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WASHINGTON: Despite the prevalence of childhood injuries from furniture tipovers in the home, the reality of the danger hasn’t clicked for many Americans. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is trying to change that with the Anchor It! campaign.
Before launching the latest round of the effort, the group researched what would best resonate with consumers about risk factors in the home.
Group spokesperson Kim Dulic said it found that three factors contribute to a lack of awareness: not realizing the problem, thinking it can’t happen in the home, or dismissing it as too complicated or expensive.
The Anchor It! initiative wants to emphasize that safeguarding a home against furniture tipovers is neither pricy or time-consuming, nor does it mean homeowners are neglectful.
"We knew we had to educate consumers on what the hazard is and make them aware of how often this happens," said Dulic. "It was important our campaign found that balance between ‘this is a real hazard’ without turning them off."
About 38,000 Americans go to emergency rooms each year with injuries related to furniture or TV sets tipping over, and two-thirds of those injuries involve children younger than five, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Between 2000 and 2013, 84% of the 430 deaths involved children younger than 10, according to the group.
The Commission also found visuals would be a necessity, because the audience might not be able to otherwise put in perspective how children perceive certain pieces of furniture.
"Where we see drawers that open, a child can view it as a staircase," said Dulic.
After learning about the effect of visuals on the campaign, the Commission decided not to air a radio PSA as part of the campaign. Instead, it will use TV spots, hard copies of materials, and online advocacy to drive home the point.
Finn Partners is supporting the Commission with the effort. Last fall, Widmeyer, a Finn Partners company, won a $400,000 award to support the Anchor It! campaign for the year, which Dulic said soft-launched around the time of Super Bowl Sunday with a PSA that has since garnered more than 1.8 million views. Its latest PSA went live in June.
This story was updated on July 14 with additional information about Finn Partners' work on the account.


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23 Jul 2014
New Delhi: Global software giant Microsoft has launched the most affordable Lumia smartphone - the Lumia 530 which is based on Windows 8.1.
17 Jul 2014
New York: In the first major realignment of workforce since India-born Satya Nadella took over as CEO, Microsoft has announced slashing of up to 18,000 jobs worldwide by next year as the software giant attempts to sharpen focus on cloud and mobile offerings.
15 Jul 2014
New Delhi: Microsoft Corporation is planning its biggest round of job cuts in five years as the software maker looks to integrate Nokia Oyj's handset unit, a media outlet reported, citing people with knowledge of the company's plans.
12 Jul 2014
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Government on Friday blamed previous UPA regime for the troubles faced by Nokia's Chennai plant which was kept out of Microsoft acquisition pact in the wake of Rs 21,000 crore tax dues raised by the I-T Department.
25 Jun 2014
New Delhi: Nokia has unveiled the successor to the not so popular Nokia X, named as Nokia X2 Dual SIM. The smartphone will be available at Rs 8,100 without taxes and subsidies.
25 Jun 2014
New Delhi: In their first engagement with the new government, Finnish mobile handset maker Nokia officials on Wednesday met Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a bid to resolve the over Rs 21,000-crore tax dispute.
23 Jun 2014
New Delhi: Nokia has introduced a new app ‘Z launcher’ that is a limited pre-beta release. The app is compatible with smartphones running Android 4.1 or higher.
10 Jun 2014
New Delhi: Known for providing sturdy build quality and funky designs of phones, Nokia’s Lumia 630 is the first Windows Phone 8.1 based smartphone that is currently available in the market.
20 May 2014
New Delhi: Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia on Tuesday said it will redeem senior notes worth 800 million euros (over Rs 6,423 crore) as part of its plan to reduce the interest outgo.
27 May 2014
Kochi: To cash in on the rising demand for Smartphones, Microsoft Devices launched Nokia XL, the company's flagship large screen offering of affordable smartphones, in Kerala on Tuesday.

domain: news


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APP Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fresenius Kabi Pharmaceuticals Holding, Inc., announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market Piperacillin and Tazobactam for Injection, the number one prescribed intravenous antibiotic in the U.S. APP will launch the product immediately.
Piperacillin and Tazobactam for Injection is therapeutically equivalent to the reference-listed drug Zosyn®, which is marketed by Pfizer Injectables. According to IMS data, 2010 sales of the branded product in the United States were approximately $750 million. Piperacillin and Tazobactam is a broad spectrum injectable antibiotic with a range of activity against gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic organisms.
"APP's approval of the number one prescribed injectable anti-infective enables us to continue our commitment of bringing affordable medications to hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities throughout the U.S.," said John Ducker, President and Chief Executive Officer of APP Pharmaceuticals. "This approval further expands one of the most comprehensive and cost-effective portfolios of anti-infective injectable products in the industry."
Source: APP Pharmaceuticals, Inc


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ATRenew Inc. (NYSE: FLY) is China’s largest used consumer electronics transaction and service platform. As of 09/30/2022, RERE has 1,804 stores (599 1P stores, 1,189 3P markets and 16 Paipai Selection) in 256 cities.
My previous article “ATRenew Expanding In non-electronics categories in 2Q22 provides new imaginative space,” released after RERE’s 2Q12 and 2Q22 earnings discussed its growth potential by expanding into new categories. RERE’s share price fell from $3 .06 to $1.65 over the last three months. RERE is now trading at 0.2x total enterprise value/NTM revenue and 0.7x P/B. I see great values for a sector leader with high double-digit year-over-year revenue growth and decreasing operating losses.
Q3-22 Financial results
Revenue: RMB 2.54 billion, +29.2% YoY; Operating loss: -110 million RMB, against -150.5 million PY; Non-GAAP operating income: RMB 11 million vs. PY -28.5 million; Total GMV: RMB 9.5 billion, +14.5% YoY.
RERE revenue growth accelerated from 15% in Q2-22 to 29% in Q3-22. On a QoQ basis, revenues increased by 18%.
Another thing to mention is that RERE’s operating margin improved by 333 bps YoY and 350 bps QoQ. Operating expenses as a % of revenue were down 595 bps YoY and 262 bps QoQ. The improvement demonstrates RERE’s efforts to achieve operational efficiencies and economies of scale. I am positive on RERE’s ability to bridge the yield gap over the next few quarters.
RERE operates the largest used consumer electronics transaction and service platform and continues to drive business scale and efficiency through automation
RERE manages B2 C2B2C closed supply chain and our automation technologies. One thing that sets RERE apart from other competitors is its investment and commitment to drive business scale and efficiency through automation. In order to create more value (or transfer more value) to consumers, RERE should try its best to expand its top line while reducing its operating costs. RERE did this through automation and I think it was the right investment. The following figure shows the most recent start-up of an automated operations center in southern China, which has demonstrated improvements in transmission performance, quality inspection capabilities, and storage capacity compared to an existing operations center such as the Changzhou Operations Center.
The success of automation and management efficiencies will ultimately be reflected in RERE’s operating margins.
The used consumer electronics market will grow to RMB 885 billion in 2025 (over 30% CAGR ’21-’25) and is expected to accelerate further as technology advances
According to iyiou.com, the used consumer electronics market will grow from RMB 406 billion in 2021 to RMB 885 billion in 2025 (over 30% CAGR ’21-’25). Growth is driven by strong supply.
According to GlobalData, China’s consumer electronics segment will reach $28 billion in 2021, and China is among the world’s top consumers of consumer electronics. I expect the growth of consumer electronics to accelerate in the future as consumers will need more new devices with the development of 5G, social media, AI, IoT and ultimately the Metaverse.
Also, the second-hand market penetration of general consumer electronics is currently low (3.7% in 2020 according to China Investment Corporation, CIC) and has plenty of room for growth. The following figure shows that on average, consumers in China upgrade their smartphones every 16 to 18 months. However, consumer electronics have commercial value over much longer periods. For example, an iPhone has a trade-in value of up to seven years, and an Android phone has a trade-in value of up to three to four years.
The growing Gen Z population and rising spending will continue to drive future RERE growth
I think RERE’s business model will continue to gain strength from the demand side, especially from Gen Z. According to iyiou.com, consumers aged 14-40 have ~61.8% pre-owned penetration. The following figure shows the breakdown of monthly income and % consumption by category. 3C electronics shows significant penetration for consumers with different monthly incomes.
I expect the younger generations of Gen Z to also be active adopters in the future, which will lead to incremental growth on the demand side.
In addition, as RERE launched new categories such as luxury goods and gold, consumers with higher income (eg RMB 20,000 above) are likely to further increase their spending in second-hand categories.
RERE is an attractive stock given that 1) RERE is a leader in a huge and growing used electronics market with significant drivers on both the supply and demand sides, and 2) RERE is making the right investment to expand your business profit and improve your bottom line through automation.


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The best measure of success in pitching should be fewer pitches – a concept that might be counter-intuitive for heads of new business.This is why the IPA is developing a joint industry model charter from which clients and agencies can cherry pick to suit their needs. By making our client agency relationships work better, we can […]
The latest big branding crisis has erupted in the US and this time the culprit is a surprising one. Yoga brand Lululemon might seem an unlikely target for criticisms of body fascism but that’s exactly what happened last week when co-founder Chip Wilson appeared on Bloomberg TV’s Street Smart programme with wife and fellow co-founder Shannon.
As part of an exclusive profile, Yahoo’s vice president of international marketing, Robert Bridge, tells Marketing Week about his biggest marketing challenge and the effect that CEO Marissa Mayer has on his role.


