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Official merch for top artists including Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, or Ariana Grande may have been made by workers at a San Diego silk-screening contractor who denied them the wages they earned for their work, found an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
According to the Department's Wage and Hour Division, San Diego-based King Graphics, a silk-screening and embroidery shop that's been in business for 20 years, violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) because it shortchanged workers of wages by failing to pay overtime at time and one-half the required rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
During a visit to King Graphics last fall, Wage and Hour investigators requested the company refrain from shipping a truckload of hot goods – items made in violation of the FLSA's minimum wage, overtime, or child labor requirements – including Britney Spears' T-shirts headed to Target stores and other clothes for sale at retailers like Aeropostale, Footlocker, Hot Topic, Kohl's, Pacsun, and Urban Outfitters.
Under the FLSA's hot goods provision, the Department can seek a court order to prevent the interstate shipment of these goods, which can apply to both the employer who made the goods and anyone in possession of them. King Graphics agreed to pay $10,473 to lift the hot goods hold.
"Celebrities, retailers, and manufacturers profit from T-shirts sold for $40 or more, while the low-wage workers who produce the merchandise work overtime to meet consumer demand and become victims of wage theft. The Wage and Hour Division will continue to hold employers accountable and use every available tool to ensure that workers are paid in compliance with the law," said acting administrator of the Wage and Hour Division Jessica Looman in a press release.
In April upon completion of the investigation, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California agreed to a judgment under which King Graphics agreed to shell out $134,957 in overtime pay and an equal amount in liquidated damages, a total of $269,914 to the affected 76 workers – which the merch maker will pay through a related class action brought by the employees. The company will also pay $10,473 in civil money penalties for the violations and has been ordered to hire an independent third party to monitor future FLSA compliance.
The division also investigated manufacturers who violated the FLSA by receiving and distributing hot goods from King Graphics. They include Solento Inc. in Encinitas, Bravado International Group in Hollywood, Civile Apparel LLC in San Diego, and Artists Merchants and Lasso Gear in L.A. The manufacturers submitted the requested records and assured the department they'll comply with FLSA to avoid future violations.
The dirty truth is that sweatshops and labor exploitation persist in Southern California. In L.A., cut-and-sew garment labor represents the second biggest industry. A 2016 U.S. Department of Labor investigation found pay violations in 85% of the L.A. garment shops it probed into. In addition to being paid as little as five cents per piece in some cases, garment workers have reported nonexistent safety training, excessive heat, locked exits, and pest infestation, according to Garment Worker Center.
On September 27, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the Garment Worker Protection Act, which aims to produce fair wages and improved working conditions for garment workers. The Act took effect on January 1, 2022.


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Comprehensive credit reporting has again come under the spotlight for its potential advantages and disadvantages for lenders and consumers alike. We look at what you should be watching out for with your credit file when the comprehensive credit reporting regime is instigated in the near future.
By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.
Last week, Head of Legal at Veda Advantage, Olga Ganopolsky defended the incoming positive credit reporting regime in Broker News, claiming the new laws would help to alleviate consumers inaccurately reporting their credit situation to lenders.
Ganopolsky argued that the wider array of information available in the new reporting regime will enable lenders to make more informed risk decisions. She claimed the regime carried a “strong link to responsible lending”.
“When research is done on bankrupts, the astonishing results were that more than 95% of people in bankruptcy were applying for credit virtually on the eve of bankruptcy. A lot of even solid credit individuals don’t provide accurate credit information. Just under 20% of people don’t accurately report,” Ganopolsky said.
Critics of the regime say it violates consumers’ privacy and places the burden of proof on consumers should lenders make a mistake. And though Ganopolsky claimed the regime would enable more responsible lending decisions, NSW Consumer Credit Legal Centre director Karen Cox has pointed out that a positive credit reporting regime existed in the United States during the subprime mortgage crisis,” Broker News reports.
The introduction of additional information onto consumer credit reports in Australia is unfortunately not going to impact consumers in a ‘positive’ way.
Unfortunately, the new comprehensive credit reporting regime just opens another door for creditors to inaccurately report information on consumer credit reports – but this time there is no forewarning.
The information can be recorded if payments are one day late. One of the major issues we have with the proposed new laws is the ability for creditors to list late payments on a person’s credit file.
Under current Australian credit reporting legislation, late payments are not noted on a person’s credit file until they pass to the ‘default’ stage – which is more than 60 days in arrears.
The creditor is also bound to fulfil a series of requirements to give the consumer the opportunity to rectify the situation before listing the default – and are bound to notify the consumer of their intentions to ultimately ‘list’ the late payment of 60 days or more as a default on the consumer’s credit file.
This legislation will remain, but the Government also proposes the introduction of the ability for creditors bound by the NCCP to make late payment entries on a person’s credit file if their payments are late even as little as one day.
So all the rigorous Australian credit reporting laws for listing defaults remain, except a creditor can now tarnish a person’s credit file with late payment ‘notations’, which would surely have a big impact on their ability to obtain credit. If the late payment of a few days is due to delays in bank processing of transfers or direct debits, paying at Australia Post, BPay etc. – these things are beyond the control of the average consumer yet that is exactly who will get hurt.
There can be a host of reasons why a consumer makes a payment late – illness, holidays even simply the mail going astray – but we don’t believe this reflects unduly on the consumer’s ability to service a loan – but will it?
In these harsh economic times, any negative listing impacts a person’s ability to get a home loan. Even excess credit enquiries. So the ‘noting’ of late payments on a person’s credit file could mean they are refused credit.
Creditors make mistakes every day when it comes to listing defaults and other official ‘negative’ listings on credit files. Luckily the consumer has an extensive legislative framework and system of redress should the creditor get it wrong and their credit file happened to be reported unfairly or inaccurately.
Who is going to be the watchdog when it comes to these late payment ‘notations’? As is currently the case, it is up to the consumer to check the accuracy of their own credit file. What system of redress will be in place if they find a creditor has listed a ‘late payment’ on their credit file unfairly or incorrectly?
We guess the old adage will remain – consumers will continue to be responsible for the information that is reported about them by creditors on their credit file.
With this in mind it will continue to be essential for consumers to check the accuracy of their own credit file on a regular basis – and particularly before they apply for any credit.
Refused credit? We can help!

domain: news


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Join gaming leaders online at GamesBeat Summit Next this upcoming November 9-10. Learn more about what comes next.
Ubisoft today released its earnings report for the first half of the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The publisher met its targets for the period, for which it thanks Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Far Cry 6, as well as the company’s back catalog.
The company reports net bookings for the second quarter of the fiscal year of $458 million (€392.1 million). This is a 13.8% increase from the same period in fiscal year 2020-2021 of $403 million (€344.7 million). However, the first half of the year in total had net bookings of $838.9 million (€718.2 million), which is down from $881.5 million (€754.7 million) from the first half of 2020-2021.
The company paid special attention to Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. According to Ubisoft, Valhalla is the second-largest profit generating game in the company’s history. It notes that the Siege of Paris expansion delivered “record engagement.”
It also noted that Far Cry 6 was accruing decent player numbers. It said that this game’s engagement is much higher than Far Cry 5. With its post-launch plans, Ubisoft anticipates it will be a strong performer in the holiday season.
Three top investment pros open up about what it takes to get your video game funded.
Watch On Demand
Ubisoft’s back catalog also apparently plays a large role in its popularity. Games like For Honor, The Crew 2, and Rainbow Six Siege are still getting player engagement even years after their launch.
Ubisoft also confirms it’s exploring blockchain, mentioning its recent participation in the recent funding round of Animoca Brands. It says of the technology, “This long-range exploration ties in with Ubisoft’s constant search for innovation and new ways to empower players as true stakeholders of its worlds. It also gives Ubisoft the perspective to reflect on the best ways to overcome blockchain’s initial limitations for gaming around sustainability and scalability.”
In other news, Ubisoft confirmed that three of its games would be pushed to a April 2022-to-March 2023 release window: Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake, Rocksmith+, and Tom Clancy’s The Division: Heartlands. Roller Champions is still expected to release this fiscal year, but Ubisoft is not factoring it into the guidance.


