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DAILY MORNING NOTE | 3 May 2023
Singapore stocks ended 0.4 per cent higher on Tuesday (May 2). Sats led the gainers, rising 3.2 per cent to close at S$2.62. Other top gainers included Yangzijiang Shipbuilding and City Developments Ltd, which were up 2.4 per cent and 1.9 per cent, respectively. The trio of local banks also ended the day higher, with OCBC leading the pack to rise 0.6 per cent. DBS was up 0.4 per cent, and UOB gained 0.1 per cent.
US stocks ended the trading day lower on Tuesday, with regional bank stocks recording another day of plummeting values. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished 1.1 per cent lower at 33,684.46. The broad-based S&P 500 fell 1.2 per cent to 4,119.60, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index declined 1.1 per cent to 12,080.51. Crude oil futures also finished the day down more than five per cent.
Capitaland Ascendas Reit saw its average rental rates go up by 11.1 per cent for leases renewed in the first quarter of 2023, higher than the 8 per cent reversion rate in the previous quarter. The renewal rates were highest for the Reit’s Australian assets, whose average rents increased by 14.3 per cent in the quarter, according to a bourse filing on Tuesday (May 2). Singapore assets saw a positive rental reversion of 11.2 per cent, while those in the United States came in at 11.3 per cent. Assets in the United Kingdom and Europe saw no change in average gross rent in the quarter. The Reit manager expects rental reversion to be in the positive mid-single-digit range for the financial year of 2023. The Reit achieved 94.4 per cent portfolio occupancy in Q1 2023, a slight dip from 94.6 per cent in the previous quarter. It also said that its portfolio weighted average lease expiry stood at 3.8 years, with lease expiry being well spread, even extending beyond FY2037.
The manager of Mapletree Logistics Trust (MLT) on Tuesday (May 2) warned of more uncertainty ahead, as higher interest rate costs and foreign exchange fluctuations continue to impact its performance. Ng Kiat, chief executive officer of the manager, noted that on a full-year basis, MLT’s borrowing costs have risen by about S$6 million. MLT’s gross revenue rose 7.7 per cent to S$730.6 million for FY22/23, while net property income (NPI) was 7.2 per cent higher at S$634.8 million. The amount distributable to unitholders climbed 10.8 per cent to S$432.9 million, including partial distribution of gains from divestments.
The interest rate curve on the latest tranche of the Singapore Savings Bond (SSB) has flattened further. The June issuance, which opened on Tuesday (May 2), is offering a first-year interest rate of 2.81 per cent, and a 10-year average return of 2.81 per cent. In comparison, the May issuance was offering a first-year interest rate of 3.03 per cent and a 10-year average return of 3.07 per cent.
Jardine Matheson Holdings has announced the appointment of new group chief executives for two of its companies Mandarin Oriental and DFI Retail Group, on May 2. Laurent Kleitman has been appointed Mandarin Oriental’s group chief executive, replacing outgoing group chief executive James Riley, who has been in the role since 2016.
Ford Motor posted US$1.8 billion in first-quarter net income, reversing a previous-year loss, as the company rebounded from supply-chain troubles and commanded top dollar for its pickup trucks and SUVs. The auto maker said after the close of trading Tuesday that strong recovery in output of F-series pickups and buyer demand for high-end models fueled its bottom line. The company stood by its earlier forecast of US$9 billion to US$11 billion in pretax profit for the year.
AMD reported better-than-expected revenue and earnings for the first quarter, however its second-quarter forecast missed Wall Street expectations, overshadowing optimism from company executives that the battered chip market will start to recover in the second half of 2023. The company recorded an EPS of US$0.60 per share adjusted vs. US$0.56 per share expected, revenue of US$5.35 billion vs. US$5.3 billion expected. AMD said it expected about US$5.3 billion in sales in the current quarter, versus Wall Street estimates of US$5.48 billion.
Uber Technologies said continued demand for its ride-share and delivery services boosted its revenue in the first quarter, offsetting weak results from its smaller freight division. Revenue for the three months through March rose 29% from a year earlier to US$8.82 billion. It also increased the number of consumers and trips, and the value of transactions, on its platform. The sales expansion was in line with Wall Street’s expectations. Uber projected continuing growth and said it expects adjusted earnings of between US$800 million and US$850 million in the current June quarter.
Pfizer on Tuesday (May 2) beat analysts’ estimates for first-quarter profit on strong demand for its newly acquired drugs and steady demand for its Covid products. The company has said it expects 2023 to be a “transition year” for its Covid products, before potential returning to growth in 2024. Sales of its Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty were US$3.06 billion in the first quarter, topping estimates of US$2.37 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Antiviral treatment Paxlovid sales came in at US$4.07 billion, also beating estimates of US$3.13 billion. The company said it expects significantly lower sales contributions from Covid products in the second quarter from the first quarter.
Marriott International reported better-than-expected first-quarter results on Tuesday (May 2) as the US hotel operator benefited from a global rise in occupancy and room revenue led by domestic travel in China. US hotel operators who have been grappling over the past year with an uneven recovery in Chinese demand are now benefiting from pent-up-demand throughout Asia Pacific, particularly in Greater China. That has boosted operators just as a worsening economic outlook in the US threatens to dampen consumer spending in the second half of the year.
Hindenburg Research said on Tuesday (May 2) it has a short position in activist investor Carl Icahn-controlled energy-to-pharma conglomerate Icahn Enterprises, making it the latest in a string of recent high-profile targets of the US short seller. Hindenburg alleged that the valuation of IEP units was inflated by more than 75 per cent and that “IEP trades at a 218 per cent premium to its last reported net asset value (NAV), vastly higher than all comparables.” Hindenburg also claimed Icahn was operating a “ponzi-like economic structure,” selling its units to new investors to support its dividend payouts.
Source: SGX Masnet, Bloomberg, Channel NewsAsia, Reuters, CNBC, WSJ, The Business Times, PSR
Recommendation : ACCUMULATE (Maintained); TP: US$120.00, Last Close: US$102.05
Analyst: Maximilian Koeswoyo
– 1Q23 results were within expectations. 1Q23 revenue/normalized PATMI was at 23%/25% of our FY23e forecasts, excluding a pre-tax valuation loss of US$0.5bn from investment in Rivian Automotive.
– Revenue grew 9.4% YoY, beating top-end of company guidance with margin improvements in North America and International segments. AWS was up 16%, but growth is expected to further decelerate to 11% in 2Q23.
– We maintain our ACCUMULATE recommendation with an increased DCF target price of US$120.00 (prev. US$117.00) using a WACC of 6.4% and g of 5%, taking into account a lower planned CAPEX spending.
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Consumers have already begun to enjoy the convenience of salads, from pre-washed baby spinach buckets to chopped romaine sacks.
There is only one problem with these modern conveniences: they are often associated with foodborne outbreaks.
The recent outbreak of E. coli in the country caused the infection of 84 people in 19 states to worsen and 42 people were hospitalized. Most of the victims were sick after eating chopped lettuce on a farm near Yuma, Arizona.
Such outbreaks are rare overall, but more common in certain types of foods. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that leafy greens cause roughly a fifth of all foodborne illnesses.
And food safety experts say convenience greens — those handy bags of pre-chopped and pre-washed salads — carry an extra risk because they come in contact with more people and machinery before they arrive on your plate.
Recent industry efforts and federal rules have attempted to reduce outbreaks. But the risks will never completely disappear, experts say.
“We’re always going to have these cases, unfortunately, because consumers have gotten used to this product,” said Bill Marler, a prominent food safety lawyer who represents several patients sickened by the Yuma lettuce. “The product has risks, in my opinion.”
Federal regulators haven’t yet uncovered the source of this latest lettuce outbreak. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are urging consumers to throw out romaine that could be from Yuma, where most lettuce is grown during the winter season.
Most of the 84 people grew ill after eating at restaurants that use bagged, pre-chopped lettuce in their salads. This strain of E. coli, known as 0157: H7, produces a toxin that can disrupt liver function. The majority of victims are women, a reflection of the fact that women generally eat more salads.
Government regulators have long known that greens and lettuces pose a particular food-safety risk. According to one CDC analysis, leafy vegetables were responsible for 22 percent of foodborne illnesses between 1998 and 2008, the latest period for which detailed attribution data is available.
A more recent analysis of outbreak data from 2013 concluded that “vegetable row crops” — lettuces plus broccoli, asparagus, celery and some other vegetables — account for 42 percent of E. coli infections.
In the past four months, E. coli infections linked to leafy greens in Canada and the U.S. have caused 151 illnesses and two deaths.
“Leafy greens continue to be a problem, and we’ve looked at leafy greens and fresh produce with concern,” said Robert Tauxe, the director of the CDC division that responds to foodborne illness outbreaks.
“Back 15 to 20 years ago, there was a huge concern in food safety around foods of animal origin … But beginning about 10 years ago, the produce side has become more and more prominent.”
Contamination can occur on the farm when birds make frequent flights overhead or low-lying fields flood with contaminated water. E. coli can also be spread by farm workers who don’t wash their hands or via farm equipment that has manure on it.
Once the greens are picked, they move to a packaging plant, where they’re exposed to more workers and more equipment. Product from multiple farms is often bagged in the same facility, which further increases the odds of cross-contamination.
In 2011, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act which included new standards for irrigation water quality, worker hygiene and equipment sanitation, went into effect for large farms this January. Smaller farms will have to comply with the rules by early 2020.
But despite these efforts, the number of outbreaks and infections linked to leafy greens has largely remained flat over the past 10 years, with 11 outbreaks and 242 illnesses per year on average, according to CDC.
Eskin and Tauxe say they believe the new rules will help — but they will not eliminate the risk completely.
“Produce is not grown in sterile environments,” Eskin added. “Anybody who knows anything about food safety understands that.”

domain: news


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I’ve mentioned this here before. Starting in October, Google Chrome will start warning users that an HTTP website where they’re going to enter information is not secure. In Google Chrome version 62, Google is, in fact, warning users that the page is not secure.
Today’s October 2nd, and as of now in Google Chrome 62 (which is currently in Beta), you have to use the Incognito mode to get the warning. The ‘regular mode’ currently does not show this warning, as shown above. However, since Google is already showing this warning in Google Chrome Beta, I’m assuming that this is how it will look. The warning will be in the URL bar, right next to the website’s URL.
As you might be aware, and as I’ve already mentioned, in October Google will starting showing all of the Google Chrome users this warning. The warning shows that a web page (or a website) is not HTTPs.
As of right now, this warning only shows up in Google Chrome Beta, version 62.


