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Rockstar Games is finally adding a game mode that many players have been expecting to be part of Grand Theft Auto V (GTA) since launch. The new "Freemode Events" will let players hop into the online portion of the game called GTA Online with no menus, no lobbies, and more importantly, no loading screens.
The game developer has announced that Freemode Events will be coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC version of GTA Online next week along with the new Rockstar Editor feature. A recent post of the developer's official website details how the new addition will work once it goes live on September 15.
Players only need to log into the game and walk out into its virtual world or drive their car out of the garage. They can freely participate in any event as it happens and do not have to queue up or wait for an invite. Gamers also will not have to stay in the lobby waiting for more players to join.
There are also new Events including Hunt the Beast, where one player can have the ability to turn into a werewolf. The remaining team will hunt the player down. Meanwhile, the King of the Castle event involves players fighting to defend and control a designated structure.
This GTA Online update also comes with two new Adversary Modes. These include Cross the Line where team members have to make it into the heavily-armed territory of their opponent and Hunting Pack where players have to deliver a vehicle that will then explode if it drops below a certain speed.
As mentioned, the new Rockstar Editor will also be included on the PS4 and Xbox One version of GTA Online. It will sport a handful of recently announced tools such as a sound effects library and an ambient audio.
A new report has also shed light why Rockstar decided to release this update only on the current generation PS4 and Xbox One consoles. The developer recently told Kotaku that previous generation platforms like the Xbox 360 and PS3 can no longer accommodate the things they want to add into the game.
They knew that there might come a time when they will reach the technical capacity of what the older generation of consoles can handle as every downloadable update needs additional memory both for assets and for added scripting.
"We have continued to optimize the entire game over time in order to squeeze as much memory as we possibly could out of the last-generation hardware and at some point, continuing to add content for those systems could cause the risk of instability to the game overall," Rockstar Games explained.


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The RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford & District branch are devastated to have cancelled their upcoming outdoor events and dog shows due to the current COVID-19 crisis.
But in a bid to stop their supporters being too disappointed, they are bringing an extra special pet show to families virtually – by entering photos and videos of your pets in their 9 class ‘RSPCA Virtual Pet Show’ on Facebook.
For the first time ever, the branch will be running the completely digital pet show and hope it will give pet owners and families staying at home something fun to get involved in.
First place winners will even receive official RSPCA rosettes posted to their door.
Digital Fundraiser Fay Gibbons said: “The current crisis has created a lot of uncertainty and financial concern for our branch - but it has for so many other local charities, businesses and individuals, so we really wanted to bring something fun and enjoyable to our supporters that they can enjoy from their homes. We hope it gives people and families staying at home a fun activity to take part in and also a reason to smile when we all need it the most.
"We’ve had some amazing entries so far that have given us a real giggle and we can’t thank our amazing supporters and entrants enough. We’re really looking forward to seeing more photos and videos of your fabulous pets!”
The RSPCA Animal Centre based on Wade street, Halifax is hoping the competition will help them to raise vital funds at this crucial time.
The charity has been forced to close all of their shops and their animal centre is currently working on an appointment-only basis.
Entry per class is just £1.50 and this can be paid via Paypal or JustGiving. The pet show offers classes for every single type of pet from dogs to Degu’s and hamsters to horses with 9 classes consisting of: cutest pet, funniest pet, best selfie, perfect family pic and more.
To support the branch through the current COVID-19 crisis without entering the competition, you can donate to their #HelpUsHelpThem fundraiser by visiting: www.justgiving.com/campaign/helpushelpthem or text RSPCA to 70085 to donate £1 from your mobile.

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In the Press
Yes, you heard that correctly, radar detectors are still around and offer not just technological advances but actual speeding ticket guarantees! When we heard about the Escort 360 we were a little skeptical. There hasn't been much (if any) innovation in the radar detector space over recent years, not only that a product that offers an actual speeding ticket limited guarantee sounded even harder to believe. But we may be proved wrong! With 41m drivers ticketed every year (equating to over $6 billion in speeding tickets) from red light cameras to photo radar and even air patrol, traffic tickets are an increasing financial threat to drivers. The revolutionary Max 360 could be a game changer though, and your new travel companion.


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- Huawei launches Balong 5000 chips and 5G CPE Pro router
- It is claimed to support 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G on a single chip
- Huawei 5G smartphones powered by Balong 5000 will be released at MWC
Huawei has launched its 5G multi-mode chipset called Balong 5000 along with the first commercial 5G device powered by it, the Huawei 5G CPE Pro router. The Chinese company claims that together, these products provide the world's fastest wireless connections. Huawei also claims that the chipset supports a broad range of 5G products, including smartphones, home broadband devices, vehicle-mounted devices, and 5G modules.


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Textile, Apparel Imports Bound 4.8% in July; Mexico up 20.7%
WASHINGTON -- Textile and apparel imports rose 4.8 percent in July compared with a year ago, in a virtual rerun of their 5.2 percent gain recorded in June, according to Commerce Department data reported Tuesday.
The suit is finally making a comeback. Follow along on Snapchat to hear more about trends, experiences and what's next in online-offline innovation from industry leaders at the WWD Men's Wear Summit. #wwdfashion #wwdsummits (📷: @chddvs) Styled by @thealexbadia


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Starting in February, online shooter Warface will have a new company at its back. Crytek announced yesterday that My.com will take over publishing duties in North America and Europe, allowing the developer to focus on, well, developing.
The partnership should provide additional benefits to players, with an anticipated increase in content updates and planned cross-regional e-sport activities. The two companies are hoping to see “considerable growth” of the title following the move.
All accounts will be handed off from Crytek to My.com come February, and there will be some action needed on the part of players to assist in this. Crytek said that all characters, items, and progress will be saved during the transition.


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- Approach arrives amid world-wide scrutiny above details safety
- TikTok has 8,000 staff members in Southeast Asia
- Faces competitors from e-commerce rivals like Shopee and Lazada
JAKARTA, June 15 (Reuters) – Small online video app TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, stated on Thursday it would invest billions of bucks in Southeast Asia over the upcoming few decades, as it doubles down on the area amid intensifying international scrutiny more than its details protection.
Southeast Asia, a region with a collective populace of 630 million – half of them under 30 – is one of TikTok’s greatest marketplaces in conditions of user figures, producing much more than 325 million visitors to the app each and every thirty day period.
But the platform has nevertheless to translate the big consumer base into a important e-commerce earnings resource in the area as it faces fierce competition from larger rivals of Sea’s (SE.N) Shopee, Alibaba’s (9988.HK) Lazada and GoTo’s (GOTO.JK) Tokopedia.
“We are heading to devote billions of dollars in Indonesia and Southeast Asia about the next several yrs,” TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said at a discussion board it organised in Jakarta to emphasize the social and financial influence of the application in the area.
TikTok did not provide a comprehensive breakdown of the investing system, but said it would spend in teaching, advertising and marketing and supporting compact sellers hunting to be a part of its e-commerce platform TikTok Shop.
Chew explained written content on its platform was getting extra diversified as it adds a lot more end users and expands beyond advertising into e-commerce, making it possible for individuals to purchase products by way of backlinks on the app all through livestreaming.
TikTok has 8,000 personnel in Southeast Asia, and 2 million little suppliers marketing their wares on its platform in Indonesia, the region’s largest financial state, he extra.
E-commerce transactions across the location reached practically $100 billion final calendar year, with Indonesia accounting for $52 billion, according to details from consultancy Momentum Functions.
TikTok facilitated $4.4 billion of transactions across Southeast Asia final year, up from $600 million in 2021, but it continue to trailed much powering Shopee’s $48 billion of regional products gross sales in 2022, Momentum Works mentioned.
TikTok’s financial investment prepare will come as the Chinese-owned organization faces scrutiny from some governments and regulators because of issues that Beijing could use the application to harvest consumer facts or progress its interests.
Countries which includes Britain and New Zealand have banned the app on federal government telephones, moves TikTok explained it considered were based mostly on “fundamental misconceptions” and pushed by broader geopolitics.
TikTok has continuously denied that it has ever shared info with the Chinese authorities and has said the business would not do so if asked.
The app has not faced significant bans on federal government products in Southeast Asia, but it has been below scrutiny around its written content.
Indonesia offered 1 of its first major world-wide policy problems in 2018, soon after authorities briefly banned TikTok for posts they explained contained “pornography, inappropriate articles and blasphemy.”
In Vietnam, regulators claimed it would probe TikTok’s operations in the region since “toxic” content on the platform poses a danger to its “youth, society and tradition.”
Reporting by Stanley Widanto in Jakarta More reporting by Anne Marie Roantree in Hong Kong and Fanny Potkin in Singapore Crafting by Miyoung Kim Enhancing by Christopher Cushing and Jamie Freed
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Rely on Principles.
Stanley stories on breaking news in Indonesia. Prior to signing up for Reuters, he was a freelance reporter who wrote about the arts and politics in the Southeast Asian state. In his spare-time, he likes listening to ambient new music or likely on-line to scour for the trendiest memes.


