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Coventry's Ricoh Arena is set to be invaded by more than 50,000 spiders.
The British Tarantula Society is taking over the venue on May 18 for what’s been dubbed as the Crufts of the spider world.
Visitors are guests expected from America and all over Europe for the event which runs from 11am to 4pm.
Ray Hale, vice chairman of the British Tarantula Society, said about 2,000 people were expected to attend the show in the E.ON Lounge.
He said: “We are expecting around 100 exhibitors selling spider-related items ranging from tarantulas and equipment to books, jewellery and T-shirts.
“To be honest, it would be impossible to count how many spiders are on display but I think 50,000 is a conservative estimate.
“Visitors will be able buy a variety of arachnids, scorpions, stick insects, beetles and other insects throughout the day, meet other enthusiasts and seek advice from experts on the best way to look after their new pets.”
And the Society will even be running their very own beauty pageant, of sorts.
Ray said: “Society members will be able to submit their prized spiders for a series of awards including ‘Best Brachypelma Species’, ‘Best New World Terrestrial’ and ‘Best Scorpion’.
“The competition is always excellent and whilst intended as a bit of fun some people take it very seriously indeed.
“We have had some great spiders put forward in the past.
“Dozens of BTS members spend months planning the event and volunteer their free time on the day to make sure everything runs smoothly.”
Ray – a Brummie who now lives in Sussex with his wife and Angela and his 200 pet tarantulas – says the show will attract arachnid aficionados from all walks of life.
“We usually pick up a lot of new members at the event and it’s always great to see so many people buying or just looking.
“In times of recession, people revert back to their hobbies.
“Our main aim is to educate people about these wonderful and yet truly misunderstood creatures. The BTS began in 1985 and has always been about captive breeding, conservation and education.”
Tickets, costing £5 for adults and £4 for children – who must be accompanied by an adult – are available on the day.


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Fighting fires: Samsung struggles to limit damage from smartphone recall
(Correcting story first sent on Thursday without changes to text. Please note that the earlier text version went out with a set of pictures that have since been withdrawn.)
By Se Young Lee
SEOUL (Reuters) - Heated meetings, sacrificed holidays and teams monitoring social media round-the-clock to track whether there have been any new smartphone fires: Samsung Electronics is still desperately trying to limit the damage of a record global recall announced more than a month ago.
Samsung said most of the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7s have been recovered in major markets, including the United States and South Korea.
But the trouble is not over for either South Korea's largest listed company or mobile division chief Koh Dong-jin, who bowed in a public apology last month, less than a year into the job.
Samsung's hopes of finally getting ahead of the crisis took a knock on Wednesday. A replacement model began smoking inside a U.S. plane on Wednesday, the family that owns it said, prompting fresh investigations by safety regulators. [nL3N1CB3HC]
And on top of that, Samsung is being pressured by one of the world's most aggressive hedge funds, Elliott Management, to split the company and pay out $27 billion in a special dividend. [nL3N1CC055]
UNLUCKY TURN Continued...

domain: news


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[embedded content] At a stage event during the 2017 Taipei Game Show, Square Enix showed off new gameplay footage of Nier: Automata that featured two brand new areas within the game, an abandoned amusement park and an abandoned department store. The new footage, presented by Nier: Automata producer Yosuke Saito and 2B’s voice actress Yui Ishikawa, showcased a bit of the game’s exploration which included going through the ruined city’s sewers to get to the aforementioned two new areas. It looks like the sewers might turn out to be one of the more common ways of traveling around the city. In spite being abandoned, the amusement park is still very much operational, with lights and fireworks displays still running, while the large department store has been overgrown and is now mostly covered in foliage. The footage also showed off a radio tower the player can climb to get a better view of the ruined and abandoned city. Nier: Automata is scheduled to release on the Playstation 4 in Japan on February 23, in North America on March 7, and in Europe on March 10. A PC version of the game has been announced for later this year but no specific…
The official English website for Square Enix and Platinum Games’ highly anticipated upcoming action RPG Nier: Automata has today been updated with various assets that fans should find interesting. …Read More The post Nier: Automata Gets Character Descriptions and Artwork by Kenneth Richardson appeared first on DualShockers.
Earlier this week, Microsoft officially cancelled Scalebound, Platinum Games’s Xbox One and PC title. According to Eurogamer sources, the pressure of Scalebound’s heavy workload forced several senior members to take a month off. When they returned, production was behind schedule, and issues continued to surround the game’s engine and missed deadlines, so the decision was made to cancel it. In Platinum’s first statement since the cancellation of Scalebound, President and CEO Kenichi Sato said they’ll strive to continue delivering high-quality games, beginning with NieR: Automata for PlayStation 4 in March: We’re sorry to say that on January 9, 2017, Microsoft Studios announced the cancellation of Scalebound. We are very disappointed things ended up this way, especially since we know many of our fans were looking forward to this game as much as we were. Going forward, we will strive to continue delivering high-quality games to you, starting with NieR:Automata in March, and including products like GRANBLUE FANTASY Project Re:Link and LOST ORDER [both only confirmed for Japan so far] in the future. We will keep working hard to meet your expectations and we look forward to your continued support! Scalebound was directed by Hideki Kamiya, who also worked on Bayonetta, Viewtiful Joe, Resident Evil 2, and Devil May Cry. READ FULL STORY…
2017 is barely two weeks old, but we have our first tragic celebrity death of the year… sort of. Microsoft has announced that it has canceled Scalebound. Rumors about Scalebound’s cancellation began making the rounds early last week among some independent gaming sites and YouTube channels. Earlier today, reputable sources such as Kotaku, Eurogamer, and IGN began to report on this rumors, thus giving it an air of legitimacy. It wasn’t long before Microsoft made the news official. “After careful deliberation, Microsoft Studios has come to the decision to end production for Scalebound,” read a press statement from the Redmond-based tech giant. Announced during E3 2014, Scalebound was being developed by Hideki Kamiya and Platinum Games as an Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive title. It was set to be an ambitious action RPG where players could control both a human protagonist and his giant, fire-breathing dragon companion. Given its pedigree, Scalebound made it to the top of many site’s “most anticipated” games lists (including ours… twice!). [embedded content] According to Eurogamer, relations between Platinum Games and Microsoft “dramatically soured” since Scalebound was last seen during Gamescom 2016. Last Fall, senior members of READ FULL STORY AT GEEK!
Fans Left to Speculate over the Future of Scalebound and Platinum Games We are getting consistent reports that work on Xbox’s AAA title, Scalebound, is “concluded” as of late 2016. Hitherto, developer Platinum Games and Microsoft have parted ways. And everything thus far points to cancellation as a result of friction between the two. Now we are left to wonder what this means moving forward. As recently as Gamescom 2016, Xbox released footage showcasing Scalebound’s polished gameplay. Before that, Xbox fans were treated to a reveal trailer introducing us to the magic-wielding protagonist and his dragon companion. Both were revealed playable, human via third-person perspective and dragon via first. Transitioning sequences from human to dragon, big boss battles(Platinum’s biggest), and four-player coop made Scalebound new and enticing. With a brand-new take on RPG and narrative, it’s safe to say we were excited to see how Platinum Games’ ambitious title would unravel. Furthermore, it was one of few Xbox AAA titles slated for 2017, following a delay to its 2016 release. But it seems the delays were from a heavy workload. Devs at Platinum Games, including director Hideki Kamiya, were given breaks just to get their heads straight. However, Scalebound retained its place behind schedule, to Microsoft’s detriment. And since Gamescom,…
Scalebound, the much-hyped Platinum-developed action game that was previously scheduled for Xbox One and PC, is in trouble and may be cancelled, according to several sources. Advertisement We expect the official announcement shortly. When reached by Kotaku today, Microsoft sent over a brief statement: “We’ll have more to share on ‘Scalebound’ soon.” From what we hear, Scalebound, an ambitious game directed by iconic Twitter blocker and Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya, had been in development hell for a long time. Microsoft first announced the game nearly three years ago, during the Xbox press conference at E3 2014. It rose to the top of dozens of “Most Anticipated Games” lists but was delayed several times. Advertisement We hadn’t heard or seen anything of Scalebound in recent months, and it was curiously missing from an Xbox Wire post last week that talked about the future of Xbox One. Microsoft has also removed the official Scalebound page from the Xbox website. READ FULL STORY AT KOTAKU!
Just like The Amazing Spider-Man, multiple Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games have been removed from the PlayStation Store and other digital stores, likely due to expired licenses. All included in the Holiday Sale last month, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan for PS4 and PS3, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze for PS3, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows for PS3 are no longer available through the PlayStation Store in North America and Europe. The most surprising removal of the three is Mutants in Manhattan, which came out less than a year ago in May 2016. Fast & Furious: Showdown for PS3 was also taken off the PlayStation Store. If you previously purchased the digital versions of any of these games, you can re-download them from your Download List. Otherwise, you can still grab a physical copy of most of the games from a retail store. Activision has yet to issue a statement on the removals. [Source: PlayStation Store (1), (2) via Wario64, Lashman] READ FULL STORY AT PLAYSTATIONLIFESTYLE!
[embedded content] Folks over at Digital Foundry have been busy playing Nier Automata‘s demo over the holiday, and as usual, have released a video comparing the PlayStation 4 and PS4 Pro versions of the demo. Before you watch the video above, make sure to take note of the following correction by the Digital Foundry team: At the end of the video we refer to a frame-rate drop happening outside of gameplay. It is a playable area, but not critical to the action. Nier Automata certainly looks good and Digital Foundry confirms as much, noting that it’s looking “really impressive” and it comes with “plenty of PS4 Pro enhancements.” Platinum Games recently confirmed via Twitter that the game will run at 1600x900p/60fps on the standard PS4 and at 1920x1080p/60fps on PS4 Pro alongside enhanced graphical features like improved lighting and shadows. Nier Automata is out on March 7 in North America and March 10 in Europe. READ FULL STORY AT PLAYSTATIONLIFESTYLE!
The demo for Nier: Automata released last week. Playing as a super fashionable android, players slice and dice their way through waves of robot enemies. But un-equipping one essential item gives an instant game over. Advertisement The item in question is the OS Chip. In Nier: Automata, players can equip various skill chips to enable or disable certain parts of the user interface. But the OS Chip is different. It gives a warning to players in the items description “An android’s central system,” the menu reads. “Removal means death.” Reckless players can still remove the chip, tearing the operating system from their android. The result is what you’d expect: a swift fade to black and a return to the title screen. Advertisement Game director Yoko Taro is renowned for playful interfaces and meta-textual quirks. This is just another on a list that includes sudden gameplay changes and memory card fuckery. It’s unclear if this will carry over into the main game but for now, if you ever wanted to commit menu based seppuku, now’s your chance! READ FULL STORY AT KOTAKU!
Another Look at Android 2B with New Nier Automata Footage Showcasing Abilities Everything new regarding Nier Automata is like a gem on the paved road to March. 2015 revealed Android 2B, and 2016 has brought her to life before our eyes. And since the latest, demo many players have become fans. It’s safe to say that Platinum Games has a highly anticipated release on their hands. Latest Nier Automata footage shows protagonist 2B with companion 9S in tow. Demo players will be well-acquainted with both, but will probably note this is the first time we see them in a dual-journey. It may also be quite revealing to those who saw the demo to its conclusion. We know what happens, but(SPOILERS) both are caught in a massive explosion. But from this stream, we can also get a feel for questing. What appear to be sub-quests and exploration aspects of the game are prominent in this video, as well as some very interesting new weapons. Square Enix only teased the inclusion of collaborative items. Now we get to see Final Fantasy XV’s “Engine Blade” and Dragon Quest’s “Cypress Stick” in action. The gameplay footage begins at 24:00, while skills are showcased at 47:30. However,
[embedded content] Revealed during Square Enix’s livestream earlier today was over 40 minutes of NieR: Automata gameplay! While the actual archived footage is over an hour and 20 minutes long, the actual footage clocks in at just over 40 minutes. You can check out what happens on what time below. 11:54 to 23:10 – Demo Gameplay 24:17 to 34:22 – Sub-Quest and Bug Explanation 35:53 to 50:44 – Plug-In Chip Explanation 50:44 to 58:04 – Collaboration Weapons Gameplay The PS4 NieR: Automata demo is out now on PSN and clocks in at over 4GB in case you want to try it out for yourself. NieR: Automata will make its way out in Japan this February 23, 2017, while it’ll be out on March 7 in the US, and March 10 in Europe. If you have a PS4 Pro, you’ll be glad to know that it’ll run at 1080p on Sony’s latest console, while it’ll run at 900p on the original PS4. [Source: Gematsu] READ FULL STORY AT PLAYSTATIONLIFESTYLE!
[embedded content] Tasking you with destroying a massive enemy weapon in an abandoned factory, the free NieR: Automata demo is now available on PlayStation 4 through the PlayStation Store (North America, Europe), weighing in at 4.4GB. You can see gameplay from the demo in the above video. Featuring Easy to Very Hard difficulty settings, as well as English and Japanese voiceover and text, here’s the description for the demo: Download the NieR: Automata Demo 120161128 to join androids 2B and 9S and their ferocious battle to reclaim a machine-driven dystopia overrun by powerful machine lifeforms. Experience a glimpse of the action-packed and high-speed battles rendered in fluid 60fps, against hordes of enemies within a beautifully desolate open-world. NieR: Automata is a fresh take on the action role-playing game (RPG) genre that gracefully blends mesmerising action with a captivating story. Square Enix also brought out a new NieR: Automata trailer today, showcasing the collaborations where 2B can unlock and equip Noctis’s Engine Blade from Final Fantasy XV and the Cypress Stick from the Dragon Quest series: [embedded content] NieR: Automata releases on March 7, 2017 in North America and March 10, 2017 in Europe. The pre-order for the Day One Edition went up on the PlayStation Store today. If you…
[embedded content] During Jump Festa 2017, Platinum Games and Square Enix announced a NieR: Automata collaboration once again. This time, the upcoming action RPG is getting the Cypress Stick weapon from Dragon Quest, a trailer for which you can watch above. Once the Cypress Stick is equipped, players will be able to see how much damage they’re dealing in numbers and the appearance of treasure boxes will be changed to look like those in Dragon Quest. Back in November, Platinum announced a collaboration with Square Enix to bring Final Fantasy XV‘s Engine Blade to NieR: Automata, which can also be used by its protagonist. In case you missed the announcement and trailer, head over here. NieR: Automata is releasing for the PlayStation 4 (with PS4 Pro support) and PC on February 23 in Japan, March 7 in the US, and March 10 in Europe and Australia. For more on the game, check out our previous coverage. [Source: Gematsu] READ FULL STORY AT PLAYSTATIONLIFESTYLE!
[embedded content] During a livestream with Dengeki today, Square Enix and Platinum Games announced that NieR: Automata will run at 1080p on PlayStation 4 Pro. Additionally, PS4 Pro owner can expect motion blur, more detailed shadows, an increased smoothness when it comes to the feeling of the action, and more sharply drawn lines of light, offering a richer expression of the atmosphere. It was also revealed on the livestream that NieR: Automata will offer 900p resolution on the standard PS4. Both PS4 systems will run the game at 60 frames-per-second, but it looks like Square Enix wasn’t able to hit their goal of providing 4K resolution on PS4 Pro. You can watch the full stream over here. NieR: Automata releases on March 7, 2017 in North America and March 10, 2017 for PS4. The demo will be available next week on December 22. [Source: Gematsu, DualShockers] READ FULL STORY AT PLAYSTATIONLIFESTYLE!


