to ABC TV to take up the post of general manager, network television. Price has previously produced and directed such shows as Spellbinder and Tomorrow’s End.
United Media (New York, New York, 212-293-8500): Four executives within United Media’s U.S. licensing division have been promoted. Kathie Fording and Jeanette Smith have been named VPs, and Wendi Daniels and Diane Iselin have been appointed executive directors. Fording is now VP, new business development, and Smith is now VP, licensing. Daniels, who managed third party licenses such as National Geographic and PBS, is now executive director, licensing, and Iselin, former manager of the PR department, is now executive director, corporate communications.
Universal Pictures (Universal City, California, 818-777-1000): Former controller for international marketing Denise Monden has been promoted to VP, worldwide marketing finance. In this newly created position, Monden will provide financial support for both the domestic and international motion picture marketing departments, as well as domestic home video marketing.
Universal Studios Home Video (Universal City, California, 818-777-2100): Vincent Di Giulio has taken on the newly created position of VP, marketing for retail sales. He was previously VP, video sales for Universal music and video. Meanwhile, Linda Turner was named senior VP, creative services. Turner was senior VP of the Home Entertainment division of the design firm Cimarron/Bacon/O’Brien.
Walt Disney Records (Burbank, California, 818-973-4375): Joe Marchica has been promoted from director to VP, finance. He is now responsible for overseeing all financial activities for Walt Disney Records. Marchica was previously director, royalty reporting and analysis for Disney Consumer Products.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products (Burbank, California, 818-954-6000): Rob Gruen has been given new responsibilities that include the marketing and catalog areas of the Studio Stores division. Gruen has served as executive VP, worldwide marketing and retail business development for licensing since last July.
Wild Brain (San Francisco, California, 415-553-8000): Experienced CG and stop-motion director Carl Willat has joined the animation studio as a commercial director. Prior to joining Wild Brain, Willat was a staff director at San Francisco-based Colossal Pictures.
Correction: The October issue of KidScreen incorrectly listed Lara Chait’s phone number at Channel One Network. The correct number is 212-508-6827.
Please send your people news with photo to Duncan Hood at KidScreen, People in New Jobs,
366 Adelaide St. West, Suite 500, Toronto, Ont., Canada, M5V 1R9; fax: 416-408-0870; e-mail: email@example.com.


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AdZouk, a premium online advertising platform, has announced its exclusive partnership with Shablol, a leading Arabic language web portal and safe social network for kids.
AdZouk will be the sole campaign booking source for media agencies, advertisers and marketers wishing to target Shablol’s audience.
Jamie Atherton, managing director says in a press statement, “We are both proud and excited to partner with Shablol on an exclusive basis. Affiliating with such a unique and rapidly growing website is testament to AdZouk’s position in the market as leaders in digital advertising. We expect to see a lot of premium advertising activity on the site as well as superior campaign performance”.
The website offers children aged 6 to 14 the chance to create their own avatar and temporarily live in a safe fantasy world. Kids can explore the website’s comics, chat to peers in the forums, play games and read the latest news.
Jozef Atrash CEO and founder of Shablol adds, “AdZouk is our first choice for securing premium and highly customised interactive advertising campaigns. Shablol is the #1 Arabic website for the youth of the middle east that allows kids to learn, create and have fun in a safe moderated environment with over 1.3 million registered users and 2 million unique visitors each month. Shablol’s ad spaces are highly creative and uniquely designed to engage with early adopters throughout their virtual experiences with us. Advertisers can display their campaigns through advergames, news articles, virtual world presence, competitions and much more. We needed an advertising representative that understands our media along with the unique possibilities for advertisers and know that AdZouk has the tools and the resources to do this”.
App analytics and market data company, App Annie, have released a new report that sheds light on Gen Z’s mobile behavior, in order to help marketers develop effective strategies to reach them. 98% of Gen Z report owning a smartphone, on average receiving their first at the age of 10. They are also part of […]
Experticity, the world’s largest community of influential category experts have released a new study that sheds new light on the importance of micro-influencers on the average consumer. The study was conducted with online interviews of more than 6,000 individuals from the United States drawn from Experticity’s micro-influencer network and the general population. In addition, more […]
Market research companies eMarketer and Global Web Index have collaborated together to release the 10th edition of the global media intelligence report. The report is a detailed compilation of data and insights about internet users’ traditional and digital media usage in 42 key markets worldwide. Communicate will be highlighting the key trends that are shaping the […]
Social Bakers, a global AI-powered social media marketing company has released the Q3 edition of their social media trends report. The report reveals where the industry is currently standing with regard to spending and engagement globally. Here are the key findings – ADVERTISING Worldwide ad spend increased by 56.4% in Q3 compared to where it […]


