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If you’re tired of scrolling through endless emails to find the one you’re looking for, Gmail has some good news for you. The app is rolling out a new AI-powered feature that will make your searches more accurate and efficient.
According to a blog post by Google, mobile Gmail, users will soon see a “top results” section when they search for old messages or attachments in their app. This section will be powered by Google’s machine learning algorithms, which will use the search term, some recent emails, and other “relevant factors” to find what you’re looking for.
Google said the feature was “highly requested” by users, and that it will be available to all Gmail mobile users over the next two weeks. The post solely refers to the mobile version of Gmail, leaving uncertainty about whether the browser-based version will include the addition of the "top results" feature.
This is not the only update that Google has announced recently. The search giant also revealed its plans to introduce a new viewer mode feature in its video communication service, Google Meet. This feature will allow users to designate participants as “viewers” when creating Calendar invites. Viewers in a meeting are participants who are unable to share their audio or video during the session.
According to Google, the introduction of viewer mode aims to minimize distractions and foster a focused atmosphere during extensive meetings. By implementing this mode, disruptive audio interruptions will be reduced, allowing participants to fully concentrate on the speaker and the content of the meeting.
Google has been investing heavily in AI and machine learning, as evidenced by its I/O developer conference in May, where it announced several new AI features and services. Some of these include LaMDA, a natural language model that can converse on any topic; MUM, a multitask unified model that can understand complex queries across text, images, and videos; and Bard, an AI chatbot that can generate natural responses based on context.
Google is also facing competition from other players in the AI field, such as OpenAI, which released its popular ChatGPT model in November 2022. ChatGPT is a generative AI system that can produce coherent and engaging texts on various topics. Reports suggest that Google is rushing to catch up with ChatGPT, and plans to integrate Bard into its search engine in the future.
With these developments, it seems that Google is determined to make AI an integral part of its products and services. Whether this will improve user experience or raise ethical concerns remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: AI is here to stay, and Google wants to be at the forefront of it.


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Products | December 30, 2020
First Power Management IC for Laptops with UHD Display Panels
MagnaChip Semiconductor Corporation (“MagnaChip”) (NYSE: MX), announced today a new line of power management integrated circuits (PMIC) by introducing its first UHD display panel PMIC for laptops.
This is a product release announcement by MagnaChip Semiconductor. The issuer is solely responsible for its content.
PMICs are integrated circuits that include multiple power management functions within a single chip, and they are frequently used to power space-constrained devices where high-efficient and compact form factors are required. They are essential for battery-operated devices since the battery life depends on the efficiency of the PMIC’s power management capabilities. MagnaChip entered the market ten years ago, and since then it has developed and delivered industry-leading PMIC products for a variety of applications, including BLU drivers for TVs and AC Directs for LED lighting. Today, MagnaChip’s PMICs are widely recognized in the industry for their advanced technology and outstanding quality. The newly released UHD display panel PMIC for laptops incorporates the company’s latest PMIC technologies. For instance, the new PMIC controls electricity consumption through I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) technology, which ensures that functions such as dynamic voltage management, on/off block, protection circuit fault flag and switching frequency transition in UHD display panels are performed seamlessly. The new PMIC is a monolithic IC which includes one boost regulator for the power supply to source and gate drivers, three high-current buck regulators for power supply to a timing controller, two Op-Amp for gamma buffer and one each positive and negative charge pumps. This level of integration results in smaller and faster electronic circuits. Other features include fast transient response and enhanced circuit protection measures. Therefore, the new PMIC can help address changes in current consumption and protects devices from damage with functions such as: over voltage protection, short circuit protection, under voltage lockout, over current detection, over current limit and thermal shutdown. In addition, the new PMIC also offers constant current mode and dynamic switching frequency, which gives product designers more flexibility in meeting specific requirements of application. “PMIC design requires sophisticated technologies and we are proud to unveil our new PMIC for laptops, which incorporates our 10 years’ experience and technology leadership in the industry,” said YJ Kim, CEO of MagnaChip. “Our product roadmap will include possible expansion of our portfolio to address specialized display requirements from the tablet and OLED TV manufacturers, both of which are high growth potential markets.”
Cree expands its operations leadership team SiC technology specialist Cree is expanding its operations leadership team as part of the company's growth and capacity expansion plans and planned retirement of Rick McFarland, Cree’s Senior Vice President of Global Operations, in the Summer of 2022.
Diode Dynamics expands with new 70,000 sq. ft HQ facility. Automotive LED lighting manufacturer, Diode Dynamics, has announced the construction of a new 70,000 square-foot headquarters facility. The project is located on 10 acres within the Fountain Lakes development in St. Charles, Missouri, and is expected to open this fall.
Sponsored content by Shenzen Kinwong ElectronicThe development trend of printed circuit board products and Kinwong's solution With the rapid development of electronic technology in recent years, printed circuit board (PCB) products are pursuing higher heat dissipation capabilities, with high voltage and high current characteristics, and are developing towards high-density interconnection technology (HDI).
NXP sees its 2Q revenues jump 43% YoY "NXP delivered second-quarter revenue of $2.6 billion, an increase of 43 percent versus the year-ago period, and better than the mid-point of our guidance.” says Kurt Sievers, NXP President and CEO
Infineon sees increase in revenue despite headwinds “Demand for semiconductors is unbroken, as they play a key role in enabling the energy transition and digitalization. Currently, however, the market is faced with an extremely tight supply situation,” Dr. Reinhard Ploss, CEO of Infineon says in the company's quarterly report.
Transphorm closes JV transaction for acquisition of AFSW Wafer-Fab Transphorm, a supplier of gallium nitride (GaN) power conversion products, has close of the transaction for the acquisition of 100% interest in the company’s AFSW wafer-fab facility by GaNovation, Transphorm’s recent joint venture with Palo Alto-based JCP Capital, a new strategic-financial partner.
SK Siltron to invest $300 million in Michigan expansion SK Siltron CSS, a semiconductor wafer manufacturer, plans to invest USD 300 million and create up to 150 high-paying, skilled jobs in Bay County, Michigan, over the next three years.
Sponsored content by ICAPE GroupICAPE Group Service Office in Asia In a context where traveling can be difficult, finding a good partner for your production of electronics parts can be a real challenge. With its unique organization and a Headquarters in China where all the key services are located close to the factories and fully operational, ICAPE Group provides a global solution.
Adjusting the gain of a fixed-gain difference amplifier Question: Is it possible to increase the gain of a fixed-gain difference amplifier?
Shortages, strategies and the future - a Q&A about a crisis Following a number of articles and analyst reports covering the current ongoing semiconductor crisis, Evertiq reached out to Chintan Sutaria, president of quoting and supply chain software provider CalcuQuote, to pick his brain on the topic.
RF manufacturer orders multiple solstice plating systems ClassOne, a provider of semiconductor electroplating and surface preparation systems, has received multiple tool orders from an unnamed RF device manufacturer.
Siltronic to expand with second 300 mm fab in Singapore Siltronic announces that the company has decided to build a second 300 mm fab at its site in Singapore to support the strong demand of the tight semiconductor market.
STMicro manufactures first 200mm SiC wafers in Sweden STMicroelectronics has manufactured the first 200mm (8-inch) Silicon-Carbide (SiC) bulk wafers for prototyping next-generation power devices from its facility in Norrköping, Sweden.
SkyWater to invest $56M in Minnesota capacity expansion SkyWater Technology's Board of Directors has approved USD 56 million in capital investments to expand the capacity and capabilities of its Minnesota facility and to accelerate the company’s entry into the 200 mm GaN market.
Silicon Labs completes sale of Infrastructure & Automotive business Silicon Labs announces that it has completed the divestiture of its Infrastructure & Automotive business to Skyworks Solutions for USD 2.75 billion in an all-cash asset transaction.
Strong improvement for RoodMicrotec Semiconductor supplier RoodMicrotec's total income during the first half of 2021 amounted to EUR 7.3 million, which is 36% above the total income of the same period 2020 and 12% higher than the total income reported for the second half of 2020.
TSMC says its to early make a final decision on German expansion Semiconductor foundry giant TSMC says that it’s too early to say whether the company will expand with new factories in Germany and that discussions are still in early stages.
Sivers Photonics invests to expand capacity Sivers Photonics, a part of Sivers Semiconductors, is looking to expand it manufacturing capability and capacity with a fab investment of up to GBP 3 million in 2021.
Molex goes with FUJI NXT series pick-and-place machines Molex CVS Dabendorf GmbH has decided to use the NXT III placement machine from FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH.
Inductor current measurement in switched power supplies Question: How do you measure inductor current?
Fingerprint Cards partners with Mouser Electronics Swedish biometrics company Fingerprint Cards has entered into a collaboration with global distributor Mouser Electronics.
GF CEO on Intel rumour: “There’s nothing to that story” In an interview with Jon Fortt from CNBC, GlobalFoundries’ CEO Tom Caulfield sets the record straight regarding the Wall Street Journal’s report of a potential USD 30 billion acquisition by Intel.
Applied Engineering to set up JV operations with Malaysian counterpart US-based Applied Engineering (AE) will be establishing a joint venture (JV) plant with Malaysian counterpart, QES Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd. (QES) in Batu Kawan Industrial Park, Pulau Pinang later this year.
GlobalFoundries to build new fab in upstate New York The semiconductor manufacturer says that it will build a new fab in Malta, New York in a private-public partnership. The new fab willl "double the site’s capacity" and create more than 1'000 new direct high-tech jobs.
MKS completes its acquisition of Photon Control MKS Instruments has completed its previously announced acquisition of Photon Control Inc.
Renesas to close its Yamaguchi factory next year Renesas says that it has decided to consolidate the Yamaguchi Factory (located in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan) of its wholly owned subsidiary, Renesas Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. at the end of June 2022.
Intel looking to buy GlobalFoundries for $30 billion? US chipmaker Intel is reportedly in talks to acquire semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries for some USD 30 billion, reports the Wall Street Journal citing sources familiar with the matter.Load more news

