text:
The telecom sector didn’t raise any eyebrows when Aircel, the country’s fifth largest GSM operator, launched a pre-paid voucher offering full talk time benefits. A full talk time (FTT) voucher means that the service provider will not deduct processing fees, service tax and other operational expenses from the subscriber.
Aircel is not the first service provider, nor will be the last, to do so. During the past 6-8 months, a number of operators rolled out similar schemes to improve subscriber base and market share. This is despite the launch of 3G services (third generation) in the country, hailed as the new dawn for telecom companies.
“Data is still evolving and it is voice that’s bringing in revenues for operators,” confirms Idea Cellular Managing Director Himanshu Kapania.
In the first quarter of the financial year, Idea Cellular raked in just 14.5 per cent of total revenues from its non-voice segment. This includes revenues from pure data services and value added services (VAS) that include text and picture messaging among others.
This is true for most operators in the country, with the average non-voice data being just 14-15 per cent of their total revenues.
The data revenue market opportunity is likely to grow to over Rs 35,000 crore in next 4-5 years from the present Rs 7,000 crore, Reliance Communications’ President and Chief Executive Officer (Wireless Business), Gurdeep Singh, said in the company’s first quarter earnings call.
Till then, voice will continue to reign.
“In the developed countries non-voice contributes to about 40-50 per cent of the total service revenues and in countries like China, Malaysia and Indonesia this would be about 30-35 per cent. And it will be a while before data revenues from India become significant,” Kapania said.
Anupam Vasudev, Head Marketing-OpCo, at Aircel concurs: “Voice operations would continue to be the focus for telecom operators and reducing call tariffs or providing extra talk time would help in garnering subscriber additions and minutes of usage”.
“Data is growing, so is VAS, and it’s only a matter of time…,” added Vasudev.
So, until data becomes the major revenue churner, telecom companies would have to depend on voice services and launch schemes that might not be revenue accretive immediately.
A testimony to this is Aircel’s FTT, starting at Rs 30 upto Rs 100 and offers like Rs 260 talk time on recharge with Rs 250 vouchers.
Idea Cellular’s ‘Magic Recharge’ voucher of Rs 60 launched in Maharashtra & Goa, provides talk time of Rs 51 to Rs 100, depending on the subscriber’s luck. The Aditya Birla group company also rolled out a recharge voucher with chances to win prizes like cars and bikes, and another enabling STD calls (domestic long distance) for 30 paise per minute.
Almost all the operators rolled out similar schemes to improve subscriber base and revenue market share. This, in turn, increases their dependency on voice services.
DISAPPOINTING 3G SERVICES
The adoption of 3G services in the country has been disappointing, and with subscriber additions not up to expectations, operators have resorted to a series of rate cuts. The rate cuts were as high as 70 per cent, but high handset prices are sill the deterrent to its mass adoption.
Tata Teleservices was the first private operator to launch 3G services in November 2010, with other operators following thereafter. A pan-India launch of services happened in 2011. State-run operators – Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd - were allocated 3G spectrum on preferential basis and had begun rollouts much earlier.
“Adoption of 3G services is still no where close to where it should have been,” Aircel’s Anupam Vasudev said.
According to industry estimates, there are a little over 11 million 3G subscribers in the country, with Bharti Airtel’s 3.7 million, Idea Cellular 3.1’s million, Reliance Communications’ 4 million and rest with other operators.
“As 3G is not picking up, not at least up to expectations, for the telecom operators it’s voice that brings in majority of the revenues. Now with the intensity of competition among players increasing multi-fold, operators are looking at increasing subscriber base and revenue market share,” Ankita Somani sector analyst at Angel Broking said.
“For example, Bharti Airtel had been concentrating on rollout of 3G services and did not concentrate either on its subscriber additions or revenue market share. However, now the company is also focusing on improving its RMS and subscriber base,” Somani said, adding, this is true to most of the companies.
DATA TO BE KING
The 3G services, which were introduced in Europe in 2001, took about 10-12 years to make a significant impact across the world. At present, there are about 1 billion 3G customers and more than 5 billion voice customers.
“It is estimated to take another 4-5 years for data to become a significant revenue garner. We see early signs of mass 3G adoption,” Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) Director General Rajan S Mathews said.
A mass adoption of the services would happen following increase in 3G handset penetration, availability of content and expansion of services and networks.
“We firmly believe that the future of the telecom category is data and that too not just providing access but a whole new world of services riding on the data networks. For the youth, conversations do not start or end with voice but seamlessly extend to various online platforms like Facebook and instant messaging and hence the future of telecom will be driven by our ability to deliver solutions that help consumers enjoy endless conversations irrespective of if it enabled through voice or data,” Gurinder Singh Sandhu, Head Marketing, Tata Teleservices Ltd.
Tata Tele, which sells its telecom services under the brand Tata DoCoMo, will continue launching products such as unlimited plans.
Pre-paid connections account for more than 95 per cent of the total 950 million SIMs issued in the country, and according to industry analysts, pre-paid means low-end users.
While it’s true that 95 per cent of the mobile connections in the industry are pre-paid, it does not translate into these customers not using smartphones or customers who have a high voice consumption do not use smartphones . So it’s a myth,” Tata Tele’s Sandhu said.
All said and done, voice continues to rule, at least for the time being.


text:
Take-Two gives an official statement on WWE 2K19 skipping Switch
Posted on 4 years ago by Bobby in News | 0 comments
We’ve known for a while now that WWE 2K19 wouldn’t be coming to Switch, but an official statement has come out from Take-Two giving a little bit of reasoning behind this decision:
“The game will not be available on Nintendo Switch. 2K is focused on making the best possible experience for WWE 2K fans and will continue evaluating all opportunities to deliver the franchise across additional platforms.”
It’s likely that WWE 2K18’s poor launch on Switch influenced this decision, as Take-Two probably did not want to provide an equally mediocre experience for players. The last WWE game to launch on a Nintendo console was 2K13, so there’s always hope for a revival sometime in the future.
More: 2K Sports, Visual Concepts, WWE 2K19, Yukes
WWE 2K19 seems to be skipping Switch this year
Posted on 4 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments
Last year, WWE 2K18 made it to Switch. It was the first time the series appeared on a Nintendo console since WWE ’13 on Wii.
Unfortunately, that seems to have been a short return. 2K announced WWE 2K19 today, and Switch is nowhere to be seen in the press release. There’s always a possibility that it could be announced later in the year, but it’s unlikely given that NBA 2K19 was recently revealed for Switch alongside all other platforms.
WWE 2K18 did launch on Switch in a terrible state. The game suffered from severe technical problems, including frame rate drops and actual slowdown. 2K may have felt that this year’s entry wouldn’t be possible on Switch or wouldn’t be worth the extra effort.
Source: 2K Sports PR

domain: news


text:
With parents turning to books for home learning and online retail dominating sales, preschool publishers have been steadily navigating their way through lockdown and out the other side.
Matthew Reynolds, md of Little Brother Books, takes a look back at the past six months and what is in store for the future.
“We spent the majority of lockdown focused on our Christmas season and maximising this, with existing and new customers. Fortunately we went into lockdown in a good position as a company, as we had several years of success building up to it.
We are now on track to have our biggest Christmas to date. This has been driven by a mixture of growth in existing retailers, as well as new retailers coming onboard.
In 2020 we launched Kindi Kids, O.M.G. Dolls, Poopsie Surprise and 44 Cats. We are working on other new additions to the range as well as new formats. L.O.L. Surprise seems to appeal to many age groups and has been a phenomenon for us for a number of years now.
The other runaway success for us has been a bit of a surprise – The World of Dinosaurs by The Natural History Museum. Kids absolutely love dinosaurs and as this is published with The Natural History Museum, our retailers and parents have loved it.”


text:
Walmart is walking away from plans to develop its own streaming service, according to a Friday report from CNBC. The retail giant reportedly decided not to pursue the service after talks with media expert Mark Greenberg fell apart last year.
Despite the news, a person familiar with the situation said Walmart never had any plans to launch its own streaming service. That information comes amid other reports that the retailer was exploring its own video service. The Wall Street Journal in July said Walmart's streaming service plan was in early stages and that the company talked to Greenberg about it.
Speculation about Walmart's streaming future comes as several big players, including Disney, AT&T, Apple, and NBC, are expected to launch their own streaming services to compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos. In July, Variety reported that Walmart planned to launch its independent streaming service through Vudu, a video subscription service Walmart bought in 2010.
Walmart will focus on further developing Vudu, a platform where customers can buy and rent digital movies and shows.
"Vudu is an important platform for us, and we continue to invest in it," Tara Raddohl-House, a Walmart spokesperson, said in an emailed statement. "We are always looking at new ways to serve customers, but have nothing to announce related to video streaming service."
First published Jan. 18, 10:25 a.m. PT.
Update, 1:10 p.m.: Adds statement from Walmart spokesperson and more info on reported service.
What we know about the Disney+ streaming service: It's getting ready to rival Netflix.
Netpicks: What's on your favorite video streaming sites around the web.


text:
brazilian model Luciana Gimenezin and rock musician Mick Jagger son is already an adult. the Lucas Jagger , 19, is a familiar sight in society. This week, Lucas was photographed during Paris fashion week.
Lucas Jagger has risen quite popular on social media. Only instagram in the Lucas adventures is already tracking more than 280 000 people. Lucas Jagger will release a number of doings on social media. Instagram account to find out that Lucas likes, for example, travel and luxury clothes.
In 2017 Lucas Jagger told the Daily Mile he was interested in film. Jagger has also designed a clothing line. In his free time he plays guitar and drums.Lucas Jagger sat in the front row. Man is interested in fashion and travel. Swan Gallet/WWD/REX/All Over Press
Gimenezin and jagger's relationship received a lot of publicity, because Gimenezin while waiting for Lucas Jagger was still married to supermodel Jerry Hall . Union ended the argumentative to get rid of.
Mick Jagger, 75, has a total of eight children five different women.


