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Kiwi Suing Internet Giant Yahoo
New Zealander Juliette Harrington, is suing Internet giant Yahoo! for allegedly infringing on a patent for her software that allows people to compare prices for goods and services sold over the Internet. John Howard reports.
The copyright infringement claim was filed on Wednesday in St Lois by SBH Inc on behalf of Juliette Harrington. She had engaged St Lois-based SBH to market her software.
Harrington holds a US patent for her software which simplifies the online shopping process by allowing consumers to use one shopping trundler to buy products online. Shoppers can choose products and services from mutliple Internet sites but only need to check-out at one location using the technology.
Yahoo! shopping also features a one shopping trundler system as part of its service but the law suit alleges Yahoo! has made no licensing arrangements with SBH to use the patented technology.
The president of SBH, Steven Schuver, said he has been unsuccessful in efforts to negotiate with Yahoo!
Yahoo! is directing calls on the issue to a marketing agency who says it does not respond to pending law suits.


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US NEWS FEEDS
It's Election Day, an investigation into private GBAD meetings, a big glitch frustrates iPhone users and Perfect Strangers meets Stranger Things.
Polls opened at 8 a.m. this Election Day and are scheduled to close at 8 p.m. across Idaho.…
News, Boise Weekly
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Nov. 7, 2017: What to Know

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The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS), launched to help small businesses during the Covid pandemic, helped save 14.6 lakh MSME units. These small enterprises got the benefit of an additional loan of Rs 2.2 lakh crore.
According to an analysis by SBI Research, this additional credit flow saved about 12 per cent of the outstanding loans of MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) units from becoming NPAs (non-performing assets). In terms of people, it saved the livelihood of at least 66 million people.
ECLGS has helped MSMEs get credit and has helped at least 14.6 lakh units to sustain their businesses.
Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Chief Economist, State Bank of India (SBI), said that Rs 2.2 lakh crore loans were given to MSMEs through this scheme. This means that the scheme has helped prevent around 12 per cent of the outstanding loans to MSMEs from becoming bad loans. Along with this, the livelihood of 6.6 crore people was saved.
The report also said that the size of MSME units has also increased and many units have crossed the threshold of Rs 250 crore turnover and they come under the category of medium enterprises under the new definition. The definition of MSME was changed in the year 2020. With this change, it has been made mandatory for all MSMEs to register on the Udyam portal. As per the report, out of this, a total of 1.33 crore MSMEs have Udyam Certificates. While on the other hand the GST registration is only 1.40 cr.
According to the report, the Udyam portal can pave the way for a paradigm shift in the MSME sector and bring them under the purview of the organized credit system. There are about 6.4 crore MSMEs in the country while the number in China is 14 crore.
Credit: bharat.republicworld.com /


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Hours after chief competitor Microsoft took the stage at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 in the Los Angeles Sports Arena, Sony took their turn at the podium to make major announcements for their current generation consoles.
“We have the most passionate consumers in the world, “ Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment said as he took the stage to kick off Sony’s event. “If you don’t believe me, talk to some of the people who started lining up at 4 p.m. yesterday.”
The E3 Press Conference came just hours after news that Sony’s stock fell below 1,000 Yen (or $12.79) for the first time since 1984 during trading in Japan on Monday, reports LatinosPost. Despite the negative publicity from the news, Sony Corp. kept the conference filled with exciting news about future games and products.
To kick things off Quantic Dream -– the studio behind Heavy Rain — took the stage to talk about its newest game: Beyond. More details will be released about the game in the coming months, however today the studio announced the actress who will be playing the main character in the game Jodie Holmes: Ellen Page.
Next up was PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale, reports MTV’s MultiPlayerBlog. SuperBot entertainment took the stage to announce that the game would be available for the Vita with PS3 cross-play. We saw a four-player fight, where players try to build up special attack energy based on scoring hits on opponents.
Supers are multi-level a la SSIV and the likes. Twisted Metal’s Sweet Tooth executes his level three super, transforming into a giant mech, killing the other three opponents. Plenty of interactive elements with the background, and Nathan Drake and a Big Daddy from Bioshock are joining the lineup of playable characters.
The company demo’d the game on stage with some players playing on the PS3 and others playing on the PS Vita to show off how the game can be played on both consoles simultaneously. The game also supports cross-save, so you can start playing the game on your PS3 and then finish your game later on the PlayStation Vita.
As expected, Sony spent a lot of time talking about its handheld console the PlayStation Vita, reports Mashable. PS One Classics are going to be coming to PlayStation Vita this summer, including popular titles such as Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy.
Last week Sony announced YouTube was coming to Vita, now it is announcing Hulu Plus and Crackle will also be coming to the handheld console.
Assassin’s Creed II: Liberation is also headed to the Vita. Liberation features the first-ever female assassin, and can utilize cross-goods and exclusive content by linking together the PS3 and PS Vita titles.
The game is set to launch October 30, and will be available in a special Vita bundle with the first white Wi-Fi Vita as well as the game.
Assassin’s Creed III will also be available for the PS3 on its own and part of a bundle with a PlayStation 3 and exclusive downloadable content. Another third-generation game FarCry3 was also shown off, showing a new four-player co-op mode.
Sony also made the announcement of “Wonderbook,” an interactive reading tool that will make use of the Playstation Move motion controller, reports LiveMint.
The Wonderbook is a “kind of green screen onto which moving images can be projected, although users will not look at the book itself, but will instead look at its virtual representation on their televisions, while holding the actual object in their hands.
Users’ gestures are recorded by the PlayStation Eye camera and are used to interact with content inside the book.” The first interactive storybook will be “The Story of Spell” with writing from J.K. Rowling and based out of the Harry Potter universe and Rowling’s “Potttermore” website.


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One of the biggest buzzwords in the manufacturing industry is BLOCKCHAIN. Even though it is one of the most popular concepts in the manufacturing industry in particular — and in the computing world in general — it is also one of the most misunderstood. Let’s take a look at a general overview of what, precisely, blockchain is (and isn’t) and what the potential is for blockchain in the manufacturing industry.
Blockchain in Manufacturing: An Overview
According to CoinDesk, blockchain technology is specifically designed for enterprise solutions. Specifically, they’re designed to create digital trust between two parties that are doing business — thanks to blockchain technology, two parties can conduct both secure financial transactions and secure transmission of data.
Furthermore, a few companies — such as Maersk — have seen the benefits of blockchain technology in their own manufacturing businesses. Maersk, specifically, has enjoyed a partnership with IBM to help further their blockchain approach to business. In so doing, they’ve been able to — as an example — “put all documents involved in bulk shipping into a single template based on workflow; this workflow is then triggered when a producer submits the packing list for whatever commodity or good is being delivered to the shipper.”
Finally, but certainly, no less important, blockchain technology helps manufacturing companies maintain the integrity of important, sensitive data. This will help in the growing field of predictive analytics and, especially, machine autonomy.
Can Blockchain Transform The Manufacturing Industry?
According to ZDNet, blockchain technology is mostly known for its ledger transactional abilities (specifically because of its use with Bitcoin), but there are other ways that blockchain can be used to transform the manufacturing industry. For example, Gary Brooks, Chief Marketing Officer of Syncron, told the outlet that blockchain is in a position to transform the manufacturing industry because it is particularly useful with regards to the necessary verification and transparency that is part of the industry standard.
“Manufacturers leverage IoT and predictive analytics in their service parts supply chain to proactively repair equipment before it ever breaks down. Blockchain can provide an increased level of visibility into this process, as it would allow an entire global service supply chain to see when and where parts are moving to ensure the repair is made just in time,” he said.
What Else Can Blockchain Be Used For In Manufacturing?
According to Sage, blockchain has additional applications in manufacturing, as well. For example:
- Blockchain can be integrated with the IoT (Internet of Things), different manufacturing apps, and artificial intelligence (AI).
- Blockchain can automate processes through “smart contracts,” which are mostly used for payments. This can be good for B2B or B2C interactions between the manufacturers and their clients and/or suppliers.
- If a buyer wishes to purchase directly from a manufacturer in bulk, blockchain can be used to aid with processing and purchasing, in addition to “providing visibility and verifiable data about what they are buying, where they are buying, and what they are paying.”
In short, while blockchain technology is not a cure-all for all of the manufacturing industry’s ills, it is something that can help revolutionize the industry for the better. Thanks to its ease of integration, its automation of processes, its aide in the transparency of transactions involving both data and currency, and its ability to allow secure transmission of documents, blockchain technology is, indeed, disruptive — in a good way — for the manufacturing industry.


