text:
British designer and licensor of power-efficient processors, ARM has announced a 31 per cent rise in revenues for the past quarter, while one of the companies that licences its processors, Texas Instruments, recorded a drop in profits and isn’t much more optimistic about the next quarter.
ARM signed up 29 smartphone and tablet processor licenses in the second quarter of 2011, helping it post a pre-tax profit of £33.8 million, up 14 per cent compared to the same period in 2010. ARM also claimed that a huge 1.1 billion ARM-designed processors shipped into smartphones and tablets in the quarter, a figure which Intel will find extremely worrying as it attempts to break into the low-power market.
"Arm enters the second half of 2011 with a healthy order backlog and a robust opportunity pipeline," it said. Looking forward however, ARM issued a note of caution by saying that sales in the third quarter would be lower than in the second quarter with analysts currently expecting an increase of 6 per cent.
Among the many companies using ARM’s designs is Texas Instruments, which posted a drop in second quarter income and warned the third quarter would be not much better.
Second-quarter net income dropped to $672 million, compared with $769 million, in the same period a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Revenue fell one per cent to $3.46 billion.
Texas Instruments makes most of its income from analogue chips seen in a wide variety of hardware including smartphones, calculators, digital photo frames and even military hardware. The company felt that poor consumer sentiment was to blame for the drop in profits. “Production at some computing and consumer manufacturers appears lukewarm even though we’re heading into the back-to-school and holiday seasons,” said Richard K. Templeton, the company’s chief executive.
Texas Instruments predicts third-quarter sales will be between $3.4 billion and $3.7 billion with analysts predicting sales of $3.61 billion.
Source: New York Times


text:
Microsoft is testing a new feature called 'Bing & Ping' for its search engine that allows people to share search results on social networks.
Microsoft has teamed with House Party to help people throw Windows 7 launch parties.
Microsoft on Tuesday released a test preview of its Windows 7-based OS for embedded devices.
Microsoft on Monday downplayed a blog post that said the company designed the first iteration of Bing to help people find items to purchase online.
Microsoft will miss its target date for releasing a technical preview of its Office Web Apps, Web-based versions of its Office apps.
UPDATE: A special Windows 7 upgrade package for households with more than one PC is now available for pre-order online ahead of schedule and at a discount.
Windows 7 could inspire businesses to begin spending money on PC upgrades again because it repairs major problems enterprise users had with Vista.
Companies can now target people over the age of 34 with ad campaigns that leverage social networks as more mature users are now online.
Sony's new e-reader will feature 3G Internet access and has a price tag of $400.
Microsoft's decision to provide a browser ballot screen for Windows 7 in Europe has enabled it to make a family-pack option to customers there.
Microsoft plans to backport a new "ribbon" user interface it introduced in Windows 7 to Windows Vista.
Microsoft's Exchange Server will play a key role in plans to embrace diverse platforms.
Red Hat has expanded its partner program to give companies more options for how they can work with the Linux vendor.
Netscape founder Marc Andreessen may be looking to get back into the browser game.

domain: news


text:
Tubestart partners with Fullscreen
Parent Category: News | 26-11-2013
Tubestart, a crowdfunding platform for YouTube content creators, announced today its partnership with the Fullscreen content community to offer its platform as part of the studio's Sign In with Fullscreen feature that launched this week.
The Sign In with Fullscreen feature offers integration with third-party apps and services in an effort to improve content quality and revenue building.
Tubestart launched in August 2013 to cater to niche-genre content creators with dedicated audiences to help raise production funds via several available funding models: subscriptions, fixed and flexible campaigns. Fullscreen's community of thousands of content creators together get more than 3 billion monthly views — Tubestart will offer them access to additional revenue streams to help grow their audience reach.
"Since day one, our mission has been to empower the next generation of video creators on a global scale," said Fullscreen founder and CEO George Strompolos. "With the launch of Sign In with Fullscreen, we can seamlessly integrate into the Fullscreen Creator Platform a wide range of third-party partners who complement our mission."
"YouTube receives billions of monthly visits and comprises a substantial percentage of Web traffic," said co-founder and CEO Josef Holm. "Yet, the current ad-based monetisation model is not serving content creators or their fans to the fullest potential."


text:
Payzone has signed a new deal to replace rivals PayPoint in 460 Tesco Express and Tesco Extra stores, with the changeover starting last month.
British Gas revealed the change in a message to customers last month informing them that they could now top up via Payzone in Tesco outlets.
Asked about the new partnership, a spokesperson for Payzone confirmed the contract win, telling RN: “We are providing bill payment services in Tesco stores where a previous operator had done so. This is a like for like replacement when it comes to bill payments services.”
The announcement marks Payzone’s second major contract win at the expense of its rivals PayPoint, following British Gas’ decision to move from PayPoint to Payzone at the start of 2020.
Commenting on its contract loss, a spokesperson for PayPoint told RN that the change came after ‘many successful years’ partnered with Tesco. They said: “The decision is naturally regrettable. However, our extensive network of 28,000 locations across the UK, which is bigger than all banks, supermarkets and Post Offices put together, remains as robust as ever delivering vital community services. We remain committed to supporting every one of our independent retailer partners with the numerous growth opportunities beyond bill payments, from EPoS and card payments, to parcels and rapid local home delivery in partnership with Snappy Shopper.”
Describing its new partnership, the Payzone spokesperson added: “This extension of the Payzone network benefits vulnerable and elderly customers in particular who are can now top up their gas or electricity cards and pay a bill whilst doing their shop in a Tesco store they have likely been going to for several years.”
The move also brings concerns for nearby Payzone outlets that previously had a local monopoly on offering British Gas services. Some of the newly added Tesco Payzone sites are less than 200m from an existing independent retailer providing Payzone services, such as in Purley, London. A CWU spokesperson expressed concern that if parcel pick up and drop off services were included at the Tesco sites, ‘poached’ parcel volume could make some nearby Post Office branches ‘unsustainable.’
Payzone refused to say whether it would waive its minimum transaction charges for independent Payzone stores that drop below the required weekly threshold due to new competition from nearby Tesco stores, but implied that it did not affect a significant impact on nearby partnered stores. The Payzone spokesperson instead responded: “This partnership is all about enhancing our network. The shoppers using this service already visited this Tesco to do their shopping and pay their bills and we are providing a continuity of bill payment services for these shoppers.”
Retailers can use Payzone’s storefinder to see if a Tesco site has been added nearby.
Read more PayPoint news


text:
Peanut Barrel joins growing group of restaurants phasing out straws
EAST LANSING — The Peanut Barrel is going green.
And not just for Michigan State University football season.
Earlier this month, the East Lansing mainstay announced plans to start using compostable products and only give patrons straws when they ask for them.
They're joining a growing number of restaurants across the country that have ditched straws and upped composting efforts in order to cut back on waste.
“We are almost entirely a paper and plastic establishment because our space is limited," said Jennifer Bell, one of The Peanut Barrel's owners. “We are really as a result changing nearly every product that we use that isn’t paper."
Customers have been supportive of the change, but making the switch to compostable products hasn't been seamless. The restaurant is already using compostable silverware and drinkware, but Bell said they're still waiting on compostable straws from their distributor.
Compostable products are often plant-based, break down naturally and are less harmful to the environment than traditional plastics.
Plastic straws, on the other hand, can't be recycled in most recycling centers because of their makeup and small size.
Some cities, including Seattle and Malibu, California, have banned plastic straws outright. Royal Caribbean cruise lines recently pledged to eliminate plastic straws by the end of 2018. And plastic straws will not be offered at the new Milwaukee Bucks arena when it opens later this year.
National restaurant chains have also doubled down on becoming greener and ridding themselves of the extra plastic. Starbucks has set aside $10 million to award grants to inventors in the quest for a compostable coffee cup. Dunkin' Donuts is eliminating plastic foam cups from all its locations worldwide by 2020. And Chipotle Mexican Grill plans to cut waste from packaging and leftover food by half by 2020 and start recycling at all its locations.
Zane Vicknair, the chef and owner of Street Kitchen on Michigan Avenue, said using compostable products was one of the first decisions he made when he prepped to open his food truck last year.
"For years, I was the guy who said I can't afford to not use Styrofoam," he said.
But he said opening his latest venture was a chance to finally become more environmentally friendly, especially since his food truck only uses disposable dinnerware.
Vicknair uses compostable dishes and to-go containers made from crushed plant fibers. They're about three to four times as expensive as foam containers, he said, but the cost is worth it to keep waste out of landfills.
Though he's found that not all compostable products are created equal to their traditional plastic counterparts.
“We haven’t found compostable silverware that you could actually pick a piece of chicken up with,” he said.
The HopCat's policy is to offer visitors compostable straws instead of handing them out with each drink. The East Lansing restaurant aims to recycle or compost 90 percent of the waste they produce, said Chris Knape, vice president of marketing & communications with BarFly Ventures, The Hopcat's Grand Rapids-based parent company.
All the restaurant's napkins and to-go products are made from compostable and renewable materials. And they partner with Hammond Farms for composting, he said.
"Compostable straws will break down easier in a landfill than a plastic straw or non-compostable type of product," Knape said.“It still takes up space in a landfill."
Making the switch to compostable products doesn't necessarily mean a business has to lose money, Knape said. Composting, for instance, reduces HopCat restaurants' trash costs.
"You just have to make it a priority," he said. "A mom-and-pop business, a large chain can do this as long as they make it part of their culture.”
Straws, plastic forks and spoons can't be recycled through the city of Lansing, said Lori Welch, an environmental specialist with the city. That's true for many recycling processors, she said.
“Many people think all plastics go in the bin," she said. "And that’s a big problem for us.”
The city has a commercial recycling program that roughly 130 businesses take part in, she said. The city also refers businesses to other third-party companies like Granger or Waste Management for recycling if they can't meet their needs, she said. They also do "waste audits" to help businesses identify changes they can make to cut back on waste.
The Blue Owl doesn't use compostable straws now, but owner Nick Berry said he'd like to make the switch in the future. The coffee shop does use recyclable cups, lids and sleeves, a move Berry says is a no-brainer.
"If it's there, why not use it," he said. "It’s better for everybody.”
USA Today contributed to this report. Contact reporter Haley Hansen at (517) 267-1344 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @halehansen.


