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Last Friday, we had The Walking Dead Season 7 trailer dropped on us as hard as Lucille was onto one of our dear cast member’s head. (Sorry, too soon?) I have read all of the comics, and must watch each episode as it airs. You can say I am sort of obsessed. So I thought it would be enjoyable to analyze the trailer, throw out some theories and see what you all think will happen. If you are a fan of ...[Read More]
Pine Studio and Headup Games are both proud to announce that their newest title SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell is now out on Steam! Before we get too indepth with details, what is this? Imagine if Doom/Quake 3, Portal, and Super Meat Boy had a love child. That is essentially what this game is.
While the device was set to release at the end of July, the Pokemon Go Plus accessory will now be shooting for September. As unfortunate as this is for wannabe Pokemon Masters, this move is likely an attempt to meet demand and ensure the product holds up to Nintendo’s standards. Nintendo themselves broke the unfortunate news this morning on their Twitter account.
Every month, Xbox adds new titles for Games with Gold members, allowing them to download the games for free for a limited time. For August 2016, the four titles are as follows: For Xbox One: Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate (normally $59.99 USD) WWE 2K16 (normally $39.99 USD) Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate will be available from August 1-31, and features an epic time-travel battle between the heroes of man...[Read More]
Take a seat Pokefans and rest those legs from your treks across the wilderness hunting for the wonderful creatures known as Pokemon in Pokemon Go. Earlier this week, we got a few new Pokemon announced for Pokemon Sun and Moon. While some are drawing criticism, some are smash hits. I personally like them all, but we will get to that criticism later.
Earlier this week, a teaser for the next two new Injustice 2 characters to be announced was released stating that two new characters would be revealed during San Diego Comic Con. Today we learned that Wonder Woman and Blue Beetle will join the Injustice 2 roster.
It has almost been a year since Rock Band 4 came out, and in that time there have been ups and downs. Good DLC with “bad DLC,” alright sales, splitting from MadCatz, but getting PDP Gaming on board. It’s been a busy year for Harmonix, including monthly updates. However, that was in the past. Now we look forward towards Rock Band Rivals: the first expansion pack for the title.
Man, Pokemon Go sure is popular. In fact, I lose contact to many of friends at random, only to find them wandering the streets in search of Dragonite or Charizard. I’ll admit I’ve ignored house work to galumph through the streets to stock up on items and challenge gyms. The game is a phenomenon that has consumed not only the world, but my community as well. It’s gotten to the poi...[Read More]
Over the last two weeks, the world has been enamored with Pokemon Go with trainers young and old going out and about to search for their favorite Pokemon. With the launch of any game comes a variety glitches but one glitch has made Pokemon Go rather difficult; the glitch that is being referred to is the Pokemon detection system. Because of the glitch, the Pokemon Go community has banded together t...[Read More]
Retro gamers are rejoicing all over right now at the sheer possibility of what was recently found by youtuber MetalJesusRocks; he has found a unique N64 Disk Drive. The Nintendo Disk Drive was a planned expansion to the N64, basically pushing the boundaries of what the N64 could do to compete with the power of the Playstation. In the early 2000s, sites reported fervently on the next big thing, eve...[Read More]
Star Citizen is a game that looks to be a holy union between Call of Duty, Mass Effect, and even bits of No Man’s Sky. One with incredible expectations as it smashed its Kickstarter goal with over 2 million donated to the cause of development. That Kickstarter campaign was several years ago with the game just now getting into its earliest of alpha stages, with no definite release date in sig...[Read More]
It’s pretty clear that everyone is playing Pokémon Go. Well, not EVERYONE, but darn near. While it is mostly fun and games, the reports of robberies and trespassing put a bit of a dark cloud on it. Now we have a story that should put a chill in the heart of anything sneaking around on their significant other.


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Apple saw its shares tumble by a significant 3.3 percent on Friday, following a ruling by a federal judge that could have far-arching consequences for the tech giant and for the tech industry in general. The dip sent the Silicon Valley biggie’s market capitalization plummeting by a mind-boggling $85 billion. Interestingly, the size of the loss is said to be greater than all except 98 entries on the S&P 500 Index.
An Important Ruling
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers had ruled that Apple can no longer force developers into making use of its App Store payment gateway for their transactions.
In the decision, Rogers had said that Apple has been hiding “critical information” from its users and “stifling customer choice” by indulging in anti-steering activities. Moreover, the judge also holds Apple’s behaviour to be “anticompetitive,” especially when combined with the antitrust allegations against it.
The ruling could have serious and long-lasting implications on Apple’s total revenue, seeing as how it takes a commission cut of up to 30 percent on every transaction that is made by applications on its App Store. This fees alone contributes a major chunk to Apple’s income through its services business, which sees a profit margin of around 70 percent, and had brought in a revenue of a whopping $17.5 billion during the third quarter alone.
Not a Clear Win
The decision came forth as a product of the legal battle between the iPhone maker and Fortnite developer Epic Games, which had alleged the tech giant of enjoying a monopoly over the app store market. While the ruling may indeed help customers get their hands on a wider range of options, Epic Games doesn’t seem to happy about the decision.
This may especially be the case since Judge Rogers has declared that Apple is not necessarily indulging in antitrust behavior, something that Epic has been alleging the tech giant of, from the get-go.
Some Win, Some Lose
The loss seen by Apple also had a negative impact on the stocks of competitor Google Inc.’s parent company Alphabet, with the revenue through Google Play Store being in doubt. At the same time, Unity Software, Robolox, and Electronic Arts emerged as potential winners. The stocks of Apple and Google plummeted back to the key support levels, sending the stocks of Electronic Arts soaring to nearly a buy point.
Stocks did recover modestly on Monday, however, as the stock market attempted to make a comeback.

domain: news


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Apple Suppliers Preparing for Up to 75 Million iPhone Orders This Year: Report
Bloomberg reports Apple suppliers are ready to make parts for up to 75 million iPhones this year:
Apple Inc.’s suppliers are preparing to produce components for up to 75 million new iPhones in 2019’s second half, roughly the same number as a year earlier, according to people familiar with the matter.
Unnamed sources told Bloomberg three new iPhone models will debut in 2019, with Asian supply chain partners ready to produce enough parts for up to 80 million new iPhones, if necessary.
Foxconn has ramped up hiring efforts in Shenzhen, China, with incentives of 10% higher salaries compared to last year, to secure staff for the busy holiday production period, cites another unnamed person familiar with the matter.
Analysts such as Jeff Pu at GF Securities estimates Apple’s 2019 iPhones may hit 74 million shipments in the latter half of this year.
“Apple’s growth has become more cyclical and slowed along with the global smartphone market, leaving it dependent on iPhone upgrades to drive sales,” according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts John Butler and Boyoung Kim. “Apple’s inability to raise iPhone prices much higher is constraining growth. Weakness in China due to competition and the trade war with the U.S. remains an issue.”
This year’s 2019 iPhones are said to include three cameras on the back for successors to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, introducing a wide-angle lens for the first time. The iPhone XR successor will gain an extra lens, for a total of two lenses. All phones will get upgraded A13 processors. Design-wise, they are expected to look pretty much the same as 2018 iPhone models.
Apple will most likely again unveil their 2019 iPhone line up at a special event in September. Stay tuned as more leaks surface leading up to the event.


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The Reserve Bank of India, amidst the second wave of Corona, addressed the media after a sudden press conference. While giving relief to small traders, RBI has also taken a big decision for the general public. Taking a big decision, the RBI has now approved the video KYC for opening bank accounts.
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said that in view of the corona, some changes have been made in the KYC rules in the current situation. Under this, KYC has been approved through video. Das also said that relief has also been given in the Overdraft Facility for the states. On the issue of lockdown in the country, RBI said that lockdown and other COVID-induced restrictions have been imposed in many states to prevent the second wave of COVID-19 epidemic, which is expected to hurt the economy.
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EU’s High Court Strikes Down U.S. Privacy Shield Network: Now What?
“Trans-Atlantic commercial arrangement is worth 7.17 trillion dollars.”
—-Wilbur Ross, U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
Why did the European Court’s High Court dismantle a trillion-dollar economic arrangement between the European Union and the United States? In response, what can affected United States (US) companies do?
In 2013 due to the Edward Snowden revelations about the U.S mass surveillance activities, Max Schrems, NOYB, filed a privacy complaint with the Irish Data Protection Commissioner. He successfully argued U.S. companies were violating European Union (EU) data protection laws. In response, the U.S. Government and thousands of U.S companies entered into the self-certifying Privacy Shield Framework to continue data transfers from (EU) members and countries.
In July 2020, due to additional privacy complaints, this 2016 Safe Harbor agreement was struck down by the (EU’s) Court of Justice. Reasons: the 2018 enactment of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and continued U.S. national security surveillance requests and techniques. This Court reasoned these cross-border transfers were subject to surveillance requests and techniques that did not afford their citizens adequate safeguards and enforceable legal rights. For a more in-depth discussion of GDPR see our research blog post — GDPR and CCPA.
This ruling sends a message to the U.S Government to either change its surveillance methods and practices currently allowed under Section 702 of the FISA Act or force U.S. companies to change their current data practices or forfeit commerce. It is doubtful that the US will ever become as restrictive as the (EU) on regulation of personal privacy, even as states put in place more stringent rules.
Who is affected?
The Court’s ruling focuses on companies that transfer and use personal data types beyond the original narrow purpose for which it was collected under GDPR’s purpose limitation principle. This suggests two things:
- Daily Trans-Atlantic transactions, such as, online retailing are not part of this ruling
- Companies that use business communications, emails, financial data and even social media posts internally beyond original purpose are affected by this ruling.
What can affected companies do now?
The Computer and Communications Industry Association, which represents many of the Big Tech companies affected, stated, “this court decision creates legal uncertainty for thousands of large and small companies that rely upon Privacy Shield for their daily commercial data transfers.”
The failure of Privacy Shield’s Safe Harbor does not mean data transfers have to stop. What it does mean is that (EU) regulators are likely to demand more oversight.
Options exist to both alleviate uncertainty and comply with EU rules.
To continue to facilitate cross-border transfers, re-negotiate Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) between data controllers to demonstrate compliance with GDPR’s Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs). Article 47 of GDPR allows international companies to transfer personal data beyond the borders of the European Economic Area (EEA). The procedures for obtaining approval for such transfers are set forth in Article 63 of the GDPR. For more on BCR under GDPR, see BCRs and Data Protection Procedures.
SCC and BCR Frameworks can be expensive for small and medium-sized companies to establish and monitor and B2B data transfers are prohibited. In response, some companies may start with temporary or stopgap measures, such as, transferring data to other nations, switching to front end processors or servers physically located within the (EU). More permanent measures may include implementing data management procedures to more narrowly use personal data, by deploying E2EE (end-to-encryption) schemes or randomly switching servers to better obscure data’s path to improve anonymity.
Finally, companies should simultaneously lobby representatives of the U.S Government for changes to narrow the scope of Section 702 of the 2008 FISA Amendments for “upstreaming of data collected.” Admittedly this is a longer-term effort hampered by political and security hurdles. Particularly, due to the complexity contained in various legislative enactments, such as Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA), Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA Patriot Act) and Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ending Eavesdropping, Dragnet-collection and Online Monitoring (USA Freedom Act).
U.S. State Department Press Release: https://www.state.gov/european-court-of-justice-invalidates-eu-u-s-privacy-shield/
What Do You Think?
I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I have no vested interest in any of the products, firms or institutions mentioned in this post. Nor does the Analyst Syndicate. This is not a sponsored post.