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Nigeria’s inflation: Pandemic or bad economic policy?
No one feels good paying more for the same. If this is a huge concern for you, you are certainly not alone. Inflation, the persistent change in prices in all sectors of the economy over a period of time is a primary concern to all, especially the poor.
This is because wages and salaries have not increased and it has reduced the buying power or disposable income of an average Nigerian. The rate of inflation in Nigeria from statistical figures and in practical terms seem scary, especially food inflation.
Nigeria’s annual inflation rate fell for the 7th consecutive month to 15.99% in October 2021 from 16.63% in September 2021 according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Some experts have postulated that these statistical figures do not represent reality in practical terms, especially food inflation. The rate of inflation in Nigeria has been attributed to bad economic policies or “Buharinomics” while some experts have suggested the covid-19 pandemic has been a major factor for this economic discomfort.
A bit of inflation is healthy for an economy, but it could also be a source of worry when it goes unchecked. The Central Bank of Nigeria is saddled with the responsibility of handling monetary policy (investment and savings), while the ministry of finance handles fiscal policy (government expenditure and taxation).
In the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting, the CBN retained all policy parameters. Cash reserve ratio at 27.50%, Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 11.50%, while liquidity ratio was 30.00%. This is to ensure that there are no policy distortions in the economy.
All these are factors that have a direct economic effect on inflation. Government policymakers have been busy with short-run policies to address these challenges. The covid-19 pandemic crippled economic activities, businesses and companies were shut down leading to heavy job losses in almost all sectors of the economy.
Recession, orchestrated by fall in oil prices in the international market, low taxation, worsen the economic plight of the government. While the Nigerian economy is gradually recovering, as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.03% in the 3rd quarter of 2021. It is worthy of note that the rate of inflation has been fueled by certain factors brought about by the aftereffect of the covid-19 pandemic.
Global demand has surged, just as oil prices have surged in the international market, as OPEC has refused to increase supply to meet demand, the price of crude oil per barrel has increased significantly, same has affected consumption as the rate of consumption surge has not been matched by supply chain, locally and globally.
The shortfall in demand and consumption during the closure of the economy as a result of a sit-at-home policy by the government has been responsible for high demand and consumption. Again, the loss of profit and capital by businesses and companies has made it necessary for their businesses and companies to devise a means to recoup the profit shortfall by any means possible, considering the lack of existence or ineffectiveness of a price control board.
The pandemic of the covid-19 magnitude has led to an increased cost of production. The high cost of raw materials, transportation, and electricity cost can also be attributed to the reason behind the inflation rate.
While we expect the global supply chain to gradually reverse to normal, businesses will transfer the high cost of production to consumers, which will lead to price hikes. High levels of insecurity in all the six geopolitical zones, especially the agrarian northern part of Nigeria, have led to price surges.
Food inflation is caused by the inability of farmers to go to harvest their crops and the high cost of road transportation because of insecurity, as this is a major medium of transportation for agricultural produce.
There are impacts from climate change like flooding, drought, pest, erosion, and rainfall imbalance. The rise in sea level and unpredictable rainfall have affected the dams that are a major source of power supply in Nigeria. The pandemic has also affected service sectors like the aviation and transport sector, tourism, hospitality management, banking, and other essential services because of covid-19 and Nigerians unwillingness to get properly vaccinated.
It is therefore important to note that the Nigerian economy is gradually recovering and witnessing self-adjustment. The covid-19 is becoming part of our social system with the discovery of more variants and insufficient vaccines. These distortions and shocks in the economy must not be left unchecked or allowed to re-adjust. There is a need for conscious and innovative policy solutions to address the factors aiding high inflation in Nigeria as listed above.
While covid-19 will take the blame over economic policies for the regressing Nigerian economy, government policy experts must rise to this occasion and stabilize growth and development in the economy.
Alikor Victor is a health and development economist


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The European Commission is coming under pressure to introduce ‘ambitious’ legislative proposals on vehicle data access, with a broad grouping of organisations including Leaseurope calling for action by Q1 2022. The current failure to agree common standards is holding back digital developments according to the coalition, which includes publishers of technical information, body repairers, dealers and workshops, garage equipment suppliers, tyre manufacturers, road patrols, parts distributors, leasing and rental companies, as well as consumers.
The ongoing lack of access to in-vehicle data and functions increasingly jeopardizes competition in digital products and services and the ability to provide customers, both consumers and fleet owners/operators, with the digital services they expect, the group argues.
It cites a recent TRL Study Report commissioned by the European Commission which says the root cause of these problems lie with vehicle manufacturers’ closed telematics systems. Another study, commissioned by the consumers organisation FIA Region I, showed that if this model would continue to establish itself, it could lead to consumers and independent service providers having to absorb additional costs of around €65 billion per year by 2030.
Latest statistics from CLEPA, the European Association of Automotive Suppliers, suggest that by 2025, 30% of the vehicle park will be connected.
The coalition says that after lengthy investigations and several postponements since 2018, the draft legislation should be put in the legislative loop no later than the first quarter of 2022 to have a chance to go through the complete ordinary legislative procedure. It warns any delay could risk the competitiveness and the survival of the 500.000 companies and 4.5 million jobs represented by its members.
The specificities, the complexity and the importance of the automotive market require a sector-specific legislation and cannot be addressed in the broader horizontal initiatives in the framework of the European Data Strategy. Leaseurope and the other bodies say the solution is to mandate a Secure On-Board Telematics Platform (S-OTP). The S-OTP is a set of requirements based on equipment which is already in the vehicle and on existing standards, involving no additional device. It puts the consumers in control, enabling them to freely choose which service providers have access to which technical data and for which purpose.
Only services which are independently assessed, tested, and approved could be chosen by the consumers, so this option is fully in line with the European Union’s objectives in terms of data privacy, cybersecurity, digitalisation, and enhancement of road mobility.
Sigrid de Vries Secretary General of CLEPA, said: “Innovation in this area requires that car data must be shared amongst the different economic actors. Fair and undistorted competition is a prerequisite to leverage Europe’s full innovation power in mobility services. Any privileged position in the data stream or in the flow of information between a vehicle and the next point of communication has the potential of limiting or even excluding market players from providing services. Regulating data access as planned by the European Commission can ensure fair and equal access for all providers to create a competitive market for the benefit of consumers.”


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Usdaw’s survey of shopworkers shows a 25% increase in violence, suggesting there are over 230 assaulted every day. Challenging shop thieves is a common trigger for violence and verbal abuse. The British Retail Consortium reported a doubling of violence against shop staff in their last annual Retail Crime Survey. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) reported nearly a million thefts from UK convenience stores in 2017, which is a 65% increase on the previous year.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says:
“The idea that shoplifting is a victimless crime is wrong. Theft from shops is often a trigger for violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. The rising trend in shoplifting is extremely worrying for our members, even though figures from last year suggest the trend may be levelling off. The evidence from retailers, police and our own survey of shopworkers all show a disturbing increase in retail crime. This cannot be allowed to continue, action must be taken.
“We have long been concerned that theft from shops is not taken seriously and sometimes regarded as a victimless crime with only large companies affected, but the reality for shopworkers is very different. Police resources are so stretched we are now have some chief constables reporting that their officers can no longer attend theft from shops incidents and they are asking shopworkers to detain shoplifters.
“Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough for many shopworkers, there needs to be government action to protect them. The police must have the resources from Government to respond to incidents and investigate shop thefts. We want the Government to legislate for stiffer sentences for the thugs that attack shopworkers. They have the opportunity to do that in the Offensive Weapons Bill and we hope they will support amendments being tabled by Peers.
“We want to see retailers, police and the courts working in partnership to ensure better protection for shopworkers. Retail staff are an important part of our communities; their role must be valued, respected and protected.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers)
is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 430,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 28% over the decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
Police recorded crimes in England and Wales – released 24 January 2019:
Interim results of the Usdaw’s 2018 survey
, based on 3,561 responses, show that in 2018 so far: 59.65% were verbally abused, 36.93% were threatened. 11.36% of shopworkers had been assaulted during their career, with 230 assaults per day during 2018. 58.80% of those who have been attacked or abused have never reported an incident. 16.88% who have been assaulted did not report it. The main reasons not to report incidents are: Won't make a difference 35.07%; don't know the procedure 9.18%; procedure too complicated 4.52%.
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news
and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion


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Tips to keep porch pirates from stealing your packages this holiday season
A warning from police for those ordering online this holiday season: Monitor your deliveries and get those packages indoors as soon as possible.
With more people ordering online, there are more opportunities than ever for thieves to get their hands on your gifts.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a record number of online orders this holiday season and with that comes the chance of having those packages stolen. Police are reminding people there are things you can do to prevent heartache.
Lou Gabriel, a registered nurse at Shock Trauma, and his wife, also a nurse, work long hours, but they never thought it would happen to them. They recently ordered a pair of tennis shoes for their son.
“They drop them off on the front porch. When we got home that evening, I had a notification that said that they were here -- weren’t there,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel's family had become yet another victim of porch pirates, thieves who are constantly looking for packages left at people's front doors.
“When we took a look at the numbers this year, we really expected to see a decrease in package theft but in fact, they’ve stayed pretty consistent with years past -- we’re only down about 5%,” Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llwellyn said.
Llewellyn said while more orders are being placed, more people are home as well but that doesn't seem to be stopping the theft.
“What we think is, perhaps, people are letting the packages sit on their front porches for too long even if they are home,” she said.
As far as prevention, police say one of the best deterrents is a doorbell camera.
“We do think the doorbell cameras (are) a deterrent not just a package to us, but from any types of crime that could happen around your home so they’re not a bad idea and if you are a victim, we can often use them to try and investigate the case,” Llewellyn said.
And that's the exact move the Gabriel's made after their experience.
“Since then, we really haven’t had any problems. We have put signs up for delivery men to put things on our back porch because it’s a little more isolated back there and a little more protected. Hopefully won’t have that problem again,” Gabriel said.
Another way to keep packages safe have them delivered to FedEx or UPS stores or simply have your neighbors pick them up.


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Telecom Lead America: 58 percent of American smartphone
customers use location-based applications, despite concerns about safety and
use of their personal information for marketing purposes.
ISACA said a telephone poll of 1,000 Americans shows that
many people are concerned about geolocation, which uses data from a computer or
mobile device to identify a physical location.
24 percent concerned about third-party use of personal
information for marketing purposes and strangers knowing too much about
For 21 percent, personal safety is the next biggest
concern. 43 percent of people do not read the agreements on apps before downloading
them, and of those who do read the agreements, 25 percent believe these
agreements are not clear about how location information is being used
Location-based apps can be tremendously convenient, but
also risky. People should educate themselves to understand how their data is
being used or know how to disable this feature,” said Marios Damianides, past
international president of ISACA and partner, Advisory Services, at Ernst &
ISACA said businesses that collect location-based data
have a responsibility to define an ethical governance policy and communicate it
Applications with geolocation capabilities offer benefits
such as precise navigation, location-based coupons or easy social check-ins. 32
percent of consumers in ISACA’s survey use location-based apps more than they
did a year ago.
Location-based activities most frequently done on a
smartphone, tablet or laptop are getting directions (59 percent), and tagging
photos on social media (44 percent).
38 percent respondents said the next most popular
activity is disabling location-based features on select apps and services.
According to ISACA, malicious use of geolocation data can
put individuals and enterprises at risk when information like gender, race,
occupation and finances is combined with geolocation tags.


