text:
Marks and Spencer
Leading supermarkets and salmon farming companies have been accused of “plundering” the Antarctic for krill and depriving whales, seals and penguins of food.
The company that supplies Scottish farmed salmon to the retail giant, Marks and Spencer, has been officially reprimanded for misreporting toxic pesticide use.
A major UK supermarket has pledged to interview migrant agricultural workers on a Scottish fruit farm following claims of unfair working practices.
The “naming and shaming” of the 75 salmon farms that have shot 180 seals around the Scottish coast over the last two years has prompted calls for a boycott by consumers and supermarkets.


text:
But less than a week after its UK release the new Harry Potter film is already available to download illegally from the internet.
The Limewire file-sharing website allows users to transfer Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire to a home computer and burn it to CD in just a few hours.
The site has dozens of other new movies available including Elizabethtown, The Constant Gardener and the latest Wallace And Gromit.
The movie industry estimates that such activity costs film studios between £1.9 billion and £3 billion a year.
A spokesman for Harry Potter distributor Warner Bros said: "Every blockbuster
will be pirated - that's where the money is. It's very easy to find pirated product, even though we are fighting it as hard as we can."
Downloading movies has become easier with broadband. Ofcom says the UK had more than six million such connections by the end of last year. One in five internet users admits to illegally downloading movies.
Piracy watchdog the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) said: "The UK industry loses billions every year through copyright infringement. This loss of income is simple theft."
New York- based Limewire has a code of conduct for users, but has stopped short of saying it would take any action to prevent the sharing of copyrighted material.Reuse content

domain: news


text:
LANSING, Mich. — Family Fitness has been ordered to pay up to $220,000 after a lawsuit filed by the state’s Attorney General’s Office.
FOX 17 Problem Solvers began looking into the business after receiving several complaints from customers who had been ripped off, prompting an investigation by the Attorney General's Office, which also received hundreds of complaints.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced a settlement with the business. The first $190,000 will be made available to consumers affected by the company’s predatory business practices.
Former member Missy Nousen is one of the dozens of people who reached out to Problem Solvers with a complaint about Family Fitness.
In 2017, she said a "free" 30-day membership turned into a $5,000 debt sent to collections, which showed up three years later and hurt her credit score.
Her story resulted in several other complaints regarding free memberships that ended up costing money, ignored cancellation requests and members being coerced into signing a new contract in order to cancel a debt -- all issues covered in the lawsuit.
"It's nice knowing that something that I went through can help somebody else," she said. "By getting involved, my voice was heard."
As part of the judgement, Family Fitness isn’t allowed to charge any cancellation fees on any membership or personal training agreement resulting from a drawing or event prize. Family Fitness also isn’t allowed to have cancellation fees higher than $75.
Consumers who have filed complaints against the company will receive information about the claims process over the next few months. Anyone who can document any claims that arise from misconduct by Family Fitness can file a complaint on the Attorney General’s Office website.
FOX 17 reached out to Family Fitness for comment on the settlement, but hasn't received a response.


text:
- Robyn Turk |
Klarna has added over one million new consumers in the U.S. since the start of summer 2020. The buy-now-pay-later payment provider now has nine million customers in the country.
The company's U.S. retail partnerships have grown by more than 158 percent year over year, with a gross merchandise volume amounting to 22 billion dollars in the first half of 2020. Klarna's growth reflects an increased consumer demand for its service, which allows shoppers to purchase their products and pay later via interest-free installments.
“Klarna has been well positioned to meet the challenges and evolving consumer needs in an uncertain marketplace over the last several months, as reflected by our global volume growth of more than 44 percent,” David Sykes, the company's head of U.S., commented in a statement.
The alternative payment solution is very attractive to consumers during economic uncertainty that has come with the COVID-19 pandemic. Klarna's growth has likely been bolstered by an increased need for financial flexibility, however the company has launched several new initiatives over the past three months that may account for its rapid growth in consumers.
Klarna launches virtual events, loyalty program, shopping app and more
The alternative payment solutions provider has achieved its recent milestone after a series of new partnerships and initiatives aimed at stimulating customer engagement over the past few months. Since June, Klarna has launched a new mobile shopping app, commenced its new "Vibe" loyalty prgoram, created an shoppable and shareable wish list feature, teamed with Nintedo to offer a virtual shopping experience in the Animal Crossing game and hosted its first "Klarnival" online shopping festival.
Photo Credit: Klarna


text:
It's grown 6,700% since 1983, to $144.7B in 2013 -- greater than the net worth of 1,782,020 average Americans.
Everybody knows that middle-class incomes have stagnated while those of the richest Americans have skyrocketed, but trend is even more pronounced when you look at the relative fortunes of the super-duper rich. Consider the Walmart heirs: Since 1983, their net worth has increased a staggering 6,700 percent. According to a report released today by the union-backed Economic Policy Institute, here's how many Americans earning the median income it would have taken to match the Waltons' wealthin a given year.
The Walmart Heirs Are Worth More Than Everyone in Your City Combined
[Josh Harkinson/Mother Jones]
(Image: Aerial Photography: San Jose, Santa Clara and Vicinity, Joe Wolf, CC-BY-SA)
Evan Greer from Fight for the Future writes, "At this moment in history, it's just not okay for tech companies to support government agencies that are openly violating human rights. But while Salesforce's executives have been speaking out against US immigration policies, the company is maintaining a multimillion dollar contract with US Border Patrol. We […]
PepsiCo is buying SodaStream for $3.2 billion. SodaStream’s products, marketed as a healthy alternative to sugary sodas, fit Pepsi’s goal of “making more nutritious products while limiting our environmental footprint,” (Pepsi CEO Indra) Nooyi said in a statement. “Together, we can advance our shared vision of a healthier, more sustainable planet.” (CNN)
Economists like Alberto Alesina and Silvia Ardagna reshaped the world when their theories of "expansionary austerity" were put into effect after the 2008 crisis: the idea that governments could "increase taxes, cut spending, and grow strongly" was powerfully tempting to the world's leaders, who saw in them a way to pull out of a recessionary […]
Drones are undeniably cool, but not all of us have the Top Gun-level piloting skills required to fly them—unless you’re using TRNDlabs’ new Spectre Drone. Designed new and expert pilots alike, this drone is loaded with fly assist features to make piloting easy, all the while you explore using its built-in HD camera. It’s available in the […]
Whether you’re set to give the toast at your best friend’s wedding or a presentation at work, you’ll be relying on those public speaking lessons you slept through during high school. Scary thought, right? Thankfully, the Public Speaking Bundle is loaded with hacks, tips, and techniques that will get you speaking more naturally and with confidence, […]
The Adobe Creative Cloud suite is the foundation on which many creatives build their careers, but some of its programs, like Photoshop and InDesign, are notoriously complex, making it difficult for aspiring designers, photographers, and the like to break into their field. But, don’t get discouraged. The Pay What You Want: Adobe CC A-Z Lifetime Bundle […]


text:
Nonprofit Oxfam America said Wednesday that human rights abuses and labor rights violations persist in the supply chains of Amazon.com and its Whole Foods Market subsidiary.
In a resolution at a virtual Amazon shareholders meeting, Oxfam specifically called on the ecommerce giant to conduct at least one human rights impact assessment (HRIA) in a high-risk sector where the potential for human rights abuses have been identified.
“Oxfam has uncovered evidence of human rights abuses in the Amazon-owned Whole Foods supply chain around the world, from Thailand to North Carolina,” said Sarah Zoen, a senior advisor with Oxfam’s private sector department, who presented the proposal at the shareholders meeting. “We’ve heard stories of terrible working conditions, poor wages, gender discrimination, and intimidation.”
Zoen said Oxfam wants Amazon “to step up and conduct a human rights impact assessment in a high-risk sector in collaboration with affected workers and communities.”
Oxfam’s charges come after a report released by the nonprofit last year said that despite new commitments, human rights abuses continue to endure in Whole Foods’ global supply chain.
Amazon had rolled out new supplier standards in September, which included some significant commitments to eliminate all forms of forced labor, promote freedom of association, and tackle migrant worker exploitation.
But Oxfam said that while the new standards were “important first steps,” they did “not go far enough to address the severity of the problems.”
Supermarkets are under increasing pressure from shoppers and investors to act, said Oxfam, which also published a statement from 50 global investors with assets worth more than $3 trillion calling on supermarkets to publish information on where they source their products and to tackle human rights abuse in their supply chains.
“Amazon and the public are acutely aware of the negative human rights impacts that exist in its supply chain – workers’ concerns are a daily news headline,” said Zoen. “Amazon is making record profits and yet workers continue to raise concerns about their health, safety, and wellbeing. In the face of a global pandemic where workers are on the frontline, our proposal is more relevant than ever.”


text:
And it has suggestions for how to regulate legal weed.
Meanwhile, nearby Nebraska fails to advance similar legislation.
Lawmakers are warming up to the idea as neighboring states embrace legal weed.
The premium-flower brand is trying vapes on for size.
Some experts aren’t sure how to make sense of this mess
Meanwhile, overall cannabis flown into the United States from Mexico continues to drop.


