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HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation announced today that it will increase the annual production capacity of the engine assembly plant at Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (MPMT) in Chomburi, Thailand, to 100,000 units in the first half of 2018. The company also announced a plan to construct a new engine machining factory with production capacity similar to that of the engine assembly plant.
The annual production capacity of MPMT's engine assembly plant, which began full-scale production in October 2015, is 30,000 units. The plant produces SKYACTIV-D 1.5-liter clean diesel engines and SKYACTIV-G 1.3-liter gasoline engines, which are shipped to Auto Alliance (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for use in the Mazda2 (known as Mazda Demio in Japan).
Mazda is investing 22.1 billion yen to increase the engine assembly plant's annual production capacity to 100,000 units. The company will also construct a new engine machining plant to enhance its system for comprehensive production in Thailand that includes vehicle bodies, engines and transmissions. The SKYACTIV-G 2.0 will be added to the engines produced, and the export of engines to vehicle production sites in the ASEAN countries of Malaysia and Vietnam will begin.
"Enhancing Mazda's comprehensive production system in Thailand is a key initiative in our effort to strengthen global production," said Masatoshi Maruyama, Mazda's Managing Executive Officer in charge of Global Production. "By increasing production capacity and starting up the new engine machining factory as scheduled with quality assured, Mazda intends to further develop MPMT as its first overseas hub for engine export, thereby improving our global production efficiency and contributing to the development of Thailand's automotive industry."
Mazda will continue its efforts to enrich people's lives through a variety of touch points, including the production of high-quality cars, and become a brand with which customers feel a strong emotional connection.
* Areas of the engine plant in light gray indicate the planned machining factory.


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If the adage that small businesses are the engine of the economy is true, then consumer confidence is the fuel. As the economy continues to struggle, no group has been more squeezed during the past four years than Americans simply trying to maintain a decent standard of living.
According to Gallup’s daily estimate, U.S. consumer spending in September was down 30 percent since January of 2008, when Gallup first began tracking the data. Add to it Arizona’s 8.3 percent unemployment rate and it’s clear that times are extremely tough for the average Arizonan.
Consumers aren’t just holding onto cash because they have less; they also see uncertainty ahead. They can see that if U.S. policymakers don’t change course, the economy will fall right off a so-called fiscal cliff.
Policymakers seeking to improve the American business climate and the economy at large, therefore, need to give consumers more confidence and the means to start spending again.
Before the end of 2012, Congress should work to enact the following three policies:
First, both parties need to stop treating middle class tax cuts as a political football. While Democrats and Republicans differ on the extension of the top tax rates, everyone agrees that a tax increase — or even a threat of a tax increase — on the middle class is bad economics. If both sides agree that voters should decide, then we should pass a temporary extension to the current tax rates as soon as possible and let the winning side work to construct long-term tax policy in early 2013.
Second, Congress must also work to stop the looming tax hike on dividend income. Dividends, which are part of nearly every retirement account and pension fund in the U.S., are currently taxed at 15 percent. Without action, the rate is set to more than double. Include the investment surcharge of 3.8 percent from Obamacare and the dividend tax rate will nearly triple on Jan. 1, taking a huge chunk out of retirement funds. For consumers using dividends and other investments to pay for large expenses — such as saving for a child’s college fund — increasing taxes at a time when the price of tuition, gas and groceries continues to rise is an added strain. Congress should extend the current rate on dividends this year in order to encourage consumers to save for the long-term or for major purchases.
Finally, Congress must work to reduce America’s exorbitant corporate tax rate. At first glance it seems counter-intuitive for Congress to lower business taxes when consumers are hurting, but the evidence is clear that America’s high burden on corporations hurts wages and jobs. In fact, according to Ernst & Young, the corporate tax rate burden on workers equates to between $100 billion – $200 billion in lost wages and benefits during the past decade. Additionally, the Heritage Foundation estimates that reducing America’s 35 percent corporate tax rate — the highest in the industrialized world — to the OECD average of 25 percent would give a family of four an additional $2,484 a year in after-tax income.
If Congress makes these three sensible solutions a priority, consumers will see more money in their pockets in 2013, leading to greater spending, more growth and increased job creation.
America’s economic engine has underperformed for too long. Unless Congress acts to solve “taxmagaddon,” America’s consumers could tumble over the fiscal cliff and take the American economy with them.
— Steve Pociask, president, American Consumer Institute

domain: news


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The first major shopping day of winter is almost upon us as retailers across Dublin gear up for the Black Friday rush.
The shopping extravaganza has only gotten bigger since it first made its way over here from the US around a decade ago.
But where did the name "Black Friday" come from?
Apparently, the name "Black Friday" refers to businesses operating a financial loss until the day following Thanksgiving where massive sales allow businesses to turn a profit, and so, go from in the red, to in the black.
Black Friday traditionally takes place the first Friday after the Thanksgiving holiday in America. That means Black Friday takes place this Friday, November 26.
Black Friday originally started in the 1930's in the US and starts the Christmas shopping season. Some of the leading Irish retailers now believe Black Friday to be busier than the traditional Christmas period.
More and more businesses across Dublin are getting on board the Black Friday train. Retailers like Currys, Harvey Norman, Smyths and Argos have been leading the way with massive savings on hundreds of items from TVs to beds to video game consoles and everything in between.
Currys are currently running a black tag sale on hundreds of items across their store. Massive price reductions have been put on large flat-screen smart tvs with prices starting at €399.
Gaming consoles are always a popular choice at Christmas. While parents may struggle to get their hands on PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, the ever-popular Nintendo Switch costs €299, a reduction of €30.
Up to €200 can be saved on smartwatches as well as selected laundry appliances while up to €280 can be saved on selected Sage coffee machines.
Harvey Norman's Black Friday sale has already started at the Australian retailer. Up to 30% can be saved on TVs, 50% off sofas and bed frames, and laptops starting at €249.
If looking for a Christmas tree, Harvey Norman is selling them for 50% off.
Boots are having its biggest Black Friday sale with reductions across selected haircare, fragrances and dental. Customers can save up to 15% on fragrance, as well as getting €10 worth of loyalty points for every €70 spent in-store.
Smyths Toys is currently hosting its Black Friday Special sale online and in-store. Items such as scooters, playhouses, bikes, and numerous lego toys have all had their prices slashed for this week.
GameStop is currently offering up to 50% off a range of games, accessories and loot. Major titles like Assassins Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs now cost €34.99 and €24.99, respectively.
A used Xbox Elite controller costs just €99.99, down from €169. There's also three for two on selected Nintendo Switch games.
Some of the best deals at Argos include a Bosch Tassimo coffee machine for €39.99, Amazon Firestick for €17.99 and a Tower Air fryer for €33.99. There's also half-price on selected toys and watches as well as offers on garden and DIY items.
For all the latest headlines straight to your inbox sign up for our free newsletter.


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World’s Largest Apple IT Community Continues to Thrive as Organizations Rapidly Adopt Apple Technology
MINNEAPOLIS – March 16, 2015 – JAMF Software, the leader in Apple device management, today announced the growth of JAMF Nation – the world’s largest Apple IT community – reaching a milestone of more than 20,000 active users worldwide. Developed by JAMF Software in its conviction to support and foster success among the growing Apple IT community, JAMF Nation is the leading resource for Apple IT administrators.
The rapid adoption of Apple technology by schools and workplaces is creating an expanding crop of Apple IT administrators tasked with managing iPhone, iPad and Mac. A study says that use of Apple devices in the enterprise has more than doubled over the last three years, with survey respondents saying they expect considerable adoption of Apple devices in their organizations over the next three years.
Designed to support the growing Apple IT community, JAMF Nation has become the de-facto source for everyone and anyone involved in Apple IT to discuss tips and tricks, ask questions and share best practices. Reflecting the community’s tremendous growth, the JAMF Nation jobs board has seen a 44 percent increase in Apple IT job postings year-over-year.
JAMF Nation has also given the community a collective voice, allowing members to request and vote on features to JAMF’s flagship product the Casper Suite – the only Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV management software developed exclusively for the Apple platform. Over the last 13 years, more than 4,500 customers around the world have chosen Casper Suite to manage more than four million Apple devices, and the number continues to grow.
JAMF remains dedicated to supporting Apple IT administrators by continuing to evolve the JAMF Nation website and its resources, and by bringing the community together at various events. This includes the annual JAMF Nation User Conference (JNUC) – the largest gathering of Apple IT experts in the world to discuss emerging themes around Apple device management, which drew a record breaking 900 attendees last year and held interactive speaking sessions led by some world’s largest and most recognizable brands.
Comments on the News
“The growth of JAMF Nation is a clear sign of the growth of the Apple IT community as a whole. With Apple becoming a key part of more and more IT environments, JAMF Software remains focused on making people’s lives easier, and our investments in JAMF Nation and in the Casper Suite are made specifically with this mission in mind.” – Zach Halmstad, co-CEO, JAMF Software
- Become part of the family at the JAMF Nation Community
- JAMF Software Website
- Join the conversation on Twitter
- Stay connected with JAMF Software on LinkedIn
- Helping Users Help Themselves with Can-Do IT
- Managing Mac in a Windows World
About JAMF Software
Since 2002, JAMF Software—and our Casper Suite solution—has made it easy for businesses, schools and other enterprises to unleash the power of Apple devices in their organizations.
Find out why more than 4,500 businesses and schools rely on JAMF Software to manage 4,000,000+ devices across the globe at https://www.jamf.com/.


