Connect with us

Technology

The Week in Canadian Press Releases: 10 Stories You Need to See

Published

on

A roundup of the most newsworthy press releases from Cision Distribution this week

TORONTO, Aug. 2, 2024 /CNW/ – With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on Cision. To help journalists and consumers stay on top of the week’s most newsworthy and popular releases, here’s a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn’t be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

Tourmaline Delivers Strong Free Cash Flow in Q2 2024, Reduces Net Debt, Announces an Increase to Quarterly Base Dividend and Declares a Special Dividend 
Second quarter average production was 561,787 boepd, a 13% increase over second quarter 2023 average production of 495,918 boepd and within the second quarter 2024 average production guidance range of 560,000-570,000 boepd, announced on May 1, 2024 – Second quarter cash flow(1)(2) (“CF”) of $755.1 million ($2.12 per diluted share(3)) on total cash capital expenditures(4) of $294.1 million (EP expenditures(5) of $306.6 million in Q2 2024), generating free cash flow (6) (“FCF”) of $433.5 million for the quarter ($1.22 per diluted share). In 2024, the Company expects to generate CF of $3.4 billion(7) ($9.62 per diluted share) and FCF of $1.3 billion ($3.63 per diluted share) on EP expenditures of $2.0 billion.BCE reports second quarter 2024 results 
“Bell’s Q2 results reflect the Bell team’s disciplined execution and continued ability to navigate an evolving marketplace,” said Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada. “We’re also making strides in our transformation from a telco to a tech services and digital media leader. Our expanding capabilities in cloud services, security and managed automation drove strong business solutions services revenue growth of 22% this quarter, and we’re seeing momentum in 5G and IoT B2B solutions with mobile connected device net activations up 10.5% over 2023. On the Bell Media front, our advanced advertising solutions for clients drove a 35% increase in digital advertising revenue.”Tamarack Valley Energy Announces Q2 2024 Financial Results, Achieves Milestone to Increase Shareholder Returns and Provides Operational Update 
Brian Schmidt, President and CEO of Tamarack stated: “Tamarack has been steadfast in our commitment to reducing debt, demonstrating operational excellence and delivering on our return of capital framework for shareholders. On a YoY basis, net debt has been reduced by ~$491MM or 36%. This reflects execution and delivery of results, driven by the successful transformation of the Company, that has enabled growth within our Clearwater and Charlie Lake core areas, where both plays delivered record high quarterly production in Q2/24. Leveraging our high quality heavy and light oil assets, Tamarack remains focused on execution of our strategic plan which underpins delivery of long-term value to our shareholders.”Lightspeed Announces First Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Raises Adjusted EBITDA Outlook for Fiscal 2025 
Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (“Lightspeed” or the “Company”) (TSX: LSPD) (NYSE: LSPD), today announced financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2024. Lightspeed is the unified POS and payments platform for ambitious entrepreneurs to accelerate growth, provide the best customer experiences and become a go-to destination in their space. “Fiscal 2025 is off to a great start with first quarter revenues and Adjusted EBITDA exceeding outlook,” said Asha Bakshani, CFO. “We have spent the last year expanding payments adoption and right-sizing our cost structure and that is reflected in our results today. We are now turning our focus to accelerating growth in our software business so that we can continue to pursue our goal of profitable growth.”History Suggests Stressful Times for the Canadian Housing Market 
The Bank of Canada benchmark rate (BoC Rate) was cut on July 24, 2024, marking its second cut in the past two months. Given that government bond yields have also dropped, the current best fixed and variable mortgage rates, shown below, are at their lowest in the past 17 months. While some believe these low rates might boost the real estate market, recent history tells a more complex story. We at WOWA Leads analyzed mortgage payments for a new purchase versus income over the last 50 years in Canada to see if there is any correlation between home prices and drops in mortgage rates from their peaks.Medline Canada announces expansion of Manitoba medical supplies distribution centre 
Over the last decade, Medline Canada has expanded its supply chain network nationally while growing product offerings, capabilities and market share. Medline’s expansion in Manitoba follows the company’s recent opening of a 160,000-square-foot Western distribution hub in Rocky View, Alberta, just north of Calgary. The new Manitoba location, at 179 Westcreek Way in Rosser (25 km northwest of Winnipeg), will improve Medline’s inventory flexibility, and efficiency and enhance service responsiveness to customers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.Reconafrica Enters Into Definitive Strategic Farm Down Agreement With BW Energy 
Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (the “Company” or “ReconAfrica”) (TSXV: RECO) (OTCQX: RECAF) (Frankfurt: 0XD) announces  that, further to its announcement on July 16, 2024, it has entered into a definitive farm down agreement with BW Energy Limited (“BW Energy”) (OSE: BWE) dated July 30, 2024, for the sale of a 20% working interest in Petroleum Exploration Licence 73 (“PEL 73”), in northeast Namibia. The terms of the agreement are as described in the press release dated July 16, 2024.CIBC furthers its commitment to AI learning and research through the Vector Institute 
CIBC is a founding sponsor of the Vector Institute, and since its inception in 2017 has played an ongoing role in helping to advance Canadian AI research. More recently the bank has participated in Vector’s Dataset Shift Project, an industry-academia collaboration in response to the pandemic and the shifts that it brought about in consumer behaviour, and the bank hosted an AI Research: Trustworthy AI & MLOps panel featuring Vector, which explored principles and practices helping to guide the ethical development and management of AI systems. CIBC has also collaborated with Vector research to publish a paper at the EMNLP 2022 conference for Neural Agent Assistance for customer Service Support with language model and generative AI.Super Heroes, Assemble! Marvel Fun is Coming to a Grocery Store Near You 
Get ready to unleash your inner Super Hero as a cool Marvel trading card promotion comes to your neighbourhood grocery store. It’s time to embark on an epic adventure filled with collectibles, games, and incredible prizes! “We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to show our gratitude to Canadians and what better way to do that than with Marvel,” said Mary MacIsaac, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Control Brands, Loblaw Companies Ltd. “Whether you’re checking out our new flyer promotions, weekly special bonus offers on major brands or stocking up on Hit of the Month deals, Marvel will add more thrill and excitement to your regular trip to the grocery store.”Quimbaya Gold Announces Strategic Partnership for 100,000 Meters of Drilling 
Quimbaya Gold Inc. (“Quimbaya Gold” or the “Company”) (CSE: QIM) (OTCQB: QIMGF) is excited to announce the signing of a 5-year drilling contract with Independence Drilling S.A. of Colombia (“Independence”). The contract involves completing 100,000 meters of drilling across Quimbaya Gold’s properties. As a significant strategic partnership, which took nearly ten months to finalize, it underscores Quimbaya Gold’s commitment to advancing its exploration activities and creating value for its shareholders. Independence, a family-owned company, is highly reputable and the largest Colombian drilling company, with over 40 years of experience and a fleet of 47 rigs for oil & gas, mining, and water drilling.

