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IGN has the video presentation.
thoughts from nintendo power writer Steve Thomason
and of course, The Powet forum
While the world is still collectively reeling from this and everyone has blogged their opinion, I’ll toss in mine as well.
It is quite obvious to me that Nintendo has given up the battle with Sony and Microsoft. They cannot win playing by the rules that they themselves established 20 years ago. They went back to the drawing board and released the DS, which is literally a drawing board. It took some time to take off and start to find its niche, and it looks like great and inventive games are out or coming out soon for the DS. They’re truly making the PSP look like just a portable video player or just a portable playstation.
So now theres their new console, which they’re losing ground to the imperially established Sony and the increasingly aggressive Microsoft. They took a look at the competition and realized that if they couldn’t beat them they could at least shake up their own future enough so that they don’t even appear to be in competition anymore.
And thats whats happened. Nintendo is out of the race and in a class by themselves now. Third Party support for the gamecube was dwindling because the cube wasn’t capable of anything the PS2 or Xbox was. So now they have a console and a portable that make direct ports to other systems impossible! And, any game ported over from another system will have to be heavily reworked to make use of unique control schemes. This is it! Back to the days of the NES and Gameboy where the entire lineup is exclusive.
Weird control configurations are now standard in Arcades now. Sure, Tekken 5 is munching quarters without having anything original in control (hell you can plug a PS2 controller into the cabinet to use instead of the stick!), but the rest of the arcade is sit down racers, gun games, and dance games. And skee ball. But all of those offer control and experience unavailable on a home system (home racing wheels and guns are never as good anyway, and standard dance mats are considered a joke). Its that “I can’t play this at home” thing that keeps arcades open now, and Nintendo is going for an audience that will quickly realize that “hey, this game is not possible on Xbox 360 or PS3!”
Of course we still haven’t seen a Revolution game. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed this controller wasn’t premeired with a new Mario or something. And thats the only thing that can prove the concept. Possibilities are endless, but I remember how Mario 64 proved the analog stick to be a great idea. Revolution still has a chance to prove to the haters who say Nintendo has lost their minds as well as satisfy those who have been smoking the company dope for years. And if Nintendo has their way, they’ll also get people who’ve never gone into gaming before.


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The dreaded Joy-Con drift issue has plagued Nintendo Switch since its release back in 2017. However, it looks like the situation's effects go beyond the gamer. The repair center that handled Joy-Con fixes was reportedly constantly overwhelmed and was prone to making mistakes.
According to Kotaku, Joy-Con repairs were reportedly not handled by Nintendo themselves, but rather by another company called United Radio. A former supervisor says that the volume of Joy-Cons coming into the shop reached up to thousands every week and was a very stressful experience, which ultimately lead to high turnover and lots of repair mistakes.
"We ended up having to set up an entire new workspace just for Joy-Con repair," the former supervisor told Kotaku.
While Nintendo sent brand new Joy-Cons as new replacements for customers at first from 2017 to 2018, eventually the employees at United Radio had to repair every set of Joy-Cons. Reportedly, the shop's metrics required it to repair 90% of incoming Joy-Cons within four days, whether or not new workers were coming.
As a result of the high turnover rate, there was a lack of senior expertise at United Radio which caused frequent mistakes in Nintendo Switch repairs. In one instance, a Nintendo customer received a repaired Switch, but it had a completely different person's account and save data.
The customer posted about their experience on Reddit. In response, United Radio implemented a new policy where a customer's Switch would have to be factory wiped if the serial number couldn't be verified during the repair process. The problem with this, however, was that some Switch consoles would have their data wiped without warning.
Nintendo has faced legal troubles surrounding Joy-Con drift. This Joy-Con situation also isn't the only controversy Nintendo is going through right now either. Recently, a former employee has accused the company of firing them for unionization activities.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

domain: news


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The first mangoes of the year from Western Australia have been picked and are due to arrive in the Perth markets today.
The early fruit from Kununurra is expected to fetch a premium price, with previous years suggesting a price-tag of up to $100 a tray.
Based in Kununurra, Geoff Warnock, from the Australian Mango Industry Association, said the quality of the first fruit looked good.
"So the first consignment went out on Monday's truck and is due into Perth today [Thursday]," he said.
"They looked very good, but there's limited supply.
"This is a start, but it'll be a few more weeks until the main crop comes online."
Mr Warnock expects the bulk of the Kununurra mango crop will be harvested in November.
Like other mango producing regions of northern Australia this year, the warmer than average dry season in Kununurra has created a late and very mixed flowering, meaning the harvest will be stop-and-start for some growers.
The vast majority of mangoes from Kununurra will be sent to Perth, a market which is already receiving some mangoes from the Northern Territory.
Mr Warnock is expecting good demand for Ord Valley mangoes this year and not too much competition from NT fruit.
"The Northern Territory have had their own problems with delayed-flowering and they're experiencing rain already, which doesn't help the crop out much," he said.
"So we'll be fine, and I think nature's got its own way of sorting these things out."
The Northern Territory's mango season is ramping up, with over 15,000 trays dispatched out of the Top End last week.
The first NT mangoes were picked in July this year.


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Victoria Beckham Launches Beauty Collection
After being teased for more than a year, fashion designer and former Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham, has expanded her brand into the beauty industry, launching her own line, Victoria Beckham Beauty, online on Saturday. The release of the digital-first brand coordinated with her fashion range’s spring 2020 runway show at London Fashion Week. Models wore the new beauty products, punctuating the latest fashion collection. Ultimately the line will include makeup, skincare, wellness and fragrance.
No stranger to the beauty industry, Victoria has had two successful Estée Lauder makeup capsule collections and a partnership with U.K.-based nail lacquer line, Nails Inc.. She launched her first fragrance in 2006 in collaboration with her husband, David. Victoria announced via Facebook Live last year that she’d be making her foray into beauty with her own range.
The resulting Victoria Beckham Beauty is a partnership with beauty executive Sarah Creal, who previously worked with beauty behemoths such as Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown and Tom Ford. Victoria posted about the new line on Instagram last week, sharing photos of the range’s logo and packaging before revealing the products.
The initial collection is all about eyes, which is no surprise to anyone who is familiar with Victoria Beckham’s typical makeup look. It includes four eyeshadow palettes called Smoky Eye Bricks, in addition to a cream glittery eyeshadow called Lid Lustre in four shades and a Kajal Eye Pencil in three hues. Designed by Ezra Petronio, the slim eyeshadow compacts are reusable. The goal is for each pot of Lid Lustre, the cream shadow, to be made from 100% recyclable black glass.
The range’s tag line is “Luxury Performance. Clean Beauty.” Following in the footsteps of Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham Beauty is touting itself as a “clean beauty movement.”
Smokey Eye Bricks retail for $54 each; Lid Lustres are $36, and Kajal Eye Pencils are $26.


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TaylorMade says its new M2 fairway woods are the longest-hitting fairway woods the company has created, and it’s a combination of technologies that made it possible.
TaylorMade designed the M2 fairway woods with a carbon-composite crown instead of stainless steel, typically used to make heads for fairway wood. Opting for carbon composite decreased the crown’s weight by 5 grams.
TaylorMade designers also fluted the hosel, thinning some areas and stripping out another 3 grams.
All that saved weight was repositioned low and in the back of the head. This helped to lower the center of gravity to encourage a higher launch angle and increase the moment of inertia for more forgiveness.
Finally, TaylorMade gave the M2 fairway woods a redesigned Speed Pocket, the channel in the sole that allows the face to flex more effectively at impact. According to Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s senior director of product creation for metalwoods, it is the most flexible Speed Pocket the company has created.
“The Speed Pocket protects ball speed on low-faced shots,” Bazzel said. “It also drops the spin considerably. By dropping the spin and increasing the speed, you create an incredible launch condition that creates more distance. If you took the Speed Pocket out, the product would (create shots that) spin 600 rpm more.”
Another benefit of the fluted hosel is that it soaks up many unwanted vibrations, which TaylorMade says will enhance feel and sound.
The M2 fairway woods will be available in 15-, 16.5-, 18-, 21- and 24-degree versions and should be in stores Feb. 19 for $249 with a TaylorMade Reax shaft.


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The next Volkswagen GTI is looking to shake things up.
The upcoming Mk8 GTI’s traditional gas engine will reportedly be backed by a 48V electrical system. The mild hybrid system will boost performance while improving fuel economy.
Set to launch in Europe as a 2020 model, Autocar reports that the R&D department has set a hp target of 260 horsepower, similar to the current GTI Clubsport.
The 48V electrical system will integrate a starter motor and might also allow VW to bin the traditional turbo in favor of an electric compressor, like the Audi SQ7 TDI. The electric compressor would allow for torque that comes lower down in the rev range and sustains longer. There could also be a boost button, to give you a little more juice at the top.
Europe’s current 1.5-liter Golf TSI Bluemotion already uses a similar system, but it uses twin 12V electric motors. This allows for cylinder deactivation and engine-off coasting. The coming 48V is set to improve the current system.
The Mk8 Golf will have a slightly longer wheelbase and a slightly wider track width. That said, it will stay on the MQB platform, albeit a modernized version with more lightweight materials that should help it shed about 110 lbs.
According to Autocar, the outward design has already been set. Designed by Michael Mauer, responsible for Porsche’s current offerings, the Mk8 is said to be immediately familiar as a Golf. Despite that, it will have more pronounced wheel arches, a more upright tailgate, a thin grille, and smaller, more angular headlights.
With less weight, more power, a broader torque curve, and a design penned by the man responsible for Porsche’s handsome lineup, the new GTI, and indeed the Golf family, is looking good.
This article originally appeared on VW Vortex


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Sony Xperia SP set for Android 4.4 update, and others
A new version of the Android mobile operating system has been released that has left owners of hardware wondering when or even if their device will ever see the new firmware. Some manufacturers have been better than others by providing information on the software, and now we have news that the Sony Xperia SP is set for the Android 4.4 KitKat update, and some others may also be following.
The company earlier this month announced news about a number of devices for both the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and Android 4.4 KitKat updates. Now though it looks as if some older hardware will also be treated to the latest version of the Android operating system at some point in the future.
After some investigative work by the guys over at Xperia Blog looking at the official Sony support pages it was found that the Sony Xperia SP is down to eventually receive the Android 4.4 update.
Looking at a number of other devices that includes the likes of handsets such as the Sony Xperia T, Xperia TX, Xperia V, and Xperia ZR these are apparently under investigation. So this could mean that the company is simply looking to see if the handsets can run the software, and when you consider that Android KitKat now has support for lower spec hardware with RAM starting at only 512MB there is a chance these handsets eventually see the new software next year.
While these devices are still waiting for Android 4.3 Jelly Bean owners will be hoping that this won’t be the last new firmware update they receive.
Do you have one of these handsets and hope to see Android 4.4?