text:
70 11/7/2019 1 448. 22.99 11/7/2019 1 448. 18 11/28/2019 1 128. 64 11/28/2019 1 128. 70 11/14/2019 2 384. 22.99 11/14/2019 2 384. 50 11/14/2019 1 500. 85 11/14/2019 1 256. 41.95 1 5+ best bitcoin mining software free - download cloud. 21 countries where bitcoin is illegal 2019. Column: bitcoin's price hit $5,000 last week. it's still a. Austin bitcoin - home. Earn bitcoin for virool videos: highest to lowest paying. China agriculture machinery manufacturer, tractor.. Bitcoin kya hai je jankari hindi me forexmehelp,learn. Many in hong kong don't know about bitcoin ... The General Dutch Industrial Union of Agriculture (Dutch: Algemene Nederlandse Agrarische Bedrijfsbond, ANAB) was a trade union representing workers in the agricultural sector in the Netherlands.. The Dutch Confederation of Trade Unions (NVV) was founded in 1906, but none of its affiliates represented agricultural workers. As a result, in 1907, the NVV created the New Dutch Agricultural ... Republican Jason Lewis ... ‘Debate Fly Wig,’ inspired by Mike Pence’s debate appearance, selling online for $50 New York Daily News 'The data speak for themselves': Dr. Anthony Fauci says ... Finden Sie hier Traueranzeigen, Todesanzeigen und Beileidsbekundungen aus Ihrer Tageszeitung oder passende Hilfe im Trauerfall. Jetzt online gedenken.
[index]
Preethi Kasireddy (Founder & CEO of TruStory) gives an insightful summary of the recently launched Libra by Facebook and what it means for Bitcoin's future. Let us know if you have any questions ... bitcoin debate, bitcoin diamond, bitcoin debit card, bitcoin dead, bitcoin daily, bitcoin dump, bitcoin drop, bitcoin doubler 2019, bitcoin death, bitcoins d lynwood, d n a bitcoin, bitcoin usd ... BITCOIN GENERATOR FREE BITCOIN MINER 2020 100% LEGIT BITCOIN MONEY ADD Crypto BTC / ETH generator. Free to use. .Get your first free cryptocurrency on wallet. Download: https://bit.ly/3dOy1y5 If ... bitcoin mining, bitcoin, free bitcoin mining, free bitcoin, btc, mining, bitcoin miner, bitcoin mining software, bitcoin generator, free bitcoin mining software, bitcoin mining software 2020 ... New Bitcoin Mining Site,Free Bitcoin Miner,New BTC Mining Site,New earning sites 2020,Free Bitcoin mining site without investment,New Bitcoin Mining site 2020,new BTC Mining site 2020,New bitcoin ...


text:
I’ve stated before, more than once, that whenever an(y) Apple blogger writes a “what if” or a “wish list” or a “rumor” or posts a “leak” it’s their weak-sauce way of saying Apple got it wrong and here’s what the company needs to do to get it right — oh, but we’re still giving this magical product out now, the one that’s lacking this critical feature, a delightful review because Apple!
“Here’s an idea I tossed out…”
You know, just spitballing amongst friends.
Good lord. Be honest with your readers. Always. The iPad is symptomatic of Apple’s larger problem which is that the giant corporation is suffocating innovation.
What if the iPad had a keyboard and a trackpad and a stylus/pencil? Well, then it would be Microsoft Surface. That Microsoft continues to whoop Apple on hardware innovation is stunning and Apple users need to know this — and switch or demand better of Apple.
This was not meant to be an Apple post, good or bad, but it appears I am lurching in that direction.
Some time ago I stated that the rapid rise and eager embrace of Amazon’s Echo and even Google Home, audio devices connected to their respective company’s digital assistant, would force Apple’s hands and the company would rush out a similar device. Surprise!
“Apple Is Manufacturing a Siri Speaker to Outdo Google and Amazon”
“Device enters overseas production ahead of annual conference”
Apple has fallen behind Amazon in computing hardware innovation. Let that sink in.
It gets worse.
Despite enlisting Hollywood’s finest to promote Siri — years and years ago — Apple’s digital assistant remains woefully inept, consistently brittle.
Apple’s Siri (barely) outsmarted Alexa in 5,000-question IQ test
Clobbered by Google Assistant and Microsoft’s Cortana, led in percentage of answers that were “simply wrong.”
Not just wrong, but simply wrong. So very Apple.
Global corporation chasing all of the profits across too many markets with more products than we can count. This is the natural result.
Or maybe it’s the result of a CEO who appears far more interested in paling around with celebs in Hollywood than in the 1000 No’s of product design.
After months of delays, Apple’s first big original video series, “Carpool Karaoke,” will finally debut on August 8.
Viva la revolucion, I suppose.
Meanwhile, in the place where Apple makes all of its iPhones:
China’s New Cybersecurity Law Leaves Foreign Firms Guessing
The law would require that companies store their data within China, and would impose security checks on companies in sectors like finance and communications.
Individual users, meanwhile, would have to register with their real names to use messaging services.
Executives have complained that the wording of the law is ambiguous, fearing that it gives China’s ruling Communist Party substantial leeway to target them.
That the nation which patrols the Internet, criminalizes anonymity on the Internet, and restricts speech on the Internet is where Apple chooses to make its most profitable product, is a disgrace. Shame on Apple, founded by Americans, based in America, made possible by America, for outsourcing the entirety of its manufacturing overseas — oh, and for off-shoring at least tens of billions of dollars so they can’t be taxed.
But apparently Apple has no problem at all lobbying in America over bathroom concerns.
Executives from some of the globe’s leading technology firms are demanding that Texas not adopt “discriminatory” bathroom legislation.
“As large employers in the state, we are gravely concerned that any such legislation would deeply tarnish Texas’ reputation as open and friendly to businesses and families,” the companies wrote Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “Our ability to attract, recruit and retain top talent, encourage new business relocations, expansions and investment, and maintain our economic competitiveness would all be negatively affected.”
If you’re keeping score at home, freedom on the Internet for billions, have you heard anything? But Apple et al may lose their “economic competitiveness” if about 0.25% of the world’s population just might not get to use the public restroom of their own choosing in the state of Texas.
Steve Jobs has been dead for over 5 years.


text:
With more then 1 year since the release of Windows 7, Microsoft is gearing to release the next version of Windows,which is currently called as Windows 8.According to the post by Windows 8 beta the next version of windows is going to be released in around october 2012,exactly 3 years after the release of Windows 7 as stated in the Microsoft TimeFrame,though Russian site Wzor says that the next version of Windows would hit the stores on January 7,2013
A couple of screenshots has been leaked, showing the installation of Windows 8.The copyright statement reads as Copyright Microsoft 2012 confirming that Windows 8 RTM would be released in 2012 and the screenshots also states clearly that the next version of Windows shall be called Windows 8.
In the CES 2011,Microsoft announced that Windows 8 would support ARM chips as well,also which confirms that the next version of windows would continue to support 32 bit chips as well.
According to the latest rumors the latest Windows 8 build compiled is Build 7917,with build string as 6.2.7917.0.winmain_win8m2.110125-1757 and indeed Windows 8 has already reached milestone 2.
According to the information available other builds released in 2011 are-
Here is some information which is available relating to Windows 8
* Microsoft has been working on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service pack 2 since fall of 2010 and is expected to be released in mid 2012.
* Windows 8 might not be the final name of next version of windows,though the Windows server would be definitely called Windows Server 2012 (We would be calling the next version of Windows as Windows 8 until the name is confirmed)
* Microsoft would start working on Windows 8 Milestone 3 from March and Beta version would be available after it. Earlier Microsoft employee leaked the roadmap so going by it we are expecting the first beta in July 2012.
* Microsoft would be releasing 2 beta version of Windows 8,which would be available for testing following which the RC version of Windows 8 would be released.
* Windows 8 would be RTM 3 months after the RC version is released .
At present no further information about Windows 8 is available,we are waiting to see the new GUI that's going to be incorporated in Windows 8.
If you want some good concept wallpapers just do a quick search in Google
iAutoblog the premier autoblogger software


text:
Move over Kylie, because big sis Kim is coming out with a beauty line of her own. Known for her neutral looks featuring pro contouring, it’s about time Kim has come out with her own collection. The timing makes sense, too, as Kim collaborated with Kylie Cosmetics just two months ago. Their collab features four liquid lipstick shades, each honoring Kim’s signature nude looks.
At the moment, there isn’t too much information on KKW Beauty, except for the launch date: June 21, 2017. A new Instagram has already been made, called @KKWBeauty, but the only posts so far reveal the launch date. You can also visit the site, and sign up for email updates.
Kim no doubt takes pride in having the best glam squad. She’s close friends with her makeup artists and stylists, among them include Joyce Bonelli and Jen Atkin. She’s also an executive producer of an upcoming Lifetime reality show, #GlamMasters in which she’ll look for the newest member of her beauty team. If you think you have what it takes, apply here.
With both Kylie and Kim on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, this new venture will be added to Kim’s ever-expanding list of accomplishments. She always has Kylie as a resource if she ever needs advice on lip products.


text:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will continue to implement the Trump Administration’s ban on “non-essential” travel across U.S. land borders and ferry travel with Mexico and Canada through November 21, according to a set of notifications to be published in the Federal Register tomorrow. The restrictions were due to expire on October 21.
The initial ban on non-essential travel across the northern and southern borders began on March 21 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; it was originally scheduled to expire on April 20, and was extended several times. The policy may again be reviewed for possible extension in November depending on the status of the COVID emergency. The restrictions do not affect air travel.


