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On November 18th, 2020 the 4A’s South Texas Council hosted “Looking Forward: Ad industry Perspectives for 2021 and Beyond”. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has reverberated everywhere, resulting in both disruptive and opportunistic changes. For agencies, this impact has included staff working from home, virtual everything (meetings, client sessions, new business pitches, and even […]
AdEdge 2020 is the virtual edge students need during uncertain times. With limited opportunities available for college students to personally connect with ad industry professionals, the 4A’s Dallas Council AdEdge virtual event is the next best thing. Via this two- hour virtual session, led by industry experts, students will get information and make the connections needed to […]
The Complexity of Storytelling Today – Can Effective B2C Storytelling Be Maintained in a Technology-Driven Environment? View the webinar deck here.
The 4A’s South Texas Council Board of Governors cordially invites you to attend this special forum for 4A’s member agency managers and staff in the South Texas advertising community. View the webinar deck here.
Former CEO of We Are Unlimited in Chicago and Velocity in New York City The 4A’s is pleased to announce that Brian Nienhaus has joined the Member Engagement + Development team as SVP–Central Region. Nienhaus joins the 4A’s after five years at Omnicom, most recently leading a team managing Johnson & Johnson’s consumer portfolio […]
4A’s President & CEO Marla Kaplowitz will present the 4A’s report The Quantum Age of Marketing: How to Future-Make Yourself and Your Business In An Era of Rapid Change, at the 4A’s New England Council meeting on November 14. Keith Johnston, Forrester’s VP, Research Director Serving CMO Professionals, will also present Inside the Mind of […]
Video ads are a crucial tool for engagement throughout the customer journey—not just at the beginning, but at every stage. That’s one finding of new research from the 4A’s and Google, just released on Think With Google in an interactive feature by 4A’s President & CEO Marla Kaplowitz called “Your customers use video throughout the […]
Dear 4A’s friend, As you likely know, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will take effect on January 1, 2020. It comes on the heels of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and amid a focus on all areas of privacy by agencies, marketers, the media, consumers, and government. Because of the many […]
NEW YORK, NY — The 4A’s Board of Directors announced it will add two members: Nick Brien, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network, Americas; and Erin Matts, CEO, Hearts & Science, U.S. Nick Brien has more than 30 years’ industry experience in leading global roles including CEO of McCann Worldgroup, Global CEO of iCrossing, and President of […]
2018 is the first annual gathering of AdTechLive: A Celebration of Creativity & Innovation in Atlanta, presented by the 4A’s Atlanta Council.
West coast members are invited to a morning gathering of senior advertising, and other marketing communication executives from the U.S. and abroad, for discussion on a wide-range of topics.
The 4A’s is asking all members to participate in a short 10-minute survey, designed to help us understand how we can better serve your agency today and in the future.


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Intel Selling $50 Code to Unlock Gimped Processor’s Power
Seemingly taking a cue from the video game industry’s long-standing practice of selling unlock codes and downloadable content, Intel is experimenting with selling codes for deliberately gimped processors that would unlock their full power once the unlock code is applied.
For $50, the unlock code will download some software that will unlock some of the cache and hyperthreading capabilities on Intel’s new low-end Pentium G6951 processor. The code simply downloads and applies software, which means the features being unlocked already come built into the processor.
Considering the content actually comes on the disc and developers are forcing gamers to pay extra to unlock something for which they’ve already paid, this business model has been enraging gamers for a while now. It’s one thing to offer extra content, but many people feel it’s not exactly an admirable practice to put that extra content on the product people have already bought, then make them buy it again.
The processor world isn’t necessarily going to be swept away in gimped hardware and unlock codes: Intel is only trying this experiment with one processor at the moment and doesn’t have any officially announced plans to deploy the business model across the rest of their line of processors. It’s a real thing, though, and may become a prominent practice for Intel in the future.
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Don’t overlook data protection responsibility
Hundreds of credit cards and debit cards are swiped daily in your restaurant. Add online orders and gift card purchases to that total, and the chance for identity theft, fraud and security breaches are exponential.
Freaked out yet? Ready to toss the credit card payment processor, shut down the Wi-Fi, and run a cash-only establishment? If only you could…
Your customers expect the convenience of paying with credit cards — swiping, chipping — and they expect when they trust you with their payment, they can trust you with their data security and identity.
And protection starts with your system.
“Lots of places are using machines that are 10 years old, and most major breeches happen on outdated machines,” says Donald Bush, VP of marketing at Kount. “Make sure the hardware you’re using is the latest with the latest, up-to-date software.”
Bush says that, with a computer, you are able to add malware and virus protection, but there isn’t a lot of power on a payment processor.
“When considering an update to the payment processor — ask, ‘can it run the latest software?’ Talk to your payment processor provider annually— at least —and ask, ‘are there any software upgrades? Hardware upgrades? What are your fraud protections and policies?’” Bush advises.
In addition, says Bush, pizzeria owners should ask their payment processing company if they are PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) Level I compliant, which is the minimum data security protection level. And for owners who use online and mobile ordering options, Bush stresses that operators should confirm that their system is capable of handling those payments and has fraud checks in place.
For owners who use only card machines, Charles Lee Mudd, Jr., data security lawyer at Mudd Law in Chicago, advises them to confirm with their provider that the machines do not store any information (and if information is stored, that it has an imposed time limit).
For owners who utilize a computer for payment processing, Mudd recommends that the software only store the last four digits of the card.
“The vendor should attempt to avoid being in a position to ‘use the card on file,’” says Mudd.
Tom Evans, engineer emeritus at Ashton Technology Solutions, advises that store networks should be secured with a high quality and properly configured firewall, and any ATM on the premise should be inspected daily to assure no one has tampered with it by adding a skimmer or altering the network connection with additional hardware.
“The store business network needs to be kept properly secured and completely separate from any service offered to customers,” Evans says. “Allowing customers to access the network that has the business data on it is just asking someone to steal it.”
Robert Siciliano, identity theft expert and CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, advises operators to back up their data.
“Why? Because when all else fails, and your data and devices have been destroyed by malware, a cloud backup allows you to not only recover all your data, but it helps you sleep at night,” says Siciliano.
Clinton Henry, a leading cyber security and identity theft expert, explains in his article titled “9 Surefire Ways to Lockdown Your Cyber Security” that making sure your data is backed and stored separately from your main repository can help protect from “ransomware” attacks.
Henry explains that during a ransomware attack, “instead of ‘stealing’ data from your organization, these attackers find your critical data and then encrypt it (digitally locking you out of it), making it so only the person with the digital ‘key’ can unlock and access that data.”
To keep data secure, don’t underestimate the access and actions of your employees.
“Do a bond and background check on folks handling payments,” says Bush. “This may reveal problems, yes, but it will put employees on notice. It will make them second guess doing something wrong.”
Evans recommends training employees often on the importance of keeping data like customer details and proprietary company information secure.
“Pizza stores may have high turnover, so this needs to be done frequently to assure everyone understands the importance,” says Evans. “Some thought needs to be given to the use of personal devices in the store by employees as well. Today’s devices are capable of storing a lot of data and performing other functions — credit card swipe with Square device — that can compromise the security of the store and the customers.”
Even though they spend most of their time outside the restaurant, the delivery staff is also key to data security and fraud prevention.
Bush advises that the delivery person ask to see the customer’s credit card to verify that the information on the receipt (typically the last four digits) matches the card presented at time of delivery.
Bush also recommends operators do reconciliations — daily or monthly — in order to identify any fraudulent credit card payments before restaurants are hit with costly charge backs.
Identity theft is a constant threat and data security is an ongoing battle for operators. But installing the right hardware with the most up-to-date software from a trustworthy and compliant provider, keeping your business network separate and protected, training staff on the importance of smart cyber practices and paying close attention to all transactions are steps that operators can and should take to protect their customers and business data.
DeAnn Owens is a freelance journalist living in Dayton, Ohio. She specializes in features and human-interest stories.