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Extra holiday padding isn’t usually a problem for most folks who indulge in Christmas cookies and holiday hams.
But Susan Bloomstone, a former WGBH gal, has created Booty Pop panties to provide the proper posterior enhancement.
Bloomstone, whose resume includes segments for “Health Quarterly” and two Emmy award-winning documentaries for “Frontline,” launched this bit of drama for the derriere in February. The padded panties retail for $28 and sell at Holiday in Boston and National Jean Co. in Newton.
The candy-colored packaging sure makes the panties seem sweet, and skinny girls can probably get away with them. But the rest of us, especially those who already struggle with their pear-shaped backsides, might find Booty Pop to be a bust.
Now pour me another cup of eggnog.


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Verizon (VZ) is proving again that VZ stock is a trustworthy buy for investors looking to strengthen their portfolio with large, well-established companies that offer a decent dividend yield.
Verizon reported an impressive 9.3% increase in profit in the third quarter that beat analyst projections, as the largest U.S. wireless provider welcomed a rebound in its Fios and wireless business.
Third-quarter Verizon earnings were $1.04 per share, up from 89 cents per share a year prior vs. the Street view of $1.02 per share.
“We expect future revenue growth from mobile over-the-top video, including digital advertising, and the Internet of Things,” said Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam.
Verizon stock was trading up 1.5% near $45.50 in Tuesday’s session, but with VZ off 6% over the last year and well off its 52-week high of $51.73, investors have an ideal entry point into snapping up shares now for long-term, reliable growth.
Verizon Earnings Catalysts
A concerted marketing effort and sales promotions for its tablets helped boost VZ’s total revenue to $33.2 billion, up from $31.6 billion in the third-quarter 2014 and above the Street view of $32.98 billion.
Last month, Verizon launched its latest promotion to compete in an increasingly noisy marketplace (where carriers are turning to data giveaways and smartphone leasing programs) by offering its own mobile-video service.
And the tablet sales are indeed boosting Verizon’s Fios business, which drew 114,000 new Internet customers and 42,000 Fios video customers. Both increases are down from the year prior, but dramatically improved over the second quarter, when Verizon reported lower Fios growth after launching a skinny bundle giving consumers a cheaper, slimmer option over the traditional cable bundle.
In another attractive feature in Verizon stock, Verizon’s price-to-earnings valuation of 19 is generally attractive compared to peers like AT&T (T) trading around 33 times earnings.
Verizon acquired AOL in June in a $4.4 billion deal that gave Verizon AOL’s exclusive video and crucial video advertising technology for mobile devices, positioning it at the forefront of competitors in a rapidly changing media landscape, where viewer habits and content preferences seem in constant flux.
Bottom Line on VZ Stock
In addition to the $4 billion AOL takeover, Verizon has also invested about $22 billion this year in spectrum licenses, giving VZ another strong foothold for future market share growth.
And having already returned more than $11 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases so far this year, Verizon recently increased its quarterly dividend to 56.5 cents per share from 55 cents.
The bottom line is, while Verizon stock has struggled to find its footing this year, Verizon is well positioned to compete in an ever-evolving media and telecommunications landscape, which should boost VZ stock in the long-term.
As of this writing, Rebecca McClay was long GOOG stock.


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At the beginning of this year, after a long and drawn out legislative process involving a governor’s veto, Maryland became the first state to implement a tax on digital advertising. Yet even as the state remains mired in legal proceedings over its likely unconstitutionality, momentum is starting to build for more states to follow Maryland’s lead.
Digital taxes are taxes that are targeted specifically at digital goods and services, often subjecting them to taxes that their traditional counterparts do not face, or else face at lower rates. In Maryland’s case, the tax at issue is a four-tiered gross receipts tax on all revenue earned from digital advertising in the state, even though traditional advertising revenue is not taxable. The tax rate rises as high as ten percent, meaning that affected businesses deriving advertising revenue in Maryland with a profit margin below ten percent are better off packing up and leaving.
But aside from being ill-advised economically, Maryland’s tax is also harmful to interstate commerce. As the tax only starts to kick in on businesses making more than $100 million in global revenues, it is almost definitionally set to apply to businesses whose operations are predominantly out-of-state. In other words, Maryland is attempting to import tax revenues from out-of-state businesses at the expense of other states and businesses.
At its core, this is little different than Maryland imposing tariffs on other states’ businesses in order to glean some extra revenue. Though the Dormant Commerce Clause, which prohibits states from excessively burdening interstate commerce, has not been as strictly enforced as it could be of late, there can hardly be a more cut-and-dry case for why it exists than Maryland’s cynical effort to fatten its coffers.
Legal issues such as this are largely the reason that other states have declined to follow Maryland’s example. Though digital tax legislation has been introduced in several states, no bills have made it to a governor’s desk. One bill, in New York, was so shoddily wordsmithed that it would have applied to most businesses, not just “digital” ones.
That may soon change, however, as a more serious push for digital taxes takes shape. New Mexico is reportedly soon to publish new draft rules “clarifying” that the state’s version of their sales tax, the gross receipts tax, applies to digital advertising.
That’s less objectionable than what Maryland is doing for a few reasons. First, the tax already applies to traditional advertising, so the tax would not be discriminatory against digital services like Maryland’s is. Second, the tax applies to all businesses in New Mexico, not just above a high threshold intended to export the tax burden out-of-state. Third, the rate applied is not a punitive special rate but would be the same rate imposed on all other taxed goods and services.
But on the other hand, New Mexico is learning the wrong lesson from Maryland’s efforts. Though taxing traditional advertising as well as digital advertising avoids some legal issues, most states do not tax advertising at all, and for good reason. Advertising is generally a business-to-business (B2B) transaction, and most B2B transactions should not be taxable to avoid tax pyramiding. The good-policy solution for New Mexico is not to add digital advertising to its tax base, but to remove traditional advertising.
What’s more, New Mexico’s action creates renewed momentum for less discerning digital tax legislation to progress through states. The Multistate Tax Commission (MTC) is currently in the process of putting together a white paper that will likely play a large role in future digital tax legislation. Should the MTC fail to make clear that states must take care not to discriminate against digital goods and services with their tax policies, many will likely be tempted by the promise of added revenue.
Discriminatory tax obligations imposed on digital goods in the name of squeezing revenue out of a productive industry is a surefire way to prevent the benefits of innovation from flowing to regular Americans. As states prepare for a new digital tax push, they must be careful not to violate first principles of good tax policy.


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A new cookshop has opened in the Derbyshire market town of Bakewell. Doors opened to the 45sq m premises, called Bakewell Cookshop, on March 16.
The owners are Mark Pilkington and David Kidd, who have been trading online as www.bakewellcookshop.com since early 2012. But the pair have now decided to mix bricks and clicks.
Mark said: “The initial plan was to move into a shop next year but when we saw this space become available, we didn’t want to let the opportunity pass.
“Bakewell has been absent of a cookshop for some time now and with the current trend for baking, coupled with the approaching Bakewell Baking Festival on June 8-9, the timing couldn’t have been better.
“The Mayor came down for our grand opening and he’s been very forthcoming with his support – as has everyone else around the town. They want to see shops opening again and have even braved this unseasonal weather to wish us luck!”
Staffed by a team of three, Bakewell Cookshop is in Hebden Court, a small courtyard comprising several independent stores and a vintage tea room, situated just off Matlock Street. “The traditional buildings, cobbled pathway and the outdoor dining area lend to its unique atmosphere, setting it apart from anywhere else in the town,” said Mark.
Bakewell Cookshop is across two storeys. Downstairs is open and the upstairs space will be used “as soon as the dust settles!” Currently, core product categories are food prep, knives and tableware but these will be joined by more product areas on the first floor, such as cookware and a more extensive range of bakeware, in due course.
Mark says the shop stocks “the usual mixture” of products, alongside professional items for the catering industry. Key brands include Sabatier, Kuhn Rikon, Joseph Joseph, Black & Blum, Kai, Bisbell, Chef’n and Cuisipro.
There will also be a heavy ‘Sheffield Made’ influence owing to business relationships forged in the past by Mark and David, who previously worked at Richardson Sheffield in design and technical roles before starting their own housewares design company TheSource-UK ltd in 2007. Since then they have worked closely with Taylor’s Eye Witness developing its brands, products and Sheffield Made ranges.


