text:
This site is all about saving money. So we wanted to pass along a great article on CBS News about 7 ways you can save money at Amazon.
It might surprise you that joining Amazon Prime, the subscription service that gives you free 2-day shipping on everything you buy, is not one of the recommended strategies. Although getting free shipping might seem to save you money upfront, it turns out that Amazon Prime members end up spending more money on shopping on the whole. All said, spending more on shopping ends up not being the best way to save money.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Amazon Prime is not right for you. You just need to be aware that if you’re prime motive is to save money, joining such a program may end up having the opposite effect.


text:
More than a year after its conceptual introduction at the Blockchain Association of Canada’s Government Forum in Ottawa, Blockstream’s bitcoin scaling solution made its public debut on October 10, 2018, after going live among its partners on September 27.
Forklog spoke to WhalePanda, a well-known cryptocurrency trader and Bitcoin maximalist. WhalePanda’s voice is specifically strong on Twitter where he has over 205,00 followers, as well as on other social media channels.
What is the nature of privacy? Is it our basic right or a privilege? If it is our fundamental freedom, do we have to fight for it? That is the question. Most people prefer easy options to avoid such crucial fights. For years it was only cypherpunks who have tried to develop technologies which could […]
Despite the deep correction the cryptocurrency market has suffered throughout 2018, its capitalization is still holding above $200 billion while leading exchanges are securing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars every day and institutional investors are looking for a better infrastructure around the industry to take part in the revolution.
Bitrefill was one of the first companies to embrace Lightning Network for its mobile phone top-up service, however, as CEO Sergej Kotliar admits, the technology has its own tradeoffs and shouldn’t be considered “the entire solution of all the scaling problems forever.”
It might be a relatively new player on the market, however, having launched only in February this year, cryptocurrency p2p exchange Hodl Hodl already gained enough popularity, primarily among the so called Bitcoin maximalists.
While the crypto market keeps on moving down, it becomes even harder to convince unfortunate retail investors that there is a real value in Bitcoin and its underlying technology.
Social trading platform eToro has entered into marketing partnerships with seven Premier League football clubs, becoming the first ever company to fund such a partnership with Bitcoin.
A new report from Bitmex Research suggests that the most dominant miner (presumably, Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin), has generated around 700,000 BTC. This number is somewhat lower than what blockchain researcher Sergio Demian Lerner said it to be back in 2013.
Despite the significant decline in Bitcoin prices since the beginning of 2018, the network’s hash rate continues to increase showing a complex nature of economics of cryptocurrency mining.
Even though usage of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is steadily increasing each year, Brian Armstrong, the CEO of San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, believes that it will take some time before they will reach true mass adoption for payments, at least in the United States.
While many commentators believe a regulatory approved Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) could boost prices of the largest cryptocurrency, blockchain pioneer Nick Szabo says it might cause more problems than it’s actually worth.

domain: news


text:
Merger talks between entertainment giant Sony Picture Network and Viacom18 have fallen apart as Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries wants to keep a majority stake in the combined entity as well. The combined entity would have also owned close to 60 TV channels and two video streaming services.
Reliance Industries also owns a majority stake in Viacom18, which is a joint venture between Network19 and ViacomCBs, through Network18. Network18 owns a 51% stake in Viacom 18, while Viacom holds the remaining 49%.
Sony would have reportedly owned 74% stake in the merged entity, whereas Viacom18’s share would have been reduced to 26%. This would have further reduced Reliance’s share to 10-13% in the merged Sony-Viacom18 entity.
A person aware of the matter had also told Business Today, “Reliance clearly wants to get rid of the headache of running an entertainment business. It merely wants a foot in the door so that it has a constant flow of content for Jio. Reliance wants to control the pipe and not content creation.”
However, Reliance decided to rethink its stance on the merger as media and entertainment are now an essential part of Reliance Jio’s businesses and its fibre-to-home strategy. Besides this, the unprecedented growth witnessed by Jio also compelled Reliance to keep control over the media and entertainment business, according to the latest ET report citing sources.
Network18-owned Viacom 18 had recorded INR 24 Cr in operating losses in the fourth quarter of 2019, with ‘business as usual’ (BAU) EBITDA noting a growth of INR 44 Cr, up 12% YoY. BAU margins for entertainment grew to 5% from 3.2% in Q4FY18.”Regional entertainment channels continued their viewership and monetization improvements across most of our geographies,” Network18 had highlighted.
Whereas in the Q3 of FY20, Network 18’s entertainment businesses — Viacom18, AETN18 and Indiacst — has recorded INR 1,137 Cr in operating revenue noting a drop of 4% from INR 1,184 recorded in the previous year. The EBITDA for the same quarter grew by 262% to INR 245 Cr from INR 68 Cr in Q3 FY19.
Network and Sony’s merger would have posed a direct threat to Disney and Star India, which had signed a merger for $71.3 Bn. With this merger, Disney+ became part of Hotstar and also launched Disney+ under its Hotstar premium plans in India.


text:
Updated 8.08am with Agricultural Ministry comments
The exportation of Malta’s most important cash crop, the humble potato, has been thrown into uncertainty this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The crop is worth about €2 million a year to Malta’s farmers. But while they have started to harvest potatoes for export to countries like Holland and Germany, this year they fear a drop in both demand and prices.
The situation is “very fluid and uncertain”, according to Malcolm Borg, head of the farmers’ lobby group Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi.
“Everything is up in the air. Dutch importers are weighing things, especially issues related to demand,” he said.
“Meanwhile, they also have a problem with workers since they do not have enough people working with them due to the lockdowns.”
The potato season usually runs through to June with exportation taking place between April and May.
Everything is up in the air
The Maltese have been exporting potatoes for over a hundred years. The crop is very important for the profitability of many local farmers, Borg said.
According to the national agricultural policy, Maltese potatoes are highly appreciated on the Dutch market, where they achieve premium prices that surpass those for similar produce from other countries.
The uncertainty is even more worrying for farmers this year since they have suffered “great” losses as a result of restaurants being shut, Borg added. On the other hand, demand from local households does not seem to have been impacted by the outbreak.
The Agriculture Ministry said it had no updates on the situation.
“Up till now, our Ministry hasn't been informed as to any change in the exportation of potatoes."
The special Maltese potato
According to national policy, the Maltese potato product has “unique organoleptic properties” – which relate to taste, odour and texture – as well as a traditional link with Malta. On the Dutch market, Maltese potatoes are often referred to as the Maltas.
Dutch consumers, especially those of traditional eating habits, have acquired a preference for Maltese produce for which they are ready to pay high prices.
Malta’s potatoes are also in demand in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the UK. The last year available figures from the National Statistics Office is 2014, when 3,100 tonnes of potatoes were exported from Malta, mostly to countries in the EU.
Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.Support Us


text:
Wij gebruiken een aantal cookies om u de best mogelijke browserervaring te bieden. Door deze website te blijven gebruiken, gaat u akkoord met ons gebruik van cookies. U kunt hier meer lezen over ons cookiebeleid of op de link klikken onderaan iedere pagina van onze website.
- Traders start the last quarter tentatively ahead of non-farm payrolls
- Glencore’s recovery falters as it climbs back to Monday’s opening levels
- Food retailers dominate the list of FTSE 100 fallers
Following the worst quarterly performance by the FTSE for the last four years, traders have got off to a mildly optimistic start with a combination of mining, oil and gas companies pulling the index higher. Even though China has been enjoying a long weekend with bank holidays today and tomorrow, it has not been stopped from posting mildly positive manufacturing PMI data that has contributed to the upturn in the FTSE’s performance.
Glencore had been enjoying a couple of days respite from the selling, but with this morning’s flirtations with the 100p level taking it back to Monday’s opening price, sellers have been encouraged back in to whack the stock.
This week has seen half the food retailers announcing figures to the markets and Sainsbury’s hanging onto its market share has been as good as it gets, which might explain why the sellers have reappeared so quickly.
Having rounded off such a miserable quarter it is understandable why traders have been a little reluctant to rush back into the markets. Throw into the mix that tomorrow will be the first Friday of the month, triggering the US to release the latest non-farm payrolls data, there has been a healthy amount of waiting and watching going on.
Released in conjunction will be the unemployment rate and average hourly earnings and the latter of these two will be particularly well-watched following the recent speeches from Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and its FOMC voting members.


text:
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR-poised to remain true to risk underwriting, Industrial And General Insurance (IGI) Plc has kicked off a strategic enlightenment campaign rallying support for the government’s concerted effort to rid the country of the killer Coronavirus. It is also urging its policyholders and other stakeholders to stay at home to avoid spreading or contracting the virus.
The company made this known to BusinessToday Online that In a series of online communication materials targeted at its customers and the general public, IGI is calling on the people to pull together, cooperate with the government and the relevant health authorities to stop further incursion of coronavirus into Nigeria. Some of the messages put out read: “Your well-being matters to us. Kick out Covid-19. Play safe. Stay home.”, “Join the war against Covid-19. Keep safe distance. Stay at home. Together we shall win!”
The company explained that the campaign was meant to touch base with its clients and encourage them to observe the stay at home order by the Federal Government. It is also aimed at complementing the ongoing advocacy sensitising the public on the containment of the deadly virus.
“For clients’ convenience during the stay at home period, we have ensured seamless transactions for life and general business through our revamped online payment channels. Using their smart phones, computers, tablets or any other mobile devices customers can pay for their policies or renewals from the comfort of their homes. The payment channels are designed to guarantee easy and convenient access to our first-rate products and services.”
On the essence of the company’s campaign, the publicist, Mr. Steve Ilo, said: “These are unprecedented times when it is important to demonstrate social responsibility as a responsive corporate citizen. That is why IGI is joining the government as well as other public-spirited individuals and organisations in this war against Covid-19. For us at IGi, that is our reasonable service.”
According to him, following the outbreak of the pandemic in the country, IGI took immediate measures, such as hand hygiene and social distancing, to protect clients and employees against the disease. “The focus is keeping our staff healthy and safe in and out of the workplace, while watching our clients’ backs at all times. We will continue to promote ideals that foster our collective safety, the well-being of our families and of the communities where we live and do business,” the statement added:
The company urged Nigerians to cooperate with the government in the fight against coronavirus, observing health guidelines and regulations to stop its spread. It also stressed the need to “be your brother’s keeper” by supporting one another to mitigate the alarming impact of the disease in various aspects of life.


