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In an attempt to close the gap between the traditional art market and the new digital asset class, NFT lending starter Arcade will fund Series A on Wednesday to develop a platform for high-value, non-alternative monetization. Announced that it has raised $ 15 million. Substitutable token, or NFT.
Funding was provided by eight investment companies, including Panthera Capital, Castle Island Ventures and Franklin Templeton Blockchain Fund, as well as Angel investor BlockFi CEO Zac Prince and Quantstamp CEO Richard Ma. The proceeds from the $ 15 million fund will be used to build the arcade platform.
Founded in 2020, Arcade is an NFT marketplace for lending that independently evaluates, validates and curates NFT collections and allows high value NFT owners to use them as collateral for loans. Robert Maciello, co-founder of the arcade, ZDNet The platform should be for both borrowers and lenders. “If you own a high-value NFT, you can borrow it for fair value. It supports about 45-50 different NFT collections, so it’s for NFTs of some value,” he said. Says.
Arcades, on the other hand, allow people to become lenders and are willing to lend capital to those who are trying to borrow on their assets. These transactions are sent to the smart contract platform on the Ethereum blockchain and are fully compatible with all ERC20 tokens including wETH, USDC and DAI. “We are a platform without custody,” said Maciello. “We have no access to anyone’s assets or money exchanged. There is a service fee to provide this smart contract system, but it is essentially Ethereum’s unmanaged escrow platform.”
Over the past few months, Arcade has financed about $ 3.5 million in a “private release,” which will be open to the public in January. Maciero said the arcade is open to millions of dollars of NFT collectors and institutional lenders, as well as to Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). It is a type of venture capital fund based on open source code without a management structure or board of directors. .. “We have a mix of different members and people using the platform on the lender side, and on the borrower side we don’t want to sell our assets, but rather they are a good use.” “They receive the proceeds of these loans and reinvest in NFTs, decentralized finance and other forms of cryptocurrencies and financial instruments without selling their assets.”
One of the unique features of the arcade is the use of wrapped NFT technology. This unique technology allows you to bundle and utilize multiple NFT assets to get a single loan, so you can get more loans and more liquidity. According to the company’s press release, Arcade will allow developers to build on the platform and support widespread use of the new digital asset class.
NFTs are one of the most misunderstood digital assets emerging in the blockchain space, and often have a hard time defining what an NFT is. Simply put, these are unique units of metadata and identification codes that exist on blockchains such as Ethereum and cannot be duplicated like fiat currencies and Bitcoin. They are usually in the form of digital files such as photos, videos, computer-generated artwork, and audio clips. These files can be “tokenized” and can be safely purchased, sold, or traded for financial evaluation. In other words, many NFTs are digital versions of valuable works of art. Think about DaVinci’s Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa can be duplicated in different formats, but only one true Mona Lisa.
But NFTs are more than just digital artwork. They can take the form of digital products, from luxury brand fashion and collectibles to real estate and online games. Maciello states that the arcade supports any NFT, whether it’s a digital collectible or an in-game asset for Avatar. “I think the world of NFTs will continue to expand and fan out over the next five years. Sometimes everything is NFTs, sometimes some NFTs are associated, but the angle of art is very important to people. It’s easy to get acquainted with. Understand that art can be bought and sold and has this history associated with it. It has enabled financial utilities that previously existed for art, but now borrows. This universe is huge, though it can be rented or rented. It’s bigger than just art. It’s for the whole NFT token standard. “
Arcade’s $ 15 million funding may be the first small step, but with the help of financial firms looking at the potential expansion of the NFT market, it makes a big leap in the empty marginal digital economy. You may be ready. “We will hire and continue to add teams,” said Maciello, who said he and his 13 staff would continue to build products, add them to the team, and enhance marketing efforts. “We believe that the arcade will serve as a portal to this monetization of the NFT concept and effectively take over not only this peer-to-peer lending platform, but also other types of products. We believe that the platform as well. We are also trying to do the same. We are innovative as a major cryptocurrency company, but we are focusing on NFTs, “he said.


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FTC says not-so-fast on new connected car laws
SAN FRANCISCO - While government officials have hinted that connected-car laws could be in place by year's end, a leading consumer-focused agency is saying not-so-fast.
In testimony Wednesday before Congress, a Federal Trade Commission representative expressed concern over proposed legislation governing connected vehicles, specifically noting that the data security of such automobiles could be compromised by laws that did not provide enough government oversight of auto manufacturers' tech initiatives.
The end result could be little consumer group insight into both the data privacy policies and data encryption tech those making connected cars, which could leave drivers in the dark as to the use of information generated by their vehicle use, the FTC argued.
Mithal also said that cars could be particularly vulnerable to hackers if a section of the new law is not amended, one that would prohibit unauthorized access to the data control unit and other key parts of a car's computer brain. While on the surface such a provision would sound like a logical way to keep hackers at bay, Mithal argued that the law would also hamper the efforts of private data security researchers who might be able to assist automakers in their efforts to keep their connected car systems safe.
Last spring, Wired magazine challenged two such experts to hack into their Jeep remotely. The pair succeeded, taking over control of the vehicle from miles away and running it into a ditch.
Such nightmare scenarios are increasingly of concern as global auto manufacturers and Silicon Valley tech companies alike - namely Google with its self-driving car project and Apple with its growing automotive team - are working feverishly on making cars increasingly self-sufficient. Last week, Tesla demonstrated its new Autopilot system, which allows its Model S and Model X electric vehicles to steer, lane-change and park on the own.
In May, Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that the timetable for a proposal that would require that cars electronically talk to each other to avoid accidents be completed by year's end. "Connected, automated vehicles that can sense the environment around them and communicate with other vehicles and with infrastructure have the potential to revolutionize road safety and save thousands of lives," Foxx said in a visit to Delphi Labs in Mountain View, Calif.
While auto and tech companies agree that smarter cars should equal fewer road fatalities, there is still much work to be done to create a fully connected transportation network.
Cars such as Google's self-driving pods and Tesla's four-door family machines rely mainly on in-car radar, cameras and ultrasonic sensors to guide a vehicle down the road. But ultimately the idea is to have so-called Vehicle-to-Vehicle communication, with information either pinging between like-minded (as in, the same brand) cars or traveling between cars and stationary high-tech infrastructure.
The FTC's testimony clearly meant to alert lawmakers that while the coming age of connected cars should be embraced by government, automakers and consumers alike, any laws governing this new age need careful vetting.
"In sum, the Commission understands the desire to provide businesses with certainty and incentives, in the form of safe harbors, to implement best practices," Mithal said. "However, the security provisions of the discussion draft would allow manufacturers to receive substantial liability protections in exchange for potentially weak best practices instituted by a Council that they control. The proposed legislation, as drafted, could substantially weaken the security and privacy protections that consumers have today."
Follow USA Today tech reporter Marco della Cava on Twitter @marcodellacava.

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The IMF report outlines the findings of the survey & other regional studies
Looking past the euphoria of 2018, we see Fintechs begin to mature & giving way to some powerful new trends, where the existing ecosystem is being reshaped into something which serves the needs of the new tech-conscious consumer. In essence, these Fintechs are not only expanding financial inclusion but also helping to boost economic growth in many countries.
This was deduced in a policy paper where the IMF and World Bank surveyed central banks, finance ministries, and other relevant agencies in 189 countries on a range of topics. The paper also identified areas of international cooperation, roles of IMF & World Bank and where further efforts are required by governments, organizations and regulatory & lawmaking bodies.
Following were the key takeaways gathered the responses in the report.
Cybersecurity & Data protection came out as the two biggest threats to the Fintech systems across the board with no boundary restrictions, and the spillover effects spread across different sectors & countries. Despite the high awareness of cyber risks in most countries and frameworks in place to protect the financial systems, 79% of the higher income jurisdictions identified cyber risks in Fintechs as a major problem for the financial sector.
The survey also suggested that only one-third of jurisdictions analyzed the concentration risks emanating from the technological interdependencies threatening the financial infrastructure. While a high proportion of rich countries (83%) reported some monitoring of such threats, only half of the low-income countries had any checks & balances in place.
Asia continues to be the hotbed of Fintech activity with China & India as the stark examples. A light regulatory regime in the former fuelled massive innovation in the area as the country emerged as the global leader in Fintech innovation, development & adoption.
India, on the other hand, shone through with the massive adoption of mobile payments with one of the biggest overseas money transfer base. The disparity between the rich & the poor, gender discrimination & rural-urban divide are some of the problems plaguing the Fintech revolution in these countries.
Sub-Saharan Africa is seeing the most growth in mobile money innovation, adoption, and usage. With a weak traditional banking infrastructure & a large rural population, the introduction of smartphones has enabled the region to become a global leader in mobile money accounts per capita, mobile money outlets, and volume of mobile money transactions.
Almost 10% of the GDP in financial transactions is occurring through mobile money — far ahead of the 7% in Asia & only 2% in other regions of the World. The adoption and use of technology in the financial services in the continent has enabled the companies to integrate the Fintech model seamlessly to deliver innovative products & services to their customers.
Europe is uniquely divergent when it comes to Fintech adoption. The continent has a high penetration of smartphone & internet access with a resilient data policy frameworks like GDPR & PSD2, which help define the rights and obligations of users & companies in the data economy.
However, regional differences exist in the adoption of digital finance with the prevalence of cash-based payments & varying savings and credit regimes in the region. The United Kingdom is way ahead of the rest of the region in terms of Fintech innovation and investment.
And finally, Central bank-backed digital currencies are increasingly becoming a reality. 20% of the respondents said they were exploring the possibility of issuing a CBDC (Central bank digital currency). China has been at the forefront of this endeavor with the latest report showing seven companies to receive its digital currency for use.
Most of these projects are in the early stage with only four pilots being reported. The main advantages of issuing digital currencies are seen as lower costs, increased efficiency of transactions & monetary policy implementation and most importantly to counter the competition from the mainstream Cryptos.


