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It occurs to me if you’re going to push something called MyPlate, you might want to watch what’s actually on your plate. When the public sees you constantly shoveling cheeseburgers, fries and short ribs in your pie hole, you’re not going to be taken seriously.
A graphic interpretation of recent changes to the US dietary guidelines shows that the average American adheres to the national food guide MyPlate just seven days out of the year.
Using its National Eating Trends statistics, which have been tracking the eating and drinking habits of US consumers for 30 years, market research company the NPD Group found that only two percent of Americans’ diets — equal to about seven days a year — come close to the US Department of Agriculture’s new dietary guidelines launched this summer.
Analysts defined “MyPlate days” based on consumers who achieved at least 70 percent of the daily recommended intake for dairy, fruit, grains, proteins and vegetables on the same day. The report was released Tuesday.
Furthermore, the few times Americans were found to meet nutritional requirements, data showed that they were also likely to consume more than three meals a day.
First Lady Michelle Obama launched the new plate icon this year, replacing the decades-old food pyramid.
Replacing the outdated and often confusing nutritional pyramid, the MyPlate icon, introduced by the USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama as part of her “Let’s Move” anti-childhood obesity program, presents a simple image meant to convey a fairly simple concept: make half of every meal consist of fruits and vegetables and the other half of lean proteins and grains. There are more recommendations, which can be found at choosemyplate.gov, such as “avoid oversized portions” and “make half of your grains whole grains.” Seemingly simple ideas that, up until now, have not been fully adopted into the average American’s diet.


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With the latest iOS 14.5 beta, iPhone and iPad owners can once again enjoy using YouTube in picture-in picture mode.
The feature only works while browsing YouTube on a web browser, be it Safari, Chrome, or any other app that’s available on the App Store. The ability to watch YouTube videos in picture-in-picture mode in Safari was first available in the initial iOS 14 build and was working until iOS 14.0.1 when Google put an end to it. After that, the feature stopped working seemingly due to a server-side change from Google.
As things stand right now, iOS 14.5 beta once again brings back the ability to view YouTube videos in picture-in picture mode on any iOS browser and for all iPhone and iPad users. It is possible that some low-level changes from Apple in iOS 14.5 Beta have led to the feature being enabled again. iOS 14.5 is still a few weeks away from public release and it is possible that Google again puts an end to this feature by then.
It is unclear why Google has not yet added picture-in-picture support to its YouTube iOS app. The company has already added similar functionality to its Android app. YouTube was testing picture in picture mode support on its iPad app last year but there has been no signs or word from the company on when it would roll out the feature. There’s another alternative that you can try to play YouTube videos in picture in picture mode in your iPhone or iPad.[Via MacRumors]

domain: news


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Executive producer of Dead Space 2, Steve Papoutsis announced via Twitter that a new multiplayer suit has started to “infect” players today (Tweet was posted on Feb 7). The viral suit is of yellow urban design. It can be unlocked by killing someone who’s been infected. The first infection occurred earlier today when Steve and another designer jumped onto Dead Space 2′s multiplayer on both Xbox and PS3. All players need to do is kill another player who has the “infection”, thus unlocking the suit for themselves.
This is pretty cool idea. We’ve seen it before in achievements and trophies in the past. It works a little better here due to the games storyline focusing on infection an transformation. Hopefully there is more to be unlocked by killing players online in the future.


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(Bloomberg) — MicroStrategy Inc. boosted the size of a junk-bond sale to fund the purchase of more Bitcoin, selling $500 million of notes on Tuesday that were the first of their kind in the high-yield market.
The company received about $1.6 billion in orders for the offering, including interest from a large number of hedge funds, according to people with knowledge of the marketing process, who asked not to be identified discussing a private transaction. The strong interest comes amid a tumble in the value of Bitcoin.
The company, with Michael Saylor at its helm, emerged as one of the most bullish public companies on cryptocurrencies. It has already issued convertible bonds worth around $1 billion in its quest to scoop up more of the coins, though this is the first-ever corporate bond sale with proceeds earmarked for such purchases. Saylor’s focus on Bitcoin, including making it an official corporate strategy, has drawn the ire of critics.
MicroStrategy had initially planned to issue $400 million of the debt, and had already seen that much in demand by the time the deal was launched on Monday. It sold the secured notes at a yield of 6.125%, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, lower than early pricing discussions of 6.25% to 6.5%.
Read more: MicroStrategy Is Selling Corporate Bonds to Buy Bitcoin
Representatives for the company and Jefferies Financial Group Inc., the sole manager of the offering, didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The Tysons Corner, Virginia-based company said in a filing Monday that it’s taking a roughly $284.5 million charge during its next earnings report due to losses related to fluctuations in the price of the digital asset. That amounts to more than the company’s cumulative earnings since 2011.
MicroStrategy had amassed 92,079 Bitcoins as of mid-May, which it says were acquired for about $2.25 billion at an average of about $24,450 per token.
(Updates with final pricing.)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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There is no denying that 2022 has been an eventful year. We take a look back at the highs, the lows, and the often sudden switches between the two. Chris Farnell looks back on the year that was.
Brexit and the heights of the pandemic are retreating into the rear-view mirror, and yet, the motor finance market, and the finance market as a whole, has continued to enjoy “interesting times”.
“Even though the spectre of the pandemic barely hangs over us anymore, it has been far from a normal year,” says Toby Poston, Director of Corporate Affairs for the BVRLA. “The last 12 months have been punctuated by political upheaval, a deepening cost of living crisis, and immense supply chain challenges.”
Indeed, the back-to-back global crises, political drama and unpredictable economic behaviour have seen the industry transition into a state of play where crisis is the new normal.
“At ALPHERA we’ve been talking about living and working in a VUCA environment – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – for a few years now following the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Alex Royall, UK Director of ALPHERA Financial Services.
The challenges facing the sector include semi-conductor availability, disruptions to vehicle production, the far-reaching impacts of the war in Ukraine and now the cost-of-living concerns for everyone, with inflationary pressures going far beyond initial expectations at the start of the year.
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“Now ‘VUCA’ seems to have become simply ‘standard operating procedure’,” Royall points out.
But aside from the relentless news cycle of the last couple of years, 2022 has also seen some high points.
“The publication of the new Consumer Duty principle in July provided clarity and a defined timeline on a topic that the industry has been discussing and debating for a while,” says Royall.
James Hind, Founder and CEO of Carwow, agrees, saying, “Anything to do with making things better for consumers while dispelling negative stereotypes about car finance is good. You have also got the continued momentum building in the electric cars sector.”
The sector has also seen promising end-of-quarter deliveries for the industry as a whole. Salary sacrifice firm, Tusker also points to positive political changes.
“Because we are the specialists in salary sacrifice, the budget announced two or three weeks ago that confirmed benefit-in-kind rates for six years is a very positive step,” points out Kit Wisdom, Operations Director for Tuskerdirect.
And while things have been eventful, the industry has adapted well to its changing environment.
“The industry has adapted and thrived. To do this, the industry has come together to collaborate and share best practices,” says Poston. “This has led to a record year for the BVRLA’s training programme and calendar of events.”
The rough and the smooth
Of course, this is because the industry has had to.
“The industry has faced rising inflation and, with it, rising interest rates,” explains Chris Rowthorn, Director of Motor Sales Operation at MotoNovo Finance.
Of course, perhaps the thing 2022 will be best remembered for in the finance sector is September’s “mini-budget”.
“The cost of our ‘raw materials’ – the cost of money – had been steadily increasing throughout the year but September’s fiscal event caused a significant ‘spike’ which we’re all still dealing with,” says Royall.
Close behind that are supply chain challenges, including ongoing difficulties around vehicle supply.
“Vehicle supply issues have been ever present this year,” concedes Poston, although he remains optimistic. “Instead of causing operations to grind to a halt, they have forced companies to innovate and rethink how they manage their fleets. Vehicles are being held for longer, customer relationships are more flexible, and finance packages are evolving.”
Ringing in the changes
As well as dealing with the travails of the news cycle, the sector has also spent a large part of this year preparing for new massive industry-wide changes. The first of those is the FCA’s new Consumer Duty, due to come into force next year. Deciding on the final form of that Duty has been a huge project.
“It was a year of two halves. Before July, and in collaboration with others, we were working with the FCA to share views and suggestions on how a new regime could work for our sector,” Poston tells us. “Then, when the guidance was published, the industry was proactive and rapid to respond. This has been seen in how we have raised awareness, gained clarity on key elements, and the pace at which necessary changes to processes and systems have been undertaken.”
Indeed, speaking to figures in all areas of the finance sector, the overall response is that the duty is seen as an opportunity.
“The Consumer Duty presents an opportunity for dealer finance to combine what is often an omnichannel financing experience and take even better care of customers, which can help the sector grow,” says Rowthorn of MotoNovo Finance.
While the Duty has been a specific incentive and stimulus for change, Royall argues that it primarily serves to formalise an already existing trend.
“For many of us in the industry it’s part of a wider, progressive shift over the past few years with ‘Treating Customers Fairly’ and ‘Know Your Customer’ - so achieving and being able to demonstrate and evidence ‘Good Consumer Outcomes’ is a natural progression of the journey we’ve been on for a while,” says Royall.
The other big shift the industry has been preparing for is, of course, the shift to electric vehicles.
“We have seen significant increases in battery electric vehicles. In 2021 we were at 80% plus of our business, and are now tracking at over 84%,” says Wisdom. “It is quite a significant shift away from ICE vehicles.”
SMMT – the trade association for the UK motor industry – has said that in Q3, the used car market fell for the second consecutive quarter, declining by 12.2%. However, used battery electric vehicles rose 44.1%, and hybrid electric vehicle sales were up 2.5%. Plug-in hybrid sales, however, fell 5.8%.
“It is all good, but we must recognise that the increase was from a low base, especially for BEVs,” Rowthorn observes.
“While there are some standout performers in the used EV space, it’s still the exception rather than the rule,” Royall agrees.
“Right now, range and arguably charger availability remain consumer concerns; add to that the price premium being charged for EVs in the prevailing market, the increased supply is searching for more than 'early used EV adopter' demand,” Rowthorn continues.
But at the same time, 2022 has seen more models heading towards market, while infrastructure rollout is continuing apace, and public opinion is shifting.
“People care more about the environment, in terms of how they are perceived as well as actual impact,” Hind says.
Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous- VUCA is still the word of the moment, and it has been for a while. But as Royall points out, in this industry it is also an occupational hazard.
“At its heart, this industry is a risk-based business – whether that’s interest rate risk, RV risk or credit risk,” Royall says. “It’s at times like this when there are multi-faceted challenges facing businesses and consumers, that it’s more important than ever to get the fundamental essentials right.”
“The simple thing it goes back to is the vast majority of people in the UK need a car in their day-to-day life,” Hind points out. “It’s a resilient industry.”