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Your Monday morning coffee briefing from TFG, 8th May 2023
For sustainable trade finance to scale, the industry needs a uniform model for ESG data that can be used by everybody, says Pradeep Nair, Global Head of Structured Solutions and Development of Standard Chartered Bank
Just as the UK was experiencing record temperatures and a summer heatwave, the annual rate of inflation accelerated to a fresh forty-year high.
Your Monday morning coffee briefing from TFG: What does Boris Johnson’s resignation mean for UK trade?
Your Monday morning coffee briefing from TFG: RELEASED: Trade Finance Talks – Supply chain disruption: the new global food crisis
Despite the delays, the WTO has been keen to keep up the momentum of its ongoing trade discussions. At the 12th Ministerial Conference, the WTO’s top priorities will be…
After record-high gas prices and extreme price volatility in Q4 2021, European policymakers are now warming to the idea of a procurement rethink
A group of central and commercial banks has successfully tested the integration of wholesale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)
As the clocks struck midnight, we looked back at over 700 articles, handpicking our favourite stories that made the headlines in 2021
SERV, the export credit agency of the Swiss government, has successfully co-insured part of a major Turkish infrastructure project worth €1.5 billion.
In this article, Viviane Gnuan-Stehli, communications manager at SERV, explains how the co-insurance deal, worth €130 million, was delivered.
Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV gives EPC contractors access to attractive ECA-covered financing through its ECA pathfinding approach. This also enables Swiss exporters to benefit from such infrastructure projects.
London, 20th September 2019. Trade Finance Global (TFG) are delighted to announce a media partnership with TXF at their 2019 Commodities Geneva and Political Risk & Insurance London Conferences.
TFG exclusive podcast with komgo, we heard from CEO Souleïma Baddi talking about bringing blockchain and distributed ledger technology to commodity finance.
komgo was established in late 2018 with the purpose of automating global commodity trades. But what is komgo?


