Wireless Tech Chat

From Engadget: In braille, a character is made up of six dots laid out on a two by three matrix — not something that can really be conveyed using capacitive touchscreen technology. Working with a Nokia 770 Internet Tablet, researchers in Finland have developed a method for piezoelectric touchscreen devices that uses a single pulse of intense vibration to convey a raised dot, and a longer vibration made up of several weaker pulses to represent a missing dot — spelling out letters that can be easily read by touch. It took a while for volunteers to get used to this method, but once they had they were able to read a character in as little as 1.25 seconds. Now that they have letters down, the team is moving on to words and sentences — with an eye towards developing text-to-braille software sometime in the future.

To discover how visually impaired volunteers would prefer to receive these vibrations, the team developed two different presentation methods. In the first, the user touches the screen on the left-hand side to read whether or not there is a bump in that position of the matrix, then moves their finger horizontally across the screen to read the remaining five dots. “But it wasn’t that easy to read,” says Rantala.

In the second method, the user simply places a finger anywhere on the screen and holds it still. The phone then displays a character by vibrating the sequence of six dots, each 360 milliseconds apart. “It took some time for them to start reading, because this representation is totally different from anything else that they had previously used,” says Rantala. But once the volunteers were used to it, they were able to speed it up and read a character in as little as 1.25 seconds.

From Engadget: Dell’s putting on the neon lights for its new line of Inspiron desktops, and as usual, customization’s the key here. In addition to two body types — slim (pictured) and mini tower — there’s eight different colors to choose from: Piano Black, Pure White, True Blue, Formula Red, Tangerine Orange, Spring Green, Plum Purple and Promise Pink. That last one’s tied to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure program, which the company currently donates to for every Promise Pink laptop it sells. Processor options include Intel Celeron, Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Quad, and AMD Sempron, Athlon X2 and Phenom X4. Other specs include six USB ports (two in front, four in back), up to 8GB RAM on select systems, integrated Intel graphics or ATI Radeon GPUs, and up to 750GB HDD for slims and 1TB for mini-towers. If you’re currently in the market for a new PC, you might want to hold off just a tad longer. These new Inspirons are due out this Spring for US and China and start at $299 for the lowest of the low-end models.

From pc/hardwares.about.com: The Bottom Line
Dell’s Inspiron E530s slimline design helps reduce the overall size of the system but it retains much of the performance and features of its full sized version. This is a great low cost system for those looking to save a little desktop space but dont want to sacrifice performance.

Pros
Full Desktop Components
Relatively Low Cost
Includes LCD Monitor
Cons
Half-Height Card Slots Limit Expansion Possibilities
Lacks FireWire Port
Description
Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 Dual Core Desktop Processor
1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
320GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
16x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
Intel GMA X3100 Integrated Graphics
Dell SE198WFP 19″ LCD Monitor
10/100 Ethernet
Six USB 2.0 Ports
14.2″ x 17.1″ x 3.9″

from engadget:Good news, pre-orderers. ASUS’ 15.6-inch Eee Top all-in-one PC is now shipping from legitimate e-tailers around the web. Just in case you’ve fogtotten just under six bills buys you a 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and Windows XP Home. In other words, netbook components tucked within an LCD. Of course, we’d recommend holding off for the much larger, much more HD-friendly ET2203 and ET2003, but it’s your loot.

The Eee Top ET1602 builds upon Asus’ popular line of Eee-branded products by introducing an all-in-one desktop form factor, complete with a 15.6″ touch screen. Like the Eee PC netbooks that preceded it, the Eee Top ET1602 is built around Intel’s low-power Atom platform, with the 945 GSE chipset. Other features include an integrated webcam and 802.11n Wi-Fi, 4W speakers with SRS Premium Sound enhancement, and a flash memory card reader. At about $599, the Eee Top ET1602 is relatively expensive considering its performance, but its integrated touch screen and proprietary Asus Eee applications help to somewhat justify the investment for a system that offers such ease of use and innovative touch interface features.

Video from hothardware.com

Looking for an all-in-one but don’t want to pay Apple-level prices? Well, the new Asus EEE Top is now available for preorder in the US.

