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Apple’s top cop steps down
VP of security retires
Apple’s vice president of global security, former FBI agent John Theriault, has reportedly retired from the company.
According to Reuters, Theriault retired from Apple for an unspecified reason, but speculation is strong that it may be related to the company’s conduct in tracking down a missing iPhone prototype – a project that Theriault would have headed.
The prototype, thought to have been an early build of the iPhone 4S, was lost in July apparently in a San Francisco bar named Cava22. A team of investigators seemingly tracked the device to the home of San Francisco resident Sergio Calderón, who said he was visited by six people (whom he presumed were law enforcement officers, based on identification shown) who entered his home and, after fruitlessly searching for the device, offered money for its return.
Initially the San Francisco police denied they had taken part in any such action, before changing their story and deciding that yes, two plainclothes detectives did interview Calderón, but that Apple investigators did not enter the man’s home. Police have initiated an investigation into the incident and have not yet reported its findings.
Theriault spent decades at the FBI before leaving and moving into the private sector. He joined Apple in 2007 and led a team that successfully tracked down on fake Apple products being imported from China. He has also worked for Pfizer as chief of security.
An attorney for Calderón, David Monroe, told Reuters that his client is in settlement negotiations with Apple and declined to comment further. ®


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Consumer group National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc. (NASECORE) is calling on the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to probe power coop funds allegedly used in party list campaigns.
In a letter sent to the ERC, the consumer group said some electric cooperatives (ECs) made financial and other contributions to party-list groups running for the May elections.
NASECORE slammed ECs for using consumers’ payments for campaign purposes.
NASECORE executive director Antonio Acebedo said those funds could have been used to improve the efficiency and quality of the ECs’ services or lower electricity rates.
He said consumer funds are meant to be used exclusively for distribution and other related electric services. He called on the ERC to immediately take action to protect the interest of the consumers and impose the penalties the law demands.
As an example, the group cited the alleged P3-million allocation by Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative to party-list group Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (PHILRECA), categorized as “financial contribution.”
Acebedo noted that the use of these contributions for campaign purposes is “in clear violation of not only of election laws but, even worse, also of the Energy Regulatory Commission-approved EC Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR).”
He added that an EC is a public utility as it provides public service in lieu of the state as provided under the law and Philippine jurisprudence,.
“What is worse, the recipients of the EC contributions are party-list groups purporting to represent consumer interests,” said former Department of Energy (DOE) undersecretary Pete Ilagan, one of the NASECORE founders.
Ilagan said at least two party lists have had seats in Congress for years but have yet to present considerable achievements such as lowering of electricity rates or improving systems and structure for efficient, reliable and quality service.

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Podcast hosting platform Libsyn has appointed Meredith Krantz as the new director of brand partnerships within its AdvertiseCast team, with a goal of driving brand partnerships as well as selling podcast-first direct and programmatic ad campaigns.
AdvertiseCast is Libsyn’s advertising marketplace, with a network of over 2,900 podcasts, and is a key part of the company’s revenue strategy.
“Libsyn has built a trusted reputation as the industry pioneer with high profile exclusive shows, highly sought after podcast advertising inventory and innovative ad tools,” said Krantz. “I look forward to educating more brands on Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast differentiated strategy and the untapped opportunity with podcast advertising to drive more value to achieve measurable outcomes.”
With more than 15 years of experience, Krantz joins from her previous role as the vice president of digital partnerships at Cumulus Podcast Network, where she led the market strategy for podcast-first branded solutions within the network. Krantz’s other notable previous roles include being the senior director of partnerships at The Atlantic and sales director at Slate magazine, as well as roles at ad networks TargetSpot and Undertone.
“With a diverse growing listenership, podcast advertising remains a bright spot – especially as more advertisers look to take advantage of new programmatic capabilities,” said AdvertiseCast head of partnerships Chris Bowlby. “Meredith brings an impressive audio and digital media background and a passion for podcasts, and we’re thrilled to have her join our team to build and strengthen relationships with East Coast brands and agencies as we scale our next phase of advertising growth.”
Libsyn is continuing to expand its podcast advertising network, having reported in its recent financial and operational report that the company’s revenue grew by almost 40% in 2022 and that 57% of that came from its advertising business.
The platform has also made numerous investments in the industry including launching its subsidiary, Julep Media, in Spain, signing a data integration partnership with YouTube to share video podcast download insights, as well as numerous ad partnerships with podcasts such as award-winning horror podcast Lore.


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With the glance of the Huawei Mate 20 design and colours on leaked teaser yesterday, more details of Huawei Mate 20 has been further leaked with more detailed specifications and other unique features such as the in-screen fingerprint sensor and world first audio based recognition namely “Bone Voice ID”
In the leaked presentation slides, the Huawei Mate 20 is now revealed to fueled by a 4000mAh battery with Huawei SuperCharge 2.0 quickcharge technology that supply 70% power in 30 minutes. It also will brings wireless charging for charging or to charge other device.
Although the addition of AI Smart Zoom has yet further explained, the HiVision is something that works like Samsung Bixby Vision where it recognizes object.
While mobile phone audio truly sucks, Huawei Mate 20 Pro to bring dual stereo speakers with support of Dolby Atmos and Dolby SLS audio effect. It also will be supporting NanoSD card which is much more smaller than microSD with capacity up to 256GB.
In the meantime, it is also possible to project smartphone to a computer so that it works like a workstation, similarly with Samsung Dex.
with a wild guess, the next generation Mate line up will be powered by the new homemade processor – Kirin 980 alongside with 6GB RAM, 128GB ROM. It will also have a 6.9 inches OLED display for Pro (while the other Mate 20 will be having a 6.53 inches IPS display), 4200mAh battery and IP67 water and dust resistant.
As this render remains unverified and not from an official source, the final product could look differ from this image and let’s just hype up the excitement for awhile.


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A blog post by Hayley Margulis, Junior Associate
Covid-19 has negatively impacted the global supply chain from before the virus became a pandemic. On January 23, 2020, the world saw its first coronavirus lockdown in Wuhan, China. Since China accounts for roughly 20% of global manufacturing trade throughout all nations and is one of the major players in the global value chain, the impact of this lockdown saw rippling effects in all societies quickly.
Currently, ongoing disruptions and shutdowns from Covid-19 continue to impact business and markets worldwide, especially with lockdowns in major global ports such as China, South Korea, and Vietnam. These disruptions cause production delays, goods to pile up at ports, labor shortages, and longer wait times to replenish retail shelves. Larger scale impacts are seen with a great increase in commodity pricing, slower lead times from raw material to buyer, a bigger need to source production closer to the end consumer and relying on technology investments to increase the efficiency of each market’s supply chain.
A recent study from Ernst & Young LLP (EY) illustrates the impacts on supply chains from late 2020 to the end of 2022. The research summarizes that “Covid-19 accelerated preexisting issues in the supply chain and brought priorities such as visibility, resilience, and digitization to the fore… Across the board, protecting, retraining, and reskilling the workforce is a major priority.”
A large part of retraining and reskilling the workforce requires companies to use digital technologies to adapt to changing global environments. From the EY study done in 2022, 63% of key market areas will expand automation and invest in artificial intelligence and machine learning, which will increase efficiency of global supply chain worldwide.This has been largely due to the pressures from the pandemic and will further accelerate into the future. It is now expected that by 2035, 45% of global supply chains will be mostly autonomous.
 Andreas Illmer, Yitsing Wang and Tessa Wong, Wuhan lockdown: A year of China’s fight against the Covid Pandemic, BBC (Jan. 22, 2021), https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55628488
 Bonnie S. Glaser and David J. Bulman, China’s Dominance in Global Supply Chains, The German Marshall Fund (Sep. 20, 2022), https://www.gmfus.org/news/chinas-dominance-global-supply-chains#:~:text=Today%2C%20China%20is%20a%20major,that%20are%20essential%20for%20production.
 Six key trends impacting global supply chains in 2022, KPMG (las accessed Feb. 1, 2023), https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2021/12/six-key-trends-impacting-global-supply-chains-in-2022.html
 Sean Harapko, How COVID-19 impacted supply chains and what comes next, Ernst & Young (Jan. 6, 2023), https://www.ey.com/en_us/supply-chain/how-covid-19-impacted-supply-chains-and-what-comes-next


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Too Long; Didn't Read
Hyundai showed a concept for flying cars at the CES conference. The first tests of the machines should begin in 2020, and they plan to launch them in 2023 in Dallas, as well as in Los Angeles. The concept was developed under the Uber service, even a city station that will serve the cars is offered. The industry entered the moment when it is ready to offer inexpensive and high-quality solutions. Many companies are participating in this race, and a breakthrough is not far off. The cost of autopilot components will decrease markedly, but it will not mean a general decrease in the cost of the autopilot itself.


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According to FierceWireless, Samsung will formally announce its U.S. carrier partners and launch date(s) for the 7" Galaxy Tab Android-based tablet this Thursday, September 16th, in New York. Bloomberg reports that AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will all carry the Galaxy Tab, and that the price of the device will be $200 to $300, depending on carrier subsidies. According to Bloomberg, AT&T and Sprint have decided on their subsidies, while Verizon is still uncertain.
The Galaxy Tab can be used as a smartphone, but given its size, most customers are likely to keep their existing phones. If carriers require a full phone account in order to get a subsidized Galaxy Tab, it's likely to lose a great deal of its potential market. On the other hand, if the carriers offer both reasonably-priced data-only subscriptions along with conventional voice and data plans, interest in the tablet should translate into significant sales.
Previous reports indicated that the Galaxy Tab will ship next month in Europe, and that it will ship in the U.S. in November, in time for the holiday sales season.


