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Union demands Labour to save nationalised Royal Mail
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) held its annual conference in Bournemouth on Monday, demanding the Labour party to promise to re-nationalise the postal group if it is sold to shareholders or investors, should the party win the next general election.
The conference agreed an emergency motion to press Labour to repeal the Postal Service Act, which paved the way to the sell-off, as such move contradicts Labours’s manifesto commitment to a “publicly-owned Royal Mail”.
Delegates also expressed total opposition towards the coalition government’s move in privitising the Royal Mail by unanimously backing plans to relaunch the Union’s “Keep the Post Public” campaign.
John Woodhouse, a North-East London delegate, said: “We all know that privitisation was a key part of the Postal Services Act, but there’s still no moral or economic case for privitising the Royal Mail.”
The Union, which represents 140,000 Royal Mail employees, said the 30% increase in the price of first-class stamps from 30th April proves that selling the business will disadvantage consumers.
Richard Hooper, a businessman who advised the Government to privatise Royal Mail after leading a review in the postal service, told Sky News about such proposal: “The reason for this is the coming of email, the coming of the Internet and mobile-phone texting [which] have significantly eroded letter volumes.”
Royal Mail, founded in 1516, has seen its mail collection and delivery unit lose nearly £1bn in four years. The watchdog OfCom released a written statement that mail volumes would fall 40% in the next five years.
The postal organisation is one of the last publicly owned British institutions, and experts said there is a need for modernisation and investment. Ian Murray MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs said: “There is now a real danger that the Government will sell this proud institution cheaply, and that customers could see a hike in prices and a reduction in levels of service.”
Under a new framework it will now have the freedom to set its own prices for the majority of its products including First Class stamps and most business mail.
As the Financial Times stated, privatisation of Royal Mail will begin in autumn 2013, even though Royal Mail’s chief executive, Moya Greene, believes the first quarter of 2014 is a more likely date for any sale.


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The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are currently investigating why the world’s favorite sites went down. This massive cyber attack downed or slowed access to sites like Twitter, Amazon, and Spotify, reports the LA Times.
It took 11 hours after the cyber attack for the company to restore its service to the websites that were affected. The company that was affected, Dyn, is a New Hampshire company that monitors and helps route traffic to major sites in the United States. They were the victim of a massive attack that began at 7:00 am EST, and many users on the East Coast were unable to access sites including PayPal, Reddit, Twitter, and Amazon, reports USA Today.
Dyn reported later that same day that they had resolved the issue, says USA Today.
This incident is not a shock to some. In fact, The Daily Beast highlights how in September 2016, it was reported that hackers would probe the internet for soft spots and eventually, find ways to take down the entire internet. Many ignored these warnings and considered them unrealistic, until the cyber attack of October 2016.
The Irony Of The Situation
Dyn is a company that is designed to help mitigate DNS (Denial of Service) attacks on major websites. Therefore, it was ironic that the firm was the target of a cyber attack, reports The Daily Beast. The company received more than 1,000 GBs of DNS traffic per second, which is more bandwidth than most countries in the world have.
The amount of traffic sent to the company is what eventually brought it down and overwhelmed their servers. How it works is the DDoS attacks will flood the servers of the target website, which then makes it impossible for the company to respond to real traffic requests; thus, slowing or stopping sites altogether, reports USA Today.
DNS attacks are nothing new to the United States or the world. It is a popular way for hackers to bring down websites. It is a costly and difficult thing to protect companies from too, and there are only a handful on the internet that can defend themselves from DNS attacks, reports The Daily Beast.
Hackers Using Novice Technology
What is upsetting is the fact that these hackers accessed Dyn through Mirai, a very easy-to-use program that allows even novice-level hackers to take over devices, reports USA Today.
Worse, the hackers used internet-connected devices to bring down Dyn’s servers, reports The LA Times. They gained access through devices such as DVRs and CCTV cameras that have poor internet security, says The Daily Beast. By using these vulnerable devices, it was easier for hackers to gain access and send their attacks.
The LA Times reports that investigators do know who was behind the assault, but they are not releasing this information yet. Many of these DNS attacks are used to bribe websites into paying a large sum of money before the hackers will release the site.

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Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi has said rumours that it will merge with Poloniex are “categorically untrue.”Source link
Crypto Stories: John McAfee tells the story of how he first found...
South Africa Adds Crypto Businesses to List of Accountable Institutions
Singapore’s Temasek sees ‘reputational damage’ due to FTX, official says
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GameStop Corp. has terminated its finance chief and is making job cuts as the videogame retailer continues in its effort to turn around the business.
The Grapevine, Texas-based company on Thursday said that Chief Financial Officer Mike Recupero is leaving after roughly a year in the role. Diana Saadeh-Jajeh, who has served as chief accounting officer at GameStop, will become CFO, effective Thursday, the company said. Ms. Saadeh-Jajeh served as interim CFO in 2021, after then-finance chief Jim Bell was forced out by activist investor and current board chairman Ryan Cohen.
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Democrat New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio announced his city’s “Homecoming Week,” with public concerts in all five boroughs.
“I am a child of the ’60s. So I can confirm to you: This is psychedelic. This is very groovy!”
De Blasio’s desperate FOMO Alert was a sad attempt to make this event more significant than life.
NYC Homecoming concerts in each borough leading to Central Park show
Insanity Wrap must confess that when we first read “FOMO Alert,” we assumed it was one of this year’s countless imaginary new genders.
We suspect you did, too, a gentle reader. No one could blame either of us. But, no, it’s worse. Groovy as assorted thuggery? Groovy as a shuttered storefront? But the question we must first address is, why does NYC even need a homecoming?
Because people and businesses have been fleeing the city since even before COVID began, the population dropped more than 2.5% in 2018 alone.
Our friend and colleague Jazz Shaw wrote last summer that “entire city blocks in the Big Apple are currently composed of burned-out husks or empty storefronts with all of their windows smashed out.”
High-end retailers like Valentino sued to get out of their exclusive Fifth Avenue leases because “business at the premises has been substantially hindered and rendered impractical, unfeasible and no longer workable.”
Part of what makes exorbitant rents like Valentino pays for its Fifth Avenue location is that it’s the kind of location where the rich and famous people shop to see and be seen.
Masks take a lot of the fun out of that. So does the sound of gunfire.
The Wuhan Flu lockdowns merely accelerated the process of making New York City unlivable again. The process was begun by De Blasio and his fellow and sister progressives, which demoralized the police and made life easier for criminals by eliminating cash bail.
Compounding the deadly folly of eliminating bail, New York used the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to push the longstanding progressive goal of eliminating prison sentences for all kinds of convicts.
Back in March, de Blasio began releasing convicts wholesale without concern for the city’s struggling retailers, be they Fifth Avenue or the mom & pop shop on the corner.
“FOMO” stands for “Fear of Missing Out” on all the free fun De Blasio has planned, but the city is already missing out on little details such as a viable retail sector and law enforcement.
New York City must entice people to return home by providing a favorable economic climate, a return to broken-window policing, and a justice system with fangs.
What will New York City instead get? An urban Woodstock rehash (to the Left, everything is always 1969) with a tagline that sounds like it came from a Libs Of TikTok best hits compilation.
Insanity Wrap isn’t excited about rising food prices, but this is outrageous.
In either case, welcome to the progressive London is another city Insanity Wrap once adored but has no plans to return to.


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Exporting to China: A new era of opportunity?
China may seem far away, but it is never far from the business headlines.
Much of the focus is the so called trade war between China and the United States. The lastest twist coming at the weekend with the announcement at the G20 of a 90 day truce in trade hostilities. Guy was keen to provide British business leaders with some insight into the dynamics underpinning this dispute and to outline some potential opportunities.
Guy suggested that the Chinese were keen to mitigate the risk of trade disputes with the United States by being seen to “open up” more to other countries, including the United Kingdom.He told the breakfast briefing session about how Burberry recently launched a China only collection which was only available on line. The collection sold out within days. Guy suggested that this was clear evidence of the competitive advantage that UK brands enjoy in China. They are trusted, and taken as a guarantee of quality and prestige.
Guy also reminded business leaders that individual relationships are ultimately more important than international relations between governments. He urged UK companies not to be put off by the complexity of trade with China. Help is out there from organisations such as the CBI and Newable.
Finally, Guy recommended that exporters should not view China as a single market. In fact, Guy said it can be consider to be a set of around 29 markets each the size of some European Countries. Therefore developing a regional strategy for China was vital.
There has been much talk about a “Golden Era 2.0” of export opportunity in China. Guy urged UK exporters to be bold and find out for themselves.


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Holden Launches ‘Mobile Made’ Ad Campaign for Trax
Holden is teaming up with AJF for a new ad campaign to promote the recently-launched Trax crossover. Entitled “Mobile Made,” the campaign consists of video shot solely using mobile phones. Get it? Do you get it? Do you comprehend the sweet, sweet wordplay involved in that name? How it so succinctly describes what makes the campaign unique? Do you get it?
Featuring ShowPo CEO Jane Lu and pro surfer Nikki van Dijk, the campaign involves three key components: those people we just mentioned, phones, and the Holden Trax. That’s what you call the perfect recipe for a commercial about those people driving that vehicle and using those mobile devices. What a pizza pie!
New from General Motors: 2017 GMC Acadia slims down, gets bigger in appeal
“Let’s face it, your phone has become an essential part of who you are. And given most Australians are especially obsessed with their mobiles, we wanted to have some fun with this and creating the entire campaign using the camera, sound, and video features built in,” said Holden General Manager of Marketing Communications Natalie Davie. “We’d never recommend using a mobile in the car, but working with AJF and CARstodian ambassador, Jane Lu, we were able to explore how Australians use their car and their phone together, whilst staying safe on the road.”
The campaign is the most recent collaboration between Holden and AJF. Says Davie, “In 2016, we teamed up to challenge drivers to switch their vehicle for a Colorado at the ‘Holden Colorado Truck Swap,’ and before that we challenged the male-focused advertising in the automotive industry, explicitly communicating with female customers to launch the new Holden Spark.”
If you live in Australia, you’ll probably be seeing these ads a lot as they launched this past Sunday. If you don’t live in Australia, hey, you can see the video above. That’s still pretty good, right?


