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Voyager Digital is a digital app that is currently in talks to launch a debit card. The more interesting fact is that it will link itself to the USDC. Moreover, the executive of Voyager Digital has said that the USDC-linked debit card will pay as high as 9% in annual rewards to its users. However, one has to be eligible to take advantage of the card. For starters, one gas to maintain the USDC holdings of at least $100. In addition to that, the app will spend the bonus payment to the user every month. However, the USDC holders will get the amount in a lump sum on the yearly basis.
The sources close to the executives have said that the app will deposit the USDC payment into the users’ Voyager accounts based on average monthly balances. According to close sources, the user base of the app has about 2.7 million registered users. It has recently surpassed 1 million in funded accounts.
Let’s go through details about the Voyager Loyalty Program
Voyager Digital has disclosed that the members of the app can take advantage of the program. Moreover, they will earn even more perks. The perk can be as high as 10.5% on USDC. Although it may depend on the membership level in question.
The credit cardwhich the USDC enabled has tapped into the Metropolitan Commercial Bank. It is a New York-based full-service commercial bank. Moreover, the executives have decided to be its issuing partner. In addition to this, the payments data systems platform Usio will manage and process the card.
Now That We Know About the Program, Let us Understand the USDC Card Development
The CEO of Voyager Digital has shed light on the USDC card development. Steve Ehrlich who is the founder of Voyager Digital weighed in on the development. In an interview, Ehrlich stated that linking the card with a USD coin will appeal to prospects. As opposed to BTC or ETH, it seems to be one of the driving forces and beneficial.
He has started such a method keeping in mind the company’s target consumer base. Moreover, he focused on making it have a transactional approach. Ehrlich has also claimed that many of the users are looking forward to holding crypto. Moreover, they lean on doing it as opposed to trading or transacting it.
It is because they view digital currencies as a long-term prospect with the potential to produce more value. Hence, those who are patient with them can benefit from it. According to the CEO, the “crypto for all is how we like to portray ourselves.”
Furthermore, the founder has stated that the app will launch a similar product in Europe as well. Although we may expect it to get released sooner rather than later. However, for now, the company will commit to focusing on the USDC card. They will implement the USDC debit card on a domestic level. Right now, it has just marked the soil of the US. Earlier this year in August, the app also acquired Coinify. It is a crypto payment company. They got it for $84 million.
Characteristics Of the Voyager Mastercard
The Voyager MasterCard will allow cardholders to instantly spend their crypto assets easily. Moreover, they will allow the user to seamlessly and automatically change the USDC to fiat currency. As a result, this will help them to transact on the MasterCard network. Apart from this, some other features are as follows.
- One would not need to spend any annual fees.
- You need not worry about locking up to earn rewards. You will get it irrespective of it.
- The annual rewards will go up to 9% on all ISDC holdings of $100 or even more.
- The annual reward will be paid monthly. So, it signifies that the USDC holder will receive crypto back in their Voyager accounts.
- The monthly payment will vary depending on the average monthly balance.
- The system has seamless integration of debit card balances and transactions within the Voyager app.
- The users will get a personal routing and account number for direct payment. The pay includes deposit payment, bill pay for each card.
- One can easily access the assets using ATMs.
- Moreover, there is an additional reward. The reward totals up to 10.5% annually on USDC. However, it will only be eligible for Voyager Loyalty Program members. In addition, it will vary on the tier as well as the additional crypto back on debit card purchases.
The Voyager digital has joined hands with the USD coins. It has multiple benefits that will make the usage of the crypto coin easier. However, to enjoy the benefits, one must pre-register for the Voyager Debit Mastercard through www.investvoyager.com/debitcard. Currently, the application has a total user base of 2.7 million registered users. However, it has recently funded up to 1 million accounts.
You may also read: AMC Theaters Throne – Paypal vs Bitpay


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The logistics arm of Alibaba Group, Cainiao, has presented its ESG achievements in the Alibaba Group Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2023.
The company has built a full-chain green logistics system spanning five major logistics links across ordering, packaging, transportation, warehousing and recycling, in order to promote the achievement of carbon reduction goals and facilitate the transformation of the entire logistics system.
During the fiscal year 2023, Cainiao reduced packaging material use within the industry and among consumers through measures such as the introduction of an industry-specific packaging solution to reduce the number of boxes used.
As part of its recycling initiative, Cainiao also leveraged its Cainiao Post stations to drive packaging recycling campaigns, which included consumers leaving cartons at post stations to be reused –23.82 million cartons were recycled in this way, setting a new recycling record. It also promoted shipping in original or reused packaging, which helped achieve a reduction in packaging material use for fiscal year 2023 of more than 184,000 tons.
Cainiao also advocated for the use of electric vehicles for short-distance urban deliveries. As of March 31, 2023, 33% of its urban deliveries were carried out by electric vehicles. For last-mile logistics, Cainiao has promoted the implementation of autonomous logistics robots such as Xiaomanlv, which has delivered more than 29 million orders as of March 31.
The photovoltaic capacity of Cainiao’s solar-powered warehouses expanded from 24.9MW in 2022 to 30.0MW, a year-on-year increase of 20.5%. By integrating the use of clean energy, Cainiao achieved a reduction in carbon emissions of 21,003.2 MtCO2e in the 2023 fiscal year.
As well as reducing its own carbon footprint, Cainiao also leverages its digital technologies and logistics platform to provide full-chain low-carbon logistics solutions and digital recycling capabilities to support its ecosystem partners. In July 2022, Yili and Cainiao signed a green strategic cooperation agreement to jointly establish a green recycling chain for used packaging which spans the entire process, including consumer engagement, goods transfer and clearance, recycling, returns, re-production and predictive modeling.
Read more key sustainability updates from the parcel and postal technology industry, here.