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Tesla Motors honcho Elon Musk loves portraying his Silicon Valley company as everything the Big Three would like to be: Innovative, nimble and oh-so-cool.
During a recent roadshow pimping the initial public offering that raised $226.1 million for the company today, the man who once said "Let me run Detroit" declared Tesla Motors is “closer to an Apple or a Google than a GM or a Ford in the way we operate the company.” It is, he said, lean and nimble and sure to succeed.
"I don't think that's something that GM or Ford is going to be able to replicate -- ever," he said.
But as Reuters notes in an exhaustive 4,400-word story, Musk has relied heavily on the very industry he so enjoys taunting. A high-profile investment from Daimler, a sweetheart deal with Toyota and a $465 million federal loan have been absolutely vital to keeping Tesla on the road.
Musk firmly believes the electric vehicle is the future, and if nothing else Tesla Motors deserves credit for showing the technology is viable. Even a guy like Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors, gives Musk grudging respect for the Roadster. But despite the coming of cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, there's still a lot of skepticism about the cost and viability of EVs in the near term.
And that, as Reuters notes, means investors pondering the first IPO by an American automaker since Ford in 1956 must decide whether Tesla is a high-risk but high return bet on the future or the Silicon Valley version of "Government Motors."
The Reuters piece covers familiar territory to anyone who's followed the EV space and it recaps all the entrepreneurs who, like Musk, tried and failed to remake the auto industry, but in the end even Lutz concedes you can't write Tesla off just yet.
"Tesla may still prove to be the exception," he said.
UPDATED 3 p.m. June 29 to include the latest on the IPO.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Wired.com


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Germany's auto regulator has ordered Daimler to recall 42,000 Mercedes diesels because the company installed illegal software in their engines that gimmicked the engine's thermostat, which would allow the manufacturer to selectively tune its cars' emissions.
Daimler disputes that the software is illegal and has said it will appeal (it says it showed the regulator the software in question last year); but it has formally advised investors to expect a one-time writedown of hundreds of millions of euros over the recall.
Today, the Daimler vehicles in question are Mercedes-Benz-brand vehicles that are only sold in the EU. According to a WSJ source, the issue relates to a coolant thermostat in the cars that protects parts of the engine. The related software is found on vehicles made between 2012 and 2015. The WSJ says the type of coolant thermostat used on the diesel vehicles in question is generally found on cars with catalytic converters that don't use selective catalytic reduction, an emissions-reduction technique that uses urea to reduce nitrogen oxides to less-harmful forms. But the GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC Mercedes-Benz models that must be recalled do appear to use selective catalytic reduction.
German regulator says it discovered new illegal software on Daimler diesels [Megan Geuss/Ars Technica]
(via Naked Capitalism)


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NEW DELHI: There’s been a welcome re-think on the part of government about free trade agreements (FTAs), says Rajat Kathuria, professor of economics at Shiv Nadar University and former chief executive of the economic policy think tank ICRIER.
In a chat on The Gist, Kathuria argues that the current government has not signed a single trade agreement since it came to power, but clearly, there is a realisation that exports are the way ahead for growth. He says an FTA with the UAE makes sense given the large Indian diaspora there.
As for concerns about Chinese goods coming into India through its FTA partners, Kathuria says a strong rules of origin could take care of that problem.
Tune in for more in this conversation with Rajat Kathuria on The Gist.


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The TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award has existed since 2011. Since then, the event has become bigger and attracted international attention. The prize-winning start-ups have accumulated a total of 12.7 billion Swiss francs in investor capital and have already created 17,955 jobs. This has not escaped the attention of international investors from Silicon Valley, Boston, and China, who attend the TOP 100 Swiss Investor Summit in order to invest in the most promising startups.
Number of start-ups that have reached the top 100
Number of start-ups that have gone public
Number of jobs created
Major international interest in the event shows that the Swiss startup scene can easily compete with Silicon Valley and others. "We have no reason to hide," says Stefan Steiner. Quality levels are high on the technical front in particular, thanks to ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne. The startups from these institutions are much in demand, and have often been acquired by tech giants such as Apple and Facebook.
The innovative skills of young Swiss entrepreneurs are also on show in other sectors. Among this year's TOP 100 startups are firms in the healthcare, biotechnology, medical technology, cleantech, drones, and fintech sectors. Although startups from Zurich and Lausanne are well represented, entrepreneurs from the whole of Switzerland also feature on the list.


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- Ngoc Huynh
HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Google and Gimasys introduced the Google Cloud Platform to Vietnamese start-ups on August 26, especially those operating in e-commerce.
Using the Google Cloud Platform would bring a lot of benefits to e-commerce businesses, though the application was currently in modest use among Vietnamese e-commerce start-ups, experts said.
Deputy President of the Viet Nam E-Commerce Association Nguyen Thanh Hung said it was important to improve start-ups’ awareness of the benefits of cloud platforms in enhancing their competitiveness.
Hung said cloud platforms were inevitable for online businesses to grasp opportunities and get breakthroughs amid growing competition and globalisation.
At the August 26 seminar, representatives from Google introduced the Google Cloud Platform and Bid Data to participants, saying that many start-ups had applied Google Cloud Platforms and developed rapidly.
Beeketing – a marketing automation platform – is a typical successful start-up in Viet Nam that has used the Google Cloud Platform.
The notable feature of the Google Cloud Platform is scalability, which means ‘use as per demand and pay as you use’.
This feature is very advantageous to e-commerce start-ups, helping them to serve customers better.
The founder of an e-commerce website on printing said he was interested in the Google Cloud Platform and was thinking of shifting his website to the platform for greater expansion. — VNS
Source : http://bizhub.vn/


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Right now, the D23 Expo is taking place California and it’s a fan event that’s designed to showcase all things Disney. The event focuses all eyes on Disney and creates a massive buzz. We believe Netflix should follow Disney’s lead by either doing an event that allows Netflix to showcase its new titles and get fans involved.
In case you aren’t aware, the D23 Expo is a bi-annual event where fans from around the world get to attend an expo that exhibits and showcases the latest with Disney. It’s a massive event that’s got a particular microscope on it this year with the impending release of Disney+ this fall.
New shows get announced, details on video games and changes to the variety of Disney parks get announced and there’s ample panels, merch and more to explore for visitors.
We think Netflix should follow and there are a few really simple reasons.
Reason 1) Gives a giant megaphone for promoting new shows & movies
First up, Netflix is often criticized for not promoting their shows. Doing an event like this would give the streamer the change to really allow people to connect with Netflix and its brands. It’d give Netflix a giant megaphone with all eyes from the media and fans focused on a single event.
D23 uses several live streams to promote the various panes
Netflix had a social event called “Netflix News Week” in the middle of December 2018, it basically announced a bunch of titles just before the marketing team broke up for Christmas. Sadly, it wasn’t any different to most weeks where Netflix breaks news about their shows.
Reason 2) Gets people invested in Netflix
Most importantly, with the streaming wars coming up, it’s more important than ever to make your business name your brand. Netflix has had a rocky year with its reputation whether that’s due to losing big named titles, canceling fan-favorite shows or generally getting looked down upon with the streaming wars heating up.
It’d provide a connection to fans that allows Netflix to showcase what they’re about. Allow fans to meet with their favorite stars and get people invested in the streaming service and its lineup of shows which is going to be important in the years to come.
Reason 3) Money
Finally, it’s a revenue driver.
D23 attracts a wide range of sponsors, ticket sales and merchandise sales. Add to that it has a gold membership club which provides perks and benefits.
Again, all of this allows subscribers and fans to get more connected with the brand. Something Disney is really good at.
We should note that Netflix isn’t shy about attending events. While it did shy away from the TCA’s it has had appearances recently at E3 where it recently showcased a couple of games the service is working on and also does a series of panels and announcements at Comic-Cons.
The last time we saw Reed Hastings took to the stage at an event was back in 2016 at CES which now feels like a lifetime ago.
The service also has done some smaller events such as the For Your Consideration exhibit in Los Angeles last year which opened to the public and exhibits for shows such as the one for The Dark Crystal taking place in London at the end of the month.
A few fan events do take place for some Netflix shows, however which we’d like to draw your attention to. Sense8 Con takes place every year with the 2020 event taking place in Paris. There was an Orange is the New Black convention back in 2015. There’s also a Stranger Con taking place in October this year.
Would you attend an expo/convention if Netflix was to make one? Let us know in the comments.


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Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor renews its image and reaches ‘coming of age’, 77 years later
Photo: Rachel Murray/Getty Images
The Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor reached ‘coming of age’ after 77 years of existence and did so recently by presenting its new image.
The renovation will be total and will include the logo, the image of the brand, the uniforms of the employees and the packaging of its ice creams.
But it is not the only thing that Baskin-Robbins brings with its renewal, rather the brand will now bet on a series of promotional items ranging from bucket hats, even bicycles.
Ice cream parlor executives believe the brand’s legacy is ingrained in millions of adults in the United States and around the world.
However, the colors pink and blue, with the letters “BR” and the “Baskin-Robbins” logo in a somewhat ‘childish’ typeface, not appealing to younger generations.
Thinking about that, the renewal now bets on a new logo with a sharper typography. The brand’s new colors are pink and brown, brown and blue, and pink and white.
This change also has to do with what the customers of the ice cream parlor have said. Baskin-Robbins has heard it since 2018, the year some changes began.
The company decided to transform 70 stores around the world which he named “Moments”.
The idea is that these stores would be more modern, with digital menus, different flavors and offer options.
Of course, these “Moments” stores are just a small part of the 7,700 Baskin-Robbins stores around the world, according to a report from CNN.
The directors of the ice cream parlor hope that this change help them consolidate growth that the brand experienced during the years of the pandemic.
According to the president of Baskin-Robbins, Jason Maceda, the ice cream parlor grew 3.5% in 2020 and 10.9% in 2021.
The renewal of the brand also brings three new flavors of ice cream:
– Non-Dairy Mint Chocochunk
– Totally Unwrapped
– Ube Coconut Swirl
Finally, Baskin-Robbins bets on an additional loyalty strategy branded with a line of items featuring sweatshirts, bucket hats and bicycles.
You may also like:
– Kmart announces the closure of another store and now there are only 3 left in the entire US.
– Krispy Kreme will sell a dozen glazed donuts at the average price of a gallon of gas
– Year-on-year inflation rises to 8.5% in the US and sets a new record: gasoline increased 18.3% in just one month


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Published on December 14th, 2018 | by Admin
DiRT Rally 2.0 Dev Insights Trailer
SYDNEY, 14th December 2018 – Codemasters® has today released the latest episode in the DiRT Rally 2.0 Dev Insight series talking about the improvements made to the game since the launch of the original DiRT Rally.
In the new trailer Chief Games Designer Ross Gowing and Rally Consultant Jon Armstrong talk about the improvements made to the cars, environments and the way that the new tyre models interacts with the improved road surfaces.
DiRT Rally 2.0 puts players in control of a collection of the most iconic rally cars ever made against the most challenging stages around the world in an authentic recreation of the real world sport. The official game of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, DiRT Rally 2.0 will launch on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (via Steam) on Tuesday 26th February 2019.


