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For Apple fanboys in India there seems to be some good news. According to a report in Economic Times, Apple could launch its own stores in India. The report quoted two top executives who say that Apple could look to launch stores in India if the government allows its IT outsourcing operations in India to be included as part of the mandatory 30 per cent local sourcing requirement, the two executives said.
As of February 2012 Apple was outsourcing software application development and maintenance work to Indian software companies to the tune of nearly $100 million.
Although Apple refused to confirm the report officially - “We don’t comment on rumours and speculation,” a company spokesperson has told ET.
This isn’t the first report this year to state that Apple will be opening retail stores in India. Earlier in January, BGR reported that Apple was set to enter the Indian market but then CEO Tim Cook rubbished the reports.
Later in July, at the company’s official earnings call, Tim Cook emphasised that, “I love India but I believe that Apple has higher potential… in some other countries. That doesn’t mean we’re not interested in India — we are. We’re going to continue putting some energies there, but in the intermediate term there will be larger opportunities elsewhere.
While news of an Apple store is welcome, it needs to be remembered that for Apple, India has never been a key country of focus. But as far as numbers suggest, Apple’s indifference to India might not be entirely due to snobbery. We, take a look at some numbers that might reveal why that Apple might be right in pursuing a wait-and-watch approach.
iTunes: When Apple rolled out its iTunes online store in June this year for Hong Kong, Taiwan and 10 other Asian countries, India nor China were on the list. This could be due to the problem of rights management as far digital content is concerned in both India and China.
The iTunes store with its music, podcasts, videos is a key part of Apple’s business .
iPhone share: This Wall Street Journal article points out that according to research firm IDC, as far the iPhone is concerned, Apple’s market share of handsets in India is 1.2%. The clear leader in the Indian market is Samsung which has 51 percent of market share.
The WSJ report also mentioned that Apple sold around 100,000 phones in India in the first six months of 2012, much lower than China, where it sold 2.3 million in the second quarter alone.
In fact according to the IDC report India has the lowest smartphone market penetration, some 2.5 percent at the end of August 2012, which will only grow to 8.5 percent by 2016. When one looks at these numbers, it’s evident that India certainly doesn’t have the largest growing smartphone market in the world.
Also as Firstpost reporter Arlene Chang pointed out, India’s telecom operators are not too keen to promote the iPhone in India. In the US, Apple has teamed up with several carriers to provide the iPhone at much lower rates, but in India the trend has not yet caught up.
Internet users in India: India’s Internet users only number about 100 million whereas China has 531 million Internet users. While India is ranked third when it comes to Worldwide Internet users, the point is that only 10 percent of India’s population has access to Internet.
Also as far as mobiles are concerned, IDC says that the hope is that the popularisation of 3G, and in later years 4G, to drive smartphone uptake as operators roll out more affordable data plans and generous subsidies while expanding offerings to tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The affordability of service plans will be another important key to smartphone adoption in India.
With a high-end smartphone device, India also needs faster Internet services and not just in major cities like Mumbai or Delhi, (even here service is often erratic), but also in second tier cities and upcoming cities.
The Internet numbers matter especially for Apple as its prized products such as iPhone and iPads are also linked to online content consumption.
iPad isn’t the king: Nor is Apple leading the tablet supplier in India. According to this report Samsung has almost double Apple’s market share as far as tablets are concerned. The iPad is the leading tablet in the world but not in India, a number that can’t be overlooked easily.
An Apple Store in India would signal a big change especially as Apple is one of the world’s most valued brands. It could also herald a buying behaviour that would enable Apple to expand quickly and eat in Samsung’s enormous market share. But for now the numbers indicate that India might not yet make the cut.


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It was a cucumber lime drink and a hefty burrito that brought Douglas County employee Jim Davis to Ecclesia for lunch on June 20. He'd been to the Castle Rock food hall once before and came back for …
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It was a cucumber lime drink and a hefty burrito that brought Douglas County employee Jim Davis to Ecclesia for lunch on June 20. He'd been to the Castle Rock food hall once before and came back for the bright green beverage, he said.
His first impressions? Ecclesia is nice, clean and brings variety to the area.
“It's nice to have a little more selection instead of the same place over and over again,” Davis said.
Ecclesia, one of Castle Rock's newest eateries, brings the food hall trend to town, and also aims to preserve a building that long served as a church in the heart of downtown.
Ecclesia opened in late March at 221 Perry St. and houses five vendors — a cocktail lounge, two food stands, a market and a bookstore — with more on the way. Two additional eateries are slated to open in the coming weeks, and the venue plans to host periodic events.
Next up is an art show on June 27 for Denver artist Tony Achilles, who painted an expansive mural in the hall's cocktail lounge.
The market Farmgirl Foods, Romo's Street Tacos, European eatery Lante Brau-Casa, Sinners & Saints cocktail lounge and bookstore Sudden Fiction operate from the hall today.
The new food stands will be Moosh Moosh desserts and a not-yet-named seafood place. The facility also has an arcade and outdoor patios where people can sip on drinks or eat food from the vendors.
The idea for a food hall in Castle Rock sprouted three summers ago when the partners behind the business vacationed together in New Orleans. Those partners are Kim and Mark Pforr, Floyd and Michaela Bacon (owners of Maddie's Biergarten down the street), and Dave and Michele Schutte.
“We were discussing what Castle Rock was missing,” said Dave Schutte, explaining that they first considered opening a brewery or distillery before landing on a food hall. “It's a concept that everybody enjoys going to, but they're all in Denver.”
They settled on the name Ecclesia as a nod to the building's past use as a church. Schutte said the word is Latin for church but also “gathering place.”
The cocktail lounge menu offers 10 choices dubbed “The 10 Commandments,” a large table is seated with church pews and the mural painted by Achilles is his rendition of Dante's Inferno, complete with the town's iconic “The Rock” painted into his piece.
Schutte said he's met former congregation members of the church who've been receptive to the food hall, putting some of his personal concerns to rest.
“I was concerned that people might think we were poking fun rather than giving a nod,” he said. “We didn't want to be themey but we didn't want to run away from this having been a church.”
Vendors have called the food hall a blessing and opportunity for their businesses. Both Lante Brau-Casa and Romo's Street Tacos operated as food trucks before entering the brick-and-mortar model through Ecclesia.
Mayra Romo, who co-owns the taco shop with her husband, Jorge, and is opening Moosh Moosh, said they were surprised when the Schuttes approached them about joining the food hall but jumped at the chance. Dave's wife was a fan of the family's food truck, which began operating in The Meadows last year, he said.
“It's been an amazing experience,” Romo said of the food hall concept. “We can cross-promote, we can encourage one another and we're a family at the end of the day.”
Melissa Clement, who owns Farmgirl Foods, said she enjoys being part of a business focused on the local community. All the owners and vendors are based in Castle Rock, and she sources more than 80% of her products from Colorado. That includes local meats and some products made in Castle Rock.
While she's hoping to bring a mom and pop type of market to the downtown, Clement said she's eager for people to come experience the hall as a whole.
“It's just a really cool place to hang out,” she said. “It's fun, it's new, the bar has an amazing vibe. The food is fantastic.”
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US-based mobile accessories manufacturer Zagg has entered the Indian market in association with Brilyant and Croma. Brilyant works with manufacturers to provide country-wide distribution of consumer electronics.
With the help of its new partners in India, Zagg will be introducing a host of products such as audio accessories, power banks, bases, keyboards and screen guards for buyers. These accessories will be available within a price range of Rs. 699 to Rs. 9999. Their products cover a number of phones and tablets.
As of now, the company will have 18,000 sale points and their products would be sold by Croma. This association has also come through Brilyant.
Zagg managing director Chris Ahern has great hopes from this venture and said that the company will make a constant endeavor to enhance and elevate the standard of mobile available in India.
Speaking about the success of the deal, Brilyant CEO Suresh Reddy said that they are confident of delivering Zagg products across the country so that it becomes a popular choice in a short span of time.


