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Would the Mazda CX-30 Be More Desirable With a 250-Horsepower Turbo Engine Under the Hood?
If the latest report is to be believed, Mazda is cooking up a turbocharged version of the CX-30, which is expected to crank out 250 horsepower. The CX-30 is one of the most pleasing crossovers you can get as far as the driving experience is concerned, so the idea of extra grunt should, in theory, boost its desirability.
Mazda 3 Turbo Power Figures Unveiled, And It’s Disappointing As Hell
At the end of June, we broke the news that a turbocharged Mazda 3 was in the works and, while we knew it would lead to a Mazdaspeed revival, we thought it would at least have some performance chops. Unfortunately, thanks to a video posted by Mazda Mexico, we know that isn’t the case at all, and the Mazda3 turbo will be little more than a range-topping hatch will a little bit of daily-driving power. Talk about dropping the ball, huh?
Mazda Reveals The Third-Gen BT-50 Pickup Truck With Major Changes Inside-Out
Mazda officially unveiled the third-gen of the BT-50 pickup truck. It comes with a whole lot of changes in and out. The truck follows a whole new design philosophy and feels new on the inside as well. It rides on a new platform and is powered by a whole new engine. The only thing that is carried over from the previous iteration is the name. Will this help Mazda boost sales?
The 2020 Mazda MX-30 Electric Crossover Has Sporty Ambitions
Mazda’s first-ever electric car is finally here and unsurprisingly, the Japanese carmaker is insisting that the EV is still a car for the driver. What’s more, the MX-30 gets the freestyle doors last seen on the RX-8 sports car and it promises to cover around 200 kilometers (124 miles) on a single charge. Let’s find out more.
The 2019 Mazda CX-30 is Cool and All, But Why Isn’t it Called the CX-4?
Updated Mazda CX-5 Brings Turbo Engine and Luxury Trim
It’s been less than two years since the second-generation CX-5 went into production and Mazda is already rolling out an update. While it’s not exactly a facelift design-wise, the upgrade adds a more powerful turbo engine and two new trims with more premium features. And higher prices obviously.
Next-Gen 2019 Mazda3 Headed for L.A. Debut
After almost six years on the market, the current-generation Mazda3 will retire to make way for a redesigned model. The Japanese firm confirmed the new Mazda3 will make its global debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show and released a new teaser of the car.
Actually, Mazda previewed two vehicles, as the photo includes images of both the sedan and hatchback versions. Not much can be seen in the photo, but it gives us a glimpse of the sedan’s roof and the hatchback’s rear end.
2019 Mazda CX-9 With Much More Gear For A Bit More Money
The 2019 Mazda CX-9 received a simple update for the new model year and now comes with more features than ever, slightly changed pricing, and can even be had with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto systems. It is a welcomed update for a car that seems to be perfectly suited for the family tasks of today.
The 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata, on Sale in August, Gets New Standard Features and Increased Pricing
Wallpaper of the Day: 2019 Mazda CX-3
Mazda updated the CX-3 for the 2019 model year just a couple of years after its initial debut. It wasn’t an update to bring a plethora of new design cues, though. It was more about addressing what Mazda didn’t do right the first time. As such, it got some new technology, like an electronic parking brake, a new armrest for rear passengers, more comfortable seats, and some revisions under the metal too. Sure, it doesn’t really look different, but it’s still worthy of some time well spent on your desktop if you’re a fan of Mazda’s little crossover. As such, we’ve hand-picked a few wallpapers and made them available just for you.
Mazda Updates the MX-5 For 2018; Adds Dark Cherry Soft Top Color
The current Mazda MX-5 Miata isn’t old. In fact, it just debuted for the 2016 model year. Well, Mazda isn’t letting the icon age without change. The retractable fastback option came in 2017, and now for 2018, the standard MX-5 gets a few key updates.
New body and top colors bring fresh life while new interior leather options come to the range-topping Grand Touring trim. Mazda’s design team wasn’t the only ones to work their magic. The engineers retuned the rear suspension and power steering, likely matching the changes given to the Miata RF in 2017.
Owners of the performance-minded Club model can now get the Brembo/BBS Package, which comes with several items including – you guessed it – Brembo brakes and BBS wheels. The Club also now has upgraded 17-inch wheels, a better Bose sound system, and heated cloth seats for those chilly nighttime drives with the top down. And last but not least, the base Sport model now comes standard with the Mazda Connect infotainment system with the 7.0-inch display.
Continue reading for more information.
2017 Mazda Miata RF – Driven
Needing no introduction, the Mazda Miata RF is well into its first year of production. This retractable fastback version of Mazda’s insanely popular two-seat sports car not only adds a level of interior comfort with lower noise levels and better insulation against extreme temperatures, but also adds some beautiful aesthetics to the MX-5’s Kodo Design language. Coated in the gorgeous Machine Gray metallic paint, out recent test car proved the Miata RF is more than a mere replacement for the last-generation power-retractable hardtop.
The Miata RF is a looker. Its styling flows with more grace and elegance than the ragtop convertible. Crisp edges meet with curved fenders and voluptuous haunches. Mazda’s attention to detail moves the Miata further up-market, while its price and fun-loving nature remain firmly planted in the obtainable sports car category. Aside from the roof, the Miata RF changes little from its roadster counterpart. An extra 113 pounds, a slightly revised steering calibration, and modestly retuned suspension comprise the most notable differences. But how does this affect the drive? To find out, I spent a week with the Miata RF, flogging it over familiar roads around Central Florida, all the while enjoying the springtime air flowing through the open cockpit.
Continue reading for the full driven review.
Here’s How the Mazda Miata’s Retractable Hardtop Works
So the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is here – hallelujah! This is the hard-top model Miata loyalists have been wanting for four generations now. The RF, or Retractable Fastback, combines the closed-roof quietness and all-year functionality mixed directly with an open-air driving experience on warmer days. But how did Mazda squeeze a folding hard-top into the impossibly small Miata?
The answer: very smartly. In fact, the mechanical bits and electric motors that operate the top, along with the actual aluminum top section and rear glass, all fold neatly into the space already reserved for the conventional soft top. That’s impressive.
What’s more, the Miata RF only compromises 0.1 cubic feet of trunk space over the soft-top model. And no, your luggage runs zero risk of getting smashed by the retracting mechanicals. The trunk is completely separate from the top’s storage compartment. Of course, don’t expect to haul home a bulk purchase of mega-roll toilet paper; the trunk only has 4.6 cubic feet of space.
Operating the top only takes about 13 seconds. A dash-mounted toggle switch does the deed. The car just has to be rolling below six mph. Want to see it in action? Keep reading for the full step-by-step process.
Continue reading for a video of the Miata RF’s Targa top.
2017 Mazda MX-5 RF Unveiled
Mazda got the drop on the 2016 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) with the launch of a new addition to the MX-5 family. It’s called the MX-5 RF, with the last two letters alluding to the “retractable fastback” roof that replaces the old ragtop. While the fourth-generation MX-5 is undoubtedly a significant aesthetic upgrade over the old model, the new RF is simply gorgeous. The design visually moves the cabin towards the tail, emphasizing the rear haunches and giving the whole package a superb sense of balance and poise. Complementing the new look is the availability of a new premium color – Machine Grey. Something tells me the days of explaining handling dynamics and tossability to non-enthusiasts is over…
Speaking of which, the RF promises to be every bit of fun behind the wheel as the standard model, although Mazda has yet to reveal how much the retractable roof mechanism adds to the original’s feathery curb weight. U.S. customers get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that sends 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels, while a 1.5-liter powerplant is offered elsewhere. Routing the power is a six-speed manual gearbox, or alternatively, a six-speed automatic. Inside, expect the same driver-centric control layout.
The 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF will be on display at the Mazda booth throughout the duration of NYIAS. Customers are invited to place pre-orders later this summer, with deliveries expected sometime thereafter.
2016 Mazda CX3 Review
Building crossover vehicles comes much more naturally to Mazda than SUVs. The company got out of the compact-truck game long ago, and its first SUV was the
based Tribute. As car-based crossovers became more popular, Mazda applied its sporty-car expertise to the template and the results have been impressive. The CX-5 and CX-7 blend the fun-to-drive aspects of Mazda’s sedans with the all-weather confidence and utility of SUVs to great effect.
Scaling things down doesn’t hurt the formula at all. Compact crossovers are currently where it’s at, marketing-wise, so Mazda has taken things down a notch with the introduction of the CX-3 for 2016. As the name suggests, it fits into the lineup below the CX-5, and offers nimbler reflexes and a more affordable package that doesn’t feel cheap. Less weight and more compact dimensions are the quickest ways to improved handling, and the CX-3 delivers. It’s probably the closest to “fun to drive” that a crossover’s going to get this side of the Nissan Juke NISMO.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Mazda CX3.
Mazda has just released the first details on its mildly refreshed BT-50 mid-size pickup truck. The BT-50 is Mazda’s global pickup that competes with the Toyota Hilux and Chevrolet Colorado. Based on the global Ford Ranger, the BT-50 carries all the Ranger’s mechanicals but provides truck buyers with what Mazda calls, an “active lifestyle vehicle.”
In other words, the BT-50 has a sportier style than the Ranger.
This marks the first major refresh for the Mazda truck since its introduction back in 2011. Designers were modest in the restyling, only concentrating on the front grille, headlights and taillights. The interior also features a new feel that Mazda says is higher quality than before. A rear-view camera also makes its appearance for the first time on the truck.
More specifically, the grille now has Mazda’s current corporate design, with the large horizontal bar backing the Mazda logo. Smoked headlights now have a more premium look. Similarly, the taillights share the smoked look, imparting a more premium feel to the exterior. Finally, a new set of aluminum wheels replace the outgoing design.
All the greasy bits carry over unchanged. That means the truck’s base engine is the 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel making 158 horsepower. Optional is the 3.2-liter inline five-cylinder turbodiesel making 197 horsepower. The truck can be had with a manual or automatic transmission, as well as two- or four-wheel drive.
The Mazda BT-50 will go on sale in the third quarter of 2015 starting in Thailand and Australia, with sales expanding beyond that in time.
Continue reading for the full story.
At last, the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata is finally here to put an end to years of speculation over its new design. Sure, details surrounding its engine and the amenities it will come with are still under wraps, but that didn’t stop us from having an argument about what impact will the 2016 Miata have on the sports car market once it hits showrooms. While most of us agree the Miata is a rather unique vehicle, we do know the Japanese roadster faces stiff competition from larger and sometime more powerful convertibles.
Of course, if you’re a Miata enthusiast, then it’s likely you’re not even considering what other manufacturers have to offer. But it’s not that of a bad idea to know how the fourth-generation MX-5 stacks up against its main competitors, which mostly come from either Japan or Germany. So what nameplates should fear the new Miata’s arrival in late 2015? Read on to find out.
Click past the jump to read more about the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata and its competitors
Mazda is now confirming details on its upcoming launch of the all-new 2016 MX-5 Miata. The event is set to take place in Monterey, California on Wednesday, September 3, 2014. It will in fact be a global launch with simultaneous debuts in Tokyo and Barcelona. Coverage will also be viewable live on Mazda’s YouTube channel.
Besides the new MX-5 getting the spotlight, 1980s rock band Duran Duran will headline the event, singing plenty of their classic hits. “Duran Duran and the MX-5 Miata both made their world debuts in the 1980s and captured the hearts and imagination of an entire generation,” says Russell Wager, vice president of marketing for Mazda North American Operations. “In 25 years, both the car and the band have evolved while staying true to their roots.”
This is a special time for the MX-5 Miata, as it celebrated its 25th anniversary on February 10, 2014 and will soon break the one millionth unit sold. As of this writing, Mazda quotes that it’s sold over 930,000 Miatas globally since its debut back in 1989.
The details about the new Miata are still unknown, but that won’t last for long. Its debut is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PDT.
Mazda is throwing a second party for the MX-5 in partnership with Fashion Rocks. The event will be broadcast live on CBS on Tuesday, September 9 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Fashion Rocks will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The two-hour event will celebrate the close relationship between fashion and music.
Click past the jump to read the full press release
Launched in 2012 for the 2013 model year, the Mazda CX-5 is one of the newest crossovers on the market. Sharing its platform with the smaller Mazda3 and Mazda6 sedans, the CX-5 was Mazda’s first vehicle featuring the new KODO design language and the company’s SkyActiv technology. Available in North America since 2013, the U.S.-spec CX-5 is offered with two engines. Coming into 2016, the Mazda CX-5 is set to receive its first mid-cycle facelift.
In 2014, the CX-5 lagged behind its main rivals in terms of sales, as it only managed to deliver 99,122 units. While selling nearly 100,000 units is never a bad thing, the CX-5 plays in a popular segment where the class leader, the Honda CR-V, saw 355,019 units roll off of dealer lots and to new homes.
Will the CX-5’s refresh be enough to put a dent in the CR-V’s sales numbers in 2015?
Click past the jump to read our full review and find out.
Updated 02/11/2015: Mazda announced prices for the 2016 CX-5, which will be put on sale later in the spring.
The Mazda2 is one of those little subcompact cars, or “supermini” if you prefer, that really doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Just like the Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-3, and CX-5, the Mazda2 features the most recent interpretation of the Kodo Soul of Motion design styling with sculpted body creases and a much larger grille up front. Compared to the outgoing model, the Mazda2 is sportier than before and offers a two-tone interior that is both comfortable and function for such a small vehicle. For the new generation, Mazda is bringing a brand new SkyActiv-D, 1.5-liter diesel to go with the 1.5-liter and 1.3-liter gasoline-powered engines. Consumers have the choice of a manual or automatic transmission with all engines and can expect fuel economy and power similar to that found in the Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Polo.
The previous-generation Mazda2 didn’t exactly perform very well in the U.S. Sales were slow and supply with also spread thin. Despite the fact that the 2016 Mazda2 will be produced in Mexico, the Mazda2 isn’t going to be available in the U.S. for the foreseeable future. To put it simply, we just love our larger cars now that gas prices aren’t $4.00 a gallon and with so much competition in the subcompact segment it just doesn’t make sense right now. Give it time and the four-gen model ma make it to the U.S., just don’t expect it to happen right away. Regardless of that, let’s take a good look at the Mazda2 and what the new generation brings to the table.
Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Mazda2.
The automaker from Hiroshima dropped a bomb on the automotive market when they came up with the new Mazda3, styled heavily with Nagare inspired lines and bulges this was truly an economy car that you would aspire to own. The exterior of the Mazda3 is interesting to say the least, made up of a multitude of complex curves and detailed lines evidence that the Japanese design team put a good amount of their own blood, sweat and tears into the economy car car’s design. Starting at just under $16,000 for a sedan and closer to $20,000 for the hatchback, the Mazda3 packs a whole lot of car into an affordable package. If you upgrade the sadden to the touring model, not only do you get wave mesh grills, Bi-Xenon headlamps and sporty front and rear bumpers complete with a lip spoiler, but you also get the wonderful 2.5 Liter four cylinder that makes 167 HP and 168 lb-ft of torque to go along with your beautifully sculpted people mover.
The exterior is highlighted by a sense of depth added by the hollow emblem on the front bumper and our car’s Crystal White Pearl Mica paint covered the wide wheel arches that housed a set of stylish 17 inch rims. The Mazda screams style, filled with playful bodylines. When compared to another automobile that we recently tested based on the same platform. We liked the Focus Coupe, and it reminded us of a serious Ford of the past, but the Focus is as plain Jane as sporty can try to be, but the Ford’s exterior was just flat. There was no depth like the Mazda, whereas the Focus is definitely for the person who wants the most car for their buck, while the 3 screams fun for a few dollars more.
Continued after the jump.
The 2009 Mazda Miata, or MX-5 as it is known around the world, is a great car if you have one thing in mind, fun. You won’t be able to pick up a friend from the airport after their month long European vacation; there simply isn’t the room. When it comes to bringing someone along for the ride, you will have to choose between your girlfriend (or boyfriend) or your dog. You will have to keep a beanie in the glove box for cold days, because driving with the top up is just unacceptable.
However if you are the type of driver who looks forward to getting behind the wheel, like to compete in autocross events or just want to play Mario Andretti on your commute to work, the Mazda Miata is what you are looking for. Sure there are no big turbos or V8 rumble, instead you will find a reliable four cylinder engine that revs higher than the previous model, and although the 170 HP Miata won’t win any dyno competitions, it is more than enough power to motivate the 2,400 pound open air roadster to do things you would expect from a much more exotic, more expensive vehicle.
Continued after the jump.
Since the 1990 launch, and with subsequent generations launched in 1999 and 2006, MX-5 Miata has always been available with an optional removable hardtop, but this is the first time the car will be available with a power-operated retractable hard top.
This new Mazda MX-5 provides a unified sense of driving exhilaration, ready to spread the fun of lightweight sports cars in diverse and distinct new ways, regardless of the weather.


