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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are open world role playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokemon Company.
They are the first instalments in the ninth generation of Pokemon games.
Players will venture to Blueberry Academy outside of Paldea, exploring its Terrarium and ultimately challenging the Elite Four.
The first part of the paid DLC expansion features a new area in Kitakami, new and returning Pokemon and mysteries to solve.
The Pokemon Company's COO has revealed that the company has been having conversations about the non-stop release cadence of Pokemon games.
The likes of Totodile, Chimchar, Squirtle, Snivy, Treecko, and other starter Pokemon from past generations have been revealed for the two-part expansion.
By entering "GETY0URMEW" in the Mystery Gift section, players can claim a free Mew with a unique Nature and Tera Type until September 17th.
A release date for Part 2: The Indigo Disk still hasn't been confirmed, though new details have been shared on both parts of the expansion.
The Pokemon Company will reveal new information on upcoming Pokemon releases in a 35-minute presentation next week.
Datamining of mobile title Pokemon Masters EX after a recent update suggests The Pokemon Company has a presentation scheduled for early next month.
Nintendo has offered an extensive look at Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's upcoming two-part expansion.
The new Pokemon has a "splendid aura is reminiscent of the Legendary Pokémon Terapagos", but its "name and true nature are shrouded in mystery."
Pre-purchasing the newest DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet might end up with you losing your save file.
The Pokemon Company previously confirmed that the upcoming expansion will add over 230 new Pokemon that currently aren't in the game.
Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti are three brand-new Pokemon that are available in The Teal Mask when it launches this Fall.
Part 1, The Teal Mask, launches in Fall 2023, while Part 2, The Indigo Disk, is out in Winter with new areas and Legendary Pokemon.
The roughly 20-minute long livestream will feature "exciting Pokémon news" in celebration of Pokemon Day later this month.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet sold 20.61 million units as of December 31st, 2022, and are Nintendo's seventh best-selling first-party titles.
Greninja will join the games' rosters for the first time as part of a 7-star Tera Raid, while Bronzong and Lucario will be available as 4 and 5-star Raids.
Update Ver. 1.2.0 for the Nintendo Switch titles will have bug fixes and add functionality, with more details to be revealed soon.
Since its inception in 1996, the Pokemon franchise has now introduced players to 1,000 different species of Pokemon.
Over the course of the last two weeks, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet sold over 291,000 physical copies, while the Nintendo Switch moved over 250,000 units.
The Tera Raid Battle event will run from January 6 to January 8, with Hydreigon coming to Pokemon Scarlet and Dragapult to Pokemon Violet.
The next 1-5 star Tera Raid Battle event will go live on December 23, while the next 7 star event will kick off on December 30.
Infinity Ward's shooter also topped US charts for the month, followed by God of War Ragnarok, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and Sonic Frontiers.
The RPG duo sold over 310,000 physical units in Japan in its third week. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope also debuts in the top 10.
The new duo of Pokemon games follows up on its impressive debut with a strong second week, selling over half a million physical copies.
Nintendo's goal is always to provide "a positive experience with our games". It's currently "working on improvements" for both titles.
Check out the complete list of TM and Recipes and their locations in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
What path you should take first in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? Our guide has the answer to that.
What is the best order to beat Gyms in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet? Check out our guide below to know the answer.
The fastest way to earn cash in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
Nintendo recently announced that the RPG duo sold a total of over 4.05 million units in Japan within 3 days of release, including digital sales.
The recently-launched open world RPG duo has smashed all Nintendo sales records, collectively selling 10 million units within 3 days of launch.
Ugly and janky as sin, but just as addictive and well designed.
God of War Ragnarok dropped to fourth place and Sonic Frontiers to tenth place, with sales declining week-on-week for both.
Game Freak's latest Pokemon titles are collectively the biggest physical game release of 2022 in the UK, beating out FIFA 23.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet seem to have gotten off to a predictably excellent start, seeing record pre-order numbers.
The series' first ever fully open world outing has launched worldwide for the Nintendo Switch. Check out its launch trailer.
The ninth generation titles launch on November 18th for Nintendo Switch and feature a seamless open world, new Pokemon, and much more.
The first post-launch Tera Raid Battle event will focus on Eevee, while Black Crystal Tera Raid Battles in December will bring Charizard to the game.
The trailer also offers a cryptic glimpse of two new "monster" Pokemon known as Great Tusk and Iron Treads, among other things.
Game Freak's open world Pokemon titles will be receiving yet another trailer ahead of their launch on November 18th for Nintendo Switch.
Gimmighoul can take two forms- one, where it roams around freely, and another, where it hides its tiny form inside of a treasure chest.
Legendary Pokemon Koraidon and Miraidon will serve as your gliders, boats, bikes, and more on your journey through Paldea.
First discovered in the Paldea region, the Ghost Dog Pokemon is extremely friendly but saps the life-force out of those nearby.
A new trailer will go live tomorrow that'll unveil a new Ghost-type Pokemon for the upcoming RPG duo.
Check out the "Supercharged Streamer" and her partner Pokemon in the battle ahead of the game's release on November 18th.
The next mainline Pokemon titles are out on November 18th for Nintendo Switch. Here's everything you need to know before launch.
The Electric-Type Pokemon contracts and expands in size, generating electricity and unleashing it through the two bumps on its head.
Iono is the Electric-Type Gym Leader of Levincia, but she's also a renowned streamer and influencer.
The Pokemon Company and Nintendo are continuing to ramp up the upcoming RPG duo's marketing, with another trailer arriving tomorrow.
Character customization, the Camera and Profile apps, Pokemon Picnics, and even a Tera Raid battle are showcased in the 14-minute overview.
The Pokemon Company says that a new trailer for the upcoming RPG duo will go live on October 6 at 6 AM Pacific Time.
More details about the recently-revealed Wiglett have been unveiled with a new trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
The Pokemon Company has revealed another new Pokemon that will be introduced in the upcoming RPG duo, though details on it are scant.
The special edition Switch OLED model will launch on November 4, two weeks before the games launch. It will release at a suggested retail price of $359.99.
Ceruledge, Amarouge, and Klawf were all spotted in the recent Pokemon trailer, and have now received more details.
These two new features will allow players to send out one of the Pokemon from their team to battle wild Pokemon on their own, without needing any orders from you.
These will be the three main stories you'll be following throughout the game, and can be tackled across the open world in whatever order you wish.
New details on the upcoming RPG duo will arrive tomorrow at 6 AM PDT, The Pokemon Company recently confirmed via Twitter.
The elusive Pokemon paints patterns to lure others or stake claim over the territory of other Grafaiai, the color based on the Berries eaten.
A new Dragon/Normal Type called Cyclizar is also revealed, which can use Shed Tail to swap places with another Pokemon in one's party.
The upcoming RPG duo's Nintendo eShop pages have been updated and now mention a 10 GB storage requirement.
Explore the Paldea region, fight new Gym Leaders in whatever order you wish, navigate terrain with Koraidon and Miraidon, and much more.
The upcoming broadcast will bring "updates on Pokemon apps and video games, including Pokemon Scarlet and Violet".
Fox has collaborated with Game Freak on a number of projects in the past, and recently confirmed that he contributed to the music of the upcoming Pokemon games as well.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will feature 4-player co-op, and allow players to tackle all of its content in whatever order they please.
Game Freak's next mainline Pokemon titles, which release in late 2022 for the Nintendo Switch, are finally getting some new details.
Variety show PokéDoko claims it will have the "latest information on Pokemon games" soon, suggesting an update could be around the corner.
Gen 9 is almost here- here's what we're expecting of it.
The upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will feature support for Pokemon Home, but it seems you won't be able to bring in all previous species.
Pokemon Gen 9's starters are the Grass-type cat Sprigatito, the Water-type duckling Quaxly, and the Fire-type Fuecoco.
The Pokemon Company has announced Gen 9 titles for the Pokemon game- Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will launch for the Switch later this year.
The 14 minute-long presentation will air on YouTube, and provide the "latest information" along with celebrating Pokemon Day.


