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While the battle between IT and marketing has been raging virtually since the invention of the computer, a new offensive has opened up between advertising and marketing professionals which is threatening to wreak havoc with consumers’ brand experiences.
So says Adobe’s latest Digital Trends Report, which polled over 12,500 industry professionals, and shows the two parties are not only on a different page; they are on different planets.
It reveals that advertisers are predominantly focused on immediate and tangible results, with nearly half (46%) prioritising ROI, followed by audience targeting (42%) and channel efficiency (40%).
The report says all of these point to a strategy that prioritises immediate and tangible results. This is despite the fact that nearly a quarter (23%) stated that the most exciting opportunity for 2019 was data-driven marketing that focuses on the individual first.
Marketers, meanwhile, are more focused on building loyalty and lasting customer relationships. Two-thirds (64%) stated that content and experience management is a top priority – compared to less than half of advertisers.
With significantly different priorities existing within brands when it comes to building customer experience, the report points towards a need for marketing and advertising professionals to integrate their strategies to ensure consumers receive a unified brand experience.
Of course, this is where Adobe’s systems come in very handy apparently…
Adobe EMEA Advertising Cloud managing director Philip Duffield said: “Advertisers and marketers are working towards the same goal, but they’re treading different paths in order to reach the end destination. The risk is that by pursuing two very different strategies, one rooted in creating a connection and the other in data, is that the end customer receives a very fragmented, and inconsistent brand experience. Both strategies have merit, but to be turbocharged they need to be integrated. The report outlines how customer experience management can unify advertisers and marketers to build brand in the longer term.”
eBay’s EU director of advertising sales Mike Klinkhammer said: “Creativity and metrics are connected. We need to focus much more on quality and relevance – those are two key words for me this year. If you combine quality and relevance, helped by automation, you get very powerful content delivered in very effective ways.”
Of those surveyed, companies which were focused upon building long-term customer experience were the most successful and were almost three times more likely than their peers to surpass their business goals.
With this in mind, Adobe’s Digital Trends report points to a need for advertising and marketing teams to unite on the customer experience front by bringing together rich audience data and insights, align this with their ad targeting strategies, while ensuring the creative connection with the audience is maintained.
Duffield concluded: “The race to personalise customer experiences has seen brands rely more heavily on analytics and programmatic strategies. And whilst these are so important, the opportunity facing the industry is how to balance these with creativity. Those who can root campaigns in deep audience intelligence and marry them with engaging real-time content delivered across the right channels, will achieve relevance and personalisation at scale.”
Rush to adopt a side hustle triggers burnout warning
Too old or too young; age discrimination rife in industry
Boredom and anger driving marketers to seek new job
Too knackered to work? Eight top tips to get those Zzzs
Finding a marketing job is more stressful than the work
Stressed out marketers struggling to get a decent kip


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Maine businesses encourage shopping small this holiday season
BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - While many local businesses are experiencing the same shipping and supply delays as retailers all across the country, many are making the best of the situation.
From local grocery stores like Tiller and Rye to shops in downtown Ellsworth, business owners are curating their stock to meet the needs of the community.
Those same owners say this year, shopping local could be your best bet.
“We’re a global economy, and we need to stay that way, and we need to stay friends with everyone, but our neighbors, our family right now, they can really use some extra money in their pocket,” said Sarah Morneault, Tiller and Rye.
While it’s nearly impossible for small businesses to avoid the inevitable, Morneault says there are many positives in keeping your money local.
She says sourcing things from local farmers means shorter shipping times and better quality.
“One thing you know we’re seeing our local ground beef stay the same price, and we’re seeing the cost of other ground beef soar. Local chicken is always going to be a bit more expensive, but there’s a reason for it, and there’s quality behind it,” said Morneault.
As more and more people start preparing for the holidays early this year, Steve Cunningham says it’s reassuring as people move back to pre-pandemic traditions.
“Small businesses really like their customers, they want to take care of you, they are going to work hard to make you happy and get you what you need,” said Cunningham, Husson University economics professor.
Stores like Bliss and Trio in Ellsworth sell handmade jewelry, soaps, and candles, among other things.
Susan Nordman says aside from delays with oils and glass jars, they were prepared for the holiday season.
“We’ve carefully curated, we have our stock in. We’re not as pressure driven, I think to some of the inflationary costs, I think you’ll find that for the most part, your smaller businesses are going to eat some of that inflationary cost and not pass it on until it’s absolutely necessary to the customer,” said Nordman, Bliss co-owner.
Cunningham says right now, it’s important to spend your dollars locally to keep them within the state.
“What you really want is that you want those dollars coming in. You certainly don’t want to lose dollars to other places when dollars come in because they’re going to support the local economy. And, it’s going to also affect tax revenues and other issues, so it has really wide repercussions throughout the state,” said Cunningham.
Throughout the pandemic and all the unforeseen circumstances, business owners tell me the one thing that remains constant is the community’s unwavering support.
“The whole idea of how important it is to support local businesses, I think it’s really resonating with people,” said Leslie Harlow, Trio part owner.
Trio donates 10% of their sales to the Grand in Ellsworth.
Harlow says this partnership really embodies everyone doing their part.
“I think the future for downtown Ellsworth is to be more inclusive for us understanding the value of those visitors that come to our area, but also holding on to our own ethos, which is we are local, we are real, and we’re not going anywhere,” said Harlow.
Many of the Ellsworth shops are participating in the Christmas pickle event.
Stores and restaurants have a hidden pickle ornament and will be open Thursday evenings for folks to come shop and try to find it.
Prizes and gifts will be given out if you’re the lucky winner.
Copyright 2021 WABI. All rights reserved.

domain: news


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European Union antitrust regulators will decide by Feb. 29 whether to nod through U.S. computer maker Dell's $67-billion (£47 billion) bid for data storage company EMC or open a full-scale investigation.
The deal would enable world No. 3 computer maker Dell to better compete with rivals Cisco, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard in managing and storing corporate data on the cloud.
Dell sought EU approval on Monday, according to a filing on the European Commission website. The EU competition watchdog can either clear the deal with or without conditions in the preliminary review or launch a five-month investigation if it has serious doubts.
There have been concerns recently that the deal — which requires Dell to bring on billions in debt — would not go through. The new company, which is as-yet unnamed, would be one of the biggest players in the storage markets.
Dell, which was taken privated by its founder Michael Dell two years ago, is looking to diversify its business beyond PCs. EMC operates mainly in the storage market, but also owns a share in VMWare, a popular virtual-machine application used by enterprises, among others.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek)