text:
Revenue ranking of the top 10 OSAT companies for 3Q21
November 23, 2021For 3Q21, the revenues of the top 10 OSAT outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) companies reached USD 8.89 billion, a 31.6% YoY increase, says TrendForce.
Global OSAT revenue reaches $8.89 billion in 3Q21
November 23, 2021As the global vaccination rate rose, and border restrictions in Europe and North America eased, social activities also began to enter a period of recovery, with the consumer electronics market seemingly ready for the arrival of the traditional peak season in 2H21, according to TrendForce’s latest investigations.
ASE expands production – looking to add thousands of jobs
October 29, 2021ASE Technology Holding, a provider of semiconductor manufacturing services in assembly and test, has reportedly launched a massive recruitment drive for its production basse in Kaohsiung, Taiwan where it's looking to hire over 2’000 workers.
Design of an adjustable voltage output using a push-button digital potentiometer
October 01, 2021[i][b]Question:[/b] How could I use a digital potentiometer to generate an adjustable voltage output?[/i]
Revenue of Top10 OSAT companies for 2Q21 reaches USD 7.88bn
September 07, 2021Despite the intensifying COVID-19 pandemic that swept Taiwan in 2Q21, the domestic OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) industry remained largely intact, according to TrendForce.
Lockdown in Malaysia to have no effect on chip companies
June 02, 2021National governments in Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia, have been instituting increasingly stringent pandemic control measures in response to the intensifying COVID-19 pandemic in these countries.
Top 10 packaging/testing (OSAT) companies for 1Q21
May 19, 2021Revenues of the top 10 largest packaging/testing (OSAT, outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) companies reached USD 7.17 billion in 1Q21, a 21.5% increase YoY, with most of these companies recording double-digit growths, according to TrendForce.
USI completes its acquisition of Asteelflash
December 03, 2020ASE Technology’s subsidiary, Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai), has successfully completed the acquisition Asteelflash Group from Financière AFG S.A.S. (FAFG).
Top 10 tech industry trends for 2021
October 06, 2020As the DRAM industry officially enters the EUV era, NAND Flash stacking technology advances past 150L, says TrendForce as it provides its forecast of 10 key trends in the tech industry for 2021.
ASE expands with new manufacturing fab in Taiwan
August 19, 2020Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) has officially broken ground for its new advanced packaging fab at the Nantze Export Processing Zone in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
ASE takes the lead among Top10 largest OSAT companies in 2Q20
August 17, 2020The border restrictions and national lockdowns instituted by various governments due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact in 1Q20 resulted in low inventory levels for clients of packaging and testing (OSAT, outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) companies and for distribution channels as well, according to TrendForce’s latest investigations.
ASE breaks ground on new Taiwanese factory
April 03, 2018The semiconductor manufacturer has officially broken ground on its latest factory building – K25, located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
ASE, Amkor and JCET top OSAT provider list for 2017
November 17, 2017The annual revenue from the global IC testing and packaging industry for 2017 is estimated to grow by 2.2 percent to reach USD 51.73 billion, according to the latest research from TrendForce.
Taiwan's IC design houses under pressure with Broadcom/Qualcomm deal
November 13, 2017Fabless semiconductor giant Broadcom announced on November 6 that the company is offering US$130 billion to acquire its rival Qualcomm.
Qualcomm with Brazilian plans
March 14, 2017Qualcomm and fellow chip manufacturer ASE invest in a chip facility in São Paulo.
China’s Semi sector to undergo rapid consolidation in 2017
November 11, 2016Numerous major participants in the global semiconductor sector are engaging in deal-making to make themselves larger and more competitive. As a result, different industries within the sector will be controlled by fewer companies in the future.
ASE breaks ground on new building – adding 1’800 employees
October 10, 2016The new building is part of ASE’s expansion plans on the research and development of advanced packaging technologies that will enable the market for the Internet-of-things.
Cooperation between ASE and SPIL becomes likely, says TrendForce
June 02, 2016Two major IC packaging/testing providers based in Taiwan, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL), signed a joint share-exchange memorandum of understanding on May 26, 2016 to establish a new holding company.
ASE to invest $60 million in Cypress subsidiary
May 02, 2016Advanced Semiconductor Engineering will invest USD 60 million in Deca Technologies – a Cypress subsidiary – and license Deca’s M-Series Fan-out Wafer-Level Packaging (FOWLP) technologies and processes.
SPIL responds to ASE’s offerLoad more news
December 22, 2015On December 14, 2015, Siliconware Precision Industries received a proposal from ASE regarding a potential acquisition of 100% of the SPIL's shares. And now, SPIL is answering.


text:
Before they launched Manifold in 2010, the agency's five founding partners worked on Yahoo's nontraditional Buzz Marketing team, where they often joked that they should eventually create the agency they always wanted to work with. In March of that year, they resigned from Yahoo and made that joke a reality.
In the two years since, it's been serious business for the San Francisco-based firm. The nine-person agency, which also has offices in Los Angeles and New York, has worked with brands such as Microsoft, LinkedIn and the solar company Sungevity on campaigns that mesh the experiential with the digital.
Last summer, Manifold created a solar-powered ice-pop truck that handed out cold refreshments at local events in five states, educating consumers along the way on Sungevity's residential solar-panel product with truck-mounted iPads giving quotes on energy savings for specific homes.


text:
Nutrition News: FODMAPs, Cholesterol and Healthy Restaurant Tips
In this week’s news: FODMAPs get impugned; cholesterol gets exonerated; and these clever strategies could get diners through a restaurant meal in good shape.
Has gluten unfairly gotten a bad rap? People without celiac disease who believe they are gluten-sensitive may instead be sensitive to fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, or FODMAPs, the Washington Post reports. FODMAPs? They are, t he paper notes, "a group of carbohydrates that don't get broken down and absorbed in the small intestine" but rather ferment in the large intestine, potentially causing digestive distress like diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating and pain. As much as 10 percent of the population may suffer from FODMAPs sensitivity, one researcher suggests, but if you aren’t among them, you shouldn't attempt a low-FODMAP diet, since a lot of the foods that are high in FODMAPs (wheat, rye, onions, garlic, apples, stone fruit, milk and a host of other foods) are quite good for the other 90 percent of us.
The U.S. government may be backing away from its stance against dietary fat and cholesterol. An advisory panel has indicated that cholesterol is no longer "considered a nutrient of concern for over-consumption," CBCNews reports, noting that that conclusion will likely be reflected in a new set of dietary guidelines to be released this year. The previous guidelines, issued in 2010, suggested a daily cholesterol consumption limit of 300 milligrams; two large eggs, at about 186 milligrams apiece, would exceed the limit. The new guidelines are expected to not include recommendations for maximum cholesterol or fat intake. However, experts continue to warn that high levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood have been linked to heart disease and those with health problems like diabetes should continue to curb their cholesterol intake. What's more, trans fats and saturated fats are still to be avoided.


text:
Is BITCOIN the reason why all tech companies showing fall in share price ?
Is Bitcoin the reason for all the tech companies showing fall in shares price ?Facebook, Google, Alibaba, Nvidia, Amazon. I can understand Amazon showing fall as the holiday season ended but what about the rest. Nvidia was targeting $250 and it has fallen to $197. Or is it just that they were all over valued?


text:
- Some parliamentarians have eaten meat at Westminster having been assured it was halal
Last updated at 12:21 PM on 1st January 2012
Lord Ahmed of Rotherham thinks halal should be made available as an option
The Palace of Westminster has rejected demands to serve halal meat in its restaurants.
Muslim MPs and peers have been told they cannot have meat slaughtered in line with Islamic tradition because the method – slitting an animal’s throat without first stunning it – is offensive to many of their non-Muslim colleagues.
The stance has infuriated some parliamentarians who have eaten meat in the Palace’s 23 restaurants and cafes, having been assured that it was halal.
Lord Ahmed of Rotherham said: ‘I did feel misled. I think a halal option should be made available.’
In 2010, the Mail on Sunday revealed schools, hospitals and restaurants were serving halal meat to unwitting customers.
Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Somerfield and the Co-op all said they stocked meat slaughtered according to Islamic tradition without letting customers know.
Fast-food chains including Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, KFC, Nando’s and Subway are also using halal meat without telling customers, it was revealed.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080805/We-wont-eat-halal-meat-say-MPs-peers-reject-demands-serve-Westminster.html#ixzz1iD9qiBrj
This bit from a comment by Anon below was so powerful I felt I should include it here:
“History will judge us, and we will be found wanting, for we once were civilised, and knew good from evil.”


text:
Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have made strides in new vehicle quality over the last year, but they still lag behind their foreign competitors, according to a closely watched study released Monday by J.D. Power and Associates.
The initial quality of 2009 model year vehicles sold by the Detroit Three improved by an average of 10 percent from last year, the marketing and consulting company said. Industrywide, scores improved an average of 8 percent.
"The Detroit automakers are keeping their focus on designing and building high-quality vehicles, which is a precondition for long-term success," said David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power, in a statement.
Lexus, Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury line, was the top brand in J.D. Power's initial quality study, an annual survey of vehicle owners that measures mechanical and design problems in the first 90 days of ownership.
Porsche was the No. 2 brand, followed by GM's Cadillac, then Hyundai and Honda.
Toyota, which supplanted General Motors Corp. as the world's largest automaker last year, also swept 10 vehicle segment awards. Its assembly facility in Higashi-Fuji, Japan, that builds the Lexus SC 430 and the Toyota Corolla took the J.D. Power's top plant award.
The worst-performing brand was Mini, with owners reporting 165 problems per 100 vehicles. Though Chrysler's scores improved year over year, it had no brands above the industry average. It tied for one segment award, with its PT Cruiser Wagon sharing the top award in the compact activity vehicle segment with Honda's CR-V. Chrysler, however, is discontinuing the car.
Cadillac and Chevrolet were GM's only two brands whose 2009 models performed above average. The four brands GM is purging under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection — Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab — were the company's worst rated. The Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Yukon SUVs were rated best in their segments.
Jamie Hresko, GM's vice president for global quality, said the automaker has worked hard to improve vehicle quality over the last five years. Chevrolet and Cadillac account for 70 percent of GM's volume, he said, and top marks for those segments are an indication the effort is paying off.
"Is it where we need to be? No," Hresko said. "To have our core brands — Cadillac and Chevrolet — be on par with Toyota, we have reached a level of quality that will allow us to change perceptions."
Ford Motor Co., the only major U.S. automaker that has not filed for bankruptcy protection or accepted government aid, also saw scores improve for three of its four brands: Ford, Mercury and Volvo. But its Lincoln brand's score fell, and only Ford and Mercury performed above the industry average.
The average industry score improved to 108 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 118 in 2008.
J.D. Power credited the improvement to several well-received new models that were launched in 2009. It said vehicles like Hyundai's Genesis, Kia's Borrego, Toyota's Venza and Volkswagen's CC performed better than their segment averages. Several redesigned 2009 models also scored well, J.D. Power said.
The scores come during a tumultuous time for the auto industry, with sales at their worst level in decades and taxpayers stuck funding the restructuring of GM and Chrysler Group LLC to the tune of billions of dollars. Although the two automakers have been pummeled by the economic crisis, many analysts have complained that a shortage of high-quality small car offerings has hobbled their performance in the down market.
GM has several new, small vehicles on the way that industry analysts say should help it better compete with established offerings from Toyota, Honda and other foreign competitors. It plans to start building the subcompact Chevrolet Cruze next year and says it will get about 40 miles per gallon. It also plans to sell the Chevrolet Spark minicar in the U.S. in 2011.
The road may be tougher for Chrysler. Cars like the sporty 500 made by its new owner, Italy's Fiat Group SpA, won't make it to the U.S. until late next year. The Auburn Hills, Mich., company plans to roll out new versions of its popular Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV and Chrysler 300 large sedan by the end of next year, along with a rechargeable electric vehicle, but these plans likely have been delayed by the bankruptcy process.
J.D. Power's rankings were based on questionnaires from 80,900 people who bought or leased new 2009 vehicles between February and May. The questionnaires ask 228 questions on issues from handling, braking and engine trouble, to seat comfort and stereo systems.
The rankings are closely watched by automakers and consumers, and are frequently used in advertising. However, some critics question whether they show any real statistical difference between automakers. Mini's ranking, for example, equates to 1.65 problems per vehicle. Top-performer Lexus had 84 problems per 100 vehicles, or 0.84 per vehicle. So on average, less than one problem per vehicle separates the best brand from the worst.


