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Mattel is bringing the new Bladerunner-inspired Cybertruck to market even before Tesla does. Well, sort of. The Hot Wheels-branded R/C Cybertrucks will come in two versions including a $20 1:64 scale model and a larger $400 1:10 scale model — the latter of which has evidently sold out already in pre-order sales with plans to ship sometime mid-December 2020. The smaller version is nice but it’s the the larger 1:10 model we wish was still available, featuring functioning headlights and taillights, a Tonneau cover, and telescopic tailgate that folds out into loading ramp. The interior of this mini cyberpunk truck is revealed with a removable plastic body which also provides access to the internal battery and drivetrain system. Plus, with all-wheel drive featuring Chill or Sport modes, you know Musk’s design team is grinning ear to ear. Best part? Hot Wheels is throwing in a reusable cracked window vinyl sticker for good measure. Powering the futuristic truck is a 9.9V, 3300mAh, rechargeable battery offering 1:1 charge/run time. Typically, it’s the toy company that reveals progressive, outlandish designs — but Tesla has flipped the script here, and nobody should be surprised. Again, the 1:10 scale RC Cybertruck is sold out, but at time of writing, the 1:64 is still available for preorders.
The 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 will give Jeep the most powerful diesel in the mid-size class & highest torque rating of any small pickup upon official release date.
Turbocharged power returns to the Mazda3 lineup for 2021 - the first time since 2013 the company has offered a turbo engine in its entry-level 4-door model.
Say Hi to the most powerful SUV on the market. Here's a closer look at the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat's horsepower, performance & towing capacity.
2021 Mustang Mach-E buyers can expect a nice bump in both horsepower and electric power before the all-electric SUV officially hits the market late 2020.
COVID-19 pandemic may be halting progress but research & development on the Mustang Mach-E must go on. Here's how 3 Ford engineers are doing it - from home.
Expect a 2021 Ford F-150 redesign to look not much different than its predecessor, but offers precisely what truck buyers need from a tech viewpoint.
The 2020 Cadillac CT4-V is already a capable high-performance 4-door luxury rocket. But a new 2.7L turbo engine promises to increase torque to new levels.
The 2021 BMW M5 horsepower figures remain unchanged. But expect other improvements while the M5 Competition receives more track-focused features & updates.
Celebrating the founder's 70th birthday, Donkervoort is producing 70 units of the Audi-powered DB GTO-JD70 - the world’s first 2G production supercar.
Land Rover and Autohome team up on the new Defender 110's first, official roof tent for the serious overlanders. A premium Defender tent at close to $3,500.
The 2021 GR Supra adds more power, a revised chassis, a new 4-cylinder 2.0 model, and a limited GR Supra A91 edition. The price goes up but not by much.


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Convenience store giant 7-Eleven has entered into an agreement with Enon, Ohio-based Marathon Petroleum Corp. to acquire the Speedway convenience store chain for $21 billion in cash. 7-Eleven will acquire approximately 3,900 Speedway stores and gas stations located in 35 states.
7-Eleven currently operates more than 9,800 stores in the United States. The addition of the Speedway locations will bring that total to 14,000 units.
"This acquisition is the largest in our company's history and will allow us to continue to grow and diversify our presence in the U.S., particularly in the Midwest and East Coast," said Joe DePinto, president and CEO of Dallas-based 7-Eleven. "By adding these quality locations to our portfolio, 7-Eleven will have the opportunity to bring convenience to more customers than ever before."
The deal will accelerate 7-Eleven's growth trajectory and diversify its presence in the U.S. According to 7-Eleven, the two convenience chains have complementary geographic footprints with little overlap. Following the transaction, 7-Eleven will have a presence in 47 of the top 50 most populated metro areas in the U.S., positioning the company as a clear industry leader in a fragmented industry with favorable macroeconomic trends.
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.
Nomura Securities International Inc. and Credit Suisse are acting as 7-Eleven's financial advisors. Both Nomura and Credit Suisse provided 7-Eleven's Board of Directors with a fairness opinion.
Affiliates of Credit Suisse and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) provided committed financing for the acquisition. SMBC and SMBC Nikko also provided financial advisory services to 7-Eleven parent company, Tokyo-based Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd., in regards to the financing consideration.
Speedway, with annual pre-synergy run-rate EBITDA of approximately $1.5 billion prior to the acquisition, has significant opportunities for future growth. 7-Eleven said it expects to achieve $475 million to $575 million of run-rate synergies through the third year following closing, while maintaining financial flexibility and a strong balance sheet. Upon closing, 7–Eleven will be even better positioned to continue to pursue profitable growth opportunities, the retailer said.
"This transaction marks a milestone on the strategic priorities we outlined earlier this year," Michael J. Hennigan, president and CEO of Marathon Petroleum Corp., parent company of Speedway, said in a statement. "Our announcement crystalizes the significant value of the Speedway business, creates certainty around value realization and delivers on our commitment to unlock the value of our assets. At the same time, the establishment of a long-term strategic relationship with 7-Eleven creates opportunities to improve our commercial performance."
Upon closing, the companies said that 7-Eleven and Speedway “will share best practices to deliver products and promotions based upon customer demand and continue both companies' legacy of innovation. In addition, the combined company will be well-positioned to maximize efficiencies and optimize relationships with vendors and business partners.”
7-Eleven announced that it plans to form an integration steering committee with representatives from the leadership of both 7–Eleven and Speedway. “7-Eleven looks forward to welcoming the approximately 40,000 members of the Speedway team into the 7-Eleven family and integrating best practices of both companies,” the company said.
Convenience stores continue to take a share of the overall food retail industry, with both 7-Eleven and Speedway ranking high in Supermarket News’ annual Top 75 Retailers report. In 2020, 7-Eleven ranked 19th on the list with $17.76 billion in consumables sales, while Marathon Petroleum ranked 33rd with $6.31 billion in consumables sales from its Speedway, SuperAmerica, am/pm and Giant convenience stores.

domain: news


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CIMB Bank is the first bank in Malaysia to receive regulatory sandbox approval for e-KYC, which it says is a game-changer in enhancing the bank’s digital proposition, complementing instant approvals for cards and personal loans.
The bank it moved ahead of the digital banking curve by being the first bank in Malaysia to receive regulatory sandbox approval for electronic Know-Your-Customer (e-KYC) to enhance its Consumer Banking proposition.
e-KYC is a paperless and electronic method of verifying the identity of customers, set to be a viable replacement to existing face-to-face verification requirement in today’s fast-paced mobile-defined world.
Samir Gupta, CEO of Group Consumer Banking, CIMB Group said: “This is a significant milestone for CIMB, paving the way for our e-KYC proposition to further enhance and transform our already strong digital proposition, which currently facilitates more than 95% of
our customers’ transactions via digital and self-service platforms.
“The e-KYC is designed with customers’ convenience in mind and will be in addition to existing instant online approval for credit cards, eliminating the need for them to visit a branch.”
New to bank customers can apply for a credit card and personal loan seamlessly via the Bank’s website, whereas existing customers could do so via the online banking portal CIMB Clicks or even through its nationwide network of ATM machines.
These have created a truly seamless multi-channel experience for customers, providing them speedily, convenient access to the banking products that they need at any place, any time, said the bank in a media release yesterday.Follow us on Social Media
Send in your scoops to firstname.lastname@example.org


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The HTC 7 Pro could be coming to Verizon Wireless soon and this would mark the first Windows Phone 7 device to land on Big Red.
You may recognize the HTC 7 Pro as the HTC Arrive, which just landed on Sprint. The folks over at PocketNow have unearthed some evidence that the device has been pinging some gaming sites with Verizon connectivity. It’s somewhat complicated how it gets to that conclusion but I’ll let you read that with the “via” link below.
What kind of device can you expect from the HTC 7 Pro? Well, our review sums it up like this:
The Arrive is in no way a bad phone, despite the issues I’ve run into with it. We’d just suggest waiting until we see what kind of new hardware is coming this summer before you make this jump. Still, the Arrive could be the perfect device for you, so we suggest getting the thing in your hands before making any final opinions on it.
Verizon has downplayed Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 for a while now and much of that could just be that it’ wasn’t offering any handsets at launch. Now that Microsoft has rolled out the NoDo update for CDMA support, it may not be too crazy to see Verizon pick it up.
If the Windows Phone 7 handset lands on Verizon, this may help goose some sales and this is badly needed by Microsoft. The last time we heard about sales numbers, it was in the 2 million range and that’s not where Microsoft wants to be with this platform.
That’s why Microsoft is paying Nokia billions and billions to adopt the platform, as the world’s largest handset maker should be able to carve out market share with its scale. We’ll also have to see how big a role CDMA device like this 7 Pro play in the overall market.


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Asus ROG Phone 3 to be released soon!
This is a technology jam. As technology continues to evolve, new products and smart products are pushing the tech sector. As a result, smartphones are ringing around the world today. With the increase in the use of smartphones, a variety of smartphones are coming out. As you all know, there are already a wide variety of smartphones available, and gaming smartphones are also available in the market. Many smartphone companies are introducing their different types of smartphones. Asus is one of these and has its own popularity.
Yes, Asus has made its mark in the tech sector with its own smartphones and is now gearing up to introduce another new version of its gaming smartphone. Taiwanese Asus, already known for its Rogue line gaming laptop and ZenBooks, is now said to be launching its ROG phone 3. The third-generation smartphone is said to be a rival to the Lenovo Legion gaming smartphone.
Nothing has been confirmed about the upcoming gaming smartphone, other than the release date of the new smartphone from Asus. However, it is reported that Asus’ upcoming gaming phone will feature a 6.59-inch Full HD + resolution screen. This screen has a refresh rate of up to 144Hz. It also features a 64-megapixel rear camera. also read this: Xiaomi Redmi 8A Dual 64GB Storage Smart Phone Launch!
The smartphone is likely to be equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 or Snapdragon 865+ processor. The smartphone is expected to be either 12GB of RAM or 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage capacity.
The smartphone is a gaming smartphone and it is said to have cooling technology. It is also said that the smartphone has a 6000mAh capacity battery pack and can support up to 30W of fast charging.
You can also expect AMOLED pane on this smartphone. More recently, the two models ASUS_I003D and ASUS_I003DD are listed on the Bluetooth website. These are said to be ROG phone 3 models. The smartphone is expected to be launched on July 22. also read this: RealMe Narzo 10A Smartphone Flash Sale Starts.


