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BEIJING (AP) — Automakers are bringing SUVs and luxury sedans designed for Chinese buyers to China's biggest auto show this year as they scramble to keep sales growing amid a slump in this giant market's once-explosive demand.
Sales growth in the world's biggest auto market plunged from an eye-popping 35 percent in 2010 to just 2.5 percent last year as China's economy slowed. That is forecast to rebound to about 5 percent this year — stronger than the United States or Europe but a challenge for automakers that added new assembly lines during the boom, leading to a glut of supplies.
General Motors, Honda, BMW and other global brands, as well as ambitious Chinese rivals such as Chery and Geely, are wooing Chinese buyers hard at Auto China 2012, which opens next week. World premieres are planned for three Ford SUVs, a Fiat 500 co-designed with fashion house Gucci and a Range Rover styled by designer Victoria Beckham.
Automakers that used to sell the same models in every market with few changes for local tastes are creating models tailored for Chinese buyers.
As competition heats up, foreign car makers that have invested billions in China are seemingly unfazed by the recent slowdown in sales. Ford on Thursday announced plans for a $760 million factory in the eastern city of Hangzhou that along with an earlier announced expansion in Chongqing will double its China production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles a year.
Companies such as Ford expect to continue benefiting from Chinese preferences for foreign car brands. They also expect the market to get much bigger in the years ahead. Even with 30 million cars on the road, China still has just 28 vehicles for every 1,000 people, far below the U.S. level of 800. Some 80 percent of purchases are by first-time buyers.
"You have a lot of potential demand for many years to come," said Michael Dunne, president of Dunne & Co., a Hong Kong-based industry researcher.
China passed the United States in 2009 in number of vehicles sold, and sales last year totaled 18.5 million vehicles. The country is the biggest market for automakers from giants General Motors Co. and Volkswagen to specialized producers such as Rolls Royce, owned by BMW AG. It is a pillar of the turnaround effort by struggling Nissan Motor Co., which announced an $8 billion China expansion plan last year.
Automakers expect annual sales in China to rise to 30 million vehicles by 2020. Several hope to double their own sales from 2011 levels by 2015.
But right now, automakers that added assembly lines in the 2009-10 boom are being squeezed by weaker demand as China's rapid economic growth slows and Beijing enforces lending curbs to control inflation.
"They weren't planning on single-digit growth last year or this year," Dunne said. "In the short term, look for some automakers to come under pressure as the gap between capacity and actual demand increases."
That might be good news for China's legions of aspiring first-time car buyers. Analysts say the excess capacity may force some manufactures to cut prices.
General Motors, China's biggest auto brand with 2011 sales of 2.5 million vehicles, says it expects to boost sales 7 to 10 percent this year, outpacing the market.
The company says it expects to increase production capacity by another 25 percent in 2012-13. GM says it will release more than 60 new and upgraded models by 2015 and wants to double annual sales to 5 million vehicles.
"We are well positioned to capitalize on the market growth," GM said in a statement.
This week, GM's Holden unit in Australia announced it will develop at least two vehicles for China with Shanghai GM, a joint venture between General Motors Co. and state-owned Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp.
Honda Motor Co. says it will bring to China at least 10 new and updated models in 2013-2015 and strengthen services to provide customized vehicles.
Honda suffered a 10 percent decline in sales in the first three months of this year from a year earlier. The company blamed lack of production capacity to meet demand for popular small-engine cars. Honda plans to open its second China factory in July.
"Honda will focus on compact cars and accelerate its pace in introducing new products designed for the Chinese market," said a Honda spokeswoman, Xia Gao.
Automakers who have made most of their money in big cities on China's prosperous east coast are expanding into lower-income but populous inland areas, which they see as the basis of future growth.
Nissan is targeting economically priced cars at lower-income cities while it also tries to sell high-end models, said a Nissan China spokesman, Sharon Shen.
Defying the overall slowdown, Nissan posted a 22 percent increase in sales in China last year to 1.2 million cars. The country has become Nissan's largest market, accounting for about 27 percent of global sales.
Shen says Nissan expects double-digit growth for 2012.
Global automakers have kept sales growing by taking market share from Chinese producers, but local rivals Chery Automobile Corp., Geely Holding Group and BYD are fighting back by promoting new features and services.
Chinese customers are getting choosier about design and colors, said a BYD spokeswoman, Veronica Jiang.
"BYD will focus on post-sale services, improve quality and continue to innovate to meet the changing demands in the market," Jiang said.
Geely plans to show 21 vehicles at Auto China.
In November, Chery and an Israeli partner, Israel Corp., launched a new brand, Qoros Automotive Co., with ambitions to become one of China's first automakers to meet stringent European safety standards.
At the luxury end of the market, growth has slowed but producers report double-digit gains.
Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz reports its best quarter ever this year, with sales in the January-March period up 24 percent over a year earlier at 54,720 units. Growth was driven by its premier S-Class.


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Event: Bollywood celebs like Tara Sharma, Urvashi Sharma, Suchita Sharma, Bhagyashree, Madhoo, Ronit Roy, Rohit Roy, Poonam Dhillon, Manasi Joshi Roy & others were snapped at Maheka Mirpuri's fundraiser fashion show for cancer patients.
Bollywood celebss Varun Dhawan, Sonakshi Sinha, Arjun Kapoor were snapped at Ravi Chopra's house.
Sexy Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor was snapped at the airport.
Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha was snapped at the airport.
Bollywood celebs Ajay Devgn, Arjun Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravijani, Raj Kundra, Mahesh Bhatt, Sapna Pabbi among others were snapped at the airport.
Bollywood director Farhan Akhtar was snapped at Shankar Mahadevan's studio.

domain: news


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In a recent interview, Rupert Murdoch, the head of News Corporation, said that the company was considering blocking the searchbots of Google, making its content invisible or at least less visible to the search giant. So far it’s only talk, but Advertising Age decided to do some math to look at the implications of such a move.
According to Compete, the big three search engines drove about 21.9 million page views to WSJ.com in October. Revenue per thousand pages is likely around $24, given the WSJ.com‘s high ad rates and number of ads per page. That means about $525,000 in October; assuming October is representative of a typical month, that’s about $6.3 million a year. Even if revenue per thousand pages runs much lower, say $10, that’s still almost $3 million a year.
Jon Miller, the head of News Corps’ digital efforts, said that putting up pay walls might be a fair trade off for blocking all the low-cost aggregators of its content. “The traffic which comes in from
Google brings a consumer who more often than not reads one article and then leaves the site,” he said. “That is the least valuable of traffic to us.”
It’s hard to tell if Mr. Murdoch is bluffing in hopes of bringing other parties, including Google, to the table in hopes of getting better deals on the use of News Corp. content, or if he really is willing to take a unilateral leap off a cliff and substantially decrease the visibility of the company’s news. He does point out that the digital news business has a bit of a supply and demand problem: Too many news sites chasing too few ad dollars.
“The fact is there’s not enough advertising in the world to go around to make all the Web sites profitable. And we’d rather have fewer people coming to our Web site, but paying.”


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Colin Kaepernick, in extreme close-up, stares out of Nike’s newest advertisement celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the brand’s iconic “Just Do It” campaign. The text, printed over Kaepernick’s determined expression, reads: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” And while the campaign has caused angry white men to cut swooshes off their clothes and burn their shoes in the name of patriotism, the ad might just be a boon for parents of all political stripes. Because what the Kaepernick ad provides dads is an opportunity to talk to children about the importance of standing up (or, actually, kneeling down) for one’s beliefs, even in the face of vocal opposition at the highest levels.
Make no mistake, Nike made a calculated business decision to stir up controversy by featuring Kaepernick. Brand executives knew full well that the campaign would enrage those who have been critical of the former quarterbacks’ silent protests of police brutality during the national anthem. Nike was also banking on the fact that supporters of Kaepernick would cheer the brand’s decision, and at the very least, the media attention would spur sales. But that does not make Kaepernick’s story, or Nike’s decision to surface it, any less important.
The fact is that Kaepernick was a successful starting quarterback prior to the public display of his convictions. Ever since his action, despite having once been a starter, he has been unable to find work, even as a backup. The man essentially burned down a career to fight against racial injustice, and that requires a lot of bravery.
Regardless of how a parent might view Kaepernick’s protest, there’s a great deal to be learned from the man about the courage to hold to one’s moral convictions. And isn’t that what parents want in the end? A child brave enough to stand up for what they feel is right despite the ridicule they might face? After all, that’s the only way we can hope to send kids to school who are allies for the kids who are bullied. It’s the only way we raise kids who turn away from peer pressure when that pressure leads to destructive ends.
Are there other people in history that parents can point to who’ve done the same? Absolutely. Consider Martin Luther King who gave up his life for his beliefs. Consider Gandhi’s hunger strikes for liberty. Consider the life of Jesus, if you happen to be religious. And yes, those are all incredible stories which children will likely (hopefully) hear at some point. But, sadly, those stories also lack the kind of contemporary relevance that cuts through the noise of modern media.
Obviously, Nike would be roundly criticized if it used an image of Martin Luther King in a Just Do It ad. And that critique would be completely justified. But Kaepernick’s relevance to the lifestyle sports brand and the controversy surrounding him makes the ad campaign a lively and interesting topic for kids. They will have almost certainly seen the news on Twitter or Facebook. They will likely have witnessed men destroying Nike goods in infantile fits of rage. And more than historical figures, that makes Kaepernick’s story a timely jumping off point for parents.
It all starts with a simple question: Is there something you believe in enough that you would be willing to lose your favorite thing in order to make a statement? Parents might be incredibly surprised by the answer to that question. And, importantly, the conversation that follows does not need to have anything to do with police brutality or race. It can simply be about holding fast to moral beliefs.
That’s an important conversation for parents to have with children, no matter what their political background might be. And the Nike ad is an incredible place to start if parents can resolve to just do it.


