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Yet despite having a hand in so many different industries, consumers largely trust Amazon with everything from their personal information and buying habits to the literal conversations they have in their own homes. According to a study The Verge conducted in partnership with consulting firm Reticle Research last year, Amazon is the most-liked and trusted technology brand by a wide margin. One likely explanation there is that the company has a strong relationship with its customers, thanks in part to its zealous commitment to low prices and a seemingly never-ending quest to make modern life more convenient.
Amazon's state sales tax collection policy has changed over the years since it did not collect any sales taxes in its early years. In the U.S., state and local sales taxes are levied by state and local governments, not at the federal level. In most countries where Amazon operates, a sales tax or value added tax is uniform throughout the country, and Amazon is obliged to collect it from all customers. Proponents of forcing Amazon.com to collect sales tax—at least in states where it maintains a physical presence—argue the corporation wields an anti-competitive advantage over storefront businesses forced to collect sales tax.
As it stands today, Amazon employs more than half a million people, more so than any other technology company in the country and second only to Walmart in the US. But the eventual result of its investments in robotics and AI is that technology’s biggest and fast-growing workforce could see that growth start to slow and, perhaps years down the line, even shrink as robots tackle ever more complicated tasks. In the process, the company may develop robots for use outside its fulfillment centers. Amazon has already changed how we shop and, by extension, how we live our lives. Its next big step could be changing how we work.
The Echo line and its Alexa assistant are Amazon’s avenues into our physical lives and our digital behaviors. With the data it collects, Amazon is able to better understand how we shop and how we want the devices of the future to listen, respond, and problem solve as if they were other human beings. Amazon has stiff competition in this space, primarily from Apple and Google, but its early investments in smart speakers and AI have helped Amazon overcome its absence in the key consumer markets like mobile, search, and social networks. As a result, Amazon has made early and tangible inroads in developing an ecosystem that customers will find increasingly hard to abandon down the line.
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Here's a special treat for Amazon Prime members: when you sign into your Amazon Prime account and buy Amazon gift cards worth at least $50, Amazon will deposit a $15 credit in your account! You'll get a notification banner in the last step of Checkout that lets you know your purchase qualified for the offer. If a promo code is requested, use this code. Don't leave free money on the table, grab this deal while it's hot! Some exclusions apply, see full instructions when clicking through.
Install a browser extension. Tools like Honey hang out quietly while you shop, combing the web for the lowest price on whatever you’re buying. “One tool that saves Honey members time and money is Droplist,” says Honey’s Parisi. “Droplist watches selected items, notifying shoppers when the price of an item drops below the amount initially chosen. Droplist monitors the price of the item for 30, 60, or 90 days and will automatically send an email when the price drops to the amount that was set.”
According to an August 8, 2018 story in Bloomberg Businessweek, Amazon has about a 5 percent share of U.S. retail spending (excluding cars and car parts and visits to restaurants and bars), and a 43.5 share of American online spending in 2018. The forecast is for Amazon to own 49 percent of the total American online spending in 2018, with two-thirds of Amazon's revenue coming from the U.S.
The As Seen on TV logo is an unprotected image which can be used on any product. As such, you will get the most benefit from your product if you do your homework and check the reviews for the product before making a purchase. Going through the As Seen on TV Store on our website is a good way to make sure that you are examining only those products that have met the preferred quality standards.
On October 16, 2016, Apple filed a trademark infringement case against Mobile Star LLC for selling counterfeit Apple products to Amazon. In the suit, Apple provided evidence that Amazon was selling these counterfeit Apple products and advertising them as genuine. Through purchasing, Apple was able to identify that nearly 90% of the Apple accessories sold and fulfilled by Amazon were counterfeit. Amazon was sourcing and selling items without properly determining if they are genuine. Mobile Star LLC settled with Apple for an undisclosed amount on April 27, 2017.
In 2014, Amazon expanded its lobbying practices as it prepared to lobby the Federal Aviation Administration to approve its drone delivery program, hiring the Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld lobbying firm in June. Amazon and its lobbyists have visited with Federal Aviation Administration officials and aviation committees in Washington, D.C. to explain its plans to deliver packages.
Amazon Studios, which was founded in 2010 to compete with Hulu and Netflix in original programming, has become a powerhouse in Hollywood, taking home both Emmys and Oscars and growing into a staple of the modern entertainment diet of many Americans. Rounding out its position in digital media is the FireTV streaming device, which Amazon first launched in 2014 to compete with Apple, Roku, and other set-top box makers. The product has since been shrunk into a skinny HDMI stick — Amazon still sells the box and now also a small, square-shaped Fire TV Cube — and it remains one of the best-selling consumer electronics devices on Amazon.com.
In September 2017, Amazon announced plans to locate a second headquarters in a metropolitan area with at least a million people. Cities needed to submit their presentations by October 19, 2017 for the project called HQ2. The $5 billion second headquarters, starting with 500,000 square feet and eventually expanding to as much as 8 million square feet, may have as many as 50,000 employees. In 2017, Amazon announced it would build a new downtown Seattle building with space for Mary's Place, a local charity in 2020.
Amazon, seeing the obvious opportunity here, reportedly outbid none other than Google to become Twitch’s parent company three years later, with the AWS infrastructure a big part of why Twitch CEO Emmett Shear decided to take the deal. Now, four years later, Twitch has outlasted both YouTube and Facebook’s attempts to snatch away its market share and, given the popularity of titles like Epic Games’ Fortnite, has become an even more integral fixture of modern online life and youth culture. Amazon has more recently integrated Twitch into its Prime subscription, giving subscribers free games and complementary channel subscriptions.
I do not like the security of this apps. By default any one in my home can just open it up and start buying things on my account. I would like it to just add things to my cart on the TV and them buy on "My" Computer or "My" phone. I know you can setup a PIN for "videos, purchasing and certain types of content".But, you then need to enter the PIN for $0 videos. Also, anybody with access to the Fire TV remote can just install the apps and start buying things, no pin, no password, just because you have a Fire TV setup on your account. Amazon you need to have a separate PIN for Buying videos, parental control (ratings), Apps and Shopping. And by default the app should setup a PIN.
Foregoing private stores or other online alternatives, a large number of individuals and businesses prefer to sell through Amazon.com. With more than 95 million unique visitors each month, Amazon can be an ideal place for vendors looking to increase sales or simply unload items they no longer want or need. And because Amazon enjoys a generally positive reputation with its customers, the site can be a great place for sellers to build brand recognition for their businesses.


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I guess it was time to clean up the old rederick, nothing new out here in Jersey.
anything new comes up will let you know. obtw if you haven heard by now New Century is in financial trouble.
Associated Press August 12, 2010, 7:53AM ET text size: TTNew Century Transport to raise up to $120M in IPO
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Trucking company New Century Transportation Inc. hopes to raise up to $120 million in an initial public offering of its common stock.
The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined.
The company said in a regulatory filing late Wednesday that it plans to use the proceeds to pay off debt.
New Century expects to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "NCTX."
The company moves freight throughout the continental United States and parts of Canada, but its main focus is moving less-than-truckload shipments originating in and out of the Northeast. Its biggest shipments are industrial goods and food, but it also ships chemicals, consumer and retail stock and pharmaceutical supplies.
Less-than-truckload, or LTL, shipments are consolidated into one truck from several shippers.
For the full-year 2009, the company lost $5.1 million compared with a 2008 loss of $1.2 million. The last time it posted a net profit was 2005.
Revenue fell to $203.1 million from $229 million in 2008.

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Apple may not have shown much love to its Apple TV platform recently, but it’s just given it a major boost by announcing it’ll be the exclusive launch partner for the new HBO Now streaming service.
The move, announced today at Apple’s Watch launch event in San Francisco, will see massive new shows such as Game Of Thrones and True Detective – plus an eviable back catalogue which includes everything from The Sopranos to Band Of Brothers – available on various Apple devices.
The service will cost US$14.99 a month but as yet there’s no word on whether it will be available outside of the States. We’re not holding our breath, frankly.
As well as being available on Apple TV itself you’ll be able to watch it on iPad or iPhone. Apple TV will also see a price drop from this week: it’ll be US$69 in the US, which we’re hoping will translate to £50 here.