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With reasonable selling prices and Vietnamese brand, Vsmart’s products are capable of dislodging Chinese brands from the Vietnamese market.
The Vietnamese smartphone manufacturer, at its debut event on December 14, 2018, introduced four models. All of them belonged to the low- and medium-end market segments with starting prices of VND2.5-6.3 million.
At the same event, Vsmart revealed an ambitious plan: it will make Vsmart Lux and Vsmart Super Lux for the high-end market segment.
“Lux” means luxury, and the name has also been used for the high-end sedan and SUV automobile series of VinFast.
Both VinFast and Vsmart are brands belonging to Vingroup, the conglomerate owned by the first recognized dollar billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong.
|While Vingroup still pursues the strategy of making luxury sedans, Vsmart Lux and Vsmart Super Lux still have not been marketed.|
However, many things changed a year later. While Vingroup still pursues the strategy of making luxury sedans, Vsmart Lux and Vsmart Super Lux still have not been marketed.
Vsmart Live, which was positioned as a medium-end product, saw the price cut by half just after three months of launch, becoming a low-cost product.
With the current price of VND3 million, Vsmart Live has dislodged Chinese products out of the domestic market in the year-end sale season, which no Vietnamese brand could do before.
Analysts say that the shocking price cut of Vsmart Live shows the new strategy pursued by Vingroup: Vsmart will gather strength to conquer the low-cost market segment.
Tri Thuc Tre quoted a Vsmart high-ranking executive as saying that the company will focus on the market segment of products priced at VND10 million and lower, and most of its products will have prices below VND7 million.
The information was released on the sidelines of Vingroup’s opening of the smartphone assembling factory with the capacity of 125 million products a year.
Some analysts say that Vsmart is taking wise moves in its development path. Vsmart seems to realize that Vsmart Lux is not a good idea. Vsmart Lux will have to compete with the two big brands – iPhone and Galaxy S/Note. iPhones account for 79 percent of the market segment of products priced at VND20 million that Vsmart Lux targets. Reports showed that even the old iPhone 7 also could dominate the market segment of products priced at VND10-15 million.
Meanwhile, Samsung is the second choice for high-end products. No other brand can compete with the two big players over pasr years.
BPhone of BKAV Corporation, also a Vietnamese brand that did not do well, shows that the high-end market is not a field for Vietnamese brands to play at this moment.
As the habit of Vietnamese smartphone users has changed, mobile network operators in Vietnam can now cooperate with Vsmart to provide smartphones at low prices with associated service packages.


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- Associated British Ports, adopts blockchain technology to improve shipping logistics.
- Blockchain would help to decrease the time taken for manually reviewing the port scattered data.
According to a media outlet today 19th September, Associated British Ports has gone into a contractual agreement with Marine Transport International (MTI), a digital logistics enabler, to set up a system that uses blockchain technology for shipping logistics. The media outlet, Dry Bulk magazine, stated that according to the agreement between ABP and Marine Transport International, Associated British Ports will commence experimental shipping logistics using the blockchain technology.
ABP is currently the leading port operator in the U.K. It carries out its operations in 21 ports and handles about 25% of the U.K.’s cargo shipping logistics. The media channel also noted that all the parties currently involved in Associated British Ports’ supply chain – port operators, carriers, shippers, etc. – lack connection with one another because they make use of different systems. However, the CEO and founder of MTI, Jody Cleworth, stated that using blockchain technology for shipping logistics can help to streamline the flow of operations as well as decrease the time taken for manually reviewing the port scattered data. Jody noted:
“With blockchain, we can connect all those systems to ensure data is accurately and quickly shared, helping speed-up and simplify the flow of trade in and out of the UK.”
Crytona.co reported in early June that Denmark officially signed a declaration that enabled it to become the first country worldwide to utilize the Blockchain technology for the registration of ships in the Danish Ship registers. Also, in early June, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Ports launched a blockchain solution which is made to improve efficiency in the shipping and logistics sector.
Last May, FedEx’s CEO, Fred Smith, stated the numerous benefits that the blockchain technology holds for shipping logistic supply chains. Fred called Blockchain “the next frontier that’s going to completely change [the whole industry]”.
source: https://BTC News Today.co/associated-british-ports-blockchain-shipping/


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Digital TV News: RCN
Xperi announces second quarter 2021 results
Aug 3, 2021 – Xperi (Nasdaq: XPER) has announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021. During the quarter Xperi signed a license agreement with Hotwire Communications for the TiVo IPTV platform.
News categories: Xperi, Hotwire Communications, Broadcast, Content Distribution, Digital TV, IPTV, Licensing, Patent, Results, Set Top Box, Streaming, USA, Worldwide
WOW! sells five service areas in two separate transactions
Jun 30, 2021 – WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone (NYSE: WOW) has announced that Atlantic Broadband (TSE: CCA) has agreed to acquire its Cleveland and Columbus service areas and Astound Broadband has agreed to acquire its Chicago, Evansville and Anne Arundel areas.
News categories: WOW!, Atlantic Broadband, Astound Broadband, Teresa Elder, Cable TV, Digital TV, MandA, USA
Evolution Digital Android TV box selected by TDS Telecom
Jun 8, 2021 – Evolution Digital has announced that TDS Telecom plans to deploy eSTREAM 4K, its Android TV set-top box. The box integrates third-party apps and a voice-enabled remote control with TDS' managed TiVo application.
News categories: Evolution Digital, TDS Telecom, Marc Cohen, Ken Paker, Android TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, USA, UX
RCN, Grande and Wave launch TiVo Stream 4K
Oct 15, 2020 – RCN, Grande and Wave have announced the availability of the TiVo Stream 4K. The device will be paired with RCN, Grande and Wave’s ultra-high-speed internet to bring its customers more home entertainment options.
News categories: RCN, TiVo, Chris Fenger, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, Streaming, USA
One million customers for RCN, Grande and Wave
Sep 9, 2020 – RCN, Grande and Wave, providers of high-speed internet, digital TV and phone services across seven of the top 10 DMAs the U.S., have announced that together they are now serving one million customers.
News categories: RCN, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, Jim Holanda, Cable TV, Digital TV, Subscribers, USA
HBO Max launched in the U.S.
May 27, 2020 – WarnerMedia’s streaming platform, HBO Max, has officially launched. The launch is the culmination of efforts to bring the best of WarnerMedia together to launch the new offering, following AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner.
News categories: WarnerMedia, HBO Max, Bob Greenblatt, Digital TV, Streaming, USA
WarnerMedia announces further launch partners for HBO Max
May 20, 2020 – WarnerMedia has announced that the latest companies to sign on to distribute HBO Max at launch include Altice USA, Cox Communications, Microsoft, National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), Samsung, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Verizon.
News categories: WarnerMedia, HBO Max, Rich Warren, Apps, Cable TV, Digital TV, Gaming, IPTV, Streaming, USA
EnTouch Systems joins RCN, Grande, Wave group
Feb 21, 2020 – RCN, Grande, Wave has announced the acquisition of EnTouch Systems, adding its residential and business services in Houston, TX to the organization's portfolio. The acquisition will add approximately 22,000 customers to its operations in Texas.
News categories: EnTouch, RCN, TPG Capital, Sam Luxton, Jim Holanda, Cable TV, Digital TV, MandA, USA
RCN, Grande, Wave launch Amazon Prime Video app on TiVo STBs
Dec 20, 2019 – RCN, Grande and Wave have announced the availability of the Amazon Prime Video app through the company’s TiVo set-top boxes. Pay-TV subscribers with an Amazon Prime membership can stream content via the Prime Video app on their TiVo devices.
News categories: TiVo, RCN, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, Prime Video, Chris Fenger, Apps, Cable TV, Digital TV, Set Top Box, USA
- Ateme enables 5G Broadcast transmission in the U.S.
- Amazon announces Fire TV product updates
- TCL adds Fire TV options to U.S television portfolio
- Another slow year expected for AR/VR headsets
- Intigral partners with DIAGNAL to enhance entertainment experiences
- Du chooses DataMiner monitoring for broadcast and teleport operations
- TSTT switches to Zappware's multi-screen client framework
- Allegro DVT launches video encoder IP for 4K/8K video
- AVOD revenues to hit $69 billion in 2029
- ZTE unveils updated Cloud PVP solution at IBC 2023
- Accedo brings AI-powered sports highlights to Accedo Launcher
- 76% of Nordic households now have an internet connected TV set
- TVMonaco chooses OKAST streaming platform
- DAZN Edge platform expands coverage in Europe with MainStreaming
- LG presents vision to become media and entertainment platform company
- UK PSBs developing broadband-delivered free TV service
- ZTE and Netgem collaborate on cloud gaming for Android TV
- Rokid shows portable Android TV device for AR glasses at IBC
- NPAW introduces Nokia-developed video probe at IBC 2023
- Eutelsat and ENENSYS show live DVB-NIP over 5G at IBC


