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Many agree that virtual reality is the future of gaming - or at least a big part of it - but so far the world is still holding its breath to find out how much VR is going to actually cost.
Now Oculus VR Co-Founders Nate Mitchell and Palmer Luckey have provided an answer, though not an exact one: the company hopes to ultimately sell the Oculus Rift for between $200 (about £120, AU$215) and $400 (about £245, AU$430).
"That could slide in either direction depending on scale, pre-orders, the components we end up using, business negotiations," Mitchell cautioned Eurogamer.
And Oculus Rift inventor Palmer Luckey added, "whatever it is, it's going to be as cheap as possible," echoing Facebook CEO and Oculus owner Mark Zuckerberg when he was quoted saying he wants the first consumer Rift to be "the best quality product at the lowest cost possible."
Setting the bar
If it lands on the top end of the co-founders' price range, it means the consumer-grade Oculus Rift headset could cost as much as an Xbox One or PS4 console.
Keep in mind the Rift doesn't run by itself; with its current iterations you need a gaming PC to actually run the games, while the headset displays them and interprets users' movements.
Then again none of Oculus's friends and rivals in the burgeoning VR marketplace have come out and said what they're going to charge for their own headsets, like Sony's Project Morpheus and Samsung's Gear VR (which Oculus is even helping out on).
Despite how candid Mitchell and Luckey were in parts of the quoted interview, the two still haven't shared any hints about when a consumer version of the Oculus Rift might actually arrive, besides that it's not happening any time soon.
It will be interesting to watch whether one of Oculus's would-be competitors tries to get in early and undercut the Rift, and who will ultimately get to set the price that all other VR headsets will be held against.
Hopefully we'll learn more at Oculus Connect on September 19.
Via The Verge


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The Goderich Farmers’ Market is proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks.
As one of the oldest farmers’ markets in the area, which has survived relocations due to a tornado and becoming a sidewalk sale in the interim, the Goderich market is once again adapting to survive the COVID-19 pandemic that is causing everyone to rethink their business model.
The market has always been held on The Square in Goderich every Saturday morning, but the Town of Goderich has closed the park until further notice.
BIA Manager and Market Co-ordinator Susan Armstrong has been busy rearranging the entire market to ensure the safety of all the visitors and vendors.
Because the Goderich Farmers’ Market brings together more vendors than the average market, it took some creative thinking to make the reimagined version of the market work.
The market will be held on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. with several mini-markets, including one off South Street, one on Montreal Street and at curbside corner(s) on The Square.
Under the Phase 2 reopening guidelines, the market is still bound to only provide food. “We have an amazingly broad spectrum of local products,” Armstrong said.
You can pre-order online to keep your visit brief by visiting www.goderichbia.ca for links to local vendors.
All of the physical distancing procedures will be observed. Keep a minimum of six feet between yourself and others and stay home if you are unwell. There are sanitizing and/or hand-washing stations available.
“The market really is a destination for local shoppers and visitors alike,” Armstrong said. For more information, visit the Goderich BIA website at www.goderichbia.ca
At the time of press, the Goderich Flea Market that operates in Courthouse Square Park on Sundays was unable to open due to the park closure and set-up requirements.
In a Facebook notice, organizers said they were hopeful restrictions would ease and they could get going in July but they are playing the “wait and see” game.
Follow them on Facebook at Courthouse Square Sunday Market to learn when they will be able to open.

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Consumers are increasingly utilizing mobile phones as their primary connection, foregoing land lines in greater numbers
Boston, MA (PRWEB) November 28, 2005
MobileSphere, a leading provider of global wireless communications solutions, today announced the widespread availability of CarrierILD™, the company’s innovative international long distance (ILD) solution for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and wireless carriers. Utilizing MobileSphere’s patent-pending softswitch technology and global Tier 1 network, U.S. and international MVNOs and wireless carriers can now offer fully integrated international calling services to their subscribers.
“MVNOs and wireless carriers are grappling with how to provision international calling capabilities at competitive rates,” said Gavin Macomber, executive vice president of marketing for MobileSphere. “CarrierILD™ addresses the two significant issues facing wireless carriers today - price and fraud control. We are pleased to announce the availability of our carrier-class solution, the industry’s first plug-and-play ILD offer for MVNOs and wireless carriers.”
Leveraging its experience in providing wireless international calling solutions to service providers, large enterprises, universities, international partners and consumers since 2001, MobileSphere has worked intimately with several leading MVNOs to develop and implement CarrierILD™. A comprehensive service offering specifically tailored to meet the needs of MVNO and wireless carrier customers, MobileSphere’s CarrierILD™ solution includes the following:
- Discounted international termination to 220+ countries
- Turnkey, market-proven provisioning, billing and reporting platform
- Real-time anti-fraud control and usage monitoring
- Fully-integrated web and retail-based enrollment and replenishment options
- Flexible rate and billing alternatives
- Seamless dialing (direct-dial solutions available)
“Consumers are increasingly utilizing mobile phones as their primary connection, foregoing land lines in greater numbers,” says Jack Gold, President of J.Gold Associates, an independent wireless analyst firm. “Many consumers are turning to MVNOs as their mobile choice for the particular features and/or functionality they offer. Since consumers want full featured capabilities, international long distance is a pre-requisite for an increasing number of mobile customers, as the world shrinks and costs for international long distance decline. Services such as MobileSphere’s will become a key competitive differentiator for MVNOs and wireless carriers seeking upscale customers and increased revenues.”
Since MVNOs are mobile operators that do not own their own spectrum or network infrastructure, they purchase airtime from traditional wireless carriers, such as Sprint Nextel, Cingular and Verizon Wireless, for resale to their own customers. However, mobile virtual network operators are largely restricted or discouraged from reselling international calling services provided by traditional wireless carriers, primarily due to fraud and bad debt concerns. MobileSphere’s solution addresses these concerns, while increasing subscriber loyalty and revenue.
Pricing and Availability
For MVNOs and wireless carriers seeking to provide low-cost international calling as a key differentiator in the marketplace, MobileSphere’s CarrierILD™ solution is unmatched, with international rates averaging 50 to 70 percent below rates charged by major wireless carriers. For example, mobile-originated calls to Mexico can run as high as $1.49 per minute. In contrast, MobileSphere’s rate plans enable its customers to offer rates as low as $0.05 per minute to Mexico and many other frequently called countries. While some major wireless carriers offer discounted international pricing plans to frequent callers, these plans are often saddled with monthly fees and other restrictions, such as long waiting periods or deposit requirements.
MobileSphere’s CarrierILD™ solution has been successfully deployed by a number of MVNOs and wireless carriers and is now available for widespread adoption. Typical provisioning time is one to two weeks. Those interested in learning more about MobileSphere’s services can contact the company directly at email@example.com or by calling +1-888-337-0317 x 102. MobileSphere will also be available to discuss its solution at next week’s 2005 MVNO Summit, December 6-7 in Miami, Fla.
With headquarters in Boston and offices in Los Angeles and Paris, MobileSphere has been a leading provider of global wireless communications solutions since 2001. Utilizing its patent-pending softswitch technology, coupled with its global Tier 1 network, MobileSphere provides its customers with innovative, highly-competitive, market-proven solutions. Serving customers worldwide with its CarrierILD™ solution, the company uniquely focuses on the international long distance needs of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), wireless carriers, medium-to-large enterprises, universities and consumers. MobileSphere is a member of the Rural Cellular Association (RCA) and the Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education (ACUTA). For more information, please visit http://www.mobile-sphere.com.
All trademarks are recognized.
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Samsung has launched a new image sensor for smartphones that it touts as being the smallest in the industry to accommodate full-screen designs.
The 0.8-micrometre pixel ISOCELL Slim 3T2 is 1/3.4 inches -- around 5.1 millimetres -- diagonally in size which is the "smallest" to date, the South Korean tech giant said.
It will deliver 20-megapixel resolution for both front and back cameras and is aimed at mid-range smartphones.
The sensor fits into tiny modules and supports smartphones designs such as hole-in display and notch design.
Mass production will begin within the first quarter, Samsung said.
More and more mid-range phones are adopting high-specs and the latest designs as the smartphone market's growth stagnates.
Chinese vendors, including Huawei, have especially been aggressive in packing high-specs into their mid-range offerings in recent years due to fierce local competition and exporting them as well.
Samsung in September said that it's mid-range offerings will get cutting-edge features. Samsung mobile CEO DJ Koh at the time said the company will "bring technology and differentiation starting from the mid-end".
The company's System LSI business, which designs logic chips such as image sensors, has also been diversifying its portfolio to capitalise on new demand from 5G and AI.
The business launched processors and image sensors for automobile applications.
Samsung's new Galaxy S10: These are the three models tipped to take on iPhone
Leaked images reveal three different Galaxy S10 variants that will be unveiled next month.
Smartphone production decline may allow Huawei to overtake Apple to become world's second largest smartphone brand
Samsung is still expected to retain the top spot, but Huawei could top Apple to become the world's second largest smartphone brand.
Samsung says future will 'unfold' in Galaxy S10 ad in Paris
Samsung Electronics has put up an outdoor ad in Paris that says in Korean the future will 'unfold' on February 20, strongly hinting at the launch of a foldable phone at the Galaxy S10 launch.
Samsung expects a strong return to China after releasing medium-priced phone
The South Korean brand has lost substantial market share in China following the explosive battery incident two years ago.
Samsung tweaks mobile business, promotes chip boss in reshuffle
Samsung has promoted an executive tasked with reviving its mid-tier smartphones in the mobile business, as well as its chip boss who led the conglomerate's stellar semiconductor growth.
Why the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is built for business and mobile workers (TechRepublic)
Samsung VP Eric McCarty spoke with TechRepublic at Samsung Unpacked 2018 about the Galaxy Note 9's business and productivity features, like a bigger battery, Bluetooth S Pen, and USB-C to HDMI adaptor...


