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New Project Explores Decentralizing Cultivated Meat By Supporting Farmers
3 Mins Read
A new research project from Respect Farms aims to bring cultivated meat production to conventional agricultural operations.
The 18-month feasibility research project is underway with €900,000 in support funding from European governments, NGOs, and industry partners, including Rügenwalder Mühle, the Swiss farmers’ union, fenaco Genossenschaft, the cooperative bank Rabobank, and the Belgium animal rights organization GAIA (Global Action in the Interest of Animals).
The group’s goal is to develop the world’s first cultivated meat farm where meat is grown directly from animal cells. Respect Farms, founded by Ira van Eelen, Ralf Becks, Florentine Zieglowski and Ruud Zanders, is active in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland, working to develop new business models for conventional agriculture, and leveraging cellular agriculture as a key factor.
A mass shift to cultivated animal protein could help to decentralize cultivated meat production, allowing any farmer or rancher to produce it similar to other crops and animal products.
Respect Farms will look at three key areas: animal-friendly cell selection, circular cell feeding, and bioreactors suited for farm environments.
“We are excited to help develop a vision on how farmers will be included in the future cellular agriculture ecosystem. It is important for our nascent field to explore business models and value chains that maximize the benefits for everyone. We are quite proud to be a scientific and technical partner for this project,” Maarten Bosch, CEO of Mosa Meat, said in a statement.
“Cultivated meat offers a solution to the significant issues we are facing as a global community: feeding the fast-growing population in a safe and sustainable way while reducing environmental damage and conserving our planet”, said Jan Westra, Strategic Business Developer at consortium partner Priva.
The group calls the research essential, saying it plays a vital role in evaluating the potential future role conventional agriculture will play for cellular agriculture.
New business models for Swiss farmers
“Once the project is completed, we will be able to assess the extent to which cellular agriculture and the production of cultivated meat on farms represent a new business field for Swiss farmers. Our involvement is thus oriented towards the purpose of the fenaco cooperative: to support farmers in the economic development of their businesses” says Christian Consoni, Head of the Food Industry Division at the fenaco Cooperative.
“We believe that this proposition responds well to the demand for necessary new sustainable earning models for the existing agricultural sector,” says Aernout van der Does, Directeur Banking for Food, Kringdirectie Oost-Brabant, Rabobank.
GAIA’s president Michel Vandenbosch praised the project as a win for animal rights advocates.
“For animal welfare, we want the food transition towards cultured meat production to happen as soon as possible, without doubt,” Vandenbosch said.
“For a 100 percent animal-friendly and slaughter-free transition, we aim [sic] a beneficial transition also for farmers,” he said. “With the upcoming feasibility studies, we will assess opportunities for farmers, how they can best use these opportunities and what role they can play. In this way, the transition to cultured meat fits into the broader picture of making the economy ethically sustainable.”


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digitalmusic.org, the home of music business association NARM’s digital initiatives, is bringing the popular App Alley popup demo and exhibit showcase back for a second year at Music Biz 2013. The event will be held Wednesday, May 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. It is designed to give established and aspiring app developers and service providers a chance to put their products in front of a high-powered audience, while allowing industry executives to get a first look at the powerful new innovations set to impact the music business in the year ahead.
Companies currently confirmed to participate at App Alley 2013 include:
· Almighty Music Marketing
· Choose Digital
“The inaugural App Alley was a big success last year, with a steady stream of people flowing through the exhibit space all day checking out a great slate of innovative apps, many of which have made a serious name for themselves over the past year,” said Bill Wilson, Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development at digitalmusic.org. “We’re excited to repeat that success this year with another lineup of companies that highlight the limitless potential of the music space and illustrates how technology can be used to bring it to reality.”
A limited number of Basic Display packages, which include a high-top table, signage, wired internet, electricity, one complimentary full registration to Music Biz 2013, and two 2-day passes to the event, are still available for $499 each. Those who would like to reserve a space can do so by contacting Pat Daly at [email protected]. Those who would like to attend App Alley can do so by registering for Music Biz 2013 at www.narm.com/events/musicbiz2013/rates-registration. To see a video recap of last year’s App Alley, visit http://bcove.me/i18xb8s4.
The full Music Biz 2013 event runs May 6-9, and includes a comprehensive slate of panels, keynotes, and townhalls ranging from the Music Business Academy for those just starting out to the first-ever Metadata Summit for those already immersed in the business, to the Billboard “Future of the Biz on the Future of the Biz” panel followed by a performance by alt-folk sister act von Grey. The event closes with an Awards Dinner, where Buddy Guy will receive the Chairman’s Award for Sustained Creative Achievement and Emeli Sandé will receive the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award. Other honorees include Ted Cohen, Founder and Managing Partner at TAG Strategic, and Record Store Day, who will receive NARM’s Presidential Award for Sustained Industry Achievement and Independent Spirit Award, respectively, with more to be announced.
digitalmusic.org is the home for the digital initiatives of NARM, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, the trade association for the business of music. NARM provides the central platform for the discussion of industry‐wide concerns and spearheading the implementation of initiatives to advance the business. While primarily focused on physical formats for much of its history, NARM has expanded its mission in the past ten years to include all facets of music commerce. This includes physical, digital, and mobile commerce partners as well as gaming, applications, and other emerging revenue models. DMO is governed under the by‐laws of NARM, by NARM President Jim Donio, the NARM Board Of Directors, and directly by digitalmusic.org Co‐chairs Christina Calio (Microsoft Entrainment), Kevin Arnold (Sony Music Entertainment) and Bill Wilson, NARM VP of Digital Strategy & Business Development. Topics and actions for each individual work groups are determined by the individual work group leaders.
Established in 1958, NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) is the trade association for the business of music, providing the central platform for the discussion of industry‐wide concerns, spearheading the implementation of initiatives to promote music commerce, and advocating for common interests. Members include companies and individuals from all aspects of music distribution, including physical, digital, and mobile outlets as well as gaming, applications, merchandise, video and more. NARM members have access to a variety of conferences, virtual seminars, networking opportunities, information and education resources. NARM is a nonprofit organization based in Marlton, New Jersey. Visit www.narm.com for more information.

domain: news


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The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that eggs tainted with salmonella have been linked to illnesses in Colorado, California and Minnesota. State health officials say the eggs have sickened at least 266 people in California and seven in Minnesota.
The outbreak has been tracked back to Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa. The company has begun a voluntary recall of 228 million eggs–equivalent to 19-million dozen eggs! Many of the affected eggs are widely-carried supermarket brands.
The affected cartons come in varying sizes and carry plant numbers P1026, P1413 and P1946, followed by a date code ranging from 136 to 225. The stamps with the date codes and plant numbers can be found on the end of the egg carton, and the eggs may be sold under any of the following brand names:
Country Eggs, Inc.
Glenview Farms (US Foodservice brand)
Lucerne (Safeway Brand)
Lund (Lund Egg Co. of Woodville, WI)
Next: Salmonella symptoms and 11 precautions you should take


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A fuel distributor with ties to Getty Marketing has been cutting back on deliveries over the past few weeks causing more than 200 BP gas station owners across New England to struggle to keep their doors open. Some have started to run out of gas altogether. All of the region’s BP stations have been affected,
New locations would grow Luke Oil’s portfolio of stores to 30 sites in 2012. Hobart, Ind.-based Luke Oil Co. plans to open at least five new gas stations and convenience stores in 2012, the NWI Times Online reported. New stores planned for Cedar Lake, Hobart and East would beef up Luke Oil’s portfolio of 25
Red Eagle cites the economy and an inability to collect money it was owed for its Chapter 11 status. Red Eagle Oil Inc., a Cody, W.Y.-based fuel distribution business and chain of gas stations/convenience stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Aug. 1 in Wyoming’s federal bankruptcy court, citing millions of dollars of debt, the
“By the formation of Coulson Real Estate Group, we can place increased focus on the acquisition and development of current and future holdings,” says chairman of Coulson Oil. North Little Rock, Ark.-based Coulson Oil Co., one of the southwest’s largest independent distributors of motor fuels, has formed a new real estate company called Coulson Real
Gulf Oil has entered a new sponsorship agreement with Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles in time for the Orioles’ home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, the company announced Friday, April 9. The cornerstone element of the relationship will be new field level signage in right field, which will proudly display Gulf’s iconic orange disc.


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Broccoli has announced a release date for their enhanced port of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) title Uta no Prince-sama Repeat.
Announced as making the leap to PlayStation Vita back in January, it now seems that the fruits of the title’s porting project have started to ripen – the first game in the Uta no Prince-sama series finally coming up for an information breather.
The otome visual novel with a bit of a music twist, Uta no Prince-sama Repeat has now been dated, and will be heading to Japan shortly after the new year. The title is coming to the PlayStation Vita with 49 new fully-voiced episodes, 21 new event illustrations (with touch-to-activate voices), new facial expression animations, new combo voices, two new playable characters (Hayato and Satsuki), and enhanced system features.
Uta no Prince-sama Repeat is due out on PlayStation Vita January 27th, 2017 in Japan.
Are you interested?


