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Government panel the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has given its approval for Japanese mobile carrier SoftBank to acquire a majority stake in Sprint Nextel in a US$20 billion deal.
SoftBank has received all the necessary state approvals for the Japanese mobile carrier to acquire a majority stake in Sprint Nextel for US$20 billion, the companies announced.
The U.S. government is in negotiations with SoftBank for greater control over equipment purchases by Sprint Nextel and the selection of one of the Japanese company's nominee to the U.S. carrier's board, according to a news report.
Sprint Nextel has increased its offer to buy out Clearwire, bidding US$3.40 per share, to counter a competing offer by Dish Network.
Sprint Nextel said it had received permission from SoftBank to negotiate a rival acquisition offer from Dish Network.
Sprint Nextel's network partner Clearwire hasn't been able to find any other big wholesale customers nor sell any of its spectrum, so selling out to Sprint is the only real option for its shareholders, the company said Monday.
Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen said Wednesday that his is an American company, and the modernization of Sprint Nextel's network will have to be done from the U.S. with operations control in the country, and English speaking staff.
Softbank's CEO, in a battle with Dish Network to acquire U.S. mobile operator Sprint Nextel, slammed a US$25.5 billion offer made by Dish, saying it is based on "imaginary" numbers and would create a company with "insane" amounts of debt.
Intel has backed SoftBank's bid for Sprint Nextel, citing that the deal would bring needed competition in the wireless space in the U.S.
Dish Network has made a US$25.5 billion bid to acquire wireless operator Sprint Nextel, hoping to edge out a rival bid from Japanese operator SoftBank.
Sprint Nextel and Softbank have pledged to keep Huawei Technologies products out of the Sprint network and try to replace Huawei gear that is already in Clearwire's network, according to a U.S. lawmaker.
Japan's Softbank will soon launch a new service around small GPS trackers that it will rent out to customers for a monthly fee.
Japan's Softbank has sold off a large portion of a local carrier it acquired just weeks ago, as it looked to assuage fears over its expanded control of Japan's wireless spectrum.
Japan's Softbank will soon offer a new satellite phone for use in earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Sprint Nextel has offered US $2.1 billion, or $2.90 a share, for the nearly one-half interest in mobile broadband firm Clearwire that the company doesn't already own.
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Interest Rate in Belgium
Belgium - Interest RateOutput grew at a reduced pace in Q1 2022 compared to Q4 2021, chiefly driven by a contraction in industry. That said, the services and construction sectors expanded at healthy paces and unemployment continued its downward trend. Since March, growth is likely sluggish, affected by the global slowdown in demand and high inflation. Industrial production is likely being affected by the sector’s elevated dependency on Russian gas, high prices for which will squeeze firms’ profit margins. Moreover, consumer confidence remained severely downbeat in April and May, likely weakening consumption in the quarter. That said, business confidence held up through May, which could be supporting investment intentions. Finally, in a May report the European Commission recommended that Belgium focus on addressing fiscal sustainability challenges, excessive red tape and the low participation rate.
Belgium - Interest Rate Data
|Policy Interest Rate (%)||0.05||0.0||0.0||0.0||0.0|
5 years of economic forecasts for more than 30 economic indicators.
Belgium Interest Rate Chart
Source: European Central Bank.
|Bond Yield||0.10||0.15 %||Dec 31|
|Exchange Rate||1.12||0.65 %||Dec 31|
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August 22, 2022
Consumer confidence rose to minus 11.0 in August from July's minus 13.0.
August 10, 2022
Industrial output dived 11.6% year on year in calendar-adjusted terms in June, which followed May's 1.7% decrease.
July 28, 2022
According to a preliminary reading, GDP growth waned to 0.2% on a seasonally-adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis in the second quarter, from 0.5% in the first quarter.
July 20, 2022
Consumer confidence fell to minus 13.0 in July from June's minus 11.0, following three consecutive months of increases in the index.
July 11, 2022
Industrial output declined 1.3% year on year in calendar-adjusted terms in May, which was a smaller contraction than April's 2.0% decrease.

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Sign-up to a data breach claim today - use our quick and easy form to begin your claim for thousands of pounds in compensation.
YouTube has been accused of illegally collecting children’s data by Consumer Rights groups who have filed a legal complaint against them.
The Google-owned video and music platform is supposed to be for persons aged 13 and older, yet studies indicate that it’s most popular with children aged between 8 and 12.
According to the concerns raised and the complaints filed, YouTube is illegally collecting the data without parental consent, and they know that they’re doing it; raising fear that they’re in breach of data protection legislation.
YouTube has a service for kids, with the main YouTube platform supposedly designed for children aged 13 or older, according to its terms of service. But, the consumer rights groups say that YouTube is fully aware that children aged younger than 13 are using its main platform.
A spokesperson from one of the consumer groups involved says:
“Google has acted duplicitously by falsely claiming in its terms of service that YouTube is only for those who are age 13 or older, while it deliberately lured young people into an ad-filled digital playground.”
It’s true that there are a lot of videos that are clearly aimed at younger audiences on the main YouTube platform, which raises questions as to why they are there in the first place. Google stands accused of making a “killing” from money generated by personally identifiable information for children who they know are using the main platform aged younger than 13. Device types, mobile numbers and browsing habits are reportedly collected, and it’s collected without parental consent.
Although this complaint is an American one, there may be cause for concern here in the UK also.
You can set parental protections in place on YouTube to ensure your child is browsing safe, and many of us know that iPads are somewhat of a lifesaver for parents on long car journeys to keep the kids occupied, and children do love to spend time on YouTube. A wealth of videos available are clearly designed for persons aged younger than 13, so the argument here is that Google is fully aware that their terms of service are being ignored.
Some believe that the minimum age requirement is nothing more than an easy get-out for Google to say that it’s out of their hands, but with data being collected on a platform where media is obviously suitable for children aged younger than 13, the question of ethics is being asked.
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News Corp has agreed to buy the consumer arm of educational publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for $349 million, marking the media company’s second deal in less than a week.
The deal adds a portfolio of high-profile novels from authors such as George Orwell, Philip Roth and J.R.R. Tolkien to News Corp’s HarperCollins Publishers division. The Wall Street Journal on Sunday reported that the companies were nearing a deal.
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Mineral companies are trying to make batteries, and it’s not exactly clear why. Lithium Australia is the latest company in the growing list of mineral extraction firms that are branching out into battery manufacturing.
They are partnering with the Very Small Particle Company (VSPC), which creates Nano scale metal oxides for lithium-iron-phosphate electric vehicle batteries. (Is your tongue twisted yet?) VSPC has spent almost two decades to develop the most advanced cathode production technology for the development of lithium-ion batteries.
This partnership will provide Lithium Australia’s technology base with the exposure it needs to the battery production clans. It also reaffirms their goal to become a “vertically integrated lithium producer.”
Currently they use a process called SiLeach that can extract lithium from silicates that are discarded by traditional extraction processes. They are also looking to develop lithium-ion battery recycling facilities, as well as looking at lithium extraction in the country, as well Germany and Mexico. Their decision to buy VSPC’s cathode power production assets is a crucial step toward securing their goals.
Trends with Mineral Companies:
And Lithium Australia is just one of many mineral companies that are moving in battery parts manufacturing.
Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithiu is one of the world’s leading lithium producers, and has been producing lithium-ion batteries through its subsidiary since 2007. Canada’s High Power Exploration (HPX) has a share in Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB).
Canadian lithium producer MGX Minerals also acquired another battery maker, ZincNyx Energy Solutions, which is looking to launch zinc-based products soon.
What This Means for Mineral Companies:
Mineral companies will benefit from the increased needs for battery in electric vehicle and stationary energy storage markets.
Producing their own batteries may place them in competition with their customers. There is a lot of potential revenue, and many of the manufacturing ventures are from companies that do not have much leverage in the mainstream battery industry. This means that there is less at stake for mining companies.
They choose to focus on specific components to give them an edge in the battery technology market. There are great potential profits for those who can break into the industry. Transparency Market Research estimated that the global lithium-ion battery market was $30 billion in 2015, and would raise to over $75 billion by 2024.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley expect global car sales rise by 50 per cent by 2050 to over than 130m units a year. They believe that electric vehicles will account for 47 per cent of that total amount.
The shortage of lithium has led to prices doubling since 2015. Lithium-ion batteries include other materials such as magnesium, manganese, and cobalt oxide – making this an ideal fit for mining companies.
Deep, Dark prices of The Energy Revolution:
Companies promise to incorporate non-threatening metals such as zinc and nickel. While this may seem only ecological in nature, it comes at the expense of exploitative practices on mine workers. We enjoy the benefits of technologies, but rarely acknowledge or accept how they are made.


