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PALO ALTO . (AP) - Computer security provider Palo Alto Networks Inc. is eyeing taking the company public in an offering that aims to raise as much as $175 million.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Coca-Cola may be off the menu for the Passover feast - at least in California.
Bravo plans 'Silicon Valley' reality show
PLANO, Tex. (AP) - Two months into J.C. Penney's transformation, its workers are starting to feel the pain.
SUNNYVALE (AP) - Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson plans to tell the struggling Internet company's employees more about his turnaround strategy next week.
PLEASANTON (AP) - Clothing retailer Ross Stores Inc. says that mild weather helped drive March sales in stores open at least a year up 10 percent, and it's raising its forecast of first-quarter profit.
PALO ALTO (AP) - If you think texting while walking is dangerous, just wait until everyone starts wearing Google's futuristic, Internet-connected glasses.
NEW YORK (AP) - Retailers from discounter Target to department-store chain Macy's reported better-than-expected sales in March in the latest sign that Americans are feeling better about the economy.
NEW YORK (AP) - The price of gold, which has climbed for years like a blood pressure reading for anxious investors, plunged Wednesday to its lowest level in three months.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Ham will be the centerpiece of many Easter dinners this weekend, but the cost of that traditional main dish may make it harder for families to live high on the hog.
NEW YORK (AP) - YouTube and Paramount Pictures have reached a deal to make nearly 500 films available to rent online, even while their parent companies continue to feud over a $1 billion lawsuit.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. service companies expanded at a healthy pace last month and stepped up hiring, more evidence that the economy is growing and adding jobs.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Cash-strapped state governments that are searching every crevice for money have found a new target: computer programs that enable businesses to keep two sets of books simply by plugging a flash drive into their cash registers.
PALO ALTO (AP) - Facebook is stepping up its patent dispute with Yahoo by filing its own lawsuit against the struggling Internet icon.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal student loan program seemed like a great idea back in 1965: Borrow to go to college now, pay it back later when you have a job.
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (AP) - Declaring that hard work should pay off for every American, President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed an order to create starter retirement accounts that could be opened with as little as $25 but acknowledged there's a limit to the help he can give low-wage workers without congressional action.
SACRAMENTO (AP) - The Sacramento Kings have released the first completed renderings of a downtown arena they hope to open for the start of the 2016-17 season.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Relatively few Americans - less than 5 percent of hourly workers - toil for the minimum wage today.
NEW YORK (AP) - AT&T posted stronger-than-expected earnings for the final quarter of 2013, helped by higher revenue from mobile and Internet service subscribers.
NEW YORK (AP) - The one-size-fits-all mannequin is getting a much-needed makeover.
CUPERTINO (AP) - Apple reshaped technology and society when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone seven years ago. Now, the trend-setting company is losing ground to rivals that offer what Apple has stubbornly refused to make: smartphones with lower prices and larger screens than the iPhone.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal health officials say the pain reliever in Aleve may be safer on the heart than other popular anti-inflammatory drugs taken by millions of Americans.
Q: Even though my husband and I lived together for 20 years, we didn't actually get married until two years ago. Sadly, he died last month. When I went down to the Social Security office to file for widow's benefits, the clerk told me we had to be married at least 10 years, so she said I wasn't due anything. She helped me file for the $255 death benefit, and that's all I got. But lately, some friends told me I should be getting widow's benefits. What should I do?
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Bitstrips may seem like a sudden sensation now that the app maker's comic vignettes are all over Facebook and other social networks. But the Toronto startup's success was a drawn-out process.
NEW YORK (AP) - PepsiCo has quietly gotten rid of the word "Natural" in some of its products and instead is going with "Simply."
WASHINGTON (AP) - A government warning about the dangers of increased use of trains to transport crude oil is giving a boost to supporters of the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline.
NEW YORK (AP) - The frigid winter of 2014 is setting the price of natural gas on fire.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration says there's no reason to believe that the coloring added to sodas is unsafe. But the agency is taking another look just to make sure.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Those nutrition labels on the back of food packages may soon become easier to read.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Watch out for exploding toilets.


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Following weeks of speculations that Android 4.4 KitKat would come to Samsung devices from Galaxy series soon, a new report has claimed that the firmware update would be available for the devices, including Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S3 LTE and Galaxy S4 Mini in May and June.
Some Samsung devices will get Android 4.4 KitKat update in May, while others will get in June, according to a report by SamMobile which accessed an internal document from a tipster. The report added that devices confirmed for the firmware, include for Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S3 LTE, Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy Note 3 Neo and a few others.
It may be mentioned that Android 4.4 KitKat update was rolled out for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 in several countries in April.
Here is list of Samsung devices expected to get Android 4.4 KitKat update in May and June, according to SamMobile:
- Galaxy Note 2 LTE (GT-N7105 model) with code N7105XXUFND8. Firmware testing completed.
- Galaxy S3 LTE (GT-I9305 model) with code I9305XXUFND5. Firmware in final testing.
- Galaxy Note 3 Neo (SM-N750 model) with code N750XXUBND7. Firmware testing completed.
The following devices are expected to get the new firmware update in June:
- Galaxy S4 Mini (GT-I9190 model) with code I9190XXUCND6. It is in final testing status.
- Galaxy S4 Mini LTE (GT-I9195 model) with code I9195XXUCND5. Testing of the firmware completed.
- Galaxy Grand 2 (SM-G7102 model) with code G7102XXUBND2. Firmware under testing.
- Galaxy Mega 5.8 (GT-I9152 model) with code I9152XXUBND4. Firmware under testing.
- Galaxy Mega 6.3 (GT-I9200 model) with code I9200XXUDND6. Firmware under testing.
Meanwhile, the international Galaxy S3 (GT-I9300 model), that popularized Samsung Electronics brand to a great extent, is not getting the firmware update. The reason may be because the device has only 1GB of RAM. The fact that Galaxy S3 LTE variant, which has 2GB of RAM, is getting the update, has hinted that Galaxy S3 may not have space to run the new OS.


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Alberta's food service industry lost an estimated 95,000 jobs in March: Survey
A sign at the Milestones location on Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary advising customers of its closure during the COVID-19 pandemic
CALGARY -- A new survey from Restaurants Canada say nearly 100,000 jobs have been lost in Alberta’s food service sector since March 1.
The latest report notes that an estimated 95,000 food service jobs in the province — and 800,000 food service jobs across Canada — have been lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Not only was our industry among the first to feel the impacts of COVID-19, we’ve been one of the hardest hit so far, with nearly two thirds of our workforce now lost," said Shanna Munro, Restaurants Canada president and CEO, in a statement released Thursday morning.
"These are by far the worst numbers we have ever seen."
Alberta’s $12 billion food service industry represents about 3.4 per cent of the province’s GDP and is the third-largest private sector employer.
Restaurants Canada estimates Alberta foodservice sales will be down nearly $2.5 billion for the second quarter of 2020 if conditions do not improve.
According to the survey, nearly one-in-10 restaurants in Canada have already closed permanently.
Western Canada president for Restaurants Canada, Mark von Scellwitz, says many more restaurants will likely close because they can’t continue to operate without income.
"Urgent additional relief is required to help these businesses survive or there will be fewer jobs for the thousands of temporarily laid off restaurant employees to return to once social distancing measures are lifted."
Restaurants Canada says it is working with all levels of government to provide immediate protection and relief.
The national foodservice association is focussing on creating flexible relationships with landlords to allow payment free-periods on rent and expanding conditions and time periods for workers to access the 75 per cent wage subsidy.
There is also hope restaurants could receive access to more working capital so they have enough funds to re-open after the pandemic.
The survey conducted from March 25 to March 29, received 665 responses representing 13,300 locations nationwide.
It’s national findings revealed:
- Approximately 80 per cent of restaurants have laid off employees since March 1
- Approximately 70 per cent of food service operators will further cut back on staff hours or lay off more employees if conditions do not improve
- Nearly 10 per cent restaurants have already closed permanently and another 18 per cent will permanently close within a month if current conditions continue.


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As of September 30, 2015, with stable outlook, Moody's rating was Ba1, S&P's rating was BBB- and Fitch's rating was BBB-. If $EXPE's credit ratings was adjusted downward, $EXPE may incur higher costs to borrow and/or limited access to capital markets, which could have a material impact on its financial condition and results of operations.
I haven’t seen a drop in banks like this in a long time. Looks like $WFC is still facing pressures from its sales practices scandal..!!
Helping President-elect's America first focus, $WMT set to create 10,000 retail jobs in the US in 2017.
Looks like Trump has his eyes on the $MON and Bayer merger next. He had a meeting with the CEOs and apparently got job promises from them.


