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Intel's 14th Generation Meteor Lake processors have been powered on
Intel has powered on their next-next-generation processor
Published: 29th April 2022 | Source: Intel |
Intel's Meteor Lake processors are on track and are already running on multiple OS'
Things are changed over at Intel. For years, Intel had been stuck on its 14nm lithography node, but now the company is moving forward with new CPU architectures, process technologies, and packaging techniques. Today, Intel has three levers that the company can use to make their future products more competitive, and during their Q1 2022 earnings call, they confirmed that they have already powered on and tested their planned 14th generation processors.
Later this year, Intel plans to launch their 13th generation Raptor Lake processors, utilising their Intel 7 node once again. In 2023, Intel plans to launch new processors using their Intel 4 lithography node and disaggregated design. What does disaggregated mean? Starting with their 14th generation products, Intel will be creating CPUs that are built using multiple chips across multiple lithography nodes.
In the quote below, Intel's CEO< Pat Gelsinger, confirmed Intel's plan to ship five new lithography technologies within the next four years. Intel wants to bring itself back into the leading edge lithography market, and so far things are looking positive for the chipmaker.
We continue to make great progress on our plans to deliver 5 process nodes in 4 years. Intel 7 is ramping extremely well with Alder Lake and on Intel 4, Meteor Lake has now successfully booted Windows 11 and Linux. The speed at which the team was able to achieve this milestone is a significant sign of the health of both Meteor Lake and our Intel 4 process technology.
With Meteor Lake, Intel will be creating a processor with separate CPU tiles and graphics tiles. Aside from that, Meteor Lake will also feature separate SOC and I/O tiles, all of which are connected using Intel's latest packaging technologies. Intel wants to create multi-tile (multi-chip) processors that can perform like monolithic silicon. With these techniques, Intel hopes to create processors that are more cost effective, and more performant. Beyond that, Meteor Lake is designed to scale from 5W to 125W, making the processor suitable for a huge range of devices.
The strength of our client road map continues with Raptor Lake, where we are shipping both desktop and mobile samples to our customers today, and we plan to follow that with Meteor Lake in 2023.
Right now, it looks like Intel will be able to launch Meteor Lake series processor in 2023, as planned. Right now, Intel is releasing new processor generations on a yearly cadence. Intel is rapidly releasing new processors and rapidly improving their process technologies and core architectures. Intel has started what appears to be an upward swing, though it remains to be seen whether or not the company will continue executing their hardware roadmap as planned.
You can join the discussion on Intel powering on their 14th Generation Meteor Lake processors on the OC3D Forums.


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Colorado has become the first state in the US to legalise the sale of marijuana for recreational purposes.
Almost 350 stores in the state had been given a licence to sell to 28 grams (1 ounce) of marijuana from January 1.
While consumption in public places remains prohibited, sales are expected to earn more than $US67 million in tax revenue this year.
Washington state voted to legalise marijuana when Colorado did - at a November 2012 election - but stores are not expected to begin selling the drug until later this year.
The sale of the drug has revived debate on the merits of legalising marijuana.
Here is what some ABC readers thought.

domain: news


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Campground Owners of New York (CONY) congratulates treasure hunter Christopher Claycomb from Duke Center, Pa., for finding the special National Get Outdoors Day geocaching coin hidden at Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort in Bath, N.Y., on June 9. Hickory Hill is one of 10 CONY campground locations offering geocaching this summer through Columbus Day, according to a news release.
Upon finding and redeeming the coin on June 9 (this year’s date for National Get Outdoors Day), Christopher was awarded a Garmin eTrex 10 handheld GPS device by Rosemary Curtis, Hickory Hill operations manager.
This is the fourth year CONY is offering geocaching as a summer-long recreational activity for campers and visitors. It is the second year that CONY has offered a geocaching contest as an event for the annual National Get Outdoors Day, which promotes healthy, active outdoor fun.
According to Groundspeak Inc., on its website at geocaching.com, “Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online.” The website notes there are over 1.75 million active geocaches hidden around the world, and over 5 million enthusiasts.
“CONY developed a geocaching program for its member parks so that they could include it as a new and fun outdoor recreational activity for their campers,” said Suzanne Bixby, CONY marketing and communications director. “We want to do all that we can to encourage people – especially young people – to get outdoors and experience the lasting benefits of recreation in addition to camping.”
For more information about geocaching with CONY, go to http://www.gogeocachingny.com/
For more information about CONY campgrounds and RV parks, go to http://www.nycampgrounds.com.
For more information about National Get Outdoors Day, go to http://www.nationalgetoutdoorsday.org.


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Online grocer Hello Fresh nets backing from Vorwerk Ventures of Germany
Online grocery start-up Hello Fresh has secured a seven-figure investment from Vorwerk Ventures of Germany.
Hello Fresh, which has subsidiaries in seven countries including Britain and Germany, delivers boxes of fresh, locally sourced ingredients from independent suppliers to subscribers’ homes. But uniquely, these come with tailored recipes for meals.
In Britain, the cost starts at £36 a week for three meals for two people, rising to £129 a week for a five-meal box for six people.
Fresh face: Hello Fresh boss Ed Boyes says putting tailored recipes in boxes cuts waste
Ed Boyes, Hello Fresh’s 25-year-old UK managing director, said sales at the firm were growing by 50 per cent month on month. About half of its customer base is in London, but Boyes said that take-up was ‘growing steadily in rural areas’.
Hello Fresh, which employs 20 staff in central London, is keen to encourage people to cut back on food wastage through its tailored boxes. Boyes said: ‘We are encouraging people to try new recipes.
It is the next step on from vegetable boxes, where there is often a lot of waste as people don’t know what to cook with the contents.
‘This investment will enable us to capitalise on the success of the past 12 months and develop Hello Fresh into a more widely used, viable alternative to supermarket shopping.’
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TRRAIN Retail Awards
There are millions of retail employees who go beyond their call of duty to provide exemplary customer service. Unfortunately, many of their stories, often, remained unheard. One such story is that of retail employee Chabiraj Jaiswar, from Hypercity, for whom customer service came above all else. When on call, Chabiraj fell on the road while trying to get on a bus, and badly injured his forehead. In spite of his injury, he went to the customer’s house, provided him with the required customer service, and only upon ensuring that the concerned issue was solved, did he go to see a doctor. It was in order to bring stories like the one of retail employee Chabiraj to light, that the TRRAIN Retail Awards was created in 2011.
The TRRAIN Retail Awards are the only retail awards in India, and perhaps in the world, that recognise, acknowledge and felicitate front end retail associates for excellence in customer service, showcasing true retail empowerment.
Established in 1996, MAPIC Awards (add a hyperlink) is a competition that rewards excellence, innovation and creativity in the retail real estate industry. Their newest category, the “Customer Service Excellence Award”, introduced in association with TRRAIN in 2017, evaluates the finest, most innovative and most enduring customer service stories of sales associates at a global level.
One such story is that of Rosario Lozano Bretone, a sales employee at MediaMarkt Saturn Retail Group, who won the ‘Customer Service Excellence Award’ 2017.
Inspired by our TRRAIN Retail Awards, The World Department Store Forum (add a hyperlink) launched an award to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of sales associates and show support to the employees, worldwide. These awards received global participation in both its editions. The winners were established on the basis of their exceptional performances in fulfilling customer expectations, commitment beyond duty, product knowledge, teamwork and commercial results.
The finalists of their first Award ceremony held in Rome, in 2015, were selected by a panel of experts, led by our founder, Mr. B.S. Nagesh. The second edition was held in Toronto, in 2017, and had winners from the UAE, Ireland and USA.
Winners of TRRAIN Retail Awards 2023
On 23rd February 2023, we held the 12th edition of the TRRAIN Retail Awards. With over 300 entries, from more than 160 brands across India, we finally found our top 21 individuals who exceeded everybodyand#39;s expectations, went beyond their call of duty, and delivered customer service excellence. Mr Peyush Bansal, CEO, Lenskart joined our Founder, Mr B S Nagesh, as Chief Guest at the event.


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The Oppo Reno 9 and Reno Find N2 smartphones are set to debut in the Chinese market from Oppo, the smartphone maker. The latest claim indicates that the Chinese smartphone manufacturer may also develop the Oppo Reno 10 Pro + model, which may have a periscope zoom camera similar to that of the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom, which the company introduced in April 2019.
Periscope Zoom camera details
On the Oppo Reno 10x, the Periscope camera introduced 5x optical zoom and 10x hybrid zoom, revolutionizing the smartphone industry. After being included in the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom and Oppo Reno 2 in 2019, the periscope camera module has not been seen on any other Oppo smartphone.
Digital Chat Station, a well-known teacher, posted a question on Chinese social media platform Weibo asking fans if “(they) would like binoculars for the Reno Series Cup?” Noting that the Periscope camera will not be returning to the Reno 9 series for the time being. Mess With Assen, another pupil, recently indicated on Weibo that the periscope camera may return to the Oppo smartphone lineup with the Oppo Reno 10 series. Mess With Assen added that the smartphone is expected to be released by the company sometime in the middle of the year. year 2023.
According to the translation, both devices claim that the periscope camera will be part of the “Super Cup” version of the Oppo Reno 10 series, which is expected to be the more expensive Oppo Reno 10 Pro + model. Additionally, the anonymous guide claims that the rumored Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ smartphone will support 2x optical zoom. However, Oppo has yet to make any official announcements about the Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ or the return of the hardware-based Periscope camera on any of its following phones.