text:
Ubisoft has finally released the first PC trailer of their upcoming open world hacking title, Watch Dogs. This latest trailer showcase some of the advance graphical features that will be featured in Watch Dogs PC port.
The description of the footage reads: “We have been working closely with Nvidia in order to create the most vivid and breath taking Chicago possible for the PC version of Watch_Dogs.”
Watch the trailer below and let us know in the comment section what you guys think about this latest Watch Dogs footage. The game is scheduled to launch on May 27 for PC, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PS4. Wii U version is not yet dated.
In Watch Dogs, you play as Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker and former thug, whose criminal past led to a violent family tragedy.
While seeking justice for those events, you’ll monitor and hack those around you by manipulating the ctOS from the palm of your hand. You’ll access omnipresent security cameras, download personal information to locate a target, control traffic lights and public transportation to stop the enemy… and more.


text:
PlayStation 4: Official Announcement Trailer?
Sony has revealed a YouTube clip that implies the official announcement of the eighth-generation video game console PlayStation 4 on February 13, 2013 or is it something else?
Earlier rumors said that the PS4 has been in development since late 2009 and it will be unveiled at Sony’s press conference at the E3 which is obviously not in February but in June of this year.
If you know more, please let us know in the comments below.
Thanks Stuart Pocock for the tip!
Only registered users can comment.


text:
TODDLERS opened the new Tesco Express store in Marsh.
Three-year-old Morgan Dobson and friends are seen cutting the ribbon to officially open the new shop, on the site of a former petrol station.
The St James's Playgroup in Marsh will receive £500 from Tesco to help buy new computer equipment.
They were chosen after entering a competition in The Examiner for local charities to open the store, on the corner of Thornhill Road and New Hey Road.
Carol Kenny, the playgroup's chairwoman, said: "We have always received a tremendous amount of support from the local community and are delighted the new store has added to that support."
She was accompanied by manager Vicky Horsefield and Margaret Preston, one of the founders of the playgroup.
The money will come in useful to the group as it continually has to raise cash.
Government inspectors have urged that the group provides computer equipment.
Tesco Express is open seven days a week from 6am to 11pm. It has an in-store bakery and sells 3,000 product lines, including fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, ready meals and wines and spirits.


text:
Recently, the hashtag #EDGwins has been on the hot search list, and e-sports has once again been attracted attention around the globe with many people asking “Who are EDG?”.
The topic #EDGwins has been viewed more than 3.29 billion times on Weibo, ranking the top topic on the Chinese social media platform.
Who are EDG?
EDG or Edward Gaming is a professional esports organization based in Shanghai. On November 6 this year they won the title of “League of Legends World Champions” in a pro-competition match against Korean team “Damwon”.
The competition was held in Reykjavík, Iceland, and 24 teams battled it out over one month to fight for international glory and a piece of the $2,225,000 prize pool.
The final match to win the title attracted 4 million fans from outside of China.
What is League of Legends?
League of Legends (LoL) also commonly known as “League” is a multiplayer online battle arena video game where two teams of five player’s battle in player vs. player combat.
League of Legends is the biggest PC game in the world with over 100 million monthly active players.
How much is esports revenue worth and how large is the audience?
At the 2021 global gaming leader summit the “2021 China sports gaming industry development report” was announced showing that in 2021 the global gaming audience increased to 474 million, of which the core gaming enthusiasts reached 234 million.
In 2021, China’s esports users are expected to reach 425 million. The global esports revenue will reach 1.084 billion U.S. dollars, and China will become the world’s highest esports market with 360 million U.S. dollars in revenue.
By 2024, the global esports audience is expected to increase to 577 million, and the scale of global esports events is expected to exceed $1.6 billion.
Revenue from esports mostly comes from sponsorships, media rights, consumer spending on merchandise and tickets, and game publishers’ investments into the esports space.
The growth of esports in China
In recent years, esports has developed rapidly and has gradually been accepted and recognized.
In 2003, the State Sports General Administration formally approved esports as the 99th official sports competition.
In 2008, the State Sports General Administration re-approved esports as the No. 78 official sports competition.
The 2018 Jakarta Asian Games will include esports as a performance event.
In 2020, the Olympic Council of Asia announced that e-sports will become an official event of the Asian Games and will participate in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. This is the first time that e-sports has been an official event of the Asian Games. The medals won by the event will be included in the national medal list.
On November 5, 2021, the Hangzhou Asian Organizing Committee officially announced the 8 esports events of the Hangzhou Asian Games.
There are around 5,000 esports teams in China and the top players are typically discovered in their teens and retire in their mid- 20s. Wuhuanwei, also known as Xiye, one of the world’s top players for League of Legends began playing 14 and joined a club at 16.
Regulations of minors playing video games
This year on September 1, new rules were put in place to protect minors playing video games. The ruling restricted gamers under the age of 18 to playing three hours a week or one hour per day at 8 pm on Friday to Sunday.
What is the future of esports in the Hainan Free Trade Port?
In April 2018, the central committee pointed out that Hainan should vigorously develop new cultural consumption such as animation games, online culture, and digital content.
In June 2019, the Hainan Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department proposed the construction of the “Hainan International esports Port”, and issued special policies such as establishing funds, attracting talents, low tax rates, visa exemption, simplified approvals, and other special policies to support the development of Hainan esports industry.
As one of the encouraged industries in Hainan, esports companies can enjoy 15% corporate income tax. Gaming personnel that meets the relevant conditions, can also enjoy the 15% personal income tax policy.
In June 2020, the “Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port” emphasized the need to “focus on the development of tourism, modern service industries, and high-tech industries.”
In the implementation of the overall plan, it is clearly proposed to “support the development of new business formats such as esports and online services, and develop the digital economy.”
In July 2020, the Smart Hainan Master Plan (2020-2025) was released, proposing to develop, big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence, information security, esports, and other new digital industries.
In April 2021, an announcement was made to encourage the development of the online gaming industry and to explore the delegation of approval power for domestic online game trials in Hainan.
Related article: Hot tips for keeping your doggies cool this summer
If you would like to make a comment or complaint about any aspect of living or working in Hainan Island, we’d love to hear from you. Please keep it polite and to the point.


text:
Apple has often been criticized for going out of its way to make it difficult for users to carry out their own repairs on iPhones, MacBooks, and AirPods, but the company is apparently taking a different approach with its desktop lineup in an effort to compete with Windows PCs. Originally unveiled at the WWDC 2019 conference earlier this year, the latest Mac Pro model can apparently be repaired without too much hassle, with renowned DIY website, iFixit, awarding it a score of 9 out of 10 for repairability.
Given Apple’s reputation, the blog says it was pleasantly surprised by its findings, calling the modular nature of the device a ‘Fixmas Miracle’. According to the teardown, the side panel of the Mac Pro case is not only easy to open, but its components are also easy to take apart and reassemble without the needs for specialized tools.
In fact, as pointed out by 9to5Mac, some of the components, including the RAM, can even be upgraded with standard off-the-shelf components for repairs or replacements. The Mac Pro also earns praise for its new design that ditches the controversial ‘trash can’ pattern for something more aesthetically inoffensive.
However, the one area of concern is the proprietary technology that bounds the SSD to Apple’s T2 security chip, which means users will not be able to replace or upgrade the storage with regular components unlike in a Windows/ Linux PC. However, given that most of the other major components are modular and use industry-standard sockets and interfaces, the new Mac Pro should offer easy replacements and upgrades.
Featured Image Courtesy: iFixit


text:
Comcast on Tuesday said that it has started integrating YouTube into its X1 set-top boxes across the US. The two companies first announced the partnership this past February.
Much like the deal Comcast struck with Netflix last year, the move will see the YouTube app sit in the X1’s home screen, allowing subscribers to put the popular video service on their TV without switching to a third-party device like a Roku or Apple TV.Comcast says it will also plant a handful of YouTube videos in its on-demand video section as well. Clips in the “Music” section of the on-demand menu, for instance, might feature music videos from the YouTube app.
Comcast is also touting the ability to search for videos on YouTube with voice commands through the X1’s remote. The idea is to say something like “Show me clips from Empire on YouTube" and go directly to a list of Empire-related videos within the app—though it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get too granular with searches in practice.
A Comcast representative said that YouTube streams over X1 won’t be exempted from a Comcast Internet subscriber’s data cap. Those with YouTube Red subscriptions will still be able to take advantage of that through the X1 app, though X1 users won’t be able to sign up to YouTube Red directly through the app. The company declined to comment on whether it gains any ad revenue from YouTube views through the X1 app.
The YouTube partnership is the latest move by Comcast to make its cable platform more palatable to would-be cord cutters. Like most of its peers, Comcast has gradually lost cable subscribers as more and more customers cut costs and learn to get by on a mix of Internet-based streaming services. Comcast itself has its own “streaming” service called Stream TV—which technically uses cable and thus is exempted from Comcast’s data caps—but that doesn’t appear to have made much of a splash.
YouTube, meanwhile, has another way to put its service in front of more eyeballs. Though Comcast and Google, YouTube’s parent company, are ostensibly opposed on key regulatory issues such as net neutrality, Google will be getting a prime spot on Comcast’s platform. Comcast has roughly 21.5 million residential video subscribers, according to its most recent earnings report.


text:
Rumour: Nintendo Gamer outs Black Ops II for Wii U
Activision's developing a Wii U version of Black Ops II, apparently.
That's according to the latest edition of Nintendo Gamer magazine, which features a full-length preview of the Wii U version of the Treyarch shooter.
DailyJoypad has a scan of the magazine, which prominently features the Wii U version.
The magazine mentions a November release date for the Wii U SKU, suggesting that it's going to be a launch title for the console and will release alongside the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.
This comes as a surprise, as neither Nintendo or Activision has announced anything officially about a Wii U version being in development.
We'll have more soon.