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Eighteen months since the Indian government took a historical decision to ban Chinese mobile apps, the country has witnessed major changes in the mobile app sweepstakes. With such a move by the government, Indian publishers who had only a 20 per cent share were able to get a larger percentage of the ranking. As of now, 60 per cent of the top ten apps on App Annie are owned by Indian publishers. On the contrary, the market share of Chinese apps has dramatically reduced.
Why Chinese apps were banned?
India and China have grown from being rivals to enemies. The Modi government, with the outbreak of Covid-19, realised that China and its Communist regime were up to no good. By early 2020, China had begun flexing its muscles along the Indo Tibetan border. This was reason enough for the Modi government to bring down the hammer on Chinese interests in India. Earlier reported by TFI, relations between China and India have now grown sour beyond rapprochement. With the Galwan valley clash of June last year, in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred fighting off Chinese little emperors, India had waged a lethal anti-China economic campaign, beginning with the banning of all major Chinese apps in the country.
Read more: After destroying Chinese apps in India, PM Modi is now going after Chinese smartphones
Chinese apps dominated the market share before the ban
Before the government pulled out the Chinese apps in 2020, Chinese apps used to flourish in India and other countries as well. According to App Annie data, in May 2020, 50 per cent of the top 10 app publishers across all segments were Chinese.
The Chinese gaming app PUBG, for instance, was an overnight sensation with over 34 million Indians playing daily and downloads hit over 175 million. Indian publishers had only a 20 per cent share and, the top was NIC, thanks to the Arogya Setu app.
TikTok dominated the social media space and successfully took on Facebook with its short videos with over 119 million subscribers in a short period.
Indian Apps made the best of the Chinese App ban
However, despite the worldwide craze for Chinese apps like Tiktok, PubG and many more, China had to face a huge setback after India pulled out their apps. The market share of Chinese apps in India has dropped substantially from 44 per cent in 2018 to only 29 per cent in 2020, as per a China Internet Report 2021 (by South China Morning Post).
With the fall of Chinese apps in the market, Indian publishers managed to get a larger share of the ranking. Based on the latest September data of App Annie, Indian Publishers who only had a 20 per cent share in 2020, are currently holding 60 per cent of the top ten apps in India that includes MX Taka Tak, Moj, ShareChat, Josh and Public among others.
Moreover, the App Annie report has also referred to India as the top market globally for social app downloads among various categories of social, social networking and communication across iOS and Google Play in H1 2021. The report stated that India is the top market by a factor of 5x, surpassing the US in 2018.
Thus, the Chinese app ban by the Indian government has turned out to benefit the nation exquisitely. However, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India still has so many victories to witness.

