text:
Oreos, KitKats Among Other Global Brands Fueling Indonesian Forest Fires
By Hans Nicholas Jong
The makers of Oreo cookies and KitKat chocolate bars are among the companies getting some of their palm oil from producers linked to the fires that have razed large swaths of land in Indonesia, a new report says.
The fires, started mostly to clear land for planting, have burned 8,578 square kilometers (3,304 square miles) as of the end of September — an area the size of Puerto Rico. Many of the companies on whose concessions they've occurred are affiliated with groups that supply palm oil to companies like Mondelēz, Nestlé, Unilever and Procter & Gamble (P&G), according to the report published Nov. 4 by Greenpeace.
Many of the companies involved across the supply chain have made sustainability pledges that commit them to not sourcing palm oil from growers linked to deforestation and/or burning. The new findings show they've clearly fallen short, said Annisa Rahmawati, a Greenpeace Indonesia senior forest campaigner.
"Companies have created a facade of sustainability," she said. "But the reality is that they source from the very worst offenders across the board. The companies responsible for the fires and those who financially benefit from them should be held accountable for these environmental atrocities and the devastating health impacts caused by the fires."
Land burning in an oil palm concession owned by PT Agro Tumbuh Gemilang Abadi (ATGA).
Elviza Diana / Mongabay-Indonesia
The report first looks at the plantation companies with the highest number of fires on their concessions between January and September this year, the largest areas of burned land on their concessions between 2015 and 2018, and/or those that have been sanctioned for fires.
Greenpeace identified 30 such groups, 21 of which are current members of the leading certification body for ethical sourcing of the crop, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The RSPO has a strict "no burning" and "no deforestation" policy for its members.
Greenpeace then looked at whether the palm oil produced by these groups was present in the supply chains of major brands and traders. It found that all 30 of the palm oil producer groups most closely linked with the fires in Indonesia trade in the global market, supplying to leading consumer goods companies.
Four household names — Mondelēz, Nestlé, Unilever and P&G — are each linked to up to 10,000 fire hotspots, as they buy from palm oil producer groups with the highest numbers of fire hotpots in 2019. Mondelēz and Nestlé, the respective producers of Oreo and KitKat, among other brands, buy from 28 of these groups. Unilever buys from at least 27, and P&G from at least 22, according to Greenpeace.
These big brands also source from companies with legal problems or that are currently under public investigation for fires. Unilever, for instance, is supplied by eight plantation companies with court actions or sanctions against them, and 20 companies whose operations have been sealed for investigation as a result of the 2019 fires, according to the report.
Major palm oil traders are also still getting some of their supply from producers linked to the burning.
Wilmar, the world's largest palm oil trader, for example, is supplied by palm oil groups responsible for more than 1,400 square kilometers (540 square miles) of burned land between 2015 and 2018 and nearly 8,000 fire hotspots in 2019 to date.
Burned area in oil palm concession owned by PT ATGA.
Elviza Diana / Mongabay-Indonesia
Greenpeace's Annisa said burning-linked palm oil was being allowed to circulate through the global supply web because of weaknesses in the respective companies' monitoring of their supplies' provenance.
Some of the consumer goods companies failed to identify palm-fruit processing mills that were on their supplier lists as belonging to producer groups that they had in fact already banned. For instance, both Nestlé and Unilever's supply chain disclosures still show supply chain links to mills owned by Salim Ivomas Pratama, a member of Indonesia's Salim Group.
In a response to Greenpeace, Nestlé said that since April 2018, following a supply chain mapping process, "several mills have been suspended or otherwise removed. This includes ten upstream supply chain companies published on our website, like the Korindo Group and Salim. This underscores our commitment to achieving deforestation-free supply chains."
Unilever said it had "suspended sourcing from six of the indirect suppliers identified in the Greenpeace tables. These are: Austindo Nusantara Jaya [ANJ]; Best Agri Plantation; Citra Borneo Indah [SSMS]; Jaya Agra Wattie; Salim Group …; Sungai Budi/Tunas Baru Lampung. These six suspended groups are no longer in our Supply Chain and will not appear in the next scheduled update to our mill list."
However, they failed to attribute Salim Ivomas Pratama mills as belonging to the Salim Group, according to the report.
Nestlé says "Salim Ivomas Pratama isn't one group with Salim Group. But they're clearly one group," Annisa said. "This is amazing because it means [the brands] aren't aware of what's happening at the level of traders and producers. So most of them don't know. They just believe what they've been told by their suppliers."
This is also happening with traders such as Cargill, Annisa said.
Cargill's grievance tracker states that as of May 2018, Indofood, an arm of the Salim Group, is no longer in its supply chain. However, Cargill's most recent supply chain disclosure reveals purchases from "Gunta Samba" mills, which are part of the Salim Group but not classified as such by Cargill.
Greenpeace identified 332 fire hotspots within the concessions associated with the Salim Group (including subsidiaries IndoAgri, Indofood and IndoGunta) between January and September this year, and 78 square kilometers (30 square miles) of burned area from 2015 to 2018. Plantation company PT Kebun Ganda Prima, which had its concessions sealed off by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry this year, is also identified by Greenpeace as belonging to the Salim Group.
The Salim Group declined to respond to Greenpeace's fire hotspot and burn scar data on the grounds that "your information and data is neither specific nor detailed," according to the report.
A patrolling team hired by oil palm company PT ATGA to douse fires in the concession.
Elviza Diana / Mongabay Indonesia
Defining Producer Groups
Exposure to producer groups with links to environmental and social violations is common among big brands, but difficult to trace, the report says.
"[A]s a result of serious transparency failings, much of this exposure is not made explicit in their public supply chain disclosures, which require painstaking analysis to reveal the full extent of the companies' links to fires, deforestation, and human exploitation," it says.
This is in part because there's still disagreement over how producer groups are defined, Annisa said, even as many consumer goods brands and traders state that their sustainability policies are intended to apply to entire producer groups.
She said the definition should extend beyond formal parent-subsidiary corporate relationships because a large segment of the plantation industry, especially in Southeast Asia, has always been controlled by complex conglomerates owned by individuals and families.
Therefore, a group definition should take into account not only common ownership but also shared financial, managerial and/or operational control, Annisa said.
"So the definition of a group isn't firm yet, it's very elastic," she said. "But it's clear that if there's shared managerial and financial control, then it's a group. We also found many companies with the same addresses. Don't we include these companies in one group? So the definition of producer group has to be revised. Otherwise, companies can evade their responsibilities repeatedly."
Smoke rises from an oil palm plantation on a peatland in Sumatra.
Rhett A. Butler / Mongabay
‘No Business on a Dead Planet’
Annisa said there was an urgent need for drastic transformation in the palm oil industry, especially as the fires in Indonesia were contributing significantly to carbon emissions and hence climate change.
According to data from the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED), this year's fires have released an estimated 465 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent as of Oct. 22 — almost the entire total greenhouse gas emissions of the U.K. in a year.
"If the forests are gone, we can't do anything," Annisa said. "This is what [the companies] fail to realize. We all know that there's no business on a dead planet."
Reposted with permission from our media associate Mongabay.
- Major Brands Source Palm Oil From Illegal Plantation Inside ... ›
- Indonesian Journalists Critical of Illegal Palm Plantation Found Dead ›
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
A herdsman in the Chinese autonomous region of Inner Mongolia was diagnosed with the bubonic plague Sunday, The New York Times reported.
- Plagues Follow Bad Leadership in Ancient Greek Tales - EcoWatch ›
- Black Death Is Back! Two Cases of Plague Confirmed in China ... ›
By Matt Kasson, Brian Lovett and Carolee Bull
Home gardening is having a boom year across the U.S. Whether they're growing their own food in response to pandemic shortages or just looking for a diversion, numerous aspiring gardeners have constructed their first raised beds, and seeds are flying off suppliers' shelves. Now that gardens are largely planted, much of the work for the next several months revolves around keeping them healthy.
Start With Prevention
Just as preventive steps like maintaining a balanced diet help keep humans healthy, home growers can take many actions to help their gardens thrive.

One key step is assessing soil fertility – the ability of soil to sustain plant growth – which can vary widely depending on your location and soil type. Low soil fertility limits food production and predisposes plants to disease and pests. University extension soil testing labs can help evaluate the quality of garden soil and identify nutrient deficiencies and acidic soils, often at no charge.

Using weed barrier landscape cloth for planting rows and mulching between rows is an effective way to suppress weeds. Matt Kasson, CC BY-ND
Diagnosing Problems
Common plant pathogens include viruses, bacteria, nematodes, oomycetes and fungi. All of these microorganisms, especially at an early stage of infection, are too small to see. But when they proliferate, they cause changes in plants that we can recognize.

Unlike insects, which move around on six legs or on wings through the air, pathogens can move unseen and unchecked from leaf to leaf on the wind, through the soil or in droplets of water. Some microbes have even formed intimate relationships with insects and use them as vehicles to move from plant to plant, which makes these pathogens even more challenging to manage. Unfortunately, by the time some pathogens make their presence known, the damage is already done.

We recently conducted a Twitter poll of gardeners nationwide to find out which culprits plagued their gardens. People named aphids, squash vine borers, squash bugs and flea beetles as the most problematic insect pests. Their most troublesome pathogens included powdery mildew, tomato bacterial wilt and cucurbit downy mildew.