text:
Public Bank has emerged again as among the biggest winners for the Malaysian e-Payments Excellence Awards (MEEA) 2021 by securing three awards for its outstanding contribution towards the growth of Malaysia’s e-payment ecosystem.
Awarded the Best MyDebit Bank, Best MyDebit (Acquirer – Bank) and Best IBG Bank, Public Bank has been winning these awards throughout the years. The Best MyDebit Bank in Malaysia award, for instance, was awarded to Public Bank for the fifth consecutive year.
MEEA is organised annually by Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet), to recognise outstanding achievements of banks, businesses and government agencies that have contributed significantly towards excellence, innovation and growth of e-payments in Malaysia.
PayNet, which is the nation’s network and shared central infrastructure provider for Malaysia’s financial markets, in its congratulatory letter said: “Public Bank’s commitment and holistic efforts to drive usage, acceptance, reliability, customer engagement and experience have made a significant impact in propelling e-Payments in Malaysia to greater heights.”
Public Bank believes in the importance of fulfilling customers’ experience in the new normal caused by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid the pandemic disruptions, Public Bank’s key digitalisation initiatives remained focus on enhancing convenience, efficiency, security and innovation of its products and services to deliver continued service excellence to its customers, particularly on the delivery of contactless and cashless digital payment services such as merchant online onboarding and online payment in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the physical contact between buyers and traders.
Public Bank will continue to provide full support to boost the country’s migration to electronic payments by launching more e-Payment initiatives while continuously enhancing its digital banking platform, creating a unique and better user experience.
Apart from user experience, information security is another area that Public Bank focuses on to prevent cyber security threats. Ensuring a robust management of information security, Public Bank constantly reviews its policies and standards pertaining to information security and cyber threats management, ensuring a secure banking environment that is in line with the latest development, adequate and effective to mitigate possible future risks for customers’ peace of mind.
Source and Picture by Public Bank Malaysia


text:
|By Marketwired .||
|July 23, 2014 06:00 AM EDT||
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/23/14 -- Editors' Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.
Tetra Pak Canada Inc., today released a new white paper examining the use of materials in packaging that can be regrown or replenished naturally as a solution to the planet's growing resource scarcity and to sustain the future of the consumer packaged goods industry. The paper is part of the launch of a new campaign, "Moving To The Front", encouraging suppliers, manufacturers, brand owners, NGOs and others to expand focus from the mid and end of the packaging life cycle to the beginning.
The Company's efforts highlight the need for broader embrace and acceptance of industry practices that focus on the importance of material sourcing in protecting our world's limited natural resources and how these practices can create long-term shared value for businesses and society.
As the global population grows and demand increases for consumer packaged goods and packaging, global supplies of clean air, water, oil, natural gas, and minerals are under greater pressure, potentially disrupting entire supply chains.
"Our movement comes at a time when Canadian businesses and environmentalists are responding to increased consumer demand for industry practices that reduce the impact on our planet," said Elisabeth Comere, Director, Environment and Government Affairs at Tetra Pak. "While recycling will continue to be a key part of a restorative circular economy, it is not the only component. As we note in our paper, What is Renewability in Packaging and Why Should We Care? the finite nature of global resources means that the time to change and innovate is now," she added.
"Packaging can be a tool for conservation; it has the potential to drive demand for sustainably produced raw material at an immense scale," said Erin Simon, manager of packaging and material science at World Wildlife Fund. "It's exciting to see Tetra Pak embracing this model, and -- even more important -- encouraging others to 'Move to the Front' on packaging."
"As we have always seen it, renewability, which is using a resource that can be regrown or replenished naturally over time, such as paperboard-based packaging and bio-based polyethylene (PE) can have a positive impact on our global economic stability and the ongoing health and biodiversity of our planet," Comere said.
"We want to encourage our suppliers, manufacturers, brand owners and others to understand what we all stand to gain in terms of planet and business impact by adopting these practices," she added.
Tetra Pak and PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD are trademarks belonging to the Tetra Pak Group.
According to Brian Kennell, President and CEO, Tetra Pak Inc., businesses that adopt renewability practices will:
-- Realize business growth because long term supply resources will be secured and retailer preference and consumer demand for packaging made with renewable materials will grow. -- Manage and mitigate risks caused by geopolitical threats to sourcing more effectively, leading to a more reliable supply chain with less business disruption around supply of resources and better ability to manage costs and experience less price volatility. -- Build brand equity, differentiation and emotional connections with consumers because as consumer knowledge around resource scarcity grows, so too will their demand for packaging with renewable content, as it did around recycling.
As noted in the white paper, decades of promotion and education around recycling changed societal practices and businesses focused on securing sustainable end-of-life solutions to products and packaging.
"We don't want to lose any ground on recycling or other commitments where we and others have been successful," Kennell said. "But a company's license to operate is now firmly based in its ability to mitigate and reduce the impacts of products at all life cycle stages. Acting at the front end is a must in today's economy."
In the coming months, Tetra Pak will be engaging suppliers, manufacturers, brand owners, NGOs and other stakeholders to join the Moving To The Front campaign.
"We're asking these groups and others to help educate and advocate for broad acceptance of renewability practices that ensure the security of the packaging industry and the sustainability of natural resources for generations to come," said Comere.
To learn more about Moving To The Front and to download Tetra Pak's new white paper, What is Renewability in Packaging and Why Should We Care?, visit http://www.doingwhatsgood.us/moving-to-the-front/
ABOUT TETRA PAK
Tetra Pak is the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 170 countries around the world. With more than 23,000 employees based in over 80 countries, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business. Our motto, "PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD," reflects our vision to make food safe and available, everywhere. More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapak.com
Tetra Pak, the Tetra Pak logo, PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD, Tetra Navigato, Tetra Pak iLineXT, Tetra Brik, Tetra Top, Lokka, Tetra Gemina, Tetra Fino and LightCap are trademarks belonging to the Tetra Pak Group.
To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Movetothefront_Infographic.pdf
It's easy to assume that your app will run on a fast and reliable network. The reality for your app's users, though, is often a slow, unreliable network with spotty coverage. What happens when the network doesn't work, or when the device is in airplane mode? You get unhappy, frustrated users. An offline-first app is an app that works, without error, when there is no network connection.
Feb. 12, 2016 10:00 PM EST Reads: 241
Data-as-a-Service is the complete package for the transformation of raw data into meaningful data assets and the delivery of those data assets. In her session at 18th Cloud Expo, Lakshmi Randall, an industry expert, analyst and strategist, will address: What is DaaS (Data-as-a-Service)? Challenges addressed by DaaS Vendors that are enabling DaaS Architecture options for DaaS
Feb. 12, 2016 09:45 PM EST Reads: 384
One of the bewildering things about DevOps is integrating the massive toolchain including the dozens of new tools that seem to crop up every year. Part of DevOps is Continuous Delivery and having a complex toolchain can add additional integration and setup to your developer environment. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at 18th Cloud Expo, Miko Matsumura, Chief Marketing Officer of Gradle Inc., will discuss which tools to use in a developer stack, how to provision the toolchain to minimize onboa...
Feb. 12, 2016 09:00 PM EST Reads: 132
Companies can harness IoT and predictive analytics to sustain business continuity; predict and manage site performance during emergencies; minimize expensive reactive maintenance; and forecast equipment and maintenance budgets and expenditures. Providing cost-effective, uninterrupted service is challenging, particularly for organizations with geographically dispersed operations.
Feb. 12, 2016 06:00 PM EST
SYS-CON Events announced today that Catchpoint Systems, Inc., a provider of innovative web and infrastructure monitoring solutions, has been named “Silver Sponsor” of SYS-CON's DevOps Summit at 18th Cloud Expo New York, which will take place June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Catchpoint is a leading Digital Performance Analytics company that provides unparalleled insight into customer-critical services to help consistently deliver an amazing customer experience. Designed...
Feb. 12, 2016 06:00 PM EST Reads: 402
When building large, cloud-based applications that operate at a high scale, it’s important to maintain a high availability and resilience to failures. In order to do that, you must be tolerant of failures, even in light of failures in other areas of your application. “Fly two mistakes high” is an old adage in the radio control airplane hobby. It means, fly high enough so that if you make a mistake, you can continue flying with room to still make mistakes. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Lee...
Feb. 12, 2016 04:45 PM EST
With the proliferation of both SQL and NoSQL databases, organizations can now target specific fit-for-purpose database tools for their different application needs regarding scalability, ease of use, ACID support, etc. Platform as a Service offerings make this even easier now, enabling developers to roll out their own database infrastructure in minutes with minimal management overhead. However, this same amount of flexibility also comes with the challenges of picking the right tool, on the right ...
Feb. 12, 2016 04:30 PM EST Reads: 192
DevOps is not just last year’s buzzword. Companies with DevOps practices are 2.5x more likely to exceed profitability, market share, and productivity goals. But how do you enable high performance? What can you do right now to start? Find out from DevOps experts including Gene Kim, co-author of "The Phoenix Project," and the Dynatrace Center of Excellence.
Feb. 12, 2016 04:30 PM EST
SYS-CON Events announced today that Interoute, owner-operator of one of Europe's largest networks and a global cloud services platform, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2015 at the Javits Center in New York, New York. Interoute is the owner-operator of one of Europe's largest networks and a global cloud services platform which encompasses 12 data centers, 14 virtual data centers and 31 colocation centers, with connections to 195 ad...
Feb. 12, 2016 04:15 PM EST Reads: 428
SYS-CON Events announced today that Column Technologies will exhibit at SYS-CON's @DevOpsSummit at Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Established in 1998, Column Technologies is a global technology solutions provider with over 400 employees, headquartered in the United States with offices in Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. Column Technologies provides “Best of Breed” technology solutions that automate the key DevOps principal...
Feb. 12, 2016 04:15 PM EST
Join us at Cloud Expo | @ThingsExpo 2016 – June 7-9 at the Javits Center in New York City and November 1-3 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA – and deliver your unique message in a way that is striking and unforgettable by taking advantage of SYS-CON's unmatched high-impact, result-driven event / media packages.
Feb. 12, 2016 03:00 PM EST
SYS-CON Events announced today that Commvault, a global leader in enterprise data protection and information management, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7–9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Commvault is a leading provider of data protection and information management...
Feb. 12, 2016 02:15 PM EST Reads: 453
There will be new vendors providing applications, middleware, and connected devices to support the thriving IoT ecosystem. This essentially means that electronic device manufacturers will also be in the software business. Many will be new to building embedded software or robust software. This creates an increased importance on software quality, particularly within the Industrial Internet of Things where business-critical applications are becoming dependent on products controlled by software. Qua...
Feb. 12, 2016 02:15 PM EST
As someone who has been dedicated to automation and Application Release Automation (ARA) technology for almost six years now, one of the most common questions I get asked regards Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). Specifically, people want to know whether release automation is still needed when a PaaS is in place, and why. Isn't that what a PaaS provides? A solution to the deployment and runtime challenges of an application? Why would anyone using a PaaS then need an automation engine with workflow ...
Feb. 12, 2016 01:45 PM EST Reads: 233
With an estimated 50 billion devices connected to the Internet by 2020, several industries will begin to expand their capabilities for retaining end point data at the edge to better utilize the range of data types and sheer volume of M2M data generated by the Internet of Things. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Don DeLoach, CEO and President of Infobright, will discuss the infrastructures businesses will need to implement to handle this explosion of data by providing specific use cases for filte...
Feb. 12, 2016 01:00 PM EST Reads: 230