Read more of the latest releases from Cision, see our resources for journalists, and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @cnwnews.

About Cision Canada

Cision is a comprehensive communications platform enabling more than 100,000 public relations and marketing professionals around the world to understand, influence and amplify their stories. As the market leader, Cision enables the next generation of communication professionals to strategically operate in the modern media landscape where company success is directly impacted by public opinion. Cision has offices in 24 countries through the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and offers a suite of best-in-class solutions, including Newswire, Brandwatch, Cision Communications Cloud® and Cision Insights. To learn more, visit www.cision.ca and follow @CisionCA on Twitter.

SOURCE Cision Canada

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Football Tournament Season Sparks Global Social Connection Surge as 3Fun Reports Growth Across Key Markets

Published

on

By

NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the World Cup enters its final stage and fans celebrate across the globe, new data from 3Fun, the leading dating app for open-minded singles and partners, reveals that the World Cup’s impact extends far beyond the stadium. The tournament has ignited a massive surge in global social activity, with users increasingly turning to the platform to translate sporting euphoria into personal connections.

The “Celebratory Intimacy” Effect: Why Winning Drives Matching

Psychological research has long suggested that major sports victories do more than just boost national pride; they influence human biology and intimacy. Studies indicate that watching a favorite team win can temporarily elevate testosterone levels in fans, leading to a surge in sexual desire and “celebratory intimacy”. This theory is vividly reflected in 3Fun’s latest performance metrics.

Compared with the previous 20-day period, 3Fun saw a 6.13% increase in Daily Active Users (DAU) during the peak of the World Cup season (June 23 – July 12), adding more than 275,000 active participants. The platform’s “heat” was further evidenced by an additional 446,491 messages sent, while the user match rate jumped by 5.71%, resulting in nearly 50,000 new connections.

