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According to published reports, Facebook is preparing to disclose its plans for a mobile ad network later this month.
Facebook will debut its plans for a mobile ad network at its F8 Facebook Developers Conference on April 30, according to a story in Re/code, which cites "multiple sources familiar with the matter."
In an email, a Facebook rep told ClickZ, "This is a rumor and, as you know, Facebook doesn't comment on rumors."
However, according to Re/code, plans are underway for a network in which Facebook will pitch ads to publishers and developers, enabling it to make money from its extensive user base even when they're not on Facebook.
In a January blog post, Facebook said it was testing a new way for developers to monetize mobile apps.
"We are running a small test to explore showing Facebook ads in third-party mobile apps," wrote Sriram Krishnan, who works on mobile products for Facebook. "In this test, we'll be extending Facebook's rich targeting to improve the relevancy of the ads people see, provide even greater reach for Facebook advertisers, and help developers better monetize their apps."
In fact, Krishnan called the test "more like a mobile ad network in that we are working directly with a small number of advertisers and publishers, rather than an outside ad-serving platform."
Per an announcement in January, mobile advertising revenue represented approximately 53 percent of Facebook's advertising revenue for the fourth quarter of 2013, which was up from about 23 percent in the same period in 2012.
According to Re/code, Facebook's mobile ad network will be competing against Google's AdMob mobile network, Twitter's MoPub ad network, and smaller players like Millennial Media.
On the heels of a fantastic event in New York City, ClickZ Live is taking the fun and learning to Toronto, June 23-25. With over 15 years' experience delivering industry-leading events, ClickZ Live offers an action-packed, educationally-focused agenda covering all aspects of digital marketing. Register today!
Want to learn more? Join us at ClickZ Live San Francisco, Aug 10-12!
Educating marketers for over 15 years, ClickZ Live brings together industry thought leaders from the largest brands and agencies to deliver the most advanced, educational digital marketing agenda. Register today and save $500!
In addition to ClickZ and Search Engine Watch, Lisa's work has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Luxury Spot, LearnVest, MarthaStewart.com, GoodHousekeeping.com, amNewYork, and The Wall Street Journal. She's a graduate of Columbia's School of Journalism.
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce
This Magic Quadrant examines leading digital commerce platforms that enable organizations to build digital commerce sites. These commerce platforms facilitate purchasing transactions over the Web, and support the creation and continuing development of an online relationship with a consumer.
Paid Search in the Mobile Era
Google reports that paid search ads are currently driving 40+ million calls per month. Cost per click is increasing, paid search budgets are growing, and mobile continues to dominate. It's time to revamp old search strategies, reimagine stale best practices, and add new layers data to your analytics.
June 10, 2015
12:00pm ET/9:00am PT


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When two moms - both reading advocates - struggled to find books reflecting their own children they decided to do something to make a difference.
Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen co-founded the nonprofit Multicultural Children's Book Day. The second annual event, to celebrate diversity in children's books, is Tuesday.
The event's project manager is Becky Flansburg of Baxter, freelance writer, blogger and social media virtual assistant. Flansburg met Budayr at a conference in Minneapolis. Budayr became a friend and one of her first and largest clients.
"She's a huge advocate for children's learning and playing," Flansburg said.
Flansburg said there are amazing authors writing childrens' books with diversity in culture, race, religion and traditions but they aren't getting mainstream attention.
"Kids need to see themselves in books," Flansburg said.
So the first online event was in 2014. On their website, multiculturalchildrensbookday.com, they point to census data showing 37 percent of the U.S. population consists of people of color, yet 10 percent of children's books published have diversity content.
Budayr and Wenjen reported they want to raise awareness for the children's books that do celebrate diversity and try to get more of those books in classrooms and libraries. Through the event they hope to raise awareness of authors and provide resources.
The website features an authors' page to spotlight books. A resource page is aimed at parents and teachers.
This year, about 150 bloggers will review the children's books, provided by authors and publishing houses. Flansburg said participants have come up with creative activities to go with reviews for the online event. Bloggers will then link their reviews to the Multicultural Children's Book Day website.
"It creates this gigantic resource," Flansburg said.
How it started
Budayr is a children's book author and publisher. The daughter of Swedish immigrants, Budayr has Lebanese-American children.
"Literacy has played a huge role in my family," Budayr wrote. "We are a family of avid book readers, however it has been very difficult to find books that have characters who are like my children, global citizens with a diverse and varied background."
Wenjen, based in Boston, is a mother of three and a blogger at PragmaticMom. Her children can trace their heritage back to Japan, China and Korea.
"I personally sought out books for my kids where they could see themselves; something I didn't have growing up, despite being a bookworm who read every single biography and fiction chapter in my southern California elementary school library," Wenjen said.
"I made it my mission two years ago to dedicate my blogging efforts to promote children's authors of color, and, in proclaiming my personal goal, found many other people who agree. Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book was one of those people. She proposed creating a day to celebrate multicultural books for kids one day over Skype and thus Multicultural Children's Book Day was born."
Another goal is to create a compilation of books and favorite reads to provide a new winter reading list, "but also a way to expose brilliant books to families, teachers, and libraries."
"Multicultural Children's Book Day (MCCBD) will include book reviews from noted bloggers all over the world, giveaways and book-related activities for young readers of all ages," they report. "The MCCBD team will also be partnering with First Book to create a Virtual Book Drive for the event, and with The Children's Book Council to offer readers quality resources along with fun and informative author visits."
The hope, the MCCBD organizers say, it to highlight the importance of diversity in children's literature.
"Our young readers need to see themselves within the pages of a book and experience other cultures, languages, traditions and religions within the pages of a book," they noted on the website. "We encourage readers, parents, teachers, caregivers and librarians to follow along the fun book reviews, author visits, event details, multicultural children's book linky and via our hashtag (#ReadYourWorld) on Twitter and other social media."
"This year it's been like exploding," Flansburg said of the event. "I'm real excited to see where it goes. I think it will continue to grow."

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Well they do have more money than sense
HTC has said its virtual reality (VR) headset will be compatible with Apple's High Sierra operating system (OS), which is scheduled for release later this year.
Hit voting software maker
Russian spooks hacked at least one US voting software supplier and sent spear-phishing emails to more than 100 local election officials just days before last November’s presidential election.
Tame Apple Press calls for change
Apple users are revolting over the fruity cargo cult’s latest moves to beef up its overpriced shiny toys with lots of cheap functions.
Will cost about the same as 10nm
IBM, GlobalFoundries (GloFo), and Samsung said yesterday that they have found a way to make 5nm transistors, which may well enable them to pack 30 billion switches onto a microprocessor chip.
It will make it harder to track terrorists
As we expected, Teresa May is attempting to use the latest terrorist attacks in the UK to clamp down on the use of the internet by non-terrorists. The only problem is that security experts are warning that her plans will make it harder to track terror cells.
No concessions over NXP deal
US smartphone chipmaker Qualcomm has not offered any concessions so far in its $38-billion bid for NXP Semiconductors, the EU competition authority has said.
Gou calls in a few mates
Apple and Amazon have signed up to help the Foxconn bid for Toshiba's semiconductor business.
Oracle cracks its toe somewhere east of Java
It is starting to look like Java 9 will not see the light of day on July 27 as had been originally planned.
But the code still lives on
Early software engineer and co-designer of COBOL, Jean Sammet, has died in Maryland at the age of 89.


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World-renowned sportswear brand Umbro has today been announced as the official Kit Supplier for the inaugural Star Sixes tournament.
Umbro, technical kit suppliers to more than 120 clubs around the globe, has designed the strips that will be worn by all 12 nations during the six-a-side world cup for legends at The O2, London, July 13-16.
The galaxy of stars representing England, Brazil, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Nigeria, Mexico, Scotland, Denmark and China will compete for the Star Sixes trophy in kits produced by the authentic British brand.
Umbro already has links to several of the footballing icons on show, having supplied boots to the likes of England’s Michael Owen, Brazil’s Roberto Carlos and Portugal’s Deco during their professional careers.
Organised by Pitch International (London), in partnership with Football Champions Tour, a leading sports management agency, Star Sixes will reunite the world’s greatest players in their national team colours to renew old rivalries.
Other footballing icons that will be wearing Umbro’s famous ‘Double Diamond’ trademark during four days of intense competition include Steven Gerrard, Rivaldo, Alessandro Del Piero, Carles Puyol, Robert Pires, Michael Ballack, Deco and Jay-Jay Okocha.
“Umbro are renowned across the globe for their cutting edge kit design and we’re delighted to welcome them on board as an official partner of Star Sixes,” said Neil Bailey, CEO of Star Sixes.
“The high quality of the strips they have produced for each of the 12 nations, which we look forward to unveiling in the coming days, is in keeping with the calibre of world-class players competing on the Star Sixes stage.”
Authentic British football brand Umbro carries a great deal of history and heritage in kit design spanning almost a century.
Founded in Manchester in 1924, its portfolio of global clubs includes Everton, West Ham United, PSV, Cruzeiro and Vasco da Gama. Most recently in Germany, Umbro will be partnering with SV Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 from the start of the 2018/19 season.
Each nation competing at Star Sixes, which will be screened live by Sky Sports, will boast a ten-man squad.
The tournament will feature a group phase followed by knockout stages – including penalty shootouts – culminating in the Star Sixes Final, when the trophy will be at stake.
Tickets, which start at £30 for Adults and £10 Juniors, are on sale at www.starsixes.com/tickets