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Muscat, 14 Nov (ONA) — The nominal GDP, as per the preliminary data released by National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), showed an increase of 10.1 percent over the first half of 2021 over the same period of 2020.
The expansion was driven by increase in output of the hydrocarbon sector by 8.7 percent and non-hydrocarbon sector by 11.1 percent. The Omani oil average price during Jan-Sept 2021 at $60.9 per barrel was higher by 45.1 percent than that in Jan-Sept 2020.
The average daily oil production at 961.3 thousand barrels during Jan-Sept 2021 increased by 0.9 percent. Oman’s average Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a y-o-y inflation of 0.9 percent during the period Jan-Sept 2021.
The other depository corporations (ODCs) consist of conventional and Islamic banks in Oman. The total outstanding credit extended by ODCs grew by 4.9 percent to RO 27.7 billion at the end of September 2021, while credit to the private sector demonstrated moderate increase of 2.6 percent (Y-o-Y) to reach RO 23.4 billion.
The non-financial corporate sector received the highest share of the total private sector credit, over 46.4 percent, followed by household sector accounted for 45.2, at end-September 2021. The share of financial corporations was 4.9 percent and other sectors received the remaining 3.5 percent of the total private sector credit as at end- September 2021.
Total deposits held with ODCs registered a Y-o-Y growth of 2.7 percent to reach RO 25.0 billion at the end of September 2021. Total private sector deposits increased by 5.2 percent to RO 17.2 billion. In terms of sector-wise composition of private sector deposits, the biggest share goes to household deposits at 51.5 percent, followed by non-financial corporations at 32.4 percent, financial corporations at 13.7 percent and the other sectors at 2.4 percent.


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Today we interview Danielle, Google Ads specialist, about the future of Google Automation and its impact on advertising
When do you think the move by Google to full automation only will take place?
Speaking to our Google representatives, the change is imminent. Google’s technical team are no longer working on progressing manual Google Ads campaigns, their full energy is being deployed to smart and automated advancements.
I think it would be a risky move for Google to make this change within the next few months, but I do know they are prone to make changes like this around Black Friday. We have to be prepared for a scenario where they could change this at any point, so that there are no shocks in store for our accounts.
How will Google make the change?
The first thing we will see disappear is manual cpc, and potentially enhanced cpc options, now that this is no longer deemed an automated strategy.
I don’t believe Google will automatically turn this off, or switch your current campaigns over to an automated strategy without warning. However, I think it will follow a similar pattern to when they phased out standard text ads. They may just make creating new campaigns on manual strategies obsolete.
Eventually, even the traditional automation techniques will be phased out in favour of smart campaigns, but that will be certainly a few steps ahead of the initial switch over.
How should businesses be implementing automation onto their Google Ads accounts?
With caution! As an agency we are not opposed to automation, we have many accounts that have thrived from its advancements. However, we have seen many new client’s coming onboard that have been wasting substantial amounts of money with little, sometimes no return using automation techniques.
It has been an unusual time for trends in consumer patterns during Covid-19. It has affected brands’ normal seasonality patterns, sometimes for the worst but in other cases better too. I have been seeing that some automated campaigns haven’t been able to adapt quick enough to this sporadic change in user behaviour which has forced me to temporarily switch back to a more controlled bidding strategy. Now we are starting to see markets becoming less volatile and consistency is starting to return. Therefore, I would maybe wait a few weeks and then dip your digital toes into the arena on a small scale first.
It is important to keep in mind that with any automated campaign there is a learning phase. You have to be in a position to accommodate this. It is inevitable that you will have to try some kind of automation soon, if you don’t already do so, or you will undeniably risk falling behind your competition. Which automation strategy you will try will depend on the level of historical data (ie. conversions) and the industry you exist within.
From your experience, how do you think automation has been working this year so far in regards to specific Google networks?
In my opinion, the shopping network has shown much more sophistication than the search network with it’s drive towards automation.
If we look at fully automated smart campaigns then shopping definitely comes up top. The level of return you can achieve from this is evidence of that. Smart search seems too broad in its approach to the targeting.
If we look at the search networks move to ‘responsive’ ad text creatives in 2018, we were all excited by the concept of the new ads. Two years later we still have little visibility on their true metrics and we have seen barely any additional improvements by applying them to our campaigns. On the odd occasion it will improve CTR but the results are not overwhelming or even worth reporting.
In regards to service and ecommerce businesses operating on the search network, I would recommend that you opt for what we deem as more ‘traditional’ automation techniques such as target CPA, maximize conversions, or maximize conversion value cost. I would naturally stay away from maximize clicks in most cases too, just based on historical performance with trialling this strategy on accounts before. Smart search, the verdict isn’t completely out yet but we are not a big advocate either.
Looking at the shopping network, in some circumstances smart shopping is a great option. We believe the intelligence behind this is much more secure in obtaining results. You also have more control. You can control which products are showing and can optimize your feed to improve results too. I think due to shopping having a smaller optimizations base anyway, such as no demographic bids and less ‘traditional’ automation options in comparison to search, it feels like less of a jump to take.
In terms of the display network, both the search and shopping smart campaigns tend to take the responsibility for display themselves. This means less reliance on the requirement to source graphics. However, if you are using more traditional automation techniques, the display network is still important. I regularly opt for a maximize conversion strategy as this tiers users depending on the timescale of their last visit and if their interest is still on the relevant topics.
“Looking at the shopping network, in some circumstances smart shopping is a great option. We believe the intelligence behind this is much more secure in obtaining results.”
What are the main benefits and drawbacks of Google Ads automation?
Well technically it is meant to save time, and in one sense this is true for the initial set up and ongoing bid management. However, the analysis still needs to take place. It would be detrimental to stick all your products or keywords into one campaign and forget to even check them. You will need to set up dashboard reports in order to understand progress and to set up warning flags should the campaigns not perform as intended.
Google claims that their artificial intelligence can pick up on buying signals much more efficiently than humanly possible. This must actually be true. Google collects an unimaginable amount of data about everyone daily. This is kept private but is accessible to the automation bots. This, I would say, is the core benefit to opting in towards an automated strategy. However, what is suspicious is that we cannot even view the search terms for those that found our brand via the search or shopping network within a smart campaign. This would not break any privacy regulations but would just allow visibility to the business owner. Somehow, that doesn’t sit quite right, a compromise would be good.
The major drawback to automation is that Google is relinquishing as much control from the business owner as possible. Even if we take a look at the automated recommendations, Google now takes into account your optimization score similarly to quality score. Within the optimization score it contains aspects such as ‘increasing your budget’. This is unfair to business owners that are not financially in the situation to do this until results improve.
‘Automation will take our jobs’ is often what I hear on different forums, do you believe this is true?
This will never be the case. In fact, the move towards automation has pushed us to think even more creatively about how to control an automated campaign that truthfully, Google wants us not to meddle with. Most business owners do not want to stop at ‘ok’ results, it is a process to continually improve revenue and leads If anything, those with a limited knowledge of Google Ads will need our assistance more than ever as Google makes everything a little less obvious than it has been before.


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The US state of California has that nation’s first all electric school bus. Green Car Reports says the bus, which operates in the Fresno area, can carry 25 students and has an estimated range of between 80 and 100 miles. It is expected an EV will save around 16 gallons of diesel fuel per day, which equates to a total annual savings of around $16,000.
Digital Journal believes there will be a “surging” global market for electric vehicles in 2014 and beyond. The demand for EVs is being driven by an ever increasing supply of new models by auto manufacturers, falling retail prices for EVs, declining production costs as auto makers reach economies of scale, and the spread of EV charging stations in many countries around the world. See also EV World, Electric Cars Set to Bring Consumer Benefits which adds low maintenance costs to the list.
The small US east coast state of Delaware is going to install EV charging stations throughout the state reports InsideEVs. Delaware has announced it will install free (at least until the end of 2014) public charging stations no more than 50 miles apart throughout the entire state. The chargers will be fast Level II units. 50 miles apart is the battery range for the least expensive electric vehicle models today.
To overcome concerns about electric vehicle range anxiety, Tesla is building coast-to-coast “superchargers” network for its model S owners in the US. You can see a map of the charging network here. According to Daily Tech, owners of the Model S can now drive across the US for the first time, as the automaker has successfully placed Supercharger stations from Los Angeles to New York. A Model S battery holds an estimated 265-mile range with a full battery charge. The 30 minute quick charge at each of the 70 Tesla Supercharger stations will provide about 170 miles of range and take away the concern that the driver will not have anywhere to recharge.
Elon Musk tweet on January 28th: “Tesla Supercharger network now energized from New York to LA, both coast + Texas! Approx 80% of US population covered.” Musk is the founder and CEO of Tesla Motors.
VIRTUAL-STRATEGY tells us the Chinese city of Nanjing has ordered 1000 electric buses and taxis. The city has ordered 600 buses and 400 taxis. Some of the taxis are already in operation.
We are informed by the Indian Express that the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has reached an agreement with Nissan to supply EVs for its taxis and government fleet. The tiny country is hoping to reduce reliance on imported oil. Under the agreement, Nissan will supply its Leaf electric car and set up charging stations in Bhutan. The Leaf is the world’s best-selling EV, selling over 100,000 units so far since going on sale in late 2010, comprising 45% of the global electric car market.
There were articles this week about wireless electric car chargers. WebProNews said Wireless Electric Car Chargers Are Coming while environmental LEADER wrote Wireless Charging Market Grows. The latter suggests that within a decade wireless charging could be a common method of charging EV batteries.
Wireless charging systems are in the pilot phase and are expected to remain so for another few years. By 2015-2016, cars with built-in wireless charging capability will be available from several major automakers.
BusinessCar reports an electric vehicle charge payment card is available in the UK. Auto leasing firm Alphabet has launched a charge card for EVs as part of its Alpha Electric plug-in car programme. The card means business users can top-up vehicles at more than 85% of public electric vehicle charging points in the UK as part of a tie-up with EV charging specialist Chargemaster. Each card costs a flat fee of £20 per year and drivers will be billed monthly for their electric usage. A significant portion of the UK EV charging network is currently free to use due to Government subsidies. Drivers will be able to locate compatible charging points through the Alphabet’s app and website.


