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VW dealers battle staff poachingMon, 22, Aug 2016
Volkswagen dealers are fighting to keep sales staff intact as U.S. sales continue to fall and the automaker's diesel emissions cheating scandal drags into a 12th month.
VW and U.S. dealers reach compensation pactThu, 25, Aug 2016
Volkswagen and its U.S. dealers have reached an "agreement in principle" to compensate its 650 U.S. retailers for damages sustained by their businesses in the wake of the automaker's diesel emissions scandal. The deal is worth about $1.2 billion, Reuters reported.
Bosch calls VW owners' diesel-cheating claims in U.S. 'wild and unfounded'Tue, 23, Aug 2016
Bosch rejected as "wild and unfounded" car owners' claims in the U.S. that 38 of its employees conspired with VW Group to develop technology that enabled diesel vehicles to evade pollution-control tests.
Updates, incentives help VW dealer retain staffMon, 22, Aug 2016
Dealer Matthew Welch got creative to keep his staff on board and make new hires amid VW's scandal and declining new car sales.
Amid VW scandal, salespeople bolt for rivalMon, 22, Aug 2016
Dealer Danny McKenna has seen staff walk out or refuse hire because of the VW diesel emission scandal. Here's how he's combat it.
Porsche drivers wonder about their VW diesel payoutsThu, 18, Aug 2016
Volkswagen settled its diesel deception involving almost 500,000 U.S. automobiles, paying dearly to satisfy car owners affected by the emissions scandal. What it hasn't done is make whole its very best customers -- those who own its pricier brands, which nevertheless run on smog-spewing engines.
South Korea widens emissions probe after VW scandalThu, 18, Aug 2016
South Korea expanded an investigation into the fabrication of emissions and noise-level test results to 23 foreign automakers, including Mercedes and BMW, after fining VW Group $16 million for violations.
Bosch had key role in VW emissions fraud, lawyers claimThu, 18, Aug 2016
Bosch began playing a key role in developing Volkwagen's emission-cheating technology as early as the late 1990s, lawyers for VW owners said in a U.S. court filing that includes detailed allegations against the German supplier.
VW, U.S. hold talks to settle criminal probe over diesel emissionsMon, 15, Aug 2016
Volkswagen AG and the U.S. Justice Department have held preliminary settlement talks about resolving a criminal probe into the automaker's diesel emissions violations, sources told Reuters. VW confirmed it is working on a final settlement.
VW gets approval for another 460,000 diesel-car fixes in EuropeMon, 15, Aug 2016
VW Group has won German regulatory approval for fixes on another 460,000 diesel cars with illicit emissions software. The agreement, covering vehicles fitted with 1.2-liter engines, raises the number of vehicles cleared for repair to over 5 million in Europe from a total of 8.5 million affected cars.
Diesel decline not a problem for BorgWarnerMon, 15, Aug 2016
BorgWarner sees its markets slow a bit -- but they're still growing.
Nissan's new VC-T engine rewrites rules of small turbocharged engineSun, 14, Aug 2016
Nissan has developed a new type of gasoline engine it says may make some of today's advanced diesel engines obsolete. The new engine uses variable compression technology, which Nissan says allows it at any given moment to choose an optimal compression ratio for combustion -- a key factor in the trade-off between power and efficiency in gasoline engines.


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Geektown Behind The Scenes Podcast 14: ‘Normal People’ Sound Editor/Designer Steve Fanagan Interview
This episode of the Geektown Behind The Scenes Podcast I’m chatting with Steve Fanagan, supervising sound editor, sound designer, and re-recording mixer on the BBC […]
Sky Atlantic Releases “First Look” Trailer for Peele/Abrams Horror Drama ‘Lovecraft Country’, Coming Summer 2020
Sky Atlantic has released the “first look” trailer for ‘Lovecraft Country‘, a new horror-drama created by executive producers Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams.
The one-hour drama […]
Syfy UK has picked up Season 1 of The CW’s sci-fi drama ‘Pandora‘ the broadcaster has announced.
Set in the year 2199, the sci-fi action series […]
After some online teasers yesterday, Ubisoft today officially announced the next instalment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, will release worldwide, Holiday 2020, […]
Former DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns is returning to a set of characters he knows extremely well, as it’s revealed his newly formed Mad […]
Amazon has released a teaser trailer along with a premiere date of Friday 3rd July 2020 for Season 2 of ‘Hanna‘.
In Season 1, 15-year-old Hanna […]
Netflix has struck a deal with DR, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, to revive the critically acclaimed political drama ‘Borgen‘ for a 4th Season the streaming […]
HBO is developing a series based on the horror franchise ‘Hellraiser’ it has been announced, with ‘Halloween’s David Gordon Green set to direct the first […]
Geektown Radio 247: ‘After Life’, ‘Emergence’, ‘X-Com: Chimera Squad’, Reviews, Plus TV Vs Coronavirus News, Renewals & UK TV Air Dates!
We are back for another lockdown edition of the Geektown Radio podcast, which sees me joined by Matt from Entertainment Talk in the co-host chair […]
BBC To Make New Version Of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads With Jodie Comer, Martin Freeman, Tamsin Greig & More
The BBC has come up with the perfect drama which can be filmed during the Covid-19 crisis – A new version of Alan Bennett’s critically […]
Sir Terry Pratchett’s Narrativia Strikes Deal With Motive Pictures & Endeavor Content For Authentic ‘Discworld’ Screen Adaptations
Today is Sir Terry Pratchett’s birthday, so what better day to announce a new partnership between Narrativia, the production company founded by the author to […]
Netflix UK has set a May premiere date for the much anticipated ‘Snowpiercer’ tv series the streaming service has announced.
Set more than seven years after […]
Netflix Releases Trailer For ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend’ Interactive Special
Netflix has released a trailer for ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend‘, the brand new, one-off, interactive special, which premieres 12th May on the […]
The best poker players earn millions of pounds – millions of pounds that aren’t taxable in the UK – and do so playing one of […]
Disney+ Adds ‘Rise Of Skywalker’ For Star Wars Day, So You Can Watch The Whole Skywalker Saga In One Place
Disney+ has announced that final chapter of the Skywalker saga, ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’, will begin streaming two months early in honour of […]

domain: news


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CHARLESTON, W. Va. — The West Virginia Department of Agriculture encourages buyers of bulk fertilizer and lime to have their deliveries tested to ensure the product meets the guaranteed analysis on the label.
If the delivery doesn’t meet the label guarantee, state law allows the manufacturer to be assessed a penalty.
“A buyer has no way of knowing for certain if agricultural materials are up to specifications,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Walt Helmick. “It takes specialized laboratories to make that determination. We offer these services free of charge because we want buyers to get what they’re entitled to under the law.”
WVDA Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Director Herma Johnson said the department is particularly looking for farmers who have lime or fertilizer delivered directly to their farms.
“Although we sample and test retail products in stores, all penalties are paid to the department unless the retail facility is able to determine who purchased that particular product,” Johnson said. “When a bulk delivery is made to a farm, the purchaser is entitled to the penalty if a deficiency is detected.”
Before it’s unloaded
She added that WVDA inspectors must be on hand at the time of delivery, so that they can pull samples directly from the truck before it is unloaded. Only samples collected by the department’s inspectors are considered official samples. She also noted that any consumer can call the WVDA for assistance if they think they have been sold deficient seed, feed, lime or fertilizer.
For more information, call WVDA-READ at 304-558-2227.
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How gaming is becoming more interactive, immersive and intuitive
Online gaming has gone from strength to strength over the past two decades. The platform has merged the real and computer-generated world in endless ways, from creating virtual gaming halls to enabling our own voice commands and hand gestures to impact live gameplay. Here are three of the most important breakthroughs that have further blurred the lines between gamers and their avatars.
Gaming quite literally entered a new dimension with the arrival of virtual reality. This month, Nintendo released their own VR kit for the Switch, and though it is by no means at the top of the market tech-wise, the hardware is delightfully imaginative and uniquely accessible. Offering a series of cardboard extensions for the handheld console, the package allows kids (and adults alike) to immerse themselves in various worlds, offering a selection of 6 cardboard “Toy-Con” projects that enable you to transform your Joy-Cons into a characteristically innovative selection of attachments: VR Goggles, a Blaster, Camera, Bird, Wind Pedal or elephant trunk, no less. Priced at just under 70 quid, this is a much more affordable option than the high-tech headsets that lead the field. Think of it as the fun family evolution of the smartphone attachment Google Cardboard, released back in 2014.
Of course, the natural development of virtual reality was its slightly more experimental cousin, augmented reality, which breaks down the fourth wall between realms both real and simulated. The most notable in this category is Pokémon Go, which had a whole generation venturing out into the great outdoors to fill up their Pokédex. However, this year the tech company behind the global hit, Niantic, are pairing up with Warner Bros, promising another exciting extension to an iconic franchise in the form of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The game will allow users to find mystical beats and characters in the real world, casting spells and uncovering mysteries. Only time will tell whether this venture will have a better long-term plan for keeping Potter fans interested once the novelty wears off.
Facial recognition technology is no so advanced that it can register a user’s features to create an avatar that looks just like them. There is even a chance that the Intel® RealSense™ 3D camera, which scans 78 different points of the face, could allow developers to create intuitive gameplay that reacts to our emotions, dialling the difficulty of the game down or up depending on our expressions. Those who are fearful that online gaming may become more addictive as it becomes more intuitive will be interested to know that the same hardware could potentially curb dependency. Tencent, the Chinese developers behind Honour of Kings, announced in October last year that it would be trialling the technology as a means to implementing age restrictions on gamers. By identifying younger users, the company hope to impose strict regulations on the amount of gameplay for players under 12 (the recommended time is one hour), as well as some slightly more lenient restrictions for those under 18.
The editorial unit