text:
Embraco has launched its VESH variable speed compressor, a new generation of the VES series.
According to Embraco, the VESH can achieve up to 50 per cent energy savings when compared to a traditional standard fixed speed compressor, and around 30 per cent compared with more energy efficient fixed speed models.
“VESH pushes the limits of energy savings in response to a market context where this topic has become one of the main priorities for refrigeration appliances manufacturers and homeowners,” says Nidec Global Appliance Vice President for the Home Appliances Business Segment Ricardo Bristotti.
“This achievement is due to constant investments in research and development to create innovations that make the Embraco brand a global reference in refrigeration.”
Embraco says its VES compressor family is the premium platform of its portfolio, meeting higher standards for efficiency and acoustics. One example is its capability of running at 950rpm in low demand, which makes it as quiet as the ambient noise of a library. Because variable speed technology allows the VESH to adjust its running speed according to the demanded temperature, it also helps to improve food preservation.
Embraco says the VESH is the smallest variable speed compressor available in its efficiency range, weighing an average of 6.8kg and with a height of 144mm.
“Miniaturisation of products is among the main drivers of our innovation process, for its many benefits,” says Bristotti. “A smaller compressor allows more internal space inside the refrigerator cabinet, enables reduction of processes and materials used in the production flows and optimises the transportation, contributing to environmental sustainability.”
The compressor achieves a maximum displacement of 11cc and 270W of cooling capacity, is dual voltage (110V and 220V), and uses natural refrigerant R600a, which has GWP close to zero.
“The energy efficiency combined with the use of R600a is a significant contribution in terms of CO2 equivalent emissions reduction, therefore, resulting in a more environmentally sustainable appliance to the final consumer,” says Bristotti.
VESH is strategically produced in Nidec Global Appliance’s plants in Austria and China.
“Our concern is to offer a better set of services to our local customers while reducing environmental footprints on transportation and avoiding disruptions caused by long logistics chains,” says Bristotti.
“The main target markets for this product are Japan and Europe, where the regulations regarding energy efficiency and noise are very strict.
“The market acceptance and understanding of the VESH features and benefits has surpassed our expectations so far, showing that the world is on a path toward sustainability that has no coming back.”
Image shows Ricardo Bristotti.


text:
2009 Ford Focus coupe is set to debut on American Idol on Fox on Wednesday
The hot-selling Ford Focus debuts a new coupe version for the 2009 model year Wednesday on American’s hottest television show – “American Idol.” This marks the first time Ford has ever revealed a new product on prime time television. Sporty updates inspired by customer feedback, including new front and rear fascias, a new roof-line spoiler and standard 17-inch aluminum wheels on the SES series, enhance the 2009 Focus coupe’s profile and further differentiate the Focus coupe from the sedan. Performance improvements include increased horsepower on 5-speed manual versions and quicker acceleration, thanks to a new final drive ratio on models with four-speed automatic transmissions – without any compromise to Focus’ 35-miles-per-gallon fuel economy rating.
The new Focus coupe can be seen for the first time during the Wednesday broadcast of “American Idol” on FOX, which airs at 9 p.m. EST. The Focus coupe will be part of the “American Idol” Ford Video featuring this season’s remaining contestants. Episodes of American Idol typically draw an audience of more than 20 million viewers. The 45-second music video also will be featured on the “American Idol” Web site at www.americanidol.com under the Ford Music Video page.


text:
LAS VEGAS — There’s no doubt produce is a bigger factor at the National Grocers Association’s annual expo, which was Feb. 10-13.
This was the second year that NGA partnered with the Produce Marketing Association, with PMA promoting the event to members, contributing to the educational program and subcontracting a produce pavilion, which 28 companies took advantage of, up from 20 last year.
It will likely grow.
Most exhibitors said they had good meetings with smaller grocery executives and some wholesalers.
Most exhibitors considered it a success.
It was also refreshing to see so many of those coveted “red badges” of retailers, and not have them mobbed by supplier attendees, like we see at PMA’s Fresh Summit, for example.
But there was also a big missed opportunity.
For one, many independent grocers use wholesalers, like Associated Wholesale Grocers, Nash Finch, and their competitors. A produce company exhibitor can’t just make a deal with a buyer. The exhibitor must impress upon the retailer that it should deal with its wholesaler to use supply from that produce company.
A mild complaint was that there were few produce vice presidents to talk to.
Exhibitors are optimistic the independent executives will bring their produce experts to future shows. There’s certainly a great opportunity for them to talk with those exhibiting produce companies.
In a way, the NGA expo feels more like a smaller regional show than a Fresh Summit or United Fresh Marketplace, even though it’s in Las Vegas.
It’s also something that can’t get too big or it will lose that intimate feel, as PMA president Bryan Silbermann told me on the expo floor.
Expect the produce pavilion to grow but not too much or too fast.
As the local trend continues to grow among consumers, it’s nice to see so many produce and grocery leaders stress that local is limited.
As consumers have to realize, a local produce diet is very small when there’s snow on the ground. It also eliminates many tropicals, including the banana, year-round.
The more the produce industry stresses “locale” over “local,” as Silbermann mentioned in his Feb. 11 general session, the more consumers will gain knowledge about the limitations of a local diet and they will realize how many fresh produce items they’ll miss out on.
In a Feb. 11 workshop on local food, panelist Mike Needler, president of Fresh Encounter Inc., which runs Community Markets in and around Ohio, focusing on local food, said independent stores can be more flexible and nimble with local sourcing than larger competitors.
“Kroger and Wal-Mart can try local, but we should be able to do it better,” he said.
Another popular NGA workshop was one on dietitians.
Melanie Dwornik, retail dietitian program supervisor for Wakefern, said it makes the most sense to have dietitians in stores, which Wakefern does, where people actually buy their food.
While doctors are increasingly advising patients to change their diets toward better health, most doctors have little nutrition training, and a dietitian can help consumers make better decisions at the point of purchase.
That means retailers have to find or train dietitians on the business of retailing.
Natalie Menza, manager of health and wellness for Wakefern, said in the beginning of its dietitian program, “it was difficult to blend dietitians with retail. We had to hire for personality.”
She said Wakefern has 60 stores covered by dietitians.
Dwornik said for in-store dietitians to be successful, she found that they have to be involved with all segments of the store.
This is another huge opportunity for the produce industry.
It’s one thing to sell and promote a healthy product because all consumers know that about fresh fruits and vegetables.
But that hasn’t been enough to change enough of Americans’ diets.
The Produce for Better Health Foundation is spending more time with retail dietitians.
There’s definitely an opportunity for the produce industry with these well-trained health professionals.
What's your take? Leave a comment and tell us your opinion.


text:
WineAmerica, aka the National Association of American Wineries, a 600-member trade association, has released the first-ever comprehensive study of the economic impact of the American wine industry across all 50 states — and the big news is that the industry's total contribution to the U.S. economy for 2017 will total $219.9 billion.
"We have long known intuitively that our industry's economic impact was enormous," writes WineAmerica president Jim Trezise on the organization's website, "but it's nice to now have hard numbers which illustrate that."
The study, conducted by New York-based John Dunham & Associates, covered all 50 states, measuring "direct [i.e., wine producer], supplier, induced, and total output, including jobs, wages, and taxes at all three levels." ("Induced" output means expenditures by those employed either directly or as suppliers.)
The results illustrate how important the wine trade is in the American economy. Besides that total figure of $219.9 billion, the study learned that the industry provides almost a million direct jobs and over $33.5 billion in annual wages, and that when supplier and induced numbers are added in, the figure rises to 1,738,270 jobs and $75.8 billion in wages.
Other impressive statistics from the study: California produces about 85 percent of the wine made in America, but there are wineries in every one of the 50 states — currently some 10,236 wineries in all. Some 677,629 acres of land in 49 states are planted to vineyards (Alaska produces fruit wines, as well as grape wines made from imported juice, but grows no vines). And wineries across the country record almost 43 million tourist visits annually, adding more than $17.6 billion to local economies.


text:
MVUMA: Rural women who mostly rely on farming and poultry have expressed distress over the lack of ready markets to sell their produce.
This was revealed at an International day for rural women commemoration held by the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) Gweru Chapter at Mvuma Salvation Army Church.
The commemorations ran under the theme “Promoting women-centred sustainable food systems and rural development,” mainly focusing on empowering women economically through supporting their vocational skills.
WCOZ focal person for Mvuma, Sitshengisiwe Kalenge said the lack of markets affects the pricing of goods.
“Markets are a huge problem for rural women despite working hard they end up selling their produce at very low prices,” said Kalenge.
A local woman, Victoria Koke who was part of the commemorations said fast foods like Chicken Inn and Chicken Slice should also order chickens from the poultry farmers in the community.
“In Mvuma we have fast food outlets, our wish is also to supply these outlets with our chickens. However, due to the lack of markets we end up selling USD 4 per bird,” she said.
One of the invited stakeholders, Reverend Detective Kamanga applauded WCOZ for supporting women’s initiatives in Mvuma.
“I would like to thank WCOZ for empowering women with skills. I’m very happy to see women being productive and supporting each other,” he said.
On the sidelines, Mvuma women are appealing for their own land from the local authority so that they can start their projects.


text:
In 1960, 97 percent of the fibers used in clothing came from natural materials. Today that number has fallen to 35 percent. But sustainable fashion veteran Isaac Nichelson wants to reverse that trend.
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
James Longcroft launched an Indiegogo campaign Monday to crowdfund production of his Choose Water bottle, which is plastic-free and decomposes within three weeks in landfills or water, Business Insider UK reported Wednesday.
By Caroline Craig
"Why do we need a climate museum?" After the nonprofit Climate Museum was chartered in New York three years ago, founder Miranda Massie and her colleagues asked hundreds, if not thousands, of people for their thoughts. The responses were anything but simple: to celebrate climate heroes; to host the growing fields of climate science, design and art; and, to put it bluntly, to take a stand against a president who refuses to acknowledge climate change and belittles its implications. "I always believed that art and culture could be central to creating a new climate citizenship," said Massie.
Poke, a dish made from raw tuna, is enjoying huge popularity far beyond its native Hawaii. But where is all that fish coming from? It turns out that tracking down the source of that tasty yellowfin or bigeye can be a hard task—and that raises some major sustainability concerns.


