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American Hotel & Lodging Association has conducted a survey of hotel industry owners, operators, and employees from Nov. 10-13, 2020, with more than 1,200 respondents.
- More than 2/3 of hotels (71%) report they will only be able to last six more months at current projected revenue and occupancy levels absent any further relief
- One-third (34%) say they can only last one to three more months
- 63% of hotels have less than half of their typical, pre-crisis staff working full time
- 82% of hotel owners say they’ve been unable to obtain additional debt relief from their lenders beyond 2020
- 59% of hotel owners are in danger of foreclosure by their commercial real estate debt lenders, a 10% increase since September
- 52% of respondents stated their hotel(s) will close without additional aid
A national consumer survey commissioned by AHLA shows that 72% of Americans said they were unlikely to travel for Thanksgiving and 69% were unlikely to travel for Christmas.
Meantime, Bethesda-based Pebblebrook Hotel Trust is partnering with six other hospitality companies to bring 120 hotels with 22,000 keys under a new umbrella called the Curator Hotel & Resort Collection.
In addition to independent lifestyle hotels and resorts either owned or operated by Pebblebrook, the group includes Houston-based Benchmark Global Hospitality; Atlanta-based Davidson Hotels & Resorts; Seattle-based Noble House Hotels & Resorts; Portland, Oregon-based Provenance Hotels; Springboard Hospitality and Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, both out of Southern California. Jon Bortz, founder, chair & CEO says independent hotels can retain individuality rather than following a uniform brand standard. Curator will take care of participating hotels’ vendor negotiations, share business intelligence reporting and insights to improve operations and reduce costs, and will feature the hotels on its website.
Kansas City Kansas Convention and Visitors Bureau announced that the organization has changed its name to Visit Kansas City Kansas. The visual rebrand was designed by REACTOR, a local marketing and creative studio. “While our identity has changed, our mission remains the same – to generate economic growth in Kansas City, Kansas through tourism,” said Alan Carr, executive director.
North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau has taken on a new name: Destination NMB. President and CEO Cheryl Kilday said the new name and logo is a good way to distinguish themselves from the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, while maintaining an amicable partnership.
A comment about virtual business meetings from Steve Paganelli, CDME, Head of Destination Marketing Americas, Tripadvisor in response to this 1990 United Airlines commercial (below):
“To all the naysayers who suggest that travel — particularly business travel and meetings & conventions will never be the same, we need only refer to the recent past or the way we conclude every virtual conference or Zoom call: ‘Great job; can’t wait until we can be back together in-person.’
In my estimation, business travel will be slow to return due to budgets and a misplaced belief that seeing someone through a screen can suffice for in-person interaction. As we’re all learning first-hand, that’s not the case. Virtual conferences will spur increased interest in being there in-person and I predict we’ll see higher attendance than pre-pandemic in 3-5 years as more delegates who weren’t able to attend previously get exposed virtually and through hybrid formats, and then push to be present in-person.
Mr. Gates teases one key reason at the end of this interview: New relationships don’t get initiated or forged virtually.” Note: Bill Gates predicts that 50% of business travel will disappear.
Replace “fax” with “email” in the script of this United Airlines ad from 30 years ago, and you’ve got mid-pandemic 2020. What do you think?
Tripadvisor will launch a subscription service, Tripadvisor Plus, in the coming months, giving members access to deals and perks on “tens of thousands of hotels” and 400,000-plus attractions. “Think of it as a travel club,” CEO Steve Kaufer told CNBC.
Tripadvisor says businesses that use its free Travel Safe tool (see Q&A with Todd Skelton, Tripadvisor) , which highlights health and safety information, saw a 16% increase in user engagement with their listings.
Read more: In partnership with Phocuswright, Tripadvisor has published a whitepaper, “2020 A Year in Travel: Charting the Travel Industry’s Path to Recovery.”
Qantas Airways is planning to require future international passengers to have a Covid-19 vaccination before they fly, said CEO Alan Joyce in an interview. On Australian television, he indicated that Qantas had discussed the idea with other airlines globally. “It’s going to be a common theme across the board,” he said.
China has another idea. Speaking at the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit last week, President Xi Jinping appealed to world leaders to create a globally-accepted COVID-19 health-tracking system to enable the resumption of trade and travel. China is using a QR code -based health screening system that operates on Alipay and WeChat. It stores a passenger’s health and travel history to issue a traffic-light-colored QR code – green, yellow or red – that indicates that individual’s freedom to move around with access to public places. “According to an analysis by The New York Times, China’s QR code system, which stores health and travel data, appears to share information with the police,” reports The Independent in the U.K.
Affordable transatlantic carrier Norwegian Air has filed for bankruptcy. Reuters reports, “Growing rapidly to become Europe’s third-largest low-cost airline and the biggest foreign carrier serving New York and other major U.S. cities, Norwegian’s debt and liabilities stood at $7.4 billion at the end of September.”
Brightline Train will add a Disney World stop. The station would connect South Florida to Orlando’s largest attraction, including Disney’s four theme parks, two water parks and more than 25 hotels. No timeline for completion was given.
Did you know? To set an example for people to get the polio vaccine in 1956, health authorities had Elvis Presley take it. (These days, it might take many different influencers appealing to niche audiences all at the same time. Who would you suggest?)
Backstage at CBS Studio 50, before an airing of The Ed Sullivan Show, NYC Commissioner of Health Leona Baumgartner, right, holds the arm of Elvis while Assistant Commissioner Harold Fuerst administers the polio vaccine to the king of rock ‘n’ roll. The story is told on the website of NYC Department of Records & Information Services. — National Endowment for the Humanities


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Registration takes less than 1 minute.
Southern California container terminals clear backlog in wake of tentative ILWU contract.
A strike could come as soon as Monday, according to a statement from Teamster affiliate Justice for Port Truck Drivers.
Chicago-based SEKO has expanded in recent years into a full-service logistics provider with transportation, warehousing, supply chain, home delivery and e-commerce capabilities.
Announced on the heels of a port driver labor strike, Eco Flow will use "free-flow" to move containers out of terminals to off-dock yards.
Such an alliance could have a "competitive edge," according to industry consultant Drewry.

domain: news


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The Apple Maps fiasco tarnished an otherwise sterling launch for the iPhone 5, sending users to incorrect locations and displaying highways in the middle of oceans. Cook still acknowledges that the company messed up with the launch of Maps, but says the decision to move to an in-house solution was made for consumer benefit, not to lock down the iOS platform even further.
From NBC: On Maps, a few years ago, we decided that we wanted to provide customers features that we didn’t have in the current edition of Maps. It [Maps] didn’t meet our customers’ expectation, and our expectations of ourselves are even higher than our customers’. However, I can tell you, so we screwed up.”


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You fall in love with the floppy ears, the sweet eyes, the silky fur.
But what if your dream dog turns out to be a sick puppy?
Since 1990, Florida residents have had recourse under the so-called "pet lemon law," which guarantees owners a refund or a substitute animal if pets fall ill or demonstrate hereditary defects within certain time periods.
The law's nickname usually draws a giggle. Most consumers associate the lemon law with things on four wheels, not four legs.
But increasingly, this obscure state statute is eliciting a wave of sour feeling.
Stricken pet owners say technicalities have tripped them up in trying to collect refunds or make an exchange.
"There are too many barriers," said Marc Rabinowitz of Aventura, who cited the law in suing his kennel when his $1,200 Cavalier King Charles was diagnosed with cataracts. Rabinowitz says he lost his case because his veterinarian termed the dog's defect congenital, but did not specifically classify the animal as "unfit for purchase."
Cities, counties and police seldom have the time or resources to enforce the statute. And retailers complain that the law makes them vulnerable to criminal charges and singles them out, but not the backyard breeders and adoption services with whom they compete.
The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is reviewing the problems. The agency has asked interested groups to help craft an amended version, which is expected to come before the Legislature in the 1997 session.
As it stands, the Pet Shop Act - supporters and critics alike decry the "lemon law" nickname - was supposed to create industrywide consumer standards for how retailers treat sales of sick animals. It entitles buyers to their choice of a refund, an exchange or a reimbursement of some veterinary costs under three circumstances:
-- If, within two weeks of sale, a veterinarian certifies that an animal was unfit for sale because of disease;
-- If, within a year of sale, a veterinarian certifies that an animal was unfit for sale because of a congenital or hereditary disorder;
-- If, within a year of sale, an animal's breed, gender or health is found to have been misrepresented.
Violators can face first-degree misdemeanor charges, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Sounds simple enough. But then there's the fine print.
For example, once a veterinarian certifies that a pet was unfit for sale, the consumer has two business days to inform the pet dealer and three business days to present the dealer with the veterinarian's written certification.
The law also allows retailers to have customers sign waivers that circumvent some of the law's provisions. Retailers can make a waiver a condition of sale.
Gregg Docktor, owner of Merryfield Kennels in Fort Lauderdale, said criminal charges arising from the sale of sick pets are "unfair" and "overkill."He said he has had to defend himself in court for what amounted to paperwork glitches. All the charges ultimately were dismissed.
"If someone makes an error, [the law is) very unforgiving," he said. "I was going above and beyond what the law says to do before it was passed."
The State Veterinarian also wants to start a licensing and inspection program for pet retailers similar to programs already established in Kansas and Missouri. Responsibility for monitoring dealers would pass from local officials to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Yearly fees from licensees would pay for more extensive enforcement.
"So far, there's been no way to enforce [the law)," said Dr. Tom Lane, the University of Florida's extension veterinarian and treasurere of the Florida Veterinary Medical Association. "If you could have your license revoked and got a civil fine of $1,000, you'd think twice about selling a sick animal again."


text: Private label vitamins have been seeing peak sales, even during the recent recession. Analysts and experts are debating whether the consumers will stay with private labels once the economy stabilizes, or whether they will go back to purchasing some of the better-known, national brands. Private label vitamins have become more successful than they used to be, and they compete well now against name brands. Manufacturers of private label vitamins have shown the industry a great deal of leadership. They have developed innovations in their technologies of manufacturing, and introduced newer ingredients backed by scientific study. Manufacturers of private label supplements and vitamins will make it easier for wise entrepreneurs to compete against major brand vitamins.With so many options available to fit our energy needs, it is not surprising that choosing the supplement that best coincides with your lifestyle can be a daunting task. Lifestyles have drastically changed over the years causing added stress with lack of time, work responsibilities, finding time for family and of course, taking care of yourself.