domain: news


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* LG Electronics expands LED patent case with Osram to automakers
* LG says lighting products in BMW, Audi infringe seven LED patents
* BMW most popular imported brand in S.Korea with 24 pct of import market
* LG shares close up 2.5 pct vs 0.7 pct fall in broader market
* BMW shares up 1.5 pct, Audi up 0.9 pct (Adds company comment)
By Miyoung Kim
SEOUL/FRANKFURT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - LG Electronics filed a suit in South Korea, seeking a ban on the sale of BMW and Audi cars, expanding its legal battle over lighting-product patents with Siemens (SIEGn.DE) unit Osram to automakers.
The sales injunction request filed on Wednesday by LG and its component affiliate LG Innotek said the automakers are using Osram’s lighting products that infringe its patents.
If the court allows LG’s request, that could be a setback to BMW, the world’s largest luxury carmaker, and Audi, a unit of Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE).
Korean sales account for just around 1 percent of these carmakers’ global sales, but European models are steadily gaining market share in Korea following a free-trade deal with the European Union in July.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of patent litigation involving LG Electronics, Samsung LED and Osram. The Siemens lightbulb unit has filed suits against the South Korean firms in the United States, Germany and Japan.
LG’s sales injunction request follows a separate complaint filed with the South Korean trade commission in July to ban imports of LED products from Osram.
“We’ve decided to expand the legal case to automakers using LED package products made by Osram, as the infringement is increasingly affecting the fast-growing LED industry,” LG said in a statement on Wednesday.
Shares in LG closed up 2.5 percent, compared with a 0.7 percent fall in the broader market .
BMW shares were up 1.5 percent at 1043 GMT in Frankfurt, while Audi rose 0.9 percent.
BMW, the most popular imported brand in Korea, raised its market share sharply in the country as Japanese rivals lost ground following the earthquake there in March.
BMW sold 16,579 cars in the first eight months of this year, up 62 percent from a year ago, and owns 24 percent of the imported-car market in Korea, according to data by Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.
Audi also increased sales by a quarter to 6,668 cars in the first eight months of this year to take 9.6 percent of the imported-car market.
BMW in South Korea declined to comment on the lawsuit, while a spokesman at the group’s German headquarters said BMW would have to examine in detail any possible injunction before providing a statement.
A spokesman for Audi said the company had not received anything from the court in South Korea so far and would have to examine any potential injunction should it arrive.
An Osram spokesman declined to comment.
Imported cars account for less than 10 percent of South Korea’s auto market dominated by local brands such as Hyundai Motor , but sales growth is far outstripping that of domestic companies.
Sales of imported cars jumped 19 percent in the first eight months of this year, while Hyundai saw its domestic sales rise only 8.6 percent.
LG joined Samsung LED to countersue Osram, after the German firm said in June that it filed lawsuits against the two business groups.
Samsung LED countersued in June, filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Osram Korea and two Korean sales agents of the German company at a Seoul district court.
Osram is the world’s No.2 lighting company after Philips , ahead of General Electric Co .
LEDs are semiconductor devices that emit light and boast high energy efficiency, while organic light emitting diodes (OLED) are based on organic compounds and used in a range of products including lighting, automobiles, projectors, mobile phones and TVs.
Osram has claimed Samsung and LG infringed its patents on white and surface-mountable LEDs.
It said it would seek compensation, adding various prominent companies worldwide have taken royalty-bearing licences on its conversion technology.
LG said on Wednesday, products in BMW and Audi infringed seven of its patents relating to LED chips and packaging technologies.
The Seoul Central District Court has yet to decide the first hearing date on the LG versus Osram case. (Additional reporting by Christiaan Hetzner in Frankfurt and Irene Preisinger in Munich; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner, Vinu Pilakkott and Mike Nesbit)


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Some of the fans of Grand Theft Auto believe that Rockstar Games will make making an official announcement and offering a glimpse of Grand Theft Auto 6 at E3 2021.
A new tweet posted by the official Twitter account of E3 has made fans arrive at this conclusion. Based on numerous leaks, unverified reports and unconfirmed rumors that have surfaced in the recent past, one has come to believe that Rockstar Games is currently in the process of developing GTA 6.
Rockstar Games is still promoting Grand Theft Auto 5 extensively and try to gain all that it can from it but this doesn’t mean that it has not made plans about the next version of the game. While everyone is sure about Rockstar Games working round the clock towards developing GTA 6, the question remains as to when it will finally be launched.
Also Read: The Sims 4 Makes an Official Announcement About Courtyard Oasis Kit
According to information provided by credible sources, one has to wait a couple of years for GTA 6 to arrive. Yes, you read that right! Since GTA 6 is years away from its official launch, one shouldn’t expect a ‘reveal’ or any important update from the company anytime soon. Despite this, the aforementioned tweet has led GTA fans to believe that an announcement pertaining to GTA 6 is on the anvil.
On Twitter, a profile named ‘GTA 6 News & Leaks’ wrote to the official E3 account and asked whether one should expect an announcement regarding GTA 6 at E3 that is scheduled to be held in June. In its reply, the E3 account shared a GIF featuring Stitch from Lilo & Stitch. In the GIF, one can see a hand patting on Stitch’s head.
GTA 6 announcement IMMINENT. #GTA6 pic.twitter.com/LRca6QtKpX
— GTA 6 NEWS & LEAKS (@NEWSLEAKSGTAS) May 13, 2021
Some fans interpreted it as evidence or a sign of Grand Theft Auto 6 being revealed at E3 this year. This is, of course, overenthusiastic behavior at display here. If you think straight for a moment, you will realize that the GIF is in no way an indicator of this. And, as stated above, all the rumors, reports and leaks that have surfaced so far points towards the fact that the next version of the game is years away from its release. Not a single report has carried any information that contradicts the same. There are many other reasons which compel us not to fall for this information.
Also Read: GTA V: Intel Takes the Help of Machine Learning to Lend a Sense of Realism
Rockstar Games has not been one of the attendees in several years now. Though GTA 5 was a part of E3 in the year 2013, it had already received an official launch by then. Another important to remember is that the gaming company has decided not to share any information about GTA 6 unless and until it comes out with the ‘expanded and enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto 5 for Xbox Series X and PS5. Making an official announcement about GTA 6 before releasing the next generation of GTA 5 would obviously be a bad business decision.
One can understand why fans expect GTA 6 to be revealed this year. There was a gap of three years between the official reveal of Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Given the fact that RDR 2 was revealed three years back, fans now believe that GTA 6 would be unveiled this year.


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DIGICEL rolls out upgraded prime bundles
DIGICEL SAID its customers are in for a primetime treat with the upgrade of ‘Digicel Prime Bundles’.
With our suite of eight apps offering something for everyone, along with masses of data for customers to enjoy them and everything else they love; now Digicel is delivering on its promise to customers of simply more with TikTok and Youtube joining the Digicel Prime Bundle family, according to a release from the company.
With the new upgraded Digicel Prime Bundles, customers will now get ten apps, each with its own generous data allotment, as well as a big side helping of any use data – for just a little bit more money. The company said Prime Bundle subscribers can simply opt out of their existing option and into the new supercharged Digicel Prime Bundles.
CEO, Fanta Williams said; “When we stepped out as a Digital Operator last October, we made a promise to customers of simply more and wowed them with our Digicel Prime Bundles with a suite of apps and huge helpings of data.”
Williams continued; “Promise made, promise kept! Now, we’re wowing our customers again in welcoming TikTok and Youtube to the Digicel Prime Bundle family, we’re letting customers know that we’re always listening, that we care about them – and that now, Primetime hits even harder.”


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Hoping for a waterproof iPhone 5 later this summer? A recent patent uncovered by AppleInsider could mean that Apple is throwing cold water on the concept. New immersion detection sensors are described that would more accurately determine when a device was damaged by water.
Current Liquid Submersion Indicators found on Apple products simply turn red after they come into contact with water. This has caused problems as even a high level of humidity can sometimes trigger the indicator to turn a different color. The patent describes an improved method that would use water-soluble glue.
Apple plans to use Liquipel technology on the next generation iPhone, making the iPhone 5 immune to problems resulting from exposure to water. The waterproof iPhone 5 would be treated internally with a thin layer of Liquipel's material that prevents water molecules from ever contacting sensitive electronic components.
The news that Apple plans to utilize this technology comes from a source in the UK phone retail industry, who stated that wording for insurance documents will be changed to accomodate the waterproofed iPhone 5. Liquipel's technology was demoed at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.