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Woolworths launches independent complaints-hotline for its suppliers
|Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has launched Speak Up, a new, externally-hosted hotline – delivered by Deloitte – for Woolworths suppliers to report trading concerns of a serious nature after standard procedures have been exhausted.Issues, which can be reported anonymously, include fraud, corruption, threatening behaviour, people or product safety risks, theft, conflict of interest, bullying and harassment. Woolworths says that the delivery by Deloitte assures a greater level of independence.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) released a media statement commenting on the new system. In the statement, AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said there are currently serious problems facing food and grocery manufacturers and suppliers in dealing with major supermarkets.
Ms Carnell said, “Australia and New Zealand have the highest levels of supermarket concentration in the world, creating a huge power imbalance between the major retailers and suppliers.
“By establishing this new complaints mechanism, Woolworths has acknowledged that many suppliers are not comfortable bringing their concerns directly to the company for fear it may impact on their ongoing trading relationship.”
Australian Food News reported on Monday 27 February on a new government report which suggested Australia’s two major supermarkets have nearly 80 per cent of the market.
The Woolworths launch of its “Speak Up” hotline comes after ACCC Chairperson Rod Sims’ invitation to suppliers to whistle-blow to the ACCC any abuses of market power by supermarket groups. However, some industry observers are saying that Mr Sims has been more reticent to discuss in public forums the issue of alleged supermarket power abuses.
The ACCC also has previously incorporated a whistle-blowing scheme in its highest level compliance program against a company engaging in anti-competitive conduct. The move by Woolworths may therefore be connected with a desire by Woolworths to improve its existing Competition and Consumer Act compliance programs. It might also be viewed, however, as a pre-emptive move in the context of pressure from the food and grocery industry (through representative body, the AFGC) for an independent Supermarket Ombudsman office to be instituted through government policy.
It remains unclear whether suppliers to supermarkets will feel adequately protected by the new Woolworths scheme and its assurance of anonymity.
Identification by the supermarket of a supplier-specific complaint emanating from a whistleblower might still leave a supplier commercially exposed. Even if this does not involve direct retaliation by the supermarket, the exposure of the complaint might be sufficient to jeopardize the continuity of the supplier’s relationship with the supermarket.
The California-based Edward and Sons Trading Company has recently launched organic green banana flou...
Australia’s second-largest pizza chain could be created if a rumoured merger between Eagle Boys and ...
Are things finally starting to look up for Woolworths?
The NSW State Government yesterday confirmed the introduction of 10 cent refunds for drink container...
If Woolworths decides to divest itself of petrol stations, it may miss out on future lucrative deals...


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Though Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop gets chided by snarky bloggers, her lifestyle brand has become a serious player within the health and wellness space. Whenever she endorses a new trend or product, it launches into the self-care space as an overnight necessity for living your best life. We’ve seen Paltrow help popularize Reiki and infrared saunas, among other products.
Of course, Paltrow’s Goop exists in a somewhat rarefied space of luxury wellness, where the everyday Joe can’t really afford what she’s peddling. For example, the Paltrow brand hosted a conference in Los Angeles last weekend called “In Goop Health.” Tickets started at $650 for attendees and they were exposed to “aerial yoga and LED light eye-masks, along with seminars on autoimmune disorders and postnatal depletion,” according to Quartzy.
But Paltrow and company also focused on the plant that’s trickling through the wellness space, luxury or otherwise. That would be cannabis.
Related Story: CBD Is Changing Sexual Health And Wellness
“I love this subject,” said Paltrow. “It really has the potential to shift old patterns of thought and change lives, and I feel like we really could be on the precipice of something a lot bigger than we realize, scientifically.”
The conference played host to a panel on the future of cannabis hosted by actress and director Lake Bell, whose husband is a co-founder of Beboe, the luxury vaporizer and edible company.
What followed was a 40-minute cannabis crash course, with panelists outlining the differences between the cannabinoids THC and CBD, and between the indica and sativa strains, and providing tips for the uninitiated: “Start slow and low,” said [Cindy Capobianco of Lord Jones]. “You can always consume more, but you can’t consume less.” Also: try a full-spectrum plant or extract (as opposed to a chemical isolate), don’t mix it with alcohol, and do it in a safe place. Dillon espoused the myriad methods of consuming cannabis: topicals, tinctures, vaping, even suppositories and tampons for easing cramps.
But education wasn’t all that attendees received. In fact, it sounds like they received one of the most premiere swag bags of luxury cannabis products assembled. Check it out:
As guests filed out, they received red zippered pouches from MedMen, a Los Angeles-based chain of dispensaries. Inside were pink Kush Queen CBD bath bombs, Papa & Barkley pain “releaf” patches, and cards announcing that a “Goop-curated edit” of products would be available at MedMen’s new location, on Venice’s swanky Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Among those products: Défoncé matcha chocolate bars, Kikiko Tranquili-Tea, and Beboe’s Sativa vape pen.
Ashley Lewis, who runs Goop’s wellness products lines, hinted that we might see some Goop CBD products down the road. But don’t expect to see anything soon. Regardless, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the luxury wellness space is embracing cannabis with open arms.


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LSR to open second Alameda location after failing to secure contract
A travel agency with a record number of customers is set to open a second Alhambra location after being shut out by a contract negotiation.
The travel agency was told it would need to move out of the Alameda area.
Its owner is currently seeking an additional two-year deal for the new site in downtown Alameda.
The LSR website shows it has more than 9,000 registered clients.
The company’s parent company, LSR Travel, said the new Alhambrans location would be able to support the business and provide its clients with better customer service and higher quality products.
LSR has been operating since 1998 and was one of the first travel agents to open in the city.
Its services include travel insurance and hotel bookings.


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Rogue Trader Jamie Rabin from Teignmouth knowingly sold a van with faulty brakes.
Tag Archives: Devon
Trading Standards and police officers visit communities throughout Devon and Somerset to highlight the dangers of rogue traders
The scheme has funding from Devon County Council, Tiverton Town Council and Tesco’s eco-friendly community awards scheme ‘Bags of Help.’
Trading Standards have seized a large amount of illegal skin lightening creams which contain a product that could cause damage to the liver and nervous system.
Gemma Grainger-Peach, 42, of Churchill Way, Taunton, pleaded guilty to selling more than 5,000 counterfeit Cath Kidston phone cases.


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But while the dynamics of year-on-year comparisons in these early months are fraught with difficulties, an actual detailed measure indicate an appreciable downward trend, said a FreightWaves commentary.
Last week, a 23,000-TEU ship reportedly departed China en route to North Europe with only 2,000 laden TEU. One report claimed only 50 per cent of dockers are on duty in Shanghai, the world's largest container port.
The six-month trailing numbers are down for the fifth straight month - to a 4.6 per cent decline - and the 12-month trailing, are down for the ninth straight month, to a 1.8 per cent decline.
With tariffs still in place, the downward trend would continue for the first nine months of 2020 resulting in a 10 per cent actual decline, similar to the fourth-quarter experience.
The reprieve in January will be short-lived, but not just because of US tariffs. A new negative comes from the coronavirus, now impacting supply chains.
The spread of the virus and its ramifications have grown exponentially. US inbound loads weren't affected in January and the impact in February will be moderate. But the coronavirus impact on March will be significant, said the commentator John McCown.
The coronavirus impact first resulted in at least a one-week holiday extension that kept factories throughout China closed. Reports point to extensive quarantines and reduced activity, even after the holiday ended.


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Electronic Arts has added nine classic games to Steam including Dungeon Keeper Gold, SimCity 3000, and WW2-era open-world action game The Saboteur, which had previously been delisted from Valve’s digital PC store, but is now back and on sale.
These days, I feel like I spend more time writing and reading about games being delisted, deleted, canceled, or stuck on old platforms. Just earlier today, on March 8, I was reading posts from developers about how Warner Bros. Discovery is planning to delist about a dozen games from Steam with little warning. So I’ll take any good news I can get, like EA bringing some classic PC games to Steam, making them easier to play on devices like the Steam Deck.
On March 7, EA announced that nine classic PC games had been added to Steam. The publisher even made a little fancy trailer announcing the news. How nice.
Here is the full list of games EA just added to Steam:
Command & Conquer The Ultimate Collection
SimCity 3000 Unlimited
Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods
Populous: The Beginning
Dungeon Keeper Gold
Dungeon Keeper 2
Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack
A nice bonus: At the moment, to celebrate these games coming to Steam, EA has them all on sale.
Now to be clear, most of these games were available on GOG already. So it’s not like EA is bringing these games out of the void and making them playable once more. But it is nice to see EA supporting Steam more, and having the option to buy classic games in more places is always good.
Plus, The Saboteur is now back on Steam after it was delisted from the platform sometime in 2015. Weirdly, the open-world action game developed by Pandemic—the last game the OG Star Wars Battlefront devs made before being shut down by EA—was never removed from EA’s digital storefront on PC or from GOG. It was just Steam that lost the game in 2015. But now, almost a decade later, this awesome game featuring slick black-and-white visuals is back. And if you can get it working on the Valve’s Steam Deck, it seems to run well.
Publishers still need to do a lot more to support old games and keep them from dying or being lost to time. So this might not seem like much, but it’s something at least and it’s not bad news and right now, I think we all deserve a bit of good news. Enjoy your Friday and have a nice weekend.


