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Control system integrators should invest more in their companies because there's a lot more business to be had, and it's going to last for years to come.
"The U.S. will continue to drive the world economy, and its performance will be strong in 2016," says economist and author Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics. "If you're worried, it's because you're focusing on negative things that will have minimal negative impact on your lives. About 65% of U.S. residents think we're still in recession, but we actually have a vibrant economy that's going to keep on growing and drive growth worldwide."
This was the bottom line Beaulieu delivered at the Control System Integrators Association's recent conference in Washington, D.C. He reported that U.S. gross domestic product is about $16 trillion and is continuing to increase, even though that growth rate is slowing slightly, while job growth will swell during 2016-17 as the shift to consumer services from industry continues. He reports that ITR's projections have close to 100% accuracy.
Beaulieu added that oil prices will pick up in 2015-16; job openings are up more than 19%; and food production, fabricated metal products, chemical production, pharmaceuticals, electrical components and semiconductors are all experiencing single-digit percentage increases.
"Revenues will be greater by the end of 2015, but profit levels will be squeezed," says Beaulieu. "History shows we have a recession just about every 10 years, so another will come in 2019, but then the economy will begin to take off again in 2020.
"System integrators just need to find out where they are in the business cycle of the right industry for them, and plug themselves in by investing in their people and processes. Different phases of business cycle have different psychologies, and so like any other business people, system integrators must also fly by their instruments and not by feelings, implement growth strategies, find and eliminate bottlenecks, and plant for higher wages."
Beaulieu adds the economic growth of particular business, industries or regions can slow due to "black swan" events like company leaders leaving, shifts in industries or mistakes by management. However, because these kinds of events are typically limited to individual companies or areas, they don't tend to affect the performance of overall economies.
"Leading indicators are pointing up, and the world as a whole is relatively calm," adds Beaulieu. "Employment is increasing. Banks are lending. Retail sales are growing. Non-residential construction is improving. Deficit spending is continuing, which also means there's less fear of austerity, and U.S. legislators aren't going to get anything done about it anyway. So, overall, we're in a good place, so let's enjoy the good times.
"Even whoever is the new U.S. president in 2016 isn't going to be able to get much legislation done until 2018-19, so I don't see much change in government. But, we're still handling our debt very well lately, so it's a good time to invest in business and get excited."
Beaulieu adds, with job openings are up 19.4% and manufacturing coming back to the U.S., there are about 5 million jobs that employers can't seem to fill yet. As a result, it's going to cost more to train new hires, and give them the skill sets they'll need in many areas. This also means that wages and incomes are going to increase, and so companies need to plan for it.
"Real personal income is going up, and so the middle class is stabilizing and perhaps increasing a bit, overall poverty is going down, and those earning more than $200,000 are stabvle at 4.2%" adds Beaulieu. "Our kids have every opportunity to do well if they're willing to work, can get an education and learn the right skills."


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NEW DELHI—India’s state-run nuclear power producer said malware was discovered on a computer at its largest facility earlier this year but the computer wasn’t connected to the plant’s operations, which it said were unaffected.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd., or NPCIL, said it was first alerted of the malicious software in its system by the government’s cybersecurity agency Sept. 4. The Department of Atomic Energy, which works directly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office, then carried out a detailed investigation by specialists, a statement Wednesday from the power producer said.
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Telcel Exec Says iPhone 4 HW Revision Coming
The report comes via CanalMX, which spoke to Marco Quatorze, Director of Value Added Services of Telcel. He said that initially, the hardware would be identical to the U.S. model. However, he added that after Sept. 30th, there would a hardware revision to fix the "death grip" issue permanently.
As most know, if the iPhone 4 is touched in such a way that the gap between antennas is bridged, calls and signal strength can drop. Apple launched a free case program last month, as a case between the iPhone 4 and human skin prevents any such occurrence, but announced the program would end Sept. 30th. Thus, there's been plenty of speculation that a hardware revision might be in the works.


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David & Goliath
Tue, 09 Jul 2019 15:46:55 GMT
Kia has launched a campaign to promote its newly-introduced Stinger GTS. Shot in and around Marfa, Texas, the campaign halos the growing high-performance GT line from Kia Motors America. Created by David&Goliath, the campaign sets Kia’s Stinger GTS against the expanse of West Texas. Building on the response to Kia’s newly launched Give It Everything platform, the tough vistas of West Texas emerged as the perfect setting for the brand’s next chapter.
Back in February, Give It Everything was introduced at Super Bowl LIII. It then told a story of the largely unknown West Georgia town — West Point. Here David&Goliath wanted to do something different: to test the design and build of the latest high-performance model against a landscape that demands a Give It Everything mindset at every turn.
The limited-run Stinger GTS incorporates an all-wheel-drive Drift mode. Available in one color only — Federation Orange — the GTS was let loose on private ranches across West Texas.
Genres: Scenic, Action
Categories: Automotive, CarsDavid & Goliath, Tue, 09 Jul 2019 15:46:55 GMT


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Much like other short-term rental booking platforms and online travel agencies, Airbnb has not been immune to the consequences of the coronavirus which continues to threaten the future of the travel and hospitality industries as we know them.
The firm had been due to start the process of going public with an initial public offering [IPO] or direct listing this month but those plans will have to be shelved for the time being at least, with some bookings down by up to 90 per cent in the worst-hit regions according to AirDNA data. The path to a potential IPO already seemed rocky in February when it recorded net losses totalling $322 million for the first nine months of 2019 and this week, it announced a pause on hirings and marketing expenditure in a bid to save $800 million a year.
A fortnight ago, news emerged that Airbnb had been receiving “significant interest” from private investors interested in a late-stage funding round, however rumours that the company was seeking to acquire a number of assets left distressed by the pandemic were muted.
On Monday, CEO Brian Chesky made an impromptu public announcement that Airbnb would be setting up a $250 million support fund to help its hosts as it seeks to offset losses caused by booking cancellations across its community worldwide and assist hosts who had been forced to give full refunds to guests in light of the pandemic.
Despite Chesky’s offer of financial support, the announcement was seen in some quarters as a futile gesture that would have come too late for short-term rental operators who had already been forced to close. A number of disillusioned hosts have now begun listing their properties on rival sites such as Willow and Trulio, which will come as an increasingly greater concern to the rental platform.
In the meeting with Airbnb employees, the co-founder cited the industry-wide downturn in the travel sector as a reason for lowering the internal valuation, with Expedia and Booking.com reporting 57 and 37 per cent drops in share prices respectively this week.
As the world’s largest online travel agency by bookings, Expedia has seen a similar standstill in bookings and it was revealed that the company tapped its largely untapped $1.9 billion credit facility to provide near-term liquidity in March. Airbnb may be taking note of that, if reports that it has been in talks with lenders about an extension to its $1 billion debt facility are to be believed.
According to Reuters, internal forecasts anticipate that Airbnb will return to somewhere close to its 2019 revenue levels by January 2021. The company is believed to have posted $4.8 billion in revenue in 2019 in a rise by 35 percent compared to the previous year.


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Just over a year ago, Jean Paul Gaultier held his final couture collection for his namesake label before retiring. The house moved onto a guest-designer model, which would see different couture collaborations each season.
Now, the brand has revealed that this new strategy will also be in place for the ready-to-wear collections, which are making a comeback this season.
Jean Paul Gaultier stopped doing ready-to-wear six years ago to focus on couture, but this new strategy will allow the house to release several RTW collections a year, which will be designed by guest collaborators and the in-house team.
According to WWD, the house is introducing a digital-first strategy with ready-to-wear, revealing the new collection this Friday, which will sell through the brand's new online store, and through Ssense.com. Although Gaultier is not directly in charge of designing the clothes anymore, he is still heavily linked to the company where he is contracted as an ambassador – and is particularly involved when it comes to choosing the guest designers.
"He’s still working with us on different aspects of the brand, but he didn’t want to play that role of designing the collection anymore," Antoine Gagey, Jean Paul Gaultier's general manager told WWD. "He’s still helping us, giving us some direction."
Jean Paul Gaultier's first ready-to-wear collection under this model will be revealed and able to shop from this Friday 28 May.
Source: Harper's Bazaar


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CoWIN app's COVID-19 Vaccination data of 15 crore users leaked and up for sale; Government denies breach
On Thursday, yet another big data leak news emerged in Indian media. Reports of CoWIN app data leak surfaced online claiming that the COVID-19 vaccination data of 150 million (15 crore) Indians was up for purchase. As per a website called Dark Leak Market on the DarkWeb, this purported data leaked by hackers is up for purchase. The post claimed that the group hacked and reselling the data for $800. The website also stated that they weren't the "original leaker" of the data but just the resellers.However, the government later denied that the CoWIN platform was hacked. It stated that the reports circulating about the leak are fake, and there is no breach because the CoWIN platform data has never been exposed to third parties, and it is stored in a “safe and secure digital environment”.“There have been some unfounded media reports on the CoWIN platform being hacked. Prima facie, these reports appear to be fake,” noted a statement issued by the Union health ministry."Reports of #CoWIN platform being hacked, prima facie appear to be fake. Out of abundant precaution, emergency response team of @GoI_MeitY is investigating the matter. Data speculated to have been leaked such as geo-location of beneficiaries, is not even collected on Co-WIN. All data on #CoWIN is stored in a secure digital environment and is not shared with anyone outside of it," Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said in a tweet.Independent cyber security researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia told IANS that the hacking group's website is fake, and they are running a Bitcoin scam."CoWIN is not hacked as the so-called hacking group is listing fake leaks. It is a Bitcoin scam and people should not fall victim to these hackers. The CoWIN data is safe," Rajaharia told IANS.In addition, the ministry and the Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration (EGVAC) is getting the matter investigated by the Computer Emergency Response Team of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MietY).According to Dr R S Sharma, the Chairman of the Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration (CoWIN), the platform stored all data in a "safe and secure digital environment" and did not share it. He also noted that the data that had purportedly been accessed by the hackers included the geo-location of beneficiaries - something that is "not even collected at CoWIN".For those who are unaware, CoWin platform is used to book a slot for COVID-19 vaccination. The website requires users to submit their Aadhar card or any government-issued ID card, their phone number and location to book a slot.


