text:
Purplebricks, a real estate brokerage providing fixed-fee real estate services, is poised to expand its presence in the Canadian market despite some challenges it has faced with the concept in Australia and the United States.
Lukas Lhotsky, COO and general manager for Purplebricks Canada, says the company has a growing network of about 100 Realtors across Canada operating in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta. There are plans to enter the market in British Columbia in the future.
Purplebricks officially launched its operations in Canada in January. The company acquired the DuProprio/ComFree Network from Yellow Pages Digital & Media Solutions Limited in June of last year.
“We’re pretty excited about what’s happening. I think that we’ve been growing very significantly since January,” says Lhotsky. “We moved into a much bigger new space (of about 10,000 square feet) in Hamilton, Ont. We’re growing in all of the markets we’re in. So, it’s exciting to see.
“We’re still a small part of what real estate represents. I think we’re modest enough to know we’re never going to be all of real estate. There’s always going to be room for a variety of different models but we think there’s a lot of opportunity to continue to grow and to continue to offer the service that a lot of Canadians are asking for in the markets where we operate. Our goal is just to continue to be more present, more signs on the ground.”
Lhotsky describes Purplebricks as a duly registered real estate brokerage that helps people buy and sell their home for a single fixed fee, offering the same expertise consumers would expect from traditional real estate.
The fixed fee varies a little bit by market but is generally about $799 – the cost of the core listing fee. If consumers want help with showings and negotiations, they can purchase those add-ons for a fixed fee as well.
The people who work with Purplebricks are licenced Realtors, who list the properties on the Purplebricks online network.
“They all work for us. They’re all Purplebricks Realtors,” says Lhotsky.
“We’ve had a lot of success so far and we think we can continue to make inroads. A lot of people – especially once they use the service – they say afterwards, ‘How come I didn’t always do this? It works’. That’s what gets us excited and where we think there’s more opportunity.”
Part of the company’s recent marketing effort has been a television advertising campaign to spread the word about what it does.
“It’s being seen in a lot of places. We’ve got a pretty significant media buy that covers sporting events. We were in some of the NHL playoffs. We were in a variety of other TV shows. We did a lot of buying of daytime television as well as some of the top shows in almost all markets,” says Lhotsky.
“The main message is incredibly simple. There are different ways that you can sell your home and you can sell your home for a fixed fee and save on commission. That’s the core message we’re trying to get across. You don’t have to compromise on getting access to real estate expertise and getting a very high level of service and you can still get that without necessarily paying the full commission that you might in a traditional brokerage context.”
Does the Purplebricks concept appeal more in a buyers’ or sellers’ market? Lhotsky says it’s an interesting question and he really doesn’t know. But he said the company has seen that it has been quite vibrant in both types of markets.
“Because we’ve got an offer and negotiation service, people feel really comfortable using us in very hot markets. They know we’ve got a very dedicated team that does nothing else but offers and negotiations. An individual on that team will literally do hundreds of those in a year,” he says.
“They literally do more in one year than most Realtors will do in a lifetime. So, in a hot market like Ottawa is right now, we’ve done very, very well. And in challenging markets… there are people that see the value because they are value conscious. There’s a lot of really smart people out there that are doing their homework and when they start to add it up they start to realize, ‘Okay, what am I really compromising? I know the market’s difficult but I’m going to get the same visibility. I’m going to get access to the same Realtor’s level of service if not more. And I can use that money right now’.”
Purplebricks’ parent company is based in London, England. It first expanded to North America in September 2017, operating in Los Angeles.
Internationally, the company has faced some recent challenges. Its founder and chief executive Michael Bruce left the company. It also reported that it was pulling out of Australia and placing its U.S. business under review.
In early May, the company posted a report on its website that said this about the Canadian, Australian and American markets:
“The Group’s Canadian business continues to perform well and trading is in line with management’s expectations. The Board has a strong belief in the future opportunities in this market.
“During the two and a half years that Purplebricks has been operating in Australia, market conditions have become increasingly challenging. This, combined with some execution errors, has resulted in the business not delivering the progress the Board expected. The Board has therefore concluded that the prospective returns from Australia are not sufficient to justify continued investment. Accordingly, the Group has chosen to exit the Australian market and the business there has been put into an orderly run down with immediate effect, pending closure. The business remains committed to our current customers.
“Whilst good progress has been made in launching our brand across the U.S., the Board has materially cut investment in marketing and other overheads to reduce expenditure to sustainable levels and begun a strategic review. As part of this review, management proposes to examine the options for delivering the next phase of growth in a more effective and cost-efficient way including more closely considering the opportunities and risks associated with a materially scaled-back U.S. business. A further announcement on this strategic review will be made in due course.”


text:
March 20, 2007 International Export Symposium, Noon – 5 p.m. Get information on possible business opportunities in Canana, including the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Meet with Washington State trade representatives, and representatives of other rade services available in the Puget Sound region. Followed at 5:30 p.m. with a reception with Governor Gregoire and the Trader of the Year awards. For information, visit www.seattletradealliance.com
One Response to “2007 Trade Week International Export Symposium”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.

domain: news


text:
In order to adapt to a growing and changing Mexican market for entertainment technology Elation Professional is proud to announce the opening of a new distribution center facility near Mexico City.
“The opening of this new distribution facility is an important step in continuing to grow our brand presence in Mexico and we are excited about the improved distribution, sales and service benefits it will provide our customers,” commented Eric Loader, Sales Director at Elation Professional. “Mexico has always been an important market for Elation over the years and we look forward to the increased opportunities and even greater connection that this new facility will bring to our Mexican customers.”
The new facility, conveniently located near transportation services in the town of Lerma, just outside of Mexico City, will be headed by Abraham Levit. Managing Elation Professional’s sales rep network in Mexico is International Sales Manager John Lopez.
The new facility includes extensive warehousing and shipping areas with a quality control and service department with on-site technicians and an in-house sales department. It also includes a state-of-the-art showroom so that customers can experience real world lighting setups. The facility is located at AV Santa Ana 30, Parque Industrial Lerma, Lerma, Mexico 52000.
Also, Elation Professional’s website has received a thorough makeover and features a more intuitive and modern look with enhanced rich content and multi-language support. Visit the newly designed website at www.elationlighting.com
About Elation Professional
Elation Professional is one of the world’s leading lighting and visual solutions providers and is the global brand of Elation Lighting. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Los Angeles, with European sales, distribution and support based in The Netherlands, Elation designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of innovative yet affordable lighting and video products that are distributed through a global network of dealers and distributors. Made up of a spirited team of dedicated personnel, Elation is setting new efficiency and performance standards in Platinum lamp and LED technology and is acknowledged for a comprehensive commitment to Total Support. As a company in expansion with a presence in a growing variety of market segments, chances are you’ve experienced Elation lighting at a concert, special event, TV, theater, late night venue, House of Worship, theme park, cruise ship, exhibition, architectural space or elsewhere. For more information, please visit www.elationlighting.com


text:
NEW YORK (AP) -- Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday updated Best Buy Co.'s outlook to "Negative" from "Developing" and reaffirmed its investment-grade rating as the electronics retailer tries to turn around its business.
Best Buy has been working for some time on a plan to help it cope with increased competition from online retailers and discount stores. That plan includes closing stores, cutting costs and investing in training its employees. It also recently sold its stake in Best Buy Europe. As a result, the Richfield, Minn., company reported better-than-expected adjusted earnings and revenue last week for its fiscal first quarter.
Moody's had changed Best Buy's outlook to "Developing" from "Stable" in 2012 as the retailer's battle for market share got particularly fierce and a former chairman made a bid to take the company private. The rating agency said Tuesday that this latest change is based on increased clarity on its plans and its "solidifying" operating performance.
Senior Analyst Charlie O'Shea said Tuesday that Best Buy has shown that while its competitive position remains formidable, it faces challenges going forward with respect to maintaining this position as it completes its strategic transition.
The company's "Baa2" investment-grade senior unsecured rating was affirmed, based in part from the proceeds that will come from the sale of its stake in the European business.
Moody's noted that this liquidity should give Best Buy some flexibility as it executes its plan. The agency said it expects the company's profile will continue to improve over the next year to year and a half.
Best Buy's shares increased 46 cents to $26.49 in afternoon trading Tuesday amid a broader market gain.


text:
(Pocket-lint) - It's finally been confirmed that EA is dropping the name FIFA from its flagship football (or soccer) game series, which will be renamed EA Sports FC.
The change has been detailed in a lengthy piece from The New York Times, then confirmed by EA itself, but there are still plenty of questions to be answered about what player likenesses and clubs will be included in the game officially.
The key information for most fans is that it looks like the vast majority of clubs will likely still end up in FIFA officially, given the agreements it has in place with organisations like the Premier League in the UK and the Champions League.
After all, between individual leagues, UEFA and other footballing bodies, the picture on rights is incredibly complex. Whether this means a rival like Konami's sketchily-reborn eFootball (formerly PES) series will snap up a partnership with FIFA itself will remain to be seen.
The split between EA and FIFA after 20 years of partnership has been rumoured for months after reports that FIFA was demanding a doubling of its fees alongside ever more prominent branding, something that EA might have seen as diluting its own position.
However, it does mean that events like the FIFA World Cup will presumably not be in EA Sports FC games when they do happen, which EA will have accepted at this point.
FIFA 23 will therefore be the last named entry with FIFA branding, given that the ongoing deal still runs until after Qatar 2022, so once that game comes out we'll have to get ready for a new era.
PC Gaming now has a dedicated hub page!
PC Gaming Week in association with Nvidia GeForce RTX may have come to an end, but you can still find all of that great content as well as all future PC gaming news, reviews, features and more on our dedicated hub page.