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The Trade Desk announced a collaboration with Samsung Ads, a platform for advanced TV advertising solutions that can aid Indian marketers to reach millions of engaged viewers all over the open internet. The Trade Desk platform will provide marketers access to Connected TV (CTV) inventory on Samsung Smart TV, offered through its free, ad-supported on-demand (AVOD) streaming service, Samsung TV Plus.
The collaboration will enable marketers to measure their advertisement campaigns efficiently compared to linear TV. The marketers can compare and measure the ad opportunities across the channels on the open internet by applying the same level of data-driven insights on any digital marketing advertising but in a transparent way.
Related Article: All You Need To Know About Connected TV Advertising!
Trade Desk is expanding CTV advertising options to India’s open internet market such as over-the-top (OTT), music streaming, and mobile apps. India’s programmatic-first market is growing rapidly, with a prediction of 74% of total digital ad sales to be programmatic by next year. Prabhvir Sahmey, senior director, Samsung Ads, said,
India is the first market where we are launching a programmatic first strategy. Our collaboration with The Trade Desk is integral to facilitating wide access to our inventory, offering brands the opportunity to extend their reach in a premium, brand-safe environment – the biggest screen in the house.
A report estimated that CTV will reach over 40 million households in India by 2025 from about 7 million today. The growth of Connected TV is phenomenal and the engagement levels are higher compared to smartphones. For marketers, CTV is a brilliant opportunity and the biggest segment for advertising investment.
Therefore, more spending is witnessed on programmatic advertising. Tejinder Gill, general manager, The Trade Desk in India, said,
Indian marketers are increasing their spends on digital advertising and steadily turning to programmatic advertising, which offers real-time measurement and better control over ad frequency. CTV, which is rapidly gaining adoption among consumers, is one of the best platforms in India for programmatic advertising
He also added –
As CTV advertising does not rely on third-party cookies, marketers can also measure and compare the effectiveness of their CTV advertising with other channels on the open internet. We will leverage our global expertise to pioneer CTV advertising on the open internet in India, starting with our collaboration with Samsung Ads
Interesting Read: CTV Advertising To Reach $21B In 2021 In The United States!
The digital advertising firm Trade Desk reported revenues of $280 million for Q2, representing a growth rate of 101% Y-O-Y. The growth rate is driven by strong growth in Connected TV (CTV). Its revenues were a major piece of the gain. In an earnings call on Monday, Jeff Green, founder, and CEO of The Trade Desk said:
“We have nearly 10,000 CTV advertisers on our platform, up over 50% compared to last year.”
He further added that through the first half of 2021, brands spending more than $1 million in CTV on their platform have already doubled year-over-year. CTV is the fastest-growing channel and growing as a percentage of overall revenue. It is completely driven by customers in the form of content subscriptions. Its supply hit the roof during the pandemic. Green said,
“One thing we constantly say to advertisers is that whatever you thought you knew about the scale and reach in CTV six months ago has changed dramatically.”
The advertisers growing demand in the Connected TV space especially for premium ad inventory led to the company’s strong revenues. The shift in the behavior of the advertisers is disrupting the traditional TV buying ads- where brands commit in advance to spend on TV ad inventory even before the commercial releases. There is a paradigm shift of advertisers transitioning to digital TV which offers flexibility and data for ad targeting. The ad tech company is acting as a clearinghouse for CTV platforms to funnel ad inventory to digital buyers and is in direct competition with YouTube, Hulu, Roku, and more. Trade Desk is grabbing ad dollars from brands like Mondeléz and Ford. Green also mentioned a food giant brand that shifted a quarter budget of linear TV to CTV.
“We are seeing many brands shift TV budgets to the data-driven precision of CTV.”
On the other hand, Trade Desk is positioning itself as an alternative to the walled gardens and launched the new ad-buying interface Solimar recently. The Trade Desk is trying to develop an open programmatic approach that lets the advertisers access audience ID and export data to their own database. At the same time, walled gardens don’t allow to extract data and restrict data sharing across platforms.
Many broadcast companies are early adopters of the Unified ID 2.0 (UID2) standard, a replacement for third-party cookies. In recent weeks, as reported by Adweek, Interpublic Group joined the list to support UID2 along with Omnicom Media Group and Publicis Groupe. Green is bullish on consumers’ readiness to exchange data for more information from brands.
On the call, Trade Desk emphasized two key drivers that determine future growth – the rise of CTV and its data policies. It is just beginning to witness advertisers moving as much as one-quarter of media budgets to CTV to minimize waste.
Trade Desk expects third-quarter revenues of at least $282 million.
While most of the brands are struggling to survive during the tough times of pandemic, Google has set its goals right for the whole year. It is innovating itself without any trouble. Every month Google targets to enhance itself, according to the growing demand of the society. Google makes sure, that it fulfills the need of its users by providing them with exactly what they desire.
Recently, Google introduced two new features for its search portals. One of the features is designed, and dedicated to the Black community. The feature will help in the upliftment of the community in society and will aim to end the injustice against them.
Due to the rise of anger in the community against the centuries-long injustice experienced by the community, several brands came forward to show their support towards the community. Google was amongst them.
To fulfill his promise, the CEO at Google, Sundar Pichai recently added a feature to the map and Google search listing.
This feature is launched to empower the Black community. The feature will highlight businesses owned by the Black community helping them grow. However, only those members can avail of the benefit whose business has verified profiles in the US. Also, the business must be owned by a member of the black community.
Those businesses highlighted under this feature will be marked by an image(as shown below). The symbol will signify that the business is owned by a member of the Black community.
It is said that the step was taken to provide a financial boost to the community. It is a foreseen step to finally end the orthodox discrimination towards the community. Google is also partnering with U.S. Black Chambers, inc. To provide better features like Analytics helping the businesses groom and blossom.
In a statement regarding this following statement was issued by Google:
“As part of our $300 million commitment to support under-represented entrepreneurs, we’re integrating the attribute into the digital skills training programs we offer Black business owners through Grow with Google Digital Coaches. And through Google for Startups Accelerator for Black Founders, we’re starting our work with the first cohort of 12 startups.”
Google is keen to develop the feature even more and is seeking ideas internally. According to the management, they have already received more than 500 creative ideas to get this model to develop more brilliantly.
The company is also working on better and much strict “Policies against hate and harassment”
“About this ad”- More power to the user!
With a more transparent approach towards their users, Google has launched a new feature popularly known as “About this ad”.
To implement this feature Google will be launching new tools. It will help the users gain information about the advertisement they are receiving. It will help enhance security and will increase user privacy on the digital platform.
According to Google spokesperson, the vision is designed for a “thriving internet where people around the world can continue to access ad-supported content, while also feeling confident that their data is protected”.
“But in order to get there, we must increase transparency into how digital advertising works, offer users additional controls, and ensure that people’s choices about the use of their data are respected not worked around or ignored.”
For a long time now, tech giants like Google are have faced a lot of criticism. Most of those were linked to their explicit behavior when it comes to money and user privacy. After being criticized and called upon several times by different government authorities for blind approach in the business during the usage of advertisers’ money, Google has finally decided to be more transparent with its business policies and proposals.
Therefore, Google shared a list of pricing for its tools used by advertisers for the advertisement. It was a huge step by Google, since before this release, advertisers were kept in the dark about the spent of their share of the money, and the profit earned by Google.
The tools for which Google revealed the prices include, DV360, Google Ads, ad manager, and its publisher tech.
The revealed prices are as follows:
These prices were revealed by Google in a series of articles and blog posts.
The prices are in the ratio of percentage for a $1 amount spent by an advertiser on an advertisement, divided between the publisher and Google.
- Google tech: Publishers – 69%, Google – 31%
- DV360: Publisher – 87%, Google – 13%
- Ad Manager: Publisher – 82%, Google – 18%
- Google Ads: Publisher – 86%, Google – 14%
- Ad sense by Google: 68% share taken by Google of the total spent by the advertiser.
Google has never been so transparent in regards to its prices, the sources say that this new transparent face of Google is due to the ongoing legal hearing conducted by the state attorney general and the Department of Justice.
Innovation has always been the motto of the company. To make sure that the advertisers at Google are equipped with the best tools available in the market, it recently launched its new self-service toolkit known as Display & Video 360.
The tool is launched to change the landscape of the advertisement. Display &Video 360 is a gift to its advertisers by Google.
Earlier, advertisers used the tools to make a hypothetical projection while running an online marketing campaign. The most crucial question that bothered the advertisers was the amount of audience that they will reach with the campaign. To make sure it’s no more a hit and try show for the advertisers, Google launched DV360.
With the DV360, the advertisers can now create a new campaign and check its reach to the audience as the tool provides a duplicate view of the campaign. The duplicate view will help the advertisers view the exact or say a more accurate number of audiences that they will reach with the campaign. Hence, no more blind bets!
The tool has better forecasting capabilities, giving the advertisers a glimpse of the future for their campaign. It is also a better solution for the media planners as it provides them with a large proportion of benefits as better access to the tool as they always have a larger role to play.
The most crucial answer answered with the tool is, “how many unique people can I expect to reach with my overall campaign across any open auction display and video inventory as well as YouTube?”
According to Anudeep Pedditi, Programmatic Manager, OMD NZ:
“Once we commit to a reach objective, neither underachieving nor overachieving is an option. Display & Video 360 gives media planners the accuracy they need to effectively plan across all our programmatic campaigns.”
The Tools main aim is to provide the following features to its advertisers:
Options For Buying
Optimization And Reporting
Google will launch a new algorithm for its page experience and design. The new model will be based on user experience.
The new algorithm will surely affect SEO and web traffic. Therefore, to make sure that the advertisers are not affected by the changes, Google has announced that they will apply the changes in 2021. They have promised to inform upfront, at least six months beforehand.
An early reminder will help advertisers to prepare themselves for the changes.
However, Google made it clear that the new algorithm will be even stricter in ranking the web pages. If the user experience of a web-page is poor, Google will not rank the page on to the top list.
Google has also published a detailed document dedicated to the page experience criteria.
The new algorithm will consist of some core vital features. This feature includes the following:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures the loading performance of your webpage.
- First Input Delay(FID): Measures the user interaction with the page.
- Cumulative layout Shift: Checks the stability factors of your webpage.
The Accelerated Mobile version (AMP) will also play a major role in the ranking of your page, as will be a metrics for the page experience.
Also, good content will always play a lead role in the page ranking.
As per a statement:
“While all of the components of page experience are important, we will prioritize pages with the best information overall, even if some aspects of page experience are subpar.
A good page experience doesn’t override having great, relevant content. However, in cases where there are multiple pages that have similar content, page experience becomes much more important for visibility in Search.”
Hence, entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses should be well prepared for the new changes.
Have you ever imagine the amount of traffic Google experience in a minute, month, or year?
Well, here are some fun facts, every second there is an approximate of 63,000 search queries entered on Google search.
Also, near to 2 trillion searches are conducted every year!
Isn’t it amazing? However, you might ask, why does it matter?
Let us understand!
Google holds an approximate 72% market share of search engines. To make sure that your webpage is listed on the top of the list of Google search results you must have an understanding of Google SERP (Search Engine Result Page).
What is SERP? And, what all it provides to the advertisers on Google?
The Search Engine Result Page of Google has gone through a lot of changes according to the user view. It has become much more dynamic, relevant, personalized, and helpful.
Now the search engine of Google is equipped with several enhancements that use structured data. The search page consists of visual enhancement, better index, and optimization for the website. You must be aware of all these changes if you are planning for a better organic ranking for your website.
Here is the new enhancement for the search page of Google:
- Direct answer Box
- Rich Snippet
- Rich cards
- Knowledge Graphs
- Knowledge Panels
- Local Pack
- People also ask
- Image Pack
- Site Links
You must be equipped with the knowledge of these for better results in organic ranking.
MSME’s got adversely affected due to the widespread of COVID-19. Several small and medium scale businesses have lost their source of income due to the sudden breakthrough of this epidemic.
Therefore to make sure that these businesses sustain the effects of the crisis, Google is allowing small retailers to list their products for free on Google Shopping.
Explaining this decision, Bill Ready, President of Commerce at Google cites the fact that it is difficult for struggling businesses to pay for Google shopping listings at this time.
“And as consumers increasingly shop online, they’re searching not just for essentials but also things like toys, apparel, and home goods.
While this presents an opportunity for struggling businesses to reconnect with consumers, many cannot afford to do so at scale.”
Earlier, Google charged its customers as Pay per click (PPC). It can also be seen as a tactic by Google to compete with Amazon in the market of e-commerce.
Two years ago, Google announced that it will discontinue the usage of third-party cookies in its browser, which is Google Chrome. Since the announcement, several speculations surfaced, to understand its effects on internet traffic and advertisement. However, Google seems determined about the elimination, and this year Google announced “Privacy Sandbox” a step towards the replacement of third-party cookies.
It is developed to provide a secure browsing experience to its user.
According to a spoke person from Google, “This is an early-stage concept, and we don’t have more details to share right now, We plan to publish updates and progress in GitHub as part of the process.”
The concept uses a new algorithm designed by performing “Bit Request Signal Experiment”.
Privacy Sandbox was launched in August. The idea was to innovate ad recurrence and behavioral advertising. It aimed to help them work on the web without using third-party cookies. A mega event was organized, 163 giant tech organizations like Apple, Facebook, Axel Springer, The Washington Post, Criteo, The Trade Desk, and even Google participated. All are requested to share their views via. World Wide Web Consortium or GitHub to help the project succeed.
However, according to the Google developers, it is still in its initial stage and there is a lot of work that is needed to be done in this field.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai explained:
“As the coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen around the world, it’s taking a devastating toll on lives and communities. To help address some of these challenges, today we’re announcing a new $800+ million commitment to support small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), health organizations and governments, and health workers on the frontline of this global pandemic.”
- WHO and other health organizations will get $250 million for advertisement.
- MSME’s and NGO’s will get $200 million.
- An additional $15 million in cash will be granted by Google.org to non-profits to bridge the gap between SMB’s.
- Those small businesses that are already active for a year with Google advertisement will get the help of a total of $340 million in Google ad. They will receive the credit in their accounts and can spend it by the end of 2020.
- The academic and research institutions in the field of COVID research will get $20 million.
- Financial support will be provided to the organizations to increase the production capacity for life-saving equipment.
However, not everything went great for Google during this tough time of COVID:
- Budget cuts and hiring freezes across marketing and across Google.
- For the second half of 2020, Google is cutting its marketing budget to 50%.
- The cut is due to the reduced expenditure on advertisement by the brands during the time of the crisis.
- The development comes in less than a week from where Google is scheduled to discuss Q1 2020 results on 28th April.
According to a statement released by email:
“There are budget cuts and hiring freezes happening across marketing and across Google…We, along with the rest of marketing, have been asked to cut our budget by about half for H2.”
A company spokesperson said in an emailed statement to CNBC,
“As we outlined last week, we are re-evaluating the pace of our investment plans for the remainder of 2020 and will focus on a select number of important marketing efforts….We continue to have a robust marketing budget, particularly in digital, in many business areas.”
…we continue to invest, but will be recalibrating the focus and pace of our investments in areas like data centers and machines, and non-business essential marketing and travel.”
As quoted by Digiday, the Head of Display at the U.S based retailer said,
“Google’s ad exchange didn’t make the list primarily because they’re not willing to give us any transparency or data around not only their take rates on our media sped but also anything we could already pull from our demand-side platform.”
“We’re seeing Google’s ad exchange become slightly less of the total pie,” said Jay Friedman, president at programmatic agency Goodway Group to DigiDay.
”I don’t have a percentage but it’s less but not significant.”, he further added.
The advertisers registered their doubts and raised concerns regarding the non-transparent behavior of Google. However, this must have been resolved after the release of the price list for its advertising tools by Google.
Google is all set to reveal its new initiative to fight the dominant Amazon in the e-commerce business.
After a series of serious attempts made by Google, to end the monopoly of Amazon in prior consecutive years, that is in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2019. 2020 seems to be severely crucial as more customers are turning towards the online market every day, due to the COVID virus spread across the world.
Google announcement was a clear indication in the direction of its plans to spread its roots in the online market. Google has declared to charge lesser sales commission from the sellers on its platform and will also let third-party sellers like Shopify to use its platform.
Currently, the commission rates of Google’s online sales platform range from 5 percent to 15 percent depending on the category of the product.
Google might dominate the field of knowledge and information when trying to search for information. But, when it comes to searching and buying goods online, Amazon is the first choice of consumers. Due to consumers’ first choice as e-commerce, Amazon is spreading its wings in the advertisement market, which is a clear threat to Google’s core source of earning.
Google has taken several hits during these years while competing with Amazon. In a seven-year-long battle with Amazon, Google introduced several products to compete with Amazon. However, none of them succeeded. One such attempt at Google was Google Shopping Express! The service launched in 2013, offered one-day delivery for groceries. The users can take an annual membership for $95 and can avail of faster service. However, Google ended up shutting down the project.
After its failed attempts with Google Shopping Express, Google decided to convert it into Google online Mall. The Google online Mall included retailers like Best Buy and Target. In 2017, Google partnered with Walmart. This deal was supposed to bring many fortunes to the Google online market, but unfortunately, the partnership ended too soon.
However, never giving up Google, added a buy button to its search engine. The online-button allowed the users to directly purchase the search engine, with the help of their credit and debit cards.
For an effective competition strategy with Amazon, Google brought in Bill Ready. Bill Ready was a former executive at PayPal.
The announcement in April came as a piece of happy news for the retailers. Now, retailers can list their products for free on Google online market listing. However, early the sellers had to buy the ads to get their products listed with Google. By this step, Google is expecting to attract huge audiences!
Mr. Ready, in an interview, described the position of E-commerce across the world. According to him, there is a wide range of audiences who are shopping online for their needs. Although, there is just a handful of platforms entertaining all of them.
“We want to make sure selling online is easy and inexpensive,” said Mr Ready. Follow
According to Google spokesperson, the changes will be visible to the people in the USA. Those who are already listing products on Amazon can use the same listing on Google, that is, without making any changes to the format.
The aim of Google is to take over Amazon, or at least, for the time being, be the biggest competitor. However is a 20 minutes long conference, Mr. Reddy shy out to take the name of their competitor, even for once.
Even when asked the question to name the largest rain forest in South America, Mr. Ready decided to dodge the question.
Although, he stated:
“Consumers benefit from a diverse and thriving ecosystem of sellers.” Adding that, “There is no one player that can serve all the needs of consumers.”
Since a long time now! People were keen to know the prices of advertisement with Google, especially after it declared its DSP, DV360. The speculations were high, as there are always some hidden charges, including taxes.
These portals included Display and video 360, Google ads, Ad Manager and its publisher tech. It is the first incidence where Google came out openly with its prices.
According to an aggregate data of 2019, if the advertiser spent $1 on the media with Google tech, the Publisher received a 69% share from that dollar. Whereas, the rest 31% is the profit gained by Google.
However, with Google Ads, the campaigns include the display, it charges 14% of every dollar spent by an advertiser. The ad networks charge their advertisers on the bases of cost-per-outcome. However, they pay the publishers on a CPM basis. Therefore, the cost varies on average.
Google disclosed the direct and programmatic amount, which they charge from publishers.
In an analysis of top 100 news publishers, who are using Google, discovered that they directly or indirectly(through partners) sold three-quarter of their inventory to the company. In that setup, Google charges an approx 1% fee based on the ad requests volume.
For the advertisements, in the remaining quarter filled programmatically, Googles charge, for handling the impression was 16%. it also clarified, for any impression filled directly by publishers, Google only charges 5% of the total revenue.
Although, there are a couple of warnings: While publishers use different DSPs to sell advertisement through multiple ad exchanges, they might be paying variable amounts for these advertisements. Through open biding, Google charges 5-10 per cent fee. However, advertisements sold by Ad Manager is charged with a 20% fee.
Also, it’s not yet clear how Ad-sense works in all this share proportion. According to previously shared data, Google takes with Ad Sense is around 68%. However, it wanted to clarify to the publishers that it doesn’t double charge them with its additional charges for Ad Manager.
Why All of Sudden Google is so Transparent?
Well, Google wants to prove that it doesn’t fraud its users. Since a long time now, it has been suffering from allegations.
Also, there is suppose to be an antitrust case which is anticipated by the tech giant this year. During this time frame, several parts of its business will be under a minute check. The state attorney general and the Department of Justice is supposed to be meeting on Friday, to discuss the case. This information was provided by The Wall Street Journal. Hence, as Google is earning a large chunk of its revenue from Ads, it could be one of the things that the departments will investigate.
Last year, an antitrust paper released faulted tech giant on its in-efficiency of sharing end-to-end fees. In a statement, it stated, “No one (other than Google) has visibility into what happens between AdWords and AdX.”
Even the programmatic ecosystem was demanding a transparent approach from Google. Sellers and buyers started to realize that their contract with the company, doesn’t give a clear justification of fee, which Google charged them.
The transparency started flooding the market nearly three years ago. Some independent ad technology companies including Rubicon Project and AppNexus shared data on their take away share of the money. They did so to get rid of the pressure from the industry to reveal the hidden fees. After that, the Trade Desk decided to go public. Hence, they reveal their fees every year.
ISBA is frequently auditing the supply chains. All this, to uncover the hidden charges. Marketers and other tech buyers are demanding from Blockchain to provide them with log-level data. These are the clear indications that publishers and advertisers are looking for transparency. The tech giant is trying to address the issue by providing transparency to its advertisers.
Publishers use the exchange to bid on their behalf for ad impressions. Exchanges try playing smart by trafficking multiple bids for the same ad impression, to increase the probability of getting the bid. Their smartness failed them in this economic downfall and guided them towards extinction.
Due to high traffic, the cost to request bids has increased. The demand-side platforms were already under pressure, and economic situations made things critical. This led to the pounding of the concept of bid-duplication. Now, MediaMath is establishing a new supply chain that won’t include SSPs selling duplicate impressions. To make an example of that, last month, Trade-desk had already given notices to all the SSPs to demolish all the duplicate bids which are there for the same auction. The Trade-desk gave SSPs a two-week time frame which is further extended, but DSPs are expecting the SSPs to fall in line in time.
Joey Livesey, The Trade Desk director of partnerships EMEA said: “By tackling the bid duplication problem we’re hopeful that it will give publishers visibility into an egalitarian measurement of their SSP partnerships as adding another isn’t necessarily going to drive additional revenue for them in a big way.”
This could be a problem for some SSPs. As, Karim Rayes, chief product officer at Tremor International’s stated: “The clampdown does affect our SSP — as it does every other SSP out there — as we cannot send the full breadth of our supply to our buyers using these DSPs.”
Since the emergence of header bidding four years ago, publishers like Trade-desks were rewarded by DSPs for auction duplication. More bids for the same impression meant more revenue generations for a DSP. This crackdown of Trade-desk doesn’t remove the incentives completely, but in a manner reduces the extent of rewarding publishers for the usage of the same exchange several times.
Founder of ad tech consultancy, AdProfs, Ratko Vidakovic said: “I understand the economic rationale for why The Trade Desk is trying to flush outbid duplication but they’re doing so in a crude manner.”
Further, he stated that “The Trade Desk is asking publishers and SSPs to chop off branches to their supply in a way that treats them all equally when they’re not. One SSP might sell specific inventory, for example, so it’s just not about these partnerships being used to serve multiple bids requests for the same impression.”
It might be one of the reasons why MediaMath is applying a different approach for the SSPs it works with to suppress the use of bid-duplication. Now, DSPs will only be allowing those exchanges to place a bid that doesn’t barter various impressions to the identical publisher.
Jeremy Steinberg, from MediaMath, who is the global head of the ecosystem stated: “We’re more focused on precision when it comes to bidding duplication.”
Further, he said, “The aim is to work with SSPs and publishers on a partner basis to understand how we can leverage performance data alongside tools like sellers.json and SupplyChain Object to understand what’s the best impression for our clients.”
However, SSPs gave a positive response to the Trade-desk crackdown. CEO of Engine Group’s SSP EMX Global, Michael Zacharski, welcomed the decision as a positive approach towards a non-duplicative inventory.
“We believe that one impression should be sold one time from an individual exchange, but I don’t think we are yet in a world where publishers sell inventory through just one exchange or source,” stated Zcharski. “Cost reductions up the funnel on the buy-side will shift dollars towards stronger alliances between buyers and sellers creating a need for more custom and flexible marketplaces on top of a simplified supply chain.”
Integrating multiple wrappers to duplicate bids made events doubtful, and unfairly exploited for programmatic auctions. This kind of process will no longer be tolerated and will be screened efficiently. But, the basic proposition of heading bidding — allowing publishers to execute concurrent auctions for analogous impressions — isn’t going off.
Founder of programmatic consultancy Jounce Media, Chris Kane stated:
“What’s clear is that The Trade Desk is using its market power to change incentives for publishers and ad exchanges.” He further added, “Sellers will do what buyers reward, and we are beginning to see buyers reward more efficient supply paths.”