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Home to the biggest population in the world and the second-largest economy, China is a business powerhouse. Its booming urban middle class has spurred amazing entrepreneurial activity that often produces lucrative investment opportunities.
If you’re looking for a way to invest in Chinese stocks, there is no shortage of options. Stocks from all over the country are among some of their best-performing assets on any given day and can provide diversification that will help protect against market volatility.
However, due to Beijing’s regulatory crackdown, many U.S.-listed stocks have been hammered in recent months as investors seek safety elsewhere. It is particularly devastating for the stockholders that could not exist in time.
Beijing is also preparing to take action in the event of a default by China’s biggest property developer, Evergrande (OTCMKTS:EGRNF). The company missed multiple payments on dollar-denominated debt, and it has drawn concern from investors due to its potential impacts on markets around Asia.
Against this backdrop, it is unsurprising China stocks are doing poorly. The situation reminds me of a Warren Buffett quote, “I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.”
Here are three China stocks trading at a discount to their 52-week highs you need to keep an eye on:
Considering the size of the Chinese economy and the robustness of its middle class, blips in performance are temporary. Cooler heads will prevail in terms of policy directives. Both the major movers and shakers in the U.S. and China understand the importance of market stability, especially in the post-Covid-19 world.
China Stocks: Alibaba (BABA)
Alibaba is the largestonline shopping website in China, hosting hundreds of millions of users and businesses. In fact, Alibaba handles more transactions than any other company on earth.
BABA is often dubbed the Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) of China, and for good reason. The two companies have grown similarly in their early stages before breaking away from each other with wildly different trajectories over time. However, both still hold an international reach that few can match.
Although both Amazon and Alibaba are pure ecommerce companies, they do not have the same business model. Amazon is a massive retailer for both new products and used items, while Alibaba operates like an intermediary between buyers and sellers on its platform to make sure customers get what they want at the best price possible (with lots of options).
Nevertheless, both companies are growth stocks. BABA in particular is very enticing because it usually trades at a steep discount to Amazon. Recently though, price momentum has been exceptionally sluggish. The Chinese government brought down the hammer on the e-commerce giant. They opened probes into internet platforms and suspended Alibaba’s Ant Group IPO in late 2020.
In April, the Chinese government ended up fining them $2 billion for anti-competitive behavior and ordering changes to their practices. Understandably, these recent events have not helped investor sentiment.
But there is another way to look at this. The e-commerce giant is rock solid in terms of revenue and shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, the latest dip gives you a great opportunity to buy an outstanding tech stock at a discount. And for many, the fine is merely a rap on the knuckles.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is considered the undisputed leader in the electric vehicle space. However, there are now several companies challenging the Elon Musk-led juggernaut. The biggest competition, especially in China, is Nio: an innovative, international automaker that is smashing delivery records every quarter.
However, one thing is irking a certain section of investors, and that’s the close relationship between the company and state authorities.
Last year, during the height of the pandemic, the Chinese electric vehicle startup secured $1 billion in funding from a local government, Hefei, to finance operations. In return, Nio and several state-owned companies in Hefei agreed to form a unit that would help bolster the local economy.
Many will balk at the relationship. The regulatory environment in China is not as transparent as the U.S., and there are concerns regarding government intervention. However, the good news in all of this is that having a relationship with the Chinese government is not necessarily a bad thing. We are just a few months removed from the fine against Alibaba. And there is always the threat of potential Chinese regulatory activity. Against this backdrop, the Hefei association can lead to certain benefits.
Considering all of these factors, it’s not having a company like Nio in your portfolio. You know that it is fundamentally very strong. At the same time, if it runs into any trouble, it can also get bailed out very easily. The stock has a one-year return of 38.2%, while Tesla is up 144.4% during the same period. No one can say these stocks are available at a discount. However, Nio is the more attractive option at this point.
Alibaba and JD.com often dominate the ecommerce discussion in China. While both companies have similar operating models, there are a few key differences. Alibaba is a platform that third-party sellers use to offer their merchandise. The company receives a fee from these transactions without handling any of the logistics themselves, while JD sells products and takes care of the logistics.
JD offers a marketplace for third-party sellers too, but that isn’t their primary business. The company is heavily invested in tech and uses drones to deliver products with the most efficient logistics possible, which differentiates them from other competing businesses such as BABA
JD’s dedication towards building up its brand by handling all these things themselves makes it one of those rare opportunities out there where you can invest safely without any risk involved.
The business model of a company is important when predicting how much it will grow. In this case, JD has high fixed costs and potential for higher margins because its margins have more room to expand. Much like other ecommerce giants, this company did very well in 2020. Year-over-year sales comparisons will suffer because last year, the whole world was stuck in a pandemic. Nevertheless, the business model is solid.
On the publication date, Faizan Farooque did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Faizan Farooque is a contributing author for InvestorPlace.com and numerous other financial sites. Faizan has several years of experience in analyzing the stock market and was a former data journalist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. His passion is to help the average investor make more informed decisions regarding their portfolio.


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Cyberpunk 2077 Gains ‘Very Positive’ User Score on Steam
Among some of the most anticipated video games of 2020 is CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. The game, which has been billed as one of the most ambitious titles ever created, has already been earning critical acclaim. A few weeks ago, the game was released to the public and it has now started to receive positive reviews from users on Steam.
The game has been described as “revolutionary” by some and has sparked a lot of discussion and excitement amongst gamers. Overall, the game has been well-received, earning a “very positive” rating as of the time of writing. This is impressive given the game’s open-world nature and expansive universe.
The game has also gained praise for its visuals and audio design along with its engaging story and characters. It’s clear that the developers put a lot of effort and thought into the title and it shows in the overall quality of the product.
The success of Cyberpunk 2077 is likely to be indicative of the continued success of CD Projekt Red and further cements its place as one of the most important developers in the gaming world. With the recent release of the next-gen consoles, we can expect the game to only grow more successful in the coming months.


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'Street Fighter 5' Latest News & Updates: Support Will Continue Until 2020 But Some Characters Are Leaving?
"Street Fighter 5" still has a long life ahead of it. It seems that the developers of the game are planning for more updates and features to be added to the game. Yoshinori Ono, the Executive Director, has announced that they wish to support the game until 2020 as part of their goal to host more tourments in esports with "Street Fighter 5."
Yoshinori went on to add that it would be great if Capcom would release a non- Street Fighter game but they would need to strengthen the "Street Fighter 5" name in the esports arena. Seeing the numbers rise for "Street Fighter 4" is already an assurance that there will be huge support for the upcoming updates.
Tomoaki Ayano, one of the game producers also mentioned that they will be adding more features and add-ons to the game. They are planning ahead and making sure that they can develop it further thereby improving the gaming experience of the fans.
Players were disappointed to learn that Akuma the "Raging Demon" will not be appearing. Fans are still hoping though that if they game does well, the studio may change their mind and give them a chance. With the new updates coming, "Street Fighter 5" fans should expect to have new characters and stages to explore.
The development team of "Street Fighter 5" is aiming to raise the audience and their interest by hosting additional tournaments. They would also like this to help increase the sales and help them improve the future of one of their classic games.
Capcom has denied various speculations surrounding "Street Fighter 5," including the rumored appearance of Akuma. The studio has confirmed though that "Skies Of Honor," the latest stage, has been banned and that fans can now expect new stages and playable characters during the tournaments.


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Japanese Banks Trial Virtual Currency For Funds Transfers
Members of Japanese bank consortium focused on blockchain is set to test a virtual currency-based funds transfer system.
SBI Virtual Currency, a subsidiary of SBI Holdings, will no longer partner with Huobi Group on setting up two Japan-based cryptocurrency exchanges.
SBI Holdings, the financial services arm of the SBI Group, has bought a 40 percent stake in cryptocurrency hardware wallet maker CoolBitX.
SBI Bank LLC, a commercial bank owned by Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings, is joining blockchain banking consortium R3.
The launch of Japan's first bank-backed cryptocurrency exchange has again been postponed as it seeks to strengthen security measures.
The financial services division of Japan’s SBI Group has revealed plans to move deeper into the world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain.


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Walmart Stores Signal a Shift Towards Locally Grown Produce: the Heritage Agriculture Program
Whether you shop there or not, and it’s sometimes hard not to given Americans’ propensity to shop as cheaply as possible, WalMart continues to push forward in a marketing campaign that may not be all about shaping up its image in the country. Whatever your stance on the retail giant, positive or negative, one has to admit that the store’s presence in local economies provides ample material for rigorous debate over the pros and cons. But if the megastore enacts a pro-organic or pro-local or pro-sustainable policy that is company-wide, is that enough to turn the tide of negative press? I mean, just in terms of raw numbers, wouldn’t a nation-wide sustainable agriculture position, embodied in the sale of local-only agriculture in every WalMart store in the country look like something significant? While some want to spotlight the giant as a too-big devil capable of doing only terrible things to local economies and family-run businesses, that may be just too broad a brush to paint them with. Now, it seems that Walmart has been employing a local food distribution policy, perhaps challenging the market leaders like Whole Foods. The program that guides this new Walmart behavior has been named the Heritage Agriculture program. And as we said earlier, this is the world’s largest retailer. That’s correct. Biggest on the globe. So a shift in their approach to local economies spells something dramatic and positive.
Learning More About Walmart and the Heritage Agriculture Program
Things aren’t as rosy as they could be, mainly because in the Walmart definition of locally grown food, the policy is to incorporate and include state-wide farms and food growers. So we’re not talking community-focused agriculture, be we’ll take what we can get, many supporters of sustainable agriculture are thinking. The goal is to include just under 10% of locally grown agriculture into the Walmart grocery supercenters in the States. For Canada, the goal is nearly three times that number, with a promise of 30% incorporation of locally grown produce by 2013.
The Heritage Agriculture program extends beyond buying up local produce for Walmart Grocery Supercenters, though. In fact, the company has plans to create a sustainability rating system for locally produced fruits and vegetables that is said to be based on total water, chemical and waste use. And there is an educational arm of the program set to be enacted, as well, where Walmart plans to work with farmers on what is most needed in the marketplace and how best to grow the food based on sustainable agricultural practices.
(Read the full article now at JustMeans)
(Read from the original WalMart Press Release now)
(Photo Via: NCAGR blog)