domain: news


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What to Watch for at Apple's IPhone Event: Apple is hosting its annual splash on Wednesday to unveil a new version of its most-important product, the iPhone. The company has also used the occasion to update customers, analysts and investors on its performance and other products—and this year will probably be no different. Bloomberg's Cory Johnson reports on "Bloomberg Markets," September 8, 2015.
If you are interested in attending the Apple September 9th event online, here are your options for LIVE coverage starting at 1:00 PM ET (US):
- Online at apple.com - Live streaming uses Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology. HLS requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Safari on iOS 7.0 or later, a Mac with Safari 6.0.5 or later on OS X v10.8.5 or later, or a PC with Microsoft Edge on Windows 10. Streaming via Apple TV requires a second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later.
- Live blogs: cnet.com, theverge.com, and others
- Apple iPhone Event LIVE Coverage with commentary: https://twit.tv/live starts 10AM PDT (converter)
- Apple's iPhone 6S: The peak of smartphone boredom? - CNET: "With few physical changes expected in the next iPhone, it's become emblematic of a problem with the broader smartphone industry: It's just not that exciting anymore ... a new iPhone is no longer a must-have item."
- The next Apple TV puts company in rare role: Playing catch-up - CNET: "Apple's Internet-connected-television device hasn't been updated in three years. A new box, expected Wednesday, will give Apple fans what they've wanted -- and what everyone else already enjoys."
- One comment: "Sorry but there’s nothing game changing about overpricing your product. I personally wouldn’t mind paying $200, but it has to be completely deserving of its price tag and as of now, it doesn’t look like that’s the case."
- Another comment: "The Chromecast [total cost: $35] was a game changing device because it was so cheap but has all the functionality of an Apple TV and then some. Most people don’t want to shell out $200 for a TV box because they simply aren’t necessary anymore."
- Force Touch-capable displays
- new Rose Gold color option
- 12 megapixel cameras with 4K video recording support
- "more efficient" Qualcomm wireless chips
- "faster" A9 processors with double the RAM and "better" battery life
- "improved" front-facing cameras for FaceTime.
Apple, however, will not be introducing a new 4-inch “iPhone 6c” according to 9to5Mac.
Pricing for the new iPhones? Sorry you asked. With contracts going away at most wireless carriers, Apple iPhones will no longer be competitively priced compared to Android smartphones which often have superior performance and features. Expect to pay premiums of $300 to $600 more for a new iPhone than an equal or superior Android smartphone from Motorola, HTC, Huawei, Xiaomi, Samsung, LG, and others:
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus prices on release date: 16GB, 64GB, 128GB | BGR: "the iPhone 6s will sell for $649, $749 or $849 while the iPhone 6s Plus will cost $749, $849 or $949."
See also on Domain Mondo:
- Apple, iPhone Vulnerability, Product Concentration, $AAPL Unsustainability (August 4, 2015)
- Apple Watch, Apple Music, Apple #FAILS? $AAPL, Google Search Trends (July 5, 2015)
- The Problem With Apple $AAPL (June 8, 2015)


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Despite being bogged down by strike, strife, violence and lockouts at Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant since 18th July, the company sales have done exceedingly well in the past month. Sales were up 9.2% for July 2012 with the company dispatching 82,234 units as compared to 75,300 units in July 2011. Domestic sales alone stood at 71,024 units during the month while this figure was only at 66,504 in the same month in the previous year.
Much of this success could be attributed to popularity of company compact sedan Dzire of which 11,413 units were sold while sales of M800, Alto, WagonR and A Star showed a decline by 23.7% as figures stood at 28,998 units. Sales of Maruti Suzuki SX4 saw a 70.5% dip in demand as sales stood at only 679 units in July 2012 and while the company expected much from their luxury sedan Kizashi they managed to sell only 2 units. Exports were also equally positive for the month of July 2012. Numbers were up 27.4% with the company dispatching 11,210 units in July 2012 as compared to 8,796 units in July 2011.
The company is now contemplating what to do next where their plant at Manesar is concerned. It was recently announced that workers will not be receiving their salary for July period of lockout. Monthly wages for the period prior to the incident will be paid to workers only after the lockout is lifted and the plant starts functioning as normal.
On the other hand, Kuldeep Jhangu, General Secretary, Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU), in an interview with TOI, said , “I feel that the Maruti management and the Haryana government are equally responsible (for the July 18 episode). The Haryana government should have been speaking regularly to the boys at Manesar after last year’s strikes at the plant. While the one who commits suicide is wrong, but who forces him to do so is also equally responsible for the crime. Similarly , in Maruti’s Manesar case, it has to be found out that why were the conditions so bad that the boys (workers) became so violent . Those who led to this situation at the plant are also equally responsible.”
He also said that in order to get to the root of this problem, instead of the SIT, a CBI probe should be ordered. “SIT may not be able to go deep into the issues. The Haryana Police can only arrest innocent workers. They are only doing a perfunctory job. I hear that those caught so far are innocent . They should arrest only those against whom they have proof,” he added.
“While I agree that those who indulge in violence should be held liable, but there is also a need to find out who created the conditions that made the workers act that way. Factory workers normally do not do this if they get proper facilities and money from the company. Why would they lift arms? To dismiss the union is wrong and I am against it. Maruti management should be bothered about running the company, not the labour union.”


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Uber has selected France as the future home for flying taxi production and will invest $23.4 million in the country over the next five years.
According to a CNN report on Thursday, the money will be spent to develop the flying taxis. Uber also announced a five-year research partnership with Ecole Polytechnique, a leading French institute of technology, presumably to aid in the research and development of the electric vertical takeoff and landing craft.
The report said the ride-hailing company will also open a new research and development center in Paris. The facility will be Uber's first hub outside of North America. Uber operates R&D offices in Pittsburgh, Toronto, and San Francisco, though the sites mostly focus on self-driving car initiatives. The Paris facility should open later this year.
Uber has previously detailed its astounding plans to bring mobility to the skies. While showing off its newest flying taxi prototype, the company said the vehicles will reach elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. The flying taxis would fly on pre-determined "uberAir" routes to shuttle passengers across cities and to other areas. When and if the service rolls out, the company added that humans will pilot the craft until autonomous technology can turn the flying taxis into self-flying vehicles.
Uber is shooting for a 2023 launch for its fleet of flying cars. Initially, Uber expects the flying taxis to require Uber Black pricing.
The ride-hailing company has also partnered with NASA to manage the flying taxis. The goal of the partnership is to bring flying taxis in sync with other air traffic. The company chose NASA because of its experience in unmanned aerial vehicles, and Uber executives hope that NASA's involvement will help the company find solutions for seamless on-demand air travel.
While Uber moves forward with its dreams for air taxis, the company still has questions to face with its self-driving car program. In March a self-driving Uber vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona. The company's self-driving car fleet has been grounded since the incident, and it was recently learned that Uber had turned off the automatic braking system in the Volvo XC90 that hit the pedestrian, expecting the driver to take over.


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Consumers want more technology in their vehicles, both for safety and infotainment purposes, and they expect it to appear in all vehicles, not just luxury lines, according to a new study from Accenture.
This study follows a report from Celent last week that declared the arrival of telematics, which provides safety features along with its driver monitoring systems. But based on Accenture’s findings, consumers appear to be on-board with just about any technology enhancing the safety and connectivity of the driving experience.
While experts have lamented potential safety and underwriting concerns involved in increasing connectivity intended for social or entertainment purposes, 63 percent of the respondents wanted car-to-car communications and 59 percent would be interested in having smartphone controls on their steering wheel. Moreover, 58 percent of consumers would like to be able to read and dictate e-mails while in their vehicle, and 57 percent would be interested in having a windshield that acts as a visual monitor, showing the driver’s vehicle speed, for example, as well as what is happening on the road ahead.
As telematics seems poised to shore up underwriting with pay-as-you-drive plans, drivers appear to be more concerned with the potential of technologies to serve as safety crutches while increasing personal productivity on the road.
Accenture surveyed 7,000 drivers in seven countries and found that among the safety technologies currently offered, an overwhelming majority—91 percent—said they would most like to use is a lane-changing/blind-spot warning system. When asked about future technologies, 83 percent of respondents would like to have in-vehicle technologies that can automatically contact a vehicle-recovery organization when their vehicle breaks down, and 75 percent want a system that automatically calls the nearest emergency center if a crash were to occur.
The survey shows that nine out of 12 technologies consumers would most like to have in their vehicles are safety-related. Specifically, 83 percent would like anti-lock breaking systems, while 74 percent and 72 percent, respectively, would favor having night vision and reversing sensors. Additionally, 69 percent said they would like to use a lane-keeping system, 68 percent, an in-vehicle alcohol tester, and 63 percent would welcome a fatigue warning device in their vehicles.
Also according to the findings, consumer expectations for in-car technologies are no longer limited to the luxury vehicle segment. Of the mass-market respondents, those who drive medium/intermediate, compact, small or mini vehicles responded with almost identical rates of desire and expectations when compared to those respondents in the luxury segment.
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Wii U is reportedly weaker than the PS3 and Xbox 360, according to some [unnamed] developers. So how exactly can a system be weaker than 7-year old systems [PS3 and 360]?
It is said that the tablet controller Nintendo has opted for the Wii U is expensive to produce and is straining their budgets.
“No, it’s not up to the same level as the PS3 or the 360. The graphics are just not as powerful,” said one developer to GamesIndustry International.
We also have another developer who echoed the same thing. He said, “Yeah, that’s true. It doesn’t produce graphics as well as the PS3 or the 360. There aren’t as many shaders, it’s not as capable. Sure, some things are better, mostly as a result of it being a more modern design. But overall the Wii U just can’t quite keep up.”
This should be extremely annoying to some hardcore fans, as Nintendo has opted to go the same route they did with the Wii and 3DS, and whether it works out for them is something which remains to be discussed.
You can check out our coverage of the Wii U over here. What’s interesting here is that we’ve had three rumours so far and all seem to contradict each other – Wii U is “on par”; Wii U is stronger than PS3 and 360; and now, weaker as well. So pick your poison.
So what can you believe? Logically when you think about it – it’s very unlikely that the system will be weaker than the PS3 and Xbox 360, but it’s not looking like a generational leap.
Tell us what you think in the comments section below.