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Sara Lee Corp., whose cheesecakes aren`t selling as well as they used to because of fat-conscious consumers, Monday announced some belt-tightening of its own: It will close its Deerfield plant by March 1991 and eliminate 600 bakery division jobs.
The 26-year-old Kitchens of Sara Lee plant is the birthplace of frozen baked goods. It is Chicago-based Sara Lee`s largest and was the company`s first mass-production bakery.
The company said the 50-acre plant near Waukegan and Lake-Cook Roads is outmoded and would be too expensive to modernize. Production will be shifted to more efficient plants in other parts of the country. The closing had been rumored for months.
''We explored every single alternative. It`s an old plant not suited to today`s needs. It would be prohibitively expensive to renovate it and get the production flexibility we have elsewhere,'' said C. Steven McMillan, senior vice president of Sara Lee and chief executive of the bakery operation.
''We came to a decision last week. We concluded it would be better to announce it now and then go ahead with a smooth transition,'' he said.
Company officials expect the plant to keep operating at about current levels until the closing. Its employment, half of what it was when the operation was at its peak, has been slipping for years.
Lost will be the jobs of 400 hourly plant workers and 100 supervisors and general manufacturing employees, all in Deerfield. About 100 administrative jobs will be cut from various company bakery locations, including Deerfield. The cuts will reduce the bakery division`s employment of 4,500 by about 13 percent.
The plant produces cheesecake, pound cake, danish, croissants, cinnamon rolls and muffins.
Both profits and unit sales volume have fallen at Sara Lee`s bakery operation. It has been slow to introduce new products, particularly ones aimed at diet-conscious consumers. The division has annual sales of more than $750 million.
''In all likelihood, we`d sell it (the plant site),'' McMillan said.
''But that decision will be made by the board.'' The site`s proximity to the Tri-State Tollway contributes to its attractiveness as a real estate acquisition.
Sara Lee will keep its bakery division headquarters, research department and technical services in the Chicago area and is looking for alternative sites in the city and suburbs, McMillan said. He declined to say which sites are being considered. About 500 workers involved in those operations will be retained.
Sara Lee will begin negotiating severance packages with three unions representing plant workers: the Bakery and Confectionery Workers International Union, the Teamsters and the International Association of Machinists.
The Deerfield plant was designed to make 13 different products, but Sara Lee now produces more than 1,000 products and variations. Other plants are more suited to handle the broader range, the company said.
Plant locations that stand to absorb the Deerfield plant`s operations are in Dubois, Ind.; New Hampton, Iowa; Kansas City, Kan.; Traverse City, Mich.;
Forest, Miss.; Tarboro, N.C.; and Greenville, S.C. The company also has production facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Some of the plants are non-union and have lower labor costs.
Bakery unit volume fell 9 percent in the company`s fiscal third quarter ended March 31, compared with a 10 percent increase in the comparable 1989 period. To bolster its competitive position, the company is trying to increase its ability to make new products.


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Australia’s largest honey manufacturer makes a shocking U-turn after it was accused of selling 'fake' product made with syrups from China
- The manufacturer accused of selling 'fake' honey has made a big announcement
- It plans to fund a testing facility in Australia, despite criticising it days ago
- The new facility will be independent and the result of a combined industry force
- It will 'maintain the confidence of consumers and the Australian honey industry'
- The honey producer will also re-test all products that were dubbed as 'fake'
Capilano managing director Ben McKee (pictured) revealed the company will back a new honey-testing facility
Australia's largest honey producer has made a dramatic U-turn after being accused of selling 'fake' honey mixed with a range of different sugar syrups.
When a test showed that Capilano's Allowrie honey included inferior syrups, the company initially criticised the assessment, saying Australian regulators ‘do not use this testing regime at all’.
But in a shocking twist, Capilano has today revealed it is now planning to fund the establishment of a new test facility for honey in Australia that uses the same regime he criticised.
Capilano managing director Ben McKee had previously questioned the reliability of the NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resolution) test compared to Australian-standard C3 and C4 sugar tests.
He had called on the industry to ‘prove’ the NMR test so that it matched the ‘robustness of results from other testing currently relied on internationally’.
However, Capilano is now joining forces with other industry players to build an independent facility to test any honey for sale in Australia using the NMR method - and it could receive Federal Government support.
‘We have commenced discussions with the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Honey Bee Products and most importantly the University of Sunshine Coast, who currently have NMR capability, to establish an independent honey testing facility,’ McKee said.
‘We have also held discussions with the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council Executive Director and Chairman to ensure such a facility meets its needs.’
Some honey producers have allegedly been finding ways around the existing C3 and C4 testing methods, and experts have claimed that the NMR test is the most fool-proof assessment.
The Australian honey producer accused of selling ‘adulterated’ honey, mixed with a range of different sugar syrups, has made a U-turn on its stance.
An NMR test showed that Capilano's Allowrie honey included rice and beet syrups and the company initially criticised the assessment, saying that Australian regulators ‘do not use this testing regime at all’
‘Even though Capilano has a testing regime that is internationally recognised, we can see the added benefit of investing in new testing regimes to continue to maintain the confidence of consumers and the Australian honey industry,' McKee said.
But not everyone is convinced by Capilano's move.
Former ACCC chairman Allan Fels believes that testing and its funding should be done 'at arm's length' from the industry, The Age reports.
He also said that people unconnected to the honey industry knew it was a target for food fraud globally, and added that regulators should question what Capilano had done to prevent tainted products from entering its supply chain.
Capilano also said today that it would be re-testing all of its imported honey products.
'Capilano is fully supportive of increased and improved testing of imported honey and will reject any imported honey that fails these tests,' the company said.
Supermarkets and honey brands across Australia were accused of selling ‘fake’ honey earlier this week following the results of honey fraud detection testing.
Germany’s Quality Services International (QSI) lab – which specialises in honey fraud detection – ran tests on a range of honeys across Australia, and found that many products boasting 100 per cent honey content also contained different types of ‘syrups’.
‘By and large [the impurity] is some kind of syrup that’s been converted to look like honey, it tastes like honey,’ Phillip McCabe, from the International Federation of Beekeepers Association, told the Sydney Morning Herald.
A honey fraud detection lab ran tests on a range of honeys across Australia, and found that many products boasting 100% honey content also contained different types of ‘syrups’
‘Even though Capilano has a testing regime that is internationally recognised, we can see the added benefit of investing in new testing regimes to continue to maintain the confidence of consumers and the Australian honey industry,' McKee said (right).
‘Everything about it seems to be honey when in fact it’s just sugar syrup or something else – consumers don’t realise what they are buying and eating isn’t honey.’
Criminal gangs in China allegedly produce this type of honey product cheaply and sell it on to unsuspecting suppliers, making a tidy profit in the process.
The lab ran two separate tests on 28 blended and imported honey samples; the official Australian C4 sugar test, and the new NMR test – designed to detect impurities.
The NMR test showed that 12 of the 28 samples were not 100 per cent honey, while the C4 test passed all 28 samples as pure honey.
Testing ran on products sold in Aldi, Coles, IGA and Woolworths – and from brands including Black & Gold, Bramwells, Gardner and Capilano’s Allowrie.
'While we have full confidence that Allowrie Honey contains only pure honey, we also recognise that there is no consensus view from across the industry about the reliability of the NMR test that has led to the reports in the media,' said Ben McKee, Managing Director of Capilano Honey Limited.
McCabe, however, said that the NMR test was the most accurate test available and that was why he was referring them to Interpol.
The lab ran two tests on 28 blended and imported honey samples; the official Australian C4 sugar test, and the Nuclear Magnetic Resolution (NMR) test – designed to detect impurities
A Coles spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that it is proud to support Australian producers and beekeepers and stressed that its Coles brand honey is 100 per cent Australian.
'As part of a recent range review, Coles is no longer ranging Allowrie honey products,' they said.
A Woolworths spokesperson said that it treats the accuracy of product labelling very seriously and was concerned to learn of these claims.
'We will now work closely with our supplier to review the substance of the claims in detail before determining our next steps,' they said.
An ALDI spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that it is launching an immediate investigation into the claims, and that it would be removing the product in question from its shelves for the duration of the investigation.
'If the investigations conclude that the product has been adulterated, it will permanently be removed from sale at ALDI and further actions will be taken with the supplier,' the spokesperson said.
Daily Mail Australia has also reached out to IGA for further comment.
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Aston Martin VP details auto industry ICT needs
LIVE FROM HUAWEI GLOBAL MBB FORUM 2018, LONDON: Simon Sproule, VP and CMO at Aston Martin (pictured), explained one of the most interesting periods of change in the global automotive industry is being enabled entirely by technology covering connected cars, autonomous vehicles, shared mobility and electrification.
Advances in technologies have shortened production cycles, but the time taken to design, test and produce a car is still about ten years, while the lifecycle of car has come down from ten years to six years.
Sproule noted this length of time creates huge challenges for the industry compared to the handset business, for example, where ten years could represent several generations of mobile phones.
“The problem is when you develop a car today, it still needs to be relevant and useful to the consumer in ten years. So technology will play an increasing role in ensuring our cars can be updated and remain technologically relevant.”
Sproule argued 5G and whatever may follow will be incredibly important in keeping vehicles relevant, pointing specifically to OTA updates: “People expect that on their phones and they will also expect that on their cars.”
The auto industry processes massive amounts of data, so with a business built around speed, he said low latency is essential.
Other key benefits the company is looking for the next generation of mobile to deliver is massive bandwidth and improved cyber security.
He said Aston Martin will be the first luxury carmaker to have an all-electric vehicle in 2019, with its Lagonda marque to be “reborn” as an all-electric high-end car brand.
“To be a luxury leader in the future will require a combination of handcrafted, bespoke attention to detail, but will also require the highest levels of technology. So we’re looking at what it will take to be ready for level 4 autonomy,” he said.


