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CBL malls in the Midwest give back through National Random Acts of Kindness Week
Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL & Associates Properties said that eleven of its malls in the Midwestern U.S. handed out 6,000 gifts during National Random Acts of Kindness week, Feb. 14-20.
The program is designed to give back to the community and support local nonprofit groups.
“Customers were absolutely thrilled when they were given a gift as they walked through their community mall,” said Sean Phillips, CBL regional marketing director for the Midwest. “When we gave away a year’s worth of Chick-fil-A meals to a family at Park Plaza Mall in Little Rock, the shoppers were so excited they ‘paid it forward’ by handing out some of the gift cards to others.”
To implement the program, each shopping center partnered with a local nonprofit organization, engaging volunteers to help surprise shoppers with the giveaways. A group of five malls in the St. Louis area worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Other participating organizations included: Watered Gardens, a homeless shelter in Joplin, Mo.; Harvesters Food Bank in Overland Park, Kan.; The Humane Society in Terre Haute, Ind.; Heartland Community College in Bloomington, Ill.; and Big Brothers Big Sisters in Decatur, Ill., and Little Rock, Ark.
More than 6,000 gifts, valued at over $30,000, were given away, and included gift cards from retailers, restaurants and eateries, as well as jewelry, stuffed animals, beauty services and more.
Power Plant Live!
As part of the multi-million dollar renovation and expansion of Power Plant Live! in Baltimore, The Cordish Cos. announced that entertainment concepts PBR Baltimore and The Baltimore Comedy Factory hosted grand openings the first two weekends in March.
These latest downtown destinations join the recently opened Tatu Asian Grill in the restaurant, entertainment and office district that is now going on its 12th year of operations.
This will be the third location for PBR (“Professional Bull Riders, Inc.”) with its initial venture opening in the Power & Light District in Kansas City, Mo. in 2009 and the second related concept opening on The Strip in Las Vegas shortly thereafter (a fourth location is now under construction in downtown Houston). The Baltimore location spans 10,000 sq. ft. on the second level of Power Plant Live! and features a sleek “cool country” design by Knauer Design of Chicago, an outdoor deck overlooking the district’s main outdoor stage and two large-scale bars featuring over 150 ft. of service space, as well as fireplaces, a raised lounge with soft seating and a large dance floor with state of the art sound and lights.
The Baltimore Comedy Factory is relocating from its original location on Light Street to Power Plant Live!, significantly expanding the venue’s seating capacity and providing an added lobby and bar area.
Power Plant Live! is located on Market Street one block from the Inner Harbor and a short walk from downtown hotels. Bar, club and entertainment venues include Angels Rock Bar, Howl at the Moon, Luckies Tavern, Mex Tequila Bar, Mosaic Lounge and Rams Head Live. Restaurant Row features Tatu Asian Grill, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Two Boots Pizza. Visit powerplantlive.com.
Casual Male Q4 profit up 49.9%, adding 10 to 14 DXL superstores
Canton, Mass. — Casual Male Retail Group reported net income of $5.3 million for its fourth quarter, up from $3.6 million in the year ago period. The retailer also said it will expand its superstore format, Destination XL, with 10 to 14 new stores due to open this year.
Sales for the quarter ended Jan. 29 were up 0.7% to $111.5 million, from $110.7 million a year ago. Same-store sales rose 2.9%.
In a statement, David Levin, president and CEO, said the company was pursuing expansion of its superstore format based on “the strong initial performance of the DXL test stores in 2010, and overwhelming positive customer feedback.”
For the full year, Casual Male’s net income more than doubled to $15.4 million from $6.1 million last year.


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Evo Payments Rejected Shift4 Takeover Offer
(Bloomberg) -- Shift4 Payments Inc. recently made a takeover offer for rival Evo Payments Inc. that was rebuffed, according to people familiar with the matter.
It’s unclear whether Shift4 Payments will make another bid, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter wasn’t public.
A representative for Shift4 Payments declined to comment. A spokesperson for Evo Payments didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The approach coincides with heavy consolidation in the payments sector, which was already growing rapidly before the coronavirus pandemic accelerated a shift away from using cash.
Companies that have benefited from the trend have sought to take advantage of their surging stock prices to help fuel acquisitions. PayPal Holdings Inc.’s takeover approach to Pinterest Inc. was a recent example of that strategy.
Shift4 Payments, which went public in June 2020, has seen its shares gain 19% in the past year.
The stock fell 1.9% at 9:34 a.m. in New York trading Wednesday, giving the company a market value of about $5.9 billion. Evo Payments rose 3.4% to $24.87, giving it a market value of about $2.1 billion.
Shift4’s founder and chief executive officer, billionaire Jared Isaacman, was among the first civilians to take a SpaceX flight into space in September.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

domain: news


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Yesterday there was a blip on our radar that showed a picture of the 2012 Lamborghini LP700-4 getting spied while filming a commercial.
The picture showed more of a Ford Crown Victoria blocking the road, so, I decided not to run the shot.
Well, well, well. Looks like patience brought us something more rewarding. Sourced from Edmunds' Insideline is video of the same LP700-4 "Aventador" while filming takes for the new commercial.
One thing I noticed while getting a look at the video. Remember only a little while ago while other publications were bitching about the LP700 having a quiet idle? Honestly, who cares when it sounds like a MONSTER at wide open throttle?
**Take a look at the sneak peek down below...
The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is one of the most important supercars of 2011. The guys at Insideline.com got the chance to spent a day with the new Lamborghini on a film shoot in the California desert. The same film shoot we reported on yesterday...
2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Photo Gallery
2012 BMW 6-Series Coupe Photo Gallery
2011 Geneva Motor Show Photo Gallery
Lamborghini Showcase Photo Gallery
Audi Lightweight Tech Showcase Photo Gallery


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Binance users are receiving a text message to stop an alleged unauthorized withdrawal that redirects them to a fake site that steals their cryptocurrencies.
The CEO of BinanceChangpeng Zhao, is alerting users of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange about a “massive” phishing scam being carried out via text messages.
Zhao, nicknamed ‘CZ’, went this Friday to Twitter to report that apparently some clients of the platform have been receiving text messages (SMS) to their mobile phones with an alleged link to cancel unauthorized withdrawals. The link would lead users to a fake site that mimics Binance to steal your credentials and empty your cryptocurrency wallet.
There is a massive SMS phishing scam with a link to cancel withdrawals. It leads to a phishing website to collect your credentials as seen in the screenshot below. NEVER click on links in SMS. Always go to http://Binance.com through a bookmark or by typing.
There is a massive Phishing scam via SMS with a link to cancel withdrawals. It leads to a phishing website to harvest your credential as in the screenshot below.
NEVER click on links from SMS!
Always go to https://t.co/9rMMAmtCxH via a bookmark or type it in.
— CZ???? Binance (@cz_binance) February 4, 2022
The CEO’s alert message includes an image showing the fraudulent message that has allegedly reached some of the users. “[Binance] A withdrawal has been requested from an unknown IP address. If it wasn’t you, follow the steps below“, Says the message from the scammers along with a link.
As such, the scam consists of sending users a text message posing as the platform with a link to cancel supposed withdrawals. The link in question then leads them to a fake website designed to harvest their login credentials and steal their cryptocurrency funds.
The fraud modality is what is known as ‘phishing‘, a type of attack in which cyber fraudsters mimic a trusted company, website, or application to steal passwords and extract funds.
Phishing scams and other crypto hacking attacks
Frequently targeting users of banking and other financial services, these types of scams are no stranger to the digital currency space. Late last year, an investigation found that a series of phishing attacks targeting crypto wallet users such as meta mask Y Phantomhad stolen more than $500,000 worth of cryptocurrencies.
Shortly after, DailyBitcoin reviewed the story of a collector of tokens non-expendable assets (NFT) that lost more than $2 million in various digital assets from valuable collections. The theft of the NFTs occurred when the user accessed a contract from a platform that appeared to be genuine.
Phishing attacks are one of the many fraudulent strategies used by hackers to steal cryptocurrencies. Just this week the digital currency space witnessed one of the biggest hacks in recent times when the protocol cross chain wormhole suffered a exploit of USD $325 million.
Aware of these types of threats, Binance recently announced a $1 billion fund to cover potential hacking attacks. This lifeline is applied to compensate victims of hacks that occur when the “security measures” of the exchange fail, so it does not cover losses caused by phishing attacks.
Article by Hannah Estefanía Pérez / DailyBitcoin
WARNING: This is an informative article. DiarioBitcoin is a means of communication, it does not promote, endorse or recommend any investment in particular. It is worth noting that investments in crypto assets are not regulated in some countries. May not be suitable for retail investors as the full amount invested could be lost. Check the laws of your country before investing.


