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Intel to Deploy Drones for Great Wall of China Restoration Project
【Summary】Initially, the restoration project will focus on the Jiankou section of the Great Wall, located roughly 45 miles from Beijing (Huairou District).
Intel has successfully taken on several grand, drone-based projects. Its latest demonstration involved the deployment of more than 1,200 drones for an extravagant light show at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. Interestingly, the demonstration officially set a new record (under the Guinness World Record) for the most UAVs flown simultaneously during an event.
At the moment, the tech giant is preparing to take on a much larger and highly critical project. Intel will deploy its quadcopters to help restore parts of the Great Wall of China, using a fleet of Falcon 8+ drones and artificial intelligence.
Performing Aerial Inspections
Initially, the restoration project will focus on the Jiankou section of the Great Wall, located roughly 45 miles from Beijing (Huairou District). UAVs are suitable for inspecting this part of the massive structure, as the area is very inaccessible. Rugged terrain, loose rocks and steep inclines prevent human workers from making a safe approach to the location. Drones equipped with cameras provide a safe alternative, while decreasing time spent on surveying.
This will be the first attempt in restoring this part of the Great Wall.
"The use of the latest technologies, will provide a new perspective of the protection of the Great Wall, and show us the great potential of science and technology in cultural heritage protection," said Li Xiaojie, director of the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The project will be ongoing for the next few months. During this period, Intel will compile high-resolution images of the site. The conversation team will then use the images to create a restoration strategy based on the condition of the structure.
The Jiankou section of the Great Wall was built in 1368 during the Ming Dynasty era and has been relentlessly exposed to natural corrosion and extreme weather.
Industrial Maintenance with Drones
According to Goldman Sachs, businesses and civil governments are forecasted to spend up to $13 billion on drone technology and UAVs by 2020. Such solutions will be used to replace existing services worth roughly $127 billion. The largest consumers (sectors) of drones include agriculture, military and law enforcement, infrastructure and transportation.
Large-scale retail companies, like Amazon and Walmart, are also expected to leverage fleets of UAVs to support deliveries in cities. One of the largest hurdles to overcome for businesses interested in incorporating drone tech with existing workflows is regulation.
When it comes to industrial maintenance, a handful of establishments in the US are pioneering the application of UAVs. Notably, AT&T revealed in 2016 it would utilize drones to streamline maintenance and inspection of communication towers. Energy companies, such as Southern Company, Duke Energy and SunPower, are using drones in a similar manner.
"Using drones, we are able to inspect multiple aspects of the structure including areas that are quite inaccessible. We continue to be excited about the future of inspections being automated all the way from drone data capture to data processing, analysis and insights," explained Anil Nanduri, vice president and general manager, Intel's drone team.
Michael Cheng is a legal editor and technical writer with publications for Blackberry ISHN Magazine Houzz and Payment Week. He specializes in technology business and digesting hard data. Outside of work Michael likes to train for marathons spend time with his daughter and explore new places.
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The fourth installment of our Framing the Industries series explores how the Internet of Things technologies and machine learning capabilities can fundamentally disrupt and innovate the healthcare sector – benefiting multiple levels, from operational to patient care.
The third installment of our Framing the Industries series focuses on growing the efficiency of, and maintaining control over, complex supply chains via the Internet of Things & blockchain technologies as well as machine learning capabilities.
How the ‘Belt & Road Initiative’ Attracts German Startups Recent media indicators show how prominently Chinese innovation figures into tech’s future. American tech analytics wunderkind, CB Insights, recently sent out a newsletter pegging China as the most likely ‘next Silicon Valley’. So what's.
The Year-in-Review with NBT and Ventures Want a glimpse of a massively productive year? Look no further. Despite the internationally hectic quality of 2018, we as a tech company builder with cross-industry ventures, focused on solving problems with smart solutions.
Europe’s IoT and blockchain tech company builder, Next Big Thing AG, is delighted to announce the kick-off a Project Partnership with CODE University of Applied Sciences, a new university whose bachelor programs are aimed at the central aspects of digital product development.
Welcome to the wrap-up in our series exploring blockchain technology, Internet of Things (IoT), and democratic forms of investment. In this third edition, we highlight the importance of sustainable business models in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Harald Zapp, CEO and Founder of NBT AG, recently spoke at the [next] conference in San Francisco, California on a panel entitled the 'Berlin Startup Scene'. Henning Ravn from Berlin Partner for Business and Technology moderated the panel that included representatives from Next Big Thing, Ada.

domain: news


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The American multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing consumer electronics, Apple has officially announced a free software update for its revolutionary iPhone – 1.1.3. According to the company, this latest iPhone software version 1.1.3 includes some new features to allow users to automatically find their location using the redesigned Maps application; SMS to multiple people in one message; create Web Clips for their favorite websites; customize their home screen; and even watch movies rented from the new iTunes Movie Rentals right on their iPhone, aiming to enhance your iPhone experience.
“iPhone doesn’t stand still — we’re making it better and better all the time,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve delighted millions of users with this revolutionary and magical product and it’s great to share these improvements with them.”
The latest iPhone firmware updated version 1.1.3 is now available for free via iTunes 7.5.
iPhone and iPod Touch firmware version 1.1.4 available for download.


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Are these companies jumping off the smartwatch bandwagon?
Motorola, LG and Huawei were among the first companies to offer smartwatches that run the Android Wear operating system. And in the past years, these companies have churned out various new smartwatches that match the needs of the users.
But in the past months, these companies have been awfully quiet about announcing new Android Wear devices, and somehow word is spreading around that either company is interested in making new devices.
Would that spell the end of smartwatches? Or are users finding less reasons to buy one? Given as that Apple has just released the successor to the Apple Watch and got fairly average reviews, maybe not everyone wants to hop on the smartwatch bandwagon.
What do you think about smartwatches? Are they a necessary accessory for everyone? Tell us what you think in the comments below.


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Filed in Supply Chain Technology
Friday, August 01, 2014
With ERP vendors gaining traction in the supply chain execution market, top analysts suggest that best-of-breed providers are going to need to step up their game. We dissect the intersection of ERP and supply chain management software and discuss how the cloud could drive further progress.
Sunday, June 01, 2014
Our new reader survey reveals a cautious approach to supply chain software investment and some lingering uncertainty over the place cloud computing will hold in the greater supply chain solution hierarchy.
Thursday, May 01, 2014
The supply chain technology market is evolving toward platforms and equipment that optimize end-to-end processes. Four top technology analysts offer their unique insight into how the convergence of automation, data, and labor is moving us toward this utopian vision.
While many logistics professionals took a “wait and see” attitude toward labor management systems (LMS), today they’re hearing stories about significant productivity gains in exchange for a fairly low-cost software solution.
WMS lags behind other categories in cloud adoption, but is poised for growth as solutions scale up to meet the needs of larger sites.
The terms “convergence” and “collaboration” have been popping up recently in discussions about improving logistics and supply chain management processes and the collection and synchronization of the data that can foster those improvements.
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
DiCentral officials said that this acquisition is a result of the company looking to improve customer experience and return-on-investment, with SmartTurn being brought to market as a value-add to its supply chain integration suite and also help customers achieve end-to-end supply chain visibility.
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
As yard management systems progress, a growing number of shippers are turning to these solutions to optimize assets, drastically cut driver detention time, and continuously adjust priorities throughout the day according to receiving and shipping volumes.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Modex 2014 is a done deal. All thoughts now turn to Chicago and ProMat 2015. Well, maybe not all thoughts. Here’s a few impressions I took away from the trip to Atlanta last week.
Monday, March 17, 2014
With more than 800 exhibits, 150 show floor seminars, and 10 co-located education partners, Modex 2014 will showcase the “best of the best” in supply chain, transportation and logistics information and technology.
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New documents brought to light as part of the Apple vs. Legendary legal battle offer interesting details on the history of the relationship in between Facebook and Apple. The files, revealed by Epic Games and first identified by CNBC, show that the relationship in between Apple and Facebook has actually been strained since as far back as 2011.
Around this time, Facebook had not yet released a dedicated app for the iPad, which debuted in 2010. Apples Scott Forstall, then serving as the businesss software chief, sent an e-mail to Phil Schiller and Steve Jobs concerning a meeting he had with Mark Zuckerberg about bringing Facebook to the iPad.
At the heart of Facebooks issues was that Apple would not enable the Facebook for iPad application to include “ingrained apps.” Forstall composed:
I simply discussed with Mark how they should not consist of ingrained apps in the Facebook iPad app– neither in an embedded web view or as a directory site of links that would reroute to Safari.
Not remarkably, he wasnt pleased with this as he considers these apps part of the “entire Facebook experience” and isnt sure they should do an iPad app without them. Whatever operates in Safari, so he is hesitant to push individuals to a native app with less functionality, even if the native app is much better for non-third celebration app functions.
Zuckerberg suggested a few compromises to Forstall:
Do not include a directory of apps in the Facebook app, links, or otherwise
Do not have third-party apps run in the embedded web view
Permit user posts in the news feed related to apps
Tapping on among these app-related links would (1) quick switch to a native app if one exists and the user has it installed, (2) take the user to the App Store if a native app exists and the user has actually not installed it, (3) link out to Safari otherwise
” I believe this is all affordable, with the possible exception of # 3,” Forstall wrote in the email. Steve Jobs wrote and reacted, “I concur– if we eliminate Fecebooks 3rd proposal it sounds reasonable.” Note Jobss spelling of Facebook there.
A few days later, Forstall followed up and said that Zuckerberg did not like Apples counterproposal. CNBC further explains:
Schiller, who was Apples head of marketing till in 2015, and runs Apples Executive Review Board that makes calls whether apps will be authorized by Apple, summed up Apples position.
” I dont see why we wish to do that,” Schiller wrote. “All these apps wont be native, they wont have a relationship or license with us, we wont evaluate them, they wont use our Tools or apis, they will not utilize our shops, and so on”
When Facebooks iPad app ultimately released, it said that it would not support its own Credits currency on iOS for apps like Farmville– a compromise along the lines of what Apples executives talked about.
And naturally, the relationship in between Facebook and Apple has not at all enhanced since 2011. The 2 business are currently taken part in a bitter fight of Apples concentrate on user personal privacy. Facebook has also criticized Apple for not enabling it to provide its gaming application on the App Store. Recent reports have actually likewise suggested that Facebook is mulling the possibility of launching its own antitrust claim versus Apple.
FTC: We utilize earnings earning vehicle affiliate links. More.
Examine out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:
Note Jobss spelling of Facebook there.
And of course, the relationship between Facebook and Apple has not at all enhanced considering that 2011. The two business are currently engaged in a bitter fight of Apples focus on user privacy. Facebook has also slammed Apple for not allowing it to use its video gaming application on the App Store. Recent reports have actually also indicated that Facebook is mulling the possibility of introducing its own antitrust suit versus Apple.