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Airbnb is a site that lets people rent rooms or entire apartments or houses, directly from the homeowner or renter. It has proven popular with travelers, but less popular with landlords, the hotel industry, and local governments. Why do local governments care? Airbnb rentals aren’t subject to sales and hotel changes. In some cities, that’s about to change. [More]
Taco Bell has a long tradition of giving away free food tied to the results of certain sporting events, like the World Series. But only weeks after pulling the plug on its 14-year free chalupa promo with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Bell angered Michigan State basketball fans by ending the deal that offered free tacos to everyone in the arena if the Spartans scored at least 70 points. [More]
So you’ve received an e-mail from Comcast saying you’re $25 late on your cable bill and that if you don’t resolve the issue ASAP, you could be arrested. First, that’s simply not true, and second, that message isn’t from Comcast. [More]
For more than a decade, whenever the Portland Trail Blazers scored at least 100 points during a home game, every person at the game got a coupon for a free Taco Bell Chalupa. But when the new season starts, the Blazers will have less of an incentive to put up triple-digit numbers, as Taco Bell has apparently pulled the plug on the longtime promotion. [More]
When You Cut Trash Collection To Every Two Weeks, Parents Will Still Find A Way To Get Rid Of Dirty Diapers
In Oct. 2011, Portland, Oregon, switched from weekly trash pickups to an every other week system, which is fine for many people who probably just needed to invest in another garbage can or two to hold that additional refuse. Additionally, the city had a weekly pickup for recycling and its new composting program, so smelly bottles, cans, and food scraps were being hauled away every seven days. But some parents of babies with stinky diapers are not waiting for that next garbage truck to swing by, and are instead tossing out the dirty diapers with the recycling. [More]
Remember the man who stripped down to his birthday suit at an Oregon airport to express his First Amendment rights? We know we sure do. And while a judge said that act was totally protected by the Constitution, he’s still got a pesky $1,000 fine from the Transportation Security Administration hanging over his head. He says he’s ready to fight that, too. [More]
For students in the public schools of Portland, Maine, the next year — and the foreseeable future — will be devoid of in-class pizza or cupcake parties, and all the high-calorie snacks and beverages sold at sporting events and dances will be replaced with healthier options. Even the teachers have to bring their own sugary sodas to work. [More]
Perhaps the man who stripped naked at the Portland International Airport security checkpoint last night just figured he was saving the TSA the step of having to pat him down for concealed items? [More]
A new study by the U.S. Forest Service found that planting trees along the perimeter of a rental property increase the rates the landlord could charge by $21 a month. [More]
Panera Bread’s noble experiment in pay-what-you-want retail has been successful at its first two restaurants in St. Louis and Detroit, taking in about 80% of the retail price of the food they serve. They serve as shining reminders of the fundamental goodness of people. In the Midwest, anyway. Until recently, the third free-will restaurant in Portland, Oregon was faltering, not attracting enough paying customers and
losing money. not taking in as much as Panera’s similar eateries. [More]
In recent years, a growing number of cities all over the country have been moving to put an end to — or at least curb — the use of plastic shopping bags. Last night, in a unanimous vote, the Portland, OR, City Council approved legislation that bans the use of these bags at larger grocery stores and big-box retailers. [More]
John is in Bolivia. His money is not, thanks to Wells Fargo incompetence that has him making $10 phone calls to executive customer service and his friend wiring him thousands of dollars. [More]
A six-hour flight from Mexico to Seattle turned into a 16-hour ordeal after intense fog caused the flight to be rerouted to Portland.
Andrew’s car was towed from Stabucks’ parking lot as he sat inside enjoying his drink. The Portland Starbucks apparently has a contract with a local predatory towing company that allows them to walk in, call out a bunch of license plate numbers, and tow any car whose owner doesn’t speak up.
A Portland jury recently found Latasha Curry not guilty of misdemeanor harassment for throwing a $4 venti iced mocha at a Starbucks manager who accused her of running a free drink scam. Curry was initially offered a free drink after she complained that her iced tea was too bitter. When she tried to redeem her freebie two days later, store manager Ryan Smith decided that Curry looked suspiciously like a woman who redeemed a free drink from a different store 11 months earlier. Smith accused Curry of running some elaborate drink scam, prompting Curry to serve Smith a free venti shower.
Have you heard of “credit card shaving?” In this version of credit card fraud, thieves try out 16-digit number sequences until hitting one that works. Then they take gift cards from stores and shave off the digits and glue them onto a credit card. They scratch the magnetic strip so the clerk has to enter the credit card number by hand. It’s apparently all the rage in Portland There’s no defense against it except to monitor your statement for suspicious charges.
Hey. Flying to JFK from Portland tonight. The flight keeps getting pushed back and the flight tracker on the website is getting updated before the gate agents are. It’s so foggy that it’s difficult to see the ground below the terminal windows, so the situation is obviously out of the agents’ hands. To compensate, they’ve set out several pizzas and bottled water for the waiting passengers. People seem pretty stoked. Might this be a new addition to their customer bill of rights?
Hey, that’s nice! Good job, JetBlue.


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New Jersey Business Magazine is seeking nominations for its 63rd Annual New Good Neighbor Awards, powered by NJBIA.
Each year, we recognize the economic development impact of new, renovated or expanded industrial, office, retail centers (excluding individual stores within shopping centers), and green community projects (i.e. streetscapes, parks). Construction or capital expenditures at the nominated facility must have been completed during the past two years, between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2022. March 10, 2023 is the entry deadline. Please visit njbmagazine.com/2023ngn_nominate to access the nomination form.
Last year, our 13 winners represented more than $121 million in capital improvements, the creation of 1,758 construction jobs, and 2,027 full-time jobs. All New Good Neighbor entries represent the positive energy and faith business and industry have in New Jersey’s future.
This 2023 winners will be profiled in the July issue of New Jersey Business Magazine.
To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.Related Articles:


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Tech & Science associations warn of the Fitbit takeover by Google
Ile-de-France: after the Covid, the associations want another air transport
© LP / Aurélie Ladet Illustration. Environmental protection and air pollution associations defend the idea of rethinking traffic. Will the coronavirus be used as a trigger to start a great air transport revolution? In any case, this is what many associations hope for. While flights resumed slightly at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle, twenty-six associations have just sent a letter to President Macron asking him to abandon the T4 terminal project.
The Fitbit takeover would give Google access to health data. International associations are calling on regulators to drop the deal.
International data and consumer protection organizations want to stop Google's acquisition of Fitbit. 20 interest groups from different countries have drawn up anappeal to regulators . They fear distortion of competition and insufficient data protection.
Google announced last November theof the fitness tracker manufacturer Fitbit. Google wants to pay 2.1 billion dollars for it. However, the regulatory authorities still have to agree.
Soccer-Bruce not interested in Newcastle takeover talks, targets top-10 finish
SOCCER-ENGLAND-NEW-AVA/PREVIEW (PIX):Soccer-Bruce not interested in Newcastle takeover talks, targets top-10 finishA group with an expected 80% investment from Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF have made a reported 300 million pound ($374.82 million) bid to buy United from British businessman Mike Ashley.
The open letter calls on antitrust and data protection authorities worldwide to drop the deal. Signed by the US consumer protection organization Public Citizen, the European organization for digital rights Access Now and the global organization Privacy International.
You have "significant concerns" that the acquisition could change the digital healthcare industry worldwide. Google would thus have access to the intimate data of the users.Highly sensitive data record
Google claims that it is not primarily interested in the data when it is transferred. "This deal is about devices, not data," a spokeswoman for.
The authors of the open letter have doubts about this. "Regulators must assume that in practice, Google will use Fitbit's entire currently independent, unique, and highly sensitive data set in combination with its own data set," the text said.
Google to pay some publishers in Australia, Brazil, Germany for content
The Communications Minister contests the broadcaster's funding has gone up, but the ABC's budget paper and efficiency review seems to tell a different story.
Influence on Competition
"We believe that the combination of Google and Fitbit's hardware efforts will increase competition in this sector," said the Google spokeswoman. Here too, consumer protection organizations fear exactly the opposite.
Using Fitbit's health and location data, Google could strengthen its dominant position in digital markets such as online advertising, the letter said.authorities still undecided
Some regulators share concerns, Reuters reports. The Australian competition authority is still critical and will decide in August. In America there is already an antitrust lawsuit against Google. A decision on the Fitbit deal is due to be made in the EU in July.
WhatsApp: Attention, photos gone! .
Now it's time to be quick! If Google changes the photos that users receive via the WhatsApp messenger service are no longer automatically saved © istockphoto WhatsApp photos and videos could be lost in the future istockphoto You often get photos and videos via WhatsApp and then save them not from? From now on, however, caution applies, because with a new change from Google, these files are no longer automatically saved on the smartphone.


