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To ensure that drone supply to be viable, it wants to supply clients one thing they’ll’t get elsewhere — whether or not it’s larger comfort, pace or worth. For corporations it wants to supply one thing new too — extra financial savings, extra income, or new clients. And thus far in assessments we’ve seen, clients should pay for drone supply — making it financially viable for corporations to supply (and maybe additionally placing a cap on what in any other case could be mega demand).
However in the long run, will shoppers be prepared to pay for drone supply? Practically half of Individuals — 48% to be actual — say they might pay more cash for drone supply versus the fee to have it delivered through extra conventional means given one caveat: it must imply getting their merchandise inside an hour.
That’s in line with a survey carried out on behalf of on-line purchasing buyer Smarty, which is finest identified for its browser add-on that searches for coupons and provides, in idea saving you cash. That survey was carried out on-line by Propeller Insights and requested greater than 1,000 U.S. adults about their ideas on drone supply in March 2022.
With drone supply, it appears as if shoppers are much less within the novelty of it and aren’t even notably passionate concerning the expertise inside, however are most involved concerning the practicality.
And if drones could make deliveries particularly sensible by sending them quicker than what human couriers can do, then clients are able to pay extra for it.
“Customers don’t appear involved about technological advances as a lot as they’re about receiving their purchases, particularly if it means they get their merchandise quicker,” stated Vipin Porwal, CEO and Founding father of Smarty in a ready assertion.
And if the previous few years of the pandemic taught us something, it’s that we love having issues quick — maybe conditioned by the rise in shelter-in-place takeout orders,
Lately, 60% of American shoppers order takeout or supply no less than as soon as per week, and a still-impressive 31% of American shoppers use third-party meals supply companies no less than twice per week, in line with Fundera. Moreover, on-line ordering is rising 300% quicker than in-house eating.
However there’s one factor to recollect about supply occasions. Quick guarantees usually should do with the time wanted to load and function the drone itself — and never the time wanted to really put together the objects (resembling cooking the meals).
“When individuals have the ‘3 minutes supply time’ of their thoughts, they typically overlook that this doesn’t embody the time wanted for the restaurant or store to arrange the meal and for the meal to then be loaded to the drone,” Liang Feng, a supply operator for drone firm Manna advised the Drone Woman in a spring 2022 interview. “We do a variety of buyer schooling and engagement to bridge this hole.”
How a lot will drone supply value?
Given how new drone supply is (and the way little it has rolled out to most of the people), it’s onerous to foretell simply how a lot drone supply will value. Nonetheless, Walmart is at present operating pretty vital assessments to members of the general public across the U.S, the place it could actually ship objects offered at its shops, totaling as much as 10 kilos. For now, Walmart drone deliveries are supplied at a set supply price of $3.99.
For drone deliveries made by Google-sibling Wing, charges are displayed within the app and might differ by location. Typically — particularly when Wing launches in a brand new space — deliveries are free.
However don’t get your hopes up, as corporations could be consuming the excessive value of early-day deliveries as they develop their merchandise. Amazon predicts it can value the corporate $63 per package deal to meet orders through drone by 2025, in line with an article printed on Enterprise Insider.
Different drone supply considerations apart from pace
Talking of practicality, shoppers are considering by means of all parts of drone supply — they usually have some considerations. Right here have been high considerations that Individuals cited within the Smarty survey, accompanied by what number of respondents checked off that merchandise as a priority:
- objects being ruined by drone journey (51%)
- the drone breaking down so shoppers received’t obtain their objects (58%)
- drone supply to the improper handle (58%), the drone breaking down and shoppers not getting a refund (54%)
- the drone leaving objects unattended, making it simpler for porch bandits to steal packages (54%)
- lack of human interplay with supply individuals (31%)
For what it’s price, human supply employees additionally usually go away objects unattended (and infrequently make errors in delivering merchandise to the improper handle too). Such a concern appears to be typically attributed to drones, although nearly all deliveries are by no means totally watched. However hey, that’s how Individuals responded.
Actually, 37% of the ballot respondents stated they have been both “anxious” or “extraordinarily anxious” about having packages stolen. However no less than people are being rational about options, saying they might be prepared to pay extra for supply safety. About 63% of survey respondents say they might pay for transport insurance coverage to cowl theft or injury, and 52% say they might pay for some type of product safety service to make sure that packages didn’t get stolen or broken.
Would you pay for drone supply past normal supply charges?


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HUL, which had last month announced to acquire Karnataka-based ice cream brand Adityaa, would continue to pursue such inorganic growth opportunities.
The biggest mistake global companies can make in India is follow money, not people
Ahmed has been advising KKR as an “external consumer industry” consultant since last month.
The companies have pledged full support to the endeavour of reaching out to the people hit by the floods, she said in a statement.
Ayush was first registered as a brand by Jayalakshmi Oil & Chemical Industries in 1987 and the trademark was sold to HUL in 2001.
At consumer products major Unilever, leaders spearheading such initiatives are called employee experience makers. At professional services firm EY, a global leader is responsible for the organisation’s efforts to build experiences for each of its over 250,000 people — from recruiting to learning, development & coaching to building a better working world through corporate responsibility and volunteerism efforts.
Adityaa Milk has its roots in Karnataka and has gradually expanded into Maharashtra, Goa and Kerala. Post the sell-out, VDFPL will continue to pursue its dairy business.
Gupta, previously with Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser before exiting PepsiCo a couple of months back, will drive marketing and category management for businesses across consumer goods, telecom and eCommerce.
India is the second largest market for Unilever after the US, contributing about 10 per cent to total sales.
Complan has about 8% market share in the Rs 6,000-7,000 crore market for malted food drink in the country. GSK’s Horlicks is the market leader in this segment.
"In the current context, to win back the trust of society, companies need to move to a new paradigm of 'great to good' - running a business that delivers great performance and is also good for society," he said.
Deliberations are at an early stage, and Kraft Heinz could decide to keep the business, the people said. A representative for Pittsburgh-based Kraft Heinz declined to comment.
Pitkethly said he expects the shares will likely have increased weighting in the pan-European indices instead.
The products, under the Brylcreem brand, will be sold exclusively on Amazon.
Acharya Balkrishna plans a release of the Kimbho messenger app within weeks as he tries to create a challenger to Facebook Inc’s dominant WhatsApp.
Investors see an increase in scale in the daily delivery space, owing to changing dietary patterns – increased dairy consumption and customers demanding variety, which the startups are able to tap
Unilever PLC and Unilever NV are the two ultimate holding parent companies of the Unilever Group, which is one of the world's leading consumer goods firms.

domain: news


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This isn't only the most hideous car offered for sale this year on the planet Earth, but also expensive and rare. There's only one of these cars in existence. And nearly 600 people put in orders to buy it at 7-Elevens in Japan.
Priced at 16 million yen ($159,000), the car is the most expensive item 7-Eleven has ever offered.
The 588 orders will be entered into a raffle later this month, giving one lucky (?) winner a chance to part with nearly $160,000 to buy this car. That is, a car that looks like it's covered in alien barf.
エヴァンゲリオンカー 1600万円に588件の注文 「ここまでとは・・・」 [Yahoo News]


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HOMESTEAD Pa. Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, operator of the 80-unit family-dining chain that bears its name, has appointed Jeff Broadhurst to succeed his father as chief executive. Jim Broadhurst, who has led the family-owned company for more than 30 years, will remain chairman.Jeff Broadhurst, who joined Eat’n Park in 1996, has served as its president for the past two years. His successor in that capacity was not named.In addition to its namesake restaurant brand, the concern owns ...
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All 210 staff at Whakatāne Mill are losing their jobs, with the company confirming its closure today.
The Bay of Plenty mill has produced paper and packaging products for more than 80 years but general manager Juha Veräjänkorva admits the volumes are "modest by global standards".
"Our costs-per-unit can no longer compete," he said.
Around 210 staff are employed at the mill and all will be made redundant. Most will be out of work by the end of June while a "small group" will finish shutting down and decommissioning the plant.
“Our focus at this time is caring for our staff and we will continue to work with union representatives and other agencies to support our people through the redundancy process,” Veräjänkorva says.
E tū union's Raymond Wheeler called the closure "devastating" for the local community, particularly in the wake of the deadly Whakaari eruption in December 2019 and Covid-19's further disruption to the region's tourism industry.
"Now the region has been dealt this blow. It’s an enormous hit to the regions and to the eastern Bay of Plenty," he says.
Meanwhile First Union is still holding on to hope, saying a new buyer could repurpose the plant and keep it running.
"There are opportunities in the industry and there is an important role for Government to play in securing the wood supply chain and increasing our manufacturing capacity," says Jared Abbott, FIRST Union Secretary for transport, logistics and finance.
The mill recently lost its biggest customer, parent company SIG Combibloc.