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As we all know, SK Hynix is a giant when it comes to memory and DRAM business, and also a leader in terms of innovation as well. Recently, the South Korean giant announced the 8th generation of 3D NAND memory that will be stacked with over 300 active layers that could drastically increase SSD speeds and also lower costs per TB.
8th Gen 3D NAND by SK Hynix: What’s new?
SK Hynix recently revealed information about the eighth-generation 3D NAND, boasting over 300 stacked layers, and it is expected to be launched by the end of 2024 or early 2025.
According to the official announcement by SK Hynix, the 8th generation 3D NAND has matured with over 300 layers, 1Tb (128GB) capacity, three-level cells, and a bit density exceeding 20Gb/mm^2.
The chip features a page size of 16KB, 4 planes, an interface transmission speed of 2400MT/s, and a maximum throughput of 194MB/s (18% faster than the 7th generation 238-layer 3D NAND). It is said that the high-speed I/O and increased throughput will drastically help in the upcoming best SSDs with PCIe 5.0 x4 interface.
The significant increase in bit density for the new NAND would result in a significant improvement in per-wafer productivity for the new manufacturing node, which could also lower costs for SK Hynix, although the exact amount is unknown.


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Whitbread sales gloom knocks bids
WHITBREAD is facing substantially lower bids for its 235 Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pubs after news of continued weak sales.
A dip in trading at the start of the year is understood to have started a downward trend that continued during the World Cup as consumers shunned pubs concentrating on food.
Insiders had thought that interest in the pubs might drive up the price to £550m, but it is now being suggested this was wide of the mark, with the figure likely to be closer to £500m.
Several bidders are considering their positions as talks open this weekend. Mitchells & Butlers, the quoted pub group that owns Harvester, leads the list of interested parties. This could also include Punch Taverns and Greene King as well as private equity group GI Partners.
GI recently paid £571m for 290 pubs sold by Punch and could see the Whitbread auction as a chance to consolidate its position in the sector.
One source said that while business had been difficult, most bidders were viewing the company in terms of its potential, rather than past performance as part of the Whitbread portfolio.
The World Cup is expected to have boosted sales at pub chain JD Wetherspoon, which is likely to have benefited from the introduction of TV screens into 540 of its pubs, writes Helia Ebrahimi.
This week's trading statement from the group will attract investors' attention as they are keen to see how summer trading has been affected by Scotland's smoking ban. With renewed focus on food and families, management is said to be confident in its experience of handling no-smoking environments - it has already banned smoking in 38 pubs in England.
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Unlike other companies that have attempted significant transformation with artificial intelligence, Apple is using emerging technologies to improve basic functions in its new gadgets.
Instead of using the words “artificial intelligence” to describe the emerging technology, Apple unveiled a new line of iPhones and a new watch that includes improved semiconductor designs that power new AI features.
The features mainly improve basic functions such as taking calls or taking better images.
Artificial intelligence didn’t even make an appearance at its June developer conference but has been quietly shaping Apple’s core software products behind the scenes for months.
In contrast, Microsoft and Google have set ambitious goals for the level of transformation with their AI efforts.
Industry leaders have warned of the potential pitfalls of unregulated development of new tools like generative AI.
Apple built the Series 9 Watch with a new chip that includes improved data crunching capabilities, notably the addition of a four-core “neural engine” that can process machine learning tasks twice as fast.
Neural engines are what Apple calls the building blocks for its chips that accelerate AI functions.
The watch chip’s AI components make Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, 25 percent more accurate.
But with the machine learning chip components, Apple has enabled Apple to launch a new way to interact with the device: People can “double tap” by pinching a finger on their watch face to answer or do things like end a phone call, pause or launch music. Other information such as weather.
The idea is to give people a way to control the Apple Watch when their non-watch hand is busy holding a cup of coffee or walking their dog.
The feature works by using a new chip and machine learning to detect subtle movements and changes in blood flow when users tap their fingers together.
The iPhone maker also showed off improved image capture for its lineup of phones. The company has long offered a “portrait mode” that can blur the background using computing power to simulate a large camera lens.
But users have to remember to turn on the feature.
Now, the camera automatically detects when a person is in the frame and then collects the necessary data to blur the background.
Apple is the only smartphone maker to add AI to its hardware. Google’s Pixel phones, for example, allow users to erase unwanted people or objects from images.


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Set in beautiful country parkland, cocktail in hand - you could almost be at Kellerman’s...
In this absolute must for Teesside Dirty Dancing fans, Wynyard Hall is offering the chance to catch the legendary film on the big screen outdoors.
The website gives details for the event that will take place on June 9.
It says: “‘Nobody puts Baby in the corner’
“Experience the drama, music and romance of this 1987 classic in the exquisite parkland of Wynyard Hall as the sun sets.”
The online information says that those who do take up the offer must bring blankets or a chair to sit on and wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Food and refreshments will be available to purchase too - but included in the £16 per person ticket price is a cocktail.
It’s not the first classic movie that’s been on the big screen outdoors in Teesside.
Valentine’s Day screenings of Grease were a sell out at The Riverside .
All 300 spaces in a car park at the Boro stadium were snapped up in just three days.
Details of the next film at ground are to be announced, says the website.
Organiser of the Riverside shows, Chris Petty, said at the time: “We thought it was a good idea but didn’t expect such a response - we could sell it out twice over. I’m flabbergasted.”
Wynyard Hall is a four-star hotel surrounded by 150 acres of landscape. It also features a spa and restaurant and is a popular choice for weddings in the area.
“You’ll find it hard to escape the tranquility that encompasses Wynyard Hall,” says the website.
The Wynyard Hall performance starts at 9.20pm and you can book tickets and find out more information here .
You can also contact them directly on 01740 644811.


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In the ever-evolving landscape of global commerce, businesses are continually seeking ways to enhance efficiency and streamline operations. One critical aspect that has garnered increased attention is the realm of international payments, where the traditional boundaries of borders are being transcended for the sake of improved global connectivity. Beyond Borders, a cutting-edge initiative, has emerged as a pioneering force in globalizing business payments. This transformative approach aims to dismantle the barriers that have historically impeded the seamless flow of funds across international borders. At the heart of Beyond Borders is a comprehensive suite of financial solutions designed to address the multifaceted challenges inherent in cross-border transactions. One of the primary hurdles traditionally faced by businesses engaged in international trade is the complexity of navigating diverse currencies, regulations, and payment systems.
Beyond Borders tackles this head-on by leveraging advanced financial technologies, including blockchain and real-time settlement systems. These technologies not only expedite transaction processing but also significantly reduce the costs associated with currency conversion and cross-border transfers. The result is a more agile and cost-effective payment ecosystem that empowers businesses to allocate resources more efficiently. Furthermore, Beyond Borders places a strong emphasis on compliance and risk management, recognizing the importance of adhering to diverse regulatory frameworks across the globe. By incorporating sophisticated compliance algorithms and robust security measures, the platform ensures that businesses can conduct transactions with confidence, irrespective of geographical boundaries. This commitment to regulatory adherence fosters trust among stakeholders, paving the way for more transparent and accountable international transactions. The globalization of business payments also entails a shift in the paradigm of financial inclusivity.
Beyond Borders recognizes the diversity of Theperfectgift businesses operating on a global scale, from small enterprises to multinational corporations. As such, the platform offers tailored solutions that cater to the unique needs and capacities of businesses of all sizes. Whether it is facilitating microtransactions for emerging startups or managing large-scale financial operations for established corporations, Beyond Borders provides a scalable and adaptive framework that promotes financial inclusivity on a global scale. In conclusion, Beyond Borders represents a groundbreaking leap towards a more interconnected and efficient global business landscape. By harnessing the power of advanced financial technologies, prioritizing compliance and security, and fostering inclusivity, this initiative is redefining the way businesses navigate the complexities of international payments. As we celebrate the one-year milestone of Beyond Borders, it stands as a testament to the ongoing evolution of the global economy and the relentless pursuit of innovation to enhance the efficiency of business transactions beyond traditional borders.


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In breaking news on Friday, Gawker Media filed for Bankruptcy protection. Gawker recently lost a high profile court case and was ordered to pay $140MM in damages. Gawker owns a series of high profile blogs including Gawker, Gizmodo, Lifehacker, Jezebel, and Jalopnik. At the time of writing this, Ziff Davis has already put in offers for some of Gawker’s assets.
eMarketer is reporting that Snapchat is on track to have more users than twitter and Pinterest, growing 27% this year. While impressive, it won’t be close to Facebook Messenger and eMarketer predicts FB Messenger will continue to outpace Snapchat’s growth. In other Snapchat news, if you missed updating your app this week, you should – the Discover platform now has better subscription features, previews and more. Definitely something you should explore.
twitter has released a 12,000 strong research panel on their platform. Called twitter insiders, the research is anonymous, can survey people in the US and UK, and is only available to agency partners. Your twitter account rep. will be able to tell you more if you’re interested. twitter is also now experimenting with injecting certain moments directly in user’s main timeline.
In Facebook news, eCommerce is increasingly coming into focus, with reports that they’re testing a payment option on pages. The test is occurring in Thailand, using a local online payment offering called Qwik. This is a smart move given that in Asian markets, specifically China, payments within social media and messaging apps are one of the fastest growing eCommerce channels.
Closer to home, Pinterest has confirmed that Oracle Data Cloud (aka Datalogix) is now available to measure sales lift on Pinterest pins. Alongside this, there was some custom Pinterest/Oracle research published, showing that promoted pins are 5x more likely to result in sales lift and to spend more than non-pinners. The key stats from the study can be read on Pinterest’s business blog.
Finally, wrapping things up – Apple. Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is next week and aside from the usual device rumors, Apple has pre-emptively confirmed that paid search news this week but expect more details to be revealed next week.


