text:
Walt Disney World: No COVID-19 Outbreaks Since July
Good News Out Of Florida – Disney Covid-19 Measures Are Working…
Back in the day, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones — a beloved Boston-born ska band — hit pop charts with the song, “The Impression That I Get”:
Never had to but I’d better knock on wood
‘Cause I know someone who has
Which makes me wonder if I could
It makes me wonder if I never had to but I’d better knock on wood
‘Cause I’m sure it isn’t good
And I’m glad I haven’t yet
That’s the impression that I get
And, seriously, that’s what I have flowing through my mind as I post a piece entitled, “Walt Disney World: No COVID-19 Outbreaks Since July.”
Knock Wood, WDW COVID-19 Outbreak Free
Yep, that’s right, while the Vacation Kingdom hasn’t been COVID-19 free per se, there have been no mass outbreaks of the virus.
So far, Disney’s wide-ranging safety measures appear to be working.
“We have no issues or concerns with the major theme parks at this point,” said Dr. Raul Pino, director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, which includes Disney World.
Disney declined to say how many Disney World employees had tested positive for the coronavirus since the resort reopened. In phone interviews, union leaders said cases had been minimal.
While some places in the country have experienced significant against COVID-19 safety measures, the Disney Parks — particularly at Walt Disney World — proved to be examples of how to consistently implement an anti-virus program.
The Times added:
“We’ve had very few, and none, as far as we can tell, have been from work-related exposure,” said Eric Clinton, president of UNITE HERE Local 362, which represents roughly 8,000 attraction workers and custodians.
Mr. Clinton’s assessment was echoed by UNITE HERE Local 737, which represents hotel housekeepers and food and beverage workers; Local 631 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, where members include stagehands and show technicians; United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1625, which handles merchandise and banquet workers; and Teamsters Local 385, which looks after bus drivers, laundry workers and entertainers who appear in costume as Disney characters.
Disney On Offense
These stats and quotes from Florida come just days after Disney pushed back on California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said he was in “no hurry” in regard to opening his state’s theme parks. Moreover, the CA governor said he wanted to take a “health-first” approach.
Disney took offense:
— Disney Parks News (@DisneyParksNews) October 8, 2020
“We absolutely reject the suggestion that reopening the Disneyland Resort is incompatible with a “health-first” approach. The fact is, that since March we have taken a robust science-based approach to responsibly reopening our parks and resorts across the globe.”
Meanwhile, in Florida…
Finally, in Florida, folks are breathing easy, for now.
“So far — so far — it has been a success story,” Julee Jerkovich, a United Food & Commercial Workers official told the NYT. “As a union rep, I do not say that lightly.”
Knock on wood, amiright?


text:
Also in the news...
How you import from and export to Japan.
Looking for a new start this year? At Charterhouse Lombard we put together the best offers from free zones around the country to find the right match for you.
The groups were established in July 2020 to meet the requirements of the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) trade negotiations.
Check the availability and any issues affecting the Customs Declaration Services.
Specification of requirements and grant funding agreements for exhibitors in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
US to lift ban on UK beef exports
British beef could soon be sold in the United States.
British beef could soon be sold in the US, creating £66 million worth of export opportunities for British farmers over the next five years.
The US has this week agreed equivalence of standards on the UK’s disease control measures following a three-week inspection last summer. It means beef can soon be shipped to the US.
It comes after an ongoing process of negotiations between the UK government, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and industry groups.
International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss said:
It is great news that the US has reopened the market to British beef. This is a win for our farmers and I look forward to seeing high-quality British beef enjoyed on tables across the US very soon.
The UK’s farming industry will benefit from a free trade agreement with the US because we can create wider opportunities for farmers locked out of the largest consumer market on the planet. A stronger trading relationship is a win-win for both sides.
The government is expected to begin negotiating a UK-US free trade agreement this month, which will help to create even more opportunities for British businesses.

domain: news


text:
Hail the new SIM cards that make it easier to switch and travel!
Apple, of course, did it with the mobile version of their iPad Air 2, and now, they're going to be doing it with their phones too. In addition to that, Samsung have joined-in, saying that they'd like to use these new embedded electronic SIM (e-SIM) cards with the GSM Association.
It seems loads of companies around the world are getting on-board with this, and it is easy to see why - instead of being locked into plans and whatnot, users will be able to switch more freely and you'll be able to buy phones on the contract you want, sidestepping any pointless exclusivity deals.
It'll also help when you're travelling too.
"With the majority of operators on board, the plan is to finalise the technical architecture that will be used in the development of an end-to-end remote SIM solution for consumer devices, with delivery anticipated by 2016," reads a statement from the GSMA.
We think it'll start becoming widely available in around 18 months, which is good news indeed.


text:
When scouring the black market of fake ID dealers, an undercover team member was able to get a counterfeit card for just $60. What's more, the fake had Certified OSHA Trainer Victor Pacheco's name on it.
An undercover investigation conducted by the NBC 4 New York I-Team and Telemundo 47 has revealed fake safety training cards on the black market.
While workers must, by law, complete 10 hours of OSHA-approved safety training, carrying the card to prove that they have doesn't come cheaply: Training can cost anywhere between $150 and $300, NBC 4 reported. However, when scouring the black market of fake ID dealers, an undercover team member was able to get a counterfeit card for just $60. What's more, the fake had Certified OSHA Trainer Victor Pacheco's name on it.
Pacheco, who has 10 years of experience under his belt, including work as an OSHA enforcement officer, said, “This has been going on for seven or eight years. But it's not only me. My boss, his name is being used on fake cards. People that work for me, their names are on fake cards. It's all around.”
Although the NYC Department of Investigation and Manhattan district attorney's office have tried to stop the sale of these cards by arresting both workers and sellers, they are now trying a new tactic in partnership with the Manhattan Construction Task Force and other agencies. The groups will now trade workers their fake cards for real ones.
“We have essentially said to workers, 'Come in. Hand in your fake OSHA card. No questions asked,'” said Mark Peters, commissioner of the NYC Department of Investigation. “And we'll take the card. We'll give you the 10 hours of training. We'll give it to you for free, and then you can have a legitimate card.”
Training is conducted by various local partners, including the Mexican consulate, NBC 4 reported. The new approach seems to be working — in the past eight months, the program has succeeded in removing and replacing 1,500 fake cards.
Today's top stories


text:
Volvo has decided to pull out of Channel 4’s Diversity in Marketing Award and pass up on £1m in free airtime, claiming Grey’s entry for the competition had not been “approved”.
The car marque was crowned the winner in July for its pitch around non-visible disability. The idea had been submitted by its creative agency Grey London.
However, Volvo now says the agency “submitted an entry to the Channel 4 competition that had not previously been shared with us, nor approved for production”. It claims to have only realised this recently, despite winning four months ago and with the ad expected to be aired this autumn.
Marketing Week approached a Volvo spokesman for clarification, who said: “To cut a long story short, it’s a Grey issue and not a Volvo issue.”
In response, Grey says: “It’s an incredible initiative and we wish the next iteration of it every success. As an agency, we are fully committed to greater diversity, as is our Volvo client, and we will continue to both drive and support the industry’s efforts.”
The decision to pull out
When questioned why the brand would not want £1m of free airtime for a campaign promoting diversity, Volvo said it did, but that it depended on the campaign being “eligible” – which in this case it wasn’t as it hadn’t been reviewed or signed off.
And when pressed further on how the decision to pull out will look, given the content of the campaign, he added: “It’s quite a fair point – it’s disappointing but at the end of the day that’s the situation.”
Since winning the competition, Volvo has also appointed a new UK marketing boss, Mike Johnstone, who Marketing Week understands wants to take the brand in a new direction. Volvo denies Johnstone’s appointment having any links to the matter.
In its statement, the car brand claims diversity will remain a “key pillar” of its marketing strategy. It highlights the work done through its ‘Human Made’ campaign, which celebrates human innovation.
The move leaves Channel 4 facing a quandary. A Channel 4 spokesman says it is “disappointed” that Grey London and Volvo decided not to take their campaign forward.
Marketing Week understands the broadcaster is keen to honour the £1m award, and is likely to look to other shortlisted campaigns for a winner. The broadcaster is speaking to the competition’s judges about what to do next.
The move by Volvo might seem slightly bizarre – to turn down £1m of free airtime so late in the day, and to ditch the opportunity to highlight the important issue of non-visible disability on national television. Something that, incidentally, hasn’t been done before by a major car brand.
And it might seem even more strange considering how commercially successful last year’s competition winner, Maltesers, was.
Mars’ vice-president of marketing Michele Oliver told Marketing Week earlier this year that it set a target to increase brand affinity by 10%, but ended up growing it by 20%. From a pure business perspective, Oliver says it has been the single most successful campaign for a Mars brand in “at least a decade”.
“We set ourselves a target to grow the Maltesers brand by 4%. We grew the brand by 8%, which is ahead of the market,” Oliver said at the time.
Maltesers has also been widely praised by the industry for the campaign. It won ‘Brand of the Year’ at Marketing Week’s Masters of Marketing awards, while Oliver was shortlisted for ‘Visionary Marketer of the Year’.
Channel 4 has been trying to get advertisers to be more diverse and inclusive in their advertising for nearly two years. Yet so far Maltesers is the only brand to run such a campaign.
None of the shortlisted campaigns from last year were ever made. To try to encourage that this year, Channel 4 promised to match airtime for any campaigns that were shortlisted but didn’t win. The broadcaster says the opportunity for advertisers to take up on its offer is “still open and it is talking to a number of brands”.