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We spent a day taking Uber and Lyft in Vancouver. Here's what we learned
Cab drivers are switching to ride-hailing while some drivers are disappointed with wages
After years of waiting, James Su didn't get to test out his Uber license the day the service launched in Vancouver. His wife wouldn't let him.
"It was Chinese New Years Eve," he said, laughing. "[She] stopped me from going out."
But on Saturday, he made up for the lost time, taking to the road at 9 a.m. PT and barely finding time for a break for the next six hours.
CBC News spent the day using ride-hailing services across Vancouver, chatting with drivers like Su, who say there is demand from eager passengers. Here's what we learned from taking rides around town.
Cab drivers already making the switch
If you can't beat them — join them.
That's the attitude of one Uber driver, who asked not to be named fearing repercussions from his employer at a Vancouver-based taxi company.
"Nobody can fight with technology," he told CBC News, which agreed to protect his identity.
"We couldn't get Uber here because of politics and power, but the funny thing is, nobody can fight it — there is nothing more powerful than technology. So, I wanted to be ahead of the game."
He said the choice was made easier by complaints people have about the taxi industry.
"I was trying to give very good service to people [as a cab driver]," he said. "But people have a very bad impression of the taxi industry, no matter how good you are."
"I believe in the end, most of the taxi drivers are going to switch to this. They have no choice," he said.
The Vancouver Taxi Association said Friday its members are extremely upset with the Passenger Transportation Board's (PTB) decision to approve ride-hailing.
It says the new service will be devastating to the taxi industry and those who work in it.
The association is pursuing a judicial review of the PTB's decision and asking the board to regulate the number of ride-hailing vehicles in the same way it restricts the size of taxi fleets.
Lyft driver Donald Chang took to the streets shortly after the service officially launched in Vancouver on Friday. He said he worked for about three hours and made just over $100.
He was hoping to have earned more.
"I don't think it's what I expected, the price isn't that high" said Chang, who bought a new vehicle so he could become a rideshare driver.
It's a sentiment echoed by James Su, who expects he'll average about $300 per day.
"I just [drove] a South African couple from Richmond to East Vancouver, and that only gives me $17," he said. "It was a long trip — I think it should have been over $20."
Su would like to see a lower commission taken by ridesharing companies. He says Uber takes about 25 per cent of each fare. Lyft's driver fees vary.
Ride-hailing services use demand pricing, as opposed to fixed taxi charges.
Wait times, wait times, wait times
Both companies are eager for more drivers and currently offering a $500 bonus for those who sign up.
The shortage can be noticeable when hailing a ride, with wait times sometimes exceeding 15 minutes. Despite being available across Metro Vancouver, numerous Uber requests by CBC News expired before the app was able to assign a driver.
Lyft has limited its operations to the core of Vancouver to optimize its service.
Still, drivers say it's early yet for the service and expect there will be more cars on the road day by day — and plenty more passengers, too.
"I think it's going to get a lot busier in the future," said Chang.


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The Government has now published its long awaited Resources & Waste Strategy for England.
In summary, there are several implications for HTA members included in the stated objectives, and 4 consultations announced for early 2019, all of which concern the HTA and its members in some way.
One of the implications for members is that businesses and producers will have to pay full cost of recycling or disposing of their packaging waste, which is currently set at 10%. This is intended to raise a revenue of £1 billion which the Government says will be used to overhaul England’s existing complicated recycling and waste system.
The four major consultations are:
- Implementation of a deposit return system
- Packaging system reforms and packaging targets for 2020 onwards
- Consistency of councils’ recycling services to customers
- HM Treasury’s consultation on a tax on packaging items with less than 30% recycled content
The HTA will, of course, represent members views by responding to all the consultations and lobbying Government on our members behalf. Members are also encouraged to both send their views in to the HTA for representation and answer consultations individually, thus doubling our voice to Government.
In more detail, the Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how government will:
- Ensure producers pay the full net costs of disposal or recycling of packaging they place on the market by extending producer responsibility – up from just 10% now.
- Review our producer responsibility schemes for items that can be harder or costly to recycle including cars, electrical goods, batteries and explore extending it to textiles, fishing gear, vehicle tyres, certain materials from construction and demolition, and bulky waste such as mattresses, furniture and carpets.
- Introduce a consistent set of recyclable materials collected from all households and businesses, and consistent labelling on packaging so consumers know what they can recycle, to drive-up recycling rates.
- Ensure weekly collections of food waste, which is often smelly and unpleasant, for every household – restoring weekly collections in some local authorities. This will be subject to consultation which will also consider free garden waste collections for households with gardens, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill
- Introduce a deposit return scheme, subject to consultation, to increase the recycling of single-use drinks containers including bottles, cans, and disposable cups filled at the point of sale.
- Explore mandatory guarantees and extended warranties on products, to encourage manufacturers to design products that last longer and drive up the levels of repair and re-use.
- Introduce annual reporting of food surplus and waste by food businesses. Should progress be insufficient, we will consult on introducing mandatory targets for food waste prevention.
- Clamp-down on illegal movements of waste at home and abroad by introducing compulsory electronic tracking of waste, and tougher penalties for rogue waste crime operators if they mislabel their waste to dodge tax rules.
For comment and further information please contact Sally Cullimore, Policy Executive.


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Well, looks like the one-off 4G internet-enabled Proton Inspira is up for sale. The car, won by Ng Oon-Ee in the Yes/Proton online contest, has been spotted on our sister site oto.my, going for RM99,999.
The Yes 4G Proton Inspira is unmistakable, what with its Yes 4G themed exterior decal, titanium black tinting and 18-inch sports alloy wheels. Inside, the car is decked out with a Bluetooth-enabled Sony audio system as well as three iPad 2 Wifi and a Yes Huddle 4G mobile hotspot.
Ng was announced as the winner of the Facebook contest on August 15, and received his car on September 27. It hasn’t clocked the miles at all, the odometer registering 209 km done at time of posting the ad.


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Sourcebooks ebook app puts children in starring roles
BY SANDRA GUY email@example.com November 21, 2012 3:28PM
Sourcebooks, the nation’s largest woman-owned independent book publisher based in Naperville, is launching an app and an e-book series aimed at transforming the iPad’s use for tweens, teens and young children.
The “Put Me In The Story” app, which launched Tuesday and was months in the making by in-house design and development teams, is the company’s 11th in the iTunes app store. The app is free to download.
It is intended to change the iPad’s image as a metallic and somewhat cold device to one of a bedtime-reading friend.
“Put Me in the Story” lets a parent do in real-time what some companies have long done in print: To personalize the book by inserting a child’s name throughout the text, and downloading the child’s photo and sizing it to fit within the book’s frame.
“We’re aiming to enhance the bedtime reading experience,” said Dominique Raccah, Sourcebook’s founder, CEO and publisher.
“The first thing the child sees is his or her name and photo on the dedication page,” she said. “This creates an instant connection for the child, and gets him excited about reading.”
Though equipped with sounds and the iPad’s interactive tools, the app doesn’t use animated features that would over-stimulate kids, since it’s designed to create a special moment between parent and child, Raccah said.
The first book with the app, classic bedtime favorite “The Night Night Book” by Marianne Richmond, will be available for free download. The next books are expected to cost $4.99 each.
Two other books to be released with the app are Richmond’s “If I Could Keep You Little” and the debut work of Olympic figure-skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi, “Dream Big Little Pig.”
A new book will be launched each month.
The second digital product from Sourcebooks, “The Shakesperience,” features enhanced ebooks of Shakespeare’s plays on Apple’s iBookstore.
The ebooks give teens and tweens a built-in “Cliff Notes” on steroids, with highlighted words one click away from their definitions and context; audio and video clips of famous actors playing the roles; image galleries with photos, production notes, set renderings and costume designs, and “A Voice Coach’s Perspective on Speaking Shakespeare” by Andrew Wade, former voice coach to the Royal Shakespeare Company.
“In Othello, we’ve embedded 1,400 words or terms in blue text so when you touch the text with your fingertip, you immediately know what that word means,” Raccah said of the ebooks that launched Oct. 2. “We have rethought the experience of learning to read Shakespeare all the way through. We’ve made it easier to experience the subject no matter what kind of learner a student is.”
The glossary is contextual.
For example, the word “coin” links to an explanation of its worth at the time and its value compared with modern currency.
In demos, one student said he would go back to the play again and again because he couldn’t get through all of the interactive features in one try, Raccah said.
That’s a far cry from most kids’ efforts to get away from the tough slog of going through a Shakespeare play purely on paper, she said.
For example, students may enlarge photos, listen to Orson Welles’ readings of Shakespeare’s plays, watch John Kani’s starring role in a landmark 1987 South African production of Othello and get behind the scenes with rarely heard recordings of Edwin Booth and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Each of the books in the initial rollout – Hamlet, Othello and Romeo and Juliet — costs $9.99. Sourcebooks also publishes 12 Shakespeare books that come with audio CDs but have no on-line components.
Keeping up with the latest technology is vital, especially in producing textbooks and educational books, and in connecting authors and readers in new ways, experts say.
The issues are particularly acute as the relationship between publishers and technology companies that create their own content — such as Apple and Amazon.com — remain touchy. The technology companies’ model encourages retailers and independent authors to sell books at deep discounts, and lets writers easily publish their own books, said Kenneth J. Thurber, author of “Big Wave Surfing: Extreme Technology Development, Management, Marketing and Investing.”
Traditional publishers are left to scramble to remain competitive and profitable, as are authors who don’t move quickly to find new sales outlets, he said.
“The entire (book) distribution chain has changed substantially,” Thurber said.
At the same time, book readers are increasingly turning to tablets as their medium. A Pew Internet Research poll found that the percentage of book readers who read e-books jumped to 21 percent in January from 16 percent just three months earlier, in September, 2011.


