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Imagination Technologies has formally put itself up for sale, as a result of the impact of Apple's decision to stop using its products.
The Financial Times
In this role, all four business units of the company will report to Sadana. In addition, he will have responsibility for driving corporate strategy and business development for the company.
While Nvidia and Intel are busy sparring for glory as innovators of fully autonomous vehicle platforms, Texas Instruments, focused on ADAS, has kept its profile low.
The Snapdragon 450 is said to be clocked at 2.0 to 2.2 GHz instead, using the same eight Cortex-A53 cores. This sets itself apart from this other 400 series siblings and actually takes it closer to the Snapdragon 625.
Samsung is set to lead the industry with 8nm, 7nm, 6nm, 5nm, 4nm and 18nm FD-SOI in its newest process technology roadmap.
Foxconn chairman Terry Gou told Nikkei Asian Review about the arrangements in an exclusive interview, a week after he said that Apple and Amazon were financially backing Foxconn's efforts in vying for Toshiba's memory chip unit.
Nikkei Asian Review
Apple and computing giant Dell will join a Foxconn-led consortium bidding for Toshiba's highly prized chip unit, the CEO of the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer told Reuters on Monday.
Samsung Electronics has lost Qualcomm's 7-nanometer (nm) chip order to Taiwan-based Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
Western Digital has offered to acquire less than 20% of Japanese partner Toshiba's memory chip arm, compromising on its prior demand for a majority stake in a bid to get negotiations moving.
Nikkei Electronics Asia
According to Samsung's latest job openings, it looks like the South Korean tech giant might be looking to reduce dependency on ARM and proceed to make its own custom mobile GPU.
Japanese financial company ORIX has recently joined SK hynix to acquire Toshiba's chip business possibly as part of the Korean chipmaker's efforts to soothe negative sentiments in Japan, the Korea Economic Daily reported on June 2.
Investors including Elliott Management are seeking to pressure NXP Semiconductors to renegotiate with Qualcomm to persuade the US company to raise its US$110-a-share purchase offer, according to people familiar with the process.
Western Digital is considering fresh investment to build another flash memory chip plant in western Japan in an effort to show its commitment to the country, a source familiar with the matter said.
GlobalFoundries, the world's second largest contract chipmaker, aims to double its revenue from Japan over the next few years by launching cheaper chips for newer uses that will help it claw market share from a dominant Taiwanese rival, a senior executive said.
Western Digital has announced what the company claims is the world's first client solid state drives built with its 64-layer 3D NAND technology.
Intel's executive ranks have been in a state of flux since mid-2015, when Intel president Renee James exited the company. The chip giant has since replaced many of its top managers including former CFO Stacy Smith and CIO Kim Stevenson, though Smith remains at the company in a different role while Stevenson has been snapped up by Lenovo to lead its datacentre group.
Jianguang Asset Management (JAC Capital), Leadcore Technology, Qualcomm (China) and Wise Road Capital have signed an agreement to form a joint venture - JLQ Technology - which will focus on the design, packaging, testing, customer support and sales related to chipsets for mass-tier smartphones designed and sold into China.
2017 is the year of the slim-bezel smartphone, and the latest to enter the fray is Andy Rubin's "Essential" smartphone startup. Today the company announced the "Essential Phone," a flagship Snapdragon 835 device headed to the US for $699.
SoftBank has quietly amassed a $4 billion stake in Nvidia making it the fourth-largest shareholder in the graphics chipmaker, according to people familiar with the situation.
ARM Holdings, a British chip innovator controlled by SoftBank Group, will form a joint venture with Chinese partners "within months" to help companies in China develop semiconductor technologies, including products that could have security uses, a company executive told the Nikkei Asian Review on Monday.
Nikkei Electronics Asia
Tech giant Samsung Electronics said on Monday it is considering adding NAND memory chip production capacity at its manufacturing base in China amid an industry-wide boom that will likely fuel record sales for memory suppliers.
Samsung Electronics is seeking to increase high-performance DRAM chips for AI processors and servers by more than 30-fold and supply the chips first to key clients Intel and Nvidia, multiple industry sources told ET News on May 30.
Micron will install 13-nanometer production equipment at the Hiroshima Prefecture facility.
Nikkei Electronics Asia
Esin Terzioglu, who oversaw the engineering organization of Qualcomm's core communications chip business, announced the move on his LinkedIn page, where it was highlighted by analyst Neil Shah of Counterpoint Research.
One day, soon, your Apple iPhone will be able to figure out when you're going to get sick, will book itself in for servicing when faults develop, will let you know if it picks up a virus, and will be able to figure out if the person you are sharing data with is authorized to see that information. CIOs should begin to think about how this level of machine intelligence may impact their business.
Apple is working on a processor devoted specifically to AI-related tasks, according to a person familiar with the matter. The chip, known internally as the Apple Neural Engine, would improve the way the company's devices handle tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence -- such as facial recognition and speech recognition, said the person, who requested anonymity discussing a product that hasn't been made public.
Samsung Electronics is increasing its effort in semiconductor outsourcing, separating the company's foundry business into a new unit as part of a challenge to market leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.
SK Hynix will decide on whether to spin off its foundry business on May 24 at the earliest or by the end of this week at the latest, according to industry sources. All eyes are on the company's next move as it can improve its status as integrated device manufacturer (IDM) by strengthening the non-memory chip business and seek various ways to reorganize the business by using its subsidiaries.
Four suitors have come forward for Toshiba's cash-cow memory chip unit. But with aggrieved business partner Western Digital raising objections, the company likely will face many twists and turns before completing the deal that is so crucial to its survival.
Nikkei Electronics Asia
Samsung Electronics' plan to spin off foundry operations from the system LSI division is expected to increase Samsung's share of global contract chipmaking at the expense of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and smaller rivals.
Sondrel, an IC design services firm based in the UK, has agreed to buy Imagination Technologies' IMGworks division for an undisclosed sum.
Samsung is expected to invest KRW24.5 trillion (US$21.95 billion), up more than KRW10 trillion (US$8.96 billion) from the previous year.
Chip design giant ARM has teamed up with US researchers on a project to develop chips that can be implanted in the human brain.
Qualcomm has demonstrated dynamic electric vehicle charging (DEVC), which allows vehicles to charge while driving. Based on the Qualcomm Halo wireless electric vehicle charging technology (WEVC), Qualcomm designed and built a wireless DEVC system capable of charging an electric vehicle (EV) dynamically at up to 20 kilowatts at highway speeds.
It has been found that Samsung Electronics is planning to set up a foundry business unit in its Device Solutions (DS) Division in charge of semiconductor business and so on. This has to do with today's rapid growth of the global foundry market.
Nvidia revealed Wednesday at its GPU Technology Conference that Toyota will use Nvidia's Drive PX AI automotive platform to power advanced autonomous driving systems planned for market introduction.


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Windows 10 Mobile has yet to roll out for existing devices, but Microsoft has now offered a few more details.
Specifically, the company notes that a number of Windows Phone 8.1 devices will first have to receive firmware updates, and only after that will they be able to get the new Windows 10 Mobile update.
We're still not closer to getting a specific release date for Windows 10 Mobile, but at least now, the Microsoft representative offered a few more tidbits of information.
So far, nearly all Windows Phone updates gracing Lumia handsets came bundled with firmware updates. Windows Phone 8.1 came with Lumia Cyan and Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 came with Lumia Denim, but Windows 10 Mobile will reportedly not come with any firmware update bundled.
This means that Windows Phone 8.1 devices will get firmware updates separately. These updates will arrive at the same time as Windows 10 Mobile for some devices, while for others, they will come before Windows 10 Mobile.
"For existing 8.1 devices, Win10 update is going to be only SW update, but in order to fix [a] few issue[s], there will be FW updates for some devices which are still based on 8.1 SW before they can receive [the] Win10 update," a Microsoft spokesperson tells Neowin.
"Right now we have not communicated what 8.1 devices will get updated and when but please have the latest SW on all your 8.1 [devices] in preparation of Win10."
The company has still not offered a specific release date for its new OS, but Windows Phone users are getting increasingly frustrated. Windows 10 Mobile was expected to roll out for existing Windows Phone devices back in December 2015 but faced delays.
It was then expected to arrive in January of this year, but subsequent reports revealed another delay, this time until February. More than halfway through February, Microsoft Mexico announced that Windows 10 Mobile would start rolling out on Feb. 29, only to later admit that its announcement was off.
It remains to be seen when Windows 10 Mobile will finally start reaching Windows Phone 8.1 devices, but Microsoft is staying mum on the matter. We'll keep you up to date as soon as more information becomes available, so stay tuned.

domain: news


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Peregrine Livefoods is celebrating its 25th year in business, and to mark the occasion it is hosting an open day and celebration gala dinner on 1 July.
The company is best known for supplying equipment, frozen foods and live foods, which are required for the correct care of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.
The Essex company’s product development manager Sally Goldthorpe said: “When Tim Green and Dave Perry, joint owners of Peregrine, started the business back in 1987, they never dreamt it would become what it is today – the leading reptile wholesaler in the UK.”
During the day visitors can meet the Peregrine team, see new products and meet key suppliers. Guests will be able to bid for the Peregrine director to work for them for the day with all proceeds going to charity.
Places are limited – and filling up fast – so contact Jo Fox at firstname.lastname@example.org or call her on 0800 919 631.


