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- News tagged "ipad"
Monday, 4 Jan 2016
A 7-year-old boy from England memorized his dad's Apple ID password and spent US$5,900 on the iPad playing the iTunes game Jurassic World.
Thursday, 17 Dec 2015
Bloomberg reports that Apple opened a secret laboratory in northern Taiwan to develop new display technologies for use in the iPhone, iPad and Mac.
AppleInsider has learnt that Apple is working to integrate 3D Touch technology on the iPads although the implementation will not be in time for 2016.
Wednesday, 16 Dec 2015
A noted analyst has said that the iPad Air 3 will be released in the first half of 2016, but it is unlikely to have 3D Touch.
Monday, 14 Dec 2015
It's that time of the year again. No, not Christmas. The time for companies to announce their 'Best Of' lists! Today, we have the 'Best Of' list from Apple! Head on in to find out what games, apps and music made it to the top this year.
Thursday, 10 Dec 2015
Apple has just released iOS 9.2, which should be available as a free update on compatible iOS devices now.
Tuesday, 24 Nov 2015
You've heard how amazing the Apple Pencil is when paired with the Apple iPad Pro, but have you seen it at work? Well, here are some drawings done using the Apple Pencil by some iPad owners! Hit the link to see them!
Monday, 23 Nov 2015
Apple posted a support document on its website advising iPad Pro users to force restart their tablets if the screen is not responsive and remains black.
Saturday, 14 Nov 2015
If you are planning to get the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro, the wait now is at least a month as Apple has "limited supply".
A range of attractive data plans from the telcos are offered for customers to connect to their 4G networks.


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The newly official confirmation that Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is getting a PC port prompted PlayStation 5 mockery among some gamers, who took online to recall a prominent marketing campaign for the console that they feel has aged quite poorly. Sony announced the PC version of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart earlier today, stating that the port is releasing July 26.
Despite the fact that the PS5 is pushing three nowadays, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart remains its only truly “next-gen” game. Sony wasn’t planning for that to happen, but eventually decided to keep supporting the PS4 with cross-gen releases after pandemic-induced semiconductor shortages prevented it from meeting the global PS5 demand. The latest installment in the Ratchet and Clank series was already out by the time that strategic shift happened, with Sony using Rift Apart to aggressively market the PS5 SSD storage in the run-up to the game’s release.
Since then, the Japanese company not only paused its single-platform-focused approach, but even committed to PlayStation PC ports in a big way. However, some gamers aren’t willing to let Sony live down its 2020 claims that the latest Ratchet and Clank game was only made possible by the PS5 hardware. Shortly following today’s announcement of the Rift Apart PC port, “PS5 SSD” started trending on Twitter, with hundreds of people recalling the claims that the game’s dimension-hoping mechanics demonstrate the unique capabilities of the console’s solid-state drive.
While many merely mocked the 2020 marketing lingo concerning the PS5 storage tech, others used today’s announcement as an opportunity to highlight how the console is in an unenviable position, content-wise; not only has Sony’s cross-gen support prevented true system sellers from materializing, but the arrival of Rift Apart on PC means that the PS5 has now actually started losing what few exclusives it has.
Since Sony chose to omit the Rift Apart PC port from its latest PlayStation Showcase only to announce it six days later, it’s plausible that the company anticipated these reactions. After all, the May 24 event was already criticized by the fandom for lacking in first-party exclusives. Given just how many PlayStation Showcase 2023 games are coming to Xbox, it’s likely that Sony didn’t want to reinforce that argument by announcing the PC port of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart during the broadcast.
While this hasn’t been the greatest month for Sony’s marketing department, PlayStation 5 owners still have plenty of things to look forward to in the near future, starting with some high-profile exclusives like Final Fantasy 16 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The Japanese company is also rumored to be planning another PlayStation Showcase for the second half of 2023, which is likely to offer a glimpse at the planned PS5 game lineup for 2024.
MORE: Rumors Surrounding PlayStation’s Showcase Point Toward a Specific Outcome

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9:37 a.m. Sept. 11, 2020
- By Tomi Kilgore
Vista Outdoor's stock shoots up after B. Riley FBR analyst turns bullish, lifts target to imply a 55% upsideShares of Vista Outdoor Inc. ran up 6.6% in afternoon trading, after B. Riley FBR analyst Eric Wold turned bullish on the ammunition and outdoor gear maker, citing increased confidence that strengthened demand will last beyond the initial stages of the post-COVID-19 stay-at-home trend. Wold raised his rating to back to buy, after downgrading it to neutral on July 8. He raised his stock price target to $30, which is 55% above current levels, from $23. "At this point, we are increasingly confident that the spiking demand seen with both outdoor products and shooting sports/ammunition during the recent COVID-19 shutdowns, 'stay-at-home' environment, and civil unrest movements could prove more than fleeting and potentially create a new demand base heading into next year," Wold wrote in a note to clients. " Due to the combination of elevated firearms demand and the number of first-time gun buyers coming into the industry, our channel checks and management conversations indicate that ammo inventory out in the dealer channel remains extremely tight." The stock has rocketed 159.5% year to date, while the S&P 500 has edged up 2.7%.
3:43 a.m. June 3, 2020
- By Tomi Kilgore
Gun stocks rally as continued surge in background checks, street violence stoke demand Sturm, Ruger shares soar to highest level since before Trump was elected; Smith & Wesson’s stock powers toward 19-month highShares of gun and ammo makers surged again Tuesday, as data showing a continued surge in firearm background checks and reports of another night of street violence helped fuel investor demand.
3:15 a.m. June 2, 2020
- By Tomi Kilgore
Digital Ally, Cemtrex and gun stocks power higher as social unrest fuels investor interest The 3 most active Nasdaq stocks were of companies that make body camera or video transmission products used by law enforcement Shares of Digital Ally Inc. and Cemtrex Inc. powered to near one-year highs on heavy volume Monday, as the nationwide protests against police killings fueled investor interest in the security products makers.
6:45 p.m. May 17, 2020
- Associated Press
Criminal investigation launched into explosion at Los Angeles hash oil manufacturer 12 firefighters injured in fiery blast; all expected to survivePolice and fire investigators launched a criminal probe Sunday into the cause of an explosion at a hash oil manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles that sent firefighters running for their lives.
12:12 p.m. May 9, 2020
- By Max A. Cherney
Gun maker Sturm Ruger details increased demand for firearms as COVID-19 spread in U.S. FBI data says that background checks required for gun sales jumped by over 1.5 million from the year before in March and AprilGun manufacturer Sturm Ruger & Co. Inc. shares rose to the highest level in a year this week after the company reported a spike in distributor sales to retailers amid increased demand for guns as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world.
8:41 a.m. April 2, 2020
- By Zusha Elinson
Gun background checks hit new record in March, triggered by coronavirus fears The proxy for firearm sales hit an all-time high as Americans worry about social breakdown and prisoner releasesThe number of gun background checks hit an all-time high in March as panicked Americans rushed to buy firearms during the coronavirus pandemic.
6:13 a.m. April 2, 2020
- By Shawn Langlois
Guns fly off shelves in record numbers as shops ruled ‘essential’ businessesGun sales usually spike after mass shootings, but in this case, it was the coronavirus pandemic.
10:54 a.m. Jan. 2, 2020
- By Tonya Garcia
Dick’s Sporting Goods benefits from adding more Adidas Yeezy sneakers while eliminating gun sales Dick’s Sporting Goods shares rallied 51% in the past yearDick’s Sporting Goods is making gains thanks to the addition of premium sneakers to the footwear lineup, and the removal of the hunting category, including guns.
12:27 p.m. Dec. 5, 2019
- By Claudia Assis
Smith & Wesson parent American Outdoor Brands tops fiscal Q2 profit, sales expectationsShares of American Outdoor Brands Corp. rose 5% in the extended session Thursday after it reported fiscal second-quarter profit and sales above Wall Street expectations. American Outdoor said it earned $1.3 million, or 2 cents a share, in the quarter, compared with $6.7 million, or 12 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted for one-time items, American Outdoor earned $5.2 million, or 9 cents a share, compared with $11 million, or 20 cents a share, a year ago. Sales fell 4.5% to $154.4 million, compared with $161.7 million a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected American Outdoor to report adjusted earnings of 7 cents a share on sales of $150 million. American Outdoor said it expects the split of its firearms business under its Smith & Wesson brand and its outdoor products business under American Outdoor to be completed in the second half of 2020. The company "We believe the spin-off will drive long-term value for our stockholders by enabling the management team of each company to focus on its specific strategies," the company said in a statement. Shares of American Outdoor ended the regular trading day 4.4% higher.
9:59 a.m. Dec. 4, 2019
- By Tomi Kilgore
Smith & Wesson parent American Outdoor's stock surges after analyst raises profit view ahead of earnings reportShares of American Outdoor Brands Corp. rose 4.5% in afternoon trading Wednesday, after Wedbush analyst James Hardiman raised his earnings estimates to well above consensus a day before the firearms and outdoor products company reports fiscal second-quarter results. Hardiman now expects quarterly earnings per share of 11 cents, up from 7 cents. That compares with the FactSet consensus of 6 cents as of Nov. 29 and the company's guidance range of 3 cents to 7 cents. Hardiman said his improved outlook is based on the "significant outperformance" in National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) data, which showed 13% growth on a weighted average basis versus his estimate of 3% growth coming into the quarter. The company's earnings report is due out after Thursday's closing bell. The stock has now soared 60% since it closed at a 7 1/2-year low of $5.62 on Oct. 3, while the S&P 500 has gained 7.0% over the same time. Last month, the company said it planned to spin off its Smith & Wesson gun-maker business into an independent publicly traded company, with the spinoff expected to be completed in the second half of 2020. Year to date, American Outdoor shares have shed 30%, while the S&P 500 has advanced 24%.
1:07 p.m. Nov. 13, 2019
- By Jeremy C. Owens
Smith & Wesson to split from corporate parent American Outdoor Brands Corp.American Outdoor Brands Corp. announced Wednesday afternoon that it would split into two companies to separate its gun-manufacturing business and the rest of its products. AOBC plans to spin off its outdoor-products and -accessories business in a tax-free dividend to stockholders, and allow that business to retain the American Outdoor Brands Inc. name. The gun business will be renamed Smith & Wesson Brands Inc., the name associated with its firearms. "There have been significant changes in the political climate as well as the economic, investing, and insurance markets since we embarked upon what we believe have been our very successful diversification efforts," Chairman Barry Monheit said in the announcement. "We believe that separating into two independent public companies will allow each company to better align its strategic objectives with its capital allocation priorities." Chief Executive James Debney will remain at the helm of American Outdoor, while Mark Smith will become CEO of Smith & Wesson. Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey Buchanan will lead the coordination and execution of the separation, expected to be completed in the second half of 2020, and then retire. Deana McPherson will take over as CFO of Smith & Wesson, and H. Andrew Fulmer will be CFO of American Outdoor. The company will hold a conference call to discuss the plans Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. AOBC also reaffirmed its financial guidance for the fiscal second quarter, which ended Oct. 31, and plans to announce results on Dec. 5. AOBC shares were halted just after markets closed, and gained more than 2% in extended trading after being released from the hold at 4:50 p.m. Eastern time.
12:05 p.m. Oct. 8, 2019
- Associated Press
Ohio governor’s new gun bill doesn’t include ‘red flag’ law So-called red-flag laws aim to restrict access to firearms among people perceived as threatsThe red-flag law aims to restrict firearms for people perceived as threats.