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Cheers! The Hills star Lauren Conrad sips on cocktails while clad in flirty shorts at brunch event
Television personality, fashion designer and author Lauren Conrad attended the Malibu Island Spiced Girls Day Out brunch as the special guest.
And the 28-year-old was in the mood to celebrate as she took several shots with the new low-calorie spiced drink inside a tropical-themed room at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Saturday.
Lauren looked lovely in a classic beige shorts suit, which she paired with a bright orange tank top, just the perfect colour for the special occasion.
Pretty lady: Fashion designer, author and television personality Lauren Conrad poses with Malibu Island Spiced, the new low-calorie spiced rum from Malibu, at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Saturday
But before she could tuck into the tasty looking drink, Lauren held it up while smiling for the camera as a photographer snapped a couple of pictures.
Her make-up was light and summery and the former reality star matched her lipstick colour to her tangerine top perfectly.
Lauren wore her blonde hair poker straight and parted on the side.
Classy: Lauren looked pretty in a classic short suit, bright orange tank top and beige sandals
After the event, she posted an Instagram photo of herself posing at the brunch, revealing she was wearing her own designs.
Along with the snap, Lauren wrote: 'Wore @papercrownluvsu and @LCLaurenConrad to my #malibuislandspiced girls day out brunch today.'
Meanwhile, Lauren, who is engaged to William Tell, just purchased a stunning ocean front home in Laguna Beach, California for $8.5 million, according the Los Angeles Times.
Instagram snap: Lauren posted, 'Wore @papercrownluvsu and @LCLaurenConrad to my #malibuislandspiced girls day out brunch today'
The home has breathtaking ocean views of the bay, is nearly three thousand square feet and has three bedrooms and four bathrooms.
It is located in a private, gated community which has a private beach, in the neighbourhood where Lauren grew up and found fame on Laguna Beach: The Real O.C.
Her current home, which is located in Brentwood, is currently on the market for $2.695 million
New digs: The reality star just bought a stunning home in Laguna Beach, California for $8.5m
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ET takes a look at the top mobile phone brands and models in the January-June period.
A recent international online survey of mobile users revealed that Indians are annoyingly prone to using their mobiles loudly in public areas.
The objective is that users utilise that information to solve their problems without having to navigate to other places for the information needed.
Hackers are increasingly targeting mobile phones to get into bank accounts of victims and steal money, security researchers said Tuesday.
Uganda's mobile phone market has room to grow but is still too small to support all of country's seven telecommunications companies, says Airtel.
In over all mobile handset market, Samsung again led Indian market with 15.1% market share and was closely followed by Micromax with 14.5 per cent share.
Delhi Police has questioned some key witnesses besides sending three mobile phones and a laptop for advance forensic investigations in the death of Sunanda Pushkar.
Three leading telecom companies have written to Najeeb Jung, seeking his support for proper norms to erect mobile towers.


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New Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) The commerce department in association with the Embassy of India in the UAE is taking a series of steps such as organising buyer-seller meets and encouraging states to organise road shows there to enhance utilisation of the free trade agreement between the countries, a senior official said on Friday.
The agreement, which was implemented in May, has helped in pushing India's exports to the UAE.
India's exports to the UAE rose by 12.5 per cent to USD 12.67 billion in June-October 2022. Imports during the period have increased by 21 per cent to USD 22.2 billion, Joint Secretary in the department, Srikar Reddy, told reporters here.
He said that dedicated efforts are underway to raise awareness about the agreement.
Sectors like electrical machinery and equipment, gems and jewellery, cereals, chemicals, automobiles, coffee, tea, and spices are registering healthy growth in exports after implementation of the trade agreement, Reddy added.
He said that the department in association with the Indian Mission in the UAE is organising a series of CEPA (comprehensive economic partnership agreement) specific trade promotion events in the UAE.
Speaking at the media briefing, India's Ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir said that states are being encouraged to organise road shows in places like Dubai.
Uttar Pradesh is planning to do the show in the middle of next month, he said adding several buyer-seller meets have been organised for different export sectors like engineering and gems and jewellery.
"We are also trying to build a virtual transit corridor" to make the movement of Indian goods seamless via Dubai and Abu Dhabi to third countries, as they are important transit points.
"This is actively under consideration on both sides and soon hopefully we will see some kind of agreement on that. There is a lot of interest on both sides," Sudhir said.
Meanwhile, the commerce ministry in a statement said that India and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have agreed to expedite the conclusion of the requisite legal and technical requirements for the formal resumption of the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations.
"Both sides emphasized that the FTA will create new jobs, raise living standards, and provide wider social and economic opportunities in India and all the GCC countries," it said.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Nayef Falah M. Al-Hajraf, Secretary General, GCC, on Thursday announced the intent to pursue negotiations on the India-GCC FTA.
It may be noted that the GCC is currently India’s largest trading partner bloc. Bilateral trade in 2021-22 was valued at over USD 154 billion with exports valued at USD 44 billion and imports at USD 110 billion.
GCC countries contribute almost 35 per cent of India’s oil imports and 70 per cent of its gas imports.
India’s overall crude oil imports from the GCC in 2021-22 were about USD 48 billion, while LNG and LPG imports in 2021-22 were about USD 21 billion. Investments from the GCC in India are currently valued at over USD 18 billion. PTI RR MR


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Tesco has introduced third-party Sports Direct and Peacocks concessions to its international stores for the first time.
The move mirrors the strategy many British grocers, including Tesco, have adopted in their UK stores.
Both Peacocks outposts stock womenswear, menswear and kidswear while the Sports Direct concessions will only sell its own brands.
It marks Peacocks’ first venture into Hungary as it looks to bolster its presence outside the UK. Sports Direct has five standalone stores across the country already.
The introduction of third-party retailers to the Tesco shopfloor abroad follows a similar move adopted in the UK as the retailer attempted to deal with excess floor space last year.
The embattled grocer is just one of the supermarkets turning to third-party retailers in their superstores as more customers shop online and in convenience stores.
A spokesman for Tesco said: “As a result of partnerships with Sports Direct and Peacocks we have created shops-within-shops in two Tesco Hungary stores.”
He added that the move offers a “wider choice for customers and an ability to combine a shop at Tesco with shopping at other retailers”.
A complementary offer
Although it provides its own fashion offer through the F&F range, Tesco said the introduction of Peacocks within its Hungary stores “complements” the retailer’s existing range.
Philip Day, chief executive of Peacocks owner Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group, said the partnership with Tesco “just seemed to fit our strategy”.
He added that the company would look for further sites in Hungary and also in Germany, adding that these could be standalone stores or Tesco concessions.
“We are keen to continue growing outside of the UK,” he said.
A source close to the situation said that Tesco was keen to “find British retailers that could bring something different to their offer”.
It is understood that Peacocks is also in talks with Tesco to launch its fashion offer in the grocer’s UK stores. Day declined to comment and Tesco denied this.