text:
The central government conceptualized a new possibility where Port could be instrumental in helping an industrial cluster to grow. The firstof- its-kind project ‘Smart Industrial Port City’ (SIPC) was announced last year at Deen Dayal Port Trust also known as Kandla Port Trust. SIPC at Kandla Port is planned to spread over 1430 acre land, where 850 acre has been reserved for industries and 580 acre for township supporting the industrial sector. A specifically planned Furniture Park is also proposed that is to be laid in 100 acres of 850 acre for industrial zone. Apart from furniture other industries that are aimed to be suitable for the rest of the land area is engineering based industries, Salt based and edible oil related industries.
The SIPC will have good infrastructural facility in synch with port operations along with uninterrupted power supply and water supply.
The plot sizes are of 2 acre to 55 acres on 60 years lease base with a rent of Rs 3500 to 4000 per square meter per annum. The 100 acres assigned for The Furniture Park makes a genuine sense due to, the Kandla Port plying central role for timber based imports in India. According to Kandla Timber Association (KTA), with around 2000 saw mills and 90 plus plywood, particle board and veneer plants, Kandla Port holds 70% of total timber import in the country. Despite of the timber import centred on Kandla Port the themed ‘Smart Industrial Port City’ is finding lack lusture response from wood based industries and bidders so far. Today when US and China trade war is impacting furniture exports from China, the organized furniture making an export oriented focus, that could be a successful plan, yet the lack of interest from wood based industries has became a curiosity for the Ply Reporter.
According to reports, this unique program led by Central Govt., is ready from over a year now, industries have not shown interest yet. Mr. Navneet Gajjar, President KTA said that the rental value is too high for Indian saws millers and furniture makers and it is not workable. If the rent is ranging between Rs 500-1000/ sqm per annum then only furniture industries would be able to afford. It is know that there could be an interactive seminar hosted by the related ministry and departments shortly and probably situation will be clear in coming future.


text:
The Big Apple and the rest of New York are getting a little help from Memphis. As a part of an accelerator program, four promising technology companies are piloting products for improving subway and bus services for the five million New Yorkers who take public transportation every week.
Preteckt is one of those companies hoping to leave a mark. With a focus on heavy-duty vehicles, the Tennessee based startup specializes is predicting maintenance breakdowns before they happen.
The company is being given a shot to demonstrate how it can improve public transportation through a local competition called the Transit Tech Lab, in which the winner could become a major contractor with New York’s multi-billion dollar Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the nation’s biggest mass transportation system.
The competition is being run by the Transit Innovation Partnership, a public-private initiative seeking to reclaim the region’s crown as the leader of mass transportation. MTA chairman Pat Foye hopes the partnership can help the agency discover breakthrough solutions.
Preteckt’s commercial promises coincide with the growing influence of “telematics.” Few people understand the field and fewer have determined how to earn money from it. As the word spells out, telematics blends telecommunications technologies like GPS tracking and other real-time data, with informatics, which is a fancy word for information science - although I describe it as the science behind unlocking data's power.
Take Preteckt’s superpower, for instance, the company says it can pinpoint maintenance failures with two weeks notice at the earliest and two days at the latest.
Ken Sills, the chief technology officer and Preteckt’s co-founder, is trained in computational astrophysics and computer engineering but he learned a thing or two about vehicle maintenance from his dad, a celebrated fleet manager in Canada.
Like in the case with Preteckt, telematics has come of age in the automobile industry. When people picture telematics, they think of fleet management and connected automobiles, with the ability to talk to and learn from each other about everything occurring on the road in real time. Industry experts say the niche is poised to accelerate over the next decade as governments and consumers express a desire for more. According to a Mckinsey & Company report, by 2030 the value of monetizing car data will break $700 billion.
“With more vehicles being connected most of the focus has been on safety, entertainment and insurance but we all know maintenance and repair is a large industry, and can be made better,” says CEO Krish Inbarajan.
After four years of intense research and development, Inbarajan was recruited to lead Preteckt into the next decade. Inbarajan, who worked for more than a decade in the connected automobile space, took a big risk moving to Memphis. However, he’s confident in car telematics’ future.
“This was not an easy decision for my family and me. I believe in the opportunity ahead, and am convinced that the team and technology decisions will allow us to create a market,” said Inbarajan.
Plus, Preteckt received a lot of help from Memphis. To the surprise of company founders, country music’s home is well-suited for a promising startup. City leaders aggressively recruited businesses and entrepreneurs while local business leaders opened doors for them. Even the retail giant Amazon could not leave Memphis without investing $200 million to open an operations center that will employ five thousand people.
“We were able to walk up to buildings, knock on the door and say ‘can I talk to your CEO?’ In Toronto, that would have gotten you an escort out of the building...But here, the fact that we moved from Canada to build a company here immediately got doors opened, and people would listen to us and give us feedback,” Sills told the local entrepreneur hub Epicenter.
Additionally, Memphis is located near the center of the country. “Memphis is considered to be the transportation and logistics hub for the US given its location and amount of goods flowing through Memphis. Memphis provided us the initial funding to start this journey,” said Inbarajan.
If things work out, Preteckt technology could help the MTA lower costs, improve safety and limit the annoying service disruptions that New Yorkers have come to hate.
“The impact is giving time back to people and also saving money,” said Inbarajan.


text:
China’s “618” purchasing festival sees e-commerce giants such as JD.com and Alibaba offer massive special discounts to buyers. Billions of bucks really worth of sales are racked up across the 618 product sales time period which usually lasts a couple of weeks.
Geng Yuhe | Visual China Group | Getty Visuals
China is in the midst of the “618” searching pageant, an yearly function exactly where the country’s e-commerce giants like Alibaba and JD.com test to entice purchasers with significant discounts and promotions.
But this year’s edition comes versus a difficult backdrop as China grapples with the economic fallout from a resurgence of Covid-19, which has led to the lockdown of important cities such as the money powerhouse of Shanghai. Customer expending has been strike though economists have reduce their economic progress outlook for China.
In the to start with quarter, JD.com and Alibaba, China’s two major e-commerce firms, posted their slowest profits growth on file, due to a blend of a slowing economy and powerful regulation on the domestic technologies sector.
Past calendar year, the transaction quantity throughout important e-commerce platforms totaled 578.5 billion Chinese yuan through the festival, up 26.5% year-on-year, in accordance to knowledge business Syntun.
Growth is predicted to gradual this yr, nevertheless. Consulting agency EY mentioned it expects a 20% improve in product sales this year, slower than 2021’s figure. Even now Sharry Wu, EY’s Greater China consulting business enterprise transformation leader, expects shoppers to invest as lockdowns ease and as e-commerce companies glance to entice consumers in with huge savings.
“All round, we are assured that the hunger for intake in China remains potent, but we do be expecting usage to be less diversified, with a heavier emphasis on organic foodstuff things, house appliances, personalized treatment, and so forth,” Wu stated in a observe.
“As metropolitan areas reopen, we must be expecting a massive improve in on-line use, in addition to footfall returning to retailers. Whilst we are observing a apparent craze of downward growth fees for significant purchasing festivals, just about every e-commerce system is presenting its major promotion scheme ever to draw in individuals back again on-line this summer.”
Alibaba and JD.com are both equally battling to catch the attention of individuals. JD is offering shoppers a 50 yuan discounted for each certified 299-yuan acquire.
Alibaba’s on the net purchasing system Tmall said it was freezing the cost of 19 million solutions until July 5. The company’s cut price shopping system Taobao Discounts has a million 10 yuan things on present.
Nevertheless, not all analysts have a rosy outlook. Jacob Cooke, CEO of WPIC, an e-commerce tech and promoting company that will help foreign brands promote in China, mentioned that this year’s 618 is not likely to be placing documents in terms of sales.
“This is most likely the initially calendar year that we will see this [sales] down,” Cooke told CNBC.


text:
Mix: ChinaTunes, Trade iPhone for 3G, TeTris, Blue Book, Flixster Movie
The iTunes Store is once again accessible from within China after a being blocked by the Chinese government’s firewall last week. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that while the bulk of the service is now available, the page for the pro-Tibet album Songs for Tibet remains blocked, suggesting that last week’s blockage was in fact related to the album.
NextWorth, a consumer electronics upgrade and trade-in company, has announced its new trade-in service for the original iPhone. NextWorth is offering customers up to $200 for an original 8GB iPhone in “light wear” condition and $300 for 16GB models; trade-ins for more heavily worn or broken iPhones will be accepted as well, with prices adjusted dynamically according to market conditions. For more information on the iPhone trade-in program, visit nextworth.com.
iPhone developer Noah Witherspoon has announced that he will be pulling his Tris game from the App Store on Wednesday, due to a complaint from The Tetris Company. Witherspoon says he was contacted by Apple about a complaint from The Tetris Company over Tris, which is based on Tetris, and only pulled the game because Apple told him it would “take action” of its own if he didn’t resolve the “dispute.” The developer adds that he will be pursuing a solution to the issue, and hopes to make the game available again sometime in the future.
Kelly Blue Book has announced the launch of its new website optimized for the iPhone and iPod touch. The web app will allow users to access new and used vehicle information, view videos, images, and new car reviews, and submit free dealer price quotes. Kelly Blue Book’s iPhone mobile site can be accessed by visiting kbb.com from any iPhone or iPod touch.
Movie-focused social network site Flixster has acquired the popular iPhone and iPod touch movie application Movies (formerly Movies.app) and has re-released the application on the App Store. According to TechCrunch, the application was created by Carnegie Mellon sophomore Jeffrey Grossman, and has been downloaded 250,000 times. Grossman will join Flixster as an consultant while attending school.
- Adobe launches new Lightroom viewer for Apple TV
- Australian banks team up to push for other mobile payment apps on iPhone
- Report: iPhone 7 may feature 3D Touch home button
- Apple turning ‘Carpool Karaoke’ into an Apple Music exclusive
- Notes from Apple’s Q3 2016 earnings call
- Apple Q3 results: $42.4B revenue, 40M iPhones, 10M iPads sold
- Researchers expose security flaw in Osram smart bulbs
- Cops bust ‘criminal enterprise’ using stolen credit cards at Chicago-area Apple stores
- Update in iOS 10 allows for autoplay of silent videos in Safari
- WSJ: Apple brings in trusted executive Mansfield to head Apple Car project
- Moe Bull Stand for iPad Air 2 + 9.7” iPad Pro
- Netatmo Tags for Welcome Smart Home Camera
- iDevices Socket HomeKit-enabled Light Adapter
- Koogeek Wi-Fi SmartPlug for Apple HomeKit
- Marbotic Smart Letters for iPad
- Ecoxgear Sol Jam Bluetooth Speaker
- Gumdrop Cases DropTech Case + Hand Strap for 9.7” iPad Pro
- Braven BRV-1M Bluetooth Speaker
- Braven BRV-Blade Bluetooth Speaker
- Invoxia Voice Bridge
- Inside the betas: iOS 10 Photos gets Advanced Computer Vision
- Inside the betas: iOS 10 Music app delivers ‘clarity and simplicity’
- Inside the betas: iOS 10 Maps gets a major redesign
- Inside the betas: iOS 10 shakes up the user experience
- Inside the betas: watchOS 3 promises a real speed boost
- Inside the betas: A sneak peek at what’s new in tvOS 10
- Filling the Gap: A look at third-party HomeKit apps
- Instant Expert: Secrets & Features of tvOS 9.2
- Instant Expert: Secrets & Features of iOS 9.3
- Opinion: Why Apple needs a dedicated HomeKit app