text:
The Realme X50 Pro 5G will come with some top-of-the-line specifications, including a 90Hz display and a Snapdragon 865 processor.
Updated : April 27, 2020, 3:50 pm
Motorola will announce its next-generation flagship phones on April 22 in the US. The Edge series flagships could be launching at this event.
Updated : April 14, 2020, 12:37 pm
The Nokia 3.2 Android 10 update is available in India now and you can download, install it right away.
Updated : April 8, 2020, 11:14 am
Honor 9X Pro will become the company's first HMS based smartphone with 7nm Kirin 810 Chipset.
Updated : February 19, 2020, 9:50 am
Wondering what is going to happen to smartphone launches that were supposed to take place at the MWC 2020? This could help.
Updated : February 17, 2020, 3:29 pm
Oppo Find X2 has been rumoured to come with a 2K OLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 65W Super VOOC fast charging but no under-display camera.
Updated : February 7, 2020, 12:33 pm
Hotstar will be rebranded to Disney+ Hotstar on March 29 as the Disney+ content will arrive in India.
Updated : February 6, 2020, 11:24 am
One of the key technologies on focus at MWC 2020 is going to be 5G, which is expected to be a major attraction at the upcoming MWC 2020.
Updated : February 5, 2020, 4:08 pm
MWC 2020 will begin later this month but there might be a lacklustre this time due to the critical situation amid the Coronavirus outbreak.
Updated : February 5, 2020, 2:09 pm
OnePlus led with 33 per cent market share in 2019 while Samsung and Apple occupied the second and third position with 26 per cent and 25 per cent market share respectively.
Updated : February 4, 2020, 5:29 pm
The reports of Realme venturing into the television market started doing the rounds after CMO Francis Wang hinted about unveiling a smart TV at the Mobile World Congress 2020 on Twitter
Updated : February 4, 2020, 2:07 pm
The Motorola G8 Stylus leak suggests it will be a jacked-up variant of the exiting Motorola G8 Plus. The phone will come with a stylus on board.
Updated : February 3, 2020, 6:51 pm
The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro may be launching in India within a few months as Amazon shows hints of the next-gen OnePlus phones.
Updated : February 3, 2020, 4:59 pm
Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durav in an official blog has called out WhatsApp for misleading its customers in the name of end-to-end encryption
Updated : February 3, 2020, 12:21 pm
Motorola is going all in this year with a new stylus-equipped model in the G series phones. The Moto Z5 is also expected to make a comeback this year.
Updated : January 30, 2020, 7:18 pm


text:
Bangladesh American Society of Muslim Aid for Humanity, USA, has distributed essential food items and health equipment for free among the poor people in 53 areas of Bangladesh with the help of BASMAH Foundation Bangladesh.
The food package contains rice, pulse, soybean oil, potato, onion, sugar, flour, salt, soap, and many other daily usable products, said a press release.
Besides, PPE, mask, hand sanitizer, gloves, soap, headcover, and goggles were given to the government and non-government organizations to protect employees from coronavirus.
Distribution of health equipment to front line workers, such as police forces and doctors, is also in the process of implementation.
BASMAH founder and CEO Meer Sakhawat Hossain said that more than 15 projects have been successfully implemented in the Rohingya camps by the organization. BASMAH has also distributed food items and health equipment among distressed people in the USA.


text:
Simple Mobile Finishes 2022 Atop Wave7 Research Prepaid Dealer Quarterly Survey
Wave7 Research's 4th quarter 2022 independent multi-carrier prepaid dealer survey results are in. And for the 32nd straight time, for as long as Wave7 Research has run the survey, Simple Mobile has come out on top. The Verizon-owned brand was sold in 25 out of 30 dealer stores surveyed. It was the top-selling brand in 12 of the stores, the lowest total in the last eight surveys. In the Wave7 Research 3Q22 prepaid dealer survey, Simple Mobile was the top-selling brand in 16 locations down from 19 in the 2Q22 survey.
For the first time ever, PagePlus, Net10, and GoSmart were not found in any dealer stores surveyed. As previously noted by NWIDA, and Fierce Wireless, the brands were scheduled to be pulled from dealer stores on 11/1/22. Dealers can no longer activate the brands but can continue refilling airtime for existing customers. Potential customers of each brand can still activate new service online.
4Q22 Prepaid Dealer Survey Results
Note: The "number of dealers" column indicates the number of dealers out of 30 selling the brand. The "1st place" column denotes the number of dealers reporting the brand as their top seller, while "2nd place" etc., means the number of dealers reporting that as their second best-selling brand.
Top Selling Prepaid Brands In 4Q22 Wave7 Research Survey Of 30 Independent Dealers
Click here to view chart: https://bestmvno.com/featured/simple-mobile-finishes-2022-atop-wave7/
Aside from Simple Mobile, Wave7 Research once again named AT&T Prepaid as one of its survey winners. AT&T Prepaid was a top seller in four of the stores surveyed compared to being a top seller in zero stores in the 3Q22 survey. AT&T finished number two overall in the number of stores carrying the brand, a spot that it has maintained since Wave7 Research's 2Q22 survey.
Wave7 Research Quarterly Prepaid Brand Momentum Award
Wave7 Research gave Gen Mobile its momentum award in the quarterly survey and named Lycamobile an honorable mention.
In previous surveys, Gen Mobile was typically mentioned by at best one dealer. But the brand started surging in the 3Q22 dealer survey where it was mentioned as being carried by 9 of the 30 dealers surveyed. That number is unchanged in the 4Q survey, however, Gen Mobile was named a top two or three seller by five of the dealers activating the brand. In the 3Q22 survey, just three dealers had it as a top three-selling brand.
Lycamobile meanwhile has seen a bit of a rejuvenation. The brand was sold in ten of the stores surveyed, up from six stores in the previous survey. One dealer even named the brand as its top seller, whereas no dealers had it as a top seller in the 3Q22 survey. Wave7 Research is unclear on what is driving the brand's growth. The firm said one possibility may be due to several Tracfone brands leaving the channel and dealers looking for alternatives to replace them. Supporting that idea is a recent Facebook post by a Lycamobile master agent encouraging prepaid wireless dealers to "discover new alternatives to earn more," and to "become a Lycamobile authorized retailer today." Lycamobile USA meanwhile is looking to hire marketing and branding reps to help grow the brand as seen in this Facebook post.
Lycamobile did run a lot of aggressive promos during the quarter that could have also helped to drive growth, but it's unknown if any were available in stores or if they were just online only.
Wave7 Research named Net10, PagePlus, and GoSmart Mobile as its survey losers. Obvious choices given that dealers can no longer activate the brands for new customers. Net10 did have a fairly strong presence in the Wave7 Research 3Q22 survey. It was sold by 14 of 30 dealers surveyed, while GoSmart was found in six stores, and PagePlus in five. Also missing from the survey were Total Wireless (now Total by Verizon) and Tracfone. Each brand was carried by a single dealer in the 3Q22 survey, while in the 2Q22 survey Tracfone was sold by three dealers and Total by five.
Joe is the founder of BestMVNO.com. He started BestMVNO in 2013, because like many of you, he was unhappy with the high price he was paying his wireless provider for cell phone service. After researching how to cut costs on his phone bill, he came across the terms MVNO and prepaid wireless, and learned there was a way he could keep using his favorite network without having to pay a premium price for it. Since then, through BestMVNO.com, Joe has been sharing his research about MVNOs and prepaid wireless so that others can learn how to save money on their own phone bills. Joe's current provider is T-Mobile Prepaid.