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The Government will introduce legislation to abolish the deeply flawed Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) when Parliament resumes next week.
Two bills will be introduced into the House to provide certainty and protect the livelihoods of tens of thousands of small business owner-drivers across Australia.
The Government has a special temporary hotline through the Department of Social Services to provide targeted financial advice for owner drivers who have been negatively affected by the payment order.
Owner drivers can reach the Financial Counselling Helpline by calling 1800 007 007.
Truck drivers are the life blood of Australian business with the road freight transport industry employing around 200,000 people.
Any threat to the industry will have large flow-on effects on consumers.
Tens of thousands of owner truck drivers, many of whom have taken out mortgages to buy their trucks, face being driven out of business by the RSRT.
As announced on Sunday 10 April, the Government will introduce legislation to ensure the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal’s Payment Order is suspended until 1 January 2017.
An additional bill will first be presented to the Parliament seeking to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration System altogether.
Two independent studies have recommended that the RSRT be dismantled, showing there is no conclusive proof between rates of remuneration and safety outcomes. Economic modelling showing that it will cost the economy $2.3 billion in net present value.
The money saved by abolishing the RSRT will be redirected to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, to work with the States and Territories to implement practical safety measures.
It is time for Labor and the crossbenchers to step up and act in the interests of the tens of thousands of owner-drivers across Australia.
When Parliament resumes we expect all parliamentarians to act in the national interest.


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The U.S. Senate Voted to Legalize Hemp. And Hemp Won.
The Farm Bill legalizes the cultivation, processing, and sale of industrial hemp.
Hemp might not be the first thing you think about when you hear the name Mitch McConnell, but the Senate Majority Leader has championed legislation to make it legal to grow industrial hemp in the U.S. Yesterday, the Farm Bill passed by a vote of 86-11, with rare bi-partisan support.
“I’m most excited about a provision in this bill that will clear the way for the legal farming of industrial hemp by removing current roadblocks that prevent farmers in Kentucky and around the country from capitalizing on this promising crop,” said Senator McConnell
Not the Psycho-Active Drug
The United States is the only developed country which still bans the growth of industrial hemp. This is mostly due to bad PR for the plant, which many falsely associate with reefer.
But McConnell and others were quick to point out that hemp is the non-psychoactive strain of cannabis, unlike "its illicit cousin" marijuana. Indeed, hemp contains the double whammy of low levels of THC, the chemical that causes you to get high, and CBD that blocks the effectiveness of the THC.
According to a Congressional Research Service report released last week, industrial hemp is "used in the production of a wide range of products, including foods and beverages, cosmetics and personal care products, nutritional supplements, fabrics and textiles, yarns and spun fibers, paper, construction and insulation materials, and other manufactured goods."
The Farm bill would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, allowing it to be sold as an agricultural commodity. States would be allowed to regulate hemp, and hemp researchers could apply for grants from the Agriculture Department.
But don't hold your breath— the Senate's bill still needs the approval of the House, which is working on its own version of hemp legalization, before it can land on the President's desk for his signature.


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April 10, 2012
Anyone who’s traveled outside the country knows that bargaining for a better price is often a part of the retail experience.
Perhaps it’s a sign of the times, but the same is becoming true to some extent in the United States.
Consumer Reports 2012 Buying Guide found that 35 percent of major appliance shoppers tried to negotiate a better price with retailers – and 72 percent of them were successful! The median savings was $72.
Overall, the consumer research group found that only one in seven or eight consumers haggled over the price of major items. Of those, half were successful, including computer buyers who were able to save about $105 on average.
But when it came to television sales, two-thirds of those haggling over the price received a reduction – for an average savings of $165.
The study found that buyers had a better chance of getting a price break at independent stores or regional chains like hhgregg (80 percent) than at national chains like Sears or Best Buy (60 percent). Few respondents tried to bargain with online retailers, but of those who did, they met with just as much success as the in-store hagglers.
This article was originally posted on April 10, 2012 and the information may no longer be current. For questions, please contact GRF CPAs & Advisors at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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El Kaiser and J.D. are back with a new episode and the opportunity to praise the work of Nichelle Nichols, the trailblazing actress who portrayed Lt. Uhura on the original Star Trek as she retires from public life. Also in the mix: a discussion of recent headlines, including Big Tech’s increasingly warm seat in front of government regulators, and El Kaiser takes a listen to a new pair of Bowers & Wilkins Bluetooth headphones. All this and more on PTJ Episode 360 !
Like Clippy in a Microsoft Teams background, El Kaiser and J.D. are back after a somewhat inadvertent hiatus! The new season of Pop Tech Jam kicks off with El Kaiser’s thoughts on the most recent Suicide Squad reboot/remake/reimagining and includes J.D.’s usual roundup of technology and nerd news headlines — plus some tips for tidying your phone’s home screen and making the most of shortcut menus and widgets. Join us here on PTJ 356!
On this week’s episode, El Kaiser and JD ponder the purple iPhone and Apple’s other pile of spring product announcements, as well as other headlines from around the tech world. And space nerds everywhere celebrated NASA’s historic week as the Ingenuity helicopter took its inaugural flight on Mars — and then another — all while bringing a little piece of American aviation history along for the ride.
After a seven-month commute through space, NASA’s Perseverance rover is due to arrive on Mars next week! So, some science to go with our science-fiction television on this week’s episode, as El Kaiser shares his thoughts regarding later seasons of The Expanse on Amazon Prime and WandaVision on Disney+ . And J.D. has a smattering of tech news, including reports that Twitter is looking at subscription possibilities, along with resources on how to find out when you and your family can get the Covid-19 vaccine. It’s all here on PTJ 350!
As crisp autumn breezes swirl through New York City at last, El Kaiser and J.D. get back to business, pondering new studies on social media’s effect on news and mental health, Apple’s bugfest of an iOS 13 release and a recent addictive video game about a horrible little goose loose in a quiet English village. El Kaiser also shares his observations on some recently acquired gear. Pour yourself a cup of hot cider and settle in for PTJ 318!
It’s not just the leaves starting to waft through the air here in North America — plenty of lawsuits are swirling as well. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss some of the bigger ones, including legal action aimed at California’s new net neutrality rules and Facebook’s latest woes. And for those who aren’t fans of the new Gmail web design, J.D. has some tips for making the interface feel more familiar. Click on through to PTJ 288!
Pokémon, those whimsical little Japanese pocket monsters, are celebrating their 20th anniversary in style by taking over much of the mobile world this month with the release of the augmented reality smartphone game, Pokémon GO. But while millions of people downloaded the game to their Android handsets and iPhones in the first week of release, security experts and privacy advocates have voiced concerns. Journalist Laura M. Holson drops by Pop Tech Jam HQ to discuss how Pokémon GO works, what to worry about and why it became so popular so fast. El Kaiser and J.D. also discuss the non-Pokémon headlines of the week, including Twitter’s big plans for this month’s political conventions and some truly classic code.
Do you like reality TV? If you’re a general fan of long windy speeches, you can see the United states political machine grinding its gears later this month on Twitter. The bird-themed microblogging service announced this week that it has reached a deal with the CBS television network to livestream both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, much to the delight of trolls everywhere.
The ebook revolution seems to have hit a snag, at least with book from major publishers. The American Association of Publishers released its annual sales survey this week that showed ebook sales had declined about 11 percent in 2015. Overall, ebooks accounted for 17% of all book sales for the year and Fortune magazine thinks the drop may be in part to major publishers reining in e-sales with higher prices as a way to limit Amazon’s influence over the publishing industry. Digital formats are not all riding the down arrow though: The AAP survey also showed that revenue from audiobook sales has nearly doubled since the year 2012, from $299 million in sales up to $552 million last year.
As reported in Wired, Google has added settings for its search users that ask if they want to see tailored ads based on age, gender, and search history to show up now on third-party sites as the ads currently do on Google sites. By opting in, users can edit and block ads they don’t like across any device logged in with a Google account. This compares to other ad networks, which require users to opt out of such personalization. Google has also reworked the history page where it hoards all of the old searches and viewing history you’ve previously done on Google and Google-owned sites. The new data locker is called My Activity and it allows you to log in and delete specific entries out of your search and viewing history. In case you need to.
Android N has a full name now: Android Nougat. (Hungry for a Snickers now?)
Is Big Brother 2016 watching you? Those free Wi-Fi kiosks with the video ads and phone-charging ports that are popping up around New York City streets the past few months, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union and other privacy advocates who say the kiosks can be used to spy on and collect information from people passing by them. As reported by the ReCode site after obtaining documents through public-records laws, Alphabet, parent company of Google, “wants to monitor pedestrian, bike and car traffic, track passing wireless devices, listen to street noise and use the kiosks’ built-in video cameras to identify abandoned packages.” Sidewalk Labs, the company behind the kiosks, said all data is anonymized, not sold to third parties and the cameras haven’t even been turned on. Still, the kiosks have found dedicated fans on the city streets: The New York Post reported some of the city’s homeless population was using the stations to watch free porn until the city remembered it had to put in URL filters.
The hacking of social media accounts has been in the news since a Mr. Mark Zuckerberg got jacked recently, and if you’re worried about your own Twitter account, BuzzFeed has an article up with tips on how to see if your account is vulnerable from third-party applications.
The Chicago man who hacked several celebrity iCloud and Gmail accounts in 2014 (and made actress Jennifer Lawrence extremely angry) is going to plead guilty. Edward Majerczyk could get up to five years in prison, a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act after stealing user names and password through phishing.
Facebook announced last week that it is adding a new multilingual composer for users to write one post, but have it appear in multiple languages. Sounds like there could be some good machine-translation memes coming soon.
Comcast and Netflix have made nice and come to an agreement that will allow Netflix’s streaming video service on to Comcast’s set-top boxes. Netflix’s long march to be on every type of screen available continues.
On this week’s episode, journalist Laura M. Holson previews her upcoming story about the life of Maye Musk, a registered dietitian-nutritionist and blogger who became a professional model in her late 60s. (Oh, and one of her kids runs SpaceX and Tesla.) El Kaiser and J.D. also trot through a week’s worth of tech news, including the government’s initial approval of the Charter Communications-Time Warner Cable merger, the data breach that’s making the Beautiful People sad and continuing squabbles over at the Unicode Consortium.
The independent audio magazine devoted to mashing up pop culture, technology and more. J.D. Biersdorfer and Pedro Rafael Rosado are your hosts. It's an Internet Radio revolution!