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Apple to start selling new, slimmer iMacs on Friday
Apple says the smaller version of its new, slimmed-down iMac desktop computers will go on sale Friday.
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CUPERTINO, CALIF.—Apple says the smaller version of its new, slimmed-down iMac desktop computers will go on sale Friday.
It will also start taking orders for the larger model, but the units won't ship until next month.
The model with the 21.5-inch (54.6-centimetre) screen will cost $1,299 and up, depending on the configuration.
The model with a 27-inch (68.5-centimetre) screen will start at $1,799.
The iMac tacks the computer components to the back of a large LCD screen. The new models have no disk drive, helping make the edges one-fifth the thickness of the old model. They bulge considerably toward the middle of the back, however.
Apple revealed the new models a month ago.
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Microsoft and Netflix has announced a new partnership that will enable Xbox Live Gold subscribers who are also Netflix subscribers to stream movie and television content from Netflix to their televisions. Users will be able to pause, fast-forward, and rewind through streamed content—and, even better, there will be no additional charge for the server over and above what users are already paying to subscribe to box Xbox Live and Netflix.
“Netflix and Xbox 360 are a perfect combination, the leading online movie rental service and the leading games and entertainment system joining forces to create an all-in-one entertainment experience with content for everyone,” said Netflix chair and CEO Reed Hastings, in a statement. “For Netflix, it represents an important step forward in making instantly streaming movies on the TV more broadly available to our members.”
The Netflix streaming service on Xbox Live is due to launch “this fall” with a library of more than 10,000 movies and television shows. With the addition of Netflix streamed content, Microsoft is boasting that the Xbox 360 will be able to offer more on-demand movies and video content than any other device connected to a television.
To use the service, subscriber just need to add movies and television episodes to their Instant Queues on the Netflix Web site; these choices will be immediately accessible via the Xbox 360, and movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds once selected.


