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|By Business Wire||
|August 12, 2014 01:28 PM EDT||
Adding to the world’s most comprehensive line of workstation solutions, Dell today announced new mainstream and performance tower and rack workstations, the Dell Precision Tower 5810, Tower 7810, Tower 7910, and Rack 7910, designed to address the critical requirements of customers in compute-intensive fields such as engineering, manufacturing, and media and entertainment. Updated with Intel’s latest Xeon processors, DDR4memory, next-generation graphics technology from NVIDIA and AMD, and doubling the amount of memory from the previous generation1, these powerful, scalable systems are optimized and independent software vendor (ISV) certified to run the most demanding applications. In addition, Dell is releasing a new version of the Dell Precision Optimizer v2.02, which automatically configures workstation settings to maximize application performance.
New Dell Precision tower and rack workstations: Tower 5810, Tower 7810, Tower 7910, Rack 7910 (Photo: Business Wire)
“From powering the designs of a leading surfboard maker to enabling the complex visual effects created by Academy Award-winning studio Framestore, Dell Precision customers depend on powerful workstations to help create beautifully complex projects,” said Andy Rhodes, global executive director for Dell Precision workstations. “Every key component of our new workstations has been updated, resulting in outstanding performance gains to help our customers design without limitations.”
New Tower and Rack Workstations Deliver Ultimate Performance and Scalability
The updated Dell Precision tower workstation portfolio includes the single socket Tower 5810 and high-power dual processor Tower 7810, which both offer innovative design features within a compact footprint, and the highly expandable Tower 7910 that delivers ultimate workstation performance and scalability. The innovative chassis design on the systems includes quick release hard drives, a tool-less, externally accessible power supply, and a lockable front bezel for added security and delivers improved acoustics performance, running up to 49 percent quieter than Dell’s previous generation of tower workstations3.
Dell is also announcing updates to its leading edge rack workstation, with the introduction of the new Dell Precision Rack 7910, which offers all the capabilities of the Tower 7910 in a 2U rack form factor, with complete qualification and support for workstation virtualization with Citrix XenServer and VMware ESX hypervisors. It is also the first Dell Precision workstation to include an Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC), which increases security by enabling complete remote datacenter manageability in a “lights out” environment.
Delivering outstanding performance gains over previous generation systems, the new tower and rack workstations feature next-generation Intel Xeon processors and are available with the latest AMD FirePro and NVIDIA Quadro professional-grade graphics technology. The new workstations also offer improved I/O performance and data availability with up to 1TB4 of DDR4 RDIMM memory, enabling users to manage complex data sets rapidly and with ease. Availability of Thunderbolt 2 technology on the new towers increases productivity and workflow innovation, supporting data transfer speeds of up to 20Gb/s and allowing for simultaneous 4k video file transfer.
Increased Productivity and Application Performance with Dell Precision Optimizer v2.0
The new systems feature the latest version of Dell’s performance enhancing software tool, the Dell Precision Optimizer v2.0 (DPO), which will be available for download starting September 4, and will be factory-installed on Dell’s new line of tower workstations beginning in mid-October. DPO v2.0 provides automatic dynamic performance tuning of the workstation system settings according to the application, an exclusive feature of Dell Precision workstations, and enables consolidated system utilization tracking, reporting, and system updates. As measured by industry standard benchmark tests, Dell Precision Optimizer v2.0 increases application performance by up to 121 percent5.
With Dell Precision Optimizer v2.0, users will have access to an updated graphical user interface for improved usability, enhanced systems management capabilities, and expanded language support. The update also adds new performance profiles for Autodesk 3ds Max and Inventor, increasing total available profiles to 13, including Adobe Creative Cloud (PhotoShop, Premier Pro, After Effects, Media Encoder), Autodesk (AutoCAD, Maya), Dassault Systèmes (CATIA, SolidWorks), PTC Creo, and Siemens NX.
Enabling enhanced productivity, the systems also feature Dell’s Intel Cache Acceleration Software for Workstations (Intel CAS-W), a caching solution that improves storage speeds for better overall performance.
Dell’s Most Secure, Manageable and Reliable Workstations
Available with Dell Data Protection malware, authentication and encryption endpoint security solutions and backed by a Dell limited hardware warranty6 and optional 24x7 direct access to enterprise-level support with Dell ProSupport, the new systems offer best-in-class security, manageability and reliability. Dell’s exclusive, patented Reliable Memory Technology (RMT) proactively prevents catastrophic memory failures and extends memory life, while Dell-unique Intel vPro extensions allow remote BIOS management and hard drive wipe, even when systems are offline. The Dell Client Command Suite provides free automation tools that help automate and streamline system deployment, monitoring and updating in complex IT environments.
Dell works closely with independent software vendors (ISVs) such as Adobe, Autodesk and Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks to ensure that the Dell Precision Tower 5810, Tower 7810, Tower 7910, and Rack 7910 workstations are tested and certified in advance of launch, allowing customers to access new technology faster than ever and easing their transition onto a new hardware platform.
Another innovative feature available on the new systems is the Dell Quick Resource Locator (QRL), which provides immediate access to extensive system information and detailed “how to” videos accessible via smartphone and a model-specific QR code, helping customers to be more efficient and effective in managing their hardware.
Extending Dell’s partnership with Teradici, the two companies today introduced new software that gives mobile workers instant access to a rich remote computing experience regardless of location. The new Teradici PCoIP Workstation Access Software offers an ultra-secure solution that makes remote access possible in a matter of minutes. The new easy-to-deploy software client is compatible with the Tower 5810, Tower 7810, Tower 7910 and Rack 7910 as well as earlier Dell Precision workstation systems.
Dell OEM Solutions is also offering an XL version of the new Precision tower and rack workstations, with a stable platform and three year component stability, specially designed to enable OEM customers to better manage their solution life-cycles.
The new Dell Tower 5810, Tower 7810, Tower 7910 and Rack 7910 workstations will be available worldwide starting on September 9, 2014.
“Dell Precision workstations are well engineered and extremely reliable,” said Christophe Meslin, head of systems support at Academy Award-winning visual effects studio Framestore. “Our artists use them full-on during the day and then at night they join our massive Dell render farm. Despite that constant use, not one of the two hundred we bought last year has failed.”
“NVIDIA Quadro is the overwhelming choice of leading creative and design professionals, and our new professional GPU lineup puts Quadro at the center of the most demanding visual computing workflows,” said Jeff Brown, vice president and general manager, Professional Solutions Group, NVIDIA. “Dell Precision Workstation users will experience dramatic increases in graphics and compute performance and seamless interaction with the complex datasets associated with 4k and above. They’ll also enjoy stunning photo-realistic renderings of their product designs at much faster speeds than before.”
“With our next generation AMD FirePro™ workstation graphics card family, we’re redefining workstation graphics performance at every level. With larger graphics memory configurations, improved graphics and compute processing power and application performance gains across the board, we’re enabling professionals – from the entry-level user up to the ultra-power user – the ability to do more,” said David Cummings, senior director and general manager, Professional Graphics at AMD. “By offering Dell Precision Workstation customers the choice to accelerate their workflows with new AMD FirePro™ W2100, W4100, W5100 and W7100 graphics cards, Dell underscores its commitment to enable customers with powerful, reliable workstations that deliver improved performance over previous generation systems.”
“Today’s expanded portfolio announcement underscores Dell’s leadership and momentum in the global marketplace for high-performance workstations,” said Dan Cordingley, president and CEO of Teradici. “Together, Teradici and Dell have collaborated to bring feature-rich, high-fidelity computing resources on remote workstations to Dell Precision end users in a variety of markets over the past several years. Building on our successful track record, Teradici is delighted to extend our partnership today with the introduction of PCoIP Workstation Access Software for existing and new Dell Precision hardware to a growing base of customers.”
Dell Inc. listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.
1 1TB of memory available post RTS on Tower 7910 and Rack
7910; available with 512GB of memory at launch.
2 Naming convention change from previous version Dell Precision Performance Optimizer (DPPO) v1.09 to Dell Precision Optimizer v2.0.
3 Richly configured Dell Precision Tower 7910 systems run up to 49 percent quieter under heavy processor workloads vs. the predecessor (Dell Precision T7610).
4 1TB of memory available post RTS on Tower 7910 and Rack 7910; available with 512GB of memory at launch. GB means 1 billion bytes and TB equals 1 trillion bytes; actual capacity varies with preloaded material and operating environment and will be less.
5 Based on Dell internal testing (July 2014), as measured using benchmark SPECapc Creo 2.0 running PTC Creo 2.0 on Windows 7 64-bit Professional SP1, comparing WireFrame Graphics Composite results between a Tower 5810 system with E5-1620 v3 4C 3.5GHz, 4x4GB 1600, Quadro K4200 340.52, 500GB 7200, A00 BIOS with the Dell Precision Optimizer PTC Creo Performance Profile and the same system with factory default settings.
6 For copy of Ltd Hardware Warranty, write Dell USA LP, Attn: Warranties, One Dell Way, Round Rock, TX 78682 or see www.dell.com/warranty.
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Leap's Shareholders Approve AT&T Merger
Leap Wireless, the company that runs Cricket Wireless, today announced that its shareholders have approved of AT&T's proposed acquisition of the small network operator. "Stockholder approval is an important milestone on our path to completing the merger with AT&T. I'd like to thank the dedicated representatives from both companies who are working hard to complete the transaction," said Doug Hutcheson, Leap's chief executive officer. The purchase agreement includes all of Leap's assets, including 3,400 employees, 5 million customers, a CDMA and LTE network, and radio spectrum licenses covering 137 million people. AT&T has agreed to pay about $1.2 billion for Cricket and its assets. The deal is still subject to FCC and Department of Justice review.
Hands On with the BlackBerry Leap
BlackBerry’s strategy under its new CEO John Chen has been to dramatically cut down the number of phones the company pumps out. So a new all-touch phone like the Z10 is a big deal.
Unlocked Blu S1 Compatible with Most U.S. Carriers
Blu Products recently announced the S1, an inexpensive Android smartphone that's available unlocked from Amazon.com and BestBuy.com. One of the chief benefits of the S1 is its wide compatibility with U.S.
Cricket to Sell Alcatel QuickFlip Feature Phone for $30
Cricket Wireless today announced the pending availability of the QuickFlip, a simple feature phone made by Alcatel. The QuickFlip is already being sold by AT&T as the Cingular Flip 2.
Blu Life One X3 Adopts Metal-and-Glass Design and Packs 5,000mAh Battery
Blu Products today announced the Life One X3, a mid-range handset from the unlocked phone maker. The One X3 has a curved-edge glass screen and an aluminum frame painted in matte black.