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The healthcare company, Stafford-Miller, has been condemned as
irresponsible by advertising watchdogs who have accused it of
encouraging violence against women.
The row blew up after the appearance of a poster for Louis Marcel
depilatory cream, which showed a woman clad in underwear and carrying
the headline: ’I like my men rough, not my legs.’
Eighty-four people complained to the Advertising Standards Authority
about the ad which, they claimed, encouraged violence by suggesting that
women liked to be treated roughly.
This week the ASA said that although the campaign, produced by Grey, was
acceptable in women’s magazines, where readers would understand its
intention, the company was wrong to have extended the advertising to
Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s has been carpeted by the ASA over claims about GM
Its ruling followed complaints by the rival supermarket chains, Waitrose
and Iceland, over a Sainsbury’s press campaign claiming it was the first
major supermarket chain to start making all own-label food without
genetically modified ingredients.
The ASA accepted Waitrose and Iceland were the first to take such action
and rejected Sainsbury’s argument that neither could claim to be ’major
The ASA has also renewed its warnings to Benetton over its use of
attention-grabbing shock images.
It follows complaints about a magazine ad for its Sisley fashion brand
which appeared to show a man imitating sexual intercourse with a sheep
and a woman.
But Virgin Cola has escaped ASA censure over an ad by Rainey Kelly
Campbell Roalfe which, it was claimed, made innuendos about


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WASHINGTON, May 9—The nation's businesses sold far greater quantities of goods than they bought in March, resulting in a record monthly decline of $1.9‐billion in business inventories, the Commerce Department reported today.
Sales, however, also declined in March—down 2.5 per cent from February—and businesses ended up with a higher proportion of inventories, compared to sales, than they had the previous month.
A big decline in inventories is considered essential to an upturn in the nation's economy. As inventories decline, businesses eventually will need to order more goods, which would mean more production and more jobs.
The reduced demand by businesses for inventory goods has helped cut down on inflation at the wholesale level, which also helps to reduce inflation to the consumer in the long run.
Inventories, which are the goods stockpiled in business warehouses and showrooms, declined at all levels of the economy in March. They dropped $685‐million at the manufacturing level, $645‐million at retail and $594‐million at wholesale.Continue reading the main story
The biggest Improvement at the retail level was in stocks of furniture and appliances, which were reduced 4.3 per cent, or $202‐million, to under $4.7‐billion. Retail automobile inventories dropped 1.1 per cent, or $180‐million, to just under $16.1‐billion.
But because of slower sales activity over‐all, the inventoryto‐sales ratio rose to 1.69 in March, up from 1.66 in February and 1.46 a year earlier. That means that the average business had sufficient inventories to meet 1.69 months of sales at the current level of sales activity.
“The inventory‐to‐sales ratio is disappointing; we would like to see it come down,” said James L. Pate, Assistant Commerce Secretary for Economic Affairs. But he added that the March sales figures were already known and “I don't think it alters our anticipation that the economy is very close to the bottom and will recover in the second half of the year.”
3.3 Per Cent at Wholesale
Sales decreased 2.5 per cent at the manufacturing level, 1.9 per cent at retail and 3.3 per cent at wholesale.
Mr. Pate said the decline in inventories was steeper than previously estimated.
Other economists agreed with Mr. Pate's assessments that the inventory and sales results in March were not unexpected and did not change the outlook for the economy during the remainder of this year.
“The fact that sales were down and the ratio was up indicates we have some distance to go in adjusting inventories,” said Carl H. Madden, chief economist for the Chamber of Commerce here. “This is not surprising to an economist.”
Mr. Madden said he thought inventories would continue to decline into the third quarter of the year, but that a moderate upturn in the economy would occur in the third quarter and possibly as early as the current quarter.
‘Pretty Good Situation’
A Government analyst, who lid not want to be named, said he believed that “it's obvious a lot of the imbalance we see would be cured by an increase in sales... if sales are going up, as they should, you would lave a pretty good situation,” he said.
Nat Goldfinger, chief economist for the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, said the decline in inventories “seems to be good, except that while it's happening, it results in layoffs and unemployment.” “Inventories were swelled in 1973 and 1974, and it's necessary to cut them down substan tially before we get much of a pickup in the economy,” he added. “It's a good sign if the figures mean what they indicate.”
The March decline in inventories eclipsed the previous monthly record of $983‐million, set in February. The decline for the first three months of 1975 was $2.9‐billion, also a new quarterly record.
Total inventories in March stood at slightly more than $268.9‐billion, compared with slightly less than $270.9‐billion in February.
While the big decline in inventories is considered essential to an economic upturn, it also reflects the depth of the current recession. As businesses have let their stocks of goods diminish, it means they have been buying less from producers and that results in lower output and fewer jobs at the production level.
Total output of the nation's industry in April was 12.9 per cent below the peak output of last June.Continue reading the main story


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The heroes behind the Avengers won't be heading to new consoles right away. Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics announced today that Marvel's Avengers' next-gen versions are being delayed into 2021.
In an update on future Marvel's Avengers content, Crystal Dynamics confirmed the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Marvel's Avengers won't be arriving alongside the consoles' respective launch dates in November. Instead, the launch will happen sometime in 2021, though Avengers will still be playable on PS5 and Xbox via each platform's backward compatibility options. Those versions will also receive faster load times and improved frame rates, as well as the option to carry saves over and cross-play with last-gen consoles (within the same family).
The release of Kate Bishop, the new Avenger joining the roster, is also being pushed out of October. No date has been set yet for her launch, though Crystal Dynamics says it's a "slight delay," so hopefully that won't fall to next year alongside the next-gen versions.
Marvel's Avengers has been in a strange place since its launch. It led the NPD chart for September, but it's also struggled to retain players over a longer period of time. It doesn't help that the next-gen launch season is getting into full swing, with a lot of large games in tow.
Crystal Dynamics says there's more to come, both in an upcoming War Table presentation in November and in 2021. After the arrival of Hawkeye, Crystal Dynamics says 2021 will hold its "biggest Avengers Initiative addition yet," with a new hero, region, and a narrative arc. It sounds like Marvel's Avengers will make another bid for your long-term playtime next year.


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The agreement includes tariff-elimination schedules and rules of origin for the automotive sector. It also details what proportion of an automobile or a part must be made in a partnership member country for duty reductions to apply....More
Traditional players understand firsthand the many roadblocks to bringing advanced technologies to market, believing they have plenty of time to work out the details. Disrupters envision a near-overnight revolution. Neither side is right, consultant Deloitte says....More
“Beliefs can divide people but good values unify people,” says Antoine Raymond, president and CEO of French auto supplier ARaymond. “Everyone agrees that respect for others is the most important” factor....More
The interaction between technology and driver has to be frictionless, maximizing safety, while also assisting driving. The interface has to be carefully thought through and tested in order for car manufacturers to get it just right....More
Now in its second year, the Alcantara-sponsored International Symposium on Sustainability in Venice, Italy, is focusing on ways to make the automotive industry carbon-neutral. Alcantara CEO Andrea Boragno says his company could be a model....More
To showcase the all-hands-on-deck nature of current operations and give some insight into the second-gen Volt’s lithium-ion cells, the Korean battery giant opens Holland’s doors to the media for a rare tour....More
Vice President and Chief Technology officer Christopher Thomas says the company now is bolstering its electrification capabilities to complement its activities related to internal combustion engines....More
Some analysts speculate China’s refusal to certify the LG Chem and Samsung SDI battery packs is a response to South Korea’s decision to deploy the U.S.-built Terminal High-Altitude Aerial Defense missile system to guard the country against attacks by China....More
Drawing heritage cues from the first civilian Dodge off-roader introduced in 1946, the '17 Ram Power Wagon picks up design cues from the Ram 1500 Rebel and strength from a heavy-duty chassis and 6.4L V-8 hitched to a Borg Warner transfer case and beefy solid axles front and rear.
We call out vehicles with problematic fit-and-finish, materials, ergonomics or unfortunate design choices. Each of these items resulted in points deducted as WardsAuto editors selected the 2016 Wards 10 Best Interiors.