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|By Business Wire||
|May 19, 2014 07:02 AM EDT||
Code42, the leader in endpoint data protection and management, today announced the appointment of Jason Bristow as its chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately. Bristow joins Code42 from Amazon.com, where he served as vice president and treasurer. He will report directly to Code42 Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Dornquast.
At Code42, Bristow will oversee all aspects of the company’s financial operations and play an integral role in driving Code42’s long-term vision to support its continued strong growth. More than 30,000 businesses—including brand names such as Adobe, Mayo Clinic, Procter & Gamble, SUPERVALU and NASA—trust Code42’s CrashPlan and SharePlan solutions to protect, manage and share their data continuously and securely.
“Code42 thrives as a technology company because we inspire the best in each other,” said Dornquast. “Our customers deserve the best, and our employees deserve leaders who not only point which way to go, but roll up their sleeves to help. The Amazon customer-centric culture and Jason’s mid-western sensibilities were front and center in my interactions with him. I am thrilled he is returning to our Minnesota tech scene, bringing extraordinary skills and know-how to Code42 as we enter this critical growth phase.”
Bristow brings to Code42 nearly two decades of experience as a senior finance executive. As a member of the Amazon.com leadership team from 2003-2014, he was an important part of the company’s dramatic growth and expansion. Prior to his time with Amazon, Bristow held senior financial roles at General Electric, both domestically and internationally.
“As workforces go mobile with even more devices and the risk of data loss heightens, data governance presents a tremendous market opportunity,” said Bristow. “Some of the biggest brands in the world have widely adopted Code42’s data protection and management platform, which supports employees wherever and however they work. Code42’s strong culture, unmatched product suite and large, growing enterprise customer base all point to a future in which Code42 becomes a household name.”
Tweet this news to your networks.
Code42 is the endpoint data protection and management company that provides secure, integrated file sharing and backup at work, at home and everywhere in-between. The company’s award-winning products have become the gold standard for the enterprise, trusted by the most recognized brands in business and education, including Accenture, Procter & Gamble, Genentech/Roche and Harvard. Code42 is headquartered in Minneapolis, and backed by Accel Partners and Split Rock Partners. For more information on the company and its solutions, visit www.code42.com.
Code42, endpoint backup, enterprise endpoint backup, online backup, enterprise file sync and share, enterprise software, data protection and management, data governance, cloud software, Matthew Dornquast, Jason Bristow, Amazon, Amazon.com, CFO
The 4th International DevOps Summit, co-located with16th International Cloud Expo – being held June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY – announces that its Call for Papers is now open. Born out of proven success in agile development, cloud computing, and process automation, DevOps is a macro trend you cannot afford to miss. From showcase success stories from early adopters and ...
Oct. 31, 2014 08:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,161
SYS-CON Events announced today that SOA Software, an API management leader, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 15th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. SOA Software is a leading provider of API Management and SOA Governance products that equip business to deliver APIs and SOA together to drive their company to mee...
Oct. 31, 2014 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,082
As cloud gives an opportunity to businesses to buy services externally - how is cloud impacting your customers? In his General Session at 15th Cloud Expo, Fabio Gori, Director of Worldwide Cloud Marketing at Cisco, will provide answers to big questions: Do you see hybrid cloud as where the world is going? What benefits does it bring? And how does Cisco connect all of these clouds? He will also te...
Oct. 31, 2014 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 938
Can we look to the paradigm of cloud computing from a completely different perspective? In his General Session at 15th Cloud Expo, Gundars Kulups, Sales Director at DEAC, will discuss what we can learn from our dining habits when choosing a cloud solution. Gundars Kulups is Sales Director at DEAC, full service data center operator. An IT expert, he specializes in European countries and has worke...
Oct. 31, 2014 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 798
SYS-CON Events announced today that Aria Systems, the recurring revenue expert, has been named "Bronze Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 15th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 4-6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Aria Systems helps leading businesses connect their customers with the products and services they love. Industry leaders like Pitney Bowes, E...
Oct. 31, 2014 06:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,158
SYS-CON Events announced today that TMCnet has been named “Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 15th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) is the world's leading business to business and integrated marketing media company, servicing niche markets within the communications and t...
Oct. 31, 2014 06:30 PM EDT Reads: 925
We live in a time when seconds – even milliseconds – can have a dramatic economic impact on your company’s future. With technology being the primary conduit for consumer interaction, the user experience is at center stage. User experience will be a deciding factor in separating the future winners from the losers. By building more speed and agility into the application delivery process, DevOps prom...
Oct. 31, 2014 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,405
SYS-CON Events announced today that AgilePoint, the leading provider of Microsoft-centric Business Process Management software, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 2nd International @ThingsExpo which will take place on November 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. AgilePoint is the leading provider of Microsoft-based Business Process Management (BPM) software products, has 1,...
Oct. 31, 2014 05:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,195
SYS-CON Events announced today that Parasoft will exhibit at SYS-CON's 15th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. For 27 years, Parasoft has researched and developed software solutions that help organizations deliver defect-free software efficiently. By integrating Development Testing, API/cloud/SOA/composi...
Oct. 31, 2014 05:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,066
The Internet of Things (IoT) promises to evolve the way the world does business; however, understanding how to apply it to your company can be a mystery. Most people struggle with understanding the potential business uses or tend to get caught up in the technology, resulting in solutions that fail to meet even minimum business goals. In his session at Internet of @ThingsExpo, Jesse Shiah, CEO / ...
Oct. 31, 2014 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,586


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Five companies — three biotechs, a fintech and a grill maker — joined Robinhood Markets in its IPO on Thursday.
The five are
Nuvalent and Traeger. Riskified and Traeger opened on the New York Stock Exchange; such as Robinhood, Icosavax, Rallybio and Nuvalent are on the Nasdaq.
More than 20 companies would make their market debut this week. So far, five have listed their shares. On Friday, there are about 10 companies on the list, including Dole, the well-known food company.
Much of the IPO market has been centered on Robinhood (ticker: HOOD), the entry-level trading app. The company raised $2.1 billion after selling 55 million shares for $38 each, the lowest point of its $38 to $42 price range. Robinhood’s stock fell nearly 10% during afternoon trading.
Shares of the biotech Icosavax (ICVX), meanwhile, have nearly tripled from the bid price. The stock started at $29, peaked at $48.60 and recently traded at $47.14, up 214% from the IPO price. Icosavax’s offering develops vaccines for the treatment of infectious diseases.
All three biotech companies, Icosavax, Rallybio and Nuvalent, have all increased the size of their deals.
Rallybio (RLYB), which focuses on therapies for the treatment of serious and rare diseases, came in at $80.6 million. The biotech had applied to offer 5.75 million shares. It ended Sell 6.2 million shares for $13, the bottom of his Price range from $13 to $15. The stock opened at its high of $14.92 and recently changed hands at $14.08, more than 8% higher than the IPO price.
Nuvalent (NUVL), which is developing “precisely targeted” therapies to treat cancer, has raised nearly $166 million. It had planned to offer 8.9 million shares for $16 to $18, but ended sell 9.75 million at $17. The stock started at $18.10, peaked at $18.66 and recently traded at $18.15, up nearly 7% from the offer price.
Riskified (RSKD) was the only company to beat its IPO expectations on Thursday. The sold fintech 17.5 million shares for $21, above the $18 to $20 price range. Riskified, which has raised $367.5 million, offers an e-commerce risk management platform that aims to prevent fraud. Shares launched at $27, peaked at $29.18 and recently traded at $26.56, up 26% from the bid price.
Finally, Traeger (COOK), which makes wood pellet grills, rose nearly 28%. The stock opened at $22, peaked at $23.74 and recently changed hands at $23.02, up $5.01 from the offer price. The company raised $423.5 million after selling approximately 23.5 million shares for $18 each, the top of the $16 to $18 price range.
Write to Luisa Beltran at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Indigenous American Tribes Are Looking To Enter The Cannabis Market
Indigenous tribes that are american Nevada are advocating for a legislation that could set the rules for marijuana sale and cultivation on Native American Land. The bill provisions also regulations for dispensaries that may ensure they operate in accordance with federal guidelines.
The native community that is american hoping that the growth for the cannabis industry on indigenous land will help end poverty, create jobs and will offer bright financial future.
Senate Bill 375 and Senate Bill 396, finalized in June by Governor Brian Sandoval, whatiscbd permitted the tribes to negotiate because of the government that is federal legalization of cannabis for medical and uses that are recreational.
Global CBD Exchange
Nevertheless, it’s nevertheless uncertain whether is likely to be amended an important facet within the legislation that relates to the taxation of cannabis sales.
Legislators assert that the tribes should follow state rules and comply utilizing the exact same wellness, protection and taxation requirements like state-licensed organizations. Meanwhile, indigenous American companies have advantage that is great over other companies into the cannabis industry, while they try not to spend taxes on money obtained on reservations.
Although the state of Nevada enacts taxes that are hefty cannabis product sales, the tribal sovereignty exempts tribes from federal taxes to their profits. Which means a marijuana that is tribe-owned could make an income margin as high as 85 per cent.
Tribes also wish that when they are able to secure a tax-free cannabis, this brings benefits for the city and offer jobs to its people. Presently about 98 per cent associated with more or less 1,100 members that are tribal unemployed.