text:
TV24 Desk: The world’s fastest growing smartphone brand realme will launch the fastest charging solution in the Bangladesh smartphone market with its upcoming release in Bangladesh. Very recently, realme will launch these smartphones and one of the phones will come with 65W SuperDart charging, which will be the first smartphone of the nation with 65W SuperDart Charge and will be the fastest charging phone of the nation as well.
65W SuperDart Charge can juice up 100% of fully drained 4,500mAh battery in just 34 minutes while keeping the phone cool. In a hurry, the big battery can take up to 50% charge in 12 minutes, giving much versatility to the young generation. Even while heavy gaming, the SuperDart Charge solution can charge up to 43% in just 30 minutes, making it the fastest charging smartphone in its price range and allowing users to get the phone back to life as fast as possible.
realme’s development in changing industry excels in so many advancements. With 4,500mAh 3C high rate battery of dual cells (2250mAh*2), realme 65W SuperDart can directly charge the battery with 10V 6.5A under the control of fast charging MCU (Micro Control Unit Control). In the discharge process, SuperDart uses a charge pump to halve the voltage of the dual-cell battery to reach a voltage capable of powering the phone, ensuring both charging speed and temperature control. The entire charging process is strictly controlled under 40℃ and cooled to prevent overheating and achieves 98% high-efficiency conversion of electrical energy.
This remarkable feat will offer boundless entertainment for smartphone users and give them flexibility do more without even worrying about phone’s battery life. With more amazing features, realme promises to stun its fan base with the upcoming smartphones, and an interesting launching event will be held which will highlight how much a smartphone can charge up in only 3 minutes.


text:
Get ready for “The Bell: A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort.”
You read that right. The same brand that gave us Baja Blasts and taco shells made from Doritos is making a foray into the hospitality business.
The new hotel, which will open in Palm Springs on Aug. 9, “reimagines what a hotel stay can be,” according to a company news release.
“Everything from guest rooms to breakfast and poolside cocktails will be infused with a Taco Bell twist,” the news release said. The hotel will also feature a gift shop, on-site salon and new menu items that will only be available at the hotel, according to the release.
The hotel will be open for a limited time, according to the release.
The Associated Press reports that the “limited time” is all of three nights, adding that “everything will be Taco Bell-themed, from the room decor to the breakfast menu to pool floaties shaped like hot sauce packets.”
“This idea of allowing people to kind of fully experience and embrace and immerse themselves in every aspect of the Taco Bell lifestyle led us to the idea of doing a hotel,” Marisa Thalberg, Taco Bell’s chief global brand officer, told Business Insider.
“We’re really just creating experiences that feel like a reflection and extension of the essence of Taco Bell at its very best,” Thalberg told the publication.
But it doesn’t appear that the company ran this by the city first.
“At this point, we’re as surprised as everyone else. At least, I am,” Palm Springs Assistant City Manager Marcus Fuller told The Desert Sun on Thursday, adding he wasn’t aware of any permit applications that may have been filed for the hotel.
The city’s attempt to get more information from Taco Bell’s parent company, Yum! Brands, was met with a response that more information would be forthcoming in a news release on June 21, The Desert Sun reported.
Want to make a reservation at The Bell? Those will go live in June, and you can be notified when that happens by signing up here.
Source: the desert sun
The Mazatlan Post


text:
The White House cancels meetings with e-cigarette industry leaders
Under continued rumours of a potential e-liquid flavour ban across the United States, various vaping industry leaders had set up appointments with the Trump administration to voice their concerns and opinions on the controversial topic. However, on Monday night and the early hours of Tuesday morning, vaping consumer and industry organizations received notice that their meetings with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) were cancelled. The emails sending the notice also stated that the rule was “no longer under review.”
Far from good news, many pro-vaping organizations have expressed their concern that a decision had been made with no input from vapers and the companies that serve them. Furthermore, Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, expressed his frustration with this notice, calling it a “slap in the face” and referencing the plight of the small business owners who were looking forward to their meetings in the White House.
It should also be noted that the final scheduled meeting with the OMB, before cancelling the rest, was with the anti-vaping group Truth Initiative. Accompanying this group were representatives from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association. During this final meeting, “youth advocates” from Tobacco-Free Kids and representatives from Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes (PAVe) delivered a petition supporting the flavour ban.
JUUL announces 650 employees with be laid off
On Nov 12, 2019, JUUL confirmed that it will lay off 16% of its workforce, as the e-cigarette giant reorganizes its business in the face of increasing regulations and pressure on the vaping industry.
According to JUUL, these layoffs will cut costs by nearly $1 billion and is necessary to “right-size” the business. The majority of these layoffs will come from JUUL’s marketing and government affairs staff. In their place, a bare-bones marketing team will focus their efforts on direct marketing to adult smokers in a way that does not seem as if it is targeting underage consumers. JUUL has also suspended all broadcast, print, and digital advertising in the U.S.
In the same statement made by JUUL, all the employees being laid off will receive separation packages.
The CDC finally targets vitamin-e acetate as a cause of EVALI
In the ongoing investigation of the EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury) outbreak in the United States, the CDC has finally announced that illegal THC liquids and vitamin-e acetate are both primary causes of said injuries.
To come to this conclusion, researchers at the CDC tested lung tissue samples from 29 case patients and found that in almost all instances vitamin-e acetate was found. These samples were gathered from patients in 10 different states, confirming the outbreak has one common cause, rather than any sort of geographic variation.
While this discovery is monumental in identifying and combating cases of EVALI, the CDC is still hesitant on calling vitamin-e acetate the only cause of injury. As the health protection organization continues its research, they’re still warning consumers that this discovery is not yet sufficient enough to rule out the possible contribution of other chemicals.
British Columbia introduces a sales tax hike on vaping products
In response to concerns over youth vaping, the B.C. provincial government has decided to significantly hike the provincial sales tax on vaping products. This sales tax is part of the province’s 10-point plan to combat youth vaping and was announced by Health Minister Adrian Dix, Finance Minister Carole James and Education Minister Rob Fleming.
The new tax will raise the PST on vape products from seven per cent to 20 per cent. According to James, “when you make a product more expensive and harder to access, use will decline.”
In addition to the increase in tax, the plan will also see the nicotine content in vaping products limited to 20mg/mL. The province will also move to work towards banning certain flavours that it considers appealing to the youth.
Some of the other regulations listed in the 10-point plan include; plain packaging, explicit health warnings, and restrictions on advertising.


text:
Since the Internet emerged in the mid 1990s as a kind of global digital library, millions of computer users around the world have been able to peruse an expanding collection of books, newspapers, magazines and other print materials online. But in recent years, as high-speed Internet connections have become more widely available, people have begun going on line to listen to radio stations, which stream their mix of music and talk over the Internet from every corner of the planet, for free.
The new medium of Internet radio has become a haven for independent, offbeat broadcasters. One webcasting operation, called "Groovetech," is helping to find a wider audience for the distinctive sounds of electronic dance music.
The atmosphere around Groovetech's Seattle studio is casual. In the corner of the converted garage, a glass refrigerator is stocked with cans of energy drink, just for the DJ's, says the sign overhead. Dressed in trendy bowling shoes and baggy pants, co-founder Brian Pember and marketing director Alex Hillinger look like college students.
It was during his college days in 1997 that Brian Pember came up with the idea for Groovetech as a hobby. He said, "It was a great way to put this music, that at the time was very hard to get access to outside of a rave or a club, in an accessible place - on the internet and to a global audience. As soon as we did it we had instant feedback from all over the world."
The e-mails came in from places like Warsaw, Sydney and Kuwait. "They were just really appreciative of having access to the music at the time it was really inaccessible," Mr. Pember continued. You pretty much have to be a DJ or be at a club at 3 o'clock in the morning. So it wasn't the kind of music you could just go into the store and buy."
One of Groovetech's appreciative longtime listeners is Canadian Paul Cramer. The 35-year old computer specialist and musician has listened from remote parts of the Yukon, and lives now in Whitehorse, Alaska. Mr. Cramer says Groovetech makes him feel connected to the progressive music he learned to like while growing up in Toronto. "Sometimes I'm just sitting down reading, sometimes I'm definitely dancing," he said. "I've got a couple of friends over and we're dancing to it. Other times it's just yeah background music to what I'm doing."
Electronic dance music is a tapestry of sampled beats and sounds. It includes trip hop, drum and bass, trance, and techno, all of which are recorded on vinyl records and mixed on turntables.
Up until recently, electronic dance music has been hard to find outside of nightclubs and websites like Groovetech. These days, though, it's becoming commonplace in commercial advertising.
Despite the minor commercial success, the tightly-knit electronic music community remains mostly underground. That prompted Groovetech to expand in another direction - retail music sales.
Alex Hillinger hopes they can capitalize on the elusive dance scene by becoming a global source for electronic music. "I think it was also a natural extension of doing Internet radio broadcasting is that people still want to own the music," he said. "They were going to buy it somewhere and we were definitely at a point where we needed to take this to a business level."
The plan has paid off. Last year, at the British online music awards, Groovetech beat out industry retail heavies like Amazon and HMV to win Best Retailer Online.
Louise Stevens of Britain's Music Week magazine says the key to Groovetech's strategy was persistent marketing. "They have a really loyal client base," she said, "[and] they did a really good job of motivating that client base to say how much they liked Groovetech. I think some of those giants like HMV and Amazon were less inclined to promote themselves in that short list and while their very efficient and very functional they have less of the 'it's my shop' kind of feeling that people like."
But accolades may not be enough to keep Groovetech alive. Like most businesses in the slowing American economy, the company is facing tough times. In an effort to cut costs, Groovetech recently shut down its San Francisco studio. And like most Internet ventures, once-enamored investors are demanding more for their money than just a good idea.


