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“PETA is celebrating the end of the Meat Gala and hopes to see attendees embrace Earth- and animal-friendly fashion, too—meaning no fur, leather, cashmere, wool, or feathers,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said following August’s announcement that this year’s Met Gala would serve an all-vegan menu. And Billie Eilish, one of PETA’s 2021 Most Beautiful Vegans, didn’t let us—or, more importantly, other animals—down. In working with Oscar de la Renta on her 2021 Met Gala look, the vegan singer-songwriter ensured that her dress would be animal-friendly. Last month, PETA announced that the legendary designer would be going fur-free after decades of our runway disruptions, protests, some carefully thrown tofu cream pies, and pressure from activists worldwide. Now we know that Billie Eilish played a major role as well!
“Oscar de la Renta will terminate all fur sales at the urging of Ms. Eilish, who is a vegan and animal rights activist,” wrote The New York Times.
Oscar de la Renta's designers spoke with The New York Times about dressing Billie Eilish in a "risky" ball gown for the #MetGala — and her condition that the brand stop using fur. https://t.co/rTGVWkd7Jd pic.twitter.com/5uv7SdC5yJ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 13, 2021
Knowing how easy and important it is to wow the crowd without killing or exploiting animals is second nature to Billie, whose online activism has included sharing with her then 40 million Instagram followers how minks suffer when they’re killed for fur slippers and false eyelashes as well as how sheep are mutilated in the wool industry. “[W]atch this please,” she urged her fans of PETA’s “P!nk Speaks Up for Sheep” video, which exposes the horrendous hidden cruelty of exploiting sheep for their wool.
So it’s no surprise that on “fashion’s biggest night,” Billie was dressed (compassionately) to impress and to help animals.
Billie Eilish is prettier than you.
— Billie Eilish Spotify (@billonspotify) September 13, 2021
Is This the Most Animal-Friendly Met Gala to Date?
It’s a sign of the times: First an all-vegan menu that’s sure to set a trend for other fashion events to follow, then Billie making fur-free design the star of the red carpet—the days of Met Gala attendees wearing bits of tormented, dead animals and calling it “fashion” are numbered. Clearly, compassion is in fashion and always will be.
“I find it shocking that wearing fur isn’t completely outlawed at this point in 2021. I am so beyond thrilled that … the Oscar de la Renta team heard me on this issue and have made a change that not only makes an impact for the greater good for animals but also for our planet and environment, too. I’m honored to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on this matter. I urge all designers to do the same.” —Billie Eilish
After you enjoy your own vegan dinner during tonight’s Met Gala livestream, click below to learn more about the animals PETA, Billie, and so many others are speaking out for and to take action against their abusers:


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The new company, named B-Mobile, is slated to begin operations by early October. The other companies involved in the venture are California-based H&Q Asia Pacific; Itochu, a Japanese trading company, and its information processing unit, Itochu Techno-Science; and Access, a Japanese browser-software maker for non-PC devices.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
B-Mobile, to be headquartered in Tokyo, will provide software and services for Internet-based business transactions over wireless networks for mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), the companies said in a joint statement.
The new company is also teaming with NTT Communications, a unit of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, to use NTT Communications' network system and data center, the companies said.
B-Mobile will base its services on BroadVision's One-To-One e-business applications and XML (Extensible Markup Language) content-management technologies, the companies said. XML is a Web standard for data exchange that is rapidly becoming the preferred language of online business.
In May, Redwood City, Calif.-based BroadVision said it was teaming with Bank of America, Hewlett-Packard and Amadeus Global Travel Distribution to form a new company that will build internal corporate Web sites for businesses.

domain: news


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The 2015 Hyundai Tucson is set to pick up where the IX35 left off, and will likely gather a few more buyers to the brand. Hyundai’s success with the ix35 mid-size SUV surprised almost everyone except Hyundai. Now the highly popular model is being replaced with a new model, reviving the Tucson nameplate that disappeared […]Read more "2015 Hyundai Tucson Picks Up Where IX35 Left Off"
Hyundai / Kia Motors considers football sponsorships as a core element of its marketing strategy and as an efficient way to communicate with customers by sharing their passion for football and building an emotional connection. Through its football sponsorship activities, Hyundai / Kia Motors aims to position itself as a brand that delivers the excitement […]Read more "Hyundai and FIFA Official Partnership Until 2022"
Hyundai already offers upscale entries in its lineup such as the Equus and Genesis (pictured above), but unlike many brands in North America, the company lacks a luxury crossover to further compliment the sedans. The latest signs suggest that hole in the lineup might be filled in the near future, though. According to four, unnamed company insiders speaking to […]Read more "Hyundai Considering Upscale Genesis-Based Crossover"


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Tumblr customers who don’t need a particular put up to be reblogged by others will now have the choice to show off the reblog setting. In a blog post, Tumblr says it’ll begin rolling out reblog controls as we speak on net and iOS, with Android to return quickly.
When composing a put up, customers can select between two reblog choices. One choice permits anybody on the platform to reblog the put up to their very own weblog. A brand new choice will let customers disable reblogs on that put up, making it so no person can reblog it.
Within the put up, Tumblr says that the function comes on the request of customers who say controlling reblog settings would create a way of security. Even when a consumer blocks another person after the put up is made, the blocked consumer nonetheless wouldn’t be capable to reblog the put up, the corporate says.
“This alteration offers you management over your personal posts, and so will enhance your posting expertise,” the weblog put up reads. “Finally, higher posting means a greater Tumblr.”
Customers might discover methods to get round posts which have reblogs turned off — like taking screenshots or reposting content material. However the brand new function does give customers extra management over how their content material spreads and who can interact with it.
Different platforms like Twitter and Fb have rolled out new settings aimed toward giving customers extra management over their posts. In April, Twitter started experimenting with an “unmentioning” function, permitting customers to take away themselves from conversations the place they’re tagged. Final week, Meta tweaked settings on Facebook, barely altering the default setting for who can view a put up.


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TRUST MY GARAGE BEGINS TV AD CAMPAIGN TO DRIVE CUSTOMERS TO GARAGE NETWORK
The IGA says the advert uses TMG member Williams Garage in Winchester to demonstrate the professional businesses that are representative of the independent sector. The first ads were aired in March and will run for at least one year across a wide selection of TV and social media channels.
The campaign has been driven by IGA members who have been expressing concerns about consumer work provision. IGA Director Stuart James told AT: “The members have been asking for this for a long time and we’re now in the position to do it and it’s the right time.”
“Trust My Garage supports and enhances a garages own brand identity and does not sit between the garage and its customers, unlike third-party work providers. The Trust My Garage Code of Practice does not charge its members or their customers for this service – it’s a Government backed code for independent garages and a benefit of IGA membership that does not take a skim”.
The IGA conducted research over the last year to determine the top 10 major influences on the independent sector and garage work providers came in at number two (resources and staff took the number one spot). The reliance on so-called ‘Skimmers’ to provide workshops with custom is something that has caused the IGA concern for some time – believing they will have a significant long-term detrimental impact on independent garages. “These people position themselves between the garage and the customer. In some cases, the customers don’t even know which garages their cars are going to. They charge a fee, in some cases to the customer, in others directly to the garage, for providing the introduction service and these are unregulated organisations. We fear as they get stronger and become more well-known with consumers, they will dictate at a higher level and increase costs, while the garage becomes more dependent on them and loses its own identity. They are not automotive organisations they are people who are very smart at putting websites together.” The IGA are due to release a report this month on the practices of work providers, which will be available on its website.
The TMG Code of Practice is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and was created in 2010, it now has over 2,900 members registered. Each new member undergoes a rigorous site audit to demonstrate that it has reached the standards set by the IGA. Once passed, it can display the TMG shield as a badge of quality.
Membership of the IGA itself provides access to a wealth of business support, something that has often come up in conversation during AT workshop visits over the past few years, and cited as an extremely useful resource. Stuart explains: “Members have access to training, we do on-site training for members, we provide quality control programmes all at member rates, which is run not-for-profit. Also, we provide a legal helpline and HR support. It’s a one-stop-shop for an automotive business. The services we provide more than cover the cost of membership.”
Garages can join the IGA and be part of Trust My Garage by calling: 0845 305 4230.