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On Saturday, August 26, the Oregon District Business Association is putting on its second annual District Day event. The free, family-friendly event will begin at 1:00 pm and end at 6:00 pm. Start (or finish) your adventure at the Bier Garden at Fifth and Pine streets and explore the businesses of the Oregon District.
District Day is a chance for people to enjoy the vibrancy of the Historic Oregon District by sampling food from participating restaurants, browsing through retailer’s sidewalk sales, and enjoying live music from local bands and DJs, sponsored by WYSO. There is no admission to participate in activities, but bring cash for the bier garden or if you’d like to patronize one of the District businesses! (Most merchants and restaurants accept major credit cards.)
This year, the event will feature:
- a “Bier Garden” set up with a beer truck serving local beer
- three live funk bands
- dance performances
- WYSO’s Basim Blunt as emcee
- face painting for children, courtesy of Gem City Tattoo Club
- inflatable games
- cornhole boards and other giant games
It’s Saturday, so on-street parking at metered spaces is free! Look for the brightly colored Oregon District parking signs for more free on-street parking, or use the Transportation Center Garage or paid lots in the District for convenient, affordable options.


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updated 03:55 pm EDT, Thu September 17, 2009
Case raises fairness issues
Apple is giving special support treatment to at least one iPhone developer, according to the latter party. CEO Mike Simon of LogMeIn has revealed that he now has a private phone number he can call regarding Ignition, the company's remote access app. The software has an unusually high price of $30, and is said to have generated at least $1 million for LogMeIn since its December introduction.
Simon explains that the company was initially contacted several months ago by an Apple representative, who offered ongoing help for any problems that might arise with the App Store. It is not certain why LogMeIn would warrant the extra attention, but reasons could include the company's financial clout, and the inclusion of Ignition in Apple advertising. The app has appeared in TV spots and in publications like the Wall Street Journal.
LogMeIn's relationship with Apple stands in contrast to that of most iPhone developers, who can only communicate via e-mail. A number have complained that should an app be rejected, Apple representatives will often provide only vague reasons for the denial, with no suggestions for how to get something approved. The company has made modest attempts at branching out to developers, but the efforts are not yet systemic.


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By Christopher Hamman
As Spring approaches, the US economy faces several uncertainties, with Treasury Yields falling lower than expected.
South Dakota’s legislature seems bent on redefining commerce with the prohibition of cryptocurrencies as money.
Stripe and Wix increased payment accessibility for iPhone users with contactless “Tap to Pay” functionality, and the Project Amber Consortium has fallen into oblivion, or so it seems.
Here’s your week in Digital Wealth!
WealthTech, RegTech and Treasury
Based on information from several sources, the sell-side firms and financial institutions involved with Project Amber abandoned it last year, with three banks reportedly pulling out.
Participating organizations conceived Project Amber as a potential competitor to trading platforms in the fixed-income industry, and was backed by a consortium with connectivity and effective execution management in the bond markets as targets.
Project Neptune, a 2015 buy-side effort backed by banks that linked dealers and clients, preceded Project Amber.
Bloomberg and Man Group agreed to develop, over the next few years, ArcticDB an open-source, Python-driven database product that addresses the various office research issues buy-side and sell-side institutions face.
The product will be deployed on Bloomberg’s BQuant.
Fixed Income and Derivatives solutions provider TransF ICC announced the launch of its eTrading service in response to improving Request For Quote (RFQ) processes.
The eTrading service integrates a desktop GUI with price APIs and IRS channels over secure connections.
The service also allows for seamless deployment for financial institutions in less than 14 days.
Crypto, Blockchain and Digital Assets
South Dakota State House of Representatives
The South Dakota State House of Representatives introduced a 117-page amendment to the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) that limits using cryptocurrencies as money.
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) were exempted.
Goldman Sachs indicated its readiness to expand its digital asset team as it introduced “GS DAP”, its global tokenization blockchain solution.
The privately owned and operated blockchain completed successful trials in Hong Kong in a $100 million green bond sale.
Fintech, Personal Finance and Apps
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
According to a recent survey from the CFPB, “a majority of BNPL borrowers would face credit card interest rates between 19% and 23% annually if they had chosen to make their purchase using a credit card.”
They also mostly have average credit scores of 580-669 in the subprime category.
Most BNPL users only have fallbacks if they make payments on time.
Popular all-in-one website, hosting, and design platform Wix and Stripe have partnered to deploy “Tap to Pay” capabilities for iPhone users who are US-based merchants on the Wix platform.
The solution will enable seamless payments on the go from contactless debit and credit cards without extra hardware.
Cloud-based analytics solutions firm RiskSpan revealed the addition of Flexible Loan Segmentation to its data analytics platform, Edge.
This enables users to choose between loan analysis and representative analytics for bias-free and optimal results.
It also allows for optimal computational costs and improves the decision-making process for financial professionals.
Banking, Payments and Infrastructure
Five Democratic Senators, Robert Menendez-Ohio Jack Reed- Rhode Island, Mark Warner-Virginia, Elizabeth Warren-Massachusetts, and Sherrod Brown-Ohio wrote the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and the National Credit Union Administration over the fraud risks posed by Zelle’s business model.
According to the Senators, Zelle’s ease of use enables seamless payments, but there needs to be a focus on compliance with AML and consumer protection laws.
First Fidelity Bank (FFB)/Episode Six (E6)
Oklahoma-based First Fidelity Bank revealed the launch of its new Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform, developed in partnership with Episode Six (E6), a top-tier banking and payment solutions provider.
The low-cost solution allows for all kinds of flexibility, including
real-time payments, card issuing and processing, extended KYC/AML capabilities, and fraud detection and control mechanisms.
Unifimoney, a digital wealth management solutions provider for community banks and credit unions, has been onboarded on the platform.
Seattle-based Remitly announced the shutdown of Passbook, its immigrant-focused banking app.
During an earnings call, CEO Matt Oppenheimer revealed a shift in corporate strategy and a focus on other products within the payment giant’s ecosystem.
He also indicated that the app’s features will be integrated into other products and services.
Remitly will disable deposits on Passbook on March 23 besides the MoneyBoost service channel. Debit cards will be scrapped on April 20, and the service will send funds not drawn down back to customers after account closures on May 1.
REtech, Insurtech and Investing
New York-based Sure partnered with Esusu, a FinTech that utilizes rent reporting as a basis fr credit building for renters insurance.
Per the partnership, Esusu will provide renters insurance via Sure’s platforms and will enable improved financial aspirations for underserved communities.
Esusu provides rent data to the “big three” credit bureaus, including Experian, Transunion, and Equifax.
AXA XL/Document Crunch
AXA XL, the American subsidiary of the global insurance giant, partnered with contract SaaS firm Document Crunch to provide contract benchmarking for the construction insurance industry.
Per the partnership, Document Crunch’s data mining capabilities will improve negotiation conditions and enable the identification of trends, insights, and opportunities.


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ST. PETERSBURG — Say this for the Rays:
They are innovative and unafraid. It is not an exaggeration to say they have helped revolutionize the way Major League Baseball executives think when it comes to evaluating players and performance.
Also say this for the Rays:
They have trouble connecting with people. You can blame demographics for the team’s attendance woes, but it’s also true that ownership has never figured out a better way of reaching Tampa Bay’s fans.
Those two concepts seemed to collide on Friday when the team announced that Tropicana Field would be the nation’s first completely cashless venue in 2019.
It’s a bold idea, and the Rays say plenty of research indicates it will lead to a better, more streamlined fan experience at the stadium. That may be true in theory. And it may be the wave of the future.
But it ignores the reality that a lot of people, for whatever reason, prefer to use cash. Even worse, this unilateral decision carries an unmistakable whiff of arrogance.
We know what’s best for you.
Essentially, that’s what the Rays are saying. And that’s a horrible message to send when you’re in the business of trying to attract more customers. Especially when you’re the worst in the league at that skill.
I’m not saying Rays ownership is to blame for the team’s historically bad attendance problems. The fact that Miami, a similar market, also draws poorly indicates an endemic problem. The fact the Rays also drew poorly before the current ownership group took over is another clue.
But I am saying, for all their innovation on the baseball side of the business, the Rays have never been particularly adept at forging a relationship with local people.
And this is one more example.
It would be one thing if the Rays were offering something innovative as an alternate choice for fans. But they’re not doing that. They’re offering something innovative as the only choice for fans.
That distinction is important. It’s got a very take-it-or-leave-it quality to it. Maybe you can do that when you’re selling out a stadium, and fans can’t wait to open their wallets to give you more money.
But it seems self-defeating to dictate conditions to an indifferent fan base.
I’m sure the Rays already anticipated pushback. It’s why they’ll be offering gift cards for purchase at retail outlets and with roaming vendors inside Tropicana Field. They’ll say it’s just like using cash. Except for this:
It’s actually adding another layer of hassle, which is the exact opposite of the team’s stated intention.
Now I realize one of the tenets of the entertainment business is getting fans to spend money in advance so they don’t change their minds at the last minute. That’s why The Who is already selling tickets in January for a concert in September. That’s why the Rays tack on a day-of-game surcharge on tickets.
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So getting fans to buy gift cards in advance almost guarantees they will show up at Tropicana Field for some upcoming homestand, and that seems like a good business strategy.
But what do you do with a $10 gift card that has $2 left on it? Do you now have to buy a second gift card so you can combine them to pay for your next $8 beer? And what about all of those gift cards that get lost or forgotten with $2 left on them? That’s free money in the team’s pocket.
So, yes, I can see the appeal from the team’s point of view.
I’m just not sure every fan will see it the same way.
Contact John Romano at firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow @romano_tbtimes