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Chinese car designers are rarely lauded for their efforts, mostly because of the country’s reputation for ‘borrowing’ designs from other carmakers, but one company, Geely, is helping to turn around the bad rep with a number of interesting concepts and new models it has planned for the upcoming Beijing Motor Show. In fact, Geely has a total of 23 debuts planned for the upcoming show - a record for a Chinese carmaker.
We’ve previously covered a number of Geely’s new concepts such as the new GT
, a premium coupe with swooping lines and a very original front grille that looks both svelte and alluring. At the other end of the spectrum, we also saw the near-production CE Concept
We can now reveal that Geely will showcase several other models including the new NL SUV (pictured) as well as the new King Kong hatchback, HE minivan, GE SUV and the FC-1, FC-2 and FC-3 sedan lineup. Geely is also expected to unveil a number of new advanced powertrain technologies including hybrid and fuel-cell models.Geely GT Concept
Geely GT Concept


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AROUND 50 jobs are set to be created in South Derbyshire after digger giant JCB announced a £45 million investment in the area.
The firm announced it has invested the cash in its JCB Power Systems factory, in Foston, to allow it to start production on a new six cylinder engine – the JCB Dieselmax 672.
The money has been used to research, develop and test the engine and establish a brand new production line at the factory, just off the A50.
Full article: http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/50-new-jobs-as-JCB-pumps-45-million-into-factory-20130606121205.htm
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text: This protocol is basically a more secure version of the underlying platform used for almost every website on the internet. Standardizing HTTPS for WordPress will Nepal Phone Number List make more than 25% of sites on the internet more secure. How will SSL affect SEO? Mullenweg says that sites that want to rank higher in search engine results will also benefit from switching to Nepal Phone Number List SSL security protocols. Google announced in August that it would start seeing HTTPS as a ranking advantage for sites in Chrome, and expressed hope that this new application would make the internet a safer place for users.


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The luxury fashion group has announced the appointment of Gianfilippo Testa as CEO of Alexander McQueen.
Testa will take the position from May 2022 and will report directly to Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault.
He succeeds Emmanuel Gintzburger, who has reportedly decided to leave the group to pursue new professional challenges.
Testa is an Italian national with a long track record in the luxury industry in Europe and Asia. He started his career at TAG Heuer in 2002 and went on to hold a range of roles at LVMH, specifically at Fendi in Italy, Japan and Hong Kong.
He joined Kering in 2016 as Gucci President Greater China and, since 2019, has been President of EMEA and VP Global Retail at Gucci.
The group has invested in expanding the McQueen label's network of stores as part of efforts to raise the profile of Kering's smaller brands, which also include Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta.


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Adani Wilmar IPO To Open On January 27. Check Price Band, Face Value, Other Details Here
IPO News Today: Adani Wilmar is a joint venture of Singapore-based Wilmar Group and Adani Group. It has many oil brands including Fortune Brand. The company aims to raise Rs 3,600 crore through its IPO.
New Delhi: Indian share markets saw a number of IPOs in 2021. Some of the biggest IPOs gave excellent returns to their investors like Zomato and Nykaa. On the other hand, some of them were disappointing. Paytm was one of them. This year, Adani Wilmar is all set to launch its IPO. According to a report by The Economic Times, the IPO will launch on Thursday, January 27.
Adani Wilmar is a joint venture of Singapore-based Wilmar Group and Adani Group. It has many oil brands including Fortune Brand. According to the report, the company had aimed to raise Rs 4,500 crore through its IPO. But it will now raise Rs 3,600 crore. The IPO will close for subscription on January 31, 2022.
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Adani Wilmar IPO Details: Price Band, Face Value, Other Details Here
- Adani Wilmar IPO Date: The IPO will open for subscription on January 27, 2022. It will close on January 31, 2022.
- Adani Wilmar IPO Price: Adani Wilmar IPO price band has been fixed at Rs 218-230 per equity share.
- Adani Wilmar IPO Face Value: The face value of one equity share is Rs 1.
- Adani Wilmar IPO Lot Size: One lot consists of 65 shares. An investor can bid for a minimum of one lot.
- Adani Wilmar IPO Size: The company aims to raise Rs 3,600 crore through its IPO.
- Adani Wilmar IPO Registrar: Link Intime India has been chosen as the registrar of this issue.
- This is the seventh share of the Adani group to list on the stock market. Adani Enterprises, Adani Transmission, Adani Green Energy, Adani Power, Adani Total Gas and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones are already listed.
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Business News on India.com.


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Japan’s Revised Fisheries Act makes Transparency the Key to Future Competitiveness for $134 Billion Private Fisheries Sector
In revising its Fisheries Act in 2018 for the first time since 1949, the Government of Japan introduced scientific baselines for most commercial fishing species while opening doors for private sector investment enabled by a $2 billion increase in public spending to support this transition towards scientific management of domestic fisheries.
The Japanese domestic wild-catch seafood industry is now required to comply with the Act by transparently reporting where it fishes, what it fishes and how those fisheries are sustainably managed. The Act now states “ensure sustainable use of marine resources”.
With 41 publicly traded companies worth $134 billion in the fisheries sector in Japan, the Japanese seafood industry is the 6th largest source of international trade for Japan, right behind electronics. Overall, the Japanese seafood industry accounts for 2% of Japan’s exports and imports respectively, making the seafood industry critical to supporting the country’s GDP growth, macroeconomic stability and sovereign health.
For example, as shown below, Japan’s wild-catch fish volumes have declined 74% from 12.8 million tonnes in 1985 to 3.3 million tonnes in 2017.
The Fisheries Act enables investors and lenders, with their $134 billion investment in the industry, to ask for seafood sourcing information such as cash flow from operations, sources of revenue and costs of goods sold from the 41 companies they finance. As shown below, compliance with the Act means that, if companies have direct or indirect ownership exposure, they need to disclose the scientific baselines for the fisheries they work, their total allowable catch based on a maximum sustainable yield model and their individual tradeable quotas.
This transparency is key for lenders in the sector as it informs loan covenants. It also helps asset owners and asset managers choose how to invest in the sector, whether through integrating this financial information into models, or informing positive or negative screening of the 41 companies in the sector.
The revised Act is good for Japanese business and its critical contribution to the Japanese economy. As Japanese investors scale back their investments in coal and address investments in palm oil, they are also beginning to assess their exposure to declining seafood stocks and their responsibility to invest in companies that manage their operations by applying scientific principles.
Given this, the Act enables transparency making it easier for investors to align their capital with companies who are managing their resources responsibly. This transparency will support the reversal of decades of declining domestic fish stocks by applying scientific principles to most commercial fisheries. Finally, financial transparency is key for the Japanese seafood industry to remain competitive and maintain its role as a global leader in industry.


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President Emmerson Mnangagwa Slams Forex Traders
President, Emerson Mnangagwa, has labelled money changers (currency dealers) as a national security threat, warning that his Government will take drastic measures against such traders as the country’s economy is on the down side.
The last two weeks saw the bond note suffer heavy battering against the greenback on the parallel market, with its exchange rate touching new lows.
The surrogate currency was trading at over 400 percent against the United States dollar yesterday, compared to 180 percent at the beginning of the month.
“A great threat to our bid to stimulate productive activity in the economy comes by way of non-productive, speculative activities operating below the radar but involving millions in precious foreign currency and bond notes,” Mnangagwa said through state media on Sunday.
“To that end, this problem is now being treated as a serious security threat which requires a different response so that we get back to clean, productive and disciplined economic activity operating within norms and rules of the market,” he said.
Inflation has been on the rampage in Zimbabwe, with Zimstats saying the yearly inflation rate for August surged to 4.8 percent.
Cash barons have agents that employ dealers to buy and sell cash at a premium.
In what is becoming a lucrative speculative trend on the parallel market, anybody with access to cash is now selling at a premium.
The trend obtaining on the black market is particularly reflective of the cash shortage prevalent in the economy today.


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With IFA 2020 happening in a few weeks’ time, Realme has shared some details on what it plans to release during the annual convention. In a new series of posters, the upcoming phone—which is said to be the X7 series—will have a 120hz AMOLED display—a first for Realme considering its phones with 120hz panels use IPS.
The X7 series will have 5G connectivity, and reports from Digital Chat Station indicate that the display will be sourced from Samsung and have a 6.55-inch Full HD+ resolution. The panel will have a punch-hole for the 32-megapixel selfie snapper.
The X7 (or X7 Pro) was also spotted on TENAA with a rectangle-shaped module housing four cameras: 64-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and two 2-megapixel sensors. Powering it is a yet-unknown 2.6Ghz octa-core processor that is speculated to be the Dimensity 1000+ and will have 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB internal storage. The battery is said to be a two-cell configuration with a 4500mAh capacity, and has support for Realme’s 65w SuperDart wired charging.
We should know more about the Realme X7 series come September 1.


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JDR named a top home remodeling company - named Market Leader by Professional Remodeler Magazine and earned a Prestigious Guildmaster Award
Professional Remodeler Magazine Names Jackson Design & Remodeling Market Leader for
(SAN DIEGO - June 4, 2012) - Jackson Design and Remodeling (JDR), a leading home remodeling and design company in San Diego, announced today that for a fifth consecutive year, the company has been awarded a Guildmaster Award with Highest Distinction for exceptional customer satisfaction. JDR has also been named as a San Diego Market Leader by Professional Remodeler Magazine for a fourth consecutive year. JDR CEO Todd Jackson is featured on the cover of the magazine's May issue. JDR is the only company in California to receive both the Market Leader designation and the Guildmaster with Highest Distinction award.
More than 18,000 customer surveys were submitted on behalf of the Guildmaster award applicants from around the country. The companies with the highest customer satisfaction scores earn Guildmaster awards. JDR is one of just two San Diego companies to receive this award.
"I'm really proud of our team," said Todd Jackson, president of Jackson Design and Remodeling. "They work diligently to provide exceptional service to our clients and this award is a testament to their hard work and dedication."
In addition to the Guildmaster award, for the fourth year in a row JDR has been named a Market Leader by Professional Remodeler Magazine. According to Professional Remodeler's Market Leader report, San Diego is one of the markets best poised for a rebound in remodeling activity, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.
North America's best builders, remodelers, contractors and real estate developers rely on GuildQuality's customer satisfaction surveying to help them monitor and improve the quality of their service. Once a year, GuildQuality recognizes exceptional customer service with the Guildmaster Awards. Visit the Guildmaster section of the GuildQuality website to see information about all 2012 Award Winners and read about the award qualifications.
About Jackson Design and Remodeling
Jackson Design and Remodeling has been serving the San Diego community for more than 20 years with high-end bathroom remodeling, kitchen remodeling, room additions, and other home redesign projects. Todd Jackson, President and CEO, has established an enduring tradition of quality and service in the remodeling industry. Jackson and his team have won numerous awards for their work, including over 40 COTY awards, dozens of Chrysalis, ASID, NKBA and Master Design Awards as well as three consecutive Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics. For more information, visit www.jacksondesignandremodeling.com, call (619) 442-6125 or follow us on facebook: Jackson Design and Remodeling and twitter @jacksondesign.