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A recent report out of Android Authority claimed LG would focus strongly on the quality of the upcoming V30 smartphone’s camera as it’ll have a massive f/1.6 aperture and improved software controls. This is all but confirmed in a new press invitation the company is sending to media outlets, as originally noted by ZDNet.
As you can see, LG has formally confirmed the V30 naming and the fact it’ll focus on the camera. “Lights. Camera. Action.” is the company’s tagline for this event, it appears. While no additional information is given, we do get confirmation the event will be live-streamed on the company’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
LG earlier confirmed the V30 would feature a 6-inch Quad HD+ FullVisoin OLED display, while the device is also expected to come with a Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage all sealed inside a glass body. Its design leaked yet again yesterday in new videos.
We’re still a bit over three weeks away from seeing the device officially, but expect more V30 goodness in the meantime.


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*Tries really hard to think of a giant vegetable related innuendo*
Award-winning giant vegetable grower Kevin Fortey (described as ‘the proud owner of a 4ft marrow’ *snigger*) has be chosen as the official grocer for a new restaurant opening in Alton Towers.
Kevin, who comes from a long line of Welsh giant vegetable growers, told us: ‘I’ve been fascinated by my entire life. I grew my biggest ever marrow this year, weighing over 12st, which is the current UK record, and it was a huge achievement.’
As well as his giant marrow (stop that!), Kevin has also grown a 1000lb pumpkin. To put that into perspective, it could make a stomach-busting 8,056 slices of pumpkin pie.
But if you want to try some of Kevin’s super-sized veg (and who wouldn’t?), you’ll have to be patient., as The Crooked Spoon (which will be in Alton Towers new Enchanted Village) doesn’t open till April 2015.


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About a month ago, just after the FIFA World Cup had commenced, I came across a friend's Facebook post that seemed to be garnering a lot of likes... ...http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/the-big-game-114071101284_1.html
Report by Kishore Dash, Bhubaneswar: A hardcore Maoist, who was also a close aide of rebel leader like Bunty, was arrested in K.Singhpur police... ...http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=51644
Multi-purpose vehicles formed a fringe segment not so long ago amongst individual car buyers. Except for small pockets of popularlity, MPVs were... ...http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/smartbuy/automobiles/mobilio-now-part-of-the-joint-family/article6201457.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication
AFP Ishant Sharma tightened India's grip on the first Test with a three-wicket burst that led to an England collapse on the third day at Trent... ...https://in.news.yahoo.com/cricket-indias-sharma-sparks-england-slump-151025073.html
Renault.co.in Renault India has launched a new edition of its much acclaimed Duster in the country, as a part of the second anniversary of its... ...http://www.ibtimes.co.in/renault-launches-duster-second-anniversary-edition-india-price-availability-details-604217
Burn PS3 Games
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Home Interests and Games Video Games...
Where to purchase PS4 online? It is...


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Though low sales of Apple Watch were reported in Q3, Juniper Research has reported that about 2 million units of the device have been sold so far. Despite the share price dip and speculations about the “flopping” of the smartwatch, retailers believe that it is going to a big seller for Christmas.
The iPhone and iPad which have been sold in millions had fears of being “saturated”, but they continue to drive sales with its popularity. CFO at Apple Luca Maestri stated that the contribution of Apple Watch accounted for well over 100 percent growth of the category. Maestri added that this was due to the fall in sales of iPod and other accessories. While smartwatch makers like Pebble, Song, Samsung and others were gaining ground by selling around a million smartwatches, Apple Inc leads itself in smartwatch sales.
For instance, in the third fiscal quarter of 2015, Apple generated $10 billion in profit and $49 billion in revenue. Apple Watch was assigned to the other category in the results. In Q3 2014, the other section made over $1.6 billion, rising to $2.6 billion, which is likely due to the sales of the Apple Watch. It was also stated that iPods sales went down, and the minimum of $465 per device can definitely raise the revenue. From the average selling price of Apple Watch and year over year revenue, about 1.5 million to 2.5 million units are expected to be sold.
Jonathan Marsh, head of John Lewis’ technology acquisition division, said that wearables in general and the Apple Watch would be the “must have” gadget this year. Analyst Cantor Fitzgerald also described it as the “go-to-gadget” during the Christmas season. Device analyst of Juniper said that the device marks the most successful smartwatch to date. This indicates that about seven million Apple Watch devices are expected to be sold by the end of 2015, after the boost in sales during the Christmas period.


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Ford Focus RS Development on hold
Ford has just announced that development of the 2015 Ford Focus RS has been temporarily shelved, as the company concentrate on other projects. Although the Focus RS wasn't even officially approved, many still had hopes of seeing a version within the next few years, especially with Ford's new global design platform.
It is thought that Ford is working on several new projects, including even more advancements to the Focus ST, the crossover SUV the Escape/ Kuga, and the company's Electric and energy efficient models such as the Focus.
Image credit: p_a_h (flickr)


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UK distributors are calling for the army to be mobilised to prevent the imminent breakdown of the country’s food supply chain, due to a critical shortage of HGV drivers. The Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) warned this week that its members are struggling to get food deliveries out to the supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, schools and care homes that they serve. Some convenience stores have been forced to put up signs warning customers of empty shelves due to the lack of […]
Bakery brand Warburtons has found the next best thing since sliced bread and rolled out its first 16-tonne, 100% electric Renault Trucks D Z.E.
Gist is offering up to £5,000 to HGV drivers joining the business from August in a bid to boost driver numbers and ensure continued deliveries to key customers, including Marks & Spencer.
HGV traffic in Great Britain dropped to just 25% of its normal levels at the height of the lockdown in April, but had almost bounced back to pre-Covid levels by July, new figures reveal.


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Reliance announced its JioGigaFiber internet services in July 2018 and commenced registration for it in August last year. While the service is yet to be launched commercially, it is being tested in some cities. It includes free access to the internet for a deposit fee of Rs 4,500. Now, quoting a person aware of the development, LiveMint reports that the company will offer a combo service consisting of fiber, landline and TV services for Rs 600 per month. There could also be some additional facilities, along with an option to connect about 40 devices to Jio GigaFiber’s smart home network by paying up to Rs 1,000.
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McKenzie Buick GMC is eagerly awaiting the reveal of the all-new 2014 GMC Sierra this December.
Online PR News – 27-October-2012 – Milton, FL – McKenzie Buick GMC is pleased to announce that GM will be completely redesigning the Sierra for the 2014 calendar year. This will be the first redesign since 2006. This full-size pickup, along with the newly redesigned Chevrolet Silverado, will be revealed at an undisclosed location in Detroit on December 13 of this year.
Public viewings will begin in January of 2013 when the full-size truck will be displayed at the North American International Auto Show. Sometime later in the year, as of now unspecified, the GMC Sierra will hit dealership showrooms across the country, including McKenzie Buick GMC.
As of now, the new designs are masked in secrecy. Speculation varies from theorist to theorist about almost everything—including possible new technology packages, powertrains, interior and exterior designs, etc. One theory is that much of the technology used for the new C7 (2014 Corvette) engine will also make appearances in the engine of the Sierra. (The C7 will sport a Gen V small-block V-8 engine.) But this is only guesswork; not even McKenzie Buick GMC knows the details!
While you wait, head down to McKenzie Buick GMC today and check out our extensive inventory of trucks and other vehicles. And don’t forget to keep connected with all the updates regarding the all-new 2014 GMC Sierra by liking McKenzie Buick GMC on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mckenziemotors and by following along on Twitter at http://twitter.com/McKenzieBuickGM.
About McKenzie Buick GMC
McKenzie Buick GMC is located in Milton, FL and has been proudly serving the Milton and Pensacola areas for years. McKenzie offers new and pre-owned vehicles at low prices and with superior customer appreciation. At McKenzie, the goal is to make the car buying experience easy and enjoyable so that the customers are smiling on the way in and as they drive out.


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Nepal's widening trade deficit of Rs 900 billion in last fiscal year
KATHMANDU: The country has witnessed the trade deficit of around Rs 909 billion in the last fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The trade deficit with India has crossed Rs 600 billion while the volume of trade deficit with China is Rs 128 billion in the last fiscal year. Similarly, the country had the trade deficit of Rs 182 billion with other countries.
The stakeholders said that the trade deficit was increasing year by year for lack of promotion and marketing of exportable goods.
At a meeting of the Industry, Commerce and Consumer Rights Protection Committee of the Legislature Parliament held Thursday, the lawmakers said that the picture of country's trade deficit was depressing and suggested a strategic plan to reduce the widening trade deficit.
On the occasion, Minister for Commerce Min Bahadur Bishwakarma said that the matter of trade deficit equal to country's annual budget was unfortunate.
Generally, Nepal imports petroleum products, iron, steel, gold and other products including food items worth around Rs 100 billion annually.


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The music labels are about to get into the Apple iTunes renegotiation dance, again, and this FT story suggests that they will be asking the company to start music subscription services, something the company has avoided since the start. Universal Music, the largest record company, sits down at the bargaining table with Apple next week. Sony-BMG, Warner Music and EMI, have either commenced talks or are going to soon, the story says citing sources.
The labels think subscription is more lucrative and stable: It would also entitle the labels to a share of monthly payments, in addition to small licensing fees each time their songs are played. Also, another thing Steve Jobs hates, or at least used to until last year: Record companies may also renew their request for variable pricing on iTunes as they try to ramp up their digital profits.
Meanwhile, in a related story, CNNMoney.com’s media blog quotes Les Ottolenghi, CEO of Intent MediaWorks, a P2P digital media service, saying he’s had meetings with people from Apple and he believes the company will announce a subscription service for iTunes within the next six months. Of course this is the Nth time this rumor and speculation has come around.


