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Thursday, April 29, 2010
It didn't take long for Beijing Automotive Industries Company (BAIC) to start making use of the old 9-3 and 9-5 tooling it bought from Saab last fall. After grafting on a new nose and taillights, both have been reborn as the C60 and C71.
It's not clear what's propelling the regular versions of these two reworked Saabs, however, there was a second ex-9-5 on display dubbed the C71EV. That version had a battery pack inserted into the floor and featured what BAIC was labeling as a fast battery switch system (ala Better Place).
The sign next to car claims a 90-mile range, but we think that's highly optimistic given the size of the sedan and the comparatively small battery pack. Of course, that's assuming this is actually a functional car.
The Beijing Motor Show is well under way, and Honda is showing off a new concept slated for the Chinese market. Called the Li Nian Everus, the car is the fruit of a partnership between the Japanese automaker and its Chinese partner, Guangqi Honda Automobile. We don't have too many details on the sedan other than the fact that at this point, it's nothing more than a concept.
Judging by the renderings, we're tempted to guess this thing has more than a little Civic DNA swimming around in its blood stream, though it looks like Honda raided the Acura design department for the car's less-than-traditional nose and rear-end.
Speaking of the Civic, it would make some sense if Honda swapped a little sheet metal and called it a day. Honda's compact is sold under the Dongfeng Honda banner, leaving Guangqi Honda Automobile without a comparable model. Our guess is that when the Everus comes to market, it will be slightly more upscale and boast more standard niceties than its sibling.
Measuring approximately 17.5 feet long, the 2011 Audi A8 L W12 is certainly quite grandioso. And while the 500-horsepower 12-cylinder engine and new eight-speed automatic transmission are certainly nothing to sneeze at, what's most impressive about the long-wheelbase A8 is the rear seat accommodations. Holy mackerel.
You want gobs of leather, a full-length center console, heated and cooled seats that massage you as well as a folding ottoman for premium comfort? You got it. The A8 L's 122.9-inch wheelbase means there's tons of legroom (duh), and we're seriously eager to get some R&R time in the back of this luxury barge.
As impressive of a vehicle as the seminal Volkswagen Phaeton may have been, the uber-luxe German sedan was an unqualified flop of an experiment here in the United States. In some other parts of the world, though, VW's BMW and Mercedes-Benz (not to mention VW-owned Audi) competitor is still going strong.
Hence, VW has seen fit to give the Phaeton a mild update for the 2011 model year, and it tellingly used the Beijing Motor Show as the platform to reveal its top-shelf sedan. In case you missed the exterior changes, take a closer look at the front and rear fascias, where you'll find tighter lines and new LED lighting.
It's inside the cabin where the Phaeton gets the bulk of its improvements. Included in the refresh is VW's latest navigation technology, along with a helpful seeing-eye camera that can monitor speed limit and no passing signs and inform lazy drivers of the data. There is also a lane-departure system that keeps the car between the proper lines and Dynamic Light Assist that adjusts the headlights to keep from blinding oncoming traffic.
Powertrain options remain the same as before, with a 450-horsepower 6.0-liter W12 engine taking top billing over a 335-hp 4.2-liter V8 and a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out 280 ponies. Finally, those looking to save a few bucks at the pump can opt for a 3.0-liter diesel V6.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
MG has its eyes set on the juicy Chinese small hatch segment, and the company's first crack at the market debuted in the form of Zero Concept at this year's Beijing Motor Show. At shave over 13 feet long, the pint-sized five-door is designed to offer up more style than space. MG says the vehicle was penned by Anthony Williams, the brand's British director of design, and offers drivers a unique interior loaded with your standard concept-tech. The Zero boasts a floating center console, complete with touch screen controls, as well as some kind of communication system on the rear of the vehicle. Yeah, we don't get that part, either.
MG hasn't said much about the vehicle's details, including powerplant options, fuel economy or when we might expect to see a production version crop up. While we aren't exactly smitten with the car's nose, the rest of the design would do well in a segment dominated by the drab. Though concrete information is suspiciously absent at the moment, the company says the Zero should be a clear indication of where the brand is headed in the coming years.
As promised, Geely brought its Englon TXN to this year's Beijing Motor Show. In the flesh, the intended successor to London's black cab throne looks more than capable of hauling drunken tourists from place to place. The car appears to have stuck pretty close to the renderings we saw earlier this month, though we have to say the exterior looks quite a bit better under the show lights than it did photoshopped among England's various landmarks.
The company also displayed its TX4 – a more spacious version also built just for taxi duty. Both cars are motivated by either a 2.4-liter gasoline engine mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox or a 2.5-liter diesel powerplant that can be had with a five-speed manual transmission. So far Geely hasn't released any power numbers.
We do know that the cars will command a price tag that should fall in the $30,500 range at current exchange rates – not exactly cheap by anyone's standards. Will British taxi companies will be willing to give up their old rides for these new, Chinese-built examples? Hard telling, but at least they look the part.
The shooting break (yes, it's 'break,' not 'brake', according to M-B's marketers) design isn't something new – we've seen it before in smaller vehicles like the original BMW Z3 M Coupe. Today, though, Mercedes-Benz takes the shooting break concept one step further with the addition of two rear doors and a healthy dose of next-generation style. It's the CLS Shooting Break Concept, folks. Think of this as the four-door coupe for the wagon segment.
The exterior design is awash with swoopy shapes that mimic both coupe and hatchback/wagon elements. Full LED headlamps and sharp 20-inch wheels round off the whole outside package, and if we're honest, we really like it.
Under the hood lies a direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 capable of producing 306 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque (the exact same output as a Cadillac CTS, for what it's worth). Mercedes-Benz hasn't released estimates, but the automaker says that the concept car "sets new standards among the competition in terms of fuel consumption."
While Chrysler has failed to find a way to update or replace the retro-styled PT Cruiser, we can definitely see this as a forthcoming replacement to the Chevrolet HHR. The Volt MPV5 is slightly larger than HHR, but fills a similar market niche. While Chevrolet hasn't announced a firm production commitment, it wouldn't be surprising to see the MPV5 built in both conventional and ER-EV forms to help jack up GM's light truck CAFE numbers. The roomy interior will likely find a bigger audience than the smaller Volt while still yielding a 32 mile electric range, and if we had to guess, we'd see the Orlando-inspired plug-in EV hit the market by 2013.
As we were checking out the new Ford Start concept at the Beijing Motor Show, we ran into the head of Ford's advanced studio in California, Freeman Thomas, and the mini car's lead exterior designer, Jeff Nield.
According to Nield, he wanted to create a vehicle that retained elements of Ford's "Kinetic Design" language while at the same time create something more subdued, able to stand apart from the noise surrounding the show. Thus the Start has a cleaner simpler shape that's slightly more serious than past concepts. Nield mentioned the Mini and how it's always had a cute, happy demeanor about it. He wanted to create something different – a thing of beauty injected with very natural, organic elements.
Thomas explained that the designers wanted to experiment with a hybrid construction consisting of a mix of aluminum, high strenght steel and composites. This allowed the creation of a very open, airy cockpit, with thin pillars for good visibility, while also providing occupants a feeling of safety with the high belt line.
One of the more interesting interior details is the monorail front seat tracks that have the thrones on a central pedestal, thus increasing foot room for rear passengers. There are no production plans for any of this right now, but some of the ideas could shine a light on where to go next – and that turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder is definitely finding its way to market.
Four-door coupes are nothing new these days, what with vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Volkswagen CC proving that these stylish sedans do, in fact, have a place in the automotive world. What's more, Audi's swoopy A7 is nearing its final stages of development, and higher-end coupe-sedans like the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera have indeed caught our attention in recent months. BMW is now jumping on that train, and the automaker has officially debuted its Concept Gran Coupé at this year's Beijing Motor Show.
Strip away the rear doors, and the design of the Gran Coupé is awfully close to what we'll see on the next-generation 6 Series. The sporty, flat design of the concept is really stunning, and BMW points out that the Gran Coupé is actually 100 millimeters (four inches) flatter than both the 5 and 7 Series sedans. Combine that with frameless doors and LED lighting all around and what we have here is a rather stunning design.
BMW is one of the only luxury automakers not currently participating in the four-door coupe niche market, and we won't be surprised if a production version of the Gran Coupé hits the streets within the next couple of years. Even so, we're interested to see how this new design language influences the rest of the automaker's portfolio, even beyond the 6 Series.
Hyundai's fluidic sculpture design language has now spread to the smallest vehicle in its lineup, and the new sub-compact slated to take the place of the aging Accent was unwrapped on the floor of the Beijing Motor Show. We've been seeing spy shots of the next generation Accent for some time and it very clearly follows the same design path as its big brother the Sonata.
The little sedan, badged the Verna outside the U.S., has the same rounded coupe-like greenhouse and rising crease up the sides. Inside the Verna/Accent definitely has a more attractive, higher-quality feel than the current model, although calling it up-scale would be slightly disingenuous. We'll have to wait and see what kind materials the North American model gets before making a decision.
Power is slated to come from either a 1.4- or 1.6-liter inline-four, producing 106 horsepower and 120 hp, respectively, with a standard five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed automatic. Expect the U.S. version to come packing the larger four-pot when it goes on sale early next year.
The rumored extended range electric crossover we saw revealed in General Motors' design patent drawings is now a reality. The Chevrolet Volt MPV5 concept will make its debut tomorrow at the Beijing Motor Show, and just as we suspected from seeing Volt design chief Bob Boniface's name on the patent, this five-passenger crossover rides on the same Voltec architecture as the Volt.
The new Chevrolet concept integrates design elements from the Volt, including the headlight, taillamps and grille, with a five-door hatch body style very similar to the larger Orlando and a length about four inches longer than the current HHR.
Propulsion comes from the same 150 horsepower engine and 16 kilowatt-hour battery used in the Volt. However, its larger frontal area and increased drag mean that this one only has a 32-mile electric range as opposed to the Volt's 40 miles. The Crossover has full seating for five and 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats. The dashboard appears to be lifted directly from the Volt, including the dual LCD displays. We wouldn't be at all surprised to see this as the second Voltec product in the GM North American lineup. If built, this would likely be classed as a light truck and do wonders for GM's CAFE numbers on that side of the business.
[Source: General Motors]
The fact that Ferrari chose Beijing as the official coming out party for its fastest ever front-engined road car is a clear signal of the importance of this market to the crew from Maranello. Whatever the reasons, we're always happy to finally get our first glimpse of the new 599 GTO, a proper Ferrari if there ever was one.
Only 599 GTOs are scheduled to be built and the entire run is reported to be sold out. However, we're pretty sure that anyone with the correct financial wherewithal will find a way to park one in their garage. And there's even bigger news about the 599 GTO's Nürburgring lap time. Stay tuned...
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Volvo and Polestar are set to clearly bare the C30 Polestar Performance Concept Prototype this weekend. Designed to be an exercise in what would appear if a chase aggregation was accustomed to do what they do best after the accountability of a authoritative anatomy looming over them, the abandoned bear is about as far from what's accessible at your bounded Volvo banker as you can get.
The abject C30 gets its ability from a 2.5-liter, 227-horsepower turbocharged five-cylinder, and the Polestar adaptation bumps that aforementioned comminute up to a adorable 405 ponies acknowledgment to a beyond turbo, massive intercooler and custom internals. The pistons, abutting rods and camshaft are all different units body aloof for the project.
The Haldex all-wheel drive arrangement stays in place, admitting automated differentials, advanced and rear, accept been adapted to add a little ascendancy to the chaos. Polestar additionally alone in a quick-ratio council arbor and an Ohlins suspension. Brake assignment gets handled by ballsy Brembo six-piston calipers up advanced and four-piston units out back.
Chrysler just released its first financial report since emerging from bankruptcy last year. The company announced that while it's still operating at a net loss of around $197 million, it somehow managed to create $1.5 billion in cash during the first three months of 2010. That cash, along with an additional $7.4 billion from past cash reserves, went toward putting a dent in the company's remaining debt.
The smallest of the Big Three also managed to increase its market share one percent compared to the last three months of 2009. What's more, it produced a whopping 56 percent more vehicles in North America from January to March than it did during the same period last year, despite seeing sales decline by 5.3 percent. That bump in production is largely thanks to the fact that Chrysler idled many of its plants through 2009.
The company says that despite the loss, it's still on track to meet its goals and return to profitability by the end of this year. That's due to the fact that revenue increased by around $300 million from the fourth quarter of 2009 to the first quarter of 2010 and that the company is continuing to reduce its debt. At the same time, a rash of new models, including the long awaited 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be hitting the market soon.
[Source: Chrysler via Freep]
Much like parent company Hyundai, Kia has been working hard to revive its brand image. New products like the Soul and Forte have been relatively well received so far, and with new stunners like the 2011 Sportage and Optima on the way, Kia should benefit from a healthy boost in sales. But strip away the sleek new designs and clever interior packaging, and you'll find that Kia's core value of crafting extremely safe vehicles is still holding strong, especially now that the 2010 Forte sedan has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Forte received ratings of "Good" (the highest achievable) in front, side, rear and rollover impact crash tests – something that safety-minded buyers will surely appreciate. What's more, this gives the Forte more ammo to compete head on with the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, its two main competitors, which have also been dubbed as Top Safety Picks by IIHS. Curiously, only the sedan was mentioned in the IIHS study, so we can't say if this prestigious honor carries over to the two-door coupe Koup.
One of the last details concerning the Volkswagen Amarok, its price in euros, has been filled in: €26,203, or $35,260 U.S. in the ever misleading straight-up conversion from euros to dollars. Subtracting the 19 percent duty folded into that price in Germany, you're still left spending €21,224, or $28,555 U.S. That's what you call "Holy smokes!"
If we want to make the admittedly difficult attempt to put some context around that without diving into European taxes and price structures, let's take the Golf. The most basic two-door version is €16,650, or $22,399 U.S. Subtract that 19 percent duty and you're at €13,487, which is $18,144. That matches up quite nicely with the U.S. price for the base two-door model: $17,620.
Back to that bog-standard Amarok – at $28,555, you're just a grand short of a Ford F-150 XL Super Cab, which decimates the 122-horsepower Amarok in everything but gas mileage. By the time you get to the Amarok in Highline trim, you're up to 163 hp and you've added four-wheel-drive, but you've also got a €37,169 ($50,022 U.S.) bill before taxes and fees. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why there will be zero VW Amaroks sold in these fifty states. For the rest of you, start saving.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The moment Lexus GX owners have been waiting for since Consumer Reports first blacklisted the SUV last week has finally arrived – Toyota has recalled the vehicle. According to The Detroit News, the Japanese manufacturer will announce the move later this afternoon, and the recall is expected to cover around 5,000 vehicles currently on the road. As expected, Lexus dealers will install new traction control software to correct potentially dangerous handling characteristics.