text:
Tech executives from around the globe will be focused on a Luxembourg courtroom over the next week, as one of the world's most closely watched legal battles reaches its next step. Starting Apr. 24, Microsoft (MSFT) will square off against the European Commission (EC) in an appeal of the commission's tough 2004 antitrust ruling against the software giant, which included a record $612 million fine.
There's much more at stake than the future of Windows. The European antitrust case is also a crucial test for intellectual property rights -- and indeed, a potential turning point in the relationship between regulators and the tech business. With Microsoft's U.S. antitrust trial a distant memory, Europe has now become the key battleground.
If Microsoft succeeds at overturning the ruling, critics fear that its influence over the technology sector will be unchecked for the foreseeable future. But if the commission's decision stands, governments around the world may be emboldened to pursue similar legal actions that could affect not just Microsoft and the direction of Windows, but scores of other tech players.
PLAYING MONOPOLY? The EC found in March, 2004, that Microsoft abused its monopoly market position by bundling its Media Player software into the dominant Windows operating system. The inclusion, the commission said, effectively wiped out the market for rival options such as RealNetworks' (RNWK) RealPlayer and Apple Computer's (AAPL) QuickTime, forcing providers of digital music and video content to adopt Microsoft's digital media formats en masse.
To remedy the situation, the commission demanded that Microsoft offer a "naked" version of Windows with Media Player stripped out, to which computer makers and consumers could add their own alternative players. (Of course, they could already do that, and still can.)
The commission also found Microsoft guilty of withholding technical information that would allow third-party programs to work more closely with its network servers. The impact was measured, again, on the ability of customers and third-party developers to take full advantage of non-Windows options, such as Linux, Unix, Apple, or Novell (NOVL) software. The commission ordered Microsoft to produce and publish software specifications that tell rival software makers how to connect their programs to Windows servers and desktop PCs.
SERVER SKIRMISH. In the intervening two years, the sides have squabbled over the implementation of the ruling. As ordered, Microsoft eventually released in Europe a version of Windows without Media Player -- but it's priced the same, and virtually nobody wants it. Sources estimate that sales may have numbered only in the thousands of units. The two sides have yet to agree over the server specifications. The commission says it's still not satisfied with Microsoft's compliance on the server front and has threatened to fine it up to $2.4 million per day, retroactive to last December until the software maker meets its demands.
Now, even as those issues remain unresolved, Microsoft's long-awaited appeal is getting under way. In an unusually long five-day hearing before a 13-judge "Grand Chamber" of the European Court of First Instance, Microsoft will ask the court to overturn the antitrust decision on the basis that the EC erred -- both in its factual analysis and its interpretation of European law. Lawyers for the commission and a handful of industry groups supporting its case will, naturally, defend both the facts and legal principles (see BW Online, 4/24/06, "A Window into Microsoft's Battle").
The potential impact goes much further than the outcome of this particular trial. To Microsoft, the European case is an attack on two bedrock principles it says it will never give up defending. "At issue is whether companies can improve their products by developing new features, and whether a successful company must hand over its valuable intellectual property to competitors," Microsoft noted in a prepared statement. The company has declined to discuss the case publicly.
FEATURE CONTROL. Privately, Microsoft officials say that the battle over Media Player is really about whether it is free to evolve Windows to meet changing market demands and customer expectations. If the EC can order Media Player stripped out, the company reasons, governments anywhere could start picking and choosing which features should be allowed in current and future versions of Windows.
That would not only be an engineering nightmare but also would undermine the consistency and predictability of Windows in the marketplace, Microsoft claims. The most immediate impact could be on the next version of the operating systems, called Vista, which is supposed to ship in early 2007. Microsoft plans to weave a host of new features into Vista, including Internet search, security, and closer ties to its Office suite of desktop software applications.
Indeed, in a separate move from the current antitrust case, an industry group called the European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), backed by such companies as IBM (IBM), Oracle (ORCL), Sun Microsystems (SUNW), and Red Hat (RHAT), has asked the EC to launch an investigation into whether Vista violates antitrust laws.
INNOVATION DILEMMA. Microsoft is even more passionate about the question of intellectual property protection. After all, even in a worst-case ruling over software bundling, it could still create basic and premium versions of Windows and use its distribution muscle to drive adoption of the premium version. But if being a monopoly results in its inventions being declared "essential facilities" for technology, and thus thrown open to the public, Microsoft says it would have less incentive to innovate.
That scenario doesn't trouble the company's opponents, who see in Microsoft's arguments a thinly veiled justification for continued market dominance. "We've seen this movie before," says Thomas Vinje, a partner in the Brussels office of law firm Clifford Chance, who will represent the anti-Microsoft industry groups ECIS and the Software & Information Industry Assn. before the court. "Look what happened to Netscape and RealNetworks," he says, referring to two companies that tried to carve out new software markets (for browsers and media players, respectively) only to see their businesses hammered when Microsoft bundled the features directly into Windows.
Vinje and others concede that the commission's 2004 decision against Microsoft was probably too little, too late. Consumers turned up their noses at the version of Windows XP without a media player, and Microsoft's share in the media player market is now greater than ever. Likewise, the drawn-out fight over the server protocols has stalled any big incursions Linux and other operating systems might make into Microsoft's territory.
COMPLEX ISSUES. Microsoft's opponents say that what really matters in Luxembourg is establishing legal principles that can guide future decisions. Former European Commissioner Mario Monti, who pushed the Microsoft suit when he was in office, could have settled it during days of frantic last-minute negotiations preceding the decision. But Monti was looking at a larger prize, which was to get a precedent on the books that would begin to address the complex intersection of technology and law. As economies become more knowledge-based, it will be increasingly important to have adequate legal structures in place to resolve intellectual property disputes and other such questions.
The Luxembourg judges won't rule for many months -- perhaps as long as a year and a half. And whatever they decide is subject to yet another appeal at the European Court of Justice, the highest judicial body in the 25-member-state European Union. This battle could drag on for years more. But whatever the outcome, lawyers, technology executives, investors, and consumers around the world will be watching what happens in Luxembourg.


text:
All these companies are logistics and material handling vendors and times are changing in logistics and fulfillment
Linda A. Thompson for Bloomberg: European lawmakers warn that the growing use of robots and artificial intelligence may cause job losses across the continent, threatening to result in plummeting tax revenues if current tax frameworks aren't revised to account for the rise of the robotic workforce. Practitioners told Bloomberg BNA that taxing robots as “electronic persons,” as the EU contemplates in a recent report, would hinder innovation and that other ways of taxing the value that robotics create should be explored. The recent European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs draft reportrecommends the European Commission adopt a resolution to require companies to report on “the extent and proportion of the contribution of robotics and AI to the economic results of a company for the purpose of taxation and social security contributions.” Its first paragraph references Frankenstein, and comes amid mounting concerns that the rise in automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace will fundamentally alter economies, destroy jobs and jeopardize social welfare programs such as social security. Cont'd...
In recent years, there have been many demands for equipment with high productivity to have a system that retains positioning information, even after the main power supply is turned off.
The Star: Chinese appliances giant Midea moved a step closer to fulfilling its ambition to acquire German industrial robotics firm Kuka with two weekend deals raising its stake to nearly a majority. Two of Kuka’s biggest German shareholders – technology company Voith and entrepreneur Friedhelm Loh – said they had decided to take up Midea’s offer of €115 (RM512) per share and sell their stakes. German news agency DPA reported that Voith had agreed to sell its stake of 25.1% for €1.2bil (RM5.34bil). And Loh told the business daily Handelsblatt he had decided to sell his stake of 10% for nearly €500mil (RM2.22bil). Combined with its existing holding of 13.5% in Kuka, the two purchases mean Midea now holds 48.5%, or not far from the outright majority, in the Augsburg-based robot builder. Cont'd.. .
Industrial robotics is changing the U.S. manufacturing industry portrait.
John DiPietro for NHVoice: Lately, Boston Dynamics has released a new video of its robot called Mini Spot. In the video, the robot is seen running around outside, planning around objects in a home and climbing up stairs. The best part of the video is how delicately the robot picks up a wine glass and puts into the dishwasher. The wine-glass act has been highlight as it could be judged as to how much skilled is the robot in handling delicate things. For robots to safely operate around humans they need to be able to sense their environment and capable of knowing how mighty they are. Mini Spot weighs 55 lbs and is all electric and runs for around 90 minutes on a charge depending on what is it doing. The robot is having many sensors, including depth cameras, a solid state gyro and proprioception sensors in its limbs. Cont'd...
The system has been designed to enable the picking surface to be changed very quickly.
Freed from the isolation of the real-time system and from other functions such as the user interface, OEMs are able to explore more innovative solutions with less risk and overhead.
George Konidaris and Daniel Sorin of Duke University have developed a new technology that cuts robotic motion planning times by 10,000 while consuming a small fraction of the power compared to current options. Watch one of their robotic arms in action as they explain how their innovative solution works.
Construction of the Airbus A380 in Hamburg involves moving aircraft components measuring 15 meters in length and weighing up to 90 tonnes.
Generation Z is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the surge in the development and implementation of robotic systems that increase productivity and cut costs in a variety of industries.
Jiaji Zhou for RoboHub: The Manipulation Lab at the CMU Robotics Institute proposes a computational model that relates an applied robot action to the resultant object motion. Their research won the Best Conference Paper Award atICRA 2016. Understanding the mechanics of manipulation is essential for robots to autonomously interact with the physical world. One of the common manipulation scenarios involves pushing objects in a plane subject to dry friction. We propose a planar friction (force-motion) model that relates an applied robot action to the resultant object motion. Cont'd...
Eugene Kim for Business Insider: It wasn't until 2014 that Amazon really started to use the machines made by Kiva, the robotics company it bought for $775 million in 2012. Kiva makes robots that automate the picking and packing process at large warehouses. But in the short two years they've been deployed across Amazon's warehouses, Kiva's robots have been a real cost saver, according to a new note published by Deutsche Bank on Wednesday. The note says Kiva robots have cut operating expenses by about 20%, quoting Amazon exec Dave Clark, adding that it would translate to roughly $22 million in cost savings for each fulfillment center. Additionally, Deutsche Bank estimates Amazon could cut another $800 million in one-time cost savings once it deploys more Kiva robots across the 110 fulfillment centers that don't have them yet. Amazon uses Kiva robots in only 13 of its fulfillment centers currently. Cont'd...
The Expo is covering topics from development technology of robots to application of robots.
Leslie Patton for Bloomberg: Decades from now, historians may look back on 2016 as the year Earthlings ate pizza from vending machines, bought burritos from a box in New York’s Grand Central Terminal and devoured sushi rolled by robots. “Automation is coming whether we want it to come or not,” said Andy Puzder, chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants Inc., which owns the Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. fast-food chains. “It’s everywhere. It’s in everything.” At a time when more consumers are embracing hand-made artisanal foods, 24/7 Pizza Box, Burritobox and Sushi Station are headed in the other direction. Vending-machine pizza will start popping up in Florida later this year and chipotle-chicken burritos, accompanied by guacamole and salsa, can now be ordered from an automated box. Sushi-making robots from Japan are already operating in U.S. restaurants and university cafeterias. Cont'd...
Records 466 to 480 of 1332
Industrial Robotics - Featured Product
MiR200 is a safe, cost-effective mobile robot that automates your internal transportation. The robot optimizes workflows, freeing staff resources so you can increase productivity and reduce costs. MiR200 safely maneuvers around people and obstacles, through doorways and in and out of lifts. You can download CAD files of the building directly to the robot, or program it with the simple, web-based interface that requires no prior programming experience. With its fast implementation, the robots offers a fast ROI, with payback in as little as a year.