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‘Don’t Tax Me; Don’t Tax Thee; Tax the Fellow Behind the Tree’
March 4, 2019
The doggerel verse in today’s title, which comes from Senator Russell Long (D-LA), the late chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, came to mind this week when I decided to write about European Union and EU member state tax policies. Making tax policy is hard work because virtually any path chosen will have different impacts on sectors, regions, and individuals no matter how hard one tries to make it as even-handed as possible.
In recent years, however, governments seem to have even stopped trying for tax policy neutrality and instead have embarked on tax policy competitiveness—using it as a bribe to entice companies to locate in their territory and as a weapon to punish companies that are either out of favor or attractive targets for easy money.
We have seen the former in this country in numerous state efforts to attract foreign investors. Oftentimes it works, but sometimes it does not—see the Foxconn case, where it appears Wisconsin got taken to the cleaners.
Recently, the European Union has begun to weaponize its tax policy for both reasons mentioned above—a search for easy money from foreign (almost entirely American)—marks and a way to disadvantage foreign companies in areas where the Europeans are having a hard time competing. The best current example of this is EU efforts, as well as those of individual member states, to impose a digital services tax (DST).
This proposal, which has not yet been agreed to, is intended as an interim step until a separate proposal to tax digital profits is implemented. Under it, a 3 percent tax could be collected by EU member states on taxable revenues collected by digital companies in that member state. Taxable revenues include those gained from digital advertising, operating online marketplaces, and selling user data. Taxable revenues exclude platforms whose sole purpose is to provide digital content, communication services, or payment services to users; financial service providers; and crowdfunding platforms. Companies would be subject to a DST if they both have a total worldwide revenue exceeding 750 million euros and their taxable revenue within the European Union exceeds 50 million euros.
Most of the individual countries and the European Union itself agree that this matter is best dealt with through a common approach, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has been tasked with developing that. The United States has also supported an OECD effort. That appears, however, not to be moving fast enough for some EU countries—at least eight so far—who smell easy money and want to install “temporary” measures pending an agreed-upon OECD approach. This is a terrible idea—bad for U.S. companies for sure but also bad for the European Union.
U.S. tech and digital companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon are the primary targets of these efforts—the revenue thresholds for the DST would effectively target only large U.S. companies. Accordingly, the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) has called the DST a tariff. According to their analysis, the only EU-based company that would qualify for taxation would be Spotify; however, given the exclusion of subscription fees under the DST proposal, even Spotify would not be taxed. It is clear that definitions of “taxable revenue” are specifically designed to include U.S. companies and exclude EU companies. The most recent version of the tax, the digital advertising tax, is even more narrowly focused on U.S. companies, particularly Google and Facebook.
It is also becoming clear that this is not good for European companies either, even though they’re not targeted. At the end of January, CEOs from European tech companies including Booking.com, Spotify, and Zalando, wrote to European governments urging them not to adopt the DST. They suggested the tax would “create a harmful legal precedent of taxing revenues over profits, even when the taxpayer is not yet profitable . . . impose a financial burden on burgeoning European companies and weaken their ability to compete globally . . . [and] . . . result in double taxation, particularly when charged on EU resident companies’ revenues, which are already subject to corporate income tax and VAT in Europe.”
In addition, the Tax Foundation argues that the tax burden of a DST would ultimately fall on European consumers and that turnover taxes have historically been found to be inefficient and barriers to economic growth. They give companies incentivizes to reorganize their business models to stay below the revenue threshold, thus limiting growth and wasting resources on designing strategies to avoid the tax. The foundation suggests that a turnover tax could result in double or triple taxation and that by taxing gross instead of net income, companies will be taxed before they become profitable. Most important, they point out that a DST rests upon the assumption that you can somehow separate the digital economy from the rest of the economy—an assumption that is increasingly unrealistic.
Similarly, the European Policy Information Center points out that taxing revenues would disproportionately harm companies with low-profit margins. A company with a 6 percent profit margin would face a marginal corporate tax rate of 50 percent if taxed at 3 percent on their revenues. This would be particularly harmful to start-ups that often operate on low-profit margins in their early years.
Finally, the ever-popular retaliation argument is relevant here, given the targeting of U.S. companies and the demonstrated tendency of the Trump administration not to take these things lying down.
One argument not always made publicly is that this is, at bottom, simply a case of jealousy. EU companies will be largely unaffected by the tax proposal because the European Union has produced so few of them. Sadly, the European Union has fallen into the same trap as President Trump. If you are in a race, there are only two ways to win—run faster or trip the other guy. Both Trump and the Europeans are concentrating on tripping each other when it would be a lot smarter if they simply tried to run faster.
Special thanks to Jonas Heering for the research behind this column.
William Reinsch holds the Scholl Chair in International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Jonas Heering is an intern with the CSIS Scholl Chair.
Commentary is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).
© 2019 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.