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Structural bottlenecksThe spillover effect of having a robust e-commerce strategy will create more jobs.
The year 2020 saw a massive boom for Nepal’s nascent e-commerce sector, primarily due to Covid-19 restrictions; but the disruptions amid the pandemic were a blessing in disguise. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, which has been collecting online sales data from mid-August last year, online sellers’ turnover has soared, and so has the use of electronic payment transactions.
The period mid-November to mid-December 2020 alone recorded e-commerce business worth Rs8.2 billion from 112,706 transactions, according to the central bank. The payments were made through debit or credit cards and exclude other popular alternatives like digital wallets and cheque or cash on delivery.
Consumer spending and behaviour are changing fast amid the pandemic, forcing businesses to reimagine their strategies to keep up with their customers, who are increasingly moving online. According to the latest management information system report of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, internet penetration in Nepal had reached 77.91 percent of the total population as of mid-October last year.
These figures indicate that opportunities in the e-commerce sector will only grow in the future to create more jobs and attract investments; but in the absence of a law governing e-commerce in the country, the consumers will continue to be the biggest losers while small and medium businesses will suffer.
In June last year, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies prepared a draft E-Commerce Bill 2020 to create a facilitative regulatory environment for online trade in Nepal. But consumer rights activists and entrepreneurs say the proposed e-commerce bill, which has come a decade late, lacks clarity, is riddled with issues, and has failed to understand the basic premise of what constitutes e-commerce business to start with.
Leading online sellers have even lamented that the stakeholders’ concerns put forward during the draft preparation haven’t been addressed clearly. At the same time, consumer rights activists say there are no clear provisions which would hold online marketplaces accountable.
The draft bill defines e-commerce as selling and buying of goods and services through the internet or computer network or any other electronic system as well as commercial transaction, data transfer, the supply of goods and services, lease, hire purchase, exchange and professional and other services provided through an electronic medium.
Marketplace, according to the draft bill, is an inter-mediatory business that facilitates deals between sellers and buyers through a network of the electronic medium and includes wholesalers, retailers, commercial agents, brokers and distributors that perform business through e-commerce.
As reflected in the vague definitions above and other contesting provisions, the draft bill in no manner serves the purpose to facilitate and regulate the e-commerce sector, more so for small and medium businesses. Instead, it demonstrates how the officials who prepared the draft have failed to understand emerging instruments of trade and the opportunities technology has created for start-ups and cottage industries.
The government, which needs to play a proactive role in creating jobs and facilitating a better business environment, cannot continue to kill potentials and sway investments. Given the pace at which online activity is rapidly expanding across the country, primarily due to mobile phone penetration, it is only natural that businesses will utilise emerging technologies to deal with customers.
There is an urgent need to revise the draft bill and produce clear guidelines to govern the growing e-commerce sector in Nepal, and foremost, protect consumers. The spillover effect of having a robust e-commerce strategy will create more jobs as already seen last year when online sellers went on a hiring spree to cater to record orders amid the lockdown. Officials need to be in tune with the evolving digital sphere that both consumers and businesses have embraced to tap into the potentials that can truly transform the national economy.


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Tim Hortons Spills The Beans on New Latte Launching Nationwide
Today, Tim Hortons announced its solution to a world of long-winded, overwhelming coffee orders – its new, perfectly uncomplicated latte. Tim Hortons Guests need only say â€œlatteâ€ to receive the new made-to-order specialty beverage thatâ€™s one size, one price and the perfect balance of just two simple ingredients â€“ freshly ground premium 100% Arabica espresso beans and freshly steamed Canadian milk.
â€œWe are proud to have been brewing Canadaâ€™s Favourite Coffee for more than 50 years, so naturally our team was in pursuit of excellence when it came to delivering the perfect latte to our Guests at a great price,â€ says Sami Siddiqui, President, Tim Hortons Canada. â€œOur latte is perfectly uncomplicated â€“ itâ€™s easy to order and hand-crafted with two simple ingredients. We are confident that our Guests across the country will love Canadaâ€™s new favourite latte.â€
Tim Hortons and its Restaurant Owners have equipped over 3,500 restaurants across Canada with new, innovative espresso machines, so Guests from coast-to-coast can experience the same perfectly uncomplicated latte, wherever they are.
â€œThe new Tim Hortons latte is made with premium espresso beans sourced from the best coffee producing regions from around the world, and made with 100% Canadian milk, resulting in a super-smooth finish.â€ says Kevin West, Head of Coffee Operations at Tim Hortons. â€œWith our state-of-the-art machine, Guests stopping in at their local Tims will be welcomed with the sounds and smells of espresso beans being freshly ground, as they watch the milk being steamed and taste the freshness in every cup.â€
Tim Hortons new lattes will be fully available in one size across Canada as of April 26th at the affordable price of $2.99. Guests are encouraged to share their thoughts on this new beverage using the hashtag #JustSayLatte.
To celebrate the launch, Tim Hortons opened an unbranded, minimalist cafÃ© in Toronto called Perfectly Uncomplicated Lattes with only one item on the menu â€“ a latte. Today, it was unveiled that this new Queen West coffee shop was in fact Tim Hortons all along. The shop opened on April 5 and will remain open until April 26, 2017, with all proceeds going to the Tim Horton Childrenâ€™s Foundation. For those in the Toronto neighbourhood, Tim Hortons is giving away its new latte for free all day today (April 19) at the pop-up location at 634 Queen St. West to celebrate the arrival of the new latte at Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada.