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Welcome back to Geekly World News, our round-up of all the biggest news from the world of comics, video games, movies, and more. Today we have the latest on DC Comics, the HTC Vive VR headset, and Pacific Rim 2.
Big changes are coming to DC Comics starting in May. Comic Book Resources has an interview with DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns detailing the company’s goals for their upcoming “Rebirth” event. There’s a lot to unpack here, so for now I’ll just focus on a few particular points that caught my eye. First of all, while DC has stated emphatically that it is not a reboot, they are going to be bringing back certain element’s of the DC universe’s history that were lost in the 2011 “New 52” reboot/relaunch. Johns says, “It’s in the same vein as “Green Lantern: Rebirth” and “The Flash: Rebirth.” Some things alter and change, but it’s more character-driven, and it’s also more about revealing secrets and mysteries within the DC Universe about “Flashpoint” and The New 52 that are part of a bigger tapestry.” It sounds to me like rather than pressing the ‘reset’ button again, Rebirth will recontextualize the changes that the New 52 made so that they can reintroduce pieces of DC history that were thought to have been erased. Speaking in broader terms, he also says, “It’s an echo of the past, but looking to the future. That’s what I want to do with this. There’s got to be an umbilical cord that goes all the way back to “Action Comics” #1, that connects the whole DC Universe.” While the rest of the line will be relaunched with new #1’s, Action Comics and Detective Comics will return to their original numbering at #957 and #934, respectively, about which Johns says, “that alone, even though it seems small, I think it’s a huge symbol of what we’re trying to do.” He also says that, “This is definitely for comic book readers more than it is for casual readers, just like “Green Lantern: Rebirth,” but that doesn’t mean it’s exclusive of them.” Personally, I started reading DC comics with Green Lantern: Rebirth, and the story itself was good enough that rather than be discouraged by all of the history going over my head, I simply wanted to learn more about this world. For DC to pull off a similar feat with this upcoming event, it will all come down to the strength of the creative teams and their work. I’m cautiously optimistic at this point, but the proof will be in the pudding.
The price for the HTC Vive virtual reality headset has revealed as $799 USD. That might seem pretty steep compared to the Oculus Rift’s already high price point of $599 USD, but HTC and Valve are hoping that customers will feel that the price is justified when you compare what comes in the box. The biggest difference is the two position-tracking wall units that come with the HTC Vive, along with the hub that transmits the data to your PC. While the Oculus Rift is usually demoed with the user sitting in a chair or on a stool, the Vive is built to take advantage of the space around you and frequently has the user moving around a cleared-out space. It will be interesting to see which set-up customers respond to more.
Deadline reports that Pacific Rim 2 has found its director in Steven S. DeKnight, creator of Spartacus and showrunner for most of Daredevil’s first season. Though many of us have been anticipating a sequel to 2013’s Pacific Rim since we walked out of the theatre, doubt was cast on the status of the sequel when Universal removed it from its release schedule. I’m personally relieved that the movie is not dead, and I can’t wait to see it. I might be waiting a while though, since no release date has announced yet.
What do you think of DC’s Rebirth? Are you planning on getting a VR headset at these prices? Are you excited for Pacific Rim 2? Sound off in the comments below!


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In recent years, it feels like we’ve been inundated by stories of greedy pharmaceutical companies jacking up the price of important generic medications. In 2015, “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli, recognized that no other generic companies were manufacturing Daraprim, a drug used to treat infections common among people with AIDS. So he raised the price of that generic medication from $13.50 a pill to $750, confident that no competitor was around to cut into his market share. The media had a field day with Shkreli’s story, as well as other notorious examples of generic drug manufacturers raising the price of their products by an astonishing amount; consider the ten-fold increase in the price of generic Digoxin (a heart medicine) and Doxycycline (an antibiotic). In fact, worried about such price gouging, Massachusetts Senator (and presidential candidate) Elizabeth Warren has called for the US government to go into the business of manufacturing generic medications.
Just how greedily have generic manufacturers been gouging the American public of late? The truth is surprising. In the last 10 years, the price of generic medications in the US has actually fallen.
(To read the rest of the article, please visit Forbes).


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PlayJam's GameStick Android console has generated more than six times its target on crowdsourcing website Kickstarter.
The system attracted donations of $647,658 (£412,147) on a target of $100,000 (£63,637), which is enough funding to ensure that the machine will be available in four colours at launch.
GameStick is a fully-fledged gaming console inside a flash drive that plugs into a television's HDMI socket, and connects with a specially designed Bluetooth controller.
Around 200 Android titles optimised to run on a larger screen will be available at launch, with studios including Relentless Software, First Star Software and Disney providing software for its purpose-built store.
The console's final design and a docking station accessory were unveiled by PlayJam last month.
GameStick is expected to ship to its backers in April, and will be priced at $79 (£50) when it goes on public sale.
> Can Android consoles Ouya, Project Shield challenge PlayStation, Xbox?
Watch a video on the GameStick below:


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Windows 11 23H2 rollout likely soon ahead of Windows 12 launch
The ISO files of the Windows 11 23H2 update have been spotted by some observers on Microsoft’s servers. It is believed to be the last major update before Windows 12 is introduced.
The next major update for Windows 11, dubbed 23H2 update, may roll out soon, as per a report. This is likely to be the final major update before Microsoft begins working on a timeline to introduce Windows 12. The reports come from various sources who have spotted the ISO files of Windows 11 23H2 update on the Microsoft servers. For the unaware, ISO files are an exact copy of an entire optical disk such as a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray archived into a single file. If these reports are to be believed, then users should prepare themselves for new features and an enhanced version of Windows 11 soon.
While a date of release is not known at the moment, a TechRadar report highlights that “Windows 11 23H2 will have all the new features from the recent “Moment 4” update to Windows 11 22H2”. On top of that, other new changes are also expected such as an upgraded notification center, Microsoft Copilot, the AI-powered features for Windows, and a System Components page.
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Windows 11 23H2 update around the corner
The Moment 4 updates are a big part of the feature updates to Windows 11. This means that the AI features that were revealed earlier, including Paint, ClipChamp, and Snipping tool. On top of that, Microsoft Copilot will be an important part of the new Windows 11 and offer an AI chatbot to navigate through the OS.
On top of that, the new System Components hub will be another major highlight. It will serve as a portal using which you can change default apps and have better control over pre-installed apps and components. You will be able to access them all under an umbrella and you can change things without having to constantly look for them.
Microsoft had already announced that the Windows 11 23H2 update will be offered as an enablement package in a post and offered an explanation of what it means. The company said, “The upcoming Windows 11, version 23H2 shares the same servicing branch and code base as Windows 11, version 22H2. What does it mean for you? If you're running Windows 11, version 22H2, it will be a simple update to version 23H2 via a small enablement package (eKB). Do you remember updating from Windows 10, version 1903 to 1909? Or how you've managed recent updates beginning with Windows 10, version 20H2 through 22H2? It will be that simple. Moreover, since both versions share the same source code, you don't need to worry about application or device compatibility between the versions”.
So, prepare yourself for exciting AI features, and more control over the apps and software that exist on your device, once it rolls out globally.
One more thing! HT Tech is now on WhatsApp Channels! Follow us by clicking the link so you never miss any update from the world of technology. Click here to join now!


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By Aryan Rai
Boston University Statehouse Program
Daniel Lamontagne, 61, kept his auto body business in Williamsburg afloat for 30 years and six months before he was forced to shut it down last September. In its last two functioning years, Lamontagne was the sole employee at White Lightning Auto Body. The primary reason for closure, he said, was that he could not work 50 to 60 hours alone and run the shop. The supply chain issues caused by COVID-19 only exacerbated the situation.
Like Lamontagne, many struggling auto body shop owners across Massachusetts are pushing to get what they say is long overdue: fair reimbursements by insurance companies. They say the rates are outdated and disconnected from the current inflation surge.
“The pay scale for people coming into the trade just isn’t there,” said Lamontagne. “That’s another thing, they (insurance companies) either reimburse you for the cost of work, without paying the profit, or sometimes they pay less than the cost. It is ruthless.”
The average reimbursement rate in Massachusetts is around $40 per hour – the lowest in the country. Neighboring states pay an average rate of 50-$60 that has been adjusted to the market and has consistently increased over the years.
Shop owners attributed the problem to the lack of a rate-setting mechanism that allows insurance companies to adopt what is called a “referral system.” Under this system, shops can sign a contract with an insurance company to work under the non-negotiable rates, and in return, the insurance companies funnel their clients towards these shops.
Although this means working for low reimbursement, shop owners are hesitant to get out of contracts. Going independent would mean losing the referrals from insurers while asking for a suitably higher price will just push the consumer to another shop functioning under these low-rate contracts.
“They (insurance companies) will tell you it’s a market rate but it’s not. They are simply suppressing the rates using this system,” said Matthew Ciaschini, co-owner of Full Tilt Auto Body & Collisions in West Hatfield.
The system was first adopted in 1988 with a rate of $30 per hour. Thirty-four years later, that has gone up by approximately $10. Shop owners say that rate is insufficient to pay employees and buy parts in the post-COVID economy. Turning profits is almost too ambitious.
Ray Belsito, the owner of Arnie’s Autobody in Charlton, noted that Massachusetts chooses not to follow suit in how other states set a price — by using labor aid surveys. These involve insurance companies contacting unaffiliated shops and getting an estimation about the current market rate. Based on that, the insurers also increase their labor rates.
“Labor aid surveys are very important things that we do not have in Mass.,” said Belsito, who is also a former insurance company employee. “Without it, there is no mechanism for the rates to grow. This situation is unique to our state.
It is now a growing consensus amongst the shop owners that these near-stagnant rates and a restrictive system will lead to the inevitable collapse of the auto body industry. Their worries are not unfounded.
“There are shops that have closed partly due to COVID, but they would have been in jeopardy even without COVID,” said Evangelos Papageorg, executive director at Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts. “This is based on the fact that there is a huge void when it comes to technicians in the industry.”Support the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Subscribe Today
That’s because the industry lacks a strong incentive to attract young technicians while also struggling to retain valued employees.
A 2022 report by National Autobody Research highlighted a shortage of skilled technicians with the national demand for technicians outpacing the supply by nearly five-to-one. This translates into a requirement of 100,000 technicians in the next five years to keep the industry active. The report concluded that “a significant price adjustment is needed now.”
Legislation in works
A House bill offers hope.
The measure aims to set a minimum reimbursement rate by adjusting the 1988 rate to inflation. According to estimates, this would change the current average reimbursement rate of $40 per hour to something in the vicinity of $68.
The deadline to issue a report on the bill was extended. The first round of testimony was heard by the Special Commission on Auto Body Labor Rates last month.
“The extension is a good sign, but I am just cautiously optimistic,” said Guy Glodis, a former state senator who is now lobbying for the bill. Glodis was in the office in the early 2000s when the issue of low reimbursement rates was acknowledged.
“The leadership at the time assured me that they would be addressing the issue. That a labor rate increase was long overdue,” said Glodis. “That was 20 years ago.”
Rep. James Hawkins, D-Attleboro, who is the sponsor, recalled running an auto body shop in Rhode Island 20 years ago. He agreed that the loss of these shops will influence public safety as the number of unsafe cars and duration to fix them will eventually increase.
“Auto body work is no longer a side job for people like it was some time ago. It is expensive to run this business, especially now with such technical vehicles,” said Rep. Hawkins. “This is a big problem.”
The date for the second round of testimony is yet to be decided. The deadline for releasing a report on the bill is now June 30.
This article originally appeared in The Daily Hampshire Gazette.