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What you need to know about the iPhone XS Max, iPhone X, and iPhone XR review
Jared Jewell’s funeral is a “mourning of the deceased”, says Rich Morris
The iPhone X and iPhone 8X are available now and the iPhone 8 and iPhone 9 are expected later this year, but the XS and XR aren’t.Those of you hoping for a bigger iPhone or a better phone than the one you got in the iPhone 9 could want to consider the XR.The XR has […]
Which are the hottest jewelry brands worth considering?
Jared Jewett’s funeral has been a very long one for the New York Giants star quarterback.The Giants have lost the first two games, and lost the last two to the Rams in their wild-card race.The team is currently 0-6 in its last nine games, with two wins in those contests.The loss to the Cardinals was […]
Jared Jewell’s jewellers get an upgrade
JEWEL DEAN LEE, CNNMoney.com: The new jewelry brands that have hit the market over the past couple of years have made headlines.But a new trend has emerged, one that could shake up the entire industry.As the industry grows, consumers are looking for new and unique ways to earn their keep.Some of the hottest new brands […]
Why is Jared and Kate wearing a diamond ring?
The latest news in technology, innovation and jobs.title What’s next for jewelliers article The jewellier industry has been undergoing an interesting change in the past year.In 2017, jewellists had to be the first people to notice changes to the supply chain of their suppliers.In 2018, they had to start working with the government on their […]
Why You Should Never Take Jewelry From Razny Jewelers
This week on TechRadars, we’re going to examine a couple of diamonds and what’s behind them.The diamond ring in question, the Tiffany and Co. diamond ring, is a very nice looking diamond that is very popular with collectors.This is because of its rarity, beauty, and value.The Tiffany ring is one of only 100 of its […]
I had no idea where to start with this post.In fact, I didn’t even know if I was reading it at all. Razny was one of the oldest jewelers in the world, founded in 1775, and it’s the oldest of the jewelers I know. Its history goes back to the Middle Ages, when its namesake was a diamond merchant […]


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Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BERLIN (AP) — German consumers are growing more pessimistic amid concerns about the global economic downturn, trade conflicts and Brexit, a survey showed Friday, while a second study indicated the country's businesses are less happy with their current situation but have greater hope for the coming months.
Germany's economy contracted slightly in the second quarter and is widely believed to have shrunk further in the just-concluded third quarter, which would put it in a technical recession.
Earlier this month, a group of leading think-tanks cut its growth outlook for the economy, Europe's largest, to 0.5% this year from 0.8%, pointing to political uncertainty such as trade tensions and the risk of a no-deal Brexit; declining global demand for investment goods such as factory machinery in which Germany specializes; and fundamental changes in the auto industry.
Those same concerns are also weighing on consumers, the Nuremberg-based GfK agency said. It forward-looking consumer climate index dropped to 9.6 points for November, down 0.2 points over October. The reading was the lowest level since November 2016.
"Besides known risk factors such as the global economic downturn, trade conflicts and Brexit chaos, there are increasing reports of job losses, such as in the automotive industry and in the financial markets," GfK said. "These events have dampened the mood of consumers again and optimism is dwindling."
In the survey of some 2,000 people from Oct. 2 to 14, consumer economic expectations dropped to their lowest since December 2012. Respondents' income expectations and their propensity to buy also declined.
Separately, the closely-watched Ifo business climate index was unchanged for October at 94.6 points, as a drop in companies' assessment of their current situation was offset by a more positive outlook for the future.
Ifo President Clemens Fuest said the results suggest that businesses believe "the German economy is stabilizing."
The Ifo survey is based on some 9,000 monthly responses from businesses in manufacturing, the service sector, trade and construction.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Posted on Fri Sep 28th, 2012 2:20pm PDT By X17 Staff
Sofia Vergara is a businesswoman on a mission, and she looks hot pounding the pavement!
The 40-year-old Modern Family actress headed to a K Mart-sponsored event in NYC showing off her sexy curves in a short and tight sparkly dress.
Vergara was on her way to celebrate the launch of the Fall Sofia by Sofia Vergara Collection.
SEE THE GALLERY Sofia Vergara Rocks LBD In NYC
Stories from around the Web


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Billy Porter has been killing it on the red carpet this awards season—turning out look after look and becoming a style icon in the process. Of course, this isn’t anything new if you’ve followed the Pose star’s career. He’s always been a fashion trailblazer. Just last year he wore a custom Christian Siriano tuxedo dress to the 2019 Oscars—a dress he’ll wear again in his upcoming appearance on Sesame Street.
Which has some people (read trolls) in a tizzy. According to Page Six, a petition is being circulated calling for Sesame Street to pull Porter’s episode. “Do you approve of your taxpayer dollars being used to promote the radical LGBTQ agenda?” raged one critic, per Page Six. The petition itself reportedly accuses Sesame Street of trying to “sexualize children using drag queens” (which…doesn’t even make sense).
But Porter isn’t sweating any of the criticism. “If you don’t like it, don’t watch it,” he told Page Six.
He continued, “Like, what about me singing with a penguin [on the show] has anything to do with what I’m doing in my bedroom?” and later added, “The really interesting thing for me is that that’s what it’s all about when it comes to LGBTQ people—the first thing everyone wants to talk about is how we having sex…. Stay out of my bedroom and you will be fine—that is none of your business.”


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[Marxism] Fast food workers strike, protest across 30 countries
stuartmunckton at gmail.com
Sun May 18 22:22:42 MDT 2014
The call for “$15 and a union” went up again across the United States on
May 15, with a new — and bigger — group of allies.
As striking fast food workers hit picket lines across the US to demand a
US$15 minimum wage and the right to organise, fast food workers and
supporters rallied in 30 other counties. Italian fast food workers also
went on strike on May 16.
“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is humanity’s
original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made,
through disobedience and through rebellion.” — Oscar Wilde, Soul of Man
“The free market is perfectly natural... do you think I am some kind of
dummy?” — Jarvis Cocker
More information about the Marxism


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Bethesda is marking 25 years since the release of Fallout for the whole month of October. With the original came out in 1997, they're celebrating each week with new features, from sales to special new content across the franchise.
Fallout 76 is just about finishing up its free play week, and there's also a franchise sale running this month as well. Fallout 76 is also available through Amazon Prime Gaming as well this month. We recently chatted with the F76 team on The Pitt, the brand new expansion, and that’s also one of the titles being celebrated this month. There’s also an opportunity to test out Fallout 1st for free from tomorrow through October 17th as a limited preview. (Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get a month-long trial.)
Bethesda is also releasing new content for its mobile title, Fallout Shelter. This is the first new content for the game in four years. The update will be available tomorrow and features weapons, new gear, and all new quest involving aliens. Also a new celebration room theme and decoration options.
There is an all-new short retrospective video called Conceiving Fallout, where some of the devs that worked on the series discuss just how things came about and their process
When it comes to Fallout, it’s clear that the franchise continues to expand and succeed on various platforms and with thriving communities. To celebrate, there are also releases of Fallout music on Spotify, featuring a playlist of songs from throughout the franchise. The 25th anniversary playlist features a number of instrumental tracks from the series, including Fallout, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 76, Fallout 3, and Fallout 4, but also includes a number of vocal tracks that you might recognize from your days in the vault.
There’s more on now and more to come, as Bethesda will be offering new behind the scenes looks, new content, and new offers all month. Head over to the Fallout anniversary hub for more info.


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Walmart Digs In Deep to the Sustainability Index
"Not only do we not have it all figured out, we don't want to have it all figured out right now, that's why we're working with all of you."
So said Rand Waddoups, Walmart's senior director for sustainability, during an extensive -- and exclusive -- 90-minute conversation with our executive editor Joel Makower, in the webcast "Getting Ready for the Sustainability Index."
The webcast brought many more voices to the conversation: Hundreds of people attended, representing some of Walmart's largest suppliers, and some of the biggest and most forward-thinking companies in the world.
Everyone convened hoping to get answers about a new, sweeping program announced just over two months ago. And despite Waddoups' repeated caveat that the Index is still very much a work in progress, the webcast did serve to clarify many elements of a world-changing project.
First and foremost among the takeaways from today's event is that calling this "Walmart's Sustainability Index" is a misnomer; the concept of the project has first and foremost been to create an open and all-inclusive system to measure the environmental impacts of retailers' products and operations.
"We want this to turn into something that is far bigger than Walmart, far more important than any one company," Waddoups said. "We announced it to the world so we could call on the world to join the effort; you have to call on the world to join the effort to develop the effort so they have ownership of it."
Waddoups said that the end goal of the Sustainability Index -- which is likely five years from reaching its full implementation of having on-shelf products bearing sustainability scores -- is to respond to the growing demand for transparency the company is hearing from its customers.
"[The Sustainability Index is] unique and is driving value in a way that's creating customer trust, creating ways to connect with customers in a way you haven't been able to do in the past," Waddoups said. "Transparency is becoming the expectation of our customers. This is becoming the new normal for how we do business."
In the intervening five years, of course, plenty of work remains to be done. Much of that work is currently being driven by the Sustainability Consortium, a group of academics and retailers that are doing much of the development of lifecycle analysis (LCA) methods that are accurate and relatively streamlined. (You can read more about the Consortium in this article from Joel Makower.)
While the Consortium works on developing a useful LCA tool, Walmart's "top-tier" suppliers will begin answering the 15 questions on the Sustainability Assessment. Walmart suppliers can fill those questions out online at Walmart's Retail Link. Once the questions are answered online, suppliers will get instant feedback both on how their operations measure up, and how they compare to other suppliers in their category.
There are three "scores" for the Assessment: Suppliers will be rated either "above target," "on target" or "below target." And the Retail Link results page will also offer tips on how a company can improve their performance.
Explaining the simple nature of the current assessment, Waddoups said, "We want to know if you've measured it; if you've measured it, that's important. If you've measured it and you're making progress, that's even better."
But, addressing a key concern of many of the webcast's attendees, Waddoups said that suppliers will not be able to see the actual rankings of their competitors; they'll simply see a distribution of scores for their relevant department -- for example, they'll see all the scores of toy department suppliers, but not individual scores.
Similarly, proprietary information will not necessarily need to be shared; Waddoups described that as one of his key concerns entering into the Sustainability Index project, and said that the Consortium has come up with "some really exciting, simple and effective means" to get the environmental-impact data they want without sharing proprietary data.
Walmart suppliers aren't even required to take part in the Sustainability Index, though Waddoups made it clear that it would be in a company's best interest to take part -- and to take it seriously.
"Walmart is looking for leadership: We want to identify who the leaders are, reward them for what they're doing, and do it in a way that's credible," he said. "If a supplier says they don't want to participate and don't want to be transparent, are we going to dump that supplier tomorrow? Absolutely not. If a supplier chooses not to participate, they will simply be considered not a leader, and their scores will reflect that in the future."
What it all comes down to is improving performance on all three levels of the triple bottom line. Waddoups stressed the financial benefits of improving environmental impacts repeatedly, while also expressing high hopes for the boost the Sustainability Index can give to green business practices.
"We wouldn't be doing this if we weren't tremendously excited about the possiblities it offers for people and the planet but also for our businesses," he said.
The 90-minute webcast will be archived for 90 days; if you have already signed up, you can go back at any time and listen and download the slides. You can also still register for the webcast by clicking on http://tinyurl.com/GreenBizWalmartWebcast.


