text:
The ongoing saga surrounding HP's ill-fated Autonomy acquisition continued on Tuesday with the company's announcement that it will pay $US100 million in a settlement agreement with PGGM Vermogensbeheer B.V.
Amazon wants you to push its buttons...HP sues former execs for $5 billion...Belgians say Facebook is flouting laws... and more tech news.
The UK's Serious Fraud Office may have dropped its investigation of software firm Autonomy earlier this year, but that doesn't appear to have done much to allay HP's ire. HP -- which acquired Autonomy in 2011 -- has confirmed that it plans to sue Mik...
State of the Union address will be heavy on tech ... Will IBM's earnings disappoint, again? ... Twitter picks up ZipDial's call ... and more
U.K. regulators have closed their investigation into Hewlett-Packard's botched acquisition of Autonomy, a British software company that HP has accused of inflating its value and of improper accounting.
Autonomy founder Mike Lynch says he has obtained a Hewlett-Packard document that shows how differences in accounting standards, not fraud on Autonomy's part, are to blame for the debacle surrounding HP's acquisition of the company.
Autonomy's former chief financial officer has claimed that Hewlett-Packard is accusing him and other ex-employees of fraud in order to cover up its own failings in the disastrous 2011 acquisition.
Hewlett-Packard has fired back at a former Autonomy executive who is attempting to block the settlement of a number of shareholder lawsuits filed over HP's disastrous acquisition of the infrastructure software vendor.
Hewlett-Packard has reached agreement in three shareholder lawsuits arising from its over US$10 billion acquisition of Autonomy.
Hewlett-Packard is in "serious" talks about settling a lawsuit brought by shareholders over its troubled acquisition of infrastructure software vendor Autonomy.
Hewlett-Packard's November 2012 decision to write off billions of dollars in connection with the acquisition of infrastructure software vendor Autonomy continues to dog the company as it prepares to face shareholders at an annual meeting Wednesday.
Hewlett-Packard has revised financial reports for its Autonomy division after the company said that an audit turned up a number of serious accounting errors.
A judge has ruled that Hewlett-Packard and its CEO, Meg Whitman, must mount a defense against a shareholder class action lawsuit claiming that Whitman and HP made misleading statements about the acquisition of Autonomy.
Hewlett-Packard's purchase of Autonomy is under investigation by the U.K. Serious Fraud Office, the company said in a regulatory filing ahead of its annual meeting where there are expected to be challenges to the re-election of Chairman Ray Lane and ...
The U.K.'s Financial Reporting Council has launched a probe into Autonomy's financial reporting over a period of more than two years prior to its acquisition by Hewlett-Packard.
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A Beatles-themed hotel is up for grabs with an £11m price tag.
Hard Days Night Hotel in North John Street, Liverpool, opened its doors during
the city’s Capital of Culture year in 2008.
luxury hotel is housed in the Grade II-listed buildings and plays host to
conferences and events.
owner, Merseyside property entrepreneur Tony Criss, has asked agents from
global property consultancy, CBRE, to find a buyer for the 110-room property.
said: “The market is improving and the time is right to sell.”
director, Shaun Skidmore, said: “In bringing the Hard Days Night Hotel to
market, we are offering a unique opportunity to acquire not only a culturally
significant property but a hugely successful, luxury hotel with an
international client base in the best location within one of the UK’s most
landmark building plays a key role in sustaining the city’s burgeoning
reputation as a major tourist destination within the UK. We are incredibly
excited to start entering into discussions with interested parties.”
Dewey, general manager at the Hard Days Night, said: “The hotel was created as
a unique blend of high quality hotel facilities with a subtle ‘twist’ to
cleverly portray the incredible story of the Beatles.
unrivalled location surrounded by Liverpool’s popular tourist destinations means
that it is top choice for visitors, with the additional commercial appeal as a
business, event and wedding venue.”
you have a story for CN? Email: John Keenan

domain: news


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YouTube Goes After Instagram
YouTube creators are gaining three major new tools to generate revenue from their videos outside of traditional advertising, as well as those that will help them better engage their fans. This comes after Instagram’s launch of IGTV, so clearly this is a rebuttal since IGTV offers similar features.
This new features include rollout of channel memberships, merchandising, and the launch of Premieres.
Creators with 100,000 subscribers or more, are over 18 and members of the YouTube Partner Program qualify for this feature. For $4.99 per month, this feature will allow subscribers to gain access to members-only posts in the Community tab where creators can share custom perks, like access to an exclusive videos, news, announcements, and more. YouTube says it will vet these perks manually, to ensure they meet YouTube’s guidelines and are something the creator can actually deliver. The perks can be almost anything the creator wants to offer, within YouTube’s guidelines.
In addition to memberships, creators will also be able to sell to fans directly. The feature will show pictures of creators’ merchandise in a display under their videos. This tool is available to all channels in the U.S. with over 10,000 subscribers. This greatly increases the visibility of YouTubers’ branded gear on the platform. Previously, creators could only paste a link with no options to upload images of their merchandise in their video descriptions. This has the opportunity to increase sales by getting more clicks to products. Previously, people had to click “show more” to see the full description, creating an extra step in the process.
Finally, YouTubers can use a new feature called “Premieres” that creates a landing page they can promote ahead of a video’s release. This page will also have a chat feature, like Live videos do, which means creators can use Super Chat and take advantage of Channel Membership perks even if they aren’t doing live content.
The videos are uploaded in the same interface on YouTube, so there’s no new workflow to learn beyond toggling the “Premiere” switch on. Creators can also join in the chats as the video goes live to engage with their fans around this pre-recorded content, as well as comment on the videos before they start. When the Premiere wraps, it’s posted as a regular video on the site (without the two-minute countdown video YouTube adds).
YouTube said its version of Stories will arrive for all eligible creators with more than 10,000 subscribers later this year as well. The announcements come at a critical time for YouTube, as Facebook and Instagram are trying to woo creators away to their platforms and video hubs with unique features of its own.


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Dale F. Morrison, chief executive and president of the Campbell Soup Company, who had been in the job less than three years and was unable to expand the canned soup business, stepped down yesterday.
The move raised speculation that the iconic red-and-white brand immortalized by Andy Warhol could be for sale.
The company made the announcement after the stock market closed. But for months, investors have been punishing the stock, pushing it down to $29.6875 yesterday, from a high of $47 in November. Quarter after quarter, Campbell has failed to meet its earnings targets, despite promises that the company had gotten a grip on its problems.
David W. Johnson, the chief executive and president from 1990 to 1997 who retired last year, will take over while the board forms a committee to search for a new chief executive, the company said. Philip E. Lippincott will remain as chairman.
''With David Johnson coming back, perhaps we are one step closer to a sale,'' said Jeffrey Kanter, an analyst for Prudential Securities. ''He is not coming back to launch a new soup initiative.''
Campbell's chief problem has been its reliance on sales of condensed soup, which account for half of its profits. Condensed soup has fallen out of favor with many consumers, partly because of lifestyles that demand food that can be more easily eaten on the go.
Mr. Morrison issued lapel pins to employees at the company's Camden, N.J., headquarters after taking over. The pins were in the shape of a red-and-white soup can, and read ''Growth'' where ''Chicken Noodle'' or ''Tomato'' might have been.
Campbell has put money into advertising campaigns, licensing tie-ins with children's programs like ''Blue's Clues,'' and new products, like a pourable tomato soup that could be heated in a microwave oven. It also shed some of its underperforming businesses, including Swanson TV dinners, by spinning off a separate, publicly traded company called Vlasic Foods International, and issued more-contemporary recipes that called for a can or two of its soup as an ingredient.
None of this seemed to work. Mr. Morrison, who got the top job by leading the company's Pepperidge Farm division to strong earnings during the early 1990's, stumbled against the demands of Wall Street for better earnings and volume growth.
''They are saying that he resigned, but I am sure that he did not resign voluntarily,'' said Nomi Ghez, an analyst for Goldman, Sachs who has been a critic of the company. She issued a warning to investors on Tuesday, saying she did not think the company would meet its latest earnings forecast. ''This year was supposed to be the recovery. But I lost faith in the recovery materializing.
''The main problem here is soup consumption,'' she said. ''They say they have a new innovation in the condensed soup area, but they did not say what it was.'' The innovation is probably not enough to pull Campbell out of its slump, she added.Continue reading the main story


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More consumers paying auto loans on time in Q2
Auto loan delinquencies on the decline
Consumers unquestionably made more timely auto loan payments in the second quarter (Q2) of 2012, recent data from Experian showed.
According to Experian, delinquencies on auto loans dropped across all lending organizations in Q2. This includes banks, captive finance arms, finance companies and credit unions.
“Consumers continue to do an excellent job of paying back their vehicle loans in a timely fashion, and that’s good news for everyone in the industry,” Melinda Zabritski, director of automotive lending for Experian Automotive, said in a statement.
The 30-day auto loan delinquency rate came in at 2.52 percent in Q2, a drop from 2.59 percent in a year earlier in Q2 2011. In addition, the 60-day auto loan delinquency came in at 0.58 percent in Q2, also a drop from Q2 2011 – when 0.60 percent were 60-days delinquent.
“Both 30- and 60-day delinquencies are at historic lows, and the percentage of money at risk has dropped as well,” Zabritski said. “This gives lenders needed stability, which filters through the auto industry to consumers in the form of easier-to-obtain loans.”
Vehicle repossessions also declined in the latest data. Repossessions registered at 0.43 percent in Q2, a significant (27.9 percent) drop from 0.59 percent a year earlier in Q2 2011.
Additionally, the total auto loan balance (for all types of lenders) rose year-over-year to $682 billion in Q2 2012 from $646 billion in Q2 2011.
“Automotive loan portfolios continued their strong comeback in Q2 2012, as delinquencies continued to drop and total dollar volumes continued to rise,” Zabritski said.
Posted in: Loans