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Microsoft is going to reveal the next Xbox in 45 minutes, and you if you don’t want any minute of it, you can watch the live event with the 720p streaming video below, courtesy of Twitch TV and Gamespot. Today, [...] Like It, +1, Tweet It, Pin It Original content from Ubergizmo.
Yes. The design did hint of a Finnish phone maker’s attempt at a really cool smartphone called Lumia. But then it’s not so. What you see here is the first Jolla phone, revealed by Founder Marc Dillon. It will run ….
One of the ways Nokia has managed to convince customers to come aboard their ship instead of the competition is by offering Lumia exclusives which aren’t available on other Windows Phone devices, and this is made possible thanks to the [...] Like It, +1, Tweet It, Pin It Original content from Ubergizmo.
It’s safe to say that Apple CEO Tim Cook won’t be having much fun on Tuesday when he testifies before the Senate about his company’s alleged tax dodging practices. The Hill reports that a new report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee...Show More Summary
Recent estimates suggested devices like Google Glass and Apple’s upcoming “iWatch” could be the start of a wearable tech explosion that generates as much as $6 billion annually by 2016. According to newly published research from Credit Suisse, however, that estimate is ridiculously low. Show More Summary
The folks in Japan sometimes come up with some pretty creative gadgets, usually novel, but creative nonetheless. If you’re in the market for such a novel gadget, Thanko has a miniature camera that you might want to take a look [...] Like It, +1, Tweet It, Pin It Original content from Ubergizmo.
Yesterday was a pretty busy day for Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer. Not only did she finish ensuring that the deal to buy blogging service Tumblr had gone through she then turned her attention to the phoot sharing service Flickr which... Related Stories The best corporate website you will ever see
If you love your outdoor sports and fancy a new Samsung phone then it might be worth hanging on for a little while longer. It seems that the much rumoured Active version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 could be hitting... Related Stories Sony's...Show More Summary
An old Mac G5 case, some scrap aluminum—and you have the perfect geek's grill. OK, so there may strictly be more efficient ways to cook outdoors, but this scores maximum nerd points. [Imgur via Macgasm via Ubergizmo] Read more...
Word on the street has it that Apple has a low-cost iPhone planned, supposedly to help the Cupertino company fight against the competition who are able to offer lower priced products to capture emerging markets. Well it looks like Apple [...] Like It, +1, Tweet It, Pin It Original content from Ubergizmo.
Samsung is now supplying its solid state drive (SSD), the SM843T, for use in high-performance servers and storage in next-generation data centers, including Big Data systems. The SM843T strengthens Samsung’s SATA interface enterprise SSD product lineup. Offering up to 960 ….
Mitsubishi Motors announced that its next-generation global compact sedan- Attrage, will be launched in the Thai market this July. The Attrage qualifies for the Thai government’s Eco-car Project and will be produced at MMC’s third factory at the Laem Chabang ….
Internationally savvy Chrome desktop users are well acquainted with the translation bar's ability to quickly make sense of sites using foreign languages. Courtesy of the new Chrome 28 beta for Android, they can take that linguistic power on the road: the translation bar now shows up on mobile when visiting pages in non-native text. Show More Summary
The press release wars, verbal assaults and party-line barrages continue between politicians and fanboys alike over the future of high-speed broadband infrastructure in Australia, and it’s an issue that will be used as an lightning rod by both parties at the upcoming Federal Election. Show More Summary
Patent trolls’ days of effortlessly rolling into court and collecting licensing fees for products they don’t produce may be coming to an end. The Washington Post reports that courts have been increasingly citing the landmark 1978 Supreme Court case Parker v. Show More Summary
A certain Jedi Master, species unknown, once said, “size matters not.” But he obviously wasn’t referring to the latest Lego creation from the Lego group. Taking the title of the world’s largest Lego model is a 1:1 scale replica of an...Show More Summary
You might know that a googol — the digit 1 followed by 100 zeroes — is a very large number indeed. You might even know that a googolplex — a 1 followed by a googol of zeros — is an even bigger number. But this video helps explain why it’s such an insane concept to get your head round. More »
Like your keyboard clean enough to eat off? Then you'll love Type Wipe, an elegantly designed yet unobtrusive cover that blends in with your laptop and can double as a place mat in a pinch.
Between ads for action figures, micromachines, and sugar-laden cereals, there used to be a time when Saturday morning commercials were just as riveting as the cartoons they interrupted—especially for gullible 8-year-olds. And thoughShow More Summary
AT&T's official GoPhone prepaid policy has always officially prevented network data access for iPhones (and other 4G devices except for BlackBerry), but a tipster reports that will change tomorrow. The new policy adds 4G HSPA+ and LTE...Show More Summary


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realme launched in the Philippines in 2008 and in just two years, they managed to grab the #1 spot in the Philippines. This is according to the Q3 report of International market research firms Canalys, IDC, and Counterpoint Research.
According to the ever-reliable IDC, realme Philippines reported a 962.5% annual growth and captured 25.4 percent local market share just this third quarter which is an amazing feat for a smartphone brand that is just two years old.
In early November, Canalys reported a 25% market share and 531 percent YoY growth for realme Philippines which makes it the fastest quarterly growth for a smartphone vendor that has been attained in the Philippines.
“We are immensely grateful to our Filipino fans for helping us reach the top spot here in the Philippines. We celebrate this remarkable achievement with every Filipino realme user who shares our confidence in the performance and capability of our products — this would not have been possible without you. We assure our fans that we’ll continue to be relentless in bringing top-notch devices to the country as we aim to embolden them in achieving their every goal. Maraming salamat po!” shares realme Philippines VP for Marketing Austine Huang.
realme Philippines does have a strong presence in the country on both offline and online with 465 kiosks, 119 concept stores, and 5200+ partner stores nationwide. Aside from that, they’ve forged partnerships with different partners including Moonton, the game developer of Mobile Legends.
This is a good news for realme Philippines because despite the drop in global YoY sales of smartphones, realme Philippines still managed to have this growth which is one of the most amazing growth that I’ve seen on a smartphone brand. ever.


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These are the stocks posting the largest moves before the bell.Market Insiderread more
Home Depot's CEO says the retailer cut its outlook partly due to "the potential impacts to the U.S. consumer arising from recently announced tariffs."Retailread more
The report comes as Trump in recent days has lashed out over media reports about growing recession fears.Politicsread more
United States Steel Corp will temporarily lay off hundreds of workers at its Great Lakes facility in Michigan in coming weeks, according to a filing the steelmaker made with...US Marketsread more
Kohl's said Tuesday that a strong start to the back-to-school season and new partnership with Amazon helped the retailer beat Wall Street earnings expectations during the...Retailread more
Energy stocks may be fueling up for a comeback rally. One technical analyst says that after the sector's pummeling, these two stocks look particularly good.Trading Nationread more
While the U.S. gave Huawei a 90-day reprieve, allowing American businesses to keep selling specific products to the Chinese firm, it also added more affiliates of the...Technologyread more
Dow set to drop; White House denies payroll tax cut report; China tweaks interest rates; Home Depot worries about trade war; Beyond Meat gets an upgradeMarketsread more
For investors still haunted by last week's monster sell-off, the market's comeback is set to last, according to J.P. Morgan's quant guru.Marketsread more
The attacks come after state and local ransomware attacks in New York, Louisiana, Maryland and Florida resulted in the loss of significant sums.Technologyread more
Porsche and Apple believe music streaming is the next advancement for in-car entertainment. The luxury automaker and tech giant are teaming up to allow drivers of the all-new,...US: Consumer Servicesread more
(Recasts with background on recent inflation, election implications)
BUENOS AIRES, May 15 (Reuters) - Argentina consumer prices rose 3.4% in April, the country's statistics agency said on Wednesday, decelerating from a month earlier and giving some relief to President Mauricio Macri as he looks to rein in stubbornly high inflation.
The slower rise broke a string of three consecutive months since the start of the year in which inflation has sped up, hammering people's savings and hurting Macri in opinion polls ahead of presidential elections in October.
The rise, which was below analyst forecasts of 4%, took year-to-date inflation to 15.6%. Rolling 12-month inflation picked up to at 55.8%, the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) said.
Argentina's consumer prices rose 47.6% in 2018, part of the broader financial turmoil that has left a third of Latin America's No. 3 economy in poverty, pushed interest rates skyward and sent the peso tumbling against the dollar.
(Reporting by Jorge Iorio; writing by Cassandra Garrison and Adam Jourdan; Editing by Sandra Maler and Jonathan Oatis)


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THE Federal Ministry of Health has restated its commitment to strengthening its supply chain mechanism to ensure improved service delivery to end consumers.
The ministry’s Director of Food and Drugs Services, Mr. Fubara Chukwu, stated this at the launch of The Global Fund Malaria-funded Strategic Training Executive Programme (STEP) for senior government executives in Abuja.
Chukwu said the launch of the programme would provide an avenue for Ministry of Health leaders to change their attitude about how supply chain works.
“It is our hope that the launch of this strategic training executive programme will give an opportunity to participants for a change in mindset. It will also enhance how we conduct supply chain business so that we provide services that are delivered in a qualitative manner at a cost that is competitive in the most efficient and effective manner,” he said.
Chukwu said the programme would lead to the provision of better services in the country.
“As you all interact and discuss on issues that will improve health services in our country, on behalf of the Minister of Health I thank all our development partners for the financial and technical support so far.”