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How your Easter eggs are REALLY made! Inside an Australian chocolate factory - and you won't believe the tricks they use
- Haigh's Chocolate have shared footage from their Adelaide factory
- It shows how Easter eggs are made using moulds and spinning machines
- Each egg appears to be hand wrapped, and the company makes 4.5million eggs
- Haigh's start creating eggs just after Christmas and finish a week before Easter
Haigh's Chocolate have shared the detailed process that goes into each of their brightly wrapped Easter eggs ahead of the holiday weekend.
In a three-part short video, the confectioner shows how the egg shape is formed and set before showing off the delicate wrapping process.
While the creation of the egg is done almost entirely by machine in Adelaide, each chocolate is then painstakingly hand wrapped.
Scroll down for video
Haigh's Chocolate factory in Adelaide shared video to their Facebook account to show followers how their Easter eggs are made
The video shows melted chocolate being dispersed into half-egg-shaped moulds through a machine.
Each sheet of moulds is then joined with another to form a full egg, and the sheet is attached to a machine which spins the chocolate to ensure it creates a whole egg.
When the chocolate sets, it is placed on to a conveyor belt, and employees sit on the side with piles of brightly coloured foil.
Melted chocolate is poured into moulds and attached to a spinning machine which spreads and sets the chocolate into an egg shape (pictured)
Haigh's Supply Chain Manager Peter Millar says the factory would create 4.5million eggs for Easter
They are seen picking up an egg and wrapping it delicately in the foil before twisting each end to seal it.
Haigh's Supply Chain Manager Peter Millar told Nine News the factory would create 4.5million eggs for Easter.
'It's a very busy time for us… We start producing the chocolate just after Christmas, and it's finished just the week before Easter,' he said.
Woolworths believes they will sell 13million Easter chocolates over the holiday, and an extra 150,000 kilograms of chocolate, Australian Food News reported.
The factory begins producing the chocolate just after Christmas, and finishes the week before Easter
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Claims Flood in as Northridge Filing Deadline Reached
by Amanda Bronstad
L.A. insurance attorneys spent the last few days of the year filing last-minute lawsuits for Northridge earthquake victims.
“The list is unbelievable,” said Brian Kabateck, a senior partner at Quisenberry & Kabateck LLP who filed a lawsuit Dec. 31 against 21st Century Insurance on behalf of 91 families. “My rough idea, from the information I know and what I read, is there were definitely in excess of 700 (lawsuits) in the last month.”
California passed legislation following the 1994 earthquake extending the statute of limitations to file against insurance companies from the typical one-year period to the period ended Dec. 31, 2001.
Insurers say the number of actual lawsuits filed was far fewer than originally anticipated. The Northridge earthquake resulted in some 600,000 property damage claims for a record $16 billion (since surpassed by the World Trade Center collapse).
But insurers now face a new wave of suits filed just before the Dec. 31 deadline. “The last couple of weeks of the year our phone was ringing off the hook, Kabateck said.
Not Enough Info
Infonet Services Corp., the El Segundo-based provider of computer and data network services, got hit with a shareholder lawsuit just before the start of 2002.
Two shareholders filed the suit in federal court, claiming the company and its chief executive, Jose Collazo, failed to reveal information about a souring contract deal until the final minutes of trading on July 31, 2001. The next day, the stock price fell from $6.42 a share to $3.55.
The lawsuit seeks to obtain class action status for investors who bought shares between Dec. 16, 1999, and July 31, 2001. In the lawsuit, the shareholders claim “Infonet portrayed itself as a company with growing revenue and profits, yet failed to disclose its business problems.”
Infonet executives could not be reached for comment.
“Lord of the Rings” distributor New Line Cinema Corp. and its Los Angeles-based subsidiary, Katja Motion Picture Corp., has sued the maker of the comic book series “Spawn” for $2 million.
New Line, which released the movie “Spawn” in 1997, claims Ariz.-based Todd McFarlane Productions Inc. altered the terms of an agreement that gives New Line royalties from sales of merchandise based on the movie “Spawn.”
Instead of paying New Line royalties from all merchandise sales, Todd McFarlane reported only 10 percent of sales, claiming that the other 90 percent went to an affiliated company called TMP International Inc., which does business as McFarlane Toys. The change reduced New Line’s royalty rate to less than 1 percent, the lawsuit asserts.
McFarlane Productions declined to comment.
Staff reporter Amanda Bronstad can be reached at (323) 549-5225 ext. 225, or at


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Nokia says tax officials raid Chennai production unit
CHENNAI/HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish phone maker Nokia(NOK1V.HE) said tax officials raided its production unit in Chennai on Tuesday. A company spokesman said it was cooperating with the probe, although he could not elaborate on what local authorities were looking for. The Chennai plant is one of Nokia's biggest facilities.
A senior Indian tax official said the investigation related to allegations that the company may have evaded around 30 billion rupees in taxes.
"We are suspecting a default in TDS (tax deducted at source) on payments to other countries against software supplies," said the Indian tax official, who declined to be named.
Nokia shares fell 2.3 percent to 3.20 euros by 1142 GMT.
Finance minister, P. Chidambaram, has vowed to clamp down on tax evasion to help the country plug a widening fiscal deficit.
In November, a junior finance minister said India was investigating the local unit of chocolate maker Cadbury over taxes.
(Reporting by Anupama Chandasekaran and Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Jane Merriman)
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The Nifty will stay in a broad band of 7,800-8,200 with an immediate resistance at around 8,050 levels. One should look to selectively accumulate in sectors such as infrastructure, capital goods, cement, power and metals. The outperforming sectors such as pharma, IT and auto ancillaries could take a breather due to international headwinds, writes Ambareesh Baliga. Full Article
Euro zone risks "relapse into recession" without structural reforms - Draghi. Full Article


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Honor has officially unveiled the Honor 50 smartphone for the European market. The premium smartphone was unveiled alongside the Honor 50 Lite that is making an entrance for the first time.
The Honor 50 was first announced for the Chinese market in July the year and only made its appearance in Malaysia last week. The device arrives in Europe with a starting price tag of 529 Euros (~$614) for the base model with a staggering 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The 8GB RAM + 256GB storage version comes in at 599 Euros (~$695).
Since Honor is an offshoot of Huawei, the most interesting detail on the models is the presence of Google Mobile Services on this version. It runs Android 11-based Magic UI 4.2.img src="https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1.jpg" alt="Honor 50 " width="1200" height="600" srcset="https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1.jpg 1200w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1-300x150.jpg 300w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1-768x384.jpg 768w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1-696x348.jpg 696w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1-1068x534.jpg 1068w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-1-840x420.jpg 840w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"">
In terms of specifications, the Honor 50 sports a 6.57-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen which has support for a 120Hz refresh rate. The display comes with ultra-slim bezels on all sides giving it a high screen-to-body ratio. The premium mid-range smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC.
For optics, the Honor 50 packs a dual ring camera module design consisting of two concentric circles on the back. The quad-camera setup includes a 108MP main camera, teaming up with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle, 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth-of-field camera. At the front aspect, there is a 32MP camera on the front.img src="https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2.jpg 1200w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2-696x464.jpg 696w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https://www.gizmochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/honor-50-2-630x420.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"">
The device draws its power from a decent 4,300mAh battery with support for 66W fast charging. The brand claims the device can charge from 0 to 70% in 20 minutes while charging to 100% will take just 45 minutes.
HONOR 50 Lite
The Honor 50 Lite features a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD screen with a resolution of 2376 x 1080 pixels. The display also comes with support for a 120Hz refresh rate. The processor is not known at this time but it is believed to be the Snapdragon 662 chipset paired with 6GB/8GB RAM while there is a 128GB storage option.
The 50 Lite packs a quad-camera setup at the rear consisting of a 64MP main shooter as well as an 8MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.4 aperture, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture.
The device is powered by a 4300mAh battery with the same 66W Honor SuperCharge fast charging used in the Honor 50. It runs on Android 11 with Magic UI 4.2 and features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. Other features include a 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, USB-C port.
As for the pricing, the Honor 50 Lite starts at 299 Euros (~$ 247) for the 6GB+128GB variant. The device will be available in Deep Sea Blue, Space Silver, and Midnight
The Honor 50 alongside the 50 Lite will be sold in the UK and in several European markets including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain from November 18th. The device will also make its way to EMEA markets such as Egypt, the UAE, and South Africa.
- Honor X30 Max, Play5 Vitality Edition among new Honor phones coming soon
- US Senator urges Biden administration to blacklist Honor
- Honor 50 Lite specifications and pricing leaked before launch
Source : https://www.gizmochina.com/2021/10/26/honor-50-honor-50-lite-lands-in-europe-with-google-services-onboard/1680


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The RBA have decided to keep Interest rates on hold for the time being, poor Chinese data this morning could impact the Aussie Dollar despite strong housing data released overnight.
In the early hours of yesterday morning the Reserve Bank of Australia announced Interest rates would not be cut for the 2nd consecutive month. This was no surprise as it would have been difficult for the RBA to analyse how the cut last month had impacted and improved growth within the economy. As Interest Rates were kept on hold at 1.75% I expect the Pound will continue to fall against the Australian Dollar within the next 15 days however potential spikes in the market could occur due to economic data releases.
Overnight Australia released their latest Home Loans orders. This data release indicated how the housing market is performing and shows a level of consumer confidence. Home Loans were expected to be released at 2.5% however they disappointed and were released at 1.7%. In addition China released their latest Trade Balance numbers. The numbers were a mixed bag as Imports were slightly up however Exports were slightly down and therefore the data releases counteracted one another.
China release their latest Consumer Price index numbers Thursday morning. Consumer Price Index also known as inflation increased to 1.6% last month however a drop is expected to -0.3% which could have a negative impact on the Australian Dollar and therefore we could see a spike for Australian Dollar buyers.
In the event you require Australian Dollars, call us on 01494 725 353 and speak with one of our brokers today!
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Excellent experience every time. I always feel as though it is a personal service with the staff getting to know me as a person rather than just a customer. Special thanks to Dayle Littlejohn.