text:
Can the Windows 8-powered Microsoft Surface tablet compete with the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab line?
The Apple iPhone 5 sold well in its opening weekend, Apple announced. Still, stock opened down two percent Monday morning.
Facebook stock hit a new low this week. Will it rebound?
Facebook wants to improve its 'horri-bad' Android app. The way to do it? Make Facebook employees use Android phones.
Disney Princess diversity, mostly non-existent in films and dolls, is evolving with people using Tumblr and 'D-Tech' to change characters' features to make images and dolls look like little girls of all ethnicities.
The disclosure raises more questions about Mitt Romney's complicated financial holdings – and may renew pressure on him to release more of his tax returns.
The impressive luck of one hedge fund manager has The Reformed Broker reminding investors that the stated return should never be the focal point - it should always be a question of "how was this return produced."
Data released this week may show new signs of a global slowdown. But one analyst isn't surprised. From the tech bubble burst to the housing collapse to the resurgence of gold, he's been (mostly) right. Not that he's saying 'I told you so.'


text:
This week's Tech Crowd puts head-to-head two Indiegogo projects using the Internet of Things to change the way you live.» Read More
Supermodel Petra Nemcova is launching a luxury home decor brand called Be The Light, and she wants you to buy her $98 candles. Czech Holiday Cookie scent?
From the medieval days when it originated as a way to show both parties came in peace, the handshake has been tied to a person's word—no more so than when used in business.
Soujanya Bhumbkar, CEO of Cooliris, explains why its new technology does a better job at photo sharing than the apps that currently dominate the market.
Jack Vresics, Step2 CEO, discusses how he grew his toys and home & garden company into the world's largest rotational molder of plastics.
U.S. craft brewers are frustrated after many were shut out of a key beer festival, as sector growth exceeds infrastructure. Signs of a frothy market?
Omar Tayeb, Blippar co-founder & CTO, explains how his new app allows readers to unlock extra digital content hidden beneath the pages of their favorite magazine or newspaper.
CNBC's Julia Boorstin has the details on a new app that allows viewers to buy clothes and home furnishings from their television.
Jake Bronstein, CEO of Flint & Tinder, explains how his dismay with low-quality underwear led him to produce a high-end brand, which is made in America and becoming a multimillion-dollar business.
A unique bill signed into law by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo would allow new businesses to locate on or around college campuses in New York tax-free for 10 years.
Andrew Levy, Crittercism CEO, explains how his software helps tech companies understand their app glitches.
Toy company GoldieBlox features books and construction toys starring a female-engineer role model. Learn how the founder got started and her connection to Steve Jobs.
Small-business owners devote so much time and money to their ventures that they fail on retirement planning. And playing catch-up can mean taking on even more financial risk.
The SEC has lifted a decade-old ban concerning hedge funds, private equity, venture capital and start-ups. John Frankel of ff Venture Capital lends insight on the impact.
Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani founder & CEO, discusses how he was able to grow his company into a multi-billion dollar business, and his efforts to "double" Greek yogurt sales in the next five years.
The vote was 4 to 1 to lift the ban on hedge fund and startup ads, reports CNBC's Kate Kelly. The ban will be officially lifted in 60 days.
The annual Allen & Company media and technology conference is underway in Idaho where high profile business and political leaders will meet to talk deals. Top on the list? Who will acquire Hulu, reports CNBC's Julia Boorstin.
Erick Schonfeld, and Edo Segal, TouchCast co-founders, discuss how surfing the video web will change the way viewers interact with television.
Jolyon Barker, global lead for technology, media and telecommunications at Deloitte, explains that the U.K. technology sector is not as big as it should be, due to lack of funding for start-ups.
Rahul Merchant, NYC chief information and innovation officer, explains why many startups are deciding to plant their roots in New York, as the city expands its broadband connectivity.
The Millennial Trains Project plans to transport entrepreneurial young innovators on a cross-country, 10-day train ride in August. And older workers just might be inspired, too.


text:
What is your take on the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines? Do you think they hit the mark, and if so, how will you use them to guide clients’ nutrition challenges? If you don’t think they hit the mark, do you think highlights from the DGAC report are a sensible alternative? How will you use the DGs or the DGAC report to steer clients in the right direction?
Share your story with [email protected]
What programs or fitness equipment are you finding most popular with participants as they begin to return to in-person training?
Scientists found that children who were introduced to a high dose of gluten from age 4 months did not develop...
Research on vitamin D benefits has linked it to improved bone health and lower cancer risk. Now, it appears to...
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Stay up tp date with our latest news and products.


text:
Looks like Doogee company would soon release a toned down version of its X7 Pro. The new device will be known Doogee X7.
Doogee X7 has been spotted on GFXBench website. According to the GFXBench listing, it sports a small 4.6 inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. For the unawares, the Pro version comes with 6-inch screen with the same resolution.
Check out: Best Android O features
Since it is a toned down version of X7 Pro, it packs an average MediaTek MT6580 quad core CPU clocked at 1.3GHz. The RAM has also been reduced from 2GB to 1 GB in Doogee X7.
Other specifications are almost same. Both feature a 12MP rear camera, 8MP front camera and 32GB internal memory. Interestingly, the GFXBench listing shows the device running Android Marshmallow. To be honest, it now looks outdated on a new device.


text:
MG Hector has been runway success for the British carmaker in India. At the 2020 Auto Expo, the company unveiled a range of new models from its global product lineup and the Vision-i MPV concept study. The carmaker also showcased the bigger version of the MG Hector and Gloster 7-seater SUV (the re-badged Maxus D-90). In the next 2 years, MG Motor India will expand its product portfolio with four all-new models.
The MG Hector Plus will be the first one to hit the roads. The carmaker has confirmed that the Hector Plus will be made available with 6 and 7-seats configurations. While the 6-seater version is slated to launch in coming months, the 7-seater variant will see a release near around this year’s festive season. The Hector Plus will derive its power from a 2.0L diesel and 1.5L turbo petrol engine generating 170PS and 143PS respectively.
2. MG Gloster
The next in the lineup is the MG Gloster 7-seater SUV that will be put up against the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour. As mentioned above, it’s a re-badged MG Maxus D90 that’s retailed in the Chinese market. Scheduled to launch near around Diwali, the Gloster will come with a 2.0L twin turbo diesel engine pushing out power worth 218bhp with 480Nm of torque. Both RWD and 4WD drivetrains will be on offer. Dimensionally, the new MG 7-seater SUV will be bigger than its arch rivals.
3. MG 360M
In order to tap the affordable MPV segment that’s currently ruled by the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, the British carmaker will bring in the MG 360M. Previewed at the 2020 Auto Expo, the MPV is equipped with a 1.5L petrol engine that’s good enough for 103PS and 135Nm of torque. For performing transmission duties, the vehicle gets a CVT automatic gearbox. The MG 360M is essentially the re-badged version of the China-spec Baojun 360 MPV.
4. MG G10
The British carmaker will also foray into the luxury MPV space with the MG G10 that was unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo. It will be positioned against the newly-launched Kia Carnival. While its official launch timeline I yet to be revealed, it’s likely to hit showrooms early next year. The G10 MPV might borrow its engine with the Hector or get a new 2.0L twin-turbo diesel motor. Similar to the Kia Carnival, it will come with multiple seating configurations – 7,8 and 9.


text:
The Nike KD 8 “Ocean Fog” is another brand new Nike KD 8 colorway that will be debuting to kick off the New Year/New Season.
LeBron James recently stated that, Kevin Durant is a one-of-one athlete; there is no one like him now and there was no one before him. Nike Basketball, certainly, shares a similar sentiment. It’s one of the many reasons his signature silhouette continues to succeed.
The Nike KD 8 Ocean Fog sports an OKC Thunder inspired colourway - a two-tone blue fly weave upper, offset by a touch of orange flecking in the forefoot. That vibrant shade then ties in big time with orange on the branding, the outsole and full-length visible Zoom, while a white midsole and silver Swoosh finish off a look that’s a perfect match for the Thunder’s uniforms.
Nike KD 8 “Ocean Fog” to release on January 16th, 2016 at Shelflife, stay tuned for more details.