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Although the Guess Facebook page has well over 1 million fans, Guess CIO Michael Relich says he is still seeking better ways of making social media promotions convert directly to sales. Now that Facebook supports HTML iFrame integration of content and applications, selling on Facebook is not technically challenging--but that doesn't mean it's effective, Relich said.
"People play with it, but the conversion rate on that is about a tenth of a percent," Relich said. Specific promotions can drive much greater response, "but even then it's hit and miss," he said. "When we do coupons, yeah we get some activity, but I wouldn't say it's overwhelming." In contrast, when Guess sends out promotions by email, the open rate of recipients who view the message is about 10 to 15%.
For a better response, Relich would like to do a better job of segmenting the Facebook audience and targeting messages to members based on their demographics or interests. "The app is almost like a Trojan horse. It lets us augment what's in our CRM system, and then start doing targeted segmentation," he said.
What Microstrategy is providing is a way of extracting that data from Facebook and organizing it for easier analysis. Microstrategy is pitching this capability to business as a way to "pull the data into a technology much more familiar to their IT department--a relational database rather than a social application--and let you build much richer apps than you ever could based on Facebook APIs alone," said Mark LaRow, senior VP of product. The Facebook APIs are primarily designed to pull data into Facebook, not to get it out in the kind of formats businesses need for analysis, he said.
One way of getting more data about Facebook users is to convince them to authorize an application that will have access to their profile and network connections. Relich plans to use a modified version of the Alert app for the iPhone, which Microstrategy created to demonstrate the value of analytics to both consumers and brands. The app allows consumers to organize the Facebook pages they are most interested in tracking and get alerts from those pages, as well as tracking other news of interest. In return, Microstrategy is getting permission to mine the consumers' profiles and demonstrated interests. The Guess version of the app will be rebranded and customized to promote its own brands and those of affiliated companies. Guess has also integrated its loyalty program, giving the application access to "customer lifetime value to me, combined with those Facebook demographics."
"Right now, when someone signs up for our loyalty program, we don't want to ask too much demographic information" and scare them off, Relich said. Even basic information like where someone lives can drift out of synch with reality because consumers don't necessarily take the time to update their profiles in the loyalty system--which they will never visit as often as they do their Facebook profiles. The Microstrategy gateway opens the possibility of "using Facebook as a CRM database that everyone keeps up to date," he said.
The iPhone app is a first test, but Guess could later add Web-based Facebook apps integrated with the Microstrategy gateway.
Microstrategy's LaRow said Guess is the first company willing to talk about what it is doing with Gateway for Facebook, but four other major brands are also "very close" to releasing something. The industries include financial services, gaming, and a "big time" consumer products company, he said. Although many of Facebook's own integration efforts are currently focused on partnerships with media companies, Microstrategy wants to focus on the "other 99%" of companies wanting to reach consumers through Facebook, he said.
Facebook data privacy rules require that applications only use profile data for the purpose it was originally requested, and each company that implements Gateway for Facebook will be responsible for adhering to those rules. Using the email from someone's Facebook profile for purposes of matching it with other records for that customer would be legitimate if it improves the customer's experience with the application. Loading that same email address into another marketing application would be a violation of the policy, unless the user gave permission, he said.
"I'm sure if companies abuse it, Facebook will turn them off, which it has full rights to do," LaRow said.
Gateway for Facebook is offered as a cloud application, which can be integrated with any Facebook application. Customers can either download the data it gathers to their own servers or load it into Microstrategy Wisdom, a cloud-based data warehousing application.
Relich said he plans to take advantage of the Wisdom infrastructure to build analytics that will combine the Gateway for Facebook data with information extracted from the Guess loyalty program for those same customers.
"If I can get a big enough pool of people to participate, customers will get value," Relich said. If you're a really high-value customer, you will get special deals, he said. Meanwhile, by personalizing online coupons and displaying an onscreen barcode that customers must scan at checkout, he said he can avoid the "leakage" that can occur when valued customers receive email coupons and share them with their friends. "We can target offers to those most profitable segments, and there is no way they can forward it on to someone else," he said.
Guess is testing a prototype of the Facebook iPhone app now and hopes to have it available in the Apple App Store within 30 days, Relich said.
Most companies have little control over their heaps of unstructured data, our research reveals. It's time for a content management strategy. Get the new, all-digital InformationWeek supplement. Download it now. (Free with registration.)
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A physics professor at the University of California says technology to build a 100-mpg vehicle exists, but adds its optimal design would resemble a fish and fail to lure consumers.
VW XL-1 concept already far exceeds congressman’s mileage target.
LOS ANGELES – The biggest question behind one lawmaker’s new push for a 100-mpg (2.4 L/100 km) gasoline vehicle isn’t about whether it can be built, technology experts say, but whether consumers will want it.
Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Dan Lungren of California, the Excellence in Energy Efficiency Act, otherwise known as H.R. 3872, calls for awarding $1 billion to the first U.S.-based company that develops and then sells at least 60,000 gasoline-powered midsize vehicles that reach 100 mpg.
Lungren, a Republican, tells WardsAuto his bill is an alternative to the Obama Admin.’s push for more electric vehicles. That program, he says, is too costly for the average consumer, even after government rebates.
EVs may indeed be fuel-efficient, but they don’t offer the other amenities provided by many traditional rides, Lungren says.
Even though the current class of EVs and hybrids offer “tremendous mileage, considering the range and space limits with these cars,” the public’s “not going to buy them,” he says. “While I applaud the ongoing effort to develop alternate energy, I’m trying to be more practical.”
WardsAuto reported in November that alternate-fuel vehicles claim about 2.5% of the total U.S. auto market.
Another nationwide study by clean-technology analyst Pike Research shows strong consumer interest in purchasing plug-in hybrids dipped from 48% of those surveyed in 2009 to 40% last year.
“Critics say that somehow I’m trying to undermine alternative energy,” Lungren says.
On the contrary, he says, the billion-dollar prize taps into America’s tradition of offering rewards for accomplishments, such as the $25,000 Orteig Prize for aviation in 1927 awarded to Charles Lindbergh for his flight over the Atlantic. Before that, the Great Chicago Car Race in 1895 energized the county’s automotive ambitions and handed $2,000 to the winner.
More recently, the Progressive Auto Insurance X-Prize awarded a total of $10 million to the winners of a contest to build a high-efficiency, low-carbon-dioxide-emissions vehicle able to achieve 100 mpg or more.
“If people can’t do this, people won’t get the prize,” Lungren says. “We’re already spending large amounts of money supporting alternate-fuel resources.
“Solyndra comes to mind,” he says of the solar-cell manufacturer that went bankrupt last year after receiving a $535 million U.S. government loan. “Why not pay for an actual result?
“The American buying public isn’t stupid. The American buying public will buy a vehicle that gives them the comfort and mobility they’ve come to expect.”
That’s why Tom Murphy, an associate physics professor at the University of California, San Diego, believes a 100-mpg auto powered solely by a gasoline-powered internal-combustion engine can’t succeed.
“Technologically, we know what we need to do to get phenomenal mileage,” Murphy says. But, while American consumers generally say they want a car that gets 100 miles per gallon, the fish-like design he says is needed to reach that goal likely won’t reel in many sales.
“In the case of gas mileage and cars, it’s totally dominated by air resistance,” Murphy says.
Otherwise, a car that looks like a trout – with a low-profile head, an enlongated body where the driver and riders would sit in a line, and a tapered back end – would best fit Lungren’s specifications. Murphy adds it would look preposterous and be “a real pain to parallel park.”
There already are people “who are teasing their cars into reaching 100 mpg,” he says. But this is achieved by driving 30 mph (5 km/h), and he questions whether anyone would be willing to travel only at that rate.
Murphy, nonetheless, says Lungren’s 100-mpg goal “is an appealing thing and politically very smart.”
Robert Hutchinson, managing director of the Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonprofit think-tank dedicated to transitioning the U.S. away from fossil fuels, contends Lungren’s initiative isn’t smart at all.
Like Murphy, Hutchinson believes the auto industry already has the know-how to build a 100-mpg gasoline-powered car. But, he wonders, why anyone would still want to develop gas-only systems when there’s not yet a way to recover even some of the energy used in the combustion process?
Given America’s critical need for energy, “there’s no logic to it,” Hutchinson says. “No sane auto company would do that. Why would you waste your time?”
He also questions Lungren’s aims for 100 mpg whenalready has its XL1 concept diesel hybrid that reaches upwards of 300 mpg (0.8 L/100 km).
“Our conclusion is that (Lungren’s bill) is certainly under-targeted from where the goal should be,” says Hutchinson. “I think he’s underestimating American industry.”


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Politicians and their staffs love Uber, which seems like a good thing for the future of ride-sharing apps.
Congressional campaign staffers used Uber 61% of the time when they took a trip for less than $100 this past election season, according to statistics compiled by Hamilton Place Strategies, a consulting firm.
That percentage is way up from the numbers in 2010, when Uber made up 0% of the rides taken by congressional campaigners. Overall, congressional use of Uber is up 84% since 2010, the year the company launched.
Even in 2012, congressional campaign filings showed only 100 low-cost Uber rides—ones that cost less than $100—compared with 2,800 similarly-priced taxis. This election cycle, Uber can boast 2,800 low-dollar rides taken by politicians and their staffers, compared with just 1,800 taxis.
But Uber's success with politicians doesn't just stem from stealing market share. Since 2012, the number of low-cost rides has increased by 60%, a fact that Hamilton Place Strategies attributes to the way Uber is making low-cost cabs readily available.
"The nature of oversight changes when someone is both regulator and consumer," the report states. "Many of the regulatory decisions in this space are being made at the local level, not in Congress. However, it is likely that the same dynamics impacting Congress are also happening in communities across the country. Furthermore, as members of Congress become early adopters and consumers, they may exert an influence on their local counterparts as these regulations are debated at the local level."
You can read through the full report, below.
Uber: Congress' New Private Driver


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The London Court of Appeal has decided to continue the trial between Apple and the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The case is the subject of an antitrust investigation by Apple over its ban on cloud gaming on the App Store and practices aimed at giving the Safari browser a dominant position on mobile devices.
The industry regulator wants to conduct an in-depth antitrust investigation to determine whether Apple’s policy of banning cloud gaming services from the App Store is anti-competitive. Additionally, the CMA wants to make a similar decision on how Apple controls mobile browsers through WebKit and maintains the dominance of its own Safari browser.
In May this year, the British regulator’s case against Apple reached a dead end. However, the CMA did not refuse to continue the investigation and used the last opportunity in court to lodge an appeal. As of today, the regulator once again has court approval, allowing it to continue its investigations against the American company. In return, Apple now has the opportunity to appeal the appeals court’s decision, which the company will likely do to temporarily halt the antitrust investigation.


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Tags: TRIP report
America’s rural heartland is home to nearly 50 million people and its natural resources provide the primary source of the energy, food, and fiber that supports the nation’s economy and way of life. But, according to a new report from TRIP, ...
To keep up to date with this breakdown of news in the United States and Canada, visit www.AggMan.com for daily updates. By Therese Dunphy, Editor in Chief California At press time, a judge seemed unlikely to accept Duarte’s legal efforts to prevent plans ...
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AI-Powered Car Sales on the Horizon: The Sales Bot Just Two Years Away? 🚗💡
TL;DR: Swedish tech company, Phyron, anticipates that AI will have the capability to sell cars like human salespersons within the next two years. The firm’s cutting-edge AI technology focuses on producing tailored video advertisements with automated voiceovers in multiple languages. 🌍🎙
Could you ever imagine walking into a dealership and being greeted, not by a human, but by an advanced AI, ready to give you the perfect pitch for that car you’ve been eyeing? 🚗✨
According to Johan Sundstrand, the CEO of the Swedish video tech software company Phyron, this sci-fi scenario is fast approaching reality. “The trajectory of AI technology,” he suggests, “is such that entities like ChatGPT might soon emulate the car-selling prowess of a human sales representative.”
The projection is quite bold, expecting this leap to occur as soon as 2025. But why is Phyron so confident? 🤖🤝
The company’s current developments provide some insights. With the integration of automated voiceovers to its AI-generated videos, users can select from eight distinct voices in 22 languages. And these aren’t just generic, monotone voices. The system allows for adjustable tones and accents, ensuring a bespoke video advertising experience for diverse audiences.
Moreover, Phyron’s tech is tailored specifically for the automotive retail sector. It creates specialized scripts based on a vehicle’s unique features. This capability allows the AI to source information from car ads, marketplaces, and technical data, generating scripts from a plethora of input options, from five words to a massive 5,000. 📜🔍
The functioning of Phyron’s AI video tech is quite intriguing. It employs data from car brands or retailers, which include crucial product details and at least three still images. The AI identifies primary features from the images and superimposes these on a neutral background. Following this, special effects, shadows, and specific product data are integrated into the images. This entire process, from data intake to video rendering, takes just about 10 minutes, with Phyron boasting the capacity to manage countless videos concurrently.
Since its inception in 2019, the company has amassed over 1,500 clients across Europe, with a staggering 100,000 cars currently featuring a Phyron video in their ads. With the videos gaining over 250 million views since January 2021, and with their expansion into North America, Phyron seems poised for global prominence. 🌐📈
However, while the technology promises much, will customers resonate with this AI-driven sales method? Can AI truly capture the intricate art of selling, which is so deeply rooted in human connection and understanding?
The broader question remains: As technology continues to integrate into our daily lives and industries, to what extent are we comfortable replacing human interactions, especially in sectors where building trust is paramount? 🧍♂➡🤖
First seen at am-online.com.