text:
CNET news editors and reporters provide top technology news, with investigative reporting and in-depth coverage of tech issues and events.
- The total solar eclipse 2017 eve gets weird - CNET
Just hours before the moon blocks out the sun in a traveling celestial show across the US, things are already getting strange.
- Elon Musk calls for ban on use of killer robots - CNET
Robotics and AI researchers warn that robotic weapons could usher in the "third revolution in warfare."
- Xbox One X preorders open, Project Scorpio Edition revealed - CNET
You can now preorder an Xbox One X.
- iPhone 8? Why would Apple call it that? - CNET
Commentary: Many seem confident that Apple will soon present two phones called iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus and an iPhone 8. Is that the best Apple can do?
- Nick Saban is the reason you should watch the solar eclipse - CNET
Commentary: Asked about whether his Alabama football team will be given time to watch the eclipse, the coach offers a fascinating reply.
Haikona! | Web Directory - InteligentD | www.inteligentd.com


text:
BOSTON (CBS) – Do you know what you like, and what you don’t like? Rebecca Wallace does, and expressing those opinions is now earning her some extra cash.
“There are just tons of market research companies that need people to be opinionated and be eloquent, and express their thoughts,” she explained.
Wallace has made up to $800 a month by testing everything from new phone apps to teeth whitening products. She’s also tested a number of websites.
“You try out websites and try different tasks and give feedback, and basically talk as you explore the website,” she explained.
WBZ-TV’s Paula Ebben reports
Darrell Benatar, founder of UserTesting.com, said, “Very large websites have discovered that it’s valuable to put real users like their target customers in front of their websites, and watch people try and actually do the things they’re supposed to do on the website.”
Finding opinionated testers like Wallace can be costly and time consuming for companies. “The solution we came up with was to build a panel of users who would record their screen and their voice as they use the website,” explained Benatar.
Testers get paid $10 for a 10-minute recording, and clients like Wal-mart, Cisco, and Google get valuable feedback. Benatar said the average tester earns $100-$200 a month, all from their home computer.
Wallace has also found focus groups on sites like Craigslist which are willing to pay up to $150 for her to participate.
She says she often earns free products with the extra cash, but warns the money is not always consistent. “There are great months where I am just making hundreds of dollars and I just have a focus group everyday, but those are extremely rare.”
There are some illegitimate companies out there, so you have to be cautious. For example, don’t ever give out any credit card information. Another warning sign is if they request your social security number.
Some companies, like UserTesting.com, will pay you through PayPal so you don’t have to disclose any personal information directly to the company.


text:
NRAI has come together to detox consumers from discount addiction. The move is being undertaken to protest against aggregators who have distorted a vibrant marketplace by aggressive discounting and predatory pricing.
In recent years, food delivery apps such as EazyDiner (Prime), Zomato Gold, Swiggy, Nearbuy and UberEats have made ordering easier, and turned the restaurant business on its head. It made sense for restaurants to feature in these apps as they would gain greater visibility and a potential uptick in orders.
That arrangement continued. Until recently.
Several restaurateurs in recent days have pushed back against food aggregators. A raft of restaurants across India began delisting from these apps — blaming their deep discounts — in a “#Logout" movement led by the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI).
On August 14, the NRAI tweeted about the move in a bid to “detox customers from discount addiction”. Since then, more than 2,000 restaurants across India have opted out of food aggregator platforms, with multiple associations joining the movement, according to the NRAI.
Perhaps, people are still eating restaurant food like before. But they are not doing it in restaurants like before.
But NRAI president Rahul Singh said deep discounting is at the root of the fight against Zomato and other food aggregators.
Singh, who is the founder and CEO of Alco-beverage chain The Beer Café, told CNBCTV18.com that the decision to exit food delivery apps was taken on Independence Day. The aim was to give the restaurant industry freedom from aggregators that have distorted a vibrant marketplace by aggressive discounting and predatory pricing, according to him.
— NRAI (@NRAI_India) August 14, 2019
Singh offered insights on when the relation with food aggregators soured.
“Before the ‘colonisation’ by e-commerce marketplaces, customers were dining out and getting the experience expected from a restaurant. Aggregators started off as discovery and community-building platforms,” he said. “The unbiased reviews from others gave an insight to what the customer could expect. It also provided efficient search options with embedded maps, reservation and contact details.”
However, the model soon pivoted in a way that impacted local businesses, as these food companies battled to dominate capital dumping through foreign investors, according to him. “Aggregators claim to burn capital on the pretext of customer acquisition costs. If they don’t get their funding, they will have to shut down too,” Singh said. “If they change the hook to ‘embracing’ customers rather than ‘acquiring’ them, it can save us all from burning precious cash.”
In a separate interview with CNBC-TV18, Zomato co-founder, Gaurav Gupta said that close to 10 percent of their revenue comes from Zomato Gold and that they have taken feedback from their partner restaurants recently. He added that deep discounting is not favourable to anyone and neither is it sustainable. He explained that the focus was to create programs which would act as triggers for users to eat out.
Singh contended that the current terms and conditions and discount structures relayed by food technology companies are unjust and unsustainable.
But why will customers be upset with deep discounts? Singh said the idea of scoring a deal makes one feel they are beating the system, but in reality, blind discounting is one of the worst things aggregators can do, since it conditions the customer into de-valuing your product.
“Discounting works in the retail space so well because brands can limit supply – or at least make it look like it’s limited – and thus create a sense of urgency in the customer’s eyes,” Singh said. Unlike retail, though, where end of season sales are used to clear stock, restaurants don’t serve leftovers at discounted prices. According to him, massive price cuts negatively affect both the restaurants and customers.
“Providing a 50 percent discount or giving it for free certainly nudges the eatery to reduce portion size, artificially mark-up the price, or use sub-standard ingredients,” said Singh. “Discounts and freebies create a negative consumer perception. Whenever a service is undervalued through price distortion, the genuineness of the service comes into question.”
So what happens next? Singh acknowledged that the campaign may result in certain “withdrawal symptoms” for customers in the short term, but insisted on a healthier lifetime cycle. He acknowledged the role of food aggregators as discovery and community-building platforms for restaurants, but noted their shift of focus as the foundation of the #Logout movement. “We only had and have one single issue: eradicate deep discounting.”
Sections of consumers have voiced concerns about restaurants bumping up their prices to drive larger profits. “Due to change in operating expenses, raw material and other market forces, the menu price is never fixed,” explained Singh. “In deliveries, some restaurants charge additionally for packing, while some include it into the menu price.”
Singh presented the six major resolutions the #Logout campaign sought to reach with food aggregators, in order to ensure fair trade practices and transparency between customers and restaurants:
The management committee of the NRAI held talks with some aggregators on Wednesday, which resulted in Zomato laying out a ten-point restructuring plan for its premium Zomato Gold service. In a mass email to the association and all the partner restaurants, the Gurgaon-headquartered company said September 15 was the deadline day to roll out all the improvements.
The changes include limiting Gold usage to one restaurant per day, restricting Gold unlocks to a maximum of two per table, introducing single device logins, issuing hassle-free pro-rata refunds to unsatisfied customers, discontinue trial periods for Gold, setting a minimum threshold for membership fees, strengthen its two-way feedback system, providing advertisement credits worth Rs 25,000, shoot free promotional videos, and personalise push notifications for non-peak days.
Despite these efforts, however, the NRAI and participating restaurants have refused to return to Zomato. While they validated Zomato’s recognition of the deep discounting problem, they said in a statement, “The ‘reconstruct of gold’ is another attempt to stuff old wine in a new bottle. It’s a tweak in the drug, which doesn’t solve the addiction.”
The statement also took aim at the “stiff penalty” introduced by Zomato on Monday, which was invoked if restaurants did not serve their notice period before exiting the Gold facility. “They have sweetened the pill in the form of free signup to rejoin the program.”
The NRAI concluded that the Zomato Gold service has been shifting goalposts since its launch in November 2017. Reiterating Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal’s words, the association said, “What started as an exclusive, invite-only privilege
Singh also revealed that several meetings had taken place between the NRAI, the food aggregators and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), and expects a positive outcome soon.
Anshoo Sharma, co-founder and CEO of food and lifestyle discovery platform magicpin, told CNBCTV18.com that after a productive session with the NRAI – which included Singh, Priyank Sahuja from Lazeez Affaire, Vikrant Batra from Café Delhi Heights, and Nitin Saluja from Chaayos – they agreed on technology’s role in engagement and retailer discovery, as opposed to deep discounting.
“We work at a base margin of 10 percent, and allow our partners to top-up anywhere from Rs 2000 to Rs 20 lakh, as per their marketing needs for the month, while delivering guaranteed returns on investment to them,” said Sharma. “We are fully supportive of NRAI's cause and are looking forward to working together to create sustainable impact for its members through the use of technology.”
Unsatisfied with the current developments, the NRAI concluded its statement by asking all restaurants to keep away from the aggregators for the time being. “We stand united in the cause to obliviate the deep discounting phenomenon, and will therefore stay logged out.”
In response, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal lashed out at Singh in a Twitter thread for incorporating the Golf service in his Beer Café outlets. He believed that Zomato was being painted as a bully in a fight between small and big restaurateurs. “The logout campaign, as it seems now, is driven by Rahul Singh, along with participation of a few large restaurant owners, to use the NRAI platform to sabotage aggregators and benefit themselves,” he said.
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) August 22, 2019
Goyal added that the company stands by the changes it made to the Gold programme, conceding that enough was said and it was time to get back to work. “Zomato is logging out of the logout campaign. I am confident better business sense will prevail.”
The latest development saw Rahul Singh release a statement, which emphasised the use of technology to “avoid detrimental circumstances where discovery platforms have pivoted into discounting ones”. Furthermore, he acknowledged that loyalty “has to be earned, not purchased through discounts”, extending his gratitude to food aggregators Dineout, EazyDiner, magicpin and nearbuy for their efforts to resolve the deep discounting issues.
The statement concluded: “However, Zomato has decided to cut all ties through a statement of their assertion of logging out of the logout campaign. From our end, that simply implies #ZoGoisNoGo.”