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New shipping service gives boost to growing breakbulk segment in Rotterdam
Breakbulk Europe has been postponed until September in light of the global novel coronavirus pandemic. The event will now take place at Messe Bremen in Bremen, Germany, from 29 September to 1 October 2020.
Continuation of operations during COVID-19
BIMCO has received a letter from the Italian Ports Association, underlining that Italian Ports are fully operational and ensuring the safety of cargo and crew members.
The Port of Rotterdam is and remains open for business, despite the far-reaching impact of the coronavirus on society and the economy.
Quicker handling of advanced project and heavy cargo in Rotterdam


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TEMPE, AZ – May 27, 20009 – In spite of the current economy, one company continues to dramatically improve across the board. Bob Ferris, VirTra Systems’ CEO and president (OTC:VTSI.PK), today announced that VirTra had another record breaking quarter. VirTra System’s is best known for selling the world’s most effective and realistic firearm training systems to both law enforcement and military organizations throughout the world. With today’s announcement, VirTra has now posted four consecutive profitable quarters since new management took control approximately 1 year ago.
For the quarter ending March 31, 2009, gross revenue grew 80.6% from $522,165 (in first quarter 2008) to $942,957, due to an overall increase in sales activity.
Net income from operations increased from a loss of ($291,344) for 1st quarter 2008 to a gain of $235,097 for first quarter 2009, this is an increase in operating profit of $526,441.
Net gain per share for the first quarter of 2009 was a profit of $.0016 versus a loss of ($.004) per share in 2008.
Overall, VirTra has made significant improvements in financial performance as compared to first quarter 2008. For quarter ended March 31, 2009, net income is $218,275 compared with a loss of ($518,221) during Q1 2008. Net income improved a remarkable $736,496 in first quarter 2009 as compared with first quarter 2008.
To access the full financial report: http://www.pinksheets.com…
Bob Ferris, CEO and president of VirTra, said, “The fantastic first quarter results are an amazing feat for any company; however, 80% growth has exceeded all expectations. We are a very blessed company, with the right employees, the right products, the right customers and the right markets.”


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New Survey Reveals Worrying State of People’s Finances Amid Ongoing Pandemic and Recession
The coronavirus pandemic definitely did a number on everyone’s finances. Months of being stuck at home were worsened by layoffs and pay cuts, as even large corporations buckled under the negative effects of the country being on lockdown for so long.
The results of a recent CNBC and Acorns survey show just how the pandemic has wiped out the emergency savings of millions of Americans.
A reported 14% of Americans, about 46 million people, have reportedly already used up their emergency savings since the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic in March. Even more worrying is that another 11% of them have resorted to borrowing money to afford their expenses.
The survey also found that older millennials were the hardest hit age group. Around 26% of respondents between the ages of 25 and 34 report that they have depleted their emergency savings.
In comparison, only 6% of boomers (ages 65 and older) said the same. The CNBC and Acorns study was conducted in August in partnership with SurveyMonkey, which surveyed over 5,400 adults.
These results match up with the findings of other recent studies that found many households struggling financially due to the coronavirus-caused recession and sudden rise in unemployment.
The current economic downturn didn’t spare people who were generally in good financial health. Freelance blogger, David Bakke, had $6,000 saved in an emergency fund before the pandemic hit.
His savings, which he admits were low to begin with, is almost all gone now with his freelance business being slower than usual and him paying an unexpected bill of $3,000. The 48-year-old shared that he never really expected to rely on his savings for so long saying that no one really plans for an emergency that lasts for six months.
Serving its Purpose
Meanwhile, financial analyst Greg McBride says that these extreme scenarios are exactly what people build emergency funds for.
He also reiterated the importance of saving up six months’ worth of money as a safety net in case of other emergencies like home repairs and medical bills, especially for people who are breadwinners.
Although the coronavirus pandemic caused a lot of financial troubles for people, it did prompt them to make one positive change. According to the same survey, more people are saving now than before. Back in April, it was reported that the personal savings rate hit a historic 33%.
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Innovation Park's success in Libertyville is erasing memories of Motorola's departure
Plans by Medline Industries Inc. to consolidate 600 jobs at a national sales hub in Libertyville is not only a sign of the company's success but also a milestone for Innovation Park, the expansive tech campus created out of the former Motorola Mobility headquarters.
Within the past 90 days, campus developer BECO-Midwest has added two new corporate headquarters, leased more 325,000 square feet and is moving toward 90% occupancy by the end of the year, according to Meg Grow, vice president of leasing.
"They've been on fire," said Kevin Considine, president and CEO of Lake County Partners, the county's development organization.
The recently announced plans by Medline, along with the additions of Valent BioSciences, Intermatic Inc. and EVBox, has helped erase the loss of Motorola Mobility. The tech giant took 3,000 jobs from Libertyville to Chicago in a stunning departure that concluded in 2014.
"In their place, we've got several growing very high-tech type firms," said Heather Rowe, the village's economic development coordinator. "We look to have continued growth at Innovation Park."
Maryland-based developer BECO Management Inc., which also operates BECO South in Charlotte, North Carolina, bought the 1.2 million-square-foot campus along Route 45 in 2014.
The company invested millions in repurposing the sprawling facility as a multi-tenant workplace "unlike any other anywhere," according to promotional materials at the time.
They appear to be capitalizing on that promise.
"When the dust settles, 2,000 to 2,200 more people will be working at Innovation Park by the end of the year," Chris Epstein, president of BECO South & BECO Midwest, said last month.
The comment followed the announcement that EVBox, a global manufacturer of electric vehicle charging stations and charging management software, was going to open its first North American headquarters and production facility at Innovation Park.
An EVBox spokesperson said that after looking at locations in 33 cities, the company chose Libertyville for its central location and connection to the rest of the U.S., ability to combine office and manufacturing, and a facility that fits the company's culture and brand image.
Grow said Innovation Park's customized amenities include pop-up shops that change based on season or demand. Other tenant-friendly features include wine or craft beer tastings, activities like mastering the art of gift wrapping, workout classes based on tenants' requests, on-site car washes and a shared bike program.
The experiences are crafted to appeal to a changing business environment, Grow said.
"We are disrupting the standard work environment in ways most wouldn't imagine," she said. "That's the secret sauce."
Innovation park offers a modern and fun environment employees are seeking, Considine said.
"You only have to see it to understand why" Innovation Park is successful, he said.
Considine said the perceived desire of millennials to be downtown is changing, as the group ages and starts building careers and families.
That's evident in Lake County, which is the largest reverse community area in Metra's system, he said. For every four Milwaukee District North Line riders to Chicago, three are reverse commuting, according to Considine.


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The ransom in bitcoin: hackers gave Apple a deadline to 7 April, otherwise irreparable happensUncategorized March 22, 2017
Hackers said to Apple that hacked hundreds of millions of accounts associated with different devices Apple, reports Motherboard.
To confirm his words, cyber criminals posted on the Internet a video in which they show how cracked account.
The attackers threatened to erase all the information from the compromised accounts, if the company refuses to pay the ransom. As ransom, the criminals demanded 75 thousand dollars in bitcoins or episiotomy (kinds of cryptocurrency). also they agree to a gift card to the Apple iTunes in the amount of 100 thousand dollars.
In case of refusal to pay the ransom, the hackers said that on April 7 cancels all information from the compromised accounts.
The company has responded to the threat of cybercriminals and stated that it was not going to pay the burglars.
“First, we ask you to delete the video you uploaded to your YouTube channel, because it attracts unwanted attention. Secondly, we would like to inform you that we do not reward criminals for breaking the law,” said one of the employees of the Corporation.
Hackers who identified themselves as Turkish Crime Family, said that at their disposal about 300 million accounts, and one of the participants spoke about 550 million.
Before it was reported that the owner of the iPhone 7 from China suffered from the explosion of the phone. The man suffered severe injuries to the face and finger.


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Proforma Doubles Presence on Inc. Magazine's List of Fastest Growing Companies
Cleveland-based Proforma announced that six franchises were on Inc. magazine's list of the 5,000 fastest growing companies, doubling the number from the previous year.
The Proforma owners who were ranked were:
• Gidget and Mike Tracy, co-owners of Proforma Brand Proformance (Ranked 2,311)
• Don Titka and Kevin Dovel, co-owners of Proforma Promographix (Ranked 2,861)
• Bob Michel, owner of Proforma Marketing Agency (Ranked 3,141)
• Steve Garst, owner of Proforma Promotion Consultants (Ranked 3,452)
• Jeff Bowles and Jeff Levy, co-owners of Proforma Promotionally Yours (Ranked 4,141)
• Fred and Suzette Albrecht, co-owners of Proforma Albrecht & Co. (Ranked 4,365)
"Proforma is continuing to grow, which is evident in our rankings in the Inc. 5,000," said Greg Muzzillo, founder and co-CEO of Proforma. "These owners are a sample of the Proforma Owners who are dedicated to their customers and their businesses."
Muzzillo continued, "In the early years, Proforma was ranked on the Inc. 5000 for three consecutive years; to re-establish our presence on this list shows that we are setting our owners up for success by providing them with the right mix of tools and support."
For more information, visit www.proforma.com.