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Opponents of the tariffs spent Thursday engaged in last-minute lobbying to blunt the impact.
Photo President Trump spoke on Thursday before signing orders for tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. "This overhang of excess capacity means that US steel producers, for the foreseeable future, will face increasing competition from imported steel as other countries export more steel to the United States to bolster their own economic objectives and offset loss of markets to Chinese steel exports".
"We are disappointed, to say the least, that the Trump administration would impose a potentially debilitating tariff on aluminium imports from the Kitimat smelter", said O'Driscoll. He reiterated that he would levy tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum. Even if the WTO panel rules after that time that Trump's tariffs are illegal, Trump administration officials indicated previous year that they may not care that much. Metal-consuming companies in the United States may also petition the Trump administration for carve-outs. Those warnings intensified fears of a destructive tit-for-tat trade war - especially when Trump threatened to respond to European sanctions with further USA tariffs on auto imports from Europe.
The fight over tariffs comes amid intense turmoil in the West Wing, which has seen waves of departures and negative news stories that have left Trump increasingly isolated in the Oval Office, according to two senior officials speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal thinking. But they've stalled over tough USA demands, including the administration's insistence that more auto production be shifted to America.
Bangladesh, Singapore can complement each other says visiting PM Hasina
The Prime Minister, who is now in Singapore on a four day official visit, prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls.
The looming departure of White House economic adviser Gary Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs executive who has opposed the promised tariffs, set off anxiety among business leaders and investors anxious about a potential trade war. "Their excess capacity alone exceeds the total USA steel-making capacity".
At the White House, officials were working to include language in the tariffs that would give Trump the flexibility to approve exemptions for certain countries.
Mnuchin also said the Commerce Department will provide details in the next 10 days about specific products that could be exempt from the tariffs.
Analyst rating score for ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (ZIOP) stands at 2.50
A total of 1.21 Million shares exchanged hands, whereas the company's average trading volume stands at 1.06 Million shares. Technical Analysis is the forecasting of future financial price movements based on an examination of past price movements.
"We can expect retaliatory measures elsewhere in the world that will destabilize market equilibrium".
Here's a closer look at what Trump's action does, how it would work and whether it's likely to succeed. Although the measure is created to hit China, its main impact will be on U. S. economy. But the Republican president showed no sign of backing down, reaffirming his belief the United States could win any trade war since it was running such a large trade deficit with so many countries.
"Many members said they had fears of tit-for-tat retaliation which could spiral out of control", the trade official told reporters.
The president says he will exempt Canada and Mexico as "a special case" while negotiating for changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement. "There's no tax", he said. The tariffs take effect in two weeks.
Albert Adomah sparks Aston Villa to impressive derby win over Wolves
Villa are now occupying the 3rd position on the Championship table with 69 points and will play QPR on Tuesday. Vexed supporters of the Molineux club took to social media to vent about the Villa boss.
The announcement came approximately two weeks after the Secretary of Commerce released reports pursuant to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 finding that the quantities and circumstances of steel and aluminum imports threaten to impair US national security.


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Magna worldwide, a Canadian mobility know-how agency that builds sensor-based mostly packages for automobiles like driver monitoring packages and superior driver assist packages (ADAS), is coming into the micromobility market. the agency invested $seventy seven million in Yulu, an Indian shared micromobility operator, and plans to collectively launch a battery swapping service agency.
Magna’s funding is an aspect of Yulu’s $eighty three million sequence B, by which Bajaj Auto additionally participated. collectively with the funding, Magna will maintain a seat on Yulu’s board of directors. Yulu’s latest spherical will assist the agency broaden to an extra 15 cities inside the following 18 months, and probably past India inside the tip, based mostly on Magna.
“Micromobility presents an unimaginable alternative for extra development for Magna, and becoming a member of forces with Yulu helps us broaden our enterprise into this quickly rising sector,” said Matteo Del Sorbo, Magna’s authorities vice chairman and worldwide lead for Magna new mobility, in an announcement.
Earlier this 12 months, Magna acquired the know-how, IP and belongings of Optimus journey, an autonomous shuttle agency, to extra beef up its ADAS choices.
the mannequin new battery swapping entity is at present registered as “Yulu vitality,” already employs 200 staffers and is headquartered in Bangalore, based mostly on Magna. The mobility tech large says it is going to be Yulu’s unique battery swapping companion and would possibly construct up the infrastructure required for “hundreds of 1000’s of swaps per week.”
Magna says it intends to leverage Yulu’s strong market place and community in India to develop Yulu vitality, which the agency describes as a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) agency. the agency says Yulu vitality will in all likelihood be very comparable to Taiwan’s Gogoro, which operates a rising battery swapping community that companies private consumers with their very personal electrical two-wheelers.
Yulu vitality goals to finally serve each shopper and fleet markets, however will start with supply fleets using Yulu’s MaaS operations, which embrace about 10,000 electrical two-wheelers all through Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai, based mostly on a spokesperson.
“we will clearly see a important development alternative for Yulu in each the BaaS and [Mobility-as-a-Service] companies inside the following three to 4 years,” said Yulu’s co-founder and CEO Amit Gupta. “as a outcome of the market chief in electrical mobility, with a confirmed enterprise mannequin constructed on constructive unit economics, our focus now will in all likelihood be to establish a strong and agile current chain and scale-up our operations.”
this textual content material has been up thus far with extra knowledge from Magna.


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China-based game developer Yunzun Software has just announced the launch of the Japanese version for Iron Saga. All pre-registration rewards have been dispersed accordingly.
To recap, Iron Saga is a an action and simulation game where players take control of giant robots. Each machine is piloted by a bishojo, whom are being celebrated in its homeland of China.
Best of all, the girls are being voiced by well known seiyuu such as Hayami Saori, Kayano Ai, Sakura Ayane and the ever reliable Kugimiya Rie. Of course, fangirls are not being left out as the game also features male pilots voiced by the likes of Nakamura Yuichi. More characters are still being announced so we will only know the full lineup later on.


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Using cost discipline, astute capital investments, and operational know-how, these 20 CFOs aim to guide their companies to a growth-filled future.
HP Spinoff Doing Its Own IT Services Spinoff
Hewlett Packard Enterprise will merge its troubled IT services unit with Computer Sciences Corp. , creating a company with $26 billion in revenue.
PC Shipments Decline 11%
Limited consumer interest, testing of Windows 10, and competition from other hardware platforms are cutting into PC sales.
HP Sales Down on Weak Printer, PC Revenue
The company plans to lay off 3,000 workers this year, producing $300 million in savings by 2017.
Meg Whitman: Dell-EMC Deal Spells Opportunity for HP
The planned transaction will distract the parties' management and employees and cause a massive debt load that will stifle R&D spending, Whitman says.


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The Iwig Family Dairy farm, located at 320 SE Tecumseh Rd. in Tecumseh, KS, is trying to stay in business and they're going to the web to do so. One of their perks is you could have one of their calves named after you.
A farmer's life is no walk in the park, but Tim Iwig will do anything to keep his family's dairy farm.
"We've been in this farm since 1910," Iwig said.
Iwig Family Dairy produces, bottles and sells dairy right from their Tecumseh, KS, farm. Some customers go to the farm to purchase raw milk, fresh from the cow.
"We originally went into whole sale and realized when I opened my own retail store, we should be retailing," Iwig said.
Business was going great and the Iwig's opened two more dairy stores in Lawrence and Topeka. Then, in 2011, the drought hit. Hay and corn feed for their cattle became scarce.
"We were terribly affected. We were doubly affected because what we went out to buy to replace what we couldn't grow, and it was two to three times the normal price," Iwig said.
The company declared bankruptcy. Now they must pay $650,000 in debt.
The Iwig's thought of a different way to bring in money, by looking for investors online at Indiegogo.com. Donors can give as little as $5.
"There's a reward for however much you contribute," Iwig said.
Rewards include a certificate and thank you card for saving square feet of farmland or naming a calf after you.
"I don't know if grandpa thought we would stay here this long. Since my family started this, I'd like to keep it," Iwig said.
For more information you can log on to indiegogo.com and search "last dairy standing."
The dairy's Lawrence location is 1901 Massachusetts St.
Copyright 2013 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
Sunday, April 20 2014 12:25 PM EDT2014-04-20 16:25:32 GMT
Authorities are investigating a convenience store shooting.Raytown police were called to a QuikTrip in the 8700 block of East 63 Street about 1:30 a.m. Sunday after reports that a person that had beenMore >
Authorities are investigating a convenience store shooting.More >
Friday, April 18 2014 9:53 PM EDT2014-04-19 01:53:24 GMT
The police department's statements detail their use of GPS tracking, surveillance and the help of tips from the public that led to the eventual arrest of Mohammed Whitaker, the man suspected of being theMore >
Court documents detail how new-age technology, old-fashioned police work and observant eyewitnesses led to the capture of the man that authorities say was responsible for a string of highway shootings that terrorized the area.More >
Sunday, April 20 2014 9:36 AM EDT2014-04-20 13:36:54 GMT
One person is in the hospital after a car crash on Interstate 70. It happened near Lee's Summit Road early Sunday morning and involved multiple vehicles. Police had to shut down a section of the interstateMore >
One person is in the hospital after a car crash on Interstate 70 in Independence. More >
Sunday, April 20 2014 4:21 PM EDT2014-04-20 20:21:47 GMT
Authorities said a death investigation is underway in a KCK neighborhood.Kansas City, KS, police were called about 12:40 p.m. Sunday to the 700 block of North 70th Terrace.No other details were immediatelyMore >
Authorities said a death investigation is underway in a KCK neighborhood.More >