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Pattison Outdoor Advertising rebrands Onsetop division
By Adnews Staff
Pattison Outdoor Advertising of Toronto has begun a rebranding initiative. The company’s Pattison Onestop digital transit advertising division will now operate under the name of its parent rather than as a separate entity. According to the company, the intent is to unify the digital division with the overall brand.
The unified entity will continue to be headed by recently-appointed president Steve Mcgregor. Cam Milne, previously head of the Onestop division, has moved to the position of vice-president and general manager of the central region at Pattison Outdoor. Pattison Outdoor Advertising is a division of The Jim Pattison Group.
“This puts Pattison Outdoor in a prime position to bolster the digital outdoor and place-based advertising landscape in Canada as we look forward to 2020 and beyond by bringing together our experts in the sales and operations of digital outdoor with the national scope of our digital networks,” said Mcgregor. “The move comes at a critical inflection point for our digital out-of-home portfolio as 2020 is the year we are set to expand our programmatic functionality to expose our unique digital locations and audiences to countless new buyers and trading teams.”


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Fashion through the years has always been an essential part of a person’s lifestyle. The type of clothes and accessories someone wears can usually say a lot about their personality. The fashion industry itself, has blossomed into the multi-billion dollar giant it is today and with thousands of outlet malls and clothing stores around the nation, it’s easy to know what trends are popular.
There is a growing trend from one of the biggest clothing stores in the nation; however, this trend comes with tremendous controversy and anger from a lot of people. Abercrombie & Fitch has been known for providing fashionable clothes, but for sexy and thin people only.
The CEO of the company Mike Jeffries mentioned in a public statement that he doesn’t want larger people shopping in his store; he only wants thin and beautiful people.
“We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong in our clothes, and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely,” Jeffries said.
“Beauty is everything, that’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that,” Jeffries added.
It’s one thing to not want large people shopping in your store, but it’s another thing to actually exclude a particular gender from wearing your brand of clothing.
Jeffries talked about how he does not want overweight women wearing his brand of clothing and that they will never be part of the “in” crowd according to Daily.
It’s interesting that Abercrombie & Fitch offers XL and XXL to larger men but do not offer it to larger women. What’s the reason behind this? Robin Lewis, author of “The New Rules of Retail”, mentioned the reason the company offers larger sizes for men rather than women is to appeal to large size male athletes.
The author also explained the reason behind Jeffries approach to his limited target audience. “He doesn’t want his core customers to see people who aren’t as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they’re one of the ‘cool kids’,” Lewis said.
“Companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny, but then you become totally vanilla, you don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either,” Jefferies said.
The excitement to shop at Abercrombie & Fitch may be taking a big hit if this story angers a large portion of the company customer database. This issue will also give rival companies such as H&M who recently put a plus size model on their latest swimwear collection catalog and American Eagle the opportunity to add more customers.
The specialty retailer Abercrombie can’t be expected to appeal to everyone, but their brand’s standard of beauty may have run its course or least is decreasing in popularity.
67 percent of the apparel purchasing population fit the charts of “Plus Size” and it appears the numbers are growing all the time according to Yahoo.
“Too many companies are swayed into the “Pro-skinny fashion world” and the plus size market gets ostracized and seemingly discarded in department stores, if Abercrombie & Fitch continues to ignore this Plus Size revolution, it could be very costly for the business,” Margaret Bogenrief of ACM partners said.
“I don’t think A&F will ever change its approach of only supplying to thin attractive people, the company is only interested in people with washboard stomachs who look like they’re about to jump on a surfboard, it’s always going to be that way unfortunately,” Lewis said.
If you do shop at A&F does this story effect your idea of how the company operates? Will you continue to shop there?
Boycott Abercrombie & Fitch & Their Ugly Small Clothes!
What do you think of Abercrombie’s sizing and the statements of the CEO?
Target Apologizes For Naming Plus Size Dress ‘Manatee Gray’ After Twitter Explodes
Moisturizing Jeans: Wrangler to Launch the Denim January 28
New Jersey Middle School Bans Strapless Dresses for 8th Grade Dance


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The next-gen Amazon Kindle Fire. (Photo : Amazon)
Amazon showed off its fall 2012 lineup of new Kindle Fires at a Santa Monica press conference on September 6. While a lot of hype has been placed on the Kindle Fire HD, the new second-gen Kindle Fire offers a compelling steal at a low price.
The new Amazon Kindle Fire is available for pre-orders through Amazon and will cost $159. Shipping will begin November 14, and while it lacks some of the competitive features that its Kindle Fire HD brothers have, the Kindle FIre looks like a solid tablet at a more affordable price.
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The Kindle Fire will be a 7-inch tablet that offers a display resolution of 1024X600 on an LCD screen. It will come with 8GB of internal memory and free cloud storage for all content purchased through Amazon. The new Kindle Fire's battery will offer 8.5 hours of continuous use, according to Amazon.The tablet will also feature a dual-core 1.2GHz processor that will run an Android operating system.
The tablet won't offer the performance of the Nexus 7, the rumored iPad Mini, or its bigger brother, the Kindle Fire HD, but it looks like it will be a competent media tablet.
Keep in mind that for $40 more, you can pick up the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD. With a faster processor, better display, and a dual-band dual-antennae that Amazon claims deliver Wi-Fi 40 percent faster than the iPad 3, they are a more competitive $200 tablet against the Nexus 7.
With stereo speakers (sadly it won't come with Dolby Audio like the Kindle Fire HD will), the Kindle Fire won't be the most powerful budget tablet on the market, but it will be the most affordable. A brand new tablet for $159 is hard to beat, and unless you are looking for something more powerful, it might be your best choice.