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SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 5, 2019 - Staff from Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry spent the day at San Antonio Police’s Blue Santa’s Workshop wrapping gifts for needy children, after donating nearly $4,000 in toys Wednesday.
“We are grateful for the extremely generous donation that Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry contributes to us,” Adriana Valadez, the director of community outreach and fundraising at San Antonio Police Officers Association, said. Valadez added that without the help of Money Mart’s volunteers, the Blue Santa Program would not be a success.
“We love donating toys and our time to the Blue Santa program,” Cathy Gish, vice president of Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry, said. “Knowing that we are helping a program who provides toys to kids that would likely not have toys for Christmas otherwise, is a very heartwarming feeling.”
The pawn store chain started working with Blue Santa six year ago. “For years we raffled a giant stocking full of toys in each for our stores. This was fun, but we wanted to find a more meaningful way to help more kids enjoy Christmas. I don’t remember exactly how we found Blue Santa, but we are so glad that we did.”
Shopping for toys starts in late October. Gish said the company shops for deals, getting as many toys possible for their budget. She said they buy gifts for kids of all ages, ordering everything from baby rattles to bath and body sets. Board games, Nerf guns, and basketballs are always on the list.
Blue Santa is one of two major local charitable contributions the Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry management team makes during the holidays. The company donated over 2400 pounds of food the San Antonio Food Bank in November. They also donated food to the Houston Food Bank and toys to Houston’s Blue Santa program.
SAPD Blue Santa has already received over 600 family applications, according to Valadez. Each family can have up to 12 children per application and Blue Santa continues to receive requests until Dec. 24th. To contribute to Blue Santa, visit sapdbluesanta.org.
Money Mart Pawn and Jewelry, owned by Brittex Financial Inc., has stores in 26 locations in San Antonio, Houston, and their surrounding areas. Money Mart Pawn and Jewelry has a Google rating of 4.7 and has earned a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating of A+.
2502 Harry Wurzbach Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78209


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Romania’s tech scene is a whole lot more than a bad comment from Bernie Sanders about their Internet speed
Far from a third world economy, the Romanian startup ecosystem is thriving. A tweet yesterday by American presidential candidate Bernie Sanders compared the country’s wired infrastructure to that of the U.S., saying that the American one was “unacceptable and must change,” something that has rubbed Romanians around the world the wrong way.
Today, people living in Bucharest, Romania have access to much faster Internet than most of the US. That’s unacceptable and must change.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 2, 2016
Nothing quite says “presidential” like dissing Romania.
— Suzanne Munshower (@expatina) March 4, 2016
Romania has an advanced tech ecosystem that does not get enough coverage. Here is a list of some of the up-and-coming Internet-focused startups in the Eastern European country that should leave you with no doubt that Bucharest is rightfully playing with the big shots.
These guys are small but on the rise, providing cloud services to improve cross-device communications for IoT (Internet of Things). DeviceHub raised EUR 80,000 from Deutsche Telekom’s hub:raum in Krakow last year. That gave them access to hub:raum’s network of mentors and Deutsche Telekom’s 150 million-strong user base in Germany and beyond via its affiliate Telekom Romania. They offer services specific to verticals like smart cars, medical devices, fleet management, smart homes and “smart metering.”
The company was founded by CEO Ionut Cotoi, engineer Constantin Craciun and strategist Cristina Bogateanu.
Both a media and data company, IoT.do is looking to become the hub for the Internet of Things industry in Romania. They offer consulting services for companies in the vertical, engineering and R&D, app development and more. They also aim to be the pivot point for local industry events and Romanian IoT news. The services outfit was founded by Cristian Sturek, who also boasts being a co-founder of big data startup InteliAthlete.
And this is Pocketo 🙂 pic.twitter.com/wiZJXIPWA0
— Pocketo (@pocketodevice) September 11, 2014
Also beating down the doors of the IoT industry, Pocketo helps you develop hardware for connected devices by providing a Bluetooth and WiFi development board without the need for other physical components during the design process. Their service comes replete with an app that simulates those physical components, which would fit neatly into your design when you’re finished.
Hitting up the IoT and healthtech markets, Vitabox is taking medication reminders to a whole new level. Working out of the accelerator Innovation Labs in Bucharest, Vitabox amalgamates information from personal surveys and data provided by the company’s wearables to prescribe a specific regimen of vitamins and supplements. The target market is newly minted gym-goers who might otherwise be deterred from progressing in their new fitness ambitions were they not to supplement their workouts correctly with the right diet. They maintain their tracking to hone in on a more exact and personalized regimen as time goes on, taking into account changes to your routine. Vitabox is hoping to partner with commercial gyms to push their wearable app solution.
Entering an increasingly competitive space, TraVIS wants to be the Google Analytics of apps, with entrances and downloads coming in from referrals, direct links, search traffic and the like. They are also coming out of Innovation Labs, targeting other app-centric startups as customers in Bucharest and beyond. They brag about having no restrictions in terms of how much traffic they can analyze and would easily work for large brands or media-heavy customers like telecoms and ISPs.
6. Vector Watch
Vector Watch‘s claim to fame is its 30-day strong battery for smart watches. They have two product lines: the Luna and the Meridian, both pushing a stainless steel frame with a luxurious style. From their Romanian base, they also launched in American, British and Swiss markets with offices in each location as well as Hong Kong. Like most small ecosystems, they keep their marketing and sales staff headquartered abroad in the larger markets. They exploded onto the scene with a $5 million investment led by the GECAD group in 2015.
Vector Watch was co-founded by CTO Andrei Pitis, Irina Alexandru and Dan Tudose. Their CEO Joe Santana brings years of experience as the head of Timex.
Now these guys are just freaking cool. With a wearable designed specifically for martial arts students, Jaboo is working on a strap that acts as a “personal sensei” according to our folks over at Tech.eu. Their app is still in development, but expects to be widely available later in 2016. Co-founder Camil Moldoveanu told Tech.eu that they hope to launch a crowdfunding campaign and have the first batch shipped out by the time 2017 rolls around.
Bought by the German subsidiary of California-based Telenav, Skobbler produces navigation apps containing its digital mapping technology (which relies in part on OpenStreetMap). Skobbler keeps its R&D headquarters in the Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca. The company also played host to last year’s awesomely named Techsylvania Conference that analyzed the local industry with a day of panel discussions and networking bringing Romanians and foreign visitors together to show off tech in the land of Dracula.


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One of the first blockchain based games that was most renowned for ‘breaking’ Ethereum back in 2017 is set to return on its own platform. The founders are hoping to revive the viral CryptoKitties craze that was ridiculously popular two years ago – but will they succeed?
Dapper Labs Gets Big Backers
According to a report by Forbes, entertainments giant, Warner Music Group, is one of a number of investors looking into a new public blockchain for the digital moggies. Others include Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, and Digital Currency Group who have helped game creator Dapper Labs raise over $11 million to fund a new home for their crypto cats.
The game, launched in December 2017, allowed users to ‘breed’ digital kittens on the blockchain using ETH to buy and sell them. It was so popular that it brought the then unproven network to its knees with such large scale demand. Ethereum has evolved since then but the makers of the game want to launch their own highly scalable blockchain called ‘Flow’.
Go With The Flow
According to a blog post, the developers saw flaws in solutions such as side chains or sharding which make interactivity between smart contracts significantly more complex. It added that this was ok for a payments platform but not so suited to gaming or social platforms. By using different node types, Flow has been designed to distribute the workload;
Flow has a pipelined architecture that separates the jobs typically done by a single node across five different node types, significantly reducing redundant effort and improving efficiency. To support this approach, the Flow team developed a new cryptographic technique called Specialized Proofs of Confidential Knowledge (SPoCKs) to address the Verifier’s Dilemma.
Warner has shown particular interest in the project as it may allow artists to share or sell digital products and collectibles on the blockchain and create new avenues for fans to engage with their idols. Gaming giant Ubisoft has also shown interest in the project where Dapper will be developing a race car game in which unique cars can be bought, sold and traded between players. Dapper Labs CEO, Roham Gharegozlou, added:
Imagine on flow, the possibility of a platform for billions of sports fans to trade verified, authentic and limited edition digital memorabilia in real time around the world,
As far as becoming the next ‘Ethereum killer’, well, there have been many contenders for that accolade and none have yet managed it despite having faster blockchain networks. EOS and Tron are good examples yet Ethereum still manages to outpace them in terms of development and distribution. With Serenity around the corner, the competition in the industry is heating up but it remains to be seen whether Flow will stand the test of time as Ethereum has done.
Will Flow be the next Ethereum killer? Add your thoughts below.
Images via Shutterstock
The post Will CryptoKitties New Blockchain Flow Be The Next Ethereum Killer? appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.