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Brokerages forecast that Hershey Co (NYSE:HSY) will post earnings of $1.55 per share for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Five analysts have issued estimates for Hershey’s earnings, with the lowest EPS estimate coming in at $1.50 and the highest estimate coming in at $1.60. Hershey posted earnings of $1.33 per share during the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year-over-year growth rate of 16.5%. The firm is scheduled to report its next earnings report on Thursday, October 25th.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that Hershey will report full year earnings of $5.36 per share for the current year, with EPS estimates ranging from $5.34 to $5.39. For the next year, analysts forecast that the firm will report earnings of $5.65 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $5.50 to $5.81. Zacks Investment Research’s EPS calculations are an average based on a survey of research firms that that provide coverage for Hershey.
Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 26th. The company reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $1.10 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $1.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.74 billion. Hershey had a return on equity of 108.82% and a net margin of 13.40%. The company’s revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.09 EPS.
HSY has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Hershey from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, July 27th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Hershey from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 4th. Consumer Edge downgraded shares of Hershey from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 9th. Credit Suisse Group increased their price objective on shares of Hershey from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, July 27th. Finally, Piper Jaffray Companies set a $100.00 price objective on shares of Hershey and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. Hershey has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $102.35.
HSY stock traded up $1.78 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $106.02. 1,404,900 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,236,522. The stock has a market cap of $21.69 billion, a PE ratio of 22.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.05. Hershey has a 12 month low of $89.10 and a 12 month high of $115.82.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 14th. Investors of record on Friday, August 24th will be paid a $0.722 dividend. This is an increase from Hershey’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. This represents a $2.89 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.72%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 23rd. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 60.71%.
In related news, SVP Kevin R. Walling sold 30,835 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.18, for a total value of $3,119,885.30. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 57,611 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,829,080.98. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Michele Buck sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.26, for a total transaction of $138,390.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 175,394 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,181,850.44. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 33,835 shares of company stock valued at $3,411,125 over the last quarter. 0.87% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. FMR LLC lifted its stake in Hershey by 42.5% in the 2nd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,089,056 shares of the company’s stock valued at $473,587,000 after purchasing an additional 1,518,053 shares during the last quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group lifted its position in Hershey by 11.3% during the second quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 2,374,353 shares of the company’s stock worth $223,616,000 after acquiring an additional 240,286 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its position in Hershey by 2.3% during the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,188,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $203,615,000 after acquiring an additional 48,700 shares during the last quarter. Scharf Investments LLC lifted its position in Hershey by 19.5% during the second quarter. Scharf Investments LLC now owns 1,481,324 shares of the company’s stock worth $137,849,000 after acquiring an additional 241,662 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in Hershey by 0.9% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,166,949 shares of the company’s stock worth $108,596,000 after acquiring an additional 10,670 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 52.70% of the company’s stock.
The Hershey Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells confectionery products. The company operates through two segments, North America; and International and Other. It offers chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products; gum and mint refreshment products comprising mints, chewing gums, and bubble gums; pantry items, such as baking ingredients, toppings, beverages, and sundae syrups; and snack items, including spreads, meat snacks, bars and snack bites, mixes, popcorn and protein bars, and cookies.
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Local non-profits adapting to COVID-19, finding ways to raise funds through their stores
SALISBURY, Md. – 2020 has been a tough year for non-profit organizations. They say COVID-19 has definitely impacted the way they give back to the community. “Some of the things we have seen that are down is we’re not getting hardly any appliances donated right now,” said Habitat for Humanity ReStore manager Lee Wise.
Wise says they’re also in need of cash donations and household wares like appliances and kitchen cabinets. Wise says if folks are planning on upgrading their appliances – they should consider donating their old ones to the ReStore.
While donations for those items are down, Wise says they’ve gotten creative with finding ways to keep funds coming in. That includes purchasing truckloads of furniture that were liquidated from other stores. “We also buy brand new truckloads of furniture now. That helps the store as you can see. But we get some brand new sofas, bathroom sink and vanity combinations,” said Wise.
Over at the HALO Bargain Center, Executive Director of HALO Ministry Celeste Savage says they’ve adapted by adhering to safety guidelines because keeping the community safe is a top priority. “When we were able to reopen we ensured the safety for everyone involved. I think if everyone takes the necessary precautions, then eventually this is going to get conquered,” said Savage.
Savage adds that the community’s continued support has been essential in the effort to keep providing for those in need. “The community has always been great. They still continue to give and we appreciate it. Obviously we feel that they understand the severity of this,” said Savage.


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Cell phone usage in Vietnam has grown dramatically in the last few years, drawing the interest of a number of international telecommunications companies. A study done by the country’s Communications Ministry reports that the average time that cell phone subscribers spent on their cell phone during the past year was 48.3 hours, with a standard deviation of 14 hours. Assume the usage distribution is normal.
a. What percentage of subscribers spent more than 60 hours on their cell phone during the year?
b. What percentage of subscribers spent less than 50 hours on their cell phone during the year?
c. What percentage of subscribers spent between 30 and 70 hours on their cell phone during the year?
d. The company is planning to offer a reduced rate plan for any subscribers who used their phone more than 65 hours during the year. What percent-age of users would qualify?


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The free application creates an encrypted VPN connection that routes internet activity through computer servers managed and secured by Facebook. The app also alerts users when sites they visit might be malicious.
Facebook is able to gather information about how people use smartphones outside of the leading social network's services, potentially gleaning insights about rivals or internet trends.
"We've always been clear when people download Onavo about the information that is collected and how it is used," a Facebook spokeswoman told AFP. "As a developer on Apple's platform, we follow the rules they've put in place." Facebook did not comment regarding whether it is removing Onavo from the App Store.
The Journal yesterday cited an unnamed person close to the matter as saying the VPN could be gone from the Apple digital content shop by the end of the day.
Onavo has been in the App Store for several years. Apple recently let Facebook know that the app violated updated data collection rules that bar gathering information beyond that relevant to the program or what was needed to provide advertising, the Journal reported.
Discussions between companies last week led to Facebook agreeing to voluntarily remove Onavo Protect rather than have it booted from the App Store by Apple, according to the report.
Onavo Protect's description at the App Store included saying that it "helps keep you and your data safe when you browse and share information on the web".
News Source: Money Control


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Facebook ramps up efforts to make elections ads more transparent, to start enforcement on February 21
Facebook will also introduce two label categories for its disclaimers.
Companies Amazon, Google, Facebook still out of code agreed to by Netflix, Hotstar, Reliance Jio.
Facebook is close to appointing an election integrity head, said global politics and government outreach director Katie Harbath
The company also revealed that it was yet to witness “anything in terms of coordinated behaviour (multiple actors trying to spread misinformation) in India”.
ET takes a deep dive into the new cash-out mentality that’s gaining ground to see what 2019 holds for those who don’t stick around
Facebook said advertisers must provide copies of address & ID proofs, which will be verified with visits.
Google, which led a $12 million equity financing last year in Dunzo in its first direct investment in India, is expected to again lead or co-lead the upcoming funding round
Google’s foray into product search comes at a time when the tech giant is said to be losing market share to Amazon on product searches in the US
Mohan's appointment ends Facebook's one-year search for an India head, a role which became vacant following former managing director Umang Bedi's departure in October last year.
ET has learnt that multiple WhatsApp executives, including its chief executive officer Chris Daniels, have met and interviewed the candidates during recent visits to India.
Google has managed relations better than Facebook because it was less 'confrontational'.
Google has managed relations better than Facebook because it invested more in people locally, was less 'confrontational'.
A new country head will be designated MD & VP, India and, to begin with, will report to David Fischer, Facebook’s global VP of business and marketing partnerships.
For WhatsApp, one of the key learnings from the Mexico elections was that it could look at the spam reports and categorise them as politics-related.
To differentiate itself from competition, sources said Tencent will initially focus on niche offerings for video and live-streaming products.