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Sulzer orders down:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Sulzer Medica saw sales rise by 15% or 4% adjusted for acquisitions and currency translation, to SwFr1,183 million ($788 million). The Swiss company says that the current weakness in the US$ is unlikely to affect the 1998 results significantly. The parent company, Sulzer Technology, says that its orders dropped in the first nine months by 6%, or 4% when adjusted for currency fluctuations, to SwFr4,376 million.


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Chick-fil-A expected at Staunton Frontier
STAUNTON - It's not set in stone, but there is an approved site plan for a new Chick-fil-A in Staunton Frontier.
According to Ruth Turner, spokeswoman for the city of Staunton, the approved plan is for the store to be located at 100 George M. Cochran Parkway.
Staunton Frontier LLC plans to bring retail, restaurants and lodging to a 42-acre area off U.S. 250 and Frontier Drive on land adjacent to Sheetz. The anticipated development is across the street from another mixed use development called Staunton Crossing, which has nearly 300 acres available. Two hotels have already signed on for the Staunton Crossing location and is expected to bring multiple food options, large retail, a gas station and possibly high-end office buildings.
Chick-fil-A would not confirm the potential new location at Staunton Frontier.
"We are always evaluating potential new locations in the hopes of serving existing and new customers great food with remarkable service," said Brenda Morrow, spokeswoman for Chick-fil-A. "While we hope to serve the Staunton community in the future, we do not currently have any locations to confirm at this time."
Work is expected to begin on the entire complex after Thanksgiving, according to Ryland Winston, co-manager for Staunton Frontier. Businesses should be open in the first phase of the project by the winter, he said.
According to Winston, four out of five out parcels are committed to a retailer and three restaurants. Of those three restaurants, Bojangles' has already confirmed its Staunton presence at Staunton Frontier. Winston said they continue to have discussions with potential users on the fifth out parcel.
"We hope to have another restaurant lease that remaining out parcel," Winston said.
Staunton Frontier development moves forward
The first phase of the project, which originally had a groundbreaking set for March, would include five to six lots off U.S. 250 between the Sheetz and the railroad tracks near the Interstates 81 and 64 interchanges and the redesign of Cochran Parkway.
The second phase would encompass a shopping center, where the company is in search of an anchor store, Winston said. The shopping center would cover up to 300,000 square feet and require the demolition of the long-defunct DeJarnette buildings on Staunton's southeastern corridor. Discussions are also ongoing with a variety of retailers for Phase II of the project.
The west end: past, present and future
Follow Laura Peters@peterslaura and@peterpants. You can reach her at email@example.com or 213-9125.


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One of the largest Bitcoin exchange in the US has suspended trading citing “banking and regulatory issues” according to a statement on the company’s homepage.
According to Tradehill the suspension is temporary, but it hasn’t provided any specific timeline by which the trading may resume. The company has noted that it will be taking this suspension as a silver lining and in the meantime will upgrade its trading platform. The company has also noted that it is actively engaged in development of future business products and practices.
Tradehill’s announcement comes as a surprise as just last week it was reported that it was moving its accounts to Internet Archive Federal Credit Union (IAFCU) which would allow it to facilitate easier Bitcoin transactions.
Bitcoin has had its fair share of controversies with US authorities, in June, examining the use of Bitcoin and other virtual currencies with a fear that Americans might be using virtual currencies to evade taxes. Back in July, Thailand declared Bitcoin as illegal and suspended trading activities related to the electronic currency has been suspended indefinitely. India on the other hand isn’t too concerned about Bitcoin as of now and its Reserve Bank has revealed that there are no plans to regulate the virtual currency yet.
A US judge, earlier in August, ruled that Bitcoin is a legitimate form of currency and that it needs to be regulated and subjected to US laws. The US Senate Committee even sent out a letter to the Department of Homeland Security asking for advisories, guidance, policies and procedures related to Bitcoin.
Germany declared Bitcoin as a ‘unit of account’ – a kind of ‘private money’, which is eligible for use in “multilateral clearing circles.”


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The Belgian Mediahuis has invested 40 million euros in the online university book platform Perlego
In an interview with Belgian weekly Knack, Perlego co-founder and CEO Gauthier Van Malderen casually mentioned that the company had recently received new funding including a €40 million investment from the company. publishing of newspapers and audiovisual media Mediahuis, providing a valuation of approximately 250 million euros. .
While Mediahuis denies the figure, the investment falls under the thesis of the company’s venture capital arm, edtech, and it should be noted that Thomas Leysen, who owns major shares and is the chairman of MediaHuis, is on Perlego’s cap table since participating in a Series A round in November 2019.
In 2020, the big textbook company generated $7.85 billion in revenue in the United States alone. Having experienced the crushing financial reality of the cost of the textbooks themselves and witnessing firsthand the efforts of students to meet course requirements; the not-so-legal process of photocopying, or second-, third-, or even fourth-hand book purchases, Perlego co-founders Van Malderen and Matt Davis set out to build a better mousetrap.
Just as Spotify set out to achieve the unachievable in the music industry, shifting its decades-old practices to a new model, Perlego is also trying to do the same in the academic publishing industry. Through a monthly or annual subscription, Perlego users have access to some 800,000 titles on over 900 different topics and subtopics from over 6,000 publishers.
Like many edtech companies, the pandemic has spurred Perlego’s growth at a breakneck pace, with Van Maldren reporting to the Evening Standard that in the 12 months since March 2020, subscriber numbers soared 1222% . Demonstrating this strong growth, the company recently famous the addition of its 100th member to the team
Previous Perlego investors include Alex Chesterman, founder of Dedicated VC, Zoopla and Cazoo, Simon Franks, co-founder of LoveFilm, Charlie Songhurst and Brent Hoberman and Henry Lane Fox’s Founders Factory.