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A press release from the MHRA today, 20th February 2024, has announced that Codeine linctus will be reclassified as a prescription only medicine because of the risk of abuse and addiction. Read the full press release here
Codeine Linctus is an opioid medicine which has been previously available as a medicine sold under the supervision of a pharmacist (a P medicine), but will now only be available as prescription only.
There have been increasing reports that the drug has been misused as an ingredient in a recreational drink which can be known as “Lean”, “Purple Drank”, “Sizzurp” and more. There is a risk of overdose particularly due to the use of codeine in unknown quantities taken in combination with alcohol.
The MHRA ran a consultation in July/August 2023 to propose the reclassification of Codeine Linctus to prescription-only medicine. For more information about the consultation see here
Contact us to see if we can help you.


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New 'middle audience' key to Japanese gaming
Japanese game sales have been flagging for some time as the once gaming-mad nation fails to be inspired by next-generation systems and instead focusses on casual offerings on the Wii and DS. Game maker Goichi 'Suda 51' Suda sees a light at the end of the tunnel, however.
Speaking to GI.biz, Suda-san says that a new 'middle audience' can see Japanese gaming rise once again.
"There are a lot of core gamers, and a lot of lighter users playing on platforms such as the DS - but there's nothing in-between," offered the Grasshopper boss, chatting at the Nordic Games Conference.
"I think it's going to be very important for games to be created for that middle audience, and that will help bring the market back on-track."
- Microsoft announces the feature list for the November Xbox One update
- EA Sports patches in some more missing features for the next-gen versions of NHL 15
- Blizzard begins rolling out a new patch for Starcraft II
- Far Cry 4 Season Pass details announced
- Shinji Mikami: I never use women as objects in my games
- Microsoft releases the first trailer for Halo: Nightfall TV series, first episode to premiere at Halo Fanfest
- Silence – The Whispered World 2 announced for Xbox One
- Titanfall to get its very own Horde mode called Frontier Defense
- John Riccitiello joins Unity as their new CEO


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Bitcoin NFTs set a year-to-date record for daily sales volume over the weekend, even outperforming Ethereum for the week. Bitcoin nonfungible token (NFT) sales have just eclipsed Ethereum in the previous seven days, thanks to a rapid surge in Bitcoin Ordinals-based NFT collections, led mostly by NodeMonkes. There was an 80% week-over-week increase in Bitcoin NFT sales to $168.5 million. Three of the top five best-selling Bitcoin NFT collections were based on Bitcoin Ordinals. Ethereum generated only $162 million in sales. Ordinals started in January 2023 and gave tools for creating NFT-like assets by allowing users to embed files, such as images, into satoshis (sats), Bitcoin’s smallest unit. Uncategorized Ordinals (not part of any collection) generated the most sales, totaling over $43 million across more than 47,000 transactions. NodeMonkes, a Bitcoin-based collection, came in second with almost $41 million in sales, representing a nearly 170% rise from the previous week. The Ordinals collection Natcats finished fourth for the week, with sales exceeding $10 million.
NodeMonkes is a collection of 10,000 distinct pixelated profile photo (PFP)-style Ordinals that debuted in December. It claims to be the first 10,000-strong collection on Bitcoin. Other 10,000 count Ordinals collections have previously released, but the NodeMonkes team etched its collection onto the blockchain in February 2023, just a month after Ordinals’ inception.
On March 2, X user “NFTstats” stated that NodeMonkes’ market valuation had surpassed $500 million, making it the third-largest PFP-style NFT collection across all blockchains, trailing only the Ethereum-based Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).
NodeMonkes overturned the Pudgy market cap and surged to third place overall in terms of PFPs. Just three days ago, Pudgy’s market capitalization was more than twice that of NodeMonkes. xxPuppets have also flipped Milady. It is unclear why the collection has recently received so much attention. GRAYCRAFT founder Kevin Wu stated in a Feb. 22 X post that NodeMonkes has “meaningful provenance” because it is the first PFP-style NFT collection on “the first chain ever,” providing it a “great competing narrative” that speculative investors may now be buying into.


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Google is reportedly planning to release an Android TV, the new service will go head to head against Amazon's recently launched Fire TV as well as the rumoured revamped Apple TV. However, this isn't Google's first time releasing a TV service, previously the company released Google TV but it failed to really take off but now the company is ready to try again.
One of the biggest problems with Google TV was that there was very little Android integration so it didn't really fit in to the ecosystem the company had set up. According to The Verge, this time the Internet giant is going to do things right with a revamped service based on its mobile operating system.
The Verge obtained exclusive documents describing Android TV as an “entertainment interface”: “Android TV is an entertainment interface, not a computing platform,” writes Google. “It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction.” It will be “cinematic, fun, fluid, and fast.”
Much like the FireTV, the Android TV will include game support and you'll be able to buy an optional controller, that said, with this being Android based, you will likely be able to use any bluetooth controller which keeps your options open.
KitGuru Says: We don't have all the details yet but an announcement will probably come soon. The pictures look good but it will be interesting to see what this means for the Chromecast, which only just arrived in the UK last month.


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In early April, I wrote an article speculating that Shopify could be one of the next companies to split its stock. Four days later, the company announced a 10-for-1 stock split. Of course, I had no way of knowing that would happen. More importantly, while my article made a case for buying Shopify, my investment thesis had nothing do with a potential stock split.
Stock splits can certainly excite investors. We've seen that happen several times this year. But they don't directly affect the value of the underlying business. So it's best to think beyond stock splits when deciding where to invest your money. For instance, metrics like revenue growth and market opportunity are much more important.
With that in mind, here are two supercharged growth stocks worth buying right now.
1. Coinbase: The gateway to the cryptoeconomy
Coinbase Global (COIN -4.65%) is best known as a cryptocurrency brokerage for retail investors and financial institutions. In fact, the company operates the largest U.S. crypto brokerage, and it continued to gain market share last year. However, Coinbase also provides solutions for storing, staking, and spending crypto assets, as well as infrastructure services for developers through Coinbase Cloud. In short, the company is a gateway to the cryptoeconomy.
Currently, Coinbase generates the vast majority of revenue through transaction fees, which are based on the price and quantity of the crypto asset being bought or sold. In other words, Coinbase depends heavily on trading volume, and market volatility caused trading volume to skyrocket 766% to $1.7 trillion in 2021. In turn, revenue soared 514% to $7.8 billion, and GAAP earnings jumped 936% to $14.50 per diluted share.
Despite that phenomenal performance, Coinbase has hardly scratched the surface of its full potential. The crypto market is currently worth about $2 trillion -- which is a fraction of the $120 trillion global equity market and the $124 trillion global bond market. Going forward, assuming the crypto market continues to grow, Coinbase should benefit from rising transaction fees.
Additionally, its nascent subscription and services business -- which generates revenue from staking, institutional cold storage, and infrastructure services -- should expand as investors become more enthusiastic about cryptocurrency.
Finally, Coinbase launched a beta version of its non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace in April 2022. Given the excitement around NFTs, CEO Brian Armstrong has said the Coinbase NFT marketplace could be bigger than its cryptocurrency business.
Here's the big picture: If you believe in the future of the cryptoeconomy, Coinbase is a great way to tap into that trend. Better yet, the stock looks incredibly cheap, as it trades at 4 times sales and 10 times earnings. To put that in perspective, established brokerage Charles Schwab -- a company that grew revenue at 34% over the past year (compared to Coinbase's 514% growth) -- trades at 7 times sales and 25 times earnings. To me, that means the market is overlooking Coinbase's long-term potential. That's why this supercharged growth stock is a screaming buy.
2. CrowdStrike: The gold standard in cybersecurity
CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD 0.03%) specializes in cybersecurity. Its software-as-a-service (SaaS) suite comprises 22 different modules that range from endpoint security and cloud workload protection to threat intelligence and managed services. More importantly, its cloud native architecture allows it to crowdsource security signals from across its ecosystem of protected devices. Using that information, CrowdStrike leans on artificial intelligence to predict and prevent even the most sophisticated hacks.
To that end, the company has earned a reputation for cutting-edge threat detection. Better yet, it has been recognized as a leader across several verticals of the cybersecurity industry. Forrester Research recently ranked CrowdStrike as the best-in-class solution for endpoint detection and response, and International Data Corp. ranked CrowdStrike a leader in managed detection and response.
Those accolades have translated into supercharged financial results. CrowdStrike grew its customer base 65% to 16,325 in the past year, and the average customer spent 24% more. In turn, revenue surged 66% to $1.5 billion last year, and free cash flow soared 51% to $442 million.
But investors have good reason to believe that supercharged growth will continue. CrowdStrike recently added identity threat protection to its industry-leading managed security offering, Falcon Complete. That's important for two reasons.
First, nearly 80% of cyberattacks involve compromised credentials, and no other company offers a fully managed identity service. Second, the cybersecurity industry is currently burdened by 3 million unfilled positions, a labor shortage that has likely left many enterprises vulnerable to attack. Falcon Complete allows enterprises to outsource endpoint security, cloud workload protection, and identity threat protection to CrowdStrike's team of experts.
More broadly, CrowdStrike has an ironclad competitive edge in a market that management values at $126 billion by 2025. That's why this growth stock is worth buying right now.