text:
The internet calling service Skype is finally gearing up for an Initial Public Offering. In a registration statement with the SEC, the company (whose CEO, Josh Silverman, is pictured to the right) announced that it intends to raise a maximum of $100 million through the offering, and that it will list the stock on the Nasdaq. The filing leaves some details ambiguous, so the actual IPO amount may end up being much more, or less, than $100 million.
The news comes after eBay finalized the sale of 70 percent of the company in November 2009 to an investment consortium led by Silver Lake Partners. It included participation from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, and Joltid — the peer-to-peer technology company founded by Skype’s founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis. The sale left eBay with 30 percent of Skype, Joltid with 14 percent, and the rest of the investment group with the remaining 56 percent. The deal valued Skype at $2.75 billion, and eBay was paid $1.9 billion in cash, and received a note from buyer worth $125 million.
To make the deal happen, eBay first had to settle some longstanding lawsuits with Skype’s founders — drama that mostly centered around the Joltid-owned peer-to-peer technology underneath Skype. Joltid was transferred to Skype as part of the deal, and it was partially what led to the founders receiving 14 percent of the company.
In addition to the IPO announcement, Skype’s filing today revealed some interesting details about the company and its user base. For one thing, it’s profitable. Skype snagged $13 million on $406 million in revenues for the first six months of 2010. Looking at it with non-GAAP metrics, Skype generated $115.8 million in profits in that time, reports All Things Digital.
The company says it has 560 million registered users, with 124 million using it every month. 8.1 million of those users pay an average of $96 a year for the service.
Photo via PhilWolff
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


text:
In January 2015, Facebook launched Lift Measurement, which uses test and control groups to show advertisers additional business generated from their ads. This has only been available to a small number of advertisers, however.
The company says it has helped over 1,000 businesses in more than 10 industries run Lift Measurement studies to measure the effectiveness across their objectives. Now, more businesses will have a crack at this.
Facebook announced on Wednesday it is starting tests to make Lift Measurement more widely available.
“Through our tests, select advertisers will be able to run lift measurement studies through APIs, Facebook Marketing Partners and measurement partners,” the company says in a post on its business blog. “By enabling our partners to more accurately measure ad performance on behalf of advertisers, we will extend the power of Lift measurement to more advertisers. We will provide more information about the availability of Lift measurement through partners and the API once we’re done testing.”
“Additionally, to free more advertisers from using unreliable and inaccurate methods that were born in a desktop-only world to measure which ads lead to conversions, we’re testing new fields in ads reporting,” it adds. “The new fields will tell advertisers which ads people saw or clicked on before they converted by taking an action, like making a purchase or becoming a qualified lead. This type of measurement can help advertisers understand which of their ads most effectively moved people along the path to purchase. We will update advertisers when and if these new fields are rolled out more widely.”
You can learn more about Conversion Lift and Lift Measurement in Facebook’s original announcement here.
Image via Facebook


text:
NCT‘s Lucas has been receiving criticism from netizens after being seen in public wearing a sexually suggestive shirt.
On May 22, Lucas was held an Instagram live session for his fans, where he could be seen in his car.
During the Instagram Live, some netizens took notice of his shirt, noticing what appeared to be two women kissing, as well as another woman in a suggestive pose.
Lucas was also seen shopping at a mall while wearing the same shirt.
He was also spotted at a cafe, taking a break from all of his shopping.
A close look at the shirt shows that the shirt is a SUPREME x Rita Ackermann Rayon S/S Shirt sold on Farfetch, and costs ₩590,000 KRW ($475.55 USD).
Some Korean netizens criticized Lucas for wearing that kind of shirt in public.
- “I just wonder, what was he thinking wearing that?
- “Even if a regular person was wearing this, I would think it’s disgusting.”
- “Fucking hell, how does someone go out wearing this?”
- “If this is real fashion, I’m not wearing clothes anymore.”
- “How can you go out in public like this?”
- “That design…”
However, his fans have also come to his defense, claiming it is just fashion and it is okay for him to be wearing it.


text:
TOKYO -- Nissan Motor President and CEO Hiroto Saikawa said Monday that he is open to discussions aimed at strengthening the Japanese carmaker's alliance with Renault of France, following a Nikkei report that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is set to propose a merger with Renault.
"I'm open to any forward-looking discussions to strengthen the alliance," Saikawa said, while declining to comment on what he said were "assumptions."
He added that the top management of its existing alliance comprising Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors will meet later this week, and that he intends "to exchange opinions openly and have a constructive dialogue."
Asked by reporters whether he was notified of the merger proposal, Saikawa was coy, saying, "I can't tell you, but I will tell you when I can." A merger between FCA and Renault would create a huge global automotive alliance, with sales of 15 million cars a year, including those of Nissan and Mitsubishi.
Renault's top management will travel to Japan to attend a regular meeting of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance at Nissan's Yokohama headquarters on Wednesday.
Industry watchers will be focused on whether Renault will offer details of the merger talks with FCA to its Japanese partners.


text:
We want to believe! Fox executives are in talks with series creator Chris Carter, along with original actors Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, to bring back the sci-fi drama to TV.
Technically Incorrect: Google insists that Google Glass is moving onward and upward. But in withdrawing it from sale, isn't the company admitting that people really didn't want it?
Amazon just kicked off its "Pilot Season" so try on a new show or 13 and Netflix could be losing a lot of BBC content.
Cybercriminals are making their attacks personal, remotely locking your computers and smartphones until you pay a hefty ransom.
NBC superhero drama "Heroes" returns with "Heroes Reborn," a miniseries produced by Tim Kring and featuring an all-new cast including "Chuck" star Zachary Levi.
The reborn Ford GT is the hottest car of the 2015 NAIAS in Detroit. We spoke with its designer, Moray Callum, to learn about how it went from sketch to concept car in just 14 months.
Watch the next generation of kids get creeped out and be entertained by the chatterbox bear, in this latest "Kids React" video from The Fine Brothers. Prepare to feel ancient.
As a statement on the many who sign on to end-user licensing agreements too fast, Florence Meunier prints out a EULA and reworks it into something new.
A new feature will allow Facebook users to report hoax stories appearing in their News Feed. But Facebook is stopping short of removing content, instead offering a warning for readers.
A dedicated site hosts women connected to the White House telling their favourite stories of trailblazing women in science and technology.


text:
Users of Apple's iPhone in Asia have complained of malfunctioning alarms on the first working day of 2011, even after Apple reassured users that its phones' built-in clocks will work from Monday.
Bloggers, Facebook and Twitter users complained of missed flights and late arrival at work, as the alarm built into Apple's iPhone failed to go off for a third straight day for some users.
"My iPhone alarm didn't work again," user sueannlove tweeted on the social networking site. "Time to dig out (the) old school alarm clock."
The problem was not limited to the iPhone, with some owners of other Apple products, such as its iPod music players, also complaining of a similar problem with their alarms.
Apple was not immediately available for comment, but it said on January 2 that it was aware of the problem with non-recurring alarms and that the iPhone's alarm will begin functioning normally again on January 3.
The problem did not appear to be affecting recurring alarms.
The iPhone alarm system also failed to recognise changes in daylight savings time in 2010, causing some users to sleep in an hour longer, according to media reports.
Apple sold over 14 million iPhones in its last reporting quarter ending September 25, and is now the world's No. 2 smartphone brand ranking behind global leader Nokia.
(Reporting by Kelvin Soh; Editing by Lincoln Feast).


text:
As if alcohol, marijuana, caffeine, and pills of various kinds aren't enough to give Americans a buzz, the federal government has approved a new product: powdered booze, reports Gawker. Even the company behind it, Palcohol, says the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's approval caught it off guard. The product is now expected to hit shelves in the fall, giving consumers six just-add-water options to choose from, including straight options like vodka and mixed offerings like Cosmopolitan, reports Eater. A sampling of the company's old website copy and new (at Palcohol.com) may reflect a little legal advice:
- Then: "We have found adding Palcohol to food is so much fun. ... Some of our favorites are the Kamikaze in guacamole, Rum on a BBQ sandwich, Cosmo on a salad and Vodka on eggs in the morning to start your day off right. Experiment."
- Now: "Can Palcohol be added to food? I suppose so. ... As Palcohol is a new product, we have yet to explore its potential of being added to food."
- Then: "Let’s talk about the elephant in the room….snorting Palcohol. Yes, you can snort it. And you’ll get drunk almost instantly ... Good idea? No. It will mess you up."
- Now: "Can I snort it? We have seen comments about goofballs wanting to snort it. Don't do it!"
The site now notes that the former "humorous and edgy verbiage about Palcohol" wasn't "meant to be our final presentation of Palcohol," and asserts that it was very clear even then that its product be used responsibly. Lehrman Beverage Law
, which first reported the TTB's approval, is "absolutely astonished" that Palcohol was approved and says it "seems highly likely to raise a large number of legal issues and controversies." (In other booze news, the plant tequila is derived from could help fight obesity


text:
Auckland thinking of dropping Glyphosate
November 5, 2017
Auckland council are "revisiting" their decision (opens new window) to use popular weedkiller glyphosate, more commonly known as RoundUp. Auckland councillor Wayne Walker seems to be pushing a move to stop using the weedkiller, despite the fact that Federated Farmers and New Zealand's EPA say that it is safe.
Last year Christchurch council decided to stop using glyphosate (opens new window), and since then have been spending millions more on using less effective products. Their first product had to be dropped when residents complained that it smelled bad:
It turns out that there's a lot of misinformation out there about glyphosate, and even the World Health Organisation were found recently to have cherry picked evidence when writing their most recent report (opens new window) about the weedkiller:


text:
It’s been a tough week for the food and beverage industry. Yesterday, the owners of Pizzeria Uno announced that the chain was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to DailyFinance, one side effect of this is that the company might begin using cheaper ingredients in its pizza to trim its budget. Yuck.
Meanwhile, there’s trouble brewing overseas in the world of delicious Belgian beers. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest beer company in the world, announced plans to cut hundreds of jobs in Belgium. Apparently, the Belgian unions didn’t take too kindly to this, and are now protesting.
According to the BBC, this dispute has affected the production and distribution of beer in the country. Now, it seems that supplies of Stella Artois and Leffe, two of the signature Belgian brews, are running dangerously low in Belgium (though, so far, not outside the country.)
Maybe now is the time to stop and ask, what the heck is going on here? This is not the recession I signed up for. I assumed that as the economy got worse and people had less money, we’d all just live on pizza and beer until the world seemed more tolerable.
So is there any good news out there? Yes. Two words: Whopper Bars.
USA Today is reporting that Burger King will open up its first Whopper Bar next month in Florida, with the possibility of others in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. These bars will serve burgers and beers.
More from USA Today: “A brewski at the new Whopper Bar — served in special aluminum bottles to keep them extra cold — fetches $4.25. Or, order beer as part of a Whopper combo and your bill will be $7.99 — roughly $2 more than the same combo meal with a fountain drink.”
A beer and Whopper combo? I’m sold.