domain: news


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The social gaming developing Titan, Zynga, which is based in San Francisco, has rumors revolving around it. As there are reports that state that Zynga has entered talks with Wynn Resorts, the land casino giant in order to have some kind of partnership for an online gaming casino. This partnership seems to be aiming to have the advantage of the latest turbulence in the online gambling community in the United States.
This turbulence is caused by a possible legalizing of online gambling on a national level through the federal court of law. Also because of the latest statement made by the Dept. of Justice regarding the Wire Act in December 2011, stating that this law was aimed towards sport wagering only, thus legalizing all other forms of online gambling in the United States. After such statements by the DoJ, a lot of states are racing each other to enter the regulated and legalized world of online gambling. It has been estimated that about twenty states are planning to move into the regulated world of online gambling.
Zynga Poker Las Vegas Style
Mark Pincus, the CEO of Zynga has been announcing to the public Zynga’s thoughts and plans of moving into the world or online poker gaming and real money betting. He also states that with all what is happening the online gambling community in the United States, the move into real money betting is inevitable.
It was also reported that Wynn is not the only partner Zynga will be partnering with, as the company will be looking to become partners with many partners who are licensed to operate in different states. For instance, Wynn is licensed to operate only in Las Vegas, so Zynga will partner with others to operate in other states beside Las Vegas. Zynga has about 230 million active users per month, these millions span over more than 160 countries. Its social games can be accessed on cell phone platforms or through social networks such as Facebook.com. This move has been predicted for a long time since the great success that Zynga poker has been having over the years. Although Zynga has been making money through the purchase of virtual goods and chips, but real money betting is a whole other issue. It is a multi billion industry.


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Telecity becomes latest UK tech firm to become US target as £2.3bn bid comes in for internet data firm
British data centre giant Telecity has been approached over a £2.3billion takeover by a US rival.
The talks with Equinix, which the FTSE 250 firm confirmed this morning, threaten to derail the UK company's own merger plans which it announced earlier this year.
In February, Telecity said it wanted to merge with Dutch group Interxion. And in a joint statement in March they said would not accept other offers while negotiations were ongoing.
Tie up: Telecity houses the wires that make the internet work. It has vast sites at key points throughout the country, including the Docklands and Acton in London as well as all over Europe
But after receiving an approach from Equinix, Telecity said it felt duty bound to enter into talks with the US group.
Telecity shares jumped 20 per cent high on the news, up 174.7p to 1,074.2p - just shy of the offer price of 1,145p a share.
The UK firm said: 'Having carefully considered the Equinix proposal in the light of this exception, the Board of TelecityGroup has determined that it is required by virtue of its fiduciary duties to enter into discussions with Equinix and has decided to permit Equinix to undertake a short period of due diligence.'
A successful tie up will create the largest player in the European market. The proposed deal is made up of 54 per cent cash and 46 per cent Equinix stock.
Analyst Roger Phillips at Investec Securities said: 'If this deal consummates, Interxion is left at the altar looking highly sub-scale, and in our view would likely have to enter an alternative end-game.'
Telecity houses the wires that make the internet work. It has vast sites at key points throughout the country, including the Docklands and Acton in London as well as all over Europe.
Anyone accessing the internet through their phone or computer will have the information they receive pass through its data centres.
In a separate statement, Equinix, which is five times the size of its UK rival, said the Telecity deal would add capacity to several of its locations in Europe such as London and extend its footprint into new locations such as Dublin, Milan and Warsaw.
Equinix must decide whether to make an offer by June 4.
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The article also make it clear that the study didn't rule out that resveratrol might be beneficial in conjunction with other components of wine, since some human studies suggest limited wine use has health benefits.
By Maggie Rotermund
Email the author
October 29, 2012
Resveratrol, an ingredient in red wine thought to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce risk of heart disease and increase longevity, does not appear to offer these benefits in healthy women, new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates.
The study, reported online Oct. 25 in Cell Metabolism, involved 29 post-menopausal women who did not have type 2 diabetes and who were reasonably healthy. For 12 weeks, half took an over-the-counter resveratrol supplement, and the rest got a placebo, or sugar pill...


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Allegiant is second only to Spirit Air in the United States in their focus on ancillary fees as a source of revenue. Both now charge for carry-on bags and most other things you can think of as part of the purchase process. While Spirit has a "usage fee" for booking on its website Allegiant is choosing a different tack, adding a fee to use credit cards as a payment method.
Technically this is a discount for using a debit card, a transaction type which is cheaper for them to process, and not a fee. Because of that it isn’t details on their fee schedule. But it is very much a requirement for customers who want to pay with a credit card, running $4-6 per passenger per segment. With 1.7mm passengers quarterly that adds up in a hurry to a lot of revenue.
The carrier, of course, maintains that customers are getting the lowest base fares possible and then choosing the "extra" benefits they need. In the case of buying with a debit versus credit card, however, there are some very real reasons customers should be cautious about using a debit card to save a few dollars. Purchases made with a credit card come with certain consumer protections which are not available via other means. Historically this has meant a free version of insurance against the company failing to deliver. Now Allegiant is going to have customers pay for that insurance. At least the company recognizes this shortcoming when a customer clicks for the details on the debit card discount:
The move also raises an interesting question with respect to the DoT rules regarding full-fare advertising. Is the fare displayed on the search results really the all-in price if only certain customers using a specific payment method can actually realize that price? It will certainly be interesting to watch.
At the end of the day this move makes it harder for customers to easily compare total trip costs across carriers. That’s bad for passengers.
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iPhone 14: The biggest design changes we could see next week
Applesset to debut on . But before the big announcement, fans are wondering what the new iPhone will look like. Only Apple has the answer for now, although the ever-swirling rumor mill has given us some clues as to the possible design of the iPhone 14.
We’ll update this story as we learn more, so be sure to bookmark this page for later. Here’s what we’ve heard so far, gossip about a plusto a notchless screen. For more iPhone 14 rumors, check out everything we heard about it and . Moreover, here .
iPhone 14 screen: take it down a notch
This one has been around for years, but one of the biggest rumors is about what the iPhone 14 won’t have. After introducing the notch on the iPhone X in 2017, Apple may finally ditch it this year. The company will trade it in for a smaller punch-hole camera in the Pro models, according to famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. A punch-hole design refers to a screen with only a small circular cutout for the front camera, as seen on a number of Samsung launches like theand .
Instead of a punch-hole design, display analyst Ross Young speculates that the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will have a pill-shaped hole and cutout to accommodate the front camera and Face ID. The pill-shaped cutout would house the front camera and Face ID, while the punch-hole would be for the Face ID dot projector, according to a January report from MacRumors. The hole and pill design is depicted in rumored renders of the Pro published by 91Mobiles. Meanwhile, alleged renders on MySmartPrice show the base iPhone 14 keeping the notch.
Right now, the notch houses the components that make Face ID work, which means Apple may have to scale back all that technology to make a notchless iPhone a reality. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also hinted at the notch removal in his Power On newsletter in September last year, in which he predicted a “complete redesign” for the iPhone 14.
The alleged iPhone 14 hole and pill display appeared in diagrams on Chinese social media site Weibo, and was later shared on YouTube by leaker Jon Prosser. While we don’t know what the iPhone design will look like until it’s revealed, the schematics offer a glimpse of the possible display of the next iPhone.
iPhone 14 camera design: bumping into each other
Another design feature that would be on Apple’s list to remove is that big camera bump. The iPhone 13 line features a protruding camera bump, which houses two or three lenses depending on the model. According to Prosser, who has a Random Accuracy record, the iPhone of the future will eliminate the bump entirely, which could mean a thicker chassis for the camera components. According to Prosser, the iPhone 14 body is going to be a “fat boy”. But could it be thick enough to include all that camera hardware without the chunky rear camera setup? I take this rumor with a grain of salt.
Speaking of losing weight, Leaker ShrimpApplePro tweeted that the Pro Max version of the iPhone 14 will come with smaller bezels than the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
iPhone 14 chassis: stronger and lighter
Talking about the iPhone chassis, Prosser also said that the Apple Watch models before, including the . Titanium alloy rivals steel in toughness, while weighing less than stainless steel. Titanium is also more resistant to scratches, corrosion and bending.for the first time, replacing the stainless steel one. This rumor was first mentioned in a 2021 report from JP Morgan Chase’s China office. Apple has used a titanium alloy in some
Size of the iPhone 14: identical but different frames for the Pro models
Apple’s last two iPhone lines have featured the same 6.1-inch size for the base model, going up to 6.7-inches for the Pro Max. According to a Nikkei Asian Review report in July last year, Apple will stick to these sizes for the iPhone 14 series, but will eliminate the 5.4-inch Mini. This rumor is corroborated by a. Reports have shown so it will be if Apple ends up phasing out the tiny phone in 2022.
Although the size of the next iPhone is expected to remain the same, the Pro Max’s display bezels are said to be 20% smaller compared to previous iPhone generations, according to CAD renders shared in April by Leaked Twitter ShrimpApplePro. This means the screen would be slightly larger. However, it is important to note that this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt since ShrimpApplePro does not have an extensive track record to back up their speculations.
Will the iPhone 14 bend?
Probably not. To be clear, we cannot say for sure if awill never see the light of day, but I remain hopeful that it can happen in the next few years. A Bloomberg report in January says Apple already has a working foldable screen prototype for the iPhone, but hasn’t confirmed a launch schedule. Other outlets, including Taiwan’s Economic Daily, have identified 2022 as the year the foldable iPhone will come to fruition, while others are suggesting 2023. Display analyst Ross Young, however, suggests .
Remember thewas an increment . That means it potentially sets the stage for a drastic design overhaul when the iPhone 14 or 15 arrives, much like Apple has revamped the look of its phones with the .