text: The advertising market is expected to see slight increases in spending in the next 12 months as there is no big scheduled event that might boost marketing budgets, media agents said. Carat Hong Kong and Mindshare Hong Kong, two leading advertising agents, estimated the overall ad spend next year would rise 5 per cent after discounts. Advertising spending for the first 11 months this year rose 8 per cent before deducting discounts to HK$4.6 billion from HK$4.3 billion last year, according to media research firm admanGo. Almost all media channels recorded growth, led by a 24 increase at Cable TV, which benefited from showing the World Cup football tournament in the summer, an admanGo report said. The television sector outperformed other media with 10 per cent growth overall. Even so, Hong Kong's No2 free-TV station, Asia Television, was the worst performer across all sectors. Ad spend at the English-language World channel tumbled 16 per cent in the first 11 months while the Chinese-language Home did little better with an 11 per cent decline. 'ATV did not perform very well this year as it lacked eye-catching programmes,' an industry source said. Spending on ATV dropped to HK$2.4 billion from HK$2.7 billion in the first 11 months last year. Cable TV's ad revenue growth may prove short-lived, as the channel will no longer benefit from exclusive rights to carry English Premier League football when the new season starts next August. Their loss is PCCW Now Broadband TV's gain. 'The English Premier League helped Cable TV to generate HK$60 million revenue a year from advertisers,' another industry source said. The loss of EPL rights probably would mean a drop in advertising revenue, let alone reduced growth, he said. The TV sector's ad revenue would grow 3 per cent to 5 per cent next year, BNP Paribas Asia estimated. The overall market would probably increase by 5 to 8 per cent compared with this year, it said. The newspaper sector's 11-month ad revenue rose 7 per cent and the magazine sector's 8 per cent, as the increasing number of free publications offered more space for sale. The radio sector showed a 4 per cent gain. next takes hit Next Media shares slid 2.4 per cent to a 52-week low of HK$2.90 yesterday, continuing a plunge precipitated by the announcement of worse than expected results last month. The stock has tumbled about 36 per cent from a HK$4.60 year high reached in February. Chairman Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has escaped some of the damage; he sold 180 million shares at HK$4.15 each in September. The poor results sent some investors to the exit door. The prospect of what lies ahead sent others. Next's publications in Hong Kong face brutal competition from rivals. Easy Finder, the publisher's title for the young and trendy, cut its cover price to HK$5 from HK$10 at the end of last month to gain readers and advertisers. Sales jumped to about 157,000 copies after the cut from about 70,000 previously. The company hopes average circulation will steady at about 120,000 copies. It will have to contend with South China Media Group which responded by cutting the cover price of its Express Weekly this month to HK$12 from HK$20. Next Magazine's weekly circulation promptly fell to about 120,000. More price cuts are not the answer, say analysts. 'Next should stabilise its Hong Kong magazine business and take action to revamp the content,' Deutche Bank said in a research note. ming pao suffers abroad Overseas editions dragged down the performance of Ming Pao Enterprise, publisher of Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao, in its first half, chief executive Francis Tiong Kiew Chiong said. Operating profit for the publishing business fell 53 per cent to HK$7.27 million in the six months to September 30 on revenue that grew 9 per cent to HK$435 million, the company announced last week. The four overseas editions of Ming Pao, which are published in North America, recorded an operating loss that widened to HK$7.38 million from HK$5.55 million a year earlier. Mr Tiong targeted break even for the overseas business by the end of March. Ming Pao will raise the rates of specific positions to reflect its growth in circulation to 130,000 copies on weekdays from 110,000. 'We feel optimistic for 2007 as market sentiment may get better,' Mr Tiong told Media Eye. At the same time, he expressed concern that rising materials costs would erode the profit margin.


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In France, the number of people suffering from COVID-19 is growing, and 130 people have already been diagnosed with the infection. Against this background, the authorities are canceling mass events – for example, the traditional Livre Paris book fair will not take place. Spring Fashion Week in Paris still managed to be held before the quarantine events.
The Dior show, held a day after Harvey Weinstein’s sentence, was literally held under the slogans “Consent”, “Women’s love is free labor”, “When women strike, the world stops”.
Japanese brand Anrealage (designer Kunihiko Morinaga) showed “block” fashion, with an emphasis on red shades and overside silhouettes.
Vivienne Westwood, Patriarch of British Fashion, showed “gypsy chic” and Bella Hadid in the bride’s dress with an open bodice, reminiscent of the outfits of medieval Italian courtesans at the Paris City Hall.


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Beijing time on November 1, according to foreign media reports, the United States Science and technology media, Techcrunch staff writer Mg Siegler wrote an article a few days ago, said that Apple launched the iPad mini, which was not compete with Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 these products, simply in order to expand their user base for the iPad. In addition, compared to the current iPad competitors, the competitive advantages of iPad is enough to neglect "threat" from these manufacturers.
After I watched again and again last week's Apple announcement, I came to a conclusion: Apple has officially declared war on Android tablet.
Apple published a total of 5 new products at this conference, including the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, fourth-generation iPad and 7.9-inch iPad mini. It is similar to traditional Apple for a long time, company executives at the press conference explained its own Tablet PC products that are more excellent than other competitors. However, when the iPad mini priced $ 329 when it is eventually announced, my mentality was formed a layer of rippling.
There is no doubt that Apple is the undisputed largest player in the current Tablet market, even from outside, Apple recognized that the area of the surviving "competition" has expressed an attitude of humility. But think carefully, Apple is willing to recognize the Tablet area are picked-up with the Android system in the Conference, the root reason is the two words "price".
On the day of the launching, Apple executives tried to use their superb presentation skills to avoid comparison of the iPad mini and other tablet computers. Although the $ 329 sale price of iPad mini makes many people feel speechless, but Apple executives said, such as the Nexus 7 Kindle Fire and these products are simply not iPad mini competitor, the company launched iPad mini, which is simply to extend their iPad user groups.
In terms of pricing, Apple will not produce a $ 199 Tablet and develop this product. Their idea is very simple, designed a small form factor Tablet PC with excellent and reasonable pricing for this outstanding design. Maybe Apple will change in the future of the iPad mini price (after the introduction of the first generation iPhone Apple prices have been reduced), but what is certain, the launch of the iPad mini would allow Apple to earn more money. What is more, Apple will launched best cases for ipad mini to appeal fans to buy, which is just like Apple
Some consumers may find that the price $ 329 of iPad mini is too high, but don't forget Apple executives said at the meeting of phone analyst that "iPad mini is currently the lowest profit margins of main line of Apple products", in other words, the iPad mini is still a great value for money products.
It is to be noted that, in Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire have almost no profit or even price to sell at a loss. But it's not Apple's style, and Apple will never be able to launch an iPad for $ 199, and that's exactly what Steve jobs came back Apple and cut off after one of the main causes of the company's printer business.
Judging from the company's recent earnings data, Apple's approach was correct. Amazon reported a company's profitability, Google results showed that commercialization capacity are not as good as the outside world looked forward to the Android platform as powerful. At the same time, high prices of Apple iPad can bring millions in revenue for the company. That is because the excellent design of the iPad itself is the most important source of revenue to Apple.
"We are getting too far ahead in the Tablet competition, I can't even see them in the rearview mirror. "Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller at the press conference said, then iPad mini was first displayed to the outside world, and that all existing 275,000 iPad application is perfect to use on iPad mini.
Subsequently, Schiller showed Nexus 7 pictures, without giving names, and it has doubled compared with the iPad mini: using aluminum paper integrated airframe design iPad mini than the picture in the design of this plastic "Android tablet" lighter, thinner. Subsequently, Schiller introduced the 7.9-inch display of the iPad mini 7 inch screen has a huge advantage than Android Tablet.


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Upcoming XBLA dance game Rhythm Party has been spotted on Xbox Live Marketplace with a due date of February 8. No official confirmation has been announced from Microsoft or …
Castlevania has been a major part of the gaming world for over 20 years, bringing us many a Dracula slaying tale. This story encompasses many families, crosses thousands of years, and tells stories of love, betrayal, power and revenge. Each game delivers a solid story, but some lack the gameplay it takes to keep non-enthusiasts interested. Through out the years Castlevania has appeared on almost every system since the NES, telling one piece or another of this amazing story.
Though this is a huge story encompassing many years and games, it all started with just one game. The basis was simple: every 100 years Dracula comes back from the dead unleashing his evil terror upon the world. You control Simon Belmont, a man who comes from a long line of Vampire hunters. With Dracula awake and doing his worst, Simon sets out to send him back to where he comes from, just like his family members before him have done.
Konami has revealed that the XBLA puzzler Puddle will be releasing later this month on January 23. After beginning its life as a pet project by six students at France’s Enjmin video game school, Puddle was picked up for full-fledged development by Neko Entertainment.
Players will have to juggle guiding a virtual puddle of rocket fuel (thus the name) and a blob of radioactive goo through precarious environments full of heat beams and electric currents. Although gamers won’t be able to see any given level in its entirety when starting a new puzzle, Konami has offered up a glimpse of what will be seen in the new batch of images below.


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More than 40 b.good locations will launch the software.
Fattmerchant will decrease monthly costs for Juke Slot clients as it does not add markups, surcharges or ancillary fees to credit card interchange rates.
PAR Technology's Brink POS software allows mangers to access information and generate reports at any time, from any place.
Using Wonder’s card-linked, digital gifting solution, Mammoth Mountain saw 63% of guests redeem the offer within three days.
Smart Card Alliance advocates for embedded security in connected IoT devices.
The partnership will allow Reventions POS to control light fixtures, door locks, WiFi cameras and thermostats.
It offers a large screen, long battery life and it accepts all forms of payment including EMV chip and PIN, chip and sign, magstripe and NFC/contactless.
But 70% of consumers would like to make travel, entertainment, technology retail and healthcare purchases with their mobile phone or tablet.
Restaurant clients will find it easier to integrate, test and activate different apps in POSitouch to increase customer engagements for food delivery, online reservations and tablet ordering.
But only 9% of consumers said online reviews helped them to make their booking decision.


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In life, most of us carry wallets, keys and so on. Our wallet always carries a variety of cards, membership cards, credit cards, ID cards, etc. The more cards you accumulate, the more troublesome it is to find the card you want. Now, we have a different choice. Sweden uses NFC technology to bury the microchip under your skin to make your life more convenient.
The chip is essentially a digital keychain. NFC (Near Field Communication) is a wireless way to send information to readers via passive chips, but only when they are 4 cm (1.6 inches) apart (you may have heard of radio frequency identification, or RFID – NFC is a more For complex forms). A chip in your hand can help people do things like open a car, open an office door, and pay for a credit card. Over time, as technology advances, implanted microchips will be able to do more.
This technology is not new. In fact, since 2015, Swedes and people in other countries have been using microchips. Even before that, people had already gathered at the “implant parties” organized by large companies to connect themselves. These chips are implanted in dogs and cats by veterinary, so that their owners can find them in case they escape or lose.
But now, the ordinary person could implants the chip. Especially in Sweden, these chips are the mainstream chips in Sweden. Since June 2017, people can use their chips to buy train tickets. According to the Associated Press, about 3,000 Swedes have surgically implanted microchips.
But data security issues are a concern for the technology of microchips. Any data connected to the Internet, no matter how safe it looks, is insecure – even NFC can be hacked by using specialized readers and a lot of coding skills. Smartphones have solved this security problem by combining NFC technology with biometrics, just like your fingerprints. But microchips like this don’t have such security, which makes your personal information more vulnerable to hackers, and hopes that the data security issues of the microchip will be well resolved in the future.


