text:
Keeping pace with its efforts to make life easier for users, Alphabet Inc.’s (GOOGL - Free Report) division, Google recently added a series of new features to Google Maps, in order to make commute a hassle-free process.
The company recently announced that it has included a new tab, Commute, to Google maps. This tab will give users an access to traffic and transit information in real time, helping them to reach their destination on time. Also, the feature will suggest alternative routes to users in case of traffic jams or accidents, thus saving time.
In addition, Google has added a special feature for users who prefer to commute via public transport system. This feature will provide details such as departure and arrival of trains, along with the location of bus or train in real time.
In this regard, Google has partnered with Transport New South Wales in Sydney, in order to help users live track the location of buses and trains. The company is expected to roll this feature across 80 regions in the world over the coming weeks.
With Google taking interest in this segment, competition has further heated up in this segment. As of now, the features have been rolled out in select regions. Google might expand the service to other regions as well.
This recent move should further cement its dominance in the navigation industry over Apple and help it to scoop up a higher market share, thus benefitting the company’s financials.
It will further boost investors’ confidence in the stock, which has outperformed the industry on a year-to-date basis.
Alphabet’s shares have returned 14.6% in the past 12 months against the industry’s decline of 7.7%.
Google Maps Gaining Traction
Google is leaving no stone unturned to fortify its presence on the back of innovative technologies. The company’s innovative efforts to improvise Google Maps will continue to benefit its market share.
Per a recent research report, Google Maps is by far the most popular navigation app. Nearly 70% of smartphone owners use Google Maps most frequently. With the introduction of new and innovative features in the same, it is set to maintain its leading position.
The company recently announced that Google Maps has added a new group planning feature, both on Android and iOS, enabling users to collaborate with friends to plan events or a night out. This is also expected to expand its user base and boost advertising revenues.
Google Maps, which is immensely popular and widely used all over the world, will enhance the company’s services portfolio owing to the above-mentioned update.
Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
Currently, Alphabet carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the technology sector are eXp World Holdings, Inc. (EXPI - Free Report) , ANGI Homeservices Inc. (ANGI - Free Report) and Internap Corporation (INAP - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Long-term earnings growth for eXp World Holdings, ANGI Homeservices and Internap Corporation is currently projected to be 10%, 25% and 2%, respectively.
Best Electric Car Stock? You'll Never Guess It.
Zacks Research has released a report that may shock many investors. One stock stands out as the best way to invest in the surge to electric cars. And it's not the one you may think!
Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium battery power is set to shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, revenues that were already at $31 billion in 2016 are expected to blast to over $67 billion by the end of 2022.
See Zacks Best EV Stock Free >>


text:
March 3 was the first anniversary of Jared's Always Keep Fighting campaign.
In honor of it Jared has a new design for the anniversary campaign. He announced it on Facebook .
And Twitter, where he also noted it was his dog Sadie's birthday.
Jared is running a contest for this campaign. Anyone who orders in the 48 hours following the announcement will be entered to win a phone call from Jared. What a treat!
Here's the new design.
Jared has issued an update on the campaign and announced a new contest! Order in the next 48 hours and you can win one of Jared's own shirts from his previous campaigns.
Here with a represent.com/jared update and announcing the next prize!Posted by Jared Padalecki on Saturday, March 5, 2016
Thank you Jared for your dedication to this cause.

domain: news


text:
Following up on May’s preview of the new SQL Database for Azure service tiers, Microsoft announced that it has streamlined the process of moving between those tiers.
SQL Database for Azure service tiers allow Microsoft Azure customers to adjust their cloud-based SQL setups according to their performance needs. Microsoft has a total of four SQL service tiers, the “one-size-fits-most” Web and Business editions and the three new preview offerings: basic, standard and premium.
Now, the company has “made it easy to upgrade existing databases to the new service tiers so you can try out the new performance levels,” Tobias Ternstrom, Microsoft principal group program manager, wrote in a blog post. The company’s aim is to provide organizations with the flexibility to move between tiers while eliminating administrative overhead.
The update enables customers to “upgrade any database in-place from Web or Business to Basic, Standard or Premium,” said Ternstrom. As a result, businesses that park their SQL databases on Microsoft’s cloud “can freely mix databases of any service tier on any server, and upgrade or downgrade databases between any service tier or performance level.”
Administrators can make the switch by visiting the Azure management portal’s Database Scale view. “Simply select the desired service tier and performance level and then click Save, Ternstrom said.
Upgrades occur fairly non-disruptively, reported Ternstrom, taking the suspense out of making changes to business-critical workloads. He claimed that databases “stay online throughout the upgrade operation, with only a brief disconnect/reconnect occurring at the end in some cases.”
Similarly, the process should be a non-event on the application front. “The database connection string is unaltered, and your applications don’t need to be changed or reconfigured,” he added.
In addition, Microsoft has increased the performance of the basic and standard tiers. For example, basic plans have been bumped from 1 DTU (Database Throughput Unit) to 5 DTUs. A DTU translates into Microsoft benchmark online transaction processing (OLTP) transaction rates of 3,467 transactions per hour in the basic model, according to the company.
Other tweaks include point-in-time restore support for basic databases and an increase of backup retention periods on standard databases to 14 days. Also new is automated export to basic, standard and premium databases, which complements point-in-time restore with longer-term backups.
Microsoft also boosted the backup capabilities of its platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offering for Web apps.
Entering general availability, the Azure Web Sites backup and restore feature “now supports larger backup jobs and bigger sites can be backed up,” Eduardo Laureano, a Microsoft senior program manager, wrote in a blog posting. Users also “can now configure a backup retention directly from the backup configuration without the need to manually delete old backups or create special scripts for removal,” he added.
And many more Azure-related updates are in the works, Microsoft teased.
On Monday, July 14, Microsoft is flipping the switch on two new Azure regions in Virginia and Iowa. Also on July 14, the company plans to “bring new IaaS functionality to the Azure Preview Portal, allowing users to easily manage virtual machines, as well as single-click SharePoint deployment for the management of multiple virtual machines within the portal,” a Microsoft spokesperson told eWEEK.
Microsoft is also kicking off a preview of Azure Event Hubs for the Internet of things (IoT). The cloud-based IoT solution “can broker millions of events per second, allowing partners and customers to pull in, process and analyze data from a nearly infinite number of cloud-connected smart devices,” said the spokesperson.


text:
Tree lined streets, family friendly,” says Palmiero, 34. “It just feels comfortable here.” Comfortable is an apt word for the breezy, white tiled salon, where Palmiero says the latest trend in hair is simple, low maintenance looks. “People just want really wearable hair these days,” she says.
hermes blanket replica Mosley says adding prebiotic fibre to your diet can encourage the growth of good bacteria. He suggests foods like onions, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus and bananas. And when it comes to carbohydrates like rice and pasta, cooking and cooling and then reheating can increase the amount of fibre, making it more resistant to digestion.. hermes blanket replica
hermes birkin replica “See, now you’re trying to make me cry,” she said. “You have to understand Hermes Replica I’m proud Replica Hermes Birkin of the two of you. Y’all have different personalities. Get daily updates directly to your inboxSubscribeSee our privacy noticeThank you Hermes Birkin Replica for subscribing!Former Corronation Street actress Paula Williamson, 37 who married Charles last November was in Tenerife when she met a group of guys on a lads’ holiday.Charles Bronson’s new wife in prison visit nightmare after ‘Monster Mansion’ jail switchShe’s rumoured Fake Hermes Bags to have dared one lad, Connor Boyes, 26, to test whether her boobs cheap hermes belt were real by getting him to put his face in her chest.The act was photographed best hermes replica handbags and Paula was also pictured cosying up to a second man and getting a Hermes Bags Replica kiss fake hermes belt vs real on the Hermes Belt Replica lips.Former high quality hermes replica uk bare knuckle boxer Bronson, 65, went berserk when he saw the photos in the press and ended their relationship.Grief struck Paula told The Sun : “I’m absolutely devastated. I can’t stop crying. I made one https://www.abirkins.com stupid mistake. hermes birkin replica
hermes belt replica uk It added more than 40,000 new customer accounts in the first half. The bank said digital products such as an app letting customers set up a bank account on their phones had fuelled this. New best hermes replica mortgage lending came in at Replica Hermes uk 422m in the first half, an increase of more than 26.7pc on the first half of last year.. hermes belt replica uk
replica hermes oran sandals Fernando Rodney needs to find his change up. high quality Replica Hermes Logan Morrison Hermes Handbags needs to find his power stroke. Paul Molitor needs to perfect hermes replica leave his best fielders on the field when protecting a hermes birkin bag replica cheap lead.. Charter schools remain a policy favorite on both Hermes Replica Handbags sides of the aisle, promoted by Republican presidential nomineeDonald Trump and the Obama administration. But in recent months, the so called school choice movement has faced more pushback. In July, the NAACP called for a moratoriumon charter schools. replica hermes oran sandals
replica hermes birkin 35 A: We know our fashion label is a very niche market and it is tailored to a very specific clientele. We want everyone to be able to experience the Laurence Chico culture and story, and that could Hermes Replica Belt be through a cup of coffee and a delicious croissant or a beautiful and creative high tea set. We also have a souvenir section in the very back of our caf tailored to anyone travelling to Vancouver who would like to take home small affordable gifts for their friends and loved ones. replica hermes birkin 35
best hermes evelyne replica “She’s an asshole. She’s mean. She’s immature,” Snooki stated, adding that Angelina called her “an ugly” in an interview with a tabloid. On August 18, Priyanka is throwing Hermes Handbags Replica a grand bash in Mumbai to celebrate her engagement. Bollywood who who are expected to be replica hermes belt uk at the party. Nick brothers Kevin and Joe Jonas are also expected to be at the engagement party. best hermes evelyne replica
perfect hermes replica The Turkish government has doubled its retaliatory tariffs on American cars to 120% and on alcoholic drinks to 140%, according to a notice published Wednesday. Other affected products include fruit, coal, paper and rice.Relations between Washington and Ankara have rapidly soured in recent weeks over Turkey’s detention of an American pastor. The Trump administration announced plans on Replica Hermes Friday to double US tariffs imports of steel and aluminum hermes belt replica aaa from Turkey.The political spat with Washington has added to pressure on Turkey’s currency, the lira, which has plunged against the dollar.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the United States of stabbing Turkey in the back and on Tuesday called for a boycott of US electronics products.Turkey high quality hermes birkin replica already imposed new tariffs in June on a similar range of US goods, worth a total of $1.8 billion, in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s initial tariffs on steel aluminum. perfect hermes replica
aaa replica bags “Yesterday was Father’s Day, and Xiu Qing You, a husband and loving father of two young children, spent it at visite site a detention center in New Jersey,” Yuh Line Niou, a New York State Assembly member, said in a statement after the rally.”Mr. You was trying to do Hermes Kelly Replica the right thing. From China in 2000 but was issued an order of removal about two years later, after his application for asylum was denied.. aaa replica bags
hermes replica blanket It occasionally worth pausing to find the goalposts. When reports first surfaced of Russian intervention in the American elections, Trump and his team said there was no Russian meddling. Trump World then shifted and said they didn communicate with Russians during the attack. hermes replica blanket
birkin bag replica And did you know that a significant amount of water can form inside your tires? It really does. And since water can be corrosive to metals wheels, you definitely don’t want it in there for too long. Nitrogen is a lot drier than the oxygen you’ll get from the gas station air hose.. birkin bag replica
hermes bag replica The Supreme Court has ruled that American Express can force restaurants, dry Hermes Replica Bags cleaners and other businesses to agree that they won’t try to get their customers to pay with other credit cards. American Express is historically known for charging retailers higher fake hermes belt women’s fees to use their cards. The court was divided, but more conservative justices won out in a 5 to 4 vote hermes bag replica.