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After today's launch of next Gen facelift Swift 2021, Maruti Suzuki is preparing for the next gen Celerio Hatch. Which has been caught several times on road. The company is speculated to e working on a new mid sized SUV, which will be rivaling Hyundai Creta & Kia Seltos, adding to the list MS will be also working upon next Gen Brezza, Baleno and Alto. Maruti Suzuki will introduce the next-gen Vitara Brezza compact SUV in the third quarter of 2021, before Diwali. The new model will retain the rugged, squared-off and upright stance, while the cabin will continue to offer comfortable space for 5 adults. The new Brezza will be based on the Suzuki’s lightweight HEARTECT platform, which also underpins the Ertiga and the Baleno. The SUV will be benefitted with several new systems including connected car tech and advanced safety systems.
Also Read: 2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift Facelift Launched!
The new Brezza will be powered by the BS6-compliant 1.5-litre K15B, 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine with a stronger mild-hybrid system. In the current form, this engine produces 104bhp and 138Nm of torque. The new Brezza could also receive a BS6-compliant 1.5-litre diesel engine; however, MSIL is yet to make an official announcement.
MSIL is also readying the new-gen Alto 800, which is likely to launched by the end of 2021 or early 2022. Like the S-Presso and the WagonR, the new Alto is likely to be based on the new HEARTECT platform. It is likely to receive all-new design and better equipped cabin. It is likely to be powered by the 796cc naturally-aspirated petrol engine delivering 48bhp and 69Nm. Both manual and AMT gearboxes will be on offer.
But the interesting news here is, the Maruti Suzuki is working on the new Baleno Hatch. The existing model is 6 years old. The new one is expected to be around the corners by end of the year or early 2022.
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LAS VEGAS, Sept. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AML BitCoin (ABTC) continues its banner inaugural year by being listed on one of the world's largest digital currency exchanges, HitBTC.
ABTC is the future cryptocurrency with anti-money laundering and 'know-your-customer' (AML/KYC) technology built into the code of the coin.
Marcus Andrade, Chief Executive Officer of NAC Foundation and Creator of AML BitCoin, announced the HitBTC listing with great enthusiasm: "Today is a banner day for our innovative project, and a continuation of our efforts to introduce what most consider to be the solution to the cryptocurrency conundrum: a secure digital currency based on AML/KYC technology. The tectonic shift by the world's governments in the past year show the urgent need for a digital currency that can both attract the crypto community and be used in commercial and governmental transactions. We are that coin!"
A leader in the digital currency arena, HitBTC is the global innovative trading platform with multi-currency support, high liquidity and low fees, operating since 2013. Provided with rapid powerful API and outstanding matching core engine, HitBTC traders are able to significantly enhance their trading experience.
"The reception for our digital currency has been far beyond our expectation and planning," revealed Andrade. "We were hoping that HitBTC would be the first of the larger exchanges to list ABTC, and are thrilled that this has come together.
"Our international team has been working for months with governments and industry worldwide to help introduce the AML Bitcoin into their payment systems. We expect to have a major announcement soon."
David Mata, Managing Director of Silicon Valley Hedge and Venture Capital Fund Block Bits Capital typifies the excitement building in the investment community: "We took a large early position in AML BitCoin because we had faith in the company and Marcus and without a doubt we see Marcus and his team doing something few other blockchain companies are doing, executing well, and building a sound business strategy. This industry doesn't yet have a blockchain Page/Brin, or Bezos, but Marcus Andrade, with his AML Bitcoin is positioned to be precisely that in this industry."
About NAC Foundation
NAC Foundation, headquartered in the U.S., is the creator of the AML BitCoin (ABTC), the future digital currency with anti-money laundering, know-your-customer, anti-terrorism and theft-resistant properties. AML BitCoin is compliant with all major national security and financial protection laws and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act and the Bank Secrecy Act. NAC's mission is to strengthen the acceptance and use of digital currencies by advancing security compliance throughout the world, combined with blockchain technology.
Disclaimer: ABTC is still in the token stages. Upon completion and activation of the AML BitCoin, AML Token holders will have the opportunity to exchange them for AML BitCoins on a 1:1 ratio
For more information, please visit http://www.amlbitcoin.com
Name: Bernadette Tran
AML Bitcoin is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest.


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Greetings from inside the polar vortex.
With much of the nation gripped in an historic deep freeze as I write this, it’s appropriate that this is a time to take the proverbial temperature of a housewares industry assessing holiday results as it rekindles expectations for a new year.
The first-quarter trade show circuit will take us from Atlanta to Dallas to Las Vegas to New York to Frankfurt to Chicago and to points in between to provide a look at what’s in store for housewares in 2014.
It will be interesting to hear what everyone has to say about a 2013 holiday retail period that by many accounts was even chillier than moderate early forecasts.
It took deep discounts to drive a low single-digit overall retail sales gain during the last two months of the year. Even online sales, while still showing an enviable double-digit increase, came in a few points short of projections.
It all seems to fly in the face of such positive economic indicators as soaring stocks, rising home costs and shrinking unemployment. But the other side still shows stagnant middle-class wages, rising health care costs and other factors regulating discretionary spending.
Remember that new normal everyone got sick of hearing about four or five years ago? Well, it’s just normal now.
Synching retail sales prospects to stock or consumer confidence indices is hardly a given anymore.
The fogged in reality here, however, is that overall personal consumption has risen each month for most of the past year. Consumers are spending more, just not always on traditional retail goods and not always in traditional retail outlets. Service spending on travel, movies and mobile device content is gobbling up a bigger share of pent-up demand, keeping the consumer goods purchasing pendulum stuck on the more practical side.
As we resign ourselves to lamenting that general retail mainstay goods are reliant on profit-crushing discounts to maintain even flat sales, don’t overlook the steady surge in home improvement sales, including mounting demand for bigger-ticket appliances.
This is where the housewares industry is in a prime position to thrive. If there is more money on the consumer sideline, and all it takes is the right balance of need and value (with a pinch of indulgence) to put that money in play, housewares has all the right stuff.
This is a vital advantage as the housewares industry and its retailers begin to put 2014 plans into action at trade shows across the map during the first quarter.
It’s understandable that hot spots in today’s reset retail market can be difficult to contain when the overall chill seems so overwhelming at times.
But where there are warming trends to be found inside today’s retail vortex, housewares should be among the segments providing plenty of comfort.


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Portfolio company Wonderbly, a leading publisher of personalised books sold directly to the consumer online, has announced its recent acquisition of Historic Newspapers.
Historic Newspapers is the global market leader for personalised newspaper-based gifting. Its largest division sells a range of personalised books themed to commemorate birthdays, historic events and the achievements of sports teams. It partners with leading newspaper groups in the UK and US to access content. The business also sells antique newspapers direct-to-consumer with a certificate of authenticity. By integrating Historic Newspapers’ vast collection of newspaper content, Wonderbly can now offer our customers a unique opportunity to explore and relive the most significant events in history during their lifetime.
Graphite’s acquisition strategy aims at consolidating Wonderbly’s world-leading position in the personalised children’s book market and at accelerating its expansion into the adult category. This is the second acquisition that Wonderbly has completed since partnering with us in 2021.


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Manufacturer emphasizes dealer support, solutions at tech summit
Jack Zemlicka, Technology Editor
As the integrated solutions manager for a growing John Deere dealership network, Jeff Buyck of Gettysburg, S.D.-based C&B Operations, acknowledges that customer service is an evolving process when it comes to precision farming technology.
While patience can be a virtue when negotiating a technical difficulty, one thing farmers don’t like to do when they have a problem with a display is wait for help. This is one of the reasons Buyck recently began offering Deere’s new Remote Display Access program.
For $350 per year, subscribers are able to connect via the Internet from the tractor cab with dealer technicians or farm owners to solve navigation problems without having to wait for someone to physically service the device. Dealer technicians can remotely see the same display as the operator and walk them through a resolution.
Buyck says the Remote Display Access has cut down on travel time for C&B technicians and increased their availability to customers. Instead of driving perhaps 30 miles to spend 30 seconds fixing a problem, he says, Deere customers with the Remote Display Access can be up and running in a matter of minutes.
“As a dealer of tomorrow, we are always constantly looking for ways to reinvent ourselves,” Buyck says, “and we’ve come to realize that the next step for our dealership is going to be improving the way we service our customers through the delivery of that service.”
“We're changing our dealer organization. We're asking them to step up and do
— Jerry Roell,
Remote Display Access launched in June and was one of several precision farming advances John Deere showcased at its technology summit in Des Moines, Iowa on June 28-29.
The platform was used to expand Deere’s FarmSight Services, a customized data management product, for growers. New features include MyJohnDeere.com, a centralized web portal where growers can manage and share data and John Deere Mobile Weather, a real-time program that uses mounted sensors to relay relative humidity and wind speed while in the field.
The new products, designed to improve farmer efficiency in the field, increase the obligation of dealers to learn about the technology and make sure they deliver the service support, says Jerry Roell, FarmSight director for John Deere.
A critical element in the success of the new technology, Roell says, is dealers embracing the tools to help growers make the right decisions, which in turn results in quality customer service.
“We’re changing our dealer organization,” he says. “We’re asking them to step up and do these kinds of services. What we’re providing is the infrastructure.”
Buyck says C&B provides internal and external training on Remote Display Access for precision technicians to make sure they are well equipped to answer questions from customers.
The last thing Buyck’s says he wants is for someone to spend the money on the service and not be able to reap the rewards.
“That customer is going to rely on us to make sure that new machine is spraying at its optimum,” he says. “Remote Display Access is going to allow us to access their input and be proactive with their needs.”
While the program is garnering favor with Deere dealers like Buyck, there are a few wrinkles to the new technology.
To utilize the system, operators need John Deere’s GreenStar 3 2630 Display and be subscribers to JDLink Modular Telematics Gateway – Deere’s Internet-based program that monitors machine performance.
Dealer access to Remote Display Access is also at the discretion of the operator, which means that technicians cannot simply check in on a farmer’s display if there is a problem, without authorization.
“A dealer cannot have access unless a farm manager approves it,” Dave Mulder, senior product manager at John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group, says. “There has to be that agreement and relationship with the dealership. So the farm managers are still totally in control.”
Still, Buyck says those are minor obstacles to overcome and Remote Display Access has been a popular feature on new combines sold by C&B because operators have been able to quickly identify and solve display problems, as well as increase equipment uptime.
“It’s a beautiful thing when we know exactly what to service on the machine if there is an issue,” Buyck says.