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We have said quite a bit about the perils of DRM and how many in the entertainment industry still insist on its use despite the fact that it is pointless as a deterrent to piracy and only leads to frustration for paying customers. Recently, we spoke about how DRM is bad for book publishers
and that their insistent use of DRM
was part of the reason they ended up in the DOJ's sights. Fortunately, it looks like some publishers are learning from these follies. Tor has just announced that it and all its sister companies' books will be DRM free by July of this year
Our authors and readers have been asking for this for a long time. They’re a technically sophisticated bunch, and DRM is a constant annoyance to them. It prevents them from using legitimately-purchased e-books in perfectly legal ways, like moving them from one kind of e-reader to another.
This is an exciting move for anyone concerned about the future of ebooks. That ability for readers to transfer their books from one device to another will help as technology advances and becomes far better. It is also excellent to hear that not only are readers voicing their dislike of DRM, but authors as well. That is what is really great about this. It often seems like publishers care little about the opinions of authors when it comes to these types of decisions. This news shows that some publishers are listening. Let's hope that other publishers learn from Tor's example and begin to listen as well.


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Volkswagen, Europes largest carmaker, on Monday was on the verge of becoming the continents biggest truckmaker too as it agreed to buy a majority stake in Swedens Scania.
The move by VW to buy the 31 per cent held by the powerful Wallenberg family and its Investor investment vehicle puts an end to one of the longest-running and bitter takeover battles in corporate Europe recently.
MAN, the German truckmaker in which VW holds 29.9 per cent, has a 17 per cent stake in Scania.
Scanias A-shares rose sharply in early Stockhom trading but retreated to stand 3.8 per cent lower at SKr164 after Volkswagen said it would leave the company listed in Stockholm.
Dieter Poetsch, VW chief financial officer, said VW would not make a mandatory offer for the remainder of Scanias shares as it had a waiver from the Swedish authorities dating from its entry into the company in 2000.
We have no intention to alter the shareholder structure of Scania or the listing. Scania will remain a listed company, he said. We maintain a clear image and identity for all of our brands.
MAN abandoned a hostile takeover attempt for Scania last year after failing to reach an agreement with either the Wallenbergs or VW, which then bought its stake in the German group.
Brje Ekholm, chief executive of Investor, said: Through this transaction we create a clarity about the future ownership of Scania. The situation [after the failed MAN bid] has nevertheless led to uncertainty and speculation over the ownership situation at Scania, with a negative effect on the company.
The Scania purchase marks another high point in the career of Ferdinand Pich, chairman of VWs supervisory board. He had already masterminded the purchase of 31 per cent of VW by Porsche, the sports car maker where he is a controlling shareholder.
The takeover brings VW closer to groups such as Japans Toyota and Germanys Daimler that it would like to emulate with car and truck activities. VW last week announced record full-year results and analysts had pondered what it would do with its growing cash pile.
Martin Winterkorn, VW chairman said: We have no plans for strategic changes, in particular for Scanias workforce, in the foreseeable future. There is no idea to create a new [holding] company.
He added that VW did not plan to change the Scania management team.
Bringing together MAN and Scania plus VWs heavy trucks operations in Brazil and its vans business in Europe would create a truck company to rival Volvo in Europe, although it would lag behind Daimler worldwide.
Truck manufacturers need to develop their platforms for the next generation of vehicles soon and analysts think hundreds of millions of euros could be saved by combining the volumes of Scania and MAN.
It also remained unclear what the effect would be on MAN, which VW already in effect controls with Mr Pich as chairman.