text:
M&S clothing sales fall again - for eighth successive quarter but Marc Bolland upbeat
Tuesday 09 July 2013
Marks & Spencer boss Marc Bolland today insisted things were starting to improve despite the struggling retailer posting an eighth successive quarter of falling clothing sales.
Shares tumbled 8.8p to 451p, making M&S the biggest faller in the FTSE 100, as Bolland faced investors at its AGM at Wembley Stadium.
Overall UK like-for-like sales crept up 0.3 per cent in the 13 weeks to June 29, its first-quarter. M&S was boosted by strong food sales, which rose 1.8 per cent. However, clothing and non-food sales once again fell, dropping 1.6 per cent.
M&S will launch its autumn and winter ranges on July 25 and investors have warned it will cost Bolland his job if sales are not good.
The range, which is the first under new style director and ex-Debenhams and Jaegar boss Belinda Earl, has received good reviews so far, yet shareholders say the proof will only come once half-year figures are published in November.
“Our general merchandise business showed some improvement this quarter and the food business delivered another excellent performance,” Bolland said. “Our International business also performed well and M&S.com sales were very strong. We continue to make good progress with our plans to transform M&S into an international, multi-channel retailer.”
Analysts were mixed about the latest update from the 129-year-old retailer, which can trace its roots back to Leeds Kirkgate market. Clive Black, analyst at Shore Capital, said: “We acknowledge the understandable concern on behalf of investors surrounding the ongoing underperformance of the core ladieswear category in the UK.
“The performance has been unacceptable for a sustained period and the management machinations have not been wholly constructive. As such, there is pressure on the forthcoming autumn/winter range to make progress for M&S. As we have stated before, we are encouraged by the fashion editors’ response to the new ranges, but it will be the sell-through which will be more telling to our minds.”
Although Bolland’s overall pay fell by a third last year, ahead of today’s AGM he has faced questions over a bonus of £829,000 that was two-and-a-half times up on last year.
Investors also need convincing that spending £2.3 billion on store refurbishments, logistics and IT systems as part of a three-year restructuring plan will revive M&S’s fortunes.
- 1 Husband creates spreadsheet detailing wife's 'excuses' for turning down sex
- 2 UK pirates will get four warning letters a year
- 3 Saneie Masilela, 9, marries Helen Shabangu, 53 years his senior, for the second time
- 4 Laurie Penny: Feminist author subjected to 'vile sexist and anti-Semitic abuse' over her book
- 5 Why I'm on the brink of burning my Israeli passport
Saneie Masilela, 9, marries Helen Shabangu, 53 years his senior, for the second time
Time runs out for Christian Iraq: Isis deadline passes with mass flight
Miley Cyrus death hoax: Fans distraught after a Facebook scam goes viral and she fails to tweet for three days
Laurie Penny: Feminist author subjected to 'vile sexist and anti-Semitic abuse' over her book
Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash: France and Germany accused of going soft on Putin as sanctions talks stall
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash: 'Nine Britons, 23 Americans and 80 children' feared dead after Boeing passenger jet is 'shot down' near Ukraine-Russia border
Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash: Vladimir Putin is given 'one last chance' to end hostilities in Ukraine
The truth about conspiracy theories is that some require considering
Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash: Ukrainian military jet was flying close to passenger plane before it was shot down, says Russian officer
Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash: victims’ bodies bundled in black bags and loaded onto trains
Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash analysis: A tragic lesson of advanced weapons in the wrong hands
- < Previous
- Next >
iJobs Money & Business
£40000 - £50000 Per Annum: Clearwater People Solutions Ltd: Business Analyst r...
£500 - £550 per day: Orgtel: BA/PM - Client Data London (Greater)
£400 - £450 per day: Orgtel: SQL Developer - Banking - London - £450pd Our cl...
£375 - £400 per day: Orgtel: SQL DBA - Banking - Gloucester - £400pd Our clie...


text:
MTS has launched a cloud-based service to help businesses to meet Russian regulatory data storage requirements.
The offering allows customers to store their information systems involved in collecting and processing personal data, providing tools for managing personnel, corporate content and customer relationships.
It also includes solutions to provide assistance in drafting documentation for approval by authorities.
MTS said target customers include banks, insurance companies, medical organisations, logistics companies and retailers with loyalty programmes.
The solution is built around MTS’s secure cloud system #CloudMTS which is based on the operator’s own data centres as well as VMware virtual platforms. The solution has built-in security through firewalls, anti-virus and threat analysis software.
Vladimir Khrenkov, Director of Innovation Development at MTS, said: “Russian business demand for better information security systems continues to grow. ‘Uberisation’ and digitalisation are reshaping traditional solutions in this industry.
“As one of the leading suppliers of innovative digital solutions, MTS is able to enter this market with a comprehensive solution that provides reliable protection from threats, and reduce costs for customers through utilising their own IT equipment.
“Our cloud service capabilities are constantly expanding and we are prioritising improving them further by engaging with the latest industry developments.”
MTS’s VP of Marketing, Vyacheslav Nikolaev, told European Communications in March that the industry needs to move into areas such as IT if it is to grow faster.


text:
Ming-Chi Kuo, a highly regarded Apple analyst, has published a blog post in which he asserts that Apple is making a significant adjustment in the way it thinks about mobile processors.
Kuo has stated once again that “The next A16 CPU will be exclusive to two iPhone 14 Pro/high-end variants,” which is something that we have heard from a variety of other sources in the past.
It is common knowledge that both the standard iPhone 14 and the brand-new iPhone 14 Max will have an A15 chip that is functionally equivalent to the one found in the iPhone 13, albeit possibly in a slightly improved version that has more RAM. Some people have even suggested that Apple would try to rename it as some type of A16 Bionic processor in order to make it appear as though it is an advance over the previous generation.
We had assumed that this was just a momentary hiccup. However, the new argument here is that this isn’t so. This appears to be the new normal for Apple’s smartphone line-up rather than a one-off response to the present perfect storm of supply chain concerns.
According to Kuo, the iPhone high-end models are expected to be the exclusive beneficiaries of the new CPU chip.
The sales of Apple’s Pro models are sure to rise as a result of this strategy.
It’s thought that Apple will switch to a smaller pill-shaped hole punch in place of the present slab on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, in addition to a new split iPhone chip strategy.
The new iPhone 14 range is scheduled to be released by Apple in September. Apple is likely to release a new ‘normal’-sized iPhone this year, replacing the departing iPhone Mini model.


text:
In Business: Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Set to Open Mid-June in Bemidji
Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer, and with the warmer weather, Bemidji is about to get a new place to order ice cream and some other tasty treats.
A new business is coming to Bemidji in the form of a combination of Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts. It is set to open in a matter of weeks. Despite the unpredictable times that many businesses are facing at the moment, the planned store has not seen any delays yet due to COVID-19. They still plan on opening by mid-to-late June.
Taking the place of what was formerly a Tim Hortons, the building was created with the needs of a coffee shop in mind, drive-thru included. The store will offer both Dunkin’ coffee and pastries and ice cream from Baskin-Robbins, but they will also feature new products that overlap the two brands.
The store will employ over 30 people. Hiring has already begun and shows no sign of stopping yet.
They expect summer will be their busiest season as people will be stopping in for ice cream treats. The store is located downtown right across from Lake Bemidji.


text:
While Netflix arguably makes a bigger splash, Amazon Prime Video is really stepping up its game. The streaming service already has the buzzy hit series ‘The Man in the High Castle’ and ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’, plus the once-praised ‘Transparent’. And some of its films, ‘The Big Sick’ (above), ‘Manchester by the Sea’, ‘The Lost City of Z’ and more have gotten widespread acclaim and some have even been theatrical successes. (‘The Big Sick’ made $65 million worldwide in theaters.) And like Netflix, Amazon has lofty goals in mind for its original motion pictures. It was recently revealed that Amazon was toying with buying the upscale, indie-centered Landmark theater chain. Now it seems that the studio is looking for some big ticket product to showcase, if not in their own theaters, at least through their streaming service.
Sources have confirmed that Amazon has met with Paramount, Sony and more, looking to line up some high-profile original films. Apparently, Amazon was impressed by how successful Paramount’s ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ performed for Netflix when it premiered in February after the Super Bowl, and they want something just as splashy for themselves. (But looking at it objectively, while a ton of people checked out that film and the earlier action movie, ‘Bright’, neither was particularly well-liked.) Amazon is looking to co-finance films with these partners in exchange for certain online rights.
As for Paramount and Sony, they are humoring these discussions because Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu are quickly advancing in influence and popularity, which threatens traditional studios and TV networks and their practices. And the fact that their competitors are consolidating into mega-corporations– Disney/Fox, AT&T/Time-Warner– is spurring Paramount and Sony to look for options that could strengthen their positions of power. As it stands, they are the two smallest of the six majors in Hollywood.
Paramount had previously launched the pay TV service Epix with Lionsgate and MGM, but it never really caught on and last year, Paramount sold its portion to MGM entirely. (Lionsgate is expected to follow suit.)
This news comes just days after it was announced that Netflix was doubling down on original movies in hopes of scoring a ‘Lord of the Rings’ or Marvel-sized blockbuster.


text:
Consumer products group Reckitt Benckiser said that chief financial officer (CFO) Liz Doherty will leave in March 2013, as her management style is not “well matched” to the direction in which chief executive officer (CEO) Rakesh Kapoor intends to steer the group. Doherty joined Reckitt Benckiser in February 2011, less than a year before Kapoor succeeded Bart Becht as CEO.
Doherty’s successor will be Adrian Hennah, currently CFO at Smith & Nephew, who will join Reckitt Benckiser at the end of December. Hennah’s previous experience includes 18 years at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and he is also a non-executive director of Reed Elsevier.
Reckitt Benckiser indicated last February that, under Kapoor, it would focus more on consumer health and pharmaceutical products and less on traditional household goods. The former are expected to account for 72% of sales from the group’s main units by 2016, against 67% currently.
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence suggest that the German lender is struggling to meet capital and earnings figures.
The T+2 Industry Steering Committee (T+2 ISC) has welcomed recent action by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to propose a rule ... read more
However, a London summit on the industry’s introduction of the technology cautions that testing and acceptance are still at an early stage and firms should proceed with caution.
The proposals of both US presidential candidates could shake up operating conditions in several sectors, reports the credit ratings agency.