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Toyota Prius sales continue to rise amongst high gas prices, and fear of global warming. Although it’s my belief its more about how people are affected by high gas prices than by people’s concern for the planet.
“Toyota announced that worldwide cumulative sales of the Toyota Prius-the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle-have passed the 1 million mark, with approximately 1,028,000 units sold as of the end of April this year. Currently, Prius sales are robust in more than 40 countries and regions, particularly in Japan and North America.
Based on sales figures collected up to April 30, 2008, Toyota believes that Prius vehicles worldwide have contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions by producing approximately 4.5 million tons less CO2 when compared with gasoline-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance.
The Prius was launched in Japan in 1997 and began selling in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000. In 2005, Toyota began first overseas production of the Prius in Changchun, China, and sales of Prius vehicles in South Korea are expected to begin in the latter half of 2009. ”


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Increase in glass recycling welcomed
New European figures show that in 1999 glass recycling continued to gain popularity in the UK and across the continent.
Figures from the European packaging glass industry association, FEVE, which are yet to be officially released, showed that the amount of container glass collected for recycling in 1999, in all EU countries except Luxembourg, but including non-EU states Norway, Switzerland and Turkey, was 8.4million tonnes, up 4.6% from 1998’s total.
This increase has set a new record for glass collection: The UK’s total at 499,000 tonnes was by no means the largest, but represented a respectable increase of 23,000 tonnes over 1998’s figure.
“We believe that the total amount of glass recycled in the UK has continued to increase because of three factors,” a British Glass Manufacturers Confederation spokesperson told edie on 11 August. “The public has become more and more conscious of environmental issues, glass is ideally suited to recycling because it does not lose its quality, and throughout the last year the British Glass Industry has run a successful ‘Don’t bin it, bank it’ advertising campaign,” he said.
However, British glass manufacturers are worried that further increases in recycling may not be sustainable for two reasons. The income of Packaging Recovery Notes, which is a kind of currency used by manufacturers to buy back glass for recycling, continues to fall drastically, dropping by 47% last year from 1998’s total. Another reason is that UK production capacity is insufficient to make use of the amount of green wine and beer bottles imported.
The total amount of glass recycled Europe-wide increased in every country surveyed, except in Austria, Norway and Turkey, which registered small declines, and Greece and Denmark, which remained static. Germany is by far Europe’s biggest recycler accounting for a third of the continent’s total, followed by France and Italy.
© Faversham House Ltd 2023 edie news articles may be copied or forwarded for individual use only. No other reproduction or distribution is permitted without prior written consent.


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Ticketmaster has revealed it has suffered a major security breach (opens in new tab) after being hit in a cyber-attack last night. Thousands of UK customers may be affected by the breach, which was reportedly caused by malicious software on third-party customer support product Inbenta Technologies.
We spoke to some of the security industry’s leading minds to find out their opinions on the attack.
Allen Scott, consumer EMEA director, McAfee (opens in new tab):
“Like so many businesses who fall victim to data breaches, Ticketmaster has been slow to respond and put right this wrong. To win the battle against online fraud, we need businesses to join forces and support one another in identifying and responding to security threats.
For any Ticketmaster customers concerned about the security of their personal information, there’s a few simple steps they should take immediately. Firstly, they should change their passwords straight away. We know it’s hard to remember all your passwords but using a password generator and manager can help solve this problem and ensure you don’t become an easy target.
Do not click on any links or open attachments you receive via email from Ticketmaster. Hackers will be eager to ride this wave by targeting customers with phishing emails. Clicking on links or attachments in these emails can lead to your devices becoming infected with malicious malware that enables hackers to get their hands on your personal and financial information. If you’re worried you may have fallen victim, search for Ticketmaster online and get in contact directly; don’t wait for Ticketmaster to come to you.
Finally, if you notice suspicious activity in your bank statements, contact your bank straight away to request a new card and highlight the fraudulent activity.”
Jake Moore, security specialist, ESET (opens in new tab):
"When it comes to cyber security there is no silver bullet. You can never place all your confidence into one prevention method and relax. Cyber attacks aren’t a possibility, they are an eventuality. You will never have enough people, systems or money to prevent or detect an attack.
In this latest attack it would be absolutely necessary to change your Ticketmaster password and any others that are the same in other accounts. At this stage it may not be known the extent to what has been taken which could be personal and payment information."
Chris O’Brien, director intelligence operations, EclecticIQ (opens in new tab):
“The news that the Ticketmaster breach was down to issues with a third-party supplier is worrying, but unfortunately no longer rare. The flexibility offered by the modern business landscape has led to the use of third parties becoming prolific. However, while these working relationships may be beneficial for those involved, the threat of external suppliers in the supply chain being compromised is increasing.
We are moving towards a world where the suppliers who provide detailed security implementations and can demonstrate practical implementation of security standards will be in a better position than their competitors. Ensuring there isn’t a weak link in a supply chain is fundamental, but simply having an accreditation will soon not be enough to build trust between third parties and their partners. With the constantly evolving threat landscape making it difficult for organisation to know what to protect themselves against, it’s more important than ever that businesses and their suppliers work collaboratively in order to stand a chance of getting one step ahead of the bad guys.”
Sarah Armstrong-Smith, head continuity & resilience, Fujitsu UK & Ireland (opens in new tab):
“What is clear from this latest attack is that every organisation, be it public or private, small or large, is vulnerable to an attack. Although there is no denying that organisational awareness is on the rise, those behind breaches are finding new and creative ways to bring an organisation to its knees.
As attackers always have the initiative, even the best-run company could suffer from a hack or data theft. With GDPR in full force, companies need to be aware of all the channels cyber criminals can use to infiltrate the company and steal data, and take proactive steps to safeguard it. The ripple effects of an attack no longer stay within the four walls of an organisation, and businesses of all sizes must remain on the front foot to proactively identify and manage threats instead of waiting for breaches to happen.
After all, cybercrime is not a probability, it is an inevitability. It will be the way in which organisations prepares for it, however, that can make all the difference.”
Adenike Cosgrove, cybersecurity strategist, EMEA, Proofpoint (opens in new tab)
“The recent data breach at Ticketmaster marks one of the first major international breaches of EU personal data reported after the GDPR enforcement date, making this a case to watch with regard to consequences. Questions will be asked first and foremost about how sensitive personal data including payment information was shared, unencrypted, with a third party application.
This breach underscores why enterprise security teams must have clear visibility into the third-party applications running within their environments and appropriately secure them as more and more organisations rely on cloud-based solutions to conduct operations worldwide. Best practice calls for organisations to deploy a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solution that combines user-specific risk indicators with cross-channel threat intelligence to analyse user behaviour and detect anomalies in third-party apps. Without this, organisations simply don’t know when users and corporate data are at risk.
Organisations are at their weakest post-breach when it comes to fraud. As we saw with Equifax, hackers almost immediately distributed phishing attempts to try and capitalise on the incident. Users affected by this breach should be extremely vigilant in confirming the source of all emails that are sent to their email inbox; they should also change their password directly through Ticketmaster’s website, and sign up for the credit monitoring service that Ticketmaster has offered.”
Paul Cant, VP EMEA, BMC Software (opens in new tab):
“Another day, another breach! It has been some time since we’ve seen a series of big names in the cyber security firing line, but with the number of multi-cloud environments and IoT devices continuing to rise, we are going to see more and more. Although we know there are many risk vectors, organisations have to be sure they are secured. With GDPR penalties looming large, organisations simply cannot afford to leave cybersecurity as an afterthought.
Only by relentlessly examining internal processes can companies discover how their systems storing data are configured, how they’re connected, where any vulnerabilities sit – including through third party software and services - and then piece together a plan to remediate those vulnerabilities and correct them – keeping the personal data of their customers secure.”
Rodney Joffe, SVP and Fellow, Neustar (opens in new tab):
“With another organisation falling victim to the threat of hackers, this latest security breach is a further reminder that strategies must be put in place to proactively manage cyber-attacks.
Increasingly, attackers are finding new and innovative ways to breach web perimeters – from web application and DDoS attacks to ransomware. Installing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) is crucial for preventing third parties like these from accessing a website and stealing customers’ sensitive and personal information. And with legislation such as GDPR in play, it is as important as ever that a unified 24/7 Security Operation Centre, including a user interface with real-time monitoring and reporting, is already in place.
Cyber-danger is real and, in times like these, it is critical that security is kept at the heart of all operations.”