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Joe Taschler and Karen Herzog / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MILWAUKEE — Got whey?
From infant formula and protein supplements to sports drinks and nutrition bars, whey — the nursery rhyme food that was once a ditch-dumped byproduct of cheese making — is taking on growing clout as a global food ingredient. And food scientists are seeking even more uses for the protein-dense product that can help build muscle and lean bodies.
The Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison last week picked up a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to develop higher-value whey products for export, including new products for fast-growing Asian markets. Researchers also will be working to develop healthier dairy-based alternatives for school lunches in the United States.
The timing of the $1 million research grant couldn’t be better: Technology is helping unlock more of the nutritional value of whey as the number of mouths to feed grows across the planet.
“The technology is advancing to the point where it’s becoming even more of a valuable product for the dairy industry than it was even five years ago,” said Jen Pino-Gallagher, agricultural market development manager for the Wisconsin agriculture department.
The value comes from separating the protein in whey from its less valuable lactose, minerals and fat.
Currently at the top of the whey value chain is 90 percent-plus protein powder, followed by 80 percent protein powder, 34 percent protein powder, sweet whey and dried lactose-mineral permeate, said Dean Sommer, a cheese and food technologist at the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research.
Cheese is made by adding enzymes to milk, causing it to separate.
The curds that form are used to make cheese, leaving behind whey protein in the liquid part. The liquid whey is then pasteurized and typically dried into a powder.
Increasingly, cutting-edge technology isolates the protein from the liquid whey and captures it for high-value uses.
K.J. Burrington, dairy ingredient applications coordinator at the University of Wisconsin dairy research center, spends a lot of time in a laboratory figuring out new uses for whey, including its less in-demand components.
For instance, 80 percent of permeate — the lactose-mineral mix left after protein is isolated from whey — is now used for animal food. Only 20 percent goes into food for people. But recently, researchers have been working on developing permeate into a healthier alternative to salt, because it has a salty flavor.
“The reduced sodium (in permeate) was kind of a surprise,” said Burrington, who has worked on whey for 15 years. “It wasn’t really on anyone’s radar” until around 2000, she said.
Whey research at the University of Wisconsin center and elsewhere has evolved in the past 20 to 30 years. Whey initially was dried and sold as a relatively inexpensive protein filler in foods, and was fed to animals, said Sommer.
“That was before we realized the nutritional benefits and functionality of whey,” he said.
Whey protein has a clean, neutral flavor, so when it’s used in food manufacturing, it adds little or no taste, Sommer said.
“Whey proteins are the most nutritionally complete proteins known,” Sommer said. “That’s why body builders use whey proteins for muscle building and muscle repair, and recovery after strenuous exercise.”
Products with whey protein as a major source of protein list “whey protein isolate,” “whey protein concentrate” or “hydrolyzed whey protein” near the beginning of the ingredients list. Look for it in smoothies, oatmeal, soups, sauces, dips and baked goods.
The low-carb movement of the early 2000s put protein in the spotlight to stay. But the focus has evolved.
A diabetic watching his or her glycemic index, or someone trying to lose fat while preserving muscle, may benefit from whey protein.
Ryan Dorn, a sales associate at Elite Nutrition in Milwaukee, pours a smoothie that includes whey protein. The protein-rich product is being incorporated into more food products.
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The holiest plant of the Christmas season may be a raggedy shrub with peeling bark that seems to grow best in a dusty backyard in Tempe, Ariz. This is Boswellia sacra, better known as the frankincense tree. The shrub’s gum resin is one of the three biblical gifts that the wise men bestowed on the infant Jesus. Until recently, Americans who wished to cultivate their…
The reality: That is not true, said Dr. Richard Koller, a Bend neurologist. A sneeze does increase the pressure inside the skull a little bit, he said. People have worried that sneezes may kill brain cells because other things that increase pressure on the brain, such as some types of stroke, can lead to brain cell death or even the death of the person. However,…
In this occasional feature, we explore the origins of Central Oregon place names. To suggest a place name for explanation, contact Julie Johnson, jjohnson@bend bulletin. com or 541-383-0308. What: Three Sisters family of volcanoes Where: Cascade Mountains west of BendIt's no secret that the Three Sisters define Bend's alpine skyline. Majestically snow-capped in the winter, starkly fascinating in the summer, the mountains are three links…
A barred owl that drew crowds of onlookers while swooping around at Farewell Bend Park earlier this year may well be dead. The owl was seen from mid-January into last month, regularly hunting for mice and voles along the Deschutes River just upstream of the Old Mill District. It then disappeared about a month ago. Two photographers found a dead owl March 3 about 10…
Q: Why do some vegetables, such as cooked diced carrots, spark when I reheat them in the microwave?A: Microwaves work by sending out electromagnetic waves that vibrate the water, fat and sugar molecules in food, creating heat. The microwave generates an electric field, but the intensity of the electricity varies throughout the microwave. When you cut a carrot into small pieces and heat them in…


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A new report out of SamMobile is definitely one you should take with a hand full of grains of salt, but according to their source, Samsung is “worried” about the Galaxy S 4 build quality. As HTC chose to use an aluminum body with the One, Samsung is concerned that their device build isn’t up to par.
According to the SamMobile insider, Samsung even produced an aluminum body that was “very popular internally” but Samsung wouldn’t have been able to mass-produce the device and release it on their intended time-frame, so they went with tried and true plastic. It was back on March 5th that Samsung’s Y.H. Lee, executive Vice President of Samsung’s mobile business explained that the company wasn’t just considering hardware strength when consider
“When Samsung looks at what materials to use, it isn’t just taking into consideration the aesthetic quality of the device, Lee said.” Lee went on to say that Samsung also takes into consideration “how quickly and efficiently it can manufacturer a product, knowing it will have to ship a high volume.”
That quote lends a little credence to the SamMobile source, which says that Samsung will look at upgrading the hardware for the Galaxy Note III. In fact, the source says Samsung “will not use the design guidelines for the Galaxy S 4″ for the upcoming device which is now said to sport a 6” 1920×1080 AMOLED display, Exynos 5 Octa CPU, LTE connectivity and 13-megapixel camera.
So what’s the reader verdict? Would you love to see a non-plastic Galaxy series moving forward?


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Apple announced iOS 8 a few months ago. It was an indication of the software finally becoming more open and flexible with features such as extensions, third party keyboard, widgets and interactive notifications. Other than the interactive notifications, Android has had those features for years. Only difference is that they are implemented differently.
Google announced Android L a few months ago. It was an indication of the software finally becoming more beautiful as well as simpler for the basic user. It includes features such as lock screen notifications, more animations & attractive design, remote wipe, heads up & actionable notifications. Other than the actionable notifications, iOS had those features for years. Except with different names.
Do you see my point here?
Both iOS and Android are coming closer to being much more similar. iOS is being more powerful, open and flexible meanwhile Android is becoming simpler, more attractive and appealing to a basic user.
iOS users are saying "wow Android is finally catching up".
Android users are saying "wow iOS is finally catching up".
Truth is both operating systems are catching up, except in different ways.
The difference between iOS and Android will be smaller than ever when Google L is released to the public. And although the difference will be a lot smaller, users of either OS will just never stop complaining.
The OS no longer matters
The focus currently goes way beyond the phones. Both companies know the potential of having an ecosystem and tying as many customers as possible into their ecosystems before it's too late. In a few years from now, most people would want to have their phones, cars, tablets, televisions and computers all connected together. Apple and Google aren't only racing to get into as many of these platforms as possible, they're trying to make their devices as attractive as possible to get you tied into their ecosystem.
Think about it, if someone has an iPhone, Apple TV and a Macbook with all his apps already purchased from the App Store. What will his next phone be? Even if he finds that the Samsung Galaxy S8 is a better phone than the iPhone 7S (who knows what they'll be called in 3 years?) he will still end up buying the iPhone 7S since it's syncing and more compatible with his current devices and app purchases. It's a similar case with Google. It's the reason why Google announced Android L, Android Wear, Android Auto and Android TV. They're trying to suck us into their ecosystems as early as possible so that when our devices are all connected together and work perfectly together we would be their customers and it would be very hard to leave.
Both Apple and Google are rushing to get as many users on board as possible. And although the competition between them is tight, they aren't the only two companies preparing for the "internet of things". The sale of a new smartphone means very little in comparison to another user getting tied into a company's ecosystem. It's what they actually care about right now.