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FCC Will Investigate Ban Placed on Cell Phone Unlocking
March 1, 2013 8:48 AM
comment(s) - last by
Genachowski to investigate smartphone unlock ban
Smartphone fans around the country have been in an uproar ever since a ban was placed on a user's ability to unlock their own mobile phone on January 26. Apparently, the ban didn't put limits on carriers being able to unlock their devices, but individuals cracking their phone to operate on other networks was forbidden.
The FCC has now promised to investigate whether the ban is harmful to market competitiveness. The FCC also plans to see if the executive branch has the authority to change the law.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski told
, "[The] ban raises competition concerns; it raises innovation concerns."
Prior to the ban going into effect, customers were allowed to unlock their smartphones, allowing users to switch carriers and keep the device they had already purchased. Smartphones were exempted from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which has a provision placing a ban on the circumvention of copy protection schemes.
Now, smartphone owners who use unauthorized methods to unlock their devices open themselves up to potential legal penalty.
Genachowski said, "It’s something that we will look at at the FCC to see if we can and should enable consumers to use unlocked phones."
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
3/1/2013 6:09:33 PM
The government is ridiculously larger than any logic would have it be.
Not agreeing or disagreeing but how big is it? What is the ideal ratio of government employees to population?
The reason I asked is because if you do not know what that ideal level is......well you wont know when to stop complaining and nothing will be good enough.
3/1/2013 9:54:47 PM
566 government employees total should be enough.
3/4/2013 5:42:15 AM
Dumbest thing I've heard. "End fascism" but then make a comment that says turn over every non-elected position to them.
Then again, poverty of thought when it comes to government is pretty common here on DT since the moron Libertarians took over the site shortly after launch, with regard to comments.... and most of the bloggers.
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Credit giant Visa has confirmed it is leaving the Libra Association, which was started by Facebook earlier this year to create and manage the libra cryptocurrency.
News of Visa’s departure comes on the back of a number of other high profile exits from the consortium that is only a few months old.
Earlier today eBay, Stripe and MasterCard all reportedly pulled out of the consortium, which was launched in June with 28 members. Earlier this week PayPal also left the group.
A Visa spokesperson said:
Visa has decided not to join the Libra Association at this time. We will continue to evaluate and our ultimate decision will be determined by a number of factors, including the Association’s ability to fully satisfy all requisite regulatory expectations. Visa’s continued interest in Libra stems from our belief that well-regulated blockchain-based networks could extend the value of secure digital payments to a greater number of people and places, particularly in emerging and developing markets.
The non-profit Libra Association was originally set up by Facebook to help create open-source code that would eventually power the libra cryptocurrency. While anyone would be able to build on this code only Libra Association members would be responsible to audit the transactions, and would be positioned to profit off the endeavor if it ever launches.
The libra cryptocurrency, scheduled to go live in 2020, is being designed to function like bitcoin and ethereum in that its transactions are public, making it perhaps more attractive to regulators. But it would also be backed by fiat assets such as the U.S. dollar and government bonds. Theoretically, the currencies used to back the currency could pay dividends that would accrue to the founding association members.
Reactions from global governments and central banks have been diverse, with the United Kingdom largely supporting the idea, while France and Germany have taken harsher stances against it, expressing concerns it could undermine their central banks’ monetary policies by trapping fiat currency in banks while a surrogate floated around in user accounts.
U.S. Congress grilled the head of Facebook’s cryptocurrency program, David Marcus, earlier this year, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify later this month.


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Some Cottonelle Wipes Recalled
Many people rushed out at the beginning of the pandemic and stocked up on supplies. That was especially true of bathroom supplies. Personal hygiene is crucial to avoid becoming ill. And no one wanted to be left without toilet paper or other bathroom essentials when areas were issuing stay at home orders! Since then, with every fresh wave of news on TV, there seems to be a run on the stores’ supplies. If one of the things you bought was flushable Cottonelle wipes, you should check to see if they have been recalled.
Some Cottonelle Flushable Wipes and Cottonelle GentlePlus Flushable Wipes made between Feb. 7, and Sept. 14 have been recalled as they may have been contaminated with bacteria. That means, if you have bought Cottonelle Flushable Wipes during the pandemic, there is a chance they are included in the recall.
The bacteria, called Pluralibacter gergoviae, can cause serious infections, even in otherwise healthy people. You can enter the lot number on your packaging on the website to see if your product is in the recall. If you would prefer to call, they can be reached Monday-Friday, 9-5 Eastern Time at 1-800-414-0165.
“Pluralibacter gergoviae rarely causes serious infections in healthy individuals,” Kimberly-Clark, the makers of Cottonelle, said on its product recall information page. “However, individuals with weakened immune systems are at a heightened risk of infection.” If your wipes aren’t in the recall, they are safe to use.
Pluralibacter gergoviae is resistant to antibiotics, which makes infections hard to treat. The bacteria can cause gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinal infections. So far, the company said in a statement, they have only had “non-serious complaints” of minor infections and irritations. But they said that people should stop using them immediately and call their doctor if they have any concerns about their exposure.
The bacteria isn’t related to COVID-19, but it is irritating to have another thing to worry about during this already worrying time. It’s even more frustrating that it’s caused by something meant to help us stay clean and healthy! We want all our customers to stay safe and healthy so look up any wipes you have in your bathroom today!
Banner Image: Kimberly-Clark


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Dell Technologies has retained the leading position in the global PC monitor market, recording 21.4 per cent of the worldwide share during the second quarter of 2019.
The vendor shipped over 6.4 million units, outpacing the market with growth of 1.1 per cent, mainly due to “solid results” in North America and Western Europe.
More generally speaking, and according to IDC findings, the worldwide market for PC monitors saw a year-over-year decline of 2.2 per cent during the quarter, with shipment volume totalling just over 30 million units.
Although the market shrank, the results exceeded forecast and maintained the seasonal trend of surpassing first quarter volume, IDC stated.
“Outside of Asia Pacific (excluding Japan), the PC monitor market was otherwise healthy in the second quarter," said Jay Chou, research manager, IDC. “Commercial replacements and upgrades into larger screens continue to drive the narrative, though the shift toward notebooks in the biggest region, Asia Pacific (excluding Japan), and a slowdown in China has wrought some challenges.”
Chou said factors which affected the results include "continued adoption of larger models, relatively strong shipments in 1Q19 that left some inventory, and premium focus on gaming and curved displays".
External implications such as Windows 10 migration in the commercial PC space and international trade tensions also played a factor.
Meanwhile, behind Dell in the market is HP with 15.2 per cent share, having shipped more than 4.5 million units during the three-month period, despite a shipment decline of 1.9 per cent year-over-year. Rounding off the top five vendor list is TPV (14.4 per cent); Lenovo (10 per cent) and LG Electronics (8.2 per cent).
“Curved monitors grew 44.7 per cent year-over-year in 2Q19, with both consumer and commercial markets increasingly receptive to the still niche but growing part of the display landscape,” IDC stated. “Though 21.5-inch is the most popular screen size currently, bigger screens are expected to grow, and IDC expects 23.8-inch wide monitors to take the top position by 2023.
“Monitors with IPS panels took half of 2Q19 volume, the first time it has reached 50 per cent of market. TN panels remained the second most popular panel but has seen more competition from VA panels, which gamers increasingly are moving towards.”
Going forward, IDC expects 122 million PC monitors will ship for the full year 2019, representing a year-over-year decline of one per cent, but this is still a raised outlook compared to earlier forecasts.


