text:
I’ve been using a BlackBerry Z10 for about a month now, and I’ve downloaded tons of applications. (Check out my list of the best BlackBerry 10 apps.) Like most BlackBerry 10 users, I much prefer native applications to ported Android versions that cannot get the most out of BlackBerry 10.
After spending some time with well-designed and functional apps like CrackBerry.com’s CB10 or BeWeather 10 it’s clear just how much more users could be getting from their BlackBerry 10 apps. And unfortunately, many of the high-profile apps popular on other platforms are ports and not native. (BlackBerry tells me that less than 20 percent of all applications in BlackBerry World are ported and roughly 70 percent are native. The remaining percentage is presumably made up of Web apps that run in the browser.)
However, I do see some differences in performance between native apps and Android ported apps, though most are negligible. I use an Android device in addition to my Z10, and Android apps clearly run better on their native OS than on the Android runtime in BlackBerry 10. There’s a good reason for that. My Samsung Galaxy SIII runs Android 4.1.1 Ice Cream Sandwich, and the BlackBerry Android runtime is an earlier version of Google’s mobile OS. Regardless, it’s difficult for me not to see a difference between native BlackBerry apps, native Android apps and ported software, and the differences in performance reflect negatively on the ported Android apps.
That said, I agree with Tom Anderson, Senior BlackBerry Developer Evangelist and a Z10 user, who contends that BlackBerry’s Android runtime strategy is a good one. It’s a great way to let developers experiment with the OS to see if it has potential without investing too much time or energy. If BlackBerry 10 is well received during the coming six months or a year, many of the developers who ported Android apps will likely take the next step and go native, as is BlackBerry’s design.
The problem is that BlackBerry 10’s future is still uncertain, so it’s only prudent for companies and developers to take it slow with the new OS. The BlackBerry Z10 isn’t even available yet in the United States—it should available through most major carrier by the end of this month. And BlackBerry promises some additional notable applications will be released after the U.S. launch.
But only time will tell, and I think loyal BlackBerry users are losing patience. I know I am. This creates a “Catch 22″—potential users might not want to embrace BlackBerry 10 without the apps they know and love, but the app makers may not want to embrace the new OS either until they know the users and potential customers are buying BlackBerry 10 devices.
Bottom line: One of BlackBerry 10’s greatest strengths is the fact that it feels fresh, unique and unlike iOS and Android. Ported Android apps make BlackBerry 10 feel more like Android. They are not built for BlackBerry and don’t accurately show just how cool BlackBerry 10 apps can be.
However, Android apps are definitely a good thing for BlackBerry 10in that they are certainly better than nothing. And if users take to the new OS like BlackBerry hopes they do, more and more quality native BlackBerry 10 apps will be released, making this whole debate less of an issue.


text:
The lifestyle brand company aims to provide durable clothing geared toward physical labor but also products wearable in an office setting, including dresses, sweaters and button-down shirts.
Here are six things to know about the new retailer:
1. The product is the brand
Duluth is known for designing product that solves problems, according to store manager Sean Benson. “Take the Longtail T-shirts, AKA the cure for plumber’s butt,” he said. “By adding three inches to the shirt’s body length, modesty and good taste was saved and forever prevented wisecracks on and off the job.”
Last year, Duluth conquered the tug of war in women’s tanks with the introduction of the No-Yank Tank, Benson said. “It features a stay put fit and has extra length to prevent baring your backside when you bend,” he said.
2. The rare physical location
West Chester is just the 21st location of the popular brand nationwide.
“In choosing where to build the first store in the state, we knew we had a large fan base already in Southwest Ohio because of online orders,” Benson said. “West Chester and Union Centre Boulevard made the most sense for the brand because of its accessibility off the freeway and the continual growth as a retail and entertainment destination.”
The closest location to West Chester is Noblesville, Ind., which opened in March.
3. Ready for a break? So is Duluth
The store wants customers to enjoy their shopping experience, Benson said, so it provides them with the comforts of home when a trip to the store becomes slighting tiring. Thirsty? Here’s a complimentary coffee, tea or bottle of water? Tired? Take a rest in a cozy leather chair in the store’s “hospitality area.”
_ _ _ _ _
THREE QUICK WEST CHESTER BIZ READS
Holtman’s Donuts to open in the Streets of West Chester
6 things to know about Chuy’s in West Chester
11 things you need to see at West Chester’s new sleek Topgolf facility
_ _ _ _ _
4. A sense of humor that shows
From plumber’s butt to ‘crouch without the ouch’ with their Ballroom Jeans, customers can check out Duluth Trading Co.’s latest ads on the company’s YouTube channel. “We like to say we bring humor to every day universal truths,” Benson said.
5. Hard work is highlighted
Each store has a theme, displays, photos and found objects that honor hardworking men and women, past and present, Benson said. “In our West Chester location, you’ll find a collection of vintage tools that are great conversation starters,” he said.
6. Boarding the ‘first in Ohio’ train
Duluth Trading establishing its first Ohio location in West Chester is akin to continuing a local tradition. The burgeoning Butler County community also is the site to the state’s only Main Event Entertainment and Topgolf locations. IKEA, which opened its first Ohio store in West Chester Twp. in March 2008, is expected to open a second location in Columbus next month.
Download the free Journal-News app, Butler County’s #1 source for local news