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A lot of new HTC EVO 4G users are noticing that the bottom part of their display screen does not seem to have sufficient adhesion that makes the screen wobble up and down while users work on their touch screens. A user at the Android Forums has demonstrated the problem with HTC EVO as part of his “scratch test“. Watch the video below.
As seen in the last few seconds of the video, the build quality of the new HTC EVO 4G has some inherent issues which may cause the bottom part of the screen to be unstable.
While a lot many users seem to have the problem, HTC has not made a formal announcement on the issue as yet. Do you have the issue? Put down your experience in the comments below
[via Android Forums]


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Barcelona,  May 2022 – Product Madness, one of the world’s largest mobile games studios, is pleased to announce the establishment of its latest mobile game development hub in Barcelona to further power its growth.
The company is part of global games powerhouse Pixel United, the mobile-first games business of Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX:ALL) that employs more than 3,000 people worldwide. As Product Madness continues to expand its market-leading position in the free-to-play social casino segment, it has opened a new studio location in Spain, with plans to significantly expand the Barcelona team over the next few years.
Product Madness first opened its doors in 2007 and today its stable of top-grossing games includes Lightning Link, Cashman Casino and Heart of Vegas, entertaining millions of players around the world every week. Having tripled in size over the last three years, the company’s latest venture in Barcelona represents its fifth international hub, with further studio locations in London (UK), Lviv (Ukraine), Tel Aviv (Israel) and Gdansk (Poland).
Jesus Bosch, Managing Director of Product Madness in Spain comments, "We're thrilled to open our latest studio hub in Barcelona, a cultural and creative city that is also a well-known hub for games talent. We have such a diverse number of opportunities, and I can't wait to grow our team in Barcelona, adding to Product Madness’ world-class creative, technical and commercial capabilities.”
Product Madness has also become a member of DEV (Asociación Española Empresas Desarrollo Videojuegos), which represents Spanish and international video game development companies based in Spain.
“At DEV we are delighted to welcome Product Madness, a developer and publisher with extensive experience in mobile titles with a global portfolio of free-to-play games and more than 800 professionals worldwide. Their project represents a great opportunity for the video game sector in Spain, with a very positive projection for the coming years”, says Antonio Fernández, General Secretary of DEV.
“As our global footprint continues to expand, we’re delighted to establish our latest studio in Barcelona, Spain.” added Yoav Ecker, MD and president at Product Madness. "In addition to contributing to the development of our leading mobile-first games titles, we're committed to supporting the long-term professional development of the very best talent in our fast-growing, creative industry, and offer a programme of innovative initiatives to help launch great games and global careers alike".
Product Madness attributes its success to the talent of its diverse, global team and is deeply committed to fostering a strong people-first culture in each of its studio locations around the world. Recognising Spain’s deep talent pool and internationally recognized programmes in employee training and tech incubation, the establishment of Product Madness’s Barcelona base represents another hugely exciting step for the business.
For more information and the latest job opportunities visit: https://www.productmadness.com/careers
Product Madness’ incubator is jetting off to attend Game Connection America and Game Developers Conference (GDC).Read More
2022 was a challenging year for much of the mobile games industry with many companies experiencing the strain of market contraction. But always going against the grain, we’re continuing to grow & hire!Read More
Lightning Link Casino scoops EKG Award at prestigious slot awards eventRead More
The best thing about industry events? Sharing our experiences to help teach others about the business.Read More


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UK: Sports Direct silent on Elverys takeover talk
UK retailer Sports Direct has refused to be drawn on reports it is looking to acquire Elverys, the oldest sports chain in Ireland.
According to a report in The Guardian, Sports Direct's Irish partner Heatons has offered to pay EUR2.5m (US$3.4m) more than a EUR10m offer from the Elverys management.
Elverys, which runs 55 stores in Ireland, was set to be placed into receivership before being acquired by a management team backed by financial firm Capnua.
Sports Direct declined to comment when contacted by just-style.
The sports retailer has been adding to its existing brand portfolio for some time. Last year, it acquired a majority stake in outdoor clothing and equipment business Yeomans, and bought camping and outdoor brand Gelert out of administration.
Sports Direct International owner Mike Ashley has placed his USC apparel chain into administration and re-acquired it through his Republic clothing fascia....
Sports Direct International Plc. has been one of the successes in UK high street retail over the last 10 years. The sports apparel and equipment retailer has grown rapidly, hastening the demise of for...
UK retailer Sports Direct International has remained tight lipped over reports it is planning to close up to a third of its loss-making USC fashion stores....
Our new Amazon Annual Best seller reports are available on a consultancy basis and deeply mine our own Amazon Trackers research and employ some unique in house modeling techniques. Harnessing insights...
UK retailer Sports Direct International has delivered a robust performance in its first-half, analysts have said, with earnings up nearly 10%....
Australian retailer Pacific Brands has completed its divestments of the Brand Collective and Workwear businesses....
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- Sir Philip Green blamed for the collapse of BHS
- North Face has holistic view on harmful chemicals
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- US Q2 in brief - Columbia Sportswear, Rocky Brands
- Vietnam mulls wage freeze to boost competitiveness
- Teijin launches polyester hook-and-loop fastener
- Ananta Group hits back at Bangladesh union claims
- LVMH to sell Donna Karan to G-III for US$650m
- Central America strategic sourcing review - a focus on Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
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- World Textile and Apparel Trade and Production Trends: the EU - June 2016
- Global market review of lingerie - forecasts to 2020


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Time will tell if Alibaba's purchase of the 112-year-old South China Morning Post newspaper will open doors for brand marketing in China.
A Brooklyn man's live-in girlfriend knew her Christmas present based on Amazon recommendations. Has targeting become too sophisticated?
Gone are the days when marketers could look at display as an “add on” for traditional ad campaigns. Data-driven display works, but if you're not making the most of your consumer data, you could be missing out.
Interpreting the granular signals of smart data, will be a crucial way for marketers to outperform their peers, says Lenovo's Sivadasan, who keynoted at ClickZ Live Chicago.
In anticipation of Black Friday, we explain the advantages of a universal consumer profile; improving B2C interactions via personalization and enhancing the customer journey.
To what degree does neuroscience affect content marketing? Here's how neuromarketing insights can influence effective storytelling tactics and ultimately increase audience engagement.
Incorporating loyalty programs into marketing campaigns will not only encourage repeat business, but they also present an opportunity to collect a diverse scope of customer data.
Big data can be overwhelming. Here is how to use predictive lead scoring and persona-based marketing to analyze big data to drive business.
Bud Light is officially selling smart fridges that let you know when you're almost out of beer. Is this a fun novelty item, or does it show how CPG brands will be impacted by the IoT?
Consumer intent and behavioral data can inform marketing strategy and campaign efforts, so it's important to pay attention to your consumers: not just what they do, but who they are.


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John Romero and Adrian Carmack are suspending the fundraising campaign for their return to first-person shooters.
Oxenfree is opening a new dimension of content on the PlayStation 4.
Two of the co-creators of franchises like Doom and Quake are turning to Kickstarter to make a new first-person shooter inspired by their former games.
GameStop isn’t only going to sell games, it’s moving deeper into publishing them too.
Two of the biggest racing developers will soon join together under one roof.
After 15 years a franchise from the original PlayStation attempts a comeback.
The new era for Gears of War will begin this fall.
Check out how the multiplayer looks in the upcoming Doom.
After ten years, Final Fantasy XV finally has a solid release date as the game gets an expanded universe with multimedia content.
A new game takes a passion for heavy metal music and combines it with the classics from the past.


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E-commerce massive eBay has formally introduced its first NFT drop, with a chain of tokenized collectibles that includes Nationwide Hockey League (NHL) legend Wayne Gretsky going survive Might 23.
The NFT assortment depicts animated variations of Gretsky that have been impressed through Sports activities Illustrated mag covers. They arrive in 4 other tiers of rarity together with inexperienced at 299 editions in step with token, gold at 199, platinum at 99, and diamond at 15.
The gathering is up on the market on eBay’s market now, on the other hand, the restricted version diamond, platinum, and gold tiers price $1,500, $100, and $25 apiece have already offered out.
In keeping with the announcement from eBay, the gathering was once evolved in partnership with environmentally centered NFT platform OneOf, which helps a couple of “energy-efficient blockchains” to supply sustainable NFT collections.
eBay first of all enabled NFT listings round mid-2021 however hasn’t built-in blockchain tech to beef up the gross sales on its market. Relating to this legitimate drop, customers are despatched a redemption hyperlink by way of in platform messaging or electronic mail to obtain their NFT out of doors of the platform.
The NFTs have been minted on Ethereum scaling platform Polygon, and will also be submit for secondary business on OneOf.
Secondary business for the NFTs on OneOf has been minimum up to now, on the other hand, with simplest 3 customers record platinum tiered tokens at a ground value of $199, whilst one consumer has indexed a gold tier NFT for $69.
Commenting at the drop, eBay’s VP of Collectibles, Electronics, and House Crack of dawn Block mentioned that NFT tech is “revolutionizing the collectibles house” and emphasised that the company is having a look to convey NFTs to mainstream creditors around the globe.
“Via our partnership with OneOf, eBay is now making coveted NFTs extra out there to a brand new era of creditors in all places. This builds upon our dedication to ship excessive hobby, high-value pieces to the eBay neighborhood of consumers and dealers.”
OneOf CEO Lin Dai echoed an identical sentiments, noting that the duo is having a look to make NFTs out there to folks that aren’t neatly versed in crypto:
“You shouldn’t have to be a crypto skilled to shop for, promote, and gather NFTs. OneOf and eBay are bringing transformative Web3 era to the following 100M non-crypto-native mass shoppers.”