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Volvo will finally unveil the compact XC40 crossover next week, but thanks to Volvo Hungary we have an early look at the Volvo XC40.
Earlier today, Volvo released a teaser video of the new XC40, but its Hungary division accidentally posted a different version of the video, which fully reveals the XC40.
At first glance, the XC40 doesn’t differ that much from the Volvo 40.1 concept that previewed it. You’ll see a few changes to its front fenders, mirrors, door handles and lower front bumper. Other than that everything else is pretty much the same thing, which is good news for fans of the original concept.
The XC40’s interior will get lots of unique tricks to maximize its space, but from here we can see that the interior will also get a large touchscreen, like the XC60 and XC90 models.
The XC40 will be Volvo’s first model based on its Compact Modular Architecture, which will be used for the rest of the 40-Series lineup. We don’t know yet what all the powertrain options will be, but the one option will be a 1.5L three-cylinder turbocharged engine. The XC40 is also expected to get Volvo’s four-cylinder engine and also offer a plug-in hybrid version that will pair a three-cylinder engine to an electric motor and 7-speed dual clutch transmission.
Even though the Volvo XC40 will have its debut next week on September 21, Volvo has not announced exactly when it will be available. It will most likely arrive in the U.S. sometime next year as a 2019 model.


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Jaguar Cars’ global managing director Bibiana Boerio is stepping down after three years in the role. She will be replaced by the struggling luxury carmaker’s North American president Mike O’Driscoll.
Thirty-year Ford veteran Boerio was Jaguar’s finance director from 1995 to 2000, before leaving to become Ford Credit’s executive vice-president and chief financial officer. She rejoined Jaguar as managing director in 2004 and has overseen huge changes at the iconic British marque, which Ford is preparing to sell along with Land Rover.
O’Driscoll has almost 30 years experience with Jaguar and Ford and has held a number of senior sales and marketing roles in the UK and the US. He joined Jaguar Rover Triumph in 1975 as a business student and went on to become marketing and product planning manager for Jaguar North America in 1987. He was appointed general sales manager for Jaguar in the US in 1992 and after four years with Ford and Lincoln Mercury he returned to Jaguar in 1999 as president of North America.
Jaguar and Land Rover chief executive Geoff Polites says: “Mike has worked closely with Bibie Boerio over the past three years as we have put in place the strategy to rebuild Jaguar. He has a strong understanding of the brand and the market and will lead Jaguar into the next phase.”
Boerio, who is retiring, will continue as a member of the board of directors for Vista Maria, a non-profit organisation supporting high-risk girls in Michigan in the US. She has also been chairman of the Coventry Business Group in support of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the UK.


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Twelve people have been hospitalized in a salmonella outbreak linked to pig-ear dog treats, the feds said Friday.
The Centers for Disease Control reported that a total of 45 recent cases of salmonella originated from the treats, affecting people in New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Dakota, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and California.
A dozen of those sickened had to be hospitalized, officials said.
Individuals appear to have gotten sick from touching the dog treats or a pet that was given the treat, the feds said.
“Pets should also be discouraged from licking you or other family members particularly in the face, and it is also important to clean items in the home that may have come into contact with contaminated pig ears or pet food,” they advised.
The first case was reported in November, and the most recent surfaced in June.
The US Food and Drug Administration said it is working with stores to remove the treats from the marketplace and better determine how they are being distributed.
Those who have been sickened range in age from under a year to 81.


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This year, the company has seen the culmination of its significant investments and efforts in setting up an efficient mechanism for the collection of plastics, creating a network of corporate partnerships and increasing consumer awareness.
These efforts collectively seek to raise Sri Lanka’s recycling rate of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastics from around 15% at present to 20% to 25% by the end of 2022.
“Recycling requires collaboration between diverse stakeholders, ranging from households to collectors to the private sector and beyond. Hence, Eco Spindles identified that creating a cohesive ecosystem for recycling is critical in laying a foundation for a culture of recycling in Sri Lanka. We have managed to bring the necessary stakeholders and build such a foundation to strengthen and expand recycling in the country,” explained Manoj Udawatte, CEO – Eco Spindles Recycling.
The company’s investments in recycling infrastructure enable Eco Spindles to collect approximately 6 million PET bottles monthly in Sri Lanka. This is expected to increase to more than 9 million PET bottles once the tourism industry recovers.
These PET plastics are collected through corporate and other partners, collectors and drop-off bins for consumers/households. Drop-off bins can be located using the ‘Waste 2 Value’ mobile app available on the Google Play Store and (Apple) App Store. Currently, there are more than 400 drop-off bins in the Western Province and 50 in other areas in Sri Lanka. By the end of 2022, Eco Spindles intends to more than double this network by having 700 drop-off bins in the Western Province and 300 in other areas of the country – bringing the total within the island to 1,000.
The company has also mobilized a network of collectors to obtain used PET bottles. Currently, more than 500 collectors are registered with the company. In addition to strengthening recycling, this provides an essential source of additional income to low-income groups – such as coastal communities– particularly since the company pays the highest rate in the market for PET bottles.
Eco Spindles’ network of corporate and other partners also play a vital role. For example, the company has placed large metal bins (able to hold 1,500 PET bottles) at its own expense or through the support of partners at locations such as schools, hotels, restaurants, public parks, police stations and bus stands. In instances where the partner bears the cost of the bin, Eco Spindles passes on the saving to the collectors by increasing their rate of remuneration. An external partner has been contracted to ensure that the bins operate at the optimum level.
The company has also set up 3 Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) centres, while the 4th MRF centre is expected to be opened in Pelawatte by March 2022. These MRF centres collect multiple forms of waste such as aluminium, glass, paper and other forms of plastic waste, help to develop and strengthen the regional waste collection network in the area and process the collected PET bottles. Hence, they also provide additional sources of income to the MRF operators, since other types of waste can be sold to corporates which utilise waste as raw materials in their manufacturing.
Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka supports the two MRF centres in Ratnapura and Panadura as a corporate partner, while the other is located in Negombo. In addition, Eco Spindles has a network of 19 PET processing centres around the country. These sites compress PET bottles into dense blocks before they are transported to the Eco Spindles recycling facility in Horana.
In line with these developments, which will increase the amount of PET bottles collected for recycling, Eco Spindles is also further boosting its capacity to produce yarn from recycled PET. While currently, the capacity is around 1.95 million PET bottles monthly, this will be more than doubled to 4.5 million PET bottles by March 2022, with the commissioning of a new yarn plant.
While these developments have laid a solid foundation for the recycling of PET bottles in the country, further expansion of these efforts require assistance from other stakeholders. Increasing awareness among households – particularly on aspects like segmenting waste for recycling – is vital. It is also crucial to improve the design of consumer products to enable the entire product to be recycled. To do so, the Government’s support is required on legislation and regulations.


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EU Calls For Universal Smartphone Charging Points to Reduce E-Waste
The European Union is in the process of drafting new legislation that would call for smartphone and tablet manufacturers to agree on and implement a new universal charging standard, aimed at decreasing the rising rates of electronic waste and improve the customer experience.
The proposed legislation is responsible, according to the European Union for “more than 51,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year,” was first proposed in the European Parliament back in 2009, which called for a “harmonised charging system”, which was followed by the 2014 ‘Radio Equipment Directive’ which called for a common charger to be developed.
According to the European Parliament’s website, “the commission’s approach of ‘encouraging’ industry to develop common chargers fell short of the co-legislators’ objectives. The voluntary agreements between industry players have not yet yielded results.”
“A common charger should fit all mobile phones, tablets, e-book readers and other portable devices, MEPs will insist. The debate on Monday will be wound up by a resolution in a forthcoming plenary session,” they concluded.
Pundits have pointed out that the majority of recently-manufactured Android phones from Samsung, Huawei, Oppo and Google are already fitted with USB-C charging ports, and therefore the EU’s move could be seen as a thinly veiled attempt at getting US tech-giant Apple on board.
Apple made its response to the European Union stating that e-waste would continue, regardless of a universal charging port; the company claims that there is one-billion Apple manufactured ‘lightning’ charging ports, which would have to be discarded if users were to upgrade to a new one- in essence, the policy would be self-defeating of its principles. Pundits have pointed out that the company could be seen, however, as motivated by sales of its proprietary charging cables and accessories.
The roadmap of the proposed legislation can be accessed here.