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Google on Tuesday announced Jamboard, a digital whiteboard for collaboration in the cloud.It’s compatible with G Suite and Google Search, as well as Google Drive. Users can collaborate and broadcast their work globally through Google Hangouts.
Jamboard has a 55-inch 4K display with touchscreen functionality, a built-in HD camera, speakers, and WiFi connectivity.
Features include sticky notes, stencils, and handwriting and shape recognition.
Jamboard’s touchscreen can differentiate between the stylus and the eraser. It also can sense when someone uses a finger to erase content from the screen rather than write on it.
The stylus and digital eraser don’t require batteries or pairing, Google said.
The Jamboard will be available for purchase next year at a price point of less than US$6,000.
An early adopter program will enable Google to fine-tune Jamboard for G Suite customers.
What’s Good About Jamboard
Jamboard appears superior to other whiteboards because “it looks tightly coupled with Google productivity apps,” said Michael Jude, a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan.
“Since many people are already knowledgeable about Google collaboration, this seems like a logical extension,” he told the E-Commerce Times. Jamboard “is perfect for distributed work environments and for offices that still have office parks.”
Jamboard “is rather slick, and that will appeal to cutting-edge companies,” Jude remarked. “The cutting-edge feel to this thing may attract companies that might have gone with more traditional collaborative approaches.”
Including collaborative versions of the more advanced tools that specialists require, such as CAD solutions for engineers, would make Jamboard even more valuable, suggested Jim McGregor, a principal analyst at Tirias Research.
“A tool like this should be huge for engineers, who naturally love whiteboards — but you have to have the tools, and all parties involved need to have the platform,” he told the E-Commerce Times.
“It helps expand Google’s presence and recognition as a hardware system provider, especially for enterprise solutions, but this isn’t going to be a breakout product for Google,” McGregor said.
The demand for such a device is “rather limited,” he explained. “It doesn’t really enable anything new — it just makes everything easier by integrating all the tools and interfaces into a single platform.”
Among the challenges it would present are convincing the IT staff to purchase, install and maintain it; making it available in all the locations that need it; and retraining people to use it, McGregor said.
Products like the Jamboard “aren’t enterprise class devices — they’re point solutions … like printers, copiers and scanners, better sold by firms that meet point needs and have other, similar products to sell,” maintained Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.
“The only large firms that likely could sell these well are firms already selling other document-related solutions, and Google currently isn’t one of those,” he told the E-Commerce Times. “This is one more case where it looks like Google just doesn’t get the enterprise.”
Jamboard vs. the Surface Hub
“Right now, the gold standard for this use is likely the Surface Hub, because it blends a variety of technologies into what’s likely the most advanced conferencing board on the market,” Enderle suggested.
Google’s approach with the Jamboard “is far cheaper, but it leaves out a ton of features, like videoconferencing, which are necessary to make a current-generation connected board make sense,” he added.
The Jamboard “reminds me a lot of products we had 10 or so years ago that could store and forward what you wrote on them,” Enderle said. “This one ties into Google’s back end better, but I’m wondering where the last decade went.”
While the demand for connected whiteboards “has never been very big,” the Jamboard “does tie into Google’s overall strategy of indexing the world,” Enderle pointed out. “What’s done on this board will be captured, recorded and indexed, and that’s a value.”


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As one of the world’s best-loved alcoholic drinks, whisky has a habit of appreciating in value.
According to one measure, rare and vintage whiskies have risen in value by more than 500 per cent in a decade.
Export markets are also booming, with the Scotch Whisky Association estimating that 36 bottles of the spirit are exported every second.
Liquid asset: Rare and vintage whiskies have risen in value by more than 500% in a decade
Thousands of Britons collect and sell rare whiskies, yet Money Mail has spoken to experts who fear unscrupulous firms are using the buzz around the spirit to push low-quality investment opportunities on unsuspecting savers.
In recent years, there have been stories of collectors making significant profits from selling whiskies they purchased years earlier.
The specialist nature of collectors’ markets makes them great for those who know what they’re doing. But they’re also perfect for scammers.
In 2016, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned about a rise of fine wine scams — where savers were duped into buying overpriced or non-existent wine.
How to spot a con
Most experts agree that one of the favoured tactics of scammers is the use of high-pressure phone calls.
By putting potential victims under pressure to make a decision, scammers increase their chances of making a sale.
Of the whisky websites advertised on Google, several offered a free investment guide — in exchange for your contact details.
After putting my details into three…


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The meeting highlighted the massive opportunities which exist in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where a solid infrastructure and a massive demand for Disney products and services exist.
The kingdom has previously announced it is strengthening its non-religious tourism sector and has plans to issue new guidelines for visas which will open up the country to visitors from around the world. Imagine what a Disney Land in the kingdom could do to tourism!
© Scoop Empire 2019. All rights reserved.


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MovieStinger: "It may not be 2015 yet, but Nike is getting ready to release the futuristic Nike MAG shoes seen in Back to the Future II. Nike patented the self-lacing design last year and today released a teaser video on YouTube under the user DocEmmettBrown88."
Lazy shoppers rejoice! You'll soon be able to measure your feet from the comfort of your own home using Nike's app thanks to Nike Fit.
Nike's $350 self-lacing shoes are heading to market, and now, Nike is revealing an app that goes with the shoes for tying purposes.


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Toilet roll tycoon Alan Murphy has come back to his home city with plans for a £100m development between the Baltic Triangle and Liverpool's waterfront.
Monaco-based Mr Murphy sold off his paper firm 20 years ago and has now become one of the North West's biggest property investors.
Mr Murphy says the site will be turned into a "£100m mixed-use leisure development", with more details due to be revealed in coming weeks.
And he hopes this will be the first of many Nikal investments in his home city.
Mr Murphy said: "I've waited many years for the opportunity to deliver a development in my home city and now is the perfect time, both for us as a business but also in light of the regeneration underway at King’s Dock and along Liverpool’s waterfront as a whole.
"I’m immensely proud of being born and raised in Liverpool; I love the city, its culture and its people.
"I’m looking forward to helping contribute to its worldwide appeal with well designed mixed-use developments that will encourage tourism, generate jobs and create inspiring spaces for people to live and thrive."
Bootle-born Mr Murphy started his career at Pergamon Press before he decided to start his own business, he launched, grew and sold a chain of hair salons and the Champion Discount supermarket chain.
In 1983 he founded AM Paper Converters in Skelmersdale to focus on turning recycled tissue into toilet paper.
AM became a massive producer of own-brand products for supermarkets and grew to employ more than 600 people.
Mr Murphy - father of Hollyoaks actor Davinia Taylor - sold the business off in two parts in 1997 and 1999, making him more than £150m.
In 2003 he and Nick Payne founded Nikal, the property company named after them. It has worked on projects across the UK including Soapworks in Salford Quays, and it's currently working on the £300m Blackpool Central regeneration scheme.
The Liverpool site - currently home to Sixt car hire - was introduced to Nikal by Bill Addy, founder of The Addy Consultancy. It's likely to include homes and leisure attractions.
Mr Murphy said: "I’m delighted to be doing this in partnership with Bill and his team."
Mr Addy, who is separately chief executive of Liverpool BID Company , said: “I’ve known Alan and Nick (Payne, Nikal Co-Founder) for a long time and have a huge admiration for their approach to high quality, considered regeneration and placemaking.
"I’m really pleased that we now have a site that will bring our two businesses together and marry our mutual passion and vision, it will be a fantastic addition to the King’s Dock offering.
"We are keen to get going on what will hopefully be the first of many.”


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“Mazda’s vision is to deliver true driving pleasure that will earn its cars a position as the customer’s partner, and will enrich their motoring lives. That motivates Mazda to continually defy convention and push the boundaries, building cars that match its unique vision.” –Inside Mazda
The RX-Vision is a two-door, two-seater sports coupe that previews a successor to the RX-8. While the RX family’s front-engine, rear-wheel drive formula remains unchanged, what’s under the hood has. It’s a next generation rotary engine Mazda calls the SKYACTIV-R. Mazda says the new engine will address the three biggest flaws of the Wankel rotary: fuel economy, emissions and reliability. At this point, the fact that the engine is a rotary is all Mazda has confirmed regarding the powertrain of the concept vehicle.