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04-05-2020 | Nordic | Test & Measurement
Nordic Semiconductor has announced that medtech startup, Ectosense, is using Nordic nRF52832 and nRF52810 SoCs respectively in both versions of its state-of-the-art, battery-powered NightOwl home sleep testing wearable.
Due to the closure of sleep labs throughout the world due to OVID-19, the company claims its NightOwl sleep monitor is giving doctors accurate results but at a fraction of the inpatient costs.
The device is supplied in two versions – either an advanced every three-day rechargeable or a 10-night disposable – that both take the form of a small, wearable finger sensor. The device records 'photoplethysmography' readings using a 50Hz optical reflective sensor. This shines light onto the finger and from the intensity of reflections concludes, among other parameters, the oxygen saturation level of the blood. Sudden changes in this blood oxygen level are an accurate indicator of the presence of sleep apnea where an individual's breathing stops briefly while asleep. As this forces them to wake up it continuously stops them from having a good night's sleep.
"We've long been trying to convince doctors that the NightOwl is as effective at detecting sleep apnea as some of the more traditional and clunky equipment used in medical sleep labs," explains Wout Geeurickx, an electronic system design engineer at Ectosense who designed all of the NightOwl's hardware. "But medicine is a conservative industry and we were making slow but steady progress. The closure of sleep labs due to Covid-19, however, has seen many doctors forced to trial our NightOwl device until they can have their patients undergo a traditional all-wired sleep testing procedure again when the labs reopen. Our disposable variant also addresses an urgent need for devices free of contamination risk."
"What we are seeing as hospitals and incredibly brave front-line medical staff around the world battle against the surge impact of Covid-19 is what was previously a three to five-year horizon for medical device and IoT rollouts being pulled forward to now," concludes Geir Langeland, Nordic Semiconductor director of sales and marketing. "And it's because the benefits of the IoT are turning out to be extremely relevant to defeating Covid-19. These include increasing operational speed and efficiency without sacrificing accuracy, and doing more with fewer resources, including continuous remote monitoring and automated alarming and alerting, to mention but a few. And I'm just very pleased that IoT technology - including Nordic's full range of wireless technologies - is here today, ready to deploy, at scale, and at a commercial and technological viability that simply did not exist even a few years ago."
The device is FDA and CE approved for medical home sleep testing. The device can also store data internally for specific 'offline' use-cases, where the user does not have access to a smartphone.


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If they had to give up one service (video entertainment, mobile, broadband), U.K. consumers would ditch video (49 percent) or mobile (30 percent) before their fixed network broadband connection (two percent), a survey of more than 10,000 U.K. consumers has found.
That might come as a surprise, as many would presume the mobile would be the most favored service. But at least for respondents to this survey, fixed network broadband access is the most important service, not mobility.
That finding suggests broadband is the key end user value for a fixed network, at least among these surveyed U.K. residents, beating even mobile phones. The issue, going forward, might be the ways fixed network broadband access providers can leverage that apparent value.
“The Big Broadband Survey” was conducted by thinkbroadband between June 2012 and October 2012 on the broadbandsurvey.org.uk website.
By some studies, consumer spending on mobile devices increased during the Great Recession of 2008 and spending also increased for communication services. That pattern hasn’t changed.
Nor does it seem that there was much impact on subscription video entertainment spending, though some consumers might have dropped a premium channel in favor of expanded basic service.
On the other hand, no matter what people might say, global communications revenue growth clearly seems to have slipped in the wake of the 2008 Great Recession.
The point is that most consumers in developed markets might not have made drastic changes in their buying of communications and video entertainment services in the last Great Recession. So it still is hard to say what might happen were tough times to linger indefinitely.
Nor is it clear whether the thinkbroadband findings are in some way atypical of “most” consumers. The survey is skewed towards early adopters and information technology-literate users.
About 41 percent of respondents described themselves as “confident” with IT and 49 percent said they considered themselves “power users.”
Still, 51 percent of respondents say they use broadband “for personal use only.” Some 46 percent of respondents use their broadband for work.
The survey suggests that “propensity to churn” is much lower among older users (65+), who are twice as likely (56 percent) to stay with their broadband provider for more than four years, compared to users aged 18 to 24 (28 percent).
About 56 percent of users review their choice of broadband package at least once a year. Some 28 percent rarely review their choices, the study suggests.
Download speed is the most important factor for those considering switching. About 33 percent rate it as their primary reason for considering switching providers.
But 64 percent say download speed is one factor in such decisions. Price was deemed significant in 47 percent of cases, while service quality was an important consideration 43 percent of the time.
As often is the case, buyers say several attributes, including “quality/reliability” (36 percent) “download speeds” (21 percent) and “price” (15 percent) are important buying criteria.
Churn issues notwithstanding, the most intriguing finding was the apparently stronger value placed on fixed broadband, compared to mobile service.


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TORONTO — Imax B.O. is taking an increasing proportion of the overall B.O. of “The Matrix Reloaded (aka “Matrix II”) as the weeks pass.
During a recent week, Imax’s digitally remastered (DMR) version of the pic grossed $416,000, accounting for 80% of the film’s domestic box office.
Dan Fellman, WB’s prexy of domestic distribution, notes that the costs to WB are minimal, so there’s not much downside to going with DMR releases. “Certainly the Imax audience enjoys it, and it’s obvious that there’s a very good word of mouth.”
Fellman says it’s too early to tell how the advent of day-and-date Imax DMR releases will affect the manner in which movies are rolled out: “I think it’s going to develop into a window of some sort; how it ends up is yet to be determined. But it definitely is an interesting way to present your film. There are real Imax fans that love it, and hopefully we’ll be able to deliver product to Imax on a continuing basis.”
Fellman says he has not had any complaints from exhibitors.
“We don’t see DMR as substituting for conventional theater,” agrees Imax co-prexy and co-CEO Brad Wechsler. “We see them as complementary.”
“We have to be careful in that we also have to have conventional exhibitors embrace Imax,” says Wechsler, “and hopefully those people that don’t have Imax theaters will, instead of feeling threatened, come to the conclusion that they’ll make more money by having Imax theaters.”
Wechsler points out that day-and-date releases provide Imax with huge marketing oomph. “Imax has always been a niche company with not terribly significant marketing reach,” he notes. “We’ve never really had the dollars to market to the consumer on the movie side. By going with Hollywood tentpole films, we are playing to Hollywood strengths, and we can leverage off what Hollywood does best — marketing the films. That will substantially change the marketing and notoriety of Imax films.”
Wechsler says the company is seeing a shift in the balance of signups for Imax theaters from institutional to commercial — partly due to the advent of the DMR process and also with the introduction earlier in the year of cheaper MPX Imax theater systems.
While there is currently a 50/50 split between institutional and commercial Imax theaters, deals for the future are heavily favoring the commercial side, 90% to 10%. “We are encouraged by that,” he says.
Imax’s research indicates that more than 30% of those who attended the DMR “Matrix II” had never seen an Imax film before, “so it’s broadening the pie for Warner Bros. on one hand and Imax on the other,” Wechsler says. “It’s a win-win.”
Wechsler also notes exhibitors and studios negotiate terms between themselves, and that Imax, “the new guy on the block,” is neither involved nor can it influence the terms — nor does it pocket any of the B.O. The company hopes to make its money down the line through more signings. “Our goal is to bring in the largest amount of incremental dollars to exhibitors and distributors,” Wechsler says.
“Matrix II” is Imax’s first R-rated release, and Wechsler admits that “we were extremely nervous in advance,” given Imax’s reputation for family fare, but neither the core Imax audience nor the new auds seem troubled by it.


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Shopping malls need to boost their leisure propositions, while retailers must enhance their omnichannel strategies, mentioned speakers during the retail panel of SEE Property Forum 2021, Property Forum’s annual event in Bucharest.
Carmen Ravon, Omnichannel Real Estate Solutions | Head of Retail at CBRE Romania, who chaired the panel, pointed out that next year Romania will have 80% of new deliveries in retail parks and 20% in shopping centres, mostly extensions. She added that the domestic retail stock currently covers around 4.1 million sqm.
Dr. Angelus Bernreuther, Head of Investor Relationship Management at Kaufland, explained that the company’s strategy will stay in brick-and-mortar stores with an intensified digital interaction with customers.
Rüdiger Dany, COO of NEPI Rockcastle, mentioned that footfall in the company’s shopping malls has fallen compared to pre-COVID period but the turnover of tenant retailers matches the results of 2019 or are even higher. He added that NEPI Rockcastle is working with retailers on omnichannel strategies.
Bucharest-based Colosseum Mall will feature some 2,000 sqm of green spaces and outdoor areas for the food court, said Doinița Ilie MRICS, Leasing Manager at Colosseum Mall. According to Ilie, retail will be a successful combination of offline and online.
A decade ago, 99% of the company’s income was coming from rental income but at present, this figure stabilized at 80% as new options were tapped to generate value and income for real estate, according to Sebastian Mahu, Head of Asset Management at IULIUS Company.
Ecommerce sales in Romania have a share of 10% in total retail, while Poland and the Czech Republic have already 15% and 16% shares, respectively, according to Raluca Radu, Country Manager of Answear Romania. Radu quoted studies that forecast a 15% hike of the e-commerce volumes this year, from last year’s result of €5.6 billion.
The future of retail lies in developing more creative and recreational activities for customers in shopping centres, suggested Roxana Stanciulescu, Head of Retail Leasing at AFI Europe Romania. She added that the then AFI Europe will invest in new food court concepts and explained that mixed-use schemes could better accommodate the new market developments.
Geanina Ungureanu, Senior Leasing and Asset Manager Retail at IMMOFINANZ Romania, said that the company plans to expand its concept of retail parks in the midterm. Ungureanu added that IMMOFINANZ will continue to refurbish its shopping centres in Romania in a bid to upgrade the experience of shoppers.