domain: news


text:
The price of bitcoins has gone through cycles of appreciation and depreciation referred to by some as bubbles and busts. In 2011, the value of one bitcoin rapidly rose from about US$0.30 to US$32 before returning to US$2. In the latter half of 2012 and during the 2012–13 Cypriot financial crisis, the bitcoin price began to rise, reaching a high of US$266 on 10 April 2013, before crashing to around US$50. On 29 November 2013, the cost of one bitcoin rose to a peak of US$1,242. In 2014, the price fell sharply, and as of April remained depressed at little more than half 2013 prices. As of August 2014 it was under US$600. During their time as bitcoin developers, Gavin Andresen and Mike Hearn warned that bubbles may occur.
Since its launch in 2009, Bitcoin has proven to be a profitable investment for those who owned it initially. Having bought it for only $50 back then, one can now earn high revenues, as now its price has grown hundreds of times larger. Observing the popularity of BTC to USD exchange operations, there are immense opportunities to gain benefits from the Bitcoin trade. After the coin was launched, it cost $0.003 on April 25, 2010, at BitcoinMarket.com, which was the first cryptocurrency exchange. Starting at that time, the Bitcoin to dollar exchange rate has increased dramatically, and some of the initial owners gained earnings of over thousand percent. Now, while some users may be simply attracted by the potential of growing prices, many buyers believe that the currency itself has a high level of volatility. According to some financial specialists, it is even more volatile than gold. And some individuals believe that Bitcoin has the potential to replace fiat money in the future.
Welcome to the Investopedia Bitcoin Center, where you can find the current price of Bitcoin as well as real-time updated news on the world’s most important cryptocurrency. For good or for ill, Bitcoin is being explored by every major world bank and may very well be the backbone of our global financial system in the near future. Use charts, watch videos, learn new Bitcoin related terms, and get all of your questions answered about Bitcoin here at Investopedia.
Bitcoin has become more widely traded as of 2017, and both short term traders and long-term investors are looking to participate in this exciting market. The price of bitcoin fluctuates on a daily basis, and can see some significant price volatility. Prices can be affected by numerous influences. Some of the possible drivers of price include: further acceptance, more exchanges opening, regulations, weakening paper currency values, inflation and more.
The concept of a virtual currency is still novel and, compared to traditional investments, Bitcoin doesn't have much of a longterm track record or history of credibility to back it. With their increasing use, bitcoins are becoming less experimental every day, of course; still, after eight years, they (like all digital currencies) remain in a development phase, still evolving. "It is pretty much the highest-risk, highest-return investment that you can possibly make,” says Barry Silbert, CEO of Digital Currency Group, which builds and invests in Bitcoin and blockchain companies.
The use of bitcoin by criminals has attracted the attention of financial regulators, legislative bodies, law enforcement, and the media. In the United States, the FBI prepared an intelligence assessment, the SEC issued a pointed warning about investment schemes using virtual currencies, and the U.S. Senate held a hearing on virtual currencies in November 2013. The U.S. government claimed that bitcoin was used to facilitate payments related to Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.
On 24 August 2017 (at block 481,824), Segregated Witness (SegWit) went live. Transactions contain some data which is only used to verify the transaction, and does not otherwise effect the movement of coins. SegWit introduced a new transaction format that moved this data into a new field in a backwards-compatible way. The segregated data, the so-called witness, is not sent to non-SegWit nodes and therefore does not form part of the blockchain as seen by legacy nodes. This lowers the size of the average transaction in such nodes' view, thereby increasing the block size without incurring the hard fork implied by other proposals for block size increases. Thus, per computer scientist Jochen Hoenicke, the actual block capacity depends on the ratio of SegWit transactions in the block, and on the ratio of signature data. Based on his estimate, if the ratio of SegWit transactions is 50%, the block capacity may be 1.25 megabytes. According to Hoenicke, if native SegWit addresses from Bitcoin Core version 0.16.0 are used, and SegWit adoption reaches 90% to 95%, a block size of up to 1.8 megabytes is possible.
After a certain amount of transactions have been verified by a miner, they will receive newly minted bitcoins for their work and thus new bitcoins will be added into circulation, while the number of bitcoins in circulations are now in the multi-millions range, the maximum amount of bitcoins that can ever be created is capped at 21 million. The creation rate is automatically halved every few years as more bitcoins are added into circulation, whilst this system is modeled after gold, mining difficulty is always increasing and makes finding new bitcoins more rare as the number of available bitcoins reaches the 21 million cap.
Bitcoin's origin story sounds like something out of science fiction: It was launched in 2008 on the heels of a white paper published by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, whose real identity – and country of origin – are unknown. Nakamoto conceived of Bitcoin as a currency that was 1) encrypted; 2) decentralized, i.e. it was ungoverned and did not belong to any nation; and 3) a digital "distributed ledger," such that everyone can verify online the legitimacy of transactions.
Bitcoin (BTC) is a cryptocurrency which is regarded as the world’s first decentralized digital currency. It was created by a pseudonymous person or persons named Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009 and has since gone on to become the world’s most popular cryptocurrency by market cap. Bitcoin is a deflationary currency whose issuance is capped at a total supply of 21 million coins. Each Bitcoin can be divided into one million units, with the smallest unit of 0.00000001 known as a satoshi in homage to its creator. The distributed public ledger that Bitcoin uses to record transactions is known as a blockchain and Bitcoin can be spent at over 100,000 online merchants and can also be held as an investment. Bitcoin is traded for fiat and other cryptocurrencies on various exchanges but can also be used to facilitate p2p transactions. Each transaction incurs a small transaction fee to cover the cost of sending Bitcoin over the blockchain ledger, with the fee going to miners tasked with keeping the network secure.
Bitcoin’s popularity has undeniably been its number one advantage over the numerous other cryptocurrencies. By gaining a large number of adopters and users, Bitcoin has achieved a network effect that attracts even more users. Users who would otherwise be more apprehensive investing in a relatively unknown and unproven digital currency are reassured by Bitcoin’s performance over time, its growing community, and the fact that people they know are adopting cryptos.
That low point in unique addresses is a point where Bitcoin was hovering around $6,900 USD back around April 11, 2018. Using the seven-day average of the number of unique addresses (which smoothes out low points caused by low volume on the weekends), you can see that growth has returned since April to this underlying fundamental. The price today is lower, but the number of users appears to be growing again, and this time the network can support more transactions than before due to the rise of Segwit Adoption. If I had to guess I would say Bitcoin could now handle 50% to 100% more transactions per second than when we had the last peak in December/January.
Venture capitalists, such as Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, which invested US$3 million in BitPay, do not purchase bitcoins themselves, but instead fund bitcoin infrastructure that provides payment systems to merchants, exchanges, wallet services, etc. In 2012, an incubator for bitcoin-focused start-ups was founded by Adam Draper, with financing help from his father, venture capitalist Tim Draper, one of the largest bitcoin holders after winning an auction of 30,000 bitcoins, at the time called "mystery buyer". The company's goal is to fund 100 bitcoin businesses within 2–3 years with $10,000 to $20,000 for a 6% stake. Investors also invest in bitcoin mining. According to a 2015 study by Paolo Tasca, bitcoin startups raised almost $1 billion in three years (Q1 2012 – Q1 2015).
Jump up ^ Mooney, Chris; Mufson, Steven (19 December 2017). "Why the bitcoin craze is using up so much energy". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018. several experts told The Washington Post that bitcoin probably uses as much as 1 to 4 gigawatts, or billion watts, of electricity, roughly the output of one to three nuclear reactors.
The simplest way to approach the model would be to look at the current worldwide value of all mediums of exchange and of all stores of value comparable to bitcoin, and calculate the value of bitcoin's projected percentage. The predominant medium of exchange is government backed money, and for our model we will focus solely on them. The money supply is often thought of as broken into different buckets, M0, M1, M2, and M3. M0 refers to currency in circulation. M1 is M0 plus demand deposits like checking accounts. M2 is M1 plus savings accounts and small time deposits (known as certificates of deposit in the US). M3 is M2 plus large time deposits and money market funds. Since M0 and M1 are readily accessible for use in commerce, we will consider these two buckets as medium of exchange, whereas M2 and M3 will be considered as money being used as a store of value.
More recently, at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill, global economist and New York University professor Nouriel Roubini said, "Crypto is the mother or father of all scams and bubbles." He called out "swindlers" who tapped into investors' fear of missing out and took them for a ride with "crappy assets that went into a bust and crash — in a matter of months — like you have not seen in any history of financial bubbles."
Nobody owns the Bitcoin network much like no one owns the technology behind email or the Internet. Bitcoin transactions are verified by Bitcoin miners which has an entire industry and Bitcoin cloud mining options. While developers are improving the software they cannot force a change in the Bitcoin protocol because all users are free to choose what software and version they use.
The whole process is pretty simple and organized: Bitcoin holders are able to transfer bitcoins via a peer-to-peer network. These transfers are tracked on the “blockchain,” commonly referred to as a giant ledger. This ledger records every bitcoin transaction ever made. Each “block” in the blockchain is built up of a data structure based on encrypted Merkle Trees. This is particularly useful for detecting fraud or corrupted files. If a single file in a chain is corrupt or fraudulent, the blockchain prevents it from damaging the rest of the ledger.
Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain. Bitcoin was invented by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto and released as open-source software in 2009. Bitcoins are created as a reward for a process known as mining. They can be exchanged for other currencies, products, and services. Research produced by the University of Cambridge estimates that in 2017, there were 2.9 to 5.8 million unique users using a cryptocurrency wallet, most of them using bitcoin.
A wallet stores the information necessary to transact bitcoins. While wallets are often described as a place to hold or store bitcoins, due to the nature of the system, bitcoins are inseparable from the blockchain transaction ledger. A better way to describe a wallet is something that "stores the digital credentials for your bitcoin holdings" and allows one to access (and spend) them. Bitcoin uses public-key cryptography, in which two cryptographic keys, one public and one private, are generated. At its most basic, a wallet is a collection of these keys.
Bitcoin is one of the first digital currencies to use peer-to-peer technology to facilitate instant payments. The independent individuals and companies who own the governing computing power and participate in the Bitcoin network, also known as "miners," are motivated by rewards (the release of new bitcoin) and transaction fees paid in bitcoin. These miners can be thought of as the decentralized authority enforcing the credibility of the Bitcoin network. New bitcoin is being released to the miners at a fixed, but periodically declining rate, such that the total supply of bitcoins approaches 21 million. One bitcoin is divisible to eight decimal places (100 millionth of one bitcoin), and this smallest unit is referred to as a Satoshi. If necessary, and if the participating miners accept the change, Bitcoin could eventually be made divisible to even more decimal places.
The bitcoin-ml mailing list is a good venue for making proposals for changes that require coordination across development teams. Workgroups have been set up to assist developers to coordinate and seek peer-review. For those wishing to implement changes to the Bitcoin Cash protocol, it is recommended to seek early peer-review and engage collaboratively with other developers through the workgroups.
^ Jump up to: a b c d "Statement of Jennifer Shasky Calvery, Director Financial Crimes Enforcement Network United States Department of the Treasury Before the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance Subcommittee on Economic Policy" (PDF). fincen.gov. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. 19 November 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
By December, Bitcoin was on track to hit its all-time high thanks to a dramatic and steady increase in price. On Dec. 17, 2017, it reached $19,783.21, the all-time high that has yet to be broken. Unfortunately, that high was followed by a drop of about 30 percent, with a market correction that brought it down to under $11,000. The price did recover, reaching $16,000 again on Dec. 27.
The future of global payments could be in the early stages of significant change, with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies gaining in popularity and use. These charts can keep you up to date on Bitcoin prices and market activity, and can be a useful tool for timing purchases or sales. While prices could go down as well as up, the Bitcoin market has enormous potential, and prices seen in 2017 could eventually look like a genuine bargain.a
According to The New York Times, libertarians and anarchists were attracted to the idea. Early bitcoin supporter Roger Ver said: "At first, almost everyone who got involved did so for philosophical reasons. We saw bitcoin as a great idea, as a way to separate money from the state." The Economist describes bitcoin as "a techno-anarchist project to create an online version of cash, a way for people to transact without the possibility of interference from malicious governments or banks".
In December 2013, Overstock.com announced plans to accept bitcoin in the second half of 2014. On 5 December 2013, the People's Bank of China prohibited Chinese financial institutions from using bitcoins. After the announcement, the value of bitcoins dropped, and Baidu no longer accepted bitcoins for certain services. Buying real-world goods with any virtual currency had been illegal in China since at least 2009.
Bitcoin prices saw tremendous activity during 2017, rising several thousand percent over the year. The market has seen some volatility, although many of the dips seen in the cryptocurrency have thus far proven to be good buying opportunities. This trend may or may not continue, but given the outlook for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the trend could potentially remain higher for a long time to come.
Every 2,016 blocks (approximately 14 days at roughly 10 min per block), the difficulty target is adjusted based on the network's recent performance, with the aim of keeping the average time between new blocks at ten minutes. In this way the system automatically adapts to the total amount of mining power on the network.:ch. 8 Between 1 March 2014 and 1 March 2015, the average number of nonces miners had to try before creating a new block increased from 16.4 quintillion to 200.5 quintillion.