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ASEAN aims for 4 percent economic growth
CNN Asia Business Editor
(CNN) -- Economic growth of 3.5 percent to 4.0 percent this year is the projection for the 10-member group of Asian countries known as ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
That would be a solid gain from last year's average of 2.85 percent.
But achieving the 2002 target will rest heavily on what happens in the economies of ASEAN's two key trading partners, the United States and Japan.
Between them, the U.S. and Japan take 40 percent of ASEAN's outside exports and supply 43 percent of its imports -- part of an annual trade flow between ASEAN and the world that is worth almost $500 billion.
With the U.S. economy dogged by sharemarket turmoil, accounting scandals and a sense of unease among consumers, and Japan's own recovery heavily dependent on its exports to the U.S., the outlook for Southeast Asia in 2002-03 is far from clear. (Full Story)
According to the latest Pacific Economic Outlook, the U.S. will probably grow by 2.5 percent this year, while Japan may show no growth at all. (Full story)
Japanese economic indicators are mixed, despite the Koizumi government upgrading its outlook recently. While there was a spike in GDP growth in the March quarter, the June quarter could see a contraction. Unemployment is still high and industrial output declined slightly in June. (Full Story)
And recent data out of the U.S. suggests demand there for Asian exports in the second half of 2002 is easing, driven in part by the weakness of the U.S. dollar
The good news is that three of ASEAN's other main trade partners -- China, South Korea and Australia -- are among the world's fastest growing economies and should continue to provide strong trade and investment flows.
China, which says it is on track for a growth rate of about 7.5 percent this year, is the country potentially of most opportunity for ASEAN.
But in other ways it is a competitor, as a magnet for foreign direct investment, and as an alternative manufacturing location for Japanese, Korean, U.S. and European companies who may already have operations in Southeast Asia.
Free trade area with China
One of ASEAN's big goals -- reinforced at this week's meeting of foreign ministers in Brunei -- is to create a free trade area with China within 10 years.
Such an agreement would be a pivotal event for the Asian region. It would create an economic union with 1.7 billion consumers, total output of about $2 trillion and total trade of $1.23 trillion.
It would also soften the blow for ASEAN of seeing investment that it might once have expected to come its way, continue to pour into China.
ASEAN says its more immediate priority is to integrate its 10 economies even further, building on from the start of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in January this year.
Longer-term, also on the cards is a proposed free trade agreement with the United States, closer economic ties with Australia and New Zealand, and the possible creation of an East Asia free trade area that would include Japan and South Korea.
Much to do
ASEAN admits it still has much to do in financial and corporate restructuring, to create the conditions for sustainable economic recovery after the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
"Tackling the remaining challenges from the financial crisis is our priority," the foreign ministers said in their Brunei communiqué on Tuesday.
The performance of the economies of the U.S., Japan, China and to a lesser extent, the European Union, over the next few months will help determine ASEAN's ability to hit its growth target, and thereby continue the reform process.
Another key factor is the region's currency appreciation against the U.S. dollar. Hong Kong-based Morgan Stanley analyst Andy Xie noted earlier this month this was occurring without any improvement in pricing power.
"This has not happened before and constitutes a serious threat to economic recovery," he said.
ASEAN brings together the economies of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
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House Blocks Funding For New Light Bulb Standards
Tucked inside the omnibus spending bill that the House of Representatives passed earlier, today, is a provision that prevents the Department of Energy from enforcing new, more energy efficient standards for light bulbs.
The new standards were signed into law in 2007 by then President Bush, but the standards have become a favorite cause for Rush Limbaugh and the Tea Party, who say the bill would ban incandescent light bulbs and give Americans less choice. They say it is a perfect example of government overreach.
Now, as NPR's Elizabeth Shogren reported for us a year ago, the legislation doesn't actually ban incandescent light bulbs, it just requires that they are 30 percent more efficient.
Elizabeth reported that Randy Moorehead, vice president at Phillips Electronics, "says in anticipation of the new standards, companies like his have started selling new incandescent bulbs that comply with the law. They're made with a slightly different technology than Thomas Edison's invention. They use halogen gas. Moorhead says consumers won't notice a difference in the way they look or work compared to old-fashioned incandescent bulbs."
But politics are politics and the bill passed today strips the Department of Energy from the money it needs to enforce the new rules through Sept. 30, 2012. The Los Angeles Times reports on the tussle in Congress:
"This is an early Christmas present for all Americans," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas). "It restores the freedom, at least temporarily, for you to choose the light bulbs you want to illuminate your home."
"I can't believe it," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who supports the new rules. She said the Republicans who pushed to block enforcement of the rules have "become deniers ... deniers of the fact that the climate is warming."
Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas), an outspoken critic of the new rules, recently declared that "since the federal government has taken the power to choose away from Americans," consumers have been "flocking to their local Wal-Marts to hoard the last of the incandescent bulbs."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Everybody's sick of commissions. Lumi Wallet is renouncing them, introducing 0 % Fees on all crypto to crypto exchange operations. All you need to get rid of.
Payments company Square’s Cash App now lets users schedule automatic Bitcoin (BTC) purchases at set time intervals.
Employers struggling to meet the conditions set by the U.S. governmentâs loan program may find salvation in an unlikely.
Bitcoin betting site LuckyBit have launched a fresh new version of the age old classic game ‘Dice’, with a potential total.
7 May 2020.
The data comes three mining pools – BTC.com, Poolin, and ViaBTC – and took seven months to develop. Blandin said it represented roughly 37.
6 days ago.
PRESS RELEASE: Paid content. Press release content.
Bitcoin Profit is one of the best-automated trading platforms for cryptocurrency.
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you know that today, 50 Bitcoin from an address created one month after the.
Sydney-based Raiz Invest, a micro-investing app, has announced that it will offer investors exposure to the Bitcoin cryptocurrency with the launch of its 7th.
Current Bitcoin Price Live Now that the halving is over, many analysts believe that bitcoin will be bearish in the short term, and say big jumps will. Watch live Bitcoin to Dollar chart, follow BTCUSD prices in real-time and get. welcome to this update-analysis about bitcoins current market situation and. Bitcoin price crash sees cryptocurrency lose 10 per cent
Black Desert Online KATIE Price enjoyed the perfect British summertime day out with her five kids as she indulged in ice cream to mark her 42nd. Black Desert Online is an MMO that combines a few aspects of EVE Online with a gorgeous fantasy world. It features plenty of fluid action combat, but you'd be. Black Desert Online
New sign-ups and the sell bitcoin page are already disabled. A little background on AMLD5 and its implementation in The Netherlands. The moment the European.
Bitcoin Core version history. Subscribe to the RSS feed. 2020-03-09. Bitcoin Core version 0.19.1 released. Read more. 2019-11-24. Bitcoin Core version.
We are happy to present one of the decent auto trading platforms we discovered only last month. We needed to test the system and confirm that it works before revealing.