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Crypto platform, Pillow that allows consumers to invest in Bitcoin, stablecoins, and other cryptocurrencies has disclosed that the company will be exiting Nigeria.
In a message shared to users and customers, the company added that regulatory uncertainty is the reason they’re shutting down operations in Nigeria.
“We regret to inform you that Pillow I shutting down operations in Nigeria,” the statement read.
“Our foray in Nigeria was met with exceptional interest from our partners and users alike, but due to growing regulatory uncertainty, it has become difficult to continue operations while ensuring experience for our Nigerian users,” Pillow added.
However, Nigeria isn’t the only country the crypto platform is exiting from, the Singapore-headquartered company plans to discontinue all its services all over the world in the coming weeks.
It issued a warning to customers on Friday requested that users withdraw all of their monies from the Pillow app on Friday in a Telegram post, noting that all of its present services would end on July 31, 2023.
The action comes after Flint, the main rival of Pillow, shut down its services last month citing “regulatory hurdles” and “negative market sentiment.”


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The daily Davis Index for Turkish imports of US-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) climbed by $0.21/mt to $293.10/mt cfr on Wednesday after a new sale from Europe was reported.
An Izmir-based mill purchased HMS 1&2 (75:25) at $289/mt cfr, shredded scrap at $296/mt cfr, and bonus material at $303/mt cfr from a German supplier on Oct 27.
Turkish mills have almost covered their needs for November shipment as, according to some market participants, several more bookings were made in the Turkish scrap market recently, though their details are not available yet.
Negotiations also slowed down in Turkey on Wednesday ahead of the Republic Day holiday on Oct 29.
The Turkish rebar market was unchanged ahead of the holiday. The daily domestic spot rebar prices were flat at TRY4,330-4,420/mt ex-works, including 18pc VAT, on Wednesday, while the daily exported rebar prices continued to vary in the range of $450-455/mt fob.
($1 = TRY8.28)


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The team from Specsavers in Bodmin are celebrating after being awarded for excellence in people development at the company’s 2016 awards evening.
The store on Fore Street beat hundreds of other Specsavers stores to the title at the company’s Awards for Excellence following its achievements in company assessments and customer satisfaction surveys.
Store director, Carl Grobler, said: ‘This is fantastic – the best thing ever! It’s our team who have made it possible, though.’
Judge Gill Palfrey-Hill, Director of People Development and Talent, explained why the store was selected: ‘Bodmin impressed the judges with their relentless drive to develop their people in line with the growth ambition of their store and their town.
Louise Dark, qualified dispensing optician created a robust and comprehensive system that ensures everyone in store has a five-year goal-plan that can be self-led, yet aspirational. This plan was implemented by in-store trainer Lauren Icke who also leads a creative and aspirational training programme in store.
The store partner, Jo McLean, lives and breathes people development and is constantly looking for new ways to support her staff to achieve their professional and personal ambitions.
They were one of the first stores in the Specsavers group to embrace the Specsavers Optical Retail apprenticeship and continue to use this as a way of bringing new talent into the business. When we visited this store, we were struck by the way that every single member of the team understands their role, their future role and how they can support each other to grow.’
The awards ceremony
The awards were hosted in Birmingham and celebrated those stores across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland that demonstrated a stand out performance in various areas of the business in 2016.


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Today’s consumers are more educated and interested in where their food comes from, making food safety, traceability and safe environmental growing practices more of a concern. In Nogales, Arizona, farmer-owned Trufresh, formed out of two of the most established growers in the Sonora region, is answering these questions by delivering high-quality fresh produce backed by sustainable production, stringent food safety protocols, traceability and leading post-harvest technology.
Rafel Roiz, president of Trufresh, runs the business with close-to-home, direct grower connections and deep-rooted relationships. “Four years ago a couple of the largest growers in Sonora, Mexico, called me and asked if I wanted to open my own distribution company to sell their products,” he recounts. “Both growers have 20 years in the industry and they wanted to join forces with me.”
With this strong partnership, Trufresh began and Roiz formulated a five-year plan to steadily assume all distribution of the two large-scale growers’ products. “The plan was to steadily take over the volume because it was too much to take on immediately,” he says. “The first year, Trufresh distributed 1 million packages; the third year we did 3 million, 6 million the fourth year and so on.”
With 2016 quickly approaching, Roiz says Trufresh is in good standing to complete this five-year plan and assume the full volume of produce generated from grower-partners in Sonora. Since inception, Roiz’s goal has been to foster strong ties between growers and retailers.
Shipping out of Nogales, Trufresh serves retailers across the United States and Canada. “With our sales based in the U.S., we have been able to make close connections,” says Roiz. “The importance of food safety is huge today – stores want to know where the product is coming from. Since we offer more control in terms of food safety, we are more appealing to retailers.”
When Roiz goes to meet with major retailers such as Kroger and Safeway, he often invites growers to join him. “Sometimes I even bring the growers to meet retail customers,” he says. “This face-to-face meeting helps build these important connections.”
As a vertically integrated grower-packer-shipper, Trufresh offers some 28 different vegetable commodities: green, red, orange, yellow and mini bell peppers; different varieties of cucumbers and summer squash; grape, cherry and Roma tomatoes; cantaloupe, honeydew melon, seedless, seeded and mini watermelons and more.
Currently, about 70 percent of Trufresh products are grown in field-house production style and 30 percent are open-field grown. “We’re currently looking at alternate regions such as Baja and Chihuahua to grow open-field hot peppers when it is too hot in the summer in Sonora,” notes Roiz.
Trufresh excels in its open-field hot pepper program, marketing and distributing jalapenos, serrano, Caribe, Anaheim, red Fresno, pasilla, habanero and tomatillo hot peppers. “We have the largest hot pepper program that is Global Food Safety certified,” says Roiz.
“For years, retail stores have turned to the L.A. market to purchase hot peppers, but there’s a lot of brokering and not a lot of transparency – they have no idea where the product comes from and this is an issue,” explains Roiz.
Trufresh has gone above and beyond in terms in building see-through business and trust with its customers. The company hires various third-party consultants to audit its facilities and practices and Trufresh farms have independent social responsibility certifications, as well as Fair Trade Certification, all highly regarded in the industry.
Trufresh remains committed to consistency in delivering the highest quality, wholesome produce –grown, harvested and packed under its direct supervision. “We’re consolidating operations in Sonora, but at the same time we’re looking for different growing regions because we don’t want to have all our eggs in one basket and we want to promote a year-round supply,” says Roiz.
With more than 28 varieties of fresh, traceable produce and counting, Trufresh is making its mark as the go-to for grower-retailer relations and strict food safety standards.