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Coors Light and Tide want to keep your tasks light
Leave the dirty socks. Coors Light and Tide offer to do your Saturday laundry so you can enjoy college football game day.
Coors Light continues to deliver on its brand promise of “beer made to relax”. The ubiquitous beer brand is now offering fans the chance to win free laundry services for a month so they can watch more college football at their favorite bar.
Saturday morning tends to be America’s favorite time window for dealing with household chores, but Coors Light is looking to change that. “Coors Light believes chores shouldn’t get in the way of game day,” the company said in a statement. “That’s why this college football season, Coors Light will keep your duties light.”
The beer brand has teamed up with Tide Cleaners as a cross-promotion partner. On Saturday, October 8, fans in Chicago, Cincinnati and Denver can also drop off their dirty laundry at participating bars, where it will be sent to a local Tide Cleaners facility, washed and returned to their home. Fans can also enter for a chance to win bundles of Coors Light merch and Tide merchandise.
To promote the campaign, he tapped Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN college football analyst and longtime brand partner, in a 15-second spot. Herbstreit is featured in a bar holding a basket full of delicacies.
The new stunt comes on the heels of a host of equally outlandish Coors Light marketing campaigns. In July, for example, the brand launched a “Thirst Trap” beer can-catching device designed to attract and kill mosquitoes. In the spring, he unveiled “Chillboards,” a series of reflective Miami rooftop advertisements that served as both a bird’s-eye marketing effort and a mechanism to deflect sunlight, thereby cooling apartments in below.
For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily US newsletter here.


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Accor SA will build about a third of its 100 planned Chinese hotels in tourist destinations as rising wealth in the country leads to growing leisure travel and oversupply in cities depresses room tariffs.
Domestic tourism in the country is “growing at a rate of knots,” Michael Issenberg, chairman of Accor Asia-Pacific region, said in a May 22 interview in Sydney. That’s making tourist spots more attractive than many urban sites, he said.
“If people acquire wealth, they want to travel,” Issenberg said. “That’s been the big change. Even five years ago, it was all cities.”
Europe’s largest hotel operator has already opened sites on ski slopes near the North Korean border, a beach resort on tropical Hainan island, and a central Chinese forest park among its 128 hotels in the country. That’ll help it capitalize on domestic tourist trips that are forecast to grow by about 11 percent a year between 2013 and 2018, according to data from Euromonitor International.
Other international leisure companies are also targeting China’s domestic tourist market. Carnival Corp. will dispatch a fourth cruise ship for the country next April and Walt Disney Co. plans to open a $5.5 billion theme park resort in Shanghai during 2015.
Hennes & Mauritz AB, the Swedish fashion chain, has opened a store in Zhangjiajie, which serves central Hunan province’s scenic Wulingyuan national park. The town is also home to an Accor Pullman hotel.
China overtook Germany in 2012 to become the largest outbound tourism market, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. International spending by Chinese travelers rose 26 percent during 2013 to $129 billion, the agency said May 14.
Expansion by domestic and international companies in China has slowed some hotel operators’ ability to increase room rates.
At InterContinental Hotels Group revenue per available room in Greater China rose just 0.7 percent from a year earlier in the third quarter of 2013, according to company filings.
Hotels in the densely populated east of China filled about 64 percent of rooms during April. That compares with occupancy rates of about 70 percent in Accor’s economy hotels globally and 68 percent in its upper- and mid-market locations during 2013, according to a company presentation in January.
“The oversupply can be chronic if things keep getting built, but if the supply even starts to moderate, demand will catch up,” Issenberg said. “If you ask anybody, ‘‘If you had more time or money what would you do?’’ almost everybody says travel.”
The chain is also building six new hotels in Myanmar amid rising foreign investment in the country, he said. A first site will open next month in the capital Naypidaw with others to follow in Yangon and the scenic Inle Lake.
Setting up credit-card payment networks, getting insurance and training workers in hygiene is still a challenge in a country that has little experience with tourism, he said.
Myanmar had about 36,177 tourist arrivals during August 2013, the most recent month for which data compiled by Bloomberg is available, compared with 2.4 million during the same month in neighboring Thailand.
“I went in December, and a hotel we were visiting had an ATM machine and was really excited” about it, Issenberg said referring to Myanmar. “That tells you the state of the country, that this is big news that you can actually get cash.”
To contact the reporter on this story: David Fickling in Sydney at email@example.com. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anand Krishnamoorthy at firstname.lastname@example.org; Stephanie Wong at email@example.com.


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NEW YORK (
) -- Popular searches on the Internet Wednesday include
as the coffee and donuts chain reportedly plans to open 550 to 650 new stores this year, a majority of which will be located in countries other than the U.S.
Dunkin' Donuts, which just opened its third store in India, plans to launch 350 to 450 stores outside the U.S. this year. It plans to add 80 to 100 stores in India within the next five years. The company is said to be focusing on expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, where countries like India, China and Taiwan offer large growth opportunity for Dunkin'.
Dunkin' also announced it will honor National Donut Day -- Friday, June 1 -- by giving away a free donut with the purchase of any beverage. No coupon is required for the offer, which will be at participating locations only.
is trending as the auto shop chain has terminated its proposed merger with Gores Group.
Gores Group, a California private-equity firm, was set to buy Pep Boys for $15 a share in a deal announced on Jan. 30.
Gores Group will pay Pep Boys a settlement fee of $50 million and reimburse the company for merger-related expenses.
is another popular search. The auto manufacturer is planning to merge with
CNH Global NV
, Fiat's farm and construction business.
Fiat Chairman Sergio Marchionne said the deal would simplify Fiat's structure, and thereby lure in international investors, drive growth and perhaps boost its credit rating. In Fiat's proposal for the merger, the combined company's shares would trade on the
New York Stock Exchange
, with a secondary listing in Europe.
Fiat hopes the transaction will be completed by the end of the year, though it is subject to shareholder approval.
In a statement, CNH took no immediate position on the proposal. Fiat currently owns 88% of CNH.
The chatter on Main Street (a.k.a. Google, Yahoo! and other search sites) is always of interest to investors on Wall Street. Thus, each day, TheStreet compiles the stories that are trending on the Web, and highlights the news that could make stocks move.
-- Written by Brittany Umar
Brittany joined TheStreet.com TV in November 2006 after completing a degree in Journalism and Media Studies at Rutgers College. Previously, Brittany interned at the local ABC affiliate in New York City WABC-TV 7 where she helped research and produce On Your Side, a popular consumer advocacy segment.


text:
Is the web diminishing our ability to pay attention to the goings on in the real world, or whether we're neurologically modifying ourselves to only be capable of focusing on ever-briefer bites of information.
Like the emperor or the king, Mark Zuckerberg is not the kind of guy who is going to really open up himself. What do we learn about him in a profile subtitled "Mark Zuckerberg opens up"? Not much.
And maybe, maybe, a lot.
Today charity: water is drilling again -- this time in a nearby Bayaka village. They haven't given up and I don't believe we'll see any white flags as long as Scott keeps doing what's he doing, as one of the most exciting Change Agents of our time.
This year, 1.5 million Facebook users will pass away but their Facebook profiles will live on. This is a growing problem and people are naturally asking: can major social media sites handle their dead?
African Digital Art came out of a need for more visibility of Africa's talent in the digital media industry. Jepchumba is the founder of African Digital Art -- an online collective of digital artists and enthusiasts.


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The Museo Lamborghini opened on the site of the brand’s factory and headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese in 2000, just two years after Audi acquired the Italian supercar manufacturer. This was not a coincidence. One of the benefits of having a deep-pocketed German benefactor was the ability to bring the marque’s record of innovation further into the public consciousness—especially vis-à-vis its best-known rival.
“For many of us today it’s not so obvious, but the 350 and the 400 were some of the first cars with four-wheel independent suspensions and four-wheel disc brakes,” says Enrico Maffeo, who heads up Lamborghini’s in-house historical efforts. “A transverse midengine, like in a Miura, as a street-legal car, was an innovation. The Urraco was one of the first cars to have four-wheel MacPherson suspension. So, in some cases, Ferrari is very much known in terms of heritage. But I think we still have a lot to say because Lamborghini had an important role in terms of innovation. This is where our DNA starts, and today it’s a continuation of our past.”
To deepen this conversation, in 2015, Lamborghini renovated and expanded its museum—an enhancement timed to coincide with the launch of PoloStorico (translation: Classics Hub), an in-house shop, like Ferrari’s Classiche, dedicated to the brand’s heritage.
PoloStorico’s commitment to this past narrative is delivered via four core areas: organizing the archives, reproducing spare parts, conducting restorations on customer and corporate cars and officially certifying vehicles and restorations.
The museum also attempts to enunciate Lamborghini’s connection to the larger world. A recent show focused on the collaboration between the brand and famed Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna, but there are plans to further expand these interrelations. “We’re trying, in a way, to link exhibits to some specific theme of our history and, when possible, also to the culture,” says Maffeo.
He cites a vintage Lamborghini concours PoloStorico and the museo sponsored in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. “This was in homage of Le Corbusier,” Maffeo says, referring to the pioneering Swiss modernist architect, who was born in the town and built his first solo project there. He “was one of the most innovative architects of the 20th century and, we feel, an innovator in terms of technology.”
The museum’s expanded cultural mission also connects directly, and perhaps most interestingly, to the recent expansion of the Lamborghini factory. This near doubling of production capacity occurred to accommodate the expansion of the automaker’s lineup, which will soon include the $200,000 Urus super-SUV.
Unlike other high-end automakers introducing SUVs—including Bentley, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce—Lamborghini actually has heritage in the segment, having produced the LM002 (a Countach V12-powered, all-wheel-drive, four-door truck) in the 1980s and ’90s. The museum has one on display, along with the Cheetah military/oilfield exploration concept from which it was derived. They have been used frequently at events for press and prospective customers to demonstrate brand continuity. “The link between the launch of the Urus and the LM is very obvious,” says Maffeo.
Less obvious is the internal relevance of these symbols of the brand’s history. For the great majority of Lamborghini’s 54 years, the company and workforce was small. Employees often had a personal relationship with the product—so much so that if an owner contacted headquarters with a question about a vintage car, the people who had originally built it were frequently on-site to answer queries.
But with the broad increase in production since Audi’s takeover, and especially with the addition of a second assembly line for the Urus—which promises to become the brand’s best-seller—this has changed in significant ways. Younger workers have been added as the company grows; as veteran employees retire, institutional knowledge has been diminished and diluted. It needs shoring up.
“Lamborghini 20 years ago was 200 employees. Today it’s 1,500,” says Maffeo. “So, not all of these people have been growing with the company and have a good awareness of our history. And this is where I would say it’s very important that the heritage lives—not just for the outside world, but for the inside world also.”
"A Place Of Its Own" was originally published in the 6/18/18 issue of Autoweek; Subscribe here.