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Mimaki has announced that a light black ink will be added to its range of SB410 sublimation ink spot colours from February 2016. The light black joins the recently released neon yellow and pink fluorescent inks, which are ideal for low-volume, high-quality use in fashion and sportswear and swimwear.
The addition will expand apparel production possibilities for users and will increase the versatility of the TS300P-1800 wide format printer, a dedicated dye sublimation inkjet printer for apparel and textile applications. The new light black inks will be available in two litre ink packs and the TS300P-1800 is scheduled to demonstrate some of the innovative and creative capabilities of the inks at FESPA Digital 2016 in Amsterdam, in Hall 1 on Stand E15 from 8th – 11th March.
“These new spot colours can add real value to fashion and sportswear,” states Stephen Woodall, National Sales Manager for textile and apparel, at Mimaki’s exclusive UK and Irish distributor, Hybrid Services Ltd. “The new light black improves the already high print quality, enhancing photographic images and gradations even further. Alongside the fluorescent pink and yellow inks, users now really have the capability to create highly unique garments.”
Woodall concludes: “The fluorescent samples we have produced on the Mimaki TS300P-1800 are spectacular, so we anticipate that combining this with the new light black will deliver even more eye-catching output. We look forward to demonstrating this to visitors to FESPA Digital in March.”


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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration should continue to exercise regulatory discretion to maintain the continued availability of a number of unapproved animal drug products, said the National Grain and Feed Association in a statement to the FDA.
The types of animal feed and pet food products currently regulated by the FDA that could fall within the category of “unapproved animal drugs” include products formulated from animal feed ingredients that help manage, from a dietary and nutritional standpoint, a specific disease or condition under a licensed veterinarian’s professional supervision, said the NGFA. These products are “generally recognized as safe” or have been authorized under food additive petitions, and have a long history of safe and effective use.
According to the NGFA, pertinent examples of such products include:
The FDA put out a request for comments soliciting suggestions for strategies to address the prevalence of animal drug products marketed within the U.S. without approval or other legal marketing status. The agency has said that it is concerned that the safety and effectiveness of some unapproved animal drugs being marketed have not been demonstrated properly, but also recognizes that the continued availability of a number of such products is important to meet the health needs of animals.
The FDA is looking for comments on approaches that utilize its existing regulatory framework for increasing the number of currently marketed animal drugs that have legal marketing status, as well as the use of enforcement discretion in limited situations, said the agency.
Erber Group begins its move to a new campus location in Getzersdorf, Austria with a groundbreaking ceremony on November 13
NCC President Mike Brown calls for permanent Congressional fix at EPA hearing on 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard
Two Nutrena NatureWise feeds found to have incorrect levels of calcium
New arrangement allows more scholarships for two additional universities
EFSA food and feed panels should work together to improve processes, says AVC
Veterinarian Chris Salentijn will serve customers in Middle East and Northern Africa regions
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Google’s “Stadia” cloud gaming service is proving a technical failure. The company claimed it would reach hundreds of countries. It reached fewer than two dozen. The company claimed it would solve the game latency problem. It didn’t.
It turns out that for a low latency application like gaming to work, content must be cached close to every player. If it’s centralized, then some players have advantages that render the game worthless. Or you can create a delay, making the whole game worthless.
Forced delays happened over a decade ago, in stock trading. A trading platform found that, by putting their data center close to the Hudson River, it could act on orders from Wall Street before centers further away, based on the speed of light.
In gaming, cutting latency is key. Clouds don’t cut latency. Only ideas like Cloudflare’s “Cloudless Cloud,” which Akamai is now copying, can do that. You need an ad-hoc content delivery network serving every player, or else the game isn’t fair.
Most ideas around the metaverse focus on low-latency applications. Markets and office work are being “gamified.” High bandwidth virtual reality applications are being distributed on a mass basis. But it turns out clouds, built on cash flow, can’t serve this new world alone. Cloudless clouds might, but only to the extent that the necessary infrastructure serving them is close to all customers.
It reminds me of something Amazon learned while scaling their store. You can’t put everything in a huge warehouse outside of town. Eventually you need smaller, subsidiary warehouses, closer to town, the kind that take over malls and big boxes. Connect them all, with technology and infrastructure, and you can scale faster services downward. In the future, this “instant access” is all the advantage Amazon has. But it’s something that can be copied, to a great degree, by Walmart and even Kroger.
The lesson? Clouds aren’t enough. Over time, even cloudless clouds aren’t enough. As with Amazon, a middle layer is needed in cloud before low latency can scale. New visions for clouds, and how they work, are necessary before the metaverse can happen.


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Asia’s largest B2B managed marketplace for digital services, Expand My Business is set to ramp up its operations not just nationally but worldwide and will be increasing the strength of the company 3X.
The ongoing hiring is focused on increasing the platform’s capacity to cater to unprecedented surge in IT demands in India and overseas alike. Sources have reported that the firm has already started setting up offices abroad and is working towards expansion in the MENA region and even the US seems to be on the cards.
Expand My Business is a VC-funded startup, currently serving two primary verticals: IT Development including Deep-tech and Digital Marketing. The hiring is concentrated on further expanding and optimising Project Delivery, Technology, Marketing and Sales to enhance existing operations and capacity. The firm is also planning to hire for C-suite leaders and senior-level talent in India, and are already in talks with seasoned leaders from other fast-growing startups.
“We’ve achieved exponential growth in the last 5 quarters,” said Nishant Behl, Founder and CEO of Expand My Business. “We now want to emerge as industry leaders and help other businesses experience the same exponential growth,” he added, emphasising on the team’s vision of digitally empowering upcoming startups and businesses.
With the efforts EMB is putting in hiring, the total team size is expected to reach over 400 in a matter of just 3 months. Furthermore, they are focused on creating new opportunities at this crucial stage to optimise their services as per the growing trends in the IT and digital market.


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Last year at my blog Overlawyered I wrote about one of the rare instances in which a widely watched health indicator was headed rapidly in a favorable direction:
Actual cigarette smoking among teens, the kind that requires inhaling carcinogenic products of combustion, is down a startling 25 percent in one year and nearly 42 percent since 2011. The reason is the rapid substitution of vaping or e-cigarettes, which hold singular promise as a harm-reduction measure for those drawn to the nicotine habit. Great news, right?
Well, not great news if you’re the present leadership of the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC), whose director Thomas Frieden has railed against vaping, or the federal Food and Drug Administration, which has now published regulations likely to wipe out most or all of the vaping option in what Jacob Sullum describes as a “slow-motion ban.”
Under the new rules, even products currently sold on the market will have to be withdrawn unless their makers, mostly small companies, care to venture on an FDA approval process that can cost $1 million and up per item. Any resulting applications will result in permission to sell only if the agency decides the product is a net safety improvement on current offerings. And that permission will be at best chancy because the FDA, following Frieden’s lead but in contrast with the views of many others in the public health field, refuses to acknowledge vaping as a safer alternative to tobacco smoking, even though large numbers of smokers turn to vaping with exactly that goal in mind. Jared Meyer at Economics21 says the new FDA regulations “will kill” as users deprived of vaping options turn back to tobacco or simply never make the switch.
Meanwhile, Trevor Burrus at Cato explains how big tobacco companies, which have found in vaping a nimble competitor they have up to now managed neither to beat nor dominate, now stand to profit as the new rules regulate it out of existence. The same applies to the state governments that are financially dependent on conventional cigarette sales under the cartel-like arrangements of the 1998 tobacco settlement.
So there you have it: government and Big Tobacco revenues get shored up, while millions of consumers lose access to products they want and in some cases credit with saving their lives. And thousands of small businesses, both in retail and manufacturing sectors, face ruin [some coverage of that: York, Pa. Daily Record, WKOW, USA Today]
If Congress chooses, it can do something about this. An amendment approved by the House Appropriations Committee last month would grandfather in products now available, applying the prohibitive rules only to products introduced in the future. Whether Washington acts on this sensible idea will depend in part on whether it is listening to the voices of ex-smokers and young consumers around the country who feel competent to run their own lives and make their own choices.Published in


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Apple iPhone may let you control your car's HVAC, radio and more, report says
According to a report, Apple's looking at expanding what its smartphone can do for your car beyond CarPlay and a smart key.
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Apple CarPlay is not the end of the tech giant's automotive technology ambitions, according to a new report from Bloomberg on Thursday. According to the report, Apple is hard at work on a project called "IronHeart," which will allow iPhone users to control more of their vehicles' functions. This could provide iOS users access to a car's radio, heat and air conditioning controls, power seats and even the gauge cluster.
The idea is to provide a one-stop solution to alleviate frustrations CarPlay users have flipping between the smartphone mirroring system for media, but native controls for other vehicle functions, Bloomberg's sources said. Apple did not immediately return a request for comment, but expect silence on this type of secret project. The sources also likened this project to how Apple approached its smartphone and health ecosystems to provide one place for all controls.
Project IronHeart comes as the latest round of Apple's work to further integrate iPhone and its Watch into cars slows. CarKey, by far the most useful new initiative, is only available with BMW vehicles currently, for example. It also comes as Apple Car rumors remain in flux. While it seemed like the project was primed for takeoff earlier this year with a potential Hyundai deal, things cooled off after Apple lost its top Apple Car project talent, ex-Tesla veteran Doug Fields, to Ford. If and when we ever get an Apple Car, IronHeart may be an important building block.