text:
The ‘Company Car & Van’ award winners for 2021 have been announced, with the organisers describing the awards as a reflection of the changing nature of the SME fleet sector, as the demand for EVs and PHEVs grows in the commercial vehicle sector.
The Small Van of the Year 2021 was awarded to the Citroen Berlingo Van; Peugeot Partner; Toyota Proace City; and the Opel/Vauxhall Combo Cargo.
Medium Van of the Year 2021 was split between the Citroen Dispatch; Peugeot Expert; Toyota Proace; and Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro.
Elsewhere, the Fiat Professional Ducato was Large Van of the Year 2021, the Maxus e-Deliver3 won Small EV Van of the Year 2021, Medium EV Van of the Year 2021 was awarded to the LEVC VN5 and the Fiat Professional eDucato claimed Large EV Car of the Year 2021.
Meanwhile, Pick-Up of the Year 2021 was awarded to the Nissan Navara.


text:
Tin Antimonide (SnSb) CAS 28980-49-6 Powder Semiconductor Materials
Australian alumina ban disrupts Rusal production -- Australia's ban on exports of alumina and aluminium ore to Russia, including bauxite, will further disrupt supply chains and production at leading aluminium producer Rusal, consultancy Wood Mackenzie said on Monday.
The Australian government announced the ban on Sunday as part of its ongoing sanctions against Moscow for its aggression in Ukraine, saying Russia relies on it to meet one-fifth of its alumina needs. WoodMac senior manager Uday Patel said in a statement that the ban would make it difficult for Rusal to maintain normal primary aluminum production.
Rusal said it was assessing the impact of Australia's move and would make further announcements if necessary. "It is increasingly likely that UC Rusal's only option for alumina procurement will be through a Chinese entity." The Australian alumina ban has also had an impact on Tin Antimonide Powder prices for chemicals. Patel said. "One possible outcome could be Chinese buyers buying alumina and reselling it through eastern Russian ports." Rusal has a 20% stake in the Queensland Alumina Refinery, which has a capacity of 3.95 million tonnes a year, thus providing Rusal with 790,000 tonnes a year, Patel said. In addition, Rusal's Nikolaev refinery in Ukraine, which has an annual capacity of 1.75 million tonnes, has been suspended due to the conflict, he added. WoodMac said Rusal was also experiencing supply chain problems at its 2 million tonne a year Aughinish refinery in Ireland.
About tin antimonide:
Tin Antimonide is generally immediately available in most volumes and forms including wafers, powder, and sputtering targets. Antimonide compounds (or stibnides) contain the element Antimony. The chemical formula ofTin Antimonide is SnSb, their unique lattice structures are being utilized in the most cutting-edge semiconductor materials by scientists and technology researchers.
Trunnano specializes in produce various specifications high purity Inorganic chemical powders, Evaporation materials, Sputtering targets. Including all kinds of metal materials, ceramic materials, crystal materials. The products are applied to various fields by various methods: Scientific research, aerospace, automotive, microelectronics, integrated circuit industry, light source, optics, decoration, flat panel display industry, information storage industry, data storage and so on.
Specifications and properties of Tin Antimonide:
Storage Condition of Tin Antimonide:
Damp reunion will affect SnSb powder dispersion performance and using effects, therefore,Tin Antimonide Powder should be sealed in vacuum packing and stored in cool and dry room, the Tin Antimonide Powder can not be exposure to air. In addition, the SnSb powder should be avoided under stress.
Packing & Shipping of Tin Antimonide:
We have many different kinds of packing which depends on the Tin Antimonide Powder quantity.
Tin Antimonide Powder packing:vacuum packing, 100g, 500g or 1kg/bag, 25kg/barrel, or as your request.
Tin Antimonide Powder shipping:could be shipped out by sea , by air, by express as soon as possible once payment receipt.
Tin Antimonide is generally immediately available in most volumes and forms including wafers, chemical formula SnSb, submicron and nanopowder forms may be considered for industrial and application purpose. The appearance of Tin Antimonide is solid. It mainly applied in the semiconductor materials.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected economies and chemical companies in many countries around the world. Measures such as extending holidays and resuming work were taken to control the development of the epidemic, and the normal operation of some chemical enterprises was also affected to some extent.
We provides high quality Tin Antimonide Powder with reasonable price. “In order to feedback to old customers, the company is still in full operations to provide Tin Antimonide Powder with competitive price.” said Olina, the sales manager.
Chemical production is highly dependent on transportation, and the epidemic affects the circulation of people and materials first. Predictably, none of this is rosy. In densely populated areas with large mobility, the situation of epidemic prevention and control becomes more severe in the later stage. If you are looking for the Tin Antimonide Powder, feel free to contact us.


text:
Columbia/Okura LLC marked the milestone of shipping its 1,000th robotic palletizer. It has designed and commissioned many palletizing systems, handling a massive range of products across dozens of industries worldwide. From bag palletizing systems in abusive and harsh environments to high-speed, multi-robot, multi-picking case applications, Columbia/Okura has handled almost any type of product packaging in virtually any application.
To celebrate the occasion and thank employees for their hard work, Columbia/Okura supplied lunch from Smokin' Oak, a local barbeque restaurant in Vancouver, WA. Over the past 26 years, its team has gathered for every one-hundred robot sold milestone, celebrating with lunch and a team photo with the robot. However, due to COVID-19, in-person celebrations have been canceled for the last milestones—900th systems sold—making this in-person celebration of 1,000 robots even better.
The 1,000th system will be sent to our customer in North Carolina, Cherry Farms Seed Co., with a unique crest on the arm to denote it is its 1,000th robot. The system includes the Ai1800 robot, sheet presenter, pallet dispenser, bag end-effector, bag infeed, station conveyor, and a gravity pickup conveyor. Its customers will also receive a framed copy of its staff photo with the system to commemorate the occasion.
Source: Columbia/Okura LLC


text:
- 2 min read
Coindcx Go App, CoinSwitch Kuber top 2 advertisers on TV during Jul-Nov'21: Report
Both the brands occupied 54 per cent and 42 per cent share of ad volumes respectively...
TAM Media recently released its Ad Ex report which elaborated about the advertising trends in the cryptocurrency industry from July to November 2021.
On the TV medium, cryptocurrency related advertising was 51 per cent in the month of October'21, which is its maximum. Top most advertisers had half of the advertising share of category ad volumes during July-November’21.
Coindcx Go App and CoinSwitch Kuber were the top two brands during July-November’21 with 54 per cent and 42 per cent share of ad volumes respectively.
Sports genre alone had more than 75 per cent share of the category’s ad volumes followed by infotainment in second position. Movies stood last at two per cent.
Cricket was the most preferred program genre to promote cryptocurrency on television with 71 per cent share, followed by nature and wildlife with five per cent share.
In Print medium, ad space of cryptocurrency category saw an exponential growth during July-November’21 with 0.02 per cent in July to 60 per cent in November.
Zeb It Service (48 per cent) and Bitcipher Labs (39 per cent) were the top two advertisers of the cryptocurrency category that contributed more than 85 per cent ad space share in July-November’21.
During July-November’21, English language dailies were preferred most by cryptocurrency category with 46 per cent share of ad space followed by Hindi dailies with 16 per cent share. Sales promotion had 47 per cent share of cryptocurrency’s ad space during July-November’21.
On radio, in July-November'21, cryptocurrency related advertising was at peak during November with more than 90 per cent of the category share.
Among the advertisers, Tictok Skill Games topped with 31 per cent of the ad volumes’ share in January-August’21. Winzo Games was the top brand with 31 per cent share of ad volumes followed by Rummycircle.Com with 28 per cent share.
Maharashtra and Gujarat hold top two positions for maximum category ad volume share during July- November’21 on radio. i.e. 22 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
On digital medium, category ad insertions was 33 per cent in October’21, which was the highest.
Coinswitch Kuber was the top brand with 47 per cent share of ad insertions during July-November’21. Top five brands had more than 90 per cent share of ad insertions.
During July-November’21, display advertisements had 81 per cent share of ad insertions for cryptocurrency category on digital.


text:
On Point - Engen is SA’s Coolest Petrol Station
Young South Africans have again hailed Engen as the “Coolest Petrol Station” in the Sunday Times Generation Next awards, reaffirming the company’s petroleum brand leadership in the eyes of the nation’s youth for the 11th consecutive year.
Seelan Naidoo, Engen General Manager: Retail says the results of the Sunday Times Generation Next validates Engen’s customer centric strategy, investments and marketing focus.
“We are honoured to once again receive this award and want to thank our young customers for naming us the ‘Coolest Petrol Station’. While this signifies that we are staying current in today’s market, we remain ever humbled by the award and the esteem our young customers hold us in.”
While Engen continues to have the largest service station footprint in South Africa, the company’s constant innovation and customer service focus places it ahead of the pack in brand recognition and loyalty across all audiences.
“Our many fast food restaurant partnerships and delicious offerings such as Krispy Kreme are firm winners with our young customers, many of whom are future motorists,” adds Naidoo.
“Furthermore, the launch of our ground-breaking Engen 1app in June, which conveniently offers motorists a contactless way to pay, has also been very well received as it provides a safer customer service experience, as there is no touching of devices, cards or cash required.”
For Engen, staying relevant and placing the customer at the very heart of the business is an over-arching priority, which means the company continues to focus on consistently reinvigorating the brand and investing much effort into remaining an attractive stop-over for youth.
“As a brand, it is important for Engen to move into exciting, innovative spaces where we can engage our valued customers and interact with them.”
Looking ahead, Engen will continue to focus on the rollout of signature convenience offerings across its network, including fast food and restaurant partnerships, Wi-Fi, alternate payment partnerships and a range of other exciting innovations.
The Sunday Times Generation Next is the leading annual youth brand preference and consumer behaviour survey. It tracks consumer behaviour and preferences of South Africans aged 8 to 23 – a highly influential segment of the market.