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A 10.6% decline in March alone for total freight volumes is considered the most significant monthly decline that the company has on record, which goes back to January 2008, vehicle tracking company Ctrack has found.
For the year to March, there was a reduction of 7.1% in total freight volumes, which the company said indicates the depth of the decline in the local goods economy.
In a statement on April 29, the company indicated that, despite not having many lockdown restrictions, the first quarter drop in volumes was still the steepest experienced in South Africa since 2016.
The 7.1% decline is consistent with a 3% to 4% slump in overall economic activity in the first quarter.
Ctrack anticipates that the decline will worsen before the economy starts to recover after the second quarter.
The decrease in March volumes was even more severe than in March 2008, when the financial crisis crippled the world’s economies.
Ultimately, the coronavirus has hurt the freight and transport sectors more broadly than that crisis did.
Ctrack explained that, while many service areas of the economy like food, retail and teleconferencing were able to continue, the decline in production, combined with numerous supply chain disruptions, has compounded the industry’s woes.
With profit margins of less than 4% in road freight and about 6% in rail, “it is clear that many companies will struggle to survive without government help”, the company further lamented, adding that the 10% drop in road freight in March is of “grave concern”, as the sector is the backbone of the economic value chain.
Additionally, time constraints and other blockages are increasing transport costs as transporters have to pay staff for the long hours worked – this while the cost of transport declined owing to the oil price, and employee costs rose nearly 8% in March.
Further, some trucks have also been quarantined for weeks in neighbouring countries, while coordination between provincial traffic authorities in South Africa is incredibly slow.
Fuel sales, which may have spiked owing to the decline in the fuel price in early March, are now under tremendous pressure.
Meanwhile, the airline industry, from both the passenger and freight side, is unlikely to be the same again as reports of voluntary salary cuts and the taking of early leave are numerous.
Reports in the media suggest some sailors have not been able to get any shore leave - even in cases where cargo vessels are anchored outside the harbour, and oil tankers are primarily now used for the storage of oil as supply far exceeds demand.
Farming value chains are also struggling, the company noted, adding that restaurant closures also mean fewer sales, while too little fertiliser and other inputs are arriving.
Warehouses may not yet fully reflect the massive build-up of stock they are having to keep, and the storage problem is being exacerbated by the urgent movement of freight away from congestion points in the country’s ports, said Ctrack.
“Some ships are acting as storage facilities at sea.”
As such, the company noted that the C-tack Freight & Transport Index is likely to show further freight volume declines in the next two months.
“Like all other businesses, Ctrack is feeling the pressure of Covid-19 in our business,” Ctrack South Africa MD Hein Jordt said.


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July 21, 2021, 3:05 p.m.
Nov. 18, 2020, 1:06 p.m.
Here comes the bride ready for a fight.
Aug. 27, 2020, 5:35 p.m.
PUBG is the battle royale game that truly kick-started the Battle Royale genre, and despite all of its competition it remains the best of the best.
July 16, 2020, 1:09 p.m.
Here is what's new regarding PUBG and the Sanhok map, including those highly desired "confiscated weapons."
July 14, 2020, 10:22 a.m.
The PUBG 7.3 update has made some major tweaks to the game and added C4. Here's a full rundown of the patch notes.
April 1, 2020, 9:25 a.m.
Who needs chicken dinners when you can slay dragons, m'lady?
March 17, 2020, 9:47 a.m.
Accessibility in gaming has been a long time coming but with all of the recent updates to games adding new ways to be accessible, we can't help but to wonder what took so long.
March 11, 2020, 4:39 p.m.
The wait hasn’t been long, thankfully, as the 6.3 update is now live on the public test servers, and it brings with it a bounty of changes, including a fair amount of weapon buffs.
Jan. 21, 2020, 11:36 a.m.
The Karakin map will be bringing a new whole experience to the world of PUBG.
Aug. 20, 2019, 1:40 p.m.
PUBG cross-play will allow players on different platforms to chase chicken dinners together.
July 24, 2019, 3:33 p.m.
Get ready to go back to the beginning because PUBG season 4 is now live.
May 31, 2019, 2:22 p.m.
Enter for your chance to win in-game Godzilla loot for the newest PUBG MOBILE crossover as well as movie tickets!
May 8, 2019, 8:39 a.m.
In order to comply with game violence laws, PUBG MOBILE in China has inadvertently become one of the most wholesome games out there.
PUBG MOBILE Team Discusses the Future of the Franchise, Resident Evil, and Their Newest Survival Mode
April 17, 2019, 4:35 p.m.
Resident Evil, skin inspiration, and ... Kingdom Hearts 3? We sat down with the PUBG MOBILE team to discuss it all.
April 2, 2019, 4:05 p.m.
PUBG's Brendan Greene says he's done with the genre that turned the gaming world on its head
Feb. 20, 2019, 6:24 p.m.
PUBG Mobile Resident Evil 2 event brings zombies, lickers and more.
Nov. 13, 2018, 2:01 p.m.
PlayStation 4 owners will finally be able to drop into PUBG this December.
Aug. 22, 2018, 6:19 p.m.
The popular battle royale game will get a new training mode and map next month.
Aug. 16, 2018, 1:46 p.m.
The latest patch for PUBG is now available on the PC. Here’s what you can expect to see in the update.
July 18, 2018, 6:45 p.m.
If you’re looking to set up a custom match in PUBG, here’s what you need to know!


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California is set to fully reopen its economy Tuesday.
So what will really change? Lots.
Even in the yellow tier — the least restrictive category in the state’s COVID-19 pandemic reopening framework, which is set to be retired Tuesday — there have been plenty of business restrictions.
Indoor capacity at restaurants, for instance, has been capped at 50%. L.A. County eateries also had to observe requirements that kept tables a certain number of feet away from one another. Both those requirements will be retired, and restaurants and bars will once again be allowed full capacity.
Read the full story on LATimes.com.


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Bredteller Schwan Schwanendesign Kändler Kändler Neu Kuchenteller Meissen New fnjqsr1250-Home
Dominic Howson has a cloud, data and supply chain remit that is seeing Hovic rise from its divestment from Premier Foods.New Vietri Lastra Fish Medium Serving Bowl
CEO Aaron Levie gave a convincing pitch to a room full of CIOs in London this week, followed by a press Q&A, on why Box solves a problem for the frictionless enterprise.
Mike Fauscette is building a powerhouse analysis unit at G2. It offers fresh insights into what buyers are doing that will prove valuable in decision making.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Oracle have released a report that highlights the challenges that enterprises face in transforming for the digital age. NEW Virginia Casa Marina Salad Bowl Tuna 30cm
Alarm bells are going off in Washington and Brussels over the social media giant’s digital currency plans. The bottom line - can Facebook be trusted in a trustless world?
Optimizing for plant maintenance at Fonterra is a multi-million dollar challenge.NEW Waterford Mara Highball Glasses - Set of 2 A Celebration of Waterford GIFTHere's what the company measured.
Nimble has iterated many times and now it is presenting not just new threads but pivoting towards Microsoft, having replatformed onto Azure. Where are the benefits?NEW Wedgwood Arris Soup Bowl Hikari explains
NEW Wedgwood Intaglio Place Setting 5pceThis week - community managers get serious about ROI, while "digital pandemonium" forces contingency planning. BI aims for revenue impact, and the diginomica team hits the tarmac for your event scuttlebutt. Your whiffs include epic takedowns, and midflight meltdowns.
Vera Bradley's $75 million purchase of Pura Vida is a savvy digital move.