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Shares of internet and information services company J2 Global (JCOM 2.95%) jumped on Tuesday, rising as much as 26.5%. As of 11:40 a.m. EDT, however, the stock was up about 16.5%.
The stock's gain follows the company's stronger-than-expected second-quarter results.
Revenue during J2 Global's second quarter was $331 million, up 2.7% from the year-ago period. Analysts, on average, were expecting revenue of $316 million. Adjusted earnings per share of $1.71 for the period was also ahead of a consensus forecast for $1.45.
"J2's outstanding results in an exceptionally challenging environment demonstrate the strength and quality of our business and the dedication of our employees," J2 Global CEO Vivek Shah said in a statement. "Our adaptability and focus led to record-breaking revenues, Adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow for the quarter."
For the full year of 2020, management forecast revenue between $1.38 billion and $1.4 billion. While this was in line with what analysts were expecting, the company's outlook for 2020 adjusted earnings per share between $7.17 and $7.41 was well above a consensus analyst estimate for $6.87.


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Activision has allegedly made preparations for a Call Of Duty: Warzone 2 reveal, which is believed to be happening later today.
There are already rumours of Call Of Duty: Warzone 2 being in the works, but now it’s claimed that Activision will announce it as early as today.
Insider Tom Henderson, who has regularly leaked Call Of Duty info in the past, has revealed that Activision has begun contacting content creators in preparation for a Call Of Duty: Warzone 2 reveal, with the embargo set to drop today.
He added that, rather than use the original Call Of Duty: Warzone as a foundation, the sequel has been built entirely from scratch. This is because of certain issues involving the original game which trace back to the game’s integration with Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
Supposedly, Warzone 2 will come bundled with Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which has been rumoured to be this year’s premium Call Of Duty game from Infinity Ward. It’s not clear if it will launch on the same day but, if accurate, that means Call Of Duty: Warzone 2 will arrive this year as well.
At time of writing, Activision has yet to formally confirm anything, although the Infinity Ward Twitter account did post the Antonio Banderas reaction GIF some time after Henderson shared his claims, which could be an acknowledgment of the leaks.
Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at [email protected]
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
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- Former Disney World employee Patrick Allen Spikes, 24, is accused of stealing $14,000 worth of costumes and memorabilia from Epcot and the Magic Kingdom.
- He was arrested on Friday and is facing charges of burglary, grand theft, and dealing in stolen property.
- He is accused of stealing items from the closed Cranium Command attraction at Epcot and the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom.
- Records seen by authorities show that Spikes received $29,451.70 from two buyers for the items between July 26, 2018 and September 6, 2018.
- Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.
A former Disney World employee is accused of stealing $14,000 worth of costumes and memorabilia from back rooms accessed through underground tunnels at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, police said in an affidavit.
Patrick Allen Spikes, 24, was arrested on Friday and is facing charges of burglary, grand theft, and dealing in stolen property, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Spikes became a suspect after sheriff deputies discovered pictures of valuable items linked to Disney on his now-deleted Twitter account, @backdoordisney, detectives said in an arrest affidavit seen by INSIDER.Authorities have been looking into the stolen items since August, when an animatronic character named "Buzzy," as well as its bomber jacket, headphones, and a green hat, went missing from the closed Cranium Command attraction at Epcot. The items are valued at $6,814.
Spikes is also accused of using his Disney employee ID to get to Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion through underground tunnels, and stealing a dress worn by one of the animatronics, as well as a jacket, trousers, wigs, and a tiara. The items stolen from the Haunted Mansion are valued at $7,216, according to the affidavit.
Disney security investigators became aware of Spikes and his Twitter account in October 2018, the arrest affidavit said.
Orange County sheriff's deputies first spoke to Spikes in November 2018, and in December detectives learned Spikes had sent images of the stolen items to another Disney employee.
After obtaining a search warrant for Spikes' home and phone, detectives found photos of stolen Disney items and transactions over PayPal.
Records seen by authorities show that Spikes received $29,451.70 from two buyers for the items between July 26, 2018 and September 6, 2018.
One buyer, who had purchased 18 items from Spikes, has returned all of the items to Disney World, the affidavit said.
Detectives are still trying to track down the rest of the items that were stolen from the park.
Spikes bonded out of Orange County Jail over the weekend. It remains unclear when Spikes left his job at Disney and what his role was at the parks.
INSIDER has contacted Disney for comment.


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Some of the exciting upcoming open beta titles include: “SMITE” for the PS4 and “Overwatch” from Blizzard. Unfortunately, not all games enjoy a smooth ride when it comes to beta. Such is the case with “Fable Legends” from Lionhead Studios.
“SMITE” Open Beta on March 22
On March 22, The PS4’s multiplayer online battle arena title will be going open beta, according to the “SMITE” official website. At that point, the game will be Free to Play to all PS4 players.
But for those of you who wish to play the game before the 22nd, you can grab up to four “SMITE” Beta Codes by following and liking SMITE on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
If you’re already enjoying the SMITE Beta, you can continue having fun!
March 22, the date set for the open beta, also marks the second birthday of the PS4 title. As part of its birthday celebrations, Hi-Rez Studios announced that it will roll out several goodies for gamers.
“Overwatch” Open Beta on May 5
An announcement on the official Blizzard website states that they are opening the doors to players a few weeks ahead of the May 24 official launch date.
Players can gain early access (by two days) to the open beta by preordering (pre-purchase) “Overwatch” on any platform: the PS4, Xbox One or PC.
“As a newly added bonus, if you pre-purchase or preorder Overwatch for any platform at www.buyoverwatch.com, you’ll also get early access to the Open Beta for you and a friend from May 3–4. After that, everyone will have a chance to play free during an all-access Open Beta period from May 5–9.”
One pre-purchase will allow access to two people from May 3 to 4, a full three weeks ahead of the launch. That’s pretty unusual.
Overwatch is a unique case though, as select players enjoyed “early access” to the full scope of the game over a period of months, across several closed betas. Blizzard is using this time to tweak the game, as well as adding new modes and features.
Pre-purchases can be made though the Battle.net Shop where both the Original Edition and the digital versions are available, from a participating retailer, and through the PS Store and Xbox Store once the option goes live. The company has started taking pre-orders and the last date is April 29.
Do you remember the Fable Legends game? Even if you don’t, it no longer matters.
Microsoft Cancels Xbox One’s “Fable Legends” and is Shuttering Lionhead
Microsoft has officially canceled the game, and the Lionhead Studio, the game’s developer, may be shutting down.
The 4v1 asymmetric game was announced in 2013. By 2014, it had begun a closed beta. An open beta was supposed to have started sometime this spring.
But behind the scenes, things haven’t been good for Fable Legends, and there has been a lot of talk about the game’s demise by industry folk, media and fans. Now, they’ve all been proven right.
Microsoft issued an official statement, “After much consideration we have decided to cease development on Fable Legends, and are in discussions with employees about the proposed closure of Lionhead Studios in the UK.”
“These changes are taking effect as Microsoft Studios continues to focus its investment and development on the games and franchises that fans find most exciting and want to play.”
An announcement by Lionhead Studios said that that the closed beta for “Fable Legends” that started last year will come to an end on April 13, until which time players who are already in, can continue to access the game. However, no new players can join the closed beta.
According to the studio, all gold purchases made in the game’s bank will be disabled. A refund will be initiated to players who have already made in-game gold purchases. All eligible players will receive communication via email.
All set for the upcoming Open Beta games?
Here are the links to get started:
Get SMITE Beta Codes
Gain Early Access to Overwatch


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Why Could Blockchain Be Useful in Tapping Kenya’s Informal Economy?
Blockchain technology is living up to the expectations of being a disruptive one of the decade. The technology is opening up an informal economy for the financial sectors in Kenya. The size of the informal sector cannot be ignored so easily though it might face some teething issues. Also, the effectiveness of the technology in the country could allow it to be explored in other parts of the world too.
Small businesses like fresh vegetable stall have so far not been able to get the attention of the banks for loans. In fact, banks in Kenya could not resolve the issue of the creditworthiness of traders though the market size of the informal economy is pegged at around $20 billion in the country. The new age technology is being deployed to address the issues concerning the small traders if the banks could find a way to get their creditworthiness.
For instance, a 40-year-old woman is one among several small-scale retailers who could make use of her smartphone to gain access to loans. That would enable her to buy groceries like onions or bananas or tomatoes directly from producers while the delivery would be taken care by Twiga Foods Ltd., a startup firm of the country. As a result, the woman trader, Wacheke, is saved from making a trip to the market.
The procedure allows her to have a positive impact on creating a solid credit track record since it reduces her costs and saves considerable time because there was no need to bargain on prices. Bloomberg quoted her saying that “My prayers have been answered. In business, you need to be fast. The more you pay, the more you get bigger loans, and the more you can sell. It has really helped me.”
Twiga has deployed blockchain technology, which is also used to digital power currencies such as bitcoin, to observe how she manages her business. That included how she is ordering the stock and the habit of repaying. The application focuses on revenue from acquiring fresh wholesale products and then selling it to retailers.
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) has developed this mobile blockchain platform, and this is one of the increasing numbers of apps that is focused on addressing the lack of finance issue. Obviously, this is one of the big stumbling blocks for the region to grow.
A Nairobi-based development economist, Anzetse Were, pointed out the neglect in the data of the informal sector, which was suffering from access to credit. He said that there should be a proper strategy for the informal sector if the financial service providers want to break through the African markets.
The size of the small business is a big one in Africa. An International Finance Corporation data suggested that there was a lending gap of about $331 billion in the region. In Kenya alone, there are an estimated demand of $6.5 billion per year from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Wayne Hennessy-Barrett, CEO of 4G, indicated that Sub-Saharan Africa thinks that it would take some more time to create the financial structure required for MSMEs.