text:
U.S. stock futures were pointing to a higher open for the Tuesday session on U.S.-China trade deal optimism, following record closes for the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq. The Dow's move into record territory Monday was its first since July. None of the major stock measures have seen back-to-back losses in nearly a month and that streak will extend into today after the market's Monday gains. (CNBC)
On today's economic calendar, the September trade deficit is out at 8:30 a.m. ET. Later at 10 a.m. ET, the Institute for Supply Management issues its October nonmanufacturing index and the Labor Department is out with its September JOLTS, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. (CNBC)
Quarterly earnings reports out this morning include the latest numbers from Allergan (AGN), Choice Hotels (CHH), Mylan (MYL), September-IPO Peloton (PTON), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) and Tapestry (TPR), whose brands include Coach and Kate Spade. After-the-bell quarterly reports come from Altice US (ATUS), Caesars Entertainment (CZR), Host Hotels (HST) and Microchip Technology (MCHP). (CNBC)
Shares of Uber (UBER) were dropping about 6% in the premarket after the ride-hailing company reported a third-quarter loss of more than $1 billion. However, quarterly revenue and adjusted earnings beat expectations. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CNBC the company could become profitable in about two years.
Shake Shack (SHAK) shares were sinking about 17% in premarket trading after the burger chain turned in disappointing same-store sales growth in the third quarter. Adjusted earnings beat estimates while revenue match forecasts. Ahead of earnings, Shake Shack shares had gained more than 85%. (CNBC)
China is pushing President Donald Trump to remove more tariffs imposed in September as part of a "phase one" U.S.-China trade deal, Reuters reported. The deal is widely expected to include a U.S. pledge to scrap tariffs scheduled for Dec. 15 on about $156 billion worth of Chinese imports, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys.
The criminal trial of Trump's longtime adviser Roger Stone is set to begin today in what could become a colorful sideshow generating unflattering headlines for the president even as he faces a fast-moving impeachment inquiry. Stone, a longtime Republican operative and self-described "dirty trickster" and "agent provocateur," has pleaded not guilty to charges. (Reuters)
* Schiff: Trump aides' refusal to testify adds to potential impeachment evidence (CNBC)
* Giuliani associate will comply with Trump impeachment inquiry (Reuters)
Gubernatorial and legislative elections in four states today will test voter enthusiasm and party organization amid impeachment proceedings against Trump and a fevered Democratic presidential primary scramble. Legislative seats are on the ballots in New Jersey and Virginia, with the latter offering perhaps the best 2020 bellwether. (AP)
Iran's president announced today that Tehran will begin injecting uranium gas into 1,044 centrifuges, the latest step away from its nuclear deal with world powers since Trump withdrew from the accord over a year ago. The development is significant as the centrifuges previously spun empty, without gas injection, under the landmark 2015 nuclear accord. (AP)
* India says no to joining huge Asia Pacific trade pact (CNBC)
McDonald's confirmed Chief People Officer David Fairhurst has departed the company, effective immediately. Fairhurst's departure follows the announcement by McDonald's on Sunday evening that the board fired CEO Steve Easterbrook for violating company policy by having a relationship with an employee. (CNBC)
* McDonald's bars former CEO from working at rival restaurant chain for two years (CNBC)
Myriad Genetics (MYGN) cut its 2020 earnings forecast, with the drug maker saying changes in billing codes for certain types of cancers had a larger than expected negative impact. Shares were losing more than 30% in the premarket. The company had a $2.6 billion market value as of Monday's close.
RealReal (REAL) lost 27 cents per share for its latest quarter, 4 cents less than Wall Street was anticipating, and the online luxury goods marketplace saw revenue exceed analyst forecasts as gross merchandise volume rose 48% from a year earlier.
Marriott (MAR) missed estimates by 2 cents with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.47 per share, although the hotel operator's revenue did come in above forecasts. Marriott also cut its full year profit forecast as well as its outlook for revenue per available room, as hotel industry growth slows.
Hasbro (HAS) announced an $875 million secondary stock offering, with the toy maker intending to use the proceeds in part to finance its proposed acquisition of Entertainment One, the maker of preschool brands like Peppa Pig. Hasbro had announced the $4 billion deal in August.
Xerox (XRX) will sell its 25% stake in Fuji Xerox to Fujifilm Holdings for $2.3 billion, ending a 57-year joint venture between the 2 companies. Xerox had abandoned a proposed $6.1 billion to merge Xerox into the joint venture last year.
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) said it will slash capital spending by 40% in 2020, after reporting lower than expected quarterly profit. The energy producer has been under pressure from activist investor Carl Icahn and others to sell assets, cut expenses, and pay down debt.
The third installment in the five-movie "Fantastic Beasts" franchise has a new screenwriter. While the previous two films, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "The Crimes of Grindelwald," were solely scripted by "Harry Potter" creator J.K. Rowling, the author will be getting co-byline with Steve Kloves, who helped adapt the original "Harry Potter" books into films. (CNBC)


text:
Apple has just released iOS 7.1, the first major update for iOS 7 since its launch back in September. The update has been available to developers for some time now and brings a lot of small but interesting changes to Apple’s mobile OS, including continued visual tweaks of the all-new iOS 7 design.
The update adds official support for CarPlay, which has been the talk of the town recently thanks to its official unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show. Three car makers have already demonstrated their CarPlay vehicle integration, including Volvo, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz.
In a relatively rare move, Apple has put up a full page detailing the new features of iOS 7.1.
In addition to CarPlay, you can now manually control how long Siri listens to you by holding down the home button while you speak and releasing it when you’re done. This replaces the ‘listen until you’re done…
View original post 274 mots de plus


text:
- May 07, 2021
Do consumers trust online payments more now than before COVID-19?
According to our latest research consumers appear to be slightly more confident in the security of online payments than this time last year. This may explain a shift towards more frictionless payment methods. At the same time tolerance for being a victim of fraud is lower.


text:
Six students formed the group Dragon Drop, which took its name from a play on words denoting the action of dragging and dropping icons on the computer. Richard Davy of White led the team of Ella Smith, Cedeno Carter, Matthew Semple, William Driver and Aaron Beraki of Gwinnett Technical College.
Dragon Drop developed a
prototype of an app that aids people in planning adventure-type outings.
“Go Live is the name of our app and it’s a way of using technology to get communities interested in exploring. A backwards concept of using technology to get people away from technology,” Davy said.
The concept is the app will allow users to go to their favorite hiking spot or outdoor location and take photos. Go Live will automatically cache the location by longitude and latitude and allow the user to enter a description of the place. Users also can list items useful for the trip, for example, hiking boots or trekking poles. People can click on the post, get directions from their location, click on the items posted that users found helpful for the trip and the app will search for the lowest price on the Internet. If it is out of town the app will show lodging options at the lowest price.
“You don’t have to go through all the Internet to find the things like directions, lodging or accessories you might need for yourself. You can simply click on your friend’s post and get everything you need to organically grow into that adventure,” Davy said.
“Overall, Code 24 sought to bring potential startups that were once unheard of out of the woodwork and show the teams that participated the remarkable things that can be accomplished in 24 hours when given the opportunity and need,” said Steve Prettyman, an instructor and advisor at CTC.
The team members of Dragon Drop liked the idea of the app so much they currently are working to create a business plan and gather engineers to develop it. “We are hoping to make a web app and generate it in three to six months,” Davy said.
Davy, who is scheduled to complete his associates degree in December, plans to a obtain a bachelor’s degree in information technology. Afterward, he wants to earn a master’s degree in computer science and specialize in artificial intelligence.
“The team that won first place at Code 24 was led by a woman who had been diagnosed at a young age with juvenile diabetes. The app directly connected to an insulin pump to monitor the release of insulin and would import all that information regarding changes in your blood sugar to a database. It was an amazing idea,” Davy said.
The competition may be extended next year to 48 hours.
“This was my first competition and it was really, really fun. The dynamic of it was very interesting; the team was made up of programming students so creating a sales pitch was new to all of us,” Davy said. “If they increase the timeline next year to 48 hours it will make the competition even better.”


text:
Target, Visa Reach Breach SettlementPayout Reportedly Capped at $67 Million
(Note: This story has been updated.)
Visa and retail giant Target have reached an agreement that reportedly will reimburse card issuers a total of up to $67 million for fraud losses and other expenses tied to the retailer's 2013 breach, which exposed an estimated 40 million credit and debit cards.
While The Wall Street Journal, quoting people familiar with the deal, places the value of the agreement at up to $67 million, Visa and Target, in acknowledging an agreement has been reached, have yet to confirm its value.
In a statement provided to Information Security Media Group on Aug. 18, Target states that it reached a settlement agreement with Visa on Aug. 17, after Visa's largest card issuers agreed to the terms of the deal.
"As a result, offers are being extended to the remaining group of eligible Visa issuers using a settlement formula that would enable them to achieve the same economics as the Visa issuers that have already settled with Target and Visa," Target says. "The costs of the settlement are already reflected in Target's previously reported fiscal 2013 and 2014 results."
On Feb. 25, Target reported that its card breach cost the retailer $252 million, with $162 million of that amount not covered by insurance. Target did not say, however, how much of that cost had been allocated for payment to the card brands.
Visa declined to elaborate about the agreement. In a statement provided to ISMG on Aug. 18, Visa notes: "This agreement attempts to put this event behind us, and increase the industry's focus on protecting against future compromises with new technologies. Nevertheless, the fact remains that data breaches are an unfortunate situation for all parties involved - especially consumers."
In May, card issuers rejected Target's $19 million settlement proposal with MasterCard. That agreement had required acceptance by 90 percent of issuers to move forward.
MasterCard at the time said it was working to "resolve the matter." No further announcements have been made.
And a class action lawsuit filed against Target by U.S. banks and credit unions is still pending (see Banks Suing Target Make New Demands).
As an incentive to accept the deal, Target has reportedly offered to reimburse issuers for any fraud losses related to certain debit transactions that resulted from the breach, as long as those issuers agree not to sue Target, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Reaction to the Deal
Charles Zimmerman of Zimmerman Reed PLLP, who's representing banks and credit unions in their class action suit against Target, charges that the settlement with Visa represents the retailer's attempt to avoid fully reimbursing card issuers for the losses they suffered because of the retailer's breach.
"Just as with the proposed MasterCard settlement - resoundingly rejected by financial institutions in May - this deal was negotiated under a veil of secrecy without the involvement of the court or the court-appointed legal representatives of financial institutions," Zimmerman says. "Importantly, it fails to fully reimburse card issuers for the substantial losses suffered from the Target data breach."
As a result, Zimmerman recommends that banking institutions that have not yet agreed to the deal do nothing. "They will receive a fraction of their recovery automatically under Visa's Global Compromise Account Recovery program, which does not require a release of claims," he says. "Financial institutions should not accept the optional alternative recovery offer that requires signing a release."
Zimmerman argues that this alternative offer, which covers certain debit transaction losses, also should be reconsidered by the banking institutions that have already agreed to it. "A class certification motion is currently pending in the Target data breach litigation, which seeks to hold Target accountable for damages far greater than what has been offered under this settlement," he says.
A hearing regarding class certification has been scheduled for Sept. 10. On Aug. 13, a U.S. District Court in Minnesota agreed with the plaintiffs' arguments that the class-certification brief and other files related to the case should be unsealed.
The Independent Community Bankers of America and the National Association of Federal Credit Unions also say that Visa's agreement with Target falls short. And they say legislative action is needed to ensure retailers enhance security so that breaches don't occur in the first place.
"While this settlement helps address the costs of the Target breach, stronger federal data security and cybersecurity laws are needed to prevent retailer data breaches from happening in the first place," the ICBA notes.
Carrie Hunt, senior vice president of government affairs and general counsel for NAFCU, notes: "We continue to urge Congress to act to protect consumers' financial information by enacting national data security standards for retailers and holding them directly accountable for their data breaches. This settlement is a step in the right direction, but it still may not make credit unions whole."
The reimbursement formulas set by the card brands for banks and credit unions impacted by retail breaches have long been criticized by bankers.
In February 2014, when fallout from the Target breach was just being estimated, Viveca Ware of the Independent Community Bankers of America said Visa and MasterCard's programs for reimbursing issuers only cover a portion of the fraud losses and operational expenses banking institutions must bear.
"The restitution of the recovered amounts are just really small in comparison to the cost and fraud losses, and the immeasurable cost of payment system reputational damage," Ware said.
In May, Visa agreed to increase the amount it pays to banking institutions that are adversely impacted after a merchant breach (see Why Visa's Paying Banks More after Breaches).
According to the American Bankers Association, which worked with Visa to increase the post-breach-recovery amount paid to card issuers, Visa's new tiered system pays smaller card issuers, such as community banks, more than large issuers for breach-related recovery.
Rather than paying $2.50 for each re-issued card - which historically was the rate paid to every institution impacted by a breach - banking institutions with less than $500 million in annual Visa purchase volume will now be paid $6 per for every card they have to reissue in the wake of a breach at a merchant, the ABA said.
The ABA said it's been lobbying card brands for a year to re-assess their reimbursement structures. So far, only Visa has made any changes, the ABA noted.
MasterCard, which already reimburses card-issuers on a tiered scale, has made no announcements about alter its reimbursement amounts.


