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Shutl sets up shop in North America
Shutl, the same-hour, same-day e-commerce delivery specialist, has expanded into North America. The company¬ís service will go live next month in New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago, and will roll out to fifteen additional cities in the coming months.
As a part of the US launch, Shutl has appointed Steven Chen as vice president & general manager of North America. Chen’s previous e-commerce roles include chief operating officer at social shopping site Kaboodle and vice president of business development for price comparison shopping engine Nextag.
In his new role Chen will focus on spearheading continued growth and momentum of Shutl out of its North American headquarters in San Francisco.
Chen said: "The ecommerce industry is about to take another giant step forward with the launch of Shutl’s innovative delivery solution. I’m thrilled to be joining Shutl – there is a clear, growing need for consumer-centric options and Shutl will meet this.
"Shutl will be a great partner for those multi-channel retailers looking to better compete with Amazon and provide new ways to delight their customers."
Once Shutl completes its rollout in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, it will continue into the second phase of the launch, expanding to Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, Washington, Montreal, and Toronto.
The move into the US, was primed by last year’s announcement of Shutl securing over $6 million in funding from investors including UPS, e.ventures and Notion Capital to accelerate its North American plans.
Tom Allason, Shutl CEO and founder, added: "We shop online because it is fast and convenient—two things that delivery is not. Shutl is bringing delivery up to speed by giving shoppers what they want, when they want it."
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Photojournalists and documentary filmmakers get into a series of unpleasant, dangerous and even life-threatening situations on a daily basis. Seizing or steeling their cameras is very common, and the unprotected data on camera’s memory card can easily fall into wrong hands. This is why Freedom of the Press Foundation published an open letter to five of the world’s leading camera manufacturers: Nikon, Sony, Canon, Olympus and Fuji. They asked them to build encryption into their photo and video cameras, which could protect the filmmakers and photojournalists who use them.
Let’s face it, everything looks good on a 3″ screen. So, the advantages of shooting tethered become immediately apparent in the studio. You’re able to quickly see the results as you shoot them on a much larger screen. This makes it much easier to spot distracting elements, issues with hair or makeup, and if the composition even works when shown big.
It’s an ability that many photographers find absolutely invaluable and difficult to work without. It’s also an ability that’s been lacking with the Fuji X-T2, until now. Fuji have released a new v1.10 firmware for the X-T2 which, amongst other things, now gives the photographers the ability to shoot tethered to Lightroom. Users can also shoot tethered to Fuji’s own HS-V5 software.
It wasn’t too long ago that Fuji announced the entry level X-A3. The much anticipated update to the X-A2, increases the resolution to 24.2MP, and provides a touchscreen LCD. Now, Fuji have announced the the new Fujifilm X-A10, which sits right at the bottom of their entry level range. So, what’s different?
Well, for a start, the resolution’s quite a little lower. Coming in with a newly developed 16.3MP CMOS sensor, it’s not the high resolution monster many have come to expect from cameras these days. But, it’s still a very respectable resolution, especially since most of the X-A10’s users will likely only ever post their images online.
A love story with a little hate feeling.
Last year I bought a new Fuji X-Pro 1, it was a great deal a few days before the X-Pro 2 was on the market. I bought it as a camera to keep in my pockets, not really as a serious option. But, I loved it since I started to take the first pictures. I even bought a second one, used and converted it to infrared.
Knowing how well our camera produces jpg files might not be a high priority for a lot of photographers. If you’re only shooting raw, then what does it matter, right? Well, there are still a lot out there shooting jpg, and even pros may switch over to jpg for less important tasks. So, The Camera Store have challenged 8 popular cameras from leading manufacturers to the Great JPEG Shootout!
It’s an interesting comparison. Cameras from Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, Pentax, Olympus and Panasonic are put head to head with an iPhone 7 Plus to see which produces the best looking images straight out of the camera. Perhaps not surprisingly, the iPhone didn’t do very well.
Samyang brought autofocus into their range of lenses not too long ago with two new Sony E mount lenses. The 14mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.4. Now, in a recent interview with Focus Numerique, Samyang head of product planning, Jeong Min Shin says that more are to come.
In the interview, he talked about some of the decisions and compromises that had to be made with the new Sony lenses. But he also suggested that Nikon and Canon autofocus lenses may not be too far away. The story for Fuji and micro four thirds, however, may be another matter.
Nothing says “I love my camera” more than a handmade wooden grip, and this grip by Stefano Borghi says it perfectly. Stefano build this wooden grip to replace his Fuji Xpro-1 plastic grip. Of course, similar procedure can be implemented to create a wooden grip for the newer Xpro 2 as well, and probably the Xpro3 when it comes. (we are not starting a rumor now!).
It is kinda straight forward, so I am just gonna lay out the photos to show you how it’s done step by step.
Here is something interesting that is coming from this year’s photokina. Fuji just announced the GFX 50S. It is a medium format camera with a sensor that is 70% larger than a full frame DSLR.
The sensor for this new camera is a G Format 43.8 x 32.9mm sensor, and it will shoot in the following aspect ratios: 4:3 (default), 3:2, 1:1, 4:5, 6:7 and 6:17, which were available in large and medium format film cameras. The processor will be a new X-Processor Pro (I don’t even know what that means yet). Since this is a mirrorless medium format fuji were able to create a short flange of just 26.7mm (sensor to lens distance) to shorten the back focus distance as much as possible. This prevents vignetting to achieve edge-to-edge sharpness of the world’s highest level.
Ok, it might be a little unfair to put a $2,400 camera and lens against a $8,100 camera and lens. One would expect a camera rig costing more than three times as much to produce better results. But are those results at least three times better? And if the Fuji can keep up, doesn’t that just make it even more impressive given the cost gap?
This video from photographer Taylor Jackson hopes to answer those questions. Yes, there’s a little pixel peeping involved, but Taylor has also made the raw files available for us to check out for ourselves. If nothing else, for those considering purchasing a Nikon D5 or Fuji X-T2, this lets us see some samples straight from the camera.
Fuji Japan have released an official statement that Fujifilm X-T2 orders have been delayed to overwhelming demand. It’s no huge surprise, really, that this was going to be a popular camera. X-Pro 2 performance in an X-T1 size package? How could it not be?
Fuji Rumors report that the X-T2 was in stock with both Amazon and Adorama, but that it sold out very quickly. B&H still have it listed as preorder, suggesting that any they may not even have received enough to satisfy all the existing preorders.

domain: news


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Long a market leader in brawny pickup trucks, Ford Motor Co. (F, $13.95, +$0.31, +2.25%) is now trying to slim down by focusing on smaller engines and better fuel economy for its best-selling F-series. The auto maker said the 2011 model year F-150 pickup truck is projected to deliver 16 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway for its two-wheel-drive vehicles with a new 3.7-liter V6 engine. The new 5.0-liter V8 engine is projected to deliver 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway in the same two-wheel-drive vehicle.
Morgan Stanley reduced its view on the shipping industry to cautious from in-line because of concerns about the tankers that carry crude-oil, which could see rates pressured by increasing supply of ships and possible contraction of demand for oil shipping. In particularly, the analysts cut the ratings on General Maritime Corp. (GMR, $4.14, -$0.29, -6.55%) and Overseas Shipholding Group Inc. (OSG, $33.44, -$1.10, -3.18%).
Landstar System Inc.'s (LSTR, $37.44, -$1.48, -3.80%) third-quarter earnings rose 8.6%, despite a charge related to its 2009 acquisition of National Logistics Management, as the trucking company hauled more loads for higher average prices. But Landstar predicted fourth-quarter earnings of 45 cents to 50 cents a share on $580 million to $620 million in revenue. Analysts most recently expected 50 cents and $651 million, respectively.
A recent delay by NII Holdings Inc.'s (NIHD, $38.37, -$4.66, -10.83%) partner Grupo Televisa SA (TV, $22.15, -$0.13, -0.58%) of its investment in NII's Nextel Mexico unit has BTIG analysts concerned about whether the deal will ever get closed, though they say they have no specific knowledge that Televisa is walking. Still, the analysts cut the telecommunications company to neutral from buy, saying the companies haven't given any "meaningful indication" of what is going on.
OfficeMax Inc. (OMX, $15.27, -$0.76, -4.74%) has hired Aramark Corp. executive Ravi Saligram as president and chief executive, succeeding Sam Duncan, who will step down as chairman, president and CEO, effective Nov. 7. Duncan, who in February said he planned to retire a year later, will continue working as a special adviser to the office-products retailer until Feb. 28.
Sharps Compliance Corp. (SMED, $4.90, -$0.97, -16.52%), a provider of medical-waste disposal services, fell sharply after website The Street Sweeper published a report on the company that circulated on the web. Sharps Chief Executive David Tusa told Dow Jones Newswires that Sharps "will not dignify the article with a response."
Spartan Stores Inc.'s (SPTN, $16.38, +$1.18, +7.76%) fiscal second-quarter profit grew 7.7% as the grocery distributor and retailer reported higher margins, although sales fell across both of its businesses. The results topped expectations.
Stereotaxis Inc. (STXS, $3.92, -$0.20, -4.85%) on Wednesday trimmed its full-year revenue target and issued a weak third-quarter view due to installation delays of the medical-device maker's products in the back half of the year.
SWS Group Inc. (SWS, $6.95, -$0.49, -6.59%) said Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Hanks has resigned and will be succeeded on an interim basis by Stacy Hodges, financial chief of its principal broker-dealer subsidiary, Southwest Securities Inc. Hanks' resignation comes two months after President and CEO Donald Hultgren resigned less than two weeks before the financial-services company reported its fourth-quarter results.
Universal Forest Products Inc.'s (UFPI, $30.15, -$1.41, -4.47%) third-quarter earnings unexpectedly plunged 74% as the company's margins remain plagued by the spring's spike in lumber prices. The lumber and wood-packaging producer also warned it didn't expect to achieve earnings growth for the year.
Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (WEN, $4.87, +$0.38, +8.46%) shares heated up on even more takeover speculation. Since billionaire Nelson Peltz said in June he had been approached by third parties interested in buying the fast-food chain, shares have been the frequent subjects of rumors of a deal. Analysts said there is nothing new to report. But CL King's Michael Gallo said the Peltz filing "gives people something to hang onto" as it seems to validate there's at least interest.
Recreational-vehicle maker Winnebago Industries Inc. (WGO, $10.63, -$0.54, -4.83%) swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit that handily topped analysts' estimates as revenue surged and cost-cutting continued to pay off.
-By Dow Jones Newswires; write to firstname.lastname@example.org