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We’re used to hearing that our computers can be hacked. Less commonly known is that our vehicles, too, can also apparently be hacked, thanks to the ever-expanding technology that aims to connect drivers to the outside world. Those dashboard computers and other software systems, unfortunately, also let the outside world in – and it may not always be with good intent.
The bug was uncovered by two security researchers and a reporter for Wired.com, who agreed to be a test subject in a series of tests in which the hackers were able to access central vehicle functions such as steering, transmission and brakes while the vehicle was in motion.
Now, Fiat Chrysler has issued a 1.4 million product recall to install updated USB drive with a software update to close the hacking loophole.
In addition to all this, an agreement struck by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to resolve a series of previously-mishandled recalls resulted in the biggest ever package of fines and penalties. It also includes a requirement to undergo an independent monitor of safety programs, as well as a buy-back program of several hundred newer-model trucks.
Our Spartanburg auto injury lawyers know this is the latest in what has been a heavy-handed crackdown on the auto industry for recalls that were delayed, mishandled or outright refused.
Other safety lapses have included the defective ignition switch produced by General Motors for more than a decade, now linked to more than 120 deaths and thousands of injuries. Additionally, airbags produced by Japanese manufacturer Takata resulted in a recall of 40 million vehicles across the world.
Fiat Chyrsler, meanwhile, is accused of significantly downplaying or ignoring critical safety issues that posed a major threat to drivers, passengers and others who share the road.
A review by the NHTSA of 23 separate recalls by Fiat has been “unprecedented.” The company is accused not only of improperly delaying the recalls, but also in failing to make sure the repairs were actually carried out.
For example, when the company recalled thousands of its Jeeps in 2013 for concerns that rear-end collisions could result in dangerous fires, it did not initiate a comprehensive action to make sure customers knew of the problem and the need for repair. As of now, not even 20 percent of those vehicles have been fixed.
As a result of this and other safety lapses, the company has been ordered to pay $105 million in fines and penalties. They also initiated a trade-in incentive and a buy-back program in an effort to get dangerous vehicles off the road.
The trade-in incentive covers many of the 23 recalls initiated by the company, but the buyback program only covers three, which pertain to pickup trucks and some sport utility vehicle models with suspension issues that might lead to a sudden loss of steering control.
Company executives say they are studying steps taken by GM after their widespread safety problems were uncovered to determine what the next steps should be.
Contact the Carolina injury lawyers at the Lee Law Offices by calling 800-887-1965.
Fiat Chrysler Aims to Repair Broken Safety Program, July 29, 2015, By Paul A. Eisenstein, NBC News
More Blog Entries:
Report: Hackers Remotely Control Jeep on Busy Highway, July 22, 2015, Spartanburg Car Accident Lawyer Blog


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Ripple & Euro Exim BankFebbraio 4, 2019
Last January 13th I informed you about the new partnerships announced by Ripple. 13 new organizations have joined the RippleNet payment network. They are: Euro Exim Bank, SendFriend, JNFX, FTCS, Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Transpaygo, BFC Bahrain, ConnectPay, GMT, WorldCom Finance, Olympia Trust Company, Pontual / USEND and Performance. To date, there are over 200 global partners who use RippleNet.
Among them stands out Euro Euro Exim Bank, is a bank based in London mainly focused on the provision of financial services for export and import companies. It is the first bank in the world to use xRapid, a Ripple-registered solution that facilitates cross-border transactions. xRapid was officially launched in October.
Thanks to xRapid, cross-border transactions take place within minutes and at a lower cost than traditional methods, which take days and involve high commissions due to currency exchange. Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, said recently that he expects a growth in the number of banks that will start using xRapid during 2019. To date, Euro Exim Bank is still the only one.


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News - Cryptopay cards to be blocked
Cryptopay debit cards may soon stop working. The provider's license has been revoked.
The debit card provider for Cryptopay, UAB PayrNet, has lost its license as an e-money institution, so according to an email to its customers. It is not yet clear when the cards will be blocked.
The balances in the app's accounts are safe, the company said. Still, users should withdraw their balances quickly.
Amounts transferred to the debit card will be affected. Otherwise, "this problem will not affect your Cryptopay account, which will continue to run as usual."
According to Cryptopay, users will also get the money back directly from UAB PayrNet.


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Photographer Shocked When His Image was Used for the New iPhone 6 Wallpaper
Imagine the surprise if your photo was being used on the new promotional images of the iPhone 6 as it was announced earlier this week. Photographer Espen Haagensen was in for the shock of a lifetime as the opening images of the new iPhone 6 were released and his Milky Way photo was used for the new product announcement.
I do quite a lot of starscapes and Milky Way shots but this was the first time I brought a decent wide angle and full size tripod to Demmevass,” he told 9to5Mac’s Michael Steeber. “There was a rather big moon so the Milky Way was faint, but around midnight there were some skies and the moon disappeared and I was able to capture a nice series.
Haagenson’s photo of the Milky Way has been added to the release of an iconic Apple product launch and will grace millions of customers hands come September 19th. Quite the kudos by Apple as the photo was first published on 500px where it originally gained popularity and eventually noticed by the company. The photo was taken while on a yearly excursion to the Norwegian Tekking Association where a group stays in the hut pictured in the original photo below, which was later removed by Apple. Apple contacted Espen for non-broadcast use and then upgraded the license to broadcast in July.
Obviously quite the honor for any photographer to have his worked attached to such an iconic company during a new product launch especially Apple. See the comparison photos below along with the promotional images of the iPhone 6/6 Plus as they were announced earlier this week.
Be sure to check out more of Espen’s landscape and nature photography here on his website.
[via Business Insider]


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Apple recently announced a new product that could prevent users from giving away their email ID to every other site on the internet. It’s expected to launch sometime later in 2019. Called “Sign-in with Apple,” it is similar to other Single Sign-on services provided by Google and Facebook. The button lets you login to websites […]
The post Are SSO Buttons Like “Sign-in With Apple” Better Than Passwords? appeared first on Fossbytes.
from Fossbytes http://bit.ly/2Im1Jgn
Fossbytes – Fresh bytes of technology and more


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Since the implementation of Data Protection Act in 2018, the approach behind the use of data has changed dramatically. Our clients and customers don’t just want a great experience, they also want to make sure they can trust us. Tweet This! And it makes perfect sense in the present time and space. But as data is considered a key factor in positive customer experience, the U.S. brands and agencies have found it to be increasingly complicated to earn customer trust while rem...
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The sub-sector is seen as a rare bright spot in the current environment, particularly as the outbreak pushes more people to work remotely, contributing to a long-term trend of rising demand. The boost is expected to be broad-based, helping software companies, communication firms, and chipmakers that focus on data-center products, which are processors used in cloud computing.The lasting impact of COVID-19 could actually be a net positive,” wrote Richard Baldry, an analyst at Roth Capital Pa...
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PayPal says they will now accept refund requests filed by angry Wicksteed Park concert ticket holders after the companies behind the events went bankrupt.
M&B Promotions were due to hold a series of events at Kettering Park this summer, but last week they and ticket sellers Simple Ticketing Ltd went out of business.
All scheduled concerts, including a Comedy in the Park event and a Craig David show, have been cancelled, and those who had shelled out hundreds of pounds for tickets have been told to contact PayPal or their bank for a refund.
Hundreds of people said they were denied a refund from PayPal after making it because it was “out of date”, with people usually having 180 days from the date of purchase to file a refund. claim, leading Kettering MP Philip Hollobone to offer to take up the claims on behalf of his constituents.
But now, after being inundated with calls and complaints from people across the country, the payments service has said it will accept and consider complaints made after the 180-day deadline – and will contact those they have previously rejected.
A PayPal spokesperson told the Northants Telegraph“Most of our customers use PayPal every day without any problems, but sometimes things don’t go as planned and that’s why we offer our Purchase Protection program. Customers have 180 days from the date a payment to report a problem with their purchase under PayPal’s Buyer Protection program.
“Given the exceptional circumstances, we have decided to accept and consider Purchase Protection requests after the 180-day deadline for customers who used PayPal to pay Simple Ticketing for event tickets.
“We will use our discretion to issue goodwill refunds to customers who have eligible complaints under the Buyer Protection Program.
“We will contact customers who have already made a complaint, including those whose complaints we have previously rejected beyond the 180-day period. We will also consider other complaints.
“We would like to thank customers for their patience as we process their complaints in these exceptional circumstances.”


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Sharon Honjiyo has joined Holland America Line as director, marketing communications. She is responsible for overseeing the company’s advertising, e-marketing and collateral materials. Honjiyo will report to Mary Beth Wressell, vice president, marketing communications.
Most recently Honjiyo was employed by Hornall Anderson, the graphic design firm that develops Holland America Line’s brochures and marketing materials.
Honjiyo’s relationship with Holland America Line predates her stint at Hornall Anderson, having been a member for more than nine years of the senior leadership team at DDB Seattle, which was the line’s advertising agency for many years. Prior to that, she worked on Holland America Line business at the company’s direct-marketing agency. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from San Francisco State University.
For more information, visit www.hollandamerica.com.


