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Archive for the “Supply Chain” Category
AWESOME leader discusses women in the transportation industry in a preview of Jump Start 2020 supply chain conference remarks
Authored by SMC³ on January 6, 2020
At the Jump Start 2020 supply chain conference, Heather Sheehan will discuss the increasing role of women in the freight transportation industry. As executive director of AWESOME, she knows a thing or two about advocating for female supply chain leaders. “Women have made progress in the supply chain field, but progress is slow, incremental and inconsistent,” she said. Sheehan recently took the time to talk about her advocacy role, providing a preview of her conference remarks.
Authored by SMC³ on November 5, 2019
Speakers at SMC³‘s Jump Start 2020 supply chain conference, coming to Atlanta this January, will explore emerging trends, current challenges and new innovations in the supply chain. Eric Stone, Johnson and Johnson’s senior manager of domestic sourcing and supplier performance, recently took the time to discuss the current state of the transportation market, which previews his remarks from the Jump Start stage, as well as how he thinks shippers benefit from attending SMC³ conferences.
Authored by SMC³ on October 24, 2019
Jump Start 2020, a three-day logistics and supply chain conference held this January in Atlanta, is one of many transportation events held throughout the country in 2020. SMC³ has worked tirelessly to create the ideal environment for qualitative, valuable networking and industry education. So why should you attend?
Authored by SMC³ on August 27, 2019
The optimal way to understand the intricacies of today’s supply chain environment is to participate in an educationally focused transportation conference. Events hosted by a reliable company with decades of industry expertise arm attendees with new supply chain ideas and transportation tools.
Authored by SMC³ on August 8, 2019
New technology and the introduction of innovative supply chain solutions into established processes is one way to combat transportation issues. Brian Thompson of SMC³ sees the uptick in technology adoption, and a broader adoption of transportation management systems among even the smallest transportation companies, as a sign of how shippers and 3PLs are now confronting a challenging supply chain arena.


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There are several ways to buy cheap cars. You can buy cheap used cars from second hand car dealers, check the classified ads for cars on sale or use eBay where there are people selling cheap cars.
However, one of the best ways to save money on cars is through seized car auctions. You can buy seized cars for sale at a cheap price.
Most cars that are up on seized car auctions are repossessed or seized Used Cars For Sale Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Cadott WI 54727 cars. Therefore, sometimes, the cars are still in relatively good condition. There are wide selections available these days in repo car auctions.
These days, the number of vehicles seized by the government have grown exponentially to the point where the government can’t afford to keep and maintain all the seized cars since it cost money.
Therefore, you can find many cheap car deals on repo car auctions. They need to get rid of these seized cars as Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Cadott WI 54727 soon as possible to free up space for more repossessed cars. So it is not uncommon to buy cars that are still relatively new and cost only 10% to 50% of the current market price.
These seized car auctions are held all over the country though the dates are sometimes difficult to find out. You can search classified ads in your local newspaper where sometimes, they will post an ad.
Another way to find these seized car Used Police Cars For Sale at Cheap Prices – Find Them Online in an … Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Cadott WI 54727 auctions is online. There are several websites that are dedicated to listing the latest seized car auctions in your area. Sometimes, they will also provide the latest seized car auction listings, bid offers, starting prices and so on.
This provides a good way of knowing which model of cars are on auctions and their prices before you even need to go the auto auction.
Buying seized cars for sale is certainly one of the lesser known ways Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Cadott WI 54727 of buying cheap cars. Many people actually use this to start a business of buying and selling cars.
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Cadott WI - BingNews Search results
Chippewa County gears up for festing tourism
Cadott will see a small break before more music fans make their way into town for Rock Fest, slated for July 12-14. That same week, Chippewa Falls will host the Northern Wisconsin State Fair, featuring such acts as Martina McBride and Cheap Trick ...
New experiences at Country Fest this weekend
CADOTT, Wis. (WEAU) -- Festival season is underway and we ... Abby Maliszewski, PR & Community Events of Country Fest joined Hello Wisconsin here to tell us more. There are a lot of new things for Country Fest attendees to see 1. Crossroads Stage: A ...
Archery: At world competition the arrow's pointing up for Cadott's Christenson
Scott found NASP and Cadott became a pilot school in Wisconsin for the program in 2006. NASP allows kids into the program starting in fourth grade, but at Cadott archery starts in seventh. Kaden now competes with the archery club at Cadott, which has a ...
Check out the 2018 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Contact 920-229-4531 for more information. June 2: Chippewa County Dairy Breakfast The breakfast will be held from 8 a.m. to noon at 426 Myrtle St., Cadott, Wisconsin. No cost, donations are appreciated. Contact 715-289-3795 for more information.
Rudolph J. “Buster” Heinle, Jr., 97 formerly of Cadott, WI. passed away Tuesday April 24th, 2018 at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota. He was born on December 13th, 1920 the son of Rudolph and Christine (Filibeck) Heinle, Sr. in Pembina, ND. He worked on ...
James William Baudhuin
James William BaudhuinCadott - James "Jimmy" William Baudhuin, 66, was called to his eternal home in Heaven on Thursday, March 15, 2018 while at his home in Cadott, WI.Jimmy was born September 21, 1951 in Sturgeon Bay to William "Bill" and Marion (Haberli ...
Ray Polzin passed peacefully on Friday February 23, five days shy of his 94th birthday at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls, a few farm fields down the road from his birthplace on a dairy farm near Cadott, Wisconsin. Ray's life epitomized the ...
Two dead in crash north of Cadott
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -- A man and a woman from Illinois have died in a crash north of Cadott. The Wisconsin State Patrol said in a release Wednesday night that the victims are an 85-year-old man and an 80-year-old woman, both from McHenry, IL.

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Xiaomi has also been officially tweeting about a new product launch that will take place in the country's capital on February 14.
Xiaomi has been in the rumour mill since a while and now a fresh report suggests that the Chinese company is gearing up to launch a Redmi Note successor in India on February 14. The smartphone is believed to be the Redmi Note 5, which will be the first major launch for the company in India in 2018. Xiaomi has also been officially tweeting about a new product launch that will take place in the country's capital on February 14, this Valentine's Day.
As of now, it isn't clear whether Xiaomi might launch the Redmi Note 5 or Redmi 5/Redmi 5 Plus (which was debuted in China late last year). However, the Chinese smartphone maker has not launched the Redmi Note 5 in China, which indicates that the handset could be a rebranded version of Redmi 5, was launched in China. Xiaomi is keeping the product's details under wraps, but e-commerce giant Flipkart has recently showcased a teaser hinting at the upcoming Xiaomi smartphone which is an alleged Redmi Note 5 design. Also, the report suggest that the upcoming phone will be exclusive to Flipkart.
The photo on the teaser suggests that the 'Redmi Note 5' could have a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and narrow bezels. Moreover, a report by GizmoChinaindicates that the handset in the video does not look identical to the Xiaomi Redmi 5 and could be a different device.
"In the teaser video, we can read that “5 lets you see more, 5 gives you the widest perspective, 5 is an all-rounder device, and 5 makes colours come alive”. From these words, it seems that the midrange will have a very wide screen and a high resolution as well," the report stated.
If rumours are to be believed, the Redmi Note 5 could sport approximately 6-inch, full HD+ IPS LCD display. The device is also touted to launch in two storage variants — 3GB RAM/32GB and 4GB RAM/64GB. The handset is also expected to be powered by Snapdragon 625 chipset while some reports indicated that the Redmi Note 5 might come with newer octa-core Snapdragon 636 chipset.
As for the camera, the smartphone is expected to feature dual rear camera setup — 16MP+5MP sensor and an 8MP front shooter. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 might be the first phone from the Redmi Note series to sport a dual camera. The smartphone will draw its power from a 4100mAh battery.
As for the pricing is concerned, the Redmi Note 5 could be priced a bit higher than its predecessor. However, we will have to wait and watch till Xiaomi unveils the phone this Valentine's Day.


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Afreximbank nets $276m, offers shareholders $69m as dividend
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), at its yearly general meetings in Moscow, at the weekend, unveiled a $276 million net profit in 2018 financial year, even as shareholderd adopted its proposal of $69 million.....
Afreximbank supports intra-regional trade with $25bn
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has disbursed eight billion dollars out of the 25 billion dollars it planned...
Afreximbank, Orascom sign $170m facility for pan-African activities
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has signed a facility agreement of $170 million with Egypt-based conglomerate, Orascom Investment Holding (OIH), to assist the company’s pan-African expansion activities. The move would now pave way for Orascom Investment to explore business and investment opportunities referred to it by Afreximbank in such countries as Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, Eretria…
Afreximbank inaugurates $1bn programme to promote Nigeria’s Intra-African Trade
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has inaugurated a one billion dollars Nigeria-Africa Trade and Investment Promotion Programme (NATIPP) to promote and expand trade and investments between Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
Maiden IATF begins with calls for pro-Africa integration talks
The first-ever Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) on the continent has kicked off in Cairo, Egypt, with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) leading calls for the implementation of initiatives that will add meaning to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
IMF tasks nation on judicious loans’ application for growth
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), yesterday, said Nigeria should accountably deploy loans in wise investments.
Afreximbank urges economic cooperation to counter trade uncertainties
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has called for greater cooperation among south economies to deal with the uncertainties resulting from the current global trade environment.
How Nigeria, others shared Afreximbank’s $65b syndications
After 25 years of operations that kicked off in Abuja, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) said it has mobilised no fewer than $65 billion worth of loan syndications for trade financing and the development of the continent’s economies.
Again, FAAC meeting ends in stalemate
The monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting has again ended in a stalemate as federal and state governments rejected the revenue figures submitted...