Last week, Consumer Reports branded the Lexus GX with its infamous "Do Not Buy" rating after the vehicle failed a standard test. During hard downhill braking, the traction control would allow the vehicle's rear-end to step out much farther than normal. On a public road, CR says, that could lead to a rollover.
The GX recall joins a flurry of others that have cropped up over the past few months. From stuck accelerators to rusting frames and corroding spare tire carrier cables, Toyota has had to deal with one problem after another. At least this time the company acted swiftly enough to comply with department of transportation regulations. The carmaker recently agreed to pay a $16.4 million fine for failing to recall 2.3 million vehicles in a timely enough fashion.
*UPDATED: Official Toyota press release added after the jump. 9,400 Lexus GX 460 units recalled.
[Source: The Detroit News]
A couple of weeks ago, we reported that Zagato was planning to unveil a new Alfa Romeo at the upcoming Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Now the stoic Italian carrozzeria has released the first teaser image (above) and initial details of what it has in store for us.
The TZ3 Corsa follows in the footsteps of the original Alfa TZ and TZ2, drawing on some 90 years of collaboration between the two companies and commemorating Alfa's centenary. It's based on a carbon fiber tubular chassis overlaid with a lightweight aluminum body. But instead of a show car like the Pininfarina 2uettottanta and the Bertone Pandion that bowed in Geneva, the TZ3 Corsa is a full-on competition machine, commissioned by an unidentified German gentleman racer.
The overhead view looks strikingly similar to the 8C Competizione upon which it's based, and Zagato has released a handful of images of its historic Alfa racers to mark the occasion. The most prestigious of open-air auto shows takes place this year from April 23-25, so stay tuned for more details.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Audi is pulling out its biggest gun yet for the Beijing Motor Show, and while the big news for the A8 L might be the 6.3-liter W12 and the sedan's longer wheelbase, it's the rear seat accommodations that have us frothing at the mouth.
Seriously, just look at it.
With an overall length of nearly 17 and a half feet, the A8 L is almost a half-foot longer than its standard sibling, with a wheelbase of 10.24 feet. Those extra inches are put to good effect, with an interior that's enough to make a Maybach look downright spartan.
Open the lengthened rear doors and occupants are greeted by acres of leather, a full-length center console and two power-adjustable, heated and ventilated seats that not only move fore and aft, but include adjustments for cushion depth, lumbar support and seat back angle. Ten remote-controlled air-bladders massage your cares away, and if the front passenger seat – with its power-adjustable folding ottoman – cramps your style, you can move it forward with the flick of a switch.
The standard four-zone automatic climate control is manipulated by no less than 25 adjustable motors, and the massive center tunnel contains everything from a folding table to a refrigerator. It's all first-class, from the ambient lighting to the Valonea leather, and when the time comes to put the laptop away, crank up the 1,400-watt, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System and enjoy a movie on one of the two 10.2-inch LCD displays.
If you're ready to give your chauffeur a rest, take solace in the fact that the W12 puts out 500 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque through Audi's new eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. The result is a remarkably quick 4.9-second run to 60 and a electrically-limited top speed of 155 mph.
The W12 will be the standard engine at launch, with a few diesel and petrol-powered engines available further down the line. We'd expect pricing for the A8 L to be revealed shortly after its official debut later this month.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Ladies and Gents, say hello to the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Then say goodbye. Because although Alfa Romeo says this car is slated to reach "all major markets," apparently that doesn't include North America.
Following its public unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show last month, Alfa has finally released full details and a whole slew of photos of the new five-door sport-hatch. And whether it makes it Stateside or not, this stands to be a pivotal, make-it or break-it product for the stoic Italian marque that celebrates its centenary this year.
Aside from this being a new Alfa – which is reason enough for many to sit up and pay attention – what you're looking at here is Italy's chief contender for the coveted Ford Focus/Volkswagen Golf segment. And quite a contender it is, from the looks of things.
The Giulietta is the second new vehicle Alfa has introduced to replace the long-serving 147 hatchback, joining the three-door MiTo in anchoring the brand's range while reviving a classic nameplate for the marque. Stylistically, it's also the third model to follow the company's newest design direction, following the lead set by the flagship 8C Competizione and the aforementioned MiTo. And while the styling may have lost some fans in its transition from supercar to supermini, it appears to translate better to the Giulietta's longer frame better.
The interior likewise draws its inspiration from the 8C Competizione, particularly around the dashboard. Despite the relatively high belt-line – especially in the back – the cabin has a much airier look and feel than the more cocooning MiTo, thanks in part to the expansive optional sunroof. It's also packed with all the features you'd expect of a new product from a major automaker, topped by an options list that includes Bose sound, TomTom nav and the Blue&Me connectivity system developed with Microsoft.
The tech isn't limited to the cabin, however. At launch, Alfa is offering the Giulietta with four engine options: gasoline-burning 1.4-liter turbo fours with 120 or 170 horsepower (the latter assisted by Fiat's MultiAir variable valve technology) and a pair of turbo-diesel, displacing 1.6 and 2 liters and producing 105 and 170 hp, respectively. The Quadrifoglio Verde – bearing Alfa's legendary cloverleaf badge – will follow, packing a 1.8-liter, direct-injection turbo four with 235 horsepower on tap, as will a new dual-clutch transmission. In the meantime a six-speed manual serves all four engine options.
Market-wise, the Giulietta presents a compelling case. Although its upscale stature, coveted badge and equipment list puts it squarely in league with premium hatchbacks like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, its pricing comes closer to a Golf or Focus, giving Alfa a serious contender against models in both segments.
You can read more details about the Giulietta in the press release below, and view all the high-resolution photos in the gallery. But as important a product as the new Giulietta is for Alfa Romeo and its parent company Fiat, it's also the harbinger of things to come for the brand and the rapidly expanding auto giant. The new Giulia is slated to be based on a modified version of the same platform, replacing the stylistically brilliant but dynamically flawed 159 sedan and sportwagon, to say nothing of the successor to the Brera and Spider models. Sources also expect a slew of new Chrysler models to borrow the same architecture. So whether or not the Giulietta as we see it here makes it to American shores, its platform, engines and other features almost certainly will.
According to the crew at Auto Motor und Sport, the Mazda RX-8 won't be coming back to Europe for the 2011 model year. Why? The rev-rific rotary can't pass the Euro-5 emission standards and a replacement won't arrive until 2013.
Mazda Germany exec, Joseph Alois Schmid, told AMuS that retrofitting the current engine would be too cost prohibitive and the Wankel can't adapt quickly enough to Europe's stringent emission standards.
Although a replacement is in the works – and a hydrogen version could arrive within the next few years – the next rotary mill will have to be significantly reworked to adhere to the new standards. But even a revised rotary could have problems in 2014, when the new Euro 6 emission rules take effect.
[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via TTAC]
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Audi outsold Mercedes Benz globally in the first quarter of 2010; a big deal considering it was the first time the four-ringed automaker had ever accomplished such a feat. But while Audi was finally able to pass its crosstown rival in sales, the German automaker is still longing for the title of the top luxury brand in the land.
Automotive News reports that BMW announced final Q1 sales of 265,809 vehicles, besting Audi by an anorexic 1,709 units for the three month period. BMW saw a global sales increase of 14 percent compared to the same period of 2009, buoyed by strong sales of its new X1 crossover and a 56 percent increase in 7 Series sales. BMW sales boss Ian Robertson said in a statement that the company intends to improve sales across the globe, adding, "We are back on our growth track in nearly all the automobile markets." And BMW isn't just hoping the market improves – the automaker is counting on an increase in sales courtesy of its new 5 Series lineup, which was launched overseas last month and arrives in the U.S. in June. BMW also has a refreshed 3 Series coupe and convertible on the way as well. With single digit growth, BMW intends to sell 1.3 million vehicles in 2010.
But while BMW pulled out the slimmest of victories in Q1, we're thinking Audi's performance during the first three months effectively puts its German competitors on notice. With a very good product lineup and a considerable foothold in China, Audi may well achieve its goal of becoming the largest luxury car maker on earth by 2015 a lot earlier than most people expected.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
Never underestimate the power of a nose job. After getting in hot water with Rolls-Royce for the design of its GE limousine, Geely Automobile has reworked the majority of the car into what you see above. The Chinese automaker originally unveiled the GE at the 2009 Shanghai Motor Show, and the car looked like it had raided the Spirit of Ecstasy's wardrobe before hitting the stage. The engineers at Rolls-Royce were not amused, and threatened legal action unless the car underwent serious alterations.
Presumably in response to the Rolls dust-up, Geely has fitted the GE Limousine with an all-new nose, complete with a massive baleen grille and grinning headlights. The interior has also gone under the knife, and as a result, you'll no longer find a single throne in the rear. The company has opted for a much more traditional two-bucket design out back.
Expect to see the reworked GE at this year's Beijing Auto Show, along with a total of 58 other vehicles(!) from the company's three brands.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Particularly given its performance capabilities, the Lotus Elise has always been remarkably fuel efficient. The Elise (and its hardtop Exige sibling) have long been a rolling testament to the benefits of light weight. Thanks to a new 1.6-liter, 136 horsepower inline-four and a new lower drag nose, the European-spec 2011 Elise S is now officially rated at 46.7 miles per gallon (U.S.) on the EU highway cycle, and the carbon dioxide emissions are just 149 grams per kilometer on the combined cycle.
The CO2 number makes the Elise S the cleanest gas powered sports car in the world, and all without resorting to redundant powertrain hardware like electric motors and batteries. While sipping fuel and minimizing emissions, the Elise S still promises to rip off a 0-60 mph sprint in just six seconds and handle like a dream. That's what a 1,931 pound curb weight will buy you. Alas, Americans will not be able to buy the 1.6-liter Elise S, as the entry level model here will remain a 190-hp 1.8-liter rated at 21/27 mpg by the EPA.
For the first time ever, Audi has managed to outsell Mercedes-Benz in global sales for the first quarter of 2010. Some of the European press are treating it like the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, but before we break out our Mayan calendars and go all 2012 on you, here are the hard numbers: Audi sold 264,100 vehicles worldwide between January and March while Mercedes sold 248,500 units over the same time period. For what it's worth, BMW has yet to release its final first-quarter sales figures.
Audi has repeatedly signaled its desire and intent to become the world's leading luxury car brand by 2015, which would mean passing both of its German rivals, the aforementioned Mercedes-Benz and BMW, along with Japanese automaker Lexus. Plus, Audi offers a pretty compelling lineup of vehicles with which to do battle with those formidable competitors.
According to Autocar, the biggest single contributor to Audi's passing of Mercedes-Benz is the Chinese market, where Audi sells twice as many vehicles per year as Mercedes-Benz. In fact, one out of every five Audis built is sold in China. Considering how rapidly the Chinese market is expanding, Audi is certainly finding itself in an enviable position. Time will tell if it's able to maintain that growth in the face of constant pressure from its German and Japanese rivals.
It seems the merger between Volkswagen and Porsche has been complicated since the very beginning, and a report from Reuters shows that the dynamic may not change any time soon.
First Porsche was buying the much larger VW, then Porsche got stuck in a cash crunch and needed money from Volkswagen to stave off bankruptcy. Now VW owns 49.9 percent of Porsche, and The People's Automaker expects to own the luxury sports car maker outright by 2011. Straightforward enough, right? Well, a prospectus filed by VW in late March reportedly shows that the merger between the two German automakers may be delayed until 2011 and beyond. The reason for the delay could stem from Porsche's tax liabilities and hedge fund lawsuits alleging that former executives at the German sports car maker manipulated the market in an attempt to takeover Volkswagen.
A Volkswagen spokesperson reportedly told Reuters that the companies are still moving towards a 2011 merger as planned, while a Porsche spokesperson said the warnings in VW's perspective list every possible risk and that the chances of a major problem is limited. Still, some analysts sound skeptical. The report goes on to state that Bernstein Research analyst Max Warburton said the risks associated with purchasing Porsche could force VW to pay cash for a remaining 50.1 percent stake. That would mean VW would have to raise capital and assume unwanted debt – a lot of capital and a mountain of debt.
What do you get when you start with a 599 GTB Fiorano, lose 430 pounds, add 49 horsepower and import street-legal tech from the track-only 599XX? The sum of those many marvelous parts is the 599 GTO, the fastest road-going Ferrari in the automaker's legendary history.
The folks in Maranello unleashed it's king Horse to the public earlier this week before its official unveiling next month at the Beijing Motor Show, with the promise to build precisely 599 examples carrying the venerable GTO designation. The good news is Ferrari created a vehicle configurator that lets you customize your 599 GTO to your heart's content. The bad news: at an estimated $460,000, most of us couldn't afford it.
But still, it's fun to dream, and with the hundreds of available combinations you'll have plenty of time to play. Hues for the 50s and 60s are available, along with metallic finishes, and you can choose your own seat type (racing buckets come in small, medium and large), steering wheel type, a host of available carbon fiber accents, over a dozen different interior stitching options and plenty more. Check it out and start saving your pennies for the launch later this year.
There's something special about seeing a supercar in person, and it's a once in a lifetime event to see several in the same place. It's for that reason we're big fans of supercar reunions. Last year, as part of the Monterey Classic Car Week festivities, Concorso Italiano hosted a Ferrari 288 GTO reunion as part of the car's 25th anniversary, and an incredible fifteen examples showed up, making it the largest gathering ever.
Concorso plans to outdo itself this year with another Ferrari reunion, this time with the F40. More than a dozen owners have already signed on to bring their cars, and we fully expect plenty more to be on hand come August 13th. In fact, the event organizers hope to have more than 40 examples in attendance. The F40's project director, Leonardo Fioravanti, is also scheduled to make an appearance.
If you're a big fan of the F40 or even just Italian supercars in general, then start making your plans to be in Monterey in a little over four months.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
We've seen the spy shots. We've even seen the options list. Now Ferrari has officially taken the wraps off its new performance benchmark, the 599 GTO, ahead of the car's official debut later this month at the Beijing Motor Show.
Sort of a street-legal stepping point between the production 599 GTB Fiorano and the track-only 599XX, the 599 GTO evokes the famous Gran Turismo Omologato designation made famous by the legendary 250 GTO of the 1960s and the muscle-bound 288 GTO of the 1980s. That's quite a legacy to follow, so it's a good thing the 599 GTO brings the goods.
Output from the 6.0-liter V12 – itself derived from the Enzo's engine – is up from 612 horsepower to 661, with torque up a modest 9 lb-ft to 457. Coupled with a 195 kilogram (430 lb) weight reduction program – now tipping the scales at 1495 kg (3295 lbs), the leaner and meaner 599 can sprint to 62 miles per hour from a standstill in a scant (and very specific) 3.35 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 208 mph, while lapping the Fiorano test track from which its donor's name is derived in a blitzing 1 minute, 24 seconds. That's faster than the Enzo, people.
The GTO is also treated to more aerodynamic bodywork, including a new front splitter, side sills, diffuser and rear spoiler. The vented hood is new as well, as are the ten-spoke, 20-inch rims with F1-derived wheel donuts aiding aero efficiency.