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Xbox has ‘no plans’ to allow Nintendo or PlayStation players to use Game Pass
Xbox will not be bringing their popular Game Pass to Nintendo or PlayStation consoles.
The tech giant's subscription service was introduced in 2017, which allowed users to play as many games as they wanted to from a vast catalogue of titles for free.
While Game Pass has proved to be a huge success for Xbox, CEO Phil Spencer dismissed the idea of bringing it to other platforms.
Speaking with Windows Central, Phil explained why PlayStation and Nintendo gamers won't be able to use the service.
He said: "What we see in Game Pass is a service that supports all kinds of games, from the biggest games, to the unknown indie games that you didn’t know you would love until you played it."
The Xbox boss also revealed the company had spent more than $1 billion to ensure they deliver the best experience to gamers.
He continued: “Game Pass is an important part of the Xbox console identity. And I think it will continue to be that. And we will continue to look at future ways for us to innovate across our game portfolio and our platform.
“The thing I want to be focused on is how do we continue to innovate for people who’ve made the commitment to our hardware platform? And how do we continue to make sure that they feel great about their investment in what we’ve built."


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Sir Elton John has hit back at ticket touts flogging sky high priced tickets to his concerts.
The singer called secondary ticket sites ‘disgraceful’, and told fans not to pay the inflated prices to see him sing, saying: ‘I’d rather have empty seats. I think it’s extortionate and I think it’s disgraceful.’
He added: ‘The fact they’re willing to pay that [amount] is fantastic. But I’d rather they’d save their money and not come.’
Tickets for his tour are being sold at five times their face value of £89 on some sites, even though there are spaces still available for some performances.
Speaking to the BBC Elton said: “I think it’s disgraceful, I just wish they would’t do it. I’d rather have empty seats. I think it’s extortionate and I think it’s disgraceful.”
He’s the latest high profile voice to join a growing campaign against ticket resale.
Coldplay gave their backing to an open letter to the government calling for a review on the issue.
They claimed the ticketing industry was open to ‘industrial-scale abuse and insider exploitation’.
Their concerns are shared by Mumford and Sons who pointed out that professional touts use ‘sophisticated’ computer code to obtain mass tickets from official outlets, before selling them on ‘in bulk’.
‘We want fans of the band to be able to get into our shows for the right price,’ said the band.
They continued: ‘It’s our hope that secondary ticketing companies root this out to stop it happening on their sites, and that they shut it down.’
Adele’s management vetted people who pre-registered for her 2016 tour to root out potential touts. They estimate it kept 36,000 tickets off the secondary market, however touts are trying to flog tickets to her shows for upwards of £3000.
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There’s no escaping the recent news: Prince Harry and his bride, Meghan Markle, are stepping down as senior members of the British Royal Family with the hope of leading a more private life. But what does that actually mean for the supreme couple? It certainly seems to be more than just giving up a title. If you’re royally obsessed like us, then you’ll want to know all the details and we’ve made sure to do the digging for you! We’ve got the latest on the Royal Exit and recommend you sip on something fit for a Queen while you listen in!
This year, like every other, feels like we’ve been on a never-ending roller coaster. With ups and downs and some loops thrown in, we can feel like we’re on top of the world and then, almost in a heartbeat, feel like we’re plummeting to our doom. And 2019 didn’t disappoint in this arena! In this episode, we recap some of last year’s highlights in rollercoaster fashion – some you may expect and others may come as a surprise – so hang on tight as we pop our Roller Coaster red blend!


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JAMES CITY COUNTY — The Chick-fil-A in Monticello Marketplace is getting an expansion that will give the location a more streamlined system, including the addition of what could be the largest parking lot in the company.
David Zitzelberger, senior director of Chick-fil-A Monticello, said that the expansion project has been about three years in the making.
Though the project has been pushed back due to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition is set to happen within the next five to seven months.
The former Burger King building will be the new Chick-fil-A restaurant, and the current Chick-fil-A site will be torn down and then transformed into the restaurant’s parking lot.
“From what we’ve been told, it’s going to be the largest parking lot in the company, chain-wide,” Zitzelberger said.
While the Chick-fil-A building itself will not be among the largest in the company, Zitzelberger said that it will have a more streamlined system.
“The biggest positive that’s going to come out of this, in my opinion, is we’re going to have two lanes that wrap all the way around the building, so there’s not going to be the awkwardness of the merge point that we currently have,” he said.
Currently, Chick-fil-A Monticello’s drive-thru system includes two parallel ordering lanes that merge into a single lane. After placing their orders with an employee who comes to the customers’ cars, drivers are told which cars to follow in line.
“Now they’re literally just going to be able to pull forward and go,” Zitzelberger said.
He said that there will also potentially be a third lane, which could be used as an express lane for mobile orders.
Having a larger parking lot would also allow for up to 25 to 30 curbside pick-up lanes.
Zitzelberger said that the expansion will help provide a faster customer experience, as well as relieve stress for employees.
The new kitchen will be split up to allow employees in one part of the kitchen to focus solely on drive-thru customers, while the other part of the kitchen will focus on over-the-counter service.
“Right now, team members in those positions are having to manage two of those, and when you have to do that, something takes priority” he said. “Priority might be more on drive-thru, because that’s where the majority of the guests are. So by splitting that, now all of the guests are the top priority.”
Construction was set to begin this past winter, but is now anticipated to begin this month.
Zitzelberger said that once the transition into the new building is completed, the dining room, which has been closed, will reopen to guests.
Chick-fil-A, Inc., which owns the property, will hire an outside contractor for the expansion project.


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BlackBerry reveals Android powered 'Mercury' smartphone at CES 2017, official launch at MWC 2017Monday, February 20, 2017
New Delhi, Jan. 5 -- BlackBerry's QWERTY sporting smartphone, codenamed 'Mercury' has finally been revealed at CES 2017. The TCL-made smartphone has been leaked often and the President & GM of TCL Communication in North America even teased the device on his Twitter account. However, details of the device (including the official name) are not yet known. What we do know is that the keyboard's space bar has a fingerprint sensor built into it. Further, the whole keyboard has a touchpad built into it, similar to what was found on the BlackBerry Passport and Priv. The Mercury also runs Android Nougat with BlackBerry own business and security focused software. Specifications as well as the price of the phone are expected to be announced at MWC, which is scheduled to be held next month. A few months back, a device tipped to be the Mercury was spotted on Geekbench. As per the listing, the phone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC with 3GB of RAM. After launching its first Android-powered smartphone, the Priv, BlackBerry has since launched the DTEK50 and the DTEK60. While the DTEK60 is a flagship-grade smartphone, the DTEK50 is a mid-range device. Enjoy our official first look at what's to come from the newest BlackBerry smartphone.