text:
Xiaomi Redmi K30 rumour round-up: Key specs, features everything else we know so far
Xiaomi Redmi K30 is coming soon major design and specifications upgrade. Here’s everything you need to know.
Xiaomi is gearing up for its next big smartphone launch, Redmi K30. The new smartphone series is set to succeed, Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro - also Xiaomi's new attempt at the premium segment. Redmi K30 series is set to launch on December 10 and already a bunch of leaks and rumours have hit the web. Let's break it down.
Xiaomi is making a big change to the display this time with Redmi K30 -- punch-hole camera on the screen instead of pop-up selfie camera. According to reports, Xiaomi Redmi K30 will come with a 6.67-inch display. The punch-hole module will house as many as two camera sensors.
There's a lot of buzz around the camera capabilities of Redmi K30. The smartphone will reportedly come with 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 primary sensor. The phone is likely to sport four cameras including 8-megapixel, 5-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors. There's no word on the front-camera module on the phone.
Xiaomi Redmi K30 is confirmed to run on a 4,500mAh battery. The phone will also support 30W fast charging. Redmi K30 is said to run on Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 765G processor.
Redmi K30 will follow the design language of some of the recently launched Xiaomi phones. The phone is expected to come with frosted gloss back panel. The phone will come with fingerprint sensor embedded on the side button.


text:
MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares rise, NZX 50 at 4-yr high 2 May 2012
- Media rivals set up platform to pool ad inventory Business
- MARKET CLOSE:NZ shares fall as kiwi $ climbs Business
- NZ dollar little changed as risk appetite improves Business
- Foodstuffs agrees to buy 21 stores from Asahi's The Mill Business
- Scott Technology more than doubles annual profit Business
- CRI research still relevant as Joyce puts funding under micr Business
- A decade of government pre-seed investment : report Business
- Solid Energy plans to shut unprofitable Huntly East mine Business
- A2 Milk to raise up to $43 mln in placement Business
- Pyne Gould shares suspended for second time in two years Business
New Zealand shares rose, pushing the NZX 50 Index to a four-year high, as the prospect of enduring low interest rates stoking demand for dividend yields. Telecom rose to a multi-year high and auction site Trade Me Group gained to a record.
The NZX 50 Index rose 37.653 points, or 1.1 percent, to 3614.97, the highest close since May 2008. Within the index, 32 stocks rose, 12 fell and six were unchanged. Turnover was $112 million.
Telecom, the biggest company on the exchange, rose 0.4 percent to $2.645, the highest since August 2008.
Telecom has a dividend yield of 11.3 percent while two-year bank term deposits are offering 4.84 percent on average, according to interest.co.nz. Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard has said the bank is unlikely to raise the official cash rate from a record low 2.5 percent any time soon.
"There has been a renewed buying interest in blue chip stocks - with the recent Reserve Bank comments creating good demand in higher yielding stocks," said Grant Williamson, director at Hamilton Hindin Greene. "Investors are starting to chase to higher dividend yields."
TrustPower, which has a dividend yield of 8.2 percent, rose 1.4 percent to $7.40.
Trade Me, which was taken public by owner Fairfax Media in December, rose 3.8 percent to $3.82. That compares with its issue price in December of $2.70. Trade Me has 2.96 million active members out of a total New Zealand population of 4.4 million and is the main reason global sites such as eBay haven't taken off.
"It just keeps going from strength to strength - its first financial result as a listed company was positive and it has given a lot of confidence to investors," Williamson said. "I just hope the market is not getting ahead of itself."
Fletcher Building, the biggest construction company on the bourse, rose 2.7 percent to $6.53, the highest since April 2.
Pyne Gould Corp, the finance company controlled by businessman George Kerr, rose 3 percent to 33 cents. The Financial Markets Authority said today it is looking into related party transaction at the firm after its auditors quit.
Auckland International Airport, the nation's busiest gateway, rose 1.8 percent to $2.58. Vector, the electricity and gas lines company, gained 2.3 percent to $2.73.
Heartland New Zealand, the building society that took over Marac Finance, fell 5.1 percent to 56 cents and was the biggest decliner on the NZX 50 today.
6 Oct 2015 News
New Zealand Government Hon Steven Joyce Minister for Economic Development Hon Nathan Guy Minister for Primary Industries more
6 Oct 2015 Business News
Business lobbies, wine growers, meat sector welcome TPP Oct. 6 (BusinessDesk) - Business lobbies, wine growers and the country's... more
6 Oct 2015 Business News
NZ business confidence drops to four-year low as economic outlook worries firms Oct. 6 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand business ... more
28 Sep 2015 Lifestyle
New Zealand Automobile Association Media Release: 28 September 2015 Popularity of new guide fuelled by pedal power New Zealanders... more
6 Oct 2015 Property
Auckland house prices rise to record in September as regulations loom, Barfoot says Oct. 6 (BusinessDesk) - Auckland house prices ... more
28 Sep 2015 Property
Chinese property investors are rapidly disappearing from the auction room, says the boss of Auckland's biggest real estate... more
21 Sep 2015 Migration
NZ's annual net migration reaches record 60,300 in August on Indian, Chinese students By Jonathan Underhill Sept. 21... more
28 Sep 2015 Travel & Tourism
An increase in overseas visitors seeking a winter break resulted in an additional 10,000 holiday arrivals to New Zealand in August, as... more
8 Sep 2015 Travel & Tourism
Article - BusinessDesk Smartpay forecasts second year of earnings decline By Tina Morrison Sept. 8 (BusinessDesk) - Smartpay... more
6 Oct 2015 Rugby
RWC 2015 Set to Welcome European Qualifiers Georgia and Romania can confirm their attendance this weekend Final placings likely to go... more
6 Oct 2015 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the TPP deal reached in Atlanta If the TPP was the Rugby World Cup, the New Zealand team probably wouldn’t ... more
5 Oct 2015 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell Gordon Campbell on the TPP countdown, and Mary Margaret O’Hara While Australia and the US have... more
6 Oct 2015 Appointments
Article - BusinessDesk Sanford appoints Rob McLeod to board, seeks tie-up with Maori fisheries By Paul McBeth Oct. 6 ... more
23 Sep 2015 Appointments
Fonterra director Ian Farrelly replaces Ralph Norris on shareholders' fund board Sept. 23 (BusinessDesk) - Fonterra Cooperative... more
2 Oct 2015 Recruitment
'Close to zero' chance of another bum hire, says FMA's Everett Oct. 2 (BusinessDesk) - Financial Markets Authority chief... more


text:
Federal prosecutors are getting ready to hit Huawei with criminal charges for allegedly stealing trade secrets from American companies, The Wall Street Journal reported today (Jan. 16).
Citing unnamed sources, the Journal said the criminal investigation stems from several civil lawsuits filed against Huawei, including one involving a smartphone-testing robot called "Tappy" developed by T-Mobile.
The criminal probe just makes things worse for Huawei, which has been accused of being a national-security threat to Western countries and whose CFO is awaiting extradition from Canada to the U.S. for allegedly exporting U.S. technology to Iran in violation of sanctions.
China has harassed Canadian nationals in retaliation, and this week slapped the death penalty on a Canadian convicted of drug smuggling several months ago.
Huawei products have already been labeled national-security threats in the U.S. AT&T and Verizon last year reportedly canceled plans to offer the Huawei Mate 10 just before that device was set to hit the U.S. market; the Mate 10 still was unvailable unlocked, but the majority of U.S. smartphone buyers get their devices through carriers, so that was a big blow to Huawei. Overseas, Australia and New Zealand have recently barred local companies from using Huawei equipment, and British telecom BT said it would phase out using Huawei hardware and software.
On Dec. 1, Canadian authorities arrested Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, daughter of the company's founder, as she changed planes in Vancouver in response to a request by the U.S. Department of Justice. She faces extradition to the U.S. for allegedly skirting laws forbidding the sale of U.S. technology to Iran and posted $10 million Canadian ($7.5 million U.S.) in bail.
Last week, Poland arrested a Huawei employee on spying charges. Yesterday (Jan. 15), a top research lab in Taiwan banned Huawei equipment from connecting to its network.
Asked by the Journal, neither the Department of Justice nor Huawei would comment on the purported criminal probe.
In 2003, Cisco sued Huawei for using Cisco code in Huawei routers. Huawei admitted the "misappropriation" and removed the code from its products in exchange for Cisco dropping the lawsuit.