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The major manufacturer of solid-state drives SanDisk has unveiled the new X300 series of SSDs. The new line brings the latest developments in X3 technology as well as robust error-correction for increased reliability and better peace of mind... Read more
The famous manufacturer of computer memory and various computer components Corsair has announced the new ultra-compact and low-profile Flash Voyager Vega USB 3.0 flash drive. The new flash drive strikes with its dimensions – it is less than 5... Read more
The Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has released its new X3 flagship smartphone. The device is just 7.6 mm thick and weighs 135 grams.
The new Huawei X3 is based on a 28 nm Kirin 920 processor with eight computational cores at 1.8 GHz... Read more
The famous tech company Apple will soon release a 27-inch all-in-one (AIO) computer that will belong to the iMac line. The new device will offer a high-end display that will work at 5120 x 2880 pixels (218 ppi) and will be known as iMac... Read more
HP has launched a new line of budget-oriented notebooks and tablets that goes under the Stream brand name. The line includes two new notebooks PCs and two new tablets, designed for work and play anywhere as well as for cloud services and the... Read more
The acclaimed designer and manufacturer of CPU cooling solutions, PC chassis, power supply units and gaming peripherals Cooler Master has announced the arrival of the Hyper 612 v2.0 CPU cooler. The new cooling solution offers a number of... Read more
Whether your blog post goes viral or you have an ecommerce site during the holiday season, sudden surges in traffic can cripple your site. An increase in online traffic is obviously a good thing, but you want to make sure that you’re... Read more
Huawei has presented a new 8-inch tablet that is capable of making phone calls. The new device is called Honor Tablet and sports a thin and light metallic chassis (7.9 mm/360 grams).
The Honor Tablet has a 1.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm... Read more
When we talk about photography, no matter what we think and say, we have to admit that Canon makes some really good digital cameras. They have fine chassis, numerous functions, good prices and legendary Japanese quality. If Canon cameras lack... Read more
Days after the South Korean tech giant Samsung announced the 27-inch S27D590C Full HD curved monitor, the company has unveiled a new larger 34-inch curved monitor – the S34E790C.
The new company product is based on VA technology and... Read more
You may like Apple or not but there is something you should be grateful for — the launch of the new iPhone 6 will surely bring various new flagship smartphones to the market in the near future that will have to compete with the new Apple... Read more


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Holding company Internet Brands has filed for a $45 million initial public offering. The Idealab-backed company--which operates 45 Web sites including CarsDirect.com, Wikitravel.org and Loan.com--had
a net loss of $2.5 million on revenue of $65 million for the first nine months of 2007. Last year, it reported revenue of $84.8 million. Among the risk factors associated with the IPO, Internet Brands
noted that revenues from auto dealers and manufacturers--an important part of the company's consumer Internet business--have declined in recent quarters because of a downturn in the auto industry.


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Design Works Gaming lands content deal with 888 Casino
888 Casino, which launched in 1997, was one of the U.K.'s first online casinos to hit the market. It now offers five top-performing Design Works Gaming titles, including Armadillo Artie: Gone Wild and Double Fancy 7's, with several rolling out over the coming months.
The content is delivered via Light & Wonder's OpenGaming platform.
Design Works Gaming CEO Troy Zurawski said: "Adding 888 to our roster further validates Design Works Gaming's games as some of the highest performing in the industry. It's rare to find a team of people who prioritize precision and quality of content the way they do, so this partnership couldn't be a better match for us. We're looking forward to what we can glean from their unique business strategies to bring the best to 888 players."
Talya Benyamini, VP B2C Casino at 888 Casino, said: "We are so excited to partner with Design Works Gaming to continue to enhance the experience and product offer for our players. Content leadership is critical for our business, and we can't wait to bring the incredible Design Works Gaming content to our main markets around the world."


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NEW DELHI: The Indian telecom sector’s equipment testing segment is expected to become a lucrative business for testing and audit firms globally with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT
) rolling out a mandatory plan to initially test devices from October 1, 2018.
“We anticipate a surge in demand for testing of telecom products over the next fiscal,” the US-based safety consulting and testing firm Underwriters Laboratories
(UL) India managing director Suresh Sugavanam
told ETTelecom, adding that given the India’s market size, the testing market for telecom segment would be a promising one.
Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC
), a DoT nodal agency has been tasked to undertake Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment
(MTCTE) for the sector to preview nearly 50 products in order to ensure network and device safety.
“Several prominent players in the telecom sector have begun contacting us to avail our testing services. We also actively engage with vendors during the regular industry stakeholder meetings held by the TEC,” UL’s top executive said.
The Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 aims to implement mandatory telecom equipment testing from October 1, but it would be limited to select devices such as fax machines and modems while the department plans to increase the number of products in a phased manner, a senior TEC official earlier said.
Currently, there are 25 TEC-designated laboratories in the country with government making efforts to increase the number to 100.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents Vodafone
Idea Limited, Bharti Airtel
and Reliance Jio
as well as network vendors said mandatory gear testing would cripple the entire telecom sector ecosystem, and asked the government to postpone the deadline to at least a year.
Sugavanam, however, said that the mandatory testing is an important step to create common minimum standards that will enable players to compete on a level playing field.
The agency has recently designated UL as a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) to carry out necessary tests that could enable manufacturers, importers and dealers in the telecom sector to test their Essential Requirements (ER) for an award of certification.
The US-based company, according to the executive, could provide testing services Essential Requirements for safety, electromagnetic interference (EMI), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), radio frequency (RF), specific absorption rate (SAR) and other technical requirements.
The executive, however, rejected the concerns over probable delay in telecom products testing procedure, and said that the company expects routers and mobile phones to take nearly three weeks to conduct required tests.
TEC, according to the official, would also monitor turnaround time and capacity, and any delay or incapability in testing process would be duly compensated by providing necessary relaxation.
The company’s testing laboratories are located at its Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and Gurugram.


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Ford run ahead of UK car sales average in 2012
Ford, the UK's most popular automobile manufacturer, have reported a big increase on their sale of new cars across the country, which has come in well ahead of the national monthly and yearly averages.
Official figures from the respected industry analysts at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that the number of Ford cars for sale being snapped up by the public shot up by 12.3 per cent last month, compared with the same period last year.
Discussing the highly encouraging results, Mark Ovenden, the managing director of Ford of Britain, said that the rise in transactions in the group's showrooms across the South West and beyond throughout 2012 has largely been due to the amount of investment they have made in the development of innovative, cutting edge new models and in-car technologies.
Whilst the wider introduction of the popular EcoBoost engine into domestic vehicles and the release of the 2013 B-Max have provided this surge in sales, it is important to remember that there are also some great deals to be found on a wide range of used Ford cars.
Image credit: Harsha K R (flickr.com)


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One specific industry getting investment focuses on socially responsible businesses, anything ranging from fair trade tea to renewable energy. But this flow of money goes against the grain.
According to a new report out from the University of San Francisco, the sour state of the economy has driven the confidence of Silicon Valley venture capitalists to an all-time low.
In a world teetering on global recession investors are justifiably nervous. Starting a new business may seem near impossible in this tight credit market, but there actually is one arena where money is flowing.
Kevin Jones, an investor with Good Capital and founder of the 2008 Social Capital Markets Conference told ABC7, "I think there is a wave of new investing where people are not wanting it just to be about their money, but also to be about their impact in the world."
Jones and his partners at Good Capital, a San Francisco venture capital firm, say if you're looking for investment money during these tough economic times, the way to go is with a business venture that's socially responsible.
"There's a crush of new entrepreneurs doing a radical range of activities and sectors," said Good Capital Managing Partner Tim Freundlich.
Jones added that from healthcare to consumer products, fair trade kinds of things and financial services, there are ways to make money and do well.
To help people learn more about launching and getting investment for a socially responsible company Jones started a conference called "So-Cap" or "Social Capital Markets."
Organizers hoped for at least 250 people to show up at this first-ever October gathering in San Francisco. The turnout of around 650 people showed the hunger of a new generation of social entrepreneurs and investors.
Attendees came from around the world, all wanting to find out how to get a piece of the estimated $25 billion that's in the U.S. investment market for businesses focused on "doing good."
"The whole idea of social enterprise is becoming really big in the United States. I mean I think we're seeing that there's something between pure business and pure charity," said Jim Fruchterman, President of Benetech.
Some companies already operate this way. For 19-years the Silicon Valley non-profit Benetech has been using technology to serve humanity and the social sector by doing things like developing software for disabled students, human rights activists and environmental activists.
Another Bay Area social enterprise called Inveneo is also harnessing the power of technology for the greater good. It's already working in 15 Sub-Saharan African countries to help set up low-power and solar-power computer systems at remotely-located schools and health clinics.
"So we bring technology out so that people in organizations can access it to change people lives," said Inveneo's Co-founder Kristin Peterson.
Inveneo is one of many social enterprises excited about the possibility of cashing in on some of the existing "good" investment dollars.
Jim Fruchterman says, "The world needs more businesses to think about society."
Some investment analysts do say the best time to start a new business can be during a market downturn.