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Discover Financial welcomes David L. Rawlinson II to its Board of Directors
By Pavithra R
Discover Financial, a digital banking and payments services company, has announced the joining of David L. Rawlinson II, chief executive officer of NielsenIQ, to its Board of Directors.
Mr Rawlinson is joining Discover with significant expertise in global e-commerce, consumer data, consumer trends, and digital business-to-business operations. He is a former presidential appointee to the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations and served as a senior advisor for economic policy with the White House National Economic Council.
Before joining Nielsen Holdings, Rawlinson was president of the Global Online Business at W.W. Grainger Inc. from 2015 to 2020. He also served as a member of the Nielsen Holdings Board since 2017. Previously, he served as VP of operations for Grainger’s online business in 2015 and as deputy general counsel and corporate secretary from 2012 to 2014. He served on the Board of MonotaRO from 2014 to 2019. Prior to his work at Grainger, Rawlinson also held executive roles with ITT Exelis, formerly ITT Corp.
“David adds another expert perspective to the deep experience of our current Board with his track record of success in digital commerce. His background in information solutions and global perspective will help Discover continue to succeed as a leading digital consumer bank,” said Roger Hochschild, CEO and president of Discover.
Rawlinson holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from The Citadel, a law degree from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Established in 1986, Discover Financial Services is a digital banking and payment services company. The firm’s mission is to help people spend smarter, manage debt better, and save more to achieve a brighter financial future. It has more than 48mn merchant acceptance locations and 2 mn ATM and cash access locations worldwide. Recently, Discover and Sezzle signed agreement to expand acceptance of Sezzle’s BNPL feature.
IBSi Daily News Analysis
March 01, 2024
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New Delhi: Through a recent notice, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority(NPPA) has decided to withdraw the ceiling price of Vitamin A Oral liquid 10000IU/ml in light of the fact that many suppliers are not willing to supply within the price that was earlier notified by the NPPA.
It is reported that based on the procurement prices of Government procurement agencies, in the absence of the relevant market-based data in the Pharmatrac report of AIOCD-AWACS, the ceiling prices were revised on the basis of WPI vide SO 1461(E) dated 2.4.2018.
However, many states agencies including those of Karnataka, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Assam and Bihar have stated that the agencies are not able to procure citing the inability to supply within the earlier ceiling price notified by NPPA.
Some of the states have stated that no supplier has participated in the tender for procurement of the said formulation.
The NPPA noted that the said formulation is the health programme of the government and the procurement is being done by competitive bidding. Some state has the practice to mark the product as “Government supply and not for sale” and like a label on the packs of the medicine.
The Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family called a meeting on dated 28-09-2018 whereby the representation made by state agencies stating the difficulties observed in the procurement of the said Medicine was discussed.
The NPPA noted that under the DPCO 2013, the market-based data like PTR and MAT for retail sale is required. Whereas the said market-based data is not available, as the product is not available for sale in the retail market as per report of AIOCD AWACS.
Hence post the meeting, the price regulator decided that ceiling price may be fixed/revised under para 19 of the DPCO 2013 considering the difficulties observed by the state agencies for procurement decided to withdraw the ceiling price in respect of Vitamin A Oral liquid 10000IU/ml.
Hence the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (hereinafter referred as NPPA) has now withdraws the ceiling price, with effect from the date of this notification, to the extent it belongs to the following formulation- Vitamin A Oral liquid 10000IU/ml
All the other ceiling prices and notes shall continue to be operated unless specifically amended/revised, the announcement added


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Is it clone brands, or frustrated licensing partners, that mean the LEGO Group will allow little photography at Nuremberg Toy Fair?
Nuremberg Toy Fair begins this week, and the LEGO Group will be placing restrictions on the ranges that media can photograph. The company has also confirmed that New York Toy Fair will not have the summer ranges on display. This has led Rebelscum to question why the LEGO Group has taken these restrictive measures.
The article suggests that the LEGO Group are not choosing to limit photography due to fear of clone brands, as the companies behind those brands do not need photos from various toy fairs:
Let’s be honest, this isn’t about protecting LEGO’s toys – especially their licensed lines – from Chinese bootleggers. Lepin doesn’t require the early, fuzzy images that LEGO Star Wars fans do cartwheels over. Nor do they need photos from toy fairs to start their production runs. It’s pretty clear that they have far more elaborate networks and sources which allow them to get their cloned products on the shelves before LEGO has started to ship them from their factories.
The real reason, the piece suggests, is that previous early reveals have frustrated the LEGO Group’s licensing partners:
Control is the end-game here, and if industry rumours, and a number of pieces of circumstantial evidence, are to be believed then LEGO has received a number of pants down smacks from Disney regarding the early release of images from Solo: A Star Wars Story.


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Much of the world may have slowed down this year, but the technology industry has continued to innovate and create. Here find the latest Home Technology In 2021 information.
The move to home working and people spending more time at home, in general, has encouraged the growth and development of at-home technology. It seems that the more time we spend in our homes, the more opportunities we spot for time-saving, convenient technology.
So, let’s look ahead to 2021 and see what’s in store.
5G has been with us since 2019, but it has encountered a number of challenges during its rollout.
As of June 2020, 5G Coverage in the US is at 60% but the prediction for 2021 is 75% coverage. This means that smaller cities and towns can expect to have access to 5G networks next year.
However, the major problem with 5G at the moment is the number of compatible devices. This is called device penetration. In 2020, device penetration was at 2%. By 2021 we can expect to see that figure rise to 4%.
Device penetration will still be fairly low next year, but it is on the rise. What this means for your home is that you can expect to see more smart devices arriving with 5G capabilities.
With 5G predicted to peak in 2023, you might want to plan ahead and purchase 5G capable devices in 2021. This is especially important if you are making large purchases that you intend to use for a number of years. Essentially, you are future-proofing yourself by buying 5G ready devices.
Smart home zoning
In recent years, smart home technology has gone from gimmick to genuinely useful. It’s predicted that by 2022, 65 million homes will qualify as ‘smart homes’ in America.
The process of setting up a whole smart home can seem overwhelming and complicated which is why many smart home technology companies are encouraging the establishment of smart zones within a home.
In essence, a smart zone is a room fitted with the internet of things (IoT) devices. These are all your internet-enabled appliances and devices.
A smart zone may have smart lights, a smart TV, and other smart appliances like a fridge or a washing machine.
The idea behind smart zoning is that it is easier for consumers to set up and visualize. They can identify what technologies would be useful in a particular area or room much easier than across a whole house.
The ultimate aim is to continue establishing smart zones until the whole house is integrated. Once this happens, zoning becomes a way of differentiating when and how smart systems should work.
For example, you can establish audio zones in a smart home. This will allow your hubs or audio devices to select appropriate music for the living room and different music for your study.
HVAC systems can be integrated into your smart home and zones can be established to allow occupants to set temperatures in their zones.
2021 is likely to see a rise in the first generation of smart zoning, those isolated rooms. Future years will see smart zoning become a way of personalizing each room’s environment and experience.
Decor Compatible Smart Devices
With the number of IoT devices expected to increase in 2021, one of the main concerns facing manufacturers is how to create products that fit in with consumers’ home decor.
Gone are the days when you could just slap a screen on an appliance and call it ‘futuristic.’ We’re embracing home automation but we want that technology to embrace our home style as well.
We can look forward to smart speakers, lights, planters, and blinds that come in designs, colors, and patterns to match the room they are placed in.
IKEA already has a smart home range that looks genuinely sleek and stylish. We expect to see more of this in 2021.
Trends are cyclical. I’m sure we all remember the flip phones of the 00s. Well, folding phones are likely going to be the new vogue in 2021.
Samsung is set to introduce 3 foldable phones in 2021, including an update of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Flip. Some of these are clamshell designs with a hinge down the middle others use flexible glass.
You’ll also want to keep an eye on foldable laptops. I know what you’re thinking, laptops are inherently foldable. That’s their whole deal.
Well, Lenovo has already announced that they are taking things further with the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Fold. They are using ultra-thin glass technology to create an 11-inch screen that can fold and work as a laptop.
Head over to this site to get advice on technology and keep your ear to the ground for new releases and ideas.
If we were going to sum out predictions for 2021 up in a word, it would be ‘integration.’
You should look out for 5G integrated technology to start integrating into your smart zones. At the same time, that technology should be able to integrate seamlessly into your home.
And then there’s foldable technology. What can we say? It’s cool.