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The first advanced DIY (Do-It-Yourself) crimeware kit aimed at the Mac OS X platform has just been announced on a few closed underground forums. Detailed information about this crimeware kit is not being leaked publicly and the authors of the kit are obviously trying to stay below the radar allowing only vetted users of the forums to see most of the content.
The Danish IT-security company CSIS Security Group has just yesterday observed a new advanced Form grabber designed for the Mac OS X operating system being advertised on several closed underground forums. In the same way as several other DIY crimeware kits designed for PCs, this tool consists of a builder, an admin panel and supports encryption.
The kit is being sold under the name Weyland-Yutani BOT and it is the first of its kind to hit the Mac OS platform. Apparently, a dedicated iPad and Linux release are under preparation as well.
This is rather disturbing news, since Mac OS previously to some degree has been spared from the increasing amount of malware which has haunted Windows-based systems for years. This could have resulted in a false sense of security that might make Mac OS user especially vulnerable to a sudden and highly sophisticated attack.
In fact there have have also been reports that scareware or rogue software which Windows user are familiar with have now come to Macs!


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The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) and South East Asia Network for Development (SEANET)hosted a forum on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) last May 7, 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Below, good audience, SRO with high media coverage. Both photos from SEANET facebook page.
The Star in KL reported this last May 8:
Mr. Majid is correct in saying that Malaysia, or any other Asian country being invited in TPP (US-led) and/or RCEP (China-led) should not rely on either trade alliances in setting its trade and economic policies. He is also correct in saying that membership in the TPP would force all would-be member-countries to become more transparent, like having a competition law. Governments of mother multinational companies (and there are so many MNCs now) need to know how their companies will be treated in case they will be hauled to courts for "anti-competition" accusations and harassment.
A country or economy can leapfrog these trade alliances via unilateral liberalization in trade (goods and services) and investments. It automatically creates good will to all other countries, and gives its local consumers and producers huge freedom where to buy and sell, at competitive prices and good qualities.


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Facebook Inc (FB) Shares Expected To Accelerate On Mobile Usage
January 2, 2013 - 9:33am
Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) shares are expected to grow rapidly because of mobile-driven revenue acceleration, according to analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. In a report to investors today, they maintained their Buy rating and set their price objective at…The post Facebook Inc (FB) Shares Expected To Accelerate On Mobile Usage appeared first on ValueWalk.
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When Congress approved sweeping tax cuts last year in hopes of giving the economy an extra boost, it might not have anticipated how much oil and food prices would weigh on consumers.
Consumer spending, which makes up about 70% of the U.S. economy, cooled in January. It rose by 0.4% after a modestly bigger 0.7% gain during the previous month, the Commerce Department reported this week. This comes even as many workers saw a bump in their paychecks as the new Social Security tax break approved in December took effect, helping to boost personal income by 0.4% and disposable income by 0.7%.
But for better or worse, that extra income isn’t translating into extra spending for many workers. The personal savings rate edged up to 5.8% in January, reversing its steady fall from a 6.3% high last June.
It might be too early to say why exactly consumer spending has slowed. Perhaps, as Daniel Indiviglio of the Atlantic pointed out, they took a break after all the holiday shopping. Or maybe, as some economists suggest, winter storms kept more people home and away from stores.
But it’s also possible that factors like rising commodity prices and consumers’ desire to save more are overriding the extra spending that Congress had hoped for with the passage of the tax cuts.
Though crude oil has fallen some this week, prices briefly touched the psychologically significant $100 a barrel mark in New York last week. The commodity gained 5.2% last month and is 24% higher than a year ago, translating to higher prices at the pump. With unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, gasoline prices have been on a steady climb for the past seven days, reaching a new national average of $3.38 per gallon, up from $3.17 last month.
What’s more, global prices for everything from corn, wheat and soybeans have been trending up, rising in January for the seventh month in a row, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. Its monthly food price index rose to 231 points, up 3.4% from December 2010 and the highest level since the index has been backtracked in 1990.
Food inflation is expected to surge in the second half of this year as wholesale prices filter through the supply chain, impacting consumers even more in the grocery aisles.
Despite the boost to incomes, it’s clear higher prices have started putting a dent on consumption. Nominal spending (which is adjusted for inflation) rose by just 0.2% in January over the previous month, but real spending (which does not adjust for inflation) fell by 0.1% during the same period — the first drop in a year, according to Capital Economics senior economist Paul Dales.
Dales sees this as a sign that higher gasoline and food prices have already started putting downward pressure on real consumption. Severe snowstorms in January, he adds, probably pulled back spending as well. Consumption will likely bounce back in February and possibly also in March. But while consumption is likely to be relatively strong during the first half of the year, higher prices at the pumps and in grocery stores will probably thwart the attempt by Washington policymakers to try and stimulate the economy.
“The way things are going at the moment, all the payroll tax cut will do is offset the rise in gasoline and food prices, rather than provide a boost to real spending.” Dales says.
It remains to be seen how consumers will respond in the coming months. Workers might start noticing that they’re taking home more pay and therefore save less. But even then, higher prices might just keep them from anything much beyond basic necessities.
Also on Fortune.com:


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"Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India," Mulally said at the event. "It reflects our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value."
The Figo (which in Italian is colloquial for "cool"), designed and built entirely in India, follows the kinetic design cues the manufacturer uses in its vehicles around the world. According to Ford, the Figo features "modern headlamps, grille shapes and sculpted bonnet of its distinctive face to the subtle integrated spoiler and chamfered window shape at the rear."
The Figo will have all the four wheels positioned at the corners of the vehicle with minimum overhang, while the side window graphic is made with the use of a blacked-out B-pillar, making the windows look like one.
"We're confident that the new Ford Figo will be extremely attractive to Indian car buyers," Michael Boneham,Ford India managing director added. "It's going to be very competitive with the current market leaders and offer a tremendous value story for our consumers. We believe Ford Figo is a big game-changer for Ford that will help transform our brand into a volume player in India."
Unfortunately, this is about all the info available for the Figo for now. As the American manufacturer says, additional details (including engine choices) will be unveiled closer to the release date. Still, you can visit Ford India's website and register for updates on the vehicle.


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Growing competition for space in key emerging markets appears to have convinced Arla Foods that it needs to act now if it is to secure a market for its milk supplies beyond 2015.
Arla said today that it is launching an emerging markets-focused strategy running through to 2017. The new plan renders its current 2015 plan as obselete, although the co-operative says that it has already hit most of the targets within it.
Chief among Arla’s concerns is ensuring that it takes full advantage of dairy market potential in Russia, North Africa and Middle East, and China.
In short, the Danish group expects to have more milk on its hands following the abolition of EU milk quotas in 2015 and it needs a market for the extra supply. Sluggish Europe, although still an important region for liquid milk and added value dairy, just isn’t going to cope with the extra supply on its own.
The global dairy market is expected to show annual growth of 2.4% in volume terms up to 2016, and the growth will be driven by emerging regions.
Of the three potential markets identified by Arla in its 2017 plan – Africa and Middle East, Russia and China – it is the last of these where the firm has most work to do.
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According to Arla’s own projections in its 2011 annual report, China is set to suck up 45bn kg of milk between 2010 and 2020. In contrast, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will need 11kg, the rest of Africa will need 10kg and the 27-member EU just 5kg.
These figures underline the opportunity in China in particular, and Arla is keen to see returns from a country where competition is already hotting up. This competition includes a strong domestic scene, which most recently has focused on developing supply lines between New Zealand, one of the world’s dairy powerhouses, and the Chinese mainland.
Canada’s government has projected that China’s dairy sector will expand in value by 80% between 2011 and the end of 2016, reaching a value of US$74.7bn. This compares to a growth rate of 58% in the preceding five years. Cheese and skimmed milk powder represent sizeable opportunities for growth, albeit at different scales.
More generally, the European Commission’s recently-published outlook document for the global milk sector also highlights growing competition on world markets. “Due to more dynamic developments in the world market the EU will gradually lose world market share, though it still account for around 31% of global exports in 2022,” it said late last year.
Arla is determined to grab a significant share of those exports. A spokesperson for the group told just-food today that it wants to recoup a fifth of sales from emerging markets by 2017, versus around a tenth currently.
In MENA and Russia, Arla is already growing strongly, with sales up 27% and 33% in those markets respectively in 2011
The firm’s overall export strategy is two-pronged. One prong focuses on key brands, particularly Arla, Castello and Lurpak. The other prong focuses on the high-margin ingredient business, which is set to see sales double to DKK5bn over the strategy period.
Closer to home, Arla says it needs to shave DKK2.5bn of cost savings from its current operations by the end of 2015.
It remains unclear how this will be done. A group spokesperson said he could not rule out job losses related to capacity cuts, but added that the majority of savings will be day-to-day operational efficiencies.
There will need to be further analysis of Arla’s plan, but today’s announcement certainly marks a firm statement of intent.