text:
BI’s Article search uses Boolean search capabilities. If you are not familiar with these principles, here are some quick tips.
To search specifically for more than one word, put the search term in quotation marks. For example, “workers compensation”. This will limit your search to that combination of words.
To search for a combination of terms, use quotations and the & symbol. For example, “hurricane” & “loss”.
Analysis by Japan-based investment bank Nomura Holdings Inc. found that several global companies have shifted supply chains to Vietnam among other Asian countries due to the U.S.-China trade war, South China Morning Post reported. Analysts said that electronics companies have also shifted technical supply chains to Taiwan and South Korea.


text:
WSJ: The media company's Q3 revenue increased a larger-than-expected 3% on growth.
Fast Company: The California-based company "quietly" opened an engineering office in Seattle.
BBC: A new study found that long-term shift work has an aging effect on the brain.
WSJ: The Korean auto makers agreed to pay a combined penalty of $300 million for overstating fuel-economy claims.
CNN: The 29-year-old diagnosed with terminal brain cancer took medication to end her life under Oregon's "Death with Dignity Act."
Bloomberg Businessweek: The company laid off 638 employees in the Puget Sound area.
Forbes: The Chinese electronics manufacturer is looking to raise funding that could value the company at more than $40 billion.
NYT: The nation's economic output rose at a 3.5% annual rate.
BBC: Apple's chief executive Tim Cook publicly acknowledged his sexuality in a Bloomberg Businessweek article.
WSJ: The social network's revenue rose 59% in Q3.
Bloomberg: Apple's mobile payment technology has encountered problems after CVS Health Corp. and Rite Aid Corp. disabled the service in their drugstores.
WSJ: The online video website is working on a paid, ad-free subscription business model in addition to its existing ad-based platform.
CNNMoney: The fast food restaurant's app will allow customers to skip waiting in line.


text:
Delta between HDPE and ethylene at almost 5-year-low in Europe
Buyers’ limited buying interest ahead of the Easter holidays played a role in increased supplies, particularly for HDPE grades. Switching to the biodegradable products instead of HDPE film also reduced consumption for this product. “There are competitive non-European HDPE offers from traders who are rather aggressive,” regional players agree.
This has resulted in a narrowing gap between HDPE and ethylene prices as spot ethylene prices recently showed an increase of around €20/ton on average compared to the beginning of this month, according to ChemOrbis Price Wizard. The gap between HDPE film prices in Italy and spot ethylene prices in Europe has recently narrowed to €128/ton, marking the smallest difference since July 2012.
Source: ChemOrbis Price Wizard
A distributor from Italy noted, “Our West European supplier came lower on its April offers to match the current market level. We concluded deals with €50/ton decreases for HDPE b/m and injection and we expect further decreases in HDPE prices as there are competitive offers in the market.”
However, another distributor from Germany reported, “Stronger crude and naphtha costs along with the recent increases in the spot ethylene market may prevent further decreases in the PE market.”
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- PE and PVC imports from US flooding Europe
- Indonesia’s polyolefin markets sustain uptrend
- Asian PVC markets shaken by sharp fall in Taiwanese major’s Apr pricing
- March PE prices take split paths in Africa, Mid-East
- Asian PS markets touch 4-month high amid volatile styrene
- Turkey’s PP market attracts deep-sea origins at 4-month high
- European ABS rebounds from 3-year low
- Firming persists in Vietnam’s PE market, shrugging off ethylene
- European styrene continues to climb up, Asia remains cautiously firm
- PP market up from a year-low in Europe; yet hikes beyond C3 see resistance


text:
A-DATA has just announced new line of solid state drives, the A-DATA Premier Pro SP900 SSDs. These will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities in 2.5 inch form factor. According to sources, the new A-DATA Premier Pro SP900 SSD sports MLC NAND Flash memory chip and has SATA 6.0 Gbps interface. Other features include TRIM support, MTBF of 1 million hours etc. The new A-DATA solid state drives are capable of reaching read and write speeds of up to 555MB/s and 530MB/s respectively.
Unfortunately there is still no news on price and available dates for the new A-DATA Premier Pro SP900 SSD so stay tuned for updates.


text:
Regular readers (Hi Mom!) know that we've been following the progress of New Jersey's recent gift card legislation from the State Assembly, to the Treasury Department, and, ultimately, to the courts. When we last left our story, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit enjoined (in English, temporarily suspended) application of parts of the new law, pending a decision by that Court. That case has been argued, and is currently under consideration by the court -- meaning that a decision can come at any time. Of course, the timing of the ruling could be important because the holidays are a particularly busy time for gift card sellers.
According to a recent article in NJ Biz, the President of the NJ Retail Merchants Association (one of the plaintiffs in the underlying lawsuit) has gone on record indicating that he does not expect the challenged gift card laws to be in force during the holiday shopping season. (For detail as to which parts of the law were enjoined, see here).
In other news, some members of the New Jersey Assembly have a bill pending that would reverse all of the changes enacted as part of the 2010 gift card law. Before anyone gets too excited, however, we note that the bill has been pending for more than a year.
We will continue to follow the Garden State saga.


text:
PyroGenesis Canada Inc., based in Montreal, Canada, has announced that it has signed a contract with a major international manufacturer for ten plasma-based powder production systems for 3D printing. The contract is for the supply by PyroGenesis of ten of its unique metal powder production platforms to the customer over an 18 month period for a contract value of $12.5 million. The customer’s name is being withheld for competitive reasons.
With this contract in hand, the company’s backlog of signed contracts now exceeds $20 million or the equivalent of approximately 350% of the company’s revenues in its previous fiscal year, all of which is expected to be completed by year end 2015.
“As mentioned in our March 31, 2014 press release, one of the limiting factors in the full commercialization of 3D printing for metal products is the availability of high-quality, high-purity metal powder,” stated P Peter Pascali, President and Chief Executive Officer of PyroGenesis.
“Our patented platform can produce these powders effortlessly. It is a proven product with completed commercial sales having already taken place in North America and Europe. What is more exciting is the demand we are currently experiencing for this product line worldwide.”
The customer is looking to PyroGenesis and its plasma-based technology to ensure a strategic and continuous supply of metal powder feedstock for their own internal 3D printing production use.
“This contract highlights the success PyroGenesis is having with the focused business development strategy implemented last year; the effects of which we are only now beginning to see,” noted Pascali, “and it once again underscores the success PyroGenesis is having in deploying its core plasma technology to niche, high-margin applications.”
According to World 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing), a report issued by the Freedonia Group in December 2013, world demand for 3D printers, materials and software will rise 21% yearly to US$ 5 billion in 2017. This report also highlights faster growth projections for metals, as well as rapid gains in markets such as aerospace.
To submit news and articles for publication on Metal Additive Manufacturing email us at [email protected]