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The Globes business daily reported that Apple is going to set up its research and development center in Israel that will focus on semiconductors.
According to the Israeli newspaper, Israeli high-tech veteran Aharon Aharon has already been hired by the developer of iPhones, iPads and iPods to run their New R&D center in Israel but Apple haven’t confirmed this yet.
The Globes business daily said that though Apple was a global innovation leader but it is a small investor in Research and Development. Apple invested $2.4 billion in R&D last year which was just 2 percent of its total revenue.
The Globes also said that R&D center in Herzliya(Israel’s version of Silicon Valley) would be Apple’s first R & D center outside California,US
Ed Frank, Apple’s R&D vice president was currently visiting Israel, the newspaper said.
According to the Israeli media reports, Apple was in advanced talks to acquire an Israeli maker of flash storage technology Anobit for $400-$500 million but Apple has declined to comment on this report as well.


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Source: Altcoin Today, originally published on .
New cryptocurrency focusing on charity makes digital transactions faster and intuitive Centurion, a new type of cryptocurrency launched in February 2017, focuses on scalability and ease-of-use. This interesting digital coin borrows features from bitcoin and other altcoins, offering the users a simple and efficient platform for exchanging funds. Moreover, it focuses on promoting children…
The post New cryptocurrency focusing on charity makes digital transactions faster and intuitive appeared first on Altcoin Today.


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Cornwall Ontario – For all foodies or anyone interested in exploring new flavours in food, Laura’s The Art of Living & Giving (Laura’s) will be hosting their first food tasting event, on Saturday May 6th, from 11:00am to 4:00pm, which will feature cooking demonstrations by local chefs. This event will celebrate the opening of their new Olive Oil & Balsamic Tasting Bar, and their newest addition of unique spices and seasonings.
In addition, Laura’s is excited to announce their latest initiative, involving the local food community. Partnering with Kozroots Community Empowerment Projects (KCEP), a local not-for-profit that supports and creates initiatives centred around agri-food and social enterprise, a shelf featuring locally grown and produced food products will be installed in Laura’s. “While our shop features items from across the globe, we are strong supporters of everything local and so felt that having one of KCEPs local food shelves in our shop would be the perfect fit for our customers.” said Kim Sabourin, owner of Laura’s. Sabourin is one of a number of entrepreneurs bringing the local food scene to new heights in Cornwall, with this new venture and also with Schnitzel’s European Flavours and Sheep’s Head Bistro.
The local food shelf at Laura’s will be branded with the “Local to SDG” logo, as well as Canada 150, since this year KCEP’s activities and projects centre around celebrating all things locally made in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation. This shelf will be the 5th of its kind spearheaded by KCEP, following shelves at St. Lawrence College and Foodland in Winchester.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Laura’s to offer more local food to the community, and more opportunity for our local producers to sell their wares. Kim’s philosophy of supporting local fits perfectly with our mission and vision, and we are excited to see more local food hitting local shelves, and local tables.” said Brenda Norman, KCEP President. “The kind of support that Kim and Laura’s are lending to our organization is characteristic of the kind of community involvement that all of our projects have inspired, and it is due to this kind of innovation and generosity that we have been able to move forward with initiatives such as the Eastern Ontario Garlic Festival and other agri-food initiatives.”.


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Microsoft angered its customers and now it wants to make good. That's the message the company is seeking to convey with an overhaul to its controversial Software Assurance purchasing program. Microsoft said Tuesday that it...
7 days: A week of Azure outages, Black Friday deals, a kernel change and "becoming Clippy"
The day I became Clippy
Your guide to every Lumia Windows Phone ever launched
From Xbox to Health, the story of the Microsoft Band


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According to sources cited by The New York Times:
Apple was interested in partnering up with Uber's on-demand delivery service, referred to internally as UberEverything. The service itself has failed to take off thus far, only bagging Uber a handful of deals. While no specific locations were mentioned, the two companies discussed "some cities."
After talks reportedly broke down between Uber and Apple, the latter tech giant partnered with Postmates, launching the same-day delivery option last month.
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You might have heard recently that the Welsh government has been taking steps to get E-cigs ‘under control’ in Wales. They attempted to ban E-cigs in public places, but have thus-far failed to do so.
But, ironically, they may have actually figured out how to make E-cigs much less enjoyable.
They are banning flavours.
Yes, this is true – it’s not a prank or a joke. Here’s the official statement from Public Health Wales.
“Confectionary-like flavours of e-liquid should not be permitted, in order to reduce the appeal of vaping to children and young people.”
According to a spokesperson from Public Health England, it was said that ‘only children’ enjoy sweet flavoured E-liquids – and that the flavours were obviously designed with the intent to market the devices and the liquids to children.
This is obviously a stretch. In fact, it’s more than a stretch – it’s downright ridiculous to those of us who understand vaping and the ideology behind it. We obviously disagree with this completely… but just for the sake of the argument, we are going to share a few thoughts on why we believe that such a ban is not only unnecessary, but also on how it could also cause more harm than good.
Argument Number One… Fruity and Sweet Flavours Appeal To Ex-Smokers Too
Believe it or not, fruity and sweet e-liquid blends carry a lot of appeal for ex-smokers. They taste good, and they help people who used to smoke to move even further away from the idea of smoking as it pertains to cigarettes.
They also help to establish vaping as its own habit… separate from smoking and something unique in itself. Without flavours, far more people may just stick to smoking.
Argument Number Two… Fruity and Sweet Flavours Were Not Designed To Market E-cigs To Children
No E-cig companies in the UK make it their policy to sell to underage users. E-cig websites and businesses alike, as well as all of the prominent vaping associations, support the ’18 and over’ rule for vaping. Nobody wants to sell vaping products to kids or children. Nobody wants to see children getting addicted to nicotine. Nobody wants to see younger vapers using the devices behind their parents’ backs.
The idea that these types of flavours were designed specifically for children and minors is quite outlandish, to put it lightly.
Argument Number Three… Fruity And Sweet E-Liquids May Increase The Odds That Smokers Will Be Able To Successfully Switch To E-Cigs
Vaping is definitely a bit different than smoking. It’s also a bit more expensive to get started with. These are both disadvantages that can cause smokers to continue to smoke instead of switching over.
So what does vaping have to offer over cigarettes? Well, vaping is up to 95% less harmful than cigarette smoking. It’s also less expensive in the long run, and can provide an alternative nicotine delivery system that can help smokers to quit.
But it also offers a larger, more diverse array of flavours – which make it its own unique experience. This diversity is part of what has made vaping so successful. One day, someone is smoking cigarettes that they don’t even like, just because they are addicted to nicotine. The next, they’re vaping on a fruity, sweet E-liquid blend that they love, while also getting their nicotine at the same time.
This allows them to kick smoking, because they’re not even missing out on anything by switching!
Hopefully, the Welsh Assembly will change its viewpoint on vaping. The vaping industry has done a lot of good things for Wales. It has provided jobs and revenue – despite the challenges that vaping has thus-far endured.
And this, unfortunately, just seems to be another roadblock in the way. Will the vaping industry be able to get past it? It’s impossible to know for sure at this point. Hopefully things will work out to negate this rather extreme ruling – but only time will tell, so we’re eager to get some more updates and clarification from Public Health of Wales.
Have you got an opinion? We’d love to hear it.


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Both Fiat-Chrysler and Volkswagen are denying reports of merger talks. However, some observers think a VW acquisition of the Italian-American car maker would be a good fit.
Local anti-poverty groups will be launching a campaign in November for a municipal living wage amid a Statistics Canada report showing that minimum wage earners are no better off today than they were in the 1970s.
With the average sales price on the rise, the Windsor-area’s housing market posted its strongest June sales since 2011, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association.
Mayor Eddie Francis was back on the defensive Tuesday, saying his critics have “no idea whatsoever what it takes to run a municipal government.”
Windsor Family Credit Union opened the doors Friday of its new downtown location.
Former Unifor president Ken Lewenza said Monday he was still debating whether to run for mayor in the October municipal election.
Canada’s economy lost 9,400 jobs in June, pushing the unemployment rate up slightly to 7.1 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
Unifor president Jerry Dias said Friday the union may follow the lead of its American counterpart and establish a local for Toyota workers in Cambridge and Woodstock.
The Canadian Association of Mold Makers is calling on the public and Catholic school boards to reverse a trend it believes is contributing to a shortage of skilled trades in Windsor and Essex County.
Local car dealers are expanding stores and hunting for workers as they gear up for booming car sales that are expected to break another record this year.