text:
Infuriating PS5 bugs are popping up four days after the Sony console's highly anticipated release. One PS5 owner, Jeff Gerstmann, discovered a pesky glitch while running Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered.
Gerstmann took to Twitter to point out a reoccurring PS5 rest mode bug that causes his system to crash. According to DigitalTrends, Gerstmann's unfortunate experience with the next-gen console isn't an isolated incident.
- PS5 review: the future of gaming has arrived
- PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition — Which one should you buy?
- PS5: Specs, price, release date and how it compares to gaming laptops
Multiple reports of PS5 rest mode causing issues
PS5 rest mode is similar to sleep mode on a PC — it's still on, but goes into low-power mode. This way, you can get to your games faster when you awaken the PS5. Unfortunately, PS5 rest mode is ironically causing unrest among the gaming community.
Seems like putting a PS5 into rest mode while Spider-Man Remastered is running crashes the whole system, forcing that "repair your external drive" process when you start back up. At least that's how it's been for me the few times I've done that today.November 11, 2020
Gerstmann pointed out that putting the PS5 into rest mode during Spider-Man Remastered crashed the next-gen console, prompting a "repair your external drive" process to begin upon restarting the system.
"Also every time I've had the PS5 go through that external drive repair sequence, it ends up on a black screen," Gerstmann added. "I have to hit the power button on the console itself to force it into rest mode, then it comes back up and asks me to file an error report, then boots normally."
James Stevenson, community director at Insomniac Games (video-game developer behind Spider-Man Remastered), told Gerstmann that the team will be looking into the issue.
However, this may not be an Insomniac Games issue, but a Sony one. Another twitter user said that he, too, experienced the PS5 rest mode bug while downloading games, which caused the system to spiral into a frustrating loop. "@PlayStation support just says I have to send in my PS5 for service," he said, adding "#disappointed."
I put my #PS5 in rest mode to download games. Now I am stuck in a loop and the system says something went wrong. Only allows option #7 Reset PS5. After doing Reset I get something went wrong agian. @PlayStation support just says I have to send in my PS5 for service. #disappointed pic.twitter.com/jvYseucmKDNovember 15, 2020
A slew of other Twitter users came forward to report similar issues with PS5 rest mode while running games such as Demon's Souls, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and more.
If you have a PS5 and want to be on the safe side, there is a way to turn off rest mode. Navigate to the Power Saving submenu under Settings and select "Don't put in rest mode."
If you didn't get a chance to snag a PlayStation 5 because they're sold out everywhere, perhaps this is a blessing disguise as early adopters are experiencing some frustrating bugs with the first batch of consoles.
Stay in the know with Laptop Mag
Get our in-depth reviews, helpful tips, great deals, and the biggest news stories delivered to your inbox.
Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!


text:
Gateway Adds Branded DVD Player
Gateway this week announced its own branded DVD player that will also serve as a front end for playing back media files stored on a user's PC.On Tuesday, Gateway announced its own branded DVD player that will also serve as a front end for playing back media files stored on a users PC. Gateways "Connected DVD Player" represents another stab at distributing media files around the home, such as Tivos to share media files, known as the Tivo Home Media Option, or Microsofts plan to enable sharing among PCs running Windows XP Media Center Edition. The DVD player will not act as a personal video recorder (PVR) with an onboard hard drive. Instead, the DVD player will be connected via a wireless network to the PC, which will be required to run a custom software application.
"But its designed to look and feel the same," said John Schindler, a product marketing manager for connectivity solutions at Gateway. Theres My Video, My Music, et cetera. But its proprietary Gateway software."


text:
The retail industry is littered with companies that failed to see changing times and suffered for it. Best Buy (BBY), the top technology retailer in the U.S., certainly knows that story. Video game retailer GameStop (GME) seems to have taken note. In order to survive, it has shifted its focus.
A brick-and-mortar retailer with over 6,600 stores, GameStop is forced to incur costs that online competitors, such as Amazon (AMZN), don’t. That hurts its margins and makes it difficult for the company to compete on price. To make matters worse, GameStop, which has historically sold physical game media and consoles, is being presented with another major challenge: the rise of digital gaming.
In March, research firm NPD Group announced that in the fourth quarter, consumers spent $3.33 billion on non-physical gaming products, including full game downloads, social network titles, and downloadable content. That report was followed by research from DFC Intelligence last month, indicating that the global market for video games will grow from $67 billion this year to $82 billion in 2017. The “biggest driver of growth,” according to the research firm will be digital game distribution — not the discs and cartridges GameStop’s business was largely built on.
MORE: The wrath of the Con
DFC Intelligence estimates that by 2017, $35 billion of the game industry’s total revenue will be comprised by digitally delivered titles, up from $19 billion in 2011. And the console market, which was once driven by physical game sales, will increasingly turn its eyes to the Web. “By 2017, we forecast 39% of console game revenue will be via online distribution and online revenue sources,” DFC Intelligence analyst David Cole said in a statement.
GameStop, seeing the digital craze coming, invested heavily in that market by acquiring three companies — Kongregate, Spawn Labs, and Impulse — to bolster its digital distribution. Among its many digital initiatives, GameStop offers digitally delivered downloadable content. The company also sells credits customers can redeem in popular digital marketplaces, such as Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox Live and Sony’s (SNE) PlayStation Network. All of that has combined to make GameStop a considerable presence in the digital space. In fact, according to Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter, GameStop will increase its digital revenue from $675 million this year to $1.5 billion in 2014.
But simply appealing to digital gamers won’t be enough to save GameStop. In June, sales of new game discs were down 29% year-over-year, extending a long, negative streak. And although industry-wide digital revenue was strong in June, hitting $491 million, according to NPD, it isn’t enough to drive GameStop’s growth.
So, the company has tried something else: buying and selling used mobile devices from the likes of Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG). It might sound odd that GameStop would get into the iPhone and iPad trade, but it underscores the company’s willingness to shift strategy to maintain growth. During an earnings call following its first-quarter financials release in May, GameStop revealed that it was selling so-called “iDevices” in over 2,200 stores, and planned to expand that to more locations in the coming months. The company expects to generate between $150 million to $200 million in revenue this year on mobile devices alone. Better yet, it secures a 30% margin on those sales.
In order to achieve such high margins, GameStop buys Apple products at a reduced price. It then resells them to GameStop customers at a price that still comes in lower than new options available in other stores. GameStop also currently offers Android-based tablets in over 1,600 stores that come bundled with the digital games and their own Bluetooth controller.
GameStop faces plenty of challenges. In a note to investors in March, Morningstar (MORN) Equity Research analyst Liang Feng cautioned that the company’s “long-term outlook remains cloudy due to a rapidly shifting industry landscape,” adding that the company’s digital focus and used game sales should be expected to hurt its still-important new game sales. Not surprisingly, investors haven’t found much to cheer either. This year, general video game stocks have been among the worst performers in the tech. GameStop, for one, hit a new 52-week low Thursday a week ahead of announcing second quarter earnings. Still, if nothing else, the company’s willingness to adapt is giving it a fighting chance.