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Sprint today announced that together with LG it will bring its first 5G mobile phone to market during the first half of 2019. Sprint said the "innovative handset" is being "built for the country's first mobile 5G network." Sprint claims its forthcoming 5G network will allow customers to download full-length HD movies in seconds instead of minutes, and stream graphic-heavy videos and games without delays or lag-time. Specifics concerning the device were not provided. Sprint plans to launch its 5G mobile network in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. Sprint says more 5G devices are in development and will be announced over time. All the major carriers are rushing to be first to launch 5G. AT&T expects to offer a 5G mobile hotspot by the end of the year, while Verizon Wireless and Motorola will offer a 5G Moto Mod to the recently-announced Moto Z3 smartphone early next year.
YouTube has begun to recognize what it calls Signature Devices, or phones that deliver the best-in-class experience for YouTube content. YouTube says these phones have the latest technology and provide optimal viewing. In order to qualify as a Signature Device, a phone must include features such as high dynamic range, 4K, 360 video, reliable DRM performance, and a high frame rate. YouTube says it has worked with select manufacturers to verify a handful of Signature Devices. They include the new Samsung Galaxy Note9, as well as the S8, S8+, Note8, S9, and S9+; the LG V30 and G7 ThinQ; the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, XZ2, and XZ2 Compact; the HTC U12+; the Huawei Mate 10 Pro; the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S and Mi 8; the HMD Global Nokia 8 Sirocco; the OnePlus 6; and the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. People who own these devices don't need to do anything in order to enjoy a good YouTube experience. YouTube will add devices to the list over time.
T-Mobile today added to its lineup of mid-range phones with the LG Q7+, a phone that looks like LG's Stylo 4, but is smaller and higher-end in a number of ways. The Q7+ has a 5.5-inch display, (compared to the 6.2-inch display on the Stylo 4.) LG's Q series is intended to bring the premium design of the G series — including a 2:1 display and a metal frame — to lower price points. The Q7+ is rated IP68 for water resistance. It pairs a Snapdragon 450processor with a generous 4 GB of RAM. Other features include FHD+ screen resolution, NFC, fingerprint reader, 16-megapixel camera, USB-C, fast charging, 3.5mm audio jack, and a memory card slot. T-Mobile is selling it for $350.
MetroPCS today kicked off several promotions meant to encourage people to sign up for its service. To start, MetroPCS is offering those who switch a $200 discount that can be applied toward the purchase of a new phone. Some phones, including the Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime, LG Stylo 4, Moto E5 Plus, and iPhone SE, would be effectively free after the $200 discount. This deal requires users to subscribe to MetroPCS' Unlimited LTE plan. Second, customers who buy one iPhone can earn a $200 rebate toward the purchase of a second iPhone of equal or lesser value. This promo is good for new and existing customers. Customers who switch to MetroPCS can buy the iPhone 6 for $49. Last, customers who bring their own device to MetroPCS will receive a free month of service. These deals are available online and in stores.
Amazon has made the LG Stylo 4, a rebadged variant of the LG Q Stylus, available via its web site as a Prime Exclusive. Prime Exclusives are offered at slightly lower prices than retail and include a variety of Amazon apps and services preinstalled. The Stylo 4 includes a stylus and has a metal body with mil-spec 810G for protection against abuse and IP68 protection against water and dust. The Stylo 4 has a 6.2-inch screen with LG's 2:1 Full Vision (2,160 x 1,080) resolution. The phone is powered by a 1.8 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 450 processor with 3 GB of memory and 32 GB of storage. The phone comes with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front camera with a wide-angle lens. The Stylo 4 has a 3,300mAh battery and specs including USB-C, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, wifi, and LTE 4G. The fingerprint scanner is located on the rear surface. The phone ships with Android 8 Oreo and LG's pen-based software tools, such as memos and notes. Amazon is selling the LG Stylo 4 unlocked with support for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. (The phone is already being sold by Cricket Wireless and MetroPCS.) Amazon is charging $249.99, a savings of $50.
Researchers at the Israel Institute of Technology discovered a vulnerability in Bluetooth's Secure Simple Pairing and LE Secure Connections features that could lead to man-in-the-middle attacks. According to the researchers, the Bluetooth specification doesn't require devices with these features to validate the public key when pairing with new hardware. By not validating the key, it leaves the connection open to attack. In this case, the attacker would need to have a device within 30 meters and intercept the pairing procedure between two devices. The attacker's hardware could pose as the intended paired device, hijack the connection, and transmit malicious code. For this to work, both devices attempting to pair would need to have the Secure Simple Pairing or LE Secure Connections features enabled in their code, and the attacker's timing would have to be impeccable, according to the Bluetooth SIG. The bug impacts hardware from Apple, Broadcom, Intel, and Qualcomm, along with some Android handsets. According to ZDNet, Apple issued a patch for this bug in July. Intel and Qualcomm have updated their drivers, respectively, and some PC makers have begun to distribute the patches. LG and Huawei have said they'll include patches for the bug in security updates for their Android phones this month. Google has not mentioned the bug in any of its monthly security updates and it's not clear if the Android kernel, nor what other Android devices, are affected
AT&T has kicked off sales of the LG Phoenix Plus, a variant of the K10 announced earlier this year. The Phoenix Plus has a U-shaped metal frame with a 5.3-inch, 720p display and a 1.5 GHz, octa-core Snapdragon 425 processor with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. The phone features an 8-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. The selfie camera can capture bokeh-style shots. LG said the phone has new Low Light Noise functionality that improve low-light photography. Other features include a 3,000mAh battery, fingerprint reader, NFC, LTE, GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, FM radio, microUSB, and Android 8.1 Oreo. AT&T Prepaid sells the LG Phoenix Plus for $130.
Cricket Wireless will soon kick off sales of the LG Stylo 4, a rebadged variant of the LG Q Stylus announced earlier this month. The Stylo 4 includes a stylus and has a metal body with mil-spec 810G for protection against abuse and IP68 protection against water and dust. The Stylo 4 has a 6.2-inch screen with LG's 2:1 Full Vision (2,160 x 1,080) resolution. The phone is powered by a 1.8 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 450 processor with 3 GB of memory and 32 GB of storage. The phone comes with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front camera with a wide-angle lens. The Stylo 4 has a 3,300mAh battery and specs including USB-C, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, wifi, and LTE 4G. The fingerprint scanner is located on the rear surface. The phone ships with Android 8 Oreo and LG's pen-based software tools, such as memos and notes. Cricket Wireless will sell the phone starting June 29 for $229. The phone is already available from MetroPCS.
The Car Connectivity Consortium this week announced release 1.0 of its Digital Key specification, which will let people use their phone to unlock their car. The spec supports the ability to lock, unlock, start, and share access to cars from smartphones and other devices. The underlying technology makes it possible for carmakers to securely transmit a digital key to a mobile device, which then makes use of NFC and a secure element to provide vehicle access. The Car Connectivity Consortium says it has lots of support from both phone and car makers. Some of the member companies include Apple, Audi, BMW, Continental, Gemalto, GM, LG, Qualcomm, Samsung, and Volkswagen. The CCC is already working on release 2.0, which it expects will arrive during the first quarter of 2019. The group didn't say how long before consumers can expect to see the technology gracing their local automobile showroom.
MetroPCS has kicked off sales of the LG Stylo 4, a rebadged variant of the LG Q Stylus announced earlier this month. The Stylo 4 includes a stylus and has a metal body with mil-spec 810G for protection against abuse and IP68 protection against water and dust. The Stylo 4 has a 6.2-inch screen with LG's 2:1 Full Vision (2,160 x 1,080) resolution. The phone is powered by a 1.8 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 450 processor with 2 GB of memory and 32 GB of storage. The phone comes with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front camera with a wide-angle lens. The Stylo 4 has a 3,300mAh battery and specs including USB-C, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, wifi, and LTE 4G. The fingerprint scanner is located on the rear surface. The phone ships with Android 8 Oreo and LG's pen-based software tools, such as memos and notes. MetroPCS is selling the phone for $179 with offers (regular rice $239). Versions of the LG Q Stylus / Stylo 4 for other carriers, including AT&T/Cricket, Sprint/Boost, and U.S. Cellular, have passed through the FCC in recent weeks.
The 3GPP today ratified another piece of the 5G specification, termed the Standalone 5G New Radio, or SA 5G NR. This spec is for 5G networks that are developed on their own, apart from legacy or pre-existing networks. The Non-Standalone portion of the 5G spec was ratified late last year and covers 5G that hooks into existing LTE 4G systems. "The freeze of Standalone 5G NR radio specifications represents a major milestone in the quest of the wireless industry towards realizing the holistic 5G vision," said BalÃ¡zs BertÃ©nyi, chairman of 3GPP RAN. "5G NR Standalone systems not only dramatically increase the mobile broadband speeds and capacity, but also open the door for new industries beyond telecommunications that are looking to revolutionize their ecosystem through 5G." The SA 5G NR and the NSA 5G NR standards will together include the technology used by commercial entities, the air interface, and end users. The spec was approved by more than 600 delegates from the world's leading carrier, handset, and silicon vendors. Some participants included AT&T, DISH, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Kyocera, LG, MediaTek, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, SoftBank/Sprint, Sony, Verizon, Xiaomi, and ZTE. The 3GPP said the technical specifications for the ratified SA 5G NR will be published in the days ahead.
AT&T today said fire, medical, police, and other first responders now have more access to its FirstNet network. FirstNet has been available for purchase by agencies, but hasn't been directly sold in stores. Beginning today, any verified first responder can walk into one of AT&T's 5,300 retail shops and initiate service with a new device. The retail availability of FirstNet will be a boon to first responders who volunteer and/or aren't issued communications devices by their agency or local government. A fairly wide number of phones are compatible with FirstNet, including the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, S8 Active, Note 8, S9, S9 Plus, and J3; Apple iPhone 6/Plus, 6s/Plus, 7/Plus, 8/Plus, and X; LG V35 ThinQ; Motorola Moto G6 Play; Sonim XP5S and XP8; BlackBerry KEYone; and the Nighthawk LTE Mobile Hotspot Router. The public safety network is available nationwide in its own, reserved spectrum (Band 14). First responders may also sign up for FirstNet service using AT&T's web site.
LG today announced the LG Q Stylus, a mid-range entry that packs a stylus for pen-based input for those who prefer that way of interacting with their device. The phone has a 6.2-inch screen with LG's 2:1 Full Vision (2,160 x 1,080) resolution. The phone is powered by an octa-core chipset with 3 or 4 GB of memory and 32 or 64 GB of storage. The phone comes in several camera configurations, including a Q Stylus+, Q Stylus, and Q Stylus Î± with a 16- or 13-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel or 5-megapixel front camera. The front-facing camera has a wide-angle lens. All three variants have a 3,300mAh battery and specs including USB-C, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, wifi, and LTE 4G. LG says the phones all have DTS-X with 3D surround sound, and IP68 for water and dust proofing, and mil-spec 810G for protection against abuse. The fingerprint scanner is located on the rear surface. The phone ships with Android 8 Oreo and LG's pen-based software tools, such as memos and notes. LG says the LG Q Stylus will go on sale in North America and other markets during the third quarter. Pricing and availability from U.S carrier was not detailed.
Google today updated its Project Fi service in order to make it a better option for families. The service now allows parents to add children under the age of 13 to Project Fi group plans using the Family Link tool. Parents will be able to manage their children's data usage, such as set limits and add account alerts. Family Link lets parents set limits on app and device use, as well as manage content filters for Chrome, Search, and other Google services. Project Fi subscribers need only tap into the Family Link app to get started. Google recently expanded the number of devices available to Project Fi subscribers to include the new LG G7 ThinQ and LG V35 ThinQ.
Google today detailed the June security patch for Android devices. The company says it discovered a number of vulnerabilities impacting the the Android runtime, framework, media framework, and system software. It also found component-level issues with hardware from LG, MediaTek, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. Most issues were given a severity rating of "high" and several were listed as "critical." Google says it informed its hardware partners about the issues about 30 days ago. Google does not believe any of the vulnerabilities have been exploited by hackers. Google is pushing two updates to its Nexus and Pixel phones, dated June 1 and June 5. It will be up to individual device makers to update their own hardware with the latest patches. Google will provide AOSP with the patches within 48 hours.
Sales of the LG G7 ThinQ phone kicked off in the U.S. today. The phone is being sold by Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Project Fi, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless. It costs $749. T-Mobile is offering a BOGO deal on the phone at launch. Features of the G7 ThinQ include a 6.1-inch screen, Snapdragon 845 processor, dual rear cameras with portrait shooting and Google Lens, wireless charging, Boombox sound and quad DAC, and Android 8 Oreo.
T-Mobile today rolled out a big BOGO deal that sees the company offering free phones across a handful of brands. T-Mobile says the BOGO deal applies to the latest flagships from top-tier device makers including Apple, Samsung, and LG. Each brand has its own eligibility requirements, but there are some rules that apply to all the BOGO offers. First, customers can't mix and match brands, but they can mix and match models from the same brand. The second phone must be of equal or lesser value than the first. Both devices need to be financed on a T-Mobile equipment installment plan. Some of the offers include money back via prepaid card rebate while others are credited monthly on customer bills. T-Mobile customers get free access to Netflix, unlimited LTE on a T-Mobile One plan, T-Mobile Tuesday promos, GoGo in-flight WiFi on some domestic flights, and free data roaming in more than 140 countries. T-Mobile's summer BOGO deals will be available starting June 1.
AT&T today said it will sell the new LG V35 ThinQ beginning this week. Preorders kick off Friday, June 1, with the phone scheduled to reach AT&T stores on June 8. The LG V35 ThinQ is an updated version of the V30 that relies on the same internal components as the LG G7 ThinQ. The V35 has a 6-inch screen, two 16-megapixel cameras with Google Lens, a 3,300mAh battery, and a Snapdragon 845 processor with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Critically, the V35 ThinQ will support Band 14 and AT&T's FirstNet first responders network. The phone will be made available to FirstNet customers in addition to AT&T's own subscribers. The phone costs $30 per month for 30 months, or about $900.
Google is expanding the selection of phones available from its Project Fi MVNO. The company today said it will soon offer the LG V35 ThinQ, LG G7 ThinQ, and the Motorola Moto G6. The V35 will cot $899, the G7 will cost $749, and the G6 will cost $199. Aside from their ability to connect to Project Fi, these phones will mirror the features of unlocked and carriers variants. The Mot G6 is already available for preorder from Fi, and the G7 and V35 will arrive at some point next month. Before now, the selection was limited to Google's own Nexus and Pixel devices, as well as the Moto X4.
LG today announced the V35 ThinQ, an amalgamation of its existing lineup of smartphones. The V35 ThinQ takes the chassis from the V30 and merges it with the components and software of the G7 ThinQ. The V35 has a 6-inch quad HD+ OLED display with support for HDR 10 and Google’s Daydream platform. An aluminum frame separates the front and rear Gorilla Glass 4 panels. The phone is certified IP68 for protection against water ingress and mil-spec 810G for protection against abuse. On the inside, the phone adopts the Snapdragon 845 processor with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. The phone features the same dual-camera array found on the G7: a standard-view lens (71 degrees) at f/1.6 and a wide-angle lens (107 degrees) at f/1.9. The front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor at f/1.9. Like the G7, the V35 features LG’s AI Cam and can recognize 18 different scenes, such as flowers, pets, and the beach. The AI Cam then adjusts to capture the best shot. It automatically uses pixel binning to capture more light in the Bright Mode for low-light scenes. The camera can snag bokeh-style portraits using either the front or rear camera. It also includes the new Google Lens tool built directly into the camera app. The V35 packs a 32-bit quad DAC for superior wired sound, as well as DTS-X for cinematic surround, a wind filter, and super far-field voice recognition for discerning spoken commands from greater distances. Other specs include a 3,300mAh battery, wireless charging, NFC, Bluetooth 5, dual-band wifi, GPS, USB-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone supports newer U.S. LTE bands, such as Band 29 for AT&T and Band 66 for T-Mobile. It ships with Android 8 Oreo and LG UX 7. The LG V35 goes on sale in early June for about $900.
LG's new phone is a Frankenstein-like effort. LG sliced and diced parts from various phones and stitched them together to breath life into one monstrous device. The V35 ThinQ is part V30, part G7, and all LG. It boasts a 6-inch screen, mil-spec toughness, the latest silicon, and a trio of cameras. Here are Phone Scoop's first thoughts about LG's latest laboratory creation.
Verizon Wireless today provided more information about the forthcoming availability of the LG G7 ThinQ and the Motorola Moto G6. Verizon will begin taking preorders for the G7 ThinQ on May 24. Verizon is charging $31.25 per month for 24 months, or about $750 in total for the phone. Verizon says customers who finance the phone on a payment plan can score a $100 discount on the total price of the device, which will be applied equally via bill credits over the 24-month payment period. Verizon says this deal is stackable with its other trade-in offers. Verizon didn't say when the G7 ThinQ will hit stores. As for the Moto G6, it will be available online and in stores on May 24. Verizon is charging $10 per month for 24 months, or about $240 in total for the device.
Sprint today highlighted its pricing and launch plans for the LG G7 ThinQ. Sprint will begin accepting preorders for the phone on May 25, with retail availability expected across all Sprint channels on June 1. The company is offering the phone for $0 down and $33 per month on a Sprint Flex lease. Sprint leases run for 18 months with the option to buy or return the phone after 18 payments. The Sprint Flex also allows people to upgrade their phone after making 12 payments. This requires people to turn in their old phone when leasing a new one. Customers who lease the G7 ThinQ during the preorder period will be given the option to lease two G7's for the $33 monthly price. Sprint says this promotion is available to new and upgrade-eligible customers for a limited time. Sprint points out that the G7 ThinQ supports its HPUE LTE service for better performance under certain conditions.
Amazon has added the LG K30 to its list of Amazon Prime Exclusives for the low price of $140. The K30 is a rebadged variant of the K10, which LG announced earlier this year. The K30 has a U-shaped metal frame and a 5.3-inch 720p display and a 1.4 GHz quad-core processor. While T-Mobile's version has a 13-megapixel camera, Amazon's has an 8 megapixel camera. The front camera is 5 megapixel. Photo tools include bokeh/portraits and a Low Light Noise mode that works with HDR to reduce grain and provide more contrast in low-light shots. Other features include a 2,880mAh battery and fingerprint reader; LTE with support for Band 71 (600 MHz), GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, and FM radio; and a microUSB port. It comes in black, ships with Android 7 Nougat, and is sold unlocked.
T-Mobile today revealed launch plans for the LG G7 ThinQ. Pre-sales for the phone begin Friday, May 25, with general retail availability starting June 1. T-Mobile said the LG G7 ThinQ will cost $750. It is asking customers for a $30 down payment followed by monthly payments of $30 for 24 months. Notably, the G7 ThinQ supports T-Mobile's 600 MHz spectrum, on which the carrier is deploying LTE across the nation. The phone supports 4x4 MIMO and 256 QAM for fast wireless performance. During the pre-sale period, T-Mobile is offering a buy-one, get-one deal on the LG G7 ThinQ. Both phones will need to be financed on an equipment installment plan. T-Mobile will make the monthly payments for the second device over a two-year period. T-Mobile says it is the only carrier offering the G7 ThinQ in raspberry rose.
LG today announced the Q7, the 2018 version of its mid-range Q Series Android phones. The Q7 picks up where last year's Q6 left off, with updated specs and features. There are three models, the Q7, the Q7+, and the Q7Î±. The series carries over the 2.5D curved 5.5-inch FullVision Display with full HD+ resolution. The phones have a metal frame and metal rear panel. Updates to the series includes IP68 protection from water and dust and mil-spec 810G compliance, rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, HiFi Quad DAC, DTS:X 3D Surround Sound, face recognition, portrait shooting, and the QLens for image-based visual search. The devices run either a 1.5 GHz or 1.8 GHz octa-core processor.
- Q7+: The premium model in the Q7 range has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. It includes a 16-megapixel rear camera with PDAF and either an 8- or 5-megapixel front camera.
- Q7: The middle model in the Q7 range has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. It includes a 13-megapixel rear camera with PDAF and either an 8- or 5-megapixel front camera.
- Q7Î±: The bottom of the Q7 range has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. It includes a 13-megapixel rear camera with PDAF and a 5-megapixel front camera.
Netflix has granted three newer phones the ability to stream HDR video. The latest devices include the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, the Huawei P20 Pro, and the Sony Xperia XZ2. HDR content has more contrast than standard content, creating deeper blacks and brighter brights for a richer viewing experience. Other devices already able to access HDR playback on Netflix include the LG G6 and V30, Sony Xperia XZ1 and XZ Premium, Samsung Galaxy S9 and Note 8, and the Razor Phone.
LG today said it has commenced sales of its flagship G7 ThinQ phone in its home market of South Korea. The G7 ThinQ, announced earlier this month, is a premium metal-and-glass phone with a super bright 6.1-inch screen, Snapdragon 845 processor, AI-assisted dual rear cameras, BoomBox speaker, and Android 8 Oreo. Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless have committed to selling the LG G7 ThinQ beginning later this month. So far, however, U.S. pricing for the phone has been kept a secret. LG says carriers will announce pricing closer to the actual for-sale date. Pre-orders for the G7 ThinQ in the U.S. are expected to begin on or around May 24, with a ship date of June 1.
Google today made several changes to its Google Lens visual search tool. First and foremost, it is adding Google Lens directly to the camera app of Pixel phones. Several other phone makers, including LG, Motorola, Nokia, Xiaomi, Asus, and Sony, will add Lens to their camera apps in the near future. With Lens, Google is relying on machine learning to help power Google searches based on what the camera sees. Google is baking more searching and shopping tools to Lens, making it easy for people to discover where they can buy items such as clothing with a function called Style Match. A feature called real-time results provides instant search results as people move their camera over items. It scans text, images, and other data points to search things such as concert posters, books, and such. The results offer links to more information, videos, images, as well as the ability to make purchases. Google says this update will reach Google Lens on the Pixel in the next few weeks. Google's partner OEMs have not specified exactly when they'll update their own camera apps with Lens.
T-Mobile recently made the LG K30 available for sale from its web site for $225, or $9 per month for 24 months. The K30 is a rebadged variant of the K10, which LG announced earlier this year. The K30 has a U-shaped metal frame and a 5.3-inch 720p display and a 1.4 GHz quad-core processor. The phone features a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel wide-angle front camera. Photo tools include bokeh/portraits and a Low Light Noise mode that works with HDR to reduce grain and provide more contrast in low-light shots. Other features include a 2,880mAh battery and fingerprint reader; LTE with support for Band 71 (600 MHz), GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, and FM radio; and a microUSB port. It ships with Android 7 Nougat.
AT&T does not plan to sell LG's new flagship phone, the G7 ThinQ, according to The Verge. Instead, the company plans to offer an exclusive phone from LG later this summer. “We offer a strong lineup of devices from LG today. And we’re planning to launch a new LG device this summer only from AT&T," said the company in a statement. AT&T competitors Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and U.S. Cellular all plan to sell the G7 ThinQ, which will be available for preorder starting on or about May 25. T-Mobile said it will sell the G7 later this spring. AT&T did not provide a reason for skipping the G7 ThinQ.
The LG V30S ThinQ, an upgrade to last year's V30, will soon be available to U.S. buyers for $930. The phone has been listed at that price on B&H Photo and LG confirmed the price to CNET. The V30S ThinQ boosts RAM from 4 GB to 6 GB, and improves storage options to 128 GB or 256 GB from 64 GB. It also ships with Android 8 Oreo, where the original shipped with Android 7 Nougat. The V30S ThinQ includes LG's new AI Camera, which adds scene detection and Super Bright Mode to help with low-light capture. It's not clear exactly when the phone will go on sale.
Following T-Mobile’s lead, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular have all committed to selling the new LG G7 ThinQ phone. Verizon Wireless said it will begin accepting preorders on May 24. Verizon did not specify a ship date. Sprint said it will start taking preorders on May 25, with an expected June 1 ship date. U.S. Cellular said it will take orders for the G7 ThinQ beginning June 1. None of these carriers has indicated what the phone might cost. AT&T is the only major carrier yet to announce launch details for the G7.
T-Mobile has committed to selling LG's new flagship device, the G7 ThinQ, but the Un-carrier didn't specify pricing or availability. Instead, the company said it will offer the phone "later this spring." T-Mobile did note that the G7 ThinQ supports its 600 MHz spectrum (Band 71) for LTE.
LG's update to its flagship phone keeps the design mostly the same while making strides where it really counts: under the hood. This year's phone is slim, powerful, and loud thanks to its metal-and-glass design, Snapdragon 845 processor and AI Camera, and massively loud speaker. Here are our first impressions of the LG G7 ThinQ.
LG today announced the G7 ThinQ, its 2018 flagship phone, at an event in New York. The phone merges features of last year's G6 and V30 to create a more powerful phone that's easier to use. The G7 ThinQ is made from metal and glass and is certified IP68 for protection against water and dust. The FullView display measures 6.1 inches across the diagonal with a slightly taller aspect ratio to account for the additional screen real estate forming the notch. Owners can use software to visually eliminate the notch if they wish. The display packs 3,120 by 1,440 pixels for quad HD+ resolution. The G7 ThinQ uses LG's Super Bright Display LCD technology and claims to have a brightness of 1000 nits, making it one of the brighter displays available on a modern phone. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. LG has improved the camera hardware and software. The phone features two 16-megapixel cameras on the back: a standard-view lens at f/1.6 and a wide-angle lens at f/1.9. The front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor at f/1.9. LG is taking advantage of machine learning and the Snapdragon 845's image signal processor to help the G7 recognize 18 different scenes, such as flowers, pets, the beach, and more. This AI Cam then adjusts to capture the best shot based on the scene. It automatically uses pixel binning to capture more light in the Bright Mode for low-light scenes. The camera can snag artistic portraits using either the front or rear camera. Another stand-out feature is the new Boombox speaker. The bottom-firing speaker uses the sealed interior chamber of the phone to help amplify sound. As a result, LG says the G7 ThinQ is loud enough to fill rooms with music. The G7 also carries forward LG's commitment to the quad DAC for superior wired sound, as well as DTS-X for cinematic surround and 3D stereo sound. The G7 ThinQ includes a dedicated button on the side for calling up the Google Assistant. Moreover, the phone as 2 microphones with noise cancellation and it supports Super Far Field voice recognition. LG claims the G7 has a 35% higher recognition rate for spoken voice commands at 6.6-feet than most other phones. The LG G7 ThinQ goes on sale soon in black, red, blue, or silver. Pricing wasn't immediately disclosed.
LG says its forthcoming flagship will have a redesigned FullVision display that adds a number of new technologies. The screen measures 6.1 inches across the diagonal at a new aspect ratio of 19.5:9 to account for the additional screen real estate forming the notch. The company says it reduced the size of the bottom bezel by 50% when compared to the G6 to give the phone even more screen real estate on front. The display packs 3,210 by 1,440 pixels for quad HD+ resolution. The G7 ThinQ uses LG's Super Bright Display LCD technology and claims to have a brightness of 1000 nits, making it one of the brighter displays available on a modern phone. LG says this "allows users the convenience of operating the phone in almost any lighting condition, notably under bright sunlight while reducing power consumption by as much as 30 percent than the LG G6." LG claims the screen can automatically adapt to six screen color settings depending on the content, such as movies, sports, games, and such. The phone analyzes the owner's activity and switches screen color profiles to match on the fly in order to conserve power. Beyond this automatic tool, owners will be able to take full control over the display's color profiles through dedicated RGB sliders. The LG G7 ThinQ is expected to be announced at an event next month.
AT&T today said it has launched what it calls 5G Evolution in 117 new markets, bringing the total of pre-5G markets to 141. The company says its 5G Evolution technology can deliver theoretical speeds up to 400 Mbps to properly equipped phones. AT&T expects to launch 5G service in in a dozen markets, including Dallas and Waco, Texas, and Atlanta, Ga., by the end of the year. Further, AT&T has expanded its LTE-LAA footprint from three markets to parts of seven markets. LTE-LAA can push speeds to theoretical a max of 1 Gbps. The new LTE-LAA markets are Boston, Sacramento and McAllen, Texas. A handful of phones sold by AT&T are LTE-LAA capable, including the Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, S8+, S9+, Note8, and S8 Active, as well as the LG V30 and Moto Z2 Force Edition. AT&T's LTE-LAA is already available in The Loop in Chicago, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, downtown LA, and the business district of San Francisco. AT&T plans to deploy LTE-LAA in at least 24 markets by the end of the year.
Cricket Wireless today kicked off sales of the LG Fortune 2, an affordable Android phone. The Fortune 2 is a rebadged variant of the K8 (2018) and Tribute Defiant (sold by Boost Mobile). The Fortune 2 includes a 5-inch HD screen, quad-core MediaTek processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage. The Fortune 2 has an 8-megapixel main camera with LED flash, a 5-megapixel front camera, and a removable 2,500mAh battery. Other features include LTE 4G with HD Voice, WiFi with mobile hotspot and WiFi Calling, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS. It runs Android 7.1 Nougat. Cricket Wireless is selling the LG Fortune 2 for $100.
Security Research Labs says Android phone makers often miss security patches but still tell owners the phones are up-to-date. Researchers Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell examined the code of some 1,200 phones from more than a dozen phone makers for every security patch released during 2017. They discovered phones from nearly all makers missed at least some patches. Phones from Google, Sony, and Samsung ranked fairly well, missing an average of just one patch. Phones from Xiaomi, Nokia, and OnePlus missed between one and three patches per update, while devices from HTC, Motorola, LG, and Huawei missed three to four, and phones from TCL (Alcatel) and ZTE often missed more than four patches per update. High-end devices with processors from Samsung or Qualcomm were more likely to updated properly, while low-cost devices with processors from MediaTek were less likely to be updated properly. Nohl and Lell say what's worse than the missed patches are the phone makers' claims to the contrary. "We find that there's a gap between patching claims and the actual patches installed on a device. It's small for some devices and pretty significant for others," said Nohl to Wired. "We found several vendors that didn’t install a single patch but changed the patch date forward by several months. That’s deliberate deception." The researchers claim this lulls consumers into a false sense of security, though they admit that hacking into Android phones through any of the missed patches is a difficult task at best. In response to the data, Google argued that not all the devices researched were Android certified, and that modern Android phones have other security measures in place to protect them. "Security updates are one of many layers used to protect Android devices and users," said Scott Roberts, Android product security lead at Google. "Built-in platform protections, such as application sandboxing, and security services, such as Google Play Protect, are just as important." Still, Google said it would work with Security Research Labs to investigate Nohl and Lell's findings.