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Redfall is among the most anticipated titles from Microsoft’s first-party line-up. With popular developer Arkane Studios leading the charge, fans have very high hopes for the co-op fps title.
Though Microsoft has yet to reveal the exact date for the game, games reviewer and news reporter Okami13 claims that Redfall is set to release in early May 2023.
Update on Redfall's release date.
Have heard that it's been pushed back internally by about 6 weeks. Currently targeting an early May release.
Unfortunate news but I'm sure it's for the best. https://t.co/JuytC5KxWw pic.twitter.com/PIsBaH24y3
— Okami Games (@Okami13_) December 23, 2022
The game was first rumored to be released at the end of March 2023, but it looks like Redfall has been delayed for another six weeks. The user’s sources previously claimed that the game would be released earlier than May, but the game appears to have been delayed internally.
As stated previously, Redfall comes from Arkane studios, the developers behind critically acclaimed games like Prey, Dishonored, and Deathloop. The upcoming title will be set in an open world where players can team up with their friends and go against vampires with many unique weapons and powers.
Redfall is set to release on Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms. Like other Xbox Game Studios titles, Redfall will be available on Microsoft’s subscription service from day one, and Game Pass subscribers can try the game without paying full price.
However, an official release date has not been confirmed yet, so fans should take it with a grain of salt. We will keep an eye on any information regarding the game’s official release date and continue to provide more updates in the coming days.
Aside from that, How excited are you to try the game? Please let us know in the comments.
You might like: PS5 Sees Over 3x Boost In Sales Numbers With Over 70k Units In Japan Last Week
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South Africa’s largest retail bank Standard Bank has launched the PlayRoom, a dedicated innovation aimed at unearthing disruptive ideas from staff, customers and startups.
Standard Bank said the launch of the 27 square metre PlayRoom creative hub in Rosebank, Johannesburg marked its move to cement its strategy as a “customer-centric and innovative institution”.
The lab will allow Standard Bank to research and test in a controlled environment, before releasing new solutions into the market.
“This is probably the biggest step we have taken to bring us closer to our customers. The vision is that the PlayRoom will form an integral part of our ongoing efforts to find innovative solutions that solve real customer needs and challenges. It is our response to the changing customer landscape,” said Vuyo Mpako, head of innovation and channel design at Standard Bank.
“The PlayRoom will allow Standard Bank to continuously engage, listen to and co-create solutions with our customers with the aim of bringing every day banking value to them. Innovation sits within our overall strategy that starts with the customer in mind – taking an outside-in approach.”
The PlayRoom consists of a “think space” dedicated to jolting creativity and innovation.
“This is where the magic happens. Here, nametags and formalities cease to exist and visitors are urged to work in their own particular style. Creativity has no boundaries and this space will allow for free thinking,” said Mpako.
A state-of-the-art testing area is also included, allowing customers to test new innovations and provide insights.


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Pinterest has joined forces with Amazon in a multiyear strategic ad partnership aimed at bringing more brands and relevant products to the social media platform.
The collaboration is part of Pinterest’s wider goal “to bring third-party ad demand to the platform”, as detailed in a blog post from the company.
It continues to detail its aim of providing “a seamless on-Amazon buying experience for consumers and offer advertisers strong performance.”
Advert: Advertisers wanted
The partnership reflects a new age of advertising for Pinterest, which has been actively shifting to appeal to both brands and consumers in the last year.
The image-sharing platform took on TikTok and YouTube recently, with its Premium Video Ad Format, as it looked to boost marketing strategies and compete with the short-form craze. The plans included a further integration of engaging video content and creative search into its content offering, with the hope to appeal to consumers, creators, and brands alike.
With over 463 million people visiting the Pinterest site each month, the engaged audience is already there. Pinterest states that brands and products are critical pieces of its user journey, and through its partnership with Amazon, it will offer consumers exactly what they’re searching for.
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Antonio - stock.adobe.com
Standard Chartered Bank is deepening its long-standing ties with Amazon Web Services (AWS) by signing a global, five-year deal that will see it migrate its core banking systems and customer-facing applications to the public cloud giant’s infrastructure.
The migration is part of a body of work the financial services firm is doing that will focus on delivering a more personalised banking experience to customers in all 60 of the global markets that it operates, while rolling out new applications to its clients.
The company is already known to be a long-term user of AWS’s cloud services, having initially taken steps to migrate the infrastructure and complex computer modelling underpinning its risk-analysis grid to the cloud for scalability and cost reduction purposes in 2015.
In a case study published by AWS in 2019, the company revealed it was drawing on the serverless capabilities of AWS Lambda to manage the provisioning of its grid, and the Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) to maintain the capacity of the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances it runs on.
The company is known to have expanded its use of AWS further since then. First of all to underpin the roll-out of its app-based virtual banking service Mox in Hong Kong in September 2020, and it is also known to rely on the Amazon Aurora cloud-native relational database to underpin its global payments system, SC Pay.
“A significant number of Standard Chartered’s flagship applications, like our core banking system, eBBS, global payment system, SC Pay, as well as our new digital banking services, Mox and nexus, are already cloud-native,” said Bhupendra Warathe, CTO of cloud transformation at Standard Chartered.
“We look forward to our continued partnership with AWS to deliver new products and solutions to our clients across the 60 markets we serve.”
Furthermore, Standard Chartered’s Financial Market risk management arm also uses EC2 to enable it to scale-up during busy periods and run algorithms that assess market risk.
Michael Gorriz, group CIO of Standard Chartered, said the decision to deepen its ties with AWS is proof of its commitment to putting “innovation and security” front and centre of its cloud-first, digital transformation plan.
“A cloud-first strategy allows us to be more agile and client-focused so our customers have better experiences and faster access to innovative new products. At the same time, we are improving our operational efficiency and resilience by using the best-in-class security, privacy and compliance delivered through cloud infrastructure,” said Gorriz.
“We are pleased to collaborate with AWS as a long-term strategic cloud provider and take advantage of their broad portfolio of cloud services and proven expertise to bring secure cloud solutions to the financial services industry.”
Frank Fallon, vice-president of financial services at AWS, said: “With this agreement, Standard Chartered is relying upon the most secure, reliable, and flexible cloud computing environment in the world.
“AWS’s unparalleled experience in powering global financial institutions will enable Standard Chartered to transition to the cloud with confidence and innovate faster than ever before,” he added.
Read more about financial services and cloud
- The financial services community has gone from being one of the least likely sectors to adopt cloud to becoming one of its keenest users, as regulator attitudes to using the technology have become more accommodating.
- US bank Goldman Sachs is considering converting its cloud investments into a non-financial services product line by creating a cloud-based core technology platform that could be sold as a service to other financial services companies.


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You can choose your clothes, but can you control them? A new line of clothing that incorporates tiny, flexible LEDs right into jackets and dresses could be the first fully controllable electronic clothing that’s ready for the shop rack.
The collection, called Lüme, was shown last week at the International Symposium on Wearable Computers in Zurich, Switzerland. It consists of a bomber jacket, a tunic, and an open-backed dress – all of which have controllable LEDs built-in that can be controlled by a smartphone app. The LEDs are enmeshed in fabric so they don’t touch the wearer’s skin, and they shine out through several layers of fabric that diffuse the light for a softer glow.
The pattern of the fabric can be tailored with a laser cutter to make anything from polka dots to floral filigree, for instance. Their electronic components are designed to be easily removable, for when the clothes need a wash.
In a paper presented at the conference, Lüme’s creator, fashion designer Elizabeth Bigger, wrote that wearers can “control the light pattern to match other elements in their outfit, react to a sensor event, or even echo the colours in the surrounding environment”. For example, you can use the Lüme app to take a photo of a piece of clothing that you want to match with.
Feel the beat
Lüme clothing can also change colours in time with the beat of music in a club. Bigger says the app could easily be tweaked to adjust the clothing colour according to the weather, or to sentiment in a wearer’s Twitter feed.
Bigger says she started Lüme with her husband, Luis Fraguada, to answer one question: “Why, with all this tech, is there not something truly comfortable and wearable – a little more down to earth?”
When it comes to building electronics into our clothes, we have barely scratched the surface, says Victor Mateevitsi of the Electronic Visualisation Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago. But he says Lüme is a good start. “I envision that in the future clothing itself will be a digital canvas similar to digital picture frames. People would buy ‘blank’ clothing that they will be able to customise through ‘clothing app stores’ – buying, downloading and installing various colours and designs.”
“All of the Lüme pieces are regular pieces of clothing,” says Bigger. “The tunic top – it’s ridiculously normal. Wearable technology needs to be more than glasses or a watch. It needs to be incorporated into everyday fashion. Tech is the new black.”


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Stefan Matthews, the co-founder and executive chairman of nChain Group, is creating a stir in the cryptocurrency community with his ambitions to use BSV blockchain technology to digitize the Philippine government. Matthews disclosed his plans for cryptocurrency adoption in an interview with CoinGeek and addressed them to the Filipino government.
The BSV blockchain has a lot of potential, according to Matthews, as a way to store and secure data for particular regions. He thinks that by employing this technology, the Filipino government will be able to improve system efficiency and streamline its operations. Matthews acknowledges the necessity for education and training as well alongside the implementation of new technology.
To ensure that they have the necessary abilities, he intends to offer blockchain training to Ateneo faculty and students. Anyone interested in the future of cryptocurrencies and how they might change global governments will find this to be exciting news. We can foresee a better, more creative future where blockchain technology will be at the forefront of change thanks to Stefan Matthews’ leadership.
Philippines Government is also Making Effort to Digitize the Country
Lately, Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr intervened as well to modernize the country through digital reforms. The province of Bataan also held its first blockchain conference in reaction in October 2022. Government representatives from the Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) and local and international blockchain leaders who attended gave the event more significance.


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EU approved to sign a free trade agreement with Vietnam
On the 25th of June 2019, The European Council (EC) approved the decision to sign the Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam. Both agreements will be signed on June 30th in Hanoi, according to the EC announcement.
EVFTA is the most ambitious free trade agreement ever signed by the EU with a developing country, which will eliminate 99% of customs duties between the two sides. 65% of taxes on exports from the EU to Vietnam will be removed as soon as EVFTA takes effect, while the rest will be gradually reduced in a period of 10 years. 71% of Vietnam’s export tax to the EU will also be cut out when EVFTA comes into effect and the rest is diminished over 7 years.
EVFTA will also reduce many of the existing non-tariff barriers to trade with Vietnam. The agreement is expected to result in new services in Vietnam and increase the order volume for EU companies from Vietnam, while IPA will strengthen the protection of the EU investment in Vietnam. EVFTA will also include important provisions on intellectual property protection, investment liberalization and sustainable development. In terms of sustainable development, EVFTA holds commitments to implement the International Labor Organization’s core standards, such as the freedom to join independent labor unions and ban the use of child labor, as well as UN conventions related to fighting against climate change or protecting biodiversity.
Vietnam is the EU’s second largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), after Singapore, with a trade value of nearly 50 billion euros per year. Although EU investment in Vietnam is only 8.3 billion euros in 2016, more and more European companies are establishing in Vietnam recently. The main EU imports from Vietnam include telecommunications equipment, clothing and food. The EU mainly exports to Vietnam machinery, transport equipment, chemicals and agricultural products.
According to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Vietnam will have a golden opportunity to gain further access to the market of 28 member countries. “EVFTA has a particularly important meaning for Vietnam, which is a great opportunity for Vietnam to be eligible for a deeper integration in the regional and global markets,” the Prime Minister stressed.