text:
Grocery shopping: Love it or dread it. For the dreaders among us, grocery shopping may soon get easier if Amazon.com (Amazon.corn?) and Wal-Mart brawl for the No. 1 spot in the online version of the trade.
Reuters reported recently that Amazon is ready to motor its produce trucks, AmazonFresh, operating in Seattle, further down the West Coast to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
If those new locations click, the company may launch AmazonFresh in 20 other urban areas in 2014, Reuters says.
Wal-Mart, lagging far behind Amazon as an online powerhouse, does have an edge as a grocer. The retailer “already sells more groceries than any other U.S. supermarket, just $7 billion less than the annual revenues of Kroger, Safeway and Supervalu combined,” NECN/NBC News reports.
The news from Wal-Mart’s June annual meeting is that it’s testing same-day grocery store delivery service and will soon install in-store lockers for online order pickups, MarketWatch reports. A day earlier, however, a company executive told Reuters the retailer had no plans to expand its U.S. online grocery delivery owing to lack of demand.
To read what the retail analysts have to say about a billion-dollar food fight, see “Walmart vs. Amazon in Online Groceries: Who Has the Edge?” published at Knowledge@Wharton.
Eric K. Clemons, Wharton professor of operations and information management, foresees “a war for control” of the market.
Clemons tells Knowledge@Wharton that Wal-Mart’s strengths include having a great reputation with consumers as well as a huge network for buying and distributing groceries. Having a national network of retail locations allows the company to implement a hybrid Internet/brick-and-mortar model. Wal-Mart’s weakness is that its customers might be “more traditional (and) less savvy than Amazon’s customers,” Clemons says.
Amazon’s low-cost distribution system for two-day delivery of shelf-stable items (think canned goods and detergents) is an advantage, Clemons points out. But for perishable goods, Amazon will have to overcome its limited relationships with grocery suppliers and minimal physical presence.
Any potential war could get hotter. Clemons sees Costco entering the brawl.
On our list for a SUPER market: Order online. Drive up and have someone put your bags in your trunk. Have a policy that forbids tipping.
And another thing we like about selecting our vittles from home — no way is our mouse ever going to be as gunky as the handles of grocery-store shopping carts.
BetterInvesting is a national nonprofit organization that has been empowering individual investors since 1951. Founded in Detroit, the association (formerly known as National Association of Investors Corporation) was born out of the conviction that anyone can become a successful long-term investor by following commonsense investing practices. BetterInvesting has helped more than 5 million people become better, more informed investors by providing webinars, in-person events, easy-to-use online tools for analyzing stocks and mutual funds, a monthly magazine and a community of volunteers and like-minded investors. For more information about BetterInvesting, visit its website at http://www.betterinvesting.org/investing/landing/openhouse/blog/index.html or call toll free (877) 275-6242.


text:
Remember that ridiculously uncomfortable and depression-inducing Nationwide ad that played during the Super Bowl? How fitting would it have been for a commercial about weed to follow it up? That can totally happen now, as recent weeks have seen the first pro-marijuana commercial making waves across major U.S. networks for the very first time, and it’s pretty damned funny. (And assumedly funnier after partaking.) Check it out below.
As is almost always the best case scenario for a product that people might be uncomfortable thinking about, the company MarijuanaDoctors.com uses an admittedly silly analogy to get their point across. Sure, you can get weed from a mustachioed guy in a back alley if that’s your thing, but know that there’s also a legitimate place to find it where the consumer/patient has a say in the matter. I also like the fact that they used sushi as the comparable product, because nothing goes better with weed than sushi. But it just pisses me off that my neighborhood doesn’t have a sushi dealer, sketchy or otherwise.
According to the website, this commercial has been airing (presumably in markets where medical marijuana is an industry) on networks such as ABC, CNBC, CBS, CNN, and Bloomberg. They also boast that the ad has been shown during airings of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Good Morning America. (Too bad it didn’t air during the Nancy Grace/2 Chainz interview.) Maybe they’ll start up a sponsorship with head shops across the country and release a set of signature bongs. Once you start advertising one of the only goods that needs absolutely no advertising to thrive, the sky is the limit.
The public acceptance of herbage has been growing in the past few years, arguably exemplified best by that Alaskan news anchor who quit on air and announced she was the owner of a cannabis club that she would be devoting her time to. (Incidentally, Alaskan police raided that club the other day.) And it’s definitely not just here in the U.S. Check out this promo for a Canadian company.
And if that comparison between marijuana and alcohol wasn’t blatant enough for you, how about this ad that reportedly played on the big screen during the 2013 Brickyard 400 races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
So there you have it. You don’t even have to leave your house anymore to get solid info on where to find a dependable hook up. I assume that there’s an automated system set up for the Marijuana Doctors phone number with a message from The Dude that starts off, “Heyyy, maaan.” But I could be wrong.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper. Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.


text:
Powered off, the camera is actually small enough to fit into a trouser pocket. It has very high quality fit & finish plus all the features that an enthusiast photographer would want.
Expanding its offering in the camera market, Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony introduced three models in Alpha range of DSLR segment and cyber-shot range.
It's not hard to see why the RX 100 series from Sony is so popular: it's small, attractive, delivers high-quality results and suits almost anyone.
It's not hard to see why the RX 100 series from Sony is so popular: it's small, attractive, delivers high-quality results and suits almost anyone with a penchant for photography.
US officials cited climate change as one area where China and the United States could collaborate on a global issue.
The handset, with a screen size of 5.3-inch, will be available in white, black and purple colours. It would be at retail outlets by the end of this month.
The SAIC has questioned Microsoft's lawyer, Deputy General Counsel Mary Snapp, who was at the regulator's offices Monday morning.
The government levies multiple levels of taxes - sales tax/VAT, CVD/Excise Duty and service tax - on procurement of new software.


text:
Shares of Visa Inc (NYSE:V) have received a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the twenty-seven research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and twenty-five have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $168.96.
A number of brokerages recently issued reports on V. Nomura increased their price objective on Visa from $151.00 to $175.00 in a report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Co increased their price objective on Visa from $161.00 to $181.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on Visa from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 25th. Deutsche Bank increased their price objective on Visa from $160.00 to $177.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, March 21st. Finally, Wedbush increased their price objective on Visa from $150.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, March 14th.
In other news, Vice Chairman Ellen Richey sold 81,005 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.99, for a total value of $11,339,889.95. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Lynne Biggar sold 15,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total transaction of $2,250,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,294 shares in the company, valued at $3,344,100. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 193,531 shares of company stock worth $28,797,949. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.
Shares of NYSE:V traded up $0.80 during trading on Monday, hitting $160.44. 7,924,548 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,639,620. The firm has a market capitalization of $320.46 billion, a PE ratio of 34.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.00. Visa has a one year low of $119.37 and a one year high of $160.48. The company has a current ratio of 1.50, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58.
Visa (NYSE:V) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 30th. The credit-card processor reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $5.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.41 billion. Visa had a return on equity of 39.32% and a net margin of 50.61%. The business’s revenue was up 13.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.08 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Visa will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Visa Inc operates as a payments technology company worldwide. The company facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among consumers, merchants, financial institutions, businesses, strategic partners, and government entities. It operates VisaNet, a processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions; and offers fraud protection for account holders and assured payment for merchants.
Read More: What are retained earnings?
Receive News & Ratings for Visa Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Visa and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
What Does It Take for the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro to be Voted Mid-Size Truck of Texas?
The 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, which comes as an all-new trim level for the current generation, has wowed judges of the Texas Auto Writers Association and been named the Mid-Size Truck of Texas. It competed against a whole host of other high-end models, but ultimately endured and performed beyond the competition to earn the top spot.
The Mid-Size Truck of Texas
The award was presented at the 2016 Texas Auto Writers Association’s Texas Truck Rodeo, where the all-new 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro has been showcasing its skills.
Over 70 of the association’s top critics and various media members were able to put the Tacoma TRD Pro, along with 82 vehicles from the world’s top truck and SUV manufacturers, through its paces across two demanding days of hardcore on and off-road driving at the Longhorn River Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas. A front-runner was picked for pickup trucks, SUVs, and CUVs across multiple categories. Despite running in the intensely competitive mid-size trucking segment, the Tacoma TRD Pro ultimately emerged victorious.
In the words of the Mike Sweers, Tacoma’s chief engineer: “Toyota’s commitment to the new Tacoma TRD Pro was focused on meeting the needs of adventure-seekers where roads fear to tread, and we have proven that today.”
The 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
Here at Beaver Toyota, we’ve been noticing for ourselves just how positively drivers have been responding to the TRD Pro. The Tacoma has always pushed hard when it comes to capability, but the TRD Pro takes things further by offering:
TRD-Tuned FOX Internal Bypass Shocks
Rigid Industries LED fog lights
TRD Pro Cat-Back Exhaust
TRD Pro Skid Plate
With a 3.5L Atkinson-cycle direct injection V6 engine generating up to 278-hp and 265 lb.-ft. of torque, you’ll be able to carry up to 1440 lbs. and tow up to 6,800 lbs.; features such as Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select, and Active Traction Control ensure that you stay in command.
Test Drive the Mid-Size Truck of Texas for Yourself
The 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro delivers the capability required for backcountry exploration alongside workhorse power and toughness. To find out more or arrange a test drive, just come down to Beaver Toyota of St. Augustine today.