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Increasing the usage of smart fabrics along with growing demand from the military and healthcare sector is driving the demand for the market.
Market Size – USD 4.86 Billion in 2019, Market Growth - CAGR of 10.8%, Market Trends – High demand in military and healthcare sector.
New York, June 11, 2020 - The Global Conductive Textiles Market is projected to gain a market revenue of USD 10.92 billion in 2027. The increasing demand for advanced technology-enabled smart wearables from military & defense, healthcare, and sports & fitness sector is driving the market’s growth.
Conductive textiles are fabrics that can conduct electricity and are made with metals like gold, carbon, titanium, nickel, silver, and copper. The global conductive textiles industry consists of fabrics of different composition which are coated and transformed into conductive textiles. These textiles possess properties like low contact resistance, high adhesive force, softness, malleability, and have the ability to shield electromagnetic interference.
The increase in usage of conductive textiles in military uniforms as in medical devices is likely to drive the market growth. Apart from this rising demand from sports and fitness sector might play a crucial role in the growth of the industry during the forecast period. Rising investments, focus on research and development, technological advancements in developing countries and growing demand of smart fabrics or wearables are key factors behind the industry’s progress. Conductive textiles are being used in healthcare sector for monitoring health conditions of patients. Heated covers and textiles are being used now to control and monitor pulse of patients. Investment in the defense sector is also increasing, and the adoption of advanced uniforms is predicted to fuel the market’s growth during the forecast period.
Manufacturing of conductive textiles requires extensive research and development, which increases the cost of production. The manufacturing practices which are utilized in producing other types of textiles are incapable of producing this variant of textile. Thus the cost involved in the manufacturing process increase leading to high prices of such products. The process of integrating electronic devices with garments is quite cost intensive. Thus major players of the industry are trying to come up with advanced production technologies in order to make the prices of the products affordable to middle class consumers.
The COVID-19 impact:
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to disrupt the industry’s growth to a certain extent. Major industry players are skeptical about the future of the market and are trying to redesign their strategies for sustaining in this difficult situation. The pandemic had affected its end-user industries like sports or automobile, and companies of these sectors have been forced to stop production as well as other operations. There is a shortage of manpower due to repeated lockdowns in several parts of the world. COVID-19 has affected international trade, exports and imports, and consequently, the demand in the industry has also largely reduced. The major companies are trying to clear their stocks, and they are focusing on maintaining their cash balances. This pandemic poses an opportunity for the industry’s growth since the demand from healthcare sector would further grow. The average disposable income of people is likely to decrease and manufacturers are trying to come up with innovative solutions that can cater to the present needs of customers.
To identify the key trends in the industry, click on the link below: https://www.reportsanddata.com/report-detail/conductive-textiles-market
Further key findings from the report suggest
For the purpose of this report, Reports and Data have segmented into the global Conductive Textiles Market market on the basis of Fabric Type, Type, Application and region:
Fabric Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2020-2027)
Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2020-2027)
Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2020-2027)
Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2020-2027)
This list of professional tips can empower you in small ways, leading to big outcomes.Speak to Analyst
This list of professional tips can empower you in small ways, leading to big outcomes.


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According to the GSMA, the mobile ecosystem is contributing significantly to economic and social development in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are over 450 million mobile subscribers in the region and some 750 SIM connections. This is expected to rise to 634 million subscribers by 2025 and over one billion SIM connections, driven by the advent of cellular IoT. Mobile broadband connectivity is presently around 40 percent, but expected to reach 87 percent by 2025 when there will be some 690 million smartphones in use in the region.
Regional telcos have the ability to leverage a wealth of mobile consumer data to deliver relevant and needed services. Since African population groups are some of the heaviest mobile users in the world, mobile subscriber data can be the source of actionable intelligence on best ways to acquire, retain and monetize subscribers.
To better understand the diverse and complex African market landscape, the CMO Council surveyed marketing and business leaders at communication service providers, mobile network operators and digital media companies in the region. It also conducted in-depth interviews with executives from MTN, TelkomSA, Vodafone, Cell C, Accenture and AT Kearney. Through this engagement, the CMO Council has produced a report on ways to increase customer-centricity, responsive omni-channel engagement, and more valued, revenue-producing services using live data and analytics.


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If B.F Skinner’s work on operant conditioning has taught us anything, it’s that reward and punishment with behavior conditioning can be incredible motivators.
Businesses know that humans are highly motivated by simple reward systems, such as loyalty cards or benefits for referring a friend. Which is why numerous apps have adopted positive and negative reinforcement to help users make better lifestyle choices. There was even an app, Pact it was called, that paid its users real money to go to the gym, until it went bankrupt… but that’s a story for another time.
On the same line of thought, Lazy Jar has created an app that motivates Fitbit users to get moving, to avoid getting “fined” for missing their goals. The third party Fitbit app aims to help users naturally build the discipline they need to achieve their fitness goals. Through negative reinforcement, users are expected to achieve their fitness goals or face a penalty, resulting in a committed donation to charity. Users join and make a six-month activity commitment (i.e. 70,000 steps a week). Then users must choose their penalty amount — of which 80% will be donated to childhood cancer research if they don’t meet their goals.
“Research shows there is no shortage of Americans who want to lose weight or improve their fitness levels,” said Justin Anyanwu, Founder and CEO of Lazy Jar. “The issue is, most Americans have a huge obstacle in front of them in the form of lifestyle norms – so they could do with a little push”.
The idea behind Lazy Jar was to incentivize people, pushing them to make tough but rewarding lifestyle changes. Moreover, the app can also be an excellent form of support for a good cause, resulting in either better lifestyle habits or money towards charity, ultimately resulting in a positive outcome one way or another.
“We want to make fitness a lifestyle rather than a hassle by encouraging people to exercise on a daily basis”, Anyanwu added. “Lazy Jar can offer every American the chance to improve their health and reduce obesity as well as cardiovascular accidents whilst also supporting a good cause.”


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CD Projekt RED has released two new in-game trailers for Cyberpunk 2077. In addition, the team has released the game’s official PC system requirements.
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most anticipated games of 2020. The game was originally meant to come out in April 2020. However, CD Projekt RED had delayed it to September 2020 and then to November 2020.
Furthermore, CD Projekt RED re-affirmed that the game will not feature any microtransactions. However, its multiplayer mode – which will be a separate game – will feature some microtransactions.


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SCA is to acquire another 5 % in Chinese tissue manufacturer Vinda who recently announced plans to increase its tissue capacities by 150,000 tpy in 2012.
SCA has announced to acquire an additional 5 % of the shares in Chinese company Vinda. As a consequence, SCA will own a total of 22.6 % of the shares in the tissue manufacturer. SCA said the purchase price amounted to around SEK600m (around €67.7m). The seller in the transaction is said to be Fu An, a company majority owned by Mr Li, the Chairman of Vinda. According to SCA, the transaction is subject to receiving consent from some of Vinda’s lending banks.
Jan Johansson, CEO and President for SCA, explained that the market for tissue products in China continued to grow well and continued to consolidate with the larger players, like Vinda, growing at a significantly faster speed than the market. “We intend to be among the leading players in China and we have for this reason taken the decision to increase our ownership in Vinda”, he said.
According to SCA, Vinda is the third largest player in the China household paper industry in terms of market share and production capacity. The Chinese manufacturer has recently announced plans to significantly increase its production capacities which currently stand at 470,000 tpy. The company has ordered eight new tissue machines and intends to add a total of 150,000 tpy in tissue capacity in 2012, targeting to reach 1 million t in the coming years.


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Infiniti QX30 will be released on the 2015 concept car at the Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz GLA will work with the new car next level to create a shared platform. The appearance, the new car will be used Infiniti family of unique design, the only official figure from the current point of view, the new car styling very contours. Huge five-spoke wheels with prominent wheel eyebrow design, the new car looks more SUV should have flavor. Power, the official said, the new car will be powered by the 2.0T petrol engine from Mercedes-Benz, the future mass production QX30 will launch a diesel version.
In addition, the new car will be equipped with a four-wheel drive system. Infiniti QX30 from concept car design, we can easily see that the future QX30 production models will be very dynamic, it will become Infiniti's first compact SUV, its competitors will include the Audi Q3, BMW X1 Auto Performance Parts and Mercedes-Benz GLA level and so on. But the amount of postpartum QX30 and Mercedes-Benz GLA will share the platform level and part of the power system, how to make consumers aware of the distinction between competitors QX30 is Infiniti's future needs careful consideration.
Mercedes-Benz will begin this year's models renamed (renamed specific rules, please click here), which will be renamed SLC Class SLK-Class. Recently, foreign media exposure of the SLC (based on the SLK facelift) models of the latest spy photos. Judging from the spy photos, the test car's headlights, front bumper, grille and taillights are in disguise, explained the design of these positions have changed in the future will be unveiled on the SLC. Power, according to foreign media reports, the new car will use part of the new generation C-class power systems. The SLC 63 AMG will be powered by 4.0L V8 twin-turbo engine Connecting Rods, the maximum power of 476 hp and maximum torque of 650N • m.


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The massive and numerous recalls of Chinese-made toys because of lead-based paint and other toxins naturally have parents worried, especially this time of year. There was another recall announced just yesterday, this time of toddler potty training seats tainted with lead paint. This latest recall makes 99 recalls for 2007 totaling more than 16 million products, according to OMB Watch. The so-called federal watchdog, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is underfunded and largely toothless. Maybe this is part of the problem?
Then there is the issue of the former and acting chiefs of the CPSC, and their close relationship with industries they were responsible for regulating. Last month, The Washington Post reported that the agency's acting chairman, Nancy Nord, and the previous chairman, Hal Stratton, had "taken dozens of trips at the expense of the toy, appliance and children's furniture industries and others they regulate." In May, Bush's nominee to head the CPSC, Michael Baroody, was forced to withdraw his nomination when it became clear that he would not win confirmation in the Senate Commerce Committee because he was a senior lobbyist with the National Association of Manufacturers.
In the face of the feds' dereliction of its duty, activist groups are jumping into the breach.Continue reading


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Baby Left Behind After Shoplifters Flee Store
Two women are arrested for leaving an 8-month-old baby behind following an attemmpted shoplifting at the Wegman's supermarket in Cherry Hill.
24-year-old Kristi Kline of Wilmington, Delaware and 30-year-old Christine Frater of Carlisle, Pennsylvania are suspected of hiding merchandise in a shopping cart where Kline's 8-month-old son was also placed according to WPVI TV.
Police tell the television station that when employees confronted the pair they ran out of the store leaving behind the grocery cart and the infant.
Kline and Frater were arrested in the store's parking lot and charged with shoplifting, possession of heroin, possession of a hypodermic syringe, and possession of stolen property. Kline also faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child.
The Patch of Cherry Hill says the baby was turned over to a family member.