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Paul Allen’s Rothko Sells for $56.2 Million at PhillipsKatya Kazakina
A Mark Rothko painting owned by Microsoft Corp. co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen helped boutique auctioneer Phillips sell $132 million worth of art, capping two weeks of marathon sales in New York.
Estimated at $50 million to $60 million, “Untitled (Red, Blue, Orange)” attracted bids yesterday from four staffers competing on behalf of clients. August Uribe, senior director and worldwide co-head of contemporary art at Phillips, placed the winning bid of $50 million, or $56.2 million with fees.
The 1955 painting accounted for 43 percent of the evening’s tally, which fell within the estimated range. Of the 46 offered lots, nine failed to sell. The auction drew a younger crowd -- bearded men in tailored suits and truckers hats -- than Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Leonardo DiCaprio watched the sale from a crowded skybox in the Park Avenue salesroom, where plenty of Philippe Starck-designed transparent chairs remained empty.
“The bidding was much more vigorous than it’s been in a while,” Michael McGinnis, chief executive officer of Phillips, said after the sale, listing participants from Asia, South and Central America, Europe and the U.S. “It means it’s a really deep market.”
Phillips, owned by Russian luxury retailer Mercury Group, was the last in a string of six evening auctions of Impressionist, modern, postwar and contemporary art that tallied $1.9 billion this month. Last May, both evening and day sales in these categories at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips totaled $1.5 billion. Phillips’ day auction takes place today.
Rothko’s seller was Allen, according to two people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be named because the information is confidential. Ashley Wilson of Vulcan Inc., which manages Allen’s personal investments, declined to comment on his behalf.
The consigner bought the work in November 2007, during the art market bubble, when it fetched $34.2 million at Christie’s, according to the Phillips catalog. He was guaranteed an undisclosed minimum price regardless of the sale’s outcome.
To promote the painting, Phillips published a separate catalog dedicated to the work, including essays and archival photographs.
On May 13, Christie’s sold Rothko’s 8.5-foot-tall 1952 canvas layered with purple and orange for $66.2 million. It went to Xin Li, Christie’s deputy chairman in Asia, on behalf of a telephone client.
Four pieces by emerging artists made between 2011 and 2013 were flipped by their owners to capitalize on rising prices.
The Phillips auction began with Alex Israel’s arched 2013 canvas, “Untitled (Flat)” that fetched $581,000, above the high estimate of $300,000. Painted apricot-red and sky-blue at the Warner Bros studio in Burbank, California, it drew multiple bids on the phones and in the room. On May 12, Israel’s first artwork at auction soared to $1 million at Christie’s.
Four lots later, a 2011 trompe l’oeil canvas by Tauba Auerbach reached $1.8 million, surpassing the high estimate of $1.2 million. The winner was art dealer Andrew Fabricant, director of Richard Gray Gallery in New York. The price set a record for Auerbach, one of three records of the evening.
Market darling Oscar Murillo’s 2012 canvas marked with scribbles and a word “Pollo” was chased by several hopefuls including art adviser Kim Heirston. It sold for $389,000, more than twice the high presale estimate of $150,000.
At least six bidders competed for Dana Schutz’s sultry 2004 canvas “Reformers,” which sold for $605,000, twice the high estimate and an auction record for the more established artist.
Daniella Luxembourg, co-owner of New York and London-based Luxembourg & Dayan Gallery, won Wade Guyton’s 2006 untitled canvas marked with his signature X’s for $2.2 million, above the high estimate.
Works by blue-chip names mostly stayed within their estimated ranges. “Zenith,” a 10-foot-tall by 22-foot-wide canvas painted in 1985 by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, sold for $11.4 million, a record price for a collaborative work between the two artists. Film producer Stavros Merjos won Warhol’s “Flowers” for $10.2 million
Several bidders chased after a Jean Dubuffet’s primitivist 1981 canvas. At one point, intense, loud knocking came from the skybox, where DiCaprio was with Christie’s specialist Loic Gouzer and art dealer Hillel Helly Nahmad, who was sentenced earlier this month to a year and a day in prison for his role in a high-stakes gambling ring -- an unorthodox bidding method. Auctioneer Alexander Gilkes announced that “the skybox” won the work for $605,000.
The evening sale was the highest tally for Phillips since November 2010.
“Phillips usually has a hard time getting material,” Tony Shafrazi, a New York art dealer, said after the sale. “But all in all they did surprisingly well.”


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HMD Global launched the Nokia 7 in October only in China where it became a massive hit reaching around 1,50,000 pre-registrations before the sale. While the rest of the world is still waiting for its global launch, the company is gearing up for the launch of its bigger variant- the Nokia 7 Plus. The smartphone last made its appearance in the Nokia’s unreleased camera app, and now it has been spotted on the benchmarking website GeekBench revealing its specs. This the first time the device has made an appearance in public. Previously except the name, everything else was just speculations.
According to the GeekBench listing, the Nokia 7 Plus will be sporting a 5.2-inch FHD (1920x 1080 pixels) IPS display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass on top. Under the hood, the device will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset coupled with 4 GB of RAM. Now the Nokia 7 was powered by Snapdragon 630 chipset and was available in both 4 and 6 GB of RAM. It’s still not confirmed whether the Nokia 7 Plus will also be available in 6 GB variant. The smartphone will also be shipped with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.
In the website, the device scored 1636 in the single-core test and 5902 in the multi-core test. Other than this other information about the smartphone is not available at the moment. As for the pricing the device is expected to be priced around CNY 2,499 (Rs 24,500 approx). Given that Nokia 7 is yet to release in foreign markets, the Nokia 7 will not likely appear in the next month MWC (Mobile World Congress) event. But it may be formally announced in the event since last week Juho Sarvikas, CEO of HMD Global tweeted that the company will be launching “awesome” products in the event.


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Vice President Pence to Address Industry at AIMExpo?
There’s been some chatter recently that Vice President Mike Pence may be visiting and delivering the keynote address at this year’s AIMExpo presented by Nationwide. We’ve been working hard to make this happen and have been given an initial positive response. We’re looking forward to him joining us, addressing attendees, and shining a light on the motorcycle and greater powersports industry.
But how did it all happen? Larry Little, Vice President and General Manager of MIC Events shares the latest…
It started with a call from Bob Althoff, dealer principal at A.D. Farrow Harley-Davidson in Columbus, and a local partner of AIMExpo in our first visit to the region. In addition to his three retail locations, Bob also recently relaunched Dealernews, an industry trade publication with a long history of dealer advocacy. You might say that Bob is a dealer’s dealer, caring greatly for the issues impacting retailers, and looking to be part of the solution. This attitude and an unbridled enthusiasm for his hometown turning into Powersports USA for the motorcycle and greater powersports industry during AIMExpo’s four days in September has been rather infectious on a number of different levels. So, in many ways, his call back in February was no surprise.
“Hey Larry, let’s invite the Vice President to deliver the keynote address at AIMExpo,” Bob said casually – as if we were inviting the neighbors over for a barbecue. “Dealer attendees at the show should have the opportunity to hear from a leader who understands the challenges they face as small businesses and who can deliver a meaningful message they can then apply at home, and Mike Pence is that leader!” Ah, sure, why not?? That infectious seed planted, we were off to the races.
It helps that VP Pence is an avid motorcyclist who recently has been seen astride his Harley-Davidson. Heck, he even just named his new dog ‘Harley’. And it was national news when Harley-Davidson’s executive team had been invited to the White House in January, with the Vice President more publicly associated as being a rider.
So, putting on his Dealernews hat representing America’s powersports dealers, Bob penned a compelling letter explaining the impact Mr. Pence could have by addressing the nation’s retailers at the industry’s big trade show, and sent it off to the office of the Vice President.
While it might have seemed like a big ask, we were confident with the new administration’s focus on jobs, the $40 Billion powersports market’s impact on the economy, and the nearly 10,000 powersports retailers that are part of local communities nationwide, it would all be a persuasive argument for attending. There was also that little heartstring we could tug on as fellow motorcyclists! About a month after sending the letter off, Bob heard from the VP’s schedulers, who told him that it was being considered, which was a very positive response compared to a ‘No’.
Equally importantly, it turned out U.S. Congressman Jim Renacci from Ohio, also a rider, is a friend of both Bob’s and Mr. Pence and was aware of Bob’s inquiry to the Vice President to come visit AIMExpo while it was in his home state. The Congressman is also a friend of our industry, recently asking the U.S. Trade Representative during testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee if he would remove the proposed 100% tariff on small displacement motorcycles and scooters that somehow ended up in a beef hormone dispute with the EU. While that issue is still to be worked out, in a different venue he got a chance to ask another key question for the industry.
During a meeting Mr. Renacci was in with the Vice President, he inquired of Mr. Pence if he was going to be able to attend AIMExpo. The Vice President’s response was to turn to his staff and tell them to ‘make it happen’. Soon after, Bob heard from the Congressman and called us to share the exciting news. Big stuff, this could actually happen!
There will be plenty of details to work out, but as of this moment, we have a great opportunity to welcome our nation’s number one motorcyclist to America’s great powersports expo. And while we’re aware that his plans could change, we’re looking forward to the Vice President addressing the industry this September in Columbus. Our thanks to Bob Althoff, a great friend to dealers and to industry. Keep your fingers crossed!


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The classic was originally purchased in New York and was owned by a Porsche Club of America member, who drove it to 47 out of the 56 Porsche Parades in the US in his 54 years of ownership. Over time, the sportscar amassed 527k miles on its odometer, which resulted in it seeing numerous engine updates — with the 356A currently running a 1.6L flat-four from another 1958 Speedster.
It was ordered from the factory in black over red leather, and comes with a host of special-order finishes such as coupe seats, Rudge wheels — although now sporting a pair of McAfee alloys from the ’70s — and the deletion of a hood handle, side spears, and the car’s quintessential Speedster script on its rear.
The Porsche 356A comes with its numbers-matching transaxle, a copy of the original 1958 title, a number of personalized license plates, a collection of tools and parts, a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and much more. Take a closer look at the classic in the gallery above, and for those interested, check out its listing — currently at $200,000 USD and rising — on Bring a Trailer.
In other automotive news, a rare 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS is also up for auction.