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They are no longer a nation of cyclists as 1.2 million cars were shipped to Chinese dealers in September.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said that is up 19.3 percent on the same month last year.
September is normally the best month for car sales in China in the run-up to the country’s National Day holidays.
Car makers have also been slashing prices to drive sales.
In August wholesale car sales in China began to rebound, rising 18.7 percent to one million units, according to data provided by CAAM.
Break-neck expansion in the world’s biggest car market has been tapering off since the second quarter as the government aims to keep the economy from overheating.
The upturn in demand since August could extend into October, industry observers said.
Fears that the government may scale back or even scrap its policy incentives in 2011 will also mean more buyers heading into showrooms in the fourth quarter, they added.


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CHILD ENTREPRENEURS CELEBRATED AT KIDZANIA’S KIDPRENEUR FESTIVAL
1 November 2018
An audience of excited children is not what you would normally expect for an festival on entrepreneurship. But this is exactly what KidPreneur, the UK’s first entrepreneurship festival for children, aims to achieve: to excite and inspire children about starting their own business.
KidPreneur is run by KidZania, the transformational children’s attraction that enables children to run their own city. The KidZania city blends learning and reality with entertainment to provide children with the opportunity to explore a range of real-life activities in a variety of professions. This broadens their awareness of the world of work and enhances skills directly applicable to the national curriculum.
We created KidPreneur to help KidZania further strengthen its leadership status in children’s attractions. KidPreneur also supports schools teaching business studies before it enters the national curriculum in year nine. It does this by enabling children, parents and teachers to learn directly from young CEOs and entrepreneurs about how children can start their own business and the skills they need to excel.
The initiative has featured in The Financial Times and won praise from Rajesh Agrawal, The Deputy Mayor of London for Business.
This year’s speakers included:
- Rose Dyson, an 18-year-old beauty entrepreneur who created Pura Cosmetics with a £25 investment and between school and homework. The business generates almost most half a million in annual sales, with national retailers knocking at her door.
- Tommy Mallet, CEO, Mallet Footwear: The 25-year-old ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ star created his footwear brand ‘Mallet’ now stocked in 190 stores across Europe. Tommy has overcome major struggles with Dyslexia to achieve his dream and works with schools to teac children that much can be achieved through determination and hard work, not just exam results.
- Christian Lovdal, CEO, DinoByteLabs: Christian created indie gaming company Dinobyte Labs in his early twenties, with a drive to make games with diverse player experiences.
- Jenk Oz, CEO, iCoolKid: Dubbed Britain’s youngest CEO by Business Insider at just 12 years old, Jenk founded the innovative children's digital platform, iCoolKid, with cool content designed by kids, for kids.
Kidpreneur was attended by 535 children and covered in 60 press stories across consumer and business press.


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The export value of wood and wood products reached nearly 5 billion USD in the first half of 2019, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The export value of wood and wood products reaches nearly 5 billion USD in the first half of 2019
The US was the biggest importer of the country’s wood and wood products. During January-May, the export turnover to the US accounted for 45 percent of the total.
In the time ahead, the timber industry will continue working to improve transparency by applying good production process to ensure sustainable development.
Including non-timber forest products, total earnings from shipping forestry products abroad in the first half of this year came to around 5.3 billion USD, a year-on-year surge of nearly 20 percent.
The US, Japan, the European Union, China and the Republic of Korea remained the largest importers of Vietnamese forest products, accounting for some 87 percent of the industry’s total export value.
To date, Vietnam maintained its position as the leading exporter of forest products in Southeast Asia, the second largest in Asia and the fifth in the world.
Last year, Vietnam raked in some 9.3 billion USD from shipping forest products to foreign nations. The country eyes 10.5 billion USD in export value this year.
Vietnam is now home to 4,500 enterprises specializing in processing and exporting wood and forest products. They include more than 700 foreign-invested businesses, most having large production scales using advanced technology.-VNA
My Xuyen, a village in Phong Dien district 40 km north of Hue, has been famous for wood carving for hundreds of years.
With its abundant potential in wood processing, Vietnam is emerging as a major exporter of finished wood products in the global wood market.
Vietnam’s wood and wooden product exports to the United States may be subject to higher import duties due to a surge in export revenues and China’s foreign direct investment in the local industry, experts said at a recent seminar in Hanoi.


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Chinese smartphone maker Meizu is set to launch a new budget smartphone in India. The company has been relatively silent in the Indian market and is now expected to launch M6T exclusively on Flipkart. The smartphone was launched in China in May. Also Read - Flipkart Big Saving Days sale begins for Plus members: Check out top deals on smartphonesAlso Read - Infinix Smart 5A launched in India with a competitive introductory price: Details here
According to a report by Meizumatters, the Chinese smartphone maker is planning to launch the Meizu M6T in India. The report adds that Meizu is also planning to launch the phone initially on Flipkart but later extend its availability to Reliance Jio as well. Meizu was once seen as one of the prominent Chinese players in the Indian smartphone market but it soon lost out to others. Also Read - Massive discount on Samsung Galaxy F12: Budget Samsung phone now under Rs 10,000
Despite its presence, Meizu has been inactive in the country and its last prominent launch was the Meizu Pro 7 and Meizu M6. In terms of specifications, the Meizu M6T features a 5.7-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. The device supports taller 18:9 aspect ratio, which is now becoming standard on smartphones across all price segments. Under the hood, there is an octa-core MediaTek MT6750 CPU clocked at 1.5GHz along with Mali T860 GPU.
The Meizu M6T can be configured in two storage models – 3GB RAM variant with 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM variant with 64GB internal storage. It also supports expandable storage up to 128GB via microSD card slot. On the camera front, the Meizu M6T is equipped with dual rear camera setup comprising of a primary 13-megapixel Sony IMX278 sensor with f/2.2 aperture, LED flash and secondary 2-megapixel sensor with f/2.4 aperture.
At the front, the Meizu M6T gets an 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture for selfies and video calling. The Meizu M6T includes connectivity features such as 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and a microUSB port. The Meizu M6T features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and runs Android 7.0 Nougat layered with its own Flyme OS 6.2. The smartphone is backed by a decent 3,300mAh battery.
Watch: Xiaomi Redmi 5 First Look Video
Meizu has priced the M6T at RMB 799 (around Rs 8,300) for the base variant with 3GB RAM. The 4GB RAM variant, on the other hand, is priced at RMB 1,099 (around Rs 11,400). The smartphone is expected to be priced in the sub-Rs 10,000 price segment, which will make it the direct competitor to Xiaomi’s Redmi 5, Oppo Realme 1 and Honor 7A smartphones.


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In the second quarter, China’s economic growth rate has been announced: preliminary statistics, China’s GDP in the second quarter increased by 6.2% year-on-year, slightly lower than the 6.4% in the first quarter, the first half of China’s economic growth rate was 6.3%. The overall situation remained stable and there was no ups and downs.
In terms of economic aggregates, China’s total GDP in the first quarter was about 21,343.28 billion yuan, about 2,375.502 billion yuan in the second quarter, and 450.93 billion yuan in the first half of the year. It was converted to an average exchange rate of the first half of the year, which was about 6.65 trillion US dollars. According to this calculation, the total GDP of China in 2019 is expected to reach 97 trillion yuan (not including the economic census).
Analysts believe that in the first half of 2019, China’s economy achieved a real growth of 6.3%, which is a good result, and is also among the top in the world’s major economies. Moreover, in June, major economic indicators rebounded. For example, consumption-driven retail sales of social consumer goods rebounded significantly.
In terms of investment, the growth rate of the manufacturing industry has rebounded slightly, the export growth rate is still higher than the import growth rate, and the trade surplus is still high. The overall economic data performance in June is in line with our relatively optimistic expectations, slightly better than market expectations. However, we must also see that the current domestic and international economic situation is still complicated and severe, and the economy is facing new downward pressure.
What is the economic growth rate of the US in the second quarter?
China and the United States are still the main locomotives of the global economy. The Chinese economy has slowed slightly, but overall stability. What is the performance of the US economy in the second quarter of this year?
In this regard, we look at the United States’ own research institutions are predicted – Reuters New York reported on July 16, based on the latest data, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta GDP Now prediction model shows: the second quarter of 2019, the US economy increased Speed or only 1.6%.
In the previous forecast, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta gave a value of 1.4%. The reason for this slight increase is that the core retail sales in the US increased by 0.7% in June, better than the market expectation of 0.3%. However, in June, US industrial output increased by only 0.0% from the previous month, slightly lower than the market expectation of 0.1%.
Moreover, in May, the US trade deficit reached US$84.713 billion, an increase of 8.4% year-on-year. Overall, the “demand” of US residents has improved slightly, but the manufacturing industry is still weak and the deficit is still not small. Therefore, the economic growth rate in the second quarter is obviously worse than that in the first quarter.