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Austin has treated the Mindshare team very well at SXSWi – we’ve learned and shared heavily. As the team looks back at the past few days, there’s a few constant themes that have emerged. Below is a top line list from what I saw today and during the past week – stay tuned for a more comprehensive summary coming soon from our Mindshare@SXSW team.
The movie "Ex Machina," which premiered this weekend at South by Southwest, tricked Tinder users in Austin with its promotional campaign. Is this marketing ploy smart or sneaky? Mindshare's Joe Maceda weighs in.
t’s the last day at SXSWi, but before riding off into the sunset, Tuesday ushers in a few last informative sessions, the start of the highly anticipated music festival, and St Patrick’s Day.
This year, SXSWi has DOUBLE the amount of startup related programming as it did in 2014. It's hard to believe given that the entrepreneurial spirit is nothing new and the conference hasn't delivered many breakout stars in the past few years. But it seems like SXSW programmers are intent on changing that.
The Mindshare team sits down with Pandora's Lizzie Widhelm, SVP of Ad Product Strategy and Sales. Hear what she has to say about the power of audio ads, and get her POV on Adaptive Marketing - why it's actually a people issue.
Morning y'all - today is day four at SXSWi and there are no Monday blues in sight! We’re looking forward to another day of informative sessions and exciting brand activations. Be sure to check out the following
Day three at SXSWi was just as packed as the rest. But one of the great things about an event like this is that in between all of the running around for sessions, you can grab a portable charger from a Mophie-branded St. Bernard, have a seat on the Iron Throne with HBO, and even join Hootsuite's pedi-cab bus.
The Mindshare team talks to Gene Gurkoff, the founder of Charity Miles (winner of SXSW People’s Choice Award in 2013). Hear from Gene on why SXSWi is a chance for the little guy to shine, and what companies he wants to learn from while he's here.
Today is certainly not a day of rest in Austin, because it's day three of SXSWi 2015. As usual, the day is loaded with sessions both enlightening and informative, with a healthy dose of fun mixed in throughout.
Mindshare NA's Yvonne Williams shares her insights and takeaways from day two of SXSW Interactive - including the need for authenticity and not chasing first clicks.
You can learn a lot about Adaptive Marketing from politicians. See why - and hear why one speaker says this is the era of A/B testing - in our second SXSWi video interview, featuring Alexis Fragale, Lillian Brown, and Joe Maceda.
Morning Austin, and welcome to day two of SXSWi 2015. Today is going to be chock full of information and companies you may have never heard of. Why? It’s the start of the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Series.
Mindshare's Joe Maceda shares his insights and takeaways from day one of SXSW Interactive - including how and why the line dividing brands and content producers is dissolving.
What can brands take away from SXSW? And how does Adaptive Marketing come into play? Hear from our own Lillian Brown and Joe Maceda in the first of our SXSWi video interview series.
It’s day one of SXSWi 2015. Today’s mantra, in true Texas form, is “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose.” Mindshare is setting out to take it all in and see what this year’s conference has in store for us. There are lots of questions we’ll be looking to answer over the coming days: Will there be a breakout startup star? What is the role of brands on-site? How will SXSW differentiate itself from CES? And so on.
Coming to SXSW Interactive? Let Mindshare North America be your guide. We've got tips on transportation, dining options, and most importantly of all: recommendations for the sessions you shouldn't miss.
If you were intrigued by the technology from the Consumer Electronics Show or Mobile World Congress, you’re in luck: SXSW 2015 promises to further accelerate those emerging trends, particularly the latest in wearables, sensory experiences, big data and more. The unique thing about SXSWi is its tendency to bring in both emerging and established companies to demonstrate how they overlay content with these tech trends – in doing so, they illustrate how brands are using technology to best engage an audience among an ever-changing digital landscape. By Casey Steinberg and Yvonne Williams of Mindshare


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The UK council secured funding from the Department for Transport to purchase 21 e-cargo bikes last year and 12 of them are being made available for lease to local businesses.
Milton Keynes (MK) Council in the UK has leased its first fully electric e-cargo bike to a female entrepreneur who launched an online marketplace for local businesses in Olney, a town in the borough, during the pandemic.
In a separate announcement, the council has launched a smartphone app to help local people and visitors make quick, clean and green transport choices in Milton Keynes.
MK Council secured funding from the Department for Transport to purchase 21 e-cargo bikes last year. Since then, council tree inspectors and landscape officers have been using some of the bikes in their day-to-day duties. Twelve are being made available for lease to local businesses, reducing the use of harmful vans and cars and cutting the business’ impact on the environment.
The three remaining e-cargo bikes were donated to a local food redistribution charity in December.
Helen Knight launched RySync Deliveries during the pandemic as more people recognised the importance of shopping locally. It is an online market place of local shops, traders and businesses that also provides a door-to-door delivery service, which will now largely be able to be completed using the council’s leased e-cargo bike.
“Milton Keynes is a world-leader in green technology and MK Council has set out its ambitions for MK to become zero-carbon by 2030,” said councillor Jenny Wilson-Marklew, cabinet member for climate action and sustainability. “Projects and initiatives like this, along with the enthusiastic support of local businesses, will all help us on that journey to a cleaner, greener city.”
Knight said she is grateful to the council for providing her with the opportunity to use the e-cargo bikes for local delivery. “My business is committed to reducing the environmental impact of shopping habits and make it easier for people in the Olney area to shop locally using carbon-free deliveries.”
The first phase of the Get Around MK transport app is live and available to download to smartphones for free on the Google Play and Apple App Store.
The launch comes after the council recently published its Get Around MK website and is part of a wider £500,000 investment in sustainable transport following the huge uptake in cycling, walking and scooting during the Covid-19 pandemic. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for local people to find a greener transport option that’s right for them.
“Projects and initiatives like this, along with the enthusiastic support of local businesses, will all help us on that journey to a cleaner, greener city”
Both platforms host a range of interactive features, including a live map of roads and redways (shared-use routes for people walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting, including powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters), nearest bus stop locator and details of bike hire locations, electric vehicle car charging points and more.
Cycling and walking levels in some areas of MK were 58 per cent higher in May 2020 compared to May 2019, and the council wants to maintain the momentum created in sustainable travel beyond the pandemic.
The Get Around MK app has been developed in partnership with transport management and smart ticketing software developer Unicard.


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DON'T JUST BE FIT...
Tom Clancy’s The Division Tom Clancy’s The Division Interview- GamerFitnation’s Antwand Pearman, interviews Alex Irvine about Ubisoft latest title Tom Clancy’s The Division. Irvine, literality wrote the book on how to survive in a city wide pandemic. Don’t Just Be Fit. Be Gamer Fit #BeGamerFit Leave your comments below and add to this discussion. Like […]
Skylanders Superchargers multiplayer has been announced. Recently,GamerFitNation got the chance to check out a event held by Activision about the newest title and a bombshell announcement was dropped. Skylanders Superchargers is finally getting online multiplayer. The announcement comes as a surprise for the millions of collectors and fans of the franchise will know that this […]
GamerFitnation.com test drives Sony's Project Morpheus at the Best Buy Theater in July.
Rainbow Six Siege Terrohunt travels to New York City after E3 to share its famed multiplayer mode Terrorist Hunt, which has now been coined “Terrohunt” by the community. Terrohunt is one of the core substances to Rainbow Six as it gave players a unique twist of a horde mode. It was time to test if my anti-terror […]
From Kickstarter to now being featured as one of PlayStation 4’s featured indie titles, Armello, the traditional table top type of game game brought to life, is adding more than just waiting your turn to role a pair of dice. This Fall fans on PC and PlayStation will play an adventure that involves various clans […]


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The Urban Escape Story, as told to the Telstra Business ‘Smarter’ website.
Urban Escape Director, Craig Withers, was interviewed by ‘Smarter’ about how Urban Escape was built, how he triumphed against adversity, and how he plans to expand the Urban Escape brand.
Urban Escape won the National Telstra Micro Business Award in 2014. An achievement which has been the ultimate cherry topper for Craig’s hard work and dedication to his craft.
Read the article here: Telstra Micro-Business Of The Year 2014: Urban Escape