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10 December 2021
A new online portal will display headline trends on alcohol behaviour across Scotland, Wales and England, based on findings from the recently expanded Alcohol Toolkit Study.
The website was created and launched by SPECTRUM researchers based at University College London.
Data from each nation, refreshed monthly, is now available on the new website, allowing researchers, policymakers, and members of the public to closely track headline alcohol trends and monitor the impact of different policies and approaches across devolved nations.
The new website follows the successful launch of the online portal for the Smoking Toolkit Study earlier this year.


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I was surprised but pleased to see Alex Shelly & Chris Sabin are promoted for this weekend’s PWG 99th show (The 100th show is Sunday).
Back when I was Bookings Director at TNA, PWG had refused to sign a DVD agreement that would allow them to use TNA stars on DVDs restricted to sale on their website or at their live events. PWG refused to sign because they required the right to sell their DVDs anywhere they wished including in stores like Best Buys (where PWG has a DVD on sale through Big Vision). I suggested they use TNA stars either in "dark matches" or on DVDs that weren’t going to be sold in stores but they did not agree agree and canceled the TNA talent ,which at the time was Alex Shelly & Chris Sabin, and posted their frustration on the internet. which got some press.
I understand that this time that PWG understands and has agreed to TNA’s DVD restrictions for its exclusively contracted talent.
Shelly & Sabin face the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship Match: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), who also appear regularly on the NWA Showcase TV Show.
Also on the shows over the weekend is former TNA star, Sonjay Dutt.
Dutt is in Canada 4/30-5/3, 4/30 in Toronto, 5/1 for CWE in Winniipeg, 5/2 C*4 in Toronto, and 5/3 for CRW inb Montreal
Dutt will appear for JAPW on April 18, and for ROH on May 8-9
Have a news tip? Attended an event and want to send a live report?


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IKEA is looking at bringing a "take back" program to Canada that would allow customers to trade furniture purchased from the Swedish furniture giant in exchange for store credit.
Under the initiative, mirrored after similar environmentally friendly initiatives in France and Belgium, the retailer would then resell the second-hand items or recycle them.
"If we can have an impact on people's lives at home, we could have a huge impact on the environment," said IKEA Canada president Stefan Sjostrand at the opening of a pickup and order location in Whitby, Ont.
Sjostrand was part of the team that helped bring the program to France, and says the same could be done in Canada, where IKEA operates 12 stores and three pickup and order locations.
He conceded, however, that the program could still be years away because Canadian stores don't have the capabilities to take back items now, even if only 10 per cent, or 2.7 million customers, returned their old furniture.
Last year, IKEA Canada had 25 million visitors in its stores and 75 million visits online.
The proposed initiative comes after Steve Howard, the head of sustainability at IKEA, told a conference in January that appetite for home furnishings in western countries has hit its "peak," prompting the world's largest furniture retailer to look at ways to encourage customers to repair and recycle IKEA products.
Sjostrand said IKEA already has recycling programs for plastics, paper, light bulbs and mattresses in place in Canada, and was also the first retailer in the country to phase out the sale of incandescent light bulbs in favour of the more energy-saving LED bulbs.
Although it's taking a more planet-friendly approach to commerce, Sjostrand said this won't slow down its plan to open 12 more full-size stores over the next decade in Canada. The next location was recently announced for Halifax.
For IKEA, bricks-and-mortar stores are still its largest sales driver, accounting for about 93 per cent of sales last year, with the rest coming from e-commerce. The company recorded $1.8-billion in sales in Canada in 2015.
In addition to its pickup and order points in Quebec City, London and Whitby, Ont., IKEA plans to open three more such shops in the Ontario cities of St. Catharines, Kitchener and Windsor.
The smaller locations allow customers to order items online and pick them up in the store for a flat fee of $20. Various popular items like towels, candles and pillows are also available in the stores for purchase. The stores are around 30,000 square feet versus the 270,000 square feet of a typical IKEA store.
Canada has the most IKEA pickup and order locations out of any country, with the others opened last year in Spain, Norway, Finland and the United Kingdom.


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Students munch on apples for Farm to School Month
PORT EDWARDS – About 200 John Edwards middle and high school students collectively chowed down on locally grown apples at exactly 3 p.m. Friday to celebrate Farm to School Month and Food Day.
The activity, called the Great Lakes Apple Crunch, was a multistate event recognizing the health benefits of eating locally grown food and October as Farm to School Month.
Schools all over Wisconsin, and in states such as Illinois, Michigan and Indiana, crunched into the apples Friday to raise awareness about food consumption habits.
"It's kind of neat idea because it unifies the nation," said Cheryl Routten, food service team leader and one of the Port Edwards' event organizers. "Because we're all crunching in at the apple at the same time, or within hours of each other."
John Edwards middle and high schools weren't the only local schools involved in the Apple Crunch activity. Other Wood County public schools participated in the event, too.
On Friday, Marshfield and Auburndale schools celebrated the Great Lakes Apple Crunch Day. Schools in Nekoosa, Wisconsin Rapids and Pittsville also munched on locally grown apples this week.
Zoey Brooks, who holds the 2014 Wisconsin agricultural ambassador title, Alice in Dairyland, attended Friday's event in Port Edwards. She said Farm to School Month emphasizes exposing students to locally grown food and nutritious eating habits.
"It's really to bring awareness to healthy eating and also knowing where your food is coming from," said Zoey Brooks.
Friday also was Food Day, which stresses the health benefits of sustainable agriculture.
"We're not just the dairy state; we also have other products," Brooks said, adding that Farm to School Month helps expose students to different types of Wisconsin-grown-produce.
Melanie Lawder can be reached at email@example.com or 715-423-7200. Find her on Twitter as @mel_lawder.


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These three Stocks Might be Huge Winners From Another Round of Stimulus Check The U.S. federal government is negotiating another multi trillion dollar economic help package. These stocks are actually positioned to benefit from it. However do not forgot Western Union.
Over the past several days, political leadership in Washington, D.C., has been stuck in a quagmire as talks regarding a potential second round of stimulus can’t get beyond talking. Nonetheless, there are indications that the present icy partisan bickering could be thawing.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in addition to the Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (who is that represent President Donald Trump in the discussions) have reportedly made a few improvement on stimulus negotiations, and also the economic comfort offer being negotiated seems to be for somewhere between $1.8 trillion and $2.2 trillion. Whatever is actually agreed to will likely include an additional issuance of $1,200 stimulus examinations for qualifying Americans and will probably be the centerpiece of every deal.
If the 2 sides are able to hammer out there an agreement, these checks may just unleash a brand new wave of spending by U.S. consumers. Let’s have a look at 3 stocks that are well positioned to benefit from another round of stimulus examinations.
There is very little doubt that Walmart (NYSE:WMT) was a major beneficiary of the earliest round of stimulus checks. Spending at the lower price retailer surged in the many days as well as weeks after signing of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, in addition to Economic Security (CARES) Act at the end of March. Many Americans had been right now shopping at the discount retailer, thus it isn’t surprising that a chunk of those stimulus checks would finish up in Walmart’s funds registers.
During the conference call within May to talk about first-quarter earnings benefits, the subject matter of stimulus came set up on 12 separate events. CEO Doug McMillon said the company saw increases throughout a range of retail categories, including apparel, televisions, video games, sporting goods, and also toys, noting that discretionary shelling out “really popped to the end of the quarter.” He also said that sales reaccelerated in mid-April, “as government stimulus money hit consumers.”
In the six weeks ended July 31, Walmart’s net sales climbed more than seven % season over season, while comp sales inside the U.S. while in the first and second quarters increased 10 % and 9.3 % respectively. It was driven in part by e-commerce sales which soared 74 % in the earliest quarter, followed by a 97 % year-over-year rise in the next quarter.
Given the incredible performance of its so a lot this year, it’s easy to find out that Walmart would once more be a massive winner from another round of stimulus checks.
Parents showing their young child how to paint a wall along with a roller.
The combination of remote work and stay-at-home orders has kept people sequestered in the homes of theirs such as never before. Many have been forced to reimagine their living spaces as home offices, restaurants, movie theaters, and gyms , a phenomenon that had been no uncertainty accelerated by the very first round of stimulus payments.
Furthermore, the quantity of time and money spent on entertainment, moving, and dining out is seriously curtailed in recent weeks. This particular fact of life during the pandemic has led to a reallocation of the funds, with quite a few customers “nesting,” or even spending the cash to enhance life at home. Arguably not a lot of companies are actually positioned from the intersection of those individuals two trends much better compared to home improvement merchant Lowe’s (NYSE:LOW).
As the pandemic pulled on, customer behavior shifted, having an increasing focus on home improvements, repairs, remodeling, renovations, and maintenance and away from the aforementioned parts of discretionary spending.
There is little uncertainty customers have turned to Lowe’s to upgrade their living spaces, as evidenced through the company’s current results. For the quarter concluded July thirty one, the company reported net sales which increased thirty %, while comparable store sales jumped 35 %. Which translated into diluted earnings a share that increased by seventy five % season over year. The results were provided a significant boost by e commerce sales which soared 135 %.
The pandemic is ongoing, without end to be seen. With that as a backdrop, customers will likely continue to spend heavily to enhance their quality of lifestyle at home, of course, if Washington unleashes another round of stimulus inspections, Lowe’s will no doubt be a single of the clear winners.
Couple lying on floor from home shopping online with bank card.
While management at the world’s largest online retailer was considerably more reticent to discuss the way the government stimulus impacted the organization, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) was certainly a beneficiary of the earliest round of relief checks. although it also benefitted from the prevalent stay-at-home orders which blanketed the nation. Shoppers increasingly turned to e-commerce, mainly staying away from merchants which are crowded for anxiety about contracting the virus.
Data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce illustrates the magnitude of the shift. Of the next quarter, online sales enhanced by over 44 % year over year — even as complete retail sales declined by three % during the same period. The spike in e commerce sales grew to 16 % of complete retail, up from only ten % in the year ago period.
For the next quarter, Amazon’s net sales jumped 40 % year over season, while the net income of its increased by an eye-popping 97 % — despite the business spent an incremental $4 billion on COVID related expenditures.
Amazon accounts for about 40 % of all the internet retail within the U.S., based on eMarketer, therefore it isn’t a stretch to assume the organization will grab a disproportionate share of the next round of stimulus examinations.
The chart informs the tale It is important to understand that while there might quickly be an additional economic help package, the partisan gridlock that pervades Washington, D.C., could perhaps continue for the foreseeable long term, casting question on if another round of stimulus checks will eventually materialize.
Which said, given the amazing fiscal results generated by each of those retailers and the overriding trends driving them, investors will probably take advantage of these stocks whether there is another round of economic inducement payments or perhaps not.
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Investing legends as well as Motley Fool Co founders David and Tom Gardner simply revealed what they believe are the 10 best stock futures for investors to get right now… and Wal Mart Stores, Inc. wasn’t one of them.
The internet investing service they’ve run for almost 2 years, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has assaulted the stock market by over 4X.* And at this moment, they believe you will find ten stocks which are much better buys.