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Applications for artificial intelligence was one of the key themes of the 2019 CES. Various talks and exhibits showed how machine learning and other AI algorithms will change the way we play, drive, work and live. This piece will look at some interesting aspects of AI and how they involve digital memories and storage.
Samsung had a press meeting before the CES show where they showed various products that they were showing at the CES. These included AI enabled driver assistance technologies (in fact these were on exhibit throughout the CES, particularly in the North Hall, where much of the automotive technology was on display). Jim Elliott from the Samsung memory group spoke at this event showing that 70% of the data generated by all the connected smart devices will be processed at the edge, because they can’t tolerate the latency of transport to large data centers (the cloud). He pointed out that DRAM and SSD solutions will be needed at the edge to store the information that will be processed there.
Several executives from IBM spoke about AI at their CES kickoff keynote talk. They discussed how IBM Watson is involved in various technologies such as weather (IBM owns The Weather Company), airlines (Delta), Oil and Gas (Exxon Mobile) and On-line dialog (IBM Project Debater, where you can debate with an AI). They also spoke about their efforts to develop Quantum Computing, showing their Q-chip for qubit calculations and their new Quantum Computing system, IBM Q System One that looked very shiny in a bright steel cryogenic tank.
Kalray’s products are based upon its massively parallel processing array (MPPA) manycore architecture. These products are targeted at data center and embedded intelligent systems. Many of these applications involve some type of artificial intelligence. Kalray also has a chip for NVMe-oF to tie in fast memory storage systems for AI applications. At the 2019 CES Kalray teamed up with NXP to show their MPPA products in automotive applications. NXP provided the host processor for the automotive platform on display, its high-performance S32 processor with ASIL-D and ASIL-B safety capabilities. Kalray was using its MPPA processors to safely handle the machine learning aspects of perception from the multiple automotive sensors.
The image below shows the integration of a Kalray MPPA processor into the NXP BlueBox, an embedded autonomous driving platform. The BlueBox is being used to address autonomous challenges in power and safety based on open standards and using ARM-based processing.
Gryfalcon is a startup company that recently introduced an AI chip platform designed for edge AI applications as well as cloud applications and is very efficient on power use, while high in performance. This neural network accelerator uses a 2D Matrix Processing Engine (MPE) with AI Processing in Memory (APiM). Doing parallel matrix processing reduces power consumption and increases performance.
The company’s Lightspeeur 2802M uses 40 MB of non-volatile non-volatile memory (MRAM), rather than volatile and real estate hungry SRAMS as memory to support AI processing, using 22 nm lithography. This is the first MRAM product out of foundry company, TSMC. Adding the MRAM memory is said to provide unparalleled speed, accuracy and performance to accelerate AI inferencing. Various models can be used for object detection, voice and facial recognition as well for voice commands.
The image below shows 16 2801 Gryfalcon chips with 28 nm lithography on a GAINBOARD 2803 PCIe board showing very favorable performance versus NVIDIA and Graphcore AI processors. An interesting early product appears to be PV powered connected streetlights for Japan that should be in use by the 2020 Olympics.
Although not strictly storage, Dassault Systemes, a large engineering design software company from France, were showcasing several products that were designed using their AI enabled 3D design software. This included a company from Spain, Zero to Infinity, that was showing their low earth satellite launch system (Bloostar) using a small 3-stage rocket launched from the edge of the atmosphere after being lofted up by a high atmosphere balloon. Perhaps, useful for outer space data center launches?
AI will power many consumer technologies, providing services and support for many human activities, from outer space to autonomous driving. New memory technologies will be needed in devices, at the edge and in the cloud to support these intelligent systems.


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Dropbox has made its second acquisition in a week, acquiring media streaming service Audiogalaxy last Thursday, and today picking up Snapjoy: an online photo library that pulls together photos from a user's phone and camera, and services like Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, and others. Users can also share photos from Snapjoy privately or to social networks — functionality that, if brought to Dropbox, could extend the company's reach beyond users' local disk drives. In an announcement on Snapjoy's blog, the company says "we've always admired Dropbox and loved their product" — and Dropbox's 100 million users can't hurt. Snapjoy says in its blog that signups are now closed, but that existing users will be able to continue using the service.
Dropbox has already focused on improving its photo storage experience, updating its app for iOS just last Friday with a modern look, a photo tab, and optimized full-screen viewing. It's not clear how Dropbox plans to integrate Snapjoy into its product, but with its focus on scooping up multimedia companies in the past week, the popular file-sharing company is signaling that it could become more than just a digital locker.
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The DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival, one of the biggest and most interesting events created for start-ups, will start on 16th of September in Israel. As every year, DLD Tel Aviv Digital Conference, which will start on September 18th, is an integral and main part of the project.
The agenda of the event is divided into several thematic blocks and includes several hundred accompanying events. During the four days of the Festival, there will be workshops, lectures by specialists and start-up representatives and trade fair days, where exhibitors from all over the world will present their products and services at the stands.
There will also be DSR, which thanks to its participation in the EU project, will present its own IT solutions supporting small, medium and large manufacturing companies. Participation in this event will certainly allow us to get to know the needs and interests of start-ups from Poland and around the world.
We encourage you to visit Tel Aviv on 16-19 September and invite you to our stand no.20.


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The new iPad will be available in Malaysia on Friday
Apple stated in its Press Release website that the new iPad will be available to a dozen of new markets including Malaysia and Brunei on Friday, April 20.
Other countries that will also get the new iPad are Croatia, Cyprus, Dominican [...]
Maxis Berhad launches Digital Book Service
Maxis Berhad recently launched its integrated digital book service, which can be utilized across devices. This is a bold move by Maxis to be more competitive in the market, the star reports.
Maxis also claimed that this new product would help local publishers [...]
Industry sources expect 12 to15 million units new iPads shipped in Quarter 2
According to industry sources cited by Digitimes, the shipments of the new iPad could intensify by the second quarter of 2012.
The Foxconn product line (Image credit: macstories)
The new iPad assembler [...]
Old 4G chip is the main cause of the new iPad heat issue
According to industry analyst, the recent heat problem with Apple’s new iPad is probably caused by the company’s decision to use the old 4G chip in an attempt to meet its launch deadline.
(Image credit: [...]
Apple sold three million new iPads on first weekend since launch
According to V3, Apple has made an announcement recently that it sold three million units of new iPad since the device went on sale on Friday in UK as the company strives to lead over the tablet market.
Amazon Kindle App for the new iPad
For users of the new iPad, Amazon has just launched its Kindle app for the new iPad or Amazon Kindle App for short. The app, which has been used originally for the older iPads, has now been rewritten to take advantage of the Retina display of the [...]
Who supply displays for the new iPad?
IHS stated that the three suppliers [...]
IHS – Tablets to be fourth largest semiconductor market by 2014
According to IHS iSuppli, the tablets media will become the fourth largest application for semiconductors by 2014, rising from 35th position in 2010, and in just four years able to rival the position of powerhouse chip markets like mobile handsets and PCs.
First batch of the new iPad is out of stock
Customers who have been waiting for the new iPad and eyeing to preorder the device have to wait for a little longer to get their tablets. Apple announced that it could not meet the demand for more delivery of its device on the March 16 deadline. Customers [...]
Slim bezel display for mini iPad
Digitimes reported on Monday that Apple is likely to adopt a slim bezel display for the highly anticipated 7.85-inch iPads. The move to adopt such display is to try and increase the viewing area of small-sized tablets, such as the mini iPad.
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Scandinavian solutions provider Mediability has formed a new strategic partnership with Grass Valley.
The deal means all of Mediability’s Nordic customers will now have access to Grass Valley’s complete product portfolio, including the former Snell Advanced Media (SAM) product lines.
Following on from their relationship with SAM, the Mediability team have built key competence on SAM’s playout and production solutions, that are now integrated into the Grass Valley product offering. Mediability said the partnership with Grass Valley opens new possibilities for customers to explore the Grass Valley content and media technology solutions.
Mediability provides solutions, consultancy, system integration, services and products. It counts the likes of TV2, Discovery, Canal Digital and Altibox among its clients.
“Our long term relationship with SAM has been a driving factor in Mediability’s success in the Nordics and we are very happy to secure our position with Grass Valley as their selected partner in the Nordics,” said Håvard Myklebust, CEO, Mediability Group. “We can now offer the best of breed products and solutions to our customers for live production, news, playout, and networking, in collaboration with one of the media industry’s most renowned vendors.”


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Korean technology company Samsung has evidently been busy, since rumors regarding the Galaxy Note 9 has been leaked. News about the Galaxy Note 9 came very shortly just after the release of the latest flagship phone from Samsung, the Galaxy Note 8, to the surprise of many.
In a report by Trusted Reviews, they have received some information from Ming-Chi Kuo, who happens to be from the KGI Securities, which is the company that assists Samsung with its security features. The Galaxy Note 9 is slated to feature fingerprint scanning capabilities within the glass display, which is something that has not been done before. As of the moment, the feature is called the "under-display optical fingerprint scanner."
Specifically, this feature will allow its users to simply place their finger on the screen, giving them instant access to the phone. If this feature is implemented, then it is safe to assume that Samsung will start to disregard the home button altogether. According to Valuewalk, rival company Apple tried to include the same security feature for their own flagship phones, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. However, they were unsuccessful in launching it.
In an analytical review by Know Your Mobile, they stated that it is quite possible that Apple aimed to have both the face recognition feature and the under display optical fingerprint scanner for their phones, but opted to only feature the former rather than the latter. The security feature has been made possible due to the ability of the Galaxy Note 9's AMOLED screen to be utilized as a source of light for the phone's sensor.
Uber Gizmo stated that Samsung was rumored to have disregarded the under-display optical fingerprint scanner feature since Apple released the iPhone 8. At this point, since these are merely speculations and rumors, perhaps it would be wise to take the news rather lightly. It seems that the world has yet to decide on which security feature is the most useful in this day and age.