text:
Norbert Dawalibi Joins BlueSpark as New CEO
Cleveland, OH--BlueSpark Technologies, the leading supplier of thin, flexible disposable printed battery solutions, is pleased to announce the apointment of Norbert Dawalibi as CEO, effective immediately. Mr. Dawalibi most recently was President and CEO of Sirit Inc., a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification Technology that was successfully sold to Federal Signal in 2010.
"I am extremely excited about the potential for Blue Spark's technology and see numerous global applications on the horizon. Blue Spark has created a unique and patented technology and now is the time to make a big push into the market. I look forward to taking on this challenge," said Mr. Dawalibi.
Mr. Dawalibi replaces Gary Johnson, who led the Company for six years. Commented John Morley, Chairman of the Blue Spark Board, "the Board and shareholders greatly appreciate Gary's hard work and dedication over the past six years. He successfully led the Company through a period of industry transition from ecosystem development to product introduction. Under Gary's leadership, a capable management team was built and significant early stage venture capital was attracted from new investors, both of which will serve as excellent foundations upon which Norbert can build."
About Blue Spark Technologies
Blue Spark Technologies, Inc. is the leader in developing flexible, printed, "green," proprietary power source solutions for battery-powered printed electronic systems. The company was founded at Thin Battery Technologies in 2002 with patented technology and technical leadership from Energizer (Eveready Battery Company). Blue Spark customers include manufacturers, product designers, and integrators across multiple industries including: interactive packaging, RFID, pharmaceutial, powered smart cards, and novelty items. Users of products powered by Blue Spark batteries enjoy increased efficienty, greater convenience and portability, improved safety, lower manufacturing and assembly costs, higher profit margins, and greater environmental responsibility.
Find Out More About ESP
Early Stage Partners Managing Director Jim Petras serves on the BlueSpark Technologies Board


text:
eBay sellers will have the chance to sail to Mexico, mingle with fellow merchants and learn how to grow their businesses next year thanks to a new eBay seller education event.
The SeaBay Cruise sets sail on Feb. 8, and registration is now open, say event organizers Stephanie Inge, the founder of The Dallas eBaybes & eMales, and Joyce Banbury, the organizer of the annual Kansas Jubilee eBay conference.
The five-day cruise, which is not sponsored by eBay, departs from New Orleans and will sail to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico, in the Yucatan.
The trip will feature two workshop days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. focused on building and scaling an eBay business, and on how to expand beyond the marketplace. John “ColderIce” Lawson, an ecommerce “rock star,” will be the event’s keynote speaker, Banbury reports.
Tickets start at $339 per person. So far about 70 people have signed up, and officials are expecting a minimum of 150 attendees.
“People were so excited for the [event that the] first round of cabins were nearly filled in a couple of weeks,” she says.
The February departure date will allow merchants to have a good time “away from their eBay/ online business and to build scaling plans for the future,” Banbury adds. “Plus, it allows some of us to get away from the winter cold weather.”
For more information, visit SeaBayCruise.com.


text:
AT&T, the winner of Wireless Week’s Industry Leader award for its Wi-Fi strategy, integration and growth, recently released some Q1 stats showing just how much this Wi-Fi craze is skyrocketing.
• Buses: MegaBus and Bolt now offer Wi-Fi while on board. Buses just got way more cool.
• Zoos: AT&T just launched free Wi-Fi at Manhattan’s Central Park Zoo, so you can upload that pic of you and the monkey immediately!
• EZ Lube: Waiting for an oil change just got more enjoyable thank
s to free Wi-Fi offered to EZ Lube customers.
• Gyms: Many gyms including Equinox and Gold’s Gym now offer free Wi-Fi to their patrons so they can stay online and stay in shape!
• Laundromat: The dreaded chore of laundry has become much more enjoyable as some Laundromats offer Wi-Fi for customers to use when they aren’t folding clothes!
• Parks: This one is my favorite. Catch up on your emails while soaking in the greenery of your local park! AT&T has launched free Wi-Fi at 21 park locations in NYC. It’s the new big thing.
• Grocery Stores: In case you need to compare prices, nutritional information, or check that recipe you always forget, many grocery stores are now offering their patrons Wi-Fi service.
• Stadiums: Stay connected during the most exciting moments of the game with Wi-Fi at the stadium! Joining many East Coast sports arenas that are now offering Wi-Fi, The Honda Center recently announced that AT&T Wi-Fi has been installed throughout the venue. This makes Honda Center one of the first entertainment venues on the West Coast to offer free Wi-Fi!


text:
The online retailer has acquired development studio Double Helix Games in a continued effort to compete in the video game space.
The company's games haven't gained traction in the US, leading the console to lose momentum.
The latest foray into wearable technology could eventually eliminate the daily finger-stabbing blood tests so many diabetics dread.
The recent spate of deals is bigger than ever, and many targets are some landmark American names.
By streaming old PlayStation games onto various devices, Sony just decimated the used game market that is keeping the brick-and-mortar retailer alive.
Big tablets, wearable tech and Android PCs also made waves at the electronics tradeshow.
The show will build on last year's popular technologies, including 3-D printing and hybrid ultrabook tablets.
The biggest share of the industry is no longer being reaped by major labels.
VIDEO ON MSN MONEY
Copyright © 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Morningstar Inc. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Morningstar Inc. Quotes delayed by up to 15 minutes, except where indicated otherwise. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by Morningstar Inc.
As geopolitical tensions threaten to spin out of control, investors are wondering how best to position their portfolios for the global turmoil.
The Market Dispatches column has been discontinued. Here's where to find the latest stock and business news on MSN Money, and the latest from market writer Charley Blaine.
MONEY & POLITICS
Breaking up big banks is an untested solution to the too big to fail problem that attempts to isolate and dismantle large, troubled institutions while protecting the rest of the economy.
Occupy Wall Street bought and forgave the student loan debt of more than 2,700 Everest College students.
Six weeks later, most Americans have forgotten about the 2014 tax season -- except those who didn't file by the April 15 deadline.
MUST-SEE ON MSN
- Video: Easy DIY smoked meats at home
A charcuterie master shares his process for cold-smoking meat at home.
- Jetpacks about to go mainstream
- Weird things covered by home insurance
- Bing: 70 percent of adults report 'digital eye strain'


text:
|Fans and game experts think that BioWare has left its most recent game, Anthem, in the dust after losing some of its important personnel and the silence from the company / Photo by: steamXO via Flickr|
Fans and game experts think that BioWare has left its most recent game, Anthem, in the dust after losing some of its important personnel and the silence from the company. Big plans were also left hanging and a major seasonal event announced earlier this month also failed to create some buzz.
However, it seems like BioWare and parent company Electronic Arts (EA) have other plans in mind. Reports say the game developers are looking to completely overhaul the game to a point that some call it "Anthem 2.0" or "Anthem Next."
Anthem Is Not Dead
The report that BioWare is working to overhaul first came from Kotaku, a news and opinion site focused on games and "things serious gamers care about," following statements from people with knowledge of the plan.
Most of the details are still subject to changes and a timeline has yet to be established for the overhaul project as BioWare developers haven't decided on how to distribute the game yet. The company is still figuring out if they should release the update all at once or one at a time, the video game site reports.
There are so many aspects that developers could work with: Overhauling the game through patches like No Man's Sky, a game-changing expansion similar to Taken King, and even significantly change the game's overall structure.
Kotaku adds that the company is also thinking of releasing Anthem Next as a brand new game "although those who work on the project said that could take a lot of forms (and it’s unlikely they’ll charge full-price to Anthem players)."
|Most of the details are still subject to changes and a timeline has yet to be established for the overhaul project as BioWare developers haven't decided on how to distribute the game yet / Photo by: steamXO via Flickr|
The only solid ground for Anthem now is that it isn't dead (even with the influx of people saying so). A person working on the project told Kotaku that they've spent a lot of time "just tearing down and figuring out what needed to change fundamentally (a lot)." They added that they have since been rebuilding the game for another few months.
Another person told the video game that they were still working on a bunch of testing and experimentation but still don't have anything solid as of present.
"With so much in the air, it’s impossible to know what will and won’t change, but it’s safe to say that Anthem won’t suddenly transform into a brand new franchise," Kotaku says, noting that they still expect all of the core ideas Anthem has previously established.
"BioWare’s plan is to zoom out and overhaul the gameplay systems that most players have agreed don’t work," it adds. "How and when this plan will come to fruition remains to be seen."
A Fundamentally Terrible Idea
BioWare's Edmonton and Austin offices were the first offices to work on Anthem, but the original plan was to pass the game from Edmonton to Austin following the release. Sources said this has been slowly happening and it's exciting to the members of BioWare Austin who believe they can improve the game.
As of now, people from the two offices are working on Anthem Next.
While everything about Anthem Next remains fluid, what's important right now is that EA and BioWare seem to be keen on pushing through with the project. A lot of things are needed to be done but they aren't as impossible as it may seem.
However, there is still that possibility of releasing something bigger—and hopefully, better—and having no one pay attention to it at all. Paul Tassi, a video game reviewer for Forbes, an American business magazine, says that’s an "enormous gamble BioWare and EA are taking here.
"To me, this strikes me as a fundamentally terrible idea, throwing good money after bad, the sunk cost fallacy. Anthem is not Mass Effect, it does not have a fan base it built for a decade across three good games who are willing to overlook a bad outing (Andromeda) in the hopes the series can rise again (and the Kotaku story confirms a new Mass Effect game is being made, led by Andromeda vet Mike Gamble)."
|While everything about Anthem Next remains fluid, what's important right now is that EA and BioWare seem to be keen on pushing through with the project / Photo by: Richard Cabrera via Wikimedia Commons|
Instead, Tassi says Anthem is a new IP that never took off and struggled more than other "early issues" such as Destiny 1 and 2 or Diablo 3. He adds that the video game community, for the most part, couldn't give its interest in the game.
While he believes that Anthem has a lot of its features that are great—its combat and loot that begin to shape up over time—it's still hard to imagine for the game to make a grand return.
"Yes, a total overhaul is what is potentially needed, and that seems like what it’s getting, but it would need to be something truly groundbreaking and fantastic to have a prayer of saving the IP," Tassi explains.
"Another issue is the possible notion that anyone will be asked to pay anything for new content attached to Anthem, whether it’s an expansion or a sequel, given how slighted many fans feel by the broken launch and anemic content to date."