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WSJ started quoting anonymous sources yesterday who claims that Amazon will launch a new “$50 tablet” in time for the holidays, and that it will be a 6-inch tablet with a mono speaker, just like the current Fire HD 6.
The same sources also says that an 8-inch and 10-inch Amazon tablet will be launched in 2015. We know from before that these are two Amazon tablet sizes that were experimented with by Amazon back in 2012, but the 10.1-inch Amazon Kindle Fire tablet that was codenamed “Hollywood” never saw the light of day.
We wrote about the possible first leaks for the 2015-2016 Amazon tablet series two weeks ago when the larger 12-inch to 14-inch Amazon tablet leaked, at the same time that first possible FCC filings that could belong to a Amazon tablet leaked as well.
It’s not impossible for Amazon to have a 6-inch Fire HD 6 II manufactured and sold for $49, and I assume that Amazon have been following its own bestseller list and noticed that $49 tablets from pretty much unknown brands actually sell well on Amazon. In the top 20 tablet bestseller list, we find the NeuTab N7 Pro 7, a 7-inch Android tablet with a quad-core processor and HD display sold for $49, a tablet that demonstrates the feasibility of Amazon’s alleged undertaking. Amazon’s own Fire HD 6 costs $99.
It’s too early to tell if Amazon is widening their tablet portfolio or if they are focusing more on cheaper tablets and perhaps focusing less on their high-end HDX devices. The current Fire HDX 8.9 is a tablet with some of the very best specs on the market, but its sales are said to be hampered a little by Amazon’s Android based Fire OS. Barnes and Noble gave up manufacturing their own tablets altogether two years ago and have instead relied on licensing deals with regular Samsung tablets that are lightly rebranded NOOK tablets, like last week’s Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK, a tablet where Barnes and Noble have only added their own NOOK apps to the tablet and changed the home screen to make it a NOOK.
Amazon is obviously in a much better position than B&N though, and their Fire HD 6 and Fire HD 7 tablets sell well both in the US and internationally. Even countries that haven’t got a national Amazon store are importing Amazon Fire tablets into their computer stores.
Based on the last couple of years announcement dates we should not be more than 3-6 weeks away from an official unveiling from Amazon.
– Jim Miller


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Ubisoft today announced their upcoming plans for the 2010-2011 fiscal year (April through to April). Amongst the information is the unfortunate news that Splinter Cell: Conviction
is being delayed AGAIN, and a mysterious new Assassin's Creed
project. And also the fantastic news that their priorities are now set right again...
• Despite relatively robust sales for Wii and DS casual games, sales in the casual segment are expected to down by around 50%, and as such Ubisoft's 2010-11 line-up will be more focused on the Xbox 360 and PS3, the consoles which are expected to experience sustained sales growth in games for gamers in calendar 2010.
• A new mysterious Assassin's Creed
was let slip, described as a new "episode", and will include an online multiplayer mode. This project is completely independent of Assassin's Creed II
, but will continue the story on from the game, with Ezio returning as the protagonist.
• The perpetual delays for Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction
continue, being pushed back once again, from February 23rd to April 2010.
• Similarly, upcoming World War II-set RTS R.U.S.E.
is also being pushed back from February 2nd to the very vague release date of 2010-11.
• Ubisoft also confirmed that the following titles are currently scheduled to ship in the 2010-11 fiscal year: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction
, a new game in the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon
series, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
, Raving Rabbids 4
and the above Assassin's Creed
game. Pretty great year for Ubisoft's sequels, no? Not only that though, Ubi also announced "other new franchises and innovations will also be announced throughout the year."
• And finally, Ubisoft are planning further market concentration towards AAA high-quality games (and why wouldn't they?!). Assassin's Creed II
sold over 6 million, whereas lesser projects such as James Cameron's Avatar
weren't received nearly as well and experienced disappointingly lackluster sales, so Ubisoft will be focusing on creating more projects like the former. So that's more AAA, highly-acclaimed, universally-praised and high-selling games and less movie tie-ins? Total freakin' win.
All in all, despite the disappointing delay of DNF-wannabe Splinter Cell Conviction
, it sounds like it's going to be a pretty good year for both Ubisoft and us gamers.


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Personal income in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of August, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Friday.
The report said personal income climbed by 0.4 percent in August after rising by 0.2 percent in July. The advance matched economist estimates.
Disposable personal income, or personal income less personal current taxes, rose by 0.2 percent in August after coming in unchanged in July.
The Commerce Department said personal spending also increased by 0.4 percent in August after jumping by an upwardly revised 0.9 percent in July.
Economists had expected personal spending to rise by 0.4 percent compared to the 0.8 percent advance originally reported for the previous month.
Real personal spending, which excludes price changes, inched up by 0.1 percent in August after climbing by 0.6 percent in July.
The report also said the annual rate of consumer price growth accelerated to 3.5 percent in August from 3.4 percent in July. The modest acceleration matched economist estimates.
Meanwhile, the annual rate of growth by core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy prices, slowed to 3.9 percent in August from 4.3 percent in July. The slowdown also matched expectations.
The Commerce Department said personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income fell to 3.9 percent in August from 4.1 percent in July.


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Entrepreneur Of The Year US National Award winner
Jan Bednar | ShipMonk
By applying innovative tech to a mature business, Jan Bednar created ShipMonk, a nimble third-party logistics (3PL) company that competes with the shipping giants. Founded in 2014, ShipMonk started as a way for Bednar to deliver US goods to his friends and family in his native Czech Republic. It went on to disrupt an industry plagued by slow turnaround, inefficiencies and labor constraints.
From his Florida Atlantic University (FAU) dorm room, Bednar ordered products to consolidate and ship overseas, inspiring a business plan that won both the FAU Business Plan Florida and the Venture Forum Collegiate Competition. With the prize money, he dropped out of school to pursue his passion full-time.
Despite advisors’ warnings that the shipping industry was too complex for an inexperienced startup, Bednar saw that established fulfillment companies relied on antiquated tech and had poor customer service. Leveraging automation to modernize e-commerce logistics, ShipMonk’s multichannel 3PL platform integrates the inventory, shipping, order and warehouse management fulfillment processes. The software allows for a streamlined approach that includes live shipping rates, branded shipping tracking and customizable product protection.
Today, ShipMonk is focusing on growth through securing new customers, developing its in-house logistics systems, and with the help of two recent acquisitions.
“I knew that if I worried about the little things in software features, warehouse efficiencies and user experience, the larger picture would sort itself out,” Bednar says. “I was right. At ShipMonk, we sweat the small stuff so our clients don’t have to worry.”


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Huawei began shipping invitations to the conference, which will be held in Shanghai from the 19th of October. The official invitation so it can be part of the presentation of the new processor Kirin 960. What exactly can we expect?
According to Western sources, Huawei on the above conference may choose to present the new mobile system, which will belong to a series of Kirin. We are talking specifically about the model Kirin 960. Rumors about the SoC can hear practically since April this year, however, very possible that the unit will only smartphone Huawei, which is marked Mate 9.Kirin 960 is not what true yet officially announced, but it is more than likely that Huawei will decide on the creation of this system in the 16-nanometer process technology: the same, as was the case with its predecessors, ie models 960 and 955. it is specifically about two quad-core Cortex -A72 clocked at 2.5 Ghz and a somewhat weaker core Cortex-A53, which runs clocked at 1.8 Ghz. For the graphics again no reply Mali-T880 GPU clocked at 900 Mhz. It is quite possible that the better the performance of the system itself will be associated with new networking capabilities Huawei – we do not know about it too much, but it is likely that in terms of certain standards, Kirin 960 will be able to overtake Snapdragon processor 820 and MediaTek Helio X20. In any event, it does not remain to us nothing more to do but wait for the premiere of a new system of Huawei, which will probably either October 19 or longer 3 November (this term Chinese brand has scheduled another event). We must therefore be patient.


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Six Scottish-based female entrepreneurs rounded off International Woman’s Day by securing an opportunity to promote their businesses to members of the global investment community. The female-led businesses uFraction8; CogniHealth; TeqNox; Cascade Water Products; IntelliDigest and Sustainably were all named as winners in the Growth Category at this year’s AccelerateHER Awards. The successful entrants were unveiled … continue reading.
Six up and coming businesses led by Scottish-based female entrepreneurs have been honoured in the Ambition category of this year’s AccelerateHER Awards. The women receive a £500 cash prize for their business and a complimentary place at the Ambition & Growth conference, being held 8 March in Edinburgh on International Women’s Day. The Ambition category … continue reading.
Press Release DATE: 30th January, 2018 Edinburgh-based Sofant Technologies Ltd has secured nearly £800K of new investment in an over-subscribed funding round from angel syndicates Kelvin Capital Ltd, Newable and Investing Women as well as Old College Capital and Scottish Investment Bank. Sofant Technologies has developed ground-breaking technology that will be key in the introduction … continue reading.
Fantastic news about Scotland’s TC BioPharm (TCB), the first-ever Investing Women backed business, which has entered a strategic collaboration with Massachusetts company bluebird bio Inc. The deal includes a $16m upfront payment for TCB and potential for further R&D and commercial milestone payments as well as tiered royalties on product sales. In 2015 Investing Women … continue reading.


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As consumer media consumption continues to move online, digital is beginning to dictate the global ad market. Digital is due to hit 54% of ad spend worldwide in 2020, increasing to 61% by 2023. The markets leading the way are seeing an even greater pace of change, with digital ad spend in the UK predicted to be 69% of the market in 2020, rising to 74% by 2023 (eMarketer, 2019).
Linked to this growth is a rapid evolution of digital media, and the data and technology used to buy it. Advertisers are feeling an increased burden to keep on top of these changes to the digital ad market. As brands who get their strategies right in this crucial time, will help define the business landscape over the next decade.