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The ratification of a new contract at Ford Motor Co. of Canada paves the way for this country’s entry into the electric vehicle sweepstakes, tying the fate of the company’s 67-year-old Oakville, Ont., plant to the emerging market for battery-powered cars.
Details remain sketchy about Ford’s plan to invest $1.8-billion to assemble battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in Oakville as the automaker completes negotiations on a reported $500-million subsidy package from the Ontario and federal governments.
Much is riding on the move, however, including the jobs of more than 3,000 workers at the plant, which currently builds the gasoline-powered Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus. If the retooling is to pay off, the market for BEVs will need to have passed the tipping point before the first battery-powered model rolls off the Oakville assembly line in 2024.
Even if BEVs do take off, it remains unclear whether Ford will be among the beneficiaries. U.S.-based Tesla Inc. leads the market in BEV sales, followed by a handful of Chinese and European players. None of the Detroit Three automakers is in the top 10.
Big changes on the regulatory and technology fronts are still needed before BEVs go mainstream. The Detroit Three will need to up their game if they are to successfully manage a transition away from their bread-and-butter business. They currently rely on sales of gas-guzzling pickups and sport utility vehicles to turn a profit.
While BEVs do not emit greenhouse gases, manufacturing batteries on a massive scale poses environmental challenges that the industry also must address. Battery suppliers “must solve challenges related to sustainability by turning the whole battery value chain, from mining to recycling, into a sustainable and responsible industry,” McKinsey & Co. associate Markus Wilthaner said in a July report.
According to the report, the market for electric vehicle batteries is still ruled by Asian producers. China’s CATL held a 28-per-cent share in 2019, followed by South Korean players.
Over all, battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for just 2.5 per cent of global light vehicle sales in 2019. Sales of electric vehicles stalled last year and dropped dramatically in the first quarter of 2020, as governments in the United States and China slashed consumer subsidies and COVID-19 emerged in Asia.
Electric vehicle sales rose only 3 per cent in China in 2019 amid “significant” cuts in subsidies. Sales plummeted 57 per cent in the first three months of 2020. U.S. sales dropped 12 per cent in 2019 after the phase-out of a federal tax credit on electric vehicle purchases. In the first quarter of 2020, U.S. sales were down 33 per cent.
Since the fate of Canada’s auto industry is inextricably tied to U.S. car sales, a major shift toward BEVs needs to happen south of the border in order for Ford to earn a return on its investment in Oakville. Unfortunately, BEVs still remain a niche sector in the U.S., dominated by Tesla and limited to well-heeled early adopters of new technology.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to roll back fuel-economy standards for gasoline-powered cars, along with projected low oil prices, could be a major drag on BEVs for the next few years.
Needless to say, much could depend on the outcome of November’s presidential election.
Democratic candidate Joe Biden could reinstate the stricter fuel economy rules if he wins the White House. At the very least, a Biden administration would drop a legal challenge to California’s plans to press ahead with its own tougher regulations.
Amid the devastating wildfires in his state, California Governor Gavin Newsom last week issued an executive order to phase out the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles starting in 2035. Experts were skeptical of the move, saying California’s electricity grid already faces severe capacity constraints and the state recently resorted to blackouts.
The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a Trump appointee, questioned “the legality and practicality” of Mr. Newsom’s move in a letter obtained by Reuters.
“California’s record of rolling blackouts – unprecedented in size and scope – coupled with recent requests to neighbouring states for power begs the question of how you expect to run an electric-car fleet that will come with significant increases in electricity demand, when you can’t even keep the lights on today,” EPA chief Andrew Wheeler said.
Mr. Biden’s US$2-trillion climate-change platform stops short of a promise to phase out gasoline-powered cars. His plan, which would require approval by the U.S. Congress, does include a vow to ramp up subsidies for BEV purchases and build 500,000 new EV charging stations.
Still, a lot would need to fall in place before anyone could call Ford’s plan to assemble BEVs in Oakville a safe bet.
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Netflix’s Australian advertising tier underperformed in the first three months of operation, with the streaming giant offering refunds to advertisers.
Netflix ad-supported subscription level failed to meet expectations in Australia / Netflix
Netflix is reimbursing Australian advertisers after failing to meet expected viewership figures for ad subscriptions.
Media reports suggest that Netflix’s Basic with Ads subscription tier, which launched in November, underperformed by up to 70% in the first three months of operation.
The disappointing performance was attributed to lower-than-expected subscriptions, a lack of inventory, and the absence of an established product.
The launch of the globally supported by advertising offered consumers a $4 savings on the streaming giant’s basic package in exchange for advertising. The Basic with Ads plan is priced at $6.99, while the Basic plan is only $10.99.
However, it’s not just Australia where the ad subscription model has fallen short of expectations. Media reports from last year suggested the offering got off to a slow start globally due to a lack of inventory and subscribers.
Netflix announced the introduction of advertising level last yearFollowing increased competition in the streaming content market, both Disney+ and Paramount+ are expected to launch ad-supported packages.
However, media pundits say the service is starting to kick off and forecasts for the next few months are improving. Subscriber numbers are also expected to spike as Netflix rolls out anti-password sharing technology that will prevent multiple users from sharing accounts.
Netflix launched the technology in New Zealand last week, with plans to roll it out to Australia “in the coming months”.
After years of denying that it would introduce advertising on the platform, Netflix was forced to rethink its strategy last year, following increased competition from Disney+ and Paramount+. Disney+ launched its ad tier in the US in December and is expected to launch in other markets this year.


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Equities Analysts Offer Predictions for Colfax Corp’s Q3 2019 Earnings (CFX)
Colfax Corp (NYSE:CFX) – Analysts at Seaport Global Securities raised their Q3 2019 EPS estimates for shares of Colfax in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, February 14th. Seaport Global Securities analyst W. Liptak now expects that the industrial products company will earn $0.59 per share for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.56. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Colfax’s Q1 2020 earnings at $0.62 EPS, Q4 2020 earnings at $0.67 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $2.56 EPS.
Colfax (NYSE:CFX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 13th. The industrial products company reported $0.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.06. Colfax had a return on equity of 7.72% and a net margin of 3.82%. The company had revenue of $985.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $982.49 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.45 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 12.7% compared to the same quarter last year.
NYSE:CFX opened at $26.32 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a current ratio of 1.83. Colfax has a one year low of $18.95 and a one year high of $37.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.62.
In other Colfax news, CEO Ian Brander sold 3,232 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.18, for a total transaction of $84,613.76. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 26,136 shares in the company, valued at $684,240.48. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP A. Lynne Puckett sold 2,540 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.18, for a total value of $66,497.20. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 54,818 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,435,135.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 28,325 shares of company stock worth $632,843 in the last 90 days. 10.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Colfax by 2.1% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,126,083 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $148,786,000 after buying an additional 84,025 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Bank of Australia acquired a new stake in Colfax during the third quarter valued at approximately $396,000. Golub Group LLC raised its stake in Colfax by 2.1% during the third quarter. Golub Group LLC now owns 588,951 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $21,238,000 after buying an additional 11,897 shares in the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its stake in Colfax by 137.3% during the third quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 36,697 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,322,000 after buying an additional 21,231 shares in the last quarter. Finally, James Investment Research Inc. acquired a new stake in Colfax during the third quarter valued at approximately $2,077,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.82% of the company’s stock.
Colfax Company Profile
Colfax Corporation operates as a diversified industrial technology company worldwide. The company operates through Air and Gas Handling, and Fabrication Technology segments. The Air and Gas Handling segment designs, manufactures, and supplies heavy-duty centrifugal and axial fans, rotary heat exchangers, and gas compressors, as well as related products, systems, and services.
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Disney Fans Slam CEO Bob Chapek After More Park Price Hikes
The CEO suggested more price increases are to come during an August earnings call.
A day of family fun at California's Disneyland just got a whole lot more expensive, causing fans to question their loyalty to the brand and Disney CEO Bob Chapek.
The Anaheim-based theme park raised prices across the board, in addition to its Disney Genie+ service available at its U.S. resorts, by an average of 8 percent on Tuesday, according to CBS News.
The hike follows Chapek's hint that prices will continue to increase with high demand from Disney lovers during an August earnings call.
Disneyland and California Adventures organize their ticket prices by "tiers," which are the number of days you plan to visit one of the parks. For those planning to visit the parks for one day, or Tier 1, the price has increased from $104 to $114. If you're purchasing a Tier 6 pass, it's now $179, up from $164.
Additionally, for people purchasing "Park Hopper" tickets, which allow patrons to move between Disneyland and California Adventures, Tier 1 tickets have increased from $164 to $179, while Tier 6 tickets increased from $224 to $244.
The Genie+ pass "fast pass" price, which allows customers to cut the line for some attractions, was raised from $20 to $25.
Disney World in Orlando, Fla., also increased its Genie+ pass from $15 to $22 but has yet to increase ticket costs, per New York Post. However, the outlet notes that Disneyland's annual passes saw a 16 percent hike only two months ago.
Over the past five years, Disneyland has raised prices each October, with a total 36 percent increase since 2017, according to Deadline.
As Disneyland keeps raising prices, fans are starting to get frustrated.
I just have a lot of emotions right now. I'm just feeling really sad and anxious and stressed over the raised Disney ticket prices. I just want to be able to go, to escape from the real world. How much money do you want to make from us? #Disney— Rebeca (@Bunnykisses21) October 12, 2022
Two months since our Magic Key passes expired and now ticket prices went up.. will I ever get to go back to Disney— jessi marie (@jessimug) October 12, 2022
So when will Bob Chapek start charging guests for breathing in Disney Parks? You want to breathe in that sweet smell of Pirates of the Caribbean? That's $50 for each breath, ma'am.— Robin Burks (@sunriserobin) October 11, 2022
Bob Chapek: pic.twitter.com/DhsmEBNxAk— DisVision3D (@DisVision3D) October 11, 2022
Bob Chapek tonight. #waltdisneyworld #WDW #disney #Disneyland pic.twitter.com/0txKt6KFyb— shinealight (@M_e_Col) October 11, 2022


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Youtap’s customers continue to roll out Youtap’s payment platforms across Africa. Recently, Airtel Zambia launched its Airtel Money ‘Tap and Go’ service. Airtel Zambia announced the launch at an event held in cooperation with food retailer Zambeef. Airtel Money ‘Tap and Go’ will enable Zambeef customers pay for their meat products with mobile money simply by tapping their mobile phones and entering a PIN at the point of sale.
Speaking at the launch event at Zambeef’s Mtendere Macro outlet, Airtel Money Manager Tukuza Lungu said:
“Tap and Go is a new and exciting offer from Airtel Money that allows customers to pay for goods and services using the ‘Near Field Technology’ (NFC) on their mobile phone. This significant development is in line with the national efforts of moving our country towards being technologically proficient by finding ways to innovate services to benefit the community at large,” he added.
With the Tap and Go service, transactions are completed much faster than using the conventional way of using mobile money.