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ST-Ericsson outs 1.85GHz ARM-based processor
ST-Ericsson is the latest chip making company to break into this market with the new low power, the high value processor which clocks at 1.855GHz. It is making a mark in the Smartphone world that is ruled by few companies like Qualcomm, TI, Nvidia and Samsung. So the ST-Ericsson chips will be a good alternative for the coming year’s phones and tablets.
Its latest chip NovaThor L9540 consists of two ARM Cortex-A9 processors, each of which will run at 1.85GHz and is supported by an Imagination SGX544 GPU.
According to ST-Ericsson’s senior vice president for Smartphone and tablet solutions this chip will not only be fast but it will be of low power and low cost. In these chips depleted silicon-on-insulator technology (FD-SOI) is used which can run the L9540’s two cores.
The aim of this design is to create Nvidia’s “companion core” strategy without using an extra core. While Nvidia’s Tegra 3 platform uses 4 high-powered cores and 1 low-power core but ST-Ericsson run at 400MHZ, just like a “companion core” without any extra cost and space of an extra core.
The FD-SOI technology runs more clock cycles at lower power that allows ST’s chips to run at 1GHz at 0.6 volts while others need 0.9 volts for 1GHz.
Previously ST-Ericsson was one of the major suppliers of Nokia but it was not going great in the market. So in April they decided to move its standalone processor business to its parent company ST Microelectronics which resulted in elimination 0f 1,700 jobs.
The OS platforms for the chipset are still not sure but it seems they are narrowing on Android and Tizen. But Nokia may use the company’s U8500 chipset in Windows phones.
As LTE modems are coming to an end in the market, ST-Ericsson has started its own supply chain (with IBM and Samsung) which will bring out 28nm chips. Though it might take some time for them but surely will pay off in power savings.
ST-Ericsson has denied making CDMA compatible devices. So it may prove to be a costly loss for them as major carriers like Sprint, Verizon all use CDMA.


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COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $550.00 to $555.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 6th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $561.00 to $627.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 7th. Cowen upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $520.00 to $630.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $491.00 to $527.00 in a report on Thursday, April 7th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $576.43.
In related news, VP Roland Michael Vachris sold 3,318 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $492.45, for a total transaction of $1,633,949.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Daniel M. Hines sold 4,498 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $603.00, for a total transaction of $2,712,294.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 13,108 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,904,124. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 12,566 shares of company stock worth $7,051,086 over the last 90 days. 0.22% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, March 3rd. The retailer reported $2.92 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.74 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $51.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $51.51 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.62% and a return on equity of 30.10%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.14 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will post 13.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 29th will be issued a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 28th. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.61%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 25.46%.
Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 31,078,322 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $17,643,166,000 after acquiring an additional 944,199 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 10.2% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,301,225 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $10,389,605,000 after buying an additional 1,697,920 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,372,449 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,173,133,000 after buying an additional 246,857 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 6,185,105 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,447,261,000 after buying an additional 91,694 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 5,106,207 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,898,794,000 after buying an additional 133,943 shares during the last quarter. 66.74% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Costco Wholesale Company Profile (Get Rating)
Costco Wholesale Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Australia, Spain, France, Iceland, China, and Taiwan. It offers branded and private-label products in a range of merchandise categories.
- Get a free copy of the StockNews.com research report on Costco Wholesale (COST)
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Credit card balances in Australia rose 11.4% to $32.01 billion in June from $28.77 billion in June 2006, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia. The $32.01 billion balance is a 1% increase from May’s figure of $31.6 billion, according to CCR sister publication CardLine Global. Australia had 13.5 million card accounts in June 2007, up 4% from approximately 13 million in June 2006.
As mortgages become more expensive, more Australians are using credit cards to borrow money, Denis Orrock, general manager with Sydney-based financial researcher Infochoice Ltd., told CardLine Global.
"The growth in credit card debt is dangerous for Australian consumers as inevitably the credit card will continue to become a cash flow mechanism for many households," he said.
Australia ranks third in terms of being at risk for household debt, following Norway and New Zealand, according to a recent study of 16 industrialized countries by Fitch Ratings.


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Today the announcement in which Dragon Ball
fans have been clamoring for years has been made — Steve Aoki will be contributing to the soundtrack for the upcoming Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
and will be joining the cast as a non-playable character (NPC).
Wait, that isn't the news you were expecting? Either way, it is an interesting mesh of Dragon Ball
and popular music. The release date has been announced to boot.
Aoki, a Grammy-nominated artist known for his EDM tracks, will be remixing famous tracks already recognizable from Dragon Ball Z
. Fans may remember such songs as "“Cha-La Head-Cha-La” and “We Gotta Power." He will also be able to be found in Xenoverse 2
as an NPC; look for him in the city of Conton.
"Having grown up with Dragon Ball
, I jumped at the chance to contribute my talents and leave my personal impact on the series,” said Aoki.
Publisher Bandai Namco thinks fans are going to love the addition of Aoki. They're also calling Xenoverse 2
the "biggest and best Dragon Ball
videogame experience to date." You can check out some more footage in the video below:
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
will be available on October 25th.


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Two Android security problems have hit the news over the last few days. The first is a problem with java.io.ObjectInputStream on ALL devices prior to Lollipop. It’s not a problem in itself in that the user needs to somehow accidentally install a malicious app. The second is one such app, NotCompatible, that has been around […]
Archive for the 'Mobile' Category
Scientiamobile has a new free MOVR report (PDF) for Q3 2014 showing device usage trends, particularly related to web access from mobiles. There’s lots of data on form factors, top smartphones, top tablets, top OSs for browsing across different continents. A chart that caught my attention was one that showed the use of WebViews within […]
I have been watching wearables, from the sidelines, with the view that it’s probably not worth investing effort in this area until volumes prove it’s something people actually want. Well, today I was surprised to learn from Canalys that nearly 5 million smart and basic wearable bands were shipped in Q3 2014. This a large […]
ABI has research that shows forked Android growth is set to slow in 2015. China’s growth is slowing and Google’s Android One initiative is "seeing some significant wins among Indian manufacturers like Micromax, Karbonn, Spice, Intex, and Lava, as well as some of the more International Chinese brands like Lenovo and Alcatel."
This is good news […]
Arxan has a free State of Mobile App Security research report (pdf) that claims a very large proportion of the top paid/popular Android and iOS apps have been hacked. Hacked apps either have IP stolen that’s used in other apps, have clones created or the apps are modified to remove payment mechanisms.
Related Articles:WebView UnbundlingAndroid GrowingAndroid […]
Strategy Analytics has new Q3 2014 research on World tablet shipments. Android reached an all-time high of 72% of the market while iOS declined 13% to 22.3% market share.
29.9% of Android’s 72% market share is "white box" manufacturers. A white box tablet is produced by a company (the manufacturer or ODM) that other companies (the […]
There’s a diagram doing the rounds that demonstrates what a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is (and isn’t). It shows that a MVP shouldn’t be just about functionality but also about reliability, usability and user experience. Building a MVP is one of the first steps after which you have to measure, learn and iterate. However, just […]
One of the problems of mobile development is that it’s a human resource driven activity that’s expensive. Multiply that by iOS and Android and the costs double (or more). Wouldn’t it be good if you could develop on Android or iOS and a tool could automatically generate for the other platform? Well, MyAppConvertor has that […]


