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- Under Armour announced Tuesday a partnership with department store retailer Kohl's that will place Under Armour-branded apparel, accessories and footwear in more than 1,100 Kohl's stores nationwide starting March 1 of next year.
- The deal, more than two years in the making, will be "one of the biggest launches in the history of Kohl's," Kohl's chief merchandising and customer officer Michelle Gass told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Under Armour also announced that it would be moving into toy retailer FAO Schwarz's now-empty Manhattan flagship store as soon as 2018 in an effort to use "landmark retail space" to attract customers and to build its brand and story.
Although these announcements come on the tail of Under Armour reporting a 58% drop in second-quarter profit (mainly due to Sports Authority's woes), the retailer isn't letting that get in its way.
Under Armour has been determined to push into a market largely dominated by Nike and Adidas, two giants in the sportswear space with global reach. The retailer's efforts in the U.S. have paid off, with Under Armour surpassing Adidas as the No. 2 sportswear retailer in the States in 2014—but Adidas is not going without a fight. Adidas recently announced an aggressive comeback plan, which includes speeding up production, moving into key cities like Los Angeles and New York, and tapping into more collaborations with athletes and creatives, including an expansion of its partnership with rapper Kanye West.
With this new partnership with Kohl's, Under Armour is looking to match Nike and Adidas' reach, and going beyond sporting goods stores like Sports Authority. The 1,100 Kohl's stores will add to Under Armour's current presence in around 11,000 locations across North America. As Bloomberg points out, it still pales in comparison to Nike's 24,000 stores, but the partnership with Kohl's and its new flagship space in New York nevertheless will put Under Armour's logo out in front of a new set of consumers and give fans greater access to the brand.
“As we look at our brand and mature and evolve, we believe there’s a customer that shops primarily at Kohl’s and is passing on our brand because it's unavailable,” Matt Mirchin, Under Armour’s president for North America, said in an interview with Bloomberg.
Among these customers are another important group that Under Armour has actively been striving to reach: women. As the athleisure trend continues to flourish among women, Under Armour has been courting these fashionable-yet-sporty consumers with ad campaigns featuring ballerina Misty Copeland and the hire of fashion designer Tim Coppens for a new collection dubbed UAS.
It's all part of an goal outlined by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank last year to grow its $600 million women's collection to the size of its men's business. Putting its wares in front of Kohl's customers—the majority of which are women shopping for themselves and/or their families—is a significant step in that direction.


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Yum! Fourteen restaurants will be participating in the second Thai Food Festival, to be held on Irving Park Road on Saturday, August 17th (11am - 10pm) and Sunday, August 18th (11am - 9pm).
Additionally, there will be music by a local Thai band, cooking classes, a fashion show, kick boxing exhibition, and more, all with a distinct Thai flavor.
The fest will take place in Thorek Hospital's large parking lot on the south side of the street at 851 West Irving Park Road.
A donation is requested for entry and will be very much appreciated. The festival is sponsored by TARA (the Thai-American Restaurant Association of Illinois).
- Wristbands are required for alcohol purchases
- No outside food or drinks allowed
- Large bags and backpacks will be searched
- Cash and credit cards will be accepted at most booth
Keep an eye on the Facebook page for more details as the dates approach.

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When two power players decide to create something new together, the result could potentially shake the earth and be felt by all in the industry – especially by their competitors. Such was the first thought that came to mind when I learned that Crestron Electronics and Origin Acoustics – one, a home automation and integrated systems Jedi Master…and the other, a leading brand in premium architectural audio solutions – came together to create a new line of residential audio products under the Crestron brand.
Origin Acoustics announced this week that it has promoted current Sales VP Marc Fisher to the unusual title of President of Sales. The company also the appointment of John Marchionda as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).
See more on the Origin personnel moves…[Read more…] about Origin Acoustics Announces an Executive Promotion and Appoints a New CMO
Always an entertaining stop at CEDIA, Origin Acoustics didn’t disappoint again this year with a significant number of new models, some other updated models, and new announcements. See what caught my eye at this CEDIA Expo…
See new commercial products from Origin…[Read more…] about CEDIA19: Origin Acoustics in Big Entry into Commercial Market
San Diego, we hardly knew ye’! CEDIA Expo 2018 wrapped up this past Saturday and after three days of running between meetings and walking the show floor, I emerge relatively unscathed. The bottom line – this first Emerald Exposition-produced show was a bit of a mixed bag with some positive elements and some dropped balls. But overall, most came away satisfied that it was a good show.
I came away enthused at the sight of innovation marching forward… [Read more…] about CEDIA Expo 2018: That’s a Wrap!
As usual, our first official CEDIA Expo press conference was Origin Acoustics. And as usual, Origin begins the show by putting on the Dave Donald show. Donald, who is Origin’s “Worldwide Ambassador,” is a showman at heart with a dynamic speaking style and sprinkles of exciting hyperbole. I have to say, while Donald seemed slightly lower key that at past shows, you certainly won’t drift off to sleep when he’s verbally throwing new models at you.
But what followed next is what really caught our attention… [Read more…] about Origin Acoustics: New Products, New CEO
Portal announced today that it has secured a deal with Origin Acoustics which will allow dealers to select and purchase Origin products through its unique, brand-agnostic, proposal and purchasing web portal for integrators. The deal includes not only Origin products, but iRoom brand models as well. And Portal says it will be offering “exclusive access to the award winning Valet Amplifier system.”
See more on this new line being offered through Portal… [Read more…] about Portal Adds Origin Acoustics; Gains Exclusive on Valet Amp
“I can tell you the last year has been a really exciting adventure,” Origin CEO Jeremy Burkhardt said, kicking off an Origin Acoustics press conference at last week’s 2015 CEDIA Expo in Dallas. Having officially launched the company at Expo last year, company executives sought to celebrate this milestone. And, much as they did last year – the company announced several new products for the coming year.
See more details on the Origin Acoustics product launch… [Read more…] about Origin Celebrates Reaching Year One
We found some interesting stuff here at the start (and from the days leading up to the start) of CEDIA’s 2015 Expo. There was a lot to sift through, but what follows are some of the more interesting products and technologies we found at the start of the show – presented in no particular order.
See items of interest from the start of CEDIA Expo… [Read more…] about CEDIA Starts with Some Interesting Stuff
“It’s been tremendous,” declared Origin CEO Jeremy Burkhardt with his typical over-the-top enthusiasm, when asked how his nearly one-year old company is doing since its launch at the 2014 CEDIA Expo. “I’ve been on the road for 3-weeks a month for the last 12-months.” And apparently, from what Burkhardt tells us, loving every single minute of it.
See more on Origin on the eve of its first birthday… [Read more…] about Origin Acoustics, Facing Its 1st Birthday, is Big For Its Age
Well-known industry executive Dave Donald has left Origin Acoustics where he was Vice President of Marketing to take a position at media center manufacturer Kaleidescape. Donald left Origin approximately two weeks ago and oddly, neither company has offered any type of official announcement. We first heard about this situation from multiple sources and confirmed it with both Origin and Mr. Donald.


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Montana Fuel Prices Still Flat
Gas prices in Montana are nearly identical to what they were a week ago, dropping only about two cents. Although the national average jumped up a penny, Montana's average price of $3.45 per gallon is still higher than the national price of $3.42.
Montana fuel prices are about 20 cents cheaper than they were last year and nearly a quarter cheaper than just last month. GasBuddy.com Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says that the price is not likely to move very much in the near future. DeHaan notes that Montana lags national trends by about two weeks and expects our price to inch upward, though not by much, in the next few weeks.


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Apple bets new 4-inch iPhone to draw big-screen converts in China, India
By Mari Saito and Himank Sharma
CUPERTINO, Calif/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O: Quote) is betting a new 4-inch iPhone will spur smartphone users in key markets such as China and India to ditch their larger-screens in favor of the diminutive, yet feature-rich and lower-priced iPhone SE.
The plan, if successful, will pose a challenge to its Asian competitors such as Huawei Technologies [HWT.UL] and Xiaomi[XTC.UL] which have been churning out big-screen phones to win market share in the crowded mid-range and near-premium segments.
"With the iPhone SE, Apple is choosing to aim at an under-served segment of consumers that prefer small screen smartphones and have been reluctant to upgrade," research firm IHS said in a note.
"Importantly, Apple's competitors have chosen not to target the premium compact smartphone market."
Users will be more willing to ditch their larger screens if Apple's smaller phone can match-up in features, analysts said.
"This will appeal to more people who otherwise couldn’t afford their flagship phone. This will make the market more competitive at that price point as Apple is preparing to take more share,” said Anshul Gupta, research director at Gartner.
The pricing, along with the features, is for the first time likely to pit Apple directly against phones made by companies such as Oppo, One Plus and Xiaomi, analysts said.
"Apple iPhone SE will target feature phone upgraders, first-time smartphone buyers and prepaid consumers in Asia who cannot afford, or are not familiar with, bigger-screen smartphones," said Neil Mawston, an analyst at Strategy Analytics. Continued...


