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ISBInsight: An emerging trend in innovation is cluster development. This is where universities and start-ups are coming together and working with businesses to invest in ideation as well as execution. What are some benefits and challenges of this approach?
Anand Nandkumar: There are many benefits from this kind of arrangement. Companies are typically searching for the next big idea. But given that technology lifecycles are crunched up, they might not have the luxury of time for breakthrough innovation. Universities by definition are set up to do that. By tying up with universities, firms can have the benefit of addressing their shortened technology lifecycles and at the same time looking for breakthrough ideas.
However, this scenario is not devoid of challenges. If we skimmed through some of the historical alliances between universities and firms, differences in their objectives and governance have created some management challenges in the past. For example, an alliance between a large pharmaceutical firm and a leading US research university did not work out, because the university had a longer timeframe of about 20 years in mind. However, it would be very expensive for a firm to invest in R&D lasting 20 years. Universities are looking for continuity in projects; firms may not have an appetite for long-duration projects.
Having said that, these challenges can be overcome with proper governance structures and prior understanding between entities. Overall, cluster development is a welcome change. In India, given where some of the universities are and the general lack of funding, this might also end up upgrading universities’ access.
The Government of India has launched a number of initiatives such as Make in India or Start-up India. How does India fare in terms of global benchmarks for start-up success or women entrepreneurship, to take a couple metrics?
Anand Nandkumar: There are far fewer women entrepreneurs in India relative to the rest of the world. But even in Silicon Valley, the odds are stacked up against women entrepreneurs, as Robin Chase from Zipcar has stated. It is an open question whether the entrepreneurship networks are different among men and women, impacting their success rate. At a roundtable where I participated a couple of days ago, it was heartening to see that most entrepreneurs making to the final round were women.
Addressing the second aspect, look at the sheer number of start-ups in India. There are seven unicorns from India in the worldwide list, which is an encouraging sign. We have the third largest numbers of start-up entries in the world and we are ostensibly also third largest in terms of start-up exits.
So, the next few years are going to be critical. For start-ups, the game is not just starting up, it is scaling up. At the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), we research issues surrounding the thresholds or hurdles that start-ups have to cross. We have designed specific programmes supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem, enabling start-ups to scale up. We want to create more Flipkarts out of India.
India now has a firm seat at the innovation table internationally: consider the Global Innovation Centres (GICs) which multinational firms started in India during the 1990s. We now have a shift, with reverse innovation happening in India which is then taken worldwide. How can we capitalise on this momentum?
Anand Nandkumar: It is a bit of a puzzle which we as a research centre are trying to put together. Going by measurable statistics such as patents, you don’t see too much happening in India. In fact, most patents filed in India are by multinationals. And the inventors on these patents don’t tend to be from India. So, there is a lot of activity in GICs but we don’t see it in observable statistics.
The real question is why. There are two perspectives. On the one hand, sceptics point out that GICs are working on low value-added tasks. On the other hand, the optimistic side is the “invisible inventions” from India, as pointed out by Nirmalya Kumar and Phanish Puranam’s research. Due to a variety of reasons such as outsourcing of R&D, Indian inventors don’t show up on final patents.
I am biased toward the optimistic argument, simply because it is inconceivable for an economy like ours to grow at 8% for the last decade or so without any innovation activity. Ideas grow the economy and without ideas, our economy could not have grown at this staggering pace.
The second aspect that might not be captured in statistics is grassroot innovation or frugal innovation. These innovations create significant value at all levels, including business model innovation—an example being Cash on Delivery (COD). Such innovations create huge economic value which has been appropriated by India. So, there is innovation in India that the numbers don’t pick up.
Part of CIE’s endeavour is to understand the idiosyncrasies of grassroot innovation which is about ‘connect and grow,’ not ‘protect and prosper.’ By definition, this would not show up in the statistics. At the same time, there is a lot of innovation spearheaded by multinationals. In fact, most initial start-ups according to our research came from multinational firms’ employees. Our research would like to capture the different dimensions of innovations from India.
As a Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within a business school, how do you connect your research findings with industry and with government policy?
Anand Nandkumar: What a business school can focus on is not creativity or innovation per se but the management of innovation. History suggests that it is not just about the generation of ideas. What also matters is how these ideas are brought to market. The second aspect is that firms need to be organised to do innovation systematically. That’s an issue of management.
Secondly, firms are situated in an institutional environment. The interplay between this institutional environment and firm strategy determines how innovation can be managed appropriately in different types of economies. So, our goal is to try and understand the intersection between policy and firm strategy. By extrapolation, we would be able to recommend policies to the government that would enable firms to generate big breakthrough innovations not once or twice, but systematically.
About the Interviewer:
Yogini Joglekar is a Consultant at ISB’s Centre for Learning and Management Practice.


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Mexico inflation rate at record low early August
The consumer-price index rose 0.12% in the first two weeks of the month, pushing the 12-month rate down to 2.64% from 2.74% at the end of July, the National Statistics Institute said Monday. Core CPI, which excludes energy and fresh fruit and vegetables, rose 0.12% for an annual rate of 2.29%.
The increase in the CPI was below the 0.16% median estimate of 11 economists polled by The Wall Street Journal.
A drop in airfares and tourism packages following the summer holidays and lower prices for tomatoes and other fresh produce offset increases in education costs related to the start of the new high school and college terms. ■

domain: news


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According to various clients on Reddit, the Android Oreo refresh for the Xiaomi Mi Box is at long last taking off. We officially speculated it would arrive not long after beta analyzers began to get the refresh early a month ago and it wasn’t named anyplace just like a genuine beta discharge. Interestingly, the gadget never really got Android Nougat notwithstanding being guaranteed to get it not long after dispatch.
There was an open beta discharged 11 months after its dispatch that you could sideload, yet nothing further at any point came after that. There’s far and away superior news for gadget proprietors, as the refresh seems, by all accounts, to be taking off internationally. We are very brave underneath what it would seem that yet, to begin with, you can investigate the new interface in the video beneath.
Now that you’re acquainted with how the new interface looks, you can likewise investigate the screen captures of the underlying setup. Clients are announcing that essentially everything, not surprisingly, is there, including the Google Assistant which wasn’t already accessible. Back in March we initially got a legitimate take a gander at it freely when Xiaomi and Nvidia demoed their Android TV sets running Oreo, however, the Nvidia shield got the refresh a tad sooner.
Alongside the Google Assistant, you can hope to see the new errand switcher, as appeared over, the most recent security upgrades, HDR, and Picture in Picture mode as well. Google Assistant is one of the major new highlights in this refresh as it implies you can control your shrewd home from your TV, alongside profiting from the various highlights the Assistant offers. In case you’re on the sideloaded Android Nougat variant we specified before, you have nothing to stress over as those gadgets are additionally getting the OTA refresh. Clients in the USA, Canada, Portugal, and Australia all have affirmed they have gotten the refresh, so it’s indistinct if right presently it’s in an arranged rollout or not. Tell us in the remarks on the off chance that you have the Android Oreo refresh on your Xiaomi Mi Box!
Xiaomi’s Mi Box IN 2016
Back in 2016, Google and Xiaomi jointly announced the Mi Box – an Android TV version of Xiaomi’s Mi Box 3. It was also the first Xiaomi product to be officially sold in the US.
Out of the box, the Mi Box ran Android TV 6.0 based on Marshmallow. Even though it received some updates, it never got updated to Android TV 7.0 (Nougat), though there was a beta version available.
We thought Xiaomi had given up on the device until a beta version of Android Oreo began to roll out to beta testers about a month ago. Now, a stable version of the update has begun rolling out to the Mi Box globally.
The new update brings a revamped user interface, Google Assistant, and picture-in-picture mode. With Google Assistant, you can now control your smart home devices from the TV.
Xiaomi Mi Box grabbing Android Oreo refresh broadly w/overhauled home screen
Android TV is by a long shot my most loved stage for spilling, yet refreshes have been a gigantic issue. From TV producers to set-top boxes, we once in a while observe gadgets refreshed past bug fixes or the periodic rendition redesign. Presently, however, Xiaomi is at last discharging Android Oreo for the Mi Box.
Returning around two years, the Xiaomi Mi Box propelled as a mid-run set-top box running over Google’s stage. It turned into a most loved because of its reasonable value point, however in the time since it hasn’t seen much in the method for refreshes.
A month ago, a few clients began announcing the landing of an Android Oreo refresh, however, it was just for a couple of select clients. Presently, that same refresh has all the earmarks of being taken off to everybody. Clients on Reddit, Xiaomi’s discussions, and Android Police perusers have noticed the 615.8MB refresh being accessible on their gadgets.
Much the same as the as of late refreshed Nvidia Shield TV, this refresh conveys the new home screen experience to the Mi Box, and additionally a refreshed security fix and a few changes all through the working framework.
In case you’re utilizing a Xiaomi Mi Box, essentially head into Settings > About > System Update to check whether it’s accessible on your gadget. Curiously, a few clients have likewise affirmed that Xiaomi rolled out the required improvements to influence this gadget to work with Project Treble in this refresh also. Ideally, that implies refreshes aren’t halting here.


