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The region’s biggest blockchain gathering was held on November 14-15 in Yerevan, Armenia. Over 350 participants including entrepreneurs, investors and politicians from regional and European countries attended this event.
The Komitas Museum was the host of the prominent figures of Caucuses blockchain ecosystem alongside with European and Asian blockchain communities. The well-known Arminian musician’s museum welcomed the emerging technology specialist from all over the globe.
This two-day event focused on blockchain technology and was the first of its kind in Armenia. During the ChainPoint18, 35 speakers from all around the world shared their experiences and thoughts regarding cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology.
The various point of views and topics of speakers filled the two halls of Komitas museum and the experts discussed the blockchain technology potentials and the constraints in different jurisdictions.
Hakob Arshakyan, the Minister of Transport, Communication and IT of the Republic of Armenia, was the opening speaker and he highlighted the importance of constantly empowering the Armenian tech ecosystem. Notably, application of blockchain and organization of such conferences present the significant part of it.
“Nooor, Armenian Blockchain Association” was the organizer of the event and as Vigen Arushanyan said, “This conference is different in its approach and is set to become a world-renowned platform for connecting with the thought-leaders, successful entrepreneurs and trendsetting experts to outline the future together”.
The first day
After the opening speeches, the first plenary session held in Master Hall where the president of Nooor alongside with Hambardzum Kaghketsyan, Partner at Smartgate VC (a San Francisco-based venture capital firm), Tachat Igityan Co-founder of De-stream (a promising blockchain-based startup) and Yuri Pripachkin, President of RACIB (Russian Association of Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain) reviewed Armenia’s situation regarding the blockchain and IT-based businesses. The session panelists agreed that Armenia has a great potential for the development of Blockchain and its applications.
Kaghketsyan admitted that Iran’s neighbor country has made significant progress over the past 10 years in the field of technology and IT-Based businesses and nowadays these businesses have a significant portion of Armenia’s GDP. And also Igityan noted the importance of legislation and governance to create the prolific platform for the development of tech-oriented companies within Armenia.
The second plenary talk hosted most influential blockchain associations of eastern Europe and Iran. Yuri Pripachkin the presidents of RACIB, Michael Chobanian the president of UBA (Ukrainian blockchain association), Vigen Arushanian the president of Nooor, Stanslav Basko, CEO of Belarus Blockchain Association and Dr. Mohammad Davatgar, Managing Director of IBL (Iran Blockchain Labs) discussed about the impact of emerging technologies such as blockchain on global trade.
After the second plenary session the Iranian, Russian and Armenian delegations signed a tripartite MOU.
“Mutual consultations and expertise sharing are to be held under the framework of the agreement. Such cooperation shows that international blockchain community considers Armenia both as a knowledge hub and as the most active player in blockchain development in the region”, said Vigen Arushanyan.
“Tokenization and Investments” was the third plenary session’s topic where Ralph Liu, founder of Mulechain (an interesting blockchain-based startup in logistics) alongside Artur Eloyan from Double Sirius Capital (A Venture Capital firm from Armenia), Leonid Morozovskiy, co-founder of DAS Index and Elena Gutsu, co-founder of DT Moldova Association illustrated the tokenized economy and its impact in investment.
Meanwhile at the Komtas Room, a couple of talks were held by Wolfgang Fengler, Lead Economist from World Bank (Topic: Big Data and Big Trends), Asset Kassymbalinov, senior manager at PWC (Topic: Blockchain Pitfalls), Pavel Aramyan (Topic: Challenging Blockchain Scalability), Armen Rostomian, Co-founder of GRUV (Topic: Rethinking Digital Collectibles) and Vasily Bannikov, project manager at Group-B (Topic Crypto Crimes: 2019 Trends).
Instantly after the lunch break, plenary session with “Innovative Payment Systems” topic continued in Master Hall. The brand new payment methods which are empowered by blockchain technology was the main topic of speakers. Tigran Davtyan, CEO of InecoBank, Victor Goncharuk VP of RACIB, Vitali Bodnar, CEO of BTC-Alph alongside with Tachat Igityan, Ralph Liu discussed the peer to peer payments without any geographical restriction.
The final plenary session of the first day was dedicated to “Legal Frameworks and Regulations” where the legal consultation firms’ representatives talked about the legal aspect of blockchain technology.
At the Komitas Room, Dr. Davatgar from IBL presented Iran and IBL’s opportunities in the field of Blockchain. Misha Aghamalyan from Hex Division explained the power of Blockchain Technology in Real Estate and he mentioned that by removing middle-agents, the emerging technology will “disrupt” the traditional real estate industry.
The first day ended with a cultural program where the blockchain enthusiast found the opportunity to network.
It’s worth to mention that 13 people from Iran participated in the event.
More than 90 media outlets covered the ChainPoint18 and TechRasa from Iran was among the media partners of the two-day conference.
The Second Day
During the second day of the event, speakers talked about the topics such as blockchain-based Crowdfunding methods, P2P delivery and Warehousing.
The most significant part of the Komitas Room talks was held by Ralph Liu. He presented MuleChain, a startup with a disrupting idea in logistics and delivery methods.
Taxing of Cryptocurrencies was one of the controversial topics of the second day Master Hall plenary sessions. Dimitry Kirillov, attorney at A-PRO Law Office alongside with Artem Afian Managing Partner of Juscutum Law Firm, Benjamin Kirschbaum head of blockchain of WInheller and Gevorg Hakobyan Managing Partner of Elawphant Law Firm had a constructive discussion about how governments can deploy effective tax mechanism on Cryptocurrencies.
As usual, education was one of the topics of ChainPoint where the experts emphasized the importance of education to build a vast community of blockchain specialists and spread the blockchain interdisciplinary knowledge in the world.
“The Armenian Tech Ecosystem” was the last topic of plenary talks in ChainPoint. Hambarzum Kaghkestsyan and Davit Baghdasaryan of 2Hz, who’d been working in a number of Silicon Valley startups, explained the human resource capabilities of Armenians in the IT sector.
The Final part of the Chainpoint contained a pitch session for 8 Armenian startups. Gruv (Blockchain-Based Music Streaming Platform), Arcnet (Blockchain and AI-based system for career building), De-Stream (Decentralized Live-Streaming platform), WireStock (a platform for stock photographers to upload photos and license across multiple marketplaces) compete in 2 different sections and a group of international investors chose the best startups.
The prize of the Pitching Session was a joint acceleration program via Nooor and FastToken.


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TEMPE, AZ - If you've ever had an idea but had no way to actually make it a reality, Kickstarter.com may be what you're looking for.
It's a "crowd sourcing" site.
You post details about your idea and users can pledge money.
Typically a pledge means, if and when, you make the product, they get one. If you reach your goal, the product goes to market. If it falls short of your goal, everybody gets their money back.
It's a new way for inventors, musicians and movie makers to raise money.
Some local entrepreneurs say it's a "game changer."
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Did You Hear?
An arrest warrant has been issued for supposedly-dead rapper Tim Dog, who is accused of faking his death to avoid paying a woman $19,000.
Charles Ramsey, who helped rescue the three Cleveland women held captive by Ariel Castro, will get free McDonald's from his local fast food favorite for the next year, a McDonald's spokeswoman said.
A group of researchers has developed a map that shows how discriminatory a given county is based on the number of insulting tweets sent from that area.
More Tempe News
A Tempe 18-year-old accused of having an improvised explosive device in his bedroom in his family's home has pleaded not guilty.

domain: news


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INDIA: Maruti moves into finance, insurance, used cars, pay off
Maruti Udyog, the maker of Suzuki-designed cars and India's market leader, on Tuesday said that car loans disbursed under Maruti Finance have reached 5 billion rupees. Launched on January 7 in Mumbai last year, Maruti Finance has since been extended in phases and now covers almost the entire country, exceptparts of North India and Gujarat where it will be rolled out soon.
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Business Engine Forms New Company, Appoints New CEO; New Company Purchases Assets of Old Company, Announces New Customer Wins and New Product.
In conjunction with the transaction, the new company has received a $4 million investment. Participating investors include Oak Investment Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures, and Morgan Stanley Venture Partners. The new company also welcomes Merritt Lutz, Advisory Director, Morgan Stanley Information Technology, to lead Business Engine's Board of Directors as Chairman.
"Mark has shown exceptional acumen in formulating and executing Business Engine's corporate vision and business strategy as chief operating officer," said Lutz, Chairman of Business Engine's Board of Directors. "He has been instrumental in leading our customer focus and his dedication and vision have won the full confidence of the board to lead the new Business Engine as CEO."
"I am excited about the future of Business Engine. We have seen an increase in recent customer wins in North America including State of California and in Europe with a large German insurance company. We are fortunate to count as customers some of the most successful and blue-chip references in our market," said Strauch, President & CEO of Business Engine. Strauch joined Business Engine in January 2001 and has since held several management positions including chief operating officer and executive vice president and general manager of Europe, Middle East & Africa.
Over 400 global IT organizations, including financial services leaders Capital One, Deutsche Bank, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and ING, rely on Business Engine to improve business performance, manage regulatory compliance initiatives, and ensure IT governance. With the Business Engine Network application suite, customers efficiently manage IT strategy, financial governance and operational execution, creating enterprise transparency that dramatically improves investment decisions, business alignment and results.
About Business Engine
Established in 1985, Business Engine is a leading provider of enterprise software for 'running the business of IT'. The Business Engine Network allows global IT organizations to manage IT strategy, financial governance and operational execution within a single Web-based solution, creating enterprise transparency that dramatically improves IT investment decisions, business alignment and delivery results. Business Engine serves over 80,000 end-users at global organizations including 20 Fortune 100 customers such as Boeing, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Northrup Grumman, Pfizer, and Siemens. Please visit www.businessengine.com for more information.
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More electronic devices will soon connect to the internet, providing more convenience and information, but this internet of things also brings new security risks, according to security provider Malwarebytes.
Privacy issues top the list of concerns. Devices that include always-on cameras and microphones are prime targets for hacking by criminals hoping to steal or just harass consumers.
Those with smart appliances essentially agree to data collection and sharing when they make their purchases. Some smart refrigerators, for instance, keep track of what kinds of food you buy and can be integrated into applications to purchase groceries online. Televisions can keep track of what you are watching, and AI-powered devices like Alexa and Google Home keep a record of your search history. Depending on the fine print, that data can then be used to send you targeted ads or be sold to big data analysis companies.
As connected devices become more mainstream, vulnerabilities can and will arise that allow hackers to take control. Cars with automatic driving capability, for instance, opens the door for tech-savvy criminals to take over and ransom the vehicle back to the owner or even cause a crash. Recently, it was discovered that baby monitors can allow hackers to watch or speak to sleeping children. A strong password for these seemingly innocuous items is essential.
Internet-enabled security cameras acted as a backdoor to attack service providers like Twitter, Netflix, and CNN.
Consumers must remember there is usually very little protection built into connected devices. Instead, device safety depends on the security of the home network, where strong passwords and security are essential.
Before you buy an internet connected device, make sure it doesn’t have a generic username and password. These are usually posted somewhere on the dark web, just an invitation to a hacker.