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CIPS 2020: Online + Offline:
China International Pet Show will create more powerful platform for the industry
(September 14th, Beijing.) The organizer of China International Pet Show (CIPS) announced that its 2020 show will open on Nov 12-15, at Guangzhou, and its online show will open on Nov. 12-20 as well (https://online.cipscom.com/).
China pet industry suffered from the COVID-19 epidemic in the first quarter of 2020 but soon adjusted to make full use of online and e-commerce opportunities. On the consumer side, according to JD.com., June 18th mid-year total sales have increased 360% compared with last year. The fastest growing group of consumers are those born after 1995, or so called Z Generation. Pet shops delivered products and serve their clients through social media and other online means. According to QuestMobile, the total active users of Tiktok in China reached 518 million in March, 14.7% increase compared with 2019, while the average time spent increased by 72.5%. Tiktok has added shopping function, followed by more and more apps. The whole China pet industry is digitalizing that led recovering from epidemic rather fast.
CIPS follows the trend of digitalization and launch CIPS Online Trade Show, the first b2b online show in China. CIPS Online Trade Show will be held on No. 12 to 20. This 24/7 platform provides unlimited access to the latest products from CIPS exhibitors. Powered by the latest technology, CIPS Online Trade Show offers real time communication with suppliers via various messages, phone calls, and video calls, for those who cannot attend the show or those who would like to preview the products before walking the show. CIPS leads China pet industry to digitalize
In June and July, CIPS also launched four small scale online sessions with success, attracting buyers from 78 countries/regions, with more than 2000 online match meetings and live communication. In the follow-up buyer survey, 85% of the buyers believed that online trade would become a trend in the future, and 92% of the buyers considered the online show has helped with their trade.
CIPS as the Industry’s hub of distribution channels, covers international trade and domestic trade, offline trade and online trade, is expected to be the gateway for brands to enter Asian market, as well as the largest sourcing platform in Asia. CIPS invites major domestic and international e-commerce platform to share insights of online trade. With diverse events to suit different needs of the professionals, CIPS is expected to be a marvelous opportunity for all professionals to trade, connect, network, and build brands.
As the leading trade show in Asia, CIPS has pooled together 1,387 exhibitors from 24 countries in the 130,000 show space in 2019, and expected to attract 1500 exhibitors in 2020.
CIPS stands out against the difficulties of the epidemic, providing a trade platform open to all professional in the industry, with products to touch, events to attend and standard to follow, every attendee will acquire achievement. The online show as started accepting application https://online.cipscom.com/.
Ms. Meadow Zhang
Ms. Lisa Pang


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After success from selling advertising on People Group owned sites, People Online has set out to compete for its space in the digital sector to serve as a gateway to the ‘brown pound’ market for advertisers and media buyers, and as a sales house for third party website publishers.
“It’s estimated that this South Asian cohort have a combined wealth of £32 billion,” states, Geeta Srivastava, Country Head UK at People Group. She adds, “We are supplying advertisers with a network of website publishers to reach a niche South Asian audience effectively; advertisers will hopefully recognise the economies of scale and ROI that we can bring to their campaign.”
The south Asian group is made up of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan consumers who are dependant on mixture of mainstream and own media. Whereby, research shows that Asians would be more inclined to purchase a product or service if it was advertised specifically to them through media they relate to.
People Online is a representative and blind ad network, reaching over 1.6 million unique users and offering more flexibility and lower costs to the advertiser. This means that People Online represents a number of premium Asian websites, acting very much as an outsourced sales team.
Geeta explains, “We’re giving advertisers and planners increased buying power to target an Asian category of ABC1s. Advertising campaigns can be conducted efficiently across a number of Asian centric websites simultaneously, targeted by geo-demographical statistics, brand preferences and consumer behaviour, so that Asian consumers’ receive 100 per cent message relevance, whereas until now Asians feel that marketing by mainstream brands has little relevance to them.”
According to E-consultancy’s new report on ‘Online Advertising Networks’, the market for UK online advertising networks will grow by 60% in 2008 to an estimated value of £385 million. This is because the pace of growth for ad networks continues to outstrip the rate of growth for overall online display advertising due to improved understanding of the return-in- investment potential and increased opportunities to reach the right audience.


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Snohomish PUD lights up the holidays for customers< All Stories
The PUD helped customers save money and have a brighter holiday season at two events last weekend that provided free strands of LED holiday lights.
During the PUD’s Holiday Light Exchange at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, customers exchanged up to three strands of working incandescent holiday lights or a donation of non-perishable food items for up to three strands of LED holiday lights at no charge. The PUD provided 1,500 strands of multicolor and white lights during the event and collected four pallets of food to be donated to local food banks.
Ridwell, a Seattle-based recycling company, was onsite to gather and recycle old, inefficient holiday lighting that might otherwise be thrown in the trash. Ridwell works with local, regional, and national partners to divert as much as possible from landfills. The PUD also partnered with Volunteers of America to collect food and financial donations.
“We want to thank all of our customers who came out to the Monroe Fairgrounds on Friday to save energy, brighten the holiday season and donate food to help our neighbors in need,” said Laura Zorick, PUD Communications and Marketing Representative.
The PUD took its popular High-Voltage Demonstration Trailer to the City of Everett’s Holiday on the Bay event and was able to provide another 500 strings of lights to community members.
“The holiday season is about brightening up the darkness of winter, giving to others, and spending time with those who matter to us most,” said Zorick. “At the PUD, that means spending time and giving back to our customers.”
LED holiday lights use 75 percent less energy than conventional incandescent strands, lowering customers’ energy usage and saving money on winter PUD bills. LED holiday lights also last up to 10 times longer, reduce the risk of fire and are more durable than their incandescent counterparts.
For customers who would like to purchase a package of LED holiday lights, the cost is approximately $10 to $15 per string of 70 lights. They are available at Bartell Drugs, Target, The Home Depot, Lowe’s and other stores. Customers should look or ask for Energy Star LEDs to be sure the lights are energy efficient.


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Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show 2019
21 May 2019 in Events
Hella marine will have an extensive range of ultra durable and efficient LED navigation lamps, floodlights, interior and exterior lighting on display at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (23rd - 26th May 2019).
Attracting over 45,000 marine enthusiasts each year, it’s an event that looks set to live up to its reputation as the Southern Hemisphere’s premier marine event once again. With over 300+ exhibitors and 500+ watercraft on display, you’ll be treated to best-in-class superyachts, fishing boats, trailers, watercraft and marine tech and much more.
The annual four-day event is staged at Sanctuary Cove on Queensland’s Gold Coast, a 1-hour drive South of Brisbane. All set against the stunning backdrop of Sanctuary Cove Marine Village; home to a 330 berth marina, 2 championship gold courses, a 5 star hotel and a vibrant community alive with boutique shops, bars, cafes, restaurants and essential services.
This is the must-go-to Marine event in the Southern Hemisphere.
For more information on the show visit the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show website.


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Paradigm One, a venture capital firm run by Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam and ex-Sequoia Capital Partner Matt Huang, has raised $2.5 billion (approximately Rs. 18,598 crores) for the “next generation of crypto companies and protocols,” making it the largest crypto VC fund. Paradigm One was founded in 2018 with an initial investment of $400 million (approximately Rs. 2,976 crores), and the total amount raised has surpassed the VC fund’s initial investment objective.
The size of Paradigm’s fund reflects investor expectations of a huge rise in the crypto business. “The magnitude of this new fund reflects the fact that cryptocurrency is the most intriguing frontier in technology.” “Crypto has gone a long way in the last decade,” Ehrsham and Huang said in a blog post on Monday. In the midst of record-breaking venture capital raising activities this year, the three-year-old startup’s fundraising surpasses VC firm Andreessen Horowitz’s $2.2 billion (approximately Rs. 16,370 crores) round earlier in 2021.
According to the company’s website, Paradigm invests in crypto companies of various sizes, from $100 million and up to $1 million (approximately Rs. 7.4 crores). According to Ersham and Huang, the fund would invest in businesses with “only a glimpse of an idea” as well as later-stage enterprises.
The decentralized finance (DeFi) industry and Web3 applications, which refer to apps developed on blockchain platforms, are two areas where the San Francisco-based investment group sees opportunities.
Ehrsam (who co-founded Coinbase) said in an interview with the Financial Times that token-based apps, in particular, have room to grow and that “decades into the future, it’s very clear the largest entities in the world will be powered by tokens,” just as the world’s largest Internet companies are currently powered by networks.
According to industry data source Pitchbook, venture capitalists pumped a record $21.4 billion (approximately Rs. 1,59,172 crore) into cryptocurrency and blockchain-focused startups across 1,196 deals in the first three quarters of 2021, a five-fold increase year-over-year.