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Burger King to use GPS and Google traffic data to sell more burgers
TRAFFIC in some cities is quite frustrating. With help from Google and GPS on standard mobile devices, Burger King is preparing to make life a little more comfortable for passengers stuck in traffic.
According to Bloomberg, the 66-year old Florida-based burger joint will now deliver burgers, fries, and coke to those stuck in traffic in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, and Shanghai.
In Mexico, where the service is currently being trialed, the company will use the Rappi platform for deliveries instead of Burger King-branded delivery motorbikes.
Lo que siempre soñaste en el tráfico: Recibir una #Whopper a tu coche. #LaTrafficWhopper ???#TheTrafficJamWhopper
Descarga https://t.co/0h0qhdF2Uk y entérate cuando podrás volver a activar La Traffic Whopper. pic.twitter.com/izNdOdid7p
— Burger King México (@BurgerKingMX) May 10, 2019
Bloomberg’s report reveals that Burger King will use Google’s traffic reports to spot heavy jams and to set maps for navigation.
According to the burger company’s advertising agency We Believers, the one key issue Burger King currently faces is that deliveries have to be made within a three-kilometer radius of the customer to guarantee that the food arrives hot and that beverages stay cold.
While the media have been unable to get in touch with Burget King Mexico to confirm the story — and the campaign might turn out to be a simple hoax (which the company has a reputation for) — it does point to the sales opportunities that mobile devices and Google traffic data create for food and beverage companies.
We Believers’ Chief Creative Officer Gustavo Lauria who spoke to Bloomberg said that the company is still trying to refine the service offering and looking at how it can be made safer for delivery agents (citing traffic violations in the video the company posted on Twitter).
Lauria’s comment immediately forces technology experts to wonder whether or not the company considered using drones to make deliveries. After all, recent developments suggest that the devices could easily carry a couple of burgers and drinks and deliver with quite a bit of precision.
Domino’s made the world’s first drone delivery way back in 2016, although it never scaled up the project.
Amazon too is experimenting with a drone delivery service it calls Prime Air and Jeff Bezos recently said things look promising. The company even claims to have built an automated collision avoidance system which is expected to allay regulators’ and customers’ fears quite effectively.
To be fair, drone regulations across the world are still developing — which experts believe is the biggest issue.
However, the days of drone deliveries aren’t far away given that many developed and developing countries are looking into the issue with a view to finding a solution that helps businesses while also protecting customers.
At the end of the day, while we’ll have to wait to see whether or not the new Burger King campaign really makes its way to Shanghai, it’s clear that businesses are definitely exploring new ways to do business using technology.
Those brave enough to trial interesting combinations of technology to wow and delight customers will reap great rewards.
- Aviation giant Airbus turns to chatbots to engage top talent
- In the digital economy, MoneyGram focuses on getting the basics right
- How FedEx uses technology to delight customers in the digital era
- FedEx Express/Ground collaboration will improve last-mile delivery
- Growth is fabulous: Why Foodpanda’s app and team are growing rapidly

domain: news


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'Minor' fire at Walker Greenbank factory damages printing machine
AIM-listed luxury interior furnishings group Walker Greenbank said its Loughborough wallpaper factory was hit by a 'minor' fire on Tuesday night, damaging one of the printing machines.
The company said it is too early to know when the damaged printing machine will be back in production and whether there will be any impact on the financial performance for the current year ending 31 January
Dependent on the timing of repair, some of the orders planned to be printed on the machine might be delayed into the new financial year and the maximum potential impact on profitability for this year is expected to be less than £500,000,
The repair to the printing machine and damage to a small amount of stock are covered by the group's insurance policy.
At 1335 GMT, the shares were down 0.8% to 129.50p.


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One of the few remaining aspects of the Aurora Cannabis (ACB.TO) (ACB) story is no more…
Nelson Peltz has resigned as a senior advisor to the Canadian cannabis producer and we are not surprised by the development. Through 280 Park ACI Holdings, Peltz was involved with Aurora Cannabis and his involvement was an attractive aspect of the story.
When Nelson Peltz joined Aurora Cannabis, we were surprised by his selection. When compared to Canopy Growth Corporation (WEED.TO) (CGC), Aurora Cannabis represented a less capitalized growth opportunity that had a much less attractive capital structure.
Following the completion of a 12-for-1 reverse split, Aurora Cannabis improved the balance sheet by reducing the number of shares outstanding. This transaction did not create any value for Aurora Cannabis and we were surprised to see the shares rally after the development.
We believe that Aurora Cannabis is a fundamentally different business from what it was when Nelson Peltz joined. When he got involved, the company was focused on the Canadian and the international cannabis opportunity. Now, Aurora Cannabis seems to be laser focused on the US cannabidiol (CBD) market and this is a vertical that we are not bullish on.
The US CBD industry is fragmented, and we are cautious with the leverage that Aurora Cannabis has to it. We believe that the name of the game for Aurora Cannabis is execution and the market seems to be fed up with the opportunity. The recent trend has been to the downside and we remain cautiously optimistic with the Canadian cannabis producer.
During the last month, several leading broker-dealers have lowered estimates and price targets on Aurora Cannabis and Peltz’s resignation does not make the situation any better. We believe that the next six months are crucial for the organization and would expect to see the company file for bankruptcy if it is not able to quickly get its act together.
Published at Mon, 28 Sep 2020 14:43:48 +0000


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Human Regains The Lead In Mercedes-Benz Production Line
By Staff Writer
Mercedes-Benz, the German automobile manufacturer, has been compelled to bring back the flexibility and dexterity of human workers to its assembly line. The robots are unable to keep pace with the complexity of key customized options for the company's S-Class Saloon.
The 101-year-old Sindelfingen plant produces 400,000 vehicles a year from 1,500 tons of steel a day. The dizzying number of options, especially for the S-Class cars, demands adaptability and flexibility. In these two qualitative features, humans outperform robots, now a day, reports The Guardian.
Robots are unable to deal with the degree of individualization and number of variables. Mercedes is trying to save money and safeguarding its future through employing more people, reports Mashable quoting Markus Schaefer, head of production for the German automaker.
To make car and other goods accessible to masses, manufacturing methods are being changed with the age of individualization. Versatility takes the lead during the entire shift.
Robots are reliable in repeatedly performing predefined tasks while poor performer in adaption. Thus the demand for humans is increasing with broader offering of model, each with more and more features,Bloomberg sketches the demand scenario.
According to International Federation of Robotics (IFR), automotive industry is the largest user of industrial robots. Around 100,000 units of robot have been shipped in 2014. Globally, around 1.5 million industrial robots have been engaged in operation during 2014. However, IFR predicts, 1.3 million more robots will add online during the next two years.
Customization has now become the key since competitors are vying with customer's money in the market. Accordingly, the rate of models, technology and options changing has changed with diversified offerings from car makers. Skilled human are capable of changing a production line during a weekend, whereas robots require a week to reprogram and realign.
Even Toyota, the world leader in industrial robotics has also replaced robots with humans to counter-intuitively increase efficiency and reduce waste. Maintaining the qualities of robotics while gaining an edge to become quicker in adopting changes appears as the key.
A smart phone can be conceived, developed and put on sale within 18 months. But a traditional car typically requires seven years to hit production. Since customization is the key, so mass production strategy in automobile industry isn't feasible now a day.
According to International Federation of Robotics (IFR), automotive industry is the largest user of industrial robots. But to cope up with the industry demand, automobile manufacturers like Mercedes are bringing back humans in place of robots. Intriguingly, Mercedes-Benz head of production considers the move as a cost cutting as well as future securing effort.


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With the textile sector seeing a recovery due to stable raw material prices and growth in exports, companies such as Indo Count are looking at taking big leap forward. Indo Count, a cotton yarn spinner to bed linen and towel manufacturer with its production facilities in Maharashtra, a state in the western part India.
Indo Count’s revenue for 2013-14 stood at Rs 15,000 million, a rise of 23 per cent compared to 2012-13, while net profit was Rs 1103.9 million, up 274 per cent. In 2014-15, Indo Count hopes to increase its revenue to Rs 19,000 million (US$ 316.66 million) & net profit to Rs 1700 million (US$ 28.33 million). The company is planning expansion of its production capacity and aims to double it in the next few years. Currently, it’s weaving and processing capacity stands at 50 million meters; which will be increased to 68 million meters by Dec 2014. And become 112 million meters by 2016.


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The Samsung Galaxy Fold has returned after a design rework and is finally going on sale in the US. The design of the foldable device has been updated to make the display and hinge more durable and a little more resistant to dust. But even then, the Galaxy Fold still remains a device that needs to be handled with care.
As a result, Samsung has confirmed that it will be offering its users a one-time screen replacement for $149 and the offer will only apply to those who purchase the device before 2020. Those who purchase the device after December 31 will probably have to spend some more to afford a screen replacement.
This is a good move from Samsung, given how vulnerable the polymer screen of the Galaxy Fold is as we saw on a recent durability test.
The device still comes with a ridiculous amount of warnings, so Galaxy Fold owners should handle it with care. Here’s some of what Samsung warns you about once you get the device.
- Do not press the screen with a hard or sharp object, such as a pen or fingernail.
- Do not place any objects, such as cards, coins, or keys, on the screen.
- This device is not water or dust resistant. Do not expose to liquids or small particles.
- Do not attach any adhesives such as films or stickers to the main screen or remove the top protective layer.
- Keep a safe distance between your device and objects that may be affected by magnets such as credit cards and implantable medical devices. If you have an implantable medical device, consult your physician before use.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold is rolling out for sale in the US on Friday this week and should be arriving in more countries soon.


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Windows 10 Preview members have been able to try out all the new features of the upcoming OS before everyone else. Earlier this month at E3, Microsoft announced the ability to stream your games from an Xbox One to any PC on your home network running Windows 10. Today the company is extending the list of features available to try.
The Xbox on Windows 10 app will soon feature the My Games list. Games purchased in the Windows Store will automatically appear in My Games. Microsoft said that it will be easy to add other games by selecting MY Games > Add A Game from your PC. You'll be able to launch games from this central location. You'll see a most recently played list, and directly below that, Microsoft has added a Featured Games list, suggesting popular games from the Windows Store.
Game Hubs allow you to launch games, go to the store page, access information about specific games, and even find and follow gamers to watch. Additionally, an option to "play from console" has been added to start up game streaming sessions from an Xbox One console.
When the Preview release comes out, you'll be able to share your achievements and Xbox One game clips and screenshots to your activity feed and Showcase, just as it currently works on Xbox One. The Avatars app has now been renamed Xbox Avatars, and the layout is now on its final design. The final product features a photo shoot for your avatar, where you can pose in different ways and even interact with props for a unique profile shot.
For those who don't have an Xbox account yet, you can now log in to the Xbox on Windows 10 app with any account and create a new account from within the application. You'll need Windows 10 Preview build 10158 in order to access the new features. Once installed, the Xbox on Windows 10 app should update automatically. Microsoft said the version number must be 6.6.27004.00000 or higher to unlock the new features.