The 15.6-inch models are set to ship from Amazon on March 9th for $600. It comes in either black or white, loaded up with a custom touchscreen interface, a 1.6GHz Atom processort, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, built-in webcam, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Windows XP.

And if 15.6 inches is a bit too small for you, rumor has it your patience could be rewarded with a 22-inch version coming out later.

From Gotta Be Mobile: Slingbox showed us its iPhone application at CES 2009, but it hasn’t been released on iTunes quite yet. They hoped it would be live by the end of Q1, but it’s anyone’s guess as to when Apple will approve it. Things seem to be progressing in the right direction though, with Slingbox publishing a new page on its site showing a sneak peak of the Slingbox iPhone app.

From Zatsnotfunny: What we’ve got here is a technology demo and a stake in the ground: SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone. As it is, the current application is an amazing technological achievement (given Slingbox’s Windows Media Video broadcast) and the team has done a great job with the initial UI. Going forward, Sling’s got an interesting decision to make (which may not entirely be up to them): Continue down the jailbreak path or get legit with the SDK and iTunes App Store (including hefty Apple kickbacks). But Jobs has said no to “bandwidth hogs,” so Sling may have to limit connectivity options (to WiFi - a non-issue with the current EDGE model) for a store blessing.

No word on timing, but if I were driving I’d put a time bomb on this alpha software and release it as part of a Sling Labs initiative (along with Blackberry, SlingPlayer 2.0, etc) to fire up the community and sell Slingboxes.

And Macdailynews.com says: “Unfortunately, while the new app fills the iPhone’s screen with a nice, smooth picture, it doesn’t take full advantage of the increased screen resolution. The app scales up the same 320 x 240 pixel image from the Windows Mobile and BlackBerry versions to fit the iPhone’s 320 x 480 pixel screen. Having said that, it still looked sharp when blown up to full screen, with reasonable smoothness over a weak 3G signal and near 30 fps animation over Wi-Fi,” Lendino reports.

From MSNBC Tech:
Tough economy will not deter mobile competitors

Research In Motion, Microsoft and Nokia are getting ready to launch online “app” stores for their mobile phones, attempting to play catch-up with Apple’s hugely successful “App Store” for the iPhone. With a tough economy, will consumers be willing to spend tightly held dollars on software programs for their phones?

Most in the industry believe they will. “While buying a car or house may be out of the question for many people, a 99-cent or $2.99 application may be in the budget,” said Allen Nogee, In-Stat wireless infrastructure and technology analyst.

“And with many people canceling their wired-line phones, Internet or cable so they can keep their mobile phones, now is the perfect time for an app store.”

Mobile apps’ draw
Microsoft, which plans its online Windows Mobile Marketplace this fall, agrees. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)

“Whether we’re in very spare or prosperous times, the opportunity for someone to be able to go and enjoy either a free application download that gives their phone a new capability or a reasonably priced application download that gives their phone a new capability — that opportunity will be welcomed in all economic times,” said Daniel Bouie, senior planner for Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Like its competitors, Windows Marketplace for Mobile will feature both free and paid programs.

“The thing about mobile applications is that a ton of them are available for free, or are at least available at a low price,” said Ramon T. Llamas, senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Technology and Trends.

The Maingear MX-L
The new MX-L is the ideal notebook for the professional on the go. Small, stylish and light, its the perfect companion to help you stay organized and connected on those long business trips or between home and the jobsite, wherever it is.

CPU Power.
The MX-L is the one of the first notebooks to ever use Intel mobile CPUs. The Intel Core 2 CPU delivers the power you need to perform demanding tasks like video editing, playing next-generation titles with your friends or multi-tasking several heavy applications without a hitch.

13.3″ LED Backlit Display.
Its razor-thin 13.3 inch display with LED backlit technology delivers unsuppressed color saturation and ultra-brightness that not only creates true-to-life images but also produces higher visibility over the traditional active matrix display you’ll find elsewhere. Also, with an LED screen it’s just on and off, there’s no warming up or waiting necessary, it’s ready when you are.

Fall Sensors.
The MAINGEAR MX-L comes equipped with fall sensors that park the hard drives head to a safe position so data isnt lost or the head is damaged in the case that you drop your notebook. We put in as much care into features we hope youll never have to rely on as much as we do the features that youll use on a daily basis.