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As Eric Savitz reported yesterday, Google has agreed to pay a $500 million fine for the way it allowed Canadian pharmacies to use its Adwords system to market pharmaceuticals to American consumers.
This morning's reports flesh out a little more what Google was actually doing wrong.
With the drugs themselves, there's two separate issues. The pharmacies were sometimes shipping drugs for which you need a prescription without demanding proof that the consumer had such. The whole point of having prescriptions is so that drugs which have harmful side-effects only go to those who are ill enough that the benefits outweigh the possible side-effects. OK, sometimes honoured more in the breach but that's the justification at least.
The second type of wrong doing was that some such pharmacies were shipping in drugs from outside North America: with who knows what implications for the drugs' safety?
As this report makes clear though, it's not just that Google is being fined for allowing people to make use of its advertising system, for other companies have done that and not been fined. There appears to be evidence that Google was actually encouraging the use of its system:
Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft all banned the ads in 2003, in response to a crackdown by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, Google lifted the ban a year later. It also offered the pharmacies advice on how to optimise their Google ads and improve their websites through its adwords programs, despite repeated warnings by US regulators that it was at risk of aiding illegal activity by doing so.
There are valid arguments about whether these cross-border restrictions should exist or not (heck, I can find you respected and respectable economists who will argue for the abolition of the FDA itself) but that's very different from being repeatedly told that you're going to get into trouble for an activity and then you not only continuing, you encouraging people to continue.


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Binghatti's New Dubai skyscraper-world's tallest residential tower
- Divya Sharma
- June 24, 2023
Research, Property in Dubai
A new skyscraper in Dubai is aiming to be the world’s tallest residential tower. In the process, developer Binghatti has coined a new term called ‘hyper-tower’. Binghatti has aligned with Jacob & Co, the luxury jewellery and watch brand, for the project.
Muhammad Binghatti, CEO and Head of Architecture of Binghatti, says that what Binghatti has done in real estate dubai by creating a brand in Business Bay, through a distinct design philosophy and architectural identity is very similar to what Jacob & Co has done in the world of jewelry and horology.
Dubai already has a tower with a watchmaker’s branding – the Rolex Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road. The new One Thousand Museum Tower by Binghatti and Partners will reflect in its design aesthetics. “We took inspiration from the complex horological movements that beat in Jacob & Co timepieces and we integrated them into the key elements of the tower,” said Binghatti. “The diamond-shaped spires sitting at the peak of the tower are reminiscent of an actual crown, an ornament of unique finesse, a masterpeice in real estate dubai, inspired by the design of Jacob & Co’s finely cut gems. This is the apex of the luxury narrative in this evocative construction, a signature feature that add further grandeur to the city's skyline.”
In keeping with the current and future demand patterns for luxury penthouses in Dubai—for super-luxury apartments that will feature three types of penthouses named after flagship Jacob & Co. timepieces—Binghatti has ticked that particular box. Binghatti is building five penthouses at the tower, along with five more towers in Dubai. The interior designs of the penthouses collection will also be influenced by Jacob Arabo’s vision for the company’s new women’s collections.
The building itself will offer multiple levels dedicated to amenities—everything from a private members club and infinity pool to a luxury spa and gym. Residents will also have access to a dedicated concierge team that can arrange for private chefs, a chauffeur or even a bodyguard for added security.
Dubai-based developers are setting new records with their tall buildings. The CIEL project in Dubai Marina will claim the title of world’s tallest tower in Dubai. Other super-tall structures underway include the Uptown Tower in JLT area and Deyaar's Regalia, in Business Bay. The Sobha group recently launched a signature high-rise on Shaikh Zayed Road, while Azizi has acquired a high visibility plot on the same stretch of highway and with the stated intention of creating something that ‘Dubai has not seen before’.
The tower will be the tallest residential tower in the world, when it is completed. The developer has claimed that it will be 104 floors high but we are still waiting for an official announcement from them. The tallest tower in Dubai currently is the Princess Tower, which stands 414 meters. In an interview with Arabian Business , Mohammad Binghatti, CEO of Binghatti stated: ‘We took inspiration from the complex horological movements that beat in Jacob & Co timepieces and we integrated them into the key elements of the tower.’
He added that a diamond-shaped spire sits at the peak of the tower is reminiscent of an actual crown, an ornament of unique finesse inspired by the design of Jacob & Co’s finely cut gems. He added that it is a signature feature that will add further grandeur to the Business Bay's skyline.
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Sonic Team has released a very short teaser trailer for the upcoming Sonic Frontiers game. In the video, you can see how the most famous hedgehog in the world rushes through the fields, scans the area and fights with opponents. Apparently, the game will have a variety of enemies, since the teaser showed not only small robots, but also rather bulky ones (and they look like opponents from Horizon: Zero Dawn). The blue hedgehog will have to run around the open world, which is visually a bit like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
The aesthetic of Sonic Frontiers is very different from previous 3D Sonic games: it looks more realistic than Sonic Adventure, Sonic ’06 or Sonic Unleashed.
And in the video, a fragment with Sonic was lit up, where he collects rings on the rails.
The game will be released on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch this year.
Sonic Frontiers and many other interesting projects will be presented next week during the Summer Games Fest. The event will run from June 10 to July 22 and will be streamed live on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and Facebook. You can also watch the event on the big screen, specifically in IMAX cinemas – but only in the USA, Canada and the UK (tickets on sale from May 12).
Netflix announces Sonic Prime animated series about Sonic the Hedgehog, the first season of 24 episodes will be released in 2022


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Forbes ranked the biggest car flops of 2012, and green cars didn’t fare too well. See who made the list.
Nissan Leaf: The Nissan Leaf might not be a flop in the mind of green energy fans, but it hasn’t won over the mass audience yet. The sales haven’t lived up to Nissan’s expectations.
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17 October 2012 | News | By BioSpectrum Bureau
Almirall licenses COPD treatment in Australia, New Zealand
Almirall grants commercial rights for COPD drug Aclidinium in Australia and New Zealand to Invida Holdings
Singapore: Almirall granted commercial rights for Aclidinium in Australia and New Zealand for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) to Invida Holdings. Although the financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed yet, the agreement includes both Aclidinium monotherapy and its combination with Formoterol.
Invida will be responsible for marketing the novel compound in Australia and New Zealand, both to primary and specialty care physicians. The agreement further strengthens Almirall and Invida's existing partnership in the area of dermatology within the Australian market.
Mr Eduardo Sanchiz, CEO, Almirall, said that, "In partnership with Invida, we will be able to offer this novel therapy in Australia and New Zealand for COPD, a disease increasing in prevalence that causes mortality and poor quality of life. With this new agreement Aclidinium, via partners or Almirall's own salesforce, now has access to over 80 percent of the COPD world market including the US, Japan, Korea and Europe".
Mr John A Graham, CEO, Invida, said that, "This deal strengthens Invida's partnership with Almirall as well as its position as a leading pharmaceutical company in Asia Pacific. Aclidinium expands Invida's current product offerings into the respiratory field, which taps into our already established expertise in dermatology, consumer products and primary and speciality care."
Aclidinium, a new therapeutic option from Almirall's respiratory R&D, was recently approved in the US and Europe where it is already available in Denmark and Germany. This paves the way for the subsequent introduction of Almirall's combination products for COPD, currently in late stage development.


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Enticing Food Stores to Locate Downtown
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
By DAN DAKIN Niagara Falls Review
Karrie Porter and Brennan Finley are two of the organizers
behind a movement to bring a co-op grocery store to downtown St. Catharines.
With them are Porter’s children Remy and Mira. QMI Agency
If you build it, will they come?
Not everyone thinks so.
With nearly every Niagara municipality scrambling to bring more people to their downtowns, the idea of a grocery store being needed as a draw has been discussed repeatedly.
In St. Catharines, there’s a growing movement to bring a co-op grocery store to the downtown core.
In Niagara Falls, the development company trying to revitalize downtown is hoping newly renovated apartments in the area will attract a similar retail outlet.
Even outside the region, it’s the same story. Hamilton city council recently offered up a $650,000 prize for any developer willing to open a grocery store in its downtown.
But are supermarkets the answer to reviving downtowns?
Retired Brock University urban geography professor Hugh Gayler said there’s a reason grocery stores abandoned downtowns decades ago.
“In St. Catharines, there were three or four grocery stores downtown until the 1960s,” he said. “Back then, downtown was the local shopping centre. The population was within walking distance.”
That all changed however, in the second half of the last century. The suburbs became the place to live and downtown shopping areas were replaced with malls.
“People suburbanized, families got smaller and places like downtown St. Catharines lost about two-thirds of its population,” Gayler said. “Of course, grocery stores suburbanized with them.”
“Stores are not stupid. They rely on a certain number of people to make the store profitable.”
Using downtown Toronto as an example, Gayler said large grocery stores can be successful, but it takes massive populations.
In Niagara, he feels small grocery stores could be the answer.
“In Europe they’re opening express stores downtown for the people that live there. Small stores are possible. It’s a matter of changing supermarket thinking,” he said. “Here, they’re going the other way. The medium-sized stores are being replaced with superstores.”
“There is a need in the inner-city for a grocery store that people can walk to,” he said. “There’s no reason why a small one couldn’t survive.”
That’s good news to Brennan Finley, one of the organizers behind the movement to bring a co-op grocery store to downtown St. Catharines.
The Our Community Food Store concept seems to be picking up steam. St. Catharines city council agreed to give the organizers $2,500 to help get the project rolling and then, last week, PenFinancial Credit Union matched that with another $2,500 in cash, plus consulting services and access to meeting space and volunteers.
Finley said the co-op grocery store idea makes sense for communities trying to revitalize their downtown cores because “the profit the co-op makes doesn’t leave the area. It stays in the community and benefits the members.”
Gayler said he agrees the concept could work.
“A co-op store is filling a niche that the big chains aren’t filling right now.”
Rick Brady, the director of community and development services for the Town of Fort Erie, thinks municipalities are being short-sighted if they think a grocery store will save a downtown.
“You’re talking about using a grocery store as a specific draw. But if you talk to people who run them, they’re not a draw, they’re built where people already are,” he said.
That’s a fact the companies themselves don’t shy away from. Opening a massive store in a location where the customer base is small wouldn’t make much sense.
“There are lots of factors that go into (deciding where to open a store), but there has to be a demand,” said Sarah Stover, who works in communications for Sobeys Inc.
And that’s why Gayler thinks it’s important for the communities themselves to take control.
“I think a city has to take ownership and we’ve failed to do that. We’ve let developers take advantage of our downtowns,” he said. “It will take time. But things are happening in downtowns. It will be niche retailers. It has to be something big supermarkets don’t do.”
“Large grocery stores want places that are easily accessible and have big, free parking lots. Downtowns have a difficult time competing with that. What you will see is more specialty items like bakeries,” he said.
Copyright © 2012 Niagara Falls Review