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More cheap fares to Europe: $500 Phoenix-Paris
Bargain fares also available to London and Amsterdam.
Want to really impress your Valentine or treat yourself to a decadent gift or spring-break getaway?
Book a flight from Phoenix to Europe for about $500 round trip thanks to another airline fare war. Tickets to the East Coast routinely cost more than that, as do last-minute flights to Las Vegas and San Diego.
American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are offering fares from Phoenix to Paris starting at $515 round trip, according to The Flight Deal. They are also offering round-trip tickets to London starting at $591. And Delta has flights between Phoenix and Amsterdam as low as $529, according to the travel website.
The only major fine print: Summer travel is excluded at the lowest prices. That is in contrast to Delta's $500 round-trip deal between Phoenix and London last week.
The general travel dates for the cheap fares, according to The Flight Deal: now through early April and then November through early December.
The cheap fares, which aren't expected to last long, won't be available for every date and flight in that time period, of course. Use the fare calendars on the airlines' websites or airline search sites including Google Flights. The flights to Europe from Phoenix are not non-stop because only British Airways offers non-stop flights between Phoenix and Europe.
I found a $516 round-trip ticket from Phoenix to Paris on key spring dates in March on Delta's website and Google Flights.


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Natilus to jointly develop hydrogen-electric engines for its autonomous aircraft
26 / 05 / 2023
Autonomous cargo aircraft developer Natilus and zero-emission engine developer ZeroAvia have partnered to jointly develop hydrogen-electric engines for the Natilus Kona cargo aircraft.
ZeroAvia’s ZA600 will be the sole hydrogen-electric propulsion source offered for the Kona short-haul feeder UAV, with the aim of enabling zero-emission and cost efficient operations.
Natilus said its Kona aircraft, which has a blended-wing body (BWB) design, offers increased volume for hydrogen storage, to maximise the flight range.
California-based Natilus recently validated the performance of the BWB design with flight testing of a quarter-scale Kona prototype aircraft, following three years of wind-tunnel testing.
ZeroAvia, which has bases in the UK and the US, has now conducted eight test flights of its prototype ZA600, 600kW engine in a 19-seat testbed aircraft.
Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and chief executive of Natilus, said: “Natilus has a long-term commitment to being a responsible steward of our environment, instituting practices that can protect the environment through continual improvements to save fuel and water, reduce waste, air emissions, noise, and material consumption.
“The Natilus-ZeroAvia partnership goes further, bringing the talents and innovations of the two companies together to deliver much needed innovation in the air cargo delivery industry and multiple solutions for our customers.”
Val Miftakhov, founder and chief executive of ZeroAvia, said: “Given Natilus’ impressive order book and corresponding technology development, working together on integrating the ZA600 as a line-fit engine for Kona can multiply the emissions and costs benefits that are already interesting cargo operators.
“We all depend on air cargo operators, and some communities depend on them absolutely, so improving the economics and environmental impacts of these operations while increasing service levels is a massive opportunity.”
Natilus currently has more than $6.8bn in order commitments, and 460+ aircraft in pre-orders, from companies including major airlines and integrators: Ameriflight, Volatus Aerospace, Flexport, Astral, Aurora International, and Dymond.
The company is now working on construction of a full-scale Kona technology demonstrator, which will have a wingspan of 85 ft.
This will be the largest commercial air cargo drone and is targeted to fly in 2024, said Natilus.
In December last year, Natilus partnered with engineering and manufacturing company Janicki for composite part design and fabrication for the Kona UAV prototype.
In August 2022, Natilus selected Pratt & Whitney Canada to supply the engines for the Kona UAV.
Natilus is also developing Alisio – a 60-ton payload medium/long range UAV, and Nordes – a 100-ton payload long-range UAV.
ZeroAvia has demonstrated a prototype of the ZA600 with world-first flight testing of a retrofitted 19-seat aircraft in flight with its prototype.
The company has struck several key agreements with airframe OEMs relevant to ZA600 – including Textron Aviation, manufacturer of the Cessna Caravan, and private aircraft manufacturer Otto Aviation.


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Venture capital for young, innovative firms is right, according to almost three out five German citizens (75 per cent) who expressed hope that such financing would boost the economy. These are the main findings of an online survey of 1,000 German citizens conducted in December 2016 by e.ventures on the question: “How important is venture capital for Germany?” Some 77 per cent of German citizens fear that a lack of venture capital funding would force many founders to move abroad which would ultimately damage Germany.
Young firms add impetus to mid-sized sector
Most of those surveyed believe the new U.S. administration’s economic views are unhelpful. Some 60 per cent of German citizens believe tax support for older, established sectors to save costly jobs is wrong. Around 77 per cent of those interviewed expressed hope that start-ups and venture capital would pave the way for digital business models and structural change. However, nearly every second German citizen found the concept of venture capital unclear.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Andreas Haug, General Partner at e.ventures, noted: “Many young firms are driving digital transformation and are adding important impetus to the mid-sized sector. Start-ups are enormously helpful when it comes to developing the economy.” Such companies ensure more efficient, transparent markets and change the value-added chain by using technology and developing innovative, customer-friendly services for consumers.
International early-stage investor
The international early stage investor, e.ventures, has shares in several companies in Silicon Valley, California. Haug does not expect business to become more difficult under the new U.S. president and noted: “The market for venture capital is global by nature. The capital flows to places with the best framework conditions. If protectionist blocks limit theses opportunities, investments will flow to other regions that offer better conditions for start-ups and venture capital. Innovations definitely occur. It is just a question of where and who benefits from them.”
e-ventures manages several funds in which the Otto Group is the main investor and is presently investing five funds in start-ups across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America. An additional growth capital fund is being put towards growing companies across the globe. The company has branches in San Francisco, Hamburg, Berlin and São Paulo and a partner funds in Asia.
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FDA warned against electronic cigarette cartridges containing THC or other cannabis or altered e-cigarette products that are sold "off the street."
Should stores that sell pot, vape pens or cannabidiol (CBD) get the go-ahead to operate at shopping centers? Survey results published in April reveal mixed
Support for legal marijuana hit 61% up from 57 percent two years ago a widely respected trend survey that has been measuring support for legal marijuana.
Allowing and encouraging domestic hemp cultivation would be a boon for small farmers, especially organic farmers. I’m talking only about industrial hemp,
An important message from National Hemp Association Chairman Geoff Whaling REGARDING FDA APPROVAL OF EPIDIOLEX


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As India grapples with soaring food inflation, Burger King has removed tomatoes from its wraps and burgers in many of its outlets due to a quadrupling of prices, as per a Reuters report.
“Even tomatoes need a vacation … we are unable to add tomatoes to our food,” read notices at two Burger King India outlets, attributing the move to quality issues. Burger King, boasting nearly 400 outlets in India, is not alone in this decision. Other major chains like McDonald’s and Subway have also axed tomatoes from their menus as the nation’s food inflation reaches its peak since January 2020.
The tomato supply crisis is attributed to a 450% price surge due to monsoon rains disrupting crops and supply chains. This has led to consumers questioning the absence of tomatoes in their burgers. In response, Burger King India assures its patrons of their commitment to high quality and promises the return of tomatoes soon. July’s retail inflation data reveals a 37% year-over-year increase in vegetable prices, with staples like onions, peas, garlic, and ginger also seeing a rise.
To mitigate the supply crisis, India has commenced tomato imports from Nepal and has set up vans to distribute the staple at more affordable rates nationwide. Social media posts depict long queues of citizens waiting to purchase these tomatoes.
Get all the latest Share Market trends and news to set you up for the week ahead.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Amazon has spent over 20 years building AI that has made it become the most dominant retailer in history. Now, Amazon is bringing that AI to third parties through an API. Amazon Personalize allows contextual personalization and recommendations through the AWS SDK or the AWS console.
Do you, for some reason, have a ton of different Internet domains you need to manage? Have you ever wished you could manipulate DNS records through an API, or on your iPhone? Well, look no further, domain hoarders--DNSimple is here!
Six APIs have recently been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories such as Bitcoin, Identity, Domains, and Logistics. Additionally, some Node.js frameworks were added, as were several SDKs for RunKeeper health & fitness tracking service. Here's a look at what's new.