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Accidents happen when you least expect them and many times they’re caused by tools and equipment you use every day on the job. All it takes is a split second before disaster can strike, so every one of them counts. That’s where technology can step in and prevent major injuries before they happen and that’s exactly what Bosch is hoping to accomplish with the pending release of their new flesh detecting table saw.
The Bosch GTS1041A REAXX Jobsite Table Saw was initially announced to the public early last year, but after being locked up in an apparent legal battle with competitor SawStop, the release of the has finally been announced for June 1, 2016. The REAXX table saw is a fully mobile, saw/stand combination that can detect human flesh and activate Bosch’s proprietary Active Response Technology, which drops the blade below the table top if flesh gets too close. The best part about it is that the blade is not damaged when the system is activated and only takes about a minute to flip the cartridge, re-install the blade, and get back to work. That really sets this new saw apart from the SawStop ($1,399 on Amazon), as the competitor’s version destroys the blade to stop it in 1/1000 of a second. The Bosch REAXX is expected to retail at $1,499 (preorder on Amazon here). The technology is really cool to watch activate and the video below, from ToolEditor, shows you how the saw reacts to a hot dog coming close to the blade:
The flesh detecting technology is a bonus on top of an already powerful table saw, which boasts a 15 amp, 4.0 HP motor that generates 3,650 RPM. With a 10” blade and a 25” ripping capacity, the saw can handle most of the tasks on a job site. The incorporated Bosch Gravity-Rise stand allows you to roll the saw into place and start using the tool in seconds. Here’s an overview video of the saw from Bosch:
The Active Response Technology isn’t the only technology that the saw has incorporated into it. Once released, users will be able to download the REAXX app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app isn’t required to operate the saw, but will allow you to troubleshoot issues you might have, limit the use of the saw to authorized users, and find service locations. Below is a quick overview of the app:
Each year, Milwaukee Tool invites members of the media to join them at their annual New Product Symposium (NPS). At NPS, the company shows off most of the new tools they will release throughout the year and shares their most exciting news. At last year’s event, Milwaukee previewed that big things were planned for the 2018 show.
Did they deliver? We were in attendance at NPS 2018 just a couple weeks ago to find out. Below are the what we thought were the 7 biggest storylines of the even...
Last week, Milwaukee Tool hosted their annual media event, the New Product Symposium (NPS), at which they offer sneak peaks of all of the new tools they’ll be releasing throughout the year. The biggest news of the show was the release of their new M18 12.0Ah battery, which uses new 21700 cells and is more powerful and efficient.
In the ever evolving power struggle for the major tool manufacturers, converting users to their personal cordless battery powered platform is paramount. With new battery technology hitting the market, we’ve seen tools that we never imagined would ever be able to be run off of a battery platform even outperform their corded version. DeWalt has recently made another huge advancement in battery technology with the announcement of a new 12.0Ah battery.
Construction workers rely on power tools to do their jobs every day. Working with power tools is also inherently dangerous, but compounding that risk with a manufacturers defect could be a recipe for disaster. Product recalls on tools, thankfully, don’t happen very often, but it’s extremely important to find out about them before you put yourself at risk for potential injury.
Avenger Work Boots, by Footwear Specialties International (FSI), was a brand that I was previously unfamiliar with until the company reached out to me to do a review of their product. The Avenger brand is FSI's outdoor construction work boot category, which they say focuses of extreme affordability, high quality, and comfortability. When asked what differentiated the brand from other manufacturers, FSI told me that their boots "come with more features and benefits for the dollar, than any other shoe."
Over the years, the World of Concrete has become one of the premier construction events across the country. The name may make you think it’s strictly related to concrete, but the truth is that anyone in the industry can find value in attending the massive event. Each year, the Most Innovative Products featured at the World of Concrete are chosen and Hanley Wood, a construction information and marketing company, recently announced the winners.
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At Milwaukee’s New Product Symposium in June of 2017, the company then showed their commitment to the 12-volt platform with the announcement of the Generation 2 M12 Hammer Drill and Impact Driver. The hammer drill and impact driver were since released in January 2018 and we’ve had the opportunity to test the tools for ourselves. The drill/driver is yet to be released as of the publish date of this article.
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Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga says government is working at reducing the number of licenses that companies are required to have before they can set up their businesses.
Mr. Chipoka says the number of licenses needed for one to start a business in Zambia have over the years hampered growth of businesses especially Small and Medium Enterprises-SMEs.
He said this when he commissioned an 80 tonne National Reference Weighbridge at the Zambia Metrology Agency in Ndola.
Mr. Mulenga said the cost of doing business should not be at the expense of the measurements.
The National Reference Weighbridge has been constructed at a cost of One million Kwacha.
And Zambia Metrology Agency chief executive officer Himba Cheelo said economic development is pinned on measurements.
Ms. Cheelo said facilities such as the weighbridge will be extended to other parts of the country to enhance provision of correct measurements in all sectors of the economy.


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Some 58% of mobile app users will become inactive within the first 30 days after downloading an app.
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More than 7 in 10 US SMBs are buying some type of digital services today.


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It seems The Mayfair Collection has landed several more tenants to the project under construction along Highway 45 in Wauwatosa.
Contractors are planning space at the development for Maurices, Carter’s, Men’s Wearhouse and Torrid, said Robert Retzke, construction superintendent for Premier Design + Build Group of Des Plaines, Ill.
The Business Journal reported Monday morning that Old Navy and Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth were listed on a “coming soon” sign in front of the project over the weekend. Retzke named the other tenants, as first reported by Wauwatosa Patch and confirmed by The Business Journal.
The developer, HSA Commercial Real Estate of Chicago, had previously announced Nordstrom Rack, Ulta Salon & Cosmetics and Dick’s Sporting Goods as tenants.
Torrid, a plus-sized women’s clothing store, is also planning new stores at Brookfield Square and Bayshore Town Center in Glendale in addition to its existing store at Mayfair in Wauwatosa. This would be the second Milwaukee-area location for Carter’s, a children’s clothing store, after the Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets store. Maurices, a women’s clothing shop, and Men’s Wearhouse already have several locations in the Milwaukee area.
Tim Blum, executive vice president at HSA, said it was too soon to confirm the tenants.
"It's a bit premature to comment," he said. "We hope to be making announcements soon."
Retzke said some space remains available in the 270,000-square-foot project, but he didn’t immediately know how much.
The project is in good shape for its projected opening in late spring 2014, Retzke said.
“Some of these stores want to be open in early spring,” he said.


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AZZ Q3 Profit Declines, But Beats Estimates - Quick Facts
(RTTNews) - AZZ Inc. (AZZ), a provider of metal coating solutions and welding solutions, on Monday reported net income for the third quarter of $19.70 million or $0.76 per share, down from $22.04 million or $0.84 per share in the year-ago period.
The latest quarter's results include net charges of $1.6 million, or $0.06 per share, primarily related to the loss on the divestiture of Southern Mechanical Services or SMS.
Excluding items, adjusted earnings for the quarter were $0.80 per share.
Net sales for the quarter declined 22.2 percent to $226.62 million from $291.14 million for the comparable period last year.
On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $0.66 per share on revenues of $234.44 million. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.
Incoming orders for the three-month period declined to $194.4 million from $263.7 million for the same quarter last year.
Backlog at the end of the quarter was $174.4 million, down 36.5 percent from the prior-year period, due to lower orders in China as the company previously stated its plan to decrease sales efforts in this region, along with the effects on the business from the pandemic.
The company noted that its acquisition of Acme Galvanizing is part of its strategy to continue to grow the Metal Coatings business. In addition, the company is conducting a comprehensive Board-led review of its businesses with the assistance of independent financial, legal and tax advisors.
"Our review of the Infrastructure Solutions businesses and associated assets, and the exploration of additional capital allocation opportunities to maximize shareholder value, is ongoing and I am pleased with the progress the team has made during the quarter," said Tom Ferguson, President and Chief Executive Officer of AZZ.


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SBD Global/March 25, 2013/FinancePrint All
Havas Group, the owner of the Havas Worldwide and Havas Media networks, "has reported pre-tax income" of €190M ($247M) in '12, an increase of 14.5% year on year after growth in new business, digital and emerging markets, according to Maisie McCabe of CAMPAIGN LIVE. According to Havas Group’s full year results, the group’s consolidated companies reported revenue of €1.78B ($2.31B) in '12, an increase of 8.1% year on year or 2.1% on an organic basis. Havas said digital and social media "once again increased their contribution" and now account for 26% of overall group revenue, while 17% of revenue "comes from fast growing markets in Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa." Net new business won by Havas Group companies was €1.7B ($2.21B) in '12, up 21.4% from €1.4Ba year earlier. Int'l wins include: Louis Vuitton for BETC; Intel Asus, Novartis and GSK for Havas; and Mr Porter for MPG Media Contacts (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 3/22).


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The death of the traditional package holiday is costing the UK up to £2billion as workers research their next sunshine break at their desks.
A new study by employment law specialists ELAS revealed that the average British worker spends as much as 8hrs 24mins at their office computer researching and booking their next holiday.
This is compared with just 2hrs 58mins for those who booked package holidays.
As well as spending extra time researching flights and hotels separately, extra tasks include printing off boarding cards, online check-in and booking extras such as transfers, car hire or travel insurance.
Peter Mooney, head of consultancy at Employment Law Advisory Services, said those small tasks soon add up.
He said: “Most employers don’t mind turning a blind eye to workers using the internet for personal use as long as it doesn’t get in the way of their work.
“But eight and a half hours is the equivalent of an extra day of holiday for every member of staff.
“Aside from the sheer loss of productivity, employers need to be careful about setting precedents which could lead them open to charges of unfair treatment of staff as and when they say enough is enough.”
The cost to UK Plc of 243 hours of lost time – 8hrs 24mins for every one of Briton’s 28.98million workers – is a staggering £3.023billion.
Had those workers booked package holidays, and so spent a third of the time researching, the cost would have fallen to a still considerable £1.043billion.
Employment Law Advisory Services surveyed 1,000 consumers from across the UK on how much time they spent at their desk researching their holiday.
The greatest time was spent choosing and booking hotels, which took the average holidaymaker almost 2½ hours.
A little over two hours was spent choosing destination, 1 1/2 hrs was spent selecting flights, while 57 mins was spent researching and booking extras.
A further 68mins was spent on “admin tasks” such as online check-in, printing off boarding cards, printing directions or booking excursions.