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Bag of Books sale
Ellington - posted Feb, 01 2013
ELLINGTON - A Bag of Books Sale will be held at the Hall Memorial Library, 93 Main St. in Ellington, on Feb. 15-17. This event is open to the public with free admission. Purchase a special FOL bag for $8 and fill it with books and other items of your choice. The sale features paperback and hardcover adult and children's fiction and non-fiction, CDs, DVDs, audio books and puzzles. The sale hours are Feb. 15 and 16, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Feb. 17 from 1 to 4:45 p.m. For more information, contact the library at 860-870-3160. The sale is sponsored by The Friends of the Library. The proceeds of the sale will provide programs and materials to the library which would not otherwise be available. Donations of good used books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles and audio books are accepted at the library whenever the library is open. Textbooks, magazines, condensed books or books not suitable for resale will not be accepted. The Friends of the Library operate a book store at the library four days each week, which is open to the public. Books in like new or very good condition will be sold. The hours are Monday 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to noon and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.


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Sending text messages while walking is going to be a lot easier from now on. Well, at least it will be if you are in the Belgian city of Antwerp.
This is because the city has provided mobile phone users with so-called text walking lanes. The idea is that people can use their mobile devices here without the risk of bumping into pedestrians. Of course, there would appear to be the possibility that phone users bump into each other while on these lanes.
This is a temporary measure at the moment, and it was inspire by an idea from a local smartphone business. They say that there are a high number of cases of phones being damaged in text walking accidents.
Endangering Your Own Life
Mlab is a smart phone lab in Antwerp. Their spokesperson said that we all tend to walk through the streets paying more attention to “whatever is happening on your screen” rather than on the surroundings. They even claim that you could be “endangering your own life” by using your phone outside without looking up.
Will this catch on elsewhere? There is certainly a possibility. After all, there are now said to be more mobile phones on Earth than there are human beings. The US Census Bureau recently estimated that there are 7.2 billion people and 7.5 billion mobile phones on the planet.
A similar scheme was tried out in Washington DC not too long ago, but this is the first attempt at introducing text walking lanes in Europe. If the idea is a success then they could be made permanent.
Would you use a text walking lane like this?
image courtesy of Daily Mail


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Amazon has been the subject of much scrutiny after a recently published report revealed it prioritizes its own earnings over relevance in the platform’s search results. The e-commerce giant’s shares fell significantly following the report.
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on Monday, the article details how Amazon adjusts its search result to prominently feature products that the company will profit from the most. Something that might be described as tantamount to discreetly running ads above organic results.
Amazon secretly changed its algorithm for search result rankings late last year according to the outlet. A move that doesn’t adhere to the company’s emphasis on customer satisfaction and bestselling items.
The e-commerce platform’s spokeswoman Angie Newman claims the outlet reported inaccurate facts in its article. “The fact is that we have not changed the criteria we use to rank search results to include profitability,” she tells Bloomberg. “We feature the products customers want, regardless of whether they are our own brands or products offered by selling partners.”
Newman adds that while the company includes long-term profitability in its search result algorithms, decisions were not based on that sole metric.
Apple, Facebook and Google are also under scrutiny over how they autonomously administer their massive digital platforms. The tech giants’ critics allege that they favor their own products and services over those from rivals. This stifles competition in the digital market in their favor. Critics have called for the regulation of control over their platforms.
“The optics are bad, because it lines up with these theories about how we think the platforms are abusing their power, favoring their own business,” Cardozo Law School professor Sam Weinstein’s shares his views on the matter.


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Maria Giovanna Zandegiacomo Seidelucio, the widow of Giovanni Coffen Marcolin, the founder of Marcolin, passed away on Oct. 7 at the age of 87. Her husband had died in 2013. She is survived by her children Monica, Cirillo and Maurizio. Cirillo Marcolin was president of the association of Italian eyewear manufacturers, Anfao, and is currently president of Confindustria Moda, the umbrella organization of the Italian fashion industry.
Zandegiacomo lived in Vallesella di Cadore, where in 1967 was opened the first Marcolin site, which was then transfered in 1988 to Longarone. In 2012, Marcolin was taken over by the private equity PAI Partners through the company Cristallo, in which the Marcolin family bought a minority stake.


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It had been reported that the United States government was considering a two-week temporary extension followed by a longer period but the regulatory work involved was considered hard. However, the US Department of Commerce allowed Huawei to continue purchasing American-made goods back in August, and the deadline ends on November 18.
After Huawei was added into the Entity List earliest this year by the U.S. Commerce Department citing national security concerns, it was nevertheless allowed to purchase some American-made goods in order to minimize disruptions, including networks in rural America.
Huawei didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the extension.
The Department of Commerce has again extended the temporary general license allowing American companies to sell to Huawei, the embattled Chinese tech company. "This decision does not change the fact that Huawei continues to be treated unfairly either", a Huawei spokesperson told FOX Business, adding that the decision by the Commerce Department to add Huawei to its Entity List has "caused more harm to the U.S. than to Huawei".
The development comes at a time when the trade war between America and China is nearing its first anniversary. The US government has also accused Huawei of skirting sanctions and stealing intellectual property from American companies, all claims that Huawei staunchly denies. Huawei denies the allegations and says the USA has given no evidence that the company presents a threat.
Last week, Attorney General William Barr said Huawei and ZTE Corp "cannot be trusted", as he backed a proposal to bar USA rural wireless carriers from tapping an $8.5 billion government fund to purchase equipment or services from them.
The U.S. government is letting American businesses work with Chinese tech giant Huawei for another three months, in a third delay to a ban enacted in May for national security reasons.
Following the near-collapse of US-China trade talks in May, Washington added Huawei to a list of companies effectively barred from purchasing US technology without prior approval from the US government. Instead, the Commerce Department plans to use the same legal mechanism it used in August, Reuters reports. No action on those was taken on Monday.


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10/26/2011 - 04:12:32 AM
BEWARE...this car has major problems. It is sold in Korea right now but it has been officially reported that the carbon monoxide from the exhaust seeps into the cabin at speeds over 120km/h causing headaches, nausea, vomiting, and even brain damage after a prolonged exposure. Measured Carbon Monoxide levels are reported to go up to 30ppm. This is caused by a flawed designed and Hyundai has yet to give us a solution to solve this. So Hyundai has yet again treated it countrymen like guinea pigs before debuting this car to the rest of the world.