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Sales of small crossovers in Europe continue their booming growth curve in 2019 with another double digit gain in the second quarter. An increase of 11% to 612.000 sales brings the first half tally to 1,18 million sales, which means this segment already accounts for 14,2% of the overall European car market, up nearly two percentage points in a single year. That also means this segment is now larger than the compact car segment (the “Golf class”) to become Europe’s second largest segment after the subcompact cars. No wonder manufacturers that are not playing in this class yet are rushing to join the party, while existing brands are doubling down on their efforts. As a result, it’s not only one of the biggest segments in terms of volume, but also in the number of players, with no less than 29 and another handful of newcomers arriving this year. After flamboyantly taking the lead in the first quarter, the Volkswagen T-Roc is knocked back down into third place by two Renault Group models, the Renault Captur and Dacia Duster. The Captur reclaims the lead of the segment it has held since 2014, even though the model’s second generation will be arriving in showrooms soon. The Duster meanwhile enjoys it best quarter ever, averaging just shy of 20.000 monthly sales, an incredible performance from the no-nonsense brand. The T-Roc is therefore relegated into third place, and it will be interesting to see how this three-way battle unfolds in the second half of 2019. Will the Captur have a similar change-over to the new generation as the Clio or will there be a hiccup in deliveries? Will the Duster continue to impress or will it (finally) run out of steam? Will the T-Roc strike back or will it suffer from internal competition by the T-Cross and new generation Golf?
Sales of small crossovers in Europe continue their booming growth curve in 2019 with another double digit gain in the first quarter. An increase of 11% leads to nearly 570.000 sales which means we’re very likely to see over 2 million sales in this segment this year for the first time ever. This segment already accounts for 14% of the overall European car market, up another two percentage points in a single year. That means this segment is closing in on the compact car segment (the “Golf class”) to become Europe’s second largest segment after the subcompact cars. No wonder manufacturers that are not playing in this class yet are rushing to join the party, while existing brands are doubling down on their efforts. As a result, it’s not only one of the biggest segments in terms of volume, but also in the number of players, with no less than 29 and another handful of newcomers arriving this year. And we also have a new player on top of the charts, with the Volkswagen T-Roc beating its rivals to the #1 spot just a year after its launch. It now holds 10% of the segment, but the former leader Renault Captur is not far behind, just 1.000 sales separate the two models and the Captur still manages to increase its sales despite having the second generation ready for launch in the second half of this year. As a result of that model change, the T-Roc looks set for a full-year victory to knock the Captur of the top spot it held for five years.
After briefly stabilizing in 2017, sales of small crossovers in Europe continued their booming growth curve with a 29% increase in 2018, to 1,94 million. As a result, this segment now accounts for 12,6% of the overall European car market, up almost three percentage points in a single year. Undoubtedly, over 2 million small crossovers will be sold in Europe in 2019, and it could very easily become the second largest segment after subcompact cars, but overtaking compact cars (the “Golf class”). It’s not only one of the biggest segments in terms of volume, but also in the number of players, with no less than 28 models by the end of 2018 and another handful of newcomers arriving in 2019. Meanwhile, the Renault Captur celebrates a fifth consecutive year on top of the ranking and remains the only nameplate in the segment to sell more than 200.000 copies per year, and it has done so for three years in a row without any rival coming close, even with a second generation coming out this year. In fact, the Captur’s closest rival in 2018 comes from its own ranks: the Dacia Duster sets a new annual sales record for the third straight year, improving an impressive 24% on last year’s record. Still, the Duster also loses share as that is less than the overall segment growth. The Peugeot 2008 sees stable sales, just like the Captur, but manages to stay on the podium despite losing almost 3 percentage points of share, again: just like the Captur.
Sales of small crossovers in Europe took a pauze of their booming growth in recent years. The segment grew by 5% in 2017, to just under 1,51 million units, or 9,7% of the total market, up from 9,5% in 2016. In Q4, volume was up 14% again thanks to new brands entering the segment. The entire top-5 showed single digit growth or declines, indicating the growth is indeed fueled by new entrants. Even with a 2% decline and a resulting one full percentage point of share of the segment, the Renault Captur still rules and is the only nameplate in the class to sell over 200.000 units. Its closest rivals are still the Peugeot 2008 and Opel/Vauxhall Mokka, both with a 3% increase, although the latter was down by 15% in Q4, potentially from internal competition from the newly launched Crossland X, landing at #14 for the year after taking 6th place in the fourth quarter. The new generation Dacia Duster has started sales early 2018, but the outgoing version managed to show a 4% increase last year after a 13% gain in Q4. This is a new annual record for the nameplate. One of the models that made this segment popular Nissan Juke is down 6% but manages to leapfrog the Fiat 500X to reclaim 5th place even though it is one of the oldest models in the class. [Read more…]
The small crossover segment in Europe has definitely hit a ceiling as sales were up just 4% in Q3 even though a slew of new models has been launched during the past few months. For the first nine months of 2017, the segment is up by just 3% to a record 1,13 million sales. As those new entrants gain traction with deliveries, the segment should continue its growth into 2018, but logically even when the absolute growth stays strong, as the segment gets bigger it will get harder to keep up those double digit figures of recent years. After a 12% loss in Q2, segment leader Renault Captur is down by just 2% in Q3 thanks to its facelift. However, the #2 Opel/Vauxhall Mokka was just 1.700 sales behind this quarter, closing in on the YTD #2 spot by just 77 sales. For now, the Peugeot 2008 still holds that second place, but it was down by 12% in the third quarter and was almost down to 4th place as it outsold the Dacia Duster by only 1.500 units. The Duster returns to the black even though its replacement has already been revealed. YTD, the top-5 is relatively stable, including the Nissan Juke, despite being one of the oldest models in the segment. [Read more…]
Sales of small crossovers in Europe are starting to plateau after booming growth in recent years. The segment grew by just 5% in Q2 and is now up 10% in the first half, to a record 853.391 units. However, as the segment leader has just been facelifted and a whole bunch of new models are ready to enter the segment, expect the growth to continue for the rest of this year and next. The Renault Captur is down for the first time in its career, losing 12% in the second quarter and 6% year-to-date, as the facelifted version is just making its way into the showrooms. Its segment leadership remains uncontested, as it still sold more than any other model in both quarters. Still, its closest two rivals, the Peugeot 2008 and the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka continue to grow and therefore the top-3 is getting closer to each other but also distancing themselves from the rest of the segment. In 4th place we still find the Dacia Duster, which is stable but therefore loses a full percentage point of share compared to the first half of 2016.
The small crossover segment continues to boom again outgrowing the overall market by a 2-to-1 ratio at +16% to 435.000 sales. The small crossover segment is already almost as large in terms of unit sales than the compact and midsized crossover segments combined. And new models will continue to enter the segment, so don’t expect this growth curve to flatten anytime soon. Meanwhile, the Renault Captur holds on to the segment leadership it has held ever since its launch, but does so by the skin of its teeth. With sales virtually stable as a facelift is imminent, the Captur feels the already facelifted Peugeot 2008 breathing down its neck thanks to an 18% increase, now just 1.200 sales behind the leader. In third place we stil find the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka X, up 12% and distancing the top-3 players from the rest of the segment.
After more than 1 million small crossovers and SUVs were sold in Europe in 2015, this remains one of the fastest growing segments with an increase of 16% to 1,4 million sales in 2016, more than half the volume of the subcompact hatchbacks, Europe largest segment and the models on which most of these crossovers are based. The growth is mostly fueled by recent model introductions, as proven by the fact that the entire top-4 loses share of the segment. Still, only two models in the top-10 lose volume in 2016, although that figure doubles to four in the last quarter. As expected, the Renault Captur holds on to the segment lead and becomes the first small crossover to sell over 200.000 units annually in Europe. More surprisingly, the Captur manages this performance without having been updated since its launch while its two closes rivals have been facelifted in 2016. Of these two, the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka sees stable sales and loses its second place to the Peugeot 2008, the fastest growing model in the top-4.
Sales of midsized crossovers in Europe have grown at more than double the speed of the overall market in the first three quarters of 2016: +18% vs. +7,5% as new brands and models keep entering this highly competitive class. After being outsold by the small crossover segment in Q2, the midsized models rebound in Q3 and also pass the 1 million sales mark in the first nine months, a figure it took all twelve months as recently as 2014. In a sign of consolidation, all top-8 models gain volume, of which only two with less than 2 digits, while the following 9 modles all lose volume, #9 to #12 with single digits and #13 to #17 with double digits. The Nissan Qashqai is stable, which means it loses share of the segment, from 19,4% last year to 16,6% this year, but 2016 will be the 9th consecutive year the Qashqai leads the segment. However, next year may offer a change of guard, as the Volkswagen Tiguan was only 4.200 units behind in Q3 and even outsold the Nissan in August.
The midsized crossover segment in Europe has grown at double the speed of the overall market in the first half of 2016: +17% vs. +8,8%, but it was still outsold by the small crossover segment for the first time ever in Q2. Nonetheless, sales of midsized crossovers are expected to continue increasing, as new brands and models keep entering this highly competitive class. The increased competition takes away some share from the segment leader Nissan Qashqai, but so far no other model can come close to challenging its leadership. Its closest rival of last year, the Volkswagen Tiguan suffered from a model changeover and has dropped to 4th place, making room for the two South-Korean sister models to step onto the podium. Even the all-new Renault Kadjar outsold the Tiguan in Q2, but the VW is likely to strike back in the second half, when deliveries of the new generation gain traction. As a result of these new or updated models, the Ford Kuga loses two spots on last year to become a distant #6 despite growing 22%.


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It is always fun trying to guess what Android’s latest operating system is going to be called. Some of the letters haven’t always been as easy as others. Android P had a number of different choices like Pop-Tarts, Popsicle or pound cake. Android O was a little bit more challenging, but the company finally revealed it was going to be Oreo, thanks to a partnership with Nabisco.
So when the company started to work on Android Q, it was a mystery how they were going to name that one — and the results are a bit disappointing. Ending the era of delicious sweet treats, Google has decided to rebrand Android and simply call Android Q Android 10. Granted there aren’t any real popular sweets that start with Q that come to mind, but it’s still a bit sad to think Android will no longer indulge in dessert with us.
The company’s reasoning is that the names don’t translate well in other parts of the world. “For example, L and R are not distinguishable when spoken in some languages. So when some people heard us say Android Lollipop out loud, it wasn’t intuitively clear that it referred to the version after KitKat. It’s even harder for new Android users, who are unfamiliar with the naming convention, to understand if their phone is running the latest version,” Sameer Samat, VP of product management for Android, wrote in a post. “As a global operating system, it’s important that these names are clear and relatable for everyone in the world. So, this next release of Android will simply use the version number and be called Android 10.”
Not only that, but to go along with its new name the brand is getting a new look. It’s almost like Android went on a diet and is transforming. The new logo changes the Android name from green to black in order to make it more easily readable for people with vision impairments. Thankfully, the robot will stay. “The robot belongs to everyone in the community, and has long been a symbol of the fun and curiosity at the heart of Android. Now, it has a special place in our logo,” Samat wrote.


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Over the past two years, Lincoln has gotten by with the MKS, MKZ and MKX accounting for the bulk of their sales. They have also had the tried and true Town Car along with the MKT and Navigator but their three most popular vehicles were the most recently refreshed MKS, MKZ and MKX – all of which are close relatives to popular Ford models (the Taurus, Fusion and Edge, respectively). While these luxury level vehicles have helped Lincoln stay above water since Mercury was killed off, some critics complain that they are too much like their less expensive siblings from Ford.
According to Automotive News, Ford’s global product chief Derrick Kuzak has explained that by 2014, there will be seven new or improved models for the Lincoln brand – with some of those new models set to debut this year. These improvements will include new engine and transmission technology along with sheet metal revisions that will allow them to stand apart more clearly from the Ford models with which they share their underpinnings. Also, Lincoln could benefit from some new models based on new global platforms that would help expand their offerings to prospective customers.
First off, the current heavy hitters from Lincoln (MKS, MKZ, MKX) will new exteriors in the next few years to help them stand out from the Ford models on the same platform. The MKZ and MKX will receive new sheet metal (and front/rear fascias) that will make them look less like the Ford Fusion and Edge – although we can expect them to retain the familial grille and headlight look that we see across the majority of the brand – with both revised models being based on Ford’s global mid-sized platform. The flagship Lincoln MKS will receive a similar exterior redesign to that seen on the MKZ and MKX, helping it to differ more from the Ford Taurus. While the next MKS will look less like the Taurus, it will still share the drivetrain and undercarriage which means that it could receive the EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine expected to hit the Taurus lineup in the next few years.
Next, the Lincoln MKT could go a variety of directions over the next few years, beginning with a minor refresh to the interior and exterior for the 2012 or 2013 model year. The MKT currently sits between the large Lincoln Navigator and the more compact Lincoln MKX and although a slight refresh is planned in the next couple years, the future may be grim for this model. Ford has reportedly considered killing it off due to less than stellar sales in favor or something based on the popular Ford Explorer. Lincoln could end the MKT as we know it to make room for the Explorer based luxury SUV but they may also keep the MKT around for limousine duty.
In addition to the possible new Lincoln sport utility vehicle based on the Ford Explorer, the luxury arm of the Ford Motor Company is also expected to see at least one new model based on the global compact platform found in the new Ford Focus. This platform will underpin a wide variety of new vehicles in the US market with the upcoming C-Max joining the Focus, so it would make good sense to see an upscale compact SUV in Lincoln showrooms soon. There are also rumors that Lincoln could get a compact car based on that same platform that could amount to a reskined, high end version of the Ford Focus.
Last but certainly not least, the Lincoln Navigator is expected to receive the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 currently offered in the Ford F150 EcoBoost. This high tech and high powered V6 engine has made the Ford F150 one of the most fuel efficient and most capable trucks in the half-ton pickup segment so applying the EcoBoost technology to the Lincoln Navigator could amount to a high end luxury SUV will tons of cargo space, passenger room and towing capacity in a fuel efficient package.
It is expected that at least some of these models will make their debut – at least in conceptual form – during the upcoming auto show season so within the next few months we could have a good look at the future of the Lincoln brand.
Other Ford News:
TorqueNews drives the 2012 Ford Explorer Ecoboost
The 2012 Ford Explorer EcoBoost models to yield 20/28mpg
The 2012 Ford Edge EcoBoost gets 30mpg
Ford’s V6 pickup sales continue to boom led by EcoBoost
TorqueNews review of the 2011 Ford F150 FX4 EcoBoost
Design chief says next Ford Mustang will be all American muscle
Source: Automotive News