Multimedia.
The Intel G45 Express Chipset, with the next-generation Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD (Intel GMA X4500HD), includes built-in support for full 1080p high-definition video playback, including Blu-ray disc movies. This powerful video engine provides you with a rich, new media experience to deliver smooth HD playback without the need for add-in video cards or decoders. Now catch that movie youve been meaning to watch since youre not going anywhere for a while on that flight.

High Speed Wireless Connectivity.
Disconnect your MX-L and maintain a stable, high-speed connection with next-generation Draft-N wireless technology.

Crazy Mobile Capacity.
Take up to 500GB of data with you on the go, whether its music, movies or projects you’re working on.

Upgradability.
MAINGEAR PCs are built to last. When your needs grow your PC grows with you. With plenty of space for additional storage and memory upgrades to platforms that support multi-GPU configurations for the highest quality images an d graphic processing. Visual computing at its finest.

Built-in Webcam.
The MX-L notebook’s 1.3 megapixel webcam lets you record high-quality video for just about anything from video blog posts to video messages to send to just about anyone.

Security.
Keep your private files locked down tight with the enhanced biometric security of a built-in fingerprint reader. This feature will prove most useful if you ever misplace your notebook or if it is stolen.

From Engadget: On the environmental tip, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that New York City will install 826,000 wireless water meters by 2011. Under the new system, readings will be sent to a network of rooftop receivers throughout the city every six hours, enabling the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to bill property owners every month with exact water usage — with the bill available online. Under the current system, water use iNew York City says a $68 million effort to modernize its water meters will help save money and water by flagging leaks fast.

The Department of Environmental Protection announced plans yesterday to install a wireless, automatic meter-reading system citywide.

The network will measure customers’ water use four times a day. Readings are now taken four times a year, meaning leaks sometimes linger undetected.

DEP says a leaking toilet can waste 250 gallons a day — about $640 a year.

The agency says the new system will spot spikes in water use and alert customers to check for leaks. It’s expected to take three years to install.

DEP says staff meter-readers will shift to other tasks. The agency also pays Consolidated Edison to read meters but expects to stop.

It is estimated and folks are billed every three months. The system will cost taxpayers $250 million, and installation (free for property owners) is already underway in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. When it is fully installed, New York will be the largest city in the world to use wireless water metering. According to the New York Times, it’s estimated that a 5 to 10 percent reduction in water use could save the city up to $90 million annually.

From Engadget: Acer A1 touchscreen Android phone coming in September?

It’s unsourced, but we’re hearing today that Acer’s first Android phone will be called the A1 and arrive in September. That’s at least the word according to the Phillipine BusinessMirror, and it lines up nicely with our peek inside Acer’s secret roadmap diary at MWC. The touchscreen A1 will apparently launch alongside three other handsets, one of which we’re guessing is the mysterious white C1.

And the Business Mirror Has this to say:
The A1, equipped with a touch screen, is among four handset models that Acer plans to debut that month, the person said, asking not to be identified because he’s not authorized to comment on the matter. Henry Wang, a spokesman at Taipei-based Acer, declined to comment. Marsha Wang, a spokesman at Google in Beijing, declined to immediately comment.

Acer would join HTC Corp., Samsung Electronics Co., LG Electronics Inc. and Motorola Inc. in adopting Google’s mobile operating system to meet rising demand for so-called smartphones that allow users to view videos and business documents. The Android software will run 5 percent of the world’s smartphones by next year, according to CLSA Ltd. estimates.

Acer last month unveiled four handsets using Microsoft Corp.’s Windows operating system, the first models released since its acquisition of phone maker E-Ten Information Systems Co. last year. The Taiwanese company projected in April last year that handsets will account for 10 percent of sales by 2011.

If the picture is any indication, it’s sure to be a hit, though with a months on end lag, how technologically up-to-date will it be?

Asus is continuing its assault on the tech press with that Airo Origami laptop coolness that we saw at CES.

Asus have confirmed that the Airo will be coming to the retail market - now named the Fold/Unfold laptop.