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Tiger Woods may have lost his wife, his children, his endorsement deals and his squeaky clean image, but the most famous golfer ever has gained one thing: huge sales for the latest Woods video game. According to EA, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters had the best first-week sales of any Woods game. The game topped 225,000 units sold and upped the previous record by 17% set in 2007. That's a pretty huge jump, eh?
Last year's Tiger Woods video game was a bit of a stinker -- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 dropped 68 percent compared to the previous year's sales.
My question: has Tiger's image been rehabilitated, or is the sales of the game the result of some occurrence or situation outside of this question.


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A month ago, we publisheda story refering to Sammobile as guaranteeing the new Galaxy S8 would not have an earphone jack. Sammobile has since switched its position at any rate halfway on the premise of a spilled case render for the telephone, a wellspring of data we are reluctant to trust for various [good] reasons. Notwithstanding, the story burst into flames rapidly, and we started working with our own particular sources to make sense of exactly what was going on.
We can now say with a high level of certainty that the Galaxy S8 will have a 3.5mm earphone jack. This data, I guarantee you, is not in light of telephone cases or renders thereof. The source has likewise demonstrated dependable previously.
Along these lines, on the off chance that you were pivoting your S8 enthusiasm on the nearness of the trusty 3.5mm port, we think you can be calm – it doesn’t seem like it’s going anyplace. In any case, Android Police is stating that the Galaxy S8 will to be sure component the 3.5mm earphone jack all things considered. The production as of late talked with a source that it says is solid, and they said that the up and coming lead will highlight a 3.5mm jack.
Samsung S8: New Galaxy phone to lose headphone jack and home button and be one big screen, just like iPhone 8
Nothing is affirmed now, so Samsung could go whichever way here. Be that as it may, it’s most likely that Samsung has been listening to the criticism after the dispatches of the 3.5mm-less iPhone 7, Moto Z, and now HTC U Ultra and began measuring their best course of action.
Is it true that you are trusting Samsung keeps the earphone jack around?


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Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 4 ranked as the No. 3 hardware in Japan in the latest data from the region.
Famitsu this week reported the PS4 sold 1,736 units between Apr. 26 and May 2 to rank at No. 3 in overall hardware sales.
It sold 818 units to rank at No. 3 the week prior.
Sony in Apr. said Game and Network Services division, which includes the PlayStation business, recorded Q4 revenue of $6.24 billion. It held an operating profit of $312 million for the quarter.
PS5/PS4 software sales totaled to 61.4 million units in Q4.
PS Plus members totaled 47.6 million.


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Cloud security and data protection vendor, Barracuda Networks, has acquired Sonian, a public cloud archiving and business insights provider.
The acquisition will expand Barracuda’s channel reach through the addition of strategic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners, while deepening the vendor's cloud archiving, and email security and management capabilities.
Sonian will bring 32,000 customers to Barracuda on top of partnerships with large managed service providers (MSPs) and software vendors.
“The Sonian team has done a great job of building and delivering a native cloud platform designed to meet the needs of partners and customers,” Barracuda CEO and president, BJ Jenkins, said.
"The Sonian platform will enable us to continue to drive differentiation and leadership as customers move to Office 365.
"Further, we believe there is an opportunity to integrate Sonian’s analytics and AI with our data protection portfolio, which combined with our leading security solutions, provides a more complete solution to the market."
Sonian’s archiving and analytics capabilities enable customers to apply insights to their business to reduce risks and increase productivity.
Adding Sonian’s capabilities to Barracuda’s security platform can increase the security and data protection offering to customers in their Microsoft Office 365 and other cloud environments, according to Barracuda.
“The potential of Sonian’s technology and go-to-market model combined with Barracuda’s scale and complementary products creates a powerful value proposition for both partners and customers,” Sonian CEO and president, Tim McKinnon, said.
According to Barracuda, Sonian provides a “powerful platform” that enables rapid expansion and high reliability via Amazon Web Services and other public clouds.
Barracuda intends to leverage Sonian’s analytics and AI across the security and data protection portfolio to give partners and customers actionable insights into their data.


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On Thursday, Oct. 26, North Dakota State students were able to experience virtual reality through the NDSU Video Game Club and Vacuum Door Interactive.
Set up in the Memorial Union Gallery, students were able to try three different immersive virtual reality games created by NDSU students: “Zero Space,” “Perilous Journey” and “Ixion.”
“Zero Space” involved users suspended in space, without gravity. In “Perilous Journey,” users had to battle a storm and ocean zombies to reach their end goal.
Finally, “Ixion” had players back in space, trying to repair a broken spaceship after a devastating pathogen wiped out the crew and passengers.
The experience was put on by Vacuum Door Interactive, a startup in Fargo that strives “to create immersive and innovative experiences for virtual reality platforms,” according to their website.
“‘Zero Space’ and ‘Zombie Batter,’ those are done with NDSU through Video Game Club,” Ruben Tipparach of Vacuum Door Interactive said. “That’s a smaller club with Bison Robotics. Once a month, or two months or so, we get together at Game Jam where different students come in and make their own titles. All of these are solo projects, except for ‘Ixion.'”
They’re also strong supporters of people making their own video games and seeing their ideas reach fruition.
“Our main focus is to get people to make games and get people to play games that we’ve developed,” Tipparach said. “To get the recognition they deserve for their hard work and get (to) try out something that they used to think was impossible.”
Virtual reality gaming has quickly risen in recent years, across a variety of platforms. While all the games on Thursday were on a PC, Tipparach mentioned that Xbox, PS4 and smartphones are also able to support virtual gameplay.
Most of the games created took a day to create:
“These games are all games that are done within a day or two,” Tipparach explained. “These are just small projects that we do.”
However, their most developed game for play, entitled “Ixion,” took Tipparach and a partner about 48 hours to complete.
“It was two of us for a weekend, pretty much straight,” he said. “All of the other games were done within 12-hour stints. They’re mostly small projects to make real quick and try out different ideas.”
All the games listed above, and more, are available through Vacuum Door Interactive’s website, www.vacuumdoor.com. To become involved in game design, contact the NDSU Video Game Club.


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Since the beginning of this year, due to the impact of the epidemic, the beauty industry has faced unprecedented challenges. The upstream end of the industrial chain and the end of brand products have been struggling with restlessness in the face of the situation of "staying at home", eager to seek a new way out. As a result,CBE China Beauty Expo and CBE SUPPLY Chain Expo have fully opened online services, which are online "grand events" with new situation, full resources and high quality.
The first online beauty makeup the CBE expo is coming, integration of domestic and foreign resources, beauty makeup linkage 1 million + professional buyers, 100 + community, with live online exhibition, content, thematic exhibition, trade matching, through large data marketing, online Internet, create efficient and convenient business opportunities for the industry.
SUZHOU GIENI SMART AUTOMATION CO., LTD. as a company specializing in R & D, development, production and sales of beauty makeup machinery and equipment, was also invited to participate in the first online cloud exhibition. We will also be fully committed to promoting new industrial trade docking, opening a new bureau in the changing situation, and creating new value of online trade with industry.


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Summer is traditionally a hot time for … well, everything. And from temperatures to travel plans, 2022 is proving no different. Air travel is making headlines due to rising prices and grounded routes. Along with the lingering effects of the pandemic and rising prices, consumers are paying close attention to how they travel. Now, new data from Hankook Tire shows 60% of Americans expect to take a road trip by the end of summer, although how and where they are going is shifting gears.
Here are 5 things to expect from travel this summer:
1. Attitudes toward travel signal an emotional lane change.
As the last two years had Americans feeling a bit nervous about travel, Hankook found that most (79%) are excited or hopeful about their next summer vacation or trip. Another 1 in 10 (11%) are determined to make it happen. While some remain apprehensive about travel, according to Deloitte, that now has more to do with the cost of travel rather than lingering safety concerns.
2. Most travelers will get behind the wheel.
With concerns about air travel rising, more Americans are hitting the road. For those who plan to travel this summer, most will pack their trunks: 71% say they will travel by car as their next vacation’s primary mode of transportation. In general, this is due to overall preference for automotive travel (42%) or seeking added flexibility (40%). And while last summer, safety was the number two reason most travelers chose to go by car, this summer, it’s slipped to fifth on the list, behind preference and cost.
3. For those who are weary, gas prices play a part.
Though prices are leveling out in some parts of the country, the cost of gas remains top-of-mind for many drivers this summer. Most (78%) say the cost of gas currently has a major to moderate impact on daily driving habits — including travel. So while those who are willing to travel may be considering a road trip, they may stick to their planned routes, rather than detour for the fun of it to save on gas.
Pro tip: checking traffic conditions before heading out can also be a small way to save on gas mileage, helping potentially avoid any bumper-to-bumper conditions. Also, be mindful of how much you pack, as heavier loads will take their toll on mileage efficiency.
4. Still, many will go the distance.
Despite worries over gas prices, a renewed appetite to return to travel has over one-third of travelers mapping out longer routes. Of the half of Americans who have already taken a vacation this year, Hankook found that 35% traveled long distances.
5. With travel recovery, comes busy roads.
Without question, optimism around travel plans signals a positive sign for many businesses and cities hoping to make up for lost time the last two years, even amid inflation’s impact. But for those planning to hit the road, it can also mean a traffic nightmare. According to the U.S. Travel Association, Fridays throughout June, July and August are some of the busiest travel days of the year (sometimes beating even major holidays!) So for those among the 13% of drivers who told Hankook they find their time spent driving can be a stressful experience, be sure to plan ahead and avoid the rush — and “pack your patience!”