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MatchMove has acquired Shopmatic in a US$200-million deal, that would combine the two Singapore-based firms into an end-to-end embedded finance and e-commerce powerhouse.
MatchMove’s platform promises customisable, fast, secure and regulated embedded financial services, such as banking-in-an-app, powered by APIs, to help enterprise firms offer richer services to their SME customers.
Shopmatic offers small businesses an e-commerce presence, complete with chat, social media, a webstore and automated access to the world’s largest e-marketplaces.
The combined company will enable MatchMove to provide its Banking-as-a-Service capabilities to Shopmatic’s ecosystem of over a million e-commerce SME customers.
This deal is the first in a series of planned acquisitions for MatchMove to create an end-to-end service for companies in Southeast Asia aiming to digitalise their offerings.
MatchMove has grown its presence rapidly across Southeast Asia in recent times and has customers across Singapore, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam.
The combined entity will operate under the MatchMove Group name, while retaining their individual customer-facing brands for the immediate period.
Shopmatic CEO, Anurag Avula, will continue to lead the Shopmatic business while Shailesh Naik, MatchMove CEO, will helm the group as it seeks to add further complementary acquisitions to its stable of SaaS infrastructure solutions.
Naik said the acquisition provides a large user base to deploy their financial services, reaching a huge sector of the economy at scale.
“Enterprise customers can now completely digitalise their supply chains — providing services like supply chain lending and vendor payments through a single platform to Shopmatic’s ecosystem of SME customers,” said Naik.
Avula said they are building a scalable, business-friendly platform-as-a-service with intelligent tools and data, so every business has the ability to create amazing products to address their markets and while addressing the challenges of moving digital money securely.
MatchMove plans to provide modular services, so customers can select and tailor the digital services they need to deliver their commercial objectives.
In addition to their existing e-commerce services, Shopmatic merchants will now be able to access embedded banking-as-a-service through MatchMove, enabling their buyers to make and collect payments seamlessly and at a lower cost.
MatchMove provides enterprise customers with a set of customisable APIs which can be integrated into their app to offer own-brand digital wallets, in addition to both virtual and physical cards through Visa, Mastercard and WePay.
The platform comes with a virtual account, ensuring they receive their daily sales funds. This solution also helps Shopmatic and its merchants improve their receivables and reduce their cost of managing payments.


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Samsung sets its sights on being number one in the tablet market
In recent years, Samsung has aggressively marketed its Galaxy smartphones and found ways to set themselves apart as the go-to brand for those looking for something different than “just another iPhone”. As a result, for many less tech-savvy individuals the “Galaxy” brand has become nearly synonymous with the word Android.
Winning over the smartphone market is impressive, but Samsung has its sights on even more. At a special Analysts Day event held today in South Korea, we learned about Samsung’s future tech plans when it comes to CPUs, displays and even cameras.
Beyond that, the company’s CEO JK Shin also revealed that their latest goal is to steal the tablet crown from Apple, and become the “most beloved” company in the mobile world. Of course Shin gave no exact time-line for this feat.
For many consumers the iPad is still considered the “gold standard” when it comes to tablets, but Samsung is already starting to catch up. According to Shin, Sammy is expected to sell over 40 million tablets this year, double the amount they sold in 2012.
In contrast, Apple is estimated to sell around 72 million devices this year, versus 65.7 million in 2012. In other words, Apple’s tablet growth is starting to slow down, while Samsung is finally starting to see a major jump up in support.
Can Samsung accomplish this goal?
So what stands in Samsung’s way? If their growth continues at this rate, we imagine very little. Traditionally though, Android has been known by consumers as a “weaker” platform when it comes to tablet apps, which may have previously held back Samsung’s growth.
The good news is that the number of tablet-optimized apps for Android seems to be on the rise and Google has even begun pushing several changes to its Play Store that should help further stimulate the growth of Android tablet apps.
Another area of weakness for Samsung has been its overall specs, particularly when it comes to displays. While Samsung brings its A-game with most of its smartphones, Samsung’s tablets are often good but not necessarily “great” when you consider their price tag.
An example of this is the Galaxy Tab 3, which packs a dual-core CPU and a 1024×600 resolution display and yet is only $50 cheaper than the Nexus 7 2013.
Of course, not all Samsung tablets feature lower-end specs and displays — devices like the Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition) come to mind. And if the rumor mill is correct, we could also see unique Samsung tablets in 12 and 13-inch form factors that could also help Samsung gain momentum in the tablet world.
What do you think of Samsung’s current tablet efforts, what needs to change if the Korean giant really wishes to topple Apple’s throne? Conversely, do you feel that Samsung’s tablets are already some of the best Android tablets on the market?


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German manufacturer will expand its range of ecological models with an electric version of the A-Klasse model, named E-Cell and expected to begin on the market in October. Mercedes will improve this year its electric vehicles offer with a ecological model. Manufacturer from Stuttgart plans to launch in October a battery version of the current small class A-Klasse model, which will represent the first series electric model of the German producer.
Once released into production, the model will join the other two green members of the German manufacturer: Smart Electric Drive and B-Klasse F-Cell, the latter being a hydrogen model. They have already entered the assembly line late last year.
Like other zero-emission models, A-Klasse will be produced in a small number of copies, which will then be offered for testing to public institutions. To date, Mercedes has revealed only a picture of the new A-Klasse E-Cell, as the model was called by German officials.


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LA County Maintains Restrictions Despite Mounting Pressure to Reopen
Officials to reassess later this month
Los Angeles County is not changing its restrictions on reopening until at least later this month, despite increasing pressure from landlords, property owners and city leaders.
Public health officials explained Tuesday that the county will wait until they can assess how the Labor Day weekend impacts the rate of coronavirus cases before considering if more sectors will reopen. Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Public Health Department, said the restrictions on indoor shopping centers, bars, card rooms and family entertainment locations will remain until they can collect more of that data for the two weeks after people traveled or celebrated with large groups of people.
“The reopening decisions and the closing decisions that we make together (…) have an impact on what we see in our case numbers,” she said. “We are hopeful that we don’t see another surge like we did after July 4, but it would be foolish to start a lot of reopenings right now, only to quickly need to close down again because our numbers are moving rapidly in the wrong direction.”
Currently, the county is seeing more than 9 new cases per 100,000 people per day. In order to advance to the next tier in the state’s reopening plan, it would have to be lower than 7 per 100,000 for two consecutive weeks.
“We are working closely with the Board of Supervisors to look at all of our data, particularly if we’re going to have another surge after Labor Day, before we revisit what else should be sequenced for reopening,” Ferrer said.
The discussion at the Board of Supervisors hearing came as landlords and city officials mobilized in opposition. This week, mayors from five L.A. County cities, including Bell Gardens, Gardena and Commerce, which have gambling cardrooms, pressed for the county to allow them to open for outdoor business. According to The Daily Breeze, revenue from the casinos accounts for 40-70 percent of each city’s budget.
Earlier this week, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield argued against the decision to keep indoor malls closed, according to a report by My News LA. That was a day after the owner of a small sports apparel chain and the owner of the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance filed a lawsuit against the county for giving larger outlets an advantage. Daisy Rivas, who owns the sports apparel business, said she is prepared to follow the state protocols, including limiting her capacity to 25 percent. The lawsuit argues that her stores remain closed while big box stores and department stores are permitted to open.
Supervisor Hilda Solis said her office has been inundated with calls from small businesses, restaurant owners, breweries and cardrooms about the restrictions. Supervisor Janice Hahn said most of the calls to her office had been about breweries and cardrooms reopening. She said the board is very concerned about the public’s health, and “also extremely worried about our economy.”
“Some of our cities rely on the revenue from these card clubs, some of our cities rely on the revenue from the shopping malls, so these are tough decisions,” Hahn said.
Ferrer pointed to June 18, when bars were allowed to reopen and the county was seeing about 1,000 cases per day.
“On July 1, a couple of weeks later, we jumped to seeing 2,000 cases per day … by the middle of that month, the county averaged more than 3,000 new cases per day.” she said. “And we know the first weekend we opened, that first Saturday, there were 500,000 people in the county that visited bars.”
Ferrer added that open bars wasn’t the only reason for the rise in cases, but that increase was one of the steepest that the county has seen in a short period of time.
“Unfortunately, when people are eating and drinking, they’re not able to wear their face covering,” she said. “I know it’s particularly difficult for some sectors that are still closed — particularly those sectors that opened for a brief period of time before that really serious spike in cases that we saw starting in July; we’ve had to close back down some of those sectors. And I know it’s been extraordinarily frustrating, and it’s had devastating economic consequences.”