text:
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Car buyers will likely pay more for new and used cars this year as the economy improves.
That's according to the National Automobile Dealers Association, which predicts the average price of a new car will rise 6 percent to $30,000. Used prices will jump as much as 8 percent for pickups and SUVs. The average price of a used small car, like the Honda Civic, will increase 1 percent to $9,475.
More people are expected to splurge on new luxury cars as the economy improves. By contrast, used cars are in tight supply because so few people bought cars during the recession.
NADA chief economist Paul Taylor expects U.S. vehicle sales to rise 9 percent to 13.9 million this year. New products and low interest rates should help boost sales.


text:
What you need to know
- OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has confirmed that the OnePlus TV will be announced in September.
- The TV will be available in India before any other countries.
- It'll also be available in North America, Europe, and China.
Last week, OnePlus confirmed long-standing rumors that it was working on a TV. The upcoming gadget is aptly named "OnePlus TV", and on August 20, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau shared some new information about the television's availability.
According to a post Lau published in the OnePlus forums, the OnePlus TV will be announced in September and first be available in India.
And now, I have a very exciting announcement to share with you – the OnePlus TV is set to launch in September, and it will be available in India first.
This lines up with a report from earlier this week, suggesting that the upcoming OnePlus 7T will be announced in September, launched first in India, and then make its way to the United States and Europe in early October.
Lau goes on to say:
We all know, "content is king," which remains one of the major reasons for television's continued relevance in our lives. Yet, the content ecosystem is quite different from one country to another. We have always had a very positive relationship with content providers in India, who have always been willing to partner with us, which guarantees great content for our users.
We are also working hard to launch OnePlus TV in North America, Europe and China regions as soon as we establish partnerships with most of local and regional content providers.
Few details are known about the OnePlus TV, but Lau hints in the blog post that the company envisions it as being a smart hub of sorts.
This shift may greatly impact the way we think about the future of our smart homes. I'm a firm believer that TV will not only become the center of our smart home, but also the center of our daily smart social hub.
I'm personally quite excited to see what OnePlus can bring to the TV market and what it does to stand out from the endless options that are already available. At the very least, we don't have long to go before all is made official.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Samsung sends accidental 'Find My Mobile' notification to Galaxy phones
A global ‘Find My Mobile’ push notification was sent out to Galaxy smartphones worldwide today, causing confusion and worry among owners.
Android 11 is on the way — here's everything you need to know
Android 11 is the big Android release for 2020, and it's shaping up to be an exciting update. We're following all of the changes and new features so you know exactly what to expect when the final build is available later this year.
Ninja's comments show how games continue to be inaccesible, and it sucks
Games are inaccessible enough without somebody as visible as Ninja coming along and making it worse.
These are the best OnePlus phones you can buy in 2020
Thinking about joining Team OnePlus but aren't sure which of the company's gadgets is right for you? Let us help you find the perfect OnePlus phone!


text:
While devices like the Pebble smartwatch are currently billed as niche devices, a new report from ABI Research claims that things are going to change in a hurry when it comes to smartwatch market penetration. The forecast suggests that by the year’s end, 1.2 million smartwatches will have shipped.
ABI says that with more folks switching to smartphones, it is likely that at least some of these folks will be interested in the idea of getting notifications and other data from their phone onto a watch.
Further, ABI believes that there will likely be four categories of smart watches in the near future: the notification type, voice operational smart watches, hybrid smart watches and completely independent smart watches.
The notification type is simply a watch that offers alerts for incoming calls, messages and other notifications. Voice operational smart watches differ in that that can start and stop calls and issue commands using voice.
Next we have hybrids, which combine notifications with voice functionality. They also have their own primitive OS and might have limited functionality when not synced to a smartphone.
And then there are independent smart watches. According to ABI, this could end up being devices like the iWatch, Samsung Galaxy watch and Microsoft’s rumored watch. These devices would have their own operating systems and likely their own apps and other features. While independent from your smartphone, they could still likely sync to a device to pull notifications, though.
While ABI’s predictions and category breakdown are interesting, keep in mind that it is all speculation at this point. What do you think of the idea of a smart watch, is it something you could see yourself using? Conversely, are you interested in other wearable computing devices like Google Glass?
[ source ]


text:
Kickstarting the latest series of The Morning Advertiser’s Drinks Masterclass, we've looked at trends within the wine category and how operators can “stand out from the crowd” to encourage consumers to explore wine lists and boost sales.
There are some fantastic pubs serving amazing wines in the UK – but the pub sector does have some challenges to overcome in the category because it has a reputation for being focused on developing its beer menus rather than targeting wine sales.
Drinks company C&C Group has announced David Forde is to step down from his role as chief executive and will cease to be a director with immediate effect – but will be available to help ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.
Customers of drinks distributor C&C Group have been struggling to order stock for several weeks due to “major system upgrades”, forcing some operators to “waste time” scrambling between high-street shops to avoid shortages.
This year’s Drinks List has seen great strides forward in terms of volume and value sales versus last year because the on-trade has been operating on a much better basis than during the heavily restrictive phases of the pandemic.
You’ve got your lovely range of craft beers, scrumptious cask ales and ever-popular mainstream pints and cracking ciders on the bar but something’s missing… sort out your spirits and wines and you’ve pretty much got it perfect.
A host of new products are hitting the market including whiskeys from Boston Bakers and The Busker to beers from Voodoo Ranger and Beavertown plus Romanian wine producer The Iconic Estate's tie-up with Kingsland Drinks.
The first major trade deal negotiated by the Government since the UK left the EU has been welcomed by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) for reducing costs for drinks businesses and positive knock-on effects for hospitality firms.
In this week's episode of The MA's Lock In podcast, Ed Bedington, James Cuthbertson and Heath Ball talk bad experiences drinking wine, tier two and Ball is treated to a blind wine tasting, but will he guess them right? Tune in to the latest...
Teetotal Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak paid critical attention to the pub trade in the release of his 2020 Budget today (11 March), as the sector braces itself for a hammering by coronavirus.


text:
With India’s deep affinity for gold, Indians have historically turned to this asset as a means of preserving their wealth – and increasing its value over time. Now, however, attitudes are changing. Consumer spending on other goods has increased, growing financial inclusion has encouraged more people to put their savings in the bank and greater financial literacy has boosted interest in other assets, such as equities. Focussing here just a two points.
1: Savings and spending: India has a long tradition of saving. From the 1960s until 2010, for example, the Indian savings rate climbed from 6% to 34.3%.25 Since that time, however, savings as a percentage of GDP have declined, dipping below 30% in 2018 and continuing to inch lower to this day. Rather than hoarding their money, Indian consumers have begun to spend more on goods and services, such as smartphones, designer clothes and travel.
2: Growing financial inclusion: Even as consumer spending has risen, the government has taken steps to clamp down on unaccounted money and increase financial inclusion. These measures have met with considerable success. Between 2011 and 2017, for example, the share of adults with a bank account more than doubled to 80%.
The growth in micro finance companies and payment banks has helped to boost financial inclusion in villages and small towns. At the same time, soaring smartphone use has allowed Indians to access financial services swiftly and efficiently. Many Indian banks now have smartphone apps, access to high speed internet is inexpensive in many parts of the country and take-up has been enthusiastic. As of the end of 2020, India had the second largest number of internet users in the world, with almost 750mn Indians actively accessing the internet each month.


text:
Alexa is getting generative AI boost, finally.
Amazon announced new generative AI capabilities for Alexa that will power more conversational and personalized experiences. The new generative AI model will allow Alexa to have more dynamic conversations that respond to cues like body language and vocal tone.
What's going on here?
Amazon is bringing more advanced AI to Alexa to enable more natural conversations.
What does this mean?
Alexa will be able to tap into APIs to control smart home devices based on abstract descriptions. It will also exhibit a more robust personality informed by user preferences and history. For example, it may recommend recipes based on past grocery purchases. The AI can also dynamically adjust its tone to express emotions like excitement and laughter. This should lead to richer, more free-flowing conversations compared to Alexa's more rigid responses previously.
Why should I care?
This update brings Alexa closer to Amazon’s vision of an intelligent assistant you can chat with conversationally. The adaptability and expanded memory will make interactions feel more natural. This could be a major step toward mainstream adoption of voice assistants beyond simple commands. Of course, the actual experience remains to be seen, but it may finally live up to the promise of an AI assistant that knows you and can hold contextual conversations.


text:
On January 27 at the world trade Center in Moscow will host the world summit of cryptocurrency and blockchain (the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency World Summit, #WBCSummit). The event was organized by the international Association of decentralized cryptocurrencies and blockchain (Decentralized International Association of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain — IDACB).
The summit will bring together more than 400 world-class professionals and market participants on blockchain technologies, representatives of cryptoanalysis partner IDACB, authorities, funds, investment companies and banks.
Participation in the summit reaffirmed the first person in more than 30 international organizations from Europe, North America, Middle East, Africa and Asia responsible for blockchain-regulation, as well as experts from around the world.
The summit will provide a centre of expert power to create a favorable legal and investment conditions in the application of blockchain technology.
The business program will consist of five sections: «ICO», «Blockchain», «Cryptocurrency», «Cryptotrading» and «Regulation». Delegates waiting for the plenary session, dedicated to national and international regulation of crypto-currencies with the participation of experts from Russia, Switzerland, China, Japan, North Korea, South Africa and the USA, discussion of the status of cryptocurrencies and prepare the legal framework for the market blockchain-technologies pitch session of the twenty most successful ICO in history meet-up «How to find an investor?», overview of investment funds residing in the stock market, technical and technological innovation, the smart contracts.
The evening program includes a plenary session on «Mega trends in cryptoamnesia that will change the world» and networking. Experts will discuss the implications of the integration of cryptocurrencies in the real economy and the future of humanity in the age of the blockchain.
For more information and to purchase tickets


text:
A Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) report released Monday shows that Costa Rican exports totaled $11.5 billion in the last 12 months, representing an increase of 2.2 percent.
The report also states that sales of goods for the first quarter of 2014 accounted for $2.8 billion. Of that amount, $1.3 billion corresponded to traditional production sectors, and the remaining amount was a result of exports from free trade zone industries.
Frozen fruit, milk, yuca and medical supplies showed the most significant increases during the first quarter of this year. Agricultural exports, however, dropped, mostly due to a 28.5 percent decrease in coffee sales.
“PROCOMER has made significant efforts to increase and diversify Costa Rican exports, which has allowed us to sell abroad more than 4,400 products last year, particularly in the manufacturing sub-sector,” PROCOMER General Manager Jorge Sequeira said.
The main market for Tico products is North America with 42.1 percent of total sales, followed by the European Union at 18.6 percent, Central America at 13.9 percent and Asia at 12.6 percent.
The PROCOMER report includes export data from April 2013 to March 2014.