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Lexus is going back to the future. The luxury automaker unveiled a hoverboard prototype, dubbed Slide, in a video released Tuesday.
The device, which looks to be the size and shape of a skateboard, appears to float about two inches off the ground as it exhales fog from the liquid nitrogen used to cool its superconductors and magnets, according to a web page Lexus set up to showcase the experimental device.
The board levitates using the same magnetic technology that moves high-speed trains in Japan, the Toyota-owned company’s home country.
The technology behind the Lexus Slide -- which harkens back to hoverboards that appeared in the 1989 flick “Back to the Future Part II" -- could be a first step toward a flying car.
“We have been studying the flying car in our most advanced R&D area,” Hiroyoshi Yoshiki, a managing officer in Toyota’s Technical Administration Group, said last June, according to Bloomberg News, which first reported on the Slide. “Flying car means the car is just a little bit away from the road, so it doesn’t have any friction or resistance from the road.”
Lexus said it will begin testing the board in Barcelona this summer.
The company says this thing is "ridable," but it should be noted, however, that the teaser video doesn't actually show anyone standing fully on this thing, or riding it around.
Engadget got Lexus to elaborate on how functional the prototype is: "We ... confirmed that like the other examples we've seen, there is a metal surface underneath the skate park shown here -- it's real, but you won't be riding this thing just anywhere."
Watch the full video teaser here:


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Convergent TV Summit returns March 21-22. Hear timely insights from TV industry experts virtually or in person in NYC. Register now to secure your early bird pass.
European energy company Vattenfall aims to create the first truly fossil fuel-free vehicle by 2025. It has been working alongside the Swedish manufacturer of electric motorcycles, Cake, on the long-term project—which has been given a demonstration using a glass cube filled with CO2 and “the cleanest dirt bike ever.”
While the businesses are already developing electric vehicles, they also wish to create a sustainable production process that produces no carbon emissions, with a focus on the off-road motorcycle Kalk OR.


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Seventeen workers dying between 2000 and 2015 isn’t enough to convince the methylene chloride industry that more is needed than just labels on a can to prevent the needless deaths of worker stripping bathtubs.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed ban of methylene chloride as a paint stripper is a “blatant and raw power grab” of authority that Congress gave the Consumer Product Safety Commission, according to an attorney representing the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, Inc.(HSIA) , according to a story in Bloomberg BNA. The Alliance includes companies that make products containing methylene chloride which has been blamed for numerous deaths of bathtub refinishers.
Confined Space reported last week about the death of 21 year old Kevin Hartley who died April 28 while using a stripper containing methylene chloride while stripping a bathtub. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to ban the chemical’s use as a paint stripper.
The industry is using the same old arguments that they use to object to every health and safety regulation issued by EPA or OSHA: the science isn’t good. (The solvents industry also denies that the chemical causes cancer,) “devastating” impacts to small businesses, astronomically higher costs (and lower benefits) than EPA estimated, and “” viable and effective regulatory alternatives, including enhanced labeling and consumer education and training requirements.”
A letter from W.M. Barr & Company, Inc. notes that small business manufacturers ” implored the agency not to move forward with a proposed rule that would require formulators to discontinue products that have been in use for generations in favor of alternative formulations that are less safe, or less effective and more expensive than the high-quality products we offer today.”
W. Caffey Norman, a partner in the Washington office of Squire Patton Boggs, which represents HSIA, argues that the EPA regulation would violate Section 9 of the Toxic Substances Control Act which “bars the EPA from regulating a chemical already sufficiently managed by another agency.”
Industry argues that not only does OSHA regulate Methylene Chloride, but “the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted June 2 to include stronger language on household products containing methylene chloride, so consumers would know the products can be deadly and shouldn’t be used in small, unventilated spaces.” OSHA’s regulation sets a low limit of exposure, mainly because the chemical is known to cause cancer.
HSIA and the chemical industry argue that the CPSC labels should replace the EPA’s regulation. But CPSC disagrees, according to BNA. A briefing package prepared by the commission staff stated that
“Any action taken by the CPSC would not replace the EPA’s rulemaking and instead, would be an interim measure until the EPA may issue a regulation,” the staff paper said.
TSCA gives the EPA the ability to address both occupational and consumer uses of methylene chloride, CPSC staff said. Thus, the EPA may address risks associated with the solvent and products containing it “in a more cohesive and coordinated manner,” it said.
The Environmental Defense Fund agrees that EPA needs to take strong and swift action:
Products containing these chemicals are available at hardware and other retail stores across the country, and unless EPA acts promptly to finalize a ban, there will surely be more avoidable deaths and other health impacts due to use of high-risk chemical paint strippers. In EDF’s recent comments to EPA, we strongly urged it to finalize these bans as soon as possible to protect public health. EPA should not wait for another reason to take action.
This regulation will be one of the first tests of the Trump administration. Will Trump’s EPA head Scott Pruitt sentence more young people to preventable death?


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Google is implementing a major change in Android, requiring that developers give users a way delete their accounts and data.
While certainly convenient, the plethora of mobile apps many people use can be a major security risk. The more apps a person uses, the more their personal data is scattered across various platforms and services, opening additional attack vectors if those services are compromised.
Google is working to limit the threat with a new data retention policy:
Google Play has launched a number of recent initiatives to help developers build consumer trust by showcasing their apps’ privacy and security practices in a way that is simple and easy to understand. Today, we’re building on this work with a new data deletion policy that aims to empower users with greater clarity and control over their in-app data.
For apps that enable app account creation, developers will soon need to provide an option to initiate account and data deletion from within the app and online. This web requirement, which you will link in your Data safety form, is especially important so that a user can request account and data deletion without having to reinstall an app.
Developers have until December 7 to begin answering questions in their app’s Data Safety section. Developers that need more time can apply for an extension, giving them until May 31, 2024 to comply.
Google’s decision is good news for users and will hopefully give them more control over their data.


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Tuesday, September 20, 2005
A Closer Look at Identity Theft
Detroit Free Press tech columnist Mike Wedland reports on the recent identity theft he experienced. The Federal Trade Commission says nearly 10 million victims annually are victimized with direct monetary losses of $550 million a year (not counting the cost of time and the mess of trying to straighten out ruined credit). Highly recommended for anyone with an identity
# posted by farlane @ 9:04 AM
LCI Web Development
© 2006 Leelanau Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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600-HP Audi RS6 Avant Super Wagon Teased Ahead of Frankfurt Motor Show
Even better, Audi hasn’t ruled out selling the family supercar in the U.S.
Audi announced via social media that it will debut a new Audi Sport model—believed to be the RS6 Avant performance wagon—at a private event prior to the 2019 Frankfurt International Motor Show in September.
Audi Deutschland posted a shadowy photo of an enshrouded station wagon beneath an Audi Sport banner to Facebook last Friday, promising it'd present the vehicle to a private crowd at a Berlin dealership during the first week of the month.
After brightness correction (as applied to the image above), it's clear that the teased vehicle's bodywork bears close resemblance to those of prototype Audi wagons—believed to be RS6 Avant test mules—filmed at the Nürburgring on multiple occasions. Based on this footage, we can already tell a few things about the RS6 Avant: it's big, brutish, has colossal wheels, and a small nuclear warhead for an engine.
Indeed, the engine propelling the RS6 Avant prototype seen in the above video is reported by Autocar to be a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 of similar specification to that seen in the Lamborghini Urus. The British publication claims that this engine will produce 605 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, which it'll propel forward through a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel-drive.
Combined with a weight reportedly reduced by 80 kilograms (176 pounds), the new RS6 Avant's zero to 60 time reportedly dips into the mid-threes, putting it perilously close to a 2019 Bentley Continental GT convertible. Its top speed, owing to aerodynamic enhancements, is reported to reach as high as 193 miles per hour.
An Audi spokesperson confirmed to The Drive in February that selling the RS6 Avant in the United States wasn't out of the question, and said that a decision regarding the model's availability in the Americas would come soon. When contacted for comment on Audi USA's plans for the model, the spokesperson had no update to offer.


text: Missourians who produce and sell organic products with annual sales of less than $5,000 may be eligible for federal financial and technical assistance even if their operations are not certified organic. But they must apply by May 20. J.R. Flores, state conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), says this is a good time for small-scale, certification-exempt organic producers, as well certified and transitional producers, to take advantage of a program that pays up to $80,000 over six years to help them plan and implement conservation practices for their organic farms or gardens. Flores says funding’s available through NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). To apply for, or get more information on EQIP and other NRCS programs, contact the NRCS office serving your county, go to http://offices.usda.gov.


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The rumors were right. Microsoft announced on June 25 it has bought enterprise social networking vendor Yammer for $1.2 billion in cash.
I doubt seriously whether Microsoft will be integrating any of Yammer's technology into Office 2013, as the client, server and services that are part of this wave are already quite far along in development. A public beta of Office 2013 is expected by many of us Microsoft watchers in July.
So what will Microsoft be doing with Yammer? Integration into existing Microsoft products isn't being mentioned by anyone from Microsoft today. From Microsoft's June 25 press release about the acquisition:
"Yammer will continue to develop its standalone service and maintain its commitment to simplicity, innovation and cross-platform experiences. Moving forward, Microsoft plans to accelerate Yammer’s adoption alongside complementary offerings from Microsoft SharePoint, Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics and Skype."
So many folks have asked me since the original rumor-go-round began why Microsoft would want Yammer. After all, Microsoft already has several partnership deals in place with Yammer and has its own enterprise social-networking technology built into SharePoint.
Here's the official statement from Microsoft as to why it's ponying up for the company:
"The acquisition of Yammer adds best-in-class enterprise social networking to Microsoft’s growing portfolio of complementary cloud services; world-class talent that knows how to deliver rapid innovation in the cloud; and a unique adoption model that appeals directly to end users."
(In my earlier speculation I wondered aloud whether Microsoft might be buying Yammer for similar reasons it bought Skype: It needed a cooler brand and wanted the cross-platform support. I still stand by those wonderings.)
As I blogged earlier this month, Microsoft was working on its own Yammer competitor, known as OfficeTalk. Last week, the Softies posted a downloadable case study which indicated that OfficeTalk is now nothing more than a Microsoft IT demo project.
When I asked Microsoft officials whether the company had decided against commercializing OfficeTalk after all, I received this response from a spokesperson: "Great ideas areas such as OfficeTalk, are always coming from The Garage. We have nothing new to share." (The Garage is a Microsoft internal incubator.)
Update: Here are a few additional tidbits from a call Microsoft and Yammer held for analysts and press about today's announcement:


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US plant-based beverage, Califia Farms, has announced the launch of new dairy-free creamers developed specifically for iced coffees.
Iced Café Mixers, which contain 3g of sugar per serving, feature a “creamy” blend of oat and almond milk. The creamers are available in two flavours: vanilla sweet crème and caramel crème.
Califia Farms’ chief marketing officer, Suzanne Ginestro, said: “Califia is excited to be the first to respond in a major way to this massive youth-led shift towards cold coffee. Gen Z and millennials drink iced coffee throughout the day and all year round, and we saw an opportunity to develop a groundbreaking product to better meet their needs. These Iced Café Mixers allow them to enjoy their iced coffee to the very last drop with absolutely no compromise on flavour, creaminess or whitening.”
She added: “Consumers want to recreate the café experience at home and are looking to retail products, like our Iced Café Mixers, to achieve that. This at-home coffee consumption behaviour coupled with the generational shift towards cold coffee has made these products an instant hit with retailers. They recognise this innovation as a major step forward for the coffee category.”
Califia’s Iced Café Mixers will be available in 24.5oz refrigerated bottles across Target and Kroger stores for an SRP of $4.89.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024


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Hounslow is near Heathrow. There we go, saved (most of) you a click.
In any case, the west London council has decided to give a much-needed shot-in-the-arm to local commerce by issuing every single home in the borough with a £20 shopping voucher. The only caveat: it needs to be spent in Hounslow. More than 330 businesses in the area have already signed up to take part. That’s a lot!
This is a good thing. The borough’s economy was hit hard by pandemic-related mass redundancies at Heathrow Airport last year. What had been one of London’s fastest-growing economies essentially ground to a halt. One local councillor, Shantanu Rajawat, claimed that Hounslow businesses applying for Council Tax support rocketed by 60 percent.
‘Heathrow is a massive impact on the borough,’ said Rajawat. ‘We’d got to a point where we were very concerned with the downturn in Heathrow and the increase in claims of council tax support and universal credit. We thought: How do we energise local businesses and increase footfall?’
The programme has already proved successful, with lots of local independent businesses enjoying a boost in sales. More than 3,500 vouchers have already been redeemed.
Oh, and if you’re one of those people who says ‘But loads of people are just going to take it down the bookies’: no. The vouchers are not valid in betting shops of any kind. You can, however, spend them on booze! As long as the pub is in Hounslow. £20? That’s at least two drinks at current London prices!
Soho residents are going to get more power to block developments in their area.
Hype dish: what goes into Decateur’s flavoursome shrimp boil.


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LONDON (03/23/2000) - Dutch software and services company Tridion BV launched its multilingual Web page management software to the U.K. market yesterday, the company announced.
The company's DialogServer software uses XML (extensible markup language) to help companies manage multilingual websites, enabling them to communicate with users in their native language, according to Furqan Shakir, the managing director of Tridion's Bracknell-based U.K. office.
The software provides a simple way for companies to ensure that international Web pages share the same content and shape, although the language may differ, he said. Likewise, because content and appearance are managed separately, the software can also keep the content the same but change the presentation, for example making the page available in the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) format.
Tridion has already established itself in its home market, signing companies such as KLM and the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and then spread into the Scandinavian market, where it got L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co. and truck manufacturer Scania on board as customers.
"When KLM began using our software, they went from 55 people to 25 people to manage the Web family," Patrick van Gent, Tridion's vice president of marketing said.
The company estimates that it takes eight to ten weeks to get a company to "base camp," depending on what legacy systems are in place, and how difficult it is to carry things over to XML. Pricing for the service depends on a number of factors, including training, support and number of seats required.
Tridion, located in Amsterdam, can be reached at +31-202-010-500, or on the Web at http://www.tridion.com.


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Google fined in India for search bias
The Competition Commission of India has slapped a fine of Rs 135.86 crore on Google, the world's largest web search engine, for abusing its dominant position by preventing its Indian partners who sign negotiation search intermediation agreements from using similar services provided by competing search engines.
- Published 9.02.18
New Delhi: The Competition Commission of India has slapped a fine of Rs 135.86 crore on Google, the world's largest web search engine, for abusing its dominant position by preventing its Indian partners who sign negotiation search intermediation agreements from using similar services provided by competing search engines.
The commission ordered Google not to impose restrictive clauses with immediate effect in these agreements.
The penalty was calculated at the rate of 5 per cent of the average total revenue that Google generated from the different business segments that make up its India operations in the financial years of 2013, 2014 and 2015.
The split 4-1 verdict directed Google, which had reported revenues of $77.78 billion worldwide in 2017, to pay the penalty of $21.2 million within 60 days.
In July last year, the European Union had slapped a record-breaking fine of $2.7 billion on Google for manipulating search results in a manner that gave it illegal advantage.
Thursday's verdict stems from two cases filed in 2012 by Consim Info Private Ltd (now known as Matrimony.com Ltd) and the NGO Consumer Unity and Trust Society which charged Google with contravening provisions of the Competition Act.
The appellants had said Google also provided a large number of vertical search services including video (YouTube), news (Google News) and maps (Google Maps).
They claimed that Google's own sites would appear on search result pages irrespective of whether they were the most popular or relevant sites.
The charge against Google was that its algorithm calculates an advertiser's quality score which forms the basis of where an advertisement appears.
But that is not all. The charge was that the quality score was the basis for "placing Google's vertical properties towards the top of the search results page."
The appelants - Consim Info Private Ltd (now known as Matrimony.com Ltd) and the non-profit, non-government organisation Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) - contended that Google's dominance in the algorithmic search market "leads to its status as an unavoidable partner in the search advertisement partner".
CUTS's charge against Google was that it was abusing its dominant position in the market for online search. It was accused of indulging in abusive practices leading to "search bias, search manipulation, denial of access to competing search engines, refusal to license content to competing search engines and creation of entry barriers".
The commission had directed an investigation into Google's practices in India which was later extended to Google Ireland since "it was playing an important role in the operations of Google in India". However, the charges against Google Ireland did not stick.
The director-general for investigation determined that Google operated in two distinct markets - online general web search services, and relevant market of online search advertising. It enjoyed a dominant position in both markets and was able to establish itself as a "critical platform for all stakeholders".
The investigation showed that Google integrates or blends its own specialised/vertical search services in its online general web search services in the form of "universal results and commercial units" using mechanisms that do not apply in an equivalent manner to non-Google websites or web content.
Moreover, it offered its own specialised search features (commercial units and universal results) at prominent ranks or positions in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). The top results receive higher user attention and are critical for online visibility.
While Google steered users to its own products and services, it was found that users might not receive the most relevant results. This was found to be anti-competitive behaviour.
The DG also recorded that Google was not required to pay any monetary consideration for its house ads which gave it an additional competitive edge.
It was determined that by leveraging its strengths, Google was causing direct harm to other websites which were moved down the SERP, which meant they received fewer clicks as a result of lessened traffic.
Google's search service is based on a two-sided business model: the search service is free to users. But this service is funded through the display of paid results - that is advertisements - for which Google receives compensation.
Google shows two types of commercial units in India: shopping units which display ads for product offers of merchants; and flight units which identify flight offers for a given destination.
The commission found only three areas where Google was in violation of the Competition Act - and that too only for the period between May 2009 and October 2010 because it has since started displaying results on a "free floating basis".
The three areas were: universal results prior to 2010 where rankings of websites or content were pre-determined to trigger at the first, fourth or tenth position on the SERP.
Second, display and placement of the commercial flight unit with links to Google's specialised search options deprived users of additional choices.
Third, the search intermediation agreements prevented publishers from using search services of competing search engines.
The commission directed Google to display a disclaimer in the commercial flight box unit that clearly indicated that the "search flights" link leads to Google's Flights page and that the results are not aggregated by any other third party service provider. This will ensure that users are not misled.
Parts of the commission's 190-page order were blanked out in the public version to prevent rivals from gleaning confidential information about Google's Indian operations.