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No company across sectors can match the close to 40 per cent ten-year margins of Divi's Laboratories
06-May-2015 •Mohammed Ekramul Haque
If there is one company that comes near the pharma sector leader Sun Pharma in profitability, it is Murali Divi's company. Divi's Laboratories has been one of the most consistent high-profitability companies you can find across sectors. Look at its ten-year average margins of close to 40 per cent. Not many companies can match that.
Profitability. Divi's margins have long been credited with the relationships that founder Murali K Divi has cultivated over the years with his customers. No other competitor has managed to command the same profitability manufacturing on contract and producing generics as Divi's has.
Outlook. Divi's has guided revenue growth of 18-20 per cent in FY16. It has five units at its DSN SEZ - all of them operating at high utilisation. That has the company scrambling to build additional capacity in Andhra Pradesh at an outlay of `500 crore; it is likely to be commissioned by FY17. If there is any concrete sign a company is doing well, look at the utilisation levels and whether it is building more capacity to fill customer requirements. Divi's checks that test. It has guided EBITDA margins of 36-37 per cent in FY16. That's on account of higher contribution from lower margin generics and increasing share of domestic sales.
Valuations. Most market analysts will tell you that the stock factors in all these factors. Yet, an ROCE of 35 per cent, dividend payout of 45 per cent and margins of 37 per cent are no ordinary business. The EPS is expected to grow at 20 per cent annually in the next two financial years. Divi's trades at 29 times earnings. Those investors looking for a high-quality business, this is your buy.


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by SULHI KHALID / pic by TMR FILE PIX
The government will continue to monitor the prices of goods, especially the 27 items that are listed under the festive season price control scheme, ahead of the Aidilfitri celebration next month.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (picture) said the 30-day scheme, which started from May 21, 2019 to June 19, 2019, will allow consumers to enjoy regulated prices on several items such as groundnuts, dried chilli and long beans.
“So far, traders have complied with the price ceilings of the goods. We also work closely with our counterpart from the agriculture ministry to ensure there is no shortage of food supply during the upcoming Hari Raya celebration,” the minister said during Giant Hypermarket relaunching event in Batu Caves yesterday.
Last year, the government had placed 22 items under the price control scheme during the Ramadhan-Aidilfitri period.
With more items being listed in the basket this year, the government has no plans to expand the list of price control food items for the year.
According to the minister, the government only sets the maximum prices of the goods, not the floor prices.
“I have received complaints from traders in other areas (outside Klang Valley) who wanted to increase the price of chicken but unable to do so as some of them are selling their chicken at RM3.99,” he said.
Saifuddin Nasution believes the price competition will benefit the consumers as he observed no traders have breached the regulation by pricing their items more than the ceiling price thus far.
He also urged the public to exercise prudent and responsible spending during the festive season and continue to support local products.
“The government strongly supports initiatives taken by Giant Malaysia to promote local products and businesses. Through continuous collaboration with the ministry, Giant Malaysia will be able to provide Malaysians with better quality product selections,“ he said. Other items listed in the scheme include chicken (live, standard, super), chicken eggs (grade A,B,C), beef (local and imported), imported buffalo meat (from India), imported round cabbage, grated coconut and large imported onions and small red Indian shallots.


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SK Hynix is reporting a big jump in net profit year-on-year thanks to strong global demand (Photo: AFP)
South Korea's SK Hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, on Tuesday announced a big jump in first-quarter net profit thanks to strong global demand.
Net profit surged 64 percent year-on-year to 3.1 trillion won ($2.9 billion) in the three months to March, its second-best performance following the previous quarter's 3.22 trillion won.
"Favourable prices were maintained in the first quarter even if it is a low season" for the industry, the company said in a statement.
Shipment of DRAM products fell five percent from the previous quarter but their average price rose nine percent from three months earlier.
Shipment of NAND flash products fell 10 percent on-quarter, with prices edging down one percent.
The company said global demand for DRAM chips was likely to remain strong throughout this year, with internet data centres expanding facilities worldwide.
"Despite the industry's efforts to introduce new production methods and increase shipments, supply will remain insufficient," it said.
SK Hynix will complete a new factory in Cheongju in South Korea and expand its Chinese lines to cope with the rising demand.
Operating profit jumped 77 percent year-on-year to 4.36 trillion won, while sales rose 39 percent to 8.72 trillion won.


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The new Memory Makeover mirror records your in-store makeup application and sends a video tutorial, making recreating the look at home a snap.
Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus has brilliantly devised a way to bring the expertise of its Le Métier de Beauté cosmetic counters to your home.
The newly launched Memory Makeover captures your in-store makeup application session via video, which is then emailed as an edited step-by-step tutorial with voice notes for recreating the look at home.
Debuting at 20 Neiman Marcus locations, with more soon to follow, this digital evolution is sure to revolutionize the beauty industry and practically ensures you are the fairest of them all. Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
Originally published in the March/April issue of Silicon Valley


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German media company ProSiebenSat.1 will establish a new executive committee on holding level following the departure of two board members.
CFO Dr Jan Kemper will leave ProSiebenSat.1 on March 31, 2019 to pursue new professional challenges while Sabine Eckhardt, Executive Board Member Sales & Marketing, will leave the company on April 30, 2019.
Rainer Beaujean, currently CFO of packaging manufacturer Gerresheimer, will join ProSiebenSat.1 as the new CFO on July 1, 2019. During the transition period, Ralf Peter Gierig, long-standing deputy CFO, will act as interim CFO.
Wolfgang Link, Chief Content & Channel Officer Entertainment, will be appointed as co-CEO Entertainment. He will be responsible for the linear and digital content as well as all platforms.
Link will lead the new entertainment pillar together with Michaela Tod, who will join ProSiebenSat.1 as co-CEO Entertainment in April 2019. She will be responsible for the management and development of the sales, AdTech, SevenVentures and marketing divisions. She previously spent over 14 years at UK-based technology group Dyson, the company ProSiebenSat.1’s CEO Max Conze previously worked for.
The Content Production & Global Sales pillar will continue to be led by James Baker, Red Arrow Studios, and Reza Izad, Studio71. As co-CEOs of NuCom Group, Claas van Delden and Dr Florian Tappeiner manage the Commerce business. They will report directly to CEO Max Conze.
The new holding structure as of July 1, 2019:


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THAILAND: Vehicle assembly halted as floods hit supplies
Massive flooding which has hit parts of Thailand has disrupted vehicle production in the country and halted supplies getting through to factories.
Many carmakers are located at Rayong, south of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand. Ford said it suspended production at its facility although it had not been directly affected. It said in a statement that it expected to halt assembly for 48 hours to make a full assessment of inventories and logistics.
Other carmakers affected include General Motors, Nissan and Mazda. The north of Thailand, the northeast and central plains have been badly affected by heavy monsoon rains, floods and mudslides. Bangkok, just two metres above sea level, is in danger as water overflows from reservoirs in the north.
Thailand's Finance Ministry has estimated the initial cost of damage at US$2.2bn and expects economic growth this year to slow to 3.7% from 4%.
The eastern seaboard of Thailand, home to refineries, petrochemical plants and car factories, has not been directly affected by the floods, but the centre of the country, including Ayutthaya province, is one of the worst hit areas and has plants production electronic goods and parts, hard disk drives and cars and parts.
Honda in Autthaya is most at risk. A Honda spokesman said that cars at the facility “appear to be floating." The company is unable to fully assess damage as the area has been evacuated.
Honda's Thai plant supplies parts to other factories in the region, so the damage could affect its supply chain and hurt output elsewhere.
Toyota’s three Thai plants, which account for around 8% of its global production, will be closed at least until the weekend because of a shortage of parts.
Nissan said its plant will operate normally until Thursday although there is a question mark beyond then.
The final list of world premiere concepts and production models which appeared for the first time at the New York auto show's press days....
General Motors China sales set a record for March, despite an overall slowdown in the world's biggest car market....
Toyota's Prius hybrid was the best selling vehicle in Japan for the third straight year in fiscal 2011, industry bodies said....
Ford is likely to lose market share in 2012 in the US, the first decline since 2008, Amercas chief Mark Fields said....
New car sales in the key month of March rose 1.8% to 372,835 vehicles, some 20,000 - or 6% - ahead of forecast, with sales to private buyers up 7.4%, the best monthly increase in more than two years....
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On May 12, Treasurer Joe Hockey announced the 2015-16 Federal Budget outlining the Australian government’s fiscal intentions for the next 12 months. The plans have since been hailed as a boon for SMEs, thanks to a string of beneficial policies for the country’s small businesses.
But what impact has the Budget had on confidence? And what are the ramifications for the wider business community? This review will outline the main policies unveiled, what they mean for businesses and how industry commentators have reacted to the changes.
It is undeniable that SMEs were the primary focus of the Budget. These organisations currently generate $330 billion of economic output and provide employment for 4.5 million Australians.
The $5.5 billion Growing Jobs and Small Business package was the government’s flagship Budget offering. Here are some of the key measures the government intends to implement for the coming year:
Tax cuts: From July 1 2015, enterprises with annual revenues totalling less than $2 million will see their company tax rate drop from 30 per cent to 28.5 per cent. There will also be a 5 per cent tax discount to unincorporated businesses with yearly turnover of below $2 million, which is designed to help sole traders and contractors.
Accelerated depreciation: Small businesses will benefit from immediate tax write-offs on any individual asset purchases worth up to $20,000 until June 30 2017.
Small Business Ombudsman: Plans for an $8 million ombudsman that will act as a single point of contact and facilitator of dispute resolution for small businesses and family enterprises were revealed.
Employment initiatives: The government will spend $331 million over the next four years in an attempt to boost job prospects for Australians through skills and training packages. The investment will target young and mature-age workers in particular.
Industry analysis of the Budget
Many industry commentators have welcomed the changes set out in the Budget. In contrast to last year’s fiscal statement, which was overly optimistic for Australian businesses, the 2015 announcement from the treasurer is likely to provide chief executives and business owners with the resources to grow effectively in a competitive market.
Stephanie Christopher, CEO of The Executive Connection (TEC), said the incentives announced in the Budget are a nod to the growth opportunities that Australian businesses can provide for the country’s economy.
‘The generous tax breaks, including the 1.5 per cent tax cut, and the accelerated depreciation measures, will provide the additional cash flow businesses need to adapt to changes in the economy and drive growth via investment and innovation,’ she explained.
‘With skills and talent also a key business challenge; organisations will also benefit from the government’s key skills and training packages, which includes seeing older workers over 50 bolster their skills and get back into the workforce.’
Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia Jennifer Westacott said the 2015 Budget was sensible, as it took pragmatic steps to balance the country’s need to get fiscal strategy back on track while still building growth.
She specifically praised the $20,000 write-off mechanism for asset purchases. The extent of the allowed deductions surprised many analysts, with Ms Westacott claiming it will drive productivity and create jobs.
‘The small business package provides some welcome relief by assisting start-ups and helping to keep small enterprises to be competitive,’ she stated.
Impact on the wider business community
Despite the obvious benefits for SMEs, the Budget outlined few measures that directly supported larger organisations. A recent TEC member poll seems to reflect some of the uncertainty that this potential imbalance could create.
Respondents appeared undecided about whether or not the 2015 Budget is likely to have a notable impact on their business over the next 12 months. While approximately one-third indicated it would, the same percentage of firms were unsure and 30 per cent said ‘no’.
Confidence in the overall business environment also remains mixed. Thirty per cent of those polled feel optimistic about the coming year, but 46 and 23 per cent believe conditions will remain the same or worsen respectively.
Nevertheless, the majority of organisations (58 per cent) predicted their profitability would increase, while just 14 per cent forecast a drop. Approximately 28 per cent expect to maintain the status quo.
Stephanie suggested the government’s failure to push through initiatives from last year’s Budget could still be weighing on the minds of some business leaders. However, the government’s proposals for the next 12 months are still viewed as a positive by many.
‘Members remain cautious about the 2015-16 Federal Budget, but they also recognise the tangible opportunities that can now complement existing business plans to nurture growth and increase cash flow,’ she explained.
‘While the opportunities will be different for each business, The Executive Connection is excited to see this year’s Budget translate into outcomes that have the potential to drive growth, hiring and innovation.’
Clearly, there are likely to be significant benefits for SMEs from the Budget over the next year. However, the rest of the business community will no doubt be waiting for more detailed information to emerge about how the government’s policies will directly affect their operations.


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Darden Unloads Red Lobster For $2.1 BillionMay 16, 2014
Darden Restaurants has sold its 705-unit Red Lobster brand to investment firm Golden Gate Capital for $2.1 billion in cash. Expected to close by the first fiscal quarter of 2015, the deal includes both Red Lobster and related real estate assets. According to Darden, roughly $1 billion of the sale’s proceeds will go toward reducing debt, with the remainder dedicated to a share buyback program.
Darden first began exploring a potential spinoff or sale of its Red Lobster concept last year, following heavy pressure from activist investors to separate the struggling chain from its more profitable brands. In its third quarter ended February 23, Darden’s total sales were down 1.1% to $2.23 billion, due primarily to a same-restaurant sales loss of 5.6% across its core Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse brands. The company, which also owns the The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Yard House, Eddie V’s and Seasons 52 concepts, operates more than 2,100 restaurants and generates more than $8.5 billion in annual sales.Subscribe to Shanken News Daily’s Email Newsletter, delivered to your inbox each morning.


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Samsung has started working on 16GB GDDR6 (Graphics Double Data Rate 6) DRAM on the company’s 3rd-gen 10nm process, featuring 24-gigabit-per-second processing speeds.
The company announced on Thursday that the 24Gbps GDDR6 DRAM currently in development will deliver 30% faster speeds than the previous 18Gbps memory.
It will also be able to transfer up to 1.1TB (terabytes) of data within a second — equivalent to 275 FHD movies.
The new memory is designed to enhance performance on next-gen graphics cards for laptops and gaming consoles, as well as AI and high-performance computing. The company has leveraged advanced insulating material (High-K Metal Gate – HKMG) and a better circuit design to minimise the current leak.
GDDR6 DRAM lineup will also feature low power options, which will extend laptop’s battery life. It will also feature DVS (dynamic voltage switching) tech to adjust voltage depending on the performance demanded by a specific program.
The company will also offer 20Gbps and 16Gbps variants of the DRAM, which will be up to 20% more power efficient at 1.1V than the industry standard of 1.35V GDDR6.
Samsung’s GDDR6 DRAM will be compatible across all GPU designs; it is JEDEC compliant.
“With our industry-first 24Gbps GDDR6 now sampling, we look forward to validating the graphics DRAM on next-generation GPU platforms to bring it to market in time to meet an onslaught of new demand,” said Daniel Lee, Executive VP, Memory Product Planning Team, Samsung Electronics. “The explosion of data now being driven by AI and the metaverse is pushing the need for greater graphics capabilities that can process massive data sets simultaneously, at extremely high speeds.”


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Tesla's Model 3 has shipped from the start with a camera pointing at the cabin, but it has gone unused every since. What's it for? You won't have to wonder much longer. Elon Musk has confirmed that the camera is there to support Tesla's eventual robo-tax plans. Since you won't be in the car yourself when its picking up rides, the camera will provide video evidence if passengers trash the interior. A pair of sleuths have also captured pictures of what the camera sees. and its unsurprisingly provides a clear, wide angle view of the seating. Electrek adds that Tesla has been exploring other ideas. Musk hinted it might help you record your "caraoke" sessions, and the company recently applied for a patent on using the camera to recognize occupants and apply settings when they're inside. For now, though, the in-cabin camera is more a symbol of Tesla's lofty future.
I'd say Tesla literally took the internet by storm when the Cybertruck entered this world back in November. Since then, Tesla has only dropped small bits of information on the electric pickup truck, but the internet has perhaps given us a big update. Thanks to a crowdsourced list the Cybertruck Owners Club forum put together months ago, they've kept an approximate tally on preorders for the pickup. The figure as of March 31? Approimaterly 622,000 preorders. Contrast that with the last update we heard from Tesla CEO Elon Musk in November and we're looking at roughly 372,000 new preorders for the pick up. Musk last said via Twitter Tesla recieved 250,000 preorders for the Cybertruck!
Tesla's extreme Australian makeover continues with a new "virtual power plant," part of the continent's overall program to encourage these collections of renewable resources. Tesla is just the first to make and report on a virtual power plant for the program. Like the large energy storage facility Tesla operates in South Australia, the goal of the virtual power plant is to both collect energy and store it to be fed back into the grid. The pilot virtual plant is distributed across the rooftops of 1,000 low-income homes in South Austrialia, and Tesla says its goal is to eventually have 50,000 solar rooftops there. That number might sound small, but South Australia only has about 1.6 million residents. By hosting panels that feeed into virtual plant, low income South Austalians are seeing up to 20 percent drops in their energy bills, according to a news report from the Australia Energy Market Operator.
No lines are longer than 80 characters, TYVM.
Other specified properties aren’t being scored automatically at this time so this is not necessarily good news…


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KeyMark, a leading enterprise content management (ECM) solutions provider and value-added reseller, has added two new employees to its marketing department to support the company’s continued growth.
Heath Rosenberger and Kristine King join KeyMark as Business Development Specialists in KeyMark’s Liberty, South Carolina office. Rosenberger is a recent graduate of Oklahoma University and previously worked at Erskine College before joining KeyMark. King brings 14 years of ECM customer service experience – primarily in the insurance industry – as well as valuable business development skills.
Both Rosenberger (right) and King (left) will play a crucial role in developing new business opportunities for KeyMark, including capturing and nurturing sales leads, identifying customer needs, scheduling meetings with Sales Executives and more. The efforts will be led and managed by Lauren Humphrey, Demand Generation Manager.
“As KeyMark continues to grow, it’s important that we scale the size of our marketing team to support our sales goals,” Humphrey said. “From a new business standpoint, Kristine and Heath will be on the front lines, so to speak, and their talents and experience will be extremely beneficial in helping us expand our customer base. We’re excited to have them on our team.”