To manage such perennial challenges, the first step is to spend time closely looking at your plants. Do you notice any insects consistently hanging around, or molds colonizing leaves or other plant parts? How about symptoms such as blight, stunting, or leaves that are yellowing, browning or wilting?

This white fungal growth is an early sign of powdery mildew on a leaf of susceptible summer squash. Matt Kasson, CC BY-ND
- 5 Ways to Make Your Garden Regenerative - EcoWatch ›
- How to Make your House and Garden More Tranquil - EcoWatch ›
- Gardening in Hard Times Has Deep History - EcoWatch ›
By Emma Charlton
The effects of climate change may more far-reaching than you think.
Hotter temperatures have been linked to a rise in energy poverty, with more people struggling to meet their energy bills from their household income, according to a new study published on ScienceDirect by researchers from Italy's Ca' Foscari University.
Value of air conditioning imports in selected OECD countries. ScienceDirect
The ‘Golden Thread’
The Global Commission to End Energy Poverty calls access to energy the "golden thread" that weaves together economic growth, human development, and environmental sustainability. And one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

Sustainability also has a large role to play in the future of energy and failing to embed green policies in COVID-19 stimulus packages and underinvesting in green infrastructure are current risks, according to the World Economic Forum.

In its vision for a 'Great Reset' – building a better world after the pandemic – the Forum and the IMF jointly backed the transition to a green economy and called for an end to fossil fuel subsidies.

As if the surging cases of coronavirus weren't enough for Floridians to handle, now the state's Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that a person in the Tampa area tested positive for a rare brain-eating amoeba, according to CBS News. The Florida DOH posted a warning to residents to remind them of the dangers of the rare single-celled amoeba that attacks brain tissue.
Scientists are urging the WHO to revisit their coronavirus guidance to focus more on airborne transmission and less on hand sanitizer and hygiene. John Lund / Photodisc / Getty Images
The World Health Organization (WHO) is holding the line on its stance that the respiratory droplets of the coronavirus fall quickly to the floor and are not infectious. Now, a group of 239 scientists is challenging that assertion, arguing that the virus is lingering in the air of indoor environments, infecting people nearby, as The New York Times reported.
- Summer Heat Won't Kill the Coronavirus, New Study Says - EcoWatch ›
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Along the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico, oysters live in coastal estuaries where saltwater and freshwater meet and mix.
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- 'Dead Zone' Predicted for Gulf of Mexico ›
- The Gulf Oyster Situation Is Very Bad, But There's Hope - EcoWatch ›
Scores of people remained stranded in southern Japan on Sunday after heavy rain the day before caused deep flooding and mudslides that left at least 34 people confirmed or presumed dead.
Care Home Inundated
Altogether 16 residents at an elderly care home in Kuma Village are presumed dead after the facility was flooded by water and mud.

Fifty-one other residents have been rescued by boats and taken to hospitals for treatment, officials said.

Eighteen other people elsewhere have been confirmed dead, while more than a dozen others were still missing as of Sunday afternoon.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said many others were still waiting to be rescued from other inundated areas.

Hitoyoshi City was also badly affected by flooding, as rains in the prefecture exceeded 100 millimeters (4 inches) per hour at their height.

More Rain Forecast
The disaster in the Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island is the worst natural catastrophe since Typhoon Hagibis in October last year, which cost the lives of 90 people.

Although residents in Kumamoto prefecture were advised to evacuate their homes following the downpours on Friday evening into Saturday, many people chose not to leave for fear of contracting the coronavirus.

Officials say, however, that measures are in place at shelters to prevent the transmission of the disease.

More rain is predicted in the region, and the Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of the danger of further mudslides.

- 900,000 Forced to Evacuate Due to Flooding in Japan - EcoWatch ›
- Typhoon Slams Into Flood-Ravaged Japan - EcoWatch ›
- Historic Floods in Japan Kill More Than 100, Force Millions to Flee ... ›


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14 Mar Grinding and Overheating: Are Problems Emerging for the Fujifilm X100V?
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This year, Fujifilm has released two exceptionally good APS-C cameras. In my view, these are the best crop sensor cameras currently on the market. As more and more people get their hands on these cameras, problems relating to overheating seem to be surfacing with the Fujifilm X100V.
[ Read More ]
Grinding and Overheating: Are Problems Emerging for the Fujifilm X100V? posted on Fstoppers on .
Read the full article on FstoppersHome

domain: news


text:
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s senior VP of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, said at an Education Event last year, “Education is in Apple’s DNA.” Apple broke its own sales records in the education in 2012. The popularity of the iPad with students and instructors helped Apple break its own education market sales records in 1012.
Students Fast Adopting Tablets and Smartphones
According to a recent national survey, access to mobile technology in the classroom has more than tripled among high schools students in the past three years — and even more interesting, parents say they are more likely to purchase a mobile technology device for their child if it’s for classroom use.
Use of tablets and smartphones by K-12 students has hit 50%, according to an analysis released in October, 2012 at the Wireless EdTECH conference by Blackboard and Project Tomorrow. The report, “Learning in the 21st Century: Taking it Mobile!” found the 50% of high schoolers and 40% of middle schoolers use smartphones or tablets on a regular basis. In November, more than 500 educators attended the iPad Summit hosted by Ed Tech Teacher at Harvard Medical School.
With iPad Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Revolutionizes Education System
Apple is best equipped to take advantage of the K-12 tablet market. It has quietly worked with schools to develop tools for successful classroom use and to improve the manageability and delivery of custom content and applications. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) offers extensive training and support for educators, and the iPad Mobile Learning Lab is a charging cart designed for classroom sets of tablets.
The latest iPad technology has been of great help for the devices in automating the classroom processes as well as in implementing new learning methods that were left unexplored earlier. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s move could greatly enhance the ability of educators to create custom instructional content for the iPad, especially in math and the sciences.
Mathematical typesetting for ebooks of all types has been a source of enormous pain for as long as ebooks have been around, but Apple has just made it easy. The newly released update to the iBooks authoring app allows text to be created in three forms widely used for mathematical typesetting, LaTeX, MathML, and MathType.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPad vs. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s Nexus
This is obviously the question many are asking, because the iPad is the de facto choice for many schools. And the reality is that the hardware, specs, and price make the Nexus a viable, perhaps a better, option if only looking from that perspective.
But Google does not appear to be taking on a leadership role in education. The company is promoting Chromebooks for educational use, but not Android. While the Google apps for education suite shows a tremendous commitment to education, Google’s education focus with the Nexus and the ecosystem wrapped around it is nowhere near Apple’s heavy education focus with the iPad and its ecosystem.
Apple’s iPad vs. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s Surface
Microsoft might have a shot in education with its new tablets, but an obscure technical decision will limit their appeal. One of the big attractions of Windows, at least to school system IT departments, is the ability to manage devices centrally, including deploying software and locking down systems. But Windows RT devices, including the Surface and other tablets based on ARM processors, are not able to join Windows Active Directory domains.


text:
3 insights into bottled-water preferences
from CSP Daily New
More than three out of five Americans (63 percent) say bottled water (still and/or sparkling) is among their most preferred beverages, followed closely by coffee (62 percent), according to a new national survey. Fewer Americans (58 percent) say soft drinks (regular and/or diet) are among their most preferred drinks.
7701 Las Colinas Blvd., Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063


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Call of Duty: Mobile has amassed a massive number of downloads in a period of eight months. This is according to new a report from SensorTower that has gathered data on its number of downloads before.
Just to highlight its early success, Call of Duty: Mobile reached a total of 100 million downloads in its first week post global launch. That was when it released back in October of 2019. Its numbers are much higher than that now, though it's definitely taken some time to get there.
Still, Call of Duty: Mobile has shown that it's a force to be reckoned with. All the while having no problem outpacing other top games in the shooter genre, like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile.
Call of Duty: Mobile has now passed 250 million downloads globally
In the past eight months since Call of Duty: Mobile was released globally, it's garnered a rather very large player base.
Since November it has reached 250 million downloads. Compared to PUBG Mobile, the next closest game by download numbers at 236 million, that's an increase of 14 million downloads. Call of Duty: Mobile was able to do it in the exact same eight-month window too.
PUBG Mobile is no doubt an impressive offering. And a popular one at that. But of the two games developed under Tencent's umbrella, Call of Duty: Mobile definitely seems to win out. At least in terms of the download numbers.
It's likely that PUBG Mobile may still pull in more revenue. Compared to Fortnite, which passed a download number of 78 million in its first eight months according to SensorTower, Call of Duty: Mobile has blown by it without looking back.
The Call of Duty franchise has never been stronger
Call of Duty has an extremely popular franchise since long before it ever came to mobile. But with Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Mobile being released last year, followed by Call of Duty Warzone, the series appears to be stronger than it's ever been.
With just Call of Duty: Mobile alone, Activision-Blizzard has raked in a total of $327 million in global players spending since the game was released.
No doubt a large amount of that money has come from the game's often abhorred crate and lucky draw systems. Which are more less gambling mechanics that give players a paltry chance at getting a cool skin for one of the weapons, items, or characters in-game.
Nevertheless, players have continued to spend. Although, Activision has started to introduce a more accepted micro transaction system with the bundles. These are sort of like the ones you'll find in Call of Duty Modern Warfare.
You pay a set price ranging from 600 to 2,400 CoD points for a guaranteed collection of items. This is how it works in Modern Warfare. The only difference is that there are usually a lot more bundles available at any given time compared to its mobile counterpart. And they're a lot cooler.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty: Mobile puts all of its best gear behind the lucky draw. Which can cost upwards of $200 USD if your RNG is terrible and you don't get what you want till the last of ten tries.
All that aside, Call of Duty: Mobile is showing no signs of slowing down in terms of popularity. Nor is the Call of Duty franchise in general.