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HS1 Ltd has assessed the economic impact of the UK’s first high-speed line as it approaches a milestone 10th year.
According to findings, HS1 has attracted a minimum of £3.8 billion in economic and social benefits since domestic services began, which was two years after its official opening in November 2007.
In addition, 5,766 tourism sector jobs have been created and supported by HS1 since the opening.
HS1 Ltd, which owns and operates the 109km line, said it has “set the benchmark” for future high-speed rail projects on a national and international level.
In a report detailing the findings, HS1 said that Kent has since been opened up to a wealth of economic opportunities and is “now recognised as one of Europe’s top tourism destinations”.
Over the course of four months in 2017, an independent research group of Visit Kent and tourism economists Destination Research, used train path statistics and qualitative and quantitative data from tourists and Kent businesses, to understand how, and to what extent, HS1 has impacted Kent’s visitor economy.
The data was collected through primary and secondary research, including random sampling of visitors and a business survey.
Measuring the line’s economic impact, the economic contribution to Kent’s visitor economy has been estimated at around £311 million since domestic high-speed services were launched in 2009.
In the study, 73 per cent of surveyed tourism businesses in Kent said they believed that tourism has increased as a result of HS1 and 30 per cent of surveyed passengers said they were influenced to visit Kent by HS1 services.
From 2010 to 2016, leisure journeys to Kent via HS1 have increased from 100,000 to 890,000.
In the report, HS1 Ltd CEO Dyan Crowther said: ““The line has provided invaluable connectivity for visitors by reducing journey times from London and the continent drastically.
“The ease of access to the region has subsequently catalysed regeneration, investment in new businesses and allowed Kent to grow what is now a thriving tourism industry.
“This study has highlighted some exciting findings that not only recognise the importance of HS1 to Kent’s booming visitor economy, but also the potential for future growth to come.”


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You must have known, if you are remotely interested in tech and Apple products, that the WWDC 2023, which is Apple’s annual developer conference was just around the corner. In fact, it is worth noting that the keynote for this developer conference took place yesterday morning at the Apple Park. However, we are not going to tell you about the tech products that Apple launched but we are focusing on the health aspects from Apple’s event. You must be aware that there is a saying that you should focus on your mental health along with your physical health. Some say that mental health is even more important than physical health because if you are mentally drained, you can’t be motivated enough to physically move.
Talking about mental health, it is worth noting that Apple has announced it will add mental health tracking on both its Watch and iPhone which will make sure that you are tracked all the time even when you don’t have your iPhone with you. Basically, with this mental health tracker, Apple doubles down on its ideology of “you can’t improve what you don’t measure”. Apple’s new mental health feature “invites users to reflect on their state of mind, and logging and tracking it for future observation. Mental health tracking can be done on the Apple Watch by using the digital crown to scroll through a range of emotions. It also invites users to identify what is making them feel a particular way — whether work travel is making you twitchy, family stressors are getting your heart rate up, or relationships are getting you down”.
TechCrunch reports that Apple “also adds standardized assessments for anxiety and depression (self-assessed appetite, energy, and the amount of fidgeting users are doing, among other things) and reports users’ risk for the ailments. The keynote suggests that the app will help users understand if they need to talk to someone, such as a doctor or therapist, and it’s possible to share the reports with care providers, and suggests helpful articles and resources”. This is a really important and must-have feature for today’s smartphone-using world.


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Growing geriatric population is leading the growth of glucose monitoring devices market over the forecast period.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, February 8, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — According to The Insight Partners market research study titled ‘Glucose Monitoring Devices Market – Global Analysis and Forecasts by Product and End User, the global glucose monitoring devices market is expected to reach US$ 21.0 Bn in 2027 from US$ 12.6 Bn in 2018. The market is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 6.4% from 2019-2027. The report highlights the trends prevalent in the global glucose monitoring devices market and the factors driving the market along with those that act as deterrents to its growth.
The Glucose Monitoring devices are the medical devices are used to monitor the glucose levels in the blood of the diabetes patients. The monitoring devices are known as continuous glucose monitoring devices or glucometers. The growth of the global glucose monitoring devices market is attributed to the rising incidence of diabetes, growing geriatric population, increasing prevalence of obesity across the globe, and rapid technological advancement in glucose monitoring devices. However, high cost of glucose monitoring devices is the major factor hindering the market growth.
Get Sample PDF Copy of Glucose Monitoring Devices Market at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00004116/
The glucose monitoring devices market by product is segmented into testing strips, glucometers, lancets and other. In 2018, the testing strips segment held a largest market share of 35.9% of the glucose monitoring devices market, by product. This segment is also expected to dominate the market in 2027 owing to rise in the prevalence of the diabetes and presence of the several market players that offers technically advanced testing strips. Moreover, the testing strips segment is also anticipated to witness the fastest growth rate of 7% during the forecast period, 2019 to 2027 owing to the rising demand for the glucose monitoring devices.
Key factors driving the market are, rising incidence of diabetes, growing geriatric population, increasing prevalence of obesity across the globe, and rapid technological advancement in glucose monitoring devices. However, the restraining factors for the market are high cost of glucose monitoring devices.
The COVID-19 has affected economies and industries in various countries due to lockdowns, travel bans, and business shutdowns. The COVID-19 crisis has overburdened public health systems in many countries and highlighted the strong need for sustainable investment in health systems. As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the healthcare industry is expected to see a drop in growth. The life sciences segment thrives due to increased demand for invitro diagnostic products and rising research and development activities worldwide. However, the medical technologies and imaging segment is witnessing drop in sales due to a smaller number of surgeries being carried out and delayed or prolonged equipment procurement.
Download the Latest COVID-19 Analysis on Glucose Monitoring Devices Market Growth Research Report at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/covid-analysis-sample/TIPRE00004116/?utm_source=EinPressWire&utm_medium=10144
Increasing Prevalence of Obesity across the Globe to Drive Global Glucose Monitoring Devices Market Growth
Obesity, sedentary lifestyle and improper diet play a major role in increasing diabetes among the population worldwide. Physical activity is important to maintain the blood glucose level. Lack of exercise and unhealthy diet such as diet high in fat and calories increase the risk for the development of obesity and diabetes.
Obesity is one of the major problem and the biggest concern in all the communities across the globe. Currently, more than one in two adults and nearly one in six children are obese. Obesity is one of the major issue affect people of all ages and incomes globally. According to World Health Organization (WHO), in 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight. And out of these over 650 million adults were obese.
Lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, and rapid growth in the obese population is expected to increase the susceptibility of diabetes among population globally. Hence, this is expected to increase the demand of insulin delivery devices in the coming years.
Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments
Some of the prominent players operating in glucose monitoring devices market are, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Medtronic, Abbott, LifeScan, Inc., Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG, Ypsomed AG, Omron Corporation, GE Healthcare and Nipro Corporation. The market players are focused towards bringing new and innovative products and services to sustain their position in the market. For instance, , In February, 2017, Roche and Medtronic entered into an agreement to develop a next-gen BG meter that will intertwine glucose monitoring technology into a future Medtronic pump system. This agreement is expected to enhance the growth of Medtronic in glucose monitoring market. The developments performed by the companies are helping the market to grow in the coming years.
Order a Copy of Glucose Monitoring Devices Market Shares, Strategies and Forecasts 2021-2027 Research Report at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00004116/
Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: Increasing Prevalence of Obesity across the Globe