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Ontario Boosting Economic Growth in Port Hope
Province Partners with Trade Tech Industries to Create Jobs and Grow Economy
Ontario is partnering with Trade Tech Industries on an expansion that is creating 10 new jobs and retaining 33 positions in Port Hope.
Lou Rinaldi, MPP for Northumberland-Quinte West, made the announcement today on behalf of Jeff Leal, Minister Responsible for Small Business.
Trade Tech Industries custom designs and manufactures structural steel, aluminum and stainless steel products for the construction industry. The company services commercial, private and municipal customers.
With support from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, the company, which currently operates a single line for both steel and aluminum manufacturing, will invest in a new production line and equipment for aluminum fabrication. These enhancements will help Trade Tech increase productivity, expand its product line and enhance its global competitiveness, as it works towards its goal of entering the U.S. market.
Investing in eastern Ontario businesses is part of Ontario's plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.
- Ontario is investing $173,900 from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, supporting a company investment of $1,163,884. The project is expected to be completed by February 2022.
- Since 2013, the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund and Eastern Ontario Development Fund have helped to create and retain over 48,000 jobs and have attracted approximately $2.3 billion in private sector investment. The funds cover up to 15 per cent of eligible project costs, with the recipient company funding the remainder from its own resources.
- Ontario is accepting applications for the Eastern Ontario Development Fund from qualified businesses that are growing and creating jobs. Sectors eligible for the fund include advanced manufacturing, food processing, life sciences, information and communications technology, tourism and cultural industries.
- Ontario’s five-year, $650-million Business Growth Initiative is helping to grow the economy and create jobs by promoting an innovation-based economy, helping small companies scale up and modernizing regulations for businesses.
“Our government is partnering with Trade Tech Industries to foster new economic opportunities and grow the manufacturing sector in eastern Ontario. Supporting innovative small businesses like Trade Tech is a priority for our government, helping companies scale up, boost their competitiveness and create good jobs in communities like Port Hope.”
“Trade Tech Industries is a valued member of the eastern Ontario business economy, and I am delighted that the company decided to expand its business right here in Port Hope. This is great news for families in the community, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this project will bring to the local economy.”
“We are pleased to partner with the Ontario government as we continue to expand our business and look for ways to increase our footprint in the manufacturing sector. With this investment, we will be able to expand, stay competitive, invest in new technologies and take advantage of new markets.”


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Jet2.com announced a new route for 2012 between Faro and Belfast. The route will operate once a week on Saturdays starting from 26th May 2012.
Fares will start from just €47.49 (approximately £41) for one way including taxes. Flights are now on sale. For more information or to book visit www.Jet2.com


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Recently, Gary Ackerman, president of Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas, received a national award for more than 25 years of Porsche Dealership Excellence.
The award was given to him by Pedro Mota, area vice president of West-Porsche North American.
Gaudin Porsche opened its doors to the Las Vegas community in August of 1986. In 2000, Ackerman relocated and expanded the dealership to its present home at 7200 W. Sahara.
“We are honored to accept this distinguished award as one of a handful of dedicated Porsche dealers in the world with this legacy.
“In furthering our commitment to the Porsche brand and our enthusiastic Porsche ownership base here in Southern Nevada, we will share some exciting Porsche news with the community in the coming months,” Gary Ackerman said.
Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas is part of the Gaudin Family of Auto dealerships started by Ackerman’s grandfather 90 years ago, and is still family owned and operated.


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MasterCard may hate Bitcoin, but it loves blockchain. It has developed its own proprietary system called MasterCard Blockchain API designed to facilitate seamless business to business (B2B) transactions. Money 20/20’s Hackathon Las Vegas is the designated venue for its debut.
Hackers from around the world converge on The Venetian resort in Vegas October 22-25 to collaborate on challenges to earn their share of the $125,000 cash prize pool. MasterCard will share in the fun by introducing its new API on the spot. Although testing and verification of this feature has already been completed, participants will be provided another opportunity to test and provide feedback before it goes public at the end of the week.
Business to Business transactions and blockchain are a perfect fit for one another. The former needs a system of providing transparency, simplicity, speed, and security, while the latter is designed to do just that. Earlier this year, Accenture released a report detailing how blockchain could impact investment banks. Accenture detailed that infrastructure costs could be reduced by as much as 30% by incorporating this technology. This would represent a possible $12 billion savings for the 10 largest worldwide investment banks. MasterCard also recognizes the potential, and has just claimed its piece of the pie.
Other Blockchain APIs
Apple, Microsoft, Google, and others have been developing their own payment API jointly. The group calls themselves the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This project has been underway since 2013, even hosting a blockchain workshop last year, but they’ve been unable to finalize and present it to consumers. Ultimately the aim is to incorporate wallets into their respective browsers to make online purchases using cryptocurrency easy and secure.
Blockchain technology is disrupting economic sectors all around us. International behemoths such as BHP Billiton and IBM have already deployed some of their processes on the blockchain, reaping cost savings and waste reduction rewards along the way. Before we know it, no industry will be untouched by blockchain tech. It makes processes more efficient by removing middlemen and more transparent through open sourcing.
MasterCard may be the first to introduce a mainstream blockchain-based inter-entity transaction platform, but it will not be the last. As other agencies are able to work around the US regulatory framework, they will want to solidify their place in the future of the industry. The biggest question now is whether blockchain and Bitcoin will be inseparable throughout the ‘mainstreamification’ process, or if blockchain will outlast Bitcoin.
Latest posts by Creighton Piper (see all)
- Will “The Man Who Broke the Bank of England” Have a Different Effect on Cryptocurrencies? - April 9, 2018
- SegWit Simplified: How Coinbase Deployment Will Impact Bitcoin and the Market - February 16, 2018
- Quick, Check Your Coinbase! If You Exchanged Fiat–>Crypto Recently You Could Be Missing Funds - February 16, 2018


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Editor's note: This is the final article in a three-part series highlighting strategies for real estate professionals to manage their social media presence. This segment explores how brokerages and experts analyze and measure social media success. Part 1 featured advice from social media experts on how to tap into the business potential of social networking without feeling overwhelmed, and Part 2 focused on real estate brokerage strategies for using social media most effectively. The lure of social media is that businesses want to be where consumers are. Facebook alone has more than 500 million active users -- half of them in the U.S. Facebook.com generates nearly one in four page views in the U.S. -- nearly four times the rate of the second-ranked website, YouTube, according to W...
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Doritos had several augmented reality campaigns we previously covered (here and here). Now, they let Blink-182 fans watch a virtual concert by the band using a bag of Doritos, a Webcam, and setting their web browswers to this site.
“An online 3-D performance was something we just had to be a part of,” Hoppus said in a press release. “As big technology guys, we’re pumped that people can now experience a little bit of our summer tour through something as accessible as [a] bag of Doritos and a computer.”
It’s like nothing we have seen before!


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The following titles from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios will be released in 2012 and 2013:
"Beauty and the Beast" – Jan. 13, 2012
Disney•Pixar’s "Finding Nemo" – Sept. 14, 2012
Disney•Pixar’s "Monsters, Inc." – Jan. 18, 2013 ("Monsters University," a prequel to the original film, arrives in theaters in Disney Digital 3D June 21, 2013)
"The Little Mermaid" – Sept. 13, 2013
“Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we’re fortunate to have a treasure trove of both,” said Alan Bergman, president, The Walt Disney Studios, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to give audiences of all ages the chance to experience these beloved tales in an exciting new way with 3D – and in the case of younger generations, for the first time on the big screen.”
Stage versions of Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid have played Broadway. The Tony-winning The Lion King continues at the Minskoff Theatre.
For more information visit www.waltdisneystudios.com.