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Daily Briefing, May 21 – Market Wrap & Key Economic Events to Trade
Arslan Butt • 2 min read
- The spillover from the latest developments in the trade war between the US and China proceeded to pressure stock markets during Monday’s trading.
- The Nasdaq finished the day below 1.46% with the S&P and Dow only down 0.67% and 0.33% sequentially.
- The dollar fell off its recent highs. However, it remains relatively well bid up to near the 98.00 level with some of the currencies still looking vulnerable against the Greenback in the current environment.
- Commodities had a reasonably calm day with WTI consolidating around $63.3 and gold traded sideways under the $1,280 level.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the day’s trading sessions, the UK Inflation Report Hearings by the Bank of England’s Governor remains on the cards. There are also a few low impact news items in the way during the New York session today, but most of the attention stays on FOMC members Evans and Rosengren who are due to speak later today.
GBP – Inflation Report Hearings
At 8:30 GMT, the Governor and the MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) are going to testify on the inflation report before the parliament. The hearings are a few hours in length and can create market volatility for the duration. Especially noted are the direct comments made about the currency markets.
Let us recall that the UK’s inflation rate is still in the range, but this month fell to 1.9%, missing the 2.2% forecast. In this report hearing, investors need to see what they are expecting in the future.
USD – FOMC Member Evans Speaks
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans is due to speak about the economy and monetary policy at the Financial Markets Conference, in Florida at 14:45 GMT. Audience questions expected.
USD – FOMC Member Rosengren Speaks
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren is scheduled to speak at the Economic Club of New York at 16:00 GMT. Federal Reserve FOMC members vote on where to set the nation’s key interest rates, and their public engagements are often used to drop subtle clues regarding future monetary policy.
NZD – Retail Sales q/q
The Statistics New Zealand is due to release the retail sales data at 22:45 GMT. It’s the primary gauge of consumer spending, which accounts for the majority of overall economic activity. Economists look very optimistic about retail sales as the figures are expected to jump by 0.6% vs. 1.7% beforehand. Considering this, investors are likely to continue trading the New Zealand dollar with a bearish sentiment.
USD – Core Retail Sales m/m
This also shows a change in the total value of sales at the retail level, excluding automobiles. The data is also due at 22:45 GMT, and core retail sales are expected to grow by 0.9% vs. 2% beforehand. So it justifies an interest rate cut from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.


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Guangzhou SOE to Partner With LG in $6.7 Billion Display-Panel Plant
LG’s planned Guangzhou display-panel factory will be 30% owned by joint-venture partner Guangzhou-Kaide Technologies Development Co., sources close to the matter told Caixin.
The South Korean home-appliances giant announced Tuesday that it will build a facility to produce large-panel organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays in Guangzhou’s Economic and Technological Development Zone. LG’s official announcement said it was providing 70% of a 15.7 billion yuan ($2.33 billion) investment in the factory, but did not specify who will provide the remaining amount.
- 1 China Seeks $7 Billion Sanctions Against U.S. in Dumping Dispute
- 2Opinion: China-U.S. Friendship Goes Deeper Than Fights Over Trade, Pollution
- 3With Latest IPhones, Apple Again Bows to the Chinese Market
- 4Chinese Scientist Blasts U.S. Over Politicization of Research
- 5Gallery: Xi’an’s War on ‘Illegal’ Villas Thunders On
- 1Power To The People: Pintec Serves A Booming Consumer Class
- 2Largest hotel group in Europe accepts UnionPay
- 3UnionPay mobile QuickPass debuts in Hong Kong
- 4UnionPay International launches premium catering privilege U Dining Collection
- 5UnionPay International’s U Plan has covered over 1600 stores overseas


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The new color design was revealed in a post on the official Nintendo of America Twitter account, which features a video overview of the "Galaxy Style" model by NoA president and chief operating officer Reggie Fils-Aime.
Just last week, Nintendo cut the price of several Wii U and 3DS games, including The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The company also launched a Mario-themed New 3DS bundle that comes packed with a pre-installed copy of Super Mario 3D Land and two sets of cover plates.
What do you think of the "Galaxy Style" New 3DS XL design? Let us know in the comments, and for more on Nintendo, head over to Nintendo Voice Chat. Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and subscribe to his video content on YouTube.


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Shares of the data storage company inched up 0.13 to 9. In October, Maxtor Corp.(Nasdaq: MXTR) announced it was snapping up up Quantum HDD in a $2.3 billion stock swap deal, expected to close early next year.
Quantum HDD said it now expects to ship between 7 million and 7.5 million units, and take in revenue of between $725 million and $750 million.
According to Quantum HDD president, John Gannon, the revenue shortfall is due to a specific component availability issue which impacted the production ramps of the company's new desktop product lines. Gannon says the company has found alternate sources for this component, but was unable to correct the situation in time to maintain its quarterly numbers.
. The company, which reported loss of 25 cents a share, excluding a special charge reversal, in the second quarter, said it expects to reduce its sequential net loss by more than half, despite the revenue shortfall. First Call Corp. estimates for the third quarter were for break even earnings.
"This shortfall is solely attributable to the desktop drive business. Our high-end business remains on track for sequential unit and revenue growth for the December quarter," Gannon added.


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The OnePlus 6 to be most expensive OnePlus phone so far, could launch on May 18
OnePlus fans had a lot of leaks and rumors to check out over the last few months, but now it seems that the upcoming OnePlus 6 is closer than ever. The Chinese phone maker might not have said anything about the launch date and price of the OnePlus 6 yet, but Indian website MoneyControl apparently published these piece of information instead of keeping them hidden until the right time.
As it usually happens with the information that surfaces online even for a few seconds, removing it doesn't help much. In this case, everyone saw it, a cached version of the page is still online, so it only remains to see when will OnePlus make it all official. According to MoneyControl's article, the OnePlus 6 will be launched on May 18 and will be available in India for a price of INR 39,999 - around US$602 at the current exchange rate.
Regarding the specs and features of the OnePlus 6, most of the leaks and rumors we bumped into so far mention no less than 8 GB of memory and a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. The display will have a notch similar to those found in the Apple iPhone X or Huawei P20 Pro.
In addition to the above, we can also safely assume the presence of a dual-camera setup on the back, at least 64 GB of internal storage, and Android Oreo. However, we might have to wait three more weeks until it all becomes official, so stay tuned for more OnePlus 6-related leaks and rumors until then.


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Manufacturer monopolised access to vehicle data jeopardises competition, innovation and consumer choice according to a coalition of insurers, the automotive aftermarket, dealers, leasing companies and consumers.
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association and European Association of Automotive Suppliers recently announced a common technical architecture that would see all in-vehicle data channelled through the vehicle manufacturer’s proprietary server.
Only part of the data generated would then be sent to a ‘neutral server’ and be accessible for independent operators.
Now a coalition led by CECRA, the European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs, has concluded that “this solution undermines vehicle owners’ right to decide who they share their data with and for what purposes”.
A statement issued by the council stated: “We also consider this to be a serious threat to competition, innovation and consumer choice in the digital era.
“Today, vehicle manufacturers and their partner suppliers compete on the market for a wide range of vehicle-related services and products (e.g. financial, leasing, insurances, diagnostics, replacement parts etc.) that are increasingly reliant on real time in-vehicle data.
“In this new digital age, it is not sufficient to only have direct access to the in-vehicle data only through an interoperable physical interface – a digital communication lifeline is also needed.”
CECRA said that an open-access platform was the right way forward, ensuring the same high level of safety, security, liability and data protection as the vehicle manufacturers’ solution, whilst safeguarding competition, innovation and consumer choice.


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"India has JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) based DBT mechanism for diff. schemes. Successfully deposited Rs. 28,256 Cr. to 31.77 Cr. beneficiaries bank a/cs under Covid relief. DBT is fulcrum for targeted delivery of such measures. Pls don't believe any outlandish rumours!," the Department of Financial Services said in a tweet.
There have been various rumours since the government announced the Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalayan Yojana to help the poor withstand the hardship caused by the coronavirus lockdown.
Earlier this week, there was a rumour on social media that money transferred to women's Jan Dhan accounts will be taken back if the beneficiary does not withdraw immediately from the account.
This led to serpentine queues outside bank branches as worried women scrambled to claim the amount, thus putting social distancing measures in jeopardy.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had last month announced that as many of 20.5 crore women Jan Dhan account holders will get Rs 500 per month for the next three months. DP ABM ABM
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- I-T Wing’s Lens on Offshore Payments by Indian Cos Now
A company, like an individual taxpayer, is also required to disclose its overseas financial interests, subsidiaries, and bank accounts in the annual I-T returns.Need More Direct and Indirect Tax Reforms
There is need for further reforms in the direct and indirect tax regimes, revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj said.Global Apparel Cos Bounce Back in Style
About half a dozen global apparel and lifestyle brands expanded anywhere between 30% and 70% to garner combined annual revenues of nearly $2 billion in FY22, reversing the performance from a year ago when Covid-induced curbs on mobility and business operations caused sales to shrink.
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Byte, a reboot of Vine from the identical creator, has despatched out the first 100 invitations to its closed beta.
The app is solely described as a “looping video app,” and is predicted to perform the method Vine used to.
According to creator Dom Hofmann, Byte is already on monitor to being the true Vine reboot customers have been hoping for:
the byte beta we’ve been working with family and friends *feels* precisely like the vine family and friends beta, down to the bizarre however interesting randomness of the movies. that’ll change as we develop, but it surely’s a reasonably good signal pic.twitter.com/rBbQrNtTJ7
— dom hofmann (@dhof) April 22, 2019
Vine has managed to keep an avid fanbase since being shut city by Twitter over two years in the past.
Fans of Vine have been getting their repair by watching compilation movies on YouTube. Soon they might have the opportunity to create all-new reminiscences with Byte.
The launch of Byte will definitely profit from its built-in viewers of former Vine customers. However, since Vine was shut down, a brand new king has claimed the short-form video throne.
I’m speaking about TikTok, which was downloaded extra instances than Instagram final 12 months.
TikTok is a looping video app which might embody licensed music, in order that lends itself to numerous inventive lip-syncing movies.
The momentum of TikTok can’t be understated, because it’s quickly turning into the app of selection amongst Gen Z customers.
Where Byte can differentiate itself is with its consumer base. If Byte can entice older age teams then there’s an actual alternative to compete.
While TikTok is full of lip syncing and teenage shenanigans, Byte might be the video-sharing dwelling for older customers.
Although will probably be some time earlier than we get to the level of seeing these apps compete, as Hoffman plans to run a number of beta checks earlier than releasing Byte publicly.