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Geode Capital Management LLC Has $19.06 Million Position in Westlake Chemical Corporation (WLK)
Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE:WLK) by 6.4% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 288,643 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after buying an additional 17,439 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC owned 0.22% of Westlake Chemical Corporation worth $19,064,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of WLK. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC raised its position in Westlake Chemical Corporation by 215.3% in the first quarter. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC now owns 1,368,155 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $90,367,000 after buying an additional 934,281 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Westlake Chemical Corporation during the fourth quarter worth $35,887,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Westlake Chemical Corporation by 8.4% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,201,948 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $277,538,000 after buying an additional 326,298 shares in the last quarter. Teachers Advisors LLC raised its position in Westlake Chemical Corporation by 61.4% in the first quarter. Teachers Advisors LLC now owns 826,768 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $54,608,000 after buying an additional 314,578 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Strs Ohio purchased a new position in Westlake Chemical Corporation during the first quarter worth $16,314,000. 30.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Shares of Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE:WLK) opened at 70.24 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $63.09 and a 200 day moving average of $62.75. The firm has a market cap of $9.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.09 and a beta of 1.67. Westlake Chemical Corporation has a 52-week low of $42.56 and a 52-week high of $70.59.
Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE:WLK) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.80 by $0.46. Westlake Chemical Corporation had a net margin of 6.85% and a return on equity of 14.09%. The business had revenue of $1.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.62 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.94 earnings per share. Westlake Chemical Corporation’s revenue was up 99.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Westlake Chemical Corporation will post $4.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.
A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on WLK shares. Bank of America Corporation reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $68.00 price objective on shares of Westlake Chemical Corporation in a research report on Monday, May 8th. Citigroup Inc. cut their price objective on shares of Westlake Chemical Corporation from $66.00 to $64.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 14th. Cowen and Company upped their price target on shares of Westlake Chemical Corporation from $66.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 23rd. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Westlake Chemical Corporation from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $70.00 price target for the company in a research report on Friday, May 5th. Finally, J P Morgan Chase & Co upped their price target on shares of Westlake Chemical Corporation from $70.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 31st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $63.50.
In related news, VP George J. Mangieri sold 6,578 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.21, for a total transaction of $409,217.38. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 6,577 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $409,155.17. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 71.70% of the company’s stock.
About Westlake Chemical Corporation
Westlake Chemical Corporation is a global manufacturer and marketer of basic chemicals, vinyls, polymers and building products. The Company’s products include a range of chemicals, which are fundamental to various consumer and industrial markets, including flexible and rigid packaging, automotive products, coatings, water treatment, refrigerants, residential and commercial construction, as well as other durable and non-durable goods.
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WLK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE:WLK).
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The BlackBerry Priv, the first Android-powered smartphone by BlackBerry,Ã‚Â slides into the Android space (pun intended) by bringing a hardware keyboard,Ã‚Â security and privacy features to Android.
Priv brings aÃ‚Â more serious approach to privacy control and security on Android.
The device has security baked in during the manufacturing process; cryptographic keys are put in during production, and it has a secure boot sequence as well as a hardened Linux kernel.
In an interview with itwire, Matthew Ball, Managing Director of Blackberry for Australia and New Zealand, clarified the fact that BlackBerry believe they have delivered the most secure Android device to date.
Ã¢â‚¬Å“BlackBerry would not deliver an Android powered device unless it was sure it could deliver the most secure Android device,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Ball.”
Every Priv smartphone comes pre-loaded with DTEK by BlackBerry, designed to help you manage and protect your privacy with ease. DTEK automatically monitors apps and processes in real time to provide an overall security rating for your device, with an interface that is easy to use and simple to understand.
While the Priv launched with Android 5.1.1, Android 6 (Marshmallow) is currently being tested with carriers.
Ã¢â‚¬Å“We are testing Android Marshmallow now and will roll it out shortly after our TelcoÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s have verified it,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Travis Bell, Director of Carrier Management and Sales for Oceania.
Bell spoke about thousands of kernel level changes needed to be made to Android and how the BlackBerry overlay was largely independent of that.
Ã¢â‚¬Å“BlackBerry will regularly roll out over-the-air updates to its software but Android kernel updates will need to be approved by the Telcos.”
However, the high-end smartphone may, or may not, be BlackBerry’s very last device.
Ball clarified the fact that BlackBerry’s focus is now as a software company and making devices is secondary to that.
Ã¢â‚¬Å“BlackBerry is now a software company that happens to make devices,Ã¢â‚¬Â saidÃ‚Â Ball.
Ã¢â‚¬Å“Our focus is on enterprise Ã¢â‚¬â€œ not the consumer.Ã¢â‚¬Â


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Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) - Under its 2012-2017 development plan for Africa, the French agriculture and food industries company, SOMDIAA, is to invest over 300 million euros or 210 billion CFA Franc in the continent's sugar industry, according to a press statement released here Tuesday by the company.
The development plan is to enhance production and self-sufficiency in the various countries where SOMDIAA has subsidiaries across the continent -- SOSUCAM in Cameroon, SUCAF RCI in Cote d'Ivoire, CST in Chad, SUCAF in Gabon, SARIS in Congo and SUCAF in the Central African Republic.
The investments are meant to increase sugar production and enhance SOMDIAA's activities (agriculture and the processing of agricultural products) in those countries.
"We intend, through this development plan, to strengthen our presence in the markets while channeling sugar bye products for enegery production," the SOMDIAA chief, Alexandre Vilgrain, indicated.
-0- PANA BAL/PAN/VAO 30May2012


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Contributor Since 2014
Well, it's definitely been an exciting start to the year. Equity holders have been sweating, option players have been cheering, and the bond market still sucks.
There's been a...hunch that the US market isn't as rosy as everyone believes. Employment, wages, and a host of other data have been telling us that everything is ok. But still that itch remains. With China blowing up in spectaclar fashon, it seems the bears finally have their day (7 years later...but I digress).
China spent the better part of a week trying to stablize their economy, and I have a sinking suspicion that it's partly due to devaluing their currency, partly from putting a gun to Corporate-China's head saying "Have faith in the grand party" (figuratively? literally? Probably both.)
So China's market stablized, and the US market has reacted to it. Mainly by being squirrely and not moving until some big players make a big purchase. But with a couple +100 point days on the Dow, everyone seems to have calmed down.
Execpt...it's all not true. None of it. The fundamental fact remains that manufacturing in China is down. That means nobody is producing items. Which means the sale of items is down. Which means people aren't buying. Governments can prop up and put lipstick on the pig, but it's still a pig.
My not so humble opinion is that we're gonna see a lot of depressed sales in the earning reports coming out in the next couple weeks. Most of retail is gonna take a hit, and tech is gonna be hurting. the casino sector is ripe for The Fall. LVS and MGM are heavily into Macau. Boyds is safe, but they'll feel the ripple. And Caesar's just needs to declare bankruptcy and be done with all the Apollo games.
My plays for the next few weeks is gonna be to play the downside with options, and look for potential bargains on the stock side. Don't let a couple upside spikes fool you; there's trouble on the horizon.
Disclosure: I am/we are short LVS, MGM.
Additional disclosure: I'm a random guy on the internet. If you haven't learned it already, most of the internet is full of crap. So do your own homework before you invest or take a position in anything.


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According to German media, hackers suspected to be members of the Vietnam-linked APT Ocean Lotus (APT32) group
“The attack the alleged Vietnamese hacker group began in the spring of 2019. Last weekend, the automobile company from Munich finally took the computers concerned off the grid. Previously, the group’s IT security experts had been monitoring the hackers for months. This is the result of research by the Bayerischer Rundfunk.” reported the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR). “Also on the South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai, the hackers had it apart.”
The APT32 group, also known as
Since at least 2014, experts at FireEye have observed APT32 targeting foreign corporations with an interest in Vietnam’s manufacturing, consumer products, and hospitality sectors. The APT32 also targeted peripheral network security and technology infrastructure corporations, and security firms that may have connections with foreign investors.
The APT32 used both Windows and Mac malware in its campaigns delivered to the victims via watering hole attacks, it leveraged sophisticated techniques to evade detection.
In the recent attacks against the car manufacturers, the attackers managed to deploy in the target network the Cobalt Strike hacking tool “Cobalt Strike”.
The Cobalt Strike platform was developed for Adversary Simulations and Red Team Operations, but it has also become popular among threat actors over the past years (including APT29 and FIN7).
It is quite easy to find pirated versions of the software that were used by attackers in the wild.
The attackers set up a website that posed as the BMW branch in Thailand, a similar technique was employed in the attack aimed at Hyundai.
Once the staff at BMW has spotted the intrusion, it did not lock out the hackers, instead, it attempted to track them while they attempted lateral movements in the breached networks. BMW finally locked out the attackers at the end of November.
Neither BMW nor Hyundai commented on the report published by the BR media outlet.
Ocean Lotus attackers were linked to other attacks against car vendors, including Toyota Australia, Toyota Japan, and Toyota Vietnam.
Experts believe that the group is interested in stealing intellectual property
The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution also warned of cyber espionage activities carried out by the
In the summer, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) sent an e-mail to its members. The subject was: “Warning message from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution about possible cyber attacks on German automobile companies.”
|[adrotate banner=”9″]||[adrotate banner=”12″]|
(SecurityAffairs – BMW, cyberespionage)


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Over a million websites were compromised by malware in the second quarter of this year, according to a report from security firm Dasient.
The report was compiled from the company's telemetry systems which, it claims, monitor millions of websites daily. The figures are then extrapolated to render infection rates across the internet.
Malware attacks appear to be rising at a rate averaging around 24 per cent according to the numerous research figures on the internet. Dasient's own figures show 56,000 websites poisoned at the end of last year followed by 720,000 in the next quarter. With the new figure of 1.3 million the trend seems to be a rapidly rising curve.
Malvertising is an area of concern, according to the research team.
Malicious online advertising, or malvertising, is an area of concern, according to the company. They look like harmless adverts but deliver malicious code when they are clicked on or lead the victim onto a more treacherous website.
It was estimated that 1.6 million malvertisements are served every day. Usually, the website owners soon eliminate them but the attackers have discovered a way to gain time. By posting the ads at the end of the week they usually have a few days before a webmaster comes anywhere near the site and then the malvert has to be discovered.
The researchers reckon that the average malvertising campaign can last for 11.5 days before being eradicated.
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A further 42 per cent of sites use advertising-related resources to manage their own in-house ads or to show third-party ads on auxiliary sites. Even financial websites have been known to fall for this but the main villains are publisher sites.
The Dasient team offers the following advice: "The malware epidemic is not slowing down - on the contrary, it's exploding. Now is the time for businesses to educate themselves on how they can put safe security practices in place for their websites to protect their customers, their brand and their revenue. The first step is to make sure they are not exposed by monitoring their websites for malware regularly."