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The classic car auction season opens in January in Arizona, and then moves to another warm winter state, Florida, where major events are held at Kissimmee (Mecum), Amelia Island (RM and Gooding), Fort Lauderdale (RM) and Palm Beach (Barrett-Jackson) before, like those Arizona and Florida snow birds, the migration heads back north for the spring and summer months.
RM's "Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale" event posted sales of $16 million with 79 percent of lots being sold. Cars from the collection of the late John O'Quinn accounted for some $7 million of that figure, including the highest price paid at the event -- $211,750 for a 1935 Auburn 851 SC convertible sedan.
Other high-sellers were a 1931 Cadillac Model 370-A V12 convertible coupe for $209,000; a 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, also for $209,000; a 1954 Buick Skylark convertible for $187,000; a 1935 Packard Twelve convertible sedan for $165,000, and a 1969 Ford Boss 429 Mustang for $151,250. The Packard and Mustang were O'Quinn estate cars.
RM announced it will offer another dozen O'Quinn cars at its annual Monaco auction, scheduled this year for May 1.
The top seller at Barrett-Jackson was the first 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Special Edition, which went for $297,000. Only 500 such cars, a tribute to 50 years of Corvette racing at Le Mans, will be produced.
Other high-dollar cars at Barrett-Jackson were a Platt & Payne Signature Edition 2005 Ford Mustang GT for $190,000; a 1965 Shelby Cobra custom roadster for $184,000; a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette convertible for $165,000; a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air custom hardtop for $162,250 and a 2005 Ford GT for $161,700.
Ferrari auction benefits Haitian relief
The first Ferrari 458 Italia available in North America was among the items up for charity auction staged by the Italian automaker to benefit Haitian relief. The star-studded event, held in Los Angeles, raised $601,000 for the Catholic Medical Mission Board and the William J. Clinton Foundation. That first 458 Italia went for $530,000. Also auctioned were a Ferrari F1 racing suit and two trips to the Canadian Grand Prix.
Priced reduced on Nichels' Superbird
You may recall that last summer, the jet-chasing 1970 Plymouth Superbird (see photo) built by stock car racing legend Ray Nichels had been restored and was up for private auction with a starting bid of $3 million. Nichels Engineering built the car under contract with the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which needed a high-speed vehicle equipped with on-board diagnostic equipment to chase down runways after commercial aircraft so pollution, noise, tire dust and other items could be tracked. The EPA used the car from March 1972 until October 1973. It eventually was sold at a government auction in 1979.
The current owner had the car restored by E-Muscle of Middlefield, Connecticut, a process that took three years.
Since declaring the car available for bids, it has appeared in magazines, newspapers and on automotive television shows, but no one has come up with the $3 million.
"The owner has had his fun with the car," said Brian Chaffee of E-Muscle, who added that the price of the one-of-a-kind vehicle has been significantly reduced.
If you're interested, visit www.everythingmuscle.com and click on "restorations."
Renault, Rambler should draw interest
Crossing the block at RM's Automobiles of Michigan event (April 24-25 at Novi, the town that gave its name to the famed Indy car engine) will be two cars of unusual interest. One is the very first 1983 Renault Alliance, which, believe it or not, won Motor Trend Car of the Year honors. The Alliance at Novi has a mere 22 original miles on its odometer.
The Alliance was so named because it was the product of the alliance of French automaker Renault and American Motors. Also being offered at the RM sale is the 1963 AMC Rambler coupe owned by George Romney, who was AMC chairman from 1954-62 and governor of Michigan from 1963-69.
Also of interest should be the auction April 17 at Grand Rapids, Michigan of 125 vehicles from the R-11 Auto Museum of Burr Oak, Michigan. According to Old Cars Weekly, the museum closed and its cars are being sold, among them a one-of-a-kind 1966 Cadillac station wagon and one of 452 1948 Lincoln convertibles.
Sire of Mustang dies
Don Frey, who was, basically, the father of the iconic Ford Mustang, died last month. He was 87.
While creating the Mustang may have been Frey's greatest accomplishment as an automotive engineer, is was just one highlight of a career that included pioneering work in home video entertainment as well as in cable communications and the creation of the CD-ROM.
Frey held a doctorate in metallurgical engineering from the University of Michigan. At Ford, he was chief engineer and assistant general manager and told Automotive News that, "A few of us… were sitting around one day in the early 1960s and thought it would be a good idea to produce a small, sporty car that would appeal to a mass market. We were a bunch of guys in our 30s and early 40s then."
Frey pitched the idea to Ford chairman Henry Ford II. "The company was just getting over the Edsel flop and really didn't want to gamble on another new model," Frey reported.
But the young engineers were undaunted and simply developed the car in secret, using funds they had buried in the vehicle development budget.
The fifth time they approached Ford for approval, he finally relented, Frey said, adding, however, "I'm going to approve your Mustang, and it's your ass if it doesn't work."
It did, though in 1968 Frey left Ford to become president and chief operating officer of General Cable. He later became CEO of Bell & Howell. He retired in 1988 and taught engineering and business innovation courses at Northwestern University.
Mark your calendar
9-10 – Mecum auction at Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, Missouri
9-11 – Goodguys Del Mar Nationals, Del Mar, California
11-13 – Copperstate 1000 vintage rally, Arizona
16-17 – The Branson Auction at Branson, Missouri
17 – Specialty vehicle program (fire engines, ambulances and funeral cars) presentation, Walter P. Chrysler Museum, Auburn Hills, Michigan
23-25 -- VCRA Ruffneck Rally, Ponca City, Oklahoma
23-25 – Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, Lake Como, Italy
24-25 – RM auction at Novi, Michigan
1 – RM auction at Monaco
14-16 – Kruse Spring at Auburn, Indiana
15-16 – Goodguys Orange County Get-Together, Costa Mesa, California
16-21 – New England 1000, Stowe, Vermont
19-23 – Mecum auction at Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis
21-23 – Goodguys Nashville Nationals, Nashville, Tennessee
Click here for more articles by Larry Edsall.


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Daughter of former NBA star’s mother says her father’s sneakers ‘will be a staple’
- by admin
SANTA CLARA, Calif.
— Son of a former NBA player and one-time NBA All-Star, Christian Loubouton has his own sneakers.
They’re called Under Armour.
He’s a big fan of them, too.
Louboutons son, who’s been playing basketball since the age of 5, started wearing the Under Armour sneakers to go everywhere.
The sneakers are the stuff of legend, especially for the 6-foot-9 Loubouts son, whose size is considered “normal.”
They have the signature black color and a silhouette that resembles that of a basketball shoe.
“When I was a kid, I had to wear them,” Loub outson told The Associated Press by phone from his Santa Clara, Calif., home on Monday.
So when my dad first came out, he was the only person that would wear them, he said.
Then he said he got a pair for Christmas.
His dad, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1983 to 1986, has a black leather-soled shoe with a heel and toe.
It’s a classic, Loub said.
“They’ve become the iconic sneaker in our family.”
Loubouts father, who is from a prominent Los Angeles family, said his son loves to wear the shoes.
But his favorite is the Adidas Air Force 1.
As a child, Lououton wore the sneakers with his grandmother because she wore them in the streets.
When Loubson was growing up, his mom, who was a dancer, wore them.
She loved them and wanted them for Christmas, he recalled.
Even though he never went on to play basketball, Loulouds mom wore the shoes on the court when she was in her early 40s.
That was in the 1980s.
LoubOUTON, a former basketball player, is also a big NBA fan.
After his playing career ended, he became a professional basketball coach in Japan.
I love the way he plays basketball, his son said.
But it’s really just about the shoes and how comfortable they are.
My dad, the most humble, the nicest person, he is just a phenomenal person.
During a recent game in Japan, LOUOUTON and his father got a chance to talk basketball.LOUOUTSON said he’s been wearing the shoes since he was a young child.
At first, it was just my dad and me.
But as I got older, it got bigger, he told the AP.
One day, I wanted to buy a pair of shoes and I was going to sell them on eBay, he added.
In Japan, he’s had a few pairs for sale, but LoubOUTSON has been able to keep the pair.
And his mother loves them.
“I don’t wear them every day, but they are always my favorite, even though they are a bit expensive,” he said, adding that his mom would buy them for him on her birthday.
On Monday, Loughoutons mother got her first pair, the black-and-white Adidas AirForce 1.
Louloud was born in Los Angeles in 1978.
He grew up in a small town in Texas and moved to California to play in college.
While there, he started a modeling career and later landed his first job as a basketball coach for a basketball league.
Before retiring in 2011, he helped launch the Under Armor brand, which sells athletic shoes.
The company’s shoes, sneakers and clothing line includes Nike Air Force, Under Armour, Nike Air Max and Under Armour Elite.
Lououtons daughter, who plays for the LA Lakers, said her father started wearing Under Armour shoes to go wherever.
With the help of a family friend, she bought a pair last year.
Her father is a very passionate basketball player and his daughter is a big supporter of the brand.
A few days after the pair was released, she got a call from her father asking her to take them out for a spin.
(She was wearing the same pair her father had, she said.)
“I was just so happy,” Loulouton said.
“They fit so perfectly.”
The Nike AirForce sneakers, which were first introduced in 2009, are the latest model in Under Armour’s line.
There’s also the UnderArmour Elite line, which includes shoes that are specifically tailored to basketball players.
Other products include the Nike AirMax, UnderArmore and UnderArmored sneakers.
“If you ask me, I’m still very much a fan,” LOUOUOUTONS daughter said.
SANTA CLARA, Calif.— Son of a former NBA player and one-time NBA All-Star, Christian Loubouton has his own sneakers.They’re called…