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Organisation Coleacp has launched a new programme to continue and ramp up its assistance for farmers in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region, with the overall goal of reducing poverty, improving food security and food safety, while ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth through the strengthening of these countries’ export sectors.
Fit For Market (FFM) is a five-year programme with a total budget of €25m, co-funded by the European Union and focused exclusively on fruit and vegetables. “The specific objective of the programme is to support the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises, by improving their access to international and domestic markets, while increasing the resilience, inclusiveness and sustainability of the value chain through the provision of capacity-building and policy guidance,” says Coleacp’s general delegate, Guy Stinglhamber.
Poverty alleviation is a major initial focus, he says, through the support of fairer and more inclusive value chains, strengthening links between farmers and companies of all sizes.
The programme will support companies’ growth, he adds, by “enabling them to train and sustain their human resources and by supporting the implementation of quality environmental management systems”. If a business is being developed, he explains, the key is to translate that into job creation.
Coleacp’s director of operations, Jeremy Knops, spoke of efforts to improve gender equality by building on the successful work of the PIP 2 programme, which saw permanent jobs for women double over a five-year period.
He also stressed the importance of growing regional trade. “Today, trade at a local and regional level is picking up, and it is of increasing importance to companies,” says Knops. “We want to support not just sales towards exports but also towards local and regional markets, with the end objective of increasing the quantity and quality of fruit and vegetables for local consumption.”
As everywhere, the key for the future will be to produce more while minimising the impact on the environment. “The idea is to work with committed companies who embrace sustainability, and by embracing sustainability improve their competitiveness, which improves their ability to access markets and finance,” says Knops. “With Fit For Market, we move from a reactive to a more proactive approach. There is a real business case behind sustainability for companies to go along this path.”


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If Gigi Hadid's open letter to her body-shamers on Instagram yesterday wasn't enough to prove them wrong, we're sure her new Elle Canada cover will. On Monday (Sept. 28), she let everyone know she's "not going anywhere," and—hi—she wasn't kidding.
The November cover shows features her in a white croptop that reads "#GIGI" across the chest—not unlike the #HADID jacket she wore to the MuchMusic Awards earlier this year.
Both tops come from designer Mikhael Kale—Gigi first met him at the Elle cover shoot and loved the Gigi shirt so much that she commissioned the Hadid jacket for the MMVAs. Considering her 6.5 million Instagram followers, it's safe to say a lot of people know who Gigi is—if she ever wanted to make sure, though, she has the perfect outfit for it.
In the interview, Gigi explains why she loves social media, saying, "Now you can be someone's favorite model because of how they connect with you on Twitter, or because of your sense of humor, or what you believe in, or your willingness to stand up for certain things." Considering her eloquent response to ignorant comments, it seems safe to say her willingness to stand up for herself, for one, will win over a lot of new fans.
One major takeaway from all of this? Hate on Gigi Hadid and she'll hit you right back with a bomb fashion cover. Boom.
You can see more from the issue on Elle's website or pick it up on newsstands starting October 12.


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The government has obtained a record $1.3 billion civil court judgment against AMG Services, Inc. and Scott Tucker on charges they operated a massive payday lending scheme.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) say $505 million of that amount is being returned to consumers the government says were victims of deception. The defendants were charged with violating both the FTC Act and the Truth in Lending Act.
The case goes back to 2012 when the FTC charged the company told borrowers they would only pay a one-time fee plus the loan amount.
Instead, the government said AMG made multiple withdrawals from consumers’ bank accounts, charging a new finance fee with each withdrawal. Because of that, consumers who borrowed from AMG paid far more for the loans than they had originally agreed to pay.
Last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York concluded prosecution of Tucker and his attorney by securing convictions on criminal charges. Tucker was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
U.S. Bancorp, the parent company of U.S. Bank, was fined $528 million for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. Prosecutors said it failed to alert law enforcement to Tucker's suspicious banking activities.
The FTC and DOJ say they are using the money obtained through the civil and criminal cases to make refunds to consumers who took out loans before January 2013 from any of the follow AMG companies:
Advantage Cash Services
Star Cash Processing
Look out for scams
Recipients should deposit or cash checks within 60 days, as indicated on the check. Consumers should also guard against telephone calls from people claiming to be from the government, seeking information or funds to facilitate payment. That's an old scam trick.
The FTC says it has the companies' business records and will use them to identify consumers eligible for a refund and will send the check. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide information to cash refund checks.
While it is not necessary to contact the FTC, consumers who have questions may call the agency at 1-866-730-8147.


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Move over white cane — Australian engineers have developed a device that can help the blind and vision impaired navigate the world
IS IT all over for the white cane? A new Australian gadget has been developed that uses cameras and lasers to detect previously unseen obstacles.
IT ALL sounds a bit X-Men. Giving people extra powers and senses to control the world around them.
But researchers at the University of Melbourne think they may have just done that with a new device they say could revolutionise daily life for blind and vision-impaired people.
It’s so effective the new technology could become as every day a sight as the white cane.
Engineers have developed a prototype for an electronic device that can identify the obstacles white canes can’t pick up.
When the obstacle is identified, the blind or vision-impaired user is then warned of its proximity.
There are more than 60,000 vision-impaired people in Australia and the 285 million worldwide.
Associate Professor Elaine Wong, of the University’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has a very personal reason for helping develop the new technology. Her nine-year-old son Micah is vision-impaired.
Following Micah’s birth, Prof Wong felt she and her colleagues could do something to help her son, and, in turn, the millions of other people affected by vision impairments.
“For me as an engineer, the aim is always to do something impactful and significant — the nature of my research is that you ought to look 20 years ahead. But I wanted to do something that is tangible and have a real impact.”
Ms Wong teamed up with Vision Australia and Guide Dogs Australia to see what gadgets already existed to help people with limited eyesight and what needs weren’t being met.
Penny Stevenson, an orientation and mobility specialist at Vision Australia, explained that while white canes and guide dogs are, and will continue to be, critical for detecting protruding hazards like buildings, electricity poles and fences, they are far less effective at alerting the user to non-protruding hazards such as dips in the footpath or holes in the road.
“There’s a growing population of people who can’t efficiently use long canes because they’re pushing a pram, or using a wheelchair or a full walking frame and you need both hands for that,” Ms Stevenson said.
“What we really needed was something that can detect changes in surface like kerbs, potholes, and the end of railway platforms. They are biggies. You need to know where these things are.”
The prototype developed at Melbourne University uses a series of cameras and lasers to scan the ground around the user searching out dents, dips and drop-offs.
An auditory or vibrating alert is then sent to the user so they can avoid the potential pitfall.
The team tested the prototype device on Melbourne’s streets. “We would go past 10 potholes to see whether the device could tell you that it went past 10 potholes instead of nine potholes,” Prof Wong said.
The next step is to miniaturise the prototype, refine the lasers so they effectively work under all light conditions and ensure the cameras can process the data being sent to it about obstacles as swiftly as the person relying on it can walk into them.
“This device will make people less isolated and more independent,” Ms Stevenson said.
The aim to make the final device as cheap and portable as possible so it can be as easily used as the long white cane.
However, Prof Wong doubted the new device would make the long white cane obsolete. “The cane is a fantastic device that doesn’t need a battery can be used in any weather conditions and it folds up.
“You can never do away with that.”