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Twitter announced which games had the highest number of tweets in 2021.
It can always be informative and very interesting to publish global statistics, as audiences see themselves more and more so-called far and wide; So that the audience can have a broader view than before. We now officially know which games had the most tweets in 2021, and many people around the world talked about them on Twitter. It would probably be interesting for some to see Fortnite not ranked number one on this list.
- 10- Fortnite game
- 9- Project Sekai game
- 8- Minecraft game
- 7- Knives Out game
- 6- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- 5- Fate / Grand Order game
- 4- Final Fantasy game
- 3- Play! Ensemble Stars
- 2- Apex Legends game
- 1- Genshin Impact game
This list contains interesting information; From recalling the dimensions of the success of Genshin Impact, which has become one of the giants of the gaming industry, to emphasizing the satisfaction that Electronic Arts may have with the performance of Apex Legends. The power of Final Fantasy, Animal Crossing and Minecraft collections is also highlighted in the minds of many people with this list. In the meantime, many may not know that Sony Aniplex owns the Japanese game Fate / Grand Order and has just bought its studio.
E3 2021 had the most tweets among the 2021 video game events. A total of more than 2.4 billion video game tweets were published in 2021, and October to December 2021 was the busiest quarter in Twitter history in terms of the number of video game tweets. Japan, the United States and South Korea topped the list of “countries with the most gaming tweets”, respectively.


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Macau’s average occupancy rate for three- to five-star hotels showed year-on-year decline in January, the month that included the latest Chinese New Year holiday period, and also witnessed at month-end the beginning of the local alert on the coronavirus outbreak.
For January, the average occupancy rate of the city’s three- to five-star hotels stood at 78.5 percent, down by 14.5 percent year-on-year, according to the latest figures from the Macau Hotel Association, a local trade body, disclosed by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO). The occupancy rate of Macau’s five-star hotels during the month was 85 percent, representing a 10.3 percent decrease when compared to a year ago.
By last week – when the coronavirus alert’s chill on casino business locally and on tourist travel around the region appeared to be at full power – the percentage occupancy rate of the city’s five-star hotels, the category most commonly associated with the city’s casino resorts, was down to “single-digit” level, said on Tuesday the tourism office’s director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.
Up to the point that the crisis hit home, some trends for January hotel business had been positive. According to the latest data, during that month, the city’s average hotel room rate in each category – with exception of four-star places – had increased. During January, the average room rate for the three- to five-star hotels stood at MOP1,469.30 (US$183.80), representing a 12.4-percent rise year-on-year. The average room rate for the five-star hotels stood at MOP1,734.00, which was 12.2 percent more than a year ago.
China’s State Council had originally designated January 24, a Friday – as the eve of Chinese New Year – with the festive period running until January 30 inclusive. But China’s central government later extended the holiday to February 2 as part of the country’s response to the coronavirus crisis, and to avoid mass movement of people returning to their respective place of work.
As of the festive week running from January 24 to January 30, Macau saw a 78.3 -percent decline in visitor arrivals compared to the prior-year celebration. The holiday time varies each year depending on the lunar calendar.
The average occupancy rate of the city’s five-star hotels during the latest Chinese New Year was 55.3 percent, down by 42.3 percentage points when compared to last year.
Ms Senna Fernandes remarked to the local media on Tuesday that the tourism bureau could not predict how Macau’s tourist arrival figures would turn out this year due to “uncertainties” regarding how quickly the threat of the novel coronavirus – which causes the Covid-19 respiratory disease – would subside. Currently, Macau has over 41,100 guest rooms, according to MGTO data.
“We saw a huge blow to both inbound and outbound tourism. Now our average hotel occupancy is at around 11 percent. That is worse than the Sars [severe acute respiratory syndrome] outbreak period,” said Ms Senna Fernandes at Tuesday’s briefing.
The tourism boss also noted in her remarks that day that the average percentage occupancy rate of the city’s five-star hotels was only at “single-digit” level as of the period Saturday, February 15 to Friday, February 21 inclusive. During that seven days, the average room rate of the city’s hotels and inns amounted to MOP690, a low point “unheard of” in over a decade, the official remarked.
“At MGTO we are now working on recovery plans for the tourism sector…As of this week we will be contacting hotels and travel agencies to understand their thoughts, and see what we can do for our future,” Ms Senna Fernandes told the media on Tuesday.
Apr 19, 2024The deployment of a “smart table” product – combining the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and cameras gathering data for analysis via artificial intelligence (AI) –...
”Once Solaire North is fully ramped up, and both properties are generating a certain expectation that we have on cash flow… then we will probably launch the Paniman [casino] project”
Chairman and chief executive of Bloomberry Resorts


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Chuck Brown, popularly known as the “Godfather of Go-Go,” has been making music in and around Washington, D.C. for four decades. I filmed Mr. Brown before a show in the parking lot behind the Ram’s Head Tavern in historic downtown Annapolis on March 17, 2008—-St. Patrick’s Day. Though Mr. Brown had a green feather tucked into his fedora, he felt compelled to acknowledge that he wasn’t wearing a green article of clothing as this holiday proscribes.
“I almost wore my green boots,” he explained.


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Pizza Express prepares to shutter 67 UK restaurants, cut more than 1,000 jobs, and transfer ownership to its debtholders
Pizza Express' plans to shut restaurants and transfer its majority ownership from Hony Capital would ultimately save thousands of jobs, it said.
Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank parent is planning to close 100 stores imminently in bankruptcy. See if your local store is on the list.
Tailored Brands, parent of Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank, said it could eventually close up to 500 stores.
These 28 retailers, including Lord & Taylor and Men's Wearhouse owner, have filed for bankruptcy or liquidation in 2020
Neiman Marcus, JCPenney, and California Pizza Kitchen are among those that have filed for bankruptcy so far in 2020.
The Ascena Retail Group's Chapter 11 filing lists 157 Lane Bryant outlet locations and standalone stores slated for shuttering.
76 Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey stores are closing after parent company Ascena filed for bankruptcy — here's the list
Ascena Retail Group is closing some Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey stores after filing for bankruptcy.
J. Crew is closing a handful of stores after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May. Here are the addresses.
Bankrupt JCPenney said it would have to close about 30% of its stores. Here are all the closures it announced so far.
JCPenney, the department store that filed for bankruptcy in May, is closing a significant number of stores.
Two of the UK's best-known high-street retail brands, John Lewis and Boots, slash more than 5,000 jobs combined
John Lewis said it would cut 1,300 jobs, while Boots plans to axe 4,000 jobs. Both will shut down struggling stores.
"This sale process will result in a revitalized Sur La Table, positioned to thrive in a post COVID-19 retail environment," the CEO said.
Bed Bath & Beyond announced in its July 8 earnings call its plan to "lean into store closures" and cut costs.
Ruby Tuesday has quietly closed over 150 restaurants since late January. Here's the list of closures.
Ruby Tuesday has been shedding locations for years as it struggles to win younger consumers.
Brooks Brothers is permanently closing 51 stores as it enters bankruptcy during the pandemic. See which have shut down so far.
Brooks Brothers decided to close 51 stores before filing for bankruptcy. Some of them have already shuttered.
JCPenney, which filed for bankruptcy in May, added two New York stores to its list of locations that are closing for good.
JCPenney said in May that it expects to eventually close 30% of its 846 stores. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 15.
Liquidation sales are beginning at the 136 JCPenney stores that are closing for good. Here's what shoppers can expect.
There will be storewide discounts of 25-40% at closing JCPenney stores, and shoppers can still return items purchased before June 12.
The parent company of Zales, Kay Jewelers, and Jared will not reopen 150 stores in North America and 80 stores in the UK.
Dress Barn, Babies R Us, and Borders are just a few chains you may never set foot in again. Papyrus announced it would close all stores in early 2020.
JCPenney is closing 136 stores after filing for bankruptcy in the wake of coronavirus-related shutdowns.
Tuesday Morning is closing at least 132 stores after filing for bankruptcy — see if your local store is on the list
Tuesday Morning, which sells off-price home furnishings and decor, is planning to close at least 132 stores across the US this summer.
Grocery stores, Target, and Walmart could save shopping malls by filling the void left by dying department stores
Malls will likely try to court grocery and big-box stores like Target to replace department-store anchors in a post-pandemic world, experts say.


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Mavin Machines CEO Avi Geller outlines how he sees self-driving trucks will transform the freight and logistics industries.
Three of the world’s largest heavy-duty truck manufacturers reached an agreement to build and operating a massive electric truck and bus charging network across Europe in a deal that points the way to a similar arrangement in the U.S.
Ford debuts the 2022 Ford Maverick pickup truck, a small vehicle, which at $19,995 will be its lowest price vehicle.
Ford's 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck is less expensive, less radical and will go on sale sooner than expected.
Ford launched its transition to a volume electric vehicle manufacturer Wednesday when it debuted the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck.
Volkswagen said it is partnering with Argo AI and MOIA, a German mobility company, to develop a fleet of self-driving electric vans based on its upcoming ID. Buzz.
Volvo Trucks is pushing rapidly into heavy-duty electric trucks and believes that they could be accounting for half its sales in some markets.
General Motors said Tuesday it would build an electric version of its Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup at the Hamtramck, Mich., factory is rebuilding to produce electric and autonomous vehicles.
The U.S. Postal Service said it wants its next mail truck to be electric, but it needs Congressional support to make that happen.
Consumer Reports tested 17 pickup trucks and only liked two, demonstrating that it believes there’s plenty of room for improvement in the segment, which accounts for one out every five new vehicle sales.


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The Google Pixel phones have been selling in the U.S. exclusively through Verizon Wireless. For non-Verizon users who wish to own a Pixel phone, the only way to get one is through the official Google Store.
According to incoming reports, this Verizon exclusivity is now coming to an end. We don’t have a date, but it’s now known that Sprint will soon begin selling the Google Pixel 3 XL. The device has been included on the retail display list of devices coming to Sprint and it’s assumed that the smaller Pixel 3 will also be available.
The info, which was first reported by Android Police, also reveals two unknown Google phones dubbed B4 and S4. Apparently, these could be the upcoming Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, devices that we’ve already heard a great deal about.
What remains unknown is when exactly Google’s Pixels will be leaving the confines of Verizon. But out here, we also know that T-Mobile will begin selling Pixel phones pretty soon, probably beginning with the Pixel 3a duo.
Google will be at the I/O 2019 event next week to demystify all these rumors about the Pixels, so we wait.