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Online service improves efficiency for new business startups
OFFICE OF GOV. STEVE BULLOCK
BOZEMAN – Montana entrepreneur Will Price and Bozeman business leaders joined Gov. Steve Bullock in early February to introduce the Montana Business Navigator to the Bozeman business community.
The Business Navigator is a new online service that guides prospective business owners and entrepreneurs through a streamlined process of identifying the necessary registrations, licenses and permits needed to start enterprises in the state.
“Montana’s small businesses are a driving force of our state’s growing economy,” Bullock said. “The Montana Business Navigator is the result of direct feedback we solicited from entrepreneurs and small business owners across the state who told us about the need to streamline information, cut red tape and make it easier to create jobs.”
The service offers a checklist as a guide for Montanans to identify the state permits and licenses needed to open and operate a business in Montana, and the checklist is tailored to the specific business input by the user.
Since the site went live on Jan. 14, more than 3,500 people have visited the Navigator website, and 200 individuals have used the Business Checklist portion of the Navigator.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development led the development of the Business Navigator under the directive of the Governor’s Main Street Montana Project to cut red tape for small businesses and increase government efficiency.
“The Business Navigator is the result of hundreds of discussions and working sessions with a diverse group of stakeholders in government, economic development, and private business,” said John Rogers, Chief Business Development Officer for the State of Montana. “We are all very proud of the final product.”


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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ: TREE), operator of LendingTree.com, the nation’s leading online financial services marketplace, today announced that it will present at two upcoming investor conferences.
Stephens Annual Investment Conference
J.D. Moriarty, Chief Financial Officer at LendingTree, and Trent Ziegler, Vice President of Investor Relations and Treasurer at LendingTree, are scheduled to participate in a fireside chat on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. ET and will participate in group meetings throughout the course of the morning.
RBC Capital Markets Global Technology, Internet, Media and Telecommunications Virtual Conference
Doug Lebda, LendingTree Founder and CEO, is scheduled to participate in a fireside chat on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. ET and will participate in group meetings throughout the course of the afternoon.
Both fireside chats will be webcast live and archived on the Company’s website at nvestors.lendingtree.com.
About LendingTree, Inc.
LendingTree (NASDAQ: TREE) is the nation’s leading online marketplace that connects consumers with the choices they need to be confident in their financial decisions. LendingTree empowers consumers to shop for financial services the same way they would shop for airline tickets or hotel stays, by comparing multiple offers from a nationwide network of over 500 partners in one simple search and choosing the option that best fits their financial needs. Services include mortgage loans, mortgage refinances, auto loans, personal loans, business loans, student refinances, credit cards, insurance and more. Through the My LendingTree platform, consumers receive free credit scores, credit monitoring and recommendations to improve credit health. My LendingTree proactively compares consumers’ credit accounts against offers on our network and notifies consumers when there is an opportunity to save money. In short, LendingTree’s purpose is to help simplify financial decisions for life’s meaningful moments through choice, education and support.
LendingTree, Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. For more information, please visit www.lendingtree.com.
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lendingtree-inc-to-present-at-upcoming-investor-conferences-301172062.html
SOURCE LendingTree, Inc.


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USA Today: Hotels across the USA are dishing out a wide array of fuel-related discounts to keep high gas prices from dampening summer vacation plans.
The deals range from gas gift cards and free hotel nights to promotions in which travelers submit their gas receipts for reimbursement. There are also deals rewarding people who carpool or take mass transportation.
While the concept isn't new, the programs are "getting a little more sophisticated," says Joe McInerney, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Wednesday's national average for regular gasoline was $3.81 a gallon, up about a dollar from a year ago, but less than the record $4.11 average in July 2008, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report. McInerney says gas promotions are especially enticing for travelers who haven't made up their minds, making Memorial Day weekend a perfect time for them.
Guests headed to East Coast beach resorts can find gas deals in Ocean City, Md., the South Carolina resorts of Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, according to tourism officials at those places. Charlie Clark, a spokeswoman for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, says fuel incentives appeal because eight of 10 people travel to the island by auto.
At Affinia Manhattan in New York, guests who show a mass transit ticket will be eligible to get a $20 gas card in the "Take a Pass on Gas" promotion that begins in June, says general manager Steven Kipnis.
Among gas-related incentives:
•Napa Valley, Calif. At Napa Old World Inns bed and breakfast, guests who carpool will be given a two-bedroom suite for the price of a standard room through July, says innkeeper Russ Herschelmann.
•San Antonio. The Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency hotels plan "Fuel Your Stay" in June. The deal will give guests up to a $75 credit for hotel incidentals, including food, beverage and parking expenses, based on their mileage on the way to the hotel, says Nicole Zvek, director of revenue management for the hotels. Guests must show a copy of a gas receipt, and there is a two-night minimum.
•Myrtle Beach, S.C. Starting June 18, guests renting condos at the Barefoot Resort will be eligible for a $50 gas card and a free night if they book seven-night stays with a Saturday check-in, says Karla Faircloth, operations manager.


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The Sky's the Limit for Raw Diets
With more dog owners dialing into the benefits of feeding their pets raw foods, the freeze-dried category is taking off, fueled by these products’ nutritional value, ease-of-use and portability.
As more and more folks look for ways to power up the nutritional value of their diets, they are increasingly eschewing processed, refined products in favor of simpler and more natural foods. The thought is that the less processing a food undergoes, and the fewer ingredients it contains, the healthier it is. For this reason, raw foods are increasingly landing on consumers’ radar, both for themselves and now for the family pet.
Humans who follow a raw diet can derive their protein from many sources other than meat. However, because meat protein is so important for dogs, putting them on a raw diet can be a challenging and somewhat messy prospect. Fortunately, freeze-dried dog foods, treats and snacks offer a way around this dilemma, enabling pet owners to offer their little buddies a highly palatable and nutritious raw product in a format that is shelf-stable, long-lasting, easy to feed and extremely portable.
“When food is in its raw, natural form, it’s the most nutrient dense,” says Katie Berlin, brand marketing associate for Dogswell, a Los Angeles-based manufacturer of high-quality pet foods and treats. “As food is processed or heated, the nutrient content begins to decrease. Freeze drying raw foods enables each ingredient to retain more of its nutritional value, and the pet receives the nutritional value of a raw diet without the hassle of feeding raw foods.”
Freeze drying, which removes more than 95 percent of the moisture through pressure and low temperature, is a fairly straightforward process, says Stacy Milchman, salesperson for Pet Ventures—the North Hollywood, Calif.-based manufacturer of Pet ‘n Shape brand pet treats and chews.
“The product is first frozen, then the sublimation process converts the ice into water vapor, removing most of the moisture from the product while keeping the nutritional value virtually the same,” Milchman says, adding that this is a fairly recent innovation in food preservation, one that offers several benefits over other methods, such as using artificial preservatives or dehydration, which can affect the appearance and composition of products.
According to Berlin, the freeze-dried segment is one of the fastest growing in the pet food category, achieving approximately 75 percent growth as an overall category from 2014 to 2015. Lanny Viegut, CEO of Green Bay, Wis.-based pet food company Vital Essentials agrees that this segment is gaining momentum. “The freeze-dried category is welcoming thousands of pet parents every week,” he says. “Freeze-dried manufacturers, along with retailers who are already engaged with freeze-dried products in their stores, are experiencing growth of 30 to 50 percent annually, year over year.”
At this point, says Viegut, the freeze-dried category currently represents just one percent of the total pet consumables. However, he adds, mainstream consumers are starting to realize the benefits that raw freeze-dried foods and treats confer. “Nutritional bio-availability, reduced vet visits, reduction of skin, coat and dental issues, and overall pet happiness are just a few on a long list of benefits,” he says.
Obviously, raw freeze-dried products offer numerous and significant advantages to dogs—and subsequently to their owners—but pet specialty retailers that inventory these products stand to reap important benefits as well. For one thing, even though people are becoming more educated about and aware of freeze-dried products, the market has barely been tapped, says Dr. Chris Bessent, DVM/CEO of Herbsmith, Inc. Located in Hartland, Wis., the company manufactures high-end supplements and treats for dogs and cats, and freeze-dried and dry-roasted dog treats.
“The growth is pretty explosive,” says Bessent. “There has been a wonderful trend of natural that has been going on for years, and incorporating freeze-dried into that diet is the next big thing. We’ve stepped up our manufacturing, added equipment and expanded our facility to meet demand.”
The fact that these products are not yet found in every pet store or retail channel gives pet specialty retailers that carry them a big advantage, turning these stores into destinations for pet owners seeking out freeze-dried products, says Tyler Thielmann, director of marketing for SO Bright LLC, a family-owned dog treat company in Kiel, Wis.
“Another great thing is that it’s very difficult to find dogs and cats that dislike [freeze-dried] treats,” he says. “These products are great for all different types and sizes of dog. They can be easily broken up into smaller pieces for training purposes, and they’re also great from the standpoint that pet owners can finally bring a whole-meat treat along with them on trips, walks or elsewhere without worrying about spoilage.”
Upping Sales Potential
Freeze-dried foods and treats also allow retailers to easily offer the benefits of raw without having freezers or refrigerators, says Bessent. Because these products are shelf-stable, spoilage is no longer an issue, as it is with refrigerated or frozen raw items, helping to better manage inventory and control costs. And since these products weigh less than other products, shipping is less expensive as well, she adds.
“Freeze-dried products also offer significantly higher margins than kibble or canned food,” says Ward Johnson, CEO and co-owner of Sojos, a Minneapolis-based manufacturer of raw, shelf-stable pet foods and treats.
“Even so, because the customer isn’t paying for water, freeze-dried foods are actually quite affordable,” Johnson continues. “Most important of all, freeze-dried foods offer retailers the opportunity to create long-lasting, loyal customers by giving them the path to a healthier, more vibrant pet.”
A dearth of product choices isn’t going to be an issue for pet specialty retailers. In fact, just the opposite could prove true. “When we first started, there were few companies manufacturing freeze-dried products and very few brands,” says Thielmann. “But now, the number of brands has exploded tenfold. Even some of the larger brands are starting to take notice and add products, when in the beginning freeze-dried was thought to be a fad.”
There is a potential downside to this abundance that pet specialty retailers should be mindful of, cautions Bessent. “Freeze-dried products are only as good as the ingredients in them, and what we’re seeing is manufacturers jumping on the freeze-dried bandwagon and freeze-drying products with poor-quality ingredients,” she says. “You can freeze-dry anything, so it becomes really necessary to closely examine the ingredients.”
Pet specialty retailers will also need to do a certain amount of educating if they’re going to overcome some of the obstacles and consumer misperceptions that could get in the way of sales. Johnson says some pet owners might believe these products are too expensive or not safe for their pets. They may also confuse freeze-dried products with frozen or refrigerated raw foods and therefore think of them as inconvenient, messy and hard to prepare.
“But knowledgeable sales associates can quickly break down those barriers with facts,” he says. “It’s important to ensure that retail team members are well-versed and ready to successfully educate customers on the unique [qualities] of freeze-dried foods—then make a clear, commonsense case for the unmistakable advantages of freeze-dried raw.”
Other tips retailers may consider to maximize sales in this category include:
• Explain the freeze-drying process and how it preserves nutrients in a natural, chemical-free way, being sure to stress their high nutritional value and the use of real, natural ingredients, says Milchman.
• Point out to customers that freeze-dried foods and treats are very concentrated and therefore they will need to feed their dogs less of it compared to non-freeze-dried foods, in order to avoid over-feeding, says Bessent.
• Offer entry-sized packages of freeze-dried options. Doing so is a good way to introduce consumers to freeze-dried products, says Thielmann.
• Use endcaps and POS materials to call out the benefits of freeze-dried products, says Berlin. Look for visuals and collateral that help you tell, and sell, the story.
• Remember that a pet’s entire diet doesn’t have to be freeze-dried, says Bessent. Lots of pet owners use freeze-dried as a topping for kibble, or they mix it with the pet’s usual food or give as a treat. The dog will still benefit from the nutrients freeze-dried fare provides, while owners will be able to keep costs under control.
• Although freeze-dried is generally nutritious for almost any dog, be sure to inquire about any protein allergies or other food sensitivities, Bessent advises. Also ask how much of the diet the pet owner wants freeze-dried to comprise.
Viegut describes the future as bright for his company and other freeze-dried category leaders. He says, “Increasingly, pet parents are learning the health benefits of feeding raw and are seeing firsthand the impact of a raw diet as they transition from traditional kibble diets.”