Piquing your interest yet? Don't get too excited. As the new flagship in Ferrari's range, the 599 GTO is reported to fetch a price tag approaching £300,000 overseas (equivalent to nearly $460k). Only 599 examples will be offered, which is still more than the Enzo whose performance it eclipses. Follow the jump for the official press release.
Some of you might remember Ugur Sahin. He's a designer, specializing in grand touring cars that make our mouths water. Starting with already beautiful designs, he somehow manages to make shapely Chevrolet Corvettes and Ferraris look even better. From the Corvette Z03 to the Ferrari Dino and Ferrari-599-based USD GT-S Passionata, he's created some of the most exotic and graceful shapes we've ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on.
The latest automaker to earn Sahin's attention is Aston Martin. His latest design, the Gauntlet, blends some of our favorite design cues into a wholly unique package that's simultaneously sensual and brutal. Study the images and you might see a bit of One-77 in the mix, along with a dash of DB AR1, or perhaps you are carried back to the old DB3S, a car that Ugur mentions specifically as inspiration for the Gauntlet.
There's also some Maserati GranTurismo mixed with a little Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione as well, but we're definitely not complaining. It's a terrific design that has us wishing that Aston is looking at Sahin's designs for the next DBS and V12 Vantage. For those who still lament the loss of the Vanquish, with its broad shoulders and studly swagger, this might be the car for you. It's definitely earned a spot in our dream car garage.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Its introduction was a case study in how to bungle an automotive social media campaign. Badly. It had people running for thesauruses to find new and fascinating synonyms for "ugly." Its TV campaign has something to do with jazz music and animals. And yet, for all the hubbub, hysterics and lamentations that Honda had completely lost its mind, the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour quietly showed up and began finding customers.
Last month – its best sales performance to date – 2,587 people drove the odd-looking hatchwagon home. Recently, we took delivery of our own Crosstour EX-L tester, loaded-up with all-wheel drive and navigation, to see how we felt about spending a week with Honda's latest experiment.
A mainstream hybrid that's fun to drive. That's a novel concept, to be sure, and one targeted by Honda in the marching papers of its recent CR-Z coupe, which is offered with a sporty six-speed manual gearbox and is supposed to be the spiritual successor to the much-loved CRX hatchback from the 1980s.
We've yet to drive the CR-Z and we're already questioning if the 122 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque on tap from its 1.5-liter VTEC four-cylinder with Integrated Motor Assist will be enough to qualify the car as sporty.
According to Motor Trend, though, Honda has a much sportier model waiting in the wings that would use either a V6 or a large 2.5 liter four mated up with the familiar IMA hybrid system. Citing rumors from Japan, MT says the future car will be roughly the size of the Accord coupe.
In related news, that aforementioned V6 hybrid powertrain is reportedly slated for both minivans and SUVs for the American market. Further, Honda is currently working on an extended-range electric system similar to the one featured in the 2011 Chevrolet Volt except using a capacitor-based energy storage system. If true, we can expect to see that system featured in a future Accord.
Muscle car fans and collectors take note - make sure to put June 19th down on your schedule. That's the day that RM Auctions has set to schedule off a private muscle car collection in San Diego, and more than 80 fine examples of American iron will be looking for new homes.
The auction will be highlighted by some of the performance icons of the muscle car era including an ultra rare 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88, a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 Convertible, a 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge, a 1970 Boss 429 Mustang and a pair of 1969 Camaro Z28s. The best part? All of the cars will be offered at no reserve. You can read more details about the auction in the press release after the jump or head over to RM's web site for the full list of cars up for sale.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
We've been seeing spy shots of the upcoming 6-Series Convertible for some time now, but this is the first time we've seen the hard topped version out in the streets. Well, halfway out in the street, as BMW has it all wrapped up for up for a psytrance after-party. We will tip our hats to BMW for this black and white disguise, however, as there's a slight resemblance to the Maserati 4200 GT in front, while they taped off the C-pillar ape the Z32 300ZX. That said, they're not fooling anyone.
First of all, the stuff they didn't/can't cover with camo-wheels, brakes and mirrors-all scream BMW. Especially the "Efficient Dynamics" brake kit that will charge the battery while you're slowing down. Also, the trunk is still fairly Bangled, though less so than the current car.
The engines will be coming out of the 7 Series, though probably not the vaunted 760Li's twin-turbo V12. Expect the double-scroll single turbo 3.0-liter straight six and the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8, as well as few diesel mill we won't be seeing in the States. As far as the next M6 goes, that's up in the air. Early reports indicate that BMW will be selling some manner of R8-fighter based on the Efficient Dynamics Concept, though it will probably be stuffed with a 600+ horsepower version of the BMW 262 cubic inch twin-turbo V8.
Before you get salty tears in your coffee, our spies also inform us that a four door version of the new 6 Series is expected. Something along the lines of a 650i Gran Turismo, including a hatch/trunk lid similar to the one found in the 550i GT. A model needed (apparently) to combat the upcoming Audi A7 four-door coupe. Those wacky Germans...
Well, that didn't take long, did it? We knew the new 2011 Ford Focus RS500 would move fast, but not quite this fast. Powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder that produces 345 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, Ford's hottest hatch one-ups even the already bonkers Focus RS with its piddly 305 horsepower and 325 lb-ft. Considering that the RS is capable of a 0-62 mile per hour sprint of under six seconds and a top speed of 163 mph, the RS500 should clock in around 5.6 seconds.
What we didn't expect was the fact that the RS500 would sell so quickly. With their matte black paint, 19-inch wheels and all that performance on tap, we certainly expected them to be a hot commodity, but if Autocar is to be believed, the whole run of 500 units has already sold out – some 12 hours after the reveal. Sales will be spread out over 20 European markets, with the UK getting 101 units, Germany getting 55 cars, France receiving 50 and Belgium scoring 50 units, with Denmark, the Czech Republic and Greece getting five units each, while Ireland receives three.
The best part of the story is the fact that all 500 units are already spoken for, even before prices have been announced. Ford is said to be sorting through the letters of intent from customers to figure out dealer allocations. And don't forget, the order books don't formally open until May. With the regular RS trading above sticker on the used car market, we're guessing there will be more than a few flippers in the initial owner group.
Monday, April 5, 2010
According to an unnamed source, the Renault board of directors has called an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, April 6th, to discuss plans to enter into an agreement with German automaker Daimler. As was the case when Renault teamed up with Japanese automaker Nissan, there will reportedly be an exchange of stock, but not nearly at the same level as Renault's 44-percent stake in Nissan.
If the board chooses to move forward – and all indications are that it will – an announcement could be made as early as Wednesday detailing the partnership. It's widely thought that Daimler is keenly interested in Renault's small car expertise for its less-than-wildly-successful Smart car division, and it seems increasingly likely that the two automakers could jointly develop new city car platforms. Might a more family-friendly ForFour be in the offing as rumored?
You knew it wouldn't be long before somebody tried to install the new Apple iPad in their ride. Well, it's already happened, and the "somebody" in this case is Doug Bernards of SoundMan Car Audio in Santa Clarita, California. The team's ride of choice for what is claimed to be the world's first automotive iPad install is a Toyota Tacoma pickup. SoundMan decided to use a McIntosh amp for the build, naturally. The team was among the first to receive an iPad, and they got to work immediately. The video chronicling the installation is after the jump.
Besides the iPad, the system consists of an Audison Bit One processor, the McIntosh six-channel amplifier, an Onkyo ND-S1 and "a special iPod dock which allows the digital signal to be pulled from the iPad and distributed to the BitOne via optical output." As the blurb on the company's website puts it:
We chose to use the iPad as the only source for the vehicles entertainment system. The dock connector will plug into a cable that runs to a Onkyo ND-S1 which will send the digital signal from the iPad directly into an Audison Bit One. The Bit One will then act as the D/A converter, and will also process the audio signal. The Bit One also has a great controller for adjusting the volume and audio settings. The amplifier we chose is the McIntosh MCC406M. Stay tunned for the rest of the build. You'll be able to find all the pictures and videos on this page as they become available.
Follow the jump to follow the installation from unboxing the components to firing it up. While the screen looks enormous in the dash, it actually doesn't look out of place and at first glance, it almost appears factory installed. The placement of the controller is a bit of a tell, and the rounded edges of the iPad need a bezel perhaps, but job well done on job number one. The team still needs to fully wire it up, but the mockup is finished. Stay tuned for part two after the rest of the components arrive.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
With the new Giulietta now out in the open, Alfa Romeo's attention is turning to its big brother. Set to replace the 159 sometime next year, the highly-anticipated nuova Giulia promises to improve on the outgoing sedan's lackluster driving dynamics.
Based on Alfa's variable C/D platform, the Giulia is tipped to get a McPherson front suspension with a twin-link rear setup. As with the Alfa 159, the Giulia is expected to be front-drive, with the trick Q4 all-wheel-drive system available as an option, hooked up to a variety of turbodiesel and MultiAir gasoline engines.
Unlike the MiTo and Giulietta, both of which are hatchback-only, the Giulia promises both four-door sedan and five-door wagons as part of the mix. The tantalizing end of the range, however, is tipped to include an in-house GTA model – with at least 300 horsepower, all-wheel drive and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – and a lightweight, front-drive version with 350 horsepower to be co-developed with famed Alfa tuner Autodelta.
We'll have to wait to see if the speculation proves accurate – and, for that matter, if the car will take its design cues from the 8C Competizione, the Bertone Pandion or the Pininfarina 2uettottanta. But in the meantime, you're invited to tinker around with the online configurator that Alfa just launched for the Giulietta hatchback, where you'll find you can order it in any color you want, as long as it's a shade of gray.
[Source: CAR magazine]
Friday, April 2, 2010
Let's just go on ahead and make that much needed volume leader. The great economic collapse of 2009 smashed Mitsubishi in the teeth with a much larger brick than most other manufacturers. Thinks have slightly improved, but their February sales were still down 10 percent, and from an already frighteningly low level. Obviously, something must be done.
Meet the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, or as they're calling it in alphanumeric-loving Europe, the ASX. We've covered this particular small crossover pretty extensively already, so here's the U.S. spec deal. It's 15 inches shorter than the Outlander GT. Like its big brother, it gets magnesium paddle shifters. However, they are connected to a CVT instead of Mitsu's sweet dual-clutch gearbox. Now, no one has driven the Outlander Sport yet, and CVTs have gotten massively better in the last few years, so don't bunch your panties up quite yet.
The real upshot of that CVT is the Outlander Sport's 31 mpg highway figure, a right respectable number for a small crossover. In fact, that means the Outlander Sport is competitive with a small CUV we like a whole bunch, the new Hyundai Tucson. Besides the CVT, Mitsu has installed weight-saving plastic front fenders, electric power steering and has sculpted the Outlander Sport down to a admirably slippery 0.33 Cd. The Outlander Sport can also be shifted from front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive and yes, you will be able to order yours in this particularly vibrant shade of show car blue.
We dig super sedans. You get 94 percent of the performance of a sports car (or there abouts) plus the ability to take a few friends along for the hair-raising ride. Also, cops don't seem to scrutinize big snazzy sleepers as much as they do bright yellow scissor-doored whatchamacall'em-ardos. It should come as no shock then that when we first heard about the new Alpina B7, we were pretty excited. When we then subsequently learned that an all-wheel drive version of BMW's sportiest big sedan was coming to the New York Auto Show, well, our excitement grew.
Then we saw the car in the flesh.
Let's just say we're now triple excited. A few pertinent stats, if we may. The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 found in a host of BMWs has been significantly improved to 500 horsepower (up by 100 hp over stock) and 516 pound-feet of torque (up by 66 pound-feet). The B7 is also more aerodynamic than your garden variety 7 Series, comes with zillion-spoke wheels (fine, twenty) and can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. With the Alpina B7 xDrive, you can now toss AWD into that already frothy mix.
But the above stats aren't the crazy parts. It's the details that impress the most. For example, all four of the heavy-duty half shafts come out of the 7 Series High Security. The 60 to 0 mph braking distance is identical to a Porsche Turbo. That last bit is not an April Fools' joke, although it's somewhat mitigated by Alpina's saying, "that's cold braking distance." While not a stat per say, the AWD system is mechanically identical to other BMW xDrive systems, though Alpina has written their own software system, presumably for the better.
One last thing that's actually a little to complicated to explain: take a look at the center of the B7's wheel. You'll see that once you've slid the heraldry over, there's a keyhole. Now, if you zoom out, you'll notice no valve stems anywhere on the wheel. In other words, your tire pressure's locked in and can be adjusted to the tenth of a PSI.
Hyundai showed off its new Sonata Turbo and Sonata Hybrid yesterday at the New York Auto Show, two vehicles that should help keep the brand's mid-size sedan moving up the sales charts with a bullet. With March sales figures just trickling in, it looks like the Sonata is now the third best-selling mid-size sedan behind the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. With its high level of equipment, style, quality and performance, it's not surprising to see this Korean doing well. Today in New York, the automaker showed how it can take that level of refinement found in the Sonata and its bigger brother, the Genesis, and ratchet it up another notch for a new flagship, the Hyundai Equus.
The Equus actually showed up last year in New York, sent over in world-market form to gauge customer interest. Apparently, it went swimmingly for Hyundai, as the production Equus will officially go on sale here towards the end of the year – well an oxymoronically named Equus, minus its signature hood ornament. Looking slightly less like the Lexus LS460 than the previous version of the car we'd seen, the U.S.-spec Equus has a shape that fits right in with upscale sedans from Buick, Lexus and Infiniti, if not Mercedes, BMW and Audi. Particularly at the rear fender, there is a swoop that doesn't quite speak luxury like the rest of the car though, reminding us more of a Dodge Charger than a Euro sedan. This production version though, particularly with its cleaner hood and grille, definitely has a refined look.
CEO John Krafcik wouldn't give us a firm number but did promise that the 385-horsepower sedan will come in with a base price somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000. The Equus will also launch a new luxury ownership experience being sold through select dealers in a dedicated area that will also include Genesis and Genesis Coupe. It will be available in four- or five-seat configurations with a mini fridge splitting the rear bucks on the rear twosome. Those backseats are also extremely comfortable, with power ventilation, heating and massage, plus a Maybach-like foot rest. Very nice.
Awards season is finally winding down with the 2010 World Car of the Year and World Performance Car of the Year being handed out this morning at the 2010 New York Auto Show. After whittling the fields down to three finalists in each category, the panel of 59 international journalists voted one last time to crown the World Car of the Year.
While the Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Polo and Mercedes-Benz E-Class were nominated, it was the Polo that took home the gold for 2010 World Car of the Year.
On the performance vehicle front, the nominees were the Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 GT3 and Ferrari California, with the Audi winning top honors.
They also handed out a Design award for a group of finalists including the Citroen C3 Picasso, Kia Soul and Chevrolet Camaro. That honor went to the Camaro. (U-S-A! U-S-A!)
The Green category saw Volkswagen's line of diesel-powered BlueMotion vehicles beat out the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrids