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GM Reports First Quarter Net Income of $0.1 Billion
Net income reduced by recall charge and special items
- EBIT-adjusted of $0.5 billion, reduced by $1.3 billion pre-tax recall charge and $0.3 billion in restructuring costs
- Company records strong core operating performance in first quarter
- Revenue and free cash flow improved year-over-year
DETROIT – General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today announced first quarter net income attributable to common stockholders of $0.1 billion, or $0.06 per diluted share. Strong core operating performance during the quarter was more than offset by a net loss from special items of $0.4 billion, or $(0.23) per diluted share, and a $1.3 billion pre-tax charge primarily for the cost of recall-related repairs, or $(0.48) per diluted share.
Special items in the quarter were primarily related to changing the exchange rate GM uses for re-measuring the net assets of its Venezuelan subsidiaries.
In the first quarter of 2013, GM’s net income attributable to common stockholders was $0.9 billion, or $0.58 per diluted share, including a net loss from special items of $0.2 billion or $(0.09) per diluted share.
Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) adjusted was $0.5 billion and included the impact of a $1.3 billion pre-tax charge for recall-related costs and $0.3 billion in restructuring costs. This compares to the first quarter of 2013, when the company recorded EBIT-adjusted of $1.8 billion, which included a pre-tax charge of $0.1 billion for recalls and $0.1 billion in restructuring costs.
Net revenue in the first quarter of 2014 was $37.4 billion, compared to $36.9 billion in the first quarter of 2013.
“The performance of our core operations was very strong this quarter, reflecting the positive response of customers to the new vehicles we are bringing to market,” said GM CEO Mary Barra. “Our focus remains on creating the world’s best vehicles with the highest levels of safety, quality and customer service, while aggressively addressing our business opportunities and challenges globally.”
GM Results Overview (in billions except for per share amounts)
Adjusted automotive free cash flow
Net income attributable to common stockholders
Earnings per share (EPS) diluted
Impact of special items on EPS diluted
Automotive net cash flow from operating activities
- GM North America reported EBIT-adjusted of $0.6 billion which included the impact of a $1.3 billion pre-tax charge for recall costs in the quarter. This compared with EBIT-adjusted of $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2013.
- GM Europe reported EBIT-adjusted of $(0.3) billion, which includes $0.2 billion for restructuring costs. This compares with EBIT-adjusted of $(0.2) billion in the first quarter of 2013.
- GM International Operations reported EBIT-adjusted of $0.3 billion, compared with EBIT-adjusted of $0.5 billion in the first quarter of 2013.
- GM South America reported EBIT-adjusted of $(0.2) billion, compared with EBIT-adjusted of $0.0 billion in the first quarter of 2013.
- GM Financial earnings before tax was $0.2 billion for the quarter, compared with $0.2 billion in the first quarter of 2013.
Cash Flow and Liquidity
First quarter automotive cash flow from operating activities of $2.0 billion and automotive free cash flow of $0.2 billion were both significantly improved compared with the first quarter of 2013. GM ended the quarter with very strong total automotive liquidity of $37.4 billion. Automotive cash and marketable securities was $27.0 billion compared with $27.9 billion at year-end 2013.
“Our revenue and cash flow improved this quarter and our underlying business performance remains on plan,” said Chuck Stevens, GM executive vice president and CFO. “Executing flawless launches and using our strength in the U.S. and China to restructure key global operations will continue to be our focus this year.”


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This week the Queen announced to Parliament the “Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill“, which amongst other things strengthens the existing Prompt Payment Code setting out the right for small businesses to be paid in a timely manner as well as, access to finance, employment law, procurement.
One of the foundations of the bill is that it will require large companies to publish their payment terms so that those that fail to meet them can be held accountable. Enterprise Nation points to Fujitsu, who pay small businesses they deal with within 6 days of invoice and say there’s no reason other firms couldn’t pay within a similar time frame.
Other parts of the proposed bill which small businesses are likely to welcome are faster cheque clearance times (why do companies still use Cheques in these days of faster bank transfers? Is it just so that they can keep their hands on the funds a couple of days longer?), and prohibiting companies from stipulating in contracts that small businesses can’t use third party companies from collecting outstanding debts.
There are also steps to make obtaining finance easier, the government may act as guarantor for firms trading overseas who need financing and they may release anonymised VAT and Tax information on small businesses to lending institutions. Whilst anonymous data might seem less than useful, it might enlighten banks as to just how many small businesses out there would flourish if only they had access to capital, something that the likes of iwoca and Ezbob appear to have grasped, filling the finance void which banks have so far ignored.
Finally something that many small business owners will welcome, the bill also sets out to tackle large pub companies controlling rent increases and beer prices for smaller public establishments. Whilst I suspect many of our readers don’t lease pubs, I’m sure there are more than a few that like to raise a glass or two after a long day in the warehouse and more reasonable beer prices would be very welcome!
The bill will be published on the 16th of June and the aim is that it will be drafted into law before the General Election in 2015.


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Top Food and Dining Trends: 5 Foolproof Ways To Win Customers Over In 2021
As COVID-19 changed the world in unexpected ways, consumers now have an updated checklist for dining success: health, convenience, quality, purpose, and sustainability. Each one is well represented and demonstrated in the new wave of food and beverage industry trends that we are going to examine below. These new trends are setting new standards for operators to follow and can help you refocus your business on what matters most to your audience.
Top Food and Beverage Trends: Health and wellbeing first
Coronavirus pushed customers to switch to a healthier food lifestyle. This triggered a wide-scale change in the foodservice industry including the abrupt switch to delivery, stricter safety and sanitation practices, and innovative menus.
New trends in the food industry show that customers are looking for functional ingredients and highly nutritious meals and beverages that benefit the mind and body. The latest Innova report reveals that six out of 10 consumers are specifically seeking out immune health-boosting superfoods. According to global flavor company Comax Flavors, the top flavors in this category will be apple carrot ginger, blueberry elderberry, and manuka honey--all of which are highly versatile and easy to incorporate in baked goods, beverages, confectionery, dairy, and even plant-based recipes.
Citrus and antimicrobial flavors
Top flavor and fragrance supplier Bell Flavors & Fragrances, on the other hand, predicts the wider use of citrus and antimicrobial flavors such as tea tree, clove, peppermint, garlic, cinnamon, magnolia, and horseradish to pack a lot of taste and nutrients in the food. Flavor innovator Beck Flavors says that a citrus fruit called yuzu, which has a tart flavor, offers a unique way to elevate cocktails, sparkling water, and energy drinks while cherry blossom can add some sweetness to tea and desserts.
More plant-based recipes
And because of its perceived higher and healthier quality, the plant-based movement is also getting a boost. According to Sabina Vyas, senior director of strategic initiatives and communications at the Plant-Based Foods Association, more plant-forward recipes that incorporate algae, fungi and mushrooms, and legumes and pulses will find their way to our plates to deliver food that is nutritious, sustainable, and also delicious. More and more customers are also developing a taste for plant-based proteins and non-dairy beverages, which could help lab-grown foods hit the mainstream.
Customers still love to snack, but they now tend to grab the healthier options that are also convenient or easy to prepare. They also want to be able to indulge in sweets without guilt. In fact, even cocktails are getting a healthy twist, as greater demand for alcohol-free spirits and low-calorie alcoholic beverages specifically hard kombucha, hard seltzer, and homemade craft cocktails continue its upward trend.
In line with their greater health awareness, customers are also looking for transparency from operators and food manufacturers as a guarantee of the safety and sustainability of their products. Providing clear information that tells them where their food comes from, how it was sourced, and how it is made cultivates confidence and trust in your customers, and helps them better understand what you offer them.
As environment and purpose climb high up the customer checklist, many also tend to respond well to brands with a good cause and a heightened awareness of their impact on the planet, or brands that support local agriculture and production.
Top Food and Beverage Trends: Paying for premium
To many, the coronavirus pandemic has made them realize the importance of self-care. This fed into the rise of premiumization as more people turned to food for comfort. Customers focus on quality over quantity, and so they have become more open to spending more on premium products like pastries, chocolate, processed fish, and hot drinks with marked features. According to Tapi Group, we will see a lot of this in action in the alcohol beverages department, with tequila leading the charge.
Premiumization also plays well into healthier customer lifestyles, with many also opting for drinks that are superior in quality and health benefits. From this, organic wine is expected to soar this year.
Top Food and Beverage Trends: Convenience feeds adventurous palates
The pandemic has severely limited travel activities, keeping people home for longer periods. To fight the quarantine boredom, many took to the kitchen to brush up on their cooking skills. This year, more customers are venturing into the greater culinary world and experimenting with new and exotic flavors.
Delivery and online ordering is fueling this habit, as customers love the quick and convenient access to high-quality ingredients whenever they need them. This made it possible to bring restaurant flavors into home-cooked meals.
Spices and unique experiences
Customers have become more open to new sensory experiences that introduce unique aromas, flavors, and textures to their food. More people are ordering spices and sauces online in an attempt to elevate a homemade dish.
Common staples are being reimagined or experienced in a whole new way. Many customers are getting their caffeine fix from cold brew coffee, specifically, nitro coffee. This type of coffee has a special ingredient-nitrogen. This creates a frothy, highly caffeinated concoction that amps up the sweetness and tones down the acidity. Some don’t drink it at all, and instead like their coffee in the form of snack bars, granola, smoothies, and even booze.
There is also a higher demand for curated or personalized meals that incorporate specific ingredients to meet certain health goals and unique lifestyles.
Meal kits have also become more popular among people looking to get started on their home-cooking journey, thanks to the convenience of complete, pre-portioned ingredients and the excellent customization. More recently, pre-made meal kits have become more common as they help cut down prep time and cleanup for the busy, on-the-go individual. Meal kits provide operators tons of opportunities to cater to different lifestyle choices and diets, which is why they are expected to thrive in the increasingly health-conscious world.
Top Food and Beverage Trends: Global flavors rock the world
Travel restrictions also challenged operators to bring food experience to their customers and to do so as authentic as possible. This put traditional ingredients back to the fore with greater demand for global flavors like matcha and moringa as well as elderberry, cinnamon, and rhubarb. There will also be active attempts to trace and identify flavors to more specific regions in order to differentiate them and add another layer to the experience.
Global flavors as comfort foods for quarantine
In fact, cuisines inspired by global flavors make up the wealth of “comfortine” foods or comfort foods during the quarantine that rose to popularity. Several industry reports have shown that Mexican, West African, and Asian food especially Regional Indian food rank the highest in this department. Quesabirria, a tortilla topped with cheese and a Mexican stew traditionally made with goat, has emerged as the number one food trend for this year in a report by restaurant consultancy Andrew Freeman & Co.
Karen Malody, FCSI, founder and president of Culinary Options LLC describes comfortine foods as those that feel good to eat and have deep and rich flavors. She says that the popularity has a lot to do with the meals being affordable and easy to transport. This plays well to the changing format of the restaurant where there are now multiple channels--namely delivery, curbside pickup, takeaway--in addition to the traditional table service.
New ways of cooking
This trend has made other types of cooking more prevalent. A primary way to prepare global cuisine is through sous vide cooking because it lets you pack tons of flavor into the less expensive meats and proteins to improve their taste and quality significantly. This method of cooking also reduces the need for constant monitoring, which helps with reducing labor as well. It is also much easier to extend the shelf life of the food with airtight packaging, which means food can be prepared in advance.
Since many of these dishes can also be held safely at hot temperatures for extended periods, food-holding equipment is also taking more space in the kitchen as operators work to keep products at ideal temperatures until served. This technology can even be integrated into delivery vehicles.
When it comes to infusing flavor, operators are on the lookout for new technology that can make this task possible for fast-paced, large production kitchens. This resulted in more discussions about pressurized tilt skillets, which can accommodate hundreds of pounds of food at a time. Marination tumblers are also rising from obscurity as a means for flavor infusion in more commercial foodservice operations. On the other hand, smokers are also getting more compact to fit in smaller scales of kitchens, making it possible to incorporate slow-cooking methods to the cook line and deliver on those “comfortine” cravings.
Top Food and Beverage Trends: Going back to basics and the good old days
With lingering coronavirus anxiety, nostalgic flavors are expected to make a comeback as customers also focus on their mental wellbeing. Beverage development company Flavorman believes this will open the door to sophisticated takes on classics, such as a smoky vanilla cold brew, bubble gum seltzer, or a fruit punch gin cocktail. Peanut butter, orange creamsicle, and grape cotton candy are finding their way into hard coffee, energy drinks, and craft soda.
People hope for a return to normalcy as soon as possible so food and beverage trends for this year will continue to attempt to bring us closer to that. Operators are doing this by exploring the origins of food and telling the stories behind the most common and beloved drinks and dishes.
Customers can tickle their taste buds and broaden their minds with insight into the food and drinks they enjoy every day. This is particularly true for the beverage industry, where the attention is slowly turning to mezcal, Rhum Agricole, and aquavit and moonshine, which all predate some of the most popular drinks of today namely tequila, rum, and gin and whiskey.
Return to on-premise dining
This could also mean that customers simply want to enjoy restaurants like they used to. Juan Martinez from Foodservice Consultant Society International believes that off-premise sales might slow down this year compared to last year, but still higher than they are in 2019. While some dining spaces are getting smaller, it is a good idea for operators to make sure that what’s left of them can deliver on the experience and hospitality that customers look for.
2021 is expected to be a flavorful year. It will push operators to innovate their offerings, develop new experiences, and reimagine the classics. The top food and beverage trends will no doubt give you a peek of what customers are looking for, so make sure to keep them all in mind as you build or rebuild your foodservice operation to weather the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.