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Photos of a heavily camouflaged new Nissan GT-R Nismo, the 'ultimate' version of the GT-R, have recently come out. It was spied while it was tested in Europe, just outside of Nissan's technical centre. The car got aesthetic and aerodynamic modifications, which will most probably feature a Nismo-specific bodykit.
The other modifications include an air intake system that’s a bit different. It will also come with Nismo-specific parts like alloy wheels. In addition, it appears that the Nismo version will get a different suspension setup since it seems to be somewhat lower than the traditional GT-R. According to Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan, it will be “unthinkable” to develop a lineup of Nismo road cars that won’t have the GT-R.
He believes that the standard road car is already a global supercar and the GTR's performance on track shows off how talented and passionate the Nismo team is. He boasted that the GT-R Nismo will be special. He cited that Nissan's standard GT-R, featuring a twin-turbocharged 524bhp 3.8-litre straight six, can go from zero to 62mph in 3.0sec.
Built together with the Williams Formula 1 team, the Nismo is likely to be faster but it has yet to be determined just how impressive it will be. The sale date of the new Nissan GT-R Nismo is likely to be in 2014. It will be available together with the standard version in specialised dealerships. It’s expected to cost significantly higher than the standard model. The Nissan GT-R Nismo GT500 will appear in the 2014 Super GT Championship together with the Honda NSX and Lexus LF-CC.


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It's time to welcome the Samsung Galaxy Ace, as its official specs are here
The Galaxy Ace's specs hint this handset is shaping as a mid-range offering with a 3.5-inch screen and a resolution of 320 x 480, an 800MHz processor, a 5MP camera plus a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. This phone will have a quad-band GSM support, while Froyo will provide the Ace with some sweet Android love.
The price of this phone is unknown at present, and it's yet to be seen whether it will be available in the USA.
source: Samsung Indonesia via Samsung Hub


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From: Jim Duron
Location: Prairieville, La
Google is close ending a long battle over Digital rights including out of print books. Do you have any books out of print and are you/Publisher part of the class action?
"Today, millions of books are accessible only to the privileged few who are accepted to universities and can actually afford to attend," said association president Gregory Cendana.
"With Google books, any student anywhere in the US will have the books in the greatest libraries of the world at their fingertips."
Not sure this is a true statement but it does create thought.
"Just as Gutenberg's invention of the printing press more than 700 years ago ushered in a new era of knowledge sharing, the mass digitisation of books promises to revolutionise how we read and discover books," said Peter Brantley of the alliance.
"But a digital library controlled by a single company and small group of publishers would inevitably lead to higher prices and subpar services for consumers, libraries, scholars and students."
From: Greg Bear
Fortunately, all my books are in copyright and in "print" if you include POD and digital editions. Watching this program with real interest, of course. Glad they're working out the kinks, however slowly.
GregBear.com is currently being updated and new comments to the discussion board have been paused until the new site is ready on September 6, 2015. Please check back then!


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After much deliberation, CI Games has made the decision to delay Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 from early to late April; the 25th to be exact.
After some internal discussion with the development team, CI Games decided to delay the release by three weeks to complete some final implementations based on feedback CI Games received during the beta.
â€œWeâ€™ve worked tirelessly creating a whole new Sniper Ghost Warrior experience set in an ambitiously crafted open world new to the series,â€ said said Marek Tyminski, CEO of CI Games. â€œWhile itâ€™s an unfortunate decision to delay the game one last time, we believe these final changes will result in a better experience for players worldwide on day one. Thank you for your patience â€“ we know the wait will be worth it.â€
Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 launches on April 25 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.


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Here in the land of endless summer, we need all the help we can get remembering that -- at least everywhere else in the country -- cold weather is on its way. For Floridians, there's no better harbinger for the change of seasons than the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, lovingly referred to as the PSL.
If you're equally fanatical about all things festive and fall, this time of year can't come soon enough. Luckily, the nationwide coffeehouse has bumped up the seasonal flavor's official release date -- along with the salted caramel mocha -- for customers wielding a special code on August 25.
See Also: Corona Beer 12-ounce Bottle Recalled
To get your hands on all that pumpkin-spice goodness before the official launch date on Monday, September 2, all you need to do is offer a special code to your barista. To get the code and possibly release the PSL to your local Starbucks before the Labor Day weekend, follow the drink's Twitter account @theRealPSL during the "Spot the Spice" challenge, which begins today. A clue will be tweeted every day until August 25, and the first customer who unlocks his or her store will be acknowledged by having his or her name displayed on an in-store sign. Fans may unlock as many stores as they'd like.
As if all this weren't enough to send us into caffeine-induced jitters, this fall season will mark another first -- at least for South Florida Starbucks patrons. According to a Palm Beach County Starbucks barista, your favorite pumpkin muffins, scones, and bread may taste a little different. Dare we say, maybe a little better too?
That's because they're now made by La Boulange Cafe & Bakery.
Two years ago, Starbucks bought the well-known San Francisco coffee shop, café, and bakery for $100 million. Although Starbucks planned to open additional satellite La Boulange bakeries to distribute its baked goods to all 17,000-plus Starbucks locations nationwide by the close of 2013, that didn't exactly happen.
Since being acquired by Starbucks in 2012, La Boulange founder Pascal Rigo has indeed doubled his factory headquarters in South San Francisco and started the process of replicating similar factories nationwide. As of this month, most Starbucks have been selling La Boulange baked goods for several months already -- everything from croissants, bagels, and pound cake to breakfast sandwiches and paninis.
Except, of course, for Florida. The first to convert was the Pacific Northwest last June, followed by Los Angeles in July, Chicago in August, and New England this past September. As usual, the trickle-down effect has left the Sunshine State among the last of the Starbucks markets to get served the goodies.
Luckily, 'tis the season to rejoice -- maybe with a fat slice of pumpkin bread.
Follow Nicole Danna on Twitter, @SoFloNicole.


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Henley’s of Wivenhoe best in region at Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Awards 2018
The final 10 chippies shortlisted for the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award 2018 have been announced, and a shop near Colchester has been revealed as the best in London & South East England.
Henley’s of Wivenhoe was awarded the title on Wednesday after battling against Newington Fish Bar in Ramsgate, Kent.
The announcement is one step closer to the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Awards 2018, organised by Seafish, which will be awarded in January to one of the 10 regional chippies that have been shortlisted.
David Henley, who owns Henley’s of Wivenhoe, said: “Over the past 10 years, we have witnessed first-hand the calibre of the competition rising every year. To have our business recognised is a true honour and is a testament to all the hard work and effort of our team - it makes all the late nights and early starts worthwhile.
“I have always wanted to showcase fish and chips at its best, so I designed the shop in such a way that customers could see the meal being prepared from start to finish. Our bespoke wet fish display allows customers to see the quality and variety before it is fried right before their eyes.”
To make it to the final stage of the ‘Oscars’ of the fish and chip industry, they have had their frying skills tested with unannounced visits to the shop, and have been judged on their menu development and innovation, sustainable sourcing policies, staff training and marketing activity.
The final stage of judging will be held in London in January, where the 10 finalists will undergo specialist judging and will be quizzed on how to run a successful and profitable business.
- 1 Trio jailed as travellers' site shooting described as 'like a movie scene'
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- 3 Member of staff assaulted in armed robbery at west Suffolk Post Office
- 4 Will it be another lockdown Christmas?
- 5 Pub transformed into 'breathtaking' family home for sale for almost £1m
- 6 The early betting favourites to be the next Town boss
- 7 Morsy on 'shock' of Cook sacking and McGreal's message
- 8 Historic pub and restaurant to reopen after £150,000 investment
- 9 Battle of the caretakers, good omens and McGreal's possible rejig... Charlton v Ipswich
- 10 Barrow replay on ITV... winners will travel to Barnsley
Marcus Coleman, chief executive at Seafish, said: “For most of us, the love of fish and chips is much more than the food itself - it is the nostalgic memories of seaside holidays with the family, or Friday night supper after a hard week that come to mind.
“With few being able to resist the mouth-watering combination, the awards ensure that high-quality standards are upheld so that future generations can enjoy out nation’s favourite takeaway. The skill and dedication of our 10 finalists this year is outstanding - they are a true representation of our industry and sum up perfectly why British fish and chips are, and will always be, the best in the world.”
The 10 finalists will now go on an expenses-paid trip to Norway, where they will visit the port of Ålesund to witness the entire fishing process of catching, processing and filleting.
The winner of the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award will be announced at The National Fish & Chip Awards’ 30th anniversary ceremony in London, January 25.