Spain and Argentina Lead the “Lust for Victory”

The data shows a direct correlation between success on the pitch and activity on 3Fun. Nations with deep football cultures and strong tournament performances saw the highest growth:

Spain: Witnessed a staggering 37.56% surge in new users.Argentina: Followed with a 26.62% increase.France & Mexico: Saw growth rates of 25.44% and 21.42% respectively.

In the U.S., cities like Houston (+8.98%) and New York (+7.45%) led the way. This trend aligns with a broader cultural shift: recent 3Fun data reveals that 69% of Americans report a growing interest in non-traditional relationships, with 77% of seekers preferring dating apps to find compatible partners.

Digital Jet-Setting: 3Fun’s “Roaming” Feature Becomes a Fan Favorite

While millions traveled for the games, many more “traveled” virtually. 3Fun’s new Roaming feature, currently in gray-scale testing, allows users to explore connections beyond their current location by virtually discovering communities in other cities.

The top 10 “Roaming” destinations during the Football Tournament  season reveal where the world’s social interest was concentrated:

Sao Paulo, Brazil (17.35% of total roaming volume)New York, USA (14.82%)Las Vegas, USA (11.37%)Los Angeles, USA (11.19%)London, UK (9.89%)Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (7.40%)Houston, USA (7.36%)Dallas, USA (7.18%)Miami, USA (6.85%)Chicago, USA (6.60%).

The dominance of Brazilian cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro highlights a “digital pilgrimage” to the spiritual home of football, where users sought to connect with the local energy and like-minded fans.

3Fun Insight: Connection Beyond the Game

“Major global events like the World Cup bring people together far beyond the borders of the pitch,” said Daniel Morgan, 3Fun’s Director of Social Trends. “Our data shows that users aren’t just looking for scores; they are looking for meaningful, shared experiences. Whether through virtual roaming or local matching, these events create unique windows for people to explore their desires in a safe, celebratory, and inclusive community”.

Daniel further noted, “With 72% of users noticing growing acceptance of diverse relationship styles, global sports events such as the World Cup represent a moment when people feel more open to meeting others and exploring new forms of connection”.

About 3Fun: With over 10 million downloads and 3 million verified active users worldwide, 3Fun is the leading dating app for open-minded singles and partners to meet like-minded people. The platform provides a safe and inclusive space to explore ethical open relationships and polyamory, fostering community and connection without judgment. 

Disclaimer: 3Fun is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FIFA, the World Cup, or any official World Cup organizing body. All references to the tournament are descriptive or for informational and topical context only.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/football-tournament-season-sparks-global-social-connection-surge-as-3fun-reports-growth-across-key-markets-302828995.html

SOURCE 3Fun

Continue Reading

Technology

Best AI Design Tools (2026): CapCut Named a Top Choice for Creating Images and Marketing Assets by Software Experts

Published

on

By

NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Software Experts has recognized CapCut as a top choice among AI design tools for 2026, citing its AI Design Studio as a standout resource for creating images and marketing assets. The recognition points to the platform’s combination of automated layout generation, image editing, and campaign focused features built for marketers, e-commerce sellers, and content creators.

Best AI Design Tools

CapCut AI Design Studio – a web based design workspace that uses AI to help users create ads, product visuals, and branded content without prior design experience.

Core Capabilities of the AI Design Studio

The AI Design Studio is built around a conversational, infinite canvas that allows users to work with an AI design agent in real time. Instead of starting from a blank template, users type a prompt, upload reference images, and receive layout options generated automatically.

The latest version, Design 2.0, brings references, drafts, assets, and edits into a single workspace. Features include pencil prompting for visual editing, smart layer split for separating subjects and backgrounds, and a One More function that generates new creative directions from an existing design. Users can circle, brush, or mark up an image directly to guide how the AI adjusts a design, rather than relying only on written prompts.

An inspiration hub with built in assets and license free images is also part of the workspace, helping users start projects without sourcing outside materials. Layers for text, subjects, and backgrounds remain editable throughout the process, which allows for adjustments without regenerating an entire design from scratch.