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- A ban on investment commissions: at present, the predominant form of remuneration for advisers is a behind-the-scenes payment by fund managers and other product providers whose investments the adviser recommends.
- A ban on payments to advisers for meeting or exceeding volume sales targets. These payments encourage advisers to sell more investments than the consumer needs, and to favour product providers that pay the biggest sales bonuses.
- A ban on percentage-based fees for “geared” financial products – for example, margin loans. This will reduce the likelihood of another Storm Financial disaster, where clients were encouraged to take large loans to use for investments. The leveraged nature these arrangements magnified consumer losses and increased investor liability when the investments turned sour. Some people lost their homes.
- Consumers will be required to renew their fee arrangements on an ongoing basis (after an initial period where the adviser’s payment will be guaranteed), otherwise the fees will stop.
The CHOICE verdict
These reforms are enormous steps forward for consumer protection - CHOICE has campaigned for many years for such improvements. However, we have reservations, which we hope will be addressed in the final arrangements. Of most concern are the following:
1. Asset-based fees
Percentage “asset based” fees - where the adviser’s fee is based on the value of your portfolio - are slated to continue. While some argue that percentage fees “can be useful in aligning the best interests of advisers and their clients”, we have concerns. Firstly, the adviser’s work should be much the same for a consumer with a small or big amount to invest, so why should the latter investor pay more? There’s also the temptation for advisers to recommend the sale of non-financial assets, such as property, to free up more money for financial investments and earn higher fees. But most importantly, percentage figures mask the true impact of fees – 1-2% of assets may seem harmless enough until the long-term effect is revealed.
Deen Sanders, acting CEO of the Financial Planning Association, defends asset based fees. “It’s not true to say that the same amount of work is required for big or small investment amounts,” he says. “Higher amounts can involve more work and time for an adviser, especially if complex investments and arrangements are involved, such as estate planning and family needs. And for people with smaller amounts to invest, an asset based fee can work out cheaper than fee-for-service.”
2. Trail commissions
Commission arrangements already in place before the July 2012 cut-off may continue. There's speculation that these investments will be “grandfathered” from the new rules. After July 2012, consumers should look carefully at the commissions being paid from their investments, and consider whether they should switch to lower-cost arrangements, or arrange to have the commissions (and fees) “dialled down”. In anticipation of this, when buying investments now you may wish to ask for the new lower-cost commission-free versions. FPA planners are already required to turn off the commissions on investments if consumers don’t want them, and what’s currently proposed is that from 2013 consumers will have to “opt in” each year if they want to continue paying adviser fees and commissions.
3. Risk insurance left exposed
The ban on adviser commissions may not include risk products, such as life insurance. This is despite the fact commissions of up to 120% of the first year’s premiums are paid to advisers, with trail commissions of about 10% in subsequent years. Or advisers may receive a flat commission worth as much as 30% for every year you have the policy. These are staggeringly high commissions that potentially encourage advisers to churn people into new policies in order to receive the high initial kick-back. Already we’re seeing reports of an adviser “flight to risk products” to earn commissions in anticipation of the new laws. So far the government seems to be leaning towards the industry’s argument that removing sales commissions will reduce the amount of insurance sold. “My concern is to make sure we don’t exacerbate the problem of under-insurance in Australia,” Minister Chris Bowen said in May. “There are good arguments validly made on both sides of this discussion about whether risk insurance should have its commissions banned. We also need to ensure that were we to exempt risk insurance in the ban on commissions, we didn’t allow some sort of back door mechanism to allow commissions to continue to exist for financial advice more generally, so that, if you like, large commissions might be placed on risk insurance to counteract the loss of income from the banning of commissions on more general products. So I have a genuinely open mind about this.”
The FPA also chose not to voluntarily ban life insurance commissions. “We’re concerned where we find malpractice – that’s where we act,” says Deen Sanders. “But we found no bias caused by commissions in risk insurance, and without the ability of consumers to pay by commission, we’re concerned that people won’t buy enough insurance. I think it’s possible that in the future there will be a shift away from life insurance commissions, but it will take time.”
Underinsurance is undoubtedly a real and important problem, but paying high kick-backs to advisers is not the way to solve it. It can also be argued that fat commissions make insurance more expensive so people buy less cover – which exacerbates underinsurance, rather than helping to address it.


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GROWTH RATES in the foundations market are predicted to slow from 9% in 2006 to 6% this year, falling to just 3% in 2009, according to a report published last month.
The prediction is made in the UK Foundations Market Development report produced by Market & Business Development (MBD). The annual growth rate from 2009 is projected to remain at 3% until 2011.
MBD bases its predictions on building trends across the civil engineering, commercial, private industrial and public and private housing sectors.
But even with this downturn, MBD believes the sector's output may reach £698.8M at 2006 prices in 2011, equivalent to 21% growth in real term compared with 2006.
MBD expects demand to continue to be stimulated by growth in the public and private housing sectors.
The report reviews the UK piling market and estimates it has grown by 18% in nominal terms between 2002 and 2006. This takes its value to £358.9M consolidating the growth recorded each year between 2002 and 2005.
The report says that since 2002, piling output has continued to account for the largest proportion of the UK foundations market and has accounted for about 64% of the sector in each year of the review period.
The report records good news for the underpinning market where output was estimated at £89.3M in 2006.
Sales growth was recorded in each year reviewed meaning an estimated growth of 26% in nominal terms.
Demand for ground improvement has also risen in each year of the review period, reaching an estimated £116.5M in 2006. MBD says that sales last year increased nominally by 5%, re ecting an increase in the number of brown eld developments.
Reader offer Normally the reports costs £550 for a single copy or £660 for an annual subscription consisting of four reports. But GE readers can save 10% on both, meaning £495 for a single copy and £594 for the subscription. Call 0161 236 6845 and quote Ground Engineering. Further information can be found at www. mbdltd. co. uk


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I have an article in the new edition of Northwords Now magazine, about poet Robin Robertson, whose new book “The Long Take” was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize.
I’m going to be reading some of my own poems, and talking about Robin Robertson’s work, at the official launch for the magazine, which takes place tomorrow (Saturday 20th October) at 2pm in High Flight Books in Dingwall – part of the Word on the Street festival. There will be a few other writers reading their work, and tea and cake.
Northwords Now is free and available from locations across Scotland – you can pick it up at Eden Court, Leakey’s Bookshop or the museum in Inverness, among other places (full list on their website). It will also be available to read online soon.


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Lexington police are searching for a man who may have burglarized several small stores since the end of November.
In each situation, the man used a rock or a block to break a door or window into the businesses, and then he loaded up cartons of cigarettes in a garbage bag or container, according to a news release.
The man has worn a gray hooded sweatshirt, a black coat, pants and gloves during the burglaries. Investigators have some surveillance footage of him fleeing in a Ford Explorer.
There have been seven burglaries. The most recent theft occurred Wednesday at the Marathon at 647 West Main Street.
Other burglaries have been at H & M Grocery at 1220 North Limestone; the Fast Stop Marathon at 1392 TrentBoulevard; Pantry Market at 460 Squires Road; Marathon at 1150 Versailles Road; Fast Stop at 771 Newtown Pike; and Marathon at 1768 Alexandria Drive.


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Paulino Gardens is discounting all its remaining inventory before it shuts its doors for good on July 28.
The nearly 60-year-old nursery and garden shop, is slashing prices on nearly everything in the store 50 percent, according to an employee at the store. Except cacti.
But the store’s garden supplies, houseplants and decor are marked down. Inventory on Wednesday, when a reporter stopped by, is already running low.
The reason for the liquidation sale: the Paulino family sold the 6.5 acre parcel at the end of April for $12 million to real estate firm Prologis, according to the Denver Post. The family told the Post they want to retire.
Prologis plans to develop a more than 680,000-square-foot industrial park on Washington Street just north of East 58th Avenue, according to Post reporting. The development, titled Prologis Park Central, will be on the east side of I-25.
Paulino’s website says that the acres surrounding the year-round garden center are filled with rows of evergreens, deciduous trees, groundcover plants, and 8,000 roses.
The garden store has sat at 6300 N. Broadway since 1960, when the Paulino family began selling fresh vegetables they grew themselves.
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Retail sales advanced in September despite supply chain disruptions and inflation as worries about the COVID-19 Delta variant pushed consumer spending toward merchandise rather than services such as dining, entertainment or travel, the National Retail Federation stated.
NRF’s retail sales calculation, which excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail, indicated that September gained 0.7% seasonally adjusted from August and 11% unadjusted year-over-year. The figures based on the NRF calculation compared with increases of 2.4% month-over-month and 12.2% year-over-year increase in August.
By category, NRF noted, retail sales came in as:
- Clothing and clothing accessory stores up 1.1% month-over-month seasonally adjusted and up 22.5% unadjusted year-over-year
- Electronics and appliance stores down 0.9% month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 17.3% unadjusted year-over-year
- General merchandise stores up 2% month-over-month seasonally adjusted and up 14.1% unadjusted year-over-year
- Furniture and home furnishings stores up 0.2% month-over-month seasonally adjusted and up 13.7% unadjusted year-over-year
- Sporting goods stores up 3.7% month-over-month seasonally adjusted and up 13% unadjusted year-over-year.
- Online and other non-store sales up 0.6% month-over-month seasonally adjusted and up 10.5% unadjusted year-over-year
- Grocery and beverage stores were 0.7% month-over-month seasonally adjusted and up 7.4% unadjusted year-over-year.
- Health and personal care stores down 1.4% month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 6.9% unadjusted year-over-year
- Building materials and garden supply stores up 0.1% month-over-month seasonally adjusted and up 6.2% unadjusted year-over-year.
“Today’s retail sales data confirms the sheer power of the consumer to spend, and we expect this to continue,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said in announcing the monthly sales. “Despite persistent challenges related to the global pandemic, supply chain and labor shortages, retailers and their partners have shown resilience and ingenuity in getting the workforce, goods and systems in place to serve their customers and the communities where they operate. We welcomed the chance to collaborate with the Biden administration and industry partners this week to address supply chain and labor force issues. We have seen record imports this year and are confident that collectively we can work through these challenges to ensure a healthy and happy holiday season.”
NRF chief economist Jack Kleinhenz said,
“The reopening of the economy was interrupted by COVID-19, and consumer spending other than retail hit a speed bump toward the end of summer. Consumers remained active, but retail sales didn’t reflect as much of a shift away from goods to services as expected. That was a plus for retail because consumers still have a hyper-ability to spend thanks to wage and job gains and the household savings built up during the pandemic. In addition, some back-to-school spending may have spilled over from August into September because of school districts that delayed opening until after Labor Day. Overall, the September report is very promising for a strong finish for the year. Nonetheless, rising inflation and slower supply chains remain a concern. Spending might have been higher if not for shortages of items consumers are eager to purchase.”