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It's never fun, but it's bound to happen from time to time. Things change, prices change, a the company has to let us know. Well, they don't have to, but it's nice when they do. Privateer Press is changing their prices and has a full list of what's changing.
From the update:
Privateer Press has announced a price increase on select miniatures and ancillary products due to rising costs of materials, labor, and shipping since the company’s last adjustment in 2008. Beginning May 7, 2021, prices on a limited number of items, including products in the Formula P3 paints line and select miniatures, will see minor price increases.
“This impacts less than 10 percent of our overall product line releases,” said Sherry Yeary, president of Privateer Press, “and many of the price increases are on older models. We’ve held off on any price adjustments for over a decade now, and though we’d rather not raise any prices at all, we recognize that it’s overdue.”


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Marijuana in the medical dispensaries typically ranges from $8 to $14 per gram in Washington depending on quality
Uruguay's drug czar says the country plans to sell legal marijuana for $1 per gram to combat drug-trafficking, according to a local newspaper.
The plan to create a government-run legal marijuana industry has passed the lower house of Congress, and President Jose Mujica expects to push it through the Senate soon as part of his effort to explore alternatives in the war on drugs.
The measure would make Uruguay the first country in the world to license and enforce rules for the production, distribution and sale of marijuana for adult consumers.
Marijuana sales should start in the second half of 2014 at a price of about $1 per gram, drug chief Julio Calzada told a local newspaper, El Pais, on Sunday.
That's an eighth or less of what marijuana costs at legal medical dispensaries in some U.S. states.
See the whole story here: Uruguay official: legal pot for $1 per gram


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Although it was charted as a national association in 1970, Waukegan, Ill.-based Consumers Credit Union remained a largely regional institution until just a few years ago. “In 2010 we began a push to leverage our charter by creating a national footprint,” explains Katherine McCabe, director of Web & mobile banking for CCU.
“Among other things,” she continues, “we needed an online account-opening solution that went beyond deposit accounts to help grow our national presence. We wanted a technology that married account opening with lending to enable members to apply for a checking account and credit card in one session.”
[A Javelin study suggests that banks need to conform their account-opening process to the mobile device to attract mobile-centric customers: Improving Mobile Account Opening A Must.]
Serendipitously, CCU’s existing account opening technology partner, Andera, announced the purchase of oFlows, a paperless origination solution, in 2011. “We’d looked at solutions by several other vendors, but they didn’t even compare to the features offered by oFlows,” McCabe remarks.
By late 2012 a contract was inked with Andera and the deployment project kicked off in January 2013. “We determined the types of accounts we planned to offer and our risk tolerance levels for online account origination,” she says. “Andera completed all of the programming, including integration with our core systems partner Fiserv to create automated workflows that required minimal manual involvement.”
As Andera built the CCU system, it posted new features and functions for credit union employees to test. Although development and testing went smoothly, three challenges cropped up.
The first related to the oFlows behavior that combined all related documents into a single PDF. “Our enterprise content management (ECM) solution, Fiserv’s Nautilus, couldn’t separate the documents to store them appropriately,” she notes. “Initially, a CCU employee manually separated and categorized the documents. But, not long after we went live, Andera issued a fix that enabled integration with our ECM platform without manual intervention.”
The second challenge was lack of integration with CCU’s existing lending platform. This resulted in manual monitoring of the lending component and re-keying information when CCU needs to counteroffer a credit card request. “However, later this year we’re moving to a new lending platform that includes oFlows integration,” she says. “This will eliminate the manual process.”
The third hurdle was the oFlows interface. “It’s less intuitive than the Andera legacy system,” she explains. “There is only one administration interface, which means everyone who uses the system is presented with every available option and all the industry terminology that goes along with it. Therefore, a lot of training was required.” According to Andera, a roles-based interface is on its roadmap to address the issue.
Challenges aside, oFlows launched successfully in two phases. “We went live with the online new account process in October 2013,” says McCabe. “Then, we rolled out Visa credit card solicitation in February 2014.”
With minimal marketing, the first five months of 2014 saw CCU opening 43% of its online new accounts outside of its traditional market, compared with 37% for the entire previous year. “Our attractive interest rates, including 5.09% on the top tier of our rewards checking, and easy all-digital opening process went viral on blogs and social media,” she says.
“We’ve already exceeded last year’s total online account origination numbers and project a 30% increase of accounts opened online this year,” she adds. “We’ve also experienced a steady increase of new Visa card account openings coming through the online channel, from 11% in the first two months to approximately 14% in the most recent quarter.”
On the back end, new account processing time has plummeted from an average of about five days to about a day and a half. “Without adding staff we’ve already started to expand our national footprint considerably,” McCabe says.
Unsurprisingly, CCU is continuing to build out the platform, including a recently added Regulation E Opt-In module for online new account opening. When Andera releases a branch module later this year, CCU plans to migrate off of the legacy solution altogether. “Until then, we’re maintaining both the legacy system and oFlows,” she says.
As for Andera’s recent acquisition by Bottomline Technologies, she says CCU supports the transition. “Given the many strategic initiatives Andera has assisted us with, we look forward to additional services and solutions our partner will be able to offer with Bottomline supporting them.”
Institution: Consumers Credit Union
Assets: $614 million
Business challenge: Expand market to a national footprint via all-digital online account opening
Solution: Andera’s oFlows online account origination solution
Anne Rawland Gabriel is a technology writer and marketing communications consultant based in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. Among other projects, she's a regular contributor to UBM Tech's Bank Systems & Technology, Insurance & Technology and Wall Street & Technology ... View Full Bio


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Fuel efficiency has become increasingly important to today’s car buyers. Not only does it help save money on gas, but it also reduces one’s carbon footprint. Many car companies have adopted fuel economy as a central strategy for their business, even for their performance models.
The earth-friendly gear heads at AxleGeeks, a vehicle data site that’s part of the Graphiq network, wanted to find out which cars are the most fuel-efficient of 2016. We used data from Edmunds.com to create a list of the 15 slowest-sipping new cars out there this year. Only base models and cars that consume some form of fossil fuel were considered for the list.
If you’re interested in saving money and reducing your carbon footprint, take a look at the 15 most fuel-efficient new cars of 2016. Once you've seen them, click to the next slide to see some of our big takeaways.


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It took a while, but we finally see item standard deploy to various smart home devices. And this time, it’s coming to a Google Nest near you.
A total of eight devices will receive the update, and all will double as central hubs for controlling other Matter devices. according to the announcement. (opens in new tab) you have the original google home speaker, home mini, Slot Mini, Slot SoundNest Hub (first and second generation), Nest Hub Maxand Nest Wifi Pro. Devices that support the item can connect to any of the eight devices via Wi-Fi or Thread, a wireless standard that offers “low power connectivity”. In fact, the second-generation Nest Hub, Hub Max, and WiFi Pro are also getting an update that allows them to serve the same. Topic Limit routers to control other Thread devices. Additionally, Quick Match on Android is being updated so that mobile devices can quickly connect to Matter.
However, there are some prerequisites for Android phones. A company representative said that for mobile devices to work with the new standard, they must run Android 8.1 and higher, as well as Google Play Services version 22.48.14. But the slot owners don’t need to do anything. The firmware update that adds Matte support is automatically installed.
Matter is still in its early stages so there aren’t many devices supporting it but that will soon change from 2023. Google has expansion plans (opens in new tab) standard. Google has confirmed two such updates to TechRadar: Slot Thermostat and Slot Wifi. The tech giant also states that it’s currently working with various “partners from across the industry.” [like Eve, Nanoleaf, and Philips Hue] to enable more smart home devices to work with Matter.” And we will begin to see the fruits of their labor early next year.
Samsung is also currently working on updating Matter’s Multi-Admin tool for an easier onboarding experience. In 2023, the Google Home app will be able to recognize “Matter devices installed via the SmartThing app” on Android. This way, users will not have to connect their smart home devices one by one. Everything can be done in one go. Speaking of Google Home, the iOS version will also get Matter support next year.
building a smart home
The choices can be slim, but you have some options. Eve, as we mentioned earlier, has recently released a firmware update (opens in new tab) Added support for Matte for various products such as the Energy smart plug and several motion sensors. back in early NovemberSignify has launched a range of Christmas lights under the Philips Hue brand for the new standard.
If you want to build a smart home system but don’t know where to start, be sure to check out what TechRadar has updated recently. List of best home security cameras for 2023.


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The last time we were messing about with an experiment, we determined that mixing instant coffee with a tea bag really doesn't create the greatest brew of all time.
But then, we're not fancy pants scientists from the University of California, Irvine (UCI). When they mess about, they come up with industry-changing battery discoveries.
UCI doctoral candidate Mya Le Thai was messing about with nanowire technology: thousands of times thinner than a human hair, they’re highly conductive and could revolutionise battery technology - if we can get them to work.
Le Thai was attempting to make some gold nanowire more durable by coating it in a manganese dioxide shell, encasing it an electrolyte made of a Plexiglas-like gel. When she carried out cycle tests on the build, she discovered it not only worked, it allowed the electrode to be cycle tested over 200,000 times without losing capacity.
To put that into perspective, most phone batteries begin losing capacity (the total amount of charge they're able to hold) between 5,000 and 7,000 charges.
"The coated electrode holds its shape much better, making it a more reliable option," Thai said. "This research proves that a nanowire-based battery electrode can have a long lifetime and that we can make these kinds of batteries a reality."
For the full science behind the process, watch the video above.
As for when this tech will start turning up in phones - it's a way off. And they'll definitely charge you for it.