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By Matthew Nitkoski
In late March of this year, Baidu CEO Robin Li stirred up controversy while speaking at the China Development Forum in Beijing. When asked for his opinion on using personal data for reform, Li said, “I think Chinese people are more open and less sensitive about the privacy issue. If they are able to trade privacy for convenience, safety, or efficiency – in many cases, they are willing to do that.” Li’s comments inspired a spirited debate in China’s online community as netizens mulled the implications of his statement. As the CEO of one of China’s most well-known companies, Li’s comments instantly went viral, but the issues they raised didn’t die away – one month later another local incident would rekindle Chinese interest in personal privacy norms.
In April, artist Deng Yufeng paid around US $800 for the personal records – including names, phone numbers, and shopping history – of 346,000 Chinese citizens. These personal records hung in a local museum in Wuhan for two days until police shut down the exhibition after learning that Deng had illegally obtained the information by contacting black market data peddlers through QQ – a popular Chinese messaging app. While the exhibit was quickly shuttered, the story and its implications resonated with Chinese netizens who wondered at how easily their own private data could be found and bought online.
Although not the only controversial incidents to occur this year, these stories highlight emerging themes in Chinese privacy laws. First, there is a growing awareness among Chinese netizens of the dangers of exposing too much information online and – as Deng’s exhibit reveals – the potential consequences. Incidents of data theft are becoming more commonplace, with a recent data breach of Huazhu Group – a major Chinese hotel operator – exposing more than 500 million pieces of customer information. Second, while Beijing has laid down a rough framework of data privacy laws and standards, there is still considerable work to be done to fill in the gaps. According to Sara Xia, an attorney specializing in China Law at Harris Bricken, the China Cybersecurity Law is China’s first high-level law that defines personal information and regulates data privacy for all network operators. “The remaining standards and specifications in that law are currently optional, so there isn’t much with which companies must comply,” says Xia.
Developing the Framework
To establish basic rules and principles governing data privacy, Beijing enacted China’s Cybersecurity Law on June 1, 2017. While the law covers a wide range of activities concerning national security, sovereignty, and online threats, it also includes specific provisions covering the protection of personal data. For businesses operating in China, there are a few elements that deserve special attention.
Under China’s Cybersecurity Law, businesses and organizations that collect, store, and transfer Chinese citizens’ data can be divided into two principal categories. Network Operators are defined as network service providers as well as owners and administrators of networks. They are required to carry out regular security self-assessments to determine if they are handling sensitive data and, if so, submit themselves to further inspection from government authorities. Critical Information Infrastructure Operators (CIIO) must submit to the same requirements as network operators, but the businesses and organizations that fall into this category are also required to comply with additional regulations. This may include storing all personal information and data collected within mainland China and procuring certain IT products and devices from approved sources.
Another major data protection element was put into place on May 1, 2018 in the form of the Personal Information Security Specification. Modeled on Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Personal Information Security Specification seeks to borrow key concepts from foreign data protection laws while accounting for the specific idiosyncrasies of mainland China. For example, the specification lays out basic rules for consent – a private citizen’s acknowledgment that they understand where and how their data will be used. This specification, along with other measures dealing with cross-border data transmission and the “secondary uses” of personal data, provide an overarching framework covering data collection, storage, and transfer.
Taking Preventative Steps
For foreign businesses operating in China, one principle concern revolves around the storage of Chinese citizens’ personal data. According to Xia, businesses that fall under the CIIO umbrella are required to store critical information on the Chinese mainland. “CIIOs in critical industries such as energy, financial services, and telecommunications may be more vulnerable to threats, so these businesses and organizations must comply with additional, more stringent data protection regulations,” says Xia.
Furthermore, foreign businesses must pay close attention to new regulations as they are released. For example, there is currently no single agency in charge of data privacy regulations. As a result, numerous agencies have control over the elements and concepts laid down in the China Cybersecurity Law and supporting standards. As further details are released, the agencies ultimately charged with implementation and enforcement will have broad purview over how to interpret regulations, so future modifications could have sizeable impacts on data storage and transfer.
One final element includes the distinction between law and standards. The China Cybersecurity Law, while still awaiting further refinement, is binding law that compels businesses and organizations to comply. Additional elements such as the Personal Information Security Specification, however, are suggested standards or policy guidelines. The Security Specification and other draft guidelines will likely play a role in the development of future legislation, but for the moment, they are only standards.
Striking a Balance
The above-cited laws and standards highlight Beijing’s concerted efforts to establish clear rules and regulations governing data storage, information transfer, and personal privacy. What may not be evident, however, are the competing interests driving Beijing to strike a compromise between data privacy and accessibility.
On the one hand, Chinese policy makers have identified a critical need for rules and regulations governing data privacy. They’ve begun by laying out broad terms and definitions to determine how companies adapt and instituted standards that will shape future laws and regulations. Although vague, these laws and standards give policymakers ample room to shift and adapt their regulations as they see how companies react.
On the other hand, 800 million Chinese internet users continue to churn out massive amounts of valuable data – data that fuels AI, machine learning, and other high priority tech projects. China’s most recognizable international companies rely on this data to continue the breakneck development that they hope will thrust China to the forefront of global technology developments. With the strengthening regulatory regime set to have a chilling effect on domestic companies’ growth, leading tech giants such as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent are using their own clout to push back on some of the more stringent requirements.
With the stakes set high, policymakers find themselves searching for a proper balance between regulations that provide an adequate level of security while still leaving room for tech companies to thrive. While Beijing always has the final say, the interaction between the public sector, private business, and citizens will ultimately lead to the further refinement and development of China’s data protection laws.
Matthew Nitkoski manages the Business Development Team for a technology company in Washington D.C. He has a MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University where he specialized in US-China relations and East Asian Economics. With over 2 and a half years of experience living in mainland China, he is an avid follower of China’s technology and economic developments.


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Battle Royale games were a highlight of the esports industry in 2018 and continue with their success in 2019. Successful streamers such as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Guy “Dr DisRespect” Beahm have reigned supreme on Twitch TV broadcasts, playing titles like Fortnite, Free Fire, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) in front of millions. Moreover, these games have offered incredible prizes for players, like the Fortnite World Cup, which will distribute $112 million in total. Based on data from the Esports Earnings website, check out the top five Battle Royales in esports today.
Released in 2017, the competitive landscape of PUBG Mobile came to life in 2018. The game gave out $615.2k over six tournaments, with Thailand being the country that won the most with at US $248,000. China comes in second place at US $160,000, and Brazil in fifth place, with US $21,000. It is worth noting that in Asia, the game has caused its fair share of controversy. PUBG Mobile was banned in a city in India. In China, the game was banned and replaced by Game for Peace. Players have also been banned for 10 years for using hacks and illegal scripts.
Apex Legends was released in 2019 and already has its own competitive landscape. In its launch year alone, the game has distributed US $1.2 million in 54 tournaments. The USA has had the highest winnings total, with US $433.8 thousand. Germany comes second with $100,000. Although its popularity has fallen in recent weeks, Apex did manage to beat out Fortnite for highest Twitch viewership. At E3 2019, it was reported that the game would be updated with new content, including a new character, Wattson. This new content could be crucial for the development of a stable competitive landscape, as the game has received an official ranked mode.
H1Z1 was not the first Battle Royale ever released, but it was one of the pioneers in popularizing the genre. Launched in 2016 by Daybreak, the game has already given out $2 million across 13 tournaments. The USA once again leads among the countries winning the lion’s share of the prize pools, with $1.2 million. The United Kingdom sits at second place with $165,300.
Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)
PUBG was one of the highlights of 2018 among Battle Royales. Launched in 2017, the game is the second-most well-paying game of the year, with $11.2 million handed out over 139 tournaments. This time, China is the most successful country, with US $2.7 million won in prizes, followed by South Korea with US $2.6 million.
Fortnite is the godfather of the Battle Royale genre. With $32 million distributed across 337 tournaments, Fortnite is also fourth for total prize amounts in the history of the esports industry.
The USA leads the Fortnite winnings race by a large margin, with $12.3 million profit. The French come in second, having earned US $1.7 million.