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Australia is one step closer to enacting a world-first bargaining code between tech giants and media businesses, which will see the likes of Google and Facebook ‘pay for news’.
The ACCC yesterday released an options paper outlining different ways the mandatory code could work.
It came less than a month after the Federal Government announced it was stepping in to enforce the agreement, after negotiations for a voluntary code were deemed to have fallen short.
The consultation period will take place between 19 May to 5 June 2020.
“The proposed bargaining code is intended to address bargaining power imbalances between Australian news media businesses and digital platforms in order to ensure that commercial arrangements between these parties do not undermine the ability and incentives for news media businesses to produce news for Australians,” the paper suggests.
While the paper acknowledges this ‘imbalance’, it is likely there will be some disagreement as to what this actually entails.
Google has repeatedly pointed to the fact it does not make any money when a user clicks on a news search result, rather only when that user clicks on an ad.
The tech giant also does not serve ads on news.google.com or the news results tab on the search page, with the majority of its ad revenue – which was $4.3bn in Australia in 2019 – coming from search.
However, ACCC chair Rod Sims insisted Google still gains monetary value from its display of news content.
“Clearly the biggest benefit is not the direct benefit which is the ads shown against news items. That’s the really, really small benefit,” Sims said in comments published by the Herald.
“The indirect value that Google and Facebook gain from having news on their platform. I’m not going to give numbers now, that is something we will come to later.”
Sims also suggested sharing news content boosts the overall value of platforms like Facebook and Google.
“But there’s other benefits from having news media. One is that you get better content. It’s in the platform’s commercial interest to have quality,” he said.
How much will Google and facebook pay?
With “indirect value” a focus for the ACCC, there are now seemingly questions over how it will formulate a monetary value for Facebook and Google to pay Australian media companies.
The options paper outlines four potential payment models, including an option for individual negotiation, a collective bargaining agreement, a collective boycott or ‘all in/none in’ approach or a collective licensing approach.
“The mandatory bargaining code could include mechanisms requiring parties to take certain prescribed factors into account when conducting negotiations regarding remuneration,” the ACCC says in the paper.
Again, the notion of indirect value looks set to create some murkiness when it comes to the negotiations.
“The ACCC notes that the estimation of the indirect value of news by any party is likely to be highly complex and contestable, due to the difficulty of accurately quantifying the increased use of services offered by each of Google and Facebook resulting from the availability of news content,” says the ACCC.
“Nonetheless, it will be important that consideration of the value news provides to each of Google and Facebook does not neglect indirect value, particularly as indirect value may greatly outweigh direct value on some of the services of these digital platforms.”
Culture-leading publisher Highsnobiety continues to evolve its local operations with the appointment of Citizens of Culture as its strategic partner across media operations within Australia. Highsnobiety is a premium global brand dedicated to cultural pioneers, with work spanning across digital platforms, print media, documentaries, cutting edge events, a shopping platform and a full service creative […]
An investigation by British broadcaster ITV has found that Amazon is destroying millions of items in unsold or returned stock. The report specifically focuses on one of the 24 warehouses the company has in the UK. According to ITV News, the destroyed items are largely unused and new, either returned items or those which never […]
Australian fashion brand Witchery has partnered with B Corp GlamCorner as part of GlamCorner’s subscription box offering as the demand for everyday essentials soars. This partnership marks another milestone for the Australian fashion industry towards becoming more circular and introducing more paths to reduce textile waste. Customers nationally will be able to rent more of […]
The media, marketing and creative industries are being encouraged to host their own ‘Curry Club for COVID’ before 30th June to help meet the ambitious $100k target set by its organisers. Curry Club for COVID, which was conceived by long-time adtech executive Peter Bray, sales director at Impact, and is powered by industry social purpose organisation […]
The UnLtd Cup is returning for its tenth consecutive year, marking a decade of soccer shenanigans that’s raised nearly $500,000 for children’s mental health charity, KidsXpress. On July 22-23rd, 28 teams from across the industry will battle it out on the soccer field in the two-day tournament at Sydney University Sports and Fitness Centre, Darlington. […]
Australian-bred company Ultra Commerce has acquired New Zealand-based company Vesta eCommerce, a global software business providing leading product data management solutions. The recent acquisition is a significant move for the business, which is Australian born, owned, and headquartered, but has built out a global presence as it pursues rapid growth in the eCommerce market. Connecting […]


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The United Steelworkers has filed federal labor charges against Tesla in Buffalo, alleging that the company has engaged in coercive activity against employees and illegally fired some workers who sought to unionize.
United Steelworkers filed the case with the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday. This is the first labor case filed against the Buffalo factory since it opened in 2016. The charges got filed while both the United Steelworkers and the International Brotherhood of Electrical workers attempt to unionize at the plant.
Tesla says it employs 329 workers at the Buffalo plant, and Panasonic, its partner sharing the facility, employs another 401 workers. Tesla will have to employ 1,460 employees by April 2020 or face a state penalty of $41.2 million.
Tesla’s factories in Nevada and California have had 21 cases filed against them with the labor relations board since 2011, according to data on the labor board’s website.
News 4 Investigates first reported in December 2018 that some Buffalo Tesla workers wanted to unionize, but the effort has so far not been successful. Workers told News 4 Investigates in December that they want better pay, job security and to establish a grievance process at the Buffalo plant.
The average salary at the Buffalo Tesla plant is $16.20 an hour plus benefits and equity.
At that time, Tesla said “ultimately, it’s up to our employees to decide if they want to be unionized,” and that it “greatly values its employees.”
New York State officials did not require a labor neutrality agreement when they dolled out $750 million in taxpayer money to build and equip the facility by the Buffalo River. The lack of such an agreement means that Tesla does not have to keep a neutral position on unions.
WIVB learned that at least one of those employees who led the unionizing effort was laid off in January, when Tesla announced a global reduction in its workforce.
“Tesla greatly values our employees at our Buffalo facility, and respects their right to organize,” a Tesla spokeswoman said by email.
“The ULP (unfair labor practice) allegation is without merit and we will be responding as part of the NLRB process.”
Representatives with the steelworkers did not immediately return phone calls.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has used his Twitter feed and emails to employees to rail against unions in the past, specifically against the UAW, which is trying to unionize at Tesla’s Fremont, California electric car manufacturing plant.
The UAW has also accused Tesla, and Musk, of threatening workers over unionization efforts.
“That is why I was so distraught when I read the recent blog post promoting the UAW, which does not share our mission and whose true allegiance is to the giant car companies, where the money they take from employees in dues is vastly more than they could ever make from Tesla,” Musk wrote in one email, reported by Techcrunch in 2017.
On May 21, 2018, Musk Tweeted that Tesla employees are free to unionize, but warned, “why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing?” That tweet resulted in the union filing labor law charges.
On May 22, 2018, Musk again tweeted that, “UAW destroyed once great US auto industry & everyone knows it.”