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AI Chipmaker Hailo opens Japan Subsidiary
2 September, 2020
Hailo’s specialized Hailo-8™ Deep Learning Processor delivers up to 26 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS). Foxconn has combined the chip in its BOXiedge high-density, fan-less, edge computer
The AI chipmaker from Tel Aviv, Hailo, announced international expansion with the establishment of Hailo Japan located in Tokyo. Hiro Uchida, a former Sony executive, has been appointed President to lead the operation. The new company answers the growing demand from Japanese customers developing products requiring AI technology at the edge, in sgments such as automotive, smart cities, smart retail, smart homes, industry 4.0, and beyond.
The expansion comes in the wake of Hailo’s $60 million Series B funding round, in which NEC joined as a strategic investor. Hailo also recently established key partnership with Foxconn and the Japanese Socionext, a provider of SoC solutions for video and imaging systems. Foxconn has combined its high-density, fan-less, edge computing solution, BOXiedge™, with Socionext’s parallel processor “SynQuacer™” SC2A11, and the Hailo-8™ deep learning processor.
Hailo’s specialized Hailo-8™ Deep Learning Processor delivers up to 26 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS). The chip is built with an innovative architecture that enables edge devices to run sophisticated deep learning applications that could previously only run on the cloud. “There is no doubt that deep learning at the edge will be embedded in almost all of the products and services we use on a daily basis,” said Hiro Uchida.
Hiro Uchida brings 30+ years of experience, including helping build Sony’s Corporate Venture Capital fund. Orr Danon, CEO of Hailo, said that the Asia-Pacific region continues to show significant growth in the AI secto. “Our new subsidiary in Japan will enable us to strengthen collaborations with our Japanese-based customers and partners. Many of the world’s leading companies integrating Artificial Intelligence into their edge devices are based in Japan.”
According to IDC, the Global Worldwide Artificial Intelligence market maintain a steady growth rate annually through 2023, approaching $98.4 billion in revenue at a CAGR of 28.5%.
Posted in: News


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THE NATURAL WAY
Earth-friendly furnishing helps make any home brighter
Creators News Service
It's easier than ever to make your visitors green with envy when they visit your green furnished home. Many professional furniture designers have been finding ways to make your home a little more eco-friendly.
Over the last few years, people have begun to feel guilty about purchasing new furnishings, said Dana Pfeiffer, who co-owns the design company Pholishus based in Springfield, Ill. That's why she and her business partner, Tamara Holland, have recently begun designing green furniture.
"We have a great cocktail table made out of recycled newspaper and kirei (leftovers from corn fields) and a bar that is made out of bamboo and PaperStone," said Pfeiffer.
Made out of 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, this new material has been going into everything from cutting boards to countertops. "The PaperStone, if scratched, can be sanded out with low grit sandpaper and the color is through and through," she said. "Green table tops are ideal because they create a natural barrier against bacteria settling into the surface."
When it comes to green furniture, it's sometimes about what has been left behind -- even by Mother Nature.
The Chicago Furniture Designers Association recently opened an exhibition of furniture called "Rising from the Ashes: Furniture from Lost Trees." The traveling exhibit featured pieces made from ash trees affected by the emerald ash borer, an insect that was accidentally imported from China, killing 25 million ash trees in the United States.
Chicago furniture designer Elizabeth Hayes made a table for the exhibit. Hayes, who co-owns Metal+Works with Ross Fiersten, usually works with metal on her pieces. "Instead of all that wood going to waste, it was made into beautiful furniture," Hayes said.
Although the definition of green is narrow, there are ways to expand the vision of it. "When people think green, they think wood. But metal is also sustainable furniture."
Another Chicago-based furniture designer, S. Lloyd Natof -- the great-grandson of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright -- said it had been years since he had worked in ash, yet he designed a piece for the show.
"It is a vague thing, green furniture," he said. "But it is very important to make furniture that's more likely to be kept around."
There are many new concepts in making furniture. In cities across the country, people are taking what has to be cut down and making it into something special.
"In the future, the best source of ash will be from reclaimed urban wood," said Natof. "A fair number of trees are cut down in urban areas and many cities have local entrepreneurs who [make furniture]. A lot of guys on the West Coast do it."
Jim Newsom, owner of Urban Hardwoods in Seattle, not only harvests local wood, but uses it to make one-of-a-kind pieces that he sells all over the United States.
Seattle-area residents and city officials call Newsom when a tree needs to be removed. The whole process, from felling a tree until it is formed into a unique piece of furniture, takes about eight years. Newsom said customers appreciate knowing just where their furniture "grew."
Newsom and his team don't allow any wood to go to waste. "Every scrap of wood we cut goes to toymakers or a sawmill yard or gets made into firewood," Newsom said. "Even the sawdust gets put into the mulch pile."
Of course, there's more to decorating a home -- and living green -- than just buying furniture. It's important to pay attention to other details. That's why well-known eco-stylist Danny Seo has devoted two-thirds of his young life (he's just 31) to saving the environment.
In his book, "Conscious Style Home" (St. Martin's Press), he writes about using recycled paint to brighten rooms, bamboo blinds to let the sunshine in and recycled glass tiles in bathrooms. He also promotes restoring and reusing existing furniture.
Seo has partnered with two companies to help more people go green. He has collaborated with Simmons to develop a Natural Care by Danny Seo line of mattress products.
Seo has also been working with JCPenney as their Green Living Partner, advising on their Simply Green products. He currently has a line of eco-friendly bedding, towels and home accessories that are available nationwide and on their website, jcpenney.com.
"Our environment was a gift given to us," said Pfeiffer, who admires anyone, like Seo, who helps preserve the environment. "It is a privilege to extend that gift and create unique materials using God's gift to us instead of man-made materials.
"How can you go wrong, when the materials are perfect to begin with? It makes creativity a win-win situation before you even start."


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News about Kinect.
December 9th, 2015
Xbox One gamers across the US can now make online purchases from the game console’s new ecommerce store by scanning on-screen barcodes with their mobile device. TV commerce solutions provider Von Bismark has worked with Powa Technologies to roll out The Mall on Xbox One, which will make use of Powa’s mobile payments platform PowaTag.
June 10th, 2014
Microsoft is to add “Kinect-like features” to Windows Phone devices later this year, “sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans” have told The Verge. “At least one device, codenamed McLaren, will debut on a range of US carriers later this year with features that let you hover your finger over the screen to interact with games and applications without ever touching the display.”
March 27th, 2013
The Microsoft- and Accenture-owned IT company’s new solution allows consumers to select items promoted on interactive screens and then “drag and drop” them into their mobile phone using simple hand gestures, to collect detailed information about a product or add it to a shopping basket.
August 11th, 2011
The Emerging Technologies Hype Cycle is designed “to highlight the common pattern of overenthusiasm, disillusionment and eventual realism that accompanies each new technology and innovation,” says the company.


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As we head into the final stretch of 2015, this stock market performance history hints at what’s coming before 2016.
Political and consumer activist Ralph Nader issued an open letter regarding interest rates to U.S. Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen on Oct. 30 that turned personal.
Activist hedge fund and key Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) shareholder Starboard Value LP has thrown a major snag in the company’s Alibaba spin-off plans.
Amid a challenging commodity and emerging market landscape, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) quietly shut its BRIC investment fund last month, marking the end of an era for the investment bank.
The Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl. Inc. (NYSE: VRX) stock price has dropped 44% year to date and nearly 80% over the last three months.
Those who have been asking “will the Fed raise interest rates in December?” received an update Wednesday from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen.
Kraft Heinz Food Co. (NYSE: HNZ) announced Wednesday it will close seven plants in the United States and Canada over the next two years. The Kraft Heinz plant closures will eliminate 2,600 jobs and add to 2015’s growing layoff tally.
“Dieselgate” has now spread to include Volkswagen AG’s (OTCMKTS ADR: VLKAY) luxury Porsche and Audi brands. Another 800,000 cars are said to be affected.
The Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl. Inc. (NYSE: VRX) stock price is now under attack from iconic investor Charlie Munger.
Munger’s attack on Valeant, which began months ago, was renewed this weekend when he spoke out against the stock.
After the U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged Wednesday, investors are asking, “Will there be a December rate hike?”


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The European Statistical Office (Eurostat) has released company bankruptcy data for the second quarter of 2023.
Accordingly, in the said period, the number of company bankruptcies in EU countries increased by 8.4 percent compared to the previous quarter, reaching the highest level measured since 2015, when data began to be collected.
In the second quarter, corporate bankruptcies in all sectors of the economy increased compared to the previous quarter. According to the fields of activity, the highest increase in bankruptcies was in accommodation and catering services with 23.9 percent, transportation and storage with 15.2 percent, and education, health and social activities with 10.1 percent.
Compared to the previous quarter, the countries with the highest increase in bankruptcy filings were Hungary (40.8 percent), Latvia (24.8 percent) and Estonia (24.6 percent).
Thus, the number of bankruptcy declarations of businesses in EU countries has increased over the last 6 quarters.
The number of new company openings also decreased by 0.6 percent in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter.
The reasons such as the energy crisis in Europe and the high cost of living brought about by the increase in inflation, especially in food prices, contribute to the increase in bankruptcies across the EU.


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With Android and iOS accounting for the vast majority of smartphones, there's still room for a third platform. BlackBerry and Windows Phone are fighting for that position, but a wild-card entry -- the open source Ubuntu platform -- is scheduled for release Thursday, Feb. 21, in the form of source code and images for the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 smartphones.
The first Ubuntu phone is expected to be released in October. This Touch Developer Preview from the London-based Canonical is intended as a way to familiarize developers and enthusiasts with the platform, in order to encourage interest and app development. In addition, Canonical has said that "developers who have experience bringing up phone environments will find it relatively easy to port Ubuntu to current handsets."
Aside from being open source, which BlackBerry and Windows Phone are not, Ubuntu is intended to accomplish what has so far remained an unrealized Holy Grail -- the same basic operating system for the range of personal computing devices, including smartphone, laptop or desktop computer, tablet, and even TV.
Canonical has said that mobile Ubuntu will permit "true convergence between devices," with the same code delivering a format-specific experience for the device on which it is installed without a need for cross-compiling. When an Ubuntu-equipped smartphone is docked with a monitor, keyboard and mouse, the smartphone acts as an Ubuntu-based PC and a thin client.
Canonical has already published App Design Guides for a range of platforms and a Preview SDK, with a variety of documented templates so that native apps can be relatively quickly created. Additionally, Ubuntu is designed to treat native and HTML5 applications equally, with equal access to device functions.
In addition to the attempt at a unified platform with different interfaces for different devices, Canonical is also attempting to streamline the smartphone interface, the software development process and other aspects of the smartphone ecosystem.
For instance, the four edges of the Ubuntu for smartphones' interface hide specific functions, such as favorite apps, under the left edge and a search function under the top. The functions, and all controls for apps, are only displayed when needed, maximizing the limited smartphone screen space for the app or feature. In addition, all apps feature voice commands and have automatic backups to a personal cloud.
Canonical is following a path that was almost blazed by Motorola, whose Atrix smartphone ran an OS called Webtop and was designed to act, when docked, as the brains of a desktop computer.
But that experiment, while praised by the press for its integrated vision of component computing, never caught on, and the main mobile operating systems -- Apple's iOS, Google's Android, Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows RT, and the new BlackBerry 10 -- still maintain OS versions that are not as uniform across devices as Canonical is attempting.