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Which company would you say is going to grow faster in the coming years: Apple or Domino’s Pizza? Intuitively, we see Apple as an innovative firm with a forward-looking culture and disruptive ideas, while Domino’s Pizza operates in a traditional sector where growth opportunities are limited. Ask a recent MBA graduate whether she would rather accept a job offer from either company and I bet I can predict the answer with 99% confidence.
In the past ten years, Apple’s stock market performance has been outstanding. On an annual basis, the stock has been delivering returns of 32%, so that US$100 invested on November 2008 is worth US$1,640 today. Not bad.
But in the past two months Apple shares have lost more than quarter of their value. This is partly due to its own performance, but primarily down to the scrutiny that regulators and society in general are putting on digital platforms and concerns about privacy and security. More broadly, however, it is reflective of the fact that Apple should no longer be considered an innovative growth company.
Apple’s share price in the last five years.
Apple’s growth over the past decade (and the stock performance that accompanied it) is a reflection of its profitable operations. In the past year, Apple reported a net profit margin of 22.4%. This compares to a meagre 10.6% for Domino’s Pizza. At the end of the day, pizza is a consumer-goods product that is hard to sell at a premium and sits in a very competitive market, while Apple sells technology and enjoys a position of relative market dominance.
Look more closely at Apple’s recent performance on the stock market, however, and you can see that it has delivered a meagre 4.5% return since January 1 this year. Between 2000 and 2010, its average annual stock return was about 55% per year (despite the financial crisis), and between 2010 and 2017 its stock has delivered about 24% per year on average.
As a growth company, Apple is expected to generate value and profits – not today, but in the future, because it is innovative. The inability to deliver immediate results means that growth stocks do not pay dividends. Instead, investors expect the stock price to go up when earnings come. This gives Apple a high price-to-earnings ratio, which measures both the ability of a company to generate growth (as a multiple of its current earnings), as well as how expensive a share is – the more investors pay for it, the more they think their earnings will grow in the future.
And so growth companies tend to be expensive for two reasons: they do not generate earnings, and the market is willing to pay a high premium on future value. Currently, industries such as pharma, technology, biotech and software are growth sectors.
In contrast, value stocks (“blue chips”) are those that trade at relatively lower multiples, but which generate high value and profitability today – and hence higher dividends. In today’s markets, tobacco, airlines and life insurance stocks are blue chips.
Ask the market
The beauty of markets is that they reflect the future opportunities of firms in an accurate way, after consolidating the opinion of millions of investors. Today, Amazon’s price-to-earnings (PE) ratio is around 90. For the average stock in the average year (over the past century), the PE ratio is 15.
Amazon’s valuation reflects the market perception that the company is going to deliver extraordinary results in the future – and that, although it is profitable today, most of its value is yet to be delivered. By contrast, British American Tobacco is trading at a PE ratio of around 2, and is, not surprisingly, one of highest dividend-paying stocks in the market, rewarding its shareholders on a more frequent basis.
Markets give an important insight into what a company’s future will hold. Innovations are only judged after the fact – once they succeed or fail – and history does not recognize those innovations that were not successfully adopted by customers. Remember the laserdisc?
Today, out of Apple and Domino’s Pizza, the one with greater growth opportunities is actually Domino’s, according to the market. In fact, Apple should now be considered a blue chip, a stock with unclear growth opportunities, as it is currently trading at a PE ratio of around 15. Domino’s, by contrast, is trading at a PE ratio of around 30.
Apple stock vs Domino’s Pizza stock.
More interestingly, since May 2010, Apple’s valuation has halved on an earnings basis, which signifies that the company has naturally made a transition from a growth company to a value stock. If I had to bet on the future of either company, I would for sure say that a pizza company will deliver more value to its shareholders than Apple – not least because the fast-food industry is exploding in China.
Investors have money at stake and this self-interest drives the market fundamentals which reflect a company’s long-term, future success. So if you want an insight into a company’s future, the markets are the best place to look.
Professor Arturo Bris is Director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center.
This article was first published by The Conversation.
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications


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Growth hacking is something Silicon Valley start-ups, as well as all early-stage projects in my country, are thinking about all the time. So, what is it? How should you set up your company and employees for fast growth?
Myth: Growth hacking is something beyond your comprehension, only the chosen ones who are let into some important secret can do it!
Truth: Growth hacking has rules and principles that can be learned.
Myth: There’s just one person who does growth hacking, and this person has unique special knowledge.
Truth: It’s a team of experts from different fields who do growth hacking…
Apple has announced changes in iOS 14 that will affect the way Facebook receives and processes events via tools such as Facebook SDK and the Facebook pixel. And today we are going to talk about how these changes will affect our advertising accounts, and explore ways to configure advertising campaigns in the context of current realities.
In iOS 14 campaigns aimed at “app installations” and “conversions” launched from advertising accounts on iOS 14, events will be counted based on data from Apple’s SKAdNetwork API.
The main changes and restrictions that will affect advertisers after the implementation of Apple’s SKAdNetwork API…


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The UK Government has laid out plans for an overhaul of the way the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) sector is regulated in the UK.
As part of the potential new framework, BNPL firms would fall heavily under the regulatory remit of the FCA, in a step that has been designed to provide deeper protections for consumers engaging with the space.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith, said: “People should be able to access affordable credit, but with clear protections in place. That is why these proposed regulations are so important.
“Today’s summit will also help regulators and banks better understand the best ways to support people who feel boxed in by debt and open up the financial system to people who find it more difficult to access.”
It comes as an eight-week consultation commences, which places a closer focus on the regulation for the space, as well how firms communicate their guidelines to consumers.
It’s a move that has long been in the works, as the government has sought to deepen protections and consumer understanding of the credit involved in the BNPL space.
The steps have also been welcomed by the space, with Philip Belamant, CEO and Co-Founder of Zilch, underlining the importance of the industry being ‘subject to the high regulatory standards of the rest of the payment space’.
Belamant told Payment Expert: “As a payments technology firm that was one of the first providers of credit via Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) to be regulated in the UK by the FCA back in April 2020, Zilch welcomes today’s proposals set out by HM Treasury to increase regulation in the sector – we have long called for the entire industry to be subject to the same high regulatory standards that we already provide to our millions of customers. A lot of firms have paid regulation lip service but have yet to act – that’s about to change.
“Today marks a positive day – in the context of the cost-of-living crisis, it’s never been more vital for people to have access to interest-free credit, via responsible organisations that carry out appropriate affordability checks and enable others to do the same through reporting via the major UK Credit Reference Agencies.
“We hope that today’s announcement will spur the acceleration for proportionate regulation in both the BNPL and wider credit lending ecosystem, creating a responsible and sustainable environment for customers in the UK and, perhaps, a blueprint for regulators and governments around the world to learn from and replicate.”


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Google and Microsoft both announced some new products this week. Amazon hasn’t stopped releasing products and set the date for the delayed Prime Day. But more importantly, we have some great tips and tech picks to help you tech better.
Nate’s got a new Apple Watch and realized this week just how far technology has come since 2001 by watching old episodes of Survivor. We’ve also got updates on the ongoing Fortnite/Apple and TikTok/USA battles. If that wasn’t enough there’s plenty more tech news and some great tips in this episode. Enjoy!
Well, we both ended up a little closer to nature last week so we decided to take a deep dive into how you can tech better while camping. After that, we’ve got the normal tips, picks, and tech news for you. Enjoy!
Nate loves his AirPods and starts off with the latest change in his AirPods journey. After that, we get into what is going on in the world of consumer technology and some great ways for you to make your life better using it. Enjoy!
We start off with some good news in the One Backup is None Backup world. After that, we’ve got a wide variety of tech news and tips, including the ‘riveting’ anti-trust hearing with the big tech CEOs.
We’ve got your technology news needs covered once again. Listen up for some updates on the Twitter hack, NBC’s Peacock, and how much Amazon spends on ads and lobbying. Don’t worry we’ve also got some tips and picks to help you tech better.


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UK businesses are not taking advantages of the opportunities presented by contact centres to support their brands and build customer loyalty. Rather, they are fire-fighting perennial and predictable problems such as large call volumes, fluctuations, peaks and a range of staff issues. These are the conclusions of a Vocalis report published this month. Commissioned to Resource Research, a B2B consultant, the study involved around 500 telephonic inquiries to decision makers in UK call centres with more than 50 seats.
According to Vocalis, businesses follow the common mistake of impairing call centres potential on building a good CRM by prioritising measurement criteria over other aspects:
Businesses in fact measure the success of their centre on functional criteria, ones not always compatible with providing service. Performance measures prioritised by businesses are about getting calls handled quickly, the report notes. Two-thirds of businesses said that the performance of their call centres was based on the number of calls handled, while not even a third assessed it on measurement of call duration.
As stated on the study, only four per cent said they measured their call centres on customer satisfaction or retention, and as much as three business sectors made a significant reference to this criterion.
Dealing with call volumes is another aspect that, according to Vocalis, is being mishandled by businesses. Four in five businesses reported that call fluctuations were a significant problem for them. Call peaks can arise at different times of the day: some 50 per cent of the businesses spotted the morning time, 25 per cent the afternoons and 19 per cent Mondays.
The quick fix way to deal with call fluctuations is to employ more staff. However, contact centre managers often cannot afford enough staff to cover peak times. Even if they can, it is impossible to organise shifts so they cover peaks efficiently because fluctuations occur for short periods of time.
This often means that contact centres are over-staffed at times when call volumes are low. Yet, because businesses are trying to keep costs down, they are still under-staffed at peak call times, the study adds.
Despite the 25 per cent turnover in UK call centres, some 52 per cent of the respondents in this study pointed low morale amongst call agents a major concern and 20 per cent said boredom created difficulties.
High staff turnover and poor retention means that contact centre managers are constantly spending time and money re-training new recruits. It becomes difficult to build a loyal and dedicated workforce of call agents representing a businesses and brand correctly, the study concludes.
Vocalis states yet that nearly a third (27 per cent) of businesses do not currently have a written strategy for the next 12 months, while 45 per cent do not have one for the next three years. The risk is that customers are led to expect one thing through the marketing and positioning of the business, but they do not receive it when they make contact with business.
Contact centres are a major industry in UK, employing around 2 per cent of the labour force and contributing with around 8.32 billion euros to the British economy.
Em Foco – Empresa


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Panasonic introduces a prototype 4K Blu-ray player at CES.
At this year’s CES, Panasonic has introduced the first Blu-ray player that supports the next standard in home video technology, Ultra HD Blu-ray. The player is capable of playing native 4K content (3840 x 2160) at 60 fps.
Additionally, this Panasonic 4K Blu-ray player also adds support for High Dynamic Range on the discs it will be paying, ensuring the best possible picture quality. While 4K Blu-ray specifications are still being finalized, it seems that next-generation home movies will come in 4K discs soon.
Of course, owning a 4K Blu-ray player is just the first step. You still need to purchase a compatible receiver and of course, a 4K TV that will support playback of such media.