text:
Prospective suitors are making rich bids for thrifty Savers.
Private-equity firms CVC Capital, KKR, Leonard Green & Partners and TPG Capital have all made it through to the second round of the auction after making bids in the $1.5 billion range for the thrift-store chain, sources said.
The Post reported last month that buyout firm Freeman Spogli had put Savers on the auction block and was hoping to fetch north of $1 billion.
The $1.5 billion offering range is more than 11 times the company’s $130 million in annual Ebitda, or earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation, and amortization. The retailer generates revenue of $900 million.
“The auction is very frothy,” a source close to the auction said. The seller — advised by Barclays and Moelis & Co. — will likely ask for final bids sometime next month.
The 225-store thrift chain, based in Bellevue, Wash., aims to double in size over the next five years, believing shoppers are becoming even more wallet-conscious.
Savers, which competes with non-profits such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army, pays charities by the pound for donated clothes, toys, electronics and housewares and resells the second-hand goods.
Savers keeps its merchandise fresh, replacing items after they have been on display for a month, which helps to keep customers coming back. Unsold clothes are sent mostly to Third World outlets or sold to wholesalers.
Barclays will lend Savers $780 million to help finance the buyout and pay the sellers, while the buyer will be putting down about 40 percent of the purchase price, a source said.
Savers, CVC, KKR and TPG all declined to comment. Leonard Green did not return calls.


text:
Firmenich has revealed that a new group of world-class creators have joined the company’s Fine Fragrance Centres of Excellence in Paris and New York.
These talented nine Perfumers were chosen for their passion, creative excellence and ambition to push the boundaries of perfumery.
“Our leadership in Fine Fragrance is anchored in the passion, creativity and innovation of our Perfumers, including 10 Masters, who represent the greatest heights of artistry in their field,” said Armand de Villoutreys, President Perfumery & Ingredients, Firmenich. “I look forward to seeing how our new Perfumers, guided by our Masters, will make their mark in the world of perfumery.”
The nine new perfumers are:
Ane Ayo -5 years of experience at Drom
Nicolas Bonneville – 12 years of experience at Takasago and Fragrance Resources
Jeanne-Marie Faugier – over 30 years of experience across numerous international Fragrance Houses
Alexis Grugeon – joins Firmenich from Mane
Alexandra Monet – 18 years of experience at Drom Fragrances
Julien Plos – over 12 years of experience at leading consumer goods companies including P&G and Coty
Erwan Raguenes – 8 years of experience at Fragrance Houses including Galimard
Coralie Spicher – joins Firmenich from the University of Geneva
Aimee Virtucio – 11 years of experience at IFF
Finally, Firmenich is also a proud sponsor of this year’s CORPO 35, the annual Fragrance Competition, for up and coming perfumery talent.


text:
FERNANDINA BEACH, FLA.—The International Recording Media Association is tackling the problem of pirates replicating optical media.
Compact audio disc makers lose $14 million a day in sales to pirated products worldwide, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The U.S. portion is $1 million per day.
An IRMA task force seeks an industrywide solution through replicator certification, and anticipates publishing a standard in June, Howard Schwartz, director of IRMA's anti-piracy compliance program, said in a March 11 panel discussion at IRMA's executive forum at Fernandina Beach. He formerly was a manufacturing executive with CBS Inc. and Sony Corp. entertainment units.
A coalition of domestic replicators, content owners, software developers, resin makers and packagers is aiming for an international standard eventually. RIAA and the Motion Picture Association of America are participating.
Morris Ballen, chairman of replicator Disc Makers/Audio & Video Labs Inc. in Pennsauken, N.J., called the pirates ``small, selective groups of desperadoes.''
``We're going to be more scrupulous at the front end in screening potential customers,'' said Brian Wilson, executive vice president of Allied Digital Technologies Corp.'s sales and marketing division in New York. ``Often, you can be lulled to sleep in working with a customer for many years.''
In one situation, Crest National of Hollywood, Calif., was unable to identify a chain of ownership on an October 1997 rush order. Crest never shipped the discs because of liability issues and, ultimately, sued the customer to recover production expenses.
Recently, Crest spent four days in a California court explaining indicators of piracy and acknowledging no industry standards exist.
While the task force has yet to quantify certification costs, replicators know the risk of a pirated job.


text:
James Frith, MP for Bury North, is calling for action to tackle convenience store crime as new figures from the Association of Convenience Stores show a 65% increase in thefts from local convenience stores.
The ACS report nearly a million thefts from convenience stores in 2017, up 65% on 2016. There were also over 13,000 recorded incidents of violence faced by staff working in the retail sector.
James joins shopworkers’ union USDAW in calling for Government action to address this dramatic increase in crime.
James Frith said:
“The clear message for Government is they need to act to turn around this dramatic rise in crime. I have to question whether the cutting of 20,000 police officers in the name of austerity is behind these survey results. A properly funded and well-resourced police service is essential.”
John Hannett, USDAW General Secretary, says:
“It is absolutely clear that there is a growing problem which needs to be tackled. Theft from shops can often be a trigger for violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers, so the rising trend is extremely worrying for our members.
“It is time to say enough is enough. Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected.”


text:
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh was marking World Food Day, which raises awareness about the issues behind hunger.READ MORE: Charges Against Cletus Lee, North Braddock Mayor-Elect, Withdrawn
The EAT Initiative hosted the event in the Hill District, complete with food distribution, concert, and family fun.
It all took place outside of the former Shop ‘N Save on Centre Avenue.READ MORE: Chicago-Area Family Still In Shock After They Hired Home Improvement Contractor Via HomeAdvisor, Only For The Contractor To Smash Up Their Property
While it is closed, plans are in place for Salem’s Market to take over.
However, until then, the Hill District remains without a true grocery store.
“This is considered a food desert but we consider it food apartheid because it’s by design,” said Chef Claudy Pierre of the EAT Initiative. “There’s a lot of things that happen that now people only have a dollar store to actually buy food and produce. So, right now we’re working our best to make sure we change that.”MORE NEWS: PTL Links: Dec. 2, 2021
Democratic mayoral nominee Ed Gainey was also in attendance and thanked volunteers who were distributing food.


text:
Comcast and General Electric announced a $37 billion joint venture today that combines Comcast's cable programming and online content with NBC Universal's (NBCU) varied businesses, including broadcasting, online content and cable programming.
A pub in the UK has been fined £8,000 after web users used its Wi-Fi connection to illegally download copyrighted material.
With the breakout success of social gaming in 2009, it should come as no surprise that other social networking sites will try to stake a claim at Facebook's crown. Fellow social site hi5 made a huge move towards challenging the current king by hiring...
Panasonic has expanded its Christmas bonus deals for televisions, offering a Nintendo Wii and two games with the purchase of a high-definition Viera plasma television.
Sony expects that 3D televisions will make up between 30 percent and 50 percent of all sets it sells in the financial year that begins in April 2012, a senior executive said late last week. The goal further indicates Sony's confidence in 3D entertain...
Research has shown that almost 50,000 editors left online encyclopedia Wikipedia in the first quarter of this year: 10 times the number who deserted the site in the same period of 2008.
A security firm has expressed incredulity at the news that the Australian prank hacker who wrote a program targeting Apple iPhone users has been given a job by an application developer.
Mininova, one of the largest peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing sites next to The Pirate Bay, has now removed most of its links to copyrighted content. The site complied with a Dutch court ruling from August. Mininova has said it is considering appealin...
PC Tools' Malware Research Center is warning web users of another online scam that hopes to piggyback on hype surrounding the new Twilight New Moon film.
Well, apparently there's no escaping Facebook.
Owners of the PlayStation 3 now have access to the same ABC iView video streaming service that can be watched on a PC.
From 1 December, a TiVo HD set-top box will be available with a 320GB hard drive for $699. The original 160GB model will have its price cut by $100 to $599. The TiVo's distributor, Hybrid Television Services, is owned by the Seven Media Group which r...
Amazon has boosted the battery life of its Kindle e-reader and added native support for PDF documents, and you don't even have to buy new hardware to get the benefits.
A 19-year old New Jersey man this week was sentenced this week to a year and a day in federal prison for hacking into the Church of Scientology's Web site in Jan. 2008.
Sony has spent years struggling to adjust to the digital age but its chief Howard Stringer Thursday sought to make the case that it has found its footing.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 2016 Ford Mustang EcoBoost review
- 2 Review: TCL C1 series 4K TV
- 3 Tech21 Evo Xplorer iPhone case review
- 4 LG 55EG960T OLED UHD TV
- 5 Microsoft Lumia 640 review: Honouring Nokia's legacy
Join the Good Gear Guide newsletter!
Latest News Articles
- Google quietly kills its Nexus Player as Chromecast overshadows Android TV
- How to customize the Apple TV (fourth-generation) home screen
- YouTube's Content ID program finally provides for ad revenue during disputes
- Sony cranks up optical disc storage to 3.3TB
- Hands-on with Surface Hub: Microsoft's huge tablet has some productivity holes
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
- CCAsset Transfer Specialist | TelecommunicationVIC
- CCSAP Program Manager - CBDNSW
- CCDB2 Database AdministratorACT
- FTSenior Full Stack .Net DeveloperVIC
- CCProject Manager - Expense Management SystemVIC
- FTIT Infrastructure EngineerSA
- CCSharePoint DeveloperACT
- CCSenior Manager - Infrastructure Supply ChainNSW
- CCActive Directory Consultant/ArchitectWA
- CCProject Manager- Radio CommunicationsVIC
- CCJava / J2ee ProgrammersACT
- CCSenior Java DeveloperVIC
- CCQuality AnalystNSW
- CCStorage / Server EngineerNSW
- CCSenior Integration Specialist - IP NetworkVIC
- CCInfrastructure Deployment ManagerVIC
- FTMicrosoft Solution ArchitectACT
- FTTest EngineerNSW
- CCOpen_2pm_29/8_Teradata Database AdministratorACT
- CCOracle/Java/Applications DeveloperACT
- CCSenior Project Specialist - Network IPVIC
- FTWeb Analytics SpecialistNSW
- CCCA Gen Model Management-Oracle RDBMS, Oracle Solaris, TTNNSW
- FTOrchestration Engineer - DevOps - PuppetVIC
- FTIT Release CoordinatorWA


text:
Politically correct overwhelms British Airways. The company has in fact recommended to pilots and crew of stop saying the famous phrase “ladies and gentlemen”. On the contrary, only names with neutral terms will be used on board. The reason? “To ensure that all of our customers feel welcome when traveling with us in order to celebrate diversity and inclusion,” the company said.
A choice that came after the decision of Lufthansa, EasyJet and Air Canada in 2019. Already in 2018, Quantas launched its “Spirit of Inclusion” initiative in which staff were encouraged to refrain from using gender-specific terms. “Diversity for us is not an empty phrase, from now on we want to express our attention to language”, he admitted Anja Stenger, the spokesperson for the German company.
British Aiways continues its battle for inclusion, as stated by one employee: “We celebrate diversity and inclusion and we are committed to ensuring that all our customers feel welcome when they travel with us. “From now on there will be a new greeting. Yet another exaggeration in the name of too inflated politically correct. And who knows how the companies will respond Italian.