Applications for E-Commerce and Marketing Teams

The AI Design Studio supports several common business use cases, including product content creation, trend based design remixing, and clothing visualization for fashion brands. These features are designed to reduce the time spent on repetitive production tasks, particularly for teams that need to update visuals frequently.

For e-commerce sellers, the tool can generate product main images, banners, and packaging designs from a single uploaded photo, and supports batch replacement across shared backgrounds. A seller managing multiple product lines can apply the same background and layout across different items with one click, rather than recreating each asset individually.

Fashion brands can use the AI clothing try-on feature to visualize how garments appear on different models, helping with catalog updates during seasonal campaigns such as Black Friday. Marketing and social teams can generate assets in multiple styles and resize them automatically for different platforms, which helps maintain consistency across channels without manual reformatting. The trend remixing feature also allows brands to reference the structure of a popular design while keeping the content original to their own products.

Design Automation Powered by Seedream 5.0

For marketing posters and layout heavy assets, the AI Design Studio incorporates the Seedream 5.0 model, which is ranked first on Artificial Analysis’ Text-to-Image Leaderboard. The model is used to arrange visual elements, generate multiple layout variations, and handle typesetting automatically based on uploaded product images.

This approach is intended to reduce the manual work involved in formatting marketing materials. Uploading one or more product photos allows the system to generate several layout options, positioning text, imagery, and other elements without requiring manual placement. Once a layout is generated, users can continue refining it with stickers, filters, or additional effects within the same workspace.

The process is designed to move from prompt to a finished, ready to use asset without requiring separate design software. For teams producing large volumes of seasonal or promotional content, this can reduce the number of tools involved in a single campaign.

Why AI Design Tools Matter for Small Teams

AI design tools are becoming useful because many teams need more visual content than traditional workflows can comfortably support. The Software Experts review notes that marketers, creators, and small businesses often need product images, social graphics, banners, email headers, event posters, and campaign visuals on tight timelines.

For small teams, the main advantage is not simply automation. It is the ability to get to a workable draft faster. Starting from a blank canvas can slow down campaign production, especially when a team is managing several platforms or product lines. AI-assisted design tools can generate starting points, resize assets, suggest layouts, and help keep visuals consistent across channels.

Access and Getting Started

The AI Design Studio is accessible through CapCut desktop by selecting Design Agent from the main dashboard. Users enter a text prompt describing the desired output, optionally upload reference images, and review the generated results.

A typical workflow might involve uploading a reference photo and entering a detailed prompt describing a desired style, color palette, or setting. The AI then generates initial design options based on that input. The built in editor allows for further adjustments, including color changes, auto cutout, element removal, and text overlays, before the final image is downloaded in high resolution.

Software Experts noted that the AI Design Studio is suited to a range of users, from e-commerce sellers managing large catalogs to individual creators producing social media content, as well as marketing teams handling multiple campaigns at once. The tool is offered as part of CapCut’s existing platform, with pricing details available directly through CapCut.

Readers can find the full review at Software Experts.

About CapCut

CapCut is an AI-powered photo and video editing platform designed to make high-quality video creation accessible across devices. The platform supports creators, businesses, and everyday users with tools for video editing, AI video generation, captions, templates, audio, and visual editing. CapCut is available across mobile, web, desktop, and iPad experiences, helping users create, edit, and prepare video content for social media, marketing, education, and personal projects.

About Software Experts: Software Experts delivers in-depth news on the digital tools shaping today’s consumer experience. As an affiliate, Software Experts may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-ai-design-tools-2026-capcut-named-a-top-choice-for-creating-images-and-marketing-assets-by-software-experts-302828625.html

SOURCE SoftwareExperts.org

Continue Reading

Technology

Best AI Design Tools (2026): CapCut Named a Top Choice for Creating Images and Marketing Assets by Software Experts

Published

on

By

NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Software Experts has recognized CapCut as a top choice among AI design tools for 2026, citing its AI Design Studio as a standout resource for creating images and marketing assets. The recognition points to the platform’s combination of automated layout generation, image editing, and campaign focused features built for marketers, e-commerce sellers, and content creators.

Best AI Design Tools

CapCut AI Design Studio – a web based design workspace that uses AI to help users create ads, product visuals, and branded content without prior design experience.

Core Capabilities of the AI Design Studio

The AI Design Studio is built around a conversational, infinite canvas that allows users to work with an AI design agent in real time. Instead of starting from a blank template, users type a prompt, upload reference images, and receive layout options generated automatically.