text:
Amazon's attempt to dominate space mean for everyone else?
Amazon has placed the largest ever order for commercial rocket launches, booking up much
the global capacity for the next five years as part of its Project Kuiper plan for satellite broadband
A multibillion-dollar booking of satellite-launching rockets has suddenly made Amazon
one of the busiest space-flight operators on the planet. Will the tech giant’s attempt to corner
the launch market quash the ambitions of smaller satellite operators, or could this light
On 5 April, Amazon astonished the space industry by revealing that it had placed the biggest set
rockets in space-flight history, buying no less than 83 launches over the next five years to place


text:
At the beginning of this year, when launching Bing, Nadella had stated his intention to compete with Google in the search space. He had even referred to Google as an ‘800-pound gorilla’ in the market.
Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, has often praised Google. Recently, during his testimony in the US antitrust trial against Google, Nadella stated that Google’s search engine is superior to his company’s Bing. He also expressed his commitment to making Bing even better. Nadella has also commended Google’s AI Chatbot Board.
“Google Benefits in the Search Engine” – Satya Nadella
At the start of the year, when launching Bing, Nadella expressed his intention to compete with Google in the search space and likened Google to an ‘800-pound gorilla’ in the market. In an interview with Matthias Dopfner, CEO of Insider, Satya Nadella described Google’s board as a competitive product. He stated that when it comes to the online search space, the company led by Sundar Pichai has some structural advantages.
Nadella told the board, “The board is already a highly competitive product. They have a new model with Gemini. Google has several structural advantages. They already have market share, they control Android and control Chrome. I always say Google makes more money off Windows than Microsoft does. It ties us to the ground.”
When asked about competing with Google, Nadella mentioned that Microsoft’s (global) market share in search is only 3%, whereas Google holds 97% of the market. He stated that in such a scenario, even a small gain is an “exciting moment.” He went on to say that Google is a very strong company and will emerge stronger. He also praised Google’s AI Chatbot Board and Project Gemini, which are still in development.
Discussing Bing and the board, Microsoft’s CEO noted that while change is happening, it is a slow-moving transformation. He said, “Google can make this transformation, and they’re very committed to it. And you’re right in saying they have to fundamentally change their business model. So, it’s a bit like what happened with us and Windows. Until it became a reality, we had a great business model. So, I think Google has a start for sure because they already have a search engine and all the users on the internet.


text:
PULAU INDAH, on 14,000 acres in the southwest off Port Klang, is finally realising its potential as a major industrial, maritime and residential hub, attracting new developers to its shores.
A part of the Selangor government's plans to transform the island and its surrounding areas into a new commercial hub - with Westport as a major maritime capital- the fast track development of the residential component of the island will augur well for the island's growth.
Since development was kicked off in 1995 by the main developer, Central Spectrum Sdn Bhd, a 76.7%:23.3% joint venture between Kumpulan Hartanah Selangor Bhd and AMDB Bhd, some 2,000 acres have been developed.
Another public-listed company which has taken an interest in the island is LBS Bina Group Bhd, whose unit, Puncak Gama Sdn Bhd, early this month signed a joint venture agreement with Central Spectrum to develop 570.3 acres in Section 2 and 844.6 acres in Section 11.
LBS will build more than 14,700 units of low-cost apartments, double-storey terraced houses, semi-detached units and bungalows, with affordable houses priced at less than RM180,000 representing 85% of the total development.
According to Central Spectrum general manager Roslan Ahmad, the island's development into a new growth centre and Harbour City of Selangor is on track for completion in 2015.
A range of industrial land, ready-built factories, commercial centres and residential units are either completed or in various stages of planning and construction. Another 300 acres are available in the industrial precinct.
A total of 1,700 acres of industrial land has so far been developed in the Harbour City of Selangor, ready with basic infrastructure which includes water and electricity supply and telecommunications.
Some 50 acres of the industrial land area has been zoned for a special state government project called Selangor Halal Hub, to house manufacturers of halal food and beverage products.
“The development of Pulau Indah as an integral part of a harbour city plays a vital role in amplifying the importance of the industrial park as a unique portside development. Upon completion, there will be 3,493.5 acres of industrial development and 20,000 homes on 1,839.5 acres,” Roslan told StarBiz in an interview.
He said, so far, RM835mil worth of properties had been sold, comprising mainly terraced and semi-detached factory lots and shop offices. Total gross development value (GDV) for the whole project is around RM5bil.
Of the area developed so far, 1,500 acres comprise industrial land and factory sites. In the maiden residential precinct - Laguna Park - 134 double-storey terrace houses, priced from RM130,000 to RM220,000, have been completed.
“Pulau Indah, with its unique development plans, holds strong potential to emerge as a new growth centre for industrial, commercial, tourism and recreational activities. The free trade industrial zone will offer vast opportunities to multinational corporations, small- and medium-scale industries and logistics service providers to become our growth partners,” he said.
Phase one of the industrial estate development is expected to attract investments worth RM3.8bil, including RM2.2bil from overseas.
The industrial precinct comprises light, general , warehousing and special industries. It is strategically located back to back to Westport, Port Klang, and has excellent access to major industrial parks and towns.
The island is connected to the mainland via a Westport access road linked to the Shah Alam Expressway and Kesas.
Roslan said Pulau Indah would have several major activities – industrial, commercial, residential and tourism cum recreational – to complement the rapid growth on the mainland.
The masterplan for the development of Pulau Indah envisages 1,230.56 acres designated for residential development, 1,130.4 acres for heavy industries, 1,734 acres for light industries, 645 acres for general industries, 360 acres for warehousing storage and 223.66 acres for commercial use.
“However, with the recovery in demand for residential units, we have decided to reduce the industrial precinct by about 600 acres to build more houses,” he said.
LBS Bina managing director Datuk Lim Hock San said the company would build more than 14,700 units of apartments, terrace houses, semi-detached units, bungalows and shops, with total GDV estimated at RM2.85bil.
The initial phase of LBS Bina's Pulau Indah township, to be launched in the second quarter next year, will comprise mainly low- to medium-range properties. Higher-end properties are planned for later launches.
About 85% of the development would be affordable housing, with average built-up of about 1,100 sq ft and priced from RM150,000 to RM180,000, Lim said. “The project should start to contribute to group earnings from the financial year ending Dec 31, 2005,” he added.


text:
LDK Solar Co. Ltd.(NYSE: LDK), which Mergers & Acquisitions placed on our Distressed Company Watch List, has filed for provisional liquidation in the Cayman Islands.
The filing was made as the company attempts to resolve its offshore liquidity issues and is in discussions with creditors, according to a statement. On Dec. 27, the company proposed a plan to restructure notes on which it has an overdue interest payment. Appointing liquidators in the Cayman Islands would not affect the company's operations in China, where it is based. LDK has no intention of filing for debt restructuring in China, the company says.
LDK, headquartered in Xinyu City, China, makes photovoltaic (PV) products, including polysilicon, monocrystalline and multicrystalline products for use in solar panels.
On Feb. 13, the company announced that it had entered into a 14-day forbearance period for a $279 million in 10 percent senior notes due in 2014. The forbearance period, which ends Feb. 27, is in regards to an interest payment that was due Aug. 28, which LDK never paid. LDK had already entered into several other forbearance periods regarding the missed payment, filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show.
In SEC filings, the company blamed the "deteriorating PV market conditions and overall global economic slowdown" for some of its problems, which are widespread among solar panel groups. LDK said that uncertainty surrounding the photovolatic market and economic climate are likely to continue to adversely impact demand for the company's products.
The company is just one of many solar panel groups to struggle, partially because of oversupply in the market. Wuxi Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd. (NYSE: STP), was placed into bankruptcy in China in March. Suntech also filed for provisional liquidation in the Cayman Islands in November, and filed a Chapter 15 filing in the U.S. to have that restructuring case recognized. Filing for Chapter 15 was an agreement the solar panel group came to with creditors after its creditors filed an involuntary Chapter 7 petition in October.
Jefferies LLC is the company's financial adviser. Sidley Austin is the company's legal counsel. Ropes & Gray LLP is acting as counsel to the noteholders.
For more on distressed solar panel companies, see "Finance Finesse: Solar Panel Groups Modify Loans."
For more on LDK, see "LDK Solar Reaches Forbearance Agreement."