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OpenAI is on track for $1 billion of annual revenue as businesses adopt the technology behind ChatGPT, the generative AI bot that ignited a wave of artificial intelligence investment.
The startup backed by Microsoft Corp. is earning about $80 mil-lion of revenue monthly, a person briefed on the matter said, asking to speak anonymously about undisclosed figures. The Information first reported on OpenAI’s revenue, including that it lost around $540 million in 2022 developing GPT-4 and ChatGPT. A representative for the startup didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment outside normal business hours.
OpenAI is regarded as one of several companies at the forefront of generative AI, which can create content from videos to poetry out of a few simple user commands. Since debuting its bot in November, OpenAI has worked with companies from fledgling firms to major corporations to incorporate the technology in their businesses and products.
This month, it launched a corporate version of ChatGPT with added features and privacy safeguards, the startup’s most significant effort yet to attract a broad mix of business customers and boost revenue from its best-known product.
The rollout of ChatGPT Enterprise is a move forward in OpenAI’s plans to make money from its ubiquitous chatbot, which is enormously popular but very expensive to operate because robust AI models require lots of computing power.
The San Francisco-based startup has already taken steps toward generating revenue from ChatGPT, such as by selling a premium subscription and offering companies paid access to its application programming interface, which developers can use to add the chatbot to other apps.
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King of Fighters XV Sport Highlights Character Dolores in Trailers
SNK started streaming two trailers for its The King of Fighters XV recreation on Thursday highlighting the brand new character Dolores (voiced by Yuko Kaida). The second video additionally highlights the sport’s open beta take a look at, which shall be held from November 19-22.
SNK will launch the sport on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Collection X|S, Home windows 10, Steam, and the Epic Video games Retailer on February 17, 2022.
SNK delayed the sport because of the new coronavirus illness (COVID-19) pandemic affecting the event schedule. The sport was initially scheduled to launch in 2021.
The sport will characteristic 39 playable fighters, together with all characters from earlier video games.
The sport’s preliminary roster consists of: Shun’Ei, Meitenkun, Benimaru Nikaido, Iori, Joe Higashi, Kyo, Chizuru, Leona Heidern, Mai Shiranui, Andy Bogard, Yuri Sakazaki, Terry Bogard, Yashiro Nanakase, King, Shermie, Chris, Ryo Sakazaki, Robert Garcia, Ralf, Clark, Blue Mary, Luong, Vanessa, Ramon, King of Dinosaurs, Athena Asamiya, Antonov, Ash Crimson, Kukri, Isla, Okay’, Heidern, and Dolores.
SNK launched The King of Fighters XIV, the most recent installment within the franchise, for PlayStation 4 in August 2016. SNK then launched the sport for PC through Steam in June 2017.
The sequence is inspiring a Chinese language-animated CG movie titled The King of Fighters: Awaken that can debut concurrently worldwide in 2022.
Supply: SNK‘s YouTube channel


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TWIN FALLS • A flurry of the latest companies established inside Magic Valley to summarize 2015.
Some companies that launched its doorways simply with time the getaway rush included Taco Johns, Noodles and Company, McAlister’s Deli, DownEast Home & clothes, Ross Dress on the cheap and Costa Vida new Mexican Grill. Business is thriving due to the fact Canyon Park West shopping center is in full move and new companies continue to pop-up along Pole Line Road.
Wondering if 2016 is poised for the same promising activity?
Listed here are six brand new businesses you will open up this year.
One of the more expected spaces of the season are Clif Bar’s 275, 000-square-foot bakery on 90 miles of land within the Jayco commercial playground south of Chobani. it is set to open this spring. Clif Bar, which currently contracts with other organizations to make its services and products, started construction of this bakery in April 2015.
Kate Torgersen, Clif Bar’s senior communications manager, stated initial group of staff members has-been hired and they are attending training courses at university of Southern Idaho. Extra hiring and education will take spot on the after that few months.
Besides building the business’s very first bakery, the center normally being constructed with the employee in mind. There will be sun light in every work areas and break rooms may have direct access to outside spaces. There will be a patio amphitheater for business occasions and parties. The company will invest approximately $90 million on the task.
Panera Loaves Of Bread
Chain bakery-cafe Panera Bread intends to join Canyon Park western the following year. A Panera Bread spokeswoman said the organization is shooting for an early on autumn 2016 opening. In September, Panera Bread sought to amend the lot’s in the pipeline device development at Canyon Park West to allow a drive-through. The first PUD — found across through the Twin Falls Visitor Center — didn’t permit a drive-through into the canyon overlay.
It had been approved, but construction has yet to start.
Panera Bread is known for its bakery services and products, snacks, soups and salads.
It had been created in 1981 as Au Bon soreness Co., Inc. There are 1, 926 bakery-cafes in 46 says, the District of Columbia, as well as in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread, Saint-Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Café names.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 251 Pole Line Road, is expected to open up in mid-March.
Construction regarding the fast food restaurant began mid-October. Initially it absolutely was set to start in February, but recent rain, snow and cold temperatures have actually set the project right back.
“We’ve had awful chance because of the weather. It impacted our routine, ” stated Carlo Cantu with Engineered Structures, Inc. in Meridian.
Popeyes is known for its brand new Orleans-style selection that has spicy chicken, chicken tenders, deep-fried shrimp, jambalaya and purple beans and rice. There are more than 2, 000 Popeyes restaurants globally and of the 1, 600 domestic franchised restaurants, about 70 percent are concentrated in Texas, California, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Georgia, Virginia and Mississippi.
There's two Idaho places in Boise and hill Air power Base.
American Pet Diner
Lisa Marshall, president and CEO of American Pet Diner, relocated her organization’s sales workplace to Buhl nearly three years ago. This springtime she wants to start a 12, 000-square-foot production facility, going the woman business from Nevada towards Magic Valley.
“We picked this area for the standard of living, weather and prospective employees, ” Marshall informed the Times-News in September.
Marshal founded American Pet Diner in 1996 with a thought to supply high quality timothy hay items on tiny pet market.


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Is Rivian Stock Available? Electric Truck Maker Raises $2.65 Billion
Investors are hungry for Rivian stock. The electric truck maker is moving closer to production as the industry continues to trend in the right direction. However, is a Rivian IPO coming in the near future?
When Will Rivian Stock Hit the Market?
The electric vehicle (EV) market is exploding after Elon Musk’s success with Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA). Yet, most competitors have struggled to live up to expectations.
Rivian is the latest company within the industry to take on this challenge. And it’s continuing to raise money to fund its upcoming production. So, is it only a matter of time before we see Rivian stock available?
Rivian is preparing to produce an electric pickup truck and sport-utility vehicle (SUV). The company plans to have both models ready to hit the road this coming summer.
But its strength comes in the form of its investors. While Rivian is not a publicly-traded company as of now, its group of investors include giants such as Amazon (NYSE: AMZN) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F).
And this list of powerful investors continues to grow. Rivian has now announced a new investment round of $2.65 billion. This new round of financing was “led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.”
T. Rowe Price (Nasdaq: TROWE) is buying into the potential. Moreover, Fidelity and other new or existing investors contributed to the latest round of investment as well.
But when can you expect Rivian stock to hit the market? It seems that an initial public offering may come much quicker than originally expected. You will want to keep your eyes focused on Rivian as it closes in on production of its flagship electric truck.
Rivian Plans and Future Expectations
2021 looks to be a massive year for Rivian. The plan is to launch its electric pickup truck and sport-utility vehicle. In addition, an Amazon commercial delivery vehicle is also in the works.
“This is a critical year for us as we are launching the R1T, the R1S and the Amazon commercial delivery vehicles,” said Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. “The support and confidence of our investors enables us to remain focused on these launches while simultaneously scaling our business for our next stage of growth.”
The journey is just beginning for this promising company. But that doesn’t rule out Rivian stock becoming available in the near future.
The collaboration with Amazon and these massive investments are both signs of good things to come. And a Rivian IPO may depend on the success or failure of the planned electric vehicle launches later this year.
Investing in EV Stocks
EV stocks are gaining a lot of interest amongst investors. And how can you blame them? Tesla stock is now a household name and Elon Musk is the richest man in the world. The sky is the limit and Rivian is only going up at the moment.
For information on future stocks like this with lots of value potential, sign up for our Manward Financial e-letter below. You will gain access to the latest market insights by some of the most experienced investors in the country.
Rivian has a lot to prove and a ton of interest in its promising electric vehicles. Therefore, we may see Rivian stock sooner rather than later if this year goes to plan for the trending EV company.
About Corey Mann
Corey Mann is the Content Manager of Investment U. He has more than 10 years of experience as a journalist and content creator. Since 2012, Corey’s work has been featured in major publications such as The Virginian-Pilot, The Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC and more. When Corey isn’t focusing on Investment U, he enjoys traveling with his wife, going to Yankees games and spending time with his family.


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Kore.ai, an enterprise conversational and generative AI platform technology start-up, has raised $150 million in funding led by FTV Capital. NVIDIA and existing investors such as Vistara Growth, Sweetwater PE, NextEquity, Nicola and Beedie also participated in this funding round.
“The new funding will accelerate Kore.ai’s market expansion and continuous innovation in AI to deliver tangible business and human value at scale,” Raj Koneru, Founder and CEO of Kore.ai said while announcing the funding details on Tuesday.
Kore.ai provides an enterprise-grade no-code platform to help companies of all sizes power business interactions with AI safely and responsibly while driving significant revenue and cost savings.
“From conversational virtual assistants to generative AI (Gen AI) applications, Kore.ai’s differentiated platform offers purpose-built workflows, highly configurable tools and a flexible, open architecture that are recognised as the leading approach by customers and analysts,” he said.
Gartner estimates the conversational AI market to reach $377 billion in revenue by 2032, up from $66 billion in 2023.
“This reflects an exponential demand for enhanced customer experiences, streamlined business operations and innovative GenAI applications addressing specific business tasks,” he said.
“We have been working with advanced AI for a decade now – our deep technology expertise and market understanding put us in a prime position to take advantage of the momentum and to do AI right in order to meet growing customer needs,” Raj Koneru said.
The company said it automates 450 million interactions a day for about 200 million consumers and two million enterprise users worldwide.