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In the general backdrop of widespread digitisation and increase in volume of digital transactions triggered by the outbreak, crypto Industries in India have innovated rapidly in terms of rolling out features according to the demands of the market. For a detailed look at the regulatory journey so far, read Legal Tangle in the March 2021 issue of Digit. A bill was listed in January this year, but the text of the bill is not yet public, leading to some initial nervousness in the industry (or at least the press). However, a series of statements from the leaders, as well as a lack of clampdowns where they could have been implemented (for example BHIM and UPI could ban crypto related transactions) have sent signals to the industry that India is going ahead with a positive approach to cryptocurrency regulations, with a focus on growing the decentralised finance (DeFi) ecosystem in the country.
Nischal Shetty, Founder of WazirX says, “In terms of regulation, if you look at the Indian crypto situation, it is getting better, because until a few months ago we did not even have clarity on whether the government is involved in this or not, whether they are thinking about it or not. And now we heard of a bill, and more importantly the bill did not come into the parliament. Even more importantly, our finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Mr Anurag Thakur, both of them have given multiple statements in parliament as well as on public forums, about how India wants to be involved in this (the DeFi Industry). Our FM has said India will take a calibrated approach towards regulations here, and Mr Anurag Thakur recently again spoke about how we want to come about with innovation in the tech here. All of that is showing that India is going in a similar direction as the United Sates, UK or Singapore, all of these progressive nations that are moving towards positive regulations. So there is a lot of positivity amongst everyone, because of these moves that the government has made.”
Shetty believes that in the future, the government would seek inputs from industry stakeholders to leverage practical knowledge of the domain. “People did get nervous because there was no clarity. The bill is still not in the public domain. But the good thing is that we have now heard our leaders say that they want to take a calibrated stand on regulations, and decide in the right way. It also means that there will be industry participation in the future, because that has not happened yet. I believe that the industry will also be called for their inputs on the right way to figure out the regulations. It will be a longer process, but I think it will happen.” Such an implementation could be along the similar lines of TRAI regulations, where the industry inputs are sought before regulations are drafted, often in multiple rounds. Shetty explains, “as no one from the industry has been involved, the current bill has to be based purely on theoretical knowledge. The practical knowledge exists only in the industry, and theoretical knowledge alone is not enough, it has to be a combination of both. So the practical understanding comes from the crypto industry. I believe that we will be involved, but it will take time. The due process has to be followed.” It is a slow process, but the execution can be more streamlined and less sluggish than it has been in the telecom sector as any regulations would have to react quickly to a rapidly evolving ecosystem.
At present the industry is primarily self regulated. To get new customers, it is essential for the players in the industry to be transparent, proactive in gaining user’s trust, and agile enough to anticipate any regulations and react in time. Since the development of new applications and services are exploding, the regulations have to react to catch up, so all the major exchanges are implementing features and checks in anticipation of regulations that may be implemented in the future in India, along the lines of international regulations, or the recommendations of industry associations. IndiaTech.Org, an industry body made up of startups and unicorns have released a policy whitepaper, with suggestions on how cryptocurrencies can be regulated in India. The recommendations are simple and easy to understand. The first is to define cryptocurrencies as digital assets, and to register local crypto exchanges in India. What cryptos are, are themselves evolving, and the new definition is in line with an incipient asset class. What we are attempting to regulate now is an egg that could one day grow into a Godzilla or a Mothra or something else. This means that crypto tokens should not be considered currencies similar to other assets such as gold, stocks and securities. Sumit Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO of CoinDCX says, “As crypto is making waves across the world, the time has come to define the true nature of crypto in India. More than being a replacement to fiat currencies, crypto by nature is a strong digital asset, a store of value. This will bring immense clarity on its investment potential. This effort by the IndiaTech team is truly commendable. It helps bring a fresh perspective to the regulatory discussions that are going on today. The recommendations if accepted will open immense potential for Indians to participate in this new global asset class.”
The second recommendation is to implement mechanisms to prevent suspicious activities (such as cybercrime or money laundering). The third is to enable taxes, fourth to introduce checks to prevent retailer fraud, as well as encouraging innovative applications. The fifth, is to include a code of conduct in the regulatory framework, that informs the industry of the intent, or objectives of the regulations by the government, and then encourage self regulation from the industry. The policy is designed to provide regulatory clarity to the Industry, and at the same time presents the solutions for the perceived risks and concerns of working with cryptocurrencies. Rameesh Kailasam, CEO, IndiaTech.org said, “Crypto has emerged as an exciting area of interest amongst investors, entrepreneurs and consumers. This sector holds huge potential for Indian start-ups in the crypto space to grow from India. The foremost need today is for this sector to be granted the much-needed regulatory clarity that it has been seeking. We are hopeful that the Government will work with the industry to regulate the sector and that a progressive approach is adopted while doing so. Introducing reasonable checks and balances will ensure that India is able to embrace and adopt new-age technologies by adequately leveraging their potential.”
One of the biggest concerns about cryptos is their association with the shady transactions on the dark net, use for money laundering, and financing terrorism. These are activities that the crypto industries have to plan for combating on their own initiative. CoinDCX has recently announced that it has deployed CoinFirm’s anti money laundering platform to strengthen the security of the crypto economy. This makes CoinDCX compliant with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental organisation. Neeraj Khandelwal, Co-Founder of CoinDCX says “Being the largest cryptocurrency exchange in India, ensuring safety, security for our partners and being compliant are imperative to us. Our association with Coinfirm has been an important step towards enhancing CoinDCX’s security infrastructure. This will also help us in eliminating the security concerns among the investor community. The aim is to create and nurture a safe crypto economy in India while mitigating the risks associated with investments in cryptocurrencies.” Pawel Kuskowski, CEO and co-founder of Confirm says, “We view India’s acceptance of blockchain as a major step in the global adoption of the technology and CoinDCX has been empowering this journey since its inception. With Coinfirm’s RegTech that effort will retain the highest security against the counterparty risks of money laundering, fraud and terrorism financing.”


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Nokia has won another round in its ongoing spat with Qualcomm, as the US International Trade Commission stood by its decision to allow Nokia to import handsets into the USA.
Qualcomm had hoped that an investigation into the 12 December ruling would result in a review and subsequent ban on Nokia importing its handsets into the US until the firm paid the patent fees Qualcomm believes are owing.
With the ITC closing the investigation, that hope seems forlorn - though Qualcomm could still appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
A statement from the company suggested it may take this course of action. ®


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Even major food companies hate the new US rules for GMO food labeling
Two bottles of soybean oil sit on a grocery store shelf. Both contain genetically modified (GM) soybeans from the same crop. One bottle is labelled as a GM product, the other is not.
Both are in compliance with the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new GM food labeling rules (pdf).
Confused? You’re not alone.
Policymakers at the USDA built a massive loophole into its new rule that blatantly benefits major agricultural interests. The rule exempts certain products that typically come from genetically modified crops—including highly refined sugars, oils, and starches—from GM status. That means the soybeans and sugar beets that wind up in many of the packaged goods in grocery stores aren’t considered by the government to make a food genetically modified, and thus won’t have to be labeled as such.


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Amazon.com (AMZN) on Tuesday fired its first shot across Netflix's bow. Actually it was more like 5,000 shots, in the form of streaming movies and television shows available at no additional cost for members of its Amazon Prime shipping service.
The $79-a-year service, which gives members unlimited free two-day shipping on many Amazon items, now also entitles members to unlimited streaming from an inventory of more than 5,000 movies and shows, Amazon says. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy and "March of the Penguins" are among the available titles.
Amazon already sells and rents more than 90,000 digital titles, and rumors that it would launch a new video-on-demand service have been bubbling for the past few months. Last month, the company said it would acquire European distributor Lovefilm, a subscription game and video service with nearly 1.6 million members in the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
Testing the Waters
It's too early to know whether Amazon is waging a full-fledged war on Netflix, So far, Amazon's Prime instant-video inventory only amounts to about one quarter of the more than 20,000 titles that Netflix offers customers on its unlimited-videostreaming subscription plan, which costs about $96 a year. Also, many of Amazon's "free" videos are older movies, which may signal that Amazon.com is merely dipping its toe into the market.
"Looking at the content that Amazon initially has and knowing that Netflix has locked up key content for a while, I believe it would be tough for Amazon to compete on that front, even if their annual price is a little bit cheaper," says Merriman Capital analyst Eric Wold, who covers Netflix. "And it is unlikely that Amazon would spend a ton on additional content until they are sure the subscribers will be there."
Still, the announcement does put Netflix on notice that it may face additional competition over the next few years as some of its exclusive content agreements with studios and other content providers expire. And the move also hints that Amazon may be expanding its commitment to digital movie delivery.
Industry watchers have speculated that Amazon or Hulu could end up partnering with Coinstar's (CSTR) Redbox, a movie-kiosk operator that is planning its own instant viewing service. Redbox has said it that would announce a partner for its new service sometime this year, but hasn't yet mentioned any possible companies.
"I don't think Amazon is done," says Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, who also covers Netflix. "I expect them to launch a fully competitive service, either streaming only or streaming plus DVDs."
With $9 billion in cash and a $77 billion market value -- seven times the size of Netflix -- Amazon is well positioned to invest in digital content delivery if it wants to get into the game. And as more viewers watch movies on their laptops and on network-enabled televisions, the videostreaming market may be growing more attractive.
Investors Shy Away from Competition
Americans spent $2.5 billion on digital movie rentals last year, compared to less than $1 billion in 2005, according to Los Angeles-based Digital Entertainment Group. Meanwhile, rentals of packaged media, such as DVDs and Blu-ray disks, fell to about $16 billion from $19 billion during the same time period.
Meanwhile, the Consumer Electronics Association forecasts that about 18% of the approximately 30 million high-definition televisions shipped to U.S. dealers this year will have Web connectivity, up from just 4% in 2009.
These trends have already benefited Netflix, which has aggressively pushed its "Watch Now" videostreaming service over the past couple of years -- and seen its stock price periodically spike on rumors of a possible buyout from Amazon. Netflix's fourth-quarter earnings, posted last month, surged 52% from a year earlier as its video-subscription service surpassed 20 million customers.
The Amazon news comes after Netflix said Monday that it had reached an agreement with CBS(CBS) to add newer shows like "Medium" and "Flashpoint," as well as older series such as "Cheers," "Family Ties" and "The Andy Griffith Show," to Netflix's videostreaming inventory.
Shares of both Netflix and Amazon fell Tuesday, indicating that investors may be expecting either a price war or increased spending by both companies as they battle for digital-movie customers. Netflix shares fell 5.9% to $221.60, while Amazon.com shares declined 3.3% to $180.42.
"Any competition is unwanted," Wold says, "and could force Netflix to spend more on marketing or pay up for content they desire."