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Micro-Star International (MSI) is preparing to introduce a low-cost PC product line in June at the earliest, according to Sambora Chen, director of Greater China sales. The first low-cost PCs from the company will be...
Microsoft's low end smartphone strategy needs a reboot
Hands On: Preview of HP's new $200 laptop
Nest Learning Thermostat: The Next Generation, review
HP EliteDesk 800 Desktop Mini review
The latest table for Pinball FX2, Venom, reviewed
Microsoft's final "12 Days of Deals" 50% off Xbox Music subscription
Xbox Music Windows Phone
Universal boss Doug Morris is reportedly planning to launch a new, label-owned subscription service called Total Music: give people free, unlimited music subscriptions with the purchase of portable devices. The plan is to have companies...
Samsung plans to demonstrate prototype flash-and-hard-disk hybrids next week at WinHEC, aiming to improve start/resume times and extend laptop battery life. Samsung Electronics has found another use for all that flash memory it's manufacturing: packing...
Rumours abound on popular games forums and blogs alike are pointing towards Microsoft releasing something called 'Xplayer'. Xplayer is a bid to capture the huge audience for handheld entertainment...
It was discovered that Battlefield 2: Deluxe Edition has sprang up on both EBGames.com and GameStop.com. It is uncommon for popular PC games with expansions to be given a "special edition" label. There's no...


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Publications & Insight
Packaging lobbyists have won: packaging regulation will increase waste, according to Forest NGOs
The final EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation was agreed in trilogue despite being stripped of its most pressing provisions.
Yesterday the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union released the final text of...
Poll: Europeans troubled by the rise of paper packaging and think governments are responsible for reducing it
Poll: Overwhelming majority of Europeans are troubled by the rise in paper and cardboard packaging, and three quarters think governments should be responsible for reducing it.
Packaging and especially disposable paper packaging...


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Dior has had quite an exciting timetable of hosting fashion shows in different destinations around the world recently including a showcase in Spain, Miami, Tokyo and more. But, we’re perhaps most looking forward to Kim Jones’ latest escape to Egypt as he prepares to deliver a collection amongst the Great Pyramids of Giza.
For Pre-Fall, the globetrotting designer will reveal the next menswear collection on December 3 – marking the first time the Maison will stage a fashion show in Egypt.
Whilst details are still under wraps, the brand released a statement on WWD which states that the “celestial collection [will] celebrate a lifelong passion for travel.”
Until then, discover Dior’s Winter ’22 collection.


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[UPDATE: Following contact from Tesla Motors to report errors in the Bloomberg article cited in the original article, we’ve made adjustments to the original story below.]
Nearly a year since UK-based green utility company and electric car charging infrastructure network Ecotricity filed court papers against Californian automaker Tesla Motors in a disagreement over public charging infrastructure, British High Court Judge Dame Vivien Rose has ordered both Tesla and Ecotricity to provide additional documentary evidence to assist the trial.
To Tesla, she asked that it provide documentary evidence of internal meetings and discussions with other companies about setting up its own network of Supercharging stations across the UK. To Ecotricity, she asked to see financial records, strategy documents and modeling that support its claim that it can use exclusive agreements to block Tesla’s access to motorway sites. These are due by April 22.
The ongoing court case is the culmination of an ongoing argument between the two firms for what Ecotricity calls a “smash and grab raid” on its intellectual property concerning nationwide public charging stations.
Ecotricity, an established provider of rapid DC and AC quick charging across the UK’s motorway network, claimed in court papers last year that Tesla had approached it many month months ago when it was readying itself to bring its luxury Model S electric car to the UK. After agreeing to help use its local knowledge to help design and built Tesla’s UK Supercharger network, a process which included introducing Tesla executives to some of its partner providers, Ecotricity alleges that Tesla went behind its back and tried to cut its own deals, without the Stroud-based company.
“After signing a mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement, Ecotricity helped to design Tesla’s network, showed them the best locations, introduced them to our landlords and partners, and started building the first two chargers for them ready for the [UK Model S] Launch,” Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said in an official statement last summer.
Evidence of these two sites can be seen at the South Mimms Services on London’s orbital M25 motorway and the M42 Services at Hopwood Park. Both owned and operated by Welcome Break, the ground work for Tesla Superchargers can still be seen at both sites today, nearly a year after they first appeared.
Shortly before the UK launch, Ecotricity claims it received an email from Tesla making “very clear threats to undermine Ecotricity and the Electric Highway,” which Vince described last year as being “shocking and brutal,” and “very dark.”
As Bloomberg reported, Judge Rose said in an interim hearing this morning that more evidence is needed to ensure a thorough and fair hearing.
Speaking earlier today, she said “There do seem to have been meetings in October, 2014 [with motorway service providers]. Something more is needed to be absolutely sure that there’s nothing more.” At the same time, she criticized Ecotricity’s approach to the proceedings in court.
While those meetings post-date last year’s official high court injunction filed by Ecotricity against Tesla Motors [NASDAQ:TSLA], Ecotricity says that Tesla used its confidential information to convince existing partners like Welcome Break Group Ltd — the first of the UK motorway rest stop providers to partner with Ecotricity — to break their agreements with Ecotricity in favour of Tesla’s Superchargers.
Following Ecotricity’s injunction against Tesla, the Californian automaker countersued Ecotricity, accusing it of ‘acting abusively’ in its dominant position in the UK market.
The case will continue at a further date once Tesla has provided Justice Rose with the requested documentary evidence, although it’s important to note at this point that at this time the High Court has ordered rather than forced Tesla to search for relevant documents, an important legal distinction which stops short of what Ecotricity was seeking in its original injunction.
In keeping with its existing legal practices, Tesla Motors will not discuss any pending or ongoing litigation with the press.
[EDIT: March 26, 1am Eastern]
Overnight, we’ve been contacted by Tesla Motors chief of communications Ricardo Reyes, who says the original article cited by us from Bloomberg — and which appeared in The Detroit News — only describes the first-half of the proceedings yesterday at the High Court. You can see the email below.
I suspect Bloomberg only watched the first half of the hearing. This article describes only the first half.
It failed to report the following: Ecotricity was ordered to promptly (by April 22) produce financial records, strategy documents and modeling that purportedly support its claim that it can use exclusive agreements to block Tesla’s access to motorway sites and, notably, further ordered that Ecotricity’s evidence would be excluded if it failed to do so. The Court further ordered that Ecotricity produce any documents regarding its purported losses (with the Court describing Ecotricity’s proposed approach as a “mockery of the pleadings”) and search the files of its financial officer, among other orders.
Tesla was successful in a hearing today in the Ecotricity case, winning the vast majority of the matters before the Court.
Tesla has actually sued Ecotricity for violating antitrust laws for preventing Tesla customers from using Superchargers on the UK’s motorway sites. Just like drivers of combustion engines, those driving EVs should have a choice of charging services, yet Ecotricity is fighting to prevent anyone else from offering electric charging services on the motorways. Tesla’s Supercharger network provides the pleasure of pollution-free long-distance road trips, free of charge; and we encourage other companies to provide charging solutions of their own. Ultimately, if not addressed, the victims of Ecotricity’s anti-competitive behaviour will be consumers and innovation.
We remain focused on building convenient charging solutions for our customers, enabling long-distance travel, free of charge at the Superchargers. There are currently 22 Supercharger stations in the UK with 60 Superchargers from Edinburgh to Exeter, and Bristol to Maidstone, linking the UK, via the station in Calais, to the continental European Supercharger network which currently stands at 118 Supercharger stations and almost 700 Superchargers.”
A previous version of this story failed to report that both parties in the case were requested to provide additional information, and our story has been edited to reflect this fact. We apologise for any confusion this may cause.
You can also support us directly as a monthly supporting member by visiting Patreon.com.