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Hyatt has acquired a wellness brand called Exhale, which currently has 25 store locations across the U.S. and the Caribbean. This news comes shortly after the news that Hyatt also purchased the wellness group Miraval.
Some of the Exhale locations are within hotels and airports. Their services include yoga studios, zen lounges, and boutiques that sell wellness items. Hyatt’s plan is to bring more of the brand into their own hotels.
Hyatt’s global head of capital strategy, franchising, and select service, Steve Haggerty spoke out about the deal.
“We know our guests demand (wellness offerings) and want that at home and when they travel. So our acquisitions of Miraval and exhale are components of an overall strategy to deliver wellness to our guests and our colleagues.”


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Revealed: 8 Dubai malls due to open by 2020
Some major malls are due to open very soon in Dubai
Al Khail Avenue
\n\nDue to complete in mid-2018, Al Khail Avenue is described by Nakheel as “a bustling retail and entertainment destination ideally located to serve the fast-growing new communities of Jumeirah Village, Jumeirah Park and other upcoming neighbourhoods.”
\n\nThe mall will span across nearly two million square feet, more than half of which will be leasable space. A Waitrose supermarket will feature at its heart, as will 350 stores, a multi-screen cinema, various food and beverage outlets, plus a 256-room hotel directly connected to the building.
\n\nJumeirah Village Triangle, www.nakheel.com/en/retail/al-khail-avenue
Cityland Group, inventors of the acclaimed Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Butterfly Garden, will open its nature-inspired Cityland Mall in Q2 of 2018.
With a connected access to Global Village, the single-level shopping complex will have 1.13 million sq.ft. of leasable space with a colossal green reserve at the mall’s core.
The 200,000 sq.ft. open-air garden, labelled ‘Central Park’, will be a testament to nature’s rich biodiversity showcased through the mall’s attractions, which include a mini version of the famed Miracle Garden, a mini water park, 300-year old ancient tree garden, Japanese garden, 360-degree rooftop garden, and a cluster of restaurants and al fresco cafés overlooking the park.
The mall also includes a 3,000-seat amphitheatre, and a miniature amphitheatre for children, as well as a walking track along this open-air garden.
Cityland Mall expects an annual footfall of up to 12 million visitors and will tap into the year-on-year rising tourist visits to the city.
\n\nThe Avenues Mall promises retail potential of nearly Dhs16 million by 2020, which development company Lulu Group thinks will double to nearly Dhs32 million by 2025, representing a significant boost to the local economy. Meanwhile, the mall’s location will be welcome news for Dubai residents living inland from the coastline – its catchment area is estimated to include roughly two million people.
\n\nThe mall itself will include a massive 80,000 square metres of space, made up of an 8,940 sq m hypermarket, a 7,600 sq m department store, plus 34,593 sq m of retail shops and services offering a comprehensive mix of brands for everyone seeking a bit of retail therapy. Thirteen food and beverage outlets as well as 25 more food court kiosks mean you won’t ever be far away from refreshment. Construction is expected to complete in 2020.
\n\nDubai Silicon Oasis, www.designinternational.com/avenues-mall-silicon-oasis
\n\nAnother Nakheel project, Deira Mall will be located at the heart of Deira Islands, the new 15.3 sq km waterfront city currently being developed. The giant mall will total more than 10.3 million square feet, featuring more than 1,000 shops, cafés, restaurants and entertainment outlets across three floors.
\n\nThe signature mark of Deira Mall will be the one kilometre-long retractable roof, bringing natural light into the complex and allowing for open-air shopping in cooler months. The project is due for completion in 2018.
\n\nDeira Islands, www.nakheel.com/en/retail/deira-mall
Mall of the World
\n\nMall of the World, as its name suggests, is set to be the world’s largest shopping complex and leisure destination. Originally penned to be built in Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Dubai Holding announced in August 2016 the location of the mall has been moved to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
\n\nThe original project includes eight million square feet of shopping space connected to a theme park, as well as 100 hotels and serviced apartment buildings with 20,000 rooms. It isn’t clear yet whether the project will be downsized. The first phase – representing about 25 percent of the total project size – is scheduled to complete by the time Expo2020 arrives.
\n\nSheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, www.dubaiholding.com
\n\nMeydan One takes the word “massive” to a whole new level. Ground broke on the project in March, and this 40 million square foot complex is scheduled to complete within three years.
\n\nThere will be 600 retail stores, a dedicated 400 metre-long “canyon” for high-end luxury brands, the world’s largest retractable skylight (at 16,000 square metres), a 380-metre long dancing fountain, a one kilometre-long indoor skiing slope, a hypermarket, 100 food and beverage outlets, a 21-screen cinema complex and a 258,000 square foot indoor multipurpose sports facility as well as outdoor pitches, trails, and a skateboarding and BMX park.
\n\nThat’s not even mentioning the 711-metre-tall Dubai One residential tower, which along with the surrounding area will be home to 83,000 residents. There will also be an accompanying 4 km-long canal, a berth marina, 5.3 km biking and jogging trails, a 9 km-long boardwalk and a 300 metre-long beach.
The Circle Mall
\n\nThe development of Nakheel’s The Circle Mall at the heart of Jumeirah Village Circle is due to open in 2018. The master developer is promising a complex spanning more than one million square feet, including a 400,000 square feet shopping, dining and entertainment space. Two hundred shops, an enormous supermarket, two department stores, a multi-screen cinema complex as well as dining outlets and a food court will serve the residents of JVC and surrounding neighbourhoods.
\n\nJumeirah Village Circle, www.nakheel.com/en/retail/the-circle-mall
\n\nThe Pointe, Nakheel’s entertainment and leisure complex situated at the tip of the Palm Jumeirah (across the bay from Atlantis The Palm) will span an area of 1.4 million square feet.
\n\nThe complex will feature fountain shows, a 1.5 km promenade and nearly 150 restaurants and retail outlets. Not only that, but Nakheel is also promising a five-screen luxury dining cinema, developed with Reel Cinemas, to take fine-dining movie-going to a new level. The Pointe will also be accessible via the Palm Monorail, which is connected to the Dubai Tram and Dubai Metro, as well as by boat from Palm Jumeirah's growing number of resorts.
\n\nThe Palm Jumeirah, www.nakheel.com/en/retail/the-pointe


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In a surprise turn of events, today Floyd Landis – ex-pro pedaller turned CBD supplement pedler – announced he is going to start a new professional cycling team, Floyd’s Of Leadville (FOLPCT). This is big news and while the official roster for the team has yet to be finalized, FOLPCT is predicted to have a number of athletes available in the aftermath of longtime US pro teams like Jelly Belly-Maxxis and UnitedHealthcare losing their primary sponsorships for 2019.
From the official press-release:
“Landis’ company Floyd’s of Leadville will serve as title sponsor for the new team, which will be based out of Canada. Landis launched Floyd’s Of Leadville in 2016 to sell hemp and CBD products designed to alleviate soreness in athletes, inspired by the former racer’s own long journey competing and living with chronic pain.
Creating this new pro team is an act of good faith on his part, and an effort to regain trust after the scandals of the Lance Armstrong years. “I understand I hurt the cycling community,” Landis said. “Now I’d like to take all proceeds I made from the settlement and put it back where it belongs, on the development of aspiring pro cyclists.”
The Floyd’s of Leadville team roster is expected to be announced in the coming months.”