If you remember, this slice of gorgeousness is inspired by the ancient art of paper folding and ergonomically-enhanced, with the keyboard sliding up to an angle that’s going to put less strain no your hands.

When folded away it becomes as flat as a flat thing that’s been run over by a steam-roller.

According to Asus chief Jerry Shen, we’re likely to see the Fold/Unfold later this year - as soon as late summer.

Asus are also working on a real dual-screen laptop but the one that’s being flashed around the interweb is nothing more than a tease.

TopTenReviews has this inside info:

At CeBit, TechRadar actually got a chance to interview Asus CEO Jerry Shen who announced (unofficially) that the Fold/Unfold is about to go into production and expects the computer to be available Q3. Yes, this Q3, just in time for Christmas.

The Fold (that’s what I’m calling it for short) was originally unveiled earlier this year at CES with the name Asus AIRO, obviously with the MacBook Air on the brain. That name seems to have been retracted, for now. That’s cool, I like Fold better, what do you think?

The MacBook influence isn’t lost on anyone, with its sleek utilitarian design, even the glowing underside of the keyboard is the same color purple as OS X Leopard, but more I look at the Fold the more it reminds me of a Trapper Keeper with a keyboard. (I would have been the coolest kid in the 5th grade if I had one of these.)

Specs on the fancy Asus Fold are still non-existent; as is a price point, but who cares it looks awesome.

HP’s dv4t is getting fitted with a LED-backlit display, Espresso Black and Moonlight White color options, integrated WWAN (Verizon or AT&T), a 500GB HDD and optional NVIDIA GeForce G 105M (512MB) graphics. There’s also a Blu-ray option, integrated HDTV tuner and a 12-cell battery to choose.

From the HP shopping site:

Cutting-edge design meets powerful entertainment in our HP Pavilion dv4t Entertainment Notebook. This lightweight 14.1″ diagonal mobile machine is perfect for TV shows, photos, movies, and music.
Genuine Windows Vista
Get things done, stay connected, and enjoy entertainment in a protected environment with genuine Windows Vista with Service Pack 1. This series comes with genuine Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes Windows Aero, Windows Media Center, and instant search.††

» Compare operating system choices
Sophisticated elegance
Get everything you need in a stylish digital design that goes wherever you go. Our HP Pavilion dv4t series Entertainment Notebook PCs feature:

Modern lines and durable surfaces with a “liquid metallic” appearance
Innovative, eye-catching color on both the interior and exterior)
Cool designs, based on your color choice, on the side panel, top, and interior
Keyboard and touchpad color matched to your PC
An HP logo that lights up when you turn on the PC
Optional flush glass for a frameless look (select the Infinity Display option)
The latest Intel Centrino processor technology (dual core1), for intense multimedia
» Learn more about HP notebooks and Intel Centrino processor Technology

Fast performance with powerful Nvidia graphics options

Total entertainment
Enjoy everything-in-one entertainment, with hours of recorded TV, photos, movies, music, and more, wherever you roam. Highlights include:
Built-in Wi-Fi2, a low-light webcam, and digital microphones
MediaSmart software, which puts your digital world at your fingertips with quick access to photo albums, movies, and music
An HDMI 1.3 port, which connects your notebook PC to an external monitor or HD TV3

An optional Blu-ray DVD player, which lets you read Blu-ray discs, and read/write traditional DVDs and CDs4 4
A built-in TV tuner (optional)5, remote control, premium audio, and dual headphone jacks

Tanita’s BC-1000 Body Composition Monitor is hardly more than a sophisticated scale, designed to hold humans for just moments at a time while collecting measurements on muscle mass, overall physique, daily caloric intake, metabolic age, bone mass and visceral fat. From there, the unit can either send those details wireless to the aforesaid watch, or it can beam them to any PC with an appropriate dongle. The device is slated to ship this summer for $279.99 with a USB stick or $399.99 with an FR60 watch.

