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The new, free version of Google's Urchin service will likely have a significant impact on the market.
In a move likely to thrill many marketers but horrify Web analytics firms, Google is expected to release the new version of its Urchin analytics service today. The release, re-branded Google Analytics, will be free to advertisers in its AdWords program.
Google had previously charged $199 per month for the hosted service. The search player acquired Urchin back in March.
"Part of Google's philosophy in the advertising area is to provide our advertisers with the tools they need to be successful," Paul Muret, an engineering director at Google and one of Urchin's founders, told ClickZ News. "We want to give them the visibility they need to get the intelligence they need to make good decisions on advertising."
Google Analytics, which will be rolled out to current Urchin customers and AdWords users Monday, will be available in 16 languages. The company has added "dashboard" screens customized to ease access to common reports for different types of users: Webmasters, marketers and executives. In a move likely to attract even more people to sign up for AdWords accounts, Web site analytics will be free to AdWords advertisers. Google won't require a minimum spend from users.
The software is integrated into the AdWords service in several ways. Users will be able to access both Web site and AdWords analytics through a single interface. Additionally, Google Analytics enables automatic tagging of each keyword in a marketer's portfolio so it can be easily tracked within the application. The automatic importation of keyword pricing data is also supported, enabling users to track ROI. Marketers may also use the application to track initiatives in other channels: email, banner ads, etc.
JupiterResearch analyst Eric Peterson expects the release to have major repercussions for competitors in the Web analytics space. "When Google acquired Urchin," he said, "I speculated that the greatest good that Google could do with the application, which would also be the greatest bad for the Web analytics market, at least part of the analytics market, would be to give it away for free. I think it impacts everybody."
Though the company will incur costs associated with providing the service for free, Google believes providing the information will benefit AdWords in the long term.
"We want the ROI for advertisers to be real," said Muret. "Their long term sustainable advertising health is good for Google."
Conventional wisdom says analytics applications are underutilized for several reasons: cost, information overload and the difficulty of determining what to do with the data. A free Google Analytics addresses the first issue, and the company also hopes to take on the latter two. The firm has developed an extensive help center, including a section that explains key analytics concepts. To help its larger advertisers, Google has trained sales reps and will provide those salespeople with a support team of analytics experts. Additionally, it has reached out to consultancies to form a new service partner program, so they can help AdWords clients.
Pamela Parker is a former managing editor of ClickZ News, Features, and Experts. She's been covering interactive advertising and marketing since the boom days of 1999, chronicling the dot-com crash and the subsequent rise of the medium. Before working at ClickZ, Parker was associate editor at @NY, a pioneering Web site and e-mail newsletter covering New York new media start-ups. Parker received a master's degree in journalism, with a concentration in new media, from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
US Consumer Device Preference Report
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E-Commerce Customer Lifecycle
Have you ever wondered what factors influence online spending or why shoppers abandon their cart? This data-rich infogram offers actionable insight into creating a more seamless online shopping experience across the multiple devices consumers are using.
October 13, 2015
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November 12, 2015


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The a2 Milk Company is making a move down the supply chain, seeking to partner with New Zealand dairy nutrition business Mataura Valley Milk, taking a 75.1 per cent majority stake for $NZ270 million ($245 million).
A2 confirmed it is engaged in exclusive due diligence talks with Mataura Valley to explore options for the baby formula and milk brand to participate in manufacturing at Mataura's facility in Southland, New Zealand.
A2 Milk has lobbed a non-binding indicative offer to acquire the stake for $NZ270 million, based on an enterprise value of about $NZ385 million. Mataura has agreed to provide a2 Milk exclusive access its books.
The exclusive due diligence arrangements are backed by Mataura’s majority shareholder, China Animal Husbandry Group (CAHG), which would retain a 24.9 per cent interest in Mataura alongside a2 Milk.
CAHG is a wholly owned subsidiary of China National Agriculture Development Group, which is also the parent company of a2 Milk's strategic partner in China, CSFA Holdings Shanghai, Co. Ltd. (China State Farm).
A2 Milk chief executive Geoff Babidge flagged some time ago that because of the increasing scale of the infant nutrition business, he has been assessing participation in manufacturing capacity and capability.
"The potential investment in Mataura Valley Milk’s recently commissioned facility, alongside China Animal Husbandry Group, aligns with this strategic objective as we look to complement and build upon our current strategic relationships with Synlait Milk and Fonterra Co-operative Group, which remain in place," he said.
"Our intention would be to invest further to establish blending and canning capacity at Mataura’s facility to support the establishment of a fully integrated manufacturing plant for infant nutrition.”
A2 Milk said discussions with Mataura are ongoing and remain incomplete, with any potential transaction subject to further due diligence, negotiation of definitive agreements, and requisite regulatory and third party approvals.
The dual-listed group added that transaction is expected to be settled towards the end of the financial year and would be funded entirely from existing cash reserves, which stood at $NZ854.2 million as of June 30.
Net profit jumped 34 per cent to $NZ385.8 million ($350 million), pushing up earnings per share by more than 33 per cent to NZ52.39¢.
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UK Safer Internet Centre Blog
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New resource from Childnet – Championing youth voice this LGBT+ History Month
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The UK Safer Internet Centre team were in Liverpool to celebrate Safer Internet Day. Find out what happened in this…


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While Microsoft has slowed down on studio acquisitions this year, the Xbox team has been hard at work forging third-party partnerships. Aside from major projects in the works with Kojima, Avalanche Studios and others, Xbox is also seemingly teaming up with Behaviour Interactive on a new project.
In a Linkedin post, a Behaviour Interactive employee updated their profile to list an “unannounced AAA project” for Xbox and PC, a project that has apparently been in the works since August 2019, built using Unreal Engine 4.
Behaviour Interactive is best known for Dead by Daylight, but the studio has also spent a lot of time acting as a support team on major AAA projects, like Gears 5 Hivebusters, Days Gone, Far Cry 5, Halo: The Master Chief Collection and more.
This follows on from recent reports that Microsoft is testing a number of studios for potential acquisitions. It is possible that Behaviour Interactive is indeed one of those studios.
KitGuru Says: As much as I enjoy Dead by Daylight, it is a very flawed game. Hopefully this unannounced project can tighten things up in the areas where DBD falls short. Whatever it ends up being, it seems likely that it will be announced in 2022.


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"Tiny houses started as a minimalist revolution. They ended up as an Instagram aesthetic."
"When China banned plastic waste imports in 2018, exporters in wealthy countries targeted other developing nations. Faced with an unending stream of unrecyclable waste, Indonesia has tightened its regulations and has begun to make progress in stemming the plastics flow."
"Residents of the U.S. and other countries, cranking up their air conditioners, are helping to set records for consumption of fuels contributing to climate change".
"The Transportation Department proposed Friday raising fuel efficiency requirements for cars and light trucks by about 20 percent over six years, a move the Biden administration said will help achieve its climate goals while saving drivers money at the gas pump."
"These feral pigs cause billions of damage, but some chefs and meat purveyors are putting this pork on the map – and menus".
"Twenty-two attorneys general urged a federal court Wednesday to reject a proposed $10.3 billion settlement over contamination of U.S. public drinking water systems with potentially dangerous chemicals, saying it lets manufacturer 3M Co. off too easily."
"Seven major automakers on Wednesday announced plans to nearly double the nation’s network of high-powered electric vehicle chargers, an effort to address a key consumer reservation about EVs — that they may not have a place to power up on the road."
"The incandescent lightbulbs that have been illuminating American homes and businesses since Thomas Edison first unveiled them in 1879 are finally coming off U.S. shelves."
"In an era of drought, turning treated wastewater into drinking water may be the future. Utility companies are working with breweries to get people past the “ick factor.”"
"The Biden administration on Friday proposed tightening an efficiency standard for new residential water heaters — a move that it said would both save consumers money and combat climate change."