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As search marketing becomes more and more saturated, many businesses are seeking effective new ways of getting their brand in front of prospective customers online.
One of the options open to small businesses is to advertise on social networks, such as Facebook, instead of just buying Google AdWords.
“The thing about AdWords now, for a lot of industries and a lot of sectors, is that it’s so incredibly competitive – much more competitive than it was five years ago,” says Jane Toohey, strategy director at marketing company Lumino. “Unless you can be very specific about your search term, it’s almost too expensive for small businesses.”
While the idea of advertising on social media is an appealing alternative – presenting the possibility of direct, personal engagement with a high segment able audience – it seems counter-intuitive to many business owners. Why would you pay when it’s free to have a fan page? And who wants to read advertisements when they’re browsing friends’ pages, anyway?
The truth is that social media advertising is fast becoming a vital tool in online marketing, and while it doesn’t replace search engine optimization (SEO) or search engine marketing (SEM) by any means, it’s capable of bolstering a brand in ways that more traditional methods can’t.
The key appeal of social media over SEM or SEO is the possibility of creating demand, instead of simply meeting it.
“When you advertise on the traditional pay per click method, such as Google AdWords, you’re basically targeting people that are looking to fulfil a demand,” explains Quentin Aisbett, director of OnQMarketing.
Another benefit to advertising on social media is the repeated exposure it affords businesses. Most members on Facebook, for example, log in to their accounts daily.
“It’s a platform that can be used to regularly engage people,” says Matthew Craig, creative director at MindArc Digital. “Once a user likes your business page, you’re likely to engage them on more occasions than the person who may have found you through AdWords.”
An AdWords impression might only appear to a user once, as a result of a one-off search in Google. Paid ads on Facebook or LinkedIn repeatedly appear according to users’ interests, and if the ad results in converting them into a ‘fan’, every update posted by the business thereafter appears in the user’s news feed, acting as an ongoing series of touchpoints – much preferable to a single highly targeted impression.
This is what Adam Coward, marketing manager of Rhymes Kids Music Festival, likes about advertising on Facebook.
“With any ticketing event, kids events especially, there’s a level of timing that we need to be considerate of,” he says. A Facebook user might be curious enough to click through to the festival’s fan page, and even if it’s not the right time for them to buy a ticket, Rhymes will still probably get a ‘Like’ out of the interaction.
“That ‘like’ cascades into the social media network, where other people see that person’s approval,” says Coward. “Even if you might not be making a sale now, it gives you the opportunity to make a sale further down the track, so it’s a pretty cost-effective product.”
Social media advertising still has some way to grow as a marketing medium, especially in Australia. Currently, the most appropriate platform for small businesses would have to be Facebook. LinkedIn follows closely behind for businesses targeting other businesses, and YouTube is slowly gathering momentum as video marketing takes off in Australia.
Lumino’s Toohey encourages small businesses to make sure the social media platform they have in mind is actually used by their target audience before embarking on a campaign.
“The first thing they’ve got to do is profile their target market and make sure that who they want to speak to is using that particular medium because they don’t all use the same one,” she says. “I wouldn’t recommend social media to anybody until I’d really been sure that their target market was on there.”
Social media allows businesses to segment and target very specifically, so it’s essential to carefully match the product and the tone of the message to the medium in which it’s being marketed.
“For instance, it’s very hard to advertise a business-to-business service on Facebook, but it’s a potential medium for a product, or a fast-moving consumable good,” says Toohey. “In Facebook, it’s about talking their language. They want to be communicated with on their level, they want to build a relationship with you, they don’t want you to be selling them product all the time. It’s more of a social environment,” she continues.
On the other hand, LinkedIn is a much more formal, business-like environment, so advertising should match accordingly.
“You can actually target specific business titles such as marketing directors and CEOs,” says Toohey.
Facebook allows advertisers to target based on location, age, gender, and interests. Businesses enter interests that they want to target, and Facebook matches impressions to users’ status updates and ‘likes’. Ads can then direct to a fan page or to an external landing page. Advertisers specify the maximum price they’re prepared to pay for these specifications, as well as choosing if they want to pay per click or per impression.
Though YouTube is already a household name in Australia, it has yet to take off as an advertising medium for small businesses.
“Video advertising is going to become more and more important,” says MindArc’s Craig, referring to the sponsored videos that appear in YouTube search results. “Understanding the platforms, say YouTube or Vimeo, is probably going to be very useful in the future.”
While many small businesses are yet to see the branding value in using YouTube to advertise their own video content, others are way ahead of the curve.
“We’ve got our own kids’ music channel on YouTube,” says Rhymes Festival’s Coward. “What we see is a massive influx of smart TVs about to hit Australia. With smart TVs comes the ability for people to look at channel 7, or just flick across to YouTube and have a look at any channel in the entire world they want to look at. I can talk to YouTube directly, obviously with my AdWords campaign, instead of having to go through a controlled media like Channel 7 or Channel 9. It’s a new place to be playing, and I think if we don’t skill up in that area, we’re going to be left behind.”


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The digital housebook revolution is about to take over the book market, with more and more bookshops and bookstores opening their doors.
Many of the world’s biggest booksellers are offering the option of home-delivered books for customers to enjoy.
But for booksells that sell books, the choice of a home delivery service is also crucial, says Andrew Schoenberger, vice-president of sales at BookScan, a Toronto-based digital book delivery service.
“We have to look at the volume of books that are actually being sold in the housebook market, and how those books are being delivered,” he says.
“I think that’s a big consideration.”
Home delivery services are the backbone of Amazon’s bookselling business.
But a new, high-end delivery service that could make the traditional delivery model obsolete is now coming to the fore.
BookScan says its new delivery service, BookScan BookShelves, will launch next month and offers a variety of book delivery options for a range of bookstores.
While many of these books will be delivered to a physical bookcase, BookShelf will be a digital version of that.
Customers can order their books in a range from single-spaced books to full-color hardcovers and more.
They’ll then be sent off via a courier or a third-party service to the bookshop.
Schoenberg says the service is designed to be a “one-stop shop” for customers looking for bookshopping help.
BookShingles will also allow customers to pick up their books online, and the company says it will help bookselling owners keep their books safe.
“BookShelve will allow booksellings to offer safe and secure digital bookshares,” says BookScan CEO and founder Jason Miller.
“The convenience and security of a digital bookshop are unparalleled and BookSheshelves is a vital part of the digital bookstore ecosystem.”
A digital house of cards The idea of having an online home delivery business is a novel one for bookstores, says Schoenber.
It’s not only about making bookstores more convenient, but it’s also about making them more efficient.
“It’s like having an entire physical house of books,” he explains.
Schoenborg says it’s important to note that BookShemas main focus is to be the “first to the digital home delivery.” “
So there’s a lot of room for that to grow, and it’s the digital house that’s going to drive that.”
Schoenborg says it’s important to note that BookShemas main focus is to be the “first to the digital home delivery.”
But he says the company also has the ability to grow its services over time.
“There’s a certain amount of flexibility, as well, to the service, so there’s no particular one model or set of services that will take off,” he notes.
“What we are focused on is being the first to the platform.”
Schonborg says he thinks the service will be “very scalable,” and that it could potentially expand over time to handle orders from a wider range of customers.
He says the number of BookShetles that are currently available will increase over time, but that they will not expand to cover every bookseller in the market.
“Our business is going to be growing, but the size of the market will not change.
We’re going to continue to grow that market,” he adds.
“In the longer term, we expect that the number [of BookShedles] will go up as more people start to accept BookSherds.”
What customers can expect when they book A typical bookshop book shelf can hold up to 300 books, according to BookScan.
A typical home delivery bookshop may hold about 20,000 to 30,000 books.
The service currently accepts bookshoes from Amazon and a wide range of retailers including Barnes & Noble, CVS, Walmart, Target, Staples and Best Buy.
Schonberg says BookShestles is in its early days, but he says that the service has been gaining traction in the bookshipping industry.
“Amazon has really embraced this, and we’ve had great discussions with them on how to make BookShere the best platform to deliver books,” says Schonberger.
He adds that BookScan’s business model is already helping to grow BookSshelf’s user base.
“They’re growing really rapidly, and they’ve been able to grow their service so that it’s really scalable,” he reveals.
“People are very happy with BookSShelf.
They’re getting value for money from their books.”
What’s next for BookSheet?
Schoenboer says BookShelf will continue to offer the best prices and services.
“If you look at BookShealt’s pricing, they’re pricing books at just $5 per title, and that’s still an amazing price point for a home


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SPRINGDALE: Tyson Foods significantly expanded a recall of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strips to close to 12 million pounds (5.4 million kg) over contamination concerns, the US Department of Agriculture said on Saturday.
The Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said it was aware of six complaints from consumers who found pieces of metal in the product.
“Consumers expect that the food they eat is safe. In their best interest and in an abundance of caution we’re taking quick and decisive action to expand this recall,” said Barbara Masters, DVM, vice president of regulatory food policy, food and agriculture for Tyson Foods.
“Our company is taking corrective action at the location that makes these products. We have discontinued use of the specific equipment believed to be associated with the metal fragments, and we will be installing metal-detecting X-ray machinery to replace the plant’s existing metal-detection system. We will also be using a third-party video auditing system for metal-detection verification.”
“Safety is at the core of everything we do. We’re committed to producing safe, healthy food that our consumers and customers can rely on every day,” Masters said.
“It is unacceptable to Tyson Foods that any product might not meet our standards. Because of these additional consumer reports, we’ve decided to take this precautionary step to make sure that we’re meeting our own expectations and the expectation of consumers.”
Saturday’s recall covered around 11.8 million pounds of the product, adding to 69,000 pounds the company recalled in March after food safety inspectors received two complaints of extraneous material found by consumers.
Tyson said in a separate statement that the additionally recalled chicken strips were produced at the same location as the first recalled batch, and had before-use dates between Oct. 1, 2019 and March 7, 2020.
A majority of those products had already been consumed without any incidents being reported, Tyson said.
In January, Tyson recalled a batch of chicken nuggets because of possible contamination with rubber.