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After seeing a rather dismal FDI (Finger Dexterity Index) trend over the years, online search giant Google today quietly launch its latest fitness initiative to further enhance the well-being of Internet users worldwide. Google called the new hands/fingers exercise, Chromercise, to leverage on the the branding of its highly popular Chrome browser.
A rather dismal FDI
According to Googler Chris Wright, certified Chromercise instructor:
Some existing finger exercise programs focus on upgrading your digits’ cardiovascular strength and musculature; others focus on dexterity. Chromercise’s unique blend of aerobic motion and rhythmic accompaniment covers all of the above while simultaneously tightening and toning your fingers’ actual appearance.
Check out the before-after of the Chromercise programme:
Google venturing into personal fitness, introduces Chromercise program originally appeared on GreyReview on April 1, 2011.


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Now, we know this statement is tantamount to wearing a Che Guevara T- shirt in a Cuban-exile neighborhood, but it needs to be said: The cafe con leche at the 20-year-old, family-run Tulipan Bakery rivals any cup you'd get in Little Havana. But as a warning to those who think coffeehouse means comfy couches flown in from Seattle, this place is far from the chains. Here, there are no seats; you drink girlie sips of cortadito while leaning on the counter, which separates visitors from the team of women frothing milk behind it. Make sure to accompany those potent cups of joe with finger-shaped croquetas that burst with bits of gooey, hammy goodness. Or stuff yourself on flaky cheese pastelitos, with a caramelized coating of sugar and smooth cream cheese inside. Tulipan has moved to cleaner, swankier digs a block up the street, where it's added churros and mortadella sandwiches to its menu of media noches and spinach empanadas; there's also a full selection of bakery items from flamboyant wedding cakes to bags of butter cookies.
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Mom thanks Palm Beach County Firefighters
A wish for a Loxahatchee woman finally came true. Karla Quiggle finally gets to thank the Palm Beach County first responders who saved her…
Investigators: Firefighter did everything right
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say the off duty firefighter hit by a car on Interstate 95 Tuesday pulled most of his car into the grass and…
Off-duty firefighter hit by car has died
A veteran firefighter with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue was hit by a vehicle along I-95.
Boy Scout troop leaders invited to Ferguson, Mo.
The leaders of Boy Scout Troop 772 on the Treasure Coast have been invited to share their success story with another community beset by…
Grocery stores open with rodents & roaches
Consumer Watchdog Jenn Strathman reviews hundreds of grocery store inspections to find the ones that fail repeatedly, but still keep their…
Tonight at 11: Dirty grocery stores
The Consumer Watchdog is exposing what inspectors found insider your local grocery store. See if they passed or failed.
Inspectors shut down pizza shop over droppings
Rodents shut down a Boca Raton pizza shop, and the owner was eager to talk to the Consumer Watchdog about it.
AT&T moved woman's number to Verizon account
A Delray Beach woman said all of her contacts couldn't reach her.


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At the Web 2.0 Summit, Michael Dell talks HP executive missteps, tablets, and more.
Dell has seen increased growth opportunity thanks to the recent uncertainty surrounding HP's executive missteps, its indecision about its PC business, and general customer confusion, Michael Dell said at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco Tuesday.
Dell still sees an opportunity for his company in client PCs, saying there will be 400 million of them sold this year, and that the demand for data from mobile devices will continue to drive growth in its data center business.
Dell has evolved from being a product company to becoming a solutions company and has a healthy portion of company employees working its service business (40 percent, according to Dell). At some point in the company's history, customers stopped being interested in more powerful servers and shiny new boxes. Those customers told Dell that if his company knew something about their businesses, and could help, they were all ears, he said.
That meant making their supply chains work better, enabling better outcomes for patients in hospitals, and helping to create more successful students.
Dell is an enterprise company, the CEO said, even though it has captured (and doesn't plan to abandon) the consumer. Dell also said that while the tablet market is still an iPad world, he thinks that Windows 8 shows great promise.
Finally, Michael Dell said, in response to questions about his heavy use of social media, that it harkens back to his days running bulletin board systems as a teenager. When conference chair John Battelle asked Dell whether it gives his PR and legal team heartache, Dell said: "They figured out there's nothing they can do about that."
See what else Dell had to say to Web 2.0 attendees:
Building A Mobile Business MindsetAmong 688 respondents, 46% have deployed mobile apps, with an additional 24% planning to in the next year. Soon all apps will look like mobile apps – and it's past time for those with no plans to get cracking.
Top IT Trends to Watch in Financial ServicesIT pros at banks, investment houses, insurance companies, and other financial services organizations are focused on a range of issues, from peer-to-peer lending to cybersecurity to performance, agility, and compliance. It all matters.
Join us for a roundup of the top stories on InformationWeek.com for the week of October 9, 2016. We'll be talking with the InformationWeek.com editors and correspondents who brought you the top stories of the week to get the "story behind the story."


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Technology: Demise of Symantec, China hardware concerns, Blackbyte ransomware
Scams to get married cost Finns 3.8million euros during the first quarter. In Finland it has seen an increase in scams relating to love in the past couple of years. They are typically run by professional criminals who have created large-scale organizations to manage their operations. The Blackbyte ransomware is able to bypass signed drives that are designed to offer the most secure authenticating. Tony Grasso, Principal Consultant for the cybersecurity firm TitaniumDefence.
1.Why do the people of Finland have lost their savings in online romance scams?
The online romance scams cost individuals money in Finland due to a myriad of motives. A lot of people in Finland look online for friendship and romance. They are drawn to those who are lonely, which makes them the ideal targets. Another issue is the fact that a lot of Finnish aren’t conscious of the process of online dating or the ways to spot fraudsters. These people are at greater risk of being scammed. Scammers love people who believe and trust their own abilities.
2. What is the difference between frauds similar to this?
There are a few important things to keep in mind when it comes to news about technology. The loss of Symantec is now a major issue. Concerns about the hardware of China are an additional concern. The Blackbyte ransomware is a major risk to companies. It is particularly alarming because Symantec was a major participant in the security industry. There have been a lot of issues lately and many are concerned about their potential demise of the business. Concerns about hardware related to China is another reason to be concerned.
A Short Summary
Cybersecurity is an important issue in the present day. Security is an issue of paramount importance for the present, since many of our personal information and private lives are kept online. It is crucial to make sure that your information is secure. This article demonstrates that the threat landscape is constantly changing as well as older threats develop into more sophisticated. In order to protect your data It is essential to keep up-to-date with latest cybersecurity trends and information.