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Trade and Tariffs: Impact and Opportunities for the Middle Market
Wednesday 10:30 am - 11:15 am, Conference Room (Ballroom A)
Moderators: Michael Taylor
Panelists: Steve Orava, David Filippelli
This session will take a closer look at how trade wars and tariffs are impacting middle market industrial companies and their PE owners – and strategies you can deploy to create value in this dynamic arena.
Few if any policy issues have dominated the headlines more than international trade – the Administration’s historic decision to rewrite decades-old Agreements while unilaterally imposing wide-ranging tariffs on goods vital to the industrial economy. The bottom-line impact on companies large and small has been profound; the debate over whether such actions have succeeded continues to rage. Yet, despite a flow of daily news coverage, tweets, speeches, and summits — events are still changing by the hour. As a result, very few businesses or their owners truly understand what has happened, how it has happened, and what, if anything, they can do about it.
Has your supply chain been disrupted? Have your customer relationships been frayed? Have your costs risen, or your margins shrunk, as a result of a Presidential tweet or Administrative action — and the policy changes that followed? If so, you’re not alone.
This session will provide an up-to-the-minute briefing on the current landscape of trade policy – with an eye toward allowing you tangibly to use that information in your businesses. It will go “behind the headlines” to share what has actually changed and why, what may still change, and how those shifts in policy will reverberate throughout the economy for years to come. Most importantly, it also will share how you and your companies meaningfully can engage in these issues by discussing best practices that will take you from the sidelines to the playing field in a way that fosters value creation.