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CAMBRIDGE, New Zealand (BRAIN) — New Zealand-based bike fitting company Velogicfit has launched a new 3D Motion bike fitting system for bike retailer use.
The company said the new version of its system is easier to use and allows customers to see the effect of position changes in real time.
The company launched its first version in 2015 and says it offered the first cycling-specific motion capture system to use coloured passive markers, which Velogicfit says provides better accuracy and ease of use than the more common harness-based systems.
Velogicfit’s technical director David Bowden said the new version is easier to use.
“Our biggest hurdle was that the system relied on being able to clearly identify colors – and that meant background color and lighting in the fitting areas had to be carefully considered. We also felt there were too many steps to collecting and collating the data.
“So, we’ve spent six months giving the system a major overhaul, offering a much simpler user experience, both in using the system and for setting up the fit area. The technology also provides a cutting-edge experience for the customer.”
In the new version of 3D Motion, the 3D camera instantly picks up unique reflective-printed …read more


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BRADENTON, FL-- When you think of a drug dealer, you might think of someone standing on a street corner in a seedy part of town. But Manatee County Sheriff's deputies say a Bradenton store owner sold them in plain view right on the shelf.
The sign for the Speedy's Foodmart, off 57 Ave East, in Bradenton, list wine, castigate and groceries as some of the items offered inside. But, an undercover investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office found the store was selling a lot more. According to reports Speedy's Foodmart also sold what deputies believe is synthetic marijuana.
"He's got it right up there like the newport cigarettes. Like anything else you can actually see it," said Robert Williams, a regular customer at the Foodmart. Williams, says the products in question were on display by the stores cash register. Many refer to them as K-2, spice, or even incense. In 2012 state lawmakers passed the Florida Comprehensive Abuse Prevention and Control Act, banning the sale of the product. And, although Speedy's Food mart owners wouldn't go on camera, he did tell us he was unaware that the packages were illegal and his customers believe him.
"He had it on display so when you walk into the store you could actually see it. So if he thought it was illegal he'd be trying to hide it," added Williams.
In addition many say since the store is located right next door to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office substation station knowingly selling an illegal products would not have been the smartest move.
"Just the other day there was two police officers that walked in and they sat right there and talked about the stuff," said customer Benny Steger.
While conducting their search warrant investigators founds 231 packages of synthetic marijuana. Which the store owners says weighted about two pounds. And, according to reports it has an estimated value of about $3500.
"Why is the distributor able to sell it to him. If its illegal why can they sell it to him and he can't sell it to customers," added Steger.
Manatee County Sheriff's Office says they will test the items seized and charges may be pending.


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* Q4 EPS $0.88 vs $0.56 yr ago
* Sees Q1 loss $0.12-$0.15 vs est. $0.16
* Shares up 9 pct after the bell
Feb 4 (Reuters) - Photo-sharing service Shutterfly’s (SFLY.O) quarterly profit rose, helped partly by higher revenue from personalized products & services, and it forecast a narrower-than-expected first-quarter loss, sending its shares up 9 percent after the bell.
Fourth-quarter net income rose to $24.1 million, or 88 cents per share, from $14.4 million, or 56 cents per share, a year ago.
Revenue rose 22 percent to $131.1 million.
Personalized products & services revenue, which made 71 percent of total revenue, rose 29 percent to $93.2 million.
Analysts expected earnings of 70 cents a share, excluding items, on revenue of $113.76 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
For the first quarter, the company said it expects to post a net loss of 12 cents to 15 cents per share, excluding items, on revenue of $40 million to $42 million.
Analysts are looking at a loss of 16 cents per share, excluding items, on revenue of $39.52 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Shares of the company, were trading up 9 percent at $17.40 after the bell. They closed at $16.02 Thursday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Mansi Dutta in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)


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By James Wilber
HEXO ( HEXO) is partnering with Molson Coors (TAP) in making the first CBD infused beverage into the United States market. It is only available in Colorado, both in retail and online stores. Molson Coors and HEXO created a separate entity back in 2018 called Truss Beverages, a standalone company with its board of directors. They are building another separate entity called Truss CBD, which would oversee these new beverages, once again with its board of directors. Both are majority-owned by Molson.
With this news, both Molson Coors and HEXO had a great week on the NYSE, with them being up nearly 15% and 49%, respectively. The drinks are derived from hemp and contain no THC. They would have 20 milligrams of CBD. All drinks would have zero calories and sugar. There are three flavors: blueberry and lavender, tarragon blend, strawberry, and hibiscus. With these new drinks coming out would open up a whole new market for HEXO and Molson Coors to distribute and operate. It would be left to see how successful a CBD infused drink would be in the United States.
By Reed Erickson
In a recent announcement, Voyager Digital revealed their growth metrics for January thus far and its assets under management have surpassed a staggering USD $350 million. This $350 million is up 52% from the end of 2020, and this substantial growth is reflective of the Voyager model and the assertion that Voyager Digital is the future of cryptocurrency.
A crypto-asset broker offering investors a turnkey solution to trade crypto assets, Voyager Digital is currently watching its daily net deposits exceed USD $5 million during January, and this $5 million is up $4 million from December. Crypto-trading is hitting a mainstream stride in recent months, and as more and more people begin to enter the venture, Voyager Digital is finding much success in the newfound volume of users.
On a note of further expansion, Voyager Digital recently entered into an agreement with agent Stifel GMP as well. Stifel GMP, a leader in the small and mid cap segments of the Canadian capital markets, will receive 7% cash commission and compensation warrants (leading to an ability to purchase 7% of shares from said offer) while Voyager will use the generated proceeds for business expansion. The offering is expected to close near January 22nd of 2021.
Here at debatablestocks.com, we urge any veteran or up-and-comer in the cryptocurrency game to give Voyager Digital a shot. Download the Voyager app onto your mobile device and instantly start buying, selling and trading cryptocurrency commission free. Comprised of 40 total assets and finding incredible collective success amongst them, this success is on a trajectory to continue and you too can capitalize on the burgeoning prosperity of Voyager Digital.
Write something about stocks or anything to do with finance, investing, and even money!


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The NYC Calorie War Rages On...
First, a judge stymied efforts to get calorie-content published on fast food menus. In response, health officials rallied for another attempt, and now, NYC has revived the vote for calorie-content. Amy Westfeldt of the Associated Press reports:
The city's original effort was struck down by a judge last September. That rule was reworked to make it comply with the court ruling.Again, just like Tuesday’s post about grilled chicken, people have the right to chose, but, they should be given all the facts, especially if their health is at stake—don’t you think?
The new regulation applies to any chain that operates at least 15 separate outlets, including those that don't currently provide any information on calories. Major fast-food chains make up about 10 percent of the city's restaurants.
Several chains, such as McDonald's and Burger King, have the information available, but don't list it on the menu boards that customers read before ordering.
City officials hope the rule would curb obesity by making people aware of the thousands of calories that can be packed into some of the meals. Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said Monday he hoped the chains would also respond by offering healthier options.
"I don't think we're going to see the 2,700-calorie appetizers that we see now," Frieden said.
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Amazon is buying online pharmacy PillPack — a move that could disrupt the drug store business.
PillPack has pharmacy licenses in all 50 states. The company delivers medications to customers in pre-sorted doses designed to make it easier for people to take multiple medications a day.
Amazon () was widely expected to move into the pharmacy business.
And Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man, is creating a health care company along with JPMorgan Chase () and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway ( ).
The PillPack deal is already scaring investors in the top two drug store chains.
CVS (newest Dow component, plunged more than 10%. Walgreens was already trading lower after reporting a drop in same-store sales at its US pharmacies.) fell 9% in early trading. Walgreens Boots Alliance ( ), the


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Digg starts rolling out its Reader app to beta users
Digg announced on its blog that its new Reader service will be available to the public on a rolling basis starting today. The beta version of the service will target Google Reader users looking to jump ship before the Google RSS service shuts down next week.
Initially, the company is opening Digg Reader to survey participants who were part of the development process. Invitations then will be sent out in batches to customers who signed up for the beta. Digg is scaling up slowly in order keep the service running smoothly, but it hopes to get all beta customers on board sometime today. You can sign up here: digg.com/reader.
Besides its web app, Digg Reader will also launch on the iPhone and iPad. Look for an update to the current Digg app that'll add the Reader functionality.
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- Weather Underground iPhone app gets crowdsourced weather, iOS 7 style
- Apple updates iMovie, adds support for older Macs


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By Juro Osawa HONG KONG--In its latest bid to compete better with rival Internet firms, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. said it will buy a 60% stake... ...http://in.advfn.com/news_Alibaba-to-Spend-805-Million-for-60-Stake-in-ChinaVision-Media-Update_61405522.html
* Bank regulator approves 10 firms for private bank pilot * Move aims to channel more loans to small, private companies * Five private banks... ...http://in.reuters.com/article/idINL3N0M80RB20140311
The Customer International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) creates, manufactures and supplies flavors and fragrances for the food, beverage,... ...http://www.tcs.com/resources/case_studies/Pages/IFF-Finance-Accounting-Improvements.aspx
PR.com 2014-03-11 Hangzhou, China, March 11, 2014 --( PR.com )-- Bridgat has been serving the world's small-and-medium-sized business since its... ...http://www.bizwireexpress.com/showstoryPRcom.php?storyid=339916
BANGALORE: It was a Rs 10,000-a-month allowance from their parents for almost 18 months that helped Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal launch an... ...http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/Flipkarts-journey-from-Rs-10000-to-1-2-billion/articleshow/31788127.cms
Here is a quick help guide to the...
Hangzhou will be the capital...