text:
Asus ROG Phone 3 Android 11 update, ROG Phone 5 first update, & ROG Phone 2 Airtel VoWiFi - Here's what we know
Asus takes a lot of pride in delivering the ROG Phone series. A beast machine that is solely designed for gaming enthusiasts.
With each iteration, Asus presents hardware that is unique and optimal. But the software department is something where Asus has consistently underperformed.
Asus ROG Phone 3 was the flagship offering by the company until Asus ROG Phone 5 launched. But the company trailed way behind other OEMs when it came to delivering Android 11 update to the Asus ROG Phone 3.
There lies a lot of questions but Asus is overly quiet. Here are some of the latest developments from the Asus camp.
Asus ROG Phone 3 Android 11
We recently saw how Asus has cast down its ROG Phone 3 users by over-delaying the Android 11 update program. But a forum moderator has given out some hope as he shares the news of the present status.
The moderator says the Android 11 update for the Asus ROG Phone 3 is under evaluation and a timeline will soon be shared.
Thanks for being a such a great fan of ASUS. As gugul mentioned and picking up on few points, Android 11 for ROG Phone 3 is under evaluation the timeline should soon be shared.
The statement doesn’t answer much on when this update will be available but at least now we know that the update is being baked and a timeline will be shared.
Asus ROG Phone 5 first update
Asus recently took to the stage to launch its newest flagship — ROG Phone 5. This indeed is a powerful machine and has already started bagging the software updates.
In its first update, Asus ROG Phone 5 bags Air gesture support and feature additions along with a bunch of other software optimizations. Here’s what the changelog says.
– Enhanced the advanced settings of system modes in Armoury Crate
– Added animation editor for ROG Vision in Armoury Crate. Now supports share and import functions.
– Added brand new motion control gestures in AirTrigger 5
– Added Esports Mode: A competitive mode tailored for esports competitions in the power button menu screen during – gameplay
– Added ROG Akira Character theme pack
– Added multiple theme packs in cooperated with popular game publishers
– Added “Upcoming alarm notification” setting in Clock – Sent out 2 hours before the scheduled alarm.
– Optimized Camera user experience
– Optimized system stability
– Optimized ROG Vision
– Optimized charging stability
– Share on Twitter
The update carries version 18.0830.2101.73 and is a FOTA update. Users can find the update lying in the update center.
Asus ROG Phone 2 Airtel VoWiFi
Asus has been questioned right from the beginning for ROG Phone 2 incompatibility with VoWiFi on various networks across multiple nations.
But some positive news for the device owners in India as the forum moderator assures users that VoWiFi on the Airtel network may see light soon.
VoWifi for Airtel is in works and should soon see light. @ImShrey Please do not spread rumors ROG Phone 2 isn’t discontinued important software update or feature whenever ready will be rolled out.
The mod also affirms that the software development of this device is still active and some of the important updates will continue to roll out for the Asus ROG Phone 2.
Asus still has a long way to go in the software updates domain. The OEM really needs to step up its development process and quickly make the transition to the latest OS for the devices that have long been in the pipeline.
Any further development will be reported here. In the meantime, you can pay a visit to our dedicated Asus Android 11 update tracker to learn the latest developments for your Asus device.
Note: We have more such stories in our dedicated Asus Section so be sure to follow them as well.
PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.


text:
As the World Fintech Show wraps up for another year, Fintactics has come away with a string of exciting new partnerships and ventures.
Fintactics has leveraged its attendance at the World Fintech Show to secure a diverse range of fintech partnerships with Bitfy Holdings and Aion Digital.
In addition to the partnerships, Fintactics confirms speculation surrounding the formation of its latest ventures, Holoul and Leza’am.
World Fintech Show
Held at the InterContinental in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, World Fintech Show supports the advancement of the country’s fintech industry.
The global fintech series is managed by the business events and consulting firm Trescon, and ran from 5 to 6 December 2022.
Facilitating a platform to support collaboration and dialogue between global fintechs and financial service providers, here are the latest highlights from this year’s event:
Fintactics Studio and VC Fund
The event hosted the launch of Fintactics Studio. The venture works as a dedicated fintech venture builder and is allocated to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
A SAR150million venture capital (VC) fund supports the Fintactics Studio. The fund itself is authorised by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The venture is concentrating support for internal businesses and investing in high-growth fintech ventures throughout the kingdom, MENA and the rest of the world.
The venture emerged from the Saudi-based venture builder Revival Lab and launched under Arbah Capital.
Aion Digital partnership
Fintactics sealed a deal with Aion Digital through its attendance at World Fintech Show. Its new partner is a digital banking platform revitalising banking through customer-centric digital transformations that are adaptable for financial institutions.
The signing included Haitham Al Sahafy, CEO of Fintactics, and Ashar Nazim, founder and CEO of Aion Digital.
The platform is working with Fintactics as part of the builder’s mission to shape the financial landscape of the future. Both companies will develop and expand digital products in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) and MENA. This includes the partnership’s debut venture Leza’am.
Leza’am JV agreement
Businesses today require a fully digital onboarding experience to lead customers through their onboarding process as business resilience requirements and consumer expectations have grown.
Fintactics and Aion Digital’s partnership hits the ground running with the launch of Leza’am; the partnership’s regtech-as-a-service (RaaS) offering. Leza’am supports all the features of a digital onboarding service in the modern age.
The e-know-your-consumer (eKYC) service facilitates journey orchestration, compliance, anti-money laundering (AML) screening and digital forensics. This includes add-on services for fraud and risk management; available to retail and corporate customers for GCC and non-GCC nationals.
Bitfy Holdings agreement
Fintactics has made a significant investment in Bitfy Holdings to accelerate the adoption of distributed ledger technologies (DLT) in financial and non-financial verticals in the Kingdom. The partnership announcement at the World Fintech Show follows this investment.
Bitfy Holdings is a Brazilian-based venture working with blockchain-as-a-service to offer tokenisation of illiquid assets.
Cooperating with CMA and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), Fintactics is localising blockchain tokenisation and securitisation technologies of physical and illiquid assets.
Fintactics utilised its attendance at the World Fintech Show to confirm the launch of its latest venture, Holoul.
Holoul is a digital mortgage platform that facilitates and enhances homeownership. In Saudi Arabia specifically, the mortgage market continues to evolve at speed, demonstrating the suitability of the platform.
There is little doubt that market dynamics and political encouragement from various bodies were the driving forces behind this. In addition, it’s a marketplace where customers can find a variety of luxury home products that suit their demands.


text:
Truck turnaround times at the Port of Liverpool have fallen after owner Peel Ports said it had turned its focus to road haulage efficiencies.
It said October was a “record-breaking” month for its container operations with quayside and landside throughput exceeding all previous figures with year-on-year growth of 12%.
The port also said turnaround times for hauliers is now consistently below 40 minutes.
David Huck, Peel Ports MD said: “More businesses are realising that it makes more sense to ship products closer to their end destinations.
“For much of the UK container market Liverpool is the port that offers the shortest supply chain, helping to reduce costs, congestion and carbon emissions.”
- Peel Ports boss looks to capitalise on Felixstowe’s problems
- Switch to unaccompanied freight model to avoid Brexit border delays at Channel Ports, says Peel Ports
- Hauliers weigh up cost impact of post-Brexit re-routing
One local haulier who uses the port every day told motortransport.co.uk that, compared to 12 months ago, operations had “definitely improved”.
He said: “Overall I have no major arguments; they’re doing OK.
“They’ve made turnarounds better. They have trained more staff up, I am there most days and I see them training staff up. I assume crane drivers are being trained up too.”
However, he said that the port had reduced opening times on Saturday afternoons and Monday mornings, which had an impact on some hauliers, but he added: “There are a couple of small issues to iron out but I do think they have listened to us. Overall, I would say it’s definitely improved.”
Jon Whitely, MD at Bootle-based JWT Commercial, said: “The Port of Liverpool’s latest throughput figures prove that Peel’s focus on road haulage efficiency is working."


text:
LogRhythm promotes from within for APAC sales director role
Security intelligence company LogRhythm has appointed a new director of sales for the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), with Simon Howe taking up the Sydney-based position.
Howe has 20 years' experience in the IT industry and originally joined LogRhythm from Acronis where he was APAC mobility solutions sales director.
He originally joined LogRhythm more than four years ago as director of sales for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), where LogRhythm says he was able to help propel the organisation's market presence in conjunction with distributor and reseller partners.
He has also previously served as national sales manager at CommVault and worked at Symantec in several sales and account management roles.
In this new role, Howe will work to further the LogRhythm's success throughout the Asia Pacific region, supporting customers to maximise their investment in LogRhythm.
On his appointment, Howe says, “I am excited and look forward to working closely with new and current customers to optimise their cybersecurity footing and our delivery capabilities in helping address the ongoing security needs of our customers.” LogRhythm is a global provider of NextGen SIEM and works with organisations to reduce risk by rapidly detecting, responding to and neutralising damaging cyber threats.
The company is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, but has offices in Sydney, Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, UAE, Singapore, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.


text:
According to the latest list of entities that holds Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI) licences propelled by Reserve Bank Of India, Citrus Payment solution gave up its wallet licence. The Mumbai-based fintech startup was owned by PayU, Naspers-owned global payments player in previous year.
Citrus Payment solution’s Customers will move to PayU
Amrish Rau, cofounder of the company and the CEO of the PayU India said that its customers will migrate towards PayU money wallet. However, only 1% of the 3 million transactions per day are done via PayU Money.
License of Citrus has been cancelled
As per the current regulator’s list of payment system operators, License of Citrus Payment Solution has been cancelled on 19th April.
Rau said that, “We had to do it (surrender the licence) since Citrus and PayU both had one. We have seamlessly migrated the Citrus consumers under the PayU licence”.
RBI manages payment instruments
RBI is setting down rules for prepaid payment instruments, which is probably going to push them to execute full know your-client standards and higher security factors.


text:
The service is part of an Apple TV update that's rolling out today in more than 100 countries to iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV along with all 2019 Samsung smart TVs and select 2018 models. While Apple TV+ isn't quite ready for its public release yet - that will have wait until for a few more months - the building block are in place with iOS 12.3.
Apple's new TV app is also rolling out via an update to tvOS (also numerated 12.3) on the company's Apple TV set top boxes.
Apple has announced that its new Apple TV app has arrived in more than 100 countries for its device owners, as well as for users who own select Samsung smart TVs.
A Watch Now section offers options for recommended movies and TV shows, based on your viewing history.
This isn't the launch of Apple'sstreaming TV service, Apple TV Plus, but more of a step toward that launch by introducing users to the new design ahead of the fall launch.
With the iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 software update, customers around the world can now subscribe to Apple TV channels within the Apple TV app.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. You'll also be able to easily find your favorite content across all devices.
Family Sharing enables up to six family members can share subscriptions to Apple TV channels using their Apple ID and password.
The news of this update comes ahead of the next big launch with Apple TV+ expected to begin broadcasting original and exclusive content later this year. The app is going to work with Samsung's Smart TV services such as Bixby and Universal Guide to provide users with a consistent experience on the platform. But at CES, several companies, including LG, Sony, and Vizio, told us that later this year they'd have the app, as well as support for AirPlay 2 and the Apple HomeKit, Apple's Siri-powered smart home system (think Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant).