text:
DETROIT, MI- Outlooks regarding the U.S. automotive industry's “turbo revolution” continue to gain traction.
Honeywell Turbo Technologies, a leading global developer of automotive turbochargers, this week said it expects sales of turbocharged commercial and passenger vehicles in North America to increase by 67 percent during the next five years – adding 2.6 million more turbocharged vehicles on the road.
A turbocharger allows smaller engines, such as a four-cylinder, to produce power equivalent to a larger engine. Turbochargers pump extra air into the engine to deliver more power. The advantage of compressing the air is that it lets the engine squeeze more air into a cylinder, and more air means that more fuel can be added.
“There’s no compromise,” Steve McKinley, vice president engineering - Americas at Honeywell Turbo Technologies, told MLive during a phone interview Friday afternoon. “They’re (consumers) getting all the performance they expect and deserve and they’re getting the fuel economy on top of it.”
A substantial amount of that growth, McKinley said, will be driven in the U.S. by the government’s 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which call for every automaker’s new vehicles to achieve an average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon.
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility because the standards are driving it and as we learn how to do this technology, and do it well -- again, the consumers have no compromise, they’re going to be happy with it as well and they’re going to save on the out-of-pocket costs. By the time the government’s fuel economy standards take effect, some organizations expect turbochargers to be as popular in America as they are in Europe, where about 70-80 percent of all vehicles are turbocharged. McKinley said that’s possibly not too farfetched.
Turbocharged engines have been criticized by some third parties, including Consumer Reports, for not being worth the amount of money a turbocharged engine costs -- typically a premium of $1,000 or more. But McKinley said his company is continuing to make advancements in turbocharger technologies and as demand grows, the cost will decline.
“We’re finding pretty good ways to take some of the content (and mass) out,” he said. “The more effective we can be at lowering the cost, the more attractive it is to the automakers and even the end-consumers.”
McKinley said the Turbo Technologies division continues to work with Honeywell’s aerospace division to make the turbochargers and other technologies more efficient.
Honeywell Turbo Technologies, which launches 100 new turbo applications globally on average, works with nearly every major automaker and truck manufacturer in the world and consistently more than 500 programs in its product development pipeline.
Honeywell’s turbo technologies are expected to be part of more than 60 models in the U.S. in 2014 reflecting nearly 20 different brands, according to Honeywell Transportation Systems President and CEO Terrence Hahn.
“We see the U.S. market growing this year by approximately 22 percent from last year reflecting the addition of some 700,000 new turbocharged vehicles in 2013,” he said in a statement.
Expected to help that U.S. growth are new twin-turbocharged and diesel engines debuting in the U.S. Not to mention, sales of Ford Motor Co.’s EcoBoost engines continuing to grow.
EcoBoost technology combines smaller overall size with turbocharging, direct injection and variable valve timing to bring customers outstanding performance and fuel economy. EcoBoost engines deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy than larger-displacement gasoline engines, according to Ford.
On a global basis, Honeywell expects turbo penetration to grow from 30 percent in 2012 to 38 percent by 2018.


text:
Systemiq Capitala backer of climate tech startups, says it has secured $70 million to launch its second fund.
London-based VC is aiming to raise a whopping $130 million more; that would be a big step forward for the company, which says it has funneled $30 million into 19 startups since 2018.
As for using that money, Systemiq says it’s intended to fund founders focused on “making major industries and cities more efficient and sustainable.” In practice, it will fund key areas such as regenerative land use, oceans, transport and the circular economy.
Systemiq’s past deals include climate data company Jupiter, shipping data company Nautilus Labs (whose co-founder later launched Bedrock) and ESG-focused investment startup OpenInvest. Last year, OpenInvest sold to JP Morganthe the world’s largest financier of fossil fuels.
Systemiq was co-founded by McKinsey veterans Jeremy Oppenheim and Martin Stuchtey. The consultancy giant, which is estimated to bring in $10 billion a year in revenue, also has a long history of working with many of the world’s biggest polluters.
Systemiq partner and former Goldman director Irena Spazzapan will drive the second fund, along with Oppenheim and former Unilever CEO Paul Polman, the company said.


text:
Outdated Browser Detected
Our website has detected you are using an outdated browser that will prevent you from accessing certain features. An update is not required, but it is strongly recommended to improve your browsing experience.
Use the links below to upgrade to a modern browser.
At last week’s national council meeting in Harrogate, NFRN trading director Russ Simper called for a review of “outdated” retailer required delivery times (RTDs).
The majority of RDTs have been in place since 1999, when they were established at an all industry meeting. Retailers responded to a request from their news wholesaler for their preferred morning slot. If the time was agreed, it became an RDT. If there was a disagreement, or the wholesaler for their preferred morning slot. If the time was agreed, it became an RDT. If there was a disagreement, or the wholesaler was unable to fulfil the request, it became a scheduled delivery time (STD).
Neville Rhodes states in his column in this weeks RN that one in 10 retailers don’t have an RTD and make do with the best their wholesaler can offer.
There has been a lot of water under the bridge since 1999. The wholesale map has changed significantly with the closure of Dawsons and branch rationalisation. But as an industry, RDTs have never been revisited.
Changes have been made on a store-by-store basis as a result of retailer complaints. But a store getting a slightly earlier slot, means another getting their papers a few minutes later. There has also been huge turnover in store ownership, and the RDT that suited the original retailer may not be best for the new owner.
On-time deliveries are vital, and late deliveries are one of the most common causes of retailer complaint. Ensuring publishers meet their scheduled arrival time (SAT) at wholesale also needs to be addressed.
I agree that now is the time to thoroughly examine the service provided by wholesalers and publishers and , where necessary, start the process from scratch.


text:
After the old Woolworth building in downtown Riverhead closed in 1997, lots of people had lots of ideas for what to do with it. Among the suggestions: a multiplex, part of a hotel complex, mini-shops, or a big indoor farmers market.
Nothing worked out.
Now the town has approved a special-use permit that will allow the site's newest owner to turn much of the 25,000-square-foot building into a gym, with the space on Main Street set aside for retail use.
It's one of the final big pieces left in the town's decade-long efforts to revitalize its downtown business district.
"The restoration of the old Woolworth building brings the same excitement to downtown Riverhead as your favorite team hitting an early spring grand slam," Supervisor Sean Walter said.
Walter was not at the town board meeting Tuesday when it voted, 4-0, to approve the special-use permit, which had been requested by Woolworth Revitalization LLC to build an indoor recreation facility at 130 East Main St., a few doors down from the recently renovated 600-seat Suffolk Theater.
While new stores and restaurants have opened in renovated Main Street buildings over the past two years, encouraged by new residential construction and plans for additional condominiums on West Main Street, the town also has several older buildings still mostly vacant.
Town planning director Rick Hanley said Tuesday that the downtown revitalization cannot be considered complete until the area's vacancy rate drops to around 10 percent.
The town board also approved several resolutions Tuesday dealing with new construction on Main Street and the still-growing commercial strip along County Route 58 a few miles to the north. All votes were 4-0.
It set a public hearing for May 7 on a proposal for a 1,025-square-foot retail addition to a 1,635-square-foot existing retail store and service station next to the Atlantis aquarium on East Main Street.
It approved a land-clearing permit for the Costco being built on Route 58 by Heritage-Riverhead Retail Developers.
It voted to solicit proposals for engineering and design services for preliminary plans to convert the now-closed state armory on Route 58 into a new town police headquarters and justice court building.


text:
A century ago, China had a much larger fish population than it does today.
But the nation’s growth was rapid, fueled by the massive construction of highways, factories, roads and ports.
But with the country’s population growing at a staggering rate, the country has now overtaken the United States as the world in terms of fish consumption.
And now, the fish population is expected to reach 790 million by 2025.
The China government recently released its National Fishery Management Plan, a blueprint for the nation to keep up with growing demand for fish.
The plan calls for expanding production of fish at home and importing fish from overseas, which are typically caught in far-flung waters off the coasts of Japan, Korea and other countries.
But some experts believe that China could not meet its fish demand if it continued to import seafood.
A lot of the imports are from South Korea and Vietnam, according to The China Daily, a newspaper in Beijing.
“We’re importing fish that we’re not growing and it’s not a sustainable way to keep growing,” said David Molnar, an expert on fish economics at Cornell University.
According to the Chinese government, the government has managed to keep fish populations at around 8 million per year in the past.
The problem is, fish farmers are struggling to maintain the supply and are not able to produce enough fish to satisfy demand.
China’s fish farmers have struggled to keep their fish farms going as they struggle to meet demand.
China’s Fisheries Ministry recently announced that the country is importing a whopping 40 percent of its fish consumption, up from 8 percent in 2015.
China is the world leader in the use of antibiotics, but its farmers are also struggling to meet the growing demand.
Last year, the Chinese Food and Drug Administration warned farmers that there was “a high risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria becoming a serious threat to human health and welfare.”
According to a study published by the World Health Organization, antibiotics are now the most commonly used antibiotics in the world, and it has been estimated that around 3.5 billion people worldwide suffer from antibiotic-resistance.
The rise of China’s fish production has made it difficult for the Chinese economy to meet its growing demand, and its exports are also a major issue.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, China’s imports of fish have more than doubled since 2013, while exports of fish dropped by half.
China has been exporting more than 4 million metric tons of fish annually since 2013 to the United Kingdom, according the Bureau of Industry and Security.
But while the U


text:
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a pretty impressive real-time strategy game that we're big fans of, and despite only being available on Steam for a few weeks it's now half price until July 22. Considering this is a $39.99 value game that can now be yours for just $19.99, it's well worth pulling the trigger.
The iOS version of the highly rated XCOM: Enemy Unknown is set to hit the App Store this week on June 20. The turn-based, tactical RPG, alien-blasting extravaganza won't be coming cheap though; it's set to cost a whopping $19.99/£13.99. But, there won't be any in-app purchases, and it'll be an almost identical port of the console and Mac version of the game.