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Firefox released its 100th update, and some fanfare accompanied the release on Mozilla’s blog about the web browser. Firefox 100 is available this week for both desktop and mobile versions.
To celebrate, Mozilla says it will be regularly sharing Firefox-inspired fan art throughout May. But while that number of 100 has some symbolic weight, the update itself isn’t particularly monumental.
On desktop, subtitles and captions are now supported in Firefox’s picture-in-picture mode for videos. Three major sites officially support subtitles and captions in PIP: YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. Also, the feature works on websites that support the WebVTT standard, such as B. Twitter.
So much for the new features for desktop, but there’s even more going on on the mobile side. First, there is a new view of browsing history. Mozilla says it’s reduced clutter in this new history window by removing duplicates and automatically grouping related items — like multiple pages brought up by the same search query. You can now also search your history using a text box.
“Clutter-free” is also the game’s name for mobile tab improvements. To help users who tend to leave tabs open for weeks with the intention of eventually reaching them, creating unmanageable clutter, Firefox now automatically sorts tabs you haven’t looked at in 14 days into an “Inactive Tabs” section ” around.
There are also two new wallpapers for Android and iOS called “Beach Vibes” and “Twilight Hills”. Other changes include HTTPS-only mode on Android, a prompt to choose a language on first launch, and extending the credit card autofill feature (previously seen only in North America) to the UK, France, and Germany.
Android got some of those features right away, but iOS should have them by the end of the week, says Mozilla.


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Ecommerce returned to healthy growth in April, new figures from the IMRG suggest.
The IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index figures, which show online sales grew by 13% in April compared to the same time last year following four months of single-digit growth, come days after figures from the British Retail Consortium [IRDX VBRC] showed a similar picture of recovery after a lacklustre opening to the year.
Sales were also up – by 4% – compared to the previous month. That’s the highest rise growth in sales between March and April that the IMRG has recorded since 2007. Conversion rates were also up, reaching 4.6%.
Mobile sales grew by 52%, year-on-year, and by 8% compared to March.
“The return to double-digit growth during April has resulted in overall growth of 9% year-to-date for the UK online retail market,” said Tina Spooner, chief information office at IMRG [IRDX VIMR].
“Although this is still below our 2015 growth forecast of 12%, a number of sectors continue to outperform the total market including footwear, lingerie and accessories. The latest results also reveal that online browsers converted at the highest rate for April since 2009 – helping to fuel the 3.9% month-on-month rise between March and April, where the established trend is for flat growth.”
In a survey of IMRG members, she said, retailers had identified a number of factors behind the slowdown earlier in the year. They included market maturity, increased competition, consumers holding out for sales in a period that saw less discounting, as well as political and economic uncertainty.
“It is too early to say,” she concluded, “whether the single-digit growth recorded in the first quarter was merely a blip and we will be monitoring developments very closely over the coming months.”
Despite the short-term slowdown, the long-term trend is certainly for huge growth in online retailing. Since this index was first launched 15 years ago, in April 2000, UK online sales have grown by 11,000%, and £640bn has been spent online.
This April, the fastest growth was in sectors including travel, up by 20% compared to last year.
Alex Smith-Bingham, head of digital, consumer products and retail at Capgemini [IRDX VCPG] said: “Today’s figures show a return to form for online retail. Shoppers are clearly more confident than ever and in the run up to the general election were feeling upbeat about their prospects for the future. The fact that conversion rates were so high goes to show that people weren’t just window shopping – they were going online ready to spend. With the economy continuing to improve I’m confident that online retail is on the up.”
Andy Harding, chief customer officer at House of Fraser [IRDX RHOF], its April figures showed net multichannel sales rose by 51% in April, on last year. In the first three months of the year, they were up by 38.3% compared to the same period last year. “Our strong sales performance is testament to the ongoing development of our premium multichannel offer,” he said. “In fact we’ve recently instigated an industry-leading Buy & Collect proposition with an order cut-off at midnight for next day delivery to store. This improved service proposition helps set us apart from competitors. But it doesn’t stop here though, in fact we’ve lots of new and exciting developments to announce as we approach the second half of the year.”


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RIM is really shooting for some market share these days, especially now that the competition has really ramped up with Apple's iPhone in the business sphere and Google's Android OS stocked on all sorts of handsets. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is now preparing a tablet that is supposedly their answer to an already very competitive market--where Apple reigns as King.
The tablet, referred to as a "BlackPad", is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of this year and will be manufactured by Quanta Computer Inc. of Taiwan, with chips from Silicon Valley-based Marvell Technology Group. It will, allegedly, feature a seven-inch display, and come stocked with two built-in cameras, Bluetooth, and broadband connections, though it will only be able to connect through cellular networks on a Blackberry smartphone.
If any of this is true, that means that RIM already has one up on Apple's tablet in terms of price efficiency, as users wouldn't have to purchase a separate data plan for the RIM tablet device as they have to do for the iPad. But with the handset manufacturer's market share falling off a bit, who will use these tablets in conjunction with their own Blackberries?
The other road block is that there are tons of other mobile manufacturers entering the tablet market to consider. RIM's "BlackPad" may be a worthy opponent for Apple and Google and could satisfy those that are desiring more from their business-centric Blackberries, but then again, that may not be enough to keep the company floating in a top spot like its major competitors.
Follow this article's author, Florence Ion, on Twitter.


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March 21, 2024
Annual Chocolate Scorecard reveals the dark side to your delightful Easter treat
Woolworths, Coles and Aldi among retailers in the spotlight for private-label chocolate products
Australia’s supermarket giants have been scrutinised for the transparency and sustainability of their private-label chocolate with German supermarket chain Aldi eclipsing its larger rivals to be the clear leader.
Woolworths and Coles, which together control 65 per cent of the country’s grocery market, and Aldi were evaluated in the 5th Edition Chocolate Scorecard, an annual initiative spearheaded by an international team of non-profit organisations and academics, including Associate Professor Stephanie Perkiss from the University of Wollongong’s School of Business.
Released just in time for Easter, The Chocolate Scorecard, now in fifth year, evaluates global chocolate traders, manufacturers, brands, and retailers against seven markers: Traceability and Transparency, Living Income, Child Labour, Gender Equality, Deforestation and Climate, Agroforestry, and Agri-Chemical Management. Retailers are once again included in the Scorecard. They are assessed on their own branded or private label products. A traffic light system is used to rank retailers and manufacturers, in descending order, green, yellow, orange, red or grey for their overall progress towards these categories.
This year, 63 companies, manufacturers and retailers were assessed, including 38 of the world’s largest chocolate brands such as Mondelēz (maker of Cadbury), Nestlè, Hershey’s, Ferrero and Mars; nine smaller boutique chocolate brands, like Original Beans and Beyond Good; and 16 retailer stores, including Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi. Four companies and 18 retailers declined to take part or did not respond to the questionnaire, which resulted in them being awarded a grey rating. Three Good Egg awards were given to two small companies, Original Beans and Beyond Good, and to large company Ritter Sport. Tony’s Chocolonely was given an Achievement Award for leading the industry in policy and practice for five years in a row. Globally, no retailer scored a green rating.
The cocoa supply chain is incredibly complex and intricate, encompassing multiple countries and companies competing to meet increasing global demand. But it has a devastating environmental and human cost, plagued by issues such as deforestation, child labour, human trafficking, pesticide use, and gender inequality.
Associate Professor Perkiss said the dark side of chocolate production was in stark contrast to its marketing and reputation as a product of joy.
“Chocolate is associated with happy moments, a delicacy that conveys love and pleasure, particularly during times like Easter. But the delight that chocolate brings to consumers is marred by the dark reality of how that chocolate is produced. Child labour, sustainability issues, deforestation, pesticides all leave a bitter aftertaste to that sweet chocolate.”
Associate Professor Perkiss said all Australian retailers need to be applauded for their transparency through participation in The Chocolate Scorecard. These companies were early adopters and leaders in addressing human rights and environment issues through certification such as Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance. Their current ranking is an indication that leading now means doing more than certification. All Australian retailers are ahead of the 18 companies who received a grey rating and were not prepared to reveal their policies and practices.
As retailers that sell their own branded chocolate products, Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, David Jones and Kmart/Target were subjected to the same scrutiny of The Chocolate Scorecard team as the other products that sit on the shelves in the same aisles. (Note, Myer does not sell any of its own branded chocolate).
Woolworths received an orange rating for its own-brand chocolate, which includes not only chocolate bars, but all chocolate products, including that found in bakery goods, cocoa powder, ice cream, and drinking chocolate. The orange symbolises that the company needs improvement in practice and policy. They rank 11th globally. Woolworths are the only Australian company and one of the few retailers to trace all cocoa items in their supply chains, rather than just confectionery.
Associate Professor Stephanie Perkiss.
Coles, however, received a red rating, which means the retailer is trailing in practice and policy. They were one of three Australian-owned retailers to be given a red rating, alongside David Jones and Kmart Australia and New Zealand, which includes Target. These companies have been using a Certification model which needs expanding in order for Australian retailers to keep up with the standards being set in Europe and the UK.
Aldi Süd, the parent company of Aldi in Australia, which accounts for 10 per cent of the national grocery market, emerged as the leader in the Australian retailer field. Aldi was awarded a yellow rating, for progressing in policy and practice.
Research on retail stores reveals that confectionery is often an impulse purchase. Stores stock confectionary products at payment areas, setting a high profit margin. These products can be the make or break financially for a retailer. Despite the importance, however, the team’s research shows that retail stores are less enthusiastic when it comes to the confectionery sustainability, particularly cocoa.
Associate Professor Perkiss, an accountant with a social and environmental justice lens, said retailers that place their private label on chocolate products have as much responsibility as big manufacturers to ensure transparency and accountability in their supply chain and sustainability practices.
“A number of retailers have told us that cocoa is not a significant part of their business. Yet, chocolate and confectionery are extremely prominent in supermarkets, including Australia’s major players Woolworths and Coles. You cannot visit these supermarkets without finding chocolate at the checkout or the end of the aisle, or without seeing a new special on confectionery items. If chocolate does not generate big profits, why do they place it in prominent sales locations?
“When a retailer has their own branded chocolate product, they have the same obligations as others in the supply chain to undertake the required due diligence to address human rights and environmental issues. In fact, you could argue that they have more responsibility, as a larger portion of the profits go back to the retailer.
“Retailers need to become responsible for sourcing and offering ethically produced chocolate. They generate huge profits from chocolate and chocolate products, and there is a growing demand among consumers for ethically produced and sustainable products.
“A company that lacks knowledge of its cocoa’s origin cannot genuinely ensure it is not tainted by extreme poverty, child labor, deforestation, or other abuses. Put simply if you can’t see it, you can’t fix it.”
Associate Professor Perkiss said The Chocolate Scorecard is driving change by highlighting those who are engaging in good practices and making a significant impact in addressing issues within their manufacturing processes and supply chains. It also shines a spotlight on practices that are not up to scratch and holds global manufacturers, companies, and retailers to account.
“Every chocolate purchase matters and sends a message to the chocolate producers that you value the steps they are taking to implement best practice into their farming, manufacturing and supply chain processes.
“While being aware of where your chocolate comes from is really important to keep in mind this Easter, chocolate that is produced through caring for the environment and ‘slavery-free’ should be vital to consumers every day of the year.”
The team behind The Chocolate Scorecard includes Fuzz Kitto and Carolyn Kitto, Directors of Be Slavery Free, Ruben Bergsma, Be Slavery Free’s Director of The Chocolate Scorecard, Etelle Higonnet, Board Member of Climate Defiance, Professor John Dumay from Macquarie University, Associate Professor Stephanie Perkiss and PhD student Claire Harris from the University of Wollongong, Sam Mawutor from Mighty Earth, and Dr Cristiana Bernardi from The Open University in the United Kingdom, along with a team of subject matter consultants and civil society groups – a total of 40 civil society organisations.