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JULY 3 — According to the All-Rice Index of FAO, prices of rice export have been on the rise for the fifth successive month in May 2022, as a result of the shortage of petroleum, fertilisers, wheat and feeds caused by the Ukraine-Russian war. When the war prolongs the prices are expected to increase.
Countries which depend on import rice to supplement their local production are almost certainly to face shortage of supply and price hike.
Are we ready for the shortage of supply and price hike? The government must take preventive measures now before the nation is hit by the shortage of supply and price hike of rice.
Increase stockpile to 20 per cent of national requirement
The annual requirement of rice for Malaysians is 2.5 million metric tonnes. The country's rice production is around 70 per cent while the remaining 30 per cent relies on import to meet the demand. When the war prolongs, we will have to face not just the increase of prices of rice but also the shortage of supply in the market.
According to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, the stockpile of rice in the country is about 200,000 mt. In other words, the stockpile of rice is only enough to meet a month of the national requirement.
Compared to Singapore which has a stockpile for 3 months, Malaysia’s rice stockpile is far too low. But the building up of stockpile of rice in Malaysia depends solely on Bernas which has the monopoly of rice import and controls nearly 50 per cent of all rice produced in the country.
Bernas is a profit oriented public listed company and it is not in the interest of the company to increase the stockpile as cash will be locked in the stock.
In view of the critical situation, the government must move in to enforce a minimum percentage of stockpile, which should not be less than 20 per cent of the national requirement or 2 months’ supply.
End monopoly of rice import
Another important measure to reduce the pressure of supply and prices of rice is to increase the sources of supply. The government must suspend the monopoly of Bernas in the importation of rice during this critical period if it cannot end the concession given to Bernas immediately.
Rice traders should be allowed to import rice and source their own supply from different countries freely. With competition and more sources of supply, the quantum of increase for prices of import rice will no longer be decided by Bernas alone and our consumers will be less impacted by the price hike in the world market.
Liberalising rice import will also help to boost up our stockpile.
The Singapore’s Rice Stockpile Scheme requires all licensed importers to maintain a quantity equivalent to their two months import in the government warehouse as stockpile. We could do the same once rice import is liberalised.
The government must regain ownership of Bernas to boost local production of rice
To ensure adequate supply and stable prices of rice, the long-term strategy lies in increasing local production. We’re losing much of our paddy land to floods as well as to housing and industrial development as growing paddy is not profitable.
When Bernas was corporatised in 1966, the major shareholders were paddy cultivation related government agencies. It aimed to ensure a good balance of import rice and local produce in order to protect the interest of paddy growers.
Its profit was to plough back for the development of paddy cultivation with the ultimate aim to achieve self-sufficiency in rice.
Today Bernas is a totally private company. The irony is Bernas which makes its huge profit by having a monopoly in rice import is tasked to help promote local rice production.
The fact is the lesser the local rice, the more Bernas can import and the bigger their profit. Therefore, we cannot expect Bernas with its present ownership to help promote local rice production.
Today the prices of rice both import and local produce are virtually decided by Bernas, a profit oriented private company.
If the government is serious about self-sufficiency in rice and controlling price hike in rice, it must regain its control on import rice, take back from Bernas the management of subsidy to farmers and the procurement of rice from farmers.
*Datin Tan Yee Kew is Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju
**This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.


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Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) through its beer brand Tusker Lager, has embarked on a campaign to celebrate the unbeatable spirit of all Kenyans. The campaign dubbed Kenya Milele is a celebration of the bold Identity, spirit and culture of Kenyans.
Speaking during the launch of the campaign, KBL Managing Director, John Musunga said, “Kenya has been through tough times and prospered. Now, more than ever, there is a real need to connect and share real stories that are uplifting, empowering and remind us why we are proud to be Kenyan. Tusker Lager has always been at the centre of the Kenyan story being a truly Kenyan brand that resonates with the passions and interests of the people at every point in our 100-year history. Our focus with this campaign is to celebrate Kenyans and their uplifting stories of resilience, pride, excellence, determination, character; the things that define us as a people.”
Mr. Musunga revealed that throughout the new campaign, Tusker will undertake several initiatives to celebrate Kenyans around the country. The guiding areas will be in line with Tusker’s cultural pillars of sports, music and arts.
“Throughout the campaign we will raise a Tusker to “doing it the Kenyan way”. Olympian triumphs, musical excellence, artistic ventures, infrastructure progression and community development. These are powerful stories that unite us as a nation and need to be told,” explained Musunga.
At the launch event, Tusker also unveiled their new Kenya Milele TV Commercial (TVC) which was produced and directed by renowned Kenyan producer Tosh Gitonga. The TVC that includes several local talents is part of the brands’ continued efforts to celebrate everything “Kenyan” in their ongoing activities.
KBL recently signed a partnership worth Ksh. 45 million with the National Olympics Committee of Kenya to sponsor Team Kenya during this year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in July. The company further reiterated its commitment to support rugby in the country through Kenya Rugby Union partnership with a view to extend their current contract.
The Kenya Milele Campaign will also include the second phase of the Ksh. 330 million Raise the Bar program launched last year. The recovery initiative selected bars and eateries to receive the much-needed support through bartender training on COVID-19 protocols, equipment, products, merchandise, and other incentives. This is in a bid to help adapt to new practices following the COVID-19 pandemic.


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EnerSys provides the ODYSSEY batteries found in BIGFOOT 4×4’s entire fleet of monster trucks, haulers and shop vehicles.
“As an approved vendor, we not only increase distribution of ODYSSEY batteries through the hundreds of VIPAR locations, but also provide VIPAR customers with a superior product line,” said Tom Rafferty, national account manager at EnerSys. “It’s a privilege to be part of the VIPAR Heavy Duty family.”
EnerSys To Showcase ODYSSEY Batteries And Chargers At The 47th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction
“We look forward to sharing our ODYSSEY battery offering at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, and engaging the passion of such an elite community of enthusiasts,” said Alan Kohler, transportation and specialty marketing manager at EnerSys.
The ODYSSEY 31-925 battery is designed to handle the increased use of onboard accessories in today’s commercial trucks and tractor-trailers.
The ODYSSEY Performance Series Group 49 and 94R batteries are currently scheduled to be released in January 2018.
The personal appearances will complement the main theme of the ODYSSEY battery booth – 20 years of ODYSSEY batteries.
ISO 9001:2015 certifies that EnerSys continues to maintain a quality management system based on Quality Management Principles, which form the basis of the new standard.
Ronald Vargo and Nelda Connors have been appointed to EnerSys’ board of directors. Vargo will join the board effective Aug. 1, and Connors will join effective Aug. 15.
The Platte County High School students finish second out of 600 student-led robotics teams from around the world at the VEX World Championship.


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Bengaluru based startup Dunzo plans to launch its bike service by the end of this month in Gurugram. The company currently has 400 weekly active delivery men in Bengaluru.
“It’s just a logical expansion of our operations,” says Kabir Biswas, founder, Dunzo.
Dunzo allows users to create a to-do list and completes the tasks for you. Currently available in Bengaluru, the Dunzo app allows users to create different tasks in their to-do list, track the progress of the tasks, chat with their team members about their tasks and includes a one-tap payment method. Dunzo lets users finish tasks like going to the grocery store, making plans, and fixing something at home.
“Deliveries are horizontal, it doesn’t matter what you are delivering. On an average, traffic for food delivery is 6 hours; morning, afternoon, lunch and dinner, and 4 hours for transportation traffic. Dunzo traffic is almost for 20 hours already. In an effort to make sure that we optimize our delivery men, it’s important that we get into the bike-sharing model. We already know how the business of logistics work, this just makes sense. Dunzo Bike will help us exactly with that, optimization of our delivery model,” added Biswas.
Companies like Ola and Uber already have their bike-sharing models. More and more consumers are slowly and steadily preferring bike sharing services because they are more affordable and less time-consuming. UberMoto, the bike-sharing service is available in nine cities across the country. Ola, in December 2017, launched Ola Pedal, closer to the Ofo and Mobike model of China.
Uber, Ola, and other bike-sharing models are expected to face a tough competition with Dunzo entering the market.
The startup received $12 million from Google in a series B funding in 2017 and since then it has been quickly expanding its operations in India.