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Further expansion into Asia has been signaled by Norwegian following the launch of low-cost flights between Gatwick and Singapore in September.
No new destinations have been disclosed but the low-cost carrier sees Singapore as a springboard for future growth.
The airline currently flies four times a week to Singapore Changi airport using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Global head of sales Lars Sande and UK and Ireland head of sales Dominic Tucker delivered presentations to more than 65 agents from travel and trade organisations in Singapore this week to explain the airline’s low-cost long-haul model and its plans for future expansion.
Sande said: “It’s a pleasure to open the door to Singapore’s travel industry which will help make our new low-cost long-haul service a success.
“With more than 200 aircraft on order, Asia will be a key part of our future growth and Singapore offers a springboard to more competition and affordable fares in the market.
“Following our successful event, we look forward to starting a deep relationship with Singapore’s travel trade who will now be able to confidently sell our high-quality flights to customers.”
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U.S. stocks super earnings week debut, including Apple, Microsoft, Tesla and other heavyweight technology companies will be announced, the United States today will also announce June new home sales data. US stock futures fell slightly on Monday (26th). Dow Jones futures fell 0.38%, S&P 500 futures fell 0.24%, and Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.12%.
1. Amazon may accept this yearBitcoinPay
BitcoinOn Monday (26th) it continued the weekend’s gains, soaring to nearly 40,000 Dollar. Analysts believe that part of the reason for the rise is that investors are no longer bearish, and that Amazon (AMZN-US) Plan to useCryptocurrencyRumors of payment.
Some foreign reports pointed out that Amazon will allow users to passCryptocurrencyTo make transaction payments, likeBitcoin.The group is also recruitingDigital currencyTalents with blockchain-related experience to lead the company’s payment team and developDigital currencyAnd blockchain strategy and product planning.
2. U.S. Treasury Volatility Index Soars
With the upcoming Fed meeting, the ICE BofA MOVE index, which tracks the implied volatility of U.S. debt, has risen sharply since mid-July, indicating that bond traders are prepared for more turmoil in the market.
The ICE BofA MOVE index has risen to around 65, the highest point in the past four months. Previously, on June 10, the index had fallen to around 48.
Market concerns about the threat of the Delta variant virus to the economic outlook led to this result.Next, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)DollarHow to cut and when to adjust the bond purchase plan of China has become the focus of attention.
3. Alphabet launches robotic software company Intrinsic
Google’s parent company Alphabet (GOOGL-US) Friday (23rd) announced a new venture capital and launched a robotic software company called “Intrinsic”.
Intrinsic was originally the “Moon Landing Project” of Alphabet’s “X Lab” and now it has officially graduated. Intrinsic said that the company is developing software tools to make industrial robots easier to use, cheaper and more flexible, so that these industrial robots can reach a wider consumer group.
Intrinsic’s operation will be included in Alphabet’s “other bets”, which has always been Alphabet’s money-burning furnace. In the first quarter of this year, the department’s revenue was 198 million.Dollar, But a loss of 1.145 billionDollar。
4. The Modena vaccine is recommended by the European Medicines Agency to vaccinate young people
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Friday (23rd) recommended that Moderna’s new crown vaccine be extended to adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age.
According to EMA, studies on more than 3,700 teenagers between 12 and 17 years of age show that the Modena vaccine can produce an antibody response similar to that of adults, with the same side effects as adults. Most of them are arm soreness, headaches, and fatigue.
The company’s stock price was officially included in the S&P 500 index last Wednesday, and it has soared 223.2% as of Friday this year, far outpacing the market’s 16.3% increase.
5. The real yield of US long-term debt fell to a record low
The Delta variant virus spread rapidly, posing a threat to the expected economic recovery. The real yield of the US 10-year Treasury bond fell to a record low on Monday (26th).
After excluding inflation, the real yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries fell to -1.127% on Monday. However, the equilibrium inflation rate for 10-year U.S. Treasuries steadily fell at 2.34%. The interest rate spread between TIPS will rise as inflation expectations rise, reflecting that the Delta virus is intensifying investors’ concerns about the slowdown in economic growth.
The Fed is about to hold its July interest rate meeting on Thursday (29th). On the eve of its decision, market sentiment was restless, and traders also sharply lowered their expectations for tightening policies.


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2 New Android Tablets Get Release Dates
Even though Android tablets are expected to give the Apple iPad some stiff competition, there haven't been very many that have progressed far enough to get a release date. That makes it all the more surprising that release dates have been announced for two new Android tablets we haven't even heard of.
The first is the Interpad from a German company called E-Noa. The Interpad is a surprisingly capable device, judging from the hefty list of hardware specs. It will have a 10-inch capacitive touchscreen display, the new Tegra 2 processor from NVIDIA, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage that's expandable with a microSD card, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI-out. The battery is rated for 8-12 hours of use, though we'll believe that when we see it.
The Interpad will run Android 2.1 , but will likely be upgraded to 2.2 before long. E-Noa says the Interpad will be available for around $500 and will have an upgraded version with 3G connectivity and camera for around $650. It will be available in December, according to the company's site, which is far more specific than the "holiday" release date most Android tablets currently boast.
The second Android tablet will be out far sooner than that: this week, if the manufacturer Augen is to be believed. Don't be surprised if you haven't heard of Augen; few people have heard of this small manufacturer. But Augen's new 7-inch Android tablet has unexpectedly shown up in a Kmart circular advertised for $150. Augen confirmed that the GENTOUCH78 tablet will be available later this week on Kmart shelves.
The GENTOUCH 78 runs Android 2.1 and isn't nearly as impressive as the Interpad. It has only 2GB of storage and 256MB of RAM, but it does include Wi-Fi and, crucially, is supposed to be compatible with the Android Market. That means the GENTOUCH78 will be able to download and use Android apps just like Android phones, which should expand its functionality significantly.


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Ark Therapeutics gains wound care footwear
This article was originally published in Clinica
London, UK-based specialist healthcare group Ark Therapeutics has secured exclusive UK and international marketing rights to a medical footwear device developed by German surgical, trauma and woundcare specialist, Darco, for managing diabetic foot ulcers. Under the terms of the agreement, Darco will manufacture and supply the product to Ark, which, in turn, will be responsible for reimbursement and sales and marketing. The device, to be marketed as Kerraped, is already approved for reimbursement by the UK National Health Service.


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New Delhi: Siyaram Silk Mills Limited has announced the appointment of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as the brand ambassador oftheir brand Siyaram’s.
Established in 1978, the company is strategically transforming itself from a textile manufacturer with a portfolio of brands such as Siyaram’s, Oxemberg, J. Hampstead, Siya, Cadini, Casamoda and Mistair.
Siyaram’s continues to be company’s flagship brand and has been endorsed by celebrities like Saif Ali Khan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, HrithikRoshan and Neil NitinMukesh.
The company said that Ranveer Singh’s signature edgy sense of style would help the heritage brand Siyaram’s connect with young consumers. The actor’s popularity across age groups and demographics would help reach the brand across the country, it added.
“We have signed up Ranveer Singh as our brand ambassador. He is a style and youth icon. Siyaram’s has been a leader in textiles and fabrics for men’s fashion by making global fashion accessible to the Indian consumer and our products come with a culture of legacy and values. Ranveer Singh clearly defines the attributes of our brand –Siyaram’s and we are looking forward to this fashionable journey with him,” said Ramesh Poddar, chairman and managing director, Siyaram’s.
The actor endorses a variety of brands across categories, including apparel (Jack and Jones, Myntra’s private label Roadster and Adidas Originals), inner wear (Rupa Frontline), personal care (Set Wet deodorants/hair gel), hair care (Head & Shoulders), oral care (Colgate Maxfresh), four-wheeler (Maruti Suzuki Ciaz), travel portal (MakeMyTrip), condoms (Durex), and packaged soups/noodles (Ching’s Secret).


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Crime & Scams
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China State TV: Blockchain Will Be 10 Times More Valuable Than the Internet
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Weiss Ratings Publishes Complete List of 93 Cryptocurrency Ratings
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Bibox is a new cryptocurrency exchange that aims to offer its members an alternative to platforms such as Binance and ...
Chinese Exchange Launching Southeast Asian Crypto Trading Hub
Exchanges Chinese exchange Zb.com has set up a branch in Thailand with a plan to turn it into the regional crypto ...
NEO’s NEP-5 Storage Injection Vulnerability Is Less Severe Than Assumed
The cryptocurrency world is subject to interesting developments at all times. In some cases, major vulnerabilities are ...
Beginner’s Guide to Red Pulse: Blockchain Intelligence Gathering & Analysis
Red Pulse is a blockchain intelligence gathering and analyzing service focused on the Chinese markets. It was the first ...
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Neo price declined sharply and settled below $70 against the US Dollar. NEO/USD remains in a downtrend and is at a risk ...
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Interiors guru Kate Watson-Smyth, best known for her top interiors blog Mad About The House, has launched Design Storey, a new online homewares edit store curating her top picks from her favourite high street interiors shops.
During lockdown, our homes have become more important to us than ever, and we’ve all been spending more time looking for special pieces that make our place that bit cosier. But with so much available to us online, finding the perfect finishing touches can become an ordeal in itself – especially as we can't head to the shop to assess items in person. As such, Design Storey will focus heavily on curation. It'll feature just 50 items from each category (coffee tables, sofas, chairs, for example), organised by room for ease.
'There is such a thing as too much choice,' says Kate. 'With more people than ever focusing on their homes this past year, most of us just want a good lamp or a nice rug, but we don’t want to spend hours trawling through pages of stuff that we don’t want to find it.'
Each item featured has its own explanation as to why it has made the cut, whether it’s a classic that will hold its value, a statement piece that brings some wow factor, or those pieces with an inspiring story behind them. Taking it one step further than the shops themselves, Kate also includes some helpful notes on how to incorporate these designs successfully into your own home – with information and tips from eight years' worth of content from her blog and bestselling books.
You can head to Design Storey to see the full range, but we’ve rounded up some of Kate's picks here – with her comments on why she loves them.