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Microsoft agrees to buy Skype for $8.5B
May 10, 2011 8:39:00 AM - thestate.com
Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday that it has agreed to buy the popular Internet telephone service Skype SA for $8.5 billion in the biggest deal in the software maker's 36-year history.
Buying Skype would give Microsoft a potentially valuable communications tool as it tries to become a bigger force on the Internet and in the increasingly important smartphone market.
Microsoft said it will marry Skype's functions to its Xbox game console, Outlook email program and Windows smartphones. The company said it will continue to support Skype on other software platforms.
The sellers include eBay Inc. and private equity firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz.
About 170 million people log in to Skype's services every month, though not all of them make calls. Skype users made 207 billion minutes of voice and video calls last year.
USA, South Carolina: (Latest Stories)


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The UK’s market for consumer CBD products will be worth nearly £690 million ($1 billion) in 2021.
This makes the UK the world’s second largest market for consumer CBD after the US.
British consumers spend more on CBD products than on vitamins B and C combined. Recent regulatory developments have created a certain environment for companies seeking to do business in the UK.
The UK represents a golden opportunity for CBD companies considering the next big opportunity. All parts of the supply chain, and companies of all sizes, stand to gain from the UK’s CBD revolution: raw material suppliers, manufacturers, brand owners and retailers.
In this free white paper you’ll learn the requirements to enter this lucrative market.
It explores recent, significant changes to how the category is regulated, and explains what they mean for companies around the world wishing to build a successful consumer CBD business in the UK.


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In a bid to fight fake news and low-quality content, Google is updating its search algorithms. In addition to making improvements to search ranking, the search engine giant wants to offer people easier ways to directly report offensive or misleading content.
In a blog post, Google Vice President of Search Ben Gomes said that Google has improved its evaluation methods and made algorithmic updates to surface more authoritative content.
For the first time, users will be able to directly flag content that appears in Autocomplete and Featured Snippets in Google Search.
Autocomplete helps predict the searches people might be typing, while Featured Snippets appear at the top of search results showing a highlight of the information relevant to what people are looking for.
“Today, in a world where tens of thousands of pages are coming online every minute of every day, there are new ways that people try to game the system. The most high profile of these issues is the phenomenon of “fake news,” where content on the web has contributed to the spread of blatantly misleading, low quality, offensive or downright false information,” Gomes said in the blog.
Google has a team of evaluators – real people – to monitor the quality of Google’s search results. Their ratings will help the company gather data on the quality of its results and identify areas for improvements.
Last month, Google updated its Search Quality Rater Guidelines to provide more detailed examples of low-quality web pages for raters to appropriately flag, which can include misleading information, unexpected offensive results, hoaxes and unsupported conspiracy theories. “These guidelines will begin to help our algorithms in demoting such low-quality content and help us to make additional improvements over time,” Gomes said.
Meanwhile, Google recently updated its How Search Works site to provide detailed info to users and website owners about the technology behind Google Search.


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MIPI Alliance periodically receives questions about how its legal policies apply in different circumstances. This post addresses questions we’ve received about the requirement that MIPI protocols be used only with MIPI PHYs. The post explains existing policy. It does not change any current MIPI Alliance legal terms.
MIPI Alliance has recently released new versions of its two physical layer specifications designed for high-performance, cost-optimized cameras and displays. MIPI C-PHYSM v2.0, released in September 2019, and MIPI D-PHYSM v2.5, released in October, introduce key new features that make the specifications applicable for expanded Internet of Things (IoT) use cases along with many mobile use cases.


text: Cogeco Inc. lost 14,210 cable television subscribers in the fourth quarter, the company said in a quarterly financial statement released Thursday. In its cable segment, Cogeco said it had 1,065,075 television subscribers at the end of the quarter on Aug. 31, 2013, down 14,210 from the previous quarter. The company reported having 562,260 telephone subscribers, a loss of 2,124 from the previous quarter, while gaining a net 1,097 Internet subscribers during the same three-month period. Cannacord Genuity analyst Dvai Ghose said in a research note that the net loss of 12,021 subscribers across all segments was “much worse than our 259 net loss estimate and consensus net loss of 1,781 driven by a significant decline in cable subscribers and an unexpected decline in telephony subscribers, driven by wireless substitution.” Cogeco Inc.’s revenues at the end of the three-month period were $504.7 million. Profits in the fourth quarter were $43.8 million, down 2.5 per cent from the third quarter of 2012, while “profit for the year amounted to $189.8 million when compared to $229.7 million for the same period of fiscal 2012,” the company said. In a release, Cogeco said the decrease was due to “additional depreciation and amortization,” financial expenses related to its acquisitions of U.S. cableco Atlantic Broadband Inc. and Canadian network operator Peer1 Network Enterprises Inc., as well as last year's profit of $55.4 million from the sale of its Portuguese subsidiary Cabovisao.


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For the Love of Books
Former teacher Dawn Long-Miller buys Pelican Bookstore.
Kindergarten teacher, special education teacher, reading teacher and librarian. Admirable credentials for the owner of a bookstore. Enter Dawn Long-Miller of Shallotte. She bought Pelican Bookstore at Village Center in Sunset Beach on April 1, 2021, and subsequently retired from Brunswick County Schools, where she had been employed for 27 years, all at Union Elementary School in Shallotte.
Long-Miller says she supported bookstores her entire life and was elated when she learned Pelican Bookstore was for sale.
“I never thought I’d own a bookstore,” she says. “What a dream!”
“I thought it was awesome,” says her husband, Jim Miller, who owns Jim’s Car Care on U.S. 17 in Ocean Isle Beach. “I said it was perfect because she had been contemplating retiring from the school system, and this was a great transition.”
Despite the store being nestled for nearly 30 years in Unit 10B at Village Center off Sunset Boulevard, Long-Miller says everyday someone walks in surprised the bookstore exists. She plans to change that. “I’m doing a lot on social media,” she says.
One popular attraction previous owners Anne Harris and Pat Wilson introduced was having New York Times bestselling authors come to Brunswick County. In January Marie Benedict, famous for her historical novels featuring women whose achievements were overlooked, gave a presentation. Brad Taylor of military thriller fame appears February 3, and historical novelist Pam Jenoff appears February 10. Long-Miller posts the calendar of upcoming bestselling authors at www.pelicanbookstore.com. Since the bookstore is 760 square feet with books, Papyrus and Leanin’ Tree greeting cards, jigsaw puzzles and other merchandise filling every available space, presentations are held at Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach.
Lucy Ozvat, who attended Benedict’s book signing, has high praise for Pelican Bookstore.
“I’ve been buying books there for eight years,” she says. “I always look at the cards, too. I usually buy my Christmas cards there because they have unique ones, and they’re about the beach.”
When asked at Benedict’s book signing what she likes about Pelican Bookstore, Linda Block, lifts her arms and says, “Look what they’re doing bringing all these popular, outstanding authors here.” She points to the lady sitting beside her. “I took Pam [to the bookstore] today.”
Her best friend, Pam Leffler, drove from Laurel, Maryland, to attend the event. “[Benedict] is one of my favorite authors,” she says. “I’ve read everything she’s written.”
Long-Miller ensures that the bookstore maintains an inventory of the most popular genres, both hard cover and paperback. Best sellers, southern fiction, history, children’s, science fiction, classics and nonfiction are among them. She promotes her used book section by having a trade-in policy with some restrictions. Anyone bringing in used books that are less than 10 years old and in good condition can trade them in for other used books at a reduced price.
Long-Miller, who distributes smiles and laughter in generous amounts, grew up in the Guideway community of Tabor City and loved to read. Her mother was instrumental in having the bookmobile stop at Long’s Tire & Service. Long-Miller earned her teaching credentials at University of South Carolina then a master’s degree in reading from University of North Carolina in Wilmington. She earned another master’s degree in library science from North Carolina Central University.
Harris and Wilson decided it was time to sell the bookstore when family illnesses and deaths then COVID hit. Harris bought the bookstore in 1995. Long-Miller’s email application to buy the store attracted their attention. “She wrote all these good things,” Wilson says. “She was a customer. She was a librarian. She liked to read. She was a native of the area. When we met, I said with tears in my eyes, ‘It’s yours if you want it.’ I could see it was her desire.”
Long-time employee Suzanne Sourwine says the books and the customers have kept her working at Pelican Bookstore for more than 20 years.
“Our customers are more like friends,” she says. “It’s so neat to have so many friends across this large area.” She says every year the summer vacationers tell her they read the books she recommended then say, “What am I supposed to read this summer?”
Terri Gogluicci says she became a customer when she moved to Sunset beach a few years ago. “I like that this is local,” she says and indicates Suzanne. “She’s so friendly, and the store has a wonderful variety of books.”
Jeanine Penny of Calabash brought in a bag of trade-ins. “I love reading and (trade-ins) are the ideal thing.”
“It’s a way to get affordable books,” Sourwine says.
Candace Blackwell became a Pelican Bookstore employee in 2020 but has been a customer for 12 years. “Customers ask what to read, and I tell them what I’ve read,” she says. “They take it and come back and say, ‘You were spot on.’”
“The customers are an iconic part of the community,” Long-Miller says. “Pelican Bookstore is a part of the community.” Although retirees are moving to the area, she says a wide range of ages patronize the bookstore. “People want a book in their hands,” she says. “Young people are buying poetry and the classics. We have a children’s section. This is a special place, and customers trust us.”
She adds that she understands Pelican Bookstore can’t compete with online retailers but quotes what Wilson told her. “We can’t out-price the big retailers, but we can out-service them.”