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North Carolina’s Triad Business Journal recently explored the changes to the state’s “orthopedic landscape” taking place thanks to the introduction of our own Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA®) telerehab tool and its compatibility with the new bundled payments model.
“The advent of technology like VERA is allowing physicians and health care systems to more rapidly employ value-based care and bundle payment models, shifting away from the antiquated fee-for-service payment models long bemoaned by patients and providers alike,” writes John Joyce in the article.
Joyce goes on to speak to Dr. Stephen Lucey of Greensboro’s Delta Joint Management Sports Medicine and Joint Replacement about how using VERA in conjunction with the bundled payments model is offering the ability to cut knee replacement surgery costs by as much as 30 percent. Patient acceptance of the VERA model has also been remarkable, Dr. Lucey adds.
“I have patients where I did their first knee conventional and second knee (using) VERA, and they way preferred VERA,” he says. “Because they didn’t have to go anywhere; they can do it right there in their home.”


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(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) Thailand witnessed a seven per cent increase in tourists from Oman in 2013, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Dubai and Middle East.
This was revealed at a roadshow hosted by TAT at Crowne Plaza Muscat on Thursday as part of its efforts to promote new destinations such as Krabi and Hua Hin and to increase the number of tourists from the region. The event was attended by Tanes Petsuwan, executive director, TAT “ Europe, Africa and Middle East region.
Chalermsak Suranant, director, TAT Dubai and Middle East office, said, ''UAE is at the top spot, with 160,000 tourists visiting Thailand last year.
''The number of tourists from Oman was 75,000.''
Speaking on the sidelines of the roadshow, Suranant said that Thailand's medical tourism industry is witnessing a boom. ''Most visitors from GCC are interested in medical tourism.
''Nowadays, a lot of people are going to Thailand for health-related reasons, and they are happy with the prices and quality of treatments offered.''
Talking about the most preferred destinations in Thailand, Suranant said that Bangkok and Pattaya are the favourite destinations for families, while Phuket and Hua Hin are preferred by couples.
TAT is planning to improve relations between the two countries by organising an agro-tourism expo in the sultana


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You are here
Tariff Man's trade war will claim innocent victims
IN a series of tweets this week, President Donald Trump announced that he was a "Tariff Man", trumpeting the revenue raised by tariffs and declaring that import taxes would maximise the US' economic power.
As Paul Krugman pointed out, it is a fallacy to think that foreigners are the only ones paying the tariff bill. US consumers pay as well. Believing that tariffs are a tax on foreign countries is like believing that sales taxes are a tax on Wal-Mart.
It also makes little sense for Mr Trump to brag about the tax revenue his tariffs are creating, when his own tax cuts have increased the deficit by enormous amounts. So far the tariffs have raised a few billion in revenue, but the tax cuts are expected to cost about US$100 billion every year.
Beyond these basic inconsistencies and mistakes, though, Mr Trump's faith in tariffs as a tool of economic greatness is misplaced. As a mechanism for increasing a country's strength in global markets, they leave much to be desired.
First of all, the burden of tariffs falls mostly on domestic consumers - in other words, Americans - because the prices of many traded goods are set in world markets. Suppose a Chinese company is selling a washing machine in the US for US$1,000. Mr Trump then sets a tariff of US$200 on the washing machine. The Chinese company knows that it can go sell its washing machine somewhere else without the tariff - France, or Japan, or Russia - and still get about US$1,000 for it.
So in order to make it worth the Chinese company's while to sell the machine in the US, it is going to have to raise the sticker price to US$1,200.
That is an idealised example, of course. In fact, the US domestic market is large enough where it has some power to affect global prices, so Chinese merchants will pay some small portion of the tariff. But much of the cost of the tax will be borne by the American consumer.
The second reason tariffs aren't great is that they don't take currency movements into account. When the US taxes another country's goods, it puts downward pressure on that country's currency.
When China's yuan falls against the US dollar, it makes Chinese goods cheaper, cancelling out some of the effect of the tariff. The yuan was at about 16 US cents to the dollar earlier this year, but as Mr Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese goods and ramped up his trade-war rhetoric, it fell to roughly 14 cents - a decline of more than 12 per cent.
That currency drop made all Chinese goods - not just the ones Trump put tariffs on - cheaper in the US. That is probably one big reason why his tariff announcements didn't do anything to cut the US trade deficit with China, which has hit record highs this year.
The third reason tariffs are bad is that if done wrong, they can make life harder for US manufacturers and exporters.
As Professor Krugman and others (including myself) have repeatedly pointed out, many of the Chinese goods that Mr Trump is taxing are parts, machinery and materials that US manufacturers need to make their products. By raising production costs, tariffs make US manufacturers less competitive, both at home and abroad - exactly the opposite of what Mr Trump wants to do.
A recent report by UBS Group found that American companies are starting to shift production overseas in response to the US tariffs.
Raising the competitiveness of US companies is a worthy goal, but tariffs are a bad tool for the job.
There is a better one available - export subsidies. Instead of taxing foreign products in the US market, use tax revenue - from income taxes, which don't distort the economy very much - to help US-based companies sell their wares abroad.
Export subsidies aren't perfect; they also hurt the US consumer because they allow companies to raise domestic prices to match the higher prices they can get overseas. But by nudging US companies to get out of the cozy domestic market and compete on the world stage, they probably give productivity a boost.
Mr Trump's goal of making the US more competitive isn't bad, but he needs to stop using bad tools. Tariffs will not, as he said, "max out our economic power"; instead, to the extent that they aren't cancelled out by currency movements, they will raise costs for American manufacturers and prices for American consumers.
Tariff Man needs to cool his jets. BLOOMBERG
- The writer is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was an assistant professor of finance at Stony Brook University, and he blogs at Noahpinion.


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National Average Diesel Price Per Gallon: $3.38
Last week, oil market analysts expressed concerns that possible sanctions against Saudi Arabia could cause the price per barrel to skyrocket.
This week, however, U.S. crude futures fell 11% to a five-week low.
According to Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData, the price decrease is due to several factors. These include a high amount of oil held in storage tanks in the U.S., fears that previous oil price spikes could erode demand, and an overall market sell-off triggered last week by trouble on Wall Street.
Framing lumber: $360
The downward momentum of framing lumber prices continued last week. A worker picket at a mill in British Columbia, Canada caused some traders to worry about an impending supply shortage. But the picket only lasted one day, which wasn’t long enough to contribute to any potential rise in product prices.
Structural panel prices also plunged. Mills are still lowering prices in an effort to alleviate over-supply.
Hiring for the 2018 holiday season is starting to heat up.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retailers will hire an estimated 650,000 seasonal workers this year. This is a 10% increase over last year.
The NRF also predicts that the strong economy and low unemployment rate could boost wages both with retailers and logistics companies.
Here are the seasonal hiring numbers for some of the biggest U.S. retailers:
Gap Inc.: 65,000
J.C. Penney: 39,000
American Eagle Outfitters: 22,000
Dick’s Sporting Goods: 5,000
“Helping our clients get jobs done since 1998.”