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Guangzhou is like a spring outing and is more interesting than participating in the exhibition online.The number of passengers who took buses and water buses reached 120,000 in five days, according to the city’s traffic department.
The most popular means of travel by Chinese and foreign exhibitors were the special water bus, the city tourist bus, or the Ruyue bus tours.
One trader of device accessories from Holland, Daan, who called himself "an old friend" of Canton Fair, was profuse in his praise of the water bus.
He said the boat took him directly to his hotel. During the river trip, he could view the Canton Tower, and his hour’s journey cost just a few yuan. Even during busy negotiations on board, he could drink Cantonese morning tea, eat dim sums and observe the scenery. He said the boat ride was convenient and comfortable and felt like poetry on the water.
Louis, who comes from New Zealand, prefers taking the city sightseeing bus. During the journey, he can enjoy the scenery and the landmarks of Guangzhou, including Canton Tower, Haixinsha Island, Yuntai Garden, Xinghai Concert Hall, Beijing Lu, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, and Chen Clan Academy.
He has a sketch book and composed pictures of the scenery as the bus passed various sites. The multiple languages offered on the bus enabled him to learn quickly about the scenery and history of Guangzhou.
Louis plans to use a computer with special effects when he returns home to make a travelogue of Guangzhou, that he can send to friends as souvenirs.
The Nansha International Cruise Home Port, currently under construction, is expected to open in 2019. Capable of accommodating 225,000-ton and 100,000-ton cruise ships, the port is projected to host 750,000 passengers per year, an official of the home port said.
The Nansha Cruise Terminal, located at the southernmost seashore of Guangzhou, opened service in January 2016 to cater to Chinese mainland travelers who have shown a growing interest in cruise travel.
The terminal launched 104 cruises carrying over 326,000 passengers last year. Those statistics helped catapult Nansha into China’s third-busiest cruise terminal in terms of annual passenger flow, after Shanghai and Tianjin.
Xu Manping, head of the School of Ship Engineering at Guangzhou Maritime University, said the city holds an edge in the cruise industry.
"Development of the cruise industry in an area depends on a number of factors, such as its climate and hinterland, which ensures a tourist base," he said. "But at the same time, sound facilities in ship manufacturing, maintenance and a developed transportation network are also essential for its development to ensure smooth operation of the whole business in the area. In this sense, Guangzhou has an edge."
The new Nansha Ferry Terminal and an extension of metro Line 4 will be constructed near the Nansha International Cruise Home Port, making it possible to arrive at most cities in the Pearl River Delta region within one hour.
As the first port open to the public in China, the home port will be equipped with high-end restaurants and duty-free shopping malls, as well as art exhibitions and displays. It will provide services not only for cruise visitors, but also for citizens living near the port, according to an official of the Nansha International Cruise Home Port.
After the bike sharing, car sharing is becoming popular in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other cities across China. Now a number of car sharing rental platforms are entering the Guangzhou market, among them are Yidu, Ur Car, Gofun Chuxing, Jiabei, and Dingdong Chuxing.
A newly established Car-sharing Special Committee of the Guangzhou Association of Highway Transportation recently issued China’s first service specification of self-discipline, includes two regulatory documents setting industry standards. One sets up service requirements for car sharing, while the other relates to credit management for the new operations. Both regulations are being enforced on a trial basis.
Guangzhou has 2,650 shared cars on the market as of today, but 13 electric car companies plan to put 20,400 cars on the road by the end of the year, according to data from the committee.
The committee will bundle the car sharing enterprises so that consumers only will need to pay a deposit once and then can use various types of sharing cars from different companies.
The companies also can share spaces for the cars, according to Cai Zhenbo, general manager of Guangdong Ding Dong Network Technology Co., Ltd, one of the committee members.
Gofun Chuxing is an app for renting cars. One customer tested the steps for renting a car on the app. After downloading the app and inputting a phone number for registration, you upload an identity card and driving license information and make a deposit. The process takes 10 to 15 minutes.
After the registration, the renter will have 15 free minutes to search for a car and unlock it. The system will recommend nearby vehicles. You then select a location for returning the car, click “Wo yao yong che” (I need to use the car), according to its location and license plate number, then click “Yi jian jie suo“ (Unlock by one key), and the door automatically opens.
The operator should buy insurance for the vehicle, according to the regulations.
The parking problem of car sharing has attracted much attention. The specifications stipulate that the operator should use electronic fences or other technological measures to prevent indiscriminate parking, and assure the safety and order of the city.
The specifications encourage the enterprises to use facial recognition, fingerprints and other biometric data to register and implement the actual driver verification system, to ensure that the actual driver of the vehicle is the registered renter.
All metro lines in Guangzhou will remain in operation an extra hour from April 29 to May 1 during the May Day holiday, according to metro officials.
They expect the average passenger flow to reach 8.6 million during the three-day holiday. The number of passengers on April 28 will exceed 9 million during rush hour. The peak surge of passengers will occur on May 1, when metro officials say 9.3 million people will ride the rails. Metro authorities have arranged 20 standby trains in cases of emergency.
About 125,000 extra tickets will be made available to ease the congestion of passengers during the holiday. Security checks will be implemented.
Passenger flow control and the temporary passing by of stations near tourist attractions, shopping centers and transportation hubs may be implemented when the trains are overcrowded. Authorities warned that passengers should plan travel by keeping abreast of the most recent information available.


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Apple [AAPL] changed its iPhone developer agreement last month, which removed the ability for iPhone application developers to develop their applications using third party software like Adobe’s iPhone Compiler.
Now it seems that Apple may be about to face an antitrust inquiry over the changes to the developer agreement, as it looks like Adobe may have made a complaint to US regulators.
The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission are discussing which agency should review the allegations of anti-competitive behaviour, although neither of them have confirmed as yet whether an investigation will go ahead.
The fact that they are considering this is bad new for Apple, they have had some bad press lately after the police raided Jason Chen, the editor of Gizmodo’s house after the lost iPhone 4G saga.
As soon as we get some more information regarding the antitrust allegations we will let you guys know.
via Business Week
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McDonald's (MCD -1.15%) is enjoying robust growth. The restaurant chain's global comparable sales rose 4.2% in the third quarter, with comps rising in all of its major business segments. Better still, McDonald's is gaining share in a fiercely competitive industry; its third-quarter comp sales growth topped the roughly 3.5% gains of the industry overall. Investors cheered these results, and McDonald's stock soared to record levels.
However, rather than simply rest on its laurels, McDonald's is spending heavily to modernize its stores. Along with its franchisees, the company is rolling out delivery, enhanced digital ordering capabilities, and its "Experience of the Future" restaurant concept across its global store base.
Here's why these initiatives can help to drive McDonald's stock price higher in the years ahead.
McDonald's global retail footprint gives it a powerful edge in terms of delivery. "With over 37,000 restaurants, we have a massive global footprint, which provides a distinct advantage by placing us closer to more customers than any of our competitors," CEO Steve Easterbrook said during the company's Q3 earnings call.
McDonald's is partnering with Uber Eats to rapidly roll out this service to its restaurants. Delivery is now available at more than 15,000 McDonald's locations, and the company plans to add this capability to thousands more of its stores by the end of 2018. Delivery is boosting customer satisfaction scores and reorder rates, and it now accounts for as much as 10% of sales in several top international markets for McDonald's.
McDonald's believes it can enjoy similar success with delivery in the U.S., where the restaurant chain, like many retailers, is battling tepid traffic trends as retail transactions increasingly migrate to online channels. Delivery can help to offset these trends and provide a powerful new growth driver for McDonald's in the process.
A new digital experience
McDonald's is also strengthening its digital ordering and payment technology. Features such as mobile order and pay should help the restaurant chain better serve tech-savvy customers. And by integrating its mobile app into new service options such as curbside pickup, McDonald's is adding an additional level of speed and convenience to its operations that could help further boost sales.
Moreover, McDonald's delivery and mobile initiatives complement its new Experience of the Future restaurant design concept. EOTF includes store upgrades such as self-ordering kiosks, modern decor, and an improved drive-thru experience. All of which should make the chain's restaurants more appealing to both in-store diners and on-the-go customers.
The kiosks may have the biggest impact. By reducing the number of employees needed to run its restaurants, McDonald's and its franchisees will be less exposed to wage inflation. And by reducing the impact of rising labor costs, EOTF should help to improve the profitability of McDonald's restaurants going forward.
Higher profits = higher dividends
Even as it invests in these growth projects, McDonald's is able to reward investors with bountiful capital returns thanks to its tremendous cash flow production. The company generated nearly $1.8 billion in free cash flow in the third quarter alone. That allowed it to return $1.7 billion to shareholders via dividends and share repurchases last quarter.
Better still, McDonald's is boosting its quarterly cash dividend by 15%, to $1.16 per share, beginning in the fourth quarter. This marks the 42nd consecutive year that McDonald's has increased its annual dividend. And with its growth projects likely to fuel further increases in earnings per share -- analysts expect McDonald's EPS to rise by nearly 10% annually over the next half-decade -- investors can expect more dividend raises in the coming years.
All told, with its powerful competitive advantages, intriguing growth prospects, and steadily rising dividend, McDonald's stock is likely to enjoy strong demand among investors. And as its profits and dividends grow, the restaurant titan's stock could continue to set new all-time highs in the years ahead.


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ROCKFORD — Money Smart Week, a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances during the week of April 18, is seeking to add more business partners.
Partners come together once a year to stress the importance of financial literacy, inform consumers about where they can get help and provide free educational seminars and activities. Money Smart Week is developed and coordinated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Deadline to submit events into the Federal Reserve’s MSW calendar is Feb. 10. The Northern Illinois MSW group meets every second Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. at the Perryville branch of Illinois Bank & Trust, 6855 E. Riverside Blvd.
For information: moneysmartweek.org.


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In the blink of an eye, Leland found itself looking at a shuttered restaurant on the busy stretch of US 17 located between Brunswick Forest and Waterford. Tony’s NY Pizza & Trattoria, which was situated in the Cross Creek Commons Plaza on 1107 New Pointe Boulevard, shut down at the beginning of April. Less than a month later, the building is set to be occupied instead by Half Time Sports Bar & Grill, with the entire operation making a move from its existing location at 50 River Road in Belville.
The general manager, Buffy Lennon, went to check out the general renovations last Wednesday, which include a glossy wooden bar able to seat up to 24 people. Currently known under the name Half Time Sports Cafe, the name change and relocation have been spurred by access being gained to the complete kitchen, which will enable the owner, Charlie Almond, to serve his customers a proper menu rather than the current limited options.
Lennon says that the offerings will prove familiar to regulars of the sports bar; however, he points out that the kitchen is equipped with a couple of commercial pizza ovens, which will be producing exemplary versions of a number of these staple offerings.
The rest of the menu is expected to be rounded out by burgers, pizzas and salads. There will also be a choice of 16 beers on tap, which range from domestic standards to microbrews.


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A new PC gaming event was announced by Future in 2015, which will be taking place for the first time this weekend (5-6 March 2016). This new event follows the debut of the PC Gamer’s PC Gaming Show, which took place at E3 in June 2015. ‘The PC Gamer Weekender’ will be an action-packed two-day event, ideal for gamers, which will take place on Brick Lane at the Old Truman Brewery.
The event will host a range of the latest triple-A and indie game releases which can be played, and all event goers will be admitted entry into one of the tournaments taking place that weekend.
The huge line-up of games for the PC Gamer Weekender is constantly growing and currently includes Dark Souls III Pre-Release, Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade Pre-Release, Total WAR: WARHAMMER (a month before release), Street Fighter V and Umbrella Corps, among many others. The full list of games, which is still growing, is available to view here: http://weekender.pcgamer.com/whats-on/games-on-show-at-the-weekender.
The event will feature a Hardware Zone which will offer attendees the opportunity to sample or buy various PC tech devices. Also, a range of workshops are planned for the event, which include interview sessions for developers. For gamers and tech fanatics who enjoy enhancing the internal software of their PC’s, upgrading components and perfecting gaming performance, the PC workshops will be an ideal experience. ASUS and other hardware experts will lead the workshops, which will include detailed information on how to improve your PC, from beginner to advanced level. The workshops will be free for anyone who purchases a valid floor pass for the event.
Future’s head of events, Jonny Sullens told MCV (The Market for Computer & Video Games): “The event we put on at E3 was a huge success and has proved to be a launch pad into the PC Gamer Weekender. PC Gaming is a very vibrant market with many different attributes to make a multifaceted event.”
The exciting event will feature a Hardware Zone with a “4K Stage powered by NVIDIA”; it will include gameplay, walkthroughs, developer interviews and the latest in 4K gaming technology.
The latest and most advanced virtual reality headset – the HTC Vive Consumer Edition, will be available for attendees to experience at the PC Gamer Weekender. The HTC Vive Consumer Edition features two 1080 x 1200 screens, 90Hz refresh rates to create 3D experience, sensor wand-shaped controllers for superior positional tracking, and laser-emitting based stations for accuracy. It is powered by Nvidia’s GeForce GTX, and you will be able to fully experience the virtual world with this new device, whilst gaming. The HTC Vive Consumer Edition is an improvement from the Vive and the Vive Pre, with even more innovative features. It is a partnership between HTC and the game developer, Valve, and will be available to buyers from April.
Tickets for the PC Gamer Weekender are currently available to buy at http://weekender.pcgamer.com/ along with a 20% off discount code. Tickets range from a Weekender PLUS Pass (£24.00), Saturday Standard Pass (£14.99), and the Sunday Standard Pass (£14.99). The event is only open to over 18’s due to the possibility of age-restricted content.