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Norton Motorcycles UK has announced the change of its Australian distributors from NF Importers Pty Ltd to Brisbane Motorcycles based in Queensland.
Brisbane Motorcycles managing director James Mutton says they have been retailing the bikes for some time from their Caboolture store and immediately will take over warranties, servicing and spares.
He says they have the Commando and Cafe Racer in stock and will receive their first order of 2018 stock in April.
Nortons will be sold from their Caboolture and Windsor stores and James hopes to have a dealer network with a dealer in each state within six months.
Norton Motorcycles prices
Norton Dominator and Commando on show in London
The entry level 961 Commando costs $31,990 (+ORC) and the Cafe Racer is $33,990. Upcoming models include the V4 at about $59,9990, the Dominator Naked at $41,990 and the made-to-order Dominator at $49,990.
Brett is successfully battling cancer and is currently off medications. However, he is retiring and handing over the business to his son.
James says he will have an as-yet unnamed partner in the Norton importing business from the motorcycle industry.
Norton has been imported from 2015 by NF Importers or Fraser Motorcycles who also import Ducati.
“It seems their relationship with Norton Motorcycles in the UK deteriorated,” James says.
“Norton approached us because our Caboolture store was the number one Norton dealer in Australia.
“Frasers were well aware of the offer and weren’t too disappointed.
“I suppose they had their hands full with Ducati and couldn’t offer the level of attention that Norton needs.”
James says it is the first time his business has imported motorcycles, but they have imported parts and accessories.
He says rumours of warranty issues with the British-made bikes were not valid.
“There have been a couple of minor issues, but nothing major,” he says.
“For example, at one stage, there was an issue with number plate holders cracking. In the UK they have different number plates and these came standard with carbonfibre plate holders that were cracking on our rough roads.
“I haven’t personally come across anyone with serious issues.
“The Norton Motorcycles factory also say they have developed the bike more and ironed out any bugs.
“After visiting the Norton factory and witnessing first-hand the amount of passion and care that goes into building a Norton motorcycle it was an easy decision to become involved.
“As with all new ventures there will be a transition period that will need working through and require some patience.”
NF Importers boss Warren Lee says they sold more than 100 new Commandos in Australia and New Zealand in the past three years.
“After gaining the ADR approvals and appointing a small boutique dealer network, the first deliveries commenced in early 2016 to customers across both Australia and New Zealand,’ he says.


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To say that Elon Musk’s user-verification updates for Twitter are a “fluid situation” is certainly an understatement.
In the two weeks since he took ownership of the company, Musk has changed his plan from charging $19.99 per month for account verification to $8. He also decided on Tuesday night to roll out gray verification check marks to certify publishers, commercial companies and major public figures as “official,” distinguishing them from users who will receive a blue check after purchasing a Twitter Blue subscription.
That didn’t last long. On Wednesday, Musk killed the idea. Then, around noon, he and other executives held an “advertiser town hall” with little advance notice to discuss worries on the minds of brands and agency partners.
Among the topics discussed, Musk was asked to clarify verification and requirements for brands. His response was simple: brands will need to pay for verification. In days to come, Twitter will “add granularity to verified badges, such as organizational affiliation & identification verification,” Musk tweeted on Wednesday.
If your head is spinning, you’re certainly not the only one. The uncertainty is weighing on agencies as they advise their clients.
“The volatility of these changes is another reason why we aren’t currently recommending clients pay for Twitter Blue verification at this time,” says Evoke Kyne EVP and head of social media Kate Callan.
Evoke Kyne is waiting to learn more about the implications of the checkmark and is not actively encouraging investment in Twitter verification until it is confident in the future direction of the platform, she says.
“Putting a price tag on that blue check transforms it to a status symbol, another signal that some are better or more than others,” adds Rachael Berkey, Clarity VP of social strategy. “Will it stay valuable in the long run? It's too early to say."
Previously, the blue check was available to accounts through a verification process meant to establish authenticity for people and brands. Allowing any user to purchase the blue check takes away from the legitimacy of verification, PR pros say. This change will make it harder for users to distinguish what is real and what’s not on the platform.
“Before recommending our clients purchase verification, we will want to assess what the process entails and how accounts are being assessed for verification,” says Callan. “We will also consider how accounts that were already verified will be affected. Will everyone get the same ‘checkmark’ or will there be different types of verification?”
Ketchum is recommending that clients consider whether they have the capacity to monitor the platform for bad actors misrepresenting their brand or executives.
“We need to make sure no one is out there creating fake accounts,” says Erin Ledbetter, Ketchum EVP and head of digital. “We like to think users are pretty discerning, but we know that’s not always the case, and we know these fake accounts are pretty good at faking it. It’s a matter of making sure the brand reputation is protected.”
This week, Twitter users created accounts impersonating former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Nintendo of America, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, LeBron James, Valve Software and Musk himself, among others. Most of the fake accounts were removed, but some stayed up for hours, Vox reported.
What seems to be the simplest solution may not be one at all. Paying for Twitter verification is not a “silver bullet” for company executives, brands and organizations to protect themselves, says Golin global president of digital Jeff Beringer.
“It would be one part of a holistic approach to building trust and credibility on Twitter,” he says. “We are telling brands and execs they should keep a close eye on the final features and details.”
The big question is whether having a checkmark will carry as much weight as it did before, especially if everyone has one.
One differentiator could be what brands say on the platform. Brands and boldface names will need to create consistent, trustworthy content that reinforces the people behind that profile.
“There are simple things publishers can do to make it clear that it is really them behind the content,” says Beringer. “All these, in aggregate, can help establish or strengthen trust beyond the blue checkmark.”
Amid the breakneck pace of changes at the company, some brands and social media managers might be tempted to abandon Twitter altogether. That’s not wise…yet. Although the situation at Twitter is confusing, many brands are taking a wait-and-see approach rather than cutting advertising spend or leaving altogether.
Ketchum is keeping an eye on public opinion about the use of Twitter and whether there are concerns about brands operating on the platform. The agency is also watching key performance indicators closely to see if a Twitter presence makes business sense.
“At this point, with the exception of brands in certain categories, we have not made a blanket recommendation that brands should change their strategy at this time,” Ledbetter says.
The only industry in which Ketchum has advised clients to pause advertising is automotive, and that’s due to concerns about data privacy, says Ledbetter.
“Musk also owning Tesla is a concern for auto companies looking to get into the [electric vehicle] space,” she says. “We don’t want their brand strategy, targeting and investment information getting in the hands of a competitor.”
Audi, General Motors and Volkswagen are among the brands that have paused their advertising campaigns on Twitter in recent weeks.
Mastodon is one alternative to Twitter, and people who are unhappy with Musk’s changes are flocking there. Mastodon on Sunday said it gained 489,000 users in less than two weeks, giving it more than 1 million active monthly users.
Beringer says Golin is evaluating options on whether clients should join Twitter’s rivals.
“We ask: do the alternatives have the right audience for them, either in scale or types of people they are trying to reach?” he says. Clients also need to consider what kind of baggage might come with another social network, such as issues like TikTok is having with misinformation and calls for bans.
Leaving Twitter cold turkey might be difficult for brands, depending on how they employ the platform.
“Sometimes brands use it for paid advertising and organic news sharing or customer service,” says Beringer. “[Clients] are looking at what the impact of [leaving Twitter or joining an alternative] would be to all of those different audiences.”
Going forward, one major piece of advice Berkey has for Twitter is the need for Musk and his team to clearly communicate the guardrails they're implementing to their users.
“Verification should instill confidence,” she says. “Musk is doing the opposite.”
Golin’s tips for clients approaching Twitter:
- Make sure brands and executives submit additional verification proof so their checkmarks are accompanied by other markers;
- Contribute relevant content frequently, which reinforces they’re behind the profile and invested in the community;
- Include video that further proves the “known” individual associated with the handle is indeed behind the content;
- Cross-link the verified Twitter handle to and from other company-owned, trusted channels, such brand websites or pressrooms;
- Cross-link to Twitter from an executive’s other social accounts, notably their LinkedIn profile;
- Follow brand handles and colleagues from their company;
- Tag other credible handles like news outlets or other verified users in their tweets.