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Halloween style: Save time shopping or save face sewing?
Published 4:00 am, Friday, October 24, 2003
When it comes to crafting Halloween costumes for kids, few are as buff as Buff.
Buff Harding Jr., a 44-year-old stay-at-home dad in San Francisco's Golden Gate Heights neighborhood, has transformed his 10-year-old son, Donivan,
into a series of anatomically correct -- and incredibly scary -- insects. Dad took entomology in college, and uses his bug collection to make scale replicas.
Donivan has been a praying mantis with raptorial arms, a scorpion fly with a curling tail and giant wings, an ichneumon wasp with a retractable stinger, and a dung beetle. For the latter, Harding painted an inflatable exercise ball brown, and -- while it was still wet -- rolled it all over a neighbor's freshly cut lawn.
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"Which was fun at school," Harding said, "because he could say, 'Hey, this is a big ball of poo.' "
It's that time of year again, when parents start dressing up their little ones as wizards, princesses and ichneumon wasps, and turning implements intended for Pilates into big balls of poo. Certainly kids enjoy being dressed up, but not as much as their parents enjoy doing the dressing.
Around the Bay Area, in shopping malls, party stores, fabric emporiums and thrift shops, these parents are wrestling with the same questions: Am I up to the challenge of crafting a homemade costume? Will my picky little angel wear it? Will I attract downward glances if my precious offspring sports store- bought plastic?
After all, the Bay Area is both full of artistic types capable of costume genius, and go-go types that don't have much time for needlework.
"We both work full-time and it's not an option," said Shannon Brown, a 31- year-old child care director from Tracy. Her husband, Sebastian, is a chef. She added, "There's a lot of very talented people who can sew. I'm just not one of them."
The parents purchased a $40 Snow White costume online for their 17-month- old daughter, Lauren. Shannon Brown said she never wore such cool duds when she was a child.
Toy stores, such as Toys R Us, and fabric emporiums, such as Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts, with 25 stores in the Bay Area, sell ready-made costumes for kids for about $10 to $40.
Many costume artisans said the process, although time-consuming, can be a real money-saver and doesn't have to be scary. They suggest visiting a fabric store and flipping through pattern books, asking for help from employees, and keeping in mind that a lack of sewing skills isn't a deal-killer.
Even Harding started his journey with baby steps. Before he started putting preserved insects into his computer scanner and magnifying them, he dressed Donivan as a teddy bear. "I just laid him down on the floor and outlined him on some furry material," he said. "It was fine."
Anicia Peppas, 32, of Oakland, who works one day a week at Poppy Fabric on Broadway, this year used pattern books to make a tin man featuring silver lame and a scarecrow with straw -- for 7-year-old Clayton, and 2-year-old Atticus -- as well as Cowardly Lion and Dorothy costumes for two of the boys' friends. The four pieces took a week-and-a-half to finish, she said, and each cost $33 or less.
"It's a process -- get help if you need help," Peppas advised. "It's a costume and you're not being judged."
Well, except by your kids. At Poppy Fabric the other day, 47-year-old Cathy Ward and her 7-year-old, Carina Salaiz, were putting together a Hermione Granger of Harry Potter fame. Ward said the project was a bonding experience, but a daunting one.
"It's even intimidating to me, and I used to sew," she said. "You're afraid you're going to get half-started, and kids don't do well with disappointment."
In that spirit, some Bay Area parents said they were doing the old mix- and-match -- homemade costumes for some of their kids and ready-made outfits for others.
That's the story in Alamo's Kynast household this year. William, 2, is getting a homemade Buzz Lightyear costume, while Kaitlyn, 4, is wearing a similarly organic Jasmine from Aladdin.
But their mother, Nicole, has declined to stitch a pop diva outfit for budding pop diva Megan, 6.
So the foursome took a trip to Party City in Dublin, home of "2,500 Halloween costumes." There, mom spent $24 on a "Mega Star" costume complete with shiny blue pants, a belly shirt, a headset microphone and glitter.
Megan announced, "I can rock the whole world!" and then said she was happy her mother found a bargain.
"If she spends all her money on costumes," she said, "we won't have any left for treats."
Making that costume
These fabric stores carry patterns, fabrics and other materials, and advice for making Halloween costumes for kids and adults. Some also carry ready-made Halloween costumes.
-- Hancock Fabrics, 2830 Delta Fair Blvd., Antioch. (925) 753-1370.
-- Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, 535 Contra Costa Blvd., Pleasant Hill. (925) 687-6500.
-- Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, 2425 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 831-8880.
-- Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, 1635 Chestnut St., Livermore. (925) 606-7306.


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Instead of an image, McLaren has unveiled a teaser video of their Formula 1 racecar set to be unveiled on January 31st. The car will be named McLaren Mercedes MP4-28 and it will be driven by Jensen Button and new driver, Sergio Perez.
What we do know about the car is that it will keep the same 2.4-liter V-8 engine as previous version. In fact, 2013 will be the last year that this type of engine will be used, as starting in the 2014 racing season, it will be replaced by a 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 engine.
The 2013 racing season will be a pretty interesting one for McLaren. First they will celebrate their 50th anniversary. And second, this is the first year that Lewis Hamilton will not be joining their team, as he has moved onto Mercedes.
We’ll update you with all of the official details on the McLaren MP4-28 F1 car once all of the details are released.
2013 McLaren MP4-28


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Just two years ago tyre brand Vittoria was acquired by Wise Equity and now that brand has once again changed hands. Telemos Capital, a private equity investor has bought the brand and has its sights aimed toward global expansion.
Since Wise Equity's announcement of ownership in 2020, the brand has grown but with Telemos Capital's input, it's looking like we'll be seeing Vittoria tyres move to an international scale covering the globe. At the moment, Vittoria sells through subsidiaries in just Asia, Europe, and North America.
“The support of Wise Equity has been fantastic over the last years and we are very pleased that Telemos – with all its relevant experience in growing global brands – is now joining us on the ride,” - Stijn Vriends, Chairman & CEO of Vittoria.
The brand will still invest in sustainable practices while developing its products, services and channels.
“For over 60 years, Vittoria has been at the core of cycling performance with an unparalleled track-record of wins across many disciplines of the sport. We feel privileged to be the new owners of such a storied brand and are excited about the prospects in front of us, as we join forces with the Vittoria team,” - Philippe Jacobs, Executive Chairman of Telemos Capital.
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The research from travel money firm Centtrip found the figure is up by 3.9bn since 2010 an 11.7 per cent increase.
Spain benefitted the most from the UK’s travellers, who spent 6.14bn in the country last year, while 3.91bn was parted with during visits to the US. Meanwhile, France and Italy completed the top four countries with 3.51bn and 1.68bn respectively.
However, the countries to receive the largest gains in British expenditure were significantly different. Romania led the way for growth with a 113.9 per cent spending increase between 2010 and 2014, rising from 89.8m to 192m.
Elsewhere, Lithuania also received extra capital from the UK’s tourists with a 74.2 per cent growth from 66.6m to 115.9m. It was closely followed by a 73.7 per cent increase in the United Arab Emirates from 467.1m to 811.6m supported as Dubai has become a popular holiday destination.
Read more on the travel industry:
- The difficulties faced when disrupting two industries at the same time
- Former Harrods exec packs 750,000 investment to boost Family Traveller media venture
- London retains title as the world’s top travel destination
Overseas travel is increasing, but as people visit more countries, they need to make sure they are getting a fair deal when buying foreign currency, and keep charges down to a minimum,” said Centtrip co-founder and MD Brian Jamieson.
Indeed, it’s estimated that Brits took over 60 million trips abroad in 2014. A firm looking to increase that number is Rise a company inspired by the sharing economy model of Airbnb and Uber, which allows customers to share private flights. It was founded in the US, but has revealed a plan to enter the UK and support air travel across the country and to destinations including Dublin, Paris and Brussels from 2016.
Meanwhile, Thomas Cook has expanded its business by opening a joint venture with shareholder Fosun International. Flights will now reach China a rapidly growing tourism sector.
Today, there is a lack of innovation and differentiation in the travel product offerings for Chinese tourists in China and abroad, presenting an excellent opportunity for our new joint venture to gain a competitive advantage,” said Qian Jiannong, president of Fosuns Tourism & Commercial Group.
According to the findings from Centtrip, British holidaymakers spent 45.8 per cent more in 2014 than they did in 2010 rising from 165.2m to 245m.