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The distinctive snap of a hot dog casing enveloped by soft, fresh buns and topped with spicy chili drew dozens of foodies Thursday to Los Angeles International Airport.
The unmistakable taste of Pink’s Hot Dogs have tantalized the taste buds of Southern California residents and tourists for more than seven decades.
And now, overseas travelers can take a bite of local culinary culture when passing through LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal, where Pink’s Hot Dogs has opened its eighth stand since the eatery was established in 1939. It’s the first Pink’s in an airport.
“Our tour guide told us about Pink’s hot dogs and that they are the most famous in L.A., so I decided to try it,” Marianne Beeler said after ordering a mild polish dog and a side of french fries during a stopover between Honolulu and her home country of Switzerland.
“I guess it’s one of those tourist things,” Beeler said. “You know, one of those things you have to do while you’re in L.A.”
Fans of the landmark eatery don’t need a plane ticket to order their favorite hot dog at the airport. Pink’s Hot Dogs sits in a food court that’s accessible before visitors reach the security checkpoint.
Anxious diners stood in a long line Thursday afternoon to get a taste of the renowned hot dogs. The scene resembled the throngs of fans who wait in front of the original Pink’s Hot Dogs stand at LaBrea and Melrose avenues in Hollywood.
“When my parents started Pink’s in 1939, they never dreamed they would be opening a hot dog stand at the greatest airport in the world, LAX,” said Richard Pink, who now runs the family business.
“The whole idea of Pink’s was to bring a bit of Hollywood to the airport, a bit of nostalgia,” Pink said. “I think anybody that comes here is going to taste the same great hot dogs that they taste at our other store in Hollywood.”
Among the menu’s offerings is an “LAX International Dog,” which was selected last November by the city’s top dog, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The winning entry was submitted by airport employee Timothy Ihle, whose 10-inch hot dog was topped with chili, sauerkraut, bacon, shredded cheese and chopped tomatoes.
“The best things on a hot dog are either chili or sauerkraut, so I just put them together and added the other ingredients for a really good sandwich,” Ihle said as he bit into his masterpiece.
“It’s a really good mix,” he said. “It was really cool to order something I created right off the menu.”
Magaly Grimaitre had never heard of Pink’s Hot Dogs, but ordered an LAX International Dog on Thursday while waiting for a flight back home to Switzerland.
“We just wanted something very American before we go home, so we decided to order a hot dog before getting on the plane,” Grimaitre said after ordering.
A taste of Southern California – particularly Los Angeles – is just what city and airport officials are seeking in the latest round of food and beverage contracts under consideration for four terminals at LAX.
Pink’s Hot Dogs was brought to LAX by Delaware North Cos., which was offered a proposed contract that also calls for new restaurants operated by celebrity chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Wolfgang Puck sometime next year. That deal, along with four other food contracts, is undergoing an intensive review this summer by a five-member City Council committee.
The Pink family and Delaware North on Thursday also donated $10,000 to the Greater Los Angeles USO, which provides meals, phones and Internet services to thousands of servicemen and women who pass through LAX on their way to military bases scattered across the globe.
“Pink’s is a Los Angeles legacy,” said David Shuter, a deputy executive director at LAX.
“What we’ve been trying to do is bring more of the L.A. taste into the airport,” Shuter said. “And boy, after 71 years, if you don’t have the L.A. taste by that time, you’ll never have it.”


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The central Bank of Nigeria on Monday, 27th April announced the lifting of temporary suspension of cheque clearing it had imposed in March. This was contained in a circular issued by the apex bank seen by Investogist.
According to the circular signed by the Director, banking Services Department, Sam C Okojere, cheque instruments will be allowed to pass through the clearing system with effect from 28 April, 2020.
The CBN has made the decision “in furtherance of its effort in the development of a safe and efficient payments system in Nigeria, the Bank in collaboration with relevant stakeholders has reviewed the need for cheque clearing to accommodate users of cheques as one of the payment instruments in Nigeria, despite the lockdown of some states and FCT”.
- Read also; Coronavirus update – Wuhan discharges all hospitalized patients as over 200 Cuban doctors arrive South Africa.
Recall that on 30th March 2020, CBN issued a circular announcing the temporary suspension of cheque clearing in the Nigerian Clearing System with effect from 31st March citing the lockdown order for Lagos, FCT and Ogun issued by the President following the confirmation of Covid-19 case in Nigeria on 27th March.
The use of cheque payment system has been on steady decline according to the data available on Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System Plc website. However, some companies and individuals still use the traditional means of payment instead of the conventional electronic systems.
In 2019, the volume of check transaction was 7.81 million worth N4.48 trillion. This shows a significant decline compared to a volume of 9.02 million valued at N5.04 trillion in 2018.


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In an ideal world, electric car drivers would never deal with charging cables. No need to plug in a wall charger or charging pile, they just park the car on the wireless charging hub and walk away. When they return, their car will be fully charged and ready to continue along the road.
That is a dream, but not a fantasy. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is located near Knoxville, Tennessee, and is part of the United States Department of Energy. Among its many missions, it is working on improving wireless charging technology and has recently licensed its latest system to HEVO in Brooklyn, New York, which will focus on making it commercially viable.
"High-efficiency wireless charging is a breakthrough technology that can alleviate the anxiety about the range of electric vehicles and promote U.S. efforts to decarbonize the transportation sector," said Xin Sun, deputy director of ORNL's Energy Science and Technology Laboratory. "We are very happy to see... one of our technologies enters the private sector, where it can create new green jobs and support the country's clean energy goals."
The license covers ORNL's unique multi-phase solenoid coils, which provides the highest surface power density available—1.5 megawatts (1,500 kilowatts) per square meter. This is up to 10 times higher than currently available wireless technology. This surface power density supports higher power levels in thinner and lighter coils, solving the problem of increasing the range of electric vehicles.
The license also includes ORNL's Oak Ridge converter, which eliminates one of the power conversion stages required for wireless power transmission, making the fixed infrastructure more compact and less costly.
ORNL has just announced that it is cooperating with Volkswagen's innovation center in Knoxville and the University of Tennessee to provide perfect wireless charging for production cars. Wireless systems used to be limited to a charging power of 6.6 kW, and today ORNL is developing a system that can provide 120 kW of power. The goal is to reach 300 kW, which is enough to charge the Porsche Taycan to 80% SOC in about 10 minutes.
A compact multi-phase electromagnetic coil developed by ORNL. Image source: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Department of Energy.
"We are very happy to work with Volkswagen to showcase ORNL's high-power, ultra-efficient wireless charging technology," Sun Xin said. "Our unique multi-phase electromagnetic coil design and power electronic equipment provide high power transmission levels in a compact system, which may reduce the anxiety of electric vehicles and accelerate the decarbonization of the US transportation sector." The wireless charging project has achieved energy efficiency and availability. Support from the Vehicle Technology Office of the Office of Renewable Energy.
According to Inside EVs, the efficiency of the latest technology is 98%, which means that between the external charging center and the receiver installed on the bottom of the car, only about 2% of the electricity will be lost to the charging center.
Wireless charging will bring the gospel of the electric car revolution, and autonomous driving technology will help to accurately locate the car, so that the wireless charging center can operate at the highest efficiency. boarding. parking. Go shopping and leave with a fully charged battery. This is something that no fossil fuel powered car can do.
Steve wrote about the interface between technology and sustainability in his homes in Florida and Connecticut or where Singularity might lead him. You can follow him on Twitter, but you cannot follow him on any social media platforms operated by evil overlords such as Facebook.
Norway is the world's leading country in the adoption rate of electric vehicles. Its plug-in electric vehicle market share reached an impressive 89.3% in October, up from 79.1% last year.
Compared with September 2020, the number of global plug-in vehicle registrations in September 2021 increased by 98%, reaching a record 685,000 (accounting for 10.2% of the world).
Originally published in Opportunity: Energy. So far, it has been a glorious year for the sales of electric vehicles. Throughout Europe, new records continue to emerge, emerging markets...
Volkswagen Group held a third-quarter shareholder conference call this week, and CleanTechnica expanded its in-depth video coverage of major manufacturers of 100% battery electric vehicles.
Copyright © 2021 CleanTechnica. The content produced on this website is for entertainment only. The opinions and comments posted on this website may not be endorsed by CleanTechnica, its owners, sponsors, affiliates or subsidiaries, nor do they necessarily represent its views.
Post time: Feb-01-2020


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A new trailer for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown shows off the PlayStation VR-exclusive VR mode.
Two bundles and four games are waiting for you to take the dive into PlayStation VR.
Sony is touting its PSVR sales numbers, but is the figure high enough to convince those who think it's just a fad?
Find out which games were downloaded the most in July on PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, and PlayStation Vita.
The PSVR's next big shooter is coming up fast.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been given a visual upgrade on PlayStation VR.


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Apple Car Team Reportedly Undergoes Hiring Freeze [Rumour]
Despite the Daimler CEO’s amazement at how much Apple has progressed with its electric car project, company executives are unhappy with the progress, a “previously reliable source with knowledge of the team’s activities” has told AppleInsider.
Apple has allegedly placed a hiring freeze on the Project Titan team after the post-holiday progress review resulted in results that left the design chief Jony Ive displeased with headway made by the group.
The whispers follow an earlier report that Steve Zadesky, who was believed to be the head of Apple’s Project Titan project, is leaving the company due to “personal reasons”. At this point it is unclear whether his departure has anything to do with the hiring freeze.
Rumour has it Apple has a team of more than 1,000 employees working on the electric car, both at Cupertino and in other labs. You may recall the flood of reports on Apple’s vehicle-related hirings, which even included poaching talent from Tesla.
If we are to believe Bloomberg’s sources, the Apple Car should be ready by 2020, but long-time car industry execs have already warned that Apple may run into issues while developing the vehicle. A September report from AppleInsider claims that manufacturing issues had emerged, and that the company was seeking to partner with an established carmaker.