text:
NEW YORK, NY (December 12, 2013) –MyMusicCloud
the leading multi-platform cloud-storage service dedicated to serving music collectors,
today released a new
app for Samsung Smart TVs. The new Smart TV app features a quicker and easier sign in
listeners to use any device, including their smartphones, tablets, Macs or PCs, to control
experience on their Smart TV.
Mobile users simply scan a QR code on their Smart TV and instantly
access their entire
music library through MyMusicCloud. MyMusicCloud works with all platforms including Mac,
iOS, WindowsPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia and more.
"Now the music on your phone can be playable on your Smart TV in a
matter of seconds,"
said Tamir Koch, CEO of TriPlay. "MyMusicCloud is the easiest and fastest way for Samsung
users to sync
their iTunes library across all their devices, including mobile phones, tablets, desktops
and now Smart TVs."
With this new app, MyMusicCloud is further capitalizing on a growing
platform for music
consumption - Smart TVs. The company sees Smart TVs as a catalyst for the service's
growth in 2014.
is a premier cloud services company, enabling users worldwide to easily
access, manage, share and enjoy their music, photos and videos across any computer, mobile
or web-enabled television. TriPlay is a privately held company with offices in New York and
information can be found at www.triplay.com


text:
The Central Florida International Trade Office has hosted numerous trade delegations and expos. For more information, please click below:
Delegation from Chengdu, China
Between May 21st and May 27th, eight hotel food and beverage buyers from Chengdu, China visited Central Florida through the Cochran Fellowship Program. The delegation had the opportunity to tour Showcase of Citrus, Deseret Ranches, Lake Meadow Naturals, and Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center and learned about the Citrus, Cattle, Dairy, and Hospitality industries of Central Florida.
Delegation from Cali, Colombia
On July 11, a delegation of researchers from the Universidad Autonoma De Occidente in Cali, Colombia came to present their business opportunities for eight of their most innovative technologies.
Delegation from Belo Horizonte, Brazil
The Orlando US Export Assistance Center, the US Commercial Service Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and the Central Florida International Trade Office, organized and hosted 18 members from Sindimaco, a Brazilian Association of Retail Construction, Paint, Hardware, and Building Materials from August 25-29, 2014 in Florida.
Delegation from Tekirdag, Turkey
On December 9, 2014, the Turkish American Chamber of Commerce brought 20 Turkish business executives to Orlando, Florida. The delegation visited the National Entrepreneur Center. Hosted by the Atlantic Institute and the Central Florida International Trade Office, the delegation learned about the growth and the opportunities of the Central Florida region.
Delegation from Tokyo, Japan
On March 13, Orange County Government and the Central Florida International Trade Office hosted Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism (MLIT). The delegation had the opportunity to learn about the Construction Industry in Central Florida and methods Central Florida uses to attract and retain workers to the field.
Baltic Business Club from Kaliningrad, Russia
On April 17, 2015, the Central Florida International Trade Office and the National Entrepreneur Center welcomed the Baltic Business Club from Kaliningrad, Russia. The Club included small business owners from the construction, grocery store, and financial industries.
Delegation from Lagos, Nigeria
On September 10, 2015, the Central Florida International Trade Office and the National Entrepreneur Center welcomed Oba of Lagos, His Highness Oba Rilwan Akiolu, and a delegation from Nigeria.
Delegation from Russia
On October 21st, the Central Florida International Trade Office hosted Business Molodost, a community of entrepreneurs from Russia.
Spanish Delegation from Miami, Florida
On December 7, 2015, 5 Miami-based Spanish companies learned about Central Florida opportunities for their infrastructure projects.
Dubai USA Government Mission 2016
Between March 12 – 16, 2016, Central Florida hosted the Dubai USA Government 2016 mission to the United States. Orlando, Florida was the first stop on a tour of four American cities for the U.A.E. delegation interested in establishing trade and investment relationships with U.S. partners.
Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Trade
On April 29th, the World Affairs Council of Central Florida in partnership with the Central Florida International Trade Office hosted a delegation of leaders from Montenegro at the National Entrepreneur Center.
Introduction to Central Florida's entrepreneurial ecosystem
On May 23rd, the CFITO hosted students from Austria and Germany.
RAEEC International Trade Meeting with Belarus
On May 4th, in partnership with the Russian American Eastern European Chamber of Commerce, the Central Florida International Trade Office and Orange County Government welcomed Pavel Shidlovsky, Charge d'Affaires for Belarus, and Belarus Honorary Consul for the State of Florida, Mikhail Morgulis.
On Friday, June 17, 2016, the Russian American Eastern European Chamber of Commerce partnered with the Central Florida International Trade Office to host a distinguished delegation from Belarus.
Delegation from Karnataka, India
On June 24th, the Central Florida International Trade Office, World Trade Center Orlando, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, the Indian American Chamber of Commerce, and Orange County Government were honored to host participants from the Delegation of Women Entrepreneurs from Karnataka participating in the "International Conference and Business Fair 2016."
Delegation from Brazil
On July 28, 2016, the Central Florida community welcomed the Brazil US Innovation Mission supported by the Brazil-Florida Chamber of Commerce.
Smart Cities Global Summit - Finland
On August 19th, the CFITO hosted the 2016 SMART Community Exchange U.S. Global Summit – business presentations portion of the Summit.
SCP Pakistan - Education, Leadership & Entrepreneurship
On September 30, 2016, the National Entrepreneur Center hosted a delegation from Pakistan to discuss Entrepreneurship.
On November 2nd, a delegation of Brazilian, Colombian, and Venezuelan Investors visited the Central Florida International Trade Office at the National Entrepreneur Center.
Chambre de commerce Québec-Floride Trade Mission to Central Florida
From January 30 - 31, 2017, the Chambre de commerce Québec-Floride visited the region.


text:
Roughly 4,000 Chevrolet Volts are at risk of shutting down while in motion because of a software glitch.
“We are notifying 2013 model year Chevy Volt owners about a customer satisfaction issue. We have received a few reports from owners that their electric motor has temporarily stopped working, resulting from a software anomaly when their vehicle is in the delayed time and rate charge mode,” GM spokesperson Michelle Malko said to the Detroit News.
It’s an issue GM is already addressing by instructing its dealers to “re-flash” the vehicle controls systems — a process that takes less than an hour. Unlike cars powered by internal combustion engines which power the wheels but also the cars power brakes and steering systems, Volt drivers will still have power-assisted steering and stopping at their disposal.
“Until then, we’re recommending that customers switch to immediate instead of delayed time charging to avoid this inconvenience,” Malcho said.
Drivers won’t be stranded, either. GM says the cars will be able to start normally after sitting for three to five minutes. Despite that, being stranded on the side of a road, especially a highway, presents a serious risk.
Neither 2011 nor 2012 model year Volts are affected by the issue.
[Source: Detroit News]


text:
Bill Gates once said that, “Banking will always be needed but banks, as we know them, could easily disappear”. The coming years will show how radical this statement turns out to be, although FinTech industry is already radically changing the way financial businesses and banking transactions are performed.
In 2013, the global value of FinTech was estimated at approximately $3 billion. By 2014, FinTech firms had already quadrupled to $12 billion. By the end of 2015, that figure had risen to over $20 billion globally. 2016 showed the global FinTech landscape reaching over 1000 companies, $105 billion in funding and $867 billion in value.
As we move into 2017, FinTech disruption and influence continues to grow. Indeed, and many companies and leaders in FinTech today believe that the revolution is only a beginning of a whole new wave of what’s more to come.
There have been many predictions regarding what would be in demand in future of the FinTech market. Here are 6 trends that experts see for FinTech in the coming years.
- Banking automation will be set in motion: Since PayPal introduced the concept of global online payment system, large numbers of online banks and banking services have launched since then. They offer consumer efficiency, lower costs, and greater speed. Further, they make cash transactions faster and easier for customers, whether consumer or commercial, using a range of innovative technologies. In an increasing demand of global economy, online banking services will solve the problem of getting money across borders, with currency exchanges being a part of the services.
- Rise in Investment and trading services: The world of trading will be standardized with the commencement of robo-advisors to interpret and analyze the data of the trading companies. The individual investors can take benefit of the robo-advisor fully as it can turn big data, which has been already public, into meaningful data. No more tagging along the brokers and financial advisors, robo-advisors are swooping in with their innovative and smart ways of trading finance in the future days to come.
Artificial technology (AI) will be an integral part of big data technologies, making it more sophisticated as machines can predict the market trends and analyze the leading and lacking contemporaries in the finance business.
- Inconvenience for legacy software providers of banking institutions: What FinTech is doing for banking is not so much developing new products. It’s still the moving of money from one point the next. It’s still about processing loans. The difference is in the processes and the customer experiences, which are infinitely improving. The problem is that banks are overburdened by the legacy software and development, approval, implementation and training for new software can take years. Right now, FinTech is serving customers in ways that banks cannot. The real disruption in the future case scenario will be inclined to the legacy software developers who cannot supply the convenience and efficiency that FinTech can.
- Consumer-driven services, including the developing countries: Although the trend of digital payment has prevailed in the developed countries for decades, FinTech holds the same privileged position in these parts of the world that cell phone and Internet providers have. The FinTech start-up space has grown rapidly in Asia-Pacific. This is expected to reflect in $15 billion in revenue taken from existing financial institutions and $7 billion worth of added revenue. China is the leader in FinTech investments, accounting for nearly 50% of the investments in this space in 2015. Although Singapore, Hong Kong, and Sydney will continue to be FinTech innovation hubs in the Asia-Pacific region, analysts from major research firms expect China to be one of the leading countries in APAC for the global FinTech and Blockchain industries.
- New use cases of Blockchain: Often confused with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, blockchain technology is the enabler, not the currency. The technology actually holds the key to new ways of managing identities, security, and entire networks – it could underpin the structure and future of technology as we know it. And that is why it needs to be better understood. Blockchains will also find new use cases beyond financial services.
- More advanced security management: With digital payment technologies and banking growing at the rates they now are, managing the security of billions of daily transactions will be a challenge indeed. Those companies that can develop solid security and collaborate with FinTech enterprises will be in high demand in the future FinTech marketplaces. The collaboration of security vendors and ICT companies with FinTech companies will improve the security and connectivity of mobile-centric financial services. Reliable security and connectivity will build consumer trust and hence allow FinTech companies to compete with established institutions. Any FinTech startup must have security as a major factor in its software development.
It is clear that the digital revolution in financial services is under way, but the impact on current banking players is not as well defined. Digital disruption has the potential to shrink the role of today’s banks, and help them create better, faster, cheaper services that make them an even more essential part of everyday life for individuals.
Sudeshna Nepal is a researcher with Frost & Sullivan. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org
Sapan Agarwal drives content and marketing for Frost & Sullivan. Sapan is based out of Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and can be reached at email@example.com | +603 6204 5830