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Negotiations bought underway on Tuesday, with Liz Truss, International Trade Secretary, holding a video convention with Robert Lighthizer, who as United States Trade Representative, to get the ball rolling. A free commerce settlement between the 2 nations is thought to be a vital facet of Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s technique after the UK’s departure from the EU.
Mike Cherry, FSB chairman, stated he hoped small companies could be positioned on the centre of any future deal, given the essential significance of US markets.
He stated: “For small companies, the US is the primary single market of alternative for importers and exporters for the following three years, which is why these negotiations are so crucial.
“Exporting might be essential for a lot of small companies to assist their restoration from the pandemic and that’s the reason it’s essential to see a discount in tariff and non-tariff limitations.”
Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have been urged to strike a deal which might increase the UK’s restoration
Liz Truss is International Trade Secretary
The coronavirus pandemic is costing UK companies an estimated £2.5 billion a day, with uncertainty about what the longer term holds, Mr Cherry acknowledged.
However, he added: “With our economic system prone to be suppressed for a while, we’re going to want small companies that commerce to cleared the path.
“The prospects of a trade-led restoration could be lifted by progress in commerce negotiations with the EU as our nearest buying and selling bloc, the US as the most important world economic system, in addition to different nations already bouncing again after COVID-19 resembling China.”
Liz Truss speaks to Robert Lighthizer by way of video hyperlink
However, he singled out the US as key, saying: “Our personal findings recommend that the US is a very powerful particular person nation marketplace for small companies hoping to export over the following three years, with 46 % choosing the nation.
“Small companies are already the spine of the UK’s home economic system.
“And particularly in these troublesome instances, we now have to see their share of worldwide commerce begin to catch up.
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Liz Truss retweeted a message by US Ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson
An indication thanking NHS employees
“We can do that by placing SMEs entrance and centre of all new commerce agreements.
“Securing a pro-small enterprise free commerce settlement, which features a complete and devoted small enterprise chapter, might be important to addressing the wants and distinct challenges that small companies face when engaged in transatlantic commerce.”
Mr Lighthizer acknowledged the affect of COVID-19, and the significance of the continued discussions, on Tuesday, saying: “While that is at first a well being disaster, every of us can also be dealing with an financial disaster maybe like by no means earlier than.
UK coronavirus figures
“But we have to put together now for the day when the well being disaster recedes and lay the foundations for stronger, extra resilient economies.
“This disaster has demonstrated how necessary it’s to have robust and various provide chains with trusted commerce companions to assist our economies.
“It has proven that we have to have a wholesome manufacturing base and employees and farmers which are thriving.
“It has proven that relying purely on low-cost imports for strategic merchandise could make us susceptible in instances of disaster.
A drive-in testing facility
“Moreover, it has confirmed that we need to think carefully about our trade policies and how we work with our trading partners.”
Ms Truss stated: “The US is our largest buying and selling associate and rising transatlantic commerce will help our economies bounce again from the financial problem posed by coronavirus.
“We need to strike an formidable deal that opens up new alternatives for our companies, brings in additional funding and creates higher jobs for folks throughout the entire of the nation.
“As the Prime Minister has stated, the UK is a champion of free commerce and this deal will make it even simpler to do enterprise with our associates throughout the pond.”


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Volare’s mission is to bring true circularity into food production. The new facility aims to support this mission with an annual 5,000 ton production capacity of insect-based protein and lipids.
“We produce high-quality protein and lipids from the side streams of food production, and this has an extremely positive impact on the environment. With the new facility, we will be able to respond to the growing demand of climate-friendly protein in Europe,” says Volare’s CEO Tuure Parviainen.
Volare has applied its insect-based protein to dog food and bird food. The products are also suitable for instance feed applications for fish and other animals. In 2022, Volare’s circular protein became available to consumers through Alvar Pet’s dog treat and Leo & Wolf’s seed bar for birds. The company believes that by changing the diets of animals, it is possible to make the entire food chain more sustainable.
“It is true that our eating habits are becoming more and more sustainable slowly – but this won’t happen overnight. However, we can change the dietary habits of fish and pets much faster and make a direct impact on the emissions,” continues Parviainen.
Volare’s industrial-scale facility will be the first of its kind in Finland and one of the few pioneers to also operate in Europe. As the facility uses Volare’s own unique technology, the protein production process will consume almost 30% less energy compared to similar solutions.


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Healthy consumers could see their health-insurance rates double or even triple when they apply for individual coverage under President Barack Obama’s landmark health care overhaul, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Premiums for sicker consumers, on the other hand, should become “more affordable.”
“The exchanges, the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's health-care law, look likely to offer few if any of the cut-rate policies that healthy people can now buy,” the report notes. “At the same time, the top prices look to be within reach for many people who previously faced sky-high premiums because of chronic illnesses or who couldn't buy insurance at all.”
“Several big provisions in the law taking effect in six months affect rates for the estimated 20% of Americans who don't have coverage through an employer, Medicare or Medicaid.
"Plans must be available to consumers regardless of their health and must cover certain items such as hospitalization, maternity care and prescription drugs,” the report adds.
The WSJ reviewed rates proposed by insurers in eight states to calculate the least- and most-expensive possible plans on the exchanges. The problem, according to the WSJ’s analysis, is that it appears “healthy” consumers are most likely to see their premiums go up.
This may be problematic because, as the report explains, the feds want to attract healthy consumers to the exchanges. But if healthy people find it’s cheaper to be fined than it is to go on the exchange – then there may be a problem:
“For a 40-year-old single nonsmoker—in the middle of the age range eligible for exchanges—a ‘bronze’ plan covering about 60% of medical costs will be available for about $200 a month in most places,” the report explains. “Though less generous than ‘silver’ and ‘gold’ plans on the exchanges, a bronze plan would still include fuller benefits than many policies available on the individual market today.”
“The challenge for the law is that healthy 40-year-olds can typically get coverage for less today, especially if they are willing to accept fewer benefits or take on more costs themselves.
Obamacare, according to the report, is most likely to benefit those who are already sick or are having a difficult time getting insurance.
“Under the current system, the rate on the $63-a-month plan could be revised higher if a consumer indicates prior health problems in a medical questionnaire that must be filled out before buying the plan," the report notes.
Currently, health care providers will immediately reject an application if specific answers are not provided.
But under the new health care exchanges, “plans are available regardless of health status, and a price can't change once it is offered,” the report adds.
“Top-of-the-line plans on the exchanges that cover 80% of medical costs and have a wider network of doctors and hospitals are likely to be available for about $400 a month for a 40-year-old single person,” it notes.
The problem with that, however, is that lower-income individuals are most likely to sign on to the exchanges. Four-hundred dollars per month is a lot of money.
Still, as the report continues, “it could be less than some people currently encounter after a carrier considers their medical history.”
“Those without coverage face out-of-pocket medical bills in the tens of thousands of dollars if they get sick,” it adds.
Click here to read the full WSJ report.
Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter
Featured image Getty Images.


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Nintendo Revolution garners support
Japanese publisher Bandai has come out in vocal support of the Nintendo Revolution console, reports an Asian business site; a welcome boon for the Big N, given the backing both Sony and Microsoft's consoles have been garnering over the last week. This could mean we see the likes of .hack, Gundam and Digimon, on the new format.
With Bandai and Namco - two of Japanese largest games makers - set to finalise a merger in September, this announcement presumably means that Namco will also be happy to create titles on the fledgling format (expected next Spring). Nothing official has been confirmed, but the developer-friendliness of the Revolution is expected to generate a great deal of third-party support, with Nintendo also working hands-on with several major second-party firms.
Namco are expected to unveil a few of their own next-generation plans very soon.
- The Iron Banner returns to Destiny next week
- Jason Voorhees DLC coming to Mortal Kombat X next month
- Square Enix announces their own E3 press conference
- Avalanche to reveal Just Cause 3's gameplay next week
- EA Sports Rory McIlroy PGA Tour delayed a touch
- Telltale announces a new deal with Marvel
- Sanctuary update arrives for Warframe on consoles
- Call Of Duty: Black Ops III gets another teaser trailer
- Patrice Desilets unveils his new game Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey


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Planning experts have called for more facts about a proposed store in a former Aldwick pub.
They said the information given by One Stop Stores for its proposed convenience outlet in the one-time Ship Inn was inadequate.
Alison Meeus, of West Sussex County Council’s planning services, said the company had failed to provide enough facts about the changes it wanted to delivery schedule agreed in 2014 for the original store on the site.
She has told Arun District Council’s consultation about the plans:
“The current conditions restrict the number of deliveries, three per day, and provide specific restrictions on the times when deliveries are permitted.
“The proposed delivery management scheme put forward by One Stop will see an increase in the number of weekly delivery vehicles and a change to these timings.
“Therefore, the proposal to lift the restrictions on the number and timing of deliveries will require more scrutiny with regards to highway safety.”
To understand the difference between the proposals and the approved plans, the sizes for all proposed vehicles was required, she said.
The anticipated daily number of vehicles during a week was also needed, though the application gives the impression this will be 35.
A location plan where the loading/unloading will take place was needed as well, she said, along with a study to show how the different sized vehicles can use the existing site.
One Stop should also be beware of the need to implement outstanding conditions from the previous approval. These included safety improvements around the building in Aldwick Street, she said.
By this week, 97 objections from residents to the intended delivery variations to allow One Stop to open had been received by Arun.
They included Ken Perry, of Stanbrok Close. He told the council the two earlier stores at the site caused traffic chaos.
“The highway at this point is quite narrow and became completely blocked when large articulated lorries were manoeuvring in an effort to park prior to unloading at the stores, causing tailbacks of traffic to the roundabout at Barrack Lane to the west and Chawkmare Coppice to the east.”
Aldbourne Drive resident Peter Cole says in his objection:
“The applicant will no doubt say that delivery vehicles will reverse into the car park and not block the road but, if the nearby Tesco convenience store in Aldwick Road is anything to go by, it simply will not happen.”
As reported, Aldwick Parish Council has objected to the scheme for safety reasons. A community campaign has been launched to re-open the pub, which shut in 2014, to raise the £450,000 to buy the empty building.