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Washington-based cannabis firm Ionic Brands Corp.
Ionic already has the number one vape brand in Washington State and it has expanded into Nevada, Oregon, and California. Zoots products are already sold at licensed marijuana retailers in Illinois, Washington, Colorado, and Massachusetts, so the deal furthers Ionic’s ambition of becoming a leading multi-state cannabis concentrate supplier.
“Our top-rated Ionic vaporizer pen targets consumers interested in luxury cannabis products that can be discreetly consumed, which makes Zoots edibles a natural fit for our brand strategy,” said Ionic Brands chairman and chief executive John Gorst.
Brothers Dan, Michael, and Patrick Devlin founded Zoots in a bid to become the Johnnie Walker of the cannabis industry, targeting the “lower end of premium” and “normalizing” it for Americans. The brothers gained a tier-two producer license and a processor license in 2014 and set about growing marijuana and creating edibles at a facility in Seattle.
The initial portfolio included single-shot beverages, drink additives, chews, bites, and melts, all infused with THC for the adult-use market, with a particular focus on the older generations. By 2015, the firm employed 35 people and sold its products to 123 stores, and the business has continued to grow.
Popular lines include ZootDrops Yipee Ki-Yay Blend and Kick Back Blend, ZootBites Kooki Dough Blondies, ZootBites Caramel Espresso Brownies, and ZootBlast Drink. They have listings at dispensaries in Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Toronto, and Detroit, among other cities.
The dosage can be as low as 5mg of THC per product, to allow consumers to moderate their usage.
Ionic feels that consumers are looking for an easy way to consume cannabis, and that Zoot products fit the bill perfectly.
The deal includes $855,000 in cash and 9,635,150 common shares of Ionic, while it will also assume $600,000 of Zoots’ outstanding debt. It will also issue 4.8 million share purchase warrants to Zoots shareholders, which are exercisable over the next three years.
Dan Devlin will continue as chief operating officer.
The opinions provided in this article are those of the author and do not constitute investment advice. Readers should assume that the author and/or employees of Capital 10X hold positions in the company or companies mentioned in the article. For more information, please see our Content Disclaimer.


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Cotton market is under long liquidation as market has witnessed drop in open interest by 11.07% to settled at 1519 while prices down 150 rupees.
Now Cotton is getting support at 21693.4 and below same could see a test of 21636.7 level, And resistance is now likely to be seen at 21853.4, a move above could see prices testing 21956.7.
Cotton on MCX settled down 0.68% at 21750 amid pick up in arrivals however domestic demand was subdued. Deficient rains in cotton growing regions will hamper the yield for the kharif 2018-19 season, resulting in lower overall output of fibre crop.
Farmers, therefore, have pinned their hopes on increased cotton prices to make most from this kharif season. Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which produce about half of the country’s cotton, faced water shortage due to erratic monsoon during the sowing period. The Bt seeds, used in most of the cotton fields, require adequate water.
A deficient rainfall has adversely affected the yield of Bt cotton. Farmers in Gujarat – the largest grower of the fibre crop – fear picking cycles to come down from normal 4-5 to merely one or two this year.
The Centre, in its first advance estimate in September 2018, projected lower cotton crop at 325 lakh bales (each of 170 kg), about seven per cent lesser than 349 lakh bales estimated in fourth advance estimate for 2017-18.
The Cotton Association of India (CAI) has projected total cotton supply for 2018-19 upto September 30, 2019 at 390.25 lakh bales, including opening stock of 23 lakh bales and imports of 24 lakh bales, higher by nine lakh bales compared 15 lakh bales estimated for 2017-18.
–Cotton trading range for the day is 21640-21960.
–Cotton prices dropped on profit booking after prices gained on expectation of lower production this year.
–Deficient rains in cotton growing regions will hamper the yield for the kharif 2018-19 season, resulting in lower overall output of fibre crop.
–Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which produce about half of the country’s cotton, faced water shortage due to erratic monsoon during the sowing period.
–Cotton prices in spot market gained by 60.00 rupees and settled at 21950.00 rupees.


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The company is working on making an electric version of its Qute. "Initially, the Qute will come with three powertrain options: petrol, CNG and LPG. In due course, we will also present an electric option," said Rakesh Sharma, president – International Business, Bajaj Auto.
The company is now ready to finally launch its quadricycle in the Indian market. The delay was because the Ministry of Road Transport needed to create a new quadricycle category, just a few months after the Qute (then, the RE60) was unveiled at the 2012 Auto Expo. The Qute is already being exported to other markets.
"We are delighted that MoRTH has officially approved the Quadricycle category. We will launch it (the Qute) in the intra-city last mile and first mile public transport domain as soon as all the other formalities are over," Sharma stated, and added, "the process now is to complete the certification at ARAI. After that the RTOs at State levels can be approached for respective clearances."
The Qute uses a 216.6cc petrol engine that makes 13.5hp and 19.6Nm and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The top-speed is limited to 70kph and the engine will be BS-VI-compliant soon. For now, only BS-IV-compliant vehicles have been submitted to ARAI for certification.
The Qute’s aim is to replace three-wheelers, to some extent, but Sharma sees huge potential for both types of vehicles to co-exist, since they offer different grades of performance and affordability.
"To some extent there could be some substitution effect but that will be smaller than the expansion effect. Qute has the potential of motivating new drivers and owners to enter business (become self-employed) than perhaps other vehicles in this segment," Sharma added.


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In our previous article, we discussed various schemes rolled out for the promotion of business in Special Economic Zones. To continue our discussion further, we are now analyzing the implications, that GST has brought along on units operating in SEZs. As of today, thousands of units are operating from these SEZs across India.
Union budget 2021 Outcome:
Few of the items on which Customs Duty Rates are revised are as follows: -a) Reduced duty on copper scrap from 5% to 2.5%
b) Basic and Special additional excise duty on petrol and high-speed diesel oil (both branded and unbranded) is reduced
c) Increased duty on solar inverters from 5% to 20% – Raised duty on solar lanterns from 5% to 15%
d) The basic customs duty on gold and silver reduced
e) The department will rationalise duty on textile, chemicals and other products
f) The revised rates will be applicable from 2nd February 2021 onwards.
These units are now set to face fresh challenges with the introduction of GST. While these units are enjoying exemption from Services Tax, Central Sales Tax and in some cases Value Added Tax (VAT), this may not be the case under GST regime. Currently, all Goods and Services provided from a unit operating from SEZ to a business in Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) is considered as an import. Accordingly, Basic Customs Duty (BCD) and Countervailing Duty (CVD) are levied on such sale from a SEZ to DTA.
GST is already set to subsume CVD and SAD, thus going forward BCD and Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) will be charged on such supplies made from SEZ. Also, the buyer will have the credit of IGST available to set off against the liability of CGST and SGST subject to prescribed conditions.
Some of the benefits and exemptions that SEZ operators are eying from GST are:


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In a new note to investors, Gene Munster, senior research analyst with PiperJaffray, said that NPD data for the July and August shows Mac sales up 7 percent year-over-year. This as investors are looking for about a 5 percent improvement.
If the trends shown in the NPD numbers hold, Apple would sell between 2.75 million and 2.8 million Macs in the quarter, about even with Wall Street consensus of 2.75 million. But Munster predicts the numbers will skew higher than expected.
Not faring as well, however, are iPods. Year-over-year sales during July and August were down 16 percent. Munster estimates that Apple will sell between 9.5 million and 10.5 million iPods for the quarter, while the Street is expecting about 10 million.
However, Apple is projected to improve on both Mac and iPod numbers as the quarter comes to a close. The iPod boost in particular will come thanks to new products — namely, a new iPod nano that debuted at last week's event.
"We are expecting reacceleration in the final month of the quarter given the new iPod nanos that shipped on 9/9," Munster said. "Also, iPod international is growing faster than domestic. In other words, we believe the actual reported numbers for iPod will be slightly better than NPD would suggest."
International growth is also faster for the Mac, as well, which leads Munster to believe that the Mac numbers will also exceed what is implied by NPD retail data. PiperJaffray has maintained a price target of $186 for AAPL stock, and has reiterated its overweight rating.
In its June quarter, Apple sold 2.6 million Macs and 5.2 million iPhones, bringing its year-over-year profits up 15 percent. The company had a record non-holiday quarter, with sales of $8.34 billion.
Last week, Apple announced it has sold over 30 million iPhones to date. Though that number was likely rounded off for the company's media event, it means the hardware maker likely sold over 3.6 million devices so far in the quarter. Munster has predicted that Apple will sell 7 million phones through September.