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Realme is prepping a new Q Series that will be launched on October 13. Now a Realme Q Series device has popped up on Chinese regulatory body 3C alongside specifications. Thanks to the listing, we know that the Realme Q series will run on Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11. Interestingly an identical Realme device was recently spotted on AnTuTu.
The Realme device bears the RMX2117 model number, and the listing confirms it will feature 30W fast charging and support 5G. The previous listing has already confirmed the device will come equipped with a 6.5-inch LCD display with FHD+ resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio. Furthermore, the device will be backed by a 4,900mAh battery and will be available in silver, black, blue, and grey.
Camera options on the Realme device include a 48MP primary sensor with an 8MP ultrawide sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. Powering the device is a 2.4GHz octa-core CPU paired with 4GB or 6GB of RAM. On the storage front, you get to choose between 64GB and 128GB of internal storage. Previously, Realme had scored 520,000 on AnTuTu, which means the Q Series might be a premium offering. The listing also revealed Realme Q would be powered by Snapdragon 765. However, the benchmark score and SoC details do not match. Realme is expected to pull the wraps from Q Series on October 13. Stay tuned for more details on Realme’s new Q lineup. The company recently unveiled Realme Narzo 20 Series.


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Evidently, Seattle has a lot of hometown pride in Amazon’s Kindle Fire. That, or CEO Jeff Bezos has been particularly generous in gifting the low-end tablet to local friends and neighbors.
According to Jumptap’s November survey of ad requests on its mobile ad network, an estimated one out of every 124 Seattle residents owns a Kindle Fire. That’s about double the number in San Francisco, where an estimated one in 249 residents has a Fire. And it’s significantly more than any other major city that Jumptap surveyed (Denver: 1 in 260; Atlanta: 1 in 263; Washington, D.C.: 1 in 292). That said, one in 124 isn’t as large a number as it sounds. Seattle’s current population is about 563,374, so one Kindle Fire per 124 residents amounts to only about 4,543 Fires sold there.
Another noteworthy data point: A lot of those Fire-using Seattleites live in close proximity to Amazon. Twenty percent of the Fire traffic Jumptap observed on its network during November originated from within one mile of Amazon headquarters.
Not all that surprising, I suppose. Amazon employs a lot of people in Seattle, and it’s certainly plausible that a fair number of them might be using the Fire, whether it be for testing or personal use.
In any event, the Fire appears to be doing well in Jumptap’s assessment. Traffic from the device on its network grew 270 percent in November.
“The Kindle Fire made a bigger splash than many were expecting,” Jumptap CMO Paran Johar told AllThingsD. “Its success may cannibalize larger device players like Apple in the future, and we’ll most likely see tablets at lower price points come from those players in the next year.”


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The Rascal Rabbit Is Back: SEAL-M Pre-Registration Opens Today!
Rascal Rabbit and other SEAL monsters are back — and they are
cuter than ever!
A new adventure awaits all gamers alike as SEAL-M, an MMORPG classic, returns —and is better than ever. Starting today, March 9, SEAL IP fans and MMORPG lovers can start pre-registering and wait to be transported to the amazing world of Shiltz. Players can explore new content, try out its unique upgraded “combo system,” and get hit by a wave of nostalgia with familiar faces and whimsical monsters such as Afro Tree and Rascal Rabbit.
Ragnarok Origin Reaches 500,000 Pre-Registrations
Ambassador to make its debut appearance soon
The classic game is back! Gravity Game Hub’s Ragnarok Online sequel MMORPG Ragnarok Origin officially reached the milestone of 500,000 pre-registrations. More pre-registration rewards will soon be unlocked, adventurers can visit the official website to gather more information. In addition, Gravity Game Hub also released new content on the pet system and social interaction activities. Stay tuned to our game ambassador debut appearance!
Upcoming Event: The First Philippine GameDev Expo (PGDX)
An event that bring together the best and brightest in the game development community will be coming soon as CBZN Perspective, in cooperation with the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP), presents the Philippine GameDev Expo, the Philippines’ first GAME DEVELOPMENT EXPO (PGDX).
It’s time to put our game developers on showcase as PGDX brings you the platform that solidifies the talent of Filipino and global developers to the world in the biggest gathering of games this 2023.
Join the Hype Train: StreetBallers Pre-Registration is Now Open!
Pre-register now and get exclusive rewards!
PlayPark Inc. has formally announced their newest mobile game called PlayPark StreetBallers. This mobile game will be available for both Android and Apple devices from their respective app stores and will be open to players in the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
In PlayPark StreetBallers, you build up your roster of players and get up close and personal when calling the shots. Each player you unlock via quest reward or recruited from the Shop comes with unique skills and cool animations. You can level up skills and abilities to make the ultimate dream team customized to how you want it.
2023 opened up with an event that called on everyone to gear up and enhance their gaming experience at GEFORCE DAYS, held last January 13 to 15 at SM North Cyberzone Activity Center. With quality items at big discounts of up to 30% off on participating NVIDIA GeForce, techies and gamers everywhere had a bonanza of products and upgrades. Not only that, attendees were treated to many attractions like gaming booths, displays, freebies, contests, and even an exciting cosplay competition.
arkadymac.com is a media partner for the event, and helping us cover the event was our Correspondent Sabthulhu as Zero Two from DARLING in the FRANXX.
Upcoming Event: GeForce Days at SM North EDSA Cyberzone
2023 opens up with an event that calls on everyone to gear up and enhance their gaming experience this year. Get quality items with BIG DISCOUNTS! Up to 30% OFF on participating NVIDIA GeForce® products, and get your upgrades on January 13-15, 2023, at GEFORCE DAYS, to be held at SM North Cyberzone Activity Center, Annex.
NVIDIA GeForce Philippines, together with PC EXPRESS – the leading computer retailer in the Philippines is announced to power up the incoming GEFORCE DAYS event.


text: Now is the time to get in on the ground floor and build a company that will last, but differentiate yourself with a quality product that stands out from the crowd. "This industry has been more or less illegal for the past century," said Slovik. "At this point, there's major, major momentum. Many people are trying to break in, so don't follow the herd. You want to be a leader." The key to gaining a competitive advantage with staying power in the CBD industry is to develop a high-quality product that will withstand the coming scrutiny of both regulators and educated consumers. If you want to differentiate yourself from other CBD businesses, it's key to provide third-party lab testing results to validate the quality of your product, Slovik said.