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Two nominations for charcoalblue.com at the 2018 Archiboo awards
The new charcoalblue.com has been shortlisted in two categories at this year's Archiboo Awards, established to 'recognise and celebrate architects and their collaborators who best use online to communicate great architecture.'
Nominated in both the 'Best Homepage' and 'Best Visual Design' categories, the new charcoalblue.com saw us collaborate with London's Ten4 Design. We're honoured to be shortlisted alongside leading studios including Foster + Partners, Heatherwick Studio, Haworth Tompkins, Page/Park Architects and Bennetts Associates.
'Judged by a panel of 30 experts from tech to property, the 10 categories recognise outstanding digital performers from engagingly written content and impactful design to firms pushing the boundaries with the latest technologies such as VR,' reads the competition website.
'We're thrilled that our beautiful new online home has been recognised in this way,' says Marketing Coordinator Nicholas Smith. 'We wanted our website to be much more than just a portfolio of projects; we wanted to start a conversation with visitors and to present our incredible team, with their character and experience, front and centre. We'd like to say a big thank you to Ten4 for helping us achieve that.'
The winners of the Archiboo Awards will be announced in September.


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With less than ten days until the Brexit deadline, the dangers of a last-minute deal have come to the forefront.
This includes comments from The Parliamentary Group which warned ministers about the implications of the “very, very late” trade deal. The Brexit Select Committee Chair, Hilary Benn, also stated that the delayed agreement “is the biggest problem given that we left the European Union at the beginning of the year.”
Mr Benn also explained the difficulty that businesses are facing in regard to planning, as he described the government’s advice as “patchy at best”. This comes as haulage delays and supermarket stockpiling have increased as parts of the UK move into tier four.
Delayed Lorry Deliveries
One industry that has already faced difficulty is the transport and logistics sector, with lorry tailbacks occurring as a direct result of COVID restrictions. Major transport hubs in Dover and Holyhead in Wales have experienced delays with freight drivers heading to the Eurotunnel in large numbers.
Lorry drivers and other vehicles in the surrounding area have been caught in major traffic jams, which was escalated by the border closures. This has been worsened by Christmas stockpiling along with uncertainty surrounding Brexit talks.
France also closed its borders to haulier and lorries in order to prevent the spread which many believe offers a taster of what is to come in 2021. Widespread footage of long lines of HGVs and freight vehicles have been posted online, with MEP Guy Verhofstadt uploading a video of a major traffic jam in Dover.
They will now start to understand what leaving the EU really means…
This has not only caused traffic holdups but has also caused delays in one of the busiest times of the year.
Stockpiling and panic buying has been a regular occurrence since the start of the COVID pandemic in March. However, this has not been a problem in the last few months until the border closures’ announcement as well as strict lockdowns placed on Tier 4 locations such as London and the South East of England.
Ministers have reportedly advised Supermarkets to stockpile goods in order to prepare for a potential no-deal situation, as well as panic-buying due to the announcement of the new COVID strain. A senior consultant for one of the major supermarkets stated “Supermarkets and ministers are hugely worried about panic-buying.”, which they have already experienced during COVID. However, a no-Brexit could worsen the situation.
The director of food and sustainability, Andrew Opie discussed the primary impact of Brexit.
The main impact [of] Brexit will be on imported produce, such as much fruit and vegetables which cannot be stored for long periods by either retailers or customers.
The encouragement regarding stockpiling may be a short-term solution for maintaining stock, however, many warehouse owners have warned maxed-out spaces due to Pre-Brexit and COVID panic-buying. This has resulted in a surge in demand for warehouse space, especially chilled storage which is extremely scarce and is expected to worsen. This is backed up by the Chartered Institute of Logistics Chief Executive, Mick Curran, who discussed how “Brexit will exacerbate the problem.” with or without a deal.
Many have called for an agreement extension for the Brexit transition period amid the COVID pandemic, especially since the announcement of the new strain. This includes the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon who agreed with this notion, stating the COVID virus “demands our 100% attention. It would be unconscionable to compound it with Brexit.”
Despite this call for action, Michael Barnier, the European Commission’s Head of Task Force for Relations with the UK, discussed the “final push” regarding Brexit talks. However, no official timescale has been given, and talks are expected to exceed past Christmas, as ITV’s Political Editor, Robert Peston confirmed there is “no chance of a deal” before the 25th, although there is still hope regarding a deal, despite the 11 pm deadline on the 31st of December.[Header image: The National News]


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BlackBerry (BB -2.00%) CEO John Chen is known in the industry both as a software guy and a turnaround specialist. Chen took the reins of software company Sybase in 1998 in the wake of a Japanese accounting scandal that led to the ouster of previous CEO Mitchell Kertzman. Under Chen, Sybase grew from a $362 million company with no profits to a successful entity. Sybase was eventually acquired by Germany's SAP in 2010 for $5.8 billion.
Needless to say, investors are hoping Chen -- who took the CEO job at BlackBerry in 2013 -- can attain similar success with BlackBerry. However, a successful BlackBerry may no longer include the signature BlackBerry device. Chen, true to his reputation, has decided to focus on software and services with an emphasis on BlackBerry's reputation for security.
Perhaps the largest step away from BlackBerry's device and BlackBerry OS 10 was the company's partnership with Alphabet's (GOOG -1.29%) (GOOGL -1.34%) Android OS in last year's BlackBerry Priv. In a recent interview with The National, a United Arab Emirates-based newspaper, it appears Chen is doubling down on Android-powered smartphones.
2 Android units this year
On the heels of BlackBerry's fourth-quarter earnings, where the company reported lower-than-expected handset sales, Chen pointed toward price as the reason for underperformance. In the interview, Chen admits the Priv was "too high-end" for enterprise-focused buyers. Overall, BlackBerry reported selling 600,000 devices versus analyst expectations of 850,000 units. Shares of the company sold off 9% as investors reacted unfavorably to the news.
One thing Chen is not blaming for the poor performance is the Android operating system. BlackBerry's CEO told The National that BlackBerry would be launching two new Android-powered smartphones this year, "one with a physical keyboard and one with a full touchscreen," according to the post. While Chen did not go into great detail in the interview in regards to the new devices, he mentioned both units would be priced in the mid-range and also singled out a $400 price point as one enterprise-focused consumers would be comfortable paying.
What about BlackBerry 10?
Earlier this year, Facebook dealt a huge blow when it announced it would "discontinue support" of BlackBerry's APIs by the end of the year. After a social-media-inspired campaign, Facebook relented and allowed BlackBerry 10 fans to have a web-based app of Facebook's site. The problem is web-based apps generally present a poorer user experience than native apps, especially with device-specific integration like push notifications, calendars updates, and photo-sharing functions. Web-based apps are akin to bookmarking a website on your device's browser.
Curiously absent from Chen's device talk in the interview is a new BlackBerry-powered smartphone. BlackBerry continues to sell BlackBerry 10 devices, but has not announced a new BlackBerry 10 OS release since bringing the Android-powered Priv to market. In response to Facebook's initial announcement, BlackBerry reaffirmed its commitment both to BlackBerry 10 OS and its developers, but the company's silence in regards to a new BlackBerry 10 model appears antithetical to long-term commitment.


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Apple Awarded New Patent for Capturing Digital Versions of Handwritten Notes
Today, Apple was awarded a new patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for capturing digital versions of handwritten notes.
The patents details a new type of digital stylus that translates a user’s handwritten note into a digital version when connected to a smartphone or tablet. The stylus could also have various exchangeable tips, including actual ink, markers for whiteboards, or rubberized bottoms like most popular tablet styli.
Much like a stylus seen on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, the stylus activates when motion is sensed using various sensors like an accelerometer. The stylus will also be able to detect a 3D plane, using motions sensors and software algorithms. This technology would allow the pen to capture notes that you write in the air (no writing surface would be necessary).
The patent also details the ability for the stylus to transmit data continuously or at chosen intervals, allowing the user to preserve battery life.
There are many practical applications for Apple’s new patent, including uses in business and education. In a classroom setting, the student would be able to take notes on a normal piece of paper and then have the notes saved electronically to their iPad.
Apple filed this patent five almost five years ago in January 2010, and it confirms that the company is testing stylus solutions, even if they will never be released. Do you think Apple will eventually release a stylus to accompany one of their devices even though Steve Jobs argued that they were not necessary? Let us know in the comments below.


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Amazon.com Inc.’s hardware chief David Limp said that the U.S. government’s tariffs on goods imported from China have had a "small" impact on the company’s devices.
Not all the discussed tariffs have kicked in yet, but Limp said that if they continue, that will be bad for customers. Amazon prices its devices, including Echo speakers and Fire tablets, as low as possible, and tariffs are a headwind to that strategy, the executive added.
During a talk in Laguna Beach, California at the Wall Street Journal’s technology conference, Limp also weighed in on Amazon’s new campuses announced on Tuesday. He said the decision was a "data-driven" choice, but gut feeling also played a part. The locations are prime recruiting centers and places people want to live, he added. There will be a staff meeting this week to determine how employees in his organization fit into the new campuses.
Limp also touched on privacy, saying that companies "can’t take security and bolt it on at the end of the process" of developing a device. "We think about security at the foundation of the product," he said, adding that while Amazon uses consumer data internally, it doesn’t sell it.
Earlier this year, Limp announced a range of new devices that work with Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant, including a microwave, a device for cars, and louder speakers.


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inRiver – a Malmö based company that work with Product Information Management have picked up 20 million SEK in funding from Industrifonden and former Qliktech exec Magnus Lindhe (for the VC fund Zobito).
inRiver have been in operation since 2004 and develops software that helps companies with online stores to collect pictures and information about a product and present it consistently across all sales channels: online, in-store and catalog. They now have over 100 customers in 13 countries and have their sights set on the US.
They are also currently looking for two developers and a sales executive to join the Malmö team.
They have a really good grasp on the Nordic market. It is hoped that they will be able to copy the Nordic success in the U.S. and other parts of the world. We believe they will be able to grow very quickly, says Magnus Lindhe of Zobito.