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AI revolutionising Malaysia’s economy and job market: Expert
19 Jun 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the country’s economy and job market, bringing forth a wave of increased productivity and opening doors to new opportunities, the co-founder & CEO of Malaysia HR Forum Arulkumar Singaraveloo said.
He stated that with its potential to transform industries and drive innovation, AI is rapidly reshaping the economic landscape of the nation.
“According to a recent report by IDC for MDEC, Malaysia’s big data and analytics industry is projected to surge from US$1.1 billion (RM4.5 billion) in 2021 to US$1.9 billion (RM7.9 billion) by 2025. As AI becomes more prevalent, both businesses and workers are poised to reap the benefits, albeit with some challenges on the horizon,” he told SunBiz.
He highlighted the potential impact of AI on the job market, warning that certain positions could be automated or undergo significant transformation.
“However, it is important to note that AI is more likely to augment human capabilities rather than completely replace human workers. This creates a need for upskilling and reskilling the Malaysian workforce to remain relevant in the AI-driven economy,” he said.
Recognising the transformative potential of AI and the need to navigate its challenges, the Malaysian government has launched a series of initiatives and policies that lay a foundation for a sustainable ecosystem in the country.
“The government initiatives and policies include the National AI Framework, which aims to promote AI adoption, develop AI talent, and create an enabling ecosystem for AI-driven innovation. Additionally, there are efforts to encourage collaboration between industry, academia, and government to accelerate AI research and development,” said Arulkumar.
Many of the country’s companies are embracing AI including the national energy giant, Petronas, which is establishing an artificial intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI CoE) in Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with a network of global partners. Its goal is to accelerate the advancement of AI solutions to support energy delivery, operational efficiency, and sustainability.
The first round of collaborations involving Baker Hughes, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Microsoft was formalised via three memoranda of understanding signed at the Adipec 2022 conference.
Petronas said it would work with the partners through the AI CoE, leveraging each other’s technologies, expertise and experience to innovate, develop and potentially commercialise AI solutions.
Referring to an article by Loni Lee and Shardha Lim on azmilaw.com, AI is making advancements in various sectors in Malaysia.
In healthcare, the Stethee Pro, an AI-enabled stethoscope system developed through collaboration between Malaysian organisations, enhances the examination of heart and lung sounds. It allows recordings to be transmitted to smart devices for detailed analysis, helping detect diseases and providing actionable data for healthcare professionals.
In fashion, Saratix and Custlr have partnered to launch SARA, an AI fashion technology. SARA offers body profiling using an A4 paper, fashion analytics, and retail reports. By accurately measuring body sizes and leveraging AI algorithms, SARA helps fashion businesses improve inventory management, conversion rates, and customer targeting.
Meanwhile, Sabah’s Digital and Artificial Intelligence Legal Aid Centre, the first of its kind in Malaysia, offers legal advice and computer services to the public. Users can access statutes, case law, textbooks, agreements, and more.
Malaysia HR Forum co-founder & CEO Arulkumar Singaraveloo.
Source: The Sun Daily


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We’re kicking off another work week and 9to5Toys is helping catch you up on all of today’s best discounts. This time around, Apple’s just-released 14-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro is seeing one of its first discounts with a $100 price cut. That’s joined by a pair of notable markdowns on must-have Mac accessories, both of which are headlined by a new low on Apple’s latest Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Not to mention, a fresh spring price cut on the new AirPods Pro 2 at $200. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.
Save $100 on Apple’s just-released 14-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro
After seeing the 16-inch model go up for sale with upwards of $275 in savings attached, we’re now tracking a rare chance to save on Apple’s new 14-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro. Arriving to kick off the new work week courtesy of B&H, the latest portable Mac is now marked down to $1,899. Normally fetching $1,999, you’re looking at $100 in savings as well as only the third discount to date. It’s $51 under the launch savings we saw go live back in January and the second-best discount ever. There’s also up to $200 in savings to be had on other configurations right now in the spring sale, too.
All centered around a 14-inch Liquid Retina display, Apple’s new MacBook Pro comes outfitted with the same form-factors as before. That compelling design now packs some notable improvements under the hood, with the M2 Pro processor delivering the latest from Apple Silicon to make this Apple’s most capable portable MacBook yet. There’s up to 22-hour battery life and Wi-Fi 6E support for the first time to go alongside a new 8K HDMI output and three Thunderbolt 4 ports. There of course remains the SDXC slot on the side, as well as all of the other adjustments you can read about in our launch coverage that also takes a deeper dive into the performance of the new M2 Pro chip.
Apple’s latest Magic Keyboard delivers Touch ID at new $120 low
Amazon is now offering the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID for $120. Marking one of the first chances to save from its usual $149 going rate, this is now delivering a new all-time low at $29 off. It clocks in at $20 under our previous mention and is really the first time we’ve ever seen this caliber of discount applied to the latest and greatest peripheral. Apple’s latest Magic Keyboard elevates your desktop workstation with a metal build that complements the rest of your devices. With Apple’s latest scissor key switches, this is as notable of an option for using with a Mac as it is for an iPad, and a Lightning port on the front to top off the rechargeable battery rounds out the package. Not to mention, you’ll find a built-in Touch ID module for unlocking your Mac, using Apple Pay, and more.
Also getting in on the savings today, Amazon is also marking down yet another official accessory. The latest Apple Magic Mouse joins in with a price cut down to $64. This is the second-best we’ve ever seen from the usual $79 going rate, and lands at within $4 of the all-time low from back in September. Magic Mouse delivers similar Multi-Touch features to its Trackpad counterpart, but with a different form-factor. You’ll find the same Lightning to USB-C cable included as all of the other accessories today, too.
AirPods Pro 2 deliver ANC, Spatial Audio, more at second-best price
Amazon is now starting off the week by offering a chance to save on Apple’s latest AirPods Pro 2. Still dropping in price for one of the very first times across the board, the new earbuds are down to $200, locking in $49 in savings from the usual going rate while marking a return to the second-best price to date. While we saw the likes of Verizon step in to offer this price last week, it’s the first chance to save at Amazon in over a month. It comes within $1 of the all-time low, too.
Delivering all of the same features as the original pair, the new AirPods Pro 2 now arrive with some improvements like enhanced audio playback to pair with the upgraded ANC and new adaptive transparency mode tech. There’s still Spatial Audio support, as well as Hey Siri integration, just all packed into a refreshed charging case with Find My features, a built-in speaker, and lanyard loop.
Best trade-in deals
9to5Mac also keeps tabs on all the best trade-in deals on iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, and more every month. Be sure to check out this month’s best trade-in deals when you decide it’s time to upgrade your device, or simply head over to our trade-in partner directly if you want to recycle, trade, or sell your used devices for cash and support 9to5Mac along the way!
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Brandon LeBlanc, a senior program manager at Microsoft has confirmed via Twitter that the company is expecting to begin rolling out the official Windows 10 Mobile 'Fall Creators Update' sometime this week. In fact, the update has already started rolling out in Finland, with that rollout now extending to open-market devices elsewhere.
The Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators Update will likely be one of the last official major releases for the platform, as Microsoft recently confirmed its Windows phone platform is no longer a focus when it comes to new features or hardware. As such, the platform is essentially dead, with Microsoft continuing to service existing devices with bug fixes and tweaks for its enterprise customers.
For those that happen to still be interested in Windows 10 Mobile, you can expect the Fall Creators Update to bring plenty of bug fixes and under the hood improvements, including a few additional features in Continuum such as being able to change the orientation of a display. There aren't any real major new features in this release for Windows 10 Mobile.
Microsoft has also omitted the Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL from its list of supported handsets, meaning those devices won't be getting an official upgrade path to the Fall Creators Update and will remain on the Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update instead.
We've got a complete changelog of all the new changes and bug fixes in the Fall Creators Update, make sure you give it a read before the upgrade hits. In addition, let us know in the comments when/if your phone receives the Fall Creators Update! We suspect it will rollout in waves, similarly to previous Windows 10 Mobile releases.
Thanks for the tip, Akhil!


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December 4, 2009 at 8:41 am
Netbooks launching with the next-generation Atom Pineview processors are set to launch on 11th January 2010 according to Digitimes. Manufacturers such as Acer, Asus, Lenovo and MSI are complying with Intel’s embargo, prohibiting any release until after 10th January.
The initial netbooks using the Pine Trail platform will launch using the 1.66Ghz N450 Atom Pineview processor, whilst the 1.83GHz N470 processor is set to hit the market in March. Pineview netbooks are expected to run on three main platforms: Windows 7 Starter , Moblin and Windows XP with Windows 7 expected to the most popular but also most costly.
Manufacturers are cautious on the launch of these new netbooks, worrying that they may not take off as expected. This could end up leaving an inventory stockpile as was seen in early 2009.


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China responds to Canadian ban of Huawei on 5G
China is responding to the news that two of its telecom giants are being banned from Canada's 5G, or next-generation mobile networks, based on security concerns.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canada issued a statement late Thursday saying the ban on Huawei and ZTE products and services had produced ``strong dissatisfaction.''
The statement suggested that Ottawa's so-called ``security'' concerns were just a pretext for political manipulation, adding that Canada was working with the United States to suppress Chinese companies.
The statement went on to say that Canada's international image will definitely be damaged by the decision.
It concluded by saying that Beijing will make a comprehensive and serious assessment of the move and take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.
Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne made the announcement Thursday, saying the decision followed a full review by Canada's security agencies, in consultation with Ottawa's closest allies.