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Americans have Perfected their Coffee Drink of Choice during Lockdown
Half of Americans have become “quaristas” during 2020, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 coffee drinkers revealed 49% of respondents have become at-home baristas during quarantine, using their time inside to develop their coffee-making skills. Two-thirds (66%) of those have so much faith in their newfound talent, they plan to continue using their barista knowledge to make coffee in their own kitchen — even once the pandemic is over.
Conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by the Mr. Coffee® brand ahead of International Coffee Day, the survey revealed the dedication it takes to get a perfect cup and the skills needed to make your favorite brew – cold or hot. Seventy-six percent of respondents spent time perfecting their coffee drink of choice during quarantine — and, of those, the average respondent spent two hours and 10 minutes on the endeavor.
What were they working on? Results revealed 57% of respondents picked up a new coffee-related skill, and of those, 18% learned how to make iced coffee. And in the process, many found iced coffee was harder to make at home than hot coffee (38% vs. 19%). The top concern while making iced coffee at home was that it wouldn’t taste right (39%) — followed by it being too watered down (38%). Twenty-eight percent thought it would end up too warm, and 21% believe it’s too much of a process to make iced coffee at home. Still, some respondents love their iced caffeine, and 63% believe iced coffee season is year-round.
“While iced coffee seems simple, it’s not as easy to perfect at-home as you might think,” said Justin Crout, director of marketing and brand lead for Mr. Coffee. “It can be tricky to get the proportions right and to the right temperature without it tasting watered down — a problem most at-home baristas run into. It’s important to get a machine that takes all of that into account so you can step up your iced coffee-making skills at home.” Other respondents focused on a hot cup adding new skills to their barista abilities. Of those who picked up a new coffee-related skill (57%) — 25% learned how to use an espresso machine and another 20% learned how to use a traditional drip coffee machine. And results found 42% of respondents would now consider themselves a “coffee connoisseur,” a slight increase from before quarantine began.
In addition to exploring the increase in at-home coffee making, the survey looked at what had been holding respondents back from making their own coffee prior to the pandemic. Results found 38% of respondents said they had been ill-equipped to make coffee at home. Part of that is not having the right tools — results found 24% didn’t have the right equipment, while others worried it wouldn’t taste good (22%) or that they would mess it up (21%). “Making your own perfect cup of coffee is both an art and science which means the tools we use are incredibly important,” said Crout. “In addition to fresh coffee grounds, two things I always keep on hand are my Mr. Coffee Iced Coffeemaker and a flavored oatmilk creamer. These have been game-changers for me, helping me quickly create refreshing iced coffee that’s always delicious and never watered down.”
Content courtesy of 72point.


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Port Huron beaches reopen — with restrictions — in time for Memorial Day weekend
Port Huron — Life on Saturday showed some semblance of a pre-coronavirus normal as visitors from all around kicked off the Memorial Day weekend at Port Huron's Lakeside Beach.
Cool breezes blew by, children played on the shore and speedboats were blasting music as they cruised through the water as temperatures peaked around 73 degrees.
However, a few details still contrasted what seemed like a typical beach day in Michigan at the start of the late-May holiday weekend. Plastic wrap was taped over water fountains and showers. Benches were covered with 'Do Not Cross' tape and some beach-goers wore masks.
After Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday lifted some restrictions of her stay-home order, Port Huron opened its beaches for the holiday weekend.
"We strive to provide a safe environment to our residents so we can continue to keep the parks and beaches open,” said Nancy Winzer, director of Port Huron Parks and Recreation. “We are hoping to have amenities available again as soon as the spread of COVID-19 is no longer an issue."
The Port Huron Recreation Department opened Lakeside and Lighthouse beaches on Thursday with regulations to help limit the spread of COVID-19. The department encouraged patrons to practice social distancing and keep at least six feet between groups, as police frequently passed through the beaches.
"We're just making sure everybody is staying safe and not doing anything bad," said police cadet Allison Cole. "Just follow the governor's orders, keep social distancing, and wear a mask if you can."
While the flow of people coming to and from the beach remained steady, Cole said she expected more people to be out and that it was slower than expected.
"We just wanted to get out, look at the water, relax, and feel free after a hard week," said Zarek Swilly, 24, of Flint.
Most amenities at the beach are closed to minimize spreading the virus through commonly touched areas, but people can still sit on the beach or go in the water.
Grills, picnic tables and benches remain closed, along with splash pads, pavilions, playground equipment, restrooms, and concession stands, though portable toilets were made available.
"We're still doing Big Gretch's work but while doing the social distant thing, we thought it would be nice to visit," said Janet Harris, 48, of Farmington Hills.
Harris went to Lakeside Beach with her husband and daughter. They all wore masks and made sure to leave some distance between them and others.
Lakeside Beach will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Lighthouse Beach will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
"We decided to take a nice day this weekend and go somewhere nice," said Carla Strong, 52, of Mount Morris. "We just wanted to put our feet in the sand."
Strong said going to the beach was her first time out of the house besides grocery shopping.
On Friday, Whitmer extended her stay-home order until June 12 but still allowed a few restrictions to be lifted. The day before, the governor signed an order that reopened retail businesses and auto dealerships by appointment only.
Effective May 29, previously nonessential medical, dental and veterinary procedures will be allowed to resume. Whitmer's order from Thursday also allows for small gatherings of 10 people or less as long as participants practice social distancing.
As part of her plans to gradually reopen the state, restaurants and retail stores reopened Friday in parts of Northern Michigan as well as the Upper Peninsula.


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Recent research shows that one of the most desirable professions of the future is the blockchain developer. That’s why blockchain education online has procured so much attention.
Universities and online academies of TechEd industry, all are joining the blockchain trend and creating online courses and programs to widespread blockchain education.
This year we saw several universities announcing their new programs. The aim is to get people into cryptocurrency, distributed ledger technology, and fintech.
Blockchain education in Ireland
In the second quarter of the year 2019, Heather Humphreys, Ireland’s Minister of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, originated Ireland’s first Master’s program in blockchain education.
The Master’s program was a result of a collaboration between Dublin City University and ICT Skillnet. To master the course, you should already have some education in the IT field. The course is oriented on developers who’d like to enhance their experiences and add blockchain development to their skillset.
ICT Skillnet stated that the only problem with further development of this profession is the gap in skills. Their program is aiming to fill this gap, and prepare the future generation of tech-savvy professionals.
On May 31, they announced that only the residents of the Republic of Ireland could have access, but they are planning on some changes for the future. After all, it’s an online course.
Blockchain education in Pennsylvania
Following days were as well exciting for the crypto community, as the University of Pennsylvania announced a new online course about all things fintech.
Even though The University of Pennsylvania is a business school, and you’d imagine they would only introduce the students to business-oriented subjects, their blockchain course has been launched a month ago, due to the rapid growth of demand on blockchain developers.
The program addresses the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry. It also covers crowdfunding, P2P payments, and investing in ICOs.
In comparison with Ireland’s initiative with blockchain education, this course is available for international students, and you can easily find it on Coursera. People of all professions are currently going through the course, as it doesn’t require a background in the blockchain industry.
Over the last 12 months, hundreds of universities launched cryptocurrency and blockchain courses and programs. It speaks a lot about what future job markets will look like.