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It’s easy to think we’re in something of a structural bull market for sandwiches: Subway has rocketed past McDonald’s to become the largest restaurant chain in the world, with 41,000 stores, Silicon Valley venture capitalists are betting big on disrupting the grilled cheese market, and this October the Potbelly Sandwich Shop put Twitter’s 73% rise in first-day trading post IPO to shame with a 127% pop of its own.
But this rising tide isn’t lifting all boats. As the WSJ reports today, Quiznos, once a star of the sandwich game with its toasted subs, is facing tough times:
The once-booming sandwich chain Quiznos is stumbling two years into a major turnaround effort, prompting the company to seek concessions from creditors owed nearly $600 million.
The Denver-based chain, known formally as QIP Holder LLC, has struggled with store closures and tension with franchisees. It recently missed a payment on a loan, and has been negotiating to restructure some or all of its debt load with creditors, who have hired bankers and lawyers, people familiar with the matter said.
Quiznos had almost 5,000 stores worldwide at its 2008 peak but is down to 2,100 today. More on this after the jump…
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Wendy’s Co. (WEN) said it will focus more on low-priced menu items next year to compete with McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) and other fast-food chains that are attracting more cost-conscious consumers.
Customer traffic at Wendy’s has been “flat to slightly down” this year, Chief Financial Officer Steve Hare told investors at a conference Wednesday. “I think one of the reasons…is because we’ve been more effective on the premium side than on the value side,” he added.
Wendy’s is in the midst of revitalizing its image and menu, in hopes of becoming viewed as “a cut above” traditional fast food. The chain’s premium burgers, salads and sandwiches also generate higher profit margins and have thus been of greater interest to franchisees.
“We’re so large; we also have to be competitive on the value side of the business,” Mr. Hare said. “And that’s one of the areas where we’ve been inconsistent.”
A big part of the move next year will be focused on a national menu of 99-cent items. Why that price? “There’s a customer base that we’ve taught you got a good value [at] 99 cents, and they’re hard to move off of that price point,” Mr Hare said.
The price-conscious end of the fast-food market remains hot even as many chains, Wendy’s included, are trying to capture a slightly more upmarket customer that might otherwise head to a more expensive restaurant. McDonald’s is getting aggressive on price, and as the WSJ’s Gasparro reports, Subway’s successful “$5 Footlong” campaign has morphed into a lower-priced seasonal offer this December: the $2 six-inch.
As we mentioned earlier, Sandy’s lingering effect on transportation is reverberating through multiple industries, with bottlenecks now cascading through the market — and workarounds, quick-fixes and maybe even longer term changes starting to emerge. A few more lines worth noting:
First, the WSJ’s Bob Sechler on the supply chain starting to back up:
While CSX Corp. (CSX), the largest railroad in the region, said it opened a key stretch of track from Philadelphia to Albany, N.Y., late Thursday, it cautioned shippers to expect about three days of delays amid cargo backlogs, power outages in some areas and other issues.
CSX said it now has opened all of the track it closed because of the storm.
Trucking company YRC Worldwide Inc. (YRCW) said Friday that significant numbers of its fully loaded, eastbound truck trailers are starting to “stack up” at its distribution and relay centers outside the New York metropolitan area and nearby eastern New Jersey. But Chief Executive James Welch said the problem is unrelated to the region’s fuel shortage.
“We can’t get through roads, and a lot of our customers aren’t open” to accept deliveries, Mr. Welch said.
On the other hand, electric vehicles, usually held back by the short range and long charging time of their expensive batteries, are being seen in a new light amid mile-long queues at gas stations. As the NYT reports
Even though Mr. Moloughney commutes nearly 100 miles round trip to the restaurant from his home in Chester, N.J., he’s not affected by gasoline supply disruptions. That’s because he drives an all-electric BMW ActiveE.
“I can drive all I want without worry,” he said….
Like other E.V. owners in the area, Mr. Moloughney shifted from relying mostly on home charging to juicing up at a public charger in an unaffected area. The map of towns with and without power is like a checkerboard, but with a little planning electric fuel may be more available than gasoline. Many gas stations have been shut down, even if they have gasoline, because power outages disabled the gas pumps.
But with electric cars still a miniscule part of the market, all eyes are on the fuel situation, where government, federal and state, is making moves, as the WSJ’s Dan Strumpf and Andrew Grossman report:
In separate announcements, the U.S. government issued a temporary waiver allowing non-U.S. oil tankers to transport fuel between the Gulf Coast and Northeast, while New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo waived a tax on tankers docking in storm-battered New York harbor and announced the harbor was passable and tankers were arriving.
Some experts doubted whether the moves will do much to bring relief to the long lines of motorists at gas stations, saying restoring power would be the most effective step. But New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said “there should be a real change” in the supply shortages. “People should see it quickly.”
The Department of Homeland Security said the waiver of the 1920 Jones Act should help ease the crunch that has snagged the gasoline supply chain and snarled gas stations in the Northeast. The act restricts tankers moving between U.S. ports to only those that are U.S. flagged, built, owned and manned.
In the Guardian, Taras Grescoe writes of the natural disaster that inspired the beginning of New York’s first vast wave of investment in public transit:
A massive storm blows in from the Atlantic, bringing the commercial capital of the western hemisphere to a complete standstill. Ferries stop running, trains are immobilized, and in several boroughs, fires rage out of control. “New York”, a reporter at the New York Times marvels, is as “completely isolated from the rest of the world as if Manhattan Island was in the middle of the South Sea.” Seeing their city utterly paralyzed by an act of nature, officials who tour the blacked-out neighborhoods immediately call for a massive investment in better transportation.
The tempest in question was not Hurricane Sandy, but the “Great White Hurricane”, a blizzard that, in the early days of March 1888…
And when discussing the existential importance of that first wave of investment that build the New York subway system — and the next wave that will keep it viable for another century — it’s important to remember what is at state. This WSJ video showing what the city looks like minus its core transit system is pretty sobering:


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El Paso's sales tax rebates increase 5.9 percent for May sales, new report shows
The city of El Paso's state sales tax rebates, an indication of the local retail industry's health, increased 5.9 percent compared to a year ago for May sales, according to a Texas comptroller's report released Wednesday.
The comptroller allocated the May rebates this month.
El Paso's percentage increase in tax rebates was well above the 0.6 percent increase for all Texas cities combined, and was larger than most other Texas cities. El Paso received $6.5 million in sales tax rebates this month for May sales — an increase of almost $364,000 from a year ago.
The city's rebates for January through July increased 4.3 percent to almost $48 million — below the 4.8 percent gain for all Texas cities combined.
Other Texas cities and percentage change in tax rebates for May sales: Austin, up 10 percent; Dallas, up 5 percent; San Antonio, up 2 percent; McAllen, down 1.7 percent; and Midland, down 7.3 percent.


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Here's how the proposed £500 voucher scheme to save the UK high street could work
As part of efforts to restart the economy, the UK government is reportedly considering launching a new voucher scheme to help bring money to the high street.
The scheme, which has been proposed by the Resolution Foundation, would allow people to be given ‘free’ vouchers up to the value of £500 to help inject money into industries - such as retail - that need the most help to recover post-lockdown.
Who is eligible for the vouchers?
Under the proposals, all adults would receive a £500 voucher and children a one-off £250 voucher to help pump money back into the high street.
The vouchers would be valid in sectors, such as retail, arts and hospitality, that have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus lockdown.
How would the voucher scheme work?
It has been suggested that the vouchers would be a one-off, non-refundable payment, as opposed to several monthly payments, and would be delivered as coupons or smartcards, that will be valid for 12 months.
Vouchers would be issued as opposed to cash in a bid to encourage people to “spend not save”.
It is intended that the vouchers would be spent on the high street, rather than used to buy goods online, and in the event of a second lockdown, they would be deactivated electronically, and later reactivated when businesses reopen.
The idea was suggested by the Resolution Foundation ahead of Mr Sunak’s mini-budget announcement on Wednesday (8 July), and said the £30billion scheme could save hundreds of thousands of jobs amid a looming recession.
The report said: “The voucher scheme can target the parts of the economy where the problems are – bricks and mortar consumption in shops and restaurants, rather than online sales – and recognises the different impact of the crisis on poor and rich families.
"The Foundation notes that cash transfers risk simply being saved by higher income households, who are already boosting their balance sheets through ’enforced savings’.”
Has such a scheme been implemented before?
In Taiwan, people are able to spend the vouchers on goods and services at retail shops, restaurants, markets, cultural venues, hotels and on rail transport.
However, they cannot be used online or to purchase certain goods, including cigarettes, stocks or coupons.
James Smith, at the Resolution Foundation, told the Liverpool Echo: "Social distancing has huge implications for firms in sectors like retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure that will last into the forthcoming reopening phase. That is why the jobs of so many workers in these sectors are in the firing line. The Chancellor’s recovery package on Wednesday should reflect this unique economic challenge.
"As well as setting out the biggest ever peacetime job support programme, the Chancellor should get Britain spending in places where it’s needed most.
"A universal ‘High Street Voucher’ scheme – worth £500 per adult and £250 per child – to be spent only in these sectors would kickstart demand in the right parts of our economy, boost living standards and deliver targeted support to the businesses that need help the most.
"The Chancellor has already shown that big, bold measures like the Job Retention Scheme are welcome and necessary in the current economic climate. He should take this same approach as we enter the crucial recovery phase of the crisis."
In his budget statement on Wednesday (8 July), Mr Sunak announced a number of new initiatives to help benefit the UK economy, including slashing stamp duty on transactions below £500,000, a £2 billion "green homes grant" which grants homeowners and landlords vouchers to make their properties more energy efficient, and a new 'Eat Out to Help Out' discount to get customers back into restaurants, cafes and pubs.
Under the dining out scheme, meals eaten at any participating business from Monday to Wednesday during August will be 50 per cent cheaper, up to a maximum discount of £10 per head for everyone. Businesses can then claim the money back with the funds in their bank account within five working days.