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London-based publisher The Times doesn’t mess around when it comes to paywalls. Unlike the Financial Times and other subscription publications, The Times doesn’t favor the metered approach, in which readers can access a smattering of articles for free before hitting the paywall. For The Times, it’s all or nothing.
But it’s not opposed to offering a little variety, either. The Times has announced that, in order to court more readers overseas, it has launched an international app for a bargain-basement price. As of now, the Times’ 170,000 digital subscribers pay £6 a week ($8.50) for their package, which includes access to The Times and Sunday Times websites, smartphone and tablet apps. There are also 400,000 readers who pay for the print and digital bundle, according to the publisher.
But sustaining and growing that audience is tough. And unlike sister title The Sun, also owned by the News UK, which recently dropped its paywall, The Times’ head of digital, Alan Hunter, is doubling down on the paywalls of The Times and Sunday Times.
Subscribers of The Times and Sunday Times have traditionally paid £26 ($37) a month, whether they’re domestic or overseas. But just over a week ago, the publisher rolled out its first international weekly-edition app, The Times of London, with the much lower price tag of £3 ($4.30) a month.
“We think there are lot of people who could become Times customers around the world. But we’re aware that £26 a month is a lot to ask for a number of people, for whom it will be a secondary read. So this is an entry-level subscription product,” added Hunter.
Updated each Thursday, the app is available in 46 app stores worldwide (except Google Play, where it will be available soon) and contains up to 100 of The Times and Sunday Times best news analysis and comment articles, hand-picked by their editors.
In total, The Times and Sunday Times publish around 2,500 articles a week; the app will repurpose the best 5 percent. The Times has two people dedicated to the app, which has been designed as a “clean, uncluttered” reading experience, according to Hunter, with sections titled Sport, Business, Culture and Comment.
“We have a very hard subscription model, and it’s a real challenge for us to keep people coming. It’s a positive challenge to have, but we want to grow our subscriptions significantly,” he said.
The app can carry advertising, which will be added to its inventory sell. Opportunities will be kept simple: sponsorships of sections, and in-stream display ads.
Unlike other publishers gunning for scale, The Times will focus on staying narrow and going deep to appeal to subscribers. A recurring theme of Hunter’s is that its readers crave a finite reading experience, more akin to the print reading experience than the forever-updating breaking-news cycle of many digital media publishers.
“People love the idea of being able to start and finish something and know they’re up to date rather than continually updating,” said Hunter. “They say they don’t have time to go searching for news. So this is the philosophy we are applying to our Web and smartphone products as we develop.”
Why Hearst is building a commerce marketplace
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This means that 7 out of 10 homes in Europe will be equipped with a heat pump, compared with 2 out of 10 today, most of which will be hydronic systems.
Romania is in line with growth trends, with sales tripling in the last year, and Daikin Romania specialists expect the upward trend in sales to continue into 2023.
Daikin, the market leader in heat pump technology, has installed 1.2 million hydronic heat pumps in Europe from 2006 to date and is supporting accelerated market growth through continuous investment in innovative products and expanding manufacturing capabilities.
Over the next few years, Daikin plans to triple European heating production and expects this business segment to become one of the main drivers of revenue growth.
Thus, starting in 2024, Daikin will start production in a new factory in Poland, which will become the largest in Europe, and will start installing its newest range of heat pumps, Altherma 4, which was showcased during ISH 2023, the largest international event in HVAC technologies.
The need for heat pumps, accelerated by the Green Deal
As governments become proactive about long-term sustainability and begin to implement strategies to achieve carbon neutrality, heat pumps are gaining an increasing share of the European heating market.
One of the smartest heating technologies available today, heat pumps provide the most cost-effective mix of high efficiency, lowest running costs, unique comfort and durability, making them four times more efficient than traditional alternatives.
The heat pump market, which grew at a steady pace from 2010 to 2020, has accelerated amid the introduction of the Green Deal and under the influence of the REPowerEU plan, reaching 1.6 million installed units in 2022.
The upward trend will continue in the coming years, point out Daikin experts, who estimate that up to 3.5 million heat pumps will be installed annually, given the continuing trend to move away from gas.
Beyond the context of the long-term strategic vision adopted by the European Commission on climate impact, an important driver for increased demand for heat pumps is the replacement of existing heating plants.
“Heat pumps are one of the key technologies driving the energy transition in Europe, so in many European markets, governments are offering attractive incentives and subsidies to make it easier for homeowners to replace their old heating systems running on oil and gas or other polluting fossil fuels. Daikin is consolidating its leading position in the heat pump market, both by investing in the expansion of production capacities and by increasing the number of new jobs, while the new factory in Poland will help us to respond promptly to the growing demand of the local market, offering the Romanian consumer quality products made in Europe”, says Daniel Vasile, Managing Director of Daikin Romania.
Daikin, new facilities for producing heat pumps
Daikin is one of the pioneers of air-to-water heat pump technology in Europe, with the market launch of Daikin Altherma in 2006, a sustainable solution driving the market towards renewable heating. As a key player in heat pumps for new builds, Daikin has steadily expanded its range to cater for the replacement market, becoming the market leader in heat pump technology.
By 2025, Daikin will extend its existing production capacities in Belgium, the Czech Republic and Germany with a significant investment in the construction of its first manufacturing site in Poland, which will become operational in 2024 and produce residential heat pumps.
From 2025 onward, the production capacity of this factory alone will be one million heat pumps annually, making it Daikin's largest manufacturing site in Europe.
“With this new manufacturing site we are moving forward with our proximity strategy, which means that all heating products sold in Europe are also manufactured in Europe. We have 13 production facilities in Europe, 90 offices, 3,000 people at our customers' service every day and 61 training centers. We have a training center within a 200 kilometer radius across Europe, and this proves that we are also close to our installers. Our aim is to increase safety standards in the industry, and a first step in this direction is the introduction of the Stand by Me - Certified Partner network, a new European-wide support and guidance program that builds further on our tradition of a strong, European-wide network of highly professional installers and technicians”, adds Patrick Crombez, General Manager for Heating and Renewable Energy at Daikin Europe.
Globally, Daikin has 89,000 employees and recorded total sales of approximately 23.7 billion euros in the 2021 fiscal year (April 21 – March 22).
Daikin Airconditioning Central Europe was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The company's portfolio comprises products and solutions for heating, cooling, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration.


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Domestic sales of new boats were up 13% during the 2016/17 financial year
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Co-founder of SLI Systems Geoff Brash, who last week halved his stake in the search engine developer, has resigned as vice president from the company as the shares trade at a record low.
Brash will end 13 years with the company when he formally resigns as vice president from Business Intelligence at the end of this year, the Christchurch-based company said in a statement after close of trading. Last week, he was among initial shareholders who sold some 6.8 percent of the company, at a 23 percent discount to last year’s offer price, following the end its 16-month lock-up period. Brash halved his stake to 1.2 million shares, or about 2 percent of the company.
SLI listed on the NZX in May 2013 at $1.50 a share, closing today at a record low of $1.05.
“After 13 years with SLI, I have decided now is the right time for me to develop new projects,” said Brash in a statement. “As a major shareholder, I look forward to continuing to share in its success.”
Last week, Brash said “personal and family circumstances” prompted his sell-down, and that he continued to support the business. All up, initial shareholders sold off some 4.2 million of the 40.1 million locked-up shares at $1.15 apiece on Sept. 22.
SLI, which is unprofitable, is investing to fund its growth plans as it hopes to capitalise on the growing e-commerce market, particularly in the US, and says its software as a service is the second biggest after Oracle to provide online retailers with suggestive search engines.
The shares fell 4.6 percent to a record low of $1.05 on the NZX today and have declined some 64 percent from a high in January of $2.90.
SLI chief executive Shaun Ryan, who didn’t sell down shares after the escrow period ended, said the “movement is on low volumes and is despite the favourable exchange rate movements for SLI over the past week.” There was nothing further to disclose, Ryan said.
In August, SLI posted a loss of $5.7 million for the 12 months ended June 30, smaller than the $7.2 million loss forecast in its offer documents in May last year. Operating revenue was $22.1 million, about matching its forecast for $22.2 million, while cash reserves were $11.4 million, versus the $7.3 million flagged in its prospectus.


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Sulake has opened a new API for developers to make and release titles for its Habbo Hotel gaming platform.
Developers will be able to publish new or existing browser games onto the platform, while studios will also be able to run their games on their servers, with the API allowing them access to Habbo’s social graph and monetisation features.
Sulake claimed that the integration of an existing game usually takes less than a week, and that new titles would receive free promotion in the Habbo ecosystem.
"We have been thrilled to work with such a great bunch of talented game studios”, said Sulake new revenue EVP Antti Viitanen.
“Habbo offers developers globally a great opportunity to create games for the huge Habbo user base, especially now, when the platform isn’t yet crowded with games.”
Further information on the Habbo API, including tutorials on creating apps, can be found on the official website.


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Can this new protein-infused vodka help with bodybuilding? Ask The Situation
A new protein-infused vodka from the States known as Devotion may be making its way to Canada in the near future, according to the product’s Facebook page. “We will be getting Canada devoted this next week. Hold tight,” the page said.
And hold tight we shall. The concept behind Devotion Vodka is as simple as it is incongruous: the 80-proof booze contains a bodybuilding supplement known as PeptoPro—a milk protein derived from casein. The idea was apparently born when company president Drew Adelman realized there was a niche market of people who “wanted to adhere to their lifestyle, and also have a good time.”
While the product’s Web site makes no claims about the vodka’s muscle-building effectiveness, its new spokesperson is the infamous fitness buff–partier Mike Sorrentino—better known as The Situation.
As for getting the product on shelves in Ontario, we’re not holding our breath, seeing as how simply having a cool bottle or an uncool mascot is liable to get a product banned here. In the meantime, we suppose we’ll have to get buff the old-fashioned way: while sober.


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A new visitor centre in Glasgow, the city’s annual film festival and luxury short stay apartments are among the bumper crop to represent the city, as the shortlist for this year’s Scottish Thistle Awards regional finals is unveiled.
Tennent’s Visitor Centre, the new £1million attraction that opened its doors last year, Glasgow Film Festival and Native Glasgow have made it through to the West regional final of the Scottish Thistle Awards.
A total of nine businesses and individuals will represent the city at the West Regional Final at Òran Mór in Glasgow on Thursday 28 November 2019.
Tennent’s Visitor Centre has been shortlisted in the Best Visitor Attraction category, which is sponsored by ScotRail. Glasgow Film Festival is shortlisted in the Best Cultural Event or Festival category, while Native Glasgow is shortlisted in the Best Self-Catering Accommodation Experience, sponsored by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers. Glasgow Music City Tours is a regional finalist in the Working Together for Tourism category. City Centre Whisky bar Pot Still is shortlisted in the Best Pub/ Bar category, while four of the city’s restaurants and eateries – Ox and Finch, Mharsanta Ltd, Five March and Tantrum Doughnuts – have been shortlisted in the Best Restaurant Experience and Best Informal Eating Experience categories.
The Scottish Thistle Awards, now in their 27th year, help shine the spotlight on individuals and businesses going above and beyond to create a destination and visitor experience worth talking about amongst our valuable tourism industry. They champion the very best of the Scottish tourism industry, celebrating innovation, success and excellence in the sector.
2019 saw almost 600 entries submitted, including more than 1,000 nominations from members of the public keen to give hotels, restaurants, B&Bs, visitor attractions and individuals the opportunity to earn the recognition they deserve from their own industry peers.
Rebecca Brooks, Chair of the Scottish Thistle Awards industry panel, said: “Once again, the Scottish Thistle Awards, have attracted entries from right across the country, with the regional winners earning their place at the prestigious National Final in March, where they will join the country’s tourism elite to be honoured with the highest accolade in the Scottish hospitality and tourism sector.
“Tourism is more than a holiday experience – it is the heartbeat of the Scottish economy and touches every community, generating income, jobs and social change. The Scottish Thistle Awards is a chance to celebrate those people and businesses responsible for offering the warmest of welcomes that our country is famous for.“On behalf of the panel, I would like to congratulate all shortlisted entrants and wish each and every one of them the very best of luck at the regional finals.”
The Scottish Thistle Awards are led by Scotland’s national tourism organisation, VisitScotland, and supported by a panel of industry representatives including the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards, Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards, the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA), the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland, Scotland Food and Drink, Scottish Tourism Alliance, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, sportscotland and Wild Scotland.
VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director Jim Clarkson said: “I am delighted to see such a strong representation from the city of Glasgow at the West Scottish Thistle Awards Regional Final. These entries show the strength and diversity of the tourism industry in the city, including quality food and drink, outstanding accommodation, vibrant events and our UNESCO City of Music credentials. Those individuals and businesses should feel very proud to have reached the regional finals and I wish them the very best of luck.”