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In 2014, researchers at the University of Kentucky found "robust evidence that computer programming enthusiasts and illegal activity drive interest in bitcoin, and find limited or no support for political and investment motives". Australian researchers have estimated that 25% of all bitcoin users and 44% of all bitcoin transactions are associated with illegal activity as of April 2017. There were an estimated 24 million bitcoin users primarily using bitcoin for illegal activity. They held $8 billion worth of bitcoin, and made 36 million transactions valued at $72 billion. A group of researches analyzed bitcoin transactions in 2016 and came to a conclusion that "some recent concerns regarding the use of bitcoin for illegal transactions at the present time might be overstated".
More recently, at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill, global economist and New York University professor Nouriel Roubini said, "Crypto is the mother or father of all scams and bubbles." He called out "swindlers" who tapped into investors' fear of missing out and took them for a ride with "crappy assets that went into a bust and crash — in a matter of months — like you have not seen in any history of financial bubbles."
Latest Cryptocurrency Price


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As December rolled in, prices of the four commodity resins continued on the downward trajectory and market analysts predicted that this would last into at least the first month of the year. Ditto for the most common engineering resins. These are the views of purchasing consultants at Resin Technology, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, and CEO Michael Greenberg of The Plastics Exchange, Chicago.
PE PRICES DOWN
PE prices dropped 3¢/lb industrywide by the end of November, and further price relief was anticipated into the new year. "Domestic resin prices will continue to track oil prices—up or down. Oil priced at over $90/barrel is a whole different ballgame from oil at $65/barrel," says Mike Burns, RTi’s v.p. for PE.
In late November, The Plastics Exchange’s Greenberg described the PE spot market as very active, with prices dropping by 3¢/lb and nearly all grades readily available. He also reported that PE export prices plunged as PE suppliers dropped their asking prices to compete with lower global price levels.
"People are now buying as needed, as they expect lower prices, and supplier inventories will grow," says Burns, who thinks domestic PE prices are not likely to bottom out until after the Chinese New Year in mid-February.
Burns expects demand for 2014 to exceed growth of GDP, but cautions that it will be measured by how much domestic suppliers lower prices compared with global pricing levels. PE prices this year could be lower than 2013 and 2014 levels, he says. If not, an escalation in imports of finished goods and a halt to reshoring is feared.
PP PRICES TUMBLE
Polypropylene prices dropped 5¢/lb in November, nixing out October’s 4¢/lb increase, all in step with propylene monomer price movement. PP prices were expected to drop further last month—at least another 5¢ and possibly a whopping 7-9¢/lb, according to Scott Newell, RTi’s director of client services for PP.
As November came to a close, Greenberg reported that spot PP trading was slightly above average, with material availability improved yet still on the tight side. He also noted that demand for spot material was lackluster, as buyers were anticipating PP prices to drop in December. PP suppliers have been managing their production output in line with demand, so the market is fairly tight, according to Newell. He anticipated processors increasing their buying activity last month as prices fell. Neither he nor Greenberg saw much chance of PP prices increasing this month, so further buying activity is likely.
Newell points out that PP suppliers were able to pass on a 2¢/lb margin expansion, over and above the price increases of propylene monomer, to several customers in the early fourth quarter. He expected this to be implemented industrywide by the end of this month, despite the falling prices. He expected 2014 would finish with a slight increase in PP demand, about 1%, and he projects 2015 to be the start of healthier growth. Among the drivers is monomer availability, which will be even better when Dow brings on stream its new "on-purpose" propylene plant in the second half of the year.
PS PRICES DROP MORE
Polystyrene prices dropped 3¢/lb in November and a couple of suppliers announced decreases of 4¢/lb for last month. Further price decline is likely this month, according to Mark Kallman, RTi’s v.p. of client services for engineering resins, PS, and PVC. Such movement would cancel out the 6¢ increases left over in 2014.
Driving the downward slide is the precipitous decline in November contract prices for benzene, which dropped by 48¢/ gal to $3.37/gal; and of ethylene, which fell another 5¢/lb following a 4¢ drop in October. Spot prices for both were significantly lower than contract prices in December, so further declines were expected for this month.
PVC PRICES LOWER
PVC prices dropped 2-3¢/lb in November and were expected to drop another 2-3¢ in December, according to RTi’s Kallman. Last year, PVC prices moved up a total of 11¢/lb.
Kallman ventured that prices would drop even further this month, driven by the declining costs of ethylene and chlorine. Moreover, he noted that higher domestic prices are limiting PVC exports, as PVC prices abroad have dropped even more significantly— similar to the scenario taking place in the domestic PE market.
ABS PRICES DOWN
ABS prices dropped throughout the fourth quarter about 2-4%, driven by the drop in benzene, butadiene, and styrene prices. A further slide was very likely this month, according to Kallman.
Asian ABS prices also dropped quite a bit, and competitive imports continue to be a factor in the domestic market. Modest growth in demand is expected this year, as was the case in 2014, with ABS continuing to face competition from lower-cost resins, particularly PP.
PC PRICES HEADING DOWNWARD
Polycarbonate prices trended flat after spiking last summer due to cost spikes in benzene and propylene, but the reversal in feedstock costs is putting pressure on suppliers. According to Kallman, this month could be the test, when quarterly contracts are typically drawn up.
Domestic supply is trending from ample to balanced with Styron’s exit from the PC commodity market. Low growth is likely for this year (as it was for 2014) for this resin, owing to upticks in the automotive and construction sectors. Globally, there is a glut of PC, and although one Asian PC shutdown has been announced, more are needed to eliminate the glut. Kallman sees downward pricing pressure on domestic PC prices from cheaper imports if the glut continues.
NYLON PRICES DOWN
Nylon 6 prices dropped 2-4% by the end of November, and even lower prices were expected for December and January, driven by the steep benzene price drop. Demand has been pretty flat, with processors looking forward to lower prices. Kallman said some pre-buying demand growth is possible through the first quarter before prices bottom out, followed by relatively more stable pricing.
Nylon 66 prices were flat by year’s end, with strong downward pressure from falling benzene, propylene, and butadiene tabs. Kallman generally expected lower prices this month, depending on quarterly contract agreements and on polymerization route (propylene vs. butadiene based). Domestic demand for 2015 is expected to be better than 2014, with the trend toward lightweighting in automotive moving from small-to-medium-sized cars to larger SUVs and pick-up trucks, Kallman says.
Keep an eye on the Plastics Technology blog at ptonline.com/blog for more updates on resin prices as they unfold.


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In its first meeting last month, the Streaming Media Advertising Advisory Council began work toward standardizing streaming media advertising.
But like other such organizations that have been tagged as self-serving, premature and unnecessary, SMAAC is comprised of industry executives striving to establish standards for a largely unproven and underutilized ad medium.
“Right now the streaming experience is pretty bad and there is so little being done we haven't bothered tracking it,” said Jim Nail, online advertising analyst at Forrester Research, Cambridge, MA. “Even when we do start seeing more of these types of ads, they are likely to be like re-purposed TV ads. I'm also sure they would like to sell them now as branding advertising, but the audience measurement is not there; it's barely there with other forms of online advertising.”
While there has been interest in streaming advertising, many efforts have come off as self-serving. Last year, RealNetworks and DoubleClick partnered with the premise of serving ads in RealPlayer streams and tracking them with DoubleClick's ad tracking technology. Meanwhile, Microsoft launched its Broadband Jumpstart program with partner Engage Media, which would track and serve ads in the Windows Media Player.
SMAAC consists of 275 individuals from marketing firms, streaming media companies, and traditional and interactive advertising agencies.
Nail said the problem with SMAAC and similar organizations is that members try to accomplish goals in their “nonexistent spare time. Trade groups tend to work best when you have dedicated, full-time staff that can deal with the organization and the issues.”
And while SMAAC's membership consists of individuals from a variety of companies and agencies, it was founded by eYada.com, or more specifically, David Bialek, eYada's vice president of sales. The company touts itself as an online forum for live discussion.
Bialek said the group plans to address what it deems to be the three most important topics related to streaming media advertising: audience measurement, the buying and selling of these ads and ad serving. It intends to do so by holding quarterly meetings and creating awareness at industry events. It also might develop an educational road show.
But for Bialek, the group also represents his company's need to educate media buyers and agencies, for these ads are what eYada wants on its site.
“Our intent is to grow our business and the only way to do that is to get the industry on board with the idea of buying and selling this form of advertising,” Bialek says. “EYada is definitely a forum for these ads to be heard and seen.”
Bialek said he is realistic about SMAAC's mission and does not expect the group will set all of the standards for such a new form of advertising.
“We don't think anything we propose will be set in stone or followed by everyone, but we do need to establish a way to buy and sell this highly effective medium,” he said. “Education is the most important issue now. We all need to spend a lot of time at the client level to show the benefits to the advertiser.”
When asked about working with already established and recognized Internet advertising groups, such as the Internet Advertising Bureau and Future of Advertising Stakeholders, Bialek said SMAAC has made those groups aware of what it is doing, but it has “not had much involvement with them yet.”
SMAAC's Web site, www.smaac.net, is being updated. The group also plans to form subgroups over the next few weeks to discuss specific topics proposed through panel discussions. The group does not plan to formally meet again until January.