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Windows Phone 7 is just about 15 months old and while it hasn’t taken a significant section of the market from Android or iOS, it is an impressive platform, and according to Joe Belifiore, head of Windows Phone for Microsoft, it’s only just the beginning.
Pocket Now has been given access to a video starring Belfiore which was intended for Microsoft’s partners at Nokia, in which he details the hardware and software improvements which are coming with Windows Phone 8, which is currently being referred to by the codename Apollo – and is rumoured to be coming in the last qiuarter of 2012.
So far Windows Phone handsets have been trailing their Android and iOS competitors when it comes to pretty much every aspect of hardware – with cameras the possible exception.
Well, WP8 is going to change all that and will let OEMs make their own choices rather than forcing then to follow specific strictures. According to Belfiore, WP8 will support multicore processors (no mention of how many), four different screen resolutions (no mention of pixel counts) and will also allow manufacturers to include microSD cards to expand local storage.
The Apollo update will also add NFC support with Belfiore placing specific emphasis on WP8’s push into contactless payments. This will be controlled by either a secure element on the SIM or utilising hardware on the phone itself. One of the most exciting aspects of this however will be the tap-to-share element which will allow for transfer of data between the phone and a Windows 8 laptop/tablet/PC simply by tapping the phone on the device.
Windows 8 Integration
Microsoft are obviously looking to create an huge ecosystem which will include PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Developers creating apps for the Windows 8 platform will be able to “reuse – by far – most of their code” when porting an app from desktop to phone, according to Belfiore. In the video he specifically mentions the kernel, networking stacks, security, and multimedia support as areas of heavy overlap.
Another issue which has plagued WP7 users is the reliance on Zune, and WP8 will get rid of this in favour of a syncing relationship with a dedicated companion application. Pocket Now believes this will mean Microsoft is bringing back a (presumably) richer version of ActiveSync after letting that program die out for the most part.
There are also other companion apps for Xbox and your SkyDrive account on Windows 8 which will play nice with your new Windows Phone 8 device. In the video, Belfiore gives the example of instantly having one’s music collection available on a newly-purchased Windows Phone, without the need for a PC sync.
There are currently 50,000 Windows Phone apps in the Marketplace with some serious gaps still there. According to Belfiore this will be boosted to 100,000 by the time Apollo rolls out.
One of the major gaps in the Marketplace is Skype and considering Microsoft now owns the VoIP service this is a rather glaring omission. That will be rectified with Window Phone 8 however with the service baked into the new OS.
On a more general basis, Windows Phone 8 will add native code support, which will enable more powerful applications as well as easier porting of code from programs initially developed for iOS or Android.
A major problem for many smartphone owners these days, especially since unlimited data plans are so scarce, is keeping tabs on their data usage. A new DataSmart Live Tile will be added to Windows Phone 8 which will give users an instant breakdown of data consumption.
While this is a function other platforms already provide, DataSmart will go further by actively attempting to give Wi-Fi connections precedence, going so far as to automatically connect to carrier-owned WLANs when in range. The Local Scout feature of Bing Maps will also enable the real-time location of nearby hotspots.
With RIM faltering, it could be Microsoft’s chance to capture some of the enterprise market and to this end, Windows Phone 8 will include BitLocker encryption — the same 128-bit, full-disk encryption found on Microsoft’s most recent desktop platforms.
So overall, the Windows Phone 8 update is a pretty major advance and along with Windows 8, could see Microsoft gaining a major foothold in both the tablet and smartphone markets, which has so far eluded it.
Will Windows Phone 8 be the breakthrough Microsoft has been waiting for? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Pocket Now


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It is a great time to sell your Shakopee home, at least compared to last year at this time, according to data released Friday by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors.
According to MAAR's numbers for December 2012, the supply of homes on the market is only slightly more than half the number from December 2011, 109 versus 206. The number of new listings is also down, from 54 in December 2011 to 36 in December 2012.
Predictably, a drop in supply is driving up prices. Median sales price in December 2011 was $151,059, but that number has jumped to $219,000 a year later, a 45-percent increase. Homes are spending less time on the market as well, 67 days last December compared to 206 days a year earlier, a 57.9-percent change.
Average price per square foot was $100 last December, up from $86 in December 2011.
For the year, new listings were down 19 percent in 2012 compared to the previous year, from 907 to 734. The number of completed sales was also down, though not nearly as drastically. Closed sales dipped from 626 in 2011 to 600 in 2012, a change of just 4.2 percent.
The complete report is available from the MAAC website.


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Farhad Manjoo of The New York Times continues the media’s examination of how social media is reshaping marketing and branding. Manjoo notes that social media warriors have taken down what previously had been considered untouchables – people like Uber’s Travis Kalanick and Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly.
To see why, we must first understand why brands are suddenly more vulnerable to consumer sentiment than they once were. It all comes down to one thing: Social media is the new TV.
In the era when television shaped mainstream consumer sentiment, companies enjoyed enormous power to alter their image through advertising. Then came the internet, which didn’t kill advertising, but did dilute its power. Brands now have little say over how their messages get chewed up through our social feeds.


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Women drink men under the table with wine, but somehow spend less
Lazy stand-up comics and early morning Kathie Lees would have you believe that ladies love their wine. But that doesn't mean they've got expensive taste: according to a new study, women drink far more wine than men... but they also spend way less on it.
Market research firm Canadean (insert your own Community joke here) reveals that men and women have very different wine-drinking habits. First off, men only make up about 41% of consumption by volume, while women claim a much heftier 59%. But interestingly, men tend to be the bigger wine snobs. Whereas women spent about $1 billion in pursuit of high-quality bottles, men racked up $1.8 billion doing the same thing. They also spent more searching for "new drink experiences", shelling out $2.4 billion to women's $2.2 billion. Canadean says this is because women buy wine to "relax and unwind", meaning they're more likely to buy a bunch of cheap stuff so they feel less guilty about the price, while men are all about the newest, most expensive variety. Clearly, there are a lot of different attitudes towards wining, but we can all agree on this: no matter how much you spent on your bottle, you should feel confident drinking it all in one sitting.


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Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI)’s Chairman Samir Abdullah Nass has praised the continuous growth of the bilateral and economic relations between Bahrain and South Korea in various fields.
He also affirmed the importance of increasing this cooperation and deepening the existing relations between the two friendly countries.
Speaking in the presence of a trade delegation of Bahraini businesspeople and their Korean counterparts and representatives of major Korean companies from across the various economic sectors, he said the next phase will be characterized by increasing ties and strengthening these relations in various fields and boosting the channels of communication.
The two sides said they will also strengthen bilateral relations and achieve common objectives, while reviewing opportunities and advantages of investment in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the current cooperation, he added.
Bahrain is hosting the activities of many of the leading Korean companies in the fields of engineering, technology, services and financial sectors, indicating a common interest in enhancing cooperation in all sectors, he said.
He recalled the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, to the Prime Minister of the Republic of South Korea in 2012, accompanied by a delegation from the private sector and representatives of various economic sectors in the Kingdom.
The visit resulted in the signing of a number of agreements with government and private bodies and exchange visits to transfer expertise and stimulate trade and investment cooperation between the two sides, pointing to the formation of the visit of the Korean Prime Minister to Bahrain and the signing of important agreements for trade cooperation, confirming the importance of these mutual visits, Nass said.
He pointed out that the visit was aimed at strengthening the joint objectives of the two friendly countries to strengthen the relations of partnership between Korean businesspeople and their Bahraini counterparts and achieve all that serves the development of common economic interests.
Nass has met with the Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Korea, Jun Dong Kim, and discussed ways of closer economic ties between the business sectors in the two countries, between the two chambers the two friendly countries.
Nass was interviewed by one of S. Korea’s leading economic newspapers. He also highlighted the most important reforms adopted by the Government of Bahrain especially in the economic fields. He cited distinguished opportunities offered by Bahrain as the ideal gateway for expansion in the Gulf region, and the incentive advantages it offers investors.
The BCCI Delegation also held B2B meeting with the Korean top investors to strengthen the trade and business in different sectors including oil and gas, energy, petrochemicals, heavy equipment, information and communications technology, education, tourism, health and others.
The post Bahrain investment opportunities highlighted in Seoul by BCCI appeared first on bizbahrain.


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All bacon and sausages sold over counters in Tesco’s Welsh stores is to be made and cured in Wales. The decision will boost the small pig sector in Wales while supporting Tesco’s commitment to stock more food local to the region.
Tesco head of local sourcing Emily Shamma said: “We recently held a producer road show in Carmarthen to meet more Welsh suppliers. The quality of bacon and sausage we saw was so good we decided to deal exclusively with Welsh suppliers for these products.
“Customers are increasingly interested in the provenance of their food and we’re very pleased that we’re able to increase the amount of Welsh produce available.
“Sausage and bacon on the counters will be clearly labelled so that customers can be confident they are supporting suppliers from their country – and we will provide in store marketing events to encourage shoppers to try the new range.
Ieun Edwards of Conwy will be supplying some of the bacon as well as award winning sausages for Tesco. Commenting on the announcement he said: “I’m delighted that Tesco are increasing the availability of Welsh food. This kind of commitment is exactly what Welsh producers and customers are looking for.”
Tesco is already committed to selling only Welsh beef and lamb over the counters in its Welsh stores.