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Electronic payment supplier, Verifone has unveiled a hand-held smart card device which lets consumers download electronic cash over the Internet.
The personal ATM, smartcard reader/writer integrates with Verifone?s existing client/server Verismart system enabling users to connect to their bank account and download electronic cash into their home or office.
According to Thomas Kilcoyne, general manager of the consumer systems division at Verifone, the company plans to partner with other consumer appliance manufacturers to develop further technologies around the system.
These will include organisations like Mondex International who supply a global electronic cash smartcard, Gemplus and Web TV Networks. ?Smart cards look like credit cards, but they hold a hundred times more data? said Kilcoyne.
One advantage of an ?electronic purse? or smart card is that it can be used instead of fumbling for pocket change at car park tellers or ticket booths etc. Also, if the card is lost or stolen its contents can only be accessed by the original owner.
Andy Courtneidge, head of the new smart card division at UK consultants OSI , believes the smart card market is really starting to take off. ?Ninety five percent of cards in use today are still magnetic strip but we are definitely seeing a move to smartcards,? he said.
Verifone?s Personal ATM can also be used to load airline loyalty miles, individual healthcard insurance, telephone and utility account information and a range of other personal services. The product will begin shipping later this year.
Sudden increases in availability of sniper rifles on Vikendi
Antarctica lost on average 252 gigatons of ice mass per year from 2009 to 2017, claims study
Buyers can demand refunds if they've had a game for no more than 14 days and not registered more than two hours of play
Total lunar eclipse 2019: 'Super Blood Wolf Moon' to be visible across Europe and North America on Sunday night
Moon will turn reddish-orange in colour during this weekend's total lunar eclipse


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A big news day for GIFs: Image-hosting site Imgur has released a video-to-GIF tool, and the GIF search engine Giphy announced raising $17 million in new funding. What do these two tech stories have in common? GIFs are being touted as the next wave in mobile-media consumption. Today, GIFs officially go corporate.
Posts tagged as:


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Grants aim to aid Southern Oregon tourism
Travel Oregon has awarded $354,419 in grants to aid tourism organizations in Southern Oregon that have been hard-hit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These projects directly support Oregon’s tourism economy, from iconic Oregon attractions like the Oregon Shakespeare Festival to outdoor trail development, to retrofitting outdoor events to meet public health standards,” said Todd Davidson, chief executive officer of Travel Oregon.
Funded by a 1.8% state hotel tax, Travel Oregon is the state’s tourism promotion agency.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is getting $50,000 for heating and air conditioning improvements of indoor spaces such as restrooms and control booths at its outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre, according to OSF.
OSF’s theaters were closed to live plays in 2020, although it ramped up digital streaming of past and new performances. This year, the theater company is continuing to stream digital content while aiming for the return of live theater in the fall.
The Ashland Independent Film Festival went virtual this spring but is planning a live outdoor festival of films, music and food trucks June 24-28. The film festival received $45,000 from Travel Oregon for COVID-19 safety measures to help keep the public safe during the outdoor festival.
Katharine Cato, director of Travel Ashland, said people have become increasingly eager to travel, but they still want assurances that tourism venues are taking safety and wellness into consideration.
“Our partners, businesses and community are constantly adapting,” Cato said.
Ashland-based Momentum River Expeditions received $13,500 to offer COVID-19 testing to guests who are heading out on multiday rafting trips. The company is also using the money to give regular COVID-19 tests to any unvaccinated workers.
The city of Grants Pass received $100,000 to improve the trail system on Dollar Mountain, a city-owned property with wildflowers, a woodland and views of the Rogue Valley.
The Safari Game Foundation received a $45,919 grant to improve the outdoor theater at Wildlife Safari, a sprawling tourist attraction south of Roseburg that features wild animals from around the world roaming in vast enclosures.
Travel Oregon gave $100,000 to the National Forest Foundation for hazard tree removal, parking lot improvements and trail restoration of the Fall Creek Falls Trail in the Umpqua National Forest. The trail and forest were damaged by the 2020 Archie Creek fire.
Statewide, Travel Oregon awarded $2.4 million through its Competitive & Recovery Grant Program.
“The infusion of dollars throughout our state is really key,” Cato said.
She noted organizations need to finish the funded projects by November, so the aid will be put to use quickly.
While Travel Oregon gave $2.4 million in grants, it received requests for more than $18 million for projects that support tourism and economic recovery, the agency said.
Oregon tourism was severely impacted by the pandemic.
From 2019 to 2020, travel-related employment dropped 22% and travel spending plummeted by nearly half, from $12.8 billion to $6.5 billion, according to a preliminary Economic Impact of Travel in Oregon report by Dean Runyan & Associates.


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L’OCCITANE commits to improving women’s representation by signing the LEAD Network’s CEO Pledge
By signing the CEO Pledge during the LEAD Network’s CEO Roundtable, Yves Blouin, Managing Director of the L’OCCITANE Group, has committed to improving the representation of women at the executive level of the business. The CEO Pledge obliges signatory companies to significantly accelerate gender parity and to prioritise inclusion in the value chain of the European retail and consumer goods sector.
This commitment represents an important step towards achieving the Group’s diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Women already make up a little over 50% of management positions. However, developing a culture that empowers all our team members to actively support diversity and inclusion remains a crucial concern.
With a presence in over 90 countries, the Group and its brands embody a vibrant and multi-local culture – an environment that should lead to a diverse, equal and inclusive workplace.
Managing Director of the L’OCCITANE Group
This commitment will involve listening to communities, cultivating change in our teams and in the way we communicate. In other words, we want to do what we can to contribute to a world in which everyone has greater equality of opportunity. And there is still a lot to be done
Empowering women is one of L’OCCITANE’s social and community engagement pillars. The Group broke new ground in this area by launching a global inclusive parental leave policy in 2020. The policy gives primary caregivers a minimum of 20 weeks’ fully paid leave and a secondary caregiver at least 12 weeks’ fully paid leave. It applies to all L’OCCITANE employees worldwide – whether they work in offices, factories or stores, and whether they’re welcoming a child by birth or through adoption or surrogacy.
The LEAD Network
The Group joined the Leading Executives Advancing Diversity (LEAD) Network in 2020. Its mission is to attract, retain and advance women in the consumer goods and retail sector in Europe through education, leadership and business development (www.lead-eu.net).


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Ajay Vaswani has been promoted to Leader Industry Officer of Exchange Funding Fund industry of the Funding Accept as true with of India.
He’s going to be liable for using industry targets for ITI Lengthy Brief Fairness Fund (category-III AIF) and ITI Expansion Alternatives Fund (Class-II AIF).
Vaswani will spearhead the tactic and execution for gross sales, distribution, industry building, product and advertising and marketing purposes for the Exchange Funding Fund in onshore and offshore markets.
He has been with the ITI since January 2020. All the way through his tenure, the AUM of ITI Lengthy Brief Fairness (an onshore fund) has grown six instances to about ₹800 crore. To increase its footprint, the corporate plans to release an offshore fund by way of GIFT IFSC.
Mohit Gulati, Managing Spouse & CIO, ITI Expansion Alternatives Fund, stated Vaswani contribution has been essential in redefining fund elevating fashions and performed a key position in rising the footprint within the trade funding finances area.
July 08, 2022


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Major advertisers are still stick with TV despite fears that ad
dollars are rushing to the web. This bodes well for companies like
) as well as its rivals like Disney (
), News Corp. (
), Time Warner (
) and Viacom (
). Below we take a quick look at the findings and CBS's dependence
on TV advertising.
Our price estimate for CBS stands at $27.50
, implying a slight premium to the market price.
TV Advertisement Picking Up
According to a recent report in WSJ citing ad-buying firm
Intergroup, TV advertisement spending will increase by 3.3% in
2011. This is higher growth compared to overall expected growth in
advertising spend, which is likely to be about 1.6% in 2011
according to same firm. This implies that TV will gain market share
in total advertising market. The research firm expects this share
to be about 34% in 2011 and forecasts it to increase to 38% by
CBS Benefits, and Others
Media companies like CBS depend heavily on advertising revenue.
CBS, for instance, earns TV advertising dollars for its CBS network
and local TV stations. We estimate that value dependence of CBS on
TV ad dollars lies somewhere at 30% of the total. Therefore the
news that TV advertising is growing at a healthy pace holds bright
prospects for media companies like CBS, who depend heavily on this
revenue stream. You can modify the forecast below to see how
ad revenues from local TV stations
can benefit CBS.
See our complete analysis for CBS' stock


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International Business Machines Corp. on Tuesday reported a 13% drop in quarterly earnings and narrower profit margins across its business units, including divisions that manage the cloud computing and Watson artificial intelligence operations that the technology giant is banking on to transform its business.
IBM’s revenue in the first three months of the year fell from the same period a year ago for the 20th consecutive quarter, with cognitive solutions the only one of its five major divisions to report improving its standing marginally from a year ago.
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Styrofoam, the poster child for the early environmental movement and irresponsible consumerism, has made a splashy return to New York City this summer in the form of Big-Gulp sized cups for McDonald's new "Sweet Tea."
Some officials are sour on the idea of the product that was behind widespread understanding of the term "biodegradable" and yesterday called for legislation to ban it from restaurants throughout the state.
"There are all kinds of alternatives out there that are not nearly as destructive to the environment and are cost-competitive," said State Senator Liz Krueger (D- Manhattan).
In the early 1990s, McDonalds famously ran away from the polystyrene stuff that it once used to keep "the hot side hot and the cool side cool" on its McDLT.
"Styrofoam is widely used by restaurant companies, grocery stores, retailers and manufacturers," Danya Proud, a spokeswoman for McDonald's said in a statement. "Singling out McDonald's is not only unfair, but it is misleading. It is important to note that Styrofoam is only used in a small percentage of our packaging in the U.S."
Styrene, used in production of Styrofoam, is considered a possible human carcinogen. And it takes centuries to break down.
"This cup will in all likelihood still exist 500 years from now," Assemb. Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan) said, holding a McDonald's Sweet Tea cup. San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Monica have banned it, and Seattle is considering following suit.
As maligned as polystyrene has been over the last two decades, Styrofoam has never gone away. Dunkin Donuts uses Styrofoam, as do city schools.
"No other product on the market insulates as well, and it's also inexpensive. That's why it's so popular," said Ray Ehrlich, regional manager for Government and Environmental Affairs at the Dart Container Corporation, a leading maker of Styrofoam food containers. "Overall the environmental benefits are the same as and sometimes better than other products."
On its Web site, Dart argues that Styrofoam doesn't break down and therefore won't release unhealthy chemicals into the soil. Besides, most biogradable products, like paper cups, are coated with plastic and end up unrecycled in the landfill beside Styrofoam anyway, Ehrlich said.
At least one New Yorker yesterday wasn't going to buy into the environmental-friendly claim, arguing instead for coroporate responsibility.
"McDonald's is such a big chain," said Seth Williams, 35, of Brooklyn. "They should be the first ones to try to do something."
Getting rid of Styrofoam is a problem, critics say. The city has a pilot program in which it sends a portion of the estimated 850,000 daily Styrofoam lunch trays it uses to California, where they are recycled.
"In the same way that it persists in the environment, for decades it has persisted as an environmentally troublesome choice for consumer uses," said Eric Goldstein, Director of the National Resources Defense Council's NY Urban Program.
Great moments in Styrofoam history
Dow Chemical researcher Ray McIntire accidentally creates Styrofoam, only a few years before the fast-food revolution.
The Ronald McDonald character makes his debut with a Styrofoam burger strapped to his belt.
Portland, Ore. bans use of Styrofoam in restaurants.
McDonald's sues Portland, but ends up dropping Styrofoam use entirely.
McDonald's reintroduces Styrofoam to hold its sweet tea drink.
Seattle considers Styrofoam ban.
July 17, 2508
Styrofoam cup you used today will still exist, sitting in a landfill.