The latest version, Design 2.0, brings references, drafts, assets, and edits into a single workspace. Features include pencil prompting for visual editing, smart layer split for separating subjects and backgrounds, and a One More function that generates new creative directions from an existing design. Users can circle, brush, or mark up an image directly to guide how the AI adjusts a design, rather than relying only on written prompts.

An inspiration hub with built in assets and license free images is also part of the workspace, helping users start projects without sourcing outside materials. Layers for text, subjects, and backgrounds remain editable throughout the process, which allows for adjustments without regenerating an entire design from scratch.

Applications for E-Commerce and Marketing Teams

The AI Design Studio supports several common business use cases, including product content creation, trend based design remixing, and clothing visualization for fashion brands. These features are designed to reduce the time spent on repetitive production tasks, particularly for teams that need to update visuals frequently.

For e-commerce sellers, the tool can generate product main images, banners, and packaging designs from a single uploaded photo, and supports batch replacement across shared backgrounds. A seller managing multiple product lines can apply the same background and layout across different items with one click, rather than recreating each asset individually.

Fashion brands can use the AI clothing try-on feature to visualize how garments appear on different models, helping with catalog updates during seasonal campaigns such as Black Friday. Marketing and social teams can generate assets in multiple styles and resize them automatically for different platforms, which helps maintain consistency across channels without manual reformatting. The trend remixing feature also allows brands to reference the structure of a popular design while keeping the content original to their own products.

Design Automation Powered by Seedream 5.0

For marketing posters and layout heavy assets, the AI Design Studio incorporates the Seedream 5.0 model, which is ranked first on Artificial Analysis’ Text-to-Image Leaderboard. The model is used to arrange visual elements, generate multiple layout variations, and handle typesetting automatically based on uploaded product images.

This approach is intended to reduce the manual work involved in formatting marketing materials. Uploading one or more product photos allows the system to generate several layout options, positioning text, imagery, and other elements without requiring manual placement. Once a layout is generated, users can continue refining it with stickers, filters, or additional effects within the same workspace.

The process is designed to move from prompt to a finished, ready to use asset without requiring separate design software. For teams producing large volumes of seasonal or promotional content, this can reduce the number of tools involved in a single campaign.

Why AI Design Tools Matter for Small Teams

AI design tools are becoming useful because many teams need more visual content than traditional workflows can comfortably support. The Software Experts review notes that marketers, creators, and small businesses often need product images, social graphics, banners, email headers, event posters, and campaign visuals on tight timelines.

For small teams, the main advantage is not simply automation. It is the ability to get to a workable draft faster. Starting from a blank canvas can slow down campaign production, especially when a team is managing several platforms or product lines. AI-assisted design tools can generate starting points, resize assets, suggest layouts, and help keep visuals consistent across channels.

Access and Getting Started

The AI Design Studio is accessible through CapCut desktop by selecting Design Agent from the main dashboard. Users enter a text prompt describing the desired output, optionally upload reference images, and review the generated results.

A typical workflow might involve uploading a reference photo and entering a detailed prompt describing a desired style, color palette, or setting. The AI then generates initial design options based on that input. The built in editor allows for further adjustments, including color changes, auto cutout, element removal, and text overlays, before the final image is downloaded in high resolution.

Software Experts noted that the AI Design Studio is suited to a range of users, from e-commerce sellers managing large catalogs to individual creators producing social media content, as well as marketing teams handling multiple campaigns at once. The tool is offered as part of CapCut’s existing platform, with pricing details available directly through CapCut.

Readers can find the full review at Software Experts.

About CapCut

CapCut is an AI-powered photo and video editing platform designed to make high-quality video creation accessible across devices. The platform supports creators, businesses, and everyday users with tools for video editing, AI video generation, captions, templates, audio, and visual editing. CapCut is available across mobile, web, desktop, and iPad experiences, helping users create, edit, and prepare video content for social media, marketing, education, and personal projects.

About Software Experts: Software Experts delivers in-depth news on the digital tools shaping today’s consumer experience. As an affiliate, Software Experts may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-ai-design-tools-2026-capcut-named-a-top-choice-for-creating-images-and-marketing-assets-by-software-experts-302828625.html

SOURCE SoftwareExperts.org

Continue Reading

Trending