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Whether it be Royal Caribbean’s nine-month Ultimate World Cruise headed for Drake’s Passage or the Life at Sea Cruises’ inaugural three-year voyage being cancelled, it feels like both my newsfeed and social media feeds have been dominated with cruise content lately.
It’s no coincidence, but rather a first look into what’s shaping up to be a massive year for cruising.
According to a Reuters report from early last month, travelers “across all income and budget levels” have been booking cruises for 2024 at “greater volumes” than even before the pandemic. Roughly 35.7 million passengers are expected to cruise in 2024, up from 31.5 million in 2023 — which is 6% more than the amount of passengers that set sail in 2019, per the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). According to InsureMyTrip, travel insurance policy sales for cruises have hit numbers in the last few weeks not seen in years.
“Demand for 2024 has continued to accelerate with bookings consistently outpacing 2019 levels by a wide margin,” Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said in October on an earnings call. Interestingly, Royal Caribbean told investors that in the third quarter, “two-thirds of its guests were either on a cruise for the first time or using Royal Caribbean for the first time.”
Why now, you ask? I have a few theories. The first has to do with the shift in the core cruise market, from Boomers to Millennials and older Gen Zers, coming out of the pandemic. A 2021 study by Tripadvisor and Accenture showed that Millennials were found to be more interested in cruising than ever before, with a whopping 58% saying they plan to take a cruise for their next leisure trip.
Forget Vacations, Cruise Lines Are Now Selling Homes on the Water“Residential ships” are the latest trend in cruising, with apartments available for sale. Will buyers bite?
That’s largely because, in addition to the fact that Millennials and Gen Zers were the first generations to be exposed to cruising at a young age, cruises really do offer the best bang for your buck. Say what you will about them, but the average rate of $130-$260 per person/day covers a cabin, most meals, soft drinks, onboard entertainment, 24/7 access to a concierge and access to the pools, lounges and, presumably, a handful of countries. It doesn’t require much imagination to see why that would appeal to a younger cruiser with potentially limited travel experience and even less disposable income.
Further, cruise lines today are offering real travel opportunities that even the greatest cruise critic can’t deny. There are the Alaskan and Arctic expedition cruises — the demand for which has skyrocketed in recent years — but there are also itineraries that take passengers through the Mediterranean, European rivers and around the Galapagos, just to name a few. I was recently invited on a springtime sail through Japan, China and Vietnam with Azamara and I’ve never wanted to be holed up on a ship for 17 days so badly.
The last reason, I think, has to do with the sheer amount of options. Itineraries aside, passengers can take a two-night Bahamas cruise, a four-night Amsterdam cruise or, yes, even a nine-month cruise around the world now. The possibilities are endless. And if you live near a port in a city like New York or Miami, it’s easy to justify a short, potentially even weekend, cruise.
Of course, an increase in bookings means reduced capacity across the board, which ultimately means price hikes are coming. Operators have already confirmed as much. So if you’re considering a cruise this year? You’re going to want to book that soon.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.


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Paypal is expanding its service for buying and selling cryptocurrencies. In the coming weeks, British customers will be able to trade bitcoin in the app and online.
Cryptocurrency trading via Paypal began in the US earlier this year, and the company says on Monday that it will take a few weeks to roll out to all users in the UK.
The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and innovation throughout our lives, including the digitization of money. More consumers are also using digital financial services, says Jose Fernandez da Ponte at Paypal.
In addition to bitcoin, cryptocurrencies Ethereum, Litecoin and bitcoin cash will be available.
On Monday, the price of Bitcoin surged above $50,000 for the first time since May. After an increase of about 2 percent, bitcoin reached an initial peak of $50,249.15 – just over 453,000 kronor.
In addition to the news from PayPal, crypto exchange Coinbase announced last week that the company will buy cryptocurrency for $500 million and that it will put ten percent of its profits into a cryptocurrency wallet, According to CNBC.
However, there is still a way to reach the record of over $64,000 from April.
Fears of increased regulation and tightening, including from China, hampered the market earlier this summer.
Read on E24 +
Chief Economist of Bitcoin Games: – It was interesting to take it to a more objective level
IMF Warning on Cryptocurrency May Threaten Bitcoin Plans in El Salvador
“Web specialist. Lifelong zombie maven. Coffee ninja. Hipster-friendly analyst.”


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Earlier this year Google announced the Project Tango tablet with “advanced vision capabilities” that would be coming at an undisclosed date in 2015, with a development kit coming near the end of this year. Now, as noted by Android Central, the tablet has finally popped up on the Google Play Store. It’s not showing on the store’s Devices page just yet, but the listing is accessible if you have the link.
At the moment shoppers won’t be able to buy the prototype tablet which includes an NVIDIA Tegra K1 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It also comes with a motion tracking camera and integrated depth sensors.
The Project Tango prototype will be available in both black and white and will ship running Android 4.4.2 (no word on when it will get 5.0). The tablet is expected to cost $1,024, but there’s no indication of when it will actually go on sale.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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The co-founder of the Eden Project has submitted plans to build a cookery school and accommodation on an old golf course.
Sir Tim Smit wants to create a "world class" facility on the former site of Lostwithiel Golf Course in Cornwall.
Mr Smit wants to grow "rare European vegetables and allow the public to taste them, via a new cookery school and tasting kitchen".
No date has been set for when Cornwall Council will decide on the plans.
Mr Smit bought the site with his son Alex in 2016 and has already planted nearly 3,000 fruit trees with plans for 1,000 more.
The planning application states they want Lostwithiel to "develop into a centre for the development of new food crops" as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The new teaching facility and 20 accommodation units will be aimed at "would-be horticulturalists, amateur gardeners and horticultural students that will visit and stay at Gillyflower Farm".
The application also sets out plans for "a microbrewery, distillery, cider and fruit presses, and of course, a fruit storage area designed to enable the fruit to ripen naturally".
The golf course has been "re-sculpted and renewed" to create a nine-hole course.
In 1990 Sir Tim rediscovered the Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey, alongside John Willis, a descendant of the family who owned the gardens.
Sir Tim was a co-founder of the Eden Project, which opened in 2001, but stepped aside from his role as chief executive in 2013.
The Eden Project was temporarily closed to visitors in December until at least January 6 due to flooding and landslips.


