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Las Vegas, Nevada
CES® 2020 wrapped today, following a week filled with over 20,000 product debuts unveiling the future of technology. More than 4,400 exhibiting companies launched their latest tech products to some 170,000 attendees across more than 2.9 million net square feet of exhibit space. From global tech brands to pioneering startups, the innovation at CES 2020 will revolutionize markets and change our world for the better.

“CES 2020 inspired and connected every major industry across the globe,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, owner and producer of CES. “The innovation unveiled at CES 2020 will reshape industries, create jobs, fuel the global economy and improve lives around the world.”

“This week at CES illustrated that every company is truly a tech company,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, CES. “Global technology brands blended with non-traditional tech companies to showcase how innovation is furthering business across all markets – setting the stage for the decade ahead.”

Key Themes at CES
CES 2020 featured the entire spectrum of transformative technology that will redefine markets and shift business models, including:

Artificial Intelligence
AI was dominant throughout the show floor and will be a ‘key ingredient technology’ over the next decade. Companies debuted their latest AI solutions, including Brunswick, Doosan, John Deere and Kyocera.
5G and Mobile Connectivity
CES is the only show where the entire 5G ecosystem – the backbone for connectivity, transportation, augmented and virtual reality, digital health and more – comes together. Carriers and mobile operators, such as Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, Nokia and Ericsson, demonstrated the latest advancements in 5G’s speed, reliability and efficiency.
Non-Traditional Tech Companies at CES
Non-traditional companies used CES 2020 as a platform to launch products. Impossible Foods returned to CES 2020, debuting its Impossible Pork; John Deere was featured in the AI & Robotics Marketplace and other companies, such as Bell, Delta Airlines, L’Oreal NBCUniversal and Procter & Gamble, unveiled how they’re transforming their businesses through technology.
Tech for Good
Innovative technologies launched at CES that will change lives and improve our world. Digital health technologies were a major theme, with advancements in digital therapeutics, wearables and remote patient monitoring as digital health addresses real world issues like opioid dependence, mental illness and chronic disease. The Health & Wellness category saw an increase of nearly 25% with more than 135 exhibiting companies at CES 2020, including Humetrix and InBody.
The Smart Cities exhibit area expanded by nearly 25% over 2019, with companies and organizations including the Department of Transportation, Hitachi and Siemens, highlighting products that will revitalize economies and help communities survive and thrive.
CTA also partnered with the World Bank Group at CES 2020 on a Global Tech Challenge, calling for companies around the world to create solutions focused on three key areas: health, gender inequality and technologies that enable communities to be resilient. The Health Tech Challenge category is accepting applications through February 25 to connect innovators with healthcare providers in East Africa.
Eureka Park
CES 2020 was also the world’s largest startup event, with more than 1,200 companies from 46 countries featured within Eureka Park, offering disruptive innovations, attracting investors and big-name brands. Technologies unveiled within Eureka Park include the Oval Home smart sensor that analyzes temperature, light, humidity and movement in the home; Yoganotch, which applies motion capture technology to help users improve poses; and Caregiver Smart Solutions with sensors that track movement and patterns to provide caregivers reassurance and patients with more independence at home.
“CES has the unique ability for startups and young companies to get exposure to major global brands,” said Mara Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO, ID8 Innovation; member, CTA Board of Industry Leaders. “The opportunities for venture funding and growth are incredible here. And the CES 2020 Diversity and Inclusion conference track was mind blowing!”

Diversity and Inclusion

CES 2020 had a large focus on Diversity and Inclusion, with new programming and partnerships. The Innovation for All conference program featured chief diversity officers and leaders from Bosch, HP and Walmart, and explored inclusive ways that D&I is contributing to the bottom line, shifting culture, hiring differently and investing in diversity.
Travel and Tourism
Delta Airlines was the first airline to keynote at CES. During his address, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian described the future world of travel through tech, including AI, AR, biometric security, smart incentive programs, and a new Parallel Reality experience, as travel becomes more customized.
Transportation and Vehicle Technology
CES 2020 was revved up highlighting the future of transportation. Nine of the world’s leading car manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Daimler (Mercedes), FCA, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota, and more than 150 vehicle tech exhibitors unveiled the latest in connected cars, self-driving vehicles and concept cars. Products included the Mercedes Vision AVTR concept car, Audi’s AI:ME and the Sony Vision S.
C Space
CES brought together content creators, Hollywood, the advertising and music industries, media and leading CMOs to explore the future of brand marketing and entertainment, including streaming services, through the return of C Space. The 2020 program featured more than 60 exhibitors, including AT&T Services, Comcast, Google, HP, Hulu, iHeart, NBC Universal, Pandora, Reddit, Roku, SiriuXM, Snap, Twitch, Turner, Univision and WWE.
Keynotes
The CES stage featured more than 1,100 speakers representing major global industries, including keynotes from Samsung President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Division Mr. Hyun-Suk Kim; Daimler Chairman Ola Källenius; Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian; NBCUniversal Chairman of Advertising and Partnerships Linda Yaccarino; Quibi CEO Meg Whitman and Founder Jeffrey Katzenberg; U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao; Salesforce Chairman and co-CEO Marc Benioff; Unilever CEO Alan Jope; and Presidential Advisor, Ivanka Trump.

Visit CES.tech/Live to see the CES keynotes, SuperSessions and other conference programs.

“We hosted 40 CEOs and corporate directors here, and over half were attending CES for the very first time,” said Nichole Jordan, Central Region Managing Partner, Grant Thornton; member, CTA Board of Industry Leaders. “As we debriefed, they said this show – this experience – helps them to reimagine their businesses and their futures.”

CES, the world’s largest and most influential tech event, returns to Las Vegas, January 6-9, 2021. Visit CES.tech for product announcements, keynote and session videos, b-roll footage and more.

Las Vegas, NV
Today, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® and Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) released a unique digital health paper recommending best practices for using wearable technology to manage personal health, including detecting and monitoring cardiovascular biometrics. Presented for the first time during a panel at CES® 2020 – the world’s largest, most influential tech event – this paper provides consumer guidance on understanding devices and managing their personal health data.

“The collaboration between HRS and CTA is timely and important for both consumers and clinicians,” said Dr. Andrea Russo, president, HRS. “Chronic diseases are increasing in prevalence and wearables help people monitor their health to aid in earlier diagnosis and better management of their conditions; furthermore, they provide information to the user that fosters a healthier lifestyle.”

“Digital health is changing lives for the better – providing more personalized care, delivering better outcomes and lowering costs,” said Rene Quashie, VP of digital health, CTA. “Wearable solutions are one of the fastest growing sectors in technology. And as more consumers capture personal health information, a cross industry-created guidance document has never been more important to provide clarity on the potential health and wellness benefits of wearables.”

The CTA/HRS Guidance for Wearable Health Solutions paper includes an overview of the wearables landscape and offers advice for consumers on using wearables. A FAQ section tackles topics including data management, when to call a doctor, sharing data with a health provider, data privacy and security policies.

Developed and reviewed by physicians, patient advocates, technology companies and health care organizations, CTA and HRS created these guidelines to answer common questions for consumers that currently own – or want to own – wearables that capture personal health information. The best practices were presented at the Disruptive Innovations in Health Care conference track at CES.

Dr. Nassir Marrouche, lead author of the paper, added, “in this document we aimed to highlight this new intersection between consumer tech and health. We want people to be aware of what these wearables have to offer, how they can increase knowledge about one’s health, and how clinicians are optimistic about the data wearables can deliver.”

According to recent data, CTA projects total sales of digital health devices in the U.S. – such as smartwatches, fitness trackers and blood pressure monitors – will reach $10 billion in revenue in 2020 (up by 16% over last year).

The Health & Wellness category at CES 2020 will have over 20% more exhibitors and 15% more exhibitor space than CES 2019, with notable exhibitors such as Abbott, Cigna, Humana, Omron Healthcare, Myant, Philips and Procter & Gamble.

To download the CTA/HRS Guidance for Wearable Health Solutions document, visit CTA.tech.

Arlington, VA
The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, on U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao’s announcement of AV 4.0 at CES 2020:

“CES is the showplace for vehicle tech innovation, and we’re thrilled Secretary Chao announced AV 4.0 on our keynote stage. Self-driving technology is the future of mobility—making our roads safer and improving mobility for seniors and the disabled.

“Our industry must continue to work with government to ensure the success and adoption of self-driving vehicles. The partnership between the White House and U.S. Department of Transportation is proof government is prioritizing the adoption of self-driving technology. We look forward to our continued work together on policies that enable this technology to thrive.”

AV 4.0, a set of guiding policy principles for self-driving technology, is a first-ever partnership between the Department of Transportation and the White House.