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Spirits marketer Bacardi USA has moved digital and traditional media-planning and buying to WPP's Mindshare from KSL, as the company's new management team continues to shake up the agency roster, according to industry executives.
In the U.S., Bacardi spent $83.9 million on measured media last year, according to Kantar Media. But overall estimated spending on the business --which includes traditional media and digital media planning and buying-- is estimated at around $130 million.
KSL, an independent agency, defended the account after the review was launched in January. It's a tough loss for the shop, which had a long-standing relationship with the marketer, gaining more work in 2010 when Bacardi consolidated most of its brands with the agency.
In addition to Mindshare and KSL, other finalists in the pitch were Targetcastand Horizon Media. Agencies either declined to comment or couldn't be immediately reached. Ark Advisors in New York, which managed the review process, declined to comment on the pitch. Bacardi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Global parent firm Bacardi Limited seems intent on making agency moves changes under CEO Ed Shirley, a former Procter & Gamble executive, who took the reins in March of last year. The company also has a new top marketer in Andy Gibson, a veteran booze industry executive who took over as CMO in February, replacing Silvia Lagnado, who left the company at the end of 2012.
Soon after, the company appointed Havas-owned BETCLondon to handle the global creative advertising for its flagship Bacardi Rum brand. The brand has been with a WPP agency since 2005, but split with WPP-backed Johannes Leonardo, based in New York, in September 2012.
Stateside, Bacardi USA rum has hired a boutique OW to work on strategic branding and creative for the rum brand. In recent weeks, the brand has put significant marketing behind its new "Pineapple Fusion" variety in the U.S. that it touts as fusing "the sweet notes of pineapple rum with the toasted flavors of coconut rum."
Contributing: Rupal Parekh