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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently looking into Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans’ reported front brake failures. This investigation is in response to reports of front brake lines on these Ford sedans rupturing and leaking, which could lead to braking system failure. There have already been 50 complaints, and Ford and NHTSA are collaborating to find a fix.
The NHTSA investigation comes in response to a series of 50 complaints mentioning problems with the front brake lines of Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans from 2013 to 2018. The front brake lines on these sedans are allegedly rupturing or leaking fluid without much notice, according to complaints. There are numerous safety concerns as a result of the brake system’s inability to function properly due to brake fluid leakage.
The Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans from 2013 to 2018 are not currently subject to a recall because of braking problems. Before a solution is implemented, NHTSA and Ford are conducting an investigation to learn more about this issue.
If Ford decides not to conduct a full recall after the investigation is over, NHTSA may still order one. It would make sense to offer a remedy to customers who own 2013 to 2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans for such a simple part that could have serious consequences.
To make sure there are no air bubbles in the braking system, a recall might involve replacing the front brake lines with a braking system bleed. If there are air bubbles in the braking fluid, the system won’t function properly, which could result in uneven stopping power. Any problems discovered during the NHTSA investigation should be resolved by this straightforward fix.
Read More: Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV Rendering
The Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans from 2013 to 2018 are the final sedans produced by the brand before it switches to only producing SUVs and trucks. Ford will support this last batch of sedans to ensure that owners are taken care of after the NHTSA investigation.


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Swiss Retail Sales Fall Most In 8 Months
Swtizerland’s retail sales decreased for a third month in row in December, and at the fastest pace since April, despite Christmas holidays as households cut back on spending amid high inflation, preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office showed Tuesday.
Total retail sales decreased 2.8 percent year-on-year following a revised 1.4 percent slump in November. Economists had expected the pace of decline to moderate to 0.7 percent.
This was the worst fall since April, when sales shrank 5.7 percent.
Excluding service stations, sales decreased 3.0 percent following a 1.8 percent fall in the previous month.
In December, the biggest decline of 9.6 percent was witnessed in the group that included sales of other household equipment, textiles, do-it-yourself products and furniture.
This was followed by a 6.2 percent fall in the sales of food, beverages, and tobacco. Non-food sales decreased 0.6 percent.
Read more: Swiss KOF Leading Indicator At 7-Month High Suggests Less Gloom
Sales of information and communication equipment grew at 1.2 percent, which was sharply slower than the strong double-digit growth in the segment over the past few months.
Cultural and recreational goods, and other goods segments also registered sales growth in December.
Online sales and those through mail order fell for a third month, down 0.3 percent, which was slower than the declines in the past two months.
Clothing and footwear sales grew for the first time in three months, up 1.5 percent. Motor fuel sales increased 5.8 percent after a 0.7 percent rise in the previous month.
Read more: Switzerland Inflation Surges To 2.8% In 2022
On a month-on-month basis, retail sales decreased a real 1.7 percent in December, after a 0.6 percent increase in November. This was also the worst fall since April and was driven by an 8.5 percent slump in sales of information and communication equipment.
For the full year 2022, retail sales grew a real 0.2 percent.
Source: Read Full Article


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Panasonic Corporation is paying $30m for a two per cent stake in electric car maker Tesla. handshake for Tesla Panasonic deal The deal deepens an existing relationship; Panasonic supplies the lithium-ion batteries upon which the Lotus-based car depends. But Tesla had also used batteries from other manufacturers and now …
Coming soon, the Tesla Technics. Exactly the same car, only with a better paint job and more chrome bits. To be sold at double the current price.
And it still won't sound like a sports car really should.....
I'm wondering why Telsa don't just make an offer for Lotus...
RE: AC - look at the history of Tesla
Tesla has more chance of being bought by Lotus because they survive on handouts.
They hardly make any profit and that's why they always need more investment.
Plus a lawsuit by a founder of Tesla almost bought the company down a while ago so they're not strong enough to support Lotus and themselves unless everyone suddenly gets a lot richer and starts buying their expensive leccy cars.
The thing i want to know...
Does this mean bigger, more expensive Panasonic batteries for the remote or loads of smaller batteries for the Tesla Roadster?
Surely thats Pioneer? lolz.
Techics part of Matsushita
Pioneer are independant, Technics are owned by Panasonics parent company.
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June 1 is Drawing Day all across the world, and to celebrate, Michaels will give away free sketch books to the first 50 children to participate in Kids Club classes at each of its 1,100-plus stores that Saturday.
Drawing Day is a worldwide event established in 2008 to encourage everyone to “drop everything and draw” to show appreciation for art, artists and illustrators.
Michaels craft specialists will show Kids Club participants sketching techniques in half-hour sessions that start at 10, 10:30 and 11 a.m. Each session costs $2 per child ages 3 and older.
Michaels Kids Club classes are held every Saturday at all United States and Canada stores from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and each week a different craft or skill is highlighted.
Customers can view available classes online at Michaels.com.


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The Heinz Kraft Company Could Be Warren Buffet’s Next Big Winner
If there’s one thing Warren Buffett knows well, it’s that a single great investment with big returns can wipe out the negativity generated by a few bad ones. Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A), stands ready to post record profit levels on Friday, November 6th on the back of a robust gain in its Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) stake, with the KHC stock price poised to grow even further.
Buffett in fact was instrumental in helping to negotiate and finance the merger of the large food company, of which Berkshire Hathaway happily became the largest shareholder back in July. The Kraft Heinz Company Stock price has done exceptionally well as of late.
Kraft Heinz stock Is Only The Beginning
Despite Buffett’s hit-or-miss investment record this year, this will go far in resurrecting what would have been an otherwise unspectacular year for his investment firm. Shares in Berkshire Hathaway have in fact dipped more than nine percent since December 31, 2014. GEICO Insurance, one of the biggest units in the conglomerate, has struggled to find its footing in the face of surging claims expenses. (Source: “G turns to civil suits in bid to fight fraud,” Boston Globe, November 2, 2015.)
Likewise, BNSF, Berkshire’s railroad, has increased spending in an effort to claw back market share. (Source: “Ardagh Pulls Share Sale on Tough IPO Market in U.S.,” Bloomberg, November 2, 2015.) But several other big-name stocks under Buffett’s belt have also struggled as of late, including American Express Company, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and International Business Machines Corporation.
The Bright Side to the Equation, and What it means for KHC stock
Now, despite Buffett’s reputation being that of a market oracle who knows a winning stock when he sees one, this year’s performance was a dismal one indeed. The big exception of course is his home run with KHC stock. But every smart investor knows that we all have our bad years, and that includes legendary billionaire Warren Buffett.
But not all of the losses have been the result of a lack of foresight. GEICO for example has struggled largely as a result of the industry-wide rise in automobile accident frequency and severity. Insurance companies with large exposure to automobiles have had to raise rates to offset increased losses, which has hurt their bottom line when it comes to stock performance.
Small Successes Can Make Up for Small Failures
But the Kraft Heinz Company stock price is not the only surprise success of Warren Buffet’s, because the investment guru has hit several other small-scale home runs this year. Buffett turned a healthy profit after having cut and run from his stake in Munich Re, the biggest reinsurer in the world. (Source: “Why Warren Buffett Sold Munich Re,” Forbes, October 7, 2015.) With success like that on his resume, you can bet that Kraft Heinz stock might be poised for a huge upswing soon.
But it doesn’t end there, because he is also about to gain from his 17% holding in Symetra Financial Corp., which is currently bracing itself for a $3.7 billion acquisition. The billionaire investor is also banking on his huge investment in precision Castparts Corp., a manufacturer of high-grade metal parts in the aerospace and energy sectors.
There’s no denying that businesses of all kinds have a tendency to flourish when Warren Buffett acquires a position in them. The KHC stock price is direct evidence of that. The investor has displayed an impressive ability to take a sober look at a market and identify the right stock picks. Berkshire Hathaway’s multi-decade success story stands as a quiet testament to this.
Stay in the loop. Follow Peter on Facebook and Twitter.


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Have you seen an increase in your fleet insurance?
Fleet News Buying Group
Director of a caravan firm has been disqualified from running HGVs after he put the lives of other road users at risk by allowing another driver to abuse road safety rules.
Slow progress of technology and charging infrastructure blamed for delay.
GreenRoad will partner with Smith System, a provider of collision avoidance driver training, to offer in-vehicle driver safety technology and coaching.
AA Recovery patrol of the year Tony Doran has become one of the first to collect the keys to a new breed of Mercedes-Benz truck.
Vehicle leasing provider Vanarama has launched a short-term leasing product.
It has only sold one electric van to date, but Iveco is so confident EVs are the future that it has appointed Martin Flach to the new position
When your clients are the leading chefs in some of the UK’s top starred restaurants, turning up late or with produce that is not completely fresh is simply not an option
Many fleets avoid dealer workshops and repair their vans and trucks at their own facilities instead. We ask why this works for them and what tips they have for others considering a similar approach
Planned special zones to reduce CO2 and NO2 in the air have prompted a step up in the search for viable alternative fuels and different methods of delivery


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Microsoft Corp. has sued an anonymous computer hacker whose free program allows users to copy digital movies and songs by bypassing a software protection built into the company's Media player.
The world's biggest software maker charges the hacker known as "Viodentia" has illegally obtained propriety source code to produce the program called FairUse4WM, sparking fears it could enable consumers to illegally copy digital content.
The program's name is a reference to legal rulings in which courts recognize "fair use" as the ability for consumers to copy recordings for personal use. Some consumer advocates argue that the digital media industry is ignoring that right in its attempt to stop illegal duplication.
The lawsuit marks the company's latest attempt to stop the programmer, who has repeatedly released updates to the program in response to Microsoft patches aimed at stopping the tool that strips away digital management rights code.
The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction as well as unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
"This software program enables users to alter or remove Microsoft's DRM from Windows Media files (i.e. it allows users to wrongfully access or copy a copyrighted music or movie file," the company said in its lawsuit filed in U.S. District Use in Seattle.
But a person using the identity Viodentia said in a Web posting the program has never involved Microsoft source code. The programmer also said in an online interview with Engadget that the lawsuit was a "fishing expedition to get identity information" in a bid to bring more lawsuits.
Microsoft could not immediately be reached for comment, but one legal expert viewed the lawsuit as a way for the company to slow distribution of the program and scare would-be users from taking advantage of it to duplicate copyrighted content.
Allonn Levy, an attorney specializing in intellectual property on the Internet, said the program also highlights major problem facing content providers and software makers such as Microsoft as consumer demand grows for Web delivery of content such as movies and music.
"It shows that whomever is producing the DRM, even if it is the biggest software maker in the world, they are going to have to continually update and change that DRM because it is going to be cracked," Levy said.
Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited.