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Tourism officials in Dubai have reported that the Emirate‘s travel sector had grown by five percent over the last year in terms of revenues reaped from incoming visitors.
The same sources added that Dubai targets an annual 16 percent growth rate over the next ten years, according to Al-Riyadh daily. Over three million tourists visited Dubai in 1999, up from 2.54 million in 1998, reflecting an all time high growth rate of 18 percent.
Due to the rising number of travelers, there is currently a need to increase the number of hotel rooms in the Emirate to meet the requirements of both visitors and residents. The government is also looking at regulating the industry so as to maintain its present standards.
Tourism revenues in Dubai are estimated at two billion Emirati dirhams ($544 million) per annum, and accounts for 11 percent of its GNP. — (MENA Report)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
© 2000 - 2019 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)


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Thursday, 27 June 2019 10:59
French consumer group presses charges against Google for privacy invasion
A French consumer rights group said that it has launched a class action lawsuit against US tech giant Google for violating the EU's strict data privacy laws.
Published in Government


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In-N-Out just added its first new menu item in more than a decade — and it could hint at an expansion for the West Coast icon
- In-N-Out has added hot cocoa to the menu in at least some locations.
- This is the first new menu item that the chain has added in 15 years.
- The addition of the cozy beverage could be a hint that the Southern California icon is more seriously considering expanding into chillier regions.
In-N-Out added its first new menu item in more than a decade.
The West Coast burger chain added hot cocoa to the menu, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported on Wednesday. Locations in Huntington Beach and Orange, California began selling hot cocoa about two weeks ago, employees told the Daily Bulletin.
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In-N-Out is famous for its minimalist menu, with few options beyond burgers, fries, and shakes. Hot cocoa is the chain's first significant menu change since it added lemonade to the menu 15 years ago.
The Daily Bulletin notes it is unclear how many locations are selling hot cocoa, and In-N-Out did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
However, people on social media have been celebrating the new menu item since mid-December.
The new menu item is especially notable because the toasty beverage could hint at an expansion into new regions for In-N-Out.
In November, news broke that the chain is set to open a distribution center for operations in Colorado — a state where residents would likely crave warm hot cocoa in the winter to a greater degree than in sunny South California.
In-N-Out is famous for its "slow growth strategy," expanding in a methodical manner to maintain quality control. Colorado is set to become the seventh state to have In-N-Out restaurants, in addition to California, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon.
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By Kevin Komiega
—The argument against deploying solid-state disk (SSD) devices on a large scale has always been one of cost, but there is a start-up with a plan to put a new class of high-performance SSD storage devices into enterprise storage arrays at a price that competes with that of traditional hard disk drives.
Pliant Technology recently announced it has received $8 million in Series A funding to drive the development of a new class of SSDs for the enterprise market. The company is currently developing a line of Enterprise Flash Drive (EFD) devices designed to deliver significantly higher levels of performance while meeting the growing need for increased energy efficiency and reliability in the enterprise.
Pliant CEO Amyl Ahola says hard-drive performance has leveled off and is creating serious issues in enterprise data centers. "People have to significantly overprovision hard drives and are putting in two, three, or four times more capacity than they really need just to meet performance requirements. They are paying significant penalties for hard drives and everything that comes with them."
Ahola contends the cost of SSDs has dropped enough to make them a viable technology for enterprise storage arrays, and the integration of SSDs into disk arrays could lead to a re-definition of how storage systems are designed.
"System caches are primarily designed to solve hard drive performance problems. With SSDs, there is no need for cache. Cache is expensive so there is the potential for real cost savings," says Ahola. "Users are putting pressure on systems integrators and storage vendors o do something about the performance problem. The answer is a semiconductor storage device."
According to Ahola, the cost of Pliant's products "will map with what is happening in the flash storage market."
However, Ahola says Pliant is not out to replace hard drives, but to pair high-capacity drives with speedy EFDs to handle high-performance applications.
"Our initial products will look like hard drives and plug into a typical slot in a rack that a hard drive would. They will have the same interface and will be compatible with existing software," says Ahola.
Pliant is on schedule to produce alpha and beta testing units this summer, with general availability of production units in the fall. The EFDs will be sold through OEM partners.
Ahola, formerly the CEO of TeraStor and a vice president at both Seagate and Control Data, is joined on the executive team by industry veterans such as Jim McCoy, co-founder of Maxtor and Quantum, and former Fujitsu executives Mike Chenery, Doug Prins, and Aaron Olbrich.
According to Barry Eggers, general partner of Lightspeed Venture Partners, the lead investor in Pliant's funding round, the company's approach to SSD technology exceeds the performance of existing solutions.
"Rotating disk drives, one of the last bastions of moving parts in the data center, will start to feel the heat as flash-based solutions reach new levels of performance and reliability for the enterprise," says Eggers. "Flash-based storage offers better performance, higher densities, and lower power requirements. However, existing SSD solutions have largely been relegated to niche applications. Pliant's EFD will offer the level of performance and efficiency gains that we believe will help propel flash technology into the enterprise mainstream."


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There’s a new food court on campus, and it’s causing students to flock from the traditional cafeteria food to the fast food likes of fried chicken, pizza and egg rolls.
Pizza Hut Express, KFC Express and Far East Fusion, a Chinese restaurant, are now serving food in the lower level of the Student Activities Center, and students are migrating from the main dining hall cafeteria – located on the second floor of the building – to the new Food Court as a result.
With most fast food restaurants beyond walking distance, students who live on campus had little option when they grew tired of traditional cafeteria food. Other than the Orange Room, which sells hamburgers, wings and deli sandwiches, FAMU has offered a limited food menu variety.
Students had little choice but to crowd into the cafeteria for their meals. The main hall seats 330 students, but the on-campus freshmen class alone consists of 2,147 students – most of whom have meal plans.
“I’ve had to come to the cafeteria early this year to avoid the crowd,” said Manounchka Merrin, 18, a biology premed student from Miami.
The traffic increased after the lower level was closed off to students for KFC and Pizza Hut construction. But ever since the restaurants opened on Oct. 23, business in the cafeteria is starting to slow down.
“The lines upstairs are thinning out with the opening of the Food Court,” said Sheldon Clark, a sophomore business administration student from Charlotte, N.C.
But Shelita Nelson, the general manager of dining, said employees have had to adjust to the changes in business, as students are leaving to eat in the Food Court and more are coming to the cafeteria because the Food Court restaurants do no accept meal plan tickets.
It is an issue that will have to be resolved in the future, but one that has already been brought to the SGA Senate’s attention.
Steven Jumper can be reach at email@example.com.