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Treyarch has announced a promotional weekend for the Call of Duty Black Ops 4 game. The upcoming promotional event will give players access to Black Ops Pass maps and various types of double XP.
The promo weekend will get live on March 15 at 10 am PT/ 1 PM ET and it will end on March 18 at 10 AM PT/ 1 PM PT.
The event will feature various XP boosts which include double merits in Black Out, double tier progression, double XP in multiplayer and double XP in Zombies.
Clear your plans this weekend ?
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) March 14, 2019
With the help of this promo, weekend bonuses like 2XP in Multiplayer and tier progression will allow the players to unlock a range of new content.
All the four exclusive Black Ops Pass maps will be available under this promo weekend. The four Black Ops Pass maps that players can enjoy are Madagascar, Elevation, Lockup, and Casino.
Black Ops 4 Promo weekend event
Madagascar and Elevation were added to the game during the start of Operation Absolute Zero while the Lockup and Casino were added during the start of Operation Grand Heist.


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Google may not be as close to tossing its cookies as some recent reports have suggested.
According to USA Today, the online search and advertising giant is gearing up to launch a proprietary third-party cookie alternative called AdID. The report was light on details, but it implied the identifier could be baked into Google’s popular Chrome browser.
Here are the main issues raised by the specter of AdID:
What’s at stake?
The future of third-party cookies – little bits of code that advertisers and websites use to track your web history – has been looking increasingly bleak, as privacy concerns continue to escalate. It should come as little surprise, therefore, that ad companies are searching for alternatives and workarounds. The Google effort appears in that vein. Here are the main issues that need to be addressed.
Is this a cookie killer?
Not necessarily. For its part, Google says the report is premature, and any cookie alternative is a work in progress. A spokesperson for the company acknowledged it is evaluating a range of technologies that could one day replace the cookie, but conversations regarding their adoption have only just begun.
“We and others have a number of concepts in this area, but they’re all at very early stages,” the spokesperson told the paper.
Are there alternatives?
Yes. The fact of the matter is the entire ad industry is trying to figure out how it wil function in a cookie-less world, and Google is just a piece of that. If it chooses to adopt an alternative it might well force others to adopt the same standard, given its influence in the marketplace.
But that depends entirely on the specifics of the technology and how it is implemented. It remains unclear if such as solution would only be baked into Google’s Chrome browser or if Google would control it in a way that would give it an advantage against other ad vendors.
What’s the big concern?
Simply put: conflict. Nobody in the media industry outside Google trusts Google. It has gone from being the competition to being the environment. With Google setting the rules, the game starts to look very, very unfair for those not named Google. At least privately, most digital media execs will admit the cookie is very imperfect, especially in a multiplatform world. But not many are ready to let Google dictate who gets access to what data. That’s a gatekeeper role that frankly scares many.
“A standard owned and controlled by the biggest body in the industry is not a good step,” said one agency planner.
Does this blunt Do Not Track?
The industry has fought tooth and nail against proposals that allow for easy Do Not Track mechanisms. Look no further than the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s vilification of Mozilla over its plan to have the default setting in the Firefox browser block third-party cookies. This move doesn’t appear as if it will blunt moves to make Do Not Track a viable solution. Right now, outside the industry, there’s a growing sense that consumers simply don’t have enough choice in the many companies tracking their movements.
“Ultimately, we need a simple, effective way for users to be able to indicate they don’t want to be tracked by behavioral advertising across the Web,” said former CBS Sports general manager Jason Kint. “Otherwise, it’s just a rebranded version of the cookie which we don’t need.”
Image via Flickr
The Athletic’s Sebastian Tomich is looking beyond ads and subscriptions to reach profitability
The Athletic's path to profitability is set for 2025, and to achieve this goal, chief commercial officer Sebastian Tomich is focused on more than just selling ads directly to prospective advertisers.
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Despite Q1’s slow start, publishers are bullish about events revenue for 2023
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Chris Kelly, CEO, Upwave Like many people, marketers and advertisers were ready to see 2022 come to a close. A year that started off promising was assailed by inflation, layoffs and the disastrous effects of RSV, the flu and additional COVID strains. Still, despite an uncertain outlook for 2023, there are plenty of reasons for […]
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The economy will plague both the media and marketing industries in 2023, but the hit will be uneven between publishers and agencies.


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Civic Center EATS Is Back With Expanded Hours Covering Lunch And DinnerThe gathering of gourmet food trucks will be in the park on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through the end of September.
Food Truck Fans Rejoice! Civic Center Eats Set To Return To Denver's Civic Center ParkCivic Center Eats will open on Aug. 12 for lunch and dinner.
Civic Center Eats Undergoes Electric Grid Power TestAn environmentally-friendly change allowed guests at Civic Center Eats to dine in silence this week.
Enjoy A Beer & Wine Garden On Thursdays At Civic Center EatsCivic Center Eats is back with more food trucks than ever before. And new this year-- a beer and wine garden on Thursdays.
Civic Center Eats Is Back With More Food Options, Beer & Wine GardenDon't let the gloomy weather this week fool you. Civic Center Eats is back!
Civic Center Eats Tries Out 'Green Week'The food trucks at Civic Center Park will soon leave after another year of success.
Perfect Time Of Year To Visit Food Trucks In Civic Center ParkThe Civic Center Conservancy wants to make sure you know, the food trucks are still open for business for another month.
Hundreds Turn Out For Global Running Day CelebrationCivic Center Park was busy Wednesday morning for Global Running Day.
Get Outside And Grab Something Tasty At Civic Center EATSDespite rain in the forecast this week, it's time to get outside and enjoy all the food trucks downtown Denver has to offer.
Civic Center EATS Returns For SeasonAfter a long, cold winter, it's time to get outside and enjoy all the food trucks downtown Denver has to offer.
Civic Center EATS Features More Food Trucks This YearCivic Center EATS kicked off for the season in Civic Center Park on Tuesday. This year more food trucks have joined the popular lunchtime event in downtown Denver.
How A Conservancy Shined Up A Jewel Of A ParkRight at the crossroads of Denver's government, culture and commerce sits Civic Center Park. The Civic Center Conservancy is celebrating 10 years of revitalizing the park and reclaiming it as a jewel in the Denver park system.
Civic Center Conservancy Keeps The Independence Eve Party RollingWork is underway to get Civic Center Park ready for its biggest party of the year, Independence Eve presented by Anadarko.
3 Arrested Near Civic Center Park After Shots Ring OutA stretch of Colfax Avenue was closed for several hours Thursday afternoon while police investigated an apparent shootout in the Civic Center Park area.
Inspectors Scramble To Keep Up With Explosion Of Food TrucksFood trucks offer everything from slices of pizza to exotic gourmet dishes, but CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger wanted to know how safe it is to eat their food.


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Thursday, August 22, 2013
Chef Ken Vedrinski is having a banner year and it is only August. Accolades have been strong for the recent opening of his oceanfront restaurant, Coda del Pesce. This includes the recent announcement that Vedrinski has been named one of Wine Spectator magazine’s top Italian chefs in America for its September issue cover story. Wine Spectator selected six of the country’s best chefs to highlight in the issue and each chef has a large profile and recipe in the issue. Vedrinski is in good company as he joins Michael White (Marea, New York), Dena Marino (MC Kitchen, Miami), Celestino Drago (Drago Centro, Los Angeles), Jonathan Benno (Lincoln Ristorante, New York) and Matthew Accarrino (SPQR, San Francisco) for the feature.
The magazine sent a writer and photographer to Charleston to capture Vedrinski in his new place and to learn more about the background of this accomplished chef. The September issue hits the newsstands soon.
“This is one of my greatest culinary accomplishments to date,” stated Chef Ken Vedrinski. “Wine Spectator is such a highly regarding publication and they rarely do cover articles on restaurants. To be part of it and to be in the mix with these other world-renowned chefs means a lot. We are also extremely proud of our Italian focused food and wine program and thrilled that it was recognized by the industry’s leading publication.”
One of the most acclaimed and accomplished chefs in Charleston, Vedrinski is the chef and owner of Trattoria Lucca in downtown and the newly opened Coda del Pesce, the city’s first Italian inspired seafood restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. He has been on the long list for the James Beard Awards in the Southeast Chef category for three years and his restaurants have been selected as Esquire’s Best New Restaurant and Best Italian Restaurant by Travel & Leisure.