text:
Apple expected to release tablet on 27 January
Tuesday 19 January 2010
Apple will host a special event on 27 January where it is widely expected to unveil its tablet computer, as the company looks to extend its hot hand into a brand new product category.
The event next week is shaping up as Apple's most eagerly anticipated product launch since the iPhone three years ago.
The company has never acknowledged the existence of the tablet, but rumours and speculation have been building for months.
Although few details about the tablet are known for certain, the device is said to resemble a large version of the iPhone, with a roughly 10-inch touchscreen.
Analysts say such a device would try to bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops, allowing users to stream video, surf the Web and play games while on the go.
Cost estimates on the tablet - which analysts expect to begin shipping in March or April - run upwards of $1,000 (£610).
Tablet computers have never managed to catch on with consumers, and industry watchers say Apple will have to offer a compelling reason to buy such a device.
If consumers do gravitate to the tablet, it could also propel Apple into the digital book market popularized by Amazon.com's Kindle e-reader, analysts say.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that HarperCollins Publishers, a unit of News Corp, is negotiating with Apple to make electronic books available for the tablet device, citing people familiar with the situation.
HarperCollins is expected to set the prices of the e-books, with Apple taking a percentage of the sales, the Journal reported on its website. Other publishers have also met with Apple, the paper said.
A HarperCollins spokeswoman did not immediately return a call and email seeking comment on the Journal report. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
The tablet category is certainly seeing plenty of interest from Apple's competitors of late.
The Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas earlier this month was practically bursting with tablets - or "slates" as some were called - many of them prototypes, from companies like Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Lenovo Group Ltd.
Analysts said Apple's rivals were trying to steal some of its thunder ahead of the tablet launch.
Although there is plenty of skepticism about the tablet category as a whole, Wall Street has been fairly upbeat on the prospects for Apple's device, and shares have run up in recent weeks as new information about the device cropped up in various media reports.
Apple's shares closed at $205.93 (£125) on Friday, roughly $10 below its all-time high. Markets in the United States were closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr holiday.
Oppenheimer analyst Yair Reiner has estimated the Apple tablet could boost its earnings per share by 25 cents to 38 cents per quarter. His estimate assumed sales of 1 million to 1.5 million units per quarter at an average price of $1,000 (£610).
Suppliers for Apple's new tablet computer have begun shipping touchscreen panels and will start delivering aluminum casings for it in February, sources told Reuters earlier this month, implying a second-quarter product launch.
Next week is shaping up as a big one for Cupertino, California-based Apple. The company is set to release its quarterly results on 25 January.
Apple sent an email invitation to reporters on Monday for the 27 January media event, which will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco.
The invitation did not give any details. It said only, "Come see our latest creation."
Apple spokesman Steve Dowling declined to provide any comment beyond the invitation.
Apple is famous for its splashy media extravanganzas, where Chief Executive Steve Jobs takes to the stage to show off the company's latest consumer device.
The Yerba Buena Center theater is the same one the company used last September to show off new iPods, where Jobs made his first public appearance after his medical leave.
Life & Style blogs
Ebola outbreak: Why has a disease that's only ever killed 2,000 people captivated the darkest side of our imagination?
Ebola virus: UK health officials issue warning to doctors as experts admit the outbreak 'is not under control'
Topless sunbathing is no longer 'du jour' in France
Watch: Vogue Italia's plus-size models in fetish-inspired lingerie shoot
Ebola: UK is ready to deal with outbreak, says Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond
The secret report that helps Israel hide facts
Land for gas: Merkel and Putin discussed secret deal could end Ukraine crisis
Woman and two children killed by mob in riots over 'blasphemous' Facebook post in Pakistan
A day in the life of Vladimir Putin: The dictator in his labyrinth
Putin is 'thuggish, dishonest and reckless', says British ambassador to US
Richard Dawkins tweets: 'Date rape is bad, stranger rape is worse'
- 1 Sabina Altynbekova, the girl branded 'too good looking' for volleyball, says social media obsession with her is a 'bit much'
- 2 Disney heiress Abigail disowns her share of family profits in West Bank company
- 3 Israel's propaganda machine is finally starting to misfire
- 4 Zayn Malik on Israel-Gaza: One Direction singer bombarded with Twitter death threats after posting #FreePalestine
- 5 'Hello mum, this is going to be hard for you to read ...'
- < Previous
- Next >
iJobs Gadgets & Tech
£55000 - £65000 per annum + Benefits: Progressive Recruitment: SAP FICO SOLUTI...
£30000 per annum: Ashdown Group: A highly reputable software house is looking ...
£60000 - £70000 per annum + Benefits: Progressive Recruitment: SAP PROJECT MAN...
£50000 per annum + benefits: Progressive Recruitment: A unique and rare opport...


text:
Competition of dairy supply chains intensifies in Northern Europe
MTT Agrifood Research in Finland has completed a competitiveness analysis of dairy supply chains in the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea.
In addition to Finland, the cross-country comparison included Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland and the three Baltic states. The study reveals that competitive positions are likely to change rapidly in the future.
The originality of MTT’s study stems from its focus on the entire supply chain. The competitive development and positions of the dairy chains in eight countries were analysed via five groups of factors, namely economic performance, productivity, foreign trade performance, growth and innovation, which are either direct indicators or determinants of competitiveness.
The researchers say all the links in the chain should be strong in order to shape a competitive sector.
“Otherwise, the stronger elements of the chain tend to seek commercial alliances with companies in neighbouring countries, which may give rise to tensions within the dairy supply chain in the country.”
They say this can be illustrated with reference to the Baltic countries.
“Lithuanian dairy processing forms the strongest link of the national dairy supply chain, which currently imports almost a quarter of its raw milk from neighbouring countries. By contrast, in Estonia large corporate farms enjoy a much stronger position than national dairy processors and, as a result, often decide to export their raw milk. In the past few years a quarter of the milk produced in Estonia and a third of that produced in Latvia has been exported to Lithuania for processing.”
Across the Baltic Sea region, the most influential player of dairy supply chains remains the retail sector. The researchers note following the recession in 2009, consumers’ purchasing power has contracted and the popularity of discount retailers has consequently risen.
“The stronger retailers have responded to the increased price sensitivity of consumers by developing their offerings of private label products in the cheese and yoghurt groups as well as by giving a new impetus to their strategy to conquer shares of the market for fluid milk.”
The research also found that total factor productivity (TFP) of milk farms has grown at similar speeds in Finland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden between 1995 and 2010.
“The productivity advantage of the leaders has not shrunk significantly in the past 15 years. Structural differences across countries account for the bulk of productivity differences.”
Although production moves to larger farms in all countries, the speed of this development varies, the research found.
“The average milk farm has 31 dairy cows in Finland, as compared to 75 in Sweden and 164 in Denmark. The Danish lead seems insurmountable, but in fact, their fast structural development has been achieved through heavy investment. The resulting burden of debt makes Danish milk producers vulnerable to market fluctuations.”
Among the four most recent EU members, TFP growth has been fastest in Estonia, as the relative importance of very small farms in the other three countries has hindered structural development,” it added.
“In dairy processing, the newer EU members are quickly closing their productivity gap with the leading countries of the comparison. Since the turn of the century, annual TFP growth has taken place at the average rate of 3.7 per cent in Poland and 2.4 per cent in Lithuania, or much faster than in Finland where the corresponding rate is only 0.7 per cent. At the same time, TFP in German and Swedish dairy processing slightly declined. The more successful countries of the comparison group have managed to expand their sales both domestically and on export markets.”
Differences in performance between older and newer EU members suggest that the size of operation is a significant factor in the adoption of new technologies and efficient production methods. The researchers explain: “When the dairy industry is based on the operation of a few large firms, those have usually managed to catch up with the foreign leaders in the industry through deliberate investments, R&D efforts and marketing and sales operations. At the same time, development in dairy farming of Poland, Latvia and Lithuania requires intensification and concentration of thousands of currently very small farms.”
The dairy sector accounts for a significant share of the food sector throughout the Baltic Sea region. The countries of the region have performed well on export markets and have consequently achieved positive balance of trade in dairy products, with the exception of Sweden, the study found.
“World demand for dairy products is predicted to grow faster than supply, as consumption expands steadily in emerging countries. The EU seeks to get its share of that growth, which will affect markets in, for example, China, Russia, the Arab world, and Africa.
The removal of milk quotas in a year will profoundly modify allocation of production volumes across EU countries, as the profound effects of the reform of the EU sugar policy, which took place a few years ago, may suggest. The countries in which production has been constrained by the quota system, such as Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Poland, are ready to increase their production of dairy products.”
The importance of raw milk availability for the competitiveness of national dairy chains will rise in the future, it said.
“With the expansion of milk production on farms, dairy industry can easily materialise opportunities to conquer new markets. It is clear that the removal of milk quotas within the EU will boost production and exports to world markets, but a swing in world prices may also result in overproduction within the EU’s common market.”
It said in periods of low world market prices, a large amount of ‘excess’ dairy products would flow into the internal EU market further exacerbating the positions of those dairies that predominantly act in their domestic market or within EU.
“In this context, competitiveness of the sector also requires that its position on the domestic market be preserved,” the research concluded.
The full report is available here.
Pictured: Housed dairy cows on silage. Photo O’Gorman Photography.