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Google is preparing to make its Bard AI easier to access on Pixel phones and tablets, starting with an upcoming homescreen widget exclusive to the company’s devices.
About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in the case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.
First released in a waitlisted public preview, Google’s Bard is a generative AI that competes with the likes of ChatGPT, the new Bing, and more. As it stands, Bard is siloed off and only accessible through its dedicated website.
In the last few months, Google has steadily worked to make Bard and other LaMDA-powered tech more readily available through options like generated drafts in Gmail, text generation in Docs, and more. We also exclusively reported on an effort to introduce Bard into ChromeOS, adding it to the launcher alongside the Assistant.
While Bard is certainly usable on Android today through your web browser of choice, it’s a far cry from the deep integration of GPT-4 into Microsoft’s Edge and Bing. Thankfully, it seems Google has plans to make its Bard AI even easier to use on Android.
According to code viewed by 9to5Google, the Bard AI is set to arrive on Android in the near future, complete with a homescreen widget. At this time, we don’t know whether Bard will be integrated into the Google Search app or arrive as a standalone app. Either case would be a much-needed upgrade from its current web-only availability.
It’s not yet clear what the homescreen widget will do, but we do know that it should serve a more direct purpose than simply serving as a one-tap shortcut to a new conversation with Bard. We speculate it may contain suggested prompts for conversations, opening directly into the corresponding app.
Interestingly, this Bard widget is currently set to be exclusive to Google’s Pixel phones, at least at the start. Considering Bard is still only in a limited preview, it’s possible that being a Pixel owner may soon allow you to skip the waitlist, or perhaps the waitlist will soon be lifted.
It’s previously been reported that Google has numerous AI-related announcements to share at this year’s I/O conference. Given the event is also currently set to serve as the formal debut for the Pixel 7a and Tablet, it’s possible we’ll learn more next week about how Bard will become helpful on Pixels.
What would you want Bard to do on a Pixel phone or tablet? Let us know in the comments.
Thanks to JEB Decompiler, from which some APK Insight teardowns benefit.
Dylan Roussel contributed to this article.
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The post Google working to bring Bard AI to Pixel phones as a homescreen widget first appeared on 9to5google.com


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March 4, 2022: -Tesla and Elon Musk are facing a trial over the CEO’s 2018 pay package, which was worth around $2.5 billion when it was granted.
After the package was cleared, shareholder Richard J. Tornetta sued Musk and the Tesla board. The suit claimed it was excessive, and said authorization by the electric car company’s board of directors amounted to a breach of its fiduciary duty.
Musk’s 2018 CEO performance award consisted of 101.3 million stock options in 12 milestone-based tranches. The plan said that Musk would be paid only if he reached those milestones, focusing on Tesla’s market value and operations. Otherwise, the CEO would receive nothing.
Tesla shares skyrocketed, and payouts to Musk started in 2020, helping make him the world’s richest person.
Tornetta seeks to invalidate the option grant from the 2018 plan, which has netted Musk tens of billions of dollars worth of stock at present value.
The shareholder alleged that Tesla board members had undisclosed conflicts and said that Musk crafted his pay plan with the personal assistance of his former divorce attorney Todd Maron, Tesla’s general counsel. Tornetta claimed that Tesla’s board did not disclose all the information it should have to shareholders before a proxy vote to approve the payment plan.
Maron left the company in 2018, and Tesla hasn’t had a general counsel since December 2019.
Attorneys for Musk asked the court for a summary judgment and sought to dismiss the case. But in a letter dated February 24, court chancellor Kathleen St. J. McCormick wrote, “I am skeptical that this litigation can be resolved based on the undisputed facts. So, I am canceling oral argument on the summary judgment motions.” She added.
A trial has been scheduled for April 18, in the Delaware chancery court, according to filings published by legal transparency database PlainSite. That date could change. PlainSite is owned by Aaron Greenspan, who previously disclosed a Tesla short position.


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State of Survival maker FunPlus is now a crossplatform business, and is set to launch a new flagship transmedia IP next year designed to become its own MCU or Star Wars universe.
FunPlus’ chief business officer Chris Petrovic told us that he sees FunPlus as entering its ‘third act’ – shifting its focus from being mobile-only out onto other platforms and media types.
He also explained why so many mobile game-makers are taking their business to other platforms: because Apple and Google aren’t doing enough to justify their 30% cut.
“To be pretty just blunt and straightforward I think a lot of the industry would embrace Google and Apple if they just reduced their fees,” he tells us. “I think it’s as simple and transactional as that. If they were able to reduce it to something that is more commensurate with the perceived and the actual value that they’re providing to the ecosystem that would be a great start.”
Of course, marketing is more difficult and more expensive now too – another problem entirely driven by platform policy. “And that’s not going to change anytime soon because of the IDFA issue,” Petrovic continues. “I think we’re a long way away from Google and Apple providing near equivalent replacements.”
“We’re kind of looking into tea leaves of the industry and seeing all of the existential headwinds and challenges that we’ve been facing and then also reflecting back on where we want to go as a company. It made sense for us to complete the virtuous loop and come back to PC and web.”
Petrovic says FunPlus has seen some “pretty material success” on PC already. “That has resulted in making a much more formalised edict for ourselves about no longer being a mobile only company,” he says. “We now think of ourselves as ‘mobile plus’.”
All projects going through the greenlight process now must have a PC or web component, and all of FunPlus’ existing mobile games will now be optimised for PC with a single sign-on system so players can take their progress to any platform.
State of Survival is also now on Steam, another way FunPlus is experimenting and gathering data outside of direct PC downloads.
FunPlus’ new Barcelona studio, led by King veteran Felipe Mata, is also relatively new, and was set up to create hybridcasual games. But potentially bigger than all of that is a new flagship IP.
FunPlus recently hired Assassin’s Creed veteran and Reflector co-founder Alexandre Amancio as its world-building and IP strategy boss. He is working with FunPlus’ California subsidiary Imagendary Studios as the “tip of the spear” for that new IP.
While the latter studio recently went through some layoffs, FunPlus told us that a core team remains and continues to be overseen by ex-Blizzard art lead Wei Wang. The new IP should break cover in the first half of next year, says Petrovic.
“Our vision statement is to be one of the top interactive entertainment companies in the world in the next 10 years,” he adds. “And that is driven by a belief that gaming is where the next big IP universe is going to come from.”


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The show goes on! In honor of New York Fashion Week, Morgan Stewart dishes on some of her favorite "It Girls" that turn the streets of NYC into their catwalks. Watch!
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- Ulta Beauty’s Deal of the Day: 50% Off Kylie Cosmetics and More!
- Bow Down to Rihanna’s Greatest Fashion Week Moments


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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Amazon.com Inc said customers placed 60 per cent more orders worldwide on “Prime Day” on Tuesday, compared with a year earlier when it started the shopping event.
Amazon’s shares were slightly higher at US$753.40 in morning trading on Wednesday.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The online retailer said it reported the largest daily sales for Amazon devices on Tuesday, helped by heavy discounts. The Fire TV Stick was its best-selling device.
#PrimeDayFail — Amazon.com shoppers furious over checkout snafus during site’s biggest sale ever
Amazon wants people to pay for podcasts, and it thinks it has the content to do it
Amazon did not provide any details on total sales.
The one-day sale for members of Amazon’s US$99-per-year Prime subscription service was expected to generate up to US$1 billion in sales, more than double the US$400 million in extra sales made during last year’s inaugural Prime Day, according to Citi analysts.
The estimated US$1 billion in sales still pales in comparison with the more than US$14 billion of total value of goods transacted during Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s Singles’ Day shopping festival in China in November.
“Prime Day,” billed as Amazon’s largest ever, experienced some issues with customers unable to add discounted items to their shopping carts.
© Thomson Reuters 2016


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Whirlpool is Air Miles’ first brand partner from the home appliance sector, a category it hopes to grow.
“We’re interested in associating ourselves with meaningful brands with a value proposition for the average consumer,” said Debora DiGioacchino, senior manager of client services at Air Miles. “We look for partners that can fill a number of different categories. Whirlpool is looking for opportunities to reach farther into the Canadian market and they can do that with the 10 million Air Miles households.”
Consumers can earn between 50 and 150 miles for each product bought, depending on the Whirlpool brand.
A Whirlpool representative could not be reached by press time. Financial details of the relationship were not disclosed.


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Pictures | News
DSF shoppers on hunt for big bargains
Hotels are booked solid and retailers are offering huge discounts for Dubai Shopping Festival are reporting brisk sales as UAE residents and tourists alike flock to fashion and electronics stores across the city to find just the right bargains of up to 60 per cent off. Tourists said they are looking for global high brand names at discount prices offered throughout the festival’s multitude of retail venues.
Picture editor's choice
The Tabeer Women Transport Service is extending comfortable, safe and affordable transportation facilities to women
In pictures: Pain of the families, desperation of the search and looming possibility of terrorism
Kartik Aaryan and Mishti Chakraborty dazzle at ‘Kaanchi’ promotional event