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Four people were hospitalized in good condition Sunday after a car plowed into a Starbucks coffee shop in the West Rogers Park neighborhood, striking patrons inside, police said.
Witnesses told police that the driver of a blue Lexus sedan heading north on North Lincoln Avenue around noon tried to turn right into a shopping center and veered off the road.
The driver, a 56-year-old Chicago woman, "was turning into the Starbucks when she lost control of the vehicle and went through the glass window, striking two individuals," said Chicago Police Officer John Mirabelli.
The Lexus jumped a curb, leveled a stop sign and damaged a tree before shattering the wall of the shop in the 6000 block of North Lincoln. The driver was cited for making an improper right turn, negligent driving and lack of insurance, police said.
There was no indication she was intoxicated, Mirabelli said.
Teresa Lopez was working at a nearby bookstore when she spotted a firetruck and ambulances outside.
As she walked up to the coffee shop, she saw a car in the middle of the store, with broken glass, twisted steel and a coffee cup visible beneath its wheels.
Starbucks workers were gathered out front, Lopez said.
The driver and her passenger, a 24-year-old woman, were taken by ambulance to Swedish Covenant Hospital. One victim in the store, a 55-year-old man, also was taken to Swedish Covenant. The other victim in the store, a 29-year-old man, was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston.
Oneida Garcia was visiting her aunt's house nearby on North Jersey Avenue when she saw three people being carried by stretcher outside the Starbucks shortly after the accident, she said.
She and other bystanders Sunday afternoon said that area of Lincoln Avenue was often traffic-clogged and chaotic.
Minutes later, another crash stopped traffic near the coffee shop.


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Feedstuffs is the news source for animal agriculture
A wise man once told me the proper role of industry is to take those it serves by the hand and lead them up the mountain.
June 12, 2020
The Big 4 Business Practices Face a Flurry of Law Suits
When the folks at R-CALF saw the recent headlines about "BIG BEEF PACKERS HIT WITH FEDERAL SUBPOENA," they said, "It's about time! Over a year ago, they filed a lawsuit claiming a conspiracy to fix prices. It took a pandemic creating a curiously large discrepancy between the price paid for live cattle and the retail price asked for beef to kick start the judicial process.
Giving some importance to the action, President Trump asked the Justice Department to look into allegations that the Big 4 meatpackers broke antitrust law because the prices paid to farmers and ranchers delined even as supermarket meat prices rose.
"I've asked the Justice Department to look into it. I've asked them to take a very serious look into it because it shouldn't be happening that way and we want to protect our farmers," Trump said at an early May White House meeting attended by Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
The Justice Department is now looking at a suspiciously large and growing 'point spread' in the cattle business. Driven by COVID-19 panic buying, meat sales have been rising since March, but producer profits have been falling. Wholesale prices for processed beef jumped almost 20% while the price paid to ranchers dropped 11% since January, according to Fern's Ag Insider.
Feedstuffs editor Jacqui Fatka reported, "The existence of a conspiracy among the defendants was confirmed by at least one account by a confidential witness ('witness 1')," the court document noted. "Witness 1, who was previously employed by one of the defendants, has confirmed that each of the defendants expressly agreed to reduce its cattle purchase and slaughter volumes with the purpose and effect of increasing their margins. Transactional data and slaughter volume records reported by defendants, information published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and defendants' public calls for industrywide slaughter and capacity reductions corroborate witness 1's account."
Last week, a federal judge in Minnesota decided to consider whether or not to toss out the several civil antitrust suits against Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS and National Beef filed by cattle ranchers that accused them of working together to lower the prices of live cattle. Adding extra heft to the R-CALF complaint were similar suits filed by Kraft Heinz, Kroger, Walmart, Sysco and U.S. Foods.
A few weeks later, another hard left hook was delivered by a suit filed on behalf of the trustee for bankrupt Chicago grocer Central Grocers Inc., Strack and Van Til Super Market, and SVT. It asks treble damages and injunctive relief and wants a jury trial.
The Central Grocers suit was filed in Minneapolis federal court and the usual suspects were named: Tyson Foods, JBS USA, Cargill and National Beef. It was another legal action making the same claim: Domination of the American beef market by the Big 4 to limit cattle supplies created significant and artificially higher prices for consumers this spring and suggests price-fixing stretched back to 2015.
Politico's MORNING AGRICULTURE reported, "The Justice Department is seeking information from the companies as part of a civil antitrust investigation, separate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's probe into potential price-fixing in the industry. None of the meatpackers responded to requests for comment, but National Beef told Bloomberg the DOJ's subpoena was "narrow in scope, which leads us to believe that the DOJ does not necessarily believe there is an antitrust issue."
Politico reported the Big 4 asked the district judge in Minnesota to toss out the cases, which they claim are based on "speculation and gossip."
Avoiding the real issue, Nicole Saharsky, a lawyer for Cargill, told POLITICO, "There are a lot of things the plaintiffs try to say are nefarious but just aren't. A government request for information as reported by the media does not make this complaint more plausible."
Nor does it make the complaint any less plausible.
More bad news for the meat and poultry biggies came last week when federal prosecutors indicted Pilgrim's Price CEO Jayson Penn for fixing prices on broiler chickens. He pleaded not guilty and will fight the charges with all the money and political might JBS wishes to spare. Pilgrims' Pride, a subsidiary of JBS, is the second-largest supplier of broilers, just behind alleged beef pricing co-conspirator Tyson Foods. Also indicted were Mikell Fries, president of Claxton Poultry Farms, and Scott Brady, a vice president. Both men entered not guilty pleas.
So how does price-fixing work? The smoking gun is evidence of collusion, actual discussions between companies aimed at 'fixing' a price for products they produce. If you've attended any kind of trade association event, you've heard the inevitable opening 'housekeeping' statement warning participants not to talk about such things. A gray area, though, is a sufficiently dominant position that allows a company to establish a market price without prior discussion.
If a company is big enough and likely the low-cost producer, it can set the price by simply stating what it thinks is 'correct.' Other companies will usually be forced to follow, happily so if the profit margin is high enough.
Bottom Line I: After decades of 'woofing' from both sides and the occasional inconclusive court case, it is time for the courts to weigh the evidence carefully and make a decision.
Bottom Line II: Trade associations should consider getting in front of these issues instead of defending them until they are no longer viable. A wise man once told me their proper role is to take the industry they serve by the hand and lead it up the mountain. Standing at the bottom awaiting the inevitable avalanche serves no one well.
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If you're holding out expecting Apple to introduce a redesigned Retina MacBook Pro at Worldwide Developer Conference in June, get ready for some disappointment. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says we'll have to wait until this fall, and what we'll get is a thinner, faster laptop with an OLED touch surface instead of traditional function keys and Touch ID.
A new study claims Fitbit's fitness trackers don't accurately measure user's heart rate. That shouldn't come as a big surprise considering Fitbit's products don't undergo FDA approval, but the study itself is dubious first because of its questionable methods and second because it was commissioned by a law firm that's currently suing Fitbit.
Apple is facing the most stunningly amazing patent infringement lawsuit ever: the iPhone's ability to be used as a phone. The patent holding company Corydoras Technologies filed its lawsuit in the Texas Eastern District Federal Court, which is known for favoring patent trolls.
The massive sliding doors on Apple's redesigned Union Square San Francisco retail store create a 40-foot opening that's more than big enough to drive a car through. Sure, it makes for a great open air experience when shopping, but maybe it's a hint that Apple plans to use its new store design to show off its own car.
We got a demonstration of Tap Systems' self-titled product, Tap, last night at Pepcom in San Francisco. It's a gesture-based one-handed virtual keyboard, and Bryan Chaffin thinks this may be the first one that makes sense.
Fitbit has long been the big name in wearable fitness trackers, and now it looks like the company wants to have a part in mobile contactless payments, just like Apple Pay. The company just announced it purchased Coin and could start including NFC-based payment options in its products as early as 2017.
Symantec managed to do something no other security software vendor has managed: create a vulnerability that affects Mac, Windows, and Linux users. Simply running Symantec or Norton-branded security software potentially exposes users to attacks where hackers can get root-level control over their computer. Luckily, there aren't any reports of the exploit in the wild, and Symantec released a patch for the flaw a couple days ago.
The guy that got the interent in a tizzy over iTunes deleting his personal music library has a follow up: Apple's engineers paid him a personal visit to troubleshoot the problem. What they discovered was the lost music wasn't user error, there's a hard to track bug in iTunes, and Amber, the phone support representative he originally spoke with didn't know what she was talking about.
Apple continued beefing up its offerings for the Chinese market this week with an update to GarageBand dedicated to Chinese content. The company added several Chinese instruments, including the pipa, the erhu and unspecified "Chinese percussion." Apple also added "300 Apple-created Chinese musical loops," the first new loops we've seen in some time.
The Mac Observer's Jeff Gamet will be talking about social media services tonight, May 17, at the Denver Apple Pi Mac User Group. He'll be talking about Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and more, plus he'll have some tips for staying safe online.
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Jamba Juice stores in all five boroughs of New York City are coming together to support Food Bank of New York City through a consumer donation initiative. The stores owned by Emeryville, Calif.-based parent company Jamba Juice Co. are encouraging consumers to donate $1 to Food Bank For New York City and, in return, will give the consumers a Jamba Juice coupon book with various deals for use with their next Jamba Juice visits. All proceeds collected through June 13 will provide funding for the approximately 400,000 free meals that are distributed by Food Bank each day to New Yorkers in need.
Food Bank For New York City has been active for 31 years as the city’s major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs. As the city’s hub for integrated food poverty assistance, Food Bank tackles the hunger issue on three fronts — food distribution, income support and nutrition education — all strategically guided by its research. Since 1983, Food Bank has provided nearly 1 billion meals to New Yorkers in need, and a ratio of 1-in-5 New Yorkers relies on Food Bank’s program and services, according to the companies.
“We greatly value our partnership with Food Bank For New York City, as it reinforces our commitment to giving back to the local New York community,” said Julie Washington, senior vice president and chief brand officer for Jamba Juice Co., in a statement. “Food Bank changes lives for local residents and families, and we look forward to this promotion helping those in need live a healthier life.”
Ijeoma Obilo, director of engagement and strategic partnerships at Food Bank for New York City, added in a statement: “We are very grateful for this partnership, and we truly thank Jamba Juice for their support. By working through our local communities, we have an opportunity to reach New Yorkers in every community and in every borough. That outreach will help us toward our goal of ending hunger citywide.”


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Primark are going Stateside!
You've seen them on your high street, selling two-stripe trainers for £2 to people from Trafford and t-shirts with the Notorious B.I.G. on them to teenagers who don't even like hip hop from Sheffield... but Primark have bigger ideas and they're eyeing up the United States of America!
That's right. The retailer is going to open their first US shops, kicking off with a 70,000 square foot store in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Boston store will be giving people more than a feeling at some point toward the end of 2015. There, they'll be able to buy animal onesies and 500 pairs of black socks!
It isn't ending there of course. There's negotiations under way which see the company planning to open further shops in the north-east of America by 2016. We suspect Jimmy Fallon might be scouring the internet for 'Primani' jokes as we speak.
Primark's owner - Associated British Foods - said half-year operating profits at their retail operations rose 26% to £298m, so they've got a bit of cash to gamble with and they said: "After extensive research, it has been decided to take the [Primark] concept to consumers in the USA."
One thing's for sure - people like cheap stuff. Target and Wal-Mart, you've got some competition headed your way.


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Digital couponing is an effective tool during times where people are looking for a price break.
The economy took a nosedive in fall 2008. As a reaction to the unstable financial landscape, Americans looked to alternative means to save money. One immediate source was utilizing coupons. As the digital age advances, so does its affect on traditional media. Coupons are now in print, online and mobile forms.
According to the Center for Media Research, the coupon aggregator RetailMeNot explained that consumers, who use coupons, have saved roughly $57.4 million dollars on planned purchases between January and June 2010. The average savings for an online coupon is $29 and $5 for each downloadable one.
In fact, during the first six months of 2010 a total number of 1,663,836 printable coupons were downloaded for future use. In addition, there were approximately 80.25 million users accessing coupon websites, which is a 49% increase from the amount of users between the same timeframe in 2009.
Digital couponing is an effective tool during times where people are looking for a price break. Advertisers can employ this knowledge by putting the product/service in front of the targeted demographic. It can be an excellent opportunity to continue and maintain branding.
Be sure to visit Ruth Burke & Associates’ blog to find the latest in media news and receive helpful tips to make your advertising campaign successful...


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Pricetravel Holding receives WTTC Secure Travel Stamp
The company supports the safety of travelers through the application of strict health and hygiene protocols
The main tourism group in Mexico and Latin America, PriceTravel Holding, received the Travel Safety Stamp granted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), for complying with hygiene and sanitization established by the body.
This badge will allow people to travel safer, since the measures adopted include the strictest guidelines issued by international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC).
In addition, this seal has the backing of more than 200´CEO´s from the main business groups in the sector around the world.
“Traveling will continue to be part of the new normal. The travel and tourism industry plays an important role in people's lives, so it is essential for the company to ensure the tranquility and health of travelers. That is why we redouble our efforts and materialize it by having this important distinctive, Travel Safety Stamp. "Said Jorge Restrepo, CEO of PriceTravel Holding.
With this action, PriceTravel Holding joins the list of companies, destinations and governments around the world that have adopted global sanitation and hygiene protocols designed by the World Travel and Tourism Council.


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The arrival of delta-8-THC (delta-8) products has been nothing short of a miracle for weed lovers who don’t live in legalized states. But several states are now cracking down on delta-8. Is Florida about to join them?
Delta-8 is currently legal in Florida. The state legalized delta-8 at the same time as the federal government, with the passage of the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act (Farm Bill). Delta-8 products can be purchased without a medical marijuana card.
However, it gets a little more complicated than that! In this guide, I’ll give you the lowdown on the delta-8 laws in Florida, look at why it’s legal, and discuss what the future may hold. There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get to it.
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Delta-8 State Law in Florida
Florida is one of many states that have followed the federal government’s lead on delta-8. Therefore, since delta-8 is legal at the federal level, it’s also legal in Florida.
However, Florida has gone a step further than some states, passing Senate Bill 1766 in 2022. The bill prohibited delta-8 products from being sold to people under the age of 21. But in doing so, the bill also gave the all-clear for people over the age of 21 to purchase delta-8.
You may be surprised at this. After all, even though Florida has a medical marijuana program, recreational marijuana is still banned. By allowing a delta-8 industry in Florida, state lawmakers are essentially permitting a legal marijuana market.
Florida legalized industrial hemp in 2014, but the delta-8 market didn’t spring up until 2018 when federal lawmakers passed the Farm Bill. Until then, there were still uncertainties about what hemp products were allowed.
The Farm Bill legalized the entire hemp plant, with a caveat that products could contain no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. The cap was intended to stop the production of psychoactive hemp-based products.
Florida copied the Farm Bill word for word, legalizing all of the hemp plant’s derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, acids, isomers, and salts of isomers. This full legalization of hemp created a legal loophole for companies to start manufacturing psychoactive delta-8 products.
Delta-8 Federal Law
When the federal government comprehensively legalized hemp in 2018, few expected it would lead to the creation of legal delta-8 products. The bill was mostly about giving the go-ahead to non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) products, which had been in a legal gray area since 2014.
Indeed, if the potential for delta-8 and other legal psychoactive hemp-based products was considered, the bill would have read differently. For example, all tetrahydrocannabinols could have been capped at 0.3%, not just THC.
But few realized the potential of delta-8 at the time. While psychoactive, hemp plants produce delta-8 in such low quantities that the idea you could use it for psychoactive purposes was laughable.
However, that is precisely what has happened. Shortly after the federal government legalized hemp-based products, delta-8 vape juices, edibles, tincture oils, and cartridges started popping up in Florida and beyond.
Products became available online, in vape shops, and other specialized stores and delta-8 products quickly became a must-buy. Marijuana fans in Florida could scarcely believe their luck.
Now, the federal law couldn’t be more contradictory. On one hand, marijuana is a Schedule 1 controlled substance, classified in the same category as heroin. While on the other, delta-8, – which is almost identical to THC both chemically and in terms of effects – is completely legal!
With marijuana legalization not on the federal government’s radar anytime soon, could the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) move to restrict access to delta-8?
Is Delta-8 Synthetic?
The DEA is yet to take any specific action on delta-8. However, an Interim Final Rule (IFR) published in 2020 to address uncertainties concerning the 2018 Farm Bill was considered by some to be a swipe at delta-8.
The IFR targeted “synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols,” unnatural compounds which mimic THC’s effects. In recent times, the debate has raged over whether delta-8 products are natural or synthetic, with the manufacturing process coming under scrutiny.
You may be confused. Isn’t delta-8 a naturally occurring compound in hemp? And if so, what’s the problem? While delta-8 is indeed a natural compound, the process used to make it in large quantities is arguably synthetic.
Hemp plants do not generate enough delta-8 for natural extraction to be financially viable. Hemp typically contains less than 1% delta-8, in contrast to more than 20% CBD.
Therefore, 20 to 30 times more hemp would be required to make delta-8 products naturally, pushing costs and prices through the roof. To get around this problem, delta-8 manufacturers have been creating the cannabinoid in a laboratory using a process known as isomerization.
You can make delta-8 by exposing CBD-isolate extract to a mixture of hydrochloric acid and toluene. This interaction tweaks the chemical makeup of CBD, turning it into psychoactive delta-8. The mass production made possible by this process has allowed manufacturers to offer delta-8 at reasonable prices.
But the lab process isn’t without its critics, who have described it as synthetic and therefore illegal. But delta-8’s defenders argue that the isomerization of CBD-isolate into delta-8 isn’t a synthetic operation. So, who’s right?
Firstly, despite being produced in a laboratory, delta-8 is hardly comparable to the more notorious synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols out there. Synthetic products like spice (K2) are 100% unnatural and made entirely in a lab. They are also much more dangerous than delta-8.
Sure, the manufacturing of delta-8 might not be natural. But the compound is made from natural CBD-isolate, and delta-8 is still a natural substance. That’s much different from spice which does not exist anywhere in the natural world.
However, delta-8 products would simply not exist in the way they do if not for the unnatural isomerization process that CBD-isolate undergoes in the lab. There’s an argument that even though delta-8 is natural, the manufacturing process is synthetic, and that any delta-8 products manufactured in this manner should be classed as such.
In my view, the law is unclear and open for interpretation. I agree that delta-8 is not a synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol in the typical sense. But delta-8 products are obviously not as natural as the hemp-based CBD products on the market today.
The current law just doesn’t cover products made via a mixture of natural and synthetic processes. And the DEA’s attempt to clear up confusions in the Farm Bill with the 2020 IFR has only made things worse and put the delta-8 industry on even more questionable ground.
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The History of Delta-8 in Florida
Delta-8 has a relatively short history in the Sunshine State but has made a significant impact in that period. You could make the case that delta-8 was legal in Florida until 1937 when the Marihuana Tax Act came into force.
All components of marijuana then became Schedule 1 substances in 1971 when the Controlled Substances Act came into effect.
But as we have covered, delta-8 was an unknown entity until recent years, existing as an obscure and largely irrelevant cannabinoid. However, since the federal government legalized hemp in 2018, a delta-8 industry has emerged in Florida.
Senate Bill 1766, which became effective on 1 July 2022, gave tactic acceptance to delta-8 products. Despite restricting products to those under the age of 21, the bill essentially clarified that delta-8 products are legal.
This is a step further than most states, where delta-8 is either banned or exists in a gray area, with no specific legislation confirming its legal status.
The Legality of Selling Delta-8 in Florida
Delta-8 is legal to manufacture, possess, buy, and sell in Florida state. However, retailers can only sell products to customers over the age of 21 due to Senate Bill 1766.
Buying delta-8 products safely in Florida
As with the rest of the hemp industry, the delta-8 market is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). When buying products from any unregulated industry, you must take some extra precautions to ensure what you are purchasing is safe and legit.
The absence of regulation means the delta-8 industry is rife with sketchy companies selling dodgy delta-8. Headshops and gas stations are notorious for stocking low-quality or fake hemp-based products.
In 2019-20, a vaping lung illness outbreak in the US caused by fake THC e-liquids containing vitamin E acetate led to more than 60 deaths and 2700 hospitalizations. This incident was a deadly reminder of the dangers of consuming products from shady brands.
You should always check that the product you are considering has been third-party approved. With no official regulatory body to provide assurances on product safety and quality, delta-8 companies must prove their products are the real deal by getting them tested by independent laboratories.
Third-party testing exposes brands acting in bad faith. Since there is no way an illegitimate or fake product could pass scrutiny, these companies will do everything to avoid independent tests.
Some brands may claim their products are third-party tested. But I suggest you stay very skeptical unless you actually see any results. With so many legit delta-8 brands out there, you do not need to mess around with companies using questionable business practices.
Best dELTA 8 dISPOSABLE VAPE
Genesis Delta 8 THC Disposables (Genesis)
Delta-8’s Future in Florida
As it does everywhere else in the US, delta-8 products face a challenging future in Florida. Ultimately, the emergence of what is effectively a legal weed market in a prohibited state has not gone unnoticed or without controversy.
But compared to other states, delta-8’s future looks a little more secure in Florida thanks to Senate Bill 1766. However, while state lawmakers aren’t eyeing up an imminent ban, nothing is stopping the DEA from swooping in.
The IFR ruling on synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols has led many to believe that the DEA has delta-8 products in its crosshairs. The IFR ruling may not have put an end to the delta-8 industry, but if the DEA really is looking for blood, the agency could stamp out the market as quickly as it emerged, including in Florida.
Of course, Florida state or the federal government could move to legalize recreational marijuana at some stage – polls indicate the public strongly support full legalization.
In this event, the need for delta-8 would reduce significantly overnight. The industry would have served its purpose for most, who would undoubtedly switch to regular marijuana products.
Right now, it’s impossible to say exactly what will happen to delta-8 products in Florida and elsewhere.
More than a dozen states have banned delta-8, but the federal government’s inaction has saved the industry up until now in states that haven’t enforced anti-delta-8 laws. Keep your eyes peeled on what the DEA has to say about synthetic cannabinoids going forward.
Are you living in Florida and interested in buying delta-8? Then make sure you head on over to CBD Genesis to check out the best delta-8 collection in the US! CBD Genesis has it all, from vape juices to edibles and concentrates to cartridges.
And the best thing? CBD Genesis only stocks brands whose products have received third-party approval!


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On February 15, 2019 the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced the annual increased reporting thresholds under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (“HSR Act”) of 1976, as amended.
Under the HSR Act, if certain thresholds are hit, parties proposing a merger or acquisition must file a detailed report with the U.S. FTC and Department of Justice, who will then be tasked with determining whether or not the proposed transaction will negatively impact U.S. commerce under anti-competition laws.
Below are the new thresholds and updated HSR filing fees and penalties.
|Threshold||2019 Adjusted Threshold|
|Minimum Size-of-Transaction||US$90 million|
|Size-of-Persons Test||US$18 million|


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There’s a lot happening in the cycling world right now. Most eyes will be turned to France and the most important race of the year, the Tour. (That’s the Tour.) Rightly so — the race kicked off only days ago and has already provided plenty of spectacle: three-time defending champ Chris Froome crashed into a field during stage one; Peter Sagan donned the yellow jersey after a stage two win; BMC bested Team Sky in the stage three team time trial by four seconds.
There’s a second gathering of bike lovers happening concurrently over in Friedrichshafen, Germany, Eurobike. It’s the world’s largest bicycle trade show, and it brings together brands, enthusiasts and industry insiders from across the globe. It’s also a common launchpad for the newest bike products that we’ll be seeing released by companies over the coming weeks and months. Like the Tour de France, Eurobike is only a few days into its full duration, but there’s already plenty to be excited about. Here are a few cool things we thought you should check out between stages.
CeramicSpeed Driven Drivetrain
CeramicSpeed’s Driven drivetrain has already won the Eurobike Award, which commends design within the bike industry. The system eliminates the chain for a shaft and bearings instead. In reality, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but the key takeaway is that there’s a lot less friction in the system — CeramicSpeed claims it to be the most efficient drivetrain available.
Elite Fuoripista Trainer
Eurobike is a good venue to encounter the unexpected, like this trainer by Elite that’s part modern art, with the idea being it’s pretty enough not to hide in a garage or crammed into a closet. It’s wood, glass and aluminum and pairs with Zwift and other training software.
Giro Aether Helmet
The Aether officially launched ahead of the show last week. It represents a big step for helmet tech — check out our full preview here.
Wahoo Expands the Kickr Training Product Family
Wahoo is expanding on its popular Kickr indoor trainer in more than one way. First, there’s the Headwind, a sensor-controlled smart fan that’ll adapt its speed as you pick up the pace. Then there’s the Kickr Core, a pared-down version of the original model.
Crane Creek eeSilk Seatpost
As gravel riding continues to increase in popularity so does the docket of specialized components that enhance the experience. Crane Creek designed this seatpost to mitigate some of the bumps and vibrations encountered on such a ride.
Lezyne Mega GPS Computers
Who says bike computers should be small? Lezyne’s Mega GPS computers focus on user-experience with bigger screens that can display more information and best-in-class batteries.
Last but not least, a super-light water bottle cage made of aerospace-grade titanium. Yes.


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May 25 (Reuters) - Fitch :
* Fitch says consumer trends, taxes, M&A impact U.S. Consumer Sectors
* Fitch says views firms with meaningful natural/organic or snack food offerings as best positioned to benefit from these changes
* Fitch says "Believes moderating litigation risk has increased appeal of U.S. tobacco market to global players"
* Fitch says cos across consumer sector are adjusting their product mix, menus, strategies to address consumer trends toward health, wellness, convenience and value
* Fitch says also views firms with portfolios focused on fresh offerings or on-trend around perimeter of store, as best positioned to benefit from changes
* Fitch says M&A will persist with Kraft Heinz, Tyson, Newell Brands and Constellation remaining active participants
* Fitch says views positively Mcdonald's recently announced initiatives
* Fitch says "Alterations to trade policy might affect agribusiness and protein firms given role of exports in these areas"
* Fitch says tax reform could provide a disproportionate benefit to multinational U.S. non-alcoholic beverage companies, such as Coca-Cola and Pepsico
* Fitch says "Restaurants will likely be most impacted by changes to labor regulations as labor can be a third of costs" Source text for Eikon:


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American business leaders worry about the same major risks as they did in 2014; however rising levels of concern over cyber risks and the ability to attract and retain talent have shifted the ranks in some subtle and not-so-subtle ways.
According to the Travelers 2015 Business Risk Index, businesses are most worried about:
- Medical Cost Inflation. Medical cost inflation still leads the list of top perceived risks despite a nearly 10 percentage point drop in general concern from 67 percent in 2014 to 60 percent in 2015.
- Cyber Risks. Making the greatest leap from fifth in 2014 to second this year, concern over cyber risk has grown considerably, particularly among large businesses. In fact, nine out of all 10 industries surveyed report cyber risks and data breaches among their top five concerns.
- Increasing Employee Benefit Costs. Closely related to concerns over medical cost inflation, worry over increasing employee benefit costs, has also fallen, from 62 percent to 56 percent since last year.
- Legal Liability. Although general concern over legal liability has decreased only 2 percent since last year, its ranking has dropped to fourth from third in 2014.
- Attracting and Retaining Talent. U.S. businesses are increasingly worried about the challenge of finding and retaining skilled labor, with a 3 percent increase since last year resulting in a jump from last to fifth on the list of top risk concerns.
- Regulatory Compliance. Nearly unchanged since last year, among the 51 percent of all businesses concerned about complying with laws and regulations, 29 percent worry a great deal.
- Broad Economic Uncertainty. U.S. business owners showed a slight reprieve from worry over the economy, with concern about broad economic uncertainty down in level (by 6 percent) and ranking (by four places) since 2014.
What Worries Contractors?
The most worrisome risks in the construction industry relate to their employees, including attracting and retaining appropriately skilled labor (67 percent), employee safety (63 percent) and increasing employee benefit costs (63 percent). When asked what specifically concerns them about their skilled labor worries, many said they find it hard to replace retiring baby boomers (57 percent). Data also showed that the most frequent risk-prevention measures include employee safety training (71 percent) and secure premises (58 percent). Other concerns included employee injury (63 percent worry about this), rising workers’ compensation costs (55 percent), driving accidents caused by employees (54 percent) and OSHA compliance (50 percent).
Despite that the majority of U.S. businesses surveyed worry about cyber risks and data breaches, only 7 percent of construction companies currently buy separate coverage for cyber risks. And, astonishingly, only one-third (33 percent) of construction businesses have written business continuity plans, compared to 50 percent of all companies surveyed report having a written business continuity plan.
Many U.S. Businesses Still Feel Unprepared for Top Risks
While the ranking of top concerns may have slightly shifted, the gaps between how much U.S. businesses worry versus how prepared they feel to manage these risks remains large. In fact, the top risk concerns are often among the three to five risks businesses feel the least prepared to handle.
More than half of all business surveyed (52 percent) believe the frequency of severe weather events has increased during the past few years. More importantly, one-third believe these increases in extreme weather also increase the threat of damage to company property and equipment.


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Industry professionals and advisers have mixed feelings about the Financial Conduct Authority’s proposal for a new consumer duty, and whether this will put an end to high exit fees.
Last month, the FCA set out plans for a new consumer duty, designed to create a higher level of consumer protection in the retail financial services market.
Currently, firms are bound by FCA rules and principles to treat customers fairly which include offering products and services at fair prices.
However, in a statement in May, the FCA said it had seen evidence of practices that cause consumer harm, including firms providing information which is misleadingly presented or difficult to understand.
But the proposals also included a line on exit fees charged by firms when their customers leave them.
The FCA said there were certain “essential conditions for competition to work effectively and for consumers to be able to take responsibility for their financial decisions” and these were hindered by practices such as “barriers to exiting from a product/service or which exploit information asymmetries, behavioural biases or vulnerabilities.”
It stated: “We also see products and services that are designed with features that can deter consumers from acting in their interests. For example: unreasonable exit fees which discourage consumers from leaving products or services that are not right for them, or accessing better deals, sludge practices that discourage exit, for example requiring customers to go into a branch to close a product.”
Tim Morris, IFA at Russell & Co Financial Advisers welcomed the regulator's spotlight on exit fees.
He said: “The FCA consumer duty certainly sounds like an important step in the right direction. Exit fees have been the elephant in the room for too long.
“They are against the spirit of pension freedoms. Consumers should not be penalised to access their money.”
Likewise, Philip Milton chartered wealth manager at Philip J Milton, said exit fees needed to be tackled but he was more reserved as to whether the new duty would achieve what it sets out to do.
He said: “The elephant in the room is the unacceptable concept of deferred initial charges levied as withdrawal penalties.
“These should be banned as they are manipulative and hide the real cost from the customer."
But he added: “Is it simply more bureaucracy, more undefinable standards when the real villains, especially the unregulated, are not being prosecuted?"
Ricky Chan, director and chartered financial planner at IFS Wealth & Pensions, said he hopes the duty will solve the problem of exit fees, but thought firms might still find a way around them.
Similarly to Milton he said some firms “get around these exit fees” by treating them as deferred initial adviser fees.
He said: “If this practice of going against the spirit of regulation is allowed to happen again, then I have no faith in the FCA implementing any new measures.”
Dennis Hall, founder at Yellowtail Financial Planning, believes the new duty will not immediately solve the problem of exit fees but argued the FCA should still implement the rules.


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21/04/2014 - How would you change Blackberry's Z10?
With the advent of touchscreen smartphones, BlackBerry lost its position as king of the mobile world. In response, the company bought QNX and hibernated, plotting a reinvention centered around BlackBerry 10. When the business emerged with the Z10, everyone knew that this was the device that the company's future relied upon -- and we know how that ended up. When we reviewed it, we found that every element of the hardware was solid, adequate and pleasing. Unfortunately for BlackBerry, nothing stood out as being better compared to the devices that launched in its stead, nullifying any attention the handset's big launch had garnered. It's been just over a year since the Z10 launched, so we thought we'd ask all of you what it's been like living with this device. Hop over to the forums and let's chat some BlackBerry.
Source: Engadget Product Forums
BlackBerry's future as a phonemaker came into question yesterday when Reuters reported that CEO John Chen would consider selling its handset division. Naturally, the company sought to set the record straight... with a blog post from Chen himself published earlier today.
"I want to assure you that I have no intention of selling off or abandoning this business any time soon," he wrote, noting that his comments were taken out of context. So what exactly did he mean? Chen quietly crashed a reporter's roundtable with BlackBerry enterprise chief John Sims this morning (apparently in search of a cup of coffee) -- here's what he told us about the Reuters interview and the future of BlackBerry's phones.
Filed under: Mobile
Source: Inside BlackBerry
T-Mobile head honcho John Legere's assuring its BlackBerry-toting subscribers they've got nothing to worry about despite the companies' falling out. But, just in case they are worried (or just want to try other platforms), he's also offering them a $100 credit toward any device. Legere made the announcement in an open letter posted on T-Mo's blog, where he also reminded folks they can stay with the carrier and still use BlackBerrys if they bring their own unlocked devices.
02/04/2014 - T-Mobile will no longer carry BlackBerry devices
By the looks of it, BlackBerry chief John Chen wasn't appeased by T-Mobile's attempt to make peace -- in fact, things have only escalated: T-Mobile will no longer carry any BlackBerry device. In a press release today, the company formerly known as RIM announced that it has chosen not to renew T-Mobile's license to sell its products when it expires on April 25th, 2014. If you're wondering what exactly happened between the two companies, it all started when T-Mobile encouraged BlackBerry-toting customers to switch to the iPhone. Obviously, that didn't sit well with Chen, so the magenta network launched a promo for existing BB owners, giving them $200 to $250 if they're upgrading to another BlackBerry device. Those who decided to do so need not worry, though: the two promise not to let this nasty divorce get in the way of supporting their current customers.
Looks like Microsoft isn't the only latecomer scrambling to add a voice-guided assistant to its mobile platform. A leaked test-build of the new BlackBerry firmware (version 10.3.0.140, if you're curious) is rocking an app called "Intelligent Assistant," but as both N4BB and a ZonaBlackBerry forum poster have noticed, it doesn't quite work yet. The application sports a somewhat familiar circular icon for the primary UI, but, at the moment, it's hard to tell how deep the implementation runs and what its capabilities are. Should this feature actually make it into a future update, it could be the struggling Canadian company's answer to Android's Google Now and iOS' Siri. Let's just hope the beleaguered outfit can come up with a catchier name if and when that happens. Check out the sources and video below for a look at the rest of what the flatter BB 10.3 might offer.
BlackBerry has been signalling for weeks that it would sell most of its Canadian offices in order to save some badly needed cash, and today it reached a deal to do just that. The pact will see the company sell over 3 million square feet of property in its homeland, leasing some of it back; the Waterloo headquarters should remain intact. Everything should wrap up before the end of BlackBerry's current quarter, which ends in May. The agreement should help BlackBerry focus on its core business (whatever that may be), although the move may not be enough when major customers like the White House are thinking of jumping ship.
It's been a rough few years for BlackBerry, but America's highest office remains a dedicated customer -- for at least a few more months. According to a Defense Department spokesman quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the White House is currently testing smartphone replacements from other manufacturers. Android appears to be the OS of choice, with the agency's internal tech team evaluating handsets from LG and Samsung. As for BlackBerry, while the relatively small White House is hardly a significant customer from a financial perspective, the symbolic move would clearly be a significant blow. Though according to the aforementioned spokesperson, any move away from BB is still "months away."
(Photo credit: Associated Press)
A few lucky Verizon BlackBerry buffs got the long-awaited 10.2.1 update back in January, and now Big Red is starting to push that new build to all its Z10, Q10 and Z30 owners. The new version number doesn't sound all that impressive, but the changelog is heftier than the label lets on: there's loads of UI tweaks to dig into, to say nothing of an offline reading mode, better support for group messaging and FM radio functionality... if you've got a Q10 or Z30. BlackBerry also made it easier to install Android APKs, if you're into that sort of cross-platform witchcraft. Verizon is the second major US carrier to make this update available (T-Mobile took the gold this time), but there's still no word on when AT&T and Sprint will get their respective acts together.
Filed under: Mobile
11/03/2014 - BlackBerry's identity crisis continues
To say that BlackBerry's had it tough these past few years would be putting it mildly, if not too delicately for a company emerging from a period of willful ignorance. The Waterloo-based outfit, formerly known as Research in Motion, played an embarrassing game of catch-up in the mobile space it once dominated. An uphill rehabilitation that saw it acquire QNX to build a new operating system, release a half-baked tablet, rebrand as BlackBerry in search of a new identity and, tellingly, hire Alicia Keys as a creative figurehead.
And none of it mattered -- not even the forced infusion of Ms. Keys' questionable zeitgeist-y influence. The BlackBerry of today has so far failed to resurrect sufficient interest in its fledgling mobile platform and devices, leading to the ouster of former CEO Thorsten Heins, the very recent installation of John Chen and a redoubled focus on the enterprise set that once was core to the company's business. So why does the company still seem to be engaged in an internal tug-of-war over its identity? I had a chance to speak with Gary Klassen, longtime BlackBerry employee and principal architect, here at SXSW in the hopes he could shed some light on what the Blackberry of today stands for and where it's going.
If you worship at the BlackBerry altar and are in dire need of a cloud storage service that isn't Dropbox, Box or Mega, today's your lucky day. Now you can dump your files in Microsoft's OneDrive by way of a newly released BlackBerry 10 app. Like the Android and iOS versions before it, this OneDrive app lets you automatically upload your photos and videos as well as share your files with far-flung cohorts. Just be mindful of your limits: OneDrive (which went by "SkyDrive" before Microsoft got hit with a lawsuit) offers up 7GB of free storage to new users. That's still better than the 2GB that Dropbox gives away gratis, but Box and Mega offer 10GB and 50GB of free space, respectively. Choose wisely... or sign up for all of them and surrender yourself to the cloud.
Filed under: Mobile
Source: BlackBerry World
Wearable devices seem to be a hot trend in the wireless industry right now, but BlackBerry isn't taking the bait... at least, not yet. When asked about his company's plans at Mobile World Congress, CEO John Chen was very straight-forward in confessing that he has no current plans for bringing a wearable device to market. That doesn't mean it won't happen down the road at some point, of course, but it's clear that this particular market segment isn't really an area of interest or focus right now -- considering the company is working hard to bring out fresh devices and is in the midst of getting back to becoming profitable, and it appears that BlackBerry doesn't believe that such a device would really make a dent in its bottom line yet.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen is here at MWC and has some device news. The executive announced progress on the phone codenamed Jakarta (shown off above), which will be coming out to Indonesia in April. The company plans to sell the device, which is a collaboration between BlackBerry and Foxconn, for under $200. Chen also tells us that there will be an LTE version coming out to other parts of the world at some time in the future; joking, Chen mentioned that it would come out "sometime before I die."
Additionally, Chen also officially confirmed that a device known as the Q20 is in the works, and will be coming out sometime before the end of the year.
If you hadn't heard, BlackBerry chief John Chen isn't happy with T-Mobile -- he believes the carrier fired a shot across the bow when it enticed BlackBerry users to switch phones in a recent promotion. To mend that bruised relationship, the magenta network is launching a limited-time trade-in offer that gives loyal users a strong incentive to upgrade. As of February 21st, T-Mobile will give you $200 for your existing BlackBerry, and $250 if you're upgrading from a T-Mobile BlackBerry to a BB10 device like the Q10 or Z10. The payout is the same regardless of the device's age, so long as it's in good condition; if you're still rocking a Curve 3G, you'll get the full amount. Market share trends suggest that there won't be too many people upgrading to new BlackBerrys, but the olive branch is welcome all the same.
If you thought Typo's iPhone keyboard looked an awful lot like the keyboard from a BlackBerry Q10, you're not alone. BlackBerry has just sued Typo in a Northern California court for alleged patent infringement. The slide-on peripheral is a "blatant" copy of BlackBerry's signature input feature, according to the company. We've reached out to Typo for commentary, but it may not have many options -- the crew in Waterloo has patented a lot of keyboards, and it's hard to deny the strong resemblance.
30/12/2013 - Tech's biggest misfires of 2013
You can't win 'em all. The adage certainly holds in the fast-paced world of technology, where one small slip can put a damper on your entire year. Every year, among all of the celebrations of top gadgets and big news stories, we like to take a moment to acknowledge the other side of things. This time out, it's a pretty diverse list, from flubbed Kickstarter launches to massive governmental privacy breaches and yet another really lousy year for one smartphone manufacturer. But don't worry everyone; the year 2013 is nearly over.
24/12/2013 - BlackBerry's latest casualty: Two unreleased phones
2013 continues to be a downer year for the company formerly known as Research In Motion. The Wall Street Journal has just uncovered a tidbit in BlackBerry's latest earnings report that states two unreleased phones had to be cancelled due to poor sales of its existing handsets. Apparently code-named Cafe and Kopi, they were slated to be sold as budget phones for emerging markets but had to be nixed to "mitigate the identified inventory risk." This comes on the heels of BlackBerry's announcement that it's partnering up with FoxConn for device manufacturing and canceling its annual conference in order to save costs. It all seems rather dire, but the Wall Street Journal also reports that the company is still working on a couple of higher-end handsets internally code-named Ontario and Windermere. Whether or not those phones will see the light of day, however, remains to be seen.
Source: Wall Street Journal
This morning's earnings report may not have been BlackBerry's favorite moment, but John Chen seems confident in his vision for the company's future -- and his ability to turn things around. Speaking with a small group of analysts and reporters, Chen mentioned that this coming year will be critical for BlackBerry, saying that it will be an investment year. We can't say we disagree; certainly the deal with Foxconn (which Chen specifies does not involve any licensing agreements, ensuring government relations remain under BlackBerry's control) will require a lot of additional effort and resources on his company's part. Chen seems adamant that this "investment" will not include layoffs, however, "if [he] can avoid it." Certainly no guarantee, of course, but Chen is confident that this quarter was just a hiccup that will help BlackBerry find future financial success, and that he expects his company to be cash flow-neutral by 2015 and profitable by 2016, and wants to do it using growth, rather than saving money through cuts. In fact, Chen plans to build up an Enterprise sales force "to take it back to the market."
Chen also spoke to his new position as chief executive, saying that the "interim" title has been removed, and he's now the man in charge for the foreseeable future. But for how long, exactly? As long as it takes to get the company on strong financial footing. "My step one was to have the company financially out of harm's way. I can't say I've done it today, but we are on a good path." He definitely wins the prize for the most confident CEO of the year.
Additionally, Chen mentioned that BlackBerry will be building a security technology center in Washington, DC to work with big government clients like the Department of Defense. This new center, which will be several thousand square feet, will primarily employ engineers (although he doesn't specify if these engineers will be transferred there or if BlackBerry will enjoy a hiring spree). This makes sense, given Chen's insistence that one of the company's biggest areas of focus must be on security for regulated industries, in which government relations will play a huge role.
The high-level shakeups aren't over at BlackBerry just because the company has a new CEO. The company has just let go of Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear (pictured at left) and Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben (right), both of whom had assumed their roles roughly one year ago. There's no mention of immediate replacements. The Waterloo firm is also replacing Chief Financial Officer Brian Bidulka with the company's Compliance head James Yersh; Bidulka will stay on as an advisor for the rest of the fiscal year to ease the transition. CEO John Chen hasn't provided explanations for the individual departures, but he describes the executive shuffle as necessary for focusing on BlackBerry's "core strength" in mobile device management. Let's just hope that Chen is better at engineering a turnaround than his predecessors.
If your company produced a device that, while technically accomplished, managed to lose you $1 billion a few months later, you'd probably try and pretend that it never existed. That's not the approach that BlackBerry is taking with the Z10, however. Instead, the beleaguered smartphone maker has teamed up with Porsche Design to create the P'9982, a gussied-up version of the touchscreen smartphone designed to tempt gold course-bound executives and the super rich in ways that the original evidently failed to do. We've just got one of the devices in our hand, and we thought we'd run the rule over it to see how the other half live.
It has been possible to snag an unlocked BlackBerry Q10 or Z10 in the US for a while if you've been willing to search around, but you now won't have to. BlackBerry has quietly begun selling unrestricted GSM variants of the two smartphones through its US site at prices of $449 for a Z10 and $549 for a Q10. Either device remains LTE-capable, and both should play nicely with AT&T and T-Mobile. The direct sales aren't likely to attract many converts, but they should help American fans who may have a tough time finding a BlackBerry in stores.
BlackBerry has just reported a $935 million hit in Q2 due entirely to what it's calling a "Z10 Inventory Charge" -- in other words, a charge against inventory and supply commitments for a flagship handset that is failing to sell. Echoing Microsoft's catastrophic write-down due to unsold Surface RT inventory, this single write-down was enough to wipe out much of the company's quarterly revenue of $1.6 billion. When added to an additional loss due to corporate restructuring, it resulted in a final GAAP loss for BlackBerry of $965 million.
26/09/2013 - BlackBerry manufacturing partner Jabil Circuit says it's looking at how it will 'wind down the relationship'
The news for BlackBerry is just going from bad to worse these days. The latest development comes from its manufacturing partner Jabil Circuit, which has apparently had enough of the company's troubles and is looking for a way out. Speaking on the company's quarterly earnings call yesterday, Jabil CEO Mark Mondello said that "we are faced with a strong possibility of disengaging with BlackBerry," adding, "our team has worked diligently over the past few days to comprehend the recently announced changes," and that "we're in discussions right now on how we're going to wind down the relationship."
As All Things D notes, BlackBerry is Jabil's second-biggest customer (behind Apple), so this is no doubt not a decision it's taking lightly, but it looks like it's one it intends to move quickly on. Mondello went on to say that while the company is looking for a path that's in the best interest of its shareholders and also "supports the needs of BlackBerry," it plans to "take a restructuring charge, move swiftly and decisively and mitigate the impact to FY '14 as best we can."
Source: All Things D
26/09/2013 - Motorola plans hiring spree in BlackBerry's hometown
Unless BlackBerry bosses embark on some wild scorched earth policy as they retreat from the smartphone business, their hometown of Waterloo, Ontario, should prove to be fertile ground for other mobile companies looking to expand. Motorola could become one of the first to capitalize on the situation, having just opened a small office in Kitchener-Waterloo, where its parent company Google has already had an R&D base since 2006. Speaking to the Financial Post, Motorola Canada's engineering director, Derek Phillips, said he has "big plans" for the area and is "optimistic" about finding the right mobile tech talent. He stopped short of saying he wants BB workers specifically, instead pointing to other sources of brainpower like the University of Waterloo (which happens to be the home of the Lazaridis-backed Quantum-Nano Centre). For the sake of the 4,500 people recently left unemployed due to BlackBerry's strategic failures, however, we hope he was just being diplomatic.
Source: Financial Post
23/09/2013 - BlackBerry enters agreement for $4.7 billion sale of company to consortium led by Fairfax Financial
For the second time in as many trading days, shares of BlackBerry were halted in advance of some big news from the company. Today's news is no less big. BlackBerry has just announced that it's signed a letter of intent agreement for a sale of the company for $4.7 billion to a consortium led by Fairfax Financial (the company's largest shareholder).


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Hopes are high among US automakers that the Reagan administration will conduct an early, hard-hitting assault on what they see as questionable and costly safety and environmental regulations affecting them.
American car manufacturers insist that many of these existing and planned federal rules offer little or no social benefits and are key reasons for the high prices that are keeping many consumers from buying domestic models.
Accordingly, individual auto companies and the Motor Vehicles Manufacturers Association (MVMA) are busily drawing up laundry lists of regulations for the President-elct that they feel are prime candidates for dumping or toning down.
Automakers and industry analysts agree that a regulatory housecleaning could significantly help the nation's financially troubled auto industry.
"The impact could really be quite major," says Gary Ciminero, an automobile analyst with New York's Merrill Lynch & Co. The savings, he says, would come not only in a simpler car, but also in scrapping costly research and development and redesign efforts.
No one knows yet, of course, just how receptive top officials of the incoming Reagan administration will be. But the President-elect pledged repeatedly during his campaign that he would help get the government "off the backs" of American business.
One of the key proposals under study by his economic advisers is the so-called "Stockman manifesto," compiled by Rep. David Stockman (R) of Michigan, which calls, among other things, for quick relaxation or withdrawal o a halfdozen existing and planned auto industry regulations. Much of the action could be done by the executive branch alone. "The potential here is really staggering," notes Representative Stockman, who will soon direct the Office of Management and Budget. Auto companies potentially could save billions of dollars in capital and operating costs.
As the industry sees it, the turning point in the federal government's traditional adversarial approach to US automakers really began under President Carter last spring. It was then that the Carter administration fully realized the extent of the auto industry's troubles, and Detroit began to feel a fresh breeze of empathy blowing its way from Washington for the first time.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, long an arch critic of the auto industry, began to praise the safety of the domestic fleet. A few of the more stringent regulations were eased. Many manufacturers, for instance, were granted waivers on the deadline by which their cars must meet tough carbon monoxide standards.
Still, automakers now view the sum of the changes as minor. "There was some relief, but there weren't any major initiatives," says MVMA vice-president Peter Griskivich. This is why the industry is hoping for more from a President-elect who stressed the need for a free market economy.
"May guess is that the new administration will take care of a lot of the relaxation without the industry having to do that much," says one longtime observer of of the auto regulation battle in Washington.
Meanwhile, however, auto industry officials remain cautious. "We're certainly not euphoric," says MVMA spokesman Mike Stanton, "but we are optimistic."
Most likely targets of the administration's efforts to shelve or relax regulations are stringent emissions standards for cars and trucks, bumper crash impact standards, pedestrian safety standards (requiring a rounder, softer front hood and fender area), and congressional insistence that some cars be specifically equipped with air bags rather than automatic seat belts. Although a move to delay the planned schedule for requiring such automatic safety devices in cars failed on Capitol Hill earlier this month, another effort in the new Congress is considered likely.
"We're hoping for delay and reversal," explains R. T. Kingman of the General Motors Corporation's Washington office. "And we'll probably have a better chance next year -- the most intense advocates of air bags have been in the Carter administration."
Indeed, in General Motors' view, more important than the administration backing off on regulatory controls is that it act quickly to revise tax policies to allow automakers to more swiftly deduct cost of new equipment and facilities. "A tax break is as good as more cash," says Mr. Kingman.


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Moorestown gives update on liquor licenses
MOORESTOWN — Township officials gave the public an update on how the distribution of the newly available liquor licenses is going.
The municipality received proposals totaling more than $5 million for five of the six liquor licenses that became available after voters last fall agreed to lift a nearly century-long ban on alcohol sales, Township Solicitor Thomas Coleman III said at Monday’s meeting.
Four proposals came from the owners of the Moorestown Mall, Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust. The fifth was from the owners of the East Gate Square shopping center.
“At this point, we’re in the process of evaluating the four mall licenses,” Coleman said.
PREIT bid just over $1 million for each license under two recently formed subsidiaries, Moorestown Beverage 1 and Moorestown Beverage 2.
Officials expect PREIT’s application process to take several months to complete because of the extensive background and financial checks that need to be done. Coleman said the process could take between 90 and 120 days.
PREIT earned the right to buy licenses after voters approved two ballot questions in November to allow alcohol sales and to limit those sales to full-service restaurants at the Route 38 mall. Associates of the mall led the campaign to lift the ban as part of an effort to transform the struggling complex into an entertainment and dining destination.
PREIT recently stated that it remains in negotiations with four restaurants, including an establishment by “a noted celebrity chef from the Philadelphia area,” according to Deputy Mayor Gregory Gallo.
While township officials and the mall’s owner would not divulge the names of any of the prospective establishments, PREIT CEO Joseph F. Coradino announced last fall that he had signed an official “letter of interest” with well-known chef Marc Vetri and the Vetri Restaurant Group to open a restaurant at the mall if the referendum passed.
East Gate Square’s owners bid $1.03 million for the fifth license, but Coleman said no action will be taken on that until a lawsuit is resolved.
In April, East Gate Square sued the municipality and the governing body, alleging they violated the law with an ordinance to allow alcohol sales only at the mall and not in the rest of the town’s special restricted commercial zone.
East Gate Square, which is across the street from the mall, is also in the special zone, and its owners want the opportunity to be able to sell alcohol.
In its bid application, East Gate Square proposed building an “American-style bistro” at the site of the Friendly’s restaurant. The restaurant chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October.
Coleman said a decision on the litigation likely will not occur until at least August.
Gallo said he’s pleased with the progress at the mall and believes the recent additions will not only benefit PREIT but also the community, because they will expand shopping and dining opportunities and increase the township’s tax base.
“These things create a domino effect,” he said.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;


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The modern, glittering Toren tower is now 65 percent sold after selling a record 13 units in the last week. The iconic 240-unit residential building’s award-winning design by SOM architects, prime location, and pricing are listed as reasons for the development’s success in the tough real estate market. The eco-friendly building is currently attempting to get Gold LEED certification.
Developer BFC Partners suffered a blow early this season when a deal with supermarket retailer, the Goris Family, fell through. BFC hopes to find a new tenant for the 11,000-square-foot ground floor retail space soon. Brisk sales of the residential units should be an encouraging sign to any would-be retailer wary of investing in the new building.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle


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Update 3: We have received a response from 7 Entertainment about the controversy. They have stated that their Terms of Service prohibits the sale of games that are free or available for purchase through charity events, such as games included in Humble Bundles. They stand by the validity of their keys at Kinguin, as that is all they can verify. They have contacted their distributors to confirm legitimacy. “I want to state it very clearly – Kinguin Team supports Humble Bundle events with all our hearts.” A representative stated in an email to Indie Game Insider this morning. They have also contacted their supplier for Fast2Play to confirm the legitimacy of their keys. In the meantime, the games in question have been removed from their store.
Update 2: We originally cited CJS as one of the companies involved. We received an official response from them where they provided a source for legitimate game keys. We apologize for the misunderstanding.
Update: Additional previously mentioned sites have had their names pulled due to evidence they are likely distributing keys legally. Developers are still reaching out to these platforms for confirmation.
Paul Taylor, co-founder of Frozen Synapse developer Mode 7 Games, is rallying a group of indie developers together to investigate possible illegal game sales on digital distribution platform Fast2play. They believe their games were purchased in bulk during Humble Bundles and other sales, marked up and are now being sold for a profit with no revenue going to the developers.
“We have been advised that this is currently definitely illegal in the EU and also likely to be illegal in other territories. Not only that, we feel that it is exploiting these promotions and goes against the spirit in which they were intended,” Paul told Indie Game Insider in an email. “What is more concerning is that we as developers have no control over who is selling our games; we don’t have the opportunity to provide support to customers or ensure that our games are being presented in a fair or honest way.”
Taylor also mentioned the group’s desire to reach out to these sites and prove their legality. “We would also like to extend the opportunity to all of these sites to prove that they have an active distribution agreement which allowed them to acquire keys via legal means–if there has been any misunderstanding here then of course we would want to clarify it.”
When Taylor contacted Fast2Play (owned by 7 Entertainment Limited) to see if there was a valid agreement in place, they immediately removed Frozen Synapse from their store. They have not responded to his follow-up email asking if they were selling the game illegally. Frozen Synapse has also been removed from other 7 Entertainment sites as well.
We have reached out to these three sites for comment. We have also reached out to other developers involved in this and will update the article with their responses.


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Home Tags Internet
News Fundstrat’s Tom Lee believes Bitcoin (BTC) will accrue price value following a similar logic to the Silicon Valley tech titans. During an interview for CNBC’s Street Signs Asia on show on Nov. 15, Lee argued that cryptocurrencies “are network value assets” — and share this with the world’s mo..
BlockShow Kicking off the first panel of BlockShow Asia 2019, NEO founder Da Hongfei shared his views on the current state of decentralized web: “The internet is a great invention. It looks almost perfect. But is it really?” Citing examples like the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the Equifax hack..
Opinion The web has arguably been the biggest driver of economic and technological innovation in the 30 years since its invention. It has not only lowered barriers to publishing information and accessing that information, it has also changed peer-to-peer communication, in all senses of the term, a..
News Cointelegraph's website has become widely inaccessible in Russia as authorities added the domain to a registry of blacklisted sites. The blacklistAlthough Cointelegraph has been publicly on a list of blocked sites since 2017, it was only yesterday, October 16, that the Russian Federal Se..
Tech Analysis Earlier in September, Cointelegraph reported that Israeli cybersecurity startup GK8 had raised $4 million to finance its offline cryptocurrency transaction solution. The company developed a cold wallet with “hot wallet functionalities” that is completely shielded from online hackers ..
News Israeli cybersecurity startup GK8 has reportedly developed the world’s first offline system for transacting cryptocurrencies. The new system uses GK8’s proprietary cryptographic techniques that enable instant blockchain transactions of digital assets without any need for an internet connectio..
News French police have shut down a massive botnet that has been used for Monero (XMR) cryptojacking. Cryptojacking backed by “massive firepower”BBC News reported the development on Aug. 27. According to the police, the botnet was distributed by sending virus-laden emails with offers for erotic pi..
Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain technology have become mainstream terms and are now featured in most dictionaries. Crypto-related terms have a lot of value when they are tethered to a web domain, and these days digital currency domains are prime real estate, with some selling for up to sev..
News American technology behemoth IBM has filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a blockchain-enabled web browser patent. According to a patent application published on Aug. 6, IBM has filed a patent application for a system that stores web browser events on a blockchain. The..
News Internet crowdsourcing company Share Internet Data Ltd (SID) has partnered with private equity firm LDJ Capital to launch a blockchain-based digital banking solution. The new digital banking app is called LDJ Digital, according to a press release on July 16. According to the announcement, LDG..
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During this 4/20 episode, Bill Maher asserted on 'Real Time' that Democrats need to use cannabis rights as a catalyst to activate young voters.
If you're going to be celebrating 4/20, the unofficial cannabis holiday, the last thing you want to do is drive impaired.
Few things are better on a holiday like 4/20 than finding a couch and watching movies. But sometimes it’s difficult to choose. We got you.
Though much of cannabis advocacy has progressed by divorcing the drug from its stoner, hippie past, there’s one holiday where indulgence is strictly encouraged.
Calling Super Troopers a cult classic is like saying a soft pretzel is a denomination of bread. Like, sure, I see what you’re going for there.
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FOR A WEEKLY DOSE OF THE FRESH TOAST
Hand selected from our editors with all the latest news and entertainment with a side of cannabis.
These are the only three American cities where residents smoke more cannabis than nicotine, according to analytics firm Nielsen.
Stirring up the munchies before a big feast, puffing on some frosty buds during winter shindigs, or even taking a relaxing toke during the interim isn’t easy for everyone. Here's how to sneak in a sesh.
Now that marijuana is legal in more spots across the United States, people seem to have this idea that it's okay to be all willy-nilly about their pot use.