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Popular Aberdeen burger restaurant Boozy Cow is to move to a new larger premises in the city.
The Aberdeen Boozy Cow is to relocate from its current location in the city’s Netherkirkgate into Amicus Apple’s Langstane Place premises in early May.
Amicus Apple is owned by The Speratus Group, which also owns the restaurant chain.
Garreth Wood, founder of The Speratus Group, confirmed he is looking to open three new restaurants a year, both in Scotland and England.
Garreth said: “This is a very positive step for the Speratus Group and the Boozy Cow concept, which has proved to be hugely successful.
“We had originally planned to open two new Boozy Cows a year, but we have increased this to three under the new plans.”
The chain has already secured a location in Stirling and is looking to open a restaurant in Dundee later this year.
Gareth added: “The concept of Boozy Cow is very simple – every single penny of profit from each restaurant will go to registered charities.
“Our customers have engaged brilliantly with the scheme and all of us have been blown away by their support.”


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China’s online juggernauts Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. are beating Silicon Valley in the race to build mobile-money systems in some of the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
DECEMBER 27, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2013 - MATRIX BUSINESS CONSULTING GROUP LTD.
Around the Web
- Alibaba and Tencent Set Fast Pace in Mobile-Payments Race
Friday Sep 22, 2017
- Behind a Chinese Powerhouse, a Web of Family Financial Ties
By DAVID BARBOZA - Tuesday Jul 18, 2017
For nearly 25 years, HNA Group, the Chinese conglomerate, has funneled business to a small group of relatives and associates of its senior executives.
- Hot Spot for Tech Outsourcing: The United States
By STEVE LOHR - Sunday Jul 30, 2017
As some American companies pull back from hiring programmers a world away, new tech jobs are cropping up across the country.
- HP Takes Back PC Crown From Lenovo in Second Quarter
Wednesday Jul 12, 2017
HP Inc. has taken back the crown from rival Lenovo Group Ltd. as the top seller of personal computers, ending the Chinese company’s four-year reign, according to data from research firm Gartner.
- Chinese Shopping Splurges Are Set to Boost Alibaba's Revenue
Sunday Aug 13, 2017
Chinese consumers can’t stop filling their closets with stuff they buy online—and that is powering e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. On Thursday, Alibaba is likely to report that its quarterly revenue has risen roughly 50% from the year-earlier period.
- Fosun Revives $1.1 Billion Deal for India's Gland Pharma
Sunday Sep 17, 2017
A unit of China’s Fosun Group has agreed to acquire 74% of Indian drug company Gland Pharma Ltd. for $1.1 billion, resurrecting a deal that was previously blocked by the Indian government.


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Electronic Arts’ FIFA series could be heading for trouble as footballers are reported to be planning an objection to the use of their likeness in the popular football video games series.
Electronic Arts’ FIFA Series Facing Image Rights Row
The Athletic report that Gareth Bale and former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic have asked for the issue of likeness being used in the franchise to be investigated. Player discontent is reported to be growing and it is felt that the likenesses used have been done so without proper permission from the players themselves.
Image Rights and Football
Image rights are part and parcel of football and all major sports around the World. From football boots to names on shirts, you name it and somewhere a professional footballer will have an image rights deal in place.
As graphics in video games have developed to a point of almost photo realism, player likenesses are often indistinguishable from their real life counterparts.
EA’s Franchise at Risk?
Electronic Art’s FIFA series is over 20 years old but in recent years the company have started to receive criticism for the lack of new features in the game. One thing that is guaranteed every year is that there will be a FIFA title from Electronic Arts. But little has changed in recent editions. The FIFA Ultimate Team is a huge cash cow where players can add to their squads to create an elite team. The micro transactions earned EA $1billion in revenue in 2019 which led to a legal challenge being mounted as it is claimed the FUT mode amounts to gambling.
FIFA also have stopped making ‘new’ FIFA games for the hugely successful and popular Nintendo Switch. They have instead released legacy editions for the past two seasons whilst still charging full price. The games have no new gameplay modes and no new features other than updated kits and player names.
A challenge from superstar footballers could put pressure on Electronic Arts although the company have fired back saying that they have an agreement with AC Milan, the club that Ibrahimovic plays for, meaning they can use his likeness.
This is one report that looks likely to run and run and one that Last Word on Gaming will be keeping a close eye on for further developments.


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(Bloomberg)—United Parcel Services Inc. tumbled as concerns over a trade war added to a slump in profit margins at its U.S. ground delivery unit, where investments to cope with surging e-commerce have yet to pay off.
CEO David Abney in September asked shareholders for patience while his strategy—including cutting costs, catering to small business and adding more aircraft and sorting centers—takes hold. Results should begin to kick in next year and won’t be fully felt until 2022, he said.
Investors aren’t in the mood to wait. UPS fell as much as 2.8% intraday in New York Wednesday after the company posted an operating profit margin of 9.5% at its domestic parcel unit, a 2.7 percentage point drop from a year earlier and well below past levels of around 14%.
The parcel delivery company’s third-quarter results didn’t provide much insight into Abney’s progress, said Baird & Co. analyst Benjamin J. Hartford. “However, International’s softness is notable and consistent with broader industry data points of softening global trade growth trends in recent months.”
Profit margin at the international unit dropped 2 percentage points to 16.6% from a year earlier because of higher fuel costs, weaker foreign currencies and “some economic softening related to changing trade policies,” UPS said in a statement.
That compounded concerns over how UPS is contending with the higher cost of residential deliveries, which often require dropping off one package at a home rather than multiple deliveries at one business.
While e-commerce puts pressure on UPS profit margins, online retailing is also driving sales growth, underscoring an opportunity for UPS. Revenue rose 7.9% from a year earlier to $17.4 billion. The increase was led by an 8.1% gain at the domestic unit, which accounts for 60% of UPS sales, as revenue per parcel rose 5.1%.
A big test for the company will be the upcoming peak shipping season. To deal with the holiday rush, UPS has added sorting capacity of 400,000 parcels an hour in automated facilities that are up to 35% more efficient than older ones. The company has also brought on nine additional large aircraft, including six Boeing 747 jumbo jets, to handle more international volume.Favorite


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Impax Laboratories Inc (IPXL) Whee! Sequestration is fun. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tacked on 126 points yesterday, causing the index to reach new record highs as traders shrugged off the supposed ill effects across-the-board cuts would engender. But not for the three stocks below, which incurred double-digit losses on the day. For them it was a day filled with as much doom and gloom as the budget warriors suggested we would feel.
Of course, don’t go running over the cliff with them like a bunch of lemmings. This could just be a temporary situation. Let’s first see whether they had good reason to fall as panic-fueled routs can sometimes lead to excellent buying opportunities.
|Impax Laboratories Inc (NASDAQ:IPXL)||(26%)|
|SandRidge Mississippian Trust I (NYSE:SDT)||(11.5%)|
|J.C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE:JCP)||(10.6%)|
If at first you don’t succeed…
Specialty pharmaceutical Impax Laboratories Inc (IPXL) just can’t seem to get it right. The FDA keeps telling Impax Laboratories Inc (IPXL) it has problems at its Hayward manufacturing facility, and while the pharma clears up most of the legacy issues, new ones inevitably crop up. Impax’s stock lost more than a quarter of its value yesterday after the regulatory agency said for the third time that it had problems and the stock is down 44% from its 52-week high.
The problem began back in 2011 when the FDA issued a warning letter and then followed it up a year later saying that although the original problems were addressed, it found new problems in its quality control laboratory. Then when the regulatory agency came back again to see what progress was made in remedying the deficiencies, the FDA issued a new Form 483 with nine more problem areas plus three it said were repeat offenses from its prior inspections.
The FDA won’t allow Impax Laboratories Inc (IPXL) to use the Hayward facility as a manufacturing location of finished dosage forms until it resolves this matter and after two years of trying and failing, investors are right to wonder whether it will ever be able to get its act together.
Tomorrow’s monster opportunity
The SandRidge Mississippian Trust I continues to suffer the fallout from its poorly received earnings report last month, which indicated that distributions would continue to be weak because of higher costs, lower production, and a higher mix of natural gas being produced. With natural gas weighed down by depression-level pricing, producing more of it will severely impact its ability to make higher payouts. Analysts at Wunderlich used that as their justification for downgrading the trust to a sell rating.
No doubt there is concern about the short-term outlook, but it’s my belief that natural gas is going to lead a huge economic boom in the future. It won’t change energy costs at the consumer level per se, but rather it will spur energy cost reductions for manufacturers and producers that will ultimately lead to lower-cost consumer goods. Those lower input costs will drive profitability and the NG producers that languish today will be tomorrow’s stars, but it will take a degree of patience on the part of investors to realize those goals. In the interim, expect the Mississippian Trust to wallow in new lows.
Penny for your thoughts
Mid-tier department store retailer J.C. Penney is also suffering from a crisis of confidence. Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE:VNO) said it sold almost half its stake in the retailer, or 10 million shares, at $16.40 per share.
They say you don’t realize a loss until you actually sell your stock, but it’s also noted you don’t hang onto shares simply to get back to break even as that might never happen. Vornado experienced a $225 million fourth-quarter loss on its Penney holdings and its decision to sell suggests that it believes the likelihood of it recouping that loss anytime soon is bleak.