CES 2020 provides access to the most transformative tech across various marketplaces, such as 5G, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, smart home, smart cities, vehicles, digital health and more. Industry leaders and rising stars will come together to pioneer future innovation driving the ever-evolving tech industry. CES was named one of USA Today’s 10 Best Auto Shows and nine out of the ten top global auto suppliers are represented at the show. Visit CES.tech to learn more.

On Tuesday December 31st Travelex detected a software virus which had compromised some of its services. As previously announced, on discovering the virus, and as a precautionary measure, Travelex immediately took all its systems offline to prevent the spread of the virus further across the network.

Whilst the investigation is still ongoing, Travelex has confirmed that the software virus is ransomware known as Sodinokibi, also commonly referred to as REvil. Travelex has proactively taken steps to contain the spread of the ransomware, which has been successful. To date, the company can confirm that whilst there has been some data encryption, there is no evidence that structured personal customer data has been encrypted. Whist Travelex does not yet have a complete picture of all the data that has been encrypted, there is still no evidence to date that any data has been exfiltrated.

Having completed the containment stage of its remediation process, detailed forensic analysis is fully underway and the company is now also working towards recovery of all systems. To date Travelex has been able to restore a number of internal systems, which are operating normally. The company is working to resume normal operations as quickly as possible and does not currently anticipate any material financial impact for the Finablr Group.

Tony D’Souza, Chief Executive of Travelex, said “Our focus is on communicating directly with our partners and customers to protect them and their information from any further compromise. We take very seriously our responsibility to protect the privacy and security of our partner and customer’s data as well as provide an excellent service to our customers and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. Travelex continues to offer services to its customers on a manual basis and is continuing to provide alternative customer solutions in the interim. We are working tirelessly to bring our systems back online.”

Travelex is in discussions with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Metropolitan Police who are conducting their own criminal investigations, as well as its regulators across the world.

SAN FRANCISCO- Fitbit, Inc. (NYSE: FIT) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Google LLC for $7.35 per share in cash, valuing the company at a fully diluted equity value of approximately $2.1 billion.

“More than 12 years ago, we set an audacious company vision – to make everyone in the world healthier. Today, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved towards reaching that goal. We have built a trusted brand that supports more than 28 million active users around the globe who rely on our products to live a healthier, more active life,” said James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit. “Google is an ideal partner to advance our mission. With Google’s resources and global platform, Fitbit will be able to accelerate innovation in the wearables category, scale faster, and make health even more accessible to everyone. I could not be more excited for what lies ahead.”

“Fitbit has been a true pioneer in the industry and has created terrific products, experiences and a vibrant community of users,” said Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President, Devices & Services at Google. “We’re looking forward to working with the incredible talent at Fitbit, and bringing together the best hardware, software and AI, to build wearables to help even more people around the world.”

Fitbit pioneered the wearables category by delivering innovative, affordable and engaging devices and services. Being “on Fitbit” is not just about the device – it is an immersive experience from the wrist to the app, designed to help users understand and change their behavior to improve their health. Because of this unique approach, Fitbit has sold more than 100 million devices and supports an engaged global community of millions of active users, utilizing data to deliver unique personalized guidance and coaching to its users. Fitbit will continue to remain platform-agnostic across both Android and iOS.

Consumer trust is paramount to Fitbit. Strong privacy and security guidelines have been part of Fitbit’s DNA since day one, and this will not change. Fitbit will continue to put users in control of their data and will remain transparent about the data it collects and why. The company never sells personal information, and Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads.

The transaction is expected to close in 2020, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Fitbit’s stockholders and regulatory approvals.

Qatalyst Partners LLP acted as financial advisor to Fitbit, and Fenwick & West LLP acted as legal advisor.

About Fitbit, Inc. (NYSE: FIT)

Fitbit helps people lead healthier, more active lives by empowering them with data, inspiration and guidance to reach their goals. Fitbit designs products and experiences that track and provide motivation for everyday health and fitness. Fitbit’s diverse line of innovative and popular products include Fitbit Charge 3™, Fitbit Inspire HR™, Fitbit Inspire™ and Fitbit Ace 2™ activity trackers, as well as the Fitbit Ionic™ and Fitbit Versa™ family of smartwatches, Fitbit Flyer™ wireless headphones, and Fitbit Aria family of smart scales. Fitbit products are carried in approximately 39,000 retail stores and in 100+ countries around the globe. Powered by one of the world’s largest databases of activity, exercise and sleep data and Fitbit’s leading health and fitness social network, the Fitbit platform delivers personalized experiences, insights and guidance through leading software and interactive tools, including the Fitbit and Fitbit Coach apps, and Fitbit OS for smartwatches. Fitbit’s paid subscription service, Fitbit Premium, uses your unique data to deliver actionable guidance and coaching in the Fitbit app to help you reach your health and fitness goals. Fitbit Health Solutions develops health and wellness solutions designed to help increase engagement, improve health outcomes, and drive a positive return for employers, health plans and health systems.

Mountain View, Calif (October 29, 2019)… BMW i Ventures announced today an investment in CelLink, a San Carlos, CA-based manufacturer of flexible circuit technology that delivers high-conductance, large-area, lightweight, and low-cost flexible circuits through a proprietary combination of manufacturing processes, designs, and materials. The new funding is aimed at ramping up production of large-area flexible circuits for power and data transmission.

“We believe CelLink’s technology will transform wire harnessing from an ‘old school’, simple technology to a more advanced, integrated, multi-purpose, flexible circuit technology with more functionality and lower cost. Automotive wiring is finally becoming high tech,” stated Marcus Behrendt, Partner at BMW i Ventures.

The new funding will support CelLink’s operations as it scales up existing production contracts and transitions several projects into full-scale production. CelLink will continue to ramp production in its first manufacturing facility through 2019, and the company intends to bring a new production facility online in the 2020-21 timeframe to meet additional demand.

“CelLink was founded eight years ago on the premise of providing interconnect solutions to the solar industry. We are thrilled that the core innovations that we developed have evolved into a new type of flexible circuit that addresses the growing challenges of vehicle wiring and light-weighting, battery wiring, and energy-efficient lighting applications,” commented CEO and co-founder Kevin Coakley. “These industries are huge, and they require significant technological advances for the world to achieve a state of sustainable energy production and consumption,” Coakley added.

In the long-term, CelLink expects that its technology will scale well-beyond the company’s initial markets. The company has already received strong interest in adapting its technology for use in aerospace and commercial vehicles.

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About BMW i Ventures
BMW i Ventures, BMW’s EUR 500 million venture capital fund, invests money and resources in startups in the fields of autonomous driving, digital car and automotive cloud, e-mobility, artificial Intelligence and data, industry 4.0, shared and on-demand mobility, customer digital life, and energy services. The firm has already partnered with innovative companies such as Xometry, Yellowbrick, Zum, Urgent.ly, Lime, and Bright Machines. BMW i Ventures invests in all stages from seed and incubation to growth companies

About CelLink
CelLink, founded in 2012 by Kevin Coakley (CEO) and Malcolm Brown (VP Engineering), and joined in 2015 by Bruce Graham (Chairman), manufactures the world’s largest and most electrically and thermally conductive flexible circuits. The company’s products are ideally-suited to power and signal transmission applications including automotive wiring, battery packs, LED lighting, photovoltaics, and other devices. CelLink was originally funded through a 2014 US Department of Energy Sunshot grant, and has since received a total of $35M in follow-on funding, including a 2015 seed investment from SK Telecom, Band of Angels, and Robert Bosch Venture Capital, and a 2017 Series A investment led by 3M Ventures. Please visit www.cellinkcircuits.com for more information.

Today in New York we announced our broadest Surface lineup ever – with five new products coming this holiday and two new dual-screen devices, Surface Neo and Surface Duo, coming in Holiday 2020.

When we started Surface, we had a vision to remove the conflict between the tablet and laptop. What started as an effort to create the two-in-one evolved into a full line of products that are more versatile, more adaptable and more personal. We know that to be your best, you need devices that adapt to you to help you accomplish your goals. These new products are about empowering you to be your most productive, and your most creative.

With that in mind we are bringing more performance and new designs to our most popular product lines with the new Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X, all available for pre-order today1 in select markets. Surface Laptop 3 delivers style and speed, now with a choice of a 13.5” or 15” display and new colors and finishes. Surface Pro remains the most versatile 2:1 device you can buy – whether you choose the new and improved Surface Pro 7 or the always-connected Surface Pro X, a bold new take on our iconic 2:1. Designed for comfort and rich sound with intuitive touch controls, Surface Earbuds are the perfect complement to your Surface.