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Membership of Small Business Focus is just £50 a year.
All you have to do is fill in the membership form....
We're a proactive, not-for-profit organisation where membership is open to all organisations having less than 100 staff within the BANES area.
The B&NES ENTREPRENEURS’ CLUB, set up by Small Business Focus, aims to provide support to all micro and small businesses within the region, whether they are well-established, in the start-up phase or still at the “Big Idea” stage.
Free weekly meetings focus on the resources, skills and knowledge needed to run a small business efficiently, effectively and successfully. Each meeting also includes networking opportunities, plus free refreshments. The meetings take place on Tuesdays, from 6.30 pm until 8.30 pm at different inspirational venues.
For results please click on this link.
Thursday June 13 2013
A survey has revealed that many business owners do not think Bath can support more cafes and restaurants.
More than 200 people responded to a survey carried out by Bath's Small Business Focus (SBF) group, to gauge views on Bath and North East Somerset Council's plans to develop the colonnades and Grand Parade as well as refurbish and extend the Guildhall Market and appoint a new market operator............more>>>
Thursday May 30 2013
The world always looks so much better when the sun shines. The gods have not been looking kindly upon us lately.
Misfortune has certainly rained upon our Guildhall Market Traders. Just over a month ago the council held a consultation with the traders on the proposal to upgrade the Colonnades and the Undercroft............more>>>
Wednesday May 29 2013
A new survey looking at plans to transform the Grand Parade and Guildhall Market has been launched amid fears from some traders.
The pressure group Small Business Focus has launched the survey on its website to............more>>>
Thursday April 18, 2013
The 2013 City of Bath Conference, being held on May 1, although termed a "conference" is actually a showcase for some of the activities and key elements within Bath which help make our city a beautiful, lively place to live, with a............more>>>
Thursday March 21, 2013
Starting a small business is like building a boat – stay with me on this…
Firstly, the big idea, the outline plan, which for many is driven by a desire, or creativity or simply 'something I have always wanted to do' but, more specifically in the case of starting a business, an element of need for an income, something to............more>>>
Thursday February 21, 2013
Very few people can have missed the debate on the fears for the demise of the high street or the loss of the small independent business.
This is particularly pertinent here in Bath, where we are known nationally and internationally for not only our architecture and heritage, but also for our unique mix of specialist shops and businesses.
But perhaps we should see............more>>>
Thursday January 24, 2013
I was enjoying a meal with my family in Panahar, my local BYO Indian restaurant, when I noticed the guests at the neighbouring table were pouring their beer out of special two-pint cartons.
Apparently their favourite pub offers a take-away deal – draught beer or ale dispensed into the special waxed-paper, dispensable containers for consumption at home. Pubco tactics, increased............more>>>
Thursday December 13, 2012
As the national press is now taking up the plight of Bath's independent shops (Sunday Times, Squeezed stores threaten to quit high street, December 2), can we please remind readers of our campaign to............more>>>
Thursday, October 18, 2012
The main political party conferences have ended with one consistent message that the economy is improving, but far from recovered, which means continued austerity, cuts and the current "responsible lending" by banks and other business funding sources remaining in place.
This is true of our region where............more>>>
Thursday, September 20, 2012
With the glorious sporting summer drawing to a close and our thoughts turning to warm comfort and there being fewer than 100 days to Christmas, Bath is thinking about food.
The Great Bath Feast takes place in October with Bath Tourism Plus and the............more>>>
Thursday, September 6, 2012
A new community market in Odd Down is proving supermarkets can help local businesses.
Sainsbury's at Odd Down has held its second Local Traders' Market in its foyer space.
The monthly market was launched in August and its aim is to help boost trade for neighbouring businesses............more>>>
Thursday, August 23, 2012
The last few months have been exciting and exhilarating for us all.
We have witnessed huge demonstrations of loyalty and pride in our Queen and the monarchy. We have thronged the streets to cheer on our local torch-bearing personalities and we have spurred on the magnificent sportsmen and sportswomen of Team GB to huge successes............more>>>
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Small local businesses have been selling their wares at a new market held in a Bath supermarket car park.
The event, which was held at Sainsbury's in Odd Down, was the product of an ongoing partnership between the superstore and the city's Small Business Focus group............more>>>
Thursday, July 19, 2012
July has been designated Independent Retailer Month and in cities and towns all over the United Kingdom there have been special events and campaigns to encourage people to buy from local, independent businesses.
One of our entrepreneurs' club members, Julie-Ann Blackmore............more>>>
Thursday, June 21, 2012
May was a really hectic and productive month for Small Business Focus, its members and strategic partners.
We joined the steering group for the inaugural City of Bath 100 Ideas for Bath Conference, an event which brought together all the various groups and initiatives aiming to make Bath a better place in............more>>>
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Community groups, small businesses, and voluntary and charity sector organisations across Bath are being invited to attend a conference being organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council next month.
Called 'The Bath City Conference- a hundred ideas for Bath' it is an opportunity to get people together to discuss and share ideas to improve the city............more>>>
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Civic leaders are hoping a new annual summit will generate 100 fresh ideas for improving Bath.
The Bath City Conference: 100 Ideas for Bath is the title of an event bringing together community groups, small businesses and charities next month...........more>>>
Friday, April 06, 2012
Civic leaders are hoping a new annual summit will generate 100 fresh ideas for improving Bath.
The Bath City Conference: 100 Ideas for Bath is the title of an event bringing together community groups, small businesses, and charities next month.
The event at the Guildhall is being organised by...........more>>>
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Small businesses in the city were given a lesson in dedication and motivation by the University of Bath-based GB ladies' rhythmic gymnasts.
The seven athletes, who will compete in the London Olympics, were the star attraction at the latest B&NES Entrepreneurs' Club session...........more>>>
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The majority of the government support schemes for enterprise are principally aimed at larger businesses and, to be frank, Bath has very few of these. Therefore, owners of small local businesses continue to come up with their own initiatives.
Retiring businesswoman Ann Taylor recently offered members of Small Business Focus and the B&NES Entrepreneurs' Club her entire stock of office supplies: an offer which...........more>>>
Thursday, March 08, 2012
A drive to bolster start-ups in Bath has gained added momentum following a business summit in London attended by Prime Minister David Cameron and the Prince of Wales.
Angela Ladd, the chairwoman of Bath-based Small Business Focus, was...........more>>>
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Changes are often thrust upon people and come in many different forms, whether as a result of divorce, retirement, leaving school or university, children leaving home or sickness.
'Redundancy', a word now feared, is a challenge faced by many in today's straitened circumstances. Caring employers – and this includes our own local authority – take steps to help their employees deal with this challenge more easily by offering change management courses. We know from...........more>>>
Thursday, January 20, 2012
The festive golden goose has distributed all available golden eggs, the new year sales have been "steady" according to some official bodies, the FTSE is back above 6000, and Deloitte in Bristol claims that the number of companies going into administration is declining – hey we did it! The economic crisis is behind us and all is well… not quite.
There are some real signs of recovery but it is more important than ever to consider your plans for the coming year and how best to navigate through..........more>>>
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Bath's businessmen and women of the future proved a roaring success when put through a Dragons' Den- style challenge in partnership with Bath Rugby.
BTEC Extended Diploma students from City of Bath College were set..........more>>>
Thursday, December 15, 2011
So who among you conducts some business in Europe/The European Union/the Eurozone? (It's all the same thing, isn't it?) Well, no actually. There is a palpable sense of concern among the business community that the outcome of the latest European summit is not good for UK plc.
What should be made clear is that, whatever your view on Cameron's decision, the summit was principally supposed to resolve the crisis of the euro. What actually emerged was...........more>>>
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Three IT students from City of Bath College have designed a website for a new Bath-based business organisation.
The trio designed and built the website from scratch after being approached by the newly formed Bath and North East Somerset Entrepreneurs' Club, which aims to encourage local people to set up small businesses by providing them with support, advice and...........more>>>
Thursday, November 17, 2011
With four successful seminar and networking events behind it, the B&NES Entrepreneurs' Club is gaining momentum and celebrated its official launch on Tuesday at The Cosy Club in SouthGate Place. The launch fell in Global Enterprise Week 2011 with its motto, Starting Tomorrow's Business Today.
On Tuesdays students, graduates and would-be entrepreneurs join members of the...........more>>>
Thursday, October 20, 2011
In his speech at the recent Conservative Party conference, Chancellor George Osborne claimed that "we are the party of small businesses" because of new government measures directed at the sector, including credit easing and tax freezes, and outlined schemes and measures to rebalance the economy, particularly for small businesses...........more>>>
Thursday, October 13, 2011
An initiative aimed at bolstering the prospects for start-up firms in Bath is being launched by a coalition of business groups and education providers in the city.
The Bath and North East Somerset Entrepreneurs' Club will hold its first event on Tuesday, October 18.
Spearheaded by local organisation Small Business Focus, the initiative is also being driven forward by the Federation of Small Businesses, City of Bath College...........more>>>
Thursday, September 22, 2011
At the time of writing, it is September 11 and the matter of perspective – what really counts – is proving a real distraction.
Much time and effort is directed towards issues that neither actually matter nor make any real difference and we need to consider and appraise the true motives behind many of our actions.
The 10th anniversary of 9/11 will have perhaps inspired a little reflection on where we were at the time, what felt important at that moment and how things have been during...........more>>>
Thursday, August 18, 2011
There has been one story dominating the media recently which has caused great distress and damage to businesses and homes up and down the country.
Thankfully, we have not experienced these problems in Bath but have...........more>>>
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Government officially wants more SMEs to tender for national and local contracts, but the door needs to be open to smaller firms, as there is a wide perception that Whitehall favours "larger outsource companies when allocating contracts", as one source in London put it...........more>>>
Thursday, May 19, 2011
While writing, we are unsure who will run our local authority and how the deal will be struck – for the good of the community or a ring-fenced implementation of pet plans and initiatives? We shall see.
The Labour Five have a decent hand to play and their involvement is not welcome by some.
However, they may provide a..........more>>>
Thursday, April 28, 2011
As regular readers of this column and members of our organisation will know, we have generally approved of the statements and initiatives made by our council provided they protected and supported the interests of our business community.
Part of our mandate is to ensure that the true nature of these actions and how they affect small and medium-sized businesses is presented with clarity and openness..........more>>>
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Robin Davies, in a letter published on April 7, claims that the people of Bath and visitors are not being heard on the issue of A-boards and street advertising. Mr Davies must have very acute hearing indeed, if he can hear the 'public outcry'.
To clarify matters on the level of public concern, I recently t contacted the council to make a Freedom of Information request. I asked for the number of notifications received by B&NES from the public relating to A- boards and similar obstructions of the footpath during the year February 2010 to February 2011..........more>>>
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Battle lines are being drawn as council officials look at whether to bring in a licensing system for pavement A-boards in Bath.
Bath and North East Somerset Council is sifting through the responses to a consultation exercise on the idea of charging businesses what is expected to be £100 a year to display the portable advertising signs..........more>>>
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Traders in Bath say they are "incandescent" about council plans to charge businesses to display portable advertising signs outside their premises.
The proposals for an annual permit system to ensure A-boards and other signs do not cause unsightly clutter or pose an accident risk have upset the business community, whose leaders say the move will damage trade at independent shops in the city..........more>>>
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Spring generally brings an uplift in tourism to our beautiful region and our small independent businesses will be trying to work with the changes that have been taking place over the last year to capitalise on this influx.
On the whole, it seems that we are in better shape than 12 months ago, but there are still major issues to be addressed that would improve the commercial environment dramatically..........more>>>
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Taking a summary view of recent activities, initiatives and presentations that have been emerging, it would seem that the official hat of business support is being firmly placed on the heads of the creative and IT industries, apparently considered in this region to be the principle sectors to deliver results in the Government driven "high-growth" programme.
This is also the thread running through much of the initial thinking behind the newly-formed Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which will have a major influence on who exactly gets support and who does not..........more>>>
Thursday January 20, 2011
The festive golden goose has distributed all available golden eggs, the new year sales have been "steady" according to some official bodies, the FTSE is back above 6000, and Deloitte in Bristol claims that the number of companies going into administration is declining – hey we did it! The economic crisis is behind us and all is well… not quite.........more>>>
Thursday January 20, 2011
Budding entrepreneurs from City of Bath College have been grilled about their business ideas by leading Bath business people in a Dragons' Den-style event.Just like the hit BBC TV show, students had to pitch their business ideas to the Dragons before tackling tough questions about their proposals.The Bath Dragons were Angela Ladd, chair of Bath Small Business Focus.........more>>>
Thursday December 30, 2010
A new twist on bartering is being tried out in Bath – with the launch of an alternative currency called the Oliver. The Bath Oliver will be introduced in March to enable individuals and businesses to exchange goods, services and skills without conventional money changing hands............ Angela Ladd, chairman of Bath's Small Business Focus group praised the idea..........more>>>
Thursday December 30, 2010
During a difficult year which saw the entire committee of the Bath and North East Somerset branch of the Federation of Small Businesses resign en masse, Angela has remained a strong voice for small firms in the area. After leading the FSB exodus, she became the co-founder and chair of Small Business Focus, which aims to assist business people across Bath.........more>>>
Thursday December 23, 2010
The Christmas Market arrived, the lights were switched on and the independent shops and businesses that help make Bath such a special attraction are all set for a seasonal shopping-fest that will repair the damage from the last 18 months of economic blight ... maybe........more>>>
Thursday November 25, 2010
So, the Government recognises the importance of small businesses to the UK economy, even asking us to "take-in" redundant public-sector workers to help retain the national workforce........more>>>
Thursday November 11, 2010
Entrepreneurs and businesses from across Bath will exchange ideas at a series of events being held as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week........more>>>
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Small Business Focus, the new and fast-expanding not-for-profit support organisation for businesses in Bath and North East Somerset, are taking a key role in the activities taking place in the region during Global Enterprise Week 2010........more>>>
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A new organisation has been set up with the aim of giving a voice to small businesses in Bath and North East Somerset........more>>>
Thursday, September 16, 2010
A new not-for-profit organisation has been launched to stand up for small firms in the Bath area........more>>>
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A breakaway group is being set up to represent small business owners in Bath.
Former committee members of the Bath branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, who quit en masse earlier this year, are forming their own independent pressure group........more>>>