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Wilk to develop ‘world’s first’ yoghurt using cell-cultured milk fat
Israeli biotech company Wilk is launching a new project to create yoghurt made with cell-cultured milk fat.
The cell-cultured fat will contain the same essential macro and micronutrients that are found in real milk fats, according to the company.
Adding cell-cultured animal milk fat to the product will take Wilk approximately six months to complete, and at its first stage of development the product will be used as a proof of concept.
During this time, as well as developing the yoghurt, the company wants to increase production capacity of cell-cultured fat in its facilities, and develop fat separation methods for use in other foods.
If the project is successful, the product will be the “world’s first” yoghurt to be developed using cell-cultured milk ingredients, the company says.
Tomer Aizen, CEO of Wilk said: “It has long been established that milk fat is integral to supporting human health and nutrition, aiding the absorption of key nutrients, such as vitamins D and E and calcium, into the blood while providing a rich source of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties.
“These core properties cannot be replicated through alternative technologies, making Wilk the first company in the world to develop a dairy product containing genuine, cell-cultured milk fat.
“We will continue investing our efforts and resources to develop cell-cultured milk and breast milk components that will help our partners produce healthier products in a more sustainable manner.”
Launched in 2020, Wilk claims to be the first company globally to create not only cultured animal, but also human milk from mammary cells.
As well as making progress in cultured milk fats, the company is also working to accelerate the production of cultured human milk components which are suitable for child growth and development, so they can be incorporated into infant formula.
In an interview earlier this year, Aizen told Food Matters Live: “The dairy industry really needs our help. It is in need of an immediate solution to the traditional milking methods, thus drastically reducing air pollution and immensely decreasing water use. We are at the doorstep of a new, different era for humans and animal lives.”


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2017-04-12Royal Canadian Mint Announces Fourth Numismatic Catalogue Of 2017
The Royal Canadian Mint continues to celebrate distinctly Canadian stories by launching another diverse selection of collector coins in its fourth numismatic catalogue of 2017.
2017-04-05The Royal Canadian Mint Honours a Canadian Triumph And Sacrifice With a Silver Collector Coin Commemorating The 100th Anniversary Of The Battle Of Vimy Ridge
The Royal Canadian Mint has proudly issued a silver collector coin to honour and remember Canada's soldiers who, fighting for the first time in a formation uniting all four divisions of the Canadian Corps 100 years ago, valiantly won the historic Battle of Vimy Ridge and paved the way to the Allied victory which ended the First World War.
2017-03-16Royal Canadian Mint Helps Canadians Celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the Stanley Cup® with a New 25-Cent Circulation Coin
One hundred and twenty five years after former Governor General of Canada Lord Stanley of Preston donated a silver challenge cup to recognize the best amateur hockey team in Canada, the legendary Stanley Cup is making a Canadian homecoming in the form of millions of 25-cent commemorative circulation coins issued by the Mint in celebration of this milestone anniversary.
2017-03-09Royal Canadian Mint Launches New Bullion Coins From Silver "Predator" And 5-9s Pure Gold "Call Of The Wild" Series
New silver coin features the lynx and elk appears on 99.999% pure gold coin
2017-03-07Royal Canadian Mint's Third Numismatic Catalogue of 2017 Shines Spotlight on Canada 150
In keeping with its tradition of telling Canada's story through coins, the Royal Canadian Mint is sharpening its focus on Canada's 150th birthday with many new coins and sets, while issuing other innovative products and finely crafted icons of Canadiana.
2017-02-24Strong Foreign Circulation Coin And Bullion Sales Help Sustain Overall Mint Profitability In 3rd Quarter Of 2016
The Royal Canadian Mint (the "Mint") today reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2016.
2017-02-15Royal Canadian Mint's "Heart Of Our Nation" Silver Coin Gives Canadians A Great Way To Hold Onto Memories Of Canada 150
As Canadians far and wide reflect on what their country means to them in the year of its 150th. anniversary, the Royal Canadian Mint is offering a new silver collector coin, overflowing with favourite symbols of home.
2017-02-09Royal Canadian Mint Launches Second Numismatic Catalogue Of 2017
2017 $100 14-Kt Gold Coin marks 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion
2017-01-13Royal Canadian Mint Launches First Numismatic Catalogue Of 2017
2017 Silver Dollar and other finely crafted collectibles kick off year-long celebration of Canada 150
2017-01-03Royal Canadian Mint Wishes Canada a Happy 150th Birthday With Exciting New Collector Coins
From entry-level to high-end collectibles, the Mint has Canada 150 keepsakes for everyone HOLD THE MOMENT with the Royal Canadian Mint Canada 150 Collection


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June 27, 2011
For the first time in a year, Americans have stopped spending more. Consumer spending failed to budge from April to May, evidence that high gasoline prices and unemployment are squeezing household budgets. When adjusted for inflation, spending dropped 0.1% last month, the Commerce Department reported Monday. April's consumer spending figures were revised to show a similar decline when adjusting for inflation. It marked the first two-month decline in inflation-adjusted spending since April 2009.
April 29, 2013 |
WASHINGTON -- Consumers spent more in March even as their income rose less than analysts had projected, a mixed economic message to start a week that will end with the latest government unemployment report. Consumer spending was up 0.2% last month, down from February's 0.7% rise, the Commerce Department said Monday. But spending still was up, an unexpected improvement. The median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News was that spending would be flat. The March increase in spending came despite personal income's rising just 0.2%., less than the 0.4% estimated by economists.
August 31, 2010 |
The savings rate for U.S. households fell in July to the lowest level in three months as spending outpaced income, the Commerce Department estimated Monday. The savings rate fell to 5.9% from 6.2% in June, which had been the highest level in a year. Consumer spending rose 0.4% in July while personal income increased 0.2%. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke singled out the higher savings rate as a key factor in slower-than-expected economic growth for the second quarter.
January 31, 2014 |
WASHINGTON - Consumers opened their wallets more than expected in December even though their incomes failed to grow, but their confidence slipped in January amid concerns about whether the recent upturn in economic momentum can be sustained. Spending rose 0.4% in December after an upwardly revised 0.6% increase the previous month, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Economists had projected only a 0.2% rise for December. Consumers spent more even though personal income was flat in December, a worrisome sign for future activity.
September 27, 2013 |
WASHINGTON -- Americans' incomes rose the most since February last month, helping increase the pace of consumer spending and providing a positive sign for economic growth this fall. Personal income increased 0.4% in August compared with an upwardly revised 0.2% the previous month, the Commerce Department said Friday. Consumer spending rose 0.2% in August compared with a 0.1% rise in July. The income growth was in line with analyst expectations; consumer spending was slightly below forecasts of a 0.3% increase.
June 29, 2012 |
The economic recovery is looking increasingly dicey, as consumer spending and confidence both slid to their lowest levels of the year amid tumbling gas prices and a still-grim jobs forecast. Americans - especially wealthier ones - are feeling pessimistic and cautious this month. An index of sentiment from Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan slipped to 73.2 from 79.3 in May, marking its first decline in 10 months and reaching its lowest level since December.
May 27, 2011 |
Consumer spending rose by the smallest amount in three months during April, government data showed Friday, in a further sign of erosion in spending momentum due to higher prices at the gas pump. Consumer spending increased 0.4% last month, the Commerce Department estimated. Meanwhile, personal income rose 0.4% in April. Income has risen for seven straight months. When adjusted for inflation, the increases in April were even more modest. Adjusted after-tax income was flat in April for the second straight month, and spending increased 0.1% for the second straight month.
March 30, 2010 |
Consumer spending in the U.S. rose in February for a fifth consecutive month, a rebound that will require gains in employment in order to be sustained. The 0.3% increase in purchases matched the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News and followed a 0.4% advance in January, Commerce Department figures showed Monday. Incomes were unchanged, falling short of expectations as winter storms hurt hiring and hours worked. "Considering the circumstances, this is a fine performance with the job market still not strong," said Michael Moran, chief economist at Daiwa Securities America Inc. in New York.
March 28, 2011 |
U.S. consumers increased spending for an eighth straight month in February, but much of the gain went to cover rising food and energy costs, providing only a modest lift to the economy. Although the report from the Commerce Department on Monday was the latest to suggest that the rising cost of living would dent growth in the first quarter, the recovery from the worst recession since the 1930s remains intact. Personal spending rose 0.7% in February, before adjusting for inflation, after rising 0.3% in January.
December 23, 2013 |
The Commerce Department reported Monday that consumer spending rose to its highest level since June, another late-year sign of renewed strength in the U.S. economy. Consumer spending rose 0.5% last month, after increasing a revised 0.4% in October, according to figures released Monday by the Commerce Department. The agency also reported that consumers' income rose 0.2% in November, an improvement from a 0.1% decline the month before. A more detailed breakdown of income showed that wages and salaries rose by 0.4%, reflecting steady job growth in the private sector.