We also shared our vision to bring the productivity of Surface to even smaller and more mobile form factors with Surface Neo and Surface Duo, our new dual-screen devices. We’ve seen how the versatility of the 2:1 has pushed the PC category forward, and we’re excited about what dual-screen devices will do for mobile computing next year.

Surface Laptop 3
The new Surface Laptop 3 balances power and elegance, making it the perfect everyday laptop. Now available in two sizes, Surface Laptop 3 is twice as fast with the same slim design and all-day battery life.2 Updated with the 10th Generation Intel® Core™ processor, Surface Laptop 3 13.5” comes in new eye-catching colors, including Sandstone and Cobalt. Choose the warmth of the tone-on-tone Alcantara® or the sleek, new machined aluminum all-metal finish. We also introduced Surface Laptop 3 15”, adding a larger screen and industry-leading integrated graphics performance with the new AMD Ryzen Surface Edition processor. It’s the fastest 15” laptop you can buy.3 Surface Laptop 3 offers a more comfortable typing experience with a full 1.33mm key travel, now with a 20% larger glass trackpad, both USB-A and USB-C and Fast Charging, taking your Surface device to an 80% charge in about an hour. Improved front-facing cameras, OmniSonic speakers and dual far-field Studio Mics deliver crystal clear sound and audio whether you’re on a conference call, listening to music or watching a movie. Surface Laptop 3 13” starts at $999 and Surface Laptop 15” starts at $1199.

Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X
Surface Pro remains the most versatile 2:1 device you can buy – whether you choose Surface Pro 7 or the brand new ultra-mobile Surface Pro X. Redesigned from the inside out, Surface Pro 7 is now twice as fast with a 10th Generation Intel® Core™ processor, both USB-A and USB-C and an all-day battery.4 While Surface Pro 7 keeps the iconic design customers love and businesses rely on, we wanted to keep pushing our Pro line forward with Surface Pro X. At 5.33mm and 1.68 pounds, Surface Pro X is the thinnest, lightest, most powerful and most connected Surface Pro ever. The new Microsoft SQ1 processor codesigned with Qualcomm pushes 2 teraflops of graphics processing power, and is the fastest Qualcomm processor ever created for a PC. With 33% thinner bezels, we’ve given you the feel of a vibrant 13” edge-to-edge touch screen in the chassis of a 12” device.5 The new Surface Pro X Signature Keyboard includes pen docking for secure storage and charging for the new Slim Pen, so it’s always ready when you need it. Surface Pro 7 starts at $749 and Surface Pro X starts at $999.

Surface Earbuds and Accessories
Featuring an ultra-comfortable and stable fit, Surface Earbuds offer intuitive touch and voice controls for music, calls and more. Experience rich, immersive Omnisonic sound, and instantly play Spotify from your Android phone with a triple tap on either earbud.6 Screen-free integration with Office 365 lets you access your Outlook calendar and email with your voice7,8 (in the U.S.) and even get live, on-screen captions and translations in PowerPoint. Enjoy all-day battery life with the included wireless charging case.9 Surface Earbuds are priced at $249.

We’re also announcing a range of accessories that will help customize the way you work – from type covers, pens and mice designed to work with our Surface products to a selection of accessories to help you be more productive from any PC. We built on decades of experience delivering workspace comfort with the new Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard and Mouse, introduced the sleek, affordable Bluetooth® Keyboard and compact, colorful Bluetooth® Mouse, and are offering new colors for our popular Arc Mouse.

Surface + Office, built for modern productivity
Today Office announced several new features that take advantage of new capabilities in the Surface lineup to make you more productive. New Office enhancements include transcription in Word for the web, inking capabilities in Excel that leverage the new Surface Slim Pen and ultra-portability of the Surface Pro X, gesture support in PowerPoint for the new Surface Earbuds, and ink and voice comments in Word that take advantage of all of it.

A new era of mobile creativity
With Surface Neo and Surface Duo we are introducing a new category of dual-screen devices designed to help people get more done on smaller, more mobile form factors. Today, people carry PCs, tablets and phones because each device performs a specific task well. Each screen does something we need when we need it. But these devices are limited with what they can achieve when you must switch between apps on a single screen or switch between screens altogether. When that switching happens, we break our focus. We break our flow.

What if we didn’t have to switch between devices, screens or apps? What if one device had two screens to keep us in flow? A device that is small enough to easily carry with you, but feels big in terms of productivity. That was the inspiration behind creating a dual-screen device that gives you the benefit of a larger screen or the flexibility of two screens when you want to do multiple things at once. Imagine being able to take a Microsoft Teams call on one screen and look something up on the web or view a document on another. Or simply being able to watch Netflix while doing email or chat. Switching seamlessly between tasks, without having to switch between devices.

Surface Neo and Surface Duo are optimized for the way we naturally multi-task, helping people get more done on the go.

Surface Neo
Surface Neo is dual-screen device built for productivity on Windows 10X, an expression of Windows 10. A 360-degree full-friction hinge connects two 9” screens, enabling Surface Neo to adapt to whatever posture you need in the moment. When you open it you have a full-size 13” display in the thinnest LCD in its class. It’s built for productivity and multitasking like a true PC would be – running full productivity apps, with a removable keyboard and compatibility with Surface Pen and Bluetooth® mouse.

Surface Duo
Surface Duo is the first Surface to fit in your pocket. Surface Duo brings together the best of Microsoft productivity experiences, Android apps and Surface hardware design into a single device you can take anywhere. And, yes, it makes phone calls. It has two paper-thin 5.6-inch screens that unfold to 8.3 inches, and just like Surface Neo, it can be used in a variety of modes to let you work the way you’d like.

To support Surface Neo, we are introducing Windows 10X, an expression of Windows 10 designed for a new category of dual-screen PCs. With Surface Duo we are building upon Android to marry cutting edge hardware with familiar software and services. We’re excited to work with developers and the industry to create the next wave of dual-screen computing and unlock a new era of mobile creativity.

Surface is built for business
Surface, combined with Microsoft 365, offers the enhanced productivity and security businesses are after, and the results are clear – more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies have purchased Surface. We’re listening to our customers and continue to design with them in mind. This means improved serviceability for Surface Laptop 3, removable SSDs in Surface Pro X, as well as new, more sustainable commercial packaging that significantly reduces the amount of waste by more than 30% in weight and volume compared to our historical retail packaging. With Windows 10 Pro, Advanced Exchange Service10 at no additional cost, and support for Windows Autopilot – users are instantly up and running securely with over-the-air updates.

Surface is driven by a singular ambition – to build the most productive devices on the planet to help people achieve more. We’ve challenged convention, invented new designs, and created devices that adapt software, services and AI to the way people naturally think and create. To keep you in flow. And we’re not done inventing.

Mountain View, Calif (September 12, 2019)… BMW i Ventures announced an investment in Trifacta, the global leader in data wrangling. The new capital will accelerate the company’s continued expansion into new geographies and product areas, in particular expanding upon the company’s use of intelligent automation throughout the platform.

“As we face an exponential growth in big data—from machines in our factories to connected cars on the road—we believe that Trifacta’s data prep solution will be key to accelerating the feedback loop between the hordes of data produced everyday and the types of insights and actions taken by large organizations,” said Marcus Behrendt, partner, BMW i Ventures. “Trifacta’s toolset is key to harvesting the data lakes and is therefore an enabler when shifting to a truly digital organization.”

With an exponential amount of data moving to the cloud, more data quality, preparation and pipeline workloads are moving there as well, causing an increased need to derive faster insights and deliver bottom line business results. Organizations can no longer rely on legacy, siloed data integration processes to handle the speed, scale and diversity of today’s data if they are going to take advantage of the transformational business opportunities provided by the advent of artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

“AI, machine learning and analytics have become the primary growth opportunities for the cloud today. Yet, it’s this meteoric growth that is causing barriers to success as AI projects overwhelmingly face the same problem — data quality,” said Adam Wilson, CEO, Trifacta. “As the pioneers in data wrangling,Trifacta offers the leading platform for managing data quality, preparation and pipelines that is natively integrated with all of the major cloud providers. A growing number of industry-leading organizations, including technology pioneers such as IBM and Google are choosing Trifacta to remove the critical barrier data wrangling presents to success with analytics and machine learning;.”

Through Trifacta’s unique combination of human-computer interaction, machine learning & scalable data processing it guides users through the process of exploring and preparing data. By democratizing the data wrangling experience, Trifacta empowers technical data scientists and engineers as well as non-technical business analysts to work beyond data silos to deliver quality outputs with greater efficiency to downstream analytics initiatives.