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Footwear retailer Eneslow is stepping out on Second Avenue, just in time for its 100th anniversary. The company, which specializes in orthopedic shoes, signed a 15-year lease for its second Manhattan location, taking 2,000 square feet at 1504 Second Ave., between East 78th and East 79th streets. The asking rent was $120 a square foot.
Eneslow will replace the departed Foot Solutions at the Upper East Side spota development that will be cheered by area residents, who complain that they miss having a place to buy comfortable shoes.
[The new store] is near a number of hospitals and health care professional offices that send us a lot of clients, says Eneslow's owner, Robert Schwartz. The retailer already has offices and a store on Park Avenue, as well as a location in Queens. Since an extensive build-out is not needed, Mr. Schwartz plans to open for business on Earth Day, April 22.
Our business is all about sustainability, after 100 years, he says.
Candice Dobbs, president of Dobbs Associates Inc., represented both Eneslow and landlord William Friedland.


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Second Sight initiative will target local communities to recycle glasses for use in the developing world, writes Anita Pati.
Vision Aid Overseas has hooked up with the national chain of opticians Kodak Lens Vision Centres to launch its Second Sight Project, which aims to provide spectacles to 200 million people in the developing world.
The initiative is Vision Aid's first co-ordinated collection and fundraising campaign, according to deputy director Jeremy Jalie. "Kodak approached us to help with our spectacle recycling, but I said it would be more effective if we took the opportunity to approach spectacle donors and fundraise," said Jalie.
All 32 participating Kodak Lens centres will distribute materials such as leaflets and collection envelopes, with the aim of encouraging their local communities to give old spectacles together with a £1 donation.
Jalie said Vision Aid Overseas had a backlog of spectacles collected from organisations such as Rotary Clubs, but needed the funds to distribute them. He expects the partnership to raise at least £10,000, given the number of spectacles currently donated, but hopes that fundraising activities can be developed further in the future.
Vision Aid Overseas has also engaged the community by enlisting the help of inmates from six prisons across the country who have been trained to sort, clean, fix and grade the lenses using an automatic meter. These spectacles will be sent back to the charity's Crawley office, from where they will be distributed.
Vision Aid volunteer optometrists will travel to developing countries to carry out professional eye examinations and fit the spectacles to as close a prescription match as possible.
The charity currently sends 100 opticians per year to 23 countries to make sure there are always opticians in the field, but the Second Sight Project will focus on Malawi, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia and Ghana.
Commenting on his trip to Burkina Faso last year, optometrist Minaz Mamdani from the Kodak Lens centre in Bishop's Stortford said: "It was a humbling experience to spend 15 minutes providing recycled glasses that would make such a difference to people's lives." Mamdani will volunteer again this year in Uganda.
Nicky Mills, retail marketing manager at Kodak Lens, said the company chose Vision Aid as its first charity partnership because it offered a relevant fit. "In Kodak we have a powerful brand that the public trusts," she said. "We have linked up with another trusted name in Vision Aid Overseas."
She said that the Kodak lens centres provided ideal local points for the public to take their glasses to, and added that the opticians should be able to capitalise on the international status of the Kodak brand.
- Vision Aid Overseas has linked up with Kodak Lens Vision Centres nationwide to launch its Second Sight Project
- The initiative is the charity's first co-ordinated collection and fundraising campaign and should raise at least £10,000
- All 32 participating Kodak Lens centres will encourage their local communities to hand in old spectacles together with a £1 donation
- Prisoners will help by sorting, cleaning and grading the lenses
- Volunteer optometrists will travel to developing countries to carry out professional eye examinations.


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MIDDAY Midwest Digest, August 3, 2018MIDDAY Midwest Digest, August 3, 2018
Max Armstrong talks about more brick and mortar bankruptcy filings, and state fair action including butter sculptures and new foods to try.
August 3, 2018
Brookstone has filed bankruptcy for a second time, planning to close all of its remaining mall stores. Declining foot traffic, along with management blunders, took it down.
State fair action is picking up in August. The Iowa State Fair butter sculpter will tackle a Waterloo Boy replica for the fair, which opens in less than a week.
There are also new foods to eat at the state fairs this week.
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Nokia 5, the bigger variant of the Nokia 3 and the smaller version of the Nokia 6 will be up for preorder on Friday in the country. HMD Global, back on June 13 announced the Android powered Nokia smartphones in India revealing the preorder dates. The Nokia 3 is already available across the country and can be purchased only via offline stores in India.
The same applies to the Nokia 5 as well because it's an offline-only model priced at Rs. 12,499. The premium Nokia 6 will be available for preorder from July 14 on Amazon India for Rs. 14,999. However, HMD Global did not inform when the devices will be available for sale directly. Also, the preorder offers aren't clear at the moment.
Nokia has recently pushed the July security patch update for the Nokia 6, and it's the first phone to receive the update. The update will be rolled out to Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 devices as well in coming days. The Nokia 5 is a decent mid-range priced smartphone that has entry-level specifications on board.
The device has a 5.2-inch HD display, which is a major letdown because of other phones in the same price range feature Full HD screens. Nevertheless, the Nokia 5 is available in the offline market. The device is fuelled by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, which is an octa-core chip, accompanied by 2GB of RAM and Adreno 505 GPU.
The phone comes with 16GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 128GB via a dedicated microSD card slot. Nokia has added a 13MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus (PDAF), and dual-LED flash. The phone comes with an 8MP front-facing camera.
The device runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat update and is backed by a 3000mAh battery. Connectivity options in the device include 4G LTE, VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, and micro USB port. The Nokia 5 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.


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As part of T-Hub’s third anniversary, TNM will be featuring five startups that have been with T-Hub, India's largest incubator for startups, since its inception and that have grown into success stories.
At the beginning of 2018, the startup community in India received a shot in the arm when a startup from the country became the first ever Indian firm to be shortlisted for, and even go on to win the Circular Economy awards at the World Economic Forum. To Hyderabad, it was a bigger honour, because this startup, Banyan Nation, was from the city, and a part of its startup engine, T-Hub.
A plastic recycling startup, Banyan Nation won the Dell People’s Choice Award for Circular Economy Entrepreneur. With a vision to solve the country’s management challenges through technology, Banyan Nation was founded by Mani Vajipey and Raj Madangopal nearly five years ago.
The startup leverages data intelligence to integrate thousands of last mile, informal waste collectors and large bulk waste generators into its supply chain. It initially mapped out waste collectors across Hyderabad through a mobile app and was engaged in segregating and recycling plastic.
It has now built a data intelligence platform that helps identify, track, collect and analyse data of the waste flow in a city to improve waste management. The platform is in various stages of development in Hyderabad, Warangal and other parts of Telangana.
Developing near-virgin plastic
One of the first startups to be a part of T-Hub, Banyan Nation is now also working to create a circular economy for plastics. It is also working with popular global brands such as Tata Motors, L’Oréal and top FMCG brands, which have a mandate to include recycled plastic in their packaging. It specialises in high-density polyethylene plastic, which is used for packaging detergent, shampoo, engine oil, etc.
It has now developed a proprietary plastic cleaning technology that converts collected plastic waste into near-virgin quality recycled granules (Better Plastic™), which global brands can use to make mainstream products and for packaging. Its proprietary technology cleans plastic by removing the remnants of a product, like labels, adhesives, oil and paint, from plastic waste and creates recycled plastic that is as good as virgin plastic, in terms of quality.
“Our technology has been developed to cater to the Indian type of waste. In India, post-consumer waste is a mixed bag. You have shampoo bottles, oil cans, parachute bottles, engine oil bottles, etc. and the inks, prints and adhesives used are different here, when compared globally. We have developed a process that removes all these contaminations and gives recycled plastic, which can substitute virgin plastic,” says Raashi Agrawal, director, Banyan Nation.
The startup has signed an MoU with the Telangana government to help develop a standard operating procedure for government-generated e-waste. The government will use Banyan Nation’s IoT-enabled dashboard for waste management.
Working with several global brands, Banyan Nation today has a facility of 1,200 tonnes per annum (TPA). Having outgrown the capacity here, Banyan Nation is now in the process of setting up its second plant in Hyderabad, which will be 10 times the capacity of its current plant. This will be operational by April 2019.
Apart from the Circular Economy awards, Banyan Nation also has to its credit the Intel & DST Innovate for India Challenge 2.0, which it won in June 2017, for creating a zero-waste platform to streamline and automate urban recycling operations at all stages.
'T-Hub instrumental in our growth'
According to the startup, T-Hub played an instrumental role in this. The Intel & DST challenge collaborated with T-Hub to identify ideas that could solve complex issues at the country’s grassroots level through technology and automation, accelerating the transition to a Digital India.
Apart from that, Raashi says that Banyan Nation got some of its first contracts from Telangana, and T-Hub was instrumental in facilitating those.
“T-hub is helpful for startups that want to work with the government. It also introduced us to many large companies within its networks and we are exploring partnerships with all of them in some aspect or the other,” she adds.
Next, standardising plastic recycling
Going forward, Banyan Nation has grand visions for its growth and for waste management in the country. It wants to deal with all types of plastics and to recycle over one million tons of plastic, which will be used in mainstream applications.
Banyan Nation is revolutionizing the recycled plastic industry the way Amul revolutionized the milk industry. On one hand, Banyan’s technology and supply innovation is helping organize millions of recyclers across the country, incentivizing and facilitating collection of recyclables from waste streams - similar to the way Amul organized millions of milk farmers in the country. On the other hand, their recycling technology is helping standardize quality of recycled plastics - just like Amul's technology which helped pasteurize and standardize the quality of milk - allowing mainstream brands to trust recycled plastics as a raw material in their supply chains. "In the 70’s, India experienced Amul’s ‘White Revolution’. This decade, with Banyan at the forefront we are witnessing the plastics revolution," co-founder Mani says.