text:
The reason the Federal Reserve is so effective and powerful is because of its political independence. The markets react to what the chair of the Federal Reserve says and in past crises, the Fed’s actions have provided a calming influence when markets panicked.
Regardless of the actual outcome of the trade war or any of the other economic news, how consumers and businesses perceive the future will be the key to the economy.
Though large, the Pacifica proved to be nimble, not anywhere near as mushy-handling as many minivans and, coupled with the excellent power sources, a top-notch driving vehicle, a mountain road super star.
The Airbnb and VRBO models are here to stay; they are popular options for travelers and work well for many. However, there is clearly more work to be done to regulate the issues.
Vail announced the acquisition of 17 East Coast resorts for $264 million located near major metropolitan areas, including New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Columbus, St. Louis, Kansas City and Louisville.
Nearly 550,000 immigrants – or 10% of the state population – call Colorado home. They pay nearly $4.2 billion in local, state and federal taxes and hold nearly $13 billion in spending power.
As organizations transform and adopt new technologies to support increasing demands of business operations, security issues continue to rise.
This is the first cut since 2008. A rate cut now is a bit peculiar as the economy is doing quite well with inflation low, unemployment at record lows and the stock market at record highs.
On May 10, trade tensions between the United States and China escalated with the U.S. raising tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.
The city is moving to re-brand itself as the renewable energy hub of not just Colorado, but more grandly yet, the southwestern United States, as big money slides into the effort to decarbonize the economy
When you’re going for a long, scenic drive you want the best driving vehicle you can get your hands on, and this Acura offered the comfort, space and power to cruise the scenic roadways of Michigan.
In 2019, coming up with an app idea, let alone one that consumers will ultimately find useful and pay for, comes with its own set of difficulties. Raika helps companies collect the data and knowledge required to determine if their app ideas can transform into a business that makes money.


text:
Recent reports that we have terminated employees due to their concerns over health practices are fundamentally untrue. The employees quoted in recent stories are still employed with Tesla and we have offered them work multiple times. All we have asked is that our employees talk to us and provide us the details of their own concern so we can do what we can to help find a solution. Tesla has not only offered employees a window of time to stay home no questions asked, but waived our attendance policy for several weeks after we had approval to reopen our factories. In addition, those who have at-risk family members at home received two weeks paid leave through May 31. Tesla also provides 14-day COVID sick leave pay for employees who are quarantined, self-quarantine due to family members who are sick or have tested positive.
Today we are introducing the lowest-ever cost to go solar in the United States. Our average system size is now one-third less expensive than the industry average and we have recently introduced a lowest-price guarantee. If you change your mind after purchasing or are unhappy with the system, we will uninstall it and issue a full refund within seven days from system turn on.
At Tesla, we believe safety in our operations is achieved through engagement, education, innovation and continual improvement. That’s why we focus not just on our overall rate of injury, but also on how to prevent individual injuries before they happen.
This petition is completely false and was brought by a Tesla short-seller. We investigate every single incident where the driver alleges to us that their vehicle accelerated contrary to their input, and in every case where we had the vehicle's data, we confirmed that the car operated as designed. In other words, the car accelerates if, and only if, the driver told it to do so, and it slows or stops when the driver applies the brake.


text:
Skoda Auto India today announced opening bookings for the upcoming new Skoda Karoq SUV and the Rapid 1.0 TSI. Customers can either book the model of their choice either at an authorized Skoda dealership or pre-order its online at the company’s official website, for a token of ₹ 50,000. Deliveries for the Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI will commence on April 14, and for the Karoq SUV, they’ll start on May 6, 2020. Price announcements, however, will happen about a week before the aforementioned delivery dates of each model.
Commenting on the upcoming models, Zac Hollis, Brand Director – Skoda Auto India, said, “Our SUV model range caters to a growing class of discerning customers with the taste for luxury as well as the right ‘value for money’ proposition. While retaining its strong family characteristics, the much-anticipated Karoq will continue to drive Skoda Auto’s success in India.” Talking about the Rapid 1.0 TSI, he added, “The state of the art 1.0 TSI (Turbocharged Stratified Injection) petrol engine, to be introduced with the Skoda Rapid, is central to our BS6 powertrain and fuel strategy – offering an exceptional power output as well as excellent fuel economy.”
The Skoda Karoq is built on the MQB platform and will come with a 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine
The new Skoda Karoq, which has been present in the global markets for a few years now, was introduced as the replacement for the Yati. The Karoq is built on the MQB platform, and it will come to India as a completely built unit (CBU) similar to its upcoming rival, the Volkswagen T-Roc, which is slated to be launched on March 18. The SUV made its India debut at the Auto Expo 2020 and will be a petrol-only model.
The Skoda Karoq will be launched with a 1.5-litre TSI engine tuned to make 148 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque. The engine will come mated to a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox. We drove the Skoda Karoq in May last year and have already told you a fair deal about it. The SUV will come with features like – panoramic sunroof, 9 airbags, virtual cockpit, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, all-LED headlamps, LED taillamps, leather upholstery, and ambient lighting.
The Skoda Rapid will get a new 1.0 TSI that will make 108 bhp and 175 Nm of peak torque
The Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI, on the other hand, is simply a variant addition and will be powered by the 1.0-litre TSI engine that makes about 108 bhp and 175 Nm of peak torque. It is the same engine that was introduced in the Volkswagen Polo and Vento earlier this month. Visually, the car will remain unchanged and is likely to be based on the top-end Style variant of the existing Rapid, offering features like – 16-inch Clubber alloy wheels, LED daytime running lamps, rear diffuser, and trunk spoiler among others.
Source: Read Full Article


text:
The world’s largest watch manufacturer TIMEX today announced the launch of Metropolitan+, an analog activity tracker for men. Priced at INR 9995, TIMEX Metropolitan+ uses Bluetooth technology to connect with the smartphone and track routine activities, including steps, distance and calories. The stats can be viewed on the watch dial. The product is exclusively available on Amazon India.
The highlight of the watch is that the user is free from the hassles of charging as its battery gives a power for almost 18 months (1.5 years). “An active lifestyle often makes you give up on important things in life. TIMEX wants its consumers to not give up on their style for functionality or vice versa. Metropolitan+ is for the modern day men who demand a fit and active lifestyle and are always connected on the go,” said Anupam Mathur, Head – Sales and Marketing, Timex Group India Limited.
“It is a perfect fit for the men who are interested in tracking their daily progress but wouldn’t want to sacrifice the beauty of a traditional watch on their wrist, a best of both worlds. With Metropolitan+, the daily lifestyles of our male consumers will become effortless, convenient and dynamic,” he added.
Commenting on the exclusive partnership, Mayank Shivam, Category Leader, Amazon Fashion, said, “Amazon.in is a platform of choice for customers to shop online for wearable technology as well as fashion products. Timex Metropolitan+ is a perfect blend of fashion and technology that will make our customers’ lives easier while enhancing their fashion quotient. We are happy to be the exclusive partner for Timex on this as we continue to offer easy, convenient and reliable shopping experience to our customers across the country. This initiative is in keeping with Amazon.in’s endeavor to bring the best of the brands for Indian consumers and we are confident that the Metropolitan+, exclusively available on Amazon.in, will be a product they will love to own.”
There are two variations available for Metropolitan+ — a watch with a silver-tone case, a black dial with red accents and a textured leather strap and another with a black case with a black dial and orange accents, and comes with interchangeable black silicone and orange nylon straps. The watches are equipped with TIMEX’s flagship INDIGLO night-light. The phone app is compatible with both iOS and Android. The watch is water resistant up to 50 meters.


text:
Thom Browne has long had a love affair with heritage fabrics. On Tuesday, smack dab in the middle of New York Fashion Week, he dropped a collection devoted exclusively to tartan — specifically the gray and navy pattern he designed more than 15 years ago.
The designer said he opted not to show his full fall collection now in favor of showing off-calendar in New York on April 29. But he has a couple of good reasons.
Although his fall line has been designed completely, Browne said that due to the challenges presented by Omicron, he wasn’t able to produce his show this early. “As you know, with my shows, we don’t just walk in a room and have it happen,” he said of the extravagant productions he stages. “So we preempted the whole idea. There are too many challenges, but we’ll get everything done by April.”
In addition, in May, the second part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “Lexicon of Fashion” show, curated by Browne’s longtime partner Andrew Bolton, will open. The designer brought his show back to New York in September when the Met show opened. “So with part two happening in May, I felt it was important to be in New York,” Browne said.
He still wanted to be involved in New York Fashion Week now, hence the release of the images devoted to his tartan collection.
Browne said he designed and registered his tartan in 2006 and has been using it “in smaller ways” in his collections since then. But he’s blowing it out now. “I wanted to conceptualize it and bring it into the whole world of Thom Browne,” he said.
The official Thom Browne tartan, listed on the Tartan Registry of Scotland, was created as a classic wool twill produced by Lochcarron of Scotland, a tartan house dating back to the 1800s. Since it was introduced, the Thom Browne tartan has also been used in cashmere, British wool tweeds, French ribbon tweeds, Japanese school uniform twills, heavy cottons, silk mogadors, nylons and other fabrics.
He said the pattern is just another example of how he “takes classic ideas and heritage fabrics and reintroduces them in different ways.” And this preview also serves as a “small preview for April,” where it will be part of a larger collection. “It’s a drop of an idea,” he said.
The look book presentation released Tuesday offers the tartan in constructed canvas tailoring, unconstructed soft tailoring, and skirts for men and women. It is also used in outerwear in pieces ranging from transitional shell weight jackets and heavyweight parkas to down. Cashmere and silk knits, footwear and bags, including the designer’s signature Mr. and Mrs. Thom and Hector styles, are also being given the tartan treatment in what Browne described as “all new interpretations.”
And for the first time, Browne used the tartan in children’s wear.
To tease the launch, Browne shot the upcoming collection on men, women and children in an 18th-century American-inspired set. The full expression of the line, along with other pieces “based on heritage fabrics” will be presented in what will be a fall men’s and women’s runway show on April 29.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Raleigh's Valencell cuts deal with South Korean electronics firm at CES
Raleigh-based mobile health and fitness technology company Valencell has teamed up with iriver, a South Korean electronics manufacturer, to make sure you can count your burned calories and listen to music at the same time.
Called the iriver ON, the new headset is powered by Valencell’s PerformTek Precision Biometrics — a sensor technology that monitors real-time physiological data such as calories burned — all while playing your favorite music.
When we last spoke to Valencell CEO Steven LeBoeuf, he said partnership opportunities for the technology were plentiful.
It looks like they found a big one.
“We’re excited to partner with Valencell to launch such a compelling product into the mobile fitness marketplace,” iriver CEO Henry Park says.
The product is expected to hit retailers by March of this year.
Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Valencell and iriver presented the headset at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas where 20 North Carolina companies are displaying their products and services.
Lauren Ohnesorge covers information technology and entrepreneurship.
- Most popular
- Google Fiber is coming to the Triangle
- IBM layoffs confirmed, RTP impact unclear
- Cree outsourcing move means 319 cut jobs at Durham recruiter
- Citrix announces 900 layoffs: Raleigh impact unclear
- Duke Realty agrees to sale of Perimeter Park as part of $1B deal
- Trial involving disgraced scientist and bunk Duke research to begin
- Triangle leaders: Here's what Google Fiber will do for Raleigh,
- Apex, Wake Forest: We will get giga-speeds without Google Fiber
- Forbes: Raleigh is 4th-fastest growing city in U.S.
- Durham’s Rise Biscuits & Donuts to open first franchise
Sign up to receive Triangle Business Journal's Morning Edition and Afternoon Edition newsletters and breaking news alerts.
UX Designer American City Business Journals | Charlotte, NC
Software Implementation Consultant Apptio Inc | Morrisville, NC
Solutions Architect Principle Solutions Group | Raleigh, NC
ECM-653 Butler America | Raleigh, NC
Network Engineer Principle Solutions Group | Raleigh, NC