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– Printed on 100 lb heavy cover stock
– All prints are hand signed
DC Collectibles has created the ultimate Harley Quinn collectible: a full-sized, 1:1 scale statue of the Clown Princess of Crime herself. Harley is decked out in her iconic red, black and white costume as originally designed by animation legend Bruce Timm and sculpted by Jonathan Mattews.
The Harley Quinn 1:1 statue is a limited quantity showpiece that is a must-have for any Harley fan, Batman collector or your own comics shop. Don’t miss your chance to snag everyone’s favorite harlequin for your collection!
Measuring approximately 5’7″ tall, the fiberglass and resin statue retails for $5,200 and will ship in 5 crates with some assembly required. Expect it in specialty and comic book stores in December 2019.
In celebration of the in-home release of “Avengers: Endgame,” Marvel Studios and directors Anthony and Joe Russo have teamed up to launch the “We Love You 3000” Tour as a way to thank the fans who have invested so deeply in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), making it the single most successful franchise in film history.
Special guests from Marvel Studios and the MCU will visit nine U.S. cities — beginning in San Diego at Comic-Con International on July 20 and ending in Anaheim at D23 Expo 2019 the weekend of Aug. 23-25— greeting and treating fans at each tour stop. A total of 3,000 MCU Funko Pop Vinyl Figures will be distributed to fans throughout the tour as well as additional giveaways ranging from exclusive “Avengers: Endgame” prints to McDonald’s vouchers for a free Happy Meal plus an Avengers: Endgame Happy Meal toy to a MCU inspired sundaes and recipe cards courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s.
Best Buy will serve as the location for five “We Love You 3000” Tour stops, hosting in-store fan events to celebrate the nationwide release of Marvel Studios “Avengers: Endgame” on Blu-ray Aug. 13. Events will feature signings with Marvel Studios filmmakers and/or MCU talent; a special digital photo booth; specialty promotional giveaways, including MCU Funko Pop! Vinyl Figures and exclusive “Avengers: Endgame” prints; and much more. Fans can also get their hands on the exclusive, limited edition “Avengers: Endgame” SteelBook and other collectable SteelBooks from the MCU at Best Buy stores across the country and on BestBuy.com.
Fan Events/Tour Stops:
July 20 San Diego, CA, – Comic-Con International – Directors Anthony & Joe Russo, Writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and a special guest from the MCU
July 30 Everett, WA – Funko HQ – to be announced
Aug. 8 San Francisco, CA – Giants vs. Phillies at Oracle Park – Directors Anthony & Joe Russo at the San Francisco Giants’ Marvel Night
Aug. 13 Miami, FL – Best Buy store – to be announced
Aug. 13 Chicago, IL – Best Buy store – Directors Anthony & Joe Russo
Aug. 13 Torrance, CA, – Best Buy store – to be announced
Aug. 14 Minneapolis, MN, – Best Buy store – Directors Anthony & Joe Russo
Aug. 20 Cleveland, OH, – Best Buy store – Directors Anthony & Joe Russo
Aug. 23-25 Anaheim, CA, – D23 Expo 2019- to be announced
For more information on what’s taking place in each market, visit www.Marvel.com/WeLoveYou3000.
On March 21, 1970, a group of teenage comic and movie enthusiasts under the nominal adult supervision of a superfan named Shel Dorf mounted a one-day comic “minicon” at the US Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego, similar to a convention that Dorf had staged in Detroit. The event was successful enough that they decided to do a bigger version over the summer. Over 300 fans turned up to buy, sell, talk, live and breathe all things comics, sci-fi and fantasy with special guests Ray Bradbury, Jack Kirby and A.E. Van Vogt. They called it the San Diego Golden State Comic-Con, eventually settling on the pithier moniker “San Diego Comic-Con” by 1973.
As you may have heard, San Diego Comic-Con is still around. The 50th edition of the show kicks off this week, bringing hundreds of thousands of fans to San Diego for an annual festival that has become a centerpiece of the 21st century media/entertainment industry and global popular culture.
Comic-Con has always been a big deal for the comics and publishing industry, but it really rose to global prominence in the early 2000s, coinciding with the first wave of big superhero-driven blockbusters and the expansion of the San Diego Convention Center, which enabled the show’s attendance to balloon from 45,000 in the late 90s to well over 135,000 unique attendees that it draws today. The success of SDCC paved the way for other huge fan events around the world, creating an industry that now contributes billions of dollars in economic impact to host cities.
Through it all, San Diego Comic-Con has persevered, pursuing its mission to promote comics and the popular arts despite the thick fog of entertainment industry marketing hype that now blankets downtown San Diego for the week. Though the days of exponential growth are behind it, at least until San Diego decides to expand its facility further, SDCC remains a magnet for media attention, marketing dollars, exclusive merchandise, and fan frenzy. It’s also put long-simmering speculation of an imminent move to another locale on hold with the announcement of a new deal to stay in San Diego through 2024.
Read more of the Forbes article HERE.
Just as George Lucas’s original Star Wars film was first introduced through a panel at San Diego Comic-Con back in 1976, this year fans can get their first glimpse at the future of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during the convention’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Currently under construction in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park, the museum collection will focus on art that tells stories — including everything from ancient Greek pottery to illustrations created for magazines, comic art, and the art of filmmaking (like storyboards, costumes, props, and visual effects from Star Wars and beyond). “The Comic-Con audience has shown incredible dedication not only to George Lucas and his films, but to narrative art more broadly,” the Lucas Museum team recently shared. “We will have much to offer for everyone at the Lucas Museum and we are excited that the Comic-Con audience will be among the first to hear about our museum and collection.”
During the event next week, attendees can join members of the Lucas Museum’s founding curatorial team — Erin M. Curtis, Anastasia James, and founding curatorial team member of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Ryan Linkof — for Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Behind the Scenes.
The panel will offer an exciting early glimpse at the collection, carefully assembled to inspire current and future generations through the art of visual storytelling. “We will look at a wide array of works from ancient Roman mosaics to Norman Rockwell to Star Wars concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, and discuss how these diverse works and artists will come together in our galleries to offer fresh insight into narrative art and its significance throughout history,” the team says.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Behind the Scenes panel will take place Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 10 a.m. in Room 5AB during San Diego Comic-Con.
LEGO has revealed another exclusive minifigure they will be giving away at San Diego Comic Con 2019 with LEGO Stranger Things Barb. This minifigure will be available on July 19 through a randomized instant win drawing.
Today DC announced that acclaimed director, screenwriter and producer John Carpenter and Anthony Burch, writer of the hit video games Borderlands 2 and League of Legends, will make their DC Universe debut in a one-shot comic as part of the publisher’s “Year of the Villain” event in The Joker: Year of The Villain #1, on sale October 9.
Now a human-alien hybrid, Lex Luthor has made his appeal to the world, asking its citizens to embrace doom and give in once and for all to evil, humanity’s true nature. In exchange, he will grant them the tools to ascend to their ultimate selves. While some DC villains (and heroes) are willing to hear what “Apex Lex” has to offer, the Clown Prince of Crime isn’t going to wait around until Lex gets to him. This puts The Joker on a mission to get his swagger back in a world gone bad by out-badding everyone else, proving that the greatest evil is always the one that leaves them laughing.
“The Joker is the greatest villain in comics,” said Carpenter. “I’m proud to be reunited with Anthony on this project.”
While this one-shot is the first time that Carpenter and Burch will be writing a DC story, they’re no strangers to collaborating on comic books that tell big, over-the-top and bombastic tales, having previously co-written BOOM! Studios’ Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack miniseries.
”I’m excited beyond words to be writing for Gotham’s greatest villain,” said co-writer Burch. “I hope the Joker’s exploits make you laugh, shudder, and grow nauseous all at once.”
The Joker: Year of The Villain is a 40-page one-shot priced at $4.99 and debuts in comic book stores and online retailers on Wednesday, October 9.
What happens when Kevin Smith, Tim Burton and Nicolas Cage walk into a Hollywood Production office in the mid-90’s?
Well, eventually nothing, but not for lack of trying and one of the most off-beat superhero screenplays ever written!
Superman Lives is based loosely on the Death and Return of Superman storyline in which Brainiac employs the services of Doomsday to bring about the Man of Steel’s demise. Featuring the witty banter we’ve come to expect from Kevin Smith, this table read promises to be more entertaining than Man of Steel, Batman V. Superman and Justice League combined!
Cast and Crew
Adam Marcus – Director/Narrator
Gib Gerard – Superman/Clark Kent
Tracy Drolet – Lois Lane
Curtis Fortier – Jimmy Olsen
Scott Koblish – Brainiac
Bob Arce – L-Ron
Nigel Lawes – Lex Luthor
Sassan Safari – The Eradicator
Will Dixon – Batman, Jor-El, Perry White
Debra Sullivan – Cat Grant, Governor Caitlin Bree, Alien #1, Misty, Woman
Rafael Navarro – Host, Shuster, Council Voice, Delegate #1, Engineer, Police #1
Dan Wickline – Alien #2, V.O., Boy (Brodie — Governor’s son), Deadshot, General Darris, Chief (Fire Chief)
Chris Saunders – Music and Sound effects
Mike Wellman – banished to the Phantom Zone
Brought to you by the fine folks at Skeleton Crew Productions (Secret Santa) and Cattywampus Productions (12 Sided Die) and featuring a spectacular cast of actors and amazing sound design by Thirsty Crowes Chris Saunders. This event is free for everyone and the first 100 people will get an exclusive Superman Lives! poster by artist Ralph Miranda.
The Comic Bug Manhattan Beach is located at 1807 Manhattan Beach Blvd. in Manhattan Beach, California. Call 310-372-6704 for further information.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Lucasfilm will celebrate the history of stormtrooper design — and the future.
Fans attending the mega pop-culture event (July 18-21) will be treated to a new exhibit of trooper armor from across the Star Wars saga, including a first look at the next evolution in Imperial/First Order soldiers: the “Sith trooper” from the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It’s a modern and more menacing look befitting its namesake.
“It has some really unique aesthetics to it,” says Madlyn Burkert, Lucasfilm archivist, who is co-producing the exhibit. “And it has some subtle ties to previous stormtrooper designs, which I think fans will enjoy discovering.” There will be a selection of new “Early Release Edition” Sith trooper products debuting at SDCC, which you can see below.
A total of nine different costumes, all screen-used, will be on display at the Lucasfilm pavilion (booth #2913): Imperial stormtrooper, TIE pilot, death trooper, shoretrooper, biker scout, First Order stormtrooper, First Order TIE pilot, Captain Phasma, and Sith trooper. (StarWars.com got a sneak peek at some of these pieces, and is happy to share them here.) Burkert has ordered four new custom mannequins created specifically for stormtroopers. “Most mannequins are made for fashion,” she says with a laugh. “With our armor, we need a different pose.” Appropriately, the Lucasfilm pavilion will have a visual Death Star theme, and the stormtrooper exhibit promises even more surprises, including a photography and video component, the latter of which will feature Star Wars creators such as concept designer Doug Chiang.
While Lucasfilm’s previous costume exhibits have largely centered around film releases, this year the goal was to celebrate both The Rise of Skywalker and the Star Wars saga as a whole. The stormtrooper was a natural focal point to accomplish this. “The stormtrooper itself is one of the most iconic parts of Star Wars,” says Este Meza, Lucasfilm’s senior manager of events. “Seeing all of the pieces of armor together is very powerful.”
“We’re really excited to show this design history,” Burkert says. “It takes us from the beginnings of Star Wars and leads us right to the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.”
Sith Trooper Geeki Tiki SDCC exclusive
Sith Trooper Geeki Tikis – Early Release Edition ($20) and Sith Trooper Mini Muglet – Early Release Edition ($7)
Sith Trooper Fifth Sun Tee SDCC exclusive
Sith Trooper Tee (Red Helm Short Sleeve Crew Tee) – Early Release Edition ($28)
Sith Trooper Funko Pop! SDCC exclusive
Sith Trooper Pop! – Early Release Edition ($15)
Sith Trooper Black Series figure
The Black Series, Special Edition, Sith Trooper – Early Release Edition ($32)
Sith Trooper hat by BioWorld SDCC 2019 exclusive
Sith Trooper pin by BioWorld SDCC exclusive
Heroes & Villains by BioWorld
Sith Trooper Hat – Early Release Edition ($20) and Sith Trooper Pin – Early Release Edition ($30); Hat and Pin Combo ($50)
Hot Toys Sith Trooper SDCC 2019 exclusive
Sith Trooper 1/6 Scale Figure – Early Release Edition ($230)
Sith Trooper Loungefly backpack SDCC 2019 exclusive
Sith Trooper Unisex Backpack – Early Release Edition ($70; $75 with Sith Trooper Funko Pop!)
Rubi’s Sith Trooper kids costume SDCC 2019 exclusive
Sith Trooper costume sets and masks for kids and adults, perfect for fans of all ages – Early Release Edition ($6-$75)
Trends International Sith Trooper bookmark SDCC 2019 exclusive
Sith Trooper Premier Bookmark Giveaway
Sith Trooper Bust