text:
- The Lighthouse security camera was a $300 internet-connected device that could identify you and your family members.
- But Lighthouse shut down its operations last December and sold its patents to Apple. Now, Lighthouse's founders and 20 of its staff are joining Apple, according to a report from The Information.
- We tried the Lighthouse camera before the company shut down, and it provided a glimpse into the type of technology know-how the company will bring to Apple.
Hardware startup Lighthouse had a straightforward goal with its first-ever product: make a home security camera that's smarter than anything else on the market.
The result was the $300 Lighthouse camera, an AI-powered, internet connected smart security camera. It could identify you and your family members, alert you when there are intruders in your home, and understand commands like, "Did the dog walker come today?"
But Lighthouse never caught on with customers, and the company shut down operations last December. Since then, it has stopped selling its camera and sold some of its patents to Apple. Now, the company's founders and 20 of its staff are joining Apple, according to a report from The Information.
We tried the Lighthouse camera last year, well before the company shut down. While the camera is no longer available to buy, it's a solid indication of the type of technology the company's founders have brought to Apple.
Here's how it worked:
It could also detect specific gestures and actions. If you waved at the camera, for instance, it could alert another family member who wasn't home that you were trying to get their attention. Because it had two-way audio, they could then talk back to you and it would play through the camera's speakers.
Since the Lighthouse camera had natural language processing, it could understand a wide variety of spoken or written commands and questions.
Here are some examples of things you could say to the device:
- "What happened while I was gone?"
- "What did the kids do between 3 PM and 7 PM?"
- "Tell me if you see someone new with the kids when I'm not there."
- "Ping me if you see a new face."
Lighthouse had some privacy measures built in. The camera was end-to-end encrypted, and all data was eliminated every 30 days. You could also set the camera to capture video only when no one is home, or when you specifically were out of the house.
Now that Lighthouse is owned by Apple, anyone who still uses the camera will have to consider how to handle their data. According to The Information, Lighthouse cofounders Teichman and Dahlkamp sent an email to the company's former camera testers asking for permission to transfer video and sensor data collected through its cameras to Apple.


text:
Skip to main content
136 of 136
Get the latest tech news sent directly to your inbox.
Millions of Android gaming consoles on the horizon
Are you a nomophobe?
Are iOS users more active online than Android users?
The future of the cloud
5 biggest mistakes to avoid when rolling out an app
I watched Independence Day: Resurgence and…
Review: Samsung Galaxy A7 2016 Is Too Little Too Late to the Party
The changing face of the gaming industry – Trends to watch out for in 2016
GM throws in the towel – recalls every vehicle ever made
Why Edward Norton Walked From the Hulk
Last 7 Days


text:
Earlier this week, Rothy’s landed a deal valuing it at $1 billion. Alpargatas S.A., the Brazilian company behind flip-flop brand Havaianas, has scooped up a 49.9% stake in the sustainable footwear label.
In a two-step transaction, Alpargatas will invest $200 million in cash followed by an offering to acquire approximately $275 million of Rothy’s shares from current stockholders, resulting in a post-investment valuation of $1 billion.
Co-founder and CEO of Rothy’s, Stephen Hawthornthwaite, said the partnership will build on Rothy’s current momentum while advancing the vision of creating a profitable and sustainable global business.
Hawthornthwaite and co-founder Roth Martin will maintain a significant equity stake in the business and continue to oversee operations.
“This partnership with Alpargatas is all about growth,” Hawthornthwaite told FN. “The key opportunities we’re focused on include international expansion, building our retail presence and advancing sustainability. The additional capital we’ll gain through this investment will help us fuel our pipeline of product innovations, with potential to expand into new styles and sustainable materials.”
Prior to the investment news, Rothy’s has been aggressive on the brick-and-mortar front. The company told FN in September that it plans to double its retail footprint by early 2022 — that’s in addition to its current six locations. Rothy’s retail will launch for the first time in Pasadena and San Jose, Calif., Atlanta and Scottsdale, Ariz. And the brand will expand its presence in Los Angeles and New York, which currently have stores.
While Hawthornthwaite couldn’t give an exact number of additional stores that will launch next year, he said: “Rothy’s stores provide an important platform to raise awareness of our company, connect with our customers in their search for the perfect fit, and grow our community. We’re intentional about our retail expansion, with all of our stores located in cities that have a healthy blend of both existing and potential new customers. We view our partnership with Alpargatas as an important opportunity to advance these efforts.”
Both Alpargatas and Rothy’s have vertically-integrated operations, owning their own factories in Brazil and China, respectively. With that, Hawthornthwaite said he expects expansion of its global manufacturing operations.
Plus, Rothy’s still has its eyes set on its commitment to reach circular production by 2023.
“Like Rothy’s, Alpargatas is working to create a more sustainable future for our industry and is committed to environmental and social responsibility,” Hawthornthwaite said. “We expect the added scale, resources and expertise we’ll gain through this partnership to help us accelerate our goal.”


text:
The latest advancement in wearable technology comes in the form of a Levi’s Commuter Trucker jacket designed with Google ATAP’s Project Jacquard technology woven in. With a simple touch of a jacket sleeve, cyclists can wirelessly access their phone and favorite mobile apps to adjust music volume, silence a phone call or get an estimated ETA on their destinations.
The jacket was unveiled at this year’s Google I/O, the result of a year-long effort between the Levi’s Innovation team and Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group.
The discreetly placed Jacquard technology is literally woven into the jacket, allowing for simple gestures like tapping or swiping on a sleeve to activate functionality. Of course you can wash it, just like you do with any other jacket.
“Anyone on a bike knows that navigating your screen while navigating busy city streets isn’t easy – or a particularly good idea,” said Paul Dillinger, head of global product innovation for Levi Strauss & Co. “This jacket helps to resolve that real-world challenge by becoming the co-pilot for your life, on and off your bike.”
The Levi’s Commuter Trucker jacket is expected to be available beginning spring 2017 in select Levi’s stores and on Levi.com.
all images and video courtesy of Levi’s


text:
The chief executive of Greggs won’t be able to enjoy a Festive Bake this year, as he has now gone vegan.
Roger Whiteside is three weeks into his new diet, but he didn’t make the change after trying one of the bakery chain’s famous vegan sausage rolls.
Instead, a documentary on Netflix called The Gamechangers inspired him to ditch the meat, milk and eggs.
Mr Whiteside said: ‘If you’d asked me three weeks ago which roll I preferred I would have said the original sausage roll, but I’m now attempting to live on a vegan diet.
‘Obviously there are arguments based around animal welfare and the environment, but this was all about the health benefits, and I thought I should give it a go.
‘Avoiding meat is easy. The problem is avoiding dairy, avoiding milk and cheese is almost impossible. It would be okay if I had time to cook, but I don’t, so I have to have things that are quick and easy.’
Luckily, his new food choices correspond with a potential expansion of the bakery’s vegan range, so he won’t have to starve while visiting the shop floor.
They have introduced a vegan sweet mine pie in 2016 and also have a Mexican Bean & Sweet Potato Wrap available.
Mr Whiteside said he’s currently making his way through Greggs’ vegan range, which the firm is looking to expand, potentially adding vegan versions of other best-sellers like its steak bake.
He spoke about his new regime as he was awarded this year’s North East Business Executive of the Year in Newcastle.
‘It’s been seven years since I took over as CEO and we’ve spent all that time transforming the business in all sorts of ways, obviously refocusing the business away from traditional bakery to the growing food-on-the-go market,’ he said.
‘But really all that time has been spent on getting to the start line and what comes next for Greggs is to build on that platform to become truly multi-channel in a digital age.
‘And there’s so much opportunity to do that, serving customers at all times of the day, everywhere, in every way they want when they’re looking for food and drink away from home.
‘We’ve already started investing in these new channels – delivery of food, click and collect food, drive-thru lanes, food to order – all of those things are there to be developed by Greggs now.
‘As well as being market-leaders in bakery, which you’d expect with our heritage, we’re becoming market leaders in areas you’d never have thought of. So we’re already well on the way.’
‘There’s lots to look forward to.’
Got a story for Metro.co.uk?
Sign Up for News Updates
Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
Not convinced? Find out more »


text:
It is interesting to know that about 5 provinces of Iran are cultivating saffron. But the cities of the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan and South Khorasan in eastern Iran accounted for 5% of the total share.
The saffron cultivation industry and its exports are considered as one of the best industries in the field of employment. Because it has been able to create about 200,000 jobs in pre-harvesting, harvesting, harvesting, processing, sorting and packaging.
According to statistics released by the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture, Iran has been able to export about 280 tons of saffron to other countries by March 20.
Which foreign countries does Iran export saffron to?
Iran is currently exporting saffron to Spain, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Italy, Afghanistan, Qatar, India, Germany and France, according to the National Saffron Council Chairman Mohsen Ehtesham.
Among the countries exporting saffron, 86% of the UAE’s share of exports is UAE.
According to what he has stated, 120 tons of crop can be harvested from every 2,000 hectares. Fortunately, in recent years there has been an increase in the number of land used for saffron cultivation. The harvest amounted to 336 tons per year and increased to 382 per year. The increase in the number of land used for saffron cultivation is 20 times greater than the world needs.