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The Sierra Nevada ski resort in Andalucia, Spain, is ready to kick-start the winter season on Saturday, December 3
Sierra Nevada is ready to face its first ´normal´ winter season since 2020. This comes after two disastrous years for tourism and the Spanish economy caused by the worldwide Covid pandemic.
The last season ended with positive numbers. Even so, the sector remains fragile and threatened by inflation and the rise in electricity and fuel prices.
The vice president of the Sierra Nevada Entrepreneurs Association, Enrique de la Higuera, explained that for this coming weekend there was around a 40% occupancy forecast.
Both the business community and the users are ” waiting to see how the season starts”, in reference to the lack of snow so far, explained the vice president.
Between two and three hotels are set to be open. Those with the greatest capacity will open their doors first. As demand increases, more will open, this will depend on “the influx of public and reservations.”
The ´bridge´ over the weekend and Constitution Day (Tuesday 6), together with the celebration of The Immaculate Conception (Thursday 8) are expected to bring more customers.
With forecasts of 70% occupancy and 40% of places already reserved, the snow business is well-prepared for the winter season.


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Atlanta, GA, November 21, 2017 --(PR.com
)-- Global audience solutions provider,180byTwo, and predictive analytics leader, AnalyticsIQ, announce their partnership to provide marketers with a new way to connect with business professionals and executives on a personal level by leveraging data related to their lives outside of the office. The new “Business Executive Audiences” segments are made possible through LiveRamp®, an Acxiom® company and leading provider of omnichannel identity resolution. Both 180byTwo and AnalyticsIQ are members of LiveRamp’s Data Innovators program, which is designed to provide unique, exclusive, people based data sets for marketers, and a new revenue stream for data owners. Starting today, marketers can now access these highly coveted audiences via the LiveRamp IdentityLink™ Data Store feature.
180byTwo’s and AnalyticsIQ’s Business Executive Audiences provide marketers with a new view of the traditional business executive by connecting their professional roles with their behaviors and interests as consumers. Focused on accuracy and scale, these new audiences provide marketers a unique way to reach audiences of professionals on a more personal level.
"We’re excited to work with AnalyticsIQ and LiveRamp to incorporate our executive audiences into a wide range of consumer behaviors and intent signals," said Karl Hjartarson, COO of 180byTwo. "LiveRamp's Data Innovators program helps us more easily connect 180byTwo’s deterministic Business and Professional profiles with AnalyticsIQ’s accurate and predictive Consumer profiles. Through this partnership, we’re helping both B2B and B2C marketers to target more effectively utilizing a more complete profile and in turn creating a more meaningful message to the end customer."
Today, nearly half of B2B marketers expect to invest more in digital marketing this year. In fact, 38% of marketers plan to spend over 60% of their budget online. With the increasing spend trend among B2B advertising, it’s important for marketers to fuel their strategy with data that powers accurate personalization.
"AnalyticsIQ truly believes that this partnership can be a game-changer for marketers looking to reach business professionals," said Anna Brantley, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at AnalyticsIQ. "These new audience segments go beyond looking simply at a person’s professional life. By blending our unique lifestyle data, like whether someone enjoys golf, is active on Facebook, or has a growing family, marketers can deliver messages that relate to them as a unique individual beyond the office walls."
As a leader in omnichannel identity resolution, LiveRamp is critical to providing the opportunity to create these unique audiences.
"LiveRamp’s Data Innovators program enables our partners to combine their strengths, harnessing our identity resolution capabilities, to deliver people-based solutions," said Luke McGuinness, GM LiveRamp Data Store. "With the partnership between 180byTwo and AnalyticsIQ, marketers now have the ability to light up these unique business focused audiences across channels."
For more details and access to the new Business Executive Audiences, marketers can visit the LiveRamp IdentityLink Data Store.
180byTwo is an industry leader in global audience solutions: leveraging multi sourced offline, online, mobile, location, signal, proximity, and various other data points across industry verticals designed to help marketers and platforms more efficiently and effectively target businesses, consumers, and professionals across channels and devices wherever they are. 180byTwo works with thousands of clients and partners around the globe to provide best in class solutions and services so that they can make the most informed decisions through data to drive ROI. For more information, visit www.180bytwo.com.
About Analytics IQ
AnalyticsIQ is a leading predictive analytics and consumer marketing data innovator. We are the first data company to consistently blend cognitive psychology with sophisticated data science to help marketers understand how and why consumers make decisions. Our accurate and comprehensive PeopleCore consumer database provides unrivaled insights to advertisers, agencies and technology providers. Our data helps brands fuel personalized experiences across channels including direct mail, email, online, mobile and TV. Recognized as one of the “Top 100 Most Promising Big Data Solution Providers in 2017” by CIO Review, AnalyticsIQ is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and employs a team of data analysts, scientists, and cognitive psychologists with over 100 years of collective analytical experience. For more information, visit www.analytics-iq.com and follow us on Twitter @AnalyticsIQ.