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Nokia risks fury of soon-to-be owner Microsoft as it switches to Google's operating system for new smartphone
Nokia has risked the fury of soon-to-be owner Microsoft with a controversial deal to run its new phone on Google’s software.
Microsoft is only days away from taking over Nokia’s handset division in a £4.6billion deal. Until now Nokia’s smartphones have run on Windows technology, which is made by Microsoft.
But in a bombshell announcement yesterday the Finnish group said its latest model, the Nokia X, would run on Android, the operating system made by Microsoft’s arch rival Google.
Unveiled: Nokia's latest model Nokia X (pictured) will run on Android
Nokia’s adoption of Google’s technology is a body blow for Microsoft and analysts say is an admission that Android, which is the most popular technology in the market, is superior to Windows.
Analyst Ben Wood from CCS Insight said: ‘That a soon-to-be Microsoft-owned company, which is the owner of the original operating system, is moving to Android is almost an admission of failure. I believe it was a decision where Nokia felt it had few other options given Android’s dominance in phones and apps, particularly in emerging markets,’ he added.
Android phones accounted for almost four out of every five smartphones sold globally. Last year some 781.2million phones, made by a variety of manufacturers, using the software were sold.
Apple’s software is second in the market with sales of 153.4million phones, with Microsoft a distant third – shifting just 35.7million units.
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Apportable, the San Francisco-based start-up behind SpriteBuilder, has announced a new subscription system for the games development suite.
SpriteBuilder is built around Objective-C and Xcode, enabling developers to quickly create titles for both iOS and Android, with new features and plug-ins that introduce support for the upcoming Swift programming language.
The suite will be made available via a subscription model that splits into three tiers.
SpriteBuilder Professional is aimed at developers who require advanced tools – such as a Profiler, System Trace, Continuous Integration and a BridgeKit Generator – and will be priced at $299 per month. For $99 per month, devs can sign up to SpriteBuilder Indie, which offers custome splash screens, Component Store access and support for monetisation, ads and social networks.
Finally, SpriteBuilder Community is available for free to any user, which enables games to be ported to Android with a limited feature set and a SpriteBuilder splash screen.
Apportable is offering half-price subscriptions to the Indie level for the first year to any developers that sign up during GDC, bringing the monthly fee down to $49. The tech will be demonstrated at the firm’s booth – No.1218 – at the GDC Expo.
"We wanted a business model that would make the most sense to our open-source community, which varies greatly in team size and project scope," said Apportable CEO and co-founder Colin Jackson. "We reached out to our most active SpriteBuilder developers for feedback on the pricing model, and they were very supportive of the three-tiered approach."
For more GDC 2015 news, head to www.develop-online.net/gdc


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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The federal government has shut down dozens of Internet scam artists who had been paying Google to run ads making bogus promises to help desperate homeowners scrambling to avoid foreclosures.
The crackdown announced Wednesday renews questions about the role that Google's massive advertising network plays in enabling online misconduct. It may also increase the pressure on the company to be more vigilant about screening the marketing pitches that appear alongside its Internet search results and other Web content.
The criminal investigation into alleged mortgage swindlers comes three months after Google agreed to pay $500 million to avoid prosecution in Rhode Island for profiting from online ads from Canadian pharmacies that illegally sold drugs in the U.S.
A spokesman for the U.S. Treasury Department division overseeing the probe into online mortgage scams declined to comment on its scope other to say it's still ongoing.
Google Inc. also declined to comment Wednesday.
No company wants to be tainted by a criminal investigation, but the prospect is even more nettlesome for Google because it has embraced "don't be evil" as its corporate motto.
That commitment may make it difficult for Google to fend off a call by Consumer Watchdog to donate the revenue from fraudulent mortgage ads to legitimate organizations that help people ease their credit problems. Consumer Watchdog is an activist group that released a report in February asserting that Google was profiting from ads bought by mortgage swindlers.
"Google should never have published these ads, but its executives turned a blind eye to these fraudsters for far too long because of the substantial revenue such advertising generates," said Consumer Watchdog's John M. Simpson, a frequent critic of the company.
To fight future abuse, Google has suspended its business ties with more than 500 advertiser and agencies connected to the alleged scams, according to the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
The evidence collected in the current investigation led to the government's closure of 85 alleged mortgage scams. The identities of the businesses and people involved in the scams weren't disclosed Wednesday.
The con artists are accused of duping people into believing they could help lower their home loan payments under a government-backed mortgage modification program created to reduce the foreclosures that have made it more difficult for the slumping real estate market to recover. The alleged rip-offs typically relied on collecting upfront fees or getting victims to transfer their monthly mortgage payments to the scam artists, according to the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
In some cases, the swindlers passed themselves off as being affiliated with the government.
Google's name popped up because the scam artists relied on the company's vast advertising network to bait their victims. About two out of every three Internet search requests are made through Google, making its ad network a prime outlet for finding people hoping to save their homes, according to Christy Romero, deputy special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
"The first place many homeowners turn for help in lowering their mortgage is the Internet through online search engines, and that's precisely where they are being taken advantage of and targeted," she said.
In its February report on the problem, Consumer Watchdog found that Google processed more than 74,000 monthly searches using the term, "stop foreclosure." An ad running alongside the results for that query cost an average of $8.29 per click at the time of the Consumer Watchdog study. The report couldn't determine how much money Google was making from the ads offering bogus mortgage modifications.
Even after surrendering $500 million to settle the investigation into ads for illegal online pharmacies, Google is still expected to sell more than $35 billion in advertising this year.


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Genting Hong Kong CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Crystal Cruises CEO Edie Rodriguez celebrate the initial steel-cutting for the first new Crystal river ship on Monday. Photo Credit: Jeri Clausing
WISMAR, Germany — Crystal Cruises CEO Edie Rodriguez
announced deals Tuesday to build two more luxury river yachts, bringing to
seven the total number of ships the company plans to deploy across Europe by
The announcement was made by Rodriguez at the Wismar yard, one of four shipyards owned by Crystal's parent, Genting Hong Kong (GHK).
It came a day after Rodriguez and her boss, GHK chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim
Kok Thay, attended ceremonies at two other shipyards to mark key achievements
in the company’s aggressive expansion plans.
On Monday afternoon, Rodriguez pressed the button on a
massive steel-cutting machine to make the ceremonial first cut for the four new
river yachts scheduled to launch in summer 2017.
“This seemingly simple act was an absolute thrill, as it
represents a very important milestone in the growth of the Crystal brand,”
Earlier in the day, officials and media from around the
world attended the grand opening of the Lloyd Werft Group Design Center, a renovated
building in Bremerhaven, Germany, that will enable the company to more than
double its current staff of 90 to meet the aggressive growth plans for Crystal
and GHK’s other lines, Star Cruises and the new Dream Cruises.
In addition to new river yachts, GHK’s shipyards are building
for Crystal a new expedition yacht, the Endeavor, as well as the first of three
planned “Exclusive Class” luxury ocean ships, which will be among the most
spacious at sea and include multimillion-dollar luxury residences.
Lloyd Werft Group officials put a price tag for 10
ships (six river yachts, the Endeavor polar yacht, an Exclusive Class ocean ship and two Star Cruises ships) at $3.5 billion euros.
The strong focus on a quick expansion of its European
river yacht fleet, Rodriguez said, is in
response to customer demand and the company’s goal of creating “the world’s
most luxurious hospitality and lifestyle brand portfolio.”
River cruises, she said, topped the list of wants in a
survey of Crystal Society members.
The ships, she said, will substantially raise the bar on
river cruising, with spacious suites that include walk-in closets and king-size
beds. The ships also will have extensive spa and fitness centers.
Rodriguez and company officials said they are also
developing the most exclusive excursions and fine dining that will feature only
the freshest of food. The company will purchase its own excursion buses to
ensure comfort and consistency with things like Wi-Fi and onboard cappuccino
“We will be the most luxurious vessels on the river,” she
said. “Hopefully this is just the first of many, many more to come.”
river yacht, the refitted Mozart, launches July 13. The first four newbuilds —
Mahler, Debussy, Ravel and Bach — are
scheduled to begin cruising next year. And the two ships announced Tuesday are
scheduled to launch in 2018 and 2019.
In April, the company began flying its 12-seater
Bombardier jet, which seats 13 and has a range of 11 to 12 hours.
In December, it launched its first ocean yacht, the Esprit,
which is part of its new smaller, more adventurous cruise product aimed at younger
travelers and giving loyal cruisers more options.
Next year, the company plans to launch its first luxury “air cruises” on a Boeing 777 that is
currently being retrofitted with all lay-flat seats and other Crystal touches.
In 2018, the Endeavor is scheduled to join the luxury yacht fleet along with a yet-to-be-named
ocean liner. Crystal’s luxury air service also expects to take delivery of the
787 Dreamliner that GHK has ordered for
its “air cruises” that year.
Rodriguez gave the media a preview of the company’s new
luxury air service Monday with a charter flight to the German shipyards from
the company’s annual gala for top-selling travel agents, who were hosted this
year on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the Crystal Symphony.
The jet can seat up to 13 passengers in first-class
style, and has a range of 10 to 11 hours.