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01 September 1998 00:00 [Source: APC]With their ozone-depleting properties, CFCs are being phased out in favour of more environmentally friendly alternatives. Bill Macdonald takes a look
The rapid growth of the fluorochemical industry in the Asia-Pacific has slowed due to the effects of the economic crisis. However, with the continuing phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), customers are looking for alternatives. The industry is completing a transition from the production of ozone-depleting CFCs to more environmentally benign hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
HCFCs, with a substantially lower potential for depleting the upper atmosphere ozone layer than CFCs, will play an important interim role through the early years of the next century, when they too will be phased out in favour of HFCs, which have no ozone-depleting potential.
Refrigeration and air-conditioning will continue to provide the dominant market for fluorochemicals, but will be characterised by sluggish growth, reflecting the maturity of the refrigeration equipment market. Motor vehicle air-conditioning will provide the best growth opportunities for refrigerants because of strong demand for aftermarket servicing.
The Montreal Protocol dictated that production of CFCs should be terminated by 1996. However, for developing countries an additional ten-year period for phase-out was allowed.
Throughout the region the pace of phase-out is somewhat mixed. 'It depends on the countries,' says James Harris, AlliedSignal's fluorocarbons business development manger for Asia-Pacific, 'some countries, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, have moved towards the quite aggressive phase-out of CFCs, while other - mainly Asean - countries are moving more slowly.'
However, some are starting programmes to ban CFCs. The Philippines will, from next January, ban the importation of two major groups of ozone-depleting substances. The Environment Department has announced the banning of CFC 11, 12 and 13 blends containing CFC-114 and CFC-115, and halon 1211 and 1300.
###6901###Countries such as China and India also lag behind developed nations in curbing CFC production and use. India's production of CFCs has risen 300% to 16 000 tonne from 4000 tonne more than a decade ago.
However, things are beginning to change. The Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) is helping to commercialise India's first indigenously developed CFC substitute, HFC-134A, an ozone-friendly substitute for refrigerant gas CFC-12.
Two companies involved in the project with IICT, Naveen Fluorine Industries and Sriram Fibres, will initially set up a Rupee50m ($1.4m) pilot plant to produce 5kg/hr of HFC-134A, with plans to eventually build a 2000 tonne/year plant.
AlliedSignal markets Genetron 134a (HFC-134a) refrigerant for automobile applications. Genetron 134a is a non-ozone-depleting hydrofluorocarbon-based refrigerant used in the air-conditioning systems of new vehicles. Genetron 134a is produced in the US by AlliedSignal.
The company's main fluorocarbons business centres on refrigerants and film-blowing agents. Like other industries, these have been hit by the economic crisis engulfing the region.
'Our types of products go into consumer goods, white goods, the market for which is really fuelled by countries which have a growing middle class,' says Harris. 'When Asia was growing at about 7-8% per annum, the OEM market was growing very rapidly.' Like all suppliers, the market demand has decreased because of the Asian economic crisis, he adds.
However, AlliedSignal continues to build up its distribution network in the region and in the long run expects to set up a manufacturing facility in the region. 'Eventually, somewhere down the road we're going to have a manufacturing presence,' says Harris. 'It's still the largest growing market in the world.'
The company also has a joint venture in the region with Asahi Chemical. AlliedSignal-Asahi was established in June 1997 as a joint venture 51%-owned by AlliedSignal and 49% by Asahi Glass, to undertake the zero ozone-depletion potential HFC business, and is developing the market with the support of both parent companies.
As well as promoting the refrigerant HFC-410a as a replacement for HCFC-22, which is used in air-conditioners and other ventilating equipment, AlliedSignal-Asahi is developing the urethane foaming agent HFC-245a. Samples are supplied from the pilot plant of AlliedSignal, and it is aimed at the HCFC-141b replacement market.
HFC-410A is currently produced by AlliedSignal at its Geismar, Louisiana, US, plant. Local production is targeted for 2000. At present the product lineup, startup timing and production scale are in process of being firmed up, with Asahi's Chiba site as prime candidate location, and a definite programme will be decided by the first half of 1999.
Last year, AlliedSignal and Elf Atochem reached an agreement for the manufacture and marketing of refrigerant blends for use as CFC substitutes in refrigeration and air-conditioning applications. Under the agreement, AlliedSignal manufactures and markets R-409A (Forane FX56) for use as an R-12 substitute in medium-temperature refrigeration systems, while Elf Atochem markets R-410A (AZ-20), as a replacement for R-22.
Although there has been a fairly large drop in the fluorochemical market, Harris expects the growth to resume within the next five years. 'We're still very positive about Asia in the long run,' says Harris. 'The real challenge is to be part of that potential.'
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Finally, the time has come for the unveiling of Whatsapp improvement, which as we earlier published on WhatsApp to Launch Free Calling Feature Soon, this is a prove of not just an improvement but a better upgrade to becoming the best communication services provider over the internet. According to whatsapp recent update, users can now access whatsapp on PC without the use of any third party application like Bluestack or whatsoever.
According to WhatsApp’s official Blog, you can only access it using Google chrome plugin with which support for other browsers are coming soon.
Note: This web browser plugin mirrors your conversations and messages from your mobile device, i.e., all of your messages will still appear live on your mobile device.
To start using your web browser to WhatsApp, simply visit https://web.whatsapp.com in your Google Chrome browser. You will see a QR code, scan the code inside of WhatsApp, and the task is completed. You have successfully paired your Phone WhatsApp with the WhatsApp web client.”
Note that the mobile linked to the PC should have internet access all the time you are using WhatsApp on your PC (Google Chrome) and make sure you install the latest version of WhatsApp on your phone.
Devices that are supported for now are Android, Blackberry, Nokia S60, Windows Phone, Blackberry 10 but the sad News is that iOS users are not yet included due to Apple platform limitations, which means this web application will not work for iOS users (iPhone/iPad).


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Saudi inflation rate slightly down
Saudi Arabia's annual inflation rate declined to 5.3 percent in January 2011 from 5.4 percent in December 2010. This is the lowest level since April 2010.
According to data from the Central Department of Statistics, food prices dropped sharply. On a month-on-month basis, inflation amounted to 0.1 percent in January, unchanged from December, Reuters said.
Consumer prices are expected to climb higher this year, due to increasing global food prices.
- Oman’s Duqm tourist complex moves forward with government approval
- Kuwait fights budget deficit: Reexamining government salaries, expatriate labor
- Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts fights nationwide unemployment levels
- Construction costs fall in Dubai
- Western tourists flock to Iran, could generate $30B in new revenue


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Another rap over BT sales
SALES tactics used by Royal Mail for its new home phone service are under investigation by regulator Ofcom.
Despite being warned six weeks ago, Royal Mail has failed to introduce a code of practice. The compulsory code was part of a crackdown in April on misleading tactics by salesmen pushing phone services in which customers retain BT lines but are billed by other firms.
Ofcom gave the industry a deadline of May 26 to introduce codes governing how their staff operated. BT was a part of the Post Office until Margaret Thatcher split it off and privatised it in 1984.
The Post Office, which owns Royal Mail, re-entered the market in January and has 100,000 customers.
The Post Office admitted there had been 'isolated' examples of mis-selling. Royal Mail, controlled by the Department of Trade and Industry, could in theory be fined ten per cent of its revenues of almost £9bn for breaching Ofcom rulings.
The Post Office says it has a code, but it has not yet appeared on the phone service website.
Ofcom declined to comment at the weekend.
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GHANA – Float, a Ghana-based startup that gives credit lines to businesses, has secured US$17 million in capital, which it plans to use to expand its capabilities and geographically.
Y Combinator CEO Michael Seibel (USA), Sandy Kory of Horizon Partners (USA), Ramp founders Karim Atiyeh and Eric Glyman (USA), Gregory Rockson of mPharma (Ghana), and Dutchie founders Zach Lipson and Ross Lipson (USA) were among the angel investors who featured in the latest investment.
Float, which is already present in Ghana and Nigeria, plans to utilize the fresh money to establish presence in Kenya and South Africa by the second quarter of this year, as soon as it obtains operating licenses.
The money will also be put towards improving the company’s cash management platform and launching new credit solutions targeted at specific business verticals and industries.
“Float set out on a mission to provide more cash flow and liquidity for millions of businesses across the continent to help them grow and reach their true potential,” said the chief executive, Jesse Ghansah, in a statement.
“With this new funding, we will continue to refine both our credit and software products to deliver the best experiences for our fast-growing customer base. We are excited to be the growth partner of choice for businesses in Africa.”
Ghansah previously led OMG Digital, a media company he founded which also got into YC in 2016. OMG Digital, raised US$1.1 million in seed funding in 2017.
But then again, the startup has generated considerable traction since it was founded barely two years ago.
Hundreds of enterprises from a variety of industries have signed up for Float’s cash flow management and expenditure platform in the seven months since its introduction, including retail and manufacturing, fintech, e-commerce, media, and health.
In that period, Float has also spent US$10 million on credit and made cash advances to enterprises. The company says that the volume of payment transactions (invoicing and vendor payments) has increased 26 times.