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BBK’s two leading brands - Oppo and Vivo have doubled their combined India revenue between April and September this year to Rs 34,500 crore, according to their latest regulatory filings. These two brands are now within touching distance of their Rs 38,726 crore combined sales in 2018-19 when they had grown business by 67% over FY18. Both brands have reduced losses in first half of this fiscal. BBK's two other brands, premium OnePlus and online-focussed realme, too have continued to gain revenue with both increasing their market share this year, industry trackers said.
Realme India told ET its revenue from sales of handsets is accrued under books of Oppo India which produces and sells its products, though developed by realme. Oppo did not respond to a query sent on this. Realme India has separately filed regulatory disclosure indicating it will achieve Rs 723 crore sales in current fiscal from services. Samsung and Xiaomi are yet to file their financials for 2018-19 and current fiscal.
“While the four BBK brands operate independently in India, together BBK can soon become the largest by sales. Oppo, Vivo and realme are now focussing on the mid-tier segment of the Indian market to increase average selling price,” said Counterpoint Technology Market Research associate director Tarun Pathak.
He said these four brands are pretty strong in the Shenzhen eco-system in China and can bring latest hardware as the first mover in India at a time when ASP of the Indian smartphone market has increased from $120 to $200.
Oppo Mobile India’s net sales shot up 133% to Rs 21,917.96 crore in the first six months of the current fiscal ending September 30, while net loss reduced to Rs 680.65 crore from Rs 778.63 crore the year ago. Vivo Mobile India’s revenue from operations in the first six months went up 56% to Rs 12,582.73 crore, while the company’s net loss came down to Rs 66.99 crore as compared to Rs 447 crore it posted in the same period of 2018-19.
Vivo India's director, brand strategy, Nipun Marya, said multiple factors like strong product portfolio across price segments, extensive distribution network, both offline and online, reliable after-sales service and substantial marketing inputs have been instrumental in this growth.
Oppo India spokesperson said India continues to be a high priority market for OPPO. The person said the brand has seen remarkable year-on-year growth of 92.3% in July-September quarter as attested by IDC and garnered market share of 11.8%.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- ET Markets
- Crypto Exchanges Accused of Laundering ₹1,000 Crore
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing at least ten cryptocurrency exchanges for allegedly laundering more than ₹1,000 crore identified as proceeds of crime of the accused firms under investigation in the instant loan app case in which most have a China link, said people aware of the matter.AIFs Due for Closure Struggle to Sell Holdings in Startup Firms
Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) that are scheduled to wind up in the next few months have been struggling to sell their holdings in unlisted ventures and startups, as investors stay clear of risky investments due to tightening liquidity.New RBI Norms Keep 3rd Party Out of Digital Lending Process
The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday said disbursal of loans and collection of repayments must be executed only between borrowers and entities regulated by it, and that no third party should be involved in this process.
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The coronavirus has hit us in ways that we never could have imagined. Currently there are nearly 650,000 confirmed U.S. cases of COVID-19 and more than 28,000 deaths, and those numbers grow daily. The economic toll is just as devastating, with roughly 22 million Americans filing for unemployment since the crisis began, including 1.1 million Texans.
This state of emergency is just as severe and deadly for North Texas entrepreneurs and small businesses. The results from the City of Dallas’ COVID-19 Small Business Survey are sobering:
- 30%+ of respondents report a more than 90% decrease in revenue during the last month
- 95% of all respondents saw some decrease in revenue
- Almost 90% expect needing some sort of financial assistance to survive the crisis, with 40% of every dollar going to payroll needs
Ninety-five percent of the country works for small businesses. If we don’t make their existence a priority, then the crisis will far exceed any stay-at-home mandates.
No one can predict when the public health and economic crises will end. But there is help. The government is trying to figure out how to keep us safe and offset the economic downtown. Communities are coming together to serve neighbors in need. And North Texas leaders — from companies big and small — are putting their heads and resources together to support local entrepreneurs in the next 90-plus days of turmoil.
I don’t have all of the answers, but I do have few suggestions for small businesses and entrepreneurs to survive in the world of the coronavirus:
- Find information and resources that can help you navigate this new pandemic reality. (More about that in the following paragraph.)
- Surround yourself with a team — key staff, advisors, board members and mentors — who can give you the best counsel based on their experience and expertise.
- Give back. As leaders in their communities, entrepreneurs should serve in the places where people need help.
In support of No. 1, this week I helped to launch Let’s Grow North Texas Business. A collaboration between 100-plus organizations across the region, the site provides essential tools and content:
- Media, such as video and podcasts
- Events, such as webinars, virtual events and online meetups
- Documents, such as explanations of resources and tutorials
- Funding sources to get the money necessary to make it through hard these hard times
In addition, the site makes it possible to connect directly with our resource partners, who have the knowledge and tools to assist in the age of coronavirus and beyond. Just as critical, the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) Network has launched a Fast Start Mentor Program to directly connect entrepreneurs and small business owners with mentors — subject matter experts, experienced entrepreneurs and service providers — who can help companies overcome obstacles and achieve desired outcomes.
Building a business is simple — create a product or service, sell the product or service, retain and grow a customer base — but it’s never easy. It is a rollercoaster, even in the best of times. Although this pandemic is unlike anything we have ever faced, it can be approached like any other business obstacle: as a market force to overcome and, potentially, find opportunity within.
Trey Bowles is the co-founder and president of InnoCity Partners LLC (ICP), a smart cities consulting and project management firm. He is also the co-founder and executive chairman of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) and started the Mayor’s Star Council with the City of Dallas. He wrote this column for FWD>DFW.


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Once again the British summer has lived up to its hard earned stereotypes of wet weather, shattered dreams of the national football team and also of our leading tennis hope at Wimbledon getting within touching distance of the trophy.
But where the stereotypes have been reinforced we are reminded that every cloud does have a silver, or golden, lining as our Olympic glory broke through the gloom and shined on the nation.
Dark skies do unfortunately continue to hover over the economy. This time, courtesy of NESTA, which has presented further evidence of the UK’s unsatisfactory economic outlook. It highlighted the £24bn reduction in investment in UK innovation. But again there is a silver lining worth talking about.
This slow down in innovation investment on a macro scale presented to us by NESTA could be used as a further excuse to bemoan the UK economy. Alternatively, such news can be viewed in terms of the opportunities it presents – and fast-moving, innovative start-up companies are perfectly positioned to take this standpoint. Recession doesn’t always need to be the death knell of businesses. There are several reasons why the future is bright for small, adaptable, young companies.
1. Small companies can react quickly
For one thing, small companies can quickly react to change. It is almost in the DNA of the most successful entrepreneurs to accept that they need to be prepared to reposition products, radically adapt their business models and even be willing to pivot their entire business to meet a newly identified customer need.
2. Recession = corporate change = opportunity
What’s more, somewhat complacent large incumbents get shaken to the core when a global downturn of this severity occurs. This is the time when long term contracts get questioned and bosses demand significant reductions in costs or, in some cases, a radical overhaul of all their service providers as they are forced to accept the new realities of a changed economy and society.
When incumbent service providers are pushed out, the vacuum will be filled by those companies that are best able to quickly and effectively meet the new customer need – the innovative company should thrive.
3. Now is a good time to invest in innovation
The research from NESTA shows that investment in innovation has been neglected for years. If businesses don’t invest enough in their own innovation then it stands to reason that sooner or later they will be forced to either buy it in or face the consequences. Small business owners stand to make significant gains if they get the timing and positioning of their business right, and can benefit from acquisitive companies desperately catching up in the innovation race.
Recessions have historically generated the best venture capital returns. Bearing all the above factors in mind, combined with the paradigm technology shifts which are making it cheaper and easier to start and grow very valuable businesses in increasingly short periods of time, we can expect the next few years will generate some bumper returns for venture capital investors and the creation of world-changing businesses.
These turbulent times will forge for future, world beating companies. Be inspired by our home grown Olympians and go for gold.
George Whitehead is venture partner manager at


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The Chinese government continues to impose restrictions on screen time for teenagers. In 2021, China limited playing time for youth under 18 to only 3 hours a week, and now it is proposed to limit the time of smartphone use to 2 hours a day, writes Engadget.
The Cyberspace Administration of China proposed draft regulations, according to with which adolescents under the age of 18 must limit the time of smartphone use to two hours a day. For children from 8 to 15 years of age, the limit will be one hour per day, and for those younger than 8 years – 40 minutes.
The new rules also prohibit any smartphone use between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. All phones should have an easy access mode that will allow parents to limit what children can see and allow internet providers to show age-appropriate content. Children under the age of 3 will be limited to songs and other forms of audio, while children aged 12 and over will be able to view educational and news content.
The project is open for public discussion and it is not a fact that it will be accepted, but this is China, so it will most likely be. There are also questions regarding the implementation of new restrictions. It is not yet clear who will be responsible for the implementation of the children’s mode – equipment manufacturers or operating system developers.
If the restrictions are implemented, Chinese software developers such as ByteDance (TikTok and its Chinese counterpart Douyin) and Tencent (WeChat and many popular games) will have to adapt their applications and their content to the new restrictions.
Attempts to limit and in some cases ban the smartphone use for children are currently taking place in various countries around the world. For example, in the Netherlands, they are trying to ban smartphones, smart watches, and tablets in schools. But China is China, so the restriction for reasons of overcoming dependence on screens most likely also has the intention of controlling the flow of information that surrounds children.


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ChannelAdvisor’s clients that sell in the Amazon Marketplace had an increase of 52% during Cyber Weekend, according to statistics released by platform provider ChannelAdvisor.
Amazon’s steady growth during November culminated during the Cyber Five shopping period from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday.
After reviewing various ecommerce channels, “Amazon was a clear winner with more than 50% growth year over year – well over twice the growth rate of overall ecommerce,” said ChannelAdvisor CEO Scot Wingo.
“As big box retailers competed to see who could open first on Thanksgiving, online retailers, including Amazon, pushed up their promotions as well,” Wingo added. “This resulted in steady growth throughout all of November as opposed to the more concentrated numbers we’ve experienced the past few years during the Cyber Five.”
ChannelAdvisor, which works with more than 3,000 ecommerce brands, managed $2.8 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) on behalf of retailers of all sizes including Saks, Dell, and Brookstone last year. ChannelAdvisor’s same-store sales include its customers who have been with the company at least one full year.
Here are some of its key Cyber Monday numbers:
Paid search same-store sales increased 39% for ChannelAdvisor clients.
eBay’s same-store sales remained steady with 10% growth.
Comparison shopping same-store sales increased 5% for ChannelAdvisor clients.
ChannelAdvisor client ReCellular sells refurbished mobile devices on multiple channels and experienced meteoric growth on Amazon during the Cyber Five — increasing its sales nearly 170% percent on Black Friday alone.


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In a week when the number-one “consumer rights” issue is the TSA’s groping and assault of air travelers, the nation’s premiere “consumer protection” agency is squarely focused on — warning people about the perils of online dating:
The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, warns that scammers sometimes use online dating and social networking sites to try to convince people to send money in the name of love. In a typical scenario, the scam artist creates a fake profile, gains the trust of an online love interest, and then asks that person to wire money—usually to a location outside the United States.
Here are some warning signs that someone you met online could be in it for the money:
- Wanting to leave the dating site immediately and use personal e-mail or IM accounts.
- Claiming instant feelings of love.
- Claiming to be from the United States but currently overseas.
- Planning to visit, but being unable to do so because of a tragic event.
- Asking for money to pay for travel, visas or other travel documents, medication, a child or other relative’s hospital bills, recovery from a temporary financial setback, or expenses while a big business deal comes through.
- Making multiple requests for more money.
The FTC warns consumers that wiring money to someone they haven’t met is the same as sending cash. Once it’s gone, it can’t be recovered.
That last part kills me. The FTC is warning you about something that the agency admits it really can’t do anything about. At least for now. I could see a whole host of new regulations designed to punish people who falsely “claim instant feelings of love” to get their hands on your money. The Bureau of Consumer Protection could establish an entire “jilted lovers” division.
If there’s a serious point to be made here, it’s that “security theater” isn’t limited to the TSA and air travel. Anytime the government claims to be “protecting” you from something, it’s a scam. The FTC spends millions of dollars and employs thousands of people — to tell you not to believe some anonymous weirdo in an online chat room is really in love with you? If you’re the type of person who needs that sort of “protection” from the government, then you have a lot more to worry about than a failed online romance.