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Teaspoons labelling leads in calls to control demon sugar
EFFORTS to reduce the dietary demon sugar are starting to resemble those marshalled against nicotine and cigarettes as the federal government calls for input on labelling options for packaged food and drinks, including possibly a teaspoons rating.
A 600ml bottle of Coca-Cola for example could be forced to display 16 teaspoons of sugar on its label, arguably like the introduction of nicotine level labelling on cigarette packets that led eventually to plain labels with gruesome health images.
The government consultation, open until September 19, wants labels provide adequate contextual information about sugars to enable consumers to make informed choices in support of the dietary guidelines.
Six policy options, in addition to the status quo, are proposed to achieve the desired outcome.
- Status Quo
- Education, how to read and interpret sugar labelling
- Changes to the statement of ingredients
- Added sugars quantified in the nutrition information panel
- Advisory labels for foods high in added sugars
- Pictorial approaches to convey the amount or types of sugars in a serving of food
- Digital linking to off-label web-based information about added sugars content
Consumer watchdog CHOICE is leading calls for visual labelling of teaspoons of sugar.
CHOICE spokeswoman Katinka Day says some teenagers are consuming 38 teaspoons of added sugar per day, equivalent to the sugar in four cans of Coke. Leading national and international health advice clearly states that people should reduce their intake of added sugars. But current labels in Australia make it nearly impossible to identify how much sugar is added to a product by the manufacturer, she says.
“At the moment you have to be a food scientist to identify added sugars in processed foods.
“People in Australia have no clear way of knowing how much sugar has been added to a food,” says Ms Day.
Also in this edition of Australian Food News
- Disrupting the delivery service disrupters, can it be done?
- Faster slow-cooked meals, this is no crock (pot)
- Sweet deal: Darrell Lea buys Life Savers
CHOICE says consumer research shows that Australians want to see added sugar labelling in the nutritional information panel, ingredients list and visually represented as teaspoons of sugar.
Showing teaspoons of sugar is especially important for products that are very high in sugar and low in any beneficial nutrients such as sugar-sweetened beverages, it says.
Alexandra Jones, a public health lawyer at the George Institute for Global Health, said people will be surprised by how much added sugar is in a healthy food like yoghurt or breakfast cereals.
“Added sugars are empty calories and a major contributing factor to the obesity epidemic, rising rates of type 2 diabetes and tooth decay,” she told Fairfax.
The World Health Organisation said no more than 10 per cent of total daily energy intake should come from added sugars, and the Australian Dietary Guidelines urges everyone to limit their intake of food and drinks with added sugar.


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Porsche is working on a new electric Boxster idea, report says
As good because the Boxster already is, it is thrilling to think about it with on the spot torque.
Porsche has had an electric model of the Boxster convertible on its mind for over a decade now, having proven two variations of a Boxster E idea — one with twin motors and all-wheel drive and two with single motors and rear-wheel drive — way back in 2011. Now, in response to a report published Saturday by Car and Driver, these wheels is likely to be spinning once more.
The information that Porsche is working on a new electric Boxster idea comes from comapny board member Michael Steiner. Porsche said towards the top of 2020 that any future electric sports activities automobiles would journey on an as-yet introduced bespoke platform. This platform would probably be centered on decreased weight over present platforms just like the one which underpins the Taycan.
The improvement of this electric idea appears to be only one doable highway ahead for the model, with work additionally progressing on its e-Fuel artificial gas for inner combustion engines. That e-Fuel would, in concept, prolong the lifetime of the corporate’s inner combustion engines and the fashions that use them.
It’s onerous to say after we would possibly see an electric sports activities automobile idea from Porsche, particularly when you think about the lengthy gestation interval for the Taycan. It went from the Mission E idea in 2015 to the manufacturing Taycan in 5 years. Still, with extra refined EV expertise being developed on daily basis, the wait might be considerably shorter this time round.
“We are a variety of potential ideas and eventualities for an electrified two-door, however a ultimate determination has not been made but,” a Porsche spokesperson informed Roadshow in an e mail Monday. “The weight of the car stays a key focus level, because it’s important to the specified efficiency, dealing with and really feel of our two-door automobiles.”
2021 Porsche 718 Boxster will get limited-run twenty fifth anniversary version
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#Porsche #working #electric #Boxster #idea #report


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E3 2017: BioWare's New IP, Anthem, Announced With First Trailer
Get a good look at the next IP from BioWare.
BioWare's new IP was revealed today during EA's E3 2017 press conference, and the game is called Anthem. The first trailer revealed that it's a sci-fi title involving some kind of Game of Thrones-esque wall that keeps people safe from an evil that lies beyond. "Out there, you either live with the choices you make, or die trying to change them," a mysterious narrator says.
The first gameplay reveal for Anthem will come during Microsoft's Xbox E3 press conference on Sunday, June 11. Anthem's platforms have not been announced, but it is presumably in the works for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Xbox One seems like a particularly safe assumption, given the game's showing at Microsoft's briefing. You can check out today's teaser above.
Prior to its E3 reveal today, Anthem had only been described as an action IP "built around a live service" that features a "disruptive new social design." An effort to bulk up that part of the game was cited for a delay that pushed the game back to the current fiscal year, which runs through March 2018. The game is in development at BioWare Edmonton, the studio best known for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Anthem was one of two surprises EA had in store for today's press conference, as we also saw the formal unveiling of A Way Out, an intriguing new co-op game from the director of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. We also got some word about new maps on the way to Battlefield 1. Check out our EA Play press conference roundup for all the news, or head to GameSpot's E3 hub for all of our event coverage.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.


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...active again in another bubble. Fraud is directly proportionate to perceived gain and risk, and becomes pervasive when there is no "risk" of sharply falling prices. The commodities market, and especially gold, is about to re-learn the lessons of history once again.
Montreal – Revenu Quebec has initiated a massive series of searches and seizures in the Montreal area, alleging that companies and individuals in the gold refining and trading industry engaged in widespread tax fraud on transactions worth $1.8-billion.
More than 175 government investigators conducted the sweep this week, targeting businesses, residences, accountant offices and bankruptcy trustees. Some 125 companies are complicit in the scheme that bilked the government of more than $150-million worth of taxes, Revenu Quebec asserts. No arrests have so far been announced.
The tax department has named only two companies publicly as being the subject of its investigations – Kitco Metals Inc. and Carmen International Inc. Privately-held Kitco, one of the largest retailers of precious metals in the world, denies the allegations against it.