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Amazon.com Inc has invested 7 billion rupees ($95.51 million) in its Indian payments unit, ahead of the festive season, data from business intelligence firm Tofler showed.
Amazon will begin its festive season sales on Oct. 17, and has been trying to encourage payments through Amazon Pay with cashbacks and other rewards.
Both Amazon and Flipkart offer deep discounts on everything from clothes, smartphones to home appliances ahead of key Hindu festivals Dussehra and Diwali.
In July, Jeff Bezos-led Amazon.com had invested 23.10 billion rupees in Amazon Seller Services and early this year announced a $1 billion investment to bring more than 10 million small businesses online in India by 2025.
Oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance is also expanding its new commerce venture and has raised 377.19 billion rupees ($5.14 billion) in a month by selling stakes in its retail unit to investors including KKR & Co, private equity firm Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala Investment Co.


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Sustainable, biodegradable and an innovation not only for the textile industry.
20.05.2019 | Robust, elastic and resilient – these are the properties of a spider’s thread. The Bavarian company Amsilk has taken nature as its model and produces the coveted natural fiber artificially using a biotechnological process.
Perfect for the textile industry
Biosteel® is sustainable, biodegradable and an innovation for the textile industry. The fibers are able to absorb moisture and transport it to the outside and have antimicrobial properties. It is therefore not surprising that the sporting goods manufacturer Adidas is interested in this high-performance material. He has already produced a prototype shoe made of Biosteel®.
Lightweight material promises more
However, the thread could have many more applications, for example in medical technology or in the automotive and aviation sectors. The aviation industry is always on the lookout for lighter materials. Airbus has also expressed its interest and entered into a partnership with Amsilk a few months ago. The material is already being used commercially as an ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products.
Production protects caterpillars
The fiber consists of natural proteins, but caterpillars do not have to die for it. Production takes place as follows: Bacteria are fed with sugar in large steel tanks so that they produce the protein. This is dried into a silk powder and processed into thread.
From pilot project to branded product
With this development, the Bavarian company and other well-known start-ups are moving into industrial biotechnology – a pioneering field of the future. So far, the material is still very expensive. These are therefore more likely to be pilot projects.
The cooperation with Omega is a different story. The luxury watch manufacturer will be launching its NATO textile watch straps with Biosteel fiber in the future. The advantage over the earlier polyamide wristbands is obvious: lighter, more breathable and more comfortable.
So far, there is still a lack of acceptance in the industry. But once the first products are on the market, the new material can quickly become a hot topic.
Things remain exciting in this area.
Yvonne Wicke | Head of Marketing
Sources: Handelsblatt, online article from January 24, 2019, author: Axel Höpner; Edison eMagazine, issue March 09, 2018, author: Susanne Frank


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A closely camouflaged pre-production check mule of the Renault Kiger subcompact SUV has been captured on digital camera, displaying resemblance to the idea model.
It was earlier this week when Renault India officially unveiled the concept model of its upcoming Kiger subcompact SUV. Codenamed HBC, the subcompact SUV is predicted to go on sale within the nation by early subsequent 12 months. It will mark Renault‘s entry into the aggressive subcompact SUV phase, dominated by large gamers just like the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon to call a number of. The French carmaker has confirmed that Kiger’s remaining design will keep 80 per cent much like the idea mannequin. Now, a pre-production check mule has been captured on digital camera, displaying resemblance to the idea model.
Judging by the seems of it, the check mule in these spy images seems to be a beefed-up model of the Kwid small automotive. Though the check automobile is extensively wrapped in camouflage, the floating roof design is kind of obvious that we noticed on the idea model. It additionally will get a brand new pair of alloy wheels, solely completely different from what we’ve already seen within the earlier spy footage. It is seen bearing a cut up headlamp design with tri-LED projectors positioned within the bumper. At the rear, the Kiger SUV will get a properly sculpted boot with black cladding on the rear bumper, steeper rear windshield, C-shaped LED taillamps, reverse gentle and rear wiper.
It will likely be Renault’s first subcompact SUV in India, and will likely be constructed on the identical CMF-A+ platform that at the moment underpins the corporate Triber MPV. It will likely be manufactured regionally on the Renault-Nissan alliance plant in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu.
The carmaker hasn’t revealed mechanical particulars of the Kiger SUV but. However, we anticipate the SUV to get the brand new 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine that was showcased on the 2020 Auto Expo. It’s the identical unit that can even energy the Nissan Magnite. It can be anticipated to return with a 1.0-litre petrol engine. Expect to see each guide and automated transmission choices on the SUV.
The Kiger will look to determine itself within the extremely aggressive subcompact SUV area, which boasts of fashions just like the Nissan Magnite, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon and others.


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From its inception, the Chevy Volt was designed to travel 40 miles without using a drop of gasoline. General Motors drew the line in the sand, citing studies that show the majority of US drivers, on average, travel less than 40 miles per day. In a refrain repeated over and over again by GM executives, and bandied about in advertising, the company has held firm to its promise of 40 miles of electric driving before the small onboard engine would be called into service.
However, one year prior to its release, journalists are discovering that the Volt will fall short of the 40 miles of all-electric range under a number of conditions.
Edmunds’ John O’Dell yesterday took a brief test drive of the Volt, and grilled Volt Chief Engineer Andrew Farah. O’Dell discovered that the 2011 will indeed deliver 40 miles of battery-only range on the EPA city cycle, a driving circuit with an average speed of just under 20 mph. But the Volt’s battery range will be diminished under these conditions:
- Aggressive acceleration
- Sustain high-speed driving
- Exceptionally hot or cold ambient temperatures
- Driving in hilly or mountainous terrain
O’Dell writes, “If you pull out of the driveway with a full charge, hop on an uncrowded freeway and motor away at 65 miles an hour, you won’t get 40 miles on battery power alone.”
Does It Matter?
From the beginning, the 40-mile number seemed arbitrary. After all, how many Volt owners are going to complain if the engine comes on after 38 miles or 35 miles? The Chevy Volt is expected to be the only mainstream relatively affordable plug-in hybrid on the market—it goes on sale in late 2010—with anywhere near 40 miles of all-electric range for quite some time.
But if the Volt does fall short of 40 miles of electric range, and 35 or 30 miles proves to be enough for satisfied owners, it begs the question of how much all-electric range is needed after all. Earlier this year, researchers from Carnegie Melon University found that the extra cost and weight of batteries needed for 40 miles of all-electric range are cost-prohibitive. Researchers said, “Large-capacity plug-in hybrids sized for 40 or more miles of electric-only travel are not cost-effective in any scenario.”
The Volt is expected to cost about $40,000. Could GM reduce the cost of the Volt—and potentially sell more units maybe even at a profit—by downsizing the battery pack to allow for 30, 20, or even 10 miles of all-electric range? Does it strike a better balance between cost and EV-range to tap into gasoline when needed throughout the driving cycle—the “blended” approach expected from Ford and Toyota, as well as GM’s own future plug-in hybrid SUV? Or maybe those who must have a long all-electric range would be happy to pay $10,000 less and give up the ability to take their electric car on long-range trips? The Nissan Leaf is expected to sell in the low $30,000s and will never use a drop of gasoline, because it’s purely electric and doesn’t have a gas engine.
The new era of plug-in hybrids and electric cars will bring these questions and many more. Perhaps the biggest question—at least for GM one year before the release of the Chevy Volt—is whether or not it should continue to make the 40-mile claim when it might not be true for many of its owners.


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The time period “self-media” is mostly used on Chinese social media to describe independently operated accounts that produce authentic content but aren’t officially registered with the authorities. The company got 137 reports for account support, of which one was actioned, and 316 requests to ban accounts, WhatsApp revealed in its second compliance report. The companies must open their app stores to alternative fee techniques in South Korea under newly handed laws there, threatening their profitable commissions on digital gross sales. Meet Trustshare, a London-based startup that’s engaged on escrow infrastructure for online categorised, B2B marketplaces, trade directories and extra.
- By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data switch coverage.
- The company obtained 137 reports for account help, of which one was actioned, and 316 requests to ban accounts, WhatsApp revealed in its second compliance report.
- App Store’s H spending is almost double in comparison with $23.4 billion spent by Android consumers.
WhatsApp is working on a model new function that can enable users to react to messages on WhatsApp similar to Facebook Messenger or Instagram. School transportation is about to get more complicated, but kids’ ride-hailing apps can help, as in-person studying returns, parents’ back-to-office plans keep shifting and Covid-19 instances rise. A journey to fix two MacBooks illustrates the restore restrictions put in place by Apple and different huge tech firms.
Apple Iphone 13 Launch Date Leaked Ahead Of Official Announcement Particulars Right Here
With 64 votes in favor and 14 votes against, Congress permitted the fund as El Salvador, which already uses the us dollar, prepares to formally undertake bitcoin on Sept. 7. Yahoo said on its FAQ page it didn’t come to this choice flippantly but has been impacted by changes to regulatory legal guidelines in India that limit international ownership of media corporations. At White House conferences with Biden and members of his Cabinet, executives from Big Tech, the finance business and infrastructure corporations stated they’d do extra about the rising menace of cyber attacks to the U.S. economic system.