text:
A new plastic model for a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force escort vessel is raising eyebrows in China.
The model's box art seems to feature the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning engulfed in flames and sinking. Japanese fighter jets fly overhead.
Originally a Soviet carrier, the Liaoning is known for its curved incline to, as South China Morning Post explains, "launch" aircraft from its deck. This is different from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, which use a catapult-assisted system.
The model carries the words "Operation Senkaku", which refers to a set of islands that both China and Japan are claiming as their own.
Online in China, people have been quick to point out that the sinking aircraft carrier looks like the Liaoning. Xinhua, one of China's largest news sources, is even covering the plastic model, wondering why it mocks the Chinese navy. The reason, apparently, was that the Japanese navy has never lost to China or something to that effect.
However, online in Japan, people seemed to think it was a silly thing to get upset over, noting that it was just box art for a plastic model aimed at the military model maker niche. Some even pointed out that this model company in particular often has provocative box art and plastic models. Others said this was tame compared to all the hyper violent anti-Japanese dramas on Chinese TV.
With this newfound attention, some even pointed out that this model was headed for big sales. Everything according to keikaku, no doubt.
The Hyuga 1/700 scale model was released this past May. It's priced at around US$30.
ヘリコプター搭載護衛艦 ひゅうが 離島防衛作戦 (プラモデル) [Hobby Stock]
To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft.
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.


text:
Nokia 6, Moto E4 Join List of Amazon Prime Exclusive Phones in the US
For Prime members, the Moto E4 is up for grabs for $99.99
All the smartphones are up for pre-order right now
Nokia 6 will ship on July 10, while Moto E4 will ship on June 30
The Nokia 6 was announced for the US earlier this week, due to arrive on Amazon. Now, Amazon has now announced it as a Prime Exclusive smartphone – which means it will show offers and ads – featuring a $50 (roughly Rs. 3,200) discount on its price tag. Apart from the Nokia 6, the Moto E4 was also announced as a Prime Exclusive.
The Nokia 6 will be available at $229 (roughly Rs. 14,800) in the US through Amazon for non-Prime members, but Prime members can choose to grab it for $179 (roughly Rs. 11,500) only, complete with offers and ads. Similarly, Moto’s recently announced Moto E4 16GB will be offered at $99.99 (roughly Rs. 6,400) for Prime members ($30 off the full retail price). Verizon still gives you to best price at $69 (roughly Rs. 4,500), but you’re locked on to Verizon with that deal. Both the smartphones are up for pre-order, and the Moto E4 will be shipped on June 30, while the Nokia 6 will be shipped on July 10.
Alcatel is also adding to the Prime Exclusive catalogue with the new Alcatel Idol 5S for only $199.99 (roughly Rs. 12,900) for Prime members ($80 off the full retail price), the Alcatel A50 for only $99.99 (roughly Rs. 6,400) for Prime members ($50 off the full retail price), and the Alcatel A30 Plus, available for only $79.99 (roughly Rs. 5,100) for Prime members (also $50 off the full retail price). The Alcatel phones are also up for pre-order and will ship on July 10.
Nokia 6 specifications
Nokia 6, the best-specced of the Nokia Android phones released so far, runs Android 7.0 Nougat and sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection and a fingerprint sensor right below the display. The smartphone is powered by Snapdragon 430 processor coupled with Adreno 505 GPU and 3GB of RAM. In terms of optics, Nokia 6 comes with a 16-megapixel rear sensor and an 8-megapixel camera at front for taking selfies.
The US variant of the Android phone from Nokia comes with 32GB inbuilt storage, which is expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB). The Nokia 6 houses a 3000mAh battery, features a 6000 series aluminium body, and has inbuilt dual speakers and Dolby Atmos support. Connectivity options on the smartphone include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, NFC, USB OTG, FM, 3G, and 4G.
Moto E4 specifications
Coming to the specifications, the Moto E4 runs on Android 7.1 Nougat and comes with a single-SIM slot (Nano). It sports a 5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) display, and is powered by the 1.4GHz Snapdragon 425 processor or a Snapdragon 427 SoC (depending upon the carrier in the US) paired with 2GB of RAM. The smartphone offers 16GB of inbuiltl storage option with the option to expand further using a microSD card slot.
As for the optics, the Moto E4 has an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, f/2.2 aperture, and single-LED flash support. At the front, there is a 5-megapixel sensor with f/2.2 aperture, fixed focus, single-LED flash, and a beautification mode for better selfies. It packs a 2800mAh removable battery, and connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11n, Micro-USB port, GPS, Bluetooth v4.1, and 4G support. The dimensions are at 144.5×72 x9.3mm, and the smartphone weighs 150 grams. Sensors on board include proximity, light, accelerometer, and magnetometer. In the US, it will be available in Liquorice Black, and Fine Gold colour variants.


text:
A company based in Texas has recalled a coffee product after a substance found in a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction was found in the product, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed. Bestherbs Coffee LLC has recalled all of its “New of Kopi Jantan Tradisional Herbs Coffee” after the FDA said it found...
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
JANUARY 15, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
2013 - 88 ORCHARD COFFEE LLC
Around the Web
- Coffee recalled for containing Viagra-like ingredient
By Fox News - Thursday Jul 20, 2017
- The Top 10 Moments of New York Fashion Week
By THE NEW YORK TIMES - Friday Sep 15, 2017
Highlights from the shows, including a celebrity-packed front row at Calvin Klein and a trek to Bedford Hills, N.Y., to see Ralph Lauren’s vintage cars.
- Women of Sex Tech, Unite
By ANNA NORTH - Friday Aug 18, 2017
New York is becoming a cultural center for young women trying to disrupt the male-dominated industries of design engineering and sex toys.
- Fit City: Taking Night-Life Cue, Gyms Lower the Lights
By TATIANA BONCOMPAGNI - Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Cycling, boxing and running studios, as well as some full-service gyms, are using sophisticated lighting systems to heighten the exercise experience.
- Coffee could soon carry cancer warnings on packaging
By Lisa Fickenscher - Thursday Sep 7, 2017
A bitter legal “brew-ha-ha” that could roil the coffee world has kicked off in Los Angeles. Starbucks and a host of other coffee sellers are fighting a lawsuit that alleges roasted coffee beans contain low levels of a carcinogen — and therefore coffee products sold in California, from lattes to packaged beans, should carry Surgeon...
- Critic's Notebook: Fringe Festival? Not This Summer. Fringe Spirit? Definitely.
By LAURA COLLINS-HUGHES - Tuesday Sep 5, 2017
A plantation-set adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard” and a scatological monologue are visceral reminders of theater’s power to unsettle.


text:
New York magazine’s fashion site The Cut will debut a redesigned website Monday in an effort to simultaneously enhance the user experience, entice ad buyers and more efficiently house its expanding coverage areas.
Development for the revamped site, which took about six months, involved a heavy emphasis on mobile optimization in response to the evolving ways its readers are consuming news, said Stella Bugbee, editor-in-chief and president of The Cut. On both desktop and mobile, the refreshed aesthetic will be cleaner than its previous site, with significantly more white space, simpler font and an infrastructure that prioritizes imagery. The added benefit to a visual-heavy approach is it naturally lends itself to attracting fashion advertisers, which across New York magazine’s verticals already constitute a significant portion of its ad roster.
“We designed it to be a kind of luxury experience on your phone. I know that sounds silly, but the redesign makes reading The Cut this calming and stylish experience,” Bugbee said. “We revamped our whole visual approach — we’ve got a totally new style guide for how pictures are chosen, cropped and treated. The whole feeling is more cohesive.”
Cartier and Saks Fifth Avenue have both signed on to sponsor the launch of the new site, but The Cut will also benefit from advertising opportunities as a result of a forthcoming merger with New York magazine’s wellness vertical, Science of Us. Melissa Dahl, editor of Science of Us, will run her section within The Cut in the near future (Bugbee did not disclose a particular date) and all its content will be fully migrated to the new website.
A mockup of The Cut’s new site
Across both print and digital, fashion publications have continued to be particularly lucrative in the advertising space — just take a look at the ever-growing size of September issues and the rise of editorial e-commerce partnerships. Though The Cut has a small percentage of real estate in New York magazine’s bi-weekly print publication, Bugbee said having a more style-oriented site is vital to reflecting the aspirational experience of viewing print advertisements in magazines.
“We thought about making an environment in which ads will look amazing,” she said. “If you look at a fashion magazine, and flip through the pages, those ads are part of why you buy the magazine. They add to that experience. Striking that balance on the internet has become a challenge and our new design comes closer to that than ever.”
The site debuting on Monday is only the first iteration, Bugbee said. In the coming two months, it will continue to evolve, with soon to be announced enhanced design features and functionalities largely created with advertisers in mind. The aim is that new capabilities like full-screen takeovers and video pop-ups will be a selling point for future partners. On the reader side, customization will be a major focus, particularly on mobile, an area Bugbee said the team is still working on.
The Cut’s refined image is also opening itself up to new partnerships, including serving as one of Facebook’s first publishers for its new “Watch” feature, a section on the platform dedicated exclusively to video. Video has been a significant focus for The Cut, beginning in June when it launched its first original series, “Face Race,” focused on beauty. Its first video as part of the Facebook partnership, which will launch Monday in tandem with the site, introduces a forthcoming series based on women dressing for their body types, hosted by The Cut’s fashion market editor, Lindsay Peoples.
Looking to the site’s editorial future, Bugbee said cultivating stories rooted in women’s empowerment is a major focus, and a mission that is ingrained within the new website. Featured sections on the site now include style, self, culture and power, and Bugbee said its editorial content will continue to push the boundaries of a traditional style publication. The Cut has already set itself apart for its witty and provocative tone, and now Bugbee plans to further this mission through moving into other areas like politics, current affairs and health.
“I think The Cut has an interesting voice in the landscape, and is well-positioned to be a real leading voice for women in the coming years and beyond. I’m very glad the redesign finally reflects how that should look,” she said.