text:
Update: AMD Board Approves Acquisition of ATI, Bankers Confirm
July 22, 2006 12:20 AM
comment(s) - last by
Reports claim a $5.6B deal is about to close on an unprecedented merger
According to a report in
The Globe and Mail
board of directors at AMD has allegedly approved the takeover of Canadian graphics firm ATI Technologies
. The report claims that the information was released by an investment banker that was part of the discussions. According to other sources, AMD executives were also seen at ATI's headquarters in Markham, Ontario. The report indicated that AMD is considering a
$5.6 billion takeover bid for ATI
Speculation and rumors have run rampant over the last several months about the possible merger between AMD and ATI, but no concrete details have been revealed. According to reports on ATI's share prices, the company's shares have been trading at double the usual volume today. Analysts said that AMD would be making an offer of 20 to 40 percent premium to ATI's current share price. ATI shares traded at $16.12 on the NASDAQ today during after hours, which is up 39 cents from yesterday's closing.
has also picked up on the story
, claiming that "Some analysts have questioned the rationale for an AMD-ATI merger, and others were surprised that the speculation received no attention from analysts during AMD's earnings conference call on Thursday."
had punched in for question during the
investor conference call on Thursday
, but a moderator would not respond.
According to Eric Gomberg, an analyst for investment bank Thomas Weisel Partners, "there has been considerable industry speculation that AMD may pursue an acquisition of ATI Technologies, although such an outcome is by no means certain." Gomberg's comment came in earlier this week, but word circulating around investment bankers who are aware of the talks between ATI and AMD surfaced just several hours ago.
Recent reports indicated that Intel roadmaps
no longer included ATI chipsets
. Although Intel had been producing motherboards using ATI logic, upcoming boards like those that support Core 2 processors are void of any chipset from ATI. Interestingly, ATI and Intel had agreed to several cross-licensing programs that allowed them to take advantage of some of each other's technologies. Several analysts however, indicated that the merger between AMD and ATI to be "out of strategy for AMD and out of focus. Stupidity is no barrier to tech mergers."
A report in the
Wall Street Journal confirms the talks between AMD and ATI
(subscription required) today. Although the deal is not final, the report said that representatives from both companies declined to comment.
AMD has previously indicated that it would embrace embedded processor technologies for its
platform -- some of which would include
math and physics co-processors
. However, the company has recently
exited all non-x86 processor design
AMD and ATI jointly announced the confirmation of the $5.4B merger today (July 24, 2006)
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
7/24/2006 3:34:51 AM
This merger is not about desktop users, but rather the very lucrative server market. Intel makes a killing selling servers that have an Intel processor, Intel graphics, and Intel motherboard. This is what AMD wants.
"I'm an Internet expert too. It's all right to wire the industrial zone only, but there are many problems if other regions of the North are wired." -- North Korean Supreme Commander Kim Jong-il
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With growth in book sales during the Covid-19 pandemic, authors share their views on what to expect from Black Friday
Brazil is the second country where the most talked about Black Friday on Twitter, according to a survey of the platform itself; in addition, os dados afirmam que 47% of people would buy books, comics and magazines during the event. With the growth of book sales during the Covid-19 pandemic and the considerable data shared by the social network, authors created expectations with this year's action.
After major complications caused by the pandemic in Brazil, the publishing market has been showing consistent growth in the last months, according to the 11th Book Retail Panel in Brazil 2020. On 17 of the November National Book Publishers Syndicate (SNEL) and the Nielsen announced the growth of the market, being 25% in volume and 22% in value of books sold, and, comparing to the same period of 2019.
The president of SNEL, Marcos da Veiga Pereira, stated that: “The recent discussion on book taxation has had a positive impact on the industry. Society's reaction, represented by the petition #DefendaOLivro, ended up reflected in consumption. Clearly the Brazilian is reading more during the pandemic. ”
With positive data for a segment that has suffered a major crisis for years, national authors found high hopes of selling many copies during Black Friday in 2020.
Autores nacionais de diferentes gêneros literários
In the last 14 years only gospel books grew in sales within the publishing market, and it warms the heart of Larissa Pessoa, author of "If it weren't for your love" and "Perfect love", two Christian works published by Grupo Editorial Coerência. In an interview, she stated: “I believe that my stories are led by God, simply because it is a divine mission, and I hope that during Black Friday more people can be blessed by the narratives. ”
On the other hand, authors fleeing the Christian line find other ways to gain reach during Black Friday, whether in optimism or humor. This is the case of Andrew Oliveira and Maurizio Ruzzi, two authors with books published by Skull Editora.
In an interview, Andrew said he remains optimistic about the event and on his social networks he plays with memes. Already Maurizio Ruzzi works with humor and ironic: “I am multiplying my prices by 10. So I can give 80% discount".
All work with literary works of different genres, and through Black Friday discounts they look for different ways to reach new audiences.
The situation of national authors living outside Brazil
The writer Telma Brites disse em entrevista que é muito difícil vender livros na Alemanha, country that lives there 11 years. According to her, “Brazilians who live in international territory are not usually interested in works written by nationals. Therefore, I prefer to participate in biennials and literary events in Brazil, the results are better, even Black Friday. ”
Biomedical Vanessa Guimaraes saiu de Portugal e chegou recentemente no Brasil para o lançamento de "Butterfly kiss", your debut book. Only with pre-sale readers did the author manage to be one of the best sellers in Grupo Editorial Coerência during the month of October, and believes that Black Friday will be fundamental for its copies to reach the hands of new people: “Despite the recommendation of social isolation through the Covid-19 pandemic, I believe that I need to be in Brazil to have a better contact, even if digital, with my readers. If no, I will be forgotten very easily. ”
On the other hand, Aline Silvestri, who also lives in Portugal, manages to stand out on Wattpad with his stories published on the online platform, mas se empenha na divulgação do seu primeiro livro físico chamado “Angel’s Blood” que entrou em pré-venda esta semana. In addition, the author also believes that she will sell many copies of the anthologies she participated in. Ela e Vanessa Guimaraes têm pretensões de também atuar no mercado editorial português.
The big bets of e-books
E-books brought great changes to the publishing market. With the ease of launching a digital book through Amazon, many authors are preparing their own work and launching on the platform.
This is the case of Rachel Fernandes, that in just 2 days sold more than 1.250 e-books, e a de Natalia Moreno que costuma lançar contos com uma frequência significante pela Amazon.
In an interview, both stated that the flexibility of e-books tends to conquer the publishing market: "I believe that e-books have everything to win not only this year's Black Friday, but most of the trade dates ”, reinforced Rachel.
Beginners get ready for the first Black Friday
Os autores que estão iniciando no mercado editorial se preparam para a primeira Black Friday e a maioria acredita ser um momento muito oportuno para divulgar e vender os exemplares. Paula Barros lançou seu livro no início do ano, but only in November did he have the opportunity to hold a launch event: “I’m full of news for my current and future readers, my story is quite complete and due to the Covid-19 pandemic I was a little hampered by sales, but I believe that now everything will flow, Black Friday has a great power in the literary world. ”
Some beginning authors will no longer be able to participate in the event, as Luís Cláudio Pereira, which recently reached the crowdfunding goal it opened for the launch of “América Latina 2051”. The books of the first edition will be sent to the readers who collaborated with the project and others 200 will be donated to libraries in Latin America. However, the writer stated in an interview: “As I am new to the business, during this Black Friday I will analyze how discounts work and how the public interacts with promotions, i can't sell, but I can gain knowledge and experience. ”
Book production in Brazil has not kept up with the same growth as book sales, but also suffered no damage. A RenovaGraf, a graphics company dedicated to literary works from São Paulo, reported that during the Covid-19 pandemic he adapted to the new reality and managed to maintain production flow, and stressed that demand is gradually increasing.


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Another Useful Hidden Feature of iOS 9 Discovered
At this year’s WWDC, Apple made a string of announcements about its future. Especially Apple iOS 9 was seen to be a major overhaul. The company showed off the software’s multitasking feature, low power mode and Siri’s Proactive mode. However, Apple didn’t disclose many fresh apps and exciting features, which make its OS all the more seamless.
According to a new report, iOS 9 can delete apps temporarily to accommodate software updates. If the operating system is short of storage, it will prompt the user to temporarily delete the apps before installing the updates. After updates have been installed, iOS 9 will automatically re-install those apps.
The feature was discovered by developers who installed the new beta version of iOS 9, as per a report by 9to5Mac. According to the report, the data will remain intact.
One of the main criticisms of iOS 8 was the amount of exorbitant space it took for installing updates. To make up for it, Apple announced at 2015 WWDC that the new iOS would only require only 1.35 GB of space, a huge improvement from iOS 8, which used 5.5 GB. The announcement was a relief to the iPhone users who use the 16 GB variant.
With iOS 9, Apple is making efforts to utilize the storage space. At WWDC, Apple mentioned that developers will be able to “thin” their apps, freeing up more storage for media and other content.


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Currently, the European sugar quota system limits isoglucose production to 5% of the total EU sugar quota, effectively limiting production and access to the sweetener. But in 2017 the limit is set to be lifted, opening the market to isoglucose, also known as glucose-fructose syrup, or high fructose corn syrup in North America.
In the United States, the sweetener is mainly produced from corn, and accounts for about half the total sweetener market. In Europe, some isoglucose is also produced from wheat, but corn for grain production is on the rise.
The report, from non-profit agricultural organisation Agribenchmark, suggests that from an economic standpoint, isoglucose is likely to be a very competitive product in Europe. However, considering that only about 30% of the current sugar market would be able to switch to isoglucose for technical reasons, the sugar industry may be able to retain its market share.
For sugar users, there could be big savings associated with using isoglucose, and the ingredient is more easily incorporated into many formulations, providing another incentive to switch.
“Considering recent sugar prices and total cost estimates for isoglucose, isoglucose will be a very attractive product for current industrial sugar users; in particular those who are already using liquid sugar,” the report said, adding that sugar producers are likely to do everything they can to prevent users from switching.
“The sugar industry has to assume that such a step will be very hard – or even impossible – to reverse,” it said.
In order to compete with the cheaper production costs of isoglucose, the sugar industry would have to reduce its profit margins by 40%, the report said – but only in the 25% to 30% of the sugar market in which the two sweeteners compete. In other words, to prevent food manufacturers from switching, sugar suppliers might be tempted to offer users lower prices to continue using sugar.
“Whether the sugar industry will be able and ready to do so remains to be seen,” it said.
Speaking to FoodNavigator in August last year, managing director of the European Starch Industry Association Jamie Fortescue said it was difficult to predict demand for isoglucose in the coming years, “but if you look at Japan it’s up to 20% [of the market], and that’s certainly conceivable in the EU”.


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AB Ventures, the independent Corporate Venture Capital arm of Arab Bank – the largest Jordanian Bank and one of the leading financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa – took part in the $31M strategic capital raise for startup Veem. Investing alongside AB Ventures in the MENA region is Amman-based Venture Capital firm DASH Ventures. This investment will go towards the development of a robust channel partner program to widen Veem’s geographic footprint. As the company focuses on scaling, Veem is also committed to further improving and expanding its product suite and capabilities.
Discover more than 720 Fintech startups on MAGNiTT
Marwan Forzley, CEO of Veem said, “This funding round marks an important milestone for the company, putting us in an ideal position to build out our channel partner program and prepare for Veem’s next stage of global growth. Our channel partner network serves as our vehicle to better commercialize our product offering and further expand upon our market development efforts.”
Aimed at revolutionizing international money transfers for businesses, Veem is helping its growing network of over 225,000 customers send and receive money in more than 100 countries. Veem’s proprietary technology combines the best of traditional systems with the flexibility and speed that blockchain technology and digital wallets can provide. Through world-class integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, Veem has built a path for business owners and their accountants to collaborate and build a global network.
“The payment and money transfer vertical has been high on our agenda since day one. Veem stood head and shoulders above its peer group in every aspect; from a value proposition centered on the needs and wants of small businesses and a visionary management team, to its innovative business model and proprietary underlying technology, Veem is a clear category leader in business payments,” said Faisal Hakki, Managing Director of AB Ventures. “We are particularly excited about Veem’s headroom for growth in this multi-trillion dollar (by volume) global payments market made possible by its integrated, cost-effective, and networked multi-rail routing payments engine.”
Omar J. Sati, Managing Director of DASH Ventures added: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with AB Ventures in this inaugural co-investment; Veem stands out as a class leader in the networked business-to-business space. The combination of their innovative networked go-to-market approach, rich product features, and potential channels for future monetization all make for a very compelling proposition both as a technology company and as the latest addition to our growing FinTech portfolio.”
This funding round builds on Veem’s already expansive global investor base, with participants from the United States, China, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, and Jordan. The funding round was led by Truist Ventures, the corporate venture capital division of Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE: TFC) — the 6th largest commercial bank in the U.S. Round participants include MUFG Innovation Partners Co. Ltd., CVC of MUFG, the largest bank in Japan. Existing investors that participated in this round include: GV (formerly Google Ventures), Goldman Sachs, Kleiner Perkins, Silicon Valley Bank, National Australia Bank Ventures, and Trend Forward Capital.
Are you a startup looking for investment? Apply for funding to 85+ investors now.