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The recall affects mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia
Preliminary tests have found melamine in Cadbury's Chinese-made chocolates, the company says.
At least 50,000 Chinese babies have fallen ill and four been killed by milk tainted with the industrial chemical.
Cadbury had earlier recalled 11 chocolate types from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia because of fears of contamination.
It remains unclear how much melamine was in the recalled products, a Cadbury spokesman told the BBC.
"It's early days, as these are preliminary findings from the tests," the spokesman said.
He emphasised that the only goods affected were those made in the company's Beijing factory, and not those produced in the UK or elsewhere.
China's reputation for food safety has nosedived since the revelations last month that milk products poisoned by melamine were responsible for causing renal problems in babies who drank the milk formula.
In mainland China, lawyers and local rights groups are seeking to support families affected by the scandal, possibly by suing dairies or officials who failed to disclose the problem.
But many say they are facing pressure from the authorities to abandon their efforts, blaming government sensitivity.
China says it has acted firmly to prevent further contamination
"About two dozen of the lawyers have called these past days to say they want to quit the volunteer advice group," Beijing lawyer Li Fangping told Reuters news agency.
"Some of them said that they or their offices were told they would face serious repercussions if they stayed involved," he said.
In a statement issued by its Singapore office, UK-based Cadbury said preliminary tests had "cast doubt on the integrity of a range of our products manufactured in China".
The products are the latest in a list of China-made foods and drinks that have been removed from shelves around the world in the wake of the scandal.
In Jakarta, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency said on Monday that it had found traces of melamine in chocolate and biscuit products apparently made in China by Kraft Foods and Mars.
The two companies said they were investigating the claims, although their products had earlier been cleared of melamine tainting.
Some reports raised the possibility the products - including Oreo wafers, M&Ms and Snickers - could be counterfeit.
"We have asked our trade partners and retailers to suspend the sales of our products in accordance to the agency's order," the Mars spokesman in Indonesia, Bondan Ardi, told the Associated Press on Monday.
The companies involved said they would conduct their own tests.
The scandal came to light earlier this month when baby milk powder from the Sanlu Group was found to contain the industrial chemical melamine.
Since then, at least 22 other companies have been implicated.
Melamine is used in making plastics and is high in nitrogen, which makes products appear to have a higher protein content.
Health experts say that ingesting small amounts does no harm but sustained use can cause kidney stones and renal failure, especially among the young.


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In a digital era where gaming enthusiasts eagerly anticipate new releases, Sega’s recent mishap has created a buzz in the online gaming world. An unintentional leak of a promotional image for an unreleased 2025 Sonic and Shadow game has set the internet ablaze with excitement and speculation, making it a hot topic among Sonic fans and gamers alike.
The Unplanned Reveal of Sega’s New Sonic Game
The story unfolded when Sega, in an apparent routine social media update, mistakenly posted an image teasing a new Sonic and Shadow game set for release in 2025. Although the post was swiftly removed, the image had already caught the attention of the gaming community. Featuring dynamic artwork of Sonic and Shadow, the leaked image suggests an exhilarating new adventure, reigniting interest in the long-standing rivalry and camaraderie between these iconic characters.
Gamer Reactions and Theories to Sonic and Shadow 2025
The Sonic community’s response was immediate and overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Gaming forums, blogs, and social media channels are overflowing with discussions and hypotheses about the potential gameplay, storyline, and new features of the Sonic and Shadow game. This accidental reveal has rejuvenated the Sonic fan base, highlighting the enduring popularity of Sega’s flagship characters.
Implications of the Leak for Sega and the Sonic Series
For Sega, this unintentional leak has both pros and cons. It has inadvertently generated significant buzz and anticipation for the upcoming Sonic game, showcasing the undiminished appeal of the Sonic series. This incident demonstrates that despite its fluctuating fortunes, the Sonic franchise still commands a loyal and passionate following.
Anticipation Builds for the 2025 Sonic and Shadow Release
As 2025 approaches, the gaming community’s excitement and curiosity will undoubtedly intensify. This leak might prompt Sega to release more official details about the Sonic and Shadow game sooner than originally planned. It’s clear that the development of this game will be closely followed by fans and industry analysts alike.
While unexpected, the leak has proven to be a boon for reigniting interest in the Sonic franchise. It’s a reminder of the lasting impact of Sonic and Shadow in the gaming world. As we edge closer to 2025, anticipation for this new chapter in the Sonic saga will only grow, ensuring that this game remains a hot topic among gamers.
For the latest updates and insider news on the Sonic and Shadow 2025 game, keep your eyes on this space. The journey towards this exciting new release is just beginning!
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While the number of auto thefts in Connecticut each year is decreasing, the preference among thieves for 1990s-era Hondas has not changed.
Honda's mid-sized 1996 Accord was the most commonly stolen car both nationally and in Connecticut, according to a report released last week by the not-for-profit National Insurance Crime Bureau. It name the top 10 most stolen vehicles in Connecticut and around the country in 2012.
The compact 1998 Civic was the second-most stolen car nationally, and the 1997 Civic was the second-most stolen in Connecticut.
In Connecticut, most of the top 10 are Japanese mid-sized sedans and compact or subcompact cars. The 1997 Nissan Maxima and 2002 Nissan Altima, third and sixth on the list respectively in Connecticut, also made the national list, but for different model years and at lower positions.
Three bigger vehicles made the state top 10 as well: the 2000 Dodge Caravan, the 2004 Jeep Cherokee and the 2008 full-size Ford pickup truck.
Why these vehicles? According to Bridgeport police chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr., the most popular vehicles are often stolen for their parts, many of which are interchangeable.
Each year, the cars that are most stolen get older and older, Gaudett said. Looking at the 37 vehicles stolen this past week in Bridgeport, 17 were model years between 1990 and 1999, he said. One third of those were Hondas.
None of the most-stolen vehicles in Connecticut was newer than the 2008 model year.
"Newer Hondas are rarely stolen, thanks to improved anti-theft technology," the NICB report says.
The older model Hondas, however, have topped the most-stolen list since 2008.
Among 2012 models, the Nissan Altima is the most stolen nationwide, according to the report, followed closely by the Chevrolet Impala and Malibu.
Only 28 "luxury" cars were stolen in Connecticut in the past four years, according to the NICB. The BMW 3-series, BMW 5-series, Acura TSX, Volvo 30-series and the Audi A4 and S4 made up the top five.
A preliminary report on crimes in the U.S. last year from the FBI estimates that there was a 1.3 percent increase in vehicle thefts from 2011. This comes after an eight-year downward trend, according to the NICB.
Nationally, auto thefts have decreased more than 50 percent since 1991, and the decrease has been steeper in many states. In 2011, 6,712 automobiles were stolen in Connecticut, according to the FBI data. The FBI data for 2012 is not yet complete.
According to the Hartford Police Department's crime statistics report, 363 motor vehicle thefts were reported in the city this year, as of Aug. 17 — a 32.1 percent decrease from last year in the same period, when the total was 535. There were more than 800 auto thefts in the city in 2012, according to the police data.
Gaudett said Bridgeport has also seen a drop in auto thefts in 2013.
"We're looking at a 30 percent decline this year," he said. "It's fantastic."
All but one of Connecticut's metropolitan areas ranked in the top half of the country for auto thefts per 100,000 people, according to the report. The Hartford metro area, which includes most of central Connecticut, ranks 163rd out of the 380 metro areas in the country, with 2,065 car thefts in 2012, or about 170 per 100,000 residents.
The New Haven metro area ranks 105th with a rate of 222.3, and the Bridgeport area ranks 178th with a rate of 162.5. In 2012, the New Haven area had 1,918 auto thefts, and the Bridgeport area had 1,518, according to the report.
The Norwich metropolitan area ranked 302nd with 240 auto thefts last year and a rate of 87.5 thefts per 100,000 population.
"As a population-based survey, an area with a much smaller population and a moderate number of thefts can — and often does — have a higher theft rate than an area with a much more significant vehicle theft problem and a larger population to absorb it," the NICB report states.
Eight of the top 10 metropolitan areas for stolen cars in the country are in California; the other two are in Washington state. Southern New York state has some of the lowest rates of auto theft, according to the data.
The Northeast as a whole experienced a 7.9 percent reduction in vehicle thefts from 2011.
The NICB suggests four ways to keep your car from getting stolen: use common sense, have a warning device such as an alarm, have an immobilizing device like a smart key and have a tracking device.
"Have a security system in your car and make sure you're actually using it," Gaudett said.