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In 2020, Covid-19 turned our lives upside down but that’s not all it impacted: fraud wasn’t left out.
According to a PwC survey on global economic crime and fraud , 47% of businesses were victims of fraud in 2020 and 65% of fraud complaints were related to identity theft. It is the second highest level of reported incidents in the last 20 years. Not to mention that these numbers will only increase in the context of massive digitization of services alongside the ongoing improvement of fraud techniques.
The European Commission published a new Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (UE) 2019/1157 with the purpose to confront these fraud issues and offer more protection to its citizens. The Regulation requires all Member States to use a new format of ID cards starting on August 2, 2021.
From now on, countries that already have a national ID card must deliver a new format of electronic ID card.
So, what security features should be found in this electronic ID card?
Details on the Security Standards Required by the EC for Electronic ID Cards
Since August 2, 2021 every European Citizen applying for a new ID card must receive this new type of ID document.
The European Commission aims to strengthen security of such documents by requiring this new format and new features. Being more secure, electronic ID cards will prevent from document falsification and identity fraud.
Under the new regulations, ID cards will have to be standardized to a credit card format (ID-1), they will have to include a machine-readable zone (MRZ) and meet the minimum security standards set by the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).
They will have to include a photo and two fingerprints of the card holder that will be stored in digital format in a contactless chip. The country code of the Member State issuing the ID card will also have to appear on the card, along with a EU flag.
According to requirements mentioned in article 3 of the European Regulation, the new ID card must include a highly secure electronic component, like the passport.
The person’s ID and biometric data is stored in the electronic chip: civil status data (surname, first names, date and place of birth, gender, height, nationality), home or residence address, dates of issue and expiration of the document, card number, digital portrait and digital images of two fingerprints.
How is this format more reliable and how will it simplify the fight against fraud?
Passports contain an electronic chip since December, 13 2004. Designed to hold a copy of the printed ID data in a forgery-proof form, the electronic chip has proven its worth.
It is a reliable and secure added control key on an ID document and therefore constitutes an additional shield against fraud. The authentication and reading of the chip on the new format is simple and trustworthy. Authorities can easily confirm that the holder’s document was issued by a bona fide authority, that the biographic and biometric information held on the document at the time of its issuance weren’t modified, and that the electronic information contained in the chip is not a copy (i.e. a clone).
In terms of verification, in addition to the usual automatic reading checks with OCR (optical character recognition), new electronic ID cards with chips can be quickly read and analyzed by all solutions offering remote NFC readingNFC reading.
NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a contactless technology that allows data exchange between 2 compatible devices. It also permits unforgeable data verification thanks to different access controls.
The first control called “Basic Access Control” (BAC) reads all the data in the chip except the fingerprints. The terminal extracts a code from the MRZ zone (at the back of the card).
Secondly, the terminal operator can enter the “Card Access Number” (CAN) at the front of the card. This CAN code generates a session key that encrypts exchanges between the chip and the terminal, requiring mandatory physical possession of the card to access the information stored in the chip.
These embedded chips in new ID documents play a key role in the constant struggle against fraud and identity theft, especially by standardizing digital ID verification processes, making them faster and more secure.
European Update One Month after the launch? Which Member States have Implemented Electronic ID Cards?
More than 70 countries worldwide have implemented electronic ID cards but only a few in Europe. Asia and Africa are the most advanced, having adopted implementation of e-ID card programs dating back to 2016.
France started experimenting with the electronic ID card on March 15, 2021. Then, as of August 2, 2021, all European countries had to follow the EU regulation of June 20, 2019 which mandated the generalization of this format.
The Netherlands postponed their June launch but managed to be ready for August 2, NL Times. The Czech Republic also launched its cards on Aug. 2, reports Expats CZ, as well as Spain. Croatia met the deadline, reports Total Croatia News, as well as Spain. Croatia met the deadline, reports Ukrinform and nearly 900,000 ID cards. 257,000 biometric passports were issued in July.
Germans have been using ID cards since 2010. They use their smartphones and a mobile application called “AusweisApp2” that allows them to authenticate themselves to carry out online procedures: car registration application, financial student aid, Stasi files access, etc. Germany now plans to add a certificate to the ID card chip to enable German citizens to have electronic signatures.
Since August 2, 2021, new biometric ID cards were dispatched throughout Europe in accordance with new EU Regulation requiring electronic identification. This initiative is part of a global approach to fight against fraud and to protect EU citizens in the wake of Digitisation. Eventually, these Electronic ID cards will allow access to public or private services requiring secure online identification, paving the way to digital ID throughout Europe, as announced by the EU Commission on June 3, 2021.


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Zetwerk becomes the latest startup to gain unicorn status in the South Asian market. Zetwerk is a Bangalore-based startup that operates a business-to-business marketplace for manufacturing items. The total valuation of the company has gone up to $1.33 billion. It was earlier valued between $600 million and $700 million after its Series D round.
The unicorn status is attained after its Series E financing round in which the startup raised $150 million. The round was led by D1 Capital Partners based in New York. Other investors include Greenoaks Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, and new partners Avenir and IIFL.
Zetwerk is a four-year-old startup and “connects OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and EPC (engineering procurement construction) customers with manufacturing small-businesses and enterprises.” (TechCrunch) It has launched its services in the Southeast Asia and North American markets and claims considerable growth in its revenue. Jeremy Goldstein of D1 Capital Partners stated that Zetwerk was able to become a leading player in delivering apt manufacturing solutions and works towards the digital transformation of a “traditional industry”.
The funds collected will be used to expand its technology and to flourish in other international markets. Amrit Acharya, co-founder, and chief executive of Zetwerk said that his company is leading enterprises towards a shift that focus on digital manufacturing. He added that last year Zetwerk had helped over 100 western companies to move their supply chains to India.
Zetwerk becomes the 25th Indian startup to gain unicorn status this year. Investors are keenly observing the Indian market and making investments in the world’s second-largest internet market.


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In an event broadcast live on Wednesday, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and Deputy Governor for Financial Stability Sir Jon Cunliffe responded to questions from lawmakers on the Economic Affairs Committee. When asked about the growth of innovation around digital currencies in the country, Sir Cunliffe made the following comment:
“It is quite difficult to predict how innovators will take money and use it in the future. But we are beginning to see how programmable money is used in the world of cryptocurrencies. And I hope we will see a similar revolution in money functionality driven by the technology”.
Sir Jon Cunliffe speaking of CBDC | Source: Parliamentlive.tv
The Bank of England is currently studying options to implement a CBDC digital pound for retail payments. A task force behind the CBDC is also investigating the use of a digital pound to pay payroll, pensions, etc.
By supporting the initiative, Sir Cunliffe cites the rapid decline in cash use in the UK in recent years, which was greatly accelerated with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which discouraged physical contact in transactions. It is estimated that 30% of transactions in the country are now carried out through electronic commerce.
When asked about the possible lawsuit for a digital pound CBDC, Sir Cunliffe said:
“We have modeled a very cautious assumption, which is that basically 20% of deposits [transaccionales de hogares y empresas] based on the banking system could exit the banking system and become central bank digital money. “
Nonetheless, Sir Cunliffe admitted that the current cryptocurrency situation could threaten the country’s financial stability. The market capitalization of cryptocurrencies has skyrocketed to $ 2.6 trillion in a very short time, with an estimated 95% of digital assets being unbanked and 5% consisting of stablecoins. On the opposite side of the Atlantic, the United States takes a less positive view of CBDCs, stating that regulated stablecoins designed by the private sector make them redundant.


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Grand-Prize Winners Announced in Fisher Auto Parts ‘WOW! Earn and Win!’ Promotion
This year’s grand-prize winners are A&D Automotive of Vergennes, Vermont; Ken’s Auto Service Center of Akron, Ohio; and Reed’s Auto Repair of Seaford, Delaware.
Win a Limited-Edition Raybestos 1953 Chevy Pickup T-Shirt
Enter on Facebook for your chance to win with an added bonus.
UPS Announces Winner Of ‘Ride Your Hauler To SEMA’ Contest
Cutworm Specialties built the custom vehicle’s suspension, spindles, axle and lug nuts from scratch. LAS VEGAS — Just in time for the 2013 SEMA Show, UPS has announced the winner of its “Ride Your Hauler to SEMA” Contest. The contest, in its first year, was designed to celebrate the creative talent among the automotive


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Bio Eco develops non-toxic bioglues for bio-chipboards
5 Dec '11
With support from the Tomsk Center for VC Investing Tomsk’s Bio Eco is developing innovative non-toxic glue to replace harmful formaldehyde resin in wood particle board production, portal Innovus Tomsk Innovation Forum reports, citing Bio Eco CEO Irina Belikova.
The project reportedly aims at developing a family of brand new eco-friendly and inexpensive bioglues and bioboards (pressed wood particle mixtures that use the bioglues). As raw material the new products will use wastes from food processing (distilleries, breweries or dairies).
“We have been working on the project for five months now and will take another year to fine-tune the technology. The Tomsk Center for VC Investing has put up $400k to bring the research to this point,” Ms. Belikova said.
The company is reportedly seeking a patent for its development.
Upon completion of the research stage Bio Eco is hoping to find an investor and build a bioboard factory, she added.
Bio Eco focuses on the development of adhesive mixtures (bioglues) using microbial polysaccharides and modified products of microbiological and food processing.
The Tomsk Center for VC Investing is a Venture Partner of Russian Venture Company’s Seed Investment Fund.