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For several months now we’ve been hearing rumors that Google’s new Android Silver program was going to replace the Nexus line of devices. This, of course, caused some uproar among the stock Android faithful. David Burke, head of Android engineering and the Nexus program at Google, spoke out in an interview today to put those rumors to rest. Speaking to Read Write, Burke said that people are simply getting excited about the concept of something new (Android Silver) and forgetting about Google’s reasons for the Nexus line in the first place.
“People just get excited by concepts and forget why we do things. We are still invested in Nexus,” he said. “People have been commenting about Nexus because there is something else and they think that means the end of Nexus. That is the totally wrong conclusion to make.”
As for the “something else” Burke mentioned, he said it was Android Silver, but that Google is not ready to comment on it just yet.
“Android Silver is not something that we are commenting on right now,” he said. But the prospect of Silver doesn’t mean that Nexus is going away.
Burke went on to explain why Google has the Nexus line of devices in the first place. He explained that the company focuses on two things at any given time, building a Nexus device and building the open source code. Without the Nexus device, Burke doesn’t know how the company would build the code.
You can’t build a platform in the abstract, you have to build a device (or devices). So, I don’t think can can or will ever go away. And then, I think Nexus is also interesting in that it is a way of us explaining how we think Android should run. It is a statement, almost a statement of purity in some respects. I don’t see why we would ever turn away from that, it wouldn’t make sense.
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Intel's Raja Koduri explains the reasoning behind the choice to have TSMC manufacture Intel's ARC graphics chips. It's about production capacity.
Sony has announced an SSD upgrade solution that's meant to be paired with the PS5 system. Under the Nextorage sub-brand, the "NEM-PA" M.2 NVMe SSD promises top-tier performance.
Specifications have leaked for AMD's upcoming Epyc "Milan-X" chips, a Zen 3 refresh which packs in the company's 3D V-Cache approach to improving performance and power consumption.
A report on the pricing evolution for several rare earth metals indispensable in electronics and semiconductor manufacturing paints a grim picture on consumer's purchase capabilities for the future.
Intel is reportedly stemming AMD's onslaught onto the server market via price reductions, taking advantage of vertical integration and the general chip shortage to sway clients away from AMD.
An international team of researchers has developed a firmware solution to the ransomware problem, detecting and stopping malicious activity on your SSD before its contents are lost to criminals.
Researchers with the Riken research center in Japan have successfully demonstrated entanglement on three qubits, up from its previously demonstrated maximum of two.
The EuroExa Supercomputer funded by the European Union will make use of technologies from a number of hardware powerhouses and aims for deployment as early as 2022.
INNO3D today announced the release of the iChill Black RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards, featuring a hybrid cooling solution
Hotels in Guangzhou, China offer up rooms with included gaming systems powered by NVIDIA RTX graphics cards - a novel way to skirt the worldwide graphics card shortages.
A team of researchers with AMD have filed a patent that looks toward a more efficient and reliable quantum computing architecture, based on the conventional multi-SIMD approach.
A class action lawsuit settlement proposal from Western Digital over SMR technology being used in NAS HDDs entitles buyers of select drives to cash payment, if claims are filed up to November 27th.
IonQ has replaced the typical silicon with a fused glass-based chip, allowing for unprecedented levels of scaling for the company's trapped-ion approach to quantum computing.
Imagination Technologies has announced the development of RISC-V-based CPUs, and aims to distribute them to both the discrete CPU market as well as towards heterogeneous computing systems.
IBM decided to join the AI accelerator party and the company has embedded its custom solution into the next generation of IBM Z mainframe chips.


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It’s nearly 50 years since the first adidas FIFA World Cup match ball, the Telstar, was unveiled at the 1970 tournament in Mexico.
For last year’s World Cup, the iconic ball was transformed using technology that is changing the face of retail across the globe. Embedded in the Telstar 18 was a near-field communication (NFC) tag through which consumers with a smartphone could gain access to a whole range of exclusive content.
It’s an example of how product digitisation is transforming retail. Technology’s benefits are no longer confined to the back office, though improving inventory management and operational efficiency are still important.
But nowadays, product digitisation can be used to change customer experience to build a much closer relationship and broader understanding of the consumer. It’s time for brand owners and retailers to dive deeper, enhancing customer engagement.
It’s time for brand owners and retailers to dive deeper, enhancing customer engagement
The key is creating a secure, unique ID for each piece of merchandise, using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to embed digital tags that can benefit retailer and consumer alike. Brands such as adidas, Mammut and many others are using NFC tags already to interact with customers; one tap with a smartphone can open up a world of added value for the consumer.
Embedding NFC tags in products enables the retailer to continue a relationship that otherwise can be broken once the consumer walks out of a store. One tap can provide access to inspirational videos, for example, or can allow the purchaser to authenticate a product or trigger a warranty.
It can unlock exclusive and dynamic content such as snow reports or connect the buyer to cool games and challenges. It can also provide information about manufacturing processes or materials, enabling consumers to see the quality of the goods being purchased. Embedded tags offer the consumer so much more than just the physical item purchased.
For high-value luxury brands, NFC tags can authenticate a product for both manufacturer and consumer. The tags cannot be cloned or removed, helping to protect a brand owner from counterfeits, grey and diversion markets or reassure the customer that they are purchasing the real deal. Given that the global impacts of counterfeiting and piracy are expected to reach $4.2 trillion by 2022, that’s a significant value.
But the process works both ways as NFC tags offer the retailer an unprecedented level of customer engagement on a large scale. Behind the scenes in the office, the factory and the shop floor, product digitisation using RFID technology brings further margin-boosting benefits.
Inventory can be accurate to 98 per cent, with a 50 per cent reduction in out-of-stocks. Sales can be boosted by up to 20 per cent, as products are directed to exactly the right place at the right time. Online purchases can be fulfilled with confidence, supply chain errors are reduced and merchandise made available across a network of stores. Shop assistants have quick and easy access to product information, providing more time to help customers with purchases. Tags can also guard against losses from theft and speed up checkout procedures.
It’s an impressive list of benefits. Product digitisation turns offline products into online platforms, enabling retailers to deepen a relationship with existing customers, reducing the need to spend time and money chasing new buyers. It’s the future of retail.
For more information please visit www.smartrac-group.com