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Chevrolet will in fact bring a Camaro Z28 to market some time in 2011 as a 2012 model year car to take on Ford’s Shelby GT500 Mustang. According to a report by Inside Line, the ultra-high-performance (were talking more ponies than a Z06 Vette here folks) Camaro Z28 is being held off slightly to put the focus on the Camaro Convertible. Nothing has been confirmed about the Z28, but it is expected to rumored to get the Cadillac CTS-V’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 – making close to that’s car’s 556-hp.
In addition, the rest of the 2012 model year Camaros will get a revised interior with updates made to the dash; particularly the area in front of the passenger. Hopefully the GM designers and engineers can find a way to add a bit more headroom too.


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On the 21st of October, the Regional Trade Committee will be meeting.
The theme of the meeting will be ‘What to Expect in practice from the Megatrends in International Trade: the AEC, the TPP, the RCEP, and the TFA’.
This meeting will feature a presentation by Ms. Deborah Elms, Executive Director of the Asian Trade Centre in Singapore. Mr. Raffaele Quarto will then offer his insights and perspective under his capacity of Head of the Economic and Trade section at the EU Delegation to Singapore.
The presentations will be followed by Q&A and discussion with our members.
Mr Raffaele Quarto is currently Head of the Economic and Trade section at the EU Delegation to Singapore.
This meeting is for EuroCham Members only.
Should you be interested in attending, please contact the Committees and Membership Manager, Mr Yiannis Korkovelos at email@example.com


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In retrospect, we needed to be lucky. Very lucky.
We also needed zero unwelcome surprises. No sudden shocks that might further pummel fragile supply chains. No new disasters, whether man-made or natural. No additional outbreaks, human or zoological.
Instead, we were unlucky ... and lots of things went wrong.
The U.S. economy shrank at an annual pace of 1.4 percent in the first quarter of 2022, thanks largely to decreases in private inventory investment. Recession risks are rising. Deutsche Bank Research is forecasting a “major” recession by next year, a more dire scenario than its previous prediction of a “mild” recession. To be clear: This projection is an outlier, the most pessimistic forecast on Wall Street, but it’s not implausible. Goldman Sachs and Moody’s Analytics, among others, say there’s about a 1 in 3 chance of recession in the next couple of years.
There are several reasons recession looks more likely than it did just a few months back.
First and foremost: the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policies.
The main tool the Fed has to reduce inflation is interest rate hikes. These bring down prices by curbing demand. Higher borrowing costs make it more expensive to buy a car or a house, for instance, so eager customers pull back a little. Problem is, it’s hard for Fed officials to calibrate rate hikes so that they’re just sharp enough to dampen spending, but not so sharp that the economy craters.
Historically, most of the times the Fed has raised interest rates to get inflation under control, it (accidentally) tipped the economy into recession.
This time around, Fed officials and outside economic commentators (myself included) have thought there was still a clear path for the Fed to achieve its coveted “soft landing” — that is, cooling down the hot economy without killing it. If supply chains basically went back to normal relatively quickly as businesses reopened, the Fed could hold off on raising rates for a while and let the economy keep booming.
In retrospect, this was much too optimistic. Supply chains remain a mess. Because of the Fed’s tardiness, the central bank needs to raise rates more aggressively to eventually succeed at crushing inflation. Which makes recession more likely.
Meanwhile, other unforeseen shocks are adding to inflationary pressures, which the Fed will also have to confront.
Among them — factor No. 2 — is the latest round of covid-related lockdowns in major manufacturing hubs across China. The Chinese government has shuttered factories and obstructed shipping of cars, electronics and other key consumer products. This will cause shortages and price spikes, increasing inflationary pressures and consumers’ expectations for more inflation in the months ahead.
Then there’s factor No. 3: the war in Ukraine.
In addition to the immediate, unconscionable losses of Ukrainian lives and freedom, the conflict has also led to major disruptions in energy and food markets worldwide. Oil and natural gas prices have skyrocketed, visiting immediate pain upon the United States and especially Europe.
The consequences for food prices are broader and have not yet been fully felt.
Ukraine is known as Europe’s breadbasket, and the war has disrupted the planting, harvesting and shipping of wheat and corn. Ukraine and Russia usually produce about 60 percent of the world’s sunflower oil, which is used in cooking and many processed foods. In response to shortages, Indonesia has limited exports of another vegetable oil, palm oil. Some supermarkets in Britain have begun rationing sales of cooking oils.
Russia is also usually a major exporter of fertilizer, which is used to grow crops elsewhere, such as Brazil. The war has disrupted that trade, too, putting even more upward pressure on agricultural production costs, and therefore crop prices, around the world. Plus, fertilizer prices were elevated even before the war, thanks to export restrictions that China implemented last year.
There are almost always disruptions to food production somewhere in the world, of course. Nature is fickle and can be cruel. But these issues are the last problem we need at this particular moment, given all the other extant challenges, at least if price pressures are to fall without requiring the Fed to engage in draconian tightening measures.
Recession is not inevitable. But the outlook is darkening — first because of some poor decisions, and then because of a spate of really awful luck.


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Absolutely Write! plays a prominent role in the Southern African publishing environment as a provider of specialist print publications for various niche industries. Currently these are for the commercial fishing and shipping industries.
Our magazine brands offer exceptional coverage of the industries we specialise in, providing news pertinent to South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and Angola that is topical, current, accurate, informative and educational. Our independent contributors are specialists in the industries we represent and provide an invaluable service to the permanent Editor in bringing the news to you.
Available on subscription only, both in print and on this website, we are proud to say that the global readership of our magazines is growing daily. With 68 years experience in the shipping industry and 14 years in the fishing industry, we have no doubt our magazines would be the...
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MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN NEW SA FACILITIES
South Africa - DHL Express, a unit of mail and logistics provider Deutsche Post AG, is investing a total of EUR 30.5 million
TRANSNET SUSPENDS PLANS FOR COAL TERMINAL
South Africa - Transnet has decided not to go ahead with its plans to build a new coal terminal at the port of Richards Bay


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Despite social media forming a staple of much of UK consumers’ digital life, it will not feature as a significant influencer this Christmas according to research by YouGov for The Drum, suggesting that only a tiny share of internet users would turn to social media for gift suggestions. 83% of internet users would not turn to social media for gift suggestions.
The UK’s social networking population is the second-largest in Europe after Germany, with even higher penetration. Overall, just 83% of internet users said they would use social media for Christmas gift recommendations, however. Younger UK internet users were more prone to social media influence, with 11% of 18- to 24-year-olds saying social would influence them, but this number diminished significantly with age, to 1% of those ages 60 and above.
While social networks are a reliable and trusted source for news, they are yet to prove a reliable source for retail. Research conducted by Videology in September 2013 shows that Christmas buying decisions of internet users tend to be driven by preferences of friends and family—in other words, outside many of the traditional routes of advertising and focused more around word-of-mouth, even if that didn’t necessarily extend to social media.
However, 15% found TV ads influential, with 13% relying on digital searches and 10% on internet ads. Print ads and celebrity endorsements were also influential, but to a much lesser extent.
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It's hard to argue with cold, hard cash – particularly when it could be in your wallet.
If you signed up for a Gold membership when the Xbox 360 launched in 2006, you have essentially handed over around $400 for the privilege of online gaming (make that $500 if you’re using a wireless adaptor). Either way, that’s a lot of money that could have been spent on games – or even a second console. By contrast, the PlayStation Network has been completely free from the day it launched.
In August, Microsoft announced plans to increase the price of Xbox Live Gold by up to 25 per cent, widening the gulf even further. If you care about money, get PSN.