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In light of the current obesity epidemic, ample effort has been put into trying to help consumers make healthier eating choices. Commonly proposed strategies have been better food labeling and improved nutritional knowledge. However, according to a new study published in the Journal of Marketing Research, enhancing people’s ability to recognize their true emotions may be a far more powerful tool.
“We not only demonstrate that emotional ability is trainable and that food choices can be enhanced, but also that emotional ability training improves food choices beyond a nutrition knowledge training program, “ states one of the researchers, Blair Kidwell from Ohio State University.
The study consisted of a training period where the participants were taught to recognize basic emotions in themselves and others, followed by being exposed to different types of food and packaging where they were asked to pay attention to what they, and the other subjects were experiencing.
When later given the opportunity to choose a snack of either a healthy item or a chocolate bar, the subjects in the training condition were far more likely to choose the healthy snack, than those in the control condition. Furthermore, the participants who received the emotional training had on average lost weight when weighed three months later, whereas the control subjects actually seemed to have gained weight.
The researchers state how consumers are often mindless, and further encourage consumer educational programs to put more weight on emotional awareness, instead of the usual focus of improving nutritional labels.
“With a better understanding of how they feel and how to use emotions to make better decisions, people will not only eat better, they will also likely be happier and healthier because they relate better to others and are more concerned with their overall well-being.”
Read more about the study here!


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IT & Telecom
June 24, 2014
As well as not wanting to sell on the grounds they were just starting out, Stone says another reason was that he just didn’t click with Zuckerberg.
June 23, 2014
HP today announced that it is working with Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, for the supply and support of their innovative enterprise IT infrastructure, with a special focus on security and performance.
In an unprecedented step in the North Africa,East Mediterranean andPakistan (NEPA) region, Microsoft Jordan launched a Windows 8.1 corner at SmartBuy in Cozmo.
June 22, 2014
LG Electronics recently launched a campaign geared toward football enthusiasts, offering them the opportunity to fully experience the 2014 football season by winning sports channel subscription packages.
June 19, 2014
In line with its efforts to increase its network reach, du launched its second and newest Signature Shop recently, in Mirdiff City Centre.
June 18, 2014
axiom has become the first mobile phone retailer in the Middle East to offer an innovative credit card on delivery payment option.
SAMENA Telecommunications Council is set to present The Telecom Leaders’ Summit 2014 on Thursday, June 19th at Armani Hotel Dubai.
June 17, 2014
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd announced the Galaxy Tab S, Samsung’s thinnest and lightest tablet to date.
June 16, 2014
The Galaxy Tab S is made for entertainment and comes packed with a variety of content including: Samsung’s magazine service, “Papergarden”, Galaxy Gifts, “Marvel Unlimited” app and Kindle.
Nawras has signed a supplier agreement with MG-Group, a leading international IT solutions provider, to bring the latest handsets and devices to customers in Oman.
Ooredoo’s companies have launched a series of initiatives that deliver live action from the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil straight to mobile customers across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Huawei was honored with the prestigious ‘ICT Vendor of the Year’ accolade at the Channel Middle East KSA awards ceremony held at Al Faisaliah, Riyadh.
June 12, 2014
In the latest development of its emerging consumer brand, Huawei unveiled the highly anticipated Ascend P7 at a Gala event in Dubai.
Etisalat, rated Aa3 stable (Moody’s), AA- Stable (S&P) and A+ stable (Fitch), successfully issued the inaugural bond under its recently established USD 7 billion Global Medium Term Note (GMTN) Programm.
ASUS Middle East today announced the USB-AC56 AC1200 Wi-Fi Adapter with dual-band 802.11ac for high-performance wireless networking with next-generation wireless routers.


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He earlier founded Kashmi, a P2P payments and digital banking platform with operations in Sri Lanka and Singapore
In his role, Fernando will oversee the business strategy and operations of the Daraz in the island country.
“The team has accomplished a lot since Daraz launched in this market, with much of its growth in no small part due to the acquisition by Alibaba last year; within the last 12 months, Daraz has accelerated to the number one position in domestic e-commerce in Sri Lanka. My hope is to maintain this great trajectory, making e-commerce more accessible to all Sri Lankans,” said Fernando.
A veteran of the startup ecosystem in Southeast Asia, Fernando was previously Director of Innovation for MetLife;s innovation in Asia, called LumenLab. Before that, he spent many years in the Singapore startup ecosystem, where his last role was founder and CEO of Kashmi, a peer to peer payments and digital first banking platform. Through his career, Fernando has also worked at Credit Suisse, Coutts & Co Bank, Batey Advertising in various roles.
Daraz is a leading online marketplace with operations in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and provides 10 million products in more than 100-plus categories. The company has built its own logistics company specifically designed for e-commerce operations, called Daraz Express.
In 2018, Daraz was acquired by Alibaba Group from Rocket Internet. As part of the Alibaba ecosystem, Daraz is leveraging Alibaba’s global leadership and experience in technology, online commerce, mobile payments, and logistics to drive growth in its markets.
The post Alibaba-owned e-commerce firm Daraz appoints Rakhil Fernando as MD for Sri Lanka appeared first on e27.
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If you can’t rub ’em out, sell ’em out.
The notorious Camorra crime syndicate is selling bootlegged DVDs of “Gomorrah,” the film that mercilessly exposes its activities and is Italy’s hopeful in the foreign-language Oscar race.
Camorra members may not like being scrutinized on the bigscreen, but apparently business must go on.
Three weeks ahead of the Italo release of the DVD of helmer Matteo Garrone’s film, poor-quality copies produced by the mobsters have turned up in stores across Naples for $7.50.
The illegal DVDs are unlikely to circulate far outside the Naples region, though, as they lack the subtitles that most Italians need to decipher the impenetrable local dialect.


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Goodyear is launching the OMNITRAC Heavy Duty truck tyre range for mixed service trucks operating under severe conditions; offering improved durability, efficiency,...
The logistics industry will deliver Christmas on time this year despite facing severe staff shortages, according to FTA, the voice...
FTA, the voice of the UK logistics sector, has named the world’s best-known logistics operator as the recipient of an FTA Special Recognition Award, in acknowledgement of the organisation’s promotion of excellence in freight management and distribution. Delivering one million tonnes of presents to 1.6...Read more
Three new warehouse units have been delivered at Leeds' historic Wortley Low Mills estate. Developer J Pullan & Sons selected Triton Construction to complete the 13,600 sq ft, 31,600 sq ft and 20,000 sq ft units on the Whitehall Road site. After a 12-week site...Read more
Xplore Dundee has launched a very special Living Wage Bus to celebrate Living Wage Week. The bus operator has been an accredited Living Wage employer since January 2016 and is aiming to promote Dundee’s success as the first Living Wage City. Christine McGlasson, Managing Director...Read more
FTA Northern Ireland is concerned that businesses shipping goods via the Irish Sea are set to be faced with additional surcharges from shipping lines, which will make the cost of doing business with GB and Europe more expensive for Northern Irish businesses. The additional transport...Read more
Dart Group, the owner of Jet2 and Jet2holidays, mentioned that the company has "experienced increased levels of customer demand" following the collapse of Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook Group, including the UK tour operator and airline, collapsed into liquidation in September. In a trading update, the Leeds-headquartered company...Read more
Following uncertainty surrounding the review of HS2, FTA has called on government to secure the future of the high-speed railway and reassure businesses of its commitment to infrastructure investment moving forwards. Alex Veitch, FTA’s Head of Multimodal Policy, commented: “FTA and its members are excited...Read more
Following the announcement that Highways England has opened the Huntingdon Southern Bypass one year ahead of schedule, Natalie Chapman, Head of East of England, South of England and Urban Policy at FTA, comments: “Speaking on behalf of the UK logistics industry, FTA is thrilled Highways...Read more


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TF securities latest survey suggests that even if Apple starts the development process of the car by 2020 and everything goes as planned, the product might only see the light of day around 2025-2027
A car built by Apple has captured the imagination of many as a report last week suggested that the company is targeting 2024 to introduce its first product in the market with Apple’s own battery technology. However, a credible analyst has come forward to claim that the timeline for the first Apple product might get stretched much further than 2024.
Popular Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, in a letter to investors spotted by Apple Insider, has claimed that they should not buy into the new report that suggests the car will launch by 2024. He pointed out some important aspects of production that still seem to be in the nascent stages.
The TF Securities analyst has asked investors not to buy into the hype created by last week's report which has led to highevalue of “concept stocks" which are supposedly linked to Apple’s new car. He claimed that the buying of shared in related companies is a “knee-jerk reaction" and that it could be “short-lived".
He also provided three major reasons why investors shouldn’t believe the hype. He claimed that the uncertain “launch schedule", Apple’s current competitiveness in the EV/self driving market and the lack of information about the product and the suppliers are aspects investors should be aware of.
TF securities latest survey suggests that even if Apple starts the development process of the car by 2020 and everything goes as planned, the product might only see the light of day around 2025-2027. Kuo goes on to claim that Apple’s own high-quality standards could push the launch date to even 2028.