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Long queues were reported outside Primark shops in London and Birmingham ahead of their 8am opening time. The chain, which like other clothing shops has been closed since 23 March, does not offer online shopping meaning customers can only buy in the store. All shops in England are allowed to open, although retailers have had to introduce strict safety measures. Jaydee Darrock, from Warwickshire, was one of the first inside Primark's Birmingham store after queuing from about 07:00. She described it as "surprisingly calm".
"We thought it would be chaotic, it's not, it's quite nice," she said.
In Manchester, people waited for almost an hour for some shops. Big queues formed outside Primark,TK Maxx and Foot Locker.
Although food shops, pharmacies, banks and other essential retailers have stayed open, vast swathes of the High Street, from bookshops to clothes outlets, have been closed since 23 March.
HMV owner Doug Putman told the BBC's Today programme that he expected a rush in the first week of trading after his shops open their doors. But he said retailers could be faced with a problem if shoppers do not return in the same numbers as before the lockdown.
"If you've got the same cost structure to run the business but sales are down even 20% it makes a lot of companies unviable."
"We're being very hesitant, we believe that it is going to be a tough year."
Retailers are required to introduce plastic screens at the tills and floor markings to keep shoppers two metres (6ft 5ins) apart - measures that are already a regular fixture in supermarkets.
Other measures will include pleas not to touch items unless customers intend to purchase them and decontaminating shopping baskets after each use. Retailers are promising there will be plenty of sanitiser on hand for customers. Toilets will remain closed in Primark's shops but facilities in other stores, including John Lewis and Selfridges, will be open.
In most clothes shops, fitting rooms will be closed. Bookshops including Waterstones intend to put items in quarantine if browsed but not bought, while some jewellers are introducing ultraviolet boxes that can decontaminate items in minutes.


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Should I Scoot?
JUST before Christmas I bought 78,000 shares in Scoot.com at 1.25p. I have heard that someone has put a bid in to buy the company. Is this true? If it is not, what would you recommend, hold on to them or sell them? JL, Towcester.
Richard Banfield at Barclays stockbrokers says: We ceased coverage of this company in June 2001 but at that time our recommendation was to sell. In November 2001 the company said it was considering its options which included selling to a third party.
The company had some £4m of cash at the end of September 2001 but it is making heavy losses. The company indicated it had enough money to keep it going until May this year. It is a high-risk investment and should probably be avoided unless you want to take a gamble on a takeover.
Scott Penrose at NatWest Stockbrokers says: We don't follow Scoot either but I have heard no takeover rumours about it - in fact there has been no news at all on Scoot for a long time. It is currently trading at 0.7-0.9p, and with penny shares you usually have to do your own research.
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ComCom welcomes new marketing codes for the telecom industry
The Commerce Commission is welcoming the creation of new marketing codes for the telecommunications industry, which they say will help consumers make more informed choices about the best broadband service for them.
The new codes were developed by the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum (TCF) in response to guidelines issued by the Commission that utilise new powers to improve retail service quality for consumers.
In August last year, the Commission wrote to the industry in response to widespread concerns around the marketing of broadband services and confusion around service specifics.
They say some consumers were being led to believe that their copper service was about to be withdrawn when it actually wasn't. Others were being told they had to switch to a particular service when there were various other options available on the market.
All services were also being sold up to or theoretical maximum speeds that many consumers would not have been able to achieve.
In response, the Commission then issued guidelines in November last year to improve broadband marketing conduct and protect consumers before the notably busy Christmas season.
They expected broadband providers to immediately apply the guidelines to their marketing practices at this time, and further to this, also directed the industry to convert the guidelines into a binding industry code through the TCF.
This resulted in the creation of two binding industry codes, which formally commence on 7 May and 30 July 2022. The codes also formalise changes already made by broadband providers while creating an additional industry monitoring and enforcement mechanism.
The codes are the Broadband marketing code and Copper and PSTN transition code.
According to the TCF website, the Broadband marketing code 'requires providers who market broadband services to ensure that the information about the technical and performance characteristics of the broadband service is presented in a clear, accurate and up-to-date way'.
The Copper and PSTN transition code sets out a list of 'requirements that RSPs must meet when their customers are transitioning away from copper-based services due to copper withdrawal, PSTN switch off or a commercial decision means copper services will no longer be available in that area.'
"We've been encouraged by the positive response from the industry to the challenge of cleaning-up broadband marketing," says Telecommunications Commissioner Tristan Gilbertson.
"Providers have changed their marketing practices and the codes that have been issued should lock in the improvements that have been made for consumers."
Gilbertson says consumers will benefit in various ways, such as less pressure when making decisions and easier access to good information and services. There will also be the right to walk away from a broadband plan or provider, without penalty, when a service materially fails to deliver what was advertised.
"We want to make sure the changes providers have made are embedded in their marketing practices. We expect providers to keep us informed on how they are implementing the codes, as well as on how they are making their customers aware of their rights under the codes," Gilbertson says.


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The merger, between Euro Car Parts and Netherlands-based Sator Holdings, was announced yesterday and financed by a LKQ Corporation – a major supplier of collision replacement parts in the US and Canada. Its subsiduary, LKQ Europe, has owned Euro Car Parts since October 2011 – purchasing the firm for £225 million.
Sator holdings owns a number of different part and tool distribution companies – including many based in the Netherlands, and a number which distribute throughout Europe.
Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia, managing director of LKQ Europe – owner of Euro Car Parts– commented: ‘Imagine 11 million disc brake pads stacked up, they would reach 175 miles above the ground or 32 times the height of Mount Everest. Or 8 million oil and air filters – that’s one for each person living in London.
‘Such is the volume of car parts sold annually by a new distribution group, announced today. This new group, with annualised sales of over €1 billion has such large purchasing power that it could supply a car part to each of England’s 56 million citizens, each year.
‘We intend to use this power and world-sourcing capability to drive down the cost of car parts, to the benefit of Europe’s hard-pressed motorists and fleet operators.’


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Joe Biden’s economy is getting worse and worse.
US inflation rose to 7.9% in February – this is the highest in 40 years.
JUST IN – US inflation rises to 7.9% in February, hit 40-year high.
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 10, 2022
Inflation hit a fresh 40-year high in February, largely driven by higher gas prices.
The consumer price index climbed 7.9% on an annual basis, according to data released on Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Month-over-month, inflation rose 0.8%.
The year-over-year reading is in-line with estimates and compares with an annual 7.5% jump in January, marking the fastest increase since February 1982, when inflation hit 7.6%.
Price rise by item:
Price increases over last year (CPI report)
Used Cars: +41.2%
Gas Utilities: +23.8%
New Cars: +12.4%
Food at home: +8.6%
Overall CPI: +7.9%
Food away from home: +6.8%
— Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) March 10, 2022
The Palmieri Report is a Pro-America News Outlet founded by Jacob Palmieri. The Palmieri Report is dedicated to giving people the truth so that they can form their own informed political opinions.
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Google has just announced their latest Android phone, the Galaxy Nexus, with some impressive specifications... but how does it stack up to other smartphones on the market?
First Look: LG V10
OnePlus X review: In striving for opulence, does it miss the mark?
Stay up-to-date with the latest software releases
Hands-on and first impressions of Microsoft's Lumia 950 flagship
As general release nears, what do you think of Windows 10 Mobile?
In a move that will surely have Android modders revving their engines, HTC has announced that they will begin rolling out updates to unlock the bootloaders this Fall. HTC is currently testing updates with support...
A few months ago, T-Mobile customers were furious when the company drastically reduced its fair usage policy on handset data packages, from 1GB or 3GB, down to a feeble 500MB (although existing customers were later...
The HTC Sensation is HTC’s first venture into the dual-core smartphone market, and despite other market offerings delivering some Tegra 2 power inside, HTC decided to stick with their trusted Qualcomm processors this time. Combine...


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Airport City Manchester has already seen the creation of over 2,000 new jobs and attracted substantial investment across the 821,000 sq ft developed to date.
In July 2017, Icon Industrial, a joint venture between TPG Real Estate and Stoford Developments, completed a deal to acquire 45 acres of prime development land at Global Logistics. The completion of the deal, could see the development of a further 1m sq ft of logistics space within Airport City Manchester, creating 3,000+ new jobs.
To date, Global Logistics has established itself as a prime North West logistics site following the arrival of significant international logistics operators such as Amazon and DHL, which have benefited from its current infrastructure, transport links and proximity to the airport.
The development land at Global Logistics, which benefits from outline planning permission for c.1 million sq ft of lettable logistics space, will be built into a prime asset, with a total development value of c. £100m.
For more details, please visit: iconindustrial.co.uk
As Global Logistics expands, the surrounding infrastructure needs to be updated to support the growth. The A538 junction improvement works are required due to the need for increased junction capacity. The scheme involves upgrading the existing junction between the A538 Wilmslow Road and Sunbank Lane, which will deliver enhanced access to the Global Logistics development.