domain: news


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Industry insider news for New Zealand's technology resellers
These search results are from across the Techday network of sites
Game review: ReadySet Heroes disappoints
"It's sad for me to report that this game's online community is nonexistent even during its launch month. I was literally unable to find anyone to play with or against online.
Razer fits latest gaming laptop with infrared keyboard tech
Razer’s new gaming laptop has opted for optical keyboard technologies designed to register faster key presses and more commands in the heat of the battle.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Special Ops: What you'll need to play on PC
It’s little more than a week before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Special Ops launches across the world on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Gaming fandom descends on PAX Australia 2019
PAX Australia, as usual, was weird, wacky and rather hectic. But it was full of smiles on happy faces as the Australian gaming community came together to celebrate their hobbies.
Game review: Painting art in Concrete Genie
Your goal at the beginning of the game is very simple because Ash has to literally light up the drab parts of town using his magical paint brush.
Sony announces PlayStation 5 'Holiday 2020' release date
“You can even get a sense for a variety of textures when running through fields of grass or plodding through mud,” says Jim Ryan.
Game review: NHL 20 (PS4)
EA Sports serves up this year’s ice hockey bonanza, NHL 20.
Game review: Code Vein
Even though Code Vein is a hard game, the one thing I like most about it is that you can have an A.I. partner. Having a partner to help you kill off enemies is really helpful.
Telcos next biggest cash grab? Gaming
“Telcos can use the growing popularity of streaming/cloud gaming to upsell higher-speed and lower-latency fibre to the home (FTTH) packages to gamers, along with dedicated bandwidth for gaming traffic."
Game review: Petoons Party could have been great, but it isn't
It could have been a fun game for young kids to sit and compete against friends if the controls were better and the mini games were fair.
NVIDIA launches RTX-based AI for live streamers
NVIDIA is giving live stream enthusiasts and software developers the tools to create a world full of augmented reality effects, style filters and virtual greenscreens.
Social games company Zynga reveals data breach
Zynga has disclosed a data breach that may have compromised millions of account login details for its popular Words With Friends and Draw Something games.
Razer releases gaming mic that syncs emotes with streaming interactions
Streamers have the ability to add or create their own emotes, or they can choose from hundreds of preset emotes.
Game review: NBA 2K20 (PS4) makes you work for success
2K continue to push the envelope to give us yet another slick, gorgeous-looking entry to their long-running basketball franchise.
MotoGP’s new mobile game will be powered by blockchain
The licensing agreement will allow Animoca to develop what it calls a ‘manager’ style blockchain game that allows fans to engage and interact with MotoGP through collectibles.
Interview: Where is the representation in NZ gaming?
Dhayana Sena is a gamer with ambition in the battlefield, but also with ambition to let diversity in gaming flourish. But as a Kiwi of Malaysian birth and Sri Lankan descent, she feels oddly alone.
Call of Duty: Mobile opens pre-registrations for Android and iOS
Call of Duty will soon be available free to play on Android and iOS from October 1, taking the entire experience mobile.
Game review: FIFA 20
There are three certainties in life - death, taxes and EA Sports releasing a new version of FIFA every year.
WWE 2K20's huge pledge to Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society
2K is backing the charity as part of its upcoming WWE 2K20 game, due to be released on October 22. The release features cover star Roman Reigns, who is also a leukaemia survivor.
Gartner: Blockchain to be “transformational” within a decade
Gartner’s 2019 Hype Cycle for Blockchain Business shows that blockchain will have a transformational impact across industries in 5 to 10 years.
Borderlands 3: What you should know before you go 'psycho'
If there are a few empty seats at work today, it could be because people are taking a day off and indulging in a long weekend of hardcore shooting madness…
Hands-on review: Spyro Reignited Trilogy for Nintendo Switch
How well did this trilogy age? Is the switch a good home for it? This is what I aim to find out.
Game review: Gears 5 features a lot of fun action
The story campaign is arguably the best of the series and it’s the longest of the franchise too.
Apple Arcade & Apple TV+ want you glued to your screen
Whether you’re into films, TV shows, documentaries or gaming, Apple is certainly pulling out all the stops to tempt people in a market that’s spoilt for choice.