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San Antonio named leading romantic travel destination
Priceline.com ranked San Antonio 16th in the country in terms of 2014 Valentine’s Day travel.
The online travel booking company surveyed hotel guests to find out which cities were cited most frequently for their romantic chairm. Based on this list, Priceline.com ranked the top 20 cities for romance.
Chicago ranked first on the list, followed by New York City, Las Vegas, San Diego and Atlanta to round out the top 5.
How did the other travel destinations in Texas do on the love train? Dallas ranked sixth and Houston ranked 15th. Austin did not rank in the Top 20.
“With Valentine’s Day falling on a Friday this year, hotels won’t have as many business travelers,” says Leslie Cafferty, priceline.com vice president. “This increased availability should create more opportunities for couples to find deals on even the most luxurious hotels and make this Valentine’s Day extra special.”
However, as we reported earlier Tuesday, San Antonio hotels may have a few less available rooms this weekend because of the upcoming Texas Music Educators Association convention.
Norwalk, Conn.-based priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) is a travel booking site that allows customers to buy airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises.
James Aldridge oversees online content of the newspaper; edits and reports stories for the online edition.
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According to just about every Apple analyst out there, Apple had a killer quarter to finish out the calendar year in 2014. The company is expected to have sold more combined iPhones and iPads than ever before, which means there are tens of millions of people out there who just got their hands on new iOS devices. Of course, what better way to celebrate all those new phones and tablets than by filling them with awesome paid apps that are on sale for free for a limited time.
Today, we’ve got eight apps that normally cost a combined $56 to buy, but each and every one of them is free if you hurry. More →


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Bangalore: Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore will host the ninth edition of National Annual Entrepreneurship Summit, Eximius 2016, on 6 and 7 August 2016 at its campus. IIMB’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cell will organize Eximius 2016 in association with the internationally acclaimed N S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL) at IIMB. This national mega fest features many innovative contests ranging from B-plans, Workshops, Pitching to VC to Panel discussions.
Considering the current environment in the startup ecosystem in India, the summit themed, ‘The Time Is Now’, aims to encourage startups and students from across the country to think big. The two-day national fest will feature over 150 startups and is expected to get a footfall of 5,500+ individuals from across the country, participating in over 30 events.
Eximius 2016 will host eminent speakers including P. Chidambaram (former Finance Minister of India); Duvvuri Subbarao (former RBI Governor); Dr. Jacob Crasta (Prime Minister’s SME Council); Dr. P Namperumalsamy (Padma Shree Awardee, Chairman, Aravind Eye Care); Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik (bestselling author); Shradha Sharma (Co-founder YourStory); Sujayath Ali (Co-founder CEO Voonik); Kunal Kapoor (actor and Co-founder Ketto.Org); Mukesh Singh (Co-founder, CEO Zopnow); Piyush Mishra (actor) and Anshu Gupta (Founder Goonj).
The summit will host events that will give live experience to participants on various aspects of starting and running a business. Some flagship events that will stimulate minds of budding entrepreneurs this year include Bzzwings, Fast Forward, The Other Incentive, The Game of Clicks, The Wipro Earthian Sustainability Challenge and Bootcamp Kiosk.
The most talking point of Entrepreneurship Summit this year is Bootcamp workshops, which will be conducted by IBM, Greg Maron (Co-founder Zoomcar) and HeadStart Network, India’s leading community for Startups. The workshops will cover diverse themes like innovative business models, leveraging startup ecosystems, startup marketing, scaling and building an empowered venture. Eximius 2016 will also have many online and on-the spot events like quizzes and simulation games.
To register on the event and know more about the national fest, interested candidates can visit: http://eximius-iimb.com/


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The success of a massive e-commerce sale has inspired an emerging real estate business to host Australia’s first online auction extravaganza.
Online platform Exchangehouse has drawn inspiration from Click Frenzy and decided to organise a spring online auction campaign involving a collection of properties.
The event is expected to last for about one week in September, with sales staggered throughout the campaign.
Exchangehouse director Mark Jamieson told REB that agents who participate in the campaign will receive exclusive territories.
“If I get the exclusive right to list at this event, I’m going to lock all my competitors out,” Mr Jamieson said.
“So now I can talk to vendors in the spring about not only a different sale method, but also a specific event that you can only access through my office.”
Mr Jamieson said that several Ray White offices in NSW have already signed up for the campaign, which is expected to become a regular event.
Meanwhile, Mr Jamieson said Exchangehouse has had to work hard to win over Sydney agents since the platform launched in 2014.
“It’s been difficult in this market, because the way agents are selling is working for them,” he said.
“But we believe it’s not working for them because they’ve got the best method of sale – it’s working for them because the market is overheated.”
Mr Jamieson said many agents have told him that they regard the rise of online auctions as inevitable, but would prefer to stick with the status quo while it’s working so well.


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The budget-friendly HP Chromebook 11 sports some unique improvements, Nest creates a smart-home smoke detector, and Amazon offers a new perk for Kindle tablet owners.
by Bridget Carey
Autoplay: ONAutoplay: OFF
This episode of Update takes a close look at Google's latest laptop, the HP Chromebook 11, selling now for $279. As the majority of our work and play shifts to Web apps, Chrome is a affordable option for a modern computing lifestyle -- especially for students.
Update also takes a look at Nest's latest product in building a smarter home, the Nest Protect, an app-powered smoke detector. And Kindle Fire tablet owners can score some free credits by downloading select apps.


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For its special 2022 campaign “iPhone for All,” Power Mac Center (PMC) is offering discounts, flexible payment offers, and wide availability of iPhones in stores and online.
Much has been said about the quality and design of the iPhone’s hardware and software, and its focus on security and privacy remain as top reasons why many consumers shift to iPhone. The latest series features the most advanced dual-camera system, lightning-fast A15 Bionic chip, Super Retina XDR display, Superfast 5G, and the best battery life ever in an iPhone. iPhone works seamlessly with other Apple devices.
PMC is offering easy installments with zero interest and no down payment to partner major banks and non-credit card installment options such as Home Credit. Customers can take home the new iPhone 13 (128GB) at only P2,187.08 per month for 24 months, valid for select credit cards until Dec. 31, 2022. Those without a credit card may also visit select Power Mac Center or The Loop stores nationwide to inquire about Home Credit financing options.
Consumers also have the option to trade their old phone of any brand for store credits and use it to upgrade to a new iPhone. PMC is bringing its UpTrade program to customers in more convenient ways. Visit a Power Mac Center or The Loop branch to have a device evaluated, or do it yourself without leaving the comfort of home through the PMC website.
For those who are new to iPhone, iPhone models are available in Power Mac Center or The Loop stores nationwide and online at the Web Store, Viber Store, SM Malls Online, Shopee, and Lazada. PMC also offers hybrid shopping experiences via Enhanced Contactless Shopping and is slated to open more stores this year, especially in the provinces to bring the Apple experience closer to all.
Categories: Media Release


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Apple (AAPL) has continued to move away from its dependence on Samsung’s manufactured components in new products. David Hsieh of NPD Group’s DisplaySearch said on Thursday that the company will rely on Taiwanese firm Innolux and China’s Century Display for touch panels in its next-generation iPad mini, the Taipei Times reported. Innolux revealed earlier this week that it plans to ship its first touch panels for smartphones and tablets with its touch-on-display technology by the end of this year. Digitimes also reported that Apple will move away from Samsung (005930) and instead rely on components from LG Display (LPL), Sharp (SHCAY), Japan Display and AU Optronics (AUO) for the iPad mini.
[More from BGR: Samsung’s executives seem paranoid… and that’s a good thing]
This article was originally published on BGR.com