text:
GR8 Tech announces a strategic long-term partnership with a prominent African operator, Mojabet. This collaboration will see GR8 Tech providing Mojabet with a turnkey high-performance Sportsbook and Casino platform, encompassing a comprehensive suite of services designed to ensure a superior gaming experience, including Payment Gateway, CRM, CMS, Analytics, PAM and Wallet, KYC, Unified Backoffice, Business Intelligence, and Risk & Anti-Fraud systems.
In a move that showcases GR8 Tech’s commitment to superior and tailored tech solutions, the company promptly developed a custom lightweight frontend optimized for the African market’s unique needs, ensuring seamless and efficient user experiences across the region. The service has already been launched in Senegal, and further markets will be considered later in the year.
Paris Anatolitis, CEO of Moja Group, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Choosing GR8 Tech was a decision driven by their unmatched speed and quality of technology. They accomplished in just 2 months what typically takes 6, delivering exceptional results. What stood out for us was GR8 Tech’s open and transparent communication, as well as their personalized approach. They listened intently to our needs, adapting their offerings to craft a bespoke solution that perfectly aligns with Mojabet’s vision for the African market.”
GR8 Tech CEO Evgen Belousov commented, “Forming this partnership with Mojabet is an amazing milestone for GR8 Tech. We are excited about the deployment of our platform in new markets and are confident in achieving GR8 results for our client.”
GR8 Tech’s announcement of its partnership with Mojabet comes on the heels of a successful year, with four new clients added to its portfolio by the end of 2023. Mojabet is the first of these partnerships to be announced and launched, with more exciting collaborations set to be revealed soon.


text:
Zendaya Coleman is an actress, model and singer. And she's also a killer role model for young women because of her dedication to self-love and openness about struggling with body acceptance. In a recent interview, she told People how she learned to love her curly hair.
“Growing up, I wasn’t very confident in my curls,” she told People StyleWatch. “It wasn’t like the hair that girls around me had. And nobody really knew what to do with my hair. My mom is white and my dad is black — they have two very different hair types. So we learned how to manage my hair together, and I also watched YouTube videos to find easy styles to do.”
This isn't the first time Coleman has spoken out about her hair. At last year's Oscars, she rocked some gorgeous dreadlocks, but not everyone was on board with them. In an extremely classy Instagram post,Coleman hit back at negative comments Giuliana Rancic from Fashion Police made about her look. She explained why the criticism of African-American hair needs to stop:
And in the best move ever, Barbie created a personalized doll based on Zendaya's Oscars look. Could it be more amazing?
Coleman's confidence and poise are seriously contagious. Today, it was announced that she is the newest ambassador for Cover Girl.
In a press release provided to SELF, Coleman says that she hopes to use this new platform to empower and inspire other women.
This mission lines up perfectly with what she told People StyleWatch.
“I like who I am, and I hope that I can help a lot of other young women get there,” she says. “I think that a big part of that is showing that you can dress and wear your hair however you want. People will say whatever they have to say, but as long as you feel good and you feel confident and you’re taking those steps to feel comfortable with yourself, then you’re good!”
We love it.


text:
Democratic City SLAMMED By Mail in Voter Fraud Charges, Experts Scared This Proves Trump RIGHT. Paterson NJ’s mail in voter fraud scandal continues as 4 people have been charged with fraud.
A city councilman and councilman elect have both been charged as others in the city demand the entire election be canceled after more than twenty percent of the vote was disqualified under suspicious circumstances
Experts have pointed out this is a “textbook” case of voter fraud and are worried that it will be used by Trump. Funny because it actually just proves Trump was right about voter fraud.
Democrats need big voter turnout and perhaps think mail in voting will help but changing the rules at the 11th hour seems unfair and ill planned. In the end it may just help Trump and the republicans.
SUPPORT JOURNALISM. Become a patron at
Contact – Tim@subverse.net
Newsroom – https://minds.com/subverse
Merch – http://teespring.com/timcast
Make sure to subscribe for more travel, news, opinion, and documentary with Tim Pool everyday.
Amazon Prime 30 day free trial – http://amzn.to/2sgiDqR
GoPro Karma – http://amzn.to/2qw10m4
GoPro 6 – http://amzn.to/2CEK0z1
DJI Mavic Drone – http://amzn.to/2lX9qgT
Zagg 12 AMP portable battery – http://amzn.to/2lXB6Sx
TASCAM Lavalier mic – http://amzn.to/2AwoIhI
Canon HD XF 105 Camera – http://amzn.to/2m6v1o3
Canon 5D MK III Camera – http://amzn.to/2CvFnnm
360 Camera (VR) – http://amzn.to/2AxKu4R
Instagram – http://instagram.com/Timcast
Twitter – http://twitter.com/Timcast
Minds – http://Minds.com/Timcast
Facebook – http://facebook.com/Timcastnews
Bitcoin Wallet: 13ha54MW2hYUS3q1jJhFyWdpNfdfMWtmhZ


text:
The Apple Watch is packed with innovation and features. Digital Crown and the Taptic engine have been talked a lot about. The new Force Touch capability is possibly even more powerful on the iPhone 7 and iPad Air 3. Read moreSep 16 2014, 3:47am CDT
In the past the first release of a new Apple product category is a condensed offering lacking features. The Apple Watch appears to break that tradition with a very wide feature set. Read moreSep 15 2014, 8:02am CDT
Windows 10 Unveiled
Microsoft just dropped a big bomb. The company announced Windows 10. Microsoft just killed the name Windows 9 for the next major Windows release.


text:
A number of countries, including China, are stockpiling for an uncertain pandemic season amid concerns over whether the global supply chain for food can remain intact as COVID-19 cases rise worldwide.
World food prices have been rising for four straight months, according to a United Nations price index. Countries importing grains to boost their pandemic stockpiles include Egypt, Jordan, Taiwan and others.
In times of uncertainty, people are more likely to hoard, according to Stephanie Preston, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
“I think people are trying to protect their own interests, which in some ways is rational,” Preston said. “Even if it can cause what they call a ‘commons problem,’ where then there’s not enough for everybody.”
Read the full article at Marketplace.


text:
Last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced to investors that he plans to move Facebook in a new direction in the future. The social network, he said, will be more than simple during the announcement of earnings for the first quarter of 2021; In the coming years, it will become a metaverse.
The concept of the metaverse is not so new. It has been around since at least 2014, but until recently it did not attract Big Tech’s attention, especially after Zuckerberg made his recent comments. So what was he talking about?
Landscape of the Metaverse
The metaverse he was referring to is a collective virtual shared space that includes the sum of all virtual worlds and the Internet. It may contain derivatives or copies of the real world, but it differs from augmented reality, according to the IEEE – in particular the IEEE Virtual World Standard Working Group – which describes itself as an association that promotes innovation and technological excellence for the benefit of humanity. It is the world’s largest technical professional society.
The word “metauniverse” consists of the prefix “goal” (meaning “outside”) and the base “poem” (the inverse of “universe”); this term is commonly used to describe the concept of the future iteration of the Internet, consisting of constant, shared three-dimensional virtual spaces connected into a perceived virtual universe. For all intentions and purposes, this is a logical extension of augmented and virtual reality. In general, it is a place where the Internet, new technologies and virtual worlds interact.
Like other technologies that have emerged over the past few years, this business was run by leading companies before major enterprise technology vendors were involved either through their own innovations or through acquisitions.
However, the mix already has a number of significant players, including Epic Games, Unity and Snap. However, during the last season of earnings calls, many people, except Zuckerberg, threw their hats in the ring. Although he explained that he sees the future as the next step for the mobile Internet and that users will be able to access it from different devices and different phones, Satya Nadella from Microsoft also made some important remarks. “As the digital and physical worlds converge, we are at the forefront of the new level of the infrastructure stack, the corporate meta-universe,” he said during a conversation about profits.
In May, CEO John Ricitiello outlined his company’s earnings report, Unity Software, outlining where he thought it was going. “There will be millions of endpoints in the metacosm, including shopping sites, games, social networks, messaging apps, 3D conferencing, as well as real-time 3D workstations and designs in the form of Unity display,” he said. . “We can make all of these websites work with millions of endpoints or destinations – it’s a meta-universe, and it’s going to expand significantly in the coming years.”
Meta universe from Facebook
Les Borsai is the core strategy of the Los Angeles-based Wave Financial Group venture fund, which invests heavily in digital and cutting-edge technology. He claims that Zuckerberg’s statement outlines a logical next step for Facebook.
When Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would be a meta-universe company, he spoke of his intention to build on top of Facebook’s existing technology infrastructure to create a system that would allow users to move between augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and conventional 2D devices. In the meta universe, users can communicate, build and interact with the world around them through their digital avatars.
He also notes that Facebook is not the only big technology company moving in this direction. As an example, he cited Google and Apple, which have also made large investments in creating VR / AR products. However, according to him, Facebook differs in that it already owns so many platforms (for example, WhatsApp, Instagram and Oculus, the developer of VR headsets), which gives the company the basis to become a pioneer in the metacospace. These platforms have given Facebook a large customer base and valuable data on people’s online behavior.
But this has not yet been done. “For Facebook to successfully become a meta-universe company, it must become a compelling innovator in every aspect of immersion technology,” he said. “This means that Facebook engineers must be able to create a digital game that can have billions of avatars. The game must be versatile enough to handle multiple Internet access points, virtual reality and AR.
Facebook has already made significant progress in this initiative. Reality Labs is a new division that aims to create a standard for the meta-universe of Facebook; Researchers from various games struggle with the concept of presence as it is to feel in space with others. Facebook is also developing AR glasses, more advanced VR headsets and even software that allows users to teleport to other digital spaces.
“Zuckerberg claims that Facebook will be able to successfully transform into a company from the metaverse in five years, and by 2030 AR glasses and virtual reality headsets will be ready for daily mass use,” Borsai added. “However, this is not an easy task. First, Facebook needs to be able to make its virtual reality technology compatible with metaverses created by other companies. Facebook also needs to make its infrastructure fully scalable so that the user experience doesn’t lag behind when more users join. ”
Problems of personalization
There are other obstacles, said Daniel Cooper, managing director of New York automation company Lolly.co. The realistic metacosm depends on the level of personalization that even Facebook has not yet reached, but they (and others) are approaching. “Think of how TikTok was able to achieve such a staggering level of success on social media only with its recommendation algorithms,” he said. “Now apply it not to funny dance videos, but to literally everything we feel in the world – that’s what the metaworld has to achieve to gain high popularity.”
Facebook, of course, wants its content algorithm to be the most powerful in the world. Thus, becoming a company in the metauniverse just makes sense. “Imagine the impact they would have on companies if they could provide us with coupons, advertising and real-time information, wherever we go, whatever we communicate with. Such large-scale attractiveness – and such data – is the holy grail for social networks. “
There is another consideration that needs to be considered before businesses even consider it. This reasoning is confidential. Once Facebook creates a viable metacosm and connects billions of users, Facebook will have new ways to collect people’s data to maximize the company’s revenue, sums up Les Borsay of Wave Financial Group. Currently, the lion’s share of Facebook’s revenue comes from advertising on its 2D social networking platform. The company can create curatorial advertisements for users by studying their photos, publications, events, interests and other online activities.
In the metaverse, Facebook can make money by selling users virtual content and experience. Users will want to buy trendy clothes and accessories for their avatars, gain access to digital events or unlock new content in this new digital world.
“There is no doubt that Facebook will try to create artificial intelligence tools powerful enough to collect data from billions of avatars, and the question of when Facebook will violate the privacy of people in the metaworld is only a matter of time,” he said.
Facebook can dominate the Metaverse
And what will Facebook look like if and when it gets where it wants to go? If Zuckerberg realizes his ambitions earlier than any of his competitors, Facebook will have a monopoly on a new space of the metaverse, said Brad Tuesnard, founder and CEO of Canadian SpinupWP. Facebook has already been the subject of antitrust antitrust lawsuits, and U.S. lawmakers are working on rules to limit its scope.
“Facebook’s metaworld will attract new profitable sources of income, as users are given the opportunity to pay for clothes for the avatar or enter private virtual zones. Zuckerberg has already created the world’s dominant social networking platform. Now he intends to do the same with the metauniverse, “he said.