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For years alcohol has been a go-to gift for holiday get-togethers, but a new survey shows it is one of the least wanted gifts.
Keurig's new coffeemaker only brews Keurig brand "K-Cups", but now companies are creating products to trick the machine and brew cups from any coffee company.
Health inspectors said the food at the Starbucks on the Southwest Freeway between Edloe and Weslayan was not safe for human consumption. The yogurt, meat salad and cheese in the store's display…
The holiday shopping season is in full swing, but some products you see on sale now may actually be cheaper after Christmas.
If you or someone you know needs to see a dentist, you need to know about this event.
Krispy Kreme is gearing up for its sweet return to Houston.
Making a copy of your house key usually requires a locksmith or a trip to the hardware store. But now thanks to new technology all you need is your smart phone. The question is could that convenience…
Turns out there can be a big difference between buying generic versus name brands.
Thanks to the Houston Texans' win, there are plenty of free food offers of which you can take advantage.
Miller Lite is making beer runs for free in four U.S. cities.
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The original Xbox game console was launched in the fall of 2001, but why did Microsoft want to enter the game console business in the first place? A former Microsoft executive, who recently wrote a book that slammed Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer, says in a new interview that the main reason the company went into the game console industry was to take down a rival: Sony.
IGN reports that in an interview with former Microsoft VP Joachim Kempin, he states: "The main reason was to stop Sony. You see, Sony and Microsoft…they never had a very friendly relationship, okay?"
While Microsoft had apparently wanted to partner up with Sony, the Japanese company always seemed to keep Microsoft at arm's length. When Sony launched the first Playstation, Kempin stated that "Microsoft just looked at that and said 'well, we have to beat them, so let’s do our own.'"
Kempin also claims that while he was at Microsoft, he went to its many PC OEM partners and asked them to make the first Xbox. However, he said, "The guys were smart enough not to bite, because they studied the Sony model and saw that Sony could not make money on that hardware model, ever." Microsoft decided to copy Sony's business model for the Xbox; make the hardware themselves, sell it at a loss and make it up with game royalties.
Source: IGN | Image via Microsoft


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PSA Peugeot-Citroen, which is currently Europe’s second-largest carmaker, is considering cutting production capacity at a French factory to reduce fixed costs amid slumping sales on the continent.
Peugeot, which reported a first-half operating loss of 510 million euros ($685 million) in its automotive unit, aims to reduce cash consumption by 50 percent this year to 1.5 billion euros. It has already closed a factory on the outskirts of Paris and is cutting 11,200 jobs in its home country by 2015.
Peugeot is looking at removing capacity from a plant in Mulhouse, which has two production lines and built 224,000 vehicles last year, said Pierre-Olivier Salmon, a spokesman for the Paris-based company. The factory currently can assemble as many as 452,000 cars annually.
“Our goal is to have a utilization rate of 100 percent in our French factories” by 2016, Salmon said. A recent agreement with unions allows the company to start talks on whether to keep the plant’s second line open if annual production falls below 250,000 vehicles, he added.
Possible production cuts in France are the “natural consequence” of the new labor deal signed last month by four of Peugeot’s six main unions, Salmon said. Unions agreed to reduce overtime pay and freeze salaries in exchange for investment guarantees and a pledge not close any French factories in the next two years. Le Figaro today was first to report the possible capacity cuts.
Peugeot has posted the biggest sales drop in Europe this year of all carmakers, with deliveries plunging 10 %, compared with a decline of 3.1 % for the overall market, according to data from the ACEA industry group.


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The White House Does Not Like Ford’s Ad. Did It Apply Pressure to Get the Ad Yanked?
UPDATE: Ford is now out saying it was not “coerced” into pulling the ad and that the ad campaign will continue. Wonder whatever gave the Michigan news media a contrary impression? ——————————————- I told you a week ago that the White House and General Motors coordinated on GM’s ad campaign it rolled out before the 2010 general election designed to highlight the government auto bailout | Read More »
Is The Administration Going to Use GM to Distract from Solyndra?
Many people call it Government Motors these days. General Motors has been a government slush fund to reward unions and other Democratic loyalists since the Obama Administration arrived in Washington. Now there are signs the Obama campaign and DNC intend to use GM to distract from Solyndra. If you’ll remember back in 2010, General Motors rushed out an ad campaign that claimed it had paid | Read More »
GM Did Not Really Pay Back Its Loan
If you own a GM vehicle and they have your email address, you’ve gotten a nice email in the past few days that they paid back their bailout loan from the federal government. A lie. Well, technically true, but a lie. Turns out they took money out of one pocket and put it into the other. More precisely, GM took TARP money to pay off | Read More »
GM Will Use Bailout Money to Help Brazil’s Economy
The Latin American Herald Tribune reports General Motors (GM) plans to invest $1 billion in Brazil to avoid the kind of problems the U.S. automaker is facing in its home market, said the beleaguered car maker. According to the president of GM Brazil-Mercosur, Jaime Ardila, the funding will come from the package of financial aid that the manufacturer will receive from the U.S. government and | Read More »
A Hill To Die On: Let GM Die
We were, around these parts, fairly divided on the original bailout. Some of us thought it needed and some of us thought it perhaps needed, but a terrible idea and a road we should not travel. Well, now we know. The bailout gave Hank Paulson a pile of cash that he is spending on his friends on Wall Street without very little accountability — the | Read More »


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While carmine - which is derived from crushed cochineal insects - is a safe and highly-effective natural alternative to synthetic red color FD&C Red #40, firms are facing mounting pressure to replace it from vegans, vegetarians, shoppers seeking kosher and halal products, plus those suffering from the ‘ick’ factor.
Higher prices and a change in labeling rules requiring manufacturers to list the color as ‘carmine’ or ‘cochineal extract’ on the label (instead of ‘color added’) have also contributed to a cooling of enthusiasm for the natural color amongst food and beverage manufacturers.
Carmine: all-natural, but not suitable for vegans…
In Starbucks’ case, the trigger was an online petition launched last month at change.org that garnered more than 6,000 signatures from consumers unhappy that the retailer was using crushed bugs to color its frappuccinos.
Starbucks president Cliff Burrows quickly responded via the company’s blog, where he promised to replace it with lycopene.
He added: “We’ve learned that we fell short of your expectations by using natural cochineal extract as a colorant in four food and two beverage offerings in the United States… As our customers you expect and deserve better – and we promise to do better.
“I am pleased to report that we are reformulating the affected products... [and switching to] lycopene, a natural, tomato-based extract… This transition will occur over time as we finalize revisions and manage production.”
LycoRed: A ten-fold increase in enquiries…
LycoRed has been supplying food and beverage manufacturers with Tomat-O-Red - which is made using a patented process from lycopene-rich tomatoes grown in California - for several years.
However, interest has “really accelerated” in recent weeks, and bosses have doubled production in the past month alone to meet demand, VP Business Development and New Product Marketing Doug Lynch told FoodNavigator-USA.
“Clearly it takes a while for companies to change their recipes, but we’ve seen a ten-fold increase in enquiries in the past 60 days.
“We’ve got new application requests from multinationals to start-ups covering everything from soft drinks to juices to confectionery, dairy and sauces along with cosmetics. People want something vegetarian and vegan but also kosher and halal.”
Tomato lycopene does not change color in the presence of ascorbic acid
While there are several natural red colors on the market including anthocyanin-rich red beet and paprika-based colors, Tomat-O-Red is pH, heat and light stable and suitable for applications containing ascorbic acid, he said.
“The anthocyanins are very pH dependent, they only remain stable at a low pH and they can turn brown in the presence of ascorbic acid. If you expose paprika to heat through pasteurization or a retort process, it will tend to break down.”
By contrast, he claimed, “Tomat-O-Red does not change color in the presence of ascorbic acid and it remains stable under all food processing conditions, including heat, cold and pH variations.”
As for price, switching from carmine to lycopene was “cost neutral”, he claimed. “The price of carmine fluctuates from year to year, whereas lycopene prices are much more stable as we can just ramp up production to meet demand.”
Tomat-O-Red is approved as a color additive in the US and is also a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) ingredient, says LycoRed.
The global market for lycopene, both as a color additive and nutritional supplement, could reach $84m by 2018, up from $66m in 2010, according to a recent by BCC Research, said LycoRed.


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The Gloucester County Board of Commissioners and the county senior services department are offering vouchers this month to income-qualified seniors so they can purchase locally grown produce at selected area farmers’ markets.
Sponsored by the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), the voucher program is available to anyone over 60.
“Due to COVID, we actually have more vouchers to give out this year,” explained senior services department Executive Director Leona Mather.
In previous years, $1,600 worth of vouchers were distributed, but because of COVID, there will be $1,800 worth of vouchers offered this year. The vouchers are funded by local and state governments that received funds through the federal CARES Act.
Seniors must provide proof of county residency and income such as a driver’s license or state identification coupled with a utility or phone bill. While a household of one must have a monthly income of up to at least $1,968, a household of two can have a monthly gross income of $2,658. Income guidelines are subject to change on July 1. All vouchers are $6 each.
“Supplies are limited as seniors are limited to five vouchers per person,” Mather explained.
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) promotes nutritional health among New Jersey seniors by providing them with locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
“Keep in mind that it is only for locally grown produce,” Mather noted. “When they go and buy a banana or pineapples, they won’t be able to use the vouchers because we don’t grow them.”
Participating markets and roadside stands will get checks and distribution sites will be announced throughout the county. Vouchers are redeemable at 18 farmers markets and road stands throughout Gloucester County. They include both Grasso Girls locations in Mullica Hill and West Deptford, Zimmerman’s Country Market in Sewell, DeHarts Farm Fresh Produce, and The McCann’s Farm in Elk Township.
Vouchers can also be purchased at the Mantua Community Center on East Mercer Avenue in Sewell.
For more information, contact the division of senior services office at (856) 384-6900 or go to its website at https://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/814/Farmers-Market-Voucher-Information-2021.