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World Business Briefing | Americas: Argentina: Bunge Exchanges Businesses
Published: December 27, 2003
Bunge, the world's largest oilseed processor, agreed to swap several businesses with J. Macedo to focus its Brazilian wheat-based food operations on bakery and food-service products. J. Macedo's flour, bakery-flour and bakery premix businesses will become part of Bunge Alimentos. In return, J. Macedo, which is based in Fortaleza, Brazil, will acquire Bunge Alimentos' household flour, cake mix, dessert and pasta businesses, Bunge said. Bunge will receive a payment of less than $10 million, ''but the deal is basically a swap of businesses,'' Susie Ter-Jung, a spokeswoman for Bunge, said.


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PS5, Xbox Series X's Prices Are A Mystery Still, But It's Not As Weird As You Think
How much will PS5 or Xbox Series X cost? We'll know soon, but the wait for that information isn't unprecedented.
Sony is now allowing fans to essentially pre-register for the chance to pre-order a PS5. By entering your PSN ID, you can indicate your interest to pre-order a PS5. This doesn't guarantee you a pre-order, and, critically, we still don't know the price, release date, or when those pre-orders will become available. The way this is being handled suggests Sony may favor its own first-party store for handling PS5 pre-orders, a possibility noted below as an explanation for why these essential details remain unknown.
Just a few months from now, next-generation consoles will be with us. The Xbox Series X has been confirmed for a November release, and Sony has repeatedly stated that PlayStation 5 will launch before the end of 2020. But how much is it going to cost to pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X once they do finally hit? There's been much ado about the fact that Sony and Microsoft have kept key details a mystery, including release date and price, but the fact that we don't know what the systems will cost isn't as unprecedented as you might think--you only need to look a few years back to see an even more extreme example.
Nintendo Switch launched on March 3, 2017, but it wasn't until January 12--less than two months earlier--that Nintendo shared a price or release date. That's 50 days before launch! It's wild to think that news came so late in the game, but that didn't stop the Switch from selling out when pre-orders went live just hours after the date and price were announced (though there were some available at launch). Likewise, Xbox 360's price wasn't announced until mid-August, just three months before launch.
I've seen people continue to express astonishment that such critical details about PS5 or Xbox remain unknown at this late stage. And I get it: Who can forget PS3's "five-hundred and ninety-nine US dollars" at E3 2006, five months before release? We heard about pricing for PS4 and Xbox One back to back during E3 in June 2013, again, five months before they hit store shelves. While this year may not have seen an E3, we have already gotten events from both Sony and Microsoft that effectively served as substitutes for their usual E3 press conferences, and yet these details remain unknown as of mid-August.
PS5 and Xbox Series X are going to sell out at launch regardless of their exact release dates and prices. Supply constraints are always the major hurdle for a major new console launch, and that's certain to be the case once again this fall, Halo Infinite or not.
Sony and Microsoft are playing something of a cat-and-mouse game, but they are reaching a point where they'll have no choice but to announce pricing. As NPD's Mat Piscatella points out, retailers need to have this information in order to open pre-orders and to generally handle the logistics of selling a new piece of hardware. Once retailers begin to get that information, it will invariably leak, so it's likely that both companies would aim to make an announcement around the time retailers are informed.
At some point retail hardware allocations must get locked. Retailers have to know how many they'll have to sell, and how much they'll have to spend to acquire the inventory. Once that happens, prices will get out there. But we're getting late in the game, retail needs to know.— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) August 3, 2020
Unless the manufacturers want to shift hardware share to their own online storefronts, that is...………..— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) August 3, 2020
Piscatella does also intriguingly note the prospect of Sony or Microsoft wanting to focus on selling the systems through their own online stores. Of course, that might not sit well with retail partners, and there's already some question if GameStop--which famously refused to sell the all-digital Xbox One S model--will carry the PS5's Digital Edition, which lacks a disc drive and thus cuts into GameStop's lucrative used game business.
We've made our own predictions for how much Xbox Series X and PS5 will cost, with many of us here at GameSpot expecting them to come in around the $500 mark. The real wild card will be the still-unannounced Xbox Series S and just how low Microsoft decides to push its price. The goal with that system will surely be to undercut the price of both Series X and PS5, but it can only effectively make that announcement once we know what those confirmed consoles will cost.
One way or another, we'll be finding out about pricing soon, and once we do, that should set off a flurry of other announcements. Exciting times lie ahead.
PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch And More Games Coverage


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Drinks giant Coca Cola has announced their mammoth 42 date Christmas truck tour for their iconic red juggernaut.
The Coca Cola Christmas truck tour begins in Glasgow on Saturday, November 11 and ends on Sunday, December 17 in Essex at the Intu Lakeside shopping centre.
At every stop, visitors have the chance to project festive selfies across the side of the truck as it lights up in a snowy winter wonderland setting, while enjoying a choice of Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.
Since 2011, the truck has made 397 stops and was last in Grimsby at the Riverhead in 2014. However it seems the holidays are not coming in 2017 - as the truck will completely miss out both of our towns.
But this year families keen to see the truck will have to travel to Hull or Gainsborough as Grimsby and Cleethorpes are not on the 2017 route.
Last December, the 13 tonne truck stopped at Meridian Point in Cleethorpes, with children and adults queuing up patiently to pose for a photograph next to the 4.1 metre high truck stationed at the Winter Wonderland event.
Lit by 372 bulbs and 8,772 fairy lights to give it that Christmas sparkle, it certainly got everyone in the festive spirit, including a 12 year old Becki Douglass, who commented: “Seeing the truck makes you feel excited for Christmas. You know Christmas is on its way when you see it.
“I’ve seen the truck twice now, both times in Grimsby and now Cleethorpes.”
Already people are taking to Twitter to voice their dismay at being missed out, with Abby White telling of her heartbreak.
Where to see it
St. Stephens, Ferensway, Hull HU2 8LN
11am to 7pm
Marshalls Yard, Beaumont Street, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 2NA
11am to 7pm


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The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) has embarked on the first stage towards launching Judicial Review proceedings by formally writing to Defra to challenge the UK Government on its refusal to ban imports of illegally-produced battery cage eggs and egg products.
Following a £400 million investment by egg producers all British Lion cage eggs now come from new, enriched colony cages as required by the new legislation in force since January 1st 2012. However producers in 13 other EU countries, including Spain, Italy and Poland, have not fully complied with the ban and it is estimated that around one-quarter of EU cage egg production will be illegal.
Illegal battery eggs
The UK Government has refused to impose a ban on imports of illegal battery eggs and egg products, and the BEIC has now taken the first step in the Judicial Review process – a pre-action protocol letter – asking Defra to give a fuller explanation for its decision and to review its current position that the Government cannot do anything to prevent the importation of illegally produced eggs and egg products. BEIC’s legal advice is that the Government has incorrectly interpreted the law and it believes that the Government must not condone the importation of illegal battery cage eggs and egg products into the UK.
Andrew Parker, BEIC Chairman, commented: “British egg producers have invested heavily to meet their legal obligations and improve animal welfare. EU member states have had more than 12 years to get their houses in order and comply with the new legislation, so there are no excuses.
Although the Government has said it will conduct checks of shell egg imports, it does not plan to check imported egg products or products containing eggs, meaning that illegal eggs can be used by UK food manufacturers and caterers in products such as quiche, egg mayonnaise and Scotch eggs, or be contained in finished foods containing eggs, imported from other EU countries.
“This is ridiculous,” says Parker. “All that is required is the production of proper supporting documentation with all eggs and egg related products entering the country, which is already a legal requirement on distributors. This is standard traceability procedure operated throughout the food industry both here in the UK and in the EU so it should be a straightforward process for the Government to do the right thing, both ethically and legally.”
The BEIC has launched a new website and is calling for food companies and the public to sign its pledge to support British egg producers and help keep illegal eggs out of the UK.


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XSEED has announced that the localised version of Unchained Blades will be unleashed on the PlayStation Portable next week. The game – built by a dream team of Japanese developers – will be available from the PlayStation Store for $29.99.
Unfortunately, XSEED was unable to confirm whether the game will be Vita compatible. It’s baffling to us that Sony can’t even sort out the backwards compatibility of brand new PSP releases. We’re not really sure what the problem is anymore.


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As connoisseur of teas, whether real or herbal, a sample of the all natural, organic oolong tea was a refreshing change. A trip to the local coffee house gave me the opportunity to try this Asian delight. The taste was smooth with a small . . .Read More
Nowadays there are both low and high quality teas in the market as well as average quality vendors who lead you to believe they are high quality. Therefore it is important to have an idea how to recognize a high quality tea. . . .Read More
In recent years, online shopping has become very popular among all classes of people. The sheer idea of being able to shop from the comfort of home and getting them delivered at the doorstep is exciting for many online users. . . .Read More
Magic Johnson joining Detroit investment effort
By JEFF KAROUB , 07.21.11, 04:08 PM EDT
DETROIT -- Hall-of-Fame basketball player turned businessman Earvin "Magic" Johnson said Thursday joining a Detroit venture capital company that includes Quicken Loans founder and chairman Dan Gilbert is "the right opportunity" to invest in the largest city of his home state.
The ex-NBA star and Lansing native will be a general partner in Detroit Venture Partners, an early stage venture capital firm launched by Gilbert and two others last year that targets technology startups and growing them in Detroit. Johnson said he's "writing a big check" to the firm worth millions, but declined to say exactly how much.