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U.S.: Businesses Are Betting On A Happy New Year
Businesses appear to be casting off their summer caution, and that's good news for 2005. Earlier this year, the oil shock and election uncertainty clouded the outlook, causing companies to delay some of their inventory-building, capital projects, and hiring until the future was a little clearer. Now, companies seem to like what they see, especially the rebound in consumer spending and the lower dollar, which will provide a boost to exports and profits.
As a result, Corporate America is gearing up once again. Just look at the rising trends in industrial orders and output, suggesting that companies are responding to the stronger pace of demand. More important, companies appear to be interested in expanding their operations, not just in replacing tired old computers or machinery. Growing payrolls are another key sign that, despite the high cost of hiring, businesses are feeling better about the future and are willing to expand. All this is supporting economic growth this quarter, and the momentum should carry over into the new year.
The reason businesses are increasingly willing to shell out more for equipment and payrolls is evident in the details of the Commerce Dept.'s Nov. 30 update on third-quarter real gross domestic product. Based on more complete data, Commerce says the economy grew at a 3.9% annual rate over the summer, instead of the 3.7% pace originally reported last month. And while the overall revision to the past was small, the underlying data show a sharp upward shift in prospects for the future.
As it turns out, overall demand last quarter was stronger than first reported. Spending in all sectors -- consumer, business, government, and foreign trade -- grew at a 4.9% annual rate. That's up from the 4.2% pace in the initial data and the best showing of the year. At the same time, businesses built up their inventories by less than first estimated. With inventories lean, output will have to be boosted to meet rising demand. And that's just what's happening, based on the November gain in the Institute for Supply Management's index of industrial activity. All this implies further growth in jobs, income, and spending.
THIS VIRTUOUS CYCLE explains why many companies are starting to look at expansion plans. The Business Roundtable's latest CEO Economic Outlook Survey shows that executives expect the economy to grow at a healthy pace in the first half of 2005. Moreover, 50% of the CEOs surveyed expect their companies to increase capital spending in the next six months. That percentage is well above the 35% from this time last year, and it has risen steadily in each quarter this year.
The upturn in capital spending got its start when companies began to replace aging, short-lived tech equipment. During the first two years after the recession ended, spending on information-processing gear accounted for 70% of the growth in overall equipment outlays.
But in the past year, with industrial operating rates rising and with demand strengthening, businesses have boosted their spending for more traditional machinery and equipment. Third-quarter business outlays for all types of equipment and software, adjusted for inflation, increased at a sturdy 17.2% annual rate, faster than the 14.9% pace first reported. Outlays for info-processing equipment slowed last quarter, but spending on nontech items accelerated sharply. Industrial machinery was up 27.2%, the best showing since Commerce started keeping quarterly records on such spending in 1990. Transportation equipment soared 35.4%, the largest quarterly gain in nearly six years. And spending on all other nontech items jumped 22.9%. As a result, in the past year nontech equipment has accounted for nearly 60% of the growth in all equipment outlays.
THAT TREND IS CONTINUING this quarter. Machinery orders posted a strong gain in October, the third in a row, while transit equipment saw a small rise. Total orders for capital goods, excluding aircraft, fell 3.6%, but that followed a 5.2% jump in September. Looking past the monthly ups and downs, the trend in orders is clearly on the upswing, following the summer pause. In addition, shipments of capital goods began the quarter with a hefty gain, suggesting business outlays are on track to post another solid advance this quarter.
Despite the recent interest-rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, financing this spending won't be a problem. Corporations have enough cash flow to cover all their capital outlays and then some. True, profits will grow more slowly as costs rise, but that's compared with the superstrong pace of recent quarters. Third-quarter profits from current production, as measured by Commerce, fell 2.4% from the second quarter, and the growth from the previous year slowed to 8.4%, vs. 19% in the second quarter. But hurricane-related payouts by insurance companies and uninsured losses subtracted nearly $80 billion from the total. Excluding that, profits last quarter would have grown 4.4% from the second quarter and 16% from the year before.
A more critical question mark for capital spending is the yearend expiration of the 50% "bonus depreciation" allowance granted companies in the 2003 tax package. Businesses have an incentive to get their spending done before Dec. 31, and the worry is that any bunching of outlays may borrow from spending in early 2005.
But a survey of companies done by the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank, along with the latest reading of spending plans in the Business Roundtable survey, suggest little if any impact. Moreover, the level of unfilled orders for capital goods continues to trend higher, suggesting further gains in shipments are on the way.
COMPANIES HAVE TO BE PLEASED by the way consumers have bounced back from the initial impact of the oil shock. Commerce now says consumer spending grew at a 5.1% annual rate last quarter, the strongest advance in nearly three years. Clearly, higher energy prices have hit households. But important offsets are coming from better job growth, which is boosting incomes, and sizable gains in household wealth, which is lifting borrowing power.
Last quarter's spending increase is a reminder that consumers' actions don't always line up with how they say they feel. The Conference Board's index of consumer confidence has fallen steadily since July. In November it slipped to 90.5 from 92.9 in October. And for the second month in a row, households said they have diminished expectations for the future. But October non-auto retail sales were strong, and the holiday shopping season appears off to a decent start.
The continued upbeat trend in demand, the ongoing rise in capacity utilization, the excellent financial condition of corporations, and the rebound in outlays for traditional machinery all support the notion of a positive outlook for capital spending. And historically, capital spending and job growth have moved in tandem. Given that combination, the economy is most likely on its way to a happy -- and prosperous -- new year.
By James C. Cooper & Kathleen Madigan