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Fenwick committee discusses flags, event
It was a light agenda for the Fenwick Island Commercial Liaison Committee (CLC) at their Dec. 15 meeting.
Town Council Member and CLC Chairman Chris Clark unveiled a series of rough sketches that could be the basis of designs for flags the town is considering displaying on Coastal Highway.
The sketches were done by his wife, Jessica, and depicted a variety of designs suggested by members of the town’s Beautification Committee in previous discussion of the flag idea.
Committee members Reid Tingle and Pamela McComas (of the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce) both pointed to a design depicting the town’s historic lighthouse and that of a fashionable flip-flop as their favorites among the designs Clark presented.
The tentative plan for the flags is to have at least three of them displayed on utility poles, rotated on a seasonal basis and supplemented by the town’s holiday decorations during the winter.
Clark noted that he’d received some complaints from Fenwick Island residents that the flag initiative was just to benefit the town’s business community.
“I thought it was just a way to let people know you’re in Fenwick Island,” Clark said of the concept.
Clark said his next step was to do some research on getting the flags fabricated, including information on vendors, cost, durability and construction methods.
The Beautification Committee is due to take up the subject of the flags and the designs again in January and move the project forward from there.
Clark said a joint effort between his business, iLand Art Gallery (just outside the town’s incorporated area), Blue Heron Gifts and Pottery Place to bring in customers for the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving shopping day deemed “Black Friday” had gone well.
After only modest participation by other merchants in previous years, the three businesses had elected to condense their efforts to their own shops in 2005, with success.
Clark reported that Blue Heron owner Carol Hughes had deemed the Black Friday event “a huge success,” noting the store had seen sales increase by more than $100 in the three hours it was open that day.
Clark himself said iLand’s business had increased four times over sales on that day in 2004. He allowed that Pottery Place had actually seen a slight decrease from 2004, but suggested that given another year, the benefits of the annual event would increase.
One of the goals for the 2005 Black Friday event for the three businesses was to demonstrate how well it could draw customers, in anticipation that other merchants would be encouraged by their success and decide to go the extra mile to participate in 2006.
“Next year, others can get in and that will make it much bigger,” Clark said.


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With the sheer number of development houses closing down as of late the shock and awe that once surrounded a studio’s closing has all but disappeared. That is until Microsoft dropped the bomb concerning the closing of the legendary development house Ensemble Studios. Ensemble has been around since 1996 and is responsible for the Age of Empires franchise that since the release of the first game in in 1997, has sold more than 20 million units worldwide. More recently, Ensemble has been receiving much buzz surrounding their work on the translation of the mega-hit Halo franchise into an RTS.
Microsoft has been less than forthcoming with the details surrounding the game, only willing to part with a handful of trailers, gameplay footage, and screens’ leading some to believe that development on Halo Wars is going less than stellar. Although Microsoft alleviated many of those fears by assuring us that the closing had nothing to do with the quality, or overall development of the game, “This decision does not reflect at all on Ensemble’s talent or the quality of Halo Wars–in fact, many people who have had a chance to test drive Halo Wars agree that it is on track to being a fantastic game.”
In fact Microsoft said that the reason for the closer was simply a fiscal decision concerning the growth of their Microsoft Games Studio (MGS) brand, “This was a fiscally rooted decision that keeps MGS on its growth path. While the decision to dissolve Ensemble was not an easy one, Microsoft is working to place as many Ensemble employees who do not move to the newly formed studio into open positions within Microsoft as possible.”
While much of the staff at Ensemble was let go, the team behind the development of Halo Wars will be staying on until development of the game wraps up. At that time the “top brass” will form a new yet to be named studio which has signed an agreement that will see them supporting Halo Wars post-launch, along with working with MGS on other projects.
Good luck to all at Ensemble from us at TVGB, your games have brought many of us countless hours of fun, and your contribution to the industry will forever be remembered.


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Online shoe retailer Zalando (www.zalando.de), started by Berlin-based incubator Rocket Internet (www.rocket-internet.de), has claimed to have become the No. 1 online shoe retailer in France, according to TechCrunch Europe (eu.techcrunch.com). Zalando.fr’s monthly sales revenues in France surpassed EUR 12 million in September, and for the year, the company expects a total turnover of EUR 120 million, making France the online merchant’s third largest market, after Germany and the Netherlands.
In August 2010, Zalando, the shoe and fashion retailing company started by the Samwer brothers through their investment vehicle Rocket Internet, closed a funding round of allegedly EUR 100 million. Zalando used that funding round to invest massively in the execution of scaling in other markets. For the French market, Zalando is incorporating 150 local brands into its range, encompassing around 100,000 products from 1,300 brands. A logistics center to be completed at the beginning of 2013 is aimed to increase the capacity of Zalando’s existing warehouses by another 8 million items. Zalando will be focusing on pushing their Italian, British, Austrian and Swiss markets next.


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The Ultimate Valentine's Day list of adult entertainment, toys & gadgets to try1
Twitter, other companies haven't done enough to combat online abuse: Jack Dorsey2
Amazon's Alexa voice assistant can now stream over 350 radio stations in India3
Apple to hold an event on 25 March, no new iPad Mini or AirPods in the offing4
Samsung foldable phone launch confirmed for 20 February, Galaxy S10 Plus leaked5
Motorola plans to introduce two smartphones with Samsung Exynos 9610 chipsets6
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus price reportedly slashed by Rs 6,000 in offline stores7
NASA's Hubble Telescope stumbles upon a dwarf galaxy 30 million light years away8
Google removes 29 camera apps that were found stealing data and promoted phishing9
ISRO opens doors to India's first Human Spaceflight Centre in Bangalore10
A video shows the harpoon slamming into the target and knocking it off its perch.
Apple has already made the red coloured variant available for Apple's cheaper iPhone XR.
It still isn't clear if the Mi 9 has any plans of making it to India given that the Mi 6 and Mi 8 has not.
U.S. authorities have issued no public comments about the status of Wikileaks-related investigations.
Scientists found fossils Mnyamawamtuka moyowamkia dinosaur that measured roughly 26 feet long.
NASA said it could buy a seat for one astronaut in the fall and another seat in the spring of 2020.
#ProtestAgainstTwitter misses a more clear, present danger to our Internet freedom
If we love the Internet, both netizens of the right and the left, this is not a war we can afford to sit out.


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Wisbech Co-operative Travel shop launches Christmas Toys Appeal
- Credit: Archant
A travel shop in Wisbech has launched its annual Christmas Toys Appeal to bring festive cheer to disadvantaged children.
The Co-operative Travel in Beales Department store is hoping for donations of toys, books, puzzles and games.
Manager Kelly Hunt said: “All of the gifts will be donated to children supported by the Salvation Army.
“It’s the tenth year that Central England Co-operative has organised this activity and we are hoping to put smiles on even more children’s faces this year.”
Donate by 5pm on December 13. Second-hand or cuddly toys are not accepted.


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Microsoft decided to make its Fluent-style emojis available on Windows 11 this week. A new optional update for the operating system is about to be released now, including a number of major bugfixes and the new emoji that Microsoft introduced earlier this year. While it’s an entirely new style, it’s not the 3D look Microsoft promised earlier, the company opted for 2D.
New emojis in Windows 11 include the return of Clippy, as Microsoft replaced the standard paperclip emoji with its Clippy character. The emoji has also been redesigned to include bright, saturated colors, but it lacks the 3D aspects that make them stand out.
MORE: Microsoft Says It Will End OneDrive Updates for Windows 7
“The new style of emoji is only available in Windows 11 and is 2D,” explains Microsoft. “We still offer a variety of emojis [sic] for Windows 10 customers.” This same blog post further points out that Microsoft “opted 3D designs over 2D and chose to animate most of our emojis”.
It’s not clear whether we’ll ever see the stunning 3D emoji inside Windows 11 that Microsoft demonstrated earlier this year. The lack of 3D may be related to technical limitations of the Microsoft color font format the company uses to display emoji within Windows. While Apple uses bitmaps to render its emoji, Microsoft uses a vector format which is much more scalable and has file size benefits if the emoji are flatter.


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by David Stockman
Well, the Virus Patrol sure has done it. In a fit of reckless overkill they have managed to vaporize six years of economic growth during the last 90 days. And that’s just by the mechanical reckoning of the GDP accounts, where total output in Q2 weighed in at essentially the same level as Q4 2014.
The real damage is far deeper, however, and is reflected in millions of small businesses permanently destroyed, tens of millions of households wiped-out financially and the vicious daisy chain of delinquencies, deferrals and defaults just beginning to rip through the $78 trillion edifice of debt which entombs the US economy.