text:
Elon Musk said Thursday night at Tesla’s AI Day that the company is building a humanoid robot that can perform human tasks and would have a “profound” impact on the economy. The robot will stand 5 feet 8 inches high, weigh 125 pounds, be able to carry 45 pounds and move as fast as 5 miles per hour.”It’s basically going to start dealing with work that is boring, repetitive and dangerous,” Musk said about it. The robot will have a screen positioned where a human face would be to display “useful information.” The company will have a prototype next year. It will be based on artificial intelligence. Musk described the robot as an extension of Tesla’s work to build self-driving vehicles. The robot will use the same computer chip, and navigate with eight cameras. Musk said Tesla would start by giving the robot five fingers on each hand. Musk also joked that the robot would be friendly.
Elon Musk, one of the richest people in the world, is the founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer at SpaceX, CEO, and Product Architect of Tesla, Inc., founder of The Boring Company and co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI. He is also the chairman of the Musk Foundation, which states its purpose is to provide solar-power energy systems in disaster areas as well as other goals. In January 2021, he promised to donate $100 million as a prize to whomever developed the best carbon capture technology.


text:
NEW DELHI: US food major McDonald's has moved the London Court of International Arbitration
(LCIA) to resolve its dispute with with Indian venture partner Vikram Bakshi
over his appointment as the Managing Director.
During the proceedings of the Company Law Board
(CLB), the counsel appearing for McDonald's India informed that the company has approached the London Court of International Arbitration to resolve the dispute.
McDonald's India argued that as per the sections of their joint venture, any dispute between them has to be referred to London for arbitration and it has done so.
The step to move LCIA was opposed by the counsel appearing for Vikram Bakshi, contending that the dispute was pending before the CLB and it should not be referred to an international forum.
Moreover, McDonald's had filed an application under section 45 Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996, seeking resolution
of the dispute outside of courts.
The CLB member B S V Prakash Kumar has posted the matter for further hearing to December 16 on this issue.
The board was hearing a petition filed by Vikram Bakshi challenging his removal as the Managing Director of the joint venture.
In a public notice on August 30, McDonald's India said: "Vikram Bakshi has ceased to be the Managing Director of Connaught Plaza Restaurants Ltd (CPRL) pursuant to expiration of Bakshi's term on July 17."
Subsequently, Bakshi reportedly moved CLB in September. Incorporated in June 1995, CPRL is a 50:50 joint venture between McDonald's Corporation and Vikram Bakshi and it has been running fast food outlets in North and East India.


text:
Problem: BMW and other luxury makes would like to put high-end Pirelli-brand tires on some of the vehicles they sell in North America. But no one likes to import tires, and Pirelli, of Italy, doesn't have the U.S. volumes to warrant the huge investment of a North American factory.
Solution: A new Pirelli factory concept that makes low production volumes economical.
Pirelli North America appeared to have burned the tire supplier rule book last year when it opened its first U.S. factory in Rome, Ga. Pirelli's $100 million investment yielded a plant that will produce a mere 200,000 performance tires in its first full year of operation.
Typically, new tire factories cost four to five times Pirelli's investment and produce millions of tires a year. They have to: Tires are a commodity business, and profitability depends on high factory productivity.
But Pirelli's U.S. gamble is anything but typical.
The company has devised a modular production system that, according to Pirelli North America CEO Gaetano Mannino, can operate profitably on volumes of as little as 350 tires daily.
"We've thrown out the ideas of economies of scale," Mannino says while showing off his colorful red and gray factory nestled in the hills of north Georgia.
The secret behind the plant is Pirelli's trademarked production process, called MIRS, or the modular integrated robotized system. It works like this:
Pirelli outsources the mixing and production of its many rubber compounds and materials to a subsupplier in Dyersburg, Tenn. The Tennessee company delivers to Pirelli commonized components that can be interchanged on several tires, regardless of their size or market segment.
The subcomponents are fed into the small MIRS manufacturing cells, where six robots handle the tires under production. Little human handling is involved once the material is fed to the robots. Most of the production is overseen by a handful of software engineers who ensure the system doesn't break down.
Each cell is a 100-foot-long self-contained production unit, taking the tire from naked carcass through production and to a cured, sellable tire.
One MIRS cell can build 350 tires daily. And because of the interchangeable subcomponents, the cell can switch from one tire to another with little more than the changing of its software program.
That low-volume flexibility has the attention of auto industry customers. BMW is considering putting Georgia-made run-flats on its Z4 roadsters built in Spartanburg, S.C. DaimlerChrysler's high-performance Dodge Ram SRT 10 will use tires from the plant this year.
"Each MIRS module is its own factory," says Andrew Kearton, director of manufacturing. "We can add more modules as the market demand grows."
The Rome plant started with only one MIRS production cell last year. Today, it has three and plans to add two more next year. Kearton says those five will be doubled to 10 in the near future, and the 10 will then be doubled to 20 cells.
"After that, we have the available land to add 20 more," Kearton says, "and then another 20 after that."


text:
Gin will ride the wave of popularity on home-grown craft offerings
Mary Poppins said that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. That piece of advice translated into a gin and tonic (G&T) for the British in India, who were looking for a more palatable way to down their quinine.
Alcohol markets in India are often dictated by aspirational values; hence whisky, the drink of the colonists, rules supreme even to this day. This was followed by rum, which was a cheaper alternative. Gin, in India, was largely an afterthought and considered to be an afternoon drink, to be had with a twist of lime. But surprisingly, it did not curry favour in the country, despite G&T originating here, perhaps due to the poor quality available and the lack of nuance.
While gin did well in the West, the tipping point came about 10 years ago in Spain, a country that led the revival, says Manu Chandra, chef partner, Toast and Tonic (T&T), Bengaluru. “Madrid is still where you go to have a G&T; Italians with their aperitivo concept and the negronis followed, and soon the micro-distilling trend started off in a big way in London. A lot of small producers began creating small batch gins and spent a lot of time and energy differentiating the quality of the spirit, and that is when the market took notice. Gin has had its coming of age and it’s taken a good decade to reach where it is. The fact that we have had a seven times spike in gin sales at T&T in the last year is telling of consumption patterns.”
Craft leads the way
Industry observers agree that there is a gin explosion in the market right now and that brands are at the top of their game with cocktails, while new craft makers are focussing on the gin itself.
The country’s stringent alcohol regulations discouraged most distillers and brands earlier, but not any more, believes Shuchir Suri, founder, Food Talk India, creator of the Gin Explorers Club, a two-day festival celebrating gin. “The launch of Greater Than in Goa, points to opportunities to expand craft credentials from beer to spirits in India. Indian consumers have finally started to appreciate quality over quantity in terms of alcohol.”
The Indian audience seems to be moving away from basic citrus and fruit flavours. “They seem to instead be favouring complex floral notes like chamomile and elderflower, as well as spices like rosemary and cardamom. What’s important as well is the depth and intensity of flavour, which is where it helps to be a London Dry Gin,” says Anand Virmani, founder, Nao Spirits and Beverages, makers of India’s first craft gin Greater Than and the world’s first Himalayan dry gin, Hapusa.
“Craft gins occupy an important space in bringing in new consumers to gin with approachable pricing and a value-for-money proposition,” believes Payal Nijhawan, head of marketing, William Grant & Sons, makers of Hendrick’s gin. “The rise in popularity and demand for gin in the past two-three years has resulted in exciting times for craft gin makers as well as premium imported brands who see this as a great way to a consumer base building up for the category.”
The cocktail route to popularity
Bartenders in India enjoy an unprecedented influence over the spirit that becomes a part of their bar. With the rise of maker culture and an overwhelming emphasis on carefully chosen, high-quality ingredients, a restaurant’s cocktail menu is fast becoming a significant contributor to why people visit it in the first place. This will definitely change the gin consumption styles in India, says Sakshi Saigal, co-founder and CEO, Third Eye Distillery, Mumbai, makers of Stranger & Sons, one of the first gins distilled in India.
“In fact, this increasing popularity of gin is why a new establishment like us has chosen to have a dedicated G&T cocktail section,” says Sonalika Pawar, general manager, Nevermind Bar & Social, Bengaluru.
“When compared to vodka or any other white spirit, gin has a greater impact on the whole cocktail experience, be it classics or modern-day renditions, acting as a binding base spirit for a balanced cocktail. More gins are breaking away from traditional styles and venturing into experimental territory, which bodes well,” Pawar adds.
At T&T, now three years old, with its dedicated G&T menu as well as tonic waters section, the idea was to ease consumers into gin drinking through cocktails, which has now become the USP for the establishment. Chandra says, “I have been a firm believer in not trying to force a drink which the population does not have a palate for yet. One should always try variations of it, as the transition is more important.”
India is, by and large, a price-conscious market. “It will be relatively easier for craft gins (aside from the licensing and excise struggles) to garner consumer acceptability based on price points,” says Ajit Balgi, founder and beverage consultant, The Happy High, Mumbai. “There has always been a huge gap between an under-500 Forbes gin and a ₹2,000+ English London dry and this is the opportunity the local craft gin makers can cash in on. The marketing bit will be an interplay of brand imagery and a minimum viable product. The rise of good Indian craft offerings in the ₹1,000-₹2,000 category will steal the show.”
“Gin being so experimental in nature, especially contemporary gin, I think there is equal scope for Indian craft gin as well as its global counterparts,” says Keshav Prakash, founder and curator of The Vault, Mumbai and organiser of The Vault Biennale a two-day festival celebrating distilled craft from across the world. “What I see is the current consumer in India experimenting with flavoured gins as well. Value gins will grow due to the overall demand.”
“With the advent of craft options, greater social media exposure and great tasting cocktails, gin has definitely made a comeback. It’s now increasingly being seen as a discerning, sophisticated and confident drink. I think afternoon drinking on weekends is seeing an uptick, and nothing better than a G&T or Gimlet to keep you refreshed. I expect to see a lot more bespoke gins entering the market, albeit at premium pricing — brands like Sipsmith, Citadelle, Fords, Lone Wolf. New entrants in the Indian market like Greater Than come at a very accessible price with all the basics done right,” says Madhulika Dhall, founder, La Cave Fine Wines & Spirits, with outlets in Delhi and Bengaluru.
Gin, around the world, is going through this renaissance, where there aren’t just new consumers every minute but new gins too. So, expect to see a lot more craft distilleries coming up in India, as well as an increase in imported gins.
Source: Read Full Article