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By The Canadian Press
Online shopping giant Amazon says it is testing its potential drone delivery system on Canadian soil.
Spokeswoman Kristen Kish says the Seattle-based retailer has set up a testing facility in rural British Columbia, declining to provide more specifics.
Kish says the B.C. site is one of several testing sites set up beyond U.S. borders in order to avoid running afoul of rigid rules put in place by the country’s Federal Aviation Authority.
Transport Canada says it granted permission for Amazon’s testing site in December of last year, adding the facility is currently allowed to operate for a full year.
Amazon has said it hopes to one day use drones to deliver small packages to its customers within 30 minutes of the time they place an order.
Transport Canada says the permission certificate issued to Amazon was one of nearly 1,700 such agreements reached last year.


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Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper reported that Pure - the company set up by Jacques Villeneuve's former manager and BAR team boss Craig Pollock in anticipation of new rules in 2014 that demand 1.6-litre turbo engines - had been sounded out as possible replacements for Mercedes.
However, a team spokesman told Reuters: "McLaren has had absolutely no contact with Pure for many months.
"Moreover, the contact we did have with Pure, many months ago, was of an entirely informal nature, and was merely a courtesy gesture."
McLaren have used Mercedes engines since 1996. After winning world titles with Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999, the partnership was strengthened the following year when parent company Daimler bought a 40 per cent stake in the McLaren Group.
But with McLaren branching out and launching their own road car operation, Mercedes instead bought the Brawn GP team after the latter's title success in 2009 and rebranded them in their own name.
McLaren then announced that they would buy back Daimler's stake, a process which was completed at the end of last year.
Their current deal with Mercedes allows for free engines until the end of 2012 but they must then pay the going rate of around €8million a year until at least 2015.
McLaren have also been linked with a return to Honda, who powered them to titles with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost between 1988 and 1992, but the team said in November that those reports were wide of the mark.
McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale said at the time that they were entirely focused on the relationship with Mercedes.


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It is expected that OnePlus 7, the new flagship of the Chinese company, will be announced this quarter, at least in accordance with the events of recent years. Indirect evidence from the growing number of renderings and rumors over the past few weeks.
What is known?
Today, the case renders of this 2019 OnePlus flagship came as a treat. These cases render show that the OnePlus 7 boasts a triple rear camera setup and a pop-up selfie camera on top.
Consequently, the smartphone will have a notch-less display with minuscule bezels around it. The chin appears slightly larger than the other bezels, but it’s still very thin.
The renders confirm the absence of the 3.5 mm jack and the triple rear camera is positioned vertically in the center.
Presence of a Snapdragon 855 platform is more than probable, while the screen should be an AMOLED having a 6.5-inch diagonal and integrate the fingerprint reader.
Price and when to expect?
Finally, it’s possible that prices are rising, which accompanies with every new OnePlus smartphone and will probably cover OnePlus 7. The device is expected to be announced during this quarter.


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Kantar Media calls it the “feel good headline” and it’s likely that everyone but the newspapers would agree. According to their new report, ad expenditures across the board rose 6.5% in 2010 for a total of $131.1 billion. The downside is that not everyone benefited from the growth.
Have a look at the chart:
Kantar says that political advertising and a fresh push by the car companies helped lift TV advertising. Auto ads alone, rose 19.8% over last year while Direct Response and Pharma both dropped by 5 to 8%.
Running a close second in growth is Internet Display advertising which rose 9.9%. A bit surprisingly, Outdoor was right there with 9.6% growth.


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Etihad Cargo goes to Uganda
03 / 03 / 2015
ETIHAD CARGO, the fast-growing freight business of UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways, has launched a new weekly A330-200 freighter service between Abu Dhabi and the Ugandan city of Entebbe.
Situated on the shores of Lake Victoria and close to the capital Kampala, Entebbe is a major commercial centre in central Uganda.
Etihad Cargo expects the direct service to carry large quantities of electronics and textiles to Entebbe, with primarily perishable goods destined for the Gulf region and Europe loaded for the return flight.
Payload on the freighter is around 64 tonnes.
Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways’ chief strategy and planning officer, says: “Uganda is an important market for Etihad Cargo, and the new Abu Dhabi-Entebbe freighter service will allow us to capitalise on the strong import and export demand to and from East Africa.
“In addition, whilst we expect to see strong onward trade flows over our Abu Dhabi cargo hub to destinations across the Middle East, subcontinent and Europe, ultimately this service will further strengthen the trade ties between the UAE and Uganda.”
Next month, Etihad Cargo is due to take delivery of an additional new A330-200 freighter.


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Articles and Features
Planet 5 min
Global warming: plastics cool things down
Tackling global warming is the challenge that humanity must take on as soon as possible to prevent the problem from getting out of hand. It is no longer time for debate; it is time for action. Fortuna...
At a glance 2 min
An XXL sail to tow cargo ships
Today, 90% of the world's trade in goods is carried out by maritime transport, which accounts for 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This environmental footprint is expected to increase to 1...
Expert views 4 min
“By 2030, we hope that every building will have an independent source of green electricity.”
An interview with Stephan Kube, Head of Marketing at Heliatek, a German start-up that has developed flexible, self-adhesive organic solar panels....
Planet 4 min
Green energy powered by polymers
Last July, the European Commission proposed raising the renewable energy target to 40% by 2030. It called for the further development of green energy sources such as wind, water and solar power. Many ...


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The Asus Zenfone AR has been showcased at CES 2017 this year, and the smartphone was based on the Google Tango AR Tech. The Zenfone AR was launched in India on July 13, 2017, and was priced for Rupees 49,999. The device did not perform well in sales as expected by the company. The device runs on a 1.5-year-old Snapdragon flagship Processor, Though the device seems quite capable it surely did not convince the Indian Audience when it comes to actual sales.
Now it’s been almost ten months from its initial announcement, and the Company has a new update for its device, But as of now it’s only available for US carrier Verizon, and it’s not a global firmware update. However, the company might be just testing out and more bug fixes or so to prepare for a global release of the update, and you should expect very soon.
If you were expecting that this is an Android 8.0 Oreo update from Asus, then it’s not, it is just a usual bug fixes update with a new security patch. Well nevertheless, here are the some of the major highlights of It.
- AppFlash App: This mainly focuses on the new concept as provided by Google in which you can try the app before even installing it, which is a much convenient and appreciated feature.
- Security Patch: This update does bring a new security patch which is dated on 1 September 2017, which is a little shame for ASUS as this is their latest flagship device it was expected to come with October security patch. Google, OnePlus, Sony and Samsung have already provided this patch for their devices way earlier, but Asus seems to disappoint us here.
- BlueBorne Fix: Finally the much-needed bug fix has been provided in this update which was expected as many devices all over the world are affected by it. After this update, the Asus Zenfone AR will be secured by it, though we still wait for the global availability of this update, which is expected soon.
If you have a Verizon Asus Zenfone AR, then you should immediately head over to your OTA update section and look out for it, though make sure your phone has at least 60% battery left before flashing the update. Also, connect to a stable wireless network to download this update and avoid any error between it.