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About BMW i Ventures
BMW i Ventures, BMW’s EUR 500 million venture capital fund, invests money and resources in startups in the fields of autonomous driving, digital car and automotive cloud, e-mobility, artificial Intelligence and data, industry 4.0, shared and on-demand mobility, customer digital life, and energy services. The firm has already partnered with innovative companies such as Xometry, Yellowbrick, Zum, Urgent.ly, Lime, and Bright Machines. BMW i Ventures invests in all stages from seed and incubation to growth companies.

ABOUT Trifacta:
Trifacta is the global leader data wrangling. Trifacta leverages decades of innovative research in human-computer interaction, scalable data management and machine learning to make the process of preparing data faster and more intuitive. Around the globe, tens of thousands of users at more than 10,000 companies, including leading brands like Deutsche Boerse, Google, Kaiser Permanente, New York Life and PepsiCo, are unlocking the potential of their data with Trifacta’s market-leading data preparation solutions. Learn more at trifacta.com.

Following the European Commission’s July 2018 Android decision, Google is implementing a choice screen for general search providers on all Android phones and tablets shipped into the European Economic Area (EEA) where the Google Search app is pre-installed.

The choice screen will appear during initial device setup and will feature multiple search providers, including Google.

An illustrative version of the choice screen follows. Providers will vary by country.

FPO image

The user will be required to choose one search provider from the choice screen during setup. The effect of a user selecting a search provider from the choice screen will be to (i) set the search provider in a home screen search box to the selected provider, (ii) set the default search provider in Chrome (if installed) to the selected provider, and (iii) install the search app of the selected provider (if not already installed). Note that in the case where a user takes an action to remove the Google search widget (including by restoring a previous device configuration where the widget had been removed), the widget will not be shown.

The choice screen will begin appearing on devices distributed in the EEA starting in early 2020.

Eligible search providers will need to fill out an application form and can bid for inclusion based on an auction. The auction process is explained in greater detail below.

The choice screen auction
Google will use a first-price sealed-bid auction to select the other general search providers that appear in the choice screen. Google will conduct auctions on a per-country basis for the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Following the initial round of auctions, any subsequent rounds will occur once per year.

In each country auction, search providers will state the price that they are willing to pay each time a user selects them from the choice screen in the given country. Each country will have a minimum bid threshold. The three highest bidders that meet or exceed the bid threshold for a given country will appear in the choice screen for that country.

The auction winners, and Google, will be ordered randomly in the choice screen. In the event of a tie, Google will allocate the slots randomly among the tied bidders. In the event that fewer than three eligible search providers meet or exceed the bid threshold, Google will fill any remaining slots randomly from the pool of eligible search providers. The pool of eligible providers will include those that applied to participate in the choice screen but did not submit bids.

Eligibility criteria for participating in the choice screen
To ensure a good user experience, search providers that wish to participate in the choice screen must satisfy the following requirements.

General search provider: The search provider must operate a “general search service.” For purposes of the choice screen, a general search service is one that allows users to search for information across the entire Internet. Specialized or “vertical” search providers — those that only index content from a particular subject — are not eligible to participate in the choice screen. Search providers that are owned by or affiliated with the same company are eligible to appear on the choice screen only once. Search providers that syndicate search results from another provider are eligible to participate.

Localization: Search providers must provide local language support in the countries where they apply to participate. Local language support in this context means that the user interface of both the search app (e.g., settings menu) and the search results page (e.g., navigation buttons) must be provided in one of the required local languages. For a list of languages that must be supported by country, click here. For best practices for localizing apps, visit: https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/localization/.
App in Google Play. The search provider must have an app that is available for free in Google Play.

Delivery of technical assets. The search provider will be required to ensure that Google has all of the necessary technical assets for the implementation. The specific requirements will be provided with the application form.

Schedule for submitting applications and bids
August 2, 2019 Choice screen requirements and auction announced
September 13, 2019 Deadline to apply for eligibility and submit bids
October 31, 2019 List of providers that will appear in each EEA country confirmed
Application form
Interested search providers may request a full application from Google by completing the following form.

What is required to participate in the choice screen?

First, you’ll need to fill in this form. Google will then send you a full application that will allow you to confirm your eligibility and participate in the auction. Participating in the auction is the only way to secure a guaranteed place in the choice screen. If you’re eligible and don’t participate in the auction, you’ll appear in the choice screen only if there are empty slots and you’re randomly selected from among the pool of eligible rivals that have applied.

Why does Google use an auction to determine the search providers that appear in the choice screen?
An auction is a fair and objective method to determine which search providers are included in the choice screen. It allows search providers to decide what value they place on appearing in the choice screen and to bid accordingly.
The auction revenues help us to continue to invest in developing and maintaining the Android platform.

Will the number of eligible search providers there are in each country be made public?
No.
Will what other providers are bidding be made public?
No.

How will Google gather payments if a user selects my search service? How often?
Google will send a monthly invoice to search providers and charge only when the provider is selected by the user. Your monthly invoice will indicate how many selections came via the choice screen per country and the total amount owed to Google.

Can search providers still do pre-installation deals with OEMs?
Yes. Participation in the choice screen does not affect your ability to enter into pre-installation deals with OEMs.

Will the choice screen appear on devices where search rivals have done a pre-installation deal with a rival?
The choice screen will only be displayed on devices where the OEM has elected to pre-install the Google Search app. On devices where rival search providers are exclusively pre-installed, the choice screen will not be displayed.

Can a user change the search provider after it is selected?
Users will be able to customize their search services following the completion of the choice screen. For example, users may delete the search app that was selected through the choice screen, download additional search apps, change Chrome’s search default, or move, remove or replace the home screen search box.

When will a user see the choice screen?
During the initial setup of their new Android device, if the Google Search app is pre-installed.

Will a user see the choice screen more than once?
A user will see the choice screen once per device, at setup. If the user performs a factory reset on the device, however, the user will see the choice screen again during setup.

Are there any other costs or fees for the search providers?
Beyond the price that winning bidders will pay each time a user selects them from the choice screen, there are no costs associated with the auction or the choice screen. In particular, there are no upfront fees for participation in the choice screen, and no fees for search providers appearing in the choice screen without being selected by a user.

Can metasearch engines (aggregators) and search services that syndicate results from other providers participate in the choice screen?
Yes, so long as the service otherwise qualifies as a “general search service,” as defined above.

Where will the selected search provider’s app icon be placed upon installation?
The selected search provider’s icon will be placed according to the OEM’s device launcher logic, as if the user had downloaded the app from Google Play themselves.

We’ve formally reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission about privacy. We’ve agreed to pay a historic fine, but even more important, we’re going to make some major structural changes to how we build products and run this company.

We have a responsibility to protect people’s privacy. We already work hard to live up to this responsibility, but now we’re going to set a completely new standard for our industry.

As part of this settlement, we’re bringing our privacy controls more in line with our financial controls under the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation. Our executives, including me, will have to certify that all of the work we oversee meets our privacy commitments. Just as we have an audit committee of our board to oversee our financial controls, we’ll set up a new privacy committee of our board that will oversee our privacy program. We’ve also asked one of our most experienced product leaders to take on the role of Chief Privacy Officer for Products.

To implement this, we’ll have to review our technical systems to document any privacy risks and how we’re handling them. Going forward, when we ship a new feature that uses data, or modify an existing feature to use data in new ways, we’ll have to document any risks and the steps we’re taking to mitigate them. We expect it will take hundreds of engineers and more than a thousand people across our company to do this important work. And we expect it will take longer to build new products following this process going forward.

Overall, these changes go beyond anything required under US law today. The reason I support them is that I believe they will reduce the number of mistakes we make and help us deliver stronger privacy protections for everyone.

As we build our privacy-focused vision for the future of social networking that I outlined earlier this year, it’s critical we get this right. The next focus for our company is to build privacy protections as strong as the best services we provide. I’m committed to doing this well and delivering the best private social platform for our community.

At Samsung, we’ve always focused on pioneering the next generation of mobile innovation: new products and technologies that push the entire industry forward and help users do what they can’t. Earlier this year, we announced Galaxy Fold—Samsung’s first foldable device, and the beginning of an entirely new mobile category. Since then, we’ve made improvements to Galaxy Fold to ensure consumers have the best possible experience.

Samsung has taken the time to fully evaluate the product design, make necessary improvements and run rigorous tests to validate the changes we made. These design and construction improvements include:
The top protective layer of the Infinity Flex Display has been extended beyond the bezel, making it apparent that it is an integral part of the display structure and not meant to be removed.

Galaxy Fold features additional reinforcements to better protect the device from external particles while maintaining its signature foldable experience:
⚬ The top and bottom of the hinge area have been strengthened with newly added protection caps.
⚬ Additional metal layers underneath the Infinity Flex Display have been included to reinforce the protection of the display.
⚬ The space between the hinge and body of Galaxy Fold has been reduced.