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Recently Nintendo unveiled its brand new system at the latest E3. In Los Angeles, California people got their first glimpse of the Wii U, and many were shocked by similarities of the controller and a tablet device. It appears Nintendo has taken a route to match the smart-phone and tablet computer market. It’s reported that the market’s reaction was less than optimistic, with Nintendo down 13 percent in the OSE.
Many are claiming the new design is a response to the growing popularity of mobile gaming platforms like Apple’s iPad—especially with the success of simpler mobile games such as Farmville and Angry Birds. It’s very easy to see this when looking at the controller: It has a 6.2 inch screen touch screen which will be used for virtual buttons, displaying game information, and a secondary display; it even has a front facing camera.
With Apples iPad selling over 25 million units already, the Wii U would certainly have its work cut out for Nintendo to stay competitive in an already tablet saturated market. Microsoft has also been playing catch-up with the success of its motion controlled gaming device, the Kinect. The Wii U is set to be released next year.


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Black Friday is one of the best opportunities to pick up discounted gifts and gadgets before the holidays.
The big shopping event will take place on Friday, November 25, the day after Thanksgiving. Many of America’s top retailers are launching Black Friday sales this week with thousands of discounts on clothing, electronics and more.
Walmart expanded the sales event by introducing “Black Friday Deals for Days” and sales began on tech devices such as laptops, game consoles, mobile devices, robot vacuums, TVs, headphones and more. As new deals appear, we’ll continue to update our guide to cover the best Walmart deals available. We’ve also been keeping an eye on deals from other retailers like Amazon, Target and Best Buy to find the best Black Friday deals everywhere.
Check out Walmart’s best Black Friday deals below.
Latest Walmart Black Friday Deals
The last time this page was updated, these were the latest Walmart deals worth checking out:
Walmart’s Best Black Friday Deals
Below are the best Walmart deals we could find. However, further down the page, you’ll see more interesting deals from Walmart that are still worth checking out.
- Current price: $996
- Original price: $1599
One of Walmart’s top Black Friday deals is on the 55-inch LG TV. This smart TV comes with a 4K UHD OLED display and a 120Hz refresh rate. The TV contains an a7 AI processor to improve picture and sound quality. Plus, it’s now over $600 off!
- Current price: $719
- Original price: $999
An alternative TV deal available at Walmart ahead of Black Friday is on a larger 60-inch Samsung Smart TV. Discounted at $280, this model comes with a 4K Crystal Ultra HD display, a 4K processor for image enhancement, and a 60Hz refresh rate.
- Current price: $99
- Original price: $145
One of Walmart’s Black Friday deals is for the Netgear Nighthawk AX2400 WiFi 6 router. This router is available for $99, a 31% discount. The Nighthawk router offers speeds of up to 2.4 Gbps and can handle multiple device demands at once, making it a great alternative to ISP-issued routers when you have multiple users in a home.
- Current price: $139
- Original price: $249
We’ve seen a lot of robot vacuum deals during Black Friday sales over the past few years. Ahead of the shopping event, Walmart is offering a $110 discount on the Shark ION robot vacuum, an affordable Wi-Fi model that can be controlled by voice assistant or your mobile device. You can expect up to 120 minutes of cleaning on a single charge. Give the gift of hassle-free cleaning this holiday season.
- Current price: $49
- Original price: $99
Headphone products appear in Black Friday sales every year without fail, and this year we found a decent deal on a gaming headset. You can currently save $50 on a Razer Barracuda X headset, suitable for gaming and mobile use. There is a detachable microphone and the headset is compatible with PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch and Android.
- Current price: $79
- Original price: $119
If you’re in the market for a tablet before Black Friday, Walmart has a fair deal available on the Lenovo Tab M8. This 8-inch tablet comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of SSD storage, and while the specs aren’t very high, they’re fair considering the sub-$100 price tag. The tablet runs on Android 11.
- Current price: $139
- Original price: $199
Walmart has slashed the price of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. Selling for $139, this budget Android tablet comes with a 10.5″ LCD display, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage.
- Current price: $599
- Original price: $749
We also found a Windows laptop deal for an HP Pavilion at Walmart. This laptop comes equipped with a 15.6-inch FHD display, an AMD Ryzen processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage.
- Current price: $129
- Original price: $179
If you need a pair of headphones suitable for exercise and gym sessions, Walmart has you covered. You can save $50 on a pair of Bose Sport Earbuds, which are wireless. The set comes with soft silicone cups, so they won’t fall off during rigorous activities like exercise.
- Current price: $249
- Original price: $309
We also found a decent deal on an Apple smartwatch. At Walmart, you can pick up a first-generation Apple Watch SE with GPS and cellular connectivity for $199. Additionally, the watch comes with an Abyss Blue sports strap.
Walmart Black Friday PC Deals
Here are some other Black Friday PC and laptop deals going on right now at Walmart:
Walmart Black Friday TV Deals
Here are some other Black Friday TV deals going on right now at Walmart:
Walmart Black Friday Headphone Deals
Here are some other Black Friday headphone deals going on right now at Walmart:
Other Black Friday Deals at Walmart
Here are some other Black Friday deals going on right now at Walmart:
Walmart is one of the leading retailers in the US. U.S., so you can expect the company to jump when it comes to seasonal deals.
While Amazon, Best Buy, and Target also have Black Friday deals, Walmart historically throws in big deals on laptops, smartwatches, and IoT home gadgets. We’ll be using price trackers to make sure we’re bringing you the best deals in the lead up to Black Friday.
Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of November each year. In 2022, Black Friday will arrive on November 25.
Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving and marks the start of the US holiday shopping season. However, in recent years, Black Friday has expanded to a full week and includes Cyber Monday.
Cyber Monday takes place after Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Although originally associated with e-commerce, many US retailers now use the day to promote sales of technology, including laptops, smartphones, tablets and home electronics.
In 2022, Cyber Monday will take place on Monday, November 28.
ZDNET scoured the Black Friday sales to find this year’s best deals:
Our experts also break down the best deals by retailer, brand and category, which you can see below.
Black Friday Deals by Retailer
Black Friday deals by brand
Black Friday deals by category
Here are some of the cheapest deals we’ve found so far:
Finally, if you want to see the latest Black Friday deals as they drop:


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Cooking Mama: Cookstar Brings Both Vegetarian Meals And Blockchain Technology To Nintendo Switch
Just like mama used to make.
Cooking Mama: Cookstar is a new game in the cooking series that started on the Nintendo DS back in 2006. It will be the eleventh Cooking Mama game, and the announcement frames it as a reboot. The last game in the series was Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop for the 3DS.
Cooking Mama: Cookstar is due to arrive this fall on Nintendo Switch, and will be the first console game to integrate blockchain technology.
Although this was actually announced back in February, it went under the radar until now, when a listing on the Australian Classification website alerted folks to the game's existence. The game, originally called Cooking Mama: Coming Home to Mama, seemingly went through a name change at some point.
"Each purchased copy of the game will have unique IDs which will be managed directly through the game’s internal wallet storage," the announcement read. "Players will be able to focus on Cooking Mama’s user experience rather than cryptographic key management."
This will be used to make every copy of the game "subtly different and personal to a user", allowing the game to "change expression algorithms for characters, ingredients and cooking methods."
Of course, since this press release came out in February, it's possible that these plans have changed.
Beyond this, the real meat of the announcement - pardon the pun - is the addition of a new, optional vegetarian mode, which will allow players to ditch meat in favor of meatless recipes. This is the first game in the series to do so, and aims to make the game more palatable to potential vegetarian fans.
Players will be able to switch between and cook in both 'traditional' and 'vegetarian' modes. Cooking Mama: Cookstar will use a mix of motion gestures and traditional controls in its recipes.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.


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Poverty alleviation in India remains a huge challenge and opportunity. Recently, a group of young changemakers from TribesforGOOD decided to turn towards social investment (peer-to-peer lending) for the same. Through this, the group helped multiple rural entrepreneurs by encouraging people to make social investments and enabling farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs to get affordable loans.
When the pandemic struck, the income stream of many people who relied on a single source of income stopped overnight. This was especially a huge hit on rural entrepreneurs who did not have any source of formal credit they could tap into - given their lack of access to collaterals and credit scores. 86% of India's eligible population does not have access to formal credit or loans. Even without the difficulties brought on by the pandemic, rural entrepreneurs like farmers, shopkeepers and other micro-entrepreneurs struggle to finance their endeavours. They are stuck in the loop of expensive credit (money lenders & micro-finance institutions), resulting in high debt and poverty.
Social Investing, especially for women, helps improve their financial well-being by giving them sufficient credit to take control of business growth and, consequently, household expenses and their children's future. At Rang De, we are an organisation that’s a pioneer of social investing - a model where fellow Indians can invest in rural entrepreneurs at interest rates as low as 4-8% - helping them get access to low-cost credit while enabling them to repay with interest.
When TribesforGOOD, a social impact platform which has helped 1750+ individuals contribute meaningfully to social impact and become changemakers got in touch with us, we knew we had to partner with them.
We partnered with TribesforGOOD to execute a special student challenge as a part of their flagship program Global Challenges and Social Justice. RangDe provided the platform where the changemakers can rope in social investors & support families. In the program, the students created awareness about social investing and explained the concept of peer-to-peer lending to dozens of adults in their circles. The changemakers encouraged them to invest between INR 1000-5000 and get a return from 4-8% and collected the amount. They also motivated potential investors to reinvest again when they get their money back.
The campaign was a great success, with students raising Rs.50,000 collectively as social investments through Rang De. Through this approach, the challenge concluded with funds raised through social investing on the platform by the adults these students reached out to. This amount was disbursed to women rural entrepreneurs who will use this low-cost credit to expand their business and income. The challenge successfully enabled women entrepreneurs from rural India while introducing social investing to their circles of influence. Covering students from well-known Delhi schools, this was not only an opportunity for the students to create a social impact by enabling social investments but also for Rang De to reach young changemakers.
We would like to acknowledge the work done by these young students –
We thank all the students who participated in this challenge and extend our gratitude to TribesforGOOD for partnering with us and making this social challenge happen.
Rang De is India’s first social peer-to-peer lending platform that enables you to invest in individuals from low-income households, expanding access to low-cost credit for fundamental needs like livelihood and education.
To start your social investing journey, visit rangde.in/invest