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Sprint's (NYSE: S) Boost Mobile prepaid brand is giving customers on its entry-level $35 plan an increase in data to 2.5 GB when they sign up for automatic payment.
Starting Feb. 3, new and existing Boost customers will be able to get unlimited voice, texting and 2.5 GB of data per month before throttling when they enroll in Auto Re-Boost. That program is Boost's automatic payment method, which allows a customer to register a credit card, debit card or bank account with Boost Mobile that will be used to automatically make a payment each month.
Normally, Boost's $35 plan comes with 1 GB of data. Boost also offers a $45 per month plan for unlimited voice, texting and 5 GB of data before throttling and a $55 per month plan for unlimited voice, texting and 10 GB of data before throttling.
Boost in particular is looking to undercut both T-Mobile US' (NYSE:TMUS) branded prepaid offerings and T-Mobile's flagship MetroPCS prepaid brand. Boost said that under T-Mobile's new "Simply Prepaid" plans, which will be available starting Jan. 25, customers will spend $50 per month for 3 GB of high-speed data, and that Boost gives 2 GB more of high-speed data for $5 per month less. Boost also pointed out that MetroPCS customers spend $40 per month for 2 GB of high-speed data and that Boost gives 500 MB more of high-speed data for $5 less.
In addition to the new $35 plan, from now through March 31, Boost customers will receive up to $100 off any new phone when they port their number to Boost from any non-Sprint carrier and sign up for a "Data Boost" plan. Also launching on Feb. 3, new customers who don't port their number from another carrier will get their first month of service free.
- see this release
- see this Boost page
T-Mobile's MetroPCS, Verizon beef up data offerings for prepaid plans
T-Mobile launches new 'Simply Prepaid' plans, starting at $40/month with 1 GB of LTE
Sprint dumps Virgin Mobile Custom brand, but keeps ItsOn technology and Walmart partnership
Sprint's Boost makes promotional plans permanent, launches ZTE Speed
Correctiion, Jan. 23, 2015: This article incorrectly stated that Sprint's $100 off credit for a new phone was available from Feb. 3 to March 31. It is in fact available now and will be available through March 31.


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After Spotify Technology SA (NYSE: SPOT) CEO Daniel Ek charged Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) for not being open enough to third-party applications, Ek has been criticized by the co-founder of the speaker manufacturer Sonos Inc. (NASDAQ: SONO) for similar practices.
The ecosystem of Spotify is even more closed than that of Apple according to John MacFarlane, co-founder of Sonos. MacFarlane tweeted Wednesday, “Solid irony here.” He explained: “Having worked closely with Apple and Spotify, I would say that it is much more difficult to work within the” closed “ecosystem of Spotify than with Apple.” Concluding the tweet on a conciliatory note, he added: “Respect and appreciate the two companies, but” open “, Spotify is not.”
MacFarlane also provided the link to Bloomberg’s interview with Ek in his tweet. The CEO of Spotify said in the interview that there have been encouraging signs from Apple, such as allowing Siri to control music services other than Apple Music. He attributed the changes to an antitrust complaint filed by his company against the tech giant a year earlier with the European Union.
Why is it important
Spotify, based in Sweden, also criticized Apple for reducing subscriptions by 30% and accused Cupertino of limiting app updates and banning Apple Watch functionality. In its complaint to the EU, Spotify claimed that Apple was a platform provider and a competitor, prompting it to disadvantage competing services, Bloomberg reported.
Ek revealed that the restrictions imposed by Apple had “an impact on large companies.” Apple’s HomePod speaker still doesn’t support third-party music apps like Spotify, and the default music app on iOS and iPadOS cannot be changed. Apple is expected to authorize third-party applications on HomePod this year.
Ek claimed in the Bloomberg interview that Spotify is growing faster than Apple Music, and is twice its size, with three times the engagement.
(NASDAQ: SPOT) Price action
On Thursday, Spotify shares closed down 0.24% to $ 148.04.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
© 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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IRT Statement following the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on 18 & 19 June 2015.
On the 20 of October IRT adopted Joint Statement at the Meeting in Moscow.
St. Petersburg, May 23, 2014. Co-chairmen of the EU/Russia Industrialists' Round Table (IRT) Anatoly Chubais, Chairman of RUSNANO, and Jørgen Rasmussen, President of Carlsberg Group, met today at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
IRT welcomes new Russian Council member Alexandr Byshkov, President-Director General of JSC IC Russ-Invest
EU-Russia Summit January 2014
On the 18 of December the meeting between Russian Co-chairman Anatoly Chubais and new ambassador and head of the European Union Delegation to Russia Vygaudas Ušackas took place in Moscow
On the 27 of November shepras of IRT Council members held a working meeting to discuss joint IRT recommendations to the EU Russia Summit participants
On the 23 of October new ambassador and head of the European Union Delegation to Russia Vygaudas Ušackas presented his credentials to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin
On the 22 of October IRT co-chairmen Anatoly Chubais and Jorgen Rasmussen met in Moscow.
IRT welcomes Jorgen Rasmussen, president of Carlsberg Group, as a new Co-chairman of the Council from the EU side
EU-Russia Summit June 2013
Russian IRT Co-chairman Anatoly Chubais spoke at the International conference “Russia and the European Union: partnership and its potential" March 2013
EU-Russia Summit June 2012
EU-Russia Business Dialogue 2012
EU-Russia Summit June 2012
EU-Russia Summit December 2011
Recommendations from the Workshops
IRT Task Force on Technical Regulation (TF8) has now its own web-page (so far, in Russian only) >>
TF8 Documents Sharing System >>>
EU Russia Industrialists' Round Table (IRT)
The EU-Russia Industrialists' Roundtable (IRT) is a business platform composed of leaders of companies from the EU and Russia.
The IRT was established in 1997 upon the suggestion of the political leaders meeting at an EU-Russia Summit. Since then, IRT provides a platform for business dialogue and has evolved into a full-fledged organisation that actively fosters discussions on bilateral economic relations. On this basis, the IRT gives business recommendations to policy makers in the EU and Russia.
The IRT vision of an integrated EU-Russia common economic area
An integrated EU-Russia common economic area should provide a rules-based framework for mutual trade and investment, which will generate a win-win partnership ensuring fair competition and freedom of cross-border movement for professionals.
This vision can only be built on a broad and comprehensive free trade agreement, based on WTO membership, which includes implementation of the following elements:
- Substantially fewer trade obstacles for bilateral trade in goods and services than required by the WTO ("WTO+"). As a rule, tariffs should be abolished and quotas and all other export and import restrictions discontinued
- Approximation of economic regulations and standards around transparent, predictable, proportionate and fact-based regulation and international approaches to standards
- An open, transparent and non-discriminatory regime to encourage and protect mutual investment with full transparency and sustainability based on national treatment
- Robust enforcement of intellectual property rules
- Effective dispute settlement and mediation mechanisms