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This was in the Daily News a few weeks ago..
More trouble in toyland. Now that lead has been banned from children’s products, some Chinese manufacturers have been substituting the even more dangerous heavy metal cadmium, especially in costume jewelry, an Associated Press investigation reveals.
Cadmium is a known carcinogen that, like lead, can delay brain development in young children, leading to learning disabilities. Research also shows that long-term exposure can cause cancer and kidney problems.
The AP purchased 103 pieces at national and regional store chains in New York, Ohio, Texas and California. A lab analysis revealed that the most contaminated trinket contained 91 percent cadmium by weight, while other objects tested at dangerous levels including 89 percent, 86 percent and 84 percent by weight. Twelve percent of the pieces contained at least 10 percent cadmium.
Some of the most toxic toys were bracelet charms sold at Wal-Mart, as well as at the Claire’s jewelry franchise and in Disney’s "The Princess and the Frog" movie-themed pendants.
Even more worrisome, some of the items easily shed their metal, raising additional concerns about children’s exposure to toxins.
Kids don’t have to swallow cadmium to be exposed – simply sucking on or biting costume jewelry with high levels of cadmium can hit them with regular doses of the metal.
"There's nothing positive that you can say about this metal. It's a poison," warns Bruce A. Fowler, a toxicologist and cadmium specialist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2010/01/11/2010-01-11_toxic_lead_replaced_in_childrens_toys_trinkets_by_something_even_worse__cadmium.html#ixzz0eHv9aPEL


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Following the release of the video game developer Studio MDHR’s run and gun title Cuphead last week, many fans of the title have gone on to discover its difficulty, with many undoubtedly still struggling to unlock all of the feats on its achievements list. That said, though, one player has already managed to display their mastery of the game, as they have gone on to beat all of its bosses without dodging, using any charms, or taking any damage.
As seen below in the YouTuber Aeraloth’s video of their run through Cuphead, not only did all 28 bosses get defeated without dodges and charms being implemented, or damage being taken, but also the player managed to beat each of the them with an A+ Rank. Considering that the game just came out last Friday, it’s quite likely that Aeraloth spent the majority of the weekend working their way up to such an accomplishment.
While Aeraloth’s defeat of each of Cuphead‘s bosses without dodges, charms, and damage taken is impressive to say the least, it should come as no surprise that there are already a plethora of other gamers who are completing their own sets of triumphs with the game. For instance, the Twitch streamer known as Frayzlo recently finished an incredible Ultra Hard run of the game in about 46 minutes.
Bearing all of this in mind, with some Cuphead fans already blazing through the title and pushing the boundaries of how fast and efficiently the game can be beaten, it’s a safe bet to make that future speed runs and self-imposed limitation runs are going to get even better as time progresses. And if a potential online multiplayer DLC component is added, it will be interesting to see how quickly and skillfully some players can tackle the title while being teamed up in the vintage cartoon-styled game.
Cuphead is available now for PC and Xbox One.
Source: Aeraloth – YouTube


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Riverhead Books has acquired the U.S. rights to three books by novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah, the winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature.
First published by Bloomsbury in the U.K. last September, Afterlives will be published by Riverhead on August 23 of next year. The novel, the publisher said, is "a sweeping, multi-generational saga of displacement, loss, and love" set against the backdrop of the violent colonization of East Africa. Riverhead will also newly publish two backlist titles by Gurnah: By the Sea and Desertion, first released in 2001 by the New Press and 2005 by Pantheon, respectively. No publication dates were announced for the titles.
The deal augurs a rare opportunity for American readers to get their hands on books by Gurnah. Typically, the awarding of a Nobel Prize in Literature results in a boost to sales for the laureate's books and their publishers. But many of Gurnah's novels had gone out of print, and rights had reverted to the author. By the Sea and Desertion are two such titles, as is Paradise, Gurnah's 1994 novel; New Press publisher Ellen Adler told PW earlier this month that it will go back to print with that title "immediately" with digital reprints.
Represented by Peter Straus of RCW Literary Agency, U.S. rights to Afterlives and North American rights to By the Sea and Desertion were sold to Riverhead v-p and editorial director Rebecca Saletan.


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INCREDIBLE! Nigeria Spends N728bn Annually On Honey Importation
Are you aware that honey production is a multi-billion naira venture?
In fact Nigeria spends over $2bn annually on the importation of honey, the Federal Government has said.
According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigerian Export Promotion Council and apiculture (beekeeping) experts, Nigeria consumes about 400,000 tonnes of honey annually but produces less than 10 percent of its total consumption.
It stated that as the Nigerian population grew, heavier demand on food resource had compelled agricultural methods to improve technologically in order to meet the national consumption requirements.
It said beekeeping was not an exception, adding that there was the compelling need for beekeepers to imbibe global standards in order to grow the subsector and integrate the benefits into mainstream agricultural development.
It said, “Currently, Nigeria consumes about 400,000 tonnes of honey annually, produces less than 40,000 tonnes (10 per cent of the consumption) which by implication translates to an import bill of over $2bn annually.
“Low yields from local farmers due to primitive methods of farming means that national food production is less than national food consumption, which by implication swells the national import bill by staggering figures to billions of dollars.”
The government, however, stated that it had commenced moves aimed at reducing the amount spent on the importation of honey into Nigeria.
Please share this story with your family and friends
ALSO WATCH TONY AND JONA ON BOUNCE WEEK ROUND


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These businesses are observed online and usually bundle their item as a cash loan, nicely steering clear of the appropriate concept of a loan. Just like payday financing, the lending company will pay it self straight straight straight back via automated withdrawals from the borrower’s banking account. Charges are very carefully concealed and rates of interest in many cases are disguised. For example, a loan provider may quote a ten percent rate of interest, but which will really be described as a month-to-month price — meaning the particular apr is 120 per cent.
Just like pay day loans for customers, organizations can effortlessly get caught in a period of mounting financial obligation with less and less resources to pay for it well. A report that is recent the microlender Opportunity Fund highlighted an average instance: A Southern Ca bakery had taken loans out from three alternate loan providers and a vendor cash loan business. The bakery ended up being making a lot more than $600 each day with debt payments — a lot more than a quarter of its day-to-day money movement. Struggling to continue the good work, the bakery had been eventually shuttered. More


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Disney may have negotiated ample streaming rights for ESPN as part of its recent programming deals, including the just-signed $1.5 billion-a-season agreement with the NBA, but the media conglomerate has no plans to take ESPN a la carte anytime soon.
"We're well-positioned to go direct to the consumer if the marketplace demands it, but we don't feel a need to do that now," company CEO Bob Iger told investors during The Walt Disney Company's full-fiscal-year/Q4 earnings call Thursday.
"We don't feel a compelling need to take a product to market right now that is a challenge to multichannel bundle," Iger added. "There's no need to do it now that precipitates the downfall of that bundle."
Despite a soft ad market, cable networks generated a 5 percent spike in full-year revenue for Disney to $15.1 million. ESPN led the way, translating an industry-leading $6-plus average charge per subscriber into more than $8 billion in affiliate licensing fees.
It was recently speculated that in a purely a la carte universe, ESPN would have to drive its per-subscriber fees above $30 to pay its league licenses, winnowing its reach and vastly reducing its ad revenue in the process.
With that in mind, the company is partnering with pay-TV operator Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH), experimenting with a hybrid OTT model that targets young, online-video-loving pay-TV dissonance, but keeps the program bundling paradigm intact.
NBA deal will raise average pay-TV bill 'couple dollars a month,' report says
NBA TV deal is 'latest example of reckless spending' by big networks, Mediacom VP says
Cord maybes: Pay-TV chases millennials with OTT services, but success is hardly guaranteed


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Most people responding to a Daventry Express question on new shops at the Danetre Garage site want a new Asda store.
It was revealed two weeks ago that plans for ‘Site 5’ will now include two supermarkets, six new shops, a hotel, family restaurant, fast food outlet, and a new retirement development.
Readers responding to a question on which retailers they would prefer gave Asda as the most popular answer.
Monika Białas said: “An Asda with a normal/large clothes range plus a petrol station and a big car park.”
Sarah-Jayne Goodman said: “Asda would be great along with a petrol station, as it has clothes, toys and homeware as well as food which is what Daventry needs.”
And Michelle Brossard said: “Asda has good prices an food an a good selection of clothes a bit of everything for everyone really.”
Asda did not reply to a request for a comment yesterday.
However not everyone was in favour of the effect the new plans may have on the town.
Nigel Martin said: “Can you imagine the congestion around Ashby Road with William Parker, the UTC, and now a supermarket. I’d never get home.”
The updated plans are for ‘Site 5’ which includes the old Danetre Garage site on Warwick Street, the Gas Works car park, the site of the Braunston Road/Ashby Road roundabout, and the old outdoor pool site and car park.
The proposed plans will now be looked at this month’s full council meeting.
A planning application is expected next year, with retailers having a deadline sometime in the summer to subscribe to the plans. Work could begin next November.
The new plan replaces the previous one for one large supermarket, one retail unit, and a petrol station.
The amendments were passed at a strategy group meeting last week.
Addressing Henry Boot, the council’s partner in the scheme, council leader Chris Millar said: “We have a wealthy hinterland so the retailers will do well and, as the town grows, the economic activity in the town will grow. Hopefully you can progress the scheme next year and you have the full support of the council.”