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From pv magazine India
Aerocompact, an Austrian solar racking solutions maker that launched operations in India in November 2019, has started exporting its made-in-India products to the Middle East and Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand and Malaysia, in addition to catering to the local market.
Aerocompact Country Manager Mandar Mainde told pv magazine that the company's India operations have supplied 7 MW of sheet-metal roof mounting products since February 2020 in the domestic market. It also plans to soon start shipping its products to Vietnam, said Mainde.
Aerocompact has its products contract-manufactured in India. It has also started manufacturing flat-roof PV racking products in the country. The new offerings will be available from next January. Its Indian operations are also supporting the requirements of its European business and will eventually support its presence in the U.S. market, too, said Mainde.
The company sees most of its demand coming from the commercial and industrial segment, particularly from owners of factories with sheet-metal rooftops. It’s following the approach of reaching out to end customers such as factory owners and developers, said Mainde.
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Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts has taken home £538,000 in variable pay despite pledging to waive his bonus last November.
Although he did not receive anything through the supermarket’s main bonus scheme, he received the salary top-up from a second bonus scheme known internally as Future Builder.
“Simon’s decision is a personal one and another example of his integrity as a leader,” the Big 4 grocer’s annual report said.
Roberts was also paid a salary of £875,000, roughly 10 per cent lower than his predecessor Mike Coupe, who stood down in June.
Chief financial officer Kevin Byrne was given a bonus of £1.5 million through the two schemes, on top of his salary of £657,000.
Around £828,000 will be paid in deferred shares, which would normally have been split 50-50 between cash and shares.
Sainsbury’s profits slumped by more than half a billion over 2020, with the supermarket facing a loss of £261 million before tax.
Although grocery sales leapt by 7.8 per cent, revenues were wiped out by £485 million in Covid-19 costs and spiralling fuel sales.
The news comes after a series of executive pay controversies in British supermarkets.
Morrisons chief executive David Potts, who received an immediate cash bonus of £850,000, is set to face protests at the grocer’s annual meeting later this month.
Co-op chief executive Steve Murrells prompted outrage when he pocketed a £1.4 million bonus while refusing to return £66 million in business rates relief, which the supermarket was given in taxpayer funding to support it through lockdown.
Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons and Asda have returned billions in business rates relief.


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Tom Cullen is showing off Sonos's new offering to add to its wireless speakers and streaming service: it's a soundbar, that long wide item you put underneath (or above) your TV to enhance the sound of films and television shows. And he's explaining why Sonos won't get into video, why streaming is the future of music, and why it's taken Apple so long – despite having bought the streaming service Lala in 2009 – to kick off its own streaming service.
The Playbar (as it's called) has been the cause, one gathers, of a little friction inside Sonos. John McFarlane, the chief executive and co-founder who is normally the face of Sonos, didn't think for a long time that it was the right product to make, says Cullen – one of the four co-founders. "But I said, in the digital world, convenience is more important. The reason why home theatre isn't out there more widely is that it's a pain to set up."
You can see his point: normal 5.1 setups (two speakers at the back, two on left and right, one in the centre, and a subwoofer) can be a pain to configure, not to mention all the trailing wires.
"John was against it," says Cullen. "But we've been working on this for five years. I say that all speakers should have brains in them." Pushing the intelligence to the edge, rather like the internet does – so that each speakers has its own amp, and can operate independently through a stream – is what Sonos does well.
A question that I've been asking Sonos since first encountering the company in 2005 is: when will it start offering video streaming? Given that it has shown its ability to move data around efficiently, video has seemed like a natural next step after audio.
Cullen squashes that suggestion flat. "There are two answers to that," he says. "The first is the business answer. Digital video is going to be this whole clash of the titans over the next decade. Samsung, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Sony, they're all going to fight to control it. Some of them face fundamental existential threats from that. I don't want to be caught up in that."
The other reason, he says, is "once we had the idea of these smart speakers, we realised that we could invest more and more deeply in them, and we wouldn't run out of things to do."
Hence the Playbar – which he says is "the only part of the home theatre market that is growing". Quite probably that's because they combine all front three speakers, simplfying the wiring nightmare. And now Sonos, which Cullen says in 2012 became the world's second biggest speaker manufacturer by revenue (after Bose, and ahead of Bowers & Wilkins), is moving in to get a piece. At £599, the Sonos Playbar won't be in everyone's price range. But Cullen thinks that if you like hearing the dialogue in films ("we've written code to help that, the mixing of 5.1 means the dialogue is in the centre speaker and it gets drowned out") and you like hearing music clearly, you'll at least consider it.
"Hi-fi is about a six-billion-pound market worldwide; less than a billion dollars is in streaming kit. It's going to change – we want to get the sales in the 'mass premium' market," Cullen says. (It's hard to find independent figures that confirm this; other reports put the value much higher, but mix in TVs and set-top boxes; the global home audio market should be more than $20bn by 2015, according to a report in October 2010.)
Sonos is certainly riding that growth. Cullen won't say how many users Sonos has, preferring to talk of "rooms" – which roughly equates to speakers, though not quite items (because Sonos sells its own remote control, and subwoofer, and a "bridge" to your home router).
"We announced that we were in a million rooms 15 months ago. It took us six years to get there. Now we're in 2.5m," he says. That sort of takeoff could be lifted by the Playbar, which he wants to replace the (admittedly always lousy) speakers on TVs – "the quest for thinness means they're using the same speaker technology you use in your smartphone" – and also act as a music streaming service (from the TV or internet music or speech services or your own home server).
So streaming – and services such as Spotify, Deezer, Last.fm and (in the US) Rdio and Pandora are the future, then? "For the past ten years I've been saying that 'in five years everybody is going to stream their music'," Cullen says, his grin acknowledging how reality hasn't kept pace with his plans. "OK, we made crazy assumptions about the way that this was going to change. Habit changes take time to happen. But the vast majority of home audio today is very different from what it was in 1995."
When he and MacFarlane and the other founders created the company in 2002, he says, they had a crucial discussion about where music was going. "John is a technology visionary. We talked back then about how many streaming services there would ultimately be – would it be a handful, or thousands? We concluded it would be thousands, that music is like oxygen, and that for every niche there would be someone serving it. You live in Kazakhstan and you want Kazakh music? Someone's going to be able to buy a server and fill it with music and put it online and they're in business. Well," he pauses, "I say 'in business' but that still leaves the question of the business model."
That thinking that the ocean of music will be composed of multiple overlapping streams has informed the design of all the company's products, he says. Every day another two or three streaming music or speech services start up; they can add themselves to Sonos's services via an API, he explains, which saves writing any extra per-service code.
So where is Apple in this streaming world? Clearly, not offering a streaming service, despite having bought Lala – which did just that – in 2009. Cullen thinks that the owners of the streaming rights might be trying to strike a hard bargain with Apple over streaming royalties – any iTunes streaming service would probably be a major competitor to the existing ones within a couple of months, given the hundreds of millions of credit card-connected accounts on the story. "I'm sure Apple would like to stream [from iTunes] but they're now so powerful that I think the content people are trying to get their own back," Cullen says. "But the thing is, the iTunes model [of selling individual tracks or albums] works for the music companies; the streaming model works too, but it depends on massive use to generate money for the music labels."
For Sonos, though, the new growth – helped by lower prices on its equipment ("we have seen volume increases from reducing costs," Cullen admits) – has shifted it into being a different company: one that isn't living from hand to mouth, desperately trying to get products out to buyers, but one that can be more reflective about its aims and timing. "We're changing as a business," says Cullen. "But the point I've been making forever is that nowadays, simplicity wins."
Correction: this article was updated on 18 February: the device is called the Sonos Playbar.


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Leslie Walker from the Washington Post sat down with Vinton Cerf, founding father of the Internet and Google's Chief Internet Evangelist, about Google Book Search. They basically talked about Google's goal in digitizing books to make them easily findable via search. Read the article at WashingtonPost.com.
Meet Your Favorite Search Engine Watch Contributors
Many of SEW's leading expert contributors will be at ClickZ Live, the new online and digital marketing event kicking off in New York (March 31-April 3). Hear from the likes of: Thom Craver, Josh Braaten, Lisa Barone, Simon Heseltine, Josh McCoy, Lisa Raehsler, Greg Jarboe, Dan Cristo, Joseph Kerschbaum, John Gagnon, Eric Enge and more!