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Silicon Valley's best and brightest will be busy this week in a trio of tech-centric hearings on Capitol Hill. The goal for these reps personifying the biggest of Big Tech: Act as tiny as possible.
Tech's best possible outcome is one in which its representatives in Congress trot off the Hill looking lightly chastened and deferential, Congressional egos adequately inflated. In front of lawmakers, the game plan for these companies is to act smalleven as they pursue their respective manifest destinies, reshaping the world at any cost.
The main events will be a pair of hearings examining the Facebook's new digital currency, Libra. The companys cryptocurrency lead David Marcus will argue that its new cryptocurrency Libraa "giant leap forward"poses not only no threat to existing financial institutions (why launch it then?) but that the project is barely Facebook's at all. Instead, the company has cobbled together something it calls the Libra Association, a group of blockchain and financial entities forming a "wholly independent organization."
Nevermind that Calibra's first project will be a digital wallet for Facebook Messenger and Facebook-owned WhatsApp inviting business owners on the company's platform to transact with its 2.3 billion users. "That increased usage is likely to yield greater advertising revenue for Facebook," Marcus notes.
Beyond concerns over Facebook blazing a path into some only lightly-charted cryptocurrency territory, lawmakers are worried about where the company came from, given its fairly extensive history of deprioritizing user privacy in favor of aggressive growth. (Mark Zuckerbergs alternatingly cooperative and condescending comments about regulating Facebooks veritable nation of data probably arent helping.)
Facebook will have the most time in the hot seat by far, but Google and Amazon also have their work cut out for them. Reps from the three companiesas well as Applewill face down one of their fiercest critics in Congress on Tuesday as three of the five most valuable companies in the world walk a tightrope, masquerading as regular businesses instead of sprawling, data-gobbling empires unlike anything history has ever known. While Facebook, Google, and Amazon make their respective cases, Apple will grapple with its own antitrust demons as the company tries to differentiate its business model from that of its more data-centric, privacy-careless peers.
Congress and Cryptocurrency
Across two hearings, lawmakers will grill Facebooks Marcus, CEO of the companys new cryptocurrency subsidiary Calibra. Thats the subsidiary Facebook created to develop a digital wallet and other financial services for its currency, called Libra.
On Tuesday, Marcus will appear before the Senate Banking Committee at 10 a.m. ET (livestream available here). In the past, that committee, chaired by Mike Crapo (R-ID), has pressed Facebook on the companys privacy practices and how third parties might leverage financial data on its users, two themes likely to emerge in its questioning Tuesday.
At Facebook, Marcus is now synonymous with the companys cryptocurrency aspirations, but it wasnt always that way. The executive is better known for his four years spent as Facebooks VP of Messaging, a key piece of the companys aggressive social media empire.
In mid-2018, Facebook announced that Marcus would leave his post to explore blockchain applications for the company and Libra is the project that grew out of his time doing so. The former president of PayPal, Marcus joined Coinbases board in 2017, a move that suggested Facebook was interested in leveraging its unrivaled social graph for in-app payments.
He only served on the board for nine months, but his blend of experience in payments, messaging, and the broader cryptocurrency world made him well-suited to dream up a vision in which Facebook reimagines itself as a digital payment platform.
Maxine Waters vs. Facebook
Congress isnt likely to warm to Facebooks ambitions. Case in point: The House Financial Services Committee is working on a draft of a bill called the Keep Big Tech Out of Finance Act. The act is targeting Libra in no uncertain terms and plans to block the establishment of an alternative financial currency controlled by large, private, for-profit companies with little government oversight.
On Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, the House's Committee on Financial Services will host Marcus for Facebook's second hearing in two days (livestream available here). This round will examine the impact of Facebooks digital currency project on consumers, investors, and the American financial system.
The committee is chaired by California Rep. Maxine Waters, who issued the call for Libra to come under congressional scrutiny when the project was first announced and later called for a moratorium on the projects development.
The Facebook executives testimony for the first hearing, available now, rehashes most of the companys major talking points around privacy and the Facebook-created Libra Association, an oversight body for the project.
While Marcus is likely to hew to his media training and recycle the previous days talking points, hes likely to encounter more open hostility in the House hearing, which could lead to some rare unguarded moments for famously slippery company.
Big Techs Antitrust Nightmare
Beyond a duo of cryptocurrency hearings, Facebook has a third date with Congress. On Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET., Facebooks head of global policy Matt Perault will appear with representatives from Amazon, Google, and Apple in a hearing with the House Judiciarys antitrust subcommittee. Google Director of Economic Policy Adam Cohen will represent the search giant, Apple is sending Kyle Andeer, VP of Corporate Law, and Amazon will send Associate General Counsel Nate Sutton.
Tuesdays event is the antitrust subcommittees second look into big techs bad behavior, with this round is focused on how those companies might be stifling innovation. The first hearing, held on June 11, examined how big internet platforms are impacting the media landscape. The subcommittees chairman David Cicilline (RI-D) is a fierce tech critic known for issuing ominous threats in Silicon Valleys direction.
American antitrust agencies have not pursued a significant monopoly case in more than two decades, even as corporate concentration and monopoly power have reached historic levels, Cicilline wrote in an op-ed earlier this year.
The tech industry is on edge waiting to see if Congress will back its bark with bite, but those tensions rarely boil over in hearings like these. Techs c-suite execs are generally a bit likelier to veer off the rails than the folks who massage a companys message full-timetheyre in charge, after allbut even top dogs usually stick to the script.
Between its disciplined policy leads and teflon legal eagles, the clash between Cicillines committee and techs most powerful players isnt likely to produce fireworks. But with this corner of Congress plotting an exhaustive "top-to-bottom" antitrust examination of the tech industry, lawmakers might just be getting started.
These are huge monopolies and we want to make sure were doing everything we can to make markets work, Cicilline said last month. Were in this very serious monopoly moment.