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Carnival Cruise Lines confirmed at presstime that the “Fun Ship” cruise line had reach an agreement to purchase a 70 percent interest in the parent companies of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Admiral Cruises for $550 million in cash.
The seven-ship cruise line, which recently announced that it had entered into an agreement to purchase about 36 percent of the companies that owned RCCL and Admiral, said that the only restriction awaiting full completion of the expanded deal was a 30-day waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodin law.
A spokesman for the “Fun Ships” cruise line confirmed that Carnival will now acquire the total cruise interests of Gotaas-Larsen for about $275 million, J.M. Skaugen for some $232 million and the interests of Johnson Line AB and Effoa/Steamship Co.
While I.M. Skaugen Supervising Director Kato A. Holmsen said that “we were forced to sell” when he confirmed the agreement, Holmsen refused to elaborate and officials at Arders Wilhelmsen were meeting in closed door sessions last week and refused to comment on the purchase at presstime.
Wilhelmsen is a Norwegian-based shipping conglomerate that will continue to own the remaining 30 percent of the Royal Admiral Cruises holding company once the Carnival acquisition is finalized in 30 days.
A Carnival spokesman said that Carnival would continue to operate Carnival, RCCL and Admiral as separate cruise lines and had no intention of merging their operations in the future.
The Carnival spokesman said that the agreement between I.M. Skaugen and Wilhelmsen earlier this year to merge and to form a joint holding company was, indeed, subject to Norwegian government regulations. He noted that Norwegian government approval was required in that transaction because all companies are Norwegian-based and said he expected final approval by the end of the year.
President Mickey Arison said that Carnival expects to continue to operate all five ships that are now operated by RCCL to continue to be registered under the Norwegian International Registry. Arison added that the latest Carnival expansion would have no effect on Carnival’s plans to build three 45,000-ton sister ships in the 700-passenger range in the luxury end of the North American cruise market.
Dr. Stanley Buchin, president of the Boston based Temple Barker & Sloane market research firm said that acquisition of the controlling== interest in both RCCL and Admiral should give Carnival a profitable means to create “natural upgrades.” RCCL currently operates a total of five-ships in the 7-, 8- and 10-day Caribbean market and Admiral operates two ships in the 3- and 4-day markets and one 7-day vessel.
Buchin explained that younger cruise passengers could “graduate” from Admiral’s 3- and 4-day sailings to the Bahamas and northern Mexico, to Carnival’s 7-day swinging “Fun Ships,” to RCCL’s more subdued 7-, 8- and 10-day sailings. He said that it “would seem to be a more natural progression from Admiral to Carnival to RCCL than from Norwegian Cruise Lines to Royal Viking Line.”
“Admiral could become a good ‘feeder’ line to Carnival because Admiral could be positioned to attract younger passengers who could gradually move up to Carnival ships when they become 35 or 40,” Buchin said. “Then there wouldn’t seem to be that much of a jump from the Carnival ‘Fun Ships’ to the more subdued RCCL ships when those passengers turn 50 or 55.”
Buchin also said that the new 15-ship cruise position to capitalize on the inherent economies of scale that apply to the industry because of relatively fixed operating costs. He explained that Carnival industry conglomerate should be in a powerful bargaining position to negotiate volume rates for everything from airlift, to food, to fuel to water and linens.
Buchin said that Carnival’s continuing expansion plans “are just further Proof” that the cruise industry is rapidly moving in the direction where five or six large operators will dominate the industry. He said that the continuing consolidations and mergers would also create “several niches” for those cruise lines with “something unique like adventure, exotic or very luxurious products.”


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By Robyn K. Thompson
The weekend stretch of Black Friday through Cyber Monday has become a pop culture phenomenon. In fact, these two days together combine to create one of the cleverest marketing gimmicks of all time. But with almost half of Canadians already pre-empting added stress during the holidays due to spending pressures, how did these splurging frenzies come to be?
Traditional accounting practices use red ink for a negative number and black ink for profit. The fourth Friday in October marks the beginning of the period when accountants would switch from red to black ink.
Some clever marketers seized this opportunity to bookend American Thanksgiving and ramp up pre-Christmas sales. They called it “Black Friday,” promoted it like crazy, and watched the crowds mob the stores. As momentum increased, Black Friday migrated north of the border, eventually also merging with the digital world to create “Cyber Monday”.
In fact, Black Friday trumps Boxing Day as the time most Canadians are shopping for a bargain. The Retail Council of Canada’s 2019 Holiday Shopping survey found 43 per cent of Canadians plan to take advantage of Black Friday deals; meanwhile, only one-third will shop the sales on Boxing Day.
For most consumers, however, the irrational exuberance of the sales often develops into a case of buyer’s remorse. Shoppers take a step back to realize they’ve blown their budget out of the black and (deeply) into the red. And it hits people right in their wallet, purse, bank account, and credit card statement, in about a month.
But there are ways to combat the overwhelming psychological onslaught of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s called a budget – a perfect place to start learning.
It’s important to look at a budget more as a process, or as a means to an end. It’s not a straitjacket designed to punish or restrain, but a tool designed to reward. Because, bottom line, financial planning should be about the rewards. Now, during the holiday season, the temptation for instant gratification is almost overwhelming. Not only do we spend hundreds of dollars on useless junk for our families, but also for ourselves – which is just what retail marketers count on us doing every year. And we never disappoint.
Avoiding retail remorse relies on us having knowledge about where our money is going. Bank statements reveal what lies within – from credit card debt, mortgages and bill payments; it’s vital to subtract the money coming out from the money deposited in. And there are free resources to help, such as The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s Budget Calculator.
In addition, pinpointing problem areas will help prevent cash drain. Beyond the typical credit cards and cars, everyone has an area or two where they overspend. That’s okay, as long as consumers we’re aware of these areas and are getting our money’s worth.
The budget helps set goals and establish benchmarks. It’s what retailers do. Why can’t Canadians do the same? For example, establishing a fixed dollar limit allows for holiday spending right at the outset. Do it per person, per family, per couple, or any which way, but do not exceed it. It’s a psychological trick that forces people to plan their shopping, rather than joining the maddened crowds in the malls and spending on impulse.
Think of the holiday shopping season as a war. Retailers do everything in their power to separate shoppers from their money, with powerful inducements like Black Friday and Cyber Monday at their disposal. Put up a stout defence. And the best defensive tool is the budget.
About the author
Robyn K. Thompson, CFP, CIM, FCSI is a finance expert and President of Castlemark Wealth Management Inc.


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Facebook have released the latest edition of their Hot Topics report, which looks at the most mentioned issues across The Social Network, along with who they were being discussed by, in terms of demographic groups.
Facebook has released its hot topics report for October 2015, highlighting what people were discussing most via Facebook posts, split by demographics and topic groups.
Facebook has released it's monthly Hot Topics report for March 2016, showcasing the most resonant topics across The Social Network for the month.
Facebook has released it's monthly Hot Topics report for April, highlighting the most mentioned issues across Facebook and Instagram for the month.
Facebook have released their “Hot Topics” report for July, highlighting the most mentioned topics, and which demographic groups were discussing them, across both Facebook and Instagram.


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Mobile trade-in programs return $668 million to U.S. consumers in Q1 2021
Mobile trade-in programs return $668 million to U.S. consumers in Q1 2021 Real Wire
Wed, 06/02/2021 - 09:08
2nd June 2021 – Assurant, a leading global provider of lifestyle and housing solutions that support, protect and connect major consumer purchases, today announced findings from its analysis of the mobile device trade-in and upgrade market for Q1 2021. Its Q1 Mobile Trade-in and Upgrade Industry Trends reveals the mobile trade-in industry returned more than $668 million to U.S. consumers during the first quarter of 2021—a 25% increase from $535 million in the same quarter last year.


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Publisher Fantasy Flight Games has cancelled or delayed all of its upcoming organised play events and tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The decision made in the wake of COVID-19 safety concerns means that all in-store organised play will be postponed until the beginning of September, with bigger competitions for titles including unique deck game Keyforge, Star Wars board game X-Wing and living card game Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game suspended until the end of July.
Keyforge’s Vault Tours, the X-Wing Open Series and the Legend of the Five Rings Kotei Series will be “rescheduled when possible”, Fantasy Flight said, adding that the events would only take place once medical experts declared public gatherings safe to hold once again.
Among the events cancelled and delayed are a Vault Tour, X-Wing tournament and Legend of the Five Rings competition due to take place at the Origins Game Fair convention in June. Origins’ organisers recently announced that the entire show would be delayed to October as the result of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, with “virtual convention” Origins Online replacing the original summer dates.
Fantasy Flight’s announcement follows similar steps by Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons maker Wizards of the Coast to delay Magic: The Gathering tournaments, move its in-store Friday Night Magic event online and adjust the restrictions around the pre-release for latest set Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths due to the coronavirus.