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Dairy farmers are planning demonstrations against supermarket chains in protest at lower milk prices that they say will bankrupt them and change the countryside.
Blockading stores and restricting supply by pouring milk down the drain are among measures being considered against Asda, Co-Op and Morrisons, unless the farmers' demands are met – a reversal of the 4p-a-litre cut in the next fortnight.
The grocers pay around 27p a litre for milk, below the 30p cost of production estimated by the National Farmers Union (NFU). Marks & Spencer and Waitrose pay 32p, Sainsbury's 30p and Tesco 29p.
The prospect of escalating action has raised the stakes of a dispute that saw more than 2,500 protesting dairy farmers descend on Westminster last week. The NFU wants a reversal of all this year's cuts. "They are unsustainable, dairy farmers won't be able to stay in business," Fran Barnes, the union's communications manager, said.
The TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said: "What's at stake, ultimately, is the full intensification of the dairy industry, into an indoor industrial process like broiler farming or factory-pig production. So what's also at stake is a whole landscape and a centuries-old rural infrastructure: millions of acres of permanent pastures and hedgerows."
The British Retail Consortium Food said supermarkets paid more for milk than other customers.
Since 2000, the number of dairy farmers has shrunk by 40 per cent to 10,700 and many of those producers were struggling before this summer's price reductions at supermarkets.


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Hyundai Creta SUV to be released in 2024 Engine variants and color options revealed
The much-anticipated launch of the Hyundai Creta facelift in the Indian car market is set to galvanize the
country’s already competitive mid-size SUV segment. Bookings for the 2024 Hyundai Creta have recently opened at 25,000, with the official launch scheduled for January 16.
Also Read:- Top 3 Citroen Vehicles Due in 2024
The Korean automaker has revealed key details about the updated Hyundai Creta ahead of its launch. Given that it is Hyundai’s best-selling model, the company is continuing to bet big on it and is likely to extend its segment dominance through it.
Hyundai Creta was first introduced in India in 2015, and it quickly rose to the top of the still-small-ish segment, which included the Renault Duster and Ford EcoSport at the time. Competitors have made repeated forays and tasted success in recent years. However, the Hyundai Creta has remained on a pedestal thanks to updates and special editions. More than 1.57 lakh Creta units were sold in the market in 2023 alone, and the company has pending orders for another 23,000 units. In total, over 9.5 lakh Hyundai Cretas have been sold in India over the last eight years. The new Creta is expected to build on these strong foundations.
2024 Hyundai Creta bookings
The updated 2024 Hyundai Creta can be reserved at company dealerships or through Hyundai’s online
sales channel, Click to Buy. The deposit is set at rs 25,000.
2024 Hyundai Creta engine and transmission options
The new Creta will feature Hyundai’s 1.5-liter Turbo GDi Petrol engine. While this engine has already been used in a number of other Hyundai models, it is likely to be popular among incoming Creta buyers. Aside from that, Creta will be available with 1.5l MPi petrol and 1.5l U2 CRDi diesel engines. The updated Creta will have six-speed manual, IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission), seven-speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission), and six-speed automatic transmission options.
Also Read:- India’s 🇮🇳 fastest cars under Rs 25 lakh
2024 Hyundai Creta variants
The new Hyundai Creta will be spread across as many as seven broad variants. The 2024 Creta will come
in E, EX, S, S(O), SX, SX Tech, SX (O) variants.
2024 Hyundai Creta colour options
The facelift Hyundai Creta will be available in six mono-tone and one dual-tone color options, including Robust Emerald Pearl (New), Fiery Red, Ranger Khaki, Abyss Black, Atlas White, Titan Grey, and one dual-tone color option available in Atlas White with Black Roof.
2024 Hyundai Creta vs rivals
The new Creta will compete with the Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Hector, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, and Honda Elevate, among others.


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The New York Times reports that Netflix has singed a cash deal with South Park Studios to stream the first 9 seasons of the irreverent and often naughty show.
Mr. Stone and Mr. Parker are in the midst of working on the first show of the new season. They have yet to tire of putting the boys in fresh jams and are thrilled by the Netflix deal. The studio met with Hulu and Joost, but only Netflix made a cash offer.
“There was no talk of ad splits or guarantees or advances, just a payment for a show Netflix seemed really happy to have,” Mr. Stone said. “We’ve never given the show to anybody else to stream, but we like Netflix as a service. We use it.”
Mr. Stone suggested their approach could be a game-changer for creators. For example, cable companies worried about migration to the Web could make separate deals and get online rights as well, giving customers a way to access programming any way they choose and creators another payday.


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On May 21-22, the Ministerial Conference of the RCEP was held in Hanoi Vietnam. 16 trade ministers from the 10 ASEAN countries, China, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand attended the conference. Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan led the Chinese government delegation to participate in the conference.
Zhong said in his statement that Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the silk road spirit of "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit and win-win result" at the Belt and Road Forum from International Cooperation, emphasizing that efforts should be made to promote to build a fair, reasonable and transparent international trade and economic investment rule system, promote the construction of free trade area, and join hands to construct an extensive interests community. The RCEP works on reaching a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal free trade agreement which is highly echoes the silk and road spirit.
Zhong pointed out that the RCEP negotiation marks the most dynamic regional free trade negotiation, covering most of the population and regions with the most diverse members in the world. In order to accelerate negotiation process, China put forward three suggestions:
First is to support the ASEAN to take the lead to expand the consensus. China will always firmly support the leading position of the ASEAN. As a strong supporter and pusher of the RCEP, China is willing to make the utmost efforts to jointly accelerate promoting negotiations in all fields with all parties. China has submitted its revised offer of commercial trade, service and investment.
Second is to seize the opportunity to end the negotiation as soon as possible. This year coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN. The ASEAN puts forward to practically end the negotiation within the year. All parties should seize the opportunity, strive to make breakthrough in the three fields such as goods, service and investment, and try to realize the goal instructed by all leaders to quickly end the negotiation.
Third is to give consideration to the appeals of all parties to practically promote the negotiation. The RCEP members have great differences in aspects such as political system, development stage, economic volume and opening level. All parties should show greater tolerance and dexterity, jointly overcome the core difficulties and strive to reach a free trade negotiation which reflects the characteristics of all parties and realizes mutual benefit and win-win results.
Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen attended the conference.


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An Edinburgh bookstore has been crowned Independent Bookstore of the Year in Scotland, securing the title for the fourth time.
The Edinburgh bookshop, located on Bruntsfield Place, also won the 2014 Children’s Bookseller of the Year trophy and is celebrating success again after its latest award.
The British Book Awards this morning (Wednesday) revealed the regional and national winners of the 2022 Independent Bookseller of the Year award.
Sponsored by Gardners and supported by the Booksellers Association, organizers say the regional awards celebrate nine inspiring bookstores, selected from a shortlist of 63 finalists, who have continued to support their local communities in these turbulent times with their insider knowledge, their inclusiveness, their digital innovations, adapted events and, of course, books.
READ MORE: Eat Out Edinburgh: All restaurants participating in the discount scheme
Tom Tivnan, Editor of The Bookseller, said: “It was without a doubt the most competitive year we have ever had for Independent Bookseller of the Year, and these nine stores should be justly proud of have claimed their regional and national crowns while their Indian colleagues have also been thriving.
“While there are different models here, from long-established family-owned stores to a community-run nonprofit, the common thread is constant innovation and unwavering support for local communities.
“It may be counter-intuitive to say, but we may be in the golden age of the independent bookstore. The past 10 or 15 years have been the toughest for freelancers, as they battled online competition, steep supermarket discounts, rising retail prices and, of course, recently, a global pandemic.
“But they have risen to the challenges; independents are booming and the number of stores is growing.
Get all the updates on the reopening of restaurants and bars and more from Edinburgh, Fife and Lothians straight to your inbox every week by signing up to our free Food & Drink newsletter.
The email update arrives around 6pm every Thursday evening and is curated manually by our team, bringing you everything you need to know about the capital’s food scene as lockdown begins to ease.
To sign up, simply enter your email address in this link here and select Food And Drink News.
“Maybe it’s because they combine the old with the new: this almost unique insider knowledge and deep love of books that they can pass on to readers, as well as a digital savvy as freelancers use everything from crowdfunding to TikTok to reaching customers and improving their businesses.”
The Edinburgh bookshop is now in the running for the overall award for Independent Bookstore of the Year, announced at the British Book Awards winners’ ceremony, to be held at Grosvenor House in London on Monday 23rd May 2022.
The overall winner of Independent Bookstore of the Year will also compete to be crowned Bookseller of the Year.
Congratulations to The Edinburgh Bookshop on another well-deserved success! To know more about them, you can visit them on Instagram here.


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Fallout 76 is a game that seems to be getting better with every new update, and Bethesda has released a new roadmap for what to expect in 2021! Additionally, they have also recorded and uploaded developer AMA (Ask Me Anything) for the fans!
Spring is starting the year off strong with Season 4; introducing new S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Loadouts, C.A.M.P. Slots, Mannequins, and an all-new Daily Ops expansion! They’re also bringing back the Armoured Ace, with a battle against Commissioner Chaos and the Yukon Five! New rewards, cosmetics, consumables, and more are being added as well!
Later this summer, a new expansion called Steel Reign is coming; which will conclude the Brotherhood of Steel storyline! It will introduce new rewards, locations, NPCs, and quests; with choices that will change the wasteland! Additionally, the ability to craft Legendary items is coming as well; using Legendary modules to perfect your playstyle!
Fall doesn’t have much to look forward to quite yet, but will continue to evolve Private Worlds and new Daily Ops! Winter, however, looks to be introducing new Legendary weapons and armour and C.A.M.P. Pets! A new Public Challenge: Invaders from Beyond & a new seasonal event: The Ritual is being added as well, with new enemies and challenges to complete!
Pixels in the Wasteland!
Fallout 76 is available on Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation 4, and PC; and on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility! To learn more about the updates as they come, check out the Inside the Vault article here! Also, be sure to watch the official 2021 Roadmap AMA from the developer team themselves (link above)!
As always, for more news, reviews, rankings, and gaming news you can keep up to date at Informed Pixel. Did you enjoy this week’s news, were there any articles that stood out to you? You can let us know and discuss with other gamers over on the official Informed Pixel Facebook page and on the official Informed Pixel Twitter account!
Listen to my personal project, The Noble-Core Podcast on Spotify and Apple! My Podcast primarily focuses on Halo news and content, but also includes many FPS games such as DOOM, Half-Life & more! Follow me on Twitter @InfiniteGrunt and my Podcast’s account @TheNobleCore for more gaming discussions!