text:
Global Food Prices Rise Along With Chinese Imports
Global food prices increased for the third consecutive month in August, driven by a rebound in demand as economies recover from the pandemic and an increase in imports by China as it seeks to meet U.S. trade deal commitments.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in international prices of commonly traded food commodities, averaged 96.1 points in August, rising 2% month-on-month to its highest point since February.
The increase was largely a result of rising cereal prices: The FAO Cereal Price Index rose 1.9% month-on-month, led by coarse grains. Both sorghum and barley saw strong import demand from China, according to the FAO.
Chinese officials have encouraged grain traders to import more, as the country is accelerating its agriculture product purchases from the U.S. to meet its commitments under the phase one trade deal, a grain trade middleman told Caixin.
In the first seven months, China imported a total of 2.3 million tons of sorghum, which is mainly used for liquor-making and animal feed, a dramatic increase of more than nine times over the same period in 2019, according to customs data (link in Chinese). Such imports have been a factor behind rising sorghum prices, up 8.7% from July and 33.4% above the year-ago level, FAO data showed.
The gap between domestic and overseas cereal prices is another factor, multiple industry insiders said. As China resumed work after bringing Covid-19 under control within its borders, recovering livestock farmers have driven up demand for cereals, leading to a notable rise in domestic cereal prices and demand for imports.
In July, the duty-paid and landed price of foreign corn delivered at China’s southern ports was 1.72 yuan ($0.3) per kilogram, 0.6 yuan lower than the price of domestic corn, with the price gap widening by 0.02 yuan per kilogram from June, according to (link in Chinese) the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
In a Thursday report, FAO adjusted its forecast for world trade in cereals in 2020/21, which is from July 2020 to June 2021, upwards to 441.4 million tons, up 7.1 million tons from its July forecast and 1.6% above the estimated 2019/20 level. The adjustment is chiefly meant to reflect higher world trade of maize than anticipated, suggesting strong import demand, especially in Asia, FAO said.
Contact editor Gavin Cross (email@example.com)
Support quality journalism in China. Subscribe to Caixin Global starting at $0.99.
- MOST POPULAR


text:
But renews another at second location
MBM Auto Sales is out of business at 500 Yarmouth Road, but still has a Class II dealer’s license for its 115 Iyannough Road location.
The Barnstable Licensing Authority revoked the Yarmouth Road license after finding that owners Dmitry and Irena Zinov failed to properly keep a used vehicle inventory book. Members found also that the business repaired vehicles at 500 Yarmouth Road, a violation in the town’s groundwater overlay protection districts.
“Licensing of automobile dealers is very clear in terms of putting the onus on the owner or operator of that license to comply,” Tom Geiler, the town’s director of regulatory services, said before the board voted. “In this particular case, we had almost the exact same situation a year ago [the business received a 14-day suspension with three days to serve]. God knows we don’t have the luxury of being able to inspect these places every week.
“Nobody wants to put anybody out of business,” Geiler said a moment later, “but nobody wants to poison our drinking water. We can’t get that back… If there ever was a time to take some severe action, this is it.”
Attorney David Lawler, representing MBM, said his client hadn’t realized “the full ramifications” of the environmental strictures. He said she was willing to accept a short suspension that would allow her to remove any equipment the town believed would allow work on cars to continue.
“This is not a third strike,” Lawler said. Citing the owners’ “20-year track record” in the community, he observed that “to seek the death penalty for this business where there was not the hard-core repair work done I think would be excessive and inappropriate under the circumstances.”
Barnstable PD Officer Steven Maher said he found much evidence of repair work when he responded to a complaint about the business on Oct. 22. He reported seeing “gentlemen actually working on vehicles” as well as metal pieces on the floor, toolboxes and parts bins.
Lawler said there appeared to be some confusion between Maher and Irena Zinov’s interpretations of whether the inventory books were up to date. As office manager and treasurer, she said some of the cars Maher said were missing were in a different record book. That book was not produced during Maher’s visit.
“It’s clear to me the used inventory book was not maintained properly and that testimony and the pictures indicate repairs and engine parts,” authority chairman Martin Hoxie said, but what we have to focus on is that this is a Class II automobile dealer’s license. They have authority by license to sell used cars. That’s it. I don’t understand anything else going on in this establishment.”
After the board revoked the 500 Yarmouth Road license, vice chairman Gene Burman noted that MBM’s license for its 115 Iyannough Road site would be coming up later in the meeting under annual renewals.
“There are no violations at that location,” Hoxie said. “There’s no reason why that should not be renewed.”


text:
Silverstein have announced their signing to UNFD and to celebrate, released a brand new single with “Burn It Down”, which features a spot from Caleb Shomo. The band is going to be celebrat...[Read More]
Fresh off the announcement of his debut solo album Survivor’s Guilt, Vinnie Caruana has released the first single off the album titled “Burn It Down”. In addition, he has also announ...[Read More]
Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.


text:
The Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology Launches Electric Car
The Sepuluh November Institute of Technology (ITS) in Surabaya, East Java, launched an electric city car.
Education minister Muhammad Nuh who attended the launch named the car designed by students of the institute “EC ITS”.
“EC may stand for ‘easy’ or ‘electric car’. It means making an electric car is not difficult as has been proven by ITS students, the minister said.
He hoped the name would become a motivator for other students to produce other creations.
Muhammad Nuh who was the former rector of the institute praised the white metallic car as fundamentally and in terms of design good.
Indonesia will host a number of international activities including an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meeting in Bali this year and so, it would be good if the car could be displayed at the event for guests to admire to make ITS more popular, he said.
Present ITS rector Prof Dr Triyodi Yuwono DEA admitted he was proud of the achievement that his students had made.
He expressed support to development of a domestically-made national electric car that has so far been promoted by the government.
“We support the ‘national electric car’ development program. God willing we would have the capability to help make it a success. We also wish to prove that if they are given an opportunity young engineers could show their capabilities,” he said.
ITS technical engineering lecturer and tutor Dr M Nur Yuniarto meanwhile said that this car had only been developed on a research scale since 2011.
However if the government wishes to develop it on an industrial scale he was ready to help with further research.
“What is clear is that the majority of its components are made by our students except its battery. But if it is to be developed on an industrial scale we certainly would design the battery ourselves,” he said.
He said ITS students had been able to design an engine control system which has so far been used in gasoline car.
Yuniarto said it took three months to finish the car and “if the battery could be made at home the car’s components would really be one hundred percent made at home to make its price lower than its research cost which is between Rp400 million to Rp500 million.”Filed under: The Nation


text:
CHICAGO, March 11, 1997 — Microsoft Corp. today presented Leonardo medals for outstanding Technical Innovations in Manufacturing (TIM) to Uniroyal Chemical Ltd. and Fisher-Rosemount Systems at National Manufacturing Week.
The TIM awards are presented annually to companies and Microsoft Solution Providers that demonstrate progressive solutions using Microsoft® technology.
“Using the Windows NT® technology and the OLE for Process Control (OPC) specification, Fisher-Rosemount Systems designed a distributed control system that allows real-time information to be directly routed from the plant floor to the desktops of the engineers and production managers,” said Andy Chatha, president of Automation Research Corp., a manufacturing analyst group. “With the business and technology benefits that Uniroyal has achieved, this system will have a major impact in the manufacturing marketplace.”
Uniroyal Chemical Ltd. in Ontario, Canada, produces more than 50 million pounds of specialty products annually, including crop protectants, rubber additives, oil additives and synthetic oils.
Uniroyal implemented Fisher-Rosemount Systems’ DeltaV, enabling faster response to product demand, improved process quality controls, increased internal product analysis and a 60 percent reduction in operation training time – with eight operators trained on the new system in just eight hours. Overall, the implementation is estimated to have saved up to 30 percent over comparable system implementations.
“We see the future of our success to be largely dependent on the management and interpretation of data,” said Mark Garnett, an instrumentation and control superintendent for Uniroyal Chemical Ltd. “DeltaV and the Internet/intranet will assist us in our quest for information and allow us to make the data readily available to anyone in our company, wherever they may be. We especially see the ability to use intranets as an important technology that will offer easy, low-cost information access.”
Brooke Banbury-Masland, worldwide manufacturing industry manager for Microsoft, said entries for this year’s TIM awards came from numerous segments of the manufacturing industry.
“The range of solutions, from process control to enterprise resource planning, demonstrates the applicability of Windows NT Server in the manufacturing enterprise,” Banbury-Masland said. “It was a close contest, but Uniroyal and Fisher-Rosemount have implemented an innovative solution that translates Microsoft technology into clear business benefits.”
Uniroyal’s solution is Fisher-Rosemont Systems’ DeltaV scalable process system, which uses numerous Microsoft technologies, including native 32-bit Windows NT technology, Microsoft Foundation Classes, Unicode, the Windows® 95 operating system and Windows Explorer. Support for OPC is also built into the DeltaV product.
The award was presented at Managing Automation’s Automation Hall of Fame banquet. Entries were evaluated on their ability to use technology to improve a manufacturing or design process, enhance a product or provide benefits to users. The judges considered the size and scope of the solution in the context of the company, Microsoft vs. Microsoft Solution Provider
content, documented business-process improvement, and tangible return on investment plus savings.
The Leonardo medal selection committee consisted of Tony Friscia, president, Advanced Manufacturing Research; Andy Chatha, president, Automation Research Corp.; Ted Rybeck, president, Benchmarking Partners; Dan Miklovic, director of business operations applications, Gartner Group Inc.; Harry Tse, director of inter/enterprise applications, manufacturing technologies and practices, Yankee Group; and Julie Fraser, director, Industry Directions.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Windows NT and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors : If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Additional information on Microsoft solutions for manufacturing can be found on Microsoft’s Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/industry/man/