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Strength and fitness training can be inaccessible for many individuals and families, as finding the time and the resources to participate in physical activity is often a barrier financially. Households with the lowest income in the U.S. report inactivity rates of more than double the rate of households that earn $75,000 a year or more, according to an article from Athletic Business. Muscle Milk announced its first cause-based initiative, the Lifting Project to help make fitness more accessible to individuals in underserved communities.
Through the Lifting Project, Muscle Milk invites individuals to enter the contest for a chance to become a future Certified Strength Trainer. All future strength trainers can enter the contest by submitting a video describing why they think they’d make a great Muscle Milk Strength Trainer, and how being part of the Lifting Project would benefit their community, it says.
With the launch of the Lifting Project, Muscle Milk also is announcing the next iteration of its consumer engagement campaign Own Your Strength, which highlights the challenges, new routines, commitments and responsibilities that come with the passage of time, but also the opportunities to get better, grow stronger, demonstrate resilience and lead with strength every single day. The campaign will feature a continued partnership with star quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa and also will spotlight Muscle Milk's newest partner, basketball legend Candace Parker. The 360 campaign will be supported by paid social, digital and broadcast.
“With the next iteration of our Own Your Strength campaign, we recognize that strength is not just how much we lift at the gym, but rather how we uplift those around us,” said Anuj Bhasin, vice president of protein and fitness brands at PepsiCo, in a statement. “Which is why we’re thrilled to be partnering with Candace Parker to launch the Lifting Project initiative. The impact of this program will not only enhance the life of one aspiring trainer. It will also impact their community by making strength and fitness opportunities more accessible.”
Basketball legend and Muscle Milk athlete Parker added: “I am excited to be part of Muscle Milk's campaign and the Lifting Project to share my passion and dedication to fitness. I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact fitness can have on a person and I'm proud to be part of an initiative that helps close the gap around access.”
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Nokia, the finish mobile phone maker launched new product, Nokia money this Wednesday. Nokia Money, a financial payment service for mobile phones that allows users to send money to another person, make a purchase or pay a bill using their handset.
"In many countries, mobile phone ownership significantly exceeds bank account usage, suggesting that many mobile phone users have very limited or no access to basic financial services," said Mary McDowell, Nokia’s chief development officer.
Nokia believes this service will not only majorly benefit the rural consumers but also urban consumers which will enable them to pay their utility bills, book movie tickets, recharge mobile top-ups all through your mobile phone.
Nokia Money will team up with Obopay, a mobile-payment provider in which Nokia heavily invested earlier this year, that lets its customers pay for items via their mobile phones. Moreover, the service won’t just be exclusively available on Nokia phones but will also operate on other Mobile phones and carriers.
Nokia Money is all set to demo next week at the Nokia world event in Germany. However, Nokia money will only be deployed early 2010.
Nokia’s step into the financial world with Nokia money will surely help them bringing back their market position in the US. Last quarter Nokia had a steep 66% downfall in net profit as it’s facing tough competition with rivals like Apple’s iPhone, Android based phones and RIM’s BlackBerry.


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Going back into the past (almost 2 decades) we were having phones with small screens and a creeping internet. And after a speedy and cool technological evolution, a smartphone technology had witnessed a herald rise and covered a path for entirely baked smartphones with a decent number of features. After spending numerous hours searching, we have come up with some of the Upcoming Smartphones in 2020. So, let’s dive into the list without further ado.
Now in 2019, we have got our hands on the latest and coolest smartphones with innovative designs and state-of-the-art features from Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi. All smartphone makers are expected to launch a plethora of phones 2020 as well (of course) with mind-boggling features to entice the audience.
Before we go for more details to know the new generation smartphones, here is the list of upcoming & most awaited smartphones coming this year 2020:
1: Nokia 10
Does it sound realistic? Maybe not but Nokia is expected to launch Upcoming Mobile 2020 which is named Nokia 10. The phone is said to be loaded with a combination of dual 48MP (wide-angle and telephoto) camera sensors on its rear with 4-axis Optical Image Stabilization.
On the front, on the other hand, there will be a 16MP selfie snapper for selfies and video calls and importantly, it’ll be capable enough to record 1080p videos. Rumours suggested that it’s going to have a 6.5-inches display and other features include a dust-resistant, water-resistant and Quick charge 4+.
2: Xiaomi Mi 10
If rumours and suggestions around are to be believed, Xiaomi will launch its new flagship device in China almost a couple of days before Mobile World Congress 2020. Price-wise, it’s expected to set users back £500 which seems to go against the likes of upcoming LG G9 and Galaxy S11 (upcoming).
The Xiaomi Mi 10 is one of the best and New Phones Coming Out 2020 with expected Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, a gigantic 64MP Samsung camera and MIUI 10. Rest of the expected features include 5000mAh non-removable battery which is a huge upgrade on currently available 3300mAh cell and 6.2-inches display. It’s most likely that Mi 10 will say goodbye to a notch and follow a punch-hole route instead of a pop-up camera.
3: LG G9 ThinQ
Online sources didn’t reveal much about LG G9 ThinQ but it’s most likely to be launched at Mobile World Congress 2020. We are short on words on if it’ll hit shelves in the UK – like LG G8 ThinQ. According to LG itself, V-series wouldn’t have 5G connectivity whereas G-series will be stuck on 4G.
So, it doesn’t promise well for a phone which was already looking for a little dated with its bumpy notched screen, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a dual-lens camera. The LG G8 ThinQ excels, however, in terms of display and audio quality and expecting the same for LG G9 ThinQ wouldn’t be wrong.
The LG G9 ThinQ, moreover, is expected to lack a 3.5mm headphone jack which has been dropped by Samsung in its newly released Samsung Galaxy Note 10.
4: Apple iPhone X Fold
Apple wouldn’t launch any fordable smartphone somewhere in 2019 but that doesn’t mean the company isn’t going to launch a foldable phone in the upcoming years. There are strong rumours around suggesting that Apple will introduce its first foldable phone named iPhone X Fold which seems to become the Best Upcoming Smartphones 2020.
One can go through the patented images – indicating that Apple’s upcoming phone is going to be foldable. In addition, there are numerous real-to-life fan-made renders, showing how precisely the phone is going to be. However, nothing is official and everything we have heard is based on rumours.
5: Huawei P40 & P40 Pro
Indeed, smartphones are getting released one after another and P40 and its elder brother P40 Pro are one of them. Both devices arrived on stores back in April 2020 and now shining throughout the world – thanks to their marvellous features and mind-boggling design. The P40 earlier was rumoured to be named as P400 but Huawei P40 has now been confirmed and available for you at your nearest store and online with immediate effects.
The popularity of Huawei’s P series entirely depends on its photography – and interestingly, Huawei has done an awesome job with its P40 and P40 Pro by completing them with state-of-the-art camera lenses to take your photography to the next level. The key highlights are related to its Kirin 990 Chipset, trio 50MP, 8MP and 16MP camera configuration outback and 3800mAh battery.
Note: The Huawei P40 will be listed here as soon as it becomes available on Amazon.
Samsung Galaxy S20 (which was rumoured as S11) is now available to pre-order, depending on where you live as some territories are yet to be confirmed. It’s officially set to be arrived on Friday 6th of March 2020 in the United States, Australia and other parts of the world.
The availability of S20 for the UK is a little late – most probably 13th of March 2020. It set users back $999 for its £128GB (5G) variant whereas 4G variant is a little cheaper at only £799.
It’s a lot thinner over S10 and using an aspect ratio of 20:9 with relatively big 6.2-inches Quad-HD+ Dynamic AMOLED Infinity-O display. The available amount of RAM is 8GB with 128GB internal storage and Android 10 OS brings exciting features and improved performance.
Camera-wise, it’s sporting 12MP + 12MP + 64MP outback whereas 10MP camera sensor is available on its front (in a small punch-hole) for selfies and videos. 4000mAh battery seems to take you through a whole day long even with heavy usage and it weighs only 163 grams.
7: OnePlus 8
OnePlus is yet to be done with all phones of 2019, but the design of the upcoming OnePlus smartphone has now been leaked – indicating a punch-hole camera on the front for selfies and video calls. The phone from the front looks a lot like Samsung with a punch-hole and curved display.
The phone is most likely to hold its position on shelves sometimes in 2020 (as expected), and as far as OnePlus 8 price is concerned, it’s likely to go for a whopping £800 or a little more.
As compared to OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 8 has quite a few differences, i.e., a depth-sensing 3D Time-of-Flight sensor (something that only comes with premium smartphones), and a slightly smaller display with a size of 6.65-inches.
The else includes Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus Chipset – designed for gaming, and OnePlus has added “Google Pay,” which is also named “OnePlus Pay” for contactless payments. Be noted that this feature was announced only in India it’s likely to be available only there.
8: Microsoft Andromeda Foldable Smartphones
So far, only Huawei and Samsung are the leaders in the world of foldable smartphones with their Huawei Mate X and Galaxy Fold smartphones, respectively.
Very much like both of them, it has been rumoured that Microsoft is currently working on a foldable smartphone which is named Andromeda, and it’s expected to be available in stores to buy sometimes in 2020.
According to the reports, it’ll be a button-less smartphone with a clamshell design and may arrive with a stylus like a Microsoft Surface Laptop. This foldable smartphone will have the functionality to become a tablet by folding it out like Huawei’s Mate X and a smartphone when folding into half.
Furthermore, we have heard that Microsoft has plans to work on the Windows platform as well as useful onboard apps that will work perfectly on foldable smartphones.
9: Xiaomi Mi Mix Flex
One of the leading smartphone brands “Xiaomi” has all set to win the hearts of millions of people once again with its upcoming “Xiaomi Mi Mix Flex” foldable smartphone with dual display.
The phone, according to the sources, will have a one-3rd camera outback – designed for a marvellous, hidden earpiece as well as a pop-up selfie camera. The revealed powerful specs and novel design suggests a premium price tag (not known yet), but its official release date, however, is yet to be revealed.
A bunch of speculated specifications of Xiaomi Mi Mix Flex foldable phone includes a 6.2-inches display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Chipset – partnered with 6GB/8GB RAM and Adreno 630 GPU.
It has up to 128GB onboard memory, 20MP + 16MP + 8MP rear cameras and a single 25MP camera on the front. It’s expected to make its debut in three different colours – Silver, Black, and White. It’ll run on Android 9.0 Pie operating system and will have 4200mAh battery to power it.
10: iPhone 12 (2020)
iPhone 12 is one of the most-anticipated and new phones coming out in 2020, very much like Apple’s iPhone of every year. It would, obviously, not land before September 2020 but most likely to hit boundaries with its unique and different design, an exceptional number of cameras and much more.
It will be Apple’s first and foremost iPhone to support 5G networking. It’s rumoured to be the first too to kill a notch and flaunt in-display Touch ID functionality.
Still, it’s too early to put even educated guess but a report published by Barclays analyst suggests that it’s going to have a significant amount of RAM as compared to iPhone 11 Pro Max, a square-edged stainless-steel frame and glass on both front and back.
As for pricing, it’s expected not to stay widely in line with 2019’s iPhone devices – thanks to its significant upgrades. The iPhone 11, for instance, comes at £729, iPhone 11 Pro set users back £1049 and iPhone 11 Pro Max goes for a whopping £1149. So, its pricing range might go up – maybe even higher than we think.
Putting Samsung’s first Galaxy Fold smartphone aside, newly launched Galaxy Z Flip is also an eye-catching foldable smartphone which doesn’t only cost a whopping but too much fragile too. However, it’s still the best phone with 6.7-inches display that can be collapsed in half like any flip phone.
The most enticing part of the phone is that it benefits a lot from Motorola’s recently released Moto Razr phone, which is foldable flip phone. The Galaxy Z Flip shines in also every single department like better and crisp display, better battery life and, of course, state-of-the-art camera sensors.
Its 1.1-inches small Cover Display is appealing too – although it’s not really enough for many of us. The phone, as of now, is available for the UK and US whereas other countries have to wait a little further to get their hands on. As for its official price, it set users back £1300 which is approx. $1380 in the US and around $2050 in Australia.
12: Google Pixel 5
Yes, it’s too prompt but we have started hearing a number of leaks and rumours about Google’s next upcoming smartphone of 2020 named Google Pixel 5. We have already shared a handsome number of Google Pixel 5 leaks and rumours in our previous posts.
According to a reliable online source, Google Pixel 5 will have a triple-camera configuration outback – however, it’s yet to be confirmed by the other sources. Some users are expecting a Soli Radar Chip plus a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Chipset.
Obviously, it’ll be loaded with Android 11 OS which will bring a host of latest and coolest features alongside reverse wireless charging.
The Bottom Line
Very much like 2019, 2020 seems to be an excellent year for smartphone brands. Samsung will try its best to keep leading the chart with its 1st position whereas Huawei will do its best too to become world’s number 1st smartphone brand.
It’s too prompt to expect anything as nobody knows what’s exactly going to happen in the world of smartphones. However, listed above Upcoming Smartphones 2020 can be taken with a pinch of salt. We will update this page as soon as more details drop. So, make sure you check this page on a regular basis.