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This announcement continues Takeda’s strong momentum toward optimizing our portfolio for growth by delivering highly-innovative medicines and transformative care in our chosen business areas, as well as meeting our leverage targets. As we continue to streamline and simplify our portfolio, Takeda is confident that we have found the right partner in Corza Health as the next home for TachoSil®. Corza Health’s expertise in healthcare, commitment to patients, customers and employees, and resources in partnership with GTCR make it well-positioned to ensure continued patient access to TachoSil® and to invest in the product over the long term for their benefit – Costa Saroukos, Chief Financial Officer, Takeda
Takeda has sustained the momentum of its divestiture program in 2020. Most recently, Takeda announced the sale of non-core assets in Europe and Canada to Cheplapharm for approximately $562 million USD. In August, Takeda announced an agreement to divest Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company Limited to Blackstone for approximately $2.3 billion USD. In June, Takeda agreed to divest a portfolio of non-core assets sold exclusively in the Asia Pacific region to Celltrion for up to $278 million USD; in April, Takeda announced the sale of non-core products in Europe to Orifarm Group for up to approximately $670 million USD, including the sale of two manufacturing sites in Denmark and Poland; and in March, Takeda announced the sale of non-core products in Latin America to Hypera Pharma for $825 million USD, as well as completed the previously announced sales of non-core assets spanning the Russia-CIS region to STADA and in countries spanning the Near East, Middle East and Africa region to Acino.
Takeda intends to use the proceeds from this transaction to reduce its debt and accelerate de-leveraging toward its target of 2x net debt/adjusted EBITDA within Fiscal Year 2021 –2023. Takeda is committed to rapid deleveraging driven by strong cash flow and divestiture proceeds, while also simplifying our portfolio.
As previously disclosed, Takeda had entered into an agreement for the sale of TachoSil® to Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson company, in May 2019. Takeda and Ethicon agreed to mutually terminate the transaction in April 2020 as a result of anti-trust concerns raised by the European Commission.
Under the terms of the agreement, upon close, Corza Health will acquire the assets and licenses that support the development and commercialization of TachoSil®, while Takeda will maintain ownership of the manufacturing facility in Linz, Austria. Takeda has entered into a long-term manufacturing services agreement, under which it will continue to manufacture TachoSil® products and supply them to Corza Health.
The agreement is expected to close by March 31, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, receipt of required regulatory clearances and, where applicable, satisfaction of local information and/or consultation requirements. Upon close, approximately 60 Takeda employees will have the opportunity to transition to Corza Health.
Nomura is acting as financial advisor to Takeda and Linklaters LLP is acting as Takeda’s legal advisor in this transaction.


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Lotus Exige 360 Cup
The latest addition to the Exige family has a supercharged 3.5-litre 355bhp V6 with a top speed of 170mph. It’s connected to a six-speed manual transmission enabling acceleration from 0 to 60mph in less than 3.8 seconds. Living up to the company ethos of “less is more”, the car weighs in at just 1,130kg and will appeal to diehard fans. Production will be limited to 50 cars.
On sale Now
Audi e-tron SUV
Price To be announced
OK, so 2018 is not exactly “soon”, but Audi’s announcement that it is planning an all-electric SUV capable of 310 miles between charges is enough to make most motorists pay attention. Audi says the car’s game-changing range is down to…


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The government's new Franchising Code of Conduct leaves many of the fundamental problems affecting franchisees unfixed, and is a lost opportunity for reform, writes Jenny Buchan.
The recent attempt by Woolworths and Coles to extend their supermarket duoploy into petrol retail is against the spirit of Australian competition law, but the ACCC has little recourse to challenge it, writes Michael Peters.
Here we go again. Petrol prices are skyrocketing and the usual defenders of the big oil companies and major retailers are out there saying there is nothing wrong, writes Frank Zumbo.
As the year comes to an end it’s timely to reflect on how we might have been ripped off during 2012 and what can be done about it next year, writes Frank Zumbo.
All petrol retailers need to put their prices online for motorists to get the full benefit and to ensure a level playing field, write Frank Zumbo.
Appointing a new small business commissioner without legislative teeth is futile, argues Frank Zumbo.
If we want market forces to work for us, rather than against us, we may need to start exercising a bit more policy creativity, writes Jenny Stewart.


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B2BE has now opened a new office in Mauritius to service, support and strengthen B2BE’s global operations for customers operating within the region and to support the European markets.
The office will support B2BE’s continued growth locally and within the region as well as providing support for organisations that operate in the European environment to facilitate improved support of B2BE’s supply chain management solutions.
The new Mauritius office address is:
B2BE GSS (MAURITIUS) LIMITED
Notre Dame Avenue de La Salette
2nd floor, Super U Building
Le French Hub


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PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s May exports declined 25.5% to RM62.7 billion year on year, on the continued effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, but trade activity is expected to gradually recover in the coming months as restrictions are lifted in low-risk countries and demand and supply conditions resume.
In a note, UOB Research said it is maintaining its estimate for exports to decline 10% in 2020.
“Market optimism over reopening of economies has wavered following renewed spikes in infection rates particularly in the United States. In Malaysia where the infection curve has remained flat, talks continue about reopening of borders to few countries in the region including Singapore, Brunei, Australia, and New Zealand.
“Improving economic activity in China and Malaysia’s sustained growth of exports to China is encouraging,” it said.
MIDF Research echoed the sentiment, saying the trade performance was in line with that of neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Thailand, which also experienced a contraction above 20% year on year in their exports.
“The impact of Covid-19 has emerged as the top risk to global trade flows as it affects both supply and demand of goods.
“This includes Malaysia, particularly with almost two months of the movement control order (MCO) which has disrupted production and eventually exports,” it said.
In addition, it said the rising protectionism measures, particularly the re-escalation of US-China tensions, pose a bigger threat to foreign trade.
According to the Department of Statistics, in May 2020, Malaysia’s exports recorded a decrease at a slower pace than imports, resulting a trade surplus of RM10.4 billion, higher by 14.7% compared with May 2019. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s total trade stood at RM115 billion, decreased 27.8% compared with a year ago.
Chief Statistician Datuk Sri Mohd Uzir Mahidin pointed out that re-exports were valued at RM8.8 billion, a decrease of 30% year on year and accounted for 14% of total exports. Domestic exports recorded a decrease of 24.7% to RM53.9 billion.
The decline in exports was due to lower shipments to India (-RM3.2 billion), Singapore (-RM2.5 billion), Thailand (-RM2.1 billion), Japan (-RM2 billion) and the European Union (-RM1.9 billion).
Lower imports were mainly from China (-RM3.3 billion), Singapore (-RM3.1 billion), the European Union (-RM2.3 billion), Thailand (-RM2.1 billion) and Indonesia (-RM1.4 billion).
The main categories which contributed to the decline in exports were electrical and electronic products (-RM5.8 billion), petroleum products (-RM2.9 billion), crude petroleum (-RM1.7 billion), manufacture of metal (-RM1.4 billion), chemical and chemical products (-RM1.2 billion), and machinery, equipment and parts (-RM1.1 billion). Decreases in imports were noted for petroleum products (-RM5.1 billion), chemical and chemical products (-RM2.6 billion), transport equipment (-RM2.4 billion), machinery, equipment and parts (-RM1.9 billion) and crude petroleum
Meanwhile, imports registered a decline of 30.4% to RM52.3 billion year on year which was the largest drop since January 2009 during the global financial crisis in 2009.
The fall in imports by end-use was attributed to intermediate goods, capital goods and consumption goods. Imports of intermediate goods were lower by 27.8% to RM30.8 billion. Capital goods stood at RM6.7 billion, down 27.8%, and consumption goods fell 21.9% to RM5.2 billion.


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Wallpaper Weekends is a series that works to bring you stunning, high-quality wallpapers for your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple Watch.Read More…
Tagged: Apple Watch
watchOS 5 Wishlist: Features MacRumors Readers Want to See Introduced in the Next Apple Watch Software Update
The Worldwide Developers Conference is just about a week and a half away, and while we’ve heard some rumors on what we might see in iOS 12 and macOS 10.14, watchOS 5, the next-generation software update for the Apple Watch, remains a total mystery.
Apple this week added refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 models with LTE to its online store for the first time in the United States.
A selection of 10 cellular-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 models have been made available for sale over the past two …
This week on the AppleInsider podcast, Victor and Mike discuss Foxconn’s IPO of an IoT group, Apple’s self-driving vehicle news, and Mike educates the world on the relative lack of danger from Wi-Fi. Also special to this weeks’ pod…
It’s now been more than three years since the original Apple Watch hit store shelves and Apple still hasn’t disclosed any sales figures for its increasingly popular wearable. While Apple isn’t likely to change its strategy in this regard anytime soon, company executives over the years haven’t been afraid to boast about the popularity of the Apple Watch while avoiding any mention of precise sales figures.
Case in point: Tim Cook during an earnings conference call this past March said that Apple Watch Sales during the 2017 holiday quarter were record-breaking, no doubt fueled by the popularity of the Apple Watch Series 3 and the inclusion of LTE connectivity on select models.
Since then, it appears that Apple Watch sales have stayed strong. According to a new research report from Canalys, Apple Watch sales during the first quarter of 2018 checked in at 3.8 million units, giving it an 18% share of the wearables market. Apple Watch sales during the March quarter narrowly edged out Xiaomi which sold an estimated 3.7 million Mi Bands.
“Key to Apple’s success with its latest Apple Watch Series 3 is the number of LTE-enabled watches it has been able to push into the hands of consumers,” Jason Low of Canalys said. “Operators welcome the additional revenue from device sales and the added subscription revenue for data on the Apple Watch, and the list of operators that sell the LTE Apple Watch worldwide is increasing each month.”
Of all the smartwatches that include an LTE option, the Apple Watch is said to account for 59% of sales.
On a related note, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this year predicted that Apple Watch sales in 2018 may increase by 30% year-over-year and that cumulative sales for the year may reach as high as 24 million units. Beyond the current year, Kuo added that Apple Watch unit sales may reach the 50 million range by 2021 thanks to improved battery life and, perhaps, a model with a bigger display.
Kuo’s note, which was released just two months ago, reads in part:
We think that once the following requirements are met (within three years), annual shipments of Apple Watch will grow to 40-50mn units: (1) LTE Apple Watch is supported in more countries; (2) besides heartbeat monitoring, more health monitoring functions are added; (3) more FDA approvals are awarded; (4) a more trendy form factor design; and (5) continued lowering of prices for older models.
Incidentally, there have been rumblings that future Apple Watch models will incorporate advanced heart-rate monitoring features such as EKG and ECG measurements.