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Shoppers need to be prepared to buy wonky vegetables, farmers have said, amid fears about the ongoing drought ravaging British crops.
An official drought has been declared across 14 areas of England, and experts have raised concerns about the UK’s food supply as large swathes of agricultural land are left yellowing in the dry conditions.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has urged British shoppers to “pull together” and accept buying wonky vegetables, as the drought threatens to produce shrunken onions and potatoes which might not ordinarily meet with supermarket quality standards
Tom Bradshaw, the NFU’s deputy president, has warned that the extremely dry conditions are likely to affect the aesthetics of other staples like cauliflower and parsnips.
He told The Telegraph: “Consumers need to have a bit more flexibility because potatoes might be a bit smaller, onions might be a little bit smaller.
“And that’s still the case of everyone just needing to pull together a little bit to accept that it’s not been a perfect time.”
Mr Bradshaw warned that there will likely be issues with “your carrots, your parsnips”, adding: “Then you’ve got your broccoli, your cauliflower, they’re all being impacted at the moment by their growing conditions.
“There isn’t anything which is not impacted if it’s grown in a field that isn’t irrigated.”
The lack of rainfall in these non-irrigated fields has placed stress on the crops that are yet to be harvested, which will likely affect the size of the vegetables that survive the drought. There are fears that a large proportion may not, and that yields will be down this year.
‘Supermarkets will have to decide’
Mr Bradshaw has said that he expects supermarkets to be more flexible in their criteria for acceptable vegetables, allowing shelves to be filled with products in unusual shapes and sizes, should the autumn harvest yield wonky vegetables.
He said: “Once we know what the quality will be, that’s when the supermarket will have to decide.
“And I think they will do everything they can to minimise wastage, because during this cost of living crisis, they don’t want to be seen to be contributing to the problem.
“So I think that they will do everything they can just to have that flexibility.”
While Mr Bradshaw is confident that both shopper and retailers will be flexible on the likely crop of aesthetically atypical vegetables, he has raised concern that the UK’s livestock is swiftly eating through its stock of fodder, with growing conditions making it difficult to replace the lost feed.
This could create added costs to farmers having to buy feed from further afield. Mr Bradshaw said: “The very real risk is that some might decide that they need to sell some of their cattle before the winter because they haven’t got enough feed to feed them through the winter months.”


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The deal for the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary TDA Group was announced yesterday.
The company added that the subsidiary accounted nearly half of its revenue last year.
Cyber Media has seen its revenue come down from about Rs 100 cr to about 50 cr in recent years due to the emergence of the internet, which has hit its print business.
The company´s value also depended on TDA which accounted for 71% of Cyber Media´s total net worth of 28.4 crores before the sale.
TDA Group is engaged in marketing content and communications based in Silicon Valley, and was acquired by Cyber Media in 2008. The purchase was painted as a strategic move to expand the services business of Cyber Media.
TDA Group, is a B2B content marketing and communication agency for the US high-tech industry. It plans, creates and manages content marketing programs for clients including IBM, Dell, Intel and Lenovo. It has 25 employees.
The Marketing Group Plc is a digital marketing and advertising agglomeration group.
CyberMedia is the largest specialty media house in South Asia. The group’s media business includes 12 media properties including Dataquest, PCOuest, Voice&Data, Global Services, DO Channels, DO Week. The group has twelve websites led by WWW.CIOL.com.
The company has been facing cash flow problems since the global financial crisis of 2008-09, and the transaction is expected to help ease its financial situation.


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SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ -- The annual Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS Food Truck Festival will roll into town on Sunday, May 2, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will take place at the high school's Westfield Road entrance with a social distancing layout. Face masks will be mandatory.
The Food Truck Festival is a fundraiser for the Class of 2021. The event is scheduled to run from 11 am through 5 pm. Food vendors include:
- Empanada Guy – All things empanada
- GoodMood Truck – Upscale burgers and fries
- House of Cupcakes – Cupcakes!
- Ms. Yummy Food Truck – Asian fusion
- Cheezen – Jacked-up grilled cheese sandwiches
- Violante’s Catering – Sausages and peppers, cheesesteaks, wings/fries
- La Coqueta – Tacos and burritos
Entertainment will be provided by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Marching Band and the Moonglowers, as well as members of the community.
The entrance fee is $10 per person/$25 per family.
TAPintoSPF.net is Scotch Plains-Fanwood’s only free daily local news source. Sign up for our free daily eNewsletter and “Like” us on Facebook and Twitter @SPF_TAP. Download the free TAPinto App for iPhone or Android.
Are you a business interested in reaching our audience? Email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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- Zimmer Biomet's knee business grew 4.3% in its most recent earnings period, outpacing the 3.8% uptick seen during the third quarter. A little more than half of that momentum was tied to its Rosa robot-assisted surgery platform, management said Tuesday.
- Aside from Rosa, the base knee business had one of its best growth quarters since Zimmer and Biomet merged in 2015, CEO Bryan Hanson said. Still, sales of the company's knee products needs to be able to outperform the overall market and are "not there yet."
- The company also announced it's begun a restructuring plan it hopes will grow operating margins 30% by 2023 as it "turns the corner from stabilization to efficiency" almost five years after the roughly $14 billion combination of Zimmer and Biomet. It could see some of those margin gains as early as next year, execs said.
Momentum in the second half of 2019 in particular was reflected in Zimmer Biomet's stock price, which has risen more than 26% in the last eight months. Shares were up more than 5% Tuesday morning.
Quarterly revenue of nearly $2.13 billion, up 2.6% over the prior year, edged out Wall Street's consensus estimate by roughly $20 million. And growth in full-year net sales to about $7.98 billion was up by 0.6%, enough to top the company's expectations given at the outset of 2019 for growth between -0.5% and 0.5%.
For 2020, Zimmer Biomet expects revenue to grow between 2.5% and 3.5%. Analysts at both Needham and Jefferies see the company on a path to hitting 4% growth next year. Much of that confidence stems from the knee business, helped by the continued rollout of its Persona revision knee.
Regarding its Rosa robot-assisted surgery platform, Zimmer said sales of the total knee procedure version of the system ticked up from the third quarter, with the funnel of robot placements "strong as it's ever been" and belief 2020 will "absolutely" be a stronger year for Rosa than 2019.
But the company did not break out system placement figures like rival Stryker. It's going to "take a while to disrupt that inertia" from competitors' systems, Hanson said. Needham analyst Mike Matson estimated Zimmer placed 12 or 13 systems during the quarter, versus eight to 10 in the third quarter, per a note to investors Tuesday. By comparison, Stryker reported it sold 89 in the most recent quarter, up from 51 in the third quarter.
Zimmer execs expect partial knee and hip applications to be greenlighted in 2020, with more details to be presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons meeting in March.
The company is also looking ahead to launching a version of Rosa for spine procedures, which Hanson said is just "part of the equation" in achieving more predictable performance in its spine business. Other levers include 3D-printed implants, its Tether device for treating scoliosis, and its smaller robotic system, the WalterLorenz arm.
Throughout 2019, Zimmer collectively paid down $716 million in debt. Having ended 2019 with roughly $1.1 billion in free cash flow, the company expects to close 2020 with between $1.1 billion and $1.3 billion, which factors in expected restructuring charges. "If we see attractive M&A targets … we may decide to invest capital into M&A in 2020 and beyond," Hanson said.
The company is still working through a "comprehensive remediation plan" at a Warsaw, Indiana manufacturing site after receiving an FDA warning letter in 2018. Hanson said the company does not expect the issue to be fully resolved during 2020.
As part of ZB's restructuring, several businesses are being reorganized, which will lead to certain external reporting changes starting next quarter.
This story has been updated with analyst commentary.


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There have been reports of iPhone users being banned from Pokemon Go, even if these users were not violating the rules of the game. The game sends users a warning saying that they are “using a modified software or an unauthorised third-party software”.
The warning is usually targeted to users who play the game on a device with modified software. Pokemon Go is built with a tool that can detect if the player is running a modified version of the app or using jailbreak to prevent hacks and mods.
However, gamer @WhyldeGamer posted on Twitter that he received that same warning on his Twitter—claiming that he didn’t “do anything” to warrant the strike. His ban ended after Niantic privately contacted him.
There are also more cases of iPhone users receiving a ‘First Strike’ ban as seen on Reddit. Some even report receiving the ‘First Strike’ ban over and over again—making them believe that there’s some sort of bug in Niantic’s cheat detection system.
“I haven’t cheated or used any apps that should have marked me as cheating. I use the latest iPhone and the app directly from the App Store,” wrote a user on Reddit.
Currently, Niantic has not officially addressed the issue. but if you’ve experienced an unfair warrant for a ‘First Strike’ on the Pokemon Go app, let us know below.


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Ark Investment Management’s Cathie Wood declares that inflation may already have peaked, pointing to massive inventories at American retailers.
Even if inflation has peaked, it’s less clear whether the U.S. Federal Reserve will reverse its current policy course.
The past year have not been kind to Wood and her suite of innovation-inclined ETFs which invest in shares of companies pursuing disruptive technologies.
Despite a drubbing, there haven’t been significant outflows from Wood’s various ETF products, and instead, there have actually been some inflows.
Now Wood is suggesting that massive inventories held by U.S. companies, which stockpiled goods last year in anticipation of supply chain disruptions, have a shot at keeping inflation down.
In an interview with Bloomberg Television on Wednesday, Wood noted,
“I’ve never seen inventory surges like this in my career and I’ve been around for a long time. This inventory issue highlights the cyclical reason we’ve been saying we think inflation will unravel.”
Major American retailers amassed stockpiles last year amid pent-up pandemic demand and supply chain bottlenecks that led to over-ordering, but now retailers are having to contend with excess inventory and some are even resorting to sales to clear stocks.
Wood’s flagship Ark Innovation ETF is down by over 50% this year alone but so far outflows have been stemmed and many investors remain convinced of her ability to pick winners in the long run.
If Wood’s contention is accurate and inflation has really peaked, the bigger question is whether the Fed will revert to a more accommodative monetary policy that could see a sharp turnaround and leg up for tech and growth-biased investments, which would be a huge boost for Ark Investment Management.
All eyes will be on the U.S. Labor Departments’ Consumer Price Index data due on Friday which will confirm whether the pace of price increases has moderated.