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Early in the year, Royole revealed a peek into its second-generation flexible phone, the 5G-enabled FlexPai 2. That particular product took advantage of its latest OLED panel technology to come up with its outward-facing flexible screen, which was very similar to Huawei’s Mate X.
Now, the Chinese phone brand is offering a new panel, which is touted to provide an improved bend radius, top-notch display performance, and as a key feature – a greatly reduced crease down the seam. Initially scheduled to be released into the market in the second quarter of 2020 – a date that was not feasible – the phone has finally been released and made available to enthusiastic buyers.
Following a live-stream launch of the product, in keeping with guidelines of the lockdown measures, FlexPai 2 has been made available for buyers on Royole’s website. The phone is expected to be available on JD.com by September 25th.
The base model of this phone comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB ROM storage, which is pegged at an asking price of 9,988 yuan (about $1,470). The higher-end variant of this device comes with 12GB RAM and 512GB ROM Storage, which will cost 11,588 yuan ($1,710) when it is made available later. There are three primary colors for this device, and they include Cosmic Gray, Midnight Black, and Sunrise Gold.
Royole has shown its device to be a competitive alternative to other well-known brands. For example, in China, the Huawei Mate X, which is similar in its use of the outward-facing flexible screen just like the FlexPai 2, goes for a whooping 16,999 yuan (about $2,510), a very substantial difference in price with the FlexPai 2. On the other hand, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 goes for just $1,999 in the US market, but it is still considered expensive compared with what Royole is offering.
In the virtual launch, the phone company’s CEO, Bill Liu shared a glimpse of the specs of the new device. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, a 7.8-inch display (1920 x 1440), quad cameras, and stereo speakers. In switching to its folded mode, there’s the option to use either the 5.5-inch primary screen (1440 x 900), which has shortcut buttons in its edges, or the much smaller secondary screen (1440 x 810), which has cameras beside it.
For the cameras, there’s the 64-megapixel f/1.89 main camera, the 16-inch megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, an 8-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto camera (supports triple zoom), and a 32-megapixel f/2.0 portrait camera. Just like its predecessor, the current device offers a dual-screen photography mode, which allows you to catch a glimpse of yourself in the secondary screen.
There’s a touchpad below the camera, capable of waking up the display when on standby. You can achieve this with a double-tap. While working on your apps, you can use the double-tap function to split your screen into three, made possible through Royole’s Android 10-based water 2.0.
Other key specifications include a 4,450mAh battery (which is a significant increase from the 3,970 mAh of its predecessor), a 6.3mm thickness when opened, and 12.8mm thickness when closed, a 339-gram weight, and 5G network, which currently favors China and European markets.
This device comes with a Fully Flexible Display. The panel was subjected to a test and passed the 200,000 bends, which is the benchmark for today’s foldable phone technology.
The company enlisted the help of the Chinese National Institute of Metrology for further certification of its panel. The results showed that this device’s panel could withstand an astounding 1.8 million bends. How competitors such as Samsung and other players in the foldable phone industry will react to these figures will be interesting.
It’s been a fierce race in the foldable phone industry within the last few years. Only major players such as Samsung, Motorola, Huawei, and Royole have held tightly to the market. It is yet to be seen if Royole will delve into other markets. Due to the lingering trade war between the US and China, the chances are that if you buy an imported version of the FlexPai 2, you won’t be able to access Google apps.
LG seems to be stepping up on their game with their snap-on secondary screen devices. Now, consumers are presented with a lot of options in the phone market.


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We have reported numerous times on how the technology and auto industries are colliding and in many sectors even merging – so the fact that a startup wants to build cars out of 3D printed parts should come as no surprise.
While most automakers and other businesses were content with the traditional way of showcasing their vehicles during the North American International Auto Show, the Local Motors startup decided it was simpler to build their models on the exposition floor. Detroit’s Cobo Hall had the honor of seeing some of the company’s 3D printing technology in order to demonstrate to disbelievers how one of its cars – the electric Strati – can be produced using directly a digital file. The cars, powered by batteries just like any other normal full-electric car, are scheduled to go on sale sometimes later this year. Local Motors won’t be printing, sorry, producing the car just about everywhere as they are already running two micro-plants, one in Phoenix and the other in Las Vegas. But they’re confident enough in their future to expand in Washington, D.C., and Knoxville, Tennessee in the near future.
If you don’t know the drill about 3D printing, here’s a quick rundown. The technology, also dubbed stereo lithography, has been known for at least a decade – it uses a computer guided laser beam to flash into a pool of liquid or powdered materials, with the structures being fused one pixel and one layer at a time into solid objects. While some automakers and their suppliers already use the technology to develop prototype parts, Local Motors is among the few ambitious companies that wants to build the entire body of the vehicle. They print the body, chassis and interior parts, then use traditional assembly work to marry inside the rest of the components, such as suspension, wheels, tires and the powertrain.


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“Museums have been talking about the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) for a long time but 2021 could be the year the technology finally goes mainstream.”
“The Curious Alice experience is the first time the V&A has used VR in an exhibition. The museum worked with HTC Vive Arts and the immersive game studio Preloaded to produce an experience that sends the player down the book’s famous rabbit hole and into a vividly realised world to take part in a game of hedgehog croquet. Gesture capture technology allows players to handle objects within the virtual world.
Further chapters of the game, which launched online last year, allow players to search for the white rabbit’s missing glove and solve nonsensical riddles set by the hookah-smoking caterpillar.
Based on a series of layered collages created for the exhibition by the Icelandic artist Kristjana Williams – herself inspired by the V&A’s collection of Victorian paper theatres – the game is a glimpse into the promise VR holds as both a tool for artistic creation and a medium for 360-degree storytelling.”
Geraldine Kendall Adams @Gkendall. (2021, May 21). Through the looking Glass: The VR Revolution in museums is here. Museums Association. https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/analysis/2021/05/through-the-looking-glass-the-vr-revolution-in-museums-is-here/#
As VR expands beyond just headsets and Pokemon go, it is an increasingly accessible option for expanding the experience of an exhibit. Flight simulators have also been a popular teaching tool, and source of entertainment, for flight enthusiasts for decades. This opens up whole realms of options for integrated VR systems connecting to multiple locations, melding story telling with experience, and guiding a visitor through a museum experience. While this article has a more abstract VR experience, even a more artistic take on flight could better communicate the excitement or passion of flight to a visitor.


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Canalys reported this morning that global smartphone sales are off 6% this quarter, and it’s not because of lack of demand. It’s due to the worldwide chip shortage.
The pandemic has had a negative impact across supply chains, and chips have been particularly hard hit. Canalys principal analyst Ben Stanton says that manufacturers are trying to keep up as best they can, but the chip shortage is a legitimate roadblock right now.
“On the supply side, chipset manufacturers are increasing prices to disincentivize over-ordering in an attempt to close the gap between demand and supply,” he said in a statement. “But despite this, shortages will not ease until well into 2022.”
What did the market look like this past quarter as a result of these supply chain issues? Well, the usual suspects maintained their market share positions, with Samsung holding steady year over year at 23%. Meanwhile, Apple saw sales increase 3 percentage points to 15% this quarter. Xiaomi held steady in third place at 14%, unchanged year on year.
Manufacturers have to be concerned by this turn of events, especially as we head into the crucial holiday shopping season. Apple released the new iPhone 13 at the end of September, too late for this quarterly report, but no doubt timed for the shopping season. The chip shortage issues could put a damper on its plans. Even though both Samsung and Apple make their own chipsets for their mobile devices, each company is still feeling the impact of the chip component shortage.
As a result, Stanton says it’s unlikely consumers will see any cost-cutting this year, as manufacturing costs continue to spiral upward. Instead, he anticipates that we may see more bundling of phones with other devices as a buying incentive.
“Customers should expect smartphone discounting this year to be less aggressive. But to avoid customer disappointment, smartphone brands which are constrained on margin should look to bundle other devices, such as wearables and IoT, to create good incentives for customers.”
CNBC reported just yesterday that the consumer chip shortage could persist even longer than Stanton is predicting, perhaps as long as two to three years, according to the president of Hisense, Jia Shaoqian, whose company makes devices like home appliances and consumer goods.


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1. Like it? Hate it? The iPad, which drew a ton of rumors and speculation, is ready to make its debut. The first commercial aired during the Academy Awards (which explains why Steve Jobs was on the red carpet) and is officially going mainstream. The iPad will be on sale April 3, 2010, and pre-orders begin March 12, 2010.
Here’s the commercial in case you missed it:
2. Better than the iPhone?! The Google Nexus One phone had a lot of buzz when it first came out. Critics are still wondering if it can compete with the iPhone and other touchpad-type smartphones. Google has never made it a secret that it plans to release the phone to multiple carriers — WHEN is the question. This phone is rumored to be coming to Verizon on March 23, 2010.
3. Wonder if I could sneak into this? f8, the Facebook Developer Conference, is slated for April 21-22, 2010, in San Francisco.
According to the Facebook blog: "f8 has always been about empowering a community of developers to hack, to build and to delight users. We’re looking forward to continuing this tradition at our third f8."
Click here to view the original blog post.
Katie Lance is the marketing manager for Inman News. Future of Real Estate Marketing is a part of Inman News.
What’s your opinion? Leave your comments below or send a letter to the editor.