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Get Ready Advertisers – Advanced TV is about to Rock Your World
Traditional TV commercials are at the eye of a digital storm as broadcasters race to embrace new technologies allowing advertisers to more precisely target their most valuable customers. Scott Kowalchek, CEO of DirectAvenue, Inc. predicts there will be a fast-moving adoption of Advanced TV. This trend will bring major shifts in advertising and convince marketers to move their ad dollars away from digital platforms and spend more money on TV ads.
Like TV meteorologists predicting an incoming storm, the TV ad industry has been buzzing in recent months with predictions about the impact Advanced TV (also known as programmatic TV) will have on television commercials. The latest studies, however, suggest the entire advertising industry will be affected and the impact will be more like a hurricane than a storm.
“The bottom line – this technology will make the 800-pound gorilla of the advertising industry – television – even more powerful. It will give ad buyers the ability to target customers more efficiently, with traditional short-form TV commercials and DRTV ad campaigns that are guaranteed to reach their targeted audiences,” said Scott Kowalchek, a short-form DRTV advertising expert and the founder and CEO of DirectAvenue, Inc.
What is Advanced TV?
It’s data-driven technology that’s already used by Google and Facebook to help internet ad buyers target customers more precisely by geography, behavior, age, sex, platform (smartphone, desktop, iPad, etc.) and dozens of other variables. Now cable providers, satellite providers, and broadcasters including NBC, Fox, Dish Network, DirecTV, Viacom, and Turner Broadcasting, are embracing the same technology at surprisingly fast pace. Companies are given more options on where to place their TV spots, including broadcast, cable, video-on-demand (VOD), over-the-top (OTT), and Smart TV and Addressable. A study by Videology, an advertising software company, found that ad spending on Advanced TV platforms grew by 60% in the first quarter of 2017. It also found that 56% of all TV ad campaigns now underway use the behavioral data tracking technology of Advanced TV to deliver greater ROI to corporate sponsors.
“Every advertiser must make sure the agency they’re working with uses every Advanced TV technology available to ensure the success of their campaign.” -Scott Kowalchek
“Before they launch their next TV commercial, every advertiser must make sure the media agency they’re working with uses every Advanced TV technology available to ensure the success of their campaign,” said Kowalchek. “Without these tools in place, a TV spot is less likely to succeed.”
Kowalchek and his team at DirectAvenue have long-embraced the latest advances in customer targeting and tracking. Last year, DirectAvenue launched its own proprietary planning tools called Media Assurance Platform (MAP). These tools allow for better insights, plans, and results. (Click image below to view the detail of the Media Assurance Platform (MAP)):
If content is the king, Cable and TV advertising remain the Queen of advertising
With so much content and so many sponsorship opportunities available, advertisers should remember that cable and TV advertising remain the most profitable platforms in the history of advertising.
Now, with Advanced TV sweeping through the industry, short-form commercials and direct response TV ads are poised to earn a larger percentage of ad budgets at companies worldwide. “The key to our success has always been the application of scientific principals in planning, managing, and analyzing the effectiveness of every spot and every campaign,” said Kowalchek. “Now, with Advanced TV, our scientific principles will be enhanced by real computer science – advanced, data-driven targeting and tracking software that will help us deliver even greater ROI to our clients.”


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Six new small shops could be built on derelict land more than a kilometre from the centre of a West Lindsey town.
The Lincolnshire-based MF Strawson Ltd hopes to create two blocks of shops on the 1,500 square metre site at the Lea Road junction with Carr Lane in Gainsborough.
There would be four shops in one of the blocks and two larger stores in the other.
But former Gainsborough Town Mayor, Councillor Harry Clarke, who lives in Willoughby Chase off Lea Road, questioned whether the retail units were likely to be viable.
"If there are shops in the town centre which are closing down, why build more on a site on the outskirts?" he said.
"There are more than enough empty buildings in the centre of Gainsborough without the need for new shops."
The site is in a designated flood zone of the River Trent, but is protected by a £15m worth of flood defences completed by the Environment Agency two years ago. It has already been cleared for building.
The development would also incorporate landscaping, new pedestrian and vehicle access – plus parking for 68 cars.
People are being invited to give their views on the plans, which are available from West Lindsey District Council's planning department.
An architect's statement to support the planning application says: "The site was last used for general industrial land which ended some years ago and it has now been cleared.
"The main access is from Carr Lane and, in addition to the 68 car parking spaces, five cycle stand spaces are to be provided.
"Pedestrian access to the site from Lea Road will lead across the frontage of the four smaller units, which will feature an area of public space with seating and planting.
"The pedestrian route then runs through the car park along a clearly defined and safe route to the other two larger units."
Each of the blocks is designed with a canopy running across the front – to provide a covered walkway for shop customers."
Planning officer Simon Sharp said: "The plans constitute a major development and as such are subject to public consultation."


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The FN 509 pistol , like a S&W, features a “jointed,” or “articulated” trigger, unlike Glock (and just about everyone else) which has a “tabbed” trigger.
Take a look at the reloading experiments and science behind finding the right load for suppressed pistols in 9mm and .45 ACP.
FN is pleased to announce the celebrity appearances and performances taking place at the company’s booth during the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings.
FN is one of the brand new Bronze level sponsors to come on board this year with the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP).
The FN 5.7 Pistol in 5.7x28mm impressed me as an accurate, lightweight, soft recoil, high capacity, easy to rack gun with a great trigger press…
FN America, LLC is pleased to announce the launch of a fourth quarter consumer promotion to offer a free Streamlight TLR-1 HL (high lumen) rail-mounted flashlight in both black and flat dark…..
NRA members who select Shooting Illustrated as their member magazine will be treated to FN America’s belt-fed behemoth, the M249S, on the cover of the July issue.
AmmoLand Shooting Sports News and FN America, are giving away a $1479.00 FN 15 Tactical Carbine to one lucky email subscriber and that could be you…
FN is pleased to announce the celebrity appearances and performances taking place at the company’s booth during the 2016 NRA Annual Meetings, held May 20-22, 2016 at the Kentucky International…..
FN America is pleased to announce the company’s continued support of the NRA with donations of several of the company’s newest firearms to the 2016 NRA Annual Meeting Special Events…
FN America, LLC is pleased to announce that one of the FN Pro Team’s newest shooters, JoAnna Wilson, earned the title of High Lady in Production division at the 2016 Cowtown Classic USPSA Match…..
FN Pro Team shooter Mark Hanish has taken the first-place slot in latest 2016 3-Gun Nation Pro Series Qualifier match, one of eight qualifiers with positions that advance to the Finale match…
Kristy Titus and her fellow trail mates also took firearms training with Caylen Wojcik, Director of Operations for Magpul CORE. Those training videos are now all available online at NRANews.Com
FN America, LLC announces the launch of a spring consumer promotion to offer free accessories for qualifying purchases of FN 15 modern sporting rifles, FNS and FNX pistols.
FN America, LLC is proud to announce that FN Pro Team captain Dave Sevigny has added two new victories to the team’s stats, bringing his total to four consecutive wins since the start of the…..
FN America, LLC is pleased to announce that FN Pro Team captain Dave Sevigny has scored back-to-back wins and division champion titles for the company’s competitive shooting team at the 2016…..
FN America, LLC will be proudly displaying the company’s full product line at the 2016 SHOT Show, including the newly released FN Military Collector Series.
GUNTALK Media is excited to announce that FN America, a premier manufacturer of firearms and shooting accessories, under the FNH USA brand, has joined as a sponsor in their newest venture…..
FNH USA is proud to announce a superb first-place finish by Team FNH USA Pro Shooter, Dave Sevigny, at the 2015 USPSA Tennessee Section Championship held September 25-27, 2015 in Arlington, TN.
FN America, LLC is proud to announce the FNH USA Individual Officer Purchase (IOP) and Law Enforcement Instructor Rewards Program.
The NRA’s newest digital channel, NRAFreestyle.TV, announces the launch of its latest video series, I Am Forever, sponsored by FN America and FNH USA brand products.
FN America, LLC announced today that it has formed a partnership with Bawidamann Blades to produce 250 limited edition knives exclusively for FN.
FN America is launching seven new products under the FNH USA brand for 2015, including compact variants of its popular FNS striker-fired pistol & additions to its FN 15 modern sporting rifle line…
With the addition of this new AR-15 commercial barrel line, FN customers now have the option of upgrading their standard AR-15 barrel to an FN cold hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrel…
This new organization will be headquartered in McLean, VA, and the Single Entity to be Named FN America…


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RIM launched BlackBerry App World a little over 3 years ago and it has grown steadily since. They just announced that they have served over 3 billion downloads from the official BlackBerry storefront. That does not include third party BlackBerry app stores and other sources and averages out to over 2.5 million downloads a day from App World. It took RIM 786 days to hit the first billion downloads and 210 to hit the second with this last billion taking 176 days. RIM also let out that there are now over 90,000 apps from over 28,000 App World vendors.
Check out the details over at the BlackBerry DevBlog. I wonder when they will hit their next billion? I think they could get there faster if they added coupon/promo codes. (Pretty please?)