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The study informed me, India has the largest and fastest-growing audience for YouTube. But, in the top 100, the YouTube brand ranks at a lowly 73. This is an improvement, considering that the brand was not even in the top 100 in the last year’s edition of the study. The Indian obsession with social media does not do any wonders to the ranking of Facebook. The Mark Zuckerberg tech corporation drops 10 places to settle at rank 41.
India is obsessed about TikTok and WhatsApp, but these brands find no spot in the top 100. Only Instagram appears in the top 100 at the 81st rank — it was not in the top 100 last year.
Dentsu Webchutney's Sidharth Rao's new book (How I Almost Blew It) has been published this month. A serial digital entrepreneur, Rao co-founded Webchutney at the age of 19, which was acquired by Japanese advertising giant Dentsu in 2013. The book is important for the thought leaders in the print industry because it has a spotlight about the country’s most successful entrepreneurs who created brands such as Zomato, FreeCharge and BookMyShow.
At a recent meet, Sidharth Rao had three suggestions for those wanting to get digital:
- The consumer is a human being
- Ideas are based on analytics, insights and truth
- Digital allows amplification, reach and authenticity at scale
While I heard him, I realised, all these three points can be applied to print, too.
So what should we do – and where are we heading?
Ashish Bhasin, CEO APAC and chairman India, Dentsu Aegis Network, has a thing or two to say. He says, "After India opened up its economy in 1991, there have been few local brands that have grown from strength to strength. In the corporate sector, Indian businesses have been successful, but there have been fewer examples of consumer brands at scale. We can certainly see a lot more than the Ola’s." The cab aggregator Ola has raced ahead at top speed into the top five — the only local brand to find parking space at the top of the Top 100 Indian Brands.
Bhasin adds that in the FMCG space, which accounts for a large part of marketing spends, there have been hardly any newer brands — but FMCG marketers have been relying heavily on variants. In the financial services space, SBI emerges as the top Indian financial brand, at number 36. ICICI Bank drops from 41 to 46, while HDFC Bank sees a huge downward spiral to 69th rank (it occupied the 47th rank in 2018).
Returning to the brand survey, the fastest risers in this year’s edition include Mother Dairy that rises the ranks from 87 to 50 and Baba Ramdev’s FMCG brand, Patanjali, which races ahead from 45 in 2018 to 13 this year.
In the top 10, other than Ola, foods major Amul, which was at number four last year, dropped two spots to settle at number six. Retailer Big Bazaar has also lost two ranks and settles in at number 10. Meanwhile, homegrown retailing giant, Flipkart, tanks from the 30th position to 57th rank. In the airline space, Air India might not exactly be in the pink of health, but it’s the top-ranking local airline brand in the study at number 31, an improvement of eight ranks from its previous year’s position. And Jet Airways, which may be officially out of business, remains in the top 100 even as its ranking nosedives from 65 to 76. The airline that benefitted the most from the mayhem in Indian skies is Indigo, which drops a rank in order to settle at 85.
The point is, local brands might be on a slow track as far as India is concerned, but the story is far from over.
Sriraam Selvam is the associate editor of PrintWeek India as well as WhatPackaging? magazines


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Henry Ashworth, Chair of the Public Health Responsibility Deal alcohol network, is urging more businesses to sign up to the Responsibility Deal alcohol pledges.
Henry says in his first blog:
“there are still too many misusing alcohol. Drinks producers and retailers are determined to help reduce these harms.
“Profit and social responsibility are not mutually exclusive and frankly, the industry’s sustainable future depends on it playing its part.”
Latest industry data shows that over 60% of current product labels feature responsible drinking information such as unit content, government sensible drinking guidelines and a warning about alcohol and pregnancy. And drinks producers have promised to implement this on 80% of alcohol labels by 2013.
Read the full blog from Henry Ashworth.


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Self-Defense Weapons Getting Popular
By Bae Ji-sook
Many women are rushing to buy self-defense weapons following the arrest of rapist and serial killer Kang Ho-soon.
Online vendors of such items reported a large jump in sales, while more women are taking self-defense classes.
According to online market Auction (www.auction.co.kr), more than 370 weapons have been sold daily since Jan. 25, when Kang was arrested. The figure is about 60 percent higher than a week earlier and 45 percent higher than a year ago. More than 65 percent of the buyers were women.
Gmarket (www.gmarket.co.kr) and GSeshop (www.gseshop.co.kr) also saw sales of self-defense items rise, the latter marking a 100 percent jump.
The most favored items were alarms making sounds over 100 decibels, meant to be used in emergency situations and loud enough to alert people blocks away, the shop said. Pepper spray that travels more than four meters is also a hit item. Both are favored because of their compact size, fitting into purses and pockets.
Surveillance cameras ― and fake ones ― for discouraging criminals, as well as door locks and other security gadgets, are also seeing a sales boom.
Internet users are interested in ``how to protect their security.'' Bloggers and experts are producing articles on simple martial arts techniques to fend off rapists and other criminal attacks. Many women are asking how to defeat sex criminals with their bare hands, while experts are posting pictures and explanations on easy self-defense techniques.
``I advise all women to learn more than two techniques to thwart criminals' efforts,'' blogger sesiring said.
This is not the first time self-defense items have seen a sales boom. In 2006, when Balbari, another infamous rapist and serial killer, was caught after having killed several women in his neighborhood, such sales saw a 60 percent hike.


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Apple patched three vulnerabilities in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS that were actively exploited and affected the iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices.
The flaws lie in the FontParser component and the kernel, which allows attackers to remotely execute arbitrary code and run malware with kernel-level privileges.
The company said in a security advisory report describing the three flaws: Apple is aware of reports that there is an exploitation of this problem, without giving any additional details to allow the vast majority of users to install updates.
The list of affected devices includes iPhone 5s and later, iPod touch 6th and 7th generation, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad mini 2 and later, and Apple Watch Series 1 and later.
The vulnerabilities affect Apple devices and other systems, including:
– Mac devices running macOS Catalina prior to macOS Catalina 10.15.7.
– IPads running iPadOS versions before iOS 14.2.
– Apple smartwatches with watchOS versions prior to watchOS 7.1, watchOS 6.2.9 and watchOS 5.3.9.
– Apple TVs with tvOS versions earlier than tvOS 14.2.
One of the vulnerabilities is a remote code execution error named CVE-2020-27930, which is triggered by a memory corruption issue when processing a maliciously generated font via the FontParser library.
The second iOS vulnerability relates to a kernel memory leak that was tracked as (CVE-2020-27950) resulting from a memory initialization issue allowing malicious applications to access the kernel memory.
The third vulnerability (CVE-2020-27932) that was actively exploited is a kernel privilege escalation error caused by a type distortion issue that makes it possible for malicious applications to execute arbitrary code using kernel privileges.
The Google Project Zero bug research team had discovered the vulnerabilities and reported them to Apple’s security team.
Shane Huntley, director of the threat analysis group at Google, said: The targeted exploitation of vulnerabilities is similar to what was recently reported, and has nothing to do with any electoral targeting.
Targeted exploitation in the wild similar to the other recently reported 0days. Not related to any election targeting.— Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) November 5, 2020


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A list of good reads
- Condé Nast Traveller has a lovely feature on a new food movement to spotlight Ladakh’s rich cuisine.
- Bloomberg Businessweek reports on the hot trend of ‘burnout retreats’—expensive rehab-style clinics for overworked rich folks.
- According to The Atlantic, the very same professors who are complaining about the perils of AI plagiarism, are using ChatGPT to write their recommendation letters.
- A related very good read: Louis Hyman in the New York Times argues that ChatGPT spells the end of boring work—and thank god for that!
- Also in the New York Times (splainer gift link): Iva Dixit eloquently rips apart ‘Indian Matchmaking’ for putting a gloss on the “cruel and cutthroat” business of Indian matrimony. (TBH, we don’t know of many reality shows that don’t trade in the worst stereotypes and biases. Hello, ‘Love is Blind’!)
- Economic Times has an interesting piece on the green-shirted employees of the Apple stores in India—many of whom are engineering grads with a nice salary.
- Hillary Frey in Slate looks at who is to blame for the demise of Buzzfeed News. Spoiler alert: social media.
- Rest of World explores the new genre of ultrashort soap operas that have become wildly popular and lucrative in China.
- Jane Hutchen in The Guardian has a lovely piece on “retirement”—and what it means to stop working.


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The Lawyer Global Litigation Top 50 report is the only ranking of international law firms by litigation and arbitration revenue and is essential reading for anyone seeking to benchmark their litigation and dispute resolution practices...
This year, The Lawyer’s annual ranking of the largest UK law firms by turnover is available as an interactive, digital benchmarking tool. For the first time this will allow you to manipulate each data set against the metrics of your choice.
Lanier has launched a machine in the UK which it says offers true multitasking.
The 1110 MFD can be used as a fax, copier, computer scanner and a Windows printer. Users can send faxes from a PC to print at 300 dpi resolution and scan documents into a PC. Papers can be scanned while others are transmitted by fax. It also has an answer machine and takes voice messages. The cheapest machine in the MFD range, the 1110, is £1,495.