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PC Component News
Intel And Micron Produce First 128Gb NAND Chip07 December 2011
- but the high capacity chip won’t be seen in smartphones, tablets and SSDs until 2013.
Intel Launches Extreme Edition Core i7 CPUs14 November 2011
Intel's latest Sandy Bridge processor is not one for the faint-hearted with six cores, quad channel DDR3 memory support and a price-tag to match.
Nvidia Tegra 3 Shows Off Processing Power09 November 2011
The quad-core Tegra 3 system-on-chip for mobile devices has been officially unveiled, showing some serious processing power.
ARM Profits Rise 44%25 October 2011
Strong licensing of its chip designs has seen British-based ARM Holdings report strong results despite a sluggish market.
ARM Unveils Cortex-A7 Processor20 October 2011
ARM's Cortex-A7 processor promises five times longer battery life from a chip just one fifth the size of the Cortex-A8.
Intel Outs Faster, Better Atoms04 October 2011
Atoms up to 2.4GHz, and finally with some graphics grunt as well as HDCP-enabled digital video out.
Samsung Begins 20nm Memory Chip Production22 September 2011
Samsung has begun production of new smaller and more efficient flash memory chips - which could cost 50% less.
IBM And 3M Creating 1,000-Times Faster Processors12 September 2011
How do you boost the performance of a chip by a factor of 1,000? Simple, just add some glue.
First AMD Bulldozer CPUs Shipping07 September 2011
Over a year after first announcing details of the new Bulldozer CPU architecture, AMD has finally shipped the first batch.
Samsung 830 Series SSDs Offer 6Gbps Speed17 August 2011
Samsung's latest SSD drives look very sleek but it's the 6Gbps speeds which will impress most.
Qualcomm Overhauls Naming Conventions03 August 2011
Sick of chip names like MSM7630 and having no idea what it means? Us too, and Qualcomm is trying to put it right.
ARM Profits Rise As Texas Instruments Struggles26 July 2011
British chip designer, ARM, has seen profits rise as demand for smartphones and tablets continues to grow.
AMD Radeon HD 6990M Claims Mobile GPU Title12 July 2011
With Nvidia recently launching the GeForce GTX 580M, the mobile GPU wars are heating up with the launch of AMD's Radeon HD 6990M.
Intel's Clover Trail Ready In Time For Windows 829 June 2011
Intel's latest tablet-specific platform, Clover Trail, could be ready to roll out in time for the launch of Windows 8.
Apple Refreshes Time Capsule Range21 June 2011
Apple has updated its wireless hard drive range with a new 3TB model which has gone on sale for £399.
Intel Reveals Z68 Express Sandy Bridge11 May 2011
Intel has announced the availability of systems and motherboards based the Z68 Express chipset.
Intel Unveils 3D Transistors - Coming In Ivy Bridge05 May 2011
The new tri-gate transistors from Intel will mean smaller and more powerful processors which use less voltage.
Samsung Profits Dive By 30%29 April 2011
Samsung has reported its lowest quarterly profits in two years but has indicated it is upping its legal battle with Apple.
Toshiba And SanDisk Announce 19nm Chip21 April 2011
Toshiba and SanDisk have managed to shave 1nm off the previous record for the world's smallest NAND flash memory chip.
Intel, IBM See Profits Grow As Sony Ericsson Slumps20 April 2011
Intel and IBM both exceeded expectations while Sony Ericsson surprised no one with poor Q1 results.
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Warrior sneakers, or “Hui Li”, were so hip in China during the 60s and 70s that they were the equivalent of Yeezy Boosts of today. Like many other retro icons that have been revived to become cool again, the versatile white canvas sneakers with their signature red or blue leather panels and painted metal eyelets have been given a new lease on life.
The 70-year-old sneaker brand has renamed the kicks WOS33 – which stands for Warrior Ordinary Streetwear 33 – and has launched refined editions of its two most classic Warrior sneakers in its signature red and blue as a tribute to its rich heritage. The inner soles have been improved to enhance durability and versatility.
WOS33 revives the classic models that were popular among Chinese basketball and volleyball players in the 80s, and which were “must-haves” for school gym classes back in the old days.
The brand’s popularity slowly waned in the 90s as more customers became attracted to foreign sportswear brands.
The sneakers are now available from the WO33 e-store. Los Angeles-based photographer Emanuele D’Angelo is tapped to shoot the launch campaign for the sneakers.
Warrior, however, is not the only Chinese brand to enjoy a revival. Feiyue – a brand of sneakers produced in Shanghai since the 1920s – has today gained a cult following and is worn by international stars such as Orlando Bloom, Emma Watson, and Poppy Delevingne.


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The Agency Annual Report — L.A.'s Single-Family Sales Prices Increase Along With Demand, Condos Follow Suit
Posted on 27 Jan
2016 was a milestone year for The Agency in production, growth, and furthering our mission to extend far beyond the traditional brokerage model. Our five-year anniversary saw the launch of four new offices and our highest annual sales volume to date, including L.A.'s two highest-ever recorded sales, The Playboy Mansion and North Carolwood, which each closed for $100 million. To date, we've closed more than $8.62 billion worth of real estate transactions and $2.93 billion in 2016 alone, making us the official leader of $20 million and up sales in L.A.
The Agency's 2016 Annual Report offers valuable insight into 2016's market performance as a whole, along with a close analysis of condominium and single-family home sales in L.A.'s prime neighborhoods, from Downtown to Santa Monica, Malibu, and beyond. The report indicates an increase in average sales prices of single-family residences by about 1.5%, along with an increase in demand. High-end condo prices also showed an increase year-over-year at a fairly consistent rate. The fourth quarter of 2016 in particular was a very strong period for home sales over $5 million, with transactions up 15% year-over-year and 4.3% quarter-over-quarter.
This year, we get up close and personal with our agents and staff with a spin on the Proust Questionnaire, share our favorite moments and accomplishments of 2016, and recognize the agents who topped the industry charts in Variety, Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, and more.


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Topic: gt advanced
11/07/2015, 04:11 am
AppleInsider this week took a crack at reviewing not one but two major new Apple products, while the rumor cycle again turned to the long-term with possible details of iOS and iPhone upgrades, the Apple Car, and live content plans.
11/03/2015, 07:11 pm
After a high-profile supply chain failure last year, Apple and would-be sapphire supplier GT Advanced Technologies have reached an agreement that will settle the bankrupt company's $439 million in outstanding debt.
03/26/2014, 07:03 pm
Fresh photos of Apple's Mesa, Ariz., sapphire plant, built in partnership with GT Advanced Technologies, show construction of external fixtures is progressing as planned, while a new rumor claims the site may be expanded to a neighboring building.


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A cement manufacturing company, the BUA Group has blamed middlemen and other manufacturers for the high cost of cement in the country.
The company regretted that its efforts to make the product available and affordable to Nigerians have been hampered by the unscrupulous middle men and others in the chain.
According to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Group, Abdul Rabiu, cement prices will only stabilize when the company increases its production volume in 2023.
The BUA Group chair, who disclosed this on Sunday to State House correspondents in Abuja after the group’s delegation met with President Muhammadu Buhari, explained that despite BUA Group’s increased cement production and price reduction by 10 percent per bag, the impact had not been felt.
Rabiu accused the middlemen and other manufacturers of frustrating their efforts.
He, however, disclosed that the Group is holding talks with other cement producers to reduce the price of cement in Nigeria.
He said: “I know everybody is talking about the high price of cement in Nigeria and that is, of course, because we do not have enough capacity.
“When we started production, the fourth line in Sokoto a few weeks ago, when Mr President was there to commission the plant, we decided to actually reduce the price of cement by N350 per bag. And that is about 10 percent of the price.
“So today, our price is N3,000 or N3,050, but that has actually not been reflected in the market, simply because the other two producers have actually not reduced the price of cement, so we are having a challenge. We are actually in a quagmire now.
“We are discussing this because what is happening is that we have reduced, but the dealers and the distributors are the ones that are actually making the money. So, it’s a bit of an issue for us.
“We thought that by reducing the price by N350, the other companies would probably follow suit. That has not happened.
“We have seen a situation where the price of cement is still high, you know, so distributors and the dealers are making almost N800 to N1000 per bag.”
Rabiu declared: “That is unacceptable. Because the idea initially when we did that was that we want the situation where the end-users will benefit from the price reduction.
” So now we are contemplating whether probably we have to increase our price to the level of the other producers, which I think is N3,350 or N3,400.”