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With a long history of strained relationships, grocers and suppliers have taken a giant step towards a truce—and a path forward.
Empire Company, which owns Sobeys, Safeway and FreshCo., and Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP) have created a proposal for a Grocery Supply Code of Practice for Canada.
The draft code aims to stabilize relations between retailers and suppliers by calling for fair and efficient handling of all negotiations and commercial agreements. The FHCP has been advocating for a code for the last two decades to address what it calls “unfair practices,” such as arbitrary fees, cost increases imposed without notice, and late payments.
“This is a watershed moment for the industry,” said FHCP president Michael Graydon, in an interview with Canadian Grocer. “We have been fighting for this for a long time because it was required. The imbalance of power that has emerged over the last number of years has been very harmful to the economics of the manufacturing community here in Canada.”
FHCP’s stance is that the negative ripple effects from poor retailer-supplier relations make their way to consumers and can impact pricing, product choice and job opportunities. Ultimately, unfair practices create challenging conditions for suppliers and manufacturers to thrive in Canada.
Graydon added that fair business practices would “balance the relationship” between retailers and suppliers and allow them to focus on building the business rather than arguing over things like compliance and fines.
Graydon said there was little interest from retailers in advancing the discussion on a code until Michael Medline joined the grocery industry in 2017. He was appointed president and CEO of Empire, following a long career at Canadian Tire, where he rose to president and CEO.
The two executives first sat down to discuss a grocery code of conduct about two and a half years ago. “Michael, in his wonderful style, said, ‘Help me understand, educate me. I won’t say yes, I won’t say no, but let’s see where we go.’”
They continued to have discussions, and Empire had internal discussions as well. “We did tons of work and it became clearer and clearer that this would be a great thing and it was not something to resist,” Medline told Canadian Grocer.
“A few times in your career, you have a chance to get outside the paradigm of the industry and think about what’s different than you’re used to. You’ve got to tackle that.”
For Medline, the pandemic was the tipping point for taking action. “Especially in the first few months of COVID last year, we saw how the industry can pull together, from the farmers to the retail stores and all the way in between,” he said.
Whether it was talking about creating different pack sizes or getting products to stores, the collaborative approach underlined how the industry wasn’t having the right conversations prior to the pandemic.
“We should be talking more about how to be more efficient to pass on lower prices to consumers, how can we have more innovation in products and packaging in Canada, and how to keep manufacturing and head offices in this industry in this country and not go south of the border,” said Medline. “So, we were already interested [in a code] and the pandemic just underlined how important this could be.”
The aim now is to have the code of practice legislated and regulated in Canada. The proposed code was formally submitted to a working group that was formed last November by the federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Agriculture and Agri-Food to address issues in the grocery industry.
Graydon said by having the code regulated, there are assurances retailers will follow it because there will be consequences if they don’t. “I think it takes a regulated framework to ensure that there is consistent compliance across the board and we’re not spending time negotiating whether you’re compliant or not compliant in a self-regulated format,” he said.
Medline illustrated his support of a regulated code with a hockey analogy. “Take an NHL game between the Leafs and the Habs,” he said. “I guess they could play voluntarily without any rules or referees, but I’m not sure how well that would go.”
In terms of what’s next, the working group is tasked with providing a recommendation by July 1. Graydon hopes the recommendation is that the code—as it is written—should be adopted.
Following the recommendation, Graydon would like to see a coalition of provinces develop a framework that can be applied across each jurisdiction. This would help ensure there’s consistency across the country, rather than varying regulations in each province. (The federal government has said a code of conduct between suppliers and buyers falls under provincial jurisdiction.)
“I think part of the role the federal government can play is in creating a framework that can be applied across each jurisdiction so we have continuity of application [of the code>,” said Graydon.
In the meantime, Graydon is encouraging other grocery retailers to look at the code objectively and with an open mind. “This was not designed to hurt you, it was designed to help you,” he said. “Personally, I’m hard-pressed to understand how something of this magnitude could be good for [Empire] and not good for everybody else.”
The goal of working collectively with Empire, he added, was to find an industry solution. “So, we’re hopeful now that the other retailers will come together, look at [the proposal] and start to ask questions and hopefully take the same approach Michael took two years ago: ‘help me understand...’ and then sign on.”
The full proposed Grocery Supply Code of Practice for Canada can be found here.


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On Monday, Germany's SolarWorld, which sports a market cap comparable to Chinese PV leader Suntech Power
Also on Monday, SunPower
Dow's shingle endeavor drew support from the Department of Energy's Technology Pathway Partnership program. Another fund recipient was BP
Yingli Green Energy
Rounding out the week, Solarion achieved 13.4% efficiency on a CIGS cell, which should give Ascent Solar
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11 Oct 2022 Samantha McLauren
IBEX Announced As The Official Payment Processor For Bitcoin Magazine
Bitcoin Magazine has officially partnered with IBEX, one of the leading Bitcoin payment processors, as its official payment sponsor for the Bitcoin Amsterdam and Bitcoin 2023 conferences.
With the integration of IBEX for Bitcoin payments, this partnership will provide a user experience of interacting with Bitcoin Magazine and its products without ever having to touch fiat. This partnership is currently in effect for Bitcoin Amsterdam, October 12-14, at the world-famous Westergas venue. IBEX Pay Lightning checkout will also be available on-site at the event, where you can pay for everything in Bitcoin.
You can currently go to our store and purchase a Bitcoin Amsterdam ticket, hoodie, or sweatshirt with Bitcoin. IBEX provides transactions through lightning and on-chain, so you can complete the purchase using any wallet.
Later this fiscal quarter, IBEX will also be fully integrated for the Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami and the Bitcoin Magazine online store.
“We're extremely proud of having been chosen as the official lightning payments sponsor by BTC Inc,” said Jose Lemus, CEO of IBEX. “At IBEX we believe that BTC Inc is the premier Bitcoin media company in the world and we believe that by partnering together we will deliver the best Bitcoin payments experience to all attendees and customers giving them a glimpse into the future.”
For further information about the event please visit our website at b.tc/conference/amsterdam and follow @bitcoinconfeur on Twitter.
Note to editors
To arrange a briefing about Bitcoin Amsterdam with Bitcoin Magazine or to discuss media inquiries, podcasts, and interviews for the event, please contact Christian Smith at [email protected]
Founded in 2018, IBEX operates globally, connecting banks, wallets, exchanges, and traditional businesses to Bitcoin via the Lightning Network. Enabling compatibility between previously closed-currency ecosystems.
The company provides three core services:
IBEX HUB - an API-based service to easily connect and upgrade new and existing financial services with Bitcoin’s Lightning Network.
IBEX PAY - An easy-to-use POS and online plug-in for merchants to accept Bitcoin payments through the Lightning Network.
IBEX DWM - Bitcoin-focused digital wealth management for ultra-high net worth individuals.
About Bitcoin Magazine
Bitcoin Magazine is the oldest and most established source of news, information, and expert commentary on Bitcoin, and since 2012 has provided analysis, research, education, and thought leadership at the intersection of finance and technology. It is also the organizer of the cryptocurrency industry's largest annual event – Bitcoin 2022.
The Bitcoin Conference has grown tremendously since its first conference in San Francisco. Last year the team hosted over 26,000 attendees and over 400 companies in Miami. The organizers are also going global with the recent announcement of their European event – Bitcoin Amsterdam.Bitcoin Press Releases btc bitcoin news cryptocurrency news crypto news Crypto Event conferences


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SINGAPORE (Aug. 9, 2012)—Stamford Tyres International Pte. Ltd. and Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. plan to set up a sales joint venture in India.
The company will be called Falken Tyre India Private Ltd. Sumitomo will be the majority shareholder in the 60:40 venture.
The new company will be established as a joint venture between Sumitomo Rubber Asia (Tyre) Pte Ltd., a subsidiary and Asia sales company of Sumitomo Rubber, and Stamford Tyres Corp. Ltd. in Singapore.
The aim is to strengthen sales of replacement tires in India, where the market is expected to keep growing.
The company will start business in April 2013. It is expected to employ about 70 people.
FTI will be setting up its corporate headquarters in India with employees stationed across the country.
It will leverage Sumitomo's proprietary tire technologies and Stamford's distribution capability to address the growing needs of the Indian replacement tire market.
The physical presence of FTI will allow Stamford Tyres to intensify its marketing efforts and establish Falken's brand name among consumers in the Indian market, the companies said.


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Hyundai has given the Verna yet another update before the all-new model comes out in the 2016-17. Watch the video for more info on what has changed.
BSVI Jawa Perak Image gallery - a closer look at the most affordable bobber in the country
The McLaren Elva is the company's lightest ever road car, and promises to be its most visceral
Jawa Perak Bobber India launch Live Updates: Price, Details, Specifications, Engine and Features
Jawa Perak Bobber to be launched in India tomorrow
Upcoming Kia QYi sub-four-metre SUV spied in India
2019 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga first drive review


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Zoom is adding support for two-factor authentication (2FA) to its desktop and mobile applications, allowing users to add an extra layer of security to their account beyond the standard company-approved password The edge. In a blog post, the company wrote that users can enable the additional security through the Zoom dashboard.
This isn’t the first time Zoom has offered support for 2FA. Previously, however, Zoom has only been available through the internet rather than being available through its desktop and mobile clients. Zoom confirmed that the new security feature will be available to all users, including those at the company̵
Not only does Zoom bring 2FA to more platforms, it also gives users more ways to get their one-time login codes. Before, you only had the option to use an authentication app like Google Authenticator to generate your code. Now you can choose to receive it via SMS. However, SMS are generally considered less secure than using an app on the device as they can make it easier to intercept the codes. Zoom also added support for recovery codes that can be used to regain access to your account if you lose your mobile device.
These are just the latest security features Zoom added this year after facing an intense privacy and security concern after its explosive popularity. In June, the company announced it was rolling out end-to-end encryption support for its free users. Changes have also been made to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to meetings.
Complete instructions on how to enable two-factor authentication to secure your Zoom account can be found here.