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Retail sales surged in April, recovering from a dip in May and defying both Brexit uncertainty and inflation, but a report shows the divorce with the EU is weighing on consumers’ minds.
The Office for National Statistics in the UK reported retail sales were up by 2.3 percent compared to the previous month and up 4.0 percent over April 2016. Good weather was largely attributed to the growth, overriding any fears related to rising inflation.
The results beat economists’ forecasts, which were set at 1 percent, and showed the biggest monthly uptick since January 2016, according to The Guardian.
While every other store represented in the findings saw positive gains, only department stores underperformed with a 0.9 percent decrease in sales for the month, dragged down by apparel and footwear stores in particular.
Despite the good news, a report from market intelligence agency Mintel shows British shoppers are bracing for higher prices at the register as the country’s divorce from the European Union looms. The survey shows that 83 percent of Brits think prices for goods and services Post-Brexit will rise. Fifty-nine percent are concerned about grocery prices while 26 percent fear heftier price tags on clothes.
These worries are coupled with concerns over healthcare, the environment and the British economy in general. Overall, 46 percent of UK consumers say the exit from the European Union will negatively impact the cost of living.
“Mintel research underlines particular concern about the rising cost of in-home food, and inflation is undoubtedly going to squeeze household budgets,” said Jack Duckett, senior consumer lifestyles analyst at Mintel. “However, broader consumer confidence is still relatively strong. Despite rising prices, most people still expect their finances to hold up well over the next year.”
Consumer spending is expected to hit 1.4 trillion pounds by 2021, a 17 percent increase over the 1.2 trillion pounds spent in 2016.
While Mintel predicts certain categories like food service and leisure and entertainment will “flourish” between now and 2021, its outlook for apparel and accessories is not as rosy, as consumers prioritize experiences over acquisitions. As a result, the projection is for a 1.9 percent rise in sales in clothing, accessories and footwear in 2017.
Boston Retail Partners uncovers how retailers are trying to deliver true multichannel shopping experiences to meet the consumer demands of the future.Read more
A recent report highlights how transparent, compliant supply chains benefit all aspects of apparel businesses—though only some companies can overcome inherent challenges to reap the rewards.Read more
China is bolstering its AI fleet with robust investments, domestic talent and a desire to dominate the sector in upcoming years.Read more
The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association has appealed to the Hanoi not to impose import tariffs on polyester fiber.Read more
Though Li & Fung has been working on its new Three-Year Plan to digitize and speed up the supply chain and its evolution to agent 2.0, the business has still hit on hard times as retail wriggles out of its old skin and into a new life.Read more
Simon believes that the mall is a boon for new brands—and its latest pop-up concept could bring consumers back to brick-and-mortar.Read more
Textile Exchange, the global non-profit that promotes the adoption of preferred fibers, integrity and standards and responsible supply networks, has released its largest preferred fibers report ever in the number of participants and areas of coverage.Read more


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Two Buxton men have appeared in court after a number of thefts from Tesco stores across the High Peak.
Adam Whittam, 18, has been given a 12-month community order after stealing hundreds of pounds worth of items.
Whittam, of Cross Street, admitted attempting to steal goods worth £318.51 from the Glossop store on May 24, before returning the following day and taking goods worth £346.85p.
Together with Connor Chambers, 18, of Granby Road, he also admitted stealing various items, including baby milk, from the Whaley Bridge Tesco store on April 20.
Chambers also admitted going into the Tesco Express store in Buxton and stealing two cases of Heineken, worth £24, on April 9.
John Cooper, prosecuting at High Peak Magistrates’ Court, said it was 3.55am on April 9 when Chambers went into the Tesco store before running off with a case of lager under each arm.
The court heard how both Chambers and Whittam were seen on CCTV taking items from Whaley Bridge later the same month.
Then in May, Mr Cooper said, staff at Tesco in Glossop became suspicious of Whittam, who had placed clothes, cosmetics and food into a trolley, before and walking out empty handed.
The following day he returned and this time loaded up the trolley and walked out without paying for the items.
Annis Rowlands, defending Chambers, said on April 9 he had been to a party and while drunk had foolishly decided to go and get some more alcohol.
Chambers was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £85 costs, £24 compensation and a £20 government surcharge.
The court was told Whittam had been involved in the thefts for personal and financial gain. He had been having arguments with his ex-partner as he was unable to provide for their children and unable to see them.
Whittam, who was not represented in court, said: “I am sorry for what I have done. It is not going to happen again.”
As part of his community order, he must carry out 80 hours’ unpaid work and complete a rehabilitation activity requirement.
He must also pay £346.85p in compensation.


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While countries like Bangladesh and Ecuador are outright banning bitcoin and other digital currencies, Italy has taken an interesting first stance on the matter. In a notice on virtual currencies, published on January 30, the Central Bank of Italy acknowledged the use of virtual currencies as legal in their country.
The Central Bank of Italy started off their notice with an explanation of digital currency, then noted that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a paper on digital currencies in relation to money laundering and terrorism. The Central Back then explained that the European Banking Authority (EBA) also issued a warning in December for users of digital currency.
“In some countries they have been explicitly prohibited; in others have been provided some form of regulation. In Italy, the purchase, use and acceptance of payment in virtual currencies must be considered lawful activities.”
The Central Bank of Italy made an important distinction in their stance on digital currency – one that isn’t often seen when coming to the banking sector of the world.
The Central Bank has no plans to ban companies and institutions dealing in digital currency, but it did advise organizations in the notice that they believe they should wait for official regulations from the EBA.
The Odd Part? Italy Doesn’t Require AML Regulations
It’s no secret that bitcoin has the potential to be used for money laundering. It’s relatively simple to hide assets in bitcoin, putting many countries on edge. From a moral standpoint, it’s a debate that’s dividing bitcoin users into groups that agree that Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer (AML/KYC) requirements should be put in place, or those that are vehemently opposed to the notion.
In Italy, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) released a warning of money laundering and terrorism, but made it clear that businesses dealing in digital currency, including exchanges, were not subject to AML/KYC regulations.
“Suppliers of functional activities with the use, exchange and storage of virtual currencies and their conversion to / in legal currencies are not, as such, addressed money laundering legislation and therefore are not required to comply with the due diligence requirements.”
Instead of AML requirements, the FIU suggested to businesses to educate their staff on digital currency. The more educated their employees are, the better they might be able to catch suspicious transactions in their system.
It’s relatively unheard of for a country with the global positioning such as Italy to have such a relaxed stance on bitcoin. With BitLicense in New York stirring the feelings of citizens in the United States, Italy may be able to position itself as a haven for people who want to operate bitcoin businesses with little regulation.
While the debate is still hot within the bitcoin community, it looks like countries are going to start outlining their stances faster than previously expected. It’s always easiest to start small and work your way through the kinks, so the stance from Italy may be well accepted over harsh legislation that needs to be dialed back.
What do you think of Italy’s relaxed stance? Let us know in the comments!


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The smartphone messaging app ToTok is actually an Emirati spying tool:
But the service, ToTok, is actually a spying tool, according to American officials familiar with a classified intelligence assessment and a New York Times investigation into the app and its developers. It is used by the government of the United Arab Emirates to try to track every conversation, movement, relationship, appointment, sound and image of those who install it on their phones.
ToTok, introduced only months ago, was downloaded millions of times from the Apple and Google app stores by users throughout the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. While the majority of its users are in the Emirates, ToTok surged to become one of the most downloaded social apps in the United States last week, according to app rankings and App Annie, a research firm.
Apple and Google have removed it from their app stores. If you have it on your phone, delete it now.


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Intensifies lockdown as Punjab decides to close shops, markets by 5pm
LAHORE (92 News) – Punjab has decided to close all its shops and markets by 5pm to intensify the lockdown to curb the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak across the province. The decision was taken by Usman Buzdar after emerging new cases of the coronavirus speedily in the province. All shops and markets have been instructed to operate from 9am to 5pm. Meanwhile, this restriction won’t be placed on medical stores and pharmacies. On the other hand, the number of total coronavirus (COVID-19) cases reached 2039 across the country till Wednesday after diagnosing 178 new cases within 24 hours. According to National Command and Control Authority, the nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients reached 2039 with 676 cases in Sindh, 708 in Punjab, 158 in Balochistan, 253 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 184 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 54 in Islamabad and six in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). As many as 10 patients are in critical condition, while 82 patients have recovered from the infection. The virus claimed Pakistan’s 26th life till March 31 in the country.


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FRANKLIN, Tenn. May 7, 2013 – Officials for the custom mobile app developer Metova announced today the promotion of Beverly Massengill to lead developer.
Massengill joined Metova in January 2012 as a developer. She creates mobile apps that help Metova’s clients adapt and take the lead in the mobile app marketplace. She specializes in iOS development.
As a lead developer, Massengill will continue her development work for the firm, as well as work with the lead development team to assist and mentor other developers.
“Beverly is talented both as a developer and as a teacher,” said David Lane, vice president of technology.
Massengill has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Tennessee Technological University. She came to Metova from Tennessee Technological University, where she assisted in research on graph-based anomaly detection as a computer science graduate student.
Metova, Inc. is a technology company made up of Metova and Metova Federal. Metova develops custom mobile applications for smartphone and tablet platforms, including Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Phone. Metova Federal is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that provides information technology services and support to government entities. John Adams serves as CEO for both companies, and Dave McAllister serves as president of Metova. The Metova brand employs 70 people in four cities: Franklin, Tenn. (Metova’s headquarters), Cabot, Ark. (Metova Federal’s headquarters), Augusta, Ga. and Washington D.C. You can find Metova on Facebook at Facebook.com/Metova, LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/Company/Metova-Inc., Twitter at Twitter.com/Metova, or on the Web at Metova.com.