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Here’s the official cut from Sony. They’ve announced 140 first-party and third-party games across all their platforms. Not too shabby.
July 15, 2008 – Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) held its annual press conference today at the E3 Media & Business Summit, making a series of announcements which demonstrated the strength of the PlayStation brand across all three of its platforms and further leveraged the heritage and momentum of PlayStation’s family of products to provide consumers with more compelling entertainment options than anyone in the videogame industry.
Starting in September 2008, the newly announced PlayStation 3 (PS3) 80GB model will become the mainstay of the company’s hardware line-up. The 80GB model will retail for $399, and will offer all of the features and functionality of the 40GB model with double the storage to accommodate more movies, graphics, music, photos and other entertainment content — all for the same price. As with its predecessor, the new 80GB model will be a complete entertainment system comprising of a Blu-ray player, HDMI output, an integrated Wi-Fi connection, Cell Broadband Engine and a built-in 80GB hard-disk drive. The multi-functionality of the 80GB PS3, combined with more than 140 exclusive and third-party titles and the PlayStation Network, is a comprehensive entertainment value designed to appeal to a wide range of consumers from hard-core gamers to general entertainment enthusiasts.
Following the success of five PSP (PlayStation Portable) Entertainment Packs, SCEA announced the Ratchet and Clank Size Matters PSP Entertainment Pack, a new bundle showcasing PSP’s multi-functional feature set, targeted for holiday gift-giving. Launching in October 2008 for $199.99 MSRP, the bundle will include a limited-edition “Silver” PSP system with the highly acclaimed game, Ratchet and Clank Size Matters; a blockbuster movie on UMD (Universal Media Disc); a PlayStation Network voucher to download the innovative puzzle game, echochrome from PlayStation Store: and a 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo for storing music, videos, photos and more.
In addition, SCEA introduced a new family entertainment bundle for the PlayStation 2 system, the most successful console in industry history. The limited-edition LEGO Batman: The Videogame PlayStation 2 Pack will feature the highly anticipated TT Games/Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment title LEGO Batman: The Videogame, Warner Home Video’s Justice League: The New Frontier on DVD, and a PlayStation(R)2 system — all for $149.99 MSRP, which represents a $30 savings for consumers if the contents were purchased separately. SCEA will also launch more than 130 new titles for PlayStation 2 system this year, totaling 10,000 PlayStation 2 titles by end of the year.
“It’s undeniable we have three successful platforms, the broadest and best line-up of some of the biggest exclusives in the business, and are continuing to deliver compelling and original content to our consumers,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. “Expect to see continued momentum this year as we remain focused on delivering products and services that extend the strength of our brand and reaffirms PlayStation’s place at the center of consumers’ homes.”
Additionally, the company previewed more than 140 first and third-party games at E3 2008 proving its content line-up this year is unmatched in the industry due to its depth, breadth, and diversity. Throughout the holiday season and this fiscal year, SCEA and its third-party partners plan to release more than 140 software titles for the PS3 available on Blu-ray Disc (BD).
SCEA is also developing more than 50 games, game packs, and add-ons downloadable via PlayStation Network in North America this year, offering something for every taste, lifestyle and budget. Also, to continue offering greater value to PlayStation fans, SCEA will launch PS3 Greatest Hits program on July 28 with 10 first and third party titles at a reduced price of $29.99. The PS3 Greatest Hits titles include Warhawk, Motorstorm and Resistance: Fall of Man from SCEA; Call of Duty 3, Activision; Need for Speed: Carbon, Electronic Arts; The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Bethesda Softworks; Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Tecmo; Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas and Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft.
SCEA also reiterated its commitment to make PlayStation Network the best entertainment experience in the industry, by announcing a new video delivery service on PlayStation Store for PS3 and PSP systems in the United States. The new video service, available today, allows U.S. consumers to download full-length TV shows and movies to both their PS3 and PSP through the PlayStation Store for rental or purchase.
In addition, SCEA further outlined progress against its revolutionary online experience, PlayStation Home. Highlighting new first party high definition virtual environments for hit PlayStation titles including, Unchartered: Drake’s Fortune and Warhawk. With significant third party support already on board, Sony Computer Entertainment will be expanding the beta in Summer 2008 and commence the open beta service by Fall 2008.


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Overwatch's Lunar New Year event, Year of the Dog, has been announced, with over 50 seasonal items and six new legendary skins to look forward to. But more details have come to light after the patch notes were leaked, revealing the legendary skins for Mercy and Geni - which we already knew about - as well as Zarya and Widowmaker.
The details were posted on Reddit after the patch notes were mistakenly put on the official Overwatch website ahead of time.
"This year, we're celebrating Lunar New Year with over 50 seasonal items including legendary skins like Red Phoenix (Zhu Que) Mercy, Black Tortoise (Xuan Wu) Zarya, White Tiger (Bai Hu) Genji, and Black Lily Widowmaker. Experience our updates to our Capture the Flag mode - including a competitive Capture the Flag mode and Sudden Death - on a brand-new map, Ayutthaya."
Also included in the patch notes was the news that players can now switch skins at the start of a match, and the official Twitter account confirmed that feature earlier today.
Meanwhile, it looks like Doomfist's Hand Cannon is getting nerfed to help it "feel more consisent" and Zenyatta’s Orb of Discord and Orb of Harmony will now display its target’s hero name.
There are still two legendary skins yet to be revealed but no doubt we'll soon find out what they are after the update drops today.
Shabana is a freelance writer who enjoys JRPGs, wine, and not finishing games. Follow her on Twitter.