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Pro Rider Watercraft Magazine is honored to have had the opportunity to work and collaborate with major industry leaders, event promoters, photographers and brilliant authors in the creation of this year’s annual March/April Swimsuit issue and in celebrating the innovation of international events, products and the shared passion for all things personal watercraft.
The 2018 March/April Swimsuit print and digital issue money shot goes to Blowsion and cover model Angel Hoffman posing on a custom Blowsion Rickter Composites XFS Ninja! This image was captured by the lens of Pro Rider contributing photographer Michael James, of MJK Foto. Don’t miss additional coverage from Blowsion and this year’s swimsuit collaboration from beautiful models and contributors throughout the pages of this issue.
More exciting features include the latest details on RIVA Racing – Watercraft Performance Specialists’s Yamaha GP 1800R Limited Edition runabout, the SeaKart, ADR Performance’s 550 crankshaft, Tiger Craft’s new J1 kids hull and action from the BRAAP WERKS Daytona Freeride, Maverick Fish Hunter, Hydro-Turf Surf Turf Championships Action Kawasaki Yamaha Seadoo Suncoast Grand Prix, freestyle and freeride competition action from the Monster Energy Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Mexico Invitational, IFWA International FreeRide WaterCraft Association Japan and more.
Don’t miss this issue’s Future Threats, social media top spots, Gear Giveaway Photo Contest presented by Jettribe Racing, Fitness Tips and more!
Visit Pro Rider Watercraft Magazine on Facebook, Instagram at @proridermag, and online at www.proridermag.com for news, announcements digital issue access and extras!
We hope you enjoy the 2018 March/April Swimsuit issue of Pro Rider Watercraft Magazine!
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Read More: http://www.proridermag.com/blowsion-to-be-featured-on-the-cover-of-the-2018-marchapril-swimsuit-issue-of-pro-rider-watercraft-magazine


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Fast-growing FinTech Revolut has announced the launch of Revolut Connect, hailed as the “ultimate tool to complement business banking”.
The new tool allows the company’s Revolut for Business customers to easily build integrations with popular business apps to help them save time and money.
Since the launch of Revolut for Business last summer, a total of 60,000 companies have signed up for the service to date, with 120 new businesses joining each day.
Revolut Connect allows companies to connect and build integrations for business applications, including accounting platforms like FreeAgent, communication tools like Slack, apps to help with tax, payroll, expense management and more.
Apps such as Xero, Sage, FreshBooks and Quaderno are also coming soon.
“Revolut for Business was born out of our frustrations with the pains of opening and managing business accounts in the UK and abroad,” said founder and CEO Nik Storonsky.
“Businesses were being offered poor deals with hidden exchange fees and complicated, slow platform interfaces.
“Revolut Connect offers businesses a simpler, cheaper and faster alternative with popular integrations that will support them as they deliver goods and services around the world.”
Revolut said earlier this month that it had begun work on a commission-free trading platform that will allow customers to invest in companies such as Apple and Amazon.
The announcement followed news that the digital challenger bank had attracted two million customers across Europe since its launch in July 2015.
Revolut became Europe’s latest FinTech unicorn after raising $250 million in April.


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Top textile machinery manufacturers to attend GTTES 2019
“GTTES is the growth catalyst and optimum business platform with more business leads and new customers offering the best sourcing solution to India’s surging demand for textile industry in Africa and Southeast Asia,” event organiser India ITME Society said in a press release.
GTTES 2019 will offer one-stop sourcing solution for Africa’s increasing need through B2B meetings with delegates from Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Benin, Togo, and South Sudan in Mumbai on January 18, 2019. This will be good opportunity for machinery manufacturers and accessory manufacturers to access and explore new markets, new customers and new opportunities, the release said.
Besides Africa, India is also in focus for sourcing solution for delegates from Egypt, Bangladesh, Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, Sri Lanka and other countries.
“The 2nd edition of GTTES is especially exciting since all the Export Promotion Councils have endorsed this event as a platform for meeting up with domestic requirement with the ‘Make in India’ initiative for encouraging and facilitating the Textile & Textile Engineering Sector,” said India ITME Society executive director Seema Srivastava.
The event has successfully made a strong position amongst India’s regional textile hubs like Bhiwandi, Ichalkaranji, Faridabad, Vapi, Surat, Ahmedabad, Jetpur, Guntur, Vijayawada, Umargaon, Panipat, Chennai, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Madurai, Silvassa, etc as a key sourcing platform for textile business.
On the first day of the event, the Society of Dyers & Colourists International India Pvt Ltd will conduct a session on ‘Educating the technology innovations in Textile Colouration’. On the second day, the Indian Technical Textiles Association will hold a session on ‘Technology and Machinery Innovations for Technical Textiles’. (RKS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India


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Production is limited to just 85 units and will come in both left and right-hand drive configurations.
Browsing: Aston Martin
Aston Martin gave us the ‘first look’ at the Valhalla in March 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show when they revealed the AM-RB 003.
Only 40 cars (plus two prototypes) will be built and all are going to come in left-hand-drive specification.
Previously Aston confirmed that the all-new Vanquish would come with a manual variant but clearly, those plans have changed.
Aston Martin will effectively be starting the development of the Valhalla hypercar from scratch after a last-minute switch to AMG’s latest V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain.
It seems their first halo hypercar is nearly ready to hit the streets.
Aston Martin will sell the Vantage F1 Edition also as a roadster and it’s already taking orders for both body styles.
The pair will make their F1 debut at the pre-season test in Bahrain on March 12-14, 2021.
After 40 years of storage, the Aston Martin Bulldog is set for redemption, and we cannot wait to see if it will finally break the 200 mph barrier.
Of the five homes, two are penthouses at $10.5 million and $11.5 million.