text:
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has great opportunities to export rice, fruits and other agricultural products to the United Kingdom, one of the 10 largest markets in the world with an annual turnover of food imports of 65 billion USD, heard a recent conference to promote Vietnamese agricultural products in the UK.
The event, organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in the United Kingdom on September 28 under the theme “Exploration of Tropical Specialties”, attracted the participation of representatives of the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC), the Organization for South East Asia Trade Facilitation (SEATFO), UK companies and over 100 Vietnamese agricultural exporters.
Speaking at the event, VietnamEU Ambassador to UK Nguyen Hoang Long said Vietnam-UK bilateral trade is expected to experience remarkable growth following the signing of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA ) in December 2020.
He said that bilateral agriculture trade has great potential for development as Vietnam has an advantage in terms of agricultural products while UK is a big market for these types of products.
While advising Vietnamese exporters, the CEO of UKABCIan Gibbons said companies need to do extensive market research to make sure their products are suitable and competitive in the import market.
He also underlined the importance of building trust with UK partners by developing long term and lasting relationships.
Meanwhile, SEATFO Director John Gavin stressed the importance for companies to ensure their products meet market demands while providing good customer service and on-time delivery.
UK businesses also appreciate partners who champion environmental protection and participate in social activities, he added. /.


text:
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Senate gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill that if enacted would ban single-use plastic bags at the statewide level.
Several municipalities in Maine have already taken action and banned the bags' use at the local level.
The Senate voted 24-11 Tuesday in favor of the measure, mostly along party lines. Three Republican senators voted in favor — Sens. Lisa Keim of Dixfield, Marianne Moore of Calais and Kim Rosen of Bucksport.
The House voted 91-52 last Thursday.
The bill faces additional legislative action in both chambers.
LD 1532, presented by Rep. Holly Stover, D-Boothbay, aims to prohibit retail establishments from using single-use bags to bag products for customers to carry out and allow recyclable paper bags to be used at 5 cents a piece.
The bill, if successful, would make the ban effective April 2020.
BIDDEFORD: Biddeford bans plastic bags, joins growing list of locations
WATERVILLE: Proposed bag ban in Waterville goes to Maine high court
YORK: York voters approve first plastic shopping bag ban in Maine
FREEPORT: Freeport council considers plastic bag ban
PORTLAND: Portland passes a bag fee and Styrofoam ban


text:
Canadian company Volt Lithium is currently testing a new technology at Alberta that extracts lithium, a key metal for batteries, from low concentration salt water, with lithium extraction rate going as high as 90%, in the hope of transforming old oilfields to lithium mine bases.
Demand for li-ion batteries is increasing at an unprecedented pace under energy transformation and the net-zero emission trend, as well as the popularization of EVs in each country, while power grids around the world would also require li-ion battery energy storage systems to regulate and balance electricity. However, activation of a mine takes 13 years. According to the statistics of the IEA, existing and emerging mines and salt water plants will only fulfill 50% of the demand.
Since the traditional method is now proven to be an untimely solution, it all comes down to new lithium extraction technology. Goldman Sachs pointed out from its report in April that direct lithium extraction (DLE) offers a potential revolutionary approach that allows fast and affordable elevation of salt water production, which resembles what shale is to oil.
Traditional lithium extraction from ground water primarily utilizes a large brine pool that evaporates water for a year or longer until lithium is extracted by chemical reagents, before it is processed into lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide, where 40-60% of lithium can usually be extracted from salt water, and the cost for each ton of lithium carbonate equivalent is US$3,300-4,900. In comparison, DLE only requires several hours, and demands 95% fewer land, as well as a lower level of cost, since highly selective absorbent molecules are only needed in the salt water.
Volt recently announced that the demonstration project has managed to extract 90% of lithium from a pool that dropped to a concentration of 34mg/L, and 97% of lithium from a pool with a concentration of 120mg/L. The demonstration project is situated at an old and depleted oilfield in Rainbow Lake of Alberta, where the team first drilled more than 1,300 wellbores to obtain salt water.
Volt estimates the piece of land to contain about 4.9 million tons of lithium carbonate at a cost of roughly US$3,000/ton, and about 20K tons can be excavated each year. Volt pointed out that multiple oilfields in North America can be excavated through the patented technology, while the relatively simple process of the team could further lower the cost. The company is also establishing the first permanent pilot factory.
Goldman Sachs estimates that salt water roughly occupies 2/3 of global lithium resources, but only accounts for about 40% of current production. Production volume should rise from 50% to 80% if the DLE technology climbs to a penetration rate of 20-40%, which would ramp up lithium production by as much as 140K tons in 2028, followed by an increase of roughly 8% in global supply of raw materials.
(A brine pool for excavation of lithium carbonate is depicted in the first photo; source: shutterstock)


text:
It's that coffee shop where everyone kindly smiles at you. Striking up a conversation is easy to do. Or you can hide next to the bookshelf and stay in your own world.
It's also a place that people are truly sad to see close. Boiler Room Coffee's last day of operation will be June 21.
One of Boiler Room Coffee's regulars was featured in Racket earlier this year (Yes, written by our local business reporter, Anna Koenning, who we coincidentally met at the coffee shop through a neighborhood leader).
Closing the coffee shop wasn’t an easy decision for owner Michael Graca. After being open for 11 years, Graca proudly proclaimed, "It’s the longest job I’ve had."
And sometimes, after working the same job for so long, you need a break.
“I have determined that it’s time for me to focus on the other parts of my life that need my energy and attention,” read a typed letter from Graca, posted to the coffee shop door.
Graca opened up his coffee shop in the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood in 2011 after running The Nicollet at Franklin and Nicollet Aves.
“The past couple of years have been very difficult for all of us. I am proud of our ability to be resilient and to serve the community during this time,” Graca's letter continued. “I don’t regret a single day of serving you all.”
People are welcome to attend a “soft closing,” June 27-June 30 from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. with limited offerings.
The building is owned Olympus Properties and there are not plans for the space at this time.


text:
Drone strikes attacked an oil processing facility at Abqaiq and the nearby Khurais oil field on Saturday.Marketsread more
Trump said oil would be released if needed to keep the market well supplied and he would expedite the approval of pipelines in Texas and other states.Marketsread more
Saudi Aramco is aiming to restore by Monday about a third of its crude output that was disrupted after drone attacks on two key oil facilities, The Wall Street Journal...Marketsread more
Apple's new iPhones can still send texts, download apps, and make video calls, but the company spends a lot of time and effort marketing its new phones as powerful photography...Technologyread more
The trucking industry is worth hundreds of billions of dollars per year. Uber is going after this market with Uber Freight, an online platform that matches truckers with...Technologyread more
Some U.S. manufacturers say tariffs, if targeted, will help address longstanding unfair trade practices like intellectual property theft.Traderead more
Supporters of a $15 minimum wage ballot initiative in Florida argue the state's inflation-tied pay hikes have not gone far enough.2020 Electionsread more
Saudi Arabia shut down half its oil production Saturday after drone strikes hit the world's largest oil processing facility in an attack claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels.Politicsread more
Trusii's hydrogen water machines were supposed to help users with their health problems, but customers claim the company is involved in a giant scam.Technologyread more
The decoupling of the world's two weightiest economies seems as inescapable as its extent and global impact remains incalculable.Politicsread more
BlackBerry has reinvented itself to become a leader in securing mobile communications and in embedded communications. Next year it plans to roll out new products. CEO John...Evolveread more
Demand for Barbie dolls and toys based on "Jurassic World" and "Toy Story" led Mattel to a narrower-than-expected-loss during the first quarter.
Shares of the toymaker skyrocketed as much as 14 percent after the closing bell Thursday.
The results, which come just days after rival Hasbro reported a surprise profit, may indicate that the U.S. toy industry is finally able to put the bankruptcy and closure of Toys R Us behind it.
Sales of Barbie jumped 7 percent in the quarter, the sixth consecutive quarter of growth for the doll brand. This is a good sign for Mattel, especially as it plans the theatrical release of a live-action Barbie movie starring Oscar-nominated actress Margot Robbie.
The brand has also become more inclusive, adding new skin tones and professions to its line-up of dolls.
But that doesn't mean Mattel is out of the woods just yet.
The toy manufacturer has had trouble reviving sales despite overhauling the company's management team, suspending its dividend and developing plans to cut $650 million in costs.
American Girl and Fisher-Price, once massively successful brands, remain weak points for the company. Sales of American Girl products fell 32 percent and sales of toys from Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends fell 8 percent.
Overall sales of toys in the infant, toddler and preschool segments slipped 15 percent, the company reported.
"While we are in a multi-year turnaround, we remain on-track to achieve our goals to restore profitability and regain top line growth in the short-to-mid-term and capture the full value from our IP in the mid-to-long term," Ynon Kreiz, chairman and CEO of Mattel, said in a statement Thursday.
Mattel's net loss narrowed to $183.7 million, or 53 cents per share, from $311.3 million, or 90 cents per share, a year earlier, when the company dealt with the sudden sales drop from the loss of Toys R Us.
The company's net sales fell 2.7 percent to $689.2 million in the first quarter ended March 31, but topped the $645 million analysts had expected, according to Refinitiv.
A voluntary recall of the Rock n' Play Sleeper earlier this month had an estimated $27 million impact on earnings. The baby product had reportedly been tied to more than 30 infant deaths.
Disclosure: NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC, distributes films from the "Jurassic World" franchise.


