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...smartphone and laptop chips that can run all day without draining batteries, while the growth of cloud services is pushing datacentre operators to seek new ways to reduce the electricity bills that swallow so much of their budgets.
As ARM's ambitions expand, the company finds itself encroaching on territory dominated by Intel, including the Windows PC and server market. This year saw Microsoft Windows and Office running on an ARM-based system for the first time, with the release of Microsoft Surface RT tablet.
Despite the server market being uncharted territory for ARM, Muller believes the time is right for the company to make its move.
The rise of people accessing software and services over the internet plays to the low-power strengths of ARM's Risc architecture, says Muller. Running these services doesn't demand chips with a surfeit of raw processing power, but rather a datacentre where processing power can be scaled rapidly to meet peaks in demand.
Of course Intel x86-based chips can scale, but if a task doesn't rely on individual processor performance, then the lower power consumption of the ARM architecture could start to look attractive to cloud service providers wanting to reduce energy bills. HP and ARM-backed server chip start-up Calxeda estimates it can produce a server at about 35 percent of the cost and 10 percent of the energy consumption of a conventional server.
"In a web-based service deployment it's about scalability," says Muller. "That opens up the prospect of 'Why don't you build those server farms out of more power-efficient components?'"
ARM doesn't expect to become a major player in the server market overnight, nor does it initially envisage itself challenging Intel in areas served by its high-performance Xeon processors. But by targeting web services ARM is going after business with some of the biggest names in tech – Facebook, Google and Amazon – not to mention the rapidly growing web services market. Facebook is already running large-scale tests using ARM and other chipsets.
"Initially we will be targeting those scale-out web workloads. The bit we're going after is the area where there's lots of volume and growth," said Muller.
In targeting the web services market, ARM is acknowledging the performance limits of its chips, which toe-to-toe can't match the processing power of the likes of Intel's Xeon processors. Sergis Mushell, principal research analyst with Gartner's technology and service provider research group, thinks ARM's server chips will be suited to what he calls the microserver market — servers used to perform tasks like web hosting and streaming video, which are I/O intensive but require low levels of processing. The microserver market accounts for about 10 to 15 percent of the nine to 10 million servers sold annually, he said.
However, incompatibility with legacy software will limit the market for ARM-based servers within large enterprise and government, Mushell says.
"You still have governments seeking software engineers for punch cards. Things linger on in corporations and governments for a long time. You do not rip and replace things just because they're more efficient."
"Things linger on in corporations and governments for a long time. You do not rip and replace things just because they're more efficient" — Sergis Mushell, Gartner
Mushell sees more of a market for ARM servers among large web companies like Google and Facebook but said there would still be the burden of managing x86 servers alongside ARM servers, and retaining the skills and parts necessary to run both.
The convenience of having a general-purpose, all be it more power hungry, Intel x86 server, which the company already has the skills and equipment to maintain shouldn't be underestimated, he says.
"X86 architecture, while it's not the most efficient architecture in the world, it's like the one wrench you can have in your toolbox that can do everything. Most people don't use a steak knife, a bread knife, a butter knife — they just want a good sharp knife in the kitchen," he said.
"It is not to say that ARM will not find application and usages. I think the opportunities are there for ARM to compete very aggressively with Intel. It is to say the world will not change over in a heartbeat."
Alongside servers, the datacentre market also provides an opportunity for ARM and its partners to sell chips for storage and networking. ARM has already made inroads into networking, persuading semiconductor manufacturers that sell into the networking market — the likes of Freescale and LSI — to switch to ARM-based chips from competitors.
"ARM will find a home within the datacentre no doubt. The question is where the server is going to be," says Mushell.
ARM's Muller sees its contesting of the server market as a case of 'slow and steady wins the race'.
"We started work on servers four to five years ago. People thought 'Why? What's the point? You're wasting your time'. Product is starting to appear now. Give us another year or two and it will start to take off."
Breaking into the server market won't be easy for ARM. The incumbents have an advantage in that customers are already set up to use existing x86 architectures. But for the likes of web services companies, where datacentre costs swallow up large proportions of operating budgets, Muller believes the trials of transition will be offset by the lower running costs.
"If you can say 'I can make your datacentres 10, 20, 30 percent more power efficient, that really matters to their running costs. Therefore it's worth them putting in investment to go through whatever pain there is," he said.
How ARM designs a chip
The process of designing a chip begins with ARM consulting its customer base on what capabilities and features – the likes of media performance extensions or hardware-level security support — they want to see in future chips.
Using the list as a guide, ARM then defines and locks down the instructions that the chip will be capable of executing. The next step is defining the processor pipeline, the various stages of operation that a processor goes through when executing instructions, which is constrained by factors like the available power and the silicon die area.
Electronic design automation tools then take these higher-level processor designs and translate them into the required arrangement of logic gates within the processor core. Designers then go in and refine the arrangement of logic gates to perfect the design.
Third parties will then license that design, which in general will be a circuit description that sets out how data flows between registers on the chip, and incorporate it into designs for their own chips.
The Intel fightback
The perception might be that, as ARN encroaches into what has been x86 territory, the big boys are just sitting still while it attempts to eat their lunch. But it's by no means a one-way street.
Intel is mounting its own counteroffensive into ARM's home territory of mobile...


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Reliance Jio is gearing up for its full commercial launch of its services across the country and is all set to rattle India’s data market by offering 4G data at lowest rates in the world. “Mission of Reliance Jio is to take India from data shortage to data abundance. Jio makes India the highest quality, lowest…
India’s telecom regulator has recommended increasing the reserve price of CDMA airwaves to Rs 3,104 crore per unit, 15% higher than its proposal in February, irking operators that sought a reduction as an impetus for the lesser-used platform.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) carried out a fresh valuation of spectrum in the 800 MHz band based on a change in the revenue mix of operators, which indicated a higher contribution from data usage since its previous suggestions made nine months ago and its recommendations in October on the reserve price for the 1800 MHz band.
“The significant increase in the growth of data usage cannot be ignored,” the regulator said, while suggesting the higher reserve price. “Projected subscribers’ growth also needed revision in the light of current data/trends.” Original post at ET Telecom

domain: news


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Search and social marketing agency Greenlight expects search giant Google to overtake Yahoo and become king of display advertising by the end of the year. Greenlight also predicts 2012 will be will be the year of social link building and that social media sites will take on a multi-faceted identity.
2011 was a busy year for the Search Industry with Google acquiring Invite Media and Teracent. In early December, Google officially launched its DoubleClick Search V3 platform – DS3 – a bid management program which combines Yahoo and MSN into an AdWords type interface. Google is making significant investment in the DoubleClick platform, specifically DoubleClick for Advertisers and the Exchange. So will online advertisers really need to invest elsewhere when Google is pretty much geared up to be the one-stop-shop?”
“Google’s noteworthy acquisitions and investments in 2011 combined with the mighty AdWords suggest that by the end of 2012, not only will 90 per cent of advertisers’ Search budgets be in AdWords, but also that this trend is set for display,” says Hannah Kimuyu, Paid Media Director, Greenlight.
What users search for can tell search engines about the strength of a brand, because the strength of the brand directly influences those searches. As such, Greenlight says that now, social media is the best means of influencing brand perception online. At the same time, more and more marketers are admitting that social media can power up search engine optimization (SEO) campaigns, by increasing the speed of accrual and the volume of natural links pointing to a site.
“It is time to stop thinking of SEO as a bubble, time SEO becomes more than SEO, more than just links”, said the report. “It is SEO=Digital PR. SEO=your brand. This year, marketers who think like that when planning their campaigns will win, and those who do not, will be ‘also-rans.’”


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A cheap Android phone subsidized for low-income Americans by the federal government comes preloaded with malware, according to cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes.
The phones are made by Unimax, a Chinese company. Malwarebytes found that an updater app called Wireless Update preloaded on the Unimax UMX U686CL model contains Adups, a notorious Chinese adware strain that can install more apps without the user's permission.
That's already pretty bad, but at least the Wireless Update app can be uninstalled, and AdUps generally only installs more adware. Much worse is the fact that the Settings app on the phones includes a hidden "dropper" Trojan similar to known dangerous malware strains -- and you can't remove the Settings app without making the phone unstable.
From danger to desk accessory
"Uninstall Wireless Update, and you could be missing out on critical updates for the OS. We think that's worth the tradeoff," wrote Malwarebytes' Nathan Collier in a company blog post. "But uninstall the Settings app, and you just made yourself a pricey paperweight."
The phones were apparently sold in the United States by Assurance Wireless, a subsidiary of soon-to-be-shuttered Virgin Mobile, as part of a federal program to provide telephones at low cost to people who can't otherwise afford phone service. The Unimax UMX U686CL did not appear on the Assurance Wireless website as of Friday morning, but a model called the Unimax UMX U683CL is still available.
Such subsidized phones are popularly referred to as "Obamaphones," even though the program, officially called Lifeline Assistance, started in 1985 during the Reagan administration. In 2005, while George W. Bush was president, the program expanded to mobile phones.
Collier wrote that Assurance Wireless sells the Unimax UMX U686CL to Lifeline Assistance recipients for $35, but the Assurance Wireless website implies that many phones are provided for free.
What to do
If you own a Unimax UMX U686CL, it's best to just turn it off and get a new phone. Unimax phones aren't the only brand sold as part of Lifeline Assistance. Assurance Wireless offers more than a dozen other models, including two other Unimax phones, and many other companies sell Lifelife Assistance phones, including AT&T and Verizon.
Assurance Wireless parent company Virgin Mobile is owned by Sprint, which told Ars Technica: "We are aware of this issue and are in touch with the device manufacturer Unimax to understand the root cause, however, after our initial testing we do not believe the applications described in the media are malware."
Ironically, Collier wrote, the UMX U686CL is otherwise pretty good for a phone that normally retails for $35.
"It is not a bad phone. It feels solid in hand and runs smoothly," wrote Collier. "Sure, it's not the fastest mobile device, but it's a fully capable smart phone. In general, without the malware, this device is a good option for anyone on a budget."
Cheap Android phones made by off-brand Chinese companies are notorious for shipping with adware and, occasionally, malware. We've documented nearly half a dozen instances of this in the past several years.