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Everything Everywhere has hit the switch on its 4G mobile broadband network in the UK, promising to deliver services in 16 cities by Christmas.
On Tuesday, the operator announced its new 4G LTE network, with the aim of reaching one-third of the UK's population by the end of 2012. As part of the launch, Everything Everywhere is changing its name to 'EE', which will cover the new super-fast broadband business and operate alongside its existing Orange and T-Mobile brands.
The 4G service has been switched on in four cities — London, Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham — with 12 others to follow. These are: Belfast, Derby, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and Southampton.
"All eyes will be on the company once the rollout gets under way. For it to be an attractive proposition for consumers, it requires a good degree of network coverage, an attractive range of handsets and easy-to-understand pricing," Matthew Howett, practice leader of Ovum's regulatory team, said in a statement.
"From what we learnt today, EE certainly seems to have done everything right on the first two, but pricing will not be known until the firm launches in a few weeks' time."
At its event at the Science Museum in London on Tuesday, EE revealed the 4G-enabled handsets that it will start offering on its plans. These are: Samsung Galaxy S III LTE, the recently unveiled Windows Phone 8 handset Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820, HTC One XL and the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE. It will also carry the Huawei E589 Mobile Wi-Fi and the Huawei E392 Mobile Broadband stick.
Handset retailer Carphone Warehouse welcomed the launch, pointing out that the UK has fallen behind other countries in providing the fast mobile broadband services. Phone, laptop and tablet makers have not been able to release their 4G-tailored products in Britain, and the problems Apple ran into with describing its last iPad are one example of the problems they face.
"The UK has lagged behind other countries in the development of 4G, which is why we very much welcome the launch of EE. There is no doubt this will give a much needed boost to the industry and economy and help put the UK back at the forefront of mobile technology and innovation," Graham Stapleton, chief commercial officer at Carphone Warehouse, said in a statement.
"Our customers are increasingly using their smartphones and tablets to browse the web and 4G will bring ultra-fast internet speeds that will significantly improve this experience."
Alongside the 4G network, EE said it will introduce fibre broadband services to provide super-fast speeds over fixed-line connections.


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If one looks at the tablet market, you will notice it’s completely dominated by Apple. Android tablets do exist, but they aren’t really mainstream, with only Samsung holding the fort with the Galaxy Tab series. The problem isn’t really with the manufacturers, but with Google itself, as Android is woefully unprepared to directly complete with iOS on the tablet space. Apple has steadily updated the iPad to make it a real laptop competitor, with features like Stage Manager. So, anyone who’s in the market for a decent tablet experience has no incentive to go for anything in the Android camp.
Although Google knows this, and they have been quietly developing their own Pixel tablet, with enhanced features.
Recently, the Android 13 QPR1 beta dropped, and developer Kuba Wojciechowski spotted a new animation, which showcases the upcoming Pixel tab in a smart hub mode, with a dock. There were rumors a while back, of a dockable slate that would let the Pixel tab double as a smart hub.
Google already sells the Nest Hub, which essentially is a tablet and a connected speaker unit. The Nest hubs adds a range of functionality, like controlling your smart devices, using the ‘Hey Google’ prompt, news and weather updates, and more. Google has a lot of incentive to bring this feature to the upcoming Pixel tab, as other than giving users a shiny new dock mode, it would also help Google sell more dock slates.
Here's the setup page I mentioned earlier for docking your tablet, complete with the second animation I showed before at the bottom. pic.twitter.com/W2UNWLpZRB
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) September 8, 2022
Mishaal Rahman, from Esperdev, was able to find another animation which gives a bit more information on functionality. As the setup page shows, users will be able to use Google Assistant, even with the screen off. Like on the standard Nest Hub, users can also customize the docked display with pictures, clock faces and more.
Google Also Working on a ‘Pro’ Version of the Pixel Tablet
At the recent Google I/O, the company briefly showcased the Pixel tab, which is their second release after the Pixel Slate, in 2018. Surprisingly, Google’s own Pixel Slate then didn’t run Android and instead was powered by Chrome OS.
As for the upcoming Pixel tablet, it is confirmed to run Android out of the box. According to rumors, the Pixel tablet is supposed to be a low to medium spec’d device, to keep the retail price down. Although this might disappoint people looking for a true replacement to the iPad in the Android camp. Thankfully, the Pixel tablet might not be the only tablet release for next year, as Google could be working on a Pro version too.
Another thing is the existence of another, higher-end tablet. It is referred to as “T6Pro” or “tangorpro”, while the known tablet is “T6” or “tangor”. It seems to be in its early development stages, and the code doesn’t currently indicate any changes over the regular model. pic.twitter.com/2Fz7ob9LF7
— Kuba Wojciechowski :3 (@Za_Raczke) September 8, 2022
The Pixel tablet is internally referred as Tangor and T6, and recently Developer Kuba Wojciechowski also found a new device with the codenames Tangorpro and T6Pro in the Android 13 QPR1 Beta 1. Tangopro or T6Pro likely points a Pixel Pro tablet variant under development.
If the Pixel tablet indeed turns out to be an entry-level device, it would make sense to develop a pro variant that can actually go head-to-head against some of the iPads. Meanwhile, Google has been quietly laying the software groundwork for its upcoming Pixel tablets and foldables.
At the recent Google I/O conference, the company showcased a host of new software features for Tablets, in Android 13. One of the biggest additions was a newly designed Taskbar in the UI. Apart from that, there are also several improvements to multi-tasking, with a new drag and drop feature and improved split screen mode. Even the notification tray has been updated to use the extra screen space on tablets more efficiently.
While we don’t know any other specifications of the Pixel tab, Google did confirm it would be powered by their in-house Tensor SoC. Even the Pixel Tab Pro, if it exists, will likely run a faster version of the Tensor chip.


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Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is quietly tiptoeing past an important milestone. The leading video service has sent out 4 billion DVDs since rolling out its original mail-based rental platform in 1999.
That’s a lot of optical discs, but Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) isn’t shouting the milestone from the rooftops. There was no press release. There was no blog post. There was no questionable Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) posting by CEO Reed Hastings.
Earlier this month, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) merely alerted what are now just 8.2 million disc-based subscribers of the milestone by slapping the achievement on its DVD mailers.
To DVD or not to DVD
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is mailing out fewer DVDs with every passing quarter, so the path from here to 5 billion will be longer than the one it took from 3 billion to get here. Since peaking two years ago, Netflix’s pool of DVD renters has been shrinking sequentially at an alarming pace.
|Q3 2011||13.93 million|
|Q4 2011||11.17 million|
|Q1 2012||10.09 million|
|Q2 2012||9.24 million|
|Q3 2012||8.61 million|
|Q4 2012||8.22 million|
It’s not just Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) that’s seeing waning interest in DVDs and Blu-ray discs. Studios have been suffering declining retail sales. DISH Network Corp. (NASDAQ:DISH) is closing far more Blockbuster video rental stores than it thought it would be shuttering since acquiring the chain out of bankruptcy two years ago, and it recently pulled out of the kiosk business when Coinstar, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSTR)‘s Redbox took over the Blockbuster Express.
Redbox is the only name growing in DVD rentals, but that growth is padded by a late 2011 rate increase and the 2012 takeover of the Blockbuster Express machines. Analysts see revenue growth at Coinstar slowing to just 4% next year, when results will be more organic.
All of these moves seem to validate Netflix’s shift away from optical discs. The bulk of its marketing is steering video buffs to its streaming smorgasbord, where Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) doesn’t have to worry about making subscribers wait for content or foot the bill for round-trip mail shipments.
The move has paid off. Over the past year, Netflix has seen its global streaming accounts climb from 23.5 million to 33.3 million as its disc-based subscribers have contracted by 3 million.
However, that doesn’t mean Netflix should turn its back on the service that put the company on the map. Even in its shrinking state, DVDs remain a competitive strength at Netflix.
Let’s go postal
Doing business by mail has never been ideal. DVDs get lost or damaged in transit. It takes subscribers at least two days to get a new rental after mailing one out. There are also some current developments that will make the process slower and more expensive — namely, the move to eliminate Saturday deliveries and a recent move to increase first-class postage rates.
Shouldn’t Netflix just shut down its disc-rental business? Maybe the move to spin that off as a standalone Qwikster service wasn’t so crazy after all.
No! There are still plenty of good reasons for Netflix to keep its original DVD service going. If anything, Netflix should be more active in promoting the service.
For starters, nearly 7 million of Netflix’s 8.2 million DVD accounts also subscribe to the streaming service. Put another way, a quarter of Netflix’s growing domestic streaming business relies on Netflix for DVDs. Even if streaming is the future, Netflix doesn’t want to upset those 7 million double-dippers who are Netflix’s largest customers.
Streaming will also always be limited in selection. Even as Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) spends 10 figures a year on digital content, there is a lot of content it will never get. Redbox just entered the digital market, and it makes fresh content available through its kiosks. Four nightly DVD credits are included in its monthly rate. Netflix’s fiercest rival in streaming smorgasbords is Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) , and Amazon offers new releases as digital rentals a la carte. Netflix has stubbornly refused to go that route, so it needs to keep discs as a way for video buffs to get the hottest current content.
DVDs are also a more profitable business for Netflix, and not just because the company is losing money overseas. The contribution profit from its 8.2 million DVD accounts was greater than the profit generated by its 27.2 million domestic streaming accounts this past quarter. That trend will shift this quarter, but as a scalable model, Netflix should be promoting its DVD business to keep its highest-margin business steady.
Finally, we can’t forget the ton of data that Netflix has amassed through DVD rental patterns. Netflix gets smarter with every billion DVDs it sends out, and not just in the way it can serve up more efficient recommendations. Keeping DVDs alive helps Netflix gauge the content that its streaming customers would want to access digitally. That helps Netflix prioritize licensing negotiations.
It will take Netflix a long time to get to 5 billion DVDs mailed out, but when it does, let’s hope that this time it does shout from the rooftops.
The article 4 Reasons Netflix Shouldn’t Kill DVD Rentals originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Rick Munarriz.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Amazon.com and Netflix.
Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Smurfit Kappa Sees Revenues Rise, Profits Fall In H1
Paper-packaging group Smurfit Kappa has reported a 5% year-on-year increase in revenue, to €4,233 million, for the first six months of 2017. However, group operating profit fell by 8%, to €358 million, while EBITDA decreased by 4%, to €569 million.
Smurfit Kappa has seen strong demand in Europe so far in 2017, with volumes of corrugated packaging growing by over 2.5%. The group also reported strong volume growth in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil, while Argentina and Venezuela remained challenging.
However, the company notes that high demand in Europe and the Far East has resulted in recovered-fibre costs continuing to increase, up nearly 20% in the first half of 2017, compared to the same period last year.
“We are pleased to report a good set of results for the first half, which were achieved against a backdrop of continued and unprecedented recovered-fibre cost inflation of approximately €75 million year on year," said Tony Smurfit, group CEO. "We are in the process of recovering these input costs as we move through the remainder of 2017 and into 2018."
The company completed investments of €177 million during the first half of the year and expects to spend over €400 million by the end of 2017.
It says that growth and cost-reduction investments will continue to improve the prospects of the group across all its business areas.
“While recovered-fibre cost pressures present short-term challenges, Smurfit Kappa Group is better positioned today than at any other point in our recent history," added Smurfit.
"Our capital structure, our asset base, and our integrated business model continue to strengthen. This will enhance our ability to translate today’s market conditions into improved earnings in 2017 and beyond."
The company has increased its interim dividend by 5%, to €0.231 per share.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.