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Cartoon Network has taken a fittingly adventurous approach to the merchandising and promotion of the hit series ‘Adventure Time.’
Viz Media Europe has appointed two new regional agencies to represent the Japanese brand "Yo-Kai Watch," which is readying for its European debut.
Fox Consumer Products EMEA is celebrating the growth of “The Simpsons” toy business with new and returning partners as the show enters its 27th season.
IMG has signed on as the worldwide licensing representative for the British sportswear brand Gola.
Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo is returning to LA later this month for its fifth anniversary with top pop culture brands, engaging panels and Halloween-themed events.
The U.K.’s No. 1 olive oil brand, Filippo Berio has appointed Beanstalk as its licensing agency for extensions into close-to-core food categories.
“Skylanders” is supercharging October with new Halloween-themed products for Portal Masters of all ages.
MGA Entertainment has appointed three new licensees for its newly re-launched Bratz fashion doll brand and one new partner for its new tween brand Project Mc².
The National Retail Federation expects U.S. sales in November and December to increase a solid 3.7 percent to $630.5 billion.
The emoji company, owner of the word "emoji," has appointed Global Merchandising Services as its licensing agent for the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland.
Rising Star Games will launch three new Hello Kitty titles for Nintendo platforms in November in the U.K.
The Royal Mail has issued a bespoke stamp sheet featuring FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment's "Danger Mouse."
Nelvana Enterprises has appointed new agents in Europe and the Middle East to lead the licensing and merchandising program for “Little Charmers.”
The Sharpe Company has appointed brand licensing agency Lisle International to license and build merchandise ranges for the artist Zoobs in the U.K.
Former Warner Bros., Sony Pictures and FremantleMedia executive Sander Schwartz will serve as president of the kids' social media network Grom Social.
Before hitting the big screen next summer, the "Angry Birds" character Red will migrate to New York City for the 89th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Studio 100 has concluded a co-production and distribution agreement with EuropaCorp Television for the new CGI animation "Arthur and the Minimoys."
Imperial Toy, manufacturer of licensed and non-licensed bubbles, seasonal products and novelty toys, has appointed Tim Nolan to president.
Mattel has unveiled its full 2016 content slate, with big-name hits returning and brand-new offerings making their debut.
The National Gallery Company has partnered with DeVancer for iBeanis tablet cushion bean bags featuring two of the museum's most well-known paintings.
LMCA has brokered a new partnership between Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Ningbo Mitsui for a range of electronic personal care products in China.
©2015 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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Home' The Channel Magazine : June 2011 Contents The newspaper business model,
largely unchanged for a century or
more is challenged and sometimes
conquered in fundamental ways.
Courage exists within all major newspaper
publishers to meet new competitors head-
on, new ideas and the transformation in how
society consumes information.
The audience for our journalism has
never been larger but increasingly fewer
people are flipping coins across the counter
to pay for it.
We feel this pain. And newsagents do, too.
Our faith in newspapers is unshaken.
They will continue to be valuable and viable
businesses... but they will be different in a
myriad of ways.
Investment in printing plants
More than $800 million has been spent
on new and rejuvenated printing presses
across Australia in the past three years
by the four major publishers — News Ltd,
Fairfax Media, APN News & Media and West
These companies continue to spend
more than $50 million a year* on product
promotion, tipping dollars into everything
from TV ads to large-scale community
events, such as the Sun-Herald’s City-to-
Surf fun run.
Enormous efforts and millions of dollars
have been invested into The Readership
Works, a body established to help provide
ad agencies with the best possible data
about readers and wider digital audiences.
Our business model, of course, relies on
an additional factor to generating sales:
that our readership demographic can
Investment in marketing
Millions of dollars of marketing funds are
continually spent in metropolitan markets
to promote local titles, as well has enhance
the quality of the product with newspaper-
The big Melbourne newspapers — the
Herald Sun and The Age — in April invested
more than $2 million combined to increase
sales, leveraging the start of the AFL football
season and the local comedy festival.
Newspaper boys and girls were
positioned across the city centre, as well
as Flinders and Spencer street stations,
to build brands and ignite the newspaper-
buying habit again.
As newsagents appreciate from
evaluating the habits of their own
customers, this marketing challenge
The necessity for newspapers to restructure
has long been obvious and whilst the
newspapers can still profit from publishing
online, newsagents are essentially left out of
this if the print product declines substantially.
Retail newsagents will lose traffic flow and
distribution agents could lose everything.
Newspaper publishers are talking up the
life of the printed paper whilst scrambling
to build better online offers. Fairfax Media
Chairman Roger Corbett told the Australian
Institute of Company Directors in May that,
although not all media companies would
survive the current challenges of a cyclical
downturn and new technology, Fairfax
would be one of the survivors.
He commented that, “Rupert [Murdoch]
has been a master of diversification; he
has made some terrible mistakes, but if
he didn’t make them then he wouldn’t be
where he was today.”
Corbett said his personal view was that,
despite the challenges of the internet, good
newspapers would survive. “I think most
people read quality newspapers in order to
get a point of view,” he said.
Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood agreed saying
that some newspapers may go but many will
survive as they had new advertising models
based upon real estate advertising, display
advertising, branded employment advertising
to compensate for the loss of classifieds.
He suggested that newspaper readers
would continue for some time as the
average age of readers of metro papers is
about 40-plus who enjoy the experience
in the morning of reading the newspaper.
The online smh.com.au reaches a younger
audience – more like 25-50-year-olds.
How must distribution restructure?
Once the basis off newspapers, home
distribution is facing its own challenges.
Distribution businesses have been
restructuring for over ten years as small
rounds have merged and specialist
distribution agents have bought-up
territories to create distribution territories
with some economies of scale.
Agents with specialised distribution
business are able to efficiently manage
the process for a profit but do they have all
their eggs in the one basket?
South Australia leads the way... but where?
Home delivery systems vary from state to
state but South Australia has long been the
Not all media companies would survive the
current challenges of a cyclical downturn
and new technology
‘Restructure Renew Revive’ is the theme of the ANF Newsagency
Industry Conference in August, and restructuring has become a
focus of an industry beset by structural change. The industry is
changing at a rapid rate and it is up to each newsagent and their
representative bodies to look for new ways to prosper.
16 National Newsagent June 2011
Links Archive May 2011 July 2011 Navigation Previous Page Next Page


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$6M Renovation Of Colorado Springs Hotel Complete
Soul Community Planet has launched its first SCP Hotel in Colorado Springs after a nine-month, $6M renovation.
Celebrity designer Kelli Ellis of HGTV and The Design Network took an old hotel down to its bones and used eco-friendly and recycled materials to transform the property at the base of Pikes Peak at 2850 South Circle Drive into a 98K SF, 176-room hotel.
“My goal was to create an edgy, cool vibe with this property that will resonate as a gathering place for guests, as well as the local community,” Ellis said. “The interiors are accented with industrial ceilings, hand-painted murals and subtle metallic elements. The use of reclaimed wood, living green walls, exposed brick, soft lighting and polished concrete create an earthy, eco-industrial feel throughout that we’re really proud of.”
The rooms have been renovated using reclaimed and beetle kill wood, as well as other sustainable elements. The 2K SF lobby includes coworking spaces, a 500 SF meeting room and free WiFi for guests.
The hotel will have SCP Fit, a 12K SF health and wellness center that will open later this summer. The full-service fitness club — free to guests and open to memberships for the community — will have 5K SF dedicated to free weights, cardio, indoor rock climbing, yoga, spin and CrossFit studios. There also will be indoor and outdoor pools and locker rooms.
The hotel, which is part of the Colorado Proud initiative, will have a 1K SF SCP Market where guests can find locally sourced food, craft beer and gourmet coffee.
Soul Community Planet co-founder and CEO Ken Cruse said the SCP Hotels brand represents the core values of holistic hospitality: personal wellness (Soul), social connections (Community) and sustainable practices (Planet).
“Our goal is to provide simple, pure, handcrafted experiences for people who want to make positive choices for themselves and for the planet,” Cruse said.


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Martin Sorrell, chief executive of giant ad holding, the WPP Group, will deliver a keynote speech at this year's Mip TV trade fair, tackling the theme "What screens will they watch -- and what will…
SnagFilms, the ad-supported website for docu streaming and sharing launched in July by ex-AOL exec Ted Leonsis, has pacted with Cinetic to offer more than 100 docs from the sales company's vault.
Warner Bros. is turning to Tom and Jerry to create its own "Alvin and the Chipmunks"-like family franchise.
Abigail Breslin has booked three bigscreen roles, including a pair of animated pics.
Even in a tough economy, consumers want their iPods and iTunes music.
Of all Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's films, "A Matter of Life and Death" is the most rhapsodic, so three cheers and then some to see it bow on DVD in such a spectacular transfer. Yet it…
Citing the rapid digitalization of the U.S. biz where 3-D digtal pics are becoming the norm, exhibs Toho and Kadokawa Group Holdings are partnering to convert their screens in Japan to digital…
Universal Pictures has appointed David Moscato managing director of its Italian homevid unit, Universal Pictures Italy, in a move further underscoring Italy's importance for the Hollywood studio.
"Paul Blart: Mall Cop" lead Kevin James has created a Web series with Rock Reuben. Gary Valentine is set to star.
Sony, the studio behind the Blu-ray format, has begun manufacturing the high-definition discs in China.
The 2008 campaign was the first presidential contest driven by YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr, so it was no surprise that online media giants threw everything they had at the inauguration.