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Tinted with a touch of the retro boudoir and reimagined through an anime lens, there is an overt sexualization of youth that would make the previous generation of Lolita fashion aficionados blush. If you can’t quite imagine the look, a trip to Harajuku and the VeryBrain popup shop in LaForet Harajuku, which will be there until the 22nd.
Renowned artist and one of Vogue Japan’s 2012 Women of the Year, Asami Kiyokawa is back on the radar with a high-profile exhibition in collaboration with Tokyo street-fashion bible FRUiTS magazine for its "Tokyo Monsters" magazine.
Uniqlo's continues last year’s partnership with the French fashion icon Ines de la Fressange. The early spring collection comprises feminine Paris-chic designs, such as pink retro tennis looks and a safari-inspired line. If history is anything to go by, this whole line will sell out quickly, and while roll out to physical stores starts Jan. 8, the preview online sales that end Dec. 20 have already started.
ulia burst on the scene as an underground electro DJ in her teens, quickly rising in the echelons of music to become one of Japan’s most famous DJs today. She started out in the fashion world early, designing accessories for her brand Giza, before being tapped to head campaigns for the likes of Cartier and H&M. “Growing Pains” is now available at the Cannabis boutique in Tokyo.


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FromSoftware has revealed the road design philosophy behind Armored Core 6 including why they avoided an open world style for the upcoming mech battler.
Bandai Namco has dropped a 10-minute-long Armored Core 6 preview, showing off combat, mech customization, and hints as to the game's plot.
It’s early days, but MMO action RPG Blue Protocol looks like it’ll deliver a bombastic anime adventure with a lot of heart.
Star Wars Outlaws' new behind-the-scenes trailer shows off all sorts of delightful new content. Also Tatooine is here.
Remnant 2 is full of rich environments and tantalizing lore, but lacks the polished combat and sense of focus that gives Soulsborne games their distinctive appeal.
Diablo 4's development team used the latest Campfire Chat to apologize for their alleged mistakes with the latest patch.
I was initially skeptical of blockchain-powered extraction FPS Shrapnel, but its novel setting, distinctive game modes, and scope for character customization have won me over.
I studied economics at Cambridge and University College London, but 5 years of training couldn’t prepare me for Starfield’s financial absurdity.
The Premier League has announced a new multi-year partnership extension with EA Sports FC, promising years of football for fans.
Bandai Namco's free-to-play hero shooter Gundam Evolution is shutting down less than a year after its initial launch.
Alan Wake 2 looks set to offer up a seriously spooky sequel to the beloved original. Here's what we know so far.
Indie developers Good Shepherd has teamed up with Rebellion to publish video games set in the 2000 AD universe.
The deadline on Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been pushed back to appeal the UK government's block.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth now has a release date, and it's coming sooner than you might think. Here's everything we know.
Sorcerers have received another nerf courtesy of Diablo 4's latest patch, leaving several high-end builds worse for wear.
The UK's games industry trade association has revealed an 11-point plan to restrict loot box purchases.
Baldur's Gate 3's released on August 3, and here's everything we knew about the title leading up to its launch.
Best Our list of the best JRPGs will take you on fantastical adventures, full of memorable characters and iconic setpieces.
Final Fantasy 14 offers an ensemble cast of characters, but, thanks to a player survey, we discovered that one of them stands above the rest in the eyes of fans.
In advance of Microsoft's likely acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the software giant has agreed with Sony to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation.
We spoke with Xbox corporate vice president Dave McCarthy to find out what the console’s new voice reporting feature means for the community.
In a curious turn of events, musical RPG Stray Gods has been forced to move its release date so as not to clash with Baldur's Gate 3, which, itself, moved to avoid Starfield.
Despite Microsoft's victory in a US court battle over its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard, the FTC hasn't given up the fight.


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Ajit Pai on What the FCC Has Done Right
Since assuming the chairmanship of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2017, Ajit Pai has insisted on taking a market-based approach to regulating the nation’s always-evolving telecommunications industry. He started his tenure by repealing Obama-era net neutrality rules, despite vocal opposition from congressional Democrats and progressive crusaders who worried that allowing internet service providers to offer products tiered by price and speed would lead to a massive gulf between internet haves and have-nots.
In a conversation with Reason‘s Nick Gillespie, Pai stands by that decision. “We saw predictions that this was the end of the internet,” he says. But the internet is faster now than it was when net neutrality rules were repealed, and America’s digital infrastructure was even able to withstand the massive changes in online behavior brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to increased regulatory certainty, companies “were able to build a lot stronger networks in the last three years before anyone even heard of COVID,” he says.
Q: You’ve said that your priority since becoming FCC chairman in January 2017 has been closing the digital divide. How is that going?
A: We’re in the midst of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, a $20 billion reverse auction program. We’re allocating money to underserved parts of the country through the market mechanism—not just by cutting a check to a fly-by-night operator and saying “vaya con Dios” but by using the auction mechanism that [Nobel-winning economist] Ronald Coase pioneered almost 60 years ago.
Q: How does an auction help people who don’t have access to good broadband?
A: The traditional model was a universal service fund program that essentially cuts a check to a rural telephone company. Those rural telephone companies didn’t have a strong impetus to use that money to build out the networks, especially in these rural o
Article from Latest – Reason.com


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The status of the new Tesla Roadster, due to be released in 2020, is currently uncertain. However, we have published a new ad that will inspire you in the meantime for the electric super car.
The new Tesla Roadster In the last two years Tesla has aroused great interest in the industry.
When Tesla unveiled the vehicle for the first time, he set a list of impressive specifications for his new roadster, including 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds and 620 mile range and more.
Other manufacturers of supercars even stated that they would raise the standard for them.
CEO Elon Musk has also classified these specifications as "base specifications" and other versions as even crazier. [1
First, the CEO said that these engines, which are basically small rocket engines, are "dramatically improving" acceleration, driving speed, braking, and cornering, "he says, but also id that it" might even allow that one Tesla is flying ".
Originally, Musk talked about launching the new Tesla Roadster in 2020, but recently he has softened expectations as to when the super sports car will be released – it's not a priority.
The last time the CEO talked about the timing, he told me last month that Tesla is aiming for a roadster hover demonstration with the SpaceX package by the end of 2020.
Maybe we have not seen much of the new roadster this year, but in the meantime
He used the song "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk because he says that's what the new Tesla Roadster represents. A new harder, better, faster, stronger super sports car.
When Musk unveiled the new roadster prototype, he said Tesla's goal was to "smack down" gasoline vehicles by eliminating the halo effect, with the best available super sports car available.
I think the specification panel does that. It was fun and I thought I would share it.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.


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Less 4% of British startups sought crowdfunding as Brexit could worsen the scenario.
Investors should be cognizant that while equity crowdfunding might provide prospects for good financial returns in the future, the flip side is that firms on these platforms are high risk in nature.
While there’s no shortage of financial technology startups, few have been brave enough to enter the public market, Bloomberg argues.
How the new generation of art entrepreneurs is using equity crowdfunding to innovate the art industry. EXCLUSIVE.
Based in London, Stakeholderz is a spinout of the talent recruitment firm Intramezzo.
Videos are a vital part of any crowdfunding campaign. How do platforms use videos to communicate themselves?
Latin America FinTech program invites all early-stage startups from around the world to apply.
How editorially-led shopping platform Own The Look is using crowdfunding as a digital marketing strategy.
Interviewed by Forbes, Republics’ Caroline Hoffmann presented their crytpo platform.
The British fund manager has introduced a global in-residence programme for technology start-ups.


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Cyprus is now being rewarded for the prompt and drastic action the government took to restrict the spread of the coronavirus. The tough lockdown regime imposed in mid-March is now paying dividends with the island having all but returned to normality – airports will open on Tuesday – and, most importantly, being considered a safe place. We might not be completely free of the coronavirus, but the daily confirmed cases have been very low even though the lockdown ended two weeks ago.
On Thursday, during an extended telephone conversation with President Anastasiades, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel “congratulated the president for Cyprus’ positive results and informed him that Cyprus is among the countries considered to be safe destinations for German tourists,” said the deputy government spokesman Panayiotis Sentonas. This endorsement by Merkel is a fantastic piece of news for Cyprus and our tourism industry, although it cannot be used as a slogan to advertise the island as a safe tourist destination. It is, however, a crystal-clear vote of confidence in Cyprus as a holiday destination.
This was not the only positive news for the tourism sector. According to online holiday rentals platform Clickstay, holidaymakers were showing increased confidence in travelling to Cyprus. In the past week 21 per cent of page views on Clickstay were for holiday apartments and villas in Cyprus. In the corresponding period in 2019 only seven per cent of page views were for accommodation on the island. This would suggest the news about Cyprus being a safe holiday destination is spreading.
Safety is the first thing most holidaymakers would be looking for and Cyprus is in a very good position. The number of coronavirus deaths has been extremely low, the health system has coped comfortably with confirmed cases, tracing has been effectively conducted and the percentage of testing is among the highest in the EU. The authorities did everything right and the overwhelming majority of people obeyed the decrees. Now we can reap the benefits of this very good work.
In this context, the government is correct to increase the penalties for businesses that violate the coronavirus decrees. Tough penalties, which are expected to be approved on Friday by the legislature, will force businesses to follow the rules, because some laxness had been reported at bars and cafes. With the threat of crippling fines and eventual suspension of the business, enterprises will obey the rules. The government, quite rightly, does not want to lose the ‘safe’ brand the island has justifiably earned and which will greatly assist the restart of the economy.