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Want to join the conversation?
Data analytics company $DNB said it will provide free business credit reports to US companies impacted by Brexit, starting today through July 31. US businesses can have free access to up to $5,000 in business credit reports for companies in the US, Canada and the UK to help them assess creditworthiness and financial stability of business partners.
$NFLX a monster move, going up. Expect making some money on Monday.
$AMD down more than 6% even after posting above consensus third quarter results.
$MCD stock rose more than 2% after it posted better than expected 3Q16 results, driven by global same-store sales growth. Meanwhile, earnings and revenue were lower than last year, hurt by refranchising efforts.


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VeeFriends Launching Vending Machines
VeeFriends announced VeeFriends Vending, a new initiative to expand its intellectual property through collectible toy vending machines.
- Collectible, 1'' rubber toys
- 10 unique characters per season, launching Season 1 and 2 (total of 20 characters)
- Partnership with Scott Jochim, founder of SqwishLand and Brand Vending Products
- Do not need to own a VeeFriend NFT to participate
- Package options of 1, 5, 10, and 50 machines
VeeFriends Vending aims to make VeeFriends more accessible and visible by offering IP expansion through collectible rubber toys commonly seen in store openings. Each season will feature 10 unique characters, with Seasons 1 and 2 launching simultaneously, offering fans a total of 20 distinct characters to collect.
The project is partnering with Scott Jochim, founder and owner of toy vending company SqwishLand and Brand Vending Products, who has sold over 250 million toys in the vending space.
Retail store owners and operators can apply to feature VeeFriends Vending machines in their locations. Users must apply for a chance to get machines which are expected to ship in September.
Packages start at $750.
❗Why It Matters
VeeFriends Vending is a unique take on IP expansion, differing slightly from the plushy collectibles that the project, and others like Pudgy Penguins have flashed in the past. Perhaps most interestingly, this expansion effort provides web3 participants with an opportunity to actively participate in the upside of the vending machines. On the otherhand, the plush collectible sales only flowed to the VeeFriends corporate equity holder. Aligning incentives with community members is one of the core benefits of web3, and VeeFriends is testing its hand with the vending concept.
💰 Money Talks
According to the FAQ, packages start at $750 and users can expect to earn around 275% on average for the toy investment.
🎬 Take Action
Want to get your own VeeFriends Vending set up? Interested parties should visit https://vending.veefriends.com to learn about available packages and frequently asked questions. For further inquiries, email firstname.lastname@example.org for support.


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Google Chrome operating system will store all your information in 'online cloud' to create super-quick computers
Starting up a computer with new Google software will be as quick as switching on a TV, according to the internet giant.
The company made the bold claim as they unveiled their new Chrome operating system yesterday.
True to Google's online-pedigree, the Chrome OS resembles a web browser more than it does a traditional computer operating system.
The Google Chrome homepage shows your six most visited websites automatically. The code for the operating system was released to outside developers yesterday
A user's files, emails and media
players will all be stored in an online 'cloud' using internet servers.
These big machines will hold the information and send it when needed to relatively uncomplicated devices like a Chrome PC. It enables computers using Chrome to work at a much faster pace.
Google hopes the Chrome OS will challenge the dominance of Microsoft Corp's Windows, which runs on nine out of 10 personal computers.
Google said the software will initially be available in mid-2010 on low-cost netbooks that meet Google's hardware specifications, such as those that only use memory chips to store data. Netbooks running Chrome OS will only be able to run web applications .
Sundar Pichai, vice-president of product management for Google's Chrome OS, said that computers running Chrome OS will be able to start in less than seven seconds.
'From the time you press boot you want it to be like a TV: You turn it on and you should be on the Web using your applications,' Mr Pichai said.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin is shown with his new Droid phone in Mountain View, California. Google showed off their Chrome OS yesterday
But analysts noted that the differences between conventional PCs and
Chrome OS netbooks might give some consumers pause. It is not
compatible with traditional software and has limited offline
'If they view it from the conventional perspective, then it falls short'; said Gartner analyst Ray Valdes.
Analysts have also questioned how users will be able to work if their internet service provider experiences any problems.
Google officials said Chrome OS netbooks will be able to provide some functions when offline, but that the product was primarily designed to be connected to the internet.
They added that all data in Chrome will automatically be housed in the so-called cloud, or on external servers.
If a person loses their netbook, Google Engineering Director Matt Papakipos explained, they can buy a new one, log in and within seconds have a machine with access to all the same data as their previous device.
'What really makes this a cloud device is that all the user data is synced back to the cloud in real time,' said Mr Papakipos.
Google said it is giving away the software for free, similar to its Android smartphone software, with the idea that improving the web experience will ultimately benefit its internet search advertising business.
'They're doing it to get further and further entrenched in whatever people are doing to go online, whether that's a browser, an operating system or in applications,' said analyst Todd Greenwald, from the Signal Hill Group.
The internet giant made the computer code for the Chrome OS available to outside developers yesterday, allowing developers to tinker with the software and potentially design new applications to run alongside it.
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New Technology Blends Online Social Networks and TV
Olympia, London — March 26
Neptuny and TVBLOB announce BLOBwise, the first social TV recommendation system for over-the-top Internet protocol television (IPTV). Based on Neptuny's ContentWise engine, BLOBwise, along with a Telsey BLOBbox radically change what's possible on TV. Users expand their range of content options including EPG, podcasts, pay-per-view VOD and other Internet TV channels and services, plus experience never before possible social interactivity on TV.

"We are very happy to work with Neptuny because of their visionary approach in applying the spirit of the Internet to TV," said Fabrizio Caffarelli, TVBLOB CEO and founder. "They go beyond unidirectional recommendations that are based only on a user's taste and history and integrate new Web 2.0 social media possibilities. In fact, BLOBwise also leverages a user's social networks to provide suggestions of relevant content highlighted by friends and family; privacy is protected by considering just relationships and ignoring sensitive data."

TVBLOB integrated the ContentWise technology in the BLOBbox middleware, making it accessible to a whole new range of TV-centric consumer electronics devices that promise average television viewers new freedom in using their televisions by letting them directly tap into the explosion of content and services available on the Internet.

"Once the richness of Internet arrives directly on TV — and BLOBbox is making this possible — the challenge for users will quickly become how to find and discover what's most relevant and interesting to them," said Fabio Violante, Neptuny CEO. "ContentWise works transparently in the background, processing only relevant data and providing personalized recommendations available on the television screen. It's a great way to streamline the content discovery process and a whole new way to experience TV."

Content recommendation applications that leverage Facebook and BLOBwise are planned to be publicly available this summer. TVBLOB has released a free, open source SDK available at BLOBforge.com, an open source TV development community that lets developers invent new services for TV while using standard web technologies like Java, Ajax, HTML and open Web technologies.

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Costco debuts new grocery delivery service and expands partnership with Instacart
Published 10:19 pm, Thursday, October 5, 2017
Costco is making it easier for customers to buy groceries online and have them delivered to a doorstep.
The Issaquah, Wash.-based grocery giant this week rolled out a new two-day delivery service called CostcoGrocery for customers across the U.S., with the exception of those in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.
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The service offers delivery of non-perishable food and sundries. A $3 delivery fee is waived for orders over $75.
Costco already sold products online, but now it labels items available as part of the new 2-day service with a "CostcoGrocery" logo.
Costco's partnership with Instacart is also expanding, The Puget Sound Business Journal reported, noting that Instacart will offer same-day delivery of both dry and fresh items to more markets and with greater selection.
Instacart, which raised a $400 million investment round earlier this year, charges a $5.99 delivery fee for orders under $35 along with a service fee. Some items are marked up higher than what you'll find in-store. Instacart allows customers to purchase items at Costco without a membership — in fact, I tested this yesterday:
On its grocery delivery FAQ page, Costco encourages shoppers to visit its physical warehouses, noting that prices online are "generally 15 percent to 17 percent higher than warehouse walk-in price."
Selection and delivery are the most expensive part of the online shopping process, as compared to buying in the warehouse. At Costco, we do our best to keep costs to a minimum, but added delivery and other fulfillment costs included in the purchase price and in separate service fees on orders means that items purchased from Costco Same-day will be more expensive than if the same products are purchased at a warehouse.
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Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta will speak at the GeekWire Summit next week in Seattle.
Shares of Costco were down 3 percent in after-hours trading even though the company exceeded earnings expectations and saw online sales rise 13 percent — a key metric to watch, particularly with Amazon's recent $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods.