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Apple Watch 7: Release Date, Update Price, Features and Leaks
Release date Apple Watch 7
If we had to guess the Apple Watch 7 release date, we'd pinpoint mid-September 2021. For the last few years, without fail, Apple has debuted a new smartwatch via a Tuesday keynote in the Fall, with availability starting Friday of that week or the next.
This year, Apple split the next-gen Apple Watch and iPhone events for the first time. The Apple Watch 6 and Apple Watch SE debuted alongside a new iPad Air (2020), while the iPhone 12 lineup received a standalone reveal (all virtual, of course.)
It's possible that Apple will recombine its fall hardware announcements if a live, in-person keynote can happen in 2021.
Update Price Apple Watch 7
As for what it will cost, there’s no news there, but Apple has been fairly consistent with pricing too. The Apple Watch 6 starts at $399 / £379 / AU$599, and while there has been some fluctuation in pricing across the last few models, they’re all in the same ballpark, so we’d expect the Apple Watch 7 will cost around that much too.
What we want to see
While we can make educated guesses about the Apple Watch 7 release date and price, the current Apple Watch 7 rumors are less precise. We're too far away from launch for credible leaks to surface, but for now we can highlight some features we'd like to see.
Better battery life: Patently Apple has found evidence of Apple researching a way to increase the battery life of its wearables. The "Battery Watch Band" could improve battery capacity without having to increase the size of the Watch itself.
We're accustomed to the 18-24 hour stamina of current models, but we'd welcome an Apple Watch that can last longer between charges.
Blood pressure monitoring: There are a few reasons why blood pressure monitoring could come to Apple Watch next year. First, it's a viable candidate for the company's informally annual health feature upgrade. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 has a sensor for blood pressure monitoring, so there's already a template that Apple can follow.
But it seems the company has a proprietary approach in mind. A patent filing recently won by Apple gives it a leg up in health tracking with built-in blood pressure monitoring that incorporates correction factors. For comparison, Samsung's blood pressure monitoring requires monthly calibration, which can be cumbersome.
Mental health tools: When the Fitbit Sense unveiled a slew of stress management tools, we hoped Apple would follow up with similar features for Apple Watch 6. They didn't come to fruition.
Apple may hold a steady lead in life-saving features, but mental health tools are life-saving in their own right. Luckily, two top leakers confirmed Apple is working on on way for your smartwatch to warn you about panic attacks and heightened stress.
MicroLED display: Apple Watch 7 could be ready to make the switch from an OLED display to a microLED screen, enabling a slimmer and more power-efficient Apple Watch. MicroLED displays offer better brightness and don't suffer from the luminance decay problems of traditional OLED panels.
In 2018 Bloomberg reported that the company is working out of a nondescript building in California to produce MicroLED displays. They didn't materialize for Apple Watch 6, but perhaps 2021's Apple Watch will get the new display treatment.
Features and Leaks Apple Watch 7
There aren’t many Apple Watch 7 leaks yet but we have heard a few things. For one, Tim Cook himself said during an appearance on the Outside podcast that “there’s a ton of innovation left to go in there” and "We are in the early innings… think about the amount of sensors in your car. And arguably, your body is much more important than your car.”
So while that's all very vague, the mention of the body suggests a continued focus on health and fitness features on future Apple Watches.
That's in line with claims from Ming-Chi Kuo, who predicted (in a research note seen by MacRumors) that the "new Apple Watch shipment's momentum in 2021 will benefit from innovative health management functions and improved form factor design."
|Image credit: Patently Apple/USPTO/Apple|
So from that it sounds like the Apple Watch 7 might have both new health features and a new design. And it could be a big design change, as this followed a slightly earlier research note (seen by 9to5Mac) in which Kuo said there would be a “significant form factor design change.”
Though he said that this would arrive on Apple Watch models in the second half of 2021 “at the earliest”, so it’s possible that we won’t see this until a later model.
One such health feature could be a glucometer, used to measure blood sugar levels. A report suggests the Apple Watch 7 could be one of several 2021 smartwatches to get this feature. It'd be useful for diabetics in particular, who need to keep a constant eye on their blood sugar, but other people with various other conditions could find it useful too.
The Apple Watch 7 strap could also be in for a big change, as a patent details a strap with a battery embedded within it, which can therefore increase the battery life of the Apple Watch. However, ideas in patents often don’t get used, so don’t count on seeing this.
We’ve also seen a patent showing the possibility of a Touch ID fingerprint scanner being added to a future Apple Watch. In fact, multiple patents have now talked about this, with another describing a Touch ID scanner built into the home button. Another patent detailed in that same link talks about an under-display camera that's invisible when it's not in use.
Also in the territory of patents, it seems Apple is exploring ways of applying a matte black finish to the anodized metal of its smartphones and watches, so it’s possible this will be a new color offered by the Apple Watch 7. Again though, we wouldn’t hold our breath about seeing any of these patents become reality.
The one we'd say is most likely though is the Touch ID scanner, as that shouldn't be too hard for Apple to incorporate, and could be quite useful.
Another patent we've seen outlines how Apple could use the smartwatch battery as the haptic engine, giving vibrating feedback when the screen is touched. That would mean the standard haptic engine could be removed, the battery itself could be bigger, and... we could maybe get some more battery life?
Finally, there have been various whispers that Apple is looking to switch from OLED screens on its devices to micro-LED ones. Some but not all of these reports mention the Apple Watch as a possible candidate.
Micro-LED has the potential to both improve image quality and reduce battery consumption, so it would be a desirable change. However, a DigiTimes report suggests this change is still years away.
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|Apple Watch 7 outlook |
Again, it's too early to make any judgements about the upcoming Apple Watch 7. We're just as excited as you to learn what Apple has up its sleeve for its next-generation wearable.
We hope Apple ups the ante. The competition is more convincing than ever: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Fitbit Sense are just a few of the recent Apple Watch alternatives worth your consideration. Our smartwatch buying guide can help you asses your needs to determine which smartwatch is right for you.
Bookmark this page for the latest Apple Watch 7 updates. We'll be tracking rumors and leaks until the smartwatch is revealed.