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Amazon shares jump after earnings looks like clear winner of the mega-cap tech earnings season
Amazon reported a stellar fourth quarter and is watching its stock rise on Friday as a result.
According business insider reports Shares of Amazon are up 5.42% to $1,465.32 after reporting earnings of $3.75 per share compared to $1.83 that Wall Street was expecting. Earnings were boosted by a one-time $1.59 per share windfall from the new US tax law. The company reported revenue of $60.5 billion versus the $59.85 billion anticipated by Wall Street.
A number of analysts raised their price target for Amazon shares. Here are some of the biggest moves:
Morgan Stanley raised its target to $1,500 from $1,400
Barclays upped its price target to $1,580 from $1,210
Credit Suisse raised its price target to $1,750 from $1,410
Mizuho raised its price target to $1,700 from $1,300
J.P. Morgan raised its price target to $1,650 from $1,385
Bank of America Merrill Lynch raised its price target to $1,650 from $1,460.
Amazon forecast that its operating income for the first quarter of 2018 would be between $300 million to $1 billion, below the $1.5 billion street consensus, likely indicating heavier investments going forward. But this did not worry analysts.
Microsoft and Facebook both reported earnings on Wednesday, and each faced their own struggles. Investors were concerned over Microsoft’s slow growth and sent to stock down 0.79% on Thursday after earnings. Facebook was forced to soothe investors worries about a 50 million hour-per-day drop in time spent on its newsfeed and ended Thursday up 3.32%.
CEO Jeff Bezos pointed to the massively popular Alexa voice-assistant as the biggest driver of the quarter’s success.
“Our 2017 projections for Alexa were very optimistic, and we far exceeded them,” Bezos said in the report. “We don’t see positive surprises of this magnitude very often – expect us to double down.”
The company also reported sales from its Amazon Web Services that reached $5.1 billion in the quarter. Google’s comparable web service sales hit $1 billion.
First quarter revenue guidance came in the range of $47.75 billion to $50.75 billion, above street estimates of $48.6 billion. But operating income guidance was between $300 million to $1 billion, below the $1.5 billion street consensus, likely indicating heavier investments going forward.
according some media reports e commerce gaint Amazon has been in heavy investment mode in recent quarters, pouring money into warehouse and data center expansion, while adding more video content for its Prime Video offering. Its total costs jumped 38 percent in the fourth quarter year-over-year, to $58 billion, a significant jump from the 23 percent cost increase between the fourth quarter of 2015 and 2016.
Physical stores revenue, which primarily comes from Whole Foods, came in at $4.5 billion. This is the first full quarter to have Whole Foods revenue included in Amazon’s sales, and Olsavsky said the company’s “very happy” with the initial results of the grocery chain.]]>


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Rackspace and AWS could make unlikely bedfellows by the end of this year.
Rackspace Hosting told analysts on a conference call related to its earnings report last week that it could finalize a deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and is "building an offering for customers who want specialized expertise and Fanatical Support on the AWS cloud," according to a company spokesperson.
However, few further details were forthcoming about how the partnership will work.
Amazon Web Services places less of a marketing emphasis than Rackspace on its support services, and has a reputation for being a 'low touch' company based on the early days of the business, but enterprise users have said in recent years they're generally happy with AWS support.
Customers in a position to consider a combination of the two cloud providers were less than sanguine about the potential partnership this week.
For example, Sprout Social, Inc. is a company which uses both Rackspace and AWS right now, though it's in the process of switching from Rackspace to AWS because it was attracted to Amazon's Relational Database Service.
The partnership isn't of interest to Sprout because the company doesn't need the "fanatical support" Rackspace offers.
"We're a well-staffed team who handles our own gear," Sprout CTO Aaron Rankin said.
That question and others remain open until Rackspace and AWS provide further details.
Still, Rackspace has signed similar deals with former competitors, and analysts say the move isn't unprecedented among managed hosting companies.
"This is simply the next piece of the pie," said Carl Brooks, analyst with 451 Research based in New York. "I would venture that 100% of Rackspace's enterprise customers also use AWS -- they use each provider for different reasons."
Rackspace was seen by some as an early competitor to AWS, but the company fell behind in the infrastructure as a service space considerably as companies such as Microsoft and Google try to keep pace with Amazon in the so-called hyper-scale public cloud. Last year, Rackspace considered a potential sale before doubling down on its strategy around managed cloud services.
Rackspace already offers managed versions of Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Cloud Platform, VMware vCloud and Google Apps for Work. In the company's first quarter earnings call, company officials hinted at more deals and in July introduced a managed service most akin to AWS with Microsoft Azure.
At the time, CTO John Engates told TechTarget the company had no plans to abandon its own public cloud but acknowledged the Azure deal could be the first of several.
"It's certainly possible we would do other similar support agreements," Engates said.
Amazon declined to comment.
SearchCloudComputing.com news writer Trevor Jones contributed to this report.


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It’s not summer in New England until you spot the NEMPA “Ragtop Ramble,” an annual top-down cruise sponsored by The Haartz Corporation.
This year’s event, hosted by the New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA), started at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts, and ended in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Members of NEMPA drove a range of gorgeous convertible vehicles along the 100-mile route, including many topped with Haartz fabric. Among the cars present were the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Volkswagen Beetle and Jeep Wrangler.
In true New England fashion, the journey ended with a traditional lobster & steamer lunch.
“The New England Motor Press Association is a prestigious group to partner with,” said Matt Williams, director of business development for Haartz. “We were delighted to be a NEMPA Ragtop Ramble sponsor and be among influencers in the industry.”
As the world’s number one supplier of convertible softtop material, Haartz is committed to improving the open-air driving experience. By sponsoring events like this, Haartz can showcase its quality topping and listen to feedback from industry leaders – which, in turn, helps them to continue developing and improving their products.
To learn more about The Haartz Corporation and its innovative products, visit Haartz.com.


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Sears First-Quarter Loss Narrows as Retailer Trims ExpensesLauren Coleman-Lochner
Sears Holdings Corp., the retailer run by hedge fund manager Edward Lampert, posted a narrower first-quarter loss after cutting expenses and bolstering its margins.
The loss shrank to $303 million, or $2.85 a share, from $402 million, or $3.79, a year earlier, the Hoffman Estates, Illinois-based company said Monday in a statement.
Lampert, Sears’s chief executive officer and largest shareholder, has been reducing costs and lopping off assets, such as the Lands’ End clothing business. He’s also working on forming a real estate investment trust named Seritage Growth Properties, which will buy store locations and lease them back to the retailer. On Monday, the retailer said it expects that transaction to raise $2.6 billion.
“The operating results for Sears are a heck of a lot less important than the liquidity that spinning Seritage out is going to provide them,” said Matt McGinley, an analyst at Evercore ISI in New York.
The REIT deal, which lets the company generate cash from its sprawling property holdings, has helped fuel a rally in the shares. Sears’s stock rose 24 percent this year through the end of last week, following an 11 percent decline in 2014. The shares rose less than 1 percent to $40.75 as of 9:55 a.m. in New York.
The company’s retail operations remain mired in a slump. Comparable-store sales, considered a key gauge of retail performance, plunged 7 percent at Kmart and 14.5 percent at Sears last quarter. The companywide decline totaled 10.9 percent in the period, which ended May 2.
The company, which has posted 12 straight quarters of losses, is working to lower expenses. It cut selling, general and administrative spending by about 20 percent over the previous year, whittling down its payroll and advertising budgets. It also benefited from costs eliminated by the spinoffs of Sears Canada and Lands’ End.
Gross margin -- the portion of profit left after subtracting the cost of goods sold -- widened at both Sears and Kmart. There were fewer markdowns in categories such as clothing and appliances, bolstering results.
Even with the improved profit margin, though, the magnitude of the same-store sales decline “shows that Sears is trading sales for margin,” McGinley said. He called the sales declines “much worse than expected.”
Sears also said it expects to reach an agreement in the current quarter to refinance and extend its $3.28 billion revolving credit line, which expires next year, to 2020.
The REIT transaction and other deals will further Lampert’s vision of an “asset-light retailer,” he said in Monday’s statement. The company is focusing on its Shop Your Way rewards program customers, who account for about three-quarters of sales. The chain will have fewer, smaller locations and offer more multichannel options, such as services that let customers reserve items online and then pick them up in stores.
“We will become more productive with our physical store space,” Lampert said.
Lampert has previously acknowledged that a lack of funds has hampered his plans since he merged Sears and Kmart in 2005.
“One of my regrets in helping steer Sears and Kmart over the last decade is that we haven’t had or generated the money to fund our transformation quickly enough,” he said in a blog post last month.
McGinley said he’s skeptical the once-mighty retail chain can regain its former glory.
“Sears as a concept doesn’t resonate with the consumer in the way it did 20 or 30 years ago,” he said. “Sears just doesn’t have a real reason to be anymore.”
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Airlines slash prices by half to woo passengers
Responding to this aggressive discount scheme, the country's largest airline by market share, IndiGo, has also slashed fares to a comparable level on several sectors like Delhi-Mumbai, Ahmedabad-Delhi and Pune-Chennai.
SpiceJet's move on Friday to slash fares by almost half, is likely to see its rivals following its pricing strategy. February to April is generally considered a lean period for the domestic travel industry.
"Historically speaking, if SpiceJet and IndiGo have reduced fares, Jet Airways will be next in line. However, this is only a blip on the radar, a promotional offer. The scheme is to sell excess inventory that airlines are sitting on, going into the holiday season. Fares will be back to normal soon," an executive from travel portal via.com said. When asked if IndiGo would also float a similar scheme, a spokesperson told ET, "We would continue to offer lowest prices as per market requirements."
According to the travel fraternity, Air India and Jet Airways will not be far from taking similar measures especially if IndiGo has followed suit in some way.
"Airlines are trying to fill up inventory especially for March and April, which is when peak summer travel begins, so that they can plan revenue management better. Since rail tickets' availability also decreases between February and April, such schemes can make passengers shift to air travel," said Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head, Expedia (India).
The year 2012 saw airfares shoot up by 30-50 per cent compared with 2011 as grounding of KFA caused significant removal of capacity from the market.