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Cyberattacks, a permanent danger to all businesses in business
Cybersecurity firm Check Point Research said in a report that no active company is 100 percent protected from potential computer attacks.
According to an analysis conducted during the year 2019, the firm found that nearly 28% of companies worldwide were nearly or by-way infected with malicious botnets. 20% of these companies have been attacked by ransomware.
This article will also interest you: The lack of trust between business and security service provider is a vulnerability for a potentially compromised system
The cybersecurity report produced by the company Checkpoint, specialist worldwide, highlights the fragile security of the world available overall, global companies. If no company is safe, it is only because the strategies used by hackers are not only are they becoming more sophisticated, but it turns out that they are most little known by the companies themselves. So Checkpoint will reveal in its report trends that most often accompany attacks.
1- First, cryptocurrency extractors
These computer programs are becoming more and more dominant in the world of cyber malice. If a decrease in their activity has 2019, this was surely due to a decline in the value of cryptographic currencies. However, this did not prevent nearly 38% of companies around the world have been infected with this kind of cryptocurrency extractor programs in just one year (2019), compared to 37% in 2018. Of course, cryptocurrency extractors are less dangerous to companies, however, they generate significant revenue for cyber criminals who could use it for even more damaging attacks.
2- The continued growth of botnets
As mentioned above, more than 28% of global companies have by botnets. In 2019 there has been an increase in more than 50% compared to 2018. One of them botnet of the moment is nothing but Emotet, because of the its feature that makes it easy to stream other programs malware through corrupted e-mail messages (spam). But he there has also been a definite evolution in the botnets of e-mail broadcast with a tendency to use sextortion.
3- The striking force of ever-changing ransomware
2019 was named the year of ransomware. The less precautions a company takes, the more vulnerable it is to increasingly violent attacks. This was particularly the case with several companies in 2019 that unfortunately tasted this rather bitter cocktail. What you need to know is that hackers don't attack any business and any way. Indeed, they take care to observe, to study their future victim with the aim of detecting every security flaw, every vulnerability, every human defect. This makes these attacks tend to succeed with disconcerting ease at first glance. but basically it was months of work that hackers had to develop to get to the result. Now is the time to do the opposite to prepare but also to anticipate potential attacks of this kind. For 2020 promises to be eventful in terms of ransom programs.
Now access an unlimited number of passwords:


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CETEM participates in the main European network for promoting the circular economy through sustainable consumption
The Technology Centre of Furniture and Wood took part in the first meeting in Brussels of the COST ECO4ALL Action, whose main objective is to promote responsible consumption.
The Technology Centre of Furniture and Wood (CETEM) continues to play a prominent role in driving the circular economy in Europe. Specifically, on November 7th, it participated in the first meeting of the Management Committee of the COST ECO4ALL Action in Brussels. The main goal of this initiative is to empower consumers in the circular economy by promoting understanding of sustainability, resource conservation, and waste prevention.
The ECO4ALL project, which will extend over the next four years, involves the participation of 27 countries in its management committee and more than 200 participants in working groups, demonstrating the scope and importance of this initiative.
There is only one planet Earth, but by 2050 the world will consume as if there were three of these planets. According to various estimates, global consumption of materials such as biomass, fossil fuels, metals, and minerals will double in the coming years, and annual waste production will increase by 70% by 2050. A circular economy is the most logical solution to these problems, but these measures must be taken collectively among different states. Measures such as waste prevention, ecological design, and reuse could save money for EU companies and, at the same time, also reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are numerous difficulties regarding the effective implementation of responsible consumption, as it requires greater clarification of which products and services are considered circular.
CETEM continues to advocate and commit to promoting innovation and sustainability in the European industry. The experience and knowledge accumulated over the years with other projects such as FURN360, INSIGHT, or the recent NewEcoSmart have positioned CETEM as a benchmark in the search for sustainable and efficient solutions in resource management.


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The United States has some of the most visible and outspoken healthy eating and vegetarian markets. These consumers are by no means the majority, but because of all the awareness and programs that they’ve advocated for, more companies are paying attention and are looking to accommodate healthier eating.
It’s because of these efforts that more and more people are turning to healthier and more conscious eating practices in general like being more aware of meat intake, choosing to eat more greens, and using gluten alternatives.
Join us in this article by Ashker’s Buffalo as we explore the different trends for healthier eating this 2023.
Getting more nutrition in different parts of our diets
Many people who fall under the umbrella of vegetarians made it a point to add more vegetables and plants into their diets in the 2000s and 2010s. This could mean anything from eating more salads, substituting traditional pasta noodles for strips of cucumber or offering more plant-based options to popular foods like the other plant variations of potato chips such as kale chips.
Those methods have become more of a mainstay when it comes to vegetarianism in the 2010s, but thoughts have started to evolve around this idea recently. Vegetarians have become more conscious about the nutrition they get from their diets. For example, we’re now seeing a push for more nutritiously dense green smoothies and more consciousness for ratios in proteins, fibres, and minerals for meals.
It’s great that the trend has shifted from simply adding vegetables to now being more open and conscious of the various points of nutrition that our bodies need and how to adjust a diet for it.
Plant-based meat and foods becoming more visible in supermarkets
It’s no secret that supermarkets used to stock few health-based food products on their shelves. Vegetarians and people with dietary restrictions had limited options for healthy breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners that were tasty and fit their needs. This is most probably because there wasn’t a big or obvious demand for it back then. Who could blame them when, back then, “healthier eating” meant having a stale veggie pattie that was frozen and unappetizing?
We’re glad to say that supermarkets and groceries today are changing their tune when it comes to stocking plant-based, alternative diet, and healthier food options for people. For example, frozen food shelves will make way to place plant-based meats next to actual meat products.
More attention and awareness for gut health
Many people in the healthy-eating community didn’t pay much attention to gut health back then, but that’s been changing in the 2020s. Lots of influencers and advocates for gut health in The United States have become more vocal and showed support for foods that help promote better gut health. Promoting these types of topics has helped shed light on diets that help address bloating, cravings, and gastrointestinal issues.
Some of the biggest examples of foods that are good for the gut area mostly pertain to fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha drinks. These fermented foods are talked about often because of the probiotic elements that they have which help the health of the gut microbiomes in a person’s body. As a result, these have helped with some issues that people have like food bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, and even acne.
Choosing to eat healthier? Make the switch with Ashker’s Buffalo!
It’s through the outspoken effort of many people like nutritionists, healthy-eating advocates, vegetarians, and eaters with dietary restrictions that more diets are visible and available in markets. Their feedback and stories show others that there are people like them that will let organisations like food companies and groceries know that there’s a whole other market of people to cater to. In doing so, many of the food and healthy eating trends we see today in the States are more diverse and healthier than they were before.
If you’re looking to make the switch to healthier eating, see what trends you loved the most and apply them with meals from Ashker’s Buffalo.


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Apple Receives Approval to Sell Two iPhone 6 Models in Thailand
Takorn Tantasith, Secretary General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in Thailand, announced earlier this week that the agency has approved Apple's application to distribute two iPhone 6 models in the country, reports Manager Online [Google Translate]. The Secretary also tweeted word of the approval from his @TakornNBTC Twitter account.
Apple reportedly filed the import application on August 5 and received certification of equipment and a written approval notice on August 8 for two iPhones with model numbers A1586 and A1524. According to government regulations, these approvals must be announced publicly, but details on the iPhone 6 handsets referenced in the documents remain sealed.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 in early September with retail sales to follow in the weeks following the announcement. Apple reportedly is prepping two iPhone models, with a 4.7-inch version slated to launch first this fall and a 5.5-inch version that could launch either alongside or up to several months later than the smaller version.
An application for approval in Thailand over a month prior to the device's expected introduction is unusual and suggests Apple may be planning for a very large number of countries in the initial wave of launches. For the iPhone 5s, Thailand was part of the second wave of launches that took place on October 25, 2013, and the company reportedly did not apply for approval in the country until September 16, 2013.