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Growth in business revenue has surpassed expectations for small and medium-sized firms in Yorkshire, says a report.
Some 65% of SMEs in the region say that their business revenue has grown in the past 12 months – compared with just 43% at the same time last year.
The figures are drawn from the Close Brothers Business Barometer, an independent quarterly survey of SME owners and managers from a range of sectors across the UK.
Mike Randall, chief executive of Close Brothers Asset Finance, said: “The Office for National Statistics states that the UK recovery is progressing faster than anticipated and our figures seem to suggest that small and medium-sized businesses are really benefitting from improved trading conditions.
“More than two-fifths of the businesses we surveyed in Yorkshire and Humberside report up to 10% growth in revenue, while just over half cite a jump of between 10% to 20% in the last year.”
The Close Brothers Business Barometer shows business confidence to be high, with 64% of local SMEs optimistic about their growth prospects for the year ahead.
The survey also reveals that almost half of respondents plan to invest in their business in the next 12 months.
“It’s very important that these businesses plan ahead to ensure they can make the most of an increasingly prosperous economy,” said Mr Randall.
“In particular, these firms must be proactive with their financial planning.
“The Business Barometer shows that 19% of those surveyed in Yorkshire and Humberside say that a lack of finance is currently holding them back from seizing new business opportunities.
“This is somewhat concerning as without the necessary working capital, growth will be very hard to achieve.
“It’s essential that businesses explore a broad range of funding options to ensure that they succeed in meeting their forecasts for next year.”


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Around 20 million people in the UK are leaving themselves open to potentially harmful tooth-whitening procedures by visiting providers who are not trained to carry out quality treatments, or purchasing home whitening kits over the internet. Experts recommend that only dental professionals carry out this sort of treatment.
A new survey has revealed that one in four people would chose staff at a beauty kiosk or a beauticians, rather than going to a dental clinic for the procedure – the same proportion of those asked were also under the impression that beauticians have the right qualifications to carry out tooth whitening, which is actually illegal as of October 31st last year. Under the European Council directive, whitening products that contain between 0.1% and 6% hydrogen peroxide can only be sold or used by registered dental professionals.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the British Dental Foundation said that ‘There is no doubt tooth whitening is becoming more popular due to the sheer number of places you can now have it done. There is also no doubt a vast number of these are operating illegally and pose a significant health risk.’ He also added that beauticians and kiosk workers do not have ‘the correct training, qualifications or the expertise required’ and the poor quality products used could leave the patient with permanently damaged teeth. Finally, he urged consumers to get in touch with the National Dental Helpline to get answers to any questions they might have, saying ‘If you are considering getting your teeth whitened, there are now clear guidelines for everyone to follow when it comes to the procedure. It must be done in a dental practice.’


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Significant Cadbury shareholder Legal & General Investment Management has backed the company's rejection of Kraft's £10.2bn offer, saying it "materially undervalues" the confectionary giant.
Mark Burgess, the group's head of active equities and corporate governance, says it backs Cadbury management's initiatives to boost shareholder returns. LGIM, which owns over 5% of Cadbury, says it...
Protecting and dividing family wealth
'Pensions could veer off course'
Pre-selected advice firms mooted
‘Massive risk-off rush’
Online portal launching alongside


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Amazon's Kindle Fire tablets are going on sale at GameStop stores. Target and Wal-Mart stopped selling the Amazon devices earlier this year amid concerns about competition in other areas.
GameStop stores to start selling Kindle Fire
SmartBrief Job Listings for Retail
|Director Brand & Calendar Marketing||
Tractor Supply Company
Stoneway Electric Supply
|Farmer's Branch,, Texas|
Crate and Barrel


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According to statistics on Business Insider from 2010, Walmart employs 1 percent of the American working population. That means more than 2.1 million people get a paycheck from Walmart every week. If you’ve never worked at Walmart, then you probably know someone who has or does.
In today’s world it’s a rare sight to find a teenager working to save for college. It’s probably because of the upcoming “entitlement generation” but while most kids might not care about their future, there is a certain minority who care deeply about living a better life.
When you meet 18-year-old Kristopher Hudson, you’ll see someone with an unparalleled passion for life. He holds a summer job at Walmart and he’s saving for college. But that’s not the best part. Kristopher believes that everyone deserves to be happy and everyone deserves an education. That’s why he is…
Five days every week, Kristopher is found helping customers find what they need at the Walmart in Bryant. But he’s not just using his paycheck to pay for his own college tuition. Kristopher is using his job at Walmart to pay it forward and help other kids in his community get the education they want too.
Kristopher is about to start his college education. It is a dream come true. But his summer job at Walmart is so much more than just stocking shelves and taking home a paycheck.
“I like to interact with the customers,” Kristopher says in the video below. “I like to ask if there’s any questions that they have. Or if they have a problem, I’d like to try to solve that for them.”
…That’s why Kristopher Hudson is dedicated to giving back to others.
When Kristopher gets the paycheck from Walmart every week, he uses some of the money to buy school supplies to donate to children in need. He buys the supplies at the Walmart store that employs him and then drops them off in the education-drive buckets at the front of the store. He does this all with his own money.
“I got $66 and I bought 309 items with that money,” he says.
When people like Kristopher get it in their minds to help, a little bit of cash can go a long way to making the world a much better place.
Because Kristopher is donating to the education drive, he is inspiring other employees to do it too. Ty McCollum an assistant manager at Kristopher’s store noticed the 18-year-old donating school supplies. Ty decided to follow the college student’s lead and do some good himself.
“By him doing it, others start to be like, ‘well you know, Kristopher has done this so maybe I can chip in two or three dollars and help out,” Ty says.
But why does Kristopher do it? He knows that his generosity would have made his mom proud. His mother always told him to encourage others. And by donating school supplies, Kristopher knows he is encouraging needy children to get the education they deserve.
“The best feeling you’ll ever have is when you get to help someone out,” Kristopher said.
Kristopher’s generosity is worth so much more than his Walmart paycheck.
Please SHARE THIS UPLIFTING STORY with your family and friends Facebook today!


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Philipus Jani of Tambunan in Sabah with a bamboo saxophone, called ‘somporing’, which took him 12 years to design and patent. — picture by Edmund Samunting
KOTA KINABALU: For more than a decade, he carefully carved bamboo from a nearby forest, shaping it to resemble a popular musical instrument invented in the 1840s in Europe.
Philipus Jani, 39, had fallen in love with a brass saxophone he had borrowed from a friend, but unable to afford his own, he decided to make one.
“I thought of using bamboo. The experiment started in 1993 and I finally perfected a saxophone made of bamboo 12 years later.
“I used my own calculations and measurements for placement of holes and now, it functions perfectly.
“This traditional instrument is as good as the modern one and it shows that we can improvise and make instruments of our own using resources like bamboo,” said Jani, who comes from the Tambunan district, about two hours by road from here.
Not wanting his hard work to be copied by others, Jani has patented his invention with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia, calling it the “somporing”.
Jani, who showcased the conical musical instrument at the recent Sabah Fest, has sold 35 “somporing” and is banking on more orders not just from music enthusiasts but also from those eyeing unique Sabah traditional souvenirs.
A small “somporing” fetches RM500 while larger ones go for RM1,000 inclusive of a bamboo case.
“It takes me about four days to a week to make one “somporing” and I use the money to support my wife and six children.
“Sometimes, I perform traditional tunes and popular English, Chinese and Japanese songs. I have also composed a few tunes.”
Jani has also made a bamboo guitar, which he is hoping to introduce at the end of this month. — By Jaswinder Kaur


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Personally identifiable data was stolen, but no mission is in jeopardy.
The US broadband and telecommunications firm has agreed to the payout, following a major lapse in its consumer privacy protection policy over several years in the mid-2000s.
An enquiry by Italian investigators has given Google 18 months to reform its privacy policies before it faces a fine of up to €1 million and possible criminal proceedings.
How can you infect your smartphone with malicious software without downloading dozens of questionable apps? Simple. Buy a phone that’s already infected!


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Chris Mayne, a freelance Character Animator, has been working on a free open-access list of jobs for animators, artists, designers, and other professionals in the entertainment industry.
Nintendo published a financial report according to which the console reached almost 90 million sales and got closer to Nintendo Wii that still stays at the top of the list with more than 100 million hardware sales.
This includes 3D Realms — the developer behind the Duke Nukem series, Ghost Ship Games — Deep Rock Galactic creator, and other studios.
ASWF shared the news during its annual Open Source Days online conference.
The Gnomon Workshop released a guide created by Kurtis Dawe, Character Artist and Modeler at Scanline VFX Vancouver, on how to design stunning unique creatures from outlining the concept to rendering in KeyShot and post-processing in Photoshop.
Epic Games released the official teaser trailer and announced that there will be 5 shows between August 6 and August 9.
Ted Peterson and Julian LeFay are creating an open-world fantasy RPG where "choice, consequence, scope and role-playing will be experienced like never before."
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the smart glasses created in collaboration with Ray-Ban and Essilor Luxottica are going to be the company's next product launch.
Epic Games released the latest version of its photogrammetry software that allows you to create virtual reality scenes, orthographic projections, 2D and 3D maps from scans and images automatically.
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Splash Damage has renamed Extraction to Dirty Bomb - the upcoming free-to-play shooter's previous name.
Splash Damage, otherwise known for Brink and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, and publisher Nexon America announced the change on Thursday. The game was renamed Extraction in August 2013, but Nexon said in a release that Dirty Bomb better fits the game's "unique personality".
Dirty Bomb is currently in "limited closed beta" and will ramp up in coming months. Beta sign-ups are open on the game's official website.
Nexon also announced it will run dedicated servers for the shooter in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Extraction takes place in London, which has been abandoned following a radiological attack. Players take control of a range of mercenaries with unique abilities to battle for control of the city.
Splash Damage said in August that Extraction was "the name we've always wanted for the game", though it was unsure it could secure the trademark before partnering with Nexon.