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AUS: Patties Foods records H1 profit drop
- Net profit down 16.5%
- EBITDA falls 13.4%
- Net sales up 5.1%
Australian pie company Patties Foods has booked a drop in first-half profits as margins were hit by increased competition.
Earnings in the six months to the end of December fell 16.5% to A$9.1m (US$9.4m). Patties had forecast the fall in profit at its annual general meeting in December.
EBITDA also fell, by 13.4% to A$18.2m, while net sales were up 5.1% to A$125.5m.
Chairman Chris Riordan said that whilst overall revenue was up, margins were impacted by "increased competitor activity and margin pressure" in its home supermarket channel. Manufacturing performance was also down, he said, due to the "disruption caused by the installation and commissioning of the new robotic packing equipment".
Nonetheless, the company said it expects net profit for the second half to be "at or above" the net profit for the previous corresponding period.
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IDEMIA is the First Certified Card Manufacturer in India for Contactless RuPay Chip Cards, with the Facility to Load Multiple Payment Applications on a Single Card
IDEMIA today announced that it is the first and, to date, only one to be certified to manufacture and personalise RuPay chip contact and contactless cards, on the qSPARC v2 platform.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180730005268/en/
(Photo: Business Wire)
qSPARC is a Dual Interface Open loop payment specification, with the option of loading multiple payment applications on a single card. This certification is issued by NPCI, after testing all payment scenarios and thus ensuring that, the cards manufactured by IDEMIA will work seamlessly at all payment acceptance devices.
The cardholders get the convenience of using a single card for multiple payment use cases such as; Metro, Bus, toll, loyalty, Parking and payments at retail. There is an option of loading up to 20 such payment applications on a single card.
The qSPARC is likely to steer the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and will be widely used in the Smart Cities. The first version of this card is deployed in Kochi Metro, Bangalore Bus Transport, Ahmedabad Smart City and will soon be delivered to prospective customers in Nagpur, Noida Metro and Navi Mumbai bus transport ticketing.
As of now, more than 1.5 million cards have been issued.
"This certification recognizes IDEMIA’s commitment to continually invest in the development of technologies for enhancing and securing the payment experience for Indians and establishes once again our leadership in this space”, said Sanjeev Shriya, Regional President for IDEMIA’s activities in India. "This qSPARC certification will increase the usability of bank issued cards with an enhanced value proposition for all stakeholders”.
OT-Morpho is now IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity for an increasingly digital world, with the ambition to empower citizens and consumers alike to interact, pay, connect, travel and vote in ways that are now possible in a connected environment.
Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect this asset, whether for individuals or for objects. We ensure privacy and trust as well as guarantee secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions for international clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors.
OT (Oberthur Technologies) and Safran Identity & Security (Morpho) have joined forces to form IDEMIA. With close to $3 billion in revenues and 14,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries.
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In the Wake of the Ongoing Floods in Kerala; UAE Exchange and Unimoni Waive Service Fee on Remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund16.8.2018 09:30 | Pressemelding
Leading money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions brands, UAE Exchange and Unimoni, have waived service fee on remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the catastrophic floods that has ravaged the Indian state of Kerala. The initiative which enables the global Indian diaspora to contribute to the relief efforts, follows a personal contribution of two crore rupees made by the Group Chairman and noted UAE-based businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, to help those affected by the floods. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005229/en/ Promoth Manghat, Executive Director, Finablr and Group CEO (Photo: AETOSWire) Promoth Manghat, Executive Director, Finablr and Group CEO, said, “As a committed corporate citizen, who firmly believes in helping communities in times of need, it was our responsibility to do all that is in our power to aid the peopl
BioNTech Signs Collaboration Agreement with Pfizer to Develop mRNA-based Vaccines for Prevention of Influenza16.8.2018 05:00 | Pressemelding
BioNTech AG, a rapidly growing biotechnology company focused on precise immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and infectious disease, today announced that it has entered into a multi-year research and development (R&D) collaboration with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) to develop mRNA-based vaccines for prevention of influenza (flu). Under the terms of the agreement, BioNTech and Pfizer will jointly conduct research and development activities to help advance mRNA-based flu vaccines. Pfizer will assume sole responsibility for further clinical development and commercialization of mRNA-based flu vaccines, following BioNTech’s completion of a first in human clinical study. BioNTech will receive $120 million in upfront, equity and near-term research payments and up to an additional $305 million in potential development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. In addition, BioNTech will receive up to double-digit tiered royalty payments associated with worldwide sales if the program reac
Maxion Wheels to Showcase Market-Leading Light Weight Commercial Vehicle Wheels at REIFEN 201816.8.2018 04:05 | Pressemelding
Maxion Wheels, the world’s largest producer of wheels, announced today its participation in REIFEN, the leading tire and wheel industry event in Europe, from Sept. 11 – 15, 2018 in Hall 12.1 / Stand D24. For the first time, REIFEN will be co-located with Automechanika Frankfurt at the Messe Frankfurt. “REIFEN is the premier event for European tire and wheel manufacturers and resellers, bringing us together to meet and collaborate on the important aftermarket themes of innovation, service and delivery,” stated Mark Gerardts, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Maxion Wheels. “After a highly popular launch to truck and trailer OEMs in 2017, we’re excited to have the industry’s lightest mass production steel wheel now available to our aftermarket distributors. This wheel, along with several others, including our new 10.00W-20 wide base tubetype and tubeless heavy duty armored vehicles wheel are great examples of our continued efforts to bring our OE multi-application innovations
Lenovo Accelerates Turnaround with Back-to-Back, Double-Digit Quarterly Revenue Growth15.8.2018 23:40 | Pressemelding
Lenovo Group (HKSE: 0992) (PINK SHEETS: LNVGY) today announced results for its first fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2018. For the second straight quarter, Lenovo achieved strong double-digit growth in revenue year-on-year. Group revenue reached US$11.91 billion, up 19% year-on-year. The company also reported strong pre-tax income during the quarter of US$113 million, an improvement of US$182 million year-on-year, as profitability improved across all businesses. In the first fiscal quarter, Lenovo’s profit attributable to equity holders grew to US$77 million, up US$149 million year-over-year. Basic earnings per share in the first fiscal quarter was 0.65 US cents or 5.10 HK cents. “As we persistently execute our 3-wave strategy, all our businesses made solid improvements in both revenue and profitability. Lenovo has passed the turning point and entered a phase of ‘acceleration’ - accelerating the execution of our transformation strategy and accelerating the rising momentum in business per
CORRECTING and REPLACING Ebola Successfully Neutralized by Latest Generation Polyclonal Immunotherapy15.8.2018 22:37 | Pressemelding
Please replace the release with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005602/en/ New Ebola immunotherapy developed by SAB Biotherapeutics uses natural human polyclonal antibodies to combat disease. (Photo: SAB Biotherapeutics) The corrected release reads: EBOLA SUCCESSFULLY NEUTRALIZED BY LATEST GENERATION POLYCLONAL IMMUNOTHERAPY Promising new platform can rapidly respond to emerging infectious diseases Sioux Falls, SD, August 15, 2018 – SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc. (SAB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that its anti-Ebola immunotherapy (SAB-139) provided “100% protection against a lethal dose of the Ebola virus” in a recent animal study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases . The study was conducted at the Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of He
Ebola Successfully Neutralized by Latest Generation Polyclonal Immunotherapy15.8.2018 17:43 | Pressemelding
SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc. (SAB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that its anti-Ebola immunotherapy (SAB-139) provided “100% protection against a lethal dose of the Ebola virus” in a recent animal study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases . The study was conducted by the National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research and other collaborators including United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005602/en/ New Ebola immunotherapy developed by SAB Biotherapeutics uses natural human polyclonal antibodies to combat disease. (Photo: SAB Biotherapeutics) According to the World Health Organization, Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans with an average fatality rate around 50%.


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EA has confirmed that there will be no mod tools for Battlefield 3.
Why? Because DICE's Frostbite 2 engine is too powerful to be messed around with, so keep your hands off.
EA senior VP Patrick Soderlund told German mag GameStar, "As of now, we are not going to make any modding tools."
"If you look at the Frostbite engine, and how complex it is, it's going to be very difficult for people to mod the game because of the nature of the set up of levels, of the destruction and all those things. It's quite tricky.
"So we think it's going to be too big of a challenge for people to make a mod."
We're sure there are plenty of you out there thinking "Challenge accepted."
Executive producer Patrick Bach said in February that DICE was still considering mod tools for Battlefield 3, but that if they were implemented they would be done in a different way to Battlefield 2.