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The first sip of a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte or Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew cues the unofficial start of the fall season for many, and Starbucks is celebrating its return alongside a full menu of fall favorites. Starting Tuesday, August 30, customers can kick off the fall season at Starbucks with their favorite seasonal beverage in hand.
Here’s everything you need to know:
- The fall sip that started it all, the iconic handcrafted Pumpkin Spice Latte is back for its 19th year, along with the fan-favorite Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, back for a fourth year.
- First introduced to the fall menu last year, the Apple Crisp Macchiato returns with a twist. Now made with creamy oatmilk and Starbucks Blonde Espresso as the standard recipe, the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato is Starbucks first fall nondairy beverage.
- Pumpkin is back in the bakery case with the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin and Pumpkin Scone, joining the customer favorite Pumpkin Loaf. Customers can also enjoy a new Owl Cake Pop this fall season.
- For the first time in ten years, Starbucks is debuting new designs on its whole bean coffee packages.
- Starbucks fans can celebrate the season and share their love of all things fall with the Pumpkin Portal to Fall, a fun game that tests customers’ knowledge of emojis, pop culture and Starbucks, revealing just how much of a fall expert they really are. Customers can take the quiz at www.starbuckspumpkinportal.com, and share their results on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.


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Barrick Gold has placed an initial order with Ford for 35 all-new 2015 F-150 SuperCab 4×4 truck models with 3.5l V6 and 5l V8 engines to enable them to be used in mining operations.
The 35 trucks will replace the company’s entire fleet of hundreds of 2012 F-150s, many of which have run more than 100,000 miles.
From 2013 to 2014, Barrick’s mining survey team drove two prototype F-150s with experimental aluminium-alloy cargo boxes through severe terrain at the company’s Bald Mountain and Cortez mines in Nevada.
Ford commercial and government fleet sales general manager Fritz Ahadi said: "We are proud Barrick is purchasing all-new F-150s after testing early prototypes in some of the harshest conditions.
"This is terrific proof that even our toughest, most demanding customers recognise the benefits of high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy to help them get the job done."
From initial exploration and mine support functions to land reclamation, Barrick uses F-150s in all of its US gold mining operations.
According to Ford, the trucks typically haul equipments such as compressors and pintle hitches, which are used for heavy towing, and a variety of heavy-duty tools.
Barrick Gold USA fleet manager Rebecca Caudill said: "The F-150s see tough duty from operations supervisors, exploration field technicians, project managers, maintenance technicians and closure personnel.
"Many of the trucks go into extremely rugged conditions during the planning and mapping out of new projects, core drilling and daily mining operations. Our trucks will see 30,000 to 35,000 miles per year, accumulating well over 100,000 miles in the 40-to-45-month lease rotation."
Barrick, which has been using F-150s and a variety of other Ford models, plans to purchase additional trucks in the future.
Image: 2015 Ford F-150 XL trucks will be deployed at Barrick’s Bald Mountain and Cortez mines. Photo: courtesy of The Ford Motor Company.


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The Campbell Soup Company said yesterday that its earnings rose 19.8 percent in the third quarter. But analysts said much of the gain came from cost-cutting, not real growth.
William Leach, an analyst with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, said the quality of Campbell's earnings was far weaker than the reported gain indicated. "How they got there was not entirely satisfactory," he said.
Analysts said earnings improvement came from keeping down expenses and a lower tax rate. By cutting costs, Cambpell's has reported a string of strong quarterly results, but Mr. Leach said yesterday, "This probably marks the end of the 20 percent gains."
Third-quarter profits increased to $91.5 million, or 36 cents a share, from $76.4 million, or 30 cents a share, in the corresponding period last year. Sales rose 3 percent, to $1.54 billion, compared with $1.49 billion last year. Full-Year Earnings Estimates
Based on yesterday's results, Mr. Leach slightly reduced his full-year earnings estimates for Campbell's to $1.87 a share.


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NChandrasekaran, the chairman of Tata Sons, on Friday said that even tender coconut water sellers prefer UPI payments over cash. He made this statement at the B20 Summit India 2023 in New Delhi.
Chandrasekaran was speaking about the growing popularity of digital payments in India. He said that UPI has become the preferred mode of payment for many people, even for small transactions like buying tender coconut water.
While speaking at the event, Chandrasekaran highlighted how many roadside vendors are now asking customers whether they’d prefer to pay via popular digital platforms like PhonePe or Google Pay – a marked change from the traditional cash transactions.
“When I go for morning runs and want to have coconut water, seller has no time to accept cash. He asks “PhonePe karenge ya Google Pay karenge?”,” Chandrasekaran said on Friday.
UPI is a real-time payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). It allows users to make payments to each other using their smartphones. UPI is a popular payment method because it is convenient, secure, and fast.
According to the data released by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the nation registered over 2 billion UPI transactions in the month of December 2020 alone, demonstrating the wide acceptance of digital payments across various strata of the society.
The surge in digital payments should not come as a surprise considering the way the government has been promoting cashless transactions. With digital payment systems like UPI (Unified Payments Interface), NEFT, and more accessible through banking apps and third-party apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm, it is easier for individuals as well as businesses to transfer funds in a quick, efficient, and secure manner. The penetration of smartphones and affordable internet access has further contributed to this shift.
Meanwhile, at the B20 Summit, Chandrasekaran conveyed a promising outlook on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in India’s workforce landscape. He underscored that AI would not lead to job displacement but rather fuel job creation by enabling individuals with varying skill levels to tackle higher-level tasks.
“In a country like India, AI will create jobs because it will empower people with little skill or no skill to perform higher-level jobs. A nurse will be able to take on the workload of a doctor, and that’s how it will scale up people,” he affirmed during his address.


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April 22, 2009
(From the Inbox)
NEW GRAPHIC APPAREL LINE LAUNCHED!
“316 Graphics is proud to announce the release of our new graphic tee line; PAID IN FULL apparel. PIF is all about fresh graphics with an eternal message. Pre-orders are now being accepted at a reduced price of $12 each.


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The ninth season of Fortnite is here, and it brings the battle royale game into a new sci-fi future. The biggest changes to the game are two locations: the destroyed Tilted Towers has been rebuilt as a futuristic cityscape called Neo Tilted, while Retail Row has turned into Mega Mall. The Neo Tilted structures are also available to build with in Fortnite’s creative mode. Other smaller changes to the island include some kind of power plant built around the volcano, a banana stand, and drone-like hovering platforms.
Along with new locations, there’s a new form of transportation called the “slipstream,” which is essentially a wind tunnel that moves you quickly from one spot to the next. Developer Epic has added a new weapon called the “combat shotgun,” while removing a long list of items from the game, including the treasure map, balloons, and a slew of weapons. Check out all of the changes in the patch notes here.
A new season also means a new battle pass, and here, the sci-fi trend continues with a number of unlockable items that include a Gundam-style suit and a robot cat. Also new are collectible computer chips called “fortbytes.” You have to collect 100 of the hidden items to complete certain challenges as well as “uncover the secrets of season 9,” according to Epic. Meanwhile, Epic has also added Arabic language support, and it says Middle East servers are in the works. “We’re still a few months from having services come online and hope to provide a more meaningful update on server support before then,” Epic says.
The developer started teasing season 9 on Monday, hinting at the sci-fi aesthetic. Later teases included taglines like “the future is bright” and “the future is unknown.” The most overt tease came yesterday, with an image accompanied by the text “the future is tilted.”
The new update arrives after a fairly eventful season 8. It kicked off in February and introduced a new adventure theme, complete with major additions to the Fortnite island like a volcano, pirate ship, and jungle area, along with a terrifying banana suit. (It also removed some notable features, including the short-lived airplanes.) There was also another Avengers crossover event, along with the very important option for players to pet the in-game dogs.
More recently, developer Epic orchestrated another large-scale event that lasted a few weeks. It started when a strange alien rune floated its way across the island before the new volcano showed signs of erupting. Then, last weekend, a mysterious vault opened up, and players were able to collectively vote on which classic weapon to bring back. (They chose the drum gun.) After that, the volcano finally exploded, and it devastated two of Fortnite’s most iconic locations: Tilted Towers and Retail Row.
As always, the start of a new season of Fortnite is just the beginning. So expect plenty of changes and updates as season 9 continues to roll out.