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Table of Contents
Meta Platforms (META -1.31%) inventory sank to a 7-year reduced of $88 past November. At the time, buyers had been let down with the decrease of its promotion enterprise — which had struggled with Apple‘s privacy variations on iOS, fierce competitors from ByteDance‘s TikTok, and other macro headwinds — and its dedication to burning billions of dollars to extend its unprofitable Truth Labs section.
But if you had purchased Meta when all of the bulls retreated, you would be sitting on an unrealized acquire of almost 240% these days. That rapid restoration was driven by its advertisement revenue, which finally rose 12 months more than 12 months in the 1st two quarters of 2023 and finished a 3-quarter streak of 12 months-more than-yr declines.
On the other hand, that recovery was predominantly driven by a surge in ad paying from Chinese e-commerce providers that have been targeting abroad consumers with their cross-border marketplaces.
Meta did not title any distinct firms for the duration of its most current conference phone, but I believe that Pinduoduo‘s (PDD -2.44%) Temu, Shein, and Alibaba‘s (BABA -1.90%) AliExpress are its most probable consumers. All 3 of people Chinese cross-border marketplaces have soared in brand recognition and attractiveness around the past 12 months among the overseas consumers. Consequently, Meta’s gains could really induce soreness for Amazon (AMZN -4.41%), which also relies seriously on cross-border product sales from China.
Must Amazon fret about its Chinese challengers?
Amazon would not name Temu, Shein, or AliExpress as possible threats in any of its most up-to-date SEC filings. Having said that, in accordance to the most recent application retail outlet rankings on Facts.ai, Temu and Shein are at this time the two most downloaded buying apps in the U.S. on iOS and Android. And in an ironic twist, Temu is the most downloaded browsing app on Amazon’s possess FireOS.
Temu and Shein equally goal young and finances-conscious consumers with inexpensive solutions and intense social media campaigns on TikTok and Meta’s Reels.
Pinduoduo didn’t reveal any distinct development metrics for Temu in its newest report, but its vice president of finance, Jun Liu, mentioned the application was continue to in a “learning stage” as it remained “laser-concentrated” on “knowledge and accepting” the “various cultural choices, social environments, and shopper demand from customers” of its overseas shoppers. As the fastest-growing e-commerce chief in China, Pinduoduo could replicate its recipe for domestic success to switch Temu into an abroad powerhouse.
Privately held Shein’s administration claimed for the duration of an investor presentation before this year that the company’s revenue rose 57% in 2021 and 45% in 2022. It thinks it can maintain rising its profits at a compound yearly growth fee (CAGR) of 37% through 2025.
By comparison, Amazon’s North American and international gross sales elevated by only 11% and 5% year above year, respectively, in the first 50 % of 2023. Its 3rd-party seller products and services, which accounted for 24% of its top rated line, grew 18%, but a lot of that advancement also will come from Chinese merchants who are shipping and delivery their goods to abroad potential buyers.
It truly is far too early to convey to whether Temu and Shein will meaningfully throttle Amazon’s lengthy-expression advancement. Nevertheless, Meta’s soaring advert revenue to Chinese e-commerce providers and the growing attractiveness of Temu and Shein in the U.S. raise a number of red flags.
Amazon’s suffering could make around-phrase gains for Meta
The advancement of China’s cross-border marketplaces could cause headaches for Amazon, but it should create near-time period tailwinds for Meta. That influx of Chinese ad earnings should really acquire it much more time as it expands Reels to counter TikTok and updates its promotion algorithms to circumvent Apple’s iOS alterations. It also reveals how Meta however generates income from Chinese companies even although its social media platforms have been banned in mainland China for the previous 14 years.
Meta nonetheless faces some in the vicinity of-term macro and aggressive challenges, but analysts count on its profits and earnings to develop 14% and 56%, respectively, this year, as its advertising business enterprise finally recovers. Those are remarkable advancement premiums for a inventory that trades at just 19 occasions ahead earnings, so traders should get Meta suitable now, as China’s bold e-commerce corporations continue on to use its social media apps as staging grounds for a prolonged-time period assault versus Amazon.
John Mackey, previous CEO of Complete Food items Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of current market improvement and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of administrators. Leo Sunshine has positions in Amazon.com, Apple, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool suggests Alibaba Team, Amazon.com, Apple, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Idiot has a disclosure coverage.


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Forty-six percent of all residential sales in the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord area were all cash in December 2013, according to an analysis by RealtyTrac. The company includes single-family homes, condos and town homes in its residential sales counts.
Charlotte Regional Realtor Association President Joe Rempson says it’s a reflection of institutional investor activity in the market, which he sees as a good thing that has led to price increases and list-to-close decreases. Rempson thinks that institutional investors in the future will take a smaller slice of the residential market, having already gobbled up a lot of the area’s distressed sales. “There just aren’t as many distressed sales,” he said.
Nancy Braun, broker-in-charge at Showcase Realty, is seeing cash-only sales transaction every day. She attributes some of the activity to institutional investors who are in the Charlotte market with “oodles of cash,” but said it’s also owner-occupant buyers. “Part of it is (the buyers) don’t want to go through the difficulty of getting a loan.”
Heightened competition in the market with many multiple offers also makes cash-only buyers much more attractive, according to Braun. She said one well-priced, nice home in north Charlotte currently has 26 offers on it.
Nadine Deason of Team Nadine at Keller Willliams in Lake Norman is not at all surprised with the volume of cash sales. It’s a trend she’s been seeing in the recent past with buyers having trouble getting loans, particularly if they’re self-employed. Referencing the new mortgage regulations enacted earlier this month, Deason thinks the housing market will only see more cash-only activity.
For the month in Charlotte, 14.1 percent of sales were by institutional investors, 4.4 percent were short sales, 10.6 percent were real estate owned sales, and 2.5 percent were sales at foreclosure auctions.
Deason said there’s some lightness in the luxury market in Lake Norman, and more resort-style areas like Asheville and Charleston, but real estate activity was brisk in November for homes in the $400,000 to $500,000 range. “(I had the) best November ever, even better than 2005 and 2006,” Deason explained.
For the entire country, RealtyTrac found that 29.1 percent of residential sales were all-cash purchases in 2013. It noted that the percentage trended higher during the second half of the year. The 29.1 percent in cash-only nationwide sales in 2013 was up from 19.4 percent in 2012 and 20.6 percent in 2011.
The Queen City had 42,126 annualized sales in December 2013, including actual sales deeds as well as expected sales records to be received in future months. Sales for the month increased 2 percent from November 2013 and 16 percent from December 2012. RealtyTrac reported a median sales price of $150,000 for December, a 1 percent increase from November and 7 percent from December 2012. The median price of a distressed sale property was 38 percent lower, or $93,000.
Interestingly, the report showed that the percentage of distressed sales in the U.S. as a whole were up for the year, despite a seven-year low in foreclosure activity. Short sales, foreclosure auction sales and bank-owned sales accounted for 16.2 percent of all residential property sales for the year, up from 14.5 percent in 2012 and 15.2 percent in 2011.
“While foreclosure sales did trend lower in the second half of the year, there are still more than 1.2 million properties in the foreclosure process or bank-owned providing a sizable pool of inventory that the housing market is in the process of absorbing,” explained Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac. “Meanwhile, non-distressed sellers have not listed their homes for sale in droves, helping to keep the distressed share of sales at a stubbornly high level.”
Overall, U.S. residential properties sold at an estimated annual pace of 5,167,255 in December, a decrease of less than 1 percent from the previous month and a 10 percent from December 2012.
The median sale price of all U.S. residential properties in December was $168,391, up 2 percent from December 2012. For properties in foreclosure of bank-owned, the median sales was $108,494 in December, 38 percent below the median sales of $174,401 for a non-distressed residential property.
Other findings from the report:


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NEW YORK, Sep 4, 2011/ FW/ — Payless ShoeSource Guest Designers Christian Siriano, Isabel Toledo, Lela Rose will host the retailer’s Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) shopping event, including an exclusive photo opportunity with all three designers.
Sierra Kusterbeck, the new face and voice of teen brand Brash and lead singer for alt-rock band, VersaEmerge, will also be attending and spinning tracks as the event’s “Guest DJ” for a bit, while fashion lovers shop the latest fall styles from Payless, including the just-in Payless Designer Labels.
Payless ShoeSource, 716 Lexington Ave. at 58th Street
Thursday – September 8, 2011
7:00PM – 9:00PM


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Do you work with a robot? Jokes about the boss aside, if you're in a growing list of sectors, including light manufacturing, components, oil and gas, and various kinds of applied sciences, it's increasingly likely the answer will soon be yes, if it isn't already
The robots that service these industries are called collaborative robots, or cobots, and they're becoming more capable and diverse in their assignments by the day. They're also becoming more prolific. A lot more prolific.
That's one takeaway from World Robotics Report by the International Federation of Robotics, which tracked a growth of 23 percent in annual installations of collaborative robots (cobots) from 2017 to 2018. In 2018 almost 14,000 new cobot arms were installed, and that number could double in three years.
Cobots were a standout in 2018, but the robotics sector as a whole grew impressively. According to the report, 422,000 units were shipped globally in 2018, an increase of 6 percent compared to 2017. Those numbers are especially telling given that some of the industries that are traditional automation consumers struggled, which points to the spread of automation to new sectors.
"We saw a dynamic performance in 2018 with a new sales record, even as the main customers for robots – the automotive and electrical-electronics industry – had a difficult year," says Junji Tsuda, President of the International Federation of Robotics. "The US-China trade conflict imposes uncertainty to the global economy – customers tend to postpone investments. But it is exciting, that the mark of 400,000 robot installations per year has been passed for the first time. The IFR´s longer term outlook shows that the ongoing automation trend and continued technical improvements will result in double digit growth, with an estimate of about 584,000 units in 2022."
The growth into new sectors is part of a larger trend of automation creep into areas like construction, mining, and healthcare, among others. Newly capable automation technologies are rapidly coming online as developers try to respond to labor crunches following strong global economies.
Globally, China continues to reign supreme as the world's largest industrial robot market, accounting for 36 percent of total units installed, more than the number of robots installed in Europe and the Americas together. Traditionally, China's bots have come from foreign suppliers, but the Made in China 2025 initiative has given domestic Chinese developers a leg up. Chinese robot suppliers increased their share of total installations on the domestic market by 5 percent, according to the report, while installations of foreign robot suppliers fell by 7 percent.
Robot installations in the United States increased for the eighth year in a row to a new peak in 2018 and reached about 40,300 units, a full 22 percent higher than in 2017.
The growth of the cobot market, in particular, which virtually didn't exist a decade ago, has been a boon to several down chain robotics companies, including those that specialize in end of arm tooling. End effectors are the equivalent of robotic hands, lending task-agnostic cobots specialized tools for various use cases. One of these companies, OnRobot, is praising the report as a sign of strong growth to come.
"In this growing market, OnRobot is poised to become the world's leading end of arm tooling manufacturer," says Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of the company. "The target is to extend our number of products from 10 to 50 next year alone. With a single robotic system, a single platform for programming and training, and single vendor relationship, manufacturers now have access to a full range of tools, full robot compatibility, and virtually unlimited possibilities for collaborative applications."