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Just because you turned off your phone doesn't mean the NSA isn't using it to spy on you.
Edward Snowden's latest revelation about the NSA's snooping inspired an extra dose of shock and disbelief when he said the agency's hackers can use a mobile phone as a bug even after it’s been turned off. The whistleblower made that eye-opening claim when Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News, holding his iPhone aloft during last Wednesday's interview, asked, “What can the NSA do with this device if they want to get into my life? Can anyone turn it on remotely if it’s off? Can they turn on apps?
“They can absolutely turn them on with the power turned off to the device,” Snowden replied.
Snowden didn't offer any details on this seemingly magical feat. But a group of particularly cunning iPhone hackers say it's possible. They also say you can totally and completely turn off your iPhone so no one---not even the NSA---can use it to spy on you.
Like any magic trick, the most plausible method of eavesdropping through a switched-off phone starts with an illusion. Security researchers posit that if an attacker has a chance to install malware before you shut down your phone, that software could make the phone look like it's shutting down---complete with a fake “slide to power off” screen. Instead of powering down, it enters a low-power mode that leaves its baseband chip---which controls communication with the carrier---on.
This “playing dead” state would allow the phone to receive commands, including one to activate its microphone, says Eric McDonald, a hardware engineer in Los Angeles. McDonald is also a member of the Evad3rs, a team of iPhone hackers who created jailbreaks for the two previous iPhone operating systems. If the NSA used an exploit like those McDonald's worked on to infect phone with malware that fakes a shutdown, "the screen would look black and nothing would happen if you pressed buttons," he says. "But it’s conceivable that the baseband is still on, or turns on periodically. And it would be very difficult to know whether the phone has been compromised."
>"If you're going to be paranoid, you might as well be super-paranoid."
After Snowden told Williams his powered-down phone could be used as an eavesdropping tool, security consultant Robert David Graham immediately responded with a blog post arguing the trick is impossible. He soon amended the post to concede the NSA could, in fact, alter a phone ahead of time to enable that ultra-sneaky bugging. Its methods could range from a web exploit, like the 2011 Jailbreakme hack that disassembled the iPhone's security restrictions when users visited a carefully crafted webpage, to actually intercepting shipped phones before they reach users. That latter possibility might have sounded apocryphal until journalist Glenn Greenwald published photos last month showing the NSA opening boxes of Cisco routers to insert backdoors into the gear. "With physical access, they could change the chips, the memory, the ROMs, the power system, anything they want," Graham says.
But paranoid users seeking temporary privacy from NSA uber-hackers needn't resort to Snowden's famous precaution of putting phones in the fridge. Instead, McDonald suggests users turn off their iPhones by putting them into device firmware upgrade (DFU) mode, a kind of "panic" state designed to let the phone reinstall its firmware or recover from repeated operating system crashes. In DFU mode, says McDonald, all elements of the phone are entirely shut down except its USB port, which is designed to wait for a signal from iTunes to install new firmware. "It's like an innocent little kid in kindergarten," says McDonald. "It doesn't know how to turn on the lights or the sound, it only knows how to turn on the USB port."
Don't worry: It's easy to get your phone out of that state with no ill effects.
To enter DFU mode, plug your iPhone in any power outlet or computer USB port. Then hold the power button. After three seconds, start holding the home button, too. Keep both buttons pressed for 10 seconds, then release the power button while continuing to hold the home button for another ten to fifteen seconds.
That intermediate step of holding the power button and the home button together, McDonald says, sends a "hardware reset" to the phone's power management unit that overrides any running software, including any malware designed to fake a shutdown. "It’s a feature burned into the hardware," says David Wang, another iPhone hacker and member of the Evad3rs. "As far as I know, there’s nothing that can stop that hard power-off."


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Hamburg’s historic outdoor Christmas market is planning to segregate vaccinated and unvaccinated people this year, with the unvaccinated banned from drinking mulled wine.
The market is set to open on November 22nd and run through until December 23rd. Organisers have decided to separate the outdoor market into two, with everyone allowed to go in the retail area so long as they abide by social distancing rules and wear masks.
The food area where mulled wine, bratwurst, and other refreshments are sold will be only open to those who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from the coronavirus, as part of Germany’s ‘2G’ rule, newspaper Bild reports.
Other German cities and towns have cancelled their Christmas markets entirely this year due to coronavirus


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McDonald’s took the revolutionary step on Tuesday of introducing knives and forks at branches in France as the burger giant attempts to revamp its image amid intensifying competition from upmarket rivals.
The fast-food chain is so far only offering plastic cutlery at its 1,400 French outlets, in a nod to Gallic table etiquette.
The option, which may later be extended to other countries, was launched after a trial at 10 branches around France.
McDonald’s also began table service in France before rolling it out in Britain and other European countries last year.
Xavier Royaux, head of marketing at McDonald’s France, said: “In recent months we’ve seen a reorganisation of the burger market and an expansion of product offerings, including the gourmet burger, so as pioneer and leader, it was vital for us to position ourselves.”
He added: “Cutlery is a development rather than a break with the past, in the same way that we’ve brought in table service, now available at more than 80 per cent of our restaurants.”
Knives and forks will not be handed out to customers who buy cheeseburgers or Big Macs, but they will be given to those who order premium “Signature” burgers, costing about twice as much.
They are cooked to order and served with brioche-style buns and a variety of options including blue cheese and bacon.
Once the home of the three-course lunch with red wine, France is rapidly succumbing to fast food and ready meals for speed and cost.
The country became McDonald’s second largest market after the United States in 2007.
After the chain arrived in France in the 1970s, commentators said it would have difficulty catching on because the French would be reluctant to eat with their hands, said Franck Pinay-Rabaroust, editor of the online gastronomy magazine Atabula.
“Now McDonald’s sees that it can expand by catering to the French preference for sit-down meals with cutlery,” he said.
“They know the French still think eating with your hands is not chic.”
Initially viewed by gourmets as an affront to Gallic gastronomy, burgers have swept France in recent years.
They are now on the menus of three-quarters of the country’s 145,000 restaurants and sales are estimated at about £8.3 billion a year, according to the food marketing group Gira Conseil.
About 80 per cent of restaurants offering burgers say they have replaced the traditional “steak-frites” as the most popular item.
A recent study found that the French consume an average of more than 15 burgers each per year - an increase of about 50 per cent since 2012.
About 70 per cent of them are bought at McDonald’s, which holds the largest market share but faces increasing competition from restaurants offering “artisanal” or homemade burgers.
Rivals such as Five Guys, another American chain, have recently opened branches in France.
Burger King returned to the country in 2013 after a 17-year absence.
The French love affair with American-style fast food has also seen the spread of bagel outlets and top chefs such as Eric Fréchon have started making burgers with foie gras and other ingredients aimed at appealing to sophisticated urban foodies.


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Ford recalls 110,000 SUVs
Ford Motor Co. is recalling about 110,000 sport-utilities because they can exceed the speed rating of their tires, federal safety officials said late last week.
The recall affects some Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers from the 1999-2000 model years. It began in December but was part of a list of manufacturers' safety repairs made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday, Feb. 15. Their top speeds were set at 112 mph, 115 mph or 120 mph, depending on the axle ratio and tire size, Ford spokesman Mike Vaughn said.
The tires on the trucks all have speed ratings of 112 mph. Dealers will reprogram each vehicle's powertrain control module so that the maximum speed is reduced to 106 mph, providing a margin of safety, Vaughn said.
The problem was discovered during the engineering review that the company launched in the wake of reports of Firestone tire failures and vehicle rollovers. Vaughn said Ford has no record of any crashes caused by the faulty speed settings.
BMW unveils fuel cell
FRANKFURT - BMW AG has developed a car that uses a gasoline-powered fuel cell to run all its accessories, Reuters reported.
The development is significant because it holds the promise of increasing fuel economy and reducing emissions by lessening the load on a vehicle's engine. The fuel cell would provide power for systems such as air conditioning, which also could be run when the engine is off.
The new type of fuel cell, which BMW developed with Delphi Automotive Systems Corp., can be used in all conventional cars, Reuters said. The news service also said BMW's 'Auxiliary Power Unit' would be in BMWs in about five years.