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MediaMonks Lab team has experimented how machine learning can augment video conferencing in a bid to break from the monotony of repetitive video calls that have become the new normal during the Covid-19 times.
Shell remains the most valuable brand in the Netherlands for the tenth consecutive year according to the latest Brand Finance Netherlands 50 2020 report.
Global end-user spending on cloud-based web conferencing solutions will grow 24.3 per cent in 2020, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc.
Sonos Radio, a free, ad-supported streaming radio service that was launched in April 2020 and monetized by Targetspot's digital audio advertising solutions continues to grow its footprint.
S4Capital, the owner of MediaMonks, has achieved the highest share price ever at the London Stock Exchange shaving stood at £ 251 on May 22, 2020.
The World Federation of Advertisers has launched the world’s first guide for brands on data ethics in advertising, designed to provide clear actions and practical guidance.
FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich has appointed Dept to offer assistance in digital marketing, with community management on social media and with the website relaunch.
MeMo² has won 5 IAB Europe Awards with their latest innovation in cross-media effect measurements, called: THX.
WPP has entered into a partnership with kidtech platform SuperAwesome that seek to champion privacy standards for children in the global digital space.
Europe's largest and fastest growing fitness chain Basic-Fit has announced a new timeline of opening up its clubs as governments eases COVID-19 related lockdowns.
Logitech G, a brand of Logitech, has teamed up with creator of luxury, high performance sports cars and supercars McLaren to unveil the 3rd Annual Logitech McLaren G Challenge 2020.
Microsoft and Workday Inc. have entered into a strategic partnership prioritizing enterprise planning in the cloud and expanding the business solutions customers can use to better optimize their everyday work.
WPP has appointed Simona Maggini Country Manager for Italy, taking over from Massimo Costa who has decided to step down from the role.
Sony has launched a new pocket-sized vlog camera targeted at content creators and vloggers.
Independent marketing and business consulting agency MeMo² has been shortlisted in six categories of the IAB Europe Research Awards 2020 for its THX. case.
US- based world's largest family-owned winery E. & J. Gallo Winery has picked IPG Mediabrands’ global marketing and media agency network UM as its media agency of record.
Netflix and production company Fiction Valley have unveiled the first Dutch Netflix feature film.
Amazon Web Services and the German Bundesliga will debut the first two Bundesliga Match Facts powered by AWS during tonight’s highlight match at 18:30 CET featuring Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Muenchen.
Logitech G has launched the Logitech G915 TKL Tenkeyless LIGHTSPEED Wireless RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, offering the same core technologies and experience of the award-winning G915.
EADfix, a Ghana-based tech platform, connects customers with verified service providers across different industries as it seeks to meet the growing demand for convenience, reliability and speed.
Global video advertising platform, SpotX has announced the expansion of its comprehensive Measurement and Attribution Suite.
Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) has launched a new online curriculum for schools, delivered through its flagship schools programme, The Code.
Global youth media company Vice has announced a new partnership with Abu Dhabi Media Office (ADMO) that will see the two organizations launch a digital content platform targeting Arab youth.
Publicis Groupe has been selected by McDonald China as its media planning agency partner in Mainland China.
Renoon is a Dutch fashiontech startup that connects customers with innovation and the new ways to consume fashion and is is the first platform that utilizes technology to screen items for their sustainability characteristics.
WPP’s agency Mindshare has released the fourth ‘New Normal’ COVID-19 tracker that polled 1,000 persons in each market across 10 global markets.
Digital agency Dept has won two awards for creating a new CMS and motion design in the latest Webby awards.
Amsterdam-based artificial intelligence startup Lalaland has won the 15th edition of the Philips Innovation Award 2020 that included a cheque worth €50,000.
SmartBuild, a Zimbabwe startup, is simplifying the process of building and renovating houses by providing a platform where clients requiring such services can get quotations from a number of experienced contractors.
Ablestate, a Ugandan startup works with businesses to point them to the right software developers while offering digital training to institutions of higher learning.
Fat Finger Technologies in South Africa offers an array of Information Technology services and solutions ranging from simple office networks to full cloud-hosted solutions to public facing networks.
Razia Adam is the founder and CEO of Lwandle RNS Holdings, a South African mining startup that has since 2015 been providing industry players digitization processes and systems.
WPP’s end-to-end Creative Commerce agency, Geometry Global, has appointed Katie Streten as Head of Strategy for Middle East & North Africa region.
Nokia says it has achieved the world’s fastest 5G speeds in its Over-the-Air (OTA) network in Dallas, Texas.
Heineken has appointed Stacey Tank as Chief Corporate Affairs and Transformation Officer effective June 1 2020.
Microsoft has partnered with FedEx in a move that seeks to tap into the digital and logistics network of FedEx and the Microsoft’s intelligent cloud.
Coca-Cola has partnered with live streaming platform #BeApp to offer artists across the world a chance to livestream their performances as corona crisis takes a toll on concerts and festivals.
Samsung Electronics have pledged support to five startups that were created by Samsung employees as part of the company’s C-Lab Inside in-house incubation program.
Consumer goods multinational Procter & Gamble has granted Cargill an exclusive license that will allow Cargill to further develop a technology that was first tested at P&G corporate research and development labs.
Duracell has selected Mediacom as its media agency following a competitive bidding process. MediaCom will now handle the account in 32 markets among them UK, US and China.
Large multinationals world over could scale back on spending as the impacts of coronavirus continue to take a toll on businesses, the latest World Federation of Advertisers, WFA, Covid-19 Response Tracker shows.
Sony Corporation has announced that it is set to release two models of intelligent vision sensors, the first of their kind globally to be equipped with Artificial Intelligence processing functionality.
Dutch e-bike tech scale-up VanMoof, has raised approximately $13.5 million from Europe’ top venture capital firms Balderton Capital and assembly partner SINBON Electronics.
SpotX has inked a deal with US free ad supported streaming platform Pluto in an arrangement that will see SpotX assist Pluto TV power the video monetization of its content.
The 2020 global spending on IT is poised to stand at $3.4 trillion, an eight per cent drop compared to 2019.
Google Cloud and software solutions company Splunk Inc have entered into an agreement as the two companies look at assisting organizations and customers unlock the value of their data.
Nick Lawson has been appointed as MediaCom Global CEO starting July 1 2020 as the current Worldwide Chariman and CEO Stephen Allan steps down after 12 years at the helm
US-based Hispanic media company Univision Communications Inc. has joined Nielsen’s Addressable TV platform beta program.
In Netherlands 7,700 consumers were asked to rate well-known brands for sustainability
The subject of quantifying digital ad viewability has received new insights from a new study conducted by MAGNA and IPG Media Lab.
Global independent youth media company VICE Media Group announced the company has appointed Daisy Auger-Domínguez as the Chief People Officer.
TikTok is working on a new advertising model that will give advertisers the option of using call-to-action buttons such as ‘shop now’ within influencer content.
Logitech International has announced a $709 million growth in sales, a 14 per cent rise compared to the same period last year.
Coca Cola has entered into a five year collaboration with Microsoft in a deal that will see the beverage company standardize its business operations on Microsoft’s cloud.
Google Cloud has introduced a premium video conferencing solution dubbed Google meet with enhanced features.
Inter IKEA Group has joined an alliance of over 180 political decision-makers and business leaders, for a renewed commitment on long-term climate change and COVID-19 initiatives.
Imagine a virtual hotel where you can shop a real brand. This dream has come true thanks to a partnership between Dutch premium lifestyle brand BALR. and Azerion’s life simulator and social game Hotel Hideaway.
Starcom’s Madrid office has secured established Spanish olive oil company Deoleo’s portfolio and will now chaperone media strategy and buying across the over 20 markets for the Deoleo Group.
Sanoma Group has announced that it has now finalized the acquisition of Alma Media’s regional news media business.
As the novel corona virus pandemic continues to disrupt how businesses operate, brands are innovating by going digital in what now presents an opportunity for marketing leaders.
Unilever has celebrated 10 years of a commitment it made to over eight billion people to address social inequality and climate crises.
Global health and technology company Royal Philips has unveiled the first of its kind ultrasound solution for pediatric assessment.
MeMo² recently introduced a new way of real-time cross-media measurement and optimization. Dutch consumers can now share continuous cross-media exposure, shopping behavior and in-depth insights with the THX app.
Coca-Cola has unveiled a series of online films appreciating the everyday support and togetherness being exhibited in the wake of coronavirus crisis.
WPP media agency Mindshare, has released the latest ‘New Normal’ COVID-19 tracker, its third so far that has been monitoring consumer behaviours in the wake of coronavirus crisis.
Sonos has launched exclusive global sales partnership with Targetspot.
Global marketing agency has appointed Craig Dempster CEO, from June 1, 2020.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), has unveiled Amazon Augmented Artificial Intelligence (A2I), a service that makes it easy to add human review to machine learning predictions.
GraphCMS GmbH, the company behind the GraphQL-native Headless CMS GraphCMS, announces a seed extension round of 2.5M €. The round is led by Peak Capital, with GraphCMS being their first investment in the German startup ecosystem.
Richard Juwah is the CEO of Richee Media, a full service Social Media agency based in Nigeria with both local and international clientele
Xaka Consulting is a Mozambique startup that offers a bouquet of human resource services among them leadership and management programmes, soft skills for all type of work-force, quality control, procurement and business intelligence, international grants
Costral Corporate Strategic Lab is an India-based management consulting startup working with organizations in marketability of their product from market survey and other tools, branding and and business development. The company also assists businesses to re-vamp their business
Penny Whitelaw tells all about her startup Scircula. Please explain, what is Scircula? Scirula is a purpose-led technology and big data startup that exists to make fashion circular. Through a data-driven approach, we help fashion brands eliminate fit-related
Isaac Muigai is the brains behind Humanum Ratings, a Kenya-based management consultancy startup that advises companies on potential risks and noteworthy strengths that they should focus on in order to fortify organizational culture and boost performance
PT SportSuite is a South African company whose mission is to digitally disrupt the sporting industry’s media landscape by allowing sporting organisations to operate like commercially-minded modern media houses, while building sustainable digital communities
TikTok in collaboration with brand partners have launched ‘Small Gestures’ an initiative meant to connect users of the platform better while allowing them to send gifts to those in need during the coronavirus crisis.
Publicis Groupe has launched The Pact, a new solution that is targeting U.S. midsized businesses with guaranteed outcomes to leverage their return-on-advertising spend.
Zoom Video Communications, Inc. has announced robust security enhancements with the upcoming general availability of Zoom 5.0.
Nielsen Global Connect and 1010data have unveiled a new initiative that will allow them develop and commercialize solutions targeting retailers and manufacturers.
WPP agency Mindshare has released a new COVID-19 tracker, the second of such trackers, that has been surveying 1,000 people across 10 global markets.
Mediahuis NV that runs operation in Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland has announced 100 per cent acquisition of media group Saint-Paul Luxembourg SA.
Tech giants Google and Apple have announced a new partnership focusing on the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the virus.
The Coca-Cola Company has pledged over $100 million in support for COVID-19 relief efforts in communities across the world.
Global Search Awards has named Mediacom as the number one agency for the number of awards it has won in the last eight years.
Verizon Media has announced a host of capabilities meant to assist content owners, broadcasters and service providers monetize content in innovative ways and grow audiences.
Samsung Electronics has become the first TV brand to integrate Apple Music on its Smart TV platform with consumers in more than 100 countries now being able to enjoy Apple Music on their Samsung Smart TVs.
Amsterdam based Social Media agency Dorst & Lesser has become the new partner for the Dutch Association of Disabled Care effective April 1.
The Coca-Cola Company is channeling its marketing resources into relief efforts as the world grapples with the corona virus crisis.
Millenials and Generation Z are feeling the impacts of the coronavirus more severely than any other generation as their household incomes become depressed according to the latest Covid-19 Barometer.
Publicis Groupe has elevated Justin Billingsley to Global Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) as the communication firm looks at innovative ways of growing its clientele base.
Samsung Electronics has entered into partnership with leading fitness brands in a deal that will see Samsung Smart Tvs installed with health and wellness apps.
Nikon has since April 1 2020 selected social media agency Dorst & Lesser to handle its social content creation in Netherlands as the company looks at strengthening its presence online.
Up to 87 per cent of Millenials and Gen Z have invested in limiting the spread of Covid-19 a new report by global independent youth media company Vice Media Group posits.
Netflix has announced it will invest one million euros in Netherlands to bolster a new relief fund targeting film and TV productions struggling in the wake of coronavirus crisis.
Seventy-six percent of marketing leaders have predicted a dip in marketing budgets as Covid-19 pandemic continue to take a toll on businesses in a survey of 360 respondents carried out by Gartner Inc.
Global video advertising platform SpotX has partnered with its media owner partners worldwide in tackling the corona virus crisis.
Logitech G, an offshoot of Logitech International, the global player in PC and console gaming gear, has unveiled the Logitech® G203 LIGHTSYNC Gaming Mouse.
World Federation of Advertisers has launched a report on inclusion and diversity that in the marketing sector offering brand marketers and agencies guidelines on improving performance in the industry.
Dentsu Aegis Network has accelerated the purchase of 100 per cent Merkle shares ahead of the 2021 buyout date having now signed the complete ownership agreement.
Samsung Electronics says it has achieved fastest 5G speeds in the industry in what could signal a key step for mobile operators to provide multi-gigabit speeds that lower band spectrums.