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In recent years the protection of Intellectual Property (IP) has become a primary concern for companies and businesses around the globe. While the Internet has allowed us to communicate and exchange information faster and easier than ever before, it also created a perfect environment for the theft, piracy, illegal reproduction of valuable IP. Many companies have been left scrambling to protect their business’s most valuable assets from those on the Internet, open-source supporters and people looking to make a quick a buck off of other’s hard work.
“Intellectual property remains a fundamental pillar to achieving overall success,” wrote IP Watchdog’s Michael Gulliford. “To raise investment, protect markets and enable the outflow of innovation to adjacent industries, a strong patent operation is an absolute necessity.”
The global IP industry is estimated to be valued at around five trillion dollars and is a key component to the GDP of industrialized countries. Experts believe that as the tech sector continues to thrive, the value of intellectual property will continue to grow.
“IP has only recently received recognition from the governments of developed economies,” wrote marketing specialist, Sion Platts-Kilburn. “Gone are the days when intellectual property was seen merely as a pie-in-the-sky folly for would-be entrepreneurs. Instead, there is now substantive value in registering patents.”
Increasingly, business owners and company executives are hiring IP lawyers and entire legal teams to ensure their company’s IP is full protected. Because IP is comprised of a variety of components such as patents, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, trade secrets, formulas, franchises and Internet domain names, it is important to ensure your enterprises proprietary information is protected. As an intangible asset, IP trade names and trademarks may not even appear on the company’s balance sheet, despite being the company’s most valuable asset.
IP lawyers can be especially helpful when it comes to the buying and selling of businesses and companies. “IP lawyers can assist during the purchase with an investigation of the IP assets to make sure that the buyer does not overpay,” says IP attorney Andrew Grove. “An IP attorney with patent skills can help determine whether patents have value by studying what they cover, and whether they can withstand validity challenges.”
While intellectual property lawyers can guide businesses in protecting their intellectual property and guide M&As when it comes to patent worth, IP lawyers have less experience in aiding in the monetization of existing, newly developed or recently acquired intellectual property. This is where external IP management institutions and services come into play.
Companies like Ottawa based, Wi-LAN, manage the intellectual property of inventors and innovators to ensure they receive adequate compensation for their investment in the research and development of the product or technology. Wi-LAN and similar companies enable patent owners the ability to sell or license patented intellectual property. This business model provides a monetary incentive for inventors to invest in the development of new technologies, which in turn spurs innovation.
IP management companies like Wi-LAN can also help commercialize intellectual property in other markets, sectors and countries. “The financial value of IP is no longer confined to jurisdiction havens. If managed correctly with the aid of qualified professionals, transferring IP out of the United States can be tax efficient,” Platts-Kilburn wrote.
Some businesses have moved right out of production and manufacturing and instead solely focus on patent and IP licensing to bring in their company’s revenues. In other words, it’s not only important that intellectual property is protected, businesses also need to realize the importance of potentially monetizing intellectual property and the opportunity to turn it into a lucrative investment.


text: Fixed-line giant may end its reseller relationship with former mobile unit PCCW and its newly acquired mobile arm, Sunday Communications, began cross-selling services at their respective shops yesterday, prompting speculation that the fixed-line provider will quit its reseller relationship with mobile service operator CSL. PCCW sales staff were selling the company's fixed-line telephony, broadband internet and Now Broadband TV services at all the 26 shops of Sunday Communications yesterday. Meanwhile, staff at PCCW's 14 shop outlets were selling Sunday's mobile service plans. Spokeswomen at both firms confirmed that a cross-selling arrangement had begun yesterday. PCCW completed its $1.16 billion acquisition of a 60 per cent stake in Sunday last week. 'As a first step, only our mobile service packages will be sold at PCCW shops,' said Sunday spokeswoman Stella Wong. Alex Arena, PCCW's chief financial officer, previously said that it planned to bundle Sunday mobile services with its fixed-line telecoms services such as broadband internet and sell it as a package. PCCW has also been reselling mobile services of CSL - its former mobile unit - at its shops after it sold the mobile operator to Telstra Corp in 2002. The new parent-subsidiary relationship with Sunday might put the arrangement with CSL into doubt, analysts said. 'Both sides would be unlikely to renew their reselling contract this year, as PCCW is already realising the benefits of enhancing its distribution channel from the acquisition of Sunday,' said CSFB telecommunications analyst Edison Lee. 'The number of new CSL subscribers recruited at PCCW shop fronts is insignificant anyway.' A CSL spokeswoman said the firm would review its contract with PCCW every year. The current contract is understood to expire within the next two months.


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QUEBEC CITY, Canada — Robotiq Inc. announced yesterday that its AirPick and EPick vacuum grippers are now compatible with other major collaborative robot offerings such as the Omron Collaborative Robot series.
Robotiq said it is a leading provider of collaborative robot, or cobot, hardware and software to free human workers from repetitive tasks. According to the company, its tools and know-how can simplify cobot applications so factories can start production faster. Robotiq works with a global network of connected robot experts who support their local manufacturers.
Kyoto, Japan-based Omron Corp. is a global leader in the field of robotics and industrial automation. Founded in 1933, the company has more than 36,000 employees worldwide, providing products and services in more than 100 countries. Known for its intuitive programming interface and integrated on-arm vision system, Omron builds systems to enable safe, flexible, and collaborative manufacturing between humans and robots.
Vacuum grippers an affordable option
The combination of Robotiq’s AirPick and EPick with Omron’s cobots offers an effective, low-cost solution for manufacturers, the companies said. The vacuum grippers can help automate applications such as machine tending, pick-and-place operations, packaging, and assembly.
AirPick and EPick are Robotiq’s latest additions to its complete lineup of reliable, high-quality grippers launched at Automate 2019 in Chicago this past April. These fully customizable vacuum grippers are designed for a wide range of industrial applications and are ideal for manipulating workpieces made of cardboard, glass, sheet metal, and plastic.
“Expanding AirPick and EPick’s compatibility to embrace other leading cobot brands such as Omron was an important objective for us,” said Jean-Philippe Jobin, co-founder and chief technology officer of Robotiq.
The announcement of AirPick and EPick’s new-and-improved compatibility accompanied the release of Robotiq’s updated software for its Adaptive Grippers on Omron Collaborative Robots, as well as other leading cobot brands.
“Robotiq’s vacuum grippers were engineered with the same goal in mind as the rest of our product family: to support manufacturers start production faster,” Jobin added. “We look forward to achieving this with cobot manufacturers like Omron.”
“Omron aims to make our collaborative robot easy to use and easy to integrate into full automation systems,” said Omron President and CEO Tom Mathias said,To this end, we’ve created a Plug&Play ecosystem of peripherals and software that are designed to be immediately compatible with our collaborative robots, so they can be deployed with minimal downtime.”
“We are excited to partner with Robotiq as part of this Plug&Play offering,” he added. “Several of Robotiq’s end effectors are already offered as plug-and-play grippers, and the addition of these two vacuum grippers adds to the functionality of our collaborative robots.”
The Robot Report has launched the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum, which will be on Dec. 9-10 in Santa Clara, Calif. The conference and expo focuses on improving the design, development and manufacture of next-generation healthcare robots. Learn more about the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum.


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Deal Street Asia: Indonesian AgriTech Startup Eratani Raises Additional US $2M in Seed Funding
Written by: Khamila Mulia
Edited by: Pramod Matthew
10 July 2023
Eratani, an Indonesia-based agritech startup, has bumped up its seed funding to US $5.8 million after raising an additional US $2 million, according to a statement on Monday.
The round includes the
$3.8 million that Eratani raised in 2022
from TNB Aura, AgFunder, B.I.G Ventures, and Trihill Capital, while the fresh US $2 million seed extension funding round was led by SBI Ven Capital through its joint fund with Kyobo Securities and NTUitive. Genting Ventures, Orvel Ventures, and Ascend Angels also participated int he round.
The startup plans to utilise the investment to expand its reach across five provinces in Indonesia to further improve efficiency and create social impact among rice farmers.
“This investment not only validates our business model but also echoes our conviction in the potential of Indonesia’s agritech. We are committed to continuing our work in empowering farmers, increasing efficiencies, and fostering business sustainability within the agricultural sector,” said Eratani CEO Andrew Soeherman in the statement, adding that this funding round shows investors’ confidence in the Indonesian agritech sector.
Founded in 2021, Eratani offers solutions such as funding, supply chain management, crop distribution, and agricultural assistance to farmers in the country. It currently works with a network of 20,000 rice farmers in West Java, Central Java, East Java, Banten, and South Sulawesi. Eratani currently works with financial institutions like BNI and Nobu Bank to fintechs like Koinworks to channel the fund to farmers under its ecosystem.
“Their [Eratani] holistic approach and innovative solutions are not only streamlining agricultural processes but also
creating social impact for farmers. We remain confident in Eratani’s ability to drive growth and transformation in
the agricultural sector,” said Ryosuke Hayashi, CEO of SBI Ven Capital.
Indonesia is a major agricultural nation. In fact, agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors contributed about 12.4% of
the country’s gross domestic product [GDP] in 2022, according to Statista. However, the sector faces various
challenges including lack of investments, climate change, middlemen trap, and the slow adoption of technology.
This situation prompted a number of tech-enabled startups to emerge over the past few years. Besides Eratani, other
notable names in the sector include EdenFarm, Sayurbox, Gokomodo, and AgriAku.
Nonetheless, a few agritech-related startups are in hot water. TaniHub discontinued services and laid off all
employees while LinkAja-owned agritech fintech lender iGrow is being sued by its retail lenders due to surging