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Stubbs Alderton & Markiles doesn’t just offer legal services to startups. The Southern California law firm aims to foster their growth, too.
The firm is expanding its early-stage accelerator, called the Preccelerator, to accept more digital media and technology companies into the program, expand the benefits it offers, and invest in the startups as well as others.
In addition, Peter Csathy, chairman of the digital media strategic advisory and business development firm CREATV Media, will join the Preccelerator’s board of directors to lead its investment strategy and oversee investments.
The Preccelerator has graduated 22 companies from five classes so far, the majority of which were accepted into larger accelerator programs and incubators or successfully raised seed funding. The program offers co-working space at its Santa Monica office, education, networking, mentorship and legal services from Stubbs Alderton, which aims to help the startups grow from a business concept to a funded company.
The latest class included Ballerz World, an online marketplace dedicated to basketball; StyleMD, which helps users find a fashion stylist; and PlaySpaceVR, which brings comic books to virtual reality.
“While the Preccelerator has seen a lot of success, we want to continue to foster the growth of our early-stage companies,” said Scott Alderton, chairman of the Preccelerator and managing partner of Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, in a statement. “By adding more companies, formalizing our class structure, expanding benefits and providing initial seed capital, we will give them a greater shot at success.”
In addition to Csathy, Greg Akselrud will also join the Preccelerator’s board of directors. Stubbs Alderton partner Louis Wharton will be promoted from director to president, and Heidi Hubbeling, the law firm’s director of marketing, will be upped from director of operations at the Preccelerator to COO.
Click here to get the free daily L.A. Biz newsletter and breaking-news alerts.


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The Unsplash Swift SDK by Camden Fullmer allows developers to integrate the Unsplash API into their Swift applications. This SDK requires iOS 9.0+ and Xcode 7.2+. It is still under development and not yet ready for production use.
Perhaps that Bing-Yahoo search deal is paying off. Even though Maps and Flickr aren't known to be part of the deal, Microsoft has connected its Bing Maps to the Flickr API in a unique way. It overlays geotagged Creative Commons photos over its current StreetSide imagery, as shown in the video embedded below.
A competitor created an export tool for Flickr ex-patriots, so the photo sharing site shut down the Flickr API developer key. The Google Plus developer page makes some wonder if the "real" Google Plus API is coming soon. Also: questions about the Google Safe Browsing API, free cloud database and 15 new APIs.
Well, maybe not forever. But Wednesday's announcement that popular iPhone photo app Hipstamatic can now post their snapshots directly to Instagram's photo sharing network is pretty huge. This marks the first time the Instagram API has allowed a third-party app to add content to its growing social network, clocked at 27 million registered users earlier this month. For developers who couldn't wait for Instagram to publish its API (resourceful hackers reverse-engineered the system back in December, 2010), this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.


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YAKIMA, Wash. -- The Better Business Bureau is warning residents about door-to-door sales in their neighborhood, especially for magazines or alarm systems.
While some companies may be legitimate, the BBB says you should not feel obligated to sign-up or buy something right at the moment a sales representative makes a visit.
The BBB says there has been an increase in calls from homeowners in the area about people trying to sell them magazines or alarm systems.
"Get the company's information. Ask for a brochure, ask for that representative's name, a phone number where you can reach them, a business card," said Chelsea Dannen, spokesperson for the BBB serving Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Montana. "They should have all of those materials available for you, if it's a legitimate company."
The following companies are ones the BBB lists as having been reported in the region, including Yakima. However, they're not saying these companies are involved in any type of a scam:
- Stryke Alarm System
- Devcon Security
- Vivint, Inc.
- Vision Security
- Pinnacle Security
If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe about a door-to-door salesperson, the BBB says to contact your local police department.
For more information and to get tips about a company, click here, for the Better Business Bureau's web site.


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Julia Wheeler swapped Montreal for Milan and says there are some unspoken truths about the reality of relocating.
Elon Musk's X has added 'formerly Twitter' to its App Store description as users continue to struggle with its rebrand
The app has changed its description on the app store from "Blaze your glory" to "Formerly Twitter", after the chaotic rebrand of the social media platform.
Starbucks baristas and customers express frustration over ill-fitting dome lids in viral TikTok videos.
Jack Dorsey-backed Bluesky sees record sign-ups after Elon Musk suggests a paywall for X. Here's how it works.
Bluesky's user numbers saw a dramatic increase after X owner Elon Musk suggested adding a paywall to his platform, according to a tracking site.
Elon Musk continues to let go Twitter workers charged with making the platform safer as advertising revenue plummets.
'He simply wants to kill the platform': Some X users are threatening to quit the app after Elon Musk suggested he might move it behind a paywall
Elon Musk has suggested yet another shakeup for X, formerly known as Twitter: a new paywall
TikTok has been hit with a $368 million fine by European regulators for breaching data privacy rules. The platform was criticized for reportedly failing to protect children's privacy.
Elon Musk inadvertently started beef with Ice Cube after a seemingly innocuous meme, which led the rapper to compare Twitter to a flaming dumpster
Elon Musk shared a meme joking about Ice Cube's name, but the NWA rapper fired back with his own meme comparing Twitter to a flaming dumpster.
I make up to $20,000 a month as a full-time traveler. I started posting my adventures on Instagram and have funded my way to 159 countries.
Tom Grond started traveling full time in 2012 and hasn't stopped. He's visited 159 countries and earns up to $10,000 a post working with brands like Google.
An online exchange between China's 'Lipstick King' and a viewer over the affordability of an $11 beauty item shows just how messed up the country's economy is
Livestreamer Li Jiaqi told a viewer they should reflect on whether they have been "working hard enough" if their salary hasn't increased in years.
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Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra, is gearing up to introduce a digital assets regulations bill. Lawmakers in the small European country have announced a closing date for amendments to the “Digital Assets Bill” that was first proposed last year in the Andorran General Council.
Speaking to local news outlet Diari d’Andorra, David Montané, the general counsel of the Democrats for the Andorra party and one of the promoters of the text, stated that work done so far on the bill has encompassed many aspects of the digital assets market.
“It has been a complex period because it is a very technical law that we wanted to regulate many aspects of this digital world,” Montané said.
The proposed bill has two major aspects: laying the legal framework for the government to launch its own token or “programmable digital sovereign money” as the lawmakers call it, and regulating private digital assets in the country.
The government says that the CBDC will serve as a means of payment for the general public and a new form of bond issuance. According to Montané, thanks to blockchain technology, one of the benefits of issuing bonds on the CBDC platform is that costs will be greatly reduced.
This would aid in democratizing investments, the lawmaker added. On the regulation of digital assets, Andorra plans to classify them as financial instruments and create an environment where blockchain and distributed ledger technology can be regulated.
Andorrans want the adoption of digital assets to go beyond regulations
While the bill still has opponents in the parliament, it has sparked optimism among digital assets enthusiasts of the approximately 77,000-nation. For Paul, a resident of Andorra and the founder of digital currency-focused startup 21Million, the bill could pave the way for the country to adopt a digital currency standard.
In a blog post, Paul opined that Andorra could benefit immensely from a digital currency standard as it would free it from wanton money printing by the European Central Bank (ECB), which has been diluting its strong economy. Despite not being a member of the European Union, Andorra’s official currency is the euro.
He also makes a case that holding the country’s reserve in BTC can help Andorra maintain its sovereignty without having an army and without depending on Spain or France to assist it in the event of outside aggression.
Meanwhile, Andorra has long been open to integrating blockchain technology. Back in 2019, Andorra Telecom, the national telecommunication company, partnered with a Spanish non-profit association to deploy blockchain technology into its internal processes, including user data storage and a rewards system.
Watch: The BSV Global Blockchain Convention panel, Blockchain for Digital Transformation of Nations
New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeek’s Bitcoin for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoin—as originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto—and blockchain.