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No Global Huawei Software Rollout plan in 2021?
On October 22, 2021, Huawei has announced a number of new technologies at the Huawei Developer Conference (HDC 2021). However, we’ve received a number of new questions that were expected before and after the event, “There’s no Global software rollout plan for Huawei devices in 2021?” Let’s find out more information regarding this question.
Let’s take a look at Huawei’s announcement during HDC 2021. These include the latest development that has been made by HarmonyOS and what efforts that the Chinese tech maker is making to expand the reach of this operating system.
The company also announced the HarmonyOS 3 developer preview for the developers. However, it’s just the beginning of the HarmonyOS 3 development that will release the first developer beta during the first quarter of 2021. Thereafter, the company will announce the official release of HarmonyOS 3.
Huawei also announced various aspects of Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) Core 6 that now has support for cross-platform operating systems. So, the developers could launch apps that support various levels of services and works seamlessly on different OS.
What for Global users?
Before HDC 2021, Huawei has made various announcements regarding EMUI but this time, there was no insights even after EMUI 12 has already been listed on the global Huawei website.
To be mentioned, Huawei Nova 8 and the recently released Nova 9 on the global scale come with a pre-installed EMUI 12 operating system. Even after a big hype, the Chinese phone maker has not launched HarmonyOS for global consumers.
For the first time since 2019, Huawei hasn’t mentioned EMUI even for a second during the Huawei developer conference. That’s not it, fans are waiting for any confirmation or sign of hope from the company.
So yeah, it’s confirmed that Huawei hasn’t showcased any new information for the global consumers in terms of software rollout but there’s more that could come in the following weeks.
Usually, Huawei tests new software for global models by the end of the year. This doesn’t seem to change at the moment and we could expect the start of the EMUI 12 beta software around November or by the beginning of December. Meanwhile, there’s no confirmation regarding the expansion of HarmonyOS for the global Huawei smartphones.
If anyone has insights on this matter or an official reply contact us at – [email protected]
Huawei P60 Series launched, mobile camera champion returns
On March 23, 2023, the Huawei P60 series launched and marked the return of the mobile camera champion in the industry. As the Huawei P-series made a comeback after two years of long wait.
Huawei P60 series ushers new camera and software technologies and blends them into these beautiful devices that are ready to provide a brand-new user experience.
Coming to the rear side of the phone, the Huawei P60 series adopts a new eye-of-the-light camera design, which has a powerful sensor. However, this beautiful design is powered by XMAGE technologies.
LTPO Quad Curve Display:
Huawei P60 Pro brings back quad curved display, which makes the viewing angles more seamless than ever. The entire series is equipped with a 6.67-inch OLED screen, supporting high-dynamic photos and videos. It has 1-120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate and brings a 29% power consumption reduction.
In addition, the P60 is also equipped with X-True Huawei’s immersive display technology. It helps the phone to become the first phone to obtain the dual certification of professional color accuracy from TUV Rheinland.
In bright light environments, the P60 has higher contrast and more details in dark light environments. The screen-to-body ratio of the P60 series reaches 93.1% and supports IP68 dust and water resistance.
Huawei P60 series has the industry’s first super-spotting main camera, F1.4-F4.0 ten-speed physical smart variable aperture technology.
The main brings a new XD Fusion Pro texture engine to clearly capture the dark night, sunrise and sunset, and record moving moments.
Huawei P60 series comes with a powerful periscope zoom camera that has never been seen before. The camera has the industry’s first super concentration optical image stabilized hardware to provide a shake-free zoom-in experience.
Moreover, the P60 Pro has the world’s first super-large aperture of f/2.1. This is the first time any flagship phone is using such a large sensor for the periscope camera. With a wide periscope glass, the camera absorbers provide more light to the zoomed object.
Huawei P60 series periscope camera could allow you to capture the moon and another subject in one light. While that 200X zoom ensures that you capture the scene without losing sight of any details.
The iconic Huawei P60 series shoots high-quality and colorful videos with new telephoto night mode. It enables easy-to-shoot ultra-clear night videos, each frame presents a delicate texture. While the HDR Vivid high-dynamic video makes night images more layered.
Huawei P60 series launched with a second generation of satellite communication and allows two-way SMS. It means the phone will not only receive but also be able to send an SMS via satellite. This is made possible with new satellite solutions built into the hardware.
As compared to the 66W charger in the previous flagship, Huawei is bringing a brand new 88W charger for the P60 series. It could charge half of the phone within 10 minutes.
Huawei P60 Art:
Huawei P60 Art is the third device in this series that contains all of the above-mentioned features with beautiful aesthetics. The camera shape is changed to a pebble-like appearance and it comes in two colors that respond to the light from different angles.
Huawei P60 Pro live image leaked along with 88W charger
Huawei P60 Pro along with other P60 series devices will launch today and ahead of that this Pro model appeared in a live image along with the brand new 88W charger.
The live image shows Huawei P60 Pro with a new camera system and color scheme, which we’ve seen in the past official revealing. Furthermore, the phone only has a single-hole punch in the front and not the pill shape cutout.
However, the inclusion of an 88W charger is something that the company is jumping into after the release of the Huawei Mate 50 series last year. If you want to know the live stream details, check out the article linked below.
[Update: 400000] Huawei P60 series exceeds 200000 reservations
March 23, 2023: Huawei P60 series has achieved over 400000 reservations on all of the online platforms in China ahead of launch.
Original Story: March 20, 2023
Huawei P60 is a popular flagship and it will unveil on March 23. Ahead of that, Huawei P60 Series has received massive growth in reservations, reaching 200000+ within a few days.
According to the information, the official Vmall and Tmall store reservations show that the Huawei P60 series has surpassed 200000 overall, which shows its hot demand. For your information, Huawei only announced the reservation a few days ago in China.
This is a big milestone for the upcoming flagship and reveals positive customer feedback as well as anticipation in the air of the launch of the Huawei P60 models.
Huawei P60 series:
On March 13, Huawei officially started to promote the Huawei P60 series via the Weibo channel. It is confirmed this phone is coming alongside the Huawei Mate X3 foldable. However, the company has many other products scheduled for the conference.
Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO, Yu Chengdong is also participating to generate good hype for this P-series device. He shared some camera samples of the P60 series that show the new zoom capability along with the clarity that it provides. That’s not it, the phone can shoot powerful sunset scenes.
Past information indicates that the RYYB color array is making a comeback. This tech was first used in Huawei P30 Pro and helps the sensor intake extra brightness to capture light-rich details images.
The variable aperture is also coming with these P labeled models, which helps users to switch between the largest f/1.4 to f/4.0 for various types of photography.
Furthermore, XMAGE is a brand new software change that Huawei has featured right in the camera module, which is different from Huawei Mate 50 Pro. We are expecting some major improvements in the image processing algorithm and night mode in the new Huawei P60 series.
This has immense capabilities and there are many things awaits for us on the launch conference.