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Feeding The World Through Pragmatic API Design at Domino's Pizza
Wednesday, November 16
Dominos believes in doing the right thing, putting people first, creating inspired solutions, championing our customers, and growing and winning together. Dominos came from humble beginnings in 1960, with just one store. Now, as the largest pizza company in the world, Dominos proudly continues its legacy of delivering great-tasting pizza to customers' doors.
In this Breaking Changes, Postman Chief Evangelist Kin Lane welcomes James Pozenel, a Solution Architect at Dominos Pizza for a discussion about how they have employed very pragmatic approaches to delivering APIs, taking advantage of simple low-cost HTTP APIs to meet the demands of feeding the world pizza!


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Apple suppliers to start making larger iPhones next month - Bloomberg
REUTERS - Apple Inc's suppliers will begin producing larger versions of the iPhone in China next month, Bloomberg reported citing sources.
Apple is ramping up production of iPhones with 4.7 and 5.5-inch screen sizes, which may be shipped to retailers around September, the report said. (bloom.bg/1mgnfSB)
Apple launches new versions of the smartphone line that drives half its business around the fall of every year.
The industry has speculated for some time now that Apple intends to design and sell a device with a larger screen, to fend off Samsung phones with much bigger displays that have proven popular in Asia and elsewhere.
Hon Hai Precision Industry will recruit over 100,000 people in mainland China to produce the newest iPhone from Apple, Taiwan's Economic Daily News reported on Monday, in what the report called the firm's largest single hiring spree in China.
Fellow Taiwanese contract manufacturer Pegatron Corp will also expand its workforce in one mainland factory by 30 percent, in response to expected high demand for the new iPhone.
Apple was not immediately available for comment outside regular U.S. business hours.
(Reporting by Soham Chatterjee; Editing by Eric Walsh)
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A U.S. judge on Friday gave final approval to Apple Inc's agreement to pay $450 million to resolve claims it harmed consumers by conspiring with five publishers to raise e-book prices. Full Article


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Joe King to lead Audi India ops, Perschke back to HQ
German luxury carmaker Audi on Monday announced a top-level management change in its Indian operations, with Joe King being appointed as head effective September 1, 2013 in place of Michael Perschke, who is moving back to the headquarters. Perschke, who moved to Audi India in July 2010 and was instrumental in Audis success in the country, will move as head of network strategy and business management, international level at Audi AG, the company said in a statement.
BSNL may set up towers in naxal-infested areas
State-run BSNL and the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) are likely to sign an MoU by the end of this month for setting up mobile towers in states affected by naxal violence. "We will try to sign the MoU (with BSNL) by the end of this month," USOF administrator N Ravi Shankar said. The USOF was created under the National Telecom Policy, 1999, for providing access of telecom services to people in rural areas at affordable prices. BSNL has already floated a notice inviting tender for setting up 1,315 sites of 2G GSM network in left-wing extremist areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal for five years, which is extendable by two years.
TV makers expect new import levy to boost sales
With the imposition of 36% duty on imported TVs as baggage becoming effective from Monday, manufacturers, including Panasonic, Sony and Samsung, are hoping that their local sales in India will grow in double digits. "This will result in expanding profit margins and will lead to better profitability," Panasonic India MD Manish Sharma said. The jump in terms of volume for the industry in India will be approximately 1.5-2 million units and the value would be around R400 crore approximately, he added. Expressing similar views, another Japanese manufacturer, Sony, said local consumption will increase although the total market size would remain the same.
Free messaging apps spy on users, say hackers
Applications such as Google, Facebook, WeChat, Whatsapp and Truecaller are hacking into mobile phones and stealing data from them, hackers say. Participants at the Hackers Conference on Sunday said that free messaging applications are spying on users and are a threat to national security, as they effectively give the Chinese government not just access to our chat logs, voice samples and location, but also to each and every piece of data on our smartphones.
Infra faces manpower crunch: Assocham
The country's infrastructure sector is grappling with severe skilled manpower shortage, leading to project delays and cost overruns, industry body Assocham said Monday. "India is currently facing an annual paucity of over 10 lakh project management professionals. Moreover, employability is also a key factor in this regard as most of the already employed workers in infrastructure space have not received any vocational training," an Assocham survey report said.
Mercer appoints Pradeep Mukerjee as India CEO
Human resource and financial services consulting firm Mercer Consulting said it has appointed Pradeep Mukerjee as the country head and chief executive officer for India, with effect from September 2. Mukerjee joins Mercer from Confluence Coaching and Consulting, which he established in 2007 as the founding director. Prior to his entrepreneurial journey spanning over a period of more than 19 years, he held a number of leadership roles in India and overseas at Citigroup.
Dunkin Donuts: 80-100 more stores in 4 years
Food services firm Jubilant FoodWorks said Monday it will open up to 100 outlets of Dunkin' Donuts outlets in the next four years to grow the brand in India. "We will open 80-100 Dunkin' Donuts outlets in the next four years to grow the brand. We are identifying locations where we can open these new outlets," Jubilant FoodWorks CEO Ajay Kaul said. The company, which is also a franchise of Dominos Pizza, said the Dunkin' Donuts chain in India will be much smaller compared to the pizza chain. "There are 600 outlets of Dominos but only 10 of Dunkin' Donuts right now. Even when we open 80-100 more outlets, in terms of scale, Dunkin' Donuts will be a smaller brand in Jubilant FoodWorks' portfolio," he said.


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Before the recession, in 2006, there were more than 2,200 minority dealers. After the recession, the number plummeted to fewer than 1,000, mainly due to the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler.
Lester joined the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers in 2002 and was president from 2006 to 2022. At NAMAD, he focused on creating opportunities and fighting for minority dealers, particularly during the 2008-09 recession. In 2021, he became a dealer himself as owner of Nissan of Bowie in Maryland, just three miles from his home.
Making the transition from advocate to dealer didn’t happen overnight for Lester, who said he tried to buy 15 dealerships before he purchased his Nissan store.
“I could advocate for other people, but there was no one to advocate for me,” he said.
Lester continues to push for minority representation in the industry.
“When you look at the data, our business case is 30 percent of all new cars and trucks are purchased by a minority, but yet we have 6 percent representation,” he said. “So the scales of parity aren’t equal, and so that’s what we’re striving for.”
When asked what it’s going to take, Lester points to three things: access, opportunity and cash.
“Our average dealer body on the minority side is maybe three to 3.5 stores,” he said. “We need to scale up so we can, from a longevity standpoint, compete. The benefit we have is that we are more profitable and outperform, from a volume standpoint, non-minority dealers.”
There’s a business case that shows financing should be made available, Lester said. “But we have to be creative,” he added. “We have to figure out ways of partnerships.”
As for his plans 10 years from now, Lester said, “I’ll probably have over 10 stores.”


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Google has launched an experimental Web site to help track Mexico's flu cases. It's experimental, because unlike the U.S. version, the Mexico data is not validated against actual CDC flu surveillance results, but is based on the idea that people who search for flu-related topics often have flu symptoms. An official Google blog posted Wednesday said that the research model filters out generic searches for swine flu. Perhaps surprisingly -- given the recent media attention to swine flu -- overall incidence of flu is lower than many past years even though there is an annual spike in flu at this time of year.
NEW ON THE PODCAST


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Tokyo-based bitFlyer, which operates a Bitcoin exchange, has been granted a Payment Institution (PI) license to operate in the European Union.
The company has now become the first Bitcoin exchange to be regulated in Japan, the US and Europe, making it the most compliant virtual currency exchange in the world. Established in 2014, the company claims that it facilitated 25% of worldwide bitcoin exchange volumes and saw over $250bn in virtual currency traded on its platform in 2017.
bitFlyer’s initial product offering is the BTC/EUR pair; however, it plans to add support for other virtual currencies such as Litecoin, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic and Bitcoin Cash later in the year. bitFlyer Europe is offering zero percent trading fees as an introductory promotion.
The company said it is initially targeting professional, high-volume traders, an audience currently underserved in Europe. It wants to bring a platform designed by traders for traders to the continent according to Andy Bryant, chief operating officer of bitFlyer Europe.
Yuzo Kano, founder and CEO of bitFlyer and ex-Goldman Sachs trader, added: “When I set up bitFlyer in 2014, I did so with global ambitions and the belief that approved regulatory status is fundamental to the long-term future of Bitcoin and the virtual currency industry. I am proud that we are now the most compliant virtual currency exchange in the world; this coveted regulatory status gives our customers, our company and the virtual currency industry as a whole a very positive future outlook.”
bitFlyer was granted its Payment Institution license by the Luxembourg regulator, Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) and from the company’s base at The Luxembourg House of Financial Technology Foundation (The LHoFT).
Companies in the Blockchain & Cryptocurrency sector received $1.4bn in the first three quarters of 2017, more than double the total investment in 2016 according to data by FinTech Global. Investments in companies specialising in Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies increased year on year at a 14.2% CAGR between 2014 and 2016. So far, 2017 has been particularly successful for the sector with $1.4bn worth of investment so far. Almost half of the funding in the first three quarters of 2017 went to deals valued $100m and above.
Copyright © 2018 RegTech Analyst