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NEW YORK -- Many of New York City's small businesses were open and bustling Tuesday after Hurricane Sandy passed, while larger chains like Starbucks remained shuttered. In fact, some small businesses never closed because of the storm.
Big Nick's Burger & Pizza Joint at 77th and Broadway was open all night, even through the hurricane. Co-owner Sheri Kern said she couldn't have closed, even if she wanted to, because the policy of staying open 365 days means there's no key for the front door. "I had to make a key [when we closed] for Irene, but I don't know what I did with it," Kern said.
Though Big Nick's was full of people on Tuesday looking for some relief from cabin fever, Kern didn't think the restaurant would make much of a profit, mostly because of the costs of taxi and car services for workers to get to the business and their inability to deliver food, due to debris on the streets.
Knowing the restaurant probably wouldn't make money, even with almost complete lack of competition in the area, Kern said the eatery stayed open nonetheless because co-owner Nick Imirziades "doesn't want to see [the business] closed -- ever. He opened this place when he was 22, which was 50 years ago. Closing makes him sad. He couldn't go through it again after Irene."
Like Big Nick's, many small businesses that were open on Tuesday expected neither big profits nor to take advantage of desperate customers. Instead, they said they just wanted to get back to work and serve their communities, in a show of small business resilience.
Mohammad Zafar Ali and Mohammad Azhar Zafar, the father and son who own the newsstand on 75th and Broadway, stocked up on batteries, candles and flashlights on Monday and saw sales double. They re-opened the newsstand on Tuesday at 9 a.m. "We came to help," Zafar said. "People want stuff." They said demand among customers was high for newspapers, though the only paper that got delivered to them was the New York Post, leaving sales a little flat.
Another entrepreneur who was up and running first thing Tuesday was Neurys Felize, a driver for Kennedy Car Service. Though he said many livery cab drivers in the city may have expected to make more money given the lack of public transportation, Felize said he knew post-hurricane business would not be a windfall. "I'm not making more or less than the average day," which totaled around $200 in eight hours, he said. "I'm mostly driving employees to work, but other people are staying home."
Felize said he braved the tough driving conditions because he wanted to work, not to capitalize on post-hurricane needs. "Money is not that important in my life," he said.
To Kern, community was more important than profits, and she said the business's local customers responded with positive comments on Big Nick's Facebook page. She said the beauty of small businesses is that "we can be more flexible, and decide when to close or open."
Like the restaurant'sr customers, Kern said Big Nick's owners "are a part of the area. We work here and live here. A small business has character like a person has character. And the character of Big Nick's is to be open and fanatic."


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After 278 people, most of them in California, have been sickened in a continuing salmonella outbreak, federal agriculture officials issued a health alert Monday for Foster Farms chicken.
There’s concern that raw chicken produced by three Foster Farms plants located in California is associated with illnesses cause by strains of Salmonella Heidelberg, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced.
In 18 states, 278 illnesses have been reported, according to the USDA.
“The investigations indicate that consumption of Foster Farms brand chicken and other brand chicken produced at Foster Farms plants are the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections,” the agency stated in a news release.
“Epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback investigations conducted by local, state, and federal officials” linked the illnesses to Foster Farms chicken, the USDA stated.
Foster Farms emphasized that no recall was in effect, saying its products were safe if handled properly and fully cooked to at least 165 degrees.
“Foster Farms has instituted a number of additional food safety practices, processes and technology throughout company facilities that have already proven effective in controlling Salmonella in its Pacific Northwest operations earlier this year,” the company said on its website.
The outbreak has not been linked to specific products or production dates, the USDA stated. Consumers can check if their Foster Farms raw chicken products came from any of the three facilities involved by finding one of these codes inside a USDA mark of inspection or elsewhere on the package:
Products were mainly distributed to retail outlets in California, Oregon and Washington, according to the USDA.
Food contaminated with salmonella can cause those who consume it to contract the foodborne illness salmonellosis. The infection can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and people with HIV infection or those undergoing chemotherapy, the USDA stated.
Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight hours to three days of consumption. Chills, headache, nausea and vomiting can last up to seven days.


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Dubai South announces economic stimulus package to support its business community in 2020
- Flexible payment plans with easy installment schemes
- Waivers of penalties on late renewals and cancellations of contracts and licenses.
- 20 per cent reduction on license fees renewals
- First year license fees for new customers in the aviation, logistics and e-commerce sectors and the Business Park will be waived.
- Business Park Free Zone rent reduction of up to 25 per cent on their renewal fees before October 2020
- Business Park Free Zone- Lease deferral request of up to six months
- Business Park Free Zone - Flexibility to settle annual rental fees in up to four installments.
- New business will be granted rental fee reductions of up to 25 per cent.
- The development is designed to sustain a population of a million inhabitants and create 500,000 jobs in an integrated, economic environment that supports all types of businesses and industries.
As part of its keenness to align with the vision of the UAE’s leadership to stimulate the economy and support different sectors of the business society, Dubai South Free Zone announced economic stimulus incentives to mitigate the effects of the current situation that the UAE and the world is going through. This announcement is part of Dubai South Free Zone’s unwavering commitment to foster a business-friendly environment and meet the needs of its valued customers.
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and also Chairman of Dubai Airports said: "Dubai South is proud to be part of the emirate’s overall value proposition and we are keen to enhance its competitiveness and attractiveness to ensure it can attract more domestic and foreign direct investment. Our current customers are our most important asset; therefore, our focus is to provide them with all our support in these challenging times and beyond, so that they will be able to support the national economy and contribute to GDP growth. The stimulus package is part of our mandate to exert our tireless efforts and align them with the initiatives and decisions of our government so that Dubai will remain a sought-after business destination and maintain its prominent position on all global performance indicators."
As the continuity of businesses is a priority, Dubai South will offer individuals and companies in its free zone flexible payment plans with easy installment schemes as well as waivers of penalties on late renewals and cancellations of contracts and licenses. Customers will also benefit from a 20 per cent reduction on licence fees renewals, while first year license fees for new customers in the aviation, logistics and e-commerce sectors and the Business Park will be waived.
In addition, customers who operate in the Business Park Free Zone will have the opportunity to apply for a lease deferral request of up to six months, which will be granted on a case-by-case basis. Meanwhile, Dubai South Business Centre customers renewing their contracts between now and October 2020 will receive a reduction of up to 25 per cent on their renewal fees as well as the flexibility to settle annual rental fees in up to four installments. Furthermore, individuals and companies looking to establish a new business will be granted rental fee reductions of up to 25 per cent.
Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation & Dubai South, said: "This incentive package complements the measures announced by the Government of Dubai and its ongoing efforts to reduce the costs of doing business in the emirate and help enhance corporate liquidity. The support will enable companies to maintain their resources and employees and to be fully prepared to continue their operations, especially as the lockdown is being gradually lifted, paving the path towards gradual business cycle normality.
In mid-March, the government of Dubai unveiled a AED 1.5 billion economic stimulus package to support companies and the business sector. The initiative aimed to enhance liquidity and reduce the impact of the current global economic situation following the outbreak of COVID-19.
Dubai South was launched as a Government of Dubai project in 2006, representing an emerging, 145 sq. km, master-planned city centred on the happiness of the individual. The city is identified as Dubai’s flagship urban project, in line with Dubai Plan 2021. The development is designed to sustain a population of a million inhabitants and create 500,000 jobs in an integrated, economic environment that supports all types of businesses and industries.
News Source : http://wam.ae/en/news_bulletin


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Even though teens may think they know it all, new research has found that money matters are one area where teens are most assuredly lacking knowledge. Proof of that fact comes from the 17 percent of teens between the ages of 12 and 17 who said they knew how to manage their money and the 24 percent of teen respondents who said they did not know the difference between debit and credit cards.
Among teens for whom budgeting was a concern, learning how to save and how to budget were their biggest priorities. However, part of the reason for the lack of teen knowledge on money matters comes because their parents are not doing a good job teaching them about money.
[A Quarter of Americans Won't Save a Dime in 2012]
To the end, more parents were willing to talk about drugs and alcohol than they were about money. More than 10 percent of teens said that no one at home helps then manage their money. That number grows to 15 percent among older teens between the age of 15 and 17. Thirty-one percent of parents say they are good financial role models and 21 percent say they are fair or poor role models financially.
"A parent's role in setting a financial example for their children is critical," said Jim Kelly, head of direct bank, ING Direct Bank, which sponsored the survey along with Capital One. "Yet many parents feel unprepared to set an example."
Despite that lack of guidance, teens are getting jobs to start learning about money on their own. Half of teen girls had jobs for outside income while 38 percent of boys held jobs. Overall, 30 percent of both teen boys and girls received money from performing household chores, which the survey said can prove to be a valuable financial lesson for teens. According to Capital One and ING Direct, parents can also teach their children about saving by following these steps.
- Turn errands into money lessons: "Couponing is all the rage right now, so use the weekly trip to the grocery store as a practical way of explaining spending and saving. Make a game out of finding the most affordable cereal or competing for a bigger savings at the register than the last trip to the store," the study said.
- Keep it simple: "Don't overcomplicate the conversation with technical jargon or turn it into an economics lecture," the study said. "Talk about saving for rainy day items such as a trip to the movies or a new video game – make it relevant and it will resonate even more."
- Practice what you preach: "Whether you're a savings savant or cash-strapped mom or dad, have candid talks about your financial successes and missteps," the study said. "Make it a priority as a family to be more mindful of spending less than what is earned and celebrate how money is grown over time."


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Civic Plaza could be buzzing with superheroes on Saturday (July 27).
The Surrey Urban Farmers Market, which runs Saturdays at Civic Plaza, will be hosting a special cosplay and superhero day at the market.
Ken Bradshaw, who is on the market’s board of directors, said he’s been interested in cosplay for some time, adding that it’s become “more and more popular” in the Lower Mainland in recent years.
Because the Surrey Urban Farmers Market is a free event, Bradshaw said he wanted to make it “easily accessible for people of all ages to just come by and have a fun time.”
However, just in case people don’t have anything to dress up with, Bradshaw said that through a community grant from the City of Surrey they’ve been able to buy masks, capes and backdrop for photos.
Surrey Urban Farmers Market, which is on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Oct. 5, includes local farmers, food producers, artisans and entertainers. Each week, there are community workshops and kids activities.
For more information on the market, visit surreymarket.org.
Also back this Saturday, is Cloverdale Market Days is back this Saturday (July 27), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on 176th Street between 56A and 58th avenues.