text:
Speaking at an EA Winter Games Showcase earlier this week and EA spokesperson said that the company strongly believed that multiplayer games were the most exciting place to be developing and that singleplayer experiences may well be on the way out.
"Singleplayer games are no longer the future,
" said a spokesperson who introduced the event which had playable segments from Left 4 Dead 2
, Mass Effect 2
and C&C 4
"Multiplayer games are becoming increasingly exciting...Online functionality is a key way of extending the player experience.
As the presentation continued, EA was keen to point out how successful the FIFA
franchise has been this year, though it didn't downplay the significance of titles from other publishers, claiming that "2010 is clearly a FIFA and Call of Duty year
The event was held in London earlier this week and served as a chance to see all of EA's key titles extending into early next year. Attendants were given a chance to play an entire new campaign from Left 4 Dead 2
, as well as a PlayStation 3 multiplayer beta for Battlefield: Bad Company 2
. Skate 3
was also on show, with the next instalment in the series said to focus primarily on extending the multiplayer and co-op play options.
We had a go on everything that was available and also seized the chance to talk to some of the designers and developers in attendance - so look out for more coverage from the event in the near future.
Think singleplayer games still have a place in the market? Let us know your thoughts in the forums


text:
Google have launched a new feature for Irish news organisations which allows them to highlight examples of their best journalism throughout the day.
Editors' Picks, which launched today with irishexaminer.com as a launch partner, allows publishers to select highlighted content from their sites for display on a new section of the Google News Ireland home page.
Other launch partners include BreakingNews.ie, Irish Independent, Irish Times, RTE, TV3, Journal.ie, Joe.ie, and Her.ie.
Dolan O'Hagan, Irish Examiner executive editor - digital, said the new and 'very welcome' Google initiative demonstrated how news media brands and Google can work together in the digital age to highlight and promote the wide variety of original journalism being created.
"We intend to use this very welcome initiative as an opportunity to share with and highlight to Google users some of the informative, engaging and entertaining mix of content which is available on irishexaminer.com every day."
Madhav Chinnappa, Google’s Head of News Partnerships in Europe, said the company had been working with the news ecosystem for some time now to create innovative new ways for them to engage readers of news online.
“Editors’ Picks gives publishers a place to bring together the best of traditional and digital journalism; promoting long-form stories and experimenting with new formats.”
The new feature is now live on news.google.ie and we would encourage fans of the Irish Examiner to personalise the Editors Picks widget on the google Ireland home page to ensure Irish Examiner content is highlighted every time they visit the page.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved


text:
Nine James Bond "Spectre" Movie Cars Stolen in Germany
Just a few days after the Spectre name and the bespoke 2015 Aston Martin DB10 for the 24th James Bond were unveiled, it’s being reported that a total of nine cars specifically prepared for the movie have been stolen. According to German outlets, all of the cars were stolen from the Land Rover Training Center near Dusseldorf, Germany.
Of the nine cars stolen, which combined have an estimated value of €800,000 ($985,700 as of 12/08/2014), five of them were Range Rover Sport models customized for the upcoming James Bond Spectre film, set to premier on November 6th, 2015. German website Wirtschafts Woche has reported that the the stolen vehicles were last seen while being prepared for transportation on a movie set located somewhere in the Alps.
The vehicles went missing after than moment with German police claiming they can’t find any trace to the whereabouts of any of the nine cars. As a result, filming has been put on hold until new vehicles are customized for the new action flick featuring Agent 007.
Click past the jump to read more about the Spectre 007 movie cars.
Why it matters
Well, it seems as if Mr. Bond has quite a mystery on his hands before Spectre is projected to hit the big screen. It takes a massive effort to make nine vehicles disappear without a trace, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say it’s the work of Harry Houdini himself. Stranger things have happened though, and at the end of the day what matters is the filming has been put on hold. Hopefully, Spectre won’t see any delays and that gorgeous DB10 makes it to the silver screen on time.
Much like Aston Martin, Land Rover has provided the James Bond franchise with several vehicles throughout the decades. The Range Rover Sport is among the latest and most innovative SUVs to come from Britain, sporting an aluminum architecture that helps save an amazing 925 pounds. Launched for the 2014 model year, the Range Rover Sport is available with a range of gasoline and diesel engines, the most powerful of which is JLR’s tried-and-true, supercharged, 5.0-liter V-8. The eight-banger delivers 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque, enabling the SUV to charge from 0 to 60 mph in less than five seconds. U.S. pricing for the Range Rover Sport starts from $63,350.
Source: Wirtschafts Woche


text:
KDHP improves performance, declares 8% dividend for 2018-19
KDHP earned a net proft of Rs 3.79 crore on a turnover of Rs 358.96 crore.
KDHP earned a net proft of Rs 3.79 crore on a turnover of Rs 358.96 crore. The 14th AGM of KDHP held on August 24 declared 8% dividend for the year and disbursed a bonus of 12% to the employees. The company made a net profit of 0.48 crore on a turnover of Rs 346.03 crore in the previous year. The company’s EBITDA stood at Rs 23.79 crore against Rs 16.92 crore in 2017-18
KDHP managing director and CEO, K Mathew Abraham said the company was able to better its performance through timely management interventions despite unprecedented, very heavy monsoons, floods and severe frost damage during the year that resulted in heavy damages to its properties and production.
``Strict control over costs and expenditure while improving price realisation aided by new Chai Bazaar, retail outlets along with the growth in sales of its brand Ripple Tea and other value added production, helped the company to improve its performance over the previous year,’’ he said
The chairman, Percy Siganporia mentioned at the AGM that the company is bracing for one more challenging year with steep wage increase and low auction prices but he hoped that the proactive steps being taken by the management would take it through the year.


text:
Sun, 19 Jan 2014 19:58:00 EST
In the latest kaffeeklatsch known as Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Jerry Seinfeld pulls Jay Leno out of his garage for a trip to Jones Coffee in Pasadena, CA. The NBC funnyman we've lately seen driving two guest Porsches in his eponymous garage this time takes the passenger seat in a 1949 Porsche 356/2, one of early all-aluminum, hand-built coupes - still in 100-percent original condition - built in Gmund, Austria and nicknamed "Gmunds."
Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST
The comedy veterans have known one another for 35 years, so the episode is rich with stories of The Good Old Days. Leno says it is also the first time he's ever had a cup of coffee, and for obvious comedic reasons they start with the civet-stained beans made famous in The Bucket List. You can watch Leno take his first sip below, and have you haven't heard the joke about the goat and the anvil, scroll on down for a listen to that and one or two more jokes besides.
Russian-born tennis superstar Maria Sharapova has just inked a three-year deal with Porsche to be its brand ambassador, a position that will put her on a global campaign for the German automaker. The 26-year-old athlete isn't new to the role - she previously signed a similar three-year deal with Land Rover in 2006.
Sat, 22 Mar 2014 13:13:00 EST
"Maria Sharapova is an exceptional athlete. She combines top performance in her sports with elegance and power. These are precisely the qualities that are embroiled in our sports cars," explained Matthias Mueller, CEO of Porsche AG, during the announcement. "Her profile and charisma are an ideal fit for Porsche. She is also highly respected around the world and enjoys an outstanding reputation," he added.
Some consider Porsche's choice of a female tennis player as its ambassador interesting, if not surprising. The automaker has traditionally marketed its vehicles with a masculine edge - Sharapova and the sport of tennis position the brand in a different light - likely an intentional decision. Do you think Porsche's choice was a good one? If not, who would you choose as its global ambassador?
When the second generation of the four-door Porsche Panamera launches, it will likely be riding a new platform, complete with an all-new family of V6 and V8 engines, according to a report coming out of the UK.
Autocar reports that the so-called MSB platform will likely underpin the Panamera, and it could be shared with Bentley, provided the Volkswagen-owned, British-built brand commits to the architecture. As for the engines, it's reported that they'll have a sportier character than the V6s and V8s being built for Volkswagen and Audi's vehicles.
"Porsche will have its own new V8 that will be common to the new MSB platform," Porsche's chief engineer, Wolfgang Hatz, said. "It's a family for the next 10 years of cars." Whether the V8 and V6 will be used outside of the Panamera line, though, remains unclear. There's also no mention of what place turbocharging would have with the new engines.


text:
Retail News Breaks Archives
Kmart Pharmacy is participating in a campaign to help raise public awareness of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), a silent yet deadly vascular condition currently undiagnosed in an estimated 1 million-plus Americans.
Drug store buying organization Pharmacy Select and FFF Enterprises' VaxAmerica have unveiled a program that will offer flu vaccine clinic services to thousands of independent pharmacies nationwide.
A new pharmacy program from Albertsons LLC aims to bolster children's health by educating both kids and their parents.
Voice messages can help promote medication adherence by prompting telephone pharmacy customers to choose automatic prescription refills, according to research by CVS Caremark Corp.
Rite Aid and Just Between Friends have launched Rite Aid Prescriptions for Education, a new prescription transfer program aimed at benefitting participating families and local Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) nationwide.
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy plans to open the doors for its 23rd drug store in early November.
CVS Caremark Corp. is partnering with nonprofit group Direct Relief USA to provide up to $5 million in free flu shots to community clinic and health center patients lacking health insurance.
Target Corp. plans to open eight Target Clinic health centers in the Chicago and Palm Beach, Fla., markets.
Walmart has named a new chief for its health and wellness unit as part of a revamp of its merchandising organization and leadership.
Rite Aid Corp. plans to add a limited-assortment grocery concept to its stores in Greenville, S.C., under a co-branding arrangement with Supervalu Inc.'s Save-A-Lot supermarket chain.