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Three insurance companies affiliated with Government Employes Insurance Co. reported second-quarter earnings yesterday, and two of them had decreases.
Government Employees Life Insurance Co. earned in profits, $2 million (46 cents a share) in the second quarter compared with $1.9 million (43 cents) a year ago.
First-half earnings of the life insurance company were $4.2 million (93 cents) compared with $3.8 million (84 cents) a year ago. Sales of individual life insurance increased 8 percent during the second quarter, and first-half sales were unchanged from the first half of 1977, Government Life said.
Criterion Insurance Co. reported a drop in second-quarter earnings to $2 million ($1.35 a share) from $2.4 million ($1.66) a year ago.
The auto insurance firm reported a sharper drop in first-half earnings to $2.9 million ($1.97) from $4.4 million ($3.03) a year ago. The company attributed the decreases partly to rising costs for auto repairs and substantial losses on policies written in New York.
Government Employees Financial Corp. said second-quarter profits fell to $750,000 (41 cents a share) from $879,000 (49 cents) a year ago.
First-half earnings of the consumer finance firm decreased to $1.5 million (84 cents) from $1.8 million ($1.04) a year ago.
The Denver-based company said it set first-half records in credit volume, finance receivables and revenues. It attributed the drop in earnings to increases in borrowing costs and advertising expenses.
The Rouse Co., a Columbia real estate development and management firm, reported second-quarter earnings of $616,000 (5 cents a share) compared with $186,000 (one cent) a year ago. The 1978 quarterly profits included a gain of $270,000 from the sale of properties, and the 1977 figure included a gain of $172,000.
First-half earnings were down slightly, to $2.4 million (18 cents) from $2.8 million (21 cents) a year ago. Gains from the sale of properties were $970,000 for the first half of 1978 and $422,000 for the same period a year ago.
Revenues increased to $24.4 million in the second quarter from $20.2 million a year ago. For the first half, revenues were $40.8 million a year ago.
MCI Communications Corp. reported a slight drop in earnings for its first quarter ended June 30 to $851,000 (3 cents a share) from $876,000 (3 cents) a year ago. Revenues for the period were $20.6 million compared with $17.7 million a year ago.
Chairman William McGowan said about $1.5 million of increased expenses during the quarter reflected the costs of expanding the company's Execunet long-distance telephone service in anticipation of a favorable court ruling, which the company received in June, allowing it to offer the service despite objections from American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
C3 Inc. reported profits of $1.5 million on sales of $7.5 million for the year ended June 30. Profits for the previous year were $751,000 on sales of $4 million. C3, based in Reston, manufactures mini-computer products and systems.
Computer Data Systems Inc. of Bethesda reported earnings of $410,000 (74 cents a share) for the year ended June 30 compared with $154,000 (27 cents) a year ago. Revenues for the year were $6.3 million compared with $5.8 million a year ago. Computer Data is a professional data services firm that provides consulting and data-processing support to state and local governments and private firms.


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This year's National Design Engineering Show, to be held February 23-26 at McCormick Place in Chicago, promises to draw a crowd to see the latest new products, hear the latest conferences, and participate in company events.
For software companies, the biggest crowd appeal will be new products that cannot even be mentioned before the start of the show. In these instances, attendees may have to seek out the unveilings. But for the other draws, Design News has compiled a brief overview of what seekers of some software companies' booths may expect.
Autodesk (Booth #4011) will feature a theme of "Create It-Manage It-Share It-Build It." Among the products on display and for demo:
Autodesk Inventor Series 8 (with Autodesk Vault)
Autodesk Inventor Professional 8 (with Autodesk Vault)
AutoCAD Mechanical 2004 DX
AutoCAD Electrical 2004
CADALYST magazine's Lynn Allen will discuss the transition from AutoCAD to Autodesk Inventor at the Autodesk booth Tuesday through Thursday in both morning and afternoon sessions called "Making the leap from 2D to 3D." Also on the schedule, Robert Kross, vice president of Autodesk's Manufacturing Solutions Division, is slated to be a panelist on "The Future of 3D Mechanical Design: Lifting the Software Barrier to Creative Product Design" conference on February 24 at 10 a.m.
COSMOS (Booth #4118) plans to draw a crowd with its COSMOSXpress challenge (www.cosmosm.com/cosmosexpress.html), which features over $5,000 in prizes, including a new computer from HP. The challenge works by having engineers solve four "simple" analysis problems with COSMOSXpress (takes less than five minutes). According to COSMOS, the challenge is designed to show engineers not only how easy it is to do analysis, but also how important analysis can be in determining potential design flaws and correcting them early in the design process.
Products on display for demo at NDES will include Autodesk Inventor, with its "mirror assembly" feature.
SolidWorks customers and potential users may plan to hear about a new add-on product at the SolidWorks booth (#2411), where the company intends to also highlight eDrawings and 3D PartStream.NET enhancements. Bob McGill, Director of SolidWorks Business Alliance, will also be the featured speaker for the ASME-sponsored conference entitled "Moving Design Collaboration to the Internet," which will explore time-to-market factors that can make or break revenue, and how the Internet can help. The conference is designed to show attendees how to use the Internet to collaborate on designs in real time; speed the design review process; reduce the rate of errors; and connect suppliers and manufacturers. John McEleney, CEO of SolidWorks, is also scheduled to be a panelist on "The Future of 3D Mechanical Design: Lifting the Software Barrier to Creative Product Design" conference along with Autodesk's Robert Kross. The conference will feature panelists discussing the future of CAD, the challenges it faces, and how the technology can simultaneously improve creativity and time-to-market.
At the UGS PLM Solutions booth (#3411), attendees will hear about a new product--the only hint at this time is that it is related to Solid Edge v15. Available demos include the NX product suite, to cover CAE software, and the TeamCenter PLM suite. The company also plans to feature a live demonstration of "JACK" human interface software-picture someone wearing a bodysuit with sensors hooked up to the computer. And if "JACK" is not incentive enough, UGS PLM Solutions will be giving away an Arctic Cat DVX 400 ATV, which attendees may register for free.
These are just a handful of demos, conferences, new product announcements, and give-aways that attendees may expect to find from the exhibiting software companies. Stay tuned for more.
To view the conference program or list of exhibitors, go to www.designengineeringshow.com.


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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 29 (UPI) — A new study by Adobe’s Marketing Cloud service revealed consumer electronics will likely be the most purchased items this holiday season.
The data showed 76 percent of online holiday purchases were mostly centered around consumer electronics, with gift cards being the next most purchased item.
Twice reported the findings corroborate those of a study done earlier this month by the International Council of Shopping Centers which said 51 percent of consumers plan to purchase consumer electronics during the holidays.
The study also predicts sales on Cyber Monday (Nov. 30) will reach three billion dollars, a 12 percent increase from 2014. Online Black Friday shopping will lag behind Cyber Monday at $2.7 billion but will outdo it in 2016.
Total holiday sales are estimated at $83 billion and mobile devices will be the tool of choice for online shoppers, as 51 percent of e-commerce will stem from phones and tablets.
Adobe also said most online purchases will be conducted on iOS devices as opposed to Android devices.
Adobe also pointed out certain items it anticipates will be hot sellers, including the Apple Watch, GoPro, Apple TV, Chromecast, Kindle, and others.


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Market overview – Duncan Gwyther, Chief Investment Officer
A mildly risk-off week for global equities last week, with a slight pick-up in volatility. With the Q2 corporate results season more or less complete – 87% of US companies beat estimates – the lack of news flow over the holiday period combined with thin trading may mean markets take a breather. There is plenty to still worry about in terms of whether the resurgence in COVID infections globally will at some point dampen economic activity or that the Federal Reserve will surprise markets with more immediate taper action. For many companies their more immediate concerns relate to ongoing supply chain disruptions and skilled labour shortages, both of which could pressure margins where costs cannot be passed on. China’s regulatory tightening is also creating uncertainty beyond the high profile ‘tech’ companies targeted so far; if the moves represent a new policy of wealth distribution others will likely be impacted as seen with the recent softness in the highly valued luxury goods companies. On balance, it seems likely companies will continue to adapt to market conditions, increase profits and gradually grow into their elevated valuations.
If you wanted to check out the podcast that the guys at Quilter-Cheviot put together this week, here is the link: https://soundcloud.com/quilter_cheviot/weekly-comment-markets-uncut-23082021?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fquilter_cheviot%252Fweekly-comment-markets-uncut-23082021


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Teen's insulin pen snatched by thieves in balaclavas
PUBLISHED: 16:53 05 November 2018 | UPDATED: 18:34 05 November 2018
Two suspects ambushed a 17-year-old boy in broad daylight near a nature reserve in Bury St Edmunds.
Police are appealing for witnesses following the incident in Beetons Way, which took place at 8am on Sunday, November 4.
The teenager was walking between the A14 underpass and the entrance to the nature reserve when two suspects approached him from behind and snatched his bag.
The black puma bag contained a number of items including a Sony Experia mobile phone, a brown leather wallet, cash, various cards, a phone charger and a green insulin pen.
The first suspect is described as male, black, 5ft 8ins tall and of a slim build. He was wearing a black hoodie, Adidas black tracksuit bottoms and trainers.
The second male suspect, who is described as taller than the first and also of a slim build, was wearing a black Nike jumper, black Adidas tracksuit bottoms, gloves and trainers.
Both of the suspects, who had their faces covered with balaclavas, then ran off in the direction of County Upper School.
Anyone who may have seen the incident, has any other information regarding the items or has dash-cam or CCTV footage, should contact Suffolk police on 101 quoting reference 63970/18.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.


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WASHINGTON — Congress is stepping up scrutiny of chemical laws, urging stricter regulations and broader regulatory authority for the Environmental Protection Agency, which could have major implications for beauty and textile companies.
This story first appeared in the April 16, 2010 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.) introduced a bill Thursday that would overhaul chemical laws and require manufacturers to prove the safety of chemicals.
“EPA does not have the tools to act on dangerous chemicals, and the chemical industry has asked for stronger laws so that their customers are assured their products are safe,” Lautenberg said.
The Safe Chemicals Act requires manufacturers to test the safety of all industrial chemicals and puts the burden on the industry to prove that they are safe in order to stay on the market, Lautenberg said. The bill would give the EPA more power to regulate the use of chemicals.
Under current policy, the EPA can only call for safety testing after evidence surfaces that a chemical is dangerous. Lautenberg said the EPA has been able to require testing for just 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals registered in the U.S. and has only been able to ban five dangerous substances.
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“When you are regulating or reregulating an important part of the American economy, it will absolutely have an impact on consumer products,” said Brian Sansoni, vice president of communications and membership for The Soap and Detergent Association. “The question is in what way, and that will be the discussion moving forward.”
Steve Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, said one of the big questions is whether the legislation will regulate the chemical manufacturers and chemicals, as opposed to products containing the chemicals.
“The industry wants to make sure that the regulation is done in a manner that is predictable and risk-based and at the federal level instead of the state level,” which is a patchwork of rules, he said.