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With all of your favorite primetime shows on hiatus for the summer, reality shows abound. Chances are, some of the colorful reality TV personalities gracing your screen this summer will try their hand at becoming social media influencers.
We surveyed 1,031 members of our consumer panel to get their take on influencers: are they following them and are they buying the products they hawk online? What we learned:
They like their influencers. The majority (67%) follow at least 1 influencer, and three-in-ten follow 10 or more influencers.
Influencers sometimes pique enough curiosity for their followers to buy products they endorse. Of those who follow at least one influencer, seven-in-ten have bought an item an influencer has promoted online at least once. Four-in-ten have made 2 to 5 purchases.
Influencer endorsed products tend to measure up to the hype. Nearly all of our purchasers feel these products are “sometimes good quality and worth the money” (55%) or “usually good quality and worth the money” (38%).
Anyone else curious to see how many #sponsored posts will start to crop up in August once most of the reality show contestants have lost their shot at love, money, or instant fame?
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“Do you know what the funniest thing about Europe is? It’s the little differences,” says John Travolta’s character in Pulp Fiction, beginning an amusing monologue on what sets the Old World apart from the United States. “You can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer—and I don’t mean no paper cup, I’m talking about a glass of beer.” Audiences in 1994 chuckled at Quentin Tarantino’s dialogue, which illustrated aspects of European life that didn’t quite translate to the U.S. Two decades later, having a beer at a movie theater isn’t as foreign as it once seemed.
While alcoholic offerings have been a staple of some circuits in the United States for a number of years, Vivian Company, which specializes in designing bar spaces for venues, reports to have seen a notable uptick in the current decade. “There has been interest for years, but I would say that the biggest push came within the last three, as some chains took innovative approaches to adding alcohol to their offerings,” says Vivian president Dennis Fanger. The biggest obstacle for a faster adoption rate of the concept according to Fanger concerns the multiple regulatory issues around alcohol sales, including laws that change significantly from state to state and county by county. Exhibitors were also faced with operational challenges, such as requirements that concessions workers be of legal age in order to sell alcohol. Companies began to rely on regulatory experts to research ways to incorporate alcoholic beverages, and, according to Fanger, the results of those endeavors began to pay off in recent years as alcohol sales became more prevalent in movie theaters across the country.
Even though incorporating alcohol comes at a cost and can turn into a lengthy process, Barney Bailey, CEO of Entertainment Supply & Technologies, describes its appeal succinctly: margins. “The trend of selling alcoholic beverages alone has allowed cinema owners to benefit from higher profit margins and per capita increases without a huge capital investment in equipment, training, and labor,” he explains. That doesn’t mean that exhibitors considering alcohol need to start stocking up on inventory or begin rebranding their staff as mixologists.
“Since beverage sales are where the money is on the food service side, we’ve seen several clients begin with a small menu of beer and wine, and reap benefits very early on.”
Christina Woodlief, a culinary consultant for Entertainment Supply & Technologies, views incorporating alcohol sales as a savvy first step into developing an enhanced concessions menu. “Beverage profits, and the bottom line security they provide, can then allow an owner to more securely expand their menus and survive the time it takes to refine a new food service operation into a well-oiled machine that contributes to their margins in a consistent, positive way,” she says, before adding that an enhanced menu also requires an enhanced prep area for employees. “This of course involves upgrading their food service equipment and concessions space to include ingredient prep areas, Turbo Chef ovens, and skilled employees.”
An expanded prep area for concessions is only one of several notable changes in the industry. Bruce Proctor, president of Proctor Companies, distinguishes the shifts in cinemas’ concessions areas into three main categories. “The first is space,” he says. “Refrigerators, freezers, walk-in coolers, ovens, prep tables, and even corridors are now larger to enable greater food and beverage storage and output.” Proctor suggests converting the auditorium nearest a concessions stand area as a solution to accommodate the logistics involved for an enhanced menu. Proctor Companies recently applied that strategy in a renovation for the Angelika Film Center in San Diego. “When you run the numbers, renovation almost always yields a higher return on investment—not only because it requires less capital, but also because spiffing up an existing location reasserts a theater owner’s market position and protects his business against potential competitors who may be thinking about moving into his film zone.”
Concessions areas also have to be modified to accommodate larger utilities, such as larger ovens and refrigeration units, according to Proctor. Greater ventilation capacity comes into play, as does increased service for utilities like gas and electricity. Finally, the third main difference that Proctor has seen at the concessions stand—perhaps the most complicated and unpredictable of them all—comes down to staffing. “New theater designs require employees like bartenders, chefs, waiters, and waitresses,” he explains. “Job descriptions that are new to our industry. At Proctor Companies, we encourage owners to plan for both a higher head count and the inevitable increases in management and training that will be required to ensure their success.”
Staffing is crucial in order to match an expanded concessions menu with the proper level of service, both in terms of quality and speed, says Entertainment Supply & Technologies’ Christina Woodlief. “Below par food on any given night can be forgiven if accompanied by great service, but it usually doesn’t work the other way around,” she says, citing an adage from the restaurant industry. Service has been a particular focus for cinema-dining operators, who have adapted their operations around a variety of models with different levels of interruption to a moviegoers’ experience. Vendors are catching up to the trend, with call button services that allow patrons to order from their seats to POS software that can handle food orders within the confines of a movie theater.
Not all innovations in concessions area design come with the need for additional staff, however. Similar to newsstands you might find at an airport, grab-n-go and self-serve concessions stands have become increasingly popular in recent years by allowing customers to quickly pick up and pay for snacks on their way to their seats. “These designs increase impulse purchases and require no additional staffing,” says Proctor. “It’s a fairly simple change, but it can make a huge impact on the bottom line.”


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Coles asking customers to sign in before they enter a store
Because of the threat of a potential growing Covid spread, Coles is asking customers to sign in at the store door so they have a record of who has entered and when.
You can either do it the old fashioned way with a pen and paper, or electronically in a similar manner to that used if you visit a restaurant. It is not currently mandatory.
There are no new cases of Covid in the Hawkesbury.
Coles told us they brought the system in on December 22, so customers can expect to see it at every Coles store. They just started implementing it at Coles North Richmond today (Thursday) but Coles in Windsor has been using it since December 22.
"To help support the state government’s COVID contact-tracing efforts, Coles has worked with NSW Health to implement their COVID safe check-in program, which has been in place at all of our NSW stores since 22 December," a Coles spokesperson told the Post.
"This is the same program that has already been mandated for use at a range of venues in NSW and utilises the government’s Service NSW app. Customers without access to a smartphone can record their details at the customer service desk using a form provided by the state government.”
Woolworths told us they have had a voluntary check-in system for their stores since August.
"The safety and wellbeing of our customers, teams and communities is our top priority and we have a range of COVID safe measures in our stores,” said a Woolworths’ spokesperson. "While checking in and sharing contact details is voluntary, we encourage all New South Wales shoppers to make use of it.
"Doing so will enable health authorities to make rapid contact with potentially impacted customers in the event a confirmed case has been in our stores.”


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Outfitter, guide users bring $374M to state, report says
Expenditures from outfitted and guided activities brought in $374 million to the state’s tourism revenue in 2017, according to a new report from the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research.
And when you add in other spending by these visitors in other offerings such as food and lodging elsewhere in Montana, the number nearly doubles, the report found.
This represented 11 percent of the visitor spending in 2017 and was the fourth highest-spending category by nonresident visitors to the state, the report, released Thursday, found. Fuel, restaurants and lodging were ranked higher.
Tourism brought in nearly $3.4 billion to Montana in 2017.
Jeremy Sage, associate director of the institute, said he was not surprised by the findings, given what the state has seen in past couple of years in terms of rising expenditures by visitors on guided experiences.
“It’s definitely a growing component,” he said Friday. “We are seeing it in other (kinds of) tourism as well. People are looking for experiences.”
Outfitters and guides in 2017 served more than 700,000 clients, 63 percent of whom were from out of state. These visitors not only spent money locally on their hired guides, but also across other economic sectors as they dined, slept and drove throughout Montana.
In total, visitor groups that hired guides spent $791 million, the report claimed.
Rob Arnaud, a hunting and fishing outfitter with the Bozeman-based Montana Hunting Co., said he knows his customers do spend when in the Treasure State.
“They certainly stop at hotels, they certainly buy gas and they certainly stop at restaurants,” he said.
Arnaud, a member of the state Board of Outfitters, said his business has four full-time employees, about 25 guides during the season and a half-dozen cooks.
Outfitting and guiding in Montana has traditionally been considered a hunting-, fishing- or rafting-based industry, but in recent years, this definition has become more fully encompassing of the Montana outdoor recreation experience, UM tourism institute officials said.
Not only do visitors hire guides for fishing, hunting and rafting, but also for a wide swath of other activities – from horseback riding to snowmobiling to wildlife viewing and even outdoor education.
Nearly 39 percent of these customers participated in rafting, floating, canoeing and kayaking, making them the top-ranking activities, the report found.
Fishing and hunting outfitters stood above all others, with 33 and 24 percent of all outfitting revenues, respectively.
These visitors spend an average of seven nights in Montana, compared to around five for the typical visitor. Visitors taking guided trips also spend at higher rates than average – $481 per day compared to $128, the report said.
Reach Phil Drake at 406-422-0772 or firstname.lastname@example.org
To know more
The report is online at https://bit.ly/2Q4LCJy.