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Posted November 20, 2018 06:02:47There is no denying the Model 3 has been a huge hit with the masses, but how has the battery performed so far?
With a full week left in the production line and a new batch of orders to be filled before the Model3 ships to customers, we can’t help but ask a few questions about the battery.
Tesla’s first batch of Model 3s will be the first in a line of new models that will be sold at a discounted price, as they have been sold at $US35,000 ($40,500) for the Model S and $US42,500 ($45,500).
The battery is expected to last a full five years, which means it will be up to 20 years before Tesla plans to replace its battery.
While the battery has already had the highest capacity of any lithium-ion battery, it will have to be upgraded to keep up with the electric cars going forward.
Tesla has already confirmed it will offer the new battery in “extended life” models, meaning it will last for “20, 30, or 40 years”.
Tesla’s battery will also have to meet the stringent safety requirements in the US, meaning that it will not be allowed to be used in passenger cars and SUVs.
The battery will have a lithium-polymer coating that will keep it from corroding and degrading over time.
Tesla will not sell its battery to other car manufacturers.
The battery will be produced by Lithium-Ion.
It will also be made by Panasonic and GM, and the batteries will have an MSRP of $US55,000 (about £47,000) when fully upgraded.
Tesla has said that it wants to build its batteries in large volumes so that they can compete with other carmakers.
The Model 3 will be available for sale in November and will be priced between $US39,000 and $49,000, depending on the model.
The vehicle will cost $US7,500 to $7,999 when it is fully upgraded, and it will cost more when it’s fully upgraded to $US99,000.


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LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Shares of Care.com CRCM, -1.76% are being priced at $17 a share, above their previously expected range of $14 to $16, the company said Thursday. Care.com, an online marketplace for finding and managing family care, is expected to open trading on its 5.35 million outstanding shares Friday. IPO Boutique said in a note to clients that Care.com already is oversubscribed several times over.
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Inside the Mind of the Serial Arsonist
Kayla Baxter, FireLink.com
November 18, 2009
In 1991, a fire at a Los Angeles fabric store called “D & M Yardage” escalated to the point of destruction. An employee remembered, “I could hear all the windows bursting open.”
It was a family business, fueled mostly by neighborhood customers and regulars. There was no ill will that the owner knew of, it was a safe neighborhood, and yet all signs pointed to arson.
Firefighters are required to report the cause and origin of every fire they attend. Fire investigation remains one of the most difficult jobs in fire and rescue because a majority of the evidence is destroyed by the fire, including finger prints, or worse, destroyed by firefighters in their efforts to put out the fire.
Arson investigators typically aren’t called to the scene until afterwards. The fire is over, the arsonist is gone, and the witnesses are all gone. Fingerprints and devices used are usually destroyed, and all that is left are burn patterns and charred remains.
Investigators will sometimes set fires themselves to try and pinpoint the origins of a fire. They create false trails, pour accelerant onto electrical outlets to try and create the appearance of an electrical fire, to imagine what an arsonist would have done, and to try and learn from it.
The fires set by investigators are only allowed to burn as long as it would take for firefighters to arrive, but even fires that burn unattended leave some evidence.
Using accelerants is dangerous business. Arsonists have been arrested in hospital emergency rooms, victims of their own crime.
Surface burn patterns can indicate where the fire started- the point of origin. If you know what to look for, you can figure out how the fire started in the first place. Investigators smell the area, looking for gasoline, which is protected by the water put on the fire by firefighters. The water keeps the gasoline from evaporating.
Most accelerants can be found in a lab. Petroleum products have distinct chemical markings, which can be broken down and graphed. The types of accelerants can lead investigators to the arsonist.
With the D &M Yardage Fire, two other store fires had happened that same day. The fires seemed to spring out of nowhere- leading to the feeling there was a delay device used. All of the fires were also started in shops that had large supplies of pillows, which, when they burn down, produce a flammable gas that ignited the stores with alarming speed.
Further investigation turned up similar fires in the same area, all ironically centered on the location of an arson investigation convention, all in the Los Angeles area. In one investigation, 3 stores on the same street had burned simultaneously.


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Taiwanese media is reporting that supply-chain insiders have confirmed that the iPhone 6 will be released in August of this year.
The report circulating cites unnamed supply-chain sources. Apparently, a 4.7-inch iPhone will be made available to customers as early as August, which would suggest an announcement early in August at the very least. This earlier August release date seems to have been purported because a larger 5.5-inch model, which has received considerably less hype of late, will be released in September.
Apple has long stuck to a September release for its iPhones, and it would seem strange for Apple to buck this trend. However, it has already been rumored that two new iPhones of different sizes were set for release this year, and that the larger variant was delayed. This rumor certainly corroborates with earlier stories, but it isn’t the most convincing source.
Supply chain sources have proven fairly reliable in the past, and it may yet come to pass that Apple will indeed release two iPhones on separate occasions, as is purported here. For now however, all we can do is wait for further confirmation.


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Funded as part of the more than $1 billion pledged for ocean science, conservation, and management last year, the Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability (SALT) will promote legal and sustainable fisheries through improved transparency in seafood supply chains....
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
MAY 16, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2013 - 7 SEAS SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT CORP.
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Unhealthy eating habits can affect anyone, especially busy families often “running on empty.” Get tips and practical advice on nutrition and weight management to help you improve your efforts with ease.
Loss was tied to less joint degeneration in study, but skeptics remain.
Guess what? It won't help your heart and could even hurt it.
When researchers inhibited the substance in mice, they gained 40 percent less weight than 'control' mice.
If you're on the fence about buying organic fruits and vegetables, you should pick the 'Dirty Dozen' before any others.
A strawberry and piece of string cheese become (an edible) mouse in a fun, hands-on nutrition class for preschoolers.
A combination of aerobic and resistance training is best for boosting brain health.
Study findings may someday lead to more individualized diet advice, researcher says.
Gut bacteria reacts to compound in eggs and meat to produce chemical that ups heart disease risk.
Tougher poultry regulations may explain 18 percent decline in food poisoning from this common bacteria.
Your body is much better off when you simply drink water and eat clean, healthy foods.
Study suggests—but does not prove—a possible link to stroke, dementia.


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The next time you order your steak medium rare, consider this: More than 90% of beef producers use a process called mechanical tenderization, which can push bacteria including E. coli deep inside the meat. Typically such bacteria only live on the surface of meat, which is why it's theoretically safe to eat it rare. But mechanical tenderization, which pokes meat with blades and needles in an effort to make it less tough, can lead to meat that Mother Jones so appetizingly calls "poop-contaminated." It has officially led to at least eight recalls and 100 illnesses in the past 10 years, but some suspect it has actually caused many more.
The Kansas City Star undertook a yearlong investigation into the process, and recounts stories of two people who contracted E. coli infections after eating medium-rare steak at Applebee's. Mechanically tenderized meat is frequently sold to grocery stores, family-style restaurants, hotels, and group homes. Grocery stores often don't know it's been tenderized, and the meat usually isn't labeled, so consumers may have no idea whether they're eating it. The Star finds more, and grosser, examples of the lack of regulation in the meat industry: Federal inspection reports for four of the biggest beef slaughter plants include hundreds of references to fecal contamination. See the Star for more. (Read more pink slime stories.)