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Kidpreneur will be a kid-friendly place where kids aged 8-16 can get mentorship and hands-on training about entrepreneurship and the latest technology including web design, app development, robotics and more. The idea is to have Kidpreneur embedded in the local community where kids and parents feel comfortable and kids are invited to take live classes, online courses, professional coaching and the occasional game challenges with the staff. Kidpreneur plans to launch its pilot on September 21 with the help of Digital Roots in downtown Northville, Michigan. Thanh said “Northville is the ideal location for Kidpreneur because of its unique landscape and transparent border between its neighborhood and downtown business district. We want the kids to roll out of bed and be able to walk, run or bike to their Kidpreneur classes.” And Jay Wolcott, founder and CEO of Digital Roots, is proud to partner with the Kidpreneur program and hopes that his facility inspires regional youth to develop skills that will create a future of innovation.
Kidpreneur’s flagship class is self-titled where kids will learn how to bring their idea to life. The goal is to have the kids be excited about their idea, have fun building a business, give exciting presentations and get customers by the time they graduate from the course. If the kids do not have an idea but want to learn about entrepreneurship, then the instructor will work with them to find their passion. Other pilot classes will include web design, Android App development and LEGO® Mindstorms robotic programming. The classes will take place on Saturdays, lasting 90 minutes for 9 weeks, and the kid to instructor ratio is 4:1. The classes are taught by top practitioners with real-world experience and understand how to get the kids engaged. The graduation event is called Demo Day and will allow the young entrepreneurs to present their business and demonstrate their products and services.
For more info, please visit www.Kidpreneur.co or email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Massimo Deandreis, General Manager of SRM, has been interviewed by Sky TG24 Business on 12 July 2021.
Deandreis discussed about some of the most interesting phenomena affecting the maritime economy, brought to light by the pandemic. Covid-19, in fact, has continued to have an impact on all variables and traffic dynamics, especially with regards to the container sector and in particular the rise of the freight rates.
Watch th video of the interview here (min. 15:12): https://scq.io/l/IQptRAco


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Nreal launched the Beta version of Steam on Nreal, a native AR cloud gaming service. Nreal
Nreal, a new AR glasses startup in mainland China, recently announced that it is expected to launch the Steam on Nreal Beta version of the native AR cloud gaming service on its own patented 3D display platform Nebula by the end of June 2022. At that time, users who own Nreal’s Nreal Light and Nreal Air AR glasses will be able to play games such as the “DiRT Rally” series and “Halo” series on the Steam platform through the Nreal AR glasses. However, Nreal also admitted that the pre-setting of running Steam on Nreal at this moment may be a little troublesome for users, and not all games on the Steam platform are compatible and can be played directly.
Compared with the AR glasses launched by the main high-end business market players such as Magic Leap and Microsoft (Microsoft), the functions of Nreal AR glasses are relatively simple, but the price of $599 is much more affordable. At present, Nreal has launched the game streaming service of Xbox Cloud Gaming on Nebula. After connecting the AR glasses to a personal computer, players can play games on a large HD screen with a visual effect equivalent to 200 inches through the AR glasses. Jin Peng, co-founder of Nreal, said in a statement to gaming site GamesBeat: “We are excited to be a pioneer in bringing AR to Steam. This beta is to show everyone what’s possible with this technology. Games A splendid AAA masterpiece should be presented on a large 200-inch HD screen, regardless of space and location.”
Nreal also announced that in Nreal’s first global open online Hackathon: AR Jam on June 27, 2022, a $100,000 prize will be offered to attract development teams to create more AR glasses applications. The competition categories include home fitness, art, video games, audio and video and the compatible conversion of existing apps to the AR environment. In addition, Nreal is planning to set up a content fund to fund the development of AR content. Jinpeng said, “We have always focused on leveraging breakthrough technologies to create AR experiences for consumers and redefine the way we interact with information and content in our daily lives. Through the hosting of AR Jam and the establishment of the Content Fund, Nreal demonstrated commitment to supporting innovative developers and their development projects.”


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Research company Gartner forecast global semiconductor revenue growth would slow this year and drop in 2023, in part due to lower sales of smartphones and PCs.
Global semiconductor revenue was projected to increase 7.4 per cent in 2022 to $639 billion, markedly less than the 26.3 per cent recorded in 2021, with the figure in 2023 expected to decline to $623 billion.
Richard Gordon, practice VP, stated while “chip shortages are abating, the global semiconductor market is entering a phase of weakness”, though added such cycles are “not new and has happened many times before”.
He cited increasing “inflation, taxes and interest rates, together with higher energy and fuel costs” as factors affecting consumer spending.
Gartner predicted smartphone semiconductor revenue to grow 3.1 per cent in 2022 compared with 24.5 per cent in 2021.
It forecast PC shipments could decline 13.1 per cent, with related semiconductor revenue to fall 5.4 per cent.
Gordon stated revenue from the data centre market would increase 20 per cent due to continued cloud infrastructure investments.Subscribe to our daily newsletter Back


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Recently, Gree Electric signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Huafa Group to accelerate its entry into the photovoltaic industry. The two parties reached an in-depth cooperation on jointly promoting the development of Zhuhai’s real economy and jointly promoting the photovoltaic new energy industry to become bigger and stronger.
For home appliance companies, the photovoltaic industry is no stranger. Many leading home appliance companies have deployed in the field of photovoltaic energy storage, and some companies have already reaped some achievements. For example, Skyworth Group relied on its development in the photovoltaic field. In the first three quarters of this year, Skyworth Group’s new energy business revenue reached 7.821 billion yuan, with a growth rate of 257%.
The interviewed experts told the reporter of “China Business Daily” that in the case of the market saturation of the home appliance industry, it is a good choice for enterprises to use photovoltaics as a diversified extension direction. At the same time, home appliance companies have natural advantages in supply chain, sales channels, assembly and integration, etc.
Gree Electric joins hands with Huafa Group
On December 5, Gree Electric and Huafa Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Zhuhai Jinwan to help Zhuhai build a national green and low-carbon development demonstration city and a “photovoltaic capital”. According to the cooperation agreement, the two parties will give full play to their respective advantages and jointly promote innovative applications such as “photovoltaic + air conditioning”.
In addition, the two parties will share scientific research resources, build a photovoltaic new energy technology innovation system, and gradually build a “Zhuhai internal circulation” system with efficient linkage of “production-sales” of photovoltaic module supporting products, solar storage air conditioners and small household appliances. It is reported that a total of 24 Gree Electric supply chain companies signed contracts with Huafa Group on site, with a planned total investment of more than 550 million yuan and a total output value of more than 1.3 billion yuan.
Huafa Group, one of the partners this time, is a large-scale comprehensive state-owned enterprise in Zhuhai City. In recent years, it has made great efforts in the layout of commercial and financial complexes, property, finance, and physical manufacturing. According to official information, Huafa Group has realized the upstream and midstream layout of the photovoltaic industry chain such as crystalline silicon raw materials, silicon rods/wafers, equipment, and cells, and is currently coordinating the investment, construction and operation of various photovoltaic power generation projects in Zhuhai.
According to the public information of Huafa Group, since November this year, Huafa Group has successively reached cooperation with various districts in Zhuhai City, adding about 4.9GW of installed photovoltaic power generation capacity, and started a batch of distributed photovoltaic project construction and centralized photovoltaic project preliminary work. It is expected to achieve a new installed capacity of 5.6GW before the end of 2025. After they are all connected to the grid, they will contribute 6 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity per year to Zhuhai (accounting for about 28% of the city’s total electricity consumption), save 1.82 million tons of standard coal per year, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5 million tons per year.
Gree Electric Appliances, the other partner of the cooperation, is a home appliance company that has deployed in the field of photovoltaic new energy earlier in China. As early as 2012, Gree Electric aimed its R&D direction at how to combine photovoltaic technology with air conditioners. In the following year, a photovoltaic direct-drive inverter centrifuge was developed, which was the first step in the production of photovoltaic air conditioners.
Dong Mingzhu, chairman of Gree Electric, once publicly stated that he would use air conditioners to leverage the photovoltaic market, and this goal is being realized step by step. Gree’s official information shows that the current application scenarios of Gree’s photovoltaic DC direct-drive air-conditioning system include factories, schools, commercial offices, and residences, and more than 8,000 photovoltaic air-conditioning projects have been built in more than 30 countries and regions. Today, Gree’s new energy business includes photovoltaic storage DC air-conditioning systems, industrial and commercial energy storage, new energy DC appliances, and energy Internet systems.
Regarding the cooperation between Gree Electric Appliances and Huafa Group, Qi Haishen, President of Beijing Teyi Sunshine New Energy, said that the two have complementary advantages. As a home appliance company, Gree has a very early layout in new energy fields such as photovoltaic frequency conversion and lithium carbonate battery energy storage projects. , and it works great. Real estate development companies can provide various application scenarios of photovoltaic power generation, including roofs, roof walls, glass and other green building fields, and are also conducive to the zero-carbon transformation of the construction industry.
Chen Sheng, president of the China Real Estate Data Research Institute, believes that such strategic cooperation has truly formed an industrial smile curve in green energy development and photovoltaic applications, and formed a good industrial chain application in the R&D, production, and development and sales ends. Coordinate the investment, construction and operation of photovoltaic power generation projects, further improving efficiency.
The inherent advantages of home appliance enterprises
In recent years, in order to achieve the goal of “dual carbon”, the central government and local governments have actively introduced policies to promote the rapid development of the photovoltaic industry. A few days ago, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the “Notice on Printing and Distributing the “14th Five-Year Plan” New Urbanization Implementation Plan”, requiring the promotion of low-carbon production and life, the promotion of clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient use of energy, the development of distributed energy such as rooftop photovoltaics, and the implementation of contract energy. Management and other energy-saving management modes.
Recently, “Several Measures of Shenzhen City on Vigorously Promoting Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation” was officially released, proposing to promote the large-scale application of distributed photovoltaics, cultivate the photovoltaic industry and key enterprises, and strive to increase the installed photovoltaic capacity of 1.5 million kilowatts in the city during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. .
With the support of policies, the domestic household photovoltaic market has developed strongly in recent years. According to the survey data of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, by the end of 2021, the cumulative installed capacity of household photovoltaic projects in my country has reached 41.81GW, and the number of new household photovoltaic households in the country is about 873,000, and the cumulative number of installed households exceeds 2.4 million. In 2021, China’s newly installed photovoltaic capacity will be 54.88GW, a year-on-year increase of 13.9%. Among them, distributed installed capacity accounted for more than 50%.
Compared with centralized photovoltaics, home appliance companies are currently focusing on distributed photovoltaics and other new photovoltaic technologies and applications, which are more concentrated in low-tier cities and villages, which have the advantages of low cost and high efficiency. CITIC Securities research and analysis pointed out that household distributed photovoltaic involves promotion, installation, grid connection and later operation and maintenance, which requires a large number of network layouts.
After years of development, traditional home appliance companies have a huge distribution channel, which can realize the sharing and reuse of dealers, market channels, logistics warehousing, and after-sales service, and has unique advantages. Moreover, compared with traditional photovoltaic companies, home appliance companies have a longer precipitation time in the C-end user group and stronger brand power.
In addition, for home appliance companies, there are many self-owned industrial parks, and there is a large demand for supporting distributed photovoltaics. CITIC Securities Research believes that based on the internal industrial park project of the home appliance group in the early stage, it can help companies quickly accumulate experience in 2B projects, and it is expected to gradually expand to central enterprises and other customers in the future.
The second growth curve has appeared
In fact, in the past two years, home appliance companies have successively entered the new energy photovoltaic track. In addition to household photovoltaics and photovoltaic home appliances, they have also achieved certain results in upstream fields such as photovoltaic silicon materials and glass auxiliary materials.
Konka is relying on photovoltaic glass and other projects to expand to the upstream and downstream of the photovoltaic industry. In August this year, Konka signed a contract with Kaili City, Guizhou Province to invest in the construction of a photovoltaic glass light panel production line and related facilities production base; The wholly-owned subsidiary and Zhejiang Hemai Clean Energy Co., Ltd. jointly established Konka Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd.
Skyworth Group has directly invested in the development, construction and operation and maintenance of distributed photovoltaics. Skyworth established Shenzhen Skyworth Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd. in January 2020, starting with household photovoltaics, to provide complete solutions for a series of links such as power station development, design, construction, operation, management, and consulting services.
Skyworth Group’s 2021 financial report shows that the company’s new energy business has achieved revenue of 4.1 billion yuan, which is the business with the largest growth in 2021, accounting for about 8% of revenue. In the first three quarters of this year, Skyworth Group’s new energy business revenue reached 7.821 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 257% compared with 2.19 billion yuan in the same period last year. More than 100,000 household photovoltaic power stations have been added, and the cumulative grid-connected operation is 15 Ten thousand seats.
TCL also opened the second growth curve from the photovoltaic industry. TCL Technology acquired Zhonghuan, a leader in silicon wafers, two years ago and entered the field of photovoltaic materials. In the first three quarters of 2022, TCL Central achieved revenue of 49.84 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 71.35%, and net profit attributable to the parent company of 5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 80.68%. According to TCL Technology’s semi-annual report, the company’s total production capacity of photovoltaic materials has reached 109GW, and the export of silicon wafers occupies the first place in the global market. It is estimated that the company’s crystal production capacity will exceed 140GW by the end of 2022, becoming the world’s top 1 manufacturer of photovoltaic silicon single crystal.
Qi Haishen pointed out that many companies cross-border into photovoltaics, and many of them cut in from the application scenarios of photovoltaic power plants. The risk of this entry method is relatively small, because photovoltaic power plants have both energy attributes and financial attributes. Financial assets, which can also participate in green power transactions, are good investment targets.
“If you enter from the photovoltaic manufacturing side, you need to choose carefully. After all, the photovoltaic industry technology upgrades relatively quickly, and it is also an asset-heavy investment. It is a ‘technology + capital’ dual-intensive industry. You must be prepared for a long-distance race of more than 10 years.” Qi Qi Hai Shen added that the photovoltaic industry needs not only capital support, but also process technology and good cost minimization in order to break out of the encirclement and obtain the largest market share.