Along with these improvements, Samsung has also been continuously working to improve the overall Galaxy Fold user experience, including optimizing more apps and services for its unique foldable UX. Samsung is conducting final product tests to make Galaxy Fold available to consumers starting from September in select markets. Availability details will be shared as we get closer to the launch.

Galaxy Fold completely reimagines the smartphone, changing the way you interact, communicate and experience everyday life. Precisely refined, slender and encased in luxuriously finished materials, Galaxy Fold lets you totally immerse yourself to whatever you need, wherever you are in the palm of your hand. Access your essentials on the cover display while holding Galaxy Fold comfortably in one hand, and open it up to use multiple apps at once. Now, with Galaxy Fold, you can review charts while talking on a video call, and search information, all at once.

All of us at Samsung appreciate the support and patience we’ve received from Galaxy fans all over the world. Galaxy Fold is a device long in the making, and we’re proud to share it with the world and look forward to bringing it to consumers.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced Kroger Technology has been named to Computerworld magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT for 2019. For the third consecutive year, Kroger’s technology team has been recognized by the annual list for having an innovative, industry-leading workplace culture. This year, Kroger ranks 49th among big companies.

“It is an inspiring time to be a part of Kroger Technology, a team leading disruption and transformation to improve the customer experience,” said Yael Cosset, senior vice president and chief information officer. “In support of Restock Kroger, we are creating a seamless model to provide our customers with anything, anytime, anywhere powered by technology.”

The 100 Best Places to Work in IT list is an annual ranking of the top work environments for technology professionals by Computerworld. The list is developed based on categories like benefits, career development, training and retention. Computerworld also conducts surveys of IT workers, and their responses are a factor in determining the rankings.

For the complete Computerworld Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT list, view here.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

Today we’re sharing plans for Calibra, a newly formed Facebook subsidiary whose goal is to provide financial services that will let people access and participate in the Libra network. The first product Calibra will introduce is a digital wallet for Libra, a new global currency powered by blockchain technology. The wallet will be available in Messenger, WhatsApp and as a standalone app — and we expect to launch in 2020.

If you have an internet connection today, you can access all kinds of useful services for little to no cost — whether you’re trying to keep in touch with family and friends, learn new things or even start a business. But when it comes to saving, sending and spending money, it’s not that simple.

For many people around the world, even basic financial services are still out of reach: almost half of the adults in the world don’t have an active bank account and those numbers are worse in developing countries and even worse for women. The cost of that exclusion is high — approximately 70% of small businesses in developing countries lack access to credit and $25 billion is lost by migrants every year through remittance fees.

This is the challenge we’re hoping to address with Calibra, a new digital wallet that you’ll be able to use to save, send and spend Libra.

From the beginning, Calibra will let you send Libra to almost anyone with a smartphone, as easily and instantly as you might send a text message and at low to no cost. And, in time, we hope to offer additional services for people and businesses, like paying bills with the push of a button, buying a cup of coffee with the scan of a code or riding your local public transit without needing to carry cash or a metro pass.

Here’s a sneak peek at what the experience of using Calibra will be like:

When it launches, Calibra will have strong protections in place to keep your money and your information safe. We’ll be using all the same verification and anti-fraud processes that banks and credit cards use, and we’ll have automated systems that will proactively monitor activity to detect and prevent fraudulent behavior. We’ll also offer dedicated live support to help if you lose your phone or your password — and if someone fraudulently gains access to your account and you lose some Libra as a result, we’ll offer you a refund.

We’ll also take steps to protect your privacy. Aside from limited cases, Calibra will not share account information or financial data with Facebook or any third party without customer consent. This means Calibra customers’ account information and financial data will not be used to improve ad targeting on the Facebook family of products. The limited cases where this data may be shared reflect our need to keep people safe, comply with the law and provide basic functionality to the people who use Calibra. Calibra will use Facebook data to comply with the law, secure customers’ accounts, mitigate risk and prevent criminal activity. You can read more about our commitments to privacy and consumer protection here.

We’re still early in the process of developing Calibra. Along the way we’ll be consulting with a wide range of experts to make sure we can deliver a product that is safe, private and easy to use for everyone. But we’re excited to share this early glimpse and we’ll share updates along the way. In the meantime, if you’d like to be among the first to know when Calibra is available, you can sign up here.

BROOKLYN, NY – June 6, 2019 – URBAN-X, a leading accelerator for startups reimagining city life, today announced its sixth cohort of companies. URBAN-X is part of the Innovation and Brand Strategy practice at MINI and partners with venture firm, Urban Us. The seven startups were selected from a competitive group of hundreds of applicants from across the globe and are building solutions to some of our cities most pressing issues.

Each company selected will participate in a 20-week intensive accelerator program to help develop hardware, software or IoT products and successful go-to-market strategies. Companies have access to hands-on assistance from URBAN-X’s expansive network of global experts – including world-class engineers and designers from BMW, software developers, policy experts, marketing and sales leaders, UX/UI designers and communications experts. Cohort 06 is also the first class to receive a $150,000 investment per company, up from $100,000 in previous cohorts.

The program will culminate in a Demo Day during Climate Week NYC in September 2019, where teams will present their solutions to an audience of investors, policymakers, customers and more. Following demo day, the companies are introduced to investors at investor days beginning in New York and the Bay Area.

Cohort 06 includes the following startups:

3AM Innovation: Situational tracking during emergencies to improve on-scene awareness for first responders
Cove.Tool: Automated building performance modeling to save time and money for early stage design
Evolve Energy: Reducing carbon emissions while saving costs via renewable energy, real time pricing and home IOT
Food For All: Tackling food waste by partnering with popular restaurants and offering quality meals for as little as $4
Hubbster: Building stronger communities by transforming public spaces into social experiences
Pi Variables: Enhancing road safety and traffic guidance via innovative hardware, software and design-focused solutions
Varuna: A cloud-based platform that provides analytics and insights to improve water quality by optimizing utility operations

MINI launched URBAN-X in 2016 as part of their Innovation and Brand Strategy practice focused on improving city life. URBAN-X engages with the brightest minds solving some of the most complex issues people living in cities face today, like mobility, energy consumption, infrastructure, housing, food waste, water and more. The accelerator now has 44 companies in the portfolio, with 85% of companies having gone on to raise their next round of capital.

“Cohort 06 is working on solutions to some of the most critical issues impacting our cities today,” said Esther Bahne, MINI Head of Brand Strategy & Innovation. “Through URBAN-X, MINI is making an investment that inspires entrepreneurship, design and collaboration with creative thinkers to develop sustainable solutions to real problems.”

“Cities and emerging technology companies are powerful partners in helping to tackle our cities biggest challenges,” said URBAN-X Managing Director, Micah Kotch. “We look forward to working with Cohort 06 and bringing their solutions to scale across a diverse set of industries that impact city living.”

In 2017, Urban Us partnered with URBAN-X to help fund and develop the accelerator’s next generation of human-focused city innovation.

“Urban Us and MINI share a deep commitment to advancing the future of our cities through technology, investment and mentorship,” said Shaun Abrahamson, URBAN-X Investment Committee and Managing Partner at Urban Us. “Since partnering with MINI, we’ve seen incredible results from URBAN-X startups. We are ready to get started to help Cohort 06 startup founders achieve long-lasting results.”

Applications for URBAN-X’s next cohort of startups, Cohort 07 are open. Interested early-stage companies can apply at www.urban-x.com/apply through October 1, 2019.

About URBAN-X
URBAN-X is a leading accelerator for startups reimagining city life. Founded by MINI and run in partnership with Urban Us, URBAN-X helps early-stage companies work with and in cities. URBAN-X has a global reach unparalleled by any other urbantech accelerator. Startups have access to a network of over 2,000 partners around the world, including entrepreneurs, investors, and public-sector leaders, who support founders through the URBAN-X program.

During the year, URBAN-X leadership visits cities worldwide—in the US, Europe, Asia and beyond—to meet entrepreneurs and individuals shaping the future of urban life. URBAN-X is based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn at A/D/O, a creative space founded by MINI and dedicated to exploring the boundaries of design. Applications for Cohort 06 are currently open at www.URBAN-X.com. Find URBAN-X on Twitter & Instagram at @urbanxaccel and on Facebook at facebook.com/urbanxaccel.

About MINI Innovation
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. As an iconic and emotional urban brand, MINI has taken a unique approach to innovation, carrying forward its roots as an innovator of efficient urban mobility while maximizing creative use of space. Although MINI benefits from BMW Group technological advancements, including those in autonomous, connected, electrified and shared segments, MINI has evolved its thinking and product development across a unique range of areas that interest with mobility and extend beyond the car. MINI Innovation is focused on the future of electrified mobility, impactful design, urban living and the important interplay between these areas. The practice includes: A/D/O, URBAN-X, MINI Living and MINI Fashion.