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Data Analytics a Growing Focus for Businesses
A third of senior executives in the U.S. and 24 percent in Europe expect 10 percent or more of their companies’ growth to be related to data analytics.
More than two-thirds of senior executives surveyed (67 percent) say data analytics are important to their companies, a number that includes 69 percent of senior executives and business decision-makers in the United States and 65 percent in Europe, a study by BSA The Software Alliance found.
The survey found 61 percent of senior executives in the U.S. and 58 percent in Europe say data analytics are important to their companies’ plans to hire more employees, and 79 percent of senior executives in the U.S. and 80 percent in Europe say data analytics are important to their companies’ plans to better serve customer needs.
In addition, 70 percent in the U.S. and 72 percent in Europe say data analytics are important to their companies’ plans for creating new products or services.
"One interesting thing we found in our survey was that data analytics are important to companies’ plans across a wide range of business activities — not just to drive sales and revenue," Victoria Espinel BSA president and CEO, told eWeek. "For example, executives said data analytics are important for their companies’ plans to create new products and services, and to better serve their customers’ needs."
Espinel said perhaps the most surprising thing they found was that data analytics are not just catalysts for corporate growth and innovation, but also for job creation, noting six out of 10 executives say data analytics are important for their companies’ plans to hire more employees.
Thinking about this year, 33 percent of senior executives in the U.S. and 24 percent in Europe say they expect 10 percent or more of their companies’ growth to be related to data analytics.
Looking ahead five years, 58 percent of senior executives in the U.S. and 43 percent in Europe make the same prediction.
Data analytics are important to 60 percent of small companies, including 57 percent of American companies with 50 or fewer employees and 62 percent of same-sized European companies, according to their senior decision-makers.
"People have been analyzing data for thousands of years, but the difference now is that we have innovative software, vast computing power, and nearly infinite sources of data — from the sensors in jet engines to weather and traffic patterns, financial market trends, earthquake impacts, healthcare research and more. This opens up incredible opportunities to tackle problems in new ways," Espinel said.
In medium-sized companies (those with 51 to 500 employees), 87 percent of U.S. executives and 79 percent of European executives say data analytics are important.
In large companies (those with more than 500 employees), 97 percent of US executives and 82 percent of European executives say data analytics are important.
"Mobile technology plays a critical role in advancing data analytics as we see a proliferation of devices and sensors that are being connected to the so-called Internet of Things," Espinel noted. "Everything from devices people wear on their wrists to monitor their health and fitness, to the ones trucking companies use to monitor engine performance and forecast logistical problems before they happen."


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Craft beer sales booming, outpacing regular beer, Brewers Association says
Craft brew isn’t just booming in Central Ohio, it’s surging nationwide.
According to the Brewers Association, the Boulder, Colo.-based trade group that represents the craft beer industry, sales in the segment rose 17 percent in 2012, while volume was up 15 percent. By comparison, the entire U.S. beer industry saw volume go up 1 percent.
For every $10 spent on beer in the U.S. last year, $1 went to craft brewers as segment sales accounted for $10.2 billion of the $99 billion in 2012 beer sales.
The industry gained a net 366 breweries in 2012 — 409 openings, 49 closings — to bring the U.S. count to 2,403. Plenty of that action has been in and will continue to be in Central Ohio, which since 2011 has been surging with start-up breweries and plenty of new craft-touting and growler-selling bars.
“On average, we are seeing slightly more than one craft brewery per day opening somewhere in the U.S. and we anticipate even more in the coming year,” Association Director Paul Gatza said in a press release. “There is clearly a thirst in the marketplace for craft brewed beer as indicated by the continued growth year after year.”
Dan Eaton covers retailing and restaurants for Columbus Business First.
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Rolling Loud Comes To Thailand: Appoints Mr. Tanwar as First Ever Representative For India and UAE
New Delhi (India), March 22: The Rolling Loud, one of the biggest and well-known music festivals around the world, is ready to set its foot in the beautiful country of Thailand. The festival which is going to be held from 13th to 15th April, 2023 in Pattaya has a line-up of over 60 artists including some of the iconic names in the music industry like Cardi B, Travis Scott and Chris Brown.
Vinay Singh Tanwar, the owner of LRT events, has been appointed as their first ever representative for India and UAE. Along with being an entrepreneur, Tanwar is also a young International attorney who specializes in negotiations and arbitrations and has received his training from Switzerland.
‘’After the great success in the USA and Europe, Rolling Loud which is the world’s largest hip-hop festival is all set to expand to Asia and we can’t wait to bring its amazing energy to the people here while showcasing the best of the International and local rap scenes’’ says the excited Tanwar.
Rolling Loud Thailand promises 3 fun-filled days of hip-hop music with some of the most established regional and local artists along with a plethora of delicious lip-smacking food and drink options that this picturesque and vibrant location has to offer.
‘’My team and I are thrilled to be a part of this project and can’t wait for it to become a great success’’ says the former.
Buy your tickets today at PAYTM Insider: https://insider.in/rolling-loud-festival-2023-apr13-2023/event
If you have any objection to this press release content, kindly contact pr.error.rectification[at]gmail.com to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 24 hours.


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The Watch and Jewellery Show
This year’s Baselworld is now over and we reported live throughout the show. If you follow us on social media, you’ll know that we have joined up with GQ Magazine to bring you regular updates from the show for the very first time. Over the two nights, we hosted live panel discussions with our CEO Brian Duffy and watch buying experts on the British GQ website and the Watches of Switzerland Facebook page. If you’ve missed the broadcasts, fear not – here’s another chance to discover our highlights so far from the world’s largest luxury watch and jewellery fair. Plus, don’t forget to keep following us on social media so you can be among the first to discover the latest watches.


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Improved technology for financial systems will be a critical part of Corporate America’s move to the new revenue recognition standard hurtling toward your income statement by 2018.
That does not, however, mean that improved technology will be part of your implementation plan today. Vendors are still scrambling to deliver updated software that can accommodate that brave new world of revenue, and financial compliance executives must somehow push implementation plans forward right now anyway.
Technology considerations around the new standard are significant. Indeed, fears accounting technology isn’t yet up to the task are one reason why the Financial Accounting Standards Board is poised to approve a one-year delay in the standard’s 2017 effective date. The problem is one of cart versus horse: Software vendors are eager to update their products in principle, but hesitate to embrace that move fully until FASB issues more follow-up guidance expected later in 2015.
“It’s fairly obvious there are no broad-based computerized solutions that are available right now,” FASB member Larry Smith said at a board meeting in April to discuss the one-year delay. “And we don’t expect vendors will complete or even start to complete their packages until we finalize the standard sometime later this year.”
Steve Thompson, a partner with KPMG focused on the new revenue standard, says it’s “no secret” that technology solution providers are taking longer than expected to get products to market. “The standard is continuing to change,” he says.
FASB has issued a proposal to clarify the guidance around licensing arrangements and identifying performance obligations, and another proposal is still pending regarding additional issues such as recognizing revenue gross or net of amounts paid to others in a transaction. “That’s the other side of the coin,” Thompson says. “It’s not as if the standard came out a year ago and has just stayed the same the whole time.”
Software vendors are not necessarily waiting for the final version of the standard to begin rolling out products, says Don Sobczak, managing director at KPMG. “Vendors are trying to align with all the different changes in the standards,” he says. “They’re all at a point where they’ve built some functionality that they know isn’t changing.”
Large vendors of enterprise risk planning systems, for example, are building solutions that are specific to their applications, Sobczak says. “They are available to test and run,” he says. Those providers have left some flexibility in their applications so the software will work across all modules and all versions, assuring they are sustainable if further changes in the standard are still to come, he says.
“I’m concerned some companies are dragging their feet. Some don’t want to get started before they know they have a technology solution. I’m afraid some are delaying maybe a little too much.”
Doug Reynolds, Partner, Grant Thornton
Other specialty vendors are working on bolt-on solutions that offer even more flexibility, but require plenty of input from Corporate America as companies decide on various accounting policies and judgments necessary to comply with the new standard. “They have a lot of building rules,” Thompson says. “If this, then do this. If that, then do that, to cover all the different possible revenue arrangements. When we hear in the market that bolt-on solutions are ready, that means the tools are flexible. Companies build their own rules, effectively.”
Pete Graham, director of finance solutions and mobility at SAP, says the company has been working on transitioning its technology to the requirements of the new standard since 2010. Companies relying on SAP technology began seeing the first versions of new products in late March, he says. SAP tried to develop the solution in a way that enabled flexibility rather than constant updates. “We knew going in we were not playing on a concrete surface,” he says. “These regulations change all the time.”
Still, updates will come, Graham says. “The first version covers core steps in the regulation,” he says. “New features are coming that will assure full coverage on all the nuances of the regulation. We’re not expecting any changes from the accounting boards that will force major rewrites, but if it happens, we will deal with it.”
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR REV-REC?
Below, Softrax outlines what’s in store for companies when the new revenue recognition rule goes into effect.
The new revenue recognition standards issued by FASB and the IASB represent the most significant accounting change for US businesses since Sarbanes-Oxley. Public companies are expected to be ready to comply with the new regulations by the end of 2017, and private companies must start using them by December 2018. That means it's more critical than ever to understand how the new rules will affect the way you report your revenue—and how they change your financial risk reporting profile.
What's Changing in FASB ASC 606 and IFRS 15?
Under the new guidance, old, industry-specific guidelines for revenue recognition are replaced with a 5-step procedure:
Identify the contract with the customer
Identify the performance obligations in the contract
Determine the overall transaction price for the contract
Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations
Recognize revenue when performance obligations are satisfied
While this streamlines and consolidates revenue recognition as a whole, companies and their auditors must now determine how this framework applies to their existing business processes, and how to handle this transition before the required adoption dates. As a result, even industries whose requirements were relatively simple until now will have to pay close attention to their revenue recognition processes.
Who's Affected by the New Revenue Guidelines?
All industries will be affected to some degree by the new guidance. Companies must also be prepared to disclose more information on customer contracts and the assets involved in them than before, and be ready to consider the requirements of dual reporting and variable consideration.
What Are the Transition Options?
Companies have two ways to handle the transition to ASC 606/ASU 2014-09:
Retrospective adjustment: Use prior revenue recognition rules in the period leading up to the changeover, then provide updated financials for that time period using the new guidelines in the 2018/2019 financial statements.
Cumulative effect adjustment: Use prior revenue recognition rules in the period leading up to the changeover. In doing so, disclose how each line item will be affected by the new guidance, and explain any significant changes created by applying the new versus the prior guidance.
To avoid complications, experts like Grant Thornton have recommended that companies use the cumulative effect adjustment method in their financials.
SAP worked with roughly 30 customers to understand how to meet both the technical requirements and the business needs—and Graham says, SAP is trying to implement a tech solution for the new revenue standard just like anyone else. “We’re using the solution in one of our divisions,” he says. “We’re going to have to go through the regulations and adapt to them too, so we’re the first customer.”
Geoff Harkness, managing director at consulting firm MorganFranklin, says most vendors have gotten to a baseline of determining what they must do to satisfy the needs of different industry sectors. “Most bigger vendors have turned to strategic system integration and consulting partners to build that interim solution,” he says. “They have packaged something that’s one part workaround, one part solution, so people can meet the dual reporting requirement.”
Joe Howell, executive vice president at Workiva, a cloud-based business reporting platform, says his company is not developing any software specific to the new revenue standard, but is gearing up to help with data gathering that will be necessary under the new standard. He sees companies planning to use manual processes, which leads to the need for tight controls. “There’s still a great deal of research to be done,” he says.
Whatever the state of technology development, none of that means companies should wait for a rush of new products to hit the market before they take action to adopt the new standard, warns Doug Reynolds, a partner with Grant Thornton. “I’m concerned some companies are dragging their feet,” he says. “Some don’t want to get started before they know they have a technology solution. I’m afraid some are delaying maybe a little too much.”
Harkness says the technology has “a lot of room to mature,” but companies still have plenty to do in the meantime. “There is still a huge number of people whose cocktail napkin analysis has yielded answers they don’t think are so compelling that they have to move until now,” he says. “They’ve delayed doing the detailed contract analysis.” (The new revenue standard will define transactions as a series of performance obligations, where revenue is recognized once each specific obligation is fulfilled; hence, contract analysis is about to become a much bigger part of the accounting department’s life.)
Thompson says there’s plenty for companies to do before they are ready to leverage any new technology. “We’re working with a lot of companies on assessment,” he says. “It’s not just about the accounting, but what data elements you need to capture and where they come from. Until you fully define all of those, you’re not in a position to complete an implementation.”
Lorraine Malonza, director at Financial Executives International, says her anecdotal observations suggest the same. “Technology is an issue, but it is not the primary issue,” she says. “Some companies haven’t even gotten to the point where they understand how the technology will impact them.”