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ASML Holding, a key supplier to chip makers, said its revenues were €5.43 billion in Q2 2022 against 4 billion euros in the same quarter of 2021.
ASML Holding, the Dutch company, reported net profit of €1.41 billion euros ($1.44 billion) for the three months ended June 30, up from profit of €1.04 billion a year earlier.
ASML said margins were affected by higher inflation costs, and earnings were hit by delayed recognition of revenue for some systems it was rushing out to customers before they had been fully tested in the Netherlands.
ASML dominates the market for lithography systems, giant machines that use light beams to create the circuitry of computer chips. Customers of ASML include all major chipmakers, with TSMC, Samsung and Intel the biggest.
“Some customers are indicating signs of slowing demand in certain consumer-driven market segments, yet we still see strong demand for our systems,” ASML Holding Chief Executive Officer Peter Wennink said.
Net bookings in the quarter were €8.46 billion, a record.
ASML’s most advanced systems cost about $160 million each and take 18 months to build. It has been operating at full capacity for several years.
The company said it expected to update markets later this year on the feasibility of significantly expanding its production by 2025.
ASML Holding said it expected about €1.8 billion worth of 2022 sales would be pushed out to 2023 due to the fast shipment program, which means sales growth in 2022 would be about 10 percent down from an earlier estimate of 20 percent.
ASML expects third-quarter net sales between €5.1 billion and €5.4 billion with a gross margin between 49 percent and 50 percent. ASML expects R&D costs of around €810 million and SG&A costs of around €235 million.
For the full year, ASML expects a revenue growth of around 10 percent. This growth is lower than previously guided due to an increase in the number of fast shipments expected in the remainder of 2022, the revenue for which will be delayed into 2023 at an amount of around €2.8 billion.
“With the combination of this delayed revenue recognition, the extra costs related to the increase in capacity and certain inflationary trends, we expect the full year 2022 gross margin to be between 49 percent and 50 percent,” Peter Wennink said.


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SOCIAL media giant Facebook has banned Twinmark Media Enterprises, a digital marketing group in the Philippines, and all its subsidiaries from the social networking site and Instagram.
Nathaniel Gleicher, head of Facebook's Cybersecurity Policy, said in a post that Twinmark Media has repeatedly violated their misrepresentation and spam policies, "including through coordinated inauthentic behavior, the use of fake account, leading people to ad farms, and selling access to Facebook pages to artificially increase distribution and generate profit."
Removed as part of the ban were 220 Facebook Pages, 73 Facebook accounts, and 29 Instagram accounts related to Twinmark Media.
It said about 43 million accounts followed at least one of these removed Facebook pages.
Also removed were pages with highest number of followers, including the Filipino Channel Online with 10.4 million followers; Gorgeous Me, 5.7 million; Unhappy, 4.9 million; Text Message, 4.4 million; and TNP Media, 4.3 million.
"We do not want our services to be used for this type of behavior, nor do we want the group to be able to reestablish a presence on Facebook," said Gleicher.
He said the action was "based on the behavior of these actors who repeatedly violated our misrepresentation and spam policies, rather than on the type of content they were posting."
He said Facebook started its investigation on Twinmark Media after learning that the digital marketing group was selling admin rights to Facebook pages it had created, in order to increase distribution and generate profit. This violated Facebook's spam policy.
"This prompted our teams to take a deeper look at a broader group of pages and accounts associated with these users, ultimately uncovering a large network of pages and accounts that were engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior, the use of fake accounts, leading people to ad farms and selling access to Facebook pages," Gleicher said.
He said they are continuously working to uncover such kind of abuse, and "we know that the people behind it — whether economically or politically motivated — will continue to evolve their tactics."
"Today’s announcement is just one of the many steps we have taken to prevent bad actors from abusing our platform. We will continue to invest heavily in safety and security in order to ensure that people can continue to trust the connections they make on Facebook," he added. (LMY/SunStar Philippines)


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U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Friday announcement that it will make available an additional 65,000 H-2B temporary worker visas for FY24:
“Following months of consistent advocacy from U.S. Travel Association, these additional H-2B visas—released well ahead of the peak travel season—will provide a boost to an industry whose workforce shortage continues to exceed one million open positions.
“While this is a step forward in alleviating workforce pressures, there are 10 million job openings across the U.S., underscoring that there are not enough U.S. job seekers to meet demand. A clear need exists to permanently expand the H-2B program, particularly to support the small and seasonal businesses that depend on temporary workers.
“U.S. Travel thanks the Department of Homeland Security for releasing the supplemental H-2B visas and calls on lawmakers to more urgently seek bipartisan solutions to permanently expand this program.”
U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.3 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for more information.