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Priced at Rs 11,999, the iRist smartwatch comes with a SIM card slot.
Intex Technologies announced its entry into the wearable device market in India with the launch of iRist smartwatch at the first Mobile World Congress in Shanghai. Priced at Rs 11,999, the iRist smartwatch comes with a SIM card slot.
“The iRist smartwatch can be seen as a smartphone on the wrist,” said Keshav Bansal, director, Intex Technologies.
Intex is now looking to showcase itself as a global brand focusing on the local market. With this launch, Intex announced it will take part in major global events.
“Intex is now the second largest domestic smartphone brand in India. With over 80,000 dealers across the country, we sold 2.1 million handsets in June and have acquired a share of 10.5% in the local smartphone market. Intex aims to sell 15 million smartphone in FY 15-16 with equal importance to both online and offline sales,” said Bansal.
While smartwatches are yet to gain traction in the country, Intex is trying to reach out to the masses with the smartwatch. “Consumers who already own a budget smartphone will find good value in the iRist smartwatch. The device comes with a Bluetooth headset and has everything that one can expect from a smartphone along with some features of a fitness band,” added Bansal.
The iRist smartwatch is based on Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system and sports a 1.56-inch Sapphire Glass display. Powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Mediatek processor with a 512-MB RAM and 4GB ROM, expandable up to 32GB. It comes with a 600-mAh battery with 3G SIM support and a 5MP camera along with pedometer and GPS.
The device comes with a voice-assistant and an iConnect apps that sync with the smartphone if the iRist is used without a SIM card. The device will be exclusively available on eBay in early August after which it will be available at stores as well.
(Travel for this report was sponsored by Intex)


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The Audi traveled up a south embankment and caught fire.
The two occupants of the Toyota sedan suffered major injuries, but reportedly refused medical attention and were described by officials as “uncooperative” with the investigation.
Drivers sick of getting stuck in L.A.’s oppressive traffic will have their hearts racing with Toyota’s latest invention.
More than 2 million Toyota, Chrysler and Honda vehicles are being recalled for a second fix for faulty airbags that may inadvertently inflate while the car is running.
Toyota is recalling 52,000 Avalon sedans because of a wiring problem that could cause a fire.
Lexus finishes tops in Consumer Reports reliability study, followed closely by Toyota. Buick is top domestic brand.
A defect in the devices can possibly kill or injure the driver or passengers. Is your car on the list?
The inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed in crashes.
U.S. safety regulators are warning owners of more than 4.7 million vehicles that have been recalled for air bag problems to get them repaired immediately.
General Motors, Toyota, and Honda have each indicated what the future holds for automobiles, announcing upcoming automated models of their vehicles.
Automaker lays out plans for “partnership” between the car and the driver.
Your car will soon do more to help avoid a crash. But as for leaving the driving to the vehicle while you relax, don’t get your hopes up. That’s the message from Toyota.
Electric Automaker Unveils Tesla Model 3 Sedan For $35,000
Authorities first began investigating stolen gas calls dating back to October 2013.
A Toyota Echo with two passengers crashed into the rider in front of the Oak Knoll Campground, located at 31718 South Grade Road, at approximately 12: 10 p.m., authorities said.


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– September 2018
A persistent trade dispute between the United States and China has been lingering over the financial markets for some time now. Helping to buoy domestic markets are strong corporate earnings and improving economic data. Earnings from U.S. companies this quarter are being considered the healthiest since the third quarter of 2009 during the financial crisis.
Some U.S. companies are seeing an increase in sales as well as an increase in gross margins, considered optimistic by equity analysts. The continued strength of the U.S. dollar, however, is starting to weigh on earnings for certain companies transacting business overseas.
The administration has proposed altering quarterly reporting for publicly traded U.S. companies to a semi-annual basis. Similar proposals have been made by companies and regulators in the past in order to stem volatility and focus on earnings. Recent news has focused on some companies going private and shedding the regulatory hurdles and burden caused by quarterly reporting.
Sources: Bloomberg, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The information published herein is provided for informational purposes only, and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or recommendation to sell or an offer to buy securities, investment products or investment advisory services. All information, views, opinions and estimates are subject to change or correction without notice. Nothing contained herein constitutes financial, legal, tax, or other advice. The appropriateness of an investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s circumstances and objectives. Please consult your Advisor about what is best for you.


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The world’s largest restaurant chain, McDonald’s, has announced a rise in sales indicating a revival of its fortunes in Europe. The chain experienced a range of bad publicity last year, culminating in the film Super Size Me. McDonald’s has been diligent in its efforts to cater for changing consumer trends, but it needs to ensure this focus is sustained.
Sales in those McDonald’s European stores open for more than a year rose 5.4% in January 2005 compared with last year. Overall, the chain’s sales rose 5.2% last month, with growth in the US rising at its slowest rate since April 2003. However, the company’s figures were boosted as newly launched items from its more health focused, but also more expensive, menu proved a hit.
McDonald’s supported the changes to its menu by running a campaign that involved distributing discount coupons to UK households and promoting the nutritional content of its fastfood. Yet it must not let its focus slip in continuing to cater for an increasingly sophisticated customer base – the days when ‘junk food’ was king may be drawing to a close.
McDonald’s has made a concerted effort to keep abreast of consumer trends, and it seems to be paying off. Consumers are spending longer out of the home as increasing working hours, longer commuting times and a desire to maximise leisure time mean consumers are seeking more convenient meal solutions. Despite the growth in the number of consumers eating out of the home, McDonald’s revenues have been hit in recent years on the back of increased media focus on the health effects of its food.
The relevance of the health megatrend in food purchases and diet is reflected in a 2004 Datamonitor survey, which showed that 80% of US and European consumers believe it is important to improve health through their diet. Crucially, consumers are more pro-actively managing their health independently.
Traditionally, consumers had to trade off eating and drinking healthily to accommodate their need for convenience, and vice versa. However, consumers are now becoming more demanding and are not prepared to sacrifice convenience, health or taste when purchasing food and drink. The vast array of tailored convenience products on the market, as well as the boom in convenience store development, is testament to this.
(c) 2005 Datamonitor. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.


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UK Consumers are Expected to Purchase Half of their Christmas Presents Online
Amy | On 14, Oct 2015
E-shopping is increasing in importance and in number of shoppers every day. Especially in the Q4 of the year, where all people are preparing themselves with gifts for the holiday season to present them right on time!
E-stores prepare yourselves because this year only 76% e-shoppers said that they WILL purchase half of their Christmas gifts online this year! (And to support this sentence, please click here)
This amazing report published by Yodel, also illustrates that 29% of UK consumers have already began with their purchases for Christmas. Furthermore, only 5% of women and 13% of men stated that they would leave the Christmas shopping for the last minute. The survey from Yodel was completed in the 2nd week of September.
Here’s a more detailed information in numbers:
Generally, 18% of consumers said that they would start their Christmas shopping in October, 25% stated they’ll start in November; and 23% stated they wouldn’t start gift purchases until December.
September got the 1st place! People in UK have already started their search for Christmas gifts. As we have already mentioned 76% said that they’ll be buying they’re presents online this year, and only 3% think they’ll be getting everything from offline businesses.
Another research made by Yodel says that “only 8% of the shoppers surveyed placed an online order on Black Friday 2014, 30% said that they will participate in the internet promotions this year, which will take place on 27 November.”
Dick Stead, executive chairman of Yodel, said:
“The advent of online shopping, speed of delivery and pre-Christmas promotions has changed the way we shop and we wanted to understand consumers’ shopping trends. The results are important because they give a clear idea of what to expect over the coming months as we plan for big spikes in the number of parcels that we deliver to shoppers, as well as return to retailers.
“It’s good to see that so many people have already started their shopping, and we are well prepared to handle the huge numbers of orders that are still to be bought.”
And so if your e-store isn’t all prepared for the holiday season, check out this article that will help you in getting all settled!


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The New York Times. Why Bitcoin Matters. or per archive access, or per news alert.For many Bitcoin-related services, New York is one of those problem areas.
Final New York Bitcoin Regulation Released: BitLicense. that New York adopts in regard to Bitcoin will have an.In March 2017, one bitcoin was worth more than an ounce of gold.
Bitcoin News and Updates. Home. Tags. New york. Tag: new york.
Bitcoin ATMs Are Coming To New York City. the Bitcoin news website Coindesk reported that BitPay is adding 1,000 new merchants per week,.Outgoing New York Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin Lawsky released sweeping new rules for.Terrorists can finance operations using digital currency. (Mike Rogers).
The New York Department of Financial Services announced on Monday that it had granted a virtual currency and money transmitter license to bitcoin exchange.New York, NY 10011. Cloud-based back office and management tools for restaurants. to hear keep up with restaurants that are accepting Bitcoin and Bitcoin news.Two private preschools in New York City now accept bitcoin and two other cryptocurrencies for tuition payments,.Buy Bitcoin, Create Bitcoin Wallets, Read Bitcoin News, and more, at Bitcoin.com.
In certain circumstances, securities with respect to which the.Bitcoin Progress, Bitcoin Regulation, Bitcoin Services, News.
A New York city employee was recently caught mining bitcoin at work.Sign up now to start receiving breaking news alerts on the web.Bitcoin - The latest news about Bitcoin from the WSJ MoneyBeat Blog.The new proposed Stellar protocol defeats the whole purpose of distributing protocol and.
Coinbase Inc., the digital currency exchange that in the past two months suffered a trading crash and upset customers over how it handled the bitcoin split.New York Post: After a brutal week, bitcoin finally got a bounce.
First came the technology, then the investment and venture capital giants, and now the large traders as Bitcoin infiltrates the institutions of Chicago and New York.News: Just a few weeks after Bitcoin Cash comes onto the scene,.Bitcoin explained and why hackers use it – New York Daily News New York Daily News Bitcoin explained and why hackers use itNew York Daily NewsIt’s not a far...New York State has released a first draft of its much-anticipated plan to regulate bitcoin and other virtual currencies, and at first blush, they look like they were.Bitcoin is gaining traction with modern-day gold bugs who question the stability of paper.
Bitcoin news from the New York Business Journal, including the latest news, articles, quotes, blog posts, photos, video and more.