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It seems like Facebook wants to extend even more. This is why they are planning to come right to you, through your TV screen. It may seem weird that a company which did not even exist when the TVs were the big thing wants to extend into that area. Still, Facebook wants to get a grip on each and every device you own, so it is only natural for them to want to control the thing you look at a few hours a day.
Moving into the TV business
According to what Facebook said on Tuesday, the company designed a connected video app for the TVs. In a few weeks-time, the new feature is going to become available on many devices including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and even Samsung Smart TVs. Thanks to this new app, users will be able to watch videos from Facebook on their TV screen at home. It does not matter if that video is shared by a friend, appears in the newsfeed or it is a Live video. All of them will be available. It is interesting that Facebook might gain a lot of revenue from this new area they want to extend to. Thanks to the TVs, Facebook will be able to show more ads, which is one of the main sources of revenue for all of those social media platforms.
This new app is another proof that Facebook wants to make its platform more focused on video content. Everyone can now have easy access to videos on various websites like Netflix or Hulu. So, Facebook wants to become one of those websites which will provide video content to its users. According to Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, video has become a trend as big as mobile nowadays. So, the plan is to make it much easier for users to film and post videos or to share them in many new ways.
An easier way to watch videos
Dan Rose, Facebook’s VP of Partnerships, said that many users are often keeping lots of videos which they want to watch later but often do not find the time. With the new TV app, it is now easier to just go on your TV and watch those videos while you are doing something else. According to statistics, users were watching over 100 million hours of video content every day, in 2016. Facebook seems to want even more. The company is in talks with many video creators to make longer ones, TV-style. Facebook also wants to license those videos.
It remains to be seen how interested users will be in such an app, specifically designed for video content. Facebook spent a lot of 2016 testing their new video tab on the platform. It finally went live in December, but people still do not understand why it took so long. It was not anything special, just a way of finding videos and Live videos quicker. On Tuesday, Facebook announced some other updates. Among those is an option to scroll down your feed while continuing to watch a video. Also, a vertical video viewing option will roll out soon.
Image source: here


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Sales at Marks & Spencer rose by 2.8 per cent in the second quarter of its financial year, the high street giant said today.
A better performance by the retailer's womenswear division and another strong set of results in M&S food fuelled the jump.
Chairman and chief executive Luc Vandevelde said: "We have been encouraged by the response of our customers to the improvements we have made to the appeal, quality and fit of our clothing."
Clothing, footwear and gift sales rose by 0.8 per cent in the 12 weeks to September 29 compared to the same period last year, with food sales up 4.9 per cent.
Like-for-like growth across the group was 2.1 per cent.
The performance marks the first quarter for three years in which M&S has recorded an increase in sales.
M&S recently won headlines for the response to the trendy Per Una range of womenswear designed by George Davis, previously with Next and Asda.
Only two days of Per Una sales were included in today's results.
But M&S said that there had been a steady improvement in clothing throughout the second quarter.
Its autumn campaign, entitled Perfect, and focusing on classically stylish clothes, had helped highlight the improved product ranges, M&S said.
Mr Vandevelde warned that the current uncertain economic climate might knock the high street in the run- up to Christmas.
But he added: "We believe our customers will appreciate the continuing improvements we are making to our products as well as to the store
In July, M&S showed that sales in the first quarter of the year fell by 2.6 per cent.
Taking today's results into account, the company said sales for the half-year to September 29 were down by 0.2 per cent.


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EU countries are preparing to tax e-cigarettes under the same regime as normal cigarettes, in a move likely to increase prices and to prompt a fight among corporate lobbyists in Brussels. Last Friday (26th February), member states’ ambassadors agreed to take the first step by asking the European Commission to draft an appropriate legislative proposal in 2017.
The project will be endorsed without discussion when the bloc’s finance ministers meet on 8 March. The ministers’ draft conclusions said that e-cigarettes, as well as other novel products, could cause “inconsistencies and legal uncertainty” in the single market if they remained exempt from excise tax. They also said excise duties or some “other specifically designed tax” on novel tobacco items, which use steam instead of smoke to put nicotine into people’s lungs, could help meet “public health objectives”. They added that work on the new tax regime should be “intensified” if “the market share of such products show a tendency to increase”.
Prices will rise
Global e-cigarette sales were about €7.5 billion last year, but analysts forecast they will grow to €46 billion by 2025-2030. Under existing rules, all EU countries must impose an excise tax of at least 57 percent on tobacco products, but most impose only VAT on e-cigarettes at a level of about 20 percent. In the UK the excise and VAT burden sees the state collect £6.17 every time someone pays the recommended retail price of £7.98 for a pack of 20 premium-brand cigarettes. The excise income alone is worth €15.5 billion a year.
One EU official said it was “self-evident” that the price of e-cigarettes would go up if the commission went ahead. A second official said it was “too early to say what effect the review” of excise rules might have on prices. The ministers’ draft conclusions noted that the commission was not obliged to go ahead. But the draft text said EU states would want “reasons” if it did not act. With several EU capitals still struggling to balance the books, the commission in a report in December also said e-cigarette taxes could have “significant long term budgetary implications” for national treasuries.
One of the EU officials said the next steps would be “to undertake studies, carry out impact assessments and a public consultation”, setting the stage for a new lobbying war in Brussels. The last time the EU regulated e-cigarette sales, in 2014, big tobacco firms led by Philip Morris International tried to dilute legislation on grounds that e-cigarettes help people to quit smoking. They did it because they were buying up e-cigarette makers to protect their profits.
Firms joined them in what Olivier Hoedeman from Corporate Europe Observatory (Brussels-based NGO) called an “angry” campaign with “very strong emotions”. One MEP at the time got an email saying she would be “finished” if she obstructed ecigs’. EUobserver received emails saying it would be responsible for smokers’ deaths if published stories gave credence to claims that ecigs’ were bad for your health.
On the other side, pharmaceutical giants such as GlaxoSmithKline lobbied for tougher EU rules on the grounds that e-cigarettes encouraged young people to start smoking. They did it because they make nicotine gums and patches, which compete with e-cigarettes for people trying to give up. But gums and patches are regulated under more exacting EU medical product standards. They were joined by companies such as Trierenberg-Gruppe, the world’s top producer of cigarette papers. Read full article
View/download EU Draft Council Conclusions
Andrew Rettman (01 March 2016) E-cigarette tax sets the scene for EU lobbying war [editorial]. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1OLeppu