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Gold imports fell by close to 10 percent to 950 tonnes in the 2015-16 fiscal on poor domestic sales due to jewellers’ strike and lack of global price parity, a top official of state-run MMTC said. The world’s largest gold consumer had purchased 1,050 tonnes of gold from the overseas market in the preceding year. “Gold imports fell to 950 tonnes in 2015-16 from 1,050 tonnes in 2014-15 fiscal,” MMTC Chairman and Managing Director Ved Prakash told reporters. The slump came as jewellers kept their shops shut in protest against imposition of one per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery. Lack of price parity in the global market also curbed shipments in 2015-16, he said. The maximum quantity of gold was imported by the Bank of Nova Scotia at about 150 tonnes in the latest fiscal, followed by MMTC at 50 tonnes. Riddhi Siddhi Bullion, State Bank of India, Punjab and Sindh Bank, Tanishq are among other major importers of gold. “MMTC’s gold imports were down at 50 tonnes in 2015-16 from 70 tonnes in the previous year because of the 80:20 import rule and other developments,” Prakash said. Interestingly, the import of dore gold, unrefined form, was higher as compared to bullion in the said period due to lower import duties on dore gold and operation of small gold refineries in Uttarakhand. At present, import duty on gold is 10 percent, while it is 8.5 percent on dore gold.
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Researchers have successfully demonstrated how an electronic device implanted directly into the brain can detect, stop and even prevent epileptic seizures.
Researchers have successfully incorporated washable, stretchable and breathable electronic circuits into fabric, opening up new possibilities for smart textiles and wearable electronics. The circuits were made with cheap, safe and environmentally friendly inks, and printed using conventional inkjet printing techniques.
Stuart Higgins (Cavendish Laboratory) discusses the technology being developed to create flexible displays.
A new class of low-cost polymer materials, which can carry electric charge with almost no losses despite their seemingly random structure, could lead to flexible electronics and displays which are faster and more efficient.
A flexible display incorporating graphene in its pixels’ electronics has been successfully demonstrated by the Cambridge Graphene Centre and Plastic Logic, the first time graphene has been used in a transistor-based flexible device.


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While tablets are not as popular as before, there are still many people that are looking to buy one. If you are in search of a new, affordable tablet, check Lenovo's updated affordable tablet lineup. The company has now launched two new Tab 7 and Tab 7 Essential priced at $99.99
Samsung is slowly getting more serious with its Bixby digital assistant software and pretty much every new device comes with it. Not only devices support Bixby, but they also have a dedicated Bixby key, and the same goes with the newest Galaxy Tab A series.
Earlier this month, we talked about Chuwi's new project called CoreBook. The company said that the larger 13.3-inch detachable will go on Indiegogo later this month, and as promised the tablet is now online. It is available for pre-order through a crowdfunding campaign at
With the introduction of iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X in September, Apple launched its all-new A11 Bionic chipset, which is currently the most powerful mobile chipset. Apple achieved that by packing six cores inside it, and looks like there is even more room for improvement.
As promised, HTC has now announced its first standalone virtual reality headset, but unlike it was previously thought, it doesn't use Google's Daydream VR platform. The company also said that they have canceled the Daydream VR headset and is no longer interested in building one.
With tablet shipments on the decline, it is not common to see announcement for a new tablet. However, Lenovo has now unveiled a new tablet in the form of the Moto Tab. The tablet will launch on AT&T's network this week, on November 17. It is priced at $299, or $15 a month
Google Assistant has been with us for months now, but it has yet to reach all Android devices. While many smartphones now have the Assistant, which has also reached some Android TV units, the next step for Google is to bring it to tablets. A new version of the Google app has
For a few years now, MediaTek has been trying to release a high-end chipset and the latest attempt at this was with the Helio X30. Unfortunately, the latter has various issues with production and was late to the market. Another problem was that only Meizu decided to use it,
Back in August, Lenovo unveiled a new 2-in-1 tablet called Miix 520. The tablet was also one of the first 2-in-1 devices that packed Intel's 8th generation Core Kaby Lake-R quad-core processor. Starting today, the tablet is officially up for order in the United States and China.
Apple is reportedly working on an iPad model for next year that lacks a home button and includes Face ID. Bloomberg says the new model offers a display size "similar" to the 10.5-inch iPad Pro and it'll be released "later next year." Apple will reduce the device's bezel.
Over the last few months, Chuwi has released several new devices and it looks like they are not stopping. Although Chuwi products pretty much resemble designs from Microsoft and Apple, they all have one key difference - its price tag. They are 2-3x if not more times cheaper than
Shipments in the tablet market have now fallen for twelve quarters straight, reports IDC. While smartphones grew in Q3, tablets fell by 5.4% year-over-year. They were down to 40 million global shipments from 42.3 million. That includes regular tablets and detachables.
ARM might be the best mobile processor maker, but the competition is slowly becoming tougher. Because of that, the company has decided to partner with one of the best desktop/laptop processor maker Intel to work on the next-generation processor that will use the 10 nm HPM
At the ARM Taipei Tech Symposium, ARM has introduced new advanced display processor called Mali-D71 and two new IP blocks - the CoreLink MMU-600 and Assertive Display 5 focusing on VR and HDR capabilities and implementations. The Mali-D71 is based on the new Komeda display
Latest reports suggest that Qualcomm will announce its next-generation flagship chipset much earlier than before. Unlike Snapdragon 835, its successor is expected to be announced on December 4, during the Snapdragon Technology Summit on Maoyi Island, Hawaii.
Microsoft Store app currently only offers various apps, but that is about to change. According to a hidden link to the store discovered by Microsoft watcher Walking Cat, the Redmond-based company might start selling Surface products in near future.
Smartphone users often update their phones every year or two, while tablets often last for a few years. If you are an owner of the five years old third-gen iPad, you should know that Apple plans to declare it obsolete by the end of this month. This information was confirmed by
We have started hearing some details about Microsoft's mysterious project called Andromeda, which was first rumoured to be a foldable tablet. The device that could be a part of new Surface lineup and could be advertised as a foldable digital notebook.
Chinese computer maker Chuwi is well known for its affordable, yet very good devices. After releasing the MacBook Air-like notebook, the company has now announced a copy of Microsoft's Surface model that costs substantially less. Called Chuwi SurBook Mini 2-in-1, the
Currently the best performing mobile chipset is definitely the latest Apple A11 Fusion, which pretty much dominates in both single and multi-core tests. One of the leading chipset manufacturer, Qualcomm, is now rumoured to unveil its flagship chipset much earlier than anticipated


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Major US stock indexes fell moderately, as US President Trump shocked market participants by telling Twitter on weekends that the United States would increase $ 200 billion in tariffs on imported products from China. This caused investors to flee from risky assets.
“For 10 months, China paid US duties of 25% on high-tech goods worth $ 50 billion and 10% on other goods worth $ 200 billion. These payments partly explain our remarkable economic results.” The head of the White House wrote on Twitter on Sunday. He also added: “On Friday, 10% will rise to 25%. $ 325 billion in other goods that China sends us are not taxed yet, but they will soon be at a rate of 25%, because, according to him, the negotiations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China are moving at a “too slow” pace as the Chinese side is trying to revise the conditions.
On Monday, Donald Trump continued to put pressure on Beijing on Twitter, saying: “Over the years, the United States has been losing from $ 600 to $ 800 billion a year in trade. We are losing $ 500 billion with China. Sorry, but we are no longer going to do that! ”
The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that the Chinese authorities are considering the possibility of canceling a new round of trade talks with the States scheduled for this week after Trump’s comments. However, official China said Monday that his delegation was still preparing to go to Washington, but did not mention whether Deputy Prime Minister Liu He, the lead negotiator from the PRC, would be in its composition as originally planned.
The US labor market data also had a slight impact on the course of trading. A report from the Conference Board showed that the US employment trends index, which is a collection of labor market indicators, improved slightly in April after registering a decline a month earlier. According to the data, the employment trends index rose to 110.79 points from 111.73 points in March (revised from 110.98). Compared to the same period in 2018, the index shows an increase of 2.3%. In the Conference Board reported that the increase in the index was caused by a positive contribution of 5 out of 8 components.
Almost all the components of DOW finished trading in the red (20 out of 30). The outsider was DowDuPont Inc. (DWDP; -3.31%). The growth leader was UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH; + 3.51%).
Almost all sectors of the S & P recorded a decline. Growth was shown only by the conglomerate sector (+ 1.8%) and the health sector (+ 0.6%). The largest decline was shown by the industrial goods sector (-0.9%).
At the time of closing:
Dow 26,436.79 -68.16 -0.26%
S & P 500 2,932.47 -13.17 -0.45%
Nasdaq 100 8,123.29 -40.71 -0.50%
|remaining time till the new event being published|
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News on Speakers continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
33 min ago | New Launches
You need to be a serious audiophile to find the need to buy a Bluetooth speaker, just so that you can play out loud the music you carry with you everywhere.
Trending on the Topix Network
1 hr ago | Ubergizmo
The Sony Xperia Z2 is the company's latest flagship smartphone. The handset was unveiled at MWC 2014 and naturally it did feature some upgrades over its predecessor, the Sony Xperia Z1 which was launched in the later part of 2013.
KUDOS to Penang Umno for hosting its veteran members to a high tea recently. About 30 former assemblymen and members of parliament from the party attended the event, the first by Penang Umno, to show their appreciation to party stalwarts.
But that hasn't stopped speculation about who could run for City Hall in 2021, when de Blasio would be term-limited out of office.
Marvell wants to join other semiconductor firms in connecting with hardware developers with a platform launch on Indiegogo.
Chris Ubosi, Kola Oyeyemi, Amaka Igwe and Keke Ogungbe were all speakers at the inaugural edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference a The maiden edition of NEC held in Lagos, 26 April 2013 and created a platform to initiate holistic conversations among the industry's practitioners, talents, interested parties and investors of the sector.
Although the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference was nearing its end, the Potomac Ballroom filled to capacity as one of the conference's most anticipated speakers, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, took the stage.
She was not on the speaking program, but Hillary Rodham Clinton had a presence at the nation's largest annual gathering of conservative activists Saturday, as high-profile Republicans launched a dual effort to attack the prospective Democratic presidential candidate and improve the GOP's long-standing struggle with female voters.
The rejection of Condoleezza Rice as a commencement speaker at Rutgers by its faculty council won't surprise many Hot Air readers.
It's no surprise that Gravity took home an Oscar for sound mixing. The thriller, which puts the viewer in the open void of space, used immersive audio to great nerve-jangling effect.
If you're into recording or playing music, you'll definitely want to enter this giveaway that we're doing in partnership with our pals at Gear Diary and IK Multimedia .
Your Mac's Sound Preference Pane is the go-to place for choosing audio inputs and outputs, but it isn't the only place you can go in OS X to manage your Mac's sounds.
Things are heating up in the midrange arena as heavyweights Sony and HTC have each unveiled 4G equipped smartphones with quad-core processors and reasonable price tags.
Make sure you are looking at overall length of a phone and then judging the largest screen you can get in it When you want to buy a phone, the size is an important factor.
The South Korean outfit are paving the way in wearable technology, and this updated version of the relatively new original has a built-in 2.0 megapixel camera and it loads your 4GB memory with music for when you go for that run.
HP has quietly launched a new low-cost 8-inch tablet simply known as the HP 8. Unlike many of the other 8-inch slates we've seen as of late, HP's latest is powered by Android instead of Windows 8.1 while the $170 price point does come with a few compromises.