Urban Us
Urban Us is the leading early stage investor for startups re-imagining cities. Cities will soon be home to 70% of the global population, who now face unprecedented risk from climate change. Our 2014 and 2016 funds achieve top quartile performance for investors while also generating substantial public benefits. Urban Us recently launched our third fund to continue our focus on founders reimagining cities as well as a new non-equity fund focused on areas like project and asset finance.

The Urban Us platform includes the Urban Us network, a resource for urbantech focused founders, investors, partners and customers. URBAN-X, in partnership with MINI, supports early stage teams with company building and fundraising. Perl Street serves teams needing access to non-equity capital for project finance, asset finance and inventory finance. Our newest partnerships will help startups access partners and customers in Asia.

Before Urban Us, the Urban Us team had three exits and ran a VC fund and municipal finance for Citi. Notable investments before Urban Us include Trialpay, Blue Bottle Coffee, Refinery29 and ZocDoc. The Urban Us portfolio includes 53 investments across real estate, infrastructure, energy, water, waste, food, transportation and public administration including health and security. Notable investments include, Bowery Farming, Starcity, Mark43, One Concern, Future Motion, Skycatch, BRCK and Rachio.

Today, more than 5,000 developers, creators and entrepreneurs from around the world came together for F8, our annual conference about the future of technology.

Mark Zuckerberg opened the two-day event with a keynote on how we’re building a more privacy-focused social platform — giving people spaces where they can express themselves freely and feel connected to the people and communities that matter most. He shared how this is a fundamental shift in how we build products and run our company.

Mark then turned it over to leaders from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and AR/VR to share more announcements. Here are the highlights:

Messenger
As we build for a future of more private communications, Messenger announced several new products and features to help create closer ties between people, businesses and developers.

A Faster, Lighter App
People expect their messaging apps to be fast and reliable. We’re excited to announce that we’re re-building the architecture of Messenger from the ground up to be faster and lighter than ever before. This completely re-engineered Messenger will begin to roll out later this year.

A Way to Watch Together
When you’re not together with friends or family in your physical living room, Messenger will now let you discover and watch videos from Facebook together in real time. You’ll be able to seamlessly share a video from the Facebook app on Messenger and invite others to watch together while messaging or on a video chat. This could be your favorite show, a funny clip or even home videos. We are testing this now and will begin to roll it out globally later this year.

A Desktop App for Messenger
People want to seamlessly message from any device, and sometimes they just want a little more space to share and connect with the people they care about most. So today we’re announcing a Messenger Desktop app. You can download the app on your desktop — both Windows and MacOS — and have group video calls, collaborate on projects or multi-task while chatting in Messenger. We are testing this now and will roll it out globally later this year.

Better Ways to Connect with Close Friends
Close connections are built on messaging, which is why we are making it easier for you to find the content from the people you care about the most. In Messenger, we are introducing a dedicated space where you can discover Stories and messages with your closest friends and family. You’ll also be able to share snippets from your own day and can choose exactly who sees what you post. This will roll out later this year.

Helping Businesses Connect with Customers
We’re making it even easier for businesses to connect with potential customers by adding lead generation templates to Ads Manager. There, businesses can easily create an ad that drives people to a simple Q&A in Messenger to learn more about their customers. And to make it easier to book an appointment with businesses like car dealerships, stylists or cleaning services, we’ve created an appointment experience so people can book appointments within a Messenger conversation.

WhatsApp
Business Catalog
People and businesses are finding WhatsApp a great way to connect. In the months ahead people will be able to see a business catalog right within WhatsApp when chatting with a business. With catalogs, businesses can showcase their goods so people can easily discover them.

Facebook
People have always come to Facebook to connect with friends and family, but over time it’s become more than that – it’s also a place to connect with people who share your interests and passions. Today we’re making changes that put Groups at the center of Facebook and sharing new ways Facebook can help bring people together offline.

A Fresh Design
We’re rolling out FB5, a fresh new design for Facebook that’s simpler, faster, more immersive and puts your communities at the center. Overall, we’ve made it easier to find what you’re looking for and get to your most-used features.

People will start seeing some of these updates in the Facebook app right away, and the new desktop site will come in the next few months.

Putting Groups First
This redesign makes it easy for people to go from public spaces to more private ones, like Groups. There are tens of millions of active groups on Facebook. When people find the right one, it often becomes the most meaningful part of how they use Facebook. Today, more than 400 million people on Facebook belong to a group that they find meaningful. That’s why we’re introducing new tools that will make it easier for you to discover and engage with groups of people who share your interests:

Redesigned Groups tab to make discovery easier: We’ve completely redesigned the Groups tab and made discovery even better. The tab now shows a personalized feed of activity across all your groups. And the new discovery tool with improved recommendations lets you quickly find groups you might be interested in.

Making it easier to participate in Groups: We’re also making it easier to get relevant group recommendations elsewhere in the app like in Marketplace, Today In, the Gaming tab, and Facebook Watch. You may see more content from your groups in News Feed. And, you will be able to share content directly to your groups from News Feed, the same way you do with friends and family.

New features to support specific communities: Different communities have different needs, so we’re introducing new features for different types of groups. Through new Health Support groups, members can post questions and share information without their name appearing on a post. Job groups will have a new template for employers to post openings, and easier ways for job seekers to message the employer and apply directly through Facebook. Gaming groups will get a new chat feature so members can create threads for different topics within the group. And because we know people use Facebook Live to sell things in Buy and Sell groups, we’re exploring ways to let buyers easily ask questions and place orders without leaving the live broadcast.

Connecting with Your Secret Crush
On Facebook Dating, you can opt in to discover potential matches within your own Facebook communities: events, groups, friends of friends and more. It’s currently available in Colombia, Thailand, Canada, Argentina, and Mexico — and today, we’re expanding to 14 new countries: Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Guyana, and Suriname.

We’re also announcing a new feature called Secret Crush. People have told us that they believe there is an opportunity to explore potential romantic relationships within their own extended circle of friends. So now, if you choose to use Secret Crush, you can select up to nine of your Facebook friends who you want to express interest in. If your crush has opted into Facebook Dating, they will get a notification saying that someone has a crush on them. If your crush adds you to their Secret Crush list, it’s a match! If your crush isn’t on Dating, doesn’t create a Secret Crush list, or doesn’t put you on their list, no one will know that you’ve entered a friend’s name.

A Way to Meet New Friends
We’ve created Meet New Friends to help people start friendships with new people from their shared communities like a school, workplace or city. It’s opt-in, so you will only see other people that are open to meeting new friends, and vice versa. We’ve started testing Meet New Friends in a few places, and we’ll roll it out wider soon. We will also be integrating Facebook Groups, making it possible to meet new friends from your most meaningful communities on Facebook.

Shipping on Marketplace
People will soon be able to ship Marketplace items anywhere in the continental US and pay for their purchases directly on Facebook. For sellers this means reaching more buyers and getting paid securely, and for buyers this means shopping more items — near or far.

A New Events Tab
This summer we’re introducing the new Events tab so you can see what’s happening around you, get recommendations, discover local businesses, and coordinate with friends to make plans to get together.

Instagram
We rolled out new ways to connect people with each other and their interests on Instagram.

The Ability to Shop from Creators
Starting next week, you can shop inspiring looks from the creators you love without leaving Instagram. Instead of taking a screenshot or asking for product details in comments or Direct, you can simply tap to see exactly what your favorite creators are wearing and buy it on the spot. Anyone in our global community will be able to shop from creators. We’ll begin testing this with a small group of creators next week, with plans to expand access over time. For more information on shopping from creators, click here.

A Way to Fundraise for Causes
Starting today, you can raise money for a nonprofit you care about directly on Instagram. Through a donation sticker in Stories, you can create a fundraiser and mobilize your community around a cause you care about — with 100% of the money raised on Instagram going to the nonprofit you’re supporting. This will be available in the US now and we’re working to bring it to more countries. To learn more, check out the Instagram Help Center here.

A New and Improved Camera
In the coming weeks, we’re introducing a new camera design including Create Mode, which gives you an easy way to share without a photo or video. This new camera will make it easier to use popular creative tools like effects and interactive stickers, so you can express yourself more freely.

AR/VR
We’re building technology around how we naturally interact with people. We announced a number of new ways we’re helping people connect more deeply in video calls through Portal. We shared more on our work to bring AR experiences to more people and platforms, and we opened pre-orders for Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift S.