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Friday, August 31, 2018 by Ralph Flores
Phthalates are an interesting substance. They are a group of chemicals
used to make plastics more flexible and harder to break. They are found in literally everything: household cleaners to food packaging to fragrance, cosmetics and personal-care products all contain phthalates.
However, while these chemicals are ubiquitous and are used in a lot of things, the effects on human health are not fully known. Previous studies that talk about phthalates being harmful to human health are from animal studies. However, recent studies from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
revealed that these chemicals may heighten the risk of miscarriage as well as increase the factors for gestational diabetes
This sheds light on the potential for actual harm that these hormone-disrupting chemicals do to humans. According to two studies conducted regarding phthalates, pregnancy loss is prevalent, with 31 percent of all conceptions ending up in miscarriage. Cases of GDM have also skyrocketed in the past two decades, with it affecting almost seven percent of all pregnancies around the world.
Research found the correlation between the presence of phthalates in the human body and their effects on pregnancy by studying urine samples from women who have undergone medically-assisted reproduction. They were able to determine at least 11 phthalate metabolite concentrations
in the women’s bodies at the time of conception. Women with the highest concentrations of the phthalate called di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, were the ones that have the highest likelihood of losing their pregnancy before 20 weeks. The findings suggest a link between DEHP and its effect on women who are undergoing medically assisted reproduction.
DEHP is a phthalate used to make chemicals more flexible. It’s found in most materials that we come in contact with – tablecloth, tiles, furniture, packaging file and even toys. According to the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR), no studies have been undertaken to determine the potential
of DEHP to cause cancer in humans. The agency also notes that, based on animal studies, large doses of DEHP may have adverse effects on children such as birth defects and even death. (Related: Plastic containers are poisoning you and your family
Another study, which evaluated the links
between GDM and certain phthalates, revealed that women with high concentrations of monoethyl phthalate (MEP), a common ingredient in personal care products such as fragrances and cosmetics, may lead to excessive weight gain and impaired glucose tolerance during their pregnancy. Both excessive weight gain and impaired glucose tolerance during pregnancy are factors for the development of GDM, which can lead to more serious types of diabetes, such as Type 2 diabetes. Using urine samples taken from 350 women at their early, middle, and late stages of pregnancy, data revealed that those with the highest MEP concentration have an increased risk of excessive weight gain during their pregnancy, as well as the likelihood to develop glucose intolerance.
Getting away from phthalates: a difficult but doable job
Phthalates are everywhere, and it seems that we cannot escape it. Still, there are some ways you can reduce your exposure to phthalates:
- Go for fresh food – Opt for food and beverages that are fresh; that way, you know that it has not come in contact with any phthalate-exposed containers. If you have to store food, avoid using plastic containers.
- Free yourself from fragrances – Phthalates are one of the main components of fragrances. Look for phthalate-free or fragrance-free options. This also applies to cleaning supplies.
- Avoid PVCs and go green – Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the most common materials today – almost every furniture and equipment is made with it. PVCs are also a source of phthalates. Look for PVC-free products – wood and cotton are good alternatives.


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(Reuters) - Macy's Inc <M.N> said it would cut jobs and consolidate operations after reporting disappointing holiday sales, highlighting the department store chain's struggles to attract customers.
The company's shares rose 4.6 percent to $37.80 in after-market trading on Wednesday.
Warm weather, low spending by tourists and a pileup of unsold inventory prompted Macy's to cut its full-year forecast in November, raising wide concerns about the retail sector's financial health.
Consumers have shied away from buying discretionary items such as clothes and cosmetics, while spending more on electronics, cars, home goods and travel.
Also, Amazon.com Inc <AMZN.O> has revolutionized shopping habits, conditioning shoppers to expect deeper discounts than what brick-and-mortar retailers can afford.
"Macy's doesn't seem to have a unique spot in consumers' minds… like why would you go to Macy's?" said Lisa Haddock, marketing lecturer at San Diego State University.
Macy's said on Wednesday it expects to generate about $400 million in savings, beginning this year.
The company also cut its full-year 2015 earnings forecast to $3.85-$3.90 per share, excluding charges associated with the cost-savings program, from $4.20 to $4.30 per share.
Macy's said it expects a 2.7 percent drop in same-store sales for the year ending January, bigger than the 1.8 percent-2.2 percent decline it previously forecast.
The company said same-store sales on an owned basis declined 5.2 percent in the November-December holiday period due to warm weather and a strong dollar.
"In light of our disappointing 2015 sales and earnings performance, we are making adjustments to become more efficient and productive in our operations," Chief Executive Terry Lundgren said in a statement.
About 3,000 employees will be affected, with about 50 percent expected to be placed in other positions, the company said.
Macy's will also cut an additional 600 positions in back-office operations. The company will shut its St. Louis call center in spring 2016, affecting about 750 employees.
Macy's will implement a voluntary separation program for about 165 senior executives at Macy's and Bloomingdale's.
The company said it would shut 36 stores in early spring 2016. It closed 4 stores in 2015.
Macy's said it would record about $200 million in charges related to the cost-savings program.
(Reporting by Yashaswini Swamynathan and Abhijith G in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)


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DC Comics has informed Direct Marker retailers that its three recently-solicited blank comics - DC Batman Blank Comic #1, Superman Blank Comic #1, and Wonder Woman Blank Comic #1 - have been expanded, going from 16 pages to 24, while keeping the same $2.99 price point.
The publisher expanded the $2.99 blank comics "in keeping with the rules of 24 Hour Comics Day". The full rules of 24-Hour Comics Day is posted here.
DC goes on to highlight that the blank comic will be using uncoated 80-pound paper, "ideal for drawing on" and in addition to their utilization in 24-Hour Comics day would be "great sketchbooks."
Check out Newsarama's EXCLUSIVE preview of the Batman Blank Comic #1 below.
DC Batman Blank Comic #1, Superman Blank Comic #1, and Wonder Woman Blank Comic #1 are scheduled to be released October 3. The 2018 24-Hour Comics Day is scheduled for October 6.


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Gautam Adani, the country’s well-known industrialist and chairman of the Adani Group, is forecasting a prosperous year in 2022. During this time, Adani, Asia’s second richest man, trailed Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, and Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries in terms of earnings.
Adani’s net worth increased by 27%.
In this regard, the report states that Gautam Adani, the second richest man in India and Asia and Chairman of the Adani Group, had his best financial year yet last year. He made more money in the first three months of the year than any other billionaire on the planet. The net worth of Gautam Adani has increased by 27 percent, according to the report. In terms of earnings, his net worth has increased by double digits from 2012 to 2022. With this increase, his net worth has risen to $ 97.6 billion, putting him in 11th place among the world’s billionaires.
over $21 billion in profit
In terms of earnings, Gautam Adani has surpassed Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Reliance Industries CEO Mukesh Ambani, according to the report. So far this year, Adani has earned more than Rs 21 billion, while Ambani has earned $ 8.24 billion. Mukesh Ambani has a net worth of $ 98.2 billion, making him the tenth richest person in the world. Meanwhile, according to a Forbes report published on Friday, April 1, Ambani and Adani’s net worth surpassed $100 billion. The difference in net worth between the two is only $ 300 million.
These Indians are also among the billionaires.
When it comes to the top ten richest people on the planet, eight of them are Americans, with one Indian and one French billionaire rounding out the list. When it comes to Indian billionaires, Mukesh Ambani is ranked tenth, while Bernard Arnault, a Frenchman, is the third richest person on the list. When it comes to Indian billionaires, Wipro’s Azim Premji is ranked 36th on Forbes’ list, with a net worth of $34.4 billion. Shiv Nadar of HCL is ranked 46th with a net worth of $28.9 billion, Radhakishan Damani of DMart is 75th with a net worth of $20.7 billion, and steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal is 78th with a net worth of $20.2 billion.
Adani-Ambani is backed by Mark Zuckerberg.
When it comes to the list of billionaires, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries and Gautam Adani of Adani Group have been in a long-running battle for the 10th and 11th spots. Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani alternate as the tenth and eleventh richest people in the world. At the same time, another unique feature of this list is that Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, has long lagged behind Ambani and Adani in terms of wealth. He is the 12th richest person in the world. When it comes to the earnings of the top ten billionaires, seven of them have seen their fortunes decline. Musk’s net worth has increased by only $ 1.14 billion, while Buffett’s has increased by $ 18.7 billion and Ambani’s by $ 8.24 billion. Bernard Aurnault’s net worth, on the other hand, has dropped the most, to $ 29.4 billion.


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Pioneer has unveiled four new AV receivers in its high-end Elite line for 2008. The VSX-01TXH ($750) and VSX-03TXH ($1,000) will be first out the door in June, followed by the SC-05 ($1,800) and SC-07 ($2,200) in August. (A 2007 model, the VSX-94TXH, remains in the lineup as well and is widely available for 25 percent off its $1,600 MSRP.) In addition to all of the cutting-edge features (HDMI 1.3; upscaling of analog video sources to 1080p HDMI output; on-board decoding for the Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution, and lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks found on Blu-ray Discs; multi-source output for up to three zones; Pioneer's top-notch MCACC auto-calibration), the SC-05 and SC-07 boast network connections for streaming digital media from DLNA-compatible network sources, including PC hard drives. The 05 and 07 also offer some super-tweaky features that will potentially appeal to audiophiles, including the Precision Quartz Locking System (PQLS) that's said to offer optimal CD playback from Pioneer's new Blu-ray players by eliminating audio jitter.… Read more
In June 2007, Tivoli Audio unveiled two Wi-Fi radios at a Manhattan event: the Tivoli Audio NetWorks tabletop radio and the portable NetWorks Go (pictured above). Both models were said to offer identical functionality: the capability to tune in any MP3, WMA, or RealAudio Internet radio station, network audio sources (PC-based digital music collections), and standard over-the-air FM radio. And it wasn't just vaporware, either: company founder and CEO Tom DeVesto used the prototype to quickly pull up two distant stations based on requests from the audience. Unfortunately, neither product was released. The fall 2007 release window came and went, and it wasn't until February that a brief notice on Tivoli's Web site officially rescheduled the release date to June 2008.
However, it looks as if later this week we'll be getting updates on these products.… Read more
A second Blu-ray home theater system has joined Samsung's product lineup. The HT-BD2S is essentially identical to its predecessor, the Samsung HT-BD2T, but with two important distinctions: the BD2S has small satellite speakers (versus the four tallboy models that anchored the BD2T), and it's available for an even $1,000 (a 33 percent discount off the BD2T's asking price).
Does the downsized price and speaker size make the HT-BD2S more attractive than its big brother?… Read more
The good news is that Sony seems to be coming out with some interesting new offerings on the home-media front. The bad news, at least for those of us who reside in the States, is that many of them are being released in Europe.
Just like the shiny aluminum high-end PC speaker we saw yesterday, Sony's Bravia DAV-F200 home theater system is designed to pack more power into a smaller form. In this case, according to Newlaunches, that means virtual surround sound without "the unnecessary clutter of six speakers." Instead, it uses its "S-Force Front Surround&… Read more
Looks like it wasn't the HD DVD/Blu-ray battle that was keeping potential customers away from high-definition video players after all.
The NPD Group released some of its retail sales tracking data Wednesday that showed sales of Blu-ray standalone players (not a PlayStation 3, combo player, or PC with Blu-ray drive) had mostly decreased since the beginning of the year.
Standalone Blu-ray player unit sales in the U.S. decreased 40 percent from January to February and saw a very slight increase (2 percent) between February and March, according to NPD.
HD DVD players fared even worse--player unit sales … Read more
Leading chip and consumer electronics companies say they are pursuing powerline networking on the road to the completely connected digital home.
Intel, Texas Instruments, Infineon, and Panasonic said Tuesday that they are working on a home-networking standard that uses electrical and phone lines and coaxial cable that consumers already have wired into their homes, according to a Reuters report.
The four are the largest members of what they are calling the HomeGrid Forum. The group says it plans to work closely with the International Telecommunications Union to promote the standard the ITU is already developing, called ITU-T G.hn. The … Read more
Not long ago the idea of adding 500GB of storage space to a home media system was unthinkable to the average consumer, unless one was willing to pay ungodly sums of money. What a difference a couple of years make.
Iomega is releasing its "ScreenPlay HD Multimedia Drive" at that half-terabyte mark, a considerable leap from the 60GB capacity of its last generation. As storage technologies continue to drop in price--the new ScreenPlay is selling for around $200--it's positioned to compete with a growing number of products such as LaCie's "LaCinema Premier," which was … Read more