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Instagram makes it trivial for teens as young as 13 to find and buy drugs like MDMA and Xanax, according to a newly published report from the Tech Transparency Project. The organization recently conducted an investigation where it created a series of fake accounts to test the safeguards Instagram has in place to protect young people from potentially deadly pharmaceuticals.
While hashtags like #mdma are banned on the platform, TTP found it was easy to skirt those restrictions with an account tied to a minor. Using MDMA as an example, the organization found it could employ terms like “mdmamolly” to find people who were selling the substance. In fact, the app’s search algorithm made it easy to find those hashtags, with its autocomplete feature pointing researchers in the right direction.
To make matters worse, once someone follows even just one account belonging to an alleged drug dealer, Instagram’s recommendation algorithm will suggest the user follow similar profiles. Despite Instagram's Community Guidelines prohibiting “buying or selling non-medical or pharmaceutical drugs,” TTP found many drug dealers operate openly on the platform.
Separately, TTP says Instagram did not take decisive action against the content it found on the platform. The organization claims it submitted 50 posts to the company for review. Of those, Instagram said 36 (or 72 percent) did not violate its Community Guidelines, despite what TTP says were “clear signs” of drug dealing activity. At the time of publishing, the company had only banned one account flagged by TTP. However, when the organization went to check on that profile, it was still up on Instagram along with all of its violating content.
“We prohibit drug sales on Instagram. We removed 1.8 million pieces of content related to drug sales in the last quarter alone, and due to our improving detection technology, the prevalence of such content is about 0.05 percent of content viewed, or about 5 views per every 10,000,” Stephanie Otway, a spokesperson for Meta, told Engadget. “We’ll continue to improve in this area in our ongoing efforts to keep Instagram safe, particularly for our youngest community members.”
The report comes just one day before Adam Mosseri is slated to testify to the Senate about Instagram’s impact on young users. The platform has faced increasing scrutiny in recent weeks following testimony from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. According to Haugen, Meta, then Facebook, knew from its own internal research Instagram was harmful to many teens and yet the company disregarded those warnings. TTP’s findings are likely to inform some of the questions the consumer protection subcommittee asks Mosseri on Wednesday.


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Huawei, the China-based, $50 billion, international telecom giant, wants to collaborate.
Not that the concept is new - collaboration has been a buzzword in cyber security for some time. The goal is what the term implies: For the good guys to have any chance of beating the bad guys, they are going to have to work together.
But its national profile went up last month with the U.S. Senate’s passage of CISA – the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act – aimed at promoting the sharing of cyber threat information between the private and public sectors.
And Huawei hopes to raise its profile even more, to the global level.
In a series of white papers starting in 2012, the company argues that cyber security, “is not a single-country or specific-company issue. All stakeholders – governments and industry alike – need to recognize that cyber security is a shared global problem requiring risk-based approaches, best practices and international cooperation to address the challenge.”
Or as Antonio Ierano, Huawei’s head of enterprise cyber security, put it in an interview, “We see increased sensibility regarding cyber security coming from our customers – they’re seeing a rising amount of vulnerabilities and hacking problems.
“But they don’t see an easy way to address that concern, because there aren’t common and comprehensive standards to help all of us – vendors, buyers and users.”
Ierano, in a joint interview with colleagues Ulf Eger, CSO of Huawei Technologies in Germany, and Andy Purdy, CSO of Huawei Technologies USA, noted that there have been a number of legislative efforts throughout the world regarding cyber security, “but sometimes they conflict with one another. We don’t see a common approach.”
Its most recent white paper on the topic, “Cyber Security Perspectives,” is an effort to promote that collaboration, they said, with, “the Top 100 things our customers talk to us about in relation to cyber security regarding their vendors.”
The need for a global approach, they said, should be obvious, since the economy is obviously global – products, particularly in IT and ICT (Information and Communications Technology), are never made entirely in a single country. “The equipment and software are likely to be designed, developed and manufactured via tens, if not hundreds, of companies from around the world,” the company’s 2012 white paper said.
Taking up the thread, a second white paper in October 2103, noted that, “the world’s ICT supply chain is intertwined, and it is not possible to label any ICT equipment as ‘foreign.’”
Huawei is an example of that, they said, with up to 70 percent of the components in the company’s technology portfolio coming from a global supply chain – the U.S. is the largest provider of components, at 32 percent.
“We don’t have the solution to every problem,” Ierano said, “but solutions can be found with collaboration. I’m not talking about products but process, practices and frameworks that help us address this kind of environment in a comprehensive, sound way.”
Of course, there are numerous standards bodies in existence – the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are just two of the more prominent – Huawei said it belongs to 150 industry standards organizations.
Since they all tend to have a somewhat different focus, it sounds like that could be part of the problem – too many organizations muddling the “common approach” goal.
But Ierano said it is a good thing to have lots of organizations involved. “What is lacking is the kind of communication – exchanging experience and ideas that will lead to common agreement,” he said.
Purdy said the goal is not for every organization to do the same thing. He noted that NIST is, “a risk-analytics tool. It references standards from all over the world. So each organization can say what applies to it – it ties in and references multiple standards.”
Huawei’s most recent emphasis, he noted, was to “contribute to the global conversation” regarding the security of third-party contractors. “We developed a standard for the security of the supply chain when using trusted technology providers,” he said.
The company presents that in the form of a “Top 100” list of questions that an organization should at least consider asking as part of the vetting process of any third-party vendor.
They are grouped into 11 categories:
- Strategy, governance and control
- Standards and processes
- Laws and regulations
- Human resources
- Research and development
- Third-party supplier management
- Secure service delivery
- Issue, defect and vulnerability resolution
“The original list was much larger,” Eger said, adding that it was created from listening to customers and employees, from reviewing other standards bodies and reading more than 1,200 articles on standards and best practices.
The three acknowledge that even if every question on the list is answered satisfactorily, that does not guarantee airtight security.
“But these are the questions that the big customers are asking,” Eger said. “So we give them to our other customers. They are a starting point – tools they can use that are appropriate to their own risk environment.”
Simply asking the questions is not enough, either. According to the “Cyber Security Perspectives” white paper, organizations need the skill to, “understand the answer, ensure the answer is accurate, demonstrable and auditable.”
And, as the verification section puts it, “Assume nothing, believe no one, check everything.”
That kind of rigorous verification standard inevitably raises the issue of how that could be applied to Huawei as well, given regular accusations by the U.S. that both the private and public sectors in China are involved in economic espionage – stealing the intellectual property of U.S. companies.
Huawei has denied involvement in any such activity. In the 2012 white paper, it declared that, “we have never damaged any nation or had the intent to steal any national intelligence, enterprise secrets or breach personal privacy and we will never support or tolerate such activities, nor will we support any entity from any country who may wish us to undertake an activity that would be deemed illegal in any country.”
Still that issue was serious enough to be addressed just two months ago at the highest levels, when President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced an agreement that they said was aimed at eliminating economic espionage.
But a month later, security vendor CrowdStrike reported that attempted intrusions by “China-affiliated actors” had continued, although the company said they expected there would be a time lag between the agreement and a decline in espionage activity.
Asked to comment on the issue, the company would only issue a statement attributed to Bill Plummer, vice president of external affairs, which said in part, “Huawei, and companies like Huawei, have put in place stringent security assurance processes and programs – from ideation to end of life – to ensure the integrity of our networks, data and products, as well as to protect our intellectual property. Huawei was ranked No. 1 technology company last year by the WIPO PCT (World Intellectual Property Organization, Patent Cooperation Treaty) in terms of patents filed.”
The bottom line, according to Purdy, is that all companies should qualify their third-party suppliers and vendors, “from a cyber security perspective as well as quality of the product.”
“If companies don’t do it, they are giving up a part of their security,” Ierano said.


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Cable monopoly: Prices rise after telecom giants merge
Less than two weeks after regulators approved the merger of Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications, customers in New York state are facing a price hike.
The $55 billion merger also incorporates Bright House Networks into the fold and although still awaiting federal approval from the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission, it was given the green light on January 8 by New York’s Public Service Commission.
Charter will now service the 2.6 million TWC customers in New York state but TWC’s diverse offerings will first see an increase in their cost, The Albany Times Union reports.
In a letter to its customers, TWC said the increases were “mainly driven by the increase we must pay to deliver your favorite channels.”
The increases break down as follows:
Standard TV package: $76.99 to $78.99 per month
Sports Pass: $8.99 to $10 per month
Digital HD, DVR or HD DVR set-top box and remote is going up from $6.98 to $8.50 per month
Basic and standard Internet services will increase to $49.99 per month and $59.99 per month, up from $47.99 and $57.99, respectively
Charter, which filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and managed to reduce its debt repayments by $8 billion in the process, will see the company go from the fourth biggest broadband provider to second with nearly 30 percent market share. Comcast, which failed in its bid to buy TWC in April 2015 for $45 billion, leads the pack.
Charter argues that such a merger is healthy for the consumer and doesn’t hinder competition as it allows for further investment in infrastructure which in turn provides increased internet speeds.
Various consumer rights groups don’t believe this, however, arguing the merger creates another monopoly in the internet provider industry, adding to continued globalization across various sectors which ultimately results in less competition for the consumer.
Public Knowledge, Common Cause and Consumers Union say the FCC “must ensure the increased market power this deal would give Charter would not harm competition, diversity of programming, or the public interest.”
Satellite provider Dish Network have echoed stating that such a monopoly "would be no better for the public interest" than the Comcast/ TWC merger, US News reports.
With state approval now given though, authorities don’t appear to be listening to the public fear and the results are now being borne out with TWC informing its customers that their monthly bills for internet and TV are increasing.