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QSR Media talks to industry leaders heavily involved with store operations.
From robot kitchens in China to Uber Eats coming full circle with a dine-in option in the U.S., the global restaurant industry continues to witness how automation and artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping restaurant operations.
Whilst Aussies have embraced or will embrace this brave new world, a quartet of restaurant executives tell QSR Media that these ongoing changes have to be accompanied by classic factors of old: personal human service and simplicity.
“Having a team member make food with the love, care and attention that only a human can provide is important to our business. Rather than automating the creation of food, we have focused our efforts on automating cumbersome internal processes like writing rosters and taking inventory,” Domino’s CEO for Australia and New Zealand Nick Knight explained.
“The Australian market isn’t too keen on gimmicks, rather they tend to praise smart, simple and thought-provoking ideas,” The Cheesecake Shop general manager for marketing & operations Peter Dable said.
“It’s absolutely amazing what is possible through the use of AI and automation and the Aussie consumer has embraced delivery apps to a huge extent,” Muffin Break national sales and operations manager Nina Cosgrove shared. “When it comes to your daily café purchase however, I truly believe the Aussie consumer still values exceptional personal service. It’s what makes you walk past three other cafés to get to the one that knows our name and your order, that asks about your day and genuinely looks forward to welcoming you back.”
Chatime operations head Arabella Richards notes a shift occurring over the last few years where customers, especially in the Gen-Y and Gen-Z categories, demanded a “know me, know my favourite” kind of personalisation, a concept that Australia’s top delivery companies have been doubling down on.
The chain recently launched a dashboard for franchisees that provides insights for their business, whilst testing a new procurement stock management driven by predictive analytics.
“Our first self-service kiosks go live this month in Sydney at Norwest and UTS (University of Technology Sydney) and we are currently exploring facial recognition ordering, being able to provide customers suggestions as they come up to the counter, demonstrating this personalisation,” she said.
“Future advancements will see our chat bots further help customers with their ordering process, again enhancing the experience. The next stage will be voice ordering, having the ability to do this through our apps.”
From left, clockwise: Domino's CEO for ANZ Nick Knight, Chatime operations head Arabella Richards, The Cheesecake Shop general manager for marketing & operations Peter Dable and Muffin Break national sales and operations manager Nina Cosgrove. Photo credit: Supplied
Greater opportunity in ‘third space/place’ transformations
The executives collectively agree that given the increase in online shopping and delivery options, the notion of restaurants being ‘third spaces’ - a term for a place other than home or work where community life takes place - is gaining ground, creating a need for restaurants and retailers to create extraordinary experiences.
Despite believing in delivery as the ‘ultimate convenience’, Knight noted that brands should not lose focus on the in-store experience.
“We’ve invested a significant amount of money and time in making our stores more attractive for pick-up and ‘eat in’ customers; without losing focus on our delivery vision. We want to be able to cater for all customers and meal occasions,” he said.
Dable is seeing the third space idea come to life through food courts and eating strips, which are becoming “far more communal”.
“Brands like Coco Cubano have done a fantastic job at making their spaces feel like a home away from home,” he said.
Cosgrove, meanwhile, stressed the greater footfall opportunity for brands who invest in various seating needs.
“To have a space to transition between work and home and be able to use this as a time to socialise with friends is a real drawcard. Smart operations are designing new venues with multiple functional areas to accommodate several different seating needs so allow for growth of the “third space” customer,” she said.
Richards said the ‘third space’ idea should prompt operators to “think harder” about location selection.
“With delivery options creating disruption to dine-in experiences, this is key to ensure you stand apart. This shift has been seen in shopping centres over the last few years where dining is now intertwined amongst retail outlets, and no longer just situated in the traditional food courts," she said. "Restaurants need to work out what is their point of difference in this ‘third space’ ensuring you are part of the critical mass.”
The executives offered a variety of trends they are keeping a close eye on. Knight says cashless payment, autonomous delivery and plant-based eating are on the rise, hence Domino’s ongoing trial of a ‘Tap & Take’ payment model, and recent announcement about their plant-based pizzas.
“We believe there will always be a need for delivery experts, but at some point in time the demand for food to be delivered as quickly as possible will surpass the number of people available to deliver it. When that day comes, we will be ready,” he said.
For Dable, operators need to examine the opportunities in snacking for lean periods.
“The rise of snacking options and street food is one to watch and it is ultimately going to change our eating habits away from the regular three meals a day. Snacking meets the need of the consumer. But from an operations perspective, [it] addresses issues of productivity and downtime during non-peak periods,” he said. “Labour and productivity efficiency is also becoming a hot topic and brands continue to look at ways to improve their franchisees contribution margin of COGs (cost of goods sold) and labour.”
Cosgrove lauded the ‘secret menu’ push, which she says is being embraced by fast food and even fine dining.
“Whether that means a chef expanding the menu one day to include something out of the ordinary featuring a prized ingredient or the items you can order from a chain only via their app – it all speaks to a desire to feel like we as the customer are a step ahead of others,” she said, adding that Muffin Break is also keeping a close eye on food waste and coffee ground collection to divert from landfill.
“There are many who are exploring options, although there isn’t quite an option that can be executed on a mass commercial level. We are excited for the opportunities that are starting to enter the market.”
Richards sees sustainability and local sourcing as a key trend, with their UTS location being their first to launch compostable packaging in August.
“We have seen consumers continuing to be health-conscious and as a brand this will play into our menu evolution and NPD (new product development),” she said, adding that ordering via phones in tables will also be something to watch. “Social media and engaging with customers will continue to evolve, and the key will be remaining ahead of these trends to engage your customers as the platforms shift.”
All four agree, however, that thinking about convenience is a must, with customers being able to choose being critical.
“Convenience is an enormous driver of customer satisfaction and we believe we offer the ultimate convenience through delivery. Ultimately, other restaurants will determine how they can best provide convenience to their customers, but for us, it’s all about opening kitchens closer to our customers,” Knight said.
“Brands aren’t typically reshaping convenience, rather they are simply keeping up with the aggregators that are creating demand and convenience. Our role is to deliver products that meet the needs of the changing consumer,” Dable added.
“For a restaurant to play in the convenience area, there are - of course - the musts like app ordering and delivery. However, when looking at operational changes, the idea of grab-and-go and pre-order for those wanting to still get that dine in experience is very important,” Cosgrove explained.
Richards adds: “We have also seen a shift with pre-ordering...this convenience option is becoming more and more popular.”
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HHS released a proposed rule that would target “backdoor” rebates between drugmakers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), restructuring the rebate system to pass the discounts directly on to consumers.
Under the proposal, manufacturer rebates paid to PBMs, Part D plans and Medicaid managed care organizations would be excluded from safe harbor protection under the Anti-Kickback Statute. Instead, the department would create a new safe harbor for prescription drug discounts offered directly to consumers and fixed-fee service deals between PBMs and drugmakers.
Under the current rebate system, the rebates drugmakers pay to PBMs are not reflected in costs to patients, HHS said in a fact sheet on the proposed rule. The system also discourages the use of generics and biosimilars, as brand-name drug manufacturers can simply make excluding these drugs from formularies a condition of the discounts they offer.


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2012 Honda CR-V is an upcoming crossover. There's still only little information about the car. According to a source, figure on a naturally aspirated four-cylinder being the only engine available. It should displace 2.4 liters like today’s CR-V engine, and expected it to make between 180 and 200 hp. It should be powerful crossover to beat its rival.
For the 2012 model, fuel economy also should improve slightly; in front-drive spec, the current model is rated for 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. (All-wheel-drivers are rated for 21/27.)
There will be a major changes to the upcoming CR-V in the seating layout. Every CR-V has been a strictly five-seat affair. Given the long rear overhang of the car, however, it looks like there just might be room for a small third row of seats for passengers. For this 2012 CR-V, Toyota sells a three-row RAV4, but most others in the segment serve a maximum of five.
Honda promised the 2012 Honda CR-V will offer good driving dynamics, and it will be a sensible choice for Americans costumers. Yes, this next-generation CR-V will maintain the current car’s sales success. Rumored, the new CR-V will be debuted at the Los Angeles auto show this November! Stay tuned for update information about the 2012 Honda CR-V!


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Since its time of listing back in 2015, the A2 Milk Company Ltd [ASX:A2M] share price has just kept growing. The Auckland-based company has not only become a market heavyweight with a market cap of $12.2 billion, but also a money factory for investors.
Risks are growing though. With the A2M share price trading at $16.47 at the time of writing (down 2.36%), fears could be creeping in that China’s huge appetite for the company’s products could be drying up.
What’s happening at a2 Milk?
a2 Milk made themselves a fantastic business model, focusing its efforts on the places that matter most, where the company could generate the best return.
The result of this is basically a money-printing machine. Year-on-year everything just kept moving up.
So much so that when COVID-19 arrived, it was nearly a non-event in the company’s stock price.
With such a strong foundation in place and the need for baby formula, business kept ticking along.
China has proved to be the biggest growth market for a2 Milk over the years, and they’ve had a heavy reliance on a2 products since the baby formula contamination scandal, which sidelined China-based makers in preference for international brands like a2, Bellamy’s Australia, Nestlé SA and Danone SA.
But Chinese authorities are hoping to reboot confidence in the country’s recovering domestic industry. Key measures outlined by the regulators included a goal of 60% self-sufficiency for infant formula and a higher market share for domestic brands.
This measure by the Chinese government may shrink the market share available for companies like a2 Milk.
Where to from here for the A2M share price?
For the foreseeable future, a2 Milk will remain a very well-run company.
The China–Australia relationship is starting to fray — you’ve likely seen the headlines.
Let’s take a quick look at the A2M share price chart:
The A2M share price has sold off a bit on the weekly, and if it continues to decline then the levels of $15.84 and $14.03 may provide future support.
If it can find a way to turn to the upside, then the levels of $17.25 and $19.20 may become the future focus.
We will reveal our top five ASX-listed dividend stocks with a great chance of maintaining big payouts during and after the crash. Click
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The bare lots stand as bleak symbols of jobs lost and tax revenue reduced during a recession. In some cases, long-standing family businesses have crumbled. Now-quiet Chevy and Dodge dealerships also speak loudly of the unprecedented upheaval in the auto industry.
The D-FW area has close to 20 empty dealerships, totaling about 100 acres and dozens of buildings. Half of them closed recently as part of Chrysler LLC's bankruptcy, and more vacancies are likely as struggling automakers trim their sales networks.
General Motors Corp. plans to shutter 1,100 dealerships nationwide by fall 2010 under its bankruptcy reorganization, though it hasn't announced how many will close here. The D-FW area had about 240 new-car dealerships before the recent closings.
Some remaining dealers may be able to stay open by selling used cars and other brands or focusing on repair work, but the Chrysler and GM cuts will still leave Dallas and other cities with dozens of empty buildings and lots and millions of dollars in lost sales tax revenue.
"I think they really become a blight, and they make an area look really depressed," said George Hoffer, an economics professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who specializes in the auto industry. "An auto dealership sticks out like a sore thumb because the property is so large compared to other businesses."
To some degree, the closings are part of a longtime pattern with car dealerships. They tend to open near residential areas, often in parts of town that are just beginning to develop. Over time, as growth intensifies, the land can become more valuable than the businesses, prompting the dealers to sell.
Most of the recent closings, however, are tied to tough economic times and a shrinking auto industry.
"I've never seen this many dealers go down at one time," said Jerry Reynolds, a former Ford dealer who offers auto advice on Saturdays on a local radio show. "In tough times, the weeding-out process starts."
The economic impact will be substantial. A typical new-car dealership in the Dallas area generates revenue of about $50 million a year – plus related sales taxes.
Also, job losses linked to car dealerships are contributing to Texas' unemployment rate, which rose to 7.9 percent in July. That month, jobs at Texas motor vehicle and parts dealers were down 11,600, or 7 percent, from a year earlier, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.


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The UAE’s burgeoning tourism sector receives a peak in online searches every January, as potential holidaymakers in English and Spanish speaking countries look to escape the wintery blues with a jaunt to the Gulf.
New research from the online digital marketing suite, SEMrush, has found that the UAE’s temperature-perfect winters and outdoor events season are key consideration for online holiday seekers.
In January last year and during the same month in 2017, there were nearly one million English-language searches related to UAE tourism. Although the search volume dropped to just 600,000 this year as Brexit uncertainty impacts UK residents’ travel plans, the report also found that online searches peak again in July, with 2017 and 2018 showing around half a million global searches for UAE holidays in English.
The top five countries for English search traffic include the UK, USA, India, domestically in the UAE, and Australia. This was closely followed Canada, South Africa, Ireland, Nigeria and Malaysia.
Spanish represents the second largest language group globally searching online for ‘UAE tourism’. The top 10 countries searching UAE holidays in Spanish include: Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, USA, Venezuela, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Bolivia.
“With ongoing growth across the UAE’s travel and hospitality sector, the competition to attract visitors and guests will continue to be challenging as difficult global financial markets bear their teeth. This will require marketers to be even more creative and adaptable to global consumer trends,” said Adam Zeidan, SEMrush corporate communications manager for MENA region.
“Digital marketing tools like search and traffic analytics allow marketers to develop cost-effective marketing plans focused on the right time and the right place to promote products and services related to tourism or any other business sector.”
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has previously indicated that the direct contribution of travel and tourism to UAE GDP in 2017 was AED 69.1 billion (5.1 per cent of GDP). This was forecasted to rise 5% to AED 72.6 billion in 2018, largely because of strong economic activity generated by connected industries including hotels, travel agents, airlines and other passenger transportation. The direct contribution of travel and tourism to the UAE GDP is expected to grow by 4.1% per annum to AED 108.4 billion (4.9% of GDP) by 2028.