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The Swansea team has thanked locals for helping to raise more than £100 for Blind Veterans UK.
Staff at the Kingsway store hosted a cake sale where customers were encouraged to make a donation in exchange for a chocolate treat.
Customers were also able to enter a raffle for the chance to win a Thornton’s gift box and a pair of prescription designer sunglasses.
Swansea resident, Kay Evans, was the lucky raffle winner.
The money was donated to Blind Veterans UK, which offers physical and emotional support to service men and women from the armed forces who are suffering from sight loss. Its support enables veterans to overcome the difficulties of living with blindness and help them live their lives as independently as possible.
Tracy Hill, manager at Specsavers Swansea, says: ‘There is an obvious connection between Specsavers and the charity so we are more than happy to support it and in turn, help it continue to offer its vital services.
‘We had a lot of fun with the raffle and the cake sales always go down well, so we’re not surprised we were able to make this contribution to the charity.’


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May 1, 2019 — After years of being in the shadows of the health-focused “fresh” movement that kept more consumers in the perimeter of the store where fresh produce is merchandized, consumers are returning to the frozen foods aisle, reports The
NPD Group. Last year frozen foods were included in 9.8 billion eating occasions in home, up 2 percent from a decade ago, an increase that represents billions of meals, according to NPD’s daily tracking of U.S. consumers’ eating behaviors.
“Demographic shifts, like Millennials moving into the busiest times of their lives juggling spouses, kids, and a career, are fueling a greater need for the convenience that frozen foods offer,” says David Portalatin, NPD Food Industry Advisor and author of Eating
Patterns in America. “Manufacturers are also doing their part in increasing interest in frozen foods by innovating around contemporary food values and emerging flavor trends to provide convenience.”
Another growth driver for the frozen foods category is that over 80 percent of meals and other eating occasions occur at home. U.S. consumers are primarily turning to frozen foods as a main meal heat-and-eat solution. Dinner is the prime meal where frozen foods come into play to save time. Frozen vegetables and chicken are among the top frozen foods used in dinner meals. Frozen entrees at dinner are forecast to continue to grow over the next four years, according to NPD’s Future of Dinner study. Breakfast is another area where frozen foods are growing with frozen waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and fruit being among the most popular.
“Consumers have always realized that frozen foods offer convenience and a time savings,” says Portalatin. “Now they also realize that frozen food is nutritional and offers the same kind of health benefits fresh food does.”


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ZIM Vs SL | 1st Test Jan 19, 2020
SL 295/4 (106.0)
ASS Vs MAH | Match 95 Jan 19, 2020
ASS 12/0 (6.0)
NAG Vs BIH | Match 99 Jan 19, 2020
NAG 76/2 (21.0)
DEL Vs VID | Match 102 Jan 19, 2020
DEL 10/0 (2.0)
GUJ Vs PUN | Match 103 Jan 19, 2020
PUN 87/4 (26.0)
HP Vs BAR | Match 105 Jan 19, 2020
BAR 150/2 (40.0)
MP Vs SAU | Match 106 Jan 19, 2020
SAU 165/2 (46.0)
MUM Vs UP | Match 107 Jan 19, 2020
MUM 353/5 (90.0)
GOA Vs CHA | Match 97 Jan 19, 2020
GOA 87/2 (27.0)
JHA Vs UTT | Match 92 Jan 19, 2020
JHA 76/1 (21.0)
Latest News on Bing
Showing of 0 - 10 from 142 results
Bing - Total results - 142
May 21, 2016
Microsoft puts Standard 12 Central Board of Secondary Education results on BingMicrosoft has announced it will put examination results of Standard 12 of the Central Board of Secondary Education on its search engine Bing.
May 17, 2016
Google, Yahoo and Bing Searches hijacked by click-fraud botnet, India has most infected machinesA click fraud botnet has infected over 900,000 machines in the world, and almost 100,000 of them are in India.
Mar 15, 2016
Microsoft's Bing search offers in-game predictions, polls and quizzes for T20 World CupWith the onset of the T20 Cricket season in India, Microsoft's Bing has announced a set of Cricket oriented search features such as Bing predictions, polls and quizzes to offer a better search experience.
Jun 30, 2015
Uber acquires Microsoft's Bing mapping technology, display ad business goes to AOLMicrosoft Corp said on Monday it will hand over its display advertising business to AOL Inc and sell some map-generating technology to ride-hailing app company Uber, as it slims down its money-losing online operations.
Jun 30, 2015
Microsoft sells display ad business to AOL, and map business to UberThe moves mean Microsoft will focus on its growing search advertising business based on its Bing search engine, and displaying maps on its Windows devices rather than generating the maps themselves.
Apr 21, 2015
Beyond Google: Here are four search engines that respect your privacyAccording to StatCounter, more than 9 out of 10 online searches today use Google, leaving its competitors, Bing and Yahoo!, fighting for scraps.
Mar 17, 2015
Five steps to help boost privacy onlineMore than half of Americans are worried about the U.S. government's digital spies prying into their emails, texts, search requests and other online information, but few are trying to thwart the surveillance.
Feb 04, 2015
Microsoft launches Picturesque, a free lock screen app for AndroidMicrosoft Garage, where the company's employees churn out experimental ideas, has now launched a new lock screen for Android dubbed Picturesque.
Dec 15, 2014
Facebook ditches Microsoft's Bing search engineThe move, confirmed by a company spokesperson, comes as Facebook has revamped its own search offerings, introducing a tool on Monday that allows users to quickly find past comments and other information posted by their friends on Facebook.
Oct 25, 2014
Search Bing by twisting your wrist with Microsoft’s Torque for Android WearArray


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India Pushes Electrification for Commercial Cars
India could require ride-hailing services such as Ola and Uber to switch to electric power for 40% of their vehicles by April 2026.
The scheme would begin by requiring such companies to electrify 2.5% of their fleets by 2021, 5% by 2022 and 10% by 2023, according to Reuters. The news service cites government documents and an unnamed source.
The government’s transport, power and renewable energy ministries are recommending that India also push electrification by 2026 for conventional taxi services and all other commercial operations that use cars. The committee also wants motorcycles and scooters sold for commercial purposes to go electric by early 2023.
The ministries further suggest that cities begin converting to electric buses beginning at 5% of their fleet in 2023 and reaching 30% in 2026 before converting to all-electric thereafter.
Reuters notes that sales of electric vehicles in India tripled last year, but only to 3,600 units in a national car market of 3.3 million units.
According to Frank Jourdan, president, Chassis & Safety Div., Continental Contitech AG (continental-corporation.com), the high-resolution 3D flash LIDAR (HFL) technology that the company is developing for deployment in automated driving systems in the 2020+ timeframe provides an array of benefits.
While there is a burgeoning proliferation of companies that are in the LiDAR space, each with its own take on utilizing laser pulses to create a precise map of its surroundings for purposes of ADAS or full-blown automation, a Seattle-based company has a distinction that certainly sets it apart from its competitors.
Additive manufacturing (AM) is just one manufacturing method that drives advanced mobility forward and also has a history of embracing the digital connectivity demanded by this trend.


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The tour was part of the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative (ASEAN YBLI), managed by the Foundation for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The group met with Indonesian counterparts in the F&B sector and visited wet markets, high-end supermarkets, takeaway chains, food processing companies, as well as chocolate, coffee and spice companies.
The busy six-day tour started with New Zealand’s ambassador to Indonesia Trevor Matheson and Trade Commissioner Tim Anderson briefing the YBLI group on New Zealand’s relationship with Indonesia. From there it was out into the streets of Jakarta to explore the markets and food establishments the city has to offer.
Instrumental in making the trip a success were three Indonesian business leaders who the Foundation brought to New Zealand in previous years as part of the ASEAN YBLI: café owner and coffee exporter Indi Soemardjan (Founder PT Javanero), owner and founder of the world’s largest kebab chain Hendy Setiono (CEO, Baba Rafi); and chocolatier and coffee retailer Irvan Helmi (Director and co-founder of PT Anomali Coffee and PT Rosso Bianco).
“Their experience, knowledge and contacts were key to making the trip a success”, says ASEAN YBLI project manager Adam McConnochie.
Group member Lucy Bennetto (founder of Bennetto Natural Foods) says she was most inspired by the contacts the group made in Indonesia and stories they told about sustainability and traceability.
“We met one inspiring visionary after another, so it was a continuous high in that respect. All the young leaders we met had such a passion for their products and their business; it was pretty uplifting.”
On the second day of the trip, the six entrepreneurs attended New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s Food Connection event where they had the opportunity to present their products to some 400 local distributers and get insight into how their products might perform in the Indonesian market.
McConnochie says, “The Food Connection event gave the group a great opportunity to market their products to the likes of hotels and supermarkets, both testing the market and getting feedback on their products.”
Despite the busy schedule, the trip was not all work and no play. On the fifth day of the trip, the group rose at 12.30am to make the three hour drive from Indonesia’s second-largest city Surabaya to watch the sun rise over Mt Bromo. After traversing the last leg of the journey by jeep over dirt roads, the group mounted horses and climbed an active volcano neighbouring Mount Bromo.
“Waking up at 12.30am to go on a tour was out of my comfort zone (as I love my sleep),” says group member Sachie Nomura, founder of Sachie’s Kitchen. “However, in business, sometimes we have to go out of our comfort zones to create success,” she quips.
Morgan Maw, Founder of Bonnie Goods, says that the value of the trip came from not only the inspirational people they met in Indonesia but also from within the group itself.
“I felt that spending an intensive week together created an almost incubator-like environment where we could converse, collaborate on ideas and critique each other’s businesses."
Running since 2012, the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative has brought more than 50 dynamic entrepreneurs and business leaders from Southeast Asia to New Zealand, building business connections and facilitating trade links. This is the third visit to Southeast Asia the Asia New Zealand Foundation has organised for New Zealand entrepreneurs. In 2015, a group of New Zealand technology entrepreneurs visited Thailand and Singapore, while a group of social entrepreneurs visited the Philippines.