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Intel on Thursday announced that it would in the coming weeks release it’s first generation Discreet laptop GPU.
Although the chip manufacturing giant fell short of specifying the actual date of release, the company says it would be available in the market in the first quarter of 2021 (Q1).
According to a company statement, the DL GPU will be released simultaneously with the 12th-generation Intel H-series notebooks and it’s expected that some of these systems would be switched to Intel instead of the AMD, Nvidia and other Intel competitors.
With the company already promising the release of future iterations of its Arc processors, the chipmaker is expected to launch Alchemist, the first generation version of the Arc processor in the coming month’s while the second Battlemage edition is primed to be released by 2023 to 2024.
The way it’s structured, Alchemist will be drafted as a mainstream product in the market. Battlemage on it’s own will be deployed as an advanced graphics option, rivalling RTX from Nvidia and AMD’s Radeon.
Intel announced it would be releasing Celestial, another third generation product, with the announcement perceived as a move by the chip manufacturer to place itself in s competitive edge over two of the market’s leading companies.
The Santa-Clara-based company announced that the Celestial GPUs will be built to provide an ultra-enthusiast segment, meaning that the chip is designed to integrate the immediate exigencies of eh sport gamers while also running ‘certain competitive titles at high refresh rates’.
Intel also announced that Druid, a fourth-generation chip will arrive the chip market 3 years from now, 2025.
At its Investor Meeting 2022, the American multinational corporation and technology company announced that it would also be releasing a new service known as Project Endgame.
The service though with sketchy details of it’s operations appears to be one that would provide customer-base access to Intel Arc graphics with the help of a cloud subscription service for an ‘always-accessible, low latency computing experience’.


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In a round led by Meritech and Greylock, Canada-based fintech Wealthsimple has secured $610 million (C$750 million) in funding. The investment takes the online brokerage’s total capital to more than $1 billion, more than triples the company’s most recent valuation to $4 billion, and represents one of the largest financings for a Canadian technology company to date.
“Seven years ago, we launched Wealthsimple with just four people and a mission that many thought was naive: use technology and innovation to revolutionize the finance industry so every Canadian could achieve financial freedom, no matter who they are or how much money they have,” Wealthsimple co-founder and CEO Mike Katchen wrote on the company’s blog this morning. “I’m happy to say that our mission doesn’t seem quite so naive anymore.”
Also participating in the round were DST Global, Sagard, Iconiq, Dragoneer, TCV, iNovia, Allianz X, Base 10, Redpoint, STEADFAST, Alkeon, TSV, and Plus Capital. A host of Canadian celebrities were also involved in the funding, including actors Ryan Reynolds and Michael J. Fox; athletes Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, and Patrick Marleau; and singer Drake.
Since its inception in 2014, Wealthsimple has grown into a firm with more than two million users who enjoy commission-free stock trading, automated investing, as well as access to cryptocurrencies and tax services. This spring, the company introduced its cash app, which enables Canadians to send and receive cash “in seconds.” Free and requiring no minimum balance to use, Wealthsimple Cash has been likened to Venmo, a popular cash app in the U.S. The app currently has daily spending limits of $5,000 a day and $20,000 a month; Wealthsimple said that this is significantly more generous than what is available through the big banks.
Wealthsimple’s investment news comes as the Toronto, Ontario-based fintech pivots to pursue new opportunities in the Canadian market (the company sold its U.S. investment advisory business to Betterment in March). During the investing mini-mania surrounding Robinhood and shares of Gamestop earlier this year, investors in Canada were weighing in by making Wealthsimple’s trading app the number one app on Canada’s Apple App Store and on Google Play. This ratings boost was accompanied by a 50% gain in sign-ups and a 2x increase in trading volume. The environment created by the global pandemic, according to Wealthsimple’s Katchen, played a significant role in the company’s growth; 18% of the country’s new brokerage accounts in the first half of 2020 were opened on Wealthsimple’s platform.
Like a growing number of fintechs, Wealthsimple also plans to extend its offerings to include cash, checking, insurance, and mortgage products with the goal of becoming the customer’s “primary financial institution“. The company initially earned its unicorn status in October, after securing an investment of $93 million (C$114 million). Power Corporation of Canada is the company’s majority shareholder, with a 43% of the company post-financing.


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At least they know it. Ariana Grande posted another sweet pic with fiancé Pete Davidson on Instagram on Friday, July 20, and admitted that their constant shows of affection are “annoying as f—k.” The “Dangerous Woman” singer, 25, posted a black-and-white selfie with the Saturday Night Live star that showed them cuddling in bed. “My […]
We can never have enough leggings. A great pick for when you want a comfortable break from a pair of jeans, a go-to workout piece or a casual look for lazy Sundays, you can never go wrong with a pair of stretchy leggings. At Shop With Us, we love taking the time out to find […]
See Prince George’s most adorable moments so far, from his birth in London, England, on July 22, 2013, to his international adventures and beyond!
It is never too early to start stocking up your wardrobe with fall fashion and our latest pick will not disappoint! Thanks to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale we have found a chic designer leather jacket at an amazing price. Originally retailing for $495, the Badgley Mischka Gia Leather Biker Jacket is a downright steal at under […]
Bring on the bling! Scroll through to see which stars proposed — or had the question popped to them — this year!
He really is a Prince Charming! He may only be turning 5 but Prince George is stealing hearts around the world with an official photo celebrating his birthday on Sunday, July 22. The eldest child of Prince William and Duchess Kate wore a white shirt with blue piping and navy blue shorts as he was […]
Lauren Alaina is getting hitched, y’all! The American Idol alum announced on Instagram on Saturday, July 21, that her longtime beau, Alex Hopkins, popped the question … and she said yes! “Being yours forever has a nice RING to it,” she captioned a shot of her kissing her new fiancé while showing off a stunning […]
Cue the party horns because the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale officially opened to the public on Friday, July 20! Though Nordstrom Rewards cardmembers were able to shop sneak peek deals nearly a week ahead, now all shoppers are able to get in on the savings. If you’re a shoe fanatic who’s been waiting for the first […]
Jason Momoa is the new action hero the world needs as he delivers one-liners and kicks butt in the first trailer for Aquaman. The Game of Thrones alum, 38, appeared at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday, July 21, to introduce the two-minute-long trailer, which reveals the King of the Seven Seas’ origin story, featuring […]
Cardi B/Instagram Rapper Offset returned home on Saturday, July 21, after being arrested on charges of gun and marijuana possession. His wife, Cardi B, took to her Instagram Story with a video that showed her husband standing behind her shirtless while holding onto the chair she sat in. “Home,” she titled the pic. She also […]
Khloé Kardashian is looking to make more than just internal changes. One day after apologizing for using the R-word in an Instagram Live Story on her account on Thursday, July 19, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star admitted to fans that she’s contemplating a nose job. The Good American designer, 34, responded to several […]
Plaid shirts might be the de facto fall essential, but they’re also a great piece to incorporate into your summer wardrobe. They can be dressed up or down and layered, making them the perfect top to wear to a barbecue, to the office and beyond. We found a breezy, relaxed style that’s both casual yet […]
Johnny Depp surprised the audience at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday, July 21, as he appeared as his character Grindelwald as the new trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was released. The troubled star, who’s been dogged by controversy of late, was cheered by the crowd as he launched into a monologue […]
Ryan Edwards isn’t the only one slamming MTV! Former Teen Mom 2 cast member David Eason, who is married to star Jenelle Evans, called out the network on Friday, July 20, for casting Bristol Palin on Teen Mom OG. Eason, 30, who was fired from the show in February after homophobic tweets he posted went viral, […]
When it comes to street style, Taylor Swift could teach a master class. The “Bad Reputation” singer showed off her fashion credentials on Tuesday, July 17, in New York City wearing a Fausto Puglisi romper. The songstress completed her look with edgy black platform boots, a Kate Spade python backpack and her signature red lip. Ideal for […]
It’s been a rough few months for Luann de Lesseps, but The Real Housewives of New York City star appears to have no regrets. The TV personality, 53, shared a photo of a picturesque boardwalk sunset on her Instagram Story Friday, July 20, with the quote: “Never regret a day in your life: good days give […]
Bristol Palin will be making the big bucks for Teen Mom OG! Palin, 27, who confirmed she’d be joining the cast on Friday, July 20, will be earning $250,000 for the first season with an option for a second and third year, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. She will also receive an additional $50,000 […]
Tired of hitting the town in the same little black dress? We have found the perfect solution. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is going on and with a number of stylish pieces still floating on the racks, our flirty pick is just what you need. Nordstrom At Shop With Us, we love sharing stylish finds and […]
Clare Waight Keller is Givenchy’s first female artistic director, and she’s been making waves since she took the helm of the French fashion house in 2017. One of the most notable moments, of course, was the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry: The actress choose the 47-year-old to design her much-anticipated dress. “It […]
Trending! If you’re in the market for a versatile beauty product or an app to up your ‘gram game, Us Weekly has got you covered! Find out what products celebrities such as Selena Gomez and Taylor Hill are loving this week by scrolling through the photos!