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Canadian Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz issues a statement regarding the impact of the H1N1 Influenza A on Canadian pork producers.
“Once again I want to restate that Canadian pork is safe. The international scientific community, including the OIE and WHO, agree that H1N1 Influenza A is not a food safety issue. We will continue to reassure Canadian consumers and our international trading partners that Canadian pork is safe.
“The Government of Canada continues to work closely with Canadian hog producers as they deal with the impact of H1N1 Influenza A.
‘Canadian pork is safe’
“I have also spoken to China’s ambassador, Lan Lijun, to reiterate that Canadian pork is safe. I strongly encouraged Ambassador Lan Lijun to ensure than China bases trade decisions on sound science.
“We will continue to stand up for Canadian pork producers and ensure that they are treated fairly by China and all members of the World Trade Organization.
“I have spoken to American Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to make our American neighbours aware of the situation. He has assured me that Canadian hog producers will continue to have access to the American market. We will continue to work with our American partners as we deal with this issue.
“We are encouraging Canadian families to support struggling hog producers by picking up some pork next time they go to the grocery store.
“The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with Canadian pork producers to make sure they have the support they need.”
Pork exports drop
Detection of the virus in the herd of Canadian pigs sparked a sell-off in hogs. Canada Pork International, an export promotion group, said pork exports have dropped 10-15 % since the virus was detected in a swine herd.
Canada exported 1.1 million tonnes of pork last year, accounting for more than half of its production.
The US Meat Export Federation said last week the bans had cut US pork exports 8-12 %.


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Sunday newspaper share tips: Safestay | Travis Perkins and should you prepare to sell in May?
We round-up the Sunday newspaper tipsters's share tips. This week Midas looks at Safestay and Travis Perkins, while Questor tackles whether to prepare to sell in May.
Building up to better returns: Midas updates on Travis Perkins this week which has suffered recently
Midas – Mail on Sunday
Four years ago, Larry Lipman founded Safestay, a hostel chain with a difference. Floated on AIM in May 2014 at 50p, the shares are 59½p today, but they should move considerably higher as Lipman rolls out the business nationally and overseas.
Bright, welcoming and scrupulously clean, the hostels include cosy bars, 24/7 receptionists, free wi-fi (a must for the young) and top-quality bedding.
They are also in grand buildings in central locations, but still cost an average of £20 per bed per night. So far, the group has just four premises – one each in Edinburgh and York, and two in London, including a property in the middle of Holland Park, one of the most prestigious areas in the capital.
Now, the aim is to move fairly rapidly to ten sites, developing a chain in the UK and selected parts of the Continent. Lipman is an experienced operator.
Having established property group Safeland in 1988, he went on to found insurance and auctioneer specialist Hercules Property Services, storage group Safestore and workspace company Bizspace – all of which were built up into firms worth tens of millions of pounds.
Now, the plan is to do the same at Safestay Safestay is a new concept, but the chain is gaining momentum. This is a young business so the stock is not for the nervous, but at 59½p the shares offer the possibility of generous rewards to adventurous investors. Reassuringly too, Lipman holds 12 per cent. Buy.
Travis Perkins is the largest supplier of building materials in the UK, selling more than 100,000 products to builders up and down the country. The company also owns 21 related businesses, including Wickes, Toolstation and Tile Giant.
Results have improved consistently over the past five years, with sales up from £4.8billion in 2011 to almost £6billion last year, while core profits have risen from £270million to £382million. Midas recommended the company in January 2013, when the shares were 1218p.
Last July, they peaked at 2220p, but they have since slipped to 1774p. Investors who bought three years ago have made 46 per cent on the stock, but a 20 per cent fall in the price since the summer is alarming.
Travis Perkins is a sensibly run business with a solid long-term strategy. Uncertainty around the forthcoming Brexit vote may have an effect, if confidence is knocked following the referendum, but on a five-year view, Travis should prove a rewarding investment. Existing investors should hold. New investors could do worse than to snaffle a few shares now.
The bulk of long-term returns from the stock market may come from dividends, writes John Ficenec in Questor, but this summer selling in May could prove the best advice.
The saying tells investors to sell in May and go away, don’t come back until St Leger Day (a horse race in September).
That gets them out of the market in turbulent summer trading, when thin volumes can deliver a wild ride. This summer investors face ‘an absolute corker’, says Questor due to Britain’s EU referendum.
The FTSE 100 looks more expensive than average on a PE of 17, as the long-run average is 15, and shares are not pricing in Brexit risk. Meanwhile, the Deutsche Bank annual credit default study raises fears that we are now late in the credit cycle and when the cost of debt begins to rise it eats into equity value. It may be already turning in the US, they suggest.
The dividend yield on the FTSE 100 is currently 4.4 per cent, while gilts offer 1.8 per cent. But that dividend yield is looking ‘increasingly exposed to cuts as dividend cover falls’.
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Marriott International has announced that it’s replacing tiny, single-use toiletry bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel in guestroom showers with larger, pump-topped bottles.
Making a contribution to mankind’s effort to reduce plastic waste, Marriott International has announced a new initiative to replace tiny bathrooms toiletries with larger bottles and reduce its use of plastic by 30% per year. Marriott’s expanded toiletry program is expected to prevent about 500 million tiny bottles annually from going to landfills — about 1.7 million pounds of plastic.
“Our guests are looking to us to make changes”
“This is our second global initiative aimed at reducing single-use plastics in just over a year, which underscores how important we believe it is to continuously find ways to reduce our hotels’ environmental impact. It’s a huge priority for us,” said Arne Sorenson, president and chief executive officer of Marriott International.
“Our guests are looking to us to make changes that will create a meaningful difference for the environment while not sacrificing the quality service and experience they expect from our hotels.”
To date, the company has already rolled out larger bottles at about 1,000 properties in North America and now expects most of its other hotels to make the switch by December 2020. Additionally, more than 20% of Marriott’s 7,000+ properties now offer larger-pump-topped bottles in guestroom showers.


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| Jul 27, 2009
Since it's inception last Friday, West Michigan car dealerships have felt the impact of the Cash for Clunkers program.
Customers have been pouring in looking to take advantage of the one billion dollar stimulus program aimed at getting more fuel...
| Jul 27, 2009
The government's new "Cash-for-Clunkers" program shifts into high gear this week.
Some car buyers can get up to 45-hundred dollars to trade in their old car for a more fuel-efficient one. The government says it's in an effort to get a quarter of a...
| Nov 16, 2009
| 8:30 AM
DETROIT -- General Motors Co. says it lost $1.2 billion from the time it left bankruptcy protection through Sept. 30, far better than it has reported in previous quarters and a sign that the auto giant is starting to turn around its business.
| May 26, 2009
It's been in the works for months, but soon, a plan to turn clunkers into cash could get the green light.
The bill is in both the House and Senate, and could have the President's signature next month. Southwest Michigan Congressman Fred Upton came to his...
| Jan 29, 2010
| 4:36 AM
Just a few months ago, the Cash for Clunkers program was all the rage, bringing in millions of dollars for the car industry. Now, a new program is looking to give you an incentive to go green in your home.
The federal government is doling out $300...
| Apr 2, 2010
If you liked cash for clunkers get ready for round two. April marks the start of cash for appliances.
Texas has more than $23 million in federal stimulus money to give away to people who want to buy new, energy efficient appliances. But people need to...
| Apr 4, 2010
| 5:58 PM
If you liked Cash for Clunkers, get ready for round two. April marks the start of Cash for Appliances.
Texas has more than $23 million in federal stimulus money to give away to people who want to buy new, energy efficient appliances.
| May 6, 2010
| 3:33 PM
Homeowners could collect thousands of dollars in Cash for Caulkers rebates for renovating their homes with better insulation and energy-saving windows and doors under a new economic stimulus bill the House passed Thursday.
The Home Star bill, passed 246-...
| Sep 13, 2009
Doing my part to keep America's economy moving, there are some new wheels in the driveway.
Actually, "new" is a relative term. Very relative. This pickup truck is new to me, but the title says it's 17 years old, and the odometer says it has nearly 185,...
| Sep 15, 2009
| 5:45 PM
Fire officials say the fire broke out in one clunker, before spreading to four others in the back lot of Red Lion Chevrolet along Capehorn Road in York Township.
The dealership had reportedly been draining oil from the clunkers earlier in the day, and...
| Sep 22, 2009
| 7:26 AM
GARDEN GROVE -- An Orange county couple, who turned in a gas guzzler for a fuel efficient new car in the government's "Cash for Clunkers" program, says the dealership never ditched their clunker as promised, but is trying to resell it instead.