In addition to weight, body fat percentage and hydration levels, the BC-1000 Body Composition Monitor provides measurements on muscle mass, overall physique rating, daily caloric intake, metabolic age rating, bone mass and visceral fat. The BC-1000 will communicate with your computer and Tanita’s new HealthyEdgeTM Software to wirelessly transmit these nine readings within seconds after stepping on the platform. When using the Garmin FR60 Fitness Watch and its wireless technology, the readings of weight, body fat and body water are wirelessly displayed on the FR60, while all nine readings are stored in the watch. When in range of a consumer’s computer, the information is automatically transmitted to the computer using the wireless USB Stick and captured with Tanita’s HealthyEdge Software.

“Tanita’s new alliance with Garmin brings an immense amount of value to the marketplace. As both Tanita and Garmin represent the leaders in technology and innovation in our respective fields, it was a natural fit,” said Heather Bundgaard, Marketing Director, Tanita Corporation of America. “Wireless integration with the BC-1000 platform generates the most intelligent consumer monitor available, and we are excited to bring such a revolution in measurement and connectivity to the market this summer.”

The wireless interface protocol enables ultra low power applications ideal for fitness and health monitors and offers all the benefits of digital wireless communications with much lower power consumption than other wireless protocols.

The BC-1000 scale platform features no visible display, as readings are automatically transmitted to remote displays such as the Garmin FR60 fitness watch, a personal computer, or Tanita’s tabletop remote display for easy viewing in various locations. This dynamic feature—the first of its kind—will allow for private readings and is perfect for anyone who wants to keep their health and fitness levels private, making the BC-1000 the ultimate choice for discretion.

The Itronix GD8000 sports an Intel Core 2 Duo SL9400 processor, 4GB of memory, integrated GMA 4500MHD graphics, 120GB storage, and a 13.3-inch DynaVue sunlight-readable touchscreen display. But that ain’t all! This bad boy also features integrated GPS, WiFi, a biometric fingerprint reader, a smartcard reader, and an integrated Gobi 2000 WWAN module. Bluetooth is optional.

Webwirereports:

Ready-for-anything, GD8000 computer boots cold, runs fast and hits the dirt without losing performance or data

Spokane Valley, Wash. – The new GD8000 notebook computer by General Dynamics Itronix is now available for military personnel, field service workers and first responders who require high-performance computing while working in extreme temperatures, humidity, dust and rain-soaked environments.

“Our customers told us that to perform their mission-critical duties, they needed a notebook that was more rugged, had longer battery run-time and was equipped with a display they could see in all lighting conditions. We responded by producing the GD8000, a unit with the industry’s best drop protection, rain resistance, battery run-time and display viewability,” said John Schneider, business unit director for General Dynamics Itronix.

Engineered to operate in extreme conditions, the GD8000 kept working after multiple 42-inch drops onto a hard surface, operated in the rain for more than four hours and successfully booted-up in freezing and scorching temperatures. Powered by the Intel® low-voltage Core2Duo processing architecture, the GD8000 is housed in a user-friendly, ergonomic casing with a 13.3-inch DynaVue® touchscreen display. The GD8000 delivers uncompromising performance from command centers, to helicopters, to tactical vehicles and everywhere in between.

To mark St Patrick’s Day, Faith Central has compiled 10 celebratory tidbits, some myth, some fact, on the Patron Saint of the Irish.

1. The potato crop was traditionally planted in Ireland after March 17

2. Blue not green is the color originally associated with St Patrick. “St Patrick’s Blue” is used on Ireland’s Presidential Standard or flag, while the Irish Guards sport a plume of St Patrick’s blue in their bearskins. The emphasis on green is thought to be linked to “wearing the Green”, a symbol from the 18th century on, of sympathy with Irish independence.

3. St Patrick is patron of fishermen in the Loire, where a legend associates him with a blackthorn bush. The saint is said to have slept beneath it, and when he awoke the next day, Christmas, the bush flowered, and was said to have continued to do so every Christmas until its destruction during the First World War.

4. A regiment of the Mexican army in the 1846 -8 War between Mexico and America was named after St Patrick. Members of the Batellón de San Patricio included Afro-Americans freshly liberated from the slave plantations of the South, and the soldiers were granted Mexican citizenship afterwards.

5. The first St Patrick’s Day parade took place in 1737 in Boston, followed in 1762 by New York. George Washington allowed his soldiers a holiday on March 17, 1780 as “an act of solidarity with the Irish in their fight for independence.”