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Catch car show and sock hop Feb. 6 at fairgrounds
Whether you are a casual admirer or a devoted collector, cars get top billing Feb. 6 at Oregon State Fairgrounds with a show, auction and sock hop.
The Left Coast Sha’Bang, hosted by Gone So Low Customs, is a variety car show. After two years in Albany, the show has moved to Salem.
“The Left Coast Sha’Bang is unlike any other show around,” event co-organizer Sara Muzechenko said. “We call it the sha’bang based on that it’s the whole sha’bang ... a little bit of everything. From Peterbilt custom trucks to mini trucks to rad rods, we cater to everything.”
It’s a show for everyone who appreciates the custom-car scene, Muzechenko added.
“My husband and I personally have a custom hot rod mini truck and a rat rod custom,” she said.
Got a car to show? Anyone is welcome to display their ride. The fee is $35, and all cars must be loaded in on Friday.
But the show isn’t just about cars; there also will be vendors and live music by Jesus Chrysler and the Holy Smokes.
“They are a conglomeration of a couple bands,” Muzechenko said. “We are excited to have them perform as a group at our show.”
An awards ceremony, beginning at 4 p.m., will round out the activities.
While at the fairgrounds, stop by the Jackman-Long Building to check out the Salem Collector Car Auction.
Then stay later for “A Night of Rock-n-Roll.” Organized by Jim Billings, the event will feature dancing, live music and vintage vehicles.
Billings, no stranger to the car scene, hosts a variety of area car shows throughout the year, but this is the first time he has hosted a sock hop. He’s aiming to provide an authentic retro feel to the night.
“Just like we used to do back in the '60s,” he said.
“I am going to have a car display,” Billings said. “Ten cars, period perfect — what we would have had in the 60s — sitting around for atmosphere. There will be no muscle cars. Although I like them, I want this to be period.”
Billings will be bringing his '59 Chevy, an old-school hot rod, and '51 Suburban. He also anticipates there will be a couple more Chevys, a coupe, a roadster and more.
JT & The Tourists will play '50s and '60s rock 'n’ roll.
Beer, wine and food — burgers, hot dogs and fries — will be available for purchase.
“It’s a three-event day at the fairgrounds,” Billings said. “Go to the auction, go across to the car show, then stay for the sock hop. It’s going to be quite a day.”
Email email@example.com, call (503) 399-6671, or follow on Twitter @CarleeWrightSJ
Third annual Left Coast Sha'bang
- When: 8 a.m. to after awards at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6
- Where: Columbia Hall, Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE
- Cost: $35 to show a car and $8 for spectators or $5 with a food donation to benefit the Union Gospel Mission of Salem
- Information: (503) 851-5067
A Night of Rock-n-Roll
- When: 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6
- Where: Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE
- Cost: $10; free parking.
- Age: 21 and older
- Information: (503) 930-7151
Salem Collector Car Auction
- When: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 6
- Where: Jackman-Long Building, Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE
- Cost: $5
- Information: (541) 689-6824 or go to petersencollectorcars.com


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With approximately 70 million possible tablet users by year end and 4.6 billion smartphones being used worldwide, it’s safe to say credit union members are mobile.
Keeping the attention of mobile visitors is no easy task. Here are some ways to help make that happen.
The 388,000 members of the $4 billion Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union are now being offered two new mobile banking applications.
Software developed by EasCorp subsidiary Vertifi Software LLC.
A revolution is brewing in the payments industry. The future of payments technology is now in the hands of consumers in the form of their mobile devices and smart phones.
A primer for credit unions facing the mobile banking triple play question.
Online banking vendor expands mobile lineup, says 400,000 Droids now activated daily.
The sheer speed with which the iPad has become a household name has been remarkable, analysts and industry observers said, and that success has
Bluepoint Solutions said it now is offering a mobile remote-deposit capture solution that will allow camera-equipped smartphones to be used to deposit checks.
A mobile remote deposit capture (RDC) solution that allows camera-equipped smartphones to be used to deposit checks is now being offered by Bluepoint Solutions.


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Retailers slashed their prices by up to 80 per cent to tempt customers to spend
Retailers slashed their prices by up to 80 per cent to tempt consumers to spend big after a slow autumn and poor Black Friday sales at the end of last month (NOV).
River Island, H&M, Sports Direct, Argos and Sainsbury’s were offering huge seasonal discounts - with many more sales due to kick-off early instead of after Christmas.
Average discounts of 45 per cent were being offered on the busiest day of Christmas shopping calendar yesterday (SAT), which was dubbed “Panic Saturday”.
It is a clear sign that retailers are being faced with what is now an annual uphill battle
Around 12.6 million Britons were expected to hit the sales in search of cutprice buys, according to the Centre for Retail Research.
Due to Christmas falling on a Friday this year, “Panic Saturday” was expected to kick off a £6 billion six-day spending spree, which is a 23 per cent increase on the same period last year when Christmas Day fell on the Thursday.
The discounts being offered were the biggest since 2008. Jason Gordon, consumer business partner at Deloitte, said: “Compared to 2014, there is already a noticeable increase in both the volume and value of discounts in the run-up to Christmas this year.
Around 12.6 million Britons were expected to hit the sales
“Whilst this is good news for consumers looking to grab a bargain, it is a clear sign that retailers are being faced with what is now an annual uphill battle.”
Claire Davenport, managing director for VoucherCodes, said: “Big brands seem to be kicking off Christmas earlier every year with festive adverts and discount shopping days fuelling spending, but that doesn’t stop Brits finishing their shopping at the last possible minute with billions to be spent on and offline in the final week before the big day.”
Billions is yet to be spent on and offline in the final week before the big day
Highways England reported heavy traffic on roads leading into major shopping centres, such as on the M25 for consumers heading to Bluewater near Dartford in Kent, resulting in tailbacks.
A spokesman for the government roads authority said Christmas Eve is expected to be the busiest day on the roads for the festive getaway.
He said: “Our advice is to allow plenty of time for your journey, and to check the weather and traffic before leaving.”


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Grimsby and Immingham remains the UK's largest and busiest port, according to figures released by the government.
The port handled 62.6 million tonnes of cargo last year, up 4 per cent from 60.1 million the previous year. It was some distance ahead of second placed London which handled 43.2 tonnes in 2013.
Grimsby and Immingham handled some 12 per cent of total tonnage nationwide last year.
It has remained the UK's busiest port since 2000.


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The profit of Rs268.6bn has been transferred to the federal government.
AGPn has detected irregularities in sales tax, income tax and federal excise duty worth over Rs124 billion.
The government received expressions of interest from six international companies for 10 coal-fired power projects.
POL recorded an after-tax profit of Rs4.2bn for the first quarter of this fiscal year.
The business of used cars import is thriving as 9,569 used vehicles were imported in the first three months
Stocks extended the rally on Friday as the KSE-100 index added 172.44 points (0.57 per cent) to close at 30,376.53.
Adviser Shujaat Azeem says annual loss of PIA has been reduced to Rs18 billion from Rs31.5 billion during previous year.
Raises commissions on petroleum products sale.
Pakistan’s international trade figures for the six months how that the country has lost $1.2bn in textile exports.


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In the second quarter of 2013, Telenor Group reported revenues of NOK 25.7 billion, representing an organic revenue growth of 2%. EBITDA before other items was NOK 8.86 billion, EBITDA margin was 34%, and operating cash flow was NOK 5.37 billion.
“Telenor’s geographical footprint covers both advanced and growing economies, offering growth opportunities and profitability as demonstrated in the second quarter. At the same time, regulatory issues remain a challenge, particularly visible in Bangladesh and India during this period,’’ said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO of Telenor Group.
“The Group’s organic revenue growth improved from the first quarter combined with stronger margins. With these trends, we maintain the outlook for this year,’’ said Baksaas.
More than five million new customers
“During the second quarter, Telenor gained more than five million new customers driven by strong growth in Asia. In Thailand, dtac’s network investments and high customer uptake is resulting in solid revenue growth as our customers embrace new services enabled through 3G. In Norway and Sweden, we saw subscription growth picking up in the consumer segment as a result of new data centric offerings,’’ said Baksaas.
Myanmar and Bulgaria
“Telenor was recently declared a successful applicant for a telecommunications licence in Myanmar, and we are currently awaiting the telecom law and final licence conditions from the local authorities. Our acquisition of Bulgaria’s second largest telecom operator Globul has been approved by the EU Commission, and I am looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues in a region well known to Telenor,’’ added Baksaas.
New buyback programme
“Telenor’s operational performance and strong financial position enables healthy shareholder remuneration. I am pleased to announce that we are initiating another share buyback programme for approximately 1 percent of the outstanding shares, to be completed before the AGM in 2014,” said Baksaas.
Click here to read the full press release.
Please refer to Telenor Group’s Quarterly report for more information on all Telenor companies. www.telenor.com


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The Indian automobile industry primarily comprises of commercial vehicles, personal cars and three as well as two-wheelers. However, given the nature of the nation’s economy, the market is dominated by two-wheelers, which enjoy as much as 80% of the market share. Then comes passenger vehicles, which accounted for 3 million in number out of the total 25 million automobiles produced in the financial year 2017.
Pertaining to the nation’s huge population, the automobile industry of India is the largest in the world. More and more auto companies are now willing to explore the country’s rural markets, owing to the increased purchasing capacity of the people and the development of requisite infrastructure.
And while India is also an eminent exporter of automobiles, it is speculated that it will soon become a world leader on this front, that too as soon as the advent of the year 2020. In the past 17 years, the industry has attracted a Foreign Direct Investment of over $17 billion. (As per Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion). As a matter of fact, the export of passenger vehicles (cars) and commercial vehicles witnessed a tremendous growth, amounting to 16.20 percent and 4.99 percent respectively. However, the export of three and two wheeler vehicles was marred by a decline of more than 32 percent and close to 6 percent respectively.
Presently, the Indian market is also looking forward to the swift development of the electric car segment. While Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. is the nation’s only electric automaker, government policies such as tax exemption, toll and parking waivers for electric mopeds and cars are likely to give way to more and more players exploring this segment. However, in comparison to their conventional counterparts, the demand for electric vehicles is way too low at present, barely crossing the 25,000 unit mark in FY-2017.
That being said, the future of Indian automobile industry looks more than just promising, and it is only a matter of time before India emerges as a world leader in this segment.