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Intel celebrated the launch of its 45nm 'Penryn' processors last evening, whooping-up their chip shrinkage at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco. The new processors are made with new materials and almost twice as many transistors by shrinking their size to 45nm from 65nm. Intel claims the technology will dramatically …
Intel is mother, Intel is father.
I for one have always welcomed our Intel overlords.
The biggest change in tech is the fact that Intel has admitted that amd is right and is developing their very own amd type processor.
William Holt: "All your silicon wafer are belong to us....ha ha ha!!!"
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- Analysis Who is the mystery sixth member of LulzSec?
- Prankster 'Superhero' takes on robot traffic warden AND WINS
- Comment Congress: It's not the Glass that's scary - It's the GOOGLE


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Online romance scam
At any time, 25,000 scam artists are online with their vicitms, warned phil catlett, president of the local bbb bureau in a news conference on tuesday, feb. Con artists have a formula that continues to fool unsuspecting victims into handing over money, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars, with online roman. Nigerian dating scam aka nigerian romance scam, the database of nigerian dating scammers with photos. A growing epidemic in the world today is the online romance scam a victim may be lured into a situation in which money and other things are given.
Travelstategov international travel emergencies international financial scams congressional liaison special check this online dating scam infographic. Con artists scam victims on online dating websites out of thousands here’s one woman’s story of losing her retirement savings to a scammer. Here are the most popular online scams so you can avoid getting hacked top online scams used by cyber criminals to trick you romance scams. Criminals who perpetrate online dating and romance scams use emotional appeals to quickly gain their victims’ trust and then, just as quickly, exploit it.
A romance scam is a confidence trick involving feigned romantic intentions towards a victim, gaining their affection, and then using that goodwill to commit fraud. The most complete romance & dating scam/scammers website featuring scammers from nigeria and ghana to russia, ukraine - ghana & nigerian scammer photos & info.
Welcome to romance scam one of the largest online resource against romance scammers from around the world it has gained media attention worldwide. The source for information on online dating scams and how they work. A woman who lost $2 million to a con artist who she fell in love with online shares her story in the hopes that others might avoid falling victim to this type of crime.
Online romance scam
The fbi says romance scams are on the rise, where criminals pose as relationship seekers online, only to take their victim's money. The fbi says romance fraud is booming, with most of the victims tending to be widowed or divorced women in their fifties who are all too ready to believe online con artists' avowals of love.
- Buffalo, ny (wivb) - jennifer was feeling good about herself after being single for 15 years, she was ready to date and hopefully find someone with whom she could spend the rest of her.
- Those looking for love on dating sites, apps and social media should beware of the massive number of fraudsters using so-called romance scams to gain.
- Military romance scams are used to con women out of thousands discover the warning signs before being a victim to these professional scammers read more.
- Romance scams are different from other scams they prey on lonely people looking to connect with someone, and can often take months to develop to the point where money changes hands.
- Hundreds of thousands of women and men worldwide fall victim to online romance scams every year reported losses in the us alone top $230 million annually, although the fbi estimates that.
Online romance scam information army cid is warning anyone who is involved in online dating to proceed with caution when corresponding with persons. How this scam works dating and romance scams often take place through online dating websites, but scammers may also use social media or email to make contact. The better business bureau released a study on how fraudsters are feigning a romantic interest in victims they meet online or on dating apps, in order to steal their money. Millions of americans visit online dating websites every year hoping to find a companion or even a soulmate. A growing epidemic in the world today is the online romance scam generally, a victim is contacted by someone online through various social media or a legitimate dating website the victim. Wellington woman caught up in online romance scam, loses fortune was drawn into an internet romance scam.


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Nigerian agritech startup, FoodLocker, has been selected to take part in Founders Factory Africa’s programme
Founders Factory Africa (FFA) announced that it has accepted five new startups into their Venture Scale programme, which kicked off on February 3, 2020. Nigerian agritech, FoodLocker, was among the selected startups and will participate in the 6-month-long programme. Other startups include Kenyan last-mile FMCG startup Bwala Africa and three South African startups — medical booking platform LocumBase, medtech company Envisionit Deep AI, and biomedical startup Akili Labs.
If you have a press inquiry and would like to get in touch with one of the team, or are interested in working with FFA on an event.


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Want get more protection on iOS devices and avoid those dangerous phishing attack? Google introduced a new anti-phishing feature for Gmail on iOS devices in recently, which will display a warning when people get a suspicious link in Gmail message.
Phishing attack is always a hot issue on the Internet, especially on the mobile device, with Google introduced the same feature on for Gmail on Android earlier this year, it continues to spread this kind of protection on the iOS devices, when there is a suspicious link appears on the email app, Gmail will display a security warning which alerts you that this is an unsafe link will lead to an unsafe website, and suggest you not to click or open it, however, you also can still choose to open the link if you are sure that it is safe.
Further more, this anti-phishing feature is double-layered that will warn you again if you choose to proceed – “The site you are trying to open has been identified as a forgery designed to trick you into disclosing financial, personal or other sensitive information.” And users also can choose to report an incorrect warning to Gmail.
To protect the computer and mobile products better, Google are always on the road of improving their products and services, and we also need to do something like applying a professional antivirus app on the computer to fight against various malicious viruses and threats.


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Companies Give Organic Gardens A Try
07/12/10 7:34AM Sacha Pfeiffer
| MP3 || Download MP3 |
(Host) These days, companies are more likely to be cutting employee benefits than adding any perks.
But even in this down economy, some businesses are offering an unusual new benefit that doesn't cost a lot, but that some employees are really "digging".
As part of a collaboration with Northeast public radio stations, Sacha Pfeiffer of WBUR reports.
(Pfeiffer) It's 3 in the afternoon on a recent work day, and Marie Duprey is at her job at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, where she's a graphic designer. But she isn't anywhere near her desk.
(Duprey) "Well, the peas are shooting up because it's happy pea time and they'll grab onto anything with these little tendrils. So we're trying to get them to grab on to strings and lead them up the back of the bed."
(Pfeiffer) The bed is an organic raised vegetable bed on the lawn outside Harvard Pilgrim's headquarters in Wellesley, Massachusetts, just west of Boston. The building is right off Interstate 95. Tens of thousands of cars and trucks roll by here each day. Not exactly a spot where you'd think of planting a garden.
(Duprey) "Right here we've got carrots. This is kale. The red over there is beets. Those are radishes."
(Pfeiffer) Harvard Pilgrim also has vegetable beds at another Massachusetts location and wants to install them at its Portland, Maine, office, too. Employees volunteer to do the planting and weeding whenever they can grab a few spare minutes. And Duprey said even with all the tractor-trailers barreling by, she gets nicely lost in this little patch of green.
(Duprey) "It's a different feeling than touching my keyboard all day, and it's nice to get out and see something green and growing and to battle some bugs instead of some corporate problem for a little while. It gives you perspective."
(Pfeiffer) Harvard Pilgrim Vice President Judith Frampton says the company tries to promote healthy eating, and the garden helps do that.
(Frampton) "The main reason we did it was because we are totally serious about trying to figure out how to get people to be healthier before they get sick."
(Pfeiffer) She says it's also a community service, since the food that's raised is donated to local charities. And she says gardens encourage camaraderie and even teamwork by getting employees mingling with folks they don't normally work with. For all those reasons, a handful of companies around the country are deciding that, in addition to medical and dental benefits, a garden is a nice perk, too.
(DeCecco) "Maybe it might not show up in the ledger as an official employee benefit, but I guess you'd call it an intangible benefit or an unquantifiable benefit."
(Pfeiffer) Dave DeCecco is a spokesman for PepsiCo, which has a big organic garden at its headquarters in Purchase, New York, outside White Plains. Some employees decorate their plots with little garden gnomes, or with pinwheels and streamers to keep away crows. Others compete for who grows the best tomatoes. DeCecco said PepsiCo views the garden as an employee amenity, just like the volley ball courts and softball field on the company campus.
(DeCecco) "This company does understand that sometimes you need to give people a little bit of a break during the day. And even if it's just a trip out to the organic garden, it's something you can do that is a small thing that doesn't cost much that can go a long way."
(Pfeiffer) PepsiCo says it's spent about $40,000 on its garden. That's covered shovels, a wheelbarrow and a ten-foot-high fence to keep out deer. Harvard Pilgrim's smaller gardens have cost about $10,000. That includes purchasing ladybugs to fight off invading aphids.
Now, no one -- not companies or their employees -- are saying a garden makes up for slashing benefits. But some human resource specialists say it can be a tiny perk that allows companies to trumpet corporate values like wellness and sustainability.
At Harvard Pilgrim, the garden really has helped some employees focus on healthy eating. Arthur Ensroth is a data analyst who said his water cooler conversations lately center on how to cook leafy greens.
(Ensroth) "We talk a lot over in my department about kale. I've never really dealt with kale. Who has ideas for kale? No one ever would have talked about kale before we had this activity."
(Pfeiffer) Gardens could be coming to other employers, too. Harvard Pilgrim, which sells insurance in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire, wants to persuade other companies to plant gardens of their own.
For VPR News, I'm Sacha Pfeiffer.
(Host Outro) Northeast environmental coverage is part of NPR's Local News Initiative. The reporting is supported, in part, by a grant from United Technologies.