text:
Cintas Redesigns Southwest Airlines Uniforms
Southwest Airlines Co. recently unveiled the airline’s first-ever employee-designed uniforms, designed by TRSA operator member Cintas Corp., Mason, OH, according to a news release.
“Introducing our new uniform designs and fully branded 737-800 Heart interiors into the fleet is an accomplishment directly resulting from our hardworking employee-design teams,” said Gary Kelly, chairman, president and CEO for Southwest Airlines. “Southwest continues to enhance our unique brand that brings reliable comfort and outstanding hospitality to 98 destinations in eight countries.”
With the last complete redesign in 1996, Southwest selected a new uniform designed by its own employees along with its partners at Cintas. A group of 43 staff members from Ground Ops, Inflight, Provisioning, Technical Operations and Cargo departments discussed, debated and designed the garments with fellow Southwest employees in mind. Once the design was complete, more than 120 employees across 37 cities tested pieces for fit and comfort, performance and functionality, durability, aesthetics, style, and ease of care. Southwest has nearly 40,000 frontline employees, according to the release.
“Our energetic employees are the heart of our airline, and they were the perfect choice to design and develop our new look,” said Sonya Lacore, vice president, cabin services, and executive sponsor of the uniform redesign project. “Our brand, our planes, and our people are bold and modern, and the new uniform represents who our employees are – spirited, professional, unique and approachable.”
The new uniform collection embraces the brand colors with splashes of bold blue and pops of signature red. The final selections will now move into manufacturing, and all employees will begin wearing the new uniform in mid-June 2017. For images of the new uniforms, visit www.swamedia.com.


text:
The Department of Justice announced Oct. 31 that three individuals have been charged in connection with a global procurement scheme that violated U.S. export controls and economic sanctions by shipping defense-related equipment to sanctioned Russian entities. The DOJ noted that some of these items have been found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine.
The DOJ alleges that the defendants received orders from Russian end-users in the defense and technology sectors that sought to acquire particular dual-use electronic items or parts from the U.S. Knowing these items had potential military application, the defendants communicated directly with U.S. manufacturers and distributors (typically using aliases), purchased the goods from them using two shell companies, and arranged for the goods to be sent to various locations in New York. The defendants then then unlawfully shipped the goods to a variety of intermediary corporations in other countries, including Turkey, Hong Kong, India, China, and the United Arab Emirates, where they were rerouted to Russia. Over the course of a year more than 300 shipments of restricted items valued at approximately $10 million were shipped in this way.
According to the DOJ, this case was pursued through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force – which is co-led by the departments of Justice and Commerce and is designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states – and Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency entity dedicated to enforcing the sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures the U.S. and others have imposed against Russia in response to its war against Ukraine.
For more information on the wide range of trade restrictions the U.S. has imposed on Russia and how to ensure your company is in compliance, please contact attorney Kristine Pirnia at (202) 730-4964 or via email.
Copyright © 2023 Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.; WorldTrade Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
According to reliable analyst KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo and 9to5mac, Apple is about to launch not one but two new hardware devices at its WWDC conference in a few weeks. A new iPad with thinner bezels and a bigger screen is likely. This iPad has been rumored for months. There could also be an Amazon Echo competitor from Apple.
As the name suggests, WWDC is a developer conference. For the past few years, Apple has focused on software announcements as these are relevant news for its developer community. This year should be no different. You can expect a preview of iOS 11, macOS 10.13, tvOS 11 and watchOS 4.
But Apple also usually announces new devices during a Spring event. The company’s new devices (and new campus) weren’t quite ready for prime time. So Ming-Chi Kuo thinks Apple is going to use WWDC as the launchpad for its new devices.
Apple updated the entry-level iPad with better specs and a cheaper price. But what about the iPad Pro? The iPad’s form factor hasn’t changed in a while, but not this time.
The 9.7-inch iPad is growing up. KGI thinks it’s going to have a 10.5-inch display, but it’s going to be roughly the same size. It’s unclear how it’s going to work for app developers when it comes to display resolution and pixels per inch. It’s going to be a bit awkward when you hold it as your thumb will probably cover part of the screen.
As for the mysterious speaker, Apple has been working on a revamped version of Siri for a while. And it looks like Apple doesn’t plan to stop there as the company should also announce an Amazon Echo-like device with better sounding speakers and a more expensive price tag. Rumor has it that it could have a display.
Apple could position its rumored Echo competitor as a high-end speaker that also happens to be a vocal assistant. In addition to that, the company could be selling a ton of Apple Music subscriptions if it was the only way to stream music on the device. Even more important than Siri, Apple’s Amazon Echo could be a dedicated Apple Music device.
There you have it. Mark your calendars as June 5 is going to be a packed Apple keynote.


text:
What will be revealed in the Festival's Michelin Supercar Paddock? Here are the most exciting, including Ferrari, Brabham, Lotus and Singer's latest collaboration with Williams
The Michelin Supercar Paddock returns to Goodwood Festival of Speed this coming weekend, July 12-15, with the usual stunning line-up of supercar exotica on show not just in the paddock but in demonstration runs on the famous hillclimb.
Some, as ever, won't be revealed until the weekend – but here are our favourites to look out for so far. They include the new Brabham BT62, the Ferrari Portofino, the fastest ever road-going Lotus and the long-awaited Porsche 911 collaboration between Singer and Williams Advanced Engineering .
- UK debut of McQueen's Bullitt Mustang at Goodwood
- 70 years of Porsche to be celebrated at Festival of Speed
- Great supercars for sale at AutoClassics
The Apollo Intensa Emozione track car is powered by a 6.3-litre V12 engine that delivers 769bhp. It weighs just 1250kg car but is claimed to generate 1350kg of downforce at 186mph. So it could theoretically drive on the ceiling…
The Boreas hypercar by DSD Design & Motorsport was presented as a prototype on the Michelin stand at Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, and it's now more fully developed ready for the Michelin Supercar Paddock. It's a hybrid with a top speed of 263mph and from 0-62mph in just 2.8 seconds.
Brabham’s debut hypercar from the Anglo-Australian manufacturer is a track-only, rear-wheel-drive two-seater powered by a mid-mounted, naturally-aspirated 5.4-litre V8. It produces 700bhp, and weighs just 972kg thanks to its carbonfibre body panels. That gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 720bhp per tonne – 60bhp more than its McLaren Senna rival!
Read more on the BT62 here
Ferrari’s latest model, already claimed by many to be its best-looking for years, will take centre stage at the Michelin Supercar Paddock. It's quick too, with a 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds and from 0-124mph in 10.8 seconds.
Koenigsegg Agera RSN
The Agera RSN, which uses the same engine as the incredible Koenigsegg One:1, is one of the fastest production cars in the world. It will be quite something to see it blast up the hill at Goodwood.
Lotus Evora GT430
The fastest road-legal model Lotus has ever made, and marking the company's 70th anniversary celebrations. Its 3.7-second 0-62mph tells only half the story, because it's also arguably the best-handling, most engaging road-legal Lotus ever created.
Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer Vehicle Design
Porsche 911 specialists Singer announced its collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering and other top-level suppliers (including Michelin) last year, and this will be the first chance to see the result – the ‘Dynamics and Lightweighting Study’. It's the most extreme version of Singer’s highly modified and restored 911s, with the 964’s original 243bhp 3.6-litre flat-six engine tweaked to a 4-litre unit with four-valve heads and 493bhp.
More on the new Singer here.
W Motors Fenyr Supersport
The new Fenyr Supersport is the successor to the outlandish Lykan Hypersport, and has a claimed 0-62mph time of 2.7 seconds and a 245mph top speed. A limited number will be made, at a price of £1.4million. CEO Ralph R. Debbas says 'the Fenyr SuperSport is the most incredible car ever produced so far'.
TV racing pundit and multiple BTCC champion, Tim Harvey, said: 'I cannot wait to interview the stars behind the cars and get the thoughts of the fans on the Michelin Supercar Paddock stage.'
'I am so excited to see these amazing cars on our stage this week,' adds Michelin Supercar Paddock presenter, Vicki Butler-Henderson. 'Some of the cars on display are the most intense and extreme examples of automotive brilliance and I can’t wait to hear the noise they all make coming up on our stage and the on the Hillclimb. Awesome.'
Limited numbers of tickets for the Goodwood Festival of Speed are still available on the ticketing website.