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A gamer uses a PS4 controller while playing Ubisoft’s new Watch Dogs Legion video game on October 28, 2020.
Kenzo Tribouillard | AFP via Getty Images
Gamers are a notoriously skeptical crowd.
For example, in 2018, Electronic art face to face backlash decided to allow players to pay to unlock certain characters in the game “Star Wars Battlefront II”. Traditionally, players are required to wade through several hours to access such content.
The backlash is so fierce that the last EA back to its plan, which critics describe as a “pay-to-win” model.
The company has launched a platform called Quartz that allows players to own in-game items like helmets in the form of NFTs, digital assets designed to track ownership of unique items. on blockchain. This feature was added to Ubisoft’s “Ghost Recon Breakpoint” game.
The move was met with widespread fury from gamers, who have seen Quartz as money. Some commenters also raised concerns with environmental impact electronic money.
OperatorDrewski, a YouTube channel with over 1 million subscribers, commented: “To me, this is a clear signal that you’re literally squeezing out the Ghost Recon brand while putting minimal effort into the game itself. realistic play.”
While YouTube recently hid the dislikes on its videos, users who downloaded the software to learn about the change were able to find Ubisoft’s trailer for Quartz that has been released. totally don’t like it, with just 1,600 likes and over 40,000 dislikes.
A Ubisoft spokesperson told CNBC that the NFTs available on Quartz are currently free and that the company will not take a cut of any secondary sales.
“Ubisoft Quartz is an experiment,” the spokesperson said.
“Digits,” Ubisoft’s NFT, are “beautiful, playable in-game items that don’t affect gameplay,” the spokesperson added. “In that sense, they are completely optional.”
Addressing environmental concerns, Ubisoft says it is relying on a less energy-intensive cryptocurrency network called Tezos.
Ubisoft isn’t the only game company jumping into the NFT wars.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson speak The phenomenon is “an important part of the future of our industry.” Ukrainian developer GSC Game World wanted to integrate NFT into the upcoming title “STALKER 2”, but has now get rid of the plans Following feedback from fans.
Ubisoft’s demise highlights a divide in the gaming world over non-fungible tokens. Last month, for example, Microsoft Xbox director Phil Spencer has warned of several attempts to bring NFT into video games.”discover. “
“There are definitely some aspects of [NFTs] feeling a little bit of discovery right now with some of these games,” Geoff Keighley, host of The Game Awards, told CNBC on a call ahead of the video game industry. annual awards ceremony, which recently took place.
While Keighley says he likes the idea of game creators generating revenue through royalties from selling NFTs, “what I hope won’t happen is the game becomes a platform that’s just for fun.” for commerce.”
“For me, what I love about games is the world, the story, and the experience within them,” he added. “What I don’t want is for everything to have a transactional feel. It’s like a bit microtransactions, when it was a big TV series for gamers. “
Several crypto startups are betting NFT will play some role in the world of video games. For example, Axie Infinity is a blockchain-based game that allows users to collect and breed creatures known as “Axies” – like “Pokémon” but with NFTs.
Robby Yung, CEO of Animoca Brands, an investor in Sky Mavis, creator of Axie Infinity, said the business model in the gaming sector has changed over the years.
“Historically, games were more premium, meaning you bought cartridges or DVDs or later downloadable files. You paid the price for the game upfront,” he said.
“That has largely shifted to the economic model around the free game. The idea is that it’s free upfront but you have virtual assets inside the game that you get to enhance and improve the gameplay of the game. me.”
Yung said the NFT approach is innovative because it means gamers can now take ownership of the digital assets they purchase in a game. Players can then take those assets outside of the game and redeem it elsewhere. He said the phenomenon reminded him of his childhood.
“If you buy cartridges for your game console and you want a new one but can’t afford it, you’ll sell some of your old games at a thrift store,” Yung said.
“With digital content today, we don’t have that second-hand market. And so now blockchain is allowing that to happen again, where you can get rid of content that you no longer have. care or don’t play anymore.”
However, despite the excitement from some NFTs and the possibility of using them in the game, it is clear that not everyone is on board.
According to George Jijiashvili, principal analyst at Omdia, although NFTs may one day have a place in video games, they are currently still in their “infancy”.
“The rush to provide NFT without a full assessment of it can lead to serious reputational damage,” said Jijiashvili.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/20/cash-grab-or-innovation-the-video-game-world-is-divided-over-nfts.html Get cash or innovate? Video game world divided by NFT


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Nintendo showed a glimpse of the first Mario game coming to Nintendo Switch his morning, as part of its debut of the highly anticipated new console. We know virtually nothing about this title, although we can expect to learn more ahead of Nintendo Switch's March 2017 launch.
We got a very quick look at how the famed plumber looks on the Nintendo Switch. We can't say much about the game yet, but the glimpse we got of Mario looks familiar — a platforming-style single-player adventure.
Someone on GAF did some image stabilization on the Mario Switch footage pic.twitter.com/IHT6dHvCAh— Lewd Proctologist (@LewieP) October 20, 2016
Earlier reports suggested that a new Mario game would be one of the first to arrive to Nintendo Switch, although Nintendo hasn't confirmed the launch titles for the system yet. A new Mario was just one of many games we saw this morning, like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Splatoon, a possible new Mario Kart and others.
As tiny a look as it was, it's one of several details we gleaned from today’s Nintendo Switch reveal trailer. We also finally — finally! — learned the name of the codename NX system, as well as got our first look at the console itself.


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Xiaomi is currently the popular smartphone brand in many countries and in some countries it has beaten the old smartphone players that had sold smartphones for years gaining the no.1 spot. India is an example where Xiaomi beaten the Korean smartphones maker Samsung to gain the first position of popular in the country. Xiaomi has launched a bunch of new smartphone in the past and is now all set to launch yet another new smartphone and the successor to the Xiaomi Mi 5X smartphone called Mi 6X in its official event on April 25 and has released some teasers for the official event on their weibo account.
The Xiaomi Mi 6X was recently seen certified by the Chinese TENAA revealing almost all of the specifications of the device and the design details. According to the TENAA listing of the device, it will feature a 5.99-inch Full HD+ 2.5D curved glass display with 2160×1080 pixels resolution and will be powered by the 2.2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 626 Mobile Platform with Adreno 506 GPU. It is expected to have 4GB of RAM along with 64GB of inbuilt storage capacity and expandable storage up to 128GB with microSD card slot. It will run on the Android 8.1 (Oreo) and will support Hybrid Dual SIMs.
It will carry a dual rear camera with a 20-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, f/2.0 aperture along with a secondary 8-megapixel camera with f/1.8 aperture. It is also going to feature a 20-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture. It comes with a 2910mAh battery and comes with 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz), Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C connectivity options. It also comes with a 3.5mm audio jack and has a fingerprint sensor and an infrared sensor. It measures 158.88×75.54×7.3mm and will weight 166 grams. It will be available with Black, Rose Gold, Gold, White, Blue, Red, Pink, Gray and Silver color options. No details available about its pricing and availability for global world.
The Mi 5X was announced last year with a 5.5-inch Full HD 2.5D curved glass LTPS display, 450nit brightness, 1000:1 contrast ratio and 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, 2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 14nm processor with 650MHz Adreno 506 GPU, 4GB of RAM with 64GB of inbuilt storage (eMMC 5.0) capacity, up to 128GB with microSD card storage, MIUI 8 based on Android 7.1.1 (Nougat), Hybrid Dual SIM slot, a dual rear camera with a 12-megapixel rear camera having wide-angle lens, 1.25μm pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, dual-tone LED flash along with a secondary 12-megapixel camera with telephoto lens, 1.0 μm pixel size, f/2.6 aperture and PDAF, a 5-megapixe front-facing camera, a 3080mAh battery and connectivity options available were 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS + GLONASS and USB Type-C, a fingerprint sensor, an Infrared sensor, audio enhancements features with a 3.5mm audio jack and a dedicated amplifier. The device measures 155.4×75.8×7.3mm and weights 165 grams.