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As you fine folks all know, one of the biggest parts of the Fundrive Finale is our epic silent auction- which will also take place on November 25 at The Biltmore.
Right now, we have a total of nineteen confirmed businesses, with more to be announced in the next few days. A lot of the items and packages available will be limited/special editions that are being compiled specifically for Fundrive!
Here are a few visuals to prep you:
Check out the participating businesses here:


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In its todays edition The Wall Street Journal published an articles about Yahoo’s startegy to better compete its rivals. According to the news paper the web portal stocks up on academics to overtake Google’s dominancy on the internet market.
Yahoo’s stock fell 22%, its largest-ever one-day drop, when the company said last month that a revamp would be delayed. The web portal has one of the biggest user bases in the world but it does not fully benefit from “hot phenomena” such as online video and social networking, a service offered by sites such as MySpace.
Yahoo’s goal now aims to record what consumers do online and to study how changes to its web services affect users’ behavior.
Internet businesses in the past have largely lacked the systems and focus to mine data for research, but now they’re viewing it as a key competitive pursuit. The WSJ says that for economists, web operations are data-rich fantasy lands where they can observe in real-time the behavior of millions of consumers in varied marketplaces far more effectively than ever before.
Yahoo believes research might help it with other Internet services whose design, and success, are currently determined by intangible factors.
One of the tools that helps company’s research team is Yahoo Answers, a service users post questions, to which other users respond. Under that system they receive points for answering questions, and get more points for answering questions that are well received. The top-ranked answerers are featured on a leaderboard and the ensuing competition has improved the service’s quality.
The portal is constantly improving the rules for points. For example it sets penalties for people asking profane or abusive questions.
One of the biggest challenges for Yahoo researchers however is to find ways to improve its ad-auction system, in which advertisers bid to have their ads shown to users who search for relevant keywords, such as “Web Hosting Chicago.” The advertiser pays each time when someone clicks on the ads.
WSJ explains that Yahoo’s advertising system gives the most prominent placement to the advertiser that bids the most per click. By contrast, Google weighs additional factors, such as the frequency with which consumers click on each ad, to determine the order the ads are displayed.
Google’s approach generates more revenue per search, since the most popular ads for any query appear more prominently. Compared with Yahoo, Google brings 45% more revenue on average for each search query it handles, according to New York’s research firm Majestic Research Corp.
Yahoo executives concede the structure of its search-ad system has cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.


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After the mass exodus by Audi and shortly Porsche from the World Endurance Championship, the FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest have sat down to begin preliminary discussions on how to lure manufacturers back to the WEC post 2020.
ACO sporting director Vincent Beaumesnil has alluded that the mooted rules will make somewhat of a return to GTP prototypes during the 1990s and early 2000s when Porsche, Mercedes and BMW took centre stage.
“We are right in the middle of it” Beaumesnil told Motorsport.com. “So we prefer to take a bit more time before really explaining it.”
Toyota Motorsport GmbH technical director Pascal Vasselon alluded that the new regulations would concentrate more on branding for manufacturers – to allow a greater correlation from track to road.
“At the moment an LMP1 is a kind of generic prototype and you have to paint it to put your mark on it,” he said.
“The idea could be to go towards bodywork that is clearly closer to real cars — it could interest manufacturers who at the moment who are not interested in a generic LMP.”
The concept is not dissimilar to IMSA’s Daytona Prototype international class in North America, where DPi rules allow manufacturers to push their own bodywork designs to the front and rear of an established LMP2 chassis.
The potential moves comes at a time where hypercars such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the LaFerrari are piquing the interest of designers such as Adrian Newey, whilst still offering manufacturers to show off hybrid technology.
McLaren have also shown an interest in the proposed regulations, with McLaren boss Zak Brown has revealing the Woking based outfit had been canvassed among other manufacturers to draft a new set of LMP1 regulations.
“We like lots of what they are saying: with the budgets and the level of technology they are talking, it’s heading in a direction that means there is a strong interest on our part,” Brown told Autosport.
As a former winner with their F1 GTR supercar in at Le Mans in 1995, Brown said that he would “love to see” the marque back at sports car racing’s jewel in the crown, but conceded that any initial return would most likely be in the GTE classes.
With current McLaren driver, Fernando Alonso rumoured to test a Toyota TS050 HYBRID at Sunday’s official WEC rookie test in Bahrain, McLaren’s interest in constructing an outright contender at Le Mans could be on the table sooner than you might think.
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Jul/21 - AutoPacific Announces 2016 Ideal Vehicle Awards
Automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. today announced the 2016 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA), recognizing vehicles that best meet their owner’s expectations and desires. Tesla takes top brand from Porsche after 3 years; Volvo XC70 is the highest scoring vehicle; Subaru sweeps 3 segments.
Jul/05 - Fatal crash of Tesla Model S in autopilot mode leads to investigation by federal officials
Following Tesla's announcement that federal regulators opened a preliminary probe into the autopilot feature on a Tesla Model S after a fatal crash involving the technology, AutoPacific's George Peterson shared his comments on autopilot technology issues and the crash's potential impact on Tesla customers. "Tesla seems to be a Teflon company,” he said. “...there’s a huge group of Tesla fans out there. I don’t think it’ll put them off – I think it’ll make them more cautious when they’re using autopilot.”
Jun/08 - AutoPacific Announces 2016 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards
AutoPacific today announced its 20th annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSAs), identifying the most satisfying vehicles in the market. An industry benchmark for measuring how satisfied an owner is with his/her new vehicle, VSAs are based on survey responses from over 65,000 owners of new 2015 and 2016 model year cars and light trucks.
May/25 - Your Self-Driving Car is Waiting...Sooner Than You Think
AutoPacific's George Peterson, a regular contributor to Forbes, says "Autonomous vehicles are all the rage right now. Technology is moving so fast that automakers, suppliers, regulators and insurance companies believe self-driving vehicles will be available for sale in the not-too-distant future." To get an idea of consumer acceptance, AutoPacific surveyed over 1,100 vehicle owners about self-driving vehicles. Read the results here.
May/21 - Tesla Fighters: GM, Toyota Strategies Diverge
General Motors, Daimler, Volkswagen, Nissan, BMW, Hyundai and Ford are all developing what can be viewed as some form of direct competitor to Tesla’s pure-electric cars. AutoPacific's Dave Sullivan says "the 'Tesla fighters' need to focus on more than just range and price."


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The open beta for Splash Damage’s team-based shooter Dirty Bomb will kick off next week, the developer has announced. To take part you just have to grab the client
In the beta you’ll find five maps set up for the game’s fast-moving Objective mode, plus a dozen of the game’s Mercs, special characters who each pack their own unique skills and weapons.
To mark the announcement,has released a video diary which features the dev team discussing the original idea behind Dirty Bomb, and the game’s MOBA-inspired elements. Such as the way the game’s dropped traditional classes in favour of the aforementioned Mercs.
“The game’s going to change every time a new Merc comes in,” says studio co-founder Richard Jolly, “and there’s going to be strategies and counter-strategies when a Merc comes in. It makes the game feel very different, and it’s going to keep it feeling fresh.”
If the team can handle all those tricky free-to-play elements right, then Dirty Bomb could be a very solid shooter. From what, it certainly captures the spirit of the addictive, fast-paced objective play that Splash Damage was known for in its heyday. You’ll be able to start playing on June 2.