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Washington, July 10 (ANI): Farmers in the Philippines will soon have nutrient management advice tailored specifically to their rice crops delivered to their mobile phones.
Dr. Roland Buresh, part of the International Rice Research (IRRI) team, said that after responding to a series of simple questions about their rice paddy, farmers would receive an automated text reply recommending what amounts, sources, and timings of fertilizer are needed for profitable rice production in their paddy.
To help understand changes in rice production, IRRI's mapping team has published a map of rice-growing regions in South Asia for this season. They will compare maps from different years to identify new rice production areas and areas where rice is replaced by other land uses.
Just keeping up production in the MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market) region of South America responsible for 85% of the continent's rice production is a challenge this season, with adverse weather conditions causing production to drop an average of 8% since last season.
The weather is also upsetting North American rice production, where rains in California are predicted to reduce the crop there.
Despite changes in rice production, "In the last few months, global rice prices have fallen by more than 25%," said Dr. Sam Mohanty. In his Rice Mohanty also emphasized the need to boost rice yields by 1.2-1.5% every year to ensure food security in Asia.
This was published in the July-September 2010 edition of Rice Today. (ANI)


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Tencent and its hyper-popular messaging app WeChat have become Trump's latest target. Here's how the company became a $69 billion behemoth that has a stake in everything from 'Fortnite' to Hollywood blockbusters.
Avery Hartmans,Ben GilbertAug 7, 2020, 22:55 IST
Tencent was founded in 1998 by Ma Huateng — better known as Pony Ma — along with three of his classmates from college and a friend.
Tencent has a hand in everything from entertainment to financial services to comics. But perhaps its most powerful tool is WeChat.
In recent years, Tencent has become the world's largest video game company through its tactic of investing in or outright buying up major game makers.
Tencent has its own production company, Tencent Pictures, which has invested in multiple US films.
It's a major investor, with holdings in Tesla, Reddit, Discord, and Snap. Tencent has invested in more "unicorn" startups than Japanese investment giant SoftBank, according to Quartz.
Tencent also has a stake in streaming, music, and comics.
Tencent is currently valued around $69 billion, making it the eighth-largest company in the world in terms of market value, according to Bloomberg.


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October is Small Business Month in Canada, and Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Clinton, Lytton, Spences Bridge and the surround areas are full of small businesses.
Community Futures is dedicated to helping small businesses succeed through loans, counselling and workshops, and CFDC Sun Country (www.cfsun.ca) is no different.
“The most important thing for small businesses is staying on top of their financials,” says Sun Country manager Deb Arnott. “That has to be the number one issue for small businesses – from day to day to year end.”
Sun Country is promoting two live webinars on Oct. 27 through Small Business BC (www.smallbusinessbc.ca) on Business Finance. While there isn’t a large cost to take part, Sun Country is offering to assist with 50 per cent. The business owner can sit at home and take part or come into the Sun Country office in Ashcroft and use the computers, says Arnott.
“I believe most small business owners have the technology,” she says. “The challenge is having the time to learn it all.” She adds that the client can phone Small Business BC ahead of time and they’ll walk them through it.
The webinars topics are Understanding Financial Statements and Financial Analysis.
Sun Country is also holding an Open House on Oct. 16 in their office on Railway Ave.
“My perception of small business in our region is they need to get back to their core,” Arnott says. “That usually means revisiting their business plan. A business plan goes from global to day to day operations, and there may be global issues affecting their business.”
As customers, we can support small businesses by spending time with the owners, says Arnott. People will go into Kamloops instead of asking local owners to bring something in for them, she says. Businesses can’t carry everything, but they should be able to bring in special orders overnight, and businesses owners need to communicate this to their customers,
She says more networking with other local small business owners can help all of them come up with better ways of doing business.


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TripAdvisor Survey Reveals 82 Percent of American Respondents Planning to Travel this Fall and 29 Percent Taking More Car Trips Due to Dropping Gas Prices
31 Percent of U.S. Respondents Planning to Travel Labor Day Weekend
PRNewswire NEWTON, Mass. (NASDAQ:EXPE)
NEWTON, Mass., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel community, today announced the results of its annual fall travel survey of more than 1,900 travelers worldwide. Eighty-two percent of U.S. respondents plan to travel for leisure this autumn, up from 70 percent who said they took pleasure trips last fall. Twenty-six percent of U.S. respondents said they will travel more this autumn than last, while 49 percent intend to travel the same amount as one year ago. Fifty-eight percent of travelers said they plan to fly this autumn for their leisure travel, while 48 percent plan to drive.
Twenty-nine percent of U.S. respondents, and 25 percent of respondents worldwide, plan to take more car trips this fall than they would have if gas was still at its summer high prices. The top reason for Americans to travel this autumn is that the timing is most convenient, according to 22 percent, while 17 percent pointed to fewer tourists and crowds. Twenty-four percent of U.S. respondents said they expect to take a "staycation" this fall.
Twenty-seven percent of all survey respondents surveyed said economic concerns would be the greatest deterrent for traveling during the fall, however, 39 percent said nothing would deter them from taking an autumn trip.
Thirty-one percent of respondents from the U.S. said they will travel for Labor Day weekend, nearly equal to 30 percent who said they traveled last Labor Day weekend. Sixty-seven percent of U.S. respondents plan to drive for Labor Day weekend, while 26 percent intend to fly.
New England Dreamin', but Goin' South
While New England is the favorite fall destination according to 24 percent of worldwide travelers, more travelers plan to visit the southern U.S. (14 percent) than New England (10 percent) this autumn.
Travelers Leafing and Grape-ful
Twenty-one percent of U.S. travelers plan to take a trip to view the colorful foliage this fall, while 17 percent of worldwide respondents intend to do the same. Twenty-six percent of U.S. respondents, and 22 percent of worldwide travelers, said they will visit a winery in autumn. Fifty-eight percent of U.S. respondents plan to go to a festival this fall and 14 percent intend to visit an arts and crafts festival, and 12 percent a beer festival/Oktoberfest.
Still Keen on the Beach Scene
Despite cooler temperatures, 33 percent of worldwide travelers said they'll visit a beach this autumn. Thirty-five percent of those surveyed plan to travel to a city destination, and 25 percent will travel to a historical site. Twenty-nine percent of travelers intend to take a romantic getaway this fall, 23 percent a weekend break, and 21 percent a family adventure.
"Fall is shaping up to be a strong season for TripAdvisor travelers and even a modest drop at the gas pump, fuels their enthusiasm," said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor.


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UPDATE 8TH MAY 2021: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance's re-release on Nintendo Switch was delayed at the last minute.
"Due to an unforeseen issue on the Nintendo Switch store, we're going to have to delay the launch for a few days to fix it," Black Isle said.
"We're incredibly sorry about this and we're working hard to remedy this as quickly as possible.
"Thanks for your patience!"
ORIGINAL STORY 6TH MAY 2021: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance re-releases on all consoles tomorrow - 20 years after it came out.
The action RPG launches on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on 7th May with up to 4K support. There's also support for local two-player co-op. It costs £29.99. The trailer is below:
This re-release is the work of Interplay Entertainment, which is still knocking about after all these years. But it's not the same company that developed the original Fallout games and published the original Baldur's Gate.
Interplay was founded in 1983 by Brian Fargo, who now runs Wasteland developer inXile Entertainment. Throughout the '80s and '90s Interplay enjoyed huge success off the back of the Fallout, Planescape: Torment and Baldur's Gate series. But the company went bankrupt in 2006 and sold off much of its intellectual property. French entrepreneur Hervé Caen, who alongside his brother Eric bought Interplay in 1999, remains CEO.
There's a lot going on in the world of Baldur's Gate right now. Last month, Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate 2 and Icewind Dale Enhanced Editions all got a significant update. Divinity Original Sin developer Larian is of course currently building Baldur's Gate 3, which looks promising indeed. And there's a brand new Dark Alliance game in the works at Tuque Games, due out 22nd June.
Interplay said a PC and mobile release of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is in the works for release later this year.


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A new report states that retail giant Amazon was reportedly working on a GPS Alexa wearable for kids ages 4 to 12.
Amazon is playing with another way to integrate itself into your household and into your family life, as the company considered working on an Alexa-powered wearable device for children, according to Bloomberg.
Amazon has, however, come under fire from privacy advocates regarding its other products, specifically Echo smart speakers.
Alexa, where are the kids?
The device, codenamed Seeker, is a GPS-equipped device that would have had voice activation for Alexa, with the idea that it would allow parents to track and communicate with their children, aged 4 to 12.
The wearable device, priced at $99 (£71), would have a clip or wristband to ensure it stays on little ones at all times. The idea seemed to be part of another avenue for delivering exclusive Amazon Kids Plus content.
This would not be Amazon’s first time stepping into kiddie related tech, as since 2018 it has been pushing the Echo Dot Kids Edition, which promised to give parents control over what their children are listening to, as well as setting time limits on the device.
It is now unknown if the Seeker project will move forward.
Disney and Amazon
Bloomberg also reported that Amazon was working with Disney on another wearable for children called the Magic Band. It seems unclear if this device is a toy or has any relation to the guest-tracking Magic wristband that Disney has deployed in its parks which are used by guests to sign in and out of venues and purchase things in the resort.
The Magic Band could potentially arrive this year, but since there’s very little information to go on at present, it’s better to take this release with a grain of salt.
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The two companies already have a good working relationship and have collaborated in various ways. Earlier this year, Amazon started offering its music service subscribers several free months of Disney+, despite running the competitor service, Amazon Prime.
Trusted Reviews has Amazon for a comment, but a reply has yet to come through at the time of publishing.


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Teenage Engineering and designer Love Hultén worked together on the design for the CHD-4, a drum machine based on electrocardiograms. The object went on auction on Valentine’s Day this week, in an effort to raise visibility of Congenital Heart Disease.Read more
Inspired by objects like wall clocks and reel-to-reel tape machines, Orbita is a sequencer whose interaction is physical and kinetic, via small discs placed on a turntable. The twist is, it’s not just a design demo – you’ll be able to buy one yourself.
Anyone can clone an 808. Not anyone can make a machine inspired by the 808 out of repurposed lighter springs, motors, and … oh yeah, flaming butane gas. Koka Nikoladze’s beat machines are going viral, and their demented, quirky sound tells you why.
brings together the latest breaking news on music, technology, gear, and live visuals. Got a project, found a news tip, or want to share your product? Submit to us directly.