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What are likely to become the most popular features of QC NY, the luxury spa that launched on Governors Island just a few months ago, are officially open for business: two sprawling outdoor tempered infinity spa pools looking over Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey.
New Yorkers have been hearing about the bodies of water since the spa first debuted, although they haven't been able to make use of them—until now. Beginning this Saturday, the pools will be accessible for the very first time since QC NY opened.
Expect each pool to feature proprietary underwater hydro seats and loungers that massage, relax, increase lymphatic circulation and revitalize the body and mind. Yes, they will be heated as well.
"Our spas and resorts are founded on the magic of wellness through water," says Janine DiGioacchino, CEO of QC US, in an official statement about the update. "Inspired by ancient Roman baths, our spa pools are meticulously designed for an optimal wellness experience and are at the heart of our brand. Although we hit some unanticipated delays, it was all to maintain the integrity and quality our spa pools are known for, and we are confident that they were worth the wait."
In addition to the new offering, spa guests will continue to be able to access a vast variety of indoor amenities, including steam baths, relaxation rooms, themed saunas, foot baths, Vichy showers and much more.
Food-wise (because getting pampered will undoubtedly tickle your taste buds), ticket holders will be treated to delicious coffee from Italian company Illy, plus fare and alcoholic beverages from Mionetto Prosecco.
Check out some photos of the pools right here:


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Today one of the first third-party versions of the new GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card was unveiled by Inno3D with their new GeForce GTX 1080 Ti iChiLL card, which will be the company’s new flagship card.
It will be available as a Founders Edtion as part of their iChill series.
There will be two options available, which includes the iChiLL X3 and the X4, which provide around 35 percent more processing power when compared to Inoo3D’s previous flagship cards, according to Inno3D, which is thanks to the Nvidia Pascal processing architecture.
They will also come with 11 Gbps GDDR5X memory and an 11GB frame buffer, as well as Inno3D’s iChiLL cooling solution, which provides the card with better temperature control at lower noise levels.
The cards also feature Inno3D’s Herculez Armor back-plate for better protection against outer damages.
Ken Wong, Product Manager at INNO3D explained more about the card with the following:
I believe gamers will love our new iChiLL gaming GPU. The entire series of GeForce GTX 1080 Ti comes with extreme performance, and we have used the highest quality components worthy of such a product. The iChiLL cooling solution makes the INNO3D custom-built graphics card to be the perfect weapon for every gamer.
The cards speeds will be 1,582 MHz for the boost clock and 1,480 MHz for the base clock. The GDDR5X has also been clocked at 11,000 Mhz.
It will also feature an HDMI 2.0b output with three DisplayPort 1.4 connectors.


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WELLINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) - New Zealand’s Fonterra Dairy Co-operative plans to procure a key ingredient used in infant milk formula from Britain’s Dairy Crest, a person familiar with the matter said, in a move that will allow it to cut production of low-margin cheese.
The agreement to purchase demineralised whey will also help the world’s largest dairy exporter boost infant formula shipments to China after it was banned from exporting whey products there in the wake of a food safety scare last year.
An agreement will be announced later this week, the person said.
A Fonterra spokesman declined to comment.
Fonterra is keen to reduce its output of natural cheese, which has been less profitable due to record-high raw milk prices, but the world’s largest dairy exporter needs large quantities of demineralised whey, a byproduct of cheese-making, for infant formula.
The deal with Dairy Crest would be the latest effort by Fonterra to look to other companies to source whey. It has another tie-up with Netherlands-based A-ware Food Group to process whey powder from the Dutch company’s cheese manufacturing operations.
The farmer-owned co-op controls roughly a third of global dairy exports, mainly in bulk ingredients such as milk powder. But it has been shifting production to higher margin products including bulk and branded milk formula. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)


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Last year, Suzuki had revealed a metallic brown exterior paint Ertiga Sport Concept at the 2018 GIIAS. That was a concept model. It was shown to gauge customer interest. The concept got a hands up and is now heading for production. Launch of the same is scheduled for 22nd March 2019. Ahead of that, the car has been officially teased on social media.
Exterior updates are noted in the form of a sportier stance with an aggressive body kit, alloy wheels and smoked headlamps. Based on the new generation Ertiga, which is now on sale in India, the Ertiga GT borrows design cues from the Swift Sport.
The side profile is dominated by large alloys with low profile tyres, side skirting and a roof mounted rear spoiler. The rear end is seen with boomerang shaped tail lamps and bumper extensions with a faux silver skid plate. New Ertiga GT Sport has red accents on the bumper and side skirts. It also has LED DRLs, bumper extensions in the front and attractive paint in Grey, Black and Red scheme enhancing its sportiness.
Interiors have also been revamped with added space and better features. The new Ertiga Sport Concept comes in with a dual tone color scheme, faux wood inserts, automatic climate control and SmartPlay infotainment system. Watch the teaser video below, along with leaked photos.
Suzuki Ertiga GT will be launched in Indonesia first, and then in other countries. It will be powered by a 1.5 liter, 4 cylinder petrol engine. This engine offers 104 bhp power at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm torque at 4,400 rpm mated to a 5 speed manual or 4 speed automatic gearbox on board the regular Ertiga. Expect the engine to be tuned for more performance on board the Ertiga GT Sport.
The new Ertiga GT is also expected to be launched in India later this year. It will be sold as a premium 6 seater MPV, that will be retailed via Maruti’s premium dealers – Nexa. Expect launch price in India to be in the range of Rs 10-13 lakhs.


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The boss for one of the biggest USA-based casino operators, MGM Resorts has announced that his company is currently working on developing an asset-light business strategy that could see the company offloading its MGM Grand Las Vegas facility. According to one report released by the Las Vegas Review news outlet, this revelation was made by the company’s CEO and Chairman Jim Murren.
As reported, the Las Vegas-based company’s officials had already a meeting with several of the company’s investors where they have discussed the MGM Resorts International’s third-quarter finances among other subjects including contemplating more casino sales. Just last month, this Las Vegas-based giant inked a crucial, thirty-year lease deal which saw MGM Resorts International sell its Bellagio Las Vegas venue.
Selling Bellagio Las Vegas
The three thousand and nine hundred-room Las Vegas facility was sold to one Blackstone Group LP for around $4.2 billion. The selling of its Bellagio Las Vegas venue was prefaced by a very similar $825-million worth business arrangement for the company’s Circus Circus Las Vegas facility which is located nearby Bellagio. As reported by Jim Murren, these financial transactions will be used by his company as crucial blueprints for any other future arrangement of this kind which may relate to its Aria Resort and Casino and MGM Grand both located in Las Vegas.
Such future arrangements also encompass the company’s Vdara Hotel and Spa as well as its MGM Growth Properties and MGM Springfield ventures. The company’s CEO and Chairman Jim Murren said that the company’s latest financial transactions were crucial steps for the company’s new future which does not mean the end for MGM Resorts International.
In his official press release, Mr. Murren said that the company’s Bellagio Las Vegas transaction actually represents much more for his company than a simple, very smart financial decision. He said that it provides a great blueprint for the company’s future deals of this kind. He also added that the company’s process related to monetizing its real estate for the MGM Grand Las Vegas facility is underway while more details on this will be shared soon.
Focusing on Future Casino Sales
According to the company’s boos, the majority of the MGM Resorts International’s proceeds from any upcoming casino sales would be generated to fully support the firm’s already envisioned global rollout of gaming activities including sportsbetting as well as the company’s plan to construct and operate a fully integrated casino resort in Osaka.
Jum Murren also told news outlets that for his company, developing an asset-light business strategy means separating the company’s ownership of lower-return and capital-intensive assets and finally recycling this particular capital into some higher return on its future investments. On the other hand, several newspapers reported that the most recent company’s sale of its Circus Circus Las Vegas venue had put MGM Resorts International into a massive dent.
It was detailed that the company’s third-quarter combined earnings recorded a massive $37 million deficit when compared to the same period last year which has brought a great nine percent increase in generated revenues which amounted to around $3.3 billion. However, the company’s boss described these numbers as in line with the MGM Resorts International’s earlier projections and as solid. He finished his press release by saying that his company would definitely enjoy a brighter financial report for the next fourth-quarter period thanks to its upcoming entertainment offerings.


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Despite consumers showing interest in plant-based meat options, sales of these meat alternatives have been falling steadily since 2021. A report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange found that sales of meat alternatives have dropped over 20 percent for the 52-week period ending July 2, 2023.
In efforts to promote pork as a “real” option for consumers, the Illinois Pork Producers Association along with other state pork associations have teamed up with the National Pork Board to promote their marketing campaign 100% Real Pork, says IPPA District 1 Director Jill Brokaw.
“In the last few years, we have had some different trials done with local grocers with ground pork being put in the meat case and replacing some of those artificial meats or other protein options. The grocers were finding that they were expiring on the shelf and they were losing that dollar capture. With the help of the National Pork Board, we got them to remove those from the front-facing cases, move them back to the freezer section, and replace that space with pork products. It showed a significant increase in the amount of ground pork distributed because of that action.”
National Pork Board carried out this test with 70 Hy-Vee grocery stores in 2022. The sale of ground pork was 20% higher in the stores that added a ground pork section than in the control stores.