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Apple has already told us it's going to add support for the RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging standard on the iPhone at some point this year, and now Google may have just revealed when in 2024 the update is going to happen.
A new landing page for Google Messages (via 9to5Google) says Apple "will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024", so we're looking at September, October, or November. It'll be spring for those of you in the southern hemisphere, of course.
Or at least, that's what the landing page originally said: it seems this particular bit of information has now been removed. Perhaps Apple would rather it was able to make the announcement itself, when the time comes.
That time window is of course when we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iOS 18, so it makes sense that RCS support would get added at the same time that Apple is unveiling its latest smartphones and its latest software upgrade for those smartphones. We should hear more about iOS 18 at Apple's WWDC 2024 event on June 10.
The benefits of RCS
The rest of the Google Messages landing page highlights the various features you get with the app on Android. One bit of blurb says dynamic reactions are "coming soon" with RCS, suggesting you'll be able to react to messages with a variety of visual effects across both Android and iOS (this is currently handled by the app itself, not RCS).
There are also mentions of some of the other features we've seen rolled out to Google Messages recently, including Photomoji (using photos as stickers) and the option to have AI write your messages for you, if you're lacking inspiration.
Spam blocking, end-to-end encryption, and support for Wear OS devices are given shout outs too. It's a comprehensive overview of everything you get with RCS, which Google is pushing as a major improvement over the old SMS standard.
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Having RCS support in the Messages app on iOS should mean a more seamless experience if you're chatting to people who aren't on the same mobile platform as you – though Android users will still show up as green bubbles on the iPhone.
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.


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Acer has announced the launch of a new phablet which is known as Acer Liquid S1. This device has been launched at the Computex 2013 event where Acer released a number of devices. Liquid S1 is a dual SIM phablet which works on the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS.
Acer Liquid S1 features a 5.7 inch display which is equipped with a 1280×720 pixel of resolution count. This device boasts of a 1.5 GHz quad core processor which has been paired with a 1 GB RAM space. S1 comes with the feature of AcerCloud Docs preloaded and another feature allows users to access their files from their PC through the facility of Acer Remote files. One of the highlight features associated with this particular phablet is the Float User Interface which makes it possible for several apps to stay open at the same time so that users can engage in multi tasking.
The Float interface includes the camera, notes, calculator and the maps as well. Infact the Float caller notification makes it possible for users to not be interrupted by the incoming calls which generally take over the entire screen. Liquid S1 will be tagged at a price of around Rs. 25600.


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Naughty Dog has announced the first major post-launch multiplayer content for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, coming this week.
From all accounts Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will be the final chapter of Nathan Drake’s story. As a long-time Uncharted fan myself, I could not think of a more fitting way to end such an incredible series.
Sony Computer Entertainment has released an emotional interview between the two lead actors of Uncharted 4.
The final Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End trailer has been released, in preparation of the worldwide launch in just two weeks time.
After numerous delays, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has finally gone gold.
Naughty Dog has released the first in a five episode behind-the-scenes series titled, ‘The Making Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’.
Sony Computer Entertainment have announced 5.7 million PlayStation 4 units were sold during the 2015 holiday season. The updated figures raise the total number of PlayStation 4 console sold through to the consumer to over 35.9 million worldwide, as of January 3, 2016. The last PlayStation 4 sales […]
Sony Computer Entertainment and Naughty Dog have released a new CG trailer for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. The new CG trailer may be brief, but it does an excellent job at showcasing the true love of Nathan Drake – his friends and family. Nathan Drake has the […]
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, Reboot PR and Oxford Art Factory have announced a special Insert Coin (s) event featuring Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. The Insert Coin (s) Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End event will take place on Thursday, November 5 and will begin with a VIP-only trivia contest, hosted by Naughty […]
Naughty Dog has revealed that about 80 percent of the PlayStation 4 install base have never played an entry in the Uncharted series. Uncharted is easily one of, if not, Sony’s flagship franchises. But in a recent MCV interview with Naughty Dog’s Community Strategist Eric Monacelli, it was revealed […]


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IDC: Next-gen consoles won't match current-gen sales
Research manager at International Data Corp. says consoles as a product category have peaked.
As Microsoft prepares to give first details on its next-generation Xbox in a matter of hours, one market watcher has spoken out to say consoles as a product category face an uphill battle.
"The next wave crest isn't as high as the previous one," International Data Corp. research manager Lewis Ward told Reuters.
Ward estimated that a combined 250 million Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii units were sold between 2005 and 2012. Microsoft has confirmed that 77 million Xbox 360 units were sold, while Nintendo has revealed Wii sales of 99 million. That leaves around 74 million for the PS3.
"I do think that consoles as a product category have peaked and the next-gen devices won't match those totals," Ward added.
Nintendo's Wii U is the only next-generation console on the market thus far. It has struggled, selling 3.45 million units worldwide since its launch last year.
Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will launch this holiday season, the same window that Microsoft's next Xbox is believed to be on store shelves.
Microsoft has invited media to its Redmond, Washington, campus today where the company will formally announce its vision for the future of games and entertainment. GameSpot is on location at the event and will have details from the presentation as they become available.
Nintendo, Microsoft, Square Enix, And More: E3 2019 Press Conference Schedule - GS News Update Top New Games Releasing On Switch, PS4, Xbox One, And PC This Week -- May 19-25 2019 Avengers: Endgame Passes Avatar in the US Box Office, Still Behind Worldwide - GS Universe News Update Apex Legends Update Tweaks Wraith And Pathfinder - GS News Update Game Of Thrones - The Last Watch HBO Official Documentary Trailer Gen 4 Pokémon, Glaceon, And Leafeon Now Available In Pokémon Go - GS News Update GS News Update: New Fortnite Battle Pass Detailed GS News Update: Star Wars: Battlefront 2 Underperforms, Microtransactions Coming Back GS News Update: Metal Gear Survive Requires Constant Internet Connection, Has Microtransactions Battlefield: Bad Company 3 Rumors Surface - GS News Roundup Red Dead Redemption 2 Mission Discovered In GTA Online?! - GS News Roundup PUBG Xbox One Performance Issues - GS News Roundup
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- Nov 27, 2012
- Reaction score
According to Unwired View, which cites the Korea Herald, Apple will be using two different sizes for its upcoming rumored iWatch device - a larger 1.7-inch display targeted at men and a smaller 1.3-inch option for women. The information that Apple could be planning two separate sizes for its iWatch first appeared last month, when NPD DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh offered an overview of Apple's display plans for future devices.
Hsieh said at the time that Apple appeared was looking to source both 1.3-inch and 1.63-inch flexible AMOLED displays with resolutions of 320 x 320 pixels. Now, at a recent conference, the analyst provided more details, saying that the new sizes are meant to cover two distinct genders. Kim Ji-hyun and Shin Ji-hye from the Korea Herald said the following:
Apples wearable iWatch is expected to come with a 1.7-inch OLED display for mens watches and a 1.3-inch OLED screen for women, David Hsieh, DisplaySearchs Vice President of the Greater China Market, said at a conference today in Taiwan, citing Apple sources. Apple has not officially announced the launch, but the iWatch ― Apples first wearable device ― is expected to be rolled out as early as the end of this year, given CEO Tim Cooks latest remarks confirming new product categories. It is yet to be confirmed whether the displays will be flexible but sources said it was a possibility, since Apple will want to upstage Samsungs Galaxy Gear.
Stasys Bielinis with the UnviredView says that the wearable industry is a new one for Apple and the company needs to come up with an original uproach:
Wearables is a completely new category which may require an original approach. And it certainly makes a lot of sense. Contrary to the electronic gadgets, there is usually a very distinct differences between traditional mens and womens watches. And one of the biggest differences is size. If Apple decides to launch separate iWatch models for men and women, it will simply be following the lessons learned during the centuries of traditional watchmaking.


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A new report from DFC Intelligence predicts that digitally distributed games will account for 66 per cent of total overall games revenue by 2017.
It also predicts a significant expansion in the overall games software market, which it believes will grow from $52m now to $70bn in five years.
Interestingly, it adds that the PC platform will be responsible for the majority of the growth, claiming as much as 39 per cent of the software market. Consoles will account for 36 per cent and mobile 25 per cent.
"Digital distribution, already widely accepted among core gamers globally, is clearly broadening access to products and driving much of the industry growth," DFC Intelligence CEO David Cole told Gamasutra.
Cole also thinks that games on social platform such as Facebook might struggle to realise further growth unless they widen their appeal to more traditional games market.
Cole added: "The bottom line is core gamers spend money on products they like and right now the game offerings on sites like Facebook are simply not appealing to that demographics."