text:
Tycoon scam: MD held
Posted on: 29 Nov 2012
Vadakara: Tycoon company managing director Rajesh Sadasivam was held in Chennai on Wednesday in connection with the money chain investment scam. Vadakara Crime detachment DySP PP Sadanandan and team arrested him and was brought to Vadakara on Wednesday night. The police also seized a Scorpio in the name of the company. There are documents with the Registrar of Companies, which prove that after starting Tycoon, Kamala Kannan, Narayanan and Sadasivan sold it to three other persons. Rajesh Sadasivam was one among them but in reality though there were documents showing the sale deeds, the same group was running it.
Narayanan who came to company after black mailing and threatening Kamala Kannan and Sadasivam made Rajesh the MD. Police said he also grabbed Rs 1 crore. When the case was registered against the company, the company vehicles were sold and Rajesh absconded. Rajesh is from Aruvikkara, Thiruvananthapuram and later shifted to Chennai. After the case was registered, police gained information that Rajesh bought land in Chennai and visits the place often.


text:
Paul Brown is an experienced music and digital media business executive and music lawyer with over 12 years spent working in music and digital media, entertainment and commercial law, corporate finance and venture capital.
A seasoned deal maker and business strategist within the international media industry, Paul has quickly risen to occupy senior management positions in major businesses and successful start up companies ranging from UBS Warburg, Sony BMG Music and Pandora Media Inc where he was Managing Director, International for the US internet radio service. He is also a board director of an exciting new music start up called Slicethepie.com. Most recently he was SVP of strategic partnerships at Spotify.
His areas of expertise are business development; deal origination, structuring and negotiation; p&l management; strategy; media law; M&A and corporate law; media and technology; online and mobile distribution; UK and European music industry; investor relations and fundraising.
Paulâ€™s network spans both traditional and new media, from major record companies and broadcasters, established media businesses and technology companies to digital media startups, independent labels, talent management, entrepreneurs, VCs and law firms.
|Dec 31, 2010||TechCrunch - Why Is This News – Live NYE Spotify US Launch Countdown Edition!|
|Aug 19, 2010||Fast Company - iFive: Gulf Still Oily, Illinois Legislates for Solar, the Mega-Range EV, RIM Wants Mobile Ad Network, Spotify Chief's New Home|
|Aug 18, 2010||TechCrunch - Former Spotify SVP Paul Brown lands COO gig at research software startup Mendeley|
|Aug 18, 2010||Gigaom - Spotify’s Brown Is COO At Academic Network Mendeley|
|Aug 16, 2010||Fast Company - The Talent Drains From Spotify: Maybe They Know Something We Don't|
|Aug 16, 2010||TechCrunch - Spotify SVP Paul Brown leaves for new startup|
|May 6, 2010||TechCrunch - Spotify to launch in Netherlands on May 18, says Dutch media|
|Apr 27, 2010||Gigaom - Spotify Targets iTunes, All-Comers With Social And MP3 Features|


text:
With the introduction of GST, state level Octrois have been abolished in 22 states. To compensate for the same, Maharashtra Government has recently hiked the road tax percentage by 2% across all slabs. This had brought in some disappointment to car buyers and sellers in the state.
Incidentally, in what might bring more rejoice to luxury car buyers, the Maharashtra Government has also capped the maximum road tax amount to Rs.20 lakhs. With this, the MH Government plans to re route registration of luxury cars back to the state which were else getting registered in cheaper states such as Jharkhand, Pondicherry and Daman.
With this new cap on registration tax, the prices of luxury cars are set to fall considerably in Maharashtra. In fact, some luxury cars are set to get cheaper by more than a crore!
As per the new taxation system introduced in the Maharashtra state, Lamborghini Aventador S will cost Rs 1 crore cheaper as earlier the buyer was liable to pay 20% of ex-showroom price in Mumbai which was somewhere around Rs 1 crore and now with the new cap, the buyer is liable to pay only Rs 20 lakh. A fat saving of Rs.80 lakhs. If the same taxation system is applied on Buggati Veyron which costs around Rs 12 crore (ex-showroom), instead of paying an absurd amount of approximately around Rs.2.94 crores, the buyer has to shell out only Rs.20 lakhs which makes its on-road price cheaper by Rs 2.74 crore.
The GST had already made the cars in the luxury segment much cheaper as the taxation had come down from the previous 56% to 43% post GST implementation. Not withstanding, this move from Maharashtra Government to cap the road tax at Rs. 20 lakhs will definitely make them even more affordable.
With almost every major auto manufacturer in the luxury segment announcing price cuts post GST, other supercar makers such as Ferrari and Aston Martin are also expected to follow suit sometime soon. It means only one thing; if you are in the market to buy a super car, now is the best time to buy, especially if you are in MH.


text:
Fight Breast Cancer While Specifying Flooring Products
A variety of factors influence a designer’s specification process, from a client’s wish list to the environmental impact of a given material. But it’s a rare moment when product choice lends itself to charitable contributions. Years before companies like FEED and TOMS popularized programs linking their products to a greater mission, Mohawk Group, and its hospitality brand Durkan, established Specify for a Cure—a corporate donation program to benefit breast cancer research and spread awareness.
Since 2001, Mohawk Group has contributed more than $6.1 million to Susan G. Komen, the largest breast cancer foundation in the U.S., as part of its company initiatives. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in the U.S., after skin cancers, but early detection and effective treatment significantly reduce mortality rates. With this mission in mind, Specify for a Cure gives designers an opportunity to make each product purchase count.
This year, the program spotlights a deeply personal story of survival. Mohawk Group’s Di Anna Borders, director of design segment, currently is undergoing breast cancer treatment. Borders recently returned from participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk event in Seattle with Mohawk Group and Durkan colleagues (Specify for a Cure also encourages employee engagement initiatives and volunteering at special events). “The hope is that with all the proceeds from the program, we can continue to raise awareness … and with research, find a cure for cancer or at least improve the survival rates,” says Borders.
As a designer of healthcare spaces, Borders’ experiences as a patient continue to inform her use of products and materials. “This whole experience has been pretty eye-opening to me; I’m very aware of what’s needed in a chemo suite now” says Borders. “We do so much work and research on how the built environment affects attitude and well-being and how that can affect your recovery. If you’re not in a place that makes you feel comfortable and confident, then I felt that would affect my ability to recover and accept the treatment.”
Mohawk Group’s Bolder and Secoya enhanced resilient tiles, which feature soothing neutral hues and biophilic patterns, are highly durable and easy-to-clean flooring options approved for use in healthcare spaces—both collections also are eligible for Specify for a Cure.
Designers looking to make a difference need look no further than Mohawk’s eligible flooring collections and the full spectrum of Durkan’s precision dyed injection (PDI) carpets. For every 500 square yards or more of any eligible carpet styles, Mohawk will donate $.25 per square yard sold to Susan G. Komen. For every 1,000 square feet or more of eligible hard surfaces, Mohawk will donate $.10 per square foot sold. Each donation will work towards Susan G. Komen’s bold goal to reduce breast cancer deaths by 50% in the U.S. by 2026.


text:
A European agency to fight against rising levels of online crime. That is the topic of a proposal tabled by the European Commission on Wednesday.
Europe's cyber crime center will specifically target severe organized e-crimes such as frauds involving credit cards or online child sexual exploitation.
Fighting against identity theft and protecting social network profiles will also be priority. This top-level European policy authority already has a special unit dedicated to cybercrime and to monitoring possible online terrorist activities.


text:
The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) recent global trade deal, worth $1tn, will see significant changes to customs legislation and will give improved trade terms to less economically developed nations.
Canada presents a lot of opportunities. Consider taking them, and you might boost your business growth significantly.
The recent success of Life of Pi in UK cinemas has inspired new British interest in India, a country with whom the UK has strong trading ties. Neil Kuschel guides us through India's export opportunities.
As China closes down to celebrate the start of the Year of the Dragon – the luckiest sign of their zodiac – here's a guide to doing business in the world’s single largest consumer market.
From the Eurozone crisis, to inflation hitting a three-year high, it ‘s fair to say that UK SMEs have had a tough trading year in 2011. What should you look out for in 2012?
The UK signed a reciprocal trade agreement with New Zealand last month. With opportunities calling from across the Pacific, here's what you need to know before doing business in New Zealand.
Theo Paphitis and co must be kicking themselves for rejecting these four companies on Dragons’ Den…


text:
About the new NFT sports project
UFC’s new NFT sports project aims to bring fans the best fighting moments of their favorite MMA fighters. UFC Strike NFT is first and foremost video clips that include beloved UFC MMA fighters such as Connor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Israel Adesanya and many more. Moreover, UFC Strike will accompany each new round of fights with the release of a new NFT drop.
The last drop took place not so long ago – on May 3rd. And it was immediately sold out. However, it can be purchased from the UFC Strike marketplace. UFC NFTs came about through a partnership between Dapper Labs and the company that runs the UFC. Dapper Labs is best known for its sports NFT collaborations such as the NBA Top Shots. UFC Strike was first released on January 23, 2022 and was an instant hit with fans. The project earned $6 million selling digital collectibles.
“That was incredible. Everything we put up for sale was sold out in minutes. If it continues in the same direction as now, it will be massive, ”said UFC President Dana White at the time.
Profits from NFT not only benefit the company, but also the fighters. Since they started getting 50% of token sales.
UFC Strike NFTs have five rarity levels:
- Fandom – does not have any restrictions.
- Contender – has from 10,000 to 25,000 moments.
- Challenger – has from 250 to 999 moments.
- Champion – has from 25 to 99 moments.
- Ultimate – has no more than 10 rare moments.
Also, tokens are available for trading on secondary markets. If the user liked the “moment of the fight” or spotted their favorite UFC fighter on the market, they can connect their wallet to the official marketplace and confirm the link. Some NFTs have a number of uses. For example, a meeting with your favorite fighter or VIP passes for future UFC fights.
With Dapp Labs having a proven track record in creating and selling sports digital collectibles, UFC Strike NFT is well positioned to benefit everyone from creators to fighters to fans.