text:
Beijing said US negotiators agreed to roll back September penalties on $112 billion of imports, Trump dismissed claim.
Ambassador John McCallum opined twice last week on Meng-Huawei case.
Mounting a determined campaign of intimidation and retribution over Meng Wanzhou case.
Technologies on display represent the most significant advances in sanitation in nearly 200 years.
American and European anger targets a flood of low-cost exports that is double the volume of second-place Japan.
Trump has approved higher tariffs on Chinese aluminum, washing machines and other goods.
Beijing wants electric cars to make up 8% of every brand’s production as soon as next year.
Beijing found to be improperly subsidizing manufacturers, panels being sold well below normal market value.
Some funding will be used to close or upgrade more than 2,000 polluting factories.
Dutch artist’s 7-metre structure contains an air-purifying machine that runs continuously.
Good days in which air quality was rated good grew by 19 to 107.
But boosts ‘smog holiday’ travel and sale of air purifiers
China’s cities are among the world’s dirtiest after three decades of explosive economic growth
Says Beijing should work toward a floating exchange rate in two to three years.
Trade rules violated, appeal didn’t demonstrate export quotas are justified.


text:
Ford is leaving one of the world's biggest car markets
Ford is leaving India, one of the world's top five automobile markets.
The reason is relatively trivial - catastrophic demand and heavy losses.
For the last ten years, it has been known that the Americans lost more than 2 billion dollars in India. Because of this, Ford will stop auto production in India but will import finished cars to India.
Ford has been selling cars in India for 25 years, but sales numbers have been meager. Additionally, a joint plant deal with Mahindra & Mahindra, which would have saved money, has affected the company's withdrawal from the country.


text:
David Rodriguez has been made the new UK sales and marketing director for Mitsubishi.
He has joined the business from LeasePlan UK, where he was head of procurement and remarketing, having previously worked in a number of senior roles in sales, operations and finance at Ford and Mazda.
Rodriguez, who took over the role on June 1, said: ‘It’s a great time to be joining Mitsubishi Motors in the UK.
‘Building on our remarkable success in the plug-in hybrid market in particular, I know we have an exciting future ahead of us.
‘I’m very much looking forward to working with the business and our dealer network to ensure we recover quickly from the turbulent period.’
Rob Lindley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: ‘Everyone here at Mitsubishi Motors is very much looking forward to welcoming David to the team.
‘He brings a wealth of wide-ranging experience to the position, not to mention passion and energy, which is just what we need as we look to rebuild following the coronavirus restrictions and prepare the business for exciting times ahead.’
Rodriguez succeeds Toby Marshall, who has been appointed aftersales director within the company.
- Want breaking news sent direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp group. It is broadcast only, no chit chat, and delivers Car Dealer headlines to you as and when they happen. Send us a message here and ask to join, and we’ll send you a link.
- Download the latest digital edition of Car Dealer Magazine Issue 147 for free here.


text:
In 2019, NAND and DRAM prices dropped to an all-time low. This led to cheaper SSDs (opens in new tab)and memory than we've ever seen before. These times appear to be coming to an end though. A DigiTimes (opens in new tab)report today cited unnamed sources at chipmakers claiming that prices for NAND flash memory, a non-volatile type of storage used in storage components like SSDs, will rise by up to 40% by Q4 2020.
Various factors can contribute to this boost, such as increased demand or issues with supply, such as Samsung's latest incident where its Hwaseong plant landed out of order for 3 days (opens in new tab) due to a one-minute power outage.
Without named sources, it's hard to bet it all on DigiTimes' report. But if it's true, it would point to a tough year for PC builders (opens in new tab). Just last week, market research DRAMeXchange also predicted that Q1 2020 DRAM prices would rise by 5% in Q1 2020 (opens in new tab).


text:
That's a 39 percent improvement from a year ago, and it's one of a series of strong sales reports issued today by automakers.
Honda's record pace was fueled by high demand for two of its cars: the Accord, with 83 percent growth, and the Civic, up 75.5 percent.
Its Alabama-made models didn't fare as well.
Sales of the Ridgeline pickup, a niche model, jumped 38 percent. But sales of the Odyssey minivan rose 2 percent while sales of the Pilot SUV fell 11 percent.
All three vehicles are produced at the company's Talladega County factory.
So far this year, Honda's overall U.S. sales are up 24 percent over last year.
Earlier today, Hyundai also reported a record-setting November, as well as big gains for its state-made cars.
Chrysler, Ford, General Motors and Toyota also made strong showings in November.


text:
Amazon is selling a TP-Link 9-port USB 3.0 hub for $25, a 50 percent discount.
Amazon is selling the Logitech K750 wireless solar and light-powered keyboard for just $40 today.
Amazon is selling the foldable Blue Snowflake USB microphone for $30, half its list price
Amazon has discounted many of PNY's flash drives and SSD to all-time-low prices.
Amazon is selling certified refurbished models of the iRobot Rooba 860 for just $270 today, down from $450.
Amazon is selling a 24-inch Insignia smart TV with Amazon's Fire TV capabilities for $90, a $60 discount.
Apple's Magic Keyboard is $67 today on Amazon, the best price we've ever seen.
Amazon is selling the Oculus Go standalone VR headset for $169, an all-time low.
B&H Photo is selling a three-pack of TP-Link HS100 Wi-Fi smart plugs for $30 today, down from a list price of $51.
Amazon's running a 24-hour sale on a variety of Anker accessories.
B&H Photo Video is selling the 12.9-inch 2017 iPad Pro with LTE for $719, but for today only.
Best Buy has slashed $150 off the price of this 55-inch Sharp 4K HDR TV with HDR and Roku TV.
Amazon is selling the Apple Smart Keyboard for the new iPad Air for $79.50, half off its $159 list price.
Amazon is selling the Jaybird X4 wireless sports earphones for an all-time low price of $104.64 today.
You can buy a refurbished Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi System for just $210 on Amazon today, $90 off its list price and lower than we've ever seen it.


text:
Comcast execs tout ad rebound
Laud NBC Uni deal timing; Q1 results beat estimatesNEW YORK -- Largest U.S. cable operator Comcast Corp. reported better-than-expected first-quarter results Wednesday on better subscriber and advertising momentum.
Comcast management on Wednesday morning's earnings call reiterated that they expect they can close the planned NBC Universal acquisition late this year and benefit from the rebound in the ad market.
"We're still hopeful later this year," chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said when asked about the timing. "It appears the advertising market has really turned around...and bodes well for the timing of the transaction." He also said retransmission consent deals that broadcast companies have recently struck bode well for NBC Uni.
Cable advertising finally showed improvement at Comcast, up 23.5% in the first quarter after a 2009 decline. This marked the first gain since the opening quarter of 2008.
And advertising has continued to strengthen into 2010, said COO Stephen Burke, who will oversee NBC Uni. He later also called current ad market trends "a real positive" and said the ad recovery seems to have "a lot of depth and breadth." Management cited returning strength in auto and other key ad categories.
Comcast posted a quarterly profit of $866 million, up 12% from $772 million in the year-ago period. The company also reported a 3.8% revenue gain to $9.2 billion. The figures exceeded Wall Street expectations.
The quarter included costs of $29 million (or $17 million net of tax) related to the planned acquisition of NBC Uni, made up of $14 million in operating expenses, $2 million in interest expense and $13 million of other expense.
In a sign that the regulatory process for the NBC Uni deal isn't distracting the company from its cable systems business, Comcast lost 82,000 video subscribers in the latest quarter, but added 399,000 broadband and 273,000 telephony users. Overall, it added 1 million revenue generating units, up 21.5% from the year-ago period.
Comcast's cable networks unit outperformed overall revenue growth with a first-quarter gain of 6.7% to $385 million.
"Our healthy operating and financial results for the first quarter mark a solid start to 2010," said Roberts.
Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett said the latest figures may be a positive for the stock after Comcast shares missed a recent cable stock rally due in part to concerns about the NBC Uni deal.
"The prospects for a better 2010 rest on estimate revisions...and first quarter results are a very good start," said Moffett.
On Wednesday morning's earnings call, Roberts also welcomed new cable division head Neil Smit, the former CEO of Charter Communications, to his first Comcast conference call. He lauded him for listening to customer calls on his first day, adding: "We think we have found our guy."
Smit, who will free up Burke to spend more time on NBC Uni, said he will focus on profitable revenue growth at the firm's cable systems.
At the end of the call, Roberts was asked about his expectations for 3D TV. "It's a big event strategy," he explained when and how he thinks consumers will want to watch 3D on their TV sets. Price premiums for 3D TV sets seem quite small, but people won't want to sit on their couches with 3D glasses for hours every day, he suggested. He described Comcast's 3D TV and PC offer for the recent Masters golf tournament as "very successful."
Speaking of 3D on the PC, Roberts also said 3D video gaming could be a big opportunity.


text:
Altice France acquires Coriolis Télécom in €415m deal
Altice France has entered into an exclusivity agreement to acquire French independent telecom group Coriolis Télécom.
Coriolis Télécom offers mobile and fixed Telecom services to more than 500,000 customers in small and medium French cities and 30,000 companies. The company was founded over 30 years ago by French entrepreneur Pierre Bontemps and serves both internal and third-party customers relying on four contact centres in France and abroad.
The deal will consist of an upfront purchase price of €298 million and a deferred sum of €117 million. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022.
With the completion of the deal, Altice France says it will bring onboard the existing expertise partnerships, well-established distribution network, B2C and B2B customer bases and customer care capabilities of Coriolis, which are highly complementary to its SFR and Intelcia divisions.
Gregory Rabuel, chairman and CEO of Altice France said: “Coriolis is a great, fast-growing, company with a customer proposition that would be highly complementary to SFR.
“We look forward to bringing onboard the significant experience and expertise of the entire team of Coriolis to Altice France and working together to further improve our customer proposition and to realise in full the excellent growth prospects of Coriolis.
“We are very proud to have Pierre Bontemps, founder of Coriolis, who would continue this impressive and entrepreneurial adventure together with us.”