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The trend toward more ethical supply chains and more sustainable apparel is a global one, and in India it means more consumers are adopting traditional handloom clothing.
Sunday, Aug. 7, marked the first ever National Handloom Day in India, part of the government’s effort to support local craftsmanship of hand-woven fabrics in the face of competition from cheaper, machine-made copies.
The sustainable, eco-friendly handloom process is experiencing a revival of sorts.
“There’s a greater desire among the youth and the middle class, who are frustrated with dirty politics and crooked companies, for something better,” Arvind Singhal, chief executive of retail consultancy Technopak Advisors, told Reuters. “Having a greater sensitivity to people and the environment is ‘in,’ and people are even willing to pay a small premium for what they perceive to be ethical and responsible.”
Pressure to cut costs and speed up deliveries is part of what led to the lessened uptake of handloom fabrics in the first place, and domestic demand dipped as many households can’t afford the higher-priced products for much more than special occasions.
But India’s Ministry of Textiles is trying to turn that around.
The handloom industry is the second largest provider of jobs for rural India, according to a recently released market research report, and the government is undertaking to preserve it.
The first step will be to properly promote it. The study found that many consumers can’t tell the difference between handloom fabric and cotton, availability hasn’t extended to platforms like e-commerce where more and more of these shoppers are making their purchases, and many are seeking more contemporary looks, whereas handloom goods have steadily erred on the side of traditional.
Handlooms are also eco-friendly, organic and sustainable—another selling point that has become increasingly relevant among younger consumers, especially.
As part of promoting handloom products, the government launched the India Handloom Brand to brand the high-quality handloom products with “zero defects and zero effect on the environment,” according to the Textiles Ministry. Handloom manufacturers will now be able to register for the India Handloom seal, demarking the product’s authenticity and social and environmental compliance in the production process.
The brand initiative will allow buyers and exporters to source quality branded fabrics based on their design specifications, weavers will get bulk orders and higher wages as they’ll be interacting directly with the market, and weaving companies may be able to expand their offerings outside of the country.
One thing other stakeholders have said will increase consumption of handloom fabrics is bringing the cost down, but India’s government hasn’t addressed that part of the challenge.
The uptick in responsibility in the apparel industry isn’t limited to handloom products. Companies like No Nasties and Do U Speak Green are part of the fledgling Fairtrade clothing brands in India, and are seeking counsel from Fairtrade India (which has been established in the country since 2013) to improve their offering and make it more accessible.
“It’s a bit of a mixed bag,” chief executive of Fairtrade India Abhishek Jani told Reuters. “There is a lack of technical know-how, a lack of capacity, and a lack of awareness about ethical supply chains, even among big businesses. But the fact that we’re invited to talk is a good starting point.”


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LHASA -- Business was booming on Friday at Barkhor Bazaar, one of the most famous markets in Tibet, as hordes of shoppers geared up to celebrate the Tibetan Losar new year.
Despite March traditionally being a slow month for traders in Lhasa, capital of the autonomous region, stalls have been swamped ahead of celebrations to welcome the Year of the Iron Rabbit, which starts on Saturday.
"Business has improved in recent years because there are more tourists," said Barkhor Bazaar storeowner Abdulnahim Muslim, a Nepali who arrived in Tibet 19 years ago.
"Tibetan new year is also a good time for me," he said, adding that his Nepali and Indian perfumes were selling pretty well.
Although the popularity of imported goods is increasing, traditional new year products have still proved seasonal favorites.
At Tson Se Kang market, where Tibetan families shop for new year necessities, most lists included highland barley grown in small garden pots.
Colorful sheep head sculptures, another must-have, symbolize prosperous animal husbandry, with the pronunciation of "sheep head" in Tibetan similar to that for "start of a year".
Delicate qiema - wooden compartment boxes - are always present at important Tibetan ceremonies. For Losar new year, Tibetans fill them with wheat and a type of bread called tsamba, and then stick in colorful ears of wheat and butter sculptures.
Just west from Tson Se Kang market is the crowded Beijing East Road, where several shops selling traditional Tibetan
clothes were welcoming last-minute buyers.
"Now is the time to show off, as you can tell how wealthy a family is from the clothes and decorations they wear on New Year's Day," said Wang Shuxia, head of Caigongtang county in eastern Lhasa.
Traditional Tibetan families are large - Wang's county, for example, has 1,437 households composed of 5,049 members - and, like Spring Festival, Losar new year is a time for reunions.
Gyari, 53, who lives in a village in Caigongtang, said that on Thursday his entire family (barring his youngest son, who is serving in the army) gathered for gutu, which is eaten just before new year.
Gutu are little pastries boiled in beef and vegetable soup. Wrapped inside are things like choma, which is a sweet tasting root, wool, salt, wheat, chili, pieces of china, charcoal and black beans.
Each ingredient represents a different fate in the coming year.
The pastries are cooked together and served randomly, with each person revealing what awaits them.
Gyari was the luckiest as he got choma, which means he will face no problems in the coming year. (One China Daily reporter received a piece of china, which means they care more about food than work.)
Lhapa Tsering, Party secretary of Gyari's village, said that gutu is an old tradition, with "gu" meaning nine and "tu" meaning pastries.
"In ancient times, each person had to eat nine pastries so as to leave all the bad things in the past," he explained.
"Now, many young people don't know how to make gutu," he added. "Most of the time it's the elders in the family who make it."


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China's economic growth could fall under 6% in 2020
The International Monetary fund revealed in its latest World Economic Outlook that economic growth in China could slow to 5.8% in 2020 following an expansion of 6.1% in 2019.
“The Chinese economy is slowing down, which has continued an earlier trend of slowing down, which started a couple of years ago,” Tao Zhang, the IMF’s deputy managing director told CNBC on Saturday.
Tao Zhang added that such growth rates were still “reasonable” given that China was going through a period of economic restructuring as it looked for a sustainable growth strategy.
“In recent years, what’s going on in the world — we have trade tensions, we have other geopolitical forces, we have all these uncertainties around the world [...] these add further downside pressures to the Chinese economy,” he said.
On Friday, China announced that its economy grew at a 6% pace during the third quarter, its slowest clip since the first quarter of 1992, according to Reuters’s records.
The projected slowdown for next year contrasted with the Fund's forecast for a recovery in the global economy which was expected to rebound to 3.4% growth following an anticipated slowdown to 3% after growing by 3.6% in 2018.
Former IMF head and future ECB chief Christine Lagarde said on Monday that the US-China trade war was set to negatively impact the global economy and made clear that US President Donald Trump was the one holding the key to solving the dispute.
“I think the biggest key that President Trump has is in relation to predictability and, and certainty of the terms of trade. It's the unknown which is hurting, because you can't adjust to the unknown. So what do you do? You build buffers. You build savings. You wonder what comes next. That's not propitious to economic development,” she said.
She also attributed part of the slowdown in the economy to the fact that investors were “sitting on their cash”.


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Capcom’s iconic sidescrolling robot hero, Mega Man, has definitely fallen on hard times in recent years. Despite having various characters from the franchise making cameo appearances in fighting games such as Marvel vs. Capcom 3 or the upcoming Super Smash Bros., the last two planned entries in the series, Mega Man Legends 3 for 3DS and the downloadable Mega Man Universe, were both abruptly cancelled by Capcom a while back, with no news on a new game since.
Now, developer Keiji Inafune, one of the original creators of the Mega Man franchise, who has since departed from Capcom, has unveiled his latest project, Mighty No. 9. Currently planned for a digital PC release via Steam, with a release goal of spring 2015, the tidbits of information announced so far for the title make it very clear that Inafune is hoping to resurrect the style of gameplay from his former classic franchise, while adding a modern coat of paint to the presentation and tossing in some new gameplay elements to keep things fresh.
The main playable character will be a robot named Beck, who has to fight his fellow machines when they are infected by a mysterious computer virus. Much like Mega Man, Beck will be able to absorb and use the powers of defeated foes, but in a new twist, he will also be able to physically transform his body into different shapes, enabling an even greater variety of enemies.
Mighty No. 9 was announced via a Kickstarter campaign, with a current financial goal of $900,000. Stretch goals include ports to Mac, Linux, and current home consoles, along with additional stages and a New Game Plus bonus mode. Depending on how much contributors donate to the campaign, rewards will range from physical game boxes to having your voice or face inserted into the game.
The Kickstarter announcement trailer for the game can be viewed below.
As a fan of the classic Mega Man titles, it’s exciting to see Inafune returning to the style of gameplay that made the series so iconic for many gamers in the days of classic Nintendo consoles, while still innovating to help the game fit into the modern industry. As of now, I’m definitely looking forward to this one.
Let us know your thoughts on the announcement of Mighty No. 9 in the comments below.