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Samsung confirms its presence at MWC 2022: the February 27, 2022 will hold an event a Barcelona which will be broadcast in streaming at 7pm Italian time. The announcement refers to a “New Era of Connected Mobile Devices”, so we expect Samsung to announce news about its own rather than introducing new products. galaxy ecosystem. But surprises are not ruled out.
Samsung confirms its presence at MWC 2022 with a streaming event
Samsung explained that it is “redefining the future of how we study and work”. And the image associated with the event shows some devices that we recognize easily, thanks to their unique design. There are the new ones Galaxy S22 Ultra, with the cameras in plain sight. The foldable design of the Galaxy Z Flip3the new S8 Tab with the S Pen. And then again laptops, smartwatches.
The reference to work and study suggests that the company may present new ones laptop The Chromebook at the event. But the fact that it is al Mobile World Congress and so close to last week’s top-of-the-range presentation, it suggests that the news won’t be hardware. Perhaps Samsung is preparing to show us new potential of its huge ecosystem.
However, there are some rumored devices that could make their debut in Barcelona, ’stealing’ the attention of all the journalists and fans who will go to Catalonia for the event. It is thought that the Galaxy Book with flexible screen may come soon, also given Samsung’s success in producing foldable screens for smartphones.
But the truth is that for now we have only speculation: there are no hardware products that the leakers think are in accelerated production. Proof that the news is hardware, or is Samsung keeping a big news secret? We will be able to know with certainty only the February 27 in streaming. We will keep you informed.


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A mum has taken to social media to warn others about the dangers of a popular fabric softner.
Leah Reilly posted on Facebook after discovering a warning on the Lenor Spring Awakenings fabric softner.
She said: "Never seen this before but all mums need to know DO NOT PUT THIS ON YOUR KIDS SLEEPWEAR!!! Look there's a warning on the back of the bottle!"
She said the back of the bottle does state "Do not use this product: On children's sleepwear or garments labelled as flame resistant as it may reduce flame resistance."
Offering a more detailed explanation, someone on Facebook added the comment: "It rids the flame retardant off items after so long, so in a house fire you will have half or even less than half the time to get out of the house before everything that everyone sprays Lenor on is ablaze.
"It's scary I don't know why people are even joking about this."


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The latest issue of Nintendo Power apparently has a tidbit of news on the upcoming Wii version of Madden NFL 08, stating EA is making it fully online, including leaderboards, lobbies and online play in general.
Oh yeah... Thats the spot.
.........."Fully Online?" That's kinda funny. Like come to Foot Locker. We sell shoes.....w/ laces. a/w - good news for nintendo fans. Welcome to the modern age. Cheers
Good news first online madden game for a nintendo console.
should come out with a camera so people can see how goofy players look using the wii-mote while they are pissed off because they are losing.
now the poor 13 yr old girls who play the wii can experience the bug/glitch fest known as madden
hey.. i'm no MADDEN fan but its good to see more and more games allowing ONLINE.. i think its safe to say Nintendo sent out those DEV kits by now lol
I'd say EA and Ubisoft will lead the third party online initiative on the Wii.
This is good news. No matter if you hate the Wii or hate Madden. All you that have been complaining that Wii doesn't have online, well now it seems that online is finally, somewhat, kinda here... Yeah ITR it's almost a deffinate that EA and Ubisoft will lead the 3rd party pack for online
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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According to the China Internet Network Information Center China's population of Internet users reached 384 million at the end of 2009. The report can be downloaded here (Chinese only).
In 2009, the number of Chinese netizens grew by 86 million (28.9% yoy) . In total 29% of China's 1.3 billion population are now online. Access through mobile phones has risen by 120 million to in total 233 million, which represents approx. 61% of all Internet users. The most popular destinations online are still music sites (83,5%), news portals (80,1%) and search engines (73,3%). Business applications are however on the rise. The report also estimates the Chinese eCommerce market to have reached a value of 250 billion RMB.


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Apple said Monday that more than 4 million iPhones were ordered in 24 hours when they went on sale. iPhone 4 has been the best selling smartphone Apple so far as it has sold more than the first three generations of iPhones combined and now it seems the iPhone 4s likely to reach another great milestone.Philip Schiller, Apple senior vice president of Product Global Marketing, said in a statement:
"We are impressed with the incredible customer response to iPhone 4S. The first day of pre-orders for the iPhone 4S have been more that of any new product that Apple has started and we are delighted that customers love the iPhone 4S as we do. "
4s iPhone will be available for purchase at retail stores across Apple's Friday, October 14, 2011. 4S iPhone be available in white or black in the U.S. for a suggested price of $ 199 (U.S.) for the 16 GB model and $ 299 (U.S. ) For the 32 GB model and $ 399 (U.S.) for the new 64GB model.
In addition, iPhone will come with IOS 4s 5, which is the world's most advanced mobile operating system with more than 200 new features, and icloud. So you are getting your new iPhone 4s?
Posted by VdoCity Monday, October 10, 2011


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Organic Valley reached $1 billion in sales for 2015
by Editor (comments: 0)
Organic Valley’s family of businesses have reached $1 billion in sales for 2015. The cooperative increased sales from $972 million in 2014. That was a new record for annual sales according to Hans Eisenbeis in the media department at Organic Valley’s headquarters in La Farge. Organic Valley is the largest organic foods cooperative in North America.
Reasons are that natural grocery store customers continue to buy Organic Valley products but also mainstream consumers begin to choose organic food, says Eisenbeis. There has also been some successful new products launched helping the cooperative to lead trends in the organic food industry.
A milk protein shakes were launched in 2014. In 2015, one of them — Organic Fuel — became the top-selling organic milk protein shake in the country. Consumer demand for more products that are made with 100 percent grassfed cows (no grain) is also growing, according to Eisenbeis. Also the cooperative’s fresh produce like eggs had a “great year”.
Organic Valley´s mission is to serve small family farms, and making farming a viable career for the next generation of farmers, Eisenbeis said.
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Sony is the leading company in the console industry with PS4 and PS4 Pro selling better than ever. However, Sony wants to stay on top of the industry and that’s why rumor has it that the company is already adding the finishing touches to PS5. Although, Sony is surely not going to unveil PS5 this year and it will probably wait until 2020.
Sony Is Planning for The Future
As previously mentioned, Sony has the upper hand over Nintendo’s Switch and Microsoft’s Xbox One, but the Japanese tech giant is already looking towards the future. The reason we are saying that is because there are numerous reports which show that Sony sent PS5 devkits to third party game developers.
With that being said, we think it’s safe to say that PS5 is undoubtedly in development. The question that remains is what type of features or specs upgrade will PS5 have to offer?
Improved PlayStation Plus Subscription Service
A bunch of game have already been announced for the PlayStation Plus subscription service during these past couple of months with Bloodborne leading the way. This leads us to believe that Sony is looking to improve this subscription service in order to feature more AAA games for fans who pay their hard earned money for the service.
Talking about improving the PlayStation Plus service, Sony is looking to expand its PS4 backwards compatibility program. This will give players tons of new games to play and it will also help Sony offer a wider range of games for paying subscribers.
We should also mention that Sony updated a US Patent which hints that PS5 will support backwards compatible games. The original patent was filed back in 2015 when PS4 was launched and it gave PS4 fans the ability to play PS3 games.
In addition, the updated patent now features this following changelog: “Backwards compatibility testing of software in a mode that disrupts timing”.