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Farragut residents can celebrate with participants and supporters of Farragut 13.1 [half marathon], Two-Person Relay course, 5k and Kids Run during inaugural Planet Fitness Post-Race Party.
The party and retail fair, a free community event, will take place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 28, in the former Kroger parking lot at 11238 Kingston Pike. It is being held in conjunction with Farragut 13.1 and the other races and is open to the public.
“Starting about 6 o’clock in the morning on Oct. 28, people will start gathering in the parking lot of the old Kroger’s there,” Steve Krempasky, executive director of Shop Farragut/Farragut Business Alliance, said during a Farragut Beer Board meeting Aug. 24. “The idea [of the party] is to create a festive tailgating atmosphere for the beginning and closing of the half marathon and 5K race, which Knoxville Track Club has been doing for several years.
“With upward of 1,200 runners, plus family and friends, event organizers have looked to Shop Farragut with help in making this event even more exciting,” he said during an interview Oct. 10. “All this fun and activity will be wrapped up in plenty of time for the kickoff of the Tennessee versus Kentucky football game.”
A DJ will play favorite tunes while a host of food and beverage providers, such as Beer Garden and The Casual Pint-Farragut, offer food and beverages.
Krempasky said the event gives Farragut retailers and other merchants an opportunity to showcase their products.
“I already have several sponsors,” he added.
The post-race party also provides a venue for supporters to enjoy themselves while the runners compete according to Krempasky.
“Shop Farragut still is inviting Farragut businesses to participate in a marketplace showcasing Farragut life while enjoying food and beverage in a festive setting,” Krempasky said. “While folks send off and then await the arrival of racers, they can visit with representatives of participating businesses, such as presenting sponsor Planet Fitness, SouthEast Bank, Costco, TN Bank, Josh Hemphill State Farm, Osteostrong and The Voice Tank, among others.
Along with vendors, Medic Blood Mobile will be on hand for partygoers interested in donating, he added.
For more information, go to firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Walmart says it was taken aback by its ouster from the Tricare network
Days before Tricare’s pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts announced Walmart was leaving the Tricare network, the retail giant signed a “multi-year” agreement to stay, according to a company spokesperson. .
The spokesperson said Friday evening that Walmart was “surprised” to learn that its pharmacy contract had been terminated, adding that the company and Express Scripts had signed an agreement on September 30 to keep it in the network.
“We appreciate our Tricare and [Defense Department] customers and are disappointed with Express Script [sic] decision and we asked them for more information to understand their decision, âsaid Luke Kleyn, vice president of Walmart, in an email to Military.com.â We asked Express Scripts to honor the agreement which we both recently signed. “
Kleyn said the new contract would have allowed military beneficiaries to continue all of their prescriptions at Walmart and Sam’s Club “for the next several years.”
âWe hope to reach a resolution to continue as a pharmacy supplier for the Tricare network,â he added.
A spokesperson for Express Scripts did not directly respond to Military.com’s questions about the negotiations and the deal described by the Walmart executive, but released a statement citing the pricing as the reasoning behind its ending. relationship with Walmart.
âWalmart’s prices weren’t competitive enough to stay in the network and we’re phasing them out effective Dec. 15, 2021,â spokeswoman Jennifer Luddy said in an email. She said more than 6% of Tricare beneficiaries fill prescriptions at Walmart or Sam’s Club, which means about 600,000 people have used the stores for their drugs.
She added that Express Scripts “helps beneficiaries make a smooth transition.”
Tricare covers 9.6 million beneficiaries worldwide.
Read more : The Marine Corps makes it clear: get the vaccine or get out
Walmart first signed an agreement with Express Scripts in 2018 to provide branded prescription drugs to beneficiaries who use Tricare and other insurance plans that use the pharmacy benefits management company.
Walmart also provides many generic drugs to all customers – regardless of insurance – through a program that provides 30-day prescriptions for $ 4 and 90-day prescriptions for $ 10.
Military beneficiaries will still be able to use this program even if Walmart leaves the network, company officials said.
But the change means prescriptions for branded and specialty drugs not offered through Walmart’s discount program will be considered off-grid. Beneficiaries will need to pay the full cost of their medications up front and file a claim with Tricare for partial reimbursement.
Last week, Express Scripts began advising Tricare beneficiaries who use Walmart or Sam’s Club pharmacies that their stores will no longer be part of their retail pharmacy network as of December 15.
The letter includes three local network pharmacy options and instructions on how to transfer prescriptions.
Those filling specialty medications at Walmart or Sam’s Club will also receive a letter and phone call from Express Scripts to help them transfer their prescriptions.
According to Express Scripts, these recipients will have a 30-day grace period to transfer their prescriptions.
As Manager of Pharmacy Benefits, Express Scripts serves as an intermediary, overseeing the Defense Health Agency’s pharmacy program, including management of the retail pharmacy network, Tricare mail order pharmacy, claims reimbursement and support services for beneficiaries and the pharmacy.
In July, the Defense Department awarded Express Scripts a contract worth up to $ 4.3 billion over the next seven years to continue as Tricare’s pharmacy benefits manager.
Luddy said Monday that pharmacies are setting reimbursement rates for drugs and that Express Scripts negotiates discounts, performing “ongoing assessments of the network to ensure the best value and care for the Department of Defense, beneficiaries and patients. taxpayers, and to pass more savings on to government. “
Express Scripts also announced last week that CVS would return to the Tricare network after a five-year hiatus.
Walmart and Sam’s Club operate approximately 5,300 pharmacies nationwide, many in rural areas, while CVS has nearly 10,000 locations.
âThis change offers more competitive rates for Tricare pharmacy benefits and expands the choices of quality and convenient pharmacies nationwide,â Luddy said in a statement to Military.com.
Access to Walmart pharmacies has been particularly convenient for military families and retirees who live in rural or remote areas who may not have a chain drugstore. Additionally, many have come to rely on discounted generic drugs, which are offered at lower rates than Tricare co-payments.
In a blog post last week, Karen Ruedisueli, director of government relations for health affairs at the Military Officers Association of America, said her organization believed the change would maintain the quality of the Tricare pharmacy program and might even ‘improve for many beneficiaries.
âWe understand that families filling prescriptions at Walmart or Sam’s Club will be embarrassed, but others will be excited to have CVS again as an option for their prescription drugs,â Ruedisueli wrote.
Pharmacy quotas have increased dramatically over the past 10 years, largely due to cost, but also as demanded by Congress as part of a cost-cutting measure to the defense medical budget.
This year, Tricare beneficiaries are paying $ 11 for a 30-day supply for a generic drug and $ 33 for a brand-name drug at retail pharmacies. Drugs not listed on the formulary that are not on Tricare’s list of covered drugs cost $ 60.
Co-payments for the mail-order pharmacy are $ 10 for a generic prescription and $ 29 for a brand name drug for a 90-day script. And rates are expected to rise next year.
According to Express Scripts, the Tricare pharmacy network covers 56,000 stores, including chains such as Walgreens and Rite Aid and supermarkets like Kroger and Publix.
–Patricia Kime can be contacted at email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.
Related: Defense Health Agency says $ 1.8 billion in cash flow will run out due to pandemic
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The streaming media company said Friday it is raising the prices on its plans in the United States and Canada.
In the United States, the subscription price for the standard plan rose $1.50 to $15.49. The basic plan went up $1 to $9.99 and the premium plan increased $2 to $19.99
In Canada, the price for Netflix’s standard plan also went up $1.50 to $16.49 Canadian. The premium plan went up $2 to $20.99 Canadian. Its basic plan was unchanged.
Netflix’s stock rose roughly 2% following the news.
The pricing increase comes a week before the streaming company is set to announce its fourth quarter earnings.
But the reason behind the company’s move is pretty simple: It has been spending billions of dollars on content, and as streaming becomes more integral to the entertainment landscape, growth for companies like Netflix tends to slow and attracting new subscribers gets harder.
At that point, revenue needs to come from somewhere. Raising prices on consumers is an easy way to get it.
Netflix also reported in those earnings that it added roughly 70,000 subscribers in the US and Canada. That was improvement from a loss of subscribers in the second quarter, but up only about 1 million subscribers from year-earlier totals in those countries.
The company said it has 74 million members in the US and Canada, but that growth in those regions has become saturated.


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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A passenger plane takes off from London Luton airport, Luton, Britain, January 7, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
By Allison Lampert and Doyinsola Oladipo
(Reuters) – Flight bookings for international business travel this fall are nearing 2019 levels, in a sign of recovery, according to a travel data firm, but climate concerns and economic clouds could mute demand for work-related trips.
Business travel has generally lagged leisure trips in airlines’ recovery from COVID-19. United Airlines (O:) CEO Scott Kirby (NYSE:) said this week that the U.S. is in a “business recession,” and a rebound in company travel would take more time.
But business bookings for September to November trail 2019 levels by less than 10%, the best showing since that year, according to data from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys set to be published on Wednesday.
A broader recovery in all air travel and the end of pandemic-related restrictions have made it easier to plan business trips, Olivier Ponti, ForwardKeys’ vice president insights, said. The data is based on reservations for major global airlines in comparison with the same period in 2019.
While the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) expects a full sector recovery in mid-2026, signs of growing demand are being seen by segments like hotels this year.
MGM Resorts (NYSE:) International CEO Bill Hornbuckle expects record future bookings from now until November.
The “convention crowd is stronger than it’s ever been when you look at future holdings,” Hornbuckle told the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference on Tuesday.
Both airlines and hotels are seeing more travel by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), compared with large corporations.
About 85% to 90% of Hilton’s corporate bookings are from SMEs, up from 80% pre-pandemic, Christopher Nassetta, CEO of Hilton Worldwide Holdings (NYSE:), told the NYU conference on Monday.
But climate concerns are expected to weigh on corporate travel gains, with four in 10 European and a third of U.S. companies saying they need to reduce trips per employee by more than 20% to meet 2030 sustainability targets, said consultancy Deloitte.
More than a third of companies surveyed by the GBTA Foundation are either purchasing or expect to buy less- polluting alternative fuel or carbon credits by 2025 to offset employees’ trips, according to research being released on June 13.
Carbon credits that support environmental projects have faced criticism because they offset but do not reduce actual airline emissions. Even so, some environmental groups support their use as long as they back effective projects.
“I think we cannot discard any of the options,” said Delphine Millot, a sustainability executive at GBTA.
(Reporting bBy Allison Lampert in Montreal and Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)


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A report today guarantees that Apple is cutting its iPhone X creation focuses into equal parts because of ‘frustrating Christmas season deals.’
Apple is said to have informed providers that it has cut its generation focus for the main quarter of this current year to 20M, after beforehand instructing them to hope to create 40M units.
Nikkei carries the report, based on unnamed supply-chain sources.
Apple will halve its production target for the iPhone X in the three-month period from January from the figure of over 40 million units envisaged at the time of its release in November.
The U.S. tech giant notified suppliers that it had decided to cut the target for the period to around 20 million units, in light of slower-than-expected sales in the year-end holiday shopping season in key markets such as Europe, the U.S. and China.
Apple is said to keep up its current generation focus of 30M units over the iPhone 7/Plus and 8/Plus extents.
Providers are said to prepare themselves for multi-billion dollar hits to their own incomes.
The production cuts for the X will have a domino effect on manufacturers that have supplied high-performance components for the handset, with the combined impact expected to run into billions of dollars.
Nikkei goes ahead to propose that Apple could cut its gauge creation of new OLED models during the current year.
Apple is believed to have started considering an increase to proportion of liquid crystal display iPhone models by reducing production of the OLED screen models scheduled for release this year.