text:
Picture Credit: Lukas Zischke
The American economy is one of the largest and most powerful economies in the world with a mighty GDP of almost $21 000 billion, which is close to $6000 billion more than China’s GDP. However, even the most powerful economy in the world was adversely affected by the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic as the world went into a total lockdown.
We are entering the third year of living under the pandemic, and the global markets have slowly started to return to its usual pace. However, the world has inherited a broken and strained world economy, with hundreds of countries suffering from shortages. Experts believe that some countries might even take till 2025 to fully recover from the devastating effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. However, countries like the US are one of the few countries that experts deemed would recover by the end of 2021, so how are they faring?
The American economy was booming in the second half of 2021. The unemployment rate fell to 3.9%, a rate which is historically considered to be near full employment. Wages are also on the rise, especially for low-wage workers. Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States, commented that the labour market was “tremendously strong”. This improvement is in stark contrast to “The Great Resignation” in 2021 where millions of Americans quit their jobs because of low pay.
The housing market is booming as well. Housing prices across the country are at an all-time high giving homeowners record equity levels in their property. 401k (American retirement funds) have also hit record-breaking highs due to high pandemic saving rates and a thriving stock market.
However, America seems to be dissatisfied with these developments as recent polls have depicted that only about 28% of Americans think that the economy is at a good/excellent level. Why is that?
Picture Credit: Engin Akyurt
Even though the economy is considered to be strong, so is inflation as prices are soaring through the roof. Moody’s Analytics has estimated that an average American family is paying $200 more per month to purchase the same goods. Similarly, although the housing market is doing well for homeowners, it’s quite the opposite for tenants as the rental rate rose by 10% last year.
This mix of price hikes along with the almost never-ending fear of the Coronavirus has strained the American economy and its people.
January 31st 2022 | 8:15 PM


text:
USA indexes rose about 1% on Monday, following gains in Europe and Asia.
Top executives from German carmakers Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW are to meet on Tuesday with senior United States officials at the White House to discuss the situation, the German news agency DPA reported, citing unnamed sources. "Farmers, I LOVE YOU!" he said.
Trump has appointed Lighthizer, one of the administration's most vocal China critics, to oversee the new round of trade talks with China, a White House official and a USA official told Reuters on Monday. "I think that's going to be a very primary reason we'll probably end up getting something good for China and good for the United States".
What was agreed at the G20? .
According to the White House, the US will still keep in place $200 billion of tariffs on Chinese imports but will not increase those tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent after the start of the year as originally planned.More news: Project Fi becomes Google Fi, finally comes to iPhones
Both sides will immediately hold talks on structural changes concerning forced technology transfers made by Chinese firms on USA companies, intellectual property rights protection, non-tariff trade barriers, cyber intrusion concerns, cyber theft and agricultural, the White House added.
The United States agreed not to raise tariffs further on January 1, while China agreed to buy more agricultural products from USA farmers immediately. China said last week that the tariff on the US would be 15 percent if not for the USA tariffs. In their own statements, Chinese officials made no mention of the three-month deadline.
Hopes of a breakthrough at the G20 had been undermined right before the meeting by comments from the United States president.
On Friday, the US leader and his Canadian and Mexican counterparts signed a new trade pact White House aides for months have had little more than frustrated shrugs to offer when asked if staff-level talks with Chinese government officials had produced any progress in trade talks that stalled nearly a year ago.
Politically, even if the details of what the two leaders agreed to remain murky, the president is returning to Washington one step closer to a new North American trade pact and at least a Chinese commitment for a deal between the world's largest economies. China's silence indicates that the two leaders likely discussed the issue and reached a tentative agreement during their dinner meeting. China's offers on IP protection and adjustment of Made in China 2025 may not be enough for the Trump administration; if U.S. Department of Commerce is moving forward with new rules on technology export controls, it would make reaching a deal between the two countries more hard. Negotiations will be tough given the wide gap between the two sides on a number of issues.
Westpac FX analyst Robert Rennie said: "This US-China agreement is thus better characterised as a "mini-breakthrough" that puts a momentary pause on trade tensions rather than a comprehensive policy deal".
Worries about the economic impact of the tariffs have pushed stock markets lower in recent months. China's economy was devastated. The forum was created 19 years ago with the explicit goal of fostering rules-based globalization, more worldwide trade, and more participation of diverse developing countries in the global system.


text:
Per their agreement, Mari y Juana Foods Co. and its subsidiary, Mari y Juana Beverages Co., will use Vertosa’s emulsion technology to develop new cannabis-infused food and beverage products.
"Vertosa has set the gold standard in emulsion technology and we are honored to collaborate with them on what we expect to be the first of many projects,” said Daniel Torres, founder and CEO of Mari y Juana Foods Co. “We look forward to developing delicious and sophisticated edible offerings that authentically appeal to historically underserved consumers. A quality, consistent product embedded within traditional Mexican cuisine, paired with Vertosa’s advanced infusion technology, will make for a combination never before seen in the cannabis space.”
Partnering with Vertosa allows Mari y Juana to establish itself as a premier cannabis brand while expanding its product portfolio that currently features ¡Mota Mix!, a cold drink powder mix, ¡Fresitas! (Sour Strawberry) and ¡Mango Loco! (Mango Chile) gummies. Production of four carbonated soft drinks infused by Vertosa is scheduled to begin this month. Together, Mari y Juana Foods Co. and Vertosa will build out a niche brand offering that expands the possibilities of the cannabis edible space.
“Mari y Juana Foods Co.’s commitment to producing quality, culturally rich, cannabis-infused products enables Vertosa to amplify our presence and solidify our reputation throughout the California cannabis market,” said Ben Larson, CEO of Vertosa. “Our shared focus on providing effective and great-tasting products that meet the highest of standards makes Mari y Juana Foods Co. an ideal partner. We are thrilled to join forces with MJ and create products that celebrate the rich culinary history of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in California.”


text:
PLANO (1080 KRLD) - Plano has reached an agreement with the short term rental site, Airbnb, to collect local taxes.
The city charges a seven percent hotel occupancy tax to pay for tourism promotion.
Plano had been requiring individual Airbnb hosts to pay the tax. The company says the city had no way to track those hosts to make sure they were paying.
"We believe this partnership will unlock significant new revenue for Plano moving forward, as it has for the state," Airbnb's Laura Spanjian wrote in a statement.
In 2017, Airbnb reached a deal with the Texas Comptroller's office to collect the state's seven percent hotel tax. Airbnb says that produced $15.3 million in the first year.
The agreement in Plano only applies to Airbnb. Plano says it is still working on deals with other short term rental companies.


text:
Organic-Scientific was proud to sponsor of the Rivalta Black Tie Event that was held on Friday, December 4, 2020, at the InterContinental Hotel in Miami, Florida.
The Rivalta Black Tie Event was the inaugural event conceived by former Florida Hall of Fame Athlete Henry Rivalta. Several names made appearances during the event including notable performers like Jessy Cruz, Chris Otero, Isaac Carbonell, Erick Lanzas, and the main headliner Yuniesky Gonzalez. Additional noteworthy guests attended to watch them perform.
The sold-out Rivalta Black Tie Event began at 7 pm and was televised on beIN SPORTS, and streamed live to hundreds of thousands of views. InterContinental Hotel’s address is 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, Florida 33131. Set in the heart of Miami, InterContinental Hotel offered the perfect venue to launch the Rivalta Boxing promotion. Attendees enjoyed breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay and luxurious accommodations.
According to Rivalta, they “promote events mixing excitement with traditional formality in a format for the modern consumer. This event is just one of many in the works, all of which will include formal fashion themes and an overall classy approach. We seek to bring guests back to the days where attending an event was something special, whether you are middle class or the upper echelon of society. At our events, the guests are as special as the celebrities that attend and/or perform”.
Organic-Scientific remains strong in its focus on delivering unbeatable quality through its product line. To this end, it has partnered with industry leaders and integrated the latest science and technology with established holistic solutions to give customers a truly integrative approach to their full well-being. Its products are manufactured in the United States and use 100% pure ingredients.
For more information, please go to organic-scientific.com or visit the store at 7003 North Waterway Drive, Suite 218 Miami, FL 33155.


text:
You are here
Putien partners Taiwan-listed restaurant firm to start new Taipei outlet
Singapore restaurant Putien has started a joint venture with Taiwan-listed Wowprime Corporation to open a Putien restaurant in Taipei by the end of this year.
This will mark Putien's fourth overseas market, after Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Jakarta where it has six outlets in total. It will also be opening two outlets in Shanghai at the end of 2015.
Wowprime, the largest chain restaurant in Taiwan, has 13 restaurant brands including Wang Steak, Sufood, and Tasty Cafes and more than 300 outlets in Taiwan, China and South Asia.
The joint venture will be the two companies' second partnership. Both had also teamed up two years ago to open Sufood, an Italian-inspired meat-free dining restaurant in Singapore.


text:
Back toMiss USA Crowned Miss Universe 2012
Miss USA 2012 Olivia Culpo attends City Harvest's 2012 Summer In The City Restaurant Tasting and Cocktail Party on June 20, 2012 in New York City.
Photo Credit: Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images for City Harvest
The latest in fashion, beauty, and hair – delivered straight to your inbox.
Now you can look forward to getting the latest in fashion, hair and beauty delivered straight to your inbox.


text:
The conservative-dominated Texas House has come out with its plan on how to close the state's massive budget gap, and it's not just full of silly stuff like "make state employees pay for parking."
Although that is part of the plan.
No, the conservatives who decry every sin someone else commits have a bold proposal: Open up Texas liquor stores on Sunday.
And then encourage residents to drink their asses off so tax revenue will rise, we guess.
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
SHOW ME HOW
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
Opening liquor stores on Sunday will not only have the benefit of creating more drunk Texans, it will funnel $7.4 million in taxes to the state government.
And that's $7.4 million using current estimates of liquor sales. Imagine if the Texans have another Kubiak Special of a season -- fans are going to need a whole lot of vodka and Jameson's to erase the memories each week.
And now doing so will help Texas! And conservatives!!
Texas, by the way, is one of only 14 states that do not allow liquor stores to be open on Sundays.