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Movie studios and display manufacturers have both been pumping 3D viewing as The Next Big Thing for over a year, but the market as a whole has yet to display much interest
. According to the analyst group IDG, 3D notebooks are typically priced well above $1000, despite the fact that in 2009, notebook ASPs were ~$569 after netbooks were removed from the equation. The price difference alone is enough to hurt consumer interest, but there are also questions regarding the future of 3D technology. Potentially interested buyers who aren't put off by the cost, are still leery of spending a substantial amount of money on a feature that could shrivel up and die in a few years. According to John Jacobs, an analyst with DisplaySearch, 3D isn't a particularly good fit for mobile systems. "If there's a reason you buy a notebook, it is because you need a notebook, not because you need a 3D notebook," Jacobs told Computerworld.
This doesn't sit particularly well with various manufacturers who've bet on widespread 3D uptake after giving up on OLED technology as a near-term must-have technology. Current information indicates that approximately 100,000 3D laptops have been sold thus far in 2010, out of a total of 100 million. By the end of 2010, DisplaySearch predicts total sales of $180,000 laptops, a whopping 0.08 percent market share. One problem with 3D notebooks is that they tend to favor lower screen resolutions like 1366x768. DisplaySearch believes this is part of why they don't appeal to gamers; a question we'll examine in more detail in the near future when we review the Lenovo Y560D.
New way of interacting with film—or just a blurry mess?
One point that's perhaps glossed over more than it should be is that 1366x768 panels have spread like a noxious disease into every notebook manufacturer's inventory. Ironically, if you compare modern notebooks to notebooks from 2-3 years ago, resolutions have gone backwards. It's now common for 15.6" notebooks to use 1366x768 (rather than 1280x1024, 1680x1050, or even 1440x900). Even 17" notebooks, which used to feature 1680x1050 or even 1900x1200, are all-to-often now 1600x900.
The news on smaller resolution screens isn't all bad--it's one way to ensure lower-end discrete GPUs can produce good framerates--but it's enough to annoy most serious gamers. Given the degree of lousy 3D titles and the historical fact that 3D content is something that tends to become more popular and then die off in 20-30 year cycles, we're not remotely convinced that 3D laptops will ever capture more than a small minority of sales. Those of you who are planning to buy multimedia laptops in the not-too-distant future, is 3D capability something you care about, or is it not worth the additional premium?


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- MARKET SECTORS
- Dan Holohan: Heating Help
- Morris Beschloss: The Beschloss Perspective
- Hank Darlington: Showrooms
- Jim Wheeler: HVAC
- Rick Johnson: Distribution Management
- Dick Friedman: Tech Tips
- Mike Miazga: In Closing
- Safety Columnists
- ASA President’s Letter
- Josh Brown: Generation Y Insights
- PVF OUTLOOK
- PB OUTLOOK
Joseph DeAngelo, who helped build Home Depot’s contractor supply business, left the home improvement retailer last Friday, but will remain with HD Supply as its chief executive officer.
His resignation came one day after the company finalized the sale of HD Supply for $8.5 billion to a group of investment bankers. DeAngelo had been Home Depot’s executive vice president and chief operation officer.
In other news, the wholesaler distributor’s new owners say they will retain the HD Supply name. Home Depot not only had to drop the original price, but also paid $325 million to keep a 12.5 percent stake in HD Supply and guaranteed $1 billion in debt.


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Big Surprises in Store for the Fantastic Four's 60th Anniversary
New artwork from Valerio Schiti teases upcoming Fantastic Four storylines!
The Fantastic Four, the very Super Heroes that kicked off Marvel Comics’ Silver Age are celebrating 60 incredible years! Home to concepts and characters that revolutionized comic book storytelling, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s beloved creations have enjoyed one of the most memorable sagas in comic book history. Now, get ready to see what’s in store for Marvel’s First Family this year in all-new teaser artwork by Valerio Schiti. This epic piece foreshadows the Fantastic Four’s action-packed year, giving fans a hint at the deadly threats they’ll be facing and a first look at an unexpected new arc that kicks off in May!
“Dan and RB are working to make the Fantastic Four’s 60th Anniversary a nonstop thrill ride for fans, one that touches on all aspects of the FF’s world and re-establishes them as the cornerstone players of the Marvel Universe,” Executive Editor Tom Brevoort said. “Expect some big surprises, status quo changes and shocking revelations in the months ahead—to say nothing of the return of some classic villains that readers have been asking for!”
Keep an eye out for announcements about the other exciting things Marvel Comics has in store for the Fantastic Four’s milestone celebration.
The Hype Box
Can’t-miss news and updates from across the Marvel Universe!


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FastCash powered by FCMB Group and Simbrella reached out to over 3 million Nigerians.
Pioneering mobile fintech services, with Seymur Mammadov (Podcast of Brendan Le Grange)
Our CPO Selbin Alakbarova has taken a stage as a speaker at #GSMA #M360 Eurasia in Baku.
Our CEO Seymur Mammadov has been awarded the prestigious title of EY Entrepreneur of The Year!
Simbrella has officially became a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
Simbrella participated at important event held by Bank of Africa Group, September 2021, Istanbul Turkey
Simbrella has donated to forest restoration project to plant 1,000 trees in Albertine Rift, Uganda
Simbrella receives ISO 27001 certification for succesful implementation of Information Security Management System
Simbrella launches "Lajor" - digital micro-lending product for Orange Money mobile wallets in Sierra Leone.
Simbrella announces launch in South-East Asia via microlending partnership with MPT Myanmar.
Simbrella launched FinTech partnership with First City Monument Bank (FCMB) in February 2020.


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Posts From Scott Webster
Sony just made the first actual Google TV official with their new 46-inch GT1 Sony Internet TV. Billed as the first television with the ability to enjoy apps, watch HDTV,
Sony is currently in the midst of a Google TV keynote in New York , but the hardware maker began making developer-friendly moves earlier today. The company has opened up
A source close to Android Police is claiming that the next release of Android is slated to arrive next week. Codenamed Gingerbread, we don’t know whether this is 2.3, 2.5, or 3.0 in terms of naming convention. However, that could change soon enough!
Last week saw Sony’s movie and television streaming service, Crackle, come to Android phones. Started as an online video sharing service (Grouper Networks) back in 2004, Crackle is now home to full-length movies and television shows.
T-Mobile is about to start making good on their promise to leave no (myTouch) phone behind. According to information obtained by TmoNews, the carrier is set to roll out Android
Good news for those of you who own a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set. You can now control your NXT robot (Android) from an Android 2.1 or 2.2 device! Called MINDdroid, it functions as a wireless remote control via a Bluetooth connection.
We cannot confirm this on our ends as of yet but word around the campfire is that G2 handsets are getting an over-the-air software update. After less than a week
It’s Monday! That means tonight at 10PM EST you’ll be listening to the longest running Android-related podcast on the internet. Join your fellow Android fans and developers as we take
I started dabbling in geocaching late last year as my son and I wanted something fun to do on days off. Being he was six at the time, he was only too eager to help daddy hunt down treasure in the real world. We bounced from one Android app to another, trying each out to see what we liked best. Due to memory limitations of my G1, I was constantly uninstalling applications and games to make room for new stuff. Couple that with a quick-draining battery and it was becoming tough to stay enthusiastic or spend much time in the field. Suffice it to say, we got out of the game for a few months. Then all of a sudden, last month’s official Geocaching.com announcement put us right back on the hunt.
As Android continues to grow, so does the number of players entering the app distribution game. A few of today’s current alternatives include GetJar, SlideME, AppBrain, and OnlyAndroid. Looking forward,
By the time you finish reading this post, another three or four players will have entered the Android app store market. At least that it how it seems of late.
As we draw toward the end of the year we are expecting each of the top four providers to announce official pricing and release dates. We’ve heard whispers of Sprint’s launch, but for the most part, we’re still waiting on everyone. Thanks to a leaked internal T-Mobile document, we might have an idea where the prices will fall.
The specs for Verizon’s next super phone, the Droid 2 Global, have landed online ahead of any official announcement from Motorola. To be fair, these are not the full details,
Strap on your seatbelt and hold on, Garmin-Asus is gearing up for more Android powered handsets. Yes, that Garminfone from T-Mobile is about to get some company. Sorta.
Yesterday saw eBay making a pair of Android-related announcements. First up is the release of their new application, eBay Classifieds, which lets users hunt down jobs, sell that old bicycle, or find a pool guy. In fact, what might seem like a one-trick pony app at first glance is rather rich in details.


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Addis Abeba September 22/2020 (ENA) The Ethiopian Espresso and Tea Authority introduced that 870 million USD was earned from the export of espresso and spices over the past Ethiopia fiscal 12 months.
In line with the authority, 270,835 tons of espresso had been exported this fiscal 12 months.
The entire export of espresso within the 12 months has surpassed that of the sooner 12 months by over 40,000 tons, producing over 91 million USD in income.
Germany, Saudi Arabia, and america had been the main international locations in buying Ethiopian espresso.
About 16 million USD was additionally by exporting 12,000 tons of spices throughout the identical interval.
The reform launched inside the authority in 2011 has helped increase the amount and high quality of espresso specifically, it was discovered.
Among the many adjustments made was the brand new system launched to permit farmers to export espresso on to international markets.
Following this, some 500 farmers have requested a license to export espresso.
Some 87 % of the exported espresso throughout the 12 months was of top quality.
The authority envisions incomes over 1.1 billion USD by exporting 312,000 tons of espresso this Ethiopian finances 12 months.