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Tag Archives: Jonathan Hickman
New York, NY—August 26th, 2015 — It’s the story that has the whole world on the edge of its seat. The biggest Marvel event of all time. The story that destroyed the Marvel Universe. And if you thought it couldn’t get bigger – you thought wrong. Today Marvel is pleased to announce the expansion of the blockbuster Secret Wars event with SECRET WARS #9 – coming to comic shops later this year!
“Apparently, Secret Wars is even bigger than we thought it was,” says Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. “To help Jonathan and Esad conclude this epic event as big and bombastically as it started, we are adding an extra issue. That means one more month of the suspense, action and game-changing storytelling that fans and retailers have been clamoring for since the final incursion started.”
Chartbusting creators Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic will extend their stay on Battleworld for one more epic issue. Allowing their cataclysmic story to wrap up as intended, this additional issue will bring Secret Wars to its explosive conclusion. Paving the way for the future, be there for the genesis of the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe.
“This extra issue will not affect any of the new launches as part of All-New, All-Different Marvel,“ says David Gabriel, Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing. “But there might be a surprise or two left over from Battleworld you weren’t expecting. In fact, like the original Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, some of those puzzle pieces will hit the Marvel Universe before the event concludes. But if you want to see how they all fit together, you don’t want to miss these last few issues.
Battleworld teeters on the brink. What will become of this strange patchwork planet? Who lives? Who dies? One thing is for certain – nobody will come back from Battleworld the same after SECRET WARS #9 this December!
New York, NY—February 12, 2014— Who is Rabum Alal? He who set off a chain of events that has led to the systematic destruction of every single universe and the death of everything. But what is the identity of this mysterious destructor? The question that has alluded all will finally be answered this March in the pages of NEW AVENGERS #31 – from blockbuster writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Kev Walker!
The Avengers and the Illuminati race against the clock to halt the death of their universe, yet the source of the Incursions remains a mystery. But not for long! Another signpost on the road to Secret Wars has been planted and you do not want to miss this issue! At long last, Rabul Alal’s identity and the origin of the Incursions revealed in March’s NEW AVENGERS #31!
New York, NY—January 23rd, 2014— The biggest heroes, the biggest creators and the biggest stories in comics today are coming to FREE COMIC BOOK DAY this year!
Today, Marvel is proud to officially unveil its two stellar, can’t-miss Free Comic Book Day offerings for 2015! This May, prepare yourself for the kickoff of the biggest comic event in Marvel history, and a special preview of Marvel’s future in Secret Wars #0 and All-New, All-Different Avengers FCBD!
First, Secret Wars #0 brings you a prologue to the most important comic series of 2015! From the all-star creative team of Jonathan Hickman and Paul Renaud, get caught up with the perfect primer for the mega-event of the year, just in time for Secret Wars #1 to hit comic shops the very next Wednesday!
As a bonus, Secret Wars #0 will also contain a special presentation of “Attack on Avengers”, the sought after 8-page Avengers and Attack on Titan crossover, never-before-released in the United States by Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama with art by Gerardo Sandoval!
Then, get ready for a look into the world that’s coming with All-New, All-Different Avengers FCBD! It’s your first taste of the all-new Marvel Universe as a blockbuster top secret Avengers creative team sets out on a new adventure that will have fans begging for more! Who will be Earth’s Mightiest Heroes when the dust settles from SECRET WARS? Find out here! This special issue also includes a brand new bonus story by blockbuster writer Charles Soule that previews one of the biggest new titles of 2015 – Uncanny Inhumans!
“Free Comic Book Day is a day to showcase the amazing world of comic books we all live and play in,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “What a spectacular opportunity to reach new fans as FCBD coincides with the release of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. There’s no better time for fans to jump in to the Marvel comics universe with new titles featuring the Avengers, the Inhumans and Secret Wars. Support your local retailers and head to a comic shop that weekend for some stellar offerings from all-star creators. We can’t wait for fans to get their hands on them.”
This May, the opening salvo of Secret Wars is fired and the Avengers of tomorrow take shape. No fan can afford to miss this year’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY – May 2nd at participating comic shops nationwide!
New York Comic Con News: At the New York Comic Con tonight Marvel Comics revealed its major “event” for 2015, a new year-long, Secret Wars written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by Esad Ribic. The new Secret Wars was announced on the 30th anniversary of the original 1984, year-long Secret Wars event that did for comic book crossovers what Jaws did for summer movie blockbusters. The new Secret Wars will begin at the end of the current Avengers story arc, “Time Runs Out.”
Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort told USA Today: “The scope of it is about the biggest thing we’ve ever done or attempted to do. It’s may be not the best thing to say but I don’t know how we’ll top it a year later.” USA Today reports that the new Secret Wars will be a company-wide event affecting the entire publishing side when it debuts next spring–and like the original Secret Wars, which had a tie-in with Mattel–the new Secret Wars already has merchandising deals in place with Hasbro, Gentle Giant, and Hot Topic.
Marvel also released a very interesting teaser painting by Alex Ross, which reflects some of the events and participants in the new Secret Wars. Marvel fans will be scrutinizing this image closely since it includes new versions of Iron Man, Wasp, and Hawkeye, as well as Sam Wilson the new Captain America along with Steve Rogers, the old one. There seems to be several incarnations of various Marvel characters including three Thors, including the new female Thor, who looks like she’s about to get in a donnybrook with the original God of Thunder. Plus, is that Obnoxio the Clown in the upper right corner? And the burning question, will the Beyonder be back?
Marvel clearly thinks that it is upping the ante on comic book crossovers with this one. As Brevoort put it, “Our hope is that as seismic as the original Secret Wars was to the Marvel Universe and the readers, this new Secret Wars will be to the readers of today. People are certainly going to be talking about it 30 years from now.”
New York, NY—August 22, 2014—This September, it all comes crashing down as Earth’s Mightest Heroes face judgment day – and today, Marvel is proud to present your first look at the oversized AVENGERS #35! The star-studded creative team of Jonathan Hickman, Jim Cheung, Dustin Weaver, Nick Bradshaw and Paco Media fast-forward 8 months, to the battle worn Marvel Universe of tomorrow – and the bleak future facing our heroes. Peer into May 2015, heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe stand at the precipice, and utter decimation looms.
Incursions by parallel Earths from other dimensions have increased in number! To save both universes, one Earth must be destroyed each time! Until now the Illuminati have dealt with this problem in secret. But 8 months from now, the secret is out! The Avengers and the Illuminati are willing to go to war over what must be done – but how could this all have happened?
As this epic, oversized issue jumps forward into the future, what has become of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? With the war between the Avengers and the Illuminati at its peak, who will be left to fend off the Final Incursion? And what will happen if they fail? The clock is ticking and your questions will be answered this September in AVENGERS #35!


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Average retail gasoline prices in Modesto have risen 0.8 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.01/gallon Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 201 gas outlets in Modesto. This compares with the national average that has increased 1.5 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.55/gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Modesto during the past week, prices Sunday were 52.3 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 15.2 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 8.6 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 39.8 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.
“If you use gas prices to figure out the time of year it is, you’d probably think it’s spring based on the continued upward trend showing up in much of the country,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “Absent is the beloved fall at the pump that we’re used to that accompanies the fall weather, but apparently this year is playing a trick on motorists. The cheapest price this year was in July while the most expensive showed up after the driving season concluded as Harvey hit, and we may get closer to that mark as gasoline inventories continue to drift to new multi-year lows.”
According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on Nov. 13 in Modesto have ranged widely over the last five years: $2.48/gallon in 2016, $2.59 in 2015, $3.01 in 2014, $3.41 in 2013 and $3.68/gallon in 2012.
Areas near Modesto and their current gas price climate include: Stockton - $3.07/gallon, up 2.1 cents per gallon from last week’s $3.05; Oakland - $3.22, flat; San Jose - $3.20, up 1.4 cents per gallon from last week’s $3.19.
For LIVE fuel price averages, visit http://FuelInsights.GasBuddy.com.
GasBuddy is the technology company changing the way more than 70 million consumers find, purchase, and save money on gasoline. Founded in 2000, the original GasBuddy website was a pioneer in crowd-sourced information, leveraging technology, big data, and a passionate community that now connects more than 70 million users with real-time, accurate fuel pricing information as well as reliable reviews of gas station amenities and services. The app and website have the most accurate and real-time fuel prices at over 140,000 unique stations in the United States, Canada, and Australia and is the most comprehensive money-saving companion while on the road. GasBuddy is available on all mobile platforms. For more information, visit www.gasbuddy.com.