text:
Hyderabad is today a major hub for software export, hardware manufacturing and biotechnology. This has led the city to be referred as â€˜Cyberabadâ€? It is also an important education centre with major academic, technical and research institutes. The opening of new international airport at Shamshabad has strengthened the strategic position of the city.
The 158 km long outer ring road connects the newly developed areas beyond Madhapur. Besides, the existing roads are widened to be the express highways. The longest flyover of the country, PVN Rao Express Highway connecting the International Airport and JN Express Highway has shrunk distances within the city.
The fast growth of middle and upper middle class segment with vast purchase capacity demand more number of modern malls in Hyderabad. The new corporate culture seeks shopping experience instead of mere buying goods. Highly skilled people all over India are migrating to Kondapur and Gachibowli areas.


text:
Check out our Hyundai Santa Fe photo gallery with 243 HQ pics. Last update in Santa Fe gallery: 2018-03-02
Hyundai is actively testing the prototypes of the latest 8-mile cross, which will be located in the model line of the company near the new Santa Fe.
Hyundai has tried a new facelift on its Santa Fe. The model is showcased at the Auto Show in Chicago.
Hyundai wants to add a new big luxury SUV to its range after the critical success of the Genesis. Though, there are some hesitations about it.
We select only big size hyundai santa fe photos for our photogallery.


text:
No industry is growing faster than cannabis. It’s poised to disrupt alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, supplements and health. Investors stand to make a fortune as pot stocks soar and the industry rises to a projected $1 trillion globally.
4 Best Marijuana ETFs
For those investors looking for a one-stop shop providing exposure to the cannabis industry, the ETF avenues continue to expand.
It Pays to Invest in Cannabis Stocks
Should you support a federally illegal industry and unethical companies? Or opt for companies that are more “ethical”?
Penny Pot Stocks: Where to Put Your Money
There’s a major shift about to take place: the rise and domination of the American cannabis industry.
A Low-Risk Marijuana Play That Pays Dividends
Cannabis investors don’t have to miss out on dividend-paying opportunities.
Job Opportunities in Cannabis Are Growing
As pot rapidly expands across the U.S., budtenders are becoming the new baristas.
The 411 on 4/20: Trends to Look for This Year
As each 4/20 comes and goes, the outlook for the cannabis sector gets brighter – not hazier. This year is one to celebrate.
Bright Future Ahead for U.S. Hemp Market
Market valuations could fly off the handle as the media grabs hold of the momentum behind hemp and CBD.
Monthly Sales Trend Forms in Colorado Marijuana Market
Even though legal weed is still nascent, it’s demonstrating a very clear pattern in Colorado.
The End of Cannabis Prohibition
This is an exciting moment. In fact, every investor’s dream is to get in at the beginning…


text:
Entries in 'GAME' (1048)
Gaming clothes specialist Insert Coin has been named as the designer of the new staff uniform for retailer GAME.
GAME will be launching its biggest range of Blu-rays and DVDs in-store and online from Monday May 13th.
High Street giant GAME says it will reach out to software-starved consumers with a series of major events this summer.
The new-look Game Retail was forced to pay owners OpCapita a significant sum in the months following its buyout despite continuing to post a loss.
But isn’t free-to-play supposed to mean the death of retail?
The Heroes in a Half Shell have begun their assault on the global games market.
Supermarkets and Amazon have boosted their entertainment market share at the expense of GAME and HMV.
As of today GAME customers are able to buy Nintendo eShop download codes in store and online.
Martyn Gibbs was presented the Special Recognition prize at last night's MCV Awards.
3DS is to have a starring role in a host of Multiplayer Madness events staged across 15 GAME stores this Saturday.
Upcoming racer GRID 2 is to get its own round of GAME lock-ins later this month.
UK retailer GAME has snapped up the exclusive rights to sell PlayJam’s tiny Android TV console GameStick when it launches in June.
The Android-based Ouya console launches in the UK on June 4th.
Upcoming Android console Ouya will be available to buy from GAME.
1996 has been named as video gaming’s ‘golden year’ by a survey of 2,000 GAME customers.
Warner upcoming brawler Injustice: Gods Among Us is to star in a national tournament hosted by retailer GAME.
This latest MCV – which is now available to view online – reveals the latest changes happening to games on the High Street.
Major retailers have pledged to fill the gap left by Blockbuster and HMV.
Namco Bandai and Trion Worlds have partnered with GAME to run five Defiance lock-ins.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted has been named as the next star of GAME’s lock-in events.
Fans will be able to play the new Gears of War game at a special pre-launch event next month, courtesy of IGN and GAME.
Metal Gear Solid creator and cult fan favourite Hideo Kojima was in the UK last night to usher in the release of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
There is just no stopping GAME.
Namco Bandai and GAME have partnered up to offer consumers complimentary tickets to Star Trek Into Darkness.


text:
Facebook Vice President David Marcus is the face of the company's Libra digital currency, but the original driving force was a 26-year-old female corporate-development...Technologyread more
Amazon's new policy for account suspensions doesn't go far enough to protect sellers from potentially unfair and wrongful suspensions, merchants say.Technologyread more
There is no end in sight to the Boeing 737 Max grounding after two fatal crashes, prompting airlines to rethink their growth plans.Airlinesread more
After a year of flooding, Midwest farmers face a stifling heat wave that's spreading across the U.S.Weather & Natural Disastersread more
On Saturday, Disney's Marvel Studios announced its upcoming slate of superhero films during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con.Entertainmentread more
Moving lots of data to a public cloud over the internet can take months or years. CNBC got an inside look at how AWS transfers data to the cloud for its clients.Technologyread more
A quarter of the S&P 500 companies report earnings next week, and that could buffet the market as investors await the July Fed meeting.Market Insiderread more
Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims a British tanker it still holds, Stena Impero, failed to follow international maritime rules.World Newsread more
"It troubles me that the most important political office in the world is becoming the face of racism and exclusion," Kaeser said in a Twitter post.Politicsread more
Silver's rally could be losing its shine after the precious metal reached its year-to-date high, futures experts warn.Futures Nowread more
Some 40% of Americans would struggle to come up with even $400 to pay for an emergency expense. Just how are so many Americans so short on cash? Blame debt.Personal Financeread more
Wendy's shares tumbled 2.75 percent on Wednesday after the burger chain reported disappointing same-store sales at its North America division.
Same-store sales in North America rose 0.4 percent in the second quarter, missing the 1.9 percent rise analysts polled by research firm Consensus Metrix had expected.
"While Wendy's does not say this, we believe that July was the worst month for U.S. quick-service burger-sector same-store sales so far this year, modestly worse than the previous worst months of April and May, albeit still in modestly positive territory," Mark Kalinowski, a Nomura analyst, wrote in a research note Wednesday. "This may not bode well for the rest of 2016 — specific to Wendy's, as it laps the nationwide rollout of the '4 for $4' bundled meal in Q4."
Wendy's blamed declining grocery prices as a catalyst for diners opting to eat at home more often. The company also cut its estimated same-store sales growth for 2016 to a range of 1 percent to 2 percent from the 3 percent rise it had previously forecast.
"In the face of challenging industry conditions, we remain confident that Wendy's can win in the [quick-service restaurant] space," Todd Penegor, Wendy's CEO, said in a statement. "...In the second quarter, we were able to maintain strong performance on the bottom line even as sales came in lower than we anticipated."
Slowing same-store sales has been an issue for major chains industrywide in the second-quarter. McDonald's, Dunkin' Brands, and Starbucks all reported weaker-than-expected growth in this area, citing minimum-wage increases, competition with grocery stores and meal delivery programs and higher menu prices as major headwinds.
Revenue decreased 21.8 percent year over year for the burger chain, from $489.5 million to $382.7 million. Wendy's attributed the decline to it owning 361 fewer restaurants in the second quarter of 2016 compared to the year-ago period.
However, the restaurant's second-quarter revenue beat analyst expectations of $367.6 million, according to Thomson Reuters.
Wendy's has plans to sell 315 restaurants to franchisees this year. Through the end of the second quarter, 55 were sold.
Net income in the latest period fell to $26.5 million, or 10 cents a share, in the second quarter from $40.2 million, or 11 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company earned 10 cents a share, narrowly beating the average estimate of 9 cents a share.
Wendy's raised the lower end of its full-year profit forecast by 1 cent to 39 cents a share and maintained its upper end of 40 cents a share. Analysts on average were expecting earnings of 39 cents a share for the year.
—Reuters contributed to this story.


text:
Local Economic Development Gets Boost from University of S.C.
Friday - July 12, 2013 at 07:52 am
In the last five years, the University of South Carolina has filed more than 400 invention disclosures on behalf of faculty, applied for more than 250 new patent applications with 66 U.S. patents issued, and executed 86 licenses representing 120 technologies. Furthermore, the USC-Columbia Technology Incubator has graduated 31 companies and currently has 45 tenants. And there are now 28 active start-up companies using university technologies, creating everything from new smartphone apps to fuel cell technology. And that's why the university recently decided it needed a central department to coordinate all of these activities.