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One Car Stolen, Three Others Broken Into on Lombard Lane in Imperial
The following information was supplied by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Arrests or charges mentioned in this report do not indicate convictions.
Monday, Feb. 25
A black 2007 Honda Accord was reported stolen from a driveway on Lombard Lane in Imperial between midnight and 6 a.m. The owner told police that he had a spare set of keys to the Honda in another vehicle in his driveway, and that those keys were missing from that vehicle.
Police received another call from a resident on Lombard Lane about a Velociraptor scanner stolen from a man's locked work truck. The victim told police the scanner belonged to his employer. While conducting an area canvass, the officer ran into two other residents who had items stolen from their vehicles. A woman said she was missing an IPOD charger cable and a man told police he was missing a large speaker box containing two 12-inch speakers. Officers are still investigating thefts.
Wednesday, Feb. 27
Between 1:30 a.m. and 7:50 a.m., a Cannon digital camera, a Dell laptop with case and charger and a pair of prescription sunglasses were stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Birchwood Drive in Barnhart. The items were valued at $1,990.


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Computicket has announced the launch of its new self-service platform Box Office that lets organizers of small events sell tickets. The launch of the…
Bugscore has a compelling premise: rate any person, product or business in the world. Investors are biting. The score almost anything startup headquartered in the UK, launched in March of this year, and following a US$330 000 seed round is already valued at US$2-million.
Bugscore, currently in beta, is sort of what Jotly could have been if Firespotter Labs took its “rate everything” — and we do mean everything — app seriously. Unlike Jotly however, Bugscore won’t allow you to issue inane rate things for that mountain ridge outside your window or the individual ice cubes in your glass of water. Instead, Bugscore focuses on people, products and businesses — the stuff marketers care about.
By collecting what Bugscore’s founders consider “real-time data on consumer opinion”, the startup hopes to become a comparison resource for consumers and a large source of monetary value for the market research industry and the online advertising sector as it tracks what people like, dislike and why.
Bugscore is headed up by German founder and CEO Karan Khemani, co-founder and CEOO Zissis Skouloudis and Jay Sankar, CTO: Technical Architect. Khemani, who previously worked as an investment banker for JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, tells us that he has injected 30% of his own equity into Bugscore.
The emerging market connection
The company is betting on growth in emerging markets and is investing in these regions early on. Bugscore says that close to 70% of its user base is in emerging markets and that it is currently growing at a rate of about 150% to 200% per month in these areas. Bugscore’s founders believe that the average GDP per capita in developing markets such as Singapore is in a range that makes earning money on Bugscore a viable option for side income.
Users that join the rating site earn points for adding profiles, scoring things or inviting new users to Bugscore. These points can be converted into prizes or cash at the end of each month. Intriguingly, there’s also an option for a potential equity stake — capped and fractional — in the Bugscore business at the end of the year.
Bugscore says its efforts-based program, known as “Earn As You Bug” (or EASYB) is a precursor to a full-blown automated market research platform with which it plans to allow anyone to run market research campaigns — it’s here that Bugscore plans to compensate its user base on a pay-per-score basis.
Beyond the GDP per capita match, Bugscore believes Singapore is solid hub for covering the Asia-Pacific and South-East Asia regions as it’s believed to be business-friendly and politically stable. Having established itself in Singapore, Bugscore managed to secure a Singapore-based Hewlett-Packard veteran as one of its primary investors. Shareholders for the startup include Rosetree Advisors LLC., Neuchatel Ltd., Berresch Capital GmbH and Wong Wai Chen LLC.
Illustrating an ongoing love affair with developing regions, Bugscore tells Ventureburn that it will be introducing Bugscore in a variety of emerging market languages.
Early signs show that Bugscore’s investment in Singapore is paying off. Leading German industrial company, Pfeiffer Vacuum — market cap US$1.2-billion — joined Bugscore and has added over 800 of its products to the system. Bugscore currently hosts a rated catalogue of roughly 200 000 people, products and businesses.
If Bugscore’s catalogue continues to grow, it could fill what it sees as a “missed” gap in the information value chain. “Google allows people to search information, Wikipedia collects it, Facebook and Twitter allow you to share it, and Bugscore allows people to score and rate information in a quantified manner,” postulates the young ratings company.
Bugscore tells Ventureburn that it envisions a future where Google Glass is common place and the fledgling venture has become the global scoring directory. Imagine donning a pair of Google’s glasses and seeing a score for any person, product or business appear next to them — fluctuating in real time. A prospect that will strike you as either, awesome or terrifying.
To attain notable mass, Bugscore hopes to use the freelance industry as conduit. The startup wants to become a quality filter that helps clients gauge talent when advertising freelance work. Bugscore is also eyeing the media industry.
More specifically, Bugscore wants to roll out its own version of the Facebook “Like” button. Freelance hubs and major online newspapers would place a ‘Score’ button next to the Twitter and Facebook buttons on their digital content.
Google is for finding things. Bugscore is for rating things.
Becoming the world’s quality filter is a complex task, and yet the pursuit of something so ambitious makes sense. We expect from our ever increasingly online existence to help us make instant decisions. In late 2011, Google paid US$125-million to integrate Zagat’s restaurant ratings into its properties, helping people make quick dining decisions. Additionally, having a single ratings source will make the marketing industry giddy.
Bugscore wants to help the world make instant decisions about products, people and businesses and it has a clear path — user incentives and industry-specific pandering — for doing that. The question is, is it a worthwhile pursuit when context is key.
For example, the context in which we rate people is important. In a professional context, one would look to LinkedIn. In a social context, one would look to Facebook or Twitter. In terms of a product, Amazon carries immense gravitas, but its lack of global saturation makes it a sketchy barometer of product popularity in emerging markets beyond Brazil, China and India.
Does an amalgam ratings service have a place or are disparate, specialised rating services essential? How much weight should a broad spectrum ratings service carry? For example, Justin Bieber carries a score of 55 on Bugscore — a score made up of various metrics including one for “Knowledge” which sits at 40. This number has been awarded purely based on subjective, public opinion — there’s no scientific or independently verified process to warrant the score. The complexity of rating everything extends further when one considers a score of 81 for Apple’s iPhone. It scores 78 for smell — a largely irrelevant metric, but it underlines the complexity of having a broad enough scoring system to rate everything. A more granular approach would add authority to the score, but makes the process infinitely more complex.
To date, the most comprehensive scoring system in the world belongs to Facebook thanks to its “Like” Button. Yes, it’s not as comprehensive as what Bugscore offers, and it has not been developed into a consumer-facing barometer or marketing research resource (some would argue). Yet.
Bugscore would have to become the best at rating everything in one of the 63 industry sectors across 12 000 occupations and 500 different product types it is targeting. Would you accept a Bugscore rating for a hotel or restaurant at this stage or one from Tripadvisor or Google?
One feels however, that Bugscore’s strength lies in informing researchers, but it needs to make sure its ratings are authoritative and perhaps that means doing more than incentivising a crowdsourced workforce with micropayments.
Update 12 May 2014:
Bugscore has told Ventureburn that it has grown into a market research platform with a network of 410 000 users worldwide.
Khemani adds that these users are “waiting to express their opinion (in scores) on any person, product or business. What gives Bugscore the edge over traditional off-line research is our breadth (huge opinion pool) and cost-per-opinion — as low as US$0.1/user.”
The company has also launched a fully-real-time employee scoring tool aimed at the US$5.5-billion talent management industry called Bugscore360.


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Global Web Index’s annual Digital vs Traditional Media Consumption report has been released. Analyzing time devoted to online and traditional forms of media consumption at a global level, the report indicates the changes of the media consumption behaviors.
Conducted by interviews with 200,000 internet users across 34 markets, the report also shows the differences between age groups and across the countries.
According to GWI’s annual Digital vs Traditional Media report for Q3 2015:
- Daily time spent on the mobile web has jumped from 1.24 in 2012 to 2.01 hours in 2015, with the share of internet time captured by smartphones rising from 22% to 33%.
- By some distance, 16-24s are the heaviest daily users of the mobile web, clocking up 3.25 hours. That compares to a much more modest 0.58 hours among 55-64s – the only age group where time spent on PCs and laptops is holding steady.
- Across 31 markets where trended data from 2012 onwards is available, daily time spent on linear TV has declined in 26 of them, broadcast radio is down in 23 countries and physical print press has dipped in 10 of them. Meanwhile, online TV has recorded increases in 28 of 31 countries, online radio is up in 20 markets and online press has risen in 26 places.
- Among the specific online media activities, online TV has seen the biggest jump – from 0.58 to 0.74 hours – but the daily average has passed the 1-hour mark among 16-24s as well as in Saudi Arabia, China, Vietnam and Thailand.