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ChatGPT for Android is now available on the Google Play Store.
OpenAI’s GPT-4 model powers the Bing AI chatbot, which has been available on Android for some time.
Google’s Bard AI is only accessible through a web interface and does not have a dedicated app.
The ChatGPT for Android app is now accessible on the Google Play Store, arriving a few months after the free iOS app was introduced for iPhones and iPads. Initially available in the US, India, Bangladesh, and Brazil, other countries will follow in a staged rollout, similar to the iOS version’s release.
On July 27th, OpenAI expanded the availability of the Android ChatGPT app, making it accessible in Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, the UK, and South Korea.
As previously mentioned, the introduction of the Android app follows data from Sensor Tower and Similarweb, which revealed declines in web traffic and app installations during June.
ChatGPT for Android is now available for download in the US, India, Bangladesh, and Brazil! We plan to expand the rollout to additional countries over the next week. https://t.co/NfBDYZR5GI
ChatGPT had experienced remarkable success, but with the launch of Threads, its future trajectory remains uncertain. It is unclear whether the same level of hype will persist or if it has reached a plateau.
Meta creates unique AI chatbots to stay competitive in the AI space
Meta is developing AI chatbots with unique personalities for better user engagement...
OpenAI’s GPT-4 model has been utilized in the Bing AI chatbot, which has been available on Android for some time now. In contrast, Google’s Bard AI is accessible only through a web interface and does not have a dedicated app. While various tech companies are introducing AI-powered tools for mobile apps, Apple has not released its chatbot yet. However, a recent report from Bloomberg suggests that the company is currently testing one internally.
Disclaimer: “We encourage you to verify all rates and specifications with the respective service providers or vendors before making any purchases or taking any action based on the information presented on this website.”


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UK Weddings with Covid
Nearly one million weddings are in the post-pandemic pipeline, with an estimated boost to the economy of £43 billion over the next two years. 95% of couples have postponed rather than cancel their wedding*. To realise this potential, government support is required to save the 60,000 businesses (employing 400,000 people) who have been largely unable to work since March 2020. 50 million people in the UK are likely to attend a wedding by the end of 2022. UK Weddings Taskforce – the official body designated to negotiate with the government – has called for a “perfectly reasonable and economically viable” financial support bridge to ensure the demand for weddings can be met.
The weddings sector, paralysed by the restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic, has been unable to trade in any commercially viable form since March 2020 Currently weddings are prohibited. Many businesses report catastrophic losses and over three-quarters of businesses have reported revenues down by over 75% (Source UK Weddings Survey).
Unlike other sectors, however, the majority (95%) of consumers have postponed rather than cancel their weddings with 220,000 UK weddings postponed since the first lockdown. With 475,000 weddings currently scheduled to take place in 2021, including 196,500 postponed from 2020, the industry is predicted to generate £25 billion for the UK economy in 2021.
The sector is asking the government for assistance and assurances to restore consumer confidence in businesses with a financial support bridge and to provide clarity on a safe and realistic opening up of weddings from Easter to larger numbers now that the vaccine offers light at the end of the tunnel.
Having successfully made the case that business has not been lost but merely deferred, the recently formed, industry appointed UK Weddings Taskforce is now officially representing the sector. It has been engaging in two-way communication with government via the Minister for Small Business, Paul Scully MP, and his department (BEIS).
Keywords: Albums, bride, bridgend, business, covid, groom, new, one, photo, photographic, photography, Services, South, support, uk, vision, Wales, Wedding, weddings
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PlayHardLookDope's Founder, Jon Nelsen and Creative Director, Ebony Mackey attended this years Fall NYFW! It was the Lifestyle Accessories Brands' first fashion week as a startup company! The two attended Mery Playa's first ever solo Runway show on the morning of September, 11, 2018.
Over the past couple of years we've seen Men's Fashion reappear on the scene in a more expressive and artistic way. Suits and your typical work gear are taking a backseat to a vastly growing and more understood style known as, Streetwear.
We recently announced on our Instagram that we are changing our direction creatively. Still in the beginning stages of our social journey, we have decided to create a more honest point of view for our supporters to enjoy!


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Tempted to get your hands on the new Nissan Juke Nismo but can't quite stump up £19,995 for the privilege? Nissan has come up with a solution.
Players of a new update of "Asphalt 7: Heat" can now test the tuned Juke and its fiery brother, the Juke-R, to the limit in the digital world.
And to celebrate the release, Nissan and Gameloft are launching a competition to find the fastest online drivers, with the winners receiving a VIP trip to Barcelona to drive the Juke Nismo for real and a passenger ride in the Juke-R.
Set to go on sale in January, the Juke Nismo's appearance in the update of "Asphalt 7: Heat" allows gamers to drive the car before anyone else.
Players will be able to race on a special Nissan Race Track, in Tokyo, which features a section where drivers pass the Nismo Omori factory.
To enter, players must first register their details via an app on the Gameloft Facebook page or through the game and then drive a Nissan Juke Nismo in the Asphalt Academy game mode.
A leaderboard will record the times of the fastest drivers in with a chance of winning the top prize. The competition runs from December 17 to 31, 2012, then two winners will be selected at random (one iOS and one Android) from the top ten quickest drivers in each of the competing countries (UK, Spain, Germany, France, Russia).