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(Reuters) -Cineworld, the British cinema operator in bankruptcy proceedings, said on Tuesday it would not sell any of its assets individually, and that it had not held discussions with AMC Entertainment about the sale of any of its theatres.
The British company said it would focus on selling the group as a whole rather than disposing of individual assets, along with its restructuring efforts, and was expecting to start reaching out to potential parties for a sale later this month.
Cineworld said on Tuesday it had not held discussions with AMC about the sale of any of its cinema assets, in response to media reports, and that talks about a reorganisation of its U.S. operations were ongoing.
In October, Cineworld, the world’s second-largest cinema chain operator, announced a bankruptcy settlement with its landlords and lenders, clearing the way for the company to borrow funds and make a $1 billion debt repayment.
AMC last month said it was no longer in talks to buy some theatres owned by Cineworld following initial talks with some lenders.
(Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Nivedita Bhattacharjee)


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FOOD giant Nestle UK's Cross & Blackwell and Branston Pickle business is to be sold in a move costing more than 100 jobs, it emerged today.
Nestle UK's said it was seeking a buyer for the ambient foods operation that also houses Gales Honey, SunPat peanut butter and Rowntree's jelly.
A factory in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire that manufactures dehydrated products will now close later this year with the loss of 114 jobs. In a separate move, Nestle UK said it would acquire the Ski and Munch Bunch brands of chilled dairy desserts from Hull-based Northern Foods.
The deal, worth £145 million, also includes Northern Food's yoghurt making facility at Cuddington in Cheshire. Nestle UK said the acquisition boosted its position as number two in the chilled dairy market with combined total sales of £125 million.
As well as chilled dairy, Nestle UK will be left with its beverages, confectionery and milks and nutrition businesses. The ambient foods operation, which also makes Sarson's Vinegar, has a turnover of £100 million a year. As part of any sale, 330 workers at Hadfield and Middleton near Manchester will transfer to the new owners.


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Factories in biggest slump for 20 years as manufacturing is hit hard by recession
Decline: Factories have seen a huge slump this year (file pictures)
Devastating declines in manufacturing could leave industry too 'hollowed out' to pull Britain out of recession, an influential business body warns today.
Factories saw the biggest slump in activity since 1989 during the first quarter of the year, according to a British Chambers of Commerce survey.
Some 55pc more manufacturers reported falls in domestic sales rather than increases.
Jobs are being shed at a record pace, helping drive overall unemployment towards a forecast 3.2million.
Within manufacturing, domestic sales, investment and confidence all tumbled to their lowest ever levels.
While the manufacturing slump isn't slowing, the pace of decline at services firms also stalled.
This suggests a similar pattern to the recessions of the 1980s and 1990s, when manufacturing bore the brunt of declines.
The lobby group attacked the government for failing to freeze public sector employment and wages, given the 'dire' state of public finances.
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If you’re looking to understand the contradictions of contemporary capitalism, there’s no better place to start than the new Popeyes chicken sandwich.
The source of backed-up drive-thru lines, fawning media profiles, and ecstatic dining experiences the country over, the sandwich’s release has become the premier fast food event of our time. Vice says that Popeyes’ new chef-d’oeuvre “ascends into a new level of gastronomic achievement that is both a culinary and scientific feat.” The Los Angeles Times claims the fast food delicacy now serves as an “economic indicator” of the country’s fiscal health. The New Yorker suggests the sandwich could “save America.”
Why so much flattery for a simple $3.99 fried chicken sandwich? Well, first off, the taste and texture create an experience that is indeed transcendent. (I take mine spicy.) But perhaps more importantly, the sandwich is a uniquely American culinary creation that brings us together at a time of polarization; a succulent rara avis for the twenty-first century.
Yet in the face of all this excitement stands a brutal reality: the profiteers of the Popeyes chicken sandwich craze are the bosses, while the workers bear the brunt. With orders exploding at locations nationwide, Popeyes’ employees are working harder under more grueling conditions and few benefits while corporate shareholders bask Scrooge McDuck–style in their riches.
Such is the status quo under our market-driven industrial food system. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Everybody who wants one should be able to enjoy the new Popeyes chicken sandwich — and working people should be its beneficiaries, not its burdened.
Every day, fifty million Americans eat fast food — nearly one in seven people — a rate that hasn’t changed in fifteen years. That level of consumption generates a stunning $110 billion in revenue annually. In 2018, Restaurants Brands International Inc., which owns Popeyes along with Burger King and a number of other chains, reported $5.35 billion in revenue. Right now these massive earnings benefit a small group of investors, shareholders, and business owners. Cooks at Popeyes, on the other hand, earn an average of $8.32 an hour. Prep cooks make even less: $8.11. Since the new sandwich was introduced on August 12, restaurants across the country have been inundated, with long snaking lines, shortages of the sandwich, and a deluge of hungry, frustrated customers.
On the front lines of this fried chicken chaos stand the very workers being paid starvation wages. Without allowing tips or any mechanism to pass down the financial gains from this surge in business, the launch of the chicken sandwich has become a curse rather than a gift for Popeyes’ workers.
One immediate way to curb this racket would be to increase the minimum wage to $20 an hour. With a full 20 percent of frontline fast food workers living below the poverty line, and many relying on food stamps and other benefits just to survive, raising the wage floor would deliver desperately needed relief to countless workers. While the company’s CEO Cheryl Bachelder recently defended its low wages on Fox Business by claiming the priority is to “grow top-line sales” and that an increase in employee pay would “raise prices for guests and lower hours for employees,” we know Popeyes won’t simply pass on the profit surge to its workers — the company will simply hoard that new wealth for executives like Bachelder.
But pay hikes alone will not solve the injustices of the fast food industry, which is known for poor conditions and a lack of dignity on the job. To improve standards, fast food workers should be able to unionize without intimidation or threats from their bosses and collectively bargain on issues ranging from hours to paid leave.
Higher wages and unionization should also be paired with national programs that provide more freedom for workers who now spend much of their lives serving up hot chicken and fries. A Medicare for All system would instantly provide comprehensive health care benefits to millions of fast food workers, nearly 90 percent of whom do not currently receive coverage through their employer. The comfort of knowing that a medical emergency would not lead to bankruptcy or other instabilities would dramatically improve workers’ quality of life. A similar impact could be expected by implementing a federal jobs guarantee..
How could such programs be paid for? One place to start would be with the benefactors of the current fast food system: the bosses.
The fast food industry is the most unequal in the country, with employees occupying the position of the lowest-paid American workers, while the CEOs are some of the highest paid. As a 2017 Demos report shows, “In 2012, the compensation of fast food CEOs was more than 1,200 times the earnings of the average fast food worker.” In real terms, that’s meant less than $19,000 per year for workers, and $23.8 million for CEOs. Those earnings should be taxed at sky-high rates, along with the wealth and estates of fast food’s capitalist class.
Of course, we can aim even higher. A democratic-socialist future promises a world where both the labor required and earnings produced by culinary fads like the Popeyes chicken sandwich could be used to make workers’ lives better while seeding the returns into programs that build a more vibrant (and delicious) society.
Far from stamping out ingenuity or thwarting entrepreneurship, a system of worker control and social rights could provide more time and space for ordinary people to develop new recipes and concepts that could lead to the next Popeyes chicken sandwich. Rather than paying for investors’ glitzy villas, the money made through fast food sales could be reinvested into publicly provided education and cooking classes. And with higher wages, the products themselves could be more universally enjoyed by the working class.
A more equitable and democratic food system would also have to transform the modern factory-farming and meat industries, known for their cruelty to workers and animals alike, as well as for wreaking havoc on the climate. Up to 57 percent of all greenhouse-gas emissions stem from the global food system, and the International Panel on Climate Change has warned that industrialized countries must reduce greenhouse emissions by up to 40 percent below 1990 levels to avoid climate devastation.
The Green New Deal resolution put forward by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey sets out to achieve this goal, promising to move the United States away from fossil fuels by 2030 and reach net-zero greenhouse emissions, in part by taking on Big Agriculture and building more sustainable food systems. This is the type of carbon-neutral vision that will be necessary to avoid calamity while still enjoying occasional indulgent meals. If we can put the industry under public control, the lab-grown meat industry could help us towards this goal, too.
Vegetarian options like Burger King’s new plant-based Impossible Whopper should also be invested in. If Burger King can produce a product nearly indistinguishable from real meat, why can’t Popeyes?
So, the critics are right: we should celebrate the arrival of Popeyes chicken sandwich, a new addition to the canon of American fast food indulgences. But the rage for the sandwich should also be directed at the bosses, who do everything in their power to make sure working people are denied the wealth and benefits from their sandwich labors, all in order to swell their riches.
This sandwich may have been created under capitalism — but under socialism, who knows where the frontiers of snack creation may lie?


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Chinese Auto Subsidies: Hypocrisy from the Obama Administration
Bryan Riley /
The Obama Administration recently filed a case with the World Trade Organization, alleging that China provided at least $1 billion in subsidies to Chinese carmakers from 2009 to 2011.
On the same day, The Wall Street Journal reported that if the government sold its 26.5 percent stake in General Motors, it would lose $15 billion.
Here is the Obama Administration on China’s auto subsidies: “China’s subsidies distort trade conditions for auto and auto parts manufacturers in the United States by providing an unfair advantage to China’s auto and auto-parts industries.”
Here is the Obama Administration on U.S. auto subsidies: “When the President took office, the American auto industry was shedding jobs by the hundreds of thousands and GM and Chrysler faced the possibility of liquidation – which would have caused at least 1 million more jobs to be lost. The President made the tough choice to help provide the auto industry the temporary support it needed to grow and prosper.”
What’s behind this apparent double standard on subsidies?
Cameron Seward, Research Associate in Government Studies, contributed to this post.