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Sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks posted a 5.8 percent increase in June on strong performances by Classes 4, 5 and 6, as reported by WardsAuto.
Class 6 deliveries led all groups, jumping 58.9 percent last month due to triple-digit percentage increases by Ford, Peterbilt and class-leader Daimler. Class 8 was the only declining group in June, down 5.4 percent as about half of its manufacturers posted declines, according to WardsAuto.
International’s 23.2 percent drop was the steepest, with Volvo Truck’s namesake brand close behind, down 22.5 percent, WardsAuto reported.
Freightliner again made Daimler the leading Class 8 manufacturer in June, with sales climbing 20.2 percent compared with like-2012. Daimler sold 6,143 units in total last month, the publication reported.


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We really think that it will help us to continue to serve the residents of Houston and its surrounding areas, offering them the best workout and the best member experience.
HOUSTON, TX (PRWEB) May 19, 2015
At the beginning of the month, Dynamic Fitness updated its website for a better user experience and to be more reflective of the fitness company’s offerings.
"We are very proud of our new and improved website; we feel that it truly represents who we are and what we have to offer our members,” said CEO Jared Williams.
Numerous features have been added, from daily class schedules and more detailed class descriptions to a news feed with regular updates.
Members can now learn more about the club’s personal training program, get to know the trainers, and even request personal training sessions all online.
Prospective members can take a Google Street View-like virtual tour of the facilities offered, navigating the gym space simply by moving their cursors.
And people interested in joining the Dynamic Fitness team can learn more about opportunities in the new career sections.
The website has also been divided into separate sections for the SugarLand, Pearland and Post Oak locations. A new website will also be launching later this month for the soon to open Energy Corridor Location.
A major focus of the redesign was making the website mobile friendly. The layout is now more similar to an app (although iPhone and Android Dynamic Fitness apps are both available as well). “The easier we can make the website to navigate for the user, the better,” Williams commented.
The company isn’t done with its overhaul, either; soon it will be uploading some videos so prospective members can see visual examples of what they’ll get in the fitness club’s programs.
“We look forward to being able to better interact with our members through our website,” Williams concluded. “We really think that it will help us to continue to serve the residents of Houston and its surrounding areas, offering them the best workout and the best member experience.”
About Dynamic Fitness
Dynamic Fitness aims to be the leading fitness provider in the communities it serves and will be opening its fourth location in the Houston Energy Corridor in mid-August of 2015. The new Barker Cypress Energy Corridor facility will be located off I-10, in Katy. Their amenities, spread out through 25,000 sq. feet facilities, include tanning, free weight areas, swimming pools, group training programs, and more, in addition to convenient open hours. To learn more about Dynamic Fitness and to view offerings by location, please visit http://www.thedynamicfitness.com


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This seems to be a season of last mile hurdles. Whether it’s Walmart-Flipkart
deal, Tata-Thyssenkrupp joint venture or Air India disinvestment, there’s more than a common thread joining them. In all three cases, investors and stakeholders have questioned the viability of the business plan just when everything looked done. Also in all three, there are suggestions to restructure and renegotiate, for very different reasons of course. The outcome will depend on the willingness of the businesses (in Walmart-Flipkart
and Tata-Thyssenkrupp deals) and the government (for Air India stake sale) to go that extra mile.
went ahead and announced its decision to buy a controlling stake in Flipkart
for $16 billion, making shareholders angry over what they believe is an excessively expensive deal, and now Competition Commission of India
(CCI) is examining if the transaction should be restructured. The proposed Tata-Thyssenkrupp JV is stuck as workers and investors say they are unconvinced about such a partnership. And, German steel major Thyssenkrupp is wanting to renegotiate the deal with Tata
Steel. In the case of Air India, the government braved the odds by inviting expression of interest despite no investor interest due to lack of business viability, and the result was zero bids. Officials, who had hoped bidders would queue up and were disappointed to find none as the deadline went past, have now indicated that the government would revive the effort to sell the national carrier, this time without retaining even a minority stake.
So, this is action time for all those facing a last mile hurdle. Tatas would undoubtedly do all it takes, including multiple trips by executives and bankers to Germany, to finalise a JV with Thyssenkrupp and create Europe’s second largest steelmaker after Lakshmi Mittal's ArcelorMittal.
The outcome will depend on the level of resistance by workers and investors and how much Tatas would renegotiate. The deal, which looked like a job done last September, is in reality far from that as things emerge.
According to reports, in August 2017, Tata
Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran
flew to Duisburg and Essen in Germany to meet the founding families of Thyssen and Krupp for the mega merger that was being negotiated for more than two years. After the MoU between the two in September 2017, Chandrasekaran had said, “the Tata
Group and Thyssenkrupp have a strong heritage in the global steel industry and share similar culture and values.” He had also said that the proposed JV in Europe was based on very strong fundamentals. Something has changed in between, revealing the last mile cracks.
The activity around Air India disinvestment is no less. But it looks less convincing. High-level meetings are being planned and advisors are doing their post mortem of why there were no takers for Air India. But the government and businesses are still not on the same page. The overall sense is that even if the bid conditions are relaxed, aviation majors are unlikely to come running for the government’s next go at Air India disinvestment ahead of the 2019 General Elections. Businesses have to be ready to bid, they are not right now, those in the know say.
In the case of the Walmart-Flipkart deal, nothing could have looked more firm a month ago. The top management of the biggest retail chain of the world were in India making announcements, meeting the media and interacting with the employees of the acquired company - Flipkart. Walmart
has also told the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US that the deal would be completed by end of this year. The mood was upbeat then. Nobody would have imagined at that point that CCI
would have any issue with the Walmart-Flipkart deal.
If sources are to be believed, it was Amazon that pulled out from its deal talks with Flipkart as such a transaction would have indeed faced a CCI
But those aware of the developments say CCI
may have detected gaps in the Walmart
filings with the fair trade regulator. It's tough to say how Walmart may respond if it was told to change the structure of the deal. But such a verdict from CCI may give hope to angry Walmart shareholders looking for an escape route after a pricey deal. Investors and Flipkart stakeholders wouldn't find it funny though, if Walmart returns to the table for renegotiating the deal value or if it decides to come into the Indian online market on its own without any partnership burden. Thoughts go back to October 2013 when Walmart and Sunil Mittal’s Bharti group had ended their much celebrated partnership, and the American chain has operated on its own ever since then in the cash and carry space in India.


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The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority CMA said on Wednesday it decided that the proposed merger between SSE Retail (SSE) and Npower can proceed, following a thorough review.
Perth-based energy giant SSE said last November it agreed to demerge its household energy and services business in Great Britain with Innogy subsidiary Npower to form a new listed UK company.
The merger will create Britain’s second-largest retail power provider, with a roughly 23% market share – behind Centrica’s British Gas with 27%.
It would also reduce the “Big Six” power providers to five.
SSE and Npower combined will have roughly 11.5 million customers, behind British Gas which has more than 14 million customer accounts.
Innogy will hold 34.4% of the combined retail company while SSE will demerge its stake of 65.6% to its shareholders.
A group of independent CMA panel members investigated how the merger would affect householders.
The group specifically examined competition concerns around how the deal would impact “standard variable tariff” (SVT) prices.
“Following a period of consultation, the CMA has decided to clear the merger after finding that SSE and Npower are not close rivals for customers on these tariffs,” said the CMA.
Anne Lambert, chair of the inquiry group, said: “With many energy companies out there, people switching away from expensive standard variable tariffs will still have plenty of choice when they shop around after this merger.
“But we know that the energy market still isn’t working well for many people who don’t switch, so we looked carefully at how the merger would affect SVT prices.
“Following a thorough investigation and consultation, we are confident that SSE and Npower are not close rivals for these customers and so the deal will not change how they set SVT prices.”
The CMA found that the number of people switching energy provider is the highest in a decade and the proportion on SVTs has fallen, with customers usually switching to a cheaper, non-VT, tariff.
However, as those who do not switch are usually on one of the large energy suppliers’ already expensive SVTs, the CMA carefully examined whether the merger would change how larger suppliers set these prices.
It found that SVT prices are mainly driven by changing wholesale costs, but the large energy suppliers take account of each other’s tariff changes when choosing the size and timing of their own.
The CMA added: “Bad publicity from being the first to increase charges or make bigger increases means more of their customers switch away.
“The CMA therefore carefully considered whether a reduction in the number of large suppliers would encourage larger or earlier tariff changes.
“It found that in this case SSE and Npower do not pay special attention to each other, consistent with the evidence that they are not close rivals for customers, who instead prefer to move to other suppliers.
“Therefore, the merger is not expected to have a significant impact on SVT pricing.”