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The latest issue of Ey Inside Telecoms 15 has a very interesting update on Telco Accelerator Programs. Now what is that ?? Basically when Telco operators establish new incubators as part of digital transformation initiatives with the creation of new business units to nurture entrepreneurial start ups.Operators are working with partners as part of accelerator initiatives, underlining how service innovation is increasingly reliant on harnessing expertise from across the telco ecosystem. Over the last few corporations have moved to an open innovation model or outsourced R&D. They’re doing less basic research in house and essentially looking to bring that in through acquisitions. Ask Google and Facebook what they did to become so big !!
So why the sudden surge investment in Accelerators by Telcos ? For one the appearance of incubators in emerging markets underlines the role operators can play as leaders of technology ecosystems, particularly in countries where entrepreneurs may lack support structures. Accelerator programs offer a number of established advantages to operators — from lowering the risks and costs associated with new projects to enabling operators to tap into a wider talent pool. Not bad at all because it is not a merely a CSR initiative but a genuine effort to create new digital products and services with the help of small time developers on a shared risk basis : you know …the same kind of small timers who built Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , WhatsApp etc into multi billion dollar titans that threaten to render Telco networks into unprofitable dumb pipes !! With the cost of developing new technologies coming down so dramatically, it makes sense for corporations to take smaller bets on new technology offerings developed in partnership with entrepreneurial apps developers .
As an example Wayra is Telefonica’s Accelerator program. With the financial backing of Telefónica, and with the support of a global network of mentors, investors and partners, they aim to help the best entrepreneurs to grow and build successful businesses.They know the next digital revolution can emerge from anywhere, in technology nobody has the final word. If you have a business or an idea that uses technology to solve the problems of the future, Wayra is your place to make it grow so they opine. Their irresistible value proposition is : Our acceleration programme will give you funding up to $50,000, an incredible place to work, mentors, business partners, access to a global network of talent and the opportunity to reach millions of Telefónica customers. (http://wayra.co/)
In a typical deal in exchange for an equity stake of around 10 percent, successful applicants will gain access to an office space in the newly established Wayra Academy, financing, mentoring, access to technology expertise within Telefónica. After six months in the programme, they will be turfed out of their luxury abode and released to fend for themselves in the real world. Wayra is aimed at early stage technology startups less than two years old working in spaces including cloud services, financial services, M2M, digital security, e-health, mobile applications, social networks and e-learning.
A truly disruptive hardware or core technology investment can generate some lofty returns for Telcos who are battling with stagnating returns in the 4 G data era.Marrying incubation activities with a wider program of crowdsourcing, ecosystem collaboration and venture capital funding in an effective way is no easy task,and regular reviews of innovation agendas are a must. While many operators are focused on partnering frameworks and incubating new services as a route to service innovation, a robust internal collaboration structure should never be overlooked.
The « Orange Fab » is open to all US-based start-ups and is managed by Orange Silicon Valley, Orange’s development center in San Francisco, California. Orange Fab aims to help start-ups grow their businesses and develop amazing products and services that benefit Orange and its customers. There were 4 – 6 start-ups selected to be part of the program that started in May 2013. Start-ups joining the program have access to mentoring sessions from notable Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, world-class engineers and experienced designers. All the start-ups that are selected for the program were offered $20,000 in funding. (http://orangefab.com/)
The French operator has expanded the Orange Fab program to markets including France, Japan and Poland, with additional innovation investments in the likes of India and Tunisia.17 Africa is proving to be an important focus area: in May, Orange set up an incubator called CIPMEN to support SMEs in Niger, having already set up incubators in Senegal and Mauritius. Meanwhile, Millicom has set up a tech incubator in Rwanda, launching a purpose-built facility in the capital, Kigali, in March.
Believe it or not one of the pioneering Accelerator programs ( MAGNET ) was initiated by Motorola over a decade ago. The MAGNet program provided application developers, included a membership structure, providing to the developer community a combination of products, services and benefits to produce robust and exciting applications and bring the best of them to market.
The program included: Software Development Kits (SDKs) and tools, application testing and certification, technical support (both onsite and online), training, developer services, networking events and an interactive web-based community/portal to support developers worldwide.Applications that were marketed through the MAGNet programme were tested by independent test agencies against predefined criteria and evaluated as best in class. Motorola endorsed this approach as a way of ensuring high quality, safe and reliable software products in the increasingly open world of wireless application development. The company that birthed the cellular / mobile industry was a great visionary indeed !!
SK Telecom’s venture capital arm launched SKTA Innovation Accelerator with a view to seed start-ups in core technologies such as data center and IT, in what the operator cloud technologies and software.16 Partnership is a key focus of the initiative, with SK Telecom Americas pairing entrepreneurs with strategic advisors as part of its value-add. Meanwhile, in July, Japan’s KDDI announced the launch of its latest US$50m fund, Open Innovation II. At the same time, it announced that it had invested US$8m in four US start-ups — an educational social network (Edomo), a free digital publishing platform (ISSUU), a seat upgrading service (Pogoseat) and technology news media (VentureBeat). Fellow Japanese operator NTT DOCOMO already has a US$109m fund in place, while Softbank created a US$250m fund in 2013.(http://sktainnopartners.com/overview/ )
In February last year , Telecom Italia announced a €4.5m fund targeting the most innovative players in digital, mobile and green information and communications technology (ICT). The move forms part of a broader initiative, complementing its Working Capital Accelerator that has funded 19 start-ups and assigned 109 grants in Italy over a 5 year period. One of the most interesting features of the current wave of accelerator initiatives is how operator needs are shaped by local market needs and competitive dynamics. Asian operators have been bolder than many of their peers in terms of the scope of their capital arms’ most recent initiatives.
A Safaricom ( Kenya ) fund has been launched for an initial period of two years and will offer equity and other debt solutions of USD75,000 to USD250,000 to start-ups. Eligible start-ups must have a functioning product or service, an active user base, a team in place capable of achieving goals presented, and be based in Kenya. The establishment of the fund shortly follows Safaricom’s partnership with Dynamic Data Systems to launch M-Pesa payments tracking mobile application M-Ledger.
Telekom Malaysia (TM) is to launch its first startup accelerator programme in January 2015 in a move that aims to address two problems with a single solution. The country’s largest telecom and ISP giant wants to find innovative solutions to problems within its own verticals and at the same time help nurture startups in Malaysia‘s ecosystem. TM, with its 2.3 million fixed broadband customers and 500,000 SMEs, is looking for a way to stay relevant in its market through its new Innovation Exchange, but at the same time wants to position itself as a player in Malaysia’s emerging startup ecosystem that is taking on an ever-larger role in Southeast Asia.
TM is spending around US$1.8 million to US$2.3 million on creating solutions for its verticals. But the development time is slow and often the company discovers only after the spend that it doesn’t require the whole suite of services developed. This is where it hopes to bring in innovative startups. One such example is Ebizu, a startup that TM is currently working closely with. It is a point-of-sale system provider that was just a small startup when TM discovered it. Now TM is packaging Ebizu’s product together with its SME package known as ‘Shop In A Box’, which offers a range of tools for merchants. No doubt that it’s important to be in contact with disruptive innovators creating products that Telcos might want to sell to its customers.
Bottom Line : In the era of declining voice profits Telcos should be looking for innovative products to bundle together with their core offerings .Telcos need to deepen their relationship with startups so that they can have small experiments and pilots with the products and services which would add value to their business.
Actually the philosophy behind an Accelerator program is predicated on savvy thinking and the inclusivity mindset. A mindset that says I cannot develop disruptive new innovations in house because I am too busy ensuring the integrity and quality of my network : so lets outsource this activity to people who enjoy this apps / platform development game and still keep some control.
Sadiq Malik ( Telco Strategist )


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The airline operates daily flights from Heathrow to Abuja, Accra, Nairobi and Lagos.
It offers double-daily services to Johannesburg, with an expanded double-daily service to Cape Town during the city's summer peak season, which reverts to daily in winter.
In addition, there are three weekly services from Gatwick, London’s second largest international airport, to Mauritius. And there are three seasonal weekly flights to Cape Town, above the regular Heathrow schedule.
British Airways has announced a new route from Gatwick to Accra, which is due to be implemented on October 29, 2023.
This will bring to weekly flights between the UK and Ghana to 10.
The airline has added Sharm El-Sheikh to its Africa network and doubled the number of flights to Cairo since 2019. It has forged new partnerships on the continent, including a codeshare with South Africa’s Airlink, which offers customers connectivity to 18 destinations in southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
Royal Air Maroc has joined the oneworld Alliance, and now has more routes available in Morocco, including Casablanca and Agadir. This allows for more flight options between London Heathrow and Marrakesh. Customers can earn and use Avios points when flying with Royal Air Maroc as part of the oneworld alliance.
Another partnership that benefits African travellers is the expanded collaboration between Qatar Airways and British Airways. The partnership gives customers access to a wider range of flight schedules, prices and more choices for direct and connecting flights.
“Restoring our Africa route network has given us an opportunity to introduce new aircraft, routes, products and partnerships, providing customers with more flexibility, choice and an enhanced travel experience,” says Moran Birger, the British Airways’ head of sales for Africa, Middle East and South Asia.
Read the latest issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.


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Nespresso Launches NEW Touchless Functionalities for Nespresso Momento Range
Nespresso Momento adds touchless innovations for exceptional coffee moments with peace of mind
Nespresso Professional has launched new touchless functionalities for its Nespresso Momento eco-system, bringing safer coffee moments and peace of mind to every office.
“Health and safety is an absolute priority for employers in the workplace, and that responsibility has become heightened during the global pandemic,” said Pierre-Cedric Bonnet, B2B Director for Nespresso UK and ROI. “In these challenging times, employee collaboration and human connections has become more important than ever to businesses. Our cutting-edge touchless innovations for Nespresso Momento mean that employees can enjoy quality Nespresso coffee moments in a safer way .”
Nespresso Professional announces the launch of three new touchless functionalities for the Nespresso Momento eco-system:
- Remote control – Coffee drinkers can now control the machine from a mobile phone thanks to an easy-to-use web app. This will enable employees to insert their favourite coffee capsule and choose their preferred cup size and recipe directly from their phone, without touching the machine, for a completely contactless experience.
- Automatic brewing – employers can now set up their Nespresso Momento machines to brew quality Nespresso coffee without touching the screen. The Nespresso Momento capsule recognition feature means that the machine will recognise the inserted capsule and brew the coffee according to the predefined cup size.
- Lock-screen – The Nespresso Momento machines also offers a lock-screen option to allow employees to interact with them safely. The main advantage is that each coffee drinker can disinfect the touch screen easily and quickly before using it.
The enhanced machine features can be complemented by single touch accessories with the new Nespresso capsules dispensers, to create a more comforting environment and make every coffee moment even safer.
“The Nespresso Professional team are passionate about supporting our customers in this challenging time,” added Bonnet. “Our new innovations help office and workplace employers make the most of the very latest in touchscreen technology, safely enriches employee connections and their working day.”
In line with Nespresso’s UK and global commitment, every cup of Nespresso coffee will be carbon neutral by 2022.
For more information on Nespresso Momento, please visit: www.nespressoforbusiness.ie


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Southern Comfort had spent nearly $8 million last year on traditional marketing – TV and Print. Now, their entire budget has moved online; facebook, hulu, etc. Pretty impressive to shift funds without partiality.
What’s more interesting is what did an alcohol brand see online that attracted them enough to completely slash their traditional advert budgets in favor of the digital?
Read the full article at AdAge