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Jordan needs new trade routes that side-step Syria
The Kingdom’s exports of fruits and vegetables to Syria flow as normal with no “significant” halt as a result of the ongoing violence in the northern neighbour, an agriculture official said on Sunday. Ministry of Agriculture Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin pointed out that the flow of Jordan’s exports to Syria has not yet been affected “considerably” by the ongoing violence sweeping the northern Arab state, but the Kingdom’s exports to Turkey and Europe through Syria have all stopped.
Haddadin explained that most trucks carrying Jordanian fruits and vegetables through Syria and then to Turkey and Europe are owned by Turks who used to come through Bab Al Hawa border gate between Turkey and Syria which is now completely closed.
According to ministry figures, Jordan exports 180,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables to Syria in normal circumstances at a value of around JD40 million annually. “Despite the ongoing violence in Syria, Jordan has not yet taken a decision to halt its exports of fruits and vegetables to the northern neighbour,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times. But President of the Jordan Truck Owners Association Mohammad Dawood said overland cargo movement between Jordan and Syria was almost “dead” now with only very few trucks leaving Jordan for Syria or vice versa. “The escalating violence in Syria is preventing drivers from risking their lives and properties going to Syria,” Dawood told The Jordan Times over the phone, adding that “99 per cent of truck drivers decided not to go to Syria now as most of the roads are unsafe, witnessing violent clashes between rebel groups and Syrian government forces”.
In recent remarks to The Jordan Times, Director General of the Jordan Customs Department Ghaleb Sarayreh said overland cargo movement between Jordan and Syria has dropped by 20 per cent since the start of the turmoil in Syria nearly a year ago. According to official figures, between 300 and 400 freight trucks are used to enter the Kingdom through Syria on a daily basis.
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NOKIA one of the biggest mobile manufacturers shut down their Finland manufacturing plant
by: Alodia Phan – jcyberinux.com
Nokia is one of the biggest mobile manufacturer and producer here in Asia. Since in my time, when I was in college, I was avid fan of their mobile phones. They create fashionable phones which I fave and they sale very cheap price for a basic or entry level mobile phones.
But ever since the smartphones like iPhone and Android Smartphones begin to emerge to the public, Nokia Sales went down and their phones were ignored by most of my friends. Nowadays, when I met my friend and ask what phones they have, their answered were like “I got an iPhone given by my dad”, or “I got an Android Smartphone, it’s really cheap and there tons of things you can do”.
Yesterday, as I watch the news on International Channel, they report that the Nokia Finland Manufacturing Plant is going to shutdown and many people in their company will lose their job.
Too sad to hear the story, but for more clear statement, I surf and search on the web for the related news, then I saw the headlines in the INQUIRER, Nokia will shut down its UK online store, “FINNISH PHONE MAKER Nokia has confirmed that it is planning to close its online store in the UK.” – the INQUIRER by: Chris Martin, June 15, 2012
Then relative news I gather on CBC News, Nokia closing B.C. research centre as it cuts 10,000 jobs, “Nokia Corp. will lay off 10,000 jobs globally by the end of 2013, the company said Thursday, in a further drive to save costs and streamline operations. The company will shut some research and development projects, including facilities in Burnaby, B.C., and Ulm, Germany. Nokia will also close its core manufacturing plant in Salo, Finland, while maintaining research and development operations there.” – CBC News, June 14, 2012
It didn’t shock me and it was not that surprising, because I really expected this things going to happen on Nokia. As far as I know, leading mobile manufacturers and producers today were Samsung, iPhone, HTC, Sony, and other companies produce affordable Smartphones which has an Android OS on it or an expensive yet superb versatility iPhone Smartphones.
But the news tells that the Nokia development were focusing more on Smartphones, and they going to regain their market and sales within their new products. Hmm… When? Only time will tell, will it be available on the public.
Related Entries / Articles / Links / References :
Nokia will shut down its UK online store – theINQUIRER.net


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Six online marketers have agreed to settlements with the Federal Trade Commission that the agency says will permanently halt their allegedly deceptive use of fake news websites to market acai berry supplements and other products.
The proposed settlements require the operations to make clear when their messages are advertisements rather than objective journalism and will bar the defendants from further deceptive claims. The defendants also must disclose any connections they have with merchants.
Finally, defendants are required to pay roughly $500,000 to the FTC. The monetary judgments are in the full amount of the commissions the defendants received as a result of their deceptive marketing, the agency said. This amounts to most of their assets.
Due to the defendants’ financial condition, the FTC said these judgments will be suspended when it receives certain assets. For example, Ricardo Jose Labra’s $2.5 million judgment will be suspended when he pays $280,000 and records a $39,500 lien on his home. And Zachary Graham’s $953,000 judgment will be suspended when he pays $110,000 plus most of the proceeds from the sale of a truck.In all cases, if it is later determined that the financial information the defendants provided the FTC was false, the full amount of their judgments will become due.
At the FTC’s request in April 2011, federal courts temporarily halted ten acai berry operations. The FTC alleged their websites were designed to appear as if they were part of legitimate news organizations. They had titles such as “News 6 News Alerts,” “Health News Health Alerts,” or “Health 5 Beat Health News” and often falsely represented that the reports had been seen on media outlets like ABC, Fox News, CBS, CNN, USA Today and Consumer Reports.
The FTC received numerous complaints from consumers who paid between $70 and $100 for weight-loss products after having been deceived.
Last year, the FTC brought suit against two other online acai berry marketers: LeanSpa, LLC, which the FTC sued in conjunction with the State of Connecticut, and Jesse Willms. In both cases, the FTC obtained preliminary injunctions barring the defendants from engaging in the charged deceptive practices.
New Top-Level Domains (TLDs) have become more popular in the last couple of years, so here’s everything you need to know about them.
Sure, some apps are doing personalized push notifications, but what happens when your users are in the app?
Since cloud computing first gained mainstream attention around 2009, its popularity has exploded. Promising increased efficiency, flexibility and cost-effectiveness, it was hailed as the ultimate business solution. But are users seeing the benefits?
The term ‘marketing cloud’ has gained significant traction in the last few years as major software companies have sought to monetise the growing importance of technology for marketing teams.


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Technology, seeds hinder Nigeria’s ginger potential
Low use of technology and low quality seeds has continued to hinder the country’s ginger potential as the country has seen it production stagnated over a period of time, farmers say.
Industry data shows that the country has seen its export declined on a quarter to quarter basis owing to its inability to boost productivity and increase its yield per hectare.
Data from the Bureau of Statistics trade report shows that the country’s ginger production declined by 6 percent on a quarter-on-quarter basis. The subsector declined from N706 million in Q1 to N664 million in Q2.
“Most ginger farmers are not using tractors and other machines for land preparation. This is hindering our ability to increase our ginger production because farmers cannot increase their farming areas owing to the huge manual labour involved but with tractors we can farm on a larger scale,” said Zackari Mohammed a ginger farmer in Kastina.
“We are still using local knife to split harvested ginger rhizomes but in china and India there is a machine for that. We lack modern processing machines for washing, peeling, splitting and drying kilns.
“Getting quality seeds is also a major issue for us farmers. It is difficult to get quality ginger seeds and most of the seeds in the country are of low quality. These are some of the reason while we are yet to increase our yield per hectare.
He stated that the demand for the country’s ginger is increasing yearly but the production to meet up with the huge demand has been stagnant.
Ginger is one of the most widely used food seasoning in modern diets. It is actually part of the plant family that includes turmeric cardamom that has huge health benefits.
Ginger can be consumed in different forms which include in powder form, refrigerated or frozen or fresh which is peeled before consumption. The plant is used as a spice and a major ingredient in a wide array of dishes.
It serves as a by-product to numerous food and beverage industries. It is used for the production of ginger wine and also for food seasoning in most Asia countries. Powdered ginger is used in the production of flavor which is utilized in a variety of recipes such as cakes, cookies, bread, crackers, ginger ale, and beer.
Nigeria’s ginger production is put at 31 million metric tons while demand is put at 65 million MT, leaving a supply-demand gap of 34 million MT, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The country exports majority of its ginger which makes Nigeria the third highest exporter of the crop globally.
Ginger is produced in six states of the Federation namely, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger and Gombe with Kaduna as the major producing state.
Nigeria ginger season last from October to February. Currently, a ton of fresh ginger is sold for $1,000 at the international market.
Big Read |


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Spotify announced today that artists and labels will be able to buy paid placements across both its paid Premium and free ad-supported tiers to promotes new releases. Dubbed "Brand New Music For You," this US only test marks the first time that Premium Spotify users can be targeted with paid marketing.
The announcement made just prior to Monday's earnings call means more revenue for Spotify and could satisfy its deep pockets major label partners who want to find more ways to have a leg up on the platform.
In a blog post to consumers, Spotify wrote:
"With an upcoming test we’re running in the US, we’re giving artists and their teams the ability to directly tap into this process and connect with the fans that care most about their music.
In this test, we will let artist teams pay to sponsor these recommendations, giving them the power to tell their listeners on Spotify—across both our Free and Premium tiers—about their latest release. You’ll now hear from a wider range of artists, which means you’re less likely to miss out on new releases from your favorites.
Look out for this new feature the next time one of your favorite artists drops their next release."
There is no word yet on the cost of "Brand New Music For You" promotions or exactly when they will become widely available.
Premium users can turn off the paid notifications.


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Paladins will officially launch next week. Hi-Rez Studio’s hero shooter, which has been in open beta since September 2015, will see its full 1.0 release on May 8.
Want to be a shoutcaster? Just start.
As part of a two-week launch celebration beginning today, Hi-Rez say they’ll be giving away up to $100 million in in-game currency. Any player who has played the game during beta can simply log in to the game from May 8-31 to receive 200 crystals. The launch celebration will also feature an esports tournament in Las Vegas.
In an interview, Paladins’ executive producer, Chris Larson, said “for the past 20 months, the team has been iterating on gameplay, trying different version of the card system, creating a roster of 36 unique champions, and developing the game on various platforms.” The reason Hi-Rez have decided to move to full release now stems from the fact that with “the OB70 release that went live on PC last week, the team feels really good about the bones of the game,” and Larson also says that “the release marks Day 1 of a game that we plan on providing service to our players for [for] years to come.”
The full release will introduce a few changes to the overall schedule, and Larson says “now that we are released we are going to take a step back and revisit the cadence of our update schedule.” 2018 will still see four new champions, but Hi-Rez “want to spend more time refining the systems that we have in place, fixing quality of life issues that players are asking for, and making sure that every patch has awesome new content for our community to engage with.”
You can check out Paladins’ official launch trailer at the top of this article. The game’s full release will occur across PC, Xbox One, and PS4 early next week.