text:
PRA member since 1973
- Dec 15, 2008
- Colorado Springs CO.
- Cessna 210 +, Xenon RST, Citabria
- Total Flight Time
Link to EAA story> http://www.airventure.org/news/2012/120725_arrowcopter-kit-debuts-in-us.html
By Marino Boric, EAA European Correspondent
ArrowCopter USA announced the ArrowCopter AC10 autogyro kit for the United States market on Wednesday. The AC10 is the kit version of the two-place tandem AC20 autogyro manufactured by FD Composites in Austria. AC10 is on display this week at the Rotax exhibit in booths 265-267 on Celebration Way.
Development began more than six years ago in Austria with the goal of designing a high-end performance autogyro using 21st century methodology to improve the aircraft's flying capabilities and safety.
FD Composites was assisted by Carbo Tech-Austria, a top composite production shop in Europe, using state-of-the-art equipment. Carbo Tech's expertise added designer flair to aerodynamic function.
LSA certification in Europe of the AC20 through AustroControl was obtained on June 22. Interest in the ArrowCopter has been very strong even during the development process especially at European trade shows like AERO Friedrichshafen in Germany. There are already distribution partners in Australia, South Africa, France, and GO GYRO LLC in Baltimore for the U.S. Production is ramping up for early 2013 deliveries, the company stated.
U.S. representative Claudius Klimt has been coordinating with FD Composites for more than two years to establish the foundation to support growth in the U.S. market.
"The U.S. is behind several other countries in their use and acceptance of autogyro technology even though it has been shown for decades to be economical and safe with proper design," he said. "I believe the sophistication and performance of the ArrowCopter will help change that oversight."
The company plans a builder-assist program to streamline the process to two weeks while providing vital builder education. Plans are also in place to offer flight training and the builder-assist program simultaneously.
Price will be around $150,000. For more information visit www.Arrow-Copter.com.


text:
Gartner, a technological research firm, recently presented seven security trends for this year and showed, at the center of its model, how every organization is expanding digitally with the standardization of hybrid work and how this is making centralized cybersecurity control obsolete.
The extensive digitization of processes in the digital supply chain has made it a target for ransomware attacks, especially concerning vulnerabilities to embedded systems.
These variables point to a shift in IT leaders from technology experts to corporate strategists who manage cyber-risks. Gartner lists seven vulnerabilities that will dominate the digital environment in this and coming years:
- Expansion of the attack surface: According to Gartner, remote work will leave 18% of experts working from home
- Identity system defense: Criminals are increasingly exploiting the misuse of credentials to access networks and achieve their goals
- Digital supply chain risks: Gartner predicts that by 2025, 45% of organizations worldwide will experience attacks on their supply chain management software
- Manufacturer consolidation: Security products are converging and manufacturers are consolidating security functions within single platforms, in addition to introducing sales and licensing options to make product bundles more attractive
- Cybersecurity mesh: It is a new concept in security architecture that enables enterprises to deploy and integrate security into their assets, wherever they are
- Distributed decisions: To support business priorities, IT leaders need to operate in a fast and agile manner, in decentralized locations enabling timely decisions
- Beyond knowledge: Progressive organizations are going beyond outdated compliance-based awareness campaigns and investing in holistic behavioral and culture change programs designed to bring safer ways of working
On the following pages, we ask three experts what companies need to do to improve their cybersecurity.
Ignacio Triana, Technical Leader for MCA, Trend Micro
In recent years, the technology teams of all companies have become essential to the development and growth of organizations since they drive strategies to achieve a faster evolution and provide more services for end-users.
It undoubtedly leads to decisions aiming at agility, security and availability. The challenge for decision-makers such as CIOs is to keep the three criteria aligned.
Based on the principles of agility and availability, cloud is considered the means to offer the possibility of on-demand and flexible growth when requested by the customer or the business.
On the other hand, security has evolved from a concept of protecting to being cyber-resilient. What does it mean? This term says that the possibility of a company suffering an attack is very high and inevitable, so the strategy must focus on early detection, mitigating them in their early stages and thus reducing the impact on the business.
Once you understand the importance of being cyber-resilient and committed to security, you must see and understand what is happening in the infrastructure. However, recent studies indicate that out of 2,000 companies surveyed globally, 27% waste time dealing with false positives.
How can the security team, which is crucial to a CIO, be helped? We cannot avoid relying on technology. I highlight the XDR solutions, which analyze information from different security controls, giving context to this information and details that allow a SOC to focus on alerts with better context and with greater accuracy.
Last but not least, it is essential to define and know the company’s risk level. It is only possible if the visibility aspect is achieved because it will provide knowledge of the attack surface and consequently provide a level of risk with which better decisions can be made and prioritized.
Claudio Martinelli, General Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, Kaspersky
The world is undoubtedly ultra-connected now, especially driven by the Industrial Revolution 4.0. It makes connectivity the basis for great opportunities and severe vulnerabilities, whether in conventional businesses, the industrial sector or critical infrastructure.
As a result, attackers are constantly aware of the latest trends and technologies to create as many victims as possible. Attacks have gone from basic and widespread to more complex and targeted, suggesting that cybercriminals constantly improve tactics and procedures.
This scenario requires a new approach by CIOs to deal with cyberthreats and at Kaspersky, we believe that the most efficient solution to this challenge is the security by design approach or ‘cyber-immunity’.
It means the inclusion of security mechanisms from the earliest stage of the conception of a device to make the cost of carrying out a successful attack always greater than any potential benefit that cybercriminals may have from it.
Having a proactive cybersecurity strategy is crucial to protect any business or organization because a single cyberattack can cause catastrophic consequences, such as halting business operations, exposing confidential information and causing a loss of confidence among investors and customers.
A Kaspersky study indicates that only 48% of companies in Colombia adopted new policies or additional requirements to improve digital security after suffering an incident. Curiously, 9% of Colombian companies that had suffered a successful cyberattack did nothing to prevent future attacks.
In addition, although having the best security and best practices is crucial, training people within a company is essential. Otherwise, the organization will always have a weak point that will make it vulnerable to any attack.
It is also advisable that CIOs invest in threat intelligence to anticipate, isolate and prevent any attack. In this way, they will be one step ahead of the criminals and access threat information already present in other parts of the world or market segments. To invest in intelligence saves budget and directs training and cybersecurity efforts in the right direction.
On the other hand, unfortunately, many companies do not see cybersecurity as an investment and look to buy the cheapest option without considering the most efficient type of protection for their needs.
Daniel Rojas, Marketing Director LATAM, BlueVoyant
One of the most significant changes we are following in the market is that CIOs, who used to focus on protecting their network, are now also focusing on external risks. These external risks come as compromised vendors and supply chain organizations access the customer network.
CIOs are seeing that they need to worry about threats indirectly posed through their supply chain and attacks directly aimed at them by criminal organizations. As internal security becomes more secure, third parties are often the weak link.
According to a recent global survey of security leaders conducted by BlueVoyant, 97% of companies have been adversely affected by a cybersecurity breach in their supply chain.
One possible reason is concerning the third-party risk, considering that 47% of respondents said they audited or reported on supplier security no more than twice a year. The respondents who said they practiced continuous monitoring were only 0.5%.
The best practice is to continuously monitor the organization’s supply chain to respond immediately to any threats.
In addition, CIOs should start looking beyond even their external ecosystem to gain a real-time view of digital threats that could negatively affect their brand.
Furthermore, brand protection is the process of helping and protecting the intellectual property (IP) of companies and their associated brands against all types of cybercriminals, such as hackers or fraudsters.
It also includes defending customer data against theft. This protection happens through continuous monitoring of domains and websites, social networks, the applications in the official and unofficial app stores, the Deep and Dark Web, instant messaging and open- source. Once monitoring is implemented, vulnerabilities must be mitigated quickly and effectively.
IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach 2021 Report revealed that organizations affected by data breaches suffered about US$4.24 million in damages, up from US$3.86 million just a year earlier. The breaches resulting from phishing scams cost about US$4.65 million, underscoring the potential severity of phishing attacks that leverage corporate brand assets.Click below to share this article