text:
Holland America Line announced itineraries for a series of longer cruises, falling under its new “Legendary Voyages” program, that will offer in-depth explorations of Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific in 2024-2025.
Three ships, Westerdam, Zaandam, and Koningsdam, will offer immersive itineraries ranging up to 56 days.
Sailings Are Part of Line’s New ‘Legendary Voyages’ Category
The treasures of Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific are the focus of several lengthy cruises unveiled on May 30 by Holland America Line. The sailings are part of the line’s “Legendary Voyages” cruise category that was introduced earlier this year.
The cruises combine the comprehensive onboard programs that the line’s Grand Voyages are known for, coupled with an extensive array of port calls and numerous overnight stays.
The 2,086-guest Westerdam will operate a 35-day “Australia Circumnavigation” cruise departing Nov. 17, 2024, roundtrip from Sydney, Australia. Westerdam will call at 16 ports in Australia and offer scenic cruising in the Great Barrier Reef, the Ribbon Reef, and Far North Regions.
Overnight calls are set for Freemantle (Perth), Australia, and Hobart, Tasmania, along with a late-night departure from Adelaide. Beyond Australia, the ship will call at Komodo Island.
Following the circumnavigation, Westerdam will remain in Australia to operate 14-day cruises from January through March 2025. Her 14-day “Australia and New Zealand” itinerary will sail roundtrip from Sydney, and between Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand, visiting six ports and Fiordland National Park.
Westerdam will wrap up her season Down Under with a 29-day “South Pacific Crossing” departing March 30, 2025, from Sydney to Vancouver, British Columbia, featuring a dozen port calls in Hawaii, American Samoa, Fiji, and New Caledonia.
Both the 1,432-guest Zaandam and the 2,650-guest Koningsdam will sail “Legendary Voyages” South Pacific itineraries, offering explorations of such exotic destinations as Fiji, Samoa, the Cook and Society Islands, Tahiti, and Hawaii.
“Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific are iconically beautiful locations, but they have so much more to offer which is why they remain high on the bucket list of travelers who are looking to see the world with the ease of a cruise,” said Holland America Line Chief Commercial Officer Beth Bodensteiner.
“The Australia Circumnavigation itinerary is the most in-depth immersion a cruiser can have of the continent, and many of our Legendary Voyages make it possible to visit distant destinations from a North American homeport. These cruises are among some of the most notable we offer,” added Bodensteiner.
Two Ships Explore Jewels of The South Pacific
Zaandam’s “Tales of the South Pacific” voyage is a 51-day itinerary roundtrip from San Diego departing Sept. 30, 2024, although an option to extend the cruise to 56 days is available for cruisers who wish to embark the ship in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sept. 25, and sail the first leg of the trip to San Diego.
The cruise features 20 port calls in Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Cook and Society Islands, Marquesas, and Tahiti. Overnights are scheduled for Honolulu, Hawaii, and Papeete, Tahiti, along with late-night departures from Honolulu and Suva, Fiji.
Koningsdam’s “Legendary Voyages” cruise is a 35-day “Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas” sailing departing Feb. 15, 2025, and will operate roundtrip from San Diego. The itinerary features four calls in Hawaii and six island calls across the South Pacific. Port overnights are planned for Honolulu, Raiatea, Moorea, and Papeete.
Holland America Line, celebrating its 150th year of operations in 2023, said its “Legendary Voyages” cruise category was inspired in part by guests’ interest in longer cruises.
The line noted that many sailings in this new category are departing from US ports and, in some cases, operating roundtrip from US ports, another convenience guests are enthusiastic about.
In a time-limited promotion, cruisers who book select 2024-2025 Australia/New Zealand cruises with the Have It All premium package also will receive a Signature Beverage Package, the Surf Wi-Fi package, and free prepaid Crew Appreciation tips.


text:
It’s had a long gestation, but the digital rights “cloud” UltraViolet will finally be going live this year. The Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE), which is a partnership of more than 60 media and tech companies backing UV, announced today that the service will begin appearing on devices within the next six months.
UltraViolet will allow consumers to watch films and television content they have purchased from participating retailers such as Best Buy on a variety of devices, including Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, computers, tablets and smart phones. The content will be stored remotely and be accessible via a free UltraViolet account.
Mark Teitell, general manager of DECE, offered the following on the upcoming launch:
“Today’s announcement that UltraViolet is ready shows that the entertainment and technology communities have made good on their promise to give the world a new, user-friendly digital standard for collecting movies and TV shows in the digital age,”
DECE president Mitch Singer echoed his colleagues comments on the revolutionary nature of the new offering:
“This is going to completly change the way people collect and watch movies forever. This is disruptive and transformative,”
UltraViolet has some extremely powerful backers with a vested interest in its success, including all the major Hollywood studios besides Disney. Tech companies such as Microsoft, Sony and Toshiba are also DECE members.
Does UltraViolet sound as groundbreaking as its backers are making it out to be? Will you be interested in making use of this technology when it becomes available later this year?
(via The Wrap)


text:
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will launch on November 17, it’s been revealed. Previous reports suggested the game was coming out in December, so this date is slightly earlier than we expected. The game will release on November 17 on Xbox One, PS4, PC and Stadia, with Xbox Series X and PS5 releases planned too.
Ubisoft showed off a few features in detail, like the settlement management aspect of the game, and specific Valhalla exploration and combat features. These include battering down enemy doors in conjunction with another character, or using a harpoon to snare and then behead an enemy. You can also dual wield any two weapons, according to the trailer.
Watch Dogs: Legion has an official release date: October 29, 2020. The London-set entry in the series will release on PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X, PC and Stadia, according to the official website, although strangely PS5 wasn’t listed in the official trailer.
Expect Watch Dogs Legion to launch on current gen consoles first before later being released on next-gen hardware when they release. The game will support Xbox Smart Delivery on Xbox Series X.


text:
Instagram’s direct-messaging staff is already reporting to the Facebook Messenger team, the sources said.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said he wants users to be able to talk to one another across Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. The project has caused tension because some people feel the products will do better if they’re not directly associated with Facebook.
A spokeswoman for Instagram, and another for Messenger, declined to comment.
Zuckerberg wants all platforms to work together. Leaders for Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp started reporting directly to Zuckerberg in March.
Earlier in August, Facebook added its name to Instagram and WhatsApp as part of a rebranding aimed at unifying all three apps. A “From Facebook” tag will be will be visible in all marketing for Instagram and WhatsApp brands.
“Instagram from Facebook” and “WhatsApp from Facebook” will be the new names from now on, reflected first in the App Store and Play Store. The move will bring Instagram and WhatsApp in line with Workplace, Portal and Oculus, all of which incorporate Facebook into their marketing.
Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion. WhatsApp cost Facebook $19 billion a few years later. Both have grown by using Facebook’s resources, and now they have to help the parent company, the sources said to Bloomberg.
Facebook is close to launching its WhatsApp payments service in India. The service has been in beta mode in India for 1 million users, but the nationwide debut has been delayed due to government regulations.


text:
A study published by USA Today shows that out of 200 iPhone users polled, 90% were "extremely" or "very" satisfied with their device. Take any these consumer surveys with a grain of salt and a shot of whiskey, the numbers and methodology used is always suspect. But if this percentage scales accurately to a larger demographic, this is an unprecedented number for customer satisfaction in a mobile device.
Apple's marketing PR man Greg Joswiak gave this soundbite...
Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing for the iPod and iPhone, said positive word-of-mouth reaction is "critically important" to any product, as it was with the iPod. "We're getting even greater reaction to the iPhone," he says.
I have to give the utmost credit to Apple for pulling off this product launch in an unparalleled way. They executed brilliantly and succeeded in creating a first generation product that "gets it right" out of the box.