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The food processing industry has always been attentive to the ingredients that go into its products. But we're living in a time when that scrutiny is coming from without as well as within. From impending food safety legislation to contemporary consumer preferences, the relationship between food processors and their ingredients has never been so vital.
While this is an industry-wide trend, each sector of the industry faces particular challenges and solutions when it comes to ensuring food-chain safety.
David Van Laar is eminently well-positioned to reflect on the evolving landscape of food chain safety in the cookie and cracker industry. Van Laar spent 37 years in the business–all but the final two years as a baker. He started out at Pepperidge Farm, then moved to President Baking Company (eventually bought by Keebler), finally becoming CEO of a contract manufacturer for major international labels of cookies and crackers. Since retiring two years ago, he's devoted his time to his role as President of the Biscuit and Cracker Manufacturers Association (B&CMA).
Today, Van Laar says, even the smallest bakery “traces every pound of every ingredient that goes through it.” We spoke to him about how cookie and cracker manufacturers arrived at this degree of vigilance, and how they make it work.
Health: Separating fact from myth
Though spurred by his personal experiences with high cholesterol and heart disease, Sokolof's concern became a national crusade. Saturated fats, a staple of such beloved comfort foods as Oreos and Keebler Club crackers, were out, and other lower-fat oils were in. Van Laar recalls the time and money — millions of dollars, he estimates — that the cookie and cracker industry spent reducing tropical oil usage.
The irony, of course, is that more current research suggests tropical oils aren't as bad as all that. Today, some people claim that coconut oil, which was highly demonized in the '80s, is actually a health food (though the research doesn't support that either).
In any case, after removing tropical oils in response to consumer sentiment, the industry's having to spend the money to reformulate their products once again. This task is made even more complex by the FDA's 2015 ban on trans fats, with which companies have three years to comply.
Van Laar isn't dismissive of health concerns. But he is wary of the ways in which concerns become trends become crusades — often without quite enough hard facts in the mix. “We have to separate hype from science,” he says.
He offers the example of gluten, the ingredient that's on every baker's mind these days. Only around 1% of the US population has celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder in which gluten damages the small intestine. But many consumers are going gluten-free simply because they believe that not eating gluten is “better” for them.
Such inclinations, Van Laar suggests, rest on shaky ground. And the research backs him up. Health experts like Peter H.R. Green, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, note that while for people with celiac disease, eating gluten-free is a must, for others, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
The challenge of recreating comfort foods
While reformulating products based on consumer trends is a challenge across the food industry, Van Laar thinks it strikes his field particularly hard. “Cookies are comfort food,” he says. And when a company reformulates a product, “consumers demand that it tastes like the original.”
If it's so difficult to remake old favorites with new ingredients, why doesn't the industry focus on creating entirely new products to satisfy consumers with a “healthier” bent?
Well, they tried, and at great cost, but in the end, consumers don't really want healthy cookies.
It's a challenge, Van Laar says, to make cookies that are actually “good for you.” He recalls the 2000 Quaker Oats/Novartis joint venture to create functional foods. They produced a cookie that “tasted pretty good,” but the product was unsuccessful and the partnership dissolved within two years.
Overall, according to Van Laar, healthy, niche products remain a sidebar in the cookie and cracker industry — even as niche products are transforming other sectors of the industry. Cookies are comfort food, and even when people say that they eat healthily, sales numbers show that consumers still reach for their old favorites.
That doesn't mean that there's no market for healthy cookies and crackers, just that it is currently relatively small. Van Laar sees some momentum for larger companies to buy into successful, smaller products. And the B&CMA fields constant requests from startup players in niche markets who want help in development or are looking for someone to produce their product.
So there may yet be gold out there waiting to be struck. Someone just needs to create a healthy cookie that tastes as good as the ones Grandma used to make.
The equipment to do the job right
To develop good-tasting healthier cookies, the industry will need the right equipment for the job. The equipment used to create a standard chocolate chip cookie doesn't perform the same with gluten-free dough, or with dough that uses liquid sweetener. What are cookie and cracker companies doing to make sure they've got the tools they need to get the job done right?
Van Laar speaks with great confidence about this part of the equation. He says, “My biggest successes in the industry came from partnering with the right equipment manufacturers, and doing it early.” Rather than waiting until the product was fully formulated, manufacturers developed their equipment along with the product, so both parties could deal with issues as they arose. Because development time is in years, not days, starting early gives the equipment time to adapt to the needs of new product.
In general, Van Laar says, the cookie and cracker industry does a great job of maintaining these sorts of close working relationships. Much of this networking happens at the B&CMA Annual Convention. These gatherings are relatively small — around 200 attendees, including allied suppliers, equipment manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and bakers — so “no one gets lost.” And there are opportunities for plenty of one-on-one conversations between players across the industry.
The B&CMA's annual Technical Conference, held each spring, provides another great opportunity for problem-solving around equipment adaptability. The first two days of the conference are dedicated to sessions that highlight current technical issues that bakers are facing. For example, a session might explore the challenges of depositing a sugar-free product.
The third day of the conference is then comprised of practical demonstrations in a laboratory setting. Everyone in the industry can thus understand the ways that, say, reducing the amount of sugar in a cookie affects its size. And the roomful of experts can troubleshoot the issue — together.
But of course, managing sugar or saturated fats to meet consumer demand for healthy products is only one of the ingredient-related issues the industry faces. And while some consumer interest in healthier products might be mere lip-service, the food safety side of the conversation is deathly serious.
Is the cookie and cracker industry doing all it can to track allergens and avoid contaminants?
Van Laar thinks it is. In his many decades in the industry, he has seen companies grow exponentially in their awareness of potential allergens and the risks of cross-contamination. And testing for allergens and other contaminants has become quick and comprehensive. Laboratories like the one run by the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) at the University of Nebraska, for example, offer their allergen testing services to the baking industry.
Van Laar has also seen cleaning validation procedures greatly improve during his years in the business. Cleaning validation can begin on-site through visual inspection and swab/lateral flow strip testing. Labs like FARRP's can then provide additional testing to ensure that contamination does not occur.
In addition to testing and tracing ingredients, one of the most important ways to ensure food safety is equipment sanitization. And once again, equipment manufacturers are rising to the needs of the industry they serve. New bakery equipment is expertly designed with more effective sanitation in mind.
As in any industry, effective implementation of changing protocols around ingredients and food safety in the cookie and cracker business relies on a well-trained workforce. And Van Laar's field has been facing the same talent crunch as his colleagues across the food processing spectrum.
Thankfully, the B&CMA is stepping up to the plate with a comprehensive education program. The Association's online Learning Management System (LMS) offers baker education at the entry level, as well as more advanced training for intermediate and experienced workers.
In response to member requests, the B&CMA also started offering hands-on education in the plants themselves. These on-site trainings provide certification for positions such as rotary machine operation. B&CMA's robust training program also takes the burden off of equipment manufacturers to train bakery employees by providing companies with the tools to train their workers themselves.
Challenges and successes
Health vs. indulgence. Safety vs. speed. The talent crunch.
At the end of the day, the challenges the cookie and cracker industry faces are in line with the current state of the entire food processing industry.
But Van Laar remains hopeful that his industry is putting the necessary tools in place to succeed in the 21st century. And he knows that no one company can do it alone. “Associations like B&CMA and the FPSA have a unique role to fill,” Van Laar says. “They're good for the industry — and good for the consumer.


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With skimmed milk powder (SMP) rates starting to awesome off from their modern peak, an predicted onset of flush in the southern States by mid-March is believed to relieve the provide pressure of milk throughout the summer months time.
SMP rates in the domestic industry have not too long ago fallen to ₹310 a kg from the peak of ₹330-340 a kg observed in December-January. This is generally attributed to the onset of the flush time (elevated lactation of the milch animal) in the northern States. Also, experts feel the flush time in the crucial SMP producing areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is very likely to established in by mid-March.
“We feel in a different 1 7 days or so, the flush will get started in southern States and then we will have plentiful milk supplies. The hold off in flush is simply because there was a hold off in the withdrawal of the wet time with waterlogged fields in many parts. It is believed that North India has by now started obtaining flush, which is aiding to relieve the supplies,” said RG Chandramogan, veteran dairy expert and Chairman of Hatsun Agro.
Chandramogan extra that adhering to excellent rainfall in the milk producing States, the drinking water table has improved, major to far better availability of eco-friendly fodder.
Ramsinh Parmar, Chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Internet marketing Federation (GCMMF), informed BusinessLine that there was a hold off in peak milk generation because of to the prolonged monsoon. But the dairy cooperatives linked with GCMMF have now started reporting improve in milk procurement.
“The milk procurement is gradually bettering and there are no concerns on the provide side. All the problems over lack are gone. We will be able to satisfy the milk demands as time goes by,” Parmar said.
In its modern report, Crisil said the flush time that commonly commences in November-December is estimated to have shifted by one-2 months simply because of the prolonged monsoon. So milk generation is predicted to decide on up from this month, which would restrict any additional drop (in milk generation) this fiscal. Crisil has estimated this year’s milk generation to be lower by five-6 for every cent over very last calendar year, at about 176 million tonnes.
Notably, in an unusual change of functions, the country’s dairy sector experienced witnessed seven-8 for every cent dip in peak-time procurement this winter, raising problems in the government. The drop in procurement activated a price increase by dairy cooperatives and non-public gamers, including Amul and Mother Dairy.
The consuming sectors, led by the ice product marketplace, experienced elevated problems over feasible milk shortages throughout the peak summer months time as the procurement experienced fallen, pushing up the SMP rates to report stages. SMP is consumed by ice-product makers, apart from other foodstuff marketplace, as a crucial component.
The marketplace experienced represented to the Centre to let strategic imports to satisfy the feasible lack. Interestingly, the SMP rates in the global marketplaces have also cooled off sharply since its peak in December. As quoted by World wide Dairy Trade, SMP rates ended up quoted at $2,840 a tonne on February eighteen, which is about $200 down from $three,068 documented on December 6. The dairy federations are vociferously opposing the idea of SMP imports citing a blow to milk producers’ passions.
However, Crisil estimated that in fiscal 2021, milk generation is predicted to decide on up, supplied the plentiful drinking water stages in reservoirs and anticipations of a regular monsoon. That really should arrest any additional increase in milk rates.
Milk price inflation very last hit double digits in 2011-twelve and the then government at the Centre authorized strategic imports to arrest surging rates and relieve the strain.
“But this time, the possibility to import SMP is by now gone. There was a time when the import could have aided tame the price increase of SMP. The government did not act then. So, now if the government makes it possible for import, by the time imported SMP shipments land on Indian soil, we will have flush of our individual nearby SMP. This will do additional harm than excellent,” said a dairy sector source.