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New Delhi: These days inflation is touching the sky across the country. In the rising inflation, the back of the common man has been broken. In such a situation, people are going to get another setback. Soon the prices of food items including everyday items are going to increase. Soon the prices of soaps, detergents to biscuits and coffee are going to increase.
Britannia hikes biscuit prices
According to a report by Bloomberg, India’s largest biscuit maker Britannia can increase the prices of its biscuits by up to 7 percent this year. This decision of the company has increased the tension of the people of the country.
Apart from this, everyday things like soap, detergent are also going to be expensive very soon. According to media reports, the country’s largest FMCG company Hindustan Unilever has increased the prices of its products. HUL has increased the prices of soaps and detergents by 3 to 4 percent. Let us tell you that HUL has increased the prices of its products by 30-35 percent in the last 6 months.
price of these things
Along with this, other everyday things like toothpaste, cream, have also become expensive, apart from this, many other food items like milk, curd, coffee, tea, Maggi, flour, rice, pulses, ghee, glucose powder, snacks and spices. Things have become expensive.
Why is inflation increasing?
Let us tell you that these days inflation is increasing a lot. Since the Russo-Ukraine war, the prices of petrol and diesel have been increasing across the country. Due to this it is costly to move goods from one place to another. This is affecting the prices of everyday things. Apart from this, the price of raw material which is needed to make these things is also increasing continuously.


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Birmingham-based software firm Delcam yesterday told shareholders that it had notched up record monthly sales in December.
The computer aided design software company said total sales for December came in at £3.75 million, an increase of nearly 32 per cent on the same month last year.
Additionally, total sales for the four quarter of the year rose by around 20 per cent year on year, maintaining Delcam's historic weighting of sales towards the second half and, in particular, the final three months.
Delcam said the results reflected its focus on developing sales of software ranges acquired during the past three years.
Managing director Hugh Humphreys said: "December has traditionally been Delcam's best month for software sales, so it is pleasing that we have continued this record and the ongoing strength of software sales is testimony to the quality of our product offering and capacity to sell globally.
"Although, as previously stated, the impact of the weak dollar affects our business, we continue to focus on developing international markets for all of our software ranges and this has been key to driving sales."
Delcam is due to publish preliminary results for the year to December 31 in mid-March.


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Who Will Buy Rearden Commerce?
Google, Yahoo, eBay or Amazon is expected to make an attempt to buy Rearden Commerce. Rearden provides a one-stop shop for a range of requests from courier service to travel.
Google, Yahoo, eBay or Amazon is expected to make an attempt to buy Rearden Commerce, according to Bruce Richardson, AMR’s chief research officer. Rearden Commerce provides a one-stop shop for a range of requests from courier service to travel.
Rearden services include: travel, dining, transportation, entertainment, shipping, courier service, and conferencing.
Rearden’s network has 130,536 suppliers. This includes: 80,000 hotels, 50,000 restaurants, and 530 airlines.
Rearden’s Grady said, “The Web ought to be an always-on personal assistant. It ought to know who you are and where you are and understand the context of what you’re trying to do, and do things on your behalf”. [source]
Bruce Richardson, AMR’s Cheif Research Officer was asked a question in an interview, “What do you think about “Google Economy”?” and in answer he gave a five point response.
As the last point he said, “I closed my soliloquy with the opinion that Google (or Yahoo or eBay or Amazon) should buy Rearden Commerce, a pioneer in the nascent market of “employee business services”.
Today, Rearden sells its product for a modest per-user price. This requires building an expensive salesforce. Google, on the other hand, could eliminate the salesforce, give the software away, and make money from advertising and transaction fees”. [source]
Bruce has also reported that he checked his opinion with Patrick Grady, Rearden’s founder and CEO.
According to Bruce, Patrick “laughed and then described his plans to establish Rearden as the fifth Internet star behind Google (search), Yahoo (content), Amazon (books and entertainment), and eBay (auctions)”. [source]
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Mark your calendars! Apple has officially announced that it will be holding a media event on Wednesday, September 7, where we’re expecting to see the iPhone 14 and additional announcements. The uncharacteristically early official announcement two weeks ahead of time may be due to this marking the return of standalone in-person media events for the first time in almost three years.
Other news this week included confirmation from Apple that iPadOS 16 has been delayed a bit and will not launch alongside iOS 16 next month, an expansion of Apple’s Self Repair Program to the Mac, and fresh rumors about the iPhone 14 lineup and upcoming MacBook Pro models, so read on for details on these stories and more!
Apple Announces September 7 Event With ‘Far Out’ Tagline
Apple this week announced that it will be holding an in-person event on Wednesday, September 7 at Steve Jobs Theater. As usual, the event is expected to revolve around new iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 models, and we should get release dates for iOS 16 and watchOS 9.
Rumors suggest Apple plans to release numerous devices by the end of the year, including new models of the iPad, iPad Pro, Mac mini, Mac Pro, Apple TV, AirPods Pro, and more, so there’s always a chance that at least one or two of these products also gets announced at the September event.
Apple is also expected to hold an October event this year, so it should be a busy fall season for the company as usual.
Apple Confirms iPadOS 16 is Delayed and Will Launch as iPadOS 16.1
Following a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman that claimed iPadOS 16 will be released in October, Apple has confirmed that the software update will in fact be released later than usual.
Instead of iPadOS 16.0, Apple said the update will be released as iPadOS 16.1 at some point after the release of iOS 16 for the iPhone.
iOS 16 is still expected to be released for the iPhone in September as usual.
Apple Expands Self Service Repair Program to MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
Apple this week expanded its Self Service Repair program to MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models equipped with the M1 series of chips, providing customers in the U.S. with access to select parts, manuals, and tools to complete do-it-yourself repairs.
While the program’s expansion is good news for the right-to-repair movement, repair website iFixit said the program actually manages to make MacBooks “seem less repairable.”
Images Allegedly Show Real iPhone 14 Pro Display Cutouts and Status Bar Items
With the iPhone 14 Pro display expected to gain a new pill-and-hole-punch design rather than a notch, it looks like there will be some changes to how iOS handles the front camera system on the new models.
Leaked photos and screenshots suggest the cellular/Wi-Fi/battery indicators in the status bar will move slightly down and to the right to better line up with the new camera system design.
New 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Expected to Enter Mass Production This Year
New 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a tweet, Kuo said the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models may still have chips based on TSMC’s latest 5nm process given that TSMC’s financial guidance indicated that the company will not begin to receive revenue from 3nm chip production until 2023.
iPhone Mini Fans: What to Look Out for When the iPhone 14 Models Launch
While rumors suggest there won’t be an iPhone 14 mini this year, due to lackluster sales of the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini, fans of Apple’s smaller 5.4-inch smartphone will still have options.
Check out our article on what iPhone mini fans should look out for following the iPhone 14 launch for an overview of purchase options going forward, including the third-generation iPhone SE and more.
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we’ve covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top Stories
This article, “Top Stories: Apple Event Announced, iPadOS 16 Officially Delayed, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Social media measurement – oversexed, overpaid and over here
Social media measurement
Jeremy Marshall is a Senior Research Manager at Opinium and heads up the Website Research Unit.
“Social media measurement is a real minefield”, she said. ?So much of what is reported on relates not to valuable brand perceptions, but to the mundane. What use to Macdonald?s?, she suggested, ?Is a comment such as, ?Meet me on the pavement outside McDonald?s??
Many delegates left the conference shaking their heads, bemused and bewildered by what they had heard. Not only about social media, it has to be said, but as to how joined up online and offline activities really are in today?s organisations. ?Working in silos? was an oft-used phrase among both speakers and delegates. More intriguingly, there appears to be little real appetite to join activities up, particularly when it comes to data and measurement.
Back to social media, a recent Opinium survey of online behaviour among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults produced some intriguing results ? whilst nearly half (46%) of respondents browse online for products or services to buy and 34 per cent visit or maintain their profile on social networking sites, only 18 per cent of respondents regularly (at least once a week) read blogs or online forums and an even smaller number (13%) actually contribute to such forums. And this among internet-savvy consumers who take part in regular online surveys.
Our findings tie in with the results of IPA?s 2010 TouchPoints survey of 6,000 UK adults, which revealed that a mere 8 per cent of word-of-mouth in the UK is currently generated online ? and in the US, where consumer generated media is years ahead of the UK, this figure rises to only 9 per cent.
So despite the impact social networking has had on our daily lives, it seems that ?blogging? ? in spite of its huge publicity ? remains in this country an activity confined to a small ? and arguably unrepresentative ? minority. Online social media is easy to capture (hence the proliferation of providers) but are we giving it more attention than it deserves? Wouldn?t we be better off focusing on the 91 per cent of word-of-mouth generated offline?


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Pragmatism, Not Panic
As we approach the Annual Meeting (AGM) season in numerous markets around the world, the recent escalation in the number of COVID-19 cases continues to be a cause for concern.
The world is becoming increasingly digital and this is having profound effects in a whole range of areas. One of the less-appreciated impacts is that goods and services are becoming more and more ‘dematerialised’ – you can read a book without having to turn a page,..
The AGM season is almost here and listed companies all over the world are gearing up for their annual shareholder meetings. The AGM is a big moment for companies – one of the main opportunities to communicate with shareholders and tell them how the business is..
We live in a world that is increasingly a combination of the physical and the virtual – we can watch a film at the cinema or download it from Netflix, pick up a newspaper or read it online. This hybrid world is becoming more common in the world of annual meetings.
I had the pleasure of speaking at an event in Norway last week, hosted by the country’s largest financial services group, DNB. The title of the presentation was Electronic Management of Norwegian AGMs and Facilitating Remote Participation – a topic that, to be..
With a growing focus on Hybrid AGM within the membership sector as a way to increase member engagement, as well as listed companies wanting to offer an electronic medium to their annual general meetings, the security of the method itself is put under analysis.
As mentioned in our previous blog on ‘What is a Hybrid AGM, and Why are They so Popular?’ we discussed the differences between hybrid and virtual AGM, the legality of the methods and factors for their increase in popularity.
The way we communicate has been becoming increasingly focused on digital, from social media, to SMS to emails and beyond. As the millennial generation becomes the largest demographic in the active workforce, we can only expect a higher adoption of, and reliance on..
AGM or Annual General Meetings have traditionally always been hosted in a physical location, to allow shareholders to directly engage with the Board, and ultimately hold them to account.
In previous blogs we’ve spoken about the benefits a virtual or hybrid AGM can bring to your company and one of the biggest factors is the potential they offer for far greater shareholder engagement. And yet, of more than 5,000 shareholders surveyed, 76% think..