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For more great content like this see Original article
You’ll have to keep waiting for that 4K model, though
If you’ve been after a high-end Chromebook lately, you know they’re difficult to find. Google’s Pixelbook series moved to mid-range devices a couple of years ago, and Samsung’s initial attempt at an ultra-premium Chrome OS laptop ended with a similar fate. That’s why we’ve been so excited for Asus’s Chromebook Flip CX9 since its US announcement this summer. If you’ve had your eye out for availability, today’s your lucky day.
Asus has its latest high-end Chromebook in stock at its storefront, ready for you to buy right now. There are two configurations to choose from here, both working with the same sleek design, 14” 1080p display, and metallic black paint job. Here’s hoping you’ve been saving your pennies since July, because this is one mighty expensive Chromebook — no matter which variation you select.
The entry-level model, configured with an Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, comes in at a whopping $750. While it’s got some stiff competition around the $700 mark, the Core i3 is lacking compared to, say, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713.
The second option includes a Core i7-1165G7, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, but at $1,149, even die-hard Chrome OS fans might feel their wallets ache a bit.
Asus initially announced a 4K version of the CX9 planned for launch later this year, and the company expects it to start shipping as soon as this month. Likewise, a variant of the CX9 with Intel’s Core i5 processor is planned for a Costco release, though we don’t have any pricing or availability information. Presumably, it would slot directly between these two options.
High-end Chromebooks like these are few and far between, so if you’ve been dying for this kind of machine, now’s your chance. Head on over to Asus’s storefront to pick up the configuration that’s right for you.
UPDATE: 2021/10/13 19:41 EST BY WILL SATTELBERG
4K and Core i5 availability
According to Asus, a 4K model is expected to be available later this month, while a Core i5 variant is planned to be sold at Costco. We’ve updated our coverage.
Along with a search bar for faster directions
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11. February 2019 12:44:37 IST
The head of the Australian Competition Commissioner warned Monday that strict regulation of technology giants like Google and Facebook is needed to protect the future of independent persons journalism.
Australian Competition and Consumers Commission (ACCC) chairman Rod Sims said Google and Facebook's market power has devastated the Australian news media.
While the number of journalists working in Australian newspapers fell 20 percent from 2014 to 2017, revenue for print ads fell. Sims said Google and Facebook had made nearly 70 percent of all online ad spending.
"This shift in online advertising revenues and digital platforms has limited the ability of media companies to fund news and journalism," Sims said in remarks prepared for handover to the Sydney International Institute of Communications.
"We can not just leave the production of news and journalism to market forces," added Sims, whose agency has extensively explored the impact of digital platforms on the news industry in Australia.
While the platforms take the vast majority of Sims said the ad revenue does not produce original news.
"They select, curate, rate, organize, and rank the news produced by third parties," he said, noting that this market power "increased the risk of filter bubbles and unreliable news on digital platforms."  "Holding such critical positions in the media and advertising markets has special responsibilities," he said.
The ACCC launched its one-year digital platform review, and by the end of this week, will accept the final contributions from industry players before she issued her final report in June.
Sims however signaled on Monday that the final recommendations would include calls for far-reaching new regulations for the digital giants and the opaque algorithms they use to disseminate news and advertisements.
For digital platforms, there is virtually no media Vorsch and this leads to regulatory inequalities between the media sectors that the digital platforms seem to offer. An unfair advantage, "he said.
A media regulator, he said, should have the power to force platforms to find out how news is ranked in search results, including whether advertiser-funded content is ranked higher than paid content, or whether original news content is going through Counterfeit stories and so-called Clickbait exceeded.
The ACCC might also recommend that platforms serve content that is produced by recognized news media as a quality reduction against disinformation.
Finally, Sims proposed a series of proposals in support of local and independent journalism, including tax breaks for individuals subscribing to news media who meet a range of quality standards.
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Thanksgiving Day remained the busiest online shopping day of the holiday season for the fourth year in a row, according to a study by Hitwise, an Internet measurement service headquartered here.
The report, based on a sample of 10 million Internet users in the United States, found that Thanksgiving traffic to the top 100 retail Web sites surged 20 percent year-over-year, while online traffic on Black Friday increased 16 percent over the corresponding day in 2006.
The study suggests that most shoppers still prefer to do their online holiday shopping over the long Thanksgiving weekend, rather than on the following back-to-work Monday. For the past three years that day, dubbed “Cyber Monday,” has been promoted by the National Retail Federation’s Shop.org division as the ceremonial start of the online holiday shopping season.
The Thanksgiving Day surge was confirmed by ComScore, a Reston, Va.-based Internet measurement firm, which pegged the increase at 29 percent, for a day-long take of $272 million. But ComScore said sales volume was even greater on Black Friday, up 22 percent to $531 million, and predicted that the final e-tail tally would exceed $700 million on Cyber Monday.
Hitwise, a subsidiary of Experian, said Walmart.com was the most visited Web site on Thanksgiving Day, followed by BestBuy.com, CircuitCity.com, Amazon.com and Target. The next five most-visited sites belonged to Sears, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, Yahoo! Shopping and eBay’s Half.com.
On the product front, video gaming was the No. 1 category in online sales from Nov. 1-23, ComScore said, with revenue up 134 percent year-over-year. Consumer electronics ranked third, with a 21 percent increase, behind furniture/appliances/equipment, which grew 36 percent.
Online Traffic Share
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Watch List - May 23, 2019
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Consumer-Direct Sales Dominate The Charts - May 22, 2019
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Best Buy Keeps The CE Crown, But Barely - May 21, 2019


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What’s Your Tech IQ?
Many car buyers and owners don't understand automotive safety technology that can save their lives. A recent University of Iowa study found that most drivers expressed uncertainty regarding many of the technologies available in cars today. The study also found that 40 percent of drivers in the study reported being startled or surprised by how their car behaved.
In order to educate drivers, the site MyCarDoesWhat.org is an education resource operated by the National Safety Council and the University of Iowa. The goal of the campaign is to help drivers be more comfortable with the advanced features in their car, particularly since only 10 percent of drivers read their vehicle manuals.
"We hope that MyCarDoesWhat will help users understand technology in vehicles," said Alex Epstein, senior director of digital strategy and content for advocacy department of the National Safety Council, "Safer behavior on the road will prevent crashes, injuries, and fatalities."
MyCarDoesWhat offers information for new drivers, experienced drivers, those looking for a new car, those renting a car, or those wanting more information about cars. It is also helpful for those who learned to drive in Driver's Ed in at school and haven't learned about new features since then, says Epstein.
"As fast as new safety features are coming online, it's not difficult to see why people are having trouble catching up. Thanks to the National Safety Council and the University of Iowa, the My Car Does What campaign will help change that. It's understandable, it's interesting, and it will help you keep yourself and your passengers safer. I urge you to take MyCarDoesWhat. com for a test drive today," said Secretary Anthony Foxx of the Department of Transportation.
New car technology can help drivers see, park, brake, stay in their lane, maintain proper car distance, and more. However, if the driver doesn't understand the technology it may not work properly. The website can help drivers and enthusiasts learn more about the safety technology found in many of the new cars being sold today.
Visitors can start at the homepage of www.MyCareDoesWhat.com, where the site lists advanced safety features with the features' symbols so users can recognize them in their car dash. Users can click on the icon for each safety feature or view a video introducing or the concepts. Technology is explained through a short video, a "Quick Guide," "How it Works" and/or "Q&A."
The videos feature spokesman Rick and his dog Scout. A section named "Dashboard Blitz" allows visitors to download games to play on smartphones. The site gives information on how to use the technology and also warns what the technology can't do everything. For example, when explaining backup cameras, Rick and Scout warn that drivers should always walk around the car first and that the cameras themselves have blind spots and may not show a ball, bicycle lying on the ground or other low objects.
MyCarDoesWhat.org educates drivers on the dozens of technologies that are now standard features in new cars like electronic stability control, tire pressure monitoring systems, and backup cameras. It also covers technologies that are optional including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning systems, automatic emergency braking, adaptive headlights, automatic parallel parking, forward collision warning, rear cross traffic alert,
New car technology can help drivers see, park, brake, stay in their lane, maintain proper car distance, and more.
blind spot monitor (side view camera), and many other new tech features when they are released.
The University of Iowa study showed that consumers reported they least understood adaptive cruise control (65%) and lane departure warning systems (36%). However, the study also showed consumers were also uncertain about features that have been standard in American cars for more than 20 years -- such as anti-lock braking systems -- to recently emerging technologies, such as automatic emergency braking.
Epstein warns, however, safety technology does not replace good driving skills, "You are still your car's best safety feature; technologies are enhancements."
National Safety Council Photos: MyCarDoesWhat.org educates drivers on the dozens of technologies in new cars like adaptive cruise control, blind side monitoring, and backup cameras. MyCarDoesWhat.org is an education resource operated by the National Safety Council and the University of Iowa.


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Samsung teaser hints at new phone launch on Amazon India next week; is it 2016 Galaxy On7, On5 series?
- Forget 2020 iPhones, here's why 2021 iPhones are more exciting
- How Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset will change 2020 flagship phones?
- Dangerous Android flaw allows hackers to steal money, private photos & more: Should you worry?
- Is 2020 iPhone the final stop before foldable iPhone?
- Huawei Watch GT 2 price in India starts at Rs 14,990: Top features, offers, availability