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The Netherlands is seeking to regulate cryptocurrency companies, supposedly in a bid to prevent money laundering and alleged terrorist financing. All virtual currency businesses will now be required to obtain an operating license from De Nederlandsche Bank, the country’s central bank, under draft legislation designed to prevent crypto assets such as BTC from being used for criminal activities.
Know Your Customer for Crypto Companies
Bitcoin’s disruptive nature has often landed it in the crosshairs of a controlling global regulatory system, which is steeped in tradition. The decentralized and censorship-resistant cryptocurrency has been accused of many crimes, including being used by criminals to launder money, evade tax and fund terrorist activities throughout the world.
In a brief note published in the local daily De Telegraaf, the Dutch central bank said that cryptocurrency entities like exchanges will be compelled to know and to reveal the identities of their customers. Any “unusual transactions” should be reported to the bank, which will monitor the individuals and transactions on a continuous basis.
Its real motivation is to curb illicit financial flows facilitated under the cover of cryptocurrency transactions, something a number of regulators in Europe are increasingly becoming concerned with. “Providers of so-called cryptocurrencies, bitcoin of which is the best known, will soon need a license,” said the article. “The measure should help prevent such virtual coins being used to launder criminal money or to fund terrorism.”
The proposed law will effectively place virtual currency companies directly within the regulatory purview of the Dutch central bank. The regulator has invited “interested parties (to) respond to the bill.” It also said comments will include suggestions on “more measures that must reduce money laundering risks. In this way stricter rules for the art trade and brokers will also be introduced.”
De Nederlandsche Bank has generally been open-minded about digital assets, while reiterating the need for inter-state regulation to curb issues of abuse, fraud and other criminal activity. The central bank has previously spoken of how cryptocurrency, in its current state, isn’t a risk to financial stability.
But the regulation of digital currencies in the Netherlands is broadly reflective of wider sentiment throughout the European Union, where the treatment of crypto assets remains somewhat opaque. In Spain, for example, the government last month said it had identified 15,000 cryptocurrency investors it will monitor to prevent tax evasion and money laundering.
Spain vowed to ensure that investors pay taxes on capital gains from digital currency transactions and that they declare any other benefits accrued from trading. However, it admitted that virtual currency taxes will not put much into state coffers “because the ownership of bitcoins is opaque for the tax authorities, and their negotiation is almost impossible to track.”
Different countries in Europe are experimenting with cryptocurrency regulation at different levels. The U.K. is planning a ban on BTC-linked derivatives and France is looking to build itself into a crypto haven with friendly laws. There is no congruency in approach to digital currency regulation within the European economic bloc.
As far as money laundering is concerned, cryptocurrencies have faced some criticism, with allegations that about $90 million has been funneled this way using over 45 digital coins since 2016. But the figure fails to register on the radar of global illicit flows when compared to commercial banks. For example, Germany’s Deutsche Bank is being investigated for allegedly helping criminals launder money running into several billions of dollars. Last year, the bank was fined $700 million on similar charges – and that is just one institution.
What do you think about the proposed crypto regulation in the Netherlands? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock.
Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section.


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Despite the fact that Jelly Bean 4.2.2 hasn’t been made official yet it still hasn’t stopped some people getting their hands on the update and testing it. While tests have not been live, some people have placed with it behind the scenes and then go on Twitter to report what is new.
Those who have said they have checked out Jelly Bean 4.2.2 have all said the same. The update is not stable and there are bugs which have to be ironed out before it can be released to the general public. We have scanned the web and found some Tweets from those who have tested it out, so you may wish to check them out.
It was said yesterday that the official Android 4.2.2 Jelly bean was released for the GMS version of the Galaxy Nexus, the Nexus 7 and 10, this having a build number of JDQ39. However looking deeper into this, readers have said that they have not got the update. This could be due to the fact that it is rolling out slowly. Those who have installed the update have said that it is good as it has stopped their Nexus device from rebooting at random times.
@wsjudd as tweeted that their Nexus 10 now has the new Android 4.2.2 and is happily using the command line, oh and he feels like a ninja apparently.
Android Police said that app download notifications are better and there are new sounds along with toggle from quick settings. They say when users connect to the computer for the first time they are notified that they have a connection. Which means there has been a little security upgrade to keep the bootloader locked device safe in the event it is lost. There are also new sounds to tell you when the battery is low and for wireless charging initiation.
@ssaig tweeted that they noticed the app download notification, he said that it has changed and that the progress bar lets users know the time that is remaining in addition to a percentage downloaded. He also said in another tweet “Removed option to show all calls in the phone app’s call list, New Gallery app animation allows faster loading”
@NittyMDev said “Quick settings have been enhanced. Users can now long press on the Wifi and Bluetooth icons to toggle the setting”
Android Headlines wrote an article titled “New in Android 4.2.2: Estimated Time Left & Percentage Complete For Downloads”
So what do you think, will this be the last of Jelly Bean and will Key Lime Pie take over?


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Aussie Tried to Drop Drugs into a Prison Using an Aerial Drone
March 10, 2014 9:32 AM
Man arrested with drone and drugs in his possession
When it comes to aerial drones, there are few stories stranger than that of 28-year-old Australian man who tried to use a drone to drop drugs into a prison. Workers at a maximum-security prison outside Melbourne called the police on Monday after the drone aircraft was seen hovering over the facility.
A male suspect and an unknown female were later found on a nearby road with the drone and what the police call a small quantity of drugs. The man has been charged with "attempting to commit an indictable offense and possessing a drug of dependence."
This case isn't the first time that a criminal has tried to use a drone aircraft to deliver drugs inside a prison. In the U.S., a remote controlled helicopter was used in an attempt to deliver tobacco products to Calhoun state prison in Georgia.
The use of drone aircraft in airspace in the U.S. has been a source of contention. Earlier this month, courts
dismissed a $10,000 fine against a man
for the commercial use of drone aircraft. The court said that the drone the man was flying is no different from a remote controlled toy airplane.
In December 2013, Amazon announced that it was looking into the possibility of using
drone aircraft to deliver packages
, as farfetched as that sounds.
"People Don't Respect Confidentiality in This Industry" -- Sony Computer Entertainment of America President and CEO Jack Tretton
Court Rules that FAA Cannot Ban Commercial Drones, Dismisses $10,000 Fine for Drone User
March 7, 2014, 1:14 PM
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December 2, 2013, 11:51 AM
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Meta changed how two-factor authentication works for Facebook and Instagram last year. You might have received notifications about this, but it was easy to miss in the platform’s sea of red alerts. OK, so what’s different? “Any devices you’ve frequently used Facebook on in the past two years will be automatically trusted,” reads Meta’s updated settings page. Your smartphone and laptop may not need a 2FA code to log in, unless you go into your settings and opt out.
Over time, Meta has made multiple tweaks to how it deploys 2FA. In 2018, it started to allow 2FA codes generated by third-party apps. A few years later, the company began requiring more vulnerable accounts to activate 2FA protection. The company faces a tricky balance between making it easy to log in to your account and protecting users from losing control of their online identities.
Enabling 2FA is a basic way to improve the security of any online profile, since it adds an extra layer of difficulty for hackers trying to break into your account. “The role two-factor plays is, basically, to assume that at some point your password is going to be known by someone else,” said Casey Ellis, founder and chief strategy officer at Bugcrowd, a crowdsourced security company that has previously collaborated with Facebook. “You don’t have control over when or how that happens.” For users, this fallback measure is often as easy as copying and pasting a quick code from within a smartphone app, like Google Authenticator.
Anyone with a social media account on Facebook or Instagram needs to go ahead and turn on two-factor authentication in their privacy settings. No shame if you haven’t, but do it right now by logging in to your Account Center, clicking Password and security, then Two-factor authentication.
Now that you’ve got it all set up, here’s what was changed with Meta’s 2FA process: It’s no longer activated anywhere you often used Facebook or Instagram in the past two years, from previous-generation smartphones to hand-me-down laptops.
What’s the reasoning for this adjustment? “As part of our continuous work to balance account security and accessibility, we’re letting people know that we’ll be treating the devices they frequently use to log in to Facebook as trusted,” said Erin McPike, a Meta spokesperson.