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Smartphone News, Blog, and Accessories
Articles Search for "bb10"
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|BlackBerry dumping BB10 in favor of Android, for now
BlackBerry released their first Android phone last year, and it looks like the company loves Android. The BlackBerry Priv is doing pretty well, and BlackBerry says it will likely introduce another Android phone this year. BlackBerry CEO, John Chen, made the announcement in an interview at CES. Chen....more
|BlackBerry Blend for BB10 updated
BlackBerry has updated BlackBerry Blend today, bringing new features that make it more effective when using it with other devices. New support for timed messages and Android attachments are now included, as well as security improvements. The new update is available in the App World now. BlackBerry ....more
|Two-factor authentication app for BlackBerry 10 released
There are several two-factor authentication apps for BlackBerry, but Cyphercor Inc. is throwing their hat in the ring for BB10. The company announced their native two-factor authentication app for BlackBerry 10. According to the page in the BlackBerry World, the LoginTC app allows users to securely log on t....more
|Whatsapp for BlackBerry 10 updated
Although BlackBerry would prefer all its user use BBM, there are other messaging apps for BlackBerry. WhatsApp is probably the most popular messaging app in the world, and they have recently updated their app for BlackBerry 10. Users should already see an update for Whatsapp in the BlackBerry App World.
|Forbes - BlackBerry stuck in the past
It appears some people are not very excited about BlackBerry going back to its roots with the BlackBerry Classic. In a response to John Chen's blog post yesterday touting the BlackBerry Classic, Forbes has run a piece by Ewan Spence slamming BlackBerry and even calling them disingenuous.
|How to switch to the BlackBerry Passport from iOS or Android
The BlackBerry Passport is official and BlackBerry is doing everything it can to encourage you to switch from your iOS or Android device. The company has published a blog post with all sorts of information designed to help you make the switch. For starters, they have released a 100 page ebook entitled, "Di....more
|BlackBerry names former Sybase executive as COO
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|BlackBerry 10.1 includes several new features
BlackBerry is giving BlackBerry OS 10.1 to developers this week and the first major BB10 update has some new features. Crackberry has the low down on 14 new features with the most notable being HDR photos, PIN-to-PIN messaging within the BlackBerry Hub, and an improved text picker. BlackBerry contin....more
|Analyst says BlackBerry working on a 5-inch BB10 device
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|Rogers and Telus take pre-orders for BlackBerry Q10
The BlackBerry Q10 will be coming to Canada in the coming weeks. Both Rogers Communications and Telus said the Q10 will be available in the “coming weeks.” No exact dates have been given, but both companies are offering pre-orders of the BB10 QWERTY phone now. Bell, Telus and Rogers will sell the Bl....more
|Chinese Government orders 2 million BlackBerry Q10s?
If this rumor is true, BlackBerry has just received a gigantic order for its Q10 QWERTY smartphone. A message posted on Stockhouse claims the Chinese Government has placed an order for 2 milliion Q10s.
The Chinese Bureau of Economic and Cultural Development has signed an intent to purcha....more
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The introduction of free parking in Middlesbrough has brought in almost 260,000 more visitors to the town, figures show.
In February last year Middlesbrough Council brought in a free car parking offer to boost the economy of the town centre.
It hoped to make the town centre more attractive to shoppers and visitors and also to make the town centre more attractive to existing and new businesses.
The offer gave visitors two hours of free parking in the council run car parks in the town centre.
And figures show that the move brought 259,648 more visitors to the town.
In the 45 weeks following the introduction of the parking offers on February 18 last year there were 462,099 vehicle visits in the council-run car parks.
This compares with 202,451 vehicles that parked over the same 45 weeks in 2012 – an increase of 128%.
And over the four-week Christmas shopping period in December last year, more than 54,000 vehicles used the council’s short stay car parks compared with 26,000 in 2012.
This is an increase of more than 27,000.
Over the same period long stay car park usage was about the same as the previous year and over the full period of the parking offers long stay usage has remained broadly in line with 2012.
A review report on the findings has been written to update Middlesbrough Council’s executive about the effect of the changes
It states: “It is difficult to come to definite conclusions as to the impact of the parking offers.
"Increases of usages have been partially offset by clear displacement from other car parks and against a backdrop of falling footfall nationally, the impact is difficult to assess.
“However, what is critical is that retailers have reported significant improvements to trading which they have ascribed to the parking offers.
“This demonstrates a clear success of the approach taken.”
Should the 'free for two hours' Middlesbrough parking scheme be continued?
0+ VOTES SO FAR
The report states that shopping centre representatives may reduce the charges in their car parks from £1.50 to £1 for two hours on the understanding that the council agree to offer the same £1 for two hours charge in the Captain Cook Square and Zetland car parks.
The report states: “This will provide an opportunity to achieve a simple, consistent and cheap shopper parking offer across the town centre.”
The report, which was prepared by councillor Nicky Walker and councillor Charles Rooney, recommends that the Middlesbrough Council executive approves the continuation of “free for two hours” offer in the main shopper car parks.
It also recommends it approves the zonal long stay tariff charges to all long stay car parks.


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B-Town D.O.G. holding fundraising Bake Sale this Friday, Feb. 14
The B-Town D.O.G. (Dog Owners Group) will be holding a fundraising Bake Sale (or rather “BaRK” Sale) in front of Burien Press (423 SW 152nd) this Friday, Feb. 14th (Valentines Day).
Along with sweet items for humans, there will also be home baked Dog Biscuits and cookies for your furry Valentine.
All proceeds go to support the Off leash Dog Area at Lakeview Park.
More info at http://btwndog.webs.com.


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- Gives approval for an increase in petroleum dealers margin by Rs7 per litre both on petrol and diesel from Rs4.90 per litre and Rs4.13 per litre
ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has decided to allow the import of 200,000 metric tonnes of wheat and lifted the ban on the import of all the items except completely built units (CBUs) of auto, mobile, and home appliances.
The meeting presided over by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail also gave approval for an increase in petroleum dealers margin by Rs7 per litre both on petrol and diesel from Rs4.90 per litre and Rs4.13 per litre, respectively.
Sources said that the ECC was informed that the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has approached the government for immediate revision of their margins due to inflation, increase in the staff salaries and utility bills, etc, requesting that the margins may be revised to Rs6.90/ litre including 15 per cent profit (effectively Rs7.94/litre). Subsequently, the PPDA called for a nationwide strike starting from 18th July 2022 through media with the demand to raise their margins to six per cent of the current selling price (effectively Rs13.81/ litre for MS and Rs14.16/ litre for HSD).
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former minister for petroleum, on the directions of the prime minister immediately initiated dialogue with the PPDA and a number of rounds of negotiations were held in Karachi on 16th and 17th July 2022.
The chairman OGRA and the Secretary Petroleum also remained present during negotiations. During negotiations, the PPDA adjusted their demand and asked that the margins may be increased to Rs9.23 and Rs9.46/ litre on MS and HSD, respectively with immediate effect.
The negotiation team acknowledged that it is not possible for a dealer, with a daily sales volume of less than 200,000 litres to run the business profitably on existing margins, and such daily losses become an incentive for fraudulent practices. Finally, after intense negotiations, the PPDA agreed to margins of Rs7/ litre for both MS and HSD and on the basis of the agreement and the commitment that the revised margins will be made effective from August 2022 and the PPDA called off their strike call for 18 July 2022.
This agreed margin remains below the commitment made to the dealers in November 2021 (4.4 per cent of sales price).
The Ministry of National Food Security and Research put up a summary seeking urgent advice relating to the award of 4th international wheat tender 2022 opened on 25th July2022. The meeting was informed that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) issued the 4th tender on 19-05-2022 for securing a quantity of 200,000 metric tons of imported wheat on CFR basis.
The ECC after a detailed discussion approved the lowest bid offered by M/s Falconbridge FZ [email protected] US$ 407.49/MT CFR bulk on sight LC basis with direction to TCP to negotiate with the Russian authorities to procure wheat on a lower rate subject to confirmation of the ECC.
On a proposal of the Ministry of Water Resources for a compensation package for the Chinese causalities at Dasu Hydro Power project, the ECC has approved the disbursement of $11.6 million as compensation/ goodwill amount directly to the company M/s China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co. Ltd (CGGC) through Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ECC decided that the amount of compensation/ goodwill package will remain the same as per the ECC’s earlier decision dated January 21,2022 (i.e. US$ 11.6 million).
On a summary moved by the Ministry of Industries and Production, the ECC approved the proposal of shifting both Fatima Fertilizer (Sheikhupura Plant) and Agritech plants to indigenous gas.
The ministry stated that both the SNGPL-based plants are operated by provisioning of RLNG on cost sharing basis and the gas rate for the operation of these plants is worked out on the basis of variable contribution margin (VCM). Due to price increase in fuel prices and other factors, both plants have approached the Ministry for revision of VCM and capping of GST at the price paid by the plants. In compliance of with the earlier decision of the ECC and the Federal Cabinet, the ECC after discussion approved the proposal of shifting both the plants to indigenous gas.
The ECC further directed the ministries of Petroleum, Finance, Food Security and Industries & production to work out the gas price/ VCM for the fertilizers. The ECC also decided that sales tax may be charged on the actual price of the gas being paid by the company.
The Ministry of Commerce also submitted a summary that in order to curtail the rising current account deficit (CAD), ban on the import of about 33 classes/ categories of goods was imposed with the approval of the Cabinet to curtail the current account deficit. As a result of the decision, the overall imports of the banned items have shrunk by over 69 per cent, i.e., from $ 399.4 million to $ 123.9 million. A review meeting was also held to review the ban after two months owing to serious concerns raised by major trading partners on the imposition of ban and considering the fact that the ban has impacted supply chains and domestic retail industry.
As imports have reduced substantially due to consistent efforts of the government, the ECC decided to lift the ban on imported goods except for Auto CBU, Mobile CBU and Home Appliances CBU.
Further, all held-up consignments (except items which still remain in banned category), which arrived at the ports after 1st July 2022 may be cleared subject to payment of 25 per cent surcharge.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022