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America, Boston got it right on alcohol: Limit access to nips, but don’t ban it
February 1, 2019
Recently, the city of Chelsea became the first city in Massachusetts to completely ban the sale of “nips,” the small, typically 50mL shots of alcohol, according to the Boston Globe. However, this restriction is not unique to Massachusetts. The city of Chicago has banned the sale of nips and other small quantities for alcohol for several years. Many believe that banning nips will help combat the public intoxication and littering issues that have become a considerable problem for Boston and surrounding cities like Chelsea. Others feel that banning these small bottles restricts consumer choice and hurts local retailers.
While the intentions behind the Chelsea nip ban are good, enacting a complete ban of nips is unnecessarily restrictive. In order to protect responsible consumers while still addressing the issues of public intoxication and litter that nips cause, it would be best to reduce the accessibility of nips rather than ban them altogether.
Rather than completely banning the sale nips, cities should model what Boston is doing and restrict where they can be sold. When granting a liquor store license, the Boston Licensing Board can impose a condition, completely at their discretion, that no nips or single containers of beer be sold on the premises. This allows the city to prohibit nips and small amounts of alcohol in areas in which they feel are prone to have high levels of public intoxication without completely denying consumers access to the products. For example, many stores in populated areas like Downtown Crossing do not sell nips, while in more residential areas like Beacon Hill, nips can be purchased.
Seen as a discreet way to drink in public spaces, nips are often considered a gateway to public intoxication. Due to their easily disposable nature combined with the small and concealable size, nips are the ideal medium to inconspicuously consume alcohol in public. Additionally, the convenience and relatively cheap price of nips make it readily available to the homeless population, which has very high rates of substance abuse and alcoholism. Yet for some people, nips provide a portion controlled amount of alcohol, which helps them drink in moderation.
While some argue that it may be inconvenient that you have to travel a bit farther to get nips, regulating where they are sold is ultimately for a better cause. By making it harder for the general public and homeless population to access nips and other cheap, small amounts of alcohol, the number of public intoxication incidents will hopefully decrease. This method also still provides responsible consumers with the option of purchasing nips should they desire.
The prevalence of empty nip bottles on the streets and in parks also makes them a prominent source of litter. In the days following this year’s Red Sox victory parade, the small plastic bottles could be found up and down Tremont Street. “Wicked Local Plymouth” recently reported that locals collected more than 500 empty nips from one road in Plymouth, Massachusetts over a six month period.
To help combat the littering issue of nips, Massachusetts should place a five-cent deposit on nips, which would encourage people to properly recycle the plastic bottles. Last year, Representative Randy Hunt of Sandwich introduced a bill to impose the statewide deposit, but it did not pass.
In recent years, many states and towns have unsuccessfully tried to ban nips. In 2017, Maine attempted to ban the sale of nips for the entire state. The measure was denied by the state Liquor Commission, who felt that the ban would greatly impact consumer choice and hurt local businesses. Similarly, Everett and Winthrop have both attempted to ban nips, these measures have been unable to successfully pass due to questionable legality and pushback from the liquor industry.
In this multifaceted issue, taking a hard stance does not seem to be the answer. Rather than ban their sale altogether, regulating where nips are sold and providing a recycling incentive are more balanced ways to help solve public intoxication and littering problems.


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- The 11,000-sq. ft space—rented at “far well above the ~$100 per square foot” rents paid by other West Edmonton Mall shops, so more than $1.1M monthly— is likely the only REC store inside a mall in Canada, for whatever that’s worth.
Edmonton Sun, Twitter—David George-Cosh
- REC retail firm High Tide will manage the store.
- Aurora CEO Terry Booth said there would be “carnage” across the sector over the next year should producers not lower their production costs.
- Couche Tard heavily lobbied the Quebec government to allow private REC retail in 2017, and CEO Alain Bouchard said the decision to sell REC through the SQDC “insults me to the greatest extent.”
Montreal Gazette, Ici Radio-Canada—In French
- This summer, Couche Tard acquired a 50.1% stake in REC retail firm Fire and Flower, through which the company plans to make an offer to buy Cannabis NB.
Globe and Mail
- New Brunswick’s REC sales dropped 40% in September. Possible factors include the month only having 30 days, and the previous month having been the last month of the summer boom.
Outdoor grower 48North followed outdoor LP Aleafia in reporting an outdoor harvest yield a fraction as large as planned; they delivered 12,000 kg rather than 40,000. (Aleafia planned for 60,000 kg and harvested 10,300.)
- 48North reported it had actually “cultivated enough cannabis […] to meet its initial 2019 projections,” but didn’t have access to enough licensed drying space.
- Surprising some, the company plans to sell the harvest as flower rather than for extraction. They will sell it as outdoor brand Trail Mix at a budget price.
Canopy reported it is working with five winners of Ontario’s second REC retail lottery and is on track to open five more Tokyo Smoke stores in the province.
New Cannabis Ventures
Big four accounting firm Deloitte acquired Cannabis Compliance for an undisclosed amount. The newly launched CCI Deloitte will offer end-to-end services for licensing and other industry needs.
MJ Biz Daily
Michael Elkin, formerly of Cannabis Compliance and now of REC consumer-packaged goods firm High 12, noted LPs are now worth roughly a third of what they used to be, and “Deals that were struck are being restructured at 1/3 of what they were.”
Health Canada data showed 95% of LP products tested negative for pesticides. It did not name the LPs that failed.


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It is the time of year for giving -- but not just gifts.
It’s an ideal time to provide support -- to our community and to those who may face challenges in their everyday lives.
At EXPO Michigan, a marketplace of pop-up shops, those who suffer from any type of disability are invited to exhibit for free.
Michael Spector, with EXPO Michigan, said it provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to exhibit their handcrafted items in a community setting, as well as an opportunity for people to start a small business.
The event, which began 10 years ago, has a wide variety of vendors that include arts, crafts, jewelry, pet gifts, purses, accessories and so much more.
By shopping at EXPO Michigan, customers can support those with disabilities, as well as the local economy.
To learn more about EXPO Michigan, click here.


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The National Retail Federation reports that Valentine’s Day 2016 will generate almost $20 billion in sales: According its “Valentine’s Day Consumer Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, 54.8 percent of consumers will celebrate Valentine’s Day, spending an average of $146.84 on flowers, jewelry, candy, apparel, and more, up from $142.31 last year.”
Here are some more Valentine’s Day facts, as reported by About.com:
- “As usual, men spend nearly twice as much as women: $196.39 per guy v.s. $99.87 per gal.”
- “Those making $50,000 a year or more will spend $169.32 each, vs $109.14 per person making less than $50,000.”
- “Younger people participate more than older, more settled folks. Nearly two-thirds of those between 25-34 will celebrate the holiday, and 60% of those between 18-24. Less than half of those between 55-64 will celebrate, and only 44.7% of those 65 and older.”
- “The least popular gifts are also the least romantic. Only 17% will buy clothing, spending $87.37 each, and 15% will buy gift cards, spending $81.20 each.”
- “For the first time, more will go to department stores (35%) than discount stores (31%). Nearly 20% will go to greeting card stores or florists, while only 11% will go to jewelers. Retailers have stocked the shelves with deals in anticipation of value-conscious shoppers.”
Here are the top items purchased for Valentine’s Day. Click the image to read more from About.com.