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The Association of Liquid Petroleum Gas Marketing (LPGM) is urging consumers to brace themselves for an increase in prices of fuel in the local pumps, despite the government tabling a proposal to absorb some levies placed on petroleum products.
Speaking on ‘Day Break Upper East’ Show on A1 Radio, the Vice President of LPGM, Gabriel Kumi explained that, even though the government has made its intention to absorb tax levies on petroleum products in the next pricing window, consumers should still expect an increase instead of a relative fall in fuel prices.
Mr. Kumi mentioned that the government’s initiative of zeroing some tax levies placed on petroleum products is yet to be laid before parliament for approval.
He has therefore advised consumers to expect an increase of about 0.45 pesewas in prices of petroleum products because the government is only absorbing a little over 0.14 pesewas which in contrast is meager to be able to affect price fall in the local pumps.
“From our projection prices of petroleum products are going to go up between 7% and 8%, now that translates to if you take a kilo of LPG for instance, 7 and 8% will translate to 0.45 pesewas per kilo. So all things being equal from Monday, prices of fuel is supposed to go up by 0.45 pesewas” He stated.
Adding that, “it’s true that government have announced an intervention but that intervention is not in effect yet because it has to receive parliamentary approval but what it is, is also that Government intervention is not enough to override the rising effect on petroleum product during the next pricing window”.
He concluded by noting that, “in effect, if you subtract government’s intervention which is 0.14 pesewas on levied from the 7% increment of petroleum products which represents 0.45% consumers will still have to pay the remaining 0.31pesewas for fuel.”


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There are also fighters from every side of the Force.
Lucasfilm Games and developer Zynga Inc. have released a new cinematic trailer for Star Wars: Hunters, an upcoming competitive online game set to be released on the Nintendo Switch and mobile. The cinematic trailer presents eight fighters, many of which will be recognizable by franchise fans as members of classic Star Wars alien species.
In the trailer, two teams of four fighters are pitted against each other in an outdoor arena. Among the fighters, there’s a Sith apprentice named Rieve, a Mandalorian named Aran Tal, a Wookiee warrior named Grozz, a Rebel survivor named Zaina, a stormtrooper known as Sentinel, an unnamed bounty hunter, an android, and even two Jawas working together as a single fighter.
While the game is apparently not using any known character, the roster of fighters will come from every corner of the galaxy, since many alien races and different factions are part of the arena battles put in place by the Hutts on the planet Vespaara.
Star Wars: Hunters was announced last February as a free-to-play game that will feature cross-play between mobile and the Nintendo Switch and allow players to compete against each other in arenas inspired by iconic locations of the franchise. While the idea of a competitive Star Wars game sounds great on paper, developer Zynga is known for microtransaction-filled casual games like FarmVille and Words With Friends, which raises certain suspicious about Star Wars: Hunters being less concerned with satisfying gameplay than with easy money. More information about the eight fighters presented in the cinematic trailer will be available today on Star Wars: Hunters’ official website.
Star Wars: Hunters comes to Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android sometime in 2022. Check out the new cinematic trailer below.
KEEP READING: A New Tower Defense Game ‘LEGO Star Wars Battles’ Is Coming Exclusively to Apple Arcade
Senior citizens, beware!
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Enterprise Ireland plans trade missions ahead of Brexit
Programme for 2017 will focus on industries such as life sciences, fintech and construction
Julie Sinnamon of Enterprise Ireland: “A key element of 2017-2020 strategy is to help Irish exporters build scale.” Photograph: Alan Betson
The programme will focus on specific industries including life sciences, fintech and construction.
A total of 145 events are planned for both Ireland and overseas, including 20 trade events in the US and Canada, a trade event in Norway and 20 events in the Asia Pacific region, including fintech-focused events. There will also be 14 trade events in the UK, including construction and financial services events.
“In line with the ‘Ireland Connected’ whole of Government trade strategy launched recently, a key element of Enterprise Ireland’s 2017-2020 strategy is to help Irish exporters build scale and expand reach globally,” said Enterprise Ireland chief executive Julie Sinnamon. “As the UK takes a step closer to triggering article 50 in the coming weeks, it is imperative that Irish companies build new and stronger trade links in international markets.”
Enterprise Ireland has set targets for its 2017-2020 period to strengthen Ireland’s reach in global markets, increasing exports to €26 billion a year by 2020 among its client companies and growing exports outside the UK market to account for two-thirds of total exports.
“The Action Plan for Jobs 2017 gives a clear mandate to Enterprise Ireland to drive the global ambition of Irish companies, particularly in the context of Brexit, and to set their sights further afield and power the economy through strong positions in diverse export markets,” said Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor.


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After a planned 2023 release, Bandai Namco’s action MMORPG Blue Protocol has now been pushed back. Blue Protocol was revealed at The Game Awards 2022 and marks a partnership between Japanese gaming giant Bandai Namco and emerging AAA publisher Amazon Games.
In recent years, Bandai Namco Studios has released titles like Code Vein, Scarlet Nexus, and Tales of Arise. Fans of these games are eager to try out the studio’s upcoming role-playing game, Blue Protocol, an online multiplayer experience that allows players to team up to go on quests, fight, and battle. Although different from the single-player RPG series, which only focused on the studio’s previous story, Blue Protocol still possesses outstanding storytelling and engaging characters.
On Twitter, Blue Protocol announced a June 14 release date in Japan and revealed that the game’s Western release time will be pushed back to 2024. Additionally, in a post on the Twitter official website, Blue Protocol says the localization is one of the reasons that lead to this. unfortunate change. However, the post also confirms that the game will have a closed beta on PC later this year.
In addition to Blue Protocol, Bandai Namco Studios is currently preparing for the release of Tekken 8, one of the most anticipated fighting games. Perhaps the focus on Tekken 8 is another reason why Blue Protocol missed out on fans. However, with over 1,200 employees and the support of Bandai Namco Online, the chances of Tekken 8 taking development resources away from Blue Protocol are very low.
Blue Protocol publisher Amazon Games has struggled to find success following the release of New World. With the recent success of Lost Ark and the recently announced MMO Lord of the Rings, Blue Protocol could be another step in the right direction in Amazon Games’ publishing field if successful.


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Fasig-Tipton is once again offering "Virtual Yearling Inspection" videos for its upcoming Saratoga select sale on the company's website (www.fasigtipton.com).
Fasig-Tipton, which introduced its virtual catalog concept last year for its Kentucky November select mixed sale, has made a number of technical enhancements since then. The improvements can be seen in the virtual catalog for this year's edition of the November auction, which appears on the sale company's Web site: www.fasigtipton.com.
Fasig-Tipton has launched a full online version of its November select mixed sale catalog, featuring 188 offerings. The technology includes race videos of graded winners and a unique "book-like" interface that allows the user to turn virtual pages.
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Senior members of the TIACA Board are heading to Munich this week to attend Air Cargo Europe.
With more than 60,000 visitors expected from more than 100 countries, the event is one of the largest gatherings of the global air freight community.
Sebastiaan Scholte, TIACA’s Chairman, is looking forward to the opportunity to meet customers and suppliers, but also to be able to catch up with old friends.
“It is a great event at which to meet everybody, not only people from the air cargo industry, but from other logistics sectors as well,” said Scholte.
Steven Polmans, Vice Chairman of the TIACA Board and Director Cargo and Logistics at Brussels Airport Company, is anticipating a busy few days.
“It’s an ideal place to network but a combination of many meetings and our Belgian Beer bar as a booth is always a guarantee that the days will fly by!” said Polmans.
Joking aside, Polmans said the size and pulling power of the event is one of the reasons that TIACA recently chose to work with Messe Munchen, the organisers of Air Cargo Europe.
Messe München will be organising the Air Cargo Forum in Miami for TIACA in 2020.


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Verizon phone updating
An upgrade is when you buy a new device to replace one that's already on your account.If you're replacing your existing device with one you already have and don't need to buy a new one, that's called bringing your own device.
Verizon admits that the information will be shared within "the Verizon family of companies," including that of (Engadget parent) Aol.
But, as the EFF points out, most of the Android devices on Verizon's network will now have a common app that hackers will be probing for holes.
With a few clicks of your dial pad, your phone will be updated.
Charles Poole holds a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from Appalachian State University.
Update: Verizon has since sent the following statement to Engadget: "As we said earlier this week, we are testing App Flash to make app discovery better for consumers. The privacy body has pledged to investigate the matter further, but it looks as if it may have been a lot of fuss over what amounts to very little.