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Can nanotechnology bring a shape-shifting, solar-charged superphone to life?
You wouldn't expect a film about nanotechnology to have mass appeal, but Nokia's video of 'Morph', its latest mobile device concept, has received more than two million hits on the YouTube website since February of this year.
The animated film illustrates the Finnish handset maker's vision of how nanotechnology could transform today's mobile phone into a self-cleaning, wearable device that changes shape, detects environmental toxins, runs off small, longer-lasting batteries and uses solar energy to charge.
And with posted comments ranging from "Amazing, I want it now" to "Oh, my God" and "Holy ****", the world, or at least YouTube viewers, appear to be waiting.
But can nanotechnology deliver the goods? Despite having billions of dollars poured into research and development, the applications to date are still limited.
According to US analyst Lux Research, annual worldwide investment exceeded $12.4bn in 2006 alone, yet the latest UV-absorbing sunscreens, purifying water filters and windshield defoggers hardly live up to the 'new industrial revolution' promised several years ago.
Dr Tapani Ryhänen, head of multimedia devices research at Nokia, believes this is about to change. "There has been a lot of hype around nanotechnology but we believe it is now time for us to move into this area," he says. "We can see that quite a few [projects] have now reached a level of maturity that makes them worth investing in."
Indeed, Morph is the sum total of Nokia's investment interests. This mind-boggling concept springs from a collaboration between the company and the UK-based Cambridge Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge.
As Mark Welland, professor of nanotechnology and university director of the Nokia-Cambridge collaboration explains, Nokia has been keen to establish a European base that can take the latest research developments and apply them to future products.
Their partnership was announced in March 2007 with an agreement to work together on long-term research projects. And while such a collaboration gives Nokia academic clout, it also provides nanotechnology research with some much-needed commercial focus.
"Nanotechnology has been around for a number of years and, while we've gone through a phase of exploring science, we are now having to exploit that," Welland says. "We are changing our focus and attitude, and are very serious about looking at applications."
Developing the Morph concept sets a commercial agenda for nanotechnology research at Cambridge, but where does the science stop and the fiction begin? Apparently, it doesn't. Each party is adamant that every aspect of Morph, from its smaller batteries to shape-shifting form, is achievable.
As Welland, puts it: "We have been very careful to ensure that every element of the concept of Morph can be realised and is not science fiction.
"Every concept that you see on YouTube is based on real laboratory demonstrations and is currently realisable."
Conceptually, the Morph handset is covered by so-called 'nanograss', which makes its entire surface sensitive to touch and movement. In practice, the nanograss would be an array of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires, currently under development at the Cambridge Nanoscience Centre.
ZnO itself exhibits unusual properties including a 'piezoelectric' response, which means the material generates an electric potential after applying a mechanical stress. By coating a substrate with these nanostructures, electrical signals can be activated by touching the surface. And because ZnO nanostructures are nearly transparent, this technique can be used to develop touch-sensitive, active matrix arrays that sit on top of displays.
Another key element of Morph is its ability to charge from solar energy and, again, ZnO nanostructures come in very handy here. Nokia and Cambridge researchers claim to have demonstrated a new method of making dye-sensitised solar cells based on the nanostructures that could provide a low-cost alternative to silicon-based solar cells.
Carbon nanotubes are stamped onto a flexible polymer substrate. This then serves as a 'scaffold' for growing ZnO nanoparticles, to which photosensitive dye molecules are anchored.
According to the research team, these novel solar cells could be engineered into flexible sheets, paving the way to a continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing process.
These examples are just a taste of the range of activities taking place at the Cambridge Nanoscience Centre and Nokia that could make Morph real. Take the notion of having a flexible device that can be folded and unfolded. This stems from an area of research dubbed 'stretchable electronics'.
Meanwhile, the self-cleaning aspect of Morph builds on existing work involving the fabrication of water-repellent novel nanostructures such as 'nanoflowers'.
And what about environmental sensing? Look no further than a new nanowire lithography process used to fabricate 3D architectures. Researchers say this technique holds great promise for the development of nanosensors, nanoelectronics components and electromechanical systems.
Clearly Morph is based on genuine, achievable concepts, but when can we expect to see a real product hitting the streets? Ryhänen predicts we will see some components of Morph in commercial handsets in about seven years.
"Based on my experience of developing technology, seven years is a good rule of thumb. From the moment you have a company working on a technology taken from academia and looking to scale production, this is a minimum timeframe. I hope there will be something before seven years."
And which parts of Morph will we see in our handsets first? Environmental sensing is probably one of your best bets. According to Welland, you could have a phone capable of 'bio-sensing' in the next couple of years. Ryhänen reckons nanostructured gas sensors will be available by 2010.
Both Welland and Ryhänen believe smaller, longer-lasting batteries that are easier to charge won't pose any problems. And with nano-coatings already available to render cars, boats and even kitchen tiles at least partially dirt-repellant, a self-cleaning phone could be with us soon.
However, the remaining elements will probably come later. As Welland points out: "If you want the 'full flexibility' of the Morph concept, that will take longer.
"Can we build it yet? No, we can't, but the concept of flexible electronics is definitely there. Likewise, are we ready to manufacture a phone with a [nanograss] coating stamped on it? No, but the technology is there and heading in the right direction."
Morph for the masses
But although the wealth of nanotechnology development is breathtaking, today's laboratory demonstrations of individual components are a far cry from the mass manufacture of entire devices.
Indeed, Nokia currently produces some 30 mobile phones a second; it's difficult to imagine the same production lines turning around Morph-like devices at a similar rate.
Ryhänen is well aware of the mammoth task of moving from manufacturing today's mobile phone to the Morphs of tomorrow. "The 30-hertz cycle in our production tells me we need future technology to be very mature to avoid taking manufacturing risks," he says.
However, he is still certain mass manufacturing will take place, with the application of novel manufacturing techniques such as printed electronics proving instrumental to scaling up the production of devices based on nanotechnologies.
Indeed, looking beyond the activities at Cambridge and Nokia, researchers around the world are developing fabrication techniques in preparation for the mass manufacture of nanotechnology-based devices.
Only in May of this year, researchers at US-based Harvard University and the German universities of Jena, Gottingen and Bremen claimed to have combined standard chip-making processes to develop a fabrication technique that could yield cheap, scalable, nanowire photonic and electronic integrated circuits.
The team now plans to merge their technique, they say, with other processes to "provide the necessary control to enable integrated nanowire photonic circuits in a standard manufacturing setting."
In July a research team at the University of California, Berkeley, claimed to have built a novel light-sensing array by growing a 'lawn' of two different types of nanowires onto a surface. Researchers claim the nanowires can be printed onto anything from silicon to paper and produce sensor arrays that are reliable, flexible and easy to scale up.
Ryhänen believes this is just the beginning. "We will see the birth of low-cost, large area electronics based on printing techniques and reel-to-reel manufacturing," he says.
"New manufacturing solutions such as this can also help us reduce costs and produce components and devices in a more efficient way, as well as allowing us to customise devices nearer to the point of sale."
Ryhänen also believes that the integration of more and more nanotechnology into mobile devices will radically change the way manufacturing currently takes place.
"Today we buy a material, and then another to form a functional device. A clear value chain exists from materials manufacturer to component manufacturer to device integrator," he explains.
"But with nanotechnology we will have new ways of integrating functionality into a device which makes this value chain more difficult to understand. For example, who owns what? What will be the role of different partners in the value chain?"
And while Ryhänen doesn't have clear answers to these questions, he does have clear expectations. "I believe nanotechnology will have a huge influence on future products. New manufacturing paradigms will help us bring nanotechnology into the devices of tomorrow," he asserts.
"Let's now avoid the hype, the real work is about to begin."


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Showing 12,910 results for: TransTech Services Partners Inc.?rss=1
Berkshire Hathaway, JPMorgan Chase and Amazon are teaming up to form an independent health care company to serve their employees.
Federal regulators are poised to impose a $1 billion penalty on Wells Fargo for a variety of alleged misdeeds.
The banking and financial services giant is the first on Wall Street to create gun control policies after the massacre in Parkland, Fla.
Ola hopes to become a rare consumer technology firm in India that breaks away from home and grows in a well-to-do market where it can charge more.
As Dell explores potential transactions, some have speculated the company’s debt is pushing it to do a deal. A closer look suggests that might not be the case.
A pilot program will pick up goods and move them to Amazon warehouses. It could expand over time into more of a threat to established delivery companies.
With so many new buildings coming on the market, developers are offering enticements like parking spots and custom closets to sell their last units.
The company has gone from film cameras to digital money, as it becomes the latest to try and seize upon a fervor for all things crypto.
The company says it will buy up to 20,000 electric cars from Jaguar Land Rover as it strives to put a ride service into operation within two years.
Records from an offshore hideaway show how an American billionaire grew one of the world’s largest trusts and another owned part of a company accused of exploiting the poor.