text:
Thousands of watch faces coming to the Gear S2 and S3 via WatchMaker app
Gear S2 and Gear S3 owners will be happy to hear that soon, they will be able to customize their Samsung smartwatches to their heart’s content, thanks to the upcoming Tizen port of WatchMaker.
WatchMaker is a popular app for Android and Android Wear devices, that allows users to create and customize their own watch faces using the myriad of tools the app has to offer . The premium version of the app, priced at $3.99, comes pre-loaded with a plethora of professional designs, but there also thousands of other, user-made watch faces available online.
WatchMaker has its own Google+ community where people can share their own designs, and dozens of new ones are posted there every day.
Current users of the premium version of the watch app will be able to download it for their Gear S2 and S3 smartwatches at no additional cost, the company announced today on Google+. The app is coming to Tizen in the next two weeks.
Further down the line, the WatchMaker team is also planning to launch full Android Wear 2.0 support for the popular design tool, as well as release a version of it for the Ticwatch 2 in February or March.
The free version of the app currently nets you 6 watch faces, 12 fonts, and 15 backgrounds to experiment with. The premium version adds 8 featured faces on top each week, and grants you access to the thousands more shared on G+.


text:
All together, the solar panels will produce approximately 4.8 million kilowatt hour of green energy per year, which is the equivalent of the energy consumption of around 1,500 households. The 1,160 panels that Eneco will install on each sorting centre will produce 40 percent of the energy requirements of these centres.
Gerrit Mastenbroek, Managing Director Parcels and Logistics of PostNL: ‘When all the solar panels have been installed, PostNL will be one of the largest producers of solar energy in the Netherlands. This is an important step towards realisation of our sustainability ambitions.’
Bram Poeth, director Eneco Business to Business, notes that there is growing interest in solar panels in the business sector: "We are helping more and more large companies to reduce the impact of their in energy consumption on the climate. It is only logical that companies with buildings that have large roof areas, opt for a solution that includes increasingly better and cheaper solar panels. It is expected that the decision of PostNL, a frontrunner in the area of sustainability, to use solar panels on such a large scale will boost this development."
We are PostNL. The postal and logistic solutions provider. For our customers, we are the link between the physical and the online world. We facilitate communications between people and companies. We deliver parcels seven days a week and letters five days a week. On an average day, we deliver 575,000 parcels and 9 million letters throughout the Benelux. We offer more and more new services through combinations of smart networks, digital applications and the right communications channels. In doing so, we aim to make the daily lives of our customers easier.
As the first listed postal company, we have the largest and most modern network for letters, parcels and e-commerce in the Benelux countries. In addition, we also operate in Germany, Italy and eight other countries across the world. PostNL employs a total of 46,000 people. With our loyal workforce, extensive networks and innovative drive, our ambition is to be the leading postal and logistics solutions provider in chosen markets. In 2016 our revenues reached €3,4 billion.


text:
- Startup EasyPost has a $1.5 billion valuation and expects $100 million in net revenue for 2021.
- CEO Jarrett Streebin plans to take his logistics outfit public next year.
- First, he wants to make up to five acquisitions to shore up his software offering.
EasyPost is going public next year, but first CEO Jarrett Streebin has some work to do.
EasyPost is an application programming interface that gives e-commerce shippers access to live data from the US Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and more than 100 other global carriers. Retailers, e-commerce marketplaces, and logistics companies use the API to manage tracking and choose the best option for their packages and print labels.
This kind of data is even more in demand as e-commerce companies diversify their shipping options to avoid surcharges and price hikes from the big carriers. The company is headed toward $100 million in net revenue, according to the CEO.
Streebin pitches his company as a way for merchants to boost sales and customer loyalty by picking the best carrier for each package.
"I started the company in 2012 to be a Twilio for shipping, or Stripe for shipping," he told Insider. But he's been quiet about the steps his company has taken toward fulfilling such lofty goals.
"We've just really focused on being really great pipes for shipping," he said. EasyPost landed Jet.com and eventually Walmart as early big customers. By 2020, the company had raised more than $100 million, including from the Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian and Flexport's Ryan Petersen — most of which it didn't publicly announce. It also sold its e-commerce fulfillment arm last year, reverting back to its original pure-play software business.
Now it's time to go public and make some noise, Streebin told Insider.
"We're going public in the middle of next year. That's already locked and loaded," he said. In the meantime, Streebin is planning between two and five acquisitions to build EasyPost into a more user-friendly suite of software.
Acquisitions on deck
EasyPost will look to acquire companies that can add a slicker layer on top of its core software product. The idea is to leverage the company's considerable data on e-commerce packages — half a billion packages a year — to improve existing software products used by e-commerce shippers. This data comes through relationships with private carriers like UPS and FedEx, along with admittance to a selective program with USPS that gives it more direct access to shipping-label data and lower rates.
Warehouse-management software, which helps logistics companies and shippers understand what's entering and exiting warehouses, would be a natural target, Streebin said. EasyPost runs in the background of many of these platforms today. Acquiring one would give EasyPost more direct access to the end users of its API.
Taking a digital step closer to the end users of his data could also help public-market investors understand EasyPost better, Streebin said.
"Despite the success of Twilio and other very successful API companies, I do think there's not a ton of public understanding of what API companies do. And so I think it'll be helpful for our story as we go public," the CEO said.
He is also looking for fresh blood, since much of his team has been around since day one.
"It's always good to add new people to the mix with new ambitions and ideas," he said.


text:
News By Tag
News By Place
Sign-Ups for Miller YMCA July 4th Car Show Underway
Car buffs can show off their classic automobiles at the second annual Miller Family YMCA of Newbury Park's Independence Day Classic Car Show.
Car awards include '50s, '60s and '70s top picks, best interior, best paint, best engine and overall best in show. The car show entry fee is $20 (until June 29) and $30 afterwards. Car owners can enter additional cars for $10 each. All cars must be in place no later than 7:00 a.m. on the day of the show.
"Last year was our first year and over 60 cars were entered," says Katie Beck, executive director at the Miller Y. "We are hoping for 100 cars this year."
The Y is also seeking sponsors for the festival. "Since entry to the festival is free to the community, we're looking for businesses and individuals to sponsor the event to help offset costs," says Beck.
For a car registration and sponsorship forms, go to the Miller YMCA website (http://www.sevymca.org/


text:
The video is no longer available.
Try searching our site
Extra Effort: Jada MorganThis week's Extra Effort Award goes to Jada Morgan of Jeannette High School!
New Guidelines Issued For High Blood Pressure TreatmentThere are new guidelines for high blood pressure treatment; KDKA's Dr. Maria Simbra reports.
E. coli Concerns Shut Down Mohawk School DistrictMohawk School officials say classes will be back in session Friday, after E. coli concerns shut down the school district for three days; KDKA's Heather Abraham reports.
Police: Candy Store Employee Secretly Filmed Women In BathroomA candy store employee is accused of hiding a cell phone in the store bathroom in an attempt to take video of women in the restroom; KDKA's Paul Martino reports.
KDKA-TV Evening Forecast (1/19)Stay on top of local weather with Jon Burnett’s 5-day forecast!
Some Doctors Turning To Food Instead Of Pills To Treat AilmentsAfter your next trip to the doctor's office, you may be heading home with a shopping list instead of a prescription.