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JOHANNESBURG - With the biggest shopping day of the year in full swing, many shoppers have already gotten their hands on discounted goods.
Hundreds of people stood in queues for hours on Thursday night, as selected stores opened for Black Friday at midnight.
WATCH: TVs fly off shelves at midnight Black Friday sale
The queue grew longer as the clock edged towards midnight, and hundreds of people made their way to Game, among other stores, for their Black Friday deals.
Game store’s interim CEO Andrew Stein said they prepared for the day for most of the year.
“We’ve been planning since the start of the year. We’re very excited and more planned. We chose midnight because we’re famous for that and it’s what our customers expect of us.”
As the doors opened, the crowds were let in, avoiding the rush and chaos seen in previous years, with most people heading straight for the TVs.
“We want TVS, not one, but TVs,” one shopper told EWN.
The checkout process seemed to be running smoothly with many people still arriving well after 1am to join the shopping craze.
This article first appeared on EWN : ‘We want TVs!’: Black Friday shoppers up since midnight to get the best deals


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With the weather turning colder and strict indoor dining mitigations still in place, some local restaurants and bars have found ways to provide creative outdoor dining experiences.
Domes at Solemn Oath
Solemn Oath Brewery transformed their 4,200 square-foot summer beer garden into a winter dome forest.
Customers can enjoy a drink in one of the 12 domes set up in the new winter wonderland.
“We’re just gearing up for the winter and giving people a place to get out and support some local businesses and we take a lot of pride for being a place like that for the community and we’re excited to share it with everyone,” said Solemn Oath Brewery owner, John Barley.
The brewery is also keeping safety in mind.
Between each party, tables and high touch surfaces are sanitized, an electrostatic fogger is used to disinfect air space, and the domes are aired out for 15 minutes.
Barley spent around $20,000 on the new set up, and he believes it’s worth it.
“One of our goals here is to get fresh local beer into this community and these are an investment for us to continue to do that for the next four months,” said Barley.
Winter Villas at Fiammé Pizza
Fiammé Pizza also sees the $17,000 they put into their outdoor space as an investment.
The pizzeria set up six holiday-themed winter villas in their parking lot.
“We insulated the walls to make sure that the guest is warm, we also ran lights as well as heaters inside and we also have speakers in there so we can set a mood,” said Preston Gaspar, general manager at Fiammé.
Like Solemn Oath, the restaurant has a thorough cleaning process.
“In between parties what we do is we take a fogging machine which has sanitizer in it,” said Gaspar. “So we fog the air and then we open the door and ventilate for 15 minutes and then we wipe down every high contact surface area.”
Greenhouses at Fiammé
As another seating option, Fiammé has four warm greenhouses and plan to build two more.
Keeping doors open in the colder months until indoor service can return.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
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Bike India - August 2020
English | 150 pages | PDF
As we all know, the Indian economy has been showing a decline for the past couple of years. COVID-19 struck in March this year and it resulted in a further decline in the sales of two-wheelers, what with the country going into a lockdown for three months. The partial “unlock” has seen some growth in sales figure, but, at the same time, manufacturers are facing difficulties in the supply chain because some of the vendors are located in containment zones.


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School District launches new app
Students, parents and the general public have a new method of keeping up with information from the McCreary County School District with the launch of a new mobile application.
Stay Connected, an app from School Pointe, can be downloaded free on a phone or other mobile device and can be linked directly to the District’s information portal: essentially a mobile friendly version of the District website.
Greg Davis, Network Engineer for the District, said the new tool provides parents and students easier access to news and updates from the District as more people rely on mobile devices for internet access.
“Anything we update on our website is available on the app with a simple swipe of the finger,” he said.
School calendars, school and district news, staff listings, school information and notifications are all available from the Stay Connected app, which is free to download and install.
“It is another avenue to communicate with parents and the public,” Davis added.
The app is available for Apple devices in the Apple Store, and for Android devices in the Google store.
Once installed a simple search for the McCreary County School District will link the app with the District’s portal


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According to semi-well established Apple leaker, Dylandkt, who’s gained traction this past year when it comes to anything Apple leaks, the next-gen iMac could be called the ‘iMac Pro’ and we could see it as early as the first half of 2022.
*Use obnoxiously loud infomercial guy voice* BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! The leaker shared in a tweet today that the upcoming device could feature ProMotion, Mini-LED, the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips Apple introduced this year in the MacBook Pro models with a possible ‘added configuration,’ HDMI, SD Card, USB-C, start ‘at or over $2k’, and possible Face ID (although, according to him, it is ‘not confirmed.’)
He goes on to disclaim that while the current internal naming candidate for the device is ‘iMac Pro,’ that could change later. His theory about why Apple is said to be using the ‘Pro’ naming is to differentiate between this device from the 24-inch iMac released earlier this year.
Speaking of the 24-inch, while this new iMac Pro design is said to be similar to the 24-inch model, unlike that device, this iMac will feature dark bezels and could be slimmed down like with the Pro Display XDR.
Finally, he later cleared up speculation about whether this would or would not be replacing the Intel 27-inch iMac.
I should note that Dylandkt’s latest leak is lining up with information accurate Apple display analyst, Ross Young, gave us less than two weeks ago, when he said we could expect a 27-inch ProMotion display iMac in the first quarter of 2022. This new leak also corroborates Bloomberg’s, Mark Gurman’s information about Apple working on a high-end iMac ‘Pro.’
“I absolutely still believe that a larger, redesigned iMac to replace the Intel 27-inch models is en route. Apple increasing the screen size of the smaller model from 21.5 inches to 24 inches seems to indicate that the 27-inch model could see a size increase as well. I don’t think, however, that Apple will launch the larger model with the same M1chip that’s in the smaller model. It likely will be an M1X, the beefier version of the current M1, or an M2X.“– Gurmmy


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LI ION MOTORS
Tesla to install world's largest lithium ion battery
Adelaide, July 7 (IANS) US tech giant Tesla is set to install the world's largest lithium ion battery in South Australia in partnership with French energy utility Neoen, officials confirmed on Friday.
Suzuki Motor Corporation enters into JV with Toshiba and Denso for production of lithium ion battery packs in India
The move may pave way for...
ITC calls liAS recommendations' misleading and defamatory
ITC is seeking shareholders' nod for additional remuneration for Deveshwar, who ste...
TCS eyes running MOOC, holding parts of driving test on iON
Ramaswamy said the company was already in talks with publishers and professors from the Indian Institutes of Technologies to place content for online courses.
Billionaire Li Ka-shing Said to retire by 2018
The tycoon plans to remain as senior adviser and keep his office atop CK Hutchison’s headquarters building in downtown Hong Kong, according to the report.
Storage startup ION Energy gets undisclosed amount of angel funding
The funds will be used for product development and taking the product towards its formal manufacturing.
Economy to maintain steady growth but faces difficulties: China Premier Li Keqiang
Li Keqiang told the World Economic Forum in June that China was capable of achieving its full-year growth target and controlling systemic risks despite challenges.
ISRO will allow companies to obtain lithium-ion battery tech
Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari had sought Isro’s help to develop indigenous technology for lithium-ion batteries so that their prices are within the reach of Indian customers.
China stocks down, Li's remarks raise growth, regulatory concerns
Most sectors lost ground, led by real estate and consumer stocks that rallied the most recently.
Kinetic Green announces its first electric three-wheeler with Lithium Ion Battery
Kinetic Green along with its energy partners have successfully developed and tested Lithium Ion Batteries for application in their e-vehicles, the company informed.
Racial attacks may be ‘Trump Effect’: Li Max Joy
Joy said that he has been living in Hobart for eight years with his family and also narrated another such incident that happened with him a week ago.
South China Sea installations 'primarily' civilian: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
The sea is a source of growing regional tension, with Beijing insisting it has sovereignty over virtually all the resource-rich waters, which are also claimed in part by several other countries, and deemed international waters by most of the world.
China can control risks, hit 2017 growth target: Premier Li Keqiang
Beijing targets economic growth of around 6.5 percent in 2017, compared with the 6.7 percent pace delivered in 2016 - the slowest in 26 years.
No hard landing for China's economy: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
China's contribution to global growth will not come down and the Chinese economy will continue to be a strong driving force in the face of sluggish global economy, Premier Li Keqiang said.
Tata Motors develops first bio-methane bus
The company displayed three models, including the lead model Tata LPO 1613 with 5.7 SGI NA BS-IV IOBD-II compliant bus.


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Creative Word PR joined other local businesses in celebrating this year’s Small Business Saturday to showcase local independent talent.
The day, which is dedicated to encouraging shoppers to think local and support independent businesses, is a national movement celebrated on the first Saturday in December each year.
Cheryl joined a host of independent businesses as well as a variety of Small Business 100 – SMEs selected by Small Business Saturday UK to showcase the variety and success of independent firms – at the Derby event held at The Enterprise Centre, Derby University.
Run by Derby Hub it was a great opportunity to support local businesses and find out more about the work Small Business Saturday does.
Cheryl said: “As an independent business I am proud to support small businesses in shouting about their successes. Small Business Saturday is a great way to showcase the skill and talent our country has and I would encourage all shoppers to think local and support their independent stores this year.”
More information on Small Business Saturday UK and how you can get involved is available at http://www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com


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Tesla Motors Inc. wants to be a leading employer of U.S. military veterans.
The San Jose Mercury News reports that with production on Tesla's flagship Model S ramping up, as well as the pending launch of its crossover SUV, the company is driving toward a healthy workforce expansion.
Veterans fit well at Tesla because of high-level technical, electrical and mechanical skills they learned in their military.
Of Tesla's 6,000 current employees, about 300, or 5 percent, are veterans. An additional 600 veterans are in the hiring pipeline.
Arizona is one of a handful of states under consideration for Tesla's proposed $5 billion battery plant.