text:
Ford says sales of its one-tonne Econetic Transit are rising, but it recognises that fleets want more options, particularly for medium wheelbase models. Econetic improves fuel consumption by more than 10%, with a similar reduction in CO2 emissions.
“The range will dramatically increase with new products and engines,” said Steve Clary, Ford commercial vehicles director. “There a real demand for it.”
The 2011 Transit, with a new Euro5 engine, will have multiple Econetic variants. The 260SWB model will have fuel savings of £1,077 over the current Eco version based on 80,000 miles, while the new Econetic 350LWB High Roof, rear-wheel drive will offer fuel savings of £3,680 over its equivalent non-Econetic variant.
While the Econetic versions will carry a price premium, Ford says this will be more than offset by the fuel savings.
However, although interest from fleets has been high in Econetic vans, Clary believes the dealer network has been poor at converting this into sales. He is looking to increase training for the corporate sales teams to boost their understanding of the technology.
“We will take staff to the CV Show for some training about eco technologies and the benefits they have for customers,” he added.
Boosting uptake of Econetic vans will also help Ford to meet the tough new CO2 emissions targets announced by the European Commission. All van makers will need to hit a range average of 175g/km by 2017, as a weighted average of their total sales.
In the second phase, manufacturers will have to meet 147g/km, by 2020.
For companies like Ford, with their heavy bias on heavier panel vans, these targets will be particularly challenging to meet.
“We are strong in the one and two-tonne segments rather than car-derived vans, so we are disappointed that the ruling isn’t related to the CO2 output versus the gross vehicle mass,” Clary said.
“Unless we can find a clever way for our bigger vehicles to meet the emissions targets, we fear it will force operators into smaller vehicles, and more of them. This will increase congestion levels.”
The larger van segments have also been responsible for driving much of the growth in sales last year, which has continued into January. Demand has come from every sector of the market, including construction, blue light, SMEs and public sector.
Ford anticipates the market for vans this year will increase by 5%, with light vans rising by 6%, medium by 13.4% and heavy by 1%.
While sales are rising, the ways in which van fleet operators fund their vehicles is changing. According to Ford, many are opting to switch to flexilease.
It points to SMMT figures which show a rise in flexilease sales from 11% of the market in 2009 to 16% last year. And that increase has been carried forward into 2011.
“Most rental and contract hire companies have got into this market,” said Clary. “In the current economic climate, there will be companies that are hesitant to go into three or four year leases, and flexilease fulfils their needs.”
Comment as guest
No comments have been made yet.


text:
Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A–F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1–7. Одна из частей в списке 1–7 — лишняя. Занесите цифры, обозначающие соответствующие части предложений, в таблицу.
Hi-tech brings families together
Technology is helping families stay in touch like never before, says a report carried out in the US.
Instead of driving people apart, mobile phones and the Internet are (A) ______. The research looked at the differences in technology use between families with children and single adults. It found that traditional families have more hi-tech gadgets in their home (B) ______. Several mobile phones were found in 89% of families and 66% had a high-speed Internet connection. The research also found that 58% of families have more (C) ______.
Many people use their mobile phone to keep in touch and communicate with parents and children. Seventy percent of couples, (D) ______, use it every day to chat or say hello. In addition, it was found that 42% of parents contact their children via their mobile every day.
The growing use of mobile phones, computers and the Internet means that families no longer gather round the TV to spend time together. 25% of those who took part in the report said they now spend less time (E) ______. Only 58% of 18-29 year olds said they watched TV every day. Instead the research found that 52% of Internet users who live with their families go online (F) ______ several times a week and 51% of parents browse the web with their children.
«Some analysts have worried that new technologies hurt families, but we see that technology allows for new kinds of connectedness built around cell phones and the Internet,» said the report.
- than any other group
- watching television
- in the company of someone else
- than two computers in the home
- communicated with their families
- helping them communicate
- owning a mobile


text:
While Microsoft finds itself in a dogfight over patents, battles over the iPhone trademark and satellite radio settle down.
A federal jury ordered Microsoft to pay $1.5 billion to Alcatel-Lucent in a patent dispute over MP3 audio technology used in Windows. In its verdict, the jury assessed damages based on each Windows PC sold since May 2003. The case could have broader implications, should Alcatel-Lucent pursue claims against other companies that use the widespread MP3 technology.
Microsoft said the verdict was "completely unsupported by the law or the facts" and noted that roughly half of the damages are for overseas sales of Windows. Such damages could be affected by a separate patent case that involves Microsoft and AT&T. That case, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, deals with whether overseas sales of software products should be subject to U.S. patent law.
Wading into the complex spat between Microsoft and AT&T, Supreme Court justices voiced skepticism with a prior reading of patent law that American software companies argue could place them at a global disadvantage.
The conflict centers on part of a U.S. statute that restricts American companies from shipping "components" made in the United States to foreign manufacturers, which could combine them to make a machine that infringes on U.S. patents. The statute does not stop them from sharing design plans that would spawn an identical product.
The U.S. software industry fears that a ruling against Microsoft could expand its vulnerability in patent infringement suits compared with global rivals and could make it more attractive to locate research operations abroad. AT&T, on the other hand, says software companies need only worry if they're committing infringement in the first place.
CNET News.com readers responded with scorn for the patent system.
"I'm no lawyer, either, but this (intellectual property) thing seems so outdated in this Digital Age and (with) open source," one reader wrote to the TalkBack forum. "There are thousands of products using MP3 compression, for crying out loud."
Indeed, it's not every day that both the U.S. government and advocates of free and open-source software align themselves in court with Microsoft. But the high-stakes patent case has attracted a slew of briefs supporting the Windows maker's stance.
The question boils down to whether American software makers are required to pay up for infringing on U.S. patents based not only on the number of software copies they supply on their home turf but also on copies that foreign manufacturers make abroad. There's widespread fear that a loss for Microsoft could deal a multibillion-dollar blow to the American software industry.
Critics of lower-court rulings favoring AT&T say they defy Congress' intentions, forcing American companies to pay damages based both on infringing activity in the United States and abroad, whereas a foreign company found to have infringed on a U.S. patent would have to pay damages based only on its U.S. sales.
In and out of focus
Don't expect Microsoft to stand pat in a video-sharing sector dominated by Google's YouTube. A week after a test version of Microsoft's video site, Soapbox, went live, the company sized up at least one potential acquisition target, sources say.
Last month, executives from MSN toured the Los Angeles headquarters of video-sharing site Revver, according to multiple sources. In addition to Microsoft, sources said, compression-technology maker DivX, which operates a video-sharing site called Stage6, has also taken a look at Revver.
The talks between Microsoft and Revver reveal two things: Microsoft is busy trying to get a handle on video sharing, while beleaguered Revver is busy getting a handle on its future.
Meanwhile, entertainment conglomerate Viacom has announced a deal to license its programming content to Joost, the online-video start-up created by the founders of Skype and Kazaa. The deal is designed to bring television and theatrical content from Viacom's brands--which include MTV Networks' Comedy Central, as well as Black Entertainment Television and Paramount Pictures--to Joost upon its full launch.
The deal is limited, at least at first: many of Viacom's most popular programs, such as Comedy Central's The Colbert Report and South Park, will not be available initially. It will offer, however, MTV's My Super Sweet 16 and Comedy Central's Freak Show, as well as feature films from Paramount and its related brands.
While Joost users might have looked forward to some Viacom-produced laughs, many users of Yahoo's Flickr weren't laughing when they found that photos on their pages had been replaced by random images from other users' pages, and some of them were not very PG. The company blamed the snafu on a server error and said it was able to resolve the matter after taking the site down for a few hours.
The issue has some consumers and watchdog groups calling for more than just an apology.
Flickr's problem is a reminder that privacy concerns are still an issue for Web 2.0 companies and that people want to be able to control the dissemination of their content, even if they are the ones posting it to the Web, one Internet privacy expert said.
Can't we all get along?
Executives at Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio announced that they agreed to an all-stock "merger of equals," with shareholders of each company owning 50 percent of the combined company. XM shareholders would receive 4.6 shares of Sirius for each of their XM shares, setting the value of XM at about $5 billion.
But getting federal regulators to sign off on the merger won't be easy, and perhaps in an effort to make walking away from the deal easier, the companies have not said what the name of the combined entity would be or where it would be located.
The companies expect the transaction to be completed by the end of this year. There are plenty of questions about how this will play out in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Cisco Systems and Apple settled the trademark infringement lawsuit over the use of the iPhone name for Apple's new multimedia phone. The agreement allows Apple and Cisco to each use the iPhone brand on their own products. The companies also said they will explore opportunities for interoperability in the areas of security and of consumer and business communications.
Cisco sued Apple for trademark infringement in January after Apple unveiled its long-awaited iPhone, a name similar to that of Apple's iPod but claimed by the network equipment maker. The two companies had been in extended negotiations to settle the lawsuit, and a second extension of the talks had been set to expire Wednesday.
But for some, there is no compromise. Steve Ballmer reissued Microsoft's patent threat against Linux this week, warning open-source vendors that they must respect his company's intellectual property. In a no-nonsense presentation to New York financial analysts, Microsoft's chief executive said the company's partnership with Novell, which it signed in November 2006, "demonstrated clearly the value of intellectual property, even in the open-source world."
The cross-selling partnership means that Microsoft will recommend Suse Linux for customers that want an environment mix of Microsoft and open-source software. It also involves a "patent cooperation agreement," under which Microsoft and Novell agreed not to sue each other for patent infringement. In a clear threat to open-source users, Ballmer repeated his earlier assertions that open source "is not free," referring to the possibility that Microsoft may sue Linux sellers.
Also of note
Google has repackaged and enhanced its business-oriented software offerings into a paid-subscription suite known as Google Apps Premier Edition...PC shoppers who want to buy a Windows-based machine but aren't ready to take the Vista plunge may find XP offerings a bit limited...NASA has inked a two-year agreement with space tourism company Virgin Galactic to collaborate on future technologies for commercial spaceflight.