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- Faktor Penyebab Kondiloma on The photobooth is back in fashion SMH 29.01.2011
- Apa Itu Ketuat Kemaluan on Sydney Photo booth Hire
- bluetooth speakers on Photo Booth love just in time for Valentines day
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Monthly Archives: December 2010
Refurbished product Photo-Me hasn’t manufactured a new photo booth in 15 to 20 years, Gulley says. All of Photo-Me’s new accounts get refurbished, customized booths. James Photopoulos, co-owner of Photo’s Hot Dogs in Mt. Prospect, has had the same color … Continue reading
It took five months. About 30 percent of his subjects, Jerry says, gave him part or all of their photos, which will remain in his private collection. He considered part of the performance art simply convincing people to participate. “It’s … Continue reading
http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-040512photostory,0,3079903.story Five minutes into our conversation, Gary Gulley articulates my fascination with photo booths, those magical vendors of four vertical photographs. “It kind of flashes unpredictably — catches you the least little bit off guard,” says Gulley, sales executive for … Continue reading
http://searchwarp.com/swa581611-Ultimate-List-Of-Photo-Booth-Prop-Ideas.htm Ultimate list of photo booth prop ideas is below. If you are having a photo booth at your upcoming event, then you should seriously considering adding some props into the mix. They are great at adding spontaneity to your … Continue reading
http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Tips-for-Photobooth-Posing!&id=5195438 We all know the potential fun to be had in a photobooth, whether traditional or the new, open-air style. A group of people get together, in front of a camera, with some random props…how could you NOT have fun? … Continue reading
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2007/10/24travelstead.html (a) Big ol’ cheesy smile (b) “I am not a crook” face with double peace sign (c) Doin’ the funky chicken – – – - (a) Sticking tongue out (b) Wearing fuzzy top hat, giving thumbs-up (c) Showing off … Continue reading


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Like many Amazon.com Inc. third-party sellers, Patrick Maioho depends heavily on factories in China to produce the kitchen and grilling products he sells online.
Through Michigan-based KitchenReady, a business owned with his wife, Maioho routinely imports a range of products made in China, including bristle-free grill brushes and extreme-heat oven gloves. While KitchenReady operates its own website, sales are handled entirely through Amazon.com and the e-commerce company's vast fulfillment network.
But as the deadly coronavirus spreads and manufacturing facilities in Asia have yet to fully reopen, Amazon sellers like Maioho are scrambling to stockpile goods from wholesalers in the U.S. and source products from other regions as they brace for an expected hit to sales in the coming months.
"It will definitely impact our business as Q2 is a good season for us in the grilling category," Maioho said.
While larger companies may have the wherewithal to withstand supply chain disruptions caused by the virus, independent entrepreneurs are ill-equipped to bounce back to normalcy even when factories are in full swing, experts say. Over the next several weeks, Amazon sellers will have to navigate through a web of uncertainty due to an epidemic that has already forced some major retailers to lower guidance in 2020, sparked fears of a global recession, pummeled U.S. stocks and disrupted global travel. The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has spread to dozens of other countries including the U.S. As of March 5, there were more than 95,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more than 3,200 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
"Even if everything is fine tomorrow, there's still a ripple effect," said R.J. Hottovy, an analyst with Morningstar who covers Amazon, in an interview. "I think, certainly, second- and third-quarter numbers are at risk for some of these sellers. Obviously if [the virus spreads] into the second half of the year, then the holiday season is impacted."
Amazon did not return inquiries for this story. But the Seattle-based company is reportedly stockpiling some of its own most popular products made in China in a bid to avoid supply chain disruptions, according to a Feb. 20 report by The New York Times. Experts say that, for the most part, Amazon is expected to leave its sellers to cope with the supply issues on their own.
Experts say Amazon third-party sellers are more vulnerable to supply chain disruptions associated with the coronavirus outbreak. A rendering of a microscopic view of the virus is pictured.
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The outbreak could have an insidious effect on Amazon's third-party sellers at a time when those businesses are growing faster than Amazon's own retail operations, experts say. According to e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse, sellers on Amazon sold $200 billion worth of products in 2019, compared with Amazon's own retail sales of $135 billion that year, for a total gross merchandise volume of $335 billion.
Third-party sellers have become the backbone of the company, with the percentage of physical gross merchandise sold by independent third-party merchants on Amazon's site growing from 3% in 1999 to 60% in 2019, said Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of Marketplace Pulse, in an interview.
If sellers find themselves out of stock, it will impact the bottom line for Amazon as a whole, Kaziukenas said. "They don't have as much experience, time or capital available to them to be able to all of the sudden shift their supply chain somewhere else," he said.
And when Chinese factories do fully resume production, they will focus on their largest clients first, such as Walmart Inc. in first-tier markets such as the U.S., creating more uncertainty for sellers that sell smaller volumes. "There is so much backlog in production they are going to have a hard time getting their products made for them," Kaziukenas said.
For Maioho of KitchenReady, the next few weeks will be uncertain. He said in an email interview that he is now looking at a five- to six-week delay in normal production from when factories originally planned to reopen at the beginning of February 2020. Exactly when factories reopen and how quickly they can get to full capacity will depend on which Chinese province the factory is located in and which provinces the workers are returning to, he said.
He said one of his suppliers in China has reopened but with 40% of the workforce. "My contact told me that he believes it may be another week or two before they are at full capacity," he said.
In the meantime, Maioho said he is monitoring sales every day and will be testing how much he can raise prices "in order to slow sales without running out of stock on what we have left in inventory."
Given what he knows now, Maioho expects sales to decline in the second quarter but it is unclear how much. "If we can get product in stock within the next six to eight weeks, we may be able to salvage Q2," he said. "Until we get a better handle on the production in China, we won't really know. One of our suppliers said they will be able to move me up in the production queue because they had retail packaging already in-house, plus leftover stock from my last order."
Amazon is not expected to come to the rescue of third-party suppliers like Maioho, as the company competes online with its own line of private-label goods.
"At the end of the day, capitalism wins out," said Shanton Wilcox, U.S. manufacturing lead at PA Consulting, in an interview. "Amazon is going to keep its private-label goods flowing as much as possible and not necessarily throwing a line [to the sellers]. If you look at it from Amazon's perspective, they want to make sure they have product in the categories. So if someone goes to their website, there is something in the category. If it's only their product, that's great."
If Amazon does not have a private label good in a category, it may help certain suppliers just to keep the product line available. "They don't want any customers going on the website and seeing out-of-stock notifications," Wilcox said. "It depends on the volume of the category and how much inventory the sellers are holding."
While some companies have shielded themselves from shortages by stockpiling to avoid tariffs from the U.S.-China trade war, smaller businesses have had less time to prepare and shift production due to the virus outbreak, said Joel Sutherland, managing director of the Supply Chain Management Institute at the University of San Diego School of Business, in an interview.
"With the trade war, you could say 'let's order more inventory before the tariffs hit,' so they were able to kind of weather that," Sutherland said. "This hit like a tsunami and they didn't have any time to adjust, to negotiate contracts. The longer this goes on, they are going to have shortages."
Maioho, of KitchenReady, said his company started scouting other regions for sourcing when the tariffs went into effect but noted that there is not a "quick fix." "China has a very strong manufacturing infrastructure for retail-ready products and in my experience, moving a product or project to another region takes time and is a challenge," he said.
Jonathan Goldman is the president of Quantum Networks, an Amazon seller based in New York City. The company mostly sells consumer electronics goods such as microphones and Bluetooth headsets. Goldman said in an interview that his company has unintentionally benefited from the tariffs as his brand suppliers shifted production to areas outside of China to avoid the higher duties.
Quantum Networks also benefited from stocking up more than usual before the Chinese New Year, a time when factories typically close for several weeks and ports are regularly congested, he said.
But the coronavirus impact is so severe that many domestic suppliers have approached Goldman and urged him to buy up inventory already in their warehouses.
"We're going to be aggressive to buy from those brands so that we can get ahead of it and in front of our competition," Goldman said, adding that his company is willing to take on the added cost of U.S. air shipments, which is far more expensive than importing products by sea from China.
"We'll have to make a game-time decision: Is it worth being out of stock or is it worth being in stock with less of a margin?" he said.
Like Maioho, Goldman is staying in constant contact with factory representatives in China who have been working from home until the factories reopen completely.
"My fear is that these guys go back to work because China is trying to boost the economy, and there are more issues if workers are still recovering," he said.