text:
NEW YORK — In the world of retail real estate, it’s a seller’s market.
Two major California malls — the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance and the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto — were sold Tuesday. More properties are up for sale, among them, Maine’s largest center, the 1.2 million-square-foot Maine Mall, in South Portland.
Mills Corp. bought Del Amo for $442 million before transaction costs, from The Torrance Co., a private firm.
“Adding the Del Amo Fashion Center to our portfolio fits very well with our strategy of acquiring properties that we can enhance with a unique mix of retail and entertainment venues and turn into market-dominant consumer destinations,” Laurence C. Siegel, Mills’ chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. Mills has been aggressive on the acquisition front, and last year purchased five properties from Cadillac Fairview of Toronto, including The Galleria in White Plains, N.Y.
Simon Property Group Inc. agreed to buy Stanford Shopping Center for $331 million from the Stanford Management Co., an investment arm of Stanford University. Simon, the nation’s biggest shopping center developer, also has been hunting for properties and is currently engaged in a hostile bid to buy Taubman Centers.
“There have been a lot of trophy mall sales and they’re selling at very good prices,” said Bill Phillips, managing director of real estate for the Stanford Management. “Like all investments, we reviewed [Stanford Shopping Center] and found it was better for the university to sell it and reinvest the money somewhere else. We’ve gone through this evaluation for decades and it was always better for us to retain the asset, but we’re now in a unique period.”
Industry experts say retail real estate is one of the few sectors that has held up in the down economy. Real estate investors, which are often pension funds, are seeking to offset their losses in the stock market by selling off property. In terms of the fundamentals, rents and occupancy rates at “A” malls remain strong, even though some areas of retailing have been tough. Targeted specialty store chains, discounters and newer retail concepts in the U.S., such as Crayola and H&M, continue to draw consumers, though department stores have been losing ground.According to the International Council of Shopping Centers and Mills Corp., Del Amo is the fourth-largest mall in the country with 2.5 million square feet. The Mall of America, with 4.2 million square feet, is the country’s largest. King of Prussia Mall near Philadelphia is ranked second with 2.9 million square feet, followed by South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa, Calif., with 2.8 million square feet. The Houston Galleria, with 2.4 million square feet, is the fifth largest.
Del Amo was built in 1969 and has sales per square foot of $465. The center, located in the South Bay submarket of Los Angeles, is anchored by Macy’s, Macy’s Home and Furniture Gallery, Sears, Robinsons-May and J.C. Penney. Approximately 403,000 square feet in the northeast wing of the property, including 220,000 square feet of in-line space, has been vacated for redevelopment. Mills’ preliminary plans involve redeveloping approximately 670,000 square feet of existing space (including the northeast wing), and the addition of tenants.
Mills, a real estate investment trust based in Arlington, Va., owns, develops, leases, manages and markets 24 retail and entertainment destinations totaling 31 million square feet. Currently, Mills has seven projects under construction or development around the world, and is really the only developer active overseas.
Mills also announced that it secured a $500 million credit facility, which will help the company take advantage of acquisition opportunities.
Stanford University has been using funds obtained from the open-air Stanford center, spreading over some 1.4 million square feet, to support the university’s operating needs, including tuition, research and the maintenance of buildings. The Stanford center is anchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s West and a Macy’s Men’s Store. It notched up total sales in 2002 of $500 million, said Phillips.
My character, Dinah Madani, is just the coolest, [most] badass woman imaginable," says @amberroserevah. The actress stars in @marvel's newest series on @netflix, @thepunisher. To prepare for her role, Revah sat down with Homeland agents to get a real sense of with Dinah's day-to-day life is really like. Read our full interview on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
A scene from the 91st annual @macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade, which boasts 50 million TV viewers and 3.5 million on-site spectators, is considered one of the largest and most watched parades in the world. (📷: Jason Szenes/EPA-REX)
The circus came to @bloomingdales 59th Street on Tuesday night and lit up Lexington Avenue with acrobatic dancers, death-defying knife throwing, sword swallowing and aerial acts with no net. The 45 minutes of theatrics built up to unveiling the holiday windows depicting @swarovski crystal-encrusted circus pieces and scenes from “The Greatest Showman” – songs from the soundtrack included. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: Joshua Scott)
The psychedelic fashion that pervaded the ’60s is back with an exhibit at the @museumofcityny. “Mode New York: Fashion Takes a Trip” chronicles the changing styles from 1960 through 1973 and features designers such as @ysl, @oscardelarenta and more. The exhibition, which is on display through April 1, is organized into four periods: First Lady Fasion, Youthquake, New Bohemia and New Nonchalance. Pictured here is model Pat Bardonella during the Garvey Day Parade in 1968. (📷: @kwamebphoto) #wwdeye #wwdfashion
“People should be a lot more honest in expressing both the dark and light of themselves. We need to give each other the space to do that because it’s the only way we can grow and evolve,” says @noelwells of her new film “Mr. Roosevelt,” which is largely based on her own struggles. Unexpectedly leaving @nbcsnl in 2014 after just one season, Wells felt set back in her self-esteem and career trajectory. She quickly refocused her energy to more personal projects, which led to the completion of “Mr. Roosevelt.” Read the rest of WWD’s interview with the “Master of None” actress on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
@barbrastreisand is giving fans a chance to see her perform up close in a new concert series, which makes its debut on @Netflix today. From behind-the-scenes takes to her concert performance in Miami last December, the two-hour streaming special captures Streisand in her element. Pictured here is the singer/actress photographed for WWD in 1963. (📷: Palmieri Tony) #wwdeye #wwdarchive
@chanel and @pharrell dropped what’s being dubbed as the world’s most exclusive sneakers yesterday. The Adidas Originals NMD Hu, which Williams designed in collaboration with Chanel and @adidasoriginals, has a waiting list of over 120K people who pre-registered online at chanelatcolette.fr –– and only 500 pairs are on sale. The singer predicted the resale value of the shoes could reach $40K. Read the full interview on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: Dominique Maître)
@imanshumpert is diving deeper into his creative endeavors and relaunching his clothing line, Post 90s, and is helping to raise money for the hurricane victims in St. Maarten with a jersey he’s designed with his brother. The Cleveland Cavaliers player talked to WWD about kneeling during the national anthem, working with fashion brands and how he wants to be more than an @nba player. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)


text:
In a transaction that combines two of the world's best-known names in consumer products, the Gillette Company said yesterday that it had agreed to acquire Duracell International Inc. for approximately $7 billion in stock.
The agreement, announced jointly, was the culmination of a five-year search by Boston-based Gillette for what Alfred M. Zeien, its chairman and chief executive, has called a ''new leg'' acquisition, one that would take a company that makes everything from razors and toothbrushes to writing instruments into a new product category.
''Duracell emerged head and shoulders above all other candidates,'' Mr. Zeien said in a conference call with analysts and reporters. ''It produces the best-performing, highest-quality battery in the world, bar none, with more than 40 percent of the alkaline battery market. At the checkout counter, there is going to be nobody that can touch what we can do.''
Analysts and investors were enthusiastic. ''There are not too many acquisitions that could be better for Gillette,'' said Andrew Shore of Paine Webber. ''The saddest thing about this is that it was so obvious that we all missed it.''
Holly B. Becker, who follows both companies for Smith Barney, said, ''It seemed nearly impossible they would find something,'' adding, ''Duracell absolutely fits their core competencies.''
On the New York Stock Exchange, the price of Duracell's shares jumped 18 percent, rising $9, to $58.125, in trading of more than 10 million shares. Gillette, which will have to issue approximately 108 million shares to pay for the acquisition, saw its stock rise 87.5 cents, to $66, on volume nearly as high.
In addition to providing a strategic boost to Gillette, the Duracell purchase represents another windfall for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company, the leveraged-buyout firm that owns a controlling 34 percent stake in Duracell. Kohlberg Kravis bought the battery maker, based in Bethel, Conn., from Kraft in 1988 for $1.8 billion, or about $5 a share, putting up $350 million in equity.
Counting subsequent Duracell stock sales and the roughly $2 billion worth of Gillette shares the firm will receive in the transaction, that $350 million has generated profits of more than $3 billion, $1.2 billion of which has already been returned to Kohlberg Kravis's investors.
Word of the deal, which Mr. Zeien said had been in the works since January, first appeared yesterday in The Wall Street Journal.
Kohlberg Kravis, which was rumored to have long pushed the sale, also took the highly unusual step of providing financial advice to Duracell. Morgan Stanley & Company was retained by Duracell to provide a fairness opinion. J. P. Morgan Securities and Merrill Lynch acted as co-advisers to Gillette.
Under the terms of the deal, Duracell shareholders will receive 0.904 share of Gillette stock for each Duracell share owned. As of Wednesday's market close, Gillette had 445.8 million common shares outstanding.
The transaction, which is subject to approval by shareholders at both companies, is expected to close by mid-December, Mr. Zeien said.
If the deal is approved, Kohlberg Kravis would become Gillette's second-largest shareholder, with 6.8 percent of its outstanding shares. Warren E. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which invested $600 million in Gillette through a preferred stock offering in 1989, would hold 8.7 percent.
Kohlberg Kravis has no intention of selling its stake ''for the time being,'' a spokeswoman for the buyout firm said.
The combination will create a company with more than 43,000 employees and sales of about $9 billion.
In the conference call, Mr. Zeien, 66, said he expected that the acquisition would immediately add to earnings, even before an estimated $80 million to $120 million in annual cost savings were realized. He did not say how many employees would lose their jobs as a result of the deal.
Analysts said they were particularly excited about Duracell's growth possibilities in foreign markets, especially developing countries, areas of the world where Gillette has decades of exposure and experience.
''Duracell does not have much market penetration in countries like Brazil, India, Indonesia and China,'' said an investment banker familiar with the transaction, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ''It's hard to get into those areas, and they are doing so well and grow so fast here and until recently in Europe that they didn't have the resources to go after those markets.''
Constance M. Maneaty, an analyst at Bear, Stearns, said that ''Gillette gives Duracell international-distribution clout that would have taken years if not decades to develop.''
In its most recent fiscal year, which ended in June, 55 percent of Duracell's sales were generated in the United States, 28 percent in Europe and the remaining 17 percent in other countries.
The company has been branching out in recent years, and has recently completed new plants in India and China. Indeed, some analysts said the costs of those investments, coupled with a decline in demand in Europe, hampered Duracell's performance last year, and pushed down the stock price as low as $39.75 a share.
By contrast, Gillette, which has emphasized foreign markets for years, realized slightly more than 30 percent of its sales in the United States last year, 36 percent in Europe and the remaining 33 percent in other countries.


text:
RAYMOND F. CHANDLER
Buy Raymond with a target of Rs 546: Sharekhan
Buy Raymond Ltd. with a target of Rs 546 and a stop loss of Rs 506
Buy Raymond, target Rs 550 : Choice Equity Broking
Buy Raymond Ltd. at a price target of Rs 550 and a stop loss at Rs 520 from entry point
Raymond Weil considers changing strategy for India
Olivier Bernheim, owner and president, Raymond Weil said the company will limit its distribution through these two retailers and will have around 26 points of sales in the country.
Buy Raymond, target Rs 650 : Kunal Bothra
Buy Raymond Ltd. at a price target of Rs 650 and a stop loss at Rs 575 from entry point
LIC trims stake in Raymond to 5.53%
LIC, which had 7.54 per cent stake earlier , brought down its shareholding to 5.53 per cent, by selling shares between March 15, 2012, and October 10, 2016.
Buy Raymond, target Rs 530 : Dr CK Narayan
Buy Raymond Ltd. at a price target of Rs 530 and a stop loss at Rs 490 from entry point
See significant near-term impact on brands biz: Raymond
In a chat with ET Now, Sanjay Behl, CEO, Raymond talks about the quarter gone by and impact of demonetisation on the business and many more.
Raymond partners with Khadi and Village Industries Commission to launch new clothing line
This joint venture is also a step towards making a radical shift in people's perception of Khadi from a fabric that stands for nationalism to a fabric that stands for fashion.
Raymond Group's Gautam Singhania talks about his obsession for cars
The industrialist set up the Super Car Club in 2009 to facilitate a get-together and exclusive track days.
Raymond jumps 10%, hits 52-week high on automation plan
The company employs over 30,000 staff in their 16 manufacturing plants in the country, roughly 2,000 employees work in each plant.
Raymond to replace 10,000 jobs with robots in next 3 years
Through technological intervention, the company is looking to scale down the number of jobs to 20,000, through multiple initiatives in technology.
Raymond expands, forms new FMCG company
All the businesses of the Raymond FMCG Group will sit under this umbrella, says Giriraj Bagri, President - FMCG Business, Raymond. In an interview to ET Now, Bagri also talks about his business ideas.
F1 body approves Liberty Media takeover
MOTOR-F1-LIBERTY-FIA:F1 body approves Liberty Media takeover
Momentary dampening of demand will not have a major impact on the company: Sanjay Behl, CEO, Raymond
I think in terms of consumption, yes there has been a little bit of slowdown but I think that is not do with the aspiration of a customer coming down in terms of upgrading their lifestyle to better clothing.
F1 circuits upgraded to cope with faster cars
MOTOR-F1-SAFETY:F1 circuits upgraded to cope with faster cars