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HdL HeadLines calls out retail trends affecting the economy and HdL news to provide you with insight and support in your budget preparation and economic planning.
- U.S. Retail Sales Jump as Delta Shifts Spending Back to Goods
- When Will Supply Chains be Back to Normal? And How Did Things Get so Bad?
- U.S. Retailers Have Announced Twice as Many Store Openings as Closings
- Holiday Spending Projected to Grow Up to 5%
- Retailers Betting on Wage Hikes, Perks to Woo Workers for the Holidays
- HdL Announcements
U.S. Retail Sales Jump as Delta Shifts Spending Back to Goods
U.S. retail sales unexpectedly increased last month in a broad advance, suggesting resilient demand for merchandise even as production constraints limit supply. The value of overall retail purchases increased 0.7% in September following an upwardly revised 0.9% gain in August, Commerce Department figures showed. Excluding autos, sales advanced 0.8% in September.
When Will Supply Chains be Back to Normal? And How Did Things Get so Bad?
Wondering why everything from cars and refrigerators to books and toys is in short supply? Blame the fouled-up supply chain that connects manufacturers around the world with the makers and assemblers of their component parts, as well as with the consumers and businesses that buy the finished goods. The problem emerged shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and it’s seemed to get only worse since then.
U.S. Retailers Have Announced Twice as Many Store Openings as Closings
Though the pandemic has continued to present major challenges, it has been a banner year for store opening announcements by U.S.-headquartered retailers, according to The Daily on Retail, a financially focused industry research platform, which counts roughly 5,725 store opening announcements year-to-date through calendar 3Q21. This is nearly double the 2,890-plus store closing announcements over the same period and highlights retailers’ optimism and their recognition of the importance and longer-term benefits of physical stores.
Holiday Spending Projected to Grow Up to 5%
This year's holiday season will be a bit less worrisome for retailers and consumers alike, but according to the NPD Group's research, the majority of shoppers still think this year's holiday season will look more like last year than 2019. Taking into account October and early January, holiday spending could increase by 5%, the NPD group estimated. More than half of shoppers (58%) said they are open to shopping in stores now that vaccines are widely available.
Retailers Betting on Wage Hikes, Perks to Woo Workers for the Holidays
Just like every year, an abundance of retail jobs will be open this holiday. But, this time around, there might not be enough workers rushing to fill them. With a competitive job market threatening to bleed through the hectic holiday shopping season, retailers are now taking extra measures to lure in potential candidates and keep their existing ones.
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HdL will be at the following upcoming events:
- CMRTA Annual Conference - Being held November 3 - 4, 2021, Berkeley, CA. HdL Client Advisor Connor Duckworth will be presenting an introduction to Revenue and Taxation at the conference. Hope you can attend!
- CSAC Annual Meeting - Being held November 30 - December 3, 2021 in Monterey, CA. Visit us at Booth 202.
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The last time we were discussing the Volkswagen ID.Ruggdzz was in 2020. At the beginning of that year, a battery-electric ID.Ruggdzz was going to join the Icons division of the ID lineup, perched on the MEB platform like the ID.Buzz, and rebirth the VW Thing with square lines and all-wheel drive. Come September 2020, the ID.Ruggedzz — renamed after VW relented on its consonant-to-vowel ratio — was still trying to find its place in the market alongside a reborn all-electric ID.Buggy concept.
By December, the Ruggedzz and the Buggy were dead as VW focused on continued problems with software written for the volume ID models — problems that still aren’t resolved, in fact. Despite the public hiatus, Autocar reports the Ruggeddzz is still in the works, now based on the Ford Ranger’s T6 platform that also supports the new Volkswagen Amarok. The outlet spoke to VW Commercial boss Carsten Intra, who confirmed “It’s still on the agenda,” the two automakers still taking stabs at electrifying the chassis.
As Autocar points out, an Amarok-based off-roader would do for VW what Ford does with the Ranger, turning that American pickup into the Everest in certain global markets like Australia. Speaking of Oz, Ford Australia is said to be handling the brunt of the engineering work for the conversion, with Ford HQ in Michigan assisting. It’s said the body-on-frame architecture needs to fit at least 110-kWh of battery capacity to provide the necessary towing and range. The Amarok would be a smaller truck than the F-150 Lightning, but that battery capacity number sits between the 98-kWh and 131-kWh pack sizes for the Lightning and we haven’t heard anyone being impressed with the full-sizer’s towing range yet. VW designers worked up a concept Ruggeddzz when the plans were to have the thing in production by 2023, that model has never met the public.
Since we know there’s going to be an electric Ford Ranger (unless it gets canceled), an electric Amarok-like SUV seems a best-case scenario for both automakers. As things stand, we figure we won’t get this particular electric VW the same way we don’t get the ICE Amarok, VW bringing the impending Scout EV brand to the U.S. to satisfy our electric hardcore 4×4 lust. Reuters reports the Germans are talking to Foxconn’s Foxtron Vehicle Technologies about a Scout platform, and to Magna Steyr about an assembly plant in the U.S. to build it.