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3 Crazy Ideas That Will Revolutionize Our Roads
If you think Elon Musk and Tesla Motors invented the electric car, you're off by about 180 years. Ideas can take a long time to take off, and eyeing the "crazies" of today can give investors valuable insights into the corporate cash cows of tomorrow. Here are three crazy ideas that our kids won't believe we ever lived without.
1. Road recharge
Scottish inventor Robert Anderson may have invented the world's first "electric carriage" in 1832, but his non-rechargeable primary cells doomed his idea from the start . Even today, battery technology remains in relative infancy , with Tesla Motors attempting to avoid the recharge issue altogether via fast-paced battery swaps . But maybe what Tesla really needs in rechargeable roads.
Earlier this month, South Korea unveiled a 12 kilometer route that powers public buses via electromagnetic fields buried in the pavement , according to a BBC report. The strips push power through at 85% efficiency , removing the need for recharge stops and cutting down on the need for big batteries . Two buses are currently cruising on the new system, with 10 more expected by 2015 .
Source: Mltm .go.kr
Tesla's a long way off from installing its own electric tarmac, but its infrastructure investments to date have already proven that the company produces more than just cars. Its 18 complimentary "super-charger" stations are doubling to 27 stations by the end of this summer, and will blanket 98% of the U.S. by 2015 .
Source: Tesla Motors Supercharger Stations
2. Sleeping behind the wheel
If you're in a Google car, driving to work could be the perfect opportunity for a power nap. The company has quietly been ramping up its driverless technology, and recently received a regulatory thumbs up from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to expand tests on "vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems ." The search engine company has already logged around 500,000 miles on its driverless fleet, and the NHTSA estimates that basic vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology could cut back on as much as 80% of all accidents involving non-impaired drivers .
Google's got its hands in plenty of projects, and its 10-K doesn't even mention driverless cars . But it's this ceaseless creativity that has helped Google continue to innovate. Its R&D spending has risen 143% to $6.8 billion in the last five years , and its foray into driverless cars is helping its brand today - and perhaps its books tomorrow.
Unlike rechargeable roads, the beginnings of the vehicle-to-vehicle technology revolution are already around us. If you drive a new luxury car, chances are it beeps (annoyingly and impressively) if you accidentally ease out of your lane. General Motors is running its own experiments with new "Super Cruise" technology that would work as an auto-pilot mode on open highways , according to Bloomberg.
According to GM, bits of this technology has already improved the safety standards of its 2013 Caddies through their "Driver Assist Package." Sensors provide 360 degrees of crash risk detection that, if Google is any evidence, may someday soon provide crash avoidance, as well.
3. A new type of sunroof
Electric or not, almost every vehicle around still relies on some external energy source to get it from point A to point B. Leave it to Dutch university students to create the world's first "energy positive car," a solar-powered sedan that produces almost twice as much energy as it produces.
Source: Technische Unversiteit
Unveiled a month ago, "Stella" seats four and can travel 250 miles on a rainy day, and up to 420 miles when its solar panels are soaking up sunshine . And although the car's custom build cost a pretty penny, mass production seems surprisingly feasible given the $4,000 price tag for Stella's solar panels .
Life in the future fast lane
Sooner than we think, we may be cruising hands-free down Route 66, recharging from the road on a rainy day or speeding along with solar when the sun's out. Not long ago, we would've scoffed at the idea of Tesla Motors' innovation or Google's automated autos, but these ideas now garner more excitement than unease. The transportation sector continues to amaze, and these crazy ideas may just be the next steps to move us in ways we never could've imagined.
If there's one country embracing the future faster than any other, it's China. And there are few things that these consumers are likely to purchase with more enthusiasm than the latest and greatest cars and trucks. In this brand-new free report, our analysts get out in front of this trend by identifying two automakers that are poised to surge along with China's middle class. If you want to be among the smart investors who get rich from this growing trend, then you'd be well advised to instantly download our free report on the topic by clicking here now.
The article 3 Crazy Ideas That Will Revolutionize Our Roads originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Justin Loiseau owns shares of Google and Tesla Motors. You can follow him on Twitter, @TMFJLo, and on Motley Fool CAPS, @TMFJLo.The Motley Fool recommends General Motors, Google, and Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Tesla Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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New Zealand Commerce Commission ends probe on SIA.
According to an SGX announcement, the Auckland High Court has approved an agreement reached between the New Zealand Commerce Commission and Singapore Airlines Cargo concerning the air cargo proceedings.
The penalty, recommended by the parties and endorsed by the Court, is NZD4.1 million (S$4.17m), with costs fixed at NZD259,079.18. A corresponding financial provision of approximately SGD4.41 million will be made in the financial statements of Singapore Airlines Cargo for the current financial year.
The Court’s approval of the agreement brings the Commission’s air cargo investigations and proceedings in New Zealand to a close for Singapore Airlines Cargo.
More From Singapore Business Review


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Originally planned for the end of 2020, then postponed for the first time to February 2, 2021, the release ofOutrider will be postponed again. Developed by People Can Fly, the fathers of Bulletstorm, the third-person shooter looter is now expected on April 1, 2021. The studio posted a long message on the game’s Twitter account detailing the reasons for this postponement by announcing the same occasion the imminent arrival of a demo.
An important update on outriders. pic.twitter.com/HHZrq5GIik
– Outrider (@Outriders) January 6, 2021
Happy New Year. We think it’s important for players to experience a new license like this Outrider So you can decide for yourself whether you want to pre-order, buy or play the title.
Because of this, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be making a free demo available on February 25, 2021, which will give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the early hours of the game in all four classes – solo or co-op – as well experience ‘seamless transfer of your character and progress to full game.
Speaking of which, we’ve decided to move the release date ofOutrider by April 1, 2021 (this is no joke!). We will use this extra time to improve the game and focus on delivering a great gaming experience at launch.
This is a laudable decision by the developers. They want both of them to have more time to deliver a quality experience and give the players a taste before going through the buy box. As a reminder, the adventure will take place on a hostile planet called Enoch, with difficult climatic conditions and an aggressive population. You will be on the lookout for a mysterious signal in the hope of finding a new home when the earth is no longer habitable.
I’ll see you in a little less than three months to find out what one of People Can Fly’s three ongoing productions has in store for us.


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Total 2017 sales were $94.7 million; 48 million users visited the site
SANTA ANA, Calif. – March 13, 2018– shopgoodwill.com, the e-commerce auction platform that makes available the sale of tens of thousands of items from more than 120 Goodwill organizations nationwide, announced today it hit record visits and revenue in January 2018.
The results include:
- Total site revenue: $9.3 million – beating the previous record set in March 2017 by nearly $900,000.
- Buyer registrations: 47.1% increase over January 2017, with a staggering average of 927 new buyers registering per day.
- Items sold: 302,188 – 12.2% increase over January 2017.
“These extraordinary milestones affirm shopgoodwill.com’s position among top online auction sites as we continue to set the bar for e-commerce platforms,” said Frank Talarico, Jr., president and CEO, Goodwill of Orange County, owner and operator of shopgoodwill.com. “When we launched shopgoodwill.com 19 years ago, we set out to provide the most engaging e-commerce platform for online shoppers while supporting Goodwill’s mission to serve people with barriers to employment across the country.”
Its 2017 results also included:
- Total sales: $94.7 million, a 12.6% increase over 2016.
- Total visitors to shopcom reached more than 48 million.
- shopcom received more than 1.18 billion-page views.
- Across the U.S., shopcom employed nearly 3,000 people to operate the respective e-commerce operations.
Talarico said he expects the momentum to carry into 2018, as the site integrates new features and practices to enhance and optimize the listing process.
In addition to new technology, shopgoodwill.com recently announced a partnership with the Retired NFL Players Congress to supply signed jerseys, unique experiences with current and retired football stars, game-worn items, and other exclusive memorabilia for auction to raise money for military veterans.
E-commerce revenue in 2017 supported 2.1 million hours of resume time, 2.6 million hours of job search assistance or 1.8 million hours of career counseling for those with barriers to employment, including people with disabilities and veterans.
More than 90-percent of an item’s final sale price goes back to the Goodwill location that listed the item. The more than $560 million in online sales generated on the site has funded thousands of new job placements, education and career advancement programs that have served tens of thousands of people around the country facing barriers to employment.
shopgoodwill.com is the first e-commerce auction platform created, owned and operated by a nonprofit organization. The site was designed to provide an engaging online shopping destination that would further the Goodwill mission of putting people to work. Today, more than 110 Goodwill organizations from across the country list and auction unique items on the site, including art, antiques, collectibles, apparel, jewelry, electronics and more. All revenue from these auction sales fund Goodwill’s life-changing programs and services for people with disabilities and other barriers. More than $515 million in online sales have been generated on shopgoodwill.com since its launch in 1999. This revenue has funded a staggering number of new programs that have served tens of thousands of individuals facing barriers. The e-commerce site was created by and continues to be operated by Goodwill of Orange County. To learn more, visitshopgoodwill.com.
About Goodwill of Orange County
Goodwill helps people who are facing barriers to find and keep jobs, which provides purpose, pride, and dignity. Founded on the belief that every person should have the opportunity to achieve the independence that work provides, Goodwill is most recognized for being the conduit where donated goods are sold in America’s favorite thrift stores to generate the revenue that provides the services to those who face employment challenges. Celebrating its 90th year in 2014, Goodwill of Orange County has supported hundreds of thousands of Orange County residents since its inception by creating and providing quality training and employment services to empower its program participants to be productive and independent. The nonprofit organization has dozens of programs that support this effort, including the Goodwill Rogers A. Severson Fitness & Technology Center, Orange County’s only facility specially designed for people suffering from chronic illnesses and physical disabilities; its global approach to serving veterans and their families, Goodwill of Orange County Tierney Center for Veteran Services, which helps former service members and their families find resources and services to meet and serve their unique needs, including housing, job placement, education, and wellness; and its Assistive Technology Exchange Center (ATEC),which provides access to more than 1,000 state-of-the-art technology devices for children and adults with disabilities. These are just a few of Goodwill of Orange County’s innovative programs that have served those facing barriers in Orange County for the past nine decades. In 2012, Goodwill was named one of Orange County’s Most Trusted Brands. To learn more about Goodwill of Orange County, visit ocgoodwill.org.
Media Contact: Emma Engelage, (949) 200-6111, email@example.com