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Early this spring, Beverage Industry and BNP Media Events hosted the 13th Annual BevOps Fleet Summit. This year, the event featured an educational lineup that truly addressed issues that are impacting distribution and warehouse needs, including cybersecurity, proactive safety measures, natural disasters and, of course, the impending truck driver shortage.
The dearth of truck drivers is impacting numerous industries, including beverage distribution. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), the nation needs an estimated 50,000 additional truck drivers immediately as the shortage is expected to grow to more than 174,000 by 2026.
To help address this qualified labor shortage, bipartisan lawmakers in the Senate and House introduced the DRIVE-Safe Act, a legislation that modernizes federal law to empower the trucking industry to fill these gaps with a qualified, highly trained emerging workforce, according to a release from the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA).
The legislation is designed to allow drivers younger than 21 years of age an opportunity to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL), requiring participants to undergo a strict workforce training program featuring rigorous benchmarks, according to a blog post from the American Beverage Association (ABA), one of more than 50 industry trade groups supporting the DRIVE-Safe Act.
“To gain certification, drivers must have spotless driving records and accompany a CDL-certified driver for 400 hours in the cab, with at least 240 hours being behind the wheel,” ABA’s post states. “Vehicles used in the program would be required to have the latest safety technology, including active braking collision mitigation systems; forward-facing event recording cameras; speed governors set at 65 miles per hour or less; and automatic or automatic manual transmissions. These apprenticeship requirements ensure well-qualified drivers are on the roads transporting our industry’s products.”
Katherine Lugar, ABA president and chief executive officer, highlights the value of this legislation. “We’re facing a serious shortage of truck drivers in the country that’s increasing costs and hurting the economy,” she says. “The DRIVE-Safe Act backed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers in both the House and Senate would open up new, well-paying jobs for America’s growing blue collar workforce in industries that are known for developing talent and providing opportunities for advancement.”
The DRIVE-Safe Act not only has bipartisan support from lawmakers and a coalition from trade organizations, but the American public also is showing favor to the proposed legislation. According to a Harris Poll commissioned by the IFDA, 86 percent of Americans showed backing of the DRIVE-Safe Act — after answering questions that gauged awareness and understanding of the driver shortage and current federal laws. For instance, 48 states currently allow drivers to obtain a commercial driver’s license at 18; however, federal law prohibits these adults from driving commerce across state lines until they are 21.
The survey also highlighted that 95 percent of Americans believe that the current commercial truck driver shortage has an impact on U.S. consumers, and a majority believe higher shipping costs for businesses/consumers (71 percent), delayed/slower shipping times (70 percent), and increased costs of consumer goods like groceries and restaurant meals (58 percent) are happening as a result of the shortage. The Harris Poll survey was conducted online from March 5 to 7, among 2,015 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, according to the IFDA.
As this driver shortage continues to proliferate, the time is now to act and fix it.


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Some (large) EU governments are making the case for digital companies to pay “their fair share of tax”. The key underlying assumption is that companies in the digital space are not doing so right now. Governments also assume that there is a substantial source of untaxed profits that is waiting for the embrace of the taxman. The European Commission is now considering “revenue taxes” on those companies that under some definition can be called “digital corporations”. In this paper, we provide a critical assessment of the underlying reasoning of the European Commission and those EU governments that currently are in favour of targeted taxes on digital revenues.
There is indeed a good case to make for fair taxation and that uneven effective tax rates can distort competition and lead to smaller tax revenues. However, those that are calling for higher taxes on one particular group of firms – digital corporations – have yet to present the evidence for why that is motivated by principles of fair taxation. The European Commission’s “hypothetical” estimates for effective corporate tax rates (ECTRs) do not reflect the high effective corporate tax rates of most corporations that operate in the EU and outside EU Member States, including the world’s largest digital enterprises.
In addition, the European Commission’s selective focus on digital companies that are big on “stock markets” mixes up market capitalization with corporate income. Thereby, the focus on the world’s “top 100 companies by market capitalisation” and the world’s “top 5 e-commerce companies” hardly reflects the reality of the digital economy and profit levels among different, often highly diverse, firms. Real world financial data show that the average corporate tax rates of many digital companies actually exceed the European Commission’s “hypothetical” estimates by about 20 to 50 percentage points.
Ideas to slap a targeted tax on digital revenues clash with the EU’s top policy priorities for the digital economy. It is therefore remarkable that such taxes even are considered. A tax on digital revenues would not only stand in opposition to tax efficiency and neutrality; it would also undermine digitalisation, European integration, and the Digital Single Market.
Research assistance by Nicolas Botton is gratefully acknowledged.
Some governments in Europe are making the case for digital companies to pay “their fair share of tax”. Obviously, the key underlying assumption is that companies in the digital space are not doing so right now, and that there is a substantial source of untaxed profits that is waiting for the embrace of the taxman. The European Commission has also weighed in and, flanked by a few powerful EU governments, is now considering a new revenue tax on companies that under some definition can be called “digital corporations”. (European Commission 2017a)
It is difficult to make sense of this debate – and the actual proposals. For starters, the European Commission does not specify what makes a company digital, let alone where to draw a line between more digital, less digital or non-digital business models. Moreover, it remained open what exactly falls within the scope of a tax on digital revenues. Indeed, the OECD’s digital economy group, who looked at this same issue for more than 2 years, concluded that it was in fact impossible to put a fence around the “digital economy” (OECD 2015; 2014). Given that digitisation is a feature of all industries and that many non-digital sectors now feature digital business models, decisions about what firms that would deserve the special embrace by tax authorities would inevitably be arbitrary and become a source of significant competitive distortions.
Other EU bodies have thrown their weight behind new proposals for taxing digital firms (e.g. the European Council of December 2017) and (only) 10 EU Finance Ministers, who have co-signed a joint political statement in favour of “a so-called ‘equalisation tax’ on the turnover generated in Europe by the digital companies.” Like the authors of the European Commission’s official Communication, the Council does not provide any additional clarity regarding the defining characteristics of a digital corporation, let alone the tax bases taken into consideration. Aware of national obligations from international tax agreements, the Council demands, however, that an “equalisation levy based on revenues from digital activities in the EU” should “remain outside the scope of double tax conventions concluded by Member States.” (European Council 2017 pp. 1)
In this paper, we will assess these ambiguous ideas in the context of real observable data for less or non-digital companies on the one hand and digital corporations on the other. In Section 2, we provide a critical assessment of the underlying reasoning of the European Commission and those EU governments that currently are in favour of targeted taxes on digital revenues and establishment requirements. In Section 3, we outline prevailing myths and misconceptions about digital/online firms and their actual situation regarding profit margins and tax expenses, and we compare them with the same observed data for companies that operate in more traditional sectors. This part of the paper will largely focus on the underlying assumption that there are huge reserves of untapped or untaxed profits. Section 4 summarises the results and concludes.
 DG TAXUD: Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union. In September 2017, the Finance Ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Spain announced that ‘[w]e should no longer accept that these [digital economy] companies do business in Europe while paying minimal amounts of tax to our treasuries. Economic efficiency is at stake, as well as tax fairness and sovereignty.’ They further ‘ask the EU Commission to explore EU law compatible options and propose any effective solutions based on the concept of establishing a so-called “equalisation tax” on the turnover generated in Europe by the digital companies.’ See Eurogroup 2017.
 OECD (2015, p. 11) comes to the conclusion that “[b]ecause the digital economy is increasingly becoming the economy itself, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to ring-fence the digital economy from the rest of the economy for tax purposes.” OECD (2014, p. 24) argues that “[a]ttempting to isolate the digital economy as a separate sector would inevitably require arbitrary lines to be drawn between what is digital and what is not.”


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ECN Capital Signs Agreement to Make Investment in The Kessler Group
MAY 11, 2018 - 6:23 am
ECN Capital entered into a definitive agreement to make a strategic investment in The Kessler Group. This investment represents a significant strategic opportunity for ECN to partner with Howard Kessler, his team and KG’s clients. Under the terms of the agreement, ECN Capital will invest $221.2 million in KG.
Kessler pioneered co-branded credit cards by launching the first affinity card with MBNA and helped build MBNA from its infancy to its sale to Bank of America for $35 billion. KG has since expanded beyond its credit card roots and offers a range of services to financial services institutions focused on the consumer finance industry in the U.S., Canada and Australia. These services include:
Strategic Advisory: managing, advising and structuring credit card and other consumer portfolios for credit card issuers, banks, credit unions and payment networks
Risk-Based Marketing: marketing expertise and funding for consumer financial products
Multi-Channel Marketing: strategy development, multi-channel marketing analytics and planning services
“I am extremely proud of KG’s accomplishments and our role as a trusted advisor to premier financial institutions,” Kessler said. “I have spent considerable time and effort to find the right partner to assist in KG’s growth. I believe ECN is that partner.”
“Howard Kessler and his team have built a truly unique business,” said Steven Hudson, CEO of ECN Capital. “With this partnership, ECN completes its strategic repositioning from an asset-based lender to a scalable business service company that provides lending and credit services to US financial institutions.”
“Howard is a visionary entrepreneur who has built an exceptional business,” said Jim Nikopoulos, ECN Capital’s president. “The Kessler Group has shaped the payments landscape for more than three decades and adds a tremendous business services platform to ECN.”
On a pro forma basis, the investment will be immediately accretive to adjusted earnings per share (EPS) and return on equity (ROE). The transaction, which is expected to close in Q2/18, is subject to customary closing conditions.
Macquarie Capital and National Bank of Canada acted as transaction advisors and BMO and CIBC acted as financial advisors. Baker Hostetler and Ropes and Gray acted as legal advisors.
Monitor’s Top 25 Vendor Players broke the $40 billion mark in new originations this year, but while most saw positive growth, the overall percentage increase slipped slightly from 6.4% in 2017 to 6.1% in 2018. The top eight companies from... read more
Being a broker is a lot like being a juggler in a circus, but instead of juggling rings, we juggle relationships. As brokers, we are the point of contact for everyone involved in the transaction, including the funder, the customer,... read more