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As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry. This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news.
The Guardian, a major newspaper, is now showcasing self-published authors. The publication has announced the first winner of its new monthly self-published book contest: Dinosaurs and Prime Numbers. It is important for authors to study other successful self-published books to help improve their own success.
Self-published books’ share of the UK market grew by 79% in 2013, with 18m self-published books bought by UK readers last year, according to new statistics. This article details the findings in the study that shows self-publishing is still booming. This is a must read for self-publishing authors.
This Publisher’s Weekly article features three successful self-published authors and shares their secrets to success. This is a must read for all self-published authors.
If you have other big news to share, please comment below.
|ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.|


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Photograph by Lux Interacting With Each Other on Unsplash
Virtual Reality Gaming in Asia
This is permitted through various devices and add-ons, like VR headphones, sensor-equipped gloves, motion detectors/controllers, and more. This technology enables gamers not just to adjust the digital planet but to visualize the online game action immediately through the vision with the characters.
The COVID-19 pandemic keeps pushed lots of people to expend a majority of their opportunity inside the constraints of the properties, and that possess triggered an increase in opportunity (and cash) allocated to video gaming, VR video games provided. The VR gaming marketplace is likely to build at a CAGR of 32.75% across further five years. The globally consumer base of enhanced truth and VR video games is anticipated to attain 216 million people by 2025. A sizable percentage of this progress will likely result from Asia.
GMO study done a survey on gaming in six different nations across Asia: Asia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. This post highlights essential buyers trends during these different region, and offers cross-country evaluations to provide you with detail by detail ideas into customer behaviour in your community.
Whenever requested as long as they had experience with VR video games, 46.4percent of participants in Thailand said indeed, the greatest speed one of the countries interviewed. After that ended up being Vietnam, in which 44.5percent of participants stated that they had knowledge about VR video games, after that Asia at 39.0percent, together with Philippines at 33.7%. VR video games seem to be reduced common in Taiwan and Malaysia, in which just 27percent and 25% posses experience with such video games, respectively.
Although VR video games appear to be best in Thailand, of those interviewed Vietnam will be the nation using greatest development in use rates. From 2019 to 2021 how many those that have experienced VR games in Vietnam has exploded from 42.2per cent to 44.5%.
The GMO review furthermore looked into prominent VR tools among gamers for the different region. The PlayStation VR is apparently generally common across Asia, being released very top in most the countries interviewed. The utmost effective three top VR tools in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are the same. From inside the Philippines, PlayStation VR is among the most prominent, with 49.7per cent of VR players using this product, accompanied by Samsung accessories VR (31.2per cent) and Bing Daydream (14.4per cent). For VR gamers in Thailand, the most known three preferred VR gadgets is PlayStation VR (43per cent), Samsung Gear VR (26.8%), and Google Daydream (20.6per cent). In Vietnam, the most famous VR systems is PlayStation VR (46.6percent), followed by Samsung accessories VR (39.7%) and Bing Daydream (21.1%).
The top three VR devices in China become PlayStation VR (32.4per cent), Windowpanes Mixed truth (24.2percent), and Samsung equipment VR (20.4percent). In Malaysia, around half (50.2per cent) of VR gamers need PlayStation VR for playing VR games. Samsung Products VR may be the 2nd top at 20.2%. Oculus crack and screens Mixed Reality include tied for third at 9.1per cent. The top three products in Taiwan include PlayStation VR (37.5percent), HTC Vive (18.8%), and Samsung Gear VR (17.7per cent).
Participants from inside the VR games markets become gunning for conventional adoption, plus it appears that cellular free transgender dating sites VR video games are definitely the frontrunners.
This can be due to the fact that mobile VR games are among the most economical getting a flavor of VR knowledge. Moreover, during the Asian part, in which mobile is king and 5G use is continuing to grow at a rapid speed, the mobile VR gaming market will push gains when it comes to total VR games market. Even though the pandemic have accelerated the adoption of VR video games, difficulties continue to be with this business. Barriers to adoption, such as for example affordability, poor internet access, as well as the availability of content material, remain, especially in emerging countries.


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The SWSCC Suppliers’ Day, to be held on Sept. 14, 2022, will showcase ingredients and the latest innovations in cosmetics. The event is being held in Irving, Texas and will run from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. During the exhibition, Ultra Chemical will highlight double encapsulated delivery systems with targeted delivery of actives, a prebiotic line for a healthy microbiota and a water-soluble vitamin C that does not discolor formulations.
Related: Society of Cosmetic Chemists Accepting Nominations for Recognition Awards
Ultra will also showcase formulations that highlight the raw materials they offer from suppliers such as Jojoba Desert, Gobiotics and Bicosome.
Laura Anderson, North America sales manager, said: "There is new clinical data for the prebiotic preBiulin AGA around helping the microbiota recover quickly from UV exposure." Anderson added, “We also have clinically supported Bicoalgae technologies that are rich in astaxanthin and omega-3s, helping to decrease inflammatory cytokines, reduce oxidative stress and address issues associated with chronically inflamed skin.”
More specifically, in the described clinical studies, PreBiluin AGA (INCI: Inulin) was shown to impact the microbiota of acne-prone skin, while both PreBiulin AGA and FOS supported skin microbiota recovery after UV exposure.
Also, Bicoalgae Omega-3 (INCI: Aqua (and) Phosphatidylcholine (and) Glycerin (and) Isochrysis Galbana Extract (and) Nannochloropsis Gaditana Extract) was shown to decrease the ancillary effects of atopic dermatitis through the targeted delivery of two microalgae extracts rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Lastly, Bicotene Natural helped to protect against photoaging via the targeted delivery of beta carotene to specific skin layers.


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Tesla quietly raised prices of four of its electric vehicles this weekend, a few days after the automaker announced a record $1.6 billion profit in its third quarter. First reported by Electrek, the base Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles are each priced $2,000 higher, at $43,990 and $56,990 respectively. In addition, the base Model S and Model X vehicles will each cost $5,000 more, at $94,990 and $104,990
Tesla had a banner third quarter despite the global semiconductor shortage that has plagued other carmakers. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in June that Tesla’s incremental price hikes on the Model 3 and Model Y during the first half of 2021 were due in large part to supply chain shortages. But the company was able to rewrite its vehicle software so it could support alternate chips.
Other automotive companies, including Volkswagen, Ford, and Toyota have not been as fortunate, taking measures like increasing vehicle prices and temporarily shuttering factories to try to weather the chip shortage.
Tesla hasn’t offered an explanation for the latest price hikes, but company CFO Zach Kirkhorn said during its third quarter earnings call with investors that the increased demand for electric vehicles “caught us a little bit off guard.”
“Sometimes, to the public, our pricing changes may not seem to make logical sense,” Kirkhorn said. “But, you know, there is a strategy that we work behind the scenes as we’re balancing supply and demand, as we’re also trying to balance various shortages on parts, as we’re trying to manage wait times. All of that goes into the optimization here.”
Update October 24th 2:04PM ET: Added more detailed quote from Tesla CFO.


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Global Hotel & Lodging Industry
The global hotel industry (as part of the broad tourism leisure) is expected to reach almost $480 billion in 2015, according to research from Global Industry Analysts. Industry players are responding to a rise in demand, with plans for many new hotel developments in place.
Demand for hotel rooms is recovering in tandem with recovery in the wider economy following a dip during the recession. US luxury hotels are recording stronger recovery than other market segments. However, despite a fast rate of recovery, luxury hotels have been suffering from comparatively low revenue-per-room and occupancy percentage.
Due to saturation in established markets, industry players have been turning their focus to international markets, with regions boasting fast economic growth providing particularly lucrative prospects. One notable trend in the hospitality industry involves the demand for healthy hotel services, including customized menus in addition to wellness and healing programs.
Establishments in the hotel industry offer short-term lodging. The different types of establishments include hotels, resorts, motor hotels and motels. Apart from lodging, these outfits may also provide other services such as food and beverages, parking, laundry services, recreational services such as gyms and swimming pools, and business-oriented facilities like conference room and convention services.
China, Russia and India represent the fastest growing regions in the hotel industry, according to research from Timetric. Market growth is driven by rising demand, increasing average room rates, higher occupancy levels, overall tourism industry growth and leisure travel that is becoming increasingly affordable. In a Timetric survey of leading hotel industry executives, more than 40% responded their companies were forecast to increase procurement expenditure over the next year, while 20% expected to decrease procurement expenditure. Close to 40% of buyer respondents believed offering higher quality customer service would be the best way to encourage business. Just over 55% of respondents forecast increased marketing expenditure over the next year, with less than 10% expecting to decrease marketing expenditure. About 40% of hotel industry suppliers believed the ability to generate leads or organize customer meetings were the main element influencing choice of marketing agencies.
The boutique hotels industry saw tourism spending fall in 2008 and 2009, reports IBIS World. This is expected to turn around over the coming years, with increased demand fuelling higher revenue and boosting profit margins. Consumers can reserve their hotel rooms more easily thanks to technological development such as travel websites, online booking and mobile applications.
Regional Market Share
The UK hotel industry expanded by almost 5% in 2011, according to research from KeyNote. The industry had witnessed two years of decline previous to this growth due to the economic downturn and its negative impact on the global tourism industry. Market growth is fuelled by demand in London, where occupancy rates and revenue per available room are superior to that of regional hotels.