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A small Chatham-Kent factory will serve as the manufacturing base for an aftermarket product for the trucking industry that saves fuel and cuts down on emissions.
The Blenheim factory will be making hydrogen generation modules for Innovative Hydrogen Solutions (IHS), whose head office and research and development department is based in Aurora, ON.
The company can trace its roots to 2004 in Winnipeg and has had assembly carried out for the past five years in Salem, Virginia, as one of its product lines, but with the closure of that factory, the work is being moved here.
The i-phi hydrogen generation module of IHS has been proven to improve the fuel economy of large diesel trucks by at least 10% in highway driving and by at least 5% in the city, and also to reduce pollutants and the cost of maintenance, according to company officials.
Manufactured in small quantities in the past as the product was fine-tuned, company officials are hoping that it's ready to take off in the trucking industry.
“This is a great opportunity for us,” said chief financial officer Ron Bogart during a press conference held at the Bradley Convention Centre Nov. 27.
He said the company's facility in Aurora is too small to manufacture the product. But local entrepreneurs Dan Brown and Jonathan Doerksen, who have extensive manufacturing experience, will be building the products for IHS out of space rented from Cross Country Manufacturing in Blenheim.
Brown, who is the president of the yet-to-be-named company, has been following the product's development and said he has been excited about it for years.
The device works by putting distilled water through an electrolysis procedure that breaks the water down into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is fed into the engine to enhance the combustion process, improving mileage and decreasing emissions.
The reservoir of distilled water only needs to be filled about every two weeks or so for the average truck.
Based on an average monthly diesel cost of between $8,000 and $10,000 per month, the device should pay for itself in less than a year and has an expected life expectancy of 10 years.
Brown said only a handful of employees will be working at the plant in the early stages as it begins production at the beginning of December, but if the product takes off like company officials think it will, more people will be needed.
IHS director of operations Tim Wardle said the hydrogen generation module can also be used in vehicles powered by gasoline and natural gas, but for now, the company is looking at diesel-powered trucks, as diesel is still the dominant fuel in the industry.
Besides the long-distance trucking industry, other applications currently being worked on include city buses and garbage and recycling trucks.


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It certainly sounded plausible: a bitcoin millionaire who decided to splash out on a super-sexy, all-electric Tesla.
Overstock Accepts Major Alt-Coins With Help FromBitcoin gained an air of legitimacy this week when a Tesla dealership in Southern California bragged that it had accepted the controversial currency for the purchase.
Of Course Someone Bought A Tesla Model S And. a Tesla Model S and used Bitcoin to. we are fully capable of accepting Bitcoin as legal tender for.
Used Tesla Model S Purchased with Bitcoins in California
Be well - GldSlvBtcTesla Model S purchased with Bitcoins at Southern California Lamborghini dealership, virtual currency accepted for all vehicle purchases.
Overstock.com Is Going To Accept Bitcoin In 2014For consumers, buying with Bitcoin has become more commonplace as smartphone apps have made virtual wallets easier to handle.Unlike traditional currencies such as dollars, bitcoins are issued and.Lamborghini dealership accepts Bitcoin for car purchase. it accepted Bitcoin for the purchase of a car. but the car in question was a Tesla Model S,.Grocery stores: Consumers in San Francisco can pay for their weekly groceries in Bitcoin at several locations across the city.
Before the Bell Preview After Market Roundup Breaking Stories.A few weeks ago, there was a lot of hype surrounding the first Tesla being bought with Bitcoin.
Dealership That Sold Tesla for Bitcoins Didn't ActuallyA California Lamborghini dealership sold a Tesla Model S Performance to a.The number of physical locations that accept bitcoin has rocketed,.
Online retailer Overstock to accept Bitcoin. And a car dealer in California recently accepted Bitcoin as payment for a Tesla Model S,.Bitcoin used to buy electric Tesla in O.C. Bitcoin are accepted by a small but growing number of merchants selling everything from gift cards to watches.
Despite being rather small in scale, and having exchange rates whipped hither and yon by rampant speculation, Bitcoins are poised to be a economical factor to watch.Legal Issues of Accepting Bitcoin that You Should. cover the basic legal issues of accepting Bitcoin for your. merchants, and at least one Tesla.Bitcoin the godfather of crypto-currencies reached another milestone in early December.
Pre-Ordering the Tesla 3 with Bitcoin
Tesla And Other Cars Sold For Bitcoin | KryptoClub NetworkPre-Ordering the Tesla Model 3 with Bitcoin. regardless of whether it has been accepted or declined.With all the high tech things Tesla and Elon Musk are doing, has there been any talk of them accepting Bitcoin to buy a car with.
While not considered legal tender by any nation currently, it appears that no government has declared Bitcoins to be illegal financial instruments, nor have they been subject to overly harsh regulation, although both the US and China are taking a serious look at regulations.This is plus opportunity for me to buy my fav Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe from.Is bitcoin the answer if traditional investments are. firms accept Bitcoin, including Tesla,.Sylvain spent his time in the oil fields researching Tesla Motors,.


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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Competitive Headwinds Hit Vodafone
Vodafone reported a 0.6% year-on-year fall in organic service revenue (excluding handset financing and settlements in Germany) for the quarter ending March 31, as it struggled with "increased competition in Spain and Italy and headwinds in South Africa." Group revenues for the financial year ending March 31 were 43.7 billion euros.
Group CEO Nick Read said Vodafone intends "to build Europe’s largest 5G network, reaching over 50 cities by the end of [March 2020] following commercial launches during the summer. In addition to potential new revenue streams, 5G’s improved spectral and energy efficiency supports up to a 10x reduction in the cost per gigabyte, which will allow the group to limit future growth in network operating costs despite strong expected traffic growth."
Vodafone said it now has 37 million customers using its M-Pesa financial services suite, with over 10 billion euros of payments processed over the platform each month across seven African markets. In the year to March 31, M-Pesa grew revenues by 20.7% to 750 million euros, which represented 12% of the group's "emerging consumer" service revenues. "M-Pesa, our African payments platform, has moved beyond its origins as a money transfer service, and now provides enterprise payments, financial services and merchant payment services for mobile commerce," Nick Read noted. Source: Vodafone statement
WHERE WE'RE HEADED: TELECOMS TRENDS AROUND THE WORLD: SUBSCRIBE HERE


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2019 Bajaj Dominar
Written by Yatharth Chauhan
New TVCs for Tata Harrier to air during Vivo IPL 2019
23/03/2019 - 13:26
Tata Motors has announced the launch of a new ad campaign for the Tata Harrier that will be aired on digital platforms during Vivo IPL 2019. The company will release a 'mini-series' of TV ads..
Top 6 Used Cars Under 3 lakhs - Maruti Swift to Toyota Corolla
23/03/2019 - 12:48
Many used car buyers opt for a 'second-hand' vehicle owing to their limited budget. In the new car market, a sum of roughly INR 3 lakh will be only about enough to buy a no-frills variant of the..
BMW 530i M Sport variant launched in India - Report
22/03/2019 - 17:34
Team-BHP reports that the seventh-gen BMW 5-Series (G30), which was launched in June 2017, is now available with the M Sport trim for the petrol variant. The BMW 530i M Sport will be sold alongside..
MG Hector to launch in May, to be Priced in INR 13-16 lakh - Report
22/03/2019 - 16:49
Earlier today, we reported that MG India has roped in British actor Benedict Cumberbatch as its brand ambassador. In a fresh development, Team-BHP member RavenAvi has claimed that the MG Hector will..
Low-spec Kia SP2i spied again, reveals its wheel cover design
22/03/2019 - 16:17
Earlier this month, a test mule of the Kia SP2i revealed its 18-inch dual-tone machined alloy wheels. In a new development, Motoroctane has spotted a low-spec variant that clearly flaunts its..
10 Cars with discount offers of more than INR 1 lakh
22/03/2019 - 14:22
In spite of providing the car buyers with some great year-end discounts, most carmakers are yet to clear the MY 2018 stock. Moreover, the lacklustre sales performance in the last few months and new..
Toyota Yaris available with discounts & offers worth INR 1.34 lakh
22/03/2019 - 10:54
With an average monthly sale of merely 450 units (from Sept 2018-Feb 2019), the Toyota Yaris appears to have run out of steam in the race to become the best-selling C sedan. No surprise then, that,..
Hyundai Car Discounts and Offers for March 2019
21/03/2019 - 11:50
With a 16% market share in February 2019, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) is currently second only to the all-dominating Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. Like most other carmakers, it has been offering heavy..
Renault RBC (Kwid-based 7-seater MPV) spied again
21/03/2019 - 09:41
Cardekho has spotted a highly camouflaged unit of the Renault RBC (Kwid-based 7-seater MPV) undergoing road tests on an Indian highway. Recently, Venkatram Mamillapalle, CEO and Managing Director,..
Toyota and Suzuki to co-develop C-MPV for India
20/03/2019 - 18:21
In a joint release, Toyota and Suzuki recently announced their agreement to start considering a higher degree of collaboration to leverage each other's strengths. As a part of this plan, the two..
Toyota-badged Maruti Ertiga & Ciaz officially confirmed for India and Africa
20/03/2019 - 18:18
In a bid to consolidate its partnership, Suzuki and Toyota have announced their agreement to begin considering concrete collaboration in new fields. A part of this arrangement will see Suzuki..
Second-gen Renault Duster to launch in India in 2020 - Report
20/03/2019 - 16:32
Recently, it came to light that Renault India is working on a second major facelift for the first-gen Duster. CarDekho, however, reports that the refresh for the SUV will be a stopgap arrangement..
BMW India introduces BMW Joy Rewards Aftersales Benefits Program
20/03/2019 - 10:50
BMW India has introduced an aftersales benefit program that has been dubbed 'BMW Joy Rewards.' As per the company, its latest service provides various benefits to all those who have owned a BMW model..
Mahindra Thar Adventure Series launched in South Africa
20/03/2019 - 09:48
Mahindra has launched the special edition Thar Adventure Series in South Africa, where the made-in-India SUV has gone on sale for R293 999 (INR 1,411,601). d
Kia SP2i spied on test, shows its alloy wheel design
19/03/2019 - 17:30
Update: A Kia SP2i prototype was spotted undergoing road testing in Delhi. A spy shot captured during this sighting gives a look at its sleek tail lamps that are tapered inwards. 18 March 2019..
2019 Datsun redi-GO launched silently, Offers more features
19/03/2019 - 17:17
Datsun India has silently updated the features list of the redi-GO. The 2019 Datsun redi-GO comes equipped with some additional features and commands a premium of over INR 7,000 over the previous..
2019 Ford Figo (facelift) - First Drive Review
19/03/2019 - 15:32
Prologue With a monthly sales average of 119 units (Sept 2018-Feb 2019), the Ford Figo is among the least popular models in its category. That said, Ford India is far from giving up on its B1-segmen..
Bajaj Qute launched in India, priced at INR 2.63 lakh
18/03/2019 - 19:35
Bajaj Auto has introduced its long-awaited quadricycle, the Bajaj Qute, at a starting price of INR 2.63 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The country's first such vehicle can be bought by both private..