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China’s tit-for-tat approach to US tariff announcements have spooked investors and raised prospects of a full-blown trade war. Investors fear rising protectionism could weaken global growth, raise inflation and hurt corporate earnings.
Experts say markets
are eyeing two key events this week. These include the renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) and key speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Amid the deteriorating relations between the US and China, the markets are likely to take cues on any references made by Xi to the trade dispute with the world’s largest economy.
Tensions between Beijeng and Washington have been on the boil after US last week released a list of 1,300 products from China to be targeted with higher tariffs to curb misuse of US intellectual property. China had responded by announcing its plan to impose steep tariffs on $50 billion of US imports such as soybeans, airplanes and cars. The latest turbulence in the market was caused by US decision to up the ante against China with the $100-billion tariff threat.
“Trump is proposing another $100 billion of Chinese imports to be subject to tariff hike. Our base case remains that a negotiated solution will be reached, but the extra $100 billion raises the risks if negotiations fail,” said Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy, AMP Capital.
A 10 per cent rise in trade costs could lower global GDP growth by 100 to 150 basis points, says Citibank in a report quoting estimates by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Markets such as Brazil, India, Australia and South Africa, whose share of exports to the US is low, are also seeing their stock markets getting punished amid flaring up of tensions between the two largest economies.
“For India, we believe minimal impact of the moves thus far, but risks if these escalate and global growth gets hurt. Also, global risk-off could hurt Indian markets given that valuations are still at a premium,” said Citibank analysts Surendra Goyal and Vijit Jain in a report dated March 25.
The Indian market is currently down 7.6 per cent from the 2018 highs. Part of this correction is due to domestic factors, such as the banking fraud, political uncertainty and rising oil prices. However, the recent weakness is largely on account of global trade tensions.
The three largest exports from India to the US are jewellery, pharmaceuticals and textiles. Pharma and IT services are the two key sectors listed as high risks due to possible trade actions from the US. In an event of the escalation of the trade war, stocks in these two sectors, along with metals, could see the biggest correction, say analysts, who suggest domestic cyclicals and consumer stocks could be better plays at this juncture.
While trade will dominate the markets this week, investors will be hoping the March quarter result announcement will give them some reason to cheer.
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18+ Vw Electric Microbus. The volkswagen microbus/bulli concept vehicles are a series of concept cars that are styled to recall the original volkswagen microbus built by volkswagen ag. The vw microbus is back!
It uses vw parts and modern tech with the original microbus body. Herbert diess said the company wants to launch. Volkswagen's electric push kicked off with the id.3 ev hatch which, unfortunately, won't be available in the united states.
Volkswagen has rolled out a concept version of an electric microbus.
Buzz with the new electric van scheduled to hit showrooms in 2022. Volkswagen revealed an extremely groovy new concept car during the detroit auto show sunday night. The company will also build a cargo. Vw may have lost confidence from consumers after the diesel emission scandal, the autonomous and electric reincarnation of the iconic microbus may be the best thing to smooth over some of that.


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Finally, after the long wait, Porsche has unveiled the new 911 GT3 RS at the Geneva Motor Show.
Just like the previous 997 generation, the RS model is all about improving the more standard GT3 model, featuring aluminium body, magnesium roof and carbon fibre reinforced plastic bonnet with new cooling elements and engine lid as well as many other lightweight components.
Other updates include a built-in ducktail spoiler, updated front wings with air ducts, new splitter and a big wing at the back.
The interior is based on the current 911 GT3, featuring new sports seats, which are now based on the carbonfibre ‘bucket’ seats of the 918 Spyder super sports car. There is also a bolted-in roll cage behind the front seats, preparation for a battery master switch, and a separately provided six-point safety harness for the driver and fire extinguisher with mounting bracket.
The lightweight centre-locking forged alloy wheels measure 20-inch at the front and 21-inch at the rear.
As a result the RS version of the 911 GT3 weighs 1,420 kg.
Power comes from a new naturally aspirated flat-six 4.0-litre producing 500bhp and 340 lb-ft of torque linked to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels, enabling the 911 GT3 RS to hit 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds, 0-124mph in 10.9 seconds and a top speed of more than 200mph.
The new 911 GT3 RS has already managed to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a very impressive 7 minutes and 20 seconds,
Prices start from £131,296 and first cars are scheduled to arrive at showrooms in May.


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Volkswagen (VW), Europe’s biggest car maker, expressed optimism last week about prospects in its current business year after earnings rose sharply last year on cost-cutting and capital gains.
Thanks to a large number of new vehicles scheduled to be launched this year, “we are expecting a slight increase in deliveries to customers in 2007”, VW said in a statement.
“2007 sales revenue will consequently increase year-on-year. We will continue to vigorously drive forward the activities to improve cost structures and processes in 2007. This, along with the steps we undertook in 2006, will lead to a sustainable improvement in our competitiveness,” the car maker said.
In terms of earnings, operating profit in 2007 is projected to exceed last year’s level, VW added.
Last year, net profit more than doubled to €2,75-billion in 2006 from €1,12-billion a year earlier, the statement said. Operating profit before exceptional items jumped by 51,7% to €4,38-billion on an 11,6% rise in revenues to €104,87-billion.
Unit sales advanced by 9,4% to 5,734-million vehicles.
VW explained that earnings were boosted in part by windfall gains from divestments, such as the sale of Europcar for nearly €800-million.
Changes in German corporate taxes also had a positive effect of €951-million, the car maker said.
At the same time, the extensive restructuring measures and deep cost cuts — which cost VW €2,4-billion to implement — also began to pay off.
At the end of 2005, VW embarked on a massive shake-up of its core VW brand, entailing the loss of 20 000 jobs by 2009. It is also planning to downsize the workforce at its Brussels site. At the end of December, VW employed a total of 324 875 people worldwide, about 20 000 fewer than at the end of 2005.
Shareholders would benefit from the sharp rise in profits, with the dividend payout to be increased to €1,25 per ordinary share from €1,15 a year earlier. Holders of preference shares would see their payout increased to €1,31 per share from €1,21.
“We are in a good competitive position thanks to our attractive model range,” VW said. “The large number of new vehicles that we will launch in 2007, in existing and new segments, will extend our product portfolio and further improve our competitive position.” — AFP


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One of the talents that helped define the last generation of console games has a new home. Amy Hennig, the creative director and lead writer of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and its PS3 sequels recently joined the team at Visceral Games (best known for the Dead Space series), where she'll serve as creative director for its in-development Star Wars title. This comes after she abruptly ended her decade-long tenure at developer Naughty Dog early last month.
At first, the idea of Visceral working on a game set in that galaxy far, far away almost suggested something in the vein of survival horror, given the studio's pedigree. Hennig's hiring throws a bit of a curve-ball to expectations, though, especially with her expertise in creating a believable group of rag-tag adventurers; her style is pretty much a perfect fit for Star Wars. We likely won't see this game for awhile yet (especially considering DICE's in-the-works Battlefront sequel was teased last year), but this news is almost enough to make us forget that the travesty of Dead Space 3 ever happened.


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Verizon-bound HTC6435 Smartphone spotted on GLBenchmark
It seems like the HTC is working on a powerful Android smartphone bound for Verizon. GLBenchmark tool suggests that the device has a powerful features under the hood and model number is HTC6435. It seems like the HTC6435 is a successor to the Rezound. The Smartphone is expected to to be available on Verizon LTE network.
The HTC6435 is powered by a a 1.5GHz processor, and it shouldn’t be standard S4, considering that it hits 100 on the Egypt Offscreen (121.1Fps) and Pro (110.5Fps) 720p tests. The device has an awesome screen with a a resolution of 1794×1080, that will make room for to spare for some on board software buttons.
The Smartphone speculated to run on a MSM8960T chipset with the Adreno 320GPU. The HTC6435 runs on Android 4.0.4 OS and will also feature 4G LTE connectivity on board. When the Smartphone hits the market, the device should rock with a high resolution screen, powerful processor and 4G connectivity. The Jelly bean update shouldn’t be so far once the device is released.
Anyway, more details are yet to be revealed, but stay tuned we will keep you updated with more details once it is available.


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Alibaba said it will invest an additional $2 billion in Southeast Asian e-commerce firm Lazada Group and replace its CEO, consolidating its control over the firm as it targets an aggressive expansion in the region.
The head of the most influential U.S. business lobbying group warned the Trump administration that unilateral tariffs on Chinese goods could lead to a trade war that will hurt consumers and U.S. economic growth.
Google said on Tuesday that it will launch a network of free Wi-Fi hotspots across Mexico, part of the search giant’s effort to improve connectivity in emerging markets and put its products in the hands of more users.
UK shopper footfall delivered a mix of bad news and not quite so bad for February. The monthly report from the BRC/Springboard on Monday showed a 0.5% decline, which was better than the 1% drop seen this time last year.
Eleven countries are expected to sign a landmark Asia-Pacific trade agreement in Santiago on Thursday, as an antidote to the increasingly protectionist bent of the United States, which last year pulled out of the pact.
Video streaming service provider iQiyi Inc, a unit of Baidu, filed on Tuesday for an initial public offering that is set to raise more than $1.50 billion amid fierce competition in China's online entertainment market.
Global shopping centre giant Hammerson released its 2017 results on Monday and said that “record leasing” drove a strong performance. It also announced that it has taken its stake in Bicester Village to over 50%.