text:
Huf opens new tech centre in India
The company specialises in secure car access and authorisation systems for automotive OEMs.
Automotive component supplier Huf has inaugurated its all-new tech centre in Pune, India. The facility is located in the Amar Madhuban Tech Park.
Huf specialises in secure car access and authorisation systems for automotive OEMs and the new set-up will engage more than 100 engineers who will develop cutting-edge hardware and software solutions for car manufacturers around the globe.
“Since taking up our operations at Huf India Pvt Ltd. in 2008, we have constantly expanded our business in this important region,” said Dirk Fischer, Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Huf during the opening ceremony.
“With our new Tech Centre India, we are taking another important step and leverage the excellent expertise of highly skilled developers in Pune. It will become our global centre of competence for the development of classic lock sets and door handles, and also support hard- and software development within our global network,” the Huf COO added.
For the new tech centre, Huf has chosen an ultra-modern building in the Baner Balewadi district of Pune with its great infrastructure, including public transport, schools, shopping malls, hospitals, and parks. “Attractive work-places with top digital equipment, in-house catering, a roof top cricket field and other amenities – for the Huf India Tech Centre we created an appealing working environment fostering creativity and intensive collaboration on future-oriented products,” explains Sandeep Chaudhary, regional head India at Huf.
To further attract young talents the company will intensify the already good cooperation with the four Pune-based universities. “The Huf India Tech Centre is perfectly complementing our vertically integrated production facilities in Chakan, spanning from die casting, molding, painting and assembly, including a testing and validation centre,” added Sandeep Chaudhary.
Almost 500 employees are producing lock sets, door handles and brackets at the factory which also has a robotic paint set-up. Within the Huf network, Huf India is a front runner regarding lean management as well as sustainability – with a high amount of renewable energy and smart reduction of water consumption, said Fischer.
The new line-up includes the Tiger 900 GT, and Rally Pro, each providing a significant step-up in performance and specif...
The XUV 300 EV is likely to be powered by a 35 KW Farasis battery which is expected to have a range of about 375 kms per...


text:
Digital business management
- November 25, 2013
Building an enterprise data strategy, collaborative filtering, algorithms and the CFO: The Data Mill reports from the 2013 MIT Sloan CFO Summit.
- November 20, 2013
Visiting Budapest, CIO Alexander Pasik realized innovative thinkers are mostly born, not made. So he developed a process to capitalize on them.
- November 18, 2013
Crowdsourcing, mobile apps and IT priorities: The Data Mill reports from Society for Information Management's annual conference.
- November 15, 2013
In Searchlight: Stack ranking? Yahoo could learn from CIOs about valuing employees. Plus: IBM will share Watson, Facebook's $3 billion bid and more.
- November 08, 2013
In this Searchlight: The Twitter IPO takes flight, CIOs should take notice; plus, a BlackBerry dilemma, a mobile shopping puzzle and more.
- October 25, 2013
In the Searchlight: Federal health site woes stem from project governance deficiency, clamp-downs on data brokering and patent trolling, and more.
- October 21, 2013
How to find rock-star developers, Twitter versus Facebook, the DNA diet and anonymous Web searches: The Data Mill reports.
- October 16, 2013
At MIT Media Lab, building a virtual digital world still hinges on leveraging an analog world of orthogonal thinkers.
- October 14, 2013
Parsing the state of digitization at Gartner Symposium and other noteworthy quotes from Google, Revlon, MetLife and 7-Eleven: The Data Mill dishes.
- October 11, 2013
The Searchlight shares some scuttlebutt from Gartner Symposium and matches it up with innovation news from Disney, a big data privacy 'd'oh' and more.
- September 09, 2013
A data scientist call to arms, say hello to NFC jewelry, and the Magic Quadrant for mobile app dev platforms: The Data Mill reports.
- September 06, 2013
CIOs know that money matters in their cloud implementation efforts. Join SearchCIO Sept. 25 to discuss cloud economics and the best places to invest.
- September 03, 2013
LinkedIn's semi-structured data shines, CVS responds to social media finger wagging, and Microsoft does the shuffle, The Data Mill reports.
- August 26, 2013
Building a community cloud for cancer research, make-it-yourself data and a new report on emerging tech: The Data Mill reports.
- August 23, 2013
In the Searchlight: What social shopping means to CIOs. Plus: Zuckerberg 'likes' developing nations, a scary series of outages and more.


text:
According to tracking site Apptism, the App Store has passed the 20,000 app mark. The current count on the site reads 20,410 apps, but as site tracks both released and upcoming apps, the number may be a bit smaller—although only 10 apps are currently listed in the Previews section. Apple has yet to make an official announcement marking the occasion.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney has indicated that talks to bring the band’s catalog to iTunes are still ongoing. When asked about the situation, McCartney said, “It’s a bit of a sticky issue. We want it to happen. The record company was taken over by new people quite recently, so there is a gridlock of sorts. I’d like to make it happen. Though I am not part of the negotiations, thank goodness.”
The U.K. iTunes Store has added a number of new HD-formatted TV shows to its offerings. The ABC series LOST has been joined by other US shows including House, The Office, 30 Rock, and Battlestar Galactica, as well as the second season of BBC program Gavin and Stacey and nature documentary Planet Earth. [via Macworld UK]
Glucose has released Fastweet 2K, a new Twitter client application for the iPhone and iPod touch. Fastweet features a bottom-tabbed interface with options for viewing your main timeline—up to 2,000 tweets—tweets addressed to you, and a dedicated tweet posting area. It also renders link via the Google Mobile Gateway for quick glances. Fastweet 2K is available now and sells for $2; a free version, which is limited to 200 tweets, is also available.


text:
Allegedly, it began in San Francisco a few years ago as a joke between two lazy eaters desiring a large, quick, sushilike food to eat on the go.
But the “sushi burrito” — also called the “sushirrito” — has stuck around and proliferated, probably because it makes sense: just a larger version of the sushi hand-roll, the filling possibilities are endless.
“It’s a new way to have sushi,” food-entrepreneur Chris Wu says, “and it brings the healthy and fast together.”
That’s because rice-slicked sheets of nori are just as neutral a shell as tortillas — so they can be loaded up with anything from veggies to fruit to lean proteins.
Think jicama, purple potatoes, homemade crispy lotus root chips, plump cubes of sushi-grade tuna and salmon, even “meat floss,” a dried, sweetened pork popular in Chinese cuisine, which looks a lot like a smaller, brown version of the pink carnival food.
Rolltation, Wu’s new shop, offers Chinese and Korean-inspired rolls, such as one with Kimchi Beef ($12.99). And, patrons can customize, filling their roll with anything from wasabi-tobiko to curry sauce and tangerine wedges ($8.99 to $14.99).
In this multicultural city, Wu says, Rolltation is all about diverse ingredients.
But he says the most popular is the Classic Salmon ($13.99) — a fat seaweed tube of fish, kale, avocado, red onion and crispy, purple tempura bits “for crunch.”
Staff have been rolling about 100 of those a day, Wu says. They’re developing quite a following, he says, in fitness buffs who stop by post-workout, still in spandex. But on a recent weekday, the tiny storefront at 207 Dundas St. W. was slammed with an ever-growing lineup of all kind of patrons in all kinds of garb.
Rolltation’s journey began earlier this year when Wu, a graphic design entrepreneur, was searching the Internet one February morning and found a video of an artisan making a sushi-burrito.
Already on the hunt for a new business idea, he ran with it — and quickly. Believing this giant, seaweed roll might be the next big trend, he booked a trip to San Francisco and New York, where it’s popular.
He also journeyed to Singapore, where locals eat their version of a big sushi roll, and to Taiwan. There, the “seaweed wrap,” he says, is filled with meat, rice and veggies and has been wooing locals for some time.
But in that far-flung country, they don’t put fish between the nori, Wu says. A short while later, he found out another sushirrito vendor started hawking the goods from a food truck in this city, which just strengthened Wu’s resolve to forge ahead.
After crash courses in sushi rolling and finding the perfect location — Rolltation is near the courthouses and hospitals near University Ave. and Dundas St. — he opened in the summer.
Just like most sushi restaurants, Rolltation staff roll these gigantic seaweed wraps in plain view — skilfully crunching a mountain of ingredients into a tidy wrap using a custom-made sushi mat straight from Japan.
I love the size of this hand-held meal and that it’s a neat way to eat. The Classic Salmon “burrito” tastes like the classic sushi roll, but no chopsticks required!
Got an idea for Sourced? Email firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
Global tablet sales have not been very impressive the last couple of years as most people prefer to get phablets rather than getting tablets. Even though tablet sales have been going Samsung seems to be one of the few companies that is seeing positive sales figures in this market.
The company released its fourth quarter results a few day ago which showed that its tablet sales went up while smartphone sales declined.
The Galaxy Tab A and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 are the two main ones that saw their sales go up significantly. These two helped the total tablet sales to rise just above the 9 million mark. Considering these are just figures from one quarter, you have to be impressed given that global tablet sales have been dropping.
Samsung is expected to invest more on tablets this year since smartphone sales may slow down a bit. The company is also expected to invest a bit more on wearables, a sub market it has done really well in over the years.
For the fourth quarter, Samsung’s mobile division saw sales reach $21 billion which is a slight drop of 4.9% from the same period the previous year. Operating profits on the other hand went up by 13.8% to $1.85 compared to the same period in 2014.
Read More: IDC: Over 1.43 Billion Smartphones Were Shipped Globally in 2015