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Popular founder of Barksdale Concessions, Joe Barksdale, passed away this week at the age of 95.
Barksdale became an integral part of Iowa culture by selling his signature bucket of chocolate chip cookies at the Iowa State Fair, a venture he started in 1993 with nothing but his family recipe.
Through his tenacity and determination, Barksdale changed the definition of fair food – and made cookies the ultimate snack for attendees at the legendary Iowa State Fair.
After 50 years as a concessionaire, Barksdale retired from the business in 2019, giving it – and its secret recipe – to “the people of Iowa”.
“His smile, kindness and heart will be missed,” the Iowa State Fair wrote on its Facebook page.
In addition to baking cookies, Barksdale enjoyed fishing and hunting. According to his obituary, he even received national recognition for his training of hunting dogs.
Campbell’s Concessions, another staple at the fairgrounds, also took to social media to honor the life of the “Cookie Man.”
“He was a wealth of knowledge and a great operator on site. His company and products are one of the reasons people return to the Iowa State Fair every year. Joe has lived a great, great life for which we will be forever grateful for the knowledge and advice he has given us over the years,” the company wrote on Facebook.
More:Truly a spot on the Iowa State Fair list: Inside the new Barksdale’s State Fair Cookies building
The Alabama man makes the Iowa State Fair his home
Barksdale grew up in Alabama munching on his paternal grandmother’s delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies. When the recipe was passed down to him, he shared it with his wife, Virginia, who baked it for fundraisers and family celebrations.
The Barksdales moved to Iowa in 1958 so he could take a job at Alsco, an Iowa window company.
Barksdale worked his way up to general manager and restructured the company like a dog with a bone. He tested new sales strategies, regionalized the business and brought the company from the reds to the blacks. Eventually, when he retired 33 years later, the company was generating over $100 million in annual sales, he said.
Virginia, a nurse, took summers off to stay at home with her children. And like so many other Iowa moms, in August they packed up and headed to the county fair.
In 1976, Barksdale’s daughter, Kathy, decided to open a stand on the site. Her parents helped, and the family became concessionaires for hot roast beef and barbecues.
When Barksdale retired from the window business in 1985, he took over the stand and attacked it with the same tenacity he had at Alsco. Over the years, Barksdale tried new items and bought and sold stalls. They owned a lamb burger shop before turning it over to the Lamb Association and set up an ice cream operation in the Varied Industries building. In 1993 he sold biscuits at the state fair for the first time, and the rest is history.
More:Photos: The famous Barksdale cookies at the Iowa State Fair
Barksdale’s legacy lives on through his cookies
When Barksdale decided to donate his business to the people of Iowa and the State Fair in 2019, he estimates the business could be worth millions of dollars. But in business, Barksdale was never about money, it was about leaving his legacy and giving back to the people and places that gave him something.
His legacy at the fair lives on not only through the deliciously gooey biscuits, but also through the building bearing his name on the fairgrounds, which Barksdale described as “a dream come true” when it opened in 2020.
The Iowa State Fair is currently having an advance sale to buy Barksdale’s famous cookie dough ahead of the holiday season. Orders can be placed online until midnight on November 27th.
According to his obituary, a memorial service will be held at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens in Des Moines on Monday, November 28.
Courtney Crowder contributed coverage.


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EBA Clearing says that close to 40 financial institutions have committed to supporting and funding the development and installation of its pan-European instant payments platform for transactions in the Single Euro Payments Area.
Owned by 53 of the major banks operating in Europe, EBA Clearing says the funding institutions will be involved in shaping the system design, functionality and interface specifications. The future infrastructure service is scheduled to be live in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Erkki Poutiainen, chairman of EBA Clearing says: “Based on this support, the EBA Clearing Board has formally kicked off this development and implementation project. We now look forward to bringing our instant payment solution to life with the active contribution of the funding banks, for the benefit of the future user community and its customers.”
The new platform is planned to be in line with ISO 20022 messaging standards and fully compliant with the SCTInst Scheme that is currently being created by the European Payments Council. Operating around the clock, the instant payments service will be available to payment service providers (PSP) across the EU.
Hays Littlejohn, CEO of EBA Clearing says: “Many more PSPs have already expressed their interest in using our service. We plan to make available the specifications for connecting to the new infrastructure to all interested institutions and other stakeholders this summer. This should give all future users that plan to go live when the EPC scheme is launched sufficient time to be able to connect to our system from the start.”
The move to real-time payments will be a key theme at this year's EBAday, the European payments and transaction banking conference organised by Finextra and the EBA. The two-day conference will play host to 1000 banking professionals and 45 exhibitors at the MiCo - Milano Congressi on 7-8 June.


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Ofgem’s investigation shows how Scottish Power failed its customers
Energy industry regulator has today announced its results of a recent investigation into Scottish Power, which found the firm’s billing, complaint resolution and call handling at inadequate levels. As a result of their findings Scottish Power will have to pay out £18m for their failings.
The pay out, which is the third-largest penalty by the regulator, will be paid to vulnerable customers and charity.
Ofgem advised that Scottish Power had failed to treat its customers fairly. More than 300,000 customers received late bills, which resulted in many turning to Citizens Advice for help. In some cases debt collection practices were started by Scottish Power for a bill that didn’t exist or was being paid.
Citizens Advice Chief Executive, Gillian Guy said:
“Scottish Power failed its customers not once but twice.
“Not only did the firm struggle to get people’s bills right first time, it also failed to sort out the problems when customers tried to complain.
“Providing someone with an accurate, timely bill which reflects how much gas or electricity they have used is a fundamental part of running an energy firm. But time and time again we’re seeing big companies introduce new billing systems which leave customers in limbo - with the wrong bill and no way to sort it out.
“Ofgem is right to hand Scottish Power such a large fine and we expect the company to do everything it can to make sure vulnerable customers get the compensation they deserve after receiving such poor service. We also need the industry to start learning the lessons from issues which have caused such misery for consumers.”
The issues that Scottish Power experienced in relation to their billing system were reflected in the Citizens Advice energy complaints league table. On numerous occasions their persistent poor performance put Scottish Power at the bottom of the league table. At one point the energy company had 1,163 complaints per 100,000 customers.
Ofgem advised that Scottish Power had worked with them during the investigation and improved its customer service since the investigation had begun.
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Slop buckets for your home - Whatever next?
The UK government has today released plans for the weekly collection of waste food throughout the UK through the use of so called 'slop buckets'. So not only have many local council's taken away weekly rubbish collections but they now expect families to live for one week at a time with a bucket of waste food awaiting collection. Who ever thought up this crazy scheme?
Oil trader loses $10 million
PVM Oil Futures is this evening at the centre of a rogue trading scandal with the announcement of losses approaching $10 million after a number of unauthorised trades were executed on Tuesday, 30 June. This was the day when the price of oil jumped significantly in a move which many believe was instigated and encouraged by these unauthorised trades.
The company reported the situation...
Plans for £250 million undersea gas storage development
It has been revealed that a £250 million gas storage government is under consideration for a location off the coast of Northern Ireland around 1500 m below sea level. The gas store will be able to hold around 500,000,000 m³ of natural gas and the location is said to be perfect due to the 200 m thick layer of ancient salt above the caverns in question. The UK gas storage network has been under...Read More
Asda announces large scale price reductions
With Tesco taking the lead over the last few weeks regarding competition in the UK supermarket sector, it was the turn of arch rival Asda to grab the headlines today. Asda has confirmed it will be cutting the price of 3,600 items by an average of 13% which is, according to the company, the largest reduction in supermarket prices for over a decade. So what does this mean for UK consumers? There...Read More
Is Amazon looking to move off-line?
Amazon, the world's largest virtual shopping venture, is rumoured to be looking at potential high street venues for the future. Despite the fact that these claims have been denied by the company, it is believed that Amazon has been looking at acquiring property around the UK with rumours that a separate outfit could be created allowing customers to "click and buy" larger products such as TVs and f...Read More


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Valve has used a very interesting method to identify cheaters who try to use exploits in its popular MOBA game Dota 2. This week, the game's official web site announced that Valve has banned over 40,000 Dota 2 accounts that were discovered by basically seducing them into checking the game's data.
Valve says the exploits used by these Dota 2 accounts were able to check data that's not seen in normal gameplay. Valve says it has fixed the issued that the exploits were using, but at the same time, it also decided to get rid of the players who used them. Valve was able to identify exactly which players were using the exploit with a special patch for the game. The blog stated:
This patch created a honeypot: a section of data inside the game client that would never be read during normal gameplay, but that could be read by these exploits. Each of the accounts banned today read from this "secret" area in the client, giving us extremely high confidence that every ban was well-deserved.
Valve added that it wanted to reveal how it found these cheaters to send a warning to other players thinking they could do the same thing:
If you are running any application that reads data from the Dota client as you're playing games, your account can be permanently banned from playing Dota. This includes professional players, who will be banned from all Valve competitive events.
This mass Dota 2 player ban comes just after it was announced that Destiny 2 developer Bungie was awarded nearly $4.4 million by a judge in a lawsuit it filed against a cheat software group for creating and selling exploits in its sci-fi shooter.