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British cloud-based content collaboration firm Huddle has launched a private beta programme for its new intelligent file synchronisation tool, which the company describes as a Dropbox for the enterprise.
The new patent-pending technology allows everyone in an organisation to securely access company files, and intelligently syncs relevant documents onto their desktop and mobile devices using algorithms linked to workers' actions in Huddle. This means that workers can access the files they need without consuming large amounts of bandwidth.
Alastair Mitchell, chief executive of Huddle, explained that cross-enterprise file sync is far more complex than personal file sync. "While consumer sync tools such as Dropbox are useful for providing access to documents at an individual level, they lack the security, scalability and intelligence required for the enterprise," he said.
Huddle Sync gives the IT department transparency into where data is stored and which files have been shared within and across the firewall, as well as providing full audit trails and granular permission settings. It also has a remote wipe capability, in case a device is lost or stolen.
Mitchell claims that Huddle is the only company to offer this kind of cloud-based enterprise-class sync tool. He said that, unlike the cloud version of Microsoft Sharepoint, which is merely "a legacy bit of kit that has been plonked in someone else's data centre," Huddle harnesses the "real cloud" - a single platform that everyone can access.
Gartner analyst Jeff Mann said that the comparison with Sharepoint was difficult to judge, as Huddle does not offer many of the functions that Sharepoint offers.
"Huddle doesn't prentend to be a portal, it's not really used for BI, but I think for file-sharing it's one of the many competitors," Mann told Techworld. "If you find Sharepoint on-premise clunky, then Sharepoint in the cloud is clunky too. But the advantage that Office 365 has is that it is Sharepoint - it may not be what you like, but at least it's what you know, and that has been attractive for a lot of companies.
"The 'real cloud' companies do have some advantages, in terms of ease of use and accessibilty, but you still have to convince people that they can trust the cloud at all, and then that they can trust you specifically. It's certainly a hurdle for a lot of the cloud suppliers," he added.
Huddle caters primarily to large enterprises and government departments, whereas other competitors such as Box.net are more focused on the SMB market, according to Mitchell. Huddle Sync aims to replace the traditional shared drive, allowing workers to access all of their organisation's content and share files in real-time across entire workforces and multiple devices.
Meanwhile, the intelligent file sync engine uses algorithms to determine who the user is and which files they need, based on their Huddle profile, activity, workspaces and recent activity. Employees receive notifications on their devices when a new file is available, and files that are not automatically distributed can be synchronised manually.
"Humans have lost the war against information overload, and only machines can save us now. In this case the machine would be the algorithms in Huddle Sync that enable it to send/suggest relevant content that I should download from the cloud repository," said Forrester analyst Tim Walters.
"Having all of my content - as well as all of the content of all of the teams of which I'm a part - available in the cloud sounds like a blessing. But then the sheer volume of it is actually a curse, and it's the reason that enterprise sync (as opposed to personally syncing music files, for example) remains a problem. Huddle's intelligent sync aims to address this problem. Now we need to see if it is intelligent enough."
Huddle has released a new iPhone application to coincide with the launch of Huddle Sync, which syncs users' recommended content for offline viewing over an encrypted 256-bit SSL connection. Content can be reviewed and approved, new tasks can be added to a to-do list, and items can be assigned and completed. The iPhone app's storage is also encrypted, so content cannot be accessed.
The company also plans to release versions of the client for iPad, Android and BlackBerry in the coming months.
Earlier this month it was rumoured that Google is on the verge of launching its own cloud-based storage product, which has been described as the search giant's answer to Dropbox. People familiar with the matter reportedly told The Wall Street Journal that the new service, called Drive, allows users to store photos, documents and videos on Google's servers, allowing them to be accessed and shared from any web-connected device.
This story, "Huddle Launches Intelligent Sync Tool to Rival Sharepoint" was originally published by Techworld.com.


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The chairman of the Senate’s antitrust subcommittee is asking the Justice Department to block AT&T’s planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA.
In his letter, Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) tells Attorney General Eric Holder and Chairman Julius Genachowski of the Federal Communications Commission, that the deal would seriously hinder competition in the cell phone industry and harm consumers and urges the agencies “to take all necessary actions” to stop it.
Describing T-Mobile as a competitor of AT&T’s that offers lower prices, Kohl said that a deal that “eliminates the low price competitor from this market, is in my view highly dangerous to competition and consumers. It will likely tend to substantially lessen competition, lead to consumers paying high prices with fewer choices, as well as lessen the innovation that has been the keystone of this industry in the last decade.”
Kohl says that the acquisition would reduce the number of national competitors in the industry from four to three and thus is suspect under the Clayton Antitrust Act.
Kohl’s letter comes just as House Democrats, including House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.) are also questioning the deal, the National Journal reports, though AT&T continues to defend the merger.
“We respect Senator Kohl. However, we feel his view is inconsistent with antitrust law, is shared by few others, and ignores the many positive benefits and numerous supporters of the transaction,” an AT&T spokesman said in a statement, adding that AT&T believes that the DOJ and FCC will approve the deal.


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Central bank digital currencies have been referred to as “the future of payments”, or even “the future of money”, and not without reason. One thing is for sure: Technological change is upending finance.
The pandemic has turbocharged a global financial technology revolution. COVID-19 is changing consumer behavior, quite likely forever.
A CBDC is a new form of central bank money accessible to the public, accepted as a means of payment, legal tender, safe store of value by all citizens, businesses, and government agencies.
That “future”, though, is closer than it might appear, at least in China, the only major economy whose CBDC project, the digital yuan, is at a more advanced stage.In China, we can talk about a “present” rather than a “future”, since it will be the first major economy to deploy its own CBDC, during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.
There are many possible motivations behind CBDCs: They can replace physical notes; they can be used to improve financial stability as a monetary policy tool, to promote financial inclusion, to fight against financial crime, etc. As I have mentioned in previous articles, one of China’s main objectives is believed to be to leverage the digital yuan to facilitate a much wider cross-border adoption of China’s currency. To put it another way, the goal is to expand the renminbi’s role in international trade.
While the tests in the Chinese mainland focus on domestic transactions, it will be in Hong Kong (and Macao) where China will test the digital yuan for cross-border payments
This is where Hong Kong will play a key role: While the tests in the Chinese mainland focus on domestic transactions, it will be in Hong Kong (and Macao) where China will test the digital yuan for cross-border payments.
On Dec 4, Hong Kong Monetary Authority Chief Executive Eddie Yue Wai-man announced that the HKMA and the Digital Currency Institute of the People’s Bank of China were discussing the technical pilot testing of using the digital yuan for cross-border payments and were making the corresponding technical preparations.
As reported by Bloomberg on May 13, this initial test phase in Hong Kong had just finished satisfactorily, with the special administrative region currently in talks with the mainland authorities to expand cross-border testing of the digital yuan.
The HKMA tested, in this first phase, the use of the related app, system connectivity and certain use cases such as cross-border purchases, and is currently discussing and collaborating with the PBOC on the next phase of technical testing, including the feasibility of broadening and deepening the use of the e-CNY wallet for cross-border payments.
According to the latest report published by the international management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, the digital yuan in Hong Kong may usher in an era of quicker, cheaper cross-border payment and clearing processes.
In the near term, not much change is expected given the market structure and PBOC’s focus on consumer sectors. But in the longer term, change is to accelerate, especially in areas such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — which is already a hub of innovation — and increasing integration of onshore and offshore markets. Here payment infrastructure integration is expected to start, beginning with retail but quickly moving into B2B, the Oliver Wyman report reckons.
However, the digital yuan does not aim to replace the Hong Kong dollar, since the tests in Hong Kong and Macao (and its future deployment once the tests are complete) will aim at cross-border transactions. Since Hong Kong is one of the most open and global cities in the Greater Bay Area, China will be able to leverage this circumstance to promote its digital currency on a global stage, so it is undoubtedly a win-win for all parties involved.
Given the fact that China, through the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), has once again recognized Hong Kong’s potential on the national level while putting the general focus on technology and innovation, the best way for Hong Kong to align with this focus on technological innovation is precisely to keep doing what it is doing now and to keep involving as many stakeholders as possible in the digital yuan tests.
China’s rationale behind its digital yuan is multifaceted, but one of the major reasons behind it is to facilitate the cross-border adoption of its new digital currency and the internationalization of the renminbi. Therefore, promotion of the digital yuan is in China’s interest — not only to make the digital yuan an effective domestic tool for facilitating consumers’ retail payments, but also to enhance the yuan as a payment currency in the global financial system.
Hong Kong is in a perfect position to leverage the digital yuan tests and future deployment to enhance its status as one of the world’s most important financial centers, whereas the mainland is in a perfect position to leverage Hong Kong’s expertise and status to test and roll out the digital yuan for cross-border payments. Undoubtedly, a win-win situation.
The author works as a fintech adviser and researcher. He has worked as a business analyst for a Hong Kong publicly listed company.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
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Here are some new screenshots of Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, the company also confirmed the game will hit North America and Europe in 2012.
Here are some image quality comparison screenshots between the PS3 and Xbox 360 version of Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIII, the in-game graphics are pretty much the same, the only exception are CG cutscenes, the PS3 Blu-Ray quality is notably superior to the Xbox 360 version.
Famitsu revealed that a new .hack game is in development, confirmed by CyberConnect2 CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama. The new title will have more photo realistic visual as opposed to anime style in the previous games.
Falcom confirmed a new installment of the Legend of Heroes Kiseki series is in development for PSP, the game is due for release next year.
Capcom announced that they have shipped one million copies of Monster Hunter 3G for 3DS in Japan. The Monster Hunter series have sold over 20 million units worldwide.
Square Enix released new trailer and images for DLC content in Final Fantasy XIII-2, showing Serah and Noel's new costumes, plus a Xbox 360 exclusive weapon "Azrael" for Serah....
Nekkei News reported that Sony has shipped 500,000 units of PlayStation Vita in Japan at launch, and Enterbrain reported 321,000 units were sold in the first two days. Media Create reported that the PS Vita has a sell-through rate of 65%.
A new YouTube Video released today, which shows the PS Vita has a battery life of 3:47 hours playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss with its 2210mAh battery. In comparison, 3DS's 1300mAh battery lasted 2:35 hours playing Monster Hunter 3G; and PSP-3000 Hunsters Model with a 2200mAh battery lasted 9 hours playing Monster Hunter Portable 3rd with Media Install option enabled.
Capcom will release Devil May Cry HD Collection for PS3 and Xbox 360 in Japan on Mar 22, 2012.
|Past News: Dec 19, 2011||Next News: Dec 21, 2011|