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Apple released iOS 7 on Wednesday of last week, and now more than 200 million devices are already running the new version of the operating system. The news came as part of a press release announcing the sale of 9 million new iPhone 5s and 5c models. That's quite an uptick from last year, when Apple announced - along with sales of 5 million iPhone 5 phones - that 100 million devices had been upgraded to iOS 6.
iOS 7 is the most ambitious update to iOS since its first release. In addition to a singificant overhaul to the user interface, getting rid of most of the skeuomorphic elements that were the hallmark of ousted Apple VP Scott Forstall, iOS 7 also makes many under-the-hood changes like improved multitasking, incorporating new features like AirDrop, Control Center, and more.
Are you using iOS 7? Or have you held off for now? Sound off in the comments, and check out these links for more info.
Apple's Black Friday iPhone SE sale essentially makes the price $290
The iPhone SE is already an incredible price, even without any discounts, but with Apple's Black Friday sale, you can get one for a song.
Which AirPods should you buy on Black Friday?
Thinking of buying AirPods for Black Friday but can't decide which ones you should get? I've got some advice that should help you decide.
These Nintendo Switch bundles are bound to go fast — Get them at $299 now!
The Nintendo Switch is finally back in stock for its regular retail price of $299. Do not miss your chance to get one right now. The Switch sells out fast and is rarely in stock. You won't regret it.
Need a clicker for your Apple TV? Here are the best
Whether you hate the Siri Remote, lost your old one, or just scouting out the market, here are our favorite remotes to control your Apple TV.


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Advocates Point to Data Suggesting Seven Chemical Firms Failed to Report Import of Carcinogenic and Neurotoxic n-Propyl Bromide as Required by Law
Washington, DC—Public health advocates began the process to sue seven companies, including a unit of Dow, for their apparent failure to report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) their importation of n-Propyl Bromide (“nPB,” also known as 1-bromopropane), as required by EPA regulations.
Collectively, the seven companies imported at least 1.6 million pounds of nPB. Originally marketed as a “safer” alternative for use in everything from dry cleaning to industrial degreasing, nPB is now recognized as a carcinogen, a cause of neurological problems, and an ozone depleting substance. While health impacts have been observed in industrial and commercial workers, nPB’s presence in consumer products used for cleaning and degreasing as well as its use in some dry-cleaning processes raises wider health concerns.
Nearly all of the unreported nPB was sourced from China, which is the origin of most of the nPB imported into the US. While nPB continues to be produced domestically, the domestic manufacturers have publicly promised to limit their sales to prevent certain high exposure uses. These voluntary controls do not go far enough to protect American workers from exposure to nPB, but even such limited restrictions on use are largely lacking for imported nPB.
“The fact that imported nPB can end up in direct to consumer products with virtually no restrictions speaks to the need for EPA to regulate nPB and other toxic solvents,” noted Patrick MacRoy, Deputy Director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center. “The U.S. chemical industry may undertake ‘stewardship’ and voluntary efforts to help prevent their products from being used in the least safe applications, but the reality is foreign suppliers are not bound by these restraints and may supply imported chemicals for unsafe domestic uses that US producers no longer support.”
In December 2016, EPA named nPB as one of the first ten chemicals to be assessed for safety under the recently strengthened Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The companies’ apparent reporting violations deprive EPA of crucial information needed to conduct risk evaluations that could lead to significant restrictions on the use of nPB.
“EPA relies on companies to accurately report manufacturing and especially import of toxic chemicals in order to evaluate their potential risk,” said Andy Igrejas, national campaign director of Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. “By failing to report, companies effectively limit the scope of both the public’s and EPA’s understanding of the uses of these chemicals and the risks they present.”
Under EPA’s TSCA Chemical Data Reporting regulations, chemical companies were required to notify EPA by October 31, 2016 if they imported 25,000 pounds or more of nPB in any of the prior four years. According to a commercial database sourced from U.S. Customs and Border Protection importation records, these companies exceeded this legal threshold at least once during those years. EPA records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show no reports of nPB imports from these companies.
Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and the Environmental Health Strategy Center sent a formal 60-day Notice of Intent to Sue to the companies, the first step in a citizen enforcement action under TSCA. The seven companies receiving notifications are:
|Company Name||Company HQ||Pounds of nPB Imported
(March 2014 – December 2015)
|Chemical Solvents||Cleveland, OH||477,521|
|Unistar Chemical||Rolling Meadows, IL||401,461|
|First Continental International||Glen Rock, NJ||225,312|
|Storchem (USA)||Wilmington, DE||222,887|
|Solvents Company||Kingston, NY||129,191|
|Dow Agrosciences LLC||Indianapolis, IN||85,980|
|Murashu USA||Arlington Heights, IL||73,855|
If the case proceeds to court, the advocates will seek a judicial order for the companies to comply with the reporting requirements. There is no provision in the law for recovery of damages, although the EPA has the ability to impose fines, which the groups urge it to do.
Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, a national coalition of 450 organizations, works to ensure the safety of chemicals used in our homes, workplaces, and in the many products to which our families and children are exposed to each day.
Environmental Health Strategy Center works to ensure that all people are healthy and thriving in a healthy economy, through affordable access to safer food, water, and products; and investments that create and retain good, green jobs.
For copies of the letters to the EPA and the companies, please contact CJ Frogozo at [email protected].


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Crosschannel retailer HSN has acquired upscale children’s apparel seller Chasing Fireflies, and will make it a part of the Cornerstone Brands operating segment. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but HSN has said Chasing Fireflies will continue to operate as an independent brand.
Chasing Fireflies was founded in 2006 by former Nordstrom and Celebrate Express executives Dina Alhadeff, Amy Grealish and Lori Liddle, and sells children’s apparel, costumes and gifts online and via the Chasing Fireflies and Wishcraft catalogs. The Chasing Fireflies co-founders will continue to run the business and oversee day-to-day operations from their office in Seattle, while working closely with Cornerstone CEO Mark Ethier, HSN said in a press release.
Chasing Fireflies, which won a Silver in the 2010 MCM Awards children’s catalog category, did nearly $20 million in business in 2009. Those net sales nearly doubled to $39 million in 2011.
Chasing Fireflies joins Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill, Grandin Road, Improvements, Smith + Noble, The Territory Ahead and TravelSmith as members of the Cornerstone family. Cornerstone distributes more than 300 million catalogs annually, operates eight separate digital sales sites and operates 19 retail and outlet stores.


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It’s the busiest time of the year — for criminals.
With less than a week to go to Christmas, thieves and burglars are expected to pick up their game to take advantage of distracted and careless shoppers.
As is the case with anytime of the year leaving anything in your car in plain view can lead to the loss of valuables or at the very least a $200 plus bill to replace a broken window.
Thieves don’t know if there is nothing under a towel or if a box is empty, according to Manteca Police Chief Nick Obligacion.
And if you don’t believe him, just ask former Police Chief Charlie Halford who learned the hard way that thieves don’t have X-ray vision.
He had gone to the theater complex a few years back that was located in the Manteca Marketplace where Big Lots is today. He left nothing of value in view in his SUV although there was an empty box.
When he came out of the movie criminals had shattered a window to grab the box.
“If they (criminals) see anything like a gym bag or loose change and they can break into your vehicle without being detected they will do it,” Obligacion said.
Even placing items in your trunk may not save you from being a victim of theft.
Obligacion notes every year in Manteca shopping center parking lots someone has purchases stolen from their trunk. That’s because criminals will wait patiently to see who comes in and out of stores. If they see you come out, place items in your trunk, and then go into another store they will wait until you are inside and then break a window so they can use the trunk release latch to open the trunk.
“Auto burglary is a crime of opportunity,” Obligacion said. “It just takes seconds to smash a window and grab something. It’s a crime that you can reduce the chances of you becoming a victim of greatly if you don’t leave things in view, even a towel.”
There have been 324 auto burglaries in Manteca this year as of the end of November.


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Smart cashier technology provider, Praxis Cashier announced on Tuesday i partnership deal with Australia-basedInC Marke , thus enhancing the brokerage’s paymeIn optionIn
IC Marke is a trading platform, offering services with an array of asse , including forex, commodities, indices, cryptocurrencies and otherIn Licensed by multiple regulators, the Aussie brokerage provides services across many global jurisdictionIn
The brokerage will utilize Praxis’s PCI 1-compliaIn smart cashier software that will allow it to access direct paymen iInegration with some of the most promineIn financial institutiPopsand paymeIn gatewayIn
Praxis is already offering i services to other brokerages and trading industry service providerIn
“Once again major websites and players of the Forex industry realize the value in the Praxis software, ” Praxis’ founder and director, Amit Klatchko, commeIned on the iInegration.
Demand for Paymen ServicesInsInncreasing
Founded in 2014, Praxis is based in Cyprus and offers smart cashier software.IIn primarily caters to fiInech, online gaming, and e-commerce companies and can handle high-volume transactions, overcoming the processing challengeIn
In September, the company partnered with paymen company, MiFinity to further expand i paymeIn services by iInegrating MiFinity’s suite iIno i platform. Both companies are targeting the same set of clieIn base.
“Praxis is proud to be recognized as a superior cashier software provider on a global scale and looks forward to iInegrating withInC Marke as they expand and improve their brokerage serviceIn We are eInited to offerInC Marke our 300+ iInegratiPopswith banks, PSPs, e-walle , crypto solutions, and wire transfer services, backed by enhanced security, accelerated iInegration speeds, and superior overLatchices, ” Klatchko added.