text:
National Donut Day on Friday June 5th – Get a Free Dunkin Donut!
National Donut Day 2015
Make sure you get to Dunkin Donuts on Friday, June 5th for a FREE donut when you purchase a beverage.
Dunkin Donuts is celebrating National Donut Day by giving donuts away throughout the day on Friday, June 5th (excluding croissant donuts and cheesecake squares.)
According to their press release, “National Donut Day was originally established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to honor women who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. The holiday is traditionally celebrated on the first Friday of June. According to Jeff Miller, Executive Chef and Vice President, Product Innovation at Dunkin’ Brands, “Donuts have a special place in our country’s history and culture, creating moments of delight, lifting spirits and bringing people together at work and at home. We are proud to celebrate this timeless favorite on National Donut Day with our loyal guests by once again offering a free donut with the purchase of any beverage, and pleased to share this offer with all of our donut fans all around the world.”
Other places participating in National Donut Day are:
Krispy Kreme – Free Donuts on June 5th, 1 per guest
Entenmann’s – Win “National Donut Day Free Donuts For a Year” Facebook sweepstakes
Cumberland Farms – Purchase a hot or iced coffee between 5am – 10am Friday June 5th and get a free donut


text:
Narrow your search
All the news from the annual Google I/O event, including the latest on Android.
Google recently changed sharing in Google Reader, infuriating many users. While it's just as easy to share items, people who had shared items with (or followed) relative strangers found themselves instantly disconnected. There's a fairly simple way to reconstruct your list of followers in Google+ to more closely mimic the old sharing system.


text:
On Monday, November 16, online rental platform Airbnb filed for an IPO. Airbnb plans to list shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker ABNB. According to Reuters, the company plans to raise $3 bln. In its IPO filing with the US SEC, Airbnb talks about the use of technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrency in the future.
The IPO prospectus also states that the company's success will depend on the company's ability to adapt to new technologies. In addition to distributed ledger and blockchain technology, Airbnb also cites other emerging technologies. This includes artificial intelligence, biometrics, cloud technologies, virtual and augmented reality.
One of the demands of the travel industry is the growing demand for cryptocurrency payment options. As far as the integration of cryptocurrencies is concerned, it would be surprising if in the future at least bitcoin was not among the payment options. Airbnb is planning a costly investment to expand and further develop the platform.


text:
Galaxy C7 leaks as launch inches closer
It is alleged that a new line of Samsung Galaxy phones in the C series is in the works, and the launch could be as soon as this month, January 21st. This line of Samsung C series will be rolled out hot on the heels of the Galaxy C5 pro. The C7 series promises new and improved features according to leaks that have surfaced on the internet.
This is what makes or breaks a phone, and according to the rumors, the C7 Pro will most likely come in metallic colors with gold being the main one.
"The S series has been our flagship phone for a long time," said the Samsung representative. "But the C series is going to be revolutionary."
This is what makes or breaks a phone, and according to the rumors, the C7 Pro will most likely come in metallic colors with gold being the main one. A pink gold hue has not also been ruled out as Samsung has used it before on the Galaxy C9 pro.
The Galaxy C7 Pro, according to the leak will come with a 5.7-inch screen, 1080p display, a Snapdragon 626 processor, with 4GB of RAM to complete the package.
For selfie lovers, it might be a big hit as it comes with a 16-megapixel front facing the camera and will be accompanied by a 3000 mAh battery to take care of the power. It will also come pre-loaded with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and not the latest Android N as was widely anticipated


text:
Juan Orrego, 22
CO-FOUNDER AND CEO
Life Story: At 22, Juan Orrego is a serial entrepreneur. Growing up in Barranquilla, Colombia, he sold ice cream door-to-door at the age of five. When he was 17, he moved to B.C. to get a BComm at UVic and started an online jewelry business, paying his youngest sister to make deliveries back in Colombia. His two sisters have since joined him in B.C.
Orrego started Cuboh Software as an analytics software firm for restaurants in 2017 because he couldn’t find a company to do an entrepreneurial co-op with for his degree. The following year, he rejigged it with the assistance of a new co-founder, Sinan Sari, who had worked for online food ordering and delivery service Just Eat and had a strong tech background. Cuboh is now a subscription service that helps restaurants streamline online ordering, menu and inventory management, and point-of-sale order transferring by combining meal delivery applications like DoorDash, Grubhub and SkipTheDishes on a single interface.
Bottom Line: Cuboh, which was on track to grow from eight to 11 employees by March, expects annual recurring revenue to reach US$1 million in 2019, with a goal of US$5 million in five years.


text:
RYANAIR faces paying tens of thousands of euros in compensation for taking bookings on flights it still doesn’t have permission to fly.
Hundreds of people who bought tickets to Morocco – which the Dublin-based low-cost carrier is aiming to flood with one million passengers from Ireland and the UK by 2010 – have been told by email to re-book their flights or apply for a full refund.
This is because an “open skies” agreement to allow unrestricted air travel between all countries in the EU and Morocco has yet to be signed.
It was due to be signed at the beginning of October but that date has now been put back to November 17.
This has led angry Ryanair customers who booked flights from France to question why the low-cost carrier was allowed to offer the tickets for sale in the first place.
Some customers paid for their tickets as far back as July and had planned to travel in October and November but insist Ryanair – which was voted the world’s least favourite airline a few weeks after announcing €329 million profits in the six months to September 30 – did not warn them that there could be a problem with the unsigned-treaty.
Because the agreement – which abolishes existing restrictions for travel to and from Morocco and the EU – has not been signed, flights from France are now only being offered to Marrakesh from December 1 and to Fez from December 2, according to the Ryanair website.
Furious couple Joan and Adam Bunting, who booked a flight from France to Fez in July, are claiming €445 from Ryanair – which was blasted in Tonight With Trevor MacDonald/Granada TV documentary last Friday over the way it treats passengers – but say they are disgusted with the way the company has handled the situation.
Mrs Bunting, who is now continuing with her trip to Morocco but with another airline, told BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme yesterday: “Dealing with them is just endless hassle.
“You cannot get through to Ryanair under any circumstances. If you trawl through their website, you eventually find a fax number, send your fax and several days – if at all – later, you get an email back with a notice across the top of the email saying ‘you may not reply on this email address’.
“We have paid quite a considerable amount more on a different airline, we are still going but we are still fighting with Ryanair for a full refund plus compensation for the hassle they have caused us.”
Husband Adam added: “The €445 is not an enormous sum for them in view of the huge profits they recently announced, but for us as a retired couple, it’s quite a lot.
“What we’re really annoyed about is that they could very easily have told passengers that this problem of the new treaty not having yet been signed meant flights might not be available but they gave absolutely no warning to us about this.”
The couple, who are unable to fly to Morocco in December, say they have yet to hear from Ryanair if they will get any compensation at all.
Easyjet had a similar problem in the summer when it mistakenly thought it had an agreement to fly into Istanbul.
Then, noted aviation consultant John Strickland, Easyjet took “a more conciliatory point of view” for its customers and he noted “it wouldn’t be normal” for an airline to book people on flights before an “open skies” or similar agreement had been signed.
And he added: “Ryanair will do what they legally have to do – which is refund the ticket price or offer another flight.
“But they will argue that it’s outside of their control, so they won’t do more than the minimal in terms of their existing booked customers.”
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, when approached by the BBC, simply said: “No comment”.


text:
(Bloomberg) -- Porsche AG may be carving out a new future after pulling off Europe’s biggest listing in a decade, but the sports-car maker vowed that one thing will remain the same: The 911 running on gasoline.
Asked whether Porsche would electrify the iconic model introduced in 1964, Chief Financial Officer Lutz Meschke said while the company could flexibly react to new regulation, it’s reluctant to change the 911.
“It’s the core, it’s the heart, it’s the soul of our company,” Meschke said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Tom Mackenzie in Frankfurt. “We want to drive the 911 as long as possible with a combustion engine.”
READ: Porsche Rises in Landmark IPO Weathering Tough Markets
Porsche shares debuted Thursday in Frankfurt, raising €9.4 billion ($9.1 billion) for parent Volkswagen AG, with another hint the iconic model is here to stay after the carmaker chose P911 as its ticker.
While the Taycan electric vehicle outsold the 911 last year, the gasoline car remains Porsche’s most profitable model. Bloomberg Intelligence estimates the 911 makes up almost 30% of the company’s earnings on just 14% of unit sales. The 911 has a starting price of €113,492 in Germany.
“We can live very well” with the 911 as a combustion-engine car, Meschke said. “It’s very successful.”
(Adds 911 starting price in fifth paragraph.)
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.


text:
“Identical to every other app, third-party storefront apps may have a product element web page that may be discovered through search or by searching – in order that customers can simply discover and set up it with the identical confidence as every other app within the Microsoft Store on Windows,” Sardo wrote. He stated “we glance ahead to welcoming different stores as effectively sooner or later.”
The information builds on Microsoft’s strategic strikes to entice app builders to its platforms. It beforehand introduced it’s working with Amazon and Intel to permit Android apps to run on Windows 11. Customers will discover them through the Microsoft Store and set up them through the Amazon Appstore.
The adjustments are a part of a broader refresh of the Microsoft Store, together with assist for extra sorts of apps, a brand new revenue-sharing choice for app builders, editorial content material, and extra. The brand new Microsoft Store will launch alongside Windows 11 on Oct. 5, and launch on Windows 10 within the coming months.
“Our dedication to being an ‘open Store for an open platform’ isn’t simply concerning the numerous technical underpinnings of how apps are constructed. It’s additionally about ensuring our enterprise phrases are truthful and assist promote innovation,” Sardo famous in at present’s weblog submit. “For example, the Microsoft Store on Windows not requires app builders to share income with Microsoft, when apps handle their very own in-app cost programs.”
Microsoft will release Windows 11 on Oct. 5 as a free improve for current Windows 10 machines, and pre-installed on new computer systems. Microsoft will use what it calls a “phased and measured strategy” that assesses a PC’s specs to decide when Windows Replace will provide the improve.
Saying extra steps to open the @MicrosoftStore on #Windows to all builders – together with different stores and browsers. Welcome to our new companions. We glance ahead to persevering with this journey with app builders. https://t.co/B0eNGWp6c5 pic.twitter.com/foYs0FpL4I
— Giorgio Sardo (@gisardo) September 28, 2021