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Security firm Malwarebytes has sounded the alarm on a new bogus Flash Player update which causes legitimate advertisements to be replaced with spam and inappropriate banners.
FlashPlayer11.safariextz is a convincing fake browser extension, Malwarebytes claims. It uses the correct Flash Player logo and even includes a hyperlink to the official Adobe website.
However, once installed, the application either introduces its own intrusive adverts or overlays the official ads on legitimate websites with its own.
According to Malwarebytes security analyst Jerome Segura, the authors of this rogue application are hoping to tap into the lucrative business of web advertising by generating revenue from users clicking on the fake adverts.
"Online advertising is a billion dollar industry and everybody wants to have a piece of it. With such invasive adverts, cyber-crooks are likely to generate a lot of views' and even pay per clicks," he said.
As pointed out in Segura's blog post, these adverts are not only intrusive, but also indiscriminate in what they display.
"Shortly after being installed, [FlashPlayer11.safariextz] will begin to inject very rough advertisements on any website you visit," said Segura.
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"For example, I visited pbskids.org, a site for children to play games and watch their favourite characters, when all of the sudden a pornographic advertisement was displayed," he added.
According to Segura, the malicious extension is being pushed from various websites, but most commonly comes from adult websites.
He also said he found it "interesting that the bad guys are banking on the fact people are now quite aware of how important it is to apply software updates".
"This is why you should always install updates from the vendor's official website to avoid nasty surprises," he advised.
Jane McCallion is ITPro's deputy editor, specializing in cloud computing, cyber security, data centers and enterprise IT infrastructure. Before becoming Deputy Editor, she held the role of Features Editor, managing a pool of freelance and internal writers, while continuing to specialise in enterprise IT infrastructure, and business strategy.
Prior to joining ITPro, Jane was a freelance business journalist writing as both Jane McCallion and Jane Bordenave for titles such as European CEO, World Finance, and Business Excellence Magazine.


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It’s reasonable to express that Pokéfriday Move hasbeen anything of the thought in its pretty small amount of time around. The enhanced reality game for iOS and Android enables people to push themselves right into a Pokéfriday world wherever they’re assigned with taking, instruction and fighting digital Pokéfriday which are situated inside the real life.
The overall game has just been formally obtainable in select areas, and therefore enthusiastic players in as-yet unreleased areas are getting to installing the APK from file sharing sites and aspect-launching it onto their Android devices.
Scientists at Proofpoint have found that these customers might be acquiring significantly more than they expected using the unofficial deploy.
Scientists in the firm are warning that unofficial puts of the Pokéfriday Move APK for Android devices saved from particular file sharing websites you could end up the undesirable installing of the currently-recognized DroidJack spyware. The study group from Proofpoint have were able to discover an APK edition that’s getting increasingly common and is transporting these Remote access manipulate called DroidJack.
This isn’t a brand new pressure of spyware, it’s been recognized to Symantec since 2014 who at the full time of breakthrough explained it like a “Trojan horse for Android devices that starts a back-door about the affected device and also takes information.”
Android devices all over the world might be eager to obtain in about the Pokéfriday Move trend, however it could’t be worth possibly starting the device as much as malicious enemies risking the huge lack of safe and delicate data in the smartphone or pill. It’s nevertheless worth remembering that should you reside in among the presently recognized areas, and have saved the overall game formally in the Google Play Store, you then are completely secure. The technically published edition of the Pokéfriday Move recreation includes no spyware.
The study group who discovered the most recent occasion of DroidJack have agreed that they’re however to really observe an bout of its lifestyle in the open on the actual device, but have found the spyware inserted within an APK document located on the recognized harmful archive. Included in its writeup about them, Proofpoint has additionally defined its perception that installing of an infected APK allows opponents to “totally compromise a-mobile device”, and that it’d also place shared network assets at danger if introduced right into a corporate networked environment.
The guidance here would be to suppress that Pokéfriday Move excitement and delay before established encounter is released inside your place.
You may even like to check out:
- Google Perform Store APK Obtain Link [Latest Edition Update]