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The annual guest survey, which was completed by more than 5,000 customers, also found that 58% of respondents said they can tell the difference between different spirit brands.
Be At One’s Top 10 Cocktails (based on 2016 sales):
- Porn Star Martini
- Candy Pants
- Zombie Cuban
- Long Island Ice Tea
- Espresso Martini
- Old Fashioned
- English Fizz
- Strawberry Daiquiri
- Gin Re-Fashioned
The findings also showed that men have increasingly developed a taste for cocktails with almost a third (29%) drinking one every time they go out.
About 40% of guests outside London said they would drink a cocktail every time they went out whereas just 34% said the same in the capital.
Quality and premium experience
However, drinkers in London are prepared to spend the most with almost half (47%) willing to pay between £8 and £10.
Be At One operations director Andrew Stones claimed today’s cocktail drinkers were increasingly searching for a quality and premium experience for products and atmosphere when choosing a venue for an night out.
He said: “The results are in keeping with other research that shows greater discernment among drinkers – they are prepared to spend more on higher quality drinks."
Soaring cocktail sales
Stones said: “[The results] graphically illustrate that our consistent focus on providing great cocktails, friendly service and party atmosphere continues to delight guests across the country.”
Be At One has seen total cocktail sales across its 31 venues soar by 406% since 2012, and in 2016, the group sold almost two million cocktails at its sites.
The most popular cocktail at the bars was the Porn Star Martini with a huge 1,449% growth in sales and represents 15% of all cocktail sales with the bar operator selling 1,500 a day.


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The video-on-demand battle, which has previously included big names like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and most recently, mega online retailer Amazon, now extends to Facebook through Warner Bros. The studio, much like every other Hollywood studio since the advent of Netflix’s on demand video-streaming service, has felt the sting of falling box office revenues and dwindling DVD sales.
In a strategic move from Warner Bros., it has launched a test program on its Facebook page that will allow fans to buy or rent—for a limited period of time—select Warner Bros. titles to watch via Facebook. The fee for the service is $3 or the equivalent in Facebook credits. The studio hopes to take advantage of Facebook’s astronomical user-base and attract more fans.
Warner Bros.’ president of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Thomas Gewecke, said, “Facebook has become a daily destination for hundreds of millions of people. Making our films available through Facebook is a natural extension of our digital distribution efforts. It gives consumers a simple, convenient way to access and enjoy our film through the world’s largest social network.”
For practiced Facebook users, Warner Bros.’ test program will have the added allure of allowing them to interact with friends while watching the movie, post comments, and in general do what Facebookers do best.


text: It's been a while since we've last heard from Evernote. The last major update was back in January when it released an almost totally new app for iOS in version 8.0. As always, Android users have felt rather left out. This latest update isn't going to mend bridges, but, at least for now, it gives users of Google mobile platform an edge. Evernote is implementing some new features to make sharing faster and easier and, somewhat surprisingly, it's starting the rollout from the Android side.


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Federal and provincial governments earned $15.2 billion from the control and sale of alcohol ($13.6 billion, +1.1%) and recreational cannabis ($1.6 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. This includes net income from provincial liquor and cannabis authorities, excise taxes, retail sales taxes, other specific taxes, and licenses and permits, reported Statistics Canada on Friday.
“Overall, liquor authorities and other retail outlets sold $26.1 billion worth of alcoholic beverages in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, up 2.4 per cent from a year earlier. The increase in sales of alcoholic beverages was driven by inflation, which rose 2.8 per cent for alcoholic beverages purchased from stores from March 2021 to March 2022,” said the federal agency.
“On a volume basis, sales of alcohol declined 1.2 per cent to 3,141 million litres in 2021/2022, which is equivalent to 9.5 standard alcoholic beverages per week per Canadian of legal drinking age. This was the first decline since 2013/2014 and the largest decline in over a decade.
“By volume, wine sales decreased 4.0 per cent to 516 million litres in 2021/2022, which is equivalent to 2.4 standard glasses of wine per week per person of legal drinking age. This was the largest decrease in the volume of wine sold since Statistics Canada began tracking alcohol sales in 1949. In terms of dollar value, wine sales rose 2.1 per cent to $8.1 billion in 2021/2022, at a pace in line with the previous year.”
StatsCan said by volume, beer sales declined 2.8 per cent to 2,061 million litres in 2021/2022, which is equivalent to 3.7 standard bottles of beer per week per person of legal drinking age. This was a new all-time low for beer volume sales per person since Statistics Canada began tracking alcohol sales in 1949. The total value of beer sales by liquor stores, agencies and other retail outlets fell 0.7 per cent to $9.1 billion in the 2021/2022 fiscal year, the third consecutive annual decrease.
The report said Canadians bought $2.1 billion worth of ciders and coolers in 2021/2022. This was up 13.5 per cent from the previous fiscal year, but at much slower rate than the 40.2 per cent growth seen in 2020/2021.
“Sales of recreational cannabis by provincial cannabis authorities and other retail outlets were $4.0 billion in 2021/2022, equivalent to $131 per person of legal age to consume cannabis. Yukon had the highest per person cannabis sales ($291), followed by Alberta ($210) and Saskatchewan ($185), while Quebec had the lowest ($89), followed by Manitoba ($107) and Nova Scotia ($125),” said Statistics Canada.
“Dried cannabis was the most popular type of cannabis sold, accounting for 71.1 per cent of recreational cannabis sales, followed by inhaled extracts such as vape pens, hash, and rosin (18.1 per cent) and edibles (4.1 per cent). Among provinces, Quebec sold the highest proportion of dried cannabis (86.3 per cent), likely because of its ban on cannabis vapes, edibles and topicals in 2021/2022. Newfoundland and Labrador sold the smallest proportion of inhaled extracts (3.8 per cent), partially because of its ban on cannabis vapes.”
Canada’s Podcast is the number one podcast in Canada for entrepreneurs and business owners. Established in 2016, the podcast network has interviewed over 600 Canadian entrepreneurs from coast-to-coast.
With hosts in each province, entrepreneurs have a local and national format to tell their stories, talk about their journey and provide inspiration for anyone starting their entrepreneurial journey and well- established founders.
The commitment to a grass roots approach has built a loyal audience with over 120,000 downloads and thousands of subscribers on all our social channels and YouTube. Canada’s Podcast is proud to provide a local, national and international presence for Canadian entrepreneurs to build their brand and tell their story.


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PARIS, FRANCE (October 10, 2016): Mythic Games, the new game studio from co-creators of the Conan Board Game, announces today Mythic Battles: Pantheon will make its Essen-Spiel debut October 13 – 16, 2016. Mythic Battles: Pantheon is one of the most-anticipated board games currently in development and “…stole the show…” (Tech Raptor) at its North American debut at Gen Con in August.
Essen-Spiel attendees will have the opportunity to play as a famous god of Greek mythology, assemble warriors, lead troops into battle, create their own Pantheon and become the new ruler of Olympus. Game demos will take place in the Mythic Games/Monolith booth by members of the development team (Hall 2, 2-F-115) and players can also collect limited edition badges of iconic Olympic gods.
“We’re thrilled at the response Mythic Battles: Pantheon has been receiving and we look forward to testing its mettle with one of the most discerning board game audiences in the world at Essen-Spiel,” says Léonidas Vesperini, project manager of Mythic Games.
The mighty Titans of Greek lore awoke and unleashed a massive attack on Olympus. While the Titans were ultimately defeated, the world is ravaged and the surviving Olympians now mere mortals. As the former Gods awake to a broken world, Mythic Battles: Pantheon begins their adventure through Olympus, Styx and the Labyrinth of Minos to regain the glory left decimated by the wrath of the Titans. Playing as Zeus, Athena or any number of Greek gods alongside an army of heroes such as Achilles and Hercules and monsters such as the Hydra, Cerberus and Medusa, in victory players will be a god.
Mythic Battles: Pantheon launches on Kickstarter November 1, 2016 with an anticipated release date for hobby gaming stores worldwide summer 2017. Register for exclusive promotions and updates on facebook.com/mythicbattles.


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The Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has concluded its annual roadshow around the UK, with successful events held at the Chester Grosvenor hotel and Etihad Stadium in Manchester, and Searcy’s at The Gherkin in London.
Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) and SEERA (previously Al Tayyar Travel Group), one of the region’s leading providers of travel services in the Middle East and North Africa, have signed a strategic partnership
The Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in partnership with the Department of Economic Development, Abu Dhabi, has announced the 24-Hour Mega Sale this Eid Al Fitr.
Mounting trade tensions, an increase in trade-restrictive measures and continuing economic uncertainty created real challenges for world trade in 2018,
The European roadshow covered key cities including Hamburg, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, London, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Edinburgh to meet industry representatives and introduce Ras Al Khaimah’s diverse and spectacular beach...
One in every eight Turkish lira is now generated by the nation’s travel and tourism sector. According to a recent report, the tourism sector contributed TL461.3 billion ($95.6 billion) to the country’s economy in 2018,
Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST), an initiative of Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), has announced the winners of the DST Awards 2019 at an industry event hosted at the InterContinental, Dubai Festival City.
Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) and Umm Al Quwain Tourism and Archaeology Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently. The aim of the MoU is to support both departments’ strategic
Space tourism does not pose a significant threat to the environment, former NASA astronaut Mary Ellen Weber said here, stressing that the US space agency is already working on more environmentally friendly propulsion systems.