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Xiaomi is set to announce a new smartphone in India on November 2. Although the Chinese smartphone maker hasn’t revealed the device it will be announcing, but has confirmed that the upcoming Xiaomi phone will be part of a whole new series altogether. Ahead of announcing the new phone, Xiaomi’s a couple of month old flagship device – Mi Max 2 gets a price cut of Rs 1,000. Mi Max 2 was launched in India at a starting price of Rs 14,999. But now, after the price cut, Mi Max 2 is available at a starting price of Rs 13,999 on Mi e-store and also on other e-commerce channels.
Xiaomi announced the Mi Max 2 in August this year. The device was first launched in India, and later brought to India. In India, Xiaomi launched two variants of the Mi Max 2. One of them comes with 4GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage, while the second variant includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage. Xiaomi India announced the price cut via a tweet on Monday.
The 32GB model was launched at a price of Rs 14,999, while the latter – the one with the 64GB storage was announced at a price tag of Rs 16,999. But now, both the variants of the Mi Max 2 are available at a cheaper price – as it gets a price cut of Rs 1,000. After the slashed prices, Mi Max 2 – 32GB model now costs Rs 13,999, while the 64GB variant comes with a price tag of Rs 15,999.
Also Read: Xiaomi Mi Max 2 review: The showstopper
Going by the specifications, Xiaomi Mi Max 2 features an all-metal unibody design and comes with a fingerprint sensor – which is placed at the rear panel, right next to the camera set-up. The Mi Max 2 comes with a screen size of — 6.44 inch 1080p display, which is further protected via a Gorilla Glass 3 on top. When compared to its predecessor aka Mi Max – the Mi Max 2 features smaller bezels and boasts a sleeker design.
On the hardware front, the Mi Max 2 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 processor and comes coupled with 4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal storage. In the camera department, the Mi Max 2 comes with a 12-megapixel rear camera that uses the IMX 376 image sensor. On the front, the smartphone features a 5-megapixel camera.
Coming to the software department, Mi Max 2 runs on Xiaomi’s own MIUI software on top of Android Nougat. There’s also a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, an IR blaster and stereo speakers. The phone’s key USP is its massive 5,300 mAh battery set-up — which as Xiaomi claims lasts for straight two-days on a single charge. Read our Mi Max 2 review to know more.
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The government introduced its latest corporate turnaround program Thursday, unveiling conditions companies must meet to apply for the capital-boosting scheme backed by taxpayer money.
The supplementary rules include the requirement that an applicant must have 5,000 or more employees in Japan or supply 30 percent of crucial parts to another company of the same size, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said.
Applicants for the de facto public fund injection program have to meet four conditions. One limits applicants to companies suffering a plunge in quarterly sales of 20 percent or more, or a dive in half-year sales of 15 percent or more, due to the global recession.
The measures are part of the revised Law on Special Measures for Industrial Revitalization, which the Diet recently approved.
Firms meeting those conditions will be required to submit a restructuring plan that will improve earnings within three years.
After passing all the screenings, companies will receive investment from the government-backed Development Bank of Japan. If a recipient company goes bankrupt, the government will cover up to 80 percent of the loss incurred by the DBJ with taxpayer money.
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Coinmama is engaging with TrueLayer to achieve open banking account-to-account payments within its European exchange platform.
The exchange has been at the forefront of the financial revolution ever since its 2013 inception when it allowed customers worldwide to buy bitcoin with cards.
However, traditional payment methods weren’t built to deliver efficient fiat to crypto on-ramps.
Cards and digital wallets generate costs through interchange fees, chargeback penalties and time-consuming manual tracking processes. There is also the issue of rising card fraud in Europe, which totalled €1.55billion in 2020. Card-not-present fraud accounts for 76 per cent of those cases. France, Germany and Spain all ranked in the top five for card fraud losses.


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Samsung’s been struggling with its 4nm GAA process for some time now, and recent rumors suggest that TSMC has won the contract to manufacture Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor because Samsung can’t meet their yield rate demands.
But it looks like things are even worse than that, as a new report from The Bell states that the Korean manufacturer’s 3nm GAA node is struggling with yields much more than its 4nm counterpart. Will they be able to make enough chips to get orders from other major customers like Apple and Xiaomi? Or will they continue to struggle?
We’ve heard several rumors over the past few months that Samsung’s 3nm process is struggling, with poor yields, particularly when it comes to producing integrated circuits.
With poor yields being a factor for its 4nm node and now a reportedly low yield rate for its 3nm process, could we be looking at another case of Exynos woes? Even worse news for Samsung fans would be if one of their rival fabs got orders from Qualcomm.
We’re talking about TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), which has recently announced its own 10nm FinFET process. Is TSMC poised to overtake Samsung as Biggest Rival in IC Production? The latest report suggests that Samsung’s 3nm process will struggle to get orders from Qualcomm.
The company had previously been expected to provide chips based on Samsung’s 7LPP technology, but will instead turn to TSMC. This is likely due to Samsung failing to deliver working samples on time.
It was reported earlier in June that Samsung had failed to meet expectations for its advanced-node production capabilities, according to sources familiar with Apple’s supply chain.
It was said at the time that Apple may have even delayed production of certain chips until next year because of these issues. So, with all of that being said, what does all of this mean for Samsung’s 3nm process? Well, not good things… At least not yet.
If Samsung can somehow fix whatever issue they are having with their 3nm process soon enough then they should be able to get some more business from Qualcomm – may be enough business to prevent any delay in launching new Snapdragon 855 devices later in 2019.
Samsung 3nm density
Circuit density is an important feature in semiconductor manufacturing, especially when it comes to high-performance chips and devices. Not only does a high density provide more space for transistors, but it also offers higher performance as a result of more contact points between each circuit node.
The flip side of that equation is that density also makes chips more susceptible to faults in production (known as defects), resulting in reduced yields. The 3nm GAA node from Samsung has proven particularly difficult on account of its extreme density and so far has not been able to produce enough functional circuits at a yield that would justify orders from Qualcomm or other companies.
For example, Samsung’s 3nm process technology can achieve up to 1302mm2 die size and 564 MTP per mm2 (1 MTP = 1 million transistors per mm2). TSMC’s 7nm process achieves just slightly less density than Samsung with 1300mm2 die size and 538 MTP per mm2.
However, TSMC’s 7nm process is much easier to work with because it requires less defect repair work. Samsung claims their 3nm technology can handle 32 layers of copper interconnects compared to TSMC’s 20 layers at 7 nm nodes.
Samsung 3nm vs tsmc 3nm
In other words, Samsung’s 3nm process has a much worse yield rate than TSMC’s 4nm process. It is no wonder that TSMC will continue to be the exclusive provider of Samsung’s 14nm products for smartphones and likely for its flagship SoCs as well.
As long as Samsung’s 3nm production problems aren’t resolved soon, it will struggle to get orders from Qualcomm, which wants its 7nm production from TSMC. This is not good news for Samsung Electronics since it will lose money on mobile processors if it continues its exclusive relationship with TSMC and loses orders from Qualcomm due to a lack of volume shipments.
Samsung’s 28FDS fabrication process does have one big advantage over TSMC’s 16FF+ process, though. Samsung uses an immersion lithography technique called multiple patterning (MP) to increase resolution without sacrificing throughput.
While multiple patterning technology allows Samsung to make chips at least twice as fast as those made by competitors using traditional double patterning technology, yields are still lower than competing technologies like TSMC’s EUV-based N7+.
If Apple were willing to use multiple patterning lithography in its A12 chip designs, then Samsung would have an advantage over TSMC in manufacturing Apple’s custom A-series chips.
A Smarter Manufacturer Would Have Stayed at 28 nm
Not all fabs are created equal. Foundries, such as TSMC and Samsung, differ in how they create their chips. As they get smaller with each generation (such as Samsung’s GAA node), more problems arise.
Instead of staying at 28 nm, which is where other manufacturers have started making newer chips (like TSMC’s 7-nanometer process), Samsung decided to take a shortcut and move straight to 10 nm.
This new generation gives higher speeds than before at lower power consumption—but only when it works properly. When moving from one manufacturing technology to another, there are always going to be growing pains.
But if you want your company to stay ahead of its competitors and make sure that you don’t lose orders, then you need to make sure that your products work well on their first outing. A smarter manufacturer would have stayed at 28 nm until it had perfected its 10 nm process.