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IOC Could Alter Controversial Rule 40 Boston '24 Can't Fundraise Outside Of Region IOC Considers Airbnb For Rio Games Boston Mayor Rewords USOC Deal Boston Venues Could Change For '24 Games USOC Inks Deal With Dick's Sporting Goods Docs Show Boston Games Would Cost $9-10B Resident Question Boston Mayor, '24 Games Execs Boston City Councilor Calls For Olympic Bid Vote Boston Legislators Express Concerns About Bid
Upcoming Conferences and Events
Roots Will Outfit U.S. Teams Through The '08 Games
Published May 19, 2003
The USOC on Friday announced that Roots will be the official outfitter for the U.S. Olympic team through '08. The company will provide the teams with the parade uniform as well as athletic and casual wear for the next three Olympics, and holds an option for the 2010 and 2012 Games (USOC). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Steve Woodward reports that a decision "is still under review about when to launch a sales catalog" featuring all the '04 apparel by USOC suppliers. The USOC, instead of issuing a '03 holiday catalog, "might wait to launch a sales push in the first quarter of 2004" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/19 issue).


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Volvo has previously stated that it will turn its lineup to fully electric cars by the end of this decade
Volvo has inched a little further in the direction towards electrification as it intensifies its plans of promoting vehicles with cleaner emissions. In this process, the company has updated one of its primary sellers XC60 with a new set of powertrains comprising a new mild-hybrid technology.
The Swedish carmaker has also taken this opportunity to provide a comprehensive facelift to the luxury crossover consisting of few subtle styling updates and new features on board. Volvo has now teased the facelifted XC60 on its social media handles ahead of its launch in India.
Recently, the updated crossover was globally unveiled in South Korea which has been touted as a smarter version of its predecessor by Volvo. As mentioned in the 15-sec teaser video, it will not only be smarter but also bigger than the outgoing model. Additionally, Volvo is also claiming a smoother driving experience with better fuel efficiency thanks to the new mild-hybrid powertrain on offer.
2022 Volvo XC60 Mild Hybrid – Updated Styling
Starting with its design, the new XC60 features subtle styling updates to distinguish itself from the current model. These include a new grille design, a restyled lower fascia, reprofiled rear bumper and redesigned 21-inch alloy wheels. One neat feature is the heated Volvo logo at the front grille which prevents ice frosting that would block the sensors contained therein.
Host of new features
Updates inside the cabin are more significant in nature as the new XC60 is equipped with a new smart car system which has been developed in association with a South Korean company named SKT. This system involves a range of new and advanced features including an artificial intelligence platform that enables users to connect their vehicles with their smartphones.
This system allows features such as onboard navigation, music streaming, temperature control, sending text messages and much more via voice commands. Volvo will integrate this system into its entire lineup by next year. The Swedish brand has also become the first carmaker to tie up with Google and develop an Android-based infotainment system that offers the entire range of Google apps and services.
The biggest update, however, lies under the bonnet of the car which features a new 48-volt hybrid system. Volvo continues to offer XC60 the same 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder petrol engine in three different forms- two mild-hybrid and one plug-in hybrid. The former two will be available in B5 and B6 trims while the later PHEV option will be offered in the T8 trim.
All three powertrain options will be offered with 8-speed automatic transmission as standrad. The base B5 trim will be offered as an FWD as standard with the option of an all-wheel-drive system. Whereas rest of the variants will be offered with an AWD setup as standard. The 48-volt system does not boost the power output of either B5 or B6 but extracts more fuel economy from the engine.


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One year ago yesterday Microsoft released Windows 7 to the general public during a launch event in New York City.
Since then Microsoft has sold 240 million licenses for Windows 7 to make it the fastest growing operating system in history.
The Internet has been full of stories about this one year mark and what it has meant so let me share some of those stories with you here:
- Windows 7 the fastest selling operating system ever says Microsoft
- Happy Birthday Windows 7, what’s next for Windows?
- A look back at the year since Windows 7 released
- Windows 7 at one year: Q&A with Windows finance, marketing chief
- Blog Post: One Year After Windows 7 – 240 Million Sold
- Happy Birthday Windows 7
- Windows 7: 240 million in 1 year
- Microsoft: 240 million licenses of Windows 7 sold in its first year
- One year on: Windows 7 now on 93% of new PCs, 240 Million Licenses Sold
- Celebrating Windows 7 at 1 Year – More than 240 Million Licenses Sold
In addition to those stories across the web here are some great stats from the Microsoft Press Pass story – Windows 7 Birthday- 240 Million and Counting:
Windows 7 at One Year
People are four times more likely to recommend Windows 7 to a colleague or friend than they were a year ago, and in its first five months, the number of IT professionals recommending Windows 7 surpassed those recommending Windows XP.
In addition, as Windows 7 marks its one-year anniversary, it:
• Has sold more than 240 million licenses worldwide
• Has a customer satisfaction rate of 94%*
• Is on more than 1.2 billion Windows PCs worldwide
• Is on 93 percent of new consumer PCs, as of September
• Has over 17 percent of the global operating system share**
• Has inspired nearly 90 percent of companies to upgrade or start upgrading to the new OS
• On average, can save companies US$140 per PC per year, and a 131 percent return on investment in the first year
** Net Applications, October 1, 2010
Absolutely amazing numbers and personally I am not surprised as I have been running Windows 7 on all of our machines and we have not had a hiccup at all on any level.
Congratulations Microsoft on a great product – lets keep the momentum going!


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Google is close to announcing the Pixel 8a, but the latest batch of leaks told us just about everything.
Google appears to be working on a Lookup feature for Pixel to help users identify unknown callers, but it's only in beta for now.
Recently patched zero-day vulnerabilities could have let an attacker unlock your Pixel phone without a PIN to steal your data.
Google sent an email to some users revealing a potential launch date for the Android Find My Device network.
Offline support could come to Google Home one day, but better Matter support is needed first.
Google's Incognito mode was never as private as you may have believed, and now the company is paying the price.
Google studied the lifespan of the original Pixel before committing to seven years of software and security updates for the Pixel 8 series.
If generative AI isn’t a flash in the pan, it looks like phone makers will have to up their base RAM.
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Yadea Launches New Luxurious EV with 128km Range
China’s leading electric two-wheeler manufacturer, Yadea, is all set to launch its latest scooter, the F200, in the European market. The most remarkable feature of this scooter is its design, which is inspired by premium car manufacturer Porsche’s design and division. The scooter has a boxy design and a squinting front apron with a horizontal headlamp that gives it an attractive look.
Range and Power
The F200 scooter comes with an 11 kW electric motor that will give power output equivalent to a 125cc scooter. The motor is paired with a dual battery pack that will give a range of 128 km on a single full charge. The scooter’s top speed is 100 km/h, and it can go from zero to 48 km/h in just 2.5 seconds.
Subsidies on Electric Two-wheelers Reduced from 1st June
India’s Heavy Industries Ministry has decided to reduce subsidies on electric two-wheelers from 1st June. The subsidy on electric two-wheelers has been reduced from INR 15,000 per kilowatt (kW) to INR 10,000 per kW. This decision will increase the cost of electric two-wheelers, and many companies, including Ola and Ather, have already announced an increase in prices.
– Yadea, a leading electric two-wheeler manufacturer, is launching its latest scooter, the F200, in the European market.
– The scooter’s design is inspired by Porsche’s design and division, which makes it an attractive addition to the market.
– The F200 comes with an 11 kW electric motor, and it can cover 128 km on a single charge.
– The Indian government has reduced subsidies on electric two-wheelers from INR 15,000 per kW to INR 10,000 per kW, effective from June 1st.
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Creamistry, a California-based chain that specializes in made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream using all natural and organic ingredients, will open its first Dallas location on December 2, bringing its unique brand to Village on the Parkway in Addison.
Creamistry uses liquid nitrogen to freeze ingredients before customers’ eyes, turning a timeless classic into one of the newest, coolest dessert concepts in the industry. Unlike regular ice cream shops that pre-freeze large batches of ice cream, Creamistry handcrafts each individual ice cream concoction, making every serving a unique and creamy treat.
“We’re excited to open the first Creamistry location in Dallas and bring the brand’s premium quality ingredients to the city,” says Aamir Rajani, Creamistry Addison’s franchise owner. “Creamistry isn’t a typical ice cream destination—it’s an experience and the wild success of the brand is a testament to its quality service and ingredients.”
Creamistry, located at 5100 Belt Line Road in the Village on the Parkway shopping center, will be offering free ice cream to customers during its grand opening celebration on December 2 from 12 to 2 p.m. Customers will receive one free scoop of ice cream, an additional topping and Creamistry-branded sunglasses.
Regular hours of operation will be noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Two more Creamistry locations are slated to open early next year in Greenville and Las Colinas.
Creamistry was founded in 2013 after founder Jay Yim was first introduced to liquid nitrogen ice cream when he spotted a street vendor making it during a trip to South Korea in 2003. Born into a family of Korean bakers, Yim and his wife, Katie, made their first homemade ice cream using liquid nitrogen with the help of his father as the quality control “chemist.” Over the next two years, the team experimented with over a hundred flavors and combinations, the best of which eventually became an integral part of Creamistry’s menu today.
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CSAA Insurance Group and Rick Astley partner on surprise ad campaign
CSAA Insurance Group has partnered with 1980s British legend Rick Astley to launch a new brand campaign across 17 U.S. markets. For the first time in 35 years, Astley and the top-rated AAA Insurance provider have released a new version of his beloved music video for his 1987 chart-topping hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.” The new video pays tribute to the original while spreading the good news about InsurAAAnce — the insurance that never gives you up!
“Rickified” QR codes
This week, “Rickified” QR codes are going up across the country, primed to unleash a familiar Rick Astley experience: the “Rickroll.” Anybody in one of the target markets can scan the codes to experience the brand-new music video themselves. The “Rickroll” is one of the original internet memes that delighted internet users as a lighthearted prank. When receiving a disguised hyperlink, unassuming readers would click on it, expecting an unrelated topic, and instead get redirected to the “Never Gonna Give You Up” music video. As a testament to the joy that the meme has spread over the past 15 years, “Never Gonna Give You Up” has garnered over 1.2 billion views on YouTube and nearly 600 million streams on Spotify.
“Paying homage to my video for the AAA Insurance commercial — from the set to the wardrobe — has been an amazing trip down memory lane. The song has been so good to me, and I’m thrilled to be working with another iconic brand that has certainly stood the test of time.” – Rick Astley.
“We are thrilled to partner with Rick Astley to not only revisit the joy of his video, but amplify the incredible value that our customers receive with InsurAAAnce. And clearly, the indelible lyrics of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ are one of the best ways we can share that message.” – Linda Goldstein, executive vice president, Customer Experience & Marketing, CSAA Insurance Group.
The campaign, a concept of Deloitte Digital, was brought to life in part through a commercial directed by Joseph Kahn, winner of multiple Grammys, MTV VMAs, Clios, and Emmys. Deloitte Digital’s wealth of expertise in the insurance industry, as well as its deep capabilities in creative, data and technology, allow it to take a creative approach to advertising and activate new brand platforms across all customer touchpoints.
“An iconic and beloved brand meets an iconic and beloved artist. ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ is exactly the promise InsurAAAnce makes to its customers: Legendary dependability that won’t let you down or desert you. We wanted to communicate that in a memorable way not only by recreating the legendary music video after 35 years (featuring Rick himself!), but also serving it in a manner that pays homage to how internet and meme culture has made Rick Astley its own.” – Jones Krahl and Milton Correa, co-heads of Creative for Brand and Advertising at Deloitte Digital.