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Xbox One Controller
Xbox Design Lab Wireless Controllers Not Coming To Europe Until 2017
At E3 press event earlier this week, Microsoft announced a new way for Xbox One users to create their own custom wireless controller starting with a single color and up to more than 8 million color variations to customize the cont...
New Xbox One controller up for pre-order at Amazon.com
Along with the announcement about the new Xbox One S console, Microsoft also announced a new streamlined Xbox Controller. The new controller offers refined grip, improved connectivity like addition of Bluetooth and increased range...
Microsoft announces new streamlined Xbox One controller
Along with the announcement about the new Xbox One S console, Microsoft today also announced new streamlined Xbox Controller. This new controller looks almost similar to the already available Xbox One controller in the market. Mic...
Video: First look at Xbox One controller support in Continuum for Phones
Microsoft revealed a nice new feature for Continuum for phones that is coming with Windows 10 Anniversary Update: support for the Xbox One controller. In Windows 10 Anniversary Update, users will be able to use their Xbox One cont...
Xbox One Special Edition Armed Forces Wireless Controller Now Available For Walmart
Xbox One Special Edition Armed Forces Wireless Controller is now available exclusively from Walmart for $64.99. Own the battlefield with the Xbox One Special Edition Armed Forces Wireless Controller, featuring a modern camouflage ...
You Can Now Use Xbox One Controller To Play Games On Your PC
As announced earlier, Microsoft has released PC Drivers for Xbox One controllers. This will allow games to connect their Xbox One Controllers to their Windows PCs and enjoy the games. These drivers will be delivered as part of Win...
Microsoft: Xbox One Controller To Become PC Compatible Next Year
Microsoft has revealed that the upcoming new Xbox One Controller will be made compatible with PC next year. Speaking to Penny Arcade Report, Microsoft spokesperson gave the following statement. “There is also some work that we n...


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With the OnePlus 6 being one of the best phones the company's ever released, there's a lot of hype already starting to build up for the 6T. Most recently, a supposed retail box for the phone leaked and gives us a glimpse at a couple big features to look forward to.
The inside of the box shows an outline for the OnePlus 6T, and on this outline, there's a fingerprint icon near the bottom middle of the screen — suggesting that it'll ship with an in-display fingerprint sensor.
The outline also gives us a look at the 6T's notch which appears to be a lot smaller than the one on the OnePlus 6. It features the "waterdrop" design that we've steadily been seeing on more and more handsets. In fact, to not much surprise, this brief look at the 6T is very reminiscent to the Oppo R17 that was announced in mid-August.
No other details are revealed from this retail packaging, save for the "Unlock The Speed" tagline on one side that suggests OnePlus will once again be promoting the 6T's fast performance over its other features.
As earlier reported, the OnePlus 6T is expected to arrive this fall with a U.S. price of $550.
T-Mobile offering a free year of Quibi streaming service on April 6
Need something else to keep your mind busy during these trying times? Starting April 6, you'll be able to get a free Quibi subscription if you're a T-Mobile customer.
Do you think smartphones can compete with professional cameras?
Smartphone cameras have seen a lot of advancements over the years. Do you think we're at the point where they can compete with professional camera gear?
Global phone sales set to hit a 10-year low, recovery likely next year
According to research firm CCS Insight, the COVID-19 outbreak could slow the global mobile phone market by 13% this year, with shipments predicted to hit a 10-year low. Sales of 5G phones, however, are expected to grow significantly, despite the overall slump in demand.
People into rooting and modding should check out these phones
If you're looking ahead and know you'll want to change something on your next phone that requires custom software or root access, these phones are the best options.


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Category Archives: auto industry
See all those happy faces in the photo above? They will all be unemployed sooner than later. From the BBC:
The world’s largest carmaker will stop production at the Fremont, California-based New United Motor Manufacturing plant in March 2010.
GM announced earlier this year that it would withdraw from the venture.
Toyota said: “Over the mid to long-term, it just would not be economically viable to continue production.”
The firm will move production to its other plants in the US and in Japan.
There are also reports circulating that Toyota is closing down a plant in Europe as well as one in Japan for at least a year.
The recession might be shrinking according to Obama and his go-to guy Bernanke, but you couldn’t tell it by looking at Toyota or Nissan’s plans they are making for plant closings this year and in 2010 and 2011.
The Treasury Department is preparing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing for struggling U.S. automaker Chrysler that could come as soon as next week, according to a New York Times report.
People with direct knowledge of the action told the newspaper that the U.S. Treasury has an agreement in principle with the United Automobile Workers union, whose members’ pensions and retiree health care benefits would be protected as a condition of the bankruptcy filing.
Wonder when GM will do the same? From the NYT writeup linked above:
Moreover, Fiat of Italy would complete its alliance with Chrysler while the company is under bankruptcy protection.
The only major question that remains unresolved is what happens to Chrysler’s lenders, who hold $6.9 billion in company debt. The government’s most recent offer, presented Wednesday, would give the company’s lenders about 22 cents on the dollar, or $1.5 billion, and a 5 percent equity stake in a reorganized Chrysler. Earlier this week, a steering committee of the lenders proposed that they receive 65 cents on the dollar, or $4.5 billion, and a 40 percent equity stake.
Officials at Chrysler and the Treasury were not immediately available for comment.
With the assholes in Congress bitching that the Big Three Automakers are retards in how they do business, it should be noted that Toyota is also posting a huge loss for the fiscal year…their first in 70 years of making vehicles. From the NYT link:
Analysts said Toyota’s downward revision, its second in two months, showed that the worst financial crisis since the Depression was threatening not just the Big Three but also even relatively healthy automakers in Japan, South Korea and Europe. Many other companies will also soon be reporting losses.
Worse, analysts said that they expected next year to be even more painful, amid forecasts that the global economy would continue to slide until at least the summer. This could cause a significant shakeout, driving smaller and weaker companies into the arms of a smaller number of bigger, richer players.
“It is just a matter of time before all major automakers are losing money,” an auto analyst in Tokyo for Credit Suisse Securities, Koji Endo, said. “And things will just get worse next year, when companies start losing money for the second consecutive year.”
Toyota, which just a few months ago seemed unstoppable after eight years of record profits, said it suffered from plunging vehicle sales not only in North America but also in once-promising markets like India and China, which many had hoped would prove immune to the United States malaise. Toyota’s group includes the automaker Daihatsu and the truck builder Hino.
Unlike the Big Three here in America, Toyota has plenty of cash on hand to weather the hard times…$18 Billion to be exact. But the U.S is their biggest market..and it sucks for Toyota just as it sucks for the Big Three:
In November, Toyota’s sales dropped 33.9 percent and Honda Motor’s 31.6 percent, both faring slightly better than G.M., which had a 41 percent decline.
Still, it sucks to be a purveyor of anything expensive..regardless of which country does the manufacturing.
Jon Tester asked one of them if they can guarantee that this will be the only bailout money they will need considering the economy.
The exec said no, he can’t make that guarantee. Of course he can’t..and neither can the financial institutions.
No one can guarantee shit…unless it’s a guarantee that it’s gonna get worse before it gets better.
That, you can probably take to your bank…if it’s still operating or hasn’t been bought out by a bigger fish in that pond.
The UAW is willing to take a hit as well:
From the New York Times: “At a news conference in Detroit, the U.A.W.’s president, Ron Gettelfinger, said that his members were willing to sacrifice job security provisions and financing for retiree health care to keep the two most troubled car companies of the Big Three, General Motors and Chrysler, out of bankruptcy.”
If the Big Three are allowed to go into Bankruptcy, they will die. No one will buy a vehicle from a company in Bankruptcy. But will people buy a vehicle from them anyway?
I don’t know the answers and neither does anyone else.
The Big Three are back on the Hill today, their hats in their hands and their jets out of sight. They got a plan, or so they say. From WaPo:
In its second attempt to persuade Congress to grant the U.S. auto industry $25 billion in emergency loans, Chrysler plans to make the case that automakers can cut their costs and point to the future by forging an alliance to share fuel-efficient vehicle technologies.
Ford will tell lawmakers that it intends to retool plants for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars as a part of its goal of becoming the fuel-efficiency leader in every vehicle category. General Motors will address its $43.3 billion debt burden and an upcoming multibillion-dollar payment to a union-run trust that will cover employee health-care costs.
Meanwhile, the Congress Critters are fighting amongst themselves over who is going to judge these plans. According to WaPo, Nan and Harry have said the following about which groups and/or departments will eyeball the automaker’s plans to get their collective shit together:
In their own letter to automakers last week, Reid and Pelosi said they “intend to give pertinent agencies within the executive branch, the Government Accountability Office, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, as well as outside experts, the opportunity to comment on [the automakers’] work.”
It’s all so jacked up and it will not be getting any better any time soon. Meanwhile, Chase, who now owns Washington Mutual, announced they are shit-canning over 9,000 WaMu employees in the very near future.
Just in time for Christmas gents? How sweet of you.