text:
WFC Launches 2018 Mobile App for Event Attendees
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — The World Food Championships (WFC), presented by Walmart, is days away from its main event in Orange Beach, Alabama. As part of its many upgrades and enhancements for 2018, the largest Food Sport event has launched a special WFC mobile App dedicated to providing information to competitors and foodies throughout the entire event with ease.
With more than five days of competition with ten categories and numerous ancillary challenges, accompanied by almost 30food demos and special food-fun events, the App will help make it easier for attendees and teams to navigate their way through daily deadlines and activities while on-site. WFC’s brand new tool gives every attendee the ability to map out a perfect food and fun-filled adventure while at the world’s largest food fight.
“We are very excited to provide this additional tool for insight and convenience,” said Mike McCloud, President and CEO of WFC. “This App will be a great way for Food Champs and foodies to make sure they don’t miss out on any of the fun elements going on throughout the week.”
The easy-to-use event App is a one-stop-shop for all Food Sport wants and needs. Through the App, consumers are able to check out the event schedule, view WFC’s interactive map and learn about past Food Champs who will be returning to the Ultimate Food Fight. Additionally, the WFC App features push notifications that help ensure you don’t miss any of the upcoming competitions or special events taking place throughout the championships.
The WFC App is FREE to download and is available for both Apple and Android users. To download, click either the Apple/iOS or Android/Google Play words below.
The 7th Annual WFC, presented by Walmart, will be held Nov. 7-11 at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama. To learn more about the event, visit www.worldfoodchampionships.com/tickets. In the meantime, stay up to date on all WFC news and developments by following us on Twitter (@WorldFoodChamp), and Facebook and Instagram (@WorldFoodChampionships).
« Back to News


text:
A Computer That Notes Your FigureA Computer That Notes Your Figure
New technology could use infrared light to give computers 3-D vision.
March 25, 2002
Computer imaging and digital photography have come a long way in the past few years, but it's still a little flat; cameras have no depth perception and directly record only two dimensions. But that changed Monday, when computer-vision startup Canesta Inc. unveiled what it says is a new, inexpensive way for computers to sense the world around them in all its depth.
The company is touting "new electronic-perception technology that has the capability of constructing 3-D images of its nearby surroundings in real time," says James Spare, Canesta's VP of product marketing. A regular digital camera has an array of sensors that record brightness from ambient light reflected onto them, Spare says, thus obtaining "flat" images. But devices using Canesta's sensor and software emit their own infrared light, measure how long it takes to bounce back to the sensors, and do real-time processing to figure out how far away objects are from the camera--a lot like how radar works. "What that creates is a contour map," Spare says. The sensors could watch someone's finger movements or track the movement of a pen and convert them into keystrokes, for example. Security systems could recognize people by the contours of their bodies and faces. Video games could even watch a player's body and translate kicks and punches into a digital character. Spare says the first "perception chips" with embedded software should be available to manufacturers in the third quarter of the year, at prices comparable to regular digital-camera chips. The first commercial products--probably part of input devices for mobile phones and wireless devices, Spare says --should be on shelves in the first half of 2003.
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like


text:
BANGKOK, Thailand, Oct 06 (IPS) – Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations Below-Secretary-Normal and Government Secretary of the UN Financial and Social Fee for Asia and the Pacific.Participation in international and regional provide chains has been one of the vital dependable financial development methods, particularly for creating international locations in Asia and the Pacific. Clean and environment friendly connectivity in each commerce and transport has been indispensable to the area’s pursuit of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Growth.
As COVID-19 disaster pressured us to meet up with the digital future a lot quicker than traditional, there have been great alternatives provided by digitalization. Commerce and provide connections nonetheless functioned throughout lockdowns as customs and different authorities establishments not solely streamlined their procedures but in addition turned to contactless and paperless commerce. SMEs surviving the disaster did so due to their agility to speedily transfer to digital enterprise operations. Companies in textile, attire, footwear, transport, and different sectors have nearly totally transformed to digital operation.
Although a partial digital transition has occurred, provide chains face challenges in economies grappling with inferior high quality and dear digital connectivity. The general public sector now should meet up with the personal sector to hurry up transferring authorities companies to digital platforms. Creating enabling authorized surroundings and investing in onerous digital infrastructure should be prioritized in COVID-19 restoration packages.
Companies, supported by their associations, are eager to undertake environmental sustainability ideas as an innovation mindset by taking alternative of worldwide reshoring and redrafting of provide chains. Re-enabling commerce and funding and strengthening connectivity can solely be carried out with coordinated and collaborative authorities actions on the regional degree based mostly on mutual belief, solidarity, and sustainability.
Commerce, connectivity and international provide chains, significantly sustainable and inexperienced commerce, just isn’t a zero-sum sport. To realize that, platforms on commerce and transport initiatives to rally regional options to cross-border challenges are important.
Creating acceptable provisions in Regional Commerce Agreements (RTAs) can tackle crises just like the pandemic. Regardless of international locations in Asia and the Pacific having greater than half of the world’s RTAs, not many have particular provisions to control commerce coverage in conditions like COVID-19 pandemic. With a comparatively weak multilateral buying and selling system, a “free for all” conduct has developed, with many international locations imposing commerce restrictions with none regard for the worldwide guidelines or these below the RTAs they’ve signed. The continued UN-wide initiative to develop mannequin provisions in RTAs to handle a pandemic-like disaster is a major step ahead.
Enhanced help for commerce facilitation, commerce digitalization and growth of paperless and contactless commerce stays a precedence. Accelerating commerce digitalization is vital to progress. The Framework Settlement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Commerce in Asia and the Pacific is predicted to chop commerce prices by 25 per cent.
Lastly, we should transfer ahead quickly to attain digital, resilient, and decarbonized regional connectivity. The platforms offered by the Asian Freeway Community and the Trans-Asian Railway Community have already introduced international locations collectively to seize and analyze their coverage responses and impacts on regional connectivity. This resulted in concrete proposals on collaborative actions to enhance its pandemic response in Asia and the Pacific.
Regardless of standing at a troublesome crossroads, we will be certain that the trail forward is stronger, smoother, and well-connected than earlier than. By way of ongoing partnerships among the many United Nations household, the United Nations Financial and Social Fee for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is working along with member States and the personal sector to speed up achievement of the Sustainable Growth Targets and understand a sustainable restoration from the COVID-19 disaster.
© Inter Press Service (2020) — All Rights ReservedAuthentic supply: Inter Press Service


text:
A Skokie woman has been accused of trying to shoplift cream cheese and shrimp from a Northbrook grocery store by hiding the items in her pants, according to police.
The 49-year-old woman was charged with retail theft July 26 after authorities said she tried to steal the food at a grocery store in the 1100 block of Church Street, according to a Northbrook police report.
The report stated the woman put three small cream cheese containers and a container of shrimp cocktail into her sweat pants and tried to leave without paying.
Store employees stopped the woman and called the police, the report said.
Police officers issued a local ordinance citation and released the woman at the scene, according to the report.