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Jon Pedigo and His Development Team Debut a New Interactive NFT Challenge
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, May 11, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Magic Jpeg is pleased to announce the official release of its collaborative NFT. The platform's official debut is set for May 8th, 2021. Starting on April 28th, the public is invited to begin interacting with a beta version of the project.
Magic Jpeg is a 128×128 image where each pixel can be purchased, owned, and resold. By owning a pixel you get the power to change its color as many times as you want. All of the pixel owners are challenged to collaborate on creating an image together.
“Magic Jpeg is the ultimate collaborative NFT challenge – I find myself excited to find out if all the pixel owners can coordinate to make a cohesive image”
Jon Pedigo, Creator
A private release will precede the official release and Pixel NFTs will be available to select media and artists. On May 8th, all the Pixel NFTs become available for the public to purchase. Media will be given exclusive access to the creative team and interview time with Jon Pedigo.
Products and technologies are only better from the competition. Competition paves the way for further innovation. Friendly interfaces and social interactivity make technology more accessible. Magic Jpeg is laying the groundwork to make interactive NFTs platforms more user-friendly, social, and fun. Media and influencers are invited to interact with an innovative platform.
Source: EIN Presswire


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My friends Jakub, taetaehoho, and I collectively minted over 1,000 editions of angelbaby’s new NFT drop called “im fine : ( : [Feat. GrimesAI X WesGhost]”. We wanted to share our vision and thinking around the purchase.
The inspiration initially began in mid-April, when a song titled "Heart on my Sleeve" featuring the AI voices of Drake and The Weeknd became a social media sensation, accumulating 20 million streams. The track's creator is an entirely new TikTok user under the pseudonym "Ghostwriter977”.
Within a week of the viral success of "Heart on my Sleeve", popular musician Grimes made an offer to other music creators, inviting them to use her vocals in their songs and proposing an equal 50/50 split of any resulting commercial profits. Seven days later, Grimes doubled down on her claim by posting a full guide on “how to make music [featuring] GrimesAI”. She included an on-chain address called grimesai.eth where any creator can split NFT royalties with the particular address.
Fast forward seven days, and a crypto-native artist named angelbaby collaborated with WesGhost to produce a song using Grimes' AI-generated voice, which they subsequently released on the well-known music NFT platform Sound. The song sold 5589 copies on May 10th, generating a total revenue figure of 7.045 ETH, and is now the third highest-selling drop on the platform.
This music NFT experiment represents the first time on Ethereum where a music creator has ever utilized AI to generate a song using an established artist's voice, while also sharing the financial proceeds with that artist on-chain, all in a permissionless manner.
We believe that a decade from now, this very NFT will be regarded as an artifact of the soon-to-be AI-dominated music industry; an inaugural on-chain experiment that embodies unrestricted creativity from unconventional sources.
AI-powered songs will shape the future of music. By the year 2030, we think that a significant portion of the songs on the Billboard Top 100 will be released by unconventional creators that leverage AI voices. Artist voices will become open platforms at some point in the future [and this is already happening without the artist’s or label’s consent], allowing talented creators to freely utilize renowned identities, and enabling consumers to access an abundance of content.
On the supply side, there has been no shortage of consumer markets that have been propelled by high-quality fan-made derivative projects. The manga Death Note, the anime Dragon Ball, and sports-documentary channels such as Joseph Vincent are all examples of realized network effects around fan-made content. This new AI music genre has the potential to create a new wave of talented creators who can rise to fame without the need for Hollywood connections or a typical artist persona. Evidenced by Ghostwriter977’s quick rise to the spotlight, the AI song creation space is an even playing field; everyone has access to the same beats, voice models, and social media distribution channels. Moreover, platforms such as TikTok thrive by prioritizing content that aligns with user interests, irrespective of the number of followers a creator account has. There are already tons of AI song creators who have collectively uploaded hundreds of tracks to YouTube, Soundcloud, and TikTok, garnering tens of millions of views. In reality, the growth of the AI music industry is also partially dependent on the artists themselves and their decision to ultimately give away their voice rights, a decision that AI pioneer Holly Herndon warns not to take lightly.
On the demand-side, AI-generated Drake songs uploaded on YouTube have already sparked excitement among consumers, with many specifically highlighting the quality of the songs and newfound possibility of frequent and abundant high-quality releases. This is a stark contrast to the usual heavy anticipation and lengthy waiting periods associated with the release of new albums by traditional artists.
The image above clearly indicates that AI music is quite enjoyable to some, and this fanaticism will likely continue to grow in size and strength as the voice models get better, and the creators become more skilled. Despite uncertainty around regulations and continuous video takedowns, consumers will always find a way to access content that they desire; 57 million Americans today access music illegally through streaming and pirate sites. We also theorize that general macro trends around narrower consumer attention spans, shorter-lived fads and trends, and a 100x increase in high-quality music will make it harder for traditionally dominant artists to stand out and remain memorable. Artists who are unable to evolve into platforms will eventually be surpassed by the ones who can leverage open networks to significantly increase their production of high-quality music.
The on-chain world will play an instrumental role in the shaping of AI-generated music creation and distribution. Contrary to the current NFT music models of selling plain songs as NFTs [akin to $0.99 iTunes songs] or splitting royalties to various tokenholders [akin to RoyaltiesExchange], we believe that programmatically splitting proceeds on-chain between multiple independent trustless parties represents the first music use case that cannot exist without the blockchain. Permissionless composability is only possible within interoperable systems and open ledgers. Self-custodial wallets, transparent addresses, and the public ledger all uniquely establish provenance and authenticity of songs, AI music creators, and original artists. This ensures that creators are being properly attributed for their music publishings, prevents deep-fake outputs from becoming inappropriately relevant, and allows for trustless transfer of economic value. In the near future, blockchain address activity tied to both traditional artists and AI music creators will become frequently researched by artists, fans, collectors, and music consumers.
Crypto’s permissionless nature allows for the partial elimination of traditionally value-extractive record labels by empowering artists with standardized and protocolized infrastructure. We expect to see a rise in trustless and co-creation friendly registries and DAO tools that will further simplify the collaboration process between artists themselves, as well as their fans, which will lead to brand new on-chain experiments such as continually adaptive collective decision-making processes. Post-distribution, the monetization of music NFT sales now becomes simple through a smart contract that programmatically splits on-chain proceeds.
The integration of blockchain tech and AI-powered tracks is leading to a transformative change in the music industry, fostering a more transparent and accessible ecosystem that empowers creators and artists to exponentially increase the production of high-quality music.
Side note 1: the proof that angelbaby’s song was the first royalty split to grimesai.eth on Ethereum can be found here.
Side note 2: the first royalty split to grimesai.eth on the blockchain occurred on Polygon and was facilitated through riffapp.xyz.
Another side note: angelbaby's music NFT wasn't supposed to be the first AI-generated song with embedded Ethereum on-chain distributions to the original voice artist. A song called "morphotones" had launched and ended its Sound NFT mint one day prior to angelbaby. However, since only 13 NFTs were purchased, none of them were distributed on-chain, as the minimum threshold for distribution is 25 NFTs. As of May 17, the drop still remains on sale.
Disclaimer: These views do not represent the ones of my investment firm 1kx nor Jakub’s collective The Symmetrical. This article shall not be construed as financial advice. Please conduct your own due diligence before making an investment decision.


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With the new year come resolutions and Sears is looking to capitalize with the FitStudio.com “Points for Progress” program — a fitness rewards program that incentivizes members to incorporate movement into their daily lives to get and stay fit — with the help of pro football analyst and former Steeler Hines Ward.
“I have known a lot of people who are great at working out, but not so great at tracking their progress. We all know that fitness results aren’t always immediately visible, and with this program, it is easy for people to set achievable goals and track their progress — all with the backing of the FitStudio community,” said Ward. “Members can essentially track their progress with their wallet by earning Shop Your Way points just for being active — and that is something that will help keep them motivated to reach goals and acquire their desired results.”
By registering for FitStudio.com, connecting a fitness app or device and tracking activity members earn Shop Your Way points that can be redeemed for merchandise in stores and online at Sears and Kmart.
“To promote and reward healthy behaviors, we integrated our successful fitness community, FitStudio.com, with the popular Shop Your Way program to give our members the resources and incentives they need to get moving and stay fit,” said Hugo Malan, SVP and president, fitness, sporting goods and toys at Sears Holdings. “We know this is the time of year that people put fitness first and as a leading fitness retailer, we are committed to helping our members lead happier and healthier lives.”
As part of the #FitIn14 challenge, members will earn $5 in points (5,000 points) for every 14 miles walked or run in 2014.
FitStudio is a free online fitness community that features exercises, workouts, programs and articles on fitness and nutrition. Members can sync select fitness apps and devices to track fitness activity on FitStudio.com, including FitBit, MyFitnessPal, MapMyRun and Netpulse-enabled fitness equipment at more than 500 gyms across the U.S. and Canada.