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ALSO READTexas mass shooting: 27 dead after firing at church, gunman identified Tougher gun laws could leave hundreds more dead in Texas shooting: Trump What's new in the iPhone 8 Apple chief Tim Cook touts India impact in push for deeper market access Apple unveils iPhone X, iPhone 8, Apple Watch, hails 'biggest leap forward'
Refuting the claims of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the aftermath of Texas church shooting, Apple reportedly said it offered to help the investigating agency in opening the attacker's encrypted iPhone.
The Cupertino-based giant said it reached out to the bureau "immediately" to offer assistance in getting into the gunman's iPhone and expedite its response to any legal process, The Verge reported late on Thursday.
"Law enforcement is increasingly not able to get into these phones," Christopher Combs, a special agent at the investigating agency was quoted as saying.
The iPhone Kelley was carrying is said to have crucial information about his activities that led to the shooting.
The FBI and Apple have had strained relations after the December 2015 San Bernardino, California, terror attack when the company had refused the agency's request to help it unlock on the phones of the attacker despite a court order.


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Woman pleads innocent to identity theft
MIDDLETOWN -- An East Hartford woman accused in the Middletown Police Department's first investigated identity theft case pleaded innocent recently in Middlesex Superior Court.
Priscilla Harvey, 39, entered her pleas Tuesday on charges stemming from an April 13 incident. She remains free on a promise to appear, and is scheduled to be in court again on June 26.
Harvey, of 18 Columbus St., was arrested on a warrant May 29 and charged with identity theft, second-degree forgery, third-degree larceny and illegal use of a credit card.
This was the first time Middletown Police investigated and charged someone with identity theft, Detective Robert Barone said.
Harvey had gotten the Social Security number of the victim, who lives in Middletown, he said. "She assumed [the victim's] identity to get credit cards," Barone said. Harvey allegedly made a few thousand dollars worth of charges on the credit cards, the detective added.
But Middletown Police nabbed Harvey through one of the purchases when she was identified as having made the purchase at a jewelry store in the Buckland Hills Mall in Manchester, Barone said. The card was used to buy a $1,058 diamond ring, he said.
The victim was made aware when several credit card companies advised her that her name, Social Security number and birth date were being used to obtain fraudulent credit cards, according to the arrest warrant. The suspect -- later identified as Harvey -- was able to buy several thousands of dollars worth of merchandise under the victim's name, the warrant said.
Accounts were set up with Discover Card, Lowes and Home Depot, which the victim had no account with, according to the warrant.
On April 13, Harvey used the Discover Card -- under the victim's name -- to buy a cluster diamond ring, costing $1,058.93, at Whitehall Jewelers, the warrant said.
During the police investigation, Harvey denied any involvement as well as having denied going into the jewelry store, according to the warrant.
Detectives still have not determined how Harvey was able to get the victim's social security number, Barone said.
Harvey was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on June 5 after she was released by police on a $2,500 bail on May 29.
Identity theft is a relatively new charge that was put on the books in 1999, which is more serious than criminal impersonation, said Barone, who has been investigating fraud cases for 16 years.
"It's out there now," the detective said of identity theft. People can obtain information and assume another person's identity to apply for credit cards. Over a short period of time, the person will max out the card or use it until the card is denied -- ruining the victim's credit. "Be very conscious of who you give your Social Security number to."


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For decades, the Alemany Flea Market has been a Sunday ritual in San Francisco, drawing thousands of bargain hunters and vendors to a large parking lot in the southeast corner of the city's Bernal Heights neighborhood.
But this past weekend, a sense of foreboding hung over the card tables piled with record albums, crockery, artwork, garden tools, hats, rugs, footwear, statues, toy cars and wicker baskets.
The city decided a few weeks ago to soon shutter the Civic Center’s Fulton Plaza flea market. Now vendors are worried that the much-larger Alemany Flea Market could be the next to go.
A city spokesperson confirmed last week that all municipal programs were in the process of being evaluated for potential cuts due to fiscal constraints, but said no final decisions had been made regarding Alemany.
But in the run-up to a March 29 end-date for several vendors at the Civic Center Fulton Plaza flea market, several vendors who spoke to The Standard on Sunday said they fear their weekly community hub could become another casualty of San Francisco's budget woes.
Jon Rolston said vendors had only recently heard about any possibility of closure. Rolston has sold items at Alemany for a decade. He brings salvaged and reusable goods to Alemany every Sunday that he argues would otherwise be likely to wind up in a landfill.
"What better way to divert usable items from the waste stream of the city than a flea market?" he said.
"It's an invaluable resource. It would be offensive that they would consider closing this, but it makes sense, because this is not glamorous and not a jewel in the crown of San Francisco."
Luis De Avila, 70, said closing Alemany would be a blow to working-class families who come to buy, sell and swap collectibles as a hobby and a supplemental income source. De Avila has been frequenting street markets in San Francisco since he moved here from Mexico in 1968.
"I restore stuff for antiques or whatever. Then I sell them," De Avila said. "I make a little bit of money, the city makes a little bit of money. It's a great place for the community."
He believes budget issues are merely a convenient excuse for officials eyeing the market's prime real estate for more profitable uses.
Bryan Wilson, who drives down from Oregon once a month to sell at Alemany, said the market creates an interdependence between vendors and surrounding communities.
"I would say it supports my family," Wilson said. "I'll end up making a month's worth of income in one weekend, with the devoted customers and clientele that I've established over the years."
He said market administrators are pretty strict about not allowing unlicensed vendors: "They're very on point. We protect ourselves very heavily. Anybody encroaching on it gets stomped out pretty quickly."
While the market's several-dozen vendor stalls are tightly regulated and screened for prohibited goods, some enterprising vendors set up merchandise curbside along Tompkins Avenue Sunday morning before being shooed away by police.
One of the vendors, Robert Perlman, speculated that he'd have to take his wares to East Oakland's Coliseum Way swap meet if Alemany closes.
Other vendors described Alemany as a one-of-a kind bazaar frequented by bargain hunters of all stripes, from wealthy collectors and antique dealers to handymen, treasure seekers and people nursing hangovers.
"Please don't close it," said one vendor who would only give her first name, Georgina. "We need our little income from this. It helps the family."


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Food for thought: It's only natural
Saturday 08 August 1998
The old image of stripped pine is out, replaced by reclaimed teak, concrete and designer lighting. This is the very contemporary image which predominates at places such as Love (right), which opened at the eco-conscious Aveda Institute on Marylebone High Street earlier this summer. It has just opened another, larger branch in Hampstead.
In Camden, a new bar/organic diner is being opened in a few weeks' time by the people behind the successful Camden Brasserie. And in October, even the restaurant at the upmarket Sheraton Hotel in Belgravia is going organic in a special
month-long promotion with the organic supermarket Planet Organic. Surely, organic food's moment is finally arriving.
According to Nick Herbert, the owner of The Organic Cafe, which opened in Queen's Park a couple of years ago, organic food is becoming increasingly mainstream. "We get all sorts of people in here and I think the stigma about eating organic has gone," he says. "You don't have to belong to Friends of the Earth; you just have to like tasty food."
HEALTHY AND WHOLESOME
The Organic Cafe 25 Lonsdale Road, NW6 (0171-372 1232)
Open seven days a week, this is a cafe by day and a restaurant by night. It originally started with 17 tables, but now has 50. A lot of customers are coming for organic meat. "We know exactly where our meat comes from," says Nick Herbert. "Even the name of the animal!"
Love 62-64 Weymouth Street (off Marylebone High St) W1 (0171-487 5683) and 515 Finchley Rd, NW3 (0171-794 2121)
Run by the food company, Joy, this restaurant represents the new face of organic food. The Love Bar on Finchley Road has Seventies furniture and rough walls and is deliberately aimed at a much younger market than most other healthy-eating ventures. According to its owner, Kevin Gould, the emphasis is on good, affordable food in funky surroundings. "We're quite matter-of-fact about it being organic," he says.
Sauce 214 Camden High Street, NWI (0171 482 0777) Opens 1 Sept
The idea behind this new venture is to present organic food in a new, "saucy" way, according to Karen Docherty, the founder of the Camden Brasserie and Pasta Underground. "It won't be worthy. It will be fun," she insists. Scheduled for inclusion on the menu are big sandwiches, hamburgers and salads, plus an enticingly wide range of organic and non-organic wines and beers.
Cheshams The Sheraton Hotel, 20 Chesham Place, SWI (0171-235 6040)
Chef Allister Bishop will be providing fully organic food from 5 to 31 Oct - and for longer, if the idea proves to be a success.
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Student a Casualty of the Cola Wars
Need further proof that bitter rivals Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola don’t mix? An Evans, Ga. high school senior faced a one-day suspension Wednesday after wearing a Pepsi shirt to a Coke Day assembly. Mike Cameron, 19, says he never intended to show disrespect for Coke officials who had gathered at Greenbrier High School for an event designed to help the school win a contest run by the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. School Principal Gloria Hamilton acknowledged the suspension seemed out of line: “I know it sounds bad--”Child suspended for wearing Pepsi shirt on Coke Day.” Cameron said he wore the Pepsi logo as a joke: “That’s my personality. I don’t like to follow the trend of everyone else.” Hamilton said Cameron also ruined a school picture, a violation that has drawn six-day suspensions in the past. The Coke contest offers a $500 award to the school that devises the best method of distributing promotional discount cards to students. Coke executives traveled from their Atlanta headquarters 100 miles away to serve as speakers. Cameron said he wasn’t asked to remove the offensive shirt and that he changed into the Coke shirt later in the day.