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According to a research from Counterpoint's Market Pulse for July 2017, Huawei has surpassed Apple in global smartphone sales for the first time. The research also notes that Huawei is now the second largest smartphone vendor globally, after Samsung.
Counterpoint's Research Director Peter Richardson attributes Huawei's success to its strong foothold in home market China, consistent investment in R&D and manufacturing as well as aggressive marketing. Besides, with the way Huawei is going about in the market, researchers predict strong sales in August for the Chinese vendor, and a hat-trick for Huawei could be on the cards as well.
"While this streak could be temporary, considering the annual iPhone refresh is just around the corner, it nevertheless underscores the rate at which Huawei has been growing. However, a weak presence in the South Asian, Indian and North American markets limit Huawei's potential in the near-to mid-term to take a sustainable second place position behind Samsung. Huawei is over-dependent on its home market China where it enjoys the leadership position and operator-centric markets in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East," Richardson said while discussing this key competitive development.
He further added, "This is a significant milestone for Huawei, the largest Chinese smartphone brand with a growing global presence. It speaks volumes for this primarily network infrastructure vendor on how far it has grown in the consumer mobile handset space in the last three to four years. The global scale Huawei has been able to achieve can be attributed to its consistent investment in R&D and manufacturing, coupled with aggressive marketing and sales channel expansion."
According to Counterpoint's Associate Director, Tarun Pathak, who was talking about future prospects and other findings, said that Chinese smartphone brands cannot be ignored and in fact they have taken leadership positions in key markets like China, Europe, Asia, and Latin America which has restricted the growth prospects for leading global brands such as Samsung and Apple. "Chinese brands are growing swiftly thanks not only to smartphone design, manufacturing capability, and rich feature sets but also by out-smarting and out-spending rivals in sales channels, go-to-market, and marketing promotion strategies," noted Pathak.
Mr. Pathak, also added, "Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi have successfully gained access to key supply chain partners, which has allowed them to launch designs with bezel-free, full displays, Augmented Reality, in-house chipsets and advanced camera features, that have kept them toe-to-toe with rivals. These players have become as equally important as Samsung or Apple to the global supply chain, application developers, and distribution channels, as they continue to grow in scale more rapidly than the incumbent market share leaders."
Talking about the best-selling models in the month of July, Oppo has been one of the fastest growing brands globally thanks to its popular R11 and A57 smartphones - the third and fourth best-selling smartphones respectively globally. World's best-selling smartphone models remain Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Other devices include Samsung Galaxy S8, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X, and Samsung Galaxy S8+.
"While Huawei climbed to world's second largest brand overall, it is surprising to see none of its models break into top ten rankings. This is due to a multiple SKU portfolio that currently lacks a true hero device. While having a diverse portfolio allows Huawei to fight on multiple fronts, it does little to build overall brand recognition, something Huawei badly needs if it continues to gain share," senior Analyst, Pavel Naiya said.


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HBO Max’s Smart TV apps were less than reliable to say the least, but WarnerMedia seems poised to make a difference. WarnerMedia anonymous executive speaking To Vulture claims the HBO Max team will replace all of its Smart TV apps with new versions within “the next four or five months.” Roku and PlayStation owners will receive updated apps first, and Apple TV users by the end of 2021. Mobile and web viewers will have to wait until early 2022.
Existing applications suffer from a number of serious flaws, from broken playback controls to forgotten settings and slowness. Roku users faced more issues than most with freezes and crashes that sometimes rendered the HBO Max app unusable.
The issues reportedly stem from WarnerMedia’s attempt to launch HBO Max in May. While many competitors have built their streaming apps from scratch, the current HBO Max app is a redesigned version of the software designed for HBO Go and HBO Now. It was built to meet high demand, but it was not designed to cope with a growing global audience broadcasting much more than Game of Thrones…
The HBO Max app update is expected to provide both a modern foundation and, importantly, room for growth. The unnamed executive said the new app won’t be much different at first, but should include more “complex” interface updates, as well as new and updated features.
To be precise, this could be important for the long-term future of HBO Max. The TV streaming space is increasingly filled with competitors like Paramount + and Peacock, which are joining mainstream operators like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. You can easily lose interest in HBO Max if buggy apps spoil the experience, no matter how engaging the content might be – and this will be especially important when WarnerMedia stops releasing new films on the service.
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ORGANISERS of a charity auction are hoping to ‘score’ big thanks to a star lot.
Castle Galleries in Stratford has given Heart of England Mencap a limited edition photograph of Brazilian footballing legend Pele to go under the gavel at its auction this weekend.
Signed by the man himself, it is worth over £500, and is also accompanied by a special Pele book.
The auction takes place in Leamington on Saturday (November 25) – all to raise money for Heart of England Mencap and the local people with learning disabilities which the charity supports.
Proceeds will be used to purchase sensory equipment for Heart of England Mencap’s Complex Needs Centres, including the Fordsfield Centre in Leamington, where the auction itself will take place.
Equipment will also be purchased for Brookbank in Stratford, where auction organiser George Anderton works.
The auction has also received the support of Warwick Castle, the RSC and Stratford ArtsHouse, all donating tickets, as well as members of the public taking the chance to have a clear out for charity or donating promises – from help with the ironing to washing cars.
Viewing starts at 11am on the day, with the first lots going under the gavel from noon. Auction paddles cost £1, with hot drinks and bacon or veggie baps also available.


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The House is expected to take up the measure Wednesday. Sens. King and Collins haven’t said whether they will support impeachment.
- Counselors from agency that praised Black Lives Matter barred from Hancock County Jail
- Man pleads guilty in conspiracy to kidnap Michigan governor
- Little ice on Kennebec River system delays smelt season
- Maine Grains issues recall on 2,000 pounds of food product
- Baby panda makes debut – online – at National Zoo
- Hello world! on


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Pregnant Rihanna Shines Bright Like a Diamond at Fenty Beauty Event
Shine bright like a diamond, mom!
Rihanna certainly sparkled at an event celebrating the launch of her Fenty Beauty brand at ULTA Beauty in Los Angeles Saturday, March 12. The pregnant singer, who is expecting her first child with A$AP Rocky, wore a long sleeve, silver twisted crop top and a matching sparkling column maxi skirt.
She accessorized her growing baby bump with a delicate silver chain, and also sported a silver bracelet and diamond hoop earrings. Rihanna completed the look with a high ponytail.
Rihanna did a little shimmy as she arrived at the event, as spectators cheered, as seen in an Instagram video posted by Fenty Beauty. “Mama came through at @ultabeauty with that #FENTYFACE and glow on,” read the caption.
Rihanna has taken maternity fashion to the next level since she revealed her pregnancy in late January with a stylish street photo shoot with A$AP Rocky.
The star later showcased more gorgeous maternity looks at another Fenty event in February and on her Instagram.


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Amazon Taking Prime Now to Canada
Prime Now rollout in Vancouver and Toronto
Amazon (AMZN) is expanding its fast delivery service Prime Now to Canada. According to reports, Amazon intends to initially roll out the service in Toronto and Vancouver. The rollout is expected to begin later this year, with Vancouver first in line for a likely November rollout. Toronto may get Prime Now service in January 2018.
These two Prime Now rollouts will be on a pilot basis. If Amazon is impressed with the outcome of the pilot program, it will consider rolling out Prime Now more broadly in Canada later in 2018.
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Is Prime Now going places?
Prime Now allows Amazon Prime shoppers to receive their orders within two hours. In Canada, Prime subscription costs $79 Canadian per year (about $63), compared to $99 in the United States (SPY). Amazon’s plan shows that Canada would soon join other countries such as the United Kingdom (EWU), Japan (EWJ), and Singapore with Prime Now service.
The planned launch of Prime Now in Canada is viewed as part of Amazon’s push into groceries, a segment of the retail business that has been slow to move online.
Eye on Canada’s grocery industry
According to Nielsen, about 1.9% (or $2.0 billion Canadian) of Canada’s $103.0 billion grocery spending was online in 2016. The firm predicts that 5.3% (or $6.0 billion Canadian) of Canada’s grocery spending will be online by 2020. The chart above shows the flow of Canada’s grocery spending to online.


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TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Limelight Networks (Nasdaq:LLNW), a leading content delivery network (CDN) for digital media, announced that it will release financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2007 after the market close on Monday, November 5, 2007.
In conjunction with the report of financial results for the third quarter, management will conduct a conference call scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST) on November 5. To participate in the conference call, please call toll-free 877-574-8878 (or 706-634-6364 for international callers) approximately 10 minutes prior to the start time. You may also listen to the conference call live via the Internet at www.llnw.com or www.earnings.com. These websites will also host an archive of the call.
The company further announced that it has filed a Current Report on Form 8-K to amend previously filed financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2006 and the quarter ended March 31, 2007, as well as an amendment to its previously filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2007. As explained in a news release of October 11, 2007, the company determined a need to restate previously filed financial statements to reflect higher historical revenue and improved historical losses for the year ended December 31, 2006 and the quarters ended March 31 and June 30, 2007. These filings can be located via the SEC Filings link in the Investors section of the Company's website at www.llnw.com or on the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov/.
About Limelight Networks
Limelight Networks is a high-performance content delivery network for digital media, providing massively scalable, global delivery solutions for on-demand and live Internet distribution of video, music, games, software and social media. Limelight Networks' infrastructure is optimized for the large object sizes, large content libraries, and large audiences associated with compelling rich media content. Limelight is the content delivery network of choice for over 1,000 companies, including many of the world's top Internet, media and entertainment companies, including Microsoft Xbox Live, Sony Playstation 3, Akimbo, Amazon Unbox(TM), Belo Interactive, Brightcove, "BuyMusic" @ Buy.com, DreamWorks, LLC, Facebook, FOXNews.com, IFILM, ITV Play, MSNBC.com, NC Interactive and Valve. For more information, visit www.llnw.com.
Source: Limelight NetworksContact: Limelight Networks Matt Hale Chief Financial Officer 602-850-5000 or Silverman Heller Associates Phil Bourdillon/Gene Heller 310-208-2550