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GUEST OPINION by Shehzad Merchant, Chief Technology Officer, Gigamon: Dealing with a security incident requires not just prompt notification of the incident but the ability to triage the cause of the incident.
Concerns around security, privacy, cloud and technology resilience in the IT audit industry are being further fueled by shifting business priorities, the pandemic-induced remote work environment and accelerated deployment of new technologies entering into 2021, according to a new global survey.
With corporate reputations trashed by the mishandling of cyber breach communications, what is the best practice in communicating about a cyber breach that respects privacy and honours trust and ethics?
Yes indeed, unwelcome scam calls are on the rise!add trojan and phishing links in unsolicited SMS to that list :)Interesting,[…]
the G-sync compatible TV is great but I wanted to read more on the LG Rolling Bot to see if[…]
I purchased a NOVOO USB C Hub 8 in 1 USB-C Dock back in 2020 for my Dell XPS-15 when[…]
Definitely vital to check that whatever USB-C multi-port / multifunction hub/adapter you get, if you are buying for Windows OS,[…]
Hi Bob,Yes, it looks like $89 is the best price. https://www.staticice.com.a...Not sure how to answer whether that price is expensive[…]


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Leading ERP and CRM Software Provider Announces Technology Partnerships with UKG and Others
DULLES, Va., Aug. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As part of its commitment to continually roll out modern software solutions for its customers in 2021, Unanet announced several new technology partnerships today that will be featured on its industry-leading Unanet Connect platform. New integrations with UKG, Paycom, Gusto and Paychex will help customers automate payroll processing with seamless data orchestration, workflow automation and improved team collaboration tools.
“The power of automated payroll workflows significantly enhances work productivity for our customers and reduces costly HR hours spent reconciling data,” said Assad Jarrahian, chief product officer, Unanet. “We are partnering with the best in the business like UKG to equip our customers with an all-in-one flexible platform that integrates easily with business applications and payroll systems they are already using.”
Unanet Connect provides government contractors, architects, engineers, and professional services firms with an open, modern platform for the seamless integration of information, actionable insights, and automation. Simply by shopping the marketplace, customers create a fully integrated digital ecosystem with the Unanet project-based SaaS ERP and CRM solutions at its center. Additional integration solutions include more than 100 pre-built connectors with applications such as SAP, BambooHR, Outlook, Flowtrac, Concur, and HubSpot, as well as payroll partners Paylocity, Proliant, TriNet and GovConPay.
“Reliable integrations are key to providing the elevated digital experience that our customers depend on,” said Jarrahian. “We invested in these top performing partnerships so our customers can spend more time on strategic initiatives and move away from the outdated, time-consuming, and error-prone process of maintaining employee payroll information in disparate systems.”
Earlier this year, Unanet announced a variety of new product enhancements to its ERP for GovCon and A/E customers, including new streamlined invoicing with online payment facilitation, analytics, and subcontractor management features. These features, along with the release of Unanet Connect, help customers innovate and scale infinitely with their goals for digital transformation.
Unanet is a leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions purpose-built for Government Contractors, architecture, engineering, construction, and professional services. More than 3,200 project-driven organizations depend on Unanet to turn their information into actionable insights, drive better decision-making, and accelerate business growth. All backed by a people-centered team invested in the success of your projects, people, and financials. For more information, visit www.unanet.com.
by Kim Koster
Aug 24, 2021


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Written by Jen Finn
The first meeting of the Upper Cook Inlet Task Force generated questions about allocation issues, marine mortality, historical catch rates and the overall health of salmon in the inlet.
Board of Fisheries members Tom Kluberton of Talkeetna and Vince Webster of King Salmon co-chaired the meeting that focused on defining the scope of the Upper Cook Inlet king salmon problem and looked for suggestions both from task force members and a room full of affected users.
Webster said he joined the task force because he has been "tight" on approving petitions and agenda change requests to the Board of Fisheries.
"What I think they do, they take the public out of the process," Webster said. "It became apparent that the board wanted to do something to help the setnetters this coming year and a task force was a way to allow more input from the public."
Read the full story at Homer News>>
National Fisherman Live: 3/10/15
In this episode, Online Editor Leslie Taylor talks with Mike McLouglin, vice president of Dunlop Industrial and Protective Footwear.
National Fisherman Live: 2/24/15
In this episode:
March date set for disaster aid dispersal
Oregon LNG project could disrupt fishing
NOAA tweaks gear marking requirement
N.C. launches first commercial/recreational dock
Spiny lobster traps limits not well received
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is partnering with restaurants throughout the region for an Out of the Blue promotion of cape shark, also known as dogfish. Starting Friday, July 3 and running until Sunday, July 12, cape shark will be available at each participating restaurant during the 10-day event. Cape shark is abundant and well deserving of a wider market.
As a joint Gulf of Mexico states seafood marketing effort sails into the sunset, the program’s Marketing Director has left for a job in the private seafood sector. Joanne McNeely Zaritsky, the former Marketing Director of the Gulf State Marketing Coalition, has joined St. Petersburg, FL based domestic seafood processor Captain’s Fine Foods as its new business development director to promote its USA shrimp product line.


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Hexworks Studios has revealed the roadmap for Lords of the Fallen detailing what's to come for the remainder of the year.
The Soulslike action game just received its Halloween event, the Spirit of the Bleak Season, as well as a mob density reduction tweak, but the developer has already announced that players can expect even more updates to arrive before the end of 2023 "with continued support next year."
"At Hexworks, we’re incredibly proud of the open relationship we're fostering with our community," said studio head Saül Gascon. "We are actively listening to their constructive feedback and working diligently to deliver what we believe, collectively, will elevate Lords of the Fallen even further. Every addition to the game is a labor of love, as we strive to push both its and the genre’s boundaries."
In the roadmap, it was confirmed that a bunch of features will continue receiving ongoing weekly enhancements alongside new content, including game stability, performance, save game fixes, cooperative and PvP improvements, balancing, increased boss difficulty, and quality-of-life tweaks.
As for upcoming updates, Hexworks intends to improve the game's systems across the board. Some changes to expect include inventory space expansions, two separate spell packs - which is around 12 in total - gamepad rebinding, New Game Plus modifiers, and Split PvE and PvP balancing.
The game will also receive new Grievous Strikes, additional secret boss weapon abilities, and three new questlines and armor sets. The developer has already given players a glimpse of what to expect when it comes to these new sets, too with the Ubral, Rhogar, and Radiant sets all shown off as part of the roadmap.
Update v.1.1.282 was released on November 4 and added over 100 enhancements, fixes, and tweaks. The patch made improvements to cooperative play, made PvP more diverse, and added some much-needed balancing changes.
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In a verdict with potentially far-reaching consequences for the so-called gig economy, the California Supreme Court on Monday made it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors and not as employers.
The decision may eventually require companies like Uber, many of which are based in California, to follow minimum wage and overtime laws and pay workers' and unemployment insurance and payroll taxes that may turn their business models upside down.
Industry executives have ranked these and other drivers Gig-workers as employees tend to cost 20 to 30 percent more than they classify as subcontractors. But there are also benefits that can offset these costs, such as the ability to control schedules and the type of work.
The court essentially dismissed the existing test for determining the employee status that was used to assess the degree of control over the worker. This test was based on about 10 factors, such as the level of supervision and whether the worker could be fired for no reason.
In its place, the court established a much simpler "ABC" test, which is used in Massachusetts and New Jersey. In this test, the employee is considered to be an employee if he or she carries out an activity that is part of the "normal course of business" of the enterprise.
As an example, the court called a plumber who was hired by a store to repair a bathroom leak reasonably not considered an employee of that store. But seamstresses who sew at home with materials from a clothing manufacturer would probably be considered as employees.
In addition, a company must demonstrate that it does not control and direct the worker, and that the worker is truly an independent contractor
While companies like Uber have succeeded in arguing that they do not exercise sufficient control over the drivers, In order to qualify as an employer, it would be hard to argue that drivers perform a task that is not a standard feature of their business.
In a recent case involving the restaurant ordering and delivery service GrubHub, for example a California judge found that food delivery was a regular part of the company's business in Los Angeles, where the plaintiff worked, potentially the ABC Test. But she decided in favor of the company and concluded that she had not exercised sufficient control over the employee to be considered an employer.
Shannon Liss-Riordan, the plaintiff's lawyer, said she would request a re-examination in the light
GrubHub said in a statement that he was aware of Monday's verdict but did not comment on the appeal proceedings in the case could, except to say that it "will continue to ensure that supply partners enjoy the benefits of the flexibility they enjoy from working with our company."
Uber declined to comment.
The case, which the court ruled on Monday, was brought by delivery drivers to a company called Dynamex, which was considered an employee before 2004. The company changed the relationship to a contractual agreement.
If the courts were to find that workers in companies such as GrubHub and Uber, as they are now constituted, were employees and not contractors, companies could resume their work in various ways. They could simply turn their workers into employees instead of leads.
Alternatively, companies like Uber might decide to curb their operations by providing a more limited platform on which drivers and passengers can negotiate prices and terms of service.
Although Uber and Co. will eventually be forced to change their business model, this moment may be a long way off. Uber drivers usually sign an arbitration agreement stating that all disputes must be filed individually and outside the court system. While the United States Supreme Court recently heard a challenge to such agreements, it is generally expected that they will support them.