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Melville-based Sbarro’s board of directors has named a new chief executive and a new chairman, as the Italian fast food chain emerges from bankruptcy.
James Greco, 54, has been named president and CEO, effective immediately, according to a company statement.
Greco was formerly CEO of Bruegger’s Enterprises, a national bagel bakery chain. He partnered with Sun Capital to acquire Bruegger’s in 2003 and served as CEO until the company was acquired by Groupe Le Duff SA, a leading French operator of bakery-cafes, in 2011.
J. David Karam, 53, former president of Wendy’s International, has agreed to serve as Sbarro’s new chairman. Prior to joining Wendy’s in 2008, Karam was president of Cedar Enterprises, a Wendy’s franchisee, operating 150 Wendy’s restaurants in Indianapolis, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Hartford and Seattle.
Sbarro also appointed two directors to its board: Desmond Hague, CEO of Centerplate, and David Wiggins, a turnaround expert.
Sbarro is emerging from its Chapter 11 reorganization with significantly less debt and substantial liquidity to invest in future growth, according to the statement. The chain has more than 1,000 restaurants in more than 40 countries.
More breaking news
- Gas stations stole $1M in sales tax: AG
- Plans move forward for Mineola rental complex
- FREE’s president seeks reform in the foster-care system
- Coffee on the go: Starbucks truck debuts at SBU
- St. John’s closes on $22.5M sale of Oakdale campus
- Ex-Oyster Bay official sentenced in $2M tax fraud case
- Wells Fargo claws back part of CEO, other executive’s salary
- Running the numbers
- Cuomo to ‘set aside’ cash from developers facing charges
- Trump creates new hotel brand


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America’s demand for new cars remains high. But manufacturers built almost 2 million fewer cars last year than in 2019 (the last pre-pandemic year). The numbers were low largely because of a global shortage of microchips. It has begun to ease, but slowly.
Automakers remain unable to produce new cars fast enough to meet demand, keeping prices high. For some models, they’re stripping features to keep production going.
Next week, GM will slow production of its two hot-selling large pickups, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, due to a slim supply of chips.
Many automakers, meanwhile, are simply producing cars without some advertised features. Ford, for example, is producing its Explorer SUV without rear-seat climate controls to stretch its available supply of chips.
Cadillac has limited the availability of some options to conserve chips. The Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, XT4, XT5, and XT6 are all shipping without some combination of heated seats, heated steering wheels, and parking assist features this month.
How This Happend
The global problem affects many industries, though it has hit carmakers particularly hard.
Today’s cars contain dozens of microchips. Some control critical engine and transmission functions. Others help you change the radio station with voice commands or make sure the steering wheel stays warm in your hands.
But the COVID-19 pandemic left microchips in short supply. Chip factories slowed production due to sick workers. When they re-opened, they faced huge orders for chips used in devices that workers needed to work from home and that students needed to attend school on a screen.
Automakers, meanwhile, reduced their orders, knowing homebound drivers wouldn’t be shopping for new cars.
When vaccines and an economic recovery made car shopping an option again, chipmakers were inundated with orders. They still haven’t caught up. That leaves automakers with a choice – build fewer cars, or build them with fewer options.
Experts say the problem could last into 2023.


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The entire Star Wars saga is being converted to 3D and will pop up in theaters sometime around Valentine's Day (February) 2012, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm haven't settled on a specific date just yet, but did say they'll kick things off with "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace." If it does well in the box office, the other five films will follow a year apart on around the same date. Another option being discussed is releasing the rest the saga at different times throughout the year.
By releasing the 3D remakes early in the year, George Lucas is hoping to get a head start against summertime blockbusters, and also sell related merchandise throughout the year.
Those of you holding your breath for the Nintendo 3DS will have to do so until late February or March (depending on which part of the world you call home). Nintendo has confirmed the launch date of the 3DS and also revealed its price. The handheld will debut first in Japan on February 26, 2011 and then go on to launch in Europe, Australia and the U.S the following month.
The autostereoscopic successor to the Nintendo DS will cost ¥25,000 (US$298), according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. He made the announcement at a press event in Japan. The hardware package will include a Nintendo 3DS hardware unit, recharging cradle, AC adapter, 3DS stylus, 2GB SD memory card and 6 AR Cards (used for games with AR technologies). The complete 3DS spec list is available here.
If you are planning to bite into the 3D hype, LG's Xnote A510 3D Notebook could help you get started. You might be wondering what really sets it apart from the rest. According to LG, the Xnote A510 is “the world's first premium notebook offering cinematic 3D experience at near Full HD quality.”
Available in blue-black and champagne gold, the A510 features a 15.6-inch Full HD 3D LED LCD display, an Intel Core i7 CPU (840QM or 740QM), and NVIDI GeForce GT 425M graphics with 1GB of dedicated DDR3 video memory. The A510 will ship with polarized 3D glasses and a set of clip-on 3D lenses for the bespectacled.
Having sensed a dearth of 3D content, LG has decided to ship its TriDef 2D-to-3D content conversion software along with the notebook. It is slated to hit Asia, South America, the Middle East and Africa in October.
Acer today is launching a new a lineup of Aspire notebooks geared for entertainment and productivity, including the 3D-ready Aspire 5745DG.
The Aspire 5745DG sports a 15.6-inch 120Hz LCD screen with a 1366x768 resolution and adds Nvidia's 3D Vision technology, which consists of a pair of 3D shutter glasses with a built-in IR receiver. Other features include an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GeForce GT 420M graphics, 500GB hard drive, four USB 2.0 ports, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, media card reader, 1.3MP webcam, and a 9-cell battery.
Also among the handful of new notebooks are three non-3D models, the Aspire AS5642G, AS5745, an AS7745. These range in size from 15.6 inches to 17.3 inches (1600x900) and are powered by Intel's Core i3/i5/i7 processors. All four models include Nvidia's Optimus technology.
Pricing start out at $650, with the 3D-ready AS5745DG available in late October for $1,000.
A new report (PDF) by market firm DisplaySearch suggests that even though 3D is making a strong push to penetrate the notebook market, consumers are a little reluctant to buy into the hype.
"Is the market ready to accept 3D in a notebook PC? If the sales this year are any indication, then it seems that consumers are, so far, hesitant to embrace 3D notebook PCs," DisplaySearch said in its report. "Since the beginning of the year, less than 100,000 3D-equipped notebook PCs have been sold in a market of more than 100 million notebooks. That is less than one-tenth of one percent of the total notebook PC market."
In another recent study -- this one conducted by Nielsen -- consumers who viewed 3D content became less interested in purchasing a 3D TV. Factor in higher costs and concerns over having to wear 3D glasses, it could be awhile before 3D truly enters the mainstream.
Do you think 3D is here to stay, or just a passing fad?
Sony this week announced a new firmware release for the PlayStation 3 that will expand the console's 3D capabilities.
"We've announced that the PS3 system will be able to play back 3D content on Blu-ray 3D discs with the system software update (v3.50), slated for release on September 21," Sony wrote in a blog post. "We know that many consumers have purchased 3D TVs already and more of you will be purchasing them as the holidays approach -- so we're excited to offer this firmware update that makes all 38 million PS3s worldwide compatible with Blu-ray 3D discs."
PS3 owners have been able to play stereoscopic 3D games with the 3.30 firmware update released in April, but 3D movies wasn't yet part of the package. That changes next week, however there's a small caveat. Unlike dedicated 3D Blu-ray players, some parts of the menu and other minor portions of some DVDs will remain in 2D, Sony said.
Sony also recently updated its list of supported 3D games for the PS3 during, including Final Fantasy XIV (due out in March), Everybody's Golf 5, Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories, and Metal Gear Solid: Rising.
MSI today announced it is taking its Wind Top AE2420 3D stateside. According to MSI, this latest Wind Top is the world's first 3D touchscreen all-in-one (AIO) PC, which is also capable of converting 2D content into three dimensions.
"Most people don't realize that MSI has been making the guts of PCs for more than 20 years, and were the first to launch the 10-inch netbook, which is now the most popular form factor on the market," said Andy Tung, vice president of sales, MSI U.S. "By bringing the world's first 3D all-in-one PC to North America, MSI is continuing to introduce people to the future of computing."
The main attraction, of course, is the 23.6-inch LED backlit display where the 3D magic comes to life. In and around the AIO sits some fairly powerful hardware and respectable feature-set, including an Intel Core i7 860 processor clocked at 2.8GHz, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics with 1GB of GDDR3 memory, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 801.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, a 1TB SATA hard drive, Blu-ray/DVD burner combo, 1.3MP webcam, 6-in-1 memory card reader, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, eSATA, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.
In addition to the 3D visuals, MSI is making noise over the AE2420's sound system. Two 5W speakers are flanked by a 10W subwoofer and include Creative's THX TruStudio Pro technology.
The Wind Top AE2420 will be available soon starting at $1,800.
At the time of its theatrical release, many in the consumer electronics industry hoped that “Avatar” would usher in a new era in home entertainment, an era where 3D is no longer a novelty but the norm. James Cameron's magnum opus didn't disappoint and is now viewed by many as a watershed in 3D's march to the living room.
However, its upcoming release on 3D Blu-ray is unlikely to strengthen the case for 3D's place in the living room. Panasonic execs have confirmed that the Avatar 3D Blu-ray disc will be exclusive to the company's Viera 3D TVs when it arrives in December, 2010.
According to a TWICE report, the 3D Blu-ray disc will only be available as part of a bundle with “Viera 3D TVs and related equipment” for an unspecified period of time after launch.
"For the consumer, there is really no better way to experience 3D in the home than with this particular disc," Victor Carlson, Panasonic's consumer marketing VP, told TWICE. "This is the perfect marriage between this blockbuster made for 3D and what we think is the ultimate home entertainment system for enjoying 3D using our TV sets."
Don't let the lack of 3D content get you down. For those of you suffering from the 3D Blu-ray blues with your Toshiba Satellite A665-3DV laptop, the latest software update adds a 2D to 3D conversion application so you can pretend that all your existing 2D content is really three-dimensional.
There's also new firmware available that promises to shuttle stereoscopic games and video over the integrated HDMI port, as well as tweak the Blu-ray drive so that it can play 3D movies, because apparently it didn't already do that.
Otherwise, everything else is as you remember it. The $1,600 laptop comes with an Intel Core i7 740QM processor, 4GB of DDR3 memory, GeForce GTS 350M graphics, a 15.6-inch widescreen display, 640GB hard drive spinning at 5400RPM, Blu-ray burner, and of course Nvidia's 3D Vision Kit.
Sony has been teasing PlayStation 3 console owners that a firmware update slated for September would inject support for Blu-ray movies in 3D, but now it appears users will have a wait just a little longer. Citing un-named sources, Fudzilla says Sony has decided to push the update back a month.
There's no word on why the update is being pushed back until October, only that it is. When it does come, however, it will open the door to a variety of 3D rendering-related content, including 3D YouTube videos and PlayTV broadcasts. It's expected that the 3D upgrade will also support the add-on HDTV/DVR device Sony offers for the PS3.