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Rumor: Final starter evolutions leaked for Pokemon Sun/Moon
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, Rumors | 92 Comments
Over the past couple of months, concept art for what people thought could be the final starter evolutions in Pokemon Sun/Moon made the rounds online. It wasn’t clear at the time if the images were truly legitimate, but with today’s official news update, it very much seems possible. Head past the break for more.
Rumor: The Wall Street Journal backs up NX hybrid report, “compatible” with Nintendo mobile games
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Rumors, Switch | 142 Comments
Yesterday, Eurogamer put up a report about NX with many unconfirmed details. The big thing we heard about is that, assuming the site’s story is accurate, Nintendo will bring out a portable console with detachable controllers. Players could then use a base/dock station to connect NX to a television.
The Wall Street Journal now appears to be backing up Eurogamer’s report about NX being a hybrid. The outlet wrote today, “A person familiar with the matter said NX would be a handheld-console hybrid that would be compatible with its own smartphone games.”
It goes without saying that we’re still very far away from any of the rumored details being proven true, so take everything you hear with a grain of salt. We’ll see if any of this pans out in the end!
Rumor: NX is a portable console with detachable controllers, Nvidia tech, cartridges, Sept. reveal, more
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Rumors, Switch | 319 Comments
Update: Here’s Eurogamer’s mockup of the NX (not official or final in any way):
The site also has a follow-up on specs here.
Eurogamer has a new report on NX – the first concrete rumors about the system since its announcement last year.
The site claims that “NX will be a portable, handheld console with detachable controllers”. That information comes from “a number of sources” speaking with the site.
Rumor: Nintendo issuing DMCA takedown notices for pornographic fan art
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Rumors | 28 Comments
Update: Gaming Reinvented posted an article last month about how someone without the proper authority (outside of Nintendo) has been issuing takedown notices. We can’t say that this situation was a fake claim as only the company was included in the email, and not a specific name. It’s enough to cast some doubt on this though, and should be taken with a grain of salt unless more information is provided.
If it is a fake claim, then that’s a pretty big issue. Tumblr in that case would be removing content without verifying the DMCA sender.
Tumblr users are starting to receive notices regarding the removal of fan art from blogs following takedown requests from Nintendo. The company is taking issue with art that is pornographic in nature.
Details about the situation beyond this are unclear. However, there’s some speculation that art related to Princess Peach are being claimed.
If you’re interested in seeing the removal email, head past the break.
Rumor: Pokemon GO has continent-exclusive Pokemon
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Mobile, Rumors | 54 Comments
Catching all of the original Pokemon in Pokemon GO may end up being a difficult task. That’s because, supposedly, there are exclusive Pokemon to find in the different continents.
Serebii says that Tauros is exclusive to North America. Mr. Mime can only be found in Europe. Kangaskhan is only in Australia, and Farfetch’d is located in Asia.
We haven’t been able to officially confirm this just yet. If it’s true though, folks who want to have all 151 Pokemon may need to do some traveling!
Rumor: Pokemon GO / McDonald’s partnership in an Asian country turning all restaurants into PokeStops / Gyms
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Mobile, Rumors | 2 Comments
Gizmodo has some new information about plans for Pokemon GO and McDonald’s. The details have not yet been officially announced, but has managed to get a hold of some tidbits from a source.
Pokemon GO will apparently have a sponsorship with McDonald’s in an unspecified Asian country. Gizmodo claims that all restaurants in the region will either be a PokeStop or a Gym.
Rumor: Pokemon GO Plus may release July 29
Posted on 5 years ago by Jake in Mobile, Rumors | 6 Comments
Amazon Japan briefly listed the Pokemon GO Plus accessory with a release date of July 29, although the page was pulled later in the day. Though Amazon, Nintendo, and The Pokemon Company all refused to comment, this does line up with the E3 reveal of the device, where it was planned to release before the end of July. Keep in mind that even if the release date is true, that may still only be for Japan.
More: Pokemon GO
Rumor: U.S. version of the N64 64DD found
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Rumors | 21 Comments
The 64DD was made as an expansion to the Nintendo 64, allowing the console to use more memory and offering a handful of exclusive games. It saw a brief run in Japan, but never headed overseas. That’s why a new find may end up being very interesting.
Over on the ASSEMbler forums, user “PostedOval” claims to have come across a U.S. version of the 64DD. Although this person shared some photos that seems to indicate that it’s legitimate, we can’t completely say that it’s definitely real. We’ll let you know if there are any other developments pertaining to the situation.
Rumor: Next Skylanders game is “Skylanders: Imaginators”, launches in October
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Rumors, Wii U | 14 Comments
Activision will soon be announcing the next entry in the Skylanders series. Based on some apparent leaks, it seems that the new game will be titled “Skylanders: Imaginators”.
Main developer Toys for Bob is back as the main developer of the project. Wii U is a target platform, but there’s no word on Wii or 3DS versions at present.
The big hook this time around is that it’ll be possible to make your own Skylanders, which go by the name Skylanders Imaginators. Additionally, there’s a new toy type known as Creation Crystal which “allows players to create and transport their unique Skylanders to consoles at anytime, anywhere”. New guest stars called “Senseis” are also being introduced which features 20 new characters and 11 former villains.
More unconfirmed – but probable – information about Skylanders: Imaginators can be found below. We’ve also included some images that have surfaced thus far in the attached gallery. The game is scheduled for October 16 in North America.
Update: False alarm – Rumor: Nintendo is developing its next gen handheld under the codename “MH”
Posted on 5 years ago by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in General Nintendo, Rumors | 38 Comments
Update: This appears to be a false alarm. Here’s what Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto says about the situation:
2) Such "rich" forward-looking analysis and also the wording is standard in investor notes. I know because I read *tons* of them ;).
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) May 24, 2016
About Nintendo's "MH": that is correct, unless Morgan Stanley has an incredible scoop – which I very much doubt. https://t.co/ATb1mWjW72
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) May 24, 2016
According to a financial report by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, a Japanese bank holding & financial services company, Nintendo is currently developing its next handheld under the codename “MH”. The report reveals no further information.
As always, take reports like this with a grain of salt. What we know for sure is that Nintendo is currently hard at work on the NX – but what exactly the NX is, that is still a mystery. Nintendo president Kimishima has previously stated that the NX would not be an outright replacement for the Wii U or the 3DS. There have been rumors that the NX could be a home console & handheld hybrid, but none of those have been confirmed yet.
We will have to wait until later this year for Nintendo to officially reveal the NX. Maybe we will also learn about the supposed “MH” handheld at that point.


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A B.C. man’s lawsuit over ticket resellers jacking up prices for live events has taken a step forward in B.C. Supreme Court.
David Gomel is suing TicketMaster and associated companies in a class action on behalf of all B.C. residents who bought event tickets for personal use from resellers between Jan. 25, 2010 and Sept. 18, 2018. It’s one of a series of similar class action lawsuits, and Gomel alleges that Ticketmaster isn’t doing enough to stop scalpers from using “bots” to scoop up tickets within seconds of them going on sale.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Tammen ruled this week that Gomel’s lawsuit can proceed, refusing a procedural motion by Ticketmaster lawyers to stay the action until Saskatchewan case involving multiple provinces can be decided. Ticketmaster has not yet filed a statement of defence in the B.C. case.
Gomel’s case is based on his purchase of a concert ticket from a secondary seller, StubHub, which was originally sold by Ticketmaster.
“Broadly put, the essential claim is that Ticketmaster represents on its website, at the time of initial sale of all tickets, that there are purchasing limits in place for the number of tickets per customer, and that such limits ensure fairness and prevent purchasers from purchasing a large number of tickets for resale,” Tammen wrote in a decision released this week.
“The notice of civil claim alleges that Ticketmaster has, contrary to the representations on its website, actively developed and marketed software called TradeDesk, which facilitates and encourages the use of ‘ticket bots.’ Ticket bots are automated software programs used to allow one purchaser to purchase a large number of tickets online.”
B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth passed legislation in the spring of 2019 aimed at preventing mass-buying software for live event tickets. The law requires clear disclosure of ticket prices, refund guarantees by secondary sellers and declarations by them that they are not the original ticket provider. Enforcing such rules is hampered by ticket resellers operating outside of the province.
The B.C. government hosted an online questionnaire in March 2018 on the subject. Of the 6,507 people who responded, 96 per cent reported live event tickets selling out quickly, and nearly 60 per cent said they had seen tickets offered by a secondary seller before the primary seller made them available.


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Three-wheeled vehicles that walk the line between car and motorcycle have been put on notice. While vehicles like the Can-Am spider employ the tripod approach to blurring the line between car and bike, they will soon be put to shame by the Polaris Slingshot, which is set to be released around July of this year.
So what’s the big difference between the Slingshot and preexisting three-wheeled vehicles? Well, simply put – the Slingshot is faster, more powerful, and much, much sexier.
Polaris, a Minnesota-based company best known for Snowmobiles and ATVs, has taken to the roads of America in their quest to build the finest three-wheeled vehicle to date. While the Slingshot still technically qualifies as a motorcycle (Everywhere but Texas, where the Slingshot has been banned over a stupid technicality on the seats being more like car seats instead of motorcycle seats), this vehicle handles better than most two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicles out there.
The Polaris Slingshot is straight out of an adrenaline junkie’s wildest dreams, with a one-wheel-drive system giving the power to the rear wheel. The rear wheel is on a flexible “arm” of sorts, which allows you to feel as though you are “surfing” on the road – early beta testers say driving this beauty is different than anything else in the world right now.
The Slingshot really sets itself apart, though, in terms of its power and speed as compared to its competitors. While the Can-Am Spyder has a 1330cc engine, the Slinghsot packs in 2384cc, giving it a whole lot more oomph.
It also outdoes the Spyder significantly with a horsepower of 173, compared to the Can-Am’s 115. Throw in a 166 lb-ft torque at 4700 rpm, and you see that the Slingshot is an engineering marvel that is truly in its own class right now.
Check out a Slingshot in action in the video below:
The only problem the Slingshot faces so far is whether states will classify it as a motorcycle or as a car. This has only been an issue in Texas thus far, as the state has banned the vehicle for having “bucket seats,” which apparently are too much like a car….and too…safe? Apparently Texas prefers its motorcycles with as much added danger as possible.
You can expect the Slingshot to officially debut in July of this year, and initial sales are already promising. With a starting MSRP of just $19,999, the price of a Polaris Slingshot is comparable to the Can-Am Spyder ($19,499), and looks like it will be a whole lot more fun.
Whether this spiffy new vehicle is a flash in the pan or a lasting competitor to motorcycles and cars alike remains to be seen, but in the meantime, definitely take a Slingshot out on the road if you’re lucky enough to have a chance.