6. Until the 1970’s, all pubs were shut in Ireland on St Patrick’s Day, and the sole venue selling drink the annual dog show. Lenten fasting – and the obligation to abstain from meat – were lifted on the day, which most families would begin with Mass.

7. St Patrick’s Day is a public holiday in Ireland and also in Monserrat “the Emerald Isle of the Carribean,” so called because it was settled in 1633 by Irish migrants from St Kitts.

8. According to legend, on the day of Judgement, while Christ judges all other nations, St Patrick will be the judge of the Irish.

9. Since 1962, tons of green dye are tipped on St Patrick’s Day into the Chicago river, although the quantity has reduced, for environmental reasons, from 100 to 40.

10. Should you wish to carry on celebrating St Patrick after March 17, in the United States, you might visit the four Shamrocks in the USA including Mount Gay-Shamrock, W.Va or the nine cities named Dublin, including Dublin, Ohio (the largest Dublin in the U.S.) and Dublin, Georgia.

From Yahoo Tech: Apple will take third-quarter delivery of newly developed 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan, a source said on Wednesday, amid talk the U.S. firm is developing a touchscreen PC.

Taiwan touchscreen specialist Wintek already makes small screens for Apple iPhones, and has received orders for the larger ones that are roughly the same size as those used in mini PCs, said the source close to the Taiwan firm. He asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

He added that he did not know what the final product would be, or who would make it.

Wintek spokesman James Chen confirmed Apple was a major client of his company, but declined to comment on any new product development.

Taiwan media reported this week that Apple, which has brought touchscreens to the forefront with the success of its iPhones, is currently developing a touchscreen PC, as lines begin to blur between sophisticated smartphones and traditional PCs.

Some of those reports have said that Taiwan’s Quanta Computer, the world’s top contract laptop PC maker, would manufacture the actual PCs for Apple.

Apple’s Hong Kong spokeswoman, Jill Tan, said the company did not comment on market speculation, while a Quanta spokeswoman also declined to comment.

If this is true, iPhone fanatics will be close to impossible to live with.

The finished product will be interesting to see. The testing, jailbreaking and whatnot will be something to look forward to. Makes one wonder how apple will respond to all those hacks, tweaks and ‘upgrades’ to their newest product.

the Nokia flagship store in Chicago to let us know that the updated North American version of the 5800 XpressMusic is now in stock and ready to go.

Nokia has launched the highly anticipated Nokia 5800 XpressMusic in the United States. The latest in Nokia’s XpressMusic range, the 5800 is an affordable music device with a touch screen interface for the mass market.

The 5800 offers all the music essentials including a graphic equalizer, 8GB memory for up to 6,000 tracks and support for all main digital music formats, a 3.5mm jack and built-in surround sound stereo speakers.

“When it comes to music phones, people all over the world want a device that is a great music experience and still works really well as a mobile phone, without sacrificing features,” said Ian Laing, Vice President, North America Sales, Nokia.

“The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic delivers on this and has clearly proven to be a device that consumers are clamoring for - selling more than one million worldwide since its introduction a few months ago.”

Making the most of touch screen technology, the 5800 delivers easy and fast access to music, video and photos through a one-touch ‘Media Bar’ drop down menu which also offers a direct link to the Web and to online sharing with Flash content support.

For quick links, its ‘Contacts Bar’ lets users highlight four favorite contacts on their home-screen and, through a single touch, track a digital history of recent text messages, emails, phone logs, photos and blog updates to or from them.

Photos, videos and web content come to life in vibrant color and true clarity on the 3.2” widescreen display of the 5800. With a 16 x 9 aspect ratio and 30 frames-per-second playback and recording, video recording and playback comes in VGA quality.

The 5800 also features a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and with a single touch, images or videos can be shared through online communities, such as Ovi Share, Flickr, or Facebook.

Input methods for the 5800 include a virtual alphanumeric keypad, a virtual computer-style QWERTY keyboard, both using either a pen stylus or for music enthusiasts, a guitar pick.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be available in the U.S. through Nokia Flagship stores in New York and Chicago, nokiausa.com and independent retailers and e-tailers.