text:
The company is a major contributor at this week's 97th Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show.
During this year's festivities, Weis Markets is the lead sponsor of the Farm Show's PA Preferred Culinary Connection, where local celebrities, chefs and commodity producers create dishes from Pennsylvania-sourced products.
Weis Markets will supply ingredients for all chef demonstrations during the week, including the 250 samples offered to visitors during each cooking session.
Additionally, during the weeklong event, Weis Markets' Corporate Dietitian Beth Stark will demonstrate healthy cooking techniques and Regina McCartney McKay, Weis Markets' Deli and Food Service Merchant, will provide a live cooking demonstration.
"Participating in the Farm Show's PA Preferred Culinary Connection is one of the highlights of our year-round sponsorship. As a locally-focused company, we are one of the single largest purchasers of Pennsylvania agricultural and processed products," said Brian Holt, Weis Markets' Vice President, Marketing. "We are also proud to be the exclusive supplier for the Culinary Connection's cooking demos and look forward to being part of one of our state's iconic events for the next five years.
"The Pennsylvania Farm Show is proud to partner with Weis Markets, a local company that supports local agriculture," said Patrick Kerwin, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center. "The PA Preferred Culinary Connection is a showcase of Pennsylvania agriculture products, and this partnership will help increase awareness of the diversity of the state's agriculture industry."


text:
American cyber security firm FireEye, which last week said it had suffered a breach and lost its attack tools, says it has identified a global campaign to compromise public and private sector bodies through corruption of software supply chains, using software that runs on Windows.
Difficulties recognising consumers impacted by family violence, and a better understanding of what a consumer needs to feel safe, are some of the challenges facing telcos when resolving phone and Internet problems, according to a report by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Millions of scam telephone calls have been blocked in recent trial initiatives, according to telecoms industry peak body Communications Alliance, in the lead up to the newly announced introduction of a new industry code aimed at stopping scam calls.
Hobart-based Internet service provider TasmaNet has acquired Queensland telco Internomic which trades under the brand names Vastnet in regional Queensland and Netmode in metro Brisbane and surrounds.
Telstra has been taken to court by the competition watchdog, the ACCC, over its admitted breach of consumer law through “unconscionable conduct” in the sale of post-paid mobile products to Indigenous consumers.
Consumer complaints to Australia’s telcos increased by 7.8 complaints per 10,000 Services- in Operation (SIOs) for three months of the July-September 2020 quarter, an increase over the previous quarter’s ratio of 7.4.
The Vocus Group telecommunications company has appointed financial advisers in preparation for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Vocus New Zealand expected to be undertaken before the end of 2021.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has directed Telstra to comply with its billing accuracy obligations after an investigation found it had overcharged more than 10,000 customers a total of almost $2.5 million over a 12-year period.
Telcos offering fixed broadband services will be required to publish their customer service commitments and details of their associated performance under new industry rules being proposed byAustralia’s telecommunications regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
New Zealand’s competition regulator, The Commerce Commission is moving to address concerns over increasing consumer complaints about the country’s telecommunications companies.
Complaints about phone and Internet services by small businesses have grown overall for the third consecutive quarter, with residential consumers and small businesses lodging 34,476 complaints in the three months between July and September — an increase of 3.4% on the previous quarter — and the third consecutive quarter of incremental growth in overall complaints.
The Federal Government has announced grants to four major telcos for temporary, portable communications facilities that can be deployed to overcome network outages during bushfires and natural disasters.
New Zealand’s major telcos Spark, Vodafone, Chorus, and 2degrees will collectively pay approximately 90% of the $10 million Telecommunications Development Levy (TDL) levy to be imposed on the telecommunications industry by the country’s competition regulator The Commerce Commission.
Australia’s telecommunications regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has taken action to enhance NBN consumer experience rules to protect Australians during the final phase of the National Broadband Network migration.
New Zealand’s competition regulator, The Commerce Commission, has released its first set of final decisions on the input methodologies that will apply to fibre fixed line access services, with new rules designed to safeguard consumers of fibre broadband.
Resolving phone and Internet issues costs Australians over $150 million per year in lost time, according to new research from Australia's communications consumers peak body, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
The decision by National Broadband Network operator, NBN Co to extend its Education Assistance offer until 15 January 2021, has earned the praise of communications consumers peak body ACCAN, which says the targeted offer from the company waives the wholesale costs for many services on the 25/5 Mbps speed tier - and encourages telcos to offer free or heavily discounted NBN plans to low-income households with school-aged children.
IT infrastructure software vendor VMware has announced its 5G Telco Cloud Platform that includes Tanzu Kubernetes Grid which it says allows Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to "reliably build", manage and run containerised workloads across private, telco, edge and public clouds.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has blasted Telstra, Optus, TPG and Dodo for letting down their customers, finding all of the telcos in breach of consumer protection rules after more than 1,500 of their customers were left without services while trying to migrate to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Telstra has passed new milestones with 400 Queensland 5G sites now on-air and both the 450th Telstra 5G site on-air in Victoria and the 30th Tasmanian 5G site also on air, as the telco’s 5G rollouts continues apace.
I find it strange that things like watching streaming media such as Netflix or listening to music should be classifieded[…]
thanks for this post
There's a lot more in US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' decision than you have reported here. Apple won all[…]
I'm a retired proofreader with a lot of free time on my hands and would happily work as a moderator[…]
All this ruling does is clarify the situation and confirm the commonsense proposition that what has long been generally unlawful[…]


text:
Team 17’s unique brand of turn-based strategy is headed to the PlayStation Vita early October, the company announced on the PlayStation Blog.
“We’ve been inundated with eager fan requests of when the pocket, turn-based strategy will arrive on PlayStation Store,” Team 17 senior PR executive Bethany Aston wrote on the PlayStation Blog. “We’re really excited to share with you that Worms Revolution Extreme will be available to download for yoru PS Vita via PSN on October 8, for just $14.99.”
Announced in July, Worms Revolution Extreme is a Vita port of Worms Revolution for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 that contains 72 single-player levels and a new Treasure Mode that allows players to link up with friends and trade 10 “special gifts.” Extreme also takes advantage of the PlayStation Vita’s touchscreen for item selection and camera zoom and the back touchpad for weapon aiming.
Once again, that’s Worms Revolution Extreme on the PlayStation Vita (available through the PlayStation Store) coming October 8, priced at $15.


text:
In line with the changing grocery store landscape across the US, Walmart said Wednesday that it would offer a home delivery service to 100 US areas by the end of 2018. It's now available in six markets across the United States and the company wants to offer this service in a lot more areas by the end of this year.
Groceries can be delivered to customers as soon as the same day.
"We're going to gain customers who might not have access to a brick-and-mortar store", he said.
Although Walmart says delivery will be available same-day for customers, it doesn't break out one- and two-hour timeframes like its close competitors.
"The retailer also offers an Online Grocery Pickup service that allows customers to order their groceries online and pickup them up in stores without ever getting out of their cars". Since Amazon's Whole Foods acquisition, the ecommerce giant has made an aggressive play for the grocery market - Walmart's most profitable category. Now available at 1,200 Walmart locations, this service lets customers order groceries online and pick them up from a store without getting out of their cars. Now that stands at around 18,000, though the retailer says it expects to add "thousands more" this year. A Walmart spokesperson said, "The fee is simple - no surprises, no subscription, no per-item fee or price markup". Customers only need to place a minimum order of $30.
Twitch Offering More Free Games to Prime Subscribers Each Month
And the best part is the fact that the games were chosen by members themselves when Twitch presented them a list of games. We're not sure yet how the games will be delivered to you, but it's likely to be through the Twitch desktop application.
About 800 stores will operate the service.
In another attempt to keep up the fight against Amazon, Walmart is expanding its grocery delivery service.
The Amazon/Whole Foods delivery is available to Prime members-which costs $99 annually-in six cities now. It said it would expand that service to every Whole Foods by the end of the year, and it has already reached some neighborhoods in San Francisco and Atlanta.


text:
Analysts firm “Bridge To India” findings see a relative consolidation of solar suppliers and developers in Indian solar market.
On the module supply side, China’s Trina Solar has a 25.7% share, with South Korean-headquartered Hanwha Q Cells is the second-largest module supplier with 10% of the market.
In third place is China’s Risen, with a 7.6% market share, which leaves just 10.6% of India’s solar module market for domestic manufacturers and suppliers, so its no surprise that non of the Indian firm made it into the top ten module companies list in terms of shipments.
Swiss firm ABB remains the inverter market leader with 28.6% of the market share, followed by TMEIC, Hitachi and SMA – each of which have around a 16% market share. Germany’s SMA was the big gainer over the past 12 months, upping its share from 11.4% in 2016 thanks to a supply deal with local development firm Greenko.
Greenko was joined by ReNew Power and NTPC as India’s largest developers based on volumes commissioned in the past year. Adani remains the largest developer with more than 2 GW of solar deployed or in the pipeline (780 MW commissioned and 1,250 MW on the way).