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- Pear Therapeutics' app-based treatment for chronic insomnia has received FDA clearance, the digital therapeutics developer announced Thursday.
- The company touted the product, dubbed Somryst, as the first to be submitted through the 510(k) pathway while also being reviewed as part of FDA's Digital Health Software Precertification Pilot Program, in which Pear is one of nine participants.
- It will be the privately held, Boston-based company's third digital therapeutic on the market, following FDA clearances in 2017 and 2018 for digital treatments for substance and opioid use disorders. Pear has nearly a dozen other products in its pipeline, including potential treatments for schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis it's working on with Novartis.
The product, which Pear expects to start rolling out in the third quarter, has the potential to reach a much broader patient group than its first two. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates around 10% of the population suffers from chronic insomnia.
Pear said its submission of the cognitive behavioral therapy treatment, first announced a little over eight months ago, was backed by two randomized controlled trials published in JAMA Psychiatry and Lancet Psychiatry that altogether evaluated more than 1,400 adults with chronic insomnia. The nine-week prescription treatment is indicated for people 22 years of age and older. The company did not specify pricing.
The submission to FDA followed a so-called excellence appraisal of the company last May, a pillar of the Pre-Cert program in which FDA evaluates companies' principles on patient safety, product quality, clinical and cybersecurity responsibility, and "proactive culture."
Pre-Cert was conceptualized to eventually allow for more efficient adaptation of software as a medical device (SaMD) products, wherein product safety is maintained by certifying a technology developer and its practices rather that individual devices themselves.
The pilot the agency launched last year remains a work in progress. Bakul Patel, associate center director for digital health at FDA, recently told MedTech Dive the agency will continue to "test and build" the program this year, and will ultimately need to go to Congress to ask for the legislative authority for a finalized version of the program.
Meanwhile, Pear has also been scouting new prospects for its portfolio, many of which also employ cognitive behavioral therapy.
In January, the company announced it acquired a pair of clinical-stage digital therapeutics targeting acute and chronic pain from virtual reality product developer Firsthand Technology.
Pear also licensed technology from Sweden's Karolinska Institute aimed at treating irritable bowel syndrome, and the two plan to develop products targeting gastrointestinal and autoimmune disorders. Concurrently, the company announced it licensed a clinical-stage digital therapeutic to treat migraines from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Pear is venturing into voice technology as well, having licensed machine learning-based voice digital biomarkers from Canadian company Winterlight Labs that are meant to assess cognitive health. Pear said it did so in order to "develop and clinically validate digital biomarkers for a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, depression, insomnia, schizophrenia, opioid use disorder, and substance use disorder."


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Making the leap from a media giant to a credit card company didn't require a change in philosophy for Tom Karinshak, who recently joined Barclaycard US (Wilmington, Del.) as managing director, customer care and bank operations. His job still is to put the customer first, he says.
Karinshak brings with him eight years of experience at AOL-Time Warner (New York), most recently as SVP of customer management. In his new role, he will create Barclaycard's overall strategy and lead the execution of customer care and bank operations, including driving customer satisfaction and loyalty, call center operations, and working with the firm's partners in delivering customer service.
Karinshak says that his top priority is to provide best-in-class service to all 4 million of the institution's cardholders. "We continuously look for ways to improve operational efficiencies and position the business for continued growth," he says.
Technology will facilitate those goals, Karinshak notes, adding that he hopes to deploy solutions to compile real-time feedback from card members. "We have the technology to automatically survey customers after [they contact] our call centers, for example, and we have implemented intelligent routing to direct callers appropriately and effectively," he explains. "We are also evaluating new ways to enhance our interactive voice response system."


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Aluflexpack AG announces acquisition of Tunisian pharma packaging specialist
Reinach (Aargau), 5 October 2023
Aluflexpack AG (the “Group”), a leading European manufacturer of premium circular flexible packaging and barrier solutions, has signed an agreement to acquire 68% of Helioflex, a market leader for pharmaceutical flexible packaging in Tunisia and adjacent markets. The acquisition of Helioflex, subject to regulatory approvals, marks a further step in the Group’s internationalisation strategy and adds to the Group’s exposure to the attractive pharmaceutical market and to structurally growing geographical markets.
The net sales of the acquired business amounted to approximately € 6.1m in 2022. Helioflex operates one manufacturing facility at Jbel el Oust close to Tunis, employing roughly 40 people and producing blister foil, coldform foil and sachets, among other things, for customers operating in the pharmaceutical business in Northern Africa, Europe and the rest of Africa.
“With the acquisition of Helioflex we expand our manufacturing footprint to the fast growing African market. The company not only has a leading position in the domestic Tunisian blister foil and cold form packaging market, but is also strategically well-positioned to serve other markets in Africa. We are confident that a combination of Aluflexpack’s technologically well-advanced platform and Helioflex’s strong market position in Northern Africa, will create growth opportunities in the future,” says Johannes Steurer, CEO of Aluflexpack.
The local management of Helioflex remains invested. Closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected latest in first quarter of 2024. The parties agreed not to disclose the transaction price.


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CPES have had a couple of productive days at the Holiday Park Innovation Show held at the NEC.
The show was held over two days Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th of November and proved very busy from doors opening. Ted Waring our Sales director was available at our stand 1730 to give out any information needed about all of our products we sell. The CamperClean was on display as well as the Lincoln Lighting Luminaire and other products.
CampPlus was also on display over the two days at the Farm Innovation Show in hall 9 at the NEC. Simon Barrett who is part of our sales team was on hand along with Erik Verwaaijen to answer all of your questions and queries regarding the product.
We look forward to attending the show next year.
If you would like more information regarding any of our products please call 01790 753153 and our sales team will be more than happy to assist you with your inquires.


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Products have never lasted forever. Over recent years, however, the average lifetime of products seems to consistently decrease. From fast fashion which typically lasts a single season to electronic devices which swiftly become obsolete as soon as a new iteration or update is released.
This development is particularly worrying regarding modern technological devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Due to the complexity of these devices, a single broken or outdated component may render the whole device unusable. As these products are often extremely resource intensive in their production, the possibility to repair a faulty component could go a long way to reduce waste and improve sustainability.
EU to the rescue?
The good news: The EU is aware of the issue and has proposed a solution. In March, the European Commission proposed a Directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods. The proposed legislation aims to establish common rules to promote the repair of goods, and increase the level of consumer and environmental protection by making it easier for professional repairers to assess information and goods that are necessary to repair a product, such as technical documentation and spare parts.
The bad news: While the proposal makes a number of important steps, it fully disregards one of the key obstructions to repairs especially in modern products, namely copyright restrictions.
What could possibly go wrong?
Take the example of John Deere. Several years ago, the company which manufactures a wide range of machinery including tractors as well as household devices such as lawnmowers sparked a public debate following their decision to prohibit the repair of their tractors by third-parties on the basis of copyright restrictions. The company argued that despite the fact that a farmer may own the tractor, the underlying software which oftentimes has to be modified as part of a repair, is copyrighted by John Deere. As a result, farmers as well as professional third-party repairers were prohibited from fixing the machines and instead all repairs had to be conducted by shops specially authorised by the company, leading to delays and opening the door to predatory pricing.
Importantly, this argument is not exclusive to John Deere. In fact, many car manufacturers (including BMW, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen and many more) argue that modifying the software in a purchased car violates copyright provisions.
The problem is also not limited to the US as proven by Apple when, in the late 2010s, the company fought a 3-year legal battle all the way up to the Norwegian Supreme Court to stop an independent repair shop from conducting screen replacements on iPhones on the grounds of trademark violations.
Where do we go from here?
In order to stop these practices and empower consumers, the EU legislator in the new Directive must make it clear that copyright and related rights shall not prevent the repair of goods.
Furthermore, in order to narrow the knowledge gap and reduce the risk of consumers becoming the victim of abusive pricing, consumers should also be granted access to repair information, such as manuals and spare-part catalogues.