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A recent consumer survey found that two-thirds of Britons are taking their summer holiday in the UK this year: a 41% increase on 2012. The ‘staycation’ has made a big impression on UK tourism and could have a huge impact on UK supermarkets too. They just need to figure out how to attract staycationers and how to convert sales once they’re in store.
Firstly, they must communicate with shoppers in a timely and personalised way. Supermarkets need to be able to capitalise on the British summertime, no matter how short it may be. This was a huge challenge in the past, as supermarkets had to choose advertising campaigns six months in advance, which left little flexibility to jump on an unexpected hot day, for example.
The introduction of mobile and social media has helped eradicate this challenge, as it enables supermarkets to spot trends, and send relevant ads or offers directly to mobiles. They can also hijack unexpected events, such as Andy Murray’s sensational Wimbledon victory, by sending out offers for Champagne or strawberries, say.
Nevertheless, there’s no point getting shoppers through the door, excited to buy a bottle of discounted Pimm’s, only to find that they’ve sold out. To prevent this, supermarkets must ensure they have an agile supply chain in place. They can’t afford to rely solely on demand forecasts. To be truly agile, supermarkets need to be able to read and respond to real-time market information.
Supermarkets must invest in data analytics tools to collect and interrupt data across all channels and integrate this information with their suppliers’ data so they can act as soon as the demand spikes are registered.
Supermarkets also need to be able to develop greater brand loyalty. Generating the right offers, communicating them effectively, creating the perfect store environment and ensuring shoppers get the goods they’re looking for are all vital in producing a successful shopping experience.
With an estimated 7.8 million Brits holidaying at home this year, there is a huge opportunity for supermarkets - they just need to be ready to take advantage.
Sergio Nogueira is partner, retail, CPG & Logistics in Europe at Infosys


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It looks like there will be an Amazon PS5 restock before the end of August, so make sure you’re ready to get your hands on a next-gen console.
Despite releasing all the way back in November, the PS5 is still extremely difficult to come by. Although, this huge PS5 stock shortage could soon be over, thanks to Sony securing more console components.
In the meantime though, some lucky gamers will be able to secure their own PS5, thanks to an upcoming Amazon restock. There are also plenty of other PS5 restocks happening this week at GameStop, Target, and Walmart too.
However, some players are holding off on buying a PS5. This is because Sony could be launching a PS5 Pro sooner than expected.
Also, make sure to check our PS5 Stock Trackers for lightning-fast restock updates:
- PS5 Stock Tracker USA – Updates, Restocks and Alerts
- PS5 Stock Tracker UK – Updates, Restocks and Alerts
Amazon USA PS5 Restock – August 2021
Amazon is long overdue for a PS5 restock, however, an insider hints that the retailer should drop consoles before the end of August.
PS5 restock expert Matt Swider believes that Amazon will drop a new wave of consoles before the end of August. This is because there has been no PS5 restock from the retailer so far this month.
Additionally, Amazon has changed the links for its consoles to prevent scalpers from buying up all of the PS5s. This further hints that a restock is on the way.
Unfortunately, there is no date or time for the August PS5 restock at Amazon yet. However, Matt Swider seems very confident that there will be a stock drop this month, so keep an eye out.
For now though, gamers can get a PS5 at the imminent PlayStation Direct stock drop.


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The Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) recently hosted the Nike Golf Junior Series at the Caledon Woods Golf Club in Caledon.
CIBC recently completed the offering of 32 million shares.
BASF SE recently announced that it will increase its European selling prices, effective immediately or as existing contracts permit, for certain products.
CIBC recently announced that it celebrated the grand opening of its CIBC Highway 27 and Queens Plate Banking Centre with a $10,000 donation to Youth Without Shelter.
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.'s board of directors recently filed a notice to renew for its normal course issuer bid for 12 months, which expired June 5.


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Propnex is embracing digital platforms for effective outreach to stakeholders and customers which translated to steadily rising sales.
While showflats were shut, PropNex embarked on consumer outreach efforts via digital platforms to market and transact properties. These online engagements have translated to steadily rising sales in the period following the circuit breaker.
Over the weekend of 25-26 July, the Group embraced digital platforms by hosting its first-ever PropNex Virtual Property Expo, which attracted more than 30,000 viewers over two days – a demonstration of its commitment to innovation and thought-leadership. The Virtual Property Expo featured numerous insightful webinars for participants, as well as a wide selection of listings from different segments.
“The COVID-19 pandemic had undoubtedly accelerated a paradigm shift in the way we operate. We are seeing the trend of buyers becoming more comfortable with online transactions. This will likely make real estate transactions more efficient, as buyers can narrow down the plethora of choices through virtual viewings, and thereafter only conduct physical viewings of their top picks. We are also currently enhancing our investment in digitalizing more of our business processes, such as building up an improved digital database for the resale and leasing segments to enhance service quality,” said Mr Ismail Gafoore, co-founder, Executive Chairman and CEO of PropNex.
With the adoption of digital platforms, PropNex, Singapore’s largest listed real estate agency, on 12 August also reported a robust 150.7% growth in net profit after tax (“NPAT”) for the half year ended 30 June 2020 (“1H2020”) to S$16.0 million, up from S$6.4 million in the year ago period. This was achieved on the back of a 45.2% surge in revenue over the same comparative period.
Additionally, the Board has declared an interim dividend of 1.5 Singapore cents, despite the tough operating environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The dividend payout underlines the Board’s confidence in the long-term prospects of the Group.
For the six months ended 30 June 2020, revenue increased by approximately S$75.2 million or 45.2%, from S$166.3 million in 1H2019. This was mainly due to the increase in commission income from project marketing services of approximately S$75.1 million driven by higher number of transactions completed in 1H2020, following the recovery of the private residential market from the property cooling measures of July 2018.
For the three months ended 30 June 2020 (“2Q2020”), the Group saw a 15.0% year-onyear growth in topline to S$105.9 million, and a 92.1% growth in NPAT to S$7.8 million over the same comparative period.
The Group’s balance sheet strengthened with an increase of S$18.1 million in cash and cash equivalents, up from S$81.6 million as at 31 December 2019 to S$99.7 million as at 30 June 2020. Please note that this cash balance will be reduced by the delayed payment of the 2019 final and special dividends, paid in July 2020, caused by delays in scheduling the annual general meeting in 2020 to approve the dividend payments. The cash balance will decrease further after the interim dividend payment of 1.5 cents to reward our shareholders for their support in these uncertain times following on our sterling 1H2020 results. Even after these payments, the cash balance will remain financially strong.
The circuit breaker imposed by the Singapore Government from 7 April to 1 June has disrupted market activities and snapped the growth momentum in the property market in April and May, after a positive first quarter. This largely affected the sales volume for 2Q2020. Based on URA data, 2,664 private residential properties were sold in 2Q2020, representing a 37.6% decline from the 4,269 private homes sold in 1Q2020.
However, the Group believes that with developers set to roll out more projects with competitive prices over the next few months, private new home sales might see the post circuit breaker sales momentum to pick up for the remaining of the year. While the economic downturn could lead to some buyers postponing their buying decision, the Group believes that low interest rates and fiscal policy measures supporting businesses and individuals will broadly lend support to housing demand and underpin sales.
Projects located Outside Central Region such as Treasure At Tampines, Parc Clematis, and The Florence Residences performed well in 2Q2020 and appeared to be steadily transacting units while keeping prices fairly stable.
Despite the safe distancing measures and mass gathering restrictions in 2Q2020, which resulted in closure of showflats, PropNex managed to further entrench itself as the market leader, capturing approximately 53% market share for closing 1,369 units in the new launches segment, based on 63 active projects that the Group was marketing since the beginning of the circuit breaker to 31 July 2020.
The Group transacted the most units in the quarter among competing marketing agencies appointed by developers for most of the projects that were launched.
Mr Ismail added, “We are delighted to have achieved a solid set of results with strong year-on-year growth despite the tough operating conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has enabled us to declare an interim dividend of 1.5 Singapore cents, an increase from last year’s amount. During these unprecedented times, PropNex has remained steadfast in using all its resources to support our colleagues, salespersons, customers and the community. We also remain invested in technology and innovation which will allow us to grow and better serve our customers.”
“The residential property market held up well in the face of crisis, testament to the resilience of the market, which in our view entered the crisis with strong fundamentals. This was largely due to the various property measures implemented over the years which have served to curb over-exuberance in the market. Our market leadership position in the new launches segment held steady despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the economy began a gradual reopening in June, we started to see buyers coming back to pick up units, taking advantage of the lower interest rates to purchase attractively-priced units.”


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Leading global retail bank, payments, and shopping service, Klarna has launched ‘Pay Now’, one of Klarna’s fastest-growing products, to the Australian market.
Adding to its ‘Pay in 4’ option, Klarna’s ‘Pay Now’ payment method enables consumers to pay immediately and in full.
The ‘Pay Now’ payment method is part of an entirely redesigned ‘one-click’ checkout flow, enabling consumers to pay immediately and in full wherever Klarna is available. Consumers simply connect their preferred payment card to their Klarna account and pay in full at every Klarna retailer.
The introduction of ‘Pay Now’ also comes as part of a new Klarna checkout flow, which will be implemented across all Klarna retailers resulting in a consistent, recognisable experience for consumers every time they select Klarna at checkout.
At the heart of the new flow lies the review screen, which gives consumers a quick and transparent overview of their order, their payment schedule and chosen payment card. The consumer’s billing details will be pre-filled, and their preferred payment option will be set as a default, enabling a one-click experience that saves time at every checkout.
Klarna CEO and co-founder, Sebastian Siemiątkowski said, “With the introduction of ‘Pay Now’, Klarna will offer consumers the choice to pay immediately and in full, alongside our sustainable, interest-free ‘Pay in 4’ service. From large purchases to everyday essentials like transport and entertainment, Klarna provides shoppers with maximum choice, control and flexibility in how they pay for every single purchase and rewards them for every payment they make on time.”