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The future of digital advertising: Gilded Social creates instant social network displays.
An interview with Scott Friedberg, CEO and Founder of Gilded Social
The State of Tech, Holographic Universes and Exploding Kittens
A few things going on in tech.
A look at how technology is bringing clean drinking water to third world countries.
Over a billion people worldwide are living without clean drinking water.
“Geeks and Gadgets” will premier on March 5
On Tuesday, this column presented a story about a local IT firm, Venturetechnica, launching a new podcasting station here in Syracuse, NY as an effort to become “the podcasting center of the world,” according to CEO Matthew Masur.
Venturetechnica is the brainchild of CEO Matthew Masur
Last Thursday, a local web/IT company, Venturetechnica, located in downtown Syracuse's AXA Towers, launched their first broadcast with an all-day show entitled “Matt’s Modern World.”
Main focal points for tech in 2014.
Looking back at tech highlights from 2014.
An interview with Hack Upstate winners.
Last fall, a couple of college kids – Raymond Jacobson, Julius Alexander, and Alex Freska – won the fall Hack Upstate competition based on a “ridiculous” idea they made work.
David Armelino chronicles the year that was in smartphone, tablet and computer applications.
2014 was a great year for phone, tablet and computer applications; some adding to old favorites and others completely new and original. If you received a smartphone or tablet for the holidays, or are a longtime user, here are some apps that you may have missed that came out this past year.
Solstice is a modern innovation of solar power.
In the midst of the legislative war on fracking and the violent war on oil, the world’s store of non-renewable energy is “drifting away,” as pop singer Mr. Probz would say: “wave after wave."
When will Santa arrive? Follow his journey in real time!
Track Santa's journey from the North Pole


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Top Netflix execs are not buying the clamour for virtual reality experiences.
In an interview with VentureBeat, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings (pictured) said fully immersive content is not compatible with the streaming service’s binge-watching model.
With VR, “you’re exhausted after 20 minutes,” he said. “We are more focused on a lean-back, relaxing experience.”
“I can’t imagine putting on a VR headset while sitting on the couch with my wife for two hours and just disappearing,” added Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos.
Netflix also echoed a common view that quality VR content is scarce. “The problem with VR is that there’s not enough people on the platform to support the investment in that kind of content,” said Sarandos.
Hastings predicted VR would be “huge for the video game market”, but would not begin having an effect on the on-demand market “for the next couple of years”.
Netflix did create a VR app with Oculus last year, allowing subscribers to access Netflix content through Samsung Gear VR headsets in 2D format.


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3 RP companies land in ‘Fabulous 50’ list
The Philippines landed three companies on this year’s Forbes Asia’s Fabulous 50 List of the region’s best publicly traded big companies, up from two previously, including fast-food-chain operator Jollibee Foods, Puregold Price Club, the country’s second largest grocery chain and retailer Robinsons Retail.
Alibaba Group not only makes its debut in the list, it also boasts the highest market value of any of the companies and outperforms on a range of other metrics.
There are a total of 21 new entrants to this year’s list. The “Fab 50” list is an annual honor roll highlighting some of the brightest stars in the Asia Pacific region.
The full list can be found at www.forbes.com/fab50 and in the latest issue of Forbes Asia, available on newsstands now.
This year marks the 12th edition of the “Fab 50” list and the 272 companies that have appeared on the list at least once reflect the changing nature of business in the Asia Pacific region.
Back in 2005, five wireless telecom companies were represented. This year, there were none.
That inaugural list also saw 11 tech hardware companies, while only six made the cut this year.
On the other hand, no property developers joined the roster in the first three years but they have been well represented since.
For six years in a row, companies from China dominate the “Fab 50” list, with a total of 22 companies.
Leading the charge, Alibaba was not eligible for the list until this year when the company met the requirement of being publicly traded for at least a year.
It debuts with an impressive market value of $242.5 billion and profit of $11.2 billion. Meanwhile, last year’s most valuable company, Tencent, valued at $233.2 billion, is now second.
Chinese property developer Country Garden returned to the list for the second time after a four-year absence. Its strategy of offering luxury residences outside major urban centers has helped it thrive even through the volatile property market.
Country Garden’s revenue has nearly tripled since 2012, to an expected $18.8 billion this year, while net profit will likely jump nearly 40 percent over the same period, to a forecast $1.5 billion.
India claims the second highest number of companies with eight, down from 10 companies last year.
Tech Mahindra is the best performer this year from India’s vast information technology services industry.
The gamble it took in acquiring discredited rival Satyam Computer Services paid off, as it is now India’s fifth-largest IT services company with market value of $7.2 billion.
South Korea has the third highest number of companies on the list with five this year, one more than last year. They include Naver, AmorePacific and LG Household & Health Care.
This year also sees the return of Hong Kong to the list with three newcomers — pharmaceutical company Sino Biopharmaceutical, meat producer WH Group, and electronic components manufacturer Truly International.
Vietnam’s first entrant to the “Fab 50” list is Vietnam Dairy Products. Since going public in 2003, Vietnam Dairy Products is now the country’s largest dairy company and fifth largest public company listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange. It is also the country’s first stock market heavyweight to lift its foreign ownership limit past 49 percent, which helped pushed its share price up 20 percent from July 1 through August 19.
Taiwan and Japan each has two companies this year while Thailand and Malaysia each has one company this year. Australia returns to the list with biotech pharmaceutical company CSL after it had no representation last year.
Sumber Alfaria Trijaya, operator of the Alfamart chain, remains the sole company from Indonesia this year. Singapore has no representation on this year’s list.
The “Fab 50” companies are selected from a pool of 1,524 public companies in the region with at least $1.7 billion in annual revenue.
Companies are analyzed using a battery of more than a dozen financial measures. The list excludes companies that have a debt ratio of more than 50 percent or where the government owns at least half of the shares.
The result is the region’s best of the best.


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AMD is finally committing to rounding out its RDNA 3 GPU stack, with Dr. Lisa Su promising it is going to be launching new "enthusiast-class" graphics cards before the end of October. We've already had sources suggesting an August reveal for new cards, and a September launch is looking pretty good right now.
It's promising that Dr. Su is stating publicly that AMD is going to be releasing multiple cards, which implies that we will see both the RX 7800 and RX 7700 GPUs dropping in the next few months. After it dropped a solo Radeon RX 7600 at the end of May, there was maybe some concern that it would continue to drip-feed us RDNA 3 cards.
The announcement came in the recent AMD Q2 financials call, where some more green shoots of the PC industry revival have been noted. Those shoots are still pretty fragile, though, as AMD's gaming segment is still suffering from lower GPU sales, down both year-on-year and compared to the previous three months. Thankfully, it's semi-custom—console and handheld—chip business is still growing, mostly thanks to Sony and Microsoft, so that's offsetting AMD's tenuous grip on the graphics card market.
But it's hoping to change that in the next few months, however, with Dr. Su stating: "We are on track to further expand our RDNA 3 GPU offerings with the launch of new, enthusiast-class Radeon 7000 series cards in the third quarter."
And "enthusiast-class" sounds about right for an RX 7800 card that's looking like it will outperform Nvidia's excellent RTX 4070 and will probably come in significantly cheaper, too.
If you want to see a boatload of new GPUs then making them better and cheaper than the competition is a good way to go about it, right?
That performance expectation has come from leaked RX 7800 3DMark numbers, but Nvidia will always counter with the twin benefits of DLSS 3 and Frame Generation, though that is still only specifically available in a select few games right now.
With an RX 7700 coming out below it, that ought to set up a tasty head-to-head between AMD's new cards and Nvidia's RTX 4060 Ti and RTX 4070 GPUs. Who wins? We do. Maybe. Y'know, if prices start getting more competitive, anyways.