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Apple Will Discontinue iWork.com as of July 31 Due To Transition to iCloud
Apple sent out notifications to users who registered at its
iWork started as a free beta service in January 2009 with the company eventually planning to offer the service with functionality for collaboration on documents for a fee. But the service didn’t exit beta, and with iCloud including options for moving around documents Apple has decided to discontinue the program. However, iCloud doesn’t offer the level of functionality for collaboration envisioned for iWork.com.
The discontinuation of iWork.com will happen a month after the company officially closes its MobileMe services. The services have continued to work after the launch of iCloud last year so that users have time to move over to the iCloud. MobileMe and some of its features such as Gallery, iWeb publishing and iDisk will be no longer available as of June 30.
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Some companies are obviously great investments -- in hindsight. Yet for every stock out there screaming "buy me," others simply give us a nudge and a nod. How can we tell tomorrow's obviously great investments from the thousands of pretenders?
The stars' walk of fame
On Motley Fool CAPS, these opportunities can be found among our four-star stocks. In CAPS' proprietary ratings system, they rank higher than most of the other 5,300 starred companies, but they're just shy of superstardom. While all the attention might be focused on their five-star peers, we can sift through CAPS to find four-star firms approaching greatness. Here are a handful we've recently unearthed.
Telefonos de Mexico
China Green Agriculture
Some of these names might surprise you. BHP Billiton, for example, has been a giant in the oil and gas industry for years. Almost great? Even familiar names can still offer some of the best opportunities. Perhaps we've just forgotten the potential they still hold. The 145,000-plus CAPS members chose these companies as less obvious sources for tomorrow's great buys, so let's see why they might merit your attention.
In the sight of greatness?
Marketing its agricultural products through distributors has been a profitable structure for China Green Agriculture. Now, the company has decided to sidestep the middlemen for its next phase of growth, and open its own retail stores. While this has the potential to boost sales, it also risks alienating China Green's distributor network and end-users, who might not like the layer of competition the stores represent.
Fiscal first-quarter results (ending Sept. 30) were impressive, with sales jumping 27% and operating profits rising to 55% of revenue. As business has boomed, so has China Green's stock. Shares are up 35% over the past three months, and they've rocketed more than 400% higher in the past year.
In part, that's because Chinese stocks in general have performed well. The 320 stocks that make up the China sector on CAPS have risen 140% in the last 12 months, while Fertilizer stocks are up more than 300%. Both sectors have been fueled by the likes of China Green Agriculture and China Agritech
China Green, a Motley Fool Global Gains recommendation, even "spiffy-popped" in mid-November. That's the term Fools use to describe a one-day stock price jump greater than the original price paid for that stock. Global Gains originally recommended China Green Agriculture at $2.30; after its latest earnings release, it jumped up $3.51 in one day. Today, shares trade hands at more than $17 each.
Of course, some investors are leery about the course China Green's stock will take going forward after such a fast price rise. CAPS member Technodweeb enumerates several items that have him worried about the company:
1. Looking at their SEC filings, the future intentions to give away 2 million in shares, with a vote coming up soon with regard to compensation. There may be even more share give-a-ways in the future.
2. Private placement (there have been two this year) are supposed to be offered to current shareholders first. Yes, companies still do this. In Singapore, Genting did this. But with CGA the "offer" goes to some private party elsewhere.
3. Why do they keep needing the private placements? In their last one it stated for "working capital purposes". What exactly is this? The cash flow is questionable to me. I thought they had sufficient cash at this point.
Care to answer Technodweeb's concerns? Let us know in the comments section below, or go to China Green Agriculture's CAPS page and plant your own opinion there.
A great opportunity for you
Investor sentiment suggests these four-star investments still seem to be on their way to five-star greatness. Still, it pays to start your own research on these stocks on Motley Fool CAPS. Read a company's financial reports, scrutinize key data and charts, and examine the comments your fellow investors have made, all from a stock's CAPS page.
Sign up today for the completely free service, and let us hear your opinions about the great and almost-great companies that interest you.
Fool contributor Rich Duprey holds no financial position in any of the stocks mentioned in this article. You can see his holdings here. Ebix is a Motley Fool Rule Breakers selection and a Motley Fool holding. The Motley Fool has a gold-plated disclosure policy.


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Global Marketing News – 5th December 2016
Brazil has blocked a “right to be forgotten” law, online surveillance is to increase in the UK, and WeChat has been found to be censoring group chats.
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By Kyra Auffermann, NCA
Today’s “typical” cup of coffee is anything but – it may not even be a cup.
Innovation is fueling growth across the gourmet coffee segment (aka specialty coffee), according to the new NCA National Coffee Drinking Trends Report 2017, released at the NCA 2017 Annual Convention in Austin on March 25, presented by Michael Edwards, Dig Insights.
The latest data shows a market shift toward high-quality, premium beverages, with younger demographics driving this change.
So what does this mean for the coffee industry? Here are the top consumption trends, based on the latest market data.
“Coffee” used to be associated with a traditional percolated brew, consumed at home at the breakfast table. Now the perception of coffee has expanded to include an afternoon nitro cold brew while working at a cafe, or a bottle from a vending machine in the train station after work.
For the first time in the NCDT’s 67-year history, more than half (59%) of coffee cups consumed daily are now classified as gourmet, versus 46% in 2012.
Traditional drip brewers are still the most common method of preparation – but barely. In fact, 2017 is the first year where fewer than half of daily coffee consumers drank coffee prepared with a drip brewer on a past-day basis (46%).
According to the report, “This represents a gradual but fundamental shift in the American coffee landscape.”
To reflect the emerging popularity of premium beverages among mainstream consumers, we added the new category “Non-Espresso Based Beverages” to the 2017 NCDT. This includes beverages such as cold brew, nitro, or frozen blended coffee, and is generally congruous with the “specialty coffee” designation.
These drinks predominantly engage consumers under 35 years, suggesting potential long-term growth opportunities for the industry. Younger generations may be drinking less coffee than older adults, but they’re drinking better coffee.
And they’re definitely drinking it differently.
According to the NCDT data, we’re drinking more coffee prepared out-of-home – reaching a high of 46% in 2017.
Where people drink their coffee is strongly correlated to age. People 65 years and older are the most likely to have coffee exclusively at-home. Meanwhile, coffee drinkers under 35 years are nearly one-third more likely to drink coffee from a café or donut shop.
(During his presentation, Michaels said that one of the primary reasons younger demographics gave for drinking coffee at home was “something to do in front of the computer.” Obviously.)
Drinking more coffee out-of-home may contribute to younger demographics’ interest in new flavors and preparation methods, because of increased exposure to new beverages and trends.
It’s important to note that this shift in place is not only a question of preference, but also a reflection of our increasingly mobile (and WiFi-dependent) lifestyles: Ultimately, people drink coffee where and when works for them. With so many options available, sometimes “better” means easier. Meet your consumer where they are.
This may be a strategic opportunity for brands to introduce new beverages and brewing methods into consumers’ homes. Reinforce positive rituals, introduce innovation, and emphasize quality. Remember that consumers don’t consider coffee a utilitarian necessity to endure, but rather a small luxury to be savored – even celebrated (and Instagrammed).
READY FOR RTD?
The elusive intersection of convenience and quality helped drive the popularity of the single serve brewer phenomenon, which remains the second most common brewing method in 2017.
Now, we’re seeing in the rise of ready-to-drink (RTD) products, which offer café taste on-demand. [This is covered more extensively in the NCA’s all-new Generational Report: Coffee Through the Ages]
The RTD consumption is currently highest among 13-18 year olds. However, as more consumers discover third-wave coffee culture, the demand for niche beverages will continue to move towards mainstream. This trend will enable smaller brands to reach a wider audience, and introduce gourmet coffee drinks to people who may not have been exposed to them otherwise.
Younger consumers in general feel less confident brewing their own coffee. Edwards said that a growing percentage of consumers who use a single serve brewer only know how to prepare coffee with that method. And, 13-24 year old coffee drinkers are more likely to purchase coffee that provides instructions for different brewing methods.
Additionally, the RTD market offers a range of gourmet options that appeal to younger audiences – from cold brew to canned espresso. However, single-serve machines address the need for convenience at home, but primarily deliver traditional coffee, highlighting a potential market gap for specialty coffee companies.
COFFEE AND HEALTH
There has been an overwhelming amount of positive scientific research on the potential health benefits of regular coffee consumption, from protecting your liver to improved cognitive function. Last year, IARC issued an unprecedented reclassification of coffee, saying that the beverage could no longer be considered a possible carcinogen – and may even reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Yet the association between coffee and health is weakening among consumers. Only 16% of consumers report hearing information about the health benefits of coffee, down from 20% in 2015. And 66% are concerned with limiting their caffeine intake.
Reinforcing the (many) health benefits of coffee consumption – both among consumers and medical professionals – may be a communication opportunity for the industry.
The 2017 National Coffee Drinking Trends report shows that the coffee market is undergoing a period of transformation, driven by the demands of a new generation and the influence of new innovations.
To learn more, register now for the upcoming NCA webinar with Michael Edwards, March 30, 1-2 pm EST (free for NCA members).
The full report is available for purchase on the NCA website, along with the new NCA Generational Report.
Read the NCA’s official NCDT 2017 news release.
What do the latest coffee consumption trends mean for the future of the industry? Share your comments below.
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Apple Inc. became the first publicly traded company valued at $3 trillion on Monday, touching the historic milestone briefly after a weeks-long rally in its stock price. Yet for investors looking for a surefire bet as 2022 gets under way, the sudden surge ought to give them pause.
The climb has been striking. Since mid-November, as major stock indexes have stayed roughly flat, Apple shares have risen more than 20%, bringing the company’s value to a once hard-to-fathom $3 trillion, the first time a publicly traded company has reached that lofty milestone. To put it in perspective, that’s more than the gross domestic product of most countries.
Some have suggested the surge in Apple shares can be explained as a safe-haven bet. As the Federal Reserve begins to withdraw monetary stimulus, the theory is portfolio managers are jettisoning growth stocks, whose price-to-sales ratios are shrinking, and seeking refuge in Apple as a cash or gold equivalent.