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Huff Harrington’s 2017 collection fills its new Buckhead location
Seasoned designers and co-owners of Huff Harrington Home, Ann Huff and Meg Harrington spent the last part of 2016 scouting French fairs and expositions to curate their winter collection, just in time to stock the boutique’s new location on Roswell Road near Flip Burger. They went on the hunt all around central and southern France to find unique antiques that reflect their favorite French saying: “L’un fait chanter l’autre,” which means “one makes the other sing.” They found these items by scouring exposition halls built in the 1960s, perusing dusty bins before sunrise and venturing to Paris’s famed Les Puces flea market where they also took time to indulge in the open Champagne bar.
The antique connoisseurs let their hearts take the lead when scouting for treasures. “When we see something that catches our eye, we call it that ‘ooh la la’ moment,’” Huff says. “One of us scouts while the other writes the tickets, and then we switch so the eyes stay fresh.”
The design duo says 2017 is all about “the mix,” such as pairing a mid-century starburst mirror or 19th century Louis XVI mirror with an elaborate chandelier. “We tell our customers it’s like getting two chandeliers for one because the reflection is stunning!” Huff says.
The store’s 2017 winter selection offers a lighter look and feel, including a refurbished Louis XV table and ocean-blue glass siphons. Shoppers will also find reduced prices from the 2016 Christmas collection.
HUFF HARRINGTON HOME
3872 Roswell Road
STORY: Victoria Borges
Photo: Erica Dines
Simply Buckhead is an upscale lifestyle magazine focused on the best and brightest individuals, businesses and events in Buckhead, Brookhaven, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and Chamblee. With a commitment to journalistic excellence, the magazine serves as the authority on who to know, what to do and where to go in the community, and its surroundings.


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You are here
WASHINGTON -- As National Seafood Month kicks off this October, initial findings from a consumer study show that more than 85 percent of Americans currently eat seafood. Only 20 percent of Americans, however, meet the Dietary Guidelines recommendation of two servings of fish or seafood each week.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advises people to eat more fish to live "longer, healthier, and more active lives," specifically mentioning the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood. (Story continues below.)
"More education is needed to help people include at least two fish meals in the diet each week," said Doris Hicks, a University of Delaware seafood technology specialist and National Fisheries Institute (NFI) member.
The Consumer Attitudes on Seafood Consumption survey found that while 45 percent of Americans eat seafood at least once each week, only half of these same people eat at least two servings, or about eight ounces, weekly.
"At a time in our nation's history when heart disease is the No. 1 killer and obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, it is essential to educate the public about the benefits of eating fish, rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3s," said NFI president John Connelly. "This is especially important for families; we need to encourage children to include seafood as part of their diet now."
The survey was conducted by the Delaware Sea Grant College Program and University of Rhode Island Nutrition and Food Sciences Department, from July 27 to Aug. 7, 2006. The sample included 1,062 adults, representative of the U.S. population based on age, gender, income, and ethnicity. More detailed findings will be released later in the year.


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Greensburg’s only bookstore to close
Greensburg’s only bookstore will close next month.
“This is breaking my heart,” said Patty Weir owner of Patty Weir’s Paperbacks on South Main Street.
The bookstore opened more than 30 years ago.
“It’s been one emotional day today, everybody’s sitting here crying,” she said.
Almost a year ago, she announced the store would close as soon as she found a buyer for the building.
A sale is pending and Weir did not want to reveal who bought it or what the building will be used for until the deal is finalized.
Patty Weir’s Paperbacks will remain open until sometime in August. An exact closing date hasn’t been determined, Weir said.
Over the last few years she’s watched her business dwindle.
“It’s just been a struggle for me working 12, 14 hour days to keep this place going, and I just can’t do it,” she said.
The biggest problem has been a lack of supply, she said. She sells used books, but many of the avid readers she relied on to sell her fresh inventory switched to eBooks, she said.
“I never thought in a million years that a Kindle would put me out of business,” she said.
She’s taken a second job making crafts at home to make ends meet, and she plans to start doing that full time once the store closes.
She’s holding a going out of business sale this month: half off everything.
The store is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekends.
Jacob Tierney is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6646, email@example.com via Twitter @Soolseem.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review Out & About writer. You can contact Shirley at 724-836-5750, firstname.lastname@example.org or via Twitter .