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University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Still Strong
- Although missing slightly, still at high levels
- Could show signs of US consumer being strong still
- Consumer 70% of US GDP
During the Friday session, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment reading came out in its preliminary form, released at 95.7 for the month. Originally anticipated to be 96, although the market did miss slightly, the reality is that it is still a relatively high and strong figure. At this point, market participants will read this as another indictment on the US consumer, which is 70% of the GDP in the United States.
That being said, the fact that the number missed caused an initial cringe in the markets. But overall, it is a scenario that favors the US markets in general, as the consumer seems to be alive and strong.
This will cause money to flow into the US stock markets, but there are also other concerns around the US-China trade situation as well.
The main push will probably be in the retail sector as we are starting to head towards the holidays. If consumer sentiment continues to be relatively strong, that should trend well in the stock market for retail heavyweights. The market will continue to see a lot of inflow in the United States due to a strengthening US economy, while the rest of the world wilts.
However, the retail sector has been a bit of a laggard in the United States. This may be exactly what traders will need to feel confident about buying these larger retailers, as a bulk of the profits will be coming in the next couple of months.
No sign of trade concerns
As odd as it may seem, there is a huge disconnect between consumers in the United States and the US-China trade tariffs. In the business media, far too many pay attention to the corporate fallout from the tariffs and trade war, but the US consumer has barely blinked at the slightly higher prices.
At this point in time, market participants still probably add too much weight to the idea of the consumer fallen off the cliff due to slightly higher prices, but this has not been the case. In fact, one could say that the tariff situation in the United States has been completely overblown.
Steady going forward
It’s very likely that the consumer will be steady going forward, and that is a major driver of market sentiment in general. At this point, stock markets in the United States are pressing all-time highs, so although this is a good sign, expecting the market to explode to the upside would probably be too much.
This is simply another piece of the puzzle that shows that the United States will continue to attract a certain amount of monetary flow. Because of this, the markets in general should continue to follow the same pattern that we have seen for a couple of years: favoring the American markets above all else.


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Nearly 600 Competitors Expected for HackPoly This Weekend
Nearly 600 college students will spend this weekend focusing on innovation and building products in 24 hours as part of Hackpoly 2017.
Organized by the entrepreneurship student organization Poly Founders of Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Business Administration, Hackpoly is an annual competition where teams dream up new products and then try to make them reality in less than a day.
“Hackpoly has become something much more than just a hackathon,” says Rushi Shah, president of Poly Founders and a senior majoring in management and human resources. “It has transformed lives and has become a centerpiece for innovation in the Southern California region.”
Poly Founders received a record 1,500 applications from across the nation for Hackpoly. Corporate sponsors include Northrop Grumman, Unity, UPS, Farmers Insurance and Oracle. Winners of the competition earn the latest tech products such as drones and virtual-reality headsets and time with potential investors.
Creativity is encouraged at Hackpoly, as is teamwork. Last year’s winning entry of a smart trashcan was the brainchild of students from three colleges. Organizers are expecting this year’s competition to be the toughest one yet.
The massive event also will offer tech talks from renowned entrepreneurs like Danish-born automotive designer Henrik Fisker and Yammer co-founder George Ishii, a Cal Poly Pomona alumnus, to help spur the next generation of creators.
Hackpoly begins with opening ceremonies at noon on Feb. 11 and concludes at 5 p.m. on Feb. 12 with the announcement of winners. Event organizers say Pomona’s new mayor Tim Sandoval is expected at the opening ceremonies.
“We are strong believers in empowering the local community,” former Poly Founders president and fourth-year FRL student Simal Adenwala says while introducing marketing materials purchased from campus businesses.
For more information, go to www.hackpoly.com


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Here are the most read stories about China’s recent tech developments that you should know about.
The controversy around this week’s hack attack that leaked nude selfies from dozens of Hollywood celebrities has taken many turns, but throughout it reputable media in the US and Europe have largely avoided showing the stolen photos. But in China, major media outlets and tech giants are showing no such restraint – including China’s biggest web company, Tencent (HKG:0700) – in publishing the private images taken by stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, and Kirsten Dunst.
Xiaomi has finished its first flash sales in Indonesia.
The Xiaomi Mi4 is undoubtedly a bombshell in the $300 smartphone war, though it doesn’t get full marks from us. Check out the full review.
After years of pricing its flagship phone at around the US$400 mark, Meizu is this time slashing the price-tag in an apparent attempt to compete with Xiaomi.
The smart chopsticks, called Kuaisou, can test food for safety issues. It’s limited to sampling the oil to detect dangerously substandard cooking oil.
Chinese search engine titan Baidu has just teased a working prototype of its upcoming Google Glass rival that’s called Baidu Eye.
WeChat, China’s most popular mobile messaging app, has already become a handy tool for businesses in China – including foreign brands – to engage with Chinese customers.
The gaming ninjas at Razer revealed today that its Nabu smartband will arrive in China in Q4 with an exclusive online sales partner.
The strength of China’s web giants and the diversity of its startups usually means that no one service dominates to the extent that, say, Google or Facebook does in other nations. But that hasn’t been true of messaging apps.
China-based personal drone maker XAircraft today announced a US$20 million series A funding round led by Chengwei Capital.
For our full spread of China coverage, you might like to subscribe to our China RSS feed. This article refreshes daily. Check back often to see what's the latest on China.


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Illycaffè, the Italian espresso and lifestyle brand, reports it has increased its subscription programme turnover by 20% in Europe working with Computop, a leading payment service provider. (PSP).
As a result of this success, Computop has also supported illycaffè’s expansion into China, integrating its Paygate 5.0 solution with illycaffè’s corporate e-shop payment settlement system.
With an established reputation as a high-end category leader synonymous with global coffee culture, art and innovation, illycaffè exports its high quality coffee blend to over 140 countries around the world. Due to a subscription business model which was technically centralised but locally distributed from both a logistical and administrative standpoint, illycaffè needed a solution to manage the multiple complexities posed by recurring payments while also improving the customer journey by extending its MOTO (mail order/ telephone order) options.
“When it came to selecting a PSP to address these issues, we were looking for a provider with a strong multi-market European presence, an understanding of its core markets and the ability to deliver scalable implementations, as well as help us expand into the Chinese market,” said Fabrizio Dosi, Global head Business to Consumer division, illycaffè. “Computop’s capability to meet our complete payment method needs – Visa, Mastercard, Amex, PayPal, iDeal and AliPay – was an additional asset.”
Computop initially developed an e-commerce and MOTO solution across the group’s core markets: Italy, Spain, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Austria. At the heart of Computop’s solution is Paygate, its multi-channel payment platform. PCI DSS compliant, Paygate provides secure payment solutions via a single interface that allows retailers to access over 50 payment methods across core currencies. In addition, efficient fraud prevention and tokenization are included for the customer’s European marketplace.
Through the solution, illycaffè has been able to open up its subscription programme, a value-add for their loyal customer base. As well enabling the company to engage with an extended customer base in a new way, this has created a new revenue stream for illycaffè and, from a customer perspective, has allowed significant improvements to service levels through a larger, more comprehensive and flexible portfolio of payment methods.
“China is expected to become one of the world’s top five coffee consuming countries; globalisation and rising incomes, combined with marketing drives are propelling the popularity of coffee drinking, particularly among young people. Therefore, this has led to a natural extension of our use of Computop’s services with its local payment support in China using Alipay and other recognised local payment methods,” said Dosi.
Computop was tasked with integrating a local payment tool with its corporate e-shop payment settlement system for which it implemented its Paygate 5.0 solution, enabling customers to access online payments via third party Chinese payment portals. Such is the success that the team in China is already looking at increasing online payments across a total e-shop transaction.
“Throughout its 80 year history, illycaffè has put innovation at the heart of its culture,” said Ralf Gladis, CEO of Computop. “Taking service to the next level is a real focus for the business and we’re delighted to be a part of that. Building on the success of this implementation, Computop is now working closely with illycaffè to develop its mobile payments platforms, starting in Italy and rolling this out in different languages across multiple European marketplaces.”