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Fitness and health awarness has seen a tremendous boost in the last few years, with apps and devices created to help you minter your fitness.
Scientists are saying however, that we are neglecting an important source of health data: sweat.
Researchers in the US have now developed an electronic sensor that provides continuous and non-invasive monitoring of a number of biochemicals in sweat, saying that many keys to ones fitness levels can be unlocked by looking at the metabolites and electrolytes in sweat,
"Human sweat contains physiologically rich information, thus making it an attractive body fluid for non-invasive wearable sensors," said Ali Javey, an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the University of California (UC Berkeley).
"[We] have developed a fully integrated system that simultaneously and selectively measures multiple sweat analytes, and wirelessly transmits the processed data to a smartphone."
"When studying the effects of exercise on human physiology, we typically take blood samples," said exercise physiologist George Brooks. "With this non-invasive technology, someday it may be possible to know what's going on physiologically without needle sticks or attaching little, disposable cups on you."
The prototype of the new tech includes five sensors on a flexible circuit board, with the sensors measuring metabolites (glucose and lactate) and electrolytes (sodium and potassium), and also monitors skin temperature, and the circuit board analysing the data, and transmits it to other devices.
The researchers claims that unlike the Fitbit and Jawbones, the sensors provides a platform for sweat-based health technology, with the potential to be used as a serous clinical tool, helping physicians and scientists to monitor biochemical levels.
"We can easily shrink this device by integrating all the circuit functionalities into a single chip," said one of the team, Sam Emaminejad.
The sensors can be worn constantly, meaning that is can collect a constant stream of health data.
"We wanted to move from the kind of cumbersome equipment used in a clinic to a light, wearable device that could deliver continuous measurements," said Emaminejad.
The aim of the research is claimed to be a device that everyone can wear to assist doctors to assess the health of a patient.


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Yahoo Life’s editors are committed to independently selecting wonderful products at great prices for you. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Everyone's favourite Belgian chocolate brand has unveiled a new recipe, a new look and has made a commitment to be more sustainable – but what it's left us wondering is how 'Guylian' is actually pronounced.
First it might help to understand a little about the birth of the name itself. It seems the brand really was made with love, as its founders Guy Foubert and Liliane immortalised their passion for each other (and chocolate) by joining their names together to create Guylian.
So, with Guy and lian joined together, perhaps it sounds as it's written? Not quite.
Speaking to the person next to you, you'll find most people say it very differently, and the true pronunciation might come as a surprise to many.
According to a spokesperson for Guylian, it is actually pronounced: "Gill - li - an."
Emphasis on the 'Gill', apparently.
But that's not the only pronunciation the brand has cleared up. With it renowned for its Sea Shells, which are blend of dark, white and milk chocolate filled with its signature praliné filling, it seems many of us have been saying praliné wrong too.
It is pronounced "Pra-li-nay" and not "Pra-line". Yes, really.
So, while its name hasn't changed (though to many of us, it might feel like it has), a few other things have shifted for Guylian.
The premium chocolatier has announced a brand-new relaunch including green and copper packaging, which is 100% recyclable; a new and improved recipe to make the chocolates taste even better, and it is now the biggest Belgian chocolate company to be 100% Fairtrade certified, alongside other sustainable changes.
"This year will see many exciting changes in store for Guylian," says CEO of Guylian, Tom Snick, who is "confident these changes will help us continue as the world's favourite Belgian chocolate brand".
It has improved its traditional recipe using 'only the best hazelnuts, roasted in house in their shells to guarantee the best taste', resulting in a 'more intense and less sweet hazelnut flavour'.
Mike Gidney, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, says, “It’s great to see the distinctive Fairtrade logo now appear on Guylian packaging in stores nationwide, giving chocolate lovers another reason to enjoy an indulgent, ethically sourced treat that’s been produced with the planet in mind and where cocoa farmers have been treated fairly.
"Cocoa farmers and their families are struggling to make ends meet due to climate change, poor soil quality and long-term low prices. When you choose Fairtrade, you choose education, empowerment, fairer incomes and training to help farmers adapt to climate change.”
In terms of its recyclable packaging, this has involved the removal of the plastic windows from its gift boxes and the replacement of its brown trays (which hold the chocolates) with clear trays which have had all dyes and carbon removed, making them easier for recycling centres to handle. Guylian is also exploring ways of further reducing its use of paper and plastic.
Since the start of the year, its factory in Belgium is fully climate neutral, while its chocolates are now made entirely with a zero-carbon footprint, the brand claims.
You can expect to see the new version of Guylian on shelves from mid-May onwards. Remember to pronounce it correctly.


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The Crypto Valley Association (CVA) has announced a partnership with the Sovrin Foundation, an international non-profit organization that governs the world’s first public self-sovereign identity (SSI) network. This network helps businesses and private individuals to independently manage and store their personal identity data on their own devices (desktop, smartphone, tablet), and to provide this data efficiently to those who need to validate it.
The CVA will become the first Sovrin “steward” operating in Switzerland. A steward is a trusted organization who meets the security and privacy requirements defined by the Sovrin Foundation.
Two of the founding members of CVA – the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and Luxoft – have joined together to make this possible, with the Lucerne UASA’s award-winning data center in Lucerne perfectly complemented by Luxoft’s position as an internationally active IT service provider.
The full media release can be found online at cryptovalley.swiss.
Crypto Valley Association
The Crypto Valley Association is an independent, government-supported association established to take full advantage of Switzerland’s strengths to build the world’s leading blockchain and cryptographic technologies ecosystem.


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The first large-scale research to examine the long-term effects of a cocoa flavanol supplement on cardiovascular disease prevention has found promising evidence that cocoa flavanols may have cardiovascular protective properties.
In papers published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a team led by Howard Sesso, ScD, MPH, and JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, both of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, unpacks the main outcomes of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), a randomized, placebo-controlled trial that tested a cocoa flavanol supplement and a multivitamin in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
While neither supplement reduced overall cardiovascular events, participants who were given the cocoa flavanol supplement had a 27 percent lower rate of cardiovascular death, which was a pre-specified secondary endpoint.
“When we look at the totality of evidence for both the primary and secondary cardiovascular endpoints in COSMOS, we see promising signals that a cocoa flavanol supplement may reduce important cardiovascular events, including death from cardiovascular disease,” said Sesso. “These findings merit further investigation to better understand the effects of cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular health.”
“Previous studies have suggested health benefits of flavanols compounds in several plant-based foods including cocoa, tea, grapes, and berries,” said Manson. “COSMOS was not a chocolate trial rather, it’s a rigorous trial of a cocoa extract supplement that contains levels of cocoa flavanols that a person could never realistically consume from chocolate without adding excessive calories, fat, and sugar to their diet.”
COSMOS was not a chocolate trial rather, it’s a rigorous trial of a cocoa extract supplement that contains levels of cocoa flavanols that a person could never realistically consume from chocolate without adding excessive calories, fat, and sugar to their diet.JoAnn Manson
Cocoa flavanols have been proven to have cardiovascular advantages on blood pressure and blood vessel dilatation in smaller, short-term experiments. COSMOS was the first opportunity to see if a cocoa flavanol supplement may reduce clinical cardiovascular events in the long run. Researchers also looked at reductions in cancer risk.
In addition, the trial aimed to see if a common multivitamin could help prevent cancer and heart disease.
A composite of total cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, strokes, coronary revascularization, cardiovascular death, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery surgery, and unstable angina, was the primary cardiovascular outcome for the cocoa flavanol intervention.
Over 21,000 people were randomly assigned to consume 500 mg cocoa flavanols daily capsules (donated by Mars Edge), a multivitamin pill (donated by GSK Consumer Healthcare), neither, or both.
Cocoa flavanols were found to reduce overall cardiovascular events by 10% in the trial, but this was not statistically significant. Several secondary analyses found more evidence possibly to benefit cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular events.
First, individuals who took the cocoa flavanol supplement had a 27% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Second, the study team noticed a stronger 15 percent drop in total cardiovascular events and a 39 percent reduction in death from cardiovascular disease when they took adherence to study tablets into consideration (by looking at individuals who took their study pills on a regular basis).
Third, despite not being a study focus, a composite endpoint of serious cardiovascular events (heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths) was significantly reduced.
The authors point out in their article that their promising findings on cocoa flavanols and cardiovascular events should be interpreted with caution and that more research is needed.
A daily multivitamin had no influence on the total number of cardiovascular events or the number of individual cardiovascular events. Neither cocoa flavanols nor a multivitamin were found to be unsafe. COSMOS came to an end after 3.6 years, which was likely too short to determine whether the supplements had an impact on cancer risk.
A daily multivitamin enhanced the levels of various nutritional biomarkers, but it had no effect on total invasive cancer, which was the primary endpoint of the multivitamin studies. Flavanols from cocoa also showed no influence on overall invasive cancer.
Continued monitoring of COSMOS participants, according to the authors, may assist to clarify any long-term impacts on cancer and death. COSMOS is also being used by the researchers and colleagues to look at cognitive decline, falls, eye illness, and other aging-related outcomes that could be altered by the supplements.
“Although our study suggests intriguing signals for cardiovascular protection with cocoa flavanols, any health benefits due to taking these supplements will need confirmation in a future trial,” said Manson.
Adds Sesso: “Our message for consumers is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, rich in natural food sources of flavanols, and to stay tuned as we further evaluate other important health outcomes in COSMOS.”
During the course of the study, Sesso and Manson received investigator-initiated grants from Mars Edge, a division of Mars Incorporated dedicated to nutrition research and products, for infrastructure support and donation of COSMOS study pills and packaging, as well as Pfizer Consumer Healthcare (now part of GSK Consumer Healthcare) for the donation of COSMOS study pills and packaging.
During the course of the study, Dr. Sesso also received investigator-initiated funding from Pure Encapsulations and Pfizer Inc., as well as honoraria and/or travel for lectures from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, BASF, NIH, and the American Society of Nutrition.