text:
|By Marketwired .||
|June 4, 2014 09:30 AM EDT||
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/04/14 -- Rocap Inc. (OTCQB: ROCP) announced today that the company will acquire Spiral Toys, Inc. which develops connected entertainment platforms for mobile smart devices.
Spiral has developed a revolutionary, low-cost platform that connects physical toys and merchandise to mobile smart devices. Spiral's first products will launch this month and utilizes their groundbreaking ToyCloud platform. By developing digital platforms and hardware that connect physical toys and devices to the interactive digital world, Spiral Toys creates new play experiences for consumers of all ages.
Spiral's revolutionary technology will open up new opportunities in several multi-billion dollar industries by giving both kids, tweens, and parents an entirely new way to play and interact.
Additionally, their new line of ToyCloud enabled products connects physical toys to Apple and Android devices through Spiral's proprietary Bluetooth Smart technology and cloud-based services. By using ToyCloud, kids and parents are able to send and receive messages, play collaborative games, and read interactive stories by merging traditional behaviors with new play patterns.
Spiral Toys was incorporated in 2011 in Los Angeles, California and has developed, tested and launched their product's capabilities worldwide. Spiral has focused on entertaining the younger generation of consumers on mobile smart devices and connected technologies creating a unique market position as a major entertainment provider across an array of experiences.
Spiral's first product line launches in June 2014 in anticipation of 2014 holiday season. The first initial orders will be released in two test markets, the United Kingdom and Australia with anticipated projections of shipping 60,000 units of its first product, a teddy bear enabled with Spiral technology, with a retail price of between $29.95 and $39.95. As a licensee of the technology, Spiral will be paid royalty payments. In addition, Spiral is developing digital content available for purchase on the Apple APP store and Google Marketplace.
Spiral is the brainchild of Mark Meyers, former VP of Product Development at Disney Interactive Studios. Drawing on his seventeen years of experience in the video game and mobile industries, Mr. Meyers understands what it takes to develop some of the world's best tween and kid video game entertainment.
"Spiral is at an inflection point as we move from development into world-wide distribution of our products and technology," says Mark Meyers, Founder and CEO. "This timely merger with Rocap Marketing will enable us to pursue strategic partnerships and introduce new products leveraging our NFC, Bluetooth and WiFi connected technology platforms."
Spiral has partnered with Dragon-I toys offering manufacturing, sales, and distribution. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Dragon-I has sales offices worldwide and has over 300 retail and distribution relationships in every major territory.
"Spiral's ToyCloud technology was a perfect fit for our toy line," says Dave Cave, CEO of Dragon-I Toys. "Spiral's products sit right at the juncture of physical toys and the virtual world, and represent the future by leveraging play-patterns of kids and tweens today."
Spiral is also in an agreement to distribute through a direct response channel in the US under the name CloudPets. The CloudPets test will be run on a nationwide campaign in June 2014.
Current CEO of Rocap Marketing, Gordon McDougall, had this to say about Spiral Toy's current market position, "The fact that Mark and his team have already funded so much of the R&D significantly reduces the risk commonly associated with ventures such as this one. And with a suite of marketable products and technologies Spiral is at an emerging stage, with both strategic marketing and sales channels in place. I'm proud to have such a highly experienced executive as CEO."
At closing, expected to occur by June 30th, 2014, Spiral Toys founder Mark Meyers will be named CEO of Rocap Marketing. Rocap will then issue 18,130,667 common shares to Mr. Meyers and his other shareholders in Spiral. Closing is contingent on a capital raise.
For more information about Rocap Marketing Inc., please contact Gordon McDougall.
Phone: (213) 400-0770
Email: [email protected]
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities laws, including statements relating to expectations for the acquisition of Spiral Toys and its performance thereafter; The terms and phrases "expects", "would", "will", "believes", and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by Rocap Marketing Inc. in light of its experience and its perception of current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that Rocap Marketing Inc. believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause Rocap Marketing Inc.'s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risk factors and others relating to Rocap Marketing Inc. that may cause actual results to differ are set forth in Rocap Marketing Inc.'s periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on Rocap Marketing Inc.'s forward-looking statements. Rocap Marketing Inc. has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Rocap Marketing Inc.
Phone: (213) 400-0770
Email: [email protected]
SYS-CON Events announced today that 910Telecom will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Housed in the classic Denver Gas & Electric Building, 910 15th St., 910Telecom is a carrier-neutral telecom hotel located in the heart of Denver. Adjacent to CenturyLink, AT&T, and Denver Main, 910Telecom offers connectivity to all major carriers, Internet service providers, Internet backbones and ...
Jul. 27, 2016 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 667
SYS-CON Events announced today that LeaseWeb USA, a cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. LeaseWeb is one of the world's largest hosting brands. The company helps customers define, develop and deploy IT infrastructure tailored to their exact business needs, by combining various kinds cloud solutions.
Jul. 27, 2016 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,208
Manufacturers are embracing the Industrial Internet the same way consumers are leveraging Fitbits – to improve overall health and wellness. Both can provide consistent measurement, visibility, and suggest performance improvements customized to help reach goals. Fitbit users can view real-time data and make adjustments to increase their activity. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Mark Bernardo Professional Services Leader, Americas, at GE Digital, discussed how leveraging the Industrial Internet a...
Jul. 27, 2016 09:45 AM EDT Reads: 433
The cloud market growth today is largely in public clouds. While there is a lot of spend in IT departments in virtualization, these aren’t yet translating into a true “cloud” experience within the enterprise. What is stopping the growth of the “private cloud” market? In his general session at 18th Cloud Expo, Nara Rajagopalan, CEO of Accelerite, explored the challenges in deploying, managing, and getting adoption for a private cloud within an enterprise. What are the key differences between wh...
Jul. 27, 2016 09:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,057
SYS-CON Events announced today that Venafi, the Immune System for the Internet™ and the leading provider of Next Generation Trust Protection, will exhibit at @DevOpsSummit at 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Venafi is the Immune System for the Internet™ that protects the foundation of all cybersecurity – cryptographic keys and digital certificates – so they can’t be misused by bad guys in attacks...
Jul. 27, 2016 09:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,352
The best-practices for building IoT applications with Go Code that attendees can use to build their own IoT applications. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Indraneel Mitra, Senior Solutions Architect & Technology Evangelist at Cognizant, provided valuable information and resources for both novice and experienced developers on how to get started with IoT and Golang in a day. He also provided information on how to use Intel Arduino Kit, Go Robotics API and AWS IoT stack to build an application tha...
Jul. 27, 2016 09:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,129
Amazon has gradually rolled out parts of its IoT offerings in the last year, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to optimizing their back-end AWS offerings, Amazon is laying the ground work to be a major force in IoT – especially in the connected home and office. Amazon is extending its reach by building on its dominant Cloud IoT platform, its Dash Button strategy, recently announced Replenishment Services, the Echo/Alexa voice recognition control platform, the 6-7 strategic...
Jul. 27, 2016 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 443
For basic one-to-one voice or video calling solutions, WebRTC has proven to be a very powerful technology. Although WebRTC’s core functionality is to provide secure, real-time p2p media streaming, leveraging native platform features and server-side components brings up new communication capabilities for web and native mobile applications, allowing for advanced multi-user use cases such as video broadcasting, conferencing, and media recording.
Jul. 27, 2016 08:45 AM EDT Reads: 919
IoT generates lots of temporal data. But how do you unlock its value? You need to discover patterns that are repeatable in vast quantities of data, understand their meaning, and implement scalable monitoring across multiple data streams in order to monetize the discoveries and insights. Motif discovery and deep learning platforms are emerging to visualize sensor data, to search for patterns and to build application that can monitor real time streams efficiently. In his session at @ThingsExpo, ...
Jul. 27, 2016 08:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,058
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) have entered into a definitive agreement under which Verizon will acquire Yahoo's operating business for approximately $4.83 billion in cash, subject to customary closing adjustments. Yahoo informs, connects and entertains a global audience of more than 1 billion monthly active users** -- including 600 million monthly active mobile users*** through its search, communications and digital content products. Yahoo also co...
Jul. 27, 2016 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 591
There will be new vendors providing applications, middleware, and connected devices to support the thriving IoT ecosystem. This essentially means that electronic device manufacturers will also be in the software business. Many will be new to building embedded software or robust software. This creates an increased importance on software quality, particularly within the Industrial Internet of Things where business-critical applications are becoming dependent on products controlled by software. Qua...
Jul. 27, 2016 06:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,473
In addition to all the benefits, IoT is also bringing new kind of customer experience challenges - cars that unlock themselves, thermostats turning houses into saunas and baby video monitors broadcasting over the internet. This list can only increase because while IoT services should be intuitive and simple to use, the delivery ecosystem is a myriad of potential problems as IoT explodes complexity. So finding a performance issue is like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack.
Jul. 27, 2016 04:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,275
Machine Learning helps make complex systems more efficient. By applying advanced Machine Learning techniques such as Cognitive Fingerprinting, wind project operators can utilize these tools to learn from collected data, detect regular patterns, and optimize their own operations. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Stuart Gillen, Director of Business Development at SparkCognition, discussed how research has demonstrated the value of Machine Learning in delivering next generation analytics to imp...
Jul. 27, 2016 04:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,503
Large scale deployments present unique planning challenges, system commissioning hurdles between IT and OT and demand careful system hand-off orchestration. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Jeff Smith, Senior Director and a founding member of Incenergy, will discuss some of the key tactics to ensure delivery success based on his experience of the last two years deploying Industrial IoT systems across four continents.
Jul. 27, 2016 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,568
The 19th International Cloud Expo has announced that its Call for Papers is open. Cloud Expo, to be held November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, brings together Cloud Computing, Big Data, Internet of Things, DevOps, Digital Transformation, Microservices and WebRTC to one location. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to plant your flag in this fast-expanding business opportuni...
Jul. 27, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,608
The Internet of Things will challenge the status quo of how IT and development organizations operate. Or will it? Certainly the fog layer of IoT requires special insights about data ontology, security and transactional integrity. But the developmental challenges are the same: People, Process and Platform. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine, demonstrated how to move beyond today's coding paradigm and shared the must-have mindsets for removing complexity from the develo...
Jul. 27, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,471
Basho Technologies has announced the latest release of Basho Riak TS, version 1.3. Riak TS is an enterprise-grade NoSQL database optimized for Internet of Things (IoT). The open source version enables developers to download the software for free and use it in production as well as make contributions to the code and develop applications around Riak TS. Enhancements to Riak TS make it quick, easy and cost-effective to spin up an instance to test new ideas and build IoT applications. In addition to...
Jul. 27, 2016 12:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,948
Internet of @ThingsExpo, taking place November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with the 19th International Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world and ThingsExpo Silicon Valley Call for Papers is now open.
Jul. 26, 2016 11:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,623
IoT is rapidly changing the way enterprises are using data to improve business decision-making. In order to derive business value, organizations must unlock insights from the data gathered and then act on these. In their session at @ThingsExpo, Eric Hoffman, Vice President at EastBanc Technologies, and Peter Shashkin, Head of Development Department at EastBanc Technologies, discussed how one organization leveraged IoT, cloud technology and data analysis to improve customer experiences and effi...
Jul. 26, 2016 11:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,019
"We've discovered that after shows 80% if leads that people get, 80% of the conversations end up on the show floor, meaning people forget about it, people forget who they talk to, people forget that there are actual business opportunities to be had here so we try to help out and keep the conversations going," explained Jeff Mesnik, Founder and President of ContentMX, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at 18th Cloud Expo, held June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
Jul. 26, 2016 10:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,381