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Could tequila be the magical new food sweetener that also causes people to lose weight?
Well, not exactly, but at least one recent study presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society says the agave plant could be a great sweetener source.
While most of us love our sugar, everyone knows that consuming too many sweets can be detrimental to our health. One group of people that understands this all too well are diabetics. Eating anything containing glucose can cause dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels that can cause a whole host of issues for them.
That was the basis of the research conducted by Mercedes G. López, Ph.D., at the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Biotechnology and Biochemistry in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Lopez and her team wanted to discover if there were any sweeteners out there that could provide the flavor we all crave, but without raising blood glucose.
What she discovered is that the agavins in agave, the plant used to make tequila, are actually a very solid sugar substitute.
Not only do they taste sweet, but instead of raising glucose levels, agavins actually decrease them.
“We have found that since agavins reduce glucose levels and increase GLP-1, they also increase the amount of insulin,” said López.
The mechanisms are a little bit complicated to understand, however, the short version is that GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) causes the stomach to empty at a slower rate, thus resulting in increased insulin production.
There are also several other compelling commercial reasons to consider agavins as well.
“Agavins are not expensive and they have no known side effects, except for those few people who cannot tolerate them,” López said.
The agavins in the famous tequila plant could end up being the holy grail of sweeteners that diabetics and other health-conscious people have been searching for for years.
Since they are cheap to extract and distribute, it is entirely possible that agavins could become the next mainstream sweetener. While agavins are not quite as sweet as other agave products you might see on store shelfs such as agave nectar or agave syrup, they are significantly better for you.
In fact, they can actually help you to shed a few pounds instead of the other way around!
In the study conducted by Lopez, mice who had agavins added to their water supply had lower blood glucose levels than mice using other sweeteners, and they also lost weight. It’s a pretty cool finding!
Yet, it is also important to note that actual Tequila does not contain any agavins.
This is bad news for those of us who were thinking about going on a tequila diet drinking our way into a smaller pair of jeans. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. All agavins are converted into ethanol when the fermentation process happens, so sadly, drinking an extra margarita every day is unlikely to become a health trend anytime soon.
“This study represents the first attempt to evaluate agavins as sweeteners in spite of their lower sweetness compared to sugar,” Lopez said.
Lopez has proven that there is definitely hope for agavins to become the next big thing in the health world, but only time will tell whether it catches on.
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This Associated Press story reminds me of the specie panic during the U.S. Civil War. Coins disappeared, and people had to scramble to make change for ordinary transactions. Nearly a century and a half later a similar story is unfolding, this time in Argentina. -EditorA kiosk owner bribes a bank worker with cookies to break bills. Subway workers let commuters ride free because they can't change their cash. Bus companies resell the coins they collect at a steep black market markup.
Argentines are increasingly scrambling to get their hands on pocket change for everyday transactions, as soaring inflation makes the copper and aluminum that coins are made of worth more than their face value. Many suspect profit-seeking hoarders are scooping them up to stow away.
Argentine annual inflation officially hit 8.7 per cent in September, but independent economists say the government is lowballing that rate, which they claim is closer to 25 per cent.
One peso . worth about 31 cents U.S. . now buys so little that it makes more sense to melt down its metal than to save the 20 pesos it would take to buy an average box of chocolates, said economist Diego Giacomini, a consultant at Economia & Regiones in Buenos Aires.
An anonymous central bank hot line has meanwhile received 5,000 complaints about black market coin sales since it opened in February, according to the bank.
Each 50 cent coin contains about 5.3 grams of copper and 0.5 grams of aluminum, together worth about a sixth of the coin's monetary value. But inflation is rising so fast that in a few years, the coins will be worth less than the metal they are made of.
To read the complete article, see: In Argentina, inflation sparks scramble for coins (http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story
Wayne Homren, Editor
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Kroger drops masks for vaccinated customers. Other retailers say "not so fast."
Kroger is joining Home Depot and other large retailers in dropping mask requirements for fully vaccinated customers and employees in some stores following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kroger, the largest U.S. supermarket chain, on Wednesday said fully vaccinated customers and most fully vaccinated employees will no longer be required to wear masks, unless a state or local ordinance requires otherwise, starting Thursday. Kroger is requesting that unvaccinated customers continue to wear masks and is requiring unvaccinated employees do so as well, the company stated. Those working in Kroger pharmacies and clinics will be required to wear a mask in keeping with CDC guidance for health care settings.
People who aren't fully vaccinated must still wear masks in Home Depot stores and in states where mask mandates remain in place, a company spokesperson for the home improvement chain told CBS MoneyWatch. Coffee chain Starbucks on Monday also eased its COVID-19 policies, stating that customers no longer need to don masks in stores unless local laws require facial coverings.
The three companies revised their COVID-19 policies after the CDC's surprise guidance last week that Americans who are vaccinated against the virus do not have to wear masks outdoors and in most indoor settings. The announcement on is leaving businesses scrambling over how to align the new recommendations with their own safety practices, including whether to treat inoculated customers and employees differently from people who have yet to get their shots.
Following the health agency's announcement, some of the nation's largest retailers said they have no immediate plans to change their policies and will still require customers and workers to wear masks while on the premises.
Yet other businesses said they're re-evaluating their protocols, while companies like Disney that cater to tourists are chomping at the proverbial bit to ease mask rules for visitors. Grocery chain Trader Joe's became the first prominent U.S. retailer Friday to drop its mask policies for vaccinated shoppers. A Trader Joe's worker at a downtown Manhattan store in New York City said the grocer is no longer enforcing a mask requirement despite an existing state mandate. Still, most shoppers wore masks inside the store Sunday.
Trader Joe's could be running afoul of the law by allowing unvaccinated customers to roam maskless around stores in some places.
"New York has not yet lifted the mask mandate. Companies cannot make their own rules until the governor makes the decision to lift the mandate," said Helen Rella, an employment and labor attorney at law firm Wilk Auslander.
Trader Joe's did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its COVID-19 rules in states like New York that require masks and social distancing.
Walmart drops mask mandate
Walmart, the largest U.S. retailer, said in a memo to employees that as of Friday vaccinated customers can shop without masks. Fully vaccinated employees will be able to work without masks as of May 18, although workers who haven't been fully vaccinated will still need to wear masks, it added. The company also said it is giving $75 bonuses to vaccinated workers as "a thank you for getting vaccinated," but employees will need to provide proof of vaccination to get the money.
"We will continue to request that non-vaccinated customers and members wear face coverings in our stores and clubs. We will update the signage in our facilities to reflect this," the memo to both Walmart and Sam's Club employees said.
Target hesitated — requiring masks and social distancing in stores for guests and team members last week — before dropping its mask mandate for customers and employees Monday.
"Target will continue to require all of our coronavirus safety measures in all stores, including masks and social distancing, while we review [Thursday's] guidance from the CDC and re-evaluate the guidance we offer our team and guests," a spokesperson said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch Friday.
Starbucks said that in light of the CDC's new guidance, beginning Monday, facial coverings are optional for vaccinated customers unless local regulations require them by law. Starbucks employees must continue to mask up.
Macy's is among the major retailers are also weighing the guidance before ditching their mask requirements.
The decision by some businesses to continue enforcing mask policies is understandable given the ongoing health risks and public sensitivities about getting vaccinated, said Rella, the employment attorney.
"Unfortunately, in retail settings that are open to the public, there is no way to determine if patrons are vaccinated short of asking for proof prior to entry, which is not likely to happen," she said.
Roughy 36% of people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated and have received CDC-issued vaccine cards as proof. But scammers also have seized the opportunity to forge the low-tech cards, as well as sell stolen authentic cards to unvaccinated individuals.
"Very big news" for Disney
Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek celebrated the CDC's new guidance and said he expects it to have an immediate effect on business.
The health agency's revised guidelines are "very big news for us, particularly if anybody's been in Florida in the middle of the summer with a mask on," Chapek told investors in an earnings call on Thursday after the CDC change in policy was revealed. "We've already started to increase our capacities" at Disney attractions, added Chapek, who predicted that the relaxed recommendations would quickly boost attendance at Disney's theme parks, water parks and other venues.
Rival amusement park operator Six Flags Entertainment said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch that the company is reviewing the new CDC guidance and would adjust its mask policy "with the health and safety of our guests and team members top of mind."
Six Flags currently requires all guests over age 2 to wear face masks at its 27 amusement parks across North America.
Casino operator Wynn Resorts was among the first businesses to tell guests they can stop wearing masks, citing the CDC's new guidance.
"Beginning this evening, Wynn Las Vegas and Encore will communicate to guests that they are not required to wear a mask if they are fully vaccinated and are required to wear a mask if they are not. The resort trusts guests to take the appropriate precautions based on their personal vaccination status," the company said in a statement Thursday.
The same policy applies to Wynn's employees, the company said.
Despite the urgency to ease COVID-19 protocols by some businesses, a union representing 1.3 million food and retail workers said the CDC's latest guidance could put its members at risk. The new policy fails to consider the safety of workers across the country who must deal directly with the public in stores and supermarkets, the United Food and Commercial Workers said in a news release.
Frontline workers are again being put in the position of having to police whether customers are following public safety rules — in this case enforcing mask-wearing among the unvaccinated, according to the labor group.
"While we all share the desire to return to a mask-free normal, [the CDC] guidance is confusing and fails to consider how it will impact essential workers who face frequent exposure to individuals who are not vaccinated and refuse to wear masks," Marc Perrone, the UFCW's international president, said in a statement.
Trader Joe's: "We trust our customers"
The supermarket chain Trader Joe's became one of the first big-name retailers on Friday to drop mask requirements for customers who are fully vaccinated. The company has 530 stores in the U.S., and masking remains a must for employees.
A spokeswoman for grocer told CBS MoneyWatch explained the new policy: "In accordance with CDC guidelines, customers who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear masks while shopping in our stores. We do not require proof of vaccination, as we trust our customers to follow CDC guidelines. At this time, masks are still required for our Crew Members."
Costco: Local rules apply
At Costco's nearly 560 stores across the country, it's the local rules that matter. Craig Jelinek, president and CEO of the membership-only retailer said in a statement Friday that fully vaccinated members and guests can enter without face masks or face shields at Costco stores where the state or local jurisdiction does not have a mask mandate.
In those Costco locations where state or local mask mandates remain in place, masks are still required, Jelinek said.
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The smart metering programme has been launched nationwide by electricity distribution companies (DISCOs), with Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) announcing that it has started the distribution of smart meters to customers in Lagos.
This was disclosed in a statement by the General Manager, Corporate Communications, EKEDC, Godwin Idemudia, on Wednesday, following a previous announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Federal Government plans to distribute 1 million meters to customers with the partnership with DISCOs.
What you should know
President Buhari announced the funding for DISCOs, in a bid to roll out 1,000,000 meters in the first phase, at no cost to consumers.
“Under the first phase of the Presidential Mass Metering Initiative, we are making funding immediately available for DISCOs to roll out 1,000,000 Meters in the first phase, at no cost to consumers. Deployment has already started in parts of Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, and Abuja.
“Future phases of this Metering Initiative will help us fully meet the 6.5 million deficit of meters nationwide and will impact an estimated 30 million consumers.
“All meters under this program will be sourced from local manufacturers and in-country stock, to create jobs. We are committed to ending estimated billing in all forms in Nigeria, and ensuring that Nigerians pay only for the electricity they consume” Buhari said.
What they are saying
The National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) is a joint venture between the DISCOs and the FG to improve metering count in Nigeria’s Power sector, which would boost revenues and accountability for the DISCOs.
“Under the new arrangement, distribution companies are expected to go from location to location with their respective Meter Asset Providers (MAP) to provide and install meters for their customers,” EKEDC said.
The meters would be manufactured by indigenous companies including Mojec International Limited and Momas Meter manufacturing company and EKEDC said over 100,000 would be distributed in the first phase.