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Last year, Doha Bank had launched its operations in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and will have its second electronic banking
branch at Mussafah in Abu Dhabi.
is the application of electronic tools including internet, wireless communications network, self-pay systems, telephone and mobile in presenting banking services and productions that are parts of financial provisions in the country's monetary and financial system.
Mir Nejib Rahman talked in detail about recent advancements towards electronic banking
Based on the success of the online payment service offered by United Bank, the Treasurer's Office intends to also make the service available through other area banks that have an electronic banking
The Metavante Banking Solutions include core account processing, fully integrated delivery channels, business and marketing analytics, electronic banking
, integrated payments, image, risk and compliance solutions, along with business and technology consulting.
Nordea Bank Finland Plc Lithuania Branch electronic banking
can be introduced as using of developed technology of the networks and communication for transferring of the source (money) in banking system, without any physical presence.
KNET provides electronic banking
services to all Kuwaiti banks.
The latest Nielsen survey shows that more users now trust electronic banking
operations in the country.
Our new Ann Arbor facility demonstrates our commitment to invest in developing and delivering the best electronic banking
solutions for our clients," says Todd Hutto, general manager, Metavante Electronic Banking
DAYTON, Ohio -- When Kennebec Savings Bank of Augusta, Maine, opened a new high-tech Electronic Banking
Center (EBC) this summer, it became the first savings bank in New England to offer image-based "No Envelope" Deposit technology on its automated teller machines (ATMs).
In recent years, ICBC has been actively establishing a global network of electronic banking
services to consistently enhance cross-border and overseas financial service capability.


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Other ideas are in the pipeline as Viacom tries to replicate more of the merchandising success enjoyed by Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner.
COMING TO CHICAGO
Taking inspiration from the Disney and Warner Bros. studio stores, the first of 10 Viacom units will open on Chicago's trendy Michigan Avenue this fall. Viacom's Blockbuster Entertainment Group will operate the stores.
One possible name for the stores is TV Land, the same proposed name of a forthcoming Viacom cable network. The stores will sell merchandise licensed by Viacom Consumer Products, based on properties developed by the parent Viacom's movie and TV divisions, as well as MTV: Music Television and Nickelodeon. The stores will also house interactive games, a restaurant and a movie theater.
`STAR TREK' COMICS
Hitting the market earlier will be the new comic book being developed by Marvel Comics. "Marvel Presents Paramount Comics" will launch in May with "Mission: Impossible," based on the Paramount Pictures Corp. flick opening May 22. A line of "Star Trek" titles will roll out this summer.
The new line replaces "Star Trek" comics licensed by Malibu Comics Entertainment and D.C. Comics through December 1995 that didn't carry the Paramount brand.
Marvel will publish and distribute the comics, but both companies will share the editorial and marketing duties.
"The goal is to identify and create properties that can take off in licensing or be turned into films or TV shows," said Andrea Hein, president of Viacom Consumer Products.
Industry experts put Viacom third in merchandising in Hollywood, behind Disney and Time Warner. Paramount's premier merchandising property has been the 30-year-old "Star Trek" franchise. Viacom has been knocked for failing to develop additional marketable icons clearly linked to the studio.
"They have a problem in that they have an extensive but very scattered library of properties, but don't have a family of characters, like Mickey or Bugs, that can dominate a chunk of the market, or a brand that the company can rally around," said Michael Schau, executive editor of The Entertainment Marketing Letter.
However, Disney-with its brand name and seemingly interrelated universe of characters-is an anomaly in Hollywood. Even without that advantage, Ms. Hein and her team are proving that with the right mix of creative and strategic thinking, money and sense can be made out of a more divergent group of properties.
GOING WITH GUMP
Case in point: "Forrest Gump," a rare blockbuster that hasn't lent itself to a large number of mass merchandising deals.
Viacom is taking a fictitious brand in the film and turning it into a real one. The first Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant, operated in conjunction with the Rusty Pelican chain, opened last month; 22 others will open over the next three years.
Viacom also may take the brand into supermarkets.
Viacom is nurturing youth-skewing franchises. Viacom Consumer Products has acquired the Richard Scarry children's book series, and it wants to turn the 1995 Paramount movie "Clueless" into a girls franchise.
A TV show based on the film will air on ABC this fall.


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Sony aims to reinvent its LCD TVs to match OLED rivals
Sony believes its next-gen LCD TVs will closely rival OLED TVs.
LG shows off a 4K laptop with Harman Kardon speakers
Details are scarce right now, but now you know it exists.
Dolby Vision imaging technology comes to TCL's X1 4K UHD TV.
The Chinese TV-maker outs new 4K and Roku-enabled sets at CES
ASUS offers yet another curved monitor plus a 4K display
They're both lookers.
The first 4K Roku TVs will be available this spring
The company will work with Chinese manufacturer TCL on the first UHD sets.
LG unveils next year's monitors and laptops ahead of CES
Get ready for new Ultrawide 21:9 monitors, 4K screens and a lightweight laptop.
Here's the Cygnus spacecraft launching in glorious 4K
Now you just need to find a UHD set to watch it on
Massive 'GTA V' mod adds way more than 4K textures
The user-created mod also overhauls basically every aspect of the game.
LG's spending billions to make more OLED things
The idea is to lower prices by upping output.


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Although Michael Bay stole many of the headlines for his walkout at CES Samsung have been trying to regain the spotlight and have claimed with confidence that the will grab top market share of UHD TV sales in the first quarter of 2014.
"Although our launch of UHD TV was little late, we are confident that we will take the world's No. 1 position within the first quarter," Yoon Boo-Keun, head of Samsung's Consumer Electronics Division, said at CES in Las Vegas and added, "Last year Samsung posted record-high sales revenue and profit and it will do the same this year with innovative products."
He also said, "This year, Samsung will take the leading position in the emerging UHD TV market as well." According to DisplaySearch, the market share of Samsung in the world's UHD TV segment was 10.1 percent in the third quarter, stopping short of Sony's 23.4 percent. But the Korean company is overtaking Sony in October with a 48.3-percent share in the German market while accounting for more than 60-percent shares in European markets such as the UK, Switzerland, and Denmark during the fourth quarter.
Mr. Yoon said of the "bendable UHD TV," "We will launch it well after the introduction of the curved TV." As for the OLED TV, he commented, "It may take another three to five years to be perfected as a consumer good."


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Martha's new home products with Gibson Overseas, Welspun Group and Town & Country Living have begun to show up in stores such as TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Fred Meyer, Home Goods, Ross, and Kroger. From cookie sheets to casseroles, mixing bowls to baking utensils, pots and pans to bedding and towels, the Martha Stewart brand of products continues to expand.
In February it was announced that Martha (via Marquee Brands) had signed a licensing deal to develop new home and kitchen collections that would be distributed worldwide through various chain stores. The pandemic sadly put a damper on the launch. The line of more than 250 new products was set to debut at the Inspired Home Show in Chicago in March, with Martha in attendance, but that was not to be. What happened instead was a gradual distribution of products to stores, which are now stocking their shelves again after months of closure.
Several members of the Martha Moments Facebook Group have shared photos of their findings on recent shopping excursions. The products all have that signature Martha Stewart look in shades of grey and teal. I have not yet seen any of these products at Marshall's or Home Sense in Canada, but it is still early days. I hope they do arrive eventually!
To my knowledge, there is not yet an online shop where these products can be viewed or purchased.
At this Fred Meyer store in Fairbanks, Alaska, in-store signage includes photographs of Martha. This "peony collection" was very widely distributed and has been seen in numerous stores around the United States.
At Marshall's, Hayden Regina picked up these very nice looking baking dishes and casseroles in shades of taupe. (Those are his pale-green finds in the top photograph as well).
Here are more examples of the new products on display at Fred Meyer. You'll notice 10-piece cookware sets and plenty of ceramic casseroles, baking dishes, pie plates and mixing bowls, as well as dinner plates, cake and muffin tins, and baking sheets.
Baking utensils were also on hand.
Another Martha display at a Kroger Marketplace.
Justin Giannunzio noticed that "Martha Stewart Everyday" has made a comeback on the labels of some of the new products, which were photographed at Ross.
Justin also spotted this queen comforter set at Ross.
So, be on the lookout! I'm sure there will be more products to come as the seasons unfold.