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President Biden is expected to devote much of his State of the Union address to emphasizing how far the economy has come since the pandemic recession, with plentiful jobs and rising wages. But he will also focus on his plans to help slow rapid inflation, underscoring the challenge Democrats face ahead of the midterm elections: Inflation is painfully high, voters are angry, and the tried and true way to bring prices down is by slowing growth and hurting the labor market.
Mr. Biden will outline a four-part plan for beating back rapid price increases, including encouraging corporate competition and strengthening a supply chain that has struggled to keep up with consumer demand. Specifically, he will detail an effort to drive down ocean shipping costs, which have soared during the pandemic.
But White House policies have historically served as a backup line of defense when it comes to containing inflation, which is primarily the Federal Reserve’s job. The central bank is prepared to move swiftly in the coming months to raise interest rates, making money more expensive to borrow and spend. Higher rates are meant to slow hiring, wage growth and demand enough to tamp down price increases.
It is possible that inflation could cool so much on its own this year that the Fed will be able to gently slow the economy toward a sustainable path. But if price gains remain rapid, the Fed’s playbook for combating overheating is by inflicting economic pain.
That is why inflation — which is running at the fastest pace in 40 years — is a major liability for the Biden administration. It is undermining consumer confidence by chipping away at paychecks and causing sticker shock for consumers trying to buy groceries, couches or used cars. And the cure could slow a solid economic rebound just as Democrats are trying to make their pitch for re-election to voters.
“The biggest problem for President Biden is that there’s no good way to message inflation,” said Jason Furman, a Harvard economist and former White House economic official during the Obama administration. “There’s not a lot that he can do about it, but he can’t get up there and say: The only solution here is patience and the Federal Reserve.”
Instead, Mr. Biden plans to argue that his administration’s policies can help to cool down inflation at less of a cost to the economy, by expanding its capacity to produce goods and services, according to White House excerpts from his prepared remarks.
“One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer,” he will say, referencing the way that central bank policy works. “I have a better plan to fight inflation.”
Mr. Furman said that while the solutions the president was expected to lay out — ideas to improve supply chains, produce goods more efficiently, and expand work force opportunities — were “the right things” for the administration to do, the nation should not be “under any illusion that it is going to add up to a lot” in terms of cooling rapid price gains.
The president is also expected to use his remarks on Tuesday to try to refocus voters on the economic wins of his presidency.
The economy has added 6.6 million jobs back since Mr. Biden took office, unemployment is poised to fall below 4 percent and growth has been more rapid than in many other advanced economies. The strength and scope of the rebound has surprised economists and policymakers, who often credit relief packages rolled out under the Trump and Biden administrations for fomenting such a quick recovery.
But some economists warned that the $1.9 trillion legislation the administration ushered through Congress in March 2021 was too big and too poorly targeted, and that it would stoke demand and help to fuel rapid price gains. While fiscal policy was not the only reason inflation popped last year, it does seem to have contributed to high prices by encouraging more consumption.
As flush consumers spent strongly in 2020 and last year, and as homebound shoppers bought more goods like easy chairs and computers rather than services like manicures and meals out, supply chains struggled to keep up.
Virus outbreaks continued to shut down factories, ports became clogged, and there were not enough ships to go around. The perfect storm of strong buying and limited supply pushed car prices in particular sharply higher, left consumers waiting months on end for new dining room sets, and meant that fancy bicycles were harder to find and afford.Updated
March 1, 2022, 6:22 p.m. ET
And now, inflation has moved past just those goods affected by the pandemic.
The cost of food, fuel, housing, vacations, and furniture are all rising rapidly — and as conflict in Russia threatens to further push up gas prices in the coming months, the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.
While the White House spent last year downplaying popping prices, arguing that they would fade with the pandemic as roiled global supply chains righted themselves, nearly a full year of high inflation readings have proved too much to ignore. Climbing costs are eating away at paychecks and helping to drive Mr. Biden’s poll numbers to the lowest point so far in his presidency.
“I don’t think that it is going to go away in a way that is going to save the incumbent party by November,” said Neil Dutta, an economist at Renaissance Macro Research. “Even though the labor market is quite strong, it’s not enough to keep pace with the shock people are feeling with respect to inflation.”
The Fed is expected to raise interest rates from near-zero at its meeting this month and officials have signaled that they will then make a series of increases throughout the year as they try to put a lid on inflation.
The central bank sets policy independently of the White House, and the Biden administration avoids talking about monetary policy out of respect for that tradition. But the timing could be politically tricky. The Fed could prompt an economic pullback that coincides with this autumn’s election season, creating a double whammy for the Democrats in which central bank policy is slowing down job market progress even as inflation has yet to fully fade.
That might be especially true if conflict in Ukraine sends fuel prices higher, further stoking inflation and making consumers expect rapid price increases to continue, some economists said.
“The Fed has to be more aggressive on inflation,” said Diane Swonk, the chief economist at Grant Thornton. “It could bleed into the unemployment rate by the end of the year.”
Mr. Furman said that he thought it was more likely that the Fed’s actions would not inflict too much pain this year, though they might begin to squeeze the job market in 2023. And Mr. Dutta speculated that the Russian invasion of Ukraine could slow the central bank down somewhat, at least in the near-term.
“The Fed basically has a choice — they can sink the economy into a recession, or they can let inflation run a little bit,” Mr. Dutta said. “They’re not going to risk a recession with the geopolitical situation we’re in.”
The conflict overseas may also give Mr. Biden and Democrats a moment of patriotism to capitalize on. So far, Mr. Biden’s sanctions have been well-received by voters, based on the results of an ABC/Washington Post poll.
At the same time, higher gas pump prices resulting from the conflict could further dent consumer confidence. Sentiment has swooned as price increases have climbed, and tends to be very responsive to fuel costs. The price of a barrel of gas climbed above $100 on Tuesday, the highest since 2014, based on a popular benchmark.
The question is whether, in the face of rising costs, the administration will be able to turn bright spots — international cooperation and the pace of recent job gains — into something salient for consumers and voters.
The answer may hinge on what happens next.
Annual price gains are expected to slow down in the coming months as they are measured against relatively high readings from last year, and as supply chain delays ease somewhat. They could moderate even more later this year if the current elevated goods prices come back down, in the most hopeful scenario.
If inflation moderates on its own and a relatively small response from the Fed is enough to nudge it down further, the economy could be left with strong growth, a booming labor market and a positive outlook headed into 2023.
But increasingly, inflation is expected to fade more slowly.
Economists at Goldman Sachs think consumer price inflation could end 2022 at 4.6 percent, more than twice the level it hovered around before the pandemic. That would mark a slowdown — the measure now stands at 7.5 percent — but it would be much higher than what the Fed normally aims for.
That would allow the administration to talk about a moderation in price gains, but it might not feel like a significant improvement to consumers as they head to the polls.
“Inflation is always political, because it burns, even in a good economy,” Ms. Swonk said. “It creates a sensation of chasing a moving target, which no one likes.”


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Giving Computers Instead Of Food And Money
from the different-ways-to-help dept
Italy is apparently pushing forward with plans to help poorer countries by providing them with technology systems instead of food or just money. In the long run, they believe the technology will help those countries progress a lot more. It seems they’re carefully choosing which countries will get the technology, so as not to send technology to a country that is so far behind that they can’t make use of it. They’re also setting up specific technology projects that help the country in question.
Comments on “Giving Computers Instead Of Food And Money”
Hook those Italians up with the Simputer folks:
Make them code open source for their daily rice and water. 1g of rice for each line of correct code. Oh, yeah, and they have to peddal a bicycle hooked up to a generator at the same time.


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Amid the low-carb craze and fervor for gluten-free items, bread and other bakery products have managed to find a foothold with premium formulations that offer great taste, health benefits from whole grains and an artisan feel that appeals to today’s consumer.
Consumption of bread and baked goods has been on the decline, but dollar sales of in-store baked goods rose steadily from 2008 to 2010, mainly due to higher prices, according to a 2013 report on in-store bakeries from Packaged Facts.
“U.S. consumers remain fixated on health and wellness across virtually all product categories, and in-store bakery goods manufacturers have responded with products that are healthier but still indulgent and tasty…Whole wheat, whole grain and multi-grain products have proliferated, and manufacturers continue to use ingredients that both deliver benefits many consumers have to come expect, and help differentiate one product from another,” consultant Tom Pastre wrote in the report.
This trend is echoed in the packaged breads sector, which has seen consumers cutting back on white breads and seeking out whole grain and multi-grain options. More than half of consumers in a 2013 Packaged Facts survey agreed that they were cutting back on their white bread consumption, but only 23% said the reason they were cutting back on bread was because of concerns about gluten.
While many consumers continue to subscribe to low-carb or gluten-free diets, others appear to be phasing certain breads back into their diet as more healthy, whole grain options become available. A recent survey by the Whole Grains Council found that 64% of Americans have increased their whole grain intake “some” or “a lot” in the past five years.
“While it is true that some consumers have become wary of white flour, or even carbohydrates in general, the reality is that both white flour and whole grains are part of an overall healthy, balanced diet,” said Don Trouba, director of marketing for flour-milling company Ardent Mills.
Since 2005, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have included a recommendation that adults consume at least three servings of whole grains each day. In 2010, the guidelines were updated to include a recommendation that Americans limit their consumption of refined grains.
A growing number of whole grain and multi-grain bread options are available in all categories, from packaged breads to small neighborhood bakeries. Artisan bakeries around the country have been gaining a following for their selection of hearty loaves made from scratch with heirloom grains and locally-sourced flour, which appeal to consumers looking for wholesome products with short ingredient lists.
“The formulas are simple; you can see the ingredients that foods are made with. You can see doughs being worked by hand in a local bakery. In fact, you may even know the baker who made your bread by name. This ‘closeness’ is very appealing because the consumer believes it to be trustworthy,” Trouba said.
Restaurants are revamping bread baskets with items like the cranberry walnut bread made with oats and whole wheat flour at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando in Orlando, Fla., Nation’s Restaurant News reported. Gourmet toast offerings, with high-quality toppings spread on housemade breads, are continuing to prove popular on menus after the trend swept across the US last year, according to a recent Washington Post article.
Taking a cue from artisan bakeries, foodservice outlets and big food brands are introducing more items with whole grains. Ardent Mills is beginning to see more interest from foodservice companies in its Ultragrain flour, a whole grain flour with the texture and appearance of traditional white flour, Trouba said.
While whole grain breads with the smooth, uniform texture of white bread will appeal to consumers who are switching out white for wheat, there is a growing demand from more adventurous consumers for bakery items made with sprouted grains and ancient grains such as amaranth and buckwheat.
“We continue to see the influence of clean label, artisan, health, and a desire for new and adventurous flavors drive bread and bakery in the future,” Trouba said. “From an ingredient perspective, this leads to organic flour, sprouted grains, whole grains and ancient grains, often in simpler formulations.”
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Dennis Weikel is having the lower half of his body scanned and digitised. It's the first step towards getting a new type of cover for his prosthetic leg. He hopes it will finally allow him to stop hiding the fact that he is an amputee.
EMIEW 2 is the latest version of a service robot that Hitachi debuted in 2005. It's designed to recognise and use cameras around a room to locate everyday objects, such as a watch.
Mobile World Congress 2012 kicks off Monday in Barcelona, and smartphones from Samsung, Nokia, HTC and Sony will all be previewed, announced, unveiled and otherwise fawned over by tech geeks the world over. Nokia will unveil a new, cheaper smartphone using Microsoft's Windows Phone software, targeting a wider market for ...
The company is taking steps to avoid conflict with copyright laws by offering HTML code to websites to block potential pins.
Global smartphone sales surged 47 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the market research firm Gartner. The rise was largely down to record sales of Apple's iPhone.
The Wall Street Journal is citing anonymous sources who say Apple is testing an 8-inch tablet.
A watchdog group might take a complaint to the FTC over Google's new "Search plus Your World" engine.
Long, winding queues of gadget fans all lining up to throw their money at the latest flashy i-product, a treatment usually reserved for Apple. But here in China a home-grown brand is inspiring its own