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by Frank Sabatini Jr. Lety Gonzalez of Uptown Tavern grabbed top honors at the seventh annual SoNo Fest Chili Cook-Off, held Dec. 4 at 32nd and Thorn streets. The event featured 40 other chefs competing from local restaurants.Read More
By Ken Williams | Editor
The oh-so-popular SoNo Fest and Chili Cook-Off has rapidly morphed into a spicy smackdown for local chefs seeking big-time bragging rights.
Organizers expect up to 20,000 people will turn out for the seventh annual chili fest from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4, at the intersection of 32nd and Thorn streets.Read More
By Margie M. Palmer It’s no great secret that the Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) knows how to throw a party, and their upcoming event, Taste ‘N Tinis, is no exception. The annual cocktail party will take place on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 4-9 p.m. As in years past, the HBA has partnered with local businesses to offer holiday shoppers a festive treat. For those who haven’t indulged in years past, Taste ‘N Tinis allows participants […]Read More
by Frank Sabatini Jr. Winemaker Emily Bloom asks, “Why should grapes have all the fun?” when citing seven different alternative-fruit wines available for the current soft opening of California Fruit Wine Company’s new tasting room in Hillcrest. The company’s production facility was established several years ago in Carlsbad by siblings Alan and Brian Haghighi for crafting vinos made with pineapples, mangos, pomegranates and cherries. Cranberries have entered into the equation for a seasonal wine that’s […]Read More
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
As we began perusing the menu at Del Sur Mexican Cantina in South Park, our waitress interjected to describe the fare as “Mexican grandmother food with healthy twists.”
After indulging shamelessly in too many butter-laced dishes over Thanksgiving, we took comfort in knowing the frijoles achieve their creaminess from olive oil instead of lard. Seasonal fish that appears in certain items is locally sourced and grilled — no battered, fried stuff from what we could see. And if you come knocking for a salad, the “cantina” medley combines about 10 different veggies with charred panela cheese and citrus vinaigrette.Read More
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
Limes, avocados and fresh fish rule the day at Ceviche House, a brick-and-mortar offshoot to a farmers market venture started a few years ago by Mexico City native Juan Carlos Recamier.
In the absence of a stove and fryer, the ceviches incorporate a variety of raw fish choices in lively constructs inspired by different regions of Mexico and Peru.Read More
By Frank Sabatini Jr. San Diego’s biggest Epicurean event, the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival, has returned for the 13th year with a host of chef-driven dinners, culinary presentations, and wine and beer tastings held at various venues throughout San Diego. It continues until Nov. 20.Read More


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Publisher Ubisoft and developer Ubisoft Montreal have released a trailer for the mobile tactical multiplayer shooter Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Mobile. The video is dedicated to the closed beta test that started today, September 12th.
The trailer for the mobile version of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six demonstrates gameplay for various agents from the game. Close skirmishes, setting up shelters, opening enemy fortifications and much more – it’s all in the fresh visuals from the developers.
If you would like to take part in the closed beta test, you can submit your application directly to us google play. iOS users don’t have this option yet. So far it has been confirmed that the event will be held in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Philippines, Mexico, Singapore and India.
Players who qualify for the Closed Beta will be able to try the following content in action: 16 Operators, a daily quest system, a fighter unlock mechanic, a free Battle Pass, and a Clubhouse map.
Rainbow Six Mobile is expected to be released later this year for iOS and Android. The game will be shareware, the exact release date will be announced later.


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This is your first full look at the 2017 Hyundai Elantra.
Set to debut in the coming weeks, a series of photos of the new Korean compact have hit the web, direct from the assembly-line floor.
Taking styling cues from the new flagship Genesis sedan, there’s no word on what powertrains will be offered in the vehicle. Likely options include those from the new 2016 Tucson, such as a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder making around 175 hp.
Look for the 2017 Hyundai Elantra to officially debut at the LA Auto Show this November.
Discuss this story at our Hyundai Elantra Forum


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Making strides during the first week of a new year and decade, Alicia Keys and Lady Gaga moved up the Billboard 200 on the strength of solid albums. Keys, weeks after the release of her fifth studio album “The Element of Freedom,” remains strong in stores. Moving a reported 80,000 copies, the “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart” featured album jumped one spot to reach no.3 on the chart. While unable to top Susan Boyle, whose hit album “I Dreamed A Dream” earns its sixth week atop the chart, Lady Gaga’s “The Fame Monster” nabs the title of being the week’s biggest sales gainer. “Monster,” featuring the no.1 single “Bad Romance” sold just over 82,000 copies to claim no.2 (up from no.6). In related news, “Stronger With Each Tear,” the latest effort to come from Mary J. Blige, dropped two spots to claim no.4 on the Billboard 200. According to Nielsen Soundscan it sold 62,000 copies.
Since 2005, Singersroom has been the voice of R&B around the world. Connect with us via social media below.View all posts by Singersroom →


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It’s a sign of the times when farmers make more money advocating for the industry on social media than actually farming.
Zach Johnson, who grows corn and soybeans in Minnesota, is known in YouTube circles as MN Millennial Farmer. It’s a role, he says, that’s provided him and his wife, Becky, about five times more in earnings than he can make on the family farm in the last year.
Johnson, 34, became a video blogger three years ago to advocate for growers and the technology they use. Now, he and Becky have about 300,000 subscribers and 50 million views under their belts. Their experience reflects both the depressed state of the rural economy and growing consumer interest in how food is produced.
“Yes, we use GMOs, we use pesticides, drain tiles and irrigation and there are real reasons why we use those things,” Johnson said in an interview. He describes his role as bringing balance to a discussion often dominated by critics of modern farming practices.
The Johnsons aren’t alone online. In rural communities across the U.S., YouTube, a unit of Google, is the most popular social media with 59% of people using it, according to a Pew Research Center survey in 2018.
Reach full, original article: Farmers Earn More From YouTube Than Their Crops


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The news of the next State of Play was revealed as part of a larger promotional push for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Insomniac Games today released a new gameplay trailer featuring new locations, weapons, and mechanics, and revealed that the mysterious new Lombax seem in previous trailers is named Rivet, a character that is a "resistance fighter from another dimension, where organic life is hunted by the evil Emperor Nefarious." You can check out the new trailer for yourself below to see all of the new odds and ends:
Introducing Rivet!— PlayStation (@PlayStation) April 26, 2021
See the mysterious Lombax in action in today’s Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart trailer, then tune in to State of Play on Thursday at 2pm PT for extended gameplay from @insomniacgames – plus updates on a pair of upcoming indie titles: https://t.co/f0IEfDx3c6 pic.twitter.com/mASOmXl4H2
As noted above, the next PlayStation State of Play is set to take place this coming Thursday, April 29th, at 5PM ET/2PM PT. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart itself is scheduled to release exclusively for the PlayStation 5 on June 11th. It is available to pre-order at various retailers now in both a Standard Edition ($69.99) and Digital Deluxe Edition ($79.99).
Related Forum: PlayStation Forum


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EE extends 4G roaming to 14 new countries
EE has announced that it will be extending 4G roaming connectivity to 14 additional countries, following the rollout of the service to cover Spain and France earlier this year.
The UK carrier's roaming agreement will allow EE customers to enjoy 4G connectivity while travelling to Canada, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. Customers visiting South Korea will also be able to enjoy 4G roaming thanks to a new deal that is set to go into effect tomorrow.
Customers wanting to avail 4G roaming have to buy a data roaming bundle, and while the 1 GB bundle is no longer available, EE is offering 500 MB data for £25 to users roaming within the EU.
EE has stated that all consumer and small business cutovers will be eligible to enjoy 4G roaming in these territories starting today, and has mentioned that corporate customers will be able to follow suit soon.
EE users, are you excited about the carrier's move to bringing 4G roaming to additional territories? Which country do you want to see covered by the carrier?
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AEP sells interest in Rapak Asia
stake in Rapak Asia Pacific to its UK joint venture investment
partner, DS Smith, for an undisclosed amount.
AEP Industries has said it will sell its 50 per cent ownership stake in Rapak Asia Pacific to its UK joint venture investment partner, DS Smith, for an undisclosed amount.
AEP Industries manufactures, markets, and distributes an extensive range of plastic packaging products for the food/beverage, industrial and agricultural markets. The Company has operations in ten countries throughout North America, Europe and Australasia.
Of late DS Smith has been performing well in its operations as a whole and, in particular its packaging division. The company is involved in office supplies and attributes its recent up turn to a series of cost cutting measures implemented last year. In the past year it has made a number of acquisitions in an area of increasing specialisation - liquid packaging. Last July it announced the acquisition of German liquid packaging specialist, Zewathener.
The move into Asia is expected to trigger a series of other investments in the region, where the company is still relatively small in size. DS Smith's Preliminary results for the year to 30 April 2003 will be announced on 26 June 2003.
To the contrary, AEP's recent financial results have been disappointing with the company recently announcing that it expects forthcoming results to be below expectations. Analysts and industry observers expect further consolidation of its packaging operations, particularly those outside of its core markets, could occur in the coming months.