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via RBZ may sanction Econet | The Herald December 23, 2013
THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe might take punitive measures against Econet Wireless if the company insists on refusing banks
unfettered access to transact on its mobile network.
The mobile phone operator is currently entangled in a bruising feud with banks over its reluctance to entirely open up its network to allow them to roll out mobile money services to clients.
Econet argues that the gateway to mobile phone users was not the network, but its mobile money transfer service, EcoCash, which all financial institutions were free to use. Banks say they have no issues with other smaller operators, Telecel and NetOne.
“Banks accuse Econet of playing the game unfairly as evidenced by its unwillingness allow them access to the mobile money platform for payment and remittance purposes,” said a banking sector source that requested not to be named.
Unfettered access to the network would provide banks the opportunity to roll out financial products to more than eight million of the mobile phone operator’s subscribers.
Ostensibly, Econet is unwilling to open up its platform as that would mean competition for EcoCash, one of its fastest growing business units expected to anchor Econet future growth in the wake of declining growth in its core business of voice.
While Econet Wireless has thus far succeeded in keeping the aggrieved banks at bay due to perceived lack of relevant legislation, it has emerged that the RBZ was empowered to regulate mobile money activities under the National Payment Systems Act.
Banking sector sources said while the RBZ had legal clout to regulate mobile all paper and electronic payments including mobile banking, it said it was difficult to legislate new products, hence failure to resolve the impasse between Econet and banks.
Banking sector sources said the central bank resolved to engage Econet Wireless to resolve the issue, failure of which will see monetary authorities punitive.
The RBZ was in the process of coming up with new payment systems regulations deal, especially with mobile payment; hence the banks would be called to make input.
Presenting the 2014 National Budget, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said: “The Reserve Bank is reviewing the regulatory framework to cover all aspects of mobile banking.”
As part of the initial measures towards effectively regulating Econet’s mobile service operations, the RBZ reportedly instructed the company to form a separate unit to oversee
EcoCash is now being administered by a separate company, Econet Services, entirely owned by the country’s single biggest mobile phone telecommunications operator.
At the meeting with RBZ, banks said that access to the mobile network platform would result in charges being levied at the moment in mobile money transfers going down.
Meanwhile, notwithstanding the positive impact of mobile banking services on the welfare of the then financially excluded members of our society, Minister Chinamasa said this product should conform to the tax principle of fairness, hence the current tax on similar products such as automotive teller machines and point of sale should apply.


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While not exactly a surprise given that he has been on leave for most of the year, Apple’s iconic leader Steve Jobs officially resigned from the CEO position earlier this evening.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” Jobs wrote in a letter to Apple’s Board of Directors and outlaying community. “Unfortunately, that day has come.”
Jobs will remain Chairman of the company as former chief operating officer Tim Cook is elevated to the CEO position. The near-term impact of Apple, which is expected to announce the iPhone 5 as early as mid-September and could possibly unveil and lower-cost iPhone and even a next edition of the iPad is subsequent months, will likely be minimal.
The company has been preparing for this day for years, and MacRumors via the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Jobs will continue to be “closely involved in the company’s product strategy.”
How couldn’t he be. Of course, the world will miss Jobs - a master showman in addition to being a technology visionary - on stage hawking new Apple innovations in the weeks, months and years to come.
Regardless of whether you are an Apple fanatic, Android fanboy or casual observer, the world in general and the app space in particular is a more magical place with Jobs within it.


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There’s a well-known phrase about the “gift that keeps on giving.” But here’s an interesting twist with a win—that presents still more winning upcycled ingredient ideas for new product developers.
This summer Utah State University food science students answered the challenge of developing a dairy-based product for “gamers” during National Dairy Council’s (NDC) New Product Competition. Their winning product was Moba Boba, a carbonated, pineapple-flavored energy drink (92% dairy) made from acid whey, whey phospholipid protein concentrate and 2% milk. It also features high-protein, coconut-flavored boba gummies for a fun texture. Moba Boba provides gamers with energy from 130mg of caffeine as well as 31g of protein (including 19g from dairy sources) in a 16oz serving.
Students Nathan Pougher, Melissa Marsh, Chandler Stafford and Mackenzie Taylor defeated teams from Iowa State University and California State Polytechnic University-Pomona in the annual competition, which is open to all U.S. undergraduate and graduate students. NDC’s parent, Dairy Management Inc., has hosted the new product competition since the early 2000s. Since 2012, the competition has focused on a specific theme (such as this year’s products for gamers) based on consumer insights.
Marsh, who served as team captain, said acid whey has been a challenge for dairy companies to upcycle because its high mineral content makes it difficult to dispose of and its acidic flavor was not very palatable. Specifically, Moba Boba upcycles acid whey from the production of cottage cheese and yogurt. Ultimately, Utah State team members found a formula they felt would resonate with gamers because of its taste, nutrition, energy and sustainability components.
“Products made sustainably are emerging for sure,” said Marsh. “There are more products using upcycled ingredients and you’re even seeing labels that say a product is third-party certified as upcycled.
(Moba Boba) shines a positive light because the dairy industry gets a lot of media attention on not being sustainable. So being able to say we’re making dairy more sustainable and using this waste is beneficial and something we’re really proud of.”
Teammate Chandler Stafford added, “People can say our product puts their mind at ease because it’s good for the environment but it’s also healthy. It has a shorter ingredient list that they can understand, and the label is physically appealing.
Rohit Kapoor, PhD., is NDC’s vice president of product research and manages the competition.
“There’s not a specific breakthrough here related to processing technology or a certain treatment step that didn’t exist before. Rather, these students innovated with a very creative way to form the liquid portion of the beverage not only using 2% milk but also acid whey and another under-utilized co-product of whey protein isolate (WPI) manufacturing called whey protein phospholipid concentrate. In addition, Moba Boba also included WPI as an ingredient in the boba gummies that were suspended in the beverage.
“With their innovative concept, they were not only able to satisfy gamers’ specific needs—a mess-free energy product—but they also were able to develop a product with upcycled ingredients,” says Kapoor. “They successfully unlocked a new sustainability solution with a way to incorporate acid whey.”
Looking ahead, Kapoor points to the beverage category and, in particular, to start-ups such as Norwhey and Superfrau that also are using upcycled acid whey.
DMI’s New Product Competition pays out $16,000 in prize awards: $8,000 for first place; $5,000 for second place and $3,000 for third place. The theme for 2023 is innovative dairy-based products for calming.


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Top Retail Strategies for This Holiday Season
- Dec 05, 2017
The holiday season is right around the corner and the Christmas shopping frenzy is inevitable. CBRE pinpointed that shoppers’ growing preference for variety and value will define this year’s holiday season’s retail trends. A greater proliferation of pop-up stores, the emergence of pop-up warehouses, an expansion of mobile commerce and strength in discount retailing are all meant to attract shoppers and bring retailers record revenues, according to a new report.
“As e-commerce reshapes modern retailing, blurring the lines between online and in-store activity, retailers and shopping center owners must continue to adapt with fresh approaches,” said CBRE Head of Retail Research of the Americas Melina Cordero, in prepared remarks. CBRE’s 2017 U.S. holiday trends guide outlines four trends shaping this season as it unfolds.
Retail pop-up strategies intensify
Short-term retail leases (often referred to as “pop-up shops”) have evolved from a trend last season to a full-blown sensation this season. Retailers and retail center owners favor the flexibility and experimentation allowed by short-term leases and shoppers appreciate the variety of a shifting roster of stores. Several of the largest U.S. mall owners have designated space in their strongest properties for pop-ups.
“They benefit both the landlord and tenant by allowing fresh, new concepts access to space on a temporary and cost-efficient basis. At the same time, they allow these new incubator concepts access to thousands of customers while they tweak their concepts for future growth and profitability,” said Chris Hodge, senior vice president at CBRE.
U.S. consumers prefer combining online and in-store shopping, making omni-channel platforms critical to retailer growth. This season will see an increased emphasis on new technologies in pop-up concepts as retailers experiment with new strategies to lure the increasingly tech-savvy shopper.
M-commerce investments on display
It’s no secret that e-commerce is claiming a growing portion of retail sales. What’s less often highlighted is the growth of mobile commerce. Marketing and research firm eMarketer forecasts that more than a third of online sales this year will occur on phones and tablets. CBRE expects online sales to continue to grow, with mobile technology playing a more prominent role than a few years ago as retailers seek new ways to generate sales and collect strategic data. Apps that can collect key customer information on preferences and shopping habits, enable retailers to generate tailored product offerings and advertising.
As consumer expectations for convenience and speed continue to rise, brick-and-mortar brands are adding mobile technology as an integral component to omni-channel success. More than 50 percent of online sales are made by brick-and-mortar brands.
Joel Murphy, CEO of New Market Properties, reveals the strategies his grocery store tenants are using to compete in the e-commerce space, in an interview for Commercial Property Executive.
Furthermore, discount and off-price retailers gained momentum during the last downturn. CBRE predicts that the category will take additional market share this season, spurring mid-market retailers to discount their prices to compete.
Pop-ups go industrial
The surge of online sales during the holiday season can create instant, short-term demand for warehouse and distribution space. This could cause potential headaches for retailers trying to ensure prompt delivery to customers. But new services have emerged to provide a “pop-up warehouse” model in which demand for short-term industrial space in a given market is matched with suppliers. Early results show higher efficiency and lower costs.
A study by Flexe, one of the early on-demand warehouse providers, found that users who utilize on-demand flexible warehouse space to augment a single-peak seasonal inventory surge, can improve warehouse utilization by almost 100 percent and cut overall seasonal warehouse and inventory costs in half.
“CBRE has identified these trends by examining public and proprietary data, querying our retail professionals and listening to our clients. We see these trends as natural steps for retailers striving to perfect their omni-channel operations for selling across all channels and to enhance consumers’ experiences in each,” said Brandon Famous, CBRE senior managing director of retail advisory, transaction services & retail leader, the Americas.
Retail sales across all channels are expected to rise between 3.6 and 4 percent this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. Like last year, much of this growth will be driven by increased internet sales. eMarketer predicts e-commerce will account for 11.5 percent of total retail sales in the November-December period.
Graphics courtesy of CBRE