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Microsoft, it seems, are very keen to get Windows 7 out there.
So keen, that windows 7 has been given a release date.
The date they have set is 22nd October 2009.
Windows Vista didn't take over XP's throne as King of the OS and indeed most companies have chosen to ignore it altogether, with companies such as Dell being forced to offer it as an option after adopting Vista for all Windows installs.
This release is no doubt being pushed by the OEM and Microsoft partners who do not see Vista as the success Microsoft claimed it would be. Windows 7 is much more widely received as a step forward in operating system terms and Microsoft obviously wants to push things forward.
Announcing the release date, Bill Veghte, senior vice president for Windows said, “We feel confident that we will deliver Windows 7 with our partners on Oct 22.” The date gives a major advantage to Microsoft as the OS will hit retail right at the beginning of the holiday shopping season. This should generate good sales as people generally tend to get new systems around this period.
– Windows XP mode - a virtual PC that can run older applications that might not run on Windows 7


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AMD has surpassed the goal it set back in 2014 to improve the energy efficiency of its mobile processors 25 times by 2020.
MSI has launched two new promotions that will reward customers who purchase MSI B550 or Z490 motherboard bundles with Steam Wallet codes.
AMD has announced three new Ryzen 3000XT series processors as well as the new and more affordable A520 chipset.
Buy select AMD Ryzen and ASUS or ROG motherboard bundles and get a mystery gift with your purchase!
ASUS has announced a total of 11 B550 motherboards models across its ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and Prime brands!
AMD has launched its new Ryzen PRO 4000 series processors designed specifically for enterprise users.
The AMD Ryzen 3 3000 series as well as the AMD B550 chipset are now official and coming soon!
AMD has announced that its RDNA2 architecture, which is featured in its next-generation graphics cards as well as the Xbox Series X, will feature Microsoft’s latest DirectX 12 Ultimate API.
AMD’s Ryzen 9 series is now also making it into laptops with the announcement of the Ryzen 9 4900H.
AMD has big releases planned for late 2020, including their Zen 3 processors and RDNA2 GPUs.
Get bundled ASUS freebies this summer when you purchase select AMD Ryzen processors with any ASUS or ROG x570 motherboard or any ASUS Radeon RX 5600 series and up graphics cards during the ASUS Summer Speed Up promotion!
Equipped with 64 cores and 128 threads, the new AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X HEDT (high-end desktop) processor is now available!
ASUS has announced its ROG Strix and the TUF Gaming X3 EVO variants of the Radeon RX 5600 XT!
AMD has officially launched the new Radeon RX 5600 XT, the company’s latest graphics card that sits right in the middle of the series, between the top-end RX 5700 XT and the entry-level RX 5500 XT.
AMD’s new Ryzen 3000 series processors as well as their new X570 chipset represent the biggest generational jump the company has achieved since the first-generation Ryzen launched back in 2017. Here’s our review.


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Economy & Finance
Bloomberg - Wal-Mart de Mexico posted its biggest advance in two years after President Enrique Pena Nieto avoided proposing taxes on food and medicine in a fiscal bill he sent to Congress. Chedraui and Bimbo also rallied.
Financial Times - Did Enrique Peña Nieto’s proposed fiscal reform deliver what Mexico needs to boost its woefully low tax take? One way of assessing that is to gauge what the reform aims to provide against the bills that Mexico has to pay.
Reuters - Mexico's government on Sunday proposed replacing state oil monopoly Pemex's heavy taxation scheme with a new, more flexible regime similar to those faced by private companies.
Financial Times -Mexico’s central bank on Friday delivered a 25 point rate cut to 3.75 per cent that few saw coming, despite the economy’s lurch to its first contraction in four years in the second quarter this year.
Fox News Latino - The Bank of Mexico might be tempted to cut interest rates this week after the economy took a turn for the worse and inflation slowed, but consensus is that the specter of Fed “tapering” will keep policy makers on hold.
Reuters - Mexican consumer confidence rose for the second month in a row in August, when adjusted for seasonal factors, the national statistics agency said on Wednesday.
Bloomberg - Mexican consumer prices rose more than expected in early August, pushing the annual inflation rate higher. Prices climbed 0.26 percent in the first two weeks of the month, compared with the 0.16 percent median forecast of 16 economists.
Bloomberg - Mexico’s economy grew less than forecast by any of the analysts surveyed by Bloomberg in the second quarter as industrial production declined on a sluggish U.S. recovery. Gross domestic product expanded 1.5 percent from the year earlier.
Reuters - Mexico's economy grew 3.8 percent in 2012, versus an original reading of 3.9 percent, the national statistics agency said on Tuesday, using a new methodology that changed the base year.
EFE- President Enrique Peña Nieto plans to consolidate the "strategy of moving closer to countries in the Asia-Pacific region" before completing his first year in office, allowing Mexico to expand trade and investment.


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We were pleased to admit three new liverymen and a corporate member at our March court meeting.
The court meeting took place at Furniture Makers’ Hall on Thursday 5 March.
The three new liverymen admitted were Fara Hussain-Butt, Gary Rose and Claire Williams.
At the same ceremony, Belfield Furnishings, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of upholstered furniture and home furnishings, was admitted as a corporate member, with CEO Gary Lasham one of the designated corporate liverymen.
New corporate liverymen for existing corporate members Axminster Tools & Machinery and flooring group Headlam were also welcomed.
Master Dids Macdonald OBE said: “I am delighted to welcome our new liverymen, corporate liverymen and The Belfield Group as corporate member of The Furniture Makers’ Company. The Belfield Group’s support and enthusiasm will enable us to broaden our welfare message to the furniture and furnishings industry. It is fantastic that a group, which includes the iconic Westbridge and Tetrad brands, have joined.”
Fara is the sales and marketing director at Shire Beds. She is also the chairman of the Yorkshire Region that runs the Yorkshire Curry Night which and has been a great supporter of the charity.
Before retiring, Gary Rose was the sales director for Rapid Office Systems. Gary served on the membership committee until 2019. Gary has recently spent time supporting his wife Gina’s brain tumour charity.
Claire is the strategic business development director at OCEE International. Claire joined OCEE in April 2017 as a product specialist having previously worked for Boss Design and ERA. She is also deputy chairman of our Membership and Events Committee.
Gary Lasham, Belfield Furnishings
Gary is a qualified engineer and has spent all his career in British manufacturing, initially in operations roles, then sales, and for the last 20 years senior director and MD roles. He has several successful management buyouts under his belt and before joining Belfield was head of European business development for a FTSE 100 Group. He joined Belfield in 2018 as group commercial director and was appointed CEO in January 2019.
Charlie Cross, Axminster Tools & Machinery
Charlie Cross is the chief sales manager for Axminster Tools and Machinery. Charlie joined Axminster in 2006 as an apprentice and has worked his way up through the sales team. He was appointed to his current position in January 2020.
Darryl Price, Headlam
Darryl was appointed commercial director in September 2016, assuming operational responsibility for most Headlam’s UK businesses. Darryl joined the company in February 1994 as sales office manager at Thatcham before progressing to operations director. From 2003 to 2015, he was the commercial director responsible for the businesses in Coleshill. He was appointed to the senior management team in November 2015 taking operational responsibility for an increased number of the UK businesses. Darryl has 25 years’ experience in the floorcoverings industry.
Adrian Harris, Headlam
Adrian was appointed UK operations director in March 2019. Adrian was previously chief operating officer at Yodel, one of the UK’s largest delivery companies, serving many of the UK’s leading retailers. Prior to that, Adrian held roles in the areas of logistics, ecommerce, fulfilment and supply chain management at Marks & Spencer, Amazon, Tesco and Home Retail Group. He initially spent 10 years in the Royal Logistic Corps of the British Army, latterly as a major.


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Mary Jane Denzer, the women’s luxury boutique in White Plains, N.Y., will continue in business without its namesake founder, who died Dec. 16 of pancreatic cancer.
The retailer has named Anastasia Cucinella, Denzer’s longtime store manager, as chief operating officer. Cucinella plans to bring in a broader range of styles and price points to the 5,000-square-foot store, which is based at Renaissance Square, adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton in White Plains, N.Y. She will run day-to-day operations.
Mary Jane Denzer’s family will have an active role in the company, and her daughter, Holly Alexander, who worked in the store for many years with her mother, will help manage operations.
At the time of Denzer’s death, Alexander said the family was looking for a buyer. She told WWD on Friday, “We’re not actively looking to sell it. We’re very invested in moving forward.” She said the store, which has been in business for 35 years in White Plains, finances itself. “We’re excited about the decision and totally supportive of Anastasia and the reputation she has built,” she said.
“Anastasia has a great vision for growing the Mary Jane Denzer brand by adding more accessible styles and designers,” Alexander added. Since taking the reins earlier this year, Cucinella has staged several trunk shows with such designers as Ohne Titel, Agostino Couture and Neil Bieff, with plans for more trunk shows throughout the spring and summer.
Cucinella, who attended the fashion shows in Milan, Paris and New York and trained with Denzer for over 13 years, said, “Having worked on the floor with our customers for many years, I understand their current and future needs for both the extraordinary dress and the everyday fashion statement that is more accessible but equally important.”
Among the designers the store is carrying for spring are Fabiana Filippi, Blumarine, Preen, Mantu, Erdem, Giambattista Valli, Oscar de la Renta, Jenny Packham, J. Mendel, Elie Saab and Monique Lhuillier.