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The purpose as to why Google’s policy angered developers was as a result of Google had made it necessary to make use of Google Play’s billing system for in-app purchases and pay a excessive 30% as service cost.
What’s an in-app buy?
For these unaware, in-app purchases do not embody stuff you buy from Amazon or pay cash to somebody utilizing Paytm. In-app purchases largely imply in case you are shopping for a Gold version of Tinder or shopping for a brand new gun in Call of Duty Mobile or different related varieties of purchases.
|The difficulty||High 30% Google charge on in-app purchases|
|What’s altering||Google has diminished from charge 30% to fifteen% for the primary $1M of annual income from July 1,2021|
|What’s not altering||Mandatory for all developers to make use of Google Play Payments for in-app purchases. Deadline: March 31, 2022|
|Google’s declare||More than 97% of Android apps globally don’t promote digital items, and subsequently don’t pay any service charge.|
What’s the brand new Google policy?
Google has introduced that beginning July 1, 2021, it has diminished the service charge Google Play receives to fifteen% for the primary $1M of income each developer earns every year. “With this change, 99% of developers globally that sell digital goods and services with Play will see a 50% reduction in fees,” Google stated.
It is vital to notice that Google has not eliminated the requirement for developers to make use of Google Play’s billing system for in-app purchases. All app developers that supply in-app purchases must combine Google Play’s Payments system and there are not any two methods about it. But the discount of service cost may be seen as a reduction.
App developers have gotten a deadline till March 31, 2022 to combine Play funds into their apps for purchases.
Those apps that are already utilizing Google’s cost mechanism can profit from the discount of service charge from July 1, 2021. Google additional clarified that “more than 97% of apps globally do not sell digital goods, and therefore do not pay any service fee.”
Google’s ‘30% tax’ vs Indian developers: The background
There are two methods you should purchase an app subscription or make in-app purchases. For most apps, folks purchase one thing utilizing the bank card linked to their Google account principally utilizing Google Play’s billing system. However, for apps like Netflix, Tinder and few others it’s a must to make the purchases independently. And for developers, not utilizing Google Play’s billing system it has been a giant reduction merely as they did not should pay “tax” to Google which was as excessive as 30% of the invoice.
Until final 12 months, Google didn’t strictly implement that each one Android apps on Google Play must comply with Google Play’s billing system. However, round October 2020, Google made it necessary for all developers promoting digital items in their apps to make use of Google Play’s billing system solely and pay ‘30% tax’ on in-app purchases.
Now, this 30% Google tax shouldn’t be one thing new. It was all the time there and even Apple expenses the identical. But Google didn’t care a lot about it and thus apps like Netflix, Spotify, Tinder and different massive names who had the capability to create their very own funds ecosystem went forward to create their very own funds processes to keep away from Google Play’s billing system.
For Indian developers, the service cost of 30% appeared fairly excessive they usually felt trapped. In India, Android occurs to be the preferred smartphone platform, for an app to be fashionable, it needs to be there on Google Play retailer. And if the developer chooses a freemium mannequin, then they must provide 30% of the income to Google. Indian developers have been additionally angered by the truth that additionally they needed to compete with Google’s personal apps that are higher distributed by way of Google’s commercials.
The excellent news: Google tax has diminished from 30% to fifteen% for the primary $1M of annual income
By making Google Play’s billing system necessary, one factor is evident, no developer can make cash by being current on Google Play retailer and never pay any fee to Google in any respect. Be it training, courting, health or others, any app which supplies a freemium mannequin and expenses cash in-app must signal-up for Google Play’s billing system.
Whatever buy is made, Google earlier would have charged 30%, which to most developers is sort of excessive. But now Google has diminished the tax from 30% to fifteen% for the primary $1M of income each developer earns every year.


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"It's the most wonderful time of the year -- until your credit card information is compromised. An estimated 140 million American shoppers are expected to start their holiday shopping in stores and online over Thanksgiving weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. While many of us are dreaming of deals, it's important to remember that cyber criminals are on the prowl, targeting unsuspecting shoppers and trying to steal their passwords and credit card information.
"It wasn’t easy accumulating the research data displayed in the following guide. I saw horrific sights working retail for seven long years in both a big box electronic store and a major shopping center. I saw things that will haunt me the rest of my days. I watched two kids get trampled by what I call Double-Wides because Circuit City clearanced-out Dreamcasts for $80 on Black Friday. I once hid behind a massive video display just for a few moments during the chaos. I’ve seen people fight, bite, and trample other members of our human race just to save a few dollars.
"It's that time of year again, American consumers are flocking to e-tail websites and brick-and-mortar retailers to take advantage of mind boggling Black Friday deals. This veritable homage to consumerism is slowly spreading beyond US borders, but the rest of the world is simply not there yet - the best deals are still to be had in the Land of the Free. So let's check out what Newegg has in store and what sorts of discounts are available to shoopers, including those hooked in bitcoin - we'll explain why.."
"US based online electronics stores Newegg is set to launch it's business into the international market. Plans are already in motion to open the doors in the United Kingdom shortly. Although according to our sources in NewEgg as well as what has been published already on the web the store opening will "soft launch" until the company feels more confident in the market."
"An OECD report into the link between student performance and their parents’ occupations has revealed that if a kid has at least one parent working in IT, business or engineering they will do better in school.
The news will be greeted with glee amongst the IT community where it will be suddenly be possible to use a pick-up line “but our kids will be good in school.” Not only were the kids of information and communications technology (ICT) workers top of the country in maths and science, they were also found to be the best in terms of reading..."
"OCZ, a manufacturer of solid-state drives, says it will file for bankruptcy. This move is being forced by Hercules Technology Growth Capital, which had lent $30 million to OCZ under terms that were later breached.
The BBC reports that Nintendo is now using the content ID match feature in YouTube to identify screencap videos of people playing their games. They then take over the advertising that appears with the video, and thus the ad revenue.
"Unlike previous years, NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) has decided to use Bing maps to track Santa's journey as he goes around the world delivering presents. Starting Christmas eve, one will be able to go to the official NORAD Santa tracking site (http://www.noradsanta.org/) and use Bing maps to see where Santa is delivering presents at that time. In previous years, NORAD has always gone for Google maps to track Saint Nick.
"Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has expressed his desire for the world's largest online retailer to open its own retail stores. In speaking with CBS News, Bezos addressed the question of Amazon entering the competitive brick-and-mortar industry. "We would love to but only if we can have a truly differentiated idea. We don't do a me-too product offering very well. When I look at physical retail stores, it's very well served. The people who operate physical retail stores are very good at it."
Copyright 2015 © Godem Online Inc. | Web and server solutions by NewTech Solutions.


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Investors have been enthusiastic about Apple's prospects in the wake of the iPhone's introduction last month, and many on Wall Street were eagerly anticipating AT&T's update on activations of the new device. Apple introduced the iPhone the evening of June 29, so it was understood that AT&T's figures -- which cover the second quarter ended June 30 -- would reflect just a day and a half worth of sales.
Even so, the San Antonio telco's announcement Tuesday morning that it had activated a total of 146,000 iPhones on June 29 and 30 was met with something less than enthusiasm. Apple fans and industry analysts had been looking for about double that number.
Some iPhone customers did experience troubles activating their phones during the first few days of the debut. That may account for the some of the lower-than-expected tally from AT&T.The iPhone did not fully sell out during the first week of the introduction, causing some disappointment among the most optimistic observers. As TheStreet.com reported earlier this month, Apple's best-case-scenario goal or


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Some of the world’s biggest food manufacturers and retailers have agreed to simplify food date labels by 2020 in an attempt to reduce the vast quantities of food that is unnecessarily wasted each year.
Sainsbury’s head of analytical testing has called for agreement on threshold limits for the presence of allergens in food and drink to provide reassurance to food manufacturers, retailers and, most importantly, consumers about the risk of allergic reactions.
Newly-consolidated date-labelling guidelines aim to help reduce food waste, but do nothing to allay the fear of prosecution which makes manufacturers more, rather than less, cautious in this area, according to one legal expert.
Most food manufacturers go beyond their legal obligation to provide clear nutrition labelling, says the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), after claims manufacturers were “deliberately deceiving” shoppers by not using colour-coded labels on cereal packaging.
The Co-op has voiced concerns about the introduction of ‘ethical’ schemes that could be confused with Fairtrade, after chocolate maker Green & Black’s unveiled a new non-organic chocolate range that has ditched the familiar logo.
The ban on adverts for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) was only the first step in reducing childhood obesity, claimed pressure group Sustain, while doctors have called for health warnings on sugary food packaging.