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Fiat Chrysler’s timing when it comes to big, beefy vehicles is amazing with the latest example occurring earlier today.
The company’s Ram brand received good news with its new 1500 TRX model being named one of three finalists for the 2021 North American Truck of the Year just as the first Launch Edition model, sporting VIN No. 1, rolled off the line at its Sterling Heights (MI) Assembly Plant, or SHAP.
SHAP’s an appropriate place to produce a pickup truck with a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V-8 engine putting out 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque — it used to produce missiles for the U.S. Army.
Given that the TRX hauls from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds, completes the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds officially and has a top speed of 118 mph, SHAP is the perfect place for its birth. It should also be noted that in TheDetroitBureau.com’s review of the TRX earlier this week, we were told the truck is actually faster than those numbers.
“We’re ecstatic to announce the start of production of the award-winning, all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX,” said Mike Koval Jr., head of Ram Brand, in a statement. “The Ram 1500 TRX bolsters the brand’s strong history of high-performance trucks while expanding Ram’s light-duty lineup with the segment’s best combination of performance, capability, luxury and technology.
“We are also well aware that Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition VIN #001 will be an instant collectible truck that is sure to excite enthusiasts, so we plan to make it available via auction with all proceeds going to charity. We look forward to providing further details about the auction and how potential buyers can bid on this very special Ram truck early next year.”
The truck’s debut on the plant floor coincided with the announcement it was a NACTOY finalist, competing against the 2021 Ford F-150 and its FCA sibling, the new Jeep Gladiator Mojave. The Gladiator captured the award last year and after a revamp to make the Mojave an off-road warrior, it’s back in the running again.
The first model is the Launch Edition, of which there will be just 702 built, exclusive Anvil Gray paint, and inside, each truck features a special red and brushed-aluminum center console badge identifying it as a limited-edition Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition model.
In addition to the exclusive color and other signifying touches, the Launch Edition package is coupled with the TRX Level 2 Equipment Group, adding carbon fiber interior trim, color accent package, head-up display, beadlock-capable wheels, 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, Advanced Safety Group, and hood and bodyside graphics. FCA officials said it sold out of the model in less than three hours.
The new TRX is one of the many products coming of the SHAP floor after FCA invested nearly $1.5 billion to retool the plant specifically for the next-generation Ram 1500. The all-new truck officially launched in March 2018, and the plant employs 7,200 people.


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For more information visit: www.isuppli.com
Unedited press release follows:
Vizio Maintains Lead in U.S. LCD TV Market
El Segundo, Calif., February 24, 2011—Riding a wave of demand for its light-emitting diode (LED)-backlit televisions, Vizio Inc. managed to maintain leadership in the U.S. market for liquid-crystal display televisions (LCD TV) in the fourth quarter as well as for the entire year in 2010, according to new IHS iSuppli research.
U.S.-based Vizio in the fourth quarter shipped 2.9 million LCD TVs, up 78.9 percent from 1.6 million in the third quarter. This gave the company a 27.6 percent share of unit shipments, up from 19.5 percent in the third quarter. Vizio’s lead over second-place Samsung expanded to 7.4 percentage points in the fourth quarter, up from 2.1 percentage points in the third quarter.
Topped by a strong fourth-quarter performance, Vizio padded its leadership of the U.S. LCD TV market for the entire year of 2010. Company market share amounted to 21.3 percent in 2010, up from 18.3 percent in 2009. Vizio’s lead expanded to 2.5 percentage points over chief rival Samsung, up from 1 point in 2009.
The attached figure presents the IHS iSuppli ranking of the Top 8 LCD TV brands in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2010.
“Vizio’s market share gains in the U.S. LCD TV market in 2010 were driven by strong consumer demand for the company’s LED-backlit sets,” said Riddhi Patel, director, television systems for IHS. “Vizio has been able to offer sets with this advanced feature while maintaining competitive pricing. Consumers are snapping up LED-backlit LCD TVs from Vizio and others because of their thinner profile, superior picture, lower power consumption and reduced prices.”
Vizio takes flat-panel lead in Q4 2010 but Samsung takes the year
Vizio in the fourth quarter of 2010 also managed to displace Samsung for leadership in the U.S. market for flat-panel televisions, a category that combines the LCD TV and plasma segments. With its strong business in both plasma and LCD sets, Samsung historically has led this area. However, Vizio captured the lead because of aggressive shipments of feature-rich LCD TVs at attractive pricing through its distribution network.
Vizio in the fourth quarter shipped 2.9 million flat-panel sets, up 78.9 percent from 1.6 million in the third quarter and a 55.5 percent increase from 1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. This gave Vizio a 23.9 percent share of the U.S. flat-panel market in the fourth quarter, up from 16.6 percent in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s share rose to 21.5 percent in the fourth quarter, up from 18.8 percent in the third. While its share rose, the increase was not sufficient to keep it from falling to second place in the U.S. flat-panel television market.
Samsung shipped 2.6 million flat panel sets in the fourth quarter of 2010, up 41.5 percent from 1.8 million in the third quarter and a 22.8 percent rise from 2.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2009.
However, because Samsung led Vizio in flat-panel television shipments during the first three quarters of 2010, it maintained leadership for the year as a whole. Samsung accounted for 20.1 percent of U.S. flat-panel shipments in 2010, compared to 18.4 percent for Vizio.
Figure 2 attached presents the IHS iSuppli estimate of U.S. flat-panel market share in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Learn more about this topic with Patel’s latest report entitled, Overall TV Growth Impacted by Slow Uptake in Mature Markets.
About IHS iSuppli Products & Services
IHS iSuppli technology value chain research and advisory services range from electronic component research to device-specific application market forecasts, from teardown analysis to consumer electronics market trends and analysis and from display device and systems research to automotive telematics, navigation and safety systems research. More information is available at www.isuppli.com and by following on twitter.com/iSuppli.
About IHS (www.ihs.com)
IHS (NYSE: IHS) is a leading source of information and insight in pivotal areas that shape today’s business landscape: energy, economics, geopolitical risk, sustainability and supply chain management. Businesses and governments around the globe rely on the comprehensive content, expert independent analysis and flexible delivery methods of IHS to make high-impact decisions and develop strategies with speed and confidence. IHS has been in business since 1959 and became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, IHS employs more than 4,400 people in more than 30 countries around the world.