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In April 2019, a UK corporate filing stated that Coinbase's non-U.S. revenue grew 20% to €153 million (U.S.$173 million) in 2018 resulting in a net profit of €6.6 million. Coinbase UK CEO Zeeshan Feroz said the company's non-U.S. operations accounted for nearly one-third of the company's overall revenue and Reuters estimated that the company's global revenue totaled "around $520 million" in 2018.
Coinbase is a terrible and unprofessional company. They’ve ignored my requests for escalation after providing no feed back on the issues I am having. These issues are costing this customer not only monetarily, but due to the lack of transparency with new policies in which coinbase will hold your funds hostage for 10 days while advising that it can be transferred “instantly” is not only false, but malicious contempt.
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana , Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Armenia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Macao, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Australia, New Zealand, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, British Virgin Islands ,Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay
On February 16, 2018, Coinbase admitted that some customers were overcharged in error for credit and debit purchases of cryptocurrencies. The problem was initiated when banks and card issuers changed the merchant category code (MCC) for cryptocurrency purchases earlier this month. This meant that cryptocurrency payments would now be processed as "cash advances", meaning that banks and credit card issuers could begin charging customers cash-advance fees for cryptocurrency purchases. Any customers who purchased cryptocurrency on their exchange between January 22 and February 11, 2018 could have been affected. At first, Visa blamed Coinbase, telling the Financial Times on February 16 that it had "not made any systems changes that would result in the duplicate transactions cardholders are reporting." However, the latest statement from Visa and Worldpay on the Coinbase blog clarifies: "This issue was not caused by Coinbase."
2. 主要适用的环境不一样三层交换机的路由功能通常比较简单，因为它所面对的主要是简单的局域网连接。正因如此，三层交换机的路由功能通常比较简单，路由路径远没有路由器那么复杂。它用在局域网中的主要用途还是提供快速数据交换功能，满足局域网数据交换频繁的应用特点。 而路由器则不同，它的设计初哀就是为了满足不同类型的网络连接，虽然也适用于局域网之间的连接，但它的路由功能更多的体现在不同类型网络之间的互联上，如局域网与广域网之间的连接、不同协议的网络之间的连接等，所以路由器主要是用于不同类型的网络之间。它最主要的功能就是路由转发，解决好各种复杂路由路径网络的连接就是它的最终目的，所以路由器的路由功能通常非常强大，不仅适用于同种协议的局域网间，更适用于不同协议的局域网与广域网间。它的优势在于选择最佳路由、负荷分担、链路备份及和其他网络进行路由信息的交换等等路由器所具有功能。
The platform stores 98% of customers funds offline to ensure the security of the cryptocurrency assets you purchase and store within Coinbase. On their website, Coinbase assures customers that "sensitive data that would normally reside on our servers is disconnected entirely from the internet." Data is then encrypted, and transferred to USB drives and paper backups, and distributed in safe deposit boxes vaults all over the world.
Bitcoin is the world’s first cryptocurrency which works on a completely decentralized network known as the blockchain. The blockchain network consists a link of blocks that are secured using cryptography and record all the transactions. Bitcoin was first presented to the world in 2009 by an anonymous identity known as Satoshi Nakamoto. As Bitcoin works on a decentralized network, it is completely free from the involvement of third-party financial institutions or central banks. The Bitcoin blockchain facilitates instant peer-to-peer transactions at minimum transactions fees required to maintain the network. The total number of Bitcoins is fixed at 21 million with its smallest unit being referred to as Satoshi. Each Satoshi represents a hundred millionth part of Bitcoin which means that 100,000,000 Santoshi = 1 BTC. Additional Bitcoins are generated by a process known as mining. Bitcoins are mined by professional miners solving complex computational equations. For each Bitcoin mined, the miners are rewarded with either more coins or transaction fees. The miners also validate all transactions on the Bitcoin network as well as look after the network security. Bitcoin can be exchanged with fiat currencies or other digital currencies. There are over 100,000 merchants and vendors accepting Bitcoin all over the world.
Hey to all. Since around 2 months, I am with 99bitcoins reading and getting info and I am very happy here, thanks for a good site. For my bad luck I did not check here for a review of coinbase, I would have save a lot of worthless time. To tell the truth, I hope there is a internet god out there and shut them down. I did not know about their support in US, but as I read the first reviews here, it seems they make themselves a pretty bad place there too. I am located in the D.R.,… Read more »
In 2014, the company grew to one million users, acquired the blockchain explorer service Blockr and the web bookmarking company Kippt, secured insurance covering the value of bitcoin stored on their servers, and launched the vault system for secure bitcoin storage. Throughout 2014, the company also formed partnerships with Overstock, Dell, Expedia, Dish Network, and Time Inc. allowing those firms to accept bitcoin payments. The company also added bitcoin payment processing capabilities to the traditional payment companies Stripe, Braintree, and PayPal.
With the largest variety of markets and the biggest value - having reached a peak of 18 billion USD - Bitcoin is here to stay. As with any new invention, there can be improvements or flaws in the initial model however the community and a team of dedicated developers are pushing to overcome any obstacle they come across. It is also the most traded cryptocurrency and one of the main entry points for all the other cryptocurrencies. The price is as unstable as always and it can go up or down by 10%-20% in a single day.
Coinbase was founded in June 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam. Blockchain.info co-founder Ben Reeves was part of the original founding team but later parted ways with Armstrong due to a difference in how the Coinbase wallet should operate. The remaining founding team enrolled in the Summer 2012 Y Combinator startup incubator program. In October 2012, the company launched the services to buy and sell bitcoin through bank transfers. In May 2013, the company received a US$5 million Series A investment led by Fred Wilson from the venture capital firm Union Square Ventures. In December 2013, the company received a US$25 million investment, from the venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures (USV), and Ribbit Capital.


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Art imitates life!
Blake Lively‘s been photographed in a wedding dress but it’s not the Marchesa gown she wore to wed Ryan Reynolds during their super secret ceremony last month.
The newlywed, 25, was snapped donning a gold and cream Georges Chakra Couture strapless gown on the set of Gossip Girl on Tuesday, as she stood opposite costar Penn Badgley.
Lively’s real life wedding dress will be revealed in a photo package in the December issue of Martha Stewart Weddings, as the event planning powerhouse herself was behind the affair.
“[It was a] charming, charming wedding,” Stewart said.
“Real people, real love. Just really nice [and] personal, which I think is what a wedding must and should be,” she added.
RELATED: Blake Lively Envisioned Her Wedding Down to Last Detail, Says Her Planner


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The concept of money has come a long way since the days of bartering and exchanging physical goods. Today, money is primarily digital, and the financial landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. As we peer into the future, it becomes evident that the way we use, think about, and even create money is on the brink of significant change. In this article, we’ll explore the exciting developments that are shaping the future of money.
Digital currencies have already started to revolutionize the way we transact. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have garnered widespread attention and adoption. They offer … Read MoreRead More


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A pack of inflation data from the United Kingdom was released this morning at 7:00 am BST. Headline CPI inflation accelerated from 7.0% to 9.0% YoY in April. Monthly increase in prices amounted to 2.5% MoM. While both YoY and MoM readings look very high, it should be noted that in both cases data missed marked expectations. Core CPI accelerated from 5.7 to 6.2% YoY – in-line with market expectations. Situation looked different in case of producers’ inflation – PPI inflation accelerated from 11.9 to 14.0% YoY and was much higher than 12.5% YoY expected. Such high inflation readings only reinforce the outlook that the Bank of England will need to keep rising rates, what is likely to push the UK economy into recession. This is a narrative in which GBP traders seem to believe as British pound is the worst performing G10 currency following the release of inflation data today.
Taking a look at EURGBP chart at D1 interval, we can see that a recent brief downward correction was halted by 50- and 200-session moving averages (orange circle). The pair recovered back above the 0.8460 price zone today and it looks like the uptrend will be resumed. If EUR continues to outperform GBP, a resistance zone to watch can be found ranging below 0.8590.


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LONDON (Bloomberg) -- Tesla Motors Inc., a month after starting Model S deliveries in the United Kingdom, said its flagship electric sedan is among the cars being considered for purchase by the government there to transport officials.
The Government Car Service that provides vehicles for U.K. ministers will make the initial purchases under a program to buy more than 150 ultra-low emission vehicles, the nation's Department for Transport said.
The government set aside 5 million pounds ($8.6 million) for the program, according to a statement.
"The Model S we understand will be under evaluation for inclusion," said Simon Sproule, a Tesla spokesman.
The sedan was among the cars on display at a press conference, and "it would be great to see California-built Teslas transporting Her Majesty's ministers on official business across London," said Sproule, who was born in the United Kingdom.
The carmaker is accelerating overseas deliveries as part of a plan to boost production by more than 50 percent this year.
Deliveries of right-hand-drive Teslas to the United Kingdom, where the car is priced from 50,280 pounds, began in June and Musk inaugurated the start of shipments to China in April.
Customers in Hong Kong start getting cars next week, Sproule said.
The company said this week that its third electric vehicle will be called the Model 3 and is due by 2017. The car is to have a range per charge of at least 200 miles (322 kilometers) and a base price about half that of Model S, which starts at about $71,000 in the U.S. The second addition to Tesla's lineup, the Model X SUV, arrives in 2015.
'Two round trips'
The prospect of sales to the government in the United Kingdom, which already has consumer incentives for electric car purchases and is poised to install charging infrastructure, comes as China this week set a goal for electric cars to make up at least 30 percent of government vehicle purchases by 2016.
"London streets are cramped, you can't go that fast and there are all sorts of limitations and fees for gasoline-powered vehicles, so there's a logic to buying electric cars," said Karl Brauer, senior industry analyst for Kelley Blue Book in Irvine, Calif.
For Tesla, "it could have some halo effect for the brand if you see the cars used by the government," he said.
The Model S, able to travel about 250 miles or more per charge, has the best range of any vehicle being considered by the U.K. program, Sproule said.
"It's the only one that can make at least two round trips between 10 Downing Street and Chequers without recharging," said Sproule, referring to the London residence and country retreat of U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron.