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ALBANY, N.Y. (January 20, 2015)-- NY State of Health, New York’s official health plan marketplace, today announced that between January 20 and January 31, Form 1095-A Health Insurance Marketplace Statements will be issued to consumers who enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) through the marketplace in 2014.
A requirement of the Affordable Care Act, Form 1095-A is a new federal tax form that must be issued by state marketplaces for consumers to use when filing their federal tax return. Over 300,000 forms will be mailed by January 31 to households that had one or more family members enrolled in a QHP through the marketplace at any point during 2014.
“The 1095-A process is new this year and we want consumers to know that NY State of Health is here to help them understand these new forms. As with any new process, we expect that consumers will have questions and, in some cases, adjustments will need to be made in the data reported,” said NY State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore. “Over the past several months, NY State of Health has worked closely with its customer service center, certified in-person assistors and with New York’s Consumer Assistance Program - Community Health Advocates - in preparation for helping consumers with this new process.”
Each form will be accompanied by a cover letter, in both English and Spanish, which explains the purpose and content of the form. NY State of Health accountholders will also receive forms in their secure mailbox.
Nearly 75 percent of consumers who enrolled in a QHP through the marketplace in 2014 were eligible for Advanced Premium Tax Credits (APTCs) to reduce the monthly cost of coverage. APTCs were based on projected 2014 income at the time of application and, under federal rules, consumers must now reconcile the amount of tax credit they are eligible to receive based on actual 2014 income when they file their federal tax return. Form 1095-A provides the information needed to complete this task.
Form 1095-A will also be sent to households that did not apply for tax credits, were not eligible for tax credits at the time of application, or were eligible and choose not to apply them. This provides these households with a final opportunity to claim a premium tax credit. Form 1095-As are not required and will not be sent to consumers who enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, a catastrophic plan or a stand-alone dental plan offered through the marketplace.
To help consumers, NY State of Health has done the following:
- Set-up a webpage on the NY State of Health website dedicated to information about Form 1095-A, including copies of the cover letters, sample forms in 8 languages, FAQs and toll-free telephone numbers for consumers. This information is available at http://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/TaxCredits.
- Established a specially trained group of 150 NY State of Health customer service representatives to respond to questions specific to 1095-A Forms. A toll-free telephone number will be included in the cover letter.
- Through the support of federal grants, Community Health Advocates has added trained staff to assist consumers with questions about Form 1095-A and general questions about the APTC’s. Consumer Health Advocates will also prepare educational materials which will be made available online.
- Worked with tax preparation services throughout the state to prepare to help consumers with the reconciliation process.
- Provided additional Form 1095-A training for certified in-person assistors and tax preparation services throughout New York State
“As we assist consumers with their 2014 tax credits, we also want to remind New Yorkers that the February 15, 2015 deadline to enroll in coverage for 2015 is fast approaching,” Frescatore continued. “We encourage those who have not yet shopped for or enrolled in coverage to visit the NY State of Health website, call our customer service center, schedule an appointment with an in-person assistor, or attend one of our community events near them including our Sign Up NY mall tour taking place across the state through February 15, 2015.”
Events can be found at http://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/events.
About the NY State of Health Marketplace
New York opened its Health Plan marketplace, NY State of Health, on October 2013. The Marketplace’s one stop health insurance shopping experience offers high quality comprehensive plans for consumers to choose from. NY State of Health is the only place where consumers can qualify to get help paying for coverage through premium discounts or tax credits. The NY State of Health Small Business Marketplace for employers with 50 or fewer employees is open to enrollment throughout the year. New Yorkers can also enroll in public health insurance programs through the Marketplace all year. For more information about the New York State of Health exchange, please visit https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/ or call Customer Service at 1-855-355-5777.
Contact: New York State Department of Health
518 474 7354, ext. 1


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A Google Glass app for medical professionals raises more than $7 Million. The creator, a San Francisco start-up named Augmedix, gears the app towards doctors. It allows doctors to cut down on paperwork by recording their patients’ exams. Afterwards, the doctor can use voice commands to pull up information. By cutting down on paperwork, medical professionals can be more efficient. Augmedix is a certified partner of Google’s Glass At Work program
Newslines lets you create cool news timelines about your favorite people and products. Register now!

domain: news


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A plane crash in Californiahas killed three employees of Tesla Motors, the electric car venture led by privatespaceflight pioneer Elon Musk, according to local news reports.
The twin-engine Cessna crashedinto a residential neighborhood in East Palo Alto, Calif., and was bound forHawthorne Municipal Airport in Southern California, according to KTVU Channel 2news. No injuries on the ground were reported.
Tesla Motors has a designstudio in Hawthorne, which is also home to Musk?s Space ExplorationTechnologies (SpaceX)company. Musk is the CEO of Tesla Motors, which is developing ahigh-performance electric family sedan called the Model S.
Early reports suggest theplane took off in heavy fog, with mechanical failure or poor visibility mostlikely causing the crash, according to news reports.
The Los Angeles Timesreported that Tesla Motors officials could not immediately confirm theidentities of the plane?s passengers.
"I can?t confirm any of the details,"Tesla Motors spokesperson Khobi Brooklyn told the Los Angeles Times.
Entrepreneur Elon Musk co-foundedthe online payment service PayPal and founded SpaceX in 2002 to buildcommercial rockets capable of launching payloads into orbit.
SpaceX has successfully launchedthe two-stage Falcon 1 rocket to orbit five times, most recently in 2009 with acommercial satellite aboard.
The commercial spaceflight firmis currently preparing for the debut launch of its larger Falcon9 rocket, which is designed to launch an unmanned Dragon cargo ship intoorbit to ferry supplies to the International Space Station for NASA.
- Video- SpaceX: Vision for Manned Dragon Spaceship
- SpaceXAims to Launch New Space Station Cargo Ship in 2010
- CommercialSpaceflight: Big Decade, Big Future


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Hewlett-Packard’s first WebOS-running smartphone looks to be a Palm Pre 2.
SFR, the second-largest mobile carrier in France, touted the device on its Website Oct. 12, before apparently noting its faux pas and pulling the page-though not before PreCentral.net grabbed a screenshot.
The Palm Pre 2, looking quite a bit like the original Pre, is said to feature a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, a flatter screen-PreCentral guesses that means glass-a more intuitive user interface, a faster boot time, an “overlayed” view of related applications, and a redesign of the Palm App Catalog. It will also run webOS 2.0, which will features “push integration.”
The QWERTY keypad design also appears less recessed, and a PreCentral reader with sharp eyes points out that the Palm Pre’s USB door has been replaced with an exposed microUSB port. SFR offered no details on pricing or a release date.
Since HP’s announced $1.2 billion acquisition of Palm in April, the PC manufacturer has made no secret of its plans to introduce numerous mobile form factors running a version of the Palm-created operating system, webOS. Both a tablet PC and smartphones are reported to be are among the planned devices. Eric Cador, senior vice president in HP’s PSG (Personal Systems Group), recently offered a hint at the expected timeframe for the latter, saying HP will begin introducing smartphones in early 2011, Reuters reported Oct. 6.
During Palm’s Aug. 19 earnings call, Todd Bradley, executive vice president of PSG, also said a webOS-based device would be coming at the turn of the calendar-though at the time, many expected he was referring to HP’s tablet PC, a version of which is also expected to run Microsoft’s Windows 7.
“You’ll see us with a Microsoft product out in the near future and a webOS-based product in early 2011,” Bradley said during the call.
On Oct. 11, Microsoft released its Windows Phone 7 platform on several smartphones from Taiwan-based phone-maker HTC, as well as Dell, LG Electronics and Samsung. Microsoft imposed several hardware requirements on its manufacturing partners, including a “pane of glass” form factor.
Palm fans literate in French may want to give the SFR screenshot another read. PreCentral, working to glean any additional details, reports that in the unedited image name, SFR also gives away the Pre 2’s internal codename: Roadrunner. Which is hopefully the most telling detail of all.


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Befitting its rather dull core business of storing documents in huge warehouses, the recent success of Restore (LSE: RST) seems to have flown under the radar of many retail investors. But because of the necessity of its core business for a variety of professional industries, from accountants to solicitors, Restore has returned nearly 400% to investors over just the past five years.
Judging by the firm’s year-end trading update released this morning, these index-walloping returns could be set to continue for a long time to come. This is because the company continues to build on its market-leading position in document management while also consolidating the fragmented markets for related professional services such as document shredding, IT asset disposal and toner recycling.
The trading update provided no firm figures but disclosed the business was continuing to make good progress and that sales, profits and earnings per share would all be significantly ahead of last year. This is no surprise when considering the company’s H1 results, in which organic growth and acquisitions led to revenue rising 57% to £86.9m and EBITDA increasing 59% to £19.5m.
Looking forward, I wouldn’t be surprised if this level of top line growth slowed significantly in 2018 as Restore’s management focuses on integrating a slew of recent acquisitions and works to lower net debt levels of around 2x EBITDA. But with plenty of scope to improve margins and cash flow, and also plenty of acquisition targets out there in a fragmented industry, I believe now could be an interesting point to begin a stake in Restore at a sane valuation of 22 times forward earnings.
Growth has never tasted so sweet
Another high-growth stock I’ve got my eye on is speciality ingredients manufacturer Treatt (LSE: TET), whose share price has risen 420% over the past decade. This growth has been driven by management repositioning the business as an innovation-led developed of flavours and scents used in everything from tea to soap and haircare products.
And within this overarching category of speciality ingredients, Treatt has benefitted immensely from its expertise in all natural citrus flavours. Sales of these ingredients have been rocketing in recent years as consumers have shifted towards preferring all natural ingredients in their drinks as well as less sugar, another area in which Treatt has expertise.
Management has built the company’s expertise in these areas into a major selling point for winning new contracts with global fast moving consumer goods firms. This is clear in the group’s results for the year to September, with revenue up 24.5% to £109.6m, and operating profits up 44.6% to £13.8m as margins rose significantly.
There’s good reason to believe this level of growth is entirely sustainable as Treatt moves deeper into the massive US market. The group already has a manufacturing facility there but a recent £21.6m fund-raising with institutional investors will provide the capital to expand and modernise facilities in the US and UK to support accelerating sales growth.
Treatt’s impressive record of success, double-digit margin improvements and growth opportunities mean its shares aren’t traditionally cheap at 24.7 times forward earnings. But with plenty of room to further exploit its niche positions, no debt and rising dividends, I think Treatt could continue to richly reward shareholders.
Right now, this ‘screaming BUY’ stock is trading at a steep discount from its IPO price, but it looks like the sky is the limit in the years ahead.
Because this North American company is the clear leader in its field which is estimated to be worth US$261 BILLION by 2025.
The Motley Fool UK analyst team has just published a comprehensive report that shows you exactly why we believe it has so much upside potential.
But I warn you, you’ll need to act quickly, given how fast this ‘Monster IPO’ is already moving.
Ian Pierce has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.


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The number of out-of-home eating occasions has risen 9% year-on-year in the past 12 weeks, according to TWC’s MealTrak data.
The data shows there were 807 million eating out-of-home occasions in the 12 weeks ending 11 July 2022.
In addition, value sales rose by 19% year-on-year in the 12 week period to £4.9bn.
The data reveals that forecourts are rebounding well – with a 17% increase in occasions in the previous 12 weeks compared to 2021. Convenience stores have seen a stronger performance in the past 12 weeks, at +18%. However, sandwich shops (-5%), coffee shops/cafes (-9%), fast food & takeaway (-12%) and high street (-36%) are all in decline.
The results show strong growth in the traditional ‘meal deal’ product groups and hot drinks, alongside above-average growth in treat sectors, such as confectionery and cakes & pastries. Categories underperforming are led by food-to-go hot meals, soups, and cereals, the data shows.
The growth is currently being driven by older consumers now retiring to the market, especially 45-64s, where growth is much stronger than for the younger age groups across both food-to-go (FTG) and eating out.
Tom Fender, development director at TWC, said: “The market has slowed as the impact of economic shocks bites, with growth dipping under 2% over the last four weeks, but the wider recovery remains solid, with both occasions and value making strong gains over 12- and 52-weekly periods across both FTG and eating out.
“Encouragingly, for the moment at least, value growth remains ahead of occasions, indicating that spends are holding up and consumers are continuing to seek rewarding experiences rather than trying down on prices and functionality. That said, in FTG we are seeing the strongest growth in the multiple and convenience sectors, whilst coffee shops and FTG Specialists are flat and takeaways have fallen back.”


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Encouraging people to visit and stay overnight in Cleburne is the goal for the Cleburne Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Cleburne CVB Director Heather Juarez discussed the tourism industry with Young Professionals of Cleburne members on Wednesday at the Cleburne Conference Center. The bureau is under the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce.
An extension of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce, YPC’s mission is to connect, develop and engage young professionals in Cleburne to have a positive impact on the future of the community.
During the monthly meeting, guest speakers strive to engage young professionals in leadership development, networking, finding voice in the community and community service.
Juarez has worked for the tourism industry for 10 years, with five of those years in Cleburne.
“Usually when I do presentations for tourism, I like to start off with some interesting facts because it really is an eye opener to see the money that it generates, not only in Texas but also in our different communities, cities and counties,” she said.
In Texas, tourism produces $80.3 billion annually, she said. The industry also produces 697,200 tourism jobs in the state, which she said are numbers from the Office of the Governor’s economic and tourism department.
“Also what’s interesting, without tourism dollars or the tourism industry each household in the state of Texas would have to pay an additional $840 in taxes a year,” she said.
In Cleburne, she said tourism creates 350 jobs and adds $10.9 million in taxes to its economy.
CVBs receives their money for the hotel occupancy tax, which is 13 percent in Cleburne, she said, with 7 percent staying in Cleburne and 6 percent going to the state. Out of the 7 percent that stays in Cleburne, 5-and-a-half precent is given to the chamber and 1-and-a-half percent is given to the city to promote tourism, she said.
The Cleburne CVB’s mission is to promote and market Cleburne as a leisure, meeting and sports destination to positively impact its economy, she said.
“For us to do advertising or promotion or anything with the CVB, it has to be outside Johnson County because our goal is to bring in those visitors to stay in the hotels,” she said. “We call it putting heads in beds.”
Not only does the Cleburne CVB promote the city and its attractions but they also partner with local business owners to help promote those businesses, she said.
Their goal is to promote Cleburne as a place for businesses and organizations from all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area to use its venues for meetings, seminars, workshops, conferences, reunions, tour groups, weddings and sporting events. Cleburne’s top two areas are for sporting events and weddings, she said.
For information, visit visitcleburne.com.


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Muscat: Companies across Oman are grounding their staff as corporate travel from the Sultanate has its wings clipped by austerity. Airlines serving the Sultanate and travel agents have both reported a drop in bookings from business travellers, both in economy and premium class, another sign that low oil prices continue to impact the country’s economy.
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However, if the corporate bookings dip continues it may prove to be good for the general passenger, with airlines saying more offers would be one tactic to tempt back fliers.
A top official from Oman Air, the national carrier of Oman, said many companies are trimming their travel requirements to cope with the falling oil prices leading to the fall in the corporate bookings.
“Many companies are trimming their travel requirement to cope with the falling oil prices. This has impacted Oman Air as well since there has been a dip in the corporate bookings, which constitute an important sale segment for any airline. Our sales and marketing expert teams are always monitoring the market and work on offering a suitable solution, be it with the General Sales Agents or corporate accounts directly.” Says Jamal Al Azki, country manager, Oman, Oman Air.
An official from the UAE-based airline serving Oman said that low oil prices are acting as ‘a double-edged sword’.
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“Just like the rest of the industry, they are now saving lots of money on fuel. But low oil prices are acting as “a double-edged sword,” said Tim Clark, president of Emirates, now the world’s largest airlines in terms of international traffic.
“Bookings from companies involved in the energy sector—Emirates’ most important corporate customers—virtually disappeared with the collapse in crude oil prices,” he added.
Rajan Jayaraman, District Sales Manager-Oman, Kuwait Airways, also noted that corporate bookings were down.
“If the situation continues, we may be forced to slash prices and announce offers to maintain the budget which will be hit by dip in corporate bookings.
“After June or July the picture will be clear. We may come up with attractive prices and other packages to woo customers. Our business has to run.”
And Sami Muctar, Country Manager - Oman, Ethiopian Airlines, said that a large number of airlines will be forced to come out with special offers as the business is suffering. Jet Airways in Oman confirmed it is witnessing a fall too, saying that they are watching the situation cautiously to adopt plans to cushion the effect.
Dip in bookings
“We have dip in corporate bookings. We are waiting to see how serious it will be. Bringing down the fares won’t help. Aviation industry earnings is a small pie now all over the world, especially in Oman. So, taking steps to grab it from a small pie won’t help,” Riyaz Kuttery, general manager at Jet Airways in Oman, said.
However, Riyaz added that they may come up with offers in the future if the situation worsens.
Another travel agent in Muscat, who declined to be named, said that the airlines may increase the price to compensate the decline in corporate sales revenue.
“More than coming up with offers to lure customers, they will increase the price,” the travel agent added.
The oil price dip has helped the airlines to save money, however, budget tightening initiated by the governments and companies in the region have put them in a fix.
In December 2015, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), had forecast an average net profit margin of 5.1 per cent being generated with total net profits of $36.3 billion and also a revision to its airline industry outlook for 2015 upwards to a net profit of $33 billion (4.6% net profit margin) from $29.3 billion forecast in June.
According to IATA, the strengthening of industry performance in 2015 was driven by a combination of factors, mainly lower oil prices, robust demand for passenger travel, stronger economic performance in some key economies and efficiency gains by airlines
While airline officials eye corporate bookings, travel agents say that both cooperate bookings and cash sales are going down.
Raji Demonte, general manager at Universal Travel and Tourism in Oman, has witnessed a 20 per cent dip in corporate bookings as all over Oman everyone are adopting austerity measures.
“We can see dip in corporate bookings and also in cash sales. Many who used to travel annually are not doing so. Cash sales have come down in many of our outlets,” Raji said.
“However, I don’t see that airlines will bring down the prices to compensate for the loss due to dip in corporate bookings,” Raji added.
“More than coming up with offers to lure customers, they will increase the price,” the travel agent added
Meanwhile, Jose Chacko, a financial advisor in Oman, said that cutting costs on premium class travel for their employees is one of the steps which companies can take to save money during this tough time.
“We know that many companies are adopting steps to avoid the number of travel, including in premium class, for their employees, if it can be,” Jose said, adding that many mid-level expatriate workers are pushing off their travel plans even to their
Mohammed Khaldi, an oil company employee in Oman, said that companies don’t encourage providing premium travel facilities for their employees.
“It was happening in the past, but it has gone up more now,” Mohammed added.
Oman’s 2016 budget focuses heavily on austerity measures and it projects OMR3.3 billion in deficit spending for 2016. Oman posted a budget deficit of 4.5 billion riyals in 2015 as revenues declined by more than 50 per cent.


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Xiaomi has revealed that it will going to launch Redmi K30 5G Speed Edition in China today. Officially Redmi Weibo handle has shared a poster to confirmed about the Redmi K50 5G Speed Edition. This smartphone maker also shared that the upcoming device will be equipped with new Snapdragon 768G processor will be higher soc then the few months older Snapdragon 765G .
The New Snapdragon 768G processor has also have 5G network connectivity. The smartphone architecture will noted a feature a slightly higher clocked version 750 Mhz Adreno 620 GPU.
The Redmi K30 5G Speed Edition will come with a pill-shaped punch-hole display with dual selfie camera. The Device will support a 6.67-inch LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
The camera setup likely to similar 64MP works as main primary shooter, an 8MP works as wide-angel lens while rest of the other sensors are 5MP macro lens , 2MP as depth lens.
The device certificate on TENNA china will be paired with base variant 6 GB RAM inboard storage 128 GB, We can expected 8 GB RAM inboard storage 128 GB RAM could be also reveals during today launch in India.
The Redmi k30 5G Speed Edition will runs on MIUI 11 based on Android 10 OS. The price will be under 15-25k as per Indian pricing as expected. We need to wait for official pricing in China.


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Chips shops could put jellyfish on the menu in a bid to save at-risk species of fish, say scientists.
A study found more than 100 endangered types of seafood were being caught in oceans due to the lack of an international ban.
And 13 of these ended up on dinner tables in many countries, including Britain.
Researcher Leslie Roberson said: “It should be illegal to eat creatures facing extinction. We’d never consider eating gorillas or elephants, both endangered.
“So cod could be replaced by jellyfish, which are more plentiful, on a new sustainable takeaway menu to help keep threatened species off the plate.”
Jellyfish, widely eaten in the Far East, have a salty taste and a high range of nutrients including iron.
“They’re chewy without much taste but quite good with a sauce,” said Ms Roberson.
The findings came from an analysis of global fishing records by Queensland University.
Ms Roberson has called for more coordinated worldwide action.
Widely eaten in the Far East, jellyfish are high in nutrients such a Omega 3, vitamin B12, magnesium and iron.
Said to be salty and dependent on a marinade or coating to give them a flavour, they are mainly added to salads or sushi, cut into strips to create noodles then boiled and served with mixed veg or meat or pickled.
Ms Roberson told website sciencealert.com: “It’s really just a mild chewy thing without much taste. It’s actually quite good with a yummy sauce.
“A lot of our tastes for seafood are driven largely by culture and tradition.
"The obvious example is shark fin soup - shark fins are basically tasteless, and it’s all about the seasoning and the sauce that makes it a delicacy in China.”
Scientists say a jellyfish population explosion has made them the perfect alternative to over-fished species.
According to a Future of Food Report from Sainsbury’s, crispy jellyfish will be a UK staple by 2050.
And boffins from the University of Southern Denmark have developed a technique to turn the jellyfish body from a soft, rubbery texture to a crunchy snack by soaking it in ethanol as a healthier alternative to crisps.


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You can now play free games on TikTok thanks to a new feature quietly added by the app.
The popular social video app has added around nine 'mini-games' that can be added to creators' videos.
You'll even be able to record clips of you playing and share them as TikToks with your friends and followers.
READ NEXT: Google releases budget Pixel 6a phone that's the Android answer to iPhone SE
The games, which include several arcade games like 'Space Destroyer', 'Influencer Run', and a basketball simulator, are part of a trial to test the app's upcoming 'gaming push' ahead of time.
A Techcrunch report has revealed that the new games can be tagged on videos using an 'add link' button, to encourage viewers to play.
"We're always looking at ways to enrich our platform and regularly test new features and integrations that bring value to our community," a TikTok spokesperson told Techcrunch.
They added: "Currently, we're exploring bringing HTML5 games to TikTok through integrations with third-party game developers and studios."
TikTok said the plan is in early testing stages as the app wants to assess whether gamers and gaming influencers on TikTok will engage with the titles—and whether they will make videos with them.
First look at Google Pixel Watch after someone left prototype 'at restaurant'
The games include:
- Basketball FRVR
- Tap the Difference
- Peek a wHo
- Pride Run
- Influencer Run
- Space Destroyer
- Mr Aim Lab's Nightmare
The addition of minigames to TikTok follows a similar gaming push by Netflix, which this year added a range of free games to its mobile app.
The games, which include a number of 'Stranger Things' RPGs, are available to all Netflix subscribers except those in Russia, after the streaming giant pulled its app from the region in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.
- 'Real life Jurassic Park' plan with woolly mammoths and dinosaurs back from dead
- Saudi Arabia's 'insane' $1 trillion jungle skyscraper will be 'better than the Pyramids'
- Google can hand over video footage from your home to police without permission
- 'Out of control' Chinese rocket is plummeting to Earth and could strike anywhere
- Millions of iPhones to lose vital security features next month when Apple launches iOS 16
Source: Read Full Article


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The Business Link in London (BLiL) Business Confidence Index (BCI) is an insightful study into the London SME community. The survey aims to understand business’ concerns around the current economic environment, the challenges encountered, insight into confidence in respect of growth and measures they have taken to counter challenges caused by recession. It also aims to gauge optimism from business owners going into 2011.
Carried out by B2B International, the BCI gathered economic insights from London-based businesses, with a focus on growth. The Wave 4 research was carried out by surveying a robust sample of 2,962 London-based businesses using a mixed methodology combining both telephone and e-survey. This was mostly structured to allow for clear quantitative comparisons across all sectors. The research was carried out between October and November 2010.
To paint a more detailed picture of the BCI’s respondents, established businesses make up 75% of the sample, with start-ups comprising 9%. The research sample showed that pre-starts are more likely to be BAME, younger and female owned while established businesses are more likely to be older, non-BAME males. Thirty six per cent of businesses surveyed are run from home.
The Wave 4 sample is primarily made up of sole traders (41%), and those employing 2-4 people (36%). The proportion of ‘growth’ businesses employing 5-49 is 22%. In terms of industry sector, retail, business services, construction/architecture and food and drink lead this sample.
The main finding from the Wave 4 research is that while businesses remain overwhelmingly cautious, overall, the impact of the recession is levelling out across the Capital. The new BCI report shows that the impact of the recession is levelling out for London based businesses with 72% stating a direct impact, consistent with February 2010. However, 1 in 10 businesses state they are still extremely affected by the recession, with the logistics, media, property & construction sectors most affected by the current environment.
However, in Wave 4, a more positive picture is emerging for newer businesses since established businesses (79%) have been more affected than start-ups (55%). Additionally, 55% of younger business owners (under 34) said they have been affected by the recession compared to 78% of older entrepreneurs (45-54 years).
Business Link in London has also seen that business confidence is growing as owners plan fewer changes to their business models. The key indicators for this are that fewer businesses are delaying capital expenditure and putting investment plans on hold (32% compared to 46% in February 2010). This suggests that businesses are gaining confidence in planning for investment or are offsetting the impact of VAT increases. For example, in February 2010, 36% of businesses were looking at price cutting strategies to deal with the recession, compared to 30% (just under a third) are now currently considering this option.
Which of the following strategic responses has your organisation already taken as a means of dealing with recessionary pressures?
A degree of confidence is also suggested in the levelling out of staff cuts and more focus on training and development; 4% less businesses have laid off staff in the last year. Medium sized (5-49) and larger companies (50+) are more likely to have laid staff off (25% and 24% respectively), however, larger companies (50+) are more likely to have taken on new staff also (44%). Looking at specific sectors, companies in the food & drink sector and the property sector are more likely to have laid staff off whilst companies in recruitment and music, entertainment & events are more likely to have taken on new staff.
Aligned with this change, since Wave 3 there has been a small increase (3%) in people spending on their staff training & development. Furthermore, where businesses have grown in the last year, 17% state the main contributing reason is due to their investment in people. This is especially so in companies employing over 50 people, with over a third (38%) citing this as the main contributing factor.
The BCI also aimed to identify the key concerns that London’s businesses have around growth. Reduced customer spending was very much the front runner here, with 26% of business owners surveyed highlighting this as a concern. Generating revenue was very much cited as the main barrier for business growth; 16% of those surveyed said that generating business and winning new business was a key issue. It is food & drink and retail businesses that we see really struggling from the impact of reduced spending the most (46% and 37% respectively.) This is well above capital’s average of 26% of businesses saying reduced customer spending is a key concern for them.
Which one issue is the major problem you face in running your business at the moment?
Further confidence emerges with the pace of business growth remaining steady over the last 12 months for London’s businesses, with nearly half (49%) of businesses saying growth remains the same. Nearly a quarter (23%) of businesses have grown while 28% have downsized. For businesses that grew over the last quarter of 2010, new product development is cited as the main driver (37%), followed by focusing on existing customers (32%) and developing a more effective sales strategy (29%).
What do you think are the main contributing reasons to why your business has grown over the last 12 months?
The report unveils good news for the capital’s female business owners with 28% of female entrepreneurs claiming growth compared to 21% of their male counterparts. Similarly, 33% of owners under 34 have seen growth compared to just 16% of their older counterparts aged 55+.
There’s no shortage of ambition within London’s SME marketplace as 57% of the businesses surveyed are looking for growth in 2011 and conversely only 5% predicting downsizing with 37% expecting their business to stay the same.
As we explore the operational challenges for London’s SMEs, the lack of a marketing strategy emerges very strongly as a real gap in the way business are run; over half our respondents (54%) currently have no marketing plan in place. Of those with no marketing plan; 37% do not see the benefits of having one, 30% cite budget constraints as the key reason for this, whilst 40% are unsure how to develop a marketing plan, or need help in developing one.
What are the main reasons that you do not have a marketing plan in place at present?
Despite this surprise finding – and the long tail of the recession- 41% of businesses plan to increase marketing budgets in 2011. The BCI shows that in the main, London’s business owners recognise the need for a greater focus on marketing, with over a third (35%) believing their company would benefit from the development of an effective marketing strategy over the next 12 months. A further 35% saw the value of developing a sales strategy and 31% felt that focusing on existing customers more would benefit their business.
To read the full report please click on this link: The Business Link in London: Business Confidence Index


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Did Claire's just get cool? Cheap as chips accessories brand gets Vogue seal of approval as mini rappers Sophia Grace and Rosie join Katy Perry as celebrity faces
- Miss Vogue fashion spread features MTV presenter Lilah Parsons
- Claire's recently signed a global licensing deal with Katy Perry
- Rihanna claimed to get all her jewellery there in Vogue USA interview
- Singing sensations Sophia Grace and Rosie have launched accessory line with brand in U.S.
According to our favourite style icons it's not what you spend, it's how you wear it that defines style.
And now cheap chic accessories brand Claire's Accessories has been given the ultimate style seal of approval by landing a spread in Miss Vogue, the magazine house's glossy new tome aimed at the most discerning tweenage fashionistas.
Once the epitome of naff the high street brand has begun to cultivate a rather fashionable following, and while there is still piles of brilliantly OTT tat to be had, the company is now able to count superstars like Rihanna as fans (the singer recently told Vogue that she gets all of her jewellery there).
MTV presenter Lilah Parsons appears in this month's Miss Vogue wearing Claire's Accessories
Featuring model of the moment and MTV presenter Lilah Parsons the four page spread showcases the brand's designs for spring and summer, with an emphasis on cute festival fashion.
The Miss Vogue story comes just weeks after the brand announced a collaboration with global megastar Katy Perry, and days after Claire's threw a very chic Paris Fashion Week party complete with celebrity DJs Laure Whitmore and Bip Ling and wall-to-wall French bloggers.
The four page Vogue spread showcases the brand's designs for spring and summer, with an emphasis on cute festival fashion
Londoner Lilah also DJ'd at the brand's Fashion Week party in Paris
Speaking at the party Londoner Lilah, 25, said: 'I love their stuff. It's fun and fashionable and it means that I can change my look every five minutes.
'Working with the Vogue styling team was amazing and the pictures are really pretty. This summer I'm going to be wearing lots of the round Sixties shades and piles of rings.'
Fashion blogger Bip Ling and MTV presenter Laura Whitmore both DJ'd at the brand's Paris Fashion Week party
Jewellery addict Rihanna recently told Vogue that she gets all of her jewellery from Claire's and singer Katy Perry has signed a licensing deal with the brand to coincide with her next world tour
MINI RAPPERS SOPHIA GRACE AND ROSIE ARE LATEST CELEBRITY FACES
The Sophia Grace & Rosie collection includes 10 very pink products
Not content with taking American TV by storm mini British rappers Sophia Grace Brownlee and Rosie McClelland are now aiming be tween beauty 'It' girls.
The 7-year and 10-year-old tutu-loving girls melted hearts when they first appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show performing Nicki Minaj's Super Bass song in 2011. Since then they have made regular appearances on the show as well as creating their own YouTube channel and signing a film deal.
And last week the pint-sized powerhouses launched a collection of Sophia Grace & Rosie products including lip gloss and lip balm to be sold exclusively at Claire's Boutiques.
According to WWD.com the Sophia Grave & Rosie line could be the first in years with the power to engage young girls and their mothers.
The line includes 10 styles of apparel,accessories and beauty products ranging in price from $6 (£3.50) for a hair bow to $16 (£9.50) for a sequined tutu. A five-piece lip gloss with purse is priced at $10 (£6).
According to POPAI, the global organization for spending at retail, there are now nearly 21 million children 9 to 13 years old who wield a spending power of $43billion (£25billion).
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There have never been so many different ways to influence decision-making at all levels of society. Social media allows disabled consumers to have a direct conversation with brands and companies. They are taking notice. Scope tells us more about some of the success stories, and how you too can make a difference.
Martin Emery is a life-long Manchester United fan and a father to three sons. Zac who is five years old, Ethan who is seven and Jordan who is now 18. Jordan has a number of medical conditions, which means he has learning difficulties, has many seizures a day and uses a wheelchair.
Martin was initially told by Manchester United that he couldn’t seat his family together, and Jordan could only have one carer with him. Things then got worse before they got better.
A club official emailed Martin to say: “There are some clubs that would welcome you with open arms and possibly ask you to bring as many family members as possible, the downside is it wouldn’t be at Old Trafford, most probably Rochdale, Oldham or Stockport.”
Undeterred, he set up a campaign and website United Discriminates and kicked it off in a blog a year ago.
The good news is that by the end of last season, United had constructed a new accessible seating area for disabled fans, families and friends.
Disabled people speaking out
Iconic high-street brand M&S recently launched an online range of bodysuits, sleep suits and vests with poppers in additional larger sizes. That was on the back of a Rita Kutt, the grandmother of a three-year-old Caleb, who has cerebral palsy, contacting the retailer. They had difficulty finding clothes to fit him, as he uses nappies and is fed through a tube in his stomach.
So Caleb’s family set up a Facebook page called M&S and Me: Special Needs Clothing for Children, which now has more than 4,500 members.
When M&S wanted to test their new designs we arranged for parents from the Scope community to trial some sample sizes with their children. Their feedback helped to shape the products.
The new range of clothes cost between £3 and £7, cheaper than similar items of clothing for disabled children currently available in the market.
The influence of social media is growing
Social media allows individual consumers to have a direct conversation with brands. Nike developed an easy grip trainer in response to an open letter from a 16-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.
Lego introduced disabled characters after they were contacted by Toy Like Me, a Facebook campaign run by a disabled mum, who realised that there weren’t enough toys representing disabled people and children.
A growing number of businesses are taking action in response to the Extra Costs Commission, an independent inquiry that last year found daily life costs more on average for disabled people. In response to the report, ride-sharing app Uber launched UberAssist in the UK, a service that allows disabled passengers to call specially trained drivers.
Thinking about what disabled consumers need makes sound commercial sense. There are over 11 million disabled people in the UK and their spending power is over £200 billion a year.
In February, ticketing agent The Ticket Factory, following complaints from disabled customers, upgraded its booking system to allow disabled people to buy tickets.
Barclays Bank has launched a new portal on its website that supports businesses to make their services and products more accessible to disabled people.
What we need now is even more companies to listen to disabled consumers and recognise the power of the purple pound.
More on Disability Horizons…


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YouTube received an update today that allows the mobile website to play video using HTML5 on iPhone and Android devices. The interface has received a design face-lift that lets users interact easily using a touch screen device. The new site lets you flag, share, rate, save, and comment on videos right from one page.
This is just some cool news for the internet. Google has added a very basic video editing system to YouTube, allowing users to share their creations and make them even better.
Though it's not a full featured application, the YouTube Editor is entirely useful for combining videos. You can also crop bits and pieces of your videos and add background music from a library of genres hosted on YouTube's servers. The editor allows you to combine several videos and add one background music track.
Since its inception, Google has become the mover and shaker of the
Internet world, bringing wonderful, utilitarian goodies in the form of
web applications and cloud services. After debuting Gmail in 2004,
Google then followed suit with projects like its interactive, totally
customizable Google Calendar, maps that accurately portray real life
from a satellite overhead, and a video streaming site that has indeed
become larger than anyone could have conceived.
The growing-rockier relationship between Google and Apple might just
have taken another good hard swat. With news that YouTube is seeking to
offer the kind of subscription-based TV programming that iTunes offers,
things could potentially heat up.
The battle for online cinema dominance has been heating up in recent months. YouTube, once a vast, wild West-style wasteland full of dancing babies and funny animal videos, is going in a more commercial direction with advertising and even full-length motion pictures and TV shows in an effort to compete with other free services such as Hulu.
Since Google purchased YouTube, the wildly popular video sharing site has endured a number of growing pains as it works to reinvent itself into a more commercial-minded portal. One of those pains came to light this week as YouTube announced it’s cutting off API access to at least one maker of set-top boxes tied to televisions.


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LOS GATOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roku, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROKU) today announced that Chas Smith, SVP and GM of Roku TVs and players is expected to retire and leave the company at the end of Q1 2019. The company has a search underway with a leading executive placement firm to place his successor.
“I’ve been fortunate to build a talented and highly dedicated team to help me lead Roku. Over the last several years, Chas has been instrumental in transforming our business. Among many accomplishments, he took the idea of giving consumers and TV makers a simple smart TV and made Roku TV the #1 licensed smart TV platform in the US,” said Anthony Wood, Roku CEO. “We all wish Chas a long, healthy and happy retirement as he enters this new chapter in his life.”
Chas joined Roku in March 2010 as vice president of sales and led online Roku player sales. In August 2012 he assumed the role of GM of OEM to lead the Roku TV business. In December 2015 he was promoted to SVP/GM of Roku TV and Roku players – and today he also oversees Whole Home.
About Roku, Inc.
Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. We connect users to the streaming content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and Roku TV™ models are available around the world through direct retail sales and licensing arrangements with TV OEMs and service operators. Roku is headquartered in Los Gatos, Calif. U.S.A.
Roku is a registered trademark and Roku TV is a trademark of Roku, Inc. in the U.S., Mexico and in other countries.


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The Japanese government has extended the third state of emergency for major cities. With the ongoing struggle to reduce the number of new COVID infections and to increase the vaccination rate, there are growing local objections to holding the Olympic Games this October.
Many domestic companies have been revising their financial forecasts upwards, supported by the industrial recovery, although some industries are still suffering as a result of the pandemic. Meanwhile, still-high ocean freight costs to distant destinations have resulted in a shift in exports towards closer Asian markets.
A record 58,829 tonnes of copper scrap was exported from Japan in March this year, with more than half absorbed by China. Not only No.2 copper but also No.1 scrap such as Clove is being sourced by Chinese consumers - something which has never happened before. This has made for tougher competition between exporters and local buyers supported by recovering demand from rolling mills.
Meanwhile, booming LME prices have been accelerating exports of cable scrap to Malaysia and pushing it above pre-pandemic levels.
Aluminium is witnessing a similar situation to copper in that scrap shipments to China jumped to 15,623 tonnes in March to account for almost half of all exports. Local buyers are engaged in intense competition with exporters to secure scrap. Exporters have been faced with returned shipments, especially from Sanshan port in China where customs inspections had been said to be less strict but have since been adjusted.
Continuing strong demand for stainless exports to South Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia has led to a tight domestic market. Chinese buyers have started hunting for high-nickel scrap.


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The chief financial officer of Dutch car firm Spyker will step down in July.
The departure of Hans Go comes after he helped arrange the rescue of Spyker's main subsidiary, Saab, by a new Chinese business partner, distributor Pangda.
Spyker recently sold off its sports car unit - its only other major business - to Russian tycoon Vladimir Antonov.
That move left Mr Go's role redundant, and the firm has said that henceforth the position will be taken on by Saab's own head of finance.
Mr Go will remain as an adviser until the end of this year, to help with the transition of Saab in its new Chinese business arrangement.
Saab was able to restart production at its Trollhattan plant in Sweden last Friday after it concluded a deal with Pangda that gave it access to 30m euros ($43m; £26m) immediately, which it used to meet back-payments to suppliers.
The Chinese car retailer has now confirmed it will provide a further 15m euros.


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Does free enterprise exist anymore in the USA?
3D-printing pioneer Cody Wilson wowed DIY enthusiasts and home gunsmiths alike last October when he unveiled a personal CNC mill that could complete 80 percent AR-15 lower receivers. Marketed for the comparatively low price of $1,200, the portable toaster-sized mill was named the “Ghost Gunner,” a jab at the term that some lawmakers use for firearms that are homemade or otherwise self-assembled. Though interest in the mill has been high, Wilson and his company Defense Distributed may find some difficulty in shipping the devices. FedEx recently announced that it will not be shipping the mills, and that Wilson will have to find another shipping service.
“In February, I began pursuing business-to-consumer fulfillment rates from Federal Express to ship my product because I was a member of their FedEx Advantage/NRA Business Alliance program. I understood that the company held itself out as catering to the firearms industry with special rates,” Wilson wrote in a press release. “Two weeks ago FedEx, through my account executive, began demurring on the rates and expressing uncertainty as to the legal status of my product. I assured them there was no controversy and showed them legal memos from my GCA firm in DC and other memos and facts confirming that the product and its related activity are not regulated or restricted by the ATF or federal law.”
Wilson stated that FedEx did finally get back to him, and their answer was no.
“Now FedEx has told me that they will NOT ship my product at all, and though they will not give me a reason in writing, they have told Wired.com that it is because my machine allows an individual to make a gun,” Wilson wrote.
Read more: outdoorhub.com


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OTOY said that it will use the investment to develop and distribute “original holographic content”, enabling HBO and Discovery to deliver new entertainment experiences to consumers.
OTOY is currently working with Jon Stewart on the development of upcoming content for HBO built using its platform, which is designed to make content available across TV, mobile, online, social platforms and emerging wearable technologies like virtual and augmented reality.
“HBO prides itself on being at the forefront of entertainment, both in the exceptional content we produce, and in the ways we bring that content to consumers,” said Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.
“OTOY has a roadmap for the future of entertainment and technology. Their creativity and drive perfectly aligns with HBO’s.
Paul Guyardo, chief commercial officer at Discovery Communications said: “OTOY technology is a massive breakthrough and we look forward to seeing it take VR and AR experiences, including Discovery VR, to a whole new level.”
OTOY founder and CEO, Jules Urbach, said that the future of entertainment is “not going to be constrained by a screen, nor consumed through monolithic apps or platforms.”
“OTOY’s mission is to make holographic and immersive content a mass market proposition for consumers, artists and publishers alike. A key part of this endeavour is unifying production and delivery of content across all possible endpoints, from HTML5, to TV and social, to wearables.”
OTOY’s major shareholders include Autodesk and Yuri Milner and its board includes the executive chairman of Google’s new parent company, Alphabet, Eric Schmidt, and former IBM chairman, CEO and president, Samuel Palmisano.
30 September 2020 @ 20:00:00 UTC
30 September 2020 @ 17:30:00 UTC


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A U.S. senator is calling out Facebook Inc. for failing to resolve several questions related to how it might use some data from its encrypted communication services, marking just the latest in a long-simmering debate among legislators about whether the company should be more closely regulated.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on May 29 released Facebook's response to a series of questions he raised related to the company's plans to pursue more encrypted communication. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in March said the company would move more toward encrypted communications in response to users' growing concerns about privacy.
Hawley's questions included queries about what metadata the company will keep from user messaging interactions and how long the company intends to retain that information. Facebook said the company still has many "open questions" about what metadata it will retain, though it said it was moving toward collecting less personal data in its messaging services.
"My advice to consumers is simple: When Facebook tells you its messaging services are private, you can't trust them," Hawley said in a press release.
There is a growing bipartisan sentiment that Congress needs to pass comprehensive data privacy legislation in the wake of national outrage about privacy breaches. Both the House and Senate have held a number of hearings to consider a possible federal privacy framework since news of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which third-party developers accessed Facebook user information improperly, broke in 2018. The case spurred numerous lawsuits and legislative inquiries around the globe.
California is set to begin implementation of a new privacy law in 2020 that would be the strictest in the nation, prompting debate in Congress about whether a single federal solution is needed. The U.S. Senate, which is spearheading a congressional effort with a bipartisan working group, is moving to develop draft legislation, but progress has been slow.
Facebook's privacy practices are facing additional scrutiny from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. The company recently announced that it expects up to a $5 billion fine from the agency over an apparent violation of a previous consent agreement on the company's privacy practices.
In the courts, a federal judge in San Francisco indicated that he will not dismiss lawsuits brought by tens of millions of users against the company for allowing their private information to be used and shared in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Bloomberg News reported May 29.
In its motion to dismiss, Facebook had argued that the plaintiffs did not demonstrate the violation of any legally protected privacy interest or any serious privacy invasion, among other claims. It also noted that users had consented to share information on the platform.


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TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) -- General Motors says about 1,900 workers at two powertrain plants in northwest Ohio will be temporarily laid off this month as the company tries align production with weak demand.
GM spokeswoman Wanda Wellman says 100 employees at the engine and transmission parts plant in Defiance will be laid off for a week beginning Monday. She says 1,200 other workers at the factory 50 miles southwest of Toledo will be laid off for the week beginning Feb. 23.
Also during that week, about 600 workers at the car company's Toledo powertrain plant will be on layoff.
Ohio is second in auto production behind Michigan and has been reeling from industry cutbacks. Last month, GM announced plans to eliminate a shift at its Lordstown complex in northeast Ohio, affecting 800 workers.


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Smaller, Smarter, Electronic, Connected: The Next Generation of Drug-Delivery Devices
An exciting trend in drug delivery is underway: the movement toward smaller, smarter, wirelessly connected electronic devices that allow patient-administered therapy. Inspired by the technological advancements driving the consumer electronics market, new methods for drug delivery show great promise for all stakeholders. Patients wishing to claim more autonomy over their drug regimens, caregivers and medical professionals wanting to more closely monitor drug compliance, health insurance organizations looking to keep costs down, and developers of pharmaceutical products interested in conducting better managed
clinical trials can all benefit from these novel, next-generation technologies.
More info >>


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Chris Harrison Was Inspired by “the Godfather” of Romance Novels For His Book – So for all of you Bachelor/Bachelorette fans out there, host Chris Harrison has written what he refers to as a Romance novel, set to release the… more
Ferguson library stays open, attracts over $175,000 in grassroot support – In the aftermath of the Ferguson grand jury’s failure to indict Darren Wilson, there was a great deal to be angry and sad about. However, one place in Ferguson… more
Harlequin, Divergent Drive HarperCollins – So Harper Collins saw a 24% increase in the first quarter of the new fiscal year, which both Harlequin and Divergent are responsible for. The company reports that sales exclusive of Harlequin would have rise… more
Thursday News: Shakespeare’s alleged dictionary digitized, cellphones increase literacy, Amazon Prime...
Shakespeare’s Dictionary? Skepticism Abounds. – Count me in on the side of the skeptics. Two booksellers buy a 1580 four-language dictionary on eBay (eBay!!) in 2008, and now claim that it’s Shakespeare’s personal dictionary. If you want to know about… more
Oxford University Press Gives You Free Access to Books, Dictionaries & More During National Library Week – So while you can’t access Oxford academic journals, in honor of National Library Week, Oxford University Press is offering free access to a… more
Note: Dear Author will be offline tomorrow, Friday, January 31st, to test out our new theme. Please keep your fingers crossed that everything will go smoothly, and in the meantime, visit our Facebook site, where Jane will be giving away books… more


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David Cameron has just touched down in Jakarta as he continues his trip of Asia.
With 248 million people, Indonesia is the world's fourth most populated country and the economy here is growing at six per cent a year. There is a growing middle class and yet the UK accounts for less than one per cent of imports to this country.
The Prime Minister thinks there are opportunities for Britain to sell its products to Indonesia and the business delegation accompanying him will be looking to make progress in that area.
There is another pre-planned announcement. Yesterday it was Nissan in Japan. Today it is Airbus. The Indonesian carrier Garuda has bought 11 of its planes and the UK is supplying the wings from Wales.
The Indonesian carrier Garuda has bought 11 of its planes and the UK is supplying the wings from Wales.
But the country is also significant for another reason: 86 per cent of Indonesians are Muslim. It makes Indonesia home to the world's largest Muslim population. And it is a democracy.
And that makes this country - already in the G20 and soon to be among the top 10 economies in the world - an important focal point for Mr Cameron as he seeks to encourage other Muslim countries to embrace democracy.
That is a subject the Prime Minister will address in a speech here tomorrow.


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In a bid to take on Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft with their assistants, Facebook is reportedly working on its own voice assistant. Facebook is said to also be in talks with smart speaker vendors in an effort to create their own version of the Amazon Echo or Google Home.
This effort is being spear-headed by a team based out of Redmond, Washington, which is inside the Facebook Reality Labs. This is the same division that works on Oculus products. It’s the team that works on all AR and VR products at Facebook.
Apparently this is not a new project for the company. This team has been working on this new initiative since early 2018. Which does make sense, seeing as it did release Portal in the middle of 2018, which was originally said to have Facebook’s own assistant on-board. It eventually launched with Amazon Alexa built-in, which was a little surprising.
Currently, it is unclear how Facebook wants to actually use this assistant with its products. But, it would likely be used on future Portal products, and other smart speakers. As well as Oculus headsets. Perhaps as a way to open apps and interact with Oculus, using your voice. Facebook is already, reportedly, in talks with some of the big smart speaker manufacturers out there, to create a smart speaker using their assistant.
This isn’t the first time that Facebook has worked on its own digital voice assistant. It released an assistant for Messenger back in 2015, called “M”. It was killed last year.
Facebook is seeing the success that other big tech companies are having with these assistants, and wants a piece of the pie, essentially. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are the big ones, because they are already on a ton of devices – particularly true for Google Assistant. Facebook, which already has billions of users through its many apps, could easily reach all of its users with this new assistant at the flip of a switch. So it wouldn’t be hard to catch up, unless it only wants to sell actual hardware to its customers. Like it is doing with Portal.
Even though Google could tap billions of users almost instantly with this digital voice assistant, it does still face some stiff competition when it comes to smart speakers. Amazon has a 67-percent market share in the US, with Google at 30-percent, for smart speakers. And that is from tens of millions of smart speakers being shipped. Amazon has been pushing its smart speakers pretty heavily in the past year or so, basically offering a free Echo to anyone that buys anything that works with the Echo. Especially during the holiday season.
Voice assistants is the next big thing for these tech companies, and seeing as Facebook is starting to hit a wall in terms of growing the number of users it has, it needs to start looking elsewhere to continue to grow and bring in more revenue. That is where a voice assistant comes into play. Facebook has not given any other information about this assistant like the name, or when it might be available.
Source: Android Headlines; CNBC.


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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has informed his followers that he wants to buy a Shiba Inu.
This breed of hunting dogs from Japan inspired the Doge meme, which later transcended into the Dogecoin cryptocurrency that Musk has been promoting for years.
Uniswap-listed token Shiba Inu (SHIB) jumped nearly 300 percent on the tweet from $0.00000002 to $0.00000008, with its market cap trading volume increasing to $25 million.
Dogecoin tweets have gotten a whole lot weirder
After posting Lion King-themed memes in early February, the billionaire has now switched to Al Pacino.
The Tesla CEO has shoehorned his favorite cryptocurrency in “Dog Day Afternoon,” a popular crime movie starring the American actor, renaming it into “Doge Day Afternoon”:
The ancient Romans sacrificed a Dogecoin at the beginning of the Doge Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather.
Musk doubles down on his push to get Dogecoin listed on Coinbase
As reported by U.Today, Musk recently called on Coinbase to list Dogecoin, amplifying the voices of the cryptocurrency’s rapidly growing community.
Today, the entrepreneur has doubled down on his push to allow more retail investors to trade the cryptocurrency. This time, he says that Robinhood should enable Dogecoin transfers to get an edge over Coinbase.


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Want to buy the BlackBerry 10 but doubt whether it can be better than Android or iPhone? There are ways to overcome these doubts.
Quoted from Cnet, Tuesday (2/4), you can try this new OS directly either on Android or iOS devices via the browser.
Galaxy Grand has a screen size of 5 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels.
Last week, some observers have expressed the tablet Samsung is preparing release tablet product named Galaxy Grand in December.
This is revealed in the report file Samsung [...]
There is a new leaked about brother Z10 is equipped with a physical QWERTY keypad, BlackBerry Q10.
Quoted from Techradar, Friday (22/3), BlackBerry Q10 reportedly will be launched on 26 April.
On price, smartphones with OS BlackBerry 10 is estimated [...]
Mars or also called the Red Planet is predicted to be hit by a comet around the year 2014.
Quoted from Slashgear, Friday (29/3), is the Australian Observatory astronomer who discovered the comet on January 3.
Australian Observatory comet called C/2013 [...]
Women eighteen origin Saratoga, California, Eesha Khare managed to make a supercapacitor that can charge a cell phone in just between 20 to 30 seconds.
Through this work, Eesha also won about 500 million dollars from Intel in the Intel International [...]
Players must try yourself to get the additional level.
Good news for lovers of the game Angry Birds. Rovio, the company behind games angry bird, the re-launch 24 new levels for Angry Birds Rio.
Angry Birds Rio was first launched in March 2011 and never [...]
Apacer has been officially recognized as “Famous Trademark”, again awarded the Taiwan Excellence Awards 21.
Taiwan Excellence Awards event-21 which was attended by more than 483 manufacturers with 1221 products give awards to Apacer for 2 [...]
This is good news for the fans of Nintendo games. Wii U, Nintendo’s latest console launched across the United States starting on Sunday (11/18) morning.
Wii U offers high definition clearer, innovative, and control tablet called GamePad. GamePad [...]
The presence of the iPhone 5 is certainly making the selling price of the underlying series has decreased slightly. For those of you who want to taste the iPhone but the funds are limited, buy second hand or used iPhone can be an option.
But be careful, [...]
Iron Man 3 movie has not been released, Gameloft has prepared his game to iOS and Android devices.
Quoted from Slashgear, Thursday (28/3), Iron Man 3 games scheduled to be released on 25 April, or the day before the movie appeared in theaters.
Among users of Android smartphones again got good news. This time, an application that has been available only on devices with iOS platform, will also be present on the platform bearing the green robot.
Snapchat, an application that allows you to transmit [...]


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Sound familiar? Other companies are already using self-driving cars to deliver groceries. Kroger sets its cars loose in an Arizona test market. The British supermarket Ocado tested a similar service last year in Greenwich, England. The AutoX/GrubMarket service is the first to operate in California. It is active in San Jose and scheduled to expand to Mountain View and Palo Alto.
What else is different? Customers can shop by selecting specific items in a mobile app. Undecided customers can choose items directly from the backseat of the car, which is temperature-controlled and stocked with ready-made products such as fresh juice and yogurt. (Think of it as the opposite of a drive-through window.)
What about the tech? AutoX, whose founder and CEO, Jianxiong Xiao, was one of our Innovators Under 35 in 2017, outfits cars with high-resolution cameras instead of relying on pricy lidar. The startup says this approach is more economical and enables its AI to see farther ahead for longer distances. (The cars have trained backup human drivers inside, in accordance with California law.)
Why it matters Autonomous-vehicle startups are using grocery delivery to commercialize and fine-tune their technology. AutoX’s camera-centric system could make self-driving cars more accessible if carmakers and ride-sharing companies choose its technology over its competitors’.
Here’s how a Twitter engineer says it will break in the coming weeks
One insider says the company’s current staffing isn’t able to sustain the platform.
Technology that lets us “speak” to our dead relatives has arrived. Are we ready?
Digital clones of the people we love could forever change how we grieve.
How to befriend a crow
I watched a bunch of crows on TikTok and now I'm trying to connect with some local birds.
Starlink signals can be reverse-engineered to work like GPS—whether SpaceX likes it or not
Elon said no thanks to using his mega-constellation for navigation. Researchers went ahead anyway.
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January 3, 2024 – Myrias Optics, Inc., a developer of optics for use across augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), consumer electronics and defense applications, has recently announced that it has secured a USD $3 million seed investment led by Asia Optical Inc.
The company stated that it will use the funding to meet growing customer demand and interest in structure, materials and process technology platform. The investment round also included participation from UMass Amherst, Tenon Ventures and HOSS Investment Inc.
Built on research developed by the Watkins Group at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Myrias is an emerging developer of all-inorganic printed meta-optics, with an aim of enabling the next generation of meta-optics for AR, VR, consumer electronics, machine vision, advanced robotics, automotive light detection and ranging, defense and aerospace. The company, founded by UMass faculty member James Watkins, noted that it has plans to manufacture optics in Western Massachusetts and hire a substantial workforce.
“We are very excited to already have multiple Tier 1 customers engaging in AR/VR and consumer electronics applications where Myrias IP and expertise provide unrivaled cost, performance and lifetime advantages over existing etched or printed polymer-based processes,” said Myrias CEO Patrick Tan. “Going forward, we are particularly excited to work with Asia Optical to develop and deploy a new class of optics that enables products that are compact, lighter and easier to assemble at significantly lower costs.”
Also commenting on the investment, Asia Optical Chairman, Robert Lai said: “Our investment and partnership with Myrias is aimed at advancing the development of meta-optics for high-performance optical modules and products. By integrating multiple functions into a single meta-optic layer, we anticipate creating systems with fewer components making it much easier to make. Asia Optical looks forward to developing and extending our optical product offerings across all the industries we serve.”
Myrias added that development and adoption of the optical technologies developed by the Watkins Group is poised to accelerate substantially in Massachusetts thanks to a USD $5 million award from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative that was announced in October 2023.
The grant will enable UMass Amherst to establish an open-access Advanced Optics Fabrication and Characterization Facility on its campus, a unique resource available to industry partners such as Myrias and researchers across the state.
For more information on Myrias Optics and its meta-optics for deployment across AR/VR solutions, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Myrias Optics
About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.


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COVID-19 seems to have limited the options for staying active, but maybe it’s opened up a new world of possibilities when it comes to our fitness routines. While the pandemic has made getting in a good workout a challenge if you’re used to hitting the gym, there are many creative ways to stay in shape while staying safe at home. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s new video series, Fitness over 40, explores mini workouts individuals can incorporate into their daily lives. Ann Marie Wakula, 40, a certified trainer and mother of three hosts the new series, which features three-minute videos packed with tips and inspiring stories of real people overcoming the challenges of fitness during the pandemic— while taking health and safety precautions into consideration.
Try something new
Nicole O’Donnell, 46, who was feeling the physical and mental benefits of going to the gym regularly before COVID-19, knows first-hand about the challenges and having to adapt. “The pandemic hit and my routine completely went away. I wasn’t able to go to the gym. I wasn’t able to go out. We started ordering food at home. It almost ruined what I built up,” O’Donnell said. She quickly realized that she needed to cut back on takeout and took up running. “Each day, I would run a little longer. Two months in, and I realize I actually like running. I’m doing it consistently, and I look forward to it,” O’Donnell said.
Wakula says there’s a lot people can do at home using easily accessible household items:
- Hold a 5-pound bag of flour to add extra intensity to squat sets
- Run up and down your stairs
- Use your coffee table for incline push ups
- Do walking lunges down the hallway
- Take short jogs outside
Another option is contacting your local gym to see if they are offering online classes. Or ask a personal trainer to put together a program for you, tailored to the type of equipment you have at home. “Working out and staying active is important to keep you healthy and boost your immune system,” said Wakula. “So if you have never done anything at all, I would say choose a goal, make it a small goal. Look at your week ahead, plan it out and say, ‘I’m going to dedicate this one hour to myself.’ Set a timer on your phone or a calendar alert so you hold yourself responsible. It’s an appointment with yourself. It’s an appointment for yourself because you are important.”
Look for future Fitness over 40 videos at MIBluesPerspectives.com. Related:
- Finding Time to Exercise with a Busy Schedule
- Making the Most of Home Workouts
- Fitness Pros Weighing Risks of Return to In-Person Classes
Photo credit: petesphotography


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Tourism Ireland Wins ‘Best Tourist Board’ Award
Tourism Ireland has scooped a major travel award in Canada – “Best Tourist Board UK / Europe / Middle East / Africa” – at the TravelPulse Canada Readers’ Choice Awards.
“Fourth Annual Readers’ Choice Awards”
The award was presented to Tourism Ireland in downtown Toronto at the fourth annual Readers’ Choice Awards, now a major event in the travel industry calendar in Canada.
Coming In Ahead
Tourism Ireland took the number one spot in the “Best Tourist Board UK / Europe / Middle East / Africa” category, coming in ahead of competitor tourist boards, including Great Britain, Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain.
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TravelPulse Canada is a key resource for travel industry professionals, and thousands of travel advisors across Canada placed their votes to recognize the outstanding achievements of people and organizations working in the travel trade in Canada.
Statement By Tourism Ireland’s Manager Canada
Welcoming news of the award, Sandra Moffatt, Tourism Ireland’s manager Canada, said, “TravelPulse Canada is a key resource for our travel trade partners here in Canada, so we are delighted to have been recognized as the number one tourism board in our category, as voted by their readers! I would like to take this opportunity to thank our travel trade partners – who continue to play a very important role in helping us to highlight the island of Ireland and to rebuild Canadian visitor numbers. We are grateful for their ongoing support and we look forward to our continued work together in welcoming Canadians to the island of Ireland in 2023 and beyond.”
Read more: Belgian And Dutch Travel Agents Visit Ireland
© 2023 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.


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New Association Spotlights Sustainable Refrigerants
“Our focus is supermarkets because we see so much potential there,” said Liz Whiteley, executive director of NASRC, which is based in Santa Cruz, California. “The supermarket industry faces unique challenges — e.g. very small profit margins, huge opportunity cost if a store has to close for work on the refrigeration systems — so it’s a great subset of commercial refrigeration to focus on where we could see meaningful benefits for the climate.”
An appealing aspect of natural refrigerants is that they are not going to be subject to future phasedowns or restrictions like HFC refrigerants, so they offer a solution to the seemingly endless cycle of refrigerant transitions: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to lowerglobal-warming-potential (GWP) HFCs, Whiteley said.
Whether you’re talking about standalone units using hydrocarbon refrigerants or transcritical CO2 , there’s an opportunity to install systems with substantially smaller climate footprints through lower GWP refrigerants, energy efficiency improvements and decreased system maintenance,” Whiteley said.
The technology, best practices and manpower exist to reduce the impact that supermarket refrigeration has on the environment, but Whiteley said there are hurdles in the way. “Right now in the U.S., when supermarkets look at natural refrigerant options, for the most part they see systems that are expensive, that are different that the rest of their installed base, and that require service technicians who are trained in natural refrigerants,” she explained.
Whiteley said it is important to note that NASRC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which means it exists to advance natural refrigerants specifically because natural refrigerants are better for the environment. “If we can create a world where natural refrigerants are the affordable, logical choice for new store construction, we can lock in technology that’s best for the planet, and that offers a lot of security and cost savings to supermarkets in the long run,” she added.
Dave Rule, president of IIAR, said there may be several ways the two groups can work together, given that both support the use of natural refrigerants such as ammonia or carbon dioxide. “With R-22 being phased out, a lot of people are turning to natural refrigerants. That is drawing more commercial refrigeration people to IIAR,” Rule said, adding that IIAR has platforms in place to communicate with those in the industry, such as its website, magazine and annual conference.
“We’ve extended the offer for their board members and their members in general to participate in the programs and networking events at the conference,” Rule said. “I’d like to invite them in next year to develop papers and add a second track of papers more focused on the commercial market. We could do the same thing on the workshops and panels.”
Rule said including NASRC members in IIAR workshops and committees could increase the focus on commercial issues. “We can develop new committees to be more specifically focused on the issues for the commercial market.”


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The Environmental Audit Committee has criticised the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for a lack of action on packaging waste, with Chair Mary Creagh accusing the government of having âno real sense of directionâ in its approach to tackling packaging waste.
The committee spoke to Resources Minister Therese Coffey, along with Chris Preston, Defraâs Deputy Director for Waste and Recycling, and focused on Defraâs actions to tackle the impact of plastic bottles and disposable coffee cups. Topics covered included the UK’s packaging responsibility system, the prospect of a deposit-return scheme for plastic bottles and the upcoming Chinese ban on waste imports and its effect on the UK.
Coffey claimed Chinaâs actions might stimulate the UK market, and that Defra has âencouraged the industry to provide the capacity that they believe we needâ, an answer committee member and Green Party Co-Leader Caroline Lucas dismissed as âlackadaisicalâ.
The entire evidence session with Coffey can be heard in full on the Environmental Audit Committeeâs website.


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Brexit: Transport ministers host meeting with business leaders from haulage and logistics sector
Transport ministers and leaders from the freight sector gathered in Downing Street yesterday to discuss the benefits of the Government’s EU Exit Withdrawal Agreement.
Ministers, including the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP and Jesse Norman MP, also provided an update on no-deal Brexit preparations.
The main topic of discussion centred on the benefits of the Withdrawal Agreement including the implementation period which ministers said would give businesses sufficient time to prepare for a new relationship and allow the UK time to negotiate a mutually beneficial road freight agreement with the EU.
Leaders were told it is the Government and EU’s intention to ensure comparable market access for freight and passenger road transport operators as part of a longer-term agreement.
Ministers also outlined a broad range of measures around the extensive preparations the DfT is taking to manage any impact on the haulage and logistics sector in the event of a no-deal with the EU.
One of the attendees, Richard Burnett (pictured), RHA’s Chief Executive, said without a transitional period the industry responsible for moving the UK economy will stagger towards “a cliff-edge disaster”.
He added: “The current withdrawal agreement is a solution for the UK’s all-important haulage industry which will keep the supply chain moving. A rejection of the withdrawal agreement, without an alternative transitional period, means that the industry responsible for moving the UK economy, will stagger towards a cliff-edge disaster.”
The RHA said while the withdrawal agreement leaves many issues unresolved and is subject to negotiations on a long-term trade deal with the EU, the extra time the implementation period gives is vital for new processes and systems to be put in place across the supply chain.
Mr Burnett said that transition gives a chance for efficient new border technology, and systems across industry, to be put into place to avoid disastrous queues at ports and a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic: “A deal will avoid reliance on an acute shortage of permits and measures for customs that are unworkable and impractical."
With the haulage industry struggling to fill driver and other vacancies and many current EU workers choosing to leave, Burnett called on ministers to make changes to immigration rules after Brexit:
“We continue to argue with Government for future immigration rules that do not exclude lorry drivers from the definition of skilled workers – so the bar is not set too high and excludes these vital, skilled and trained workers from jobs in the UK. It is essential that lower-paid skilled workers are still allowed to fill vacancies where there is a need for qualified staff in the UK.”
"The RHA has never taken a political view on Brexit, but the RHA’s Board of Directors feel parliamentary approval for a deal that includes a transition period is essential to avoid crippling the supply chain. The RHA believes any outcome delivered by Parliament that fails to deliver this is irresponsible.”
A full list of attendees is below:
Posted on: December 7th 2018


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Tokyo Lamington’s Flagship opens its doors in Sydney today, taking the iconic Aussie desserts to new heights.
Born in 2019, Tokyo Lamington takes the humble Australian icon and turns it on its head; marrying the well-loved dessert with modern Japanese colour and spirit.
Founded by Min Chai (Founder of N2 Gelato) and Eddie Stewart (Previously Black Star Pastry Alumni and founder of N2 Brunch Club), these untraditional Lamingtons were originally only found in Singapore and Tokyo, but following a successful collaboration with KokoBlack, Tokyo Lamington is launching its flagship Australian store in Market City, Sydney this Tuesday, September 22.
“Tokyo Lamington is not what you expect. It was born out of our love for Japan and my memories of baking with my grandmother here in Australia,” said Eddie.
The dessert brand isn’t just doing a traditional take on the quintessentially Aussie chocolate and coconut-covered cake. Instead, the sponge gets an international makeover with iterations in pandan, ube, lemon myrtle, black sesame, matcha and milk tea. There are also crowd favourites that include “Fairy bread with Popcorn Butter”, “Plain Old Chocolate”, “Ferrero Reveal” and “Lemon, Lime, Bitters.”
Tokyo Lamington is launching with a heartwarming creative campaign that celebrates this quintessential Aussie bakery item through the quintessential Aussie baker – Nanna. There’s not a lame-ington in sight!
Doors Officially Open 11AM at Market City – Level 3, 9 Hay Street Haymarket 2000.