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Carload and intermodal volumes see gains for week ending April 5, reports AAR
Carloads—at 296,039—were up 5.4 percent annually, and intermodal saw a 12.6 annual increase at 261,084 trailers and containers.
in the NewsLM survey highlights the impact and importance of emergency preparedness following recent hurricanes eBook: Why Multi-Tier Supplier Collaboration is More Important Now FedEx sees earnings decline, due largely to TNT cyberattack FedEx rolls out 2018 rate increases Cass Freight Index posts solid August gains More News
Carload and intermodal volumes were up for the week ending April 5, according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) this week.
Carloads—at 296,039—were up 5.4 percent annually and behind the week ending March 29 at 301,317 and ahead of the week ending March 22 at 291,525
Intermodal saw a 12.6 annual increase at 261,084 trailers and containers, which trailed the week ending March 29 at 265,188 and topped the week ending March 22 at 260,713.
Of the ten main commodity groups tracked by the AAR, nine saw annual increases for the week ending April 5. Grain was up 16.8 percent, and forest products slipped 0.7 percent.
For the first 14 weeks of 2014, carloads are up 1.2 percent annually at 3,898,778, and intermodal is up 4.4 percent at 3,464,083 trailers and containers.
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The headline on a recent San Francisco Chronicle article only hints at the real problem with the free government cell phone program as constituted in California: “As subsidized phone program grows, so do its costs”.
Had we been editing the Chronicle’s story, it would have had the same headline we put at the top of this article. We’re not coming down on the Chronicle, a fine newspaper, but the same reporter who writes about Lifeline Assistance, the free government cell phone program, today will undoubtedly be writing about High Sierra fishing expeditions or the state’s drought or any other unrelated subject tomorrow. Since FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net specializes in the Lifeline Assistance program, we see details that other reporters never notice.
Here’s how the Chronicle reports the story:
Participation in the state’s LifeLine program, which subsidizes phone service for low-income consumers, has skyrocketed since the California Public Utilities Commission expanded it to cover wireless as well as landline phones. And so have the costs, which are covered by a fee charged on all phone bills in California.
To keep the program solvent, the commission has had to increase this fee by a factor of almost five this year. After holding steady at 1.15 percent of applicable charges since early 2007, it was raised twice this year, in January and August. It now stands at 3.8 percent. Late last month, the commission decided to raise it again, to 5.5 percent, effective Oct. 1.
The fee applies to in-state voice services, including landline, wireless and Internet. People getting LifeLine discounts are exempt from the fee. It is the largest of six state-mandated surcharges that show up on phone bills to support various public programs in California.
We doubt that the Chronicle reporter is aware of the fact that California provides the most generous Lifeline Assistance benefits in the entire nation. By far.
While needy customers in most other states typically receive a free cell phone, 250 free voice minutes and 250 texts per month, California Lifeline customers receive unlimited talk and text plans along with their free cell phones.
And while Lifeline Assistance companies in other states get a federal subsidy of $9.25 per customer per month, companies doing business in California receive an additional state subsidy. As we reported back in February 2014, “California will now pay those companies an additional $6.35 to $13.15 per month for some customers.”
Why are costs rising? Well, it doesn’t take an economist to figure out that more companies will set up shop in California if the state will pay them double or triple what they can earn per customer in other states. The other half of the economic double whammy is that more customers will be incentivized to sign up for free government cell phones if they’re offered far more minutes than are available in other states.
It’s an economic endless loop: More money per customer attracts more companies, more minutes bring in more customers, more customers mean the state spends more money on subsidies, more subsidies means the state needs to raise taxes.
Sure enough. The Chronicle reports:
As of July 31, there were almost 2.2 million households enrolled, two-thirds in wireless. That’s up from 1.2 million in January 2014.
The budget for the program has also grown — from $204 million in fiscal 2014-15 to $346 million this year and an estimated $628 million next year. Most of that is subsidies paid to participating carriers, which pass them along to LifeLine customers, but it also includes some overhead.
As far as we’re concerned, there are two major problems with the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phone program. One is eliminating waste, fraud an abuse. The other is the well-meaning but incompetent bureaucrat who screws things up in an attempt to help.
Remember that California is the same state that is currently building a “high-speed” rail system that will take a low-speed, meandering route from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and has increased in price from an initial estimate of $10 billion to a current estimate of $100 billion and no one believes it will stop there nor that it will ever make enough money to pay for itself.
Why do we bring up this seemingly unrelated topic? Just to point out that California has a long history of regulatory red tape, over-promising and under-delivering.
Consider the fact that California is the only state we’re aware of that has a website dedicated to the Lifeline program.
A quick glance at the website tells an informed consumer (or an eagle-eyed website) that it is rife with errors. We would love to link to that site in order to give our readers an additional source of free government cell phone information, but the website is so poorly researched and so difficult to navigate that we cannot in good conscience do so.
In fact, we recently published an article that attempts to straighten out the confusion caused by the well-meaning but incompetently-prepared information at that state website.
We’re not surprised that California has screwed up the free government cell phone program. The state (and most levels of government, for that matter) is incapable of getting out of its own way, whether the subject be Lifeline Assistance, high-speed rail, the on-going drought, or anything else it touches.
C’mon, California. Millions of Golden State residents desperately need the help that can be provided by the Lifeline program. Get your fingers out of your collective bellybuttons and make the program work like it’s supposed to.


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Steve Pogorzelski, an executive at one of the best-known online help-wanted sites, knew that computer techs and office workers were likely to use the Internet to look for employment. But he didn't know whether Monster Worldwide Inc. could get blue-collar workers to use Web sites to find jobs, so he devised a test.
Pogorzelski, president of Monster North America, said that in a six-month trial last year, in which the company gave Cincinnati job hunters a choice of submitting applications online or mailing them in, 88 percent of 45,000 people looking for hourly and skilled jobs preferred the Internet.
So this year, Monster.com launched an area devoted to offering those same kind of workers connections to jobs. "Now we're saying we have white-collar, blue-collar and no-collar jobs," Pogorzelski said.
Other companies also are trying to get more blue-collar workers to look for jobs on the Internet.
According to New York-based Nielsen/NetRatings, which monitors Internet use, of the 17 million people who used the Internet to find jobs in April, about 765,000 were looking for blue-collar jobs.
"When you look at the ad campaigns by some of the big job sites, you see them reaching out to this kind of worker," said Patrick Thomas, a senior analyst at Nielsen. "It's evolved from being mostly white-collar types to blue-collar workers using the Internet to surf for jobs."
The trend has been helped by computers and the Internet becoming more accessible as prices have dropped, according to labor experts and recruiters.
Lower-income households are increasingly using the Internet and computers in general, Pogorzelski said.
Monster expects 2 million applications this year for jobs in the blue-collar area.
"If you've ever had to look for hourly work, you go to multiple places," Pogorzelski said. "You go into windowless rooms where you get basically the same application and go through the same process. It's time-consuming and it's frustrating. Searching online can be more convenient."
Reaching out to more blue-collar workers will also help online job sites build volume, analysts predict, because there are often more of these types of job postings because of higher turnover rates.
"The sites are trying to broaden their base of customers and potential revenues," said Thomas. "Their sales have been flat year-to-year in the last three years, and this is an area that has not been well-tapped. ... It has potential."
Yahoo HotJobs expanded to include blue-collar jobs as a result of an analysis of its users, according to company officials. About 1 million Yahoo users are in construction; about 45,000 are electricians; and 220,000 are carpenters. The high total of skilled craft workers has contributed to manufacturing and construction job listings receiving more hits on the site than other listings, executives said.
"A lot of companies that hire white-collar professional workers also hire blue-collar workers. They've gotten used to the convenience of hiring in the professional field, so now they're saying, `Why not use it for the other jobs, too?'" said Daniel J. Finnigan, general manager of HotJobs.