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The Indian Secretary of Commerce is not impressed by Amazon's new $ 1 billion investment.
A day after Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Piyush Goyal, the country's trade minister, announced that his company is investing an additional billion dollars in India. This brings the total local investment to $ 6.5 billion to date.
"They may have invested a billion dollars, but if they lose a billion dollars a year, they will have to fund those billions," said Goyal at a conference organized by the Think Tank Observer Research Foundation on Thursday. "So it's not like they are doing India a big favor by investing a billion dollars."
The Indian minister's remark comes days after the national cartel officer announced an investigation into alleged predatory practices by Amazon India and Flipkart.
Bezos, who is in India this week, tried to meet India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, However, his application has yet to be approved, TechCrunch said.
Goyal affirmed that foreign e-commerce players would have to comply with local laws if they wanted to continue operating in the nation. He said the watchdog's claims are "a cause of concern for every Indian".
“We allowed every company to come to India according to a market model. A marketplace model is an agnostic model that allows buyers and sellers to trade freely. If they make an agreement, the transaction between buyer and seller takes place. The marketplace cannot own the inventory, cannot control the inventory, cannot set prices, and cannot have an algorithm that affects how products from different sellers are listed on the platform, ”he added.
“We have different rules for marketplaces in India. As long as you follow them, they can operate in India, ”he said. Some of the allegations being investigated in India relate to the alleged violation of the above guidelines.
Goyal's comment could further exacerbate tensions between Amazon and the Indian government. Last year, US senators criticized New Delhi after preventing foreign companies from selling inventory from their own subsidiaries. The move forced Amazon and Flipkart Abruptly pulling hundreds of thousands of goods from their marketplaces.


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LG UPDATES SOFTWARE FOR ‘L SERIES II’ DEVICES
- Knock On(1)
Sydney, 24th March, 2014 — LG Electronics (LG) Australia today announced that its ‘KnockOn’ feature will be introduced to existing ‘L Series II’ handsets via maintenance release software updates. The software upgrade will start rolling out in March, and by the end of April current owners of ‘L Series II’ handsets will be able to access and download the latest device software so that they can use the ‘KnockOn’ feature on their handset.
‘KnockOn’ was originally introduced in the LG G2 as a convenient way to easily ‘wake’ and ‘sleep’ the phone’s screen by simply lightly tapping twice on the display. With the main home key located on the back of the LG G2, the ‘KnockOn’ feature was a convenient and innovative way to activate the device screen.
‘KnockOn’ has since been featured in a tablet for the first time with the LG G Pad 8.3, swiftly followed by the introduction on LG’s latest and first curved smartphone, the LG G Flex, which also shared the rear ergonomic design of the LG G2. The innovative feature has been highly praised by consumers and has led to LG developing a new version specifically for LG’s best-selling ‘L Series II’ devices. The forthcoming software updates will provide the feature, which was previously only seen on flagship devices in the LG portfolio, to existing L Series II customers.
‘KnockOn’ software updates will progressively roll out over the coming month to the following handsets in the ‘L Series II’ range.
“KnockOn’ is another step in LG’s technological innovation, and this is creating beneficial features that enhance the consumer experience by making them increasingly more user friendly,” said Lambro Skropidis, General Manager Marketing at LG Electronics’ Australia.
For further information please contact firstname.lastname@example.org
About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company
The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a global leader and innovator in mobile communications. With its innovative technologies and designs, LG continues to establish a number of benchmarks in the smartphone market, while also helping create a better lifestyle for consumers by delivering a wholly enhanced smartphone experience. As a leader in 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technologies, LG continues its commitment to developing groundbreaking LTE technologies and fulfilling consumer demands with differentiated LTE devices.
LG Electronics Australia
LG Electronics Australia is based in Sydney and is a subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc, a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In Australia, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions, all under LG’s “Life’s Good” mantra.
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2 minute read - 27th June 2023
Aston Martin advances electric vehicle plans
Aston Martin has announced the formation of a new supply agreement with electric vehicle technologies company Lucid Group, which will help propel Aston Martin’s high-performance electrification strategy and its long-term growth.
The proposed agreement would see Lucid, a world-leader in the design and manufacture of advanced electric powertrains and battery systems, supply Aston Martin with industry-leading electric vehicle technologies. Access to Lucid’s current and future powertrain and battery technology will be at the centre of Aston Martin’s all-new in-house battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform.
Aston Martin’s electrification programme forms a pillar of the brand’s wider Racing Green sustainability strategy and will see an investment of over £2bn in advanced technologies over the next five years, with investment phasing from ICE to BEV technology.
Lawrence Stroll, executive chairman of Aston Martin, said: “The supply agreement with Lucid is a game changer for the future EV-led growth of Aston Martin. Based on our strategy and requirements, we selected Lucid, gaining access to the industry’s highest performance and most innovative technologies for our future BEV products. We will not only leverage the significant investments Lucid has made to develop its world-class technologies, but will also further enhance and differentiate the drive experience through the work Roberto Fedeli and his teams are already developing, aligned with our ultra-luxury, high-performance strategy.
“Along with Mercedes-Benz, we now have two world-class suppliers to support the internal development and investments we are making to deliver our electrification strategy. With the recently announced long-term partnership with Geely, we will also gain the opportunity to access their range of technologies and components, as well as their deep expertise of the key strategic market of China.”
Aston Martin also announced that Mercedes-Benz AG will continue to provide it with access to a range of world-class technologies, including powertrain and electric/electronic architectures for current and future generation Aston Martin vehicles, including internal combustion engine, hybrid and electric vehicles.
Roberto Fedeli, chief technology officer of Aston Martin, added: “The proposed agreement with Lucid forms a significant pillar of our electrification strategy, providing Aston Martin with access to the industry’s leading powertrain and battery systems technology. Combined with our internal development, this will allow us to create a single bespoke BEV platform suitable for all future Aston Martin products, all the way from hypercars to sports cars and SUVs. In addition, we will continue to expand our in-house powertrain capabilities, allowing us to provide the thrilling performance and intense driving experience we know that our customers love and expect from Aston Martin.”