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American Airlines responds to Capitol protests with ‘precautionary measures’
American Airlines has announced new policies for flights headed to D.C. in wake of the Capitol protests. FOX Business’ Ashley Webster with more.
American Airlines is launching a new delivery service that will bring a variety of premium wine offerings straight to your door.
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“For wine lovers around the world, wine provides a deeper connection to the places they enjoy visiting,” American's Chief Customer Officer Alison Taylor said in a statement. “We created Flagship Cellars to provide more ways for customers to enjoy our Flagship wine even if they aren’t flying in one of our premium cabins.”
AMERICAN AIRLINES' REGIONAL CARRIER TO RESUME PILOT HIRING WITH AN EYE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY
The new program, known as Flagship Cellars, will offer customers who are 21 years or older the ability to choose from individual bottles in American's curated collection of mixed wines. Flagship Cellars' single-bottle wine offerings range in price between $13 and $40. Meanwhile, three, six, or 12-bottle wine collections range from $50 to $400.
In addition, customers can build their own custom box or purchase a monthly wine subscription which includes three prestigious wines for $99.99, including delivery. Customers who sign up for the subscription's introductory offer will receive an extra complimentary bottle of wine.
Members of American's AAdvantage loyalty program can also earn two miles per dollar on every order, excluding taxes, shipping and fees.
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An American Airlines spokesperson told FOX Business the company hopes the new wine delivery program will bring in $40,000 to $50,000 in sales during the first quarter. American plans to continue the wine program even after its service returns to pre-pandemic levels.


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Retailers might be suffering from the economic downturn, but shopping is still big business — particularly online. Money is being pumped into e-commerce sites left, right and center, and all kinds of to try and get people buying over the web. That’s all very good, say the team behind new site Fantasy Shopper — but where’s the fun? What if shopping was a game?
That’s the premise behind the service, which is launching in the U.K. today with a grand plan and a ton of ambition.
The basic idea is simple. Users — players, perhaps, is a better term — are given virtual currency to go and spend on outfits and accessories currently stocked by real shops. They can visit in-game storefronts, sift through hundreds of thousands of items from some of Britain’s biggest retailers, test items, build outfits and put their purchases in a virtual wardrobe. There are lots of engaging avenues for experimentation, and then every few hours they get an injection of cash into their account, in what is termed a “payday”. The more they play, share and unlock, the more their paydays are worth.
You’d be forgiven for thinking all this sounds like a terrible Facebook game: it is, after all, something like a virtual doll service for adults, which makes it sound like a very acquired taste.
But, crucially, the site also doubles as a fashion radar, since players can share things they might actually buy, get feedback from their friends and make decisions about real-world purchases. And given that the average player seems to be a woman in her early 20s, that could be significant.
“The original idea was that people would be rewarded for fashion sense,” says co-founder Chris Prescott. “We wanted to turn the world into a catwalk.”
So far, so good. But what about the product itself? How does it work?
From the very start, it’s easy to use and intuitive. Sign-up, naturally, is through Facebook — but once you’re inside, first time users are taken on a great journey around the site with hinting that is informative, not intrusive. Sometimes the amount of features inside the site felt a little overwhelming — all the wardrobes, storefronts, activities and reward mechanisms — but after a while I actually found that they actually drew me in. In the end, the whole experience was much more gamelike than I had expected.
The world inside Fantasy Shopper is not noisy yet, largely because the beta was very limited and this is a soft launch. But as players are encouraged to share their purchases more and more, it’s likely to get far busier. And it’s the same in terms of scope, too: for example today the site has just one virtual location, London, which means it is limited to British retailers. Over the next few months the company plans to roll out new elements, and allow players to unlock new cities — with New York and Paris set to come on stream soon.
Still, many of the major British stores are already in place, from New Look to Karen Millen to Harrods, and huge amounts of inventory is being pulled in from official sources like affiliate feeds. Right now the site has about 200,000 items for people to play with, and hopes to quadruple that over the next six months. The team say they are already making progress with bringing in data from U.S. retailers, which will allow American users to join up.
It’s developing a smart way of making money too, by taking commission every time an in-game purchase turns into real one. This is fairly traditional of course, but the important thing is that conversion rates are much, much higher than average — because by the time a player has decided to turn their fantasy purchase into a real one, they have already experimented with it, shared it with friends, discussed it and thought about it.
I think so. While I can safely say I am not in the target market — I loathe shopping and command the sort of fashion sense that would most likely leave Anna Wintour considering whether it was better to end it all right now — I was surprised to find myself drawn in, sifting through mountains of clothes and shoes to find what I liked and playing around with outfits. It was easy and engaging in a way I didn’t expect.
And if I got snagged, imagine what it’s like if you really like shopping. In fact, even while activity on the site right now is fairly muted because it’s so early in its lifespan, many of the beta testers are clearly already hooked, with some racking up hundreds of paydays and many hours on site in just a short space of time: this blogger, for example, says she is “a Fantasy Shopper addict”.
True, there is work to be done: in some places the experience feels like it needs to be more open; more shops need to come in; outfit creation feels a little clunky; sometimes the regular callouts to share what you’re doing on Facebook are a bit pushy. But it feels like a really well-formed service.
Prescott said this was intentional, and that the team (which is based in the English city of Exeter) had decided long ago to avoid launching too early.
“We think our users are used to a certain level of quality,” he says. “We’ve been quite aware of what users want, and it’s taken a long time to build because we certainly wanted to launch a polished product. This is the minimum viable product relative to what we’re trying to build.”
That was part of the reason the site took seed funding from pan-European incubator program HackFWD, based in Germany, which gives teams a year to work on their ideas and prepare a product, with a strong focus on getting the technical foundations in place. That has certainly paid off: the site is smooth, comfortable and very sharp.
But here’s the thing that’s really working in the site’s favor: Fantasy Shopper is actually more useable and intuitive than many real retail websites.
It’s just more fun.
Play isn’t just an afterthought
Of course, part of it is because you don’t have any skin in the game. The money is virtual. When you go to Amazon or wherever, you’re out to spend real money — not to muck about. But while the play elements could be gimmicky (gamification is, after all, a controversial subject) the fact is that it’s done pretty well. But it’s not just that the transactions are playful, suggests Prescott: it’s because the whole idea has been thought through properly.
“What Fantasy Shopper isn’t is a commerce site with a game layer, and it isn’t a game with e-commerce thrown on top of it,” he says. “One of those is done to create engagement, one of those is done to create revenue. We’re definitely big believers in avoiding that. We don’t want to make it feel disjointed from the core offering. We’re trying to recreate the emotional experience of shopping.”
In fact, he points out, shopping is already a sort of game for many people: you have to enter a store, uncover the items you like, experiment with them, show them to your friends, hunt for bargains and so on. Lots of those elements are incorporated, to some degree, inside Fantasy Shopper — which is partly what makes it so engaging.
So how will it fare? Well, that’s difficult to say. It’s a strong product, but there’s a lot of competition, either fairly directly from sites like Polyvore, a fashion trend site, or indirectly from other services and games that suck up attention. Even big retailers and store services like Shopify, which announced $15 million in funding yesterday, could be considered rivals in a way: they’re all fighting for the same bits of attention.
But if there’s one thing the team doesn’t lack, it’s confidence. In the short term, Fantasy Shopper is planning to roll out lots of new ideas, and is working on a partnership with one of Britain’s biggest magazine publishers that should give it plenty of exposure with the right audience.
In the longer term, it’s working on broad expansion to new markets and thinks it can become a serious fashion destination for consumers and retailers alike: “We can see actually trends rising before they appear in the shops, because people are experimenting on the site,” says Prescott. “We’ve got real-time trending analysis, sentiment analysis, lots of cool stuff going on.”
He says the team has plenty of ways to fend off the competition and grab user attention, and is currently working on a new round of funding to try and build up the service even further. Until that happens, this is definitely one to watch.


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Organised by Enterprise Singapore in collaboration with Agorize, SLINGSHOT 2020, one of Asia’s largest startup competitions has now officially come to a close. With over 7,500 applicants participating worldwide, SLINGSHOT 2020 offered global startups the opportunity to showcase their solutions and products to global investors and industry leaders. Nextbillion.ai, an AI-powered hyperlocal solutions startup based
Hot off last year’s success, “AWS Hackdays Online 2020: Build Tomorrow!” drove over 2,300 participants with 4 new ASEAN participating countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar and Pakistan. Participants were encouraged to bring digital solutions to tackle challenges in the fields of Sustainability, Learning and Development, Automation and Security in Southeast Asia. The application phase
Powered by digitalisation, entrepreneurial spirit and the agility to pivot swiftly, startups are seen as potential partners for corporations across all sectors to engage. For innovative initiatives in particular, more corporations find it far more valuable to leverage the innovative technology that startups have developed through mutually beneficial engagement models. Yet in all of these
Hosting a 48-hour to 72-hour hackathon means tackling logistical, geographical, and time constraints. Not the most encouraging environment for innovation, in short. Imagine the colossal efforts that need to be made when organizing the perfect 48-hour event – you need to find a venue where as many participants as possible can get together and work
Agorize comes from “Agora” and “Rise” and empowers companies and people from all over the world through Open innovation Challenges.
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