text:
Through the UK Government’s “Super Connected Cities” programme, companies with less than 250 employees are eligible to apply for Connection vouchers worth £3,000 (no longer valid) to equip their businesses with high speed connectivity. Now offered in twenty-two cities, it is available until at least March 2015. The aim is to guarantee 95 per cent of the UK can receive broadband speeds of at least 24Mbps by 2017.
Quite obviously businesses of all sizes need superior connectivity to function and compete, however a recent report from The Federation of Small Businesses contained some startling findings. For example, 45,000 businesses still use dial up internet and 14 per cent assume reliable, fast broadband is rarely available. This, it suggests, is the business owner’s key perceived barrier to growth. For many of these companies the voucher scheme must seem too good to be true.
There are good reasons for that scepticism. Other SMB support programmes like Funding for Lending and the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, became renowned for promising a lot but delivering very little.
So, it’s the duty of the Government and businesses enrolled in the scheme to quell this perception and let SMBs know how easy it is to tap into these funds. There are no catches; the money is available to any qualifying business.
We know UK businesses can succeed on a global scale; while some lack access to quality connectivity, they don’t lack potential. We see it in London’s Tech City, the M4 corridor and Cambridge’s Silicon Fen. Colt is working alongside many of them, helping reveal that access to quality connectivity isn’t out of their reach. These urban clusters of innovative digital SMBs exemplify what can be achieved given the right opportunities.
Colt specialises in creating super connected buildings (SCB) with over 20,000 (2,616 in London) fibre connected buildings already.
Recently analysis of 462 Tech City member sites highlighted Colt to have fibre within 30mtr of over 50% of sites – giving direct access to Colt’s un-paralleled datacentre, cloud and media network across 22 European countries and beyond.
Should enough businesses in each of the twenty-two cities sign-up, the potential for regional powerhouses grows significantly. By connecting our growing companies and local business hubs we are investing in a secure and strong economy, helping drive economic and business growth and creating jobs in the process.
If they need evidence they need only look at Bristol, a city where businesses, many of which already utilise the Colt metro network, have excelled. You need fast, reliable connections to do business in and between major international cities; Colt’s network throughout the city ensures companies joining the scheme in Bristol can have this.
The UK Government asked Colt to join the programme because we offer businesses two key things. One, a physical wholly-owned infrastructure that extends across Europe, tapping into more cities and data centres than any other provider, and two, choice. We give businesses options they didn’t know they had.
Because our infrastructure extends across Europe, we are in an excellent place to serve organisations joining the scheme. We already serve over 20,000 business buildings; any company that signs up will reap the benefits of an international business-grade network. What’s more, existing Colt customers can upgrade their broadband for free, subject to a maximum subsidy of £3000.
This article was originally published on our Corporate blog on September 22nd. We are republishing this on Engage as we know how important connectivity is to our SME audience.
What's your goal today?
1. Are you on the Colt IQ network?
Our network connects over 31,000 buildings worldwide powering companies such as Hitachi, Atos, Forbes, Arthur D Little, Brussels Airlines and thousands of others. Find out if you're Colt connected now.
2. Learn about digital infrastructure
We've written thousands of guides and white papers, regularly publish content on our blog and host regular events on everything from enterprise network connectivity, to cloud, digital transformation and the hybrid workforce.
3. Join our team
To learn more about joining our team of over 5000 people around the world, and to browse our current open roles visit https://careers.colt.net/.


text:
Now that the number of tablet and smartphone gamers outnumber console players, there’s a race to see who will establish the big franchises and gaming companies of the mobile generation.
In the early years of the iOS platform, makers of basic simulation games experimented with making their apps free, giving rise to several nine-figure-a-year businesses. But other genres like first-person shooters have stayed with the paid app strategy. Brands like Gameloft’s Modern Combat and Activision’s Call of Duty have remained in the $5 to 10 range, although the freemium model has taken off for many other kinds of games.
A Beijing-based company called Cmune is betting that first-person shooters can be a nine-figure-a-year business too, and they’re taking another slug of funding from DCM’s Android fund to prove it. They’re not disclosing the amount, however.
“Every other platform has multi-billion-dollar, first-person shooter franchises, and there hasn’t been one yet on tablets,” said Benjamin Joffe, a founding partner at the company.
Cmune is the maker of UberStrike, a game that’s passed 10 million registered users on multiple platforms, including Facebook and the Mac App Store. They have a paid version of the app now, but they’ll soon make it free once they iron out kinks in the game play. Joffe says that while Facebook is known for your stereotypical city-builder or farm game, UberStrike is the largest first-person shooter game on the social network.
The company will face a number of formidable competitors, including Battlefield-maker Electronic Arts and of course, Gameloft and Activision. Ben Cousins, an EA, Dice and Ngmoco veteran, has been showing off a free-to-play first-person shooter called The Drowning in recent weeks as well. Zynga has also recently been dabbling in first-person shooters after they published a multiplayer mobile game last December called The Respawnables.
Joffe said UberStrike’s tablet app will stand out because of multi-player mode. They’ve taken care to match players against players on similar platforms, so that desktop-based gamers don’t have an unfair advantage over mobile ones.
The Beijing-based startup was founded back in 2007 by Shaun Lelacheur Sales and Ludovic Bodin, who had no prior history in gaming.
They stumbled into gaming after some early experiments with communication apps. They were thinking about building some kind of 3D version of Skype, after Sales had published a reference book on the 3D engine Virtools.
“It was almost an accident that one of their prototypes was a shooter game,” Joffe said. “But if you think about it, a shooter is basically a virtual world with guns.”
It found an audience as a browser-based game and then on Facebook. Joffe says the game’s monetization mirrors what you’d see with a midcore game, which earns more per user than what a casual game maker like Zynga might see.
He said the company decided to take funding from DCM because their Android fund has a number of strategically important investors like Tencent, NHN and GREE, which would help with the game’s marketing in China, South Korea and Japan.


text:
Where to find deals during Jersey Shore Restaurant Week
Here's your chance to explore new restaurants at the shore...for a cheaper price than usual.
Nearly 90 eateries in Monmouth and Ocean counties have prepared menus of discounted three-course meals as part of Jersey Shore Restaurant Week.
The campaign, which starts Friday and runs through April 22, lets businesses show off their culinary talents and may encourage diners to experience restaurants they haven't heard about or visited.
"We're in a shopping center and people might not realize that we're here," said Anthony MacLachlan, sous chef at Social 37 in Toms River. "We want to be able to not only promote ourselves but allow people to have another dining option that they may not be familiar with, as well as give them a value when they're here."
For $32.18, guests of the modern American restaurant get their choice of an appetizer, entree and dessert. You could start with an order of BBQ pork belly & grits, pair it with a fire-roasted half-chicken, and finish the night with brownie ala mode. Or begin with a Belgian onion soup, followed by an entree of cedar plank salmon and creme brulee for dessert.
"We took some of our top-selling items and some of the new items off of our spring menu that we launched two weeks ago," MacLachlan said.
With the special pricing, you're essentially getting dessert and coffee for free, he said.
The specially-selected three-course meals will run customers $22.18 or $32.18 during Restaurant Week. Some establishments will not feature the discounted pricing on weekend nights.
The first Restaurant Week in 2009 drew participation from 56 restaurants, according to the event's website. Its list for 2018 includes 89 restaurants — more than 10 are participating for the first time.
The Rum Runner in Sea Bright is running its first Restaurant Week promotion since reopening after Sandy. Everything on their price-fixed menu has been created just for Restaurant Week.
Appetizer choices include roasted oysters, cheddar cheese tater tots and a roasted portobello mushroom. Crab-infused baked macaroni, a smoked pork chop, and chorizo-crusted local porgy make up their choice of entrees. Dessert options include NY-style cheesecake, chocolate mousse and a chocolate hazelnut milkshake.
"It's our way of saying thank you to everyone who's come in here and supported us since we've reopened," said Brian Carlson, assistant general manager of the riverfront eatery. "And absolutely we think it's going to bring new faces into the building."
Carlson said guests could save $20 to $30 by taking advantage of the Restaurant Week menu.


text:
Federal reports keep showing that the economy is growing, so why isn't it being felt by most Americans? Because 93 percent of the income growth in 2010 went to the wealthiest 1 percent of American households, according to a new study by a University of California economist. "While never putting a premium on economic equality, America has always prided itself on being the pre-eminent land of economic opportunity," columnist Harold Meyerson wrote. "If all of this nation's wealth is captured by a narrow stratum of the very rich, however, that claim is relegated to history's dustbin."
Digital Access For Only $0.99
For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today.


text:
Apple has put a big push his year into recycling, as it uses partners and fancy new robots to make sure valuable parts from the millions of iPhones sold per year don't end up in landfills. Apple released its annual environmental report on Thursday, and it included some information about just how much it can recover from its old computers — over 61 million pounds of steel, aluminum, glass, and other materials. As part of that, Apple recovered 2204 pounds of gold — well over a ton. At the current spot price of $1229.80 per troy ounce of gold, Apple recovered just under $40 million in gold from old phones and computers. Business Insider
About Making Comments on our Site:
Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments.


text:
Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, has seen higher volume and record profits as shipping rates have skyrocketed. The Danish shipping firm, whose customers include Walmart and Nike, announced in May that its first-quarter revenue increased 30% from a year earlier to $12.4 billion.
“It’s tighter now than it’s ever been, and it’s not looking to loosen up anytime soon,” said Alan Murphy, CEO of marine consulting firm Sea-Intelligence.
Maersk has a fleet of over 700 ships and handles 1 in 5 containers shipped by sea. The company…


text:
Mountain View spit-kit DNA testing firm 23andMe wants to know how deep you want to go into your genome, and how much you’re willing to pay.
The company currently sells $100 ancestry tests and $200 tests that cover ancestry and health. But according to a new report, 23andMe has been market-testing a deeper dive into personal genetics.
“Some users have been getting notifications in recent weeks about a $749 ‘premium’ service,” CNBC reported Wednesday.
Although clicking on the notifications reportedly produced no results, a company spokesperson confirmed it was testing interest in such a service, but wasn’t planning an immediate roll-out. What results premium testing might produce, in terms of health and ancestry information, was unclear.
Consumers wishing for insights into their ancestry and possible genetic health risks buy kits from 23andMe, and mail in a saliva sample that contains personal DNA.
The firm, which claims more than five million customers, announced in July with pharmaceuticals giant GSK that the two companies would work together on developing “innovative new medicines and potential cures,” using data from consenting 23andMe customers. The drugs firm was to provide a $300 million equity investment in 23andMe.
Earlier this year, 23andMe said it would recruit 100,000 overweight but healthy spit-kit customers for a large-scale study intended to uncover the genetic reasons why diet and exercise have different effects on different people.
A report earlier this year cast doubt on the accuracy of ancestry tests conducted by 23andMe and other DNA-testing companies. After a Gizmodo reporter received drastically different ancestry results from 23andMe, National Geographic, Ancestry.com and Gencove — with 23andMe’s results “the most confounding of all” — representatives from the testing firms told this news organization that the DNA analysis produced estimates rather than certain results.