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This time, it is Nocturn Chrysalis’ turn.
Jester King Brewery has opened an online lottery for 1.5 liter bottles of 2017 Nocturn Chrysalis, a 6.1 percent ABV barrel-aged wild beer that has been refermented with Marion blackberries.
Customers are able to enter their names once at this link for the chance to be able to purchase one of the bottles, and the lottery will end tomorrow at 8 p.m. CST. Winners will be notified by Dec. 1 at 10 p.m. CST, and will have until Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. CST to pay for the bottle via a link that will be sent via email. Finally, winners will have to pick up their bottles during the brewery’s regular business hours by Dec. 24, or the purchase price will be refunded and the bottle will be sold to another person.
The lottery system was announced in July after 150 1.5 liter bottles of Atrial Rubicite were sold for the first time on a first come, first serve basis, with 50 bottles each released on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Jester King asked customers to not show up at the brewery until after sunrise, but there were reports and social media posts indicating that people were on the property as early as 2:00 a.m. on each of the days the bottles were being sold. The brewery then released 170 magnum bottles of its 2017 分 桃—pronounced Fēn Táo—earlier this month.
According to Jester King, there are 175 1.5 liter magnums of 2017 Nocturn Chrysalis available priced at $75 each, and there will be no proxies allowed.


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Probiotoc drink maker Yakult Danone India is expecting India to be one of its leading market on global scale in the coming years as the company is enhancing its sales network.
According to a PTI report: Yakult Danone India, a 50:50 JV between Japan based Yakult Honsha and Groupe Danone of France, has roped in Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty as its brand ambassador as it plans to promote health benefits about the product.
Besides, the company, which has so far invested Rs 350 crore to set up a manufacturing facility in Sonepat, Haryana has plans to invest further to enhance its production capacity, said MD, Yakult Danone India, Minoru Shimada.
On being asked whether India would be among top 10 global markets for Yakult, Shimada told PTI: “Currently, it is not but of course India has a high potential to be one of the best markets of the world. Not only because of the population but also due to support of Government also”.
He was further quoted by PTI as saying: “India with a population of more than 1.2 billion ranks very high in our list of priorities.”
The company also has plans to expand its footprint beyond the leading metro markets as it is expecting that the refrigeration facilities in those Tier II and III markets would improve in coming years.
“Currently, we are focusing only on metropolitan cities and since the brand needs expansion, we are going to phase to phase expansion,” Shimada was quoted by PTI as saying.
He further told PTI:” With the celebrity endorsement, it would help us to accelerate in some more cities as Tier II & III cities”.
Yakult Danone India has currently present in 14 metro markets. It has 19 sales office and has plans to add some more to expand its distribution network.
“We would add 2-3 more sales office in couple of years,” he was quoted by PTI as saying.
Presently, the company has production capacity to produce 1.6 lakh bottles per day and is going to increase it further as it is expecting demand to go up.
“We would expand the production capacity by 30 to 50 per cent in couple of years,” he told PTI, adding that presently it is manufacturing 1.6 lakh bottles of 65 ml every day.
However, he did not shared the amount which the company would invest in its Sonepat facility.
Besides, Yakult is also considering to export its probiotic drinks to neighbouring countries as Sri Lanka and Nepal in coming years.
“Our product shelf life is very limited like other products. We have not exported from here but there is possibility to export to neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Nepal,” he told PTI.


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Three Black teens, Mekhi Lee, Dirone Taylor and Eric Rogers II were trying to shop for their prom at a Nordstrom Rack store in Brentwood, Mo when they said they were being followed by store employees.
They told KMOV, when they left the store, the local police was waiting for them in the parking lot. The police said the store accused them of theft, but were eventually cleared of the allegations.
Nordstrom Rack president apologizes to 3 black men wrongly accused of theft https://t.co/OZdVu4CiRN
The teens said they even went out of their way to buy something at the store as they were being pestered. “We made the purchase to show them that we’re equal and we didn’t have to steal anything,” Rogers said.
Another shameful incident of Black customers being accused of criminality just for being Black.


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Israeli startups raised nearly $700 million in July, according to press releases issued by tech companies. The figure may be more as some companies prefer to remain in stealth and not to publicize the investments they have received.
After raising a record $8.3 billion in 2019, according to IVC-ZAG, which easily surpassed the record $6.4 billion raised by Israeli tech companies in 2018, and $5.24 billion in 2017, 2020 began strongly with $5.25 billion raised in the first half of 2020. Thus the $700 million raised in July brings the total for the first seven months of the year to almost $6 billion, well on course to surpass last year's record amount, despite the Covid-19 crisis. In some instances, financing rounds by tech companies that facilitate remote working and healthcare and cybersecurity, have been boosted rather than hampered by the pandemic.
Nine companies raised two thirds of the amount. Taxi hailing app Gett led the way in July with a $100 million financing round, blood count device company Sight Diagnostics raised $71 million, while medical imaging company Nanox raised $59 million and SaaS cloud company OwnBackup raised $50 million. Sales tech company Chorus.ai raised $45 million, robotic solutions company Ecoppia raised $40 million, data discovery company Explorium raised $31 million, cybersecurity company CyCognito raised $30 million, and digital farming company Taranis raised $30 million.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 2, 2020 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2020


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Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd.
(JLRIL) has announced that the most advanced sports saloon, the all-new Jaguar
XE, will be launched in India on February 3, 2016 in 2 petrol derivatives; with
147 kW (197 bhp) and class leading 177 kW (237 bhp) power output. Jaguar
retailers are now formally accepting bookings of this new addition to the
Jaguar product portfolio in India.
The Jaguar range in India
includes F–Type (starting at Rs 1.26 crore in CBU form) and locally
manufactured XF (starting at Rs 47.7 lakh) and XJ (starting at Rs 97.2 lakh).
All prices mentioned are ex – Mumbai (Pre Octroi). Rohit Suri, President,
Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd said: “The All-New Jaguar XE displays levels of
innovation never seen before in this segment. Coming from an impeccable lineage
of extraordinary Jaguar sports saloons, we are confident that XE’s thrilling
performance and dynamic design will set a new standard for excellence and will
be a game changer in the segment. The launch of All-New Jaguar XE in petrol in
February this year will flag-off our journey to enter into a new territory and
mark a significant milestone in the expansion of Jaguar’s product offering in
Tyre major Ceat has partnered with MG Motors India for the launch of the MG Comet, the newest electric vehicle (EV) in India. As part of this partnership, Ceat will provide tyres for the MG Comet with...
Hyundai Motor India Limited has showcased exciting new 1st in segment features of Hyundai Exter. Customers can soak in the sights with smart electric sunroof while also capturing and chronicling memor...
Within the main technologies introduced at Auto Shanghai 2023– booth located in Hall 1.2H, Stand 1BF015– Marelli is presenting for the first time its “In-Cabin Advanced Technology Showcase”. This is a...


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PARIS — Christian Dior Couture’s upscaling drive is bearing dividends.
Strong growth in all product categories and geographical sectors helped propel a double-digit rise in revenues at the company in the six months ended June 30, Dior chief executive officer Sidney Toledano said.
Revenues totaled 747 million euros, or $1.02 billion at average exchange for the period, during the company’s fiscal second half, up 13.4 percent versus the period between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2013. At constant exchange rates, sales were up 17 percent during the period, Toledano said.
“The positioning of the brand at a very high level is bearing fruit in a market with strong demand for very high-quality products and very high-quality service to match. This quality-based strategy is paying off today. Even at a more difficult time for the industry, it has allowed Dior to gain market share,” Toledano commented.
RELATED STORY: Dior Couture Sales Rise 13.4% in First Half >>
The French fashion house said profits from recurring operations jumped 47 percent during the six-month period to 84 million euros, or $115.2 million. Dior last year changed the closing date of its fiscal year to June 30 from April 30 previously.
“The productivity of the store network and the great success of the products allowed us to strongly improve our profitability despite important investments in retail and communication,” the ceo said.
The Dior results were published late Friday as part of the results of Christian Dior SA, the parent company of the Dior fashion house and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Due to a miscalculation by WWD, the percentage changes were incorrect in the print edition of the paper Monday.
Toledano noted that sales in directly operated stores, which represent the bulk of the brand’s revenues, rose 19 percent at constant exchange rates compared with the same period in 2013.
“This reflects strong double-digit growth everywhere,” he said, noting the brand registered strong growth in the U.S., Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Mainland China. Sales in Japan were up double-digits at constant exchange rates, he added.
Toledano noted customers were responding positively not only to the women’s ready-to-wear collections designed by Raf Simons, but also to the men’s rtw line created by Kris Van Assche and the high-jewelry creations of Victoire de Castellane.
Women’s rtw, men’s rtw and leather goods all posted double-digit growth in the fiscal second half, with standouts including new versions of the Lady Dior and Diorissimo handbags. Watches were stable during the period, reflecting a sharp slowdown in demand in key markets such as Hong Kong and China.
In the fiscal year ended June 30, Christian Dior Couture recorded sales of 1.5 billion euros, or $2.04 billion, up 14 percent in reported terms and 19 percent at constant exchange rates. Dollar figures are calculated at average exchange rates for the period to which they refer.
Profit from recurring operations rose 38 percent in the 2013-14 fiscal year, while the operating margin increased to 12.7 percent from 10.5 percent in the prior-year period, Toledano said.
In the last year, Dior has opened stores in locations ranging from Venice to Chengdu, China, and it is in the process of renovating and expanding scores of boutiques worldwide. Among the openings planned for the next few months are stores in New York’s SoHo and Melbourne, Australia.
To coincide with the store opening in Chengdu in late May, Dior staged “Le Petit Théâtre Dior,” a traveling exhibition of miniature reproductions of haute couture creations, which drew close to 100,000 visitors between May 31 and June 20 at the Chengdu IFS mall, according to Toledano.
A separate exhibit on the Miss Dior fragrance in Shanghai drew more than 80,000 visitors between June 20 and July 20, he noted, adding that earlier in the year, Dior staged its first haute couture show in Hong Kong and presented the men’s collection in Shanghai.
The Dior results come on the heels of what analysts described as a disappointing first half for LVMH, which reported that revenues rose 1.3 percent but net profits fell 4.3 percent.
The luxury goods sector faces a relatively tough period as organic growth slows in regions stretching from Europe to Japan, analysts say.
Barclays Capital forecast in a recent report that luxury goods companies’ operating margins would fall between 40 and 280 basis points in the first half due to slower like-for-like sales and the impact of foreign-exchange variations.
Companies including Hermès International, Burberry and Swatch Group have warned that negative currency impacts could dent their results for the full year.