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MURATBEY WIND AT NEW YORK SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Muratbey made a great appearance with its innovative and delicious products at the “Summer Fancy Food Show”, one of the largest food fairs held in New York City, the U.S. Muratbey paved the way for several business connections in addition to the product promotion.
Accomplishing several achievements on Turkey's behalf with flavors offered to the world markets, Muratbey attended the 63rd “Summer Fancy Food Show” in New York City, the U.S., one of the largest food fairs in the world. This year, the show brought Muratbey’s innovative and delicious products with buyers together a second time.
Muratbey displayed its Muratbey Kashkaval Cheese recognized with the Top Quality Medal - QUDAL by the leading research company ICERTIAS, its unique and one of a kind innovative product Helix Cheese, its new product Topi as well as some other flavors. Visitors that showed great interest in Muratbey stand had the chance to taste Helix Cheese, a first in the world and Turkey. Low-sodium Helix Cheese that has natural nutritional values as well as a fun shape was well liked by the visitors. Muratbey that exports cheese to approximately 15 countries also created a basis for several business connections.
At the third A.L.F.A. Awards this year, Muratbey that has several national and international awards in its field received the award for “the brand with the best customer experience management” in the milk and dairy products category.
The innovation award-winning Muratbey that brings the cheese and the future technology together by maintaining the traditional flavor and texture for half a century offers pleasant and delicious cheese selections to the world cuisine. It is among the limited number of companies included in the Turquality Brand Support Program with its Muratbey Trademark registered in about 60 countries including the EU countries, the U.S., Russia, Kuwait, Jordan, UAE and Morocco.


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Last of North Jersey's textile mills adapts to survive
Irwin Gasner knows the art of survival.
The owner of what apparently is the last sizable textile mill in North Jersey, Gasner and his company, Garfield-based Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills Ltd., faced a host of challenges even before the recession hit, from North Jersey's high cost of doing business to low-cost foreign competition.
And the downturn of the housing market, which provides much of the upholstery manufacturer's business, has pushed the company to the edge.
In the last two years, Gasner has reduced his workforce from 150 to 90, cut operating hours from three shifts a day to two and shrunk the production week from six days to five. He declined to say how much revenue is down, but noted that some industry sectors have fallen by 50 percent.
Yet the 55-year-old entrepreneur is confident the company won't go the way of his North Jersey-based rivals, which have been closing for decades. The secret of the company's survival, he said, is carving out a niche that is too small or unique for foreign competitors to target. In June, Wearbest released a new fabric, Fresca-Tela, that is durable, easy to clean and aimed at the growing market for health care facilities that cater to aging baby boomers.
"We will never be known as a low-cost producer," said Gasner on a recent morning at the company's 75,000-square-foot factory, as some of his 60 looms hummed in the background.
"We simply can't in Bergen County," he said. "So we must compete on other core competencies. We compete on excellence in design. Excellence in service. And we provide short runs and a quick delivery."
It's a philosophy that industry analysts say the dwindling number of textile manufacturers across the nation have embraced as they struggle to hold their ground against the glut of cheap imported fabrics that has devastated the industry, especially in North Jersey.
The once-dominant industry that gave Paterson its nickname — Silk City — faded in the middle of the 20th century as companies moved to low-cost, non-union states in the South.
The rise of production in China and other low-wage countries accelerated the decline, as did the 2004 removal of trade quotas limiting the number of garments imported into the U.S. each year.
Gasner, and several others familiar with the industry, said there are now no other sizable textile mills in North Jersey and only a handful of dye and embroidery companies. The last local rival, Kalkstein Silk Mills of Paterson, shut its production facility about five years ago.
Mohamad Younes, owner of Paterson-based Champion Dyeing and Finishing, one of the few dye-houses left in North Jersey, said he had no idea there were any weavers left in the area.
"The textile industry is finished," Younes said. "There is no textile industry in the state anymore."
The only North Jersey-based rival to Wearbest, Hackensack-based Weave Corp., has its headquarters here but makes its fabric in Denver, Pa. The operation moved there from Paterson in 1968 to better compete with lower-cost Southern factories, said owner Roger Berkley.
"We focus on the upper end of the market, which is what Wearbest does," said Berkley, who is also chairman of the National Textile Association. "We are sort of small niche players. Both of us make very specialized custom fabrics and we copyright our intellectual property."
It's a strategy that requires entrepreneurial passion, adaptability and a long-term commitment.
Gasner started the business in 1980 with his wife, Florie, buying an East Rutherford silk mill that had employed his father and grandfather in the 1930s and 1940s, when it was in Paterson. Textiles were "in my blood, from in utero," said Gasner, who was 26 when he started the company.
He moved the mill to Passaic, slowly building the business from 12 employees to about 50. But in 1985, a Labor Day fire destroyed four city blocks, and Gasner arrived in time see his factory's roof "implode."
"We lost the mill. We lost all of our records," said Gasner, adding that he never thought about quitting the business. "I only knew how to make a living one way."
He started up again on a 4-acre site in Garfield, outsourcing production at first, and rebuilding his own operation, which is non-union. In the last 10 years, he has retooled the factory with state-of-the-art equipment.
The factory, which uses Jacquard looms, can produce runs as short as 55 yards of cloth in as little as a day or two — far less than the typical run of 1,000 yards at an overseas company, which could take months to ship to the U.S., Gasner said.


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Nutrition app Nutrifix combines the convenience food sector with nutritional advice by locating healthy meals nearby. With backing from Just Eat’s investment and accelerator programme, in 2017 Founder and CEO Joel Burgess set out to raise £150k.
With £194k raised from 375 investors, the team were well set to drive the next stage of their growth. Here's why they chose us as their crowdfunding partner:
Joel explains more about the effect of the raise: “When we raised through Crowdcube, we had little more than a prototype and a big idea. In just under a year we have officially launched our new app - which has been downloaded by thousands to find healthy meals nearby from one of our thousands of locations on the app; from independant gems to high street chains. Along with these we have agreed partnerships with Deliveroo, Just Eat and Tough Mudder.”
Learn more about our funded club here.
Interested in raising finance? Register your interest today.


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The U.K. is gearing up to delve more into the world of cryptocurrencies by announcing a new task force that will look at the benefits and risks of digital tokens.
CNBC, citing the Treasury, the UK finance department, reported the task force will be made up of the Bank of England, Britain's central bank and the Financial Conduct Authority, a watchdog government agency. Cryptocurrencies, which are unregulated, have been an issue for governments around the world as they seek ways to regulate the market. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney earlier this month said there is a need for more regulation of the market due to its price volatility and speculative nature. Meanwhile, CNBC noted that Andrew Bailey, the head of the Financial Conduct Authority, has previously warned that investors will lose all their money with cryptocurrency investing.
CNBC noted the task force is part of a broad strategy focused on financial technology, or FinTech. As part of that initiative, CNBC said it will sign a FinTech bridge deal with Australia that lets U.K. FinTechs sell products and services in Australia. The idea is for the two countries to cooperate on creating rules and regulations for the FinTech market. Britain’s FinTech industry body, Innovate Finance, and Australia’s FinTech industry body, FinTech Australia, will hold regular meetings to advise the governments in both countries on FinTech issues. Innovate Finance head Charlotte Crosswell told CNBC that the FinTech bridge deal provides an “excellent opportunity” for Britain and Australia to share their knowledge about the FinTech industry with each other.
In addition to the FinTech bridge and the task force on cryptocurrency, the Treasury said it is looking to create industry-wide standards that make bank and FinTech partnerships happen more easily. “I am committed to helping the sector grow and flourish, and our ambitious sector strategy sets out how we will ensure the U.K. remains at the cutting edge of the digital revolution,” U.K. Finance Minister Philip Hammond said in a statement to CNBC. “As part of that, a new task force will help the U.K. to manage the risks around crypto assets, as well as harnessing the potential benefits of the underlying technology.”