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“The reality is that nobody wants to spend time on banking, especially when it means taking time to visit the bank branches and waiting in line,” ING Bank’s Head of Retail Banking Mohamed Keraine said in an interview . This is where digital banks in the Philippines come in.
In a recent McKinsey study, researchers found that only 14% of Filipinos with bank accounts are taking advantage of their respective banks’ online capabilities. The researchers attributed this to the country’s lack of initiative in providing a digital banking experience.
But banking institutions should stay optimistic. In the same McKinsey study, they found that 65% of the respondents will consider opening an account with a trusted digital bank. While traditional banks relied on online banking websites and apps to make banking easier, they are without their limitations.
These limitations brought us to the technology we have right now: digital banking. As a flashy new tech, digital banking will definitely be a challenging concept to explain to the common Filipino. To help educate the masses, here’s a primer on how digital banks in the Philippines are changing the way we bank.
Table of Contents
What is Digital Banking?
In a nutshell, fully digital banking allows you to do all banking transactions right on your smartphone. It sounds too simple, but that’s pretty much what it is. Download the bank’s app, open a bank account, deposit money, and manage your account at the comfort of your home.
By containing the entire banking process on a single app, digital banking aims to make banking more accessible than ever. Here are just some of the benefits that digital banking brings to the table.
Advantages of Digital Banking
- Digital Processing – no documents or forms to sign
- Paperless Transactions – no receipts, invoices, paper products
- 24/7 Customer Service – no banking hours, call anytime
- High-Interest Savings – save more money when banking online
- Mobile Deposit – just take a picture of your check
- Easy Banking – no hidden fees, just do your thing
- Secure Banking – prevent hackers from snooping around
Disadvantages of Digital Banking
- Managing Cash Deposits – no easy way to deposit cash on hand
- Lack of In-Person Support – no quick way to ask for support
- More Prone to Cyberattacks – hackers can scam unsuspecting clients
Despite recent developments, digital banking in the Philippines is technically still in its infancy. Foreign banks are already making their presence known, while the country’s top banks are trying their best to catch up. Regardless, there’s no mistaking it—the future of banking is definitely here.
Digital Banking vs. Online Banking
“But we already have online banking,” you might say. Yes, online banking in the Philippines has been popular in recent years, but it has significant limitations. For one, you can only get access to online banking apps if you already have an account to a specific bank.
In order to open a bank account, you have to go to a bank and have it processed there. Also, you can’t make deposits to your account through online banking. You have to find deposit machines, which are not as abundant as ATMs, or you can go straight to the bank and have bank tellers deposit the money for you. It’s a minor complaint for some, but it’s a big deal for the folks in rural areas.
This is where the advantages of digital banking come in. Thanks to this latest innovation, you can now open a digital bank account in a matter of minutes. Just provide your basic information, take a photo of your primary IDs and signature, and presto! You now have a bank account.
You can also deposit money right where you are, although to some extent. Just take a picture of your check and the banking app will instantly deposit the money to your account. While it doesn’t work on paper bills yet, it’s still better than actually going out to the bank. Basically, digital banking is a lot like online banking, only better in execution.
Top Digital Banks in the Philippines
Leading the charge in the digital banking space is Dutch giant ING (Internationale Nederlanden Groep) Bank. Considered as one of the most prestigious banks in the country, ING Bank was the first one to explore the potential of digital banking in the country.
ING launched the first-ever fully digital retail bank in the Philippines in a press event hosted by James Deakin. The renowned TV personality showcased the capabilities of ING’s app to everyone.
“I opened my account online using the ING app and it took about 10 minutes in total before I received an account number. All I had to do was fill up some basic info, take a photo of my driver’s license and then use dynamic face recognition, take a photo of my specimen signature, and boom! I was up and running!” Deakin wrote on his Instagram.
They also partnered with PESONet, InstaPay, and 27 online payment channels to make deposits and fund transfers easier. And if that’s not enough, ING currently offers a 2.5% savings interest, higher than most banks.
Another relatively new player is Malaysia’s own CIMB (Commerce International Merchant Bankers) Bank. A banking heavyweight in ASEAN countries, CIMB Bank also realized how Filipinos are progressive when it comes to digital banking trends.
According to CEO of group ventures and partnerships Effendy Shahul Hamid, they envision CIMB to provide a “seamless and hassle-free” digital banking experience. Judging by the reviews of their apps, CIMB is currently on the right track.
As CIMB Philippines CEO promised during their launch, “We will encourage more Filipinos to seamlessly open a bank account and enjoy the benefits of having a relationship with a forward-looking bank.”
True to their word, CIMB Bank made sure to pack their app with lots of useful banking features. Aside from the usual digital banking features, CIMB Online Banking allows you to apply for a personal loan right from the app. Customers can loan up to PHP 1 million with zero processing and early settlement fees. Digital loans can get approved as fast as 24 hours.
Taking digital banking a step further is Tonik Bank, the first neobank in the Philippines. Officially launching in March 18, 2021, Tonik wowed everyone with their 6% time-deposit rate and up to 4.5% savings account interest rate. Being completely online and having no physical branches to manage allowed Tonik to offer such high rates.
According to Tonik CEO Greg Krasnov, Tonik aims to “romance” Filipinos to start saving up. “We started Tonik because we were fed up with how traditional banks mistreat their customers. The fact that 70 percent of the Filipinos remain unbanked shows that the tedious onboarding process of traditional banks and their ridiculously low interest rates do nothing to satisfy the needs of the consumers,” Krasnov said.
Tonik Bank also touted their use of advanced technology to reduce costs and improve Filipino’s banking experience by introducing more innovative services in the future. “In the long term we believe what we’re currently offering is definitely sustainable and they deserve it. People work hard to save money and they deserve to earn money from their money,” Krasnov said.
In July 2020, RCBC joined the digital bank race with their financial inclusion super app, DiskarTech. While it is currently using RCBC as its backroom, DiskarTech is currently applying for its own license, allowing it to utilize a digital-centric business model.
To entice users, DiskarTech introduced a 3.25% interest rate to their savings account, which is already higher than most banks. Aside from providing banking services, DiskarTech also offers other financial services like personal loans, insurance, and even telemedicine. And to add more incentive, they have a referral program that earns you PHP 30 for every successful registration.
All of these efforts boil down to DiskarTech’s aim to encourage 70% of adult Filipinos to open a bank account by the end of 2023. “We accelerated the addition of features as they prove to be more necessary today. More responsive and more relevant than ever, finally, DiskarTech is here for every unbanked and underserved Filipino,” RCBC President and CEO Eugene Acevedo said during the app’s launch.
Just like DiskarTech, Komo by EastWest was also a product of the pandemic. As a response to quarantine protocols, EastWest launched their digital banking unit in May 2020. Through the use of their app, users can open a savings account online with a 2.5% interest rate at the comfort of their homes. Plus, Komo offers insurance services with various coverages.
And while they have yet to apply for a digital banking license, Komo is still a great addition to the growing digital banking industry in the Philippines. “We’re always assessing developments in the industry including whether Komo will be spun off as a separate entity. We are always open as well to looking at strategic partnerships with the entities that can make the bank become a bigger player in the various fields,” EastWest President and CEO Josephine Gotianun-Yap said when talking about their digital initiatives.
Comparison of Digital Banks in the Philippines
Currently, these five digital banks are the top players in the digital banking industry. But how exactly do they compare with each other? Here’s a quick overview of each bank’s features to help you choose the right bank.
|Features||ING Bank||CIMB Bank||Tonik||DiskarTech||Komo|
|Interest Rate (p.a.)||2.50% (after the promo period)||Up to 3.10%||Up to 6%||3.25%||2.5%|
|Account Types||ING Savings Account||Savings Account||Savings Account|
|Money Transfer||PESOnet for sending money InstaPay for receiving only||PESOnet||InstaPay and PESOnet||InstaPay and PESOnet||InstaPay and PESOnet|
|Bills Payment||Not available||Available||Not available||Available||Available|
|Personal Loan||Coming Soon||Available||Coming Soon||Available||Not available|
|Debit Card||Not available||Available||Virtual Card||Not available||Virtual Card|
|Mobile Check Deposit||Available (banking days only from 1:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.)||Not Available||Not available||Not available|
In terms of interest rate, Tonik takes the cake with its 6% offering. While it’s only available for their time deposit, their regular savings account still earns you 4% for solo stashes and 4.5% for group stashes. This means your savings will grow quicker when you open a Tonik bank account.
Meanwhile, DiskarTech wins in terms of the variety of services you can avail. Aside from your banking needs, you can also get insurance, apply for a personal loan, and buy telemedicine vouchers from the app. Plus, you can pay utility bills and government fees, as well as buy load and gaming e-pins.
As for the application process, CIMB has the easiest since you can open one when you already have a GCash account. You can also manage your bank account from the GCash app. No need to download the standalone app since it’s the least polished app compared to the other digital banking apps.
For the best app experience, ING inches the competition by only a little bit. Since it’s the first digital bank to launch in the Philippines, they had a lot of time refining the bugs in their app. DiskarTech also has a smooth functioning app while Tonik and Komo still have some things to iron out.
There’s no doubt that a cashless future awaits the Philippines; it’s just a matter of when. And by the looks of it, that future is within our grasp. The challenge now is to convince a skeptical public to embrace digitization in banking.
Slowly but surely, digital banks in the Philippines will help Filipinos familiarize themselves with digital banking. Give it a few more years and eventually, anyone who can use a smartphone will now have their own digital bank account.
-  5 things you could do better with an all-digital bank (Inquirer, 2019)
-  Malaysia’s CIMB launches ‘all-mobile’ bank in Philippines (ABS-CBN News, 2019)
-  Digital-only bank Tonik woos with staggering deposit interest of 6 (Inquirer.net, 2021)
-  RCBC unveils financial inclusion ‘super app’ (Inquirer, 2020)
-  EastWest Bank mulls Komo spin-off as digital bank (Manila Bulletin, 2021)
Ricky is the zaniest Senior Content Writer at Moneymax, with over five years of writing experience in the digital marketing industry. He is a huge fan of pro wrestling, smartphones, and binge-watching. Follow Ricky on LinkedIn.