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Linglong moves to 7+5 tyre factory investment model
The board of Shandong Linglong Tire Company Ltd has revised its 10-year “medium and long-term development plan (2020-2030)” to focus on a 7+5 rather than a 6+6 tyre manufacturing capacity expansion model. Up till April 2020, Linglong has worked according to a 5+3 plan, but last year this was upgraded to 6+6, meaning the company plans to run six tyre factories in China as well as six situated in international locations. However, according to a stock market filing dated 10 June 2021, Linglong’s board voted unanimously in favour of running a total of seven plants in China and five internationally.
The reason for the adjustment? “In the face of repeated overseas epidemics, the economic situation is unstable and uncertain” and therefore Linglong’s new plan works to “strengthen the country based on a new development pattern of mutual promotion”. At the same time, Linglong says it will work to “continue to deepen cooperation with OEMs” as well as promoting a new domestically focused retail strategy designed to “make the domestic market and the international market better by leveraging the potential of domestic demand”.
While the proposal has been approved by Linglong’s board it still needs to be submitted to the shareholders meeting for deliberation. In a connected move, Linglong’s board voted to invest in building a new factory and establishing a subsidiary in Tongchuan City, Shaanxi Province, China.


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Apple has been growing faster than its mobile industry rivals in Japan, but it still trails local handset makers and Google’s Android operating system in the country. That’s the conclusion of a new report from comScore, which analysed mobile usage in the country between November 2011 and February 2012.
Impressive growth by Apple trails
Sharp leads the pack, despite seeing a 1.1 percent drop in share of users, while Panasonic (13.8 percent), Fujitsu (11.8 percent), NEC (9.7 percent) and Sony (7.5 percent) complete the top list of OEMs. Apple comes in eighth, with 6.5 percent, however it grew by 1.5 percent, buoyed by the success of November’s iPhone 4S launch.
Despite clocking impressive sales figures for the launch of the iPhone 4S in Japan, Apple is constricted by Japan’s emerging smartphone market, which it defines as devices running on Android, Apple, Microsoft, RIM and Symbian platforms.
Android dominates growing smartphone market
comScore says that one in five Japanese mobile users now use a smartphone, which represents impressive growth of 28 percent over the three month period.
“Smartphones surpassed feature phones as the most acquired device type in February 2012, signaling an important shift in Japan’s mobile market,” said Daizo Nishitani, vice president of comScore Japan KK. “Japanese mobile phone users were already highly engaged with their devices, but with the added functionality and higher levels of mobile media consumption we should expect to see significant changes in behavior among the Japanese mobile population in 2012.”
Devices based on Google’s Android are leading the charge, with the operating system accounting for 61.4 percent of active smartphones, compared to Apple (33 percent), Microsoft, (5.7 percent). Usage of RIM and Symbian is tiny, and both are grouped under ‘Others’, which accounts for just 0.5 percent.
Android’s share of usage remains steady, growing 0.3 percent, while Apple surged 1.3 percent and Microsoft declined 1.8 percent.
Mobile email most popular
Finally, for those who have not been in Japan and experienced its unique mobile culture, the fact that mobile email tops the list for most popular activity may come as a surprise.
Use of email (56.7 percent) is narrowly ahead of mobile apps (55.4 percent), while social networking (19.5 percent) is below a number of activities, including SMS (45.4 percent) and mobile search (30 percent).
As smartphone devices become more popular it is likely that apps will rise to the top as the most used features, however Japanese mobile users’ love of email is likely to see it remain, if not the most popular, for some time.


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Were you unable to attend Transform 2022? Check out all of the summit sessions in our on-demand library now! Watch here.
Monthly video game sales statistics from the NPD Group show that the video game industry continues to grow in 2008, defying any concerns about the recession and a cyclical slowdown. On top of that, the Sony PlayStation 3’s resurgence is becoming evident as it beat out Microsoft’s Xbox 360 for the second month in a row in unit sales.
The Nintendo Wii is still on top with sales of 432,000 consoles in February in the U.S., while the PS 3 sold 280,800 units and the Xbox 360 came in third with 254,600 units sold. The Nintendo DS sold 587,600 units, widening its lead over the PlayStation Portable which sold 243,100 units. Year over year, Sony’s PS 3 numbers are up 120 percent.
Total video game industry sales were up 34 percent to $1.3 billion, year over year. Hardware was up 19 percent, a strong showing in spite of recent price cuts. Software was up 47 percent and accessories were up 36 percent. Year to date, the industry was up 26 percent.
Anita Frazier, an analyst at NPD, predicts another year of record-breaking sales in spite of the tough economy. That’s surprisingly strong, considering this year will be the fourth year in the next-generation product cycle (at least for Microsoft). The year will likely get a big boost starting April 29 with the launch of Take-Two Interactive’s Grand Theft Auto IV, which analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan believes will sell nine million copies.
The PlayStation 2 continues to sell strong with 351,800 consoles sold during the month. That’s a strong indicator that price-conscious mass market consumers are still a big factor in the market. But the Wii is probably capturing more of those consumers, judging by its numbers.
Microsoft said in a statement that it is still in a supply-constrained shortage. It also says that consumers are still spending more dollars on the Xbox 360 than they are on the Nintendo and Sony next-generation platforms. Life to date in the U.S., the Xbox 360 platform now has a U.S. installed base of 9.6 million; the PS3 ha.s 3.8 million, the Wii has 8.1 million. Microsoft has more than 10 million Xbox Live subscribers, compared to 3.3 million for the PlayStation Network. Sony pointed out that if you combine spending on all of its platforms, it is generating the most monthly sales.
It is still disturbing that Microsoft can’t get enough consoles out. That means that the console manufacturing problems, which resulted in a billion-dollar write-off last year, still haven’t been conquered in spite of the fact that Microsoft has moved to new boards and chips. I can’t think of another explanation for a shortage at this stage in the life cycle, unless Microsoft was exceedingly cautious with its inventory planning a few months back. On the positive side, Microsoft had six Xbox 360 titles on the list of the top ten games during Feburary.
Activision had three titles in the top ten best-selling games list in February, including the No. 1-ranked ”
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” title. (I have a Major I rank on multiplayer now). Notably, Electronic Arts had only one title, “Rock Band,” in the top ten.
Start-ups may not care about the console war per se. But good news in the core console market means that VCs will continue to notice the growth and see games as a good investment opportunity. These numbers don’t even include strong growth in areas such as PC massively multiplayer online games, casual games and mobile games.
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This article is more than 1 year old
Business PC sales up as suits flee looming end of support for Windows 7
As for those flakey ol' consumers...
Retailers and distributors across much of Europe continue to be conservative buyers of consumer PCs, but Microsoft's looming end of support for Windows 7 helped keep orders ticking along for commercial PCs.
In July, distributor volumes grew 8 per cent year-on-year to almost 1.657 million boxes across nine European countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Finland and the Netherlands.
Split by category, 643,859 were consumer box sales, down 2 per cent, due to a 3 per cent drop in notebook shipments. Desktop, ultra-slim portables and Chromebooks were up but the volumes here were too small to help swing the overall dial upwards.
However, a flurry of activity in B2B dragged PC sales in those nine countries into growth as distributors bought 1.013 million computers, up 15 per cent on the same month a year earlier. Here, notebooks were up 11 per cent and desktop jumped 25 per cent.
"It is expected that commercial demand will remain strong throughout the second half of 2019 as Windows 10 continues," said Marie-Christine Pygott, senior analyst at Context.
For the past 18 months, businesses have refreshed their fleet of PCs in preparation for Microsoft killing off extended support on 14 January 2020, providing a boon to this part of the industry.
The prognosis for the consumer sector is far more gloomy, according to Content. "While a range of promotional activities during the upcoming back-to-school and Black Friday periods are likely to lead to a temporary improvement in the consumer growth trend, overall demand is expected to remain soft," said Pygott.
In all, distributors in eight of the nine European countries reported growth in business computer sales in July – Poland was the exception. Only disties in Spain and Switzerland failed to expand business system shipments.
In the UK, total sales via the channel went up to 2.5 per cent to 377,764 units: commercial PCs reached 227,920, up 10.8 per cent and consumer was down 11 per cent to 125,167 units.
Context stats only include sales via the distribution. This does not include direct sales from the PC maker's own sales forces, nor does it include shipments sold directly from PC makers to retailers. ®