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Zombies can be terrifying, but many of us have a greater fear of the "walking debt." In most cases, financial fears can be conquered, however.
Fear you're not on pace to having a big enough nest egg? Don't fret, says Eleanor Blayney, [CFP®,] consumer advocate for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards based in Washington D.C. "It's never too late," she says. "We're realizing now that retirement is a quilt of solutions, as opposed to a rifle shot. It's not just a number you have to have, it's a way of living." Read more >
Associated Press / Yahoo Finance
October 30, 2013


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Traffic for Smartphone Went Up 193% in a YearBy Dipankar Das, Gaea News Network
Thursday, March 25, 2010
According to AdMob, the mobile advertising network, smartphone traffic is up in a year and feature phone traffic is down. Also, mobile internet service is increasing drastically for the devices like iPod that does not have built in phone. AdMob compares the traffic between Feb 2009 and Feb 2010 in three categories as mentioned below.
- Smartphones traffic is up by 193% in a year and the share for AdMob traffic shot up from 35% to 48%.
- Feature Phones traffic increased by 31% in absolute terms. But, their share for AdMob traffic drops from 58% to 35%.
- Also, traffic for mobile internet devices went up by 403% in absolute terms in a year and their share to AdMob traffic escalated from 7% to 17%.
The statistics further breaks down the smartphone traffic by operating system. Apple iPhone has the biggest share in AdMob traffic that increased from 33% to 50% in a year. Android phone which is growing very fast ranked next in terms of AdMob traffic. Its share increased from 33% to 50% in a year. Nokia Symbian is gradually losing its base and the traffic share went down from 43% to 18%.On the other hand, the traffic growth for Blackberry and Windows Mobile are minimal.
Tags: Admob, Android, Blackberry, Ipad, iPhone, Nokia, smartphones, Windows Mobile


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Find out what the latest fashion craze to hit Japan is, why Karl Lagerfeld has a chocolate toyboy, and what Lady Gaga‘s outfits really mean in her new Judas video… [...]Read more ›
Post Tagged with: "Chanel"
Karl Lagerfeld has today revealed that his latest visual project – a 30-minute film to be shown along with his Chanel cruise collection in Cap d’Antibes Monday night, and it [...]Read more ›
At last night’s 2011 Met Ball in New York City, celebrities and fashion royalty alike joined together to mark the annual occasion and celebrate another year in fashion, and with [...]Read more ›
This week no one shone in the beauty stakes more than the stunning future Queen of England, Kate Middleton. Being watched by billions of people around the world on her big day, you may have [...]Read more ›
You can always count on Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld to give his two pence worth when it comes to the latest fashion hot topics, and boy do we love [...]Read more ›
More recently than not, Kate Middleton has received a continuous flow of praise and compliments from admirers the world over – but somehow, we don’t think she’d be expecting to [...]Read more ›
Last Thursday night on the rooftop of restaurant Centre Pompidou in Paris, Karl Lagerfeld and his minions of look-alikes could be seen celebrating his second collaboration with Coca-Cola light – [...]Read more ›
Former Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld may have recently stepped down from her glossy status, but that doesn’t mean she’s willing to fade out of the fashion limelight just yet [...]Read more ›
Top stories this week: Christophe Decarnin leaves Balmain, Carine Roitfeld collaborates with Chanel, Fashion Fringe and MORE!
Christophe Decarnin parts ways with Balmain After stamping his signature rock style at Balmain for five years as creative director, Chritophe Decarnin has left the French fashion house. Rumours started [...]Read more ›
Now that Carine Roitfeld is no longer the editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris and doesn’t have the stresses and strains of running a formidable fashion magazine, she’s got plenty of free [...]Read more ›
As gossip goes, apparently some members of Chanel‘s US headquarters are unhappy about Blake Lively being the face of their international brand – a source told the New York Daily [...]Read more ›
Looking for the perfect gift for your mum this Mother’s Day? We’ve got it covered. Mother’s Day is just two weeks away, and we’ve been busy scouring the rails for [...]Read more ›


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Youth Employment Services Montreal (YES) launched an online job-search tool, JobPrepper, last Friday.
The tool, aimed at young adolesce..
Montreal seems to be the place where building startup-themed board games is a popular thing to do.
Just a few months ago we featured a ..
In its 12th year the greatest gaming conference on the east coast will be putting on a big show.
MIGS 2015 (the Montreal International ..
“Cash is king,” says a new Montreal startup seeking to show entrepreneurs just how important it is to map out their finances.


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Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) is promoting a blockchain electronic accounting method for procurement and payment with its suppliers and partners to improve efficiency. Its Procure to Pay platform was started in 2018 and it has 240 suppliers using it at present, according to the Bangkok Post newspaper. The company aims to reach 2400 suppliers by 2020.
Thammasak Sethaudom, vice-president for finance and investment at SCG, said that the system had helped suppliers reduce processing times by 50% from 70 minutes to 35 minutes per purchase order. The platform speeds up the time required to issue invoices. The system also helps SCG’s partners to track transactions in real time.
Procure to Pay was developed with Digital Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Siam Commercial Bank. SCG has invested over US$0.3m on the project so far. Expansion to SCG’s subsidiaries in Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam is being considered.


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E-cigarette giant Juul is reportedly developing a product for sale overseas that produces a larger vapor cloud and uses less nicotine.
However, more vapor could also increase the rate of absorption of nicotine in a user’s body, reported The New York Times.
This could allow Juul to get around some countries’ e-cigarette nicotine restrictions, according to TheNYT. Bigger clouds also mimic smoking actual cigarettes, although Juul has claimed it’s always been solely focused on its customer base of adult smokers switching to e-cigarettes. (RELATED: Juul Voluntarily Pulled E-cigarette Flavors In The US. Why Didn’t It Do The Same In Canada?)
“Juul’s development of new products underscores the need for a government watchdog to review tobacco products and evaluate their public health impact before they are allowed on the market,” Becky Wexler, a spokesperson for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “In the U.S., the FDA must enforce current law which prohibits the introduction of new or changed tobacco products without prior FDA review and authorization.”
Juul spokesman Joshua Raffel did not confirm TheNYT’s scoop on the reported product in development.
“We are always looking to create products that help adult smokers switch from combustible cigarettes and limit appeal to youth,” Raffel said, according to TheNYT.
A Juul spokesperson did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment at the time of publication.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had investigated Juul for allegedly marketing its products to minors, many of whom picked up Juuls because their minimal vapor can be easily hidden.
Juul’s new products will be marketed in countries other than the U.S., according to TheNYT.
Juul wants to expand to the European Union, and its products are already available in the United Kingdom. The U.K. caps e-cigarette nicotine levels at 20 milligrams per milliliter of fluid, which is “about a third of the amount in the most popular American Juul pod,” TheNYT reported.
Academic physician Neal Benowitz, a nationally respected expert on nicotine addiction, told TheNYT the reported Juul product could help smokers quit.
“For smoking cessation, you need to have a satisfying delivery system with a good amount of nicotine with a small amount of aerosol,” Benowitz said. “But if you are vaping because you like the sensory aspects of it, then you want more aerosol. Right now, Juul is a good nicotine delivery device but the quality is not the same as a cigarette. I could see why some people might like a product that generates more aerosol and is more cigarette-like.”
Juul’s Nov. 13 announcement that it would temporarily stop selling several flavors of its e-cigarette pods in the U.S. came after rumors of a proposal from the FDA to crack down on underage usage of nicotine products manufactured by Juul and other companies, including Altria and R.J. Reynolds.
The FDA proposed policies to limit underage access to Juul products the same week the FDA announced a “dramatic” uptick in middle and high school students who reported being current e-cigarette users in 2018.
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U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, has blasted the latest delay by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in implementing a requirement for sunscreen manufacturers to disclose the protection products offer not just from sunburn-causing UVB rays, but also from skin cancer-causing UVA rays.
“Nearly five years after the FDA issued draft regulations to protect consumers and their children from skin cancer, it is an embarrassment that the regulations are still not finalized," Lowey said. "I am appalled to learn that yet another summer will go by without consumers having adequate information to protect themselves and their family.
In August 2007, in response to legislation drafted by Lowey, the FDA issued draft regulations to require sunscreen manufacturers to disclose the protection their products offer not just against sunburn-causing UVB rays, but against skin cancer-causing UVA rays. Lowey also successfully included requirements to finalize the regulations through the 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Act.
“Comprehensive and accurate information about skin protection is critical to decrease incidence of skin cancer," Lowey said. “A rule for UVA protection was first proposed five years ago. The foot-dragging at FDA must stop.”
The regulations were finalized on June 15, 2011 and manufacturers were given 12 months to comply. FDA announced on Friday through the Federal Register that manufacturers will be given an additional six months to comply, denying consumers this important information for yet another summer.