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Safety and fashion usually are not used together in the same sentence.
However, companies have transformed bulky panic alert buttons into fashionable devices that could save your life.
In just the last few years, companies like Flare, Ripple and Nimb have come out with modern-day panic buttons. They’re designed to be discrete, fashionable and most importantly effective in alerting someone for help.
Most of these companies were inspired by scary encounters the founders experienced.
“It happened by complete accident,” said invisaWear co-founder and CEO Rajia Abdelaziz. “I never meant to start a company.”
Abdelaziz said she came up with the idea after a man tried following her to her car when she was in college.
“What I couldn’t get out of my mind how, unfortunately, millions of women can’t say the same,” Abdelaziz said.
According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), someone in the United States is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds.
Wearable safety devices are meant to lower those numbers, and top security companies are now getting involved.
In December, ADT launched a partnership with invisaWear.
“We’ve seen, you know, all the way through domestic violence situations, we’ve seen medical emergencies,” explained ADT Mobile Security & Strategic Projects Vice President Leah Page.
Here’s how it all works.
You buy the device, which can come as a necklace, bracelet or even a hair tie.
In an emergency, you click the button twice and an alert will go out to up to five people of your choosing with your location.
The items range in price from $149 to $249.
However, if you opt into ADT’s subscription for $19.99 a month, that alert will go straight to ADT’s monitoring system.
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson and I sat down to test out the product. ADT representative John McGinnis answered the call as if it was…


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The most intriguing concept cars often preview the tech of tomorrow, though, they rarely make it to the production line. Regardless, here are some of the more forward-thinking concept cars we've seen in recent years.
Mercedes-Maybach released a teaser video of its vehicle promised for the 2018 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which opens April 25. Take a look at the video to make your own guess as to just what will be unveiled.
Tesla's batteries display less than 10 percent degradation of their energy capacity after 160,000 miles. That means, by extension, that the firm's cars could retain a longer driving range than previously believed.
All of Volkswagen's early models were rear-engined, including the Beetle and the Bus. The original Golf from 1974 inaugurated the front-engined, front-wheel drive era, but Volkswagen is about to go back to the Beetle's layout.
Volkswagen is testing autonomous parking at Germany's Hamburg Airport. In addition to making life more convenient, the automaker believes self-parking cars could enable a variety of new services for its customers.
Ford has signaled its determination to begin operating an autonomous-car service "at scale" by 2021. Early indications are that it'll launch some a delivery business rather than a ridesharing service using its driverless vehicles.
The Airstream Nest is finally ready for customers to order and it looks like it was worth the wait. Its lightweight body makes it easy to tow, and inside it has all of the living space and amenities that campers need.


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Microsoft blocking Windows 7, 8 patches on new AMD, Intel chips
- Fariha Khan
- March 18, 2017
Last year Microsoft expressed that it would limit the latest Intel Kaby Lake and AMD Ryzen silicon to Windows 10. That made people wonder what would happen in case they tried running those computers using Windows 7 or Windows 8. The story is out now. Yes, no new patches.
Piece of a new Microsoft support document showed recently, applying the stick to those daring enough to try and pair an older Microsoft OS with the new silicon. Windows will block any updates from showing on your computer until it is upgraded to Windows 10.
Read Also: Microsoft is withdrawing Skype Wi-Fi
You may see one of two error messages in particular:
• ”Unsupported Hardware: Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version of Windows and you won’t receive updates.”
• ”Windows could not search for new updates
An error occurred while checking for new updates for your computer.
Error(s) found: Code 80240037 Windows Update encountered an unknown error.”
According to the company
This error occurs because new processor generations require the latest Windows version for support.
As Microsoft expressed earlier, those processor generations include Intel’s 7th-generation Core chips, Ryzen or AMD’s Bristol Ridge processors, and the Qualcomm 8996. The firm stated that Windows 10 is the sole Microsoft operating system supported on those chips.
Microsoft reps did not respond when they were asked to explain. Sadly, the firm’s support document is consistent with the stand the firm has taken all along: that its latest operating system was made to complement the abilities of new silicon. But, blocking Windows Update patches to those systems using a dated OS appears terribly draconian. Why couldn’t the company work for some middle way like a disclaimer that there could be some incompatibility?


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Changelly, an automated cryptocurrency exchange and a relatively new player on the market of cryptocurrency exchanges, made its services available to its users in April 2016 after six months of a successful beta.
However, are the newcomers able to compete with players who have already established their position on the market?
Changelly’s milestones so far
Interestingly, the launch of Changelly coincided with a time when another exchange platform, ShapeShift, went down, with reports that it had been compromised and threatened.
It was about the right time for Changelly to pop up, as consumers have been looking for alternative solutions that could provide a similar experience. No wonder the two companies have been unintentionally put in the position of competitors.
The main selling point of ShapeShift is that anyone from anywhere can instantly convert between supported cryptocurrencies without the need to register. Keeping customer privacy in mind, the platform does not ask for any documents to prove one’s identity.
Changelly was developed by MinerGate, one of the oldest mining pools on the market, that has about two mln users all over the world. At first glance, Changelly offers a similar interface to ShapeShift.
However, the options for converting between cryptocurrencies are slightly more modest. The Changelly platform is entirely different from ShapeShift, as it has an option for instant fiat payment with bank cards for any listed tokens, and there’s no account or id restrictions for crypto to crypto exchange transactions.
Still, ShapeShift sees banks as their main competitors
Competition on the market of instant cryptocurrency exchanges is growing and newcomers have to offer something new to make the user experience better. Changelly has enough ambitions to compete with ShapeShift. It looks like the company managed to outperform their main competitor traffic wise and most probably in terms of the trading volume as well.
Erik Voorhees, CEO at ShapeShift, commented:
“Business throughout the industry has been growing, both in Bitcoin and in other digital assets. ShapeShift had its best month ever in January, processing $20 mln in volume, up about 30 percent MoM, and throughout 2016 we grew roughly 9x.”
He believes that the growth of other companies is only good for the industry. However, he considers banks to be the main competitors to ShapeShift. “Our competition is the banks, their fiat currencies and the financial infrastructure that currently strangles the world,” explains Voorhees.
Why Charlie Shrem is collaborating with Changelly
This news comes at the same time when Charlie Shrem, a colleague and friend of Voorhees through BitInstant, has begun to collaborate with the Changelly team as a business development advisor.
Shrem managed to lead BitInstant to become one of the most well-known Bitcoin exchanges. Unfortunately, BitInstant was closed due to regulation issues.
Shrem said to Cointelegraph:
“I'm really excited to be working with Changelly as their business development advisor. Because of my relationships and long-standing business partnerships within the Bitcoin community, many companies ask me to work with them. I only work with companies I think have a bright future and I think Changelly is one of them. I’m going to make their volume grow 5x this year.”
The volumes of trading continue to increase and it is visible how the crypto exchange industry is maturing. It will inevitably lead to the tightening of competition between exchanges, as well as new players coming into the industry.
Existing and rather conservative fiat exchange platforms are starting to incorporate cryptocurrencies into their portfolios, while crypto exchanges are expanding trading options with more altcoins.
Shrem believes that over time the transaction volume from token-token would rise greater than fiat-token.
Changelly anticipates new collaboration and rapid growth
Changelly has grown 20x times since the launch and keeps growing by 30 percent each month. Konstantin Gladych, CEO at Changelly, believes that the number of tokens will be growing.
Gladych says to Cointelegraph:
“We are happy to work with Charlie Shrem. He is a reputable and well-known person on the market. He is helping us to grow our business relations with popular cryptocurrency services, expanding the network of our customers and partners. Our goal is to be the number one provider for instant tokens exchanging and become an entry point for newbies by accepting fiat payments for each listed coin.”
We will soon see the emergence of tokens for special business verticals and large-scale consumer projects, while perhaps even governments will start releasing their own tokens. Bitcoin will remain a reserve currency like gold, therefore demand for instant cryptocurrency exchange services will be growing rapidly.
“The competition is always healthy,” concludes Gladych, “as it encourages companies to provide better services for customers.”