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BHUBANESWAR: Even as genuine customers in the city are forced to wait for a month to get an LPG cylinder delivered after booking, many others bank on a flourishing black market to get a refill within minutes, though at a much higher price.
There are several shops at Bomikhal-Laxmisagar Road, Indra Dhanu Market, Cuttack-Puri Road, CRPF Square and Bapuji Nagar, among other places, which ensure that buyers get their LPG refill within minutes by paying Rs 850 to Rs 950.
"You give me an empty cylinder of any company and I can get you a filled one," promised a middleman in Indra Dhanu Market.
There is a price variation in the black market as well. "Those charging lesser price unload a few kg of gas from cylinders and sell them. I guarantee the full weight of 14.2 kg. That is why I charge Rs 950," said a shopkeeper at GGP Canal Road.
People fear that black-marketing will increase with the latest capping of six subsidized cylinders per user.
"Since a seventh cylinder will cost around the same as in the black market, why would one wait for a month to get it? Instead, people would prefer the immediate delivery by a middleman," said Bikash Swain, a resident of Brit Colony.
The middlemen explained that delivery boys of the LPG distributing companies give them filled cylinders for a commission. LPG distributors, however, accused customers of black-marketing. "Many families with twin-cylinder connections don't use the total cylinders they avail. Instead, they divert them to the black market for a price. Black-marketing at the distributors' end is almost non-existent," said Pabitra Mohan Sahoo, an LPG distributor in the city.
Many road side eateries, tea stalls and restaurants also use domestic cylinders though they should use the commercial cylinders of 19 kg available at Rs 1530 each.
It is mandatory for the gas delivery boys to come with portable weighing machines and measure the cylinders in front of the customers. However, few actually do it. "I didn't know such a provision exists," said Rashmita Pradhan, a housewife.
LPG distributors said the delivery boys do carry such weighing machines. "Such machines are mandatory. In case customers notice any discrepancy, they can lodge complaints in the same phone numbers in which gas cylinders are booked," said All Odisha LPG Distributors' Association general secretary Biswanath Mukherjee.
After the recent restriction on total number of subsidized cylinders, distributors will give three subsidized cylinders between September 14 to March 31.
"There is no change in process of booking. People will get the first three cylinders in this period in the ongoing subsidized rates and have to pay the market price after that," Mukherjee added.
Representative of oil companies in city declined to speak on the trade and black marketing citing they were not unauthorized.
Indane corporate communication head Alakh Singh said the companies are yet to get detail guidelines from the government on marketing gas after the latest change in policy. He, however, declined to speak on other issues.


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Times paywall: it's still early days but what do the numbers say?
News International has finally published some numbers about its paywall experiment on The Times and Sunday Times websites. Our report today says the figures "will be closely scrutinised by rival newspaper groups" and indeed they have been. Media observers and bloggers have thrown in their opinions too.
Most commentators have noted that the figures from News International are vague and that what NI has omitted is at least as informative as what's included. Here's what NI says:
"News International today announces that the new digital products for The Times and The Sunday Times have achieved more than 105,000 paid-for customer sales to date. Around half of these are monthly subscribers. These include subscribers to the digital sites as well as subscribers to The Times iPad app and Kindle edition. Many of the rest are either single copy or pay-as-you-go customers."
The first thing to note is that NI has not issued monthly figures, which would be normal procedure for websites and newspapers, but has published an aggregate. The second thing to note is that the statement does not specify the time period over which these sales have been made. It seems sensible to assume that the period in question is the last four months – since the introduction of the paywall – but note that the figures include subscribers to the Kindle edition of The Times, which has been on sale to US readers since last year.
Breaking these numbers down shows just how much is missing. Tim Glanfield, at Beehive City, has gone through the figures thoroughly:
"Well for a start, that doesn’t mean that 105,000 people are currently subscribed to the websites or have the iPad and Kindle applications active … no, the numbers that have been released are far more fluffy than that. We’re told by News Int that ‘around half of these are monthly subscribers’ – so can we deduce from this riddle that the Times and Sunday Times websites combined have 50,000 current monthly subscribers? … No. Why not? Because the 50,000 number includes ’subscribers to the Times iPad app and Kindle edition.’ Oh, my head hurts. Right then, well rumour has it that there are around 45,000 Times iPad app users … so if you removed them from the total, we’d be left with around 5,000 monthly paying web subscribers, right? … wrong. It’s not that simple."
Even if you can get to the bottom of the numbers, the key question is how much money those subscribers are bringing in. That's another key bit of data that NI leaves out. Some Times users have paid as little as £1 for 30 days access to the website, while others paid £9.99 for a month of iPad access but got two months free and so on. Dan Sabbagh, writing at the Guardian, has attempted to turn the numbers into cash and suggests an income of £5.5m a year, gross. Sabbagh writes: "Hmm, given that the advertising revenue lost could be in the £10m to £20m range, that suggests there is a long way to go."
Adam Tinworth doesn't see much cause for optimism in the numbers:
"Partially I'm surprised, because nobody seems to be comparing acquisition cost to revenue, as well as the technology development needed to sustain this effort, and are treating the revenue as all money to be spent on journalism. Or, indeed, how much advertising revenue they've lost. But mainly because, well, I think those numbers will go down, not up."
Whether the numbers go up or down is crucial. It won't surprise regular readers of this blog to learn that I, like Adam, think the numbers will go down, or at least stay flat. NI says it is "early days" and clearly expects significant growth.
They'll need it. They are making less from their paywall site than they would have made from a free one. And competition online will continue to grow, with new players offering sites that will be free to readers and very agile when it comes to selling web advertising. Acquiring new readers will get harder for paywall sites, not easier.
But it is still too early to judge. If anyone has the determination to stick with a plan, it's Rupert Murdoch. The question is whether he will be as successful at driving prices up in the coming years as he was at driving them down in the 80s and 90s.
EU's new copyright leader doesn't believe private copying should exist
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March 11th, 2011 21:30


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PSINet will pay $720 million in cash and stock for Transaction Network Services. The total includes $351 million in cash and up to 7.8 million PSINet common shares
Headquartered in Reston, Va., TNS is a leading global ecommerce service provider. The data-clearing house reportedly processes more than 20 million transactions per day from 2 million different Web-based businesses. TNS handles more than 70 percent of the electronic sales transactions in the U.S.
William L. Schrader, PSINet chairman and chief executive officer, said acquiring TNS enables PSINet to fulfill the company’s global expansion plan.
“This transaction represents the first combination of a market-leading ecommerce enterprise with a global facilities-based Internet service provider,” Schrader said.
“Combining PSINet and TNS creates the leading global provider of ecommerce and Internet solutions to businesses worldwide, and enables PSINet to better access the $1 trillion marketplace for ecommerce services.”
TNS currently has operations in Ireland, the UK, Sweden, France, Australia, and Japan and is expanding its business worldwide. The purchase by PSINet will allow TNS to expand its international reach of services while operating over PSINet’s global backbone.
Schrader said the vertical integration of TNS’s ecommerce transactions with PSINet’s global connectivity services is a coup for entrepreneurs seeking to outsource services.
“PSINet’s global reach significantly enhances TNS’s market presence by immediately adding 16 global markets for their services. As financial institutions continue to outsource their critical web hosting capabilities to both TNS and PSINet, we can exploit this vertical marketplace by providing end-to-end solutions over our worldwide network,” Schrader said.
John McDonnell Jr., TNS president and chief executive officer, said the deal allows his company to expand its services with efficient data transport, an essential element to further penetrating the ecommerce marketplace.
“TNS is known for its ability to deliver leading edge technology to its customers as they expand their businesses. It is clear that virtually all of our customers are playing an increasing role in the electronic commerce space,” McDonnell said.
“TNS is committed to providing an innovative transport infrastructure to support them as they move their businesses forward. We see this acquisition by PSINet as a strategic way for TNS to meet that objective.”


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Though frustration abounded yesterday morning, everyone unable to get Virgin Mobile FreeFest tickets during the exclusive pre-sale could at least look forward to 10 a.m. today, when tickets to the free music festival were made available to the general public.
But for many, the technical problems on Ticketfly—-restricted access, error messages, unprocessed transactions—-happened again, leaving hordes of angry Deadmau5 fans ready to raise their weapons…of outraged Internet comments, that is! To Facebook!
Once more, however, it seems that fierce competition alone is what made the tickets so hard to get. Audrey Schaefer, spokesperson for promotional company I.M.P., says that tickets disappeared in one minute this morning. Since only a human can like Virgin Mobile Live on Facebook—-the sole requirement for securing a ticket—-Schaefer chalked it up to an “absolutely huge” demand.
You can still procure a ticket via one of two ways: Either by volunteering eight hours of time with associated charity organizations, or paying about $50, which additionally gets you some souvenirs and puts the rest of the money toward fighting youth homelessness.