text:
In the News
Unique insights and industry reports talking about Chatsuite
Why chatbots can increase personalization and loyalty program effectiveness
November 1st, 2016
Chatbots, the interactive tools that talk to people through messaging apps, are all the rage at top companies like Facebook and Microsoft, but really, marketers should be the most excited. Messaging apps recently climbed past social media in user numbers, becoming the world’s most preferred platform for communication.
The advantages and disadvantages of chatbots
October 4th, 2016
Chatbot developers each have their own set of tools that they use to independently develop their products, which has lead to changes across the industry. The key, however, has been chat apps opening their APIs to allow developers build conversational tools. APIs are constantly improving, adding more and more capabilities.
Apple, app-ification and the power of chatbots
August 27th, 2016
With every passing day, the popularity of chatbots continues to grow – and this is because chatbots can help make the Internet a better place for everyone. The one-to-one communication channel in messaging applications has proved a most powerful way for brands and publishers to discover what inspires their audience.
Chatsuite launches industry's first chatbot platform for agencies
August 25th, 2016
Chatsuite, the market's most comprehensive Chat Marketing Platform, announced today the launch of the first chatbot platform for agencies, a tailored system unique to large agencies that will allow them to effectively scale chatbot capabilities across a large number of client campaigns.
Chatsuite introduces chatbot platform for agencies to effectively scale chatbot capabilities across campaigns
August 25th, 2016
Chatsuite, the comprehensive Chat Marketing Platform, announced today the launch of the chatbot platform for agencies, a tailored system unique to large agencies that will allow them to effectively scale chatbot capabilities across a large number of client campaigns.
Chatsuite launches first chatbot platform for agencies
August 25th, 2016
Chatsuite, a London-based chatbot marketing platform, announced today that it has launched a conversational bot management solution specifically tailored for marketing and advertising agencies. The platform allows agencies to offer a comprehensive suite of chatbot services that spans multiple communications channels and the full communications lifecycle.
Chatsuite announces new chatbot creation and management features for agencies
August 25th, 2016
The London-based company — now rebranded as Chatsuite — is launching new features that it says are the first specifically built for ad and marketing agencies. The updated platform adds several new capabilities: the ability to administer bots and bot content, and a new scheduler to handle multiple notifications, for multiple bots with multiple brands.
Chatbots are the future of news consumption for sports fans
August 15th, 2016
Technology is developing at a rapid rate, sports technology in particular. For sports fans there are numerous ways they can consume and engage with content, and chatbots within popular messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger are the latest way for sports teams and athletes to connect both parties.
Why chatbots are in the caveman stage
August 13th, 2016
With that perspective, it makes sense to examine how chatbots can fit into a business — what they are capable of, what they are good at — and use them for those purposes. A.I.-powered chatbots do indeed have the capability of helping brands better engage with customers and of enhancing a brand’s reputation.
The Huffington Post's chatbot tells Netflix viewers what to watch next
July 19th, 2016
The Huffington Post’s entertainment division is creating a dialogue with readers regarding what to watch on Netflix through a chatbot that provides recommendations on Facebook Messenger. The pervasiveness of chatbots has led many publishers to jump to Facebook Messenger and other messaging applications.
Chatsuite to power new Netflix recommendation bot for The Huffington Post
July 27th, 2016
Chatsuite, the market's most versatile chat-based content management system, announced today that it is powering the recently launched Netflix recommendation bot from The Huffington Post. The bot provides HuffPost readers with recommendations for movies, documentaries, and TV shows.
How The Huffington Post will make it easier to decide what to watch on Netflix
July 8th, 2016
Huffington Post has launched a bot that will help users figure out what to watch on Netflix through Facebook Messenger, TheWrap has exclusively learned. The bot, which is named Felix, gives users recommendations based on what genre they’re feeling that day, whether it be a drama or a comedy – or maybe they just want to be surprised.
25 Chatbot startups you should know
June 14th, 2016
Chatbots are programs that mimic conversation with people using artificial intelligence. With recent advances in AI these have become much more accurate, especially when focused on a specific domain. Combine these advances with the consumer trend towards messaging — people are now spending more time in messaging apps than in social media — and it seems we might be about to enter the age of the chatbot.
The rise of chatbots: Why brands are embracing conversation
June 7th, 2016
It seems scarcely a day goes by without a brand, publisher, or celebrity excitedly announcing the launch of a chatbot. Conversational AI is helping Facebook Messenger users choose holiday destinations and flights using Skyscanner; Burberry and Selfridges have accounts on WeChat and Line users can even chat to a Taylor Swift bot.
This London startup convinced us that Taylor Swift is right — the future will be full of money-making AI bots
May 14th, 2016
Back in October 2014, Taylor Swift opened an account on Line, the messaging app that is massively popular in Asia. The account currently doesn't do much. If you communicate with it, you can hear a funny voice message from Swift, for instance.
BetterBrand launches ChatSuite platform
May 11th, 2016
Chat marketing tech firm BetterBrand has launched its ChatSuite platform, which enables audiences to get specific information and services through their preferred messaging platform. It’s designed to help global publishers, brands and agencies use conversational technology to build new audiences.
BetterBrand launches chatbot marketing platform for messaging apps
April 15th, 2016
Chatbots are the hottest new tool in digital marketing. Facebook unveiled a new chatbot platform for Messenger this week. And brands such as Microsoft, Taco Bell and KLM are experimenting with how to best use them. BetterBrand thinks it can help. CEO Asaf Amir launched the London-based startup last week with a new chatbot marketing platform.
BetterBrand launches chat app marketing platform
April 11th, 2016
London-based startup BetterBrand is launching a conversational marketing platform to help brands communicate with customers on various messaging apps. Brands using this platform will be able to engage users who visit their public page or account on supported chat apps with predefined conversations that follow a customizable conversational flow-chart and may include rich media such as photo, video, links, and buy buttons.
Startup BetterBrand unveils its marketing platform for chat apps
April 8th, 2016
No communication channel is hotter these days than chat apps, but they are also among the hardest for marketers to tap. To help brands address this opportunity, London-based startup BetterBrand this week announced its initial product, a chat app marketing platform. At the moment, CEO Asaf Amir told me, the platform is available as a managed service, although it will be released as a self-service cloud platform within a couple of months.
BetterBrand launches industry's first chat marketing platform, heralding the "Era of the Bots"
April 7th, 2016
BetterBrand, the first company to build a chat-based Content Management System, announced today its public launch, pioneering the effort to directly interact with the world's largest audience-chat app users-with a universal platform. BetterBrand's platform allows global media publishers, large brands, social and digital agencies, celebrities and influencers to easily build new audiences and distribute content to followers and fans.
BetterBrand provides chatbot platform for marketing teams
April 3rd, 2016
Enthusiasm for chat as a platform for user engagement has officially reached a fevered pitch. Last week, Microsoft unveiled its Bot Platform, a complete set of development and deployment services for building and hosting conversational agents. And this week Facebook garnered headlines in opening up Messenger to external chatbot developers.


text:
Sources within Apple's supply chain are corroborating rumors that the company's rumored "Apple Glass" augmented reality glasses will launch in 2021, with initial production to kick off in the first half of the year.
Now, sources at relevant suppliers told DigiTimes that they're expecting Apple to roll out "Apple Glass" in 2021. Apple's supply chain partners are reportedly "gearing up" to start small-volume production in the first half of 2021, according to a paywalled preview of a report due to be published Friday.
"Apple Glass" is expected to start at $499, though prescription lenses will increase that cost. Per Prosser's leak, it appears that the device will rely on a connected iPhone for much of its functionality, similar to an Apple Watch.
The head-worn accessory won't feature any cameras, but could sport a LiDAR sensor that will allow 3D depth-mapping and displaying of contextual information. Prosser suggests that it could also allow some degree of hand gesture controls.
A charging station will provide power wirelessly, and the actual chassis — which will be lightweight — of the glasses will be either plastic or metal.
It's likely that "Apple Glass" will also take full advantage of Apple's existing ARKit framework.
As far as a release date, Prosser suggested that Apple's original plan was to debut the device in September 2020. Coronavirus social distancing restrictions have likely pushed that date back to a March 2021 event.
Thursday's DigiTimes report repeats that 2021 release timeline, and further suggests that the actual launch could be later in the year. DigiTimes has a good track record as a supply chain monitor, but has an incredibly poor success rate on predicting product features. While Thursday's report is more the former than the latter, it isn't clear if the publication is parroting Prosser's timeline, or if it has independently sourced the information.
Previously, well-respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecast that the glasses would debut in 2022 because of their complexity. Prosser disagreed with that estimate.