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Disney's "Avengers: Endgame" is now the highest-grossing film of all time having earned $2.79 billion at the global box office.Entertainmentread more
Peter Neupert worked for Microsoft and Amazon-backed Drugstore.com, where he got to know Jeff Bezos. He now advises start-ups.Technologyread more
Regional stability, oil prices and potential for war will all depend on what Iran does with its nuclear program in the event of the deal's termination.World Politicsread more
Instagram began tests that hide "like" counts on posts. That means influencers who market products on Instagram will have to rely on different metrics to show success.Technologyread more
Facebook Vice President David Marcus is the face of the company's Libra digital currency, but the original driving force was a 26-year-old female corporate-development...Technologyread more
Moving lots of data to a public cloud over the internet can take months or years. CNBC got an inside look at how AWS transfers data to the cloud for its clients.Technologyread more
Amazon's new policy for account suspensions doesn't go far enough to protect sellers from potentially unfair and wrongful suspensions, merchants say.Technologyread more
There is no end in sight to the Boeing 737 Max grounding after two fatal crashes, prompting airlines to rethink their growth plans.Airlinesread more
After a year of flooding, Midwest farmers face a stifling heat wave that's spreading across the U.S.Weather & Natural Disastersread more
On Saturday, Disney's Marvel Studios announced its upcoming slate of superhero films during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con.Entertainmentread more
"It troubles me that the most important political office in the world is becoming the face of racism and exclusion," Kaeser said in a Twitter post.Politicsread more
Check out these companies making headlines after the bell on Tuesday:
Apple shares popped 6.75 percent in extended trading following the company's quarterly earnings release. The technology giant reported earnings of $1.42 per share on revenue of $42.4 billion, above the $1.38 per share on sales of $42.09 billion expected by analysts, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate.
Apple shipped 40.4 million iPhones,10 million iPads and 4.3 million Macs in the third fiscal quarter, compared to Street Account estimates of 40.02 million, 9.14 million and 4.39 million, respectively.
Apple's third quarter marks the first time in 10 quarters that the company has seen revenue growth in iPad sales. Apple gave strong guidance for its fourth quarter with revenue expectations ranging from $45.5 billion to $47.5 billion. Street Account consensus estimates predicted $45.94 billion.
Twitter shares last fell 11.65 percent after hours following the company's second-quarter earnings release paired with an extremely weak third quarter guidance. The online social networking service reported earnings of 13 cents per share on revenue of $602 million, compared to analysts' estimates of 10 cents per share on revenue of $607 million. Twitter ended the third quarter with 313 million monthly active users, adding 1 million more monthly active users than analysts' expectations. The company's guidance for the third quarter came in weaker than analysts' projections. Twitter expects third-quarter revenue in the range of $590 to $610 million, below analysts' estimates of $678 million.
Panera Bread shares were last up 4.04 percent after hours following the company's revenue and earnings per share beat for its second quarter. The bakery-cafe restaurant chain reported adjusted earnings of $1.78 per share on revenue of $699 million, beating analysts' estimates of $1.74 per share on revenue of $696 million. CEO Ron Shaich said, "Panera is becoming a better competitive alternative with expanded runways for growth. At a time when other restaurant companies are feeling the impact of a slowing consumer environment, we are maintaining our momentum. "
Last quarter, Panera Bread raised its EPS guidance for the first time in three years. In the second quarter, the company raised its mid-point fiscal year 2016 EPS guidance again, with a target range of $6.60 to $6.70 per share for the year.
Buffalo Wild Wings popped 4.08 percent in extended trading following the company's second-quarter earnings release. The restaurant chain reported earnings of $1.27 per share on revenue of $490 million, compared to analysts' expectations of earnings of $1.25 per share on revenue of $498 million. Total revenue increased 15 percent in the second quarter year over year. But same store sales decreased 2.1 percent for company owned restaurants and 2.6 percent for franchise restaurants.
-CNBC's Anita Balakrishnan and Christine Wang contributed to this report.
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the consensus estimate for Twitter's third-quarter revenue.


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Viking Cruises has announced a new 11-day cruise itinerary, Greek Odyssey, which will allow guests to explore the ancient empires of antiquity of the Aegean over the calm winter season. Sailing roundtrip from Athens beginning in January 2021
According to a European Travel Commission’s latest report, “European Tourism – Trends & Prospects 2018”, 32 out of 34 reporting destinations showed growth for the summer season. In all, 1 in 4 destinations enjoyed double-digit increases in arrivals.
Hilton’s Canopy has just opened in Zagreb, Croatia, the first such hotel in continental Europe. The Canopy by Hilton Zagreb offers 151 guest rooms with 8 suites with decor inspired by Croatian tradition.
Leading luxury hotel brand InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts has partnered with London-based contemporary artist Alexander Hall, also known under the alias Haut de Gamme©, to create a stunning art installation, commemorating 200 properties around the world.
The islands of Crete, Kos, Rhodes, and Samos have been set as top destinations for DER Touristik clients for 2019, according to the company’s CEO of Central Europe, René Herzog.
Gyros have finally been recognized as being Greek, achieving the Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG) status.
Athens, Greece has been named the 2018 European Capital of Innovation for the innovative it’s overcome social and economic challenges.
Club Med, the pioneer of the all-inclusive concept, launched a new promotion to highlight each of their sun-soaked resorts.
European destinations reported healthy growth this summer despite rising political risks and less relaxed financial conditions posing a threat to the global economic outlook.
Hotelbeds has announced another update on further senior management appointments for the company. According to the news, Joaquin Garcia is now Regional Director of Wholesale Sales for Northern and Centre Europe, and Luis Miguel Vazquez is the Regional Director for the South and Eastern Europe. Both will report directly to Sam Turner, the Wholesale Sales and Sourcing Director with […]
Chania’s Domus Renier Boutique Hotel has just been awarded Europe’s Best Historic Hotel by Historic Hotels Worldwide for 2018.
After 17 years, Lufthansa has launched a new direct non-stop service to Thessaloniki International Airport “Makedonia”, connecting the Greek northern city with Frankfurt.


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IT innovation: It’s the buzzword of the year. But what does it actually mean?
According to Dictionary.com, to innovate means to introduce something new or to make changes in anything established. In IT, that’s hardly a new concept: Advances in technology have always led to IT innovation for a competitive edge.
Lalitendu Panda, CIO of D&M Holdings, for example, is constantly integrating the technologies of the high-end digital audio and video brands that D&M acquires. The goal is “a single version of truth” across D&M’s inventory channel and customer-facing websites. As part of our CIO Innovators series, Panda will share his views on IT innovation next week on SearchCIO.com.
Not all IT innovation is driven by the heads of IT. In my reporting over the past couple of weeks, I spoke with a director of applications and a director of decision support at different enterprises, both of whom found innovative ways to make cloud computing services more palatable to their companies. One chose a cloud broker to ensure that workloads move seamlessly among major public clouds including Amazon.com’s and Terremark Worldwide’s. The other found an identity management Software as a Service to provide users with single-sign-on access to personalized homepages of approved applications.
Innovation is on the minds of CEOs as well, according to the results of PricewaterhouseCooper’s 14th Annual CEO Survey of more than 1,200 business executives around the globe. More than three-quarters of the CEOs surveyed said they believe IT innovation will drive efficiencies and lead to competitive advantage. Close to 70% are investing in IT to reduce costs and become more efficient, while 54% are funding growth initiatives that make use of emerging technologies in mobile devices, social media and data analytics.
Alexander Eliseev, chairman of the board of directors for Russian company Globaltrans, told PwC that technological innovation means finding “new and more efficient ways of accepting, processing and delivering cargo. It is very important that Globaltrans be at least a step ahead of the rest of the industry in offering new railway logistics solutions to the marketplace.”
IT innovation comes from the top, as well as from the rank and file, and is the engine of a recovering economy.


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Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Marlon de la Torre to talk more about the real St. Junipero Serra in light of the recent controversy surrounding him. Other guests include Dr. Regis Martin on the importance of seeing God in the smallness of his creation, Elizabeth Scalia on why Confession should cost us something, and legal analyst Ken Craycraft on the latest from the Supreme Court. Plus news, weather, sports and a whole lot more…
Dr. Regis Martin writes at ncregister.com.
Elizabeth Scalia writes at theanchoress.com.
Marlon de la Torre is online at knowingisdoing.org.
Ken Craycraft and Kevin Schmiesing is online at athenaeum.edu.
Fr. Frank Donio is online at catholicapostolatecenter.org.
Meg Deblase is online at cincinnatirighttolife.org.
Kris McGregor is online at discerninghearts.com.
Fr. Dwight Longenecker is online at dwightlongenecker.com.
Toufic Baaklini is online at indefenseofchristians.org.
Danielle Bean is online at catholicmom.com.