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Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. boosted sales and beat profit estimates in the final three months of 2018, helped by political advertising for November’s general election, the company reported Wednesday.
Shares of Sinclair stock closed up 6.2 percent at $34.83 each on Wednesday.
The Hunt Valley-based broadcaster said October-to-December revenues jumped more than 25 percent to $893.3 million, compared with sales of $712.5 million in the last quarter of 2017. That beat analysts’ expectations of $880 million. For the year, sales grew nearly 16 percent to $3 billion.
Fourth quarter income fell to $206.2 million compared with net income of $443.5 million in comparable period of...


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As should come as a surprise to no one, Saint Laurent sales are still booming three years after Hedi Slimane took the creative reins. And in the third quarter of 2015, the Kering-owned brand truly outdid itself, posting a sales increase of 37 percent on a reported basis and 27 percent on a comparable basis. Sales were particularly strong in Saint Laurent's own stores — up 32 percent there, marking the brand's strongest quarter to date for retail, according to Kering CFO Jean-Marc Duplaix. The brand's wholesale sales weren't bad either — up 17 percent while they declined by 3 percent for the group overall.
While overshadowed a bit by Saint Laurent's gangbusters success, Gucci is also starting to build momentum under new Creative Director Alessandro Michele (pronounced Mee-kell-ay, according to Duplaix, who said the name during Thursday afternoon's earnings webcast). The designer's cruise collection filtered into stores in mid-September and sales are up a respectable 9 percent on a reported basis, while they remained flat on a comparable basis. This is still a good sign, as it follows a period of declining sales for the brand. Duplaix was particularly proud that the brand's wholesale business decreased only 6 percent, a much smaller decrease than in previous periods.
Aside from Saint Laurent and Gucci, we were also curious about the progress at Balenciaga following the sudden departure of Creative Director Alexander Wang. Kering provided few details on that front, but did say its leather goods performance was "solid."


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BookBub Raises $3.8 Million in Series A Funding
BookBub, a daily deal site which sent out emails about ebook sales, announced yesterday that they had raised $3.8 million in Series A funding. The investors include Avalon Ventures, NextView Ventures, Founder Collective, and Bloomberg Beta.
This 2-year-old Massachusetts-based startup is well-known both in digital publishing circles as well as among readers for its daily email blasts. With a subscriber list that now tops 3 million, BookBub offers publishers and indie authors to get their discounted ebook deals in front of highly motivated buyers. Depending on the genre, BookBub charges anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars to be featured in a newsletter.
BookBub has run 10,000 ebook deals over the past couple years, leading to purchases of more than one million ebooks per month (as well as downloads of millions of free ebooks). "BookBub’s traction proves it’s filling a huge need for readers, authors, and publishers," said David Beisel, partner at NextView Ventures. "We meet with countless startups, but it’s uncommon to find one that has become such a meaningful part of an industry so early in its existence."
Part of BookBub’s success is that they don’t just sell placement; they also curate what goes in each email blast.
I haven’t written about BookBub much on this blog but I have been listening to what authors have said on KBoards, AbsoluteWrite, and elsewhere. Many are puzzled by the standards that BookBub uses to choose whether to accept an authors money (yes, BookBub has turned down money before) but most agree that this can be an effective tool for boosting ebook sales.


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Starbucks is learning why it’s so dangerous to make every left wing policy your company policy as well. There is currently a battle going on between two of the groups that Starbucks supports. Gays and Muslims. Even Stevie Wonder could have seen this coming. Starbucks has been a huge supporter of the Muslims as they casually toss gays and lesbians off rooftops or stone them to death.
Now, Anwar Abbas of Muhammadiyah, an organization that has around 30 million members is calling for a boycott of Starbucks over their support of gays.
But the real boycott could end up reaching up to the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. And unlike republicans who call for boycotts but seldom join them, Muslims see it as a religious imperative and they have a fanatical belief that could make the boycott extremely effective.
Abbas said his decision was triggered by recent information he received about a pro-LGBT comment from Starbucks executive Howard Schultz, who is the coffee shop giant’s chairman after formerly being its CEO.
The comment came from a Forbes report of a 2013 confrontation between Schultz and a shareholder who said the company’s support for gay marriage was costing it customers.
Schultz said the company embraces diversity and that “not every decision is an economic decision.”
“If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38 percent you got last year, it’s a free country. You can sell your shares in Starbucks and buy shares in another company,” Schultz was quoted as having said.
Starbucks license holder PT Sari Coffee Indonesia “always obeys the prevailing regulations and appreciates the cultural values in Indonesia,” said an executive at its parent company.
“We also value the religious background of our customers and employees,” said Fetty Kwartati, a director at PT MAP Boga Adiperkasa Tbk, in a text message.
Whether the call for a boycott will resonate with consumers is as yet unclear.
“Islam condemns LGBT. It’s a sin,” said Starbucks customer Annisa Meidiana, who is a Muslim.


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Samsung introduce the new Galaxy Note9
Galaxy Note 9 released last month and boasted a wealth of powerhouse features.
The flagship arrived with a gargantuan 6.4-inch AMOLED display that looked incredible from a variety of viewing angles.
And the device came a blisteringly fast processor and up to 8GB of RAM, meaning it was able to easily perform tasks on Google's Android operating system.
Most notably the hardware boasted a huge 4,000mAh battery that was capable of delivering power all-day.
We loved the Note 9 when we reviewed it, giving it five out of five stars.
Express.co.uk said: "The new Galaxy Note is big on power, big on performance and big on price.
"With one model costing over £1,000 it clearly won’t be for everyone.
"But don’t, for one minute, think this is a boring upgrade as Samsung has made a truly brilliant smartphone.
Galaxy Note 9 released last month and boasted a wealth of powerhouse features
"The Note 9 is blisteringly fast, has that giant storage option and a battery that seems to go on forever."
Galaxy Note 9 is available in two models; one comes with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM while the other comes with a whopping 512GB of memory and 8GB of RAM.
The former costs £899 while the latter comes in at £1,099.
Midnight black, ocean blue and lavender purple colour options are available for the device in the UK.
But it appears the Note 9 could be about to look very different if a new leak about the phablet is accurate.
MySmartPrice recently posted alleged press renders of a forthcoming version of the phone in a new silver colour.
The front bezels remain black but the back of the Android flagship and its S Pen sport the new look.
The outlet only mentions the new colour coming to US markets.
And it was not mentioned whether the new paint job would be available for both 128GB and the 512GB storage options.
The phablet's lavender purple variety can currently only be purchased in the £899 in the UK for instance.
No release date for the new colour scheme was discussed and nothing has been officially confirmed by Samsung.
But the South Korean company has made a tradition of debuting new colour variants of its flagships after initial launches.


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Oculus Connect 4 (OC4) begins very soon with the main keynote address due to begin in just over an hour. Whilst the keynote will be the main event with Oculus making its major announcements, for attendees there’s going to be plenty of videogames on display to get their hands on.
Two of the biggest titles on display will be Marvel Powers United VR, the Oculus Rift and Touch exclusive multiplayer experience from Marvel, Sanzaru, and Oculus Studios, and Space Junkies a brand new low-gravity multiplayer VR shooter from Ubisoft.
Marvel Powers United VR was first announced for the San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) in July, with playable characters so far confirmed as Hulk, Captain Marvel, Rocket Raccoon, Deadpool, Black Bolt and Crystal.
While Ubisoft’s Space Junkies first came to light during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2017 in June, only playable behind closed doors. Now its going to be freely open to all OC4 guests to do battle in The Dirty Bowl, a deadly challenge that’ll see them fighting in Orbital Arenas, known in-game as Orenas.
As for the other titles on display, they are:
- The Unspoken
- Echo Arena
- Masterpiece VR
- Tilt Brush
- Apollo 11
- Space Time VR
- Mission: ISS
- Virry VR
- Sprint Vector
As Oculus makes its big announcements, stay with VRFocus for the latest updates.


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Mumbai Hotels Optimistic On 24/7 Operations On The Back Of Union Cabinet's Model Shops and Establishments Bill Approval
The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has welcomed the Union Cabinet's decision to introduce the model shops and establishments bill and has expressed hope that Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat Governments will ...5 Dariya News - English, 1 month ago India may allow shops to open all the time CNC World, 1 month ago HRAWI welcomes Model Shops and Establishments Bill Financial Express, 1 month ago HRAWI hails Union Cabinet's decision to introduce 'Model Shops & Establishments' Bill Hospitality Biz India, 1 month ago
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'We are resilient': Some Valley Junction businesses lost 80% in March sales
The executive director of the Historical Valley Junction Foundation in West Des Moines said some businesses in the district have lost 60-80% of their sales in March compared to March 2019.
Matt Hauge, executive director of the Historical Valley Junction Foundation, said the grim numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced change fore some of the small business owners.
"Our retailers are pivoting as much as they can to online and curbside pick up," Hauge said. "Our customers have been our first line of defense in responding to this situation. They came down here and express their loyalty, even if it is over social media or they are waving as they are picking up items in their car. We love that it is what's keeping us afloat."
He said the pandemic effect could be more devastating than what Valley Junction went through during the floods of 1993.
"We are fighters," Hauge said. "We are resilient folks down here. Our retailers are creative. They work together. We have beaten the odds many times before. I think we can do it again."