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Haymarket’s gadet magazine, Stuff, is to drop scantily-clad models from its UK front cover after feedback suggesting such images were alienating readers, reports The Guardian.
Stuff, which has used images of ‘girls with gadgets’ on its covers since its launch in 1996, said focus groups and sales trials had shown that cover girls were out of touch in a post-lads’ mag era.
“Stuff was launched in 1996 at the peak of the lad mag era,” said Stuff editor-in-chief Will Findlater. “Nearly 20 years on – and with tech now an indispensable part of everyday life – our readership has changed. The covers used to help our position on the newsstand but our research tells us this is no longer the case.”
Stuff, which has a monthly circulation of more than 77,000, has seen its traditional audience shift dramatically over the past two decades with 40 per cent of readers now women.
The title ran focus groups to critique a range of covers. This was followed by sales tests of Stuff’s April, May and June issues with 20 per cent of the print run devoted to ‘non-girl’ covers in four regions of the UK.
Sales of the ‘non-girl’ editions outstripped those with the magazine’s traditional covers.


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Rumours are swirling around Munich as there is talk about a potential production of the BMW Z4 Touring Coupe.
It will obviously take inspiration from the Concept Touring Coupé we saw revealed earlier this year and is slated to be another extremely exclusive model like the 3.0 CSL.
It will reportedly command a price tag of approximately 300,000 euros (approx. R6 million) with 50 units rumoured for German customers.
We are not all that surprised to be fair as the model looked very much production-ready.


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Chevrolet Captiva facelift has been caught testing. The spy shots are doing rounds on the internet. Chevrolet Captiva which is a very popular model in India may get a facelift in 2011.
The new look is aggressive. The new grille may remind us of the Outlander, however the new Captiva looks fresh. The Chevrolet Captiva is currently imported from Korea and retails from 17 to 20 lakh mark.
With the launch of Toyota Fortuner, Captiva may have a got a slight hit in sales. The new look could help Chevrolet get in more numbers.
Image Source: GM Inside news


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Austin Economic Indicators
Aug. 6, 2020
The Austin economy showed signs of improvement in June following the impact of COVID-19. The Austin Business-Cycle Index surged. While employment and the unemployment rate improved in June from May, both remain significantly below their February levels. Consumer spending has improved considerably since mid-April in Travis County. While existing-home sales increased sharply in June, building permits declined.
The Austin Business-Cycle Index—a broad measure of economic activity in the metro—expanded an annualized 65.1 percent in June, suggesting an improvement in economic performance (Chart 1).
Unemployment Rate Declines Further
Austin’s unemployment rate fell to a still-elevated 6.4 percent in June (Chart 2). The jobless rate ticked down to 8.6 percent in the state and 11.1 percent in the nation.
Most Sectors Post Job Losses
Austin payrolls contracted an annualized 22.8 percent (-71,020 net jobs, nonannualized) in the three months ending in June (Chart 3). All sectors other than manufacturing and financial activities shed jobs during this period. Leisure and hospitality plunged 68.7 percent, losing the most jobs (-32,820). It was followed by information, which contracted 47.6 percent (-5,950). Other services, such as automotive repair and barber shops, declined 38.6 percent (-5,600), health and private education services fell 26.0 percent (-9,560), and the government sector contracted 21.1 percent (-10,700). The financial activities industry saw a 29.2 percent gain, adding 4,600 jobs, and employment in the manufacturing sector grew 5.3 percent (840).
Consumer spending (measured by credit and debit card spending) in Travis County has improved significantly since early April. As of July 26, spending in the county was up 3.0 percent relative to January 2020, whereas spending in Texas was down 8.2 percent over the same period (Chart 4).
Home Sales Surge
Existing-home sales in June climbed 31.1 percent in Austin and 25 percent in Texas (Chart 5). Nonetheless, the metro’s home sales were down 3.9 percent during the first half of the year relative to the same period in 2019 due to COVID-19-related containment measures, while Texas sales were down 1.5 percent. The median price of homes sold in June was $324,208 in the metro, a 3.9 percent gain year over year, compared with $248,852 in Texas, a 3.4 percent increase.
Home Construction Permits Fall
The five-month moving average of total housing (single-family and multifamily) permits in Austin contracted 14.7 percent from May to June and was down 2.4 percent in the state (Chart 6). Austin’s existing-home inventories ticked down to 1.6 months, remaining well below the six months of supply considered to be a balanced market.
NOTE: Data may not match previously published numbers due to revisions.
About Austin Economic Indicators
Questions can be addressed to Judy Teng at firstname.lastname@example.org. Austin Economic Indicators is released on the first Thursday of every month.


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Square Enix, presumably with full backing from Sony, has kicked off a huge promotional campaign for Final Fantasy XIII. Included in the campaign are commercials, television specials, and banner ads around Tokyo.
Retailers are giving the game the expected pre-release push. Pre-orders started in September right after the release date was announced. Many retailers have covered their game floors in Final Fantasy XIII materials.
And all this effort will come full circle when XIII hits Japanese retail on Thursday morning. Square Enix has some big launch events planned, including a star-studded early morning (As in 6:00AM!) countdown event at the famous Tsutaya retailer in Shibuya.
We hope to see as much fervor when Final Fantasy XIII hits the PS3 and the 360 internationally in March.


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On January 28, 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ), together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced that the government will collect $1.5 million in civil penalties and $2 million in consumer redress from online contact lens company Vision Path Inc., dba Hubble Contacts (Hubble), as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that Hubble violated the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act and the FTC’s Contact Lens Rule, according to a DOJ press release.
In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the government alleged that Hubble violated the federal Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act and the FTC’s Contact Lens Rule by selling contact lenses online without taking the steps required to verify the subscriber’s contact lens prescription, improperly substituting Hubble’s own brand of contact lenses for those originally prescribed by consumers’ eye care practitioners and procuring what it falsely portrayed as independent consumer reviews of its products and services. In addition to requiring Hubble to pay civil penalties and consumer redress, the stipulated order entered by the court requires Hubble to refrain from altering prescriptions to change the brand prescribed, to verify the prescription for contact lens orders submitted without a written prescription, to cease other deceptive practices and to satisfy ongoing recordkeeping, certification and compliance obligations.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the violation of laws intended to ensure that consumers receive the products prescribed for them,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting consumers from companies that engage in deceptive practices.”
“Hubble’s business model boosted its bottom line but created needless risk for its customers’ eye health,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Today’s action makes clear that firms will pay a price for deceiving their customers, flouting the Contact Lens Rule, and using misleading reviews.”
This matter is being handled by Claude Scott of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Alysa S. Bernstein and Paul Spelman of the FTC.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.


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Har inget att skriva, men för er som inte redan visste;
CCP announced in the New York Times that they will be forming an oversight committee made up of elected representatives chosen by the EVE Online community, in a creative attempt to repair their bruised reputaion and provide transparency.
CCP has announced in an article in the New York Times that they will be forming an oversight committee made up of democratically elected representatives chosen by the EVE Online player community. This is in response to recent allegations of favoritism and unfair practices among some CCP staff. This new level of democracy and transparency mirrors real world efforts to combat corruption in emerging democracies, and represents a first among MMOGs.
Lego Universe was unveiled as the title for the upcoming Lego MMO from NetDevil. The game will be oriented toward a younger audience and is set for release in the fourth quarter of 2008.
The Star Wars Galaxies house pack-up event that had originally been postponed until June 12 was once again pushed back to an unspecified date because of stability issues.
Riktigt coolt; Did you know? Kids around the world have been exercising their imaginations and having fun with Lego since the 1930s. Did you know that you can assemble six eight-stud Lego bricks in 915,103,765 ways.
This week's Game of the Week is The Agency. Officially announced on June 11th, this newest offering from Sony Online Entertainment will tackle the spy genre in MMORPGs. Players will have the choice of being either a more stealthy spy-type character or a tear-'em-up shoot first, ask questions later mercenary. So early after the announcement, it's hard to say exactly how this game will turn out, but MMORPG.com will continue to cover this game as it progresses toward launch.
- Carolyn Koh gets caught up in the red tape at Microsoft and talks to their PR group in Seattle, WA about Games for Windows, DirectX 10, and how it applies to MMORPG gamers. She also throws in her own editorial voice in some cases.


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Amazon rolls out ad-running Kindle 3G with Special Offers for $164
Amazon rolled out a 3G version of its ad-supported Kindle with Special Offers eReader on Wednesday, at a price that is $25 less than its ad-free Kindle 3G counterpart.
The Kindle 3G with Special Offers eTeader, which sells for $164, arrives a little more than a month after the debut of the Wi-Fi only Kindle with Special Offers device, which sells for $114 and has already become one of Amazon's bestselling products.
On the Special Offers devices, Amazon runs advertisements on the Kindle's screensaver, and in a strip along the bottom of the home screen. The ads don't interrupt books, or the reading experience, the company says.
The regular ad-free Kindle Wi-Fi unit sells for $139 while the 3G model sells for $189.
The devices, ad-running or not, feature 6-inch E Ink Pearl displays and download e-books from Amazon.com's online Kindle Store.
Amazon's new offering also comes in what has been a busy week for eReader news.
On Tuesday, Barnes & Noble announced a new touchscreen Nook eReader, with a better-than-Kindle two-month battery life. And on Monday, Kobo announced its own touchscreen device, called the Kobo eReader Touch Edition.
Image: Amazon Kindle with Special Offers eReaders. Credit: Amazon


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European fintech startup N26 has plans to expand beyond Europe. The company’s co-founder and CEO Valentin Stalf is announcing today at the Money20/20...
Here are some theories. Warning: contains spoilers for the Season 7 premiere. View Entire Post › Source link