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The search for partnerships with Brazilian companies was one of the main objectives of Moroccan businessmen who participated in the business roundtables that took place, November 26, at the offices of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) in São Paulo.
Among the representatives of 12 companies and sector organizations from Morocco, were the president of the Federation of Tourism, Jalil Benabbés-Taarji, who visited Brazil after businessmen in the hotel sector that are interested in investing in the Arab country.
“The great Brazilian experience in the hotel sector may add much to Morocco. Brazilian companies may operate and invest in hotels, mainly in beach resorts,” stated Benabbés-Taarji.
According to him, the country intends to expand its hotel capacity by 100,000 beds in the next six years, and the country currently offers around 10,000 beds a year.
According to Taarji, the tourist flow between both countries may increase significantly after the cooperation agreement in the sector that was signed in Brasília, Brazil’s capital, by King Mohammed VI and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“With this accord, I believe that the ministries of Tourism of both countries may provide incentives in this market, investing in marketing to attract both Brazilian and Moroccan tourists,” he said.
He believes that his country may become an interesting destination for Brazilians.
“I know that Brazilians travel to Europe very much, Morocco could therefore be an interesting stop,” he said.
On the other hand, the Moroccans could also come to Brazil more. According to him, the Moroccans love travelling and have great curiosity in visiting Brazil.
He mentioned, for example, that around 500,000 Moroccans travel to Europe every year, and that of this total, between 20,000 and 30,000 could come to Brazil.
So as to simplify the tourist flow between both countries, Taarji also forecasts negotiations with airlines to create a direct flight from Casablanca, to Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, both cities in southeastern Brazil.
Said El Alj, from agro industry Unimer, is interested in establishing joint ventures with Brazilian companies to use Brazil as an export platform to other countries in the Americas, and Morocco as a sales platform to Africa and Europe. “I made some contacts which, I hope, may become concrete,” stated the businessman.
He stated that his company has experience in production of sardines, olives, capers, preserves and green beans. On the other hand, the country is interested in the import of juices and fruit from Brazil.
Ahmed Rahou, the director of Lesieur Maroc, which produces vegetable oil, also came to Brazil after partnerships.
“Our interest is to establish partnerships with Brazilian companies involved in our area of operation,” he said.
According to him, his company already imports around US$ 100 million a year from Brazil in soy oil in bulk and soy in grain.
“There are opportunities for investment in agro industry in Morocco, in sectors such as sunflower seed and canola oil. And they are not only in manufacture, but in agricultural production too,” stated Rahou.
He is also interested in selling olive oil to Brazil. “Brazil already purchases very much olive oil from countries like Spain and Portugal. We also have good olive oil and are after a partnership to sell it in Brazil,” he declared.
Like El Alj, Rahou made contacts and hopes that, in future, they result in deals. “I hope that a Brazilian mission may be visiting Morocco in the near future,” he said.
According to Michel Alaby, secretary general of the CCAB, the business roundtable is the beginning of a new strategy to seek new partnerships in Morocco.
“The number of contacts was very significant. Various different kinds of contacts were made, and they involved from food products to electric transformers,” he added.
In Alaby’s point of view, Brazil should offer local partnerships. “We must invest in Morocco with Brazilian equipment, taking raw material to be processed in the region and then sell to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa,” he finished off.
Purchases and Sale
The representative from Akwa group, a trading company, in turn, is interested in buying and selling. “I am after Brazilian companies in the oil, gas and telecommunications sectors to export and import,” stated company president Aziz Akhannouch.
The director of Moroccan group PGC, Mustapha Amhal, came to Brazil for the first time seeking exporters of any kind of product. “I want to do business, to buy sugar, biscuits, juice, gas cylinders, software. But I also want to visit the company I will buy from and see their factory,” he explained.
PGC Group is a family company and imports from 20 countries, from Europe, North America, and also from the United Arab Emirates. The group’s distribution chain supplies 60,000 points of sale in Morocco.
Brazilian businessmen also showed up after partnerships, as was the case with Eduardo Moraes, a director at trading company Latinex.
“Our objective is to establish partnerships to produce food in North Africa,” he said. The main products offered by the company are sweets, biscuits and juice.
“Now we want to enter the Arab countries,” stated Moraes, who already exports to Mozambique, Angola, South America and the United States.
In all, representatives from 50 Brazilian companies interested in doing some kind of business with the Moroccan businessmen showed up.
Company Grimaldi Lines, for example, specialized in maritime transport, showed its services not only to Brazilian companies that may export to Morocco, but also to the Moroccans.
“We offered a direct line from Brazil to Morocco,” stated Frederico Diez Pérez, the company director.
ANBA ”“ Brazil-Arab News Agency


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Vertical farming company Bowery Farming just got $300 million in additional funding to help in its mission to democratize access to high-quality, local, safe, and sustainable produce.
The company, which touts its position as the largest vertical farming company in the U.S., has secured over $472 million in funding to date, which gives it a valuation of $2.3 billion. There isn't any word yet if Bowery Farming will go public.
Bowery Farming investors include Natalie Portman and Justin Timberlake
Led by Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC, this latest funding round for Bowery Farming also included investment from “plant-based eating advocates,” including actress Natalie Portman, singer Justin Timberlake, NBA player Chris Paul, and chef José Andrés.
The New York-based Bowery Farming will use the funds to:
continue the expansion of its network of smart indoor farms across the U.S.
accelerate its technological leadership
support ongoing research and product innovation efforts to bring crops beyond leafy greens to market
recruit top talent to meet the explosive consumer and retail demand for its reliable supply of pesticide-free protected produce
What is Bowery Farming?
Founded in 2015, Bowery Farming has grown to be the largest vertical farming company in the U.S. Vertical farming is where crops are grown indoors using artificial conditions for temperature and lighting. The practice uses less water and land and creates less waste than traditional agriculture.
Bowery Farming produce is sold in over 850 grocery stores across the U.S. Since January 2020, the company has had more than 750 percent growth in sales at brick-and-mortar retailers like Albertsons, Safeway, Giant Food, Walmart, and Whole Foods Market. E-commerce sales on platforms like Amazon Fresh have more than quadrupled.
"At Bowery, we're reinventing a new supply chain that's simpler, safer, more sustainable and ultimately provides vibrantly flavorful produce unlike what's available today," said Irving Fain, the CEO and founder of Bowery Farming, in a company press release. "This funding not only fuels our continued expansion but the ongoing development of our proprietary technology, which sits at the core of our business and our ability to rapidly and efficiently scale towards an increasingly important opportunity in front of us."


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On the Tech Transforms podcast, sponsored by Dynatrace, we talk to some of the most prominent influencers shaping critical government technology decisions.
The global supply chain took a major hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it has since returned to a relatively normal state, the need for supply chain modernization has emerged.
Dr. Aaron Drew, the Technical Director for the Supply Chain Management Product Line at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Information and Technology, is actively advancing supply chain modernization efforts within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). His goal: to better prepare the agency for today, tomorrow, and the future.
Episode 64 of the Tech Transforms podcast is all about the challenges of supply chain management. I sat down with Dr. Drew to discuss modernization within an agency as large as the VA, which is now the second-largest federal agency after the Department of Defense. Dr. Drew touches on the pertinence of supply chain modernization and the challenges of navigating technology procurement. He also underscores the importance of visibility when it comes to implementing government-mandated security requirements, such as the National Cybersecurity Strategy.
Why supply chain modernization is critical
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Drew explains the ongoing VA supply chain modernization efforts, particularly implementing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on both healthcare and the broader supply chain. He emphasizes the need for new tools that are both developed and implemented with the end user’s problems and day-to-day use at the forefront.
“What makes it easier is if you know what problem you’re trying to solve,” Dr. Drew said. “The problem came from the people. I visited some VA medical centers; I went to the cemeteries; I was over at fulfillment centers; I was riding in the VA vans. I understand, and I lived with the problem.”
During our chat, Dr. Drew outlined the steps an organization can take to modernize and maximize applications for end users. He also suggested ways to capitalize on data analytics to better prepare our nation for times of need. Dive into the full episode to hear his insights.
|This episode of Tech Transforms explores challenges and provides advice for supply chain management and modernization.
Follow the Tech Transforms podcast
Follow Tech Transforms on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to get the latest updates on new episodes! Listen and subscribe on our website, or your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review!


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The NHL is selling its 10% stake in Disney Streaming Services, providing a sorely needed cash influx of $350 million.
The league exercised an option in its contract with Disney to trigger a sale on Aug. 3. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.
The streaming technology company, originally created by MLB as “BAMTech,” has become the backbone of Disney’s rapidly growing streaming empire, which includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu.
- MLB, which owns a 15% stake, may exercise a similar option in September 2022. Disney said that the minimum price for MLB’s stake is currently $752 million.
- MLB established BAMTech in 2015, with the NHL as a minority investor, to be the technology company behind MLB.tv and NHL.tv.
- Disney bought a 33% stake in 2016, which it increased to 75% in 2017 for $1.58 billion.
ESPN+ launched in 2018, and Disney+ launched the following year. The subscriber base of the two services grew by 75% and 100% year-over-year, respectively, in the fiscal quarter ending July 3.
The NHL lost an estimated $3.6 billion in revenue last season due to limited game attendance. Commissioner Gary Bettman said in January that the league would save money if it canceled its games.