text:
Australian e-commerce clothing retailer Vine Apparel aims to provide an easy and effortless approach to getting dressed. As a longtime advertising partner on Snapchat, the brand wanted to bridge an existing data gap to better align their Snapchat Ads Manager data with Google Analytics. Additionally, their latest Snapchat campaign objective was focussed purely on driving conversions.
For this particular campaign, Vine Apparel’s digital agency Firebrand Digital went back to basics with the foundational Snap/Webview ad format to help drive and convert traffic.
They also implemented a bidding strategy to optimize delivery on click-through conversions using the newly released Optimization Windows tool in Ads Manager, which runs inventory against an advertisers most suitable audience depending on their conversion attribution modelling. Being last click GA focussed, Vine enabled the 7-day click, 0-day view (7/0) optimization window. Through this, and Snapchat’s browser features, Vine Apparel was able to see significant improvement in results, continuing to do so over the course of two weeks.
Vine Apparel’s campaign drove significant performance for the brand, making Snapchat one of their key-performing media platforms. The campaign achieved a 165% increase in last-click ROAS1 and a 64.3% reduction in cost per acquisition2. Further, by focusing on performance where it mattered most to Vine Apparel, their campaign on Snapchat was able to bridge the Ads Manager to Google Analytics gap in their metrics to competitively and cost-efficiently drive ROAS. The brand’s winning strategy proved that Snapchat’s most recent performance features can drive incremental sales and positively impact results with even the simplest of campaign set ups. Another successful Snapchat and Vine Apparel partnership in the books!
"Snapchat's latest performance updates have been an incredible game changer for Vine Apparel. The improvement in conversions we saw over such a short space of time with features such as the 7/0 optimisation window has elevated Snapchat to be one of our current key performance platforms."


text:
Union Pacific Corporation announced that William J. DeLaney has been elected to the company’s board of directors.
DeLaney, 62, served as Sysco Corporation chief executive officer from March 2009 until retiring at the end of 2017. Sysco is an international food marketing and distribution company that reported $55.4 billion in 2017 sales.
Lance Fritz, Union Pacific chairman, president and chief executive officer, said:
“Bill brings tremendous leadership, a strong finance background and excellent supply chain management skills that will be great assets for our company. Bill has a breadth of knowledge that comes from being a long-tenured CEO at a large industrial company, along with significant corporate governance experience. We are thrilled to welcome him to the board.”
DeLaney embarked on his nearly 30-year Sysco career in 1987 when he joined the company as assistant treasurer. He progressed to roles of increasing responsibility including vice president and treasurer, president and CEO of Sysco Food Services of Charlotte Inc., and Sysco Corporation executive vice president and chief financial officer, among many others.
DeLaney serves on the boards at Sanmina Corporation and Express Scripts. He is a member of the audit and corporate governance committees for each board. DeLaney served on the Sysco Corporation board 2009-17.
He earned his undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame, and obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.


text:
Here’s the thing about China: It’s very, very big. And although the Great Firewall cuts its citizens off from many popular U.S. web services, those citizens still exist. In fact, there are more of them than all the citizens of the United States and European Union combined. And they use social media and e-commerce just like the rest of us.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the companies serving the country’s 1.3 billion people with their social media, e-commerce and information-discovery needs are very, very big, too. Here are some statistics that demonstrate their scale.
Taobao, the eBay-like e-commerce line of business from Chinese internet giant Alibaba Group, does a lot of business. On a single day — Nov. 11, 2011 — the company did a whopping 19 billion Yuan (or approximately $3.05 billion) in sales. According to Alibaba Group CTO and Alibaba Cloud Computing President Wang Jian, the company site surpassed the 1 trillion Yuan (about $160 billion) mark for 2012 revenue at the end of November. Alipay, the company’s version of PayPal, handles about 3 billion Yuan (about $480 million) in transactions every day.
By comparison, eBay posted $3.4 billion in revenue for the entire third-quarter this year. Amazon.com (s amzn), with which Taobao also competes (although Alibaba also has a business-to-consumer division called Tmall), closed its third quarter with $13.8 billion in revenue.
Of course, Taobao and Alipay are just two of Alibaba’s expansive portfolio of services, which includes a much-publicized (although recently reduced) partnership with Yahoo.
That type of business means Aliaba needs a lot of servers. In a single year not too long ago, Jian told me, the company bought more servers than it had in previous five years combined. If you charted Alibaba’s server count now versus five years ago, he added, the previous number would look like zero. How big is its database? Enough to store data for more than 800 million items for sale.
The Chinese search giant is ranked fifth in the Alexa internet rankings (behind Facebook (s fb) Google (s goog), YouTube and Yahoo (s yhoo)), which is evidence of its popularity. All those users, I’m told, result in an annual server growth approximately equal to the previous three years combined. It has been reported that Baidu is planning possibly the world’s largest data center — spanning 120,000 square meters, costing $1.6 billion, housing 100,000 servers (totaling 700,000 CPUs and 3 million cores) and storing 4,000 petabytes of data.
Somtimes compared with Facebook in the United States (although it’s actually quite different), Tencent boasted more than 717 million users for its popular QQ messaging service as of September 2011. That number has surely grown. The company says its highest-ever number of concurrent users was more than 176 million, although there are often tens of millions (if not more than 100 million people) using it at any given time. An individual with some knowledge of the company’s infrastructure told me Tencent adds about 100,000 servers per year.
Weibo, the Twitter-like platform from internet new-school internet company Sina had more than 400 million users as of April 2012. That’s about twice the number Twitter claims. And the Chinese use Weibo a lot, for everything from micro-blogging to self-publishing. It might actually be a more important tool in China than Twitter is in the United States, sources told me, because while the government can censor official news outlets, it can’t possibly control the stream of information coming off Weibo. And that will mean even more growth.
Not (yet) innovators
However, despite their sheer scale, Chinese internet companies are, by most accounts, less technologically inclined than their American counterparts. The biggest reason — one I heard time and time again — is that these companies tend to view themselves as traditional businesses rather than technology companies, and that employees often strive to work up the management ladder rather than remain career engineers. This inevitably affects R&D budgets, makes companies less willing to take risks and reduces the pool of employees that really, deeply understand complex systems.
As an example, one might look at the server situation within China’s big four internet companies. Alibaba’s Jian told me that although his company is running all white boxes in its data centers now, it had a lot of legacy IBM gear in its data centers five years ago. I heard the same thing about Baidu. Tencent, someone told me, had 10,000 webscale servers fail in six months last year and is considering a move back to traditional boxes.
However, maybe these companies are coming around on innovation beyond just buying more-efficient gear. Tencent, Baidu and Alibaba, for example, are all members of the Facebook-led Open Compute Project for designing webscale hardware. Tencent and Baidu actually created their own rack-design specification, called Project Scorpio, that is being merged into Open Compute’s Open Rack design in 2013. They still don’t build their own servers like Google and Facebook do, preferring instead to push their custom specs on server makers, but many innovative American companies, including eBay (s ebay), do the same thing.
One has to assume that a closer working relationship between engineers at American and Chinese internet companies will spur even more changes in the tech culture there. Although technical talent comes relatively cheap in China, perhaps they’ll realize that highly skilled, forward-thinking engineers (and data scientists, for that matter) are something worth hanging onto and rewarding with high salaries.
As Facebook VP Frank Frankovsky told PCWorld in July as the Open Rack designs were unveiled, “We compete with those guys, but on the infrastructure side, if we can make our infrastructure more efficient, it makes everyone that much better. Where we differentiate our business is in the service we provide to our end users.”
That differentiation comes from in large part from an incredible investment in research and technology. If they want to be considered thought leaders in their field — and if they want to expand significantly into cloud computing (as Alibaba and Sina clearly want to do) — China’s internet companies will have to start matching their immense scale with demonstrated technological prowess.