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Talking on the sidelines of a meeting with Abbas Rezaei, the governor general of Isfahan Province, the visiting minister said according to the great potentials of Iran, we must work to develop the economic relations between the two countries, IRNA reported.
Both Iran and Armenia have been friends for a long time but, unfortunately, now the level of our economic relations does not match the friendly relations, said Kerobyan.
He added, “Considering that I have been working in the field of business and commerce for many years, I traveled to Iran not only to promote and develop mutual trade, but also to implement the project of joint production.”
We have to take a lot of executive steps, said the minister, adding that we intend to export not only to the Eurasian market but also to other countries.
Iran and Armenia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Saturday for the expansion of trade ties between the two countries.
The MoU was signed by Iranian Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Alireza Razm-Hosseini and Kerobyan in Tehran.
Heading a trade delegation, Kerobyan arrived in Tehran on Friday to discuss the expansion of trade relations between the two countries.
Speaking on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Razm-Hosseini put Iran’s exports to Armenia at about $300 million, noting that the signing of this MoU will be a great step towards improving the level of trade between the two neighbors.
Pointing to Armenia’s position as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), with which Iran has recently signed a preferential trade agreement, Razm-Hosseini said Iran is seeking to become a permanent member of the EAEU, and Armenia could be of significant help in this regard.
According to the Iranian minister, areas like the mining industry, foodstuffs and home appliances could be good opportunities for the two countries to develop mutual cooperation.
Kerobyan, for his part, expressed his government’s readiness for cooperation to boost mutual trade and produce joint products and to pave the way for Iran to enter the markets of third countries.
“We are ready to support Iranian traders to use Armenia for entering third countries,” he said.
Focusing on trade with neighbors
The Armenian minister also met with Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdolnaser Hemmati and discussed banking issues and ways of increasing the level of trade between the two sides.
In this meeting, Hemmati noted that Iran is currently focusing on enhancing its trade ties with neighboring countries.
The official pointed to Armenia’s significant geographical position and noted that the country can have a tremendous impact on the development of trade relations between the two countries and also between Iran and the EAEU as a whole.
“Iran’s economic situation is improving despite pressures imposed by US sanctions, and we have been able to achieve positive economic growth this year,” Hemmati said.
He noted that we hope that by holding similar meetings, we will be able to further strengthen mutual relations and witness the development of economic relations.
Hemmati pointed to the ineffectiveness of the US sanctions in disrupting Iran’s trade ties with its major partners, saying, “We believe that the sanctions are not viable; Iran’s trade relations with some countries are currently resuming, and it is a good time for Armenia, as a friend and neighbor, to expand its relations with Iran.”
He finally stressed the importance of resolving the banking issues of the two countries and proposed to travel to Yerevan to pursue specialized banking issues and financial exchanges with the governor of the Central Bank of Armenia.
Kerobyan also called for the development of trade and economic relations between the two nations, especially in the fields of investment and production.
During his five-day visit to Iran, Kerobyan will visit some of the major Iranian production centers.


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Even though Atari has officially dropped support for the original Neverwinter Nights, the mod community is still thriving. In fact, the database of fan-created modules is over 4,000 strong, according to NWN's developer, BioWare. And if you thought Infinite Dungeons was the last of the...
Here's the situation for Obsidian Entertainment and co-founder Feargus Urquhart as they prepare Neverwinter Nights 2 for launch: you're following up a popular, award winning series started by BioWare (again); Atari's potential implosion could have a major impact on your efforts to support the mod...
Posted on Aug 20th 2014 1:30PM
Posted on Aug 20th 2014 3:00AM
Posted on Aug 18th 2014 5:00PM


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Monday saw huge selling around the world.
Tuesday saw huge buying around the world.
Today: Nothing much of anything.
Markets are basically flat anywhere you look.
No major development in Russia or Ukraine is moving anything.
In terms of economic news, there are two pieces that people will talk about today. One is China's setting of a 7.5% GDP target. The other is a strong set of European services PMIs today, which should bring a little bit of hope about the European economy. Other than, there's going to be a lot of data in the US coming up.


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A new start-up aimed at reducing the methane emissions of livestock farming has launched in Perth, with a focus on the bioactive contained in red seaweed products
Remin8 says it can identify naturally occurring compounds that have anti-methane properties then reproduce them in a manufacturing process – instead of harvesting and extracting them from plants – at sufficient scale to viably feed cows, sheep and other farm animals.
The company’s lead product replicates the bioactive in asparagopsis, which has also gained traction with fashion retailer MJ Bale as it looks to develop possibly the world’s first net-zero knitwear.
FutureFeed, backed by iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest, Woolworths and GrainCorp, is also developing methane-reducing feed supplements for livestock based on asparagopsis.
The active ingredient in asparagopsis can cut the methane emissions in the form of burps and farts from livestock when added to their feed rations, and Rumin8 managing director David Messina says it is a “game-changer” for the agricultural sector.
“Rumin8’s product will be able to be produced in a consistent, repeatable, manufacturing process which will be effective at reducing methane production and is expected to be significantly cheaper to produce and provide much more reliable dosing and outcomes,” Mr Messina said.
The managing director said Rumin8 had a “scalable, consistent [and] cost-effective” method to produce livestock supplements based on naturally compounds found in plants, which he hopes will go some way to cutting the emissions of farm animals.
Livestock contribute around 6 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions via methane, according to Rumin8. The start-up says trials of its first product at the University of Western Australia limited livestock methane production almost totally after five days of supplementing the feed with the asparagopsis.
Rumin8 is working with the University of Western Australia, University of Melbourne, and West Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to see if these lab trials with animals are repeatable.
“We have every confidence that just as we were able to replicate the success in the lab, we can do the same with our field trials,” Mr Messina said.
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Can vegans eat artificial meat?
Is cultured meat vegan? By definition, a vegan diet does not include consuming meat or any form of animal products. For this reason, lab-grown meat would not be considered vegan because the ingredients needed to produce the synthetic meat are all derived from animals.
Is cell based meat vegan?
Is Lab Meat Vegan? Lab-grown meat is meat, meaning it is not vegan. … Not all lab-grown meat production is free from animal use. Dutch scientist Mark Post, who presented the world’s first lab-grown burger at a press conference in 2013, grew cells in an animal-based broth to make his clean meat patty.
Will vegans eat lab-grown meat Reddit?
Lab grown meat is not vegan, you’re literally eating animal tissue and it requires enslaving and killing of animals still.
Is synthetic meat healthy?
Benefits of Cultured Meat
Some potential benefits of lab-grown meat include: Less contamination. Advocates of cultured meat say it’s much less likely to be infected by E. coli bacteria (which lives in animal poop) and other contaminants you might find in a meat processing plant.
Is synthetic meat safe to eat?
Health. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence that lab-grown meat is damaging to human health (by comparison to conventional meat) and, in fact, the risk of disease is likely to be lower under sterile lab conditions.
Is lab-grown meat ethical?
Cultured meat avoids many of the environmental harms of conventional livestock (although to what extent remains contested) and requires none of the harm to animals of traditionally-sourced meat. Recent news that the sale of cultured chicken meat has been approved in Singapore brings this future one step closer.
Why Is in vitro meat bad?
It is very bad for the environment; it produces more raw waste, more methane (a greenhouse gas), consumes more water, more fossil fuel, and more land than alternative food sources. It is unhealthy; it is a major contributor to obesity, cancer, and heart disease. Cultured meat would have none of these drawbacks.
Is lab-grown meat expensive?
The concept of lab-grown meat isn’t new, and several companies are hoping to perfect the process. … This makes lab-grown meat just three or four times more expensive than traditional ground beef, so if the biggest barrier to getting engineered meat to market is cost, then it looks like we’re well on our way.
Are vegans against lab-grown meat?
Is lab-grown meat vegan? … Because it’s composed of the cells that come from living animals, many vegans and vegetarians wouldn’t consider eating lab-grown meat, but it’s entirely up to the individual.
What plant is plant meat?
Ingredients commonly found in plant-based meats include legumes, such as soybeans or lentils, grains like quinoa, vegetable proteins like peas, coconut oil, and vital wheat gluten, better known as seitan.


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Square Enix Membership Site Opens Up Registration
No need to cross the desert.
Square Enix has put an end to its "information embargo" by offering free membership to the public on its new websitep. Those who sign up will receive access to insider content like developer interviews, contests and trailers with more features to be announced at a later date. The press release called these features "exclusive" but it's seems a lot like the Stonecutters on The Simpsons: an insider club that everyone seems to have membership in anyway. Still, it's free info for those outside of press circles, and the opportunity for winning free crap is never a bad thing.
The site will launch in about a week on March 24.