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The Wii is notorious for its wide appeal to non-traditional gamers, which has skewed its public perception to that of a casual console. However, at the last investors’ Q&A session, Iwata revealed that this perception was the result of a “misunderstanding” and a widespread misconception that “no or few core users [play] Nintendo platforms.” [We] [...]
Nintendo just held their last investor relations meeting, in which Iwata revealed that he’s planning to have the Wii U shown in its “final format” at E3 2012. What we can take away from this is that they’re still actively developing the console and making changes to it… that, or Nintendo have something they’re hiding [...]
In Nintendo’s latest investor relations meeting, Iwata gave us several insights into Nintendo’s future strategies for the Wii U and the 3DS, including his reassurance that the Wii U won’t suffer from the same lack of software that the Wii did. Next up, we’ve got his word on free game demos – one of the [...]
The 3DS’s launch was highly anticipated, but soon fell flat as there was quite literally only a single standout game (and even that was a port of a console title). But in a shareholder meeting today, Iwata dropped a reassuring tidbit that gives us hope for a much stronger Wii U launch. He said that [...]
Iwata found the time to meet up with his investors even through the E3 craze, and Nintendo have posted a transcript of the meeting online. In it, Iwata confirmed that the Wii U will feature neither DVD nor Blu-ray playback because you probably already have something that plays them. Wii U does not have DVD [...]
At Nintendo’s last investor relations meeting, an attendee pointed out that the Wii Vitality Sensor was nowhere to be seen on the company’s sales plan, and asked Iwata if it’ll be released in the next fiscal year, if ever. Iwata answered the question by explaining that the Vitality Sensor is “a totally new type of [...]
We have decided to release Wii’s successor in 2012. We plan to display it in a playable form at the E3 show to be held from June 7 in Los Angeles. The specifications are to be revealed at the show. I am afraid I can’t say any specific here today but, at E3, the company [...]
A short guide to what we can expect to hear from Nintendo’s investor relations meeting tomorrow, and how you can follow it.
Add Nintendo Life to the list of parties in the know about the Wii 2. Some of their latest tweets have clearly revealed the existence of the new console.


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Buoyed by a clutch of innovative tourist-friendly projects launched in the post-COVID phase, Kerala Tourism will roll out aggressive promotional campaigns across the country, targeting diverse segments ranging from family holidayers to working professionals, from adventure-seeking backpackers to honeymooners.
The campaigns to ramp up the state’s tourism and hospitality industry will be based on a variety of themes such as Long Stays, Homestays, Drive Holidays and ‘Change of Air’ besides new products like Caravan Holidays.
These promotional initiatives will be bolstered by a series of travel trade networking activities, including participation in Trade Fairs, organizing B2B Partnership Meets and roadshows, and promoting products and events through various media such as print, TV, radio, digital, OTT, and theatre.
During the next three months (March-May), Kerala Tourism will participate in the 28th International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) at Tel Aviv (Israel) and at BIT Milan (Italy) and also organise B2B Meets in Madrid and Milan. As for the domestic events, it will attend trade fairs like OTM Mumbai, TTF Chennai and South Asian Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE), New Delhi. In addition, partnership meets will be held in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru.
Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas said the pandemic had tapered off considerably across the globe, resulting in lifting of travel restrictions. “This augurs well for Kerala’s tourism and hospitality industry. We are in a resurgent mode now. We believe the recently launched products will woo back the travellers from both inside the country and outside”, he added.
“Tourists from inside the country have always played a major role in making Kerala’s tourism a throbbing enterprise. In the post-COVID world also, their role will be paramount. It is this belief that forms the essence of our pan-India promotional campaigns,” he added.
Dr. Venu V, Addl. Chief Secretary (Tourism), said, “The theme-based projects have been made after meticulous planning. Some of the new projects, like the biodiversity circuit, and Caravan Holidays, in particular, will take the travellers to Kerala’s unexplored areas while observing all the pandemic protocols, thus helping the state go beyond established destinations.”


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Skift Global Forum East 2023, taking place in Dubai from December 12-14, will bring together travel leaders from around the world to discuss and stay ahead of global trends in tourism, hospitality, aviation and much more.
Travel leaders from around the world will gather in Dubai next month, December 12-14, to examine the broader context of travel while striving to stay ahead of global trends.
In this second edition of Skift Global Forum Eastwe’ll break down the biggest trends facing the travel industry and hear from leaders across all sectors, including tourism, hospitality, aviation, experiences, and more.
Three days of connections and ideas
Skift Global Forum East 2023 kicks off with opening reception on December 12 at Cloud 22 (located at Atlantis The Royal) followed by two full days of discussion forums on the 13th and 14th, concluding with a closing networking reception at 4:30 p.m. See the current agenda here.
Hear it from above
Skift brings together top leaders in the travel industry, including:
- Issam Abdul Rahim Kazim – CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Business Marketing
- Paul Griffiths – CEO of Dubai Airports
- Carlo Olejniczak – Vice President and General Manager of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for Reservation.com
- Staci Mellman – Marketing Director of USA brand
- Philippe Zuber – CEO of Kerzner International
- Tony Douglas – CEO of Riyadh Air
- Katerina Giannouka – CEO of Jumeirah Group
- Mark Kirby – CEO of Emaar Hospitality Group LLC
- Zina Bencheikh – Managing Director EMEA of Intrepid journey
- Boon Sian Chai – Managing Director and Vice President, International Markets for Trip.com Group
- Tua Slöör – EMEA Business Development Director, Travel & Sustainability at Google
- Claudio Bellinzona – Director of Procurement TUI Musement
- Christian Muhr – Operational Director of Kerten Hospitality
- Michael P. Zeisser – Managing Partner of FMZ companies
- Ross Borden – CEO and Founder of Matador Network, GuideGeek
- Ben Hoffler – Trail developer and co-founder of Sinai Trail
- Richard Clarke – Managing Director of AB Bernstein
- Mona Faraj – Managing Director of HSMAI Middle East


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KUCHING: The recently concluded Selangor Fashion Week 2019 (SFW) was a great opportunity to showcase Sarawak’s top talents and fashion products.
According to Anna Sue Couture founder Sharifah Suzana Wan Shukran, SFW 2019 was a platform for local designers to showcase their brands to fashion enthusiasts and enhance networking in the fashion industry.
She said fashion products from Sarawak were now ready and capable of penetrating the international market and hoped the state government could see the potential of Sarawak’s fashion products.
On her involvement in SFW 2019, Sharifah Suzana said the opportunity to participate in the event was a valuable and challenging experience as she had to highlight her products and compete with the designers from Malaya.
The 47-year-old fashion advised young designers to love everything they do and to be patient as fashion was a challenging industry.
“Continue honing your talents, brace yourself for new knowledge and don’t be shy to ask seniors anything you don’t know about the fashion world.
“In addition, you have to be brave to appear in any fashion show and continue to expand your network to the next level,” she added


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We’ve been on a wild ride these last several years, including dealing with a pandemic, seeing seismic shifts in purchasing behavior, and navigating supply chain disruptions of epic proportions.
As we enter fall, I am sure all of us are wondering what the new year is going to bring for the trucking industry. Speaking at the recent NationaLease Annual Meeting, Sean Storey, VP of capital equipment at NationaLease, offered his thoughts on the subject saying that 2023 is going to be very similar to 2022. He expects continued OEM allocations, supply chain disruptions, price increases, and surcharges.
See also: Topsy-turvy times for used trucks
OEMs are on the record saying that once again allocations will be the order of the day as material shortages continue. No one knows for sure how that will play out, but it is likely that no one will get all the trucks they order and that the industry will once again be forced to continue to operate trucks past their normal trade cycles.
Speaking at the same event, Rob Garcia, SVP of supply management at NationaLease, said he expects to see inflation continue, led by energy markets, rate elements, commodities, production constraints, reliance on imports and investment speculation.
He also said that short- to medium-term logistics constraints, including port delays, foreign currency stability, labor health concerns, volatile demand, and inventory backlogs will contribute to product and component shortages.
Garcia said fleets need to preserve their existing vehicles since there is a big question about how many—if any—new vehicles they will be getting in 2023. And since component shortages will continue to impact replacement parts, he suggested that fleets establish program enrollments with multiple suppliers, especially for core products.
While all this is going on, fleets are dealing with decisions about whether they should invest in zero-emissions vehicles. There is a lot of hype surrounding this subject, and fleets need to try to separate the facts from the marketing promotion. Storey said it could take a minimum of one year to get an EV charging infrastructure in place, and fleets need to make decisions about where alternative fueled vehicles will be domiciled to ensure charging or fueling options are available.
In the future, zero-emission vehicles will be part of all fleets, according to Storey. So, it is important that fleets invest in training technicians so they can work on this new equipment. They can also tap their outsourced maintenance vendors who have qualified technicians and dedicated shop space to perform maintenance and repairs.
Jane Clark is vice president of member services for NationaLease. In this position, she is focused on managing the member services operation, as well as working to strengthen member relationships, reduce member costs, and improve collaboration within the NationaLease supporting groups. Prior to joining NationaLease, Jane served as Area Vice President for Randstad, one of the nation’s largest recruitment agencies, and before that, she served in management posts with QPS Companies, Pro Staff, and Manpower, Inc.