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To save giant sequoia trees, maybe it's time to plant backups
Last month, unusually high winds knocked down 15 giant sequoias in Yosemite. If you haven't had a chance to see them in person, giant sequoias are big—like, warp-your-sense-of-scale and melt-your-brain big. Then, once you've taken in their size, they do the same thing with your sense of time, because an individual tree can survive thousands of years. Wars, plagues, fashion trends: Sequoias have lived through and outlasted them all. To last thousands of years, any sequoia has also endured hungry animals, diseases, fires, snowstorms, El Niño events, and years-long droughts, not to mention the opportunistic loggers of the 19th and 20th centuries.


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Tim Cook calls for more privacy regulation
Apple CEO Tim Cook told HBO's "Vice News Tonight" that it’s time for the government to regulate privacy, even though regulation will be shaped by a Congress that’s not particularly tech-savvy:
"I'm not a pro-regulation kind of person. I believe in the free market deeply ... But I think you have to recognize when the free market doesn't produce the result that’s great for society. You have to ask yourself: What do we need to do? And I think some level of government regulation is important to come out of that."
- Separating Apple from Facebook and Google, Cook said: "We're not in the business of building the detailed profile of you ... The way we go into product design, we challenge ourselves to collect as little as possible. And when we have it, we challenge ourselves to encrypt it in the end."
P.S. ... The International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (that's the international privacy regulators association) announced this morning that Cook will kick off the group's annual conference in Brussels on Oct. 24.


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There’s a agency perception that those that begin extremely profitable companies accomplish that solely with their intelligence, creativity, and the form of innate entrepreneurial spirit that makes them destined to change into billionaires.
One declare making the rounds on Twitter made it so Should you drop the air One in a “third world nation with $5 in his pocket”, he has become a millionaire inside just a few years because of the “traits, abilities, and traits” that appear to be inherent in all ultra-high-net-worth people.
However analysis exhibits how a lot an individual’s household background performs in reaching success. Paper by economists Ross Levine and Jonah Rubinstein Discovered that enterprise “They are usually male, white, higher educated, and extra prone to come from high-income households.”
The story of Microsoft’s rise to dominance begins with the humility of Invoice Gates and Paul Allen Work out of the storage — now a well-known trope in Silicon Valley. Oana Tokoyan, an economics lecturer on the College of California, San Diego, stated that whereas Gates was not obscenely rich, per se, he grew up comfortably upper-middle class.
She stated his household connections have been essential to Microsoft’s success.
In line with CNBC, IBM, which was on the lookout for a software program maker to develop an working system for its private laptop, tapped Microsoft for the mission. Microsoft It was on IBM’s radar As a result of IBM Chairman John Oppel knew Gates’ mom, Mary Gates, by means of a nonprofit group on which they have been each on the board.
Even with out such a direct connection that Gates had with IBM, Tokoyan stated, household wealth is necessary in acquiring credit score, as a result of acquiring loans is conditional on acquiring collateral.
Tokoyan famous that attempting to make it as an entrepreneur is inherently dangerous, and with out household wealth, there is no such thing as a security web to fall again on.
Statistics reveal Simply how dangerous A couple of third of all new companies fail by their second 12 months, and the opposite half by their fifth 12 months, stated John Deere, founder and president of the Heart for American Entrepreneurship.
In some instances, Derry famous, the capital necessities for beginning a brand new enterprise are decrease than they have been 5 to 10 years in the past — for instance, it may be cheaper to market your product because of social media, whereas some corporations work remotely quite than pay. for workplace house. However he defined that there’s nonetheless a spot between the time you begin a enterprise and the time you really begin turning a revenue.
“Most new corporations lose cash for a number of years,” he stated. “In case you have generational wealth, you needn’t work one other job to get cash to pay the payments.”
But when profitable, Derry stated, it might be very worthwhile. “So there’s a vital relationship that goes each methods,” he stated. “Generational wealth, entrepreneurship help, entrepreneurship that generates generational wealth.”
Tokoyan stated that white males usually, too You might have extra wealth to start with, Which implies ladies and other people of shade specifically are at an obstacle.
Whereas 17% of black ladies try to begin or run a brand new enterprise, solely 3% are working “mature companies,” in line with a Harvard Enterprise Overview article. And 29% of black ladies entrepreneurs reside in households with incomes over $75,000 in comparison with 52% of white males, in line with information from International Entrepreneurship Monitor.
“There are obstacles all through the entrepreneurship ecosystem which are particularly holding again ladies and other people of shade,” stated Gabe Horowitz, senior vice chairman of economics at Third Approach.
Final 12 months, Third Approach launched a partnership with the Nationwide City League referred to as the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equality, which Horowitz stated is Aiming to alter federal coverage To assist extra ladies and other people of shade begin and scale companies. Subsequent 12 months, the AEE will attempt to determine what “numerous coverage instruments” it wants to drag to enhance justice. For instance, Horowitz stated extra authorities contracts might be awarded to deprived corporations.
Horowitz stated the information exhibits white entrepreneurs begin out with about $107,000 in working capital, whereas black entrepreneurs begin out with about $107,000 in working capital. For under $35,000.
“The prices of getting off the bottom are steeper for each ladies and other people of shade,” Horowitz stated.
Horowitz stated corporations generally battle with financing as a result of they do not have relationships with lenders. He famous that corporations that had relationships with lenders have been in a position to get assist quicker paycheck safety program, which was meant as company aid in the course of the onset of the pandemic. And generally, there are few, if any, lenders in predominantly black or Latino areas.
“You do not essentially want the household wealth to begin a enterprise. There are lots of entrepreneurs who can exit and begin a enterprise and scale the enterprise with out having to,” Horowitz stated. Your work offers you an enormous benefit over others.”
Derry believes that increasing the American Entrepreneurship Act might be one approach to diversify the sector. This provision will improve the utmost restrict for enterprise capital funds from $10 million to $50 million, permitting fund managers to To put money into extra entrepreneursand growing the variety of individuals allowed to put money into the fund.
There are additionally broad financial forces which have made it tough for entrepreneurs to realize success through the years.
“The competitors out there grew to become an increasing number of tough for the little man, as a result of there was consolidation happening,” Tokoyan stated. “Subsequently, there are fewer and fewer alternatives for small companies to compete efficiently.”
Tokoyan stated that 10 to fifteen years in the past, her college students have been extra prone to say they have been keen on beginning a brand new enterprise than they’re now. Even when they’ve the sources, they nonetheless have pupil loans to contemplate. A few of them, she stated, at the moment are seeking to funding banking, for instance, as a result of that’s the place they really feel they are going to be most rewarded.
“We as a group consider within the freedom to pursue the American Dream,” Tokoyan stated. “The extent to which younger individuals’s life possibilities rely upon their household’s sources is totally un-American.”
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Here’s your morning roundup of the biggest marketing, advertising and media industry news and happenings. Send tips, suggestions and complaints to email@example.com
SIGN UP: CMO Today, straight to your inbox: http://on.wsj.com/CMOTodaySignup
ONE AOL: Countless advertising and marketing companies offer “solutions” to various issues faced by brands, but now AOL–an ad tech darling as of late–wants to become the one-stop shop for marketers planning and executing online ad campaigns. CMO Today reports that AOL on Tuesday will reveal “One,” a new programmatic platform that fuses its recent ad tech buys (Adap.tv and Convertro, for example) and provides a tool that lets marketers measure the return-on-investment of their ad spending, from online to TV. AOL is playing up the fact that One allows advertisers to plug in software from its competitors if marketers so choose, something the company argues differentiates it from Facebook and Google’s style. (Those tech giants dispute that AOL has any such advantage.) Of course, one issue raised by industry folks is that AOL at its core is a media seller, which could make marketers suspicious about the company’s recommendations on where to place ad money.
SHARING IS CARING: Recode’s Peter Kafka took a look at the economics behind Apple’s deal with HBO, which makes Apple TV the exclusive digital partner of the new HBO Now standalone streaming service for three months. For both companies, it matters a great deal where you actually sign up for HBO Now. While the terms of the deals were not disclosed, Apple typically takes a 30% cut when a subscriber signs up for a service via an Apple app. Recode reports that a handful of video services like Netflix and Hulu Plus give Apple more like 15% when a subscriber signs up on Apple TV. Assuming that HBO is nabbing 70-85% of the revenue in the Apple deal, that would be a way sweeter deal than the 50/50 split HBO typically gets with traditional pay-TV providers, right? Perhaps. But keep in mind there are other important variables: cable and satellite companies take much of the marketing and customer service burden away from HBO, and it’s unclear to what extent over-the-top players will do the same.
LAW & D’OEUVRES: TV watchers have noticed networks in recent years pushing into serialized dramas in the vein of “Mad Men,” “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Empire,” shows that are gripping week-by-week and can command large live audiences desperate to see all the twists and turns in real time. But when it comes to exporting shows overseas, procedural shows like NBC’s “Law & Order” and CBS’s “CSI” tend to do better, since they rely less heavily on American cultural references and are designed to be watched in one-off episodes. Now NBCUniversal is teaming with France’s TF1 and Germany’s Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland to create original police, medical and legal dramas, WSJ reports. At a time when the U.S. TV market is becoming increasingly fragmented, international markets have become ever more important for U.S. studios. Meanwhile, producers in Europe are stepping up their own game, with an eye on exporting to the U.S. “Versailles,” the most expensive TV show produced in France, is an example of the big bets being made, WSJ reports.
PERSONAL BRAND: Brands these days often feel as though they need to chime in during every event or holiday, be it the Apple Watch release, the Oscars or the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Modern social media marketing theory posits that brands should use buzzy events as an opportunity to join “the conversation.” That is, except when it comes to politics. CMO Today reports that brands shied away from tweeting about Hillary Clinton’s announcement of her presidential candidacy, even though it commanded a ton of social media attention. “These are candidates that are lightning rods for a lot of controversy and a heated mix of opinions on them,” said MRY Chief Marketing Officer David Berkowitz about the candidates that have announced. ”Any brand can do far better sitting on the sidelines than really trying to jump in on [the conversation], whether positively or negatively.”
- Anheuser-Busch has signed a four-year extension to its sponsorships of the U.S. and Mexican national soccer teams [CMO Today]
- Companies are trying to trademark scents [WSJ]
- The history behind “hot takes” [The New Republic]
- College football analyst Lou Holtz is leaving ESPN [Sports Illustrated]
- Five things to know about cord-cutters [WSJ]
- Participant Media founder Jeff Skoll is “rolling up his sleeves” to try to fix the company [The Wrap]
- ABC’s focus on diverse programming has been helpful in the ratings this season [Adweek]
- Chris Hansen is launching a Kickstarter campaign new make a new predator-catching show [Los Angeles Times]
- How expats stream their favorite shows abroad [WSJ]
- Pivotal Research downgraded ad agencies due to rebate concerns [CMO Today]
- Media companies are working on new models beyond traditional Nielsen measurements to keep ad revenue flowing [Variety]
- Amazon and HarperCollins struck a multi-year publishing deal covering print and digital [WSJ]
- The BuzzFeed reporter who wrote a story critical of Dove soap that was deleted and then reposted has left the company [Gawker]
- David Letterman will be joined by a full cast of A-list celebrities at his final show [TV Line]
- G.E. is working on a branded content TV series with National Geographic [New York Times]
- Marketo has signed a deal with LinkedIn to better personalize ads [CMO Today]