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Industry bodies and new firms have set up initiatives to support the food and drink industry.
Challenging times can prove testing for any business, but with uncertainty, comes support, and there’s a number of firms bringing it by the bucket load to help assist the Scottish food and drink scene.
From industry bodies launching new projects to support local producers, to new businesses starting up to bring innovative enterprises and clubs to certain areas in the country, the food and drink industry continues to fight through these trying times.
According to Scotland Food & Drink figures, food and drink is one of the largest industry sectors in Scotland, with a £15.0 billion turnover (an increase of over 36% since 2007) and employing 119,000 people.
With retail sales of Scottish food and drink brands across the UK worth almost £2.0 billion – more than £500m than in 2007 – the retail value of Scottish food and drink brands in Scotland is around £590 million, up 27% in the last 10 years.
But what happens when all of these routes to market close? Diversification and launching online platforms has been a saving grace for many.
Industry body Scotland Food & Drink has launched its Support Local directory, with more than 120 businesses across sectors as diverse as brewers, dairies, seafood, and the dairy industry signing up ahead of the launch last week.
To date, more than 220 firms now feature on the website which will allow consumers to browse Scottish food and drink suppliers and search by product type and location, outlining their delivery methods and areas during this time.
The platform also aims to increase its reach across Scotland and across sectors, calling for suppliers of all sizes to sign up to the service so more people can connect directly with local businesses.
Lucy Husband, UK market development director at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “The impact of COVID-19 restrictions has changed the way we shop and forced many food and drink businesses to significantly adapt their approaches.
“While more and more of us are shopping for food and drink online, the appetite for high-quality, local products remains strong. In fact, our research shows that 70% of Scottish consumers believe it’s important to have locally sourced produce available, and 49% of Scottish shoppers also claim they would be willing to pay more for Scottish produce.
“We’re proud to launch supportlocal.scot to meet that demand and provide a useful platform for businesses to reach new consumers. In this incredibly difficult time for so many people, food and drink producers have shown resilience in their ability to innovate and adapt. Scotland boasts some of the best food and drink products in the world, and we should all endeavour to support local producers and enjoy the fruits of Scotland’s larder.”
Based in the East Neuk of Fife, local food hub Bowhouse has developed a reputation as a place to connect local food and drink producers and traders with customers directly by hosting monthly market weekends. The markets have attracted more than 100,000 people since opening in 2017.
Launching a new online market place – Bowhouse Link – earlier this month, Rosie Jack, marketing manager of the firm, says she is delighted that they will be able to continue to connect the local community with various producers.
Alongside essentials like cream, eggs, yoghurt and milk, the online market will also include butchered meat from Bowhouse, organic vegetables and salads from East Neuk Market Garden, game meats from Woodmill Game, cheese from St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company and Strathearn Cheese Company, not to mention breads from Barnetts Bakery and rums, ciders, beer and natural wines from Futtle Organic Brewery, to name a few.
The online store opens every Monday morning at 10am and orders can be placed until Wednesday afternoon at 1pm. On Thursdays and Fridays the orders are produced and packed ready for delivery across the East Neuk of Fife and for collection on Saturday.
Rosie said: “We’ve never sold online before but it has always something we’ve wanted to create – this online hub of produce. Our markets are only once a month so there was a real sort of gap in between. Our customers felt like the market was a treat but really we are trying to make the produce which is being sold here something you want to eat all of the time.
“This crisis has allowed us to focus in on the project and we managed to get it up and running pretty quickly. We have this massive big hall so we’re not short of space or storage, we have everything we need to make it happen. We deliver to the East Neuk, Coupar, St Andrews and Leven, but you can also come and collect from us in a really safe way. We’ll look to deliver wider as the weeks go on.
“We did 50 deliveries two weeks ago and last week we did 35 deliveries with more than 30 pick-ups. Bowhouse is a hub for produce so we really want Bowhouse Link to continue into the future as it can be a constant supply chain for our customers. As long as there’s a demand for it, we will continue to run it. We’re also offering free delivery for NHS staff and customers can choose to subsidise NHS delivery with someone else paying for NHS staffs’ deliveries, too.”
Looking to support as many firms in the Highlands and Islands as possible, John Murray and Cecilia Grigor have launched the Highland Food & Drink Club.
A club which will see businesses reap many benefits of its services, its initial objective is to provide an online store where producers can advertise their products in the form of a large online farmers’ market.
Customers will be able to purchase the goods on the site, which will then be facilitated by an Inverness-based wholesaler the club is working with. The orders will then be pulled together, allowing customers to buy from a range of suppliers at once, and then sent across the UK for delivery.
John Murray, co-owner of the club, said: “Highlands and Moray are two of the regions in Scotland that don’t really have a regional food group. We wanted to give it a go to support them. Highland Food & Drink Club will be a regional food group which will provide an e-commerce platform linking producers and customers. We are the vehicle to promote, showcase, highlight and connect businesses with customers. We want to build a community and food and drink tourism will come into that eventually, too.
“The primary focus is getting as many companies signed up to the site as possible. We’re aiming to get 100 companies involved. Right now we’re figuring out what businesses are interested and what that will look like online but we have 96 signed up already!
“We have been contacting food and drink firms throughout the Highlands and Islands to find out if they’d be interested in the e-commerce platform and businesses can sign up online until May 8.
“Inverness is the best place for it as it is most central to all the places that we’ll be featuring products from. Our wholesaler already works with a few of the local businesses so we will be adding more and more to the business which means more people will be able to get access to these producers items.”
The club will feature membership tiers for those looking for additional support.
John added: “Orkney and Shetland have their own established food groups which do really well, so for firms based there we’d be offering companies the chance to come through the online platform, too.
“For the Highlands, Moray and the Western Isles, we’d be offering the same, plus membership opportunities promoting their food outside of the region via different routes to market and connecting them with wholesalers.
“For example, a gold member would get some one-to-one support focused on accessing supply chain routes, business development, one-off events and things like that. Silver would offer access more broadly to things like seminars, webinars, e-marketing, and bronze would provide e-marketing and general communications. Ideally we would like to see a joint membership with Scotland Food & Drink.”
Anticipated to launch in June, John says the online market is great for the area and will allow firms who don’t have e-commerce channels of their own, the chance to finally sell their products online.
“The Highlands is such a strong brand and iconic. I don’t think we utilise this enough as a collective,” said John.
“Raising that brand awareness is our role. Some businesses don’t operate online at all, so this will be a great opportunity for them to do so, and give them the facility to sell online without having to set up their own e-commerce channels. We’re stronger together.
“Because of the demise of the food service at the moment, no one knows how long that will take to resurrect it. I think this sort of fills that gap and gives them a different route to market.
“We look to have bakery, cheese, seafood, beers, gins as well as other fresh produce, too. Isle of Sky Brewing Co. has said they will be involved, as has Dunnet Bay Distillers. These guys already sell online but they want to be part of it as their view is it’s a stronger offering to be in the basket as the consumer can purchase numerous goods in one transaction.”


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The Charmery will soon begin rolling out a new series of flavors that taste like summer in Baltimore.
The Hampden ice cream shop's "Summer Residency" series will incorporate flavors of ice cream and sorbet that are meant to reflect favorites from Baltimore's warmest months.
Typical of the Charmery's creations, some of the new flavors, such as egg custard with marshmallow swirl, ice cream sandwich and peach lavender, are more conservative, while others — pink peppercorn lemonade and "Fresh 2 Death" (cucumber, mint and lime) sorbet, for example — push the limits of traditional ice cream.
"We all grew up in Baltimore and wanted to define summer in Baltimore," Charmery owner David Alima said.
His team spent time researching summer flavors and toying with recipes before settling on the eight that will be added to the Charmery's menu.
Each flavor will roll out one at a time throughout the summer starting in June, and they will be on the menu until they sell out.
Located at 801 W. 36th St., the Charmery will celebrate its fourth anniversary in July.
MORE BALTIMORE DINER


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Top Tech Trends we saw at CES 2017
Each year, hundreds of thousands of journalist, bloggers and media people flock to Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show. This is where big brands and equipment manufacturers make new announcements and showcase their products. This year is no different and from January 5 to 8, the exhibition halls will be full of exhibitors and spectators.
Each year, there’s usually a theme or trend that’s dominates the exhibition. Here are 5 tech trends we noticed from this year’s CES 2017.
Curved TVs are longer sexy. Curved TVs were the talk of the town for the last couple of years but this year’s CES have seen less of them. TV manufacturers are focusing on new things – like a better picture, color and display technology. LG announced a 2.57mm TV that literally sticks to the wall. This is made possible by using OLED panels that feature 4K resolution, Technicolor HDR, 1,000 nits peak brightness and covers 99% of DCI color space.
VR continues to get good traction. Virtual reality continues to enjoy a lot of support. Most PC vendors are integrating VR support in their desktop and laptop PCs. Intel’s press event at the CES was VR-powered with over 260 Oculus headset in every chair in their event. Intel’s Kaby Lake processor has heavy VR support, as well as its upcoming 10nm Cannon Lake chip. It’s Project Alloy VR product will also be fully revealed soon.
MSI, Acer, Lenovo are among the few ones to promote VR-ready laptops in this event. Asus also announced its Zenfone AR smartphone, the 2nd device to support Daydream VR and Google’s Project Tango.
Appliances are becoming more connected. Internet-of-Things (IoT) has been a potentially huge market and a lot of companies continue to invest in it. More and more connected appliances being introduced in this year’s CES – a WiFi wall oven from GE, a Whirpool washing machine and Samsung vacuum cleaner that connects to Alexa, and an LG refrigerator that runs on webOS are just a few connected home appliances introduced this week.
Robots and automation are closer to home. Robots at home are not a new concept but with the integration of Amazon Alexa, they’ve become more practical. Take for example LG’s Robot Hub — it is powered by Amazon Alexa’s voice recognition technology and effectively compete against the Amazon Echo and Google Home. The Robot Hub is more interactive though as it can move around, swivel in place and display a range of facial expressions using its built-in screen. LG is even making a much bigger one, called Airport Guide Robot, which will be initially deployed in Korea’s Incheon Int’l Airport answering and assisting travelers with their questions and problems.
Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home are everywhere. Amazon is probably one of the biggest winners in this year’s CES. The number of partnerships and integrations it forged are clearly seen in the exhibition halls. Lenovo showcased the Smart Assistant which is basically an Amazon Assistant with better audio; Mattel Aristotle by Nabi is also the same but more kid-friendly; LG’s refrigerator can order groceries using Alexa from Amazon Fresh; Linksys has a WiFi router integrated with Alexa; Samsung’s vacuum cleaner too; Westinghouse, Element and Seiki are all making smart TVs that run on Amazon’s Fire TV platform with Alexa integration.