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(Kitco News) -Gold is entering the time of year when it historically draws support from physical demand tied to a series of major gift-giving holidays around the world, although analysts caution that this impact may not be as great as in the past since physical buying such as jewellery is now a smaller percentage of the market due to rising investment demand.
Analysts say the level of investment, based on macroeconomic factors, will be the most important influence for gold in the coming months. But nevertheless, they also look for physical demand to offer some support, although much of this may tend to come in the form of buying on price dips that helps limit any corrections.
Autumn is the time of the so-called “wedding season” and the Diwali festival in India, historically the world’s largest gold consumer. This is followed by Christmas in Western nations, then the Lunar New Year celebrations in China, which has become the world’s second-largest gold consumer. Gold is part of the cultural tradition in India, in particular, with jewelry having high karat content and often viewed as an investment that is readily convertible to cash.
“Our base scenario is for physical demand to remain robust,” said Robin Bhar, senior metals analyst with Credit Agricole CIB. “One feature of the run-up over the last 12 to 18 months is that physical demand doesn’t seem to be severely dented by the high prices.”
Still, several analysts said, even though the physical demand has held up so far, it may be hard for it to keep growing at a time of historically high prices. The World Gold Council’s second-quarter trends report said second-quarter jewelry demand of 442.5 metric tons was 5% higher than in the same period a year ago. This demand from India, China and Turkey generated combined growth of 16%.
In fact, some analysts suggested the jewelry sector may carefully pick the times to buy, so that demand may most pronounced on pullbacks.
“Any dip in prices may be limited by restocking on the part of jewelry manufacturers,” said Anne-Laure Tremblay, precious-metals strategist with BNP Paribas.
Bhar expressed doubt that jewelers would heavily “chase” prices on a surge.
“That won’t be the trigger. I think it will still be speculative and investment buying,” he said. “But they (physical buyers) will certainly support the dips.”
In fact, he said, this appeared to occur last week when gold fell from above $1,900 an ounce toward $1,700, before bouncing again. “There were reports of good physical offtake,” Bhar said. “Premiums for small bars in Singapore and Hong Kong have risen and are a good indicator that demand is out there.”
The physical demand could oscillate and be dependent upon price levels in the months ahead, suggested Carlos Sanchez, director of risk management for CPM Group.
“While demand will probably be in an uptrend, it is likely to going to be mixed and choppy,” he said.
“As you see prices head to record highs, (physical) demand has wavered. As prices have fallen to support levels, demand has picked up.”
However, he added, there also have been some times when the demand has risen along with prices. This tends to occur on breakouts when buying emerges on ideas that gold will be even more expensive down the road, Sanchez explained.
India had good monsoon rains that should be constructive for physical gold demand, said HSBC analyst Jim Steel and Bhar.
“It provides farming income, which supports rural demand for gold in India, which is the largest consumer or hoarder of gold,” Steel said.
With rural Indian incomes likely to be “strong,” Bhar looks for Indians to keep giving gold as a traditional wedding gift despite the rising price for the metal. “In fact, because the price is so strong, it may be seen as a good omen for prices going even higher.”
However, physical demand for jewelry might not be as strong in Western nations such as the U.S., Europe and Japan, where the economies are soft, Sanchez said. Gold jewelry tends to be purchased in developed nations as a quality fashion item, but there is less of a cultural tradition than in say India, Sanchez said.
“In the developing world, it is also fashion, but also a savings-oriented investment as well,” he said. In fact, worries about inflation are one of the factors driving gold-jewelry demand in India and China, he explained.
Analysts: Investment, Rather Than Physical Jewelry Demand, To Be Key Influence
Still, some observers that caution that ultimately investment demand—rather than jewelry for gifts around holidays—will be the most significant factor for gold.
“The seasonality has gone more and more out of the market over the years as more players have entered the market who are not influenced or governed by the seasonality,” Steel said. “But it’s still a factor.”
Tremblay also commented that the seasonal impact of gold-jewelry demand on the price has “faded somewhat” over recent years.
“This seasonality was notably due to Indian consumption, tied to festivals and the wedding season,” she said. “However, the wedding season seems to be more spread through the year. Perhaps more importantly, physical investment gold demand has risen quite rapidly over the past years, blurring seasonal patterns linked to jewelry demand.
“Economic and financial developments should be the main drivers of the gold price for the rest of 2011.”
In particular, the biggest focus will be the debt burdens of the U.S. and European nations, fears of currency de-basement, inflation and deflation worries, as well as interest rates, Bhar said.
“When real interest rates are negative like in the (United) States for the foreseeable future, that’s going to be a huge boost to gold,” Bhar said. “The opportunity cost, among other factors, is negligible…Nothing has really changed in terms of the appetite (among investors) for diversifying into and holding gold as a form of insurance.
“But the seasonal demand helps to support the market when it does sell off, because you’ve got the backstop of physical buying…If it comes off $150 or $200, they’re going to think it’s manna from heaven.”
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; email@example.com


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Samsung’s all-new ‘The Freestyle’ sells out on samsung.com in just two days in the UAE
Pre-orders to resume among rising demand.
Dubai, UAE – 16 February 2022 – Samsung Electronics has sold out The Freestyle on samsung.com in just two days after the recent launch for pre-orders on February 14, with fans eager to snap up the innovative new device. Pre-orders for the all-new portable screen and entertainment device will resume from February 18, 2022 on samsung.com starting at 7:00 pm.
Samsung Electronics’ The Freestyle has been designed to match the versatile lifestyle of today’s users by allowing them to embrace their passions with flexibility. The Freestyle versatility is embodied by its form factor, design and innovative features. It weighs in at just 830 grams, is portable enough to carry in one hand, and has the ability to rotate 180 degrees, enabling users to show high-quality video anywhere – tables, floors, walls or even ceilings – no separate screen required.
The Freestyle also offers Smart TV features that are available on Samsung Smart TVs. It is the industry’s first portable projector that is certified by global major OTT partners, providing customers with the best content viewing experience.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.


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Apple has unveiled a new API for creating 3D floor plans of an interior room. .
Since 2020, high-end iPhones and iPads have been equipped with LiDAR scanners – light detection and ranging technology capable of scanning and mapping a user’s immediate surroundings.
Now, during his recent WWDC 2022 event, the company revealed bedroom plan (opens in a new tab), an augmented reality tool powered by Apple’s ARKit, which will allow companies to use LiDAR in their own applications. Aimed firmly at professionals in the real estate, hospitality, architecture, and interior design industries, Apple says RoomPlan will “help your app quickly create simplified parametric 3D scans of a room” to streamline conceptual planning.
How does Apple RoomPlan work?
Currently, RoomPlan is in beta, but Apple developer documentation (opens in a new tab) to adopt this API offers some clues.
In the app, a user first scans the room with their device. According to Apple, “the framework inspects a device’s camera feed and LiDAR readings and identifies walls, windows, openings, and doors. RoomPlan also recognizes room features, furniture and appliances, such as a fireplace, bed or fridge, and provides this information to the app.
Once the analysis is approved, the user can access the RoomPlan readings. This includes estimated dimensions of a room, the ability to add virtual furniture, or even include the room in a 3D game.
Output results in USD and USDZ file formats, allowing further adjustments when exporting to USD-compatible tools like AutoCAD – our top choice for best architecture software.
3D mapping on mobile devices isn’t new – some of the best interior design software has long-standing AR capabilities. It’s a way to accurately visualize in-situ designs, allowing users to “see” what completed projects might look like in the very space they are in.
By opening up real-time analytics with LiDAR to third-party apps, Apple further simplifies access for businesses looking to bring augmented reality visions to life for customers and customers. And it’s a way to create better experiences for app users. RoomPlan allows app developers to “highlight physical structures and display text that guides the user to analyze the shape of their physical environment.”
Along with improved guidance, there’s better visual feedback when scanning, while the dollhouse view will show everything scanned in a room. Indeed, with this announcement, it is possible for development teams to make their 3D home design software even more powerful.


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'It's been very, very hectic': Saskatoon gardening stores see increase in seed and plant sales during COVID-19
SASKATOON -- Saskatoon gardening stores say they’ve had a busy year so far and are seeing a significant increase in garden seed sales during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s been very, very hectic with garden seed and garden-related items. Everybody seems to be wanting to plant a garden this year,” said Derek Bloski, general manager of Early’s Farm and Garden Centre.
Bloski said this has posed some challenges at times because of the quantity of seed they’re going through.
The store has had to reorder earlier than it typically would and has had to bring in extra staff to help with packaging and preparing the seeds for customers, he said.
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Bloski said his store has the largest selection of seeds in the province, ranging from beets and zucchini to cucamelons.
“We seem to be selling a lot of things like kale this year. Strawberry seed is another one that’s been very popular...We sell the traditional stuff too like potato and onions. The interest in those has been extremely strong this year.”
Bloski said he’s seen more and more people interested in gardening over the years, but that COVID-19 has really accelerated that this year with people looking for things to do at home.
“They’re wanting to have a little control over their food source and ensuring they have a food supply. It can be a great new activity for people. It can be a continued activity for those that have planted through the years but maybe want to grow a bigger garden this year.”
Early’s Farm and Garden Centre has been open throughout the pandemic as it is considered an essential service.
Bloski said there are often lineups out the door on weekends.
He adds that the store’s online sales have grown 10 to 20 times what it typically is at this time of year.
“People were ordering in bunches. It forced us to adjust our hours because we couldn’t keep up with the day to day stuff, and then with the 200 to 300 online orders we were receiving a day.”
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Lee Krahn, owner of Lakeshore Garden Centre in Saskatoon, said her shop has also been busier than usual this year, with a high demand for not only seeds, but all gardening products.
“Everything is selling out. Every kind of plant, tomato. There’s been a lot of interest in gardening this year. Lots of new gardeners. Demand of all products has been extensive and we’re very low on inventory but we’re trying hard to keep up.”
Lakeshore Garden Centre is a family-run business that has been open since 1936.
Krahn said the store served people in Saskatchewan throughout the Great Depression and is seeing a similar trend with sales now during COVID-19.
“This is very similar in that people now have looked at this experience of what they’re going through with COVID and are starting to think ‘what can I grow in my own yard?’ I need to be home, I need to look at the space that I have. And there’s concerns for food security, so people have addressed that by looking to businesses like ourselves.”
Krahn said she’s also encouraged to see so many new gardeners.
“It’s incredible to see that this generation has picked up on gardening and hopefully they will continue with it in the future.”