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With the rapid growth of the global oled display market, South Korean panel manufacturers are not only facing pressure from patent litigation, but also grappling with fierce competition with Chinese manufacturers, businesskorea reported.
The two South Korean manufacturers that currently dominate the oled market are unrelenting, the report said. LG display (lgd) announced in July that it plans to add 3 trillion won ($2.53 billion) to its 10.5 generation oled production line in Paozhou.
Samsung monitors also announced on October 10 that they would invest 13.1 trillion won ($11.05 billion) to produce large oled panels. Despite the strong investment power of South Korean panel manufacturers in oled, Chinese panel manufacturers are also actively laying out to attack the market.
For example, on September 27, Huike invested 32 billion yuan in the 8.6 generation ultra-high definition new display device production line project, which officially started construction in Liuyang Jingkai Zone (High-tech Zone). After the project is put into production, it will focus on ultra-high definition display 4k 8k 10k white light oled panel.
In addition to the pressure to fight for the market, South Korean panel manufacturers are facing more and more patent litigation.


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I’m the kind of guy who likes to think he knows what’s going on.
And then I find out I don’t.
If you’re like me, you react to this revelation one of two ways:
“It’s too complicated and I don’t want to know.” That’s me and my cellphone. I want my cell for four things — to talk to people, to read my email, to take photographs and to keep up with what’s happening in the world by reading the Toronto Star online. That it can really run every other aspect of my life is of no interest to me because I can’t be bothered to learn how to make it work.
“Really? You don’t say! One of these days, a little flying machine (called a drone) is going to deliver a package to my front door and leave it there? And before long, I’m going to be able to leave the car at home (if I still own one) and ride around in a person-sized contraption (also called a drone) that will drop me off at my office in Toronto and I can avoid all the traffic? Wow! Tell me more.”
That was the way I reacted last May when I attended a two-day conference in Toronto called Discovery. Presented by the Ontario Centres of Excellence, it focused on the best innovations happening in Canada and it was an eye-opener. What was of particular interest to me were advances being made in transportation and mobility. Some of the stuff was mind-boggling.
David McLean, director of marketing for the Canadian International AutoShow, which opened Friday at the downtown Metro Toronto Convention Centre and runs until next Sunday, Feb. 23, was also at Discovery last year and came away similarly impressed — so much so that when he sat down with AutoShow general manager Jason Campbell and president Susan Gubasta to determine the theme for this year’s presentation of Canada’s biggest and most popular consumer show, the answer was almost a no-brainer: transformative times.
To illustrate the theme, the AutoShow is presenting a special display showcasing some of the new technologies that are transforming the world of transportation, even as we speak. Called the Future Tech Hub, it features displays from Drone Delivery Canada, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, FLO (the country’s largest EV charging network) and the ever-popular EV test drives presented by Plug ‘n’ Drive and the EV Discovery Centre. The hub can be found in the main showroom on the 800 Level of the convention centre’s south building,
“What we are experiencing now is a complete disruption in the technology and approach of the automotive industry,” McLean said. “The auto industry is changing, the auto industry is evolving. These are transformative times.”
Added Campbell: “The car is no longer something to get us from point A to point B. They are intelligent computers where we potentially spend a significant portion of our day. We are seeing automation potentially easing some of the gridlock with new ways to deliver packages and we are getting more efficient and environmentally aware.”
Of the displays, I find Drone Delivery Canada to be the most interesting. In fact — if you’ll pardon the pun — it’s off the ground now and the potential for growth is unlimited.
In a release issued by the AutoShow, Drone Delivery Canada is described this way:
“A Toronto-based global leader, partnered with Air Canada, Drone Delivery Canada is focused on pioneering technology to commercialize and implement a viable drone delivery system internationally. It is disruptive technology that will redefine the traditional shipping and delivery logistics market.
“At the AutoShow, Drone Delivery Canada will be showcasing three of its delivery units — known as the Sparrow, the Robin and Condor. The Condor, a small helicopter with a payload of 400 pounds and a range of 200 kilometres, should be a crowd stopper. While most of the deliveries currently being made by Drone Delivery Canada are business-to-business, the days when they are making deliveries directly to consumers are not far off.
“People will be surprised to learn how far along this technology and service is,” company chief executive Michael Zahra said. “People tend to think delivery drones are a futuristic, pie-in-the-sky technology and we may see them in five to 10 years. But what we are doing is real and it is happening now.”
Zahra is an interesting guy. We had a good chat in the days leading up to the AutoShow’s opening and I am looking forward to interviewing him for an AutoShow Live broadcast from the Toronto Star stage at 1 p.m. on Family Day Monday.
One of the things I found interesting, for instance, is that Drone Delivery Canada’s drones fly 200 to 400 feet above ground, which means they are above trees and transmission lines. The Condor is the largest drone and runs on gasoline; the smaller drones are EVs.
“The automotive industry is changing, and the growth of technology in the sector is astounding,” Zahra said. “Our technology and innovation is a big part of that. There is more blurring of the lines between a typical delivery vehicle application and what we are doing. We will see widespread autonomous flying delivery drones before we see the same with autonomous cars, and that will lead to unmanned flying taxis in the future.
“We are evolving the drone delivery business, starting with business-to-business in low-density-population areas, then consumer applications in suburban areas before piloting into densely populated urban areas.
“After that, the industry will evolve to moving people in unmanned flying taxis. It’s not immediate, but not far off, either. They are working on projects like this in Dubai. We will see it in a few years.”
The “not far off, either” quote is exciting. And while they might be experimenting in the Middle East, I can tell you that research is also going on right here in the immediate GTA area. Brandon Robinson, CEO of a company called Horizon Aircraft, told me last year at Discovery that Ontario firms are designing drones that can carry people right now.
“It’s challenging engineering, but given the recent progress made in the field of battery technology and electric-motor technology, the industry is going to explode really soon,” he said.
People aside, Drone Delivery Canada is at the forefront with the ability to take medical supplies to remote First Nations communities where the terrain is too treacherous for a regular delivery service and defibrillators to emergencies faster than a helicopter can get there.
“A drone offers consistency,” Zahra said. “If it’s supposed to be somewhere in 10 minutes, it will be there in 10 minutes. A car, depending on traffic, could be someplace in 10 minutes one day and take an hour the next. Courier services can offer premium deliveries using our company; we can get something someplace in an hour, whereas it could take two hours or two days otherwise.”
Dropping a book from Indigo on my front porch might not be in the immediate future, but not far off. I asked Zahra about this and he suggested delivery could take place in several ways, such as a homeowner getting a message that a package had arrived and he or she goes outside and the drone is hovering over the house and there’s a long cord hanging down that’s attached to the purchase. “So you just pull it down,” he said. “Or it might be taken to a depot near the house and the client would have to go over and pick it up.”
Drone Delivery Canada is not alone — but it’s ahead of the other companies. It has air carrier status with Transport Canada, which is using its data to help build the drone delivery business in Canada. And it has an agreement with Air Canada Cargo, which will act as its sales and marketing agent.
Drone Delivery Canada is a Canadian success story and we should all be cheering Zahra and his team. DDC (as I think we can start calling it now) is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and is a cause for celebration.
Now, I have never been particularly intrigued by the idea of autonomous cars because I like to drive. But drone taxis, operated autonomously by computer, fascinate me and I can hardly wait to go for a ride.