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Mr Mark Bedingham is driven by an insatiable curiosity.
The Malaysia-born Briton and chief executive officer of Singapore Exchange-listed Singapore Myanmar Investco (SMI) finds exploring the unfamiliar totally exhilarating.
Mr Bedingham, who spent his entire career - more than four decades - working in the Asia-Pacific, describes his passion for the region as a subconscious association resulting from the first seven years of his life in Malaysia.
"My father was in the Malaysian police - in anti-communist intelligence - before and after independence, and my parents had many friends who lived and worked in this part of the world," he recalled.
After graduating from St John's College, Oxford University, with a degree in biological sciences in 1977, Mr Bedingham began his career with Jardine Matheson. He held positions in various key consumer divisions in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Japan before being appointed director of Jardine Pacific.
Mr Bedingham, who also holds a master's degree in agricultural and forest sciences from Oxford University's School of Biological Sciences, joined LVMH Moet Hennessy in 1995 as its regional managing director of Asia-Pacific.
Fast-forward to 2015, when Mr Bedingham began the next leg of his journey in one of Asia's largest frontier markets.
In January that year, he was appointed CEO of SMI - a diversified business group with a primary focus on Myanmar. The company, previously known as Singapore Windsor Holdings, exited its printed circuit board business due to price competition, and changed its corporate name to SMI.
Why Myanmar? "In my view, it's too late to get into markets like Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia - they already have very well-established domestic companies," Mr Bedingham noted. "I've been travelling to Myanmar for the past 20 years, and have good contacts there. I believe this market has better medium- to long-term potential."
SMI has a market capitalisation of over $140 million. In the last 12 months, the stock has generated a total return of 38.5 per cent, outperforming the benchmark Straits Times Index's 22.7 per cent and FTSE ST All-Share Index's 21.5 per cent total return.
In the three years since SMI began its transformation into a Myanmar-focused group, it has narrowed annual comprehensive net losses to US$159,000 (S$223,000) for the year ended March 31 last year, from HK$87 million (S$15.8 million) in the year ended March 31 , 2014.
The group's operations revolve around five business pillars - duty-free travel retail, food and beverage, auto services, construction services and infrastructure.
"Our mission is very simple - to play an active role in the modernisation of Myanmar, and to bring in products and services that are not present," Mr Bedingham said.
The outlook for the first pillar is bright, after SMI secured 90 per cent of the commercial space in Yangon International Airport's new terminal for 10 years. The contract covers multi-brand and multi-category space that spans nearly 2,200 sq m on three levels of the terminal, and over 4,500 sq m of mono-brand fashion, lifestyle and travel retail concepts, all of which are duty-free. A total of 39 stores have opened since September last year.
The Group's exclusive 10-year supply agreement with DFS forms an integral part of its business model, which aims to raise Myanmar's airport shopping experience to the next level, said Mr Bedingham, who served nearly seven years on the board of the world's leading travel retailer.
"Duty-free and travel retail will be a major growth driver over the next few years. We buy from DFS, with Singapore as our logistics and processing hub," he added.
The next phase of SMI's strategy involves introducing major F&B franchises, such as Crystal Jade, Ippudo and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, to the airport and broader domestic market.
"We're extremely confident about the Crystal Jade franchise. We're starting with a mid-tier concept, and hope to do a higher-end Crystal Jade Palace later on."
One Crystal Jade Kitchen outlet opened last year in the new terminal, and the second began operations last month in Junction City, a mixed-use development with a total built-up area of 260,000 sq m in downtown Yangon. SMI has also inked an agreement with Crystal Jade to develop six restaurants in the nation over the next decade.
SMI opened the first Ippudo ramen restaurant last month in Junction City. It signed three franchise agreements for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for the airport, with the third outlet being located in the new domestic terminal.
The group has also made inroads into the domestic retail market. It secured about 65 per cent of the commercial space on Level 1 - the luxury floor - of Junction City mall, and featured brands will include Coach, Aigner, Furla, Pandora, Love Moschino, Bering and Versace Versus.
Myanmar's Tourism Ministry forecasts visitor arrivals to rise to 7.5 million in FY2020 from five million in FY2016, which will stoke demand for SMI's F&B and retail brands. Apart from tourism, international business travel will be a key driver, Mr Bedingham said.
"Our selected brands are targeted at Chinese and Japanese business travellers. How well we're doing with travellers from Vietnam, as well as other Asean countries, has also been a pleasant surprise."
Meanwhile, the country's domestic demand potential should not be overlooked.
"We estimate that 300,000 to 500,000 Burmese can afford to shop in domestic malls, together with international residents," he noted. "The wealthy are not in the habit of buying locally, largely because there was nothing to buy. We're in the process of changing that."
Mr Bedingham expects SMI's F&B operations to expand at a rapid clip. "For retail, we'll have to see which brands and concepts work. We've no intention of introducing ultra-high-end labels, but there's definitely an opportunity to bring in prestige and premium brands."
The World Bank projects Myanmar's real gross domestic product to grow 7.8 per cent in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, up from 7 per cent in 2015-2016, and averaging an 8.2 per cent expansion over the medium term.
The country's population of nearly 54 million - more than 60 per cent of whom are below the age of 35 - also offers a significant consumer base.
In auto services, SMI holds a master franchise agreement with international car rental company Europcar to provide vehicle rental and limousine services.
"The potential is huge - Europcar is the only international brand operating in the country. We've already increased sales by nearly 100 per cent over the last 12 months, and expect further growth," he noted.
TAKING THE LEAD
For construction services, SMI has partnered Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer Sany International to market, distribute and service a full range of equipment, including excavators, cranes, drilling rigs and road machinery.
With Myanmar's economy expanding rapidly and extensive infrastructure projects in the pipeline, its construction sector will see robust growth.
To gain a leadership position in the market, SMI modified its business model by offering customers financing options through Sany Capital, as well as tying up with local and offshore banks.
• This is an excerpt from Singapore Exchange's Kopi-C: the Company Brew, a regular column featuring C-level executives of SGX-listed companies. Previous editions can be found on SGX's My Gateway website www.sgx.com/mygateway


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Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian
Fabio Datteroni, the Managing Director & General Manager of the Luxury hotel, Castello del Nero Hotel & Spa has been awarded the title of Top General Manager Worldwide at the recent Luxury Travel Advisors ULTRA Summit in Washington DC.
Following a rigorous judging process which saw twenty other hotel managers pipped to the post, Mr Datteroni scooped the prestigious title for best General Manager.
Held at the historic Watergate Hotel in Washington DC and sponsored by VisitFlanders, the ceremony welcomed a number of the most elite travel advisors, agents and suppliers in luxury travel through the venues doors on the 22nd May.
Commenting on the achievement, Mr Datteroni says: “I am truly honoured about such a prestigious achievement. I am so proud that the work here at Castello del Nero over the years has been recognised in this way”.


text: The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.Will a 30-second plug for a specific pharmaceutical drug enlighten consumers about often complex medical conditions? The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) insists that Canadians will be the primary beneficiaries if legislation is changed to allow the advertisement of drugs over the airwaves. The advertising will result in better-informed consumers, who will be better equipped to discuss medical problems with their doctors, it argues.   Advertising, however, is defined as the act of drawing attention to, or describing favourably, goods, services or vacant sales positions. If the law is changed, pharmaceutical companies will likely not exactly be "educating" the public, but "selling" directly to them. The CAB is putting an almost unbelievable spin on the need for changes in the law. The real reason is economic. Broadcasters and other media outlets stand to reap millions in advertising dollars if the law is changed. The CAB’s stance would be more believable if it instead addressed this point directly. Broadcasting is a business as is the pharmaceutical industry. Why shouldn’t drug companies have the right to market their products to Canadians, just like beer companies do? Why shouldn’t broadcasters, like their American counterparts, be able to benefit economically from a willing advertiser? In the process, consumers may become aware of new drug products that may be of benefit to them. But to spin the need for a change in legislation as primarily motivated by a desire to provide Canadians with much-needed medical information is a stretch. Smart consumers looking to have "intelligent conversations" with their doctors would not necessarily be wise to turn to commercials. If broadcasters were truly concerned about the health of Canadians, they would most likely be better off continuing to air Health Canada’s anti-smoking spots and Participaction promos. These promote generic preventative measures aimed at healthier lifestyles. Trying to spin the need for legislative change as a benefit to the health of Canadians has made many suspicious. The CAB would be better off coming straight out and dealing with the crux of the matter, which is purely economic.


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Joining or creating an account with Sportpesa is very easy but little is known on how one can delete or deactivate their Sportpesa account. There is little or no information provided on how one can delete their Sportpesa account in order to stop receiving notifications from the app regarding the upcoming matches for you to […]
Africa’s Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) firm Lipa Later Group has appointed Flutterwave Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Mr. Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola as a member of its advisory board. A highly regarded serial entrepreneur with two successful exits under his belt, Mr. Agboola is a software engineer with an MBA and a Master’s degree in Information Technology Security and Behavioural […]
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, and Pan-African Payments Company Cellulant have announced a partnership that will extend payment services for merchants and consumers across 19 key African countries in which UBA operates. These countries include Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, the Democratic Republic […]
Sokowatch is set to rebrand to Wasoko after it raised Ksh. 14.3 Billion million in Series B funding which was led by Tiger Global and Avenir Growth Capital. The firm, offering a buy now, pay later option for retailers who need working capital to order more goods, was founded in 2015, by CEO Daniel Yu as an […]
The recently concluded fourth edition of Africa Tech Summit held in Nairobi was a major eye-opener, given the rich menu of presentations and networking opportunities it offered. The summit, held under three tracks – the Africa Money and Decentralised Finance (DeFi) Summit, Africa Startup Summit and Africa Mobile Summit – brought together stakeholders in the […]
KCPE Exams results have been released, you can be able to easily check your 2020 – 2021 KCPE examination results online and via SMS. Here’s how you can check your KCPE Results via SMS or Online . How to check KCPE results via SMS You can check KCPE class of 2020-2021 results by sending an […]
This is the age of Cryptocurrencies, but you should only invest in any cryptos, when you are completely confident about the performance. As of now, Bitcoin is the most used digital currency worldwide.


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Hitachi Systems Micro Clinic (HSMC), an end-to-end IT Services and Solutions provider said that it expects revenues to grow from Rs. 350 crore in FY 2015 to Rs. 1,000 crore by 2018. The company has registered a CAGR of 58% in revenues over the last three years; making it one of the fastest growing mid-sized IT companies in India. HSMC also said it expects revenues in current financial year to exceed Rs. 600 crore, buoyed by strong growth in cloud and cyber security businesses.
HSMC caters to the government, private and public enterprises, and the growth over the past year is attributed to a growing demand for cyber security services, largely in the public sector. The Indian government has made it mandatory for all the ministries and listed companies to have a security policy, which has led to increase in the company’s client portfolio. HSMC is also a key player in the cloud computing industry since 2008 and is helping its clients move from CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) to OPEX (Operational Expenditure) model.
Tarun Seth, Managing Director, Hitachi Systems Micro Clinic said, “A rapidly growing enterprise adoption of cloud computing and cyber security has put us in a great position to continue our above-average growth. We are also looking to launch new strategic initiatives and target new customer segments as we work towards making our ‘Mission 1,000 crore’ a reality.”
HSMC is present in 19 Indian cities and has close to 180 service locations for their B2C clients. They have created a separate wing that works closely with Amazon, Oracle and Microsoft to help the customers optimize cloud apps based on their requirement.
Tarun said, “HSMC is growing so fast because of the heterogeneous list of customers. We believe that this growth will continue because of government’s emphasis on digitalisation and the Digital India campaign. Concerted effort will be dedicated towards the following industries to achieve this growth projection – IT enabled Services (ITeS), Banking, Financial services and Insurance (BFSI), Pharma, Manufacturing, Retail, Government.”
Seth added that HSMC will launch a Security Operations Center (SOC) and Remote Monitoring Services for Security and will expand operations to reach more industries like Pharma and Retail amongst others.
HSMC currently serves diverse IT requirements for industry portfolios including Government, banking and finance, IT and ITES, Manufacturing, Retail, Automobiles, Travel among others. The company’s clients include marquee names like Samsung, MakeMyTrip, JK Tyre, Apollo Hospitals, Aircel, Reserve Bank of India, L&T, and Tata Motors.
HSMC said it will leverage its strong global brand equity and long term relationships with key OEM vendors such as HP, Hitachi Data Systems, McAfee, Microsoft, Cisco, among others to sustain its above-average growth. The company is also looking to reshape its business portfolio as it transforms from a distribution and hardware player to a services and solutions provider.
“We expect cloud business to contribute to 50% of our revenues by 2020, growing from a 5% share at present. We are also best suited to take advantage of the ‘Digital transformation’ phenomenon wherein companies are moving away from investing in infrastructure to operating via Cloud. Also, there will be special focus on start-up community given the market shift, as many startups are running only via cloud services,” Seth added.
HSMC has recently started two new business segments: Security Incident & Event Monitoring (SIEM) Services and HP Managed Services. The company has also invested in SOC and Remote Monitoring Services for Security and plans to launch the services in the coming weeks. HSMC recently tied up with Japanese firm Spline Network Inc. to launch TonerSaver in India.
This year, the IT services company also completed 25 years of expertise as an end-to-end IT systems integrator.