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According to the Houston Business Journal Uber Technologies Inc. could possibly be launching their new food delivery service UberEats in the Houston area (Hopefully in The Woodlands too!)
The company has job listings on its website for operations managers in Houston, Dallas, Pheonix, Atlanta and Miami. According to it’s website, the service exists in Los Angeles; Chicago; New York; Barcelona, Spain; and Toronto.
This would be fantastic! Not sure if we’ll be getting this in The Woodlands yet, but we’ve reached out to ask and are we are waiting for a response from Uber on this. We’ll keep you updated.


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Methuen resident Kristen Novak said she was “horrified” when she found out about the possible data breach of 40 million credit and debit card accounts who shopped at popular retail chain Target.
“It’s a scary thing to think about,” she said outside the Target in Methuen yesterday.
The chain, known for its bright red logo, shopping carts and store decor, said that accounts of customers who made purchases by swiping their cards at terminals in its U.S. stores between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15 may have been exposed. The stolen data includes customer names, credit and debit card numbers, card expiration dates and the three-digit security codes located on the backs of cards. The data breach did not affect online purchases.
Novak said when her husband found out about the incident he called her immediately knowing that she had shopped at Target during that time.
“I went there to shop but the lines were too long that day so I left and did shopping at another store,” she said. “I was kind of annoyed at the time about it but now I am so happy I did.”
The breach affected all cards, including Target store brand cards and major card brands such as Visa and MasterCard.
The Minneapolis company said it immediately told authorities and financial institutions once it became aware of the breach and that it is teaming with a third-party forensics firm to investigate and prevent future breaches. It said it is putting all “appropriate resources” toward the issue.
“It’s crazy to think about how this can even happen,” Novak said. “You are not expecting something like this when you go shopping.”
After the Massachusetts-based clothes retailer TJX experienced a major data breach, the Legislature passed a law requiring businesses to notify the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations and the Office of the Attorney General when informed of a data breach.


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Centre to set up micro-seismic observation systems at Joshimath: Jitendra Singh
Addressing the workshop, he said there was a critical need for fundamental research on the physical processes that lead to failure of the brittle layers beneath the crust and sub-crust. The minister noted that human consequences of natural disasters in India were rising rapidly and stressed on the need to devise proper mitigation strategies.
Centre to set up micro-seismic observation systems at Joshimath: Jitendra Singh
Climatic factors such as excessive precipitation and flow of water from mountains into massive cracks and fractures in the sub-surface rocks lead to widening of cracks and hastening the slip in rock material, the officials said. Addressing the workshop, Singh said scientific understanding of the processes behind disasters has grown immensely over the past 50 years, and there is a need for strengthening further international collaborations like the Indo-UK initiative to fight such disasters.
‘Unlearn to learn, innovate.’ Welspun boss Dipali Goenka shares 6 life lessons that helped her navigate 2022 better
Goenka thanks 2022 for helping her realise the value of unlearning backdated attitudes and cultivating generosity
Maruti Suzuki to showcase 16 vehicles, including a concept electric SUV, at India Motor Show
Maruti Suzuki’s showcase at Auto Expo’23 is in line with the company’s vision to offer futuristic, technology-driven products and services for customers, the company said. The major highlight will be the Grand SUV amphitheatre that will exhibit on an elevated section a range of SUVs and UVs by Maruti Suzuki.
At Rs 79K, Dyson Zone headphones with air purification to cost more than AirPods Max
The futuristic headphones are going on sale in the US.
Dell Technologies Forum 2022 showcases the next frontiers of innovation set to power the futureWith the theme ‘Discovering the endless possibilities for innovation,’ Dell’s flagship Dell Technologies Forum event showcased the next frontiers of innovation set to power a better future for all.
Special administrative zone: Elon Musk offers solution to China-Taiwan tensionsThe Financial Times published a profile on Friday in which Musk proposed his own solution for the tensions between China and Taiwan - handing some control to Beijing
How Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is providing an opportunity for innovation, investment and entrepreneurship in the startup ecosystemKerala with its Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is creating a vibrant ecosystem for sustainable startups with a vision to promote technology-based entrepreneurship
Adani Enterprises partners with Israel Innovation Authority for tech solutionsIIA is a public-funded agency that oversees Israel's innovation policy. The IIA provides conditional grants to support disruptive technological innovations and is engaged in creating the groundwork and infrastructure to prepare for future technologies in order to maintain both technological and economical leadership as well as improve productivity and global competitiveness of the Israeli economy.
Freeing up the Special Export ZonesAnother change includes tweaking the eligibility criteria for SEZ units to link them to investments in R&D, innovation and employment generation rather than forex earnings. This, too, is sensible. The SEZ Act, 2005, made it mandatory for units to achieve positive net foreign exchange earnings.
Business lessons: Pi Green Innovations co-founder learnt patience & resilience in the pandemic"The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible, says Irfan Pathan.
MSMEs should focus on skill development, global best practices: IMTMA’s Ravi RaghavanThe machine tool industry is the lifeblood of the government's Make in India plan. However, the segment reels under many issues that require policymakers' urgent attention.
Infosys announces opening of Melbourne Living Lab to aid clientsFollowing the launch of its Metaverse foundry, the Infosys Melbourne Living Lab will also enable partners to test and incubate extended reality experiences in virtual reality zones.
Honduran special economic zone adopts Bitcoin as legal tenderIn Honduras, the Central Bank has said it cannot vouch for cryptocurrency transactions.
Headphones turn air-purifiers: Dyson to launch futuristic audio device this yearDyson’s first wearable purifier promises pure and high-fidelity audio.
Domestic value addition in manufacturing and exports high on agenda under the new Union BudgetThe defence manufacturing sector is another large beneficiary of this year’s budget with 68% of the capital procurement budget being earmarked for the domestic industry in 2022–23 (up from 58% last year), which should bolster investments in domestic manufacturing in this key sector.
China selects pilot zones, application areas for blockchain projectAlthough China is promoting blockchain technology, it has banned bitcoin, which is based on the technology. Regulators in September cracked down on cryptocurrencies with a blanket ban on all crypto transactions and mining.
Bajaj Finance still not in value zone; HDFC Bank to make fastest retail comeback: Sandip Sabharwal“I would think that the fastest retail comeback within the HDFC Group will be by HDFC Bank.”
iCreate facilitates investment partnership between Charge+Zone, Gujarat govt for EV charging infraUnder the collaboration, a network of 10,000 un-manned and app-driven charging stations will be set up on the national and state highways within Gujarat and scale it up to over 50,000 charging stations to cover pan-India.
Road ministry, MapmyIndia collaborate for road safety technologiesIn a statement, MapmyIndia, a provider of advanced digital maps, said that the MapmyIndia app provides road safety alerts to users about upcoming accident hazards while driving.
Digital transformation imperative for sustainable future and an AatmaNirbhar Bharat: Schneider ElectricSchneider Electric reaffirmed its strong commitment towards driving diversity, equity and inclusion around the ecosystem by presenting the 4th edition of the Prerna Awards. Celebrating the spirit of inclusion, the company recognized all those bold and courageous women who challenged society’s status quo and made an unparalleled contribution towards equity and inclusion.
Expectations of new investors in the stock market are unreal: Anirudha Taparia, IIFL Wealth"During the pandemic, we have seen many first-timers enter the market. Many 15-16 year-olds have opened trading accounts for the first time. Naturally, the expectations of some newcomers are unreal," says Anirudha Taparia of IIFL Wealth.
The toughest WFH challenges are around culture, collaboration and innovation: ETILC Members95% of businesses in the Indian market are planning to continue with WFH for at least the next two years, says a study.
Indian SEZs promised ease of doing business. Industry instead found regulatory & compliance troublesIndia’s experiment with the special economic zones has helped it push up exports and investments. But why hasn’t the country been able to effectively replicate China’s economic trajectory?
Software Technology Parks of India launches Phase-II of OctaNE CoEThis is aimed to create a holistic eco-system for encouraging R&D, innovation, entrepreneurship in the domain of Graphic Design, Gaming & Entertainment, Data Analytics & AI, IT Applications by providing physical infrastructure and support services through incubating start-ups.
L'Oreal elevates four executives from India management team to leadership roles in SAPMENA zoneCommenting on the elevations, L'Oreal India Managing Director Amit Jain said, "It is testimony to India's unique position as a talent hub for L'Oreal globally."
GIFT City join hands with BRTSIF to accelerate fintech innovationAs part of the collaboration, Zone Startups India, a part of BRTSIF, will explore avenues to set up and promote a fintech hub in GIFT SEZ, according to a statement by GIFT City. It will further lay down the foundation to promote start-ups and support the Government of India's vision for entrepreneurship development and innovation culture at GIFT-IFSC.Load More
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What albums are you looking forward to this fall?
[img_assist|nid=7902|title=Outkast: 'Idlewild'|desc=Outkast's new album, "Idlewild," released August 22.|link=node|width=200|height=200] It's getting close to the biggest part of the music industry's year, and one of the first shots has been fired: Outkast's attempt at a stylized "Purple Rain" album/movie combo, "Idlewild." This time of year has worked very well for Outkast; just three years ago, Outkast sold a ton of copies of "Speakerboxx/The Love Below" on the strength of "Hey Ya!," one of the catchiest pop songs in years, and "The Way You Move," a song equally as huge and popular. But there's still a bunch of other albums coming out of the pipe: Beyond Outkast, Christina Aguilera is hitting right now and new records from the likes of Bob Dylan, Barenaked Ladies, Beyonce and The Mars Volta are coming out just in the next three weeks. Other highly-anticipated albums coming this fall include the newest from artists that the kids like including 50 Cent, John Legend, The Killers and My Chemical Romance. There's also a couple from elder statesmen like Bob Seger and Elton John. A full list is available at Metacritic. So, the big question is, do you plan on buying any of these upcoming records? Is there anything you're looking forward to? This season, for sure, there's something for everyone you can download from iTunes or buy from Wal-Mart.