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BEIJING (CHINA) – In a latest blow to billionaire Jack Ma, the central bank disclosed on Sunday it had asked the country’s payments giant Ant Group Co Ltd to shake up its lending and other consumer finance operations. Ma is the founder and controlling shareholder of the group.
The announcement came more than a month after Chinese regulators abruptly suspended Ant’s $37 billion initial public offering in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and only days after the country’s antitrust authorities said they had launched a probe into Ma’s e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
Chinese regulators and Communist Party officials have set about reining in Ma’s sprawling financial empire after he publicly criticized the country’s regulatory system in October for stifling innovation.
Regulators have urged Ant to rectify financial regulatory violations, including in its credit, insurance and wealth management businesses, and overhaul its credit rating business to protect personal information, People’s Bank of China (PBOC) Vice Governor Pan Gongsheng said on Sunday.
Pan’s comments stopped short of calling for a breakup of Ant, yet pointed to a significant operational restructuring. Ant should set up a separate holding company to ensure capital adequacy and regulatory compliance, Pan said.
Ant should also be fully licensed to operate its personal credit business, and be more transparent about its third-party payment transactions and not engage in unfair competition, Pan added.
Ant said in a statement it would establish a “rectification” working group and fully implement regulatory requirements.
Ma has been advised by the Chinese government to stay in the country,
Pan said Ant representatives met on Saturday with officials from the PBOC and other Chinese banking, securities and foreign exchange regulators.
During the meeting, regulators pointed out Ant’s issues including its poor corporate governance, defiance of regulatory demands, illegal regulatory arbitrage, the use of its market advantage to squeeze out competitors, and harming consumers’ legal interests, according to Pan.


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From the Good E-Reader Blog. More in the article.
The Kyobo was the first hybrid tablet and e-reader to use Mirasol’s new color e-paper technology. It came out early this year and Qualcomm was heavily touting the device as a major achievement. Kyobo is the largest bookstore chain in South Korea and senior management has confirmed with us today that the company is discontinuing the Kyobo e-Reader.
All Kyobo locations in South Korea will not be ordering in Mirasol e-readers once existing stock is sold out. Many retail outlets still have a number of them in stock but are phasing them out completely. The company told us that they face stiff competition from Samsung, Toshiba, Acer, and Asus tablets in the retail market. The Kyobo costs around $300 US and you can get a higher performing tablet with a more recent version of Google Android for the cost. The Kyobo e-Reader simply did not generate enough buzz and attention in their stores to be viable for continued distribution.


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Amazon has patented a way for its delivery drones to drop off packages without ever having to land.
The new patent describes an accordion-like tube that would extend from the drone to a drop-off point such as a porch and let the package slide through to a safe landing.
Additionally, the technology could make it easier to deliver packages when conditions aren’t optimal for landing and also cut down on noise pollution.
‘When the aerial vehicle (drone) arrives at a delivery area, the shroud is extended from the underneath side of the aerial vehicle as the aerial vehicle descends,’ the patent – which was filed on Tuesday – says.
It goes on to describe how the shroud would act as a ‘channel in which a payload, such as an ordered item, may be passed to facilitate delivery of the item.’
The shroud – which a single drone may have up to four of – would have ridges on the inside to slow down the release of the package.
Once the item was successfully delivered, the drone would retract the shrouds and fly away.
The technology would also enable the drones to more easily navigate winds and avoid contact with obstacles as well as customers.
An additional benefit would be their ability to muffle noise created by the drone.
‘If the aerial vehicle is operating during high winds and/or in an area that includes many obstacles (e.g., trees) it may be beneficial to only extend the delivery shrouds that are closest to a portion of the delivery area where sound transmission is to be reduced,’ the filing states.
For example, the drone could extend the two shrouds closest to the customer’s porch to deliver the package as well as the the two on the other side to dampen the noise.
This is just one of Amazon’s recent drone-related patent filings.
In June, the company secured a patent for hive-like structure where its drones would live while not making deliveries.
The patent states: ‘A multi-level (ML) fulfillment center is designed to accommodate landing and takeoff of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), possibly in an urban setting, such as in a densely populated area.’
‘Unlike traditional fulfillment centers, the ML fulfillment centers may include many levels (i.e., stories, floors, etc.) as permitted under zoning regulations for respective areas.’


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https://natwhitten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/INYT-thumbnail-putin-1.jpg 428 642 Miyens Technologies https://natwhitten.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/nat-whitten-incorporated-logo-1.png Miyens Technologies2015-07-19 03:31:472021-02-15 01:18:31International New York Times
International New York Times
When The International Herald Tribune joined with The New York Times to become The International New York Times, a global campaign was needed to retain the subscribers of the IHT while growing readership for the new entity in countries as diverse as Spain, Germany, India, Israel, and China. Included in the media were banner ads, TV spots, pre-roll video, outdoor, business-to-business, direct response, print, and retail signage. All in the local dialects. Oh, yes, and an elevator installation in airports.


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AWS announced a new local zone today in LA, designed to provide customers in southern California with a set of higher bandwidth, lower latency compute resources. It’s not a coincidence that this area is the epicenter of the entertainment industry.
Having a local zone gives LA-area companies, whether that’s related to video processing, gaming, ad tech or machine learning, access to a much more localized set of resources, wrote Jeff Barr of AWS in a blog post announcing the new zone.
“Today we are launching a Local Zone in Los Angeles, California. The Local Zone is a new type of AWS infrastructure deployment that brings select AWS services very close to a particular geographic area. This Local Zone is designed to provide very low latency (single-digit milliseconds) to applications that are accessed from Los Angeles and other locations in Southern California,” Barr wrote
As he pointed out, LA is home to a lot of companies that require this kind of local compute for gaming, 3D modeling and rendering, video processing (including real-time color correction), video streaming and media production pipelines.
The LA zone is actually part of a broader US West (Oregon) Region. Those customers who want to take advantage of the new zone will have to opt in by selecting it in the Local Zones console. It will be billed separately, but also includes access to savings plans.


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The Nigerian World Cup’s Jersey is probably the most sold out of all the 2018 World Cup Jerseys. After its official release on 1st of June 2018, in a matter of hours the Jerseys were completely sold out. Nigerian football fans all over walks of life had waited patiently along the London’s Regent’s Street to get hold of the Green and White stripes Nigerian World Jersey. However, the the sellers of the fake Jersey’s in Nigeria have been reported to witness decreasing patronage.
Read more: cnn.com


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MOSCOW, June 5 (RIA Novosti) – The majority of Russians prefer organic products to their cheaper and more visually appealing GMO counterparts, which also have a longer shelf life, a survey by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) shows.
Seventy-four percent of those surveyed said they would rather choose organic products over GMOs, even if genetically modified groceries are cheaper. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they prefer organic products to their more visually appealing GMO counterparts, while 78% percent said they would buy organic food even knowing that GMOs have a longer shelf-life.
About a third of those surveyed believe that meat products contain GMOs, while one-in-five thought GMOs are found in vegetables, fruits and grains.
The survey also found that half of those polled would not want to buy products containing artificial preservatives. Many are biased against food dyes (40%) and soybeans (38%). A quarter of respondents would not purchase products with emulsifiers (28%) and sodium nitrate (24%).
The opinion poll was conducted on May 24-25, 2014, with pollsters interviewing 1,600 people in in 42 regions and a margin of error of no greater than 3.4 percent.
In April, the Ministry of Education and Science drafted a bill aimed at tightening control over GMO-based products in the country. According to the bill, the import of GMOs into Russia could be prohibited should such products fail to pass the necessary inspections.


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If you were hoping for the Baller nerf that was announced to be coming to Fortnite then unfortunately you are out of luck for now. It looks like they are still working on the functionality, and it won't be ready for April 10th's patch according to Epic:
In the v8.20 Patch Notes, we mentioned that we’d be making an adjustment that allows players to shoot through the glass of The Baller. This functionality won’t be in the v8.30 update that releases later this week We’re still polishing this change and will get it to you as soon as it’s ready!. Keep an eye on Patch Notes though, it’ll be ready in the near future.
While that won't be happening this week, it looks like we'll still be getting the new v8.30 patch that will hopefully include some new leaked cosmetics and maybe some interesting new additions to the game that have yet to be announced! We will have coverage of that tomorrow as soon as we possibly can!