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Sony’s partnership with Spotify goes live today, allowing PlayStation owners to stream tunes from the music service while they play games.
Initially announced in January, the Spotify integration — called “PlayStation Music” — is live in 41 markets for PS4 and PS3 consoles. Users can choose from curated playlists, control the music from a mobile device, and pick from more than 30 million songs to stream. The ability to play while you game is only available on the PS4. Users can also subscribe to Spotify’s Premium service — which isn’t required on the PlayStation — with the PlayStation Network wallet.
Sony previously didn’t offer a Spotify app on the PlayStation and instead had something called “Music Unlimited.” As a result of the new partnership, Sony has shut down “Music Unlimited” in all 19 countries where it was available.
“PlayStation Music” will come to Xperia smartphones and tablets soon. As The Verge notes, Sony’s deal with Spotify is exclusive and Xbox One owners should not expect something similar anytime soon.
Founded in 2008, Spotify is available in 58 markets and has more than 60 million active users, along with more than 15 million paying subscribers.
Here’s the list of countries that will have access to PlayStation Music: Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UK and USA.


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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) on Monday reported a 2 per cent increase in its total sales at 5,27,180 units for October.
The company had sold a total of 5,17,845 units in the same month last year.
Domestic sales last month stood at 4,94,459 units as against 4,87,819 units in the year-ago period, a growth of 1 per cent, HMSI said in a statement.
The company's exports last month increased by 9 per cent to 32,721 units as compared with 30,026 units in October 2019.
"Riding into the festive season on a high note, our newly launched H'ness-CB350 has garnered great response in a short span of time. In less than one month of start of sales of our debut 350ccc mid-size motorcycle, our production is booked till November, even as new bookings continue to rise," HMSI Director Sales and Marketing Yadvinder Singh Guleria said.
With the comeback of positive sentiments in the market, the company is all geared up for Dhanteras and Diwali with strict safety measures in place across all sale touchpoints, he added.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


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WASHINGTON — The most ambitious part of the pandemic stimulus package signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year is about to hit the bank accounts of millions of U.S. parents. Starting next week and ending in December, the vast majority of U.S. households with children will begin receiving monthly payments as a result of changes … Continue reading Expanded child tax credit payments start July 15. Here’s how they work.
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Breaking news in the fishing industry.
The United States House of Representatives has passed legislation to help get American Samoa’s economy, and especially its canned tuna sector, in order…. Read more (Pidp.EastWestCenter.org)
Thailand’s worldwide canned tuna exports are showing a very strong recovery and have started this year with a strong upward trend…. Read article on Atuna.com (free subscription required)
The Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) is in the process of identifying key tasks to help its members increase their competitiveness in local and international markets for the 2010-15 period…. Read more (English.Vietnamnet.vn)
Bluefin tuna-fishing nations are questioning European Union Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki’s decision to close the bluefin tuna purse-seine fishery a week earlier than scheduled…. Read more (SeafoodSource.com)
The Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) this week ramped up its surveillance of the South Pacific islands for illegal fishing activities…. Read more (SeafoodSource.com)
Two Spain-based processors on Tuesday added their names to the roster of brands that support the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation…. Read more (SeafoodSource.com)
The European Union’s executive says the region’s fishermen can no longer fish for bluefin tuna after Wednesday…. Read more (MyEyeWitnessNews.com)


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|Bid||0.00 x 1200|
|Ask||0.00 x 800|
|Day's Range||37.75 - 40.19|
|52 Week Range||22.24 - 42.79|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||89.98|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||39.50|
The second quarter is already shaping up to be a big one in terms of investment into Portland-area companies. There was a fourth, undisclosed, investment that likely sends that number even higher. It comes as later-stage companies in the region start to gain the attention of private equity backers.
VANCOUVER, Wash., May 30, 2018-- nLIGHT, Inc. announced that Scott Keeney, Chief Executive Officer, and Ran Bareket, Chief Financial Officer, will present at the Stifel 2018 Cross Sector Insight Conference ...
Vancouver laser maker nLight Inc.'s first quarter revenue jumped more than 40 percent, according to the company’s first earnings release as a public company. Wall Street appeared pleased with the company’s performance for the first three months sending the stock up nearly 5 percent in after-hours trading. The company reported revenue of $42.5 million for the quarter, compared with $29.9 million in the same quarter a year ago.
Shares of nLight Inc. rose nearly 5% late Wednesday after the laser manufacturer reported adjusted first-quarter earnings that met Wall Street expectations and sales that came in slightly ahead. NLight said it earned $2.9 million, breaking even on a per-share basis, in the quarter, versus a loss of $1.2 million, or 47 cents a share, in the first quarter of 2017. NLight ended the regular trading session down 5.9%.The company raised $96 million when it went public in April.
VANCOUVER, Wash., May 23, 2018-- nLIGHT, Inc., a leading provider of high-power semiconductor and fiber lasers used in the industrial, microfabrication, and aerospace and defense markets, today reported ...
Nlight's customer base includes the industrial, microfabrication, and aerospace markets but its strong exposure to the industrial segment should help the company generate above average growth, Ho said in a note. The company's strong penetration of the market should grow over the years and an increasing favorable mix of the segment should also help drive gross margin increases. As such, management's longer-term gross margins target of 45 percent and operating margins of 24 percent are achievable over time as the industrial segment boasts a 50 percent incremental gross margin rate, the analyst.
VANCOUVER, Wash., May 09, 2018-- nLIGHT, Inc. announced that it will release its financial results for the first quarter of 2018 after the financial markets close on Wednesday, May 23, 2018. nLIGHT’ s ...
VANCOUVER, Wash., April 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- nLIGHT, Inc. (LASR) today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 6,900,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $16.00 per share, which includes the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase 900,000 additional shares. The shares began trading on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “LASR” on April 26, 2018. Stifel and Raymond James acted as lead book-running managers for the offering.
Three initial public offerings rose by double-digits on their first day of trading Friday, led by DocuSign, which has the backing of prominent venture capital firms.
DocuSign (DOCU), Ceridian HCM (CDAY), and Smartsheet (SMAR), the latest cloud companies to go public, highlight the busiest week for tech IPOs in nearly three years. A fourth company, nLight (LASR), a laser manufacturer, debuted Thursday. DocuSign raised its pricing range to $26 to $28 per share before going public at $29 Friday and ended its first day of trading up 37% to $39.75.
Shares of laser manufacturer nLight Inc. rocketed higher in their first day of trading. The stock, now trading near $23, is up 43% from its listing price of $16. The first trade was executed at 11:05 for ...
VANCOUVER, Wash., April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- nLIGHT, Inc. (LASR) today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 6,000,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $16.00 per share. In addition, nLIGHT has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 shares of common stock at the initial public offering price. Stifel and Raymond James are acting as lead book-running managers for the offering.


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Jeehae Lee, CEO of Sportsbox AI and former LPGA tour pro, previewed what’s coming next for her company — a motion analysis technology that is portable and can be used by any athlete, parent or coach.
Kloss ‘bullish’ on timing of PWHL launch
With key indicators in women’s sports trending the right way, including the NWSL’s new media deal, Ilana Kloss said she is “bullish on the timing” of the launch of a new women’s professional hockey league.
Ourand: Amazon committed to NFL Black Friday regardless of ratings
SBJ’s John Ourand said Amazon “appears to be really committed” to carrying an NFL game on Black Friday, “regardless of how the numbers come out. It was something that was unique and it dominated the sports talk for that Friday."


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According to Reuters, China is offering up to 300,000 yuan (roughly $48,200) to people who give accounts of health code defiance. China has been dealing with food safety issues for decades. In recent years, media has reported on, "cooking oil being recycled from drains, carcinogens in milk, and fake eggs." In 2008, six children died and 300,000 people were sickened by melamine, which was found in laced milk.
China wants to crack down on its food safety issues, and using public informants is the country's latest attempt. Chinese news agency Xinhua explained the government's new initiative: "Actions taken to report violations of food and drug safety laws will be rewarded. The reward for each case, in principle, will not exceed 300,000 yuan."
People will only receive rewards if the information they provide the government is correct and shows food safety violations. The government plans to confirm all tips prior to giving rewards or taking action. So far campaigns to stop food safety problems in China have been largely unsuccessful.
China's initiative comes on the heels of a major food safety scare concerning fast-food giant KFC. China Central Television reported that the chicken supplied to KFC and McDonald's Corp. contained high levels of antiviral drugs and hormones. The Shanghai Food and Drug Administration didn't find any dangerous amounts, although they did find a slightly elevated level of an antiviral drug in one sample. The scandal ultimately caused disillusionment with KFC in one of the chain's largest markets.
Do you think China's new food safety informant program will work? Do you think a reward system for food safety violation reports should be implemented in the U.S.?
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Samsung Galaxy S21 Continuing information about the series has been coming out for the past few weeks. The Galaxy S21 is expected to get 35 percent more battery life than the Galaxy S20. It is being said that due to different chipset, the phone will get better battery life. The Galaxy S21 is expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 and in-house Exynos 2100 chipset.
Mi A3 receiving Android 11 update, phone dead, users complain
Tipster ‘The Galox’ has reported in the latest leak that the Galaxy S21 with Snapdragon 888 processor will get 15 percent more battery life than the Galaxy S20 with Snapdragon 865+. Talk about the Galaxy S21 coming with the Exynos 2100 will get 25 to 35 percent more battery life than the previous Exynos powered Galaxy series. It is good to get more battery life in the new Galaxy series as there are reports of only 4000mAh battery of Galaxy S20.
It is worth noting that Samsung Has not yet given information about the launch of the Galaxy S21 series. But many reports and leaks have revealed this information. Galaxy S21 smartphones can be launched on January 14 and their cell is also expected to start this month. Samsung may launch new TWS, Galaxy Buds Pro and its first smart tracker Galaxy Smart Tag with the new series.