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- extensions and lease deferred payments;
- redirecting billing statements;
- and arranging phone or on-line payments.
Automakers will build more hydrogen fuel-cell powered cars, while governments will help with infrastructure amid concerns of global warming.
GM, BMW and Hyundai respond to Trump's warnings, though GM says its plan to invest $1 billion in U.S. plants and equipment was in the works for some time.
The world's largest retailer gets in line.
Amid investigations into alleged diesel emission cheating, global automakers and regulators are struggling to define and comprehend shifting rules and enforcement from region to region.


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New Industries That Are Set to Boom in India
Despite the difficulties that have affected the world over the last 15 months, India’s economy is still predicted to grow by 9.5% this year. It’s a sign that industries in the country are set to continue growing and successfully developing.
This momentum does not look like stalling anytime soon. This is good news for a country with such a youthful population. But, which industries are likely to provide the most opportunities for the youth of India? Let’s take a closer look at those industries which are likely to experience the biggest boom now and in the near future.
Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing
The “Make in India” campaign brought a whole new mindset to the way the Indian government develops industry in the country. The focus changed to increasing investment, protecting intellectual property and creating a top-performing infrastructure.
In the automotive sector, India is leading the way with an emphasis on green technology. The defence and civil aviation sector is also thriving having experienced significant expansion.
Online gaming is one of the most exciting and innovative industries in India. So, it’s hardly surprising that the industry is expected to achieve revenue of around $50 billion this year. It’s not surprising that the country has so much potential in the online gaming market given that it has access to such a young, and digitally savvy, population.
One branch of this industry that is distinct in itself is online gambling. You only have to look at the list of newly launched sites available to Indian players to see that there is an appetite for these games in the country. The lack of countrywide gambling regulation still hampers the potential of Indian based development of casino games right now but there is a chance that this will change in the foreseeable future.
There are around 687.6 million Internet users in India right now. Access to that huge number of people opens up a range of opportunities for digital innovation in the country. This is being helped by the Indian government’s Digital India Initiative.
The aim of this initiative is to create a digitally empowered society. As this happens there is an ongoing demand for technology related services such as payment systems, web and mobile apps, and broadband infrastructure. This is good news for an industry that is experiencing a boom that is sure to last.
Given the size of its population, it’s not surprising that India has the fourth largest level of energy consumption in the world. Traditionally, coal, oil, and gas have been the most important sources of energy in the country.
However, the government is committed to adding 175 Gw of capacity in the renewable energy sector by 2022. This represents valuable opportunities for a boom in the industry.
India has already invested millions of dollars in infrastructure including roads, ports, and airports. This has included the formation of initiatives including the 100 Smart City Mission (SCM) and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
Although there has been some delays to the scheme to create 100 smart cities in the country, it’s still very much up and running. The associated prospects for a continued boom in the Indian infrastructure industry are exciting. All five of these industries are prime to continue booming for several years. It will be interesting to see exactly how the situation plays out.


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Camera maker Canon has added the NFC-enabled Powershot SX700 HS digital camera to its line of three NFC cameras announced at CES 2014. The NFC capability allows users to transfer images from the camera to their Android phone or tablet by pressing the Mobile Device Connect button and then tapping the devices together.
- NFC Forum updates specs with support for pairing at a distance
- Total Produce pushes fruit and veg with NFC in supermarkets
- GSMA reports on NFC adoption at MWC, SIM trends and HCE
- Thales shows off airline seat with NFC
- Rogers expands Suretap NFC wallet with support for prepaid and gift cards


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United Airlines reported a $53 million loss for the fourth quarter Tuesday on a sharp rise in the price of fuel and bad weather that forced...
United Airlines reported a $53 million loss for the fourth quarter Tuesday on a sharp rise in the price of fuel and bad weather that forced a raft of holiday flight cancellations.
The loss was less than expected but still reflected the damage that high fuel costs are doing to the bottom line of the nation’s second-largest carrier and other U.S. airlines.
Chief Executive Glenn Tilton, who has long expressed interest in pairing United with another airline, was mum about talks widely reported to be under way with Delta Air Lines, which is looking at potential combinations with either United or Northwest Airlines.
United’s loss for the last three months of 2007 amounted to 47 cents a share and was improved from a loss of $61 million, or 55 cents a share, in the same quarter a year earlier.
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Revenue was $5.03 billion, up 9.7 percent from $4.59 billion a year ago, partly due to higher fares.
Analysts expected a loss of 89 cents a share and revenue of $4.95 billion, based on a survey by Thomson Financial.
United shares fell $1.07 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $31.87 Tuesday.
Big write-downs damage bottom line
National bank Wachovia said Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit tumbled 98 percent due to a $1.7 billion reduction in the value of certain portfolios and $1.5 billion set aside to cover bad loans.
Fourth-quarter profit fell to $51 million, or 3 cents a share, from $2.3 billion, or $1.20 a share, during the same period the previous year.
Excluding merger-related expenses, Wachovia earned $160 million, or 8 cents a share, during the fourth quarter.
Analysts polled by Thomson Financial, on average, forecast earnings of 33 cents a share for the quarter. One-time charges are not always included in analysts’ estimates.
Wachovia shares rose $1.11, or 3.6 percent, to $31.91 Tuesday.
Bank of America
Profit tumbles on credit losses
Bank of America said Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit fell 95 percent, hurt by mounting credit losses and weak investment banking results.
Profit at the bank dropped to $268 million, or 5 cents a share, in the three months ended Dec. 31 from $5.26 billion, or $1.16 a share, a year ago.
The bank’s revenue fell 32 percent to $12.67 billion from $18.49 billion last year.
Analysts expected earnings of 18 cents a share on revenue of $13.24 billion, according to a Thomson Financial poll.
Bank of America shares rose $1.42, or nearly 4 percent, to $37.39 Tuesday.
Cellphone chips sound like big sellers
Texas Instruments (TI), the largest maker of chips for mobile phones, said Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit rose 13 percent on strong sales of analog and digital signal processing chips.
The company posted profit of $756 million, or 54 cents a share, compared with $668 million, or 45 cents a share, in the fourth quarter. Revenue rose 3 percent to $3.56 billion from $3.46 billion last year.
Analysts polled by Thomson Financial, on average, expected earnings of 52 cents a share on sales of $3.58 billion.
The company said its revenue growth was led by demand for its digital signal processors and analog products, which rose 12 percent each.
TI forecast first-quarter earnings of 43 cents to 49 cents a share on revenue of $3.27 billion to $3.55 billion. Analysts were projecting earnings of 45 cents a share on revenue of $3.41 billion.
TI shares rose 62 cents to $29.60 in after-hours trading, after closing the regular session down 48 cents at $28.98.
Chemical giant ends year on down note
Chemicals maker DuPont reported a drop in fourth-quarter profit Tuesday but said earnings rose sharply when one-time items that boosted the previous year’s profit were excluded.
Profit dropped 37 percent to $545 million, or 60 cents a share, from $871 million, or 94 cents a share, in the final quarter of 2006.
Excluding a series of gains in each period, earnings rose 27 percent, from 45 cents to 57 cents a share, exceeding estimates on Wall Street. Analysts expected 49 cents a share, Thomson Financial reported.
Shares of DuPont, one of the 30 Dow stocks, fell 14 cents to $42.56 Tuesday.
Johnson & Johnson
Overseas growth pushes up results
The profit of health-care-products maker Johnson & Johnson rose almost 10 percent in the fourth quarter as revenues jumped by double digits despite sales drops for two key product lines.
The maker of prescription drugs, medical devices, contact lenses and baby-care items reported Tuesday a profit of $2.37 billion, or 82 cents a share, up from $2.17 billion, or 74 cents a share, a year earlier.
Excluding one-time items, profit would have been 88 cents a share.
Revenues totaled $15.96 billion, up 16.6 percent from $13.7 billion in the year-ago quarter.
Most growth came overseas, with international sales jumping 26 percent and currency exchange rates boosting revenues nearly 5 percent.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected profit of 86 cents a share excluding one-time items on revenues of $15.4 billion.
Shares of Johnson & Johnson, a Dow component, fell $1.02 to $65.27 Tuesday.
Compiled from The Associated Press and Bloomberg News.


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TakeLessons, a San Diego Web-based business, announced that it had acquired Betterfly, a similar business from Chicago.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The San Diego business said it’s now the world’s most comprehensive in-person and online lesson facilitator, serving more than 500,000 students and teachers located in more than 4,000 communities nationwide.
The company says it connects students with high-quality, well-vetted instructors.
Previously concentrating on music, academics and performing arts, TakeLessons said it is expanding into fitness, wellness, yoga and nutrition; crafts and hobbies; business skills; and beauty and style.
TakeLessons closed a $4 million round of venture funding this time last year.
CEO Steven Cox founded TakeLessons in 2006. Cox previously held positions with Reddito LLC and CollegeClub.com.
SDBJ Staff Report