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Paymentology, a payment technology solutions provider, has strengthened its Middle East operations to support the region’s vibrant financial sector with game-changing technology that will change the way people make payments in the region.
The London headquartered financial technology (FinTech) solutions provider has already kicked off multiple banking projects in the region to remove legacy issuer/card processor with more innovative cloud native banking live platform.
As Paymentology doubled its growth in a short time frame, it has appointed Nauman Hassan, Director for Client Services, Himanshu Mishra, Head of Project Management, Faizan Qureshi, Information Technology Manager and Bilal Hashmi, Implementation Manager.
Paymentology’s entry in to the Middle East comes at a time when consumers are seeking more contactless and seamless payment options following COVID-19 pandemic that is set to spearhead a FinTech revolution in the region and enable consumers to carry out transactions while on the move.
A recent survey by Deloitte Middle East showed that 22 percent of bank customers have adopted a FinTech solution for their banking needs while 82 percent are willing to start using FinTech solutions in their payments and banking transactions. Among the FinTech users, money transfer solutions are the most popular ones amongst the users.
The MENA region accounts for four million unique online shoppers. In the last three years, e-commerce transactions jumped ten-fold or 1000 percent from US$20 billion (Dh73 billion) in 2017 to a whopping US$200 billion (Dh730 billion) in 2020, according to the GSMA report. However, mobile commerce is currently the dominating over e-commerce due to increased download and usage of mobile apps – that is disrupting the traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.
“These factors reflect that the Middle East region has a very high potential for growth for FinTech solutions in the financial technology and digital payments market and our entry in the region takes place at the right time,” Shane O’Hara, CEO of Paymentology, said.
“We have strengthened our regional operations by hiring some key professionals who have already started to negotiate with large banks and financial services companies. Our initial engagement with the banks shows their strong desire to completely digitise the banking and payments industry.”
The FinTech ecosystem in the Middle East is evolving rapidly when it comes to deploying innovative solutions, however it is struggling to attract additional financing that will boost its footprint and impact, according to a latest report by Deloitte. The GCC market is showing signs of focus on two key areas: in the wider payment space and digital banking domain across a selected number of topics.
“Banks are keen to engage with FinTech’s in a broad range of exploratory projects, however, they are reluctant to integrate FinTech’s into their strategy, as they prefer to follow a “wait and see” approach,” said the Deloitte report.
“Customer behaviour across the Middle East, especially in KSA, is characterized by a willingness to adopt innovative solutions offered by banks; in particular, when it comes to peer-to-peer money transfers, account aggregation and automated investment advice. However, banks are not leveraging the full suite of FinTech solutions/features to address customers’ needs and requirements to enhance the daily banking journey and experience.”
The FinTech adoption of banking customers in the UAE is the highest in the region as most of the FinTech’s in the Middle East are in the UAE, Deloitte said. Banking customers in KSA demonstrate a strong appetite to adopt FinTech solutions due to a high exposure to innovative solutions outside the banking sector.
About 40 percent of the UAE population are ‘banked’ or have access to bank account. However, 84 percent of the UAE’s banked population have access to mobile banking solutions, the survey shows. The country ranks 34 in the global FinTech ranking.
However, 72 percent of the 34.8 million people in Saudi Arabia have access to formal banking services. Around 90 percent of Saudi Arabia’s banked population have access to mobile banking solution. It stands 232 in the global FinTech ranking.
More than 56 percent of people in Oman have access to banking services while only 49 percent have access to mobile banking facilities.
In Egypt, only 16 percent of the country’s 102 million people are banked, the survey shows. Of them, 58 percent have access to mobile banking services.
Paymentology’s entry in the Middle East market comes at a time when demand for contactless and non-cash transactions soared after the COVID-19, prompting businesses and financial institutions to shift towards the digital and smart payment solutions.
With online purchases rising, consumers are now demanding customer-centric and flexible solutions. This coupled with a lack of trust and an ever-evolving regulatory landscape, banks and financial institutions need to act fast to ensure compliance and deliver with operational agility. Paymentology’s platform enables its clients to be as agile and flexible as consumers demand.
Launched in 2015 and with accreditations to operate globally, Paymentology is firmly positioned as a leader in the payment processing world. It has been chosen by banks such as Revolut and Standard Chartered’s Mox Bank to support their ground-breaking and highly customer centric payment programmes.
The technical expertise of its people and understanding of the banking space, mean that Paymentology can continuously innovate its services to enable our customers to deliver competitive payment products to the market.


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Columbia Police are looking for the man who held up a Dollar General on Business Loop 70 West in Columbia.
They say that a man entered the store and threatened the clerk with a knife while demanding money.
After the clerk refused, he left the store on foot in an unknown direction.
Police are saying that he is a white male, 5'9 with a slender build. Reports say he was wearing a bandana over his face and was last seen wearing dark clothing.


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Our favorite annual brands' award - Guardian’s Outstanding Brands Award 2017 (OBA) is back! This marks the 17th edition of its highly popular annual award for health and beauty brands.
Ms. Christina Low, Marketing Director Guardian Malaysia (left) and Ms Shirley New, Senior Marketing Manager Guardian Malaysia checking out the OBA 2017 online voting site
The annual award, first introduced by Guardian Malaysia in 2000, has been premised on connecting its millions of shoppers to all its business partners and brand owners, by having the shoppers vote for the most outstanding brand.
Ms Christina Low, Marketing Director of Guardian Health and Beauty Sdn Bhd said: “The Outstanding Brands Award is our way of celebrating with our business partners and giving recognition to brand excellence.”
She said that since it was launched 16 years ago, the Award has grown in popularity among Guardian’s shoppers, who look forward to getting their say and having the chance to win attractive prices.
“Needless to say, the Award has also evolved in keeping with changes in lifestyle, spending and shoppers’ trends. This year, the OBA will be conducted entirely in digital format. This means, all voting will be done online,” she added.
Ms Shirley New, Senior Marketing Manager Guardian Malaysia briefing the media on Most Outstanding Brands Award 2017
For OBA 2017, a total of 200 brands will be vying for 60 categories ranging from hair care, face care, cosmetics, hygiene, supplements, medication, mother and child products, and many more. There will be one most preferred brand award for each category.
For shoppers, they stand a chance to win one of the 50 prizes, totaling RM25,000 in Guardian vouchers.


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Hackers Spend Very Less on Hacking Tools
As per a new online fraud report from RSA (the Security Division of EMC), hackers don't need to spend much to purchase tools they require to steal millions of dollars from hacked banking and payment card accounts.
In their "window shopping", the team managed to get prices on everything from distributed denial of service attacks ($50 per day of website flooding) to online bank accounts that sold for around ($50 to $1,000). A non technical user can easily get ready made Zeus kit that can hit thousands of users.
Security experts also reveal that hackers not just deal with stolen data, but they also provide several tools and services that enable other users to harvest this data or monetize it.
The report states that bulletproof hosting, a hired serviced used by hackers to host harmful content, is provided between $87 and $179 per month depending on the service level and around $400 per month for certain infrastructures.
The main idea is suggested by its name: "Bulletproof"- tough for law enforcement to take down than any other hosting method out there.
Zeus Trojan Kit, one of the most persistent banking trojans with an infection rate of several systems per day, highly sophisticated features, evolving code, latest variants and communication resources is sold between $3k and $4k. Unauthentic Zeus variant copies sold in the underground would go for $800.
The most-advanced current-day Trojans, SpyEye Trojan Kit, which boasts its own IE and Firefox HTML injections can be availed in the underground market for $1,000.
To keep the economy of hackers moving, vendors of hacked data mainly got their "merchandise" by initiating phishing and Trojan attacks or attacking merchants' databases. Afterwards, they put the harvested data for sale in several underground forums.
Several fraud services and products are sold in the underground for nearly $50, but can be associated with the loss of several dollars in the end. Unfortunately, there can be no price tag attached on the loss of privacy in the case of consumers.
Related article: Hackers Redirect Windows Live Search to Malicious Sites
» SPAMfighter News - 9/25/2010
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J&J has become the most current particular care heavyweight to stop operations in defiance of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The Russian sector can make up 1% of J&J’s total gross sales
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has joined its private treatment counterparts in halting source of attractiveness goods to Russia.
The move is in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which is about to enter its fifth week.
Natural beauty manufacturers in J&J’s portfolio consist of Aveeno, Neutrogena and OGX.
J&J said it would continue on to offer medications and health care equipment to the location.
No additional individuals will be enrolled in scientific trials throughout Russia, nonetheless.
In accordance to Reuters, 1% of J&J’s product sales are manufactured in the region.
J&J’s conclusion comes weeks after other beauty heavyweights pulled the plug of supply to Russia.
Attractiveness retailer Sephora and Estée Lauder Corporations have been some of the very first businesses to crack ties with Russia a lot less than two months soon after Ukraine was invaded.
Natura – operator of The System Store, Avon and Aesop – also halted imports to Russia, as did L’Oréal.
Lush, in the meantime, mentioned that it could not close its 48 suppliers throughout Russia owing to a longstanding lawful settlement with a Russian licensee.
Materials to retail retailers have been halted, even so, and on the internet revenue ceased as a exhibit of demonstration in opposition to the war.
The effect on Ukraine’s beauty financial state
Ukraine’s private care sector was projected to crank out practically US$3bn in 2022, according to details support Statista, and is just one of the greatest markets in the nation.
Industrial cities Kharkiv and Dnipo are the beating coronary heart of the country’s domestic splendor companies.
They also participate in host to producers from the international group, including L’Oréal, Henkel and Oriflame.
But what was once a central part of the country’s economic system has been introduced to a grinding halt.
The UN estimates that, even if the finish of the war was in sight, the country’s GDP will minimize 10%, obtaining unfathomable impacts on producers.
Ukraine is also a person of the premier suppliers of sunflower oil to the cosmetics industry, as nicely as other industries.
Having said that, with output at a standstill, suppliers are having to rely on other producers for their resources.
Frozen meals supplier Iceland, noted The Grocer, has even switched back to palm oil due to soaring costs for sunflower oil.
Will cosmetics comply with suit?