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The number of tools that nefarious hackers have at their disposal these days is positively frightening. Attacks seem to be growing more complex and dangerous by the day, and we constantly see new stories emerge that cause us to rethink our own security practices. But, as we are reminded constantly, it doesn’t always take complex machinery or even any real coding know-how to steal things using technology-in fact, people were recently caught using an iPod Nano and a piece of plastic to steal from ATMs according to an article by Business Insider.
Now, it appears that anyone can spy on others in the vicinity with a new gadget that is cheap, relatively easy to build, and it looks like a normal cell phone charger.
Even with the constant reminders of how important PCI security really is, new hacks will always pop up that companies are not prepared for. Such is the case with keySweepers, small DIY devices that look like harmless smartphone chargers. In reality, however, the device is anything but harmless.
As shown above, A KeySweeper is “a stealthy Ardunio-based device, camouflaged as a functional USB wall charger, that wirelessly and passively sniffs, decrypts, logs and reports back (over GSM) all keystrokes from any Microsoft wireless keyboard in the vicinity” (Goodin).
A KeySweeper is capable of capturing every single keystroke typed on a wireless keyboard and transmitting them back to a host. The device can even send SMS alerts that are triggered when certain keywords are being typed. This means that usernames and passwords can be stolen, thus leaking private information.
These devices are relatively inexpensive and range from $10-$80 depending on the desired functionality, and instructions are available online through various sources. This is part of why this device is so frightening. It’s easily affordable and takes a minimal technological skillset to build.
Contact us immediately if you discover such a device in your business. We will assist in taking the appropriate corrective actions necessary.


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Global snacking group pladis has appointed Mario Reis as chief supply chain officer, taking a key role in the company’s global supply chain agenda across all its markets.
He joins the business, which is includes household brands across the sector including McVitie’s, Godiva and Ulker, at a point of expansion for the group as it improves its position in a number of confectionery segments.
Formed three years ago, the company also owns regional brands such as Jacob’s, go ahead!, Carr’s, Flipz, BN, Verkade and many more, delighting consumers with products across the snacking category including sweet and savoury biscuits, wafer, cake, chocolate, gum and candy.
“Mario brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to pladis,” said CEO Salman Amin. “His vast experience leading the end-to-end Supply Chain in large, global businesses means he will be a great asset to our team as we build on our excellence across our markets. We’re absolutely thrilled to have him on board.”
Mario has more than 30 years of international supply chain, procurement and management consulting experience. He joins pladis from COTY, a leading multinational beauty company, where he was the chief global supply chain officer leading the supply chain agenda during a period of transformation. Prior to his role at COTY Mario held senior positions with leading FMCG companies including Danone and Mars and consultancy experience at Bain & Co, supporting the companies with best-in-class supply chain strategies.
Mario Reis added: “I am delighted to be joining pladis, as I have long admired the company for its portfolio of cherished brands, its strong position in global snacking, its presence across so many geographies, and I look forward to working with the team and its partners to continue to drive pladis success ”
Reis holds a Master of Business Administration degree from INSEAD and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester.


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MASERU — Nearly 2 000 workers could lose their jobs after it emerged that two textile companies are tottering on the brink of collapse.
Two textile labour unions last week told the Sunday Express that Super Knitting Textiles and Blessing Textiles might shut down at the end of the year.
The Lesotho Clothing and Allied Workers Union (Lecawu) and Factory Workers Union (Fawu) said the two companies had already sent out a distress call.
Both unions have members in the two companies.
They say Super Knitting Textiles has already terminated contracts for workers and told Fawu that the future is bleak.
The management told Fawu that there is very little hope that the factory will reopen after Christmas.
Super Knitting Textiles, which has about 1 000 workers, is said to have promised to give the workers their severance packages by December 15.
The company has also announced that it does not have new orders from buyers.
Fawu national organiser Sam Mokhele said the union has been in discussion with the troubled company.
“The factory management agreed to pay all workers before they close for Christmas holidays after we aired our fears the signs showed that they were unlikely to reopen next year,” Mokhele said.
He said Blessing Textiles’ situation was also precarious although the management tried to reassure the union that it will not close.
Mokhele said the company had started retrenching.
“We put it to the Blessing Textiles management that we are not new in this industry and we are able to see when a firm has financial problems,” he said.
“The management confirmed that the firm is struggling to attract orders.”
“Also the LTEA (Lesotho Textile Exporters Association) has told us that the two firms are struggling,” he added.
Daniel Maraisane, the Lecawu secretary-general, said the two firms had “serious problems that are a sure sign that their closure is looming”.
“There is a third firm which we are watching closely,” he said.
“Three firms are likely to close by the end of this year.”
Blessing Textile, which was previously called C-River Textile, will be closing for the second time if the trade unions’ fears come true.
The firm belonged to a Taiwanese, Weng Chun-Hsuan, who disappeared without paying workers in September 2007 which led to it being declared insolvent.
The High Court appointed lawyer Nkesi Makhera to liquidate it.
At the time of Chun-Hsuan’s disappearance the firm owed workers M444 000 in wages.
It had 700 employees.
It also owed the Lesotho National Development Corporation’s estate agents, JHI Estate Managers, M133 191 as it was operating at one of the corporation’s building.
Another creditor was the Water and Sewage Authority which was owed about M173 000.
Currently, Makhera is in a legal battle with the new owners and the workers for failure to complete liquidation and pay debts.
Efforts to contact management of the two firms were not successful.


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Microsoft announced today in an e-mailed statement that the company’s flagship gaming and entertainment console, Xbox 360, was the top selling video game console in the United States for the month of April, with 297,000 units sold at retail.
Apparently, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 sales were up 60 percent compared to last year. Microsoft also claims that the Xbox 360 was the top selling gaming console for the month of April.
If you put it all together, all retail sales of consoles, software, and hardware peripherals totaled an astonishing $961.2 million dollars in U.S. sales. This is up by 20% compared to a year earlier when the total figures were $802.4 million dollars. Wonder how much impact Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console and Microsoft’s Kinect motion-sensing device made on the total figure?
With recent talks about the successor to the Xbox 360, dubbed the Xbox 720 or Xbox Next, one can imagine how much of an impact the new console will make to gaming sales.
In recent reports, we learned that Microsoft is planning on launching free-to-play games on its Xbox Live service. This will allow game publishers and developers to release games through the Xbox Live service for free. Users can then purchase additional content such as weapons, experience points, in-game currency, and perks though Xbox Live.


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RED tape, training and local content were top of the list of concerns keeping Forrestfield business owners awake at night.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA (CCI) met Forrestfield business owners at the Hale Road Tavern to hear what government rules or regulations are making it harder for their businesses to grow and create jobs.
Red tape was the major issue, with business owners calling out complicated local government regulations and the lack of interaction between state and federal government departments.
Training was also a concern, with one Forrestfield business owner stating they were frustrated that young employees were not work-ready and prepared for the responsibilities of full-time employment.
CCI chief executive Deidre Willmott said the responses echoed anxieties throughout the WA business community.
“It is of no surprise that business owners were unhappy with government red tape – regulatory burden holds businesses back from finding new ways to be profitable and create local jobs,” Ms Willmott said.
“Time taken to fill out unnecessary forms and navigate complicated bureaucracy is time and money taken away from running the business; this is particularly damaging for small business owners, who simply don’t have time or money to waste.
“Local content is also a strong concern throughout the business community; CCI firmly believes that WA business must be given full, fair and reasonable opportunity to tender for State and local government work and it should only be sent offshore as a last resort.
“As we head into the March 2017 election, CCI will continue to help local businesses work by highlighting key reforms that the future State Government should prioritise.”
Ms Willmott said small and medium-sized businesses across the State also highlighted payroll tax and infrastructure planning as areas of concern.
“Small and medium-sized businesses tell CCI that payroll tax must be reformed; payroll tax is a tax on jobs, and businesses across the State consistently tell CCI that the tax stops business growth and job creation,” Ms Willmott said.
“CCI has long called for the payroll tax threshold to be lifted from its current level at $850,000 to $1.5 million, to give more businesses the relief and resources they need to expand and boost local jobs.
“WA business has also consistently advocated for a long-term infrastructure plan for WA, to ensure business owners and the wider community have the roads and rail they need to export their products, commute to work and attract people to add to the local workforce; infrastructure planning must provide a long-term vision so that business owners can plan new investments with certainty.”


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SELANGOR AIMS TO HIT 7 MILLION TOURIST INFLUX BY 2025, STRENGTHENING TIES WITH CHINA
Selangor Strengthen Ties with China through a Sales Mission in China
SELANGOR, 1 April 2024 — For three consecutive years, the State of Selangor has attracted tourists from China the most, compared to other Southeast Asian market. In 2023, the state saw an influx of 352,001 Chinese tourists, marking a 73% surge from the 203,615 visitors in 2022. Underscored by the remarkable growth, Selangor has ramped up its promotional strategies, by executing a targeted sales mission in China from 17th to 26th of March 2024.
Led by Dato’ Ng Suee Lim, the Executive Council Member for Local Government and Tourism, the delegations from Tourism Malaysia and Tourism Selangor has embarked on a sales mission across China, targeting the cities of Dalian, Shenyang, Changchun, and Harbin. These cities, boasting a combined population exceeding 25 million has gathered over 500 potential buyers and travel agents. This mission has provided a platform for the tourism product operators from Selangor to present their offerings, aiming to tap into the vast market potential.
The Honourable Dato’ Ng Suee Lim, the EXCO of Local Government and Tourism of Selangor and Azrul Shah Mohamad, the Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Selangor with the local tourism delegates
This sales mission is further enhanced with a collaboration with several major tourism agencies such as Dalian Tourism Comittee and Development Association, Heilongjiang Foreign Affairs Office and Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. This partnership is expected to open new avenues for promotional activities, including Familiarisation Trips, content marketing and Business to Business opportunities, further solidifying Selangor’s position in the Chinese market.
Tourism Selangor has also partnered with Tourism Malaysia’s Beijing and Shanghai bases to target more direct flight arrivals from China by Malaysian Airlines and China Airlines such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Air, Loong Air and Spring Airlines. Currently around 327 flight frequencies are scheduled in a week between Malaysia and China.
The Honourable Dato’ Ng Suee Lim, the EXCO of Local Government and Tourism in a statement said, the interests of Chinese tourists with Selangor’s tourism attractions is a clear indicator of the state’s growing appeal and the strong ties we are building with China. This partnership not only signifies our commitment to welcoming more visitors but also highlights Selangor as a vibrant and dynamic destination, ready to offer unique experiences to international tourists.
The Honourable Dato’ Ng Suee Lim, the EXCO of Local Government and Tourism of Selangor with the Tourism Selangor’s delegates
Given that theme parks are a major attraction for tourists from China, Tourism Selangor has highlighted several key destinations, including Sunway Lagoon Theme Park and SplashMania Water Theme Park, along with FunPark @ Gamuda Luge Garden. Additionally, for those interested in ecotourism and agrotourism, attractions like the Sky Mirror and Sekinchan have been showcased to prospective buyers and travel agents in China.
In line with the Selangor’s tourism promotional campaign, “Splendid Selangor, Take Me Anywhere!”, the State of Selangor welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with international agencies and travel agents to increase business opportunities, especially towards the Visit Selangor Year 2025 and reaching the targets of 7 million tourists influx by next year.
Tourism Selangor delegates along with the local tourism products operators