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By Jason M. Bailey
In battle royale games like "Fortnite," players skirmish in a shrinking landscape with one goal: to be the last one standing. Ambition in the genre itself is more modest, with imitators piling on in hopes of sharing in the riches.
Within the past year, established video game franchises like "Call of Duty,""Battlefield" and "Fallout" have added battle royale modes, and small studios have sought to capitalise on the craze with evocative titles like "Darwin Project."
It is even possible to try outlasting 98 opponents in a game of "Tetris."
Many companies have calculated that the genre, which began as a player's experiment and has exploded into a cultural phenomenon, has long-term viability. Diverting resources and delaying other projects can be risky, but financial rewards beckon.
More than 50 million copies of "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," a fight-for-survival game known as PUBG, were sold in the game's first 16 months. And "Fortnite: Battle Royale," the genre's crown jewel, generated $US2.4 billion ($3.5 billion) in revenue last year, according to the analysis firm SuperData Research.
Interest in "Fortnite" was so great that in 2018, ripple effects were felt in the sales of gaming hardware and headsets, said Mat Piscatella, a video games analyst for the NPD Group. It was even played on the talk show "Ellen," a marker of mainstream approval.
A genre like that is the hottest thing in the world until it's notVideo games analyst Mat Piscatella
But Piscatella noted that past gaming cornerstones like "World of Warcraft" and "Guitar Hero" eventually eroded. "Games pop up and change the landscape for a while, and then kind of settle in or fade away," he said. "We're into that settling phase with battle royale."
"A genre like that is the hottest thing in the world until it's not," he added.
Analysts say the battle royale market has plateaued, and viewership numbers on streaming sites like Twitch are settling. The genre remains extremely popular, however, and many industry observers are optimistic about its future because it can be easily grafted onto existing properties.
When "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4" was released in October, it featured a new battle royale mode. "Battlefield V" and "Fallout 76" unveiled their spins on the genre this year, months after the base games were released.
Battle royale is most likely here to stay because it opens up shooter games to a wider audience, said Ryan McArthur, "Battlefield V's" live producer at DICE, which develops the franchise. "You can play the game for five minutes and not kill anybody, and still feel rewarded," he said.
The digital scale of battle royale was incarnated at the first Fortnite World Cup last weekend in Queens. At Arthur Ashe Stadium, the site of the United States Open tennis tournament, competitors battled for $US30 million in prize money, the same amount awarded at soccer's Women's World Cup this summer.
In the stands, rapt viewers gripped plastic pickaxes as they roared over the staccato of gunfire whenever a prominent player was eliminated from a virtual battle shown on mammoth 4K LED screens.
Vivien Allen, 15, had hoped to be on the stage instead. A fan of the game since it was released in 2017, she had some success in smaller tournaments, and had earned $US400 during the event's online qualifying rounds, which attracted 40 million players, but failed to advance to the finals.
She has dabbled with other battle royale games but keeps coming back to "Fortnite" because of its building mechanics. "I think I'll play 'Fortnite' for a really long time," she said.
Other fans are drawn to the cartoony elements of the game. "I liked how it was not a bloody shooter. I like the colourful skins," said Chris Singer, a 12-year-old from Pequannock, New Jersey.
The stadium has 23,000 seats, but the tournament drew a far greater audience online: At its peak, an estimated 2.3 million people livestreamed the finals.
In the first six months of 2019, the battle royale genre made up more than 20 per cent of the gaming hours watched on Twitch and YouTube, according to Newzoo, an industry research firm. "Fortnite" was the most watched game overall, and its main competitors, "Apex Legends" and "PUBG," each made the top seven.
The three prominent battle royale games draw an audience by leaning on their differences —"PUBG" is a slow-paced military simulation, "Fortnite" lets players rapidly build structures, and "Apex Legends" characters have unique abilities — but their cores share a primal appeal.
You get to prove that you're the best out of 100 people. Simple as that.Brendan Greene
"You get to prove that you're the best out of 100 people. Simple as that," said Brendan Greene, who cultivated the genre and was hired to create "PUBG," which preceded "Fortnite" in 2017 by several months. "And there is no right way to play. It's you using your wits and the tools that you have."
Battle royale, in which competitors fight to the finish in a confined space, is not a new concept. Professional wrestling has showcased it for decades, and the "Hunger Games" trilogy of books followed the 2000 Japanese movie "Battle Royale."
In video games, the genre combines visceral weaponry with the resource management of survival games like "Minecraft." And it has proved popular: More than two-fifths of gamers in the United States played "Fortnite,""PUBG" or "Apex Legends" in May, according to a survey by Newzoo.
"Winning was the most enjoyable thing people had experienced in games in the last decade," said Drew McCoy, the project lead for "Apex Legends," which is developed by Respawn Entertainment. "They would spend months trying to get that first 'PUBG' win, and that was a driving factor for them to play."
The influx of competitors has dented interest in "Fortnite" and "PUBG." Monthly viewership on streaming platforms has fallen since last year, but has stabilised in recent months.
"While the market is more mature now, we have a healthy player base and are focused on fostering it," CH Kim, the chief executive of the PUBG Corp., said through an interpreter, noting that it recently introduced nine regional esports leagues.
Player retention is crucial for stand-alone battle royale games, most of which are free to play and generate revenue by selling season passes that allow players to unlock new weapon adornments and character outfits. But in a saturated market, sustaining a player base is difficult.
Some game developers are already feeling the pressure of a competitive arena.
"Maelstrom," a game that moved battle royale to the high seas, has been abandoned by players, and the website for "SOS," another battle royale game, now hosts reviews of online slot machines. After an apathetic response to "Radical Heights," a slapdash attempt of turning battle royale into a 1980s action game show, the studio Boss Key Productions shut down altogether.
Some popular shooter games are balking at adding a battle royale mode. Anticipated titles like "Gears 5" and "Halo Infinite" will not initially include one, according to public statements by their developers.
"Apex Legends" soared after its release in February, surpassing "Fortnite" in viewership that month with the help of streamers it briefly paid to play the game.
Then its innovations — the ability to resurrect dead players, and a notification system that enables nonverbal communication — were quickly copied by "Fortnite." In June, "Apex Legends" had one-tenth of its initial audience.
The drop-off is a reminder that entering the battle royale market is both promising and perilous.
"We have to make our bets far out in advance," McCoy said, "and we want to make sure that those bets are big and meaningful rather than just trying to throw things onto the pile."
The New York Times


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NOIDA: In what could help scale NCR based technology industries and small and medium scale operators to a global platform by offering a gateway for linkages and scale, the World Trade Center
, Noida, is expected to go fully operational in three years, by 2020. The World Trade Center, Noida is the biggest WTC in the world yet, at 44 acres. The one second to it is located in Beijing, China at 43 acres.
Talking to TOI, Scott D. Ferguson
, CEO, World Trade Centers Association
, USA, presently visiting India, said, “Noida has been earmarked for a WTC over other parts of NCR as it has been mapped as a high growth region. The Noida World Trade Centre is expected to be a gateway for trade and commerce for rest of Uttar Pradesh as well as northern part of India.”
WTC, Noida is being developed as an integrated building which combines work, business, residency and retail spaces. The architecture is a mix of lateral low-rise apartments and high rises. The design for World Trade Centre has emerged from a mix of ideas generated from a global architectural design competition. The final design has emerged from entries sent by 67 countries.
The real estate development of the project is being done commercial real estate developer
, Viridian Red. The building is going to comprise residential areas for a work-life combination system. Spaces have been marked for exhibitions, shopping, food courts, wellness centres and cultural exchange spaces. The tallest building in this expansive structure will be the Signature Tower, a 19-story building.
“Noida is the fastest developing area of NCR region, despite the slowdown, Noida has surpassed expectations year on year. This is perhaps why we chose Noida over other NCR cities to set up the WTC,” Khair Ull Nissa, Executive Director, Verbind, (the operation wing of the WTC) said. Verbind is at the helm of creating the facilities, linkages and ecosystems that a World Trade Centre provides to its members.
The licensing for operation and setting up of all World Trade Centres, globally are controlled by its headquarters in New York, USA. The expansive global business and trade hub at Tech Zone 1, Greater Noida, has recently opened doors to Chinese mobile company Vivo. Partial occupancy has also been offered to a set of venture startups. One of the most expensive real estate structure of the World Trade Centers in the world, the Noida building is estimated to cost Rs1000 crore for construction.
In the first phase, which is complete and operational, two eight story towers (7.5 lakh sqft) are absorbed by Vivo a Chinese mobile company. Two towers, Tec 1 and Tec 2 these are fully operational and have multi-tenant offices, serviced offices and retail spaces. The first phase is complete and is 30% of the total structure. The second phase of construction of WTC is in progress.
Commenting on the expanse of the WTC, Khair Ull Nissa further stated: “The scope and nature of operations of the World Trade Centre has altered with time. The way people work, live and do business has changed. This building is not just a business center, but an entire hub for doing business at an international level, inclusive of work and life.” WTC, Noida will also host a set of residences to suit needs of entrepreneurs who may choose to live close to their work.
Business spaces of varied sizes from 500sqft to 1,20,000sqft will available at the site. A section, called cubit, would also be dedicated to singe cubicle units for those who choose to work independently.
“Once a business becomes a part of our ecology they do not only have access to our facilities but actually get to be able to access an entire global platform of doing business. A WTC membership typically gives access to market research, advisory, trade information, product feasibility, trade missions, trade leads, buyer-seller connect, events conferences and fairs, a digital platform, facilitating joint ventures, merger acquisition, franchising, branding and licensing, business to business communication and activity, business to government, collaboration, technology adoption and WTC global membership,” Khair Ull Nissa, added.
The Noida facility, once complete, will host all the facilities that WTCs host globally: office spaces; virtual offices; business centres; meeting rooms; retail and exhibition area; video conferencing; dedicated exporters zone, secretarial services, translation services and a travel desk.
Commenting on how the presence of a WTC in Noida could change the game for SME operators in Noida, Rajeev Bansal, chairman, Indian Industries Association (IIA), Noida said, ‘It is an interesting development, which could help the local SMEs scale to global standards. We are waiting to see its impact in the ecosystem once it becomes fully functional.” Noida presently hosts 19 telecom companies and over 9000 SMEs. It also hosts a slew of IT-based companies out of its special economic zones.