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Numbers and facts are boring. Entertainment is fun. That’s true whether the subject is politics or technology. If you can entertain people who are bored with facts, light them up in fact, your publication will do well. For example, crafty editors know that there’s money to be made bad-mouthing Apple. It will never stop. And it will never cease to amaze us. Jonny Evans ponders and John Martellaro explains.
Apple had two major changes in iPhone 7 beyond incremental improvements. The first is the much-talked about lack of an auxiliary port for headphones, but the other will effect the way we do things far longer than the transition to Lightning audio. That’s moving from a physical Home Button to a touch-sensitive, stationary Home Button. Here’s what Bryan Chaffin thought about it during his hands-on session at Apple’s media event.
Dr. Mac has noticed a trend lately where software makers offer free, high quality basic versions, charging only those who wish additional features or services. Often known as “freemium” apps (think “free but still premium”), these days freemium isn’t just for games and entertainment anymore.
It’s official—well at least according to reported Geekbench scores spotted in the wild! iPhones are now faster than Macs! The latest, and most recently updated, 2016 12” MacBook is slower than the iPhone 7 Plus.
Bryan checked out Apple Watch Series 2 at Apple’s hands-on demo, and was impressed. There’s a lot to like in this second generation device, and he’s gathered my hands-on impressions.
On March 31 of this year (2016), Apple solved the problem that existed since September of 2014: Power users that wanted an iPhone with the latest CPU but preferred the 4″ form factor could have their cake and eat it, too – again – with the introduction of the iPhone SE. Now, though, that problem starts all over again.
In May of 2015, when the Apple Watch first shipped, a few observers opined that it would be wise to buy the cheapest possible version, the Sport Watch. That’s because Apple would, they claimed, come out with a new model in 2016 that would callously make the original painfully obsolete. It looks like Apple’s instincts, in contradiction to that notion, have proved correct.
Bryan Chaffin went into Apple’s hands-on press area a skeptic of the company’s new AirPods wireless headphones. He came out impressed. Here are his immediate impressions.
The art and science of sizing up the new iPhone each year is a formidable one, given the time between the announcement and the window for ordering. Apple provides just enough information to whet the appetite. However, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the state of the art isn’t advancing and decide to save some money, passing on the iPhone 7. That’s probably not a good way to go, given Apple’s track record.
Does Apple have an ageist problem when hiring for its Apple retail locations? If so, it’s not institutional, and the situation that sparked the original story doesn’t actually back up such a claim. Bryan Chaffin digs into the issues.
Apple sort of activated its long-held, but dormant Twitter account @Apple. It’s yet another symbol of CEO Tim Cook’s decision to take a more active role in shaping the Apple narrative.
The personal computing industry is changing quickly. Again. Not long ago, there was a simple migration from Mac and PC desktops to notebooks. Then, Apple finally got the simple tablet right in 2010. However, basic tablets can’t do it all, and so Apple warmed to the iPad Pro concept. But the dust isn’t clearing. Rather the market is exploding in use cases and advanced technology. John tries to make sense of it all.
Once upon a time, Apple was famous for saying “no” to harebrained or even some legitimate product ideas. That was an essential strategy for Apple to emerge from its troubles in the 1990s. Now, however, a much larger company is increasing its surface area to the customer. That, combined with Apple’s organizational structure, is creating some problems that we’re seeing today. John explains.
Dr. Mac says he doesn’t usually write about Apple’s minor operating system updates, but, if you’re using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you should update to iOS version 9.3.5 without delay. Read all about it in Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves #190: Update your iOS 9.x Devices Now!
Google is going into the ride-sharing business this fall. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google plans to open up ride sharing services to users of its Waze app. Bryan Chaffin offers his thoughts on Google competing with Uber, the future of cars, and ride sharing.
Apple’s competitors are sensing Macintosh weakness and are making bold moves. The MacBook Air hasn’t been updated since March, 2015. The Mac Pro, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini are very long of tooth. The latest iMac is coming up on a year old, and only the MacBook looks fresh. Soon, there may be much blood in the water.
It looks like the European Commission (EC) will rule against Apple and Ireland’s tax arrangement. If the European Union (EU) bullies Ireland (via the EC or other proxy) and basically rules that Ireland doesn’t have the sovereign right to set its own tax rates, there is some chance it could be a wedge issue that pushes Ireland to decide to leave the European Union.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a major pivot in managing the affairs of Apple. Bryan Chaffin believes Mr. Cook made a conscious decision to play an active role in shaping the Apple narrative.
In a perfect world, Dr. Mac says he’d ditch his laptop and hit the road with just a svelte 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Two recent events make it possible; find out more in Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves #189: The iPad Pro 9.7-inch Keyboard Case for Road Warriors
Bryan Chaffin has had it with the kvetching about Apple maybe ditching the headphone jack in the next iPhone. He argues we should wait to see how Apple handles it before getting tense.


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Miki Agrawal is the woman behind Tushy, a company that specializes in toiletry systems for women and men. The article starts with Miki’s background: she was born in India and grew up in Canada before moving to New York City to work as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. She then became a hedge fund manager at Point72 Asset Management before quitting her job last year. In this article, we’ll explore Miki’s story and how she got started with Tushy!
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The article makes the point that female needs in toiletry systems aren’t catered to like men’s are. Miki Agrawal decided to create a system that caters specifically to women’s unique hygiene and health needs, such as using wipes instead of toilet paper. Women often regulate their bathroom habits depending on how they feel- whether it be due to menstruation, pregnancy, stress or other reasons. The idea of an all-in-one kit that can be used for any situation is what made Miki think to create Tushy!
Logo, colors, and font.
You will feel SO much stronger about your business if you can clearly make these decisions as soon as possible.
— Miki Agrawal (@twinmiki) January 14, 2022
The article points out that Tushy is a small business, but they have big celebrity endorsements. Stars who use and endorse Tushy include Miley Cyrus, Chrissy Teigen, Rachael Ray and more! But as with any startup business, it’s not easy to keep up with demand. Miki Agrawal says she had to convince her dad to move back from India and help Tushy keep up with their supply!
Miki Agrawal grew up in Calgary, Canada, which is where her company Tushy was born. Now she splits her time between New York City and Los Angeles! Miki’s goal for Tushy is to make it a household name by 2020. She believes that there are 500 million women in the world who need this product, so if she can convince even 10% of them to use Tushy daily, that could be a huge business!
The article points out that Miki has been in the news before founding Wink Soap. It was a company that created soap from recycled coffee cups and single-use items.


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A new strategy for the development of the textile industry is being designed by the government of Moldova, a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north.
According to the Ministry of Industry, in recent years the country’s textile industry has faced a number of challenges, including a low technical level of most enterprises, a lack of skilled labour and the domination of products with low added value.
In addition, Moldova does not have its own raw materials base, which means most materials used in the textile industry have to be imported.
As part of its plans, the government is preparing to remove value added tax on imports of raw materials and equipment for the industry.
For the full story, see the February 2018 edition of Textiles Eastern Europe. Not a subscriber? Sign up HERE


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Former Chicago Bulls star and current Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan filed suit in a Chinese court against Qiaodan Sports Company Limited, a sportswear and footwear manufacturer, for unauthorized use of his name.
In a statement released through his spokeswoman, Jordan says he's worked hard to establish his name and calls the issue "deeply disappointing to see a company build a business off my Chinese name without my permission, use the number 23 and even attempt to use the names of my children."
Jordan says, "This complaint is not about money, it's about principle and protecting my name."
The Chinese company has registered and uses the name "Qiaodan" — the moniker Jordan has been known by in China since he gained widespread popularity in the mid-1980s.
In a separate lawsuit, a federal judge ruled in Jewel-Osco's favor over an ad it placed in Sports Illustrated three years ago when Jordan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The ad read, "Jewel-Osco salutes #23 on his many accomplishments as we honor a fellow Chicagoan who was 'just around the corner' for so many years" -- which is a play on Jewel's slogan.
Lawyers for the basketball legend argued the ad used Jordan to promote the supermarket chain. But the judge ruled it was non-commercial speech.


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Adobe continues to adapt its software to Apple’s M1 MacBook line at a rapid rate.
Like Photoshop CC, the M1 version of Premiere Pro is available in beta, and Adobe lists several known bugs and missing features. The company says it’s bringing over Premier features in phases, starting with main editing workflows and functions and major codecs like H.264, HEVC and ProRes.
In particular, several third-party integrations are still missing because their developers need to update them for the M1 version of Premiere.
It’s also worth noting that apps like Adobe’s Premiere Rush and Audition have also been updated with new M1 beta versions.
Though there are still several Creative Cloud apps missing from Adobe’s M1 lineup, the rate at which the company is adapting its software to the new silicon is, hopefully, a sign that the entire Creative Cloud suite will eventually launch on Apple’s new ARM-based silicon.


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The company had introduced new rules recently that required shoppers to prove they were involved in education, or studying, to qualify for discounts on a range of Apple products.
However MacRumors has spotted that Apple no longer requires US customers to verify their status following major pushback that seems to have forced Apple into a U-turn within just a few days.
While UK customers have previously had to verify Apple Education purchases through services such as UNiDAYS and Student Beans, in the US things have been quite different: no verification was needed to qualify for the 10% discounts on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, and almost all other Apple devices.
According to Apple Track, on top of verification, customers have also been limited to one desktop, one Mac mini, one MacBook, two iPads, and two accessories per year. The limit appears to remain in place even as the verification requirement has been lifted.
One of the central issues was that UNiDAYS, Apple's partner for verification, was down for many potential education customers when Apple introduced the requirement. The issues especially affected teachers, who needed to provide a student ID, something that was clearly not possible.
Apple has said nothing publicly about the reversal but tests show that US customers no longer need to verify who they are to qualify. It remains unclear if Apple is working to reintroduce verification in a different form.
The current system remains fairly easy to exploit and in some cases doesn't even require a .edu email address. Given that many Apple products are expensive, getting a 10% discount is very, very enticing.
Some have pointed out that Apple's 10% discount is often beaten by third-party retailers during the school shopping season, which is something to keep in mind when searching for Apple products.
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Max Slater-Robins has been writing about technology for nearly a decade at various outlets, covering the rise of the technology giants, trends in enterprise and SaaS companies, and much more besides. Originally from Suffolk, he currently lives in London and likes a good night out and walks in the countryside.