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Water flooded the Terminal A baggage claim and security Flyknit Racer 2016 areas, forcing officials to close those sections of the airport. The mishap sent hundreds of passengers to check in at Terminal A and then to a shuttle or on a five minute walk to Terminal B to pass through security.
Maria Barale was traveling to Boston with her father, who needed the help of a wheelchair after undergoing a recent surgery. Barale said she would have preferred to have been notified in advance of the terminal closure but said the airport and airline otherwise handled the emergency situation well.
SAN JOSE Officials at Mineta San Jose International Airport on Monday night were still sorting out the disruptions to flight operations and passengers after a water pipe burst and flooded Terminal A. and poured water into the airport for more than an hour.
"We anticipate that the Terminal A checkpoint will operate as normal tomorrow morning and we regret the inconvenience to our passengers and our airline partners," said airport aviation director Kim Becker Aguirre in a news release.
San Jose airport terminal shuts down after water line break
Fuah passed on the shuttle and made the 5 minute walk to Terminal B.
Samuel Fuah, a bishop from Baltimore, was flying home after attending a church conference. He checked in at Terminal A and, after some confusion, had airport officials transport two Nike Flyknit Air Max Colors
People flying out of San Jose were asked to check in two hours ahead of time because of the larger number of passengers being screened at Terminal Flyknit Racer Multicolor On Feet
early in the morning, Terminal A only saw about 3,900 passengers, "which is considered light for a Monday," airport spokeswoman Cheryl Marcell said. scheduled flight to Los Angeles.
"We happened to get here two hours early, so we're not too stressed," Barale said. "If we had done our usual and got here an hour and 15 minutes early, we would be sweating right now."
heavy bags to Terminal B.
Those without bags were diverted to the international terminal next door, which had just one security line.
One seasoned traveler took the diversion in stride.
Because the water line burst so Nike Flyknit Racer Oreo 2016
From there passengers walked within the concourse back to Terminal A, which houses American, ANA, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, United, US Airways, Virgin America and Volaris.
"It's very inconvenient," Fuah said. "I don't think they handled it well. At least they should have been able to carry our bags. I have two heavy suitcases. It was a bit too much."
"I have something like this happen every week," said Robert Steele, of Los Gatos, who was catching an early flight to Los Angeles. "This is not a big deal."
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Access your Pro+ Content below.
State of HTML5 mobile app development in the enterprise
This article is part of the Modern Mobility issue of October 2016, Vol. 2, No. 9
Access this PRO+ Content for Free!
Features in this issue
Samsung Knox is a military-grade mobile security platform for the enterprise, with more customization capabilities and management options than iOS devices.
News in this issue
Mobile app developers have programming options, including HTML5, but that's not the only one. There are other languages that they need to build strong web apps.
As new mobile devices hit the market, consumers and companies discard old, but still usable, ones. Hyla Mobile touts the environmental and fiscal benefits of smartphone recycling.
Columns in this issue
Workers demand access to their company's network anytime, anywhere -- making mobile network security a constant challenge for IT. Admins can turn to SDN and NFV technology.
AI technology has stepped out of the sci-fi realm and into the enterprise. Companies can put bots, machine learning and more to work for more engaging mobile apps.


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A new set of definitive safeguard measures on steel imports has been published. These will replace the provisional ones which have been in place since July 2018.
These measures on steel imports are laid out in the Official Journal of the European Union as of the 1st February and have now been in effect since the 2nd February. The new measures come after a Commission investigation was launched in March 2018, as part of the European Union’s response to the decision by the United States to impose tariffs on importing steel products. The investigation shows a sharp increase in imported steel products into the EU, as a results of the US tariffs and provides an insight into the damage this may cause EU steelmakers – who are still recovering from overcapacity in the global steel market, and an unparalleled number of unfair trade practices by certain trading partners.
How do the new measures differ from the provisional ones?
The measures concern 26 product categories and consist of tariff-rate quotas above which a duty of 25% will apply. They are fully in line with the EU’s WTO commitments and have been developed with preserving a continuous flow of imports in mind. The new system in place is very similar to the provisional measures which have been in place from July, with some important modifications aimed at minimising trade disruptions and preserving traditional trade arrangements.
Speaking on the implementation of the provisional safeguard measures in July, Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström said: “The US tariffs on steel products are causing trade diversion, which may result in serious harm to EU steelmakers and workers in this industry. We are left with no other choice than to introduce provisional safeguard measures to protect our domestic industry against a surge of imports. These measures nevertheless ensure that the EU market remains open and will maintain traditional trade flows.“
The future looks bright for the EU steel industry
Now that definitive safeguard measures on steel imports are in place, the Commission hopes competition in the European steel market has sufficient choice for the numerous EU users of steel, and that EU steelmakers will benefit from the regulation.
These measure should remain in place for three years; however, they can be reviewed in case of changed circumstances.


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Being Green a Marketing 'Must,' Says UK Study
Independent research commissioned by GreenPortfolio, the environmental relations division of Portfolio Communications, found being green cited as a key issue for staff, with 60% of respondents citing the importance of environmental credentials to employees.
Despite these findings, nearly three out of four (72%) companies have no green marketing plans in place and only one in three (33%) have senior management buy-in when it comes to going green, highlighting a pressing need for much more green marketing planning.
The research, "Green Relations: the Communication Viewpoint," is based on 125 interviews with UK organizations. It reveals that being green is rapidly becoming a marketing 'must', with 58% of marketing and PR professionals believing this provides competitive advantage. Nearly half (48%) of the communication industry also believes customers are prepared to pay more for environmentally friendly products and services. Even so, legislation is seen as the biggest driver when it comes to improving environmental footprints with 80% of respondents believing organizations only take this seriously when they are legally required to do so, despite 97% feeling there is a moral duty to be environmentally friendly.
PR is seen as the most credible channel of communication when it comes to green marketing with 23% of management surveyed investing 'strong or very strong effort' into PR activities, compared to only 10% in advertising.
"Being green is no longer nice to have, it's a marketing must otherwise companies run the risk of losing customers, employees and shareholders," says Rebecca Dunstan, environmental PR consultant at GreenPortfolio. "It's clear there's a need to do more planning in this area - a phenomenal number of companies have no green marketing plans in place at all and even those that do tend to approach environmental issues on an ad hoc basis.
She continues: "The marketing and communications profession sees clear competitive advantage in being green but the survey also shows that organizations can't 'greenwash' their credentials. A surface veneer isn't enough when it comes to the environment; companies have to be doing it. The need to get going is very real and businesses mustn't get left behind when it comes to environmental marketing."
The research was carried out online during October 2006 among 125 UK organizations ranging in size from fewer than 250 to more than 5000 employees. 30% of respondents were PR or marketing directors, 48% were PR or marketing managers and 19% heads of PR/marketing departments, with 3% 'other'.
The latest annual ranking of the global brands with the most environmental appeal is just out. Here's the inside story about who's on top, and why. Read more
The sixth annual edition of research has been expanded to include data on 1,600 companies worldwide, as well as on the U.S.-based S&P 500. Find out where the world of sustainable business is headed -- and the leading indicators of future progress.
Read the stories and download the report.


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Napco aligns with company to serve Middle East Region
AMITYVILLE, N.Y. - Napco Security Systems has partnered with another company to start up a sales and marketing facility to serve the Middle East security market.
The manufacturer of alarm control panels, access control systems, sensor and other products joined up with Gulf Associates to create Napco Gulf Security Group headquartered in the Dubai Airport Free Zone, United Arab Emirates. The company will sell NapcoÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s complete line of security products and offer non-competitive and complementary international security products in the region.
Richard Soloway, chairman and chief executive officer of Napco, said the company sees a growth opportunity in the Middle East, especially with the heightened security needs of the region.
To oversee operations of Napco Gulf Security Group, the company has appointed Yasser N. ShaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢aban, a 10-year veteran of the security industry, as managing director. Napco Gulf Security Group will be responsible for marketing, sales, training, product service and warehousing on all Napco products in 22 countries in the Middle East, North Africa, India and Pakistan.


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Tencent completes its full acquisition of Riot Games
In a recent announcement, American video game publisher and developer Riot Games Inc. has revealed that bigwig Chinese Internet firm Tencent Holdings Ltd. has completed the full acquisition of the company.
Tencent had acquired a majority stake in Riot Games -- the company behind ‘League of Legends’ real-time strategy video game video game -- in February 2011; and now the remaining equity of the developer has also been acquired by the Chinese Internet company.
The financial details of Tencent’s full acquisition of Riot Games have not been officially disclosed. However, according to a report, Tencent owned nearly 93 percent of Riot Games’ stakes before taking over the full ownership of the company.
In a confirmation that Tencent has fully acquired Riot Games, the video game developer has disclosed, in a recent post on its official website, a change to its equity and employee rewards structure, to indicate that “our majority investor, Tencent, recently purchased the remaining equity of Riot Games.”
In an announcement of the company’s full acquisition by Tencent, Riot Games said in its post that there were incoming “Riot comp changes,” and added: "As a result of our continued growth and changing circumstances, we're shifting to a new structure to recognize and reward Rioters' contributions."
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Online gaming companies are frequently the first to champion new technology, and sports betting is inspiring similar innovation.
Several sports betting books allow people to bet using Bitcoin and other digital currencies, and in response, cryptocurrency bets have surged. Online bookmaker Paddy Power has also experimented with the futuristic world of virtual reality sports betting.
The latest innovation such companies are embracing is betting technology that integrates with voice-activated apps like Amazon’s Alexa. Robotic tools will help bettors make more informed bets by offering detailed information and even “expert” tips, which will be especially helpful for in-game bets. This is a prime example of another way online options are spurring innovation in order to appeal to wider audiences.
Several innovators in the sports betting world are experimenting with Alexa products. Paddy Power began creating gambling-related “skills,” or voice-directed custom actions, for Alexa as early as last year. Alexa users with Paddy Power skills installed can receive betting tips, news bulletins, and gambling results with a simple voice command.
Digital media company Independent Content Services has created its own Alexa voice command under the brand Club Call. A user simply says “Open Club Call” to activate the skill and receive sports betting tips focused on British football teams and their odds.
In Australia, SportsBet is working on a similar technology for horses, greyhounds and harness racing. Their upcoming Alexa skill is already listed on Amazon, though it is not live yet. Customers will be able to query the event name, venue, race number, and time to jump for a variety of races occurring across Australia at any given time.
Mark Richards of Vegas Slots Online points out the appeal of Alexa is in its medium. Instead of pausing your game to look at a new screen, you simply use your voice.
“The big problem with in-play betting is that you have to stop watching the game to place a bet and, if you want to compare the odds from more than 20 different companies, that could mean not watching the game for a couple of minutes,” he said. “How much simpler to say, ‘Alexa, what’s the best price on Wolves winning this game?’”
With online gaming legalized in more and more places, it’s certain that the field is changing rapidly. Companies who don’t want to get left behind should be keeping tabs on the latest innovations and considering how they can offer the most modern solutions, too.