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New post-Brexit checks on goods entering the UK risk causing shortages and pushing up prices in the shops, the Government has been warned.
Ministers have promised to introduce a streamlined version of the customs and regulatory controls required by Britain’s trade deal with the EU, claiming that the new regime coming in from October will minimise disruption for businesses.
Checks will take place away from the actual border as much as possible – although new lorry parks will open in Kent next year to handle the large number of goods coming through Dover and the Channel Tunnel.
The new system will apply to all goods imports and is intended to simplify the checks on non-EU goods as well as providing the lightest possible burden for EU goods, which until now have not been subject to inspections.
Shane Brennan of the Cold Chain Federation – which represents businesses in the chilled goods supply chain – said: “Overall, exporting products such as meat and dairy from the EU into the UK will be more expensive, slower and more complicated.
“We have to expect that many EU based food exporters will take one look at these proposals and decide to cease supplying UK customers. As the recent tomato shortages have shown, food suppliers have plenty of options to sell elsewhere.”
The British Chambers of Commerce praised the proposal to introduce digital rather than paper-based checks but added: “It is vital that companies, here and across the world, involved in sourcing and supply chains, are properly prepared for these changes and the introduction of new trusted trader arrangements.”
The introduction of the post-Brexit inspections had previously been delayed four times to avoid disrupting business. They will now begin in October but will not be fully implemented until late 2024.
Richard Benyon, the minister for biosecurity, said: “It is vital that we have strong border controls in place. Invasive diseases could cost our farms and businesses billions of pounds, threaten our food safety and break confidence in UK exports around the world. That is why we are working hand in glove with businesses to devise a strong system that works for the nation.”
British ports have seen intermittent periods of major disruption since Brexit, partly due to the time taken to stamp the passports of British travellers as they go through French border controls. Fears have been expressed that the introduction of the full goods checks would add to the pressure on ports.
As well as the new regime for goods, the UK will implement a new Electronic Travel Authorisation for foreign visitors, starting from later this year, which will require incoming travellers to sign up for permission to enter the country. The Government insists the system will reduce friction at the borders.


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Epic Games, which releases both free and exclusive games to take the lead in its competition with Steam and attract more players to its store, has revealed the money it has transferred to these games. Epic Games made more than $300 million in losses from games in its store, according to the report.
Epic Games balances its losses with Fornite
Epic Games exclusively releases games that aren’t on the rival platform to take the lead, given Steam’s massive user database. While these games are offered to users for a fee or free of charge, the agreements bring just as much cost to the company. All these privileges can also cost the company a lot of money.
In 2020, Epic Games paid third-party gaming companies and games about $444 million for minimum warranties for its store Epic Games Store, pc gamer reported. These games counted about $265 million during the year. These game deals include Control with MetroExodus, as well as non-Steam games such as Total War Saga: Troy. Epic lost $181 million in 2019 and has a total loss of more than $300 million.
Apple, which is in the process of suing Epic over Fortnite, also claimed the store would lose about $600 million in late 2021. Epic said the store would become profitable by 2023. Apple insists Epic Games is losing money, but the company is avoiding all this with statements that its store has gained value over the past two years and is the right investment.
Despite losing so much money, Epic Games seems to be balancing its finances with the big money it makes on Fortnite.


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The Modu Mini phone has now reached an official status of “the lightest mobile phone in the world”. It weighs a puny 1.4 ounces and measures just .3 inches thick. The record was recorded by the Guinness book of world records.
The Modu Mini Phone is a gadget which acts as the core of a mobile phone and can work as a standalone device. The interesting thing is that the Modu also acts as a core of other “jackets” which can expand the functionality of the phone to make it in to a gaming phone, smartphone or music phone. Expect to see the Modu later on this year or early next year.
Source – Fosfor
Guest Post by Matthew of Gadget Venue.


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Latin Grammys to Roll Out New Rock and Urban Categories for 2020
The Latin Recording Academy has announced several changes to its submission process for this year’s 21st annual Latin Grammy Awards, tentatively set to take place November 2020. This includes three new categories — as well as a brand-new online submission process, which the Academy established with consideration for the safety of its members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Following our mission to nurture and elevate Latin music and its makers, and after multiple meetings and feedback from our members, we are thrilled our Board of Trustees approved some modifications to our Awards Process, including the creation of new categories,” reads an official press statement issued to Rolling Stone on Tuesday. “While the Latin Recording Academy’s main concern is everyone’s health and safety during these extraordinary times, we are excited to announce these new categories in addition to the launch of our Online Entry Process that reduces physical interaction. These changes follow our ongoing commitment to honor excellence in Latin music and, unless there are new health measures to adopt, we look forward to celebrating our 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® this year.”
In a thrilling turn of events, two new categories have been established in the Latin Grammys’ urban field: Best Reggaeton Performance and Best Rap/Hip Hop Song, the latter of which will include trap music. It’s a change that is sure to be welcomed by several urban artists, including J Balvin and Daddy Yankee, who bowed out of the 2019 awards show citing concerns of underrepresentation for urban artists.
The third new category is Best Pop/Rock Song, which will fall under the rock field. “The pop-rock genre combines melodies and lyrics of pop music with elements of rock such as electric guitars, or a hardened rhythm,” read the Academy’s guidelines. “These are songs that fit in the pop mainstream but that have a rock twist. Award [will go] to the songwriter(s).”
In addition, the existing category of Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album will now be called Best Pop Vocal Album.
The Academy will allow electronic submissions between April 6th and April 20th. In lieu of having to submit physical products, the Latin Recording Academy has allowed submission via streaming service links. Eligible streaming services are: Amazon Music, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Deezer, Spotify, Tidal and YouTube Music. Physical product is still required for the categories of Recording Package, Producer of the Year and Long Form Music Video. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.
Aqua Brings Tiësto to the Party With First Official 'Barbie Girl' Remix
- Larger Than Life


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Auto shows continue to evolve post-pandemic, and the Los Angeles Show is playing up the fact that Hollywood and the entertainment industry is outside its door.
For example, this year’s exhibits includes car collections from Kevin Hart and Robert Downey Jr.
Downey Jr., along with his team of car restoration experts, has modified six classic cars from his personal collection to make them more eco-friendly.
All six cars are being given away in a one-year national sweepstakes. Proceeds from the sweepstakes will benefit Downey’s FootPrint Coalition, a nonprofit organization focused on technologies to advance human systems toward a cleaner environment.
An entire showcase hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center will be devoted to the “Kevin Hart Kollection,” the comedian's favorite personally owned vehicles.
This will be the first time Hart has displayed his private collection of cars, which he has been building for more than a decade.
Meanwhile, there’s still plenty of traditional releases and news from automakers both on and off the show floor during media days.
Subaru is going to be unveiling a new vehicle. I got an early look, and I think it will be worth the wait. Check back in this space after the embargo lifts on Thursday for more information. The photo above is all Subaru will allow to be shown until then.
Lucid is also debuting a vehicle called Gravity, described as an ultra-high-performance luxury SUV. It’s name fit in well with sibling vehicle, Air, which recently expanded its lineup to include Air Pure, its entry-level sedan starting at $74,900.
Andrea Soriani, vice president of marketing at Lucid Motors will be on hand Thursday for a fireside chat with yours truly at MediaPost’s automotive marketing conference adjacent to the show floor.
Other automakers holding press conferences and introducing new vehicles include Hyundai, Kia and Acura.
Once the public days begin, experiential is the name of the game. Consumers can experience the thrill of getting behind the wheel and test-driving an electric vehicle on the newly expanded Electric Avenue test track, spanning nearly one mile around the entire South Hall at the LA Convention Center.
Participating brands include Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Kia, Lucid, Porsche, VW and Volvo.
Outside the convention center, street drives will be available in Ford and Subaru vehicles.
Absent this year is Stellantis, which announced its decision to forego the show due to the expenses associated with the now-settled United Auto Workers strike.
Show organizers quickly pivoted and reallocated what would have been Stellantis’ prime show floor space to other exhibitors, says David Fortin, vice president of marketing at the show.
Shows continue to be important to consumers, who definitely take note of which automakers are there, he says.
“All the research shows that people are making consideration set changes at the show,” he says.
Auto shows, including the 117-year-old LA event, are still relevant even if they aren’t media-centric the way they once were.
“You don't need to reinvent yourself, but you have to continue to evolve with what people want,” Fortin tells Drive Time. “And the dollar doesn't go as far as it used to” both when buying a vehicle or taking your family out for entertainment.
“So we take that to heart,” he says. “How do we create something if you do choose to come…and spend six hours, that you walk away and you're like, ‘That was fun.’ And that's where I think the industry has to go as a whole.”
He says Gen Z and millennials are more open to a changing auto show, which is good for automakers who are seeking out those very customers who have a long runway ahead of them of how many vehicles they will buy in their lifetime.
“That older audience who might say, ‘why isn't every automaker there?’ They need a reeducation or they need to move on,” he says. “This event isn't for them anymore. Go do your consideration a different way.”