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Just 5 percent of global telcos control about 62 percent of industry revenue, according to analysts at Booz and Company. One might argue those figures show a high degree of industry concentration. But Booz says there’s significantly more to come.
In fact, “the telecom sector remains relatively fragmented,” Booz consultants say. In the healthcare and oil and gas sectors, companies in the top 5 percent generated 79 percent of total 2009 industry revenue.
International revenue provides another indication that further consolidation is possible. In the telecom business, international revenue accounted for only 25 percent of telecom industry revenue in 2008. That’s well below the 38 percent that all industries averaged, and only half that of some industries, Booz and Company consultants say.
Since 1989, the pharmaceutical industry saw consolidation of more than 30 large companies into just five major competitors.
Consolidation will mainly occur in three ways. Operators will pursue scale through cross-border mergers and acquisitions, entering new markets by making large transactions.
They’ll bolster their competitive advantage through transactions in markets where they already operate. Up to this point, in-country acquisitions have driven the bulk of activity. But in-country consolidation tends to raise regulator market concentration issues.
For that reason, some might predict more growth for trans-border deals.
And telecom operators will also consolidate ownership, gaining full control of operations where they currently have only a partial stake.
For the immediate future, cross-market “megadeals”— transactions in which major telecom operator groups acquire controlling stakes in other groups that have a presence in multiple markets, are likely to be the main trend.
Large international transactions have advantages. They let operators complement their footprint in regions where they already have a presence, or augment their business by entering promising new markets.
Large transactions involve just about as much overhead as small transactions, so large carriers might as well look to large acquisitions.
Large multi-market transactions also allow operators to enter into multiple markets with a single stroke, thus eliminating the complexity, cost and time lag involved in identifying and completing multiple transactions.
Large transactions offer a competitive advantage, enabling operators to preempt other providers from acquiring increasingly scarce and attractive targets.
The point is that the trend of mergers, which has been a feature of the business for some decades, is far from finished.
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Every major Android smartphone OEM have started to either tease or launch a flagship smartphone, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. Xiaomi’s spun-off brand Redmi has now confirmed that the Redmi K40 will also be based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC.
In a Weibo post, Lu Weibing, GM, Redmi has officially confirmed that the Redmi K40 will soon launch, and will be based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. On top of that, Lu has also confirmed that the entry-level model of the Redmi K40 will be priced at 2999 Yuan, and it could easily cost around Rs. 30,000, if it ever launches in India.
He also has confirmed that the Redmi K40 will be the most expensive straight screen device. This means the Redmi K40 is most likely to have a flat-screen. However, it is still a little confusing why he is bosting about a device that is obviously expensive.
Another interesting feature of the Redmi K40 is that the phone will have a large battery with more than 4,000 mAh capacity. On top of that, the Redmi K40 is likely to support fast charging. However, as of now, there is no information on how fast the device would charge.
Like the Redmi K30 and the Redmi K20, the Redmi K40 is likely to ship with MIUI skin on top. This time around, the custom UI is likely to be based on Android 11 OS. The smartphone is likely to be limited to China for the first few months, and we can expect it to launch in select markets like India.
Given the teased price, the Redmi K40 is for sure is the most affordable smartphone based on the Snapdragon 888 SoC, at least during the launch. On contrary, the Mi 11 costs 3999 Yuan, making it at least 12 thousand more expensive than the Redmi K40, even though both phones are based on the same chipset.
Best Mobiles in India


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Safety and security are the main priorities for merchants when choosing between payment methods as 72 per cent of European merchants prefer cards over other payment methods, reveals Payments Europe, the paytech experts.
The Safety, Convenience and Choice: The True Value of Cards report is based on a survey of 1,560 merchants working in physical and online retail, in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Poland. It underscores how rapidly the payment market is evolving in Europe, with ever-escalating competition among providers. Especially as new products and services become available.
In addition to safety and security, merchants choose payment methods based on customer preference, reach, and merchant convenience and cost. When asked to compare different payment options, merchants rank cards the highest because they meet those needs best. Sixty-seven per cent of merchants believe the cost of cards has dropped or stayed stable in the last years. Furthermore, 87 per cent of merchants believe the value of cards outweighs the cost.
“Payments are increasingly cashless, and the payments industry is called upon to constantly invest, innovate, protect and maintain resilience across the entire ecosystem,” said Kerri McLaughlin, member of Payments Europe, from Citi.
“Our research shows that merchants welcome diversification; the industry is fostering innovation and security; and cardholders benefit from greater choice. Cards have traditionally played an important role and continue to be the preferred payment solution, delivering innovation and resilience for both cardholders and merchants”.
Sascha Dewald, from Deutsche Kreditbank AG and member of the board of Payments Europe commented: “Businesses must embed this ever-growing demand for digital solutions into their transformation efforts. It’s one of the key differentiating traits of those better equipped to drive successful outcomes, and it is especially true for small merchants.
“99.8 per cent of all businesses in the EU are SMEs — which translates to 25 million enterprises and almost 100 million employees. Developing an all-encompassing payment acceptance strategy to drive revenue is not only about business. It’s about unlocking a prosperous Europe.”
“There is widespread opportunity for innovation and growth.” Added Michael Hoffman from Card Payment Sweden and member of the board of Payments Europe.
“This is an exceptionally exciting time for payments. We must continue to fuel innovation while maintaining the highest security. Digital and card payments will only continue gaining traction. Card tokenisation and other robust security features will take hold. There are so many exciting trends to look out for, and everyone has a part to play in furthering the digital payments space, from policymakers to civil society. Industry will continue to implement initiatives for the benefit of European consumers, merchants and the economy.”


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In yet another case of battery malfunction, a passenger’s smartphone caught fire mid-flight on a Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Dibrugarh on Thursday. However, the fire was quickly doused by the cabin crew with the help of a fire extinguisher. Neither the fire extinguisher nor the cabin crew were injured due to the incident.
As per reports, the IndiGo flight 6E 2037 was heading to Delhi from Dibrugarh when a cabin crew member saw sparks and smoke emitting from a passenger’s phone. The cabin crew acted on their feet and the fire was quickly extinguished using a fire extinguisher on board. The aircraft landed safely at the Delhi airport around 12.45PM on Thursday.
Responding to the incident, IndiGo said that the incident occurred due to abnormal heating of the phone’s battery. “There was an incident of a mobile device battery heating up abnormally on flight 6E 2037 from Dibrugarh to Delhi. The crew is trained to manage all hazardous incidents and they quickly managed the situation. There was no harm caused to any passenger or property on board,” the company said in a statement.
Other details regarding the smartphone remain unknown for now.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time that a smartphone battery has caught fire on a flight. Back in 2016, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smartphone was in the news for a series of incidents wherein the phone caught fire on a flight. Similarly, last year, a Samsung Galaxy A21 caught fire on an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle.
More recently, the OnePlus Nord 2 has been in the news for catching fire. There have been several incidents wherein the phone caught fire causing burns to the users. The most recent incident took place last month wherein the OnePlus Nord 2 of a user who goes by the name Lakshay Verma on Twitter exploded in his hands while he was on a call.
In yet another case of battery malfunction, a passenger’s smartphone caught fire mid-flight on a Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Dibrugarh on Thursday. However, the fire was quickly doused by the cabin crew with the help of a fire extinguisher. Neither the fire extingu


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If you are looking to achieve success when it comes to online marketing, one thing you need to make sure – staying up to date with everything that is happening in the industry. After all, the marketplace is changing all the time. Google constantly brings out new updates, which can mean that you need to … Continue reading Interesting Google/IO 2021 updates every marketer should know
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of digital marketing forever. And no, that definitely isn’t an unfounded overstatement. Let’s not forget, the pandemic has significantly accelerated the shift towards digital, which is empowering businesses across myriad industries to strive for goals that simply would have been out of reach before. Why is Video Advertising … Continue reading How Paid Video Advertising Campaigns Have Attained New Heights in the Post-Pandemic Scenario?


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In order to start and build a successful business, aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners have been advised to be courageous and resilient – two necessary conditions for overcoming obstacles critical to business growth and success.
The Chairman of NOVA Merchant Bank Limited, Mr. Phillips Oduoza gave the advice recently, while delivering the Convocation Lecture of the 2017/2018 Leo Graduating Class at Babcock University in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State.
Oduoza, who was a former Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, identified courage and resilience as character traits common amongst all entrepreneurs, who had been successful as it enabled them to take risks and overcome various obstacles on the road to success.
Explaining further, he Oduoza pointed out that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to persist in spite of it while resilience is the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.
Oduoza challenged Nigerian youths to take advantage of opportunities currently available in the country, especially in agriculture, FinTech, arts and entertainment.
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“The government’s focus on the diversification of the Nigerian economy has created opportunities across the agriculture value chain for aspiring entrepreneurs covering inputs (e.g. fertilizer), farming, storage, processing, manufacturing and transportation.
The tech start-up ecosystem in Nigeria is awash with opportunities for young entrepreneurs to create innovative solutions to address many of the structural issues facing the country. Emerging areas such as FinTech, the sharing economy, artificial intelligence amongst others present opportunities to start innovative businesses,” he said.
On what graduands and aspiring entrepreneurs could learn from his personal life, Oduoza said young business leaders should seek knowledge, build a strong network, be true to themselves, but most importantly, “must work very hard, no matter how intelligent you are. It is very rare to find a successful person who is not a hard-working person. There is no substitute for hard work.”


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Xbox Series S has been designed to not only be 60 percent smaller than Xbox Series X but also have smaller file sizes for games in comparison.
Speaking with IGN in a recent interview, Xbox director of program management Jason Ronald stated that installation files of games should be 30 percent smaller on Xbox Series S than on the flagship next-generation console. He explained that the cheaper alternative to Xbox Series X targets lower resolutions and hence, developers will have no need to include higher-resolution textures.
Ronald also noted that Microsoft has been offering developers the technology to choose which assets to pair with games according to intended platforms or devices. That means developers will have the flexibility to play around with file sizes for the same game for both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
“With a performance target of 1440p at 60 fps, our expectation is that developers will not ship their highest level mipmaps to Xbox Series S, which will reduce the size of the games,” said Ronald. “Ultimately the controls in the developer’s hands. We’ve had this technology for a while that allows developers to intelligently choose which assets to install on which device they’re playing on. So the flexibility is in the developers’ hands to make sure the right assets are there.”
Storage capacity has and will always be a subject of concern for console owners. Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will launch with an internal 1TB and 512GB solid-state drive respectively. In the case of the latter, the storage will hardly be enough to have six or seven games installed at once when looking at how most triple-a modern-day games easily weigh in about 60-70GB; and that does not even cover post-release updates and expansions. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone being prime examples of storage nightmares.
That being said, players will have the option to purchase external storage solutions. Microsoft has confirmed that memory cards can be hot-swapped in Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S without the need of turning the consoles off or reboot.