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Ams Expects Positive Development in 2Q Thanks to Auto Demand
By Kim Richters
Ams AG on Tuesday released results for the first three months of
the year and said it expects business in the second quarter to be
driven by a recovery in global automotive demand.
The Austrian sensor maker, which is listed in Switzerland, said
first-quarter performance was robust but didn't provide any
comparable year-on-year figures due to its acquisition of Osram
Licht AG since then.
First-quarter group revenue came in at $1.55 billion and net
profit was $5 million, it said.
The company said it expects business to continue to develop
positively in the second quarter, driven by a strong recovery of
world-wide automotive demand and supported by solid demand in other
business areas, despite a generally tight supply chain.
At the same time, it guided for sequentially lower revenue of
between $1.43 billion and $1.53 billion for the second quarter.
"Pandemic-related effects continue to influence regional economies
and end markets with different intensity," Ams said.
Late on Monday, Ams said it intends to launch a public delisting
tender offer for the remaining around 28% of Osram shares it
doesn't yet own against a cash consideration of 52.30 euros
($63.10) for each Osram share.
At 0735 GMT, shares in Ams traded 3.3% higher at CHF16.52.
Write to Kim Richters at email@example.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 04, 2021 03:59 ET (07:59 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.


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Gran Turismo 5 will see no more delays, series creator Kazunori Yamauchi has assured CVG.
Speaking to our man on the ground in Los Angeles, Yamauchi answered "no more delays?" with "yes" and a positive thumbs up. So it looks like he'll be sticking to yesterday's November 2 release date announcement.
At its E3 press conference yesterday, Sony also announced that GT5 will ship with full 3D support, which is good news for those of you with money falling out of your ears.


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PETALING JAYA: The government is concerned over the recent increases in the price of consumer goods and is committed to ensuring that this is addressed quickly for the welfare of the "Malaysian Family", says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The Prime Minister said, in a Facebook post Monday (Jan 24), that he would chair a meeting of the National Action Council soon to get feedback from the relevant ministries.
"The government is concerned over the recent increases in the prices of goods.
"I will be chairing a National Action Council meeting in the near future to get a detailed explanation from the ministries involved," he said in his Facebook post.
He added that the government was committed to addressing the issue to ensure the welfare of all Malaysians.


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This comes as part of an effort to unify the OS across larger and smaller devices
Microsoft seems to have done wits work well with Windows 10 which has received a lot of appreciation for changing back to the way it caters to the traditional PC users and also keeping up with newer requirements of the touch interfaces. Apart from adding new and exciting features, Microsoft is also unifying Windows 10 for large devices (8+ inch screens) as well as the smaller ones (phones and small tablets). This is highly going to benefit the developers who can think about creating apps which will work on all the platforms; a desktop, a phone and even Xbox.
A special version of Office which is still under development was demonstrated on a phone by Joe Belfiore and it is also going to work just fine on the desktop too. Windows 10 is welcoming back the Start button but the tile-based launcher is still there. In addition to this, there is a People app which is going to work across your device and aggregate your contacts. With this app you can quickly start a call or send a message.
The Outlook on Windows 10 is also receiving an upgrade and it is now going to feature Tinder-like swipe functionality – left for delete, right for flag. You will use Word for the composition of your emails. Word, Excel and PowerPoint are going to function fully well on the mobile devices just like the desktop counterparts; however, documents will be reflowed so they can fit on the smaller screens.
Another universal app is the Photos which comes with OneDrive integration and will let you sync photos from multiple devices, allowing you to view your entire collection from one single place. This app has the ability to handle duplicates and burst-shots to avoid clutter and automatically group photos in albums. So far it has been confirmed that Nokia Lumia 1520 will get the upgrade to Windows 10 (the same device was used to demo the OS).
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For years wary of adopting metal as a primary build material for even its hottest gadgets, Samsung had little choice but to ultimately go the premium, pricey design route last month. Only the half-aluminum/half-plastic Galaxy Alpha isn’t looking like the limited experiment tipped for so long.
WhatsApp is one of the most popular cross-platform messaging apps. The app is available on all major platforms, and was recently purchased for billions of dollars by the social networking giant, Facebook. Earlier this year, the company’s CEO revealed that voice and video calling will soon make its way to the app, starting with the iPhone and Android, followed by other mobile platforms.
Earlier this month, Sony unveiled its latest flagship device dubbed as the Sony Xperia Z3, which is a substantial upgrade over its predecessor. The device features a similar set of hardware as the Xperia Z2, but offers a new round aluminium frame and tampered glass on the front and back. The handset is set to launch in fall, but if you’re residing in the UK, the Sony Xperia Z3 is up for pre-orders directly from Sony for £549, with the deliveries expected to kick off from September 26th.
While it’s pretty much customary to wrap up announcements of flagship smartphones manufactured by China-based OEMs with ominous disclaimers regarding prospective Western availability, some of these up-and-comers have started setting up their own international distribution channels.
If HTC is somewhat on the rise of late as far as notoriety and general sales are concerned, it’s no doubt at least in part thanks to the Desire line. The mid-range family made a bigger impact than high-end Ones over the course of 2014 with solid quality-pricing ratios and options for virtually every budget.
The Chinese manufacturer Oppo is said to be working on its new flagship device which will launch under the Oppo N3 moniker. The company recently teased its upcoming product on Facebook with a possible October announcement date at an event in Singapore. Recently, the folks at GSMArena were sent some alleged press renders of the Oppo N3, which carries on the company’s tradition of a rotatable camera so it can be used to take high quality photos and selfies. Additionally, the press render reveal that it will also feature a dual-LED flash, another trait which was present in its predecessor.
Seemingly confident the G3 can stand the test of time and fend off the Galaxy Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus threats with no high-end refreshment or reinforcement, LG continues to bolster its already vast and strong “smartly-priced”, mid-range portfolio.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 4 phablet at IFA 2014 earlier this month. The phablet packs top-of-the-line hardware, along with a plethora of features on board. If, for some reason, you missed the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 event, and want to know more about its features, Samsung has prepared a new inforgraphic to help you know everything about the phablet.
It may have taken Samsung a little longer than usual, but in the end, they’ve come up with the perfect iPhone 6 Plus-mocking/Galaxy Note 4 advertising effort. Granted, it’s not as laugh-out-loud hilarious as the legendary “dude, you’re a barista” commercial.
Every month, Google releases monthly figures about the adoption of various versions of the Android operating system. The numbers are posted on the company’s developers blog to give us an idea about how widespread different versions of Android are. The search engine giant recently revealed the figures for August, and we see a few noteworthy changes in the figures.
As if BlackBerry’s mobile device manufacturing business wasn’t hurting enough on the heels of Q and Z-series sales flops that sent the Canadian giant on the brink of bankruptcy, BB’s CEO earlier this year got in a bitter verbal fight with T-Mobile’s head honcho.
T-Mobile may be the go-to carrier (or should we say uncarrier?) for most mobile tech enthusiasts no longer happy to tie themselves up to lengthy contracts, but lower-profile operators such as Boost Mobile are sure doing a fine job in catching up.


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Nokia revealed 4 different handsets at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The list of four Nokia phones includes phones that will target both budget-conscious customers and high-end, pricey device lovers.
The Finnish phone manufacturer has introduced Nokia 105, Nokia 301, Nokia Lumia 520 and Nokia Lumia 720. Let’s start with the entry-level handsets that is, Nokia 105 and Nokia 301.
Nokia 105 and Nokia 301are two low-cost phones that are being priced $20 and $85, respectively. The first one is a 1.5-inch screen phone without a camera, but with a durable 800mAh battery, that reportedly could last up to 30 days. Other than that, Nokia 105 does not offer any of the currently popular phone features, which significantly limits its functionality. Nokia 301 is a bit more expensive, but still cheap in comparison to high-end handsets. It has a 2.4-inch display with a resolution of 320×240 pixels, a 3G feature, a 3.2MP camera and the possibility for adding a microSD card for image storage. Nokia 301 also packs a durable battery, which lasts up to 6 hours of talk. Both devices will be available in a wide range of color options, such as white, black, yellow, cyan…
On the other hand, we have the Lumia handsets, which will also be featured in many color variants, but offer more premium specs and therefore are more expensive. Both handsets run Windows Phone 8 OS, do not support LTE and can be operated with gloves, thanks to their supersensitive touchscreen capabilities.
Nokia Lumia 520 features a 4-inch display with a resolution of 800×480 pixels, 512MB of RAM, a 1GHz dual-core processor, a microSD card slot and a 5MP rear-facing camera. It will have a price tag of $183. The device will initially appear on the European market and will soon be available for purchase in T-Mobile.
Nokia Lumia 720 packs a dual-core 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, a 4.3-inch supersensitive ClearBlack LCD touchscreen with 800x480pixel resolution, 512MB of RAM, NFC, a 6.7MP camera on the back side, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, microSD card slot and 2000mAh battery. Wireless charging is one of Nokia Lumia 720’s cool features, as well. The handset will be launched in March and will cost around $330.
It’s also worth mentioning that Nokia has unveiled that the Windows Phone platform is now able to offer more than 130.000 apps to its users. This is a great improvement and we do hope this number continues to grow in the future.