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Apple sales strategy will place a damper on iPhone 'unlock' hackers
Expanded international market and tighter control over carrier sign-ups expected to cut demand for outlaw access to networks
The new iPhone and the way it will be sold will likely shut down a small industry that arose to make the first version of the iconic phone available around the world.
The original iPhone, which launched in June last year, was initially available only in the United States and only for use on AT&T Inc.'s network. In little more than a month, however, enterprising hackers found a way to "unlock" the phone to make it usable on other networks, including networks in other countries.
IPhones soon flowed out of the U.S., and analysts have estimated that one-third to one-half of the phones sold never made it onto AT&T's network.
Apple announced a new iPhone Monday for use on 3G, or third-generation, data networks. It will stem the flow of unlocked phones in two ways.
First, the phone will be sold in more countries. Apple added five countries beyond the U.S. for the first phone, but the second one will go on sale in 22 countries on July 11. Apple has said it will add more countries at a rapid clip and reach 70 by the end of the year. That takes away one of the main incentives for unlocking.
Second, Apple is abandoning the unusual arrangement under which the iPhone was being sold. Customers could buy them from a carrier or from Apple without activating them on a service plan, and that meant customers could go home and unlock the phones - and never sign up with AT&T.
"Anyone can unlock it without paying anyone anything," said Blas Caballero, an iPhone user in Mexico. "It's so easy. A minute-and-a-half, and all you have to do is push a button," said the 32-year-old Argentine, who owns a bar in Mexico City. He bought his iPhone in New York.
The new phone will be subsidized by carriers, which accounts for its lower price: $199 for the 8-GB model, down from $399. This brings the phone's marketing in line with standard industry practices.
The carriers plan to make back what they spend on the subsidy through service fees, which means they likely will require two-year service contracts from everyone who buys the phone. AT&T said buyers will have to activate service before leaving the store with an iPhone.
"It's looking pretty bleak for unlockers," said John McLaughlin, founder of Uniquephones.com, a New York company that sells unlock codes for cell phones. After being warned away by AT&T's lawyers, it doesn't help unlock iPhones. Unlocking software is available free online.
Apple tried to secure the device technically with its software updates, but couldn't. It's the requirement that buyers of the new phone sign up for service in the store that will be hard to get around, McLaughlin said.
Federal law allows consumers to unlock their own phones. But selling someone the means to unlock a phone and unlocking another person's phone may be illegal. At least one U.S. carrier has won civil cases, not involving iPhones, against unlocking businesses.
AT&T charges customers who break a two-year contract within the first month a $175 early termination fee plus the $36 activation fee. That would bring the cost of the new iPhone to $411 for an unlocker, just slightly more than the old model's $399 price.


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Keeping its promise to launch a new smartphone every week, Micromax has come up with another Canvas Series smartphone Micromax Canvas Lite A92 which is available online for pre-order.
Ecommerce-portal infibeam.com is offering the device at Rs 8,499 though the website shows the MRP as Rs 9,999
The device with 5 inch WVGA display screen runs on Android v. 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and powered by 1 GHZ dual core processor.
Micromax. The dual-SIM Canvas Lite A92 supports Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 (with A2DP and AVRCP), GPRS, and EDGE.
It sports a 5 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom and a flash. The phone also features of taking snaps in the night mode and multi shot mode.
Last week company announced the pre-booking for its much hyped smartphone Micromax Canvas 4, by paying Rs 5,000. The company said that the price and features of the phone will be announced on the July 8, 2013 when the phone is launched. Experts believe that with its features it could compete with Samsung Galaxy S4.
Micromax canvas series smartphones have been an instant hit with the people. It all started with Canvas HD (A116) a phablet which went for sale on February 14 and was out of stock within 24 hours.
Display - 5.0-inch WVGA display with 480x800p resolution
OS - Android v4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Processor - Dual-core processor with 1GHz CPU speed
RAM - 512MB
Storage capacity - 4GB ROM, expandable up to 32GB
Camera - 5.0-megapixel camera with flash support and 5X digital zoom
Battery - Li-Ion battery, 2000 mAh
Network - 2G & 3G
Add-ons - Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 (with A2DP and AVRCP), GPRS, EDGE.
For best mobile phone deals: http://shopping.telecomtiger.com/
For latest updates on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/TelecomTiger/429104257149437


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At the end of April this year, a press conference was held by the new president and CEO of Honda Motor, Toshihiro Mibe, in which key development areas and plans for the company until 2050 were highlighted.
Honda offers a wide range of products and is the world’s largest powertrain manufacturer. Throughout its history, with a wide range of engines, Honda has fostered transport mobility and made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life for people.
Honda will work comprehensively to address safety and environmental concerns. At the same time, Honda will strive to become a leader in mobility, powertrain, energy and robotics.
1.1. Three Initiatives to Achieve Zero Environmental Impact Honda will strive to be carbon neutral by 2050, as well as its products throughout the life cycle. To achieve this goal, Honda will focus on three areas: carbon neutrality, clean energy, and resource reuse.
In addition to electrifying the current model line of motorcycles and automobiles, Honda will expand its electrified product range with the Honda Mobile Power Pack, as well as expand the use of renewable energy through the creation of infrastructure-related smart grids.
To further increase the amount of energy used from renewable sources, the company will actively promote the use of hydrogen. Honda is committed to using a wide range of energy sources, including carbon neutral fuels, that will be efficient in all areas, including those where electrification is difficult, such as in the aviation industry.
In addition to finding more efficient ways to reuse and recycle batteries, Honda is researching the recycling of materials. The company aims to develop products made from 100% environmentally friendly materials.
Honda will continue to work on Honda’s eMaaS concept that promotes “freedom of mobility” and “increased use of renewable energy” by connecting electrified vehicles and services that provide access to electricity. Honda eMaaS will continue to grow steadily with three major challenges: increasing the number of Mobile Power Packs in use, using high capacity batteries for electrified vehicles, and adopting and deploying fuel cell systems.
1.2. Electrification of cars
Honda will aim to increase the share of battery-powered and fuel cell electric vehicles in total sales in all major markets to 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2035. In 2040, the company expects all of its global sales to be electric vehicles.
1.3. Motorcycle electrification
Honda will strive to become a leader in the motorcycle industry by adopting an approach that is not only electrifying, but also improving the fuel efficiency of gasoline engines and using biofuels.
For the electrification of motorcycles to be successful, it is necessary to consider the battery, which is still expensive, separately from the motorcycle. In developed countries, where electrification has strong community support, Honda will roll out the Mobile Power Pack technology to target its B2B and B2G customers.
For private clients, the company intends not only to expand its product line, but also to make available a large number of battery replacement stations. Also, to improve usability, Honda plans to make the batteries compatible with electric vehicles from other manufacturers. This requires the development of technology standards for replaceable batteries, and Honda and other motorcycle manufacturers in Japan and Europe have formed a consortium. Honda believes the Mobile Power Pack technology can expand beyond the motorcycle segment to include power technology and micro-vehicles. In this regard, the company began trials of a three-wheeled rickshaw taxi in India.
To meet the diverse needs of its customers, in addition to the planned market launch of the GYRO e: and GYRO CANOPY e: scooters for commercial use this year, Honda intends to introduce three new electric models in engine displacement classes to private customers by 2024. less than 50 cubic meters cm and less than 125 cc. cm.
1.4. Fuel cells
Hydrogen is expected to be popularized as a renewable energy source. Honda has a long history of research, development and commercialization of fuel cell technology.
Continuing its partnership with GM, Honda will strive to reduce costs and create a “hydrogen society” by expanding the fuel cell lineup, as well as by using fuel cells in other segments, including freight transport and stationary and mobile power supplies.
Security Initiatives Honda will aim to achieve zero fatal accidents involving Honda motorcycles and cars by 2050. The main challenge the company will face in achieving this goal is how to eliminate deaths from motorcycle collisions. The company will continue its research into technologies that allow motorcycles and cars to coexist safely. This means that Honda aims to be a leader in creating a crash-free society in terms of both hardware and software.
Since many of the accidents that kill motorcyclists are involving cars, the company plans to equip all new car models introduced in developed countries with ADAS by 2030.
Using the knowledge and know-how that the company has accumulated through the research and development of Level 3 automated driving technologies, Honda will improve the intelligence of ADAS, which will allow the system to recognize more different scenarios that could lead to accidents.
In addition, there are many road traffic accidents in developed countries that can be prevented through road safety education and an infrastructure and public policy approach. Therefore, Honda will also focus on developing educational programs and activities that improve the relationship between government and industry.
Research and development initiatives For Honda to continue to make progress on its environmental and safety initiatives, the company needs to invest heavily in research and development. Therefore, despite fluctuations in income levels, the company intends to invest a total of about 5 trillion over the next six years. yen for research and development.