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Sony has revealed the full extent of its Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade plans.
The Japanese firm says it will update everyone of its premium Xperia Z smartphones and tablets, which covers some 14 devices.
The roll out will begin in early 2015 with the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z2 ranges.
The list in full is as follows: Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1S, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3v, Xperia Z3 Compact and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.
Obviously the first to get to suckle on that sweet Lollipop is the Sony Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition, but the rest of the bunch won’t have to wait too much longer.
Sony’s announcement comes after other Android manufacturers revealed their roll-out schedules for Android 5.0.
Motorola has confirmed it will offer Android 5.0 on the Moto X (this year’s and last), the Moto G models (including 4G) and the Moto E budget handset. HTC had already promised the HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 will be getting the new OS within 90 days of its arrival. Other manufacturers like LG are expected to confirm their plans before too long.
Given Apple took another snipe at Android fragmentation during its iPad launch on Friday, Android loyalists will hope the Lollipop roll-out will be the swiftest yet.
Read more: Android 5.0 Lollipop features: What’s new?
Via: Android Police


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HTC has just released its lowest revenue figures for the month of April in 6 years, attributable to lackluster sales of the new flagship HTC One M9, according to an analyst from Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co.
The company’s consolidated revenue was NT$13.5 billion (US$440 million) in April, down 38 percent year-over-year from NT$22.07 a year earlier. This figure is also down 33 percent from promising revenue of NT$20.02 billion posted only the month prior, in March. This is HTC’s lowest monthly revenue for April since 2009’s result of NT$11.4 billion.
expand full story


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The New England Patriots unveiled their new jerseys on Monday morning, which should look familiar: The Color Rush alternates that the team has recently donned have been promoted to full-time status.
It is the first change to the Patriots' primary uniform in 20 years.
Jen Ferron, the chief marketing officer of Kraft Sports and Entertainment, explained the rationale behind the change on the Patriots' website.
"As we started to think about the 2020 season and a new decade, we began to envision what we wanted our uniforms to reflect. The success of the 'Color Rush' uniform that we've worn for the past couple of years had us thinking that we didn't need to make real substantive changes, rather we could make modest changes to our home uniform and then use a complementary version with those same aesthetics for our away uniform," Ferron said.
Since 2016, when the alternate jersey debuted, the Patriots have posted a 6-1 record in it -- wearing blue at home and white on the road. The team will continue to wear blue at home and white on the road, while donning blue pants both home and away.
The 2020 jerseys will include some minor alterations, specifically with the fonts on both the numbers and nameplates. Red, white and blue color-blocked socks are new to complement the jersey, according to the team.
The Patriots join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts as teams that have unveiled new jerseys this offseason. The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers are scheduled to unveil new jerseys this offseason as well.


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'You have to be a total anti-national bozo to shut down the Nokia plant in Sriperumbudur, which was the first large manufacturing plant for mobile phones in India.'
'Why was the unit shut down? Because of somebody's ego.'
In 2021, the contribution of the manufacturing sector in India was 14% of GDP while it was 27.4% in China.
Though China's exports slowed down due to the lockdowns, it still contributes 20% of global trade. On the other hand, India's export contribution to global trade is only 1.6%.
One of the success stories in manufacturing in India is that of Samsung mobile phones. Though Samsung started manufacturing in 2007, the company opened its world's largest mobile factory in Noida in India in 2018.
Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted it to be the 'Made for the World' factory, 97% of the phones manufactured in India is consumed by the domestic market itself.
But India has not been able to replicate this success in any other components.
The PLI (Production Lined Incentive) scheme started by the government is said to be mainly an assembled story.
According to Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar, if India is far behind China, the world's manufacturing factory, it is because manufacturing was not in the scheme of things then, and it was not the priority for the earlier governments.
"India's story is intact because it is the fastest growing economy in the world, even today. People invest in India not because they think they are doing us a favour. They invest in India because it is an opportunity for them," Rajeev Chandrasekhar tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.
An impending global recession, the rupee falling against the dollar.. Not only as a central minister, but as a former businessperson, how worried are you about the future?
After two-and-a-half years of Covid which had caused a lot of stress and uncertainty at an unprecedented level, when a country like India started navigating out of the storm and with a lot of hand work put in by our PM, our economy became the fastest growing in the world.
We received the maximum FDI compared to any country in the world. Our start-ups were also the fastest growing in the world.
Then came the Russia-Ukraine war.
So, post-Covid we have moved into an era of mess caused by the advanced economies.
Pre-war itself, the US was at an all-time high on inflation. The UK had the highest inflation at 20%. All these economies were in a crisis when the war in Europe started.
Today, the US and the European economies that lead the global economy are in a state of transition from low inflation-low rates to high inflation and high rates.
The second phenomenon that was happening was, China, the so-called economic power house has been repeatedly locking down for the last three quarters therefore impacting their economy.
Also disrupting the supply chain of the entire world....
Yes. But while this kind of chaos was happening all over the world, ours has been the oasis of calm.
Our currency has depreciated the least among other currencies in the world.
Still, the rupee has come down to almost 82 against the dollar!
Yes, the currency has been devalued. Every currency in the world has depreciated against the dollar, but our currency has depreciated the least.
After the RBI's decision to hike repo rates, the rupee has now stabilised.
The currency movement in the last few weeks was mainly because of the knowledge that the US was going to hike rates to bring the dollars back to the US.
High inflation, high rates, economic uncertainties in Europe and the US, and a big question mark on the China recovery are short-term challenges for any economy.
So, it is these external factors that are going to impact our economy a lot more than anything that happens internally.
We have had record exports of $420 billion and never in India's history, we have had exports of $420 billion.
If you ask me what the prognosis for the future is, I will say, we are entering a period of very challenging set of moving parts in the global economy.
Anybody would be worried. Of course, nobody can sit back and say, you should not worry about all these things.
It is the uncertainties that are worrying. Nobody knows when the war will end, how long it will go on or, whether there will be a nuclear bomb.
Who would have thought that in 2022, there will be a war in Europe? In the middle of the most advanced continent, a conventional war is going on and people are dying!
During Covid, we navigated the storm and came out stronger. I am confident that this time too, it will happen.
We will be the one economy that will perform better than all the other economies.
But will we performing to our full potential of 10% growth which was the plan for 2023-2024? We cannot say given the global conditions.
How will the rupee falling against the dollar affect the IT sector and also start-ups in India? Valuations may change and it may affect some unicorns too...
Devaluation of the rupee is more to do with the strengthening of the dollar rather than the rupee getting devalued.
If it was just the devaluation of the rupee, only the rupee would have been devalued, but currencies across the board are getting devalued against the dollar, and that is because the dollar is strengthening.
Strengthening of the dollar is a consequence of risk aversion. When people find that there is uncertainty in the world, they run back to the safety of the dollar.
As more and more capital goes out to the US for temporary safety, there will be temporary depreciation of all the currencies in the world.
If the US goes into recession, China will certainly go into recession as the US is the largest consumer and China is the largest supplier of goods to the US.
But nobody can predict what will happen tomorrow.
If you look at the tech sector all around the world, you will see that there is a significant correction happening. For example, Facebook stock has come down by 57%, Microsoft stock has come down..
That's because when there is volatility in the economy, people move away from equity into safety. First, they move equities into bonds. Then, whether it's yen bonds or Euro bonds, you move it to dollar bonds.
If you look at the global economy, this has happened multiple times, and this is very normal.
You spoke about more and more capital going back to the US for temporary safety. What about money going out of India?
You mean the $50 billion-$60 billion reserves?
India's story is intact because it is the fastest growing economy in the world, even today. People invest in India not because they think they are doing us a favour. They invest in India because it is an opportunity for them.
As long as the Indian economy offers opportunity for investors, money will keep coming.
Under Narendra Modiji, the narrative of a strongly performing economy is absolutely intact even now.
The mobile phone manufacturing in India is a success story. Like you said, 97% of what is manufactured here is consumed domestically. Why is it that it is not replicated in other electronic items? The PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme is generally perceived as an assembled story...
I don't know whether you are talking about the Raghuram Rajan editorial!
When you have destroyed the electronic manufacturing for 15-20 years, it has to be rebuilt now. And you cannot rebuild something with the snap of a finger.
First, you have to create a viable, credible, industry that makes the ultimate product. Then, you need the volume.
When there is enough volume, the suppliers may think of setting up a plant in India for the components.
Then the guy who uses the components in other products like, for example computers, will think of setting up a plant here. That's how an ecosystem is built.
And the ecosystem is not built sitting on a spreadsheet and saying, it is zero now, let's make it 25 tomorrow, and 100 day after tomorrow.... It takes time.
You know how many years Vietnam took? How many years China has taken? 34 years!
For the last 25 years, we have been hearing everybody say that China is ahead of India by more than two decades... They started building the ecosystem much ahead of India...
China is ahead of India because our political leadership was behind. It is as simple as that. I am not making any political rhetoric.
You have to be a total anti-national bozo to shut down the Nokia plant in Sriperumbudur, which was the first large manufacturing plant for mobile phones in India.
Why was the whole unit shut down which was manufacturing millions of phones at one point? Because of somebody's ego.
When manufacturing is not in your scheme of things, when it is not your priority, when it is not the strategic part of your economic thinking, you will not encourage it.
As a matter of fact, you not only NOT encouraged it, you destroyed it.
That was the situation in 2014. Nobody in India was manufacturing and if you ask somebody to manufacture in India, the response was, 'Are you mad? Why should I manufacture in India when a big plant like Nokia was shut down?'
Look at the situation today? From 0 rupee exports of mobile phones in 2014, it is Rs 50,000 crores (Rs 500 billion>/em>) today. From 90% of phones imported to 97% of the phones manufactured here is consumed domestically. Plus, we are exporting too.
iPhone 14 will be manufactured in India. This was unthinkable in the past.
Building something takes time, but destroying something takes very little time. Not doing anything takes even less time.
Our PM's vision is to systematically build capabilities in India, and these are permanent capabilities on the back of which entrepreneurship will develop, business will develop.
Should India compete with Made in China products or Made in Germany products?
India should not compete with anybody. India should become the manufacturing hub of the world.
I will tell you why. After petroleum, electronics is the second largest traded product in the world. The global trade of electronics is $1.5 trillion. And $900 billion of that is from China.
Therefore, the issue is not whether we want to compete with Made in China or not. There is no competition between Made in China and Made in India as Made in India will be better.
The issue is, we should have a large market share of this global $1.5 trillion market. We should have at least 15% of the market share, and 15% of $1.5 trillion is how much? It is huge.
*Kindly note the images have been posted only for representational purposes.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com