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QUOTE said:Microsoft has reached agreement with European Union anti-trust regulators to allow European users a choice of web browsers.
The accord ends 10 years of dispute between the two sides.
Over that time, the EU imposed fines totalling 1.68bn euros ($2.44bn, £1.5bn).
The European Commission said Microsoft's legally binding agreement ended the dispute and averted a possible fine for the company.
The Commission's concern was that the US computer giant may have broken competition rules by bundling its Internet Explorer web browser with its dominant Windows operating system.
Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said: "Millions of European consumers will benefit from this decision by having a free choice about which web browser they use."
Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith said the company was "embarking on a path that will require significant change".
"Nevertheless, we believe that these are important steps that resolve these competition law concerns," he added.
Ms Kroes said Microsoft's pledge was an incentive for web browser companies to innovate and offer better browsers in the future.
Internet Explorer is used by more than half of global internet users, with Mozilla's Firefox at about 32% and Norway's Opera with 2%.
It was the minnow operator, Opera, that brought the latest complaint about browsers in 2007.
The company's chief executive, Jon von Tetzchner, agreed the move would boost innovation.
"This is a victory for the future of the web. This decision is also a celebration of open web standards, as these shared guidelines are the necessary ingredients for innovation."
Nevertheless, we believe that these are important steps that resolve these competition law concerns."
Microsoft's commitments on web browsers will be valid in the European Economic Area for five years.
In preliminary findings released in January, the European Commission said Microsoft "may have infringed" a European Treaty by "abusing its dominant market position" by bundling the company's web browser with its Windows PC operating system.
In July, Microsoft proposed a consumer choice screen that allowed users to pick from a number of different browsers.
The Commission then asked Microsoft to improve the choice screen, which it has now done.
In 2004, the EU fined Microsoft and forced it to offer a version of its Windows operating system without Microsoft's own media player.
The company was also told to give rivals more information about how Windows works, so they could make their own software integrate better with the operating system.
Microsoft appealed against the decision but lost its case in 2007.
There remain, though, unresolved areas of dispute between the two parties. Although here, too, progress has been made.
Microsoft has submitted an improved version of undertakings it made in July on interoperability.
These are designed to address EU concerns about improving the compatibility of third-party products with several Microsoft ones, such as Windows and Microsoft Office.
The Commission welcomed this move too, but said it would monitor its impact on the market. Any findings would be taken into account in a pending anti-trust investigation on interoperability, it said.
To give you some idea of the acctual market browser share - though most of these I assume would be those not too familiar with the internet, as most here seem to use Firefox;
Oh Opera, we love you and hope you grow!


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The Netherlands is a gateway to Europe and the Dutch economy depends ond the trade flows of also horticultural produce. However, there are indications that the airfreight situation from Kenya to the Netherlands, with respect to floriculture products, is not optimal. Hortiwise has therefore, with the support of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), carried out a study on airfreight in the horticulture industry.
As you might be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect on 25 May 2018 which will harmonize existing data protection legislation within the European Union. Companies have new obligations around the storing and processing of the personal data of their end users in the EU.
ProVerde bv has implemented proper measures to be GDPR compliant by 25 May 2018 and ensure your data is treated with the highest standards as laid out in the regulation.
We invite you to have a look at our updated Privacyverklaring ProVerde bv (in Dutch).
The Jordanian production of fruit and vegetables is considerable and even has room for expansion. Exports to most of its traditional markets Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Eastern Europe and Russia are under severe pressure because of closed borders, due to the Syrian crisis. Alternatives to reach the Eastern European and Russian markets, aren’t competitive or couldn’t be realised so far. Exports to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are rising but cannot compensate all losses. For exports to high end markets, such as EU / EFTA, the sector doesn’t have the capacity yet. Continue reading
Last Thursday CBI organised its first webinar to present the findings of a tailored intelligence study on the market for tropical flowers from Colombia in the Middle East.
The Centre for the Promotion of Import from developing countries (CBI) has asked Milco Rikken from ProVerde to conduct this study especially to provide the Colombian tropical flower companies in CBI’s export coaching program with information on possible export markets for their products, outside of Europe. To increase this trade, market intelligence is needed on promising markets, market channels and segments, buyer requirements and tips for finding buyers.
CBI organised this webinar together with one of its project partners Procolombia. The webinar was a way to reach flower companies in different locations in Colombia all at once. Around 30 companies attended the webinar and were able to ask their questions about the study. Continue reading
If you are living in the Netherlands and you’d like to give your career a performance boost, then this might be of interest.
This fall, a new series of Masterclasses for starting managers and anybody with aspiration for a management career is organised by the team of High Performance Training. The new 5-step training programme consists of five one-day Masterclasses (in English) which will boost your professional performance.
The highly recommended and reasonably priced Masterclasses by High Performance Training are always characterised by a very hands-on and interactive approach. It will give you practical tools and solutions that you can apply directly in your working environment.
Colombia is one of the leading players in the international market for cut flowers. The lion’s share of its flowers are exported to the United States (about 75%), with other markets such as Russia, Japan and various European countries taking less than a quarter. Despite the country’s efforts to differentiate its products and comply with international social and environmental standards, Colombian exports of cut flowers to Europe have been stagnant for decades. Continue reading
The European flower industry is increasingly realising the full impact of effective cold chain management – and the risks of deficiencies in this key area. Better cold chain management, to them, means higher quality, less risk, less waste and more profit. Demand for cold chain protocols and service level agreements is growing. Particular supermarkt chains, whose role will continue to grow, are doing tests and developing new and higher standards themselves. They are changing the very nature of flower trading by introducing closed supply chains involving just the growers and themselves. Continue reading
Orientation workshop about internal and external customer handling was undertaken by CBI for EHPEA member farms at EHPEA headquarters on June 11 and 12, 2015.
The workshop has an objective of enabling farm production and postharvest managers to understand the marketing trend of floriculture and their customers’ behavior. Experiences from the EU market have also been discussed along with practical exercises.
Representatives from various farm clusters like Braam, Ethio-Passion, Desa Plants, Ethio-Agriceft, Marginpar, Tal Flowers, Roshanara, Joytech, Olij Roses, Gunna Flowers, Minaye Flowers, Freesia and Enyi Ethiopia were in attendance.
Source: EHPEA News
Shocked at the fact 750 million stems are grown in the UK with the majority going into the supermarkets and very few making it to the skilled hands of the British florists, FloraBritains farmers have joined forces to put an end to this.
The charm of British flowers is their seasonal availability, only blooming at certain times of the year then blessing us with their presence. Many varieties such as Tulips, Stocks and Sweet Williams are currently in season, yet just around the corner you can expect an abundance of varieties such as Peonies, alliums and Sunflowers who are all currently battling the Great British weather to flower and fight for our attention.
The current resurgence in British flowers means that the demand for home grown blooms has never been greater, consumers are actively seeking fresh British Produce and until now there has not been a way for florists to meet their customers demands.
Satisfied customers and optimised profits are within the reach of every player in fresh flower supply chains around the world. The key is uncompromising cold chain management. FlowerWatch, in cooperation with Hortiwise, has developed a method of using that key to perfection.
The result: optimised supply chains, guaranteed vase life or shelf life extension by several days, satisfied customers, an improved branch image and, of course, maximum profitability.


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The Galaxy S8 won’t have the Bixby Voice Assistant at launch according to Samsung who has reportedly issued a statement that says the voice assistant won’t be available on the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ until later in the Spring. While Spring has already started and the Galaxy S8 is launching officially soon, “launching later in the Spring” means it could end up launching just before the Summer starts which is still a couple of months away.
To clarify, Bixby itself as a piece of software will be launching with both devices, and Samsung has already confirmed this when they announced Bixby officially alongside both of their new flagships back in March. While the voice control service won’t launch until a little bit later, users who purchase either the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S8+ will still be able to use Bixby to set reminders, and Bixby Vision as well as Bixby Home will also be accessible right from the start, so most of what Samsung had planned for Bixby in terms of functionality won’t be held back. Having said that though, Bixby Voice is the most functional part and the biggest part of the A.I. software and could very well be the portion that users were most excited for.
Samsung doesn’t explain the reasoning for holding this part of Bixby back and simply mentioned that it would be arriving later in the Spring, as mentioned above, so users will just have to sit and wait until Samsung believes it’s ready to push to consumers. It’s also been reported that the Spring-time launch of Bixby Voice will only be for U.S.-based consumers of Samsung’s latest smartphones and there is no word on when Samsung plans to roll the same feature out to other consumers across the globe. Bixby Voice is the part of the software that will enable users to control things by simply speaking to Bixby. So, if users want to initiate tasks or send messages and such, they’ll have to wait to use Bixby for this purpose, at least for now. Once Bixby Voice is ready for the public, Samsung will be be sending the feature out to users through a software update.


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An image on the current promotion of McDonald’s Happy Meals confirms that a Pokemon promotion is coming to the UK on 19 May 2021.
In February, McDonald’s in North America launched a Pokemon TCG promotion including the 24 starters and Pikachu from all generations of Pokemon.
This promotion led to an influx in scalping with cases of the packs selling for huge amounts on eBay and children unable to get toys with their Happy Meal purchases.
An image shared on social media shows that McDonald’s UK will be implementing a “Fair Ordering Policy” where customers can only purchase one additional toy alongside the purchase of a Happy Meal. This is to try and combat bulk purchasing for resale benefits as seen when this promotion launched in the United States.
The photo also confirms that the promotion will run from 19 May to 8 June 2021.
We can now reveal the toys that will be packaged in the Happy Meals releasing 19 May 2021 in the UK. These will be on a one per order basis with the ability to purchase 1 extra per happy meal in accordance with the “fair ordering policy” revealed last month.
John-Anthony Disotto – Ludkins Media Editor-in-Chief


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Volkswagen’s “dieselgate” keeps going relentlessly deeper down the hole as Reuters reports Spanish automaker, SEAT, also owned and operated by Volkswagen Group, produced around 700,000 cars affected by the company’s illegal software with the 2.0L TDI mill.
The “defeat device” that enabled the cars to pass emissions tests by cheating on them was found to be equipped to those 700,000 examples out of the full lot of 11 million cars affected under Volkswagen’s portfolio.
With the latest tallies, the other 11 million consists of around 5 million Volkswagen models, 2.1 million Audi models, and about 1.2 TDI-powered Skodas. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise since Volkswagen owns both SEAT and Skoda and the current models produced by both brands are essentially heavily reengineered versions of certain preexisting Audi and Volkswagen cars.
– By: Chris Chin