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With this B7 Bi-Turbo Alpina Australia has rolled out its third BMW-based model into the local market following the 3-Series based B3 and B4 that’s hewn ... (read more)
Congrats are in order for BMW, then, as the Munich-based carmaker has been named the world’s most admired automotive company, as comp... (read more)
BMW’s M Division typically takes their time to develop a new car based on the newest generation of whichever model was last to see a ... (read more)
The EV war continues.
BMW has revealed that its next electric vehicle (EV) under its ‘i’ sub-brand will come about in 2021, and will take the shape of a... (read more)
The already-impressive 5-Series just got a whole lot more practical.
The 2017 BMW 5-Series Touring has been officially unveiled, whi... (read more)
Sixty locally-developed mega hatches in showrooms soon.
BMW Australia has announced that 60 examples of the special Australia-specif... (read more)
BMW has peeled the wraps off their wagon version of the G30 5 Series. Called the Touring, it will make its first official appearance ... (read more)
The previous high-profile association McLaren had with BMW was way back in the early 1990s when project lead for the F1 supercar Gord... (read more)
The original X1 wasn’t the best car from BMW, so this new one has moved itself away from it. And it’s good.
When the original X1 came out, its timing co... (read more)
Three generations on, the BMW X5 still stands strong.
The BMW X5 has, by and large, been the family wagon that most lust after. When... (read more)
Honey, I shrunk the X6.
When BMW launched its first sloped-roof high-rider, the X6 ‘Sports Activity Coupe’ in 2008, we didn’t really... (read more)
A front-wheel drive MPV from BMW. It’s a brave new world.
When BMW first announced that they would be making an MPV, a large number of people gasped in ... (read more)
The BMW 1 Series, being the first number unless they start including fractions in their nomenclature, is the smallest model the Germa... (read more)
5-star showing from the new 5-Series.
The BMW 5-Series is a very important car indeed. It’s important to Munich, because the competi... (read more)
We’re confused why people are confused about the BMW X6M. But frankly most of that confusion seems to be amongst our automotive media c... (read more)
The premium high-performance SUVs – BMW X5 M and Mercedes-Benz GLE63 S AMG – are like the Wallabies playing the All-Blacks in the Rugby... (read more)


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Japan-based GMO Coin Co., the newly started up digital currency exchange launched in May 2017 has announced they will start selling five additional cryptocurrencies including Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) by the end of September.
Buying and selling
Currently, GMO Coin only offers the ability to purchase and sell bitcoin, stating that their volume has been increasing with the current price rise and fluctuation.
Noting the rise across other blockchain assets, exchange users had been requesting GMO Coin to support more dealings than just bitcoin transactions.
In response to customer wishes, GMO Coin has announced the listing of five new tokens for the remainder of 2017, including:
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Ethereum Classic (ETC)
- Ripple (XRP)
In addition to the just buying and selling, GMO Coin is planning to offer margin trading within a year or once there is sufficient liquidity in its order books. The exchange is also looking at expanding trading tools and settlement services.
It was recently announced that beginning next year, according to current plans, the exchange is expecting to receive mined bitcoin from its parent company GMO Internet Corporation, who will enter the mining sector in 2018.


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As highlighted in a previous post, the coffee morning in St James, which brought January to a close, meant that the Dryathlon ladies achieved fantastic success at the end of their month of abstinence.
They would like to thank those who so generously donated online, contributed to the coffee morning on Saturday 31 January 2015 and who put up with “their grumpiness at nae being able tae enjoy an occasional glass of wine”.
The coffee morning raised an amazing £1.078.38 and online sponsorship was £350 – so an outstanding £1,438.38 will be sent to Cancer Research UK.
They described themselves as “overwhelmed” by the heart-warming support they received.
Photo: Tracey Rae


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Starbucks, the world's largest coffee retailer and Café Coffee Day, India’s No. 1 chain, square off even as rival chains struggle to keep up.
Starbucks will not only have to contend with stiff competition from traditional names, but will also have to jostle with Kumbakonam degree coffee outlets.
The RCF will open a platform for regular interactions or consultations on coffee research in all major coffee growing regions of the country.
According the Board's latest data, the country exported 43,465 tonnes of Arabica coffee and 73,645 tonnes of Robusta coffee during the January-May of this year.
A below-normal monsoon is likely to pull down further the country’s coffee output, which has been ravaged by the white stemborer pest attack.
Tata Global Beverages is betting big on coffee pods, or single-serve packs, as it plans to build a larger portfolio of coffee products
Lobbying senior business executives informally - at coffee shops or fitness centres - is a suave way to perform your job successfully, says a new study.
Prasoon Joshi, executive chairman, McCann WorldGroup, the agency on the Nescafe account, declined to comment on its advertising plans in India.


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'World's Largest' 3D Printer ‘Farm’ to Compete with Injection Molding
Slant 3D’s new headquarters reportedly will be the world’s largest 3D printing facility.
Slant 3D, a 3D printing startup in Nampa, Idaho, says it is building what will be the largest 3D printing factory in the world. Slant 3D has been doubling in size every year since its inception. Its current 3D “printer farm” in Nampa has around 200 printers (double the number when we reported on them in a Jan. ’18 Close-Up), which can produced up to 10,000 parts/week at a cost competitive with injection molding. The new plant, in nearby Caldwell, Idaho, will have 800 printers, including those moved from Nampa, which will be around 300 more than the world’s largest 3D printing facility today, according to Slant founder and president Gabe Bentz. The new building—with about 5000 ft2 of manufacturing space, plus offices—will become the company’s new headquarters when it opens in late February. The entire factory will be fully automated, with only a handful of technicians to keep it running. Bentz plans to open similar factories around the country.
Slant 3D plans a “farm” of 800 3D printers in Caldwell, Idaho.
“3D printing makes the first part for about $10, and at high volumes can match the per-part cost of injection molding,” says Bentz. His firm produces mainly hardware for agriculture and industrial machinery, along with consumer products for new startups and small businesses. Slant’s machines are custom designed and self-tending. They can run 24/7 with minimal human intervention, according to Bentz. Using FDM-type filament deposition technology, its printers are said to have over 95% reliability.
Developments in materials have helped pave the way for processors to make ‘real world’ parts from what is collectively known as 3D printing. Here’s a comprehensive review of the materials available.
3D printing expands possibilities for plastic parts, short-run molds and production mold tooling. Here are just 10 of the ways 3D printing is advancing:
Good news was there if you knew where to look for it—in the pages of Plastics Technology magazine or right here on our website. Here’s a review of headlines you can feel good about.


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GMAC has lost its exclusive rights to offer low-interest loans to customers who want to purchase GM vehicles. The loss is part of GMAC’s federal bailout and decision to become a bank, reports Reuters.
GMAC also said it will have no obligation to finance leased vehicles, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
GM will now be able to offer its customers low-interest loans through other lenders, which gives its customers more financing options. This could help GM increase sales by getting more buyers approved for financing.
Although GMAC is the main lender to customers who buy GM cars, GM won’t have to rely on GMAC so heavily for loans for its customers now. GMAC also finances GM dealer inventories. GMAC previously paid GM an annual exclusivity fee and was required to meet various financing targets for loans and leases under an agreement that had been in effect through November 2016, the SEC filing stated.


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BMW has announced an all-electric version of its entry-level X1 — and it will be known as the iX1 xDrive30.
The iX1 xDrive30 boasts a dual-motor drivetrain that can achieve a combined power output of up to 230kW and accelerate from a stop to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.
It features a 64.7kWh battery pack with an approximate range of between 413km and 438km, and it can fast-charge up to 130kW, which BMW says can add 75 miles (120km) of range in ten minutes.
“Within this charge level range, enough energy can be sourced from a high-power-charging point in just ten minutes to increase range by 120 kilometres / 75 miles,” BMW said.
BMW has redesigned the entire X1 range — which it expects to launch in October 2022 — including two diesel and petrol models, and a pair of plug-in hybrids in addition to the all-electric iX1.
The petrol, diesel, hybrid, and all-electric models will be built at BMW’s manufacturing plant in Regensburg, Germany, and come off the same production line.
The company has not revealed pricing for the range and has not confirmed whether the iX1 will launch in South Africa.


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OnePlus has started rolling out the first operating system update for the OnePlus 3. The most awaited smartphone of the year OnePlus 3 was launched less than a month ago. The phone packs a powerful hardware and a whopping 6 GB RAM but still have many issues and needs improvement in the software. So, now the company is releasing Oxygen 3.2.0.
Let us just look back into the specifications of the OnePlus 3- the device features 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display which is powered by an Adreno 530 GPU and a Snapdragon 820 SoC. The device packs a 64 GB of internal storage and 6 GB of RAM. And also features 8-megapixel front camera, 16-megapixel rear camera and a non-removable 3000 mAh battery. The device runs on company’s OxygenOS based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
According to the company it has decided to release an update as a response from the users regarding software-related issues. A major update was released as the version 3.1.4 to the reviewers a couple of weeks ago. The update brings important changes for the firmware like a new sRGB mode and also fixes the memory management issues.
Now, the update is being releasing to users via OTA and the file approximately weighs 396 MB. The changes that the new version brings include improved RAM Management, GPS performance, enhanced audio playback quality, Updated custom icon packs, issues in notifications, improved camera quality/ functionality, few issues in Gallery, latest Google security patches and finally fixes for bugs in Clock/ Music apps.
According to the forum members of the company forum, the changelog for the update also fixes the VR issue. The issue caused the smartphone’s magnetometer to spike and cause clicking in VR enabled apps like Cardboard app and YouTube rendering them unusable. Many users have already received the update notification, if you haven’t kindly wait as the company says that the update might receive all the devices within 48 hours.


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It seems that controversy follows Dong Nguyen wherever he goes. Previously there were reports that Nguyen’s game, Flappy Bird, stole images from Nintendo’s games, although in all fairness Nintendo denied that they sent Nguyen legal notices. Now with Nguyen’s latest game, Swing Copters, the developers at Open Name claim the game is a ripoff of their own Bog Racer.
Interestingly enough Bog Racer was released in July but apparently during Google’s zeal at removing all clones/copycats of Swing Copters, Bog Racer was caught in the crossfire despite it being released first. Speaking to Pocket Gamer, the developers claim that Nguyen had “heavily borrowed” the ideas of Bog Racer to apply to Swing Copters.
However in a statement made by Nguyen in response to their claims, “Swing Copters project is exist since February 2014. It names Kitty Jetpackat that time. You can see the screenshot of it on Rolling Stonemagazine published in March 2014.” He adds, “I am sure this is a coincidence of two games use the same mechanism. But looking in game design aspect, these two games are different games.”
As for Open Name, they are hoping to get Nguyen’s game removed from app stores. “We will use all of our modest means to restore justice, and we intend to apply a request that Swing Copters be removed from the app stores. We are well aware that our chances are very slim, which is why we ask for the support of everyone who is partial to our cause.”
Will they be successful? We guess we’ll have to wait and see, but in the meantime you can check out the trailer to Bog Racer in the video above. What do you guys think? Coincidence or a ripoff?