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Crunch Time Apples Crunches the Competition in 2019
LOCKPORT, N.Y., Jan. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the most recent Nielson data, Crunch Time Apple Growers' two brands of premium apples continued to build momentum and sales growth in 2019, and they don't appear to be slowing down as they head into 2020. In fact, for the three regions included in Nielson's latest review — Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic and New England — SnapDragon, one of Crunch Time's two apple varieties, generated the #1 rate of dollar growth from 2018 to 2019.
"These Nielson Ratings aren't a numbers game, they're the standard benchmark by which all sorts of brands are measured. And their latest report shows our apples, especially SnapDragon, are winning the war in-store," says Rena Montedoro, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Crunch Time Apple Growers. "Our two brands of premium apples — SnapDragon and RubyFrost — are doing very well, especially when you consider the number of managed variety apples in the marketplace today vs. even just a few years ago." Montedoro continues, "What's more, SnapDragon and RubyFrost both performed very well despite limited distribution, as well as limited years to build consumer preference. It really speaks to how much consumers favor these two fantastic apples."
The Nielson Ratings began as a television viewing measurement tool but has expanded over the years to include market research for multiple consumer categories and brands. Nielson Global Connect has explored what's important to shoppers for more than 90 years, and organizations like Crunch Time continue to rely on their data and insights. With groundbreaking technology, Nielson provides a truly complete picture of the complex and changing marketplace that growers and retailers need in order to innovate and grow their businesses.
"The Nielson Ratings are the standard of measurement of consumer preference and market performance," Montedoro adds. In addition to these Neilson Ratings, overall consumer response to Crunch Time's two managed apple varieties has been nothing short of amazing — from net impressions online and social media engagement to retail-wide sell-outs with product flying off shelves and out of produce bins. "SnapDragon showed growth of 60% last year and RubyFrost showed growth of 45%. That's huge to say the least."
Bite a Crunch Time Apple. Support a Farmer!
When you bite into a Crunch Time apple, you're not just tasting an incredible apple, but the incredible love and labor of 147 family farmers across New York State. Every Crunch Time apple is non-GMO, super crunchy, delightfully juicy, beautifully colored and carefully grown. Plus, when you purchase a Crunch Time apple, you're not only biting into a little history, you're helping to sustain the future of family farming for generations to come. For more information please visit CrunchTimeAppleGrowers.com, SnapDragonApple.com or RubyFrostApple.com.
SOURCE Crunch Time Apple Growers


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India’s Largest Startup – Reliance Jio Infocomm is in quest for perfection before a nationwide launch of bouquet of Telecom services. Nevertheless, the following developments of late indicate that the launch is now imminent.
The soft launch (complimentary preview offer) is gradually being extended to non-Lyf phones (started with Samsung last week, being reportedly extended to iPhones and others shortly) – this will open up the trial offer to a much broader user base. Current average data usage stands at 26 GB across its 1.5m test user base, which is already the second-highest in the country despite Jio not having been commercially launched yet (though average usage will undoubtedly decline once the services become chargeable)
The Indian Government’s DoT has announced the Biggest Telecom Spectrum Auction to begin from Sept-2016, however the upcoming auction is likely to be muted. There are three aspects in which the current context is different from previous auctions: 1) there is no ‘renewal risk’; 2) increased realism on the competitive landscape reducing the number of potential bidders; and 3) access to the spectrum is less uncertain, due to the recent changes in rules on spectrum trading and sharing.
The government has recently completed the harmonization exercise in the 1800Mhz band, which would help release significant spectrum in key markets for commercial use. We believe this is positive for Idea, which is currently spectrum constrained in a few of its key markets. We estimate Idea’s spend at between Rs12-50bn.
700Mhz Damp Squib – 2.0GHz+ Big Blocks on Sale
We do not expect any sale of spectrum in the 700MHz due to its high price. Additionally, the new rev-share framework incentivizes purchase of cheaper Read the rest of this entry »
Reliance Jio will likely have a voice offering (not fully optimal) when they launch, we think that a good quality voice solution will take time for mass uptake till VoLTE as a technology matures and a VoLTE enabled smartphone ecosystem evolves.
Four possible options for offering voice solution; VoLTE relatively better in long-run – As Jio is a 4G-only operator it cannot offer a traditional circuit-switched voice offering). In our view, Jio may initially focus on the dual SIM phones initially (with voice being on the SIM of competitor operator), but over time as the VoLTE enabled smartphone ecosystem improves, we may see Jio become aggressive in its voice offering product.
VoIP – Free calls on Jio’s data network. Limited to consumers using data and Patchy quality while travelling.
Roaming/ICR with existing telcos – Traditional voice solution
VoLTE – Good quality calls even while travelling. Limited smartphone av availability and require dense network
Dual SIM – Jio SIM used only for data and peer SIM used for voice
In our view, a good quality unlimited voice offering Read the rest of this entry »
India’s real estate transactions have traditionally been channeled through myriad networks of local agents, who are perceived to be gatekeepers of the information. This makes the entire process cumbersome and unreliable. This is exactly the pain point that online real estate portals promise to resolve. Not surprisingly, despite being a relatively new phenomenon, these portals are fast becoming the platform of choice for consumers. These online portals provide the following two services. Read the rest of this entry »
4G smartphones sales have picked up materially and so is the focus by big 3 telcos to rollout 4G aggressively. With 4G tariffs being largely in-line with 3G tariffs, we now see limited incentive for consumers to use 3G overtime and see aggressive push towards 4G. This would help the big 3 telcos to prevent their subs from churning to Reliance Jio Infocomm.
With Expected limited differentiation between 3G and 4G tariffs; Improving availability of 4G smartphones almost at the same price points as 3G and Coverage gaps between 3G & 4G diminishing over the next 1-2 year we expect a larger proportion of subs to move directly from 2G to 4G. We consider India to be relatively unique from that perspective (move from 2G directly to 4G) as we note that the telcos have started rolling out 4G even before material uptake of 3G. This is primarily led from a threat from new entrant Jio who would likely be 4G only operator. However we do expect 3G subs uptake to be strong for the next couple of years atleast as 3G coverage would likely be better than 4G coverage.
With all the big 3 telcos expected to have rolled out 4G selectively in key urban areas before Mar-16, we expect their top-end (high usage) consumers to migrate to 4G. This in our view will make it difficult for Jio to poach these
subs as the company would need to focus on offering a differentiated service. We do not consider lower pricing as a sustainable offering by Jio to poach the subscribers Read the rest of this entry »
Telcos’ network quality deterioration is very much in focus, with plenty of newsflow/ discussion on dropped calls – even the prime minister has expressed concerns. Data experience isn’t great either, given low speeds. We believe there are several factors driving this – underinvested networks, inadequate spectrum and some impact from frequency rearrangements following recent auctions.
Hiccups in network expansion in metros – site acquisition is becoming increasingly tough, as telco radiation is being viewed as a health hazard by some activists/ resident associations.
Reliance Jio Infocomm launch, is likely in the next few months, and there are still varying views about what it will do – RIL’s recent disclosures suggest its network and devices readiness. Otherwise, the competitive landscape amongst existing telcos is largely stable, and telcos again Read the rest of this entry »
Reliance Industries (RIL) indicated that the commercial launch of its telecom services (Reliance Jio Infocomm) would take place by Dec 2015, with a soft launch in the near term. Reliance Jio plans network coverage of 80% of the population by the end of 2015, with full population coverage within 3 years. We view this as ambitious as no private telco currently offers 100% population coverage. Capacity at launch of 100mn wireless subs and 20mn FTTH subs. At present, there are fewer than 100mn 3G subs in India. LTE smartphone prices to drop below US$65 by Dec 2015 vs current price of US$100.
Jio Plans to roll out a suite of products like on-demand TV, music streaming, magazines/ news and digital
money/payments. These are in addition to Jio Chat, which was rolled out earlier this year. Jio plans to bundle these between Rs300-Rs500 per month. Mukesh Ambani did not offer much colour on their strategy towards a voice solution. We believe visibility on Jio’s integrated (voice + data) service offerings would improve on release of spectrum sharing Read the rest of this entry »
We have spoken to several constituencies in the Indian mobile ecosystem (mobile operators, handset suppliers, equipment vendors, management consultants, technical experts) and believe that Reliance Jio Infocomm is gearing up for a big launch in H2 2015. We believe RJio’s entry is likely to be a key driver of affordable data pricing and 4G handsets, which will trigger mass data adoption in India.
We believe the handset ecosystem of 4G is still evolving. Therefore, 4G handsets are likely to be significantly more expensive than 3G handsets over the next 2-3 years, likely limiting RJio’s mass market appeal. While RJio has the
option of subsidizing handsets, we believe this would not make sense, as credit enforcement is difficult in India. In addition to this, Reliance Jio will have a herculean task to stabilize its 4G-LTE High Speed mobile Data Network.
Reliance Jio is also likely to face challenges in providing regular voice on a mass market handset, as VoLTE development is still at a nascent stage. VoLTE handsets are likely to be even more expensive, further limiting the mass market appeal. The mass market’s mobile internet needs can be served more efficiently through an HSPA 3G network (especially on 900MHz) Read the rest of this entry »