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Several of the Balloon team visited NetSuite SuiteConnect 2016 earlier this week.
Held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London, the theme this year was “Make Bold Happen”. The overall message from SuiteConnect 2016 was that the cloud has changed everything. It has accelerated global competition and has forced companies to rethink their business models. To meet that, NetSuite can transform businesses of any size and with any business model, and brings the agility and flexibility necessary to thrive in today’s rapidly changing business world.
Mark Woodhams, Senior Vice President and MD, NetSuite EMEA, opened the proceedings by telling us how NetSuite EMEA has grown rapidly. Five years ago there were just 35 employees, based in the UK, and now there are 900 across the UK, The Netherlands, Spain and the Czech Republic.
And today, worldwide, NetSuite has nearly 5,000 employees and had a 2015 financial year revenue of $741m. It is the fastest growing top 10 financial management system globally and the number one cloud ERP.
Woodhams declared, “We help big companies act small and help small companies act big”. He then introduced some guest customers that are using NetSuite to fuel their expansion.
Nathan Furr, Prof of Strategy & Innovation at business school INSEAD was a compelling guest speaker at SuiteConnect 2016. His presentation was “Hybrids: Tools to Conquer Change”.
He observed that there is much “disruption panic” because companies feel they need to “disrupt or be disrupted”.
But he wants companies to take a slower approach to transformation. He judges that there is only a certain amount of performance that the average customer can absorb. They don’t use the full functionality of their technology or devices. For the average customer, that’s more than they need. Yet the established companies are chasing that high end of tech progress because they make money making the next new feature or bringing the next innovation to market. And these incumbents usually win that battle. Yet, disruption comes in when a company can disrupt that mainstream product or technology. Incumbents are so focused on improving the existing product that they miss that new niche or disruptive business model.
And so, he explained, over time the new entrants usually win. In hindsight, the disruptions appear fast and certain and the failed companies look slow and stupid. We tend to use our past experiences and want to adapt right now. But there are dangers in doing this. When we look back on history, those large companies that failed had wanted to innovate, but they jumped in too early because of their fear of the disruption. They then got their fingers burned and waited, but ended up waiting too long.
Furr explained that new entrants to markets who are looking to disrupt should take time to make their mark, because change takes time. For example, when Edison invented the light bulb, it made the gas companies up their performance five-fold, meaning that electric light took another 12 years to take hold.
So, in looking to adapt, Furr’s proposition is that companies should look to hybrids to bridge the leap from existing to newer technology.
Innovators can combine pieces or elements into a hybrid and from that they will learn more about the new technology, how it works and how it can be used. Examples he gave were the hybrid cloud and the Microsoft Surface.
But, Furr explained, hybrid products are not the only approach. Hybrid business models can be profitable too. For example, shifting away from transaction-only methods of purchase to subscriptions or a freemium model. Or offering products on a fee basis such as Hilti the power tools company does. In this way, companies can reap the rewards of ongoing, high margin monthly payments rather than the traditional model of product sales, which brings lower revenue in the form of one-off payments.
With many more case studies – such as Apple developing the App Store; the creators of the Half Life game developing the games distribution platform Steam; and Qihoo, the anti-virus software developer building an extensive software sales platform – we certainly found out how “hybrid business models are a bridge to the future”.
Finally, Zach Nelson, CEO took the stage to address the SuiteConnect 2016 audience. Nelson’s presentation centred around how cloud is the “last computing platform”, and how, therefore, in the ERP arena, NetSuite is the ultimate software solution.
There were some impressive statistics:
- NetSuite is approaching a billion dollar run rate. Only three companies in world have done this on a subscription basis.
- 30, 000 companies, subsidiaries and organisations use NetSuite and it has customers from all industries.
- There are 4 million logins into the system every quarter.
- 9 trillion bytes of data are added to the system every day.
- There are 260+ certified apps available for NetSuite developed by the partner network.
Nelson had three lessons for the audience:
Lesson 1 – every company is a cloud company
As a cloud company, by only delivering your products differently, you can build a larger customer base. For example, newspapers now have global subscriber bases of millions, rather than local customers of thousands.
Lesson 2 – the power of cloud is data aggregation
With paper-based companies, you could never have done what can be achieved with cloud-based data integration. All the successful companies, like LinkedIn, Facebook, GoPro, Lyft and NetSuite, have put data mining at centre of the application.
Lesson 3 – cloud enables entirely new capabilities
The cloud actually makes it easier to solve lots of the complex business problems. For example, functionality that allows for world for “multi company, multi currency” is easier to deploy in the cloud than it is to deploy physical servers across the globe.
If you take companies such as Amazon, eBay and Google, for example, these are business models that were not possible without the cloud. There are tons of everyday applications that wouldn’t exist without the cloud.
Nelson went on to illustrate how business models are changing, and how there are new markets, new pricing models, new products, services and bundles, and new sales channels. NetSuite is a single platform that is able to deal with all business models.
The point of Nelson’s presentation was to show that “The Cloud is the last computing platform”. We have gone through mainframes, to client servers, to the cloud. And he reiterated that “cloud is the last disruption”. Companies that leverage cloud, he said, will be the winners in their industry. And they will go on to win for 100 years, not just 20 years.
And to add to that, he warned that if you are not building your own business model in the cloud, you are probably going to be a five-year company, not even a 20-year company.
After the keynotes and lunch, there were focused breakout sessions to improve NetSuite expertise and to learn about the latest advances, and the day finished with cocktails and more networking.
NetSuite SuiteConnect 2016 cemented our beliefs that NetSuite is a dynamic, forward-looking and exciting company to work with and that the product is one that will continue to deliver great value to our clients.


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It's very short, only 40 seconds or so. It took place last week, when one of the founders of Sofft, Vinod Nair, attended an event at Stanford for start-up entrepreneurs. He ran into a student Alex Teichman who was intrigued with the stain repellent product -- and like a good college student had his cup of wine handy. (Hey, this is Northern California. Beer is not the only college drink of choice.) Alex said that if Sofft really worked, he'd make a pledge.
Here's the result. And he posted it on his Facebook page and got a bunch of comments.


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How can a business law firm help small businesses innovate?
Consistent with the findings of major global studies, research into how Australian business leaders have survived the global pandemic suggests innovation is the key to small business resilience.
How did small businesses innovate through the pandemic?
A survey of more than 3,000 business and IT executives across the Asia-Pacific has found that 45% of Australian businesses believe that the pandemic gave them an opportunity to innovate.
The Microsoft-International Data Corporation study reported that 69% of Australian organisations are currently undergoing some form of digital change to future-proof their business activities. According to the report, the most common areas for transformation were digitising the supply chain, creating digital payment processes, adding digital products and services, and finding ways to automate existing business functions.
Out with the old business model, in with the new
In Europe, McKinsey surveyed 300 CEOs to understand why some companies fared better in response to the pandemic than others. Almost half the senior executives admitted that the global crisis revealed weak points in their business model, leaving them vulnerable to competition. Significantly, 75% reported that their most successful initiative was to change their business model along one or more of the following lines:
- Migrating physical products and services to digital ones, to meet the needs of consumers and clients suddenly based at home
- Joint ventures, in which complementary service providers team up for a new service – seen most frequently in partnerships between technology and healthcare vendors
- Supply chain adjustments, to limit inventory while managing reliable distribution
- Introducing new sales methods, most visibly in contactless delivery and QR menu codes for ordering meals
Mindset: the key starting point for SME business model innovation
At a recent webinar for the Australian Institute of Company Directors, BDO Australia’s Head of Strategic Innovation, Tanya Titman, said:
“It’s not about spending a lot of money. It’s actually about shifting mindsets and empowering your people to think differently. You have the ability to try different things and see what works and actually evolve your business model into the future.”
Start with a plan
Nicholas Martin, Partner, Advisory at BDO Australia recommends developing a plan for rebuilding your business that’s done with some tough conversations at the board or executive level.
To do that, Martin says, first identify what worked during the crisis. “Then we need to identify what are the four or five things that we need to embed within the organisation and how we do that? And importantly, how should we measure it?”
A list of key considerations for small businesses considering changing their business model is available on the AICD website.
Any decision that affects your business has legal implications. Contact us today to help secure your business for whatever tomorrow brings.