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SWIFT will enable blockchain-based platforms to use its global payments innovation platform.
The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) will allow distributed ledger technology (DLT) firms to use its global payments innovation (GPI) platform, according to a recently published report.
In the report, SWIFT revealed that it will soon allow GPI payments on DLT-base platforms. The product will purportedly increase savings in reconciliations and boost the movement of collateral.
The announcement follows a proof-of-concept (PoC) of a new gateway to interlink trade and e-commerce platforms with GPI, which the organization launched in collaboration with enterprise blockchain platform R3 in January. The product is designed to connect various trade platforms to GPI members, allowing end-to-end payment tracking, payment authentication, and credit confirmation. CEO Gottfried Leibbrandt said at the time:
“Our new GPI platform is extremely interoperable and open, and we’ve always had links to other networks […] we are announcing later today a Proof-of-Concept with R3 blockchain on trade, where you can initiate a payment on the trade platform, and then it goes into GPI. So we’re exploring interconnectivity with a lot of things.”
Previously, SWIFT carried out a blockchain-based shareholder e-voting PoC with major financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank, DBS, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, securities software provider SLI and the Singapore Exchange. The test aimed to establish whether DLT can simplify the management of shareholder meetings.
Additionally, the existing SWIFT network and infrastructure was used to access, test and validate the applicability of the technology.
Source: , CoinTelegraph
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London, UK, 5th Jan 2022, ZEXPRWIRE, The stock market is the most preferred investment destination because of the higher returns that one can expect to receive. Long-term investments are considered best in this case, where you can save your time and money. FXRally broker says that choosing good stocks for long-term growth might be difficult every time, depending on the current market conditions.
But here is good news for everyone, if you are looking to invest in long-term growth stocks, then look at this article which will help you select the best companies that will grow in 2022.
Amazon has managed to become one of the biggest online stores globally where people can buy anything they wish for. The company serves more than 200 million customers worldwide and is expected to increase its user base in five years.
Amazon has diversified itself into different fields like cloud computing, electronic commerce, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. Amazon also owns one of the largest online video services called Amazon prime, which further increases the company’s revenue.
Amazon has an impressive revenue growth rate of 20%, expected to increase further in the next five years. If this happens then, Amazon stock will grow fast.
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer and one of the most valuable companies globally. Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. At the time, it was an online bookstore, but it has since expanded to sell a wide range of products, including clothes, electronics, and home goods. In addition to its online store, Amazon also owns several subsidiaries, including IMDb, Twitch, and The Washington Post.
Disney is also one of the most diversified companies with content production, broadcasting, motion pictures, and theme parks under its umbrella. The company has produced some of the highest-grossing movies recently, including Zootopia, Finding Dory, and Frozen, which gives it a strong foothold in the market.
Disney has developed its streaming service called Disney Life which is expected to boost revenue in coming years. It also owns theme parks worldwide, which helps them generate more money.
Disney is expected to have revenue growth of about 4.8% in the next five years, making it a good choice for investors.
Disney was founded in 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. The company originally produced animated shorts and live-action films. In 1937, they released their first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a major success. Over the years, Disney has created some of the most iconic films and characters in history, including Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.
In addition to movies, Disney also owns several television networks, including ABC and ESPN, and several theme parks around the world. The company has been incredibly successful over the years and is now worth more than $150 billion.
Alphabet is the parent company of Google and has a massive online presence. It is one of the most trusted brands globally, with the most revenue coming from ads through its search engine platform. The company also diversified into other fields like cloud computing, enterprise software, artificial intelligence, and hardware.
Alphabet has a strong revenue growth expected to grow from the current 12.8% to 17% in the next five years. Its impressive revenue growth makes it a good choice for investors looking for long-term investments because its stocks also have a strong potential to grow.
Alphabet Inc. was created in 2015 to become a diversified multinational company. The new company is an independent entity and does not have any common stock ownership with its former parent; Google Inc. GOOGL is Alphabet’s closest competitor in the marketplace.
Alphabet has been quite successful, reaching over $700 billion in 2017 revenue five years after forming. This is up from $150 billion when it was created in 2015. As of February 2018, Alphabet was valued at more than $750 billion.
Mastercard is a payment processing company that has been around since 1966 and operates as a global payment technology company. It operates in more than 210 countries and territories and has a massive user base of 2.5 million people, making it one of the most popular companies worldwide.
Mastercard is expected to have a revenue growth rate of 14.3% in 2022, giving its stock a strong potential for growth. If you are looking for long-term investments, then Mastercard is the perfect option for you.
Mastercard was started in 1966 by Dean Witter and Merrill Lynch to create a new kind of credit card service for traveling people. However, it soon became apparent that potential customers sought more than just credit. This led to the introduction of the first bank-issued debit card in 1972, then BankAmericard.
#5 Micron Technology:
Micron is one of the leading providers of memory and semiconductor products which has a revenue growth rate of about 17% in 2022. Micron acquired Elpida in 2010, which further increased its presence in the DRAM market, and Nanya simultaneously announced it would invest $250 million in the company.
Micron started its journey as a start-up with just eight employees, and now it has more than 64000 employees worldwide, which is expected to increase further in the next five years.
Micron also diversified into the automotive, networking, and medical markets, giving investors good growth opportunities.
Micron was founded in Boise, Idaho, in October 1978. The company’s first product was a 64 kilobit (Kbit) DRAM memory chip. In its early years, the company received funding from Arthur Rock and New Enterprise Associates.


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Samsung Galaxy A8 (2016) may soon receive Android 8.0 Oreo3
Galaxy A8 (2016) was recently spotted at Wi-Fi Alliance with Android 8.0 Oreo on board. The same thing happened with some of the smartphones Samsung updated to Oreo in the past, so there's a high chance that the Galaxy A8 (2016) will indeed receive the update.
Of course, Android 8.0 Oreo will be the last major update the Galaxy A8 (2016) will receive. In fact, next year will probably the last one that the smartphone will get security updates.
Samsung has been offering Android Oreo updates to a few mid-range Galaxy smartphones in the last couple of months, and it looks like the trend will continue throughout the year. If you own a Samsung smartphone no older than two years, there's a chance that you'll get an Android Oreo update at some point this year.


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'Not Welcome Here': Amazon Faces Growing Resistance to Its Second Home
Supply Chain Brain
MARCH 21, 2018
That proposition has united an ideologically diverse group of dissenters to Amazon’s grand HQ2 competition, ranging from rightwing organizations linked to the Koch brothers to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). And a petition launched by the prominent urbanist Richard Florida and dozens of other academics calling for the finalist cities to unite in a “mutual non-aggression pact” on tax incentives has garnered more than 15,000 signatures.


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Ahmedabad, Dec 23: US based BPO and KPO firm, Motif has been featured in Alibris' Premium Business Partners list.
Motif has been an Alibris partner since Dec 2006, and provides Customer Support to Alibris' customers from its India delivery center at Motif India Infotech Pvt. Ltd.
Brian Elliott, President and CEO of Alibris said, "Alibris works with Motif Infotech to support e-mail, chat, and phone interactions with buyers."
Brian further said, "Over time, the company has perfected its approach to quality control, service level agreements, and customer satisfaction monitoring, making sure it responds to customers in an accurate and timely fashion to make them happy."


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The Lexus RX 400h gets more than 30 mpg and its maker expects to sell 24,000 of the gas-battery powered vehicles.
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DETROIT - They use both gasoline and electricity for power, get better mileage, spew fewer emissions, and soon will be available in a form many Americans favor: sport-utility vehicles.
Hybrid gasoline-electric SUVs will be offered by the Ford, Toyota, and Lexus brands this year or early next, joining car offerings by Toyota and Honda. One of those existing hybrids, the Toyota Prius, was named North American Car of the Year by journalists this week during media previews for Detroit s North American International Auto Show. The show opens to the public Saturday and runs through Jan. 19.
Americans may be even more accepting of hybrid SUVs than cars, and it makes more sense to build hybrid versions of heavier vehicles since they use more gasoline, create more emissions, and can more easily stow necessary battery packs, said Jim Press, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.
Toyota's Highlander hybrid has already reached Toledo, area car dealers have said.
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“SUV drivers feel the need for large vehicles, but usually there s a certain bit of guilt associated with them,” he said soon after Toyota s Lexus brand unveiled the RX 400h. The hybrid SUV gets more than 30 miles to the gallon, a 20 percent improvement over its conventional twin, the RX 330.
Mr. Press added: “It s kind of like eating a chocolate souffle with no calories.”
The automaker is aiming for annual U.S. sales of the RX400h of about 24,000.
Hybrid versions will be offered this year or early next of the Toyota Highlander and the Ford Escape, which last year replaced the Toledo-made Jeep Liberty as the nation s top-selling compact SUV. The Honda brand, meanwhile, will add a V-6 Accord and another not yet identified vehicle this fall to its slate of hybrid models, which includes the Insight and a hybrid Civic.
This year s Cobo Center show also features some alternative-fuel concept vehicles. Mazda, for example, unveiled a hydrogen version of its RX-8 sports car, which has a rotary instead of piston engine that can be powered either by hydrogen or gasoline, and Mercedes-Benz is showing a diesel hybrid, the Vision Grand Sports Tourer.
A wave of hybrid-powered vehicles is to arrive on the American scene in the next few years, with some providing only limited fuel-economy improvements. Some automakers are compromising on the miles-per-gallon averages to provide vehicles more to the liking of the general public, which are bigger than the small Prius. In fact, J.D. Power and Associates predicts that by 2008 two-thirds of hybrid vehicles sold in the United States will be SUVs, pickups, and vans.
Building hybrids is part of a good long-term strategy for automakers, especially since the technology is used in developing fuel cells, one expert said. Part of the reason hybrids are proliferating is the government has stymied diesel alternatives with strict regulations, although a Liberty diesel wisely will be offered this year, said Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Consumers may be interested in hybrids, but they won t pay an estimated $4,000 to $5,000 more for a hybrid SUV as long as gas is less than $2 a gallon, Mr. Taylor said.
“When they sit down and do the math, many consumers say I m attracted to it, but I m not going to buy it, ” he said.
Yet, Toyota s Mr. Press said, buyers don t think twice about spending on other options. He said the RX 400h and hybrid Highlander will cost more than their conventional twins, but prices have not been released.
Toledo area buyers have started asking about the hybrid Highlander, said Dave Wittenmyer, general manager for Jim White Toyota in Sylvania Township.
The dealership sold about 30 Priuses last year, including at least a dozen in the last two months, he said. Prius buyers typically are 40 or older, are interested in its fuel economy, and like the car s design, he said.
Prius sales numbers would be higher if the dealership got more of the limited-volume model in, Mr. Wittenmyer said. The cars, which are about the size of a Toyota Corolla, start at less than $20,000.
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