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(This post originally appeared on The Hill)
Hunt around the internet, as I’ve been doing, and you’ll mostly find stories about how the current trade dispute with China is hurting small businesses:
- It “hits the little guy,” stated the New York Times;
- it’s “bad news for small businesses” Barron’s cautioned;
- CBS News opined that it’s a “big problem for small business;” and
- the Washington Post not only warned it “could be catastrophic” for small businesses but that our dogs’ puffy vests may get way more expensive. Oh, the humanity!
But catastrophic? I don’t think so. In the short term, there are challenges for some. But in the long term — provided negotiations with China go well — the result could be a very, very good thing for America’s small and medium-sized businesses.
The reality is that most small businesses in this country simply aren’t affected by the China tariffs. Don’t believe me? Then look at this survey conducted by Bank of America this past month of more than 1,500 small-business owners.
Fifty-nine percent of those respondents said they “don’t see any impact.” That data was backed up by the recent polling of 1,700 small-business owners from brokerage site BizBuySell. In that study, 57 percent of small-business owners said they weren’t affected by the China tariffs.
Why should they be? Most of the 30 million small businesses in this country sell pizzas, fix cars, repair roofs, balance books and mow lawns. These are not people who care about China.
Of course, many of these businesses serve bigger businesses or sell to the employees of big businesses, so a long-term dispute that impacts those companies’ profits could impact what they spend on their smaller suppliers.
To those suppliers I say: Don’t lose any sleep. Your customers are more likely to drop you because they’re unhappy with your service rather than because of a squabble with China.
But what about those small businesses that are affected? These small-business owners have demonstrated their ignorance because they’ve mostly relied on just one or two suppliers from one country (China) for their goods.
Or, as I’ve written before, they’re farmers who expected China to keep buying from them even though Donald Trump has been warning for years what he’ll do if and when he becomes president.
I feel bad for these guys because, through their own miscalculations, they are indeed suffering. Ultimately, business Darwinism will prevail. The dopiest ones will disappear and go back to their corporate jobs.The smart ones will survive, learn and grow. And they’ll ultimately benefit from this experience. Why?
Because if President Trump gets his way, I can stop hearing what I’ve been hearing from most of my small and medium-sized clients for the past three decades: that doing business with China has been patently unfair.
Trump has obviously heard those same complaints. He’s witnessed China’s behavior. Why else would he go to trade war with them? It’s not as if he doesn’t have other battles to fight.
It’s because he knows that something has to be done to right this significant and growing wrong for the long term and — luckily — he’s got a strong economy in which to do it. Say what you will about our president, but he’s fighting a fight that needs to be fought.
So what can small businesses expect if he prevails?
- a more-level playing field;
- greater opportunities for small manufacturers to make stuff for the American market;
- more access to China’s numerous consumers;
- less illegal dumping of Chinese products that kill American suppliers;
- a crackdown on the bribes, graft and corruption that has always plagued U.S. business dealings with China;
- a reduction of cyber-espionage that steals our data and intellectual property; and
- no more joint venture “partners” that are required when one wants to do business in or with China.
This experience (like the last recession and other significant economic and political events) will prove to be a valuable lesson for those small businesses that are facing challenges right now.
The smart ones will diversify. They will require multiple suppliers. They will not put all of their eggs in one basket. They will minimize risks and opt to do business with friendlier, less-corrupt and autocratic countries. Better yet, more will likely do business at home.
Of course I sympathize with those small-business owners who are facing challenges as result of this trade war. But the smart ones will figure things out. In the BizBuySell study, many of the respondents who said they are affected planned to raise prices, cut costs, switch suppliers or start offering other products. And when the dispute is ultimately settled, they’ll be the better off from it.


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Comcast today is rolling out its first ever completely fully homegrown WiFi device, the xFi Advanced Gateway, capable of achieving gigabit speeds and up.
The device, first unveiled earlier this year, costs the same as any other Comcast router, $10 per month, but the company says its the most powerful and sleekest WiFi device yet. The company says it is building the gateway with the future in mind, as more and more people are connecting a litany of devices to their networks at home and the office.
“We all live and die by WiFi, and as we are moving into a world where people have got five, 10 and then 20, then 40 or more connected devices, we have to have great connectivity, great coverage, great control,” Comcast’s Chief Product Officer Chris Satchell told GeekWire in an interview. “So that connection in the home has to be as good as that connection to the home.”
As hinted in the name, the gateway comes with xFi, a service that lets customers see more details about their networks, who is online and pause internet access for occasions like family dinners.
The Advanced Gateway is available in all markets where it has gigabit speeds, and that includes Seattle. Comcast says it has actually tested the gateway at 1.5 gigabit speeds, and it is designed to be able to scale up as internet speeds continue to increase.
“It serves your purposes today, and it is going to be the gateway that can serve your purposes as you go forward and expand as a family,” Satchell said.
In the past, Satchell said, Comcast was an “integrator of technology and an aggregator of content.” He sees the company evolving into a hardcore technology company and “transitioning into a hardcore product company.”
In addition to this new device, Comcast is working on a xFi pod mesh system that ensures strong coverage anywhere, whether it is a weirdly shaped home or a big building. Comcast is testing that out internally right now and will soon begin testing it with customers.
The look of the device is a big selling point, Satchell says. Coming from a background working at Nike as chief technology, and spending time on Xbox at Microsoft, Satchell says he takes design seriously.
Typically, WiFi routers are not the prettiest devices in the house and are hidden from view. Satchell says the minimalist design and fabric exterior make the gateway a device that doesn’t have to be tucked behind the TV and can be displayed proudly.
And while most people would associate Comcast with endless customer support calls and huge windows they have to set aside for a tech to come fix something, Satchell insists the company is emphasizing customer service and technological innovation.
Customer satisfaction is a big reason why Comcast to build the device completely from the ground up on its own. In the past, the company worked with partners on the design and other aspects. But Comcast decided to go solo to ensure control of every part of the process, including quick fixes for bugs that could take months to rectify when working with partners.
“The only way to do that was to take it on ourselves and really push the boundaries of what can be done,” Satchell said of taking full control of the device. “We can’t leave that future up to anybody else because it’s too important to serve our customers with what really is the oxygen of the home in WiFi.


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TrueCar has launched what it describes as a new consumer experience and strategic rebrand, including an improved used-car experience with enhanced price ratings that the company says provide “more precise used-vehicle price context for consumers.”
That used-car experience also includes free condition history summaries and an improved matching algorithm that brings more relevant used-car inventory to consumers.
To bring more flexibility for car shoppers looking for price clarity and convenience, TrueCar has expanded its product offering to include vehicle discovery tools and the ability for consumers to choose how many certified dealers they want to connect with in addition to the upgraded used car experience.
In addition to the updated shopping experience, TrueCar is featuring a new brand and visual identity that the company has rolled out in a national advertising campaign targeting new audiences.
TrueCar interim chief executive officer and president Mike Darrow said the consumer experience changes, the refreshed brand and new advertising creative “will make TrueCar more appealing and relevant to new audiences, particularly women and millennials.”
He said the digital native car buyers of today are “accustomed to buying almost everything through an online platform.”
“So giving consumers more convenience and choice is at the heart of this change,” Darrow said in a news release.
He continued, “We believe this will result in more productive interactions between consumers and dealers and a better experience through our platform.”
TrueCar said it was launching the new consumer experience and strategic rebrand in response to “changing consumer needs in a digital world.”
In addition to the improved used-car experience, TrueCar’s new consumer experience includes personalized connection features that provide consumers choice in how many dealers connect with them.
The “experience” also features new vehicle discovery tools that can help consumers identify the vehicle that best suits their needs.
The new consumer experience also includes what the company says is a significant evolution of TrueCar’s new-car price ratings that could empower consumers.
The company conducted product testing prior to launch, and it showed that providing consumers choice in how many dealers they connect with resulted in a more-than-100% increase in customer satisfaction, higher consumer response rates from dealer outreach, higher closing introductions between consumers and dealers, and a substantial reduction in consumer feedback around dealer outreach.
TrueCar says that its product has provided prospective car buyers rich data for price context and upfront and transactable price offers on actual dealer inventory for 15 years. That includes a trade product that the company introduced at the end of 2018.
Now, vehicle discovery tools that include vehicle rankings, a trim compare tool, and model overview pages are part of the updated consumer experience. That is geared toward those who are at an earlier stage in their car-buying journey.
Along with new re-engagement tools, TrueCar said the features will “nurture consumers within the TrueCar ecosystem.” That could increase the likelihood of a vehicle purchase or trade-in at a TrueCar network dealer.
TrueCar partnered with design company Pentagram on its new brand identity, strategy, and design direction, which includes the new logo, color palette and brand taxonomy.
The work also included a rebrand of TrueCar’s subsidiary, ALG. That provides a stronger visual connection between the two brands for the first time.
“It’s vibrant, it’s joyous, and it’s the embodiment of our aspiration to create a world where shopping for a car is uplifting,” said TrueCar chief brand officer Lucas Donat.
Donat continued, “Our goal for the rebrand was a return to visual differentiation in our segment, with a lens toward attracting more women and millennial buyers. Despite what you might hear, millennials are buying cars at greater proportions than ever before, and women make or influence 82% of car buying decisions.”
Darrow said, “It’s a new day for TrueCar, and we’re excited to return to innovation to drive our growth.”
He continued, “From here, you’ll see TrueCar continue to innovate and evolve our product offering in ways that personalize the car buying journey for today’s digital consumer, making it simpler and more convenient, all while enabling more purchase-ready consumers to connect with our dealer partners and their inventory,” Darrow said.