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Retail point of sale software getting more investments from Canadian businesses
February 22, 2013
Canada's economy was hit hard by the economic recession that took hold of the entire globe, but now the nation's businesses are getting back on track as hiring picks up and consumers increase their spending. This means that many companies are looking to invest more in their operations, whether it is through bringing on additional employees, developing effective marketing campaigns or expanding to new locations. Another aspect that Canadian business owners are looking to put more effort into is technology solutions that enhance a variety of elements. Retail point of sale software is part of this focus, as it helps to improve cash flow as well as accommodate shoppers who pay with either cash, credit or debit cards and even their mobile devices. On top of that, these platforms give merchants the assurance they are following all Canadian retail legislation, reducing the risk of encountering violations and suffering negative consequences.
Increasing optimism is boosting investments
The main driver behind the increased business investments is the rising optimism being felt throughout Canada. According to a study by UPS Canada, three out of five company owners say they expect to see revenue growth this year, more so than they did in 2012. In addition, 57 percent of respondents believe that the nation's economy will grow at least moderately in 2013, as conditions continue to improve.
The research also found that during the last quarter of 2012, business confidence reached its highest level for the year, and 63 percent of companies felt they will experience growth in the coming months. At the beginning of 2012, that figure stood at 45 percent.
"Canadian businesses have certainly been keeping a close eye on the pulse of the economy south of the border and globally. Yet, despite significant uncertainty, it is reassuring to see such a groundswell of optimism in Canadian business circles as we move into 2013," said UPS Canada vice president Nicolas Dorget.
Retail POS getting more attention
This optimism is helping to increase investments in various forms of technology for Canadian businesses, with retail POS at the front of implementation. Retail Info Systems reports that research from TBR found companies are planning to increase their IT budgets by 5 percent this year, as retailers want to focus on adopting POS systems that fit both their needs and those of their customers. There are other factors besides the boost in optimism driving technology use, including more consumer confidence, the prevalence of mobile devices for shopping and the growing importance of ecommerce.


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Chrysler Canada says its sales for August were up 22% compared with year ago, helped by strong truck sales and its Jeep brand.
Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it is deploying Apple Inc. iPhones for corporate use to employees worldwide, in blow to BlackBerry Ltd.
Ford Motor Co. beat Wall Street’s expectations in the second quarter as it chalked up a record profit in North America and made money in Europe for the first time in three years
In total, the Canadian and Ontario governments spent US$13.7-billion to bail out GM and Chrysler. Was it worth it?
After 8 years under CEO Alan Mulally, Ford gets a new boss Tuesday. What will that mean to the automaker's Canadian operations which have shrunk by half since the recession
Though he won't say what else he plans to do after stepping down next month, outgoing Ford CEO Alan Mulally says the company is now in his blood and he will continue to be involved in some capacity.
"While Ford is more attractive from a rate-of-change perspective, GM China is self-funding more capacity expansion in unit terms while dividending virtually all its net income to its parent..."
With prices for 3D pinters heading south, consumers are finding new and creative ways to use 3D-printed items as a substitute for what they would normally buy in the store -- and more.
The new CEO will have to follow a leader lauded by investors for saving Ford from failure, and will face the challenge of steering the auto maker into an era when cars may no longer need drivers
Analysts say Fields will inherit a much stronger company than Alan Mulally did, one with a highly profitable North American operation underpinned by the top-selling F-150 large pickup truck
Even as the cost of U.S. housing has increased, low vacancy rates have driven up rental rates at a time when availability of homes is still very high in some states
Olivia Chow, Doug Ford and John Tory weighed in on red tape, taxes and what they would do to help the city’s small businesses if they were elected
Canadian REITs now have the best risk-adjusted returns because of the unique nature of our real estate market. Here’s how to get started
Mark Milke: No wonder government employee unions, such as the ones who sponsored the Canadian Public Pension Leadership Council report, dislike reform
If you’re curious what the next Snapchat will be, there’s no better place to look than teens and the products they’re using


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A host of familiar preschool brands and companies are celebrating having picked up accolades
The four sets in the collection will launch on 1 August.
In time for Christmas, the brand has unveiled a Carry Case Max and a Lis
The retailer has revealed its top toys for Christmas with a number of familiar presch
Gabby’s Dollhouse to debut on Netflix in 2020 with toy line arriving in 2021.


text: The Treasury Department auctioned $9.5 billion in three-month bills at an average discount rate of 6.09%. Another $8.5 billion in six-month bills was auctioned at an average discount rate of 6.12%. The three-month rate was up from 6.01% last week and was the highest since three-month bills averaged 6.22% on Jan. 28, 1991. The six-month rate was up from 6.01% last week and was the highest since 6.15% on May 30. The new discount rates understate the actual return to investors--6.27% for three-month bills with a $10,000 bill selling for $9,846.10 and 6.4% for a six-month bill selling for $9,690.90. In a separate report, the Federal Reserve Board said the average yield for one-year Treasury bills--the most popular index for making changes in adjustable rate mortgages--fell to 6.06% last week from 6.11% the previous week.


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Another loose end being tied up by Nokia (NYSE: NOK) today. The company announced that Accenture has now fully taken over Symbian, the operating system that Nokia had developed, owned and been using as the basis of its smartphones for years — a strategy that changed in February this year when it announced it would be making devices based on Microsoft’s Windows Phones in the future.
The decision to outsource Symbian was first announced back in April, and Nokia finalized the terms of the deal in June.
Today’s completion of that deal was noted by a terse statement from the company:
“Nokia announced today that it has completed the transaction to outsource its Symbian software development and support activities to Accenture. The signing of the transaction was announced on June 22, 2011. As a result of the transaction, approximately 2,300 employees will transfer to Accenture.”
One thing to note is that when the deal was first finalized back in June, Nokia noted that 2,800 employees would be affected, although Nokia’s note says only 2,300 were transferred today. We have contacted Nokia to find out what has happened to that other 500 and will update this post as we learn more.
Update: An explanation for the discrepancy in jobs cut. “A number of people have found new roles either within Nokia or outside of Nokia,” writes a Nokia spokesperson in response to our question.
As per the original agreement, Nokia has said that it would continue to support Symbian until 2016, and indeed it has been steadily releasing Symbian based-devices this year, with plans to offer more. Following the naming convention of Android and Windows Phone, Nokia is currently releasing “Anna” Symbian devices and is now gearing up for its first “Belle” devices to hit the market later this year.
For now, it looks like the Symbian handsets will largely be aimed at the lower end of the smartphone market while Nokia uses the bulk of its smartphone force in promoting and developing devices based on Windows Phone from Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT). Yesterday it was reported that Nokia may also be looking to develop a Linux-based OS for feature phones.
That new OS, code-named Meltemi, would be built from the ground up with features like touchscreens in mind, could ultimately be used to replace Symbian as well as S40, the OS that Nokia uses for its feature devices.
Yesterday, Nokia also announced a factory closure and the streamlining of operations in its locations and commerce division, with about 3,500 jobs affected, as part of its larger drive to cut costs and improve focus on future products and services.


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Listen to iFriendly audio.
Two ships announce plans to dock at Halibut Point Marine in 2013. Interview: Gov. Parnell opts to build two smaller Alaska Class ferries in Alaska. Petersburg fishermen question NMFS about new small-boat observer program.
Wed Dec 5, 2012
If you’ve spent any time enjoying a drink at Baranof Brewery, you may have glanced across the street and wondered what’s going on behind the doors at Sitka Salmon Shares. It’s been over a year since the company purchased the Big Blue processing plant and, slowly but surely, they’re turning the space into one that suits their needs. more
Matthew Jackson, with the Sitka Local Foods Network, joined us in the studio to discuss the Sitka Farmer's Market which opens Saturday, July 2 for the 2016 season. more