text: HMV has taken the controversial decision to stop selling the music of rock band Lostprophets, following last week’s guilty plea by its singer Ian Watkins in a case involving child sex offences. A spokesperson for the retailer confirmed to NME that staff are removing the band’s physical albums from shelves in its stores, and that they’ll also be scrubbed from its online store. Why is this controversial? Observers on Twitter were quick to notice that if there’s an HMV policy of not selling music by child abusers, it appears to have stopped short of Gary Glitter, whose back catalogue remains available on HMV’s digital store. In the light of that, HMV stopping selling Lostprophets’ digital music risks looking like an attempt to capitalise on the (understandably) negative sentiment around the band, even if removing CDs from stores could be justified as a commercial decision to free shelf space. In any case, HMV’s decision to take moral decisions on behalf of its customers, rather than leaving them to make up their own minds, is curious.


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October has been a brutal month for equities and a painful illustration of the Wall Street maxim that stocks tend to take the stairs up but the elevator down. Roughly 10 months of steady increases were erased in just a few trading days as the S&P 500 dove back toward a flat return so far for 2018.
Investors with a long-term mindset don't have any special ability to predict when a market bottom might be imminent. But they can take advantage of discounts on high-quality stocks when fear produces extra volatility like that.
With that approach in mind, let's take a look at a few impressive businesses that seem more attractive after the latest market decline.
Streaming into the holiday TV season
Netflix's (NASDAQ:NFLX) shares are well off their summer highs, but its streaming video business has never looked stronger. The company trounced management's subscriber growth targets last quarter, adding 7 million users around the globe, including over 1 million in the U.S., its most mature market. Profitability is marching up into the low double digits thanks to higher monthly prices and a trend toward more premium streaming plans.
Wall Street isn't excited about Netflix's surging debt, which CEO Reed Hastings has described as a necessary part of the streamer's desire to create a vast portfolio of original content. These shows and movies require significant up-front investments, and that's the main reason why cash flow is sharply negative today despite surging profits.
Still, its 10-year track record in the field has demonstrated a knack for directing cash toward projects that will accelerate growth and earnings. Investors who believe those positive trends will hold should be excited that Netflix is ramping up its spending pace right now.
A blue-chip income payer
Things are looking up for consumer products titan Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG). The owner of hit staple franchises like Gillette razors and Tide detergent posted its fastest sales growth in years last quarter, with gains nicely balanced between rising volume and higher average prices.
The spike suggests P&G might finally achieve the sales acceleration that management has been targeting for years through moves like its portfolio reboot and a dramatic restructuring of its supply chain and global manufacturing base. Executives have been telling investors during these initiatives that core growth and profit trends are stronger than they might seem due to temporary issues like foreign exchange swings and economic disruption in emerging markets. That optimistic reading is supported by P&G's recent return to market-share growth and could help this dividend giant produce solid long-term returns for income investors.
One of retail's biggest winners
Its shares had nearly doubled in 2018, but market volatility has made lululemon athletica (NASDAQ:LULU) stock a bit cheaper lately. That's good news for investors looking to buy quality growth.
The yoga-inspired apparel specialist has blown past its own sales goals in each of the last three quarters, including with a recent 25% revenue boost. These gains included a double-digit spike in the retailer's stores and a whopping 48% spike in the digital sales channel.
That e-commerce volume isn't hurting profitability at all. Instead, Lululemon saw operating profit soar higher by 6 percentage points last quarter to 18.5% of sales as its latest product releases resonated with its customer base.
New CEO Calvin McDonald and his executive team are hoping to expand that base in the years ahead to include more men and reach into geographies outside of the U.S. and Canada. Their target of $4 billion of annual sales by 2020 looks easily achievable right now after Lululemon raised its 2018 outlook in each of the last three quarters.