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Biometrics, security keys and authenticator apps are letting tech companies try to bypass the flaws of password-based login.
Microsoft already convinced 200 million of us to enable passwordless authentication so we can get to Outlook.com, Xbox Live, OneDrive and Skype. Now it's letting those who want to do so dump the passwords altogether.
On Wednesday, the company opened up a new option to delete your password authentication. That means your sole means of logon will be using some combination of hardware security keys, biometrics like fingerprints and Windows Hello face recognition, emailed codes, and the Microsoft Authenticator app that runs on Android phones and iPhones.
To disable password authentication, go to account.microsoft.com and open Advanced Security Options. Next, go to Additional Security Options, then look for Passwordless Account. Flip the "Turn on" option. Microsoft says to install and set up the Microsoft Authenticator app first.
Although convenient, deep problems are leading tech giants past passwords for authentication. Biometrics like fingerprint and face identification have helped tremendously, as has the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) standard now built into browsers and operating systems. The transition is important for anyone who wants to stave off hackers and identity thieves.
One big password problem is that we reuse them, which means one data breach can expose many accounts. But strong, unique passwords are hard to create and remember. Password managers help with that problem, but the software can be complicated even for tech experts.
"If you decide you prefer using a password, you can always add it back to your account. But I hope you'll give passwordless a try -- I don't think you'll want to go back," Vasu Jakkal, leader of marketing for Microsoft's security and identity work, said in a blog post.
Microsoft's post-password moves are good for the company, too. Dumping passwords means there's less data that hackers can steal in the first place.
About 200 million Microsoft customers, both individuals and corporate users, have moved to passwordless logon, Microsoft said. That's up from about 150 million people in 2020.


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Dealing with cheaters is one of the most complex problems for game developers and players today. Developers can release patches or try to change rules to hinder cheaters… But in the end, they usually just negatively effect people that aren’t breaking any rules.
Since developers don’t have a lot of options when it comes to catching cheaters, they crash down aggressively on anyone and everyone they do find. And that’s where Epic Games, the developer behind the very popular Fortnite, comes into this story.
Epic has brought legal action against a teenager for promoting & using cheating mods.
They’re also suing the distributors of the cheating software, but the focus on this 14 year old has gained way, way more attention… Here’s his message:


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Fourth Pharmaceutical Scientific Conference-
5-6 OCT 2023 – Aleppo –
Dr. Shuaib Alahmad
Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy – Al-Wataniya Private University
Lecture title: :
The lecture talked about the definition of counterfeit medicines according to the World Health Organization, in addition to the extent of the spread of this phenomenon according to official statistics and announced numbers. The reasons that led to the spread of this phenomenon were also mentioned and a review of the pharmaceutical reality that we are proud of in our beloved country.
The risks resulting from the spread of counterfeit medicines were also explained, as there are many health risks, as well as economic risks that affect the national economy. Finally, methods of preventing counterfeit medicines were discussed, and recommendations were made to reduce this phenomenon at the global level.
Tel : +963-33-5033 – Tel :+963-33- 4589094 – Tel :+963-33- 4589095
Tel : +963-33-4589096 – Tel : +963-33-4589097 – FAX :+936-33-4589087
Syrian Arab Republic – Hama Government – International Highway (Homs – Hama)


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Ace Hardware, the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the world, reached the No. 4 spot on Franchise Times’ Top 400 List. The company moved up from its No. 5 ranking last year. The Franchise Times’ Top 400 List is an annual ranking of the 400 largest franchise systems in the United States by global systemwide sales, based on the previous year’s performance.
Ace Hardware has consistently ranked in the top 10 on the prestigious list, garnering its highest position on the list at No. 4 this year. Ace overtook Burger King to claim the No. 4 position, growing sales by more than 21 percent, equating to a $3.5 billion increase. Ace’s growth marks the best dollar amount sales increase across all franchises last year.
“Ace is honored to be recognized by Franchise Times as one of the top franchises in 2021, and we are thrilled to jump into the 4th position on this impressive list,” says John Kittell, vice president, retail operations and new business. “The incredible growth we have seen not only this year, but in the past five years, is a testament to the commitment and leadership of our independent store owners who work hard to provide amazing customer service every single day to serve their neighbors and support their local communities.”
Ace Hardware hosted its first in-person convention since the start of the pandemic in September 2021.


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SMS group is renowned worldwide for its future-oriented technologies and outstanding service for the metals industry. The company applies its 150 years of experience and its digital know-how to provide the industry continuously with innovative products and processes – even beyond its core business – and generates worldwide sales of more than 2.7 billion euros. SMS is the right partner for challenging projects.
Economically challenging times and geopolitical crises on the one hand, and the longing for personal encounters and expert conversations, on the other – against the backdrop of this global climate the world’s leading trade fairs for the wire, cable and tube and pipe industries, wire and Tube, have closed their doors after five successful trade fair days in Düsseldorf.
1,822 exhibitors from over 50 countries came to Düsseldorf from 20 to 24 June 2022 to present technology highlights from their industries on 93,000 square metres of exhibition space.


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It was only a matter of time until Mitsubishi was bound to find its first retail customer for its all-electric 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
Read This Article
Mitsubishi has released details on its popular Outlander Sport crossover for model year 2013, including pricing information.
It's been a quiet year for Mitsubishi in the United States.
Plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle owners in the state of California will soon have a much easier time charging up.


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The successful Wall Street debut of Slack Technologies Inc. is proving to be a successful route to public markets for the work-chat software company, but it’s not a recipe that will be easily duplicated.
“Slack has gone really well,” said Rick Kline, a partner at Goodwin Procter who has been working with Slack, adding that the IPO market is clearly very receptive right now. “This will become a really interesting alternative [to the standard IPO]. I don’t know anyone who is working on it but i wouldn’t be surprised if people were considering a direct listing.”
Slack non-IPO: 5 things to know about the direct listing
So are the top executives at Lyft Inc.
No, said Lise Buyer, principal analyst at the Class V Group.
“Both of those companies went public with an eye on raising money to invest in the business, so a direct listing would likely not have been a good option for either of those two in my opinion,” she said.
In fact, experts on initial public offerings told MarketWatch this week that direct listings like Slack’s will likely work best only when they meet certain criteria: They need to be large companies with well-known brand names and strong balance sheets and no immediate need for more cash.
“We had no need for new capital so we took this route," Slack Chief Financial Officer Allen Shim told MarketWatch in an early interview. “We consider a direct listing the proper vehicle for us, and a way for the public market to be more efficient and let it do its job. We wanted to avoid the distortion of a traditional IPO in the market.”
One advantage of the direct listing is that executives and employees can immediately sell their shares without a lockup period, and there is far less dilution of a company’s stock, because they are not issuing new shares to raise money. Companies which go the direct route can still get cash from the markets, they will just have to wait at least 90 days to begin any type of follow-on offerings, Kline said.
A direct listing can also be good for a company’s valuation, which is why it may be under consideration by more unicorn companies. In a regular IPO, the listing price is calculated at a slight discount to where the stock is expected to trade, to give the subscribed investors a first day profit. But sometimes the jump in share price at the launch can also mask the ultimate valuation as the stock price eventually settles.
Slack’s shares soared 50% in its debut on the New York Stock Exchange, giving it a valuation of about $20 billion. Spotify’s direct listing in April 2018 brought a valuation of $25 billion, surpassing the valuation of its last private funding round from a year earlier, which valued it at approximately $19 billion. The music-streaming service was worth about $27 billion at Thursday’s prices, according to FactSet.
“I think it’s wonderful for valuation,” said Brendan Connaughton, founder and managing director of Catalyst Private Wealth in San Francisco.
Connaughton added, though, that it’s still to early to tell if other large still privately held unicorn companies, will join the direct-listing bandwagon.
“I just don’t you think you have enough data yet,” Connaughton said. “It’s worked all right for Spotify but I just don’t think you have enough of a track record yet. It is a theme that could happen, but you are also talking about a long [investment banking] history. You are fighting City Hall pretty hard.”
Other Silicon Valley startups may be willing to add to the data set, however, especially as they see the difficulties Uber and Lyft have had and the relative ease for Slack. Airbnb has been rumored to be considering a direct listing for its offering that is expected later this year. An Airbnb spokesman declined to comment.
Stampede of the ‘decacorns’: Here are the big-name startups preparing for 2019 IPOs
“I am sure Airbnb will be keeping a close eye on how Slack performs,” said Alejandro Ortiz, principal analyst at SharesPost, a secondary market for private company shares. “I think I would be. They are a consumer brand that everyone knows.”
But even Airbnb may find it hard to strike the same formula as Slack. Dan Morgan, a senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust Company in Atlanta, pointed out that Slack enjoyed a banner day for its direct listing in the markets, especially when compared with the fears about international trade policy wars and tariffs that marred Uber's trading debut.
All those positive factors for Slack, combined with the bullish view toward most cloud-based enterprise software companies on Wall Street, and “you have all the winds blowing your way,” he said.
MarketWatch senior reporter Jon Swartz contributed to this article.


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Last week saw the long-awaited reveal of Beat Saber multiplayer support, coming to most headsets on October 13th. But PSVR owners may have to wait a little longer.
Beat Saber Multiplayer PSVR Support May Be Delayed
Following the announcement during Facebook Connect, developer Beat Games took to Twitter to note that the PSVR version of the update might not hit October 13th. The developer said it was “doing everything we can to make sure we release multiplayer simultaneously on all platforms on October 13 but there might be a delay with the PS4 version. Please bear with us and check our social media regularly for new updates about PS VR.”
No specific reason was given for the possible delay, but it wouldn’t be the first time PSVR players have had to wait a little longer on a Beat Saber update. It could be that Sony’s certification process for the PS4 ecosystem is what’s holding things up.
Beat Saber multiplayer support will accommodate up to five players and give them the chance to make their very own avatars as they compete in tracks. Multiplayer support was first promised a few years back, but a prolonged silence had us wondering if the feature might have been shelved.
It’s not the only Beat Saber news from last week, though. Beat Games also announced a BTS Pack that’s due to release before the end of the year. Combine all that with the recently-released Linkin Park Pack and there’s plenty to keep you moving for the next few months.
Are you waiting for Beat Saber multiplayer PSVR support? Let us know in the comments below!