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Microsoft (MSFT) has good reason to be worried about Chromebooks, the cheap laptops that run Google’s (GOOG) Chrome operating system.
Chromebooks cost a fraction of the price of laptops running Microsoft Windows, making them popular in the education market but also with cost-conscious consumers and buisnesses.
MSFT efforts in the past have focused on publicly ridiculing Chromebooks, but Microsoft has now decided to fight fire with fire by pushing cheap Windows laptops into the space.
Chrome OS is Not Windows
The Google Chrome operating system is a minimalist affair compared to Windows 8. It lacks much of the functionality of Windows, doesn’t offer the same support for peripherals and its hardware requirements are minimal.
In fact, many Chromebooks don’t even need the power of a CPU designed for PC use and can run on much lower-power mobile chips instead. There are no big software packages to install either, since everything is done online with Google Docs (or a small offline app version) so Chromebooks can also get away with a tiny hard drive (often just 16GB) for storage –and a Flash drive also gives them near “instant” startup.
As a result of these specs and differences from a traditional laptop, Chromebooks can be had for $200 or less thanks to a reduced need for hardware.
Microsoft was caught off guard by the demand for Chromebooks, assuming no-one would want a device with specs that looked like a 2008-era netbook and required an Internet connection for most tasks.
And yes, Chromebooks had a slow start and an attempt to take them upscale (Google’s $1,299 Chromebook Pixel) went nowhere. But by 2013, manufacturers hit the sweet spot and inexpensive models like the Samsung (SSNLF) Series 3 Chromebook –a virtual clone in appearance to Apple’s (AAPL) MacBook Air– began to sell like hotcakes.
In fact, Amazon (AMZN) said two of its three top-selling laptops over the Holiday season were Chromebooks.
Microsoft’s response has been to mock Chromebooks and their deficiencies on its” Scroogled!” website, with plenty of links for visitors to easily buy “real” Windows laptops.
That strategy hasn’t had any impact, however, and Chromebooks are only getting more popular. Gigaom’s Kevin C. Tofel reports that Dell (DELL) is experiencing such high demand for its Chromebooks it’s had to temporarily suspend sales to individuals to keep up with orders from educational customers.
Phase 2: Cheap Windows Laptops
With Chromebooks showing no signs of falling out of favor, Microsoft is launching phase 2 of its attack, pushing Windows laptops that compete against Chromebooks on price.
The Verge’s Tom Warren reports Microsoft announced a series of new cheap Windows laptops, including a $199 version from Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) that should be here in time for the holidays. Microsoft is cutting its Windows license fees, while manufacturers will be trimming hardware component costs in order to get prices down.
The first of these cheap Windows laptops –an Acer priced at $249.99– is already being featured on Microsoft’s website.
Cheap Windows Laptops Could Backfire
The appeal of going downmarket certainly isn’t to juice margins. It’s just a way for Microsoft to fend off competition.
But even going cheap and simple is not without its challenges.
When Apple cut corners to release a cheaper iMac to compete against the threat of Google Chrome machines in its education market stronghold, it was immediately apparent that the new machine was a step backwards. And that was after making relatively minor cuts like stepping down to a less expensive Core i5 CPU and trimming storage.
Microsoft’s hardware partners are taking a much bigger blade to their cheap Windows laptops. For example, that Acer Aspire E3 currently being promoted on Microsoft’s website pairs a Celeron CPU with just 2GB of RAM and a 1366 x 768 display. This just satisfies Microsoft’s published minimum requirements for Windows laptops run Windows 8.
By moving from Intel’s (INTC) Core series CPUs to Celeron processors that are significantly less powerful and trimming RAM and storage to the bone, there’s considerable risk these Windows laptops will disappoint users who buy them expecting the full Windows experience. Slashing costs by eliminating touchscreen capability also means saying good-bye to one of Windows 8.1’s big talking points: touch input.
In short, by trying to race Chromebooks to the bottom on price, Microsoft could end up tainting public perception of Windows, Office and Windows laptops in general, giving those Chromebooks a boost instead of shutting them down.
Will Cheap Windows Laptops Strategy Succeed?
Microsoft has tried mocking Chromebooks and that didn’t work.
Clearly, many of those who buy Chromebooks are doing so because of price. By offering cheap Windows laptops, Microsoft is likely to win over at least some of those people. But the Chromebook cost equation goes beyond hardware to include free apps, low maintenance and automatic security updates –a big part of the appeal to the education market.
Having to pay for Office and the relative complexity of maintaining a Windows laptop may be harder to overcome than slashing hardware costs and will be a sore spot as Chromebooks begin to infiltrate the enterprise market as well.
And if those cheap Windows laptops underperform, this race to the bottom on price may end up damaging the Windows brand.
As of this writing Brad Moon doesn’t hold any securities mentioned here.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Del Monte Foods Co. dlm said Thursday its third-quarter earnings were $53.3 million, or 26 cents a share, compared to $46.5 million, or 23 cents a share in the same period a year ago. Del Monte said sales in the period grew 10.4% to $1.0 billion. Del Monte also raised expected sales growth for the full year of 2008 to 7% to 9%, from 5% to 7%.
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Nestlé has announced the launch of an improved version of its Garden Gourmet plant-based burger.
The new Garden Gourmet Sensational Burger is meatier in taste and texture and is being launched across Europe.
Head of Nestlé's food business, Wayne England, said, “The new Garden Gourmet 'Sensational' name evokes the senses that are stimulated by our burger: the visible transformation and aroma when cooking, the sound of it sizzling in the pan or on the grill, the great taste and texture."
It is the second time that Nestlé has improvised Garden Gourmet burgers since the product's launch over a year ago.
Best Nutritional Values
The Garden Gourmet Sensational Burger comes with a Nutri-Score 'A' rating, which means that it has some of the highest nutritional values among plant-based burgers in the market.
The product contains natural soy and wheat protein, rapeseed and coconut oil and owes its colour to natural plant extracts.
It is fermented using a proprietary method for plant-based ingredients to boost the 'umami' flavour of the burger.
'Competitive Plant-Based Products'
Torsten Pohl, head of the Nestlé product technology centre in Singen, Germany, said, “We are focused on delivering competitive plant-based products which are both nutritious and great-tasting.
“Our experts continuously explore new technologies and recipes, to deliver a wide range of plant-based innovations that have the right texture, the right taste, as well as a superior nutritional profile."
The food giant also plans to add the phrase ‘Sensational’ to other Garden Gourmet products including plant-based sausages and ground meats.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.


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Nissan to push through with its e-vehicle launch in PH
January 28, 2021 - Thursday 8:01 PM by PNAE-VEHICLE. Japanese carmaker Nissan will launch its 100-percent electric vehicle Nissan Leaf in the Philippines this year. Nissan is optimistic about the prospects of the e-vehicle market in the country. (Screengrab from Nissan website)
MANILA – Nissan remains optimistic in the Philippine market particularly in the electric vehicle segment.
In a virtual briefing with trade reporters Thursday, Nissan Philippines president and managing director Atsushi Najima said the Japanese carmaker will push through with its plan to introduce its hatchback battery e-vehicle Nissan Leaf by this year.
This despite Nissan decided to shut down its manufacturing plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna which assembles its Almera model.
Najima said the ceasing of manufacturing operations here is in line with the supply chain strategy of Nissan headquarters.
“We will still continue… Also, we have talked to our customers already so we have to go with Leaf introduction in the Philippines this calendar year,” he said.
He added Nissan targets three potential customers for the Leaf model. These are tech-savvy individuals, energy efficiency-conscious companies, and the government.
The Department of Energy has earlier called on public offices to observe energy efficiency and conservation. Cutting fuel consumption and using e-vehicles are ways to save energy.
Moreover, Najima asked for government support for e-vehicle players in the country, adding import duties of gas- and diesel-engine vehicles are lower compared to e-vehicles.
“That’s why we are asking if we can get government support. That is what we are working with some of the government agencies (and) senators,” he added. Kris Crismundo
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McDonalds Japan has announced the deployment of an e-wallet coupon and payment system, using Felica and DoComo iD readers, at 175 locations as of May 20th with the target of all 3,800 retail shops nationwide to be completed by 2009. While the company has been active in the mobile space since 2003, quoting 10 million registered users, this effort was touted as the first of it’s kind during a recent press conference held here in Tokyo. More details after the jump.
Walt Disney Japan held a press conference in Tokyo to introduce their new “Disney Mobile” service which is slated for public launch on March 1st. Although the company will run the business as an MVNO, it emphasized that the service will be distributed in collaboration with SoftBank Mobile with the same “White Plan” price package offerings. There’s a nice Flash video on the home page Here.
NXP, founded by Philips, and Sony Corporation have announced the formation of Moversa, a joint venture to drive global adoption of contactless smart card applications in mobile phones using Near Field Communication (NFC). Moversa will plan, develop, produce and market a secure chip, a Universal Secure Access Module (U-SAM), that incorporates both MIFARE and FeliCa operating systems and applications. The U-SAM will also support other contactless operating systems and applications based on customer requirements. Moversa will be led by co-presidents Guus Frericks of NXP and Toshio Yoshihara of Sony.
Kyocera announced the successful field-testing of handsets used in a WirelessWallet consumer trial by Cellular South. Equipped with Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, the handsets were used by consumers to make wireless payments and purchases in the nation’s first multi-city trial by a wireless service provider. According to Cellular South, WirelessWallet will become available to consumers in early 2008.
Based on the success of the original InfoBar model, the first handset from KDDI’s in-house design team which was released in October 2003, followed by the same candy bar styled Talby by Marc Newson a year later, the AU Design Project has just announced the long-awaited InfoBar2. Available on Oct.31st in four colors, this latest model touts a 2.6-wide inch QVGA organic EL display with a 1Seg digital tv tuner, FeliCa m-commerce and GPS functionality. The full specs (in Japanese) are available Here.
Gartner is reporting that worldwide sales of mobile phones to end users in the second quarter of 2007 reached 270.9 million units, a 17.4 per cent increase from the same period last year. In Japan, sales to end users in the second quarter of 2007 were 12.1 million units, an increase of 10.3 per cent from the second quarter of 2006 but a decline of 17.5 percent from the first quarter of 2007.
The genesis of today’s Viewpoint was back in March, when we spotted this op-ed referring to Japan mobile that had stated: “What’s different about the Japanese mobile market is that innovation is moving toward business models and marketing tactics instead of technical features and functions.” That op-ed piece in turn cited a new research report on eMarketer, “Japan: Marketing to a Mobile Society,” which insisted: “What stands out in the current Japanese experience is the fact that the center of gravity for getting through to Japanese mobile users has shifted in favor of business models and marketing tactics as opposed to new technical features and mobile phone functions.”
We took exception to both these as serious mis-analyses of the cornerstone role that technological innovation and network infrastructure competition have played – and continue to play – in powering Japan’s mobile success story. After contact with the eMarketer editors, we agreed to write separate opinion pieces, which we would both republish side-by-side in our newsletters, as an excellent way to hash out the topic and let you – our collective readers – decide.
Sadly, the marketing guys at eMarketer quashed the idea, as the subject and the detailed discussion would be “too technical a topic for our [eMarketer’s] newsletter.” But we know that WWJ readers are more than smart enough to figure out for themselves what’s really driving the mobile Internet in Japan! So we wished the eMarketer editors best of luck in the future, again gave thanks that WWJ doesn’t have any meddling marketing guys, and herewith present to you our Viewpoint.
(Subscribers login to access the full article by WWJ editor Daniel Scuka)
Image: Holographic projection demo at NTT DoCoMo R&D Labs, November 2006 ©Mobikyo
Verizon Wireless has announced their m-commerce service, enabled as a BREW application from technology partner Obopay as the first mobile payment offering for any major U.S. carrier, will be available in the coming weeks. The Obopay service will allow customers to receive, send and spend money via their mobile phones, check their account balances, collect money owed from other mobile users, view transaction histories and invite friends to use the system.
On 29 May, BusinessWeek ran an article, "Japan: Cheap Cell Phones at What Price" aiming to demystify Japan’s complex carrier subsidy situation. The writer, Kenji Hall, is an astute observer of this country’s mobile scene, but he missed the mark on several key points and it’s worth reviewing these in detail…
Mark May 22 on your calendar under Tokyo mobile madness. In the space of a few hours we had an avalanche of new handset models – 27 in all – announced by both KDDI au and (see our previous post) SoftBank Mobile. The Okura hotel was swarming at 10am as the wraps came off au’s Summer 2007 lineup and of course they have their usual dedicated, and slick, Flash site online Here. It will take us a little while to plow through the complete details of each model, available in Japanese, meanwhile we have compiled a quick overview for you after the jump.