Portal Expands Internationally this Fall
Beginning with an initial expansion from the US to Canada, we’ll also offer the Portal and Portal+ in Europe this fall. We’re bringing WhatsApp to Portal — and we’ll be bringing end-to-end encryption to all calls. You’ll be able to call any of your friends who use WhatsApp — or Messenger — on their Portal, or on their phone.

Beyond Video Calling
This summer we are adding new ways to connect on Portal. You’ll be able to say, “Hey Portal, Good Morning” to get updates on birthdays, events and more. We’re also adding the ability to send private video messages from Portal to your loved ones. And, through our collaboration with Amazon, we’re adding more visual features and Alexa skills to Portal, including Flash Briefings, smart home control and the Amazon Prime Video app later this year. You’ll also be able to use Facebook Live on Portal, so you can share special moments, with your closest friends, in real time.

SuperFrame to Display Your Favorite Photos
Portal’s SuperFrame lets you display your favorite photos when you’re not on a call. You can already add photos to SuperFrame from your Facebook feed, and starting today, you’ll be able to add your favorites from Instagram as well. And our new mobile app will let you add photos to Portal’s Superframe directly from your camera roll, later this summer.

Spark AR Expands to More People
Since last F8, we’ve seen over one billion people use AR experiences powered by Spark AR, with hundreds of millions using AR each month across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and Portal. Starting today, the new Spark AR Studio supports both Windows and Mac and includes new features and functionality for creation and collaboration. We’re also opening Instagram to the entire Spark AR creator and developer ecosystem this summer.

Oculus Quest and Rift S Pre-Orders Open
Our two newest virtual reality headsets — Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift S — ship May 21. Oculus Quest, our first all-in-one VR gaming system, lets you pick up and play almost anywhere without being tethered to a PC. For those with a gaming PC, Rift S gets you into the most immersive content that VR has to offer. Both start at $399 USD and you can pre-order today at oculus.com.

We’re also launching the new Oculus for Business later this year. We’re adding Oculus Quest to the program and will provide a suite of tools designed to help companies reshape the way they do business through VR.

With each feature and product announced today, we want to help people discover their communities, deepen their connections, find new opportunities and simply have fun. We’re excited to see all the ways developers, creators and entrepreneurs use these tools as we continue to build more private ways for people to communicate. For more details on today’s news, see our Developer Blog, Engineering Blog, Oculus Blog, Messenger Blog, and Instagram Press Center. You can also watch all F8 keynotes on the Facebook for Developers Page.

WASHINGTON – Today, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it would issue a Temporary General License (TGL) amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to authorize specific, limited engagement in transactions involving the export, reexport, and transfer of items – subject to the EAR – to Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and its sixty-eight non-U.S. affiliates, which were added to the Bureau’s Entity List on May 16, 2019. This license will be effective on May 20, 2019 and lasts 90 days.

“The Temporary General License grants operators time to make other arrangements and the Department space to determine the appropriate long term measures for Americans and foreign telecommunications providers that currently rely on Huawei equipment for critical services,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “In short, this license will allow operations to continue for existing Huawei mobile phone users and rural broadband networks.”

The Temporary General License authorizes certain activities necessary to the continued operations of existing networks and to support existing mobile services, including cybersecurity research critical to maintaining the integrity and reliability of existing and fully operational networks and equipment. Exporters will be required to maintain certifications, to be made available when requested by BIS, regarding their use of the TGL. With the exception of the transactions explicitly authorized by the TGL, any exports, reexports, or in country transfers of items subject to the EAR will continue to require a special license granted after a review by BIS under a presumption of denial. The Department will evaluate whether to extend the TGL beyond 90 days.

Huawei was added to the Entity List after the Department concluded that the company is engaged in activities that are contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests, including alleged violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to violate IEEPA by providing prohibited financial services to Iran, and obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation of those alleged violations of U.S. sanctions, among other illicit activities.

The Bureau of Industry and Security’s mission is to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership. BIS is committed to preventing U.S.-origin items from supporting Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) projects, terrorism, or destabilizing military modernization programs. For more information, please visit www.bis.doc.gov

San Jose, Calif., and Seattle, Wash., May 17, 2019 – Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE) and Cray Inc. (Nasdaq: CRAY), a global supercomputer leader, today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which HPE will acquire Cray for $35.00 per share in cash, in a transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion, net of cash.

“Answers to some of society’s most pressing challenges are buried in massive amounts of data,” said Antonio Neri, President and CEO, HPE. “Only by processing and analyzing this data will we be able to unlock the answers to critical challenges across medicine, climate change, space and more. Cray is a global technology leader in supercomputing and shares our deep commitment to innovation. By combining our world-class teams and technology, we will have the opportunity to drive the next generation of high performance computing and play an important part in advancing the way people live and work.”

The Explosion of Data is Driving Strong HPC Growth
The explosion of data from artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics and evolving customer needs for data-intensive workloads are driving a significant expansion in HPC.

Over the next three years the HPC segment of the market and associated storage and services is expected to grow from approximately $28 billion in 2018 to approximately $35 billion in 2021, a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9 percent. Exascale is a growing segment of overall HPC opportunities and more than $4 billion of Exascale opportunities are expected to be awarded over the next five years.

Addressing complex challenges and advancing critical academic research, including predicting future weather patterns, delivering breakthrough medical discoveries, and preventing cyber-attacks, requires significant computational capabilities, up to and through Exascale level architecture. Exascale capable systems enable solutions to these problems with much greater precision and insight.

“This is an amazing opportunity to bring together Cray’s leading-edge technology and HPE’s wide reach and deep product portfolio, providing customers of all sizes with integrated solutions and unique supercomputing technology to address the full spectrum of their data-intensive needs,” said Peter Ungaro, President and CEO of Cray. “HPE and Cray share a commitment to customer-centric innovation and a vision to create the global leader for the future of high performance computing and AI. On behalf of the Cray Board of Directors, we are pleased to have reached an agreement that we believe maximizes value and are excited for the opportunities that this unique combination will create for both our employees and our customers.”

Cray is a Leading Innovator in Supercomputer Solutions
Cray is the premier provider of high-end supercomputing solutions that address customers’ most challenging, data-intensive workloads for making critical decisions. Cray has a leadership position in the top 100 supercomputer installations around the globe. With a history tying back to Cray Research, which was founded in 1972, Cray is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with US-based manufacturing, and approximately 1,300 employees worldwide. The company delivered revenue of $456 million in its most recent fiscal year, up 16 percent year over year.

Cray’s supercomputing systems, delivered through their current generation XC and CS platforms, and next-generation Shasta series platform, have the ability to handle massive data sets, converged modeling, simulation, AI, and analytics workloads. In addition to supercomputers, they offer high-performance storage, low-latency high performance HPC interconnects, a full HPC system software stack and programming environment, data analytics, and AI solutions – all currently delivered through integrated systems.

Cray recently announced an Exascale supercomputer contract for over $600 million for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The system, which is targeted to be the world’s fastest system, will enable groundbreaking research and AI at unprecedented scale, using Cray’s new Shasta system architecture and Slingshot interconnect. The company was also part of an award with Intel for the first U.S. Exascale contract from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, with Cray’s portion of the contract valued at over $100 million.

Cray Strengthens and Expands HPE’s High Performance Computing Portfolio
High performance computing is a key component of HPE’s vision and growth strategy and the company currently offers world-class HPC solutions, including HPE Apollo and SGI, to customers worldwide. This portfolio will be further strengthened by leveraging Cray’s foundational technologies and adding complementary solutions. The combined company will also reach a broader set of end markets, offering enterprise, academic and government customers a broad range of solutions and deep expertise to solve their most complex problems. Together, HPE and Cray will have enhanced opportunities for growth and the integrated platform, scale and resources to lead the Exascale era of high performance computing.

The combination of HPE and Cray is expected to deliver significant customer benefits including:
Future HPC-as-a-Service and AI / ML analytics through HPE GreenLake
A comprehensive end-to-end portfolio of HPC infrastructure – compute, high-performance storage, system interconnects, software and services supplementing existing HPE capabilities to address the full spectrum of customers’ data-intensive needs
Differentiated next-generation technology addressing data intensive workloads
Increased innovation and technological leadership from leveraging greater scale, combined talent and expanded technology capabilities
Enhanced supply chain capabilities leveraging US-based manufacturing

Significant Economic Upside Expected to be Realized from the Combination

Bringing together HPE and Cray enables an enhanced financial profile for the combined company that includes several revenue growth opportunities and cost synergies.