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WASHINGTON -- The government is strongly urging airlines to tell passengers not to pack spare lithium batteries in checked luggage because they can ignite and fuel fires in baggage compartments.
The safety alert issued yesterday by the Federal Aviation Administration recommends that airlines tell passengers when they are being ticketed and checked in not to put lithium rechargeable and nonrechargeable batteries in their bags, including those checked at gates.
Passengers can still carry small numbers of spare batteries in luggage they carry on the plane. The batteries are used to power consumer electronics. -- AP


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The Spanish multinational seafood group, Nueva Pescanova Group, has partnered with IBM Food Trust to track the shrimp and shrimp they catch using blockchain technology.
Spain-based seafood company, Nueva Pescanova Group, announced a partnership with IBM to utilize the Food Trust platform – a distributed ledger technology platform designed for supply chain traceability. response.
According to a June 8 announcement from IBM, a partnership is already underway, with Nueva Pescanova using blockchain technology to track shrimp fishing in Argentina and shrimp farming in Ecuador.
In the announcement, Ignacio González, CEO of Nueva Pescanova Group, said the traceability platform will help the company meet the United Nations Global Dialogue standards on Fisheries Traceability ( DGST), stating:
“We want to provide consumers around the world with detailed and rigorous information about the traceability of our seafood products, from the source of origin until it reaches their table. Now is the time for businesses in the seafood sector to start addressing GDST standards.”
Nueva Pescanova Group is a leading multinational seafood company established in 1960. The company covers aquaculture, production, processing and distribution of seafood.
IBM’s Food Trust traceability platform is designed for the food industry, allowing members of the network to view comprehensive supply chain data from products in “near real-time” – saving you money in efficiency. significant results for manufacturers, reducing fraud in the global market and ensuring safety and sustainability obligations are met.
Sustainability is an issue of growing importance for seafood consumers, with IBM referencing the European Food Sustainability 2020 study, which found that nearly 50% of respondents would buy more seafood. produce more if they have more information about its “origin, safety and manufacture”.
This partnership adds to the growing list of food and agriculture companies that have partnered with IBM for blockchain-based supply chain solutions.
In February, multinational retail giant Carrefour teamed up with IBM to track the supply chain of chicken and microgreens. In December 2020, Nestlé, Dole and olive oil giant CHO leveraged the IBM Food Trust Network.
Maybe you are interested:


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Tencent Tech, 4/13/12
Beijing-based B2C e-commerce platform 360Buy today announced that customers who apply to return products for non-quality reasons within seven days of purchase will be required to pay RMB 8 if 360Buy picks up the product at the customer's address. Customers will be charged RMB 30 for disinfecting returned apparel. Customers will be charged RMB 50 for the return of white goods such as refrigerators and air conditioners. However, if a customer returns a product for quality reasons, 360Buy will still provide free home pickup service.
360Buy previously did not charge pickup fees. A 360Buy spokesperson said that the change in policy was due to the recent rise in domestic oil prices and logistics costs.


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Podcasting is a key part of Spotify’s success.
According to consulting firm MIDiA, more and more people are listening to podcasts streamed on Spotify, which has now outgrown it. This marks a phenomenal success for the Swedish music – or should we say audio – streaming company, which started listening to podcasts less than three years ago.
It’s worth noting that some of Apple’s podcast listening has shifted to Apple Music – Apple’s competitor for Spotify – and by combining streaming across its various applications, Apple remains the market leader.
But the growth in podcast listening on Spotify in such a short period of time indicates that the company’s massive investments in this area are paying off. Spotify’s management stated that the format’s success is ‘almost too good to be true’ in its third quarter letter to shareholders.
Earning a share of the audio
Spotify was the first to offer music streaming, and it has managed to maintain its global lead in this area despite increased competition.
Apple launched Apple Music in 2015, and leveraged its huge installed base of iPhone users to reach 60 million subscribers in just four years. In fact, it has more subscribers in the US than Spotify. But Apple has struggled to attract users outside its own devices, and with the global market favouring Android over iOS, Spotify still dominates the market outside the US.
In recent years, however, listening to podcasts has grown considerably. In 2019 alone, the monthly number of podcast listeners in the US increased by 23%, according to Edison Research. And the number of weekly podcast listeners grew even faster, to 29%.
As podcast listening has become an integral part of consumers’ audio streaming habits, it became necessary for Spotify to take root. If it didn’t, someone else would, and that would have a negative impact on Spotify’s ability to retain its listeners. Spotify’s management statistics are proof of this: users who listen to podcasts on its platform spend almost twice as much time on them as others, and they also listen to more music streaming.
Today, Spotify has hundreds of original podcasts and exclusives to leverage this technology at a time when podcast listening on its platform is growing. The number of hours of podcasts on air increased by 39% in the third quarter of 2019, and Spotify now offers more than 500,000 podcasts on its platform.
In other words, Spotify’s growth to become the number one podcast listening platform indicates the success of its strategy to retain users on its platform.
What does the future hold for podcasting on Spotify?
Despite its new position at the top of the podcasting platforms, Spotify still only reaches a small percentage of its user base with podcasts. In the third quarter, less than 14% of active listeners also played a podcast. Over the long term, Spotify expects podcast listening to account for around 20% of the total streams on its platform, so there is still a long way to go to increase commitment to this format.
At the moment, the company’s main focus is on increasing engagement with podcasts as a way to increase user retention, increase the total number of hours of streaming on the platform and improve conversions to paid subscriptions. Spotify’s management believes that there is a strong correlation between increased podcast viewing and improvements in these areas, and is working to prove this using its data.
According to CEO Daniel Ek, the monetisation of podcasts remains a huge opportunity, and the company will start to look at it in 2020.
One option is to offer an automated advertising service for podcasters. The company announced a new product, Spotify Podcast Ads, at CES in early January, but it is currently limited to Spotify originals and exclusives.
The problem that’s solved with Spotify Podcast Ads is important for advertisers – who had no idea how their ads worked. They didn’t even know whether or not an ad they bought was being consumed by a listener. This innovative new technology introduces new targeting and interactivity, which is a big change for the industry.
The streaming ad insertion technology will allow Spotify to better compete with podcasting applications from Apple and Google.
The launch of Spotify’s new ad technology also comes at a time when the podcasting industry itself is undergoing significant change. Many podcasts today are actually just audio programmes, as they are only accessible to users of a streaming service – not the wider web.
General interest in podcasts is also on the rise.
The number of people listening to podcasts in the US each month is expected to reach 106 million by 2023, Spotify notes. At the same time, podcast advertising revenues are expected to reach more than $1 billion by 2021. Spotify does not disclose its podcast revenues, but in the third quarter of 2019, advertising revenues increased 29% year-on-year to $189 million – an increase that many attribute to podcasts.
Spotify’s progress in podcasting has been considerable so far, but this is just the beginning.