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Singapore – Software development and technology services firm RADX has launched its first-ever licensed virtual reality (VR) expo platform, and is first used in Smart ConnecTech Asia 2020 in Singapore.
The recent platform launch is in response to offering flexibility and scalability in launching trade shows, conventions, or conferences for exhibitors and attendees, especially with social distancing restrictions brought by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Users may set first their own avatar in the virtual platform, just as role-playing games (RPG) do. Within the virtual environment, users can enjoy interaction with other users and exchange name cards, chat or call via voice or video call. Furthermore, attendees may also attend live webinars and their respective open forum parts.
On the other hand, conference exhibitors can also launch virtual trade shows within the virtual platform, with integrated company branding. Exhibitors can also experience integrated lead generation for their exhibits, both on email and social media marketing strategy. The platform is also licensed under a service type platform (SaaS), which means organizers can set up their conferences efficiently and can run up for weeks.
“While the global events and exhibition industry has taken a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by the closure of borders and restrictions in travelling, as well as social distancing requirements, the use of virtual reality in such events can help businesses in ensuring the continuity of their operations. This makes RADX 3D VR conference an innovative tool for collaboration with every customer and partner, without sacrificing the visitor experience,” Rob Chong, founder and CEO of RADX said.


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Some 69% of senior business executives say they think the term "workforce" will eventually encapsulate both human employees and intelligent machines/platforms, according to recent research from Marketforce and Pegasystems.
The report was based on data from a survey conducted in 2017 among 845 senior executives who work for firms in the financial services, insurance, manufacturing, telecoms/media, public, healthcare/life sciences, energy/utilities, travel, transport/logistics, and retail sectors.
Some 64% of executives say artificial intelligence (AI) will eventually allow staff to perform more varied roles by enabling employees to find solutions to problems that would previously have been referred up the chain of command.
Fully 76% say support from AI will allow workers to make informed decisions at a more junior level, leading to a flattening of traditional hierarchies.
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Mahindra is one of India’s most popular SUV maker. The car maker recently unveiled their brand new offering XUV700 to the world. While unveiling the XUV700, Mahindra also announced the starting price for the SUV and surprised everyone. Other than XUV700, Mahindra is also working on another SUV which is likely to hit Indian market next year. The SUV is next generation Scorpio and test mule has been spotted testing several times on our roads. Here we have another video of next-generation Scorpio where it is spotted testing with heavy camouflage.
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The video has been shared by thebambambiker on their Instagram page. In this short video, the next generation Mahindra Scorpio can be seen coming to a stop at an intersection. Rider who was following the Scorpio overtakes the car at the intersection. Video shows a Mahindra Scorpio with heavy camouflage on it.
The video does not show any new features in it. Next generation Mahindra Scorpio is actually will be the same platform as seen in Thar. It will be a revised ladder frame chassis. In comparison to the current generation Scorpio, the upcoming version looks bigger and wider. This would hopefully result in making the cabin roomier.
Next-generation Mahindra Scorpio will be entirely different from the current version. The top-end version of the Scorpio will come with all LED headlamps and fog lamps. A C-shaped LED DRL will also be seen next to the fog lamps. The front will get Mahindra’s signature vertical grille with new Mahindra logo on it. The bumper will be a lot muscular to give it an SUV look.
The boxy design of the Scorpio is likely to retained. The rear will be a roof mounted spoiler, probably an LED tail lamp, shark fin antenna, muscular looking rear bumper and so on. Mahindra Scorpio will be getting new set of alloy wheels. On the inside, Mahindra will be offering Scorpio with decent amount of features. In spy shots that we have seen in the past, it is clear that Mahindra will be redesigning the dashboard completely.
It will com with a new touchscreen infotainment system, analog instrument cluster, electric sunroof, keyless entry, push start button, multi-function steering wheel with Mahindra’s new logo on it. The steering itself will be a flat bottom unit with brushed aluminium accents. Just like XUV700, Mahindra will also be offering dual zone climate control with the new Scorpio.
Overall, Mahindra is expected to offer a premium looking cabin for the new Scorpio. The next generation Mahindra Scorpio will be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol version of the SUV will be powered by a 2.0 litre mStallion turbocharged engine. This engine is expected to generate 170-180 Ps power. The diesel version will use the 2.2 litre turbocharged mHawk engine and this motor is expected to generate 150-160 Ps. Both petrol and diesel engines will be offered with manual and automatic transmission option. There is even a possibility that Mahindra might offer 4×4 as an option in the top-end diesel version.


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After more than a year since the end of the first season, the official announce of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba second season “vague” release date finally happened this week!. The news was shared to butter fans up for Valentine’s Day, and it goes without saying the ploy worked. Otakus around the world are amped for the big season, and they’re eager to see what the story’s Entertainment District arc has in store!
This big announcement was made in Japan just in time for Valentine’s Day. The cast and staff of the anime held a live stream event to showcase some of the series’ biggest goods coming in 2021. As you can imagine, the team had a lot to share about the anime’s upcoming console game title, but everything went mad when season two was officially announced to air this year.
【『鬼滅の刃』遊郭編 2021年 テレビアニメ化決定！】
▼TVアニメ「鬼滅の刃」遊郭編 第1弾PV 2021年放送開始https://t.co/UlaumARxPq
— 鬼滅の刃公式 (@kimetsu_off) February 14, 2021
Demon Slayer is now a global phenomenon after its arrival in the west on Netflix, and back in Japan the movie continues to break box office records left and right.
But now we have gotten a glimpse at what will happen after the events of the movie with a brand new, short trailer previewing the famous Entertainment District Arc from the manga:
We only have a vague release date for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba season 2 right now, which is 2021, so this year. And if they’re saying 2021, that likely means late 2021. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba season 1 originally debuted in spring 2019 and ended in fall 2019, so we could be seeing about a two year gap between seasons. So needless to say, fans are excited to even hear the news that it’s arriving this year.


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No surprise update for the Xperia M4 Aqua Sony. While the Xperia C4 was entitled to Lollipop Version 5.1 before proceeding with Marshmallow, the Nippon midrange Android 5.0 will have to wait pending its passage 6.0. No date for the key, unfortunately.
This is no longer a small hidden information in a Sony website’s support page. The Xperia M4 Aqua, who has not benefited from major update since its launch in May 2015, Android 5.0 Lollipop, happen indeed Android 5.1. Sony confirms today its customers on social networks, and shows their direct update to Android 6.0 smartphone Marshmallow. A choice altogether logical, Sony is now too far behind its competitors in order to settle for a upgrade to 5.1 when Marshmallow prepares to integrate most smartphones presented at MWC 2016.
Regarding your question @KarCerKK the Xperia M4 Aqua will skip Android 5.1 and Android 6.0 Will receive (Marshmallow).
– Sony Xperia (@sonyxperia) February 2, 2016
Sony Communication however worth noting since the Nippon seems to have difficulty in meeting its commitments. His schedule indicated Indeed, there a few months ago, the Xperia C4 as it would change from Android 5.0 to 6.0, but finally received Lollipop in its version 5.1 a few weeks ago.
All terminals upgraded to Marshmallow
Recall finally that if we stick to Sony information published late last year, the Xperia Z3 +, Xperia C5 Ultra, the Xperia Z4 Tablet and Xperia M5, whose deliveries will begin by little in France, also pass them to Android 5.0 (.1) to Marshmallow. As for when this deployment, we hope it will be specified in the MWC, by the end of February.


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