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When Chimani Inc. launched a smartphone app in 2010 to guide visitors to Maine’s Acadia National Park, Google didn’t include apps in its search results. So Chimani built a bare-bones website, sprinkling the code with phrases such as “Chimani: mobile apps for outdoors,” to help it get noticed.
Now, Google sees and organizes the information inside Chimani’s 26 park-guide apps. To further bolster its standing in Google searches, Chimani adds related articles, such as problems caused by garbage in national parks.
“The more mobile content you are providing Google, the higher you will rise in search results,” says Chimani Chief Executive Kerry Gallivan. “Do I know that for sure? No. But that’s our strategy.”
Mr. Gallivan’s strategy, and his uncertainty, underscore how mobile devices are upending 15 years of “search-engine optimization” techniques crafted to attract Google’s attention—and its related $67 billion advertising business.
Not long ago, a search was a word or phrase typed into a personal computer that returned links to websites containing those keywords. Today, with more than half of U.S. searches coming from mobile devices, a search can be a spoken command, or an alert sent, unbidden, to a phone. The answers come from apps, email inboxes and digital calendars, as well as websites.
Search-engine optimization now is less about stuffing a website with keywords and more about opening apps to Google’s computers, or regularly feeding them detailed product information, prices and photos.
Google has had to change, too. On the Web, Google’s computers can see, and analyze, all the information on a site. By contrast, apps are self-contained programs. To see and organize the material inside, Google needs help from app developers.
Google says it has organized information inside more than 1,000 apps so far, including Twitter, TWTR 21.42 % TripAdvisor TRIP 0.83 % and parts of Facebook. FB -1.63 % But that is a tiny percentage of the more than one million apps in Google’s Play store.
Some popular apps, including Amazon and Netflix, don’t let Google’s computers in; those companies offer their own discovery tools. A Netflix Inc. NFLX 0.11 % spokesman declined to comment; Amazon.com Inc. AMZN 0.13 % didn’t respond to a request for comment.
‘The best mobile SEO these days is writing a check to Google’
Even when it can see inside an app, Google needs help assessing the contents. Google ranks websites largely based on how many other sites link to them. Apps don’t have such links. Instead, Mr. Cristo says Google seems to rank apps based on the number of users and how much time they spend in the app. He advises clients to prod users to write reviews, give ratings and share app content, because Google seems to value those actions.
“We always aim to surface useful and authoritative content in search, no matter whether it comes from an app or a Web page,” a Google spokeswoman said.
The shifting ground unsettles even search-marketing veterans. “What is a Google search?” asks Richard Cotton, head of paid search at marketing agency Distilled. “We’ve stopped trying to answer that and just try to help clients engage with people in new ways.”
One experiment taps users’ locations and past searches to deliver information when it is more timely. As they walk into stores, some Target Corp. TGT 0.31 % shoppers receive notifications on their phones about products they recently searched for. A spokeswoman said Target is “evaluating results to see if it’s a good fit.”
The retailer has also changed the ads it places near search results. Google’s product ads, featuring pictures, prices and availability, rely on continual data feeds from retailers such as Target, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT 0.11 % and Home Depot Inc. HD -0.75 % Jewelry retailer Alex and Ani LLC, for example, sends 25 pieces of information, including price, inventory level and color, on more than 2,500 products to Google every hour.
The format of the data feed matters, as much as the keywords used in traditional search ads. Product codes must start with a numeral and product descriptions can’t be all in capital letters, say marketing agencies PMG and Kenshoo.
“Those nuances have become so important,” said Price Glomski, PMG’s head of digital strategy “If 5% of your feed is erroneous, it becomes a very large problem.”
Retailers have flocked to these shopping ads on smartphones because Google shows them ahead of unpaid search results, often pushing the “organic” results to the bottom of the first screen forcing users to scroll down to see them.
Consulting firm ChannelAdvisor ECOM -0.32 % says clients spend 60% of their Google ad budgets on these product ads. Digital-marketing agency Merkle Inc. estimates product ads generate 5% to 15% of Google’s annual revenue, or as much as $11.2 billion last year.
“The best mobile SEO these days is writing a check to Google,” said Marty Weintraub, founder of digital marketing agency aimClear.
Chimani’s saga shows how the search game is changing—and Google’s enduring influence.
Mr. Gallivan didn’t plan a website when Chimani launched its app. But he created one in order to appear in Google search results.
By last year, Google aggressively sought to display app content in mobile search results. But it wanted the app content to match the information on a website. So Chimani built a new website to include all of its app data, rather than just keywords to attract Google’s attention.
The new website did so well after it launched last summer that Google asked Chimani to test a more ambitious plan to display apps as if they are websites, so users don’t have to download them.
This undermined the work Chimani did to build a content-rich website a few months earlier. Yet Mr. Gallivan readily agreed, because search results are so valuable. “This is about the same SEO goal: How to get awareness,” he said.
Since the test launched in November, the amount of time users spend inside Chimani’s apps has quadrupled, compared with a year earlier. Downloads haven’t risen as much because people are just streaming them, Mr. Gallivan added.
Write to Alistair Barr at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Semiconductor manufacturers TSMC, Intel, and AMD have all suspended sales to Russia, as a part of US sanctions against the country over the invasion of Ukraine.
Customers of certain Russian banks have seen Apple Pay stop working for them, and the US sanctions now include those being imposed by semiconductor makers, including Apple’s main processor partner, TSMC.
The Washington Post reports that TSMC has suspended direct sales to Russia, as well as third-parties known to supply products to the company. Reportedly, an unnamed source familiar with the company, said that TSMC has ceased sales while it examines sanction conditions to ensure full compliance.
“[TSMC] is fully committed to complying with the new export control rules announced,” the company told the Washington Post in a statement.
TSMC is not only a manufacturer of Apple Silicon and iPhone processors, it also manufactures chips for multiple other countries. The company is the producer of Elbrus-branded chips that are designed in Russia and used by the country’s military and security services.
Intel, AMD, and others have joined TSMC in halting sales to Russian clients. The Semiconductor Industry Association told the Washington Post that all of its members were “fully committed to complying” with the rules “in response to the deeply disturbing events unfolding in Ukraine.”
“While the impact of the new rules to Russia could be significant,” notes the group’s president John Neuffer, “Russia is not a significant direct consumer of semiconductors, accounting for less than 0.1% of global chip purchases.”


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Advanced Bionics announced a voluntary recall of the initial version of its HiRes Ultra and Ultra 3D cochlear implant devices due to a decrease in performance experienced by some recipients.
The company has experienced recent increases in Ultra device explants related to low impedances and reports of hearing performance degradation. As of Feb. 11, in the cases that have been explanted, fluid ingress at the electrode has occurred, leading to interruption of stimulation. Less than 0.5% of the 16,000 recipients of the implants were explanted for that reason. The only potential for patient harm comes with the risks associated with the required revision surgery if the issue arises, according to a news release.
Existing recipients of HiRes Ultra and Ultra 3D can continue using their devices as normal, but if they experience hearing degradation issues, they’re urged to visit their audiologist or another healthcare provider. AB also said it plans to begin its notification process for device recipients worldwide to make them aware when allowed.
AB said it developed several improvements, including a new version of the device, to address the issue, and it received regulatory approval in the U.S. and in Europe for those improvements. It plans to submit the improvements to additional regulatory agencies around the world.
AB said it will continue to distribute the HiRes 90K Advantage cochlear implant, along with the new versions of the Ultra and Ultra 3D implants, based on market availability. Previous generations of AB cochlear implants and external sound processors and accessories are not included in the scope of AB’s recall.


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Why Polkadot, Solana, Binance Coin, and Cardano All Dipped Today
A little air has come out of the cryptocurrency balloon today and altcoins are feeling most of the pain. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is down nearly 6% as of 3:37 p.m. EDT, but lesser-known coins fell more than double digits today.
In the last 24 hours only, Peas (CRYPTO: POINT) decreased by 8.1%, Binance Coin (CRYPTO: BNB) is down 6.4%, Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) plunged 9.7%, and Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) is down 9.3%.
Today’s decision was largely blamed on traders who took profits across all cryptocurrencies, most of which saw strong progress over the past month. You can see below that every crypto mentioned above, apart from Cardano, has grown by over 20% over the past month.
The rise was prompted by the launch of a Bitcoin Futures ETF and discussions by US regulators on putting formal rules in place for cryptocurrencies, which would give them more legitimacy. What we haven’t seen yet is a lot of action that would increase the usefulness of one of these coins.
What’s difficult for investors right now is that there was very little fundamental news driving cryptocurrencies up in October and similarly, there is little news driving the market down today. hui. But there is red everywhere and it looks like the Bitcoin Futures ETF’s “news sale” continued this week.
Days like today are the risk of investing in cryptocurrencies. The market can go up and down at any time and when there is momentum in one direction or another it is difficult to stop.
To make matters worse for altcoins, every coin is unlikely to have long term value. Some investors think cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are a store of value, while others think they have a use for buying or selling things. But if people use a variety of parts, it’s hard to have a standard for one or the other.
Right now, this dynamic means that speculators are particularly pushing the price of cryptocurrencies and altcoins up. Today’s drop is a reminder that these speculators can move in and out of a cryptocurrency quickly, which is why we are seeing so much volatility.
Different cryptocurrencies have different functionality and I think investors need to be clear about their investment thesis on a given cryptocurrency. It can be a store of value or a utility, but buying just because a cryptocurrency is growing or because you like the name is a bad investment thesis. In the long run, it’s the cryptocurrencies that add value in one form or another that will survive, so buyers should beware of buying something they don’t understand.
This article represents the opinion of the author, who may disagree with the âofficialâ recommendation position of a premium Motley Fool consulting service. We are heterogeneous! Questioning an investment thesis – even one of our own – helps us all to think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.


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Dell Computer's shares slid today after it edged past Wall Street earnings estimates, but reported sales figures below what many analysts expected.
The hardware giant's disappointing results sent its shares falling. Shares were down $4.06, or 9.7 percent, to $37.69 at the close of regular trading today.
While several investment firms, including Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Chase Hambrecht & Quist, maintained a "buy" rating on Dell, Salomon Smith Barney today dropped the computer maker to "outperform" from "buy."
Including gains from investments, the direct-sales PC giant said it earned $603 million, or 22 cents per share, on revenue of $7.67 billion. In the same quarter a year ago, Dell earned $507 million, or 19 cents a share, on sales of $6.14 billion.
Analysts had been expecting Dell to report earnings of 21 cents a share, according to First Call/Thomson Financial.
"Our second-quarter results and expectations for strong industry demand in the second half of the year keep us on track toward our goal of 30 percent full-year sales growth," said chief executive Michael Dell. "There remains tremendous room for expansion in all product categories, customer groups and regional markets, and the fundamental advantages of our direct model are more compelling than ever."
Sales placed through Dell's Web site accounted for half of the company's revenue.
While most analysts had originally targeted Dell to come in with revenue near $7.8 billion, several had cautioned that sales could come in a little lower than expectations.
"Even though revenue is going to be a little light, I don't think it's going to be a disaster," Lehman Brothers analyst Dan Niles said this week. "The PC business is going to be the exact opposite from last year. The back half of the year is going to be absolutely terrific."
Dell blamed the revenue shortfall on weaker government sales, as well as on a slowdown in Europe, where sales were down 8 percent from the prior quarter.
"We did fall short of our original expectations by about $200 million," chief financial officer James Schneider said in a conference call following the announcement.
Bear Stearns analyst Andrew Neff said in a research note this week that a revenue shortfall in the range of what Dell reported would not ordinarily be that big a deal, except for the fact the company had already lowered growth expectations in January.
"The disappointment for investors is that the real expectation was not that they would hit the target, but that they had set a target they could surpass," Neff said. "That no longer looks to be the case."
Schneider said the company believes the second half of the year will be strong, with seasonal improvements in the coming quarter. Dell typically sees 10 to 13 percent sequential revenue growth in the third quarter.
"The lower end of that range is consistent with our view," Schneider said.
The company sees both positives and negatives for its profit margins but said they should improve in the second half of the year. The mix of products should improve in the coming quarters, but component costs, particularly memory, are volatile.
Sales of items other than base computer systems accounted for $1.3 billion of Dell's revenue, a company record. Sales of services worldwide were $577 million, up 35 percent from a year ago.
Notebook computers, workstations, servers and storage products accounted for 49 percent of total
system sales, up 9 percentage points from last year's second quarter.