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Intel Capital Leads Venture Funding in Ortiva Wireless, 17 Others
San Diego’s Ortiva Wireless said today it has raised $8 million in a Series C round led by Intel Capital, which was joined by existing investors Comcast Interactive Capital, Artiman Ventures, and Mission Ventures of San Diego. Ortiva, which has developed technology to optimize video on wireless networks, says it plans to use the funds to expand sales, marketing, and engineering resources.
In a separate announcement released today at the 11th annual Intel Capital CEO Summit in Huntington Beach, CA, Intel Capital said its investment in Ortiva was one of 18 recent investments totaling approximately $77 million. Intel Capital says 10 of the 18 deals were in technology companies outside the United States—Brazil, China, Germany, India, Israel, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Russia, Taiwan, and the Ukraine.
Intel Capital says it made the investments based on Intel’s strategic goals to foster innovation in core PC and server market segments, including cloud computing, mobility solutions and access to broadband wireless. Intel says it’s also making investments to encourage advancements in adjacent technologies, including smart TVs, tablets computers, and smartphones.
In its statement, Intel Capital says 2010 has been an “excellent” year for Intel Capital’s portfolio companies, with 28 companies exiting this year through either an IPO or acquisition. More than 700 people attended the Intel Capital CEO Summit today.


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NEW DELHI: Traders body CAIT has said it will strongly oppose FDI in e-commerce amid a report suggesting the government to review its position and allow foreign investment into B2C e-retail segment.
"Any move to allow FDI in e-commerce will be opposed tooth and nail," Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said in a statement.
Rejecting the report, it said the recommendations appear to be vague and orchestrated to facilitate entry of multi- national companies and global e-commerce players not only in e-commerce but also in retail trade.
It said the survey has failed to study the module of e-commerce players.
Delhi-based think tank Pahle India Foundation in a report said that e-commerce has actually spurred the growth of Medium and Small Manufacturing Enterprises (MSMEs) and not disrupted the small retailers.
"It is our recommendation that the government must review its current policy and allow FDI in B2C (business to consumer) e-commerce or online," the report added.
At present, 100 per cent FDI is allowed only in business- to-business (B2B) e-commerce and not in retail segment.
The court, in its interim order, said that prima facie, the defendant was permitting other third-party sellers to "latch on" to the best sellers in one particular segment of products and directed the defendant to disable the feature in relation to the plaintiff and restrained it allowing any third-party sellers from "latching on" to the mark and product listings of the plaintiff.


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In less than three weeks, a longstanding ban on firearms that can’t be seen by metal detectors may lapse. A Florida senator is trying to see that doesn’t happen, but lawmakers aren’t the only ones worried. Artisans who use a new type of digital printer are worried what large-scale printing of firearms might mean for their craft.
Undetectable Firearms Ban
Statistics on the actual use of illegal plastic guns are a bit spotty. But, Christopher Amon with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says there is one number that troubles the agency:
“A lot is unknown at this time, but it was estimated that the individual, Cody Wilson, who printed and tested his 3D printer firearm model called the Liberator that his technical specs were downloaded by over 100,000 people,” said Amon.
The ATF has tested two 3D printed firearms, using two types of plastic. Amon says the first demo showed the gun exploding upon firing.
”The first one we used came from a family of plastics [called VisiJet material] that had less integrity and less strength. So, that represents a public safety risk in itself that you might have these firearms that someone may print potentially that may literally blow up in your hand if you don’t do it correctly,” said Amon.
Then, basing the second gun off Wilson’s model and using a different plastic-like material called ABS, the weapon was able to fire. Amon says the issue with that model is its detectability by a metal detector. It’s against federal law right now, but in a few weeks that may not matter.
“In the case of the one that did function, as it stands now, it has to have that certain amount of metal to comply with the Undetectable Firearms Act. However, that law is up for expiration up in December. So, conceivably, you could manufacture these firearms without the metal. Therefore, in certain metal detectors, they would be undetectable, and you could fit these into courthouses, airports, and other places where large numbers of the public gather,” added Amon.
That’s why several Democrats, including Florida Senator Bill Nelson, want to extend the longtime ban, passed in the 1980s.
“And, that’s why we filed legislation in the Senate to ban any weapon that is not recognized by a metal detector or an X-ray machine. Obviously, weapons like this pose a very serious threat to our National Security and our personal safety, and we need to be doing everything we can to keep them off the streets,” said Nelson, in a recently released video.
3D Printing Technology: Mark Trombly and Making Awesome
Inside a Tallahassee shop called Making Awesome, there’s a 3D printer at work making a gear called a 'Nautilus gear'– a common shape used to show off a 3D printer’s skills. Making Awesome is a place where people can share and learn about different technology, including electronics, robotics, and 3D printing. Its top 3D printing expert is Computer Engineer with Technology Services Group Mark Trombly, who’s says there's a number of different uses for 3D printing.
“There will be things about body parts, motorcycle parts, clothing…Here’s a 3D human printed liver, arms, or helping arms, supporting things to help kids that had problems with their muscles or bones and they’d use it in developing countries because they’re inexpensive and use it for something positive,” said Trombly.
Trombly, who built his own 3D printers from scratch, says the tech actually blossomed around the time the Undetectable Firearms Act was signed. Today the technology is cheaper, with most printer kits costing between $300 and $3,000, and it’s more accessible at home, which Trombly says is what might trouble law enforcement about plastic guns.
“So, now you can purchase a kit and purchase the materials and do it at your house. You don’t have to send it out to anyone else. When you have a company doing it, the government can control and say ‘oh, it’s illegal to do this and you’re going to have a problem doing this.’ Now, you’re getting it to your level and I think that’s where the concern is right now with people deciding to go around that process,” said Trombly.
"So, again, if it was a business, the government and/or law enforcement could say, ‘oh well, we ‘re seeing people selling these and stop doing that. We’ll collect all the ones you made and move on.’ So, are they going to come to your house now and say ‘oh, you have a 3D printer?”
Florida Public Radio placed multiple calls to The National Rifle Association seeking comment, but got no answer on the organization’s stance on plastic firearms. Still, even if someone owns the hardware to make a plastic gun, Trombly says they can’t just print one. Each part must be manufactured individually.
"Yeah, so there’s some assembly required," he said. "These are the springs that would activate the firing pin. This would push against—in this case, the nail, and the little .22 bullet that sits into the cartridge there."
"And, if we could find a model, we could sit right here, and start printing."
Trombly says he’s never printed a gun, and he doesn’t want to start now, though it’s not like he’s never gotten any offers.
“Some people throw it out as an anecdote from time to time, like “oh, did you print a gun? Or can you print me a gun?’ And, I’m like ‘no, I don’t print guns.’”
Meanwhile, the federal ban on undetectable firearms has been extended several times before, but it’s unknown whether Congress will extend the ban again set to expire December 9th.
For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on twitter @SaschaCordner.


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Several critical vulnerabilities affecting Microsoft Windows were patched on 14th of January 2020, as part of the regular patch Tuesday. Some the vulnerabilities are quite critical, so it is extremely important to apply the patches as soon as possible.
A vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0601 is affecting the Microsoft Windows CryptoAPI enabling a malicious software to appear as authentically signed by a trusted or trustworthy organisation. Other vulnerabilities, identified as CVE-2020-0609, CVE-2020-0610, and CVE-2020-0611 respectively, are affecting the Windows Remote Desktop Server and Client, and could lead to remote code execution.
Is your business effected by Cyber Crime?
If a cyber crime or cyber attack happens to you, you need to respond quickly. Cyber crime in its several formats such as online identity theft, financial fraud, stalking, bullying, hacking, e-mail fraud, email spoofing, invoice fraud, email scams, banking scam, CEO fraud. Cyber fraud can lead to major disruption and financial disasters. Contact Digitpol’s hotlines or respond to us online.
Digitpol is available 24/7.
UK +44 20 8089 9944


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Kuri, the home robot that wants to be more companion and less Roomba, has begun shipping out to customers. Kuri creator Mayfield Robotics, a Bosch-owned startup, revealed that its initial shipments have gone out via FedEx – which means it technically met its goal of beginning to ship the photogenic little friend bots prior to the end of 2017, if only just.
Kuri was originally unveiled almost a year ago at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and it’s been steadily getting smarter and closer to production-ready status since then, with regular updates from the roboticists at Mayfield, who wanted to create a domestic robot that wasn’t just functional, but that would be welcomed in as a virtual member of the family.
The little robot features touch sensors, expressive eyes with a built-in camera and live-streaming capabilities, the ability to communicate via onboard speakers, microphones and gestural motion actuators, obstacle avoidance smarts and wheels that can handle room crossing from one room into another, as well as multiple types of floors and carpets.
Kuri’s designed to autonomously navigate the house, learn over time, automatically capture special moments, play back music, audiobooks and podcasts, and generally be a pal around the house. It’s a novel and daring approach to bringing robotics into the domestic sphere – especially given its $700 price tag. Mayfield seems to be enjoying healthy interest, however; the queue is currently set to deliver sometime next spring for reservations made today.


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A new solar panel has been created to fit tiled roofs. Solarcentury, who designed the C21e solar electric plain tile says the product came about in response to a high demand for them. The company says the new product can be fitted to tile roofs from many different manufacturers.
Each tile is 47w, with 54 tiles forming a typical 2.5kWp system – generating 2,150kWh per year. The individual modules of the system mean the solar panels can maximise the use of the available roof space, as they can be positioned around obstructions such as windows and vents.
Solarcentury will be unveiling the new product at this year’s Ecobuild, 20-22 March at ExCel.