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Nigerian businesses relying heavily on diesel for their operations are facing tougher times as the average retail price of diesel has risen above N1,000/litre from N870 last month.
BusinessDay observed that filling stations along Ikorodu road, Lagos, sold at various prices between N920 and N1115 per litre last week Friday. At TotalEnergies, it was sold for N1115; AP, N920. NNPC at Kingsway Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi was dispensing it at N920.
Experts attributed the increase to the recent implementation of a 7.5 percent value-added tax (VAT) on imports of diesel by the federal government, the ban on the export of diesel fuel by Russia, and the sharp decline of the naira against the dollar.
“The importers have been complaining about the exchange rate and that if caution is not exercised, it will rise even further,” Abdulkadir Mustapha, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria’s spokesperson in Borno State, said.
He said that diesel was selling for N1,030 per litre in some fuel stations in Delta State. “Although the product is sold in markets all over the nation, access to it is complicated by price.”
The federal government said on June 19, 2022 that it had commenced the implementation of the 7.5 percent VAT on diesel imports into the country by Nigerian Customs Service.
“I have no idea what sort of business will be conducted as a result of the increase in diesel prices. There is no way manufacturers can cope because more businesses will go down or be unsustainable,” said Femi Egbesola, national president of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria.
He said that the price increase makes it impossible for businesses to plan, which is enough to scare away investors. “That is the reason why so many businesses are closing.”
According to BusinessDay research, the retail price of diesel is anticipated to increase to N1500 per litre in the coming days due to the depreciating naira and rising international oil prices.
“The price of diesel will top N1500 due to geopolitics in the international oil sector and Nigeria’s foreign exchange crisis,” a top official of one of the oil marketers using the alias Abigail Rice told BusinessDay.
In response to Russia’s decline in diesel exports as a result of Western sanctions, Rice said, “They are punishing everyone in the world.”
According to Sola Obadimu, director-general of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, “Anything imported may likely experience a price change if foreign exchange rates change. And that’s what I believe is happening with the diesel situation.
“And it is usually better if prices of inputs are stable because every year, every manufacturers’ concern is to do budgeting of how much they expect to spend in the year for recurrent and capital expenditure, how much they expect to produce at what unit cost, how much they expect to make in income, how much they expect to make in terms of surplus and project what they may likely give out as dividends to shareholders.”
But when prices change too rapidly, it affects all these plans and the businesses have to adjust quickly, Obadimu said.
The Central Bank of Nigeria in June merged all segments of the foreign exchange market into the Investors and Exporters window, and reintroduced the willing buyer, willing seller model.
The naira has continued to depreciate against the dollar and other major foreign currencies since then.
The official exchange rate increased from N463.38/$ to N747.76/$ as of Friday. At the parallel market, the naira depreciated to N1,000/$ from 762/$.
The high cost of sourcing FX was one of the major factors that pushed Nigeria’s inflation rate to an 18-year high of 25.80 percent in August from 24.08 percent in July, according to the National Bureau Statistics.
Higher prices dropped business activities for the third straight month to 50.2 in August, the lowest in five months, from 51.7 in July, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index report by Stanbic IBTC Bank.
The latest aggregate Manufacturers CEO’s Confidence Index of MAN also shows that manufacturers’ confidence in the economy dropped to the lowest in nearly two years in the second quarter.
The index declined for the third straight quarter to 52.7 points in Q2 from 54.1 points in the previous quarter.
The challenging macroeconomic issues impacted on the manufacturing sector as its growth rate slowed to the lowest in three years. According to the NBS, the real GDP growth of the sector stood at 2.2 percent in Q2, the lowest since Q2 2020.


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Surface will compete directly with Windows licensees
Ever since Microsoft announced their own tablet, the Surface, there’s a lot going on the internet. Many see it as the rightful & true competitor to the market leading Apple iPad. And rightly so. The specifications are wonderful and it shows how ambitious Microsoft’s plans are to capture the competitive tablet market.
However, amidst all this, some PC makers are crying foul, AppleInsider reports. As we all know, Microsoft has primarily been a software house, churning out flagship products like the Windows & Office. Their focus on the hardware segment has been mainly with “peripherals such as the mouse” & the Xbox gaming console. “The company has largely been content to build software and let vendors worry about the hardware.”
PC makers now feel ‘betrayed.’ With the tablet market set to face fierce competition in the coming months, Microsoft’s decision to build it’s own tablet seems damaging to the relationship with the partners. Microsoft’s closest partners were given only vague details just days before the announcement. In fact, sources say that Acer & Asus have heard about the project for the “first” time during the news conference. “We’re quite surprised.” said an Acer executive.
Although Lenovo & Dell have expressed their continued commitment to Microsoft as a valuable partner, it will be interesting to see how other PC makers react to the Surface in the long run.


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Motorola has started sending out invites in Europe for press event to be held in London. The company is all set to make a big announcement on January 14 and there’s lot of speculation over what the device could possibly be.
As the company writes, “addition to the European Motorola family of products”, we can’t think of anything but a variant of the Moto X. We could rule out the possibility of the Moto G, considering it has already been launched for the global market and will start hitting stores this month onwards, including in India. Another clue at the possibly Moto X launch came last week when the company slashed its price to $399, hinting at possible international launch. With the launch less than week away, we’ll soon find out what the device could be.
The less blinding colour options of the Moto X
The Moto X sports a Nexus 4-like 4.7-inch 720p touchscreen but its AMOLED display is said to bring better power savings and enables some software features, exclusive to the phone. With the recent price drop, the Moto X has become a very attractive proposition and has more than enough power for a mid-range phone.
The company had recently confirmed that it will be launching the Moto G in the Indian market. However, reports now claim that the launch has been pushed to the end of the month. While we won't know for sure, with the Moto X expected to come to markets outside the US, we could possibly see a Moto X launch in India as well.
Published Date: Jan 08, 2014 10:42 am | Updated Date: Jan 08, 2014 10:42 am


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The Euro Zone is likely entering a recession and the business activity is declining ‘faster than feared’ according to reactions to indices released today.
The Financial Times said that a “survey of companies finds orders have fallen for a second consecutive month” while the contraction in business activity continued at the fastest pace in nearly two years in the month of October.
S&P Global’s Purchasing Managers’ Index shows “business activity down for a second month running as service sector growth grinds to a near-halt.”
“The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Eurozone PMI® Composite Output Index dropped to 49.2 in August, from 49.9 in July, according to the ‘flash’ reading,” the analysts said. It was the lowest reading since February 2021.
“The overall drop in output was again driven by a contraction in the manufacturing sector, where production fell for the third month running and at a solid pace,” they reported.
“That said, the service sector barely registered any improvement in activity during August as the rate of expansion slowed for the fourth consecutive month to the softest since the sector returned to growth in April 2021.”
“The overall reduction in business activity in the euro area was mainly centred on the largest national economies,” they continued.
“Germany posted the sharpest decline in output since June 2020 as manufacturing production continued to fall markedly and the contraction in services activity accelerated. Activity in France decreased for the first time in a year-and-a-half, reflective of a sharp drop in manufacturing output and softer growth of services activity. ”
Commenting on the flash PMI data, Andrew Harker, Economics Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence said that the latest PMI data for the eurozone point to an economy in contraction during the third quarter of the year.
“Cost of living pressures mean that the recovery in the service sector following the lifting of pandemic restrictions has ebbed away, while manufacturing remained mired in contraction in August, seeing another record accumulation of stocks of finished goods as firms were unable to shift products in a falling demand environment. This glut of inventories suggests little prospect of an improvement in manufacturing production any time soon.”
“Declining output is now being seen across a range of sectors, from basic materials and autos firms through to tourism and real estate companies as economic weakness becomes more broad based in nature.”
“The rebuilding of workforces following the pandemic is also losing steam, with firms increasingly reluctant to hire additional staff given falling new orders and relatively weak business sentiment,” he said.
“Businesses are at least continuing to see weaker rises in their costs, in turn increasing their selling prices at a softer pace. This should help to feed through to slower consumer price inflation later in the year, although it appears that any alleviation to the inflation situation is coming too late to provide any real support to demand. The remainder of 2022 is therefore looking to be one of struggle for firms across the eurozone.”
“The flash PMIs for October provide yet more evidence that the euro zone is sliding into quite a deep recession but that inflationary pressures remain intense,” Andrew Kenningham at Capital Economics told Reuters. “The limited country breakdown available so far shows that Germany is in much deeper trouble than France.”