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A new machine in the Kenyan town of Eldoret is bringing pasteurized milk to the people in an unprecedented way.
The Anytime Milk Machine -- yes, that's ATM for short -- allows customers to purchase milk straight form the mechanized nozzle. It's cheaper since consumers don't have to pay for the packaging, though they can purchase disposable plastic containers if they don't have their own.
The system is also cost effective because it bypasses the middle men -- major diary firms -- and pumps milk directly from farms to coolers for pasteurization, from which point it goes straight to the vending machine, which can hold 3,000 liters of dairy daily.
Eldoret businessman Charles Boit is behind the project. He told Kenya's Standard Digital that he hopes the ATM will discourage people from buying raw milk on the street, which is not always safe for consumption.
“We are trying to avoid situations where hawkers are delivering milk to customers under poor conditions that pose serious health risks," Boit said. "The system allows a closed process where milk is pasteurized and transferred to the ATM machine without coming into direct contact with humans."
The timing couldn't be better. Kenya just introduced a 16 percent value-added tax on milk, starting on Sept. 2, which increased prices by about $0.08 per half liter. That came on top of already high prices as a result of drought and high demand.
The tax has elicited outrage, especially among lower-income Kenyans for whom groceries were already difficult to afford. "Taxing the value addition to milk as if it was any other commodity damages the health of the nation especially the most vulnerable, children and the poor," said one recent editorial in The Star, a Kenyan newspaper. "But perhaps the intention is to encourage parents to give their children soda."
At the new ATM machine in Eldoret, pasteurized milk costs about $0.68 per liter, compared to about $1.08 for the same quantity, packaged, in a market. That's quite a difference, especially in a country where more than one-third of the population lives in poverty.
Early feedback to the unique project seems positive, which bodes well for Boit's ambitions to test the waters for his odd ATM machines in other locations across the city, and perhaps the country.


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Cape Town, 7 October 2022: As the South African wine industry bids farewell to visitors from 60 different countries, we reflect on what was undoubtedly one of the best ever versions of CapeWine alongside title sponsor, DHL Express.
Over the three days from 5-7 October, just shy of 2,000 guests registered their attendance for the premier trade showcase for the industry with a record-breaking 417 exhibiting producers showcasing their wines under one roof whilst illustrating the 360 degrees of sustainability efforts, each focusing on the pillars of planet, people and prosperity.
A combination of both local and international trade and media guests attended a host of seminars, tastings and producer events where they could experience a wide range of South Africa’s top wines and learn more about the regions and varietals that make this country’s wine so unique.
Creating a sustainable future for the wine industry, its people, the land we farm and focusing on future generations was one part of the theme. The other highlights the 363 year long history of the South African wine industry.
Each element of CapeWine was meticulously crafted to ensure that the most sustainable practices were followed with recyclable stands, minimal waste, carbon offsetting and sustainable packaging and the producers were inspired to tell their individual stories of their sustainability journeys.
Clear and growing results of transformation
In her address to show visitors at the Opening Seminar on the first morning of CapeWine, keynote speaker Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, noted: “The wine industry is one of the exciting industries of our agricultural sector, with clear and growing results of transformation, both on gender and race.”
Glasses were rotated roughly four times, which means roughly 32,000 units were used and approximately 26,400 bottles of wine, to the value of R6 million, were shipped into the show for tasting over the three days. According to partners Waste(Planet), roughly 7 tons of wine bottles were poured and sent to be recycled, 2 tons of water bottles, 6,5 tons of general waste, over 4,500 meals were served and almost 4,000 cups of coffee kept exhibitors going. An additional 160 support staff assisted within the hall, which included trainee chefs from School of Skills, in Rocklands, waiters, glass washers, baristas and runners.
WoSA CEO, Siobhan Thompson, comments, “As CapeWine2022 draws to a close after a four year hiatus, I can conclude that this was a wonderful celebration of our quality wines with a special focus on the sustainability of our winelands, people and businesses. The result of this mammoth project exceeded our expectation with visitors attending from all corners of the world. The energy and excitement in the hall over the 3 days was testimony to the hard work done by all of the producers to create wines that represent the vibrancy of our nation.”
As the doors closed on a truly successful event and the industry reflects on what was a busy, yet exhilarating week for all, we are excited to reap the rewards in the international trade as they return with a renewed excitement about South African wine and the media continue to sing the praises of an industry which has positioned itself as a major player in international markets and we are already looking forward to the next edition of CapeWine, which is set to take place in 2025.


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ePHOTOzine brings you a daily round up of all the latest photography news including camera news, exhibitions, events, special offers, industry news, digital photography news, announcements and launches.
TIPA editors judge on quality, performance and value criteria that are very important to the end user.
- 20 Apr 2006
The latest version adds support for recently released cameras plus 'Pattern Noise Suppression' to remove unwanted artifacts from images taken with ultra wide lenses.
- 13 Dec 2005
EISA (European Imaging and Sound Association), Europe's biggest multimedia press organisation, has singled out the most accomplished electronics equipment for 2006-2007, as voted by the Editors-in-Chief of leading specialist magazines from all the major European countries.
- 16 Aug 2006
ACD Systems have announced the release of ACDSee Pro 2 all in one photo management tool for Windows.
- 18 Sep 2007
Update includes support for latest cameras plus improved colour processing of Canon CR2 files and a new fill in light feature.
- 3 Jan 2006
Hama have announced the availability of a new protective glass screen for LCD panels.
- 9 Apr 2008
Last night the Open 2007 Overall Winner was announced at the AOP Gallery, London with five Judges Choice Awards and the winner of the Public Vote Award.
- 28 Aug 2007
We pick some of our favourites from this year's show
- 3 Mar 2006
New versions include added RAW support and feature improvements
- 4 May 2006
A close fit suit of armor for Canon and Nikon digital SLRs offering protection is being launched by Kata UK
- 20 Nov 2006
New DxO Optics Pro adds support for Pentax K-7, Sony A500 & A550, Panasonic LX3 & GH1.
- 27 Jan 2010


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Consumers want marketers to invest more in email, Facebook and the Web,
according to a new study by global interactive provider ExactTarget (NYSE:ET).
Featured in ExactTarget's Marketers
from Mars study released today, the study found 33 percent of
consumers want marketers to invest more in email, 24 percent want
marketers to invest in the brand's website and 22 percent of consumers
want marketers to invest in creating a better Facebook experience.
"Consumers are moving from single channel interactions into
multi-channel relationships," said Jeff Rohrs, ExactTarget's vice
president of marketing. "Our Marketers from Mars research provides
exclusive insight into consumer expectations, offering marketers
exclusive new insight on how to avoid the pitfalls of personal biases or
becoming a 'focus group of one' when creating marketing strategy."
Key findings of the research include:
The launch of ExactTarget's Marketers from Mars follows
the release of a new commissioned study conducted by Forrester
Consulting on behalf of ExactTarget that found 35 percent of marketers
ranked managing marketing campaigns across multiple marketing point
solutions as one of their greatest challenges - despite 78 percent who
said they believe cross-channel marketing is important or very important
to their business. To download a complimentary copy of the research,
ExactTarget is a leading global provider of cross-channel interactive
marketing software-as-a-service solutions that empower organizations of
all sizes to communicate with their customers through email, mobile,
social media, Web and marketing automation. ExactTarget's suite of
integrated applications enable marketers to plan, automate, deliver and
optimize data-driven digital marketing and real-time communications to
drive customer engagement, increase sales and improve return on
marketing investment. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana with
offices in North America, Europe, South America and Australia,
ExactTarget trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker
symbol "ET." For more information, visit www.ExactTarget.com.
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Netflix admitted Thursday to throttling video streams worldwide for its mobile users, but said it hasn't been an issue for customers.
The video streaming company plans to roll out to its members sometime in May a 'data saver' feature, allowing them greater control over their data usage when streaming on mobile networks.
Users will then be able to “either stream more video under a smaller data plan, or increase their video quality if they have a higher data plan,” wrote Anne Marie Squeo, a spokeswoman for the company, in a blog post.
The company said it has capped worldwide the default bitrate for viewing over mobile networks to 600 Kbps (kilobits per second), to protect its members from overage charges when they exceed mobile data caps. “We believe restrictive data caps are bad for consumers and the Internet in general, creating a dilemma for those who increasingly rely on their mobile devices for entertainment, work and more,” Squeo wrote.
Netflix said its research and testing indicates that “many members worry about exceeding their mobile data cap, and don’t need the same resolution on their mobile phone as on a large screen TV to enjoy shows and movies.” It is nevertheless providing the new feature for those users who value higher resolution and quality and are less concerned about data caps or have plans that don't bill prohibitive overage charges.
AT&T and Verizon Communications were last week handling accusations from T-Mobile CEO John Legere that the "duopoly" was throttling Netflix streams to 360p resolution.
Netflix told The Wall Street Journal that it doesn’t limit video quality at T-Mobile and Sprint, as historically those two companies have had more consumer-friendly policies, usually slowing network connections, rather than charging overage fees when users cross data caps.
Netflix has been a strong supporter of the principle of net neutrality which opposes mobile and broadband service providers from throttling or speeding data from certain websites. But it recently signed on to T-Mobile’s free Binge On service that exempts some video streaming, including Netflix at 480p resolution and YouTube, from the operator’s monthly data caps on customers.
The practice of not charging for data to access certain services, also known as zero-rating, has been criticized as being contrary to net neutrality principles. Facebook's Free Basics Internet service to the poor in India was, for example, banned on similar grounds.