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Theresa May’s comments in the current issue of American Vogue about her fondness for fashion won’t come as any surprise to British readers. But it is interesting that she remains a steadfast supporter– in both the personal and political sense - in spite of the hot water in which it sometimes lands her.
In every other regard she is an extremely cautious, guarded operator. Yet when it comes to leather-trouser-gate or the kitten-heel-police,her response is to shrug somewhat wearily and carry on regardless. It’s almost as if she’s been schooled by image wonks to demonstrate a fluffier, cosier, idiosyncratic side.
Furthermore, although not given to overt displays of sisterly acts - like the previous female incumbent of her job – she made an important feminist point in the Vogue piece when she said, “Look, throughout my political career, people have commented on what I wear.
"That’s just something that happens, and you accept that. But it doesn’t stop me from going out and enjoying fashion. And I also think it’s important to be able to show that a woman can do a job like this and still be interested in clothes.”
Yes alright, fashion isn’t exclusively a female interest, but the way it’s generally portrayed in old-buffer quarters - as a frivolous, ergo brainless waste of time - is nearly always in the context of it being something women are interested in – or gay, effete men.
Back in the Nineties, I was asked to by one of the senior commissioning editor on a broadsheet newspaper to write an article that I didn’t feel stacked up. Given then I’d just spend a month away at the shows, I felt confident that I could come up with an alternative, more thought-out story. No dice. I was told to “make it up. It’s just fashion isn’t it?”
The rare exceptions to this contempt were Savile Row, which with its emphasis on stringent craftsmanship, impeccable quality control, longevity and Britishness, was seen to embody the best masculine traits. So yes, the Prime Minister's point is still worth making, and fashion should return the compliment by ensuring its current interest in designing clothes for grown-ups is a long-term evolution rather than a fad.


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"Southeast Asia and India will benefit from trade diversification away from mainland China," it said in a note on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, it also expects that the energy- and mineral-producing regions of the Middle East and Africa too will achieve moderate growth. About the US, it said the ongoing tightening financial conditions due to monetary policy tightening will tip the US economy into a "mild recession" starting in the fourth quarter of 2022 and extending through the second quarter of 2023.
This month, it revised down US real GDP growth in 2023 from 0.9 to (-) 0.5 per cent.
"The initial recovery is sluggish, leading to real GDP growth of just 1.3% in 2024. The recession will bring reversals in employment and industrial production, which posted solid gains through the third quarter of 2022. We project the US unemployment rate to rise from 3.5 per cent in September to 6.0 per cent at the end of 2023."
On global inflation, it said that while achieving central bank inflation targets will be a multiyear process, there are possibilities for "significant progress" in 2023.
Global consumer price inflation is projected to slow from 7.7 per cent in 2022 to 5.1 per cent in 2023 and 3.0 per cent in 2024, provided inflation in the advanced economies settles at 2.1 per cent.
Global real GDP growth is projected to slow from 5.9 per cent in 2021 to 2.8 per cent this year and 1.4 per cent in 2023, thus averting an "outright recession", it said. Recessions now appear likely in Europe and North America--economies that produce half of the global output--in late 2022 and early 2023.
"Global economic conditions continue to deteriorate as inflation remains uncomfortably high and financial market conditions tighten. The months ahead will likely bring recessions in Europe, the United States, Canada, and parts of Latin America. With moderate growth in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, the world economy can avoid a downturn, but growth will be minimal," said Sara Johnson, Executive Director, Economic Research, at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
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Microsoft has in a landmark case challenged in U.S. federal court a search warrant for private email communications located in the company's facility in Dublin, Ireland, after a magistrate judge quashed in April its opposition to the warrant.
Yahoo is rolling out a new mail app for iPhone and iPod touch designed to deliver more than just messages.
A new webmail service called Lavaboom promises to provide easy-to-use email encryption without ever learning its users' private encryption keys or message contents.
In an attempt to block email spoofing attacks on yahoo.com addresses, Yahoo began imposing a stricter email validation policy that unfortunately breaks the usual workflow on legitimate mailing lists.
In an attempt at clarity, Google has amended its terms of service to say that it analyzes private data, including emails, for purposes including the delivery of ads and customized search results.
Google recently trumpeted that it now encrypts Gmail messages while shuffling them among its data centers, an extra security layer aimed at thwarting government and criminal snoops, but didn't say if it applies this protection to its other applicatio...
Microsoft will no longer go through email messages and other personal data that users of its online services have stored on its servers, a decision taken after being sharply criticized for accessing a person's inbox as part of an internal investigati...
Security protections have been tightened at many of the major online services, as firms like Google and Microsoft pledge to protect their users against unwanted prying eyes. But while many people fret about unwarranted government access to their data...
Citing the need to protect users from government cyber-spying, Google has tightened Gmail's encryption screws by removing the option to turn off HTTPS.
A U.S. National Security Agency surveillance program focused on overseas telephone and email communications is targeted and narrow, and not the bulk collection portrayed in numerous news reports from recent months, U.S. officials told a privacy watch...
Unify has set a timetable for the launch of its Project Ansible unified communications product, with beta testing scheduled for May.
After about a week-and-a-half, Google finished unclogging a backlog of legitimate messages its Postini spam filter trapped by mistake at the end of February.
The latest version of the Gmail app for iOS cuts down on inbox refresh delays and simplifies the log-in process for users with multiple Google mobile apps, the company said Wednesday.
After testing a preview version of the Outlook.com-Skype integration for almost a year in some markets, Microsoft has now made it generally available to all users.
Google has been scrambling for more than 24 hours to unclog a queue of messages sent to Gmail users that its Postini email filter incorrectly labeled as spam and quarantined.
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To design World’s most affordable solar lamp a UK design consultancy has teamed up with a giant Chinese manufacturer. The SM100 solar light designed by a Manchester-based firm named “Inventid”, which sales for $5 in African countries. Solar Lamp was developed in association with China’s Yingli and charity Solar Aid. When the lamp fully charged then it will operate for eight hours. Also as a stand, it has strip slots so it can be used as a head torch or tied to a bike. The SM100 was tested in three African countries mainly includes Malawi, Uganda, and Zambia with 9,000 families. Inventid co-founder, Henry James said, “Kerosene keeps families locked in a cycle of extreme poverty with almost one-quarter of their monthly income spent burning the fuel”.
Henry added, “To break this cycle we worked with Solar Aid, the UK’s leading solar charity to design a light that the poorest families could afford. This meant designing a light that could retail for $5 in Africa”. In 2012, Inventid’s Mr. James and Bryn Morgan worked closely with charities in Africa to develop the light. Henry James said, “We gathered local insights into family routines, the layout of dwellings and environmental conditions. We listened to the aspirations and ideas of people whose personal experiences have shaped a product that is co-created in Africa”. Further, he said, “We have never heard of a sales trial this so far-reaching. It had to be totally right if people were going to adopt the light, and introduce it into their lives and their daily routines”. At the European Product Design Awards, the SM100 won a silver award in the design for society and design for sustainability categories.


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The Toyota Way went
Based on the high quality of its products, Toyota has been viewed as an exemplar in the quality world, and the Toyota Way has been a quality model adopted by many hospitals. Now the quality giant has suspended production of 8 of its cars in the US and Canada and has recalled over 7 million cars due to two different accelerator problems. Click here and here to read two completely opposite views of the state of quality at Toyota. To add insult to injury, this morning's Wall Street Journal has an article about how poorly Toyota is performing crisis management.


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Intel has acquired Tower Semiconductor for $5.4bn to further expand its manufacturing capacity of semiconductor chips to address unprecedented industry demand.
Announced less than a month since the company unveiled plans announced plans to invest $20bn in a new chip facility, the acquisition marks a very positive move for the semiconductor market.
As gasworld reported late last month, demand for semiconductors is as much as 17% higher in 2021 than it was in 2019, and consumers aren’t seeing commensurate increases in the available supply, according to the US Department of Commerce.
Adding to this strain, the majority of on-stream semiconductor manufacturing facilities are operating at or above 90% utilisation, meaning there is limited additional supply to bring online without building facilities.
With its latest moves in the space, Intel now stands as a major provider of US- and Europe-based foundry capacity to serve customers globally.
Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO, said, “Tower’s specialty technology portfolio, geographic reach, deep customer relationships and services-first operations will help scale Intel’s foundry services and advance our goal of becoming a major provider of foundry capacity globally.”
“This deal will enable Intel to offer a compelling breadth of leading-edge nodes and differentiated specialty technologies on mature nodes – unlocking new opportunities for existing and future customers in an era of unprecedented demand for semiconductors.”
Russell Ellwanger, CEO of Tower Semiconductor, added, “Together with Intel, we will drive new and meaningful growth opportunities and offer even greater value to our customers through a full suite of technology solutions and nodes and a greatly expanded global manufacturing footprint. We look forward to being an integral part of Intel’s foundry offering.”