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Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google — known as the Big 4 — now dominate many facets of our lives. But they didn't get there alone. They acquired hundreds of companies over decades to propel them to become some of the most powerful tech behemoths in the world.
They all followed a similar pattern. First, they became dominant in their original business, like e-commerce for Amazon and search for Google. Then they grew tentacles, making acquisitions in new sectors to add revenue streams and outflank competitors.
The Washington Post reviewed multiple data sets and studies to show the scope of these purchases, which have drawn the attention of critics who worry the practice will dampen innovation and hurt consumers. In October, the House Judiciary Committee released a report that addressed the dominance and acquisition strategy of these four companies. The Post's list is likely incomplete because many acquisitions were not public or were too small to be announced.
You may have recognized many of these acquired companies, like Zappos, IMDb, Twitch and Goodreads — all owned by Amazon. You may also have heard about the bigger deals, like Google acquiring Motorola Mobility or Apple acquiring Beats Electronics. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Post.)
But the majority of acquisitions involved small startups with valuable patents or talented engineers, many of which led to products used today, like Google Docs and iTunes. Some acquisitions resulted in multibillion-dollar ventures, while others fizzled and resulted in products being sold off or shuttered entirely.
For decades, the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department have been charged with vetting mergers and acquisitions and challenging them in court if they threaten market health. But now, as the tech giants grow more powerful, critics who accused these companies of using monopoly power to weaken competitors have also called for more scrutiny, saying the acquisitions are not rooted in innovation but total market control — part of a tactic known as "copy, acquire, kill" — to eliminate competition
"These monopolies have exploited the weaknesses of the existing law and lax enforcement to maintain and expand their market dominance by buying up or burying those that they perceive as competitive threats," said Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., who chaired the House committee that reviewed more than a million documents as part of its antitrust investigation into Big Tech.
Facebook has not bought as many companies as its Big Tech peers, but it does have the distinction of making the most expensive acquisition among the group. In 2014, it acquired messaging app WhatsApp for $19 billion. The price tag shocked analysts at the time because WhatsApp only had 55 employees and wasn't profitable.
But WhatsApp had 450 million users and was growing fast. That growth is what Facebook has thrived on, and it hasn't been stingy about paying to buy new platforms that could pose a competitive threat in the future.
Two years earlier, Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion, a deal now seen as a key moment in the history of social media. The company also tried to buy Snapchat for $3 billion, but founder Evan Spiegel famously rebuffed Mark Zuckerberg.
In emails obtained by the House Judiciary Committee, a Facebook executive said the company would spend 10 to 15% of its market value every couple of years to "shore up" its position with acquisitions.
The company owns four of the top five social media and messaging platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. And while the company may have spent less time and money moving into adjacent markets, it indisputably owns its core industry. Facebook remains one of the most widely used online platforms in the United States, where 69% of adults say they use it, according to a recent Pew Research study.
Facebook executives have previously defended their acquisitions, saying the company has invested billions of dollars in WhatsApp and Instagram since buying them.
"We compete fiercely against many other services across the world," wrote Jennifer Newstead, Facebook's general counsel, in a December blog post. "As the Internet has grown over the last 25 years, the ways in which people share and communicate have exploded thanks to dynamic competition."
Google's path to becoming a giant has demanded its fair share of purchases. Almost every Google product, from Google Docs to Google Earth, involved at least one acquisition.
In its first decade, Google used search to build a powerful advertising business that generated billions of dollars in revenue — nearly 40% of all online advertising in the United States goes to Google. Then, it invested that money fine-tuning its core business and moved into new ones.
Some, like self-driving cars, have yet to make serious money. But others, like YouTube and Google's cloud computing business, are now generating billions in revenue.
Google isn't new to antitrust scrutiny. European Union regulators ran three investigations into the company since 2010, fining it about $10 billion in total. But Google's position in Europe is as dominant as ever. Now, the company is facing a new wave of investigations in the United States from state attorneys general and the federal government.
"Our acquisitions over the years have spurred investment, accelerated innovation and growth and benefited consumers. The vast majority of our acquisitions are smaller technology companies that we've invested in to help them grow faster, at lower cost," a spokesperson for Google said.
Once an online bookstore, Amazon quickly grew to become an "everything store." But in recent years, it moved beyond its e-commerce roots, due, in large part, to acquisitions.
To enter the grocery arena, the company acquired Whole Foods Market and its distribution channels and retail locations in one $13.7 billion-dollar gulp. Amazon wanted to be a bigger player in the "Internet of Things," so it swallowed up several home security companies and the home router company Eero. And as the company dived into the autonomous vehicle industry, it chose startups in that space, too.
Amazon is everywhere: in your television with Prime Video, in your ears with its Echo smart speaker, and behind the websites and apps you use every day. In 2020, the company made $386 billion in revenue.
The company shows no signs of slowing, with additional acquisitions that included robotics companies to assist workers and artificial intelligence to grow the capabilities of its Alexa virtual assistant service.
Amazon executives have said the company is just a small part of the overall retail industry.
"We operate in a diverse range of businesses, from retail and entertainment to consumer electronics and technology services, and have thriving, well-established competition in each of these areas," a spokesperson said.
Apple, founded a few months after Jimmy Carter's inauguration, is the oldest company among the Big Four and has a longer acquisition history that can be divided into two periods: before the iPhone and after.
Like its competitors, Apple snapped up companies in the software automation space, such as virtual assistants and health trackers. Apple's Siri, for instance, started as a government project that was spun off into the private sector.
But Apple has also used acquisitions to bolster its "services" revenue, which stockholders say they hope will stimulate profits as smartphone sales go stagnant. Apple's acquisition of Beats was the perfect example: The streaming service got Apple into the music rights business, allowing it to launch a competitor to Spotify, which was quickly making iTunes obsolete. In August, Apple's market cap hit $2 trillion, and it's now the most valuable company in the world.
Apple is big, has cash to spare and has spent billions on in-house research and development every quarter. It's also an insular company that has walled itself off and kept its employees siloed. But even Apple needs to bring in outsiders to expand and conquer. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment.
About this story: The Post collected information about company acquisitions from Refinitiv, the American Economics Liberties Project, a U.S. House report on competition in digital markets, studies from Yale University and the University of Utah, and news reports.
Because companies aren't required to disclose all mergers and acquisitions to the public, the list is likely to be incomplete. Some acquisition dates are approximate.


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Google’s Daydream VR platform SDK, the company’s new Android VR platform announced back at I/O 2016, is now available to developers.
After spending a few months in beta, Google’s VR SDK has made it to version 1.0 and is now available to download, giving developers the ability to integrate asynchronous reprojection, high-fidelity spatialized audio, and new input from Daydream’s controller.
Google is also offering Unity and Unreal integration for VR experiences right out of the box.
Daydream-ready phones and headsets are set to release this Fall. Currently, the ZTE Axon 7 and Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe are the only devices released so far that are Daydream-certified ZTE Axon 7 and ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe. Minimum Daydream specifications include a Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 1920 x 1080 pixel OLED display and Android 7.0 Nougat.
Developers can also signup for Google’s Daydream Access Program in order to get access to frequent updates about the new platform directly from Google engineers. It’s expected that Google will reveal more about its future plans for Daydream.


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Neighborsgo’s Nancy Matocha reports:
The Lewisville City Council on Monday will consider a tax agreement for improvements to the Lewisville West shopping center. Birmingham Management Inc. plans to renovate the center at a cost of $5.2 million. The 10-year agreement would see a 100 percent tax incentive/ rebate on the value of the improvements.
The agreement also includes a 1 percent sales and use tax.
The regular session begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, at 151 W. Church St. in Lewisville. For more information, visit cityoflewisville.com.


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National Westminster Bank has launched an online banking service for Macintosh users.
NatWest joins a growing list of Mac-compatible online financial service providers. Macworld’s Simon Jary reported, the imminent arrival of First Direct, a subsidiary of banking giant HSBC, onto the financial scene yesterday. Others offering Mac-friendly services include Citibank, Egg and Barclays.
David Outhwaite, a NatWest spokesman, told Macworld: "It was always our intention to open up our online services to Macintosh users, we have been beta testing our service for some time."
NatWest online offers free 24-hour customer support, charged at local rates, unless calling from abroad. Customers can check balance and account information, pay bills and arrange financial transfers online. Up to 40 accounts per person are supported with NatWest’s service, and the last 40 entries on each account can be seen.
Outhwaite said: "The key motivation for opening up our online banking service to Macintosh users is to make our online service accessible to more people."