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Chat to our customer service using Yahoo Messenger
Call our Customer Service using Skype
Bali Discovery Tours
Sanur Raya No. 27
Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai,
Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
Tel: +62 (0)361 286 283
Bali Fax: +62 (0)361 286 284
24h: +62 (0)812 3819724
BALI UPDATE # 077 - 26 SEPTEMBER 1998
PRESIDENT HABIBIE DECLARES SKIES OPEN
Responding to the pleas from BALI PROMO and others,
to take dramatic and definitive steps to assist the National tourism industry,
Indonesia's President Habibie declared this week that foreign air carriers
will be allowed to enter all parts of the country.
The comments, made by the President during a short
impromptu speech last Thursday at the Indonesian Tourism Mart in Jakarta,
are very welcomed by BALI PROMO and the entire tourism industry in Bali
who have called for "open skies" to Bali.
Details of this new policy are now eagerly awaited.
TOURISM PROMOTION TO
BE TAX EXEMPT?
The President of the Republic, in comments made at
the same informal press conference, indicated that the monies spent on
the promotion of Indonesian tourism would soon become exempt from taxes.
Again, details are sketchy on how this plan will
be implemented, but many are hopeful that this step will allow the Indonesian
tourism industry to recover some of the 2% levy currently paid to Regional
Governments for the stated purpose of tourism promotion but in reality
diverted to the governments general budgetary coffers.
If, in fact, hotels, transportation companies, and
tour operators are allowed to declare tax exempt that part of their income
dedicated to tourism promotion, such a move would make available new
funds allow the national tourism industry the fund so desperately needed
This change in policy could also allow new financing
options for BALI PROMO for which funding still remains a fundamental
ENCOURAGING SIGNS FROM
THE INDONESIAN TRAVEL MART
The 5th annual Indonesian Travel Mart (TIME) has now
drawn to a close in Jakarta's Capital city after an uncertain start following
on the heels of the incidents of major social unrest there last May.
In what can only be seen as a vote of confidence
for Indonesia and it's long-term viability as a world tourism destination,
the market attracted some 137 buyers from 28 countries and over 25 foreign
journalists. On the seller's side, some 130 Indonesian tourism companies
representing 19 of Indonesia's 27 provinces were on hand to present their
Apparently, the entire event was upbeat which must
bode well for future business to the Country.
PANORAMA TOURS OFFERS
SPECIAL BALI PACKAGES
GRAY LINES Indonesia, operated by PANORAMA TOURS,
is offering exceptional package prices for Bali Holidays.
Each package is comprised of 12 nights accommodation,
buffet breakfast, airport transfers, 3 full day and 2 half day Gray Line
Tours, meeting service and Government tax.
Depending on the class of hotel used, the prices
(based on twin sharing) are truly exceptional:
Wina Cottage on Kuta Beach USD 159 per person
Rama Beach in Tuban (Kuta) USD 179 per person
Bali Safir on Legian Beach USD 189 per person
Risata Bali in Tuban (Kuta) USD 199 per person
Kuta Jaya Hotel in Legian USD 219 per person
Dewata Beach in Canggu Beach USD 229 per person
Radisson Bali in Sanur USD 239 per person
Elite Paradiso USD 259 per person
Melia Benoa at Nusa Dua USD 279 per person
Holiday Inn Bali Hai at Tuban USD 289 per person
Aston Bali at Benoa/Nusa Dua USD 299 per person
Patra Jasa Hotel at Tuban USD 299 per person
Bali Cliff at Ungasan Bali USD 299 per person
Single supplements are available as are additional
nights. GREY LINE also guarantee the best prices and will refund the difference
plus 20% from the difference if you can find a lower price anywhere.
How's that for a guarantee?
For more information or to make bookings contact
PANORAMA TOURS in Jakarta. Telephone (62 - 21 - 231 0333) or facsimile
(62- 21 - 385 6134/5) or e-mail <DMC@indosat.net.id>
HOTELS : A NEW WAY OF
DOING BUSINESS IN INDONESIA ?
The monumental devaluation of the Indonesian Rupiah
has impacted dramatically on the ability of many local hotel owners to
pay international management fees under the terms of existing hotel management
In a recent article in the Indonesian business newspaper
"BISNIS INDONESIA," Mr. Indra Setiawan, President Director of the Indonesian
managed NATOUR Hotel Group, is quoted as predicting that the current
economic crisis may cause many hotels to terminate their international
hotel management contracts and "go it alone" in the years ahead.
Fees paid to international hotel groups in U.S. Dollars
have, in some cases, become very burdensome to local hotel owners. According
to "BISNIS INDONESIA" their are 48 foreign hotel operators registered
in Indonesia managing 110 hotels with a total 26,259 rooms.
Over the past several months some 5 hotel contracts
have been broken for various reasons ranging from an inability to pay
management fees, to local owners feeling they can better manage and market
their own properties, to failure of international chains to meet owner's
Whether this trend will increase as the national
economic crisis continues is something that will be monitored by many
tourism professionals over the months ahead. No matter how you look at
it, change brings opportunity.
BALI UPDATES HAVE AN
Current and back editions of the BALI UPDATES
are now available via the WWW. If you've missed a recent edition check
out our archive at
you to Access Bali On Line
for making this service possible.


text:
You are here
Japan wants frictionless UK-EU trade after Brexit: ambassador
[LONDON] Japan wants Britain to have frictionless trade with the European Union after Brexit, its ambassador said Thursday, insisting a damaging no-deal scenario should be avoided.
Japanese companies are looking to expand their investment in Britain but are holding back due to uncertainty over Brexit, Koji Tsuruoka said during a talk in London.
However, he insisted Japanese carmaker Honda's decision this week to close its plant in Britain had nothing to do with Brexit.
"Frictionless trade, we fully agree with that. Whether that is through a customs union or other means is up to the negotiation," Mr Tsuruoka said on the Brexit talks.
"But the minimum that Japanese companies would like to pursue is an effective supply chain that goes beyond the borders of the UK and the EU."
Britain is heading towards leaving the EU without a deal on March 29 unless one can be struck between London and Brussels that British MPs can agree to, in the remaining weeks.
"I still believe there will be no no-deal, because no-deal is going to be extremely damaging and put many things on halt," the ambassador said.
"It can and should be avoided."
Nissan earlier this month axed plans to make its X-Trail sports utility vehicle in Britain, citing "business reasons" but also Brexit uncertainty.
"Unless you can anticipate what happens next, it's very difficult to make decisions that involve certain risks," said Mr Tsuruoka.
He said that since the boom of Japanese investment in Britain began in the early 1980s, Japanese companies had seen the UK as a springboard to export into the EU.
Forty per cent of the total Japanese investment into the 28-country bloc comes into Britain, he said.
"The amount of investment is not being reduced; it is being held back," said Mr Tsuruoka.
"Existing companies will look into expanding their business but all of these investments were put on hold because of the uncertainty."
From Brexit, "the challenge is to minimise the adverse effect or perhaps open opportunities for new markets."


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Legacy buys the Dome for £125m
The Government has accepted a £125m offer to turn the Millennium Dome into a high-tech business park. Legacy consortium, which is controlled by property developer and Labour donor Robert Bourne, wants the Dome to be at the heart of Britain's answer to America's Silicon Valley.
The distinctive canopy will not be torn down. Instead, the 'zones' inside it will be ripped out to make way for high-tech firms. New office blocks will spring up around the Dome, bringing thousands of jobs to the area.
Legacy was the last remaining bidder for the Dome, after the UK arm of Japanese bank Nomura pulled out of a deal that would have kept the site in use as a theme park.
Other potential bidders emerged, including one group that wanted to turn it into a concert venue, while Dome chief executive P-Y Gerbeau said on Wednesday that he would buy the building himself if no-one else wanted it.
Before this afternoon's announcement a Legacy spokesman said: 'We believe we have got a very good bid. It has been discussed in minute detail. We can see no reason why the Government should not give us the go-ahead today and if they don't they know they will probably see the back of us.'
The man who saved the Dome
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text: snydeq writes "Fatal Exception's Neil McAllister takes Microsoft's recently released Touchless SDK for a test spin, controlling his Asus Eee PC 901 with a Roma tomato. The Touchless SDK is a set of .Net components that can be used to simulate the gestural interfaces of devices like the iPhone in thin air — using an ordinary USB Webcam. Although McAllister was able to draw, scroll, and play a rudimentary game with his tomato, the SDK still has some kinks to work out. 'For starters, its marker-location algorithm is very much keyed to color,' he writes. 'That's probably an efficient way to identify contrasting shapes, but color response varies by camera and is heavily influenced by ambient light conditions.' Moreover, the detection routine soaked up 64 percent of McAllister's 1.6GHz Atom CPU, with the video from the Webcam soon developing a few seconds' lag that made controlling onscreen cursors challenging. Project developer Mike Wasserman offers a video demo of the technology."


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2013 Business, Leisure Travel Sees Continued Growth
Milwaukee County Leads the State in Tourism Expenditures
MILWAUKEE — (May 2, 2014) — In a kick-off to National Tourism Week (May 3-11), Governor Scott Walker made a stop at Miller Park today to announce the 2013 tourism economic impact statistics for the state of Wisconsin and Milwaukee County.
Joined by Secretary of Tourism Stephanie Klett, executives from the Milwaukee Brewers and President & CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, Paul Upchurch, Governor Walker reported that total business sales related to tourism in the state were $17.5 billion in 2013, up 4.36 percent from 2012.
Total business sales related to tourism in Milwaukee County, the largest tourism economy in the state, were estimated at over $3 billion in 2013, representing an increase of 4 percent over the $2.9 billion in 2012. Tourism-supported full-time jobs within Milwaukee County increased to 30,375, up 1.28 percent from 2012. Total labor income was $1billion, up 3.13 percent from 2012, and state and local taxes resulting from tourism business amounted to $210.68 million, up 3.65 percent from 2012.
The numbers are estimates from The Economic Impact of Tourism in Wisconsin, an annual tourism economic impact study commissioned by the state and conducted by Tourism Economics.
Total business sales related to tourism in the Greater Milwaukee Area (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties) came to an estimated $4.62 billion for the year, representing an increase of 4.6 percent over $4.4 billion in 2012. In addition, the tourism industry supported 48,588 full-time equivalent jobs, up from 47,998 in 2012. Tourism was responsible for contributing $1.48 billion in wages (up from the $1.43 billion the previous year) and contributing $319.49 million in local and state taxes (up from $308 million the previous year).
“After a very strong year in 2012, the tourism economy in the Greater Milwaukee Area saw continued strong growth in 2013,” said Paul Upchurch, president & CEO of VISIT Milwaukee.
VISIT Milwaukee hosted 288 conventions in 2013, an increase of 9.9 percent over the 262 conventions in 2012. These conventions brought in more than 582,701 attendees, an 8.6 percent increase over last year’s 420,618. More than $121 million in estimated economic impact resulted from these conventions,
VISIT Milwaukee markets Greater Milwaukee to tourists, and convention and meeting planners, both nationally and internationally. VISIT Milwaukee has approximately 600 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services and area businesses. Total business sales related to tourism amounted to $4.62 billion in Greater Milwaukee in 2013 and supported more than 48,500 local jobs. The City of Wauwatosa, Potawatomi Bingo Casino and the Wisconsin Center District are strategic partners with VISIT Milwaukee, providing funding support for conventions and tourism programs. For more information call 1-800-554-1448 or visit www.visitmilwaukee.org.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Visit Milwaukee
50+ exciting virtual events benefit local hospitality companies Jan. 15 - Feb. 28
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