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UK manufacturer Metal & Modular will launch its 4.5m manually powered scissor lift at the Executive Hire Show next week
German rental company Gerken has taken delivery of the first unit of Ruthmann’s new 30m T300 XS Hybrid truck mount
LGMG has added the 46ft SR1418E, lithium battery powered Rough Terrain scissor lift to its SR-E range
Link-Belt Cranes will show a new 250t All Terrain crane, the 300AT, at Conexpo
Liebherr Container Cranes has completed its first Ship To Shore crane lift height increase, its new ‘Liebherr Transform’ jacking system.
Briggs Equipment of Dublin, Ireland has taken the first LGMG lithium-ion battery powered telescopic boom lifts in Europe
UK rental company L Lynch Plant Hire has purchased three 17m/4,500kg Faresin 17.45 Full Electric telehandlers
Potain has launched a new high capacity flat top tower crane, the 50 tonne MCT 1005. It will be the largest flat top to date
Italian work platform manufacturer Techoil has supplied two of its truck mounted VT75 big deck platforms to Latvian tram and trolley bus company Rigas Satiksme
Genie is to launch a new version of its GTH-1256 5.4t/17m telehandler at the ARA Show in Orlando next month
Hungarian manufacturer EuropeLift’s new 21 metre dual boom TM21GTi trailer lift has entered production and is available to ship
Cargotec's Kalmar is to work with Toyota Tsusho America, and engineering consultancy Ricardo on a project to develop fuel cell powered equipment
Singapore rental company Sin Heng Heavy Machinery has taken delivery of a 100 tonne Grove GMK4100L-2 All Terrain crane
Bac Polska has taken the first 186ft Zoomlion ZT58J boom lift to arrive in Europe
Italian manufacturer CTE has confirmed the first of a new generation of articulated truck mounted lifts, the 22m Zeta 22.
UK based Explore Plant and Transport Solutions has purchased five new 17m/4,000kg Faresin 17.40 full electric telehandlers
Manitou has installed a green hydrogen station on its R&D test bed as part of its hydrogen telehandler test programme
Unic master distributor GGR unveiled a spider crane with a difference at Bauma, the 3.2t URW345 - or 'Pop Up'
JLG has launched two new 18ft self-propelled mast type lifts in North America, the E18MCL with a 13ft outdoor rating, and the 18ft indoor only E18MML
We have seen what may be the first video footage of a fully assembled version of Liebherr’s new 2,500 tonne LR12500 crawler crane
Italian spider lift manufacturer CMC unveiled two new models last month, the 27m S27 and its sister machine, the 30m S30
JCB has announced a new sub compact telehandler, the 1,400kg/four metre 514-40, its smallest telescopic handler to date
Chinese crane manufacturer XCMG unveiled a 60 tonne hybrid All Terrain crane at Bauma based on the company’s existing XCA60 E
One of the Bauma product launches that some might have missed was the 100% electric version of the 6t Böcker AK48 the AK48e


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An IMDEA Networks institute researcher proposes that users receive financial compensation in exchange for the personal data they offer on the web.
Woman using her laptop. / Photo: Unsplash
LatinAmerican Post | Marcelo Jaime
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Leer en español: ¿Deberíamos cobrar por ofrecer nuestros datos personales en la web?
Every time we perform an action on the internet (a search, a purchase, a visualization) we generate very valuable information for companies. These personal data are the basic input to carry out advertising campaigns, orient sales towards a specific product or feed artificial intelligence systems. It is not surprising, therefore, that they are marketed at very high prices. Now, should they pay us to give them our on the web?
In an article published in the IEEE Internet Computing magazine, Professor Nikolaos Laoutaris states that users should receive explicit monetary compensation in exchange for their data. Nowadays, on the contrary, the remuneration is implicit: companies take the data in exchange for free online services.
For Laoutaris, a researcher at the IMDEA Networks Institute, this change would be an important step towards an industrial revolution based on data. This revolution is framed in what he calls a people-centered data economy.
How much are personal data worth on the web?
Calculating the cost of personal data is not a simple task, as several factors must be taken into account. This results in a lot of difference between the various estimates published in this regard.
For example, according to an article published in The New York Times, the benefit generated by data collection in the United States was US$ 76 billion in 2018. A figure that would be equivalent to US$ 122 per user. However, according to ABC, bank and social media data are sold on the deep web at 870 euros (about 940 dollars) per user.
In that sense, Nikolaos Laoutaris argues that a family of four could earn about US$ 20,000 annually for the transfer of their data. By the way, it clarifies that it is a rather conservative calculation and that it should increase in the future.
Also read: Latin America 2020: labor market and AI
Benefits of an annual income in exchange for personal data
According to Professor Laoutaris, an annual income in exchange for personal data would be beneficial not only for users but also for society in general and for companies engaged in the collection and sale of data. In this sense, other authors have already expressed the idea of a minimum universal income based on the profits generated by the digital economy in which we live. An economy, by the way, that needs more and more data to support its growth.
As for people, such income would be an economic compensation that would dampen the impact of automation on the loss of jobs. For companies, it would represent the possibility of accessing better quality data, since at present, due to the ease and gratuity with which they are obtained, an excessive amount of information tends to be collected, much of which is irrelevant In economic terms.
In addition, if users received explicit financial compensation, they would be more predisposed to provide valuable information. Not for nothing, says Laoutaris, this proposal has been well received by industry leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Bill Gates.
Is the proposal for an annual income in exchange for personal data feasible?
Despite the challenges of designing the technology necessary for its application, Professor Laoutaris states that his proposal is feasible. In his opinion, the indispensable tools to carry it out already exist today, it is only a matter of combining them properly. Of course, for this purpose, the participation of various disciplines (economics, computer science, mathematics, among others) will be necessary.
Finally, Laoutaris argues that “all that this change requires is for a small set of visionary online services to discover the benefits of this approach (reduce disputes between privacy and utility, encourage users to share more data) and use it as a differentiating element and a competitive advantage over its competitors. If it is successful, other companies will adopt it and eventually it will become a common practice. ”


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Ascena Retail Group Inc. plans to wind down its Dressbarn retail operations, resulting in the closure of about 650 stores, the company said Monday.
There are two Dressbarn stores in Colorado Springs. One is at 1770 Woodmen Road and the other in in the First & Main Town Center just off of North Powers Boulevard.
The closure of Dressbarn caps a yearslong retreat for the brand, which only a few years ago accounted for more than $1 billion in sales. Dressbarn parent Ascena also owns women's apparel brands Ann Taylor and Loft, among others.
Dressbarn has hired A&G Realty Partners, a real-estate advisory firm that has worked with hundreds of retailers on restructuring leases and shrinking store fleets including Toys "R" Us.
Company officials sought to assure customers that -- at least for now -- stores would remain open as usual, and customers can continue to shop on the Dressbarn.com website and use the Dressbarn credit card.
There are no changes to the company's return, refund, or gift-card policies or loyalty-rewards programs, the company said in a note to customers.
"This decision was difficult, but necessary," Ascena finance chief Steven Taylor said in a statement. Dressbarn has about 6,800 employees.
Ascena didn't comment beyond its statement Monday.
Shares in Ascena, which closed Monday down nearly 10% to $1.14, rose 2.6% in after-hours trading. The company has about 3,500 stores across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
Last year, Ascena brought in new leadership to try to revamp the Dressbarn brand. And while company officials had said the brand had stabilized, Mr. Taylor said Monday that it continued to operate short of "an acceptable level of profitability in today's retail environment."
In its most recent fiscal year, sales for Ascena's value fashion division, which included Dressbarn and Maurices, fell nearly 7% to $1.82 billion. Comparable sales at stores open for at least a year and online sales for Dressbarn fell 10% in the year ended Aug. 4. The company closed a sale of the Maurices brand to private-equity firm OpCapita this month.
When the first Dressbarn store opened in Stamford, Conn., in 1962, "it broke all the rules of retail," according to a corporate history on the company's website. The store survived despite having a lack of convenient parking, few dressing rooms and a stairwell that customers had to climb to access the store, the company said.
At the head of the company was Roslyn Jaffe, whose vision of a one-stop-shop where working women could buy designer clothing at a discount shaped Ascena's ethos of selling clothing to "real" women.
Ms. Jaffe's son, David, retired this month as CEO and board chairman though he remains a director and is a senior adviser to Chief Executive Gary Muto through June 28.
Josh Beckerman contributed to this article.