text:
Meet the Brunettes
5 p.m. Oct 27 at New York Beer Project, 6933 S. Transit Road, Lockport (743-6927)
In July, New York Beer Project brewed three different blonde ales on its pilot system: a honey blonde ale, an agave mint blonde and a cherry blonde. They invited folks to come out to the brewery to taste these beers, and tasters voted on their favorite blonde.
The team at NYBP is at it again - only now, it is asking thirsty patrons to “meet the brunettes." This time, there are four flavor iterations: macadamia brown, vanilla coffee brown, coconut brown (which the brewery claims is “not too sweet”), and mole brown (brewed with Mexican spices). You can choose to meet them one at a time, or meet them all at once in a flight of four for $8.
Gene’s Halloween Scream Party
8 p.m. Oct. 29 at Gene McCarthy’s, 73 Hamburg St. (855-8948)
One of many options for your Halloween party brewery style is at Gene McCarthy’s pub. The party will feature music by '50s rock group Kickstart Rumble. There will be prizes for best male and female costume as well as food and drink specials.
Halloween & Stiff Mitten release party
8 p.m. Oct. 29 at Woodcock Brothers Brewing Company, 638 Lake St., Wilson (333-4000)
This annual Woodcock Brothers event showcases the release of Stiff Mitten, a spiced winter ale brewed with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. It will be available in pints and growlers at the event and will be released for local distribution in early November.
Costumed attendees to the Halloween party will get $1 off beers, and the top three costumes will receive prizes at the end of the night: $100, $50 and $25 gift cards to Woodcock Brothers. The Lakeside Band will perform from 8 to 11 p.m.
12 Gates Halloween party
5 p.m. Oct. 29 at 80 Earhart Drive, East Amherst; (906-6600)
There will be a costume contest for adults, with prizes and awards for the best attire. KTB’s Bucking Pig BBQ will be there with food, and if you dress up in costume, your first pint will be free. The brewery is also releasing a one-off beer, a standard porter infused with pumpkin pie ingredients and flavorings of nutmeg, cinnamon and other fall spices.
[Related: Smiles at 12 Gates' Philosofest]
Buffalo Octo-Beer-Fest 2016
Noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at Buffalo Niagara Court Center, 425 Meyer Road, West Seneca
With more than 50 beers to sample from many local breweries, Buffalo Tastings Inc. is putting on Buffalo Octo-Beer-Fest. There will be food, drinks and live music at the festival, which is broken up into two, three-hour sessions.
Tickets are $25 in advance ($30 at the door) and can be purchased at buffalotastings.com. There is a VIP ticket option for $45 (for session two only) that gets you an extra half-hour of tasting, a T-shirt and a food voucher.
Business of Beer & Hoppy Hour
3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Buffalo RiverWorks, 359 Ganson St. (342-2292)
Interested in the state of the beer and brewing industry in Buffalo? Come check out the Hoppy Hour at RiverWorks. This event will bring together members of local breweries and their supporters to discuss issues facing the industry. There will be a panel discussion and a sampling of products from the breweries.
The panel includes Ethan Cox (Community Beer Works), Matt Kahn (Big Ditch Brewing Company), Tom McManus (KegWorks), Johnny Russo (Hamburg Brewing Company) and Jeff Ware (Resurgence Brewing Company). The event costs $35. Registration can be done here.
This mini-tap takeover will include a special cask-conditioned version of Community Beer Works’ Frank pale ale.


text:
iPhone 6 rumours: 4in-plus ‘super Retina’ screen, gaze detection, iOS 7
This week’s Apple iPhone 6 rumours: a bigger-than 4in display, super Retina screen resolution, changes in iOS 7, and gaze detection. It’s an exciting time to be an iPhone 6 rumourmonger!
The iOSphere analysed, dissected, interpreted and obsessed over Apple CEO Tim Cook’s comments at the All Things D conference last week, and didn’t change its hive mind about any of the iPhone 6 rumours.
The general idea is “If he didn’t say something about something, then the something could still be something. Eventually.”
[BACKGROUND: Even saying nothing, Apple CEO reveals something]
Thus the long-standing rumour, or hope, that future iPhones will have still-larger displays remains alive and well because Cook didn’t say that Apple would never, ever build one.
Also this week, the iOSphere turns a favourable eye on Gaze Detection Technology, while turning a deaf ear to the American Civil Liberties Union; credible details, if still from anonymous sources, emerge about the Next iPhone’s firmware – iOS 7; and the siren song of the Super Retina display.
You read it here second.
iPhone 6 will run iOS 7, which will look really, really different
Exactly how it will be and look different remains unclear, despite a fair amount of detail in Mark Gurman’s post at 9to5Mac, which is based on his talks with anonymous, multiple “sources.”
It’s now widely expected that Apple will disclose iOS 7, along with the next release of OS X, at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco, largely because Apple said it would, in its announcement of the event. In a quote attributed to Apple SVP of Worldwide Marketing Philip Schiller: “We can’t wait to get new versions of iOS and OS X into their hands at WWDC.”
There are two “halves” to the OS: the underlying kernel and the user interface that rides above it. Much of Gurman’s post is about the UI — what iPhone and iPad users will see and touch. This is the work being overseen since last fall by Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive.
“Sources have described iOS 7 as ‘black, white, and flat all over,'” Gurman writes. “This refers to the dropping of heavy textures and the addition of several new black and white user interface elements.
“Sources say that over the past few months, Apple has re-architected iOS 7’s new interface several times, so until the new software is announced at WWDC, interface elements could dramatically change from what Apple has been testing internally in recent weeks,” Gurman writes.
Among the changes mentioned by Gurman:
- dropping the shiny, transparent time bar on the top of the Lock screen, replacing it with a “shine-free, black interface”; the square-grid for entering a PIN code gives way to “round, black buttons with white text and white borders.”
- replacing textures, such as “linen” and “leather,” with “flat white and black coloring.” The Notification Center’s dark linen background becomes a dark grey or black with white text.
- removing gradient textures from a variety of navigation and tab bars.
- redesigning most of Apple’s own apps to reflect this visual flattening, and minimalist use of white and black; the Notes app drops the “yellow notepad” metaphor, in favor of a white background; and along with Mail, Calendar and Maps, there’s a more uniform use of white; and “each app has been given a unique button colour” or theme.
Besides the UI elements, there also are a range of kernel and API changes in the works also. “We previously reported that iOS 7 will likely include integration for Flickr and Vimeo in addition to improved in-car support for Maps and Siri,” Gurman writes. “While the new interface will be a major change for consumers, sources say that iOS 7 is also an ambitious update for developer-focused features.”
Words are an inherently unsatisfactory way to describe something so visual and in a sense tactile as iOS. Despite Gurman’s details, it’s hard to visualize at this point what the UI will actually look like, or how it will “feel,” as a unified experience. But in about two weeks, we’ll all know.
[Related: iOS 7 release date, rumours and leaked images | iOS 7 to be ‘very, very flat,’ with redesigned Apple app icons | Apple expected to preview iOS 7 with ‘killer app’ at WWDC | Apple iOS 7 ‘will feature Street View option for Maps’]
iPhone 6 or 5S, whatever, will have a “Super Retina” display, and 1.5 million pixels
A Chinese language website started this rumour with a post that the Next iPhone will double the Retina display resolution of the iPhone 5, as summed up by Sam Oliver’s post at AppleInsider. That would mean packing 1.5 million pixels into the same 4-inch display, according to Oliver.
The iPhone 5 has a Retina display, with a resolution of 1360 by 640 pixels and a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch, for a total count of about 730,000 pixels, according to Oliver.
He points out that HTC’s recently announced HTC One smartphone has a 4.7-inch screen that supports a full 1080p HD resolution: screen density is 486 pixels per inch, and total pixel count is over 2 million.
Oliver doesn’t asses this news, but iMore editor Rene Ritchie does.
Ritchie links back to his January post, “Imagining a 5-inch iPhone,” which looked at Apple’s options for increasing the screen size to 5 inches. Then, he concluded that doubling the current iPhone 5 resolution — to 2272 x 1280 pixels at 522 ppi — on a 5-inch screen would “require even more graphics processing power, more LED light, and more battery, and it would be absolutely bats**t insane. … Going to 5-inches @4x probably isn’t something within the current realms of technology, economics, or reason, however.”
Trying to do that on a 4-inch display, as the rumor has it, “to put it just as bluntly, is even more bats**t insane,” Ritchie writes in his current post. “Until humans grow hawk eyes, there’s just no need. If and when Apple goes to 5-inches, maybe @3x [three times the original iPhone resolution] will make sense, or maybe a more painful switch to the 1080p standard. Maybe there’s even something in the Apple labs that does 2x Retina in a very different way than what’s being reported right now…”
iPhone 6 release date, rumours and leaked images
iPhone 6 concept designs keep popping up
iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 spotted at Apple suppliers, both to launch this year – report
Apple’s rumoured iPhone 6 fingerprint sensor could spell trouble for competitors
John Cox covers wireless networking and mobile computing for Network World.
Email: [email protected]
Read more about wireless & mobile in Network World’s Wireless & Mobile section.