The companies expect the combination to drive significant revenue growth opportunities by:

Capitalizing on the growing HPC segment of the market and Exascale opportunities
Enhancing HPE’s customer base with a complementary footprint in federal business and academia and the company’s ability to accelerate commercial supercomputing adoption
Introducing new offerings in AI / ML and HPC-as-a-service with HPE GreenLake
We also expect to deliver significant cost synergies through efficiencies and by leveraging proprietary Cray technology, like the Slingshot interconnect, to lower costs and improve product performance.

About Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is a global technology leader focused on developing intelligent solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze and act upon data seamlessly from edge to cloud. HPE enables customers to accelerate business outcomes by driving new business models, creating new customer and employee experiences, and increasing operational efficiency today and into the future.

About Cray
Cray Inc. (Nasdaq:CRAY) combines computation and creativity so visionaries can keep asking questions that challenge the limits of possibility. Drawing on more than 45 years of experience, Cray develops the world’s most advanced supercomputers, pushing the boundaries of performance, efficiency and scalability. Cray continues to innovate today at the convergence of data and discovery, offering a comprehensive portfolio of supercomputers, high-performance storage, data analytics and artificial intelligence solutions. Go to www.Cray.com for more information.

BOSTON – Brightcove Inc. (NASDAQ: BCOV), the leading provider of cloud services for video, today announced it has completed the acquisition of the online video platform business of Ooyala, a provider of cloud video technology.

The strategic acquisition strengthens Brightcove’s position as the market leader in the online video industry. Ooyala OVP customers join an already impressive list of companies working with Brightcove.

“This is an exciting time for the company as we integrate Ooyala’s OVP business into Brightcove. We are thrilled to welcome Ooyala’s OVP customers to the family, along with our new team members in Guadalajara and around the globe. We look forward to providing a world-class experience for all of our new, future, and existing customers and employees” said Jeff Ray, CEO, Brightcove. “The addition of our new team members further positions Brightcove to accelerate our speed of innovation and provide deeper support for all of our customers. We are living in the age of video and are 100% committed to ensuring that our customers reap the power and value of video technology to help propel their businesses forward.”

Since its inception, Brightcove has been dedicated to building a best-in-class global video platform with solutions to support media, entertainment, marketing, and enterprise companies. Aspects of Ooyala’s technology will be integrated into the Brightcove platform to provide a best in class offering for all customers.

To learn more about Brightcove solutions, contact us directly, join video enthusiasts and Brightcove users from around the world at the only video conference of its kind at PLAY 2019, May 14-16, in Boston, or visit booth #SU1920 at NAB Show from April 8-11, in Las Vegas.

About Brightcove
Brightcove Inc. (NASDAQ:BCOV) is the leading global provider of powerful cloud solutions for managing, delivering, and monetizing video experiences on every screen. A pioneering force in the world of online video since the company’s founding in 2004, Brightcove’s award-winning technology, unparalleled services, extensive partner ecosystem, and proven global scale have helped thousands of companies in over 70 countries achieve better business results with video. To learn more, visit www.brightcove.com.

For nearly a decade, we’ve been in discussions with the European Commission about the way some of our products work. Throughout this process, we’ve always agreed on one thing一that healthy, thriving markets are in everyone’s interest.

A key characteristic of open and competitive markets一and of Google’s products一is constant change. Every year, we make thousands of changes to our products, spurred by feedback from our partners and our users. Over the last few years, we’ve also made changes一to Google Shopping; to our mobile apps licenses; and to AdSense for Search一in direct response to formal concerns raised by the European Commission.

Since then, we’ve been listening carefully to the feedback we’re getting, both from the European Commission, and from others. As a result, over the next few months, we’ll be making further updates to our products in Europe.

Since 2017, when we adapted Google Shopping to comply with the Commission’s order, we’ve made a number of changes to respond to feedback. Recently, we’ve started testing a new format that gives direct links to comparison shopping sites, alongside specific product offers from merchants.

On Android phones, you’ve always been able to install any search engine or browser you want, irrespective of what came pre-installed on the phone when you bought it. In fact, a typical Android phone user will usually install around 50 additional apps on their phone.

After the Commission’s July 2018 decision, we changed the licensing model for the Google apps we build for use on Android phones, creating new, separate licenses for Google Play, the Google Chrome browser, and for Google Search. In doing so, we maintained the freedom for phone makers to install any alternative app alongside a Google app.

Now we’ll also do more to ensure that Android phone owners know about the wide choice of browsers and search engines available to download to their phones. This will involve asking users of existing and new Android devices in Europe which browser and search apps they would like to use.

We’ve always tried to give people the best and fastest answers一whether direct from Google, or from the wide range of specialist websites and app providers out there today. These latest changes demonstrate our continued commitment to operating in an open and principled way.

March 18, 2019 – OneWeb, a global communications company with a mission to bring connectivity to everyone, everywhere, announces it has secured its largest fundraising round to date with the successful raise of $1.25 billion in new capital. This brings the total funds raised to $3.4 billion. This round was led by SoftBank Group Corp., Grupo Salinas, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., and the Government of Rwanda.

The new funds, following the successful first launch of OneWeb’s satellites, enable the company to accelerate the development of the first truly global communications network by 2021. OneWeb’s system will deliver high speed, low latency, seamless broadband access, everywhere on Earth.

“This latest funding round, our largest to date, makes OneWeb’s service inevitable and is a vote of confidence from our core investor base in our business model and the OneWeb value proposition,” said Adrian Steckel, CEO of OneWeb. “With the recent successful launch of our first six satellites, near-completion of our innovative satellite manufacturing facility with our partner Airbus, progress towards fully securing our ITU priority spectrum position, and the signing of our first customer contracts, OneWeb is moving from the planning and development stage to deployment of our full constellation. Our success is made possible thanks to the backing of our investors and the cooperation of our world class commercial partners including Arianespace, Airbus, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., Virgin, and Hughes.”

OneWeb’s satellites, produced through its joint venture with Airbus doing business as “OneWeb Satellites”, will ramp-up production this spring at its new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Exploration Park, Florida. Following the company’s successful launch of satellites on February 27th, OneWeb will embark on the largest satellite launch campaign in history. Starting in Q4, OneWeb will begin monthly launches of more than 30 satellites at a time, creating an initial constellation of 650 satellites to enable full global coverage. After this first phase, OneWeb will add more satellites to its constellation to meet growing demands.

On the additional investment, Marcelo Claure, COO of SoftBank Group Corp. and CEO of SoftBank Group International said: “OneWeb has extended its first-mover advantage and is on track to become the world’s largest and first truly global communications network. At SoftBank, our aim is to invest in transformative companies at the leading edge of technology disruption. OneWeb’s potential is undeniable as the growth in data from 5G, IoT, autonomous driving and other new technologies drives demand for capacity above and beyond the limits of the existing infrastructure.”

OneWeb’s priority rights to a large block of globally harmonized spectrum and its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation design will enable a unique combination of high speed, low latency, and truly global service. OneWeb’s network will go beyond the limits of existing infrastructure, enabling connectivity for rural communities and schools as well as for business and industries that demand seamless global connectivity solutions such as Aviation, Maritime, Backhaul, and Land Mobility. OneWeb’s customers will be able to develop and support a wide range of emerging applications that require real-time communication and collaboration.

“I have worked for over 20 years to bring network access to people throughout Mexico and Latin America and have seen first-hand the power of connectivity to change and improve lives. OneWeb will have the ability to reach places that have previously been impossible to connect. We are proud to be supporting Adrian and the entire OneWeb team and are looking forward to creating new opportunities for people everywhere,” said Ricardo Salinas, Founder and Chairman of Grupo Salinas.

Greg Wyler, Chairman and Founder of OneWeb, added “We are committed to bridging the digital divide, and this funding helps ensure our globally shared dream will soon become a reality. We look forward to continuing our work with the many supportive and forward-looking Governments, ISP’s, and Telecom Operators to help them broaden the reach of connectivity to connect people everywhere.”

OneWeb’s network will provide services to billions and will support the emerging digital economy and advanced mobile application needs. To support the deployment of the system, OneWeb relies on high-tech satellite operation centers in both Virginia and in London, and has installed ground stations in Italy, Norway, and Canada, with more on the way. A global company, OneWeb now has offices in Virginia, London, Florida, California, and has recruited top talent around the world to execute the rollout of its system.

For more information please visit www.oneweb.world or follow us on Twitter & Instagram.

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About OneWeb

OneWeb’s mission is to enable Internet access for everyone, everywhere. OneWeb is building a communications network with a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that will provide connectivity to people around the world. OneWeb is creating business solutions for Broadband, Government and Cellular Backhaul. Its high speed, low latency, network will offer game-changing Mobility solutions to industries that rely on global connectivity, such as Aviation, Maritime, Automotive, Trains and more. http://www.oneweb.world