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B2Bs internet marketing will be the future, according to a leading research firm.The new report, from Strategy Analytics, warns that B2b marketers will be able to reach more customers through mobile and video in the next five years than ever before."It is clear that the current landscape for internet marketing has shifted dramatically and that B 2B marketing will have to adapt," the report states....
Facebook has stepped up efforts to prevent hoaxes and fake news on the social network.
The social network is testing an automated system to identify when stories and news posts are fake and flag them as such.
Facebook said Tuesday that the new system will be available in the U.S. and other countries starting in the second quarter of next year.
The company also announced that it has created an automated detection tool that it said could help users better spot fake news stories on its platform.
Facebook’s automated system will detect hoaxes in posts that are flagged by users or flagged by a member’s friend or family members.


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We’ve been reporting on the development of iOS 16 for a while now including news of new Photoshop-like editing features, tweaks to iMessage, and possible security changes and updates. Today, however, the news is a little more mixed as reports are saying that rather than looking to update features or boost capabilities, Apple is instead looking for ways to show you more ads on your iPhone. Let’s take a look at what is going on.
At the moment, Apple will show iPhone users ads whenever they are using the News, App Store, and Stocks apps. This could be about to change, however, as a Bloomberg report states that the company is internally testing new methods for showing ads in other Apple proprietary iPhone apps like Apple Maps, Podcasts, and Books.
You will get no prizes for guessing that the motivation behind this move is revenue. Certain execs at Apple are hoping to boost the company’s ad revenue from currently around $4 billion a year to over $10 billion. These new ad placements in Apple apps will form just one way to try and push forward this aggressive profit-expanding agenda.
It is expected that Apple will allow businesses to pay for higher rankings and positions in searches on Apple Maps with a wider strategy giving business owners more flexibility in how they will spend their advertising budgets at Apple.
Not all users will be happy about this move from Apple because the iPhone is supposed to be a premium device. When you are paying upwards of $1,000 for a phone you have can have a reasonable expectation that you have paid in full and so don’t need to be fed ads so that the company behind the device can further monetize your ownership of it.
With iOS 16’s release just around the corner, this move could take a bit of the shine off of Apple’s new flagship mobile iOS. Although, while some users won’t be happy about this move, there will certainly be others that won’t mind it at all.
Make sure you bookmark our iOS 16 News page to stay up to date with all the latest Apple iPhone news.
Image via: Apple


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2025 looks set to be a big year for Capcom. The publisher announced the launch time of Dragon’s Dogma 2 last week and recently they revealed another game that will definitely be on the list of good games of 2025.
At the award ceremony The Game Awards 2023the publisher has revealed the sequel of Monster Hunter World. Oddly, the new game isn’t called Monster Hunter World 2, but instead, it’s called Monster Hunter Wild.
The trailer takes viewers to a dusty desert world where several herds of small creatures are migrating, much denser than what has appeared in the game series. Additionally, the video also shows off a new bird-like mount for Hunters.
Monster Hunter Wilds It’s expected to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam in 2025, but it will be a while before fans get updates on the game. Capcom has confirmed that they won’t reveal more about the game until next summer.


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Jacob's Creek reveals its true character
Jacob’s Creek will have a new TV ad campaign in early December.
The ad is part of a new marketing campaign called True Character which will be rolled out in 2010.
The campaign will aim to position Jacob’s Creek as “premium yet unpretentious”, according to Pernod Ricard UK.
The December campaign will see ads on ITV1 and 2, Channel 4, Five, Living, Sky One and More4. The ad will return in February and March and later in 2010, and will be backed by other media, including digital.
Marketing controller Matthew Bird said: “We have undertaken 12 months of extensive research to understand the values of our target consumers and we think this campaign will truly engage consumers, adding value to the brand and the Australian category.”


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TiVo Maintains Dominance in Patent Lawsuits over Digital Video Recorders
San Diego – On the brink of trial, TiVo Inc. reached a massive settlement agreement with Motorola Mobility Inc., Time Warner Cable Inc., and Cisco Systems Inc. to end the patent infringement disputes brought by all sides.
The $490 million settlement will bring to a close multiple cases in which TiVo claimed that its competitors infringed on its patents for set-top cable boxes. Both brought in U.S. District Court in Texas’ Eastern District, these cases are just a few of the many patent infringement cases TiVo has brought against its competitors in recent years. Based in Alviso, Calif., TiVo was the first major company to patent a device that digitally records live television and it has defended its patents aggressively since then.
In the case between TiVo and Motorola, Illinois-based Motorola first brought a lawsuit against TiVo in California court, alleging infringement on its U.S. Patent Numbers 5,949,948, 6,304,714, and 6,356,708. TiVo disagreed and filed its own patent infringement counterclaims in Texas, citing its U.S. Patents numbered 7,493,015 and 6,792,195. This settlement came just in time, as trial was set to start on June 10th.
As part of the settlement reached Friday, Motorola’s share of its dues to TiVo will be split between former owner Google and its new owner Arris Group, Inc. Google bought Motorola in 2012, but then sold off the Motorola Home subsidiary, the manufacturers of the set-top boxes at fault, to Arris. Both Google and Arris will pay licensing fees as terms of the agreement.
TiVo’s battle against Cisco took a similar trajectory, with Cisco attempting to invalidate TiVo’s patents, and TiVo firing back in Texas federal court with a patent infringement lawsuit of its own. The digital recording giant accused Cisco and Time Warner of violating its patents ‘015 and ‘195, just as it did in its case against Motorola.
This continues a successful string of patent infringement cases for TiVo, which has collected $1.6 billion in patent litigation settlements. The company had previously been awarded $250 million from lawsuits against Verizon Communications Inc. and $215 million from AT&T Inc.
Posted in: Patent Infringement


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In an unprecedented twist that had Silicon Valley chortling into their kale smoothies, Twitter Kingpin and renowned space cowboy, Elon Musk, shrugged off Anheuser-Busch’s massive $250 million Bud Light marketing campaign like dandruff off a thrift store blazer. The news left the beer titan flatter than a week-old open beer can, while Twitter users gleefully reveled in the chaos, their tweets a veritable firework display of schadenfreude.
Following the recent high-profile spat between Musk and Anheuser-Busch over their Bud Light’s new “Trans” cans, the beer behemoth had tried to extend an olive branch, or rather, a hop vine. Their proposed Twitter marketing campaign, worth a staggering $250 million, was intended to smooth over the ruffled feathers and hopefully promote a few more six-packs in the process. But Musk, as unpredictable as a raccoon in a rocket factory, decided to toss the hop vine into the wind and watch the chaos unfold.
With the audacity of a man who sends cars into space for fun, Musk turned down the offer, proving once again that his middle name might as well be “Unorthodox.” In a tweet that was as succinct as it was unexpected, Musk simply said, “Nope.” That was it. No elaboration, no reasoning, just a flat-out rejection that left Anheuser-Busch, and the rest of the world, in a state of bewildered amusement.
The Twitterverse, that chaotic digital playground where Musk reigns supreme, erupted in a frenzy of memes, gifs, and tongue-in-cheek hashtags. #MuskBeerBust and #BudLightDown trended worldwide, with Twitter users delighting in the drama. Meanwhile, marketing analysts scratched their heads, wondering if this was yet another ingenious strategy by Musk or just another impulsive decision from the man who once sold flamethrowers as merch.
Anheuser-Busch, on the other hand, was left to nurse its bruised ego, the taste of their rejected millions probably more bitter than any of their brews. In a brief statement, the company expressed disappointment at Musk’s decision, while also subtly hinting that the offer was still on the table, should the Twitter titan change his mind.
But anyone familiar with Musk knows that the man is as likely to change his mind as he is to stop tweeting – that is, not very. His refusal to accept the $250 million marketing campaign further cements his status as a maverick who dances to his own tune, even if that tune seems to be playing in an entirely different galaxy.
In the end, this saga will likely be remembered as another chapter in Musk’s ever-growing legend – the time he turned down a quarter of a billion dollars because… well, who knows why? Maybe he didn’t like the taste of Bud Light, or perhaps he just enjoys causing a stir. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: In the world of Elon Musk, there’s never a dull moment.
As for Anheuser-Busch, they’re probably back at the drawing board, trying to figure out their next marketing move. Perhaps they’ll decide to stick to more traditional methods of advertising. Or maybe they’ll attempt another social media campaign, this time with a CEO less prone to making impulsive decisions. Whatever they decide, let’s hope it’s more successful than their last attempt.
In the meantime, we’ll be sitting back, sipping our drinks (Bud Light or otherwise), and eagerly awaiting the next episode in the Musk saga. Because if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s that life with Elon Musk is anything but predictable.
In the grand scheme of things, the Bud Light-Musk Twitter showdown is a fascinating reflection of our times. A billionaire tech mogul, a multinational beer conglomerate, and a social media platform locked in an unlikely dance, all set to the beat of the 280-character limit. It’s a sitcom script that writes itself, and one that we, the audience, can’t help but binge-watch.
The rejection of Bud Light’s $250 million campaign is just another day in the soap opera of Musk’s reign over Twitter. He continues to rule the platform like a digital Loki, the trickster god of Norse mythology, sowing chaos and laughter in equal measure. And while his antics might make marketing departments worldwide break into cold sweats, they undoubtedly make Twitter a far more entertaining place.
In retrospect, Anheuser-Busch’s miscalculation might have been in thinking that they could play Musk’s game. The beer company, like so many others, misjudged the enigma that is Elon Musk. They offered a king’s ransom, expecting a predictable outcome, only to be met with a maverick’s refusal. A mistake, yes, but a hilarious one that has given us all something to chuckle about.
As we wait for the dust to settle on this latest episode, one question remains: What’s next for Musk? A rejection of a multi-billion dollar movie deal, perhaps? A dismissal of an opportunity to become the first man to set foot on Mars? With Musk, the sky isn’t the limit – it’s merely the launchpad?
In conclusion, Musk’s rejection of Bud Light’s $250 million Twitter campaign is a perfect encapsulation of the man himself: unapologetically audacious, unpredictably hilarious, and entertainingly disruptive. As we raise a toast (with or without Bud Light) to this absurd spectacle, we do so in anticipation of the next Musk-induced whirlwind, waiting eagerly to see where the tornado will touch down next.