text:
MEC hires Unilever marketer Caroline Banquet
MEC has appointed Caroline Banquet, formerly brand manager at Unilever margarine Flora pro.activ, as its new communications director for Danone and Complan, replacing Julia Guest.
Banquet has been tasked with delivering innovative and cost-effective communications plans for Danone dairy products, including Activia and Actimel, and Complan nutrition products.
She will report to Beatrice Boue, business director at MEC.
Banquet was at FMCG giant Unilever for more than five years and was brand manager of Flora pro.activ from July 2009 and brand manager of Wall's ice cream between May 2006 and June 2009.
She started her career in brand manager and product manager roles at Johnson & Johnson, Volvic and Nestle.
Boue said: "Coming from a brand rather than an agency, Caroline brings invaluable insight into exactly what our client wants which will allow us to deliver a more strategic and targeted approach."
MEC’s Danone team has 12 communications planners and 14 media specialists across sectors such as audio visual, digital, social, search and print.
Banquet will be one of two communications directors, alongside Laura Moorcraft.
Banquet said: "Having been a brand manager for seven years I understand not only the food industry as a whole, but also the individual brands and their media needs.
"I can’t think of a more highly regarded agency to join."
Guest left MEC to become a digital strategist at Associated Newspapers.
Follow Maisie McCabe on Twitter @MaisieMcCabe
This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk
- Senior Digital Designer Twist Recruitment £35000 - £42000 per annum + benefits, City of London
- Project Manager / Account Manager Story Recruitment £30-38k dep on experience, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Business Director Direct Recruitment £80,000 + Bens, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Account Manager Direct Recruitment £28,000 - £32,000, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Account Director Direct Recruitment £45,000, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Samsung calls global advertising and media review
- Watch the first YouTube clip, nine years on
- British Airways moves paid search account to Forward3D
- M&C Saatchi's Enyi Nwosu takes global role at Mindshare
- Post Office reviews advertising, DM and digital accounts
- Yahoo hosts exclusive X-Men: Days of Future Past films


text:
Company to compensate customers in Isparta for power outage
The Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) has ruled that electricity distribution company Akdeniz Elektrik Dağıtım should pay 15.6 million Turkish Liras to its nearly 28,000 subscribers in compensation for the power outages earlier this year in the province of Isparta.
The authority finalized the probe it launched into the company over the power outages, which affected thousands of people earlier this year.
The probe concluded that Akdeniz Elektrik Dağıtım failed to make the required investments which eventually “unacceptably lowered” the quality of distribution services in the region and that the company should also be fined 1.62 million liras for this failure.
The authority also imposed additional 1.64 million liras in fine on the company for failing to present necessary documents during inspections conducted at its headquarters.
The probe revealed that some 19 power outages, which lasted 10 hours or longer, occurred in February and that those outages affected a total of 27,850 subscribers of the company in the province of Isparta.
The authority ruled that Akdeniz Elektrik Dağıtım should pay each residential customer 109 liras and other customers - depending on the contract - up to 1,307 liras in compensation. In total, the company will pay 15.58 million liras to its customers.
“We always warned that the companies that cause harm to their customers will pay the price for it. This is what happened in this particular case. We conducted a rigorous probe and carried out the necessary inspections,” said Mustafa Yılmaz, chair of the EPDK.
Yılmaz noted that this was the largest fine imposed on an electricity distribution firm over the deteriorated quality of service offered to customers.
He also said that the EPDK would follow whether the compensations were paid.


text:
Tesla is currently in one of those make-or-break years, a time that will be represented in the eventual Musk biopic by tense music overtop of slow images of downwards-trending graphs. Tesla is burning “more than $7,430 every minute,” according to a Bloomberg analysis, and will run out of money in 2018 if it doesn’t start turning a profit.
Turning a profit relies entirely on getting Model 3 cars out the door as quickly as possible, something that the company has been struggling with lately. But in a slightly odd move for a manufacturer that’s finding it challenging to ramp up production on schedule, Tesla has reduced the base price of the Model 3 performance version and made more of its features optional extras.
According to Electrek, Tesla has cut the price of the dual-motor option on the Model 3 to $4,000, down from $5,000, updating the starting price to $53,000. The Model 3 Performance Version, which is the top-of-the-line Model 3, saw a base price cut to $64,000 down from $78,000, with some of its features becoming optional extras:
Buyers can add the “Performance Upgrades” package for $5,000. It includes an increase of the top speed from 145 to 155, a carbon fiber spoiler, 20” performance wheels, and aluminum alloy pedals, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and red performance brake calipers.
Pricing changes will retroactively be applied to customers who have already placed their orders, according to Electrek.
News of price cuts are obviously good for customers, and no one has ever really complained about having more choice. But the changes do seem to come at an odd time, as Tesla is in a difficult financial situation and trying to hit ambitious production targets. Adding complexity to the line and reducing prices doesn’t seem like the logical move right now.


text:
Before the trickle of dollars into India’s ride-hailing market could turn into a raging rapid, Japanese investment giant SoftBank could bring an end to the war between Uber and its local counterpart, Ola. With an additional $1 billion commitment to Ola and a plan to lead a $20-billion investment in Uber, SoftBank could force consolidation in the country’s transportation market.
SoftBank, the largest backer of Ola, in its quest to become the dominant power in ride-hailing market globally, has approached Uber to participate in a massive $20 billion funding round. The key reason for the investment stated by founder Masayoshi Son was to gain entry into the world’s largest market, the US.
“We are interested in discussing with Uber, we are also interested in discussing with Lyft (another ride-hailing service), we have not decided which way,” Son had told investors in August. Since then, SoftBank has moved forward in its discussions with Uber and, according to global news
reports, is close to making a deal.
A by-product of the deal could be the merger of Uber’s India unit and Ola, as SoftBank wouldn’t want to fund both sides of a multi-billion dollar war for supremacy in India. Uber, which has been likened to Amazon in India’s ride-hailing space, could lose its teeth even before it gets a chance to challenge its local counterpart.
On Wednesday, Ola announced that it had raised $1.1 billion in fresh funding from Tencent and SoftBank. The company said it is in talks with others to raise an additional $1 billion to bring the total capital raised in the round to $2 billion.
Business Standard had earlier reported that SoftBank has committed to invest additional capital in Ola if it was able to hit set performance targets. One of the biggest demands from the Japanese investor is for Ola to build its play in the electric mobility space, for which the company is planning to expand its experiment in Nagpur to other cities across the country.
A monopoly in the making
While SoftBank has not put forth conditions calling for a truce in India as part of its investment in Uber’s global operations, experts and industry watchers say the move is inevitable. The resultant will be a monopoly controlled by SoftBank in India’s online taxi- hailing space, with such a big presence that it could deter any new entrant.
The consolidation of Didi Chuxing, the leading ride-hailing service in China, and Uber’s China unit comes to mind when thinking of the merger of Uber and Ola in India. SoftBank, a backer of Didi, is said to have been among the parties that brokered the deal, in effect giving Uber a chunk of the action in China’s massive ride-hailing market through a 30 per cent stake in the combined entity but with no operational control.
“SoftBank’s investment in Uber should not be seen as a way to curb competition in India and Southeast Asia. As an investor it is looking to hedge its bets and this has happened in several industries, not just-ride hailing. A byproduct of the deal might be a merger of the two entities in India, but that won’t happen in the short term,” said an Ola executive who did not want to be named.
The new battle
If competing against each other for market share isn’t an option, the new war between Ola and Uber could be to decide which firm absorbs the other. While Ola has already received a clear mandate from SoftBank on where it needs to improve its performance, Uber will likely try to make a case for itself with its tech expertise.
Currently, most industry watchers and insiders in both companies
tell Business Standard that SoftBank would favour Ola over Uber in India. Backing local firms to battle against global rivals has been Son’s mantra, with a leading example being SoftBank’s investment in Alibaba in the early 2000s when global players such as Amazon were vying to enter the China market.
They say it is the same reason that Son betted on Snapdeal and then Flipkart to try and beat Amazon in the ecommerce space.
Both Uber and Ola claim they are market leaders, but independent analysts say that Ola currently leads with 60 per cent market share, while Uber controls the remainder. There are a few smaller players in the market, but their share is insignificant.
Both Ola and Uber chose not to comment for this story.
However, industry watchers say consolidation in India’s ride-hailing space is coming much earlier than previously expected. While Uber entered the Chinese and Indian markets at the same time, given the size of the Chinese market, the company burnt far more money there than it did in India. The US firm was burning $1 billion a year before it sold its operations to Didi.
Investments in India’s ride-hailing space were expected to grow in the coming years, but with consolidation, that pace could slow significantly. Experts point that while burning money to grow has its drawbacks, it does help to quickly create a market where it does not exist.
In China, soon after Didi took over Uber’s local unit, customers complained of fares going up while drivers complained of earnings falling. Being the only player in the market, Didi could set its own terms and began squeezing to improve its earnings, but it could do that because the market was already mature.
For India, which has a ratio of just five cars per thousand people, ride-hailing is seen as a massive opportunity to help the country skip buying cars. Currently, the online ride-hailing market makes up 15 per cent of the overall taxi market in India, with its size estimated at around $2 billion, according to analyst RedSeer Consulting.
However, the government has not yet set regulations for this new sector in stone, potentially creating hiccups for the players in the space in the future.