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"This is because the company has reiterated that the USD 20 billion related investment will be carried out outside of Vedanta Resources. The business will be undertaken in a separate entity under Vedanta Resources' holding company Volcan Investments Ltd," it said.
Semiconductor chips, or microchips, are essential pieces of many digital consumer products - from cars to mobile phones and ATM cards.
The Indian semiconductor market was valued at USD 27.2 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 19 per cent to reach USD 64 billion in 2026. But none of these chips is manufactured in India so far.
S&P Global said any potential credit impact of the planned investments in the semiconductor business will depend on the details of the funding plan, which have yet to emerge.
"We could watch out for any change in Vedanta Resources' dividend policy, to support servicing of any debt at Volcan for the semiconductor business," it said. "We believe Vedanta Resources will prudently manage its investments so that it does not put debt servicing at risk."
"Our rating on Vedanta Resources does not assume any material exposure by the company or its key subsidiary, Vedanta Ltd, to the semiconductor business over next 12-24 months," S&P added.
(With PTI inputs)


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Android mascot (in front of the Google headquarters in Mountain View, California): Some cell phone users are having problems right now
Photo: Christof Kerkmann / dpa
Google released updated versions of its Android System WebView and Google Chrome apps for the Android mobile phone operating system on Tuesday morning.
According to the company, installing the updates solves a problem that is said to have caused recurring crashes of its own mobile phone apps such as Gmail, but also third-party apps such as Twitter, GMX and Ebay on Monday.
There had been numerous reports around the world that users of Android devices could suddenly no longer use many apps as usual: the programs simply hung up at certain points, sometimes even when they were started.
According to the Android Police website, the problem primarily affected owners of Samsung devices.
However, there are also complaints online from people who use Android devices from other manufacturers.
During the day, users had already found out for themselves that the problem was probably related to Google's Android System WebView software, which enables Android apps to display web content.
If you reset this app to the version pre-installed on the respective device - and thus disconnected from the current version of the software - the problem was eliminated.
American Samsung support also advised this interim solution on Monday evening.
Better to install the new updates
With Google's app updates published on Tuesday morning, there is now an official way out of the misery of the crash.
We recommend importing the new app versions via the Play Store, as this way, unlike manually resetting Android System WebView, you can keep the current versions of both programs on your smartphone.
Old versions of well-known apps are sometimes less protected against hacker attacks than the latest versions.
If users have activated the “Automatic app updates” option in the Play Store app, Google's updates should have been downloaded and installed automatically on Tuesday morning.
The current version of Android System WebView has the version number 89.0.4389.105.
US media had announced to Google on the Monday before the updates were released that they were aware of a problem with the Android WebView system, "which leads to the crash of some apps on Android for some users."
Icon: The mirror


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- Daily Fastag revenue reached record highs
- 104 crore a day
- Increase in electronic toll collection
The toll collection in the last one week is more than Rs 100 crore per day. The toll collection through fast tags had touched an all-time high of Rs 103.94 crore yesterday. The smooth implementation of the fast tag has increased electronic toll transactions. On an average, more than 65 lakh transactions are done in a day.
Also Read: Rs 2,000 notes no longer available at bank ATMs?
Electronic toll collection increased by 27%. A 20 per cent increase in toll collection through Fastag. The implementation of Fasttag has significantly reduced the waiting time at National Highway toll collection centers.
NAIAI estimates that about 20 million new fast tag users have joined the system in the past two weeks. With this, the total number of fast tag users has crossed 2.8 crore.
There are indications that the steady growth of NH users is also contributing to the sharp rise in fast tag toll collections. The electronic system may help make toll operations more efficient. It may encourage more investors to invest in highway infrastructure development in the country.


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Don’t Miss the 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 at the Chicago Auto Show
The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is finally here! You do not want to miss the first look at this incredible full-size pickup truck. Debuting at the Chicago Auto Show, the 2019 1500 is sure to be one of the hottest cars there.
The 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 has gotten larger and lighter. The hood, doors, and tailgate are made of a lighter material, but the roof, fenders, and bed are still made of steel. By using lighter materials, Chevy has trimmed off a whopping 450 pounds—making this large full-size pickup truck dramatically lighter. Although this vehicle has shed a lot of weight, it has also gained about 3.9 more inches in length. This means that the 2019 1500 has way more leg room and storage space than ever before!
This full-size pickup truck also includes many safety features. Low-speed forward automatic braking and dual front, front and side-curtain air bags, trailer-sway control, and rollover mitigation technology are just a few of the safety features designed to keep you safe. Also, parents can monitor their new drivers through the teen-driver monitoring system. This allows parents to oversee how their new drivers are performing on the open road.
The 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 will also be available in six different engine and transmission combinations. This includes the all-new 5.3L and 6.2L V8 engines, along with the Duramax 3.0L inline-six turbo-diesel engine.
Stop by the Chicago Auto Show for the first look at the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Visit your local Antioch Chevy dealer for more information on this full-size pickup truck.


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Isuzu Truck UK has announced the appointment of Sparks Commercial Services as its full dealer in Swindon, covering new truck sales, service and parts.
Continuing its UK dealer expansion programme, Isuzu said Sparks Commercial Services would handle the full franchise from its site close to the M4.
- Isuzu Truck UK signs sales, service and parts deal with Manchetts Peterborough
- Isuzu Truck UK adds Northampton dealership to expanding network
Richard Waterworth, head of sales at Isuzu Truck UK, said: “The appointment of Sparks Commercial Services in Swindon is a really exciting move for us in this area, as it will give us the opportunity to capitalise on the undoubted growth potential for our brand in the Wiltshire county.”
Earlier this month, Isuzu Central was appointed as full sales, service and parts dealer for the Isuzu marque in the north Midlands.


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I talked with Dr. John Swartzberg, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, and Jeff Nelken, a food safety expert based in Woodland Hills, Calif., about what to know to make your trip to the supermarket as safe as possible:
If you have to go to the store, touch as little as possible and sanitize all the stuff you buy when you get home.
Mr. Nelken noted that most produce is placed on displays by hand — sometimes they’re gloved. But it’s safe to assume that if a piece of produce has been out, it’s been handled by at least 10 people.
He recommended misting produce with a very diluted bleach solution (a teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water) and letting it air dry. Or, if you’re nervous about using bleach on something you’ll eat, he said, you could use a disinfecting wipe.
Soap and water is another alternative, Dr. Swartzberg said, adding that all these approaches are based only on what’s known about Covid-19 and other viruses.
Other goods are less risky, but it’s still worth wiping down cardboard boxes of crackers or other packaged items.
Mr. Nelken said one thing to watch out for is your reusable grocery bags: “When was the last time you sanitized your favorite bag?”
Also, wash your hands and maybe wash your hair.
Dr. Swartzberg underlined the advice you’ve been hearing from health officials: Hand soap really will protect you.
“One thing about this coronavirus,” he said, is that “it’s very susceptible to disinfectants and soap and water.”
That said, if you go to a store, touch a contaminated surface, then touch your hair and then your face, even once between hand-washing, you could become infected.
So, he said, if you’re really concerned, it might be worth throwing your clothes in the wash and showering after you get back from the store. (Your shoes, he said, are probably fine to bring into the house.)
Ultimately, though, the best thing to do is stay away from other people, particularly if you’re part of a vulnerable population.
Although state health officials released guidelines for grocery stores saying they should limit how many customers are in a given store and should keep people at least six feet apart even when they’re in line, this is proving to be easier said than done.
The Los Angeles Times reported that seniors hoping to get into a Monrovia, Calif., Trader Joe’s during a special early-shopping period were greeted with confusion.
Both Dr. Swartzberg and Mr. Nelken said grocers would need to come up with more sustainable ways to update customers in real time.
“I think the first thing we need to avoid is just showing up,” Mr. Nelken told me.
For now, he suggested calling the store you’d like to visit before you leave, both to inquire about the wait and what’s in stock.
Many grocery-store chains have said that they’re hiring up and cleaning more frequently, and that they still have curbside pickup and delivery available, even if their systems are moving more slowly.