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Well, this is awkward.
A few years ago, Audi Of America’s boss Johan de Nysschen went on record describing the Chevrolet Volt as “a car for idiots.” Fast-forward to earlier this summer, and the well-regarded executive suddenly found himself in a new office with new business cards bearing the title: President, Cadillac. That means that among other challenges, de Nysschen is now tasked with selling the ELR, a car that is, at its core, a Volt in a sportier, less utile frock wearing a price tag that’s twice as expensive.
Frankly, it’s not a prospect we imagine the South African executive and recent Infiniti boss relishes. Just about nobody is buying the ELR – Cadillac has sold but 774 examples of its plug-in hybrid coupe this year and it presently has an almost a 200-day supply according to
... read more at: https://www.autoblog.com/2014/09/29/2014-cadillac-elr-review/
Shortly after Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson joined forces against the postwar industrial might of General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford in 1954, the freshly minted concern popped out the Rambler Rebel. While Rambler traces its lineage back to a bicycle built during the last quarter of the 19th century, “Rebel” was a fresh, new nameplate from a firm attempting to fend off a trio of daunting foes. After a four-model-year run, AMC retired the Rebel badge after 1960, only to wake it from its slumber in the heady days of the late ’60s and goose it with a performance-oriented SST trim level. Continue reading “1969 AMC Rambler Rebel SST Wagon Was for Sale – News”
... read more at: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15344236/sst-record-the-ephemeral-super-clean-1969-rambler-rebel-wagon/
For decades, BMW has marketed its vehicles as the ultimate driving machines. With its fledgling car-sharing business ReachNow, BMW is not shifting that focus so much as suggesting that its machines can be enjoyed by more than one driver apiece. Continue reading “BMW Expands Its Car-Sharing Service To Third American City – News”
... read more at: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15345280/the-ultimate-hipster-machine-bmw-expands-its-car-sharing-service-to-brooklyn/
The convenience of Uber and Lyft is a mixed blessing. Sure, the apps have made getting around easier, but to many who live or work in congested areas, they’re likely only adding to traffic woes.
That perception isn’t far from the mark. Uber and Lyft’s style of ride-hailing has led to what research calls induced demand, in which people are requesting a car when they might have otherwise walked, biked, or taken mass transit. While Uber’s long-term solution for easing congestion involves combining shared electric mobility with automation, it’s looking in the meantime to make its services a little more virtuous via increased use of electric cars.
Uber operated about four million electric-vehicle rides in 2017, and it’s hoping to raise that figure to five million annual rides in the next year. This past week the company launched something it’s calling the EV Champions Initiative, targeting
... read more at: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/in-some-cities-uber-drivers-with-evs-are-getting-a-bonus
2012 Toyota RAV4 EV, Newport Beach, California, July 2012
There are now more than a dozen plug-in electric cars for sale in the U.S., but not all electric cars are created equal.
And a pair of recent articles about service challenges experienced by owners of the Toyota RAV4 EV underscores that buyers should be fully aware of the context in which their electric car is sold.
Only five plug-in cars have sold more than 10,000 units in the U.S. since launch: the Chevrolet Volt, Ford C-Max Energi, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, and Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid.
MORE: Electric Cars: Some Are Real, Most Are Only ‘Compliance Cars’–We Name Names
The Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid could hit that mark this year, but nine others are low-volume or compliance cars.


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Drone strikes attacked an oil processing facility at Abqaiq and the nearby Khurais oil field on Saturday.Marketsread more
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Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Wednesday:
Longbow said it sees improving fundamentals in the memory and flash storage chip market.
"Our checks highlight upside in shipments and improving DRAM and NAND pricing fundamentals associated with upside at select hyperscales and risk of tightening supply. As a result, upstream inventory drawdown is occurring faster than previously forecast, which should drive a bottoming in DRAM fundamentals by year-end to pair with an in-process recovery in NAND fundamentals."
Raymond James said among other things that it thinks concerns about Callaway's recent purchase of outdoor wear and equipment brand Jack Wolfskin are "priced in."
"Our more constructive view of the shares is based on our belief that the stock: 1) is not fully reflecting the company's 14% stake in TopGolf which it appears to be increasingly open to monetizing; and 2) is being overly penalized for the recent acquisition of Jack Wolfskin, which is obscuring the health of the balance of its portfolio."
Oppenheimer said it sees less upside for the shares given its premium valuation, but remains upbeat on the company's long term prospects.
"As we look forward, we now see less upside for shares driven by the now even more premium valuation, potentially aggressive Street forecasts, and difficult compares especially in Q2. We continue to remain quite upbeat on COST's longer-term prospects and view the company as best positioned in the entire consumer staples/food retailing universe. From here, we are closely watching for any potential pullbacks, which happen from time to time. Although we now see less upside, we still see prospects for a $10–15 special dividend."
Read more about this call here.
Evercore ISI said in its initiation note that it thinks the multinational technology company has a "unique" portfolio of assets.
"Cisco is well-positioned as an end-to-end solutions provider across the enterprise networking product spectrum; CSCO's unique portfolio of assets allows the company to address emerging growth adjacencies (security, services, cloud-based solutions) while maintaining market leading positions in several core networking product categories (~$60B+ Enterprise TAM)."
Raymond James downgraded the operator of entertainment-oriented restaurants after its earnings report where it lowered full-year guidance, citing a "competitive environment".
"We are downgrading shares of PLAY to Market Perform from Outperform as a recent further deterioration in comps offsets the stock's low valuation and potential activists, in our view (recall Hill Path now owns just under 5.0% + new shareholders HG Vora 5.5%, Blue Harbour 1.8%). Amusement comps (high margin) have turned incrementally negative on difficult VR/Halo comparisons while recent F&B value initiatives have failed to gain traction."
Credit Suisse upgraded the aluminum producer and said it thinks alumina prices are on a path to recovery.
"We expect alumina prices to recover on significant capacity cuts in China, an end to inventory destocking, and the Alpart shutdown. Smelter profit margins have improved significantly with LME prices remaining firm despite global macro headwinds and sharp declines in key raw material inputs. Alcoa appears significantly undervalued on most metrics. Potential monetization of non-core assets we believe will yield positive valuation uplift."
Citi said the equipment rental company has "meaningfully" improved its balance sheet.
"We think URI still offers compelling risk/reward based on our $160 price target. High Vol Discount —The premium of low-vol names is at a multi-decade high and may prove unsustainable, with URI screening well on this front. As an example, URI now sits -30% off of its 52 week high while its closest public comp Ashtead is -8% off from its 52 week high."
Bank of America said positive fundamentals are now largely priced in for the business outsourcing solutions provider.
"ADP has outperformed the S&P500 by 35% over the past 18 months, fueled largely by strong execution against margin expansion targets which has resulted in a higher implied bar for performance going forward. However, we now see the positive fundamental aspects of the story largely priced in, and following margin outperformance in F19, we don't expect as much expansion in F20 or F21."


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Posted on: 30th Nov 2015
On 20th November 2015, Polyurethane Progress Ltd celebrated 30 years in business. From its manufacturing base and sales head office in the north of England, Polyurethane Progress has supplied injection and cast moulded components in a range of materials to customers across the UK, Europe and Worldwide.
To celebrate its anniversary Poly Progress has undergone a rebranding process, launching PolyGlobal (www.polyglobal.co.uk), the new trading name of the company. PolyGlobal would like to thank all of its valuable business partners that it has worked with over the past 30 years in helping it grow and develop into the diverse company it is today.
Many of today’s customer have a longstanding relationship with PolyGlobal that dates back to the very beginning of the company and it hopes these will continue to grow over the next 30 years.
Thank you again from PolyGlobal