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BenRiach Distillery announces the release of a twenty-one year old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky,Read More
The BenRiach Distillery is delighted to announce the release of BenRiach Authenticus 30 years old,Read More
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Without a hint of superstition we are delighted to release today, 19 August 2016, BatchRead More
Whisky connoisseurs will be spoilt for choice today (18 August) as BenRiach release two superbRead More


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The regulator stated that Microsoft has a potential economic incentive to foreclose access to Activision Blizzard's console and PC video games such as ‘Call of Duty' which might prevent other distributors of console video games from distributing Activision Blizzard's console video games on consoles
The European Commission (EC) has launched an in-depth phase 2 investigation into the previously announced Microsoft’s $68.7bn acquisition of US-based video game holding company Activision Blizzard.
The concern of the regulator is that the proposed deal would lead to a significant reduction in competition within the markets for the distribution of gaming consoles and personal computer (PC) video games and for PC operating systems.
Microsoft announced the all-cash acquisition of Activision Blizzard in January 2022. According to the agreement, shareholders of the publicly-listed Activision Blizzard will receive $95 per share from Microsoft.
In its preliminary investigation, the EC concluded that the deal will impact competition for multi-game subscription services and/or cloud game streaming services.
The Commission believes that Microsoft has a potential economic incentive to foreclose access to Activision Blizzard’s console and PC video games such as ‘Call of Duty’. This is said to result in preventing other distributors of console video games from distributing Activision Blizzard’s console video games on consoles.
According to the EC, the proposed merger would lead to increased prices, lower quality, and less innovation for distributors of console games which could eventually affect the consumers.
EC Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “For years, Microsoft has been a major player across the gaming supply chain.
“It is acquiring Activision Blizzard, a highly successful producer of gaming content. We must ensure that opportunities remain for future and existing distributors of PC and console video games, as well as for rival suppliers of PC operating systems.
“The point is to ensure that the gaming ecosystem remains vibrant to the benefit of users in a sector that is evolving at a fast pace. Our in-depth investigation will assess how the deal affects the gaming supply chain.”
The Commission has set itself a deadline of 23 March 2023 to take a decision on the proposed acquisition.


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SALT LAKE CITY — SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Cell phone and tablet accessories company Zagg Inc. said Monday that its second-quarter net income rose 42 percent, helped by an acquisition and strong product sales.
Zagg has seen its products become more popular since rapper M.C. Hammer appeared on an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in February. During the show, Hammer discussed and showed the ZAGGmate, a tablet computer case and keyboard for Apple Inc.'s popular iPad.
Zagg, which also makes anti-glare film and a variety of other accessories for cell phones and other Apple products, also announced Monday that it increased its full-year revenue guidance, citing its improved outlook for product sales and its iFrogz buyout.
Its stock gained $2.03, or 13.8 percent, to $16.76 in premarket trading.
Zagg earned $2.7 million, or 10 cents per share, for the three months ended June 30. That compares with earnings of $1.9 million, or 8 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding acquisition-related fees and other items, earnings were 19 cents per share.
The performance handily topped the 12 cents per share that analysts surveyed by FactSet expected.
Revenue more than doubled to $38.8 million from $15.1 million, easily beating Wall Street's $25.7 million.
Zagg now expects full-year revenue between $160 million to $170 million, up from a prior forecast of $105 million to $110 million.
Analysts predict revenue of $147.6 million for the year.


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The Estée Lauder Cos. is closing makeup brand Becca Cosmetics, WWD has confirmed.
Becca will officially shutter in September. The brand’s closure is part of Lauder’s Post-COVID Business Acceleration program, which includes shutting down underperforming retail locations, counters in travel retail and Latin America, and other initiatives.
All Becca employees will lose their jobs. A source told WWD that Lauder is working to shift those employees to other Lauder brands wherever possible. It was not clear how many employees work at the brand.
Lauder said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Wednesday that it planned to “exit global distribution” of Becca in the name of efficiency, and that product demand continued to diminish during the coronavirus pandemic.
Becca is best known for its complexion products and highlighters, including a former highlighter collaboration with influencer Jaclyn Hill called Champagne Pop. But makeup sales were declining before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and they’ve continued to worsen ever since. Lauder had already logged impairment charges for Becca, as well as Too Faced and Smashbox, as consumer demand shifted to skin care over the past few years. Skin care and makeup brand Prescriptives, which had been an online-only business for many years, has also closed.
The Becca news comes one day after Lauder inked a major deal to acquire the rest of Deciem, the parent company of The Ordinary.
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Lauder is not the only beauty business shifting operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost every major strategic player in beauty has revealed divestitures, including Shiseido, which recently inked a deal to sell its personal care brands to CVC Capital. In September, L’Oréal shut down Clarisonic, which it had acquired in 2011.
In 2016, Lauder is said to have paid about $230 million to acquire Becca, then a fast-growing brand. At that time, makeup — driven by selfies and social media — was booming.
Industry sources have told WWD that Lauder is evaluating its brand portfolio and considering divestitures, which Tracey Travis, Lauder executive vice president and chief financial officer, has confirmed. “We always look at rationalizing the portfolio from a divestiture standpoint,” Travis said in an interview earlier in February, noting that the rationalization process applies to stores, counters and brands.
A spokeswoman for Lauder said in a statement: “As part of the Post-COVID Business Acceleration Program, which ELC announced in August 2020, the company is ensuring that it is focused on the most strategic long-term growth opportunities globally. As part of this process, difficult decisions must be made. After a careful and thorough review, ELC has made the decision to shut down Becca Cosmetics by the end of September 2021. Due to a combination of macro forces compounded by the global effects of COVID-19, the brand could not sustain success for the long term. We are so proud of the Becca brand team and all that they have accomplished over the years. We are handling this matter with sensitivity, both internally and externally. For those who have supported the brand for 20 years, and those who will stand by the brand through this wind down, we thank you.”
A spokeswoman for Becca said in a statement: “At Becca Cosmetics, an accumulation of challenges, together with the global impact of COVID-19, has sadly been more than our business can withstand, which is why we had to make the heartbreaking decision to shut down the brand by the end of September 2021. We are confident that the spirit of Becca brand will continue to live on through our Becca Beauties. Please keep illuminating your true selves. Light your own paths and push your limits. Share positivity and light the way for others as you make an impact on this world. Own your light on your own terms. For 20 years, we’ve built incredible connections with our communities — consumers, makeup artists, our wonderful network of influencers and our amazing brand collaborators and brand ambassadors from yesterday and today. We’ve done meaningful work together supporting mental wellness and will continue to do so through our commitment to The Trevor Project this coming June. Together, we have put our best light out into the world, and for that we are forever grateful.”
For more from WWD.com, see:


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MasterCard is testing a ‘Selfie Pay’ service in the Netherlands with International Card Services and Dutch bank ABN Amro. Some 750 cardholders can verify online transactions with a face or fingerprint scan using their smartphones, while 200 employees of US First Tech Federal Credit Union will trial the service in September. MasterCard unveiled its plans to pilot biometrics for online shopping in July.
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In the wake of news that Hostess, the company that makes Twinkies and other baked goods would liquidate its business, Chicago area connoisseurs started hoarding the sweet treats.
The Target store on Roosevelt Road in Chicago reported higher than normal sales for the confections.
"The final numbers won't be in until tomorrow morning, but we sold 18 boxes of Twinkies before 10 a.m.," said a store employee over the phone.
News of the Hostess decision made plenty of people nostalgic for the cake and cream concoctions, and other grocers around the Chicago land area were selling out.
Charlene Sligting, a resident of Elgin, sent an email to NBC Chicago detailing her plans to celebrate the American treat during her boyfriend's birthday party. For her it was a no-brainer.
"As a little girl, my mom would make my lunch and she would drop a different Hostess into my lunch bag and it was always a nice surprise," Sligting said. "My boyfriend and I woke up this morning and saw the news on social media. We're in the middle of planning a birthday party for him on Saturday and we knew that we had to have a Hostess-themed dessert tray."
Sligting purchased 22 boxes of Hostess treats at her local Meijer store.
The NBC Chicago social media accounts were teeming with similar stories.
"I got the last Chocolate Donettes from the Shell in Oak Park...the Walgreens by my job are already out," viewer Rani Morrison posted to the Facebook.
Alphie Jimenez says: "I just cleaned out the Dominick's in Bartlett."
"I went to CVS they (Twinkies) were all gone, I ended up with Hostess cup cakes, which are still good," writes Mimi Lujano.


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From small ethnic groceries to major chains, retail stores across Seattle are preparing for July 1, when a plastic-bag ban takes effect. With fewer than two weeks to go, many stores appear to be embracing the change, while some still are working out logistics.
At a downtown Seattle Bartell Drugs store, the reusable shopping bags are stacked near the front, along with a message board that proclaims, “We’re going GREEN.”
From small ethnic groceries to major chains, retail stores across the city are preparing for July 1, when a plastic-bag ban adopted by the city in December takes effect.
Stores are using existing supplies of thin, carryout grocery bags. They’re commissioning artists to design attractive reusable bags with familiar logos, and they’re laying in bigger supplies of the paper grocery bags that will be offered instead of plastic for a 5-cent fee.
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City of Seattle staff, armed with five translators, have contacted more than 500 stores. They also have mailed explanatory fliers to more than 10,000 businesses, according to officials at Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), which coordinates the city’s waste-reduction efforts.
But, with fewer than two weeks to go, stores say they still are trying to work out many logistics, from whether they can use existing stocks of plastic bags after the ban takes effect (yes) to figuring out the fine points of the law, such as whether plastic still can be used to bag ice cream or cleaning products at the checkout stand (yes).
Still, several stores visited last week seem to embrace the change.
“Seattle has a strong environmental identity,” said Theron Andrews, vice president of marketing for Bartell Drugs, which has 19 Seattle stores. “As part of Seattle and the local community, this is in our DNA.”
The City Council adopted the ban at the urging of local environmental groups, which said it would help protect marine life in Puget Sound. Seattleites use 292 million plastic bags a year but recycle only 13 percent of them, according to SPU.
In 2009, Seattle voters rejected a 20-cent fee on paper and plastic bags that had been approved by the City Council. The plastics industry spent $1.4 million to defeat the measure. While that measure never took effect, many residents started carrying reusable bags.
“A lot of people have already made the change,” said City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who sponsored the plastic-bag ban. “I’m sure we’ll hear from some folks in the beginning that it’s an inconvenience, but I’m confident that within a few weeks, they’ll see this as normal.”
Bartell Drugs also had a bit of a head start. It has a store in Edmonds, which adopted a plastic-bag ban in 2009. Andrews said that store smoothly made the transition to paper, but the company didn’t put its logo on the bags because at the time it was the only store in the chain subject to a ban on plastic.
Bartell now has ordered paper grocery bags with its logo as well as commissioned two reusable bags with Washington and Seattle themes.
“I think we’re ready,” Andrews said.
At Uwajimaya, an Asian specialty grocery in the Chinatown International District, staffers have the added challenge of informing many non-English speaking customers about the new law.
Alann Hamada, the store’s director, said many patrons are frugal and won’t understand why they are being charged a nickel for a paper grocery bag when they have been receiving plastic bags for free. Some also now ask for extra plastic bags to use around the house.
When the ban on plastic goes into effect, he predicts some shoppers will collect extra “perimeter bags,” the clear plastic bags at the produce, meat and bulk-food sections that still will be allowed under the new ordinance. He also fears the store’s plastic shopping baskets will begin to disappear.
“Five cents is still 5 cents,” he said. “Some of our customers won’t want to pay.”
Uwajimaya has commissioned colorful reusable shopping bags — one features a bright red dragon, and another has a Bento-box-style design created by local artist Ken Taya that features the store’s familiar “Niko-Niko Boy” logo.
The bags already hang from the ceiling at the front of the store, along with paper lanterns and koi-printed kites.
On a recent afternoon, two outreach workers from the city talked with Hamada about strategies for handling customer reactions and how to make the change more visible to non-English-speaking shoppers.
Stephanie Terrell, with Resource Ventures, an outreach service of the utility, suggested the store display at the cash registers cards printed by the city in six languages that inform customers about the new law.
Hamada says the change from plastic to paper will increase his bag costs by 50 percent, but he says he’s grateful the city is imposing the 5-cent fee to help offset the higher cost.
“That makes it easier for us to compete with larger stores that otherwise might have given them away for free,” he said.
Terrell assures Hamada that the store will be able to use its existing supply of thin plastic bags.
But the city is encouraging the store, and chains with outlets outside the city, to send the remainder to those other stores to hasten the transition from plastic.
For the foreseeable future, the city won’t fine merchants who aren’t following the ban, said Dick Lilly, who is managing the implementation for SPU. Instead, he said, staff will call on stores that aren’t using paper bags or aren’t charging the nickel fee and ask them to comply.
At a Safeway store on Queen Anne Hill, assistant store manager Amy Hill poses numerous questions to Terrell and to Pat Kaufman, a recycling specialist for SPU.
Hill wonders about customers using the state Basic Food card who are exempt from the paper-bag charge. How will cashiers know not to charge them, she asks.
As Hill and Terrell talk, Hill decides cashiers won’t add the charge until the end of the transaction, when the method of payment is clear.
Hill has worked at Safeway stores for 16 years and remembers the adjustment of both staff and customers when plastic shopping bags were introduced and the question, “paper or plastic?” became ubiquitous.
She already has begun to remind customers about the upcoming ban and to reassure them that Safeway sells plastic bags with which to line trash bins and kitty-litter boxes and to pick up dog poop.
“I tell them it’s about reducing waste,” Hill said. “A lot of customers are supportive. It’s all about getting used to change.”
Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305
On Twitter @lthompsontimes


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Hewlett-Packard's new software technology that it claims will revolutionise ecommerce by automating communications between Internet connected devices, will be open source company insiders have revealed exclusively to VNU Newswire.
Developers across the world will be able to use the code for Fremont - due to be launched by HP in San Francisco this week - to create platform independent applications and services for the Fremont environment.
Fremont is a middleware technology that sits between an Internet connected device and an online service provider. Applications possible with Fremont could include software on demand, security, billing and unified messaging all conducted on the fly.
HP decision to make Fremont open source has been driven by its desire to make the technology as widely available as possible. Sun Microsystems was criticised for imposing licensing controls on its Java language, which it eventually lifted late last year.
"We don't want to make the same mistake that Sun made," a company source said.
HP will now be hoping that the developer community embraces Fremont in the same way other open source initiatives, such as Linux and Netscape's Mozilla, have been enthusiastically supported.
Full details of Fremont are being closely guarded by HP and analysts contacted by VNU Newswire were unwilling to offer comment ahead of the launch.
Fremont will form a key part of HP's new Internet 2 strategy, a drive towards providing Internet and ecommerce services. Confirmed to date are partnerships with several Internet portal operators, providing online services to retailers, manufacturers and consumers.
HP also launched an ecommerce hosting service, called Emporium, in Europe last month. The service includes planning, building and hosting a company's Web site. Others deals in areas including security, health monitoring, procurement management and travel are expected to follow.
Source: VNU Newswire
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