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Christmas came early last year for Sushisamba. In December, the sky-high South American-Japanese restaurant located on the 39th floor of Heron Tower in London received a coveted certificate from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to sell authentic Kobe beef. As one of the few restaurants in the world to serve this strictly controlled first-class beef, Sushisamba celebrated in style with three special Kobe dishes: 1kg of the premium meat served on a hot stone with dipping sauces, pickled plums, sake and wine-pairing advice (£1,000 for parties of at least four), a robata-grilled ribeye with kabocha, kuromitsu and mustard cress (£144 for 160g) and the A5 Kobe, a selection of either nigiri and sashimi (£24, first picture) or a temaki hand roll (£26).
The festivities have now cheerily continued into the New Year. Kicking off on Monday January 19 is Kobe Week, a seven-day homage to these purebred bovines from the mountainous region of Japan’s Hyōgo Prefecture, to be held regularly during the third week of each month. The inaugural six-dish menu will be a real showstopper, with all the delightfully innovative plates – and ingredients – that Sushisamba is famous for. A Kobe Mini Burger (£6) with brioche and horseradish mayo, for example, is topped with a fiery aji amarillo, while a sashimi-style tiradito (£19) is layered in a zesty yuzu emulsion that promises to be, according to executive chef Cláudio Cardoso, “almost like a béarnaise, but with yuzu”. Also on Cardoso’s debut menu will be Kobe with, variously, Peruvian chocolate and foie gras (Kobe Tataki, £44), macadamia and gold (Kobe Tatare, £25), pickled wasabi and citrusy ponzu (Kobe Tamari, £13, second picture) and Peruvian corn and aji panca (Kobe Flank Anticucho, £140). “The idea obviously is to highlight the Kobe in every dish,” says Cardoso, “but also to play around with ingredients that pronounce and enhance the Kobe flavour. Here is a meat that’s quite exclusive and fatty, and you have to find the strategy to benefit from that.”
The menu will change every month, each one introducing six to 10 new dishes – a feat that will be helped along by changing laws making different cuts available. With such cuts – not to mention offal, including heart, tongue and tail – comes a plethora of possibilities, says Cardoso, who envisions a chance to invent up to 80 dishes a year. “Kobe has not been around the world that much and few western chefs have the opportunity to discover the meat,” he enthuses. “It’s a way for us to understand what connections are possible with Kobe… and to see what the best and most successful dishes are for our menu.”
Finally, for die-hard purists or those simply struck by the nostalgia for a classic ribeye, Sushisamba’s original three Kobe dishes will stay on the menu – so that, if one truly wished, every week could in fact be Kobe week…


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SEN CHIZ ESCUDERO LAUDS PANA FOUNDATION AND THE WINNERS OF PANANAW AWARDS 2023
(L to R) Gigi Tibi, Chito Sobrepeña, Blen Fernando, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Willy de Ocampo, UP Tacloban College representatives, Adi Hernandez, Prof. Barnett Balberia, JC Catibog, Grace David, RG Gabunada
The much awaited PANAnaw Awards 2023, the annual brand communications competition among college students nationwide organized by the country’s biggest organization of advertisers, is now open for registration.
Congratulations to all the winners of #PANAnawAwards2022.Our grand winner is University of Santo Tomas with their campaign “I can’t wait; let’s make it happen”. 1st runner -up is the University of the Philippines, Visayas with their campaign “Re-experience Excitement”. 2nd runner-up is De La Salle University Dasmariñas with their campaign “Take the Chance”. 3rd runner-up is De la Salle College of St.Benilde, Antipolo and the 4th runner-up is San Beda University. Thank you also to all the schools who participated!
PANAnaw Awards2022 goes LIVE today at 1pm. Witness the presentation of the 5 finalist schools vying for the most effective, creative and implementable brand communications campaign for Travel Club with member company Primer Group executives and industry rockstars as judges. Let us support all the schools who made the cut. Spot the brightest talents and watch them exhibit their marketing skills. Tune in https://www.facebook.com/PANAFYouthCreativityFestival
PANAnaw Awards 2020
November 27, 2020 (Friday) promises a day of learning and collaboration between the experts and the young minds of the industry.
Bear witness to the creativity and innovation of the industry’s future leaders at the PANAnaw Brand Communication Students Competition.
Join this exciting whole day affair for FREE. Follow us and click to join: https://www.facebook.com/PANAFYouthCreativityFestival
See you there!
From these 12, five (5) schools will be chosen to present their proposed brand communications campaign to a panel of industry luminaries. Witness the display of grit and wits as the students defend their masterpiece. Register to watch it happen on the last day of the Youth Creativity Festival on Nov. 27. Don’t miss this!
PANANAW AWARDS CELEBRATES 20 YEARS: A BRAND COMMUNICATIONS COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS
Since its inception, PANAnaw Awards has been designed by PANAF (Philippine Association of National Advertisers Foundation) to bridge the gap between academe and industry. Designed to train and inspire tomorrow’s marketers, it calls on college students every year to participate in a competition that showcases their key learnings in school to be rendered into a full blown brand communications campaign. Invaluable learning and insights have been gained from this endeavor as attested by past student participants.
The competition runs across a period of five months.
Way before the schools are invited to participate, PANAF conceptualizes a theme which the students will work on. There were years when the theme involved social issues i.e. sustainable tourism, launching the Pinoy to the World or responsible use of social media. At other times, real consumer products were tapped. Social advocacy or otherwise, the interest of the students is the primary consideration. The key though is that it is relatable and actionable which means that it is good substance for the development of a communications plan that is relevant and timely. The invitation to the schools is disseminated only after a final theme is agreed on by the PANAF board. Colleges and universities nationwide are called upon to participate and are enticed with cash prizes and prestige that go with winning.
A product brief or a social brief which is meticulously prepared is released to the schools to equip them with the necessary background and data enabling them to be creative, resourceful and inspired.
PANAnaw Awards has been known as the most prestigious brand communications students’ competition and rightly so since it is organized and ran by industry practitioners who have dedicated themselves to effective brand building and communications.
The competition culminates with selected finalists pitching their ideas through live presentations to a distinguished panel of judges comprising of academe, marketing and industry related professionals. In the past, it had also representatives from the branches of government with stakes on the topic. Over the years, people from the Department of Tourism, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Health and Department of Education have attended. This power cast have provided students with comprehensive industry grasps, invaluable realizations and the incredible opportunity to be employed by some of the country’s leading marketing firms.
Building brands that help build a nation has been the battle cry of PANA, the mother organization of PANAF. Prepping the current educators and future practitioners at grassroots level ensure that values of responsibility and truthfulness are inculcated early on. It is PANAF’s vision that when the time comes that the students become the leaders, the country has better chances of it being in good hands. PANAnaw Awards provides the platform for PANAF’s three pillars of development which are education, technology, and values formation.
One of the immediate plans of PANAF is the introduction of PANAnaw Awards to the senior high school track challenging them into making documentaries on socially relevant issues. Since the industry has shifted technologies further expanding the marketing and advertising sectors, it is also imperative that the right values are in place for virtual presences and partnerships. Such partnerships will hopefully use digital technology to augment the Foundation’s goal to reach out to digital natives who need guidance in the branding field.
PANAnaw Awards is all about educating and training young minds to the right direction- responsible brand building- in an exciting yet fun and fair competition.


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Our government has implemented some restrictions on importing TV parts in India because of the extension of making India projects. Kodak TV decided to invest Rs 500 crore in a fully-automated TV manufacturing plant that will be finished in the next three years.
This fully-automated plant will be established in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh with integration and R&D center. The production will be expected from half a million to 1 million sets a year if the plant operates at the end of 2021.
Avneet Singh Marwah, Director, and CEO, Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd (SPPL), a Kodak brand licensee reveals a lot of information about this project. They are now partnered with Google and got the license for Android TVs Kodak Televisions. They are taking initiative for global production. They exceed up to 60 percent of the total raw material production of making India projects.
They will invest big on machinery for the molding of TVs which will make them the first TV manufacturers to start molding for 50-inch and above-led TVs in India.
Marwah announced that they would invest almost Rs 150 crore for accuracy and efficacy for the automated line which provides a state-of-the-art television line. For the coronavirus pandemic, the manufacturing process has changed significantly and automation and AI-based technology will raise. More robotic lines and automation processes reduce the chance of infection with the generation of new 2,000 more jobs.
LG and Samsung have not opened their display lines this year due to the lack of raw material supply. This is the first step of the automated generation of TV in India. Implementation of new rules by the government pushing all the technology farms towards the Make in India project which led to the development of raw material and components. The value addition will increase to 30% according to the company.