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A steel giant’s trade name was used to misrepresent business deals with the intent to procure millions of dollars worth of machinery and financing, and an Amish-country spice maker alleges a local rival is ripping off its registered trademark.
These two recent cases in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana illustrate the difficulties in policing registered marks on intellectual property, but the cases also show the means of recovery at rights holders’ disposal when their IP marks are violated.
“It’s just a constant battle brand owners have to face,” said Mark Janis, director of the Center for Intellectual Property Research at Indiana University Maurer School of Law. “The law, I think, largely does expect parties are going to act in good faith, but when someone doesn’t act in good faith, the law provides remedies.”
Stealing from Big Steel?
The Burns Harbor steel plant operated by ArcelorMittal USA, an affiliate of the world’s largest steelmaker, was a victim of bad faith and more, Chief Judge Philip Simon ruled last month. Simon ordered default judgment in the steel giant’s favor in a claim against Albert Arillotta and his affiliated Massachusetts-based companies.
“Defendants failed to respond to or participate in this litigation in any way,” Simon wrote. “I will order that ArcelorMittal produce its legal bills for my in camera review to determine its attorney fee award.” The steelmaker previously asserted legal fees of more than $46,000. ArcelorMittal had not filed a revised claim for fees at IL deadline.
The steelmaker claimed, and Simon accepted as true because of the default posture of the case, that Arillotta made numerous misrepresentations to another company, Economy Industrial Corp., about business dealings with ArcelorMittal. According to the record, Arillotta claimed the steelmaker contracted with one of his companies, NMC Metals Corp., to install a pig iron casting machine at the Burns Harbor plant. He persuaded Economy Industrial to help design and manufacture the machine.
“This was untrue,” Simon wrote of the purported contracts between Arillotta and the steelmaker. “To support the lie, Arillotta created a false contract between NMC and ArcelorMittal,” co-opting the company name and forging the names of executives. When Arillotta didn’t pay Economy, that firm made demands on the steelmaker.
“The misrepresentations didn’t end there,” Simon noted. Arillotta fabricated purchase orders and invoices for the purchase of pig iron by the steelmaker. He also used a fake contract for another of his companies, claiming the steelmaker would pay $7.5 million for demolition of a power plant in Cleveland, according to the record. These documents were then provided to creditors in an attempt to secure financing. In all, Arillotta created fake documents in an effort to procure at least $10 million in financing or machinery, the record shows.
Along with state claims of deception and forgery, ArcelorMittal filed counts alleging false designation or origin and false endorsement under the Lanham Act; tarnishment and dilution of famous marks under the Lanham Act; and willful deceptive trade practices.
The award of attorney fees is permitted in “exceptional” cases, a determination Simon made based on the uncontested allegations of deliberate misrepresentation.
“The court really saw this as a straight-up case of fraud,” Janis said. “The plaintiff gets an injunction which they certainly want, and they have an order to have attorney fees paid, but they have to go out and enforce that, and that’s not easy to do.”
Chicago attorney Joseph Kincaid, who represented ArcelorMittal, did not respond to messages seeking comment. Arillotta, who is unrepresented in the matter, could not be reached and did not respond to messages seeking comment. The case is ArcelorMittal USA LLC v. Arillotta, et al., 2:15-CV-239.
Not so ‘Happy Salt’
Another Northern District case filed last month claims Shipshewana in the heart of northern Indiana’s Amish country just isn’t big enough for two peddlers of “Happy Salt.”
Shipshewana Spice Co. says its claims against defendants doing business as Shipshewana’s Best Spice Co. likewise constitute an exceptional case that qualifies for payment of attorney fees for defending against alleged counterfeiting. The company also charges trademark infringement, false description, trademark dilution and unfair competition.
Shipshewana Spice obtained a registered trademark for “Happy Salt” in 2012. The company discovered the defendant selling “Happy Salt Seasoning” at markets and online. Plaintiffs sent cease and desist letters, but the rival products remained on the market, at which point the company sued, according to the complaint.
“Both plaintiff’s and defendant’s spices are sold in containers of identical size and shape. The product contained therein is visibly similar,” the complaint alleges. Both labels carry their respective company names and depict Amish-inspired horse-and-buggy illustrations.
“Defendant has routinely been and continues to be fraudulently passing off Accused Products in an effort to interfere with and deceptively lure business away from Plaintiff,” the suit says.
Named defendant Bob Wilson of Millersburg could not be reached for comment, and no attorney has entered an appearance for defendants at IL deadline. Plaintiffs’ attorney Garrick Lankford declined to comment. The case before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen is Kevin Horn, D.B.A. Shipshewana Spice Co. v. Bob Wilson, D.B.A. Amish Farms and Shipshewana’s Best Spice Co., 3:15-CV-524.
“In these scenarios, intent certainly is a factor whether there is ultimate liability, but the key question is whether consumers likely would be confused” by the similar products, Janis said. “In a case like the Happy Salt case, I think they would be unless ‘happy salt’ had been used by these parties for years and years and by all kinds of consumers.”
Janis said because the Happy Salt name was registered, makers should have used the ® symbol instead of the TM symbol after the name on the product label. While both provide some measure of protection and notice to would-be counterfeiters, the registration symbol indicates there is a presumption the trademark is owned and that the owner potentially has access to receipt of attorney fees if the owner prevails in a case deemed extraordinary.
In cases like these, Janis said there’s little cutting-edge law involved, but practitioners and law students need to know the wide range of remedies clients are entitled to, from injunctions to damages and attorney fees in extraordinary cases.
While courts rule blatant IP violation cases extraordinary, Janis said they’re fairly common: “You can see that fire a long way away.
“I’m not so sure there’s too much you can do to prevent this,” he said of IP rights violators. “You can make sure your IP rights are secured and prepare to adopt an aggressive litigation posture after these things arise, and hope word gets around and people won’t mess with you.”•


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I wasn’t joking when I said there were some fresh rumors floating around. Reports are in that the new iPhone or iPhone 5 will have a complete design overhaul. The new design is said to look similar to the unibody style of Apple‘s current generation MacBooks.
Apparently, the photo above is that of some new iPhone cases which surfaced last year after the 4S was released. Personalyl I thin kthose look like iPod Touch cases, but it is interesting that there are two openings at the bottom. Which is usually where we would see the headphone jack on an iPod Touch. But I’d take these pictures with a grain of salt.
According to AppleInsider,
Analyst Brian J. White with Topeka Capital Markets issued a note to investors on Monday highlighting details he picked up on a tour of suppliers in China and Taiwan. During his visit, he was given the sense that some suppliers will begin production in June of certain components of Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone, setting up for a product launch in the fall.
He believes the next iPhone will have a larger screen, which he sees as being 4 inches. He also expects the device will have high-speed 4G LTE connectivity
“In our view, this will be the most significant iPhone upgrade with a four-inch screen and a new, sleek look that we believe will require a Unibody case,” White wrote. “This new, sleek look will be the most important reason that consumers decide to upgrade.”
Topeka believes the launch of the new iPhone will push Apple’s stock upwards of $1,001! With the release of a new iPhone, a new iPod Touch, the Ivy Bridge MacBook line, and a TV set, this year could be insane for Apple and the technology world!
I’m excited to see what’s around the corner! Are you?


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The chief of Australia’s competition watchdog, the ACCC, Rod Sims, says competition has a critical role to play in getting the economy running efficiently again post the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis.
Retailer Target has admitted to the competition watchdog, the ACCC, that it may have breached Australian Consumer Law by making false or misleading representations in its dealings with customers who purchased faulty Sony PlayStations.
An Auckland motor vehicle trader has been hit with a NZ$75,000 fine by New Zealand’s competition regulator for misrepresenting consumers’ rights when selling used vehicles online.
I agree in principle with the EFA statement.I would suggest however that the need is for a complete impartial review[…]
Isn't it amazing they way NBN Co manage to get these market survey results which support their activity and position.Are[…]
Another politically motivated statement of untruth.This is the party that gutted the original Labor commenced NBN for their own political[…]
No, not "up to a minute per day" - NBN Co says "potential burst durations between 1 to 50 seconds[…]
Actually, the growing shift to online services by Australians during the COVID 19 pandemic demonstrates the critical need to fix[…]


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EU panel approves testing for imported U.S. long-grain rice.
According to the Commission, the EU imported 224,000 tons of rice from the United States in 2005, which was valued at 63.3 million [euro] ($79.1 million). Approximately 80,000 tonnes of the rice imports from the United States was of the long-grain variety, the Commission said.
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|Publication:||Food & Drink Weekly|
|Date:||Oct 30, 2006|
|Previous Article:||USDA looks at "virtual" inspections.|
|Next Article:||More of food budget goes to metro restaurants.|


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Microsoft Corp. is all set to buy London-based smart-keyboard maker Swiftkey for about US$250 million, according to a UK financial daily.
Swiftkey co-founders Jon Reynolds and Ben Medlock, who started the company in 2008, are estimated to both make about US$30 million each on the deal, according to the UK paper.
The deal is expected to be announced this week.
Microsoft said it has "nothing to share at this time" and SwiftKey declined to comment on "rumors and speculation."
SwiftKey has been one of the most popular keyboard apps on iOS and Android. It launched on Android in 2010 and came to iOS in 2014.
Microsoft may be more interested in SwiftKey's research into artificial intelligence, reports the UK paper.
SwiftKey recently launched an Android keyboard that uses a neural network instead of its standard algorithms when predicting words, according to reports.
Microsoft has been buying up talented developers and popular apps, like Sunrise and Acompli, as part of its shift to a strategy of providing services across devices and platforms.


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The launch of BlackBerry’s new smartphones in the United States later this week, following its debut in several other countries, will put the company in direct competition with hype for a new device from one of its biggest rivals.
Samsung is expected to unveil the latest version of its top-selling Galaxy smartphone series on Thursday, just days before the new BlackBerry Z10 becomes available through wireless carriers AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
[np_storybar title=”BlackBerry Z10 to go on sale in U.S. on March 22″ link=”http://business.financialpost.com/2013/03/11/att-confirms-blackberry-z10-to-go-on-sale-in-u-s-on-march-22/”]BlackBerry fans in the United States will be able to get their hands on the Canadian smartphone maker’s new Z10 device on March 22 via AT&T Inc., according to a release on the telecom giant’s website.
Continue reading . . .
These close releases could leave smartphone buyers asking themselves, should I go with the new BlackBerry (TSX:BB) or the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4?