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Netflix shareholders panicked earlier this month when the company reported overall subscription growth was much weaker than anticipated, and that, for the first time in eight years, the number of domestic subscribers had fallen. Some analysts wondered aloud whether this might be the beginning of the end of Netflix’s dominance of the streaming-video space.
With intensifying competition in the streaming space set to rob Netflix of all-important licensed content (like the Office and Parks and Rec), for the first time, the original streaming giant looks vulnerable.
And what’s Netflix’s solution? The company is effectively doubling down by deciding to spend more than $500 million on three original feature films. Netflix’s new growth strategy apparently relies on big tentpole projects to draw in subscribers, WSJ reports.
Of course, by spending so much on three projects, the company risks putting all of its eggs in one basket: If these films flop, then Netflix is out half a billion with little to show for it.
Two of the movies are big-budget action movies that the company hopes will launch popular franchises – these include the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s action movie “Red Notice”, as well as “6 Underground,” a Michael-Bay directed action film. The third movie is Martin Scorsese’s historical drama “the Irishman.”
The streaming giant is investing more than $520 million to make three big-budget films, according to people familiar with movie budgets. None of those movies is likely to get the kind of wide theatrical release typically used to make such substantial investments pay off.
Earlier this month, Netflix agreed to spend nearly $200 million to make the Dwayne Johnson action movie “Red Notice,” which will be filmed next year at exotic locations and also stars Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, the people said. In addition, a person familiar with the matter said, Netflix plans to release later this year “6 Underground,” a Michael Bay-directed action film that is costing about $150 million, and Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.”
Netflix has said about one-third of its total viewing is movies instead of TV. The company is betting the new productions will help retain its more than 150 million existing subscribers and attract new ones, whose monthly fees – rather than ticket sales – generate the company’s revenue.
All told, analysts expect Netflix to spend $15 billion on programming this year, while it also faces more pressure to pay for more international programming.
It costs Netflix more to make movies than the big Hollywood studios since it must pay big-name stars more up front to compensate for the lack of royalty revenue. This means actors earn more upfront, but less overall if the movie ends up being a massive smash success.
But Netflix has repeatedly shown that it can wring success from movies that have been rejected by the Hollywood studio set. Sandra Bullock’s post-apocalyptic thriller “Bird Box” was streamed 80 million times during its first month, which made it “worth it” for Netflix, even if its unwieldy budget would have been too much for the studios.
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SKLZ Stock: Plenty to Watch for This Year
In 2014 was deplorable for Skillz (NYSE: SKLZ) stock. Shares of the mobile pc gaming competitors system shot up to $46 in February however have decreased by greater than 90% ever since. Nonetheless, it was a fantastic year for the underlying organization, with significant year-over-year (YOY) income growth. Furthermore, SKLZ stock has numerous growth catalysts this year, which could efficiently lead it out of its existing rut.
The Skillz platform develops an affordable and also exciting video gaming experience. It facilitates the creation of tournaments on its system and also serves as a bridge between players and also developers. In addition, its engaging business model concentrates on money making with competitors. The system can attract significantly extra paying individuals by means of this version than developers making use of typical monetization alternatives.
That claimed, advertising and marketing as well as platform expansion costs continue to climb strongly. Still, it appears that Skillz is taking actions to suppress expenses as well as take a course to success.
SKLZ Stock: Lots to Look For This Year
This year guarantees to be a blockbuster one for Skillz and also SKLZ stock. It has a few stimulants in motion which could be game-changers.
For example, back in February 2021, SKLZ stock took pleasure in an incredible run-up after revealing its NFL collaboration. Currently, the NFL will certainly be introducing NFL-themed mobile games on the Skillz platform. A developer difficulty will be held to choose the very best or multiple best of these ready the system. With the NFL being among one of the most popular sports leagues internationally, Skillz ought to see a sizeable uptick in users.
In addition, Skillz introduced in India a number of weeks back. This notes the initial significant development effort into brand-new area for the business. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Heaven has talked about the chance since Skillz became a provided entity. As of November of in 2014, roughly 300 million mobile gamers remained in the country, valued at a massive $1.8 billion. The Indian mobile pc gaming market is anticipated to expand by double-digits to over $6 billion by 2025. Furthermore, though the purchasing power in India is significantly less than in the States, a large rise in energetic customers can aid the business’s price per install significantly.
Bringing Expenses Down
Procurement prices are still a massive trouble for Skillz as it looks to turn a profit in the not-so-distant future. Nevertheless, it shows up that monitoring is operating a two-fold approach that might considerably reduce expenses.
Firstly, the company acquired expert system (AI) ad-tech system Aarki this previous June. The system will certainly make it possible for Skillz to successfully predict individual investing and conversion prices moving forward. This will allow the business to utilize details from the platform to increase customer involvement.
Additionally, Skillz is wanting to invest in new material as well as team up with other pc gaming companies to improve organic website traffic on its system. In 2015, it spent $50 million in Departure Games to expand right into various multiplayer styles. To that end, it lately introduced the launch of a game called Big Buck Hunter: Marksman, which assisted significantly boost energetic users.
LEADING 5 TECHNOLOGY STOCKS FOR 2022
The Bottom Line on SKLZ Stock
All informed, SKLZ stock had a featureless run in 2015 at the market. Regardless of the remarkable topline development, investors are trepidatious regarding the platforms’ increasing procurement costs.
Nonetheless, Skillz is seeking to lower these expenses through an effective two-fold technique. That, plus solid growth drivers this year, must help the stock and also its hidden service zoom past assumptions.
Will Skillz Recover in 2022?
Skillz (NYSE: SKLZ) stock crashed in 2021 because of wearing away running performance. Capitalists thinking about Skillz stock are now asking if it will certainly recover in 2022.
Reducing customer development
Skillz is a mobile-gaming system where customers can bet on the video games they play. The bulk of Skillz’s battles in 2021 can be seen through its monthly active individual fads. In the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2020, Skillz increased month-to-month ordinary users (MAU) to 2.6 million, up from the 1.5 million it had throughout the exact same time period in 2019.
Fast forward to 2021, as well as in the 9 months finished Sept. 30, Skillz had 2.7 million MAU, a boost of just 100,000 from 2020. That’s in spite of monitoring’s valiant efforts to increase user development. In these nine months, the company invested $310 million for sale and also marketing while it gained earnings of $275 million.
Similarly, in the 9 months ended Sept. 30 in 2020, Skillz spent $172 million on sales and advertising on profits of $162 million. So Skillz spent even more on sales and advertising and marketing than it gained in revenue in both years. Nonetheless, the considerable distinction remains in the outcomes. In the nine months of 2020, Skillz got 1.1 million new individuals. During the exact same time in 2021, it obtained only 100,000.
So, of course, the aggressive costs on sales and also advertising and marketing is bring about losses on the bottom line.
Will 2022 be any type of different?
However, 2022 is not likely to be significantly various for Skillz. The very same financial reopening patterns will likely persist regardless of rising COVID-19 cases brought on by the omicron variant. Virtually nine billion dosages of injections against COVID-19 have been carried out, as well as citizens have little hunger for even more financial lockdowns.
To turn things around, Skillz might need better advancement– new games that attract users via word of mouth on social media networks or new abilities that make existing video games a lot more engaging. What’s becoming apparent is that investing aggressively on sales and also advertising to attract brand-new players is not working.
The bright side for financiers is that it seems monitoring is moving gears. In its Q3 ended Sept. 30, the company introduced a new video game, Huge Buck Seeker: Marksman, which assisted boost MAU by 25% sequentially. What’s even more, Skillz introduced a $50 million investment in Departure Gamings, a pc gaming designer based in Germany, which will significantly accelerate its capability to develop new, multiplayer video games in various categories.
Whether these financial investments will certainly supply long lasting improvement in customer development as well as operating efficiency remains to be seen. However, the change in emphasis might enhance Skillz’s stock rate efficiency in 2022. The stock crashed by 63% in 2021 and is trading at a price-to-sales proportion of 7.9, the most affordable in the business’s short background as a public company. A shift in emphasis by administration that starts showing results could be enough to enhance financier view on Skillz stock.


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Dating web site users typically get acquainted online, then decide whether to meet in person, but the sites are increasingly helping to forgo that first step by hosting gatherings.
Match.com is holding board game parties for single people in a partnership with makers of the games. The Web site’s game nights are held at bars and restaurants and are promoted through e-mail.
Last May, for example, Match.com, the 18-year-old Web site, introduced Stir, an events program, and has since held more than 2,850 mixers that more than 225,000 singles attended, according to the company.
Now Match.com has itself found a partner, the board game industry, to liven up events. On Tuesday, the company began holding what it is calling Stir game nights, where singles gather at bars and restaurants to play games like Bananagrams, a word game, and Spontuneous, a music game. The company will present 30 events through the fall in its top 25 most popular markets.
Luke Zaientz, vice president for events at Match.com, said that among attendees of events over the last year, 50 percent reported meeting someone they would like to date.
Match.com, which promoted the Stir events with a television commercial during the Summer Olympics Games last year, spent an estimated $105.3 million in advertising in 2012, according to Kantar Media, a unit of WPP.
Regular events like cooking classes or dance classes can be limited to as few as 18 singles for those who prefer smaller groups, while Match.com also hosts happy hours for as many as 300.
Some atypical events, like D.J. classes, have been hits, while others like teaching stand-up paddling on a surfboard flopped.
“We tried that and almost nobody showed up because nobody wanted to be in a bathing suit and to get wet,” said Mr. Zaientz.
A game night held in December in Chicago sold out quickly, prompting Mr. Zaientz to attend the American International Toy Fair held in New York in February to meet with game makers about forging partnerships.
The goal was to find games that could be learned quickly and enjoyed in short rounds, which ruled out long-lasting games like Monopoly and Risk. The coming events will feature about a dozen different games made by six companies, which have agreed to supply games to be played and given away.
Read more here.