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From the report commissioned by ACA:
"The third-party debt collection industry plays an important role in the U.S. economy. The industry
employs hundreds of thousands of Americans as collection professionals, who collect on past-due
accounts referred to them by various credit grantors, such as credit card issuers, banks, retail stores,
hospitals and other health care services, or by Federal, state and local governments. The industry
benefits the economy by recovering billions of dollars in delinquent debt each year that would
otherwise go uncollected. Further, business purchases of this industry and personal purchases by
its owners and workers ripple through the economy, supporting hundreds of thousands more jobs
across the country.
To quantify the value of third-party debt collection to the U.S. economy, ACA International retained
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to conduct a survey and economic analysis of third-party debt
collections.1 The survey, carried out in the spring of 2008, reveals that in 2007 the industry’s
collection efforts resulted in $40.4 billion of debt being returned to creditors on a commission basis.
The economic benefits of third-party debt collection are significant."


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WINDSOR, Conn. May 12, 2022 — According to the 2022 Insurance Barometer Study, 106 million Americans believe they don’t have sufficient life insurance coverage, a 4% increase from 2021. Insurance marketing leaders will gather to deliberate on the best marketing strategies to engage consumers at the 2022 Marketing Conference, which will be held June 1 – June 3, in Orlando, Florida.
“How we communicate the value of life insurance to consumers — emphasizing its benefits, busting myths and reaching underserved markets — will go a long way in closing the life insurance coverage gap,” noted Tina Beckwith, chief marketing officer for LIMRA and LOMA. “The Marketing Conference will be a great opportunity for leaders to discuss effective communications that drive consumers to take action.”
Opening up the conference, Kelley Gay, senior vice president, and chief marketing officer for OneAmerica will discuss the power of connecting your company’s purpose with efforts around marketing, digital, communications, and brand experiences to deliver greater impact with customers.
Additional keynote speakers:
- Alice Norsworthy, president of global marketing for Universal Parks & Resorts, will share best practices about how her organization rose to the unprecedented challenge of COVID and continues to navigate through an evolving landscape as it successfully communicates, markets to and engages audiences.
- Jennifer Golbeck, Ph.D. director of the Social Intelligence Lab for the University of Maryland, will discuss the strategic impacts of artificial intelligence technologies and a data-driven future.
- Jeff Tobe, M.Ed., customer experience expert, and author, will share tips to help attendees better position their products from the customer’s perspective.
Additional concurrent sessions will cover reaching underserved consumer markets, customer advisory boards for marketing research, attracting talent to financial services, data analytics, artificial intelligence and marketing wellness benefits to clients.
For more information about the event, including registration and agenda, visit the 2022 LIMRA Marketing Conference
Members of the press are welcome to attend at no cost. Please email the media contacts below for more details.
At LIMRA and LOMA, the health and welfare of our attendees are our highest priorities. Therefore, attendees must provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 (as defined by the CDC) or a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of arrival. This policy is subject to change based on CDC guidelines, state, and city regulations.
Serving the industry since 1916, LIMRA offers industry knowledge, insights, connections, and solutions to help more than 700 member organizations navigate change with confidence. Visit LIMRA at www.limra.com.


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BENTONVILLE, Ark., Aug. 30, 2011 – Sam’s Club announced today it is donating $20,000 to the St. Louis Minority Supplier Development Council (St. Louis MSDC), as the result of a campaign held during National Small Business Week. The contributions will be presented Aug. 30, and will be used to help fund teaching and training programs offered by MSDC in St. Louis that enhance minority small business success.
The national Sam’s Club campaign resulted in 11 local donations across the U.S., which were determined by the number of volunteer hours logged by club and market managers working in small businesses in their communities. Market membership sales manager Jonathan Sadler, along with area club managers and associates, earned the right to award one of these donations in St. Louis.
Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation’s eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 30 percent over traditional retailers. To learn more about Savings Made SimpleSM, visit SamsClub.com, and look for Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.
Sam’s Club supports community-based programs that empower young people, families and small businesses to make smart choices that lead to healthy and bright futures. During the fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, 2011, on behalf of Sam’s Club, the Walmart Foundation gave more than $89 million in cash and in-kind gifts to support local U.S. organizations focusing on education, health and children’s programs. To learn more, visit http://www.samsclub.com/giving.


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It’s been a few weeks since Diablo IV launched, and there have been hundreds of millions of deaths as players roam Sanctuary. But a lucky group of gamers had a distinct honor that not even could have bestowed: having their characters’ untimely deaths roasted by none other than Megan this month, the actress collaborated with gaming publisher Blizzard to offer eulogies of players who died in the latest installment of the popular action roleplaying franchise.
The wicked jokes were something that resonated with Fox. I think a beautiful dark gothic vision with an evil sense of humor, [which is] also my bio in a dating app. she tells Refinery29 in an exclusive campaign is hardly the first time a gaming publisher has capitalized on star power.
Megan Fox I actually grew up playing consoles instead of PC games so I didn’t have a lot of firsthand experience with the game previously, but I was very aware of it from many of my friends who were/are obsessed with it. It’s out on consoles now so I can play! I’m partial to Necromancer.


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Stretch Your Dollar: Which AC units are most reliable?
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It's still hot outside and chances are your air conditioner is still running at full force. If you're having problems and need to replace an old central AC system, now might be the time to do it.
Consumer Reports found in a survey of more than 40,000 subscribers, some systems have been much better at keeping their cool than others, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars.
Contractor Tim Mosher says it's important to take good care of a central air conditioning system.
"The preventative maintenance in the beginning of the season is better than having to have a serviceman come out during a heat wave," said Mosher.
Consumer Reports says carefully choosing an air conditioning system can help you avoid service calls, too. Its latest product-reliability survey shows some central air systems have been significantly more repair-prone: Amana, Goodman, and York.
"In the past six years, close to one in five of these systems needed repairs. That's a lot," said Dan DiClerico with Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports' survey also shows how inconvenient repairs can be. Ten percent of those polled said they needed repeated repairs in the first year. Eighteen percent reported their system broke down completely. And 39 percent lost AC for at least a day.
"About 30 percent who had problems had to pay $150 or more for the repair," said DiClerico.
To prevent having to call a repairman, Consumer Reports says invest in a more reliable brand, including ones from American Standard, Rheem, or Trane.
Plants and hedges should be at least two feet away from the air conditioning unit.
Also, clean filters and grills monthly. And be sure to seal and insulate every duct.
"Up to 30 to 40 percent of energy can escape through leaks when ducts aren't insulated," DiClerico said.
Another energy saver is to use a programmable thermostat and set the temperature higher when you're out of the house.
Consumer Reports' survey turned up more interesting information -- homeowners who hired the installer themselves versus those who let a home builder do the hiring had significantly fewer repairs.
Once your system is installed, Consumer Reports says it's important to get it inspected by a professional at the beginning of every season to avoid repair problems.
action13, patricia lopez
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The warm excitement of playing Santa Claus for your children need not turn into the cold greed of Ebenezer Scrooge in this year of sky-high prices if you use care in choosing toy stores.
That's the advice of the Consumer Affairs Committee of Americans for Democratic Action, which has compiled its ninth annual list comparing area toy prices. It's a survey that could save you a lot of money, for it found pice variations of up to 200 percent for the same toy at different stores.
The committee surveyed prices on 88 toys in 24 stores in the metropolitan area from Nov. 10 until Nov. 22. The toys chosen were those that local merchants expected to be big sellers this season.
One example of the wide price differences found is Milton, a new electronic speaking toy produced by Milton-Bradley, which costs $58.97 a K Mart, $69.99 at Lowen's, a specialty store, and $110 at F.A.O. Schwarz.
F.A.O. Schwarz, the nationally famous toy chain, opened its Washington store on Wisconsin Avenue in June. The Schwarz price was the highest on every item surveyed, according to the committee, which reported that the same 16 toys that cost $456.31 at Lowen's cost $737.20 at Schwarz.
The committee found the lowest prices at Toys-R-Us, Juvenile Sales, Tunz-a-Fun, Memco and the catalog stores -- Basco, Best and Evans.
"Low-middle" prices were found at Sears, J.C. Penney, K Mart, Woolco, Woolworth and Zayre.
"High-middle" prices were reported at Lowen's, Kay-Bee Toy and Hobby Shop, Toys Etc., K & K, Bargaintown and Murphy's.
"High" prices were found at Toy and Hobby World, Sullivan's Toy Store, Hecht's and Woodward & Lothrop.
For the downtown Washington area, Bargaintown generally had the lowest prices. Although Woodward & Lothrop posted higher prices than did Hecht's on the 12 toys surveyed, the comparison noted that Woodie's toy department is larger and better-stocked than Hecht's.
The committee advised shoppers to consider added costs, such as batteries and accessories. In addition, it suggested they inspect the contents or at least a display sample of a boxed toy to make sure they are getting what the they expect.
Copies of the committee's Ninth Annual Toy Price Survey Report (1980) are available for $5 from Americans for Democratic Action, Room 850, 1411 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20005, or by calling 202-638-2545.


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Acer will reportedly reveal two or three tablets in the first half of the year. ComputerWorld heard these systems will use Intel's new Sandy Bridge processors and run the Google Android operating system, a quite odd combination. The largest "Sandy Android" tablet will have a 10" screen. Acer intends to replace most of its netbook lineup with these tablets, but exact pricing is still unknown.
"They are aimed at phasing out netbooks," he said. "That’s the direction of the market."
They will use Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processors and run an Android operating system, Lu said. The largest will have a 10-inch screen, Lu said.
The Taiwan-based computer giant will keep making netbooks, adding to its millions sold to date, but it will stick to simple models and manufacture fewer than in years past as tablets gain popularity, he said
The tablets will run faster than laptops with Windows operating systems, and will use a four-core processor, he said. The company has not revealed any other product details. The tools will be made for common users, Lu said, rather than expressly for gamers.