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"King of Fighters" Animated Series Planned
Animation HQ reports that the video game King of Fighters, made by SNK, is getting the anime series treatment from Production I.G. The animation will be produced at 9th Studio, the studio responsible for Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. No details have really been released including the actual title or release date. However, an announcement from SNK is expected at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, starting September 16.


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The pandemic has had a dramatic effect on how the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida operates.
Because of the pandemic, more people are in need of food, and that’s why WINK is teaming up with Harry Chapin this month for the “March to a Million Meals“.
Before the pandemic, most of its food was rescued, and the food bank was spending $37,000 a month purchasing the remaining food to feed hungry people.
Now, they are spending $1 million a month to meet the need in Southwest Florida.
Barbara Evans, development director at Harry Chapin Food Bank, said, “We were once an operation that relied primarily on rescue food and we would spend very little on purchase food. But now we’ve moved to having to purchase more food simply because when there’s an issue with the supply chain, and issues with being able to rescue the millions of pounds of food we need to feed these people.”
So to help Harry Chapin provide families in Southwest Florida with healthy food, WINK News is trying to raise $400,000, and we need your help!
Just go to WINKFeedsFamilies.com.


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Mary Altaffer, Associated Press
Things are changing for those who want to return holiday gifts this season, according to a report by consumer resource guide website Consumer World.
The report highlights major and minor changes in return policies for major retailers, such as Amazon.com and Toys "R" Us.
The changes in standard return policies only add to the frustration many consumers feel about returning gifts during the holiday season, particularly since more and more shoppers switched to the Internet for the bulk of their holiday shopping.
To help make the annual post-Christmas gift-return rituals a little easier, the Deseret News has compiled the current return policies of 10 of the country's largest retailers.
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In September 2018, there was a sharp decline in the registrations of new passenger cars in Europe. According to the data of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA — Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles), almost 340,000 fewer new cars were registered in EU member states y/y. This meant a decrease of 25 per cent compared to September 2017. The Volkswagen group suffered the most, reaching a decrease of registrations of nearly 50 per cent. A decrease in demand for new cars was expected, but its scale was significantly greater than previously predicted. Consequently, its impact on the deterioration of macroeconomic data was bigger.
One of the direct cause lies in the introduction of new emissions standards known as the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure). The above regulations are both the result of technological changes and higher requirements for the reduction of CO2 emissions, as well as a consequence of the so-called Dieselgate scandal disclosed in September 2015. The previously applicable standards were developed back in the 1980s.
The negative macroeconomic consequences affected the German economy to the greatest extent, but they were also felt in several other EU countries, owing to the strong international ties within the European automotive industry. Largely influenced by declines in the automotive sector in the Q3’18, the annual GDP growth in the Eurozone slowed down to 1.6 per cent, i.e. the lowest level recorded since 2014. In Germany the GDP only increased by 1.2 per cent y/y, and turned out to be 0.2 per cent lower compared with the Q2’18. The slowdown in the European economy was particularly visible in the trade volumes. According to Eurostat estimates, in the Q3’18 the exports of goods in the Eurozone decreased by 0.4 per cent q/q, which was mainly due to the decline in exports in Germany by 1.6 per cent q/q.
The decrease in German GDP and exports was the result of a significant drop in the number of exported cars. In the Q3’18 it decreased by 19 per cent y/y. The decline in German exports was strongly influenced by the collapse in the exports of diesel-powered cars, which decreased by over 180,000 units, i.e. by 40 per cent compared to the Q3’17.
This was the sixth consecutive quarter of decline in the exports of diesel-powered cars manufactured in Germany. However, the magnitude of the collapse in exports in the Q3’18 exceeded a similar situation which occurred during the crisis in 2009. According to the analysts, this could mean the end of cars with diesel engines, which would have a particularly negative effect on the German economy. Diesel-powered cars have played a very important role in German automotive exports thus far. Until 2016, they accounted for over 40 per cent of the total number of cars exported by Germany. Meanwhile, by the Q3’18 their share in vehicle exports dropped below 30 per cent.
The German sector of diesel-powered vehicles wasn’t the only one to suffer from a collapse in demand. The exports of cars with gasoline engines also declined in the third quarter of 2018. The exports of such vehicles decreased by 7 per cent compared with the previous year, following three consecutive quarters of rapid growth in sales. This clearly indicates that some manufacturers of gasoline-powered cars also weren’t well prepared for the introduction of the new emissions standards.
Decline in Polish exports
Although Poland currently isn’t included among the leading car exporters in the European Union, it is still heavily influenced by the economic situation in the European automotive market. This is due to the fact that it is one of the biggest exporters of automotive parts in the EU.
The slowdown in the production and exports of cars led to a decrease in the German factories’ demand for car parts. In the Q3’18, the value of imports of automotive parts into Germany, expressed in EUR, decreased by 6 per cent compared with the previous year. The drop in demand has primarily affected suppliers from the countries of Central and Southeast Europe (CSE), which are the most important exporters of automotive parts to Germany. The imports of car parts from the CSE region decreased by 11 per cent in this period. However, the decline in the imports of automotive parts from Poland turned out to be relatively smaller (5 per cent). This resulted, among other things, from a further increase in the share of gasoline engines — which are less affected by the weakening demand — in Polish exports. They currently account for 44 per cent of the engine exports in the automotive industry (a year earlier they accounted for 32 per cent of all engine exports).
Polish exports of car parts to Germany decreased in the Q3’18. This decline was partially compensated by an increase in the supplies from Polish factories to Slovakia and Romania. In the Q3’18 both of these countries recorded a large increase in car exports — in Slovakia the exports increased by 100,000, and in Romania by 25,000 units compared with the previous year.
Slovakia is doing fine
Slovakia can be seen as a positive exception in the context of the deteriorating situation in the European automotive market. In 2018 Slovakia’s production and exports of cars grew. In the first three quarters, the number of new passenger cars exported increased to 980,000 units, i.e. by almost 30 per cent compared with the previous year. In the Q3, Slovakia became the fourth largest exporter of cars in the European Union, overtaking the United Kingdom, France and the Czech Republic over the course of twelve months.
The robust growth of automotive exports resulted from the introduction of electric vehicles (EV) into production in the Slovak factories. In the period from January to September 2018, Slovakia exported over 140,000 electric vehicles, which accounted for 13 per cent of all cars sold abroad (meanwhile, on average electric cars accounted for 2 per cent in the exports of all EU countries). This means that Slovakia has become the European leader in the exports of electric vehicles. Today, Slovakia accounts for almost 50 per cent of European Union’s exports of these vehicles.
In the Q4’18 the situation on the automotive market also remained far from stable. Potential buyers continued to put off the decision to purchase a new car. This is indicated by the declines in the number of registrations of new passenger cars in the subsequent months. In total in the EU member states 8 per cent fewer cars were registered in the Q4’18 than in the same period of the previous year. This had a negative effect on the production in the automotive sector. According to data from the German Association of the Automotive Industry (Verband der Automobilindustrie — VDA), in Germany in the Q4’18 production and exports decreased by 14 per cent compared with the previous year. German factories exported less than 930,000 cars, which was the weakest result since 2008.