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Xbox's push into the expansion of accessibility resources for game developers got a small shot in the arm this year. The company debuted an update to its Xbox Accessibility Guidelines with new resources for considering players' mental health, as well as guidance on reducing motion sickness, on-screen text legibility, contrast, and input guidelines.
Developers can also now access the Gaming Accessibility Resource Hub for more tools and talks on expanding their games' playability.
Microsoft also debuted a new American Sign Language Twitch channel and other community-focused initiatives to further center accessibility for players. They can now search for accessible games on the Xbox store or create accessible environments in the educational edition of Minecraft.
These are relatively smaller pushes that build on Microsoft's efforts from the last few years, but they're also decent indicators of where the Xbox team wants to take its accessibility work in the years to come. Anita Mortaloni, head of accessibility at Xbox, told Game Developer that the company is encouraging developers to talk directly to players, and create new bridges to help determine where it can expand accessibility next.
Listening to devs who listen to players
To hear Mortaloni tell it, Xbox's recent accessibility efforts have been a bit of a reactive effort (in a positive way). New features like ASL/BSL integration into Forza Horizon 5, and updates to the Xbox Accessibility Guidelines that focus on mental health are driven directly by feedback from the disability and developer communities.
The mental health updates make for an interesting addition because the bulk of Xbox's previous accessibility efforts have been in accommodating physical or sensory disabilities. Mortaloni said that these latest updates were aimed at recognizing that "there's a relationship between gaming content and the player experience."
Mortaloni explained that the new mental health guidelines cover two fields: the depiction of in-game characters who suffer from depression or other mental health disorders, and the categorization of game content that might trigger players who suffer from disorders like PTSD.
These might include customization options that let players remove or skip certain scenes, or options that provide relevant content warnings. Mortaloni added that Xbox wants to help developers also avoid harmful stereotypes.
Feedback from the community on preparing these resources also led Xbox to include a content warning right at the top of its Xbox Accessibility Guidelines. "The best practices for mental health [discuss] topics around traumatic events and phobias and other triggering content," she explained. "It's a good reminder that even something as simple as a best practices guide can be inclusive and provide that information at the beginning."
What specific triggers should developers be looking out for? Mortaloni declined to directly recommend any particular insights, advising developers to begin thinking of these needs from the ground-up, and discussing with prospective players what their needs might be.
For its part, Xbox has responded to player feedback by adding a wide variety of accessibility tools that go right down into the workings of the Xbox itself. Mortaloni highlighted the fact that Xbox owners can disable the beeping noises the device will make, which can be sensitive to some users with auditory disabilities. "All of that feedback funnels into new features, and all those features make it so more people can enjoy playing," she said.
Players can solve accessibility challenges too
In our chat, Mortaloni made note of the fact that Xbox's goal is to invite players to think about accessibility as well, and not just have it be a series of tucked-away features that players without disabilities can ignore. These latest accessibility improvements also include a game world for Minecraft: Education Edition called BuildAbility. This world isn't so much about improving access for disabled players, but about teaching players how accessibility intersects with everyday life.
This was a particularly neat project first cooked up with assistance from Ontario's Peel District School. In this game world, players encounter a number of characters with different disabilities who struggle to access the building around them. Players are then tasked with making changes to the space that ensure equal access.
"The thing that I love is part of the experience [is that] they then get to extend their learning into the real world, and identify barriers in their own school or community," Mortaloni said. "Whether they end up being game creators or whatever they end up growing up to be, they have this insight that they can take from the BuildAbility world...and hopefully create [elsewhere.]"
Features like the BuildAbility world highlight the Xbox team's long-term thinking on this topic. Even Mortaloni admitted that a fully accessible video game environment won't happen "overnight," but she hopes that "all those small things add up," and more players who want to engage with video games can do so without unnecessary barriers getting in the way.


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A move to help sustain restaurants amid the pandemic is now permanent in the state of Missouri.
Governor Mike Parson signed SB126 into law Wednesday, making to-go cocktails a permanent fixture in Missouri's restaurant and bar industry. The bill states that to-go cocktails will be able to be sold under the same conditions that they were available throughout the pandemic: to those at least 21 years old in a rigid, durable, leakproof and sealable container.
Purchase of food will also still be required to take home alcohol, and the number of drinks sold is limited to twice the number of meal servings purchased. The bill also changes some of the state's rules around Sunday liquor sales, among other things.
The bill comes after restaurant owners fought to put the to-go cocktail rules in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown. Until now, the law was set to be temporary.


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Halifax tries to charge twice after glitch
Halifax is attempting to charge customers twice for the same transaction after it made a mistake and put through some payments twice.
Double bill: Halifax has tried to charge customers twice after a bank glitch
Customers had made direct payments from their bank accounts to pay for goods. But the bank paid the bills twice, though it only debited customers' accounts once.
Now Halifax is attempting to take a second payment from its customers even though they have not bought or paid for anything extra.
In a letter, it says: 'To recover the duplicate payment it is our intention to debit your account in 14 days. Unless we hear from you before this date we will assume that this is in order.'
Pensioners Eileen and Jeffrey Rye, from Brighton, received a letter last week saying book club BCA Collectors had received a £76.25 payment on January 13 twice.
But the money had only been taken from the Ryes' bank account once.
Eileen, 62, says: 'I couldn't believe they were going to take this money for a mistake they had made. It is an outrageous cheek.'
When computer problems hit BACS payments, banks usually ask those who have received extra money to pay it back.
Banks cannot debit money from your account without permission - unless it is a specific charge written into your terms and conditions. As a result, when Eileen complained, Halifax agreed to drop the repayment.
A Halifax spokesman says: 'Due to an error, which affected a small number of customers, we duplicated some payments but only debited the customer's account once. We have contacted those customers affected to apologise. Each case will be reviewed on an individual basis.
'We recommend that any customer who has any concerns regarding this issue to get in touch with us.' If you have received funds by accident, payments association Apacs says there is no obligation to pay it back. But, once you spend the money, it is theft.
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Digital currency Dash has teamed up with a blockchain-based game maker to create a Pokémon Go-style augmented reality (AR) cryptocurrency treasure hunt.
News users who download the Aircoins AR game app will create a random drop of cryptocurrency coins, including dash (DASH), around them which can be “picked up” by moving over them. The Aircoin app can transfer digital coins collected between users as well as to and from users’ digital wallets.
“Aircoins layers geolocation, gaming, and augmented reality to make rewards and using Dash fun and convenient while providing an interactive experience,” said Aircoins CEO Emal Safi, in a statement. “These innovations in technology create new payment and advertising opportunities as we drive foot traffic to retailers and merchants.”
The game will be available in 10 large cities worldwide. It is currently live in New York, Bangkok, Amsterdam, and Medellin, Colombia. New cities will be announced on the two companies’ Twitter accounts, @Dashpay and @Aircoins_App.
“As interest and adoption around AR and cryptocurrency continues to increase, merging the two through a fun game is an exciting step for both technologies,” said Ernesto Contreras, business development manager for Latin America of Dash Core Group. “This partnership will allow Dash to reach new markets by allowing users to collect coins as they move around cities, and because they can now use that currency, this will open up a new engagement model and user experience. AR is poised for exceptional growth and together Dash and Aircoins are primed to engage users along that journey.”
Dash is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) and the 14th largest cryptocurrency, with a market cap of $1.3 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. The two companies are working on adding an in-app exchange feature in Aircoins, allowing players to convert other coins collected into dash.
Aircoins’ plan is to work with businesses to offer similar drops of AR digital coins as a means of marketing and attracting customers. Partners can drop cryptocurrencies anywhere around the globe. The company plans to add in-app purchases as well as the ability to drop advertising onto the VR coins. Aircoins said it supports all cryptocurrencies and blockchain platforms.
Dash is a perfect use case for Aircoins, Safi said, because it is aimed at being used as a real-world currency by retailers. As of the end of 2018, Dash was accepted by 4,800 merchants and services worldwide ranging from pizzerias in Medellin to online retailer Overstock.
It’s important for users to remember the valuable lessons of Pokémon Go, beginning with looking where you are going while playing the game—walking into people while pursuing a Gengar or Aerodactyl is bad. But not as bad as chasing digital collectables into the middle of an anti-Putin rally in Moscow, which got 18 Pokémon Go players arrested in 2017.


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There are Wi-Fi-enabled cameras, and then there’s Pinout, a fully funded Indigogo project that gives Nikon DSLRs a bit more than just a basic Wi-Fi connection. While Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are available on many newer DSLRs, Pinout isn’t just a remote shutter release — it’s also a theft prevention tool.
Pinout uses a built-in GPS, and for more than just geotagging photos. Users can set up an alert if their camera gets too far away (up to 98 feet) to prevent theft — or to keep themselves from leaving it behind.
Wi-Fi-enabled cameras make it easier to share photos on social media, but most still fall short of the same capabilities of many smartphone apps — Zesty 6, the developer behind Pinout, is hoping to fill in those gaps, and then some. With the small device plugged into a port on a DSLR, users can create HDR images and timelapses in the app, skipping out the usual tedious editing process that smartphone cameras can already forgo.
While remote release through a phone isn’t new, the Pinout appears to be more fully featured. Instead of just touchscreen control, the Pinout app will allow users to take a photo by pressing the volume button or shaking the phone — and there’s even a voice-activated shutter option.
Pinout can also control up to ten cameras from one smartphone, which could be a useful tool for video production and advanced shoots.
Pinout’s pin-shaped design plugs into the accessory port on most modern Nikon DSLRs, leaving the hot-shoe free for other accessories. The design also allows the device to stay in the camera when stored. Without a battery, Pinout does take some of the camera’s battery power, but the developers say using the device for a year will only take about the amount of power that’s stored in a button battery.
After reaching full funding on Indiegogo earlier this year, Pinout is expected to ship as early as next week. The project is still open for backers, though, with three different price levels extending from $24 to $89.
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