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SEOUL, April 7 (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd estimated on Friday its first-quarter operating profit rose 48 percent from a year earlier, beating expectations as strong memory chip prices likely padded margins.
Samsung, in a regulatory filing, said its January-March profit was likely 9.9 trillion won ($8.76 billion), compared with an average forecast of 9.4 trillion won from a Thomson Reuters survey of 18 analysts.
Revenue likely rose 0.4 percent from a year earlier to 50 trillion won, Samsung said.
The company did not elaborate on its performance and will disclose detailed earnings in late April. ($1 = 1,130.0900 won) (Reporting by Se Young Lee; Editing by Stephen Coates)


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Shareholders are not philanthropists. They are investors who expect to see a return on the money they put into a company. Because companies have a vested interest in attracting shareholders, laws have been put in place to make sure they act fairly and honestly when communicating with their shareholders about the state of the company. This generally means requiring companies to reveal the state of their finances, market value, any legal issues they may be having that could affect their profits, etc.
Before handing over large sums of money to the control of another, it makes sense that shareholders would want to make sure their money is in safe hands. If it turns out the shareholders were deceived or lied to, filing a lawsuit against the company for fraud and/or breach of fiduciary duties is common. Unfortunately, thanks to a new ruling by the Delaware Supreme Court, shareholders have a new reason to hesitate before taking their grievances to the courts.
In a recent proceeding, the state supreme court ruled that a company can adopt, without shareholder approval, bylaws that require investors who file lawsuits against the company to pay the company’s legal fees if the shareholders are unsuccessful in their suit. Although it has long been common practice in the United States for the defendants to bear the burden of all legal fees if they lose, plaintiffs have never been required to pay the legal expenses for their defendants.
In its ruling, the Delaware Supreme Court said that the new measure might be proper for deterring litigation. In fact, the court has a point that the new ruling might have the benefit of prohibiting shareholders from filing frivolous lawsuits.
On the other hand, it could also deter shareholders without much money from filing perfectly valid lawsuits. It seems the wealthy corporate leaders of the world have found another way to give themselves the advantage in our court system. The new ruling means that shareholders can be punished for filing a perfectly valid lawsuit against a company with the intention of righting a wrong or bringing to light a company’s dishonesty.
The news out of Delaware is not all bad, though. The fee-shifting bylaws will not apply to lawsuits in which the parties settle, which gives plaintiffs a greater incentive to settle their lawsuits. This could benefit companies that don’t want to handle expensive, lengthy court battles that might end in an injunction against the company.
Many companies have lost no time in taking advantage of the new ruling. Since the court made its decision in May, dozens of companies have already added fee-shifting language to their governing documents. Some have adopted new bylaws that require shareholders to pay legal costs, while others have simply disclosed the fee-shifting requirement in initial public offering statements.
For example, Smart & Final, a warehouse grocery store chain based in California, has an initial public offering statement that reads, “Our bylaws include a requirement that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, a stockholder reimburse us for all fees, costs and expenses incurred by us in connection with a proceeding initiated by such stockholder in which such stockholder does not obtain a judgment on the merits that substantially achieves the full remedy sought.” A spokeswoman for Smart & Final even said the company believes the new measure to be beneficial to stockholders, as it reduces the chance that they will bear the expenses of lawsuits without merit.
Super Lawyers named Chicago and Oak Brook business trial attorney Peter Lubin a 2015 Super Lawyer in the Categories of Class Action, Business Litigation, and Consumer Rights Litigation. Lubin Austermuehle’s Oak Brook and Chicago business trial lawyers have over a quarter of a century of experience in litigating complex class action, consumer rights, and business and commercial litigation disputes. We handle emergency business lawsuits involving injunctions, and TROS, covenant not to compete, franchise, distributor and dealer wrongful termination and trade secret lawsuits and many different kinds of business disputes involving shareholders, partnerships, closely held businesses and employee breaches of fiduciary duty. We also assist businesses and business owners who are victims of fraud.
Lubin Austermuehle’s Wheaton, Naperville, and Aurora litigation attorneys have more than two and half decades of experience helping business clients unravel the complexities of Illinois and out-of-state business laws. Our Chicago business, commercial, shareholder dispute, and partnership dispute trial lawyers represent individuals, family businesses and enterprises of all sizes in a variety of legal disputes, including disputes among partners and shareholders as well as lawsuits between businesses and consumer rights, auto fraud, and wage claim individual and class action cases. In every case, our goal is to resolve disputes as quickly and successfully as possible, helping business clients protect their investments and get back to business as usual. From offices in Oak Brook, near Aurora and Elgin, we serve clients throughout Illinois and the Midwest.
If you’re facing a business or class-action lawsuit, or the possibility of one, and you’d like to discuss how the experienced Illinois business dispute attorneys at Lubin Austermuehle can help, we would like to hear from you. To set up a consultation with one of our Chicago class action attorneys and Chicago business trial lawyers, please call us toll-free at 630-333-0333 or contact us through the Internet.


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Ireland gets back to the future in building electric cars
Ireland is to start producing cars again – the first time since the iconic DeLorean ceased production three decades ago.
Swift Composite Prototypes, who are based in Dunleer in Co. Louth, are set to enter the market in late 2016 with their stylish and futuristic Alex e-roadster, an electric car that weighs in at around 700kg.
The sporty little number will, just like the DeLorean, feature a lifting roof and doors in one assembly – thereby allowing you to enter and exit the car easily.
The fully electric vehicle will have the batter units stored beneath the floor.
“It’ll pack a punch,” said Tom Finnegan from the company.
“The back wheels are powered by 2 lightweight AC motors providing rapid acceleration and the ability to easily reach motorway speeds.
“Should you have to recharge, a quick charge takes only 20-30 minutes, just enough time for a coffee break,” added Tom, who has already built a working prototype of a different electric sports car at his home in Co. Roscommon using some of the same technologies.
The expected cost of this new entry to the car market is not known at this stage.
You can find out more information on the Alex at www.eroadster.net.


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Cape Electrical Supply Company announced Ali Fartaj will serve as interim CEO and has named Kyle Thoma as president of the business.
|Fartaj is the managing director for AMF Partners and has been engaged in a consulting role with Cape Electrical Supply since August, 2012. His background includes more than 20 years of experience with Wal-Mart, Nike and Thomas & Betts.
|Thoma, a 17 year veteran of Cape Electrical Supply, most recently served as senior vice president of sales and marketing. According to a news release, Thoma has led the company’s significant growth over the past several years.
In business since 1953, Cape Electrical Supply is a regional distributor operating 24 locations in seven states. The company provides equipment and supplies in business segments that include construction, industry, communications, utility, and residential markets.Tagged with tED


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Google Will Remove the Movies & TV Tab From the Google Play Store
Last year, the Google TV app user interface was completely redesigned and transformed into a hub for browsing movies and shows from your favorite streaming apps all in one place. It now appears that more changes are coming to the platform as Google has announced that in May 2022, movies or TV shows will no longer be available in the Google Play store.
Instead, the Google TV app will be the official home for buying, renting, and watching movies and shows on your Android device. Other apps, games, and books will continue to live on the store.
On Google TV, the experience of using Google Play Movies & TV will still be the same and users will get access to the latest new releases, rentals, and deals. When taking a look at the new Google TV app, customers will see a Shop tab where they can find all the titles that the tech giant offers.
Here are a few things you should know about the upcoming change:
- Purchased content will continue to be available in the Google TV app.
- Purchases on the Google TV app will still be eligible for family sharing and Google Play Points.
- Play credit and Play gift cards can still be used for purchases in the Google TV app.
- Your wishlist can be accessed within the Google TV app.
- The ability to request refunds for your purchases on Google Play still remains.
- Your wishlist and reviews are available to download via takeout.google.com.
The only difference is that, if there’s a title that you want to watch, you will have to go to the dedicated Google TV app instead of Play Store to find it.


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By Jane Hanna
Especially after the pandemic, seniors begin their final school year thrilled by the idea of all the senior activities available to them. Wearing senior attire, going on senior trips, and attending prom are just some of the many experiences offered to students. Although these events seem exhilarating, they do come at a price; literally.
Many students are willing to pay the price for the experience however.
“Yes, buying into the senior experience, whether that is merchandise or tickets, is worth it because it offers a once in a lifetime experience. By purchasing and going to these events, students gain great memories that they will remember forever,” senior Rose Bastawrous said.
Prices for senior opportunities have risen, and despite the fact that memorable moments can be made, it is not worth the price as students can easily experience most of these opportunities outside of school without the price tag.
It should be obvious that the school and the associated student body (ASB) are not to blame for the cost. As the prices from vendors are increasing, the school is left with no choice but to increase its prices as well.
“As far as Grad Nite, that is run through the PTSA, so that price is determined basically with Disneyland. Disneyland raised their prices last year, so then the PTSA was forced to raise their prices. They have to get charter buses, and with the price of gas going up, those charter buses are probably a little more expensive than they have been in the past,” Student Store Manager Mayra Alapizco said.
Even for something like Homecoming that is on campus, there are costs to consider such as security and electricity.
“I get why the prices are so high these days, but at the same time the school should at least make it a little easier and cheaper on the students so everyone can enjoy their last year of high school,” senior David Emil said.
This year’s activities do not have set prices yet, but we can imagine they will be more than last year. For example, in previous years, prom tickets were around $130- $150, but are expected to increase as a consequence of prices for food, transportation, and other expenses rising as well.
“The prices are unfair as many students are incapable of paying. The school should be more sympathetic towards the students and provide them with the most cost efficient opportunities” senior Samantha Elia said.
One way to cut down on these costs is to plan these senior events on campus, rather than taking the students somewhere else. This way, students who wouldn’t be able to afford such high costs will have the opportunity to experience the same as their peers without having any fear of missing out. Not only so, but the school can use the extra money for other opportunities to create a better social experience for students.
Even though senior activities come